Chapter 33

  Morelus (Moon Orbiting Rhyus)

  The Rhyus System, Karbay Nolan Sector

  Date: Crys 19, Year 4731

  Months before Garen ever set foot on Rhyus, back when he still believed his life would remain on Chiex, Amar Lavont sat in the RSIA’s main base on Morelus, leaning back in his chair. His fingers brushed his chin—a habit that surfaced whenever he weighed multiple outcomes.

  His blue eyes were unfocused, distant yet sharp, lost in thought.

  Across from him, O-One sat perfectly still, his scanning line adjusting slightly—the only sign he was processing beyond his words.

  "General Anteia will arrive in forty seconds."

  O-One’s voice was crisp and controlled, too perfect to be human. Though he had learned to mimic natural speech, the hollow neutrality in his voice betrayed his synthetic nature.

  "Why are you telling me this, O-One?" Amar asked, breaking from his concentration.

  "You seemed deep in thought, sir. I assumed a reminder would be beneficial."

  "Indeed. Always looking out for me, O-One," Amar said, exhaling. "I’m sure you know I’m sending you on the operation."

  "That was my expectation, sir."

  "I’ll be relying on you, O-One. There’s too much at risk. I trust others for different reasons, but with you, there’s no question. I trust you completely."

  There was a time when Amar would have said the same about Garen. He always found a way to get results—though never in the expected way.

  O-One, at least, was predictable—though not infallible. Disloyalty was impossible for him, and failure was nearly the same. Of course, O-One had been programmed to behave that way.

  "Human variables remain a factor. I will ensure the mission adheres to its projected outcome." O-One’s visual scanning line narrowed slightly, its dim white glow shifting in no steady pattern.

  "I know you will, O-One."

  "Thank you, sir," he replied through his speaker grille.

  The door chimed. Amar activated a command on his desk, signaling for the one on the other side to enter.

  Terra Anteia stepped inside, her attention shifting between them. For a heartbeat, frustration crossed her face—an automatic reaction to being pulled from her work—but it faded just as quickly. She braced herself, expecting orders she wouldn’t like.

  He admired her fire, except when it burned in his direction.

  "Admiral Lavont. O-One," she greeted.

  Her tone was carefully neutral, "I hope the two of you have a good reason for pulling me away. I’m in the middle of my report on the Tazkhan Confederation."

  "Have a seat, General," Amar said, motioning to the chair beside O-One.

  O-One’s presence wasn’t surprising. The synthetic was a common fixture in Amar’s office, often working directly under the admiral.

  "It is a good reason, General. Have your assets reported in?" Amar asked.

  "They’re a little behind schedule, but I’m confident they’ll report in soon. Things are escalating as predicted," Terra replied.

  "Is their withdrawal still on schedule?" O-One asked.

  "Yes," Terra confirmed.

  "Good. Seeing as things are wrapping up in the Olastis System, I’m assigning you to focus on another operation," Amar said.

  "Wrapping up? It’s only beginning to escalate," Terra countered.

  "I'm reassigning the operation. Soon, Olastis won’t be your concern," Amar stated. "The RSIA is scaling back operations—we’ll maintain a presence, but we’ve done all we can. If it worsens, the RDF will step in."

  "I was hoping we could prevent that," Terra admitted, folding her arms.

  She had learned long ago that challenging Amar Lavont strategically was rarely fruitful—he always played the long game, considering multiple alternatives. Yet, she also knew he valued her input.

  At least by maintaining a minimal presence, they retained the opportunity to ramp up operations in the system again if needed.

  "It was always the most likely outcome," O-One said.

  Terra didn’t disagree—he was right. However, she had hoped to make a positive impact on the system. But it had become too divided, with too many factions vying for power and control.

  "So, what operation am I being reassigned to?" she asked.

  "The Vorcons," Amar said.

  "Admiral?"

  Amar nodded.

  "Is this regarding the intel I received?" Her words came out like a half-formed thought.

  "Yes." Amar’s tone was firm.

  Terra took a moment to collect herself, chewing on the inside of her lip—an old habit she barely noticed when bracing against frustration.

  She hadn’t even wanted to pass along the intel when she first received it. She had wanted to forget about it.

  "That intel..." Terra hesitated, arms crossing tighter. "Not one detail has been verified. Until I see proof, I won’t trust it. And neither should you. Launching a full-scale response over this is reckless."

  She caught herself, lowering her voice. Amar waited, letting her finish.

  "I’d rather finish my work in Olastis first. Pulling me off now doesn’t sit right—I need to see it through. We’re making progress."

  "I understand, General," Amar said, though he knew removing her from an operation she had spent years on would not sit well.

  "We have new evidence regarding Vorcon activities," O-One added. "And, General Anteia, this mission would give us a chance to repair the Prine listening post."

  O-One removed a data drive from his uniform and handed it to Terra. She took it, turning it over in her hands, wondering exactly what its contents were.

  "Where did this intel come from?" she asked. It fit in her hand, yet it felt as though it took up more space than it should.

  "A Rulnali operative," Amar replied.

  "Vekth?" Terra asked.

  Amar nodded.

  Vekth had risked much, sneaking out intel on the Vorcon Empire when she could. She was an interesting case—still working the supply lines for the Vorcons. The intel she provided was rare, infrequent, but always accurate.

  "We’re positive Vekth sent this?"

  "It has been verified—delivered directly to one of our agents at Port Narris," O-One clarified.

  "I see." Terra accepted that, but a part of her still wished it were untrue.

  "The threat is real. We must act—and I need you to oversee this, General Anteia," Amar stated.

  Her hesitation was subtle, but Amar caught it. Terra had spent enough time fighting the Vorcons—she was more than content to leave that chapter behind.

  "I need to review the new intel, but I'm still not convinced about the initial intel I received months ago, Admiral," she said, still eyeing the data drive O-One had given her.

  "Analysis of the drive will provide necessary clarity, General," O-One stated.

  "We need to be cautious when it comes to the Vorcons," Terra continued. "We should monitor them, but our focus belongs elsewhere—on real, immediate threats. Plenty would love to see us at war with the Vorcons again, some would go to great lengths to make it happen." The thought sent a ripple through her body, a memory turned physical.

  "I agree," Amar said. "However, the RSIA must maintain focus on several avenues at once. That’s why I need you to oversee the operation."

  "Admiral..." she started. A rebuttal burned in her throat, but she forced it down.

  "Do you remember O-One’s initial suggestion?" Amar asked.

  Terra turned to O-One, then back to Amar. The synthetic remained perfectly still.

  "We’re going to send a ship in?"

  "Yes, General," Amar confirmed. "You know as well as I do that this can’t be ignored. If we hesitate, we risk everything in the Rhyus System."

  Terra sat there for a moment, knowing there was no fighting this, Amar had made up his mind. She wasn’t going to refuse his order, but she didn’t like it.

  This would be no easy mission. The mission itself didn’t bother her, Amar’s urgency did. She wasn’t convinced the Vorcons were a pressing threat. Maybe her perspective would change after reviewing the new intel, but she still believed she would be more valuable elsewhere.

  "Very well. Once my operatives are back and I complete my report, I’ll hand over the Olastis System op. In the meantime, I’ll get started on mission planning."

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  "That is acceptable," Amar said.

  "I am to be assigned to you for the operation, General Anteia," O-One said, turning at the waist toward her.

  "Good. I’ll need your help, O-One," she said with a half-smile at the synthetic. More often than not, O-One worked directly with Amar, assisting him. His reassignment to her command for this mission only reinforced how much importance Amar was placing on it.

  "Ready to assist, General," O-One replied before turning to Amar. "I will ensure that my temporary replacement, O-One-Five, will act according to your preferences in my absence." His words were factual, devoid of reassurance.

  "Appreciate it, O-One," Amar said.

  Terra shifted forward slightly. "Do we have a ship for this type of mission? I’m not sure I feel confident in any of our current vessels being able to handle this."

  "The Preyon," O-One stated.

  "The Preyon is still under construction," Terra pointed out.

  "I’ve ordered all focus to be on its completion," Amar said.

  "The Preyon will be complete within four synods," O-One added.

  Terra had received the initial intel and had reluctantly presented it to Amar. The intel was detailed, but they had been unable to verify it.

  Recently, outside interference had increased, making misinformation more common. Several assets had been compromised—some had disappeared, while others no longer seemed interested in working for the RSIA—making verification more difficult, especially when it came to filtering out false leads.

  If the intel on the Vorcon bio lab was accurate, it was a serious matter—one she couldn’t ignore.

  Despite her caution, Terra was already considering personnel for the mission, though she still wanted to review the latest intel herself, hoping to find a reason to prove it inaccurate. Regardless, she had new orders to follow—and she would act as ordered.

  But knowing O-One, he had already spent considerable time analyzing it.

  "Major Rena Cyra for Cybersecurity Officer," she said.

  O-One pulled out his PDA and made a note. "We will need to transfer Major Cyra."

  "Other than currently assigned COs, General Anteia you can select personnel from other operations. Though, as always, some may not appreciate you pulling their people," Amar said. "However, I will make it known that your new operation is the RSIA’s top priority moving forward—next to the Helix Operation, of course. All of Major Kard’s personnel are off-limits. If you need any of his people, you’ll have to discuss it with him."

  Terra considered who was working under the Helix Operation. "I’ll see if he’ll give up Lieutenant Oswin. We’re going to need a good pilot," she said.

  "That’s your call, General," Amar responded.

  "Lieutenant Oswin is an exceptional pilot. I will need to remind him to tone down his overconfidence," said O-One.

  They discussed and went over a number of names as potential candidates to fill out the crew, narrowing the list down.

  "I’m going to put in for some of the other positions. I'll have to send out a few transmissions," Terra noted, already planning her next steps.

  "You have some time before they are assembled. The majority of your team will have no knowledge of this mission until just days before departing," Amar replied.

  "Understood. Though I’d like to settle on the mission commander as soon as possible," Terra said. "I’m thinking either General Remi or General Oldavin."

  Amar and O-One didn’t respond, causing Terra to glance between them. She studied them both for a moment.

  "You already have someone in mind, don’t you?" she asked. Her expression hardened slightly. "I hope you’re not considering General Dantel."

  "This is no ordinary mission, General Anteia," Amar said.

  "We need an exceptional commander—someone with experience regarding the Vorcons," O-One added.

  Terra considered the options. None of the candidates they had discussed possessed significant experience with the Vorcons. She looked to Amar, narrowing her eyes slightly.

  What are you up to, Admiral?

  His silence stretched a second too long. Terra shifted in her seat, reading him as she always did. A name entered her mind, just for a moment. When it came to Vorcons, a certain name would always cross her thoughts—there was no way it couldn’t. But that couldn’t be what he was going to say. There was no way. It wasn’t possible.

  Amar exhaled, taking his time, unsure how to proceed. He chose his words with care before speaking. He had considered every alternative, but there was only one choice. And he knew—as soon as he set the mission in motion—that there had always been only one choice.

  "I've considered every alternative carefully," Amar said, his voice quiet but decisive. He paused for a moment before continuing.

  "This wasn’t an easy choice."

  Terra watched him closely. Amar never stalled like this—he usually came right out with it.

  "Amar?" Saying his name caught her off guard for a moment.

  "I think the best commander for this mission is Garen Rivers," Amar said.

  Terra’s mind flashed involuntarily to their final meeting—the cold distance in Garen's eyes as he turned away. He hadn’t simply walked away from the RDF or the Seven Worlds; he'd walked away from her, abandoning everything.

  In that moment, he had made it seem easy, as if it hadn’t hurt. But he had done it just the same.

  Terra let out a sharp laugh—not from humor, but disbelief. Of all the names Amar could have said, his?

  She composed herself quickly, though inside, turmoil remained. "Admiral, has O-One been teaching you humor?"

  O-One turned at the waist toward her.

  "My humor has increased by—"

  Amar cut off O-One with a motion of his hand. "I’m being serious, General."

  "Why?" Terra’s eyes narrowed. "How?"

  Amar met her eyes.

  "Do you even know where he is?" she asked.

  "I’ve always known where he was," Amar said.

  "You have?" As soon as she said it, it seemed obvious. Of course, Amar would.

  "He’s maintained contact with a select few since he left. Infrequent communications. Chief Koick, for example."

  Terra thought of Chief Koick—how he, Garen, and the others used to play cards in the Riftkin’s storage room, despite there being designated card rooms. It wasn’t surprising that Garen would keep in touch with him.

  "He wouldn’t have told you about Garen," she said.

  "No, he didn’t," Amar confirmed.

  Garen hadn’t exactly hidden where he was; he just never announced it. There were others he was close with, people he would reach out to sometimes.

  "Admiral… you were spying on him?" Terra asked.

  "I periodically had different operatives check in on him—from a distance. I never interfered in his life," Amar stated.

  Terra did not approve.

  "Still, you can’t be serious about having him command this mission. He won’t agree to that. It’s been too long. He’s had to move on from that possibility by now—moved on from it long ago. He said he would never come back. It’s been years. He meant it when he said it. This feels like a waste of time to ask him. It’s unfair of us to ask him. It’s insulting."

  "Do you reject the idea because of your past relationship with General Rivers?" O-One asked. There was no malice in the question—just data, processed and stated as fact.

  Terra’s head snapped turned toward him. "That’s none of your business, O-One."

  "I apologize," O-One said. "I also believe an in-service general would be better suited for this mission. However, Admiral Lavont feels General Rivers is the best choice. We must proceed with that."

  "We need this mission to succeed. What happens if it fails? We need someone who can stay calm and react—someone who knows the Vorcons well. That’s Garen," Amar said.

  "Don’t you think it’s unfair to drag him back into this?" Terra asked. "He seems to have found peace wherever he is."

  "It will be his choice to make."

  "He’s on Chiex, living near a Camerian settlement," O-One added.

  "Chiex?" Terra took a moment, trying to recall the planet. "I know Garen made friends with a Camerian after the Liberation of Calio."

  Terra found it odd to imagine Garen living on some remote world with Camerians. She had often wondered where he had gone but never pursued that knowledge. He was gone. He had left the Seven Worlds, and she was confident he was living out his life the best way he knew how after everything that had happened.

  It didn’t really matter where he had gone. His departure had hurt for a long time, but she had moved on. She missed him in many ways—missed who and what he was—but that was a long time ago. Their lives together had been shaped, surrounded by war, and maybe it was na?ve to ever think things would have worked out once the war ended.

  They had met during their days at the academy and had served together on the Riftkin at the start of the war under Lavont’s command. Terra had never doubted that their love for one another was real—she had cared about him deeply—but war had defined their relationship just as much as anything else.

  "There is no way the Council agreed to this—to Garen commanding, did they?" Terra asked.

  "I will present the latest intel to them tomorrow," Amar said. "They have yet to approve Garen as commander—or even the mission itself. But we will proceed regardless, General Anteia."

  He had anticipated their concerns, countered every argument before they could make it. The Council was predictable—risk, optics, political fallout. But predictability didn’t guarantee certainty. They could still hesitate, still delay, still be swayed by unseen forces, by shifting currents beyond his reach.

  She had no idea how he planned to get the Council to agree. They wanted to avoid another conflict with the Vorcon Empire at all costs.

  But getting them to agree to Garen’s return? That seemed just as unlikely—if not more so.

  Perhaps the severity of the mission would force them to consider Garen’s potential as the ideal commander—because that’s exactly how Amar would present it.

  "You really think they’ll approve this?" Terra asked, still struggling to believe Amar would even present it. The same seven councilors had been in power since the day Garen spoke out.

  She didn’t need to say the rest. Amar had already considered it from every angle, but that didn’t mean the Council wouldn’t make it difficult.

  "Yes. It will take some convincing, but I believe they will agree. They are very invested in this mission, in the intel, and they have agreed that you need to lead the operation. I’m not going to run the RSIA forever, Terra. If you want to lead it one day, you need to be able to handle the Council of Seven. They’ve been impressed with your work," Amar said.

  "I'll be heading to Rhyus tomorrow alone to discuss Garen as the mission’s commander, but when it comes to fully presenting this mission to them, you will attend and will be expected to speak with them."

  Many things within the RSIA’s scope remained internal to the organization, but when it came to the Vorcons, the Council demanded full and frequent updates. Their interest also extended to Helix.

  Only now did Terra realize that leading this mission meant facing the Council of Seven directly. Though, if she wanted to advance within the RSIA, she needed to learn to speak with them.

  "When do you expect Garen to return?" Terra asked.

  "When the mission is close to being launched, we’ll send someone to Chiex and ask him to return," Amar said.

  "That’s it? You think that will work?" Terra’s skepticism deepened. "You know Garen—he doesn’t do what’s expected. If he’s spent a decade avoiding us, what makes you think he’ll come running back?"

  "He lives alone, in the wilderness. Isolated."

  "And you think he’s been waiting for this?"

  "I think he’s been waiting for something." Amar replied softly.

  Maybe he was assuming too much. But he wouldn’t let Terra—or anyone—see his doubt. He spoke like a man who believed every word. But did he? Had Garen truly been waiting, or was it just his own hope speaking?

  "It won’t be that easy."

  She wasn’t convinced. If anything, she was certain it wouldn’t be. Terra thought Garen would be anything but grateful.

  Amar knew Garen well, but he seemed to overestimate his attachment to the fleet—assuming too much. A part of it was that Amar hoped for a chance to make things right between them. But he truly believed Garen was their best hope for the mission’s success, and that was what mattered most to him.

  "We also need to determine who we’re sending to bring him back. I was considering Colonel Taylen," Amar said.

  "I’m not sure we can trust Colonel Taylen with this," Terra said.

  "He’s a very capable officer," O-One stated.

  "I think Garen would take a liking to him," Amar said.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Colonel Taylen—she did. She thought highly of him, but his past was complicated. "Colonel Taylen it is." She agreed. "You know I’m not sure about this, Admiral—about any of it. But I’ll move ahead. I’ll get this operation underway. And if we can’t get Garen to come back, then I’ll find another commander for the mission," Terra said.

  "If Garen refuses, choosing the mission’s commander will be your responsibility." Amar inclined his head slightly.

  To Amar, there was no doubt—Garen would return. In his mind, the matter was already decided. The mission would go ahead; Garen would command it.