Cenerea, 3rd planet from the star Letria. Regalius, The Homeland, Central Region,

The Capitol City, Chancellor Santum's Office,

Five and One Half Cenerean Years Ago

The elderly Connor Santum stood in front of the information monitor that hung on his wall and observed the moving images flashing over its surface. Taking a sip of tea, he mentally wrestled with the massive hangover headache pounding in his skull. The old man grumbled as he observed the food and work availability numbers stream across the bottom of the glowing screen. "Ah, time for Ray to come on and kiss my ass a bit," he said aloud, eying the panel.

The HIA's logo appeared on the screen in tandem with its accompanying musical fanfare. The stern face of a dark-haired reporter followed. "This is the Morning Report of the Homeland Information Agency, Rey Carell reporting. In today's news, Mother Arcturis of the former Arcturan Empire, devoted and obedient follower of our wonderful leader, Chancellor Santum, announced today that her daughter, Lucenda Arcturis, first daughter in line for the Motherhood, will marry a rather unknown Homeland Military scientist. For many, this arrangement seems..."

Click!

"Wow, I need to call the HIA's information director. I don't recall approving that story," Connor said angrily and turned to limp across his office.

"Sir?" the intercom rang out from overhead with the sound of a woman's voice.

"Yes?"

"Your meeting with..."

"Cancel it!"

"Yes, Chancellor," the woman replied.

"I need to find out what Mother Arcturis is up to," Connor thought to himself and pressed the button on the surface of his desk. "Elysia?"

"Yes, Chancellor?" issued the lovely voice over the intercom once more.

"Will you send for the HDF's Intelligence Minister?"

"Yessir."

Within an hour, a handsome man in his mid-40s strolled into the Chancellor's office adorned in a silver-gray, well-pressed HDF uniform. His dark eyes were barely visible beneath the shiny brim of his uniform dress cap. He stopped in front of the Chancellor's intricately carved T'choulian Darkwood desk and snapped to attention. "Intelligence Minister Kolorius here at your request, your Excellency!"

Connor nodded and lifted his hand, indicating for the man to relax. The chancellor was seated, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on his desk. "Thank you for arriving so quickly, Minister. Would you like a drink?" 

"No sir, thank you sir!" the man said sharply and removed his cap. He located a nearby brown plastileather chair and sat down. "How may I help you today, Chancellor?"

Connor sat upright with a wince, placing his elbows on the desk's gray marble surface. He laced his fingers and stared lazily at the very intense officer. "What do you know of this sudden Arcturan wedding?"

The Minister smiled. "May I?" the man asked, reaching into a pocket.

Connor waved a hand dismissively. "By all means."

Retrieving a small digital panel from his pocket, the Minister cleared his throat and swept a finger over the device. "Lucenda 'Elle' Arcturis, oldest daughter to Mother Arcturis..."

"I know all of that, get to her slave! What makes him so interesting to those women?"

"Yes sir, sorry sir," the man replied, his cool demeanor clearly shaken. "Um, one Jay Levant. Mother killed herself when he was nine. At eleven he was discovered by the HDF Intelligence Ministry..."

"Discovered?"

The officer looked up. "Yes, Chancellor, it says here that the boy's intelligence aptitude scores were the highest ever recorded, before or since."

Connor nodded in understanding. Things were starting to make sense.

"...he was then placed into protected status by General Browne."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Madame General Elaine Browne?"

"I believe so, Chancellor. I can..."

"No, please continue, Minister."

"Yes sir. At eighteen years of age, Mr. Levant entered University under the instruction of Instructor Harold Bouri, a veteran of the Sub-Region wars and decorated hero..."

"Harold Bouri," Connor said with a grin. "I hated to hear he passed. You know, he was the only one of you weasels..." The Chancellor fell silent and pursed his lips.

The Minister managed a weak smile as he watched Connor point a boney finger at him and grin.

"Nevermind, please continue."

"Yes sir. Well, it seems when Instructor Bouri passed, Mr. Levant, at the time his assistant at University, assumed his position and his residence as part of the job," the Minister said as a curious expression appeared on his face. "This is fascinating. It appears Mr. Levant's records have been marked as 'High Importance' by Madame General Browne with several references to something called the Hive Mind System."

"Hive Mind system?"

"That is correct, sir and, hmmm, this is interesting as well. Something that General Browne remarked. What is Project Geneticus? I have never heard of Project..."

"Damn it!" Connor sat up. "That will be enough of that, Minister! Please have all references to Project Geneticus scrubbed immediately!"

The Minister raised an eyebrow.

"Do it now and send me what you have on this Hive Mind project. I find it peculiar that I was not informed of this."

"Yessir!" the man said and began busily running his fingers back and forth across the data device's screen.

Connor stood from his chair and limped over to the window. His head throbbed and he winced at Letria's light reflecting from the alumiglass windows of the capitol's buildings. He tapped a button on the windows frame darkening the city's image.

"Done, sir."

"Excellent. Now, give me an overview of this Hive Mind project. What do your notes say?"

"Um, this project is Mr. Levant's second year University project design entry. He indicates his system would, and I quote, 'enable the Homeland to effectively invade the Lavidius Collective or defend the Homeland from invasion with zero loss to Homeland personnel'."

"How so?"

"One of his suggestions was to use the Great War Machine or another A.I. to subdue the Lavidius Collective's missile system. Then, utilizing a mechanized, non-human army, march in and take control. This summary says that each Hive Mind unit would be interconnected with each other wirelessly, ultimately all centrally connected to the Great War Machine like a web. If one unit became disconnected from the War Machine, it only needed to connect to another Hive Mind unit to receive instructions, eliminating the need for human intervention or error. He references your book, The Grand History of the Golden Age, citing the Carver's Station mission as an example of this precision and efficiency. He believes any attack would be rapid, precise, and so surgical that half of the Lavidius Collection would be under the Homeland's control within hours or any invading force decimated just as quickly. He also noted that it would minimize human casualties on both sides."

Connor tilted his head back and looked skyward, watching the clouds roll overhead. "He almost sounds like Wendy Powell."

"Who, sir?"

"No one you would know, Minister. So, he is an instructor at the University, you say? I find this so odd for an Arcturan of this status to wish to marry someone of that low level, albeit with such potential."

"Was an instructor, sir, it says here that Mr. Levant recently signed up with the HDF Science Corps. The transfer orders were signed off by Madame General Elaine Browne."

"Alright, what is that wacko bitch up to?" Connor muttered.

"Sir?"

"It's nothing. Thank you, Minister, for this enlightening conversation. I may call on you again in the not too distant future. You may go," Connor said over his shoulder.

"Yes sir, thank you, sir!" The officer stood and returned his cap to his head. He did an about face and paced from the Chancellor's office.

"Elysia?"

"Yes, Chancellor."

"Elysia, get me Mother Arcturis on the line."

"Yes sir."

...

Mother Arcturis strode into her chamber brandishing a huge look of exuberance upon her face. She found Jay and Wendy sitting at a nearby table staring at each other and holding hands, the two figures highlighted by Letria's rays shining in through a stained glass window. "That is such a wonderful sight, my two favorite people in love."

Wendy and Jay smiled at the shimmering, beautiful redhead as she approached.

"Well my precious ones, I just got off of the comm with Connor and he has given his personal blessing for your union."

The couple gripped each other's hands in excitement.

"That is great news, Mother," Jay said. "We cannot wait."

The matriarch's comm beeped and she lifted the device to read it. "Oh, it appears that the Chancellor also wishes to congratulate you on your decision to join the Homeland Defense Forces Military Science Corps, Jay. He says he is looking forward to your work and wants me to inform you that he is personally keeping his eye on you." She paused and a look of concern appeared on her face.

"What is it, Mother?" Wendy asked.

"It seems that the Chancellor cannot attend the wedding."

"That's alright, his blessing is good enough," Jay responded.

"Yes, but it is the rest of his message that has to be some sort of joke. He wants Madame General Browne to officiate in his place."

Jay caught the woman's gaze as she lifted her eyes from her comm. "Why would he do that?" he asked.

"To make a point," the Arcturan matriarch said coldly.

"What kind of point?" Jay wondered aloud.

Mother Arcturis thought for a moment and decided to give only a general answer. She needed to feel Jay out before she approached him with her lofty ideas and plans. "He wanted us all to know that he is still in control of everything and everyone. Including the Madame General for some reason."

Wendy sighed. "He was always a dick."

Jay and Elle's mother both shot Wendy a strange look.

"Oh, sorry, did I say that out loud?"

They both nodded.

Wendy grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "He is."

The older woman shook her head and turned toward her throne. "I'll set my tailors to work on your dress, honey, but you two should prepare for the wedding. Now, run along and enjoy each other."

The couple nodded and prepared to leave.

"Jay?" Mother Arcturis inquired, producing a dirty grin.

"Ma'am?"

"Are you sure you don't want to...celebrate?"

Jay raised an eyebrow. "Oh, no, thank you, but I can't."

"Oh well, it was worth a shot."

Wendy pulled Jay from the room, shooting an angry look over her shoulder at her smiling mother.

"...you can't?" Wendy asked under her breath. "What, do you want to?"

Jay winced. "Oh, for Letria's sake, Wendy, you know better than that. I was just being polite. Remember, these Arcturan's are, erm, different."

"Well, you should have said, won't," Wendy whispered.

"You are the only one for me, you jealous thing, you," Jay said, freezing in his tracks. He pulled Wendy to a stop in front of him, spun her around, and took her in his arms, placing his lips to hers.

Wendy wrapped her arms around her fiancé and pulled him in to her.

"Awwww," sang several female voices in unison.

Jay opened his eyes and observed several giggling servant girls watching the couple from around the large columns. They noisily scattered as Wendy released Jay and turned her head.

She snickered. "Yeah, this group is a strange bunch."

...

Cenerea, 3rd planet from the star Letria. Regalius, The Homeland, Central Region, Outside Of The Capitol City, The Arcturan Estate,

Five Months and Five Cenerean Years Ago

"Honorable Homeland official, bathed in your shadow just as the lovely moons dance in the light of Cenerea, do we have your permission to commit to this union, for the good of the Homeland?" Jay asked.

Madame General Browne scowled as she said the words, "Yes, citizen, I approve of this union and I, um, happily pronounce you husband and wife. Rise Jay and Lucenda Arcturis, rise as one soul in service to the Homeland!"

"For the good of the Homeland!" shouted the well-dressed gathering that filled the Arcturan banquet hall. They erupted into applause and cheers.

Jay and Wendy stood and turned toward the crowd holding hands. They smiled nervously and stepped forward, the crowd parting as they advanced. Several HDF officers patted Jay on the arm of his pure white uniform jacket as he and his new wife passed.

Wendy noted the tears in many of her sister's eyes. She could not tell if they were tears of sadness or tears of joy. She shrugged off the thought and nervously clutched Jay's hands.

Jay leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. The crowd collectively sighed and cheered even louder.

Mother Arcturis strolled up next to General Browne, watching her daughter and new slave disappear into the crowd. "You know, your little secret project is exposed, Elaine. This was a message from Connor."

"Oh, I know, I'm just far too old now for it to really matter anymore. Let that asshole have it," Browne said gruffly and then sighed. "Hey, what are you doing later?"

Mother Arcturis glanced over at the general with a smile and shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever you want me to, I suppose."