Beyond The Veil

Chapter 2

2

Harry moved carefully down the forested hillside. Twisted trees poked out of the muddy ground with gnarled branches trying to snag him like grasping hands. A few of them managed to scrape him, but he ignored it. Something about this place just seemed so creepy. Even with the hot, afternoon sun beating down, the shadows cast by those misshapen tree trunks were just a little too dark. Or maybe that was all in his head.

He paused, wiping the sweat off his brow, blinking once as he tried to get his bearings. “Not much further,” he panted. “It should be right over the next hill.”

He hoped.

For the last ten minutes, he had been trying to decide if this place looked familiar. It kind of did, but forests had a sameness to them. If you weren’t careful, you could end up going in circles, passing the same spot over and over again.

Stepping over a fallen branch, Harry continued his trek down the slope. Twigs crunched under his shoes. When he reached the bottom, he took a moment to catch his breath. The trees were thinner here, offering no refuge from the harsh sun.

After a brief rest, he started up the next hill, ducking under branches, maneuvering around exposed roots. The incline was steep, and the soft earth threatened to trip him. He kept searching for signs of life – squirrels, chipmunks, something – but aside from some birds chirping in the distance, the place felt barren.

He took another rest when he reached the top and then scrambled down the other side. His instincts had been correct. At the base of the hill, he found a ring of trees with dried leaves dotting the mucky ground.

He had found what he was looking for.

Moving into the middle of that grove, Harry tilted his head back and felt the warm sunlight on his face. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he centred himself. “Okay, Gramps. Let’s just hope you’re still here.”

Extending his hand, he sent a signal with the N’Jal. The ground writhed beneath his feet. A pedestal of glowing flesh erupted from the mud, rising until it stood about as tall as his waist.

Harry laid his hand upon it, the N’Jal’s fibres digging in.

The next thing he knew, he was standing in a place of infinite blackness, turning slowly as he searched the void. At first, he found nothing. Just an eternity of emptiness that tried to swallow him whole.

“No!” Harry shouted. “You’re not going to fool me! Show yourself!”

No one answered.

“Come on!”

When he turned around, he was face to face with his dead grandfather. David Carlson stood there in the nothingness, dressed in the same overalls and flannel shirt that he had worn last time. His rugged, dark-skinned face was compressed into a frown. Harry could see the flecks of white stubble along his jaw. “I cannot help you any more than I already have.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Harry countered. “I think you can be a great deal of help. If you’re willing.”

“You must use the N’Jal.”

Harry forced a smile, shutting his eyes and nodding slowly. “Yeah,” he muttered. “I figured that part out. But I need information.”

David crossed his arms, frowning as he stared into Harry’s eyes. “I have told you all that I can,” he said. “You must secure the Key before my people do. The three cyphers will grant you access to-”

“Yeah, that was two years ago,” Harry interjected. “We already lost the Key. Slade used it to open the SuperGates.”

“Then all is lost.”

“No, it isn’t,” Harry growled, seizing his grandfather by the shirt. He pulled the other man close. “I know about the Overseers’ goal. I know they’re trying to discover the secrets of death. I’m going to Abraxis to infiltrate one of your people’s strongholds, and expose their plans to the galaxy.”

“You will not survive the attempt.”

Harry’s snarl became a wolfish grin. “I know that,” he said softly. “But I’m going to do it anyway. And you’re going to tell me how to circumvent their security systems.”

David turned his head, peering into the darkness as though he feared that someone might be listening. He trembled in Harry’s grip. “There might be a way,” he mumbled. “But it will involve some risk.”

“Then tell me what I need to know.”

Hot sunlight came through the cockpit’s canopy window. The bright glare gave Jack a headache. He was still on Alosian time; for him, it was the middle of the night, and he could feel the fatigue creeping in.

Reclining in the pilot’s seat with his hands over his face, Jack massaged his eyelids with the tips of his fingers. “Well, he agreed to come,” he muttered. “We’ll be on our way in about an hour.”

“You should get some rest first,” Anna replied. “I don’t want you flying tired.”

Jack sat up straight, grunting as he considered her suggestion. “Maybe,” he said. “I kind of want to just get this trip over with. Maybe I can crash for a few hours after we get underway.”

The SmartGlass window displayed an image of his girlfriend as she sat on their bed with Spock in her lap. She was gently petting the kitty and looking into the camera with sympathy in her eyes. “There’s no rush,” she insisted.

“You say that but you’re not the one who has to sit through a thirteen-hour trip with my father.”

“But I do know a thing or two about family drama.”

“Right. How was the party?”

Anna rolled her eyes. “Pretty much exactly what you’d expect,” she muttered. “My mom made some snide comments; everyone started talking about babies. We played a few games. And now our fridge has way too much booze.”

“But you had fun?”

“As much fun as I could,” she replied. “I just don’t get the whole bachelorette party thing. I mean, if I’m going to have a party to celebrate our wedding, why wouldn’t I want you there?”

Grinning, Jack rested his head against the seat cushion. “Because it’s supposed to be a night of wanton debauchery,” he said. “And I’m supposed to be doing the same thing with all my guy friends.”

“Really?”

“Look, Earth traditions are stupid.”

“A little,” Anna agreed. “But your sister wanted to do something nice for me. So, I appreciate it.”

Kissing his fingers, Jack extended his hand and touched them to the screen. “Get some sleep,” he said. “We’ll be home by dinner time.”

Anna blew him a kiss, and then the call ended.

“So, you understand?”

Stomping through the darkness with his head down, Harry sighed. He came to an abrupt halt, shooting a glance toward the other man. “I take the genetic information you gave me to one of our allies. He engineers the virus. We inject it into the Overseer Base, and it will disable the security systems.”

Dr. Veneray would probably be able to do the job. He had engineered the cure to Slade’s t*****e virus. Normally this sort of germ warfare would take years of research, but the odds of success improved considerably when a friendly Overseer chose to give you a head start.

David Carlson stood in the void with his hands folded behind himself, his shoulders square, his chin thrust out. “Our technology is extremely resilient,” he said. “You will have only a brief window of opportunity before the base’s immune system overpowers the virus.”

“How long?”

“A few hours. Perhaps a day.”

“Swell.”

Striding through the emptiness with his arms swinging, David scowled and shook his head. “This is a very dangerous plan, Harry,” he said. “Your odds of success are low even with my assistance.”

“About that. Why are you helping me?”

His grandfather stopped dead, stunned by the question. “I have already told you. There are those among my people who disagree with the Overseers’ grand plan for humanity. I was created as a synthetic intelligence to assist those humans who would resist.”

“Yes, but why?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Why do these dissenters among the Overseers want to help us? Why do they disagree with the others?”

David’s reply to that was a sad smile. Exhaling roughly, he lowered his eyes to the not-ground under his feet. “Do you think this is the first time my people have performed this experiment?” he asked. “They have spent eons trying to learn the secrets of death. They have performed this same experiment upon multiple iterations of humanity across multiple universes. And after many failed attempts, we are no closer to solving the great mystery. The veil cannot be pierced. Some secrets are hidden from our eyes, perhaps for a very good reason.”

David began to pace, circling Harry like a vulture. It was all Harry could do not to raise his hand and erect a force-field. Not that it would make any difference. This place was a mental projection. Anything could happen here.

“This is the most elaborate version of the experiment they have ever conducted,” David went on. “And yet, after all the data is gathered, we still do not know what happens when a human mind is extinguished. It is a fool’s errand!”

He grimaced, hissing air through his teeth. “But my people have become obsessed with immortality,” he said. “Every species fears death. One would think that the ability to extend life indefinitely would alleviate that fear, but it only makes things worse. You must go now, Harry. Put an end to this experiment and the needless suffering it causes. Teach my people to accept that which they cannot control.”

The SlipGate inside the shuttle’s cabin began to hum, the grooves along its surface glowing with pure, white light. A bubble expanded from out of nowhere, stretching until its shimmering surface almost touched the ceiling. The solitary figure inside was just a blur to Jack’s eyes.

When it popped, his father stood before the Gate with the strap of a gym bag slung over one shoulder. “So, this is one of your space ships,” Arthur grumbled. “It’s nice. Has a real human vibe.”

A human vibe?

Jack’s first impulse was to ask what his father had been expecting. Big hibernation pods? Computer terminals with metal prongs that plugged directly into the user’s skull? The shuttle was designed by humans for humans. The simple décor shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone.

A flash of irritation from Summer made it that much harder to suppress the snarky comments that came to mind. She usually held back such strong emotions, but if anyone could get under her skin, it was Arthur god damn Hunter. Jack was willing to bet that he knew what had needled her.

His father had complimented the shuttle’s human vibe. Because humans were good, and aliens were bad. And Arthur Hunter never missed an opportunity to inform you of his stance on that issue.

Jack sat on the square table with his feet propped up on a bench, folding his arms as he locked eyes with his dad. “Glad you approve,” he said. “It’s gonna be a long journey. So, if you need a rest, just unfold one of the cots from the wall.”

“I’ll do that.”

Jerking his thumb back over his shoulder, Jack put on a big, fake smile. “Gotta head up to the cockpit,” he said. “Harry’s just itching to get underway.”

“You mind if I come with? I’d like to see space.”

“Be my guest.”

Up the stairs, they went, through the door into the cockpit. Jack found Harry sitting at the starboard console, lost in some private reverie. He had been like that for the better part of an hour. He wouldn’t say what he had seen when he interfaced with the Overseer device, but whatever it was, it had hit him hard.

Harry flinched at the sound of their entrance, swiveled his chair around and grunted when he saw Arthur. “Mr. Hunter,” he began. “I’m glad you decided to join us.”

Arthur sank into the chair behind the port-side console. “Me too.”

Jack claimed the pilot’s seat and spread his hands over the controls to bring the shuttle to life. Through the window, he saw a million stars against the blackness of space. They were in a high orbit above northern Canada.

With a few quick taps, he programmed their heading into the navigational systems. “Breaking orbit,” he said.

The shuttle’s nose pitched upward, and they sped away from the planet. It would take a few moments to reach the Vasren Point, the distance from Earth at which it would be possible to form a warp field.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Harry said. “But we don’t seem to be pointed at Proxima Centauri.”

“We’re not,” Jack confirmed. “We’re going to make a quick stop before we head for the Gate.”

“Where are we going?”

A frown tightened Jack’s mouth. He could feel the anxiety growing within him. Once again, Summer’s emotions were a mirror of his own. “The Lalande System,” he said coldly. “We’re going to invite a few more guests to the party.”

“You want even more wedding guests?” Arthur probed.

“Not that party, Dad,” Jack muttered. “The one that comes after. Going to warp.”

He activated the FTL drives, and the stars in his window began to clump together, forming a single point of light that hovered at some unimaginable distance. Telixa had told him about the secret base her people were operating in the Lalande System. No doubt they had chosen that star for its proximity to Earth.

It must have taken months to set up an observation post. Ships traveling from the SuperGate to Lalande would have to run at less than twenty percent of their top speeds or risk having their warp fields detected by Earth’s early warning systems.

The Ragnosians almost certainly had similar detection nets. They could probably see his shuttle right now along with every other ship moving at FTL speeds within twenty lightyears of their position.

It wouldn’t be long before they realized he was coming their way. And they might just have a welcoming party waiting for him. His dad would get to see some fancy flying. That should be fun. “We’ll be there in about forty minutes.”

Those forty minutes passed in awkward silence. Occasionally, Arthur would ask a question about what they would find upon arrival or about the nature of the mission Jack would be going on after the wedding.

Jack kept his answers short and simple. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his dad – well, okay, he didn’t trust his dad – but the fewer people who knew about their plans, the less chance there was that the Overseers would find out.

He dropped out of warp about a hundred million kilometres from the edge of the solar system. That distant point of light split apart, becoming a flurry of stars that spread out in all directions. One was slightly larger than all the others.

A single red dot floated right in front of him, giving off a steady, dim light. Lalande was a dwarf star. While it was nowhere near as bright as its neighbours, it would still be here long after they had all been extinguished.

Biting his lip, Jack stared through the window. He took a deep breath to work up his courage, then ordered the shuttle to broadcast his message through SlipSpace. “This is Jack Hunter to the Ragnosian base within this system. Yes, we know you’re here.”

No response.

He stood up, exhaling, and turned away from the window. “I’m not here for a fight,” he went on. “I’m here because I want to stop the war before it destroys your planet, and I need your help to do it.”

Still, they didn’t answer.

Sighing softly, Jack paced through the cockpit. He noticed his father and Harry sitting at the two aft consoles, both watching him as if they thought he had gone insane. Maybe he had.

Turning on his heel, he faced the window again, snarling like an angry dog. “Maybe the name rings a few bells,” he said. “Jack Hunter. The guy who saved Vel Telos from an attack by a Leyrian agent.”

Anna, Arin and Edrin deserved just as much credit as he did – maybe more – but now was not the time to quibble over minutiae. He needed these people to listen. If they were going to assault Abraxis, they needed as many ships as they could get. Preferably a wide variety of ships.

Leyrian Phoenix-Class cruisers, Antauran dreadnoughts, Ragnosian battlecruisers: they all had unique strengths and weaknesses. A fleet composed of all three would stand a better chance against the Overseers. Anna said she could secure the first two. Jack was trying to get the third.

At long last, the SmartGlass window lit up with the image of a skinny man in a gray uniform. The Ragnosian was stiff-backed, standing tall with a sour expression, staring directly into the camera. “How exactly can we help?”

Jack smiled, a sigh of relief exploding from him. “I can’t discuss it here,” he said, striding back to the pilot’s chair. “Too much danger of an information leak, but if you’ll send a representative back to Alios with me, someone who can guarantee ships if they decide that the plan is worth trying.”

“You’re asking a great deal.”

“I know I am,” Jack replied. “So, I guess the question is, ‘Do you trust me?’”

The man on the screen barked a laugh. “The only reason I answered this call is that I got a report three days ago about a team of Justice Keepers who saved the largest city on Ragnos. You know, my grandmother lives there.”

“No kidding.”

“Your name was on that report, Mr. Hunter. So, yes, I believe you when you say you want to help my people.”

“Then you’ll send someone back with me to Alios?”

“I’ll do you one better,” the Ragnosian boasted. “You want ships? There are ten in this system. They sit here, guarding a listening post that doesn’t offer much tactical value anymore. Say the word, and those ships will go wherever you need them.”

Placing a hand over his heart, Jack shut his eyes and bowed his head to the other man. “I’m touched,” he said. “And I’ll be in touch. Get ready to head for the Gate the instant you get my signal.”

“Very well.”

“And…Captain is it?”

“Admiral.”

“Admiral,” Jack said. “This mission is very dangerous. We’re going up against a formidable adversary, and there is a very good chance that no one is coming back alive. Make sure your crews understand that before you commit them to anything.”

The admiral frowned. “Very well,” he said. “We await your signal. I just hope it comes before the Leyrians destroy my planet.”

Two seconds later, the call ended.

Jack could sense Harry and his father watching him with stunned expressions. No one said anything, and it was probably best to keep it that way. Leader-Guy was not a mask that Jack put on very often, but they needed all the help they could get.

“Who are you?” Arthur stammered.

Easing himself into the pilot’s chair, Jack smirked as he spread his hands over the console. “No one of consequence.”