Prologue

Awakening

“The Morterous Theorem?”

“Yes, my dear, that is what I said.”

This wasn't the first time in his thirty two years that Space Force Director Komi Tsuku was a bit clueless, but it this was the most embarrassing. Being dressed down by the eighty-seven-year-old Research Director in front of the Katajion Board of Directors was not something he would likely live down at the next few meetings.

“I don't think some of us have heard of it. Could you explain, Director Foster?” the Director sitting next to him asked. Komi glanced over to see Sora Doichu, the Intelligence Director and his new fiancée, giving him a wide grin. Forget hearing about this for the next few board meetings, he was going to be hearing about it for the rest of his life.

“Why that sounds like a lovely idea,” Director Foster proclaimed. She started to pace around the brightly lit meeting hall, around the rest of the fifteen directors, and began to rant.

“Two hundred years ago, a man by the name of Arthur Morterous had the ingenious idea. The idea that since time and space are infinite, that all possible situations and variables had an infinite chance of occurring. Simply stated, anything that could happen, would happen.”

Komi had to resist the urge to pull his short, silvery hair. “Wait a minute-”

Education Director Aralia Oraseni rose a hand to silence him. “Director Foster, could you please relate that to what you wished to propose to the board?”

“What if I were to give you the chance to study our past? To see what transpired to cause the Technology Dark Ages?”

“You mean twenty first century earth, correct?” Komi asked.

“Yes, my boy, yes!”

“You found an actual Morterous world?” Director Oraseni asked. She looked skeptical at the old woman's enthusiasm. “There has never been an actual event that supports that theory.”

“Yes, which was why this world is so important!”

Komi glanced at his grinning fiancée before trying to figure out the confusing situation. “So, why exactly should I care about some science mumbo-jumbo?”

A chorus of chuckling erupted from the board as Foster looked like she wanted to smack him. “Because we can save the future if we know the past!”

“Uh-huh... Why do I care again?”

The exasperated sigh from Sora reminded him why he put up with this confusion. “Shut up, Komi, and let the lady speak!”

“Thank you, Director Doichu,” Foster replied. “At least one of the lovers knows the value of information!”

“See! The value of information!”

“Fine!” Komi hissed. “Why does the Space Sector need to be drug into this? My forces are stretched thin as it is.”

“My dear, we do not need the space forces! This planet is not to be exposed to anything!”

This dodging of his question starting to get on Komi's nerves. “Then why are you bothering me? “

Komi felt the hard hand of Sora smack him. “Komi. Shut. Up.”

“Yes!” The old woman was absolutely livid now. “I'm trying to get to that.”

Recomposing herself, she continued on. “While we have tried to keep a full containment of the planet, it seems that there has been a slight... leak. It seems that a Doctor Albert Brenner has landed on the planet.”

“Brenner? Of the Marakia Institute?”

“Yes. We have been in contact with the Institute and they have no idea why he suddenly abandoned his position and broke our blockade. Right now his location is currently unknown. It's imperative that we extract him before he contaminates the world.”

This sounded something that should be handled by the Special Forces Sector, by Micha Karson. Glancing at the man who had replaced Director Nickasomo Zealeuos when he fled four months ago, Komi still didn't trust him and could understand why he was being hounded.

“I can have a team on the ground in twenty two hours,” he said with confidence. However, that confidence began to fail when the sinister look on Foster's face didn't disappear.

“I'm sure you have millions of soldiers who you want to use to destroy this experiment but I'll hear nothing of it! I want a small team of specialists, someone who reports to me, and a certain someone to accompany them, to make sure the job is done right.”

“A certain someone? Who would...” Komi could feel his heart stop and his face turn pale. “Sora, come with me. I'll get you your man, Foster.” He shook his head sadly and headed for the door. “You should have sent in the commandos, it would cause less destruction.”

Sliding his keycard, the door slid open into the office of the man they needed to see. The lights were off and the only light that could be seen came from the dim glow of the abandoned datapad on the desk that sat at the far end of the small room.

“Looks like he went to lunch,” Sora said as she walked in.

Suddenly, Komi could feel warm, moist breath on his neck and the hair on that neck stand straight up.

“Do you need something?” the voice hissed.