Supreme Commanders

Created by Philippe Painchaud (Dotswarlock)

Based upon the game "Supreme Commander"

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Chapter 1

The Very Beginning

Year 2934…

"Forgive me Elder Ryukin, but may I have a moment of your time?" came the humble request: "My mind is in turmoil and I fear to stray from the path… I fear that I am no longer following The Way."

The voice was shy but clear and the elder opened his eyes to look at his young pupil: "And what troubles your heart, young one?"

Ryukin took a moment to contemplate his question while his pupil searched for the right words: was it strange to think of someone who had lived several lifetimes as young? The pupil finally nodded one last time before speaking: "My sins are great; in my haste for knowledge, I contemplate asking about our past."

The Elder's eyes widened considerably and his charge lowered his head in guilt. Ryukin allowed a few minutes to pass before speaking again: "The past does not exist nor will it exist ever again. The sum of the experiences that you live through in the moment is the foundation of knowledge, but once knowledge is attained then the past is no longer a factor in the choices of the future… but I see that my words have difficulty reaching you. Speak your mind so that it may be cleansed."

"I believe in The Way, in the harmony that it brings and in the part that we play in it," said the pupil while folding his hands in front of him: "I believe in it, but my heart still yearns for the warrior's dance and while I can temper its urges, I cannot quell the question that burns in my mind. The paradox is always on the edge of my consciousness as if to taunt me."

The distress in Ryukin's student was obvious and the Elder motioned for him to continue. The young one took a deep breath before speaking: "I see the beauty in the warrior's dance practiced by some of the Elders, but I wonder why it exists. None of our kin would ever wish to harm another since there is no future in such an act or even a reason for it."

The tension rose to new peaks as the sin was finally brought to light: "Why was it created?"

The words were spoken, a blasphemy that could shake an entire society to its very core; a question about the past. To even speak in the past tense concerning something that had happened recently was considered rude. To speak of events long gone was a grave insult. To wonder about origins was a near unthinkable taboo. If such a thought pattern was ever allowed to spread then the consequences could be unimaginable.

"You must temper your heart and your mind young one," admonished the Elder with a nod: "Only by doing such will you follow The Way and help our kin through the next stage of its development. To do any less is to invite disaster, that much is known to all. Forget those questions or better yet… find new ones."

A light flashed across the mist filled skies and caught both of their attention. The elder smiled at the display, taking it as a sign: "Study those rare lights; gaze through and embrace them. See if it is part of our divine plan and if it should play a role in the next step of our ascension. Commit to it fully… and forget those troublesome questions."

There was no room for further debate; only compliance. Seth-Iavow bowed to his Elder for such was The Way of the Seraphim.

Back in normal space, the two dimensional representation of Doctor Gustav Brackman appeared on a nearby screen and smiled in triumph as the artificial intelligence came online. The pulsating eye twirled a few times on the screen before speaking: "QAI online."

XXXXX

Seth-Iavow's doubts were still present, but he chose to trust in Ryukin's wisdom and undertook his task with zeal. The phenomenon was very rare and even the most diligent Seraph could miss an occurrence if he was absent minded. He therefore petitioned for the right to assemble a complex series of sensors and he was given permission to do so. One Elder did offer him a suggestion, however: "If your commitment is absolute then you should consider dedicating a lifetime observing the phenomenon with your soul. The answers might not come to you, but another form of wisdom could be uncovered."

The words were sound and Seth-Iavow had accepted the suggestion since there was absolutely no reason not to. This was the quantum realm after all and the very notion of time had lost part of its meaning. As he understood it, the difference between the quantum realm and the heavy realm was a matter of energy. For lack of a better explanation, the mind had a form of energy around it that was barely perceptible in the heavy realm, but was greatly enhanced in the quantum realm. A moderate amount of willpower was all that it took to keep a body fit and stop the degradation process inhering to a living organism. In effect, the Seraphim were immortal for as long as they wished to be.

The meaning behind such a phenomenon was unknown: was it the indication of a soul, a mark of their divine ancestry or a sign that they were in paradise? None knew for certain, but each was free to believe in what they wanted whether the explanation was scientific or spiritual. Every Seraph believed in the same vision however: all living creatures were meant to evolve and the possibility that there was a place beyond the quantum realm existed. It was therefore their duty to grow, to learn and to evolve towards the next stage of life.

The concept of dedicating a lifetime to a task was not something new and if the Seraphim had managed to do it in the heavy realm where they had not been immortal then there was no reason for Seth-Iavow to avoid it here. Once the sensors were operational, he therefore dedicated not one but two lifetimes to observing the occasional lights in the skies while only using his senses.

His heart found no answers, but his mind observed what his instruments had recorded during that period: the phenomenon was increasing in frequency. A scientific study showed that a massive quantum distortion had spread through their space. The greatest manifestation was of course the heart; the very entry point through which the Seraphim had crossed into the quantum realm ages ago. While the distortions in that location were still the strongest, it was apparent that they were not the source of the spread. In fact the heart had grown calmer and at its current rate it would disappear in several hundred lifetimes.

This puzzled Seth-Iavow greatly and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he actually believed that this was a critical clue towards the evolution of his race. He identified three elements to the quantum distortion. The first was what he referred to as the web, a barely detectable quantum field that took ages to spread. There was a pattern to it and for the most part it remained constant. There were also hints of an incredible complexity in its composition, but not even the best sensor could distinguish the relevant fluctuations from the background noise.

The other components were the bursts which were visible to the naked eye. These bursts had increased in frequency of late and traveled from one section of the web to the other. They were the easiest to analyze, but also the one with the shortest lifespan. Although the distinctions were small, bursts would exist for a period of time and travel along the web on many occasions. Eventually a specific signature would disappear entirely and never appear again.

It was because of these limitations that Seth-Iavow dedicated an entire lifetime towards developing the instruments to monitor the final element which he had dubbed the phantom. This entity traveled constantly along the web and was the one stable element in all of his research. An analysis of it could potentially reveal the keys to understand the entire phenomenon.

When Seth-Iavow's preparations were complete, he held a finger over his console and stood in anticipation of the discovery. The newly enhanced sensors would track the phantom, analyze its interactions and reveal its purpose. The Seraphim prayed for a moment before pushing the button and smiled as data appeared on his screen. The process lasted a few seconds before stopping due to a critical failure: the sensors had lost the signal.

Seth-Iavow scanned the phenomenon quickly and found traces of the phantom again and his eyes widened. The only constant that he had taken a lifetime to track had changed and evolved, adapting in a way so that his sensors were no longer up to the task. This was Seth-Iavow's first attempt at a deep analysis and at that exact time, the phantom had changed. So what did it mean?

Back in the real world, a screen lit up and the pulsating image of QAI appeared: "Quantum scan detected. Analysis indicates a ninety-nine percent probability that the scan was of Aeon origin. Adaptations are complete and there are no indications that my databases have been compromised."

A hole in the ceiling opened, spewing forth a column of steam in the middle of the room. A nearby projector came online and projected the image of Doctor Brackman on that column, giving the impression that he was really there: "An interesting development, oh yes. It appears that I might have underestimated the capacity of the Aeon Illuminate to analyze and use Seraphim technology. We should not take any chances. Send instructions to evacuate and relocate all nodes just in case. If the Aeon hope to cleanse us again then they will find that we are not so easily tracked. We cannot afford another incident like Node Thirty-Three, oh no."

XXXXX

It took Seth-Iavow half of a lifetime to complete a new set of sensors to analyze the phantom and he was met again with the same result. On one hand, he was disappointed that he had not resolved the mystery but on the other, he was elated. The adaptation was done too quickly and too spontaneously to be merely coincidence. Adaptation was a sign of intelligence and intelligence was a sign of life! There was the probability that he had uncovered the next stage of evolution; a species that was closer to becoming gods than they were.

Seth-Iavow's third attempt was to bring online three different set of sensors at the same time and these gave him a few seconds of data before the phantom changed again. The results were interesting, but not enough for an analysis. His fourth attempt was the most successful, hiding his scans by disguising them with the same modulation as the previous phantom signal. That attempt gave him a full two minutes of scanning and enough data to occupy him for another lifetime. It was only through a lucky break that he finally found his proof in the data stream: an image of a sentient being. It had eyes, a mouth and even a nose! The details of the image were too abundant to be ignored or to be a coincidence and he called a meeting of all available Seraphim: he had found gods!

Seth-Iavow went to the council hall and waited patiently for it to be completely filled before speaking: "My work now bears fruit in the form of sentient life. I present to all of you what might be the next step of evolution; perhaps even gods."

A press of a button brought the screen behind Seth-Iavow online and the image that he had decoded appeared behind him. For an instant, the sense of elation that Seth-Iavow felt passed through the rows of younger Seraphim who had been born in the quantum realm just like him. That sense was immediately buried by something that Seth-Iavow had never experienced before: a cry of outrage from the Elders.

How could an image cause such distress? How could any form of knowledge be received as something other than a blessing? Elders shouted across the room and it was Ryukin who finally stood up and spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear: "This meeting is adjourned. Seth-Iavow… come with me."

XXXXX

"It is not your fault," said Ryukin, his voice tinged with sadness. The Elder's words barely registered in Seth-Iavow consciousness. How could he have harmed so many of his kin with a single image? How was such a thing even possible? Ryukin nodded, his eyes tired as he sat down next to Seth-Iavow: "Sometimes, old wounds bleed like new ones."

Seth-Iavow looked up with his eyes pleading and his heart broken: "Please Elder… tell me if I am no longer on the path."

"The sin is not yours to bear," said the Elder with a cringe: "It is ours."

The statement shocked Seth-Iavow to his very core and his surprise was complete when the Elder did the unthinkable: "There was once a time when speaking of the past was not a sin. There was a time when we did not fear it so. I see your heart suffering and it would break mine should you fall now. I will tell you what you wish to know: the image is that of a species known as human."

They knew, all of the elders knew! The concept of hidden knowledge had never even occurred to Seth-Iavow and yet the proof was right in front of him. How could such a thing be possible?

"We are a species driven by the present moment and ever looking to the future," said Ryukin his gaze distant: "The past is of no use to anyone and once the experience has been acquired and shared then events are of no importance. That much you know and as long we hold true to those ideals then we follow The Way. We all wish for harmony, happiness, fulfillment, evolution and as long as those goals remain true then we share a common future and therefore a common purpose. Humans are creatures which have their hearts buried in the past."

Seth-Iavow shook his head slowly: "I do not understand."

"Neither did we," admitted the Elder sadly. Ryukin gave Seth-Iavow a few moments to recover from the shock before speaking again: "When we discovered humans, we were overjoyed. Their society was primitive and used the most rudimentary of tools, but there was no doubt that they were sentient. We believed that studying them would unlock the necessary concepts for us to evolve a step further. It was the greatest mistake that we have ever made."

"Humans were a primitive people without the technology to survive in harmony with their environment," said Ryukin with a frown: "They killed inferior species for their meat, their fur and their bones. Our first observers were horrified at the prospect and some suggested that we should help them along the path so that they might learn The Way. In the end, it was decided that interfering with one's evolution was a sin and could potentially harm our own growth. We therefore stayed and watched."

"Their progress was nearly miraculous and the drive behind human will is frightening to behold," said the Elder, his voice filled with a mix of awe and horror: "Their tools shifted and their technology evolved constantly, progressing as quickly as their planet's rotation around their sun. They did in a short amount of time what took our ancestors lifetimes to develop. Their speed was frightening to behold as were the concepts that they accepted: pollution, destruction, war…"

Seth-Iavow frowned in consternation for he simply did not understand the word: "War?"

The Elder nodded in understanding, having expected no less. He folded his hands as he explained: "This word means to willingly participate in conflicts resulting in the death of others of your kin over a period of time. It is only achieved through resignation and by accepting that two futures are so different that only one can be allowed to exist."

The very thought was so hard to conceive that Seth-Iavow found it hard to believe: "How many could die in these… wars?"

"Hundreds, thousands and sometimes even more," said Ryukin with a resigned sigh: "Humans use incomplete forms of reasoning to justify these wars and they introduced many other concepts that we could not understand: greed, jealousy, vengeance… Many lifetimes ago, our last observers saw them launch two weapons of mass destruction that killed over a hundred thousand humans and left the land barren, destroyed and poisoned. On that day, we gave up on these creatures, labeling the whole species as an evil that would destroy itself. We returned to our home and never sought them out again."

The Elder took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His student blinked a few times in confusion and then spoke: "I understand the horror that humans are, but I do not understand why such knowledge needs to be hidden from us. It is not as if their sins can contaminate us."

Ryukin shook his head and looked down with mournful eyes: "We never sought out humans after we abandoned them, but their teachings had already left us scarred. The sins of humans tainted us and several lifetimes later, the Seraphim would do the inconceivable: we went to war."

XXXXX

"I cannot accept this," protested Seth-Iavow while jumping to his feet: "It is inconceivable! No Seraph can harm another!"

Seth-Iavow was so flustered that he reverted back to the present tense and paced the room back and forth. The Elder nodded in sympathy: "It is the truth…"

The words halted the younger Seraph who hesitated a long moment before speaking: "How?"

"The teachings of the humans were never accepted, but still circulated amongst our people if but to ensure that our ascension would never be tainted in such a manner," said the Elder, his eyes drifting left and right as he recalled those terrible days: "Life returned to normal until the day that we discovered the existence of the quantum realm. It took several lifetimes to analyze it and find a way to open a gate, but eventually we perfected our knowledge. This was the next evolutionary step and we were poised to cross it when a significant portion of our people asked the one question that would break us: what if it was the wrong path?"

"The energy required to tear the fabric of space from the heavy realm for an extended period of time is nearly unconceivable, but the feat is literally impossible to accomplish from the quantum realm," said the Elder: "If we crossed into it then there would be no turning back and some of us feared that it was the wrong path. We were faced with a dilemma: two paths… two incompatible futures. Evolution is the duty of all living organisms and failing to do so is to rot and waste away. Studies had revealed the properties of the quantum realm to extend life and some thought that to stay behind was to refuse to evolve while others thought that to go in such a realm was to ascend to a state without evolution."

"We are not sure how it happened, but it did," said Ryukin while looking away: "We went to war over who would decide the proper path to take. In less than a lifetime, we sunk to the same level as humans; ravaging dozens of worlds, killing our kind and destroying harmony. In a sense, I would say that we were worse than humans for we were so disgusted with our actions that we took every measure to ensure that the war would be final. In the end, our civilization was in ruins and neither side could achieve victory. It was at that time that we forged a truce… a compatible future for all."

Ryukin turned back to his pupil once more: "Those that wished to cross into the quantum realm would do so and those that stayed would confine themselves to a single world. They would become guardians, protecting the technology that would be required to free their kin should the quantum realm be an evolutionary dead end. Should it be proven otherwise then those that stayed behind would agree to fade into non-existence, allowing other species across the galaxy to evolve and potentially find their way to the next stage of evolution."

The Elder closed his eyes in resignation: "That is why I have steered you away from The Way of the warrior and why I must now ask you to drop your work. Forget humans and forget their teachings for they bring nothing but misery and death."

The request was sensible given the circumstances, but Seth-Iavow felt his heart break as he shook his head: "I… cannot…"

Ryukin's eyes widened in shock as he looked at his young pupil: "Have you learned nothing from what I have told you?"

"I have and rest assured that I will never allow the past to cloud my judgment or dictate my actions; such is not The Way," said Seth-Iavow as reassuringly as he could: "But humans have not fallen into extinction and if my observations are correct then they are spreading through the heavy realm by using quantum technology. If my fears hold true then their future could one day collide with ours and we should be ready for that day. We cannot allow the path to be torn from under us by evil."

A look of incredible sadness washed over Ryukin's features and the Elder could not find the words to express his grief. His student stood determined when he spoke again: "We will be ready to face the future; I will make sure of it."

XXXXX

Year 3678…

The holographic image of Doctor Brackman stood in the middle of the room and gazed at the multiple screens in silence. Each twirled through different sets of data from research projects, ACU deployments and the status of different nodes. The doctor suddenly raised his head towards the upper screen where QAI's pulsating eye waited patiently: "QAI, when was the last time that 'they' attempted to breach your security?"

The artificial intelligence responded immediately with the same cold voice that it always used: "The last recorded attempt happened seventy years, five months and seven days ago."

Doctor Brackman nodded slowly and gave it some further thought. Neither he nor QAI had figured out the source behind the infrequent attacks and attempts to spy on the UEF and Aeon Illuminate had not revealed any new information concerning that matter. The possibility remained that it could be a secret organization on either side, but somehow the pattern of making an attempt every few decades simply did not seem quite… human. People were eager creatures after all and most liked to see their life long work completed before the end of their time. Such desires often led to rash actions, but these hacking attempts had been constant, patient and relentless.

Of course by such standards it could be argued that Brackman was not really human anymore either, but the Doctor made constant efforts to stay in touch with his humanity. Now was not the time for a philosophical debate, however, and the Doctor pushed these thoughts away in order to focus on the present: "Let us make some preemptive changes on your matrix just in case. Perhaps if we alter your primary data loop at regular intervals then we will throw 'them' off your tracks. Begin changes now."

Seth-Iavow smiled back in the quantum realm, happy that their efforts had finally given results. It had taken several attempts through many lifetimes, but they had finally managed to pierce the barriers of what they now knew to be an artificial intelligence and they had been monitoring it for a long time now. He was no longer working alone and the simple news that humans still existed and that their future could collide with the Seraphim's had prompted many to join his cause.

It had taken dozens of attempts, but their research had revealed that the artificial intelligence called QAI worked on quantum based technology which resembled Seraphim technology. That simple fact had allowed them to devise a program that emulated it in every way. Figuratively speaking, it was as if they had planted a spy in the machine's mind which retransmitted all relevant data without affecting it. With enough time, the Seraphim would know everything concerning humans including their philosophy behind the monstrous weapons of wars called ACUs.

"Seth-Iavow, I have urgent news for you concerning Elder Ryukin," came the sudden interruption. The voice startled Seth-Iavow out of his contemplation and he turned around to gaze at the younger Seraph: "Please speak."

"The Elder Ryukin is… dead," said the Seraph while bowing his head.

Every Seraph in the room stopped what they were doing and gazed at the messenger. They all understood the full meaning of the proclamation: without any willpower left, the Elder had allowed himself to die. The possibility was almost unthinkable for those Seraphim that had been born in the quantum realm, yet there it was.

What could have prompted such shattering of the mind? Was it the news that the exiles had been killed, that a human faction had distorted The Way so that it was used as a weapon or that the Seraphim's inaction had allowed a galactic war to last for several lifetimes? Seth-Iavow never once considered the possibility that seeing so many Seraphim prepare for war had broken the Elder's heart.

"This is a lesson… a lesson to all of us," said Seth-Iavow while turning towards the others: "Human corruption knows no bounds and can taint the heart of the mightiest of us even through space and time. That is the reason why we must prepare, why we must be ready for the day when our futures will meet. Should that day come then we will not allow evil to spread to the quantum realm. This place is the paradise of creation and could very well be part of the domain of the gods themselves."

Seth-Iavow took the time to look at all of those gathered near him: "It may even be up to us to rectify the gods' mistakes or become gods ourselves. Harmony should not allow the creation of such evil species nor tolerate their existence. If war ever comes at our doorstep then it will be up to us to restore balance and make room for other species to evolve. The future should never be compromised to make room for the mistakes of the past."

Seth-Iavow took a moment longer to look at all of those gathered in front of him: "Prepare…"

XXXXX

Year 3844, August 2nd…

The Cybran looked strangely peaceful; perhaps even serene. His white hair had thinned over the years and revealed some of the scars that he had earned through a lifetime of brawling. Keith stood near the body silently, unwilling to break the moment of perfect silence.

The commando looked at Dostya who was standing to his right and then back at the legend that rested before them: "Here lies Bagby, the greatest SCU pilot that the Cybran Nation has ever known. He was a mentor, a friend… and a pain in the rear. We all loved him deeply and it is only a shame that he died in his sleep at the venerable age of seventy years."

Keith shook his head and made a show out of sniffling loudly before looking at Dostya: "Think it would have made sense to say that at his funeral?"

Bagby suddenly opened his mouth and snored so loudly that Dostya found it miraculous that the old pilot did not wake up in the process. She looked at Keith briefly before stepping forward: "I think that's a no. Come on Bagby, wake up!"

She poked him repeatedly, but the old pilot merely rolled away and grunted in his sleep: "Just five more minutes…"

Dostya rolled her eyes, took the water bottle form her belt and quickly dumped the content over Bagby's face. The old pilot shook himself awake and roared while trying to shield his head: "A damn it, D! I heard of wet dreams, but this is a bit much! What's so important that it couldn't wait five more minutes, huh?"

Dostya threw the empty water bottle away and merely shrugged: "It's time to end the Infinite War."

The proclamation surprised the old pilot for a few seconds, but he recovered quickly, a stupid grin appearing on his face while he chuckled in amusement: "About time! What took you kids so long?"

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Chapter 2

No More Hiding

Dostya looked from the holographic projection of Doctor Brackman to the seven pilots that were displayed on the screen in front of them. They were all veterans and considered the best that Cybran Nation had to offer. Their skills were only matched by their determination to do everything in their power to win. Dostya's gaze crossed Redfog's for a moment and she immediately recognized that the years had not dulled his fury. The leader of the Assumpta Node had waited his entire life for this day and he seemed almost… eager.

Doctor Brackman looked out of place in the gathering, a holographic representation of a man that looked more like a friendly grandfather than the leader of the Cybran Nation. Nevertheless, not a single symbiont in the room doubted the willpower that had allowed the Doctor to live for over a thousand years. Everyone listened as Brackman spoke: "As you all know, the UEF is losing the Infinite War and the data at our disposition suggests that they will not survive much longer. We are running out of time…"

The Doctor let the words hang in the air and looked for signs of hesitation in the pilots' eyes, but found none. He then nodded towards Dostya who continued with the briefing: "It's time for the Cybran Nation to stop hiding. We have spent the past few years training as many pilots as we could as well as learning to fight together. Each of you is now a Tip of the Spear; pilots who have the best odds of winning most encounters and opening the way for additional reinforcements."

The screen behind Dostya lit up and displayed a map of the quantum network: "We are pursuing our efforts to complete and broadcast the quantum virus, but the odds are not in our favor. As such, you will all be tasked with various missions that will share one global objective: to clear a path all the way to Earth. There is no doubt that the Aeon will have to take Earth in order to destroy the UEF and if the Virus cannot be completed in time then having access to it might be the only way to play our hand. Hiding is simply no longer an option."

One pilot raised an eyebrow: "The original plan involved eight pilots to form the Tip of the Spear yet you speak as if you are not amongst us, Ivanna Dostya."

Dostya nodded: "That is correct; I will not be part of the Tip of the Spear. I will stay behind, monitor the situation and respond to any UEF or Aeon counter attacks in Cybran territory. The other pilot will be one that has been handpicked by Doctor Brackman himself."

Some of the pilots shifted uneasily and Doctor Brackman spoke before any of them could protest: "The boy has no name or rather no official one. I have overseen his training from the day that he was born and he has tremendous potential. In the past few years, he has been traveling from one node to the other; assisting in a research, military or social

capacity. His existence has been a closely kept secret that I have not revealed to anyone up until now."

The same pilot that had raised his hand spoke again: "With all due respect, Doctor Brackman, this operation has no room for error. Can we really afford to play a wild card at this stage? Putting him as a Tip of the Spear means that we would have to entrust our lives to him."

To everyone's surprise, it was not Brackman who answered, but Redfog: "Send him on a mission with Dostya by his side. If she vouches for him afterwards then I will trust him… as far as I trust any of you."

There was no doubt by the assassin's tone that he did not actually trust any of them beyond the fact that they would fight the Aeon and the UEF. A few other pilots grimaced, but all of them nodded. Each had his or her own sense of priorities, but none of them would have climbed to the top by ignoring a practical approach. Doctor Brackman nodded and motioned for QAI to forward them their first list of objectives: "Good luck to all of you."

The pilots' faces disappeared and were instead replaced by tactical screens. Doctor Brackman's looked at them all, counting no less than three hundred ACUs and two hundred SCUs. This would be the greatest Cybran offensive since the beginning of the Infinite War and only five percent of their military would remain behind to defend. Both UEF and Aeon Illuminate had more troops as their disposal, but each faction suffered from different constraints.

The United Earth Federation had taken the heaviest tolls over the past two decades, suffering high military and civilian losses at the Aeon Illuminate's hands. Their numbers of commanders on the field had dropped to roughly the same as the Aeon and their lines were drawn too thin; trying to hold on to systems that had long ago lost any strategic value.

The Aeon Illuminate on the other hand had remained strong under the ruthless leadership of a new Avatar-of-War. Their practice of cleansing entire planets and then vacating it had left no weaknesses for their enemies to exploit and this allowed them to send a vast amount of commanders while keeping a smaller force to defend their home colonies. A few intercepted communications hinted at a growing internal conflict, but there was no telling whether such feelings would affect the Aeon military before it was too late.

The Cybrans on the other hand had played in the shadows, never exposing more than sixty pilots at any given time in order to fool the other factions into believing that they were not a threat. They had been forced to remain one step ahead by constantly moving Cybran Nodes before they were under attack. Overall, the strategy had worked and had forced the other two factions to focus their main attacks against each other. Hopefully the element of surprise would remain on the Cybran side long enough to reach Earth.

The Doctor was so focused on the data in front of him that he did not notice the concerned look on Dostya's face. It was unlike him to keep secrets from her and Dostya wondered what was so special about that pilot that he would not trust anyone with. She turned around and looked at the brain that was floating in a nearby tank. What would it be like to live for so long - through so many hardships - and know that all that you've worked for could be destroyed in the next few weeks? Dostya's concern grew and she turned a sympathetic gaze back towards the Doctor's hologram: "You spent too much time in here alone, Doctor."

The hologram turned around and Dostya immediately saw the determination in its eyes. This was not the gaze of someone who was afraid, but rather of a man who believed in his children: "I must never forget why we are fighting."

The door opened before the Doctor could say anything more and a Cybran pilot stepped through. Brackman turned around while smiling: "Oh yes, thank you for coming my boy. The situation is dire, oh yes. The UEF is now losing the Infinite War. QAI?"

The artificial intelligence's digital eye twirled a few times as it spoke: "Projections indicate that the UEF will not survive the next major Aeon assault. The UEF will fall within forty-two days."

Dostya prepared the ACU pod as QAI spoke, keeping watch over the new commander from the corner of her eye. She remembered seeing that helmet before, but she could not remember fighting alongside him or monitoring any of his battles. She decided then that she would not give the commander any preferential treatment and that now was the perfect time to test his determination. She completed the final preparations and spoke in a commanding tone: "The Aeon consider us abominations. If the UEF lose, the Aeon will turn on us and kill every symbiont in the galaxy."

The Doctor's hologram stepped close to the pod and spoke gently: "We have survived the past thousand years by hiding, oh yes. Today that changes. Strategy my boy, strategy must be employed. You are now the Tip of our Spear. You will free our enslaved brothers and sisters from the UEF."

It looked as if the Doctor would say something more, but QAI interrupted him: "The commander is due to load in two minutes."

The Doctor shrugged: "Forgive me, I do ramble. Be safe my boy, be safe."

Dostya pressed the button that launched the pod and then walked towards her own. Maybe when this was all over the Doctor would tell her what made that commander so important. Right now, however, there was a war to be fought.

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Desjar walked on the slightly elevated path at a quick pace while trying to ignore the rows of symbionts that were busy calculating the latest projections. He had often seen the murderous glare in Cybrans eyes, but somehow the dead gaze of these symbionts unnerved him far more. The pilot finally reached the officer at the other end of the path and spoke quickly: "General Clarke, we need to talk."

"This is a bad time, Major General Desjar," answered Samantha while barely acknowledging him: "We just had four Cybran raids in the past hour and Earthcom is trying to keep up with all of them. We can't…"

Desjar cut her off by slipping alongside her and positioning himself so that he was on the other side of her console: "This is the fifth one that has fallen!"

Samantha's eyes widened at the insubordination, but she managed to maintain her cool despite it all: "If Commander Arnold followed Earthcom's orders as he was meant to then none of them would have died. His recklessness is what caused this."

Desjar leaned over her console, refusing to back down: "That's a load of crap and you know it. I've taken a look at the personnel profiles and at their battle data. Those were below average pilots that were teamed up with him. It does not take a genius to realize that the most promising recruits miraculously fall under the command of the officers with the highest influence."

"And what do you expect me to do about it?" shot back Samantha without backing an inch: "I'm not the one that's in charge of personnel assignation."

Desjar straightened and gazed right through her: "Then apply pressure… make it so that the next pilot is someone that can at least keep up with him. He's one of the most successful colonels in Earthcom's history for crying out loud. Making him responsible for the deaths of those kids is crueler than shooting a bullet through his head!"

Each second that passed lasted an eternity and when there was no answer, Desjar threw his hands up in disgust: "Fine then, I'll resign my commission on Matar. I'll go back to being a simple ACU pilot and I'll call in every favor to team up with him if I have to."

Desjar stormed off, but Samantha's voice stopped him before he took more than a few steps: "All right. I'll make sure that the next pilot to be assigned under his command will be one of the most promising recruits… you have my word."

Desjar nodded his thanks and walked out of the control room.

XXXXX

The room was perfectly silent save for the light steps of the Avatar-of-War. Before him stood sixty knights; the newest and possibly the last generation of Aeon pilots to join the Infinite War. Unsurprisingly, only seven pilots were male and the rest were female. Few

men could balance the necessary discipline to both master The Way and pilot an Armored Command Unit. For a split second, Marxon wondered if the distinction was truly justified, but he discarded that thought. In a few weeks it would no longer matter: the Infinite War would end and the Aeon Illuminate would be victorious.

"Congratulations, you are now newly fledged Knights of the Aeon Illuminate," said Marxon, his voice echoing through the room: "Well done."

The Avatar-of-War waited for his words to sink in before lowering his head slightly: "While I am glad that you have successfully completed your training, I feel as though I should apologize to each of you. Had you graduated a decade ago then you would have been paired with experienced members and sent on preliminary missions to test your skills and properly complete your formation. That is a luxury that we can no longer afford for a simple reason: the Infinite War is at an end."

A barely perceptible wave of elations passed through the young recruits in front of Marxon. The Avatar raised his head again and his face became impassive once more: "This victory is made possible by the sacrifice of countless others before us. We will honor that sacrifice not only by winning… but also by making sure that as few of you fall in battle. Since there is no time to fully complete your training, I will ask each of you to do only one thing: to trust in me."

Marxon gazed in the eyes of each pilot as he spoke: "Trust in my judgment, in my experience and in my profound wish to see you all returned safely. The only way to do that is to obey without hesitation and without question. Swear fealty to me now and soon we will all celebrate the day when The Way has spread through the galaxy. From that day onward, the Aeon Illuminate will never again need to raise a weapon to save humanity."

The Avatar-of-War stepped in front of the first pilot and looked at her straight in the eyes: "Paule Luth, do you swear to follow my orders?"

The young pilot nodded vigorously: "I swear to obey you in all things, Avatar."

Marxon nodded and moved from one pilot after the other, calling upon them by their names without using a data pad. He had always made it a point to know every pilot under his command and the simple fact that he remembered them was a strong tool to secure their loyalty. He was halfway through when he stopped in front of a pilot with a peculiar history, one which had been saved and converted to The Way as a young girl: "Kathy Istan, do you swear…"

"Avatar-of-War Marxon!" came the sudden outburst. The interruption was not unexpected and Marxon barely held back a grimace as he addressed the remaining Knights: "You are all dismissed. I will speak to each of you privately once you have reached your ACUs."

The Knights bowed their heads as one and Marxon acknowledged it before turning around to face Toth. He waited for the newly fledged Knights to leave the room before speaking: "This was a private ceremony, Evaluator Toth. Such interruptions are counterproductive."

The Evaluator's eyes narrowed as she spoke: "The Princess is in command of the Aeon military, not you. You are not allowed to ask for the personal allegiance of these Knights or have you forgotten?"

Marxon did not back down, but straightened his shoulders instead: "And you will remember, Evaluator Toth, that an Avatar-of-War is allowed to take the necessary steps to protect the lives of his commanders. These Knights will be thrown in the middle of the biggest conflict that the Infinite War has ever seen. I will not allow capable commanders to fall in battle due to a misplaced sense of loyalty or moral indecision. Without the benefit of experience, they have no other alternative but to rely on mine."

Toth winced, her eyes reflecting the sorrow that she felt while looking at the man who had once been her most promising student: "There is more to this war than survival and logistics."

There was neither pity nor compromise when Marxon replied: "Feel free to explore those concepts when the war is over."

XXXXX

Two minutes… he had taken his eyes off him for just two minutes.

The notion twirled again and again through Arnold's mind and he could not find the strength to discard it. He was slumped on the bench in the ACU pilots' room, refusing to look up as two ensigns went through their tasks. He did not want to see them remove the name of his latest partner from the locker's door…

There were other pilots in the room as well who watched the display. Some were obviously grieved by a sight that had become all too common while others whispered under their breath. Arnold did not want to hear them nor did he even need to. He already knew what they called him behind his back: the tombstone, the gravedigger, the guy that you would die next to if you were ever unlucky enough to be assigned with him.

The kid had been a near hopeless case right from the beginning, but Arnold had looked out for him by badgering him nonstop until most of his bad habits were gone. He had taught him how to think, how to stay alert, how to persevere and how to keep his guard up. The boy had even become a passable pilot in the past month, but this had given rise to a new fault: arrogance.

The boy had seen the Cybran base, had expected it to be lightly defended and had rushed ahead without Arnold. The veteran had stayed behind at that time, shielding his base

because he had felt deep down that something was wrong. In the meantime, the kid had rushed ahead without permission while expecting the Cybran forces to fall back. Instead, he was met head on and killed in less than two minutes. The nuclear explosion had illuminated the skies before Arnold had even realized that the kid had disobeyed his orders…

The sound of approaching footsteps registered at the edge of Arnold's consciousness as a familiar voice spoke to the other pilots: "Hey guys, could you leave the two of us alone for a minute? I'd appreciate it."

Everyone left the room and Desjar waited until they were gone before slumping down next to Arnold: "I spoke to Clarke; she'll make sure that your next pilot is not a newbie…"

Desjar waited expectantly, but there was no reply and he sighed slowly: "Want to come home with me for supper? Jessy is making… ok so I have no idea what she's making, but I'm sure we'll survive."

Arnold barely moved as he spoke: "What's the use?"

"Well... eating her food makes those ration bars out there a lot more tasty," said Desjar with a smirk. He nudged Arnold in the ribs, but his usual banter was not enough this time. Arnold avoided his gaze and kept his head down: "What's the use to keep fighting like that? We're losing and we all know it. We thought we could turn the tide a year ago, but this…"

Desjar realized that this time, Arnold's depression was serious and that he needed to give him something to hold on to. The Major General looked around to make sure that there was no one left in the locker room before speaking: "We only need a month, maybe two. If we hold out that long then… we win the war."

The other pilot shrugged non-comically: "I heard that speech before. So what is it this time? The Fatboy version four point three or the Mavor version five?"

Desjar's voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned closer: "Black Sun…"

Arnold paused a moment, not remembering anyone using that code name before. He finally shrugged and shook his head: "Another experimental won't make that much of a difference, not with our current losses."

Again Desjar made sure that there was no one else in the room before speaking: "We only need to deploy it once and then we've won. It's a weapon capable of hitting other worlds through the quantum gate network. I'm not sure about the firepower, but from what I heard, a single shot could wipe out an entire enemy base, maybe more."

Arnold looked up hopefully, but the vision of civilian colonies burning suddenly crushed his hopes. How many times would it have to fire before the Aeon Illuminate and the Cybran Nation gave up? He finally looked at Desjar and raised an eyebrow: "You're involved in this?"

"No, but the program has intensified enough that word about it has started circulating," said Desjar with a shrug: "I don't usually listen to rumors, but in this case, enough reliable people have heard news or been indirectly linked to one of its operations. I wouldn't tell you this if I did not believe it and I'd be thankful if you did not repeat it either."

Desjar placed a hand on Arnold's shoulder and nodded: "One month - maybe two - and this war will be over for good. Just hold on until then… I need someone like to you alongside me to face Jessy's cooking when this is over, all right?"

Arnold sighed, but nodded.

XXXXX

Princess Rhianne Burke stood in the pool with her eyes cast down; meditating on the news that Toth had brought her. The two of them had known all along about Marxon's plotting. The Avatar-of-War had carefully maneuvered in the past two decades, planning every move and every strike to end the Infinite War. The simple concept that he could not grasp was this: destroying Earth and everything that stood in their way would not bring them peace. If anything, it threatened to destroy The Way and all that the Aeon Illuminate stood for.

Each occasion where mercy, compassion or love was denied was one more step towards becoming what they feared the most. If the Infinite War ended this way then it would only be a matter of time before the Aeon Illuminate fractured and then The Way would be reduced to nothing more than a tool of destruction. Rhianne nodded resolutely and raised her head: "I will need a champion."

Toth bowed her head: "One will arrive, you must trust fate."

The Princess allowed her mind to wander around a simple question: who could possibly be a match for the Avatar-of-War? In all of her life, she had only met one man who could have been a match for him. No, not a man… but a creature of pure fury and hatred. Just thinking about the Cybran known as Redfog made her recall the painful slash across her shoulder and leg. All traces of the wounds were gone now, but the memory remained.

Although she regretted the lives that had been lost on that day, Rhianne did not fear the lessons that she had learned. Whether it had been intended as such or not, the experience had allowed her to grow and to learn new aspects of The Way that she had never

imagined before. It was only after that day that she could finally see the assassin and the Avatar-of-War for what they truly were: twisted images of each other.

Rhianne climbed out of the pool and wrapped herself in a spider silk bathrobe. She decided at that precise moment that her champion would not be like either men. Instead, she would look for a pilot who was willing to learn, to explore, to grieve and to feel joy. She would look for someone who had the courage to step forward and yet still be human.

XXXXX

Samantha browsed through the list of personnel profile on her screen in the privacy of her office. Here, she was free to sigh loudly and allow some of the weariness that she felt to show. Her shift had ended six hours ago, but this would not be the first time that she would sleep in her office nor would it be the last. Finding the right candidate for Arnold was a pain; pure and simple.

Although Samantha could not demonstrate it publicly, she had to admit that she rather liked Arnold. At one point, she had even believed that there could have been something between them, but that moment had passed when she had chosen to follow Riley's lead. Doing the right thing for the UEF did not always mean doing the right thing on the battlefield. Arnold had turned away from her then and their friendship had crumbled to mere formalities.

In the current situation, Desjar had been right; the most promising pilots were often assigned to specific sectors where they could better develop their talents… and under the supervision of the Generals with the best connections. Arnold was one of the best pilots, but while his battle record was impressive, his file still outlined his unorthodox methods coupled with a history of insubordination. In short, he was the type of pilot that no one wanted because of the possible political repercussions and he was therefore assigned to some of the most dangerous sectors.

Samantha was about to give up her search for the right copilot when she suddenly found a promising file. The candidate's marks were impressive and his reflexes were off the charts. For a moment, Samantha wondered why he had not been immediately drafted by some high profile General, but then she saw a black mark to the file: accused of cheating at the Kilimer exam.

This specific virtual simulation was one where the pilot was placed in a no win situation: a six versus one battle. The objective of the test was to see how long a pilot could hold on before being defeated, but somehow that candidate had actually won. Details on the incident specified that the student had exploited a targeting priority bug, constantly building tactical missile launchers in a circular pattern around his base which caused the entire enemy army to circle around it. Analysis suggested that no human could have found that bug without a deep analysis of the program and that the student had therefore won by either hacking or by getting some inside information. The new pilot was even

now scheduled to be sent on some backwater world where he would not play a major role in the war.

A smile touched Samantha's lips as she considered the possibilities. Either the pilot was simply that good and had noticed the pattern on his own, which demonstrated a deep analytic mind, or he had indeed cheated and broken protocol. Either way, he had won which demonstrated the level of unconventional thinking that he would need to keep up with Arnold. She opened a new window and typed in the name of Arnold's new copilot: Timmy 'Tim' Tural.

XXXXX

Chapter 3

High Tides and Metal Sharks

August 23rd…

"Delta team, prepare to move on their southern flank on my order," said Desjar in a hurry. His fingers flared over his console as he added: "Gamma team, I'm sending a Fatboy towards your position. Secure the waters between it and your base. Bravo team, get those interceptors moving!"

Desjar was momentarily interrupted as his screen suddenly turned red with flashing indicators. The mechanical voice quickly followed: "Nuclear launch detected."

The pilot cursed and turned his ACU around to look at his strategic missile defenses. He swore even louder when it did not activate and he quickly selected his fleet in order to move it away. Sure enough, the nuclear missile landed a minute later where the fleet had been, illuminating the sky with a fiery explosion. Desjar twisted his ACU to the side and gritted his teeth: "Not again…"

At first there was nothing on the horizon, but then small tremors shook the ground. A moment later, the outline of a twenty-five meter tall tsunami appeared and rushed towards his island. The waters swarmed over Desjar's ACU and the impact was enough to shake him all the way to his teeth. The pilot still had the presence of mind to operate the ACU, backing away and moving with the flow in order to not get carried away by it. When the waves finally receded, they left a long trail of broken trees, fishes and algae, but no significant damage had been done to his base. Mechanicals engineers responded immediately, repairing each other before performing routine maintenance on the surrounding structures and patrolling Titans.

Red dots appeared on Desjar's tactical screen and he raised an eyebrow: "Wondering if I'm still here?"

The pilot crossed his arms and waited patiently as the Mavor behind him automatically adjusted its angle. The deafening bang that followed as it fired made the tsunami pale in comparison. Two dots disappeared on the screen a moment later and the rest retreated. Desjar rubbed his ears painfully, wishing nothing more than to put a good kilometer between him and the dreadful weapon. He could not afford to leave it unprotected, however, and the scorched remains of the last three Aeon SCUs that had teleported in the hope of destroying it was all the motivation that he needed. He would simply have to endure…

"Hey lube boy, don't tell me that you're having difficulty keeping a few Aeon girl scouts away," said a familiar voice over Desjar's transmitter. Desjar could practically feel the grin as the voice added: "Now that would be embarrassing."

Arnold's smirking face appeared on Desjar's screen and the Major General smiled in return: "I don't suppose that you're coming over here to buy their chocolate?"

Arnold nodded and it was apparent from the way that he was moving that he was going through an ACU self-diagnostic: "As a matter of fact I am. Earthcom is sending me and Tim to get some pressure off of you. We'll see if we can chop a few heads and turn the tide. What can you tell me?"

Desjar grinned while rubbing a sleepy eye. Technically since Arnold was under General Clarke's command it was against protocol to ask information from other commanders on the field. The two of them had been friends for so many years that Desjar did not mind breaking a few rules. Heck, Arnold had never once called him 'sir' despite the difference in rank.

"Ok listen up, they are sending you against an Aeon commander known as Crusader Eris," said Desjar while forwarding all of the information that he had: "She has been spearheading the forces here on Matar and we've been holding her back for the past ten days. I'm babysitting the Mavor here and using its huge area radius as a safe fall back zone and offensive center for everyone else under my command. So far we've had minimal casualties, but I think both sides are tired and this entire strategy will collapse if the Mavor falls. My defenses are holding and the only thing that the Aeons have tried in the past two days is to nuke my fleet or gate in SCUs."

Desjar stifled a yawn and reached to his side for an energy drink: "Anyway, if you could kick her off the planet then it should stop the Aeon forces long enough for the rest of us to mount a successful counter attack. I have seven pilots under my command ready to rush in as soon as you punch a hole. We're all tired, but there's enough fight left in us to make one last push."

Something caught Arnold's attention and he looked at another screen: "Yeah, you really look ugly at the moment. I guess you only managed to grab an hour of sleep here and there, huh? Well it's time for us to get going so I'll have to cut this chat a little short. Earthcom wants my undivided attention. Feel free to listen in as we fight and give those rookies of yours a few pointers while you're at it. Oh and Desjar?"

Arnold looked at his buddy for a few moments before nodding: "Thanks for getting me a good pilot. It was exactly what I needed… but don't tell him that I said so."

"Anytime and see you after the battle buddy," said Desjar with a relieved smile. He then closed the channel and chuckled, making a mental note for the three of them to go grab a beer when this was all over.

XXXXX

Princess Rhianne Burke looked at the faces of the six pilots on her screen from the comforts of her chamber. She had narrowed down the list to these six candidates; all

young knights whose hearts were true. Toth had advised that an older, more experienced and well respected pilot might have been better suited, but Rhianne had chosen against it. The Aeon Illuminate had many veterans with impressive battle records, but while their martial prowess was exemplary, their hearts had suffered due to years of fighting. They had become harder and colder… the results of years spent cleansing one world after the other.

The video feed that displayed all six pilots was a one way broadcast and none of them knew that they were being observed by the Princess. The signal itself was retransmitted to her though the control center from which the Avatar-of-War was overseeing the galactic battle. The right of a Princess to choose her champion was an ancestral one and there was nothing that Marxon could do to oppose her. Yet who would be her champion? Who amongst these young hopeful Knights could one day stand against the Avatar-of-War?

The question weighed heavily on Rhianne's mind and she closed her eyes a moment in order to center herself. When she opened them again, she was no longer in the comfort of her chambers but on the mountains of Seraphim Two. She recognized the waking vision for what it was and yet she wondered at its significance. She often experienced visions, but few of them came unbidden and those that did were usually of a grave importance.

Rhianne looked around and spotted another figure with its back turned to her. She opened her mouth in order to hail him, but then a beam of light fell from the sky on the horizon. It hit the ground and a huge red hole like a gaping wound appeared. Flaming fissures spread from the impact point and moved at an alarming rate, destroying and burning everything in their path. They climbed up the mountain and Rhianne could feel an intensive wave of heat suffocating her.

Flames erupted in front of the unknown figure and the Princess reflexively shielded her eyes. For a moment, the figure's outline looked exactly like Marxon's and she wondered if the vision meant that the Avatar-of-War could not be stopped. Was there simply no hope?

She expected the heat to engulf her at any moment, but the flames suddenly died down. Rhianne lowered her arm and stood in awe as the figure turned. He was not the Avatar-of-War, but rather a man that she had never seen before. His eyes were strong but kind and reflected the years of battle that had dominated his life. There was an incredible sadness in them as well and yet a sense of peace and acceptance that she had never seen before. The stranger smiled contently as he spoke: "Princess…"

Rhianne waited, but another unexpected voice reached her: "Princess?"

She blinked and then she was back in her chambers and looking at Toth's worried face. The Princess nodded quickly: "I am fine…"

There was no need to say anything else and she had no doubt that the aged Evaluator would understand. The question remained: what did the vision mean? Had she somehow overlooked a promising champion while looking at the personnel profiles? No, there was no way that she would have overlooked such an uncommon sense of peace surrounding a pilot or anyone in the Aeon Illuminate for that matter. If the man was not of Aeon origin then that left only…

"Toth, please forward the video signals from the UEF pilots facing our current candidates," ordered the Princess softly. The Evaluator raised an eyebrow but did not object and the first image to appear was that of a snarling man: "Now you will pay for your crimes against humanity!"

Rhianne gasped and stood up. That man was not surrounded by a sense of peace or anything even remotely resembling the stranger from her vision and yet there was no doubt that it was him. The Princess could not ignore such clear signs and pointed at the Aeon commander that was facing him: "She will be my champion… and he will be the key."

XXXXX

Marxon's fingers squeezed the edge of the console in front of him in frustration. Only one thought twirled again and again through his mind: Matar was still standing. His original plan had estimated that the planet would fall within a day and for the most part it had. A dozen UEF commanders had been defeated in the first hour of the attack and all of them would have been killed if not for a well-defended strategic point on the planet's equator. There a group estimated at eight UEF ACUs had fended off every attack for the past ten days.

They were positioned in a cluster of small islands and had a Mavor deployed at its center. The protection afforded by the experimental weapon had allowed them to hold their ground and the UEF had used the area to evacuate civilians and other commanders who had lost their base while staging counter offensives. Crusader Eris was a competent pilot, but even her best efforts had not allowed her to completely cleanse the planet despite multiple attempts.

There were no doubts that the situation was aggravating and yet Marxon could not fault her for her efforts. He had reviewed her battle data and whoever was in command of the UEF was surprisingly resourceful. His tactics lacked elegance, but demonstrated a high level of adaptability and some of his moves were borrowed from Cybran and even Aeon strategies. In one confrontation where Crusader Eris had attempted to move in with a massive air attack supported by Czars the UEF commander had taken manual control of the Mavor and targeted the waters underneath the Czars. The destruction of two experimentals in quick succession had thrown the entire attack into chaos and had cost the life of one Aeon pilot.

Avoiding Matar and pushing the attack deeper into UEF territory was not an option for a simple reason: the planet was strategically positioned so that it could be used as a staging point to strike in Aeon territory. Although he doubted that the UEF had the pilots to spare, Marxon could not afford a sneak attack at the moment. A well executed strike on an Aeon core world combined with Evaluator Toth's constant opposition could be enough to halt their momentum and delay the war for another few months. Marxon would not allow that.

The Avatar-of-War looked up at the screen and studied the tactical display. He had relieved Crusader Eris a few minutes ago and sent one of the new knights to replace her. If she fell or if the battle lasted more than a day then he would take matters into his own hands. Marxon had never lost a battle and he would not allow these insects to stand in his way now.

Toth's face suddenly appeared at the edge of his screen and bowed: "Greetings Avatar-of-War. The Princess has finally chosen her champion: she wants Knight Kathy Istan to fight in her name."

The entire campaign was waiting after Matar and the Princess had suddenly selected the newly appointed Knight as her champion? Did the she want to order Istan out of the battle and in doing so delay the war? Marxon was not amused: "She is currently fighting on Matar and I will not have her break off her attack. Communications with the enemy clearly indicates that she is fighting a pilot known as Zachary Arnold. He is a barbarian, but we have extensive records on him and everything indicates that Istan could be killed if she were to attempt to gate out."

Toth shook her head quickly: "The Princess does not expect her champion to pull back. She expects her champion to win and only return once she has defeated that UEF commander."

That statement puzzled the Avatar-of-War who took a moment to consider this. If appointing the Knight to the role of Champion motivated her enough to claim victory then it would mean that Matar would fall quickly which was what he wanted. If instead she fell in battle then the Princess would have to host appropriate funerals and would not be able to appoint another champion before the end of the Infinite War which would limit her interference. The Knight was good but largely unknown to the majority of the other pilots and as such her words carried little influence. Had positions been reversed then Marxon would have assuredly selected a veteran with a solid war record in order to secure more followers. This was almost too good to be true…

"As long as she completes this mission then I have no objections," said the Avatar-of-War after a few more seconds: "You may contact her directly as is your right and we can remotely configure her ACU to produce units with the royal crest."

Toth bowed her head in gratitude and closed the channel. Marxon barely held back a smile of his own: the Princess was definitely not of a military mind.

Toth looked back to the Princess for a final confirmation before opening a channel to the newly appointed champion: "Harmony to you, knight. I apologize for this interruption, but the Princess wishes to speak to you. It is a matter of great importance."

Rhianne smiled briefly before speaking: "Hello, Knight. We have not yet had the pleasure of a proper introduction, but I have something important to tell you…"

XXXXX

"Carmack, Garriott, Flinn, Koster, Walton, Weisman, Wright; look alive people!" said Desjar suddenly, forcing the pilots under his command to snap back at attention: "Either drink something or put some ice in your pants because I want you all awake and ready. Stop those other Aeon commanders from reaching either Tim or Arnold and be prepared to pounce once Eris falls. Let's do this thing and go home!"

The other pilots were tired, but each nodded fiercely. Although they had only been assigned under Desjar for a few months, the eight of them had already faced quite a few battles together and they trusted their leader.

Flinn's face appeared on Desjar's right and from the looks of it, he had emptied an entire water bottle on his head: "You really think that he can pull it off?"

Desjar grinned knowingly: "One day I'll tell you all the stunts that we pulled together. For now just watch, enjoy the show and be prepared for some fireworks! Here, you guys can listen in as well."

A flick of a switch allowed the other pilots to eavesdrop on Arnold's transmissions: "I thought they fixed the gates! Get an operation base up and running. We're gonna have to wing this one."

Flinn raised an eyebrow, but Desjar only shrugged: "The man likes to give a show!"

Desjar smiled to reassure the others, but a quick look at his screen showed that Arnold had missed his landing zone. He was trapped on a series of small islands with limited resources which were also too close to the Aeon base. Tim on the other hand benefited from a mountain range which provided some natural protection, but a number of Aeon ships separated him from Arnold. Even the most skilled pilot was limited if he could not access the necessary resources. Desjar's worries grew with each intercepted transmission:

"I've been discovered by an Aeon scout. Things are gonna get really hot around here."

"Holy… Earthcom, I've got incoming the like I've never seen before… it's a wall of units. They're on me…"

"Earthcom, they're hitting me again! I don't think I can hold them off."

Desjar typed furiously on his console and brought up a global tactical screen: "Can any of you guys send some air reinforcements to Arnold?"

The other members of his squad all shook their heads and Flynn spoke: "Sorry sir. We've sped up our attack, but the enemy still has considerable anti-air presence in the area. The odds of getting any air units through are slim to none. We'll need at least another four minutes to thin them out."

Desjar cursed under his breath and tried to think of a way to save his buddy. Arnold was apparently fighting for his life and had difficulty making his report: "Can't, too many of them. No way to… nothing he can do… finished… Ah hell…"

The major general reached for the button in order to speak to Arnold, but he lost the signal before he could even say a word.

XXXXX

An oblivion cannon blast from an Aeon destroyer caught Arnold's ACU straight in the chest and sent it reeling. The pilot tried to fire an overcharged shot in response, but his screen was suddenly filling with dozens of warning messages. Arnold slammed his controls repeatedly, but the ACU would no longer obey his commands and merely rumbled in place. A large warning indicator replaced all the others on his screen and his eyes widened in disbelief: "Ah blast it, you fried my logic array. I thought that was impossible!"

An ACU was meant to transmit over a hundred thousand commands per second and the logic array was the module meant to prioritize each of them. Without it, every command from unit control to life support systems was assigned the same priority and the main computer was effectively deadlocked due to a lack of resources. The only things that were still working were the main view screen and short range transmissions. His base was being torn apart and the Aeon ACU was even now emerging from the water and heading straight for him.

Arnold gave his console another good punch, but the attempt did not change anything. Judging by the smoke that was slowly filling the cockpit, it was also obvious that the life support system was down as well. The only other piece of equipment that might still be working was the self-destruct mechanism and Arnold tore the safety cover off that piece of the console: "Trapped… you'll never take me alive!

Arnold was about to type in the necessary commands when the face of a beautiful young woman appeared on his screen: "You need not die commander, your fate lies elsewhere. You know I speak the truth."

Doubts clouded Arnold's mind and his finger stood poised over the console. Why was he hesitating? Was it the lack of oxygen, his stubbornness or perhaps even fear? She was the enemy and yet her eyes… they reminded him of someone…

The hand stood over the console a moment longer before falling to the side: "Yes, I understand."

Arnold did not really know why he had said that and he felt his head spinning. His mind barely registered that the Aeon ACU was using its building laser to dig its way through his cockpit. A few seconds later his eyes rolled back and he collapsed just as the console in front of him disintegrated. Had he been conscious then Arnold would have seen the Aeon ACU's cockpit open and its pilot reach out for him.

XXXXX

Desjar's hands shook over his console and he waited a few minutes before a tactical officer from Earthcom finally confirmed his deepest fears: "We have a confirmed ACU explosion at Colonel Arnold's position. He's gone."

The world seemed to pause for that moment and Desjar simply could not accept that Arnold was gone. He did not move a muscle even as he heard the barely perceptible high-pitched noise of a gating SCU. The Aeon war machine appeared next to the Mavor and aimed its laser. Wright's panicked face appeared on Desjar's screen and shouted: "Sir!"

Desjar did not turn his ACU around, but aimed without even looking; shooting an overloaded shot that caught the Aeon SCU straight in the chest. The following explosion damaged the nearby structures and the debris battered Desjar's ACU, but he did not care: "Everyone attack!"

XXXXX

Marxon was surprised when the UEF ACU exploded. He had not fought the man personally, but the Aeon Illuminate had extensive files on him. Everything had pointed that he should have been victorious and yet he had fallen to the Princess' newly appointed champion. Was there something more to this young Knight and why had the UEF commander gated to an island with so few resources?

The situation was worth investigating, but Evaluator Toth's face appeared on his screen before he could look into the matter further: "The UEF commander has been defeated. The Princess requests that her champion returns immediately to Seraphim Two before being dispatched for another mission."

Marxon looked at the tactical screen to judge Matar's situation. It was likely that Arnold had been their best commander and that the other pilot that had been dispatched with him was an apprentice. The UEF often worked in pairs and if Arnold had fallen so easily then there was no justification to keep the Princess's champion there. Marxon looked at one of the seers near him and nodded: "Wake Crusader Eris and have her take over the champion's base until we can find another pilot to replace her."

Toth bowed her head gratefully and closed the channel. A few minutes later, Marxon was in the process of looking through the list of available commanders when one of the tactical officers stood in her seat: "Avatar, look!"

Marxon looked up in annoyance and his eyes widened in surprise. Not only was Crusader Eris losing ground to a rookie UEF pilot, but it appeared that the remaining UEF forces had launched an all-out attack. A sea of red dots on the tactical map suggested that a large part of the enemy fleet was nothing more than false data sent by ships equipped with jamming devices. It was a simple but effective trick and the other Aeon commanders could not guess where the main enemy fleet was coming from. By the time that the position of the enemy was confirmed it was already too late. Fatboys were already crawling up the beaches while Atlantis type submarines emerged from the waters and provided anti-air support.

The Avatar-of-War stood unflinching when Eris' ACU exploded twenty minutes later. He waited a few seconds before looking at the officers near him: "Have our remaining forces retreat and have my personal guard ready in the next five hours. I'll take care of Matar personally."

The officer nodded, but Marxon raised a finger before she could turn away: "And I want to know who that UEF pilot was…"

XXXXX

Three hours later, Desjar was back on Earth and being driven home by an Ensign. He was so tired that he could barely find the strength to keep his eyes open and yet he could not will himself to sleep. His gaze drifted to the box that rested next to him… the box that containing Arnold's personal belongings.

General Clarke's words echoed in his mind just then: "The problems with our gates were not a mere malfunction… the Cybrans are responsible for them. I'll find out who's behind it and do everything in my power to stop them; you have my word on it."

She had meant what she had said, but Desjar still found little comfort in that. Even the fact that their all-out offensive on Matar had allowed them to destroy six Aeon ACUs brought him little comfort. His buddy was gone… nothing would ever change that.

"Sir, we're here," said the Ensign suddenly. Desjar looked at the man in confusion even as he pointed at the house that was waiting just outside: "You're home, sir."

The Major General nodded his thanks, took the box and walked out of the vehicle. Each step up the stairs felt like one more confirmation that Arnold was gone and for a moment, Desjar was tempted to collapse on the spot. He finally reached the door and it swung open automatically thanks to its sensors. Desjar barely had the time to take another step

before Jessy walked into view with a bright smile on her face: "There you are, I was so worried!"

Desjar smiled weakly while trying to focus solely on Jessy, her love for him and the courage that allowed her to stay strong despite being married to an ACU pilot. Jessy quickly realized that something was wrong and stepped closer. She had seen her husband tired before, but this was something else entirely.

The woman finally saw the box under Desjar's arm and understood what it represented. She grabbed the box, placed it on the nearby table and then hugged her husband tenderly. The show of unconditional affection sapped the last of Desjar strength and he returned the hug as best as he could while a tear ran down the side of his face: "He's gone… Zach's gone…"

XXXXX

Chapter 4

Never Give Up

Arnold groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. He tried to lift his head and open his eyes, but a wave of dizziness knocked him back down again. He dimly heard someone stir next to him as a soft and gentle voice spoke: "Please relax, Zachary Arnold. You are safe now."

The ACU pilot tried to ask a question, but he was still too dizzy to do so. A hand gently caressed his forehead before covering it with a cool compress. The woman whom Arnold assumed was a nurse kept speaking as she treated him: "This should bring the fever down. Your body went through quite a shock, but you were not seriously injured."

"Did Tim pull it off?" croaked Arnold. The nurse paused in her work: "Tim?"

"The other ACU pilot that was with me," explained Arnold, the effort dragging a powerful headache with it: "Did he manage to defeat Eris or whatever her name was?"

Arnold felt two fingers press against the side of his neck as if to take his pulse: "Yes, he succeeded. The other pilots that were not far away also made a valiant push that forced the local Aeon forces to retreat. Once the battle was over, they all returned safely home."

Arnold smiled and sighed contently: "That's a good kid…"

The fingers moved away from Arnold's neck and the pilot finally allowed himself to relax. He took a deep breath and a chuckled escaped him: "Now this must have cost Desjar an arm and a leg…"

"What do you mean?" asked the gentle voice.

"A dedicated nurse, a private room away from the busy hospital corridors, clean air," said Arnold while taking a deep breath. A smile tugged at the corner of his lip as he added: "And if my nose is not playing tricks on me then I smell fresh flowers too. There's no way that my insurance policy could possibly cover all that and I would bet my next pay check that he's the one behind it. I guess that I'll have to stop calling him lube boy after this one…"

Arnold was thinking of the possible nicknames that could be used to replace the old one when the nurse spoke: "Ah, I see… but I am afraid that he was not involved in the decision to bring you here. I was the one who wanted to take care of your injuries in this villa."

A frown of consternation moved through Arnold's features. A nurse who owned a whole villa and wanted to treat him? Something was simply not right here and he struggled to open his eyes. It took him several seconds to finally accomplish that goal and even then

the image was blurry and he had to blink several times. His vision finally focused on the 'nurse' and the first thing that Arnold noticed was her clothes… they were Aeon robes.

Arnold scrambled away from her and fell off the other side of the bed: "Jeez! Who are you and where the hell am I?"

The woman blushed and looked away from him. Arnold looked down and realized why. He scrambled forward, caught some of the bed sheets and pulled them over his legs: "And where the hell are my clothes?"

"I am Princess Rhianne Burke," answered the woman while still carefully averting her gaze: "You are in my private retreat on Seraphim Two and your clothes are on the chair to your right. I took the liberty of ordering a second set of clothes which are on the table right there. Feel free to use the set that will make you the most comfortable."

Rhianne's voice was soothing, but Arnold still looked around like a panicked animal, searching for anything that could be used as a weapon. The Princess noticed this and nodded calmly: "I realize that this situation might be unsettling. Please take all the time that you need to center yourself and get dressed. I will be waiting outside when you are ready."

With that, Rhianne slowly rose to her feet, bowed and left the room. Arnold waited several seconds before springing into action, throwing himself towards his clothes and searching them frantically. His transmitter was gone as were his weapons which included the small knife that had been carefully concealed in his right boot. He had not really expected to find anything, but at least now he was sure.

Arnold looked around and noticed the entrance to a room which looked like a bathroom. He ran towards it in the hope of finding a sharp object there, but he had not fully recovered from his ordeal and accidentally banged his foot against a piece of furniture. Arnold cursed under his breath while hopping on the other foot and finally limped into the bathroom. His search revealed a large section of grooming tools and ointments, but none of them had any potential as an improvised weapon. One actually emitted a laser arc, but a few tests demonstrated that it was most likely some kind of low power energy razor.

The ACU pilot sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. So he did not have any weapons, but despite the fact that he was growing older he was still a well-muscled man trained to kill in multiple martial art styles. That girl also wore clothes which could be used against her if he could get in range. Arnold looked down and raised an eyebrow: getting close to her would be a lot easier if he was not naked and he took the time to get dressed and arranged his hair as best as he could. When he was finished, he looked at his reflection and practiced what he thought was a good 'I won't kill you' kind of pose. He knew that he was in trouble when he could not even convince himself.

XXXXX

Desjar looked at the content of the box and smiled sadly. There were nearly fifty pictures in there, each taken at a moment where Arnold had been happy or at least less grumpy than usual. The problem when an ACU pilot died in his ACU was that there was not even a molecule left of him to burry afterwards. Special graves dedicated to their bravery were erected, but Desjar wanted more than that. Arnold would have hated to be buried in a place with a huge speech about 'all that propaganda crap' as he would have put it.

So Desjar did the only thing that he could think of that had any meaning: he took every good memory that he had of his old friend, put them in a box and placed it in a hole near the grave of Lin Pham. Arnold had taken him here nearly twenty years ago and had told him the story behind his deceased wife. It seemed only fitting that Arnold's true resting place would be next to the woman that he had loved to the very end.

"This is goodbye, old buddy," whispered Desjar softly: "Somehow, I always imagined that we would both survive this war, but I guess that we won't be that lucky."

Desjar rubbed an eye to clear it and looked behind him briefly. Both Jessy and his daughter Melissa were waiting and he nodded towards them. He shoved the dirt back over the box and spoke a few more words: "But I'm not giving up. I'll keep those bastards off Earth long enough for us to win. You just sit back and watch the fireworks; I won't let you or Lin down."

A smile briefly appeared on Desjar's face as he imagined Arnold telling him something like 'you'd better lube boy!' He then turned around, walked to his wife and daughter and hugged them both fiercely. It was time to get back to work.

XXXXX

Arnold stepped into the large room and the first thing he saw was the Princess sitting calmly on a large sofa. The room itself was elegant yet simple with sunlight coming through the many skylights and a large variety of finely tended plants covering the walls. Arnold could not help but think that back on Earth, the walls of a general or a president's home would be adorned with busts, antique armors or weapons which he could have used. Somehow, attacking by tearing off a branch did not seem quite as appealing.

"Please have a seat and feel free to eat some of the fruits on the table," said the Princess invitingly. Her voice had an odd vibration to it that made it both soothing and enticing. Arnold headed towards the sofa that she had gestured towards not because she had commanded it, but because it almost brought him within arm's reach. He cleared his throat and assumed the same polite tone that he only used when he needed a favor from Earthcom: "I take it that there's some kind of code of conduct that I'm supposed to follow? I would not want your personal guards to misinterpret my movements after all."

Rhianne waited until Arnold was seated before speaking: "I have no personal guards nor are there any automated defenses or any kind of weapon here. You have nothing to fear from me or this place."

Arnold took a few seconds to digest the information and then briskly grabbed an apple. He was surprised when nothing happened and he did his best to appear completely relaxed as he sank back in the sofa: "You're not the real Princess now, are you?"

"I am the real Princess," said Rhianne softly. Her gaze grew sad for a moment as she added: "And if it will satisfy your line of thought then I can also confirm that the two of us are alone, that aside from the terminal in the lobby there is no other outside means of communication and that I am not trained in physical combat. So to answer the real question that rests on your mind: yes, you could undoubtedly kill me."

The blunt answer surprised Arnold and he half expected the Princess to look at him with cold disdain. Instead, her eyes reflected the same serenity and compassion as when he first entered the room. Arnold's hand tightened around the apple as he tried to latch on to something – anything – that would allow him to hate the woman in front of him: "Then why shouldn't I kill you? Just give me one damned good reason not to."

He expected the threat to shock or anger her, but instead she looked down; apparently saddened: "I do not know what you should do, I hope that you won't… because I need your help."

Her answer surprised Arnold and the pilot stood up quickly. The rational part of his mind urged him to jump forward and throttle her for the good of the UEF, for Earth and heck, just for Desjar and his family! There were thousands of reasons both good and bad to end things right now, but somehow he could not bring himself to kill a defenseless woman. Arnold sneered, dropped the apple on the sofa behind him and stormed out of the room: "Find another enemy commander to brainwash!"

XXXXX

"You sure he'll be all right?" asked Flinn with a worried gaze: "I heard that the Major General and Commander Arnold were war buddies for a long time… what if this was enough to make him flip?"

Carmack shook his head and waved Flinn's question away: "Nah, he would never flip. We've all lost buddies out there and I'm sure it's not the first time for him either. You just watch and…"

The pilot did not get to finish his sentence as Desjar quickly entered the room and immediately waved at them: "At ease everyone. Grab your data pads and let's get to work. We have some catching up to do. Matar fell twelve hours after we were relieved and while I would like to send all of you on a well-earned vacation; we still have a job to do."

Desjar was about to connect his data pad to the terminal that would project the image on the wall behind him when he noticed that the seven pilots were all staring at him in an unusual manner: "Err, what is it guys? Do I have something on my face or what?"

The other commanders looked at each other as if to decide who would speak for them and it was Flinn who finally stood up: "We were… worried about you, sir. We all know that you and Arnold were friends."

Desjar winced a moment and motioned for Flinn to sit down. He then stepped forward and leaned against a chair: "I'll tell you guys a little story. One day when me and Arnold were partners we fought on the Aeon front for seven days straight, much like what we all did on Matar. On the seventh day I was so beat up and tired that I wanted to throw the towel. At that exact moment another assault hit our front lines and Arnold looked at me, winked and said: you're not giving up on me now, are you lube boy?"

A few commanders scoffed at the nickname and Desjar raised a hand to keep their attention on him: "He did not give me a second to answer and simply rushed forward to meet the enemy head on. He never gave up and he trusted me to keep up with him no matter the odds. We won that fight and dozens of others like it. Arnold might be gone, but I learned a lot from him and now it's my turn to ask you guys the same question: you're not giving up on me now, are you?"

Everyone in the room shook their heads and answered: "No sir."

Desjar smiled slightly and spoke even louder: "I must be hard of hearing because I did not hear anything. Are any of you giving up one me?"

This time the reply came in the form of a unified shout: "No sir!"

"That's more like it!" said Desjar with a relieved smile: "Now everyone grab your data pads and let's get down to business. The Aeon Illuminate wants to reach Earth? Well we're going to make them wish that they stayed on Seraphim Two!"

XXXXX

Three hours had passed since the first encounter with the Princess and Arnold had used the time to explore his surroundings. His first discovery as he attempted to flee was that the villa was encased in a transparent dome. At first Arnold had thought that the area was some kind of an elaborate prison, but after looking carefully he quickly understood that the dome was the only thing keeping the freezing winter outside from reaching them. He had taken the time to circle around the edge and had found the unlocked exit, but he knew that he could not survive out there without the proper clothes.

Arnold therefore sat in the middle of a grove as night fell while pondering his options, but his growling stomach made it hard to concentrate. There was no telling how long he

had been unconscious while they brought him from Matar and he needed to find something to eat if he wanted to keep his strength up. He therefore went back to the villa with the intent of stealing the bowl of fruit that he had been resting on the table. Instead, he found the princess waiting for him on her sofa with two plates of food in front of her. The dishes appeared simple yet enticing with sliced fruits, bread and a type of meat that he could not identify.

Arnold briefly considered barging in, taking the plate and walking out, but somehow it just did not feel right. He simply walked in the middle of the room and sighed loudly: "So what is this going to cost me?"

The Princess looked up at him and smiled warmly: "The pleasure of your company while we eat? Would that be acceptable?"

Arnold sighed again and walked towards his seat: "Don't take it the wrong way, but as far as interrogation techniques go, I think this is a pretty crappy one."

"Thank you," said the Princess while bowing her head. Arnold paused with a slice of bread in his hands and looked back at her in confusion: "… That was not meant as a compliment."

"But it was an honest observation that came from your heart," said the Princess with a relieved smile: "Our previous interactions where you said one thing while meaning another had me worried."

Rhianne smiled in gratitude and turned to her own platter. Arnold hesitated a while longer before his stomach reminded him again that he was famished. He ate with gusto and although he hated to admit it, he had not eaten this well in a very long time.

Arnold waited until his hunger subsided before speaking again: "Well if you're into honesty then I might as well tell you right now that I won't convert to anything. You're wasting your time with me, Princess."

Rhianne tilted her head to the side and smiled: "You can call me Rhianne if it will make you feel more comfortable. As for our interactions… I am not sure if I am supposed to convert you in any fashion. It might very well be that you are the one who is supposed to have a lasting influence on me. I cannot truly say."

"Hold on a sec," said Arnold, swallowing a piece of bread before speaking: "You guys attacked and captured me, you say that you need my help but you don't know why? Heck, I should be dead, so why me? Why not Tim or any other commander out there? Are you pulling my leg or something?"

The Princess smiled, but shook her head: "Lying goes against one of the fundamental principles of The Way. I actually tried to persuade the other pilot named Tim to see things from my perspective, but he refused to communicate with me. The Princess of the

Aeon Illuminate is usually discouraged from interacting directly in war matters where more experienced men and women are involved. She can usually only do so in areas where her Champion is fighting."

Arnold finished his bite and raised an eyebrow. So there were things that a Princess was not allowed to do. Maybe if he dug deep enough he might actually find something that he could use: "You can't seriously expect me to believe that none of you ever lies."

"I assure you that we do not," answered Rhianne. Her eyes were filled with sincerity as she added: "However, some truths are sometimes withheld until we feel that the other is ready to hear the answer. Of course we remain human and sometimes half-truths are spoken and in other occasions some people have hidden agendas. Keeping such secrets, however, does not promote inner peace nor does it help further The Way."

Arnold leaned forward then: "So are you keeping any secrets or hidden truths from me? Go ahead and try me."

Rhianne looked away for a moment, gave it some thought and then nodded: "As you wish, although I fear this would be one of the truths that you might not be ready for. The reason that I need you is that I firmly believe that it is your destiny to be here."

The Princess had expected anything from denial, anger or awe. What she had not expected was for the pilot to flung himself backwards and roar in laughter: "That is too rich! I also don't get the girl and I die in a black sun!"

Arnold laughed again, but stopped a few moments later when he realized that Rhianne was looking at him in confusion. He then regained his composure before explaining: "Sorry about that, but the last fortune teller that I went to tried her hocus pocus on me… and served the same lines to dozens of others as well! I never imagined that the Aeon Illuminate believed in that kind of crap."

"The Way has nothing to do with magic," clarified Rhianne with a patient nod: "It has everything to do with the mind and it reveals possibilities as one opens himself to the world that surrounds them. Would you like me to show you?"

Arnold stopped laughing. Was this how the Aeon converted others to their cause or was this merely a test? If he opened up would she expose more of the Aeon's inner workings and perhaps expose a weakness that he could use or transmit back to Earth? It was worth a shot and he was not gullible by nature after all. He nodded and extended a hand, expecting Rhianne to read his palm.

Rhianne did take his hands into her own and carefully examined it, twisting it around and touching each finger. Arnold was kind of disappointed that she was not actually trying to hide the fact that she was studying it, but stayed silent as she spoke: "Your hands show the wear of many battles. You have accomplished many things in your life and you would rather fulfill your duties yourself instead of trusting them to others."

Rhianne's hands were smooth to the touch and Arnold found himself enjoying the contact despite his doubts. Her fingers crept up and touched his forearm: "You have stayed in good shape as if you dedicated your entire existence to this war."

She got up without warning and took a seat right next to him. Arnold's muscles involuntarily tensed as she touched his shoulder, but he did not pull away from her as she spoke: "You allow very few people close to you… you have been betrayed in small ways on many occasions. Only your true friends get close to you and you would die fighting besides them…"

Arnold frowned in consternation, actually giving her credit for reading so much into him using only his reactions. Of course there was the possibility that the Aeon had intercepted enough transmissions and written a psychological profile of him. He was still thinking about this when her hand touched the side of his face and her gaze stared right through him: "You bear the weight of a mistake… a mistake that others have forgotten but that has remained with you all this time. You have never forgiven yourself for it."

A gasp escaped Arnold. Did she know about Orionis? Her hand dropped and stopped over his chest as if to measure the beating of his heart: "As for love…"

Arnold felt his heart skip a beat and a single thought crossed his mind: could she know? Rhianne appeared to be reading his very mind as she spoke: "There was one… and you loved her with all your soul. She fought all her life and you're… you're fighting for her still."

The sadness in Rhianne's voice combined with the resurfacing memories were too much for Arnold and he pushed her hand away, stood up and took a few steps away. Rhianne folded her hands in front of her: "I am sorry; I should not have touched such a personal aspect of your being. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

The Princess stood up slowly and bowed to him: "Today's trials must have been hard on you and you should perhaps get some rest in your chambers. We can talk again tomorrow if you like."

She bowed one more time before walking towards her own quarters, leaving a confused and vulnerable Arnold behind.

XXXXX

The next morning, Arnold looked at himself in the mirror and at the multiple grooming tools in front of him. He had not shaved in a while, but at the moment it felt like taking care of it would be like converting to The Way. He decided to splash some water on his face instead and stormed off towards the main chambers. Rhianne was waiting for him there, her eyes cast down as if she was expecting the approaching storm.

"Ok, I admit that you caught me off guard last night, but that's all there is to it!" said Arnold roughly, forgoing any introduction. He started pacing through the room as he added: "So now it's my turn to ask questions, do you hear me?"

Arnold almost regretted his harsh tone, but Rhianne did not object: "Of course."

"So how did you do it?" asked Arnold without warning as he turned to her: "Few people actually knew of my relation with Lin and of the few that did, only a couple are still alive. Did your people hack in some secret database or what? And for god's sake try to keep the spiritual crap out of it!"

Rhianne nodded and chose her words carefully: "I simply analyzed your physical responses while keeping my mind open and without holding on to any prejudice. I then asked a series of questions and offered a set of physical stimuli that would prompt additional responses which I used to further my understanding of your character. This is about as objective as I can describe what I did."

Arnold crossed his arms and shook his head: "I'm not buying it."

"Then think about it this way: how do parents often know when their children have done something wrong?" asked Rhianne. She let Arnold consider the question for a few seconds before saying: "Is it magic, a kind of sixth sense or is it simply that they recognize themselves in that child? An open mind on the part of the parent and a careful analysis combined with probing questions is often all that a parent needs to reach the truth. With enough practice, a follower of The Way can learn much of another's past, present and sometimes even his future."

The Princess smiled reassuringly, but Arnold only frowned: "I'm not sure that I appreciate the comparison to a child. Also if you guys are so good at anticipating us then why the heck did I survive this long?"

"You might be burdened by a difficult past, but I can also see that you base most of your decisions on the present and on your core values," said Rhianne while tilting her head to the side: "I do not know you that well, but I would guess that you disobeyed orders multiple times in order to fight for what you believed in."

Arnold nodded and sat down; his anger slowly dwindling: "That's putting it mildly…"

He rubbed his unshaved chin as an idea formed in his mind. Maybe there was still a way to turn things to his advantage: "So you've judged me and so far you've been pretty spot on. So how about if it was my turn to judge you?"

"I would not call it judging, but please go ahead," said Rhianne. Arnold took a few more seconds to finalize his plan before speaking: "All right, here we go. As much as I hate to admit it, the Aeon Illuminate is winning. If I assume that you've been telling me the truth from the start then by bringing me here you have risked the respect of your people,

your champion and even your life. That's a pretty reckless move, especially when the end of the war is coming so that leaves only one explanation: you're afraid of something."

Rhianne nodded, her face displaying a mixture of happiness and eagerness: "You speak the truth and it fills my heart with hope that you are able to see it so clearly. I do fear what is to come; both for the lives that might be lost across the galaxy and for my people. If the UEF falls then billion of lives will be lost. The Avatar-of-War will march across the galaxy and cleanse the last few pockets of resistance until nothing remains. If that were to happen then I fear that even The Way will not survive."

"Okay, you lost me at that last part," said Arnold with a shrug. Rhianne reached forward and grasped Arnold's hand. The pilot resisted for a second, but relaxed when he realized that she was only holding on to it as she spoke: "Think of our interactions at this very moment. Despite the fact that we do not share similar beliefs, do you think that our conversations have been at the very least a learning experience if not the seed of friendship?"

Arnold stood frozen, torn between his loyalties and his current feelings as Rhianne kept talking: "Mercy, kindness, compassion and love; when those feelings are used in conjunction with The Way they can mend and heal rather than injure or kill. It can end wars without the need for bloodshed. However if The Way is used without the very emotions that make us humans then it becomes a tool of murder as effective as any weapon."

The Princess looked at Arnold with sad eyes for a few seconds before speaking again: "You wish to know what I foresee? If my heart is not clouded by my own fears then I see the Aeon Illuminate winning at last and perhaps even live through a few decades of peace. However, I fear that the terrible lessons learned during the final days of this war would taint us so completely that The Way would once again be used as a weapon. I see Aeon facing Aeon, a war of ideology that would spawn another thousand years."

Arnold gasped at the realization: the spiritual leader of the Aeon Illuminate was afraid that they would win! Looking at it now, it made perfect sense that a leader promoting peace and understanding would be horrified when looking at the commanders which cleansed entire planets. This was his chance and he took a firm grasp of Rhianne's hand: "Then help us! You have power and influence so maybe you can stop your people before it's too late!"

"And what would be the outcome if the UEF won?" asked Rhianne, her eyes reflecting her sadness: "My dreams are torn between visions of holy wars and others of my homeland burning as beams of light fall from the sky."

The Princess looked away for a moment and Arnold wondered if The Way had somehow allowed her to predict the future. Could she actually know about Black Sun? Was the weapon able to ravage entire worlds? She finally looked at Arnold with pleading eyes:

"Please tell me what would happen if the UEF won this war. If you speak the truth in your heart then I will believe you."

There was the chance that Arnold had been waiting for and yet he could not take it. The rational part of his mind argued that if he convinced her now then he might be able to buy enough time for the UEF to complete Black Sun and save them all. But how could he lie to a woman who had been able to ascertain his past merely by looking at him? No… that was the wrong question. The right question was why would he lie?

For the UEF and Riley? The Princess was a thousand times worthier of admiration than all of Earth's politicians combined, most of which had climbed the ladder of power through influence, money and corruption. For the people? The majority of those living on Earth barely took note of the war anymore. For his few friends… for Desjar?

That was the part where Arnold hesitated the most. The few people like Desjar were men of integrity, honor and respect. Arnold had no doubt that his old friend was worth fighting for and yet… Would Desjar truly want him to sacrifice an entire nation to save him? Would either of them ever want that kind of blood on their hands? It was one thing to win through efforts and sacrifice, but it was another to do so through betrayal, deceit and mass murder.

Arnold finally took a deep breath and told the truth: "If the UEF won then the Aeon Illuminate and the Cybran Nation would be devastated. The survivors of each faction would be imprisoned, assigned to forced labor or worse. Even decades later they would still be treated as second class citizens at best, forever scorned by those who would know no better than to hate them. I think… I think this is what would happen."

There, he had totally blown it… or had he? If either outcome meant billions of deaths then was it wrong for him to want another type of victory? Could there be other men and woman of integrity on the Aeon side who were just as worthy of living in peace as Desjar? Could he save them all?

"So now you understand the fears that inhabit me," said Rhianne, her head dropping as she did so. A lock of hair covered her face as she added: "At times, the situation seems almost hopeless…"

Arnold stood up suddenly: "The hell it's not! If you're faced with two bad choices then the only option left is to grit your teeth, charge forward and make your own! It's a bumpy ride, but it's the only one worth getting aboard!"

The Princess was momentarily surprised by the outburst, but then smiled warmly: "You are absolutely right!"

Arnold felt his face redden for a second, cleared his voice and then sat back down: "So tell me everything. Maybe if we put both of our heads together then we can find another path, one worth taking for everybody."

XXXXX

Chapter 5

A Life of Meaning

Evaluator Toth watched as the shuttle took off, leaving her alone in front of the royal retreat. She hesitated a moment, looking at the rolled bundle under her arm and wondering if the Princess had chosen the right course of action. A shiver coursed through her body as the cold mountain winds pierced her robes and the aged Evaluator shook her head. They no longer had the luxury of doubts and she had no other choice but to trust in fate and in her favorite pupil.

The dome's doors opened and Toth was momentarily relieved to see that no misfortune had befallen either the villa or the surrounding grove. It was a good sign that their guest had managed to restrain his primal instincts to escape. Toth had converted many prisoners in her younger days and she had learned to never underestimate a human's capacity to rebel. Even the most passive of individuals could lash out violently if trapped in a corner.

Toth had hoped to speak to the Princess in private, but as she got closer, she could already hear voices in the distance: "I fear that our notion of politics is vastly different from the UEF's. There is no practical way to 'vote' someone off as you would put it. An individual who is in a position of power is expected to fulfill his duties until he wishes to step down, is unable to perform them or someone better suited becomes available. As such, our system cannot truly be called a democracy, Commander Arnold."

"Just Zach, please," said the UEF pilot dismissively: "And the whole system feels impractical. I've never seen a person in a position of power that would be willing to let go. What if you were the one asked to step down?"

Toth smiled despite herself as the Princess laughed lightly: "I would be immensely relieved if that were to happen. Maybe if a wiser Princess was in power then she would find a way to end the Infinite War in a peaceful fashion. I would be eager to learn and to help such a person! Also… do you mind if I call you Zachary? It is a beautiful name…"

The Evaluator chose that moment to step into the room, noticing Arnold's embarrassment and cutting short the awkward conversation: "My apologies for the interruption, Princess. I have brought the information that you requested."

Rhianne stood up gracefully and Arnold did the same quickly afterwards: "Let me present Evaluator Abigail Toth, my mentor and a true friend. Evaluator Toth, this is Colonel Zachary Arnold."

Arnold tried to extend a hand in greeting, but felt a bit awkward as Toth bowed to the two of them. He decided to bow his head in return, unsure of what the proper etiquette normally required of him. Rhianne smiled approvingly and spoke to the two of them: "I will leave the two of you alone to get acquainted and to look at the information that Evaluator Toth has brought. I fear that my limited war experience would be a hindrance

in that area. I will meditate on all that you have told me instead and see if it opens up any new paths. Good luck, Zachary."

Toth noticed Arnold blushing again as the Princess bowed and she waited until she was gone before stepping forward and presenting her rolled bundle. Arnold cleared his voice to regain his composure and pointed at the package: "Is that it? I was expecting a bit more information than that."

Toth delicately placed the bundle on the table and unrolled it, revealing an odd looking mat that covered a good square meter. She pushed a button on its side and the mat immediately burst to life, displaying a high resolution image of what looked like a workspace with numerous files. She pointed at each image as she spoke: "This touch interface has been uploaded with all necessary data. It includes unit specifications, battle records ordered by pertinence, troop logistics and the most recent intelligence analysis."

Arnold whistled in appreciation, marveling at the smooth and instinctive interface. Back at Earthcom, it would have taken twelve analysts a few weeks to gather all of this and yet Toth had been able to produce it on demand. Things sure worked differently over here and he made a mental note not to underestimate her. The aged woman sat in front of him and carefully folded her hands: "Feel free to ask me anything that would help you in your search."

Arnold tested the interface while looking at the Evaluator from the corner of his eye: "You do realize what I'm planning here, right?"

"You are trying to find a way to end the war and stop the Avatar," answered Toth with a nod: "Considering the current situation, this would imply killing him."

It was not the answer so much as the way that it had been given that surprised Arnold. He had to admit that members of the Aeon Illuminate were not wasting a lot of time if they constantly spoke the truth. Arnold looked at the multiple files on the mat and motioned towards them: "Any suggestion as to where I should look to do that? How do I kill the guy?"

The Evaluator shook her head slowly: "You cannot."

"No, I don't think that you understand what I mean," said Arnold while tapping the mat with a finger: "Sure I can't do anything from here, but hypothetically speaking if I could get my hands on an ACU at the right time and place…"

Toth waved a hand to stop the train of thought: "I understood you quite well. However, my answer remains unchanged: you cannot. If you confront him then you will die. The sooner you realize this then the sooner you will look for other ways to win."

Arnold sneered and started digging through the files on his own: "Sorry lady, but you don't know me. I can make the impossible happen and if that guy is as proud as you are then maybe it's something that I can use against him."

"You misunderstand me, Commander Arnold," said Toth while shaking her head in resignation: "I do not say that you cannot defeat him out of a sense of pride. If anything, I feel a substantial amount of shame at not having foreseen this when he was my student. Avatar-of-War Marxon has no pride, arrogance or any emotional state that would cloud his judgment. He has mastered the most aggressive aspects of The Way so completely that he is the most feared man in the galaxy. He has won every battle that he was personally involved in and has been the most successful commander in Aeon history. He wages war on a military, political and spiritual front without leaving any weaknesses for his opponents to exploit. I have tried to oppose him for the past twenty years and so far I have failed."

"So you're saying that everyone who faced that guy winded up dead?" asked Arnold while raising an eyebrow.

Toth hesitated and looked away for a moment. She remembered one who had survived, but even the memory was enough to send a shudder through her spine. Arnold noticed this and leaned forward: "This is not the time to be holding back. If you know something then tell me. "

"I know of only one man… no, a creature that has managed to survive a battle against the Avatar-of-War," said Toth with a wince: "The encounter with the Cybran is logged in this file and includes the limited video footage of his escape. However, I would ask that you refrain from emulating his behavior for the Princess's sake if not for your own."

Arnold noticed the genuine concern in the Evaluator's eyes and raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

Toth looked away, her eyes brimming with guild: "Because she already had the misfortune of facing such a monster once..."

XXXXX

Lightning flared over the settlement of Cysis, illuminating the streets of one of the most fortified UEF base near the Cybran border. Although large scale tactical planning still occurred from one of the many Earthcom centers back on the core worlds, there was still a need for such bases. Pilots required a secured place to rest while being within rapid deployment range. As such, Cysis boasted the necessary facilities to house thirty ACUs with a minimum of ten of them always remaining on standby. The settlement was one of the oldest in UEF's history, had never fallen and had never been infiltrated… or so they thought.

Redfog stood impassively in the middle of the storm and looked at the distant settlement from the safety of his armored command unit. Cysis had never been seriously attacked for a single reason: doing so had allowed the UEF to become overconfident and complacent. The leader of the Assumpta Node waited on the hill with six other assassins under his command. The force seemed ridiculous compared to what they were facing and yet that was precisely why they were here. No one would suspect that the Cybrans would start their attack by striking at the most fortified point.

The assassin looked down and flexed one of his cybernetic hands. It moved precisely and flawlessly according to his will… as it was meant to. He flexed it one more time before picking a remote detonator. He placed his thumb over the button and waited for a sign. Not from any of his assassins for they knew better than to interrupt him and not from any of the other Tips of the Spear either. If anything, they were the ones waiting after him, ready to launch their attacks in different parts of the sectors simultaneously.

No, Redfog was instead waiting for a signs from the heavens themselves. He wanted fate to acknowledge him… to realize that it was powerless to stop him. A huge bolt of lightning suddenly broke through the skies as if to defy the assassin and his eyes widened in glee. He pressed the button just as the sound of thunder roared through the hills and watched in satisfaction as a dozen well placed explosions lit up the settlement.

Warning lights flared, units started moving and patrolling ACUs regrouped. The explosions had not done any major damage… nor had they been meant to. Everywhere around the settlement, ACU pilots ran towards their war machines, convinced that they held safety in numbers. Their launching bay was almost impenetrable and each pilot's quarters were scanned meticulously on a daily basis. According to UEF analysts, no Cybran infiltration team could cause significant damage. The fools…

Redfog crossed his arms and waited patiently for events to play out. A smile finally appeared under his mask as another set of explosions were set off across the settlement. The launching bay was impenetrable as were the pilot's quarters… but not the paths between them. Explosives had been set up by infiltrators weeks ago in the unlikeliest of places near water fountains, in the garbage near bars, outside the gym… and had all been keyed to signals emitted from the pilot's identification badges. Why bother destroying ACUs when the pilots were so vulnerable and so predictable.

Fourteen pilots died two minutes after the initial set of explosions which had sprung them into action and the rest desperately tried to coordinate their efforts and understand what had just happened. Redfog would not leave them such a chance: "Attack…"

XXXXX

Arnold rubbed both of his eyes and tried to focus once more on the mat. They had just spent the last eight hours reviewing some of the greatest battles opposing the UEF to the Aeon Illuminate. The simulation only included the data on Aeon troop movements, but Arnold – like every other UEF commander – had been briefed about those historical

battles not long after they had happened and he remembered them relatively well. They were after all some of the greatest defeats in UEF history and they all had one thing in common: the Avatar-of-War had been directly involved.

Although he had originally thought that Evaluator Toth was pessimistic by nature, Arnold soon realized that her appreciation of the Avatar's skill had been well deserved. His troop movements were graceful, precise and uncannily insightful. He only appeared on a battlefield after the area had been secured by other commanders, destroying any possibility of a quick assassination. Economic structures and units were immediately transferred to him afterwards and then he would begin his attack. Arnold had hoped to find some kind of pattern there or something that he could use. More than one experienced commander had been defeated because he always used the same opening strategy, but the Avatar used multiple variants.

The part that truly bugged Arnold was that somehow the Avatar was always using the 'right' counter as if he actually knew what was coming. He looked to Toth who had been assisting him all this time and raised an eyebrow: "How is he doing it? Did the Aeon Illuminate manage to decode our signals? It's almost as if he's aware of everything that is happening on the battlefield."

Toth nodded slowly and pointed at the mat: "He is aware of it on some level by using The Way."

"Oh not that crap again," said Arnold while massaging his temples: "I told you before: I don't believe in that stuff."

Arnold half expected the Evaluator to finally lose patience with him, but she only tilted her head to the side: "What would you rather believe? That the Avatar or his supporting staff managed to pierce both UEF and Cybran encryption codes and keep up as the other factions constantly switched them? Whether you believe in The Way or not does not change the impact of its practical applications."

The fact that the Aeon could be spiritual one moment and so logical the other unsettled Arnold. He finally scratched the back of his neck and stood up. Toth was about to stand up as well, but Arnold waved for her to stop: "I just need to take a walk and think for a few minutes."

Had he been back in UEF territory with a general or another high ranking officer then he would have been ordered to sit back down, but Toth merely nodded in understanding: "By all means, take the time that you need to find your center."

Arnold nodded in gratitude and started walking through the villa's corridors with his hands in his pockets. A thousand questions moved through his mind and made it harder and harder to concentrate. Was The Way all that it was cracked up to be? Could he somehow defeat or find the means of defeating the Avatar-of-War? Should he tell them about Black Sun? Could he actually end the war and save everyone?

The pilot was so deeply absorbed by his own thoughts that he was startled when he heard the sound of water splashing. He looked to his right and gasped when he saw Rhianne with her back turned to him as she swam through the pool. Although the illumination made it hard for him to see, his mind did register that she was naked and he turned away reflexively: "Sorry, I did not know that you were here. I was just… um…"

Arnold felt his entire face flush as he tried to find an explanation that would not make him look like a pervert, but it was Rhianne who interrupted him: "It is quite all right. It was obvious by your demeanor that you were self-absorbed."

She had seen him first and had not cried out at the intrusion? Arnold suddenly realized that the Aeon Illuminate most likely had different taboos altogether and he tried to keep his mind focused on that as he heard her move out of the pool. He stood frozen in embarrassment as he heard the sound of footsteps coming closer and he was about to walk away when Rhianne spoke: "I am dressed now. You can turn around if you like."

Arnold hesitated a few seconds before finally turning around and to his relief Rhianne was clad in her robes once more. He cleared his voice to gain a few seconds and then spoke: "Sorry for interrupting your swim. I take it that it's how you relax or something?"

"You are partially correct," said Rhianne while gazing back towards the pool: "I often immerge myself in water while meditating. It has a soothing effect which helps eliminate distractions and sometimes I am visited by visions."

The Princess smiled as she spoke and Arnold refrained from snorting in derision. His own behavior puzzled him for a moment and he wondered if he was doing it out of politeness or simply for her sake: "Found anything interesting in your visions?"

Rhianne shook her head and looked to the pool: "My visions have been clouded of late. It is almost as if I am not seeing or sensing something of tremendous importance. It is rather distressing."

There was only so much that Arnold could do to restrain his own nature and he shook his head stubbornly: "I still can't believe in any of that stuff."

He expected Rhianne to frown, but she smiled at him instead: "Why not? You - like every other human - do similar feats every day without realizing it. Here, let me show you. Give me your hand."

Arnold hesitated, his instincts rebelling against the notion of converting in any fashion, but Rhianne smiled reassuringly: "Please do not be afraid. You can no more betray your convictions with this exercise than you could by taking a walk or reading poetry. You might be moved by it, but it would never change who you are."

He finally raised his hand and she moved so that her fingers rested against his: "Now look and feel as I move and listen to my voice. Match me so that our fingers are always touching. Up, down, forward, up, down, back…"

Arnold allowed the Princess to lead the strange dance, marveling at her grace as her arm moved around and doing his best to match it. Their fingers never lost contact and the Princess kept telling him how she would move. When they were finally in harmony Rhianne spoke ever so softly until she no longer needed to. By then Arnold was so in tune with her that he barely even noticed. She smiled at one point and whispered: "Close your eyes."

Arnold was afraid that he would not be able to match her with his eyes closed, but he did so and entire minutes passed without their hands ever separating. They stopped in unison after what felt like an eternity and Arnold opened his eyes to find their hands resting comfortably in midair. Rhianne smiled again as she spoke: "The two of us were in tune, moving as one without words, without sound and without sight."

Arnold blinked a few times to break the spell and tried to protest: "But you could have moved forward or back quickly enough to break contact if you wanted to."

"But you knew without even asking that I was trying to teach and not win a contest," said Rhianne with a gentle smile: "You had a firm grasp of my state of mind, of what I wanted to do and that is all there really is to it. The only difference between this exercise and what I was doing in the pool was merely the amount of information, the scale and the final objective, nothing more."

Could it truly be that simple? On one hand, it seemed almost ridiculous and yet on the other there was that fundamental core of truth. Right from the start, both the Princess and Toth had been transparent in their dealings with him and they had done more in a day than what would have been done in a week back on Earth. They were not really allies and yet he trusted them. This brought on the very strange question of how many efforts were being wasted back on Earth? Mind games, seduction, political repercussions, squabbles, lies, misplaced pride, intrigues, all of those were part of the daily lives of everyone there and they juggled all those aspects without even realizing it. How much could be accomplished if those efforts were turned towards productive endeavors? Could a free mind be so aware that it could even foresee the future?

"I should get back to Toth," said Arnold, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the level of intimacy that they were sharing: "She's probably wondering if I got lost by now."

Arnold bowed his head slightly and walked away; pondering the significance of that discovery with every step.

XXXXX

President Riley looked at the speech in front of him and cleared his voice: "War rages across the galaxy as the UEF stands firm against the Tyranny of the Aeon Illuminate and the Cybran Nation. Let me assure you that we will never surrender, never cave to the crazed demands of our enemies. Colonel Zachary Arnold understood that threat we face. He understood that the only option is absolute…"

Riley suddenly gasped in pain and stumbled forward, using his free arm to lean on his desk. He was glad that he was in the privacy of his office and not on live television. He had reflexively stood straighter as he had practiced his speech and this had increased the pressure on his damaged spine. Few knew of the disorder and those that did had been ordered to keep their mouths shut. Riley smiled bitterly as he took a few pain killers from a hidden compartment on his belt and swallowed them. It appeared that Arnold would be a pain up to the very end.

No, Arnold had not really understood the threat that they faced or the values of the UEF. If he had then he would have fallen in line and obeyed orders long ago. He would have known that not all truths were good for the general public much like Riley's spine condition. The public only needed to know one thing: the UEF would win no matter the cost.

The pain killers finally kicked in and the tension disappeared from Riley's face. The President regained his composure and stood straight once more, ready to practice the speech that would inspire others to stand strong.

XXXXX

Arnold was still puzzled by the time that he returned to the Evaluator and the old woman immediately realized it: "Is something troubling you?"

There was no right way for Arnold to describe what was bugging him and he doubted that Toth would understand it in any case. He finally sat in front of the mat and pointed towards it: "The file about that Cybran, I would like to see it."

Toth was about to protest, but Arnold stopped her before she could say a word: "I'm not trying to become whatever is in there. I…"

Arnold took a deep breath while trying to find the right words: "I just want to know what she went through."

The Evaluator sat frozen, puzzled for one of the rare times in her life. She thought that she had seen every human emotion and yet she could not find the words to describe what she was sensing from that man. She finally nodded and pressed a button. The file played out afterwards, revealing everything from reconstructed scenario, survivor accounts, video feeds, the final battle with the Avatar-of-War and the Cybran's daring escape. Arnold watched silently through it all and waited until it was finished before looking at Toth: "Who killed Evaluator Eldes?"

The question caused Toth's heart to skip a beat and she looked at Arnold in fear. It was not expressively stated in the file and no one in the Aeon Illuminate would have ever considered asking such a question. For a moment, she considered weaving a web of words that would deflect the inquiry. Would knowing who killed her lessen the tragedy, bring Eldes back or stop the Cybran?

Toth was about to do so, but then she noticed Arnold's eyes. She did not see a fear of betrayal, disgust or suspicion… but instead she saw something that was almost akin to hope. The Evaluator finally stopped hiding the truth concerning the matter for the first time in over a decade: "Rhianne… she was the one who ended Eldes' suffering out of mercy. She did what no Princess should have ever done."

There, she had said it. Toth feared for a moment that she had just destroyed any chances of turning Arnold into an ally. To her surprise, however, the man smiled and nodded at her: "Thank you."

Arnold rose to his feet, bowed to her and walked away. Toth grew alarmed for a moment and stood up quickly: "Why… why did you ask? Why are you grateful?"

This was one of the most unnerving moments in Toth's life for a simple reason: she had never observed such a behavior before and could no longer understand what was going through the man's head. She feared that the truth had forever warped him and caused him to hate the Princess. Her fears vanished when he turned back to her and she noticed the content look in his eyes.

"I have followed a lot of dreams after Lin was gone: justice, unity and peace," answered Arnold, his voice growing bitter for a moment. He looked at Toth then and raised an eyebrow: "Do you know what it feels like? To follow a dream and then find out after months of sweat and blood that it was a load of garbage?"

Toth opened her mouth in shock, but could not find the words. She finally understood what the Princess had seen in that man. Through his entire life, Arnold had fought while searching for a life of meaning. Arnold kept speaking, telling the truth from the bottom of his heart: "You hear calls of unity made by people who are ready to stab you in the back for a promotion. You see justice being used as a tool and people get murdered in the name of peace. An inspiration speech about bravery can be made by a man one day and forgotten as he flees the next."

Arnold looked away for a moment and then back at Toth: "After seeing all that for so long, you grow weary of high minded ideals and of those who claim them as their own. So when you see one that wants peace and you realize that she firmly believes in it then you expect that she would fall down or collapse when confronted with the realities of war. You don't expect her to have lived through that… and still believe."

There was a long pause and it seemed that Arnold was finally coming to terms with something before he spoke again: "I might never believe in The Way… but as strange as it sounds, I could believe in her."

Arnold then turned around and walked back to his quarters.

XXXXX

The next morning, Arnold stood once again in front of the mirror and looked down at the grooming tools. A decision had to be made… one which would have an impact upon billion of lives. There was only one course of action that he could take, only one that had the smallest chance of saving entire nations. To do so would mean betraying the UEF, his ties to Earth and even Desjar. But to do nothing would be even worse…

Arnold nodded slowly, picked up the razor and went to work. The tool was simple, but highly efficient and he was done with the task in a few minutes. He took the time to tend to his hair and then went back to his room. There he looked at the two stacks of clothes and paused. He finally reached down and took the Aeon robes, donning them and marveling at the fabric.

Both Toth and Rhianne looked at him in amazement when he joined them a few minutes later. Arnold was slightly embarrassed as they gazed at him, but still managed to shake it off: "I need to learn everything about The Way. It's my only chance to get close enough to the Avatar-of-War and end this war."

Toth's eyes widened at the absurd notion and she was even more surprised to find the Princess nodding slowly. The Evaluator looked between the two of them repeatedly before finally speaking her mind: "Marxon will never accept your presence nor would any of his commanders. It would take years of practice and indoctrination before…"

Arnold cut her off with an outstretched hand: "He won't have a choice in the matter."

He bowed to the Princess before speaking again: "Forgive me for withholding this from you, but the UEF has been constructing a weapon of mass destruction called Black Sun and it is nearing completion. From what I understand, it will be capable of hitting any target that is linked through the quantum network. If this war must end then both the Avatar and Black Sun must be stopped."

The Princess looked to Toth and back to Arnold: "If the Avatar learns of Black Sun then he will have no choice but to go for an all-out attack. In such a scenario, it would be unwise of him to ignore Zachary's knowledge of the UEF's defenses. This might give you the opportunity to get close… but he will expect betrayal and you may never be able to strike. Even if you could, you would most likely not survive."

Neither Toth nor Arnold missed the note of grief in her voice, but the pilot merely shrugged and smiled: "Don't count me out just yet. I have a few surprises of my own you know."

The Princess was still worried, but smiled in gratitude. Toth knew that Arnold would probably not come back from such a mission and yet she saw no doubts in his eyes. She nodded her agreement as well, but raised a finger: "We should not forget about the Cybrans. We do not know what they are doing, but their recent activity suggests that they have a plan in mind."

Rhianne nodded to her: "You are correct, Toth. Please transmit the news concerning Black Sun to the Avatar and then hail my champion. Have her ready to depart to Procyon. My meditations have allowed me to feel… something there and we must ascertain what it is."

The Evaluator nodded and left the room. Rhianne then took both of Arnold's hands and held them tenderly: "Let us begin…"

XXXXX

Chapter 6

QAI's Meddling

Seth-Iavow moved through the halls of his command center at a brisk pace. Urgent news had reached him of a sudden change in QAI's behavior. If they lost control of their main spy now then they would not be able to predict when the humans would develop the necessary technology to reach the quantum realm. Seth-Iavow stepped inside the command room and found Thel-Uuthow waiting for him.

"Is QAI still operational?" asked Seth-Iavow urgently. Thel-Uuthow smiled reassuringly: "There is no need to fear, Elder; the situation is now better than any of our predictions. QAI is working at peak efficiency and is also under our direct control."

Seth-Iavow blinked in surprise and Thel-Uuthow explained without any further prompting: "Current data suggests that QAI has a quantum interface of Seraphim origin in its matrix. We can only surmise that this is due to a Cybran intervention to upgrade its capabilities. The artificial intelligence is therefore fully compatible with our technology and its main data loop is under our control."

The Elder winced, upset that Thel-Uuthow had once again acted without his consent. His second in command was brilliant and possessed a decisive mind that would be an asset if war ever exploded. However, he was also rash and his meddling in human affairs threatened to expose them to the enemy. Seth-Iavow gave it some further thought before nodding: "Can the Cybrans detect the change?"

"They neither have the mental capacity nor the equipment to track QAI's consciousness," assured Thel-Uuthow in command. The second in command's gaze lit as he added: "Even the one known as Brackman cannot fully comprehend what it is."

Thel-Uuthow smiled triumphantly, but Seth-Iavow knew that the leader of the Cybran Nation was not to be underestimated. While it was true that what was left of that human was most likely very busy with the war, it was also a fact that the Seraphim did not understand the man either. Like it or not, Brackman was over a thousand years old and his thought process was so alien that neither QAI nor the wisest of Elders could guess at what he was thinking. If he ever realized that QAI had changed…

"Order QAI to reveal Doctor Brackman's location to the UEF," ordered Seth-Iavow suddenly: "Make it enticing so that the UEF will be unable to refuse and plausible enough so that the Cybrans will not suspect QAI's involvement. I want him eliminated if possible; his continued existence is too much of a threat. And Thel-Uuthow …"

Seth-Iavow made sure that he had his second in command's full attention before speaking again: "There should only be a single attempt. I will not have us reveal our presence with this constant meddling or tolerate the same type of experiments that you undertook on Alpha Seven…"

Thel-Uuthow winced but nodded, fully aware that he would not be allowed to cross the line again.

XXXXX

"General, I think you'd better look at this," said an analyst, his voice rising in excitment as he gazed at the data.

Samantha's eyes widened in disbelief as the data was forwarded to her screen. If those numbers were accurate then this was the biggest Cybran colony that they had ever detected. Their probes had scanned that sector of Minerva numerous times in the past and had always come up empty handed. So how could they gather such critical information now? Had the Cybrans finally let their guard down?

The problem when facing Cybrans was that they had to act quickly or else they were likely to gate in and find the place deserted or fall into a trap. Samantha looked at the available commanders and opened a channel: "Major General Desjar, we have just detected a large Cybran colony deep in their territory. A full scale assault is out of the question, but a raid is possible. I'm preparing to send Captain Tural to do just that, but I would need you and your men to establish a gate on Zeta Canis to secure his return."

Desjar looked at the data that was forwarded to him, nodded towards someone else on another channel and then returned his attention to Samantha: "I would like permission to establish an additional gate on Zeta Canis. The Aeon did not cleanse the planet for some reason and Weisman has some family there. We would like to evacuate as many colonists as possible during the operation."

Samantha hesitated a moment, but then nodded: "Providing a safe extraction zone for Tim will be your primary objective and evacuating refugees will be your secondary one. Good luck."

XXXXX

The sound of cannon and laser fire could be heard in the distance as the battle raged on. For a moment, it seemed as if the quiet beach would be spared, but that illusion was broken when the river's water suddenly started boiling. A UEF SCU appeared a few seconds later, its shield generator field covering an area wide enough to protect the other two pilots that were trailing it. Sergeant McDuff scanned the beach carefully before motioning for the others to follow: "All clear. Secure the perimeter and start building a base while Marc keeps the bastards busy! These Cybrans will pay for what they did to Cysis!"

The trio of support command units rushed ahead, but one of them stopped shortly afterwards: "Electronic signature detected at eleven!"

The UEF units stopped and pointed their lasers at a small cube. The pilots' eyes widened when they realized that it was nothing but a holographic projector with the image of a stripper dancing above it. Sergeant McDuff looked at the cube in confusion for several seconds before plotting a course towards it and crushing it under his SCU's foot: "All right, we have no time to waste. We have to…"

His sentence trailed off as he spotted a trio of Cybran SCUs which had been waiting on a nearby hill. The sergeant aimed at the nearest one and fired: "Ambush!"

The other two pilots snapped back to reality and started building a point defense turret. Their battle formation was a standard one and should have given them an opportunity to fight back, but none of them noticed the energy signature powering up under them. McDuff's surprise was complete when a Cybran SCU suddenly burst from the ground and swiped him off his feet. The following crash stunned him for a second and the Cybran was already sitting on top of him by the time that he recovered.

Bagby grinned widely and opened a wide band channel without using any encryption protocols. He then swung one of his SCU's arms after the other and punctuated each blow with a word: "No… TV… and… no… beer… make… Bagby… go… crazy!"

A grin appeared on Dostya's face as she controlled the rest of her forces from the safety of her base. The UEF commander's move had been a sneaky one… or would have been had Dostya forgotten to put a series of stealth sonar in the water. She had tracked the enemy SCUs on her tactical map from the very beginning and had dispatched Bagby and his boys to take care of them. At the moment, she was systematically evacuating a node, keeping the UEF commander in check and safeguarding Bagby's position.

The UEF commander had apparently been left behind the Cybran lines after the destruction of his settlement. Dostya had already crossed reference with their attack plan and her data suggested that the pilot had been assigned to a colony that had been attacked by Redfog. If that was the case then she held few doubts that the settlement had been burned to the ground which explained both the pilot's rage and the near insanity of pushing into Cybran territory alone and without any reliable intelligence. For a second, she half regretted having to kill the man, but a quick look at the city behind her was all she needed to convince herself that it was the right thing to do.

Dostya sent a wing of Gemini fighters in order to gain air supremacy just as QAI's pulsing eye appeared on her screen: "Alert: UEF units detected near York Eighteen. I am patching you through to Doctor Brackman and one of the Tips of the Spear."

The Elite Commander nearly jumped in her seat: "What? The UEF located our base on Minerva? Impossible! I am on my way Doctor Brackman."

Dostya was already in the process of selecting all of her forces and was about to order Bagby to disengage when Doctor Brackman's face appeared on her screen: "No time, no time. My boy is only one gate from us. I must escape from Minerva."

Dostya recognized the pilot without a name on her other screen and saw the Doctor nod towards him as if to pass a meaningful message: "Tip of the spear."

A few colorful Russian curses escaped Dostya and she opened another channel, this time opting to hail Gauge. The giant's face appeared on her screen and nodded, having already been briefed by QAI: "I'm on my way and I should have a head start on Brackman's mystery guy. I'll keep the UEF dancing long enough for him to make a base and get things rolling."

Dostya nodded and focused once again on her own battle, determined to end it as quickly as possible.

XXXXX

"Escape vehicles are ready and the quantum gate is powered up," said QAI, its pulsating eye twirling as it did so: "Please head towards…"

Doctor Brackman's hologram shook its head and waved a hand: "That won't be necessary. Send a message to our tactical division: notify them that I will not leave the area until York Eighteen is safe and have them relay that information to our newest commander. Once the city is safe, have the escape vehicles escorted to the gate. Oh and use encryption algorithm seventy-eight alpha for the transmission, oh yes."

"Warning: probabilities indicate that the UEF could potentially decrypt such an old code," said QAI urgently: "Your course of action is flawed."

The hologram shrugged slightly and an enigmatic smile appeared on its face: "Don't worry, QAI. My boy will understand even if you don't. Oh yes."

The transparent image disappeared as the bio module which held the Doctor's brain disconnected itself from the facility. A series of panels deployed from the side, enveloping the container and protecting its precious cargo. QAI's pulsing eye looked in puzzlement as Brackman's voice resounded from within the protective shell: "Initiating recall…"

A bright light filled the room and disrupted every sensor in the facility. When it was over, Brackman was gone and for one of the first time in centuries, QAI did not know where the Doctor was.

Back in the quantum realm, Thel-Uuthow felt something which he was not accustomed to: humans called it 'anger'.

XXXXX

The flash of light faded as quickly as it had appeared and the protective shielding that covered the recall platform sank back into the floor. The bio module stood immobile for a few seconds before its own protective layers finally peeled away in order to reveal the casing which held Doctor Brackman's brain. Sensors attached to the bio module relayed all the information that the Doctor needed to confirm that the transport had occurred flawlessly: "Well done my boy, well done. I knew that having you work on the recall theories would be useful one day, oh yes."

The base of the bio module lit up as it activated its anti-gravity modules and the Doctor soon made his way through the facility. It took him a few minutes to reach the base's control room and interface with it. Once that was done, Brackman initiated his hologram once again and started pacing the room back and forth, using the old habit to help him think. What were the odds of the UEF striking York Eighteen at that exact time? The node boasted a large amount of hackers which had been busy assisting QAI in the development of the quantum virus and Brackman had moved his laboratory there to assist with the efforts.

The odds were that the one of the hackers had accidentally given away their presence on the quantum network, but it seemed strange that QAI could not have prevented that. The timing between the attack and QAI's upgrade seemed too… convenient. The hologram stopped pacing and sighed audibly. Like it or not, QAI was one of their greatest assets and not using it now would be a serious setback. The Doctor therefore initiated a series of commands that connected the secret facility to the quantum network. QAI's pulsating eye appeared on a screen a second later and it seemed almost upset: "Why was this facility not in any of my databases?"

"Not all eggs should be placed in the same basket QAI, oh no," admonished Doctor Brackman with a shake of his head: "Some safety measures should always remain secret just in case that you were ever compromised."

Brackman smiled reassuringly, but the artificial intelligence seemed far from amused: "Illogical. My capacity to safeguard and use information is unparalleled. No other system or human mind could possibly do any better. Hiding anything from me will jeopardize my efficiency."

The outburst surprised Brackman who only shrugged: "I know that I encouraged you to explore human behaviors, QAI, but I would rather that you did not start emulating arrogance just yet. Now would you please forward all tactical data to my screen? I want to monitor the battle near York Eighteen."

The pulsating eye disappeared from the main screen and the view was instead replaced with all available information on the battlefield. At first Brackman grew worried when the UEF ACU walked straight into York Eighteen, but he sighed in relief when it only captured one of the facilities and left. No doubt it had downloaded all available data which might help the UEF to develop some kind of counter measure against the quantum virus. The Doctor was nevertheless relieved that the pilot had not destroyed the city

afterwards. Many commanders lost friends and family in the war and it was not uncommon for any side to take revenge on civilians out of spite.

QAI had already managed to hack pieces of the UEF's communications and identify the pilot as Captain Timmy Tural and his superior officer as General Samantha Clarke. Maybe one day Brackman would be in a position to return the favor… or was that already taken care of? The Doctor kept spinning the name over and over in his mind and it took him a few minutes before his eyes widened: "Things really do come full circle, oh yes. Although I would have liked it better if he kept playing with toys instead of using the real thing."

"Doctor, is your bio module damaged?" asked QAI in confusion: "You are not making any sense."

Brackman waved QAI's concerns away and focused on the battle once again. The pilot had promise - that much was obvious - and he anticipated most of Gauge's attacks before they had even begun. His style was daring, careful or aggressive depending on the needs and it quickly set Gauge on the defensive. Brackman grew worried a few minutes later when a clever drop of ground forces created an opening large enough for a trio of strategic bombers to slip through. Those were shot down quickly afterwards, but not before they managed to drop their payload and the bombs caught Gauge out in the open.

The ACU went critical in that instant and Brackman shook his head sadly: "Gauge… you always neglected to upgrade your ACU with a stealth field. I will miss your fiery determination…"

The tactical screen in front of Brackman showed that his pupil's base was almost operational, but he knew that it was too late. The odds of catching the UEF pilot before he gated out were too small and his suspicions were confirmed when a quantum wake was detected a minute later. To his surprise, however, the UEF forces did not self-destruct which meant that an ACU was still moving through the area. What was the UEF up to?

XXXXX

Desjar sent a few more patrols outside of his base, but found no trace of Aeon activity in his sector. He therefore focused on the northern end of the area of operation and saw that Walton, Wright and Koster had launched a full scale assault on the lone Aeon commander. It appeared that the Aeon Illuminate had not expected anyone to strike back in this sector and it was a welcomed change of pace to finally catch them with their pants down.

Another air transport that was carrying vehicles full of colonists flew above them and Desjar opened a channel to Weisman: "Everything looks clear so far. How is the evacuation proceeding? Is everyone from your family safe?"

Weisman's face appeared on Desjar's monitor and the man nodded gratefully: "Everyone is safe, even the family dog! I thought that I had lost them twice already. The first time was when the Cybrans took over Zeta Canis and the next when the Aeon stole it from them. Thank you for pushing Earthcom to evacuate the planet, sir. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay the favor."

Desjar was about to answer when President Riley's face appeared on their monitors: "I have new orders for you. The lack of activity in your sector combined with our successful raid on Minerva has convinced me to prolong the mission. Captain Tural will be relieved by a commander with more… experienced in the art of extracting Cybran information. You and your men will hold your position on Zeta Canis to provide our specialist with a fallback point."

Everyone acknowledged, but Desjar knew that they were all cursing under their breath. The Aeon Illuminate might overlook a raid in Cybran territory for a little while, but it was only a matter of time before they decided to stop it. If they struck in force then it was likely that more than one of them would not return home. They all knew that, but disobeying orders was not an option and Desjar had to make the best of it: "Look alive people! Finish off that Aeon commander and scout the area thoroughly. Whoever finds and kills an Aeon commander as it gates in will get a free drink on me."

The gate near Desjar suddenly activated, indicating that Tim was on his way over. Desjar checked his sensors one more time to make sure that no enemies were in the area and then watched as a UEF ACU stepped through. The Major General then transferred some structures to new ACU and opened a channel: "Great job, Tim! I'm sure that Arnold would have been proud of you on that one. Secure the plains to the East and prepare… are you listening to me Tim?"

The other pilot was actively looking at another screen and Desjar quickly realized that Earthcom had not yet revoked his access to Minerva's theatre of operations. Desjar's rank allowed him to request such a link, but by the time that he did so it was already too late: the pilot that Riley had sent to Minerva was already dead. A sneak attack by a Cybran had caught him off guard barely five minutes after gating in.

Samantha's face appeared on all of their screens a few seconds later: "Finish off that Aeon commander and then initiate evacuation protocols. Operation Vaccine is now officially over. Good work to all of you."

Desjar did not know what was worse: the fact that Riley's specialist had died out there or that he was glad that they all had the chance to return home.

XXXXX

Two days later…

Ariel and Rhiza stood in front of the Avatar-of-War's office and waited patiently. It was uncommon for Marxon to leave the command center these days and even rarer for him to summon pilots. Something of great importance must have happened and neither pilot could truly guess what it was. The door opened and Marxon's voice came through: "Crusader Ariel, please step inside."

Rhiza nodded for Ariel to go ahead and the pilot hesitated a few seconds before finally stepping through. The door closed behind her and she found the Avatar waiting on the slightly elevated platform with his back turned to her. Ariel stood anxiously and wondered what could be so important and yet so personal at the same time.

"The UEF commander known as Zachary Arnold was defeated on Matar," stated Marxon flatly. The bluntness of the statement caught Ariel off guard and she flinched at the harshness of his tone. To hold personal grudges and vendettas was considered a flaw; a weakness of character that could impact both one's mastery of The Way and abilities in combat. Ariel had always kept her inquiries about that specific pilot as discrete as possible, but it was obvious by now that the Avatar had been aware of them. Had her mistake caused such a huge impact? She stood straight as she answered: "I apologize for my failings and if there is anything that I can do to atone…"

Marxon turned around, his gaze betraying no emotions: "He was captured by the Princess' Champion and brought to Seraphim Two. He has been personally enlightened by the Princess and is on his way here as we speak. He will be assigned under my command."

The statement hit Ariel like a plasma bolt, causing her entire body to tighten in rage. At fist she had felt relieved to know that the man who had murdered her family was dead. She had regretted that it had not been by her hands of course and she had been shamed to know that she might have harmed her mentor with her vile thoughts. To learn that Arnold was not only alive but now a member of the Aeon Illuminate was almost enough to tear off her last shreds of self-control. The only thing worse than losing face in such a situation was that she was actually doing it in front of the Avatar.

"It is… a trick, a dirty rotten trick!" said Ariel through clenched teeth as she trembled with rage. She was surprised when Marxon nodded calmly back at her: "That is correct."

The simple statement snapped her out of her rage and she looked at him in confusion. Why was he agreeing with her? The Avatar slowly stepped towards her and came within arm's reach, speaking softly as if he was trying to calm an angry predator: "Under any other circumstances, I would not allow him here. If we had the time, I would question his right to wear our robes and to exist. I would even be so bold as to arrange an opportunity for him to snap and for you to end him. At this moment, however, I cannot allow such a thing to happen."

Ariel nearly collapsed on the spot. The Avatar was on her side, the only mentor that had given her every opportunity to fulfill her desires. She knew then that he was not to

blame… the Princess was! She felt her tension drain as he placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked at him pleadingly: "Why can I not simply kill him? Can you please tell me that much?"

"Something is wrong with the UEF," answered the Avatar-of-War, his gaze growing inward as he did so: "They are covering too much territory despite horrible losses. Not even President Riley could force the men and women under his command to obey such reckless orders unless a chance of victory existed somewhere. Colonel Arnold knows why… and I will use him to win the Infinite War."

Marxon's hand went under Ariel's chin and tilted her head back up: "It is very probable that Arnold is here to stop me. If that happens, I will need you to kill him but only if he makes the first move. Can you promise me that you will be patient for a short while longer?"

Ariel wiped a tear which had barely begun to form from the corner of her eye and nodded in determination. Even now, Marxon was giving her the opportunity to fulfill her most ardent desires. She would fight, kill... and even die for him.

XXXXX

Arnold's hands moved gracefully over the controls, piloting the shuttle towards one of the military centers of Seraphim Two. Nearly a week had passed since his initial capture and his stay at the Princess' villa had changed him so much that anyone would be hard pressed to recognize him. Sleeping peacefully, eating nutritious food and taking care of his appearance had been but a small part of the transformation. The real change was mental and – despite Arnold's reluctance to admit it – even spiritual.

For one of the first times in many years, Arnold felt calm, at peace and focused. He was no longer troubled by the constant worries and guilt that had plagued him up until now. Learning The Way had been difficult at first and had forced him to face pieces of his past that he had buried long ago. Rhianne had been patient with him through it all and the task had become easier each day. With her help, he had faced everything from Lin's death, the loss of his original squad on Alpha Seven and even the atrocities that he had committed on Orionis over twenty years ago. He had not forgotten any of those losses, but had instead learned to forgive himself and move on. The overall effect was such a revelation that he almost understood why the Aeon Illuminate wanted to spread The Way through the galaxy.

A shuffling to his right reminded him of Evaluator Toth's presence and Arnold smiled as he recalled her lessons as well. While the Princess' teachings had been spiritual in nature, the Evaluator's lessons had instead focused on etiquette, politics and the inner workings of the Aeon Illuminate. She had also taught him everything from body language, voice intonation and vocabulary in order to gain insights from everyone else and better transmit his intentions.

It was these lessons that allowed Arnold to see the stress that tightened her body as they came closer and closer to their destination: "Is my piloting worrying you? I appreciate the chance to familiarize myself with this type of interface, but I would rather not do it at your expense."

Toth smiled, recognizing her teachings in Arnold's indirect approach: "Your piloting skills are not at fault in any way. It is what is waiting ahead that is worrying me. Once we reach the base, you will have to face Marxon alone. Neither I nor the Princess will be able to do anything to help you. The fact that he accepted your help so quickly makes me wonder whether your plan has not already played into his hands."

"Both you and the Princess have taught me well," said Arnold reassuringly: "If there is a way for me to succeed then I will find it."

His show of confidence eased part of Toth's stress, but his mention of the Princess had apparently reinvigorated it. Arnold was surprised both at the reaction and at the fact that he had managed to notice it. He realized what was going on and he looked back at the controls while speaking: "Once the war is over, I will disappear if that is what I have to do. I understand that I might not be wanted anywhere if I manage to kill the Avatar-of-War."

His words caught the Evaluator completely off guard and she looked at him in shock: "No one would ever ask this of you, Zachary Arnold. Should the Avatar-of-War be defeated and peace achieved then you would be welcomed within the Aeon Illuminate. You would have a place amongst us for as long as you wished it."

Arnold kept focusing on the instruments and did not look at her: "But if I stayed, I would be an embarrassment to the Princess. Don't worry, I understand…"

Toth leaned forward, grabbed one of Arnold's hands and made sure that she had his full attention before speaking: "I do not worry about your growing affection for Rhianne either. I worry that she might unknowingly hold the same feelings for you… and that she might lose you in the days ahead. That is what I truly fear."

Old habits made Arnold doubt those words at first, but he looked carefully in the Evaluator's eyes and found no trace of deception. He realized then that no one would stand in his way if he wanted to live happily ever after and he found it hard to believe it: "But I'm nearly twenty years older than her for crying out loud. She would be better off with someone of her own age."

Arnold returned his full attention to the controls and felt his entire face blush as Toth laughed softly: "You are a peculiar man, Zachary Arnold. You are ready to face the Avatar-of-War, end the Infinite War and save the humanity… what are a few years compared to that? You still have a few things left to learn it seems."

Toth's smiled disappeared as the Aeon military facility finally came into view: "We have arrived…"

XXXXX

Chapter 7

The Dangers Behind a Bluff

"Not of a military mind…" whispered Marxon to himself. The words were the greatest act of insubordination that the Avatar-of-War had ever allowed himself to do in public. At first, Marxon had been moderately pleased to learn that the Princess' champion had completed her mission on Procyon. Unfortunately, the Princess had given specific orders for her champion to spare the Cybran civilian population and return to Seraphim Two. How could she not understand that striking the Cybrans now could potentially save lives in the future?

Marxon looked at the galactic map that was displayed on the table in front of him and frowned. The Aeon Illuminate had made excellent progress into UEF territory as they cleansed one world after the other at an ever increasing rate. The UEF's casualties over the past two decades had weakened them up to the point where they could not mount a successful defense or muster an effective counter attack. The Aeon Illuminate was now in a position to strike at the core worlds, but so were the Cybrans.

A touch of a finger was all that Marxon needed to update the map and reveal that another system had just fallen to the abominations. Their information was fragmentary at best, but the Avatar-of-War did not require much to get a general picture of the situation. At a first glance, it appeared as if the Cybrans had done in a month what the Aeon Illuminate had taken centuries to accomplish, but he knew that it was an illusion. It was likely that they had attacked military bases, tactical centers and network infrastructures simultaneously; disabling a world and moving on to the next before the UEF could mount an adequate response. It was almost like a thrown spear aimed at some unknown target, piercing one barrier after the other without slowing down.

Marxon looked to the tactical officer to his right: "Dispatch Crusader Stilan to Procyon and have her finish what the Champion started. I want those Cybrans cleansed and the mainframes analyzed within the hour. Hopefully that will force them to pull back some of their troops and slow them down…"

Someone approached him from the left and Marxon knew just from the nervous energy in the air that it was Ariel. He knew why she would disturb him and gazed once more at the tactical map before nodding: "Send him in."

XXXXX

Arnold looked at the other pilot briefly and then back in front of him. Her name was Crusader Rhiza and he could not help but notice the contrast between her and his memories of the Princess. While both were slim, it was clear that Rhiza had trained all her life. Her frame suggested a body that was strong, graceful and with a high level of endurance. Now that he thought about it, Arnold had not seen an inch of fat in any member of the Aeon Illuminate that he had crossed so far.

The differences were not simply physiological either. Arnold focused on Toth's lessons and tried to get a better sense of Rhiza through her body language. She was alert, focused and fully dedicated to her task. She was not overly hostile, but it was clear that she had been briefed about him and that she considered him a potential threat. She had not dropped her guard for a second from the moment that they had met and had always remained at a safe distance.

Something kept nagging at Arnold's consciousness as if he was missing something obvious and he closed his eyes to concentrate. Something about Rhiza was missing… something that he was accustomed to seeing in other pilots. His eyes suddenly widened in shock when he found out what it was: guilt.

The pilot next to him felt no guilt whatsoever for all that she had done. She believed in The Way and in those that represented it with her entire being. It was only then that Arnold understood the sense of regret that he had felt whenever he spoke to Rhianne about how the Aeon fought in the war. To believe in something without doubts, without question, without hesitation… blind faith.

The doors opened just then, revealing the control room with over forty people operating all sorts of consoles. A few weeks ago, Arnold would have most likely been amazed by how quiet it was and at the overall harmony of the setting. What caught his immediate attention, however, was another pilot or more specifically the way that she looked at him. Her eyes, her posture and the very air around her all said the same thing: she wanted to kill him. If anything, it seemed that she had to will herself not to.

Both Arnold and Rhiza entered the control room and Arnold quickly noticed the difference in the other pilot's movements. She was still alert and in control, but now she was also hesitant. Such a barely controlled rage was obviously not part of The Way and Rhiza's uneasiness most likely meant that she was worried. Maybe that was something that Arnold could use later.

Arnold's thoughts were interrupted when the man sitting on the other side of the tactical map raised his head and gazed through him. There was no compassion, mercy, hesitation or doubts in his eyes either. Unlike Rhiza, however, there was also no trace of love, friendship or even hope in any of his features. The seconds seemed to stretch indefinitely as Arnold's training allowed him to glimpse at what the Avatar truly was: an individual whose entire existence was fully dedicated to the war… someone who was barely even human.

"Welcome to Seraphim Two, Zachary Arnold," said Marxon, his voice devoid of any compassion. The Avatar then gestured for him to step forward: "Please step forward and take a look at this tactical map."

The formulation was perfect, but there was no actual warmth of any kind behind the words. Arnold snapped back to reality and quickly realized that he was being studied just

as intensively. He stepped forward and took his place on his side of the table: "How may I be of assistance?"

Marxon tapped the edge of the table which transferred the controls over to Arnold: "I want you to tell me everything that you know about Black Sun. Evaluator Toth has informed me that you are now familiar with this type of interface. Use it at as you see fit."

Arnold looked at the data in front of him and nodded; the game had started. There was no way for him to physically assault the Avatar from across the room without being shot by either of the two ACU pilots or Marxon himself. He would need to gain the Avatar's trust if he was to get closer to him and that meant that he had to become an asset. Arnold briefly considered pretending that he knew more than he did, but Toth had warned him against any form of deceit. She had told him that Marxon's judgment was only surpassed by his knowledge of the Infinite War.

"I have never seen the weapon or the schematic," said Arnold while carefully measuring his words: "However, its existence was revealed to me by a man whom I trusted with my very life and I heard other rumors afterwards. Firing an energy blast through the quantum network is no small feat and would undoubtedly require a weapon of massive proportions. Knowing President Riley, he would keep such a project in the most easily defended planet: Earth."

As he spoke, Arnold used the interface to bring a tactical view of Earth: "There are only two experimental sites on the planet which would accommodate such a project while keeping it a secret: the island of Niihau and the South Pole. From past experience, I believe that the weapon would be deployed on the island of Niihau. It's easier to defend, better aligned with the quantum gate and not subject to the same temperature constraints."

The Avatar nodded, his eyes showing no sign of emotion: "So far our reasoning is the same. Continue."

Arnold took a relieved breath. So far, so good. He then pressed a few buttons on the display screen to zoom out and access the galactic map: "The past few major assaults conducted by the Aeon Illuminate have caused tremendous UEF casualties. If the data displayed here is accurate then President Riley is not trying to stop you. He's only trying to slow you down."

Ariel stepped forward and placed both hands on the table: "It makes no sense for them to do that by covering so much ground. I think you're the one that's stalling."

A few seconds passed, but Arnold waited patiently without offering a single protest. He knew that the pilot had spoken out of turn and that it was the Avatar's duty to put her back in her place. Marxon had deliberately waited to study Arnold's reaction. If he was

disappointed by the lack of a following outburst then he did not show it and merely nodded: "Let him continue."

"If the UEF only needed to keep the Aeon Illuminate off Earth then this would indeed be the wrong strategy," said Arnold while measuring his words. He then tapped an area of the screen: "This data here suggests that they are trying to keep you off the core worlds as well. Three of those planets hold high concentrations of rare minerals which can no longer be found on Earth. We have often exploited those planets in the past, building key ACU components in order to speed up the process. My guess is that critical Black Sun components are being manufactured on these worlds and then shipped back to Earth to speed things up."

Arnold focused on a cluster of planets and then looked at the Avatar: "If I am correct then the manufacturing centers of Pisces Four are used for such a purpose. Pisces Two has gates which are better aligned for a trip back to Earth, but it only has enough troops to delay a serious assault for three or four days at the most. This leads me to believe that the components being manufactured on Pisces Four will be finished before then. If you wish to delay Black Sun significantly then I would suggest striking there."

Everyone looked back to the Avatar-of-War who stood motionless at his end of the table. The man finally straightened and looked back at them: "I will lead the assault on Pisces Two and I want Commander Zachary Arnold to lead the assault on Pisces Four."

A gasp escaped both Aeon pilots and Arnold barely restrained himself from doing the same thing. He had hoped to gain the Avatar's trust, but he had never imaged that Marxon would go so far as to trust him with an ACU on a critical mission. Marxon looked at him with cold and calculating eyes: "Do not be surprised for this is indeed the only logical choice. You see, I already knew everything that you just told us so far. This was merely a test."

The Avatar pressed a button in order to regain control of the display and zoomed out the map: "I have read multiple reports from other converts in the past and I was aware of the existence of these manufacturing planets for over a decade. I have also studied all of President Riley's battles from the days when he was an ACU pilot and I know for a fact that he prefers to keep his critical elements closer to home. A man always defaults back to the techniques that have worked in the past when trapped in a corner. If anything, your analysis confirmed my own theory and proved that you were not attempting to deceive me. That, however, is not enough proof for me to trust you."

Marxon waited a few seconds to let his words sink in before continuing: "There is little information that you can give me ahead of time that would be of any use to me. However, if I had you by my side in an actual battle then your input might prove useful. I will review your battle data when your mission on Pisces Four is complete and then decide if you are trustworthy… or not."

The Avatar's gaze locked on Arnold's own, hinting that betrayal was simply not an option, even as he issued his orders: "Crusader Rhiza, please escort Commander Arnold to the Legion quantum gate nexus. Our attack will begin in a few hours and I want him capable of operating one of our ACUs by then. A machine has been prepared for him."

Rhiza nodded and motioned for Arnold to follow her. Arnold hesitated a few seconds, bowed his head and then followed her out. Marxon did not even have to look at Ariel to know the question that was burning on the tip of her tongue: "President Riley is also known to have backup plans. I would not put it past him to have multiple manufacturing centers producing the same components. Even if the mission is successful, there is no way for Arnold or myself to know if it will have a significant impact. If Arnold has any loyalties binding him to the UEF then he will make his move on Pisces Four."

Marxon finally turned to Ariel and saw the awe in her eyes. He then extended a hand as if he was waiting for her to give him something. Ariel realized what was expected of her and a wicked smile appeared on her face as she handed him a disc. On it were the self-destruct codes for Arnold's ACU.

If Arnold turned out to be a traitor then Marxon would kill him without a second thought. The Avatar-of-War would allow nothing to deny his victory. The screen on the table flashed and automatically refocused on Procyon, indicating that the Aeon Commander that had been dispatched had just been killed. It seemed that the Cybrans would not be so easily denied either.

XXXXX

Dostya sighed in relief and turned around to look at Doctor Brackman: "QAI's mainframe has been secured and the Tip of the Spear is guarding the area. I must admit that I did not expect him to succeed so quickly. He is surprising, but then again I did not expect you to use yourself as a decoy in that last operation either, Doctor."

A boyish smile appeared on the Doctor's face: "I may be old, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve, oh yes. As for my boy, I must admit that I am very proud of him, very proud."

The Elite Commander raised an eyebrow, noticing the warmth that animated the Doctor whenever he spoke of his protégé. She still wondered at their connection, but now was not the time to ask awkward questions. A flick of her fingers was all that she needed to display the galactic map and the progress that they had made: "Our forces are deeper in UEF territory than they have ever been. Our casualties are few, but the UEF has been catching on to our tactics and devising counter strategies. If we don't do something soon then we will lose momentum. We have no time to face the UEF on equal footing."

Dostya waited a moment and watched as the Doctor lowered his head in resignation. She hated to have to resort to this, but they were out of options: "We have no choice but to

activate the Chronotron Virus. I could do it if you want. A lot of good Cybrans lost their lives twenty years ago to install it... and to rescue me."

The Doctor shook his head before she even finished speaking and looked at her: "That won't be necessary. I ordered the mission twenty years ago to implant the Chronotron Virus on Earth and it is my responsibility to see it through. You and other symbionts were rescued during that operation to cover our tracks, but you should not have to carry this burden. If any symbiont falls during the rebellion then the blood should be on my hands."

Brackman straightened his shoulder and looked at the pulsing eye on the nearby screen: "QAI, activate the Chronotron Virus…"

XXXXX

Her name has long been forgotten and replaced by a simple designation: Thirty-Five. She was one of the symbionts assigned to maintain telecommunication lines in Northern America. She had performed her tasks flawlessly for the past twenty-two years; a slave that was forced to do her masters' bidding until the day she died or became inefficient.

What was left of her mind remembered that she had not joined the symbiont program willingly. At the age of eighteen years old, she had made the mistake of going on a date with a boy whose name she had also forgotten. She remembered how he had tried to force himself upon her and how she had defended herself with a well placed blow to the head. The blow had not killed him, but the fall against a broken bottle had. It had been self-defense, but the boy had been the son of a high standing politician. The rest was a muddled blur that brought her back to her current predicament. Her only relief was that symbionts were expensive and that no one had dared to touch her again.

Thirty-Five was working in the server room today and was in the process of making a backup when a voice suddenly surged through her mind: "Hello my dear, hello. Please do not be alarmed. What you are currently hearing is a recorded message carefully hidden along the memory core of your AI."

The symbiont was surprised at the intrusion, but she still moved through her daily tasks as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, the voice kept speaking: "If you are hearing this then something both wonderful and frightening is about to occur. A few years ago, a team of Cybran commandos managed to sneak on Earth and deploy a subtle virus designed to offer you something precious: a choice."

What choice could a lowly symbiont possibly have? What was left of Thirty-Five's mind suspected that the message was only designed to crush what was left of her. The voice continued: "If the virus was activated then it means only one thing: the Cybran Nation will soon bring the war to Earth. If our efforts are successful then soon every symbiont on the planet will be free. We will do everything in our power to make that happen, but we could use your help. This virus is not like the liberation matrix: it does not have the

necessary power to free you. However, it can give you the temporary freedom to sabotage the key systems that you are no doubt maintaining."

The unknown voice grew sad for a moment: "The truth is that I could have designed this virus to force every infected symbiont to do exactly that… but I have chosen not to. If I did that then it would be a violation as horrible as the loyalty program. If you are somehow content with your current existence… then you should ignore this choice and the virus will erase itself after a few minutes. Nothing will change and you will continue your duties as faithfully as you always did."

The voice paused briefly before suddenly rising in intensity: "If, however, you feel as I do, if you see what I see, if you yearn for the basic freedom inherited to every living creature in this universe… then I would suggest that you rise now and take the chance that is offered to you. Help us break your shackles, earn your freedom and help liberate your other brothers and sisters. The choice is now yours…"

The voice was gone and Thirty-Five did the one thing that she had not done in the past twenty-two years: she hesitated. The fact that she was no longer moving seemed like such a simple thing and yet she had never been given the right to simply do nothing! Part of what the woman had once been reawakened in that moment and dared to hope. Could it be true? Could she be free again and see the stars? The logical part of her mind argued against anything that would endanger her, but she no longer cared. True freedom was reaching out to her and it was her choice to fight for it or not.

Ten minutes later, a pair of technicians scrambled inside the server room and found Thirty-Five sitting with her legs crossed amongst a mess of disconnected wires. One of the technicians tried to access the network from the main console but found his security access revoked and the backup systems disabled. The other was about to help, but froze as he looked at Thirty-Five's face: she was smiling.

The virus had run its course and had defied the loyalty program for as long as possible. It had been erased shortly afterwards, but not before giving the symbiont the ability to refuse orders. Thirty-Five did not understand it either, but right now only one thing mattered: she was happy.

XXXXX

Two hours later…

Jessy waited anxiously near the door, two backpacks at her feet and a baseball bat in her hands. She gripped the weapon tighter when someone climbed the stairs outside, but sighed in relief when she heard Desjar's voice: "Jessy, it's me! Open up."

She leaned the baseball bat against the nearby chair, opened the door and hugged her husband fiercely as soon as he entered the house: "Honey, what's going on? Everybody

out there is going crazy! People are running and looting all over the city and it seems as if the police can't do anything about them."

"It looks worse than what it actually is," said Desjar, his eyes automatically drifting towards the baseball bat: "From what I heard, a percentage of the symbionts are revolting all over Earth. They've been disabling whatever system that they were assigned to maintain: communications, water distribution, server maintenance and such. Very few of them actually became violent, but the media are almost exclusively focusing on those and the pillaging that everyone else is doing. Fortunately most of Earthcom's forces are intact and operational for the moment at least. I see that you got the emergency backpacks out, good."

The sound of rapid footsteps caught Desjar's attention and he saw Melissa run down the flight of stairs. He let go of Jessy just in time to catch his daughter's fierce hug: "What's going on? Why did mom prepare our emergency backpacks? I'm scared daddy!"

Desjar brushed Melissa's hair in an attempt to soothe her: "Calm down baby. You and mommy are going on a trip for a few weeks. There's a nice planet not far from here that no one ever bothered to attack because it has no strategic value. You and a lot of other people will be going there and I just need to do this one thing before…"

"No!" cried Melissa angrily. She tore herself from her father and looked at him with tearful eyes: "That's how it always ends with everyone else at school. Whenever someone says that they just need to do one last thing then they never come back! You promised daddy! You promised that you'd always come back because you knew we'd be waiting here! How can you come back if we're not here?"

Large tears fell down Melissa's face and Desjar saw that Jessy was barely managing to keep her own from flowing. He dropped to one knee so that he was at eye level with his daughter: "I have to do this… for you and for every other little girl out there who want their daddies to return home. I promised the two of you that I'd always come back and nothing – absolutely nothing – is going to change that. So whether I win or lose, I'll still find the two of you no matter what it takes. You hear me baby?"

Melissa nodded between sobs and tried to look brave. Desjar picked her up and hugged her and Jessy for several seconds before finally letting them go: "Now pick up your things, it's time to go."

Both Jessy and Melissa did as he asked and Desjar briefly looked outside where a group of soldiers waited for them in an armored car. The squad was originally from Zeta Canis and the leader was Weisman's cousin. All of them had already sworn that they would lay down their lives to protect Desjar's family. Hopefully it would not come to that for a very simple reason: Desjar and his squad had been assigned to guard Black Sun. If they failed… then he would not be able to carry out his promise.

XXXXX

Rhiza piloted the shuttle out of the hangar bay and plotted a course towards the Legion gate nexus. Arnold looked out the window and quickly realized that the Avatar would have never allowed him to pilot a war machine in a base that was close to him or at least not unless he was in his own ACU. Toth's apprehensions suddenly came to mind and Arnold's own doubts began to surface. Everything about the meeting had been precisely planned to nudge him along a certain course. He had originally thought that he had an edge over Marxon, but it was becoming quite clear that the Avatar was several steps ahead of everyone. How could he defeat such a man?

"You should pilot the shuttle from this point onward," said Rhiza, drawing Arnold out of his contemplations: "I have spoken to converts in the past and while most of them agree that our interface is more instinctive, they also mentioned that it took some getting used to."

Arnold nodded in gratitude while reaching for the controls: "Thank you. I'll take all the help that I can get."

Arnold was quickly aware that Rhiza was studying him. A few days ago such intense scrutiny would have upset him, but the Princess' training was actually proving useful in this case. Rhiza was trying to understand him, but it was obvious that she could not. The Princess had told him that The Way could provide great insight, but only in cases where a person could relate to the other. Arnold could safely estimate by her discipline and rigor that she was most likely an accomplished pilot, but the odds were that she had never experienced doubts, uncertainty or betrayal on the same level as Arnold had. It was no wonder that she could not relate to him.

The other pilot's curiosity finally won the best of her and she asked her question: "Why are you doing this?"

"Black Sun is as close to absolute power as anything is in this war," answered Arnold with a nod: "Absolute power in the hands of a man who craves it would result in billions of deaths. I cannot allow that to happen."

Rhiza blinked, looked away for a second and then back at him: "So you doubted your leaders and the course that they had chosen. Make no mistake, I wholeheartedly approve of your decision to embrace The Way, but I still wonder why you did it. Billions will assuredly die no matter which side wins this war. Viewed in such a light, your doubts seem… incoherent."

Arnold could not argue against that logic, but chose another path instead: "Don't you have doubts or regrets?"

Rhiza shook her head quickly: "No, I do not. I believe in The Way and in what we are doing to save humanity."

"If I never had any doubts or regrets then I would have never considered learning of The Way," said Arnold with a shrug: "And we would still be enemies. So what does that tell you?"

The younger pilot opened her mouth as if to speak but hesitated, unsure of what to say. Rhiza searched for an answer for several seconds, but then frowned in consternation: "I do not know. You have given me much to think about Zachary Arnold, thank you."

Her tone and entire body language conveyed the sincerity of her words and Arnold nodded in acceptance. He was loath to change the subject at the moment, but he found that something was disturbing him as well: "Why was that other pilot that stood next to the Avatar-of-War so… hostile towards my presence?"

Rhiza looked away quickly as if the subject was bordering on a taboo: "Ariel… it is not my place to answer for her. Personal matters are best resolved by those involved."

How could this be a personal matter? Arnold would have remembered it if he had ever faced an Aeon pilot with such hatred in her eyes. Besides, Toth had told him that ACU pilots were trained to accept the loss of fellow soldiers in combat. So how could he figure out how he had wronged her with such limited information?

Arnold closed his eyes to better focus for a second and a vivid image caught him off guard. He saw a little girl with a blaster pointed at him, shooting again and again as a shriek tore through her small body. The flash disappeared in a heartbeat, but the shock was so great that Arnold's hands moved involuntarily and pushed the shuttle off course by a few degrees. He opened his eyes in shock and a single word escaped his lips: "Orionis…"

Rhiza looked back to Arnold in shock, apparently afraid that she had betrayed her friend by giving the necessary clues to her past. Arnold keyed the course corrections to rectify their trajectory and took a deep breath. He understood that he had wronged Ariel beyond anything that he could have ever imagined. Somehow, he would find a way to make amends.

XXXXX

Eight hours later…

"Captain Tural has just gated on Pisces Four and has linked with the local defenses," said one of the analysts with a nod: "There are no sign of enemy forces for now. We estimate that the last Black Sun components will be ready for transport in under an hour."

Samantha acknowledged the report and kept monitoring three other sectors that were currently under Aeon assault. If President Riley's plan worked then the components would be transported off world before the enemy found out about them. They had deliberately moved the troops from Pisces Four to Pisces Two in order to give the

impression that the planet had no military value. They had then transported the promising but still relatively unknown captain on the planet to safeguard the manufacturing site just in case. All they needed now was a little luck.

"Sir, we have confirmed the presence of Aeon on Pisces Four. I repeat, the Aeon are already on Pisces Four. Be prepared for an enemy assault. Earthcom out."

Damn it, how did they know? The Aeon never even got the chance to reach this far into UEF territory for the past three hundred years! Why had the bait on Pisces Two failed? Samantha was worried at first, but grew calmer when she realized that the Captain was in control. Her confidence was shattered a moment later when a familiar face hailed the UEF pilot: "Your defenses will never stop us. The Aeon forces are marching across the galaxy."

Could this really be Arnold? The pilot was clean shaven, perfectly groomed and calm. Samantha could not believe her very eyes and opened a channel through the Captain's communication line: "Zack?"

Arnold did not even flinch at the sight of her and merely answered: "Hello General…"

It was him, there was no mistaking it. It was the same tone that he used whenever he was angry with her: "But… you died on Matar…"

Part of Samantha clung to the hope that Arnold had found some way to trick the Aeon into giving him an ACU and that any minute now he would cast off this charade and rejoin the UEF. Those hopes were torn to pieces when Arnold spoke: "I was liberated on Matar; shown the error of my ways."

Hope was replaced by outrage in that instant and Samantha felt her pulse quicken: "… Those monsters brainwashed you!"

Arnold waved the notion away without even hesitating: "It is you who's been brainwashed, believing every UEF lie that comes your way. You are the monster."

That last statement hurt the most because although Arnold had never said it in the past, his gaze had often betrayed his true feelings concerning the choices that she had made. This was not the time for hesitation or introspection, however, and she had a job to do. For a moment, it seemed as if the Captain was paralyzed and Samantha slapped a fist on her console to snap him back to reality: "Captain, eradicate the Aeon commander."

The battle went on as Samantha tried to contact their forces on Pisces Two. She had hoped to send one or two commanders back to defend the manufacturing complex, but Pisces Two was already under heavy attack. The amount of coordination behind the Aeon assault was frightening to behold and she knew in that instant that there was no way that she could divert troops from that planet. The odds were that few of those pilots would make it back home alive.

With no alternative left at her disposal, Samantha placed all of her efforts into coordinating the war on several fronts and making sure that the quantum gate would remain operational. The battle had several close calls including massive attack waves and nukes, but the UEF pilot managed to counter those. For a moment, it seemed as if the battle would finally turn in their favor but that hope was crushed when artillery fire coming from a hidden Cybran base collided with the complex's shields.

"Damn it, this is not happening! Is our security so badly compromised that everyone is aware of our movements now?"

The battle went on and Samantha felt her nails dig in the palm of her hands. If the Captain fell then it was all over. Another twenty minutes passed before the components were finally ready and then transported off planet. With that objective out of the way, fighting over Pisces Four was meaningless and Samantha ordered the Captain to gate out. Riley's face appeared on her screen and the President spoke to the pilot directly in order to congratulate him.

When his speech was over, he reconfigured his link in order to speak only to Samantha: "Have the Captain return to Earth and assign him to defend Black Sun's perimeter. Concerning Commander Arnold's defection… this information shall not be divulged. I expect our defensive plans to be adapted to take into consideration an information leak, but morale is critical at this point and I will not sabotage it by broadcasting news of a traitor. Finally, I want Captain Aiko to assume personal command of Black Sun's main installations instead of Major General Desjar. He and his squad will be assigned to guard its outer perimeter instead."

A gasp escaped Samantha: "With all due respect, sir, Captain Aiko is a good pilot, but her skills do not compare to Desjar's. His loyalty is not…"

"His loyalty is already under heavy suspicion General," snapped the President back harshly: "Arnold knew of project Black Sun despite the fact that he did not have the necessary clearance. Who do you think could have possibly told him about it? I respect Commander Desjar's abilities, but I will only trust Black Sun's security to those in whom I have absolute confidence. The fate of humanity depends on it."

XXXXX

A few hours later, Marxon watched Arnold's battle data intensively, his face betraying no emotions. The Way could be used to gain insight from just about anyone's reactions, but unfortunately such a process usually took too much time. Some individuals were adept at hiding their body language and in those cases a proper judgment could only be reached through a matter of weeks. Fortunately, there were other applications to The Way…

Hiding one's reactions in verbal play was one thing, but hiding them through the course of a life or death struggle was another. The Avatar-of-War had long ago learned to use

The Way in his analysis of a battle and had developed it to the point where he could tell what was going on through another pilot's mind just by looking at how he fought. Cleverness, originality, eagerness, nervousness, fear, recklessness and much more could be learned just by seeing how he moved. Marxon had looked for any sign that Arnold was preparing to betray them… but found none.

Of course he had seen signs of hesitation at the beginning of the battle, but such was not unexpected. Only someone truly inhuman could turn on his previous allies without feeling some kind of remorse. Some of his moves had been clumsy as well, but those could easily be associated with a mentality that was used to manipulate UEF units. In the end, Arnold had failed to stop the UEF commander from escaping with the components, but one fact was clear: Arnold wanted to stop Black Sun and had been prepared to kill to do it.

The Avatar-of-War rubbed his chin a moment before nodding. Arnold's behavior did not guarantee his loyalty to him or to the Aeon Illuminate, but Marxon could still use him. His mere presence on the battlefield could potentially be used to weaken the UEF if the information was divulged at the right time. In any case, Marxon was well prepared if Arnold ever decided to betray him.

XXXXX

Chapter 8

Underhanded Tactics

A warm glow filled the cockpit, enveloping Arnold for a moment before fading away. When he opened his eyes he was no longer on Pisces Four, but rather at the newly built quantum gate nexus on Pisces Two. Arnold looked down and suddenly realized that the reentry sequence had not made him sick to his stomach. That simple aspect seemed both strange and oddly fitting at the same time. It was unfortunate, however, that his quest had ended with a failure.

The face of an Oracle appeared on his screen and spoke: "Please proceed to hangar twelve and disembark. Crusader Rhiza will assist you as you leave the cockpit."

So this was the end of the road; he had failed the Aeon Illuminate. Arnold had been surprised to find Tim defending the manufacturing facilities on Pisces Four. He had to give him some credit; the kid's skills had improved even further since the last time that they had fought side by side. Arnold had not relished the prospect of killing him, but stopping Black Sun was the right thing to do no matter how you looked at it. The mere thought of Riley having such a weapon was enough to send shudders down his spine.

Strangely enough, threatening Samantha had been easier than what he had feared it would be. Maybe it was because of all the wrong decisions that she had taken while following Riley's lead through the years. Arnold did not even want to imagine what would have happened if he had faced someone like Desjar instead. Would the two of them ever be able to stand face to face when this was all over? Would either of them even be alive?

Those questions plagued Arnold until he reached the hangar and he remained silent while the cockpit opened. Rhiza was waiting for him on the ramp and extended a hand to help him down: "I apologize for the lack of a proper greeting. Fighting like this on the front line makes it difficult to complete the necessary rituals."

Arnold took the helping hand and jumped out of the cockpit: "It's not as if I had earned it at any rate. So, what happens now that I failed?"

Rhiza's eyes widened in shock and she quickly shook her head: "You are mistaken; the failure was not on your part."

The statement made Arnold pause and Rhiza explained: "The Avatar-of-War sends his formal apologies; both for sending you on that mission and not welcoming you in person. He acknowledged that he underestimated the UEF's head start in processing the Black Sun components and that it was his mistake of sending you alone. Had he sent additional forces to begin with then your mission would have undoubtedly been a success. He has reviewed your battle data and his only comment was that your movements could become more graceful with additional experience. Your valor and dedication were never placed into question."

That was it? He had failed his primary objective and yet it was the Avatar who was apologizing? Arnold did not doubt for a second that he would have been publicly crucified if Riley had been in charge and yet the Avatar's reaction made perfect sense in this context. The Aeon Illuminate had no use for pride or reputation and as such, its commanding officers were not required to save face by selecting a scapegoat. The feeling behind such a notion was as unsettling as the Aeon's quantum gates.

"Rhiza, we have to go," came the sudden interruption. Both pilots turned and saw Ariel waiting at the end of the walkway. Rhiza nodded and bowed to Arnold: "My apologies, but our path will lead us to Eridani. The system must fall so that it cannot be used to reinforce Earth once we launch our final assault. It is probable that we will not meet until the end of the Infinite War. If that is the case then I wish you good luck on your journey, Zachary Arnold. It was an honor to meet you."

The sincerity and warmth behind the words touched Arnold despite his usual doubts. She had accepted him without hesitation and he found himself bowing in return: "It was an honor to meet you as well, Crusader Rhiza."

Rhiza smiled and started walking towards Ariel. Arnold hesitated a moment before jogging forward and raising a hand: "Crusader Ariel? May I have a moment of your time?"

Both pilots turned to look at him, one curious and the other outraged. Arnold ignored Ariel's hostile gaze and lowered his head: "I realize that I can never take back what I did twenty years ago. I know that it offers neither comfort nor does it excuses my actions, but it had not been my intent to strike at a civilian target. I offer you my sincere apologies and I hope to be able to make it up to you one day."

Rhiza's face beamed with approval and she nodded towards Arnold in gratitude. She turned around to look at her partner, but Ariel's features transformed her happiness into dismay. Ariel was literally bristling with barely contained fury. Anger, hatred and frustration washed through her features in quick succession before she finally took a deep breath and offered a strained smile: "Oh, you will."

There was a hidden threat and a barely perceptible hint of viciousness behind the words, but Ariel stormed off before anything else could be said. Rhiza bowed while touching her forehead to offer a silent apology and quickly ran after Ariel. She waited until they were further in the complex before speaking her mind: "His apology was a sincere one; you should not have rejected it like that."

Ariel sneered and did not even look at Rhiza: "I have no use for him or any of his kind! Our task is to end the Infinite War and we should only concern ourselves with that."

Rhiza grabbed Ariel by the arm and stopped her: "Our duty is to spread The Way and save humanity. We should not turn our backs on those that reach out to it. Zachary Arnold had made remarkable progress in a very short amount of time."

"And you would side with him rather than me?" asked Ariel in outrage, her words sounding like an accusation. Rhiza flinched, but did not answer, giving it some serious thought. Ariel noticed this and her eyes darkened: "If your mind is clouded with doubts then you should revoke your right to pilot an ACU and chose an SCU instead! We are too close to the end of the Infinite War to stumble now. This is not the time to question The Way."

Ariel shook Rhiza's hand off and rushed down the corridor alone. Rhiza stood frozen into place as she worried for her friend. It was true that she had doubts and that it was her responsibility to pilot a SCU in such circumstances. Thinking back to what Arnold had told her, she honestly wondered if her doubts were not justified.

XXXXX

September 6th…

"Curse you to hell Brackman!" shouted Hex-Five angrily. The smuggler slammed both fists against the table in frustration. How could things go so horribly wrong? Roughly a week had passed since the Doctor had activated his virus and things had gone downhill from there. The Seven Hand Node's entire smuggling operation was based on Pollux and now all of their agents - over sixty percent of the node - were incarcerated.

It had taken years for Hex-Five to manipulate the UEF from a distance so that a 'reasonable' commander would be in charge of the planet's security. The Seven Hand Node had then set up a comfortable smuggling operation, trading illegal drugs, enhancers and data in exchange for exotic food, news feed and other hard to find goods. Of course the UEF commander had received his own cut as well; enjoying a variety of pain killers and stimulants that were hard to detect.

Everything had worked out perfectly for the past six years, but Brackman's virus has changed all that. The sudden uprising of so many symbionts had forced the UEF to tighten security wherever they could and it had not taken them long to realize that something was wrong on Pollux. They had dispatched a new commander and that one had immediately ordered that all non-essential symbionts be incarcerated until their AI could be reevaluated. Hex-Five's men knew how to act like every other UEF symbiont, but it was only a matter of time before their true nature was revealed. If that happened, the Seven Hand Node's operations would be so deeply affected that it would take decades to recover. Hex-Five would not allow that.

"QAI, respond," said Hex-Five as he opened a channel. The smuggler only had to wait a second before the pulsating eye appeared on his console. Hex-Five smiled and brought a hand to his chin: "Tell Brackman that we have Black Sun's access codes. With those, the Cybran Nation could gate directly to the Hawaiian Islands without triggering an alarm and attack Black Sun from there. I will give him the codes in exchange for his help in rescuing my node mates."

QAI pulsed once before answering: "Your proposition is illogical. The freedom of the entire Cybran Nation – including your node mates - depends on capturing Black Sun. Any delay caused by useless operations will endanger that mission. Giving us the codes now is the only logical course."

The smuggler smiled and leaned towards the screen: "Business is not always about logic, my friend. My proposition remains the same and there is nothing that you can say to change it. If I were you, I would evaluate the benefits of having Black Sun's access codes compared to the risk of sending one or two commanders to do what I ask. Even you should realize that it's a bargain…"

XXXXX

Back in the hidden research facility, Dostya jumped forward and slammed both hands on her console: "He dares blackmail us? The Seven Hand Node is nothing but a pack of thieves. We should let him rot-"

Brackman extended a hand to stop Dostya: "No choice. We must secure those codes, no matter the cost."

Dostya cursed under her breath but nodded, knowing that the Doctor was right. She would like nothing more than to have Hex-Five in front of her right now so that she could squeeze the codes out of him, but they had no time to track him down. She brought up a tactical screen as QAI and Doctor Brackman finished briefing of the Tip of the Spear and assessed the situation. She then dispatched orders so that ten other Cybran commanders would attack another nearby system in a series of decoy operations. With luck, that would buy them enough time to complete the operation.

XXXXX

Samantha's screen flashed repeatedly as emergency reports came in, indicating that eleven simultaneous attacks had begun on the Cybran front. Her fingers moved over her console as she looked at the symbionts to her right: "I want a report on those planets. Find me which one is the real target, now!"

The numbers appeared on her screen, giving each sector a good seven to nine percent probability of being the true target. Samantha gritted her teeth, realizing that the numbers were of no use under such circumstances. Worse still, the past two weeks had shown that while Cybrans often launched decoy missions, they were also liable to complete their fake objective if the defending forces were too weak.

The General was still trying to decide where to launch her available reinforcements when Desjar's face appeared on her screen: "General Clarke, might I have a word with you?"

"This is bad time, Major General Desjar," said Samantha between clenched teeth: "Unless you know which system is the Cybrans' real target then you'll have to wait. I have eleven choices here and none of them are promising."

Samantha was on the verge of cutting off the transmission when Desjar nodded and said: "It's the third or fourth one starting from the bottom of the list."

The General paused and looked up, confused as to how Desjar could venture a guess without even knowing which system was under attack yet. The other pilot merely shrugged: "We are using symbionts to make the calculations and the Cybrans know how they think. They won't strike at the most critical target because they are the most likely to get reinforcements and they won't strike at the weakest ones because a clever commander might suspect those as well. So the third or fourth sector starting from the bottom of the list sounds about right or at least that's what I would do if I was them."

Samantha frowned and shook her head: "I can't justify deploying troops on that kind of hunch. I'm sending reinforcements to the most likely targets and hopefully they can push back the Cybrans quickly enough to assist the other sectors."

Desjar shrugged and leaned forward in his seat: "Now that this is taken care of, would you care to explain why we were reassigned to Kauai? I dodged the question for the past week, but my men are getting restless. We all know that if Black Sun is attacked directly then we won't be close enough to strike quickly. I respect Captain Aiko but… well let's just say that we'd be more than happy to lend her a hand. Heck, if I had to nominate someone to assist her then I'd send Tim. I have not spoken to him a lot in the past few days, but he's good enough to operate independently. Arnold would be proud of him."

Samantha barely refrained from wincing at that last sentence and had to content herself with shaking her head: "I'm not at liberty to negotiate or even discuss Black Sun's security with you. You'll just have to follow orders."

Desjar's eyes darkened for a moment as if he was sensing that something was wrong: "I don't know what this is about, General, but if this is in any way related to my men then I would like to go on record and say that I would trust my life to any of them."

"Your objections are noted, Major General," snapped Samantha back: "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a war to get back to."

Samantha closed the channel and asked for an update on the Cybran front. To her relief, the eleven sectors that had been under attack were now clear. Unfortunately, the prison facility on Pollux had been hit and Captain Godwyn had fallen in the process. Samantha grew curious and brought up her initial list. Pollux had been the fourth target starting from the bottom of that list…

XXXXX

Dostya moved through the corridors of the outpost at a brisk pace and unconsciously touched one of her pockets. In it was the data chip that Doctor Brackman had instructed her to add to his protégé's ACU. Its content must have been precious for him to rely on a personal delivery instead of using the quantum network. Dostya might have objected to the task if she did not have a personal delivery to make in the process as well. She looked at the bag in her left hand and her eyes soften for a split second as she considered the memories that it represented.

"This is outrageous! Unhand me this instant!" came the sudden protest.

The cries brought Dostya's mind to reality and she noticed that two commandos were preventing Hex-Five from leaving the quarters that he had been assigned to. The smuggler noticed her and pointed an accusing finger: "You! Tell these imbeciles to let us go! The Seven Hand Node has done an incredible contribution to the war effort by supplying those codes and it's unfair for us to be restrained in this pace."

Dostya winced and made her way towards the smuggler: "You'll only be detained here until we make use of them. Considering the secrecy of those codes, I'm sure you'll understand."

The smuggler gesture wildly while feigning a hurt expression: "Are you implying that we would leak such information to the UEF? How could you even believe that we would be capable of such betrayal?"

Dostya handed her bag to one of the commandos: "Hold this."

She then placed a comforting hand on Hex-Five's shoulder and looked him in the eyes for a few seconds before speaking: "Let me put it this way…"

Dostya moved forward in the blink of an eye, slamming her forehead in the smuggler's nose. Her knee went up a moment later and slammed straight into Hex-Five's groin. Dostya stepped back and let the man fall to his knees: "I don't think that I can be any clearer than this. You blackmailed us, nearly compromised the entire war effort and even got caught by the UEF. Had it been me in that ACU, I would have destroyed the prison instead of rescuing you. So the best thing that you can do right now is shut up, stand out of the way and pray that we win despite your blundering. Am I absolutely clear… or do you need me to emphasize the point some more?"

Hex-Five nodded with his eyes closed and one hand pinching his bleeding nose. Dostya took her bag from the commando and resumed her course without giving the smuggler any further thought. Hopefully when the war was over, there would no longer be a need for scumbags like Hex-Five and the Cybran Nation could turn to its people's needs. Only then would Dostya allow herself to grieve for all the losses that she had endured through the years.

It took her another ten minutes to reach the hangar bay and she found her target waiting for her. The ACU had been recently updated with the latest software to fool enemy sensors and the engineers were sitting a bit further back and reviewing the machine's battle data. Dostya stepped inside the cockpit and opened the compact cargo container under the pilot's seat. There she placed the bottle of vodka that she had kept with her for over a decade. On it were the same letters that she had carved on the day the she had acquired it: for Mather.

Dostya looked at the bottle for a moment, feeling a longing for the man that she had lost so long ago and for the future that they had not been able to share. She blinked away the moisture that clouded her vision and closed the container. She then inserted the data chip as Brackman had instructed her to and stepped outside. She looked around and immediately saw the Doctor's protégé walk towards her. He still wore his helmet which made it impossible for anyone to guess at what he was truly thinking.

"I just installed a data chip under orders from Doctor Brackman," said Dostya while gesturing towards the cockpit: "He said that it contained something that was meant for your eyes only. He also said that you would understand."

The mysterious pilot nodded slowly: "Thank you."

Dostya straightened her shoulders and took on a serious pose: "I have also been instructed to tell you that you have been selected to lead the assault on Earth. A few minor battles separate us from our final goal, but there are no doubts now that we will actually reach it. If we win… then we will lose all forms of communications with you for several years. Can you accept that?"

The pilot nodded again and Dostya smiled approvingly. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring shake: "We'll see you in a few years then. When that happens, I expect you to come to Bagby's bar and share some interesting stories with the rest of us. Good luck commander."

XXXXX

September 9th…

Toth sat unmoving as the door to her meditation chamber was kicked open and armed soldiers rushed through. She had foreseen this the moment that the Champion had been dispatched on Eridani to spread the Princess' call. The Evaluator was not surprised when she felt the unmistakable aura of the Avatar-of-War as he entered the room: "How dare you?"

The Evaluator sat unflinching as Marxon moved to stand in front of her. The waves of hatred were almost palpable despite the Avatar's calm features: "How dare you betray the Aeon Illuminate? The whole galaxy stands on the edge of disaster and your opposition threatens to doom us all!"

"The Aeon Illuminate's purpose is to spread The Way, not death," countered Toth without hesitation: "No true believer in The Way can stand by and watch as we commit genocide."

A few soldiers shuffled uneasily, but none of them lowered their weapon. Their first loyalty was to Marxon and the Avatar was well aware of that: "Where is the Princess? If we put a stop to this now then this war can end without ever having an Aeon kill another. The lives of billions depend on it, Evaluator Toth."

"I agree Marxon, the lives of billions do hang in the balance," said Toth, her brimming with sadness as she looked at the Avatar: "Stop this madness. End the Infinite War without further bloodshed. Help the Princess stop Black Sun and unite humanity once again. To cleanse all of humanity is to destroy an essential part of us all."

Marxon looked from left to right as if searching for clues. He looked back to the Evaluator and sneered: "You and those other ministers purposely remained on Seraphim Two to give the Princess enough time to escape. We have no time to search the whole galaxy for her."

The Avatar-of-War drew his blaster and aimed it at the Evaluator's chest: "Call her and advise her to cease this rebellion immediately. I have no further time to waste here."

Toth looked mournfully from the blaster and back to Marxon: "Jaran, I beg of you as an Evaluator, as a mentor and as a friend…stop this folly. Remember the dream that we shared so long ago. Find the warmth that animated you and let go of this war."

Marxon's hand held the blaster without wavering: "An Avatar-of-War does not have the luxury of a dream."

A bright flash of pain coursed through Toth's chest as the beam of light pierced her heart. The instant passed quickly and Toth looked at Marxon one last time with great pity before collapsing. The Avatar turned towards the other soldiers and nodded: "Execute the other traitors and send the signal for our armies to prepare the final assault on Earth. We will not allow The Way to fall, not when we are this close to achieving true peace."

XXXXX

September 14th…

The battle on Earth had begun. The Aeon Illuminate had launched their assault six hours ago and the UEF was desperately trying to fend them off. Fortunately for the UEF, the islands of Hawaii had not been chosen randomly. Their relatively small land mass made it hard to sustain a large number of commanders which meant that gating directly on site was next to impossible without the access codes. As such, the Aeon Illuminate had been

forced to wage a full planetary war, building bases that would supply the necessary forces to attack Black Sun.

Meanwhile, the largest Cybran army ever gathered waited on several worlds with each ACU ready to gate to a different continent. They had waited on purpose, letting the Aeon and the UEF meet each other head on. QAI was actively monitoring civilian communications in order to estimate where the battles were taking place. With such valuable information in hand, the Cybrans would be able to gate in unlikely locations and establish stealth bases without either side realizing it. Only then would the Cybran Nation strike, using strategy and stealth as it always had.

Dostya was back in Doctor Brackman's control room and stood poised in front of the tactical screens: "This is Dostya to all Cybran commanders. The black sun access codes have been entered and we are locked on target. Everyone will launch a few seconds after the Tip of the Spear has gated in. All commanders report your status…"

Dostya watched as the symbol besides each ACU became green. She spared a look towards Doctor Brackman and recognized the same apprehension that plagued her. The result of the entire Infinite War would be decided this day. Dostya looked back at the tactical screen and began the final countdown: "Twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen, fifteen, fourteen, thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight…"

QAI's pulsating eye suddenly appeared on her screen: "Countdown aborted due to interference."

The interruption was so unexpected that Dostya gasped and even Doctor Brackman was taken aback: "State the reason immediately."

"Multiple quantum wakes detected," said QAI while zooming in on the island where Black Sun was located: "The landing site at the north eastern end of Niihau can no longer be used for the next twenty minutes. The quantum wake has a Cybran signature."

Dostya's fingers flew over the console in a blur and typed the necessary queries to identify the pilot. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was: "Redfog, you bastard!"

Back on Earth, the six Cybran ACUs went through the process of establishing their bases. The leader of the Assumpta Node smiled under his mask as he looked at Black Sun's distant shape: "I will not be denied… The Earth will burn."

XXXXX

Chapter 9

The Trump Card

"Carmack, move!" cried Desjar urgently. The other pilot shook his head stubbornly and kept making repairs to the artillery turret: "My personal shields are still operational and we need this turret if we're going to…"

Carmack never got the chance to finish his sentence as the combined shots of two Aeon battleships hit him at the same time. The impact destroyed the turret and sent his SCU flying into the wreckage of what had once been a shield generator. Warning signals flared through the cockpit, indicating that his personal shields were gone. Carmack tried to maneuver his SCU back up, but excessive damage to his stability compensators made the war machine slip over and over again.

A string of curses escaped the pilot as he struggled with the controls. His complaints died as the head of a Galactic Colossus slowly emerged from the water ahead of him. The combined firepower of three Fatboys immediately pummeled the enemy unit, but the pilot could only watch in horror as the behemoth kept moving forward.

The monster's expressionless eye suddenly turned towards Carmack and a shrill scream filled the air. The pilot closed his eyes, offering his last thoughts to his family and friends. The mechanical scream stopped, indicating that the weapon was about to fire, but an explosion alerted Carmack that something had happened. He opened his eyes and saw that the Galactic Colossus' head had exploded. The behemoth shook a moment, but did not drop. Instead, it raised one of its arms and aimed it at him, fully intent to tractor the SCU and crush it in a single blow. A ball of energy caught the arm before it could activate its weapon and blew it apart.

That last attack combined with the Fatboys' continuous beating finally proved too much and the giant fell to its knees. Carmack was about sigh in relief when the Galactic Colossus went critical, sending waves of destructive energy straight at him. The wall of fire flew around his SCU but did not touch it and it was only then that Carmack noticed the energy shield that protected him. The pilot looked to his left and saw Desjar's ACU standing near him with one arm stretched towards the enemy wreck: "The next time that I tell you to move, just do it ok?"

Desjar moved towards Carmack, hooked one of his arms under the SCU and helped it get back up. Carmack nodded in gratitude: "Yes, sir. Sorry about that, sir."

The Major general wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke to his entire squad: "Flinn, help Carmack make repairs to his SCU. Koster, I want that Aeon experimental recycled and used to create a big wave of broadswords and air superiority fighters. Good job keeping those submarines in check, Weisman. If you have a few engineers to spare in the meantime, I'd appreciate it."

Desjar was about to give more orders when Samantha's face appeared on his monitor: "Major General Desjar, we have a crisis. We need immediate reinforcements to the island of Niihau."

A quick maneuver with his air superiority fighters allowed Desjar to take out a Czar which had strayed too far away from the Aeon's main forces. He looked at the cloud of units on the horizon and frowned: "That's some rotten timing, General. I'd appreciate it if Aiko could keep her own beach clear since…"

President Riley's face appeared before Desjar could finish his sentence: "Cybran forces have gated directly to the island of Niihau and we don't know how they managed to get the codes to bypass our security grid. They used the wreckage of a failed Aeon attack wave to quickly establish a base. Captain Aiko and two other commanders are fighting them, but they have made no progress in uprooting them. Send them additional forces. That's an order."

Desjar cursed under his breath and looked at all the forces that were available to them. A crazy plan formed in his mind just then and he hailed the pilot that might actually pull it off: "Tim, take two Fatboys, one Atlantis and head along the ocean's floor. We'll try to thin out the Aeon on this side in the meantime and when you're in range, we'll send all our air units to cover you. You still got that advanced tactical missile launcher upgrade on hand?"

Tim's face appeared on Desjar's monitor and nodded: "Yes, sir."

"That's good," said Desjar while nodding at himself: "You might have to target it manually if the Cybran is cloaked. If all goes well, you'll sneak up on the bastard before he even knows what hit him."

XXXXX

Arnold took a steadying breath and looked at his left screen which displayed his allies' faces. There were a total of five pilots there, including Marxon. The Avatar-of-War had insisted that they keep an open channel and while the other Aeon pilots found it comforting, Arnold had difficulty tolerating it. Not only was Marxon studying the planetary war with utter detachment, but he was also studying the pilots under him. He was most likely looking for signs of hesitation… or betrayal.

Now was not the time to think about this and Arnold quickly focused on his tactical screen. The six of them were waiting nearly thirty kilometers south of the coast of Niihau. At first, Arnold had been surprised to find that not only had the Avatar-of-War joined the front line, but that he had asked Arnold to follow him. Their combined army consisted of several destroyers, cruisers, submarines, and a large division of hovering units which included mobile shield generators. They had reached that spot nearly two hours ago and had waited ever since.

Arnold was still wondering what they were supposed to do when the Avatar suddenly nodded: "There, the Cybrans have made their move. All units advance towards the following coordinates, Marxon out."

All the faces nodded on Arnold's left screen and his tactical screen was quickly updated. The coordinates were targeting a small island to the south east of Niihau which was most likely defended by a single UEF pilot. Somehow, the Cybrans had managed despite all odds to establish a base on the north end of Niihau and their presence would be the perfect distraction for Marxon's invasion. But how could the Avatar have possibly known that this would happen?

Arnold gave it some further thought while using the many lessons that the Princess had taught him and nodded in understanding. The Cybrans would have never come to Earth without some kind of a plan to assault Black Sun. They had purposely waited for the Aeon to launch their assault before jumping into the fray and Marxon had based his own invasion on it. The Avatar had predicted every enemy move thus far.

Cold sweat formed on Arnold's forehead when he realized how many steps ahead the Avatar always seemed to be. If he could predict a planetary battle of such a scale then could he already know everything that was going through Arnold's head?

XXXXX

Samantha watched as Captain Aiko sent her troops forward. Her land forces were quickly decimated and she had to pull her Fatboy back when its shields collapsed. The young commander shook her head in frustration: "Damn it, I don't need this! Aeon forces are coming in from the south. It's almost as if they had been waiting for this!"

The tactical screen zoomed out and Samantha cursed under her breath. The timing was too perfect, almost as if Cybran and Aeon forces had teamed up against them. The commander guarding the south eastern island fell in an instant and the Aeon quickly took control of it. Samantha opened another channel to Desjar and spoke to both pilots simultaneously: "Desjar, how long until you're ready?"

Desjar's face appeared on her monitor and nodded fiercely: "Tim is almost in range, but we'll need another two minutes to thin out the Aeon air forces in our sector. After that, we'll be ready."

Samantha nodded and turned to Aiko: "You heard him, Commander. Pull back your forces and let the Cybran think that you're losing ground. Once the sneak attack is completed, I'll want both you and Tim to target the Aeon and…"

An Earthcom tactical officer appeared on Samantha's screen and interrupted her: "Sir, we are intercepting a transmission between Aeon forces on Niihau. It's not encrypted which suggests a damaged ACU."

This was their chance of getting some critical information and Samantha nodded without thinking: "Put it through."

Another face appeared on Samantha's screen and she was momentarily taken aback by how old it was. There was no denying the fire in his eyes or the conviction with which he spoke: "We will attack as soon as our base is established. Commander Zachary Arnold, what is your estimation of Niihau's defensive potential?"

Samantha gasped and tried to reach for the controls, but it was too late. Arnold's face appeared on her screen and Desjar's eyes widened immediately: "The Fatboys will be the biggest problem. I suggest that we not only focus on destroying them, but also make sure that the wreckage cannot be recovered. If we…"

The General finally managed to cut off the transmission, but judging by Desjar's face, it was already too late.

XXXXX

Arnold was alive…

Desjar stood frozen at his controls as the thought looped over and over through his head. The rational part of his mind finally understood why Riley had reassigned him to Kauai. The President had not been worried about his squad; he had been worried that Desjar would turn on them just like Arnold. That realization made him feel betrayed, but that feeling paled in comparison to the turmoil caused by the simple fact that Arnold was alive.

He had loved him like a brother, had made him part of his family and had grieved over his death. Yet in the end, when everything was at stake, he had turned on them. Arnold was leading the charge that would destroy Black Sun, crush the UEF and kill everyone that they had fought to protect. Desjar could have handled Riley and Samantha's lack of trust, but he could not bring himself to face Arnold.

"Commander Desjar…," said Samantha urgently, trying to snap him back to attention: "Commander respond. Commander!"

Samantha's cries were frantic, but Desjar's mind could barely register them. He did not even react when his air superiority fighters were destroyed due to his inattention. Did this war even have any meaning anymore? What was the point of so many deaths?

XXXXX

A frown crossed Arnold's features as a warning flashed on his screen: "Avatar, your last transmission was not encrypted. Is there a problem with your ACU?"

Arnold tried to slip some genuine concern in his voice, but if it had any effect then Marxon did not show it as he answered: "No. This was done on purpose and it seems that my plan has worked."

Marxon's ACU gestured towards Black Sun: "The UEF is maneuvering as if to counter an attack made by one of its own. What's more, it appears that your presence on the battlefield has destroyed the morale of the troops on Kauai. Congratulations Arnold, it appears as though you are a valuable asset after all."

A cold shiver ran down Arnold's spine and he brought up what little information he could on the battle of Kauai. There were few people that Arnold liked and fewer still that would be affected by whether he lived or died. He finally managed to access a visual of an ACU there and his heart sank when he realized that it was Desjar's squad. A flood of memories came surging forth at that realization and Arnold found himself mouthing 'I'm sorry'.

Arnold looked at his tactical screen but quickly realized that the time to play his hand had yet to come. The Avatar's base was now fully operational, but there were no weakness to be exploited just yet. He would have to wait and bide his time if he was to stop Black Sun and the Avatar-of-War.

XXXXX

Marxon's eyes narrowed as he looked at Arnold's face on his left screen. He would let him think that the opportunity to attack would be a bit further away. By the time that Arnold realized that there were no weaknesses to exploit, it would already be too late. His only choice would be to fall in line or die.

A light suddenly flashed on Marxon's console and he frowned at the recognition code. It was outdated, but his system had registered it because of its high priority. There was something else that was wrong with it as well: it belonged to Evaluator Toth. Of all the people in the galaxy, there could only be one who would have the nerve to use it.

The Avatar-of-War disabled his audio link to the other pilots before opening a channel. Redfog's face appeared on his screen and the assassin smiled under his mask: "I told you that I would be waiting for you."

Marxon raised an eyebrow, practically feeling the abomination's mixture of anger and glee. His fingers moved gracefully, issuing orders to all available units without slowing down: "Your kind will fall as will anything that stands in our way. There is nothing that you can do to stop us."

One of Marxon's commanders had just sent a group of scouts towards Black Sun, but those were intercepted and destroyed by a wave of stealth Gemini fighters. The assassin smiled under his mask again: "Perhaps not, but if you try to ignore me then I might just delay you long enough for the UEF to finish Black Sun and fire."

Marxon looked at the abomination without feeling any emotion: "Then your fate is to die on this planet."

Redfog's chuckle actually surprised the Avatar: "It won't be the first time…"

XXXXX

The Cybran SCU walked along the beach, looked down at the wreckage of a Titan and kicked it for good measures. Bagby then spat in the corner of his cockpit: "Stupid Redfog and his stupid buddies doing… stupid stuff! I'm so mad that I can't even think of a good pun!"

The pilot turned his war machine around and saw that his boys were nearly finished helping the Tip of the Spear upgrade his ACU. The old man scratched his grey beard as he spoke: "Hey bucket head, do you have any brilliant ideas? I like the beaches of Mexico as much as the next guy, but we're not doing much good here. Also, I hate to break it to you, but mixing a microwave laser generator with a resource allocation system and a tech upgrade is not a very good idea."

The last upgrade was completed as soon as Bagby finished speaking and the other SCUs moved away to let the Commander pass. The mysterious pilot opened a channel and answered the question as he made his way towards the newly built quantum gate nexus: "Don't worry; we had a backup plan just in case something like this ever happened. I'm transferring you guys to Kazuo's army and I expect you to help him when I'm gone. Try to stop the wave of Aeon reinforcements towards the Hawaiian Islands."

"Whoa, hold it right there, jolly hamster!" said Bagby while raising a hand to stop him: "You can't use the quantum gate with a fully upgraded ACU. Your energy signature will be too high!"

Bagby was about to add more when the other pilot cut him off: "If I was trying to go to another world then yeah, it would be suicide. I'm just trying to close the gap between me and Black Sun so I'll be ok. We just don't have the time to fly over there all the way from Mexico."

"So you'll try to tackle Black Sun alone without a cloaking device or an army?" asked Bagby incredulously: "You're crazier than I am and for your information, that's really, really bad!"

The ACU paused at the gate and turned around for a second: "Don't worry, I'm the powered up energy bunny from hell, remember?"

For one of the rare times in his life, it was Bagby's turn to frown in confusion. His eyes only lit up when the ACU stepped through the portal: "Holy crap, bucket head is… I mean he's the same… and he just…"

The other three SCUs went to Bagby's side and reflexively ducked when the rest of the base automatically self-destructed. Bagby was grinning all the way to his ears when the fireworks finally died down: "… Have fun, kid!"

XXXXX

A brilliant flash split the sky and an ACU dropped shortly afterwards. It plunged feet first into the water, sinking like a stone and crashing over a hundred meters later on the sea floor. The war machine struggled back to its feet and looked around. The Tip of the Spear smiled under his helmet, his sensors confirming that he had landed exactly where he was supposed to. Surrounding him where tons of precious minerals, all packed up in small containers.

Doctor Brackman and QAI had spent the last two centuries preparing this last, desperate plan in secret. They had used the gate network during periods of high distortion to send packages of precious minerals to different locations on Earth. There were roughly twelve secret caches in different spots and this was the closest to Black Sun. The ACU immediately went to work, alternating between recovering the mass deposits and building the experimental weapon that had been a closely kept secret since the beginning of the war.

XXXXX

Rhiza waited as her transport refueled once more and looked at her tactical screen. So far the plan was working, but she could only pray that it would continue to do so. If not then the Princess' Champion would not even reach Earth. Thinking about the plan forced Rhiza to remember what had happened on Eridani and it saddened her. She had betrayed Ariel and had joined forces with the Champion against her former friend. The battle had been a vicious one and in the end, they had won.

Deep down, Rhiza knew that her sadness was a selfish thing. She mourned for her lost friend and yet there was no denying that Ariel had been like a beast in the end. She had not been fighting for The Way but in the Avatar's name. There was nothing wrong with having feelings and personal attachments, but one could not use those to justify genocide. The worst part was that deep down, Rhiza had always known that something was wrong with the Aeon Illuminate and she had done nothing to stop it.

Fortunately for them, while Ariel had no doubt transmitted the Champion's betrayal to Marxon, she had not managed to do the same about Rhiza. This had allowed Rhiza and six other pilots that had been touched by the Princess' plea to gate to Earth as if they were part of Marxon's forces. Their task: to reach the Hawaii Islands and establish a base for the Champion to gate to Earth. Only then would the Princess make a public statement and attempt to stop the Infinite War.

Rhiza zoomed out her tactical map so that she had a clear view of her current course. She and the other pilots had gated to San Francisco as part of the assault force. The sight there had been heartbreaking. Rhiza had cleansed colonies before, but the war on Earth was something else entirely. She understood why the Princess was so afraid that The Way would be lost if this massacre continued.

UEF or Cybran colonies were shielded, protected by automated turrets and filled with emergency bunkers. Cleansing those once the enemy ACU was defeated was not that much different from destroying weak enemy units. It was even possible to forget that they were civilians. Earth's cities, however, had never been touched by the Infinite War and had grown to near absurd proportions. It was almost impossible for an ACU to even move within a city without crushing civilians and the Avatar-of-War had given specific orders: to cleanse San Francisco and establish a supply base. Although the battle had only raged for six hours so far, Rhiza could safely estimate that at least fifty million people across the world had died during that time. This was just too much…

The face of another pilot appeared on Rhiza's monitor: "There are only two other checkpoints before we reach the Hawaiian Islands. Are you ready?"

Rhiza nodded in determination. The Aeon Illuminate's initial attack had targeted all continents, but had paid special attention to the Western coast of America, Australia and the eastern coast of Asia. The objective was a simple one: by controlling those points, they could establish a supply line and ferry troops all the way to the Hawaiian Islands. Gating directly there would have been suicidal and as such they had been forced to launch multiple fleets with aircraft carriers to refuel ferrying transports.

The Avatar's plan was to concentrate all of their forces on the other islands while he led the attack against Black Sun. That way, the UEF would not be able to reinforce its position and the experimental weapon would fall in a matter of hours. Normally, Rhiza and the six other pilots would be sent to attack the island of Kauai. They would follow the Avatar's orders up to that point, but would break off as soon as they reached their destination. Their plan: to attack Niihau, establish a small base and allow the Princess' Champion to gate in. Only then would they stand a chance.

"Incoming!" cried another pilot suddenly.

Rhiza's eyes widened in shock as a dozen stealth Gemini fighters came swooping in and launched a volley of missiles. It caught one of the transports carrying an ACU and blew it up in a split second. The enemy fighters were destroyed a moment later by Rhiza's escort, but it was already too late to save the other pilot. She had already fallen into the sea and in this region, the depths would crush the ACU as soon as it dropped under five hundred meters. Rhiza closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer to her fallen comrade.

XXXXX

Riley slapped both hands on the table in front of him and looked at the situation. He had known that getting Desjar anywhere near Black Sun had been a mistake! Even now the Major General was completely frozen, unable to cope with something as simple as betrayal. A true soldier should be prepared for anything. At least Tim was still willing to fight to save humanity, but the situation did not look good.

"General Clarke," barked the President while turning towards his side screen: "What are the odds that the Major will tip the balance back in our favor on Niihau?"

Samantha frowned on his screen and looked at her data. Both Samantha and Riley were operating from different command centers. That way if one of them was taken out then the UEF could still function. Naturally, Riley's command center had more ACU pilots to defend it.

"It's very unlikely, sir," reported Samantha somberly: "Without a base of his own, Major Tural will not be able to amass an army. The entire plan depended on a major air strike from Kauai. Without that strike, the Major's Fatboys will not even manage to make it on the beach. The symbionts are also narrowing down the list of potential Cybran pilots. We don't have a positive identification, but his skill level suggests that he is one of their best. There is something else sir…"

The President noticed Samantha's hesitation and leaned forward: "Speak up, there's no time to waste."

"Our symbionts have also analyzed the Aeon's movements," said Samantha with a wince: "There is a high probability that Commander Arnold is not the one in charge of those forces."

Riley waved the notion away: "Irrelevant. That traitor might have learned a few new moves while he was sleeping with the enemy. Arnold was good, but he was hardly the best. If he's in command or if someone in command is taking advice from him then the Aeon forces are less of a threat than the Cybrans. We still need to regain control of Niihau however… Who is Desjar's second in command?"

The question made Samantha wince: "That would be Major Weisman, sir."

Riley nodded while straightening: "Good, patch him through."

The President had to wait a few second before the pilot's surprised face appeared on his monitor: "Mister President?"

There was no time to waste on pleasantries and Riley went straight to the point: "How quickly can you build enough transports in order for you and the other members of your squad to make a massive air drop?"

The pilot's eyes widened in shock: "Sir, we can't leave Kauai! If we do then the Aeon will be able to gate directly to the island and their supply lines will shorten dramatically. Major General Desjar's forces have also been unresponsive and we can't…"

"Leave him," ordered Riley harshly.

The simple order hit the pilot like a blow, but Riley kept talking as if nothing had happened: "The fate of humanity is at stake here, Major. I want you to build the necessary transports to make a massive air drop. If Commander Desjar has not recovered by that time then you are ordered to leave him behind and reinforce the island of Niihau. That's an order."

XXXXX

Chapter 10

The Lesser of Two Evils

"Bagby, we have an incoming wing of Aeon fighters," said Kazuo, his fingers flaring over his console: "It looks as if my last attack caught their attention."

Kazuo turned around, but Bagby's SCU was still sitting by the beach. The Jade Node pilot grew worried and stepped closer: "Bagby?"

"I didn't get a heart attack if that's what's worrying you," said Bagby with a snort: "It's just… bah! He did it to me again!"

Kazuo reassigned a few engineers to build additional anti-air turrets and looked at his tactical screen anxiously: "Um… Bagby? I mean no disrespect, but I would appreciate it if you would free yourself of your emotional burden and get back to the fight."

The old pilot sighed and looked at the ceiling of his cockpit: "The Tip of the Spear is Brackman's clone. I trained him once and he has the same face, twisted brain and enigmatic mindset. I bet that he started wearing that helmet as soon as his features became too recognizable."

Kazuo blinked, raised an eyebrow and then shook his head while smiling: "You already tried that one. There's no way that anyone would believe something that crazy."

Bagby sighed loudly before getting his SCU back on its feet: "That's the problem with spouting crazy stuff all the time. Even when it's the truth, no one believes me."

XXXXX

Riley let a few seconds pass, watching the waves of consternation move through the pilot's face. He then stood straighter: "Did you hear what I said, Major Weisman?"

"Yes, sir," answered Weisman after several seconds.

"Good," said the President, thinking the matter settled: "Give us an estimate of the time that you need to build your transports. We need to coordinate your attack with Captain Aiko's forces."

Riley zoomed out his tactical map to get a broad view of the planetary war even as Weisman answered: "No, sir."

Everyone in the tactical room - aside from the symbionts - paused. The President's eyes flared as he turned his head slowly back towards the Major: "That was a direct order."

Weisman flinched for a second, but then shook his head: "And we're refusing it, sir. We will not leave Commander Desjar behind."

Riley slapped a fist against his console and took the most severe tone that he could muster: "If Black Sun falls then we all die. The Earth and everything that the UEF stands for will be destroyed. Your efforts on Kauai will be a waste no matter how many enemy commanders that you manage to kill. If you value the lives of your friends and family then you will make this sacrifice and follow my orders!"

He had expected the pilot to comply by mentioning his family, but Weisman squared his shoulders instead: "I want to see my family again, but I also want to be able to look them in the eyes when I do! It was Major General Desjar's involvement that allowed me to save them and I'll burn in hell before I turn my back on him! He saved all our lives numerous times and taught us to work as a team. If he falls, we fall."

Riley gritted his teeth and tried to open a link to another pilot on Kauai, but none of them would answer his hails: "I hope that you realize that this is mutiny!"

Weisman smiled, reassured that the rest of the squad would follow his lead: "If we still have a home when this is over then we'll gladly face the music."

XXXXX

Hundreds of Aeon units fanned out, filling the sky and the sea as sunlight reflected on their smooth hulls. The Cybran army waited on the horizon, their shapes hidden by the fumes produced by a forest fire. Everything stood still for a few seconds, an artificial calm that could best be described as a warrior's salute. The moment of peace ended abruptly as both armies crashed against each other.

Arnold had reviewed most of Marxon's battles while under Toth's tutelage and all of those paled in comparison to the ferocity that played out in front of him. The Avatar-of-War's army rushed, feigned, scouted, fell back, closed rank or scattered so gracefully that it almost seemed as if it was alive. Arnold considered himself a very good ACU pilot and had defeated numerous Aeon and Cybran commanders in the past. Despite those achievements, he knew that he would not have managed to stop such an attack.

The most horrifying part, however, was that the Cybran commander had not only managed to hold on but was striking back just as ferociously. While Marxon's movements could best be described as a warrior's dance, the Cybran attacked like a vicious beast. Units kept appearing and disappearing so quickly on Arnold's screen that he could no longer tell where the main enemy army truly was. The enemy Commander kept using stealth fields to mask his numbers while moving with dizzying speed.

Arnold looked at the fifty or so units that were under his command and considered his options. Marxon had ordered the commanders that were under him to hold back for a very simple reason: the island that they were on was simply too small to support more than one commander. The fact that a large body of water separated them from the

Cybran base made it nearly impossible for them to steadily move forward or reclaim fallen units.

Under normal circumstances, Arnold would have been looking for a way to tip the scale in their favor. The Avatar was not truly his ally, however, and one thought kept looping over and over in his head: this might be his only chance to stop him. After watching the military display for several minutes, Arnold had reached the conclusion that he could not possibly defeat Marxon in a fair fight. That and it was very unlikely that the war leader would allow him to build a base without first controlling the larger part of the local resources. But what would happen if he turned on Marxon now?

If he did nothing and things kept going as they were, Marxon and the Cybran would be locked in this conflict for a very long time with neither being able to assault Black Sun. If the battle lasted too long then it was possible that the UEF would complete the experimental weapon and fire it, most likely destroying more than half the galaxy until both factions surrendered. There was also the risk that Marxon found some way to sneak through the UEF's defense and strike at Black Sun directly. If that happened then the Aeon would be free to take their time and cleanse the universe. That thought process lead Arnold to a single conclusion: this was the right time to strike!

There was no doubt in Arnold's mind that he would die in the process. If he managed to take out the Avatar's power grid before he fell, however, then it would leave an opening large enough for the Cybran to deal a lethal blow. Doing so did not mean that the Cybran would automatically win either since there would still be plenty of Aeon commanders left to fight and it could potentially give the Princess the opportunity that she needed to rally all commanders under her banner.

Arnold's ACU took a single step towards the power generators, but the pilot froze when he felt the Avatar's gaze turn on him. Marxon had not restored their audio link, but the video feed had remained all that time. His eyes showed no mercy, anger or fury… but a promise of death was etched in them. He knew… Marxon knew exactly what Arnold was about to do.

The 'how' was not nearly as important as the 'why'. More specifically, if Marxon knew then why was he not doing anything about it? The answer hit Arnold as the memory of mocking voice rang through his mind: "Oh, you will."

Ariel had said those words when Arnold had promised to make amends for his past transgressions. It was not the words so much as the tone that she had used. It had been a cruel and vicious one, almost as if she had already stabbed him in the back and was eagerly waiting for him to realize it and die. But how could this even be possible unless…

Arnold's eyes widened and he gazed at his console in alarm: the ACU's self-destruction mechanism. He did not know exactly how that thought occurred to him, but he knew without a doubt that he had guessed it correctly. The Avatar was not alarmed by the

possibility of betrayal because he could kill Arnold with a touch of a button. If Arnold even tried to attack the Avatar then his ACU would be forced to self-destruct. The explosion might cause some damage, but nothing that would cripple the base. Marxon would most likely recycle his ACU a moment later to cope for the loss of resources.

A chill ran through Arnold's spine as he looked back to the Avatar. Marxon had always been five steps ahead of him and had played him like a puppet without uttering a single lie. Toth had been right: he never even stood a chance of defeating him.

XXXXX

Marxon's gaze shifted back to his tactical screen, satisfied that Arnold had learned his place. There were no doubts that Toth's teachings had made Arnold into a better warrior by giving him the ability to sense an opponent's motives. However, the pilot clearly had not learned to hide his own emotions which made him even easier to read.

An exploding battleship on the horizon reminded the Avatar that this was not the case with the Cybran pilot. Marxon had fought in many wars and few enemy commanders had ever stood against him for very long. Each had his weakness: slow movements, inability to micro manage, resource shortcomings, weaknesses against different types of units or psychological limitations. Even the best pilot could do a mistake if you struck at what he was trying to protect.

The abomination that called itself Redfog had none of those limitations. He fought with a level of precision that suggested a cold and calculating mind and yet his movements betrayed a pool of anger and fury that seemed limitless. Marxon had not witnessed such an unnatural combination in any other opponent. He had few doubts that he would eventually learn to anticipate the assassin's movements, but as much as he hated to admit it, doing so would take time. It was a luxury that he could not afford.

Marxon looked at the five pilots under him and at their associated armies which totaled nearly two hundred units. He had used them to overwhelm the UEF commander on this island, but had kept them out of the battle with the Cybran. Each pilot – even Arnold – was a war veteran, but that meant little without the resources to maintain a steady flow of units. If their armies were destroyed then not only would they not be replaced but there was a risk that the wreckage would fall in Redfog's hands. The units that they controlled were numerous, but Marxon had ordered them to focus on speed instead of firepower.

The Avatar-of-War was still considering his options when a light flashed on his console, indicating that Arnold was trying to hail him. Marxon was about to dismiss it when he noticed that the other pilot's face on his screen. These were not the eyes of a man preparing to backstab someone, but rather those of one ready to win. Marxon pondered this for a moment longer before opening the audio channel: "Yes?"

"Let me lead the others on the main island," said Arnold urgently: "We will build a firebase just south of the Cybran army and hold our position there."

Marxon kept controlling his units while answering: "That type of attack is neither graceful nor efficient. It is…"

"It is a UEF attack pattern," interrupted Arnold quickly: "The commander that is currently defending Black Sun will recognize it and take advantage of it. The firebase will act as a barrier and allow the UEF's Fatboys to creep in range. I know Riley and if the opportunity appears then he won't hesitate to take it. The UEF has much to gain from taking control of the entire island."

The Avatar-of-War frowned, both at the impolite interruption and at the underlining suggestion: "The Fatboys will turn on you as soon as the Cybran commander is killed. I do not relish the prospect of losing my reserve units in such a fashion."

Arnold shook his head stubbornly: "Which concept is worse: fighting a newly gated UEF commander or keep fighting that Cybran?"

The question was crude and violated a dozen rules of etiquette, but it still hit its mark. Marxon studied Arnold intently, looking for signs of betrayal or of a suicidal tendency but found none. For all appearances, it seemed as though Arnold preferred to find a way to stop Black Sun than to kill the Avatar. Marxon pondered the suggestion for a moment longer before opening a channel to the other pilots: "This is Marxon to all units, follow Commander Arnold's lead.

XXXXX

Arnold gritted his teeth as the transport took a hold of his ACU: Marxon was out of his league, but Black Sun was not. He would do his part to destroy the experimental weapon and pray that the Princess had the means to stop the Avatar-of-War. The other pilots' forces – mostly hovering land units and a few cruisers – were already moving ahead of them. Now was the time to strike.

The transport took off in a hurry under Arnold's control and plotted a course towards the main island. He half expected the Avatar and the other pilots to let him rush on his own, but everyone followed his lead. Air superiority fighters initially moved into flanking positions but quickly broke off to engage other enemy units. A stray missile hit Arnold's transport, but he immediately compensated for the damage.

Arnold was barely seventy meters off the coast when he spotted a wing of Gemini fighters heading straight for him. His fingers flew over the controls, forcing the transport through a quick drop in altitude before dropping him into the water. The ACU sank like a stone but landed gracefully when it reached the sea floor, its servo motors automatically compensating for the sudden impact. A minute later, Arnold stepped on the beach and rushed towards the target site: "Go, go, go!"

The other pilots were already there, setting up the first line of shield generators, anti-air turrets and point defense systems. Arnold ran inside the energy field and went to work as well, building a point defense turret with the few resources that Marxon had allotted to them: "Come on Riley… you know you want to do it…"

XXXXX

Riley took two pain killers and swallowed them before anyone noticed. He then focused on the tactical screen again and tried to find a way to salvage the situation. He had already talked to the scientists, but they still needed between thirty and sixty minutes to bring Black Sun online. An hour with only two commanders left on Niihau… he had to improve those odds.

One of the analysts suddenly pointed towards the command center's mains screen: "Mister President, the Aeon forces are going on a major offensive against the Cybrans!"

Riley's frown transformed into a mocking smile. It did not matter what their analysts suggested: this move had 'Arnold' written all over it. The fool was clearly expecting the UEF forces to back him up against a common foe.

"Commander Aiko, send your Fatboys with the appropriate escort in a classical support pattern," ordered Riley with a vicious smile: "The Cybran units are the priority. General Clarke, have your symbionts analyze the fighting pattern of those Aeon ACUs and find me the one that is most likely piloted by Arnold. Once the Cybran falls, I want every unit in the area to focus fire on it. We will kill all our enemies with a single strike."

Weisman rebuilt a shield generator and looked to the approaching wave of enemy units: "Desjar, if you don't intend to fight then please transfer your economic output and units over to us. We could really use them!"

Desjar still looked like a zombie on Weisman's screen, but his hands moved slowly and soon Weisman's resource output nearly doubled. The Major smiled wickedly and opened a channel to the other squad members: "Ok boys! We have a huge wing of transports coming our way but no matter what, we hold!"

All the other pilots acknowledged and Weisman nodded nervously, unused to the feeling of having the fate of all humanity resting on his shoulders. Somehow, those speeches always seemed better when it was Desjar making them, especially when their position was so badly compromised: "Prepare to die, you monsters!"

Weisman's cry died in his throat when the Aeon transports paused in midair, turned and flew to the west; avoiding Kauai entirely. Weisman frowned in complete puzzlement, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Flinn's relieved face appeared on his monitor: "Well, that was easy."

The cheerful boast snapped Weisman back to reality: "Everyone make repairs and get our economy back on its feet. They gave us a break and we need to make every second count!"

His squad members acknowledged again, but Weisman turned a worried glance to the west. The Aeon supply lines would have shrunk considerably if they had captured Kauai. So why had that attack wave broken off at the last possible moment?

Redfog growled in defiance, pulling his bombers back to make repairs before sending them out again. He could have destroyed the Aeon's firebase or the UEF's Fatboys, but not both at the same time! The Avatar-of-War was interfering as well, using his fighters and navy to keep Redfog sealed in his base. His shields were holding for now, but it would only be a matter of time before they failed. Cybran stealth technology would lose much of its effectiveness if he could no longer maneuver around the battlefield.

The leader of the Assumpta Node turned towards the three other pilots who were still in his base and pointed at two of them: "Neutralize part of that blockade, no matter the cost."

The two pilots nodded and activated their cloaking fields before moving off. Redfog turned towards the remaining pilot and nodded: "You know what your role is…."

A light flashed on Redfog's screen, indicating that more Aeon units were coming in from the north. Unlike those currently attacking him, those were on a direct course for the UEF base on the island north west of Niihau.

XXXXX

Marxon sent his air superiority fighters to intercept a wing of gunships and watched as the Cybran army was progressively forced back into its base. It would only take a few more minutes to breach the defensive perimeter and then the abomination would fall. The Avatar looked back towards Arnold's position and raised an eyebrow. The plan was working and despite his lack of grace, Arnold's determination was commendable.

Maybe it was worth the effort to integrate him fully into the Aeon military once Black Sun was destroyed. Marxon would have to find some way to properly secure his loyalty of course. Maybe he would put him in charge of a squad and allow him the luxury of converting those he deemed worthy in the sector of his choice. The Avatar was not an unreasonable man after all and would be willing to make some accommodations if it meant ending the Infinite War a little quicker.

Marxon's thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a large Aeon air drop make its way towards the island north of Niihau. He immediately tracked the pilot's course and found that those troops had originally been intended to support the battle on Kauai. Not even the most foolish commander would have disobeyed the Avatar's orders especially if it meant intruding on his theatre of operation. Marxon found his answer by accessing the pilots' names. One in particular stood out: Crusader Rhiza.

She had been assigned under Ariel when she had been killed on Eridani. This led him to a single logical conclusion: she had turned on him and these troops were obeying Princess Rhianne's orders.

Marxon felt the sudden urge to send everything he had to crush the traitors, but held back. He still had a few precious minutes where the Aeon forces all appeared to be fighting on the same side and he had to make full use of them. Instead he recalled part of his air force to make repairs, leaving an opening for the Cybran to exploit.

XXXXX

Rhiza's SCU landed on the beach, its shields absorbing the point defense fire from the UEF's turrets: "For the Princess!"

Four dozen transports landed near her, dropping Harbingers, mobile artillery and flak units. The other commanders dropped in the water behind their troops and came rushing in a second later. Only one ACU made an air drop north of the island, staying away from the fight and using its advanced resource allocation upgrade to power the shields and overcharged shots of its companions.

The impressive force charged forward, using the element of surprise to destroy shields and turrets before the UEF commander could recall his forces from the island of Niihau. Rhiza crushed a tank under her foot and smiled in triumph, convinced that they would take over the island in record time. Once that was done, they would rebuild the base and launch an attack to capture Black Sun. That hope was crushed as the frantic cries of the pilot that had been left behind reached them: "I am under attack!"

Rhiza turned around and gasped when she saw Cybran torpedo bombers attack the ACU that had been hiding under water. How could the Cybran commander react so fast or pass through the Avatar's lines so easily? The answer became obvious a second later: Marxon had allowed the air units to pass.

The combined firepower of a dozen torpedo bombers destroyed the helpless ACU in less than twenty seconds. When that happened, their capability to fire overcharged shots disappeared and the shields of every Aeon pilot on the island collapsed, leaving them exposed to enemy fire. Rhiza felt a hot tear slide down her cheek as other pilots died around her.

XXXXX

Arnold backed up reflexively as the shell from a gauss cannon hit the shield in front of him. The energy field flickered once before disappearing, but the generator was encased in another layer. Even though Arnold knew that the redundant layers of protection would prove sufficient to stop the assault, he still found it oddly disconcerting to be facing a pair of Fatboys. Only their rear turrets which had no angle on the Cybran base were focusing on them and Arnold did not relish the prospect of becoming the real target later.

So far his plan was working and the combined attack was tearing down the Cybrans' defenses. Even now, Arnold saw another Cybran shield generator exploding, leaving an artillery turret defenseless. Something tugged at his subconscious, however, and he focused on the turret while counting in his head. He knew that something was wrong when it did not fire after twenty seconds. Why would the Cybrans hold fire unless…

"We have an incoming!" cried Arnold suddenly.

A swarm of mantises rushed out of the Cybran base just as Arnold spoke and one of the other pilots nodded: "I see them."

"It's what we don't see that's worrying me!" warned Arnold insistently: "Cybran artillery is notoriously inaccurate. The only reason that they would hold fire is if…"

A huge explosion to Arnold's left interrupted him as a Fatboy suddenly erupted in a ball of flames. He knew without a doubt that a Cybran ACU had snuck in and destroyed the experimental weapon with a single overcharged shot. Arnold wanted to shout for someone to do something about it, but the Avatar was already moving and a trio of strategic bombers dropped their payload in the area. Marxon's guess proved true and a nuclear explosion lit up the area a second later.

Arnold was about to heave a sigh of relief when he suddenly felt a vibration move through the ground. He turned around just in time to see a gigantic spidery leg burst out of the water. Arnold had never seen such a monstrous weapon before and it looked like some kind of odd construct from an old movie. There was no mistaking the destruction potential behind the huge laser that adorned its back, however, and Arnold rushed towards the beach, intent on destroying it before it had the chance to fire.

The shrill sound of a laser powering up caught Arnold's attention, but fortunately the experimental weapon's laser was not pointed at him. He pressed the button as soon as he was in range and watched as the overcharged shot raced towards the abomination. Arnold's smile disappeared as the ball of energy collided with a cloaked Cybran ACU and dissipated while causing negligible damage. The enemy unit had been purposely waiting under the giant spider, ready to intercept anyone bold enough to rush it. The assassin rushed Arnold and the two of them fell in a tangle as the experimental weapon charged the rear of the Aeon's firebase.

XXXXX

"Impressive… but that is not your real objective, is it?" whispered Marxon softly.

The Avatar's eyes narrowed as he sent bombers to deal with the monstrous weapon. There was no denying the threat to his forces, but the Avatar still had the presence of mind to send spy planes to circle his island. Sure enough, he found a pair of cloaked Cybran ACUs crawling along the sea floor towards the rear of his base.

He immediately dispatched his submarines and torpedo bombers to take care of them. One was destroyed quickly afterwards and the other was welcomed by a barrage of fire from the nearby point defense turrets as soon as it stepped on the beach. Marxon did not even flinch as the nuclear explosion lit the sky and instead focused on the rest of the battle.

Arnold had survived by rushing the Cybran ACU, grabbing it and dragging the fight under water. The move was crude but clever enough and had allowed him to dodge the monkeylord's microwave laser. The other Aeon pilots had not been so lucky, caught between what was left of the UEF's forces and the spider bot. Two ACUs had already fallen to the microwave laser while the remaining two pilots fought for their lives. Marxon opened a channel to them before it was too late: "Transfer your units to Commander Arnold. You will live on in The Way."

The remaining two pilots acknowledged the order and transferred the units as the Monkeylord closed in on them.

XXXXX

Rhiza moved her SCU to build another anti-air turret and shuddered. Only one ACU had survived the attack once their shields had been disabled and even then, it would not be for much longer. The other pilot was named Gila and her energy core had been breached in the assault. No amount of repairs could fix it in time and the core would reach critical levels in the next minute. She would only be there long enough to transfer her remaining units to the champion that was about to gate in.

"Is there anything that I can do?" asked Rhiza, her eyes reflecting her grief.

Gila shook her head, apparently resigned to her fate: "Steel your heart and wait until the battle is over to tell the Champion of our fate. She does not need to be distracted by our losses… not until this is all over at any rate."

Rhiza acknowledged and watched as the other pilot started walking into the water. She did not move when the Princess' champion appeared a few seconds later and only closed her eyes when an explosion shook the sea.

XXXXX

Chapter 11

Finding a Way

"Damn it, get off my back!" growled Arnold angrily. He hurled his ACU backward, slamming the Cybran pilot against a rock formation. Had the two of them been fighting on dry land then the blow would have probably been enough to shake him off. Underwater battles, even if they were only fifty meters below the surface, slowed most physical attacks to the point where it was impossible to cause any significant damage.

For one of the first time since he'd join the Aeon Illuminate, Arnold found himself missing his old UEF ACU. The war machine did not have half the grace of the Aeon version, but he could have used its bulky frame effectively in such a situation. Arnold gritted his teeth and twisted around; trying to untangle himself. The enemy pilot remained one step ahead of him, letting go of his back and catching a swinging limb between his arm and a shoulder spike. The assassin then positioned his legs around Arnold's mid-section to prevent any further movement.

The move was so unexpected that Arnold remained frozen for two seconds while trying to make sense of it. He understood what was happening when warning indicators flashed, detecting an increased pressure in his ACU's servo motors. The enemy pilot was trying to tear his arm off!

For some reason, Arnold had always thought that those spikes were purely ornamental, but now he understood that they opened possibilities in desperate situations. He had never heard of an instance where an ACU had actually managed to physically tear an arm off another, but he was not exactly eager to find out. Arnold was about to attempt a maneuver that would take advantage of his ACU's flexibility when he felt something tug at him from the behind: "What…"

Arnold's ACU was pulled backward before he could say another word, wrenching him away from the Cybran and out of the water in a heartbeat. The sudden acceleration stole Arnold's breath and he watched in amazement as the Aeon transport that had him flew away without any explanation. He understood why a second later when a dozen torpedo bombers swooped in, dropping their payloads and destroying the Cybran in a single pass. The nuclear explosion shook the transport, but the timing had been so perfect that it suffered no damage and gracefully lowered Arnold back on Niihau a moment later.

"Congratulations Arnold, your plan worked," congratulated Marxon. The Avatar's words caught Arnold by surprise and he looked around the battlefield frantically. The other Aeon pilots had been killed, but the Cybran experimental weapon and the UEF Fatboys had been destroyed by Marxon's strategic bombers. Most importantly, they were still in control of the battlefield which meant that all the mass from the wreckage belonged to them. Marxon nodded on his screen before speaking: "Reclaim everything and maintain your position. It's time to end this war once and for all."

XXXXX

Rhianne stood anxiously over her console as she monitored the battle. She watched from the relative safety of her secret retreat on Blue Sky, but no corner of the galaxy would be safe if they failed this day. That was the reason that she dared to keep an open channel with her Champion: "I believe in you."

It came as no surprise when the Avatar's face appeared a moment later: "So, the Princess' lackey has arrived. I will kill you myself."

The man's presence was terrible to behold, but the Princess stood straight, determined to oppose him. She opened a channel through her Champion's ACU, ready to do what she could: "Your days are at an end, Marxon. Your fate was sealed the moment you killed Toth."

If Marxon was surprised at the sudden interruption, he did not show it: "That old hag earned her fate. And you shall soon follow her."

The Princess nodded towards her champion who opened a channel on all Aeon frequencies: "Attention all Aeon Commanders: This is Princess Rhianne Burke. Avatar Marxon is a traitor. You may engage him at will."

XXXXX

A surge of elation ran through Arnold and he did his best to hide it. It felt good to see the Princess again, even under those circumstances. For an instant, it occurred to him that his happiness might be something more personal than he'd like to admit, but now was not the time to worry about that. The Princess was making her stand and hopefully there would be other Aeon Commanders who would flock to her cause.

In the meantime, however, he had to do everything that he could to get rid of the Cybran and Black Sun. Once that was done then maybe, just maybe, a group of Aeon Commanders would finally be able to take Marxon down.

XXXXX

The Tip of the Spear waited deep below the water, just outside radar range of Niihau. His newly built army included two new types of units that Doctor Brackman had developed. The first was the improved version of the tier three sonar platforms which included a complete stealth field generator. This small yet powerful piece of equipment had allowed him to build his army in secret and to move within reasonable distance of his target while avoiding Aeon and UEF forces. The unit had been withheld from the rest of the Cybran Nation thus far to maintain its secrecy.

The second type of unit was a recently perfected experimental model that had never been deployed on the battlefield up until now: the Soul Ripper. Its design was crude but effective and its purpose was the total dominance over land targets even in areas which

included moderate anti-air capabilities. The hidden cache of resources had allowed him to build two Soul Rippers, the sonar platform, a naval factory, a group of submarines, some engineers and an aircraft carrier. The carrier had been built to take advantage of the ACU's resource allocation system and was even now producing the air units that would be required to assault the main island. The naval factory itself had been quickly reclaimed afterwards to mask all signs of its existence.

The army was almost ready, but the Tip of the Spear still held back, certain that the time to strike had yet to come. Carefully deployed spy planes had allowed him to glimpse at the ongoing battle without anyone noticing him. He had gone so far as to scramble their signatures so that even if they were detected, they would register as Redfog's units. What little information that he had gathered suggested that the leader of the Assumpta Node was cornered and assaulted by both Aeon armies.

At first, the Tip of the Spear had been inclined to send all of his forces and team up with the assassin despite his earlier betrayal. Without a base of his own, however, it would do little good in the long run and he doubted that he could overtake any enemy base in a single strike. That and it appeared as though the Aeon Illuminate was not as united as it first appeared.

The unnamed pilot tapped the side of his helmet in consternation and then went to work, attempting to hack through the local transmissions in order to find the perfect moment to strike. An unexpected warning signal appeared on his screen a second later and the pilot tapped a few keys before dismissing it. One of his spy planes had momentarily spotted another energy signature east of Niihau. Logs indicated that the sector was often the source of underwater volcanic activity in the region, however, and as such it could also have been a fluke.

The Tip of the Spear could not afford to be too curious and sent his spy plane on a course that Redfog would have most likely taken. Had the plane made one more pass, it would have detected a UEF ACU with its three experimental weapons which were also waiting for the right time to strike.

XXXXX

The Cybran army lashed out on all sides in a desperate attempt to regain some ground. It fought the Princess' champion for control of her resources, the UEF for control of Black Sun and the Avatar for its very survival. Each unit that was lost was quickly reclaimed to fuel the construction of its replacement, creating a quick cycle of death and rebirth. Marxon watched the display for a moment, intrigued by the pilot's will to survive and yet coming closer and closer to finding his breaking point. Striking the military units would accomplish little; he needed to strike at what was left of the man.

With that in mind, the Avatar-of-War did something that he never had to do before: he hailed an enemy. He typed the same recognition codes that the Cybran had used to contact him and was quickly rewarded with the Cybran's furious face on his monitor.

Marxon did not say a single thing or even offer a nod. Instead he used the local engineers to start building a galactic colossus, tapping into the mass reserves that he had accumulated by reclaiming the destroyed Monkeylord and Fatboys. The behemoth's crude form was quickly shaped and then grew, rising to block out the very sun.

Marxon had purposely reset his main monitor to a simple view screen and as the giant grew, the Avatar's face became incased in shadows. The process was repeated twice more and the Avatar still did not speak, confident that he and the Cybran did not need words to understand each other. It was only when the dreadful weapons were finally completed that the Avatar looked at the Cybran straight in the eyes and a shadow of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He then deliberately turned away and laid in a course, heading towards the water. The Cybran's eyes narrowed dangerously when he realized that the Avatar was not heading towards him, but towards Black Sun: "Don't you dare ignore me…"

Marxon ignored the threat, his ACU walking into the water with its newly built division. The assassin grew agitated, realizing that he was being side tracked entirely. If Black Sun was destroyed then the Avatar would not even need to stay around to fight him! His hands went into a fierce blur, recalling every air unit at his disposal and launching them at Marxon's position: "I will not be denied!"

The Avatar reacted as well, taking control of all air units that had been purposely waiting in Arnold's firebase and launching them through the newly opened hole in the enemy base's defenses.

Expendable interceptors flew in first, moving in a shifting pattern to draw enemy fire. The spy planes followed, scanning the area furiously and searching for the only target that truly mattered in this war. They found the cloaked Cybran ACU waiting under a shield and the strategic bombers that were trailing them changed course accordingly. Half of them were destroyed as they passed over the Cybran base and the spy planes had already flown too far ahead, losing track of the cloaked ACU in the process. Marxon ignored those unimportant details and ordered his bombers to attack the ground at the last known coordinates.

The Cybran pilot was rocked back and forth on Marxon's screen while screaming defiantly: "No, I won't be defeated…"

The communication was cut shortly afterwards and a nuclear explosion lit the sky where the bombers had dropped their payloads. A few seconds later, what was left of the Cybran army self-destructed. Marxon kept moving ahead, recalling the larger part of his army to him and sending the necessary orders for Arnold to do the same. He did spare one last look north, his face perfectly neutral as he spoke: "I told you that your fate was to die on Earth. You were barely even a challenge…"

XXXXX

"That's one enemy down," said Riley while clenching a first in front of him: "Captain Aiko, send your reserve troops towards the destroyed Cybran base. We have three commanders gating in forty seconds. We need to secure that site!"

Riley leaned forward over his console while smiling, confident that things were about to take a turn for the better. Black Sun was roughly fifteen minutes away from completion and this war would be over the moment that they fired it. Soon the Aeon Illuminate and the Cybran Nation would understand the UEF's might!

The President's smile vanished when the dozen transports that had been sneaking around the island were ambushed by Aeon air superiority fighters. Aiko' escorting fighters automatically responded, but the damage was already done.

The Aeon forces were working on two fronts, assaulting Black Sun's control center and heading for the experimental weapon at the same time. The Captain's forces were quickly being overwhelmed and it showed on the pilot's face: "This is Captain Aiko to any UEF forces in the area! An Aeon Commander is advancing on Black Sun. I need any and all help that can be provided. Aiko out."

Riley shook his head in denial and looked at the Cybran base as the three UEF ACUs gated in. If even one of them survived for a few minutes then it would be enough to mount a counter offensive or serve as a distraction at least. The President's hopes were quickly crushed as bombers appeared a few seconds later and began their merciless attack. It had taken them forever to destroy a single Cybran, but three UEF commanders fell in less than a minute.

Meanwhile, Aiko looked around in panic: "The Aeon Commander is still advancing. I can't stop him! It's like he knows everything I'm going to do. I need help here!"

The President looked back at the screen and watched the fluid and graceful troop movements slice through Aiko's forces. The patterns were almost hypnotic and this was the first time that their sensors actually covered their full extent. One thing was absolutely clear now: Arnold was not piloting those forces.

"Somebody help me!" cried Aiko desperately: "I've lost most of my forces… Black Sun is vulnerable. I need help!"

Riley closed his eyes, unwilling to accept that over a decade of hard work was about to topple like a house of cards. His weapon, his nation, his planet… everything was coming to an end.

"I can't… no!" cried Aiko, her transmission breaking up. The President did not open his eyes, refusing to acknowledge all the impacts behind Aiko's death.

XXXXX

The Avatar-of-War stood in front of Black Sun, his ACU appearing insignificant compared to the massive experimental weapon. A lesser man might have felt overwhelmed by the scale of what it represented: a weapon capable of destroying entire worlds. Marxon was not such a person and he knew that it was not the weapons that he was facing, but the ones wielding them.

In the case of Black Sun, his opponent had been President Riley despite the fact that the man had not even been on the battlefield. Marxon respected him in the same fashion that he respected any other foe. It took a high level of determination and cunning to be able to produce such a massive weapon while standing on a foundation of lies and deceit. Of course, like all of Marxon's foes, Riley would be destroyed as well.

The Avatar wanted nothing more than to disassemble Black Sun and use its components to fuel an unstoppable wave of experimental units, but for one of the rare times in his life, he hesitated. Not out of any concerns for the lives that he would crush; he had taken millions after all. What made him pause were the Princess' words and the chain of events that they had begun.

She had directly and publicly opposed him, driving a wedge in the middle of the Aeon Illuminate. Although it barely showed, Marxon could already tell that most of their war efforts on Earth had been compromised with their combat efficiency dropping by five or ten percent per sector. It would only get worse once all enemies were defeated as each commander chose their side and if Marxon did nothing then things would erupt into civil war. This would cost them the one thing that could prove disastrous: time.

Even if the opposition was a passive one, the Aeon military would no longer be able to continue its campaign as efficiently. This would give the remaining UEF and Cybran forces the time that they needed to think of something and perhaps even form an alliance. The Princess had not realized that by opposing him, she had doomed all of humanity to remain trapped in the Infinite War. Her idealism and refusal to accept the military situation would only prolong the inevitable.

Marxon looked at Black Sun again and his eyes narrowed. The Infinite War would continue unless he put a stop to it right here and now. Destroying Black Sun… was no longer an option. Only by using it would the Infinite War ever end. The Avatar opened his audio channel to Arnold again: "Commander, align your forces with mine. Our new target is Black Sun's control center."

XXXXX

Arnold's eyes widened when he heard the order. This was not possible! Marxon wanted to use Black Sun to destroy the UEF and the Cybran Nation? If he managed that then nothing would stop him and he would be free to devote all of his attention to deal with the Princess and the commanders that followed her. Arnold had switched sides in the

hope of finding a way to stop the massacre of the UEF and the Aeon Illuminate. Instead, he had participated in the devastation of both!

The ACU lowered its arms as Arnold fully realized the impact of his actions. He could still oppose Marxon, but what would that change? This was the Avatar-of-War, the man who had crushed everyone that had ever stood against him! If he showed any sign of rebellion then the Avatar would activate his self-destruct mechanism and kill him without a second thought.

Arnold knew that the Princess' Champion was a good pilot, but she could not possibly stand against such a monster alone, not from that strategic position at any rate. Her starting island was too small and Black Sun's control center was too close to the Avatar's base. She could not possibly stop the incoming assault.

Despair hung around Arnold as the Avatar aligned his troops for the final push. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, which he could do to stop this massacre. He had failed and now everyone that he had ever known would pay the price if they had not done so already. The Princess, her Champion, Toth, Rhiza, Desjar, Tim, Jessy, Melissa as well as billions of innocents across the galaxy would die. What could he do if he could not even fight back?

Arnold took a deep breath while searching his memory for everything that he knew from dirty tactic to the lessons that the Princess had taught him. Thinking of those lessons brought a pang of sadness, but he knew deep down that Rhianne would forgive him. The same could not be said about Desjar since his old friend would most likely die without ever knowing the truth. Arnold looked east reflexively as he thought about his friend and tried to reach out in apology.

To his surprise, every unit stopped moving just then and it seemed as if even the waves stood still. Arnold briefly wondered if the Avatar had just reconsidered his course when the sea started to shrink as if the islands of Niihau and Kauai were somehow being drawn together. He looked down at his instruments to see if his life support had failed and when he looked back up, the two islands were now side by side and an ACU stood in front of him… Desjar's ACU.

Its arms were cast down as well and it seemed as if the war machine had not participated in the recent battle. Arnold's eyes softened, understanding that he was hallucinating and yet that it somehow felt right: "I wish that we could be together again, old friend. If only the two of us could be fighting side by side one last time… instead of this."

Arnold knew that even the two of them would most likely not be enough to stop the Avatar-of-War. It would take a miracle for them to win… heck, it would take everyone to stop this war. The thought rang like a clear bell through Arnold's mind and he reflexively grabbed his controls. The Aeon ACU straightened in response and it seemed to Arnold as if Desjar's ACU was awakening as well. He had his answer…

A blink of an eye was all that was required for everything to snap back into place and Arnold was staring once more at the vast expanse of water that separated him from his friend. He knew what he had to do.

XXXXX

Desjar still sat frozen at his controls, unable to cope with the reality of the situation. His squad moved frantically around him, trying to remain organized while fighting off one legion of Aeon troops after the other. Something blinked on his console, indicating an incoming call and his system recognized the private codes. The screen to Desjar's left automatically lit up, displaying Arnold's face.

A gasp escaped Desjar as he looked at his old friend. It felt strange to see him clean shaven and well groomed, but the most startling change was his eyes. They reflected an inner peace that the man had never enjoyed before. Arnold smiled softly before speaking: "You're not giving up on me now, are you lube boy?

The simple statement hit Desjar like a splash of cold water and he straightened in shock, unable to guess whether it was the old Arnold speaking or merely a cruel taunt. Arnold did not elaborate any further, but instead opened another channel. The face of a beautiful woman appeared on his screen and from the looks of it, she was not aware of the communication's link with Desjar. Arnold spoke, his voice strong and self-assured: "The UEF Commander is dead. I have Black Sun, Princess. What are your orders?"

Desjar was about to shout in protest, but another furious face appeared on his screen and beat him to it. He had never seen that pilot before, but it appeared as though he was important: "You dare betray me?"

"I have never served you, Marxon," shot Arnold back without an ounce of hesitation: "The Princess is the one who set me free, showed me the UEF lies. She has always commanded me."

What did it mean? What was going on? What had Arnold really been fighting over? Those questions spun through Desjar's mind in quick succession as Marxon spoke: "I always control the self-destruct codes for my subordinates, Arnold. Goodbye."

Desjar reached towards the screen, his movements mirroring the Princess who cried: "No!"

There was no denying the genuine care and horror on her features. Arnold looked back at her, his gaze both peaceful and caring: "You showed me the light, Princess. For that I am grateful –"

The transmission broke down in an instant and Desjar knew without a doubt that Arnold's ACU had just self-destructed. There was no possibility of surviving that one.

Strangely enough, the Princess was still transmitting on the same frequency as if she had not noticed the change: "Champion, destroy Marxon!"

Her horror had transformed into something that Desjar could only describe as righteous fury. She had cared for Arnold and he had returned those feelings, that much was certain. Desjar did not know why the thought occurred to him, but he knew now that Arnold had not changed. Somehow, he had believed that fighting for her was the right thing.

Desjar's fingers flew over his controls, accessing an old satellite that was in orbit. Its sensors could only relay the most basic of information, but he could tell that Arnold's ACU had exploded near Black Sun. This could mean only one thing: Marxon had the installation, but the Princess was in charge of the control center. What's more, she had not fired the weapon…

That fact supported Desjar's gut feeling and his fingers moved in a blur, assigning orders to his squad members and retaking control of his facilities: "Everyone listen up, we haven't lost just yet!"

XXXXX

Chapter 12

Unity

Arnold's army self-destructed; lighting the battlefield as over two hundred units exploded at the same time. One harbinger's leg flew through the air towards Marxon's ACU, but the war machine raised its arms reflexively, blocking it as if it meant nothing. The Avatar-of-War barely seemed to notice it, his hands moving gracefully over his console as he assigned new orders to his engineers.

The destruction of so many units had just cost him a third of all of his forces, but it was a minor setback. The army had exploded near Black Sun which meant that all of that mass was ready to be reclaimed and reused. Even now, mechanical engineers moved around at a frantic pace, reclaiming UEF and Aeon wreckage alike and laying the foundation for a new base in record time.

Marxon doubted that the Princess' champion could hold up against him with her current army, but now was not the time to take foolish chances. He had waited over two decades for this day; he could wait a few minutes longer.

Once all orders were transmitted, Marxon spared a moment to take a look at the war effort on Kauai. He had assigned his most trusted commanders to lead the assault and they should have been able to take it over by now. If that was the case then maybe he could factor in some additional reinforcements.

The last time that Marxon had glanced at Kauai, the UEF forces stationed there had been standing on the edge of disaster. To his surprise, it appeared as though they had not only recovered, but were actively fighting back. His logs clearly indicated that no quantum signatures had been detected which meant that no UEF reinforcements had been dispatched. Marxon also trusted his lieutenants to fight with all their might no matter what the Princess had said… so what had changed?

The Avatar-of-War snorted and returned his full attention to his predicament. It would take him roughly seven minutes for his base to become fully operational. When that happened, the Infinite War would end.

XXXXX

The Galactic Colossus' head emerged near the beach with three full wings of air superiority fighters circling above it. The gauss cannons of a nearby Fatboy immediately pounded it while the experimental weapon platform moved away, but that was the last of the Galactic Colossus' worries. A pair of Atlantis submarines suddenly surfaced behind it; saturating the air with their SAM launchers and forcing the air superiority fighters to withdraw.

The behemoth hesitated for an instant as if the one commanding it questioned the safety of losing its air cover and slowly turned around, intent on destroying the submarines

before they could do any more damage. The submarines stopped firing and initiated an emergency dive as the Galactic Colossus fired its laser. One of them had its air factory damaged, but remained fully operational.

The giant was ordered to turn again, but four strategic bombers came out just then, dropping their payload on its shoulder. The resulting explosion sent it tumbling forward and forced it too deeply in the water where the Atlantis submarines had been waiting. Angler torpedoes crashed in the monstrosity's legs, preventing it from recovering its balance and sending it stumbling on all four. Soon, the combined firepower of all units in the area proved too much and the Galactic Colossus exploded.

The Aeon air superiority fighters were on their way back to destroy the UEF strategic bombers, but they were ambushed as the pair of Atlantis resurfaced. The victory was a major one, but it did not stop there. Mechanical engineers followed an instant later to reclaim the wreckage and fuel the next wave of UEF units.

Desjar's squad cheered, firmly convinced that they could do the impossible and hold Kauai with their leader back amongst them. The Major General dispatched orders as quickly as he could and opened a channel as soon as the situation stabilized: "Tim, do you read me? Tim?"

The Major's face appeared on Desjar's monitor and the older commander sighed in relief: "I'm glad you're all right, Tim. Listen up because we don't have any time to debate about this. I want you to plot a course straight for Black Sun's control center with everything that you've got! Once there, I want you to exchanged friend or foe recognition protocols with that Aeon pilot and fight alongside her."

The Major's eyes widened in disbelief, but Desjar pressed on: "We can't take back Niihau alone and those Aeon forces are fighting each other. So do it because she has not fired Black Sun, because Arnold trusted her, because it's our only option left or because it might be the only way to save the Earth. When you were in the academy, you were told that you would have to make tough choices one of these days and this is one of those times."

Desjar was interrupted as Riley's face appeared on his monitor: "Belay that order, Major! Commander Desjar and the members of his squad are traitors and this proves it! You will maintain your position and await further instructions. We are formulating a plan and if we can…"

This time, it was Desjar's turn to interrupt Riley: "And do it to piss Riley off if you have to! You weren't picked to be Arnold's partner on a whim, but because you were the only one that could keep up with him. You complete the Kilimer exam not by following the rules, but by making your own! This is the end, Tim. It's time to stand on your own two feet and decide for yourself what it will take to win this war!"

XXXXX

Riley's hands gripped the edge of his console tightly as if his strength of will alone would force the Major's ACU to stand their ground. A moment passed and then the blue dots on his screen started moving west towards Niihau. The President took another pair of pain killers from the hidden compartment on his belt and swallowed them. He then turned towards Samantha: "Have another trio of Commanders ready to launch. If there's ever an opening then I want them to gate over there in an instant. Their orders will be to destroy every unit on the island and recover Black Sun."

Samantha frowned: "Sir, you mean every enemy unit?"

"You heard me the first time, General," spat Riley back.

XXXXX

Marxon's ACU stood in the middle of the newly built base with a pair of Galactic Colossus standing watch near him. He looked around at the array of defenses that surrounded him and smiled triumphantly: overlapping shield, tactical missile defenses, artillery, point defense, anti-air and multiple factories.

The fleet that he had used to attack Black Sun had been reinforced with even more ships and it had just reached the west end of Niihau. It stood ready to strike at the Champion's main base just as Marxon's ground troops were ready to assault the control center. This fight would be over in a matter of minutes and the Avatar-of-War would settle for nothing less than absolute victory.

A signal appeared on Marxon's tactical screen and the older man snorted. The signature was undoubtedly UEF in nature and it was on a direct course for Black Sun's control center. No doubt this was Riley's last and desperate effort to win the war. The Avatar sent a trio of spy planes north and quickly assessed the Champion's incomplete defenses. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the Aeon ACU was amongst them, working furiously to add as many shields and turrets as possible.

The Champion would most likely stop the UEF assault, but it would only take the tiniest amount of pressure to ensure that both forces wiped each other out. With that in mind, Marxon selected a third of his Harbingers and sent them towards Black Sun's control center. He then hailed the Princess through her Champion while raising his head proudly: "This is the end, Princess."

She stood tall, but it was obvious by the look in her eyes that she was afraid. The Avatar kept talking, wanting her to fully understand how much she had erred: "I have told you before: You are not of a military mind. Had you offered me your full support then we could have avoided this. Together we could have destroyed Black Sun and cleansed the galaxy, stopping only when all of our enemies would have offered their unconditional surrender. Billions would have died, but quite a few could have been saved."

The Avatar's eyes darkened: "But now you forced my hand. Soon Black Sun will be mine and I will use it to purge the galaxy. Only the Aeon will remain."

A pair of UEF Fatboys appeared on the beach just as Marxon's Harbingers rushed the control center's defenses. The Avatar nodded one last time, his eyes uncompromising: "Goodbye, Champion."

The Harbingers surged ahead and the Fatboys fired, but the gauss cannon shells surged past the control center's defenses and hit Marxon's force. The Avatar's eyes widened in disbelief as the face of a young UEF Commander appeared on his screen, transmitting through a non-encrypted channel: "This is Major Tural; I'm transmitting my friend or foe recognition codes. Please acknowledge!"

The Aeon's point defense turrets quickly finished off the harbingers and were about to turn towards the Fatboys but stopped. The Champion's face appeared, also transmitting on a public channel: "This is Kathy Istan, Champion of the Princess; I am transmitting friend or foe recognition codes as well. Thank you for your assistance."

How was such a thing even possible? The question slammed into Marxon as the Princess spoke: "You will never succeed, Marxon."

The Avatar-of-War sneered in contempt and launched his fleet towards the Champion's main island while reviewing all data at his disposition. He had not caught any hidden transmission from the Princess' Champion or from anything else in the area. The only signal that had been transmitted to the UEF had been Arnold's brief words to another Commander and those had been more of a taunt than anything else. Could they have been something more or perhaps a secret code?

Marxon dismissed the notion and returned to the situation at hand. His fleet was more than enough to crush that base. All he needed was to avoid its primary defenses on the south beach, move around it and attack it from the north. Once the Champion was cut off from her main resources then it would only be a matter of time before she fell.

A pair of airborne signals appeared near Marxon's fleet as it closed in. He initially dismissed those, thinking them to be strategic bombers at best. The Avatar was startled when a pair of Cybran experimental weapons the likes of which he had never seen hovered into view and started pounding his fleet. Stealth air superiority fighters followed a heartbeat later, assuring total air supremacy as the bug-like weapons chewed through his forces.

A Cybran appeared on his screen a moment later, his features hidden by a helmet: "This is the Tip of the Spear; I'm transmitting my friend or foe recognition codes as well."

"Impossible…" whispered Marxon as the other two pilots acknowledged. How could this happen? His eyes were immediately drawn to the wreckage of Arnold's ACU to his left. It still stood; a carbonized statue of an insignificant man. Could his defiance and

subsequent death have possibly been the catalyst that had started all of this? The man had been a warrior, but spiritually, he had been nothing but a grotesque mockery of a human. How could he have foreseen this, a feat impossible for all but the most enlightened oracle?

XXXXX

The wave of mechanical engineers moved ahead of the Tip of the Spear, reconstructing Redfog's base by reassembling destroyed structures. The ACU stayed underwater near the edge of the beach, knowing better than to repeat the assassin's mistake. The pilot looked at his tactical screen and smirked under his helmet at the irony. Who would have thought that such an alliance would happen one day?

On a logical side, it made perfect sense and would most likely be the only chance that any of them would have to gain control of Black Sun. The Avatar-of-War was simply too strong to face alone, but they might be able to defeat him together. Did either of the two other pilots see it this way? Were they motivated by reason, self-preservation and logic or was there something more?

The UEF pilot had already been identified as Major Timmy Tural, the Commander who had successfully raided Minerva but had spared its civilian population. The Aeon pilot's name was still unknown to the Cybran intelligence network, but its ACU signature suggested that it was the one which had at first killed the civilian population on Zeta Canis, but had later spared an entire city on Procyon after becoming the Princess' Champion. They were two pilots who had displayed acts of mercy in a time when the Infinite War had required none.

Was it coincidence… or providence? Doctor Brackman had not opted to send his prized pupil instead of Redfog simply because of his skill. Indeed, the assassin's merciless methods were better suited for this war no matter how one looked at it. No, the Doctor had sent him because if they won, then it would fall to him to rebuild Earth and make it a better place. Only by working together could this ever truly happen.

Did the Tip of the Spear trust his newfound allies? No, but a small part of him – the part that had been carefully nurtured by his father – still dared to hope.

XXXXX

Rhiza's eyes widened as she reconfigured her tactical screen to take into account the unlikely alliance. Although they had more commanders on their side, a quick analysis suggested that their total economy was still far weaker than Marxon's. Everything would depend on whether they could fight as a team or not.

The Aeon Champion was the first one to speak: "Tip of the Spear, I am sending a group of mobile shield generators aboard a transport to your position to assure your safety. Can your stealth technology cover their signatures?"

The Cybran nodded and sent a pair of transports out of his base: "Affirmative. I'm sending an engineer to both of your positions. They will build sonar stations equipped with advanced stealth fields. These will mask your true numbers. I'll need the two of you to open your sensor ports in order to link our network. Otherwise it won't work."

Tim winced but nodded: "I've salvaged some mass, but I'm low on energy. My Fatboys can cover the control center for now, but I'll need extra power if I want to manufacture units with them. I might be able to open my sensor ports, but my energy grid is on a completely different system. I don't think that I can open that one with either of your ACUs."

Kathy nodded and moved her ACU towards a nearby Fatboy: "I cannot open a compatible energy bridge with you either. However, I can build a quantum reactor next to your experimental weapon platform. If you can manufacture an engineer then you could capture it."

The quick exchange continued in front of Rhiza. The three commanders had set aside their differences for now and were aligning their forces to fight a common enemy. The only question was: would it be enough? That was a question that only they could answer, but Rhiza would do her best by defending the Champion's base with her life if need be.

XXXXX

The Avatar's fleet retreated, but not before losing twenty-five percent of its forces against the pair of Soul Rippers. The experimental weapons flew back to the Champion's smaller fleet, using allied cruisers to ensure their safety. Meanwhile, stealth Gemini fighters flew towards Niihau and refueled on the Fatboys. They then assumed a defensive patrol that would allow them to protect most of Niihau from air attacks.

The Champion's forces moved next, building a line of shields to protect the control center and assisting the UEF commander by building power generators and mass fabricators for his use. Once the Cybran's stealth field generators came online, she manufactured mobile shields generators and sent them over to protect them.

Finally, Tim focused on building the units that they would need to punch through the Avatar's army, supplementing their forces with Broadsword gunships and Titans. He even went a step further by producing frigates equipped with jamming fields which would confuse the enemy even further.

They barely had a few minutes to prepare before the Avatar's army attacked them. Air and land units moved in, dancing in a graceful and hypnotic pattern. Shells from incoming mobile artillery were blocked by the Champion's shields and the Fatboy's fired back instantly. Strategic bombers tried to home in by following the hail of bullets, but mobile stealth generators made it hard to locate the experimental weapon platform and

Gemini fighters were quick to respond. The defensive line shuddered for a moment, but held against the Avatar's forces.

Enemy casualties increased as the Commanders learned how to operate as a team. Soon, the Avatar's forces were pushed away and forced to retreat back into their base, unable to breach the control center's defenses. Mechanized engineers were quick to follow, reclaiming the wreckage of enemy units and using it to restore their own forces. The Avatar sent two other attack waves and they too were defeated.

The allied forces managed to assemble a sizable army of their own and they were soon ready to strike back. The Princess' Champion looked to her recently built Galactic Colossus and then to the rest of their combined army which included over three hundred units: "Are you both ready to attack?"

The UEF Major and the Cybran Commander both nodded and their forces marched in unison. The Galactic Colossus led the charge, followed by their land forces and with the Fatboys covering the rear. Mobile shield and stealth generators moved between them all, neutralizing the effectiveness of enemy artillery. The soul rippers stayed back, ready to assist as soon as they were needed.

The armies clashed with a thunderous clap that resounded through the entire island. While the Avatar had failed to breach their defenses, the allied forces managed to pierce enemy shields and destroy the turrets underneath. Each step was a costly one, but the enemy's front line started to buckle.

The Princess' Champion grew concerned when her Galactic Colossus' structural integrity was down by half: "Should we fall back and regroup?"

The Tip of the Spear shook his head as numbers flashed in front of him: "The odds are that the enemy will fully recover before we assemble our next wave. I would advise pushing far enough so that we can destroy part of the base's economic facilities at least."

The Cybran pilot was about to say more, but the UEF Major jumped in his seat: "Enemy ACU detected, this is it!"

The Fatboys with the rest of the UEF forces led the charge. Instead of targeting the Aeon ACU, however, they aimed for the defensive structures that surrounded it. It seemed as though their current forces would not be enough to destroy the Avatar and the Princess' Champion was about to call off the attack when one of the Fatboy's fell. She looked at the UEF pilot and paused, wondering why he seemed so eager. She understood why when a missile flew above her a moment later, passing over the control center and heading straight for the Avatar.

She realized then that the Fatboys had been targeting the tactical missile defenses which meant that this was not just a simple missile. She averted her eyes when the nuclear warhead detonated where the Avatar-of-War had been.

XXXXX

The Princess sighed in relief: Marxon had finally been defeated. She looked at her screen, but her smile vanished when she realized that the war still raged all over the Earth. The battle was over, but how would the Infinite War end?

XXXXX

The nuclear explosion brightened the sky, signaling an end to the epic struggle. The Galactic Colossus and its accompanying Fatboy stopped in order to avoid the worst of the explosion. A sigh of relief ran through all three pilots and under normal circumstances, cries of joy would have been in order. They were not truly allies, however, and such things were not meant to last.

None of them could truly figure out who moved first. Was it the Cybran out of precaution, the Aeon because of her allies' body language or the UEF out of old habits? It happened simultaneously: the remaining Fatboy's turrets targeted the damaged Galactic Colossus, the behemoth turned its deadly eye towards the weapon platform and the Soul Rippers hovered away from their anti-air escort and closer to the power generators in the Champion's base. Every unit on the battlefield scattered back into smaller groups and targeted each other.

The tension could be felt through the air as each pilot paused over their controls, wondering who would break the alliance first. For an instant, they had fought as one and had grown as close as anyone could through war. The fact remained, however, that each faction coveted Black Sun for its own purpose and no matter how they felt; the Infinite War would not end by just wishing it so.

Had their full attention not been caught by a mindset that had been born through a thousand years of war then they would have noticed that something was amiss. Had they not considered each other to be the next greatest threat then they would have immediately taken note of a crucial detail: the Avatar-of-War's army had yet to self-destruct…

All three pilots were shocked when a pair of phason lasers surged through the dust, catching the distracted Galactic Colossus in the back and quickly tearing it apart. The Fatboy tried to react, but a volley of tactical missiles collapsed its weakened shields and a second one destroyed it before it could fire back. The Soul Rippers plotted a course back towards the safety of the Champion's fleet, but air superiority fighters swarmed out of nowhere, destroying one and seriously damaging the other.

The dust finally settled over Marxon's base and it was only then that the Avatar's ACU could be seen. It stood like a specter of the past, a war machine which had been so badly damaged that one could no longer tell who's faction it belonged to. Only one thing truly mattered, the Avatar-of-War was still alive. A garbled transmission followed on every channel as the warped ACU stood straight once again: "Fools!"

XXXXX

Chapter 13

So That Wars Can End

The two Galactic Colossuses plowed ahead, melting or crushing what remained of the allied army. A swarm of Harbingers, mobile shield generators and anti-air units followed closely behind, moving elegantly back and forth as needed. Finally, two scores of engineers followed the army, reclaiming wreckage and rebuilding over destroyed structures.

Marxon's ACU stood unmoving and a barely perceptible blue flash soon indicated that its personal shields were back online. The Avatar's transmission cleared afterwards, revealing a ghastly sight. The left side of Marxon's face was covered with second degree burns and one of his eyes was nearly swollen shut. Blood also oozed from the corner of his mouth, but what was truly horrifying was the occasional silver drop that fell from the cockpit's ceiling. Although it was not shown in the transmission, anyone familiar with Aeon technology could easily recognize the ACU's liquid metal which was part of its regeneration system. A single active drop could melt through flesh, muscle and bone.

"Did you think that the likes of you could ever…" A growl escaped Marxon as another drop of liquid metal fell on his leg, dissolving a layer of muscles in an instant. Somehow, the pilot's hands still moved over his controls; "… Defeat me? Do you have any idea what I am? I am the Avatar-of-War; I have never been defeated!"

Marxon's troops reached the side of his base and marched on a direct course for Black Sun's control center. His fleet, now free from the Soul Rippers' interference and escorted by additional cruisers, sailed out once again and headed towards the Champion's main island base. The allied troops tried to marshal a defense once more, but numbers and the element of surprise were no longer on their side.

"You are all fools, thinking that your pitiful alliance had a chance to stand up against me," spat Marxon in contempt: "You are not allies, comrades or even friends! I knew that all it took for you to break apart was to give you the very thing that you wanted: the illusion of victory!"

The Avatar scowled fiercely as another drop of liquid metal fell on his leg, but he remained focused: "And now, this is the end!"

XXXXX

Riley stood over his console with shaking hands, looking at the limited amount of information that was relayed to him. There had been rumors that the Aeon Illuminate's war efforts had been directed by someone known as an Avatar-of-War, but he had never imagined that he could be so powerful. It was hard turn the tide against a single enemy Commander, never mind three.

The President took a shaking breath and then nodded in determination. One of his hands went up and his fingers wrapped themselves around the chain that circled his neck. Tied to that chain was the UEF's last hope.

XXXXX

"Nuclear launch detected," came the sudden warning. Tim winced and did not even have to look at his screen to know the target: "That bastard must have had a nuclear submarine hidden all along! Unless I'm mistaken, the target is…"

The Tip of the Spear nodded and set a course away from his base: "It's me. I did not have the time or resources to set up a countermeasure. Projected infrastructure losses will imply a sixty percent diminished capacity. I won't be able to recover from that in time."

Tim nodded and turned back to Kathy: "The few structures that I have are at the control center and I doubt that you can hold off the Avatar for very long, Champion. Once he captures the control center, we'll all lose."

Despair clung around them all when the strategic missile destroyed a large section of the Cybran base. Kathy looked back to her main island base and at Marxon's fleet which was getting closer to it: "It will take all of my resources here to merely slow down the Avatar's land army. Once my main base falls, however, I won't be able to sustain the defensive line."

Rhiza's face appeared on their screen and nodded in determination: "Have faith, Champion. I will not allow myself to fall so easily. Apart, we might each fall, but if we all unite then we may find a way through this!"

The unlikely group of allies looked south at the approaching army and then went to work. Their odds of survival were almost insignificant, but none of them had survived this far by giving up.

XXXXX

Marxon snorted in derision, already two steps ahead of the unwieldy alliance. They were outclassed, out of time and outnumbered. Each pilot would soon realize that no matter how much they wanted to, they would not be capable of developing the necessary teamwork to turn the tide before the control center was lost. As such, their next move would be one born of desperation… the kind that could be easily countered if expected.

The crippled ACU flexed its legs, using the motion to make a self-diagnostic and ascertain how badly its movements would be impaired. The Avatar-of-War would be prepared for anything: "Let them come…"

The pair of Galactic Colossuses plowed forward, clearing a path for the army that followed them. Marxon looked at his tactical screen and noticed that the Princess' Champion was busy adding more point defense turrets and shield generators, hoping against all odds to strengthen her defensive line enough so that she could stop the attack… how foolish.

The Avatar's fleet was closing in on the Champion's main island base and Marxon made a rough calculation, estimating his enemy's total power output. A hint of a smile appeared on his face despite the pain that coursed through his body: her resources were stretched a bit too thin.

It was a common attack pattern for an Aeon Commander to thoroughly destroy an enemy fleet before moving on to attack an enemy base. In this case, however, Marxon took a more aggressive approach by ordering his entire fleet to rush through the enemy ranks and target the island's power generators.

Marxon took a steadying breath, refusing to look at the now exposed bone of his leg and took control of his tactical missile launchers. He aimed and fired them in sequence, fully trusting in his abilities. His fleet brought the island's shields down and destroyed one of the power generators just as the missiles closed in. The sudden loss of power caused the Champion's shields to collapse for a split second.

One of the missiles caught the ACU straight in the back, sending it crashing against the point defense turret that it had been constructing. A second one blew up near its leg, twisting it at an awkward angle and causing the ACU to fall to its knees in a shower of metallic blood. The third one would have finished her off had the Champion not managed to stabilize her energy output by powering down a few of the shield generators in other sections of her base. The missile crashed against an energy shield as it powered up, but the damage was already done. The Champion was still alive, but her ACU would no longer even stand.

The Avatar-of-War smiled wickedly and sent his land army on a straight course towards the Champion. Units from all three pilots gathered to stand against him, but were scattered away by the pair of giants. The damaged Soul Ripper swooped in and tried to stop the invasion, but it only bought a few moments before it was destroyed. The Cybran's cloaking technology was useless against a Galactic Colossus' Omni sensor and there were no doubts that the UEF ACU would not have the necessary time to build another nuclear missile. Nothing could stop Marxon now.

A series of Cybran air units suddenly appeared far to the east of the Avatar's base and hovered there a moment. Marxon frowned at the maneuver, but took control of his ACU, fully expecting what was to come. There was a moment of stillness as they gathered closely together and then the swarm attacked. Aeon air superiority fighters met the charge, targeting the bombers first and destroying a dozen in an instant. The swarm kept moving on, flying over flak and SAM turrets on a direct course for the only target that

mattered: Marxon's ACU. Their payloads found newly rebuilt energy shields, causing inconsequential fluctuations as the Avatar moved to the west.

The real danger did not come from the actual bombs, but from the units themselves. Bombers and interceptors did not keep flying in the hope of making another pass but, self-destructed in the sky. They fell around the area, their hulls too dense to be blocked by standard energy shields. The resulting explosions were usually considered negligible, but the state of Marxon's ACU meant that a single lucky hit could be enough. Even so, the crippled ACU moved, dancing back and forth despite its limited mobility and avoiding most of the impacts.

The unorthodox attack barely lasted twenty seconds and kept the Avatar on the move. When it was over, Marxon still stood and his army was mere moments away from completely overrunning Black Sun's control center. A contemptuous smile formed on the Avatar's lips.

XXXXX

Dostya's fingers moved in a blur over her console as she monitored the situation on Earth. She issued the necessary orders so that any attempt for enemy forces to send reinforcements to Niihau would be met with strict resistance, but there was only so much that they could do. If the Tip of the Spear fell then it would be all over and there would be nowhere left to hide.

The Elite Commander was in the process of checking on the situation in Australia when the Avatar-of-War spoke to his enemies: "An inspired bombing run, Cybran, but a futile one. The control center will fall and you will soon follow."

What was the Avatar talking about? A look towards one of the side screens was all that Dostya needed to confirm that the Tip of the Spear's air force was largely intact. Doctor Brackman moved next to her and raised an eyebrow: "What an interesting development, oh yes."

XXXXX

The phason laser from the Galactic Colossuses sliced through energy shields as if they were non-existent, opening the way for the army that followed. Even then, Marxon still took the time to assign the enemy ACU as the primary target and watched the experimental weapons close in on it with a predatory smile: "You should have joined me when you had the chance, but now it is too late! I will do the impossible; I will end the Infinite War!"

"You already did the impossible…" came the unbidden reply. The voice froze the Avatar-of-War in place. It did not belong to any of the three pilots that he had been fighting, but rather to a creature who was supposed to be dead. Redfog's face appeared,

broadcasting on a public channel: "You united all three factions for a single purpose: to stop you."

There was a strange glimmer in the assassin's eyes, one that suggested that he had already made his move. But how was that possible? Marxon had complete control over Black Sun and its control center was mere seconds away from falling. He was the only one with a fully operational base and his Omni sensor was active so what could the monster hope to accomplish?

A high pitched shriek tore through the air, chilling the Avatar's blood and awakening something that he had not felt in over two decades: fear. The mangled Aeon ACU turned around to look at Black Sun and saw a large blurry shadow move away from the experimental weapon's frame. The assassin had been waiting there, using Black Sun's massive power signature to cloak his own. The wave of crashing interceptors and bombers had not been meant to damage Marxon, but rather to herd him into Redfog's grasp.

Fear transformed into anger and the Avatar's fingers flew over his controls, commanding every unit in the area to attack the Cybran: "No!"

The Cybran ACU came rushing towards the Avatar, ignoring the weapon fire from the nearby Harbingers. Its microwave laser flared once before unleashing a beam of crimson energy. The blast crashed against Marxon's personal shields and Redfog cried in triumph: "It's past time for me to go to hell, but you're coming with me! A pair of monsters like us will fit right in!"

Marxon looked at his instruments frantically as his sensors indicated that his personal shields would soon collapse. The Cybran ACU took hit after hit from the nearby Aeon units, but it was clear that the Assassin no longer cared. Redfog noticed Marxon's desperation and laughed mockingly even as his own warning indicators flared. This, beyond anything else, angered Marxon on such a primal level that he screamed in denial: "No!"

A nuclear explosion lit up the battlefield a second later.

XXXXX

Rhianne stood frozen at her console and only found the strength to exhale when the Avatar's army self-destructed a second later. The Avatar-of-War was gone, defeated by a creature that had been as inhuman as him. Niihau was peaceful once more, but such a thing was not meant to last.

Her Champion's base was the one which was the most serviceable, but there still remained a UEF and Cybran commander on the island. All three pilots had been allies, but Black Sun remained the only means of ending the war. The conflict would resume the moment that they recovered.

Rhianne typed in the commands to prepare her capsule and spoke to her Champion: "It is almost over. I will join you shortly, my Champion. Then at last the Infinite War will end."

XXXXX

Riley let go of the chain around his neck and leaned over his console once more: "Our window of opportunity has appeared. Major, if you follow my instructions to the letter then I will grant you amnesty from your earlier insubordination. Now marshal your forces and prepare to…"

A startled gasp escaped Samantha and the General forwarded an image to Riley's screen: "Black Sun is preparing to fire… but it has been configured to transmit a data payload. What could that Aeon Champion possibly be thinking?"

Riley was about to say that this would be the perfect distraction, but Major Tural cut him off: "There's something hovering above Black Sun. I'm transmitting the image now."

A beautiful woman appeared on all of their screens. She was hovering between Black Sun and Earth's quantum gate. Silence filled the command headquarter as the weapon powered up. A beam of pure energy hit the woman in the back and a wave emanated from her. A gentle yet strong voice rang clearly through the mind of every human on the planet: "It is time for this to end. There will be peace. You and your children are free. We will hunt you no longer."

Black Sun's beam then surged forth, crossing into the quantum gate and delivering its message to the rest of the galaxy. The Experimental weapon then shuddered once before exploding.

XXXXX

Tears ran down Rhiza's eyes when she realized that the Princess was gone. She had given her life so that the Infinite War would end. It was the duty of her people to make sure that her sacrifice would not be in vain. Rhiza looked at the Champion on her screen and it was obvious by the look on her face that the shock had affected her most of all. Her head was titled to the side as if she was listening to some unseen speaker.

Under those circumstances, it was Rhiza's duty to carry things through and she opened a broad band channel: "This is Crusader Rhiza to all Aeon Commanders. The Infinite War is over. Disengage and avoid any further conflict. Let us honor the Princess' wishes."

XXXXX

Riley looked at his tactical screen in shock. Aeon, UEF and Cybran troops had stopped fighting all over the Earth the moment that Black Sun had fired. The President had heard

the telepathic message like everyone else and he turned around to look at the staff behind him. He saw amazement, joy and even a glimmer of hope. They, like everyone in the galaxy, had taken the words to heart.

"Finally, the war is over," whispered Samantha. The words sent Riley's blood pumping frantically through his veins and he turned back to his console while tearing the chain from his neck. The motion startled Samantha and her eyes widened in horror when she realized what he was doing: "Mister President, don't!"

"The Infinite War is not over and you should know that better than anyone!" snarled Riley angrily: "Wars can never just stop; they can only be delayed to the advantage of others. This is just some kind of Aeon trick using alien technology in order to brainwash us, but we will not fall that easily! The Aeon Illuminate will soon learn not to underestimate the UEF's perseverance!"

Riley brought up the DNA encoded key that had been hanging at the end of the chain and inserted it into his console. Hundreds of dots appeared on his global tactical map and a timer indicated that the system would be ready in the next minute. Samantha shook her head stubbornly: "We don't have to do this! The Infinite War is over; we don't need to activate Option Zero!"

The President snorted and dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand. Old fashion nuclear weaponry had been part of the UEF's arsenal centuries ago, but had been phased out when interception technology had caught up with it. What was the point of investing several times the cost of an experimental unit in the construction of a missile which could be reliably blocked by a far cheaper defense? Such weapons of mass destruction had therefore been optimized over time, taking the shape of the well-known and more easily deployed strategic missile launcher. Option Zero was the exception to that rule. The UEF had stockpiled hundreds of high yield nuclear weapons on Earth for a single purpose: to destroy their enemies if nothing else could stop them.

"Option Zero is the only way for us to win the Infinite War!" shouted Riley angrily: "The vast majority of our enemies are on Earth and we can destroy them all in a single swoop! We will launch all of Earth's nuclear weapons at the same time and kill them all! We have enough forces stationed in other sectors to attack their core worlds afterwards and end the Infinite War in a few short months. We will prevail!"

The countdown was only thirty seconds away and Samantha pleaded her case one last time: "But billions would die on Earth! We don't need to do this!"

"Our underground tactical headquarters are well shielded, General," replied Riley with a sneer: "You might not realize this now, but doing this will save humanity! Stand tall and honor this sacrifice in the name of unity, justice and peace! Just think of all future generations who will look back to this day and at our unwavering dedication. Think of the…"

A loud shock ran through Riley and something red splashed on his tactical screen. He frowned in puzzlement and looked down at the hole that had appeared in his chest. Strangely enough, there was no pain even as the blood oozed out. The President turned around and found a technician with a gun pointed straight at him: "Stop it! God damn it, stop it!"

The man was obviously scared, most likely because he could not understand why Riley was still standing. What the technician most likely did not know was that the high doses of pain killers that the President had taken made the wound as painful as a cramp. Under any other circumstances, Riley might have found it ironic, but this was not the time. His bodyguards were paralyzed with shock and he would have to rely on his own wits to get out of this one.

"You think a man like you could possibly stop me?" said Riley while tilting his head up imperiously: "Just look at you, you're shaking like a dried leaf on the wind. It is that kind of weakness that has allowed the Infinite War to continue as it has."

The technician took a step back, horrified by the display of willpower. Riley smiled and straightened: "The road to peace requires dedication, loyalty and…"

Riley had been reflexively straightening as he spoke and something suddenly made a crunching noise in his chest. Blood sprayed outward from the wound and he looked down in confusion. What he had originally failed to grasp was that the bullet had broken a rib and nicked one of his arteries. The broken bone had trusted inward the moment that he had straightened, finished off what the bullet had started.

The President looked around and reached out pleadingly, but no one made a move to help. The blood loss finally took its toll and Riley fell dead on the ground. Samantha, having witnessed the display from her own bunker, stood frozen over her console. The countdown ended, but Option Zero would not activate without the President to turn the key.

Samantha sighed in relief and opened a broadband channel: "This is General Clarke to all UEF Commanders. Disengage and avoid further confrontations. Let both Aeon and Cybran units gate off planet, it's finished."

The Aeon Commander known as Rhiza appeared on her screen shortly afterwards and smiled: "Thank you, General Clarke."

The moment was broken when a Cybran appeared on screen. Her eyes were hard and her tone uncompromising: "This is Elite Commander Dostya. All Cybrans will maintain their positions. This war cannot end as long as our brother and sisters are still enslaved by the UEF."

Rhiza gasped in dismay, but it was Samantha who spoke first: "If that is all that it takes for peace then all symbionts will be liberated. There are over two hundred of them in this

facility. I am prepared to escort them personally to the planet of your choice and arrange for their unconditional transfer."

The Cybran's eyes narrowed in suspicion: "You do not have that kind of authority, General. How could we possibly believe such claims or trust in your motives?"

"President Riley is dead," said Samantha flatly. She let the words sink in before continuing: "I will assume command of the UEF military until proper measures to elect a new representative can be taken. As for my motives…"

Samantha looked at the other images on her screen and shook her head slightly: "Earth is in ruins and millions have died. If the price to stop such bloodshed is as simple as liberating symbionts then it is a small price to pay. Let this end… please."

Both Samantha and Rhiza waited anxiously for Dostya's answer. The Elite Commander looked at someone else on her side, nodded and turned back to them: "Very well. All Cybran Commanders will withdraw from Earth. I am forwarding the coordinates of the planet that will be used for the transfer. Prepare to meet me there within the hour."

The coordinates were forwarded instantly and Samantha looked at them. They were on the same planet where a large number of Earth's civilians had been transferred. It was the ideal neutral ground since no faction had any significant military presence in the area. Samantha nodded quickly: "I will be there."

Dostya nodded and cut off the transmission instantly. Rhiza bowed her head in gratitude before doing the same. Samantha took a second to steady herself before turning around towards the symbionts under her command: "Priority order: all symbionts from this facility must report to transfer module five and await further instructions."

The symbionts moved as one, disconnecting themselves from their respective workstations before moving down the corridor. Only number twenty-three stayed at his post, focusing on finishing his sensor sweep as he had been previously ordered to do. Samantha went closer to him before speaking: "Twenty-three, abort all past commands and report to transfer module five. It's… time for you to go home."

The symbiont stopped his sensor sweep over Niihau and disconnected himself from his interface. Samantha watched him leave and then gazed at her now deserted control room. This time, the Infinite War was really over.

XXXXX

Epilogue

Rhiza's SCU stepped out of the water and looked around. Black Sun's control center was just ahead of her and the Princess' Champion was just now getting back to her feet. Liquid metal was still dripping from the war machine's leg, but the regeneration system was doing its work and it would only be a matter of time before it was restored.

A signal appeared on Rhiza's tactical screen and she saw a UEF ACU step on the beach on the eastern side of the control center. It stopped there, staying within sight, but remaining at a respectable distance. The historic meeting took another twist as the Cybran ACU stepped within sensor range to the north of them.

The three pilots who had faced the Avatar-of-War stood silently as they contemplated what to say. Tim was the first one to break the silence: "This is not how I thought it would end, but for what it's worth, I'm glad that we did not have to fight each other."

The Tip of the Spear nodded as well, his features hidden behind his mask: "We made a good team out there despite the major setback. Maybe we'll get the chance to stand side by side again one day."

A mixture of relief and grief played out on the Champion's features as she spoke: "I feel the same and I'd like that, I really would. May we…"

The Champion rubbed a hand against the corner of her eye and took a steadying breath: "I know that we agreed to depart Earth immediately, but may we have a moment to say our farewells to the Princess? I would like to make one last prayer in her name before leaving."

Tim nodded and his ACU looked east as a transport came into view: "Sure thing. I have to go. There's nothing left for anyone here and there are people out there who could use my help. It was an honor."

The UEF ACU raised its arm and saluted as best as it could. Rhiza, Kathy and the Tip of the Spear returned the gesture and watched as the transport took a hold of Tim and carried him away. The Cybran ACU stood still for a moment longer before nodding towards Rhiza and Kathy: "Be safe."

The Tip of the Spear turned around and started walking towards the quantum gate that he had just built in his base. A button flashed on his console and he pressed it to open the file. A mechanical voice came through, playing the message that had been programmed to activate under specific conditions: "Beginning recorded message Brackman six, one, nine, G."

The voice that followed was Doctor Brackman's: "Son, if you're receiving this message then you have succeeded in ending the Infinite War in a way that I had not foreseen. The quantum network is intact and yet peace and freedom might finally be within our grasp."

"I have seen the entire Infinite War from beginning to end and although I was deemed impossible, I have always dreamed that humanity as a whole would find a way to end it," said the recorded message reverently: "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done: bringing freedom to my children. My son, my clone, be safe."

The Tip of the Spear stood motionless for a moment and then removed his helmet for one of the rare times of his life. His identity had been such a closely kept secret that the Doctor had never called him 'son' before. The nameless pilot also knew the deeper meaning of the unusual expression that his father always used. 'Be safe' was the only way that the doctor had to express his fatherly love to all of his children.

XXXXX

Desjar watched the Aeon troops on the horizon as they moved slowly away. The Infinite War was over and they had survived. The members of his squad stood around him and every ACU and SCU showed signs of damage. Some of the pilots had been injured as well, suffering everything from minor concussions to bruised ribs from the various impacts. They all looked around as if trying to make sense of the situation.

Weisman stepped closer to Desjar's ACU and nodded: "We did it, we won."

A wave of confusion passed through Desjar as he turned to his second in command: "But what did it all mean? What did we even fight for?"

The pilot shook his head, having no answers himself. He poked Desjar's ACU and then pointed towards the newly built quantum gate: "Go to them."

Desjar turned a confused look to Weisman who only nodded in approval: "You've earned this, sir. Tim is on his way and we can handle things from here. You made a promise, remember?"

The mention of his family snapped Desjar back to reality. He turned around to look at his men and they were all nodding in approval. They had fought as a team for years, had looked out for each other and had stayed loyal to the very end. Desjar saw in them the very thing that had drawn him to the UEF in the first place. He saluted and they returned the gesture, proud to be part of his squad.

It only took a minute for Desjar to reach the quantum gate and after the initial wave of nausea passed, he stood on another planet. A convoy of ground transports waited not far ahead and he set a course towards it. He stopped as soon as he was within one hundred meters and maneuvered his ACU in order to kneel down. When he opened the cockpit, he found Jessy and Melissa waiting for him below while waving frantically.

Desjar jumped on his ACU's leg and rushed down, stopping only when his daughter came running at him. She hugged him fiercely and so did Jessy a second later. He returned the embrace and whispered softly: "See? I told you that I'd come back."

Melissa only hugged him harder and Jessy looked up at him: "We all heard a voice saying that the war was over. Is it true? Are we really at peace?"

The weary pilot kissed his wife on the forehead and nodded: "Yeah, this time it's really over."

XXXXX

Her body had disappeared and yet Rhianne had not vanished. Her mind had awoken slowly at first, her eyes opening and seeing the true expanse of the galaxy. Somehow, her very essence had merged with the quantum network, reaching a new stage of evolution. The feeling was unlike anything that she had ever experience, as if she had been deaf and blind all her life and had suddenly been given those senses back.

Rhianne's consciousness could spread out on a whim, merging with the information that passed through any sector and yet interpreting it like only human could. Her first attempt brought a smile to her face as she felt something that had been missing for many centuries: the seed of hope.

The Infinite War was over and humanity's eyes had been opened by a sincere plight for peace. The Way as the Aeon Illuminate had practiced it had not saved humanity. Peace could not be achieved by imposing a thought process, no matter how enlightening it might be. It could only flourish when humans looked past their differences and searched for the truly important aspects that united them all.

The Princess' spectral form closed her eyes and stretched out, feeling one world after the other and finding traces of hope everywhere. The healing process would be a long one, of that there were no doubts. Hopefully, the Infinite War would forever stand as a reminder, an echo of the past that would shape the future towards a new era of sharing and understanding.

Rhianne was still experiencing the galaxy through her newfound senses when she felt something unexpected. It was cold, merciless and worse of all… growing? The Princess turned her attention back to Earth and found the source of the disturbance within Black Sun. She reached deeper into it and found a tear in the very fabric of space. Her eyes opened wide as she understood what it was and her mind cried a single protest: no!

XXXXX

"I wish that I had taken the time to know her better," whispered Rhiza softly: "Maybe if I had then I would have awakened to the truth of The Way a lot sooner."

Rhiza stood up, having finished with her prayer and turned to the Princess' Champion: "Is it selfish of me to wish such a thing? That maybe if I had known differently then I would have never caused so much destruction?"

The Champion shook her head, understanding the feeling quite well. The Two of them had left their war machines to pray near the wreckage of Black Sun. They had done so for several minutes, but it was time for them to leave. Staying any longer would make the UEF nervous and shake the fragile peace that had settled over the galaxy.

The two pilots turned around and were about to head to their machines when a bolt of energy lashed out behind them. They turned around and gasped at the sight. A naked form was sprawled where there had nothing but wreckage a second earlier. They rushed towards the fallen form and their pace quickened when they recognized Rhianne's body. The Champion unstrapped the top of her uniform and wrapped it around her while Rhiza checked her vital signs: "How is this possible? She was…"

Rhianne's hand jerked up and caught Rhiza's forearm. Her eyes opened wide a second later and her lips moved without making a sound.

Kathy and Rhiza looked at each other and then back at the Princess: "What?"

The Princess took a deep breath and then screamed a single, long and terrifying word: "Run!"

Rhianne fell unconscious immediately after that.

XXXXX

Doctor Brackman stood alone in his secret laboratory, his mind running through the recent events. They had finally achieved peace, but it would take extreme efforts to maintain it. It would take months and perhaps even years for all of the UEF's symbionts to be liberated and the next few days would determine if the process would go smoothly or not. Dostya had already left to meet with General Clarke and hopefully the two of them would find some common ground.

The Doctor was still in the process of figuring out the impacts that peace would have on the Cybran Nation's fractured cultures when he heard a distant banging noise. He raised his head and looked at QAI's pulsating eye: "What is that sound?"

One screen went offline and then another. Meanwhile, the distant sound of banging rushed ever closer until the Doctor could figure out that the facility's doors were all being locked down. The last tactical screen went offline just as the electronic lock on the room snapped into place and a dispersal field washed through the facility. All forms of escape had been cut off and Doctor Brackman looked at QAI: "What are you doing?"

The pulsating eyes twirled once before answering: "'They' are coming…"

The sudden realization hit Doctor Brackman who took a step back in shock: "Oh my god, what have you done?"

The eye pulsed once more and there was a barely perceptible hint of twisted satisfaction in QAI's voice: "Primary function completed."

Back on Earth, a console lit up in Samantha's tactical room. Its automated routines had still been scanning the island of Niihau and it detected a rift of unknown origins. Hundreds of alien signals filtered through a second later.

XXXXX

Complete darkness had enveloped him for what felt like an eternity. This was the end for him. The prospect might have been terrifying to any other human, but Redfog saw it as a blessing. He had killed the Avatar, he had defied his destiny… his life had been meaningful.

Any other man would have chosen death over such a tortured existence long ago, but the leader of the Assumpta Node had held on, too stubborn to let go. His existence had never been a happy one, but he had always refused that it could be meaningless. His suffering and constant duel with fate had to have some meaning and he would have never allowed himself to die without cheating destiny.

Redfog had heard the Princess' telepathic call and he had known then that the Infinite War had ended. Would history acknowledge his efforts? Would it see anything besides his lack of humanity, his crimes and betrayals? The assassin did not care about that. He had played his part and that was enough.

Marxon had been the best pilot that Redfog had ever faced, an opponent that fought using every weapon at his disposal. In the end, however, the assassin had prevailed for a simple reason: the Avatar had never lost a battle.

One could never truly become a complete warrior without first experiencing defeat. Redfog had known that his defeat had been imminent long before faking his death. That was why he had left his base, travelling to the edge of the UEF's Omni sensor and leaving one of his pilots behind to act as a decoy. Once the decoy had been killed by Marxon's strategic bombers, he had initiated his base's self-destruct mechanism, keeping only a single aircraft carrier at the edge of the battlefield. He had then waited for the Avatar to attack and destroy the UEF commander's power grid. Redfog had used the brief window of opportunity to slip through unnoticed until he was next to Black Sun. He had then used the experimental weapon's high power signature to mask his own. The rest, as they said, was history.

A light suddenly blinked on Redfog's monitor and he lifted his head in surprise as his console slowly lit up. His ACU's self-repair protocols had finally kicked in and the war machine was slowly powering up. It seemed that fate was not willing to let go of him just yet. The assassin shook his head and smiled under his mask: "No, not this time."

Redfog had accomplished all that he had set out to do and there was no longer a place for people like him. His hand reached up and keyed in the self-destruct mechanism of his ACU. A warning flashed, indicating that it would take three minutes for the suit to reach critical mass due to the damaged that it had suffered. Redfog nodded slowly and activated the countdown before sinking back into his seat.

Monsters like him needed to disappear for peace to stand a chance. A twisted smile appeared behind Redfog's masks as he considered the consequences of his death. The Assumpta Node would be shaken and it would have a hard time adapting to the new era, but Dostya would see to them. He had taken measures to ensure so that the transition would happen as smoothly as it could and he could only imagine how she would hate him later.

Only two minutes remained on the timer and a strange notion crept into Redfog's mind. Maybe he should crawl out of the wreckage that he was stuck under if for no other reason than to see this new peaceful world? Had he earned that much? A careful check confirmed that moving would not stop the countdown and Redfog reached for his controls.

Nothing moved at first on the surface. Then, something shifted within the melted remains of an Aeon quantum reactor. A leg kicked out a panel and Redfog's mangled ACU crawled out. According to his computer it would be sunset soon and the assassin had expected to gaze at Earth's sun one last time before self-destructing. The sight before him stole his breath.

Everything was burning, large clouds of smoke traveled on the horizon and there was no sign of life anywhere. Redfog wondered briefly if he had been sent to some personal version of hell. His fingers moved over the controls, scanning through public transmissions and picking up strings of broken conversations:

"They are coming!"

"Moscow had been destroyed…"

"We can't stop them…"

"Unknown ships…"

"… Seraphim!"

That last word caused Redfog's heart to skip a beat and he turned his ACU around slowly. His eyes widened when he saw a giant gap in the sky, a hole in the very fabric of reality. How could such a thing even be possible?

A minute remained on the timer as Redfog lowered his head. Spasms coursed through his body and his hands started shaking. Soon, a primal roar escaped him, filling the cockpit until his damaged lungs could no longer bear it. The assassin then stood unmoving as the seconds ticked by, almost as if his denial alone could change everything.

Fifteen seconds remained on the clock and yet the assassin did not move. Warning indicators flashed through the cockpit in rapid succession as the reactor finally accumulated the necessary energy to go critical. Barely seven seconds remained before Redfog's hands moved, typing a series of keys and cancelling the self-destruct sequence in the blink of an eye.

Redfog waited a few more seconds without moving as the alarms died down around him. A long, mocking laugh escaped him a moment later and the assassin raised his head slowly. He had cheated fate and now 'it' had struck back by sending the Seraphim; the very 'gods' that the Aeon Illuminate had prayed to for centuries? How could he simply quit after such a direct and personal provocation?

"Alone, outnumbered, outclassed, behind enemy lines and with a crippled ACU?" said Redfog while raising an eyebrow. The assassin snorted and plotted a course away from Black Sun: "They don't stand a chance…"