Ouroboros 4: End Read online

  He stared at her, hopeful she was ready to open up.

  ‘What if there’s another way?’ she ground to a halt, stopping so suddenly he had to put his arms out to balance, lest he stumble into her.

  ‘What?’

  ‘The Vex . . . I can’t help thinking that when we do this—remove the entity from their timeline forever—we’ll be condemning them.’

  He had to tread carefully. He wanted to remind her the Vex destroyed the Coalition in the future, and were a cold-hearted race, but he stifled his words.

  Reminding her what was at stake wouldn’t help her; she already knew what the Vex were capable of. No, what Nida needed was support.

  ‘Hey,’ he lowered his voice, glancing over her shoulder to ensure their conversation remained out of ear-shot of the officers and scientists passing through the corridor, ‘I know this is difficult. But you’ve got to trust the Coalition, you’ve got to trust me,’ he added passionately, even clamping a hand to his chest. ‘We’ll find a way to make this right. Our first priority has to be to ensure the Coalition is safe. We must repel the Vex’s attack. That doesn’t mean we’re going to completely abandon them, though. Once the immediate threat is over, the Coalition will look into their situation. Remus 12 and its broken timeline will be studied. I can’t promise you we’ll find a way to save them tomorrow, or even a year from now. But eventually, given enough time, we’ll figure out how to fix what the entity broke.’

  Initially she looked unconvinced, her round lips pulled in until only a thin line of pinkish-red remained visible. Yet as he spoke, and his tone spiked with emotion, she shifted. Staring up, not blinking once, she managed, ‘. . . really? We won’t abandon the Vex?’

  ‘Really,’ he nodded firmly, resisting the urge to hold her shoulders and pull her in. They were smack bang in the middle of the Command building. While he’d revealed his relationship with Nida in front of Harrington, kissing her here would be different.

  If Forest saw, Carson would get more than an ear bashing. This was a critically serious time for the Coalition—the head of the Force didn’t have time to hang around and pash cadets in corridors.

  Still, the idea kinked his top lip, and he watched as she loosened up. He could see her neck muscles untangle as her shoulders deflated. The frozen, terrified look in her eyes slowly drifted away too. With a sigh, she blinked her eyes closed. ‘I know I shouldn’t feel sorry for it, but I do.’

  He didn’t need to ask who she was referring to.

  The entity. That cursed being wrapped around her soul.

  How she felt sympathy for it, he couldn’t begin to imagine. It had manipulated her from the beginning.

  He pressed his lips firmly into his teeth and didn’t say anything.

  ‘I still do though,’ she opened her eyes, one at a time, ‘I’m not absolving it of all the terrible things it’s done. I just . . . can’t get past how guilty it feels. How desperate it is to fix this,’ as she said the word fix, he swore her tone changed.

  It stretched somehow.

  His back chilled, a cold sweat darting up his skin and making him shiver.

  She didn’t suddenly glow blue and start trashing the place. Instead she took another deep breath and smiled awkwardly. ‘Sorry you have to keep putting up with me. I’m okay now. We should head to the meeting, right?’

  He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he took the time to stare right at her, hoping to capture her attention completely. ‘Nida, don’t apologize. You’ve been on the front line of this whole fiasco. I can’t imagine what you’ve put up with having the entity inside you. Don’t apologize,’ he said flatly.

  Before she could respond, he heard someone clear their throat from behind.

  He stiffened immediately.

  Turning, he knew it was the Admiral before her tense, irritated expression came into view. ‘We’re waiting,’ she said simply.

  Admiral Forest didn’t hesitate—she whirled on her foot, pointing towards the end of the corridor as she did.

  If Carson had resisted the urge to hold Nida’s shoulders before, it was almost impossible to stifle the desire now.

  This would undoubtedly be her first briefing in front of the Academy Board. While she’d come a long way since this journey began, he’d seen how Sharpe still rattled her.

  Nida had a history of getting in trouble, so it stood to reason this would scare her. Heck, it rattled him, and he’d been before the Board countless times.

  While he couldn’t pluck up her hand and squeeze it tenderly, he could at least walk closer to her. Shifting slightly he angled her way, catching her expression just long enough to smile reassuringly.

  ‘We don’t have time to waste,’ the Admiral announced as she marched through the great silver doors before them. With a barely audible hiss, they parted, and she strode quickly into the room.

  The boardroom was enormous. It was at least 20 meters squared. Situated at the edge of the building, one side was a seamless, curved bank of windows that provided an astounding view of the bay beyond. There was a large, mahogany table in the middle of the room, easily bigger than a small recon vessel. Dotted in the wood were low-profile, sleek metal bands that provided users with interactive holo displays, and instant access to the full force of the Academy data banks.

  The table and the room, however, were not nearly as impressive as the assembled crowd.

  The Academy Board was made up of the heads of each discipline, from medicine to engineering, including the active Coalition Admirals that presided over the training of new recruits.

  Suffice to say, every uniform was impeccable, every brass button sparkled, and every expression was grim.

  The tone was so grave, Carson’s first instinct was to duck out and run away.

  He stood his ground, and luckily, so did Nida.

  It was harder for her, though. The moment she walked in, all attention zeroed in on her like self-targeting missiles from a Coalition heavy cruiser.

  She gulped. She also clutched her left hand so tightly, it was a wonder she didn’t snap the bones.

  Admiral Forest paused for a fraction of a second, shot him a look, shook her head, then waved him forward.

  Pointing to a chair, she told him to ‘sit,’ tersely.

  Though her tone was the kind you used on a dog, not a man, he obeyed.

  When Nida went to sit beside him, Forest shook her head. ‘No, stand.’

  Before Carson could bristle, snap to his feet, and come to Nida’s aid, Forest explained, ‘you won’t be staying long, Cadet. Though you have been through . . . some extraordinary experiences beyond the remit of an ordinary cadet, you are still not an officer. Even under these extreme circumstances, a cadet cannot attend an Academy Board meeting.’

  Though at first Nida looked surprised, she shrugged her shoulders and nodded. Then, quite possibly remembering the Admiral was an Admiral, and Nida really was still just a cadet, she snapped a hasty salute.

  Her salute, as always, was faultless. He used to think that was the only thing she could get right, he now knew otherwise.

  The Admiral returned the salute, then walked over to the table, grabbed a datapad, and handed it to Nida. ‘Lieutenant Blake has already provided his briefing on your . . .’ the Admiral searched for her words, ‘impromptu mission. Read this report, and tell us if there’s anything he left out.’

  The Admiral crossed her arms and waited.

  Nida fumbled with the datapad. From her clumsy movements, it was a surprise she didn’t drop it.

  She managed to keep it in her hands as she gently pressed her tongue against the corner of her lips and read.

  She looked exceedingly uncomfortable and put on the spot.

  His heart went out for her.

  Before this journey began, he might have chuckled at her ineptitude. In fact, he remembered wondering how the heck she was still in the Academy after her accident on Remus 12.

  Now he felt her embarrassment like it was his own. He swore his cheeks became
hotter than the surface of the sun.

  Carson’s mission briefing was extensive; of course it was, the Vex were a huge threat, and the Coalition needed to know everything about them.

  So he’d recreated their entire adventure on Remus 12, to the best of his memory. His summary was at least 100 pages long, and included predicted battle scenarios, and a full inventory and breakdown of all Vex weapons he’d encountered.

  It was not something you could read in a few minutes while the entire Academy Board stared at you.

  With proper training, you learnt how to skim a report like that, absorbing the important details in quick measure.

  Nida didn’t have the training, and it was agonizing to watch her struggling through the report, her tongue pushing out from her teeth.

  After a tedious minute or two, the Admiral sighed, clearly realizing Nida wasn’t up to the task.

  Before Forest could snatch the datapad back, Nida let the thing drop in her hand.

  She stood there in silence, letting her gaze shift to the view momentarily.

  He had no idea what she’d say next.

  Maybe she’d admit she had no idea how to read such a lengthy and extensive document in such a short period of time, or maybe she had nothing to add.

  Then she spoke.

  In careful, measured, soft words that nonetheless grabbed the collective attention of the room, she said ‘it doesn’t matter. None of this matters,’ she tapped the datapad against her leg as she swung her gaze away from the view. ‘All you need to know is that for the past 5000 years the entity has been pushing the Vex towards this moment. It has used its extensive power and abilities to craft their culture, making them into brutal, cold, efficient killing machines. It has done everything it can to ensure the Vex will have a chance when their timeline realigns with ours.’

  Though she spoke softly, never raising her voice beyond a gentle tone, the effect of her words was electric. It travelled through the room like lightning, sparking fear as it went.

  ‘Yes, they’ve got weapons. And yeah, they’ll be a match for ours. But that isn’t the point—their motivation is. They know they have this one chance to save themselves.

  They know the past 5000 years of their history will be worthless unless they make something of the one day they realign with our time. If they fail, they all die. Their history is wiped clear.’

  As she spoke, she faced the view again, her eyes fixed on the bay beyond.

  It made the effect of her words all the more powerful.

  ‘This isn’t going to be an ordinary battle. The Barbarians fight like they have nothing to lose, and they're bad enough. But the Vex will fight like they have everything to lose. You can’t even begin to imagine what they’ll be willing to do.’ She stopped. The words apparently drying up as she kept gazing at the ocean.

  There was such a somber, sad presence to her watchful gaze, it was a surprise a tear didn’t streak down her cheek.

  Again his heart went out to her.

  She’d be feeling the entity’s guilt. No doubt it surged within her. The fact she was keeping her tone controlled and measured was a testament to how much she could control it. Right now the entity would be fighting her with everything it had.

  She didn’t glow blue, but she did keep her left hand clutched and pressed up close to her leg.

  Eventually she blinked, and swiveled her head back to face the Board.

  Everyone was speechless.

  His report had been one thing: clinical, precise, and by the book.

  Her display, though quiet, was one of the rawest emotional experiences he’d endured.

  Admiral Forest slowly rose from her chair. Her hands looked slick with sweat, her fingers trembling as she clutched a hand on her collar and compulsively neatened her pips. With a grim expression touched with shock, she considered Nida before managing, ‘I see . . . Cadet.’

  Forest was never speechless. Forest always had an answer for everything.

  There was nothing to say now though, right? To speak would be to admit the unfathomable danger the Coalition was now in.

  Though her history had not always been smooth, the United Galactic Coalition had never before faced the threat of near total annihilation.

  That threat now loomed. Soon, the Vex would appear.

  Nida held the datapad out, waiting for Forest to take it. Eventually the Admiral did, gripping the toughened edge of the screen with such a powerful grasp, he could see her knuckles pop against her pallid white skin.

  ‘Thank you, Cadet,’ Forest found her voice, though it shook with nerves. ‘Do you have anything more to add?’

  Nida paused in thought before shaking her head.

  When they’d walked into this room, she’d looked ready to pop. He’d assumed standing before the Academy Board would freak her out, rendering her speechless and more awkward than usual.

  How wrong he’d been.

  She had her voice, alright. And her words had done something his couldn’t: with one look around the boardroom, it was clear every person present now understood the full severity of the situation.

  ‘Very well,’ Forest breathed through her fear, straightening up as she did, ‘that will be all. Please remain outside in the corridor. We will call for you if you’re needed.’

  Nida nodded. As she turned to walk away, she paused. ‘Shouldn’t I return to the secure room in the medical bay? I’m still under observation, right?’ she asked.

  ‘All readings so far confirm that modified TI is doing its job. I would commend whoever crafted it, but I fear that unless I heed your warning now, I’ll get to meet them in person. We need to do everything we can to stop the Vex.’

  Nida swallowed, nodded low, snapped a perfect salute, and turned.

  Not before shooting Carson a look. It was vulnerable, it was confused, yet her chin was still held aloft with undeniable strength.

  If his heart had gone out to her before, now he swore it tumbled free from his chest.

  She was incredible.

  Christ, words couldn’t express what she’d been through, nor the courage and strength she’d drawn on to continue.

  Carson could easily admit he’d never felt like this about someone before.

  Cadet Nida Harper. She most definitely was not meant to be his type.

  She was.

  Now he couldn’t imagine his life without her.

  . . . .

  As she left, the fear set in.

  Unless he did everything he could, he’d lose her, and his beloved Coalition too.

  It took Forest several seconds to speak. She was still clearly lost in thought and fear. Soon enough she cleared her throat. Pressing a hand into her mouth, muffling her words, she managed, ‘what do we do?’

  For a woman as in control as Forest, it was symptomatic of this situation that she couldn’t find her own answers.

  A few people muttered. Soon enough, it built, and everyone blurted their thoughts at once.

  ‘We need to amass the fleet and take it to Remus 12. This time we’ll be ready for them. We can obliterate their ships from space just as they realign with our timeline.’

  ‘We have to fall back, create a defensive line in a remote system, and bolster it, ensuring no Vex ship can cross and reach Earth or any other Coalition planet.’

  ‘We have to evacuate Earth. It will be a huge expense, but we need to move all civilians to planets beyond the Vex’s reach. We’ll wait out their attack. It will only last a day.’

  ‘No,’ Carson spoke, surprising himself. ‘None of that will work. Nida told you not to underestimate them, and she’s right. If we confront them or run, they’ll still find a way to overcome us.’

  ‘Then what are our options?’ one Admiral erupted. ‘Confront or run are the only possible scenarios we can entertain. If neither will work, are you suggesting we give up?’

  All eyes settled on Carson.

  His mouth became dry, an itching heat tracing up his back and down the insides of his arms. Clam
ping his hands tight, he shook his head.

  He knew the answer to this. He’d always known the answer. Ever since their return from the future, Carson had concluded there was only one possible way to defeat the Vex safely.

  And forever.

  He couldn’t push the words out though. Once they were out, he knew the Board would agree.

  In doing so, that would break his promise to Nida.

  He’d told her they’d find a way to fix Vex’s timeline. To heal the damage the entity had done.

  There was no way, though. Not a safe one. The Vex were an incalculable threat to the Coalition.

  So he knew what he had to do.

  Wincing, actually feeling his words stab into him like swords, he forced them out, ‘we destroy the planet. We can’t afford to fight the Vex. It’s that simple.’ He felt sick, and he thought of Nida, but he forced himself to continue. ‘If we destroy the planet before the timelines can realign, we’ll prevent it from ever happening.’

  Silence met his admission.

  It stretched for barely five seconds until the Admiral nodded her head firmly, ‘I concur. It is the only way. The Vex timeline is broken, and there is no known way to fix it. Even if we do not destroy the planet, and find some way to ride out their attack, we will simply be condemning the future. Though the entity has now been removed from Vex’s timeline, we cannot know for sure that another of its kind will not leak through to this dimension and continue its cause.’

  Her words were cold, hard, ruthless. But right.

  They could not afford to risk the Coalition. It was comprised of hundreds of races, thousands of planets, and too much life to gamble.

  Still, it was a horrible decision, one he’d pay for when Nida found out.

  He just hoped that once the entity was removed, she wouldn’t feel its guilt anymore.

  Things would go back to normal.

  He held onto that belief as the details of the destruction of Vex were discussed.

  The rest of the Board did not need convincing of the validity of this plan. There was no other way to safeguard the Coalition.

  The meeting ran for over an hour. When it was done, Carson felt as though he’d been in a fight for his life. He was weary and emotionally fatigued.