The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

“I realize you might be frightened to challenge these forces. You might fear reprisal from the cowardly Unification Guard. You might also fear being isolated from the economic network of the Collectorate. I promise, you have nothing to fear. As sovereign worlds, you will control trade routes and manage the wealth of your resources on your own. I and my soldiers of Salvation will protect you. As of today, the Collectorate is over.

“Soon, the last predators from Earth will leave your worlds. Celebrate this great victory and turn your loyalty and faith to me. I control life and death, as I have demonstrated on many colonies.

“To the Chancellory, hear my message: Any Ark Carrier still in orbit seven standard days from now will be torn from existence. I have the ability to strike anywhere, without warning – a fact you know well. All Carriers will return to Earth. Once they have done so, no Carrier or Unification Guard transport will attempt to leave your solar system without my direct permission. If you follow my instructions, I will leave Earth at peace.

“Soon, all colonial citizens will send representatives to a new world, where they will honor me and my people. For we are the inheritors of a design begun a million years ago, and we are the face of humanity’s future. Those who are loyal shall learn our secrets and make them your own. The rest will perish into history.

“I have included extensive visual proof of my work with this broadcast, so that anyone who doubts my power will be voiceless.

“I am the first day and the last day. Know me.”

The broadcast ended. Sam fell into a chair.

“He did it. I can’t even believe this. He did it.”

“Did what?” Merton asked.

“The message he sent me on Vasily Station. He said he was going to realign the Collectorate. I couldn’t even imagine what he meant. But he did it.”

“No.” Michael fumed. “This is fake news. Has to be. There is no way that bastard could have pulled this off. Two years ago, he was a small-town cracker on a goddamn skateboard. Merton, how do we know this is real?”

“The message was broadcast across all Collectorate public streams. It took most of a day to reach Earth, but the incoming Guard transports picked it up sooner. I just spoke with our contact from the Supreme Admiral’s office. They believe it is authentic, and those forty-eight Ark Carriers were in fact destroyed by a weapon unknown to us.”

Michael pounded a fist into the wall.

“Fucking hell! We risk everything and nearabout get all our asses killed, just in time for this son of a bitch to make us look like we’ve been playing with water pistols. Merton, the Guard will strike back. Right? They’re not just gonna withdraw, like he wants.”

“I don’t know, Michael. That’s a decision for the Admiralty. But I would not be surprised if they comply. We know from the vid that Finnegan Moss recorded, James Bouchet was orchestrating it all behind the scenes. He was in league with Celia Marsche; what she expected to gain is beyond me. But he has proven he can indeed strike anywhere without warning.”

“How many?” Sam asked.

“Excuse me?” Merton said.

“How many people did he murder?”

Merton sighed. “My contact said he included the manifests of every Carrier embedded with the vids. The count is unofficial, but the Admiralty believes it to be 1.66 million.”

Michael wrapped her in his arms as tears flowed. Please, he begged without saying the words. Don’t blame yourself. Not again.

“If there is one good thing to come out of this nightmare,” Merton said, “it will likely be the preservation of peace on Earth. There is nothing like a common enemy to unite old foes.”

Michael agreed with Merton’s reasoning, but he couldn’t think about that now. As much as he wanted to string up James from the lowest branch on the tallest tree and watch him hang until the buzzards took him, Michael realized Sam was falling apart.

“He said I’d serve him willingly,” she told Michael. “He said when the war ends, I would stand at his side to map the future.”

“Not a chance, babe. It don’t matter what he said then. You heard him just now. He said he’ll leave Earth in peace. He doesn’t care about us anymore. He thinks he’s God or some shit. He comes anywhere near you, I’ll blow a hole through his fucking head.”

He wiped her tears and kissed her with every ounce of passion he could muster.

“It’s you and me, babe. We’ve been through too much to still be standing, but here we are. Look, I got an idea. I know that’s a scary thing sometimes, but there it is. How about we go back out and start the party up again?”

“What? Michael, we can’t. Not now.”

“Sure, we can. All that crap he said? It doesn’t change a damn thing about what we accomplished here. Plus, we are the hosts and the guests of honor and, well, I think we basically got no choice. So, there's that.”

It some took cajoling, but he convinced Sam to return to the guests. The pall that previously consumed the room was now dominated by lively conversation about what they saw and what it might mean for the future. Michael interrupted by tinkling a spoon against a glass.

“Yeah, so … look, everybody. I don’t have anything inspirational to say, and God knows, there ain’t enough thoughts and prayers to go around for all the people that lost folks on those Carriers. But I guess I know this much. We got each other. We proved it. When we needed to step up, we did. And I think we made a real difference. You know? A real difference.

“The next time I need help, I know I’ve got friends. I ain’t had many of them