1
“Thank you for coming today, J-8,” Commander Sylvan said, nodding his head formally. He offered his forearm for a warrior’s clasp.
J-8 offered his own forearm but he clasped his commander’s arm carefully, mindful of the immense strength in his enhanced right arm and hand. He could have crushed the other male’s bones with ease if he’d wanted to, though of course he did not.
As they finished the clasp, Commander Sylvan made a courteous gesture.
“Please, have a seat. I have an assignment I believe you are uniquely suited for that is of the utmost urgency.”
J-8 nodded his head at his commander and sat in the chair across from the other male’s desk. After spending most of his life on Zeaga Four, the home world of the Dark Kindred, he had decided to make a move to the Kindred Mother Ship and had taken a job in the Kindred Elite Espionage Corps.
Just as he had once sworn his unswerving allegiance to the Collective—the computer hive mind that had run his old planet and ruled the Dark Kindred with an iron fist—he now swore it to Commander Sylvan, who was the Head of the Kindred High Council. And whatever his commanding officer ordered him to do, he would achieve without fail.
“I am ready to complete whatever mission you send me on, Commander,” he said. “Tell me where you wish me to go and what you wish me to do and I will do it.”
“Thank you.” Sylvan nodded approval. “Are you familiar with the planet, Regalia Five in the Bolevard System?”
J-8 frowned.
“Is that the star system which was supposedly transported from an alternate universe into our own?”
“Exactly.” Sylvan nodded. “The entire system came through a gigantic worm hole some fifty cycles ago. And some of the planets—Regalia included—bear a striking resemblance to some planets here in our own universe—to Earth, in fact.”
“I see.” J-8 nodded, though he wondered what all this had to do with his mission. His people, the Dark Kindred, had at one time tried to take over the Earth, which was being protected by the Kindred of the Mother Ship. They had been under the control of the Collective at that time, however, and he himself had not fought in the war. In fact, he knew little of Earth or its cultures, except what he had observed from the Earthlings he had met aboard the Mother Ship.
They were an illogical people, J-8 had found, prone to all kinds of extreme emotions. But then, almost anyone was emotional compared to himself and his fellow Dark Kindred. Emotions were forbidden on his home planet of Zeaga Four where “Feel Crime” was punishable by death.
Despite the fact that he had been living on the Kindred Mother Ship for five cycles now, where emotions were not only permitted but actually encouraged, J-8 still had his original emotion damper implanted at the back of his neck. He had lived his whole life without the messy encumbrance of emotions and he didn’t intend to start feeling now, just because it was allowed in his new home.
“In what way does Regalia Five resemble Earth?” he asked, because he had learned that it was polite to ask questions on a topic if it was introduced by another, even if he had no interest in it.
“Well, it doesn’t resemble present day Earth,” Commander Sylvan said, frowning. “According to my mate, Sophia, it’s more analogous to Earth of the past. We visited there recently, to establish diplomatic relations with the Regalians, as they call themselves, and Sophia said she felt as though she’d just stepped into a ‘period piece’—which is a film or vid that is set in a historical period from Earth’s past,” he explained. “Of course, they have space flight and some advanced technology, but it’s oddly mixed with elements of the past from several different time periods.”
“I see,” J-8 said neutrally, though he didn’t see at all—nor did he care. He didn’t know anything about Earth’s past historical periods and he didn’t really see what bearing this information had on his mission. “Commander,” he said. “Can you please tell me what you want me to do on Regalia Five?”
“Ah yes, you Dark Kindred are always straight to the point,” Commander Sylvan said dryly. “Well, while Sophia and I were at the Regalia High Court, the Steward—who is in temporary control of the planet—confided to me that he feared for the Princess’s life. She is coming of age and into her first Heat Cycle very soon, which makes her uniquely vulnerable because…but I see that I’ve already lost you,” he said, looking at the confusion J-8 could feel on his own face. “Here—maybe this will explain things better than I can.”
Reaching into his desk, he pulled out an old-fashioned piece of stiff parchment paper which was printed with a dense block of words. He handed it to J-8 with a nod.