Alex Pettyfer (as Chris Alan Starbright at 15)

Seldom had Chris Alan Starbright been called to a meeting of such grave importance. But then, seldom had his fellow Lightchildren faced such a grave threat. Given some of the foes that the Lightchildren faced, that fact was an almost incredible thing to consider.

At times like this, Chris Alan’s mind tended to focus on symbols and their hidden meaning, as his Oppositional “depend on it” intuition was engaged heavily at such times. Symbolism had been much on his mind as he’d dressed and then departed for this meeting, leaving a worried Autumn behind with her parents and Crystal on Mahe’alani.

The Lightchildren’s chief vehicle for interacting with other sentient beings, the Deep Space Service, had four branches or Wings: the paramilitary Fleet, the mercantile Guild, the diplomatic Corps (which included in its eight departments the Circle of Starbards), and the scientific Survey. The Wings respectively had flags and logos bearing a Lion (on a red field), an Ox (on a yellow field), a Man (on a blue field), and an Eagle (on a green field). The uniforms worn by the Service as a whole, and by each of its four Wings, were simple and mostly black, symbolizing the blackness of space.

As a Special Ambassador of the Covenant Sphere, Chris Alan was an Honorary Captain in all Four Wings. Accordingly, he wore to this special meeting a plain black flight jacket, pants, socks and shoes combined with a white shirt, the generic uniform of the Service. In addition, Chris Alan wore a gold pin representing the Ark of the Covenant on the left lapel of his jacket and a Captain’s ring on his right hand.

The others present at the meeting were the current administrative heads of the Four Wings, each wearing a tan flight jacket adorned with the logo of his or her Wing. The rest of the uniform for each head was black. Each head wore a ring on the right hand signifying the rank of Admiral of the Service, in addition to a gold pin representing the Ark.

This sort of gathering of the Four Wings’ top leaders and their Guardians was a very rare event. With the Undying Singer present, it was a heretofore unheard-of event. Accordingly it was held in a private room on the D.S.S. Mahina, the Elyon-class Deep Space Station orbiting Mahe’alani as an artificial moon.

Out of deference to the Circle of Starbards and to the age and experience of its Chairwoman, Grace Everstar began the meeting. In the midst of the five seated Lightchildren was a projection of the 1,728 sectors of space that comprised the Cube, itself twelve thousand light-years on an edge. The Cube demarked the volume of space in which the Covenant Sphere extended its indirect influence. Each cubic sector, 1,000 light-years on an edge, had one Deep Space Station in position within it and the Station’s associated ships patrolling and exploring it.

Also within the Cube were the other Spheres of Influence (Treaty, Neutral and Hostile), ruled over by various Elemental Archons, plus various independent powers such as the Cluster Federation that had no Archon. It was these independent powers, plus the various independent Adami colonies, that had been most affected (so far) by what the Service heads were about to discuss.

“By now the news that we are at war is spreading throughout the Cube and probably beyond it,” Grace began. “The specificity of the attacks by the Ayyah is noteworthy. Even in places like the Cluster Federation, where there are numerous species dwelling side-by-side, the Ayyah have focused consistently on Adami interests. They’ve attacked other species only by way of collateral damage, or if they’ve resisted on the side of the Adamim. Also noteworthy are the coordinated timing and extent of the attacks.”

“Yes, indeed,” Ian Brightharp the Surveyor interjected. “Over the past seven days the Guild alone has lost dozens of ships and hundreds of lives, including Lightchildren. The Ayyah have also suffered losses in these attacks, thanks to the skill of the Lightchildren, but the Ayyah seem not to care how many they lose – and they’re losing fewer than we are. The Fleet has also suffered severe losses, as the Fleet Admiral will tell you. So far they haven’t dared to take on a Cherub-class Surveyor or an Elyon-class Station,” Ian added, “but I think it’s only a matter of time before they do.”

Chris Alan nodded grimly to himself. The Surveyor Michael Archangeloswas still very much in service, and his mortal parents were still very much a part of its crew. Part of him was deeply concerned for his parents, and part of him was almost sorry for the Ayyah. They didn’t know how much in the Metacosmic Realms depended on his choices, for whatever strange reasons were known to the Lord of the Realms.

These Ayyah don’t know what they’re risking, Chris Alan thought. If the parents of the Undying Singer come under attack, who knows what the Lord might order or allow him to do in response?

“I think we should pull back in-Sphere and let these Ayyah do as they like until they tire of it,” said Jacob Gardener the Guilder.

“That would defeat the whole purpose of our being out there, of our projecting our influence throughout the Cube,” Chris Alan argued with emphatic gestures. “I may have no love of conflict, but I’ve never backed down from a necessary fight either. Let’s not give our enemies cause to accuse either the Service or the Sphere of cowardice.”

“You realize, of course, that I’m speaking as a Stabilizer,” Jacob argued back, “not as a coward.”

“And I’m speaking as a peace-loving Catalyst,” Chris Alan replied, “who knows when diplomacy is useless and retreat is even worse.”

“I must agree with the Undying Singer,” Grace interjected. “I don’t think these creatures will tire, and the Adamim out-of-Sphere will suffer greatly because of them. So will any non-Adamim who take their side – and there will be many.”

“What does that have to do with us?” asked Jacob. “They live outside of the Covenant.”

“Can we simply leave billions out there to die?” Grace exclaimed. “These attacks are merely the opening round. The Ayyah are capable of doing much, much more from all indications.”

“Inside the Sphere and the various Annexes, we are all safe. If they wanted safety, they should’ve chosen to obey the Lord of the Realms,” Jacob shot back.

“The Lord has given them free moral agency – and time to live their lives and learn from experience,” Chris Alan interjected as diplomatically as he could. “We must help. It will show all out-of-Sphere the love that He has for them.”

“How does it show them love to be so powerless before our enemies?” Jacob retorted. “Many Covenant Citizens, Lightchildren and mortals alike, have fallen before these Ayyah.”

“And many, many more Covenant Citizens in-Sphere are fasting and praying because of that,” Chris Alan reminded Jacob. “This war could work against the Ayyah in the long run. It could bring many people under the wings of the Lord’s direct protection, within the Node and Nodelet Fields, where no Ayyah or any other created being can harm them. Our sacrifice on their behalf will only work in our favor in this. Martyrs have fertilized the soil of many, many revivals of truth, Jacob.”

Jacob said nothing, but listened as Chris Alan turned to the others. “Look at the pattern of attacks to date, starting with the first one,” Chris Alan went on. “At log five it takes over a week to cross the width of two sectors, yet the pattern of attacks falls all over the Cube – everywhere Adamim live unprotected in great numbers, and also at many places where the Service conducts deep-space operations. We know that the Ayyah are using some kind of cloaking device on their strange, nest-like motherships. They must’ve been planning this operation for months at least, placing their ships in position to catch us unawares. It’s a terrorist strategy, basically, one that can be expanded into a very effective conventional one.”

“Your secondary temperament must be Theorist, Chris Alan,” Ian remarked. Pure Theorists were known for their strategic thinking on various levels; their talent was at the heart of the Survey’s mission.

“It is,” Chris Alan replied with a smile.

“Chris Alan’s mental versatility is one reason why I called him to this meeting,” Grace remarked.

“Your reasoning is strategically sound, Chris Alan,” said Fleet Admiral Wu Chin, an Easterner with a very intelligent-looking countenance. “But does it take into account the intelligence that the Ayyah must have gained in order to set up this operation?”

“I know of only one being that could have that kind of intelligence readily available to him, and that’s Nicholas Blackthorn,” replied Chris Alan. “Not even Edwin Bitterroot had the kind of talent required to coordinate that sort of thing, which is one reason why he preferred to work alone.”

“Again, you are thinking soundly. Fleet Intelligence has recently learned that Nicholas is now operating his own very stealthy and very powerful starship, the Adventuress. From there he’s now coordinating the gathering of immense resources, material, personal and informational, toward his own agenda. We shudder to think of what would happen if his supporters built a fleet of such ships, and if he also gained symbiotic communion with the other Hostile Elementals and their mortal charges. That threat could make that of the Ayyah pale by comparison.”

“Right. And here’s where something Raphael and I learned about Osirin’s son comes into play. We thought that something in his species’ native DNA gave him the ability to ‘soul phase’ as he does. We were wrong. It’s the symbiote of his species’ Elemental Archon. Symbiotic communion with that Archon gives the Ayyah his particular dual-phase abilities. Yet the testimony we have is that Osirin really is his father; he’s not the adopted son of the Archon. Most certainly Osirin is in communion with the Ayyah’s Archon too. So Osirin’s serving the agenda not only of himself, but of the dark demigod he worships – something that Nicholas would take advantage of in any way he could.”

“But the Ayyah have remained an unknown species to us since the Great Rebellion, just before the Founding of the Sphere,” Jacob argued. “You yourself were the first to record the existence of their homeworld.”

“Some Hostile Archons have abandoned their basic humanoid form,” Chris Alan replied, “and have altered their mortal charges’ form accordingly. My best guess is that Zephyr Falconer was the Archon of what became the Ayyah. Zoe Appleleaf remembers his name from the trial in absentia that the Lord of the Realms gave the rebellious Elementals off-Ge. Since that trial, nothing more has been heard of Zephyr. Likely he’s now living on the Ayyah homeworld; he might even be on Osirin’s flagship. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s sought asylum with Nicholas somewhere, maybe on Nicholas’ own ship or at its home base.”

“Which base we still haven’t found,” Wu Chin added, “no more than we’ve found the exact location of the Ayyah homeworld.”

“But the Manikin Diaspora has narrowed the homeworld’s location down to a few sectors beyond the Cube, yes? Amethyst could use their information to narrow down the possibilities further still.”

“I’ve already planned to ask her to do exactly that. However, a strike at the Ayyah homeworld may not be the right first step, but rather a strike at Osirin’s mobile base of operations. Any prisoners he has will almost certainly be there, given his brand of arrogance. Amethyst would be ideal to look for that base also; her Inverted Drunkard’s Walk seldom fails to locate the general vicinity of its target.” When Chris Alan nodded, the Admiral went on. “Madame Everstar, I have a plan that may minimize the length and damage of this war.”

“What is this plan of yours, Admiral?” Grace turned left to face him.

“Once Amethyst submits her report, we send a small group to spy out the Ayyah, gather information on them, and use this information for further planning.”

“With thousands dying daily – and with millions more possibly dying daily tomorrow?” Jacob objected. “Wouldn’t it be quicker to shore up the defenses on worlds close to the Sphere?” Jacob was still pushing for staying close to home.

“And here I thought you weren’t concerned for the outies’ welfare,” Chris Alan remarked.

“Well, if we are going to help them – and I’m outnumbered four to one on the wisdom of that – I can think of ways more immediately effective than a spy mission.”

“We can and must do what you suggest,” said Wu Chin, “but don’t underestimate the material resources of the millions of star systems in-Sphere. We can have our cake and eat it too, sending supplies from some of the dwarf star systems to where they’re most needed out-of-Sphere. We can leave that to the Guild’s departments, mostly.”

“Give me some solid objectives, and I’ll see to it that they’re fulfilled.”

“And you shall have them with dispatch. I admit that a spy mission would take time, possibly months – and it would be a very dangerous mission. Those sent may not return, yet I have in mind a team that should be able to do the job.” Wu Chin remained serious throughout.

“It needn’t take so long if I’m on the team, Admiral,” Chris Alan pointed out. “You all know of my special relationship with the Lady Zoe. She can open the Portal of Starlight in deep space for the Hind of the Dawn and put the team anywhere in the Ring of Stars almost instantaneously. And once we find the Ayyah, I have the power – the unique power – to engage them directly at need.”

“We should feel sorry for the Ayyah accordingly. This team of yours, Admiral,” Grace probed.

“As you’ve undoubtedly inferred, Captain Starbright is my first choice to head the mission. Major problems require major weapons. I understand that his cousin Christina has been made a member of his crew by order of the Lord Himself.” Chris Alan nodded. “Faith Everstar, your own daughter, and Cody Lonestar should also be on the team; and I think Bakbuk would be a good addition as well.”

“Now wait a minute.” It was Chris Alan’s turn to object. “I know Faith’s potential as an Idealist, none better aside from her mother, but is she really the right Lightchild to send into such a dangerous situation?”

“Her own Gifts are awakening, Chris Alan. I think they will surprise even you, if they awaken fully on this mission.” Grace turned to the Admiral. “Still, that’s a very strong team just for spying, some of our best taken out of the line of duty elsewhere. I’d be lying too if I said I wasn’t concerned for Faith despite what I just said. I’d be tempted to grant her a leave of absence, if doing so wasn’t so unfair.”

“Truthfully, the odds of a spy mission succeeding without loss of life are very low. Only the Wielder of the White Hand could even those odds, and those I’ve chosen to go with him.”

“Are you saying that you picked me based on the numbers you ran?” Chris Alan asked.

“I’m saying that when you’rein a situation, all bets are off. We know it, Nicholas knows it, and Osirin will soon know it. That’s why I picked you; in a way not even Amethyst does, you represent the truly incalculable.” Wu Chin sighed. “I am sorry to call on you like this, Captain. I know you’re a new father, and you’ll have to leave your girls behind – but you of all people should know what’s at stake.”

“That’s why I’m going – and believe me, Autumn will understand and pray for our safety.”

*****************