Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 4

An Uninvited Guest

The Empyrean hummed with power. Filled to almost max capacity with crew, she had never had so much power, Veins of golden light ran down the sides of her corridors, and spilled like blood through her walls. The bridge itself was also filled with light, but dimmed to a subtle ambience to match the atmosphere.

Adam stepped forward slowly, the floor below his feet glowing subtly with runoff power as he stepped up onto the captain's platform. As he did, a subtle flare of light rippled out from his feet and across the room..

"Open a comm line to the fleet." He said, and off to his right side, the communications specialist did as told. Within the next few minutes, small windows of light and color opened up on the massive windscreen before him, until he stood in front of a crowd, composed of people spread across the galaxy.

Eris, waiting behind on arcadia to take care of their people.

Martha: Interim director of the Arcadia intelligence Agency in Conn's absence

Admiral Simon, sitting aboard the Omen.

Admiral McCaster on his ship

Admiral Kozlov

Tala Kelly, President of earth

Donavan Red

Lord Avex

And a list of others that could have gone on for hours.

Multiple politicians, dignitaries, and state leaders, no less than a hundred military leaders, and others witnessing this exchange as a third party.

"This will be the final push." Adam said, standing straight back, alon on the Captain's platform. His hands rested lightly against the small of his back. The black of his uniform was dim in the overhead lights, but the ribbons and pins on his chest and collar glittered subtly, "Whatever happens, I wish you to know that it was an honor serving with and for you, all of you."

There was a muttering of agreement, spilling over the Empyrean's speakers like the distant roar of a vast sea.

"We have been given a general astronomical location for something Kazna and the void is called the necrotorium. We believe this is where they are harvesting Anima in order to create void power. Now though we know the general location, it may take days if not months to find it. When we do, coordinates will be sent back to the fleet." A fleet that would be one of the largest on record, comprised more than a thousand ships owned by half a dozen species or more.

A group surprisingly absent?

Rundi.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind at this point that the chairman of the galactic assembly was either dead or corrupted. Spies indicated moles planted in the highest echelons of other governments including the Terasaki, Groom and Iotins. No one was safe.

The only species unbothered by the void, were the non construct species like the Mikes and the Lumin.

The Tvek were all but lost.

Reports coming in from that sector of the galaxy were not good.

Adam hadn't realized their communication with the little aliens had been cut off some time ago, as most of their interaction had come through the GA.

If only they had moved faster.

The one person brave enough to go take a look, had found a planet swathed in red mist.

The guilt hung heavy on his shoulders, but he knew that this was no time to give in to such feelings. He had learned that lesson the hard way, and through years of mistakes and suffering.