Star Guild
Episode Zero
by
Brandon Ellis
First Edition, August 2016
Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved
www.brandon-ellis.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author.
Julie Clayton, Executive Editor
“Brigger.”
“I am here.”
“A select group of humans have entered a new phase. They have evolved.”
“Which sector?”
“Andarta System, Circinus Galaxy.”
“What shall you have me do?”
“Assist them in this time of need. They are ready. Many are waking up.”
“Are the Knights Templar involved?”
“In a small way.”
“What impact do I bring?”
“Minimal, and keep it that way.”
“I'm on my way.”
“Brigger?”
“Yes?”
“Many will die.”
…
…
...
“I understand.”
Episode 0
S.G.A.G.
18 Years Before the Attack
A blip on the radar screen flashed on Operation Specialist Colleen Byrd's HDC, her Holographic Display Console. She held up a finger as if raising her hand in class, then dropped it to her side, garnering the Fleet Admiral's attention. She watched again as the spot pulsed on the screen. “Sir, I found it. Coordinates 149. It's fast.”
Fleet Admiral Revel Sune, an ancient man and the longest tenured admiral to wear a Star Guild uniform leaned forward, arms behind his back, holding half a dozen grapes in his hand. His tall, skinny frame and thin nose didn’t seem to match his thick jet-black hair. Many people thought he wore a wig, but no one knew for certain.
He plopped a grape into his mouth, squishing it between his teeth, letting the juice fill his palate. He chewed a couple of times before turning around to find his way to the admiral's chair. “We've tracked this anomaly far too long. I would appreciate it if we didn't lose it again.”
He tilted back in his seat, feeling comfort from the cushion as he rested his tired muscles against it. “Have we found any schematics on this type of craft yet?”
“I haven't found anything that matches it, sir,” said a young man, a recent Star Guild Academy graduate. He was practically hidden in his cramped station with piles of schematics stacked upon his desk, burying him like a mound of leaves.
“Taz Morris? That's your name, right?” questioned Revel.
“Yes, sir. Th-thank you sir for remembering my name.” Taz wanted to roll his eyes. He couldn't believe he had just said something so unintelligent to the most brilliant man in Star Guild service.
Revel grinned. “Get on the com link and see if Tech Quarters has anything that resembles that bird.”
Taz pressed on the com link and a small heap of papers fell to the floor. After a brief conversation, Taz shook his head, switching the com link off. “Nothing, sir. They've searched all records and blueprints.”
“Can we get a visual?” asked Revel.
“Not yet. It's fast and pulling away,” answered Colleen. The blip on her screen vanished. She slumped in her chair, announcing, “It's gone...again. I’m thinking they’re using hyperjump capabilities.”
“Get Prime Director Zim Nocki on the vid.” Revel gave a sideways glance at his captain. She wasn't happy.
“How many times do you we need to get chewed out on this issue?” she asked.
Revel clasped his fingers loosely in his lap. “Sandra, it's okay. An exploration that is not controversial is unworthy of being called an exploration at all.”
“And, can we bring the Prime Director on the holostage this time?” she asked.
“Too weird, too personal.”
The holostage, a new and awkward technology—according to Revel—had been around for a few years and this ship, Starship Hathor, was one of the first to have it built and implemented on board. Revel had used it a couple of times, but getting the feel of a perfect hologram on a small, live stage several yards in front of him just didn't feel right. It was too real, yet he could put his hand through it and touch nothing but colored lights.
She dipped her head. “Aye, Admiral. You call the shots.”
The vid screen was large, a design by one of his best students, who also happened to be Colleen Byrd's brother. It surrounded the entire bridge, acting as more of a window than a screen. It was set up with panoramic cameras, which gave the crew a full view of space around them at all times. At the moment, it showed them cresting the dark side of a moon in a quadrant that they had never investigated before. A planet—a green jewel in Revel's eyes—hung in the background.
I wonder if that planet is habitable? thought Revel.
The screen split, and a sharp-suited politician with a perfectly chiseled handsome face filled one side of the screen. He flashed his pearly white teeth in greeting. “Zim Nocki here.”
“I've taken Starship Hathor to coordinates 149. We're about to enter coordinates 148,” announced Revel.
“Well, that's nice,” replied Zim. He took a drink, swallowing it slowly, and vacantly gazed at his cup. “Anything you need, Revel? I can see your entire crew is staring at me with trepidation. Need I remind you that this space journey of yours is classified, so you’d better not screw anything up—and no plan changes. The rest of Star Guild thinks you're still somewhere in the Andarta System, and we had already discussed sector 148. That's not part of our negotiation for this voyage of yours.”
“Remember our last conversation?” asked Revel.
Zim grimaced. “Don't tell me what I don't want to hear, Rev.”
Many times Zim had called Revel by his nickname—Rev. Never had he used it in front of anyone of note, especially Revel's crew. It was a firm knock on Revel's reputation and a slap in his face. Revel understood that he wasn't thought well of in the governance, and Zim ranked high within that order, but he never thought Zim had the same contempt for him as the others did. Perhaps things have changed.
Revel held his tongue and took a long breath to calm his reddening face before speaking. “We've found the anomaly again.”
Zim paused for a second time, his eyes growing cold. “We've discussed this and we've discussed this at length...Rev. I've allowed your starship, and only your starship, to travel beyond the Star Guild boundaries. And as you have seen, your space exploration has turned up nothing, which I had cautioned you about.” Zim sighed. “Don't make me revoke this privilege, Admiral.”
“Noted, Prime Director. And you have been right on most accounts, with few exceptions. However, this anomaly we spoke of before...it's back. We believe it is a starfighter. It's fast, and we haven't seen any schematics matching its description. It's much bigger than our own starfighters.”
“You haven't notified me that you ever took a visual of the craft. Why are you keeping secrets from your most important elected official?”
“We aren't keeping secr—”
“Please, Rev. Relieve yourself from command for a precious moment and let's speak privately in your Admiral's Quarters. I'll vid you there. Out.”
The split screen switched to a full panoramic view. They were now crowning the moon, getting a better visual of the beautiful green jewel in the expanse beyond.
Revel nodded at Sandra. “Get the Third Mate Operations Officer on deck, pronto. He is to take my place until I get back.”
“That's Brigger Murphy, sir. He's not experienced yet to be out in unchar
ted space,” cautioned Sandra.
Revel stopped abruptly. “Brigger has to learn one way or another. Teach him the ropes. New officers from the academy are always eager to be of assistance. He'll be ecstatic.”
Revel strode off the bridge and the door shut vertically behind him. He made his way down a long corridor, passing wide windows on Starship Hathor's starboard side, where the lights of the stars could be seen dotting the galaxy.
Five minutes later, after entering his personal elevator, he ascended nine stories and directly into the Admiral's Quarters. He sat at his desk and powered up his HDC.
Zim appeared on the holographic vid screen, tapping his finger on his own console. “About time, Rev.”
Revel leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “I know you and I are rather informal with each other, but never in front of anyone else. I'd appreciate it if that never happened again.”
Zim waved a dismissive hand. “Okay, I won't call you Rev in front of your inferiors, or anyone else. My apologies.”
“Why did you need me in private?”
“I've given you six months to find life out there. You haven't come up with a damn thing. It's time to bring Hathor back.”
“Why stop this when we're on the verge of something potentially important? That starfighter we spotted could mean there is life outside of our own sector.”
Zim cupped his mouth, then wiped his brow, exhaustion in his eyes. “I've been up many hours watching your progress. My hope was that you would find a reason to let the money continually pour into your exploration, so we could pour more money into further explorations. Instead, the governance has realized nothing is out there