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“How dare you. This information is not for you or your crew. It was designed for me, you are walking a very dangerous path, Captain.”

  “Sir, not telling me what is in this message, and possibly endangering this entire crew is a much more dangerous path.”

  “I don't believe this.”

  The captain smiled. “Believe it, sir. With your attitude yesterday, the oddity of you being on this vessel to begin with, and a top secret message from our enemies, I just think that–”

  The admiral snarled, “They are not our enemies. They were. You can cling to your past rivalries, but I will look toward the future, along with the rest of the sane members of this Union.”

  “Well, then, just tell me the specifics of your message and I'll go back to commanding this ship, and you can go back to eating alone.”

  “I could just lie to your face.”

  “Well, if I think you aren't being truthful or something isn't adding up, I'll just decrypt the message. Which, I'm probably going to have to do anyways,”

  The admiral sighed. “Can I tell you a story?”

  The captain laughed.

  The admiral motioned toward the window. “Hyperspace. I will start my story by asking: Do you believe there is anything lurking out there, in the chaos of hyperspace?”

  Devereaux shrugged. “I'm not sure. And I don't know what this has to do with anything. I don't think there is some creature living out in hyperspace. Life cannot be sustained in that sort of chaos.”

  Akeldamas continued, “Not life as we know it, anyways. There could very well be something fantastic out there. There have been reports of terrible things out there. Centuries ago, when men first sailed out into the vastness of the sea on Earth, they saw fantastic things as well. Things they could not explain, so they explained them away with mysticism and fantasy. All manners of strange creatures. The kraken. Not knowing what is happening out there, the mystery of the deep, can be a frightening thing.”

  The captain stared out into hyperspace as well.

  Akeldamas continued, “Our early pioneers into hyperspace, along with the first men who sailed the seas, had to face the fear of the unknown. Many of them did not return. One of the first ships to enter hyperspace was never heard from again. Vanished without a trace. You know the story, though, I'm sure.”

  “Yes, and they didn’t bother trying to search for them. It wasn't time for humans to venture into the unknowns of space. The unknown, the mystery, could very well be the end of even more lives,” Devereaux replied.

  “I suppose it was the right call. A few years later the whole process was perfected.”

  The captain nodded. “Jumpgates and hyper-drives are a lot safer now.”

  “True. Our technology for them is so much more advanced than what we had then. Regardless, a rescue party was not sent into the unknown. The unknown is a scary place. A place I do not want to send anybody. You never know what could be lurking out there. There are brave souls who are signing up for Exodus. They have no idea what their future may hold. But if they somehow end up in a terrible place, will we send more people into the unknown? Is the Exodus a good idea to begin with?”

  “What's your point?”

  “Those travelers to Andromeda may very well have the same fate as those who went into hyperspace and were lost. In fact, I can almost guarantee it. The unknown usually claims lives until we understand it better. Would you want this ship to travel to the unknown? Would you put everyone's lives at risk? What would their families think? It's just an interesting thought. The unknown can't be known unless there is loss of life. Progress cannot be made until the kraken feeds a few times. And do not doubt it—the kraken will feast.” The admiral stood up. “Captain, your cooks on this ship are to be commended. Very delicious. It’s a pity the rest of the ship seems to be in complete disarray, especially the captain.”

  Akeldamas walked away. Devereaux continued staring out into hyperspace.

  A crew member approached the captain. “Sir! We have finished analyzing the transmission that was sent from Dynasty space into the admiral's quarters. We can definitely break the encryption if we can collect some data from the admiral's quarters. I'm sure there may still be some data in the buffer overflows. If we can get just a few bytes of data, I think we can decrypt the entire message. What is your command, sir, shall we seize the admiral's quarters and try to decrypt the message?”

  The captain just stared out into hyperspace.

  “Captain Devereaux, sir? Sir, are you alright? What is your command?”

  The captain looked at the crew member. “Son, you have a family back at home on Urbania, don't you?”

  “I don't see what that has to do with anything, but, correct, sir. I'm expecting my second child soon. Very exciting.”

  Devereaux smiled. “That's great to hear, Lieutenant Draeden. How old is your other?”

  “Oh, my little one is turning five at the end of March. Freedom is scheduled to be at the shipyard that week. I was planning on taking some vacation–”

  “Yes, of course. You need to be with your family,” Devereaux replied.

  “Yes, sir,” Draeden said. “I wouldn't miss that for anything. Well, back to matters at hand. Shall we continue on the decryption? We're close to breaking it. We just need your orders...”

  The captain started back into space. “No, I just chatted with the admiral...” His voice trailed off.

  “Sir?”

  “I think it'll be fine. Stop the decrypting. Go back to your other duties.”

  “Yes, sir.” The lieutenant walked away with a puzzled look on his face.

  The captain slowly began eating again as he stared out into hyperspace.

  Captain John Devereaux shouted, “Wait, stop!”

  Lieutenant Xan Draeden stopped and turned back around. “Sir?”

  “Do you believe something lives out there, out in hyperspace?”

  “Actually, yes, I do think there is something out there. I just get an uneasy feeling when I look into hyperspace. I try not to stare at it for too long. Sometimes I start seeing things.”

  “I used to not think too much about it, but I think there is something out there.”

  “Well, any ideas of what it could be, Captain?”

  Devereaux turned back to the window. “A kraken.”

  2

  January 28, 0270 AC – 19:00 Local Time

  Kado-class CFS Iriguchi

  New Nippon State, Orion Confederation Space

  Captain Tanari Oshiro of the hypership CFS Iriguchi was lost in thought. He looked over papers discussing mundane ship operations. But he wasn’t really paying attention to what was on the papers, he was thinking about a bombing that recently occurred on a space station. A space station he used to call home.

  Oshiro’s quarters were not lavishly decorated, a rarity for a captain of a starship. His quarters were mostly barren. He didn’t feel he deserved a nicer place to stay just because of the number of chevrons on his uniform. He was dedicated to his crew, his family. That’s all that mattered. Not furniture or silly knickknacks in his quarters.

  A noise from the door in his quarters startled Captain Oshiro. It was the familiar sounding tune of someone wanting access into his quarters.

  “Yes? Who is it?” Oshiro asked.

  “Lieutenant Yamato Koizumi, sir.”

  Captain Oshiro liked Koizumi. Koizumi was also dedicated to the job and to the family of the hypership. He would make a fine executive officer whenever Oshiro’s best friend, the wise veteran Commander Tyr Tsukino, retired. Oshiro felt blessed to have such a great crew serving with him.

  “Haitte kudasai,” Captain Tanari Oshiro said.

  The lieutenant entered the quarters and bowed before the captain. “Peace. Good day sir. I suspect you have heard about Silver Cove?”

  “Yes. Please sit down. What are the reports saying now? How many are dead?”

  “The number keeps rising. Thirty-two confirmed dead so far. Many injured. The bomb went off in a crowde
d marketplace, I think it's a wonder the number is relatively low,” Koizumi replied.

  “And they are blaming this on us?”

  “A businessman from New Nippon with ties to the Confederate military is apparently who did this. There is no motive, just terror.”

  “Was there anything of value there? Personnel, anything?”

  “Not that we can tell. It's about as random as it could be. Someone is trying to tarnish our relations with Silver Cove. Make them more likely not to side with us in a war. I'm not sure why exactly, they are mercenaries and usually just side with the highest bidder.”

  Oshiro pondered. “But Silver Cove is relatively close to Artemis. I can imagine that there might be some tactical importance for gaining the support of the Cove.”

  Koizumi shifted in his seat. “You could be implying that the Union might actually be behind the bombing, to try to shift support from the Orion Confederation to the Union? Make it look like we did the bombing, and if a war does breakout over Exodus, and our possible liberation of Artemis, that the mercenaries would be more likely to accept jobs from the Union than the Confederation?”

  “Something like that,” Oshiro stated.

  “Is there plans for a liberation of Artemis?”

  Oshiro shook his head. “No. The Confederation has ties to Artemis and understands their plight, but there is no use risking war over this if the Union makes the right decisions. But if they are behind the bombing, that means they think a war is imminent.”

  “But we will not provoke them. There is no reason for war at all. It's so confusing,” Koizumi said.

  “Yes, but if they are behind the attacks on Silver Cove what's to stop them from attacking their own people? What's to stop them from attacking their own people and blaming it on us?”

  Koizumi furrowed his brow in concern. “Muri desu. No. They wouldn't harm their own people to try to start a war would they?”

  “It has happened in the past,” Oshiro pointed out. “It would not surprise me if it happened. It would mainly just...”

  Oshiro paused.

  “Yes?” Koizumi asked.

  Oshiro continued, “It would confuse me. There is nothing to gain from a war. Except war itself.”

  Koizumi sighed. “Unfortunately, sir, that might be what they are after. Just bloodshed.”

  “Perhaps. But I think there has to be a bigger picture. There has to be some plan. Perhaps it has something to do with the Blood Dynasty. There are rumors that the Union and Dynasty are going to go into peace talks. They are playing with fire.”

  “Playing with fire just ends up getting you burned.”

  Oshiro nodded his head in agreement. “And it will burn down their entire land with it. But perhaps that is the goal, for some reason.”

  A beeping noise followed by a computer voice emanated from somewhere in the quarters, “Lieutenant Riko Maeda is requesting a link.”

  “Link me with her,” Oshiro replied.

  “Captain? This is Lieutenant Maeda.”

  “Lieutenant, go ahead.”

  “Yes, we received some strange orders from Command, text only. We are to go to–well, a random spot in deep space for special equipment for a future mission. It sounds really odd, sir.”

  “I agree. Send it to my quarters. Also, establish a NEP link with whoever sent that command here. I'll check up on it soon.”

  “Yes, sir,” Riko Maeda replied.

  Koizumi stood up. “Well, I should be going. You should read over those orders while I go back to my position. Have a good day, sir.”

  The captain smiled. “Alright, take care.”

  Koizumi bowed and exited the quarters.

  Oshiro slid his personal computer closer to himself. “Computer. Access the last few transmissions from Command.” Oshiro read over the entries. “This entry is a little odd. Computer, has a connection with Admiral Kusari Hateru, the admiral that sent this transmission, been established as of yet?”

  “No,” replied the computer.

  “That's fine. Let me know when it is established. It looks like we received another text command before that one. I'll read that over while contact with Hateru is established.”

  The text command was as follows:

  01/28/0270 1825 100 New Nippon, Orion Arm, Confederate States of Ainu, Honor, New Nippon, Maia, Ryukyu and Sol. From Order of Admiral Kitakami. In The Name of Emperor Yoshino. To Commanding Officer of: JSS-6

  It would be in the best interest of New Nippon and the Confederation to try to get to the bottom of the terrorist attack on Silver Cove. We need to figure out what is going on there for the sake of all the States of the Orion Confederation. It should not appear that we are working against the common goals of our nations. We are sending a team to perform their own investigation on the terrorist attack, along with some government officials to try to do some open discussion about the future of our business with this “trade organization.” As you are currently near the edge of the neutral zone, we will be requesting the use of your hypership. As you know, technically the hypership is not considered a warship and will not violate any neutral zone treaties. We will meet in the Deneb asteroid belt and then head trailward to Silver Cove. At Iriguchi's current location, you should be able to reach Deneb within a day. Please make haste to Deneb sector.

  Thank You.

  Admiral Kitakami, New Nippon Battlegroup 2

  平和

  Iriguchi's captain had just finished reading the text when the computer announced, “HyperNEP vid link established with Admiral Hateru. Proceed?”

  “Affirmative, computer.”

  On the screen of Oshiro's computer appeared the admiral who had made the odd order to visit a random point of space for supposed special equipment. The admiral smiled and said, “Captain, konbanwa.”

  “Good evening, Admiral Hateru. Can you explain the mission you sent our way? It's odd, and we have recently received a diplomatic mission to Silver Cove. I'm sure you have heard the news about Silver Cove.”

  “Yes, most unfortunate. For this mission, however, your ship is to visit the specified location in the mission details for special equipment upgrades.”

  “What sort of upgrades?” asked the captain.

  “That is top secret,” The admiral assured the captain, “and very important.”

  “Well, top secret or not, we cannot accept your mission currently due to the conflict between these two missions.”

  “Well, Captain, this order comes from Ryukyu and is something they have been doing. I do think it’s a good idea. However, if you wish to complete the Silver Cove mission and then head to the location specified in this mission, that is acceptable.”

  “No, Admiral, it is not acceptable. There is no data on this upgrade anywhere. Please describe what actual equipment this ship will be getting.”

  Admiral Hateru looked uneasy. “I'm sorry, but, again, that is top secret.”

  “It may be, but I think it is my right as the captain to understand a bit more of what is happening here.”

  Hateru's face went pale. “Please, you need these upgrades for the future.”

  “Is everything okay?” Oshiro asked.

  “If you don't go there, well, I'll–never mind it's fine.”

  “I am confused. I think I need to report this meeting with Command.”

  “No, no, it's fine. I have been under some stress lately.”

  Oshiro shrugged. “I will not bring this up to Command, but if this mission is important, please send better details of this mission to me, for now I need to go over the details of the current mission to the Cove. Feel better, you look like you have seen a ghost or something.”

  “I'm okay, thanks for your time. I will talk this over with my superiors. You may or may not need these upgrades in the end.”

  Captain Oshiro closed the transmission with a puzzled look on his rugged face. “Something is just not right here.” Oshiro stood up and announced to the computer, “Computer, let it be known that I'm heading to the bri
dge. I'll go over the mission to Silver Cove with the command crew there.”

  The transmission ended and Admiral Hateru sighed and opened up another channel to someone else on his computer. “Computer, Black Priority... 27...2A” After a few seconds of strange colors flashing, a man on the other side of the transmission appeared and responded.

  “Yes? This is not the time for the report. I'm very busy.”

  “Sorry, sir. I– the–” stammered Hateru.

  The mysterious man interrupted, “What? I need to go soon!”

  “Oshiro isn't going to get the Iriguchi outfitted with its upgrades.”

  “And why not?” asked the man on the computer screen.

  “As I feared, he does not trust the command.”

  “You do know the price of failure.”

  “Sir, no, I can make it right. I know where the Iriguchi is going. Maybe we can intercept them there and upgrade them there?”

  “If the mission is completed and we are not uncovered, then it’s fine. Where is the ship going?”

  “Silver Cove,” Hateru replied.

  “Fine, that works. I need to go. Remember, if you fail–”

  “Yes sir.”

  The transmission ended. Hateru opened up another channel. He closed his eyes and a tear ran down his face. “Send the equipment to Silver Cove.”

  A voice responded on the other end of the transmission, “Both sets of equipment?”

  “Yes, Mr. Slade. I suppose so,” Hateru replied.

  “Oh, alright. We'll figure something out.”

  The link was terminated.

  Admiral Kusari Hateru leaned back into his chair and more tears streamed down his face. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”

  January 29, 0270 AC - 11:40

  Space Station Grauer

  Galactic Union Space

  The transport had docked into the space station. Both Teresa and Jacob emerged from a hallway that led to where the transport had docked. They were greeted by a large expanse filled with shops and people.

  “Wow, I never really have been to a large station like this,” Jacob said.