Sol Shall Rise (The Pike Chronicles Book 1) (2 page)

Tallos looked down at the blue planet below, its oceans reminding him of home. Why had he been summoned to such an insignificant corner of the galaxy? He had heard whispers about these humans, about how the Great See’er considered them extraordinary in some way. For the life of him, he did not see it. They were merely another upstart species propped up by Diakan might. If not for Diakan intervention these humans would still be Juttari slaves. They owed everything to Diakus. Every breath they took was a Diakan gift.

Why bring him here? Why waste his expertise on these creatures? The Juttari had been defeated, the human defenses shored, this system secured. He knew of nothing that would require him to travel all this way. He hoped the need would not be too great. He assured himself it would be no more than some minor advisory services and then he could finally return to Diakus.

He had been away from the home world for far too long. The wars had pulled him to many different corners of the galaxy, like this one. Too many planets. Too many battles. Even when the wars ended there was work for him to do. He continued to be pulled throughout the galaxy, this time for his expertise. Diakan space had expanded, and it needed to be secured. His advisory services were in greater demand than he expected.

But he longed for the home world. He longed to see the great oceans of Diakus again. When was the last time he felt the heat of its giant red star on his skin? How long since he gazed upon the many moons, floating in the sky like orbs, so close you thought you could scoop them into your hands.

Soon, he thought. Soon.

“Ambassador Varyos will see you now,” said a synthetic voice. A door behind him slid open and he turned from the window and walked through.

“Greetings General Tallos,” said Ambassador Varyos.

“Greetings Ambassador.” He wondered why someone with Varyos’s reputation would be posted as Ambassador to the humans. By all accounts this was a junior position. Who did he offend to get banished here? Tallos wondered if he himself hadn’t unwittingly offended a high ranking official somewhere. Could that be it? Was this some sort of banishment? He shuddered at the thought.

“I am sure you are wondering why you have been summoned to such a remote system.”

“The order is curious.” It was more than curious. It was offensive, but he dared not say so.

“What do you know of the humans, General?”

“I know that they were Juttari slaves. Now their system is a Diakan protectorate. The only reason this system has any strategic significance at all is the jump gate it has access to.”

“And what of their capabilities?”

Whispers. Only whispers
. “They are unimpressive. They rely on Diakan technology and assistance for their survival. Without our help they are like children alone and adrift on a vast sea.”

“The Great See’er has foretold otherwise.”

Could the whispers be true?

“The humans will rise to power in the galaxy.”

“Impossible. They barely stand on their own. Without a Diakan presence in their system the Juttari Empire would conquer them again.”

“For now. This will change, quicker than you believe possible.”

“I do not presume to question the Great See’er. If She has foretold of their rise then it is so. What else has She seen? Do they become a threat to Diakus?”

“It is unclear, but their rise is certain. The Great See’er warns that it is imperative that their ascension be controlled. If it is managed they will not become a threat to Diakus.”

“And if we cannot manage their ascension?”

“Then they must be terminated before they become too powerful.”

“Why not terminate their species now and avoid the potential threat altogether?”

“The Great See’er has foretold of yet another threat. One as yet undiscovered. The humans will contain that threat. Without them it will grow unchecked and plague our borders, eventually weakening the Empire. As Diakus weakens others will grow bold and challenge our power. Over time Diakus will atrophy and our enemies will feed on our withering bones, the Empire a forgotten legend.”

“This cannot be allowed. Diakus has gained too much, at too high a cost.”

“By Her Will, Diakus shall prevail. The Great See’er is wise beyond comprehension.” Varyos bowed his head in reverence.

“By Her Will,” said Tallos, bowing his head as well. After a few moments the two Diakans raised their heads. “How may I serve Diakus?”

Jon walked for a couple of hours, making his way down a hill along a winding road. Signs of progress dotted the landscape. Everywhere he looked he saw growth. Many buildings had already risen from the ruins like defiant fists. It made him hopeful. The Juttari Empire had severely scarred humanity. Five hundred long years under alien occupation. Countless atrocities. Orbital bombardment. Mass murder. Forced labor. Stolen children. And then the wars of liberation, and their cost. Earth finally had an opportunity to rebuild. Humanity had a chance to recover, even if it was too late for him.

Still the ruins were everywhere. On the walls of one destroyed building were the words “Sol Shall Rise”. The rallying cry of the revolution. Too few believed those words now. Why fight for something when you are being spoon fed?

At the bottom of the hill things got busier. It was still night, but the streets filled with people. Hong Kong never slept. An open air market stretched ahead for countless city blocks. Crowds of people haggled and shouted. The smell of fish and seafood filled the air, making his stomach growl. When had he eaten last? Shaky columns of cages filled with live chickens stood next to fruits and vegetables. Colorful textiles butted up against weapon stands, hocking the latest in energy weapons. Anything could be purchased here, so long as you knew what to ask for and how to ask for it.

Jon made his way down the street. He had no interest in shopping, but didn't mind mixing in the crowds. He wondered what Yang would do once he realized that Azzan and Roch were dead. If he came after Jon again it wouldn’t be with amateurs. Jon wasn’t particularly worried, but he still needed to think things through. It was time to get to his ship. R&R was over.

A man made eye contact with Jon. It was only for a moment, but that was all he needed. Physically larger than most, he towered over those around him. A battle hardened face and the menacing eyes of a killer ensured that people got out of his way. The fact the man made eye contact was the first clue. That Jon also knew a killer’s eyes when he saw them was the second.

Had the Triad found him? Scanning the crowd Jon analyzed his options. There was likely more than one opponent. Probably four or five. While he used the crowd for cover, he realized his adversaries were doing the same. Except they were getting into position, likely putting Jon into a box formation, flanking him on all sides. While not overly concerned with civilian deaths, they would likely avoid attacking in the middle of the market. That reluctance gave him a small edge.

He had kept Roch’s gun but needed something more powerful. He turned and walked up to a weapon stand, still scanning the crowd. He spotted two more attackers. They had moved into position on his left flank. They were already dead. They just didn’t know it yet.

The weapon stand’s merchant looked at Jon and gave him a knowing smile. This man had obviously spent some time around soldiers. Jon eyed an X51. A powerful energy weapon. It was perfect.

Skipping the formalities, he looked the merchant straight in the eyes and spoke in a low, calm voice. “I’ll pay you double if you put a fully charged cartridge into that X51.” The smile slowly disappeared. The merchant became visibly nervous, understanding what was about to happen. He seemed to analyze his options, sizing up Jon and making some quick calculations. It didn’t take him long. No fool, he understood that Jon was not someone to toy with. Reaching under the counter he casually pulled out an energy cartridge, armed the X51 and placed it back down on the table. Jon smiled at the merchant and nodded his thanks.

“Get down.”

Before the merchant could hit the ground, Jon seized the weapon and wheeled around firing twice as he turned. Each shot found its target. The power of the X51 hurling both men back several feet. A half-second later and Jon was sprinting, opening fire on the third attacker. Blue light pierced the man’s torso creating a smoldering crater where his chest had been.

Based on the formation his attackers used, Jon knew the other two men’s locations and the trajectory their fire would take. He found cover just as a barrage of energy bursts landed. Blue fire rained down all around Jon. The shooters weren’t worried about the crowd anymore, the market becoming a horrid scene of panic and dead bodies.

Their lines of fire allowed Jon to determine their precise locations. The shooters fired relentlessly. Powerful blasts scorched the market, burning through wood and melting glass like butter. Jon crouched into a ball, motionless, and waited for an opportunity. After several more seconds their fire slowed and adopted a pattern of predictable bursts. The shooters must have thought Jon was dead, but didn’t want to take any chances.

He timed their fire. Timed their pauses. Established the pattern. Leaped and fired. 

A single energy blast crashed into the shooter’s face almost decapitating him. The other shooter let loose another barrage. Blue bolts chased Jon, biting at his heels. The shooter’s speed and accuracy surprised him. The creature made Jon faster and stronger than normal humans, so the shooter should not have adjusted to his speed as well as he did.

Jon dove behind the walls of a fruit stand, blue fire missing him by mere centimeters. He crouched down, making himself as small as possible. Produce exploded and wood splinters flew around him like angry hornets.

This was not the Triad. This was something worse. Something Jon hadn’t seen since the wars.

The blue fire changed direction. The shooter was moving. Circling. He would have a clear shot in seconds. Jon coiled and dove again. Anticipating the shooter’s movement Jon shot in the direction he was running. To Jon’s surprise the man changed direction and the shot missed. Anybody else would’ve been dead.

Another storm of blue lightning rained down on Jon’s position, forcing him to bolt again. The shots were closer now. The shooter tried to bridge the gap between them. Upping the ante. That suited Jon just fine.

He zigzagged across the road, returning fire as he went. Again the shots were barely missing him and adjusted expertly to his movements. He had to change tactics. The shooter wanted to bridge the gap so Jon would give him what he wanted.

Changing direction he raced toward the attacker. This caught the man off guard and he tried to compensate, but Jon already knew which way he would turn and had let loose a stream of blue fire in that direction. The shooter tried to stop, but his momentum was too strong. Blue energy bursts plowed into his torso, spinning him round like a top till he dropped to the ground.

Jon found cover and waited, scanning the market, ensuring no other surprises were waiting for him. Once certain the threat had passed he rose and ran to the last shooter’s position. The man lay face down in a heap. Jon turned him over. Scorch marks riddled his torso, the putrid smell of burnt flesh rising from his body. Turning his head Jon looked behind the man’s ear. It was just as he suspected. A tiny mark, almost invisible, hid there. The mark of the Chaanisar.

Elite human soldiers, the Chaanisar were taken from their parents as children and raised to be the most loyal soldiers in the Juttari Empire. Augmented with alien technology they possessed superhuman strength and speed. Jon had fought them many times during the wars.

But why were they here? The wars were over. There should not be any Chaanisar left on Earth. And why were they trying to kill him? The Triad story must have been a deception. It would be easy enough to feed Roch and Azzan disinformation. They wanted Jon in the dark, so they could ambush him. But they hadn’t anticipated his actions in the market.

Jon figured he’d hang onto the X51 for a while longer. He had his fill of surprises for one night. Happy to be paid, the merchant didn’t ask any questions. The market was now a scene of destruction and carnage. Jon didn’t want to deal with the local authorities and quickly left.

After walking for several kilometers he reached the Kowloon Spaceport. Above him the morning sky was littered with all sorts of ships, large and small, coming and going. Ahead was an array of terminal and service buildings, hangars, and parking stalls connected by a mix of runways, roadways, and landing pads. Jon walked past the main terminal and approached a large unmarked secondary building. He walked up to the main doors and a holo-emitter flashed a stop sign in his path.

“Please stand still for DNA scan,” said a synthetic voice.

Jon heard the low humming sound of the scanners as they analyzed his DNA signature. After a few moments the holographic stop sign disappeared, and the doors slid open.

“Thank you Captain Pike. You may enter.”

Jon walked into a massive open area. The Hill. Every spaceport had one. Military and civilian personnel zipped around like ants. Crates moved to and fro. Soldiers readied for flight. All around was a buzz of activity. Jon proceeded through the building until he came to a set of large metal doors. Another DNA scan and he was through and into a long well lit corridor. Military activity dominated now and the familiar blue and white Space Force insignia was everywhere. Along the right hand side of the corridor were access tubes leading to various docking bays. When he reached tube G17 he turned and entered. He followed a string of lights to the end of the tube and stopped at a large hatch. More DNA scanners went to work. He ignored the concealed energy weapons he knew were trained on him. Programmed to glass anyone accessing his ship without authorization, they wouldn't fire on Jon. The DNA scanner cleared him and the hatch opened.

Lights turned on and a hatch in the forward bulkhead of the compact ship opened, revealing the cockpit. Jon stepped through the hatch and sat down in the pilot's chair. An ordered chaos of controls and displays surrounded him. Jon pushed a button and a screen lit up.

“Captain Jon Pike reporting.”

A middle aged woman's face appeared on the screen.

“Good morning Captain,” she smiled. “How has your R&R been? I hope you are well rested.”

“I'm as rested as I'm going to get.”

“Glad to hear it. Captain, you have orders to report to Admiral Walsh at Orbital Station Alpha.”

“Understood. Will set course for Orbital Station Alpha immediately.”

“Thank you Captain. I will let Admiral Walsh know you are on your way.”

“Captain Pike out.”

The display flickered off and Jon leaned back in his chair. So much for R&R. Time to get back to work. Sitting up again he pushed some more buttons on his console. The exterior hatch swung closed with a whine and a hiss. Outside the ship's engines came on and the ship began to vibrate. The engines became louder as Jon maneuvered away from the docking tube. Once clear Jon fired the ship's thrusters and quickly climbed up and away from the spaceport.

His ship rocketed higher to the upper reaches of the strata. He took one last look at Hong Kong, wondered about the Chaanisar, and what other surprises might be in store for him. The city disappeared underneath a bed of clouds and Jon pushed the threat out of his mind. Speeding up, the little ship raced to the edges of the atmosphere and into the dark void of space.