Chapter Eleven: The King Has Returned

Five humans and one android sat in the council chamber and discussed how to protect the two members who were not there, along with everyone else in the solar system.

Io was bound for Jupiter Station where a dangerous alien race could soon attack. Lucas had been kidnapped by political fanatics from Earth who had already assassinated two members of the Alexander family.

“We must prepare for war,” William warned the group.

“If we just start building an army the people will rebel,” Maria responded.

“Rebel against what?” Kate asked. “We’re not anyone’s leader.”

“Everyone on Earth looks up to this family,” Maria said. “You know that.”
“I don’t care what they look to,” William interrupted. “If we want anyone to survive, we must prepare to fight the Nekuia.”

“He’s right,” Fernando suddenly interjected. “Maybe they’ll come next week, maybe next year. Either way, we need to begin preparing our defenses now. Or we’ll end up just like the race of beings that gave us that box.”

With that, everyone in the room sat back in their seats and kept silent – except for Sun Alexander, the council chair.

She leaned forward, and sat up straight.

“William, you will continue with your preparations. Only, I want you to double your recruiting quota. You will also create an engineering panel. Hermes, will lead the group,” Sun said.

“You want me to lead the panel?” Hermes questioned. After all, he was an android. He was Io’s companion and had been from the first moment she began building him. It wasn’t unheard of for androids to earn positions of power on Earth. But, it was still unusual.

“Yes. You can consult Io, and keep everyone on track. Your job will be to create gunships, warships. Our focus, for so many years, has been transports. It’s time we started making a different kind of ship.”

“Yes, mam,” Hermes said.

“Kate, you will keep in contact with them and be ready to craft any question that can help. They will have full access to the box, but they will need your help to use it. That box is a library, let’s start using it again.”

“I’ve also come across some old plans for a warship created during the first Battle for the Library,” Kate offered up. “It was never built, but it has some brilliant design details. It could help.”

“Good.”

Kate watched her mother continue to dole out orders. She told Maria to tell the people that the Machinists were back, and they had taken Lucas hostage. No one knew about Lucas. The Machinists had not made contact. But everyone on the planet would take notice. And, most important, they would all believe that it was the reason for the increase in military action.

Then Sun demanded Fernando, the Administrator, simply find a way to pay for everything. No matter the costs, he must find a way. He agreed without hesitation.

Everyone agreed. No one hesitated. Not even Sun who for weeks had struggled to regain her confidence.

When her son, James, betrayed the family and plotted its demise, she was unable to quickly rebound. The matriarch that had once ruled the family was gone, and a weakened version of her sat at the head of the council chamber meetings.

But, tonight that woman was gone, and Sun was back. She sat at that same table, and took control. She made a plan, she gave out instructions and she led the family.

Kate was finally starting to admire her mother again. Then a guard knocked at the chamber door, and entered.

“What is it?” Sun asked.

“You requested I interrupt if we received word,” the guard said.

“They have contacted us?”

“The leader of the Machinists is waiting on the communicator, m’am. He said his name is Trent,” the guard told her.

“Thank you,” Sun responded.

“M’am,” he continued. “There’s just one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“He looks very familiar.”