E:A Vol 2 Ch 11—November 25, 2118

“Welcome back,” Vince said as the Alpha Team, along with Zy’nayth and Ja’val appeared in the control room. Lutia ran to her husband while Vince informed the High Chancellor that his wife had come down with the flu and was in their chambers.

“Thank you. We will debrief tomorrow morning,” Zy’nayth said. “The First Commander is getting some much needed rest.”

“I understand,” Vince replied as the team broke off and went to their own chambers.

Victoria was in the bedroom, coughing, when the door opened. Ky’nayth and Mik’kenna, in the main room, looked up from their toys and went scrambling for their father. He picked each up in an arm gave them hugs then set them back down and went to his wife.

“Good timing,” Becket said. “Poor thing is exhausted.”

Zy’nayth sat beside her and put his hand on her chest and let his energy heal her. “It does not appear to be pneumonia, as I understand it, but there is a lot of inflammation.”

“Yep. She wouldn’t take anything for her cold and it just kept getting worse.”

“I…” Victoria sighed and coughed.

“I ordered you to get a scan,” Becket said.

She shook her head. “I know. I’m just tired of being scanned.” She managed to sit up and embrace her husband, “I’m so glad you’re back. Sorry I wasn’t there to greet you in the control room.”

Zy’nayth held her close, “You need to listen to the doctor if I am not around to heal you. Please, Victoria, do not be so stubborn.”

“All right.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise,” she said and coughed again.

“She needs food and sleep,” Becket said. “I sent for food, it should be here any minute.”

“Ky and Kenna’s lunchtime,” she said as she tried to get out of the bed.

“No, do not get up. Is their food prepared?” Zy’nayth asked.

She nodded.

“Then I will tend to them. Becket, would you be so kind as to stay and help?”

“Happy to,” he said as the door chimed, “and that’s your lunch.”

“I feel really lightheaded,” she replied.

“Because you haven’t eaten and you haven’t slept,” Becket said as he went to answer the door.

“I’m so tired,” she said as she fell back against her pillows.

Becket returned and set the tray of food on the bed. “Here, eat a little of this, then you can sleep. I’ll go and get the food for the kids.”

Zy’nayth pulled the kids up onto the bed. They immediately eyed the food on their mother’s tray and began making their way for it.

“Yours is coming,” Zy’nayth said, gently pushing them away, “be still for a moment.”

“Dada!” Mik’kenna said.

Ky’nayth clapped, “Dada!”

Becket came into the room, “Here’s their milk.”

Each kid was handed their sippy cups and began guzzling down the milk. When he returned with the tray of their food, he could tell that Zy’nayth was worried about his wife.

“She’s just weak from not eating. We can take her for a scan if you’d like, but you just healed her so you know she’s fine,” the doctor said.

“I would still like a scan done.”

Becket tapped his comlink, “Janice, could you have someone bring a wheelchair to the High Chancellor’s chambers? After she and the kids have their lunch, we’re gonna run a scan on her…and from the look on his face, the kids too…thanks, love.”

“I have checked them,” Zy’nayth said, “they do not appear to be sick. But I do appreciate a second opinion.”

Victoria went to take a sip of her juice, but her hands were shaking too badly and she spilled a little onto her pajamas.

Zy’nayth helped her and she began to cry. “I’m sorry. It was just a cold.”

“It is all right. I just need you to eat. Becket will run a scan then you can sleep for a week.”

Janice came by with the wheelchair about halfway through their lunch. “I can finish up with the twins’ lunch, if you want to go ahead and take her for her scan.”

“They will not want both of us out of their sights,” Zy’nayth said. “We are almost done. Could you get their stroller ready for me please?”

“Of course. I’ll change them too, before we head out.”

“No need, they are trained now.”

“Wow, little over-achievers. Just the stroller then,” she smiled.

“Grab my jogging pants and a tee shirt,” Victoria said, “I’m not going into the infirmary in my jammies.”

When she had finished her lunch, Victoria changed clothes while the kids were loaded up into their stroller. Victoria’s scan came back clean, as did the scans on each of the twins. Janice helped get the kids back to their chambers but when she went to put them in their cribs for their naps, they began wailing for their father.

“I figured that would happen,” he said. “Just put them back into the stroller. I will tend to them.”

“Anything else I can do?”

“Actually,” he said, “could you pick up their toys and put them in their box? I am going to move some of this furniture.”

“Now?”

“I will bring in the mattress and set it on the floor. Victoria will be able to rest, the children can nap alongside of her, and I will not have to worry about them falling onto the floor.”

Things were moved quickly then Zy’nayth pushed the mattress into the main room while Janice brought in the pillows. The kids thought it was a game and clapped and giggled. Victoria had fallen asleep, still in the wheelchair.

“Thank you,” Zy’nayth whispered then lifted his wife and settled her onto the mattress.

“Call if you need anything,” Janice whispered back.

He smiled, “I will.”

She returned his smile then made her way back to the infirmary.

The kids toddled their way behind their father as he went into the bedroom to change into his pajama pants then they followed him back into the main room. He set them on the mattress then turned out the lights and curled up across from his wife. The kids followed his lead and each curled up and fell right to sleep. As soon as they were asleep, Zy’nayth got back up and retrieved his computer. Propped up on his pillows, he continued to go through the information he’d downloaded from the base.

The kids woke about an hour later and played quietly, though with an occasional giggle, but nothing woke Victoria. When it was near their dinnertime, he checked the kitchen and found nothing but milk and ‘adult’ food.

“Sorry to bother you, but Victoria is still sound asleep and I do not wish to wake her. It appears as if the children’s food has all been eaten. Would you…”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Shift is almost over,” Janice replied.

November 26, 2118

Victoria slowly woke, feeling a little hand on her cheek. A smile crossed her face. “Hey Ky.”

“Ma!” he exclaimed.

Zy’nayth came into the room, carrying Mik’kenna. “I hope he did not wake you.”

“No. What time is it?”

“Just after seven in the morning. Go back to sleep, I will try to keep them quiet.”

Victoria shook her head. “No. It’s okay. Oh, I was almost out of food…”

“Janice took care of that last night.”

“Good. Then I can go straight to the shower.”

“Are you steady enough on your feet?”

“Uh, maybe not.”

“Then wait there. I am almost done with her breakfast, then I will help you with your shower.”

“No fooling around though,” she said as she laid back down, “I’m too weak.”

Zy’nayth chuckled.

After things were taken care of, Victoria rested back down on the mattress and played with the kids, reading them a couple of stories, and teaching them more Raythian words.

Zy’nayth requested that the debriefing meeting take place in his chambers since he knew the children would not want him out of their site and Victoria was too weak to tend to them if they were in that sort of mood.

John and his team, as well as Simon, Kaven, Vince, Ja’val, and Kol’non arrived and took seats around the room. Victoria was still visibly weak but she greeted them all with smiles and hugs. Chris and John plopped themselves down on the mattress and played with the kids while Victoria snuggled on the sofa next to her husband.

John started with a report of their trip then Zy’nayth took over.

“I believe the First Commander has given you the information regarding the manufacturing facility and the surrounding area. It is outside of where we normally patrol. It is going to take us some time to sift through everything and lay out a course of action.” He stopped and turned to Simon. “I apologize, Dr. Harris. I should have revealed this much sooner than now. My name is Zy’nayth. I only now realized that you are the only person in this room who did not know that. I ask only that you never refer to me by my name in public, and that you never reveal my name to anyone.”

Ja’val waved his hand, “He already knows my name.”

John looked at the First Commander, “Any chance of getting your name?”

“I guess if these two trust you and call you friends, then I should. My name is Kol’non.”

“As I was saying,” Zy’nayth continued, “it will take some time.”

“But we are planning on going in and blowing that facility up, right?” Chris asked.

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t we get the plans for those ships first?” Vince asked.

“We have them. I helped design them. The manufacturing facility is still being built around my homeworld. The first ship was not due for completion for another two years.”

“Then how…” John stopped, “your brother?”

“Most likely.”

“What do we need to do?” John asked. “We can go over the schematics and such, and believe me, we will, but this facility is in space. It’s not like we’re going to be able to land somewhere and sneak our way in.”

“I am aware of that. I need you and your team to know those schematics of the manufacturing facility inside and out. We will work on any code changes that need to be made in order for you to have access to any area on that station. We will also work on a way to get you in and out of there. I need your team to figure out the best way to obliterate the place.”

“Why not just use your ship and blow it up?”

“From what I have seen in these files, it has the same defenses as the battlecruisers. Our weapons would be ineffective, negligible damage at best. It will need to be blown from the inside.”

“If you designed the ship, can’t you find a way to get past their defenses?”

“They have modified the defenses. I am working on that, but we must proceed as if I will be unable to break through the code.”

“Time frame?” John asked as he played tug-of-war with Mik’kenna.

“I would like a basic idea by this time next week. That is when the Vice Chancellor will announce the call for volunteers. That is also when I will return to my homeworld. I would like to have your ideas to go over while I am there.”

“You’ll have them.”

“I’d like to go back with you,” Victoria said softly. “I know it’s probably not safe. But the kids need to be around other Rayth for a little bit. Just a day or two on the island.”

“I will consider it,” Zy’nayth replied, “go ahead and go to sleep.” He put a pillow on his lap. “Go ahead. You are tired.”

“Sorry, guys,” she said.

“Hey, get down here,” John said as he stood, “Chris and I can sit over there and play with the munchkins.”

She didn’t protest. She crawled onto the mattress and fell right to sleep, too tired to care that everyone was sitting around watching her.

“What else can we do?” John asked.

“For now, just memorize the layout, find a way to get around inside without being detected, and figure out how you can destroy it. That should keep you occupied for some time.”

“Will Ja’val be staying here?” Simon asked, relieved to be using names instead of formal titles.

“For the following week. Kol’non and I have not yet decided if he should travel with us to the homeworld. I also would like to consult with the Vice Chancellor to see if having one of the developers of the serum there to answer questions would be of benefit. I would prefer to have him remain here, but I may need him on the homeworld.”

“Should we go on the assumption that this will be a one-day operation?” John asked. “Or have you noticed a way for us to plant explosives on several different occasions?”

“One day,” Vince spoke up. “Getting in and out of a Gyhan base is one thing. Few Rayth. Getting in and out of a Rayth controlled facility…I don’t want my Alpha Team in there more than once.”

“I agree,” Zy’nayth said. “Even if we find a way to get in and out undetected, it will not be worth the risk to attempt several trips.”

“All right. Chris, Be’atta, Kaven, we have a lot of work to do. High Chancellor, if you don’t have anything else, we should get to it, and let your wife sleep peacefully,” John said.

“Kol’non, do you have anything further?” Zy’nayth asked.

“No, sir.”

“Very well. I would like us to meet again in two days. Same time. Just so that we can see where each other is on this endeavor.”

“Will do.”

As everyone stood to leave, the toddlers reached up, wanting hugs and kisses from everyone. John picked up Mik’kenna, gave her plenty of affection then passed her down the line, then took up Ky’nayth and repeated the process.

***

Victoria woke just as Zy’nayth was finishing up with the kids’ lunch. She made her way into the kitchen where they were seated in their high chairs, munching on the last of their strawberries. “Sorry for falling asleep during the meeting,” she said.

“Quite all right. We were almost done. You should eat something.”

“I will after they’re done,” she replied as she poured herself a glass of milk.

Mik’kenna saw her mother’s glass and held up her hands, “Dink!”

“You have your own milk,” Victoria replied but walked over and let her daughter take a drink out of her own glass. Of course, Ky’nayth needed one too. “Zy, I meant what I said earlier. They need to be around more Rayth. They know you, Ja’val, and Kol’non. I’d really like to spend a little time on the island each week. I don’t mean overnight or anything like that, I mean just stopping in for a couple of hours. We could invite some of the couples over each week and just, you know, catch up on things.”

“I will consider it and I appreciate you thinking about their Rayth ethnicity.”

The children finished their food then each dutifully took turns in the bathroom, something Victoria was particularly proud of, and thankful that she didn’t need to change diapers any more. When she was sure they’d taken care of business she helped them wash their hands then she fixed herself some lunch.

Though she was feeling much better, Zy’nayth insisted that she just spend the rest of the day at home. He piled up pillows and settled on the mattress on the floor, got his computer out and continued his work. Victoria wrangled her toddlers and went through some picture books with them. She’d say a word in Raythian and the kids pointed to what they thought she meant. Then she’d repeat the exercise in English. When the kids got bored with that, which was seldom, a trait Victoria guessed they got from their father, they would grab a toy and show it to their father, trying to explain, in their own little language, what it was and what they wanted him to do with it. He’d take a few moments, indulge each child, and then they’d be satisfied and return their attention to playing or impressing their mother with their ever-growing ability to build block towers and knock them down.

After a while, Victoria went and got some grapes to munch on and when she walked back into the main room, Zy’nayth had two toddlers sitting on his lap, vying for his attention.

“You might be better off working at your desk,” she said.

“I do not mind,” he smiled, “I enjoy their affection. Gal’nayth was not as playful. I have often wished he had been.”

She sat beside him and turned his head so she could give him a tender kiss. “I love you. Our kids love you, and I’m quite sure that Gal’nayth loved you.”

“I was a much different man back then.”

“Perhaps more of a warrior,” Victoria replied, “but from what you’ve told me, your heart towards your family back then was no different than it is today. Your son could not have helped but love you as much as these two do.” She gave him another kiss, then settled down to eat her snack. The kids saw the grapes and each reached out a hand for one, both trying to say the word “please” but having it come out more like “eee.” They each got a grape. “Now what do you say?”

“ay ooh” Mik’kenna said, repeated by her brother.

“You’re welcome.” She set her grapes aside then went to the bathroom and brought out her brush and began tending to her husband’s hair. For some reason she loved to brush his hair and even though the brush never seemed to do any good, the feel of his hair was unique. Thick and heavy, it was as soft as silk. And despite her never having known him to get it trimmed, it seemed to stay the same length. Never longer, never shorter.

“You like this, don’t you?” she asked.

“I enjoy all of your tenderness, whether it be this or your kisses.”

She set her brush aside then began putting the little braid back into his hair. When she was satisfied with her work, she kissed it, then scooched her babies out of the way so she could give him a tender kiss. “There,” she said as she parted from him, “a much better welcome home greeting.”

“Indeed.”

She smiled and rested back on the mattress and popped a grape into her mouth just as the door chimed. The two toddlers went scrambling, toddling, falling, crawling for the door, wanting to see who was coming to visit them.

Victoria got up and answered it. “Hey John.”

“Ah, you look much better,” he said and gave her a kiss on her cheek. “Mind if I bug your husband for a few minutes?”

She shook her head as John scooped Mik’kenna up in his arms and gave her a hug and kiss, then exchanged her for Ky’nayth.

“I came across a few things. I’m not sure what they mean.”

“Come in, have a seat.”

John sat across from the High Chancellor while Victoria sat beside her husband, the twins, having received affection from the visitor, now sought more grapes from their mother.

“I’ve only just really started diving into this,” John said, “Chris, Be’atta, and Kaven are all working away as well, but here,” he turned his glass computer tablet towards Zy’nayth, “what’s this dot? These are images of where you think that battlecruiser manufacturing station is, right? Well, what’s this?” He was showing an image of the space around the space station. “This, is a planet, got that,” John said pointing to each thing as he went along, “Rayth ship, another ship, but here, this spot here, that little blue dot. Not a star. I’ve blown this up as much as I could and I still can’t tell what it is.”

Zy’nayth took the coordinates and typed them into his own computer. The same image appeared. He enlarged it. Again. Then had his computer enhance it as it continued to enlarge it. Then he tapped his comlink, “Science, First reply.”

Both men acknowledged his call. “I want you to look at an image. It does not appear to be a planet, star, or moon. John brought it to my attention. I am sending you the coordinates. I do not see any correlation to anything in our database.”

After a few seconds, Kol’non was the first to reply. “I don’t see any other images of this particular location in our files at all. Odd.”

“Very,” Zy’nayth replied.

“Sir,” Ja’val said, “I need to get to my main computer on the ship, I’ll link back in when I get there.”

“Understood,” Zy’nayth said and looked at John, “you have uncovered something that has stumped all of us.”

“Do I win a prize?” he smiled.

“Back, sirs,” Ja’val said a couple minutes later.

“Tap into Colonel Hagen’s comlink, he should probably hear this as well,” Zy’nayth said.

Ja’val typed something into his computer, “Colonel, can you hear us?”

“Loud and clear.”

“Okay, the coordinates are of the space where the image was taken, not that blue dot in particular. Not that it matters. However, the coordinates sparked a memory of something, not just the quadrant the battlecruisers are being manufactured. Why it didn’t strike me before, no idea, but.. I…ah yes…got it. Sending you a file.”

After Zy’nayth and Kol’non received the file, John looked over Zy’nayth’s shoulder as Ja’val continued. “See that gray dot? Okay, I’m going to line up the stars,” he said as he controlled the images on their screens, “adjust for ten thousand years of drift and there you have it. That gray dot lines up perfectly with this new blue dot.”

“It’s a blue star,” John said. “A new star being born?”

“That is no star,” Kol’non replied. “And that should not exist.”

“What is it?” Victoria asked as she hovered beside her husband, looking at the image.

Zy’nayth ran his fingers through his white hair. “That is the Rayk homeworld. The blue glow is the energy they used to survive on before they had to begin feeding on humans. It was a dead planet long before the war ended.”

“It’s not dead anymore,” Ja’val said.

“Are there Rayk alive now?” John asked.

“We won’t know until we investigate it,” Kol’non said.

Zy’nayth sighed a heavy sigh. “This is how those battlecruisers got built so quickly. My brother, or one of his fellow traitors, knew about this energy source. With it, Rayth would not need to rest, they could work around the clock and be constantly fed by the energy rays coming from that world.”

“Does it also have to do with the storm that the ship came in on?” John asked.

“No. That is just due to the mass of the ship, the ionization it produces when entering the atmosphere, many other things of that nature.”

“Sir,” Ja’val said, “we might not need to destroy the manufacturing space station.”

“Explain.”

“If we blow up that planet, it’ll take half the solar system with it, including the space station.”

“We would need to evacuate human settlements in the area.”

“I do not believe there are any,” Kol’non said. “The Rayk would have eliminated them long before venturing into our section of the galaxy.”

“We will check, however,” Zy’nayth said. “If there are humans left or if they have resettled those planets, they need not pay for the wars of the Rayk or the traitorous Rayth.”

“I will dispatch transport ships four and twelve,” Kol’non said, “they are closest to that area. “Ja’val, let me know how far from the planet they will need to search. I will pass it along with my orders. Sir, should we have one of our warships or science ships scan the Rayk planet for life signs?”

“Yes. And make sure the ships distinguish between human and Rayth should any of the nearby planets be occupied.”

“I’m adjusting the scanner code,” Ja’val said, “it will upload before the ships get to the system. It will be able to detect a Rayk and not confuse it with one of us.”

“John,” Zy’nayth said, “you wanted more work. Continue what I have already assigned you, but be prepared should we find human settlements. Your team will have to go in and evacuate them and find a new home for them.”

“If you can give us a lift, I can take care of the rest.”

“We can arrange that.”

“What happens if you do find Rayk alive?” Victoria asked.

“I do not think there will be. If there are, they would have been feeding off of the Rayth on that space station.”

“Sir,” Kol’non said, “perhaps destroying that planet is not the best course of action. If the traitors have been able to harness its power, we could as well.”

“They are not harnessing it,” Ja’val said, “they are absorbing it. For all we know, the Rayth on that space station could be evolving into full-blown Rayk by receiving all of that Rayk energy into their bodies. I’d love to get some samples to work with, but I’d feel much safer if that thing were destroyed.”

“For now,” Zy’nayth said, “we will investigate the area. When we receive reports from our ships, we will discuss further action. Ja’val, can you run a few simulations? I would like to know the effect these energy rays have had on the Rayth in that area.”

“I’ll need energy samples before I can even set something like that up. Sir, I could transfer over to one of the ships and gather the data I need.”

“Lutia will kill me,” Zy’nayth said, “but go.”

“I can take her with me. We’ll be avoiding the space station and any other Rayth ships. It would be safe for her.”

“What about the other Rayth on the ship?”

“I will keep her at my side.”

“Very well. You may do what you like. I will send an order that she is not to be harmed.”

“Thank you, sir. Commander, I can be ready within an hour, actually, make that two. Lutia will need to pack up food supplies and such.”

“One last thing, Ja’val” Zy’nayth said, “remind Lutia that she will be the only human on board the ship. She may not want to be so isolated.”

“I will discuss it with her, thank you.”

The conversation ended and Zy’nayth let out a sigh. “I hope there are no Rayk alive.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re right: if there are, they would have been feeding on the Rayth in the space station,” John said. “I’m gonna get my team together and let them know what we just found out.”

“Inform the general as well,” Zy’nayth said.

“Intend to.” He gave hugs and kisses to the toddlers then clicked his comlink to summon his team together in Cavanaugh’s office.

“I only heard half of that conversation,” Victoria said, “can you fill me in on the details?”

Zy’nayth did then drew her close. “I want this war to end. To end now.”

“We all do,” she replied, “and if we take out this energy planet, and that base on Vaan, we have the telepathy helmet thing the Vice Chancellor found, well, it would pretty much put an end to the Gyhan side of things, and I think it would severely cripple the traitorous Rayth. You and Kol’non can round up the rest. The serum trials will be well underway, and maybe we’ll know enough by then to start offering the serum to the masses and then we can live in peace.”