"Maximus, please, tell me what could be the reason for you to have called me here at such an...odd time." The man said.
Madame Premiere replied, "General, I think you should know that our colonies have begun to speak of-"
"I know what they speak about. I can assure you that the...complications will be attended to."
"General, you may know, but perhaps the Admiral doesn't! Tell me, did you ever warn him?"
"The Admiral is a very resourceful man. He needn't me to help him."
Madame Premiere turned to look at the general. She stared at him, trying to pierce through his thoughts with her ice-colored eyes.
"You best be sure, General, for if anything happens there, it won't be my name, or the Admiral's, but yours. Do you really wish to let him rush in blindly? The Admiral was never known for his patience." She said.
The general stared back. He turned his gaze towards the window, where many starships were amassed and ready to fly into space. He watched the seconds count down to when the fleet would leave.
"General?"
"I have the greatest confidence in the Admiral's abilities. I bid you adieu, Maximus. May we meet again someday to discuss this matter again." The general said as he walked down the hallway. He exited through the door, and closed it behind him, leaving Maximus alone to brood over the recent events.
==========
Five men in bright white coats stood before the screen of a supercomputer. Every eye was upon it as information presented itself. The first bits came quickly.
"Cryonic hibernation revival sequence complete.
Subject information:
Species: Homo sapiens
Blood Type: Hemoglobin Base Type B
Gender: Male
Age: 32 solar years. 32 revolutions, 248 rotations.
Psi Neural Imprint: Undetectable due to current condition. Will complete in later tests.
System will now test subject's reactions to stimuli."
The faces turned around to face a cylindrical tank filled with life support liquid. A man's body was contained within it. As the anxious group of scientists waited to see what would happen, the computer went on audio.
In a monotonous voice, the computer said, "Testing subject's reactions to heat."
At once, the thermostat on the tank's control systems immediately rose from 47 degrees Celsius to sixty. The body twitched a bit.
"Saldara, is the subject supposed to be conscious?" One scientist asked.
Saldara, whom he was asking the question to, was a woman. The white unisex coats made it hard to distinguish between genders but her flowing auburn hair revealed it, as did her quick but flowing movements.
"Saldara, the subject is still unconscious. Shouldn't we try to wake him up first?" The scientist asked again.
Saldara replied, "Don't, Hidar. If he wakes up naturally, that's fine. His own body will be well adapted to the conditions, but if we try to give him a stimulant that would bring him into consciousness, we may damage both his body and mind."
Praetor Adis, a big, strong, bald man approached the scientist and said, "I agree with Saldara. This human is too precious to take any unnecessary risks."
Hidar asked, "What is his purpose? We were never told about this human."
"That is unimportant for you know. Your purpose is only to thaw him out and keep him alive. Other than that, all I can tell you is that since he is a fossil from the fifth cycle, he may know some events that might interest the Assembly." Praetor Adis said.
Vibrations suddenly shook the floor, making both Praetor Adis and Hidar jump up in surprise.
Hidar asked, "What was that?"
No one answered him so he looked around but found that everyone was gaping in awe at the body. Seconds later another scientist yelled across the room, "We need all hands on controls! The subject is waking up!"
The scientists ran to their assigned control desk. Their hands moved quickly turning switches on and off, pressing hundreds of buttons, and typing in many commands to the supercomputer. Praetor Adis looked at the screen.
"Subject has regained consciousness. Heat may be causing psi levels to increase."
Praetor Adis kept staring at the screen as people in white moved frantically around him like fretful lab mice. He continued staring at the screen that was giving new information every thirty seconds.
"Subject has reached peak psi level for Homo Sapiens Male Hemoglobin B Blood of 32 revolutions, 2..."
Praetor Adis stopped reading for a second. He spared a moment to take a glance at what was happening. The body inside the tank was causing the equipment on its control deck to malfunction. The thermostat read 756 degrees Celsius.
"It says that his psi is exceeding peak level. It's also saying that a strong electromagnetic field is surrounding his body. The field of influence is spreading and nearing seven meters." Saldara said.
Praetor Adis was surprised and asked, "How can a human's electromagnetic waves have a field of influence that wide?"
Praetor Adis was not a scientist but a soldier for the Tribunal. Even without extensive knowledge of such things, he knew enough about electropsionics and magnopsionics to know what the "field of influence" was. It represented the maximum distance of the radius of a mind's ultra-low frequency waves of the type that disrupted electronic devices and reversed magnetism. He was surprised most to see that a human possessed the ability to utilize those certain waves. Even the Institute's most experienced psychics could barely reach a field of six and a half meters. Apparently, the human easily attained seven and was still expanding.
Praetor Adis again asked, "Saldara, how? How could he have the neural pattern when all tests on humans we have done in the past proved the contrary?"
Saldara replied, "I have no idea...it's unexplainable. Perhaps the cryonic hibernation did this."
"But the hibernation was tested and proved to have no effect on neural patterns or EM waves." Praetor Adis said quickly in response.
"That was tested on our race, not humans-"
Saldara was cut off as vibrations made the floor quiver again. This time the jolt was stronger.
"The computer's short circuiting! I can't control it!" Saldara screamed as the computer exploded.
The glass shattered and shards flew everywhere and cutting everything. The man leaped out and raised his hands in front of him. As his eyes suddenly burst into flames of crimson light, control desks sparked and shorted out. An inhuman sound escaped from his mouth, and shortly afterwards, his eyes lost their flaming glow, and he fell, unconscious, to the floor.
"...Where am I? Who am I?" The man said. His eyes were still unfocused and he collapsed shortly after breaking free of the de-hibernation tank.
"You're safe here, for now, but you must gather your strength, for time runs short." Praetor Adis said.
The man struggled to stand, but found he could not. He sat on the floor again and said, "Where am I? And who are you?"
Adis answered, "You are in Tersa-Koundr. You may call me Adis."
"Adis, huh? So what, you're all going to kill me now or do some whacked experiment on me?"
"No, but we do ask for your cooperation. You see, you're no longer on Earth, and you are no longer surrounded by humans, either. So if you wish to see those two things again, you best listen to us."
"As if I have a choice. So?"
"Give your attention to Saldara, our leader of this operation."
Saldara, the female scientist stepped forward. "Greetings, Human. I am Saldara, lead scientist of Operation Awakening. We have found you on Earth near the Solo Compound. Do you have any recollection of what happened there? How you became carbonized, who did this, where you're from, and what you know."
"One thing first," the man said.
"Yes?"
"I don't like being called human like you¡¯re doing. It's like you think I'm just some animal or something."
"Very well, then what is your name?"
"To tell you the truth, I don't think I have one-a real one, at least. All I can remember is that I was called Raith at one time."
"Raith...What an unusual name..." Muttered Adis.
"What can you tell us about what happened to you before you were put in cryonic hibernation?" Saldara asked.
"I can't remember much, but I know that I wasn't frozen by accident. No, I was put there to freeze to death."
"Why?"
Raith, too shocked to do anything but answer automatically, said, "There's this program on Earth, called the Advancement Society for Space Exploration. They were planning something. I'm not quite sure, because once they found out I heard, they had me arrested. I was put into the freezer soon afterwards."
"So you don't know what those plans were?" Adis interjected.
"Only that it's some sort of weapon. Other than that, I have no idea."
"Very well, I am done asking questions." Saldara said.
Raith asked, "Wait, was all you wanted from me information about what happened to me? Or is there something else I need to do?"
Adis answered, "Maybe there is. If you agree to it, then we can put you into a high political position."
"What's it all about?"
"We are a group called the New Atlantis Movement. In a way, you could say we are rebels. Doasin's government doesn't even recognize Tersa-Koundr as a colony planet, and has failed to protect it. Other planets that are revolting have already aligned under a human leader, and unless we create order here, we shall surely fall, be it to Talon, or the Kashiza, or even ourselves. You have proven yourself to possess a power far exceeding what we have ever observed before. Perhaps you could be the one mentioned in our ancient myths."
"Myths, huh? That's very nice, but, I just want to know...Wait a second, what's with Talon and Kashiza and what? You mean you guys aren't humans?"
"Precisely. Now, if you would follow me, I shall show you your living quarters, as well as all the other rooms in this building you will ever need to use. And don't worry about Talon or the Kashiza, because you'll find out about them soon enough."
Praetor Adis led Raith into a spacious square room. The walls were all white and the only items inside were a bed, cabinet, desk, and chair.
"This is where you will spend your time sleeping, as well as doing anything else that you wish. Remember, this is the only room you may enter whenever you want."
Adis led Raith down the long wide corridor and showed him many rooms as they walked past. Saldara took out a notebook and wrote something down.
==========
"Give me a scan of all areas within range of SC-131, Spade," Talon ordered. "Word goes that Earth's finally sending ships to protect us, but they don't know we're revolting."
Talon was a dark skinned man. His head was bald, just like Adis. Glaring at the screen were two black eyes¨Cvoids that felt little.
"Scan complete, sir. It records a fleet of about thirty thousand Destroyers, and six thousand Cruisers. There is no definite read on anything else though. I suppose if we recruit from the outer territorial colonies, we could easily defeat them." Spade said.
Spade, a short pale skinned man who had short, bristly brown hair and ice blue eyes turned back to Talon. He pointed to where he was reading the information.
Talon allowed himself to chuckle at that. "Spade, my friend, the fact that they have so many cruisers and destroyers means they have many fighters docked. If memory serves me correctly, then there should be one hundred fighters in each destroyer and five hundred in each cruiser. Add that up...¡±
Spade blanched. He just barely made out the calculations, and it took a great deal of effort to gasp out, "Six million fighters docked?"
"You didn't expect for them to bring a meager thirty-six thousand vessels, did you? Besides, it could be much worse, much, much, worse. In fact, we should consider ourselves lucky that they didn¡¯t send more than a quarter of their total military force."
Spade looked as if he were about to have a coronary. Talon saw this and shrugged, "But don¡¯t worry, Spade, because as soon as we get those new model AF-29 superfighters out, even the great numbers of that small Earth fleet won't stand a chance. I trust then, that you will see that they are all finished, tested, and ready for combat by the end of next week?"
"Yes sir."
==========
Raith suddenly woke up from a nightmare. He dreamed that he was at the ASSE Research Facility, and that he went further into the room where plans were being made for a weapon. In his dream he saw the weapon, and he was horrified by it.
"Raith, are you alright?" Saldara asked. She had sat at the desk the whole time he slept. Raith took a while to realize that.
"Why were you watching me sleep?" Raith asked.
"It is our five-day monitoring period. I have to make sure your recovery from the hibernation is going well."
"So, is it?"
"Well, physically you seem fine. But, what were you dreaming about? You seemed to be distressed during your sleep."
"I had a dream that I saw the weapons the ASSE was developing."
"Yes?"
"Well, I think they were messing with some virus called...called...eh, I can't remember. But it was injected into people's brains, and they gained abilities to react faster and move objects with their minds."
Praetor Adis stepped through the door into the room. He was listening to the conversation.
"Do you think you may be one of those weapons?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Raith asked back.
"When you first regained consciousness after the revival sequence was completed, you made machines short circuit and explode. Don't you remember?"
"No, I only remember that I felt my body again, and that's all until you spoke to me. I think you said something about explaining? Can you explain to me what I did?"
"I can explain, but I don't know how you are capable of it. You possess the ability to manipulate magnetic lines and generate strong electromagnetic pulses. These abilities are granted by the symbiotic organism we call the Essence. There are a select few of us in the Institute who react similarly to the Essence, and who have the same abilities you have demonstrated."
Saldara broke in, "I think it's time to bring him to face the Assembly, Praetor."
Adis walked out of the room and motioned Raith to follow him. They walked down a long hallway to a silver door Raith had never seen before. Adis entered a code into it and the doors slid open to reveal a circular chamber containing many floating platforms. He and Raith stepped onto a platform in the middle of the chamber. Adis took out a device and pressed several buttons. After a few seconds, the platform started vibrating and glowing blue. Blue light also surrounded Raith and Adis. Adis stood still, but Raith, who had never seen anything like it before, looked around him at the glowing blue light.
"What are we standing here for?" Raith asked.
Adis answered, "It is a teleportation device." Noticing the confused look on Raith's face, he quickly continued, "Such technology may seem advanced to your race, but we have had this technology for centuries."
"What are you anyway?"
"There is not much time to explain here and now, but I'll say that we are all similar to you humans. We share many characteristics, both physical and mental. There are differences between us, though. For instance, we have been living and thriving on Earth before humans even learned how to stand upright. In a sense, you can say that you are our descendants."
The blue light became more intense and Raith felt gravity pressing against him. His knees buckled, and soon he fell on all fours.
"You'll get used to the gravitational field when the machine creates a warp zone. Now brace yourself, Raith, you'll be three hundred seventy kilometers away before any time passes." Adis said.
The gravity suddenly reversed, making Raith taste bile. A moment ago, he felt as if he were being crushed against the floor, and suddenly now he felt as though he were weightless. Praetor Adis, on the other hand, remained steady as they hovered above the platform. The bottom closed in light and it glowed brightly in an intense flare, and then disappeared, taking with it Raith and Praetor Adis.
==========
All around him were sounds of aircrafts being made. He heard the sounds of parts being welded and riveted together, and the clank of titanium against steel. Spade looked carefully around him, for he knew that Talon wanted him to check the number of fighters and destroyers in their fleet and the rate they were being produced at. As he walked, he noted how secure the structures were as well as the symmetry of the design.
Spade asked a worker, "Hey, how we coming along with the model AF-29's? Talon wants at least ten thousand by the end of this week. By that time, the fleet from Earth should have arrived, best if later."
The worker said, "We have close to seven thousand completed as of now, sir."
"Time runs short. If you can't get to ten thousand hundred in three days, then you might have to face Talon." Slade warned.
"Yes sir! We shall start focusing production on those models immediately!"
The worker ran back to his station and told everyone else on the production line to start making the AF-29's. The line immediately sped up production and workers became more efficient. Satisfied, Spade wrote his evaluation of the factory's efficiency and left.
==========
The door of the transport room opened to reveal a brightly lit white hallway leading to many closed doors. Raith opened his eyes, but could not see anything due to the extremely bright lights reflecting off the immaculate white walls.
"Follow me, Raith." Adis ordered.
They walked onwards until Adis stopped at the largest door at the end of the hall. He opened it, revealing a great room full with a semicircular table in the front and seats in the back. Raith guessed that the front was the Assembly, and the back was where the audience sat, for whatever reason that was.
The Assembly was composed of many formal and sagely people. All appeared aged and wearied. They all turned their heads to look at Raith when Praetor Adis mentioned him.
A matured, yet graceful female member, with a hint of youthful energy in her eyes, was first to speak. She said, "Human, can you indeed project a field of influence beyond seven meters, as the Praetor claims?"
Raith replied, "I don't know. I was really unconscious then."
"So you have no recollection of that event described in any way?" Another member, this time a bald, white-bearded man asked.
"No. Just that I felt like I was floating. There was also buzzing in my ears. It felt like I was being shocked." Raith answered.
The reply from Raith caused a great commotion amongst the members. Several of them whispered to each other but Raith could not understand them. Finally, the one seated at the center rose. He seemed to be younger than the others due to his only slightly graying brown hair as compared to the white of the other members. But lines defined his face more, showing his weariness and the burden of his position.
"Human," He began, "Since you apparently have not shown us why we should allow you to live amongst us, I don't see why we should allow you to live. However, since Adis insists, I will present to you a choice."
"I'm listening." Raith said.
"We are currently located on the moon of what you call Pluto. We are only a colony of our homeland on Doasin located beyond the system of Sol. They have not given us resources or protection and as a result, we have formed our own rogue government. For years, we have created and run the Assembly, the Tribunal, and the Institute in secret. However, we cannot gain influence among the other colonies of Doasin unless we overthrow the representatives of their empire first."
"So what does this have to do with me?"
"You possess an innate ability to down electricity and magnetic fields. With time, you could help us defeat the more advanced technologies of the colonies the government of Doasin hasn't neglected. So listen well, for this may be one of the most important choices of your life. You can choose to follow us, and achieve victory at our side, or you can choose not to. But should you choose not to side with us, we would be forced to kill you."
"I don't think I have any other choice. I'll help you, but what do I have to do?"
"You will first become an acolyte to the Praetor. If the Praetor should ever be unable to perform his duties, you will become the new Praetor. You will also serve the Tribunal and perform whatever duties you are given. You have already agreed to this position, Adilan, adjourned."
As the members of the assembly were leaving, Praetor Adis asked, "Kadaln, you know that it is a great risk to entrust an outsider to carry out some of our most secretive duties?"
"That is why it is up to you to keep him on our side."
"But how will the Tribunal react? Would they approve?"
"I have made the decision, my friend. No force can stop me from acting upon it. You would know best of all." Kadaln said with a smile.
"Of course. So I can trust you to sway the leaders of the Tribunal for me?"
"Said, and soon to be done."
"But what about Nerazal?" Asked Adis, scowling as he said 'Nerazal', as if the name were distasteful towards him.
"I assure you, I will do what is necessary. Now please, Adis, join your acolyte and take him to face the Tribunal. I shall be there shortly."
Adis nodded his head to Kadaln, and then left the room to meet Raith waiting outside.
Adis led Raith outside and said, "You know that you now hold much greater responsibility, do you not?"
Raith nodded.
"According to our traditions of old, the acolyte to the Praetor shall be given the title of Adilan, as Kadaln addressed you as. Thus, you shall now answer to Adilan Raith. You will also address Kadaln as Jurison, understood?"
Raith nodded again.
Adis turned away and signaled Raith to follow. They walked into the transportation chamber. Raith knew where they were going to next already. It would be the Tribunal. Raith closed his eyes and remembered what was said to him in the Assembly. His eyes remained shut as they disappeared in a flash of light.
==========
"Admiral", a helmsman said, "We are being hailed by Maximus, the Premiere of Earth."
"I know what she is." The admiral snapped, "Display."
Maximus' face appeared on the main screen in the ship. She said, "This is the Premiere requesting Admiral Peregrin Fellar of the Command Ship Destiny. Please respond."
"I'm here, Maximus."
"Admiral, understand that I trust your abilities completely, but still, you may wish to know something."
"General Vincent told me something about being prepared already. I trust that there won't be anything I can't handle."
"No, but you still must know about what is happening in the area."
"Trust me, Madame Premiere, I will be able to handle anything there." Admiral Fellar said before turning the screen off. "Anything, even aliens that look like oversized bugs. As if that'll ever happen." He chuckled.
The Destiny continued on its journey to the brink of the Solar system, followed by an endless amount of other vessels.
On the other side, Madame Premiere softly whispered, "Arrogant fool."
==========
The light faded and Raith found himself to be atop a platform in the center of a circular room very much like the Assembly, but instead of having elderly people sitting along a semicircular table, there were seats scattered around occupied by many different people. Some were young and energetic, and some were older and scarred. Raith turned around to see Adis to the left of him. He wanted to ask what would happen here, but dared not since Adis himself stood firm, mouth closed.
"Consulate Nerazal, presiding. Explain yourself, Praetor Adis." Ordered the woman who had just risen. She was not scarred, yet still looked as if she experienced quite a few battles. Her skin was a bronze color, and her raven hair was cropped so that it barely reached her shoulders. She stared fixedly at Adis, and he, back.
At last, Adis said, "I bring you the newly appointed Adilan, Raith."
This sent whispers throughout the whole Tribunal.
"Enough!" Yelled Nerazal. "By what virtues is he appointed to such a high level of power?"
"By virtue of myself, as well as the Jurison's. His abilities are great, surpassing even our most renowned intellects in the ways of electropsionics and magnopsionics. I recall hearing that his field of influence exceeded seven meters, and looked as though it would still rise."
"All the more reason not to trust him! Praetor, if you divulge to him our secrets, he may very well betray us, allowing our enemies to destroy us easily!"
"Your saying this will not convince me to stop. However, what it may do is convince the Adilan to do what you have just suggested."
"You have just made a movement in direct defiance of the Tribunal!"
"Tell me, Consulate, since when has it been the Tribunal's decision to appoint our officials? I always remembered it to be the Assembly's duty. Whether you like it or not, Raith will become Adilan, and he will one day succeed me as Praetor."
Raith decided to speak. He said, "Excuse me, Consulate."
Nerazal snapped at him immediately. "What is it, human?"
"I know you don't think that I am to be trusted, and that I might not be the best candidate for this, but would you please just give me a chance?"
Nerazal laughed, "Hah! The pitiful human wants a chance? Never! I'll tell you now, so long as I am Consulate, I will not allow you to become Adilan, no matter what the Praetor says!"
"Then he would just have to be Consulate, wouldn't he?" Kadaln asked as he walked in.
"I-but-you can't, Jurison!" Nerazal stuttered. Her haughty demeanor immediately disintegrated, and she found herself unable to find the right words anymore.
"Really? As Jurison, I have the full right to appoint any non-presiding official to the Assembly or the Tribunal. I also have the right to remove any official, presiding or non-presiding, with the approval of both the Vizier of the Assembly, and Praetor of the Tribunal. Since both have agreed, I suppose that means you must step down. It is now up to the rest of the Tribunal to elect a new Consulate."
"But why?" Nerazal asked in a dry voice.
Kadaln answered, "Because even among us, power can drive itself deep. It can consume us just as quickly as any other race, and it seems as though you have been most affected. I hope you find a better way to live from this day forward, away from the luxury of excessive power."
Adis stood there looking at each of the non-presiding officials in the Tribunal. When no one spoke, he nodded, and left along with Kadaln and Raith.
"Thank you, Kadaln. I always wanted to get rid of that filth." Adis said when they were out of the room and clearly alone.
Kadaln gave a weak smile and said, "True, Nerazal has proven herself no longer capable of performing her duties of Consulate, but to want her to be impeached? I haven't heard that one in a long time, especially since she is your cousin."
Adis also smiled and replied, "Well, not all relatives live in harmony. Some don't even seem like they are in any way related."
Adis and Kadaln parted ways at a split in the hall. Adis took Raith left, while Kadaln went right.
"It's been a long day, Adilan. We are going back to my home. Saldara is waiting for us there. She would be most eager to know the news of your appointment." Adis said as they stepped onto a transport platform.
Raith knew what would happen next so he closed his eyes, relaxed, and allowed himself to be taken to a different place in an instant.
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