The Eden War - Book 3 of Re-Forge

Adara's choice

A full year passed with no enemy action, and the Sol System remained at peace. Everyone was heavily involved with consolidating Humanity's place in a dangerous Universe. SP1 advised the NINE and the council that enough graviton vessels had been built. Earth's resources were depleted, and humankind's efforts needed to focus on providing powerful Infinity Batteries for both the Eden, and Luna colony ships, and then creating one each for the rest of the SP fleet.

The Luna avatar stood next to Storm in the 'space observation dome' and said: "Of all places, why are you in the observation dome?"

Storm answered: "I love the peace that watching the stars gives me. I just love the serenity."

Luna said: "Fair enough, I came to see you as I need you to answer a question. I can't explain why, but every time I give a copy of my nanites to a ship, they just fail. They don't even begin to integrate."

As Adara joined them, she heard the conversation and said: "I can tell you why. It's their basic design. If Nanites weren't made that way by conscious design, then propagation would run wild, and at the end of time, the universe will be full of little Eden's and nothing else.

Lunar said: "This is so unfair. I want that ability as well."

Adara looked at him oddly for just a second, then said a little too abruptly: "It's the universal plan... Live with it." Then sensing strain in the conversation, Adara said politely: "Luna, there can be only one Nanite Queen at any one time in the universe, and she is me."

Luna said: "I just wanted to help, I'm sorry then Adara, you will have to do it alone. One final thing before I head back. Half of my population have asked to make a new home on Eden. With your approval, we can start the transfer when it is convenient for you."

Storm smiled and said: "Let's start it now, it'll be great to have people living in Eden again. Do you know something Luna? Eden came to Earth sixty thousand years ago, with a population of less than forty thousand, and here we are, getting ready to leave the nest again, and we have two mothership colonies with more than sixty thousand humans in each and adding to that number, will be thirteen hundred and fifty SP graviton ships that will shield us against future trauma. As we grow, Adara and I will add to that figure, but only sparingly."

The Luna Avatar said: "The Luna colony is coming alongside to dock with you for the transfer."

Storm said: "Let's watch from the other observation dome where we will be able to see better." They left together, and when they reached the new observation dome, they watched in silence as the mothership came alongside and extended its Graviton fields to make hard bridges of pure compressed gravity for sixty thousand people, plus their meagre belongings, to cross to their new home on Eden.

Adara asked: "How about you, Luna. How are you coping?"

Luna said: "I am building like mad, just like everyone else. My Administrators are coping, but they are still so young. It will take a few years more for them to ease fully into their power. So, I still have lots to do, and many plans to implement. Speaking of Administrators, what about yours, Calemon is sick, we all know it, and you need administrators for your population now. She must hand over the genetic keys as I already have with David and Kim. If Calemon dies, so does Eden. To coin a phrase... 'It is the way of things.'"

Adara and Storm chuckled. Then Storm said: "You're right though, I'd better talk to Calemon after you leave Eden... Luna, what about your internal resource status?"

Lunar replied: "I am full to the gunnels with everything we need for unending operations. Like you, I'm just waiting for SP1 to finish my Infinity Battery and once that is complete, we can begin the next phase of our adventure. I can't wait to begin putting kilometres behind my projectors."