Aeris - Guardian Force - 10. Act 3 – War and Remembrance – Part 1

Chapter 11:

“Since the Battle of Gilese Prime two years ago, we have seen nothing but losses. We’ve lost 1/3 of the outer colonies to the Thorian Empire, and the refugees and evacuees are overcrowding the Home System, and Lower Orion Arm colonies. We need to seek out a peaceful settlement with the Thorians, and send a delegation immediately.” The Jovian Ambassador, Nicholas Smith, stated to the news host. Though the three on the screen were not in the same room, much less on the same planet, the discussion was heated, fierce, and not unexpectedly biased.

“You must admit though, we’ve have reaped some major benefits since the war started,” Major General Thomas Ward, of SolFed R&D, broke in with, “Since allying ourselves with the Thorian named Zirsi, and his Conclave of Specialists, we’ve come to develop FTL communication, new planetary defense weapons, and all the supportive services that go along with that. In addition, we have come to an understanding of our ancient past, and unlocked the secrets of magic…”

“The rudimentary secrets of magic, General, but nothing that is winning this war. If Zirsi, and his Conclave, was truly on our side, he would tell us the spells we truly need to win. Also, at what cost is this bringing us? We’ve sold our souls for a few trinkets, and better communications.”

“I’m sorry to break in, but we are at a hard break,” the lady Newscaster stated. Putting on a fake smile, she looked into the camera, “This is the Galaxy News Network, live on your favorite platform. Fair, Balanced, and Unafraid.”

~*~

Aeris reached over and turned the halo-screen off. The news these days was depressing, with new squabbles from the different political spectrums, and the news of the ongoing war. ‘I should be on the frontlines, not stuck on Earth being a politician,’ he thought. Aeris sat at his desk as he turned towards the window looking out over the Guardian Force Command compound. The sun had set and the golden glow before darkness had turned the courtyard fountain into a pool of liquid gold. He lost track of time until a knock on his office door stirred him. “Come.”

Adorned in his Dress Blacks, walked in a fellow Guardian Force Officer, Codename: Titan, “Hello Aeris.” Titan was a tall, slender man, built more for scholarly work, than undercover operations, but he was the stealthiest among them. “Just got my orders and I’m here to pick your brain if I can.”

“That’s fine with me. Where are you headed?” Aeris motions for the man to sit down.

“They are sending me back to Gilese 667, and to study both Gilese Prime and Secondary. It’s a solo recon, and stealth mission, at the request of Fleet Admiral Toews.”

Aeris looked at him, with undisguised shock, “Be careful. I wouldn’t trust Toews, even if I was locked in a room with him, and I’m the only one with a gun. And why now? It’s been over two years since we were there, and previous requests to go back, by that Asshole, have been declined, repeatedly.”

“I agree brother, but both the President and Guardian One have authorized this mission. Though with prejudice and misgivings, on the part of Guardian One. It seems no one trusts this mission is on the up and up.”

The pair spent a couple of hours going over intelligence from the Battle of Gilese Prime. Discussing what was put into the official reports, and what was left out of it. Aeris made several suggestions for the success of the mission but made sure to make it clear that caution was prudent. Titan looked at the time, “It’s been, educational brother. I’ve got to head out, and make my way to the space dock to get my ship ready.”

“Then I will wish you good luck,” Aeris stated. He sat thinking a moment before adding, “One last question. Your mission profile, said this was to be a solo mission?”

“Yes. I’m authorized for only one Guardian Force officer, myself, and whatever additional assets that I need to accomplish the mission.”

“Guardian One is a sly son of a bitch,” Aeris smiled for the first time since their meeting started. “You may not be able to take anymore Guardian Force with you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a Specialist from the Conclave.”

With a laugh, Titan replied, “I had not thought of that. That would be a needed asset, someone who can open the doors. If you would contact the Conclave for me, please, I really need to get the spacedock.”

“I will now you get out of here.” Aeris watched as Titan made his way out of the office. Turning towards the com panel, he activated the halo-screen calling Zirsi.

“Aeris, it’s good to see you. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“I need to ask a favor of you, friend.” Aeris spends thirty minutes summing up his and Titan’s conversation. “So, if it is at all possible, could you send someone with him? I don’t trust Toews, at all.”

“Very well, I’ll have a Specialist from the conclave go with him,” Zirsi stated as he nodded in agreement. “I find it very disturbing that Toews would want to send someone to Gilese 667. I made it clear that system was a trap set for you to investigate. The Thorians have no issues in transplanting whole planetary populations, just to spring a trap on unwary rivals.” He shook his head in disgust, “It seems that warning ‘fell on deaf ears,’ as you humans say.”

“I trust Titan, not to stumble into anything blindly. He’s cautious and methodical in his missions. Thank you, and the Conclave, for your assistance in this.”

“My pleasure Aeris… Now, how’s that man of yours doing?”

Aeris chuckles some, “William is doing well. His advance GF training finished a month ago, but Guardian One has him assigned as my TacSpec and I’m stuck here at HQ, for the time being. Needless to say, our Professional Relationship is putting a strain on our Personal Relationship.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Aeris. They must have a good reason keeping you two together, and there.”

Aeris shook his head no. “Not in my opinion. They are basing this all off of what the Future Four sent us. It’s been nothing but a headache. Meeting after meeting, just to discuss what was in the files of the other timeline. Namely the personal journals of one William Jeffers, married Life Partner of Aeris, also my doppelganger’s, and what it means in our war with the Thorian Empire. They are trying to find any semblance in the timelines. Well, Naval Intelligence is. Guardian Force is on the record of saying that, ‘The future four, and their war, has no bearing on what we do.’ We changed the history, including what would be in these journals.”

“Seems human Intelligence units are similar the ones the Thorian Empire employs. They don’t have any. Well, don’t let this ruin you two’s relationship. I verified it the first time I spotted you two in the office and looking for an exit. You’re soulmates, as you humans express it. There is an undeniable connection with you two.”

“Did you scry that?”

“Yes. Back before we met, I did some future scrying. It changed each time, as it usually does when one is looking in on the future, but one thing was clear, you and William were together in almost all of them. Not always as lovers, or married, but a strong connection between the two of you exists that spans time and space.” Zirsi laughed a bit. “Very cliché as you would say.”

“I would hope my life wasn’t one big cliché,” Aeris said with a laugh of his own. “Anything else from your scrying, I should know about?”

“Nothing important. Though I will say, the actions you and I have taken, and what your Government has done as well, has seriously altered the future timeline. So, none of the ones I viewed match where we are now.” He pauses a moment, as he looks to somewhere off screen, “I’ve got to go Aeris. The Conclave has detected a magical build up in the Proxima Centauri system, and we need to head there to investigate.”

“Godspeed Zirsi, Aeris out.” The com channel went dark, as the connection was terminated. Aeris switched the halo-screen over to GF internal news flash system, waiting for information on Proxima Centauri. ‘Nothing yet, I hope all is well,’ he thought to himself. Aeris pulled up the mission logs for the area, taking stock of what current Military and Guardian Force assets were in that region. Not recognizing anything critical, he switched off the logging system and made his way out of his office.

~*~

The Guardian Force training environment was second to none, on any of the many Human controlled worlds and stations. The main training complex, located underneath the Command Compound and several stories below ground, held several Holographic Intensive Training rooms, or HIT rooms for short. These training rooms had been enhanced with the magical technology that Zirsi had brought with him. An operator could select from hundreds of preprogrammed scenarios, or create new ones on the fly.

Aeris walked into the observation and control lounge for the HIT room that was specialized with Psionic Interface Mini-drones (PIMs) and smiled some in silence over to the TacSpec that was operating the controls. He watched as the scene played out in the courtyard below.

William crouched low behind a barrel in the urban combat environment for this training session. He watched as two men walked a sentry patrol in front of the command tent set up in the town square that was his target. Reaching out with his psionic powers, he sensed the mini-drones in the holographic images of the soldiers. The front flap was opened slightly, and he saw that the tent was clear, and stealthily he approached the tent at an angle. At three meters from the tent flap, he reached out with his telekinetic powers and activated the release knot on the rope he setup around the corner.

A bang sounded that drew the attention of the two soldiers as they ran around the building, nearest the tent. William had pre-positioned a trash can lid to would fall and make a ruckus to cause the distraction, and so far it seemed that the two soldiers had fallen for it. ‘I hope they think it’s just a cat, and they don’t look up,’ he thought to himself. William slipped inside the tent and spotted the commander of the enemy force.

With a thought, William sent forth a telekinetic force to choke the officer. The PIM registered the attack and reported back the success of the action. William maneuvered around the officer struggling to breathe, drew his combat knife, and with a killing blow slit the throat of the officer. After accomplishing the mission objective, the scenery changed as he stood there of a serene field within a copse of trees.

“That was excellent work William,” his training instructor said, as he materialized next to him.

“Thank you, Sir. I’m just glad that it worked this time.”

“Indeed. So, are you ready for a bit of a challenge?”

“Sure.”

Off to their right a door materialized and open, showing where the true wall was in this holographic environment. Aeris walked in, smiling to William, as he bows to both. “Don’t hold back, because I’m not going to.”

William could tell this was the real Aeris, as his Psionic power of Telepathy touched Aeris’ mind. “As you wish, my love.”

Aeris was hit was psyche wave of telekinetic force, that sent him sliding back across the field. He braced himself, his left leg forward bent at the knee, while his right was locked behind, at the last moment, and skidded to a stop. Aeris sprung from his front leading leg and ran for all his might to close in on William. The two locked up in hand to hand combat, with Aeris pressing the attack on William. Aeris swung a right hook, trying to go for William’s ribs, but William easily redirected the blow. Aeris turned the redirect, into a spinning snap kick, which landed on the spot that the right hook was aimed for. Taking the blow to the ribs, and letting out an ‘of’ William caught the offending and delivered an elbow to the back of Aeris knee.

Stumbling from the blow, Aeris stepped back, regrouped, and pressed the attack again. The back and forth dance of punches, kicks, counter punches, and redirects lasted several minutes before, William through another telekinetic wave at Aeris. Sensing it coming this time, Aeris was ready when it hit, and used it to disengage from the in close fighting. Aeris grabbed the magical weapon hilt from his belt and activated it. A staff of magically created hard light appeared in his hand. The hilts were a magical enchanted weapon that Zirsi created once the Conclave was established from the expat Thorians and the Human Students. Each member of the Guardian Force had a hilt now, and they could create a variety of weapons from hard light.

William followed Aeris lead, creating a staff of his own, and the two combatants re-engaged in the center of the clearing. Strikes, parries, and thrusts erupted from them, but it was apparent to all involved that Aeris and William were evenly matched. As quickly as it started, the combat session ended between the two lovers.

“I yield,” Aeris said. He stood back from love and bowed to William.

William nodded, and bowed back, “I accept.”

“That was a good sparring match. But you didn’t use your powers that much.”

“I was,” William said breathing hard. “I was using my telepathy, to read when you were going to strike. Not that effective, mind you, as it was mostly surface thoughts I was gleaming, and you fight on instinct. Not much thought in how you fight.”

“Winded?” Aeris said. He was breathing harder than normal as well.

“Yeah. You pushed me to my limit.”

“Good. Now, it's date night. We’re already running late.”

“Shit I forgot.”

Aeris smiled, as the pair turned towards where the Exit appeared. As they walked, the holographic imagery dissipated, as the cold lit interior of the HIT room appeared. They stopped briefly, for William to talk to his training instructor before the pair continued to the elevator.

~*~

Aeris sat on his couch relaxing after the ‘dinner and movie date night’ he and William had. William came back to the apartment with him and walked back from the bathroom to sit next to Aeris on the couch. His lack of shirt and pants gave evidence to the intentions William had for the rest of the night. William ran his hand over Aeris still clothed chest and leaned in to kiss him on the lips. The pair kissed passionately, as they held each other and made out. William broke the kiss and looked Aeris in the eyes.

“We’ve been dating for two years now, Aeris. We’ve made out a lot, taking it slow, with lots of kisses, and hand jobs. I can say with no doubt, I love you, and I want to make love to you.”

Aeris smiled and leaned in to kiss him. “I love you too, William.”

William straddled Aeris lap, and slowly unbuttoned Aeris’ shirt revealing his smooth hard muscled chest. Moving towards the floor, William kissed Aeris down his torso, stopping long enough to pay attention to Aeris’ nipples. He took the left one into his mouth sucked on it and grazed it lightly with his teeth. William gave the right one equal attention, before he continued south, and towards the prize that laid inside Aeris’ pants.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP… the emergency tone on Aeris’ communicator sounded, and he switched it on, as William sat back on his heels.

The holoprojector activated, and springing before them was an image of the EX-01-Prometheus’ bridge, and her captain Admiral Jules Franks. The scene was chaos, as a fire control team, attempted to put out a fire coming from the auxiliary control stations in the back of the bridge, and the smoke hung in the air tinged red from the emergency lights. “Aeris, we need help! The Thorians attacked us by surprised as we entered the Proxima Centauri system from hyperspace. Shields and weapons are disabled, we’re venting atmosphere on two decks, and sublight is offline. The package is secured, but we’re about to be boarded. I have no choice but to surrender….” The communication goes dead, and the projector went offline.

“Shit…” they both said at the same time.