Chapter One
[Notice: Before Chapter One begins and to provide relevant historical and geographical context, there is a preface that includes maps of the three star systems around which the 17 Planets orbit.]
“Homo homini lupus[2]” is an ancient Roman proverb. Its principle, however, seems to be extremely valid even today, after more than 2,300 years. So, why should things be different in 3,000 years? What if what protects us from physical and mental illness becomes our worst nightmare? It happened and keeps on happening again and again. For instance, we invest talent and resources in creating technological wonders and then we turn them against our fellow human beings. Humans, after all, are just animals, neither good nor bad. Sometimes we are generous, and other times selfish, but, in the end, we are just human. Isn’t that right?
Bagoha, Xiingjia system, 1368
It was the year 1368 in the Community time. Omega 4, the artificial satellite of the Alliance army, was orbiting Bagoha, the Council’s temporary seat. General Edward Cohen had received a communication from his superior, General-in-chief Adyfin, requesting to meet in his office. He approached the authorization visor, swiping back a tuft of golden-brown hair to allow eye recognition and access the vehicles traveling to the bubbles. Although emerald green eyes like his were not common, the visor took a while to grant him and his subordinate access as the system had to scan the dark triangle of the Ajna placed between the eyebrows, which was unique to each individual.
Bagoha, despite being the farthest planet from its star, had a large burning core that kept it warm. Lava often burst to the surface, releasing a dense mixture loaded with gases, useful for the complex technological processing and refining methods of the minerals and metals extracted from the planet Kadefen. As the ground was not accessible, the habitable bubbles had been designed to float in the air – as if they were made of soap – and were constantly supplied with oxygen and light in the form of energy.
For General Cohen, that artificial light wasn’t enough. He was born on Gorgjian, a very bright planet, and had lived for more than fifteen years between Anturius and Alpha One, where the light of their two paired stars enveloped everything with a brightness so warm that one almost had the feeling of being able to touch it. On Bagoha, Ed missed natural light and its warmth on his skin. He preferred to stay on Omega 4, where there were no simulations, and he could see the direct light coming from Xiingjia, that system’s sun. Ed had to admit it wasn’t just for that reason that he didn’t like to go down on Bagoha. He did not understand much about politics. However, he couldn’t but notice the considerable differences between classes on that planet, despite the rulers’ attempts to conceal them from outsiders, including other members of the Alliance. And the few times he had been called to intervene in the Lower Bubbles he had found the situation was even worse. Because, indeed, the habitable bubbles were divided into two sections, above the platforms lived and worked the so-called noble class, while the lower section housed the factories and the workers’ homes. So, in the Lower Bubbles, poverty prevailed and basic necessities such as light, water and oxygen were scarce.
Ed had a great sense of justice, which often caused him to clash with a system that was not always fair. He had once asked his boss how the Council could tolerate situations like that, but his superior had replied that politics and power games are not always easy to understand. And for Ed that had meant, there is no explanation. He had started to believe that many were actually fine with the situation because, if some were allowed to act in a questionable way, others could also do the same.
General Adyfin greatly appreciated Ed, therefore, he had repeatedly pointed out to him that their loyalty to the Council of the Alliance had to be unconditional.
Despite his reticence, Ed went down to the planet that night. When the facilitator – an autonomous unpowered vehicle used primarily to connect the orbiting Omega with the planets – opened its doors, he was enveloped by the greenish and unnatural light typical of the Upper Bubbles. He quickly headed for the staircase leading to the management offices, followed, as always, by the trusted Lieutenant Kurt Hasha, his second in command for the last four years. He knocked on the general-in-chief’s office and went in. Adyfin was bent over some three-dimensional images, whose structure was difficult to identify.
“Cohen, you’ve come at the right time!” he said, raising his eyes just for the time necessary to identify his visitors before returning to the images. Ed and his second hinted at a formal military salute, immediately hushed by the general with a gesture of his hand.
“I believe I sensed some urgency in your call, sir,” Ed replied.
Adyfin went straight to the point: “Yes, indeed. We have been informed about a possible violation on Echuazi, in Bubble 2. The visuals have just come in. However, so far, I have not been able to understand what kind of violation it is.”
The office was an irregularly shaped room, with two opposite walls of very clear metal, from which a slight but constant emission of photons could be perceived. The other two were transparent to capture as much light as possible. Everything showed how urgent the need for light was on that planet. The minimalist furnishings included a horseshoe-shaped desk, ergonomic and rounded. From its center a series of mobile images were projected. Ed got closer.
“Are those the images of the facility?”
Adyfin nodded.
Cohen began to manipulate them, changing the angle and zooming in and out. He seemed to be looking for something. His boss gave him free rein. Ed had a good nose for this sort of things, and if there was a clue to find, he would find it.
The lieutenant had remained close to the entrance but was carefully following every move of his superior. Ed touched a button on the side of the desk from where the images originated. “Activate complex system, detect heat, movement and size,” he ordered. The images changed. Some colored points, changing from yellow to red, appeared outside the building. He grimaced in disappointment. “It’s shielded. There must be something valuable inside; this kind of screening is costly; somebody spared no expense to protect it.”
As he spoke, the colored dots dissolved. “Damn it! They know we are watching them!” he exclaimed, annoyed. He had barely refrained from using more colorful language out of respect for his superior. Adyfin leaned over to take a closer look. “I was asked to control it personally and, eventually, intervene. Clearly, something is going on. You’d better go there with a team, General. I’m afraid we might lose every trace if we don’t move now. You have complete authority.”
“Who asked for the intervention? It seems like it’s, you know, too deliberately hidden. With all due respect, sir, it kind of stinks.”
The general-in-chief weighed Cohen’s words for a moment. “Lord Kajlin requested it. I have no reason to believe he has a hidden agenda. He’s concerned about the rebels and Captain Lee’s activities.”
Ed frowned. “I won’t ask you why Seranjaz’s leader wants to investigate something happening on Echuazi. I will pretend that it is a legitimate request, since one is the satellite of the other.”
“Cohen!” Adyfin reprimanded him with a glance, then explained, “According to some informants there are clues that connect the events that happened at the plants of Bubble 4 on Seranjaz four weeks ago to this building.”
Cohen took another look at the visuals. “That doesn’t seem like Captain Lee’s modus operandi. Based on the little we know about him, and provided that he does exists, his actions are incredibly blatant or completely concealed. He would never act so naively.”
Adyfin smiled. “Cohen, you seem to admire him.”
“Well, his operations are masterful. He achieves maximum results with minimum effort. It’s hard not to admire the guy. I believe there is a lot to be learned from everyone, pirates included,” Ed replied, smiling in return.
Adyfin burst into laughter. He was a burly and imposing sixty-three-year-old man. Although he and Cohen were of similar height, his body size was almost double. When angry, he could intimidate anyone, even if normally he was quite friendly. “Cohen, you know I like your way of thinking, but I suggest you keep your opinion on this matter to yourself. I believe the Council wouldn’t appreciate it. Captain Lee, or whoever he is, has a lot of bounties on his head.”
“Of course, General.” Ed nodded. “As for Lord Kajlin’s concerns, I believe that also the rebels should be excluded, at least those from Echuazi. As I said, they have neither the skills nor the tools to shield an entire building so efficiently. If you are thinking about the ones from Seranjaz, well, I haven’t been able to figure them out yet. It could be them, but right now, I’d blame it on who’s driving us crazy with the drug trafficking. But if that’s the case, things would be much more complicated and dangerous.”
Adyfin nodded. “Anyways, Cohen, we need to get there and check it out. See what precautions need to be taken. I wouldn’t like to be accused of accepting requests from some parties and not from others. As you are well aware, the current political situation is quite tricky.”
Ed shook his head, barely hiding his frustration. “That’s right, and we’ll pay the price. Well, General, we’ll act immediately. Send me the coordinates, we’ll be there in three hours.”
“Good. Done!” Adyfin said after handling the data to his right. Ed saluted while walking towards Kurt and the door but was called back by the general-in-chief.
“Cohen, l am confident that you are the right person to handle such a suspicious and potentially dangerous action, but...” he looked Ed in the eye, “… be careful, I still need your skills.” Clearly he also had doubts about the operation, as could be expected.
Ed smirked and said sarcastically, “General, I value my skin, it covers most of my body!” He threw a grateful glance to Adyfin for his words and quickly left the office with Kurt on his tail.
They had reached the facilitator that would take them back them to Omega 4. “General, tell me the truth, is this another suicide mission?” Kurt asked sarcastically as they sat side by side.
“Kurt don’t tell me this bothers you. That’s not like you!” Ed teased.
“Not at all, General. Since I’ve started working with you, I’ve risked my life so many times that I’ve lost count. Yet, you’ve always brought us back home.”
“Yeah.” Ed sighed and then smiled. For a moment he thought about how much his men trusted him. They said he had luck on his side, and for a soldier, luck is as crucial as competence. The military were superstitious people, they wanted above all a lucky leader; and if he was also capable like General Cohen, so much the better!
Ed wondered if good luck would assist him yet again.
Echuazi, Rabraman system, 1368
Three hours later they arrived on Echuazi. There were eight of them, including the general and his first officer. They arrived at Bubble 2 and got into two small, fast vehicles in order to go unnoticed. When they reached their target area, they continued on foot. Ed decided to leave two men behind, ready for both a quick rescue and to call for reinforcements. It wasn’t much of a plan, but he decided to approach the building, take a look to gather more information and get back as fast as possible.
It was dusk, and the light that filtered through the bubble’s surface made everything look surreal. On their arrival, the building seemed to be completely uninhabited. From their position they could not see any sign of activity, neither outside nor inside. They activated their night vision and heat detection devices. They wore earphones on both ears that joined on the nape generating a holographic visor providing them with all the necessary data. They couldn’t go back without gathering more info. Ed did a quick scan around searching for any external devices that could reveal their presence to whoever was inside. He couldn’t detect any. They decided to go inside, looking for a secondary entrance and forcing it. His men looked calm, but the silence and the apparent ease with which they had managed to break in convinced the general that it was a trap. Once inside, they found themselves in a huge warehouse full of containers of different sizes stacked with care but, as hard as they tried, using every kind of detection system, they couldn’t figure out what they held. They were shielded like the whole building, so the only way to find out what was inside was to force one open. First, they fanned out to search the place. About halfway through the large room was a metal staircase leading to the upper floor. Below it was a locked door that seemed to give access to the warehouse basement. Even there, they couldn’t detect anything.
Ed decided to go upstairs with two men, leaving the lieutenant and the others to continue the search on the ground floor. Before climbing the stairs, he tried to contact the soldiers he had left behind with the vehicles. It didn’t work. Fuck! he thought, realizing that the building’s shield prevented communications. He was tempted to retrace his steps and get out, but there was no turning back now. If his instincts were correct, they wouldn’t be able to leave. They had no choice but to keep going.
At the top of the stairs, they found themselves in front of a corridor with several doors in a row, both to the right and to the left. They were locked with a very advanced electronic combination, which their equipment couldn’t bypass. Their attention was drawn to a light that had changed color at the end of the long corridor and they walked towards it with some hesitation. Suddenly they heard noises coming from the ground floor where their fellow soldiers were. Turning quickly, they found themselves in front of a dozen burly men armed to the teeth, apparently coming out of nowhere and ordering them to drop their weapons. Ed turned again towards the end of the corridor, looking for an unlikely escape route, but there were thugs coming from that direction too.
The trap has snapped shut and we fell into it like rats, Ed thought bitterly.
[2] “A man is a wolf to another man.” The first to speak of it was Plautus (255-184 BC).
