Universe in Flames 3: Destination Oblivion (26 page)

“I should go.”

“Wait!”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Take this.” She took
a hidden amulet from under her beautiful, white, silky clothing and hung it
around Chase’s neck. “You will need this.”

“What is it?” Chase
looked at the pendant. It was a beautiful pearly white, light as a feather, and
in its center shone a glowing green stone.

“It’s for luck. Don’t
lose it. It will also help me see everything you see and feel what you feel.”

“Is that wise?
Don’t you already hold these powers?”

“No. I see
possible futures. That is my power. But I don’t see everything. We can also
communicate with this. All you need to do is talk to me in your mind, and I
will answer you.”

“Handy. Is this what
you used to first contact me?”

“No, that’s an
entirely different technology. Be wary of some side effects, though.”

“What do you
mean?”

“The amulet tends
to have a mind of its own. While it is very powerful, it can sometimes show you
things when you least expect it.”

“Is this what
allows you to see the future?”

“It’s only part
of it, Chase. It allows me to channel my visions with more control. When I wear
it I am more focused than without, but my visions happen nonetheless.”

“Isn’t it
dangerous for me to take this into battle?” Chase grabbed it and was about to
remove it from his neck.

She put her hands
on his and lowered them gently.

“Keep it. I have
a feeling it’s very important for you to have it for your trial down there.”
She hid the pendant under his dark and dusty clothes.

“Alright, thank
you. I promise to get it back to you,” said Chase with a smile.

“Go now, and
please be careful.”

“I will. See you
soon.”

Chase left the
bridge without another word and Aphroditis sat in his chair, pensive.

Father,
forgive me
.

“He’s not going
to be happy about this, that’s for sure.” That was Ares’ voice.

“Ares, you’re
here?”

“I’m pretty much
everywhere I want to be at once, now. I seem to be able to travel great
distances almost instantly.”

“I’m so sorry you
had to give your life.”

“There was no
other way. As for Zeus, he will never forgive us for our actions. You know that,
right?”

“I know, but we
have to trust that Chase will prevail.”

“Don’t get me
wrong, I like Chase. He means well. What awaits him down there?”

“The worst, most
vile and powerful creature of all time.”

“A Titan then?”

Aphroditis didn’t
need to answer and simply closed her eyes in response.

On board the
Cronos
,
Saroudis entered the admiral’s ready room. She keyed a few commands into her
console and every system in the room shut down.

“What’s that all
about?”

“What we need to
discuss is for us and us alone.”

“I’m not sure I
like where this is going.”

“I don’t either. We
simply have to take every precaution. The entity could be listening in. We
can’t afford that.”

“What’s the
status on that?”

“Spiros is making
progress on multiple fronts, but for now we have to play along with Gaia’s
wishes.”

“I see. I still
think we should shut it down. God knows when it will decide to act. It could
happen at a moment when we can’t afford it.”

“I know that very
well, Adonis, believe me.”

“Where are we on
the reconstruction of Earth’s cities?”

“It’s ongoing,
but the entity only allowed us to use half of the droids force. It’s using the
other half and building others at an alarming rate.”

“For what
purpose?”

“It’s building a
shield around Earth, to prevent what the planet just suffered from happening
again.”

“Shouldn’t we be
building that shield?”

“Yes we should,
but we would never reach that level of efficiency. Nor would we have redirected
so many resources towards achieving that goal so fast. Not with all the work we
have building new ships, repairing damage and building new satellites. There’s
too much to do at once. Gaia is focusing on one task alone, and with its
incredible computing capability it’s going at least ten times faster than we
would.”

“Well, besides
the fact that she could also be building an army to use against us at the same
time, at least the shield is a good idea.”

“She?”

“It, whatever!
Don’t give it a name if you don’t want me to call her a she.”

“Point taken.
Still it or she is alive and sentient, so it doesn’t really matter what we call
it.”

“Yeah. Sentient
or not, this is a threat. We can’t just live under her rule like this, not for
long.”

“I know, but
right now at least it doesn’t seem intent on wiping us out.”

“It may just be
buying time until it feels it can defend itself.”

“And that’s why
we’re working day and night on a way to neutralize it. We already have a plan,
should it come to that.”

Adonis exhaled in
a way that left no room for doubt about his frustration.

“What is it?”

“It never seems
to stop, that’s what it is.”

“What do you
mean?”

“Ever since the
Obsidian nearly wiped us out, we’ve been on the run, hiding, fighting for our
lives. There never seems to be a moment to catch our breath. It’s starting to
take a toll on me.”

“I know how you
feel. Now, on to less pleasant things.”

Saroudis grinned.
“The
Iron Fire
incident?”

“Yes, the
incident, as you say. This time your precious Chase went too far.”

“You pushed him into
an impossible position.”

“Not if he
followed orders.”

“That’s easy to
say from your point of view. Try putting yourself in his shoes.”

“That’s not how
the chain of command works.”

“I know, and I
know you like things done a certain way.”

“These are rules
we’ve established because they work. I don’t do it because I like it.”

“Nonetheless, I
think if we had done everything by the book since the initial Obsidian attack, we’d
be all dead by now.”

“What are you
saying?”

“That the chain
of command is important, but sometimes rules need to be broken. Or, at the very
least, bent.”

“I can’t believe
what I’m hearing. Especially coming from you.”

“Well, I’m sorry,
Admiral, but even though I don’t condone what Chase has done, I understand why
he is doing it. If I had the chance to save any member of my family
. . .” But then he stopped short and tears formed in his eyes. “I
. . . I would give everything to have been given the opportunity to
save them. I can’t blame Chase for doing the same for Sarah and his unborn
child.”

“Admiral, is it?
Fair enough. You’re a soldier, you have orders, you follow them. That’s how we
work, and without this all we get is chaos. And I’m dearly sorry for your
personal loss, but never forget we are in the same boat. I lost everyone I
cared about also.”

“And that’s why I
don’t understand this resentment you harbor towards Chase. All he has done is
try to save lives up until now.”

“What about
Tokyo?”

“Alright, Tokyo
is something that shouldn’t have happened. But if it saves the rest of the
planet, then that’s unfortunate collateral damage. But let’s not forget that he
saved this planet before. More than once. There wouldn’t be a Tokyo without
Chase.”

“That’s where we
disagree, I guess. That doesn’t give him the right to be judge, jury and
executioner.”

“Argos went to
the surface first. Chase just followed.”

“This is
pointless. We will never agree on this front. Chase is an insubordinate hot
head who doesn’t think before he acts, yet you take his side. Why?”

“He is also my
friend.”

“I thought I was
your friend,” said the admiral, with unmistakable sadness in her voice.

“You are. I don’t
like being between the two of you. I care for both of you on different levels.”

“I see. You
understand I can never reinstate his commission if he ever returns?”

“Understand, yes,
but I will never forgive you if you don’t.”

Her eyes grew
wide. “What the hell are you saying, Adonis?”

“It’s best if you
address me by my rank, Admiral. And I’m saying that if you are not prepared to
at least give Chase the benefit of the doubt, then be prepared to receive my
resignation.”

“You can’t be
serious Ad—” She caught herself. “Commodore Saroudis.”

“I’m dead serious.
In fact, I’m requesting permission to go after Chase and his friends.”

She looked into
his eyes for a very long time, trying to decide what had just happened and how
it had gone so wrong so quickly.

“Request denied.”

“One of your
officers is with him. Don’t you care about her wellbeing?”

“
That’s neither here nor there
. Commander Steriopoulou was
poisoned by Chase.”

“That’s nonsense!”

“She was the most
obedient officer I ever worked with until we found you on Droxia.”

Saroudis hit the
desk with his fist, unable to control his anger. “Was? Really! You’re already
counting her as dead because she isn’t your property anymore? Is that what this
is all about, Admiral? You being in command, things being done your way? If
that’s what we stand for now, I’m not sure I want to be part of it! I’m going
after Chase. You can shoot at the
Destiny
if you want me to, but I’m
done with this shit.”

“Commodore
Saroudis! That’s enough! I’ll give you one and one chance only to reconsider
and apologize for this gross display of insubordination! Don’t throw your
career away for this!”

He smiled. “So
you show your real colors now.”

“And you do the
same.”

“That’s not true.
I’m being true to myself, and if you also are, then I have greatly misjudged
you. To think I could even see a fu—” He stopped short. “Never mind that. You
are the admiral. Do what you have to do.”

“Sorry to
interrupt,” said a voice coming from all around them.

Admiral Thassos
jumped out of her chair. “Who is this? Identify yourself!”

“My name is Ares
and I’m sick and tired of hearing you two argue while your officers, your
friends, are fighting for their lives.”

“This doesn’t
concern you. You have no jurisdiction in our affairs,” said the admiral.”

“Be that as it
may, now is not the time for this. Are you really willing to risk everything
and everyone on the planet below, as well as everywhere else in the galaxy,
because you disagree with one another? Are your pride, your ego, your
principles, really worth billions of lives?”

There was
silence.

“Right, Chase can
be a pain in the ass. I know firsthand how arrogant, defiant and quick to act
he can be. But for fuck’s sake, his heart is in the right place at least. He
sees beyond the shackles of protocol and rules. All he cares about is life. Ask
yourself this question: do you?”

“How dare you
insinuate that I don’t think of the lives of everyone in the Alliance?” The
admiral fumed.

“Simple. You were
about to arrest him because he didn’t agree with you, preventing him from
saving his family for reasons you understand very well. But your stubbornness for
doing things by the book blinds you from seeing things straight. As for your,
Saroudis, ever heard the word ‘diplomacy’?”

Neither knew what
to answer, stunned by what was unfolding.

“You have an
entity down there that tells you it is Earth itself, and after all the pain and
suffering its inhabitant have caused it over the last centuries, it’s still
willing to negotiate with you, against its better judgment. It has plenty of
reasons to eradicate the humans, and you both know it! But look in the mirror. You
can’t even act like human beings amongst yourselves! Sometimes I wonder why we
bother, really!”

Thassos let
herself fall back on her chair. But it was Saroudis who spoke first. “I’m sorry.
I . . . Ares is right. We should try to help each other, not fight.”

“Perhaps you’re
right. I’m used to doing things a certain way.”

“And that’s
understandable, but the universe is in trouble right now. It may be a good time
to start looking at the problem from a different point of view,” said Ares,
appearing before them as a golden aura, shining warm and peaceful light upon them.

The apparition
had a calming effect on both of them.

“Please
understand your efforts to build a new Earth Alliance are just incredible. Don’t
let personal disagreements get in the way of that. We will all need this
Alliance. It’s the only way you can hope to survive, and surely you can feel
that within you.”

“I did not expect
Olympians to lose their temper like that,” said Saroudis, still not sure that what
was unfolding was real.

“You’re not
dreaming, Saroudis. I’m real.”

“You look so
different from Aphroditis.”

“That’s because
I’m dead.”

They both looked
stunned.

“Long story, and
not important right now. There are enough problems in the universe and on the
surface of the planet below, so please stop this. Help your friends. They need
you now, more than ever.”

Admiral Thassos
looked at Saroudis for a moment. “You can take the
Destiny
and as large
an escort as you need for your support mission.”

“Thank you, Adm—Ally.
I’m sorry for my outburst”

“As am I, Adonis.
Let it be a lesson for both of us.”

“Agreed.”

She stood to face
Ares’ bright, golden energy. “Thank you, Ares. I must admit I had trouble
believing in the Olympians and their motives, but you sure know how to make an
entrance.”

“Aphroditis and I
are not in agreement with the rest of my people, but that’s another story. I
feel Chase might need my help shortly, so I’m going to have to leave now. Thank
you for listening.”

She nodded. “Bye
for now.”

And then the
golden reflections cast on her skin by Ares’ aura faded away.

*  
*   *

Argos and Chase
landed on the surface of the planet aboard the
Dark Star
. They exited
the vessel and walked towards a giant construction made of dark, grey, tall
walls in the distance.

“We’ll only have
one shot at this,” said Argos.

“Then let’s make
it count!”

“That’s the
spirit. Just like old times.”

“I wouldn’t
know.”

They arrived at a
gate. A hologram appeared, projecting some symbols Chase couldn’t read. Argos
took a small, spherical device and threw it in the air, where it hovered.

“Aphroditis is
up.”

Chase preferred
not to reveal for the moment that he could speak to her anytime, so he placed
the call.

“Can you decipher
this for us?” he asked.

“It’s written in
old Olympian. It says:
Only through the powers of the elements can you hope
to defeat the Titan
.”