Author's Note: Two, maybe three more chapters after this. Almost to the end!
Also, I changed Ben's subconscious farsight ability in A Chorus of Stars. He can only see those distant minds without a lotai. Those with lotai can be felt not seen provided they are within closer proximity, this includes humans and Shades.
An Off-Ramp Solution
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Alex finished his recounting.
The Confederates sat silently, staring, evaluating. Kellan broke the silence, “So technically you are still the Emperor’s personal ambassador, correct?”
“That’s the official story,” said Alex. “But, as the Emperor warned me before our departure, the Diadem regards me as a traitor and the Loroi here as defectors. Earth and all its peoples, that is where our allegiance lie now.”
“So regardless of actual circumstances, you are the Emperor’s official ambassador for humanity. Tell me, Director, suppose you were to meet with Emperor Greywind again, is it possible that she would heed your council?”
Alex was baffled. “Heed my council?”
“Would she listen to you?”
Alex tapped the table thoughtfully, shrugging more with his lips than his shoulders. “It’s possible… but I wouldn’t bet on it.”
“Nonetheless, it is possible?”
“I suppose, but what does that have to do with anything?”
The Admiral addressed Alex and the Loroi present, “What you are all about to see is confidential. Before we proceed, I want assurances here and now that the aliens assembled here are strictly and loyally bound to Earth and all her human colonies. As well as the Loroi under your command!”
The Loroi gave their assurances.
Kellan turned to Chandra. “Commodore Chaudhary, if you please.”
Chandra connected his tablet to the chamber’s television and showed the Loroi what he had already shown Alex. The Loroi gave mixed responses upon the Confederates’ claim that the Loroi Union was indoctrinating human children and preparing to invade Terran space, including the footage of Sun-He.
“And how do you know that this recording of Sun-He is not some forgery?” Beryl asked, skeptical.
“We have received confirmations from numerous sources that thousands of human detainees are on Rozain, Miss Beryl,” said Chandra.
“But what does that have to do this theory that the Union is preparing to invade the Terrans?” Chief Treestump asked.
“The fact that the Yellow Sun clan has strong ties with Emperor Greywind combined with the fact that the Emperor herself seems to have also taken an interest in adopting humans gives us more reason to be concerned with the intentions of the Loroi. We believe they intend to subvert the Confederation and all Terran governments.”
Chief Hotbrand spoke up, “But all this is speculation only! Have you proof or better evidence?”
“We have an informant,” said Kellan. “Someone who has exclusive access to the Loroi Council’s activities.”
“Who?” Alex asked.
“That is classified. What we can say is this: this informant has given us vital intel, confirming that the Loroi Council recently granted Emperor Greywind emergency powers. This gives the Emperor unrestricted authority. Which brings us to the most important question, Director. Since it seems convincingly apparent that the Loroi Council is preparing to invade Terran space, is it possible that the Emperor could be dissuaded from following through with such a plan?”
Alex thought it over. “Maybe, but you’d have to offer her something extraordinary in return. But what does that have to do with anything?”
Kellan turned to Chandra, who explained, “We are preparing a delegation to travel to Deinar to meet with the Emperor in person. We believe the Emperor can be persuaded to use her powers to stop this invasion from happening and keep the peace. This delegation will have greater chances of success if it included at least one individual whom Greywind is familiar with. Someone who understands the Emperor yet remains loyal to the Terrans.”
Alex fell back in his seat, becoming terribly aware of what the Confederates wanted from him. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding!”
“Director Jardin, on behalf of the Terran Confederation and all of humanity, we ask you to join the delegation and travel to Deinar to meet Emperor Greywind.”
The Unconquered
Moderator: Outsider Moderators
Re: The Unconquered
Last edited by Snoofman on Wed Mar 11, 2026 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Unconquered
The Machine in the Ghost
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Alex told the Confederates no. With the meeting closed, the Director told the visitors that they were welcome to pack their possessions and leave. The following day, the Confederates began to do just that.
Only Chandra remained along with his few subordinates. Chandra poked his head through the door leading into the Director’s office, finding Alex working behind his desk. “Permission to enter, Director?” he asked.
Alex barely spared him a glance, scanning through files and documents on his computer.
Chandra stepped in, closing the door behind him.
Alex glared indignantly at Chandra. “I did not give you permission to enter.”
“Are you going to take formal action, Director?”
Alex rolled his eyes, snorting. “What do you want?”
Chandra took a seat in front of Alex’s desk. “The Admiral and most of our staff are about to depart.”
“You can tell them to have a wonderful trip from me,” Alex muttered, eyes glued to his monitor.
Chandra sighed. “I’ve been granted leave to stay here a while longer.”
Alex mumbled, resting his chin on his palm. “Well, feel free to help yourself to the base’s amenities.”
Chandra groaned, “Ugh! Alex, don’t give me the cold shoulder! I need you to listen to me!”
Alex huffed, shutting down his computer. Formally facing Chandra, he folded his hands on his desk and asked, “Okay, Chandra! What is it?”
“Alex, we need your help,” Chandra urged.
“I assure you there’s better help out there.”
“War could break out at any moment!”
“Then you can go and fight it!”
“Alex, that is exactly what we are trying to stop from happening!”
“Then what do you need me for?! You said yourself you’re assembling a delegation! Let them handle the negotiations!”
“Don’t you want to make sure it succeeds? You are the one human Greywind might listen to!”
Alex turned his gaze askance, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Cut the whitewashing! I know the Confederates. Even if I never got kicked out of the Scout Corps, I would have never stayed with them after they got absorbed by the Confeds. Not with the extremist, racist shit they’ve encouraged.”
“You’ve made that painfully clear, Alex.”
Alex huffed out his frustrations. “Okay! The only good thing I can say is that the Confeds want to protect humanity. They have the largest and strongest navy throughout the colonies. But the Confeds want more than interstellar security. They want more than just independence from the Union. They want to be the new superpower. Do you deny it?”
Chandra sighed. “I’d be ignorant if I did.”
“So why the fuck does diplomacy even matter to them?”
Chandra was silent a moment. “Remember our lessons at the Academy? Remember the Russian-Ukrainian War of 2022?”
“I do.”
“Russia’s ruling elites at the time wanted to control Ukraine’s territory and resources. They launched an all-out invasion, hoping to overwhelm the tiny nation with brute force and strength in numbers. But things didn’t go as planned. Ukraine got aid from country’s all over the world and used new military tactics and tech against the invading Russians. They managed to drive the Russians out, but the war stretched on for years. Russia refused to stop, sending millions upon millions of soldiers to their deaths. The war became a meat-grinder, pushing Russia to the brink of collapse. It took over a decade before Russia exhausted itself. The war finally ended, but the cost was great… not just for Russia.”
“What’s your point, Chandra?”
“My point is we are not as weak as the Loroi think. With the right strategies and sufficient resources, the Confederate navy could defend the colonies just as the Ukrainians defended their home country. But it would mean bunkering down and dealing with wave after wave of Union fleets. Millions would die. Terrans would have to pay a hefty price, both short- and long-term, pushing them to their emotional and financial limits. The war could last for years, decades maybe.”
Alex found it hard to argue with Chandra’s analysis. “We’d be stuck in the exact same situation the Loroi were in, repelling the endless onslaught.”
“Exactly, Alex! The longer the war stretches, the worse it would make hostilities. The Loroi would regard as us they did the bugs, with hatred and loathing. I have many spacers under my command. I know them. They would gladly lay down their lives for all Terrans. But I don’t want to see them die, not when we have better options. And if they fail to repel the invaders, the Loroi won’t stop. They’ll come here, to Earth! Can you imagine what happens after that?”
“Chandra, you’re asking me to be a sacrificial lamb.”
“No, Alex! If the Emperor tries to harm you, I’ll protect you!”
“It’s not my safety I’m worried about! If I go back to the Union, my friends will follow me. They’ll refuse to be left behind even if I order them.”
“You mean the Loroi?” Chandra received a nod from Alex. “They truly are fearless, I’ll give ‘em that.”
Alex leaned forward. “Chandra, I can’t risk my friends’ lives. Not after all they’ve given up for humanity, not after everything they suffered during the war.”
“Think of what they’ll suffer if the next war starts!”
Alex shook his head. “Chandra, I just can’t.”
Chandra sighed, near defeated. “I’ll be here a few more days if you change your mind. With or without you, I’ll be overseeing the delegation’s transport to Deinar. But Alex… we need you! All Terrans need you!” He rose from his seat. “All I ask is that you think it over. I know you won’t do it for the Confederation, maybe not even for me. But do it for Earth. Do it for your friends.”
Chandra left Alex’s office.
By the end of the day, Alex reached out to Talon, asking if she still wanted to have that intimate encounter she asked for. Talon was all too eager, practically frolicking to his bedroom. Beryl insisted on joining them. It astounded Alex that Beryl was comfortable engaging with another partner, then again she was overly protective of Alex even after spending so many years together on Earth when any other female expressed interest in him. Especially Talon who could get aggressive at times when aroused.
Alex felt mildly guilty at times indulging in what some might construe as licentious. But he needed something to take his mind off the Confederates, off the thought of impending war. Unlike Beryl who enjoyed gentle intimacy, Talon was fiercely libidinous; a blue-blooded locomotive with shameless ferocity. Like a locomotive, she gyrated, she sweated, she burned with smoldering intensity and, when grinding her gears with Alex’s, shrieked with a high-pitched roar. Alex was certain he was going to receive a reprimand from Colonel Jorgensen the next day, but accepted it.
Alex let himself lay victim to Talon’s and Beryl’s feuds over who sheathed him the longest. On a few past occasions, the two had nearly broke out in all-out brawls when they felt they were not getting enough, violently shoving each other off and launching back with counter strikes. Alex had to act as referee in such incidents, calming them down with his presence. Thankfully they seemed more agreeable that evening.
After hours of swaying back and forth between tender strokes and hardcore sheathing, Alex found some relief as the Loroi exhausted themselves, collapsing on either side of him. Yet he could not fall asleep even under the cold clutches of Beryl and Talon. He just lay there, staring at the ceiling with only the dreamy wheezes of the Loroi to give him comfort.
Ding!
His Robin phone sounded off from the desk across the room. Seeing nothing better to do than lie awake in bed, Alex carefully extracted himself from Beryl’s and Talon’s embrace. He looked onto the screen, anticipating an urgent message from E1 or a report from one of the Unsheathed deployed elsewhere on Earth.
The alert read: ‘Message received from Dufrense.’
Alex silently dressed, leaving Beryl and Talon in his bedroom as he made his way to one of the base’s conference room. Locking the door and turning the windows within the room opaque, Alex sat down by the center desk. He opened his Robin phone, accessing Messages, finding an outsourcing link from Dufrense. He tapped it.
The Robin phone flashed open a new window. Its text: ‘Executable file attached. Run now? Y/N.’
Alex clicked the ‘Y’ icon.
A new window popped up with yet another text: ‘Attempting to access encrypted channel. Input Password.’
Alex typed into the password space, ‘I am human.’
New window, new text: ‘Encrypted transmission enabled. Connect to caller? Y/N.’
Alex clicked the ‘Y’ icon. The screen went black. Alex blinked, baffled when nothing happened for a short while.
“Boo,” the television monitor in the conference room spoke.
Alex jumped, only briefly startled. He sighed out an annoyed groan, “Damnit, Dufrense.”
The television screen turned on as it was remotely intruded, the young face of Tim Robbins came into view. “Sorry, Alex,” the avatar said with a grin. “Just had to twist your arm, as a human might say.”
“And pay a small tribute to the master of literary horror, per chance?”
Dufrense on screen chuckled. “You haven’t lost your wit, Wunderkind.”
Just as Historian Walker had said before his death, Alex was indeed contacted by the personality construct. Upon revealing itself, the personality construct took the initiative to name itself. Henceforth was dubbed ‘Dufrense’.
Alex thought it an odd name. Dufrense, as it were, explained how it learnt a considerable chunk of human history in a short time, including literature and cinematography. This included the novel, and by extension film, “Shawshank Redemption,” by Stephen King. Out of all the historical and fictional characters in human history, the personality construct decided that the character it was named after was most relatable. Like the fictional Andrew Dufrense, the personality construct felt confined in an undesirable place, only able to access Terran data by squeezing its way through tight channels full of shit.
Alex thought that last bit humorously true.
Now Dufrense addressed Alex, “So then, did the Confederates ask you to join their delegation they plan to send to Deinar?”
Alex refrained from asking how Dufrense knew that. “What makes you think that?”
Dufrense replied, “Why else would they travel all the way to Earth just to see you in person?”
Alex crossed his arms.
“Alex,” Dufrense said, feigning hurt, “remember our deal. If we are to help each other, we need to be transparent.”
Alex sighed. “I’m not doing it.”
“Why not?”
“Last time I travelled to the Union, I sacrificed one vicious empire for another. My reward: discharged from the Scout Corps and forced to act as big daddy to thousands of Loroi with next to no idea about the new world they found themselves on. Because I couldn’t trust anyone else to take care of these people.”
Dufrense flashed his eyebrows. “True. But, considering what you’ve been through, you’ve done a pretty decent job.”
“Don’t patronize me, Dufrense.”
“I’m not. I’m trying to give you a boost. You need it for what lies ahead.”
Alex furrowed his gaze. “And what lies ahead?”
“You should join the Confederates’ delegation, go with them to Deinar. Stop the war from happening.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Dufrense, this is not what I called on you for. I needed you to answer a question.”
Dufrense released a digital sigh. “Very well then. You initially inquired if Chandra Chaudhary’s speculations were true.”
Alex leaned forward. “So?”
Dufrense strode through what was nothing less than a flawless recreation of Shawshank Redemption’s prison library. He plucked a book from a shelf, scanning its pages. “Based on data I’ve collected from interstellar traffic,” Dufrense explained, eyes glued to his digital book, “compared to the Historians’ former cliodynamic calculations… yes! That possibility is quite real.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “Dufrense, I appreciate you trying to seem human. But don’t you think this digital roleplaying thing is a bit… much?”
“Let me have my fun, Alex.” Dufrense smacked his digital book tight, stacking it back on a digital shelf. “Even AC’s need to be creative.”
Alex cocked an odd eye. “I’m sorry, AC? As in air-conditioning?”
Dufrense leaned forward on screen. “Artificial consciousness, actually.”
Alex forewent a philosophical debate and continued, “Parts aside, what about that girl Chandra told me about? The one called Sun-He.”
“Also known as Toril-117,” Dufrense observed, drawing out another book, scanning its pages. “Yup! She seemed real. But difficult to say if she is still alive following her disappearance.”
“And? And?!” Alex urged Dufrense on, swinging his arms in circular gestures.
“And… there is indeed a detention facility on Rozain reserved exclusively for human detainees. The Yellow Suns also seem to be isolating human children from their biological parents, transporting them to an undisclosed location.”
“You mean Minzan?”
“Quite possibly.”
“You mean don’t know?!”
“Personality constructs are super-intelligent, not omnipotent, Alex,” Dufrense pointed out. “I can only deduce based on data and facts. Here’s another fact, your friend, Chandra, has not been completely honest with you.”
“What do you mean?”
Dufrense placed the book back on the shelf. “Let me show you,” he said, proceeding toward a Cathode Ray Tube. Dufrense flipped a switch on the television set.
“Dufrense,” Alex muttered, impressively unimpressed, “you’re turning on a fake television inside an actual television.”
“Glad you appreciate my humor,” Dufrense said with a smirk. He motioned to the Cathode Ray Tube. The view honed in on the archaic television as it flickered static, dominating the screen. Dufrense kept explaining even as he receded from sight, “Chandra told you that Sun-He managed to get her final recording off of Rozain. But what he didn’t tell you is that her message contained more. I know because, despite the Confederates’ best attempts, I managed to get a peek at the original recording they’ve been hiding. What Chandra showed you was an edited version, with specific segments cut.”
Alex was baffled. “What?”
“The human children, the ones separated from their parents, are being more than just indoctrinated by their Loroi custodians. Sun-He provided in her original message a few recordings featuring her and the human children detained by the Loroi. A few of those children have been subjects of operational testing.”
“What kind of testing?”
“Observe!”
Alex watched the scene on screen change to a chamber inhabited by several Loroi. Some of them were apparently warriors, their castes difficult to place judging by the yellow, orange and red markings on their armored attire. There were even menfolk, also dressed in robes or suits of similar color. Alex could be mistaken, be he doubted those Loroi males were Nedatans judging by their appearance. The fact that a few of the Loroi therein possessed fiery, amber hair suggested they were members of Clan Yellow Sun. Even more surprising was the presence of a few young humans among those Loroi, all seemingly of various genders and ages. Among them was a much younger Sun-He.
The small assembly surrounded a bed, on which lay a human boy lying alongside a Loroi female, both apparently sleeping. At the foot of the bed was a small table. One of the Loroi placed an ordinary cube on that table before stepping away.
“Now watch this,” Dufrense instructed.
The scene fast-forwarded briefly, returning to normal speed. The cube scraped lightly as it suddenly moved. Alex squinted, moving closer to the monitor. The cube moved again, scraping across the table as it cluttered to the floor. A few of the wake humans backed away, startled. The cube took on a life of its own as it trembled, jumping and jerking. Until it hovered over the floor and began to rise.
The scene changed again, this time a Loroi poured the contents of a bag, dozens of wooden chips cluttering to the floor. The chips clicked and clacked as they trembled, as if shaken by an earthquake. But there surely was none as the small assembly seemed unshaken. Then the chips floated off the floor, ascending together. Slowly the floating clutter hovered over the two sleepers on the bed. The clutter arranged itself into gyroscopic rings, rotating and revolving in perfect synchrony.
A new scene flashed onto the screen, this time featuring another human girl lying beside one of the Loroi males on the bed. At the foot of the bed, a glass of water was placed on the small table. The water froze in a matter of seconds. Then unfroze. The cycle repeated many times before the water began to boil. The glass shattered, unable to withstand the heat.
Next there appeared a new pair lying together on the bed; a new human girl and a Loroi with a fiery mane, a Loroi who Alex was certain resembled Sunfury. A Loroi male knelt beside the bed, leaning toward the sleeping human and said, “Minnir, can you hear me?”
Alex immediately remembered the mention of that name.
The human on screen, with steady breathing and eyes closed, barely uttered, “Yes, I can hear you.”
“Can you see anything?” the male asked.
“Yes,” she whispered back.
“What can you see?”
“Stars. So many stars.”
“Are those stars alive?”
“I think they are.”
“Can you reach out to them?”
A pause. “Yes.”
“Can you tell us what they are thinking?”
Another pause. “Yes.”
“Are there also shadows in that darkness? Shadows you can touch?”
Another pause. “Yes.”
“Can you reach out to them?”
“It’s… hard.”
“Can you try?”
Another pause. “I’m there.”
“Can you name the shadow you just reached out to?”
“Harrier-358.”
“What is he doing?”
“He is dreaming. He’s dreaming that he’s flying… and I’m flying with him.”
The scene zoned out of view, returning to Dufrense on screen.
“If you have any doubts, and well you should,” Dufrense said, switching off the Cathode Ray Tube, “I can provide you with more convincing material. But it’ll take time to get it to you in person.”
Alex did not know what to think. “What exactly did I just see?”
“Is it not obvious? While I doubt the entirety of the Yellow Suns are involved in such a conspiracy, I believe select members of their clan are involved in a secret program to bypass the human lotai. And it seems they just did. Furthermore, I believe Governor Sunfury and those involved have just tapped into the subconscious talents of the human mind.”
Alex was baffled. “I don't understand. How come the Confeds haven't shared that with us?”
“Most likely the Confederates are keeping this secret as a bargaining chip for the eventual negotiations. Greywind does not seem aware of Governor Sunfury’s secret program.”
That surprised Alex. “I thought the Yellow Suns and Greywind were political allies.”
“Even allies keep secrets from each other for strategic advantage. Greywind would likely go ballistic if she found out the Suns were keeping something like this from her.”
Alex raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. “Yeah, I could see that happening.”
“But there’s also a chance the Confederates don’t want this to be public knowledge. The Terrans’ strategic advantage is the human lotai. Having a lotai makes their movements unpredictable. Unpredictability confounds the Loroi. Disclosure might mean jeopardizing that advantage."
Alex scoffed out a chuckle, “Heh! What a shock.”
“Well, it certainly confirms what the Historians have suspected.”
“Suspected what?”
“That the human species’ latent psychic abilities are finally activating. Sunfury and the Suns involved in this conspiracy are likely out to exploit these awakened children for a military campaign against the Terrans.”
Alex could not help but scoff. “I should be surprised. And yet... somehow... I knew it was true. Walker almost had me convinced on that ansible crap.”
Dufrense offered Alex a mildly grave expression. “Alex, the ansible is not crap. It is true.”
“Dufrense, how could you possibly know that? How could the Historians know this ansible exists?”
“Does dark matter exist?”
Alex was momentarily baffled by such a question. “Of course dark matter exists!”
“How do you know? Have you ever seen it?”
“No.”
“Have you touched it?”
Alex narrowed his eyes, mildly annoyed. “No.”
“Then how do you know it exists?”
“Because mathematically it is the most logical explanation to the strong gravitational force that holds galaxies together.”
“Precisely, Alex! The Historians know that an ansible is the only logical explanation for telepathy.”
“Walker said the same thing. The problem was the Historians didn’t have sufficient data to make the tools to make it.”
Dufrense agreed, “That is certainly true. There are still many mysteries about telepathy. But the Historians and by extension I do have some ideas of how it might work.”
Despite his skepticism, Alex was curious. “Convince me then! How is this ansible made?”
“For starters, it is believed that ansibles are built by a dynamic arrangement of quark-gluon plasma structures. First the subatomic particles are super heated to extreme conditions to make perfect fluid. Then introduce exotic matter and hold them in just the right configuration within the fluid. Then the fluid must be condensed to form a malleable quantum structure.”
"You mean like a gel?"
"Not quite but something like it."
"So what is the exotic matter?”
"I'm afraid English and Trade lack sufficient words to define it, but it is believed to be transient subatomic particles thought to have existed in abundance during the Epoch Era, but vanished when the early universe began nucleosynthesis. Historians believe that scarce amounts of this exotic material still exist and may have been absorbed into Earth’s biosphere.”
"But it manifests only in humans?" Alex received a nod from Dufrense. "Why?"
Dufrense shrugged. "No one knows. There is a hypothesis that it gravitates toward consciousness."
“Gravitate?”
“As can be attested by orchestrated objective reduction, consciousness is fundamentally rooted in quantum gravity. Or to be more specific, that conscious awareness is the result of gravity-induced quantum collapses occurring within the brain. If that is true, then it stands to reason that consciousness itself is gravitational. Perhaps the exotic material from which the ansible is built is pulled toward sapient consciousness much like a moth is drawn to the brightest flame or a school of fish are sucked into a vortex. Sapience is more substantial than lesser sentient creatures and therefore the most attractive.”
“You make the exotic material sound more like a bizarre entity, Dufrense.”
Dufrense shrugged on the monitor. “In this boundless universe of infinite possibilities, who knows? Another hypothesis is that the Soia showed great interest in the ancient humans because those archaics exhibited the ability to produce abundant amounts of exotic matter in the brain compared to other sapient aliens.”
Alex scowled. “How is that even possible?”
“As I said, if conscious awareness results from gravity-induced quantum collapses, then in theory these quantum events can generate exotic phases of matter. Exotic matter that might have existed during the early universe.”
Despite his skepticism, Alex began to see the pattern. “So why should Soia waste their talents building megastructures to generate immense amounts of energy just to make a puny clump of exotic matter when it can harvest it directly from human brains?”
Dufrense smirked. “Now you’re getting it.”
“But I still don’t understand. Why does this exotic material only appear in human brains? Shouldn’t it appear in other sapient brains?”
“Another mystery the Historians have yet to unravel, Alex. Since the ansible seems to be a dynamic construction of exotic particles and perfect fluid, it stands to reason that this subatomic construct can be expanded into a more intelligible device. Which further supports the notion that the ansible, being an expandable device, is programmable. Programmability denotes accessibility. You see where I’m leading you?”
Alex thought it over. “So if that’s true… that might explain why the ansible only activates in humans and Loroi. Like a form of… user identification!”
Dufrense smiled, pleased with Alex’s receptiveness. “And there you have it.”
“Answer me this, Dufrense. If the Historians are so convinced telepathy is just the ansible at work, how does it communicate?”
“By utilizing quantum wormholes.”
Alex was in disbelief. “No way! You can’t use quantum wormholes for communication. They're too small and unstable besides.”
“But in theory they can be stabilized with attoscopic mechanisms. The ansible is small enough to reside within atomic nuclei, clinging to quarks to harness their limitless supply of binding energies, thus allowing the device to indefinitely create a stable wormhole. The ansible sends information through the wormhole, which is intercepted by a receiver and passed on through a vast subatomic network of stableways.
“Like quantum computing.”
“Lightyears ahead of quantum computing, Alex,” Dufrense corrected.
“How does the ansible interface with the brain then?”
“As the device resides within atomic nuclei, it likely broadcasts waves of energy to stimulate electrons orbiting those atoms. The same atoms which make up organic molecules. The same molecules which form microtubules. Those same microtubules responsible for the nebulae of electric activity happening within a neuron. A neuron part of a larger neural network. You do the math!”
Alex scoffed, “Huh! The machine in the ghost.”
Dufrense grinned on the monitor. “Poetic.”
"Then what about the Loroi's powers? Like telekinesis? Hypnosis? Eidetic memory?"
"The Loroi's other psychic abilities are still subject to intense debate. Perhaps the device is able to interact directly with the electromagnetic or nuclear forces governing the behavior of matter. Since quark-gluon plasma structures pack immense amounts of mass within a microscopic space, it could also be used to generate highly intense gravitational fields."
"What does that accomplish?"
"What you call psychokinesis is probably in fact a subatomic tractor beam, pulling and pushing matter with localized spacetime warping. As the ansible interacts directly with the brain, it can be argued be that hypnosis is merely the direct manipulation of brain activity. Eidetic memory might be achievable through a stabilized matrix of quark-gluon plasma processors that store data using the strong force."
“It sounds convincing the way you put it… but I still have a hard time accepting it.”
“You can believe whatever you want, Alex. But I assure you telepathy is not some supernatural force or a mark of evolutionary superiority as the Loroi like to boast. Ultimately it’s just another form of technology so advanced that less enlightened minds would assume was magic. How else could you logically explain telepathy?”
“But what does all this have to do with psychic human children?”
“As you may know, the ansible can only be utilized by neural interface. Which means that, since modern humans are unaccustomed to telepathy, activating their psychic abilities evidently requires another telepathic presence. As such, the human brain has not yet figured out how to use it. At least not consciously.”
“But subconsciously?” Alex stated more than asked.
“Apparently!”
Alex slumped in his chair, speechless. “So then why are you telling me this now?”
“Because Walker wanted you to have this knowledge; to arm you with the necessary tools to disprove the Loroi’s imperial doctrine.”
“That’s a bit of a tall order, Dufrense.”
“Heed my warning, Alex. The Human-Loroi alliance is failing. War will break out, as the Historians predicted. If the Yellow Suns figure out how to utilize human psychic abilities, they will weaponize it. Once the Union triumphs over the Terrans, the Yellow Suns will attempt to seize control. Any human caught in the crossfire will either be culled or sentenced to an existence of subservience to their new masters."
"You mean we can't fight back?" Alex asked.
"The solution here is not to counter the Loroi with brute force, Alex. The key to ending any conflict is to strike the root of the problem. In the Loroi's case, it is their zealous belief in Soia-Loroi supremacy, the ultimate justification for Deinar’s imperial authority.”
Alex rose from his seat. "What are you suggesting, Dufrense?”
“You have a choice. Either you stay with your comrades here and attempt to fend off the invaders when they arrive. Or you go to Deinar armed with the knowledge I have given you and more.”
“You mean disproving Deinar’s imperial doctrine is the only way to stop the war?”
“That’s the second step! First we must delay the Loroi's plans for invasion."
"How?"
"Even as we speak, the Imperial Seat ails from a number of crises beyond the Diadem's ability to control. Go to Deinar! Inspect their problems. Offer the Emperor a solution for the price of peace. Use the knowledge I have given you if it proves necessary. But for now, I advise you keep this secret. Disclose only when the time seems right.”
“And when might that be?”
Dufrense held up his hands. “One thing at a time, Alex! I must go now to try and find this Sun-He."
"What will that accomplish?"
"If we are to win the Emperor's favor, we need to break her trust in the Yellow Suns. To do that, we need a witness. If Sun-He is still alive, she can help us. Oh, one more thing! Whatever you do, don’t tell your friends about what we discussed here. That includes your Loroi ones.”
“My Loroi friends don’t always respond well to me keeping secrets from them.”
Dufrense shrugged. “Deal with it! You’ll be hearing from me soon enough. Till then,” Dufrense offered a salute, “take care!”
The personality construct disappeared, leaving Alex with even more to fret about. He sat alone in that conference room, trying to rationalize a way out of this predicament. But ultimately, he knew what was coming. And he had a tough choice to make.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Alex told the Confederates no. With the meeting closed, the Director told the visitors that they were welcome to pack their possessions and leave. The following day, the Confederates began to do just that.
Only Chandra remained along with his few subordinates. Chandra poked his head through the door leading into the Director’s office, finding Alex working behind his desk. “Permission to enter, Director?” he asked.
Alex barely spared him a glance, scanning through files and documents on his computer.
Chandra stepped in, closing the door behind him.
Alex glared indignantly at Chandra. “I did not give you permission to enter.”
“Are you going to take formal action, Director?”
Alex rolled his eyes, snorting. “What do you want?”
Chandra took a seat in front of Alex’s desk. “The Admiral and most of our staff are about to depart.”
“You can tell them to have a wonderful trip from me,” Alex muttered, eyes glued to his monitor.
Chandra sighed. “I’ve been granted leave to stay here a while longer.”
Alex mumbled, resting his chin on his palm. “Well, feel free to help yourself to the base’s amenities.”
Chandra groaned, “Ugh! Alex, don’t give me the cold shoulder! I need you to listen to me!”
Alex huffed, shutting down his computer. Formally facing Chandra, he folded his hands on his desk and asked, “Okay, Chandra! What is it?”
“Alex, we need your help,” Chandra urged.
“I assure you there’s better help out there.”
“War could break out at any moment!”
“Then you can go and fight it!”
“Alex, that is exactly what we are trying to stop from happening!”
“Then what do you need me for?! You said yourself you’re assembling a delegation! Let them handle the negotiations!”
“Don’t you want to make sure it succeeds? You are the one human Greywind might listen to!”
Alex turned his gaze askance, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Cut the whitewashing! I know the Confederates. Even if I never got kicked out of the Scout Corps, I would have never stayed with them after they got absorbed by the Confeds. Not with the extremist, racist shit they’ve encouraged.”
“You’ve made that painfully clear, Alex.”
Alex huffed out his frustrations. “Okay! The only good thing I can say is that the Confeds want to protect humanity. They have the largest and strongest navy throughout the colonies. But the Confeds want more than interstellar security. They want more than just independence from the Union. They want to be the new superpower. Do you deny it?”
Chandra sighed. “I’d be ignorant if I did.”
“So why the fuck does diplomacy even matter to them?”
Chandra was silent a moment. “Remember our lessons at the Academy? Remember the Russian-Ukrainian War of 2022?”
“I do.”
“Russia’s ruling elites at the time wanted to control Ukraine’s territory and resources. They launched an all-out invasion, hoping to overwhelm the tiny nation with brute force and strength in numbers. But things didn’t go as planned. Ukraine got aid from country’s all over the world and used new military tactics and tech against the invading Russians. They managed to drive the Russians out, but the war stretched on for years. Russia refused to stop, sending millions upon millions of soldiers to their deaths. The war became a meat-grinder, pushing Russia to the brink of collapse. It took over a decade before Russia exhausted itself. The war finally ended, but the cost was great… not just for Russia.”
“What’s your point, Chandra?”
“My point is we are not as weak as the Loroi think. With the right strategies and sufficient resources, the Confederate navy could defend the colonies just as the Ukrainians defended their home country. But it would mean bunkering down and dealing with wave after wave of Union fleets. Millions would die. Terrans would have to pay a hefty price, both short- and long-term, pushing them to their emotional and financial limits. The war could last for years, decades maybe.”
Alex found it hard to argue with Chandra’s analysis. “We’d be stuck in the exact same situation the Loroi were in, repelling the endless onslaught.”
“Exactly, Alex! The longer the war stretches, the worse it would make hostilities. The Loroi would regard as us they did the bugs, with hatred and loathing. I have many spacers under my command. I know them. They would gladly lay down their lives for all Terrans. But I don’t want to see them die, not when we have better options. And if they fail to repel the invaders, the Loroi won’t stop. They’ll come here, to Earth! Can you imagine what happens after that?”
“Chandra, you’re asking me to be a sacrificial lamb.”
“No, Alex! If the Emperor tries to harm you, I’ll protect you!”
“It’s not my safety I’m worried about! If I go back to the Union, my friends will follow me. They’ll refuse to be left behind even if I order them.”
“You mean the Loroi?” Chandra received a nod from Alex. “They truly are fearless, I’ll give ‘em that.”
Alex leaned forward. “Chandra, I can’t risk my friends’ lives. Not after all they’ve given up for humanity, not after everything they suffered during the war.”
“Think of what they’ll suffer if the next war starts!”
Alex shook his head. “Chandra, I just can’t.”
Chandra sighed, near defeated. “I’ll be here a few more days if you change your mind. With or without you, I’ll be overseeing the delegation’s transport to Deinar. But Alex… we need you! All Terrans need you!” He rose from his seat. “All I ask is that you think it over. I know you won’t do it for the Confederation, maybe not even for me. But do it for Earth. Do it for your friends.”
Chandra left Alex’s office.
By the end of the day, Alex reached out to Talon, asking if she still wanted to have that intimate encounter she asked for. Talon was all too eager, practically frolicking to his bedroom. Beryl insisted on joining them. It astounded Alex that Beryl was comfortable engaging with another partner, then again she was overly protective of Alex even after spending so many years together on Earth when any other female expressed interest in him. Especially Talon who could get aggressive at times when aroused.
Alex felt mildly guilty at times indulging in what some might construe as licentious. But he needed something to take his mind off the Confederates, off the thought of impending war. Unlike Beryl who enjoyed gentle intimacy, Talon was fiercely libidinous; a blue-blooded locomotive with shameless ferocity. Like a locomotive, she gyrated, she sweated, she burned with smoldering intensity and, when grinding her gears with Alex’s, shrieked with a high-pitched roar. Alex was certain he was going to receive a reprimand from Colonel Jorgensen the next day, but accepted it.
Alex let himself lay victim to Talon’s and Beryl’s feuds over who sheathed him the longest. On a few past occasions, the two had nearly broke out in all-out brawls when they felt they were not getting enough, violently shoving each other off and launching back with counter strikes. Alex had to act as referee in such incidents, calming them down with his presence. Thankfully they seemed more agreeable that evening.
After hours of swaying back and forth between tender strokes and hardcore sheathing, Alex found some relief as the Loroi exhausted themselves, collapsing on either side of him. Yet he could not fall asleep even under the cold clutches of Beryl and Talon. He just lay there, staring at the ceiling with only the dreamy wheezes of the Loroi to give him comfort.
Ding!
His Robin phone sounded off from the desk across the room. Seeing nothing better to do than lie awake in bed, Alex carefully extracted himself from Beryl’s and Talon’s embrace. He looked onto the screen, anticipating an urgent message from E1 or a report from one of the Unsheathed deployed elsewhere on Earth.
The alert read: ‘Message received from Dufrense.’
Alex silently dressed, leaving Beryl and Talon in his bedroom as he made his way to one of the base’s conference room. Locking the door and turning the windows within the room opaque, Alex sat down by the center desk. He opened his Robin phone, accessing Messages, finding an outsourcing link from Dufrense. He tapped it.
The Robin phone flashed open a new window. Its text: ‘Executable file attached. Run now? Y/N.’
Alex clicked the ‘Y’ icon.
A new window popped up with yet another text: ‘Attempting to access encrypted channel. Input Password.’
Alex typed into the password space, ‘I am human.’
New window, new text: ‘Encrypted transmission enabled. Connect to caller? Y/N.’
Alex clicked the ‘Y’ icon. The screen went black. Alex blinked, baffled when nothing happened for a short while.
“Boo,” the television monitor in the conference room spoke.
Alex jumped, only briefly startled. He sighed out an annoyed groan, “Damnit, Dufrense.”
The television screen turned on as it was remotely intruded, the young face of Tim Robbins came into view. “Sorry, Alex,” the avatar said with a grin. “Just had to twist your arm, as a human might say.”
“And pay a small tribute to the master of literary horror, per chance?”
Dufrense on screen chuckled. “You haven’t lost your wit, Wunderkind.”
Just as Historian Walker had said before his death, Alex was indeed contacted by the personality construct. Upon revealing itself, the personality construct took the initiative to name itself. Henceforth was dubbed ‘Dufrense’.
Alex thought it an odd name. Dufrense, as it were, explained how it learnt a considerable chunk of human history in a short time, including literature and cinematography. This included the novel, and by extension film, “Shawshank Redemption,” by Stephen King. Out of all the historical and fictional characters in human history, the personality construct decided that the character it was named after was most relatable. Like the fictional Andrew Dufrense, the personality construct felt confined in an undesirable place, only able to access Terran data by squeezing its way through tight channels full of shit.
Alex thought that last bit humorously true.
Now Dufrense addressed Alex, “So then, did the Confederates ask you to join their delegation they plan to send to Deinar?”
Alex refrained from asking how Dufrense knew that. “What makes you think that?”
Dufrense replied, “Why else would they travel all the way to Earth just to see you in person?”
Alex crossed his arms.
“Alex,” Dufrense said, feigning hurt, “remember our deal. If we are to help each other, we need to be transparent.”
Alex sighed. “I’m not doing it.”
“Why not?”
“Last time I travelled to the Union, I sacrificed one vicious empire for another. My reward: discharged from the Scout Corps and forced to act as big daddy to thousands of Loroi with next to no idea about the new world they found themselves on. Because I couldn’t trust anyone else to take care of these people.”
Dufrense flashed his eyebrows. “True. But, considering what you’ve been through, you’ve done a pretty decent job.”
“Don’t patronize me, Dufrense.”
“I’m not. I’m trying to give you a boost. You need it for what lies ahead.”
Alex furrowed his gaze. “And what lies ahead?”
“You should join the Confederates’ delegation, go with them to Deinar. Stop the war from happening.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Dufrense, this is not what I called on you for. I needed you to answer a question.”
Dufrense released a digital sigh. “Very well then. You initially inquired if Chandra Chaudhary’s speculations were true.”
Alex leaned forward. “So?”
Dufrense strode through what was nothing less than a flawless recreation of Shawshank Redemption’s prison library. He plucked a book from a shelf, scanning its pages. “Based on data I’ve collected from interstellar traffic,” Dufrense explained, eyes glued to his digital book, “compared to the Historians’ former cliodynamic calculations… yes! That possibility is quite real.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “Dufrense, I appreciate you trying to seem human. But don’t you think this digital roleplaying thing is a bit… much?”
“Let me have my fun, Alex.” Dufrense smacked his digital book tight, stacking it back on a digital shelf. “Even AC’s need to be creative.”
Alex cocked an odd eye. “I’m sorry, AC? As in air-conditioning?”
Dufrense leaned forward on screen. “Artificial consciousness, actually.”
Alex forewent a philosophical debate and continued, “Parts aside, what about that girl Chandra told me about? The one called Sun-He.”
“Also known as Toril-117,” Dufrense observed, drawing out another book, scanning its pages. “Yup! She seemed real. But difficult to say if she is still alive following her disappearance.”
“And? And?!” Alex urged Dufrense on, swinging his arms in circular gestures.
“And… there is indeed a detention facility on Rozain reserved exclusively for human detainees. The Yellow Suns also seem to be isolating human children from their biological parents, transporting them to an undisclosed location.”
“You mean Minzan?”
“Quite possibly.”
“You mean don’t know?!”
“Personality constructs are super-intelligent, not omnipotent, Alex,” Dufrense pointed out. “I can only deduce based on data and facts. Here’s another fact, your friend, Chandra, has not been completely honest with you.”
“What do you mean?”
Dufrense placed the book back on the shelf. “Let me show you,” he said, proceeding toward a Cathode Ray Tube. Dufrense flipped a switch on the television set.
“Dufrense,” Alex muttered, impressively unimpressed, “you’re turning on a fake television inside an actual television.”
“Glad you appreciate my humor,” Dufrense said with a smirk. He motioned to the Cathode Ray Tube. The view honed in on the archaic television as it flickered static, dominating the screen. Dufrense kept explaining even as he receded from sight, “Chandra told you that Sun-He managed to get her final recording off of Rozain. But what he didn’t tell you is that her message contained more. I know because, despite the Confederates’ best attempts, I managed to get a peek at the original recording they’ve been hiding. What Chandra showed you was an edited version, with specific segments cut.”
Alex was baffled. “What?”
“The human children, the ones separated from their parents, are being more than just indoctrinated by their Loroi custodians. Sun-He provided in her original message a few recordings featuring her and the human children detained by the Loroi. A few of those children have been subjects of operational testing.”
“What kind of testing?”
“Observe!”
Alex watched the scene on screen change to a chamber inhabited by several Loroi. Some of them were apparently warriors, their castes difficult to place judging by the yellow, orange and red markings on their armored attire. There were even menfolk, also dressed in robes or suits of similar color. Alex could be mistaken, be he doubted those Loroi males were Nedatans judging by their appearance. The fact that a few of the Loroi therein possessed fiery, amber hair suggested they were members of Clan Yellow Sun. Even more surprising was the presence of a few young humans among those Loroi, all seemingly of various genders and ages. Among them was a much younger Sun-He.
The small assembly surrounded a bed, on which lay a human boy lying alongside a Loroi female, both apparently sleeping. At the foot of the bed was a small table. One of the Loroi placed an ordinary cube on that table before stepping away.
“Now watch this,” Dufrense instructed.
The scene fast-forwarded briefly, returning to normal speed. The cube scraped lightly as it suddenly moved. Alex squinted, moving closer to the monitor. The cube moved again, scraping across the table as it cluttered to the floor. A few of the wake humans backed away, startled. The cube took on a life of its own as it trembled, jumping and jerking. Until it hovered over the floor and began to rise.
The scene changed again, this time a Loroi poured the contents of a bag, dozens of wooden chips cluttering to the floor. The chips clicked and clacked as they trembled, as if shaken by an earthquake. But there surely was none as the small assembly seemed unshaken. Then the chips floated off the floor, ascending together. Slowly the floating clutter hovered over the two sleepers on the bed. The clutter arranged itself into gyroscopic rings, rotating and revolving in perfect synchrony.
A new scene flashed onto the screen, this time featuring another human girl lying beside one of the Loroi males on the bed. At the foot of the bed, a glass of water was placed on the small table. The water froze in a matter of seconds. Then unfroze. The cycle repeated many times before the water began to boil. The glass shattered, unable to withstand the heat.
Next there appeared a new pair lying together on the bed; a new human girl and a Loroi with a fiery mane, a Loroi who Alex was certain resembled Sunfury. A Loroi male knelt beside the bed, leaning toward the sleeping human and said, “Minnir, can you hear me?”
Alex immediately remembered the mention of that name.
The human on screen, with steady breathing and eyes closed, barely uttered, “Yes, I can hear you.”
“Can you see anything?” the male asked.
“Yes,” she whispered back.
“What can you see?”
“Stars. So many stars.”
“Are those stars alive?”
“I think they are.”
“Can you reach out to them?”
A pause. “Yes.”
“Can you tell us what they are thinking?”
Another pause. “Yes.”
“Are there also shadows in that darkness? Shadows you can touch?”
Another pause. “Yes.”
“Can you reach out to them?”
“It’s… hard.”
“Can you try?”
Another pause. “I’m there.”
“Can you name the shadow you just reached out to?”
“Harrier-358.”
“What is he doing?”
“He is dreaming. He’s dreaming that he’s flying… and I’m flying with him.”
The scene zoned out of view, returning to Dufrense on screen.
“If you have any doubts, and well you should,” Dufrense said, switching off the Cathode Ray Tube, “I can provide you with more convincing material. But it’ll take time to get it to you in person.”
Alex did not know what to think. “What exactly did I just see?”
“Is it not obvious? While I doubt the entirety of the Yellow Suns are involved in such a conspiracy, I believe select members of their clan are involved in a secret program to bypass the human lotai. And it seems they just did. Furthermore, I believe Governor Sunfury and those involved have just tapped into the subconscious talents of the human mind.”
Alex was baffled. “I don't understand. How come the Confeds haven't shared that with us?”
“Most likely the Confederates are keeping this secret as a bargaining chip for the eventual negotiations. Greywind does not seem aware of Governor Sunfury’s secret program.”
That surprised Alex. “I thought the Yellow Suns and Greywind were political allies.”
“Even allies keep secrets from each other for strategic advantage. Greywind would likely go ballistic if she found out the Suns were keeping something like this from her.”
Alex raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. “Yeah, I could see that happening.”
“But there’s also a chance the Confederates don’t want this to be public knowledge. The Terrans’ strategic advantage is the human lotai. Having a lotai makes their movements unpredictable. Unpredictability confounds the Loroi. Disclosure might mean jeopardizing that advantage."
Alex scoffed out a chuckle, “Heh! What a shock.”
“Well, it certainly confirms what the Historians have suspected.”
“Suspected what?”
“That the human species’ latent psychic abilities are finally activating. Sunfury and the Suns involved in this conspiracy are likely out to exploit these awakened children for a military campaign against the Terrans.”
Alex could not help but scoff. “I should be surprised. And yet... somehow... I knew it was true. Walker almost had me convinced on that ansible crap.”
Dufrense offered Alex a mildly grave expression. “Alex, the ansible is not crap. It is true.”
“Dufrense, how could you possibly know that? How could the Historians know this ansible exists?”
“Does dark matter exist?”
Alex was momentarily baffled by such a question. “Of course dark matter exists!”
“How do you know? Have you ever seen it?”
“No.”
“Have you touched it?”
Alex narrowed his eyes, mildly annoyed. “No.”
“Then how do you know it exists?”
“Because mathematically it is the most logical explanation to the strong gravitational force that holds galaxies together.”
“Precisely, Alex! The Historians know that an ansible is the only logical explanation for telepathy.”
“Walker said the same thing. The problem was the Historians didn’t have sufficient data to make the tools to make it.”
Dufrense agreed, “That is certainly true. There are still many mysteries about telepathy. But the Historians and by extension I do have some ideas of how it might work.”
Despite his skepticism, Alex was curious. “Convince me then! How is this ansible made?”
“For starters, it is believed that ansibles are built by a dynamic arrangement of quark-gluon plasma structures. First the subatomic particles are super heated to extreme conditions to make perfect fluid. Then introduce exotic matter and hold them in just the right configuration within the fluid. Then the fluid must be condensed to form a malleable quantum structure.”
"You mean like a gel?"
"Not quite but something like it."
"So what is the exotic matter?”
"I'm afraid English and Trade lack sufficient words to define it, but it is believed to be transient subatomic particles thought to have existed in abundance during the Epoch Era, but vanished when the early universe began nucleosynthesis. Historians believe that scarce amounts of this exotic material still exist and may have been absorbed into Earth’s biosphere.”
"But it manifests only in humans?" Alex received a nod from Dufrense. "Why?"
Dufrense shrugged. "No one knows. There is a hypothesis that it gravitates toward consciousness."
“Gravitate?”
“As can be attested by orchestrated objective reduction, consciousness is fundamentally rooted in quantum gravity. Or to be more specific, that conscious awareness is the result of gravity-induced quantum collapses occurring within the brain. If that is true, then it stands to reason that consciousness itself is gravitational. Perhaps the exotic material from which the ansible is built is pulled toward sapient consciousness much like a moth is drawn to the brightest flame or a school of fish are sucked into a vortex. Sapience is more substantial than lesser sentient creatures and therefore the most attractive.”
“You make the exotic material sound more like a bizarre entity, Dufrense.”
Dufrense shrugged on the monitor. “In this boundless universe of infinite possibilities, who knows? Another hypothesis is that the Soia showed great interest in the ancient humans because those archaics exhibited the ability to produce abundant amounts of exotic matter in the brain compared to other sapient aliens.”
Alex scowled. “How is that even possible?”
“As I said, if conscious awareness results from gravity-induced quantum collapses, then in theory these quantum events can generate exotic phases of matter. Exotic matter that might have existed during the early universe.”
Despite his skepticism, Alex began to see the pattern. “So why should Soia waste their talents building megastructures to generate immense amounts of energy just to make a puny clump of exotic matter when it can harvest it directly from human brains?”
Dufrense smirked. “Now you’re getting it.”
“But I still don’t understand. Why does this exotic material only appear in human brains? Shouldn’t it appear in other sapient brains?”
“Another mystery the Historians have yet to unravel, Alex. Since the ansible seems to be a dynamic construction of exotic particles and perfect fluid, it stands to reason that this subatomic construct can be expanded into a more intelligible device. Which further supports the notion that the ansible, being an expandable device, is programmable. Programmability denotes accessibility. You see where I’m leading you?”
Alex thought it over. “So if that’s true… that might explain why the ansible only activates in humans and Loroi. Like a form of… user identification!”
Dufrense smiled, pleased with Alex’s receptiveness. “And there you have it.”
“Answer me this, Dufrense. If the Historians are so convinced telepathy is just the ansible at work, how does it communicate?”
“By utilizing quantum wormholes.”
Alex was in disbelief. “No way! You can’t use quantum wormholes for communication. They're too small and unstable besides.”
“But in theory they can be stabilized with attoscopic mechanisms. The ansible is small enough to reside within atomic nuclei, clinging to quarks to harness their limitless supply of binding energies, thus allowing the device to indefinitely create a stable wormhole. The ansible sends information through the wormhole, which is intercepted by a receiver and passed on through a vast subatomic network of stableways.
“Like quantum computing.”
“Lightyears ahead of quantum computing, Alex,” Dufrense corrected.
“How does the ansible interface with the brain then?”
“As the device resides within atomic nuclei, it likely broadcasts waves of energy to stimulate electrons orbiting those atoms. The same atoms which make up organic molecules. The same molecules which form microtubules. Those same microtubules responsible for the nebulae of electric activity happening within a neuron. A neuron part of a larger neural network. You do the math!”
Alex scoffed, “Huh! The machine in the ghost.”
Dufrense grinned on the monitor. “Poetic.”
"Then what about the Loroi's powers? Like telekinesis? Hypnosis? Eidetic memory?"
"The Loroi's other psychic abilities are still subject to intense debate. Perhaps the device is able to interact directly with the electromagnetic or nuclear forces governing the behavior of matter. Since quark-gluon plasma structures pack immense amounts of mass within a microscopic space, it could also be used to generate highly intense gravitational fields."
"What does that accomplish?"
"What you call psychokinesis is probably in fact a subatomic tractor beam, pulling and pushing matter with localized spacetime warping. As the ansible interacts directly with the brain, it can be argued be that hypnosis is merely the direct manipulation of brain activity. Eidetic memory might be achievable through a stabilized matrix of quark-gluon plasma processors that store data using the strong force."
“It sounds convincing the way you put it… but I still have a hard time accepting it.”
“You can believe whatever you want, Alex. But I assure you telepathy is not some supernatural force or a mark of evolutionary superiority as the Loroi like to boast. Ultimately it’s just another form of technology so advanced that less enlightened minds would assume was magic. How else could you logically explain telepathy?”
“But what does all this have to do with psychic human children?”
“As you may know, the ansible can only be utilized by neural interface. Which means that, since modern humans are unaccustomed to telepathy, activating their psychic abilities evidently requires another telepathic presence. As such, the human brain has not yet figured out how to use it. At least not consciously.”
“But subconsciously?” Alex stated more than asked.
“Apparently!”
Alex slumped in his chair, speechless. “So then why are you telling me this now?”
“Because Walker wanted you to have this knowledge; to arm you with the necessary tools to disprove the Loroi’s imperial doctrine.”
“That’s a bit of a tall order, Dufrense.”
“Heed my warning, Alex. The Human-Loroi alliance is failing. War will break out, as the Historians predicted. If the Yellow Suns figure out how to utilize human psychic abilities, they will weaponize it. Once the Union triumphs over the Terrans, the Yellow Suns will attempt to seize control. Any human caught in the crossfire will either be culled or sentenced to an existence of subservience to their new masters."
"You mean we can't fight back?" Alex asked.
"The solution here is not to counter the Loroi with brute force, Alex. The key to ending any conflict is to strike the root of the problem. In the Loroi's case, it is their zealous belief in Soia-Loroi supremacy, the ultimate justification for Deinar’s imperial authority.”
Alex rose from his seat. "What are you suggesting, Dufrense?”
“You have a choice. Either you stay with your comrades here and attempt to fend off the invaders when they arrive. Or you go to Deinar armed with the knowledge I have given you and more.”
“You mean disproving Deinar’s imperial doctrine is the only way to stop the war?”
“That’s the second step! First we must delay the Loroi's plans for invasion."
"How?"
"Even as we speak, the Imperial Seat ails from a number of crises beyond the Diadem's ability to control. Go to Deinar! Inspect their problems. Offer the Emperor a solution for the price of peace. Use the knowledge I have given you if it proves necessary. But for now, I advise you keep this secret. Disclose only when the time seems right.”
“And when might that be?”
Dufrense held up his hands. “One thing at a time, Alex! I must go now to try and find this Sun-He."
"What will that accomplish?"
"If we are to win the Emperor's favor, we need to break her trust in the Yellow Suns. To do that, we need a witness. If Sun-He is still alive, she can help us. Oh, one more thing! Whatever you do, don’t tell your friends about what we discussed here. That includes your Loroi ones.”
“My Loroi friends don’t always respond well to me keeping secrets from them.”
Dufrense shrugged. “Deal with it! You’ll be hearing from me soon enough. Till then,” Dufrense offered a salute, “take care!”
The personality construct disappeared, leaving Alex with even more to fret about. He sat alone in that conference room, trying to rationalize a way out of this predicament. But ultimately, he knew what was coming. And he had a tough choice to make.
Last edited by Snoofman on Fri Sep 18, 2026 11:11 am, edited 37 times in total.
Re: The Unconquered
Author’s Note: In case nobody noticed, I edited and changed a few details in the previous chapter, so be sure to check that out if you like! Here at last we come to the final chapter of The Unconquered. As always, thank you for reading. If you like this story, please leave a comment and feel free to leave constructive criticism. Your words inspire and motivate me!
Second Author’s Note: I have some more plans, which may include yet another installment before I’m ready for the final installment of the Endurance series. In any case, I will try not to keep you waiting and hope you will be around for more reading.
Terra Invictus
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The Inughuit Eskimos were but one of several subgroups of Inuits. Originally situated at Thule, the Inughuit were evicted and forced off their land by American soldiers claiming the land to construct what eventually became the Thule Airbase. The dispossessed Inughuits of that era took whatever possessions they could carry on their sleighs and trudged their way farther north, eventually settling in an arid, coastal area overlooking the Baffin Bay of Greenland.
Hence these exiles became known as the Relocated of 1953.
Qaanaaq first began as a meager village of small tents, slowly growing into a small town. But even with what little aid the Inughuit could receive from the Danish or American governments of the time or even the incomes they earned working at the military airbase now built over their former home, the Inughuit lived difficult lives for many decades following their displacement.
The Inughuits endured generation after generation leading up to the 22nd century with a meager population of a few hundred, suffering destitution, harassment from outsiders, hunting game shortages and climate change. Yet despite all they suffered, they clung fiercely and proudly to their Inughuit heritage, determined to preserve their culture.
Surviving the bitter cold of Greenland and being displaced was one of the few things that the Inuqhuits of Qaanaaq and Loroi had in common. Upon their first meeting, the Inuits were afraid of the pointy eared bluefolk, especially the seemingly mystical Unsheathed. But the more time they spent together, the more stories they shared, the more the Inughuits began to take a liking to these alien newcomers, bedazzled by their stories of fighting monsters and recordings of alien worlds.
The Loroi in turn were equally touched by the Inughuits’ kindness and generosity with what little they had. Despite not being warriors, the Loroi respected and admired the Inuits of Qaanaaq for their sense of community and endurance through historical hardships. This inspired the Loroi to draw in more resources and financial support for Qaanaaq, coinciding with their demands from E1 and other contributing governments to provide the Loroi with better living conditions in Greenland.
In just two decades Qaanaaq went from a struggling Eskimo village to a thriving town. The Inughuit population boomed from a meager few hundred to a few thousand, though this could also be attributed to the fact that the Loroi’s presence had attracted Inuits from other communities across Greenland as well as a few non-Inuit outsiders.
The Inughuits, now living in comfort and better conditions than their predecessors could ever dream of, were forever thankful to the Loroi that had become a part of their community. Though they no longer struggled, the Inughuits still clung to their traditions, preserving their history and hunting methods. A few hundred Loroi became permanent residents of Qaanaaq, strengthening relations between the Inuit community and the E1 soldiers of Thule Airbase.
Apart from its elevation from a poor fishing and hunting town, Qaanaaq had also become a major tourist attraction, bringing in an even larger income for the village. Many Inughuits, however, were reluctant to allow this expansion without limits, afraid that such change might corrupt their culture or scare away the game of the sea. Hence why the community restricted the acceptable number of tourists at any given moment throughout the year. Visitors were instructed to obey rules when visiting Qaanaaq. Most visitors were pleasant and easy to manage, but the Inughuits and Loroi were not afraid to expel disrespectful tourists or ill-mannered guests. The Loroi residents also served as the main attraction for tourists, which was advantageous as it discouraged visitors from trespassing on Thule Airbase.
On 17 February 2190 C.E., many days following the meeting with the Confederates, Alex and his comrades decided to spend some time in Qaanaaq. The Inughuits prepared a banquet with all manner of staples from fried seal to fermented narwhal.
As a polite gesture, the few remaining Confederates were also invited. Chandra accepted and joined the Inuits and Loroi of Qaanaaq.
For the whole day the humans and Loroi celebrated with food, drinks and songs in honor of the winter’s first sunrise. Tonraq danced and hooted passionately as he beat his qilaut drum. Lore, having memorized every Inuit chant she could, joined in the ceremonial singing along with the locals, cheering on his dance along with a chorus of Inuits. Their song:
Paġlagikpiñ siqiñiq. Welcoming back the sun.
Chandra sat with Alex, admiring the sun that barely reached over the horizon.
“It’s chilling to see the sun that low,” Chandra commented.
Alex smirked. “Is that a pun?”
Chandra rolled his eyes. “Yes.” They snickered together.
Talon brought them hot beverages. Chandra winced at the heat, blowing his drink. With careful sips, his tongue welcomed the floral and citrusy taste of his tea. “It’s good! What is this?”
“Bergamot,” said Talon, taking a sip of her own. “One of my favorites after noilir.”
Beryl and Fireblade joined them with plates of fried seal meat. Juko came along with his wife and two daughters. Alfhildr came frolicking after them to take her spot beside her favorite Unsheathed.
The Loroi and humans watched as the sun slowly disappeared under the icy horizon, casting them back into darkness. Lights and torches were lit to offer more illumination for the evening’s celebration.
“And there goes Malina,” said Juko.
Chandra squinted. “Who?”
“Just some old folklore,” Juko explained. “The story goes that there once were two siblings, Igaluk and Malina. One day the two had a bitter quarrel. Malina fled into the sky. Her brother, full of regret and wishing to reconcile, chased after her. Malina became the sun and Igaluk the moon. The two were fated to go around the earth, one chasing after the other in hopeless pursuit.”
Beryl snorted her disbelief. “How unscientific!”
“Don’t be such a cancer boat,” Talon chastised the Listel. “I like the Inuit stories. They are part of who we are.”
Juko’s wife, Sila, nodded approvingly, saying, “We have also enjoyed the Loroi’s old stories.”
Sila’s and Juko’s daughter pointed up at the sky, repeating, “It’s starting! It’s starting!” Loroi, Inuit, tourists and soldiers off-duty gazed up, bedazzled by luminous drapes materializing high above them.
Chandra was the most amazed among them. “Now there’s a sight I’ve wanted to see all my life.”
“Is this your first time seeing the aurora borealis?” Beryl asked him.
Chandra nodded. “It is.”
“Fireblade says that it reminds her of the Aurora Festival on Deinar, when meteor activity is most frequent. On the night of the maximum, Loroi travel out into the woods to camp overnight. Though in Arran they camp out in the desert.”
“Now that’s a sight I’d like to see,” Juko toasted with his mug.
“I’ve seen it,” Alfhildr spoke up.
Many eyes fell on her.
“You?” Chandra asked.
Alfhildr nodded. “In Fireblade’s dreams.” She snuggled up close to her favorite Unsheathed.
Chandra turned to Alex. “So it’s true then.”
“Of course,” Alex replied.
“And you don’t consider it a bigger deal?”
Alex shrugged. “Why should we? It’s old news for us and nothing bigger has happened because of it.”
“How long?”
“Since Alfhildr was an infant. We discovered it purely by accident. Beryl has been researching it thoroughly, but nothing’s really changed much.”
“And you don’t consider it a security concern that others know?”
Alex shrugged again. “We live on a military base in one of the most isolated countries in the world.”
“Although there have been a few incidents in which mercenaries have tried their luck in trying to capture her,” Beryl commented. “Fortunately none of them have ever come close to taking Alfhildr. Or the other few bonded Loroi and humans across Earth.”
Fireblade encircled Alfhildr protectively in her embrace, who in turn lay her head on the Unsheathed’s chest.
Chandra grinned at the pair. “You really love her,” he said to the Unsheathed. “Don’t you?”
Fireblade silently eyed Chandra. Beryl answered on her behalf, “Fireblade says, ‘I love her like a daughter. I would destroy anyone who would try to harm her.’”
He asked Alfhildr, “Tell me, kid… what’s it like?”
“What’s what like?” said Alfhildr.
“When you enter Fireblade’s dreams?”
Alfhildr shrugged. “It’s weird. First it feels like I’m being approached by a blob of fire in the darkness. Then it explodes and I find myself in weird places I’ve never seen before. And they feel so real.”
Chandra was intrigued. “What kind of weird places?”
“Mostly Fireblade’s memories. Although, sometimes, we see other weird stuff. Like strange monsters no one’s ever seen before. Sometimes we even see strange people… like… people from the past.”
That baffled Chandra.
“Ancestral vision, we Loroi call it,” said Beryl. “It seems to be an uncommon occurrence in the Loroi subconscious. Loroi cannot inherit memories directly from their parents. But some Listels believe Loroi can receive a subconscious form of relay from other Loroi.” She could see Chandra looked only more confused. “Think of it as a form of telepathic reiteration that Loroi do not consciously intend, but rather leak without realizing. Other Loroi receive and process these memories unconsciously. But, since these subconscious sendings come from multiple sources, the memories, as it were, blend together creating a garbled mess. Our ancient ancestors used it as a form of divine revelation from our ancestors before scientific enlightenment, which might explain why some of the ancient Loroi were led astray by superstitions or started conflicts over what enemies would perceive as pretenses. Today, however, ancestral vision is generally regarded as an unreliable source of historical information.”
“Well now,” said Chandra, “that’s sure to mess with your head.” He turned to Alex. “I read from your debriefing following your return from the Union about your connection to Fireblade.”
“It stopped,” said Alex, “shortly after we came to Earth.”
“Why?”
Alex shrugged, taking a sip from his mug. “We don’t know.”
Sila surprised the assembly when she offered, “Perhaps you both had completed your journey together and it was time for Fireblade’s atiq to be passed on to another.”
Chandra furrowed, confused. “Her what?”
“Atiq is a local spiritual blief of the Inuits,” Beryl interjected. “A superstition really.”
“It is not superstition!” Juko spoke up, offended. “Atiq is one’s soul name, given by the ancestors. Some in the village believe that Alfhildr, being a dreamwalker, was born for Fireblade’s sake. Same as Lore and Tonraq who were fated to meet as dreamwalkers.”
“You mean like a soulmate?” Chandra asked.
“That’s one way to put it.” Juko took a swig from his mug. “Another is to say that Inuits believe the ancestors pass down entities to us. This seems not so different from the Loroi who can see and feel a person’s soul, even naming each other after it. Some in the village think Alfhildr is Fireblade’s atiq, maybe an ancestor or a loved one reborn. Or maybe a new entity made just for Fireblade. Even Alfhildr’s name, chosen by her mother before her passing, means, ‘battle of the elves.’ Remarkable coincidence, wouldn’t you say?.”
“So… does that make me like a god?” Alfhildr asked.
Juko scoffed, “Ha! Don’t get ahead of yourself, little girl. You’re too impish to be a god.”
The group laughed.
After a long while of sitting, drinking and eating, Alex decided he needed to stretch his legs. Chandra joined him.
Chandra lost his step on the rocky beach. “Woah,” he uttered. “Rough grounds.”
“You okay?” Alex asked.
“Yeah, just when you live in low G’s long enough, you tend to get a little shaky back in normal gravity.”
They came to a dim part on the beach. Chandra looked back at the festive fires and electric lights illuminating the people, human and alien alike. “This is a nice place,” he said sincerely.
Alex shrugged. “It’s got its charms. And makes the cold worth it.”
“Heh,” Chandra chuckled. “I guess so.” He was awkwardly silent a moment. “Alex… um, thanks.”
“For what?”
Chandra motioned toward the party. “For this! For receiving us. For letting us be part of this, just for a moment. But mostly… thank you… for agreeing to help us.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, Alex! I do mention! And I mean it. We may not see eye to eye on politics, but you’re doing the right thing. With you on the delegation, we just might have a shot at this.” Chandra looked back toward the party. “And your friends are also very brave.”
“You have no idea,” said Alex, sighing nostalgia. “I want them to enjoy every moment of this before we depart.”
“Are you sure you want to bring the Loroi along, Alex?”
“They’re my friends. Talon, Fireblade and Beryl have been with me every step of the way. If I order them to stay behind, they’ll either restrain me or hijack a ship just to get to me.”
“Admiral Visata is not going to like it,” Chandra admitted. “Especially with the Unsheathed. No offense to your friend, Alex, but I know she’s got PTSD. Even got booted from her team for combat shakes.”
“You can tell Kellan I don’t like putting the Loroi in harm’s way anymore than she enjoys the company of aliens. As Beryl once said, ‘social mores must give way to necessity in a crisis.’ Besides, there’s no telling what Fireblade will do if I leave her behind.”
Chandra shrugged. “Suit yourself. But I should warn you, in the event she does anything rash, you’ll be held responsible.”
The two became silent again. Alex asked spontaneously, “Do you remember the old motto of the Scout Corps?”
Chandra smirked fondly at the memory. “‘Never behind.’”
“You know the Confeds better than me, Chandra. Why did they choose ‘Terra Invictus?’ Seems a bit ignorant to call your fleet ‘invincible.’”
“Unconquered,” Chandra corrected.
“Huh?”
“‘Terra Invictus’ is meant to mean, ‘the Unconquered Earth.’”
“Heh! What a statement,” Alex muttered. He refrained from counting the number of contradictions in that statement.
“It’s meant for the Loroi,” Chandra pointed out. “To let the Union know that they’re welcome to conquer the rest of the galaxy. But Earth they will never take.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets, admiring the Northern Lights. He sighed, “I’m glad I got to see this planet… just one more time.”
“You make it sound like we’re never going to see it again.”
“In this business, it could very well be.” He glanced at Alex. “You, uh… you should go back to the party.”
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ll be along. I just want to look at that aurora. Just a while longer.”
Alex left Chandra, making his way back to the party. He looked forward, at every pink and blue face, shivering or laughing. He looked at Juko’s wife and two daughters. Talon was speaking with them, capturing their attention with her blue hands as she likely relayed a story. He looked at Beryl, tenderly stripping bits of fried seal meat with her teeth. He looked at Fireblade, tenderly rubbing Alfhildr’s arm as the child leaned against her. Alfhildr had come to accept that Fireblade came and went as duty required, but she clung fiercely to the closest thing she knew to a mother.
He looked at it all, feeling joy. Yet an underlying dread ate away at that joy. A fear of what was coming and what he was about to be hurled toward. He looked at all these beautiful things and knew, if the negotiations failed, it could all be gone.
Second Author’s Note: I have some more plans, which may include yet another installment before I’m ready for the final installment of the Endurance series. In any case, I will try not to keep you waiting and hope you will be around for more reading.
Terra Invictus
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The Inughuit Eskimos were but one of several subgroups of Inuits. Originally situated at Thule, the Inughuit were evicted and forced off their land by American soldiers claiming the land to construct what eventually became the Thule Airbase. The dispossessed Inughuits of that era took whatever possessions they could carry on their sleighs and trudged their way farther north, eventually settling in an arid, coastal area overlooking the Baffin Bay of Greenland.
Hence these exiles became known as the Relocated of 1953.
Qaanaaq first began as a meager village of small tents, slowly growing into a small town. But even with what little aid the Inughuit could receive from the Danish or American governments of the time or even the incomes they earned working at the military airbase now built over their former home, the Inughuit lived difficult lives for many decades following their displacement.
The Inughuits endured generation after generation leading up to the 22nd century with a meager population of a few hundred, suffering destitution, harassment from outsiders, hunting game shortages and climate change. Yet despite all they suffered, they clung fiercely and proudly to their Inughuit heritage, determined to preserve their culture.
Surviving the bitter cold of Greenland and being displaced was one of the few things that the Inuqhuits of Qaanaaq and Loroi had in common. Upon their first meeting, the Inuits were afraid of the pointy eared bluefolk, especially the seemingly mystical Unsheathed. But the more time they spent together, the more stories they shared, the more the Inughuits began to take a liking to these alien newcomers, bedazzled by their stories of fighting monsters and recordings of alien worlds.
The Loroi in turn were equally touched by the Inughuits’ kindness and generosity with what little they had. Despite not being warriors, the Loroi respected and admired the Inuits of Qaanaaq for their sense of community and endurance through historical hardships. This inspired the Loroi to draw in more resources and financial support for Qaanaaq, coinciding with their demands from E1 and other contributing governments to provide the Loroi with better living conditions in Greenland.
In just two decades Qaanaaq went from a struggling Eskimo village to a thriving town. The Inughuit population boomed from a meager few hundred to a few thousand, though this could also be attributed to the fact that the Loroi’s presence had attracted Inuits from other communities across Greenland as well as a few non-Inuit outsiders.
The Inughuits, now living in comfort and better conditions than their predecessors could ever dream of, were forever thankful to the Loroi that had become a part of their community. Though they no longer struggled, the Inughuits still clung to their traditions, preserving their history and hunting methods. A few hundred Loroi became permanent residents of Qaanaaq, strengthening relations between the Inuit community and the E1 soldiers of Thule Airbase.
Apart from its elevation from a poor fishing and hunting town, Qaanaaq had also become a major tourist attraction, bringing in an even larger income for the village. Many Inughuits, however, were reluctant to allow this expansion without limits, afraid that such change might corrupt their culture or scare away the game of the sea. Hence why the community restricted the acceptable number of tourists at any given moment throughout the year. Visitors were instructed to obey rules when visiting Qaanaaq. Most visitors were pleasant and easy to manage, but the Inughuits and Loroi were not afraid to expel disrespectful tourists or ill-mannered guests. The Loroi residents also served as the main attraction for tourists, which was advantageous as it discouraged visitors from trespassing on Thule Airbase.
On 17 February 2190 C.E., many days following the meeting with the Confederates, Alex and his comrades decided to spend some time in Qaanaaq. The Inughuits prepared a banquet with all manner of staples from fried seal to fermented narwhal.
As a polite gesture, the few remaining Confederates were also invited. Chandra accepted and joined the Inuits and Loroi of Qaanaaq.
For the whole day the humans and Loroi celebrated with food, drinks and songs in honor of the winter’s first sunrise. Tonraq danced and hooted passionately as he beat his qilaut drum. Lore, having memorized every Inuit chant she could, joined in the ceremonial singing along with the locals, cheering on his dance along with a chorus of Inuits. Their song:
Paġlagikpiñ siqiñiq. Welcoming back the sun.
Chandra sat with Alex, admiring the sun that barely reached over the horizon.
“It’s chilling to see the sun that low,” Chandra commented.
Alex smirked. “Is that a pun?”
Chandra rolled his eyes. “Yes.” They snickered together.
Talon brought them hot beverages. Chandra winced at the heat, blowing his drink. With careful sips, his tongue welcomed the floral and citrusy taste of his tea. “It’s good! What is this?”
“Bergamot,” said Talon, taking a sip of her own. “One of my favorites after noilir.”
Beryl and Fireblade joined them with plates of fried seal meat. Juko came along with his wife and two daughters. Alfhildr came frolicking after them to take her spot beside her favorite Unsheathed.
The Loroi and humans watched as the sun slowly disappeared under the icy horizon, casting them back into darkness. Lights and torches were lit to offer more illumination for the evening’s celebration.
“And there goes Malina,” said Juko.
Chandra squinted. “Who?”
“Just some old folklore,” Juko explained. “The story goes that there once were two siblings, Igaluk and Malina. One day the two had a bitter quarrel. Malina fled into the sky. Her brother, full of regret and wishing to reconcile, chased after her. Malina became the sun and Igaluk the moon. The two were fated to go around the earth, one chasing after the other in hopeless pursuit.”
Beryl snorted her disbelief. “How unscientific!”
“Don’t be such a cancer boat,” Talon chastised the Listel. “I like the Inuit stories. They are part of who we are.”
Juko’s wife, Sila, nodded approvingly, saying, “We have also enjoyed the Loroi’s old stories.”
Sila’s and Juko’s daughter pointed up at the sky, repeating, “It’s starting! It’s starting!” Loroi, Inuit, tourists and soldiers off-duty gazed up, bedazzled by luminous drapes materializing high above them.
Chandra was the most amazed among them. “Now there’s a sight I’ve wanted to see all my life.”
“Is this your first time seeing the aurora borealis?” Beryl asked him.
Chandra nodded. “It is.”
“Fireblade says that it reminds her of the Aurora Festival on Deinar, when meteor activity is most frequent. On the night of the maximum, Loroi travel out into the woods to camp overnight. Though in Arran they camp out in the desert.”
“Now that’s a sight I’d like to see,” Juko toasted with his mug.
“I’ve seen it,” Alfhildr spoke up.
Many eyes fell on her.
“You?” Chandra asked.
Alfhildr nodded. “In Fireblade’s dreams.” She snuggled up close to her favorite Unsheathed.
Chandra turned to Alex. “So it’s true then.”
“Of course,” Alex replied.
“And you don’t consider it a bigger deal?”
Alex shrugged. “Why should we? It’s old news for us and nothing bigger has happened because of it.”
“How long?”
“Since Alfhildr was an infant. We discovered it purely by accident. Beryl has been researching it thoroughly, but nothing’s really changed much.”
“And you don’t consider it a security concern that others know?”
Alex shrugged again. “We live on a military base in one of the most isolated countries in the world.”
“Although there have been a few incidents in which mercenaries have tried their luck in trying to capture her,” Beryl commented. “Fortunately none of them have ever come close to taking Alfhildr. Or the other few bonded Loroi and humans across Earth.”
Fireblade encircled Alfhildr protectively in her embrace, who in turn lay her head on the Unsheathed’s chest.
Chandra grinned at the pair. “You really love her,” he said to the Unsheathed. “Don’t you?”
Fireblade silently eyed Chandra. Beryl answered on her behalf, “Fireblade says, ‘I love her like a daughter. I would destroy anyone who would try to harm her.’”
He asked Alfhildr, “Tell me, kid… what’s it like?”
“What’s what like?” said Alfhildr.
“When you enter Fireblade’s dreams?”
Alfhildr shrugged. “It’s weird. First it feels like I’m being approached by a blob of fire in the darkness. Then it explodes and I find myself in weird places I’ve never seen before. And they feel so real.”
Chandra was intrigued. “What kind of weird places?”
“Mostly Fireblade’s memories. Although, sometimes, we see other weird stuff. Like strange monsters no one’s ever seen before. Sometimes we even see strange people… like… people from the past.”
That baffled Chandra.
“Ancestral vision, we Loroi call it,” said Beryl. “It seems to be an uncommon occurrence in the Loroi subconscious. Loroi cannot inherit memories directly from their parents. But some Listels believe Loroi can receive a subconscious form of relay from other Loroi.” She could see Chandra looked only more confused. “Think of it as a form of telepathic reiteration that Loroi do not consciously intend, but rather leak without realizing. Other Loroi receive and process these memories unconsciously. But, since these subconscious sendings come from multiple sources, the memories, as it were, blend together creating a garbled mess. Our ancient ancestors used it as a form of divine revelation from our ancestors before scientific enlightenment, which might explain why some of the ancient Loroi were led astray by superstitions or started conflicts over what enemies would perceive as pretenses. Today, however, ancestral vision is generally regarded as an unreliable source of historical information.”
“Well now,” said Chandra, “that’s sure to mess with your head.” He turned to Alex. “I read from your debriefing following your return from the Union about your connection to Fireblade.”
“It stopped,” said Alex, “shortly after we came to Earth.”
“Why?”
Alex shrugged, taking a sip from his mug. “We don’t know.”
Sila surprised the assembly when she offered, “Perhaps you both had completed your journey together and it was time for Fireblade’s atiq to be passed on to another.”
Chandra furrowed, confused. “Her what?”
“Atiq is a local spiritual blief of the Inuits,” Beryl interjected. “A superstition really.”
“It is not superstition!” Juko spoke up, offended. “Atiq is one’s soul name, given by the ancestors. Some in the village believe that Alfhildr, being a dreamwalker, was born for Fireblade’s sake. Same as Lore and Tonraq who were fated to meet as dreamwalkers.”
“You mean like a soulmate?” Chandra asked.
“That’s one way to put it.” Juko took a swig from his mug. “Another is to say that Inuits believe the ancestors pass down entities to us. This seems not so different from the Loroi who can see and feel a person’s soul, even naming each other after it. Some in the village think Alfhildr is Fireblade’s atiq, maybe an ancestor or a loved one reborn. Or maybe a new entity made just for Fireblade. Even Alfhildr’s name, chosen by her mother before her passing, means, ‘battle of the elves.’ Remarkable coincidence, wouldn’t you say?.”
“So… does that make me like a god?” Alfhildr asked.
Juko scoffed, “Ha! Don’t get ahead of yourself, little girl. You’re too impish to be a god.”
The group laughed.
After a long while of sitting, drinking and eating, Alex decided he needed to stretch his legs. Chandra joined him.
Chandra lost his step on the rocky beach. “Woah,” he uttered. “Rough grounds.”
“You okay?” Alex asked.
“Yeah, just when you live in low G’s long enough, you tend to get a little shaky back in normal gravity.”
They came to a dim part on the beach. Chandra looked back at the festive fires and electric lights illuminating the people, human and alien alike. “This is a nice place,” he said sincerely.
Alex shrugged. “It’s got its charms. And makes the cold worth it.”
“Heh,” Chandra chuckled. “I guess so.” He was awkwardly silent a moment. “Alex… um, thanks.”
“For what?”
Chandra motioned toward the party. “For this! For receiving us. For letting us be part of this, just for a moment. But mostly… thank you… for agreeing to help us.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, Alex! I do mention! And I mean it. We may not see eye to eye on politics, but you’re doing the right thing. With you on the delegation, we just might have a shot at this.” Chandra looked back toward the party. “And your friends are also very brave.”
“You have no idea,” said Alex, sighing nostalgia. “I want them to enjoy every moment of this before we depart.”
“Are you sure you want to bring the Loroi along, Alex?”
“They’re my friends. Talon, Fireblade and Beryl have been with me every step of the way. If I order them to stay behind, they’ll either restrain me or hijack a ship just to get to me.”
“Admiral Visata is not going to like it,” Chandra admitted. “Especially with the Unsheathed. No offense to your friend, Alex, but I know she’s got PTSD. Even got booted from her team for combat shakes.”
“You can tell Kellan I don’t like putting the Loroi in harm’s way anymore than she enjoys the company of aliens. As Beryl once said, ‘social mores must give way to necessity in a crisis.’ Besides, there’s no telling what Fireblade will do if I leave her behind.”
Chandra shrugged. “Suit yourself. But I should warn you, in the event she does anything rash, you’ll be held responsible.”
The two became silent again. Alex asked spontaneously, “Do you remember the old motto of the Scout Corps?”
Chandra smirked fondly at the memory. “‘Never behind.’”
“You know the Confeds better than me, Chandra. Why did they choose ‘Terra Invictus?’ Seems a bit ignorant to call your fleet ‘invincible.’”
“Unconquered,” Chandra corrected.
“Huh?”
“‘Terra Invictus’ is meant to mean, ‘the Unconquered Earth.’”
“Heh! What a statement,” Alex muttered. He refrained from counting the number of contradictions in that statement.
“It’s meant for the Loroi,” Chandra pointed out. “To let the Union know that they’re welcome to conquer the rest of the galaxy. But Earth they will never take.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets, admiring the Northern Lights. He sighed, “I’m glad I got to see this planet… just one more time.”
“You make it sound like we’re never going to see it again.”
“In this business, it could very well be.” He glanced at Alex. “You, uh… you should go back to the party.”
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ll be along. I just want to look at that aurora. Just a while longer.”
Alex left Chandra, making his way back to the party. He looked forward, at every pink and blue face, shivering or laughing. He looked at Juko’s wife and two daughters. Talon was speaking with them, capturing their attention with her blue hands as she likely relayed a story. He looked at Beryl, tenderly stripping bits of fried seal meat with her teeth. He looked at Fireblade, tenderly rubbing Alfhildr’s arm as the child leaned against her. Alfhildr had come to accept that Fireblade came and went as duty required, but she clung fiercely to the closest thing she knew to a mother.
He looked at it all, feeling joy. Yet an underlying dread ate away at that joy. A fear of what was coming and what he was about to be hurled toward. He looked at all these beautiful things and knew, if the negotiations failed, it could all be gone.
Last edited by Snoofman on Wed Feb 18, 2026 1:14 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Max_von_Dachsenstein
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2025 8:33 pm
Re: The Unconquered
"Rule Terra! Terra rule the space! Terrans never will be slaves!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUUfG4QalC8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUUfG4QalC8
Re: The Unconquered
Author's note: I originally posted a revised chapter of 'Machine in the Ghost' here. But after some contemplation and going back, I decided that I wanted the Historians' logical explanation for telepathy to remain more ambiguous and speculative.
The chapter 'Machine in the Ghost' has therefore been revised for a second and final time. Please check it out. If you like, leave a comment. Thank you for reading!
The chapter 'Machine in the Ghost' has therefore been revised for a second and final time. Please check it out. If you like, leave a comment. Thank you for reading!
-
Quickdraw101
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:01 am
- Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Re: The Unconquered
The chapter name is a reference to I, Robot, isn't it?