{"id":8799,"date":"2019-09-30T00:01:46","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T05:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jackofharts.com\/?p=8799"},"modified":"2019-09-30T02:42:26","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T07:42:26","slug":"wolfenheim-emergent-v-earc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/?p=8799","title":{"rendered":"Wolfenheim Emergent V eARC"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wolfenheim Emergent is available at the following retailers<\/p>\n

Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Barnes and Noble<\/a><\/p>\n

Apple Books<\/a><\/p>\n

Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Smashwords<\/a><\/p>\n

The following is the electronic Advanced Reader Copy originally sent to my Beta Readers in December. Take a look, and if it interests you, the final version is available for purchase now.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Victory is an amazing thing to celebrate. Life and love and faith and everything that goes with all of that can change the world when you add a dash of victory. You can cement alliances with it. You can make friends and influence people. You can change the worlds with it. Just make sure to take the time to enjoy it. Celebrate it. Love it and live it when the time comes. We all fail in our time. It\u2019s mandatory in fact. So enjoy your victories when you get them. They\u2019re worth every second of it.<\/p>\n

V<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Malcolm looked around at Normandy\u2019s<\/em> crowded dance floor with approval.<\/p>\n

The Republic of California had wanted command ships for their early star fleets and built them with rotating grav decks, extra communications channels for coordinating squadrons of starships, and all the other little amenities a fleet admiral could want. Normandy\u2019s<\/em> flag bridge and numerous other facilities were gone now, repurposed by time, improvements in technologies, and simple need.<\/p>\n

The dance floor this room had been original built as was a perfect storage room for the base materials the Peloran fabricators needed to keep Wolfenheim\u2019s<\/em> fleet repaired and operational. The fact that they\u2019d not had to take any special care to clear the room out for today\u2019s occasion said more than he wanted to say about how much damage they\u2019d taken in Arnami Prime.<\/p>\n

A crowd of people now filled it from one end to the other. It was tiny compared to the similar rooms he\u2019d grown up with on Earth, but it was a lavish use of cubic space aboard a starship. It actually took up a full two vertical decks to give the patrons more headroom, and a well-designed sound system played soft music through speakers hidden in the exposed pipes and structural girders above him.<\/p>\n

Music complemented the background murmur of a few dozen Aesiran and Earthborn humans talking together. Celebrating together. Their victory. Their life. The little things.<\/p>\n

Starfighter pilots pantomimed their attack maneuvers and boasted over their number of kills. Starship captains discussed the tactics of the battle, or the future of their disparate fleets. The War proved one of the more enduring subjects.<\/p>\n

The Aesiran towered over the average Earthborn humans, a testament to their size and strength, but if the groans of disappointment were any indication, the Smiths were acquitting themselves well in their contests of strength.<\/p>\n

It was a real party in every way that mattered, though Malcolm wished Caroline could be here. She was certainly responsible for how many of them had made it out alive. And it would have been an excellent excuse to walk together again.<\/p>\n

Or dance. He could see himself dancing with her. Maybe more than dancing.<\/p>\n

Erik Torson stepped out of the knot of ship captains and walked over to Malcolm with a bemused look on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is an amazing woman,\u201d Erik said.<\/p>\n

Malcolm smiled. \u201cYes, she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik gave him a sidelong look. \u201cI was talking about your Olivia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm cleared his throat and met the Aesiran\u2019s gaze. Then he chuckled. \u201cShe\u2019s not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik pursed his lips, and then sighed with the look of a man deciding to dive into the deep end of the pool. \u201cThen you are not…?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm turned his full attention to Erik and saw the blush coloring his cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Malcolm said with a smile. \u201cOur relationship is strictly professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStrictly?\u201d Erik asked in a tone that betrayed just a hint of hope.<\/p>\n

Malcolm shrugged and decided to tweak the other man just a little bit. \u201cWell, we\u2019ve maybe flirted<\/em> with the idea of flirting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik frowned and looked entirely too serious. \u201cA woman like her deserves to be flirted with far more conviction than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm nodded and raised his beer towards Erik. \u201cCan\u2019t say as I disagree with you there. But I\u2019m not the right one for that job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFlirting with her would be no job,\u201d Erik said with a long look towards Olivia.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue,\u201d Malcolm said and turned to where Olivia talked with an Aesiran captain.<\/p>\n

She pivoted to meet his gaze and Malcolm smiled at her. She nodded and returned to her conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmazing,\u201d Erik said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery,\u201d Malcolm returned in a melancholy tone. \u201cBut it would complicate our business. Perhaps destroy it if things went wrong between us. She is indispensable in her current role. I can\u2019t risk it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik nodded in understanding, his gaze never leaving the amazing captain. \u201cWhat would you say to a man who expressed interest in spending time with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm chuckled and shook his head. \u201cThat if he made her cry, I would make him<\/em> cry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik clapped a hand on Malcolm\u2019s shoulder and shook him like a rag doll. \u201cEvery man should make an oath like that for women like her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm grabbed the man\u2019s wrist with one hand, pivoted, and stepped out from under the Aesiran\u2019s bulk with just enough torque to twist the arm to an uncomfortable length. Then he smiled up at the surprised Aesiran as he held the arm like that for a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsider the oath spoken,\u201d Malcolm said in a firm but quiet tone to keep it from drifting too far. He released the wrist and took one step away from the other man.<\/p>\n

Erik rubbed his abused wrist and chuckled. \u201cConsider the oath understood in full measure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm nodded and motioned Erik towards a sitting area. The Aesiran followed him over and they sat down with contented sighs as the chairs shifted to fit their frames.<\/p>\n

Erik blinked in surprise as his chair even accepted his massive bulk without complaining. He patted the arm with a good-natured slap that would have rendered lesser examples of its kind into kindling and gave Malcolm a long look.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw something interesting as we docked with your ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d Malcolm asked with curiosity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like a wheel. Is it truly designed to rotate?\u201d Erik asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call them grav decks,\u201d Malcolm said. Then he shook his head and laughed. \u201cUsed to. Now all<\/em> our decks have gravity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik frowned. \u201cHow old is your ship?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm shrugged. \u201cA century, give or take a few years. She was the height of American engineering in her day. Best lasers, missiles, and fighters ever put into space. By us, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd your best ships generated gravity by spinning part of them?\u201d Erik asked in a mixture of disbelief and awe.<\/p>\n

Malcolm chuckled. \u201cI grew up taking day trips to Luna on ships less advanced than this old girl was. And yes, all of our best ships used spinning grav decks back then. Now that trip takes minutes and boasts far more comfortable artificial gravity. And my best partner in crime is a cybernetic intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm looked at Dawn across the room and she turned towards him with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a lucky man,\u201d Erik said very seriously.<\/p>\n

Dawn raised an eyebrow at the alien and Malcolm chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust me. I know. It\u2019s amazing how technological advances can change our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then he tapped his toe on the deck beneath them. \u201cLook at gravplating. If you have the knowledge, the industry, and the spare materials, you can mass produce these things like candy. And they\u2019re far easier to install than those old grav decks ever were. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ve had a single ship class in the last fifty years that doesn\u2019t use these plates. And putting them into older ships isn\u2019t even considered a major refit now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have seen much change in your life,\u201d Erik said slowly.<\/p>\n

Malcolm nodded. \u201cThe Peloran jumpstarted our technological progress by a thousand years when they gave us gravtech. Maybe ten<\/em> thousand. They changed our worlds. They gave us the stars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now the Shang seek to take them away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Malcolm said and aimed a long look at Erik. \u201cWe won\u2019t let them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik nodded. \u201cI understand. I understand their point of view as well, but looking at this ship, I find myself understanding yours much better than I did before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm frowned at the alien. \u201cWhat part of their point of view do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat you are a threat to them,\u201d Erik said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Malcolm shook his head. \u201cWe\u2019re only a threat now because they attacked us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik returned his look for a long time before answering. \u201cThe Shang are content with the galactic balance of power that has existed since the Albion and Ennead destroyed each other. They are cautious by and large, and do not wish to see the balance change. Your fundamental nature promotes change. Your scout ships routinely travel hundreds of lightyears outside your territory, just because it is out there. And witness your expedition. In the middle of the greatest war your kind has ever seen, you have personally assembled a colony expedition to travel thousands of lightyears across the galaxy, to our very doorsteps. Any society capable and willing to do that is a threat to the galactic balance of power. Maybe not today. But certainly tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm leaned back in his seat and reflected on the man\u2019s words. They were true, but they were not complete. The little voice in the back of his head told him that it was only part of Erik\u2019s concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik nodded. \u201cYes, there is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you aren\u2019t going to tell me,\u201d Malcolm said in disgust.<\/p>\n

Erik shook his head. \u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t or won\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik chuckled. \u201cYou have spent time with Aneerin, I see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm pursed his lips and frowned at Erik. \u201cDid he tell you not to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAneerin has made it clear that we are not to interfere with your race in any way. You are under his protection.\u201d Erik shook his head. \u201cAnd Aneerin is not a man to take lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not asking you to interfere,\u201d Malcolm said in a cajoling tone. \u201cJust tell us something we don\u2019t know. Something we should know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik shook his head again. \u201cKnowledge is the greatest interference of all. Your words. All Aneerin gave you was gravtech. Not even any weapons. Just a gravitic generator and a hyperdrive that used it. You changed your worlds inside of a century with that knowledge. I would be a madman if I dared to presume to give you knowledge that could destroy you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you think you\u2019re qualified to decide what knowledge could destroy us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Erik chuckled again and sighed. \u201cOnly you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm frowned. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik smiled. \u201cWhen you find the answers, you\u2019ll be ready for them. But you must discover them yourself. I cannot give them to you or they will mean nothing. You might not even believe my answers. Worse, you may believe them for the wrong reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik leaned forward and whispered so softly even Malcolm\u2019s hearing could barely pick it up. \u201cYou have the right to discover who you are on your own. The right to decide who you will be in the future. I cannot take that away from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm frowned and took a step back. \u201cBecause Aneerin warned you not to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven had he not.\u201d Erik sighed and spread his arms out wide. \u201cMy people are content to stay in our own space and not interfere with others. Trade missions like mine are full of the young and foolish. Few of us are foolish enough to leave our space a second time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my tenth trip to Arnami Prime,\u201d Erik said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Earth?\u201d Malcolm asked with a pointed look.<\/p>\n

Erik blinked, cocked his head to the side, and smiled again. \u201cOnce.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that is why you fly with us now?\u201d Malcolm asked with a wry look. \u201cYou are too young and too foolish?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik cocked his head to the side and returned the look. \u201cMalcolm. We are all human. All the races of humanity are closely related. If I liked you just a little bit better, you and my twin sister could have children. Assuming she did not break a wee little man such as yourself before you could even make it to second\u2026what is your word\u2026post?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBase,\u201d Malcolm corrected and cleared his throat. \u201cSecond base.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh yes. I knew it was something like that. I have known more than one young battle maiden who would have taken you to every<\/em> base and made you scream for mercy before all of her jeering sisters.\u201d Erik shook his head in pleasant memory.<\/p>\n

Malcolm just frowned at the shift in conversation, feeling as if he\u2019d missed something.<\/p>\n

Then Erik chuckled. \u201cBut I digress. Do you believe that our shared humanity is a mere coincidence? A case of…parallel evolution as some of your scientists say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm returned Erik\u2019s gaze with a steady look, remembering all the times he and Charles had speculated on that very point. It was his turn to lean forward and whisper towards the Aesiran.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was there the day Aneerin first walked upon the surface of the Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik\u2019s lip twitched at that statement.<\/p>\n

Malcolm nodded. \u201cOr so he says. Well\u2026not that he ever says<\/em> it in so many words. He just never seems to correct us<\/em> when we<\/em> say it, if you understand my meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik\u2019s lip twitched again. \u201cWhy should he wish to correct such an obviously-accurate summation of the facts?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm laughed before aiming a challenging stare at the Aesiran. \u201cI don\u2019t think that was his first time on Earth. I think it was merely the first time he came openly<\/em>. I don\u2019t think that is a coincidence. And I think you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik pursed his lips and flitted his eyes around as if making certain no one else was in hearing range. \u201cSo how do you think your people would react if someone told them this? Would they believe us? Or would they think we are crazy? Or worse yet, would they believe us for the wrong reasons<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm sat back as he pondered the man\u2019s rationale. \u201cYou know the Shang told us they were our gods when they came. That they created us in their image.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik chuckled again. \u201cI thought that was ruled a hoax.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm leaned forward again. \u201cI know the man who planted the evidence to prove it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Erik\u2019s turn to laugh. \u201cYou are full of surprises, Son of Donnell. I like you. But that does not answer my question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coincidence of our shared humanity,\u201d Malcolm supplied. He chewed his lip and leaned back in his chair once more. Then he decided to go for it. \u201cAlbion. Ennead. Shang. Roderan. Aesiran.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm\u2019s eyes snapped to Erik\u2019s, full of cunning and perception. \u201cThe names your people use fairly reek<\/em> of our old religions. I think there is nothing at all coincidental about that. My only question is whether that is truth or lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik met his gaze for several seconds before smiling. \u201cThat is a very good question, Son of Donnell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd your answer?\u201d Malcolm asked with a challenging gaze. \u201cSon of Tor?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik smiled. \u201cHe told me not to underestimate your kind, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen was the last time he<\/em> came to Earth?\u201d Malcolm asked.<\/p>\n

Erik laughed once more, but merely raised his hands in silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn Aesiran named Tor, coming to Earth,\u201d Malcolm supplied with a look that invited the Aesiran to speak up whenever he wanted to. \u201cThat would be a story, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik remained silent, inviting Malcolm to continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we can bring in the whole family!\u201d Malcolm said. \u201cA conniving brother, a crazy sister, an all knowing father<\/em>! Is any of this ringing any bells<\/em> for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost stories are far stranger than real life,\u201d Erik said. Then he sighed and shook his head. \u201cThough the best ones often have a kernel of truth to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm let out a long breath at the sideways answer and turned his head to look at one bulkhead showing the multi-colored rivers of hyperspace flowing over Normandy\u2019s<\/em> mangled port hangar pod.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found the rainbow bridge linking the worlds together,\u201d Malcolm finally said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have indeed,\u201d Erik whispered and relaxed back in his chair. \u201cBifrost is a beautiful sight, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm nodded as his eyes continued to scan the space beyond. It came to mind that Caroline was out there, right now, following in their wakes. Hopefully far enough back that she wouldn\u2019t beat them to their destination. Hopefully close enough that she made it out ahead of the Shang.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough it occurs to me that you may have other beauty on your mind right now,\u201d Erik said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

Malcolm blinked and returned his attention to the alien. Then he cleared his throat. \u201cIs it that obvious?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik leaned forward and placed one massive hand on his shoulder hard enough to make their chairs creak in protest. \u201cI have seen many men in your position, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d John Park asked as he came around behind Erik. The man who had raised Malcolm into the man he was today sat down in another chair and crossed his legs. \u201cYou\u2019ve seen many<\/em> women chasing a man thousands of lightyears across the galaxy on a mission to drag him back home?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik chuckled again. \u201cWell, that particular part is a bit new to me. But I\u2019ve certainly seen many men with that pole axed look on their face. Which brings up a rather important question I think. What is <\/em>the story between you and your Caroline?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing that I remember,\u201d Malcolm said truthfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never knew her, but I remember her mother,\u201d John said in a wistful tone. \u201cIf she has even a quarter<\/em> of her mother\u2019s genes, she has to be a\u2026memorable<\/em> experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm raised his beer to acknowledge the point.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have met many memorable women in my time,\u201d Erik said and chuckled in rueful delight. \u201cCalling your Caroline that is a disservice. She is unforgettable<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm raised his beer again.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why…how<\/em> did you forget<\/em> her?\u201d Erik asked, revealing the root of the problem.<\/p>\n

Malcolm sighed and tipped the beer towards the alien. \u201cI know exactly why I forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Erik and John asked in surprised unison.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally.\u201d Malcolm shrugged. \u201cI didn\u2019t forget her. I was made<\/em> to forget her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik frowned.<\/p>\n

John shook his head and brought a hand up to rub the cross hanging from his neck. \u201cThat\u2019s a deep, dark rabbit hole right there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm smiled at the preacher. \u201cI saved her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

John aimed a questioning frown at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe told me herself. I saved her from dying on the edge of a road. And then something amazing happened. Something…fabulous.\u201d Malcolm smiled at the thought before shaking his head. \u201cSomething I shouldn\u2019t have ever forgotten. Which means someone had<\/em> to make me forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat shouldn\u2019t be possible,\u201d John said in a voice that wasn\u2019t quite as definitive as either of them would have wished.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d I know Malcolm said. \u201cBut it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

John shook his head and looked towards Erik. \u201cWe both grew up in the Hurst Family. Before they decided we weren\u2019t welcome. We have the very best<\/em> countermeasures to anything that could alter our memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik nodded in understanding.<\/p>\n

Malcolm sighed. \u201cWhich means whoever made me forget had the very best of memory altering techniques.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik frowned. \u201cAssuming you\u2019re accurate, why<\/em> would someone wish you to forget saving her life?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey probably wouldn\u2019t have minded if that\u2019s all<\/em> I remembered.\u201d Malcolm chuckled. \u201cBut there were other activities we partook in later that would be another matter entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm raised his beer high into the air to bring it to their attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a very bad boy when I was young. I drank like a fish, and I can\u2019t tell you how many times I woke up in the morning with a girl I did not know in a bed I\u2019d never seen and no memory of the night before. Then one day I woke up in my back yard, naked and wet with the morning dew. A splitting headache, more bruises and cuts than I could count, and more questions than answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm sighed and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the morning after my Senior Prom.\u201d Malcolm laughed. \u201cThe only memories I have now come from the recordings other people made. You could call that a bit of a clarion call for me. A realization that I couldn\u2019t keep that up anymore. One day I\u2019d wake up dead with only a few who missed me. I didn\u2019t want to die. So I stopped drinking. Cold turkey. It was the hardest thing I\u2019d ever done in my life to that point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik motioned towards the beer in Malcolm\u2019s hand with a question in his eyes.<\/p>\n

Malcolm smiled and gave the beer a steady look. \u201cThis is Callahan Brewery\u2019s very best stock. Old Man Callahan is what you might call a procurer of trade goods that do not conform to local laws.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA smuggler,\u201d Erik said with a knowing smile. \u201cI may have met the type.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm laughed. \u201cOld Man Callahan brews the best beer in the Alpha Centauri Trinary System. And when a shipment arrives, everybody knows it\u2019s beer from top to bottom. Every crate. And everybody knows it\u2019s worth the exorbitant cost on the shipping label.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Erik said and shook his head. \u201cAnd I\u2019m assuming some of these people get bonuses of some kind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor their swift cargo inspections of a known perishable good?\u201d Malcolm asked with a smile. \u201cOf course. The point is that I paid a lot for this beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd everything that came with it?\u201d Erik asked.<\/p>\n

Malcolm raised his beer to the alien. \u201cOf course. So I sip this beer. I enjoy its amazing taste. I relish its thick body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm placed the beer on the deck and smiled at Erik. \u201cI can enjoy this beer without finishing it now. It took me fifty years to get to that point. I don\u2019t need another. I can walk away right now and forget it is even there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dawn appeared a second later and bent over to pick the bottle up. She smiled, turned, and walked away with a self-satisfied swaying gait.<\/p>\n

All three men followed her progress as she took the unempty beer bottle away and disappeared into the kitchen that kept all of the guests happily served.<\/p>\n

Then John and Erik turned bemused looks towards Malcolm.<\/p>\n

Malcolm shrugged. \u201cShe still thinks I drink too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs she right?\u201d John asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d Malcolm shook his head, but then shrugged again. \u201cBut if I were to complain about her autocratic decree on the matter, it would just add ammunition to the case that maybe I do. So I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm chuckled at their knowing glances. \u201cThe boy I was in high school never would have let someone take my beer away. I think that is why someone wanted me to forget. They did not want that boy to drag Caroline down to my level. They didn\u2019t want her hanging around with a drunken brawler. And I really can\u2019t blame a father for wanting that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik gave him a long look. \u201cYou think her father did it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm snorted. \u201cI\u2019m sure he was involved. If I had a daughter and the boy I was tried to get into her life, I\u2019d sure want to do something about it. And Mister Murphy was a real high roller in Family politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

John frowned. \u201cDo you think Charles\u2019 father knows?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has to,\u201d Malcolm said before shrugging. \u201cYou know how tight a ship he runs.\u201d<\/p>\n

John nodded.<\/p>\n

Malcolm turned to Erik again. \u201cCharles had a century<\/em> to prepare the funding for this project, while working from the inside as the heir to the Family fortune, and his father still<\/em> caught us in less than five years. That\u2019s why she\u2019s chasing me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik furrowed his brow in deep thought. \u201cHe seems like a capable leader.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is the very best,\u201d John said in a proud tone.<\/p>\n

Erik aimed a questioning look at the preacher.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were friends in another life,\u201d John said tapped the cross on his neck. \u201cBefore I found God.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Erik said and leaned back in his chair again. \u201cThis is a complicated affair you have going on here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm chuckled. \u201cVery complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFamily. Friendship. Business.\u201d Erik snapped his eyes towards Malcolm and stared before saying the last word. \u201cPleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm chuckled as he recognized their earlier discussion. \u201cYes. Complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik frowned. \u201cWhat if it doesn\u2019t work out the way he would like?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm shivered as that question ran down his spine, and then he turned to John with a questioning look.<\/p>\n

John nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s actually a good question. This could just be a test to see how loyal she<\/em> is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm nodded. \u201cIf it\u2019s a test, he would have sent someone else to keep an eye on her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we haven\u2019t seen<\/em> anyone else out here,\u201d John protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be someone in her fleet,\u201d Malcolm said. Then he shrugged and drilled John with a hard gaze. \u201cOr it could be another fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n

John nodded in agreement. \u201cHer sister does command a cruiser squadron.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s an unhappy thought,\u201d Malcolm muttered.<\/p>\n

Then another form walked over and Malcolm glanced upward to see Kara\u2019s smiling face framed by pink-highlighted blonde hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time, Preacher,\u201d the cybernetic intelligence said with a wave of her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, my dear,\u201d John said and turned to Erik with a sorrowful look. \u201cI\u2019m deeply sorry to end this stimulating conversation, but it is time for church. You are welcome to join us if you wish.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pushed himself up from the chair and smiled at Malcolm \u201cAnd you are always welcome as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm raised one dismissive hand, but smiled at the older man. \u201cViva la mystery, Old Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll \u2018Old Man\u2019 you, you young whipper snapper,\u201d John growled back with an amused gleam in his eye and turned to follow Kara out of the large room.<\/p>\n

Erik leaned back in his seat. \u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm shrugged. \u201cI just mangled French a bit. Said \u2018long live the mystery.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the mystery?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKara\u2019s one of the cybernetic intelligences who signed up for this expedition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, yes.\u201d Erik nodded very slowly and his eyes strayed to the hatch they\u2019d left through. \u201c\u2018Viva la mystery,\u2019 indeed. I heard your priests were\u2026um\u2026I\u2019m uncertain of the word\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCelibate,\u201d Malcolm said with a shudder. \u201cJohn\u2019s a preacher from one of the denominations that has never followed that particularly abominable tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik nodded in understanding. \u201cHe is one of your Christian<\/em> preachers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Assemblies of God, I think. Or maybe Lutheran.\u201d Malcolm frowned as he thought about it. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to keep all the denominations straight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik chewed his lip in thought. \u201cI have never seen a Christian ceremony.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm smiled and waved a hand towards the hatch. \u201cI can show you one right now if you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I would,\u201d Erik returned.<\/p>\n

Malcolm rose with a flourish. \u201cAfter you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik smiled and rose. Then he frowned and looked to Malcolm. \u201cDo you know where you are going?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm chuckled. \u201cI may not go to services, but I assure you I know where the chapel is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI meant the system,\u201d Erik rumbled gruffly. \u201cYour colony target.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm stopped at the change in subject. \u201cOh. Yes. We worked with the Peloran and the Arnam to find a suitable uninhabited system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik pursed his lips. \u201cDo you know the system?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot personally.\u201d Malcolm frowned in thought before looking around the crowded hall. \u201cDawn?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dawn stepped out of the crowd as if she\u2019d been waiting for his call. Which she probably had been. She always seemed to know what he wanted before he wanted it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould you send him the information we have on the target world?\u201d Malcolm asked.<\/p>\n

Dawn smiled and crossed her arms. \u201cSending now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik looked down as a hologram appeared over his arm and read the information on it. Then he nodded in approval. \u201cThat is a worthy system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm\u2019s eyebrows rose in surprise. There were thousands of star systems out here. Tens of thousands. More if he thought about it. That made Erik\u2019s recognition highly suspicious.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know<\/em> this system?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot personally,\u201d Erik answered in a serious tone. \u201cBut I know the stories of it. It is a rich system, with many of the resources you will need to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm frowned again as something that had bothered him for years came back to his mind in full force. Neither the Peloran nor the Arnam had ever fully answered his question. Maybe Erik would.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s such good interstellar real estate, why isn\u2019t it inhabited now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not like to live on worlds filled with our own ghosts,\u201d Erik said with grim humor.<\/p>\n

Malcolm frowned. \u201cSo you used to live there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Erik said with a shake of his head. \u201cThat system has always been rich. It became a target during the last war. The Ennead and their fleets came. The Albion and their fleets came. Even we<\/em> came. It was a great battle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho won?\u201d Malcolm asked.<\/p>\n

Erik sighed. \u201cThere were no winners in that battle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Malcolm frowned once more as he considered the news. \u201cSo they picked a graveyard for us to colonize? I\u2019m not sure I\u2019m honored.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are not your ghosts. They are not your friends and brothers.\u201d Erik gave Malcolm a sad smile. \u201cYou are the perfect people to bring it back to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm cleared his throat. \u201cI guess that\u2019s one way of looking at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you?\u201d Erik asked.<\/p>\n

Malcolm aimed a curious look at the alien. \u201cOf course. But why?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik paused for a long moment before answering. \u201cMy family left many ghosts there. I have never paid them the respect they are owed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are welcome to come with me.\u201d Then he aimed a raised eyebrow at Erik and tried to change the subject. \u201cThough are you sure you want to be nearby the next time Caroline catches me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erik laughed and accepted the change without protest. \u201cI would not miss that meeting for all the worlds. From a safe distance, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d Malcolm snorted.<\/p>\n

Then Erik cleared his throat and clapped his hands together. \u201cAnd now, Son of Donnell, could you please escort me to where your preacher does his thing? I wish to hear him with my own ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malcolm turned towards Dawn and she smiled before leading them out of the dance hall and into the corridors running through the ship.<\/p>\n

They were off to see the Preacher.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wolfenheim Emergent is available at the following retailers Amazon Barnes and Noble Apple Books Kobo Smashwords The following is the electronic Advanced Reader Copy originally sent to my Beta Readers in December. Take a look, and if it interests you,[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2309-wolfenheim-emergent-earc","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-medron-pryde"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8799"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8800,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8799\/revisions\/8800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}