Prince Daviss of Nowhere: The Zerot Infestation, #5

By A K Lambert

A Zerot armada heads to Earth with instructions to test a weapon that will destroy the solar system. Peter and Kobios face certain death in a deadly arena, their fate orchestrated by the Zerot Queen. Birjjikk has trapped Grace in a shifting realm of mathematical pessimism, rendering her the vilest of creatures—those she went to save are now her bondservants.
Prince Daviss must choose whom to save, leaving the others to their inevitable fates.

• Language: English
• Publisher: A K Lambert
• Release date: Jan 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215699737

Book preview

PROLOGUE

The Giant Hornet queen almost exclusively inhabits underground nests, which are challenging to locate. After mating, she will begin laying eggs that will become larvae. Towards the end of the summer, the queen will become barren and die, a new queen selected for the following year.

The Local Group comprises fifty-four galaxies. The largest is Andromeda, followed by the Milky Way and Triangulum. This group of galaxies spans 10 million light-years and is on the outskirts of the Virgo Cluster, which spans almost 420 million light-years. The Virgo Cluster is a part of the giant Laniakea Supercluster, home to one hundred thousand galaxies.

The not-so-small task of managing the health and well-being of the Local Group was the responsibility of a race of super-beings that carried out their god-like duties responsibly and compassionately. These beings never thought for one moment there was any threat to their custodianship obligations and were not ready to fend off an attack that would throw them into a shifting realm of mathematical pessimism.

There, they remain trapped while the fate of the Local Group spins relentlessly out of control.

‘Is it from them?’

‘Yes. The Countess was correct.’

‘Are they coming?’

‘Yes.’

‘When will they arrive?’

‘According to my predicted timeline, they will be here in plenty of time.’

‘I’m so looking forward to this.’

‘I’m not!’

PART I

HIGHER MATTERS

CHAPTER 1- THE ARM OF SAGITTARIUS

The Arm of Sagittarius

The Taxa Republic

THE CAST:

The Controller, The Protector, Amax

‘Why have you disturbed my meditation?’ asked the Protector.

‘Because there is a decision for you to make,’ replied the Controller.

‘How so?’

‘The Seneschal’s report has returned, with information about the Zerot. But, unfortunately, it appears their usefulness has run its course in that sector of the Orion Arm.’

‘I find that hard to believe. The Zerot is one of my most successful enterprises, the template I have used elsewhere. Are you about to bombard me with predictions from that super-computer of yours, Controller?’

‘I am. Would you please accompany me to the Map Room, Protector? Amax awaits us.’

‘Summary please, Amax,’ commanded the Controller.

‘Summary of predictions—Zerot, Orion Arm.’

The Map Room remained silent, with the conversation happening within the minds of the participants.

‘The largest, most powerful Artificial Intelligence in the galaxy, and still it sounds to me like an old mainframe,’ commented the Protector.

‘That is how you chose to hear it. If it had been one of your creations.’ 

‘Get on with it.’

‘Three of their last five world exterminations have been failures, spanning the last one hundred years, including the loss of a moon.’

‘But, the Bellagarn home planet annihilation was a major success?’

‘That was over two hundred years ago,’ pointed out the Controller. ‘Now history. Please stop interrupting.’

‘A Planetary Violation armada is currently on route to the Sol system.’

‘Earth, again?’

‘Yes. A Super Game, where we let them play with the weapon.’

‘As I have previously predicted, Earth is one of the top ten planets in this galaxy likely to become problematic. Therefore, my current prediction of Zerot success is 46%.’

‘Why so low?’ asked the Protector.

‘Probably Amax’s pain in the neck factor applied to Earth,’ said the Controller.

‘How high tech. Amax, why so low?’

‘Enemy vessels pursue the Zerot armada, comprising a Preenasette battle cruiser with ascension level weapons upgrade, and a Gemini 7 Jadia vessel with a unique weapon delivery system, that the Zerot ships may not evaluate until too late. In front of the Violation force is a Schumberlay Teardrop. Behind is another Schumberlay ship, a Science Vessel, with a Bellagarn onboard, soon to be joined by an original Bellogorn.’

‘The pair that visited the Andromeda galaxy?’ asked the Protector.

‘No, this is another pair.’

‘I thought we were rid of them. How has this happened?’

‘They are proving somewhat troublesome.’

‘And the Schumberlay vessels? Reported as stolen to their Council? Don’t answer that, Controller. We can increase the odds of the Zerot armada’s success easily enough. And, we have the Seneschal backup.’

‘You may want to consider those options carefully. Unfortunately, resources aren’t readily available, especially when you hear what is next. Continue.’ 

‘With the Zerot primary fighting force off-world, the planet is left dangerously open to infiltration and attack.’

‘You need to switch your computer off and back on,’ said the Protector. ‘Which Seneschal is feeding Amax? It is malfunctioning.’

‘It was your idea to drug the Zerot. The population has reduced drastically over the last couple of millennia. They struggle to muster a violation expedition, never mind defend their planet.’

‘We won’t need the Zerot much longer. So where is the threat coming from?’

‘Residuum.’

‘Countess Bor and Morvina?’

‘Indirectly, yes, The Zerot have destroyed Residuum, Bor is dead, and Morvina is a guest of the Queen, awaiting our instructions.’

‘Bor is dead. Excellent. So, where is the threat?’

‘The Zerot’s downfall may be already sown. Amax, continue.’

‘The Zerot Queen believes the infiltration from the Residuum group defeated, but the Seneschal reports otherwise. Two additional vessels, one ascended, are on route to Zerot. The Condor outpost is compromised, and factions exist on Zerot that are aware of the Queen’s weaknesses. If the Z34a are compromised, the Queen’s reign could be short-lived.’

‘Your Queen is old and has lost her grip,’ stated the Custodian. ‘And, I may still rue my decision to abandon the Z34a.’ 

‘We could just let it all play out, Controller. We have nothing to lose. We could always send the maintenance vessel to deploy the remaining DM relay stations if Zerot gets overthrown. You are correct, though. I have a decision to make. And the Preenasette moon?’

‘As we thought, Protector, destroyed. It is a shame it hadn’t begun the weaponisation process. That would have solved all of our problems in that system.’

‘I will retire to contemplate my decision. I may well have words with the Zerot Queen regarding that.’

‘There is one further disturbing development reported.’

‘The Seneschal has been busy. And that is?’

‘The Vercetian Princess has followed the Prince into the Antumbra. She managed to access the Records of All for the transfer equipment.’

‘The Larna!’

‘Yes, the Larna.’

‘I have made my decision,’ said the Protector.

‘That was quick,’ replied the Controller.

‘Very little to consider. I plan to do what I can to help the Zerot Queen, but with only minimal additional resources. We shall instruct her to turn two of her battle cruisers around, to return and protect their planet. The third shall continue to the Sol system, place a relay station, and return to Zerot. No Game this time.’

‘Reasonable. And the fate of the annoying planet Earth?’

‘I cannot decide,’ said the Protector. ‘Use the weapon, of course, but do we destroy the planet or the complete star system?’

‘I agree we need to test the weapon fully,’ said the Controller, ‘but extinguishing the star? Wouldn’t we be showing our hand too early, demonstrating the true nature of the weapon?’

‘No. The Fara Cluster wants a demonstration. They feel the stranglehold we have over the Nitere prevents any consequential response. We can explain away the destruction of a single star, and our secret will stay safe. The Milky Way High Council is beyond our concern.’

‘In that case, a full test of the weapon.’

‘Agreed, but under Seneschal direction. Is the maintenance vessel still in the Orion Arm?’

‘Yes, by the Alterannia Storage Moon, awaiting further instructions.’

‘Good, send it to the Alpheratz system. I am more concerned about the Preenasette Princess. If she does return to the Umbra, I want to know immediately. And it won’t do any harm locating the nearest members of the Void Gallant to deal with the Princess, should she return.’

‘There is a planet affiliated to them close by, Narab. I will make contact.’

‘Thank you, Custodian. The only help I will give the Zerot is to allow one of their returning vessels access to the Alterannia Storage Moon—and a Tiling Blanket. Get the Seneschal to gather sufficient tiles to cover their underground city and leave for collection. A security net will help them. That concludes our business. I will contact the Queen, but that’s all she gets as far as I am concerned. Survive or demise—it’s up to her.’

CHAPTER 2- DOM KOBIOS

Dom Kobios

The Battle

THE CAST:

Kobios, Peter, The Queen, Master Nama-Krikk

Two Grunz shepherded Kobios and a dazed Peter back to their holding pen. She sat him down, but his head flopped to one side, nearly out cold. She banged the ground with her fist; she should never have left him alone. The inner door opened slightly, and a small vial appeared.

‘Give him this. Poison will kill him.’ The door closed immediately.

She recognised Rosier’s voice and grabbed the phial, pouring the contents down Peter’s throat. He had passed out, but his breathing appeared even. 

Kobios stood and took a deep breath to calm herself. Aggression and fury had their place in a battle, but now was the time for calculated evaluation of the enemy that she would soon be facing again.

‘It is time, Master Nama-Krikk,’ said the Queen, ‘but the odds have changed with one student dead and one concussed.’

‘Does your majesty feel aggrieved that the wager is against you now?’ Nama-Krikk was the only living being who could talk to the Queen in this manner.

‘On the contrary, I thought it would be against you?’ she replied. ‘I was going to handicap the students slightly.’

‘How so?’

‘Forbid them to kill the male. Maim him perhaps, lower body only? As you always tell them, it is easier to kill than maim.’

‘Accepted,’ he agreed. ‘Though, for the wager, I had assumed three of them would be injured. Would you care to increase the stake?’

‘The current wager is fine,’ she said. ‘Don’t push it!’

Peter was standing by the time the Grunz reappeared to coerce them through the outer gate, but he was still in a daze, and she needed to support him. In the centre of the arena stood the remaining students. Of the eight that started, six remained. The one she had knocked out hadn’t returned, and a Clementel had killed one—an over-confident student not appreciating the guile of the master swordsman from a world of honour, striking before the self-activated shielding could initiate. 

‘Peter, get with it,’ she encouraged as they headed into the arena, every pair of orange eyes in the silent crowd on them.

‘I’m fine,’ he said, pushing away from her and immediately stumbling to his knees. 

She picked him up again and refocused on the enemy ahead. They were well trained and skilled but indeed not battle-hardened. The point of this day was to give them the experience of killing weak opponents. When they came up against the few with some skill, they struggled. The Clementel had indeed shown his superiority. It took a large bear distracting him and a cowardly projectile from a pair of students fighting as a team to down the knight. They wouldn’t want another of their precious assets maimed or killed. But avoiding their deadly weapons was no easy task, especially with a partner groggy from poisoning.

Kobios had a choice to make, and the only one that had a chance of saving Peter was to remove him from the game. He collapsed onto the floor, never feeling her fingers pressing into his neck. Hopefully, they will believe the poison from the throwing blade had done its job, she thought. She moved closer to the students but kept within reach of him. 

Peter was probably the only one to know that much of her vile temper was for show. She was very calculating in everything she did but disguised it with a display of anger. And that’s what Kobios did now.

Selecting the nearest three, she went at them shouting, swearing and swinging her short sword, all the while gauging their reactions and those of the others. Fortunately, the group weren’t operating as a capable team. The others appeared happy to see how the three she approached would fare rather than take up support positions. Two of the three fought as a team earlier, and Kobios had earmarked them as the weakest of the students. Shocked, the first boy let her roll him over, unable to activate any of his weapons.

The clock began.

He felt like a long ball with his shields deployed, allowing Kobios to seamlessly land in front of his partner, a female hardly reaching her shoulder. The young Zerot was trying to activate spring-loaded knives on her sleeves, but all she felt was a blade’s flat striking her before her shield engaged, sending her flying through the air, landing winded. The second female’s sword was arcing towards Kobios. The Vercetian parried and, using her sliding momentum, swept her legs from under her while quickly assessing the status of the others before righting herself with her sword at the Zerot’s neck. She edged her captive to one side to stay between the advancing group and Peter.

1min 03sec

The seconds ticked away as a game of cat and mouse followed. Kobios thought to try and negotiate with them but opted for a low growl instead. Her grip on the Zerot was solid, but an attempt to get her prisoner’s sword allowed the Zerot the chance to bite Kobios’s arm, followed by a clever ploy to use her lower centre of gravity to throw the tall Vercetian over her shoulder. Kobios could feel her feet lifting. Go with the flow. She let her weight take control of the movement, with her rolling break fall dragging the Zerot with her, yanking her teeth from her arm. She may have lost her hostage, but as she stood again, she now had the Zerot’s segment sword in her hand, ominously clicking open. The face’s of the students reflected the dawning realisation that they were against an experienced opponent who now possessed a dangerous weapon.

2min 16sec

The subtle glances between the group told Kobios they were communicating, their training probably kicking in, to work as a team. They backed away from her, with one to her right dashing towards Peter, whose groggy movements showed him not to be dead and an easy target. She darted towards him, but the Zerot boy was closer and his dagger drawn. Kobios, lacking the boy’s pace, could only watch as he majestically performed a cartwheel, with his one hand jamming his knife deep into Peter’s thigh. His forward speed took him quickly away, as she arrived at a now semi-conscious Peter writhing in pain. She looked around. They were all now some distance from her, and it was clear, as they continued fanning out, they were going to bombard her with the multitude of projectiles she had seen them use earlier, from every conceivable angle.

3min 33sec

Peter sat up, probably more alert than he had been for a while, possibly a consequence of the pain in his leg. ‘What the heck is going on?’ he asked, seeing five of the six Zerot readying to launch an attack, with a groggy sixth trying to join in.

‘Keep low, darling,’ she replied. ‘I’m expecting projectiles to come reigning down on us any moment. They’re waiting for a fire command. Stand next to me and dive to your left when I shout.’

‘I don’t recall anything like this at our academy,’ he stated, hobbling into position.

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Kobios, pleased he was getting back to his usual self. ‘I seem to recall taking on the entire class, at times.’

‘That was always your choice, not our teachers.’

Blue light beams appeared from two Zerot, flickering about, desperately trying to lock onto either of them. Peter, now aware of the danger they posed, dodged forlornly this way and that, but they latched onto each of his legs. 

‘Get them off me,’ he shouted.

There was an audible sound of releasing weapons as, at the silent command, they unleashed booster knives, poison-tipped throwing blades and scissor shears, each controlled differently, but all with the same deadly goal. Kobios knew her defining movement should be just as the boosters on the knives initiated, but the lights attached to Peter changed her strategy. There was no time to think; her actions were automatic—a move to take Peter down hard and hopefully save both of their lives.

She planted her left leg behind Peter and grabbed the top of his tunic behind his neck. Her right leg swung out in front of them both, soon to apply substantial leverage. With her free right hand, she moved her wrist in front of the place where the two beams of light converged, hoping her mirrored decorative wrist band would momentarily deflect the deadly guidance paths. At the same time, she pulled Peter backwards with her other hand across her stationary leg and using the momentum of her swinging leg to dump him down onto the ground, hoping the light beams would not reconnect and they would be out of the path of the booster knives. All the projectiles appeared to land at once, with one exploding on the ground close by and creating a substantial dust cloud. 

As the dust settled, Kobios knelt on the ground with a winded Peter. Otherwise, they were unharmed.

6min 25sec

‘How did they escape that?’ said Nama-Krikk.

‘With great skill from the female,’ replied the Queen.

‘She would make a great training aid for the students,’ he stated.

‘If she survives,’ said the Queen. ‘I still want my ten credits.’

Kobios helped Peter up, retrieving the segment sword in the process. They were both covered in dust and shrapnel, trickles of blood now adding to the horrific visage. 

‘What now?’ asked Peter.

Her reply was a guttural and primeval noise squeezed out between thin unmoving lips. ‘We kill as many as we can.’

There was nothing calculated about her following action. Instead, it was a show of rage and pure unadulterated anger at these juvenile purveyors of death. She charged at the nearest one, bellowing, with Peter hobbling in her wake. The Zerot tried to defend himself, but she bulldozed straight through, leaving him dazed on the ground while she looked to her next victim. But, the other young Zerot were not cowering away. They, too, were feeling uncontrolled aggression and, discarding their technology and subtle weapons, raced towards the giant female wielding swords and daggers. Unbeknownst to the Vercetians, they were feeling the first signs of the Brukkah, brought on by their opponent’s sheer hostility. The ensuing sword-fight brought even the most differential of elders to their feet—four lightning-quick and skilful young adversaries, freed of any academic constraints, attacking a powerful sword-master. Peter wouldn’t have even known how to enter this fray, and would probably have been a hindrance to Kobios, so he stayed back, keeping an eye on the other two dazed Zerot. 

Kobios was beginning to feel the strain. The Zerot coming at her from four sides were taking charge. Each was now gauging when to attack and when to stay away from the long reach of their rival. She had made some early successes, having cut the Zerot in several places, but she slowed and took surgical hits. Finally, she realised that she was moments away from a fatal blow and decided to take at least one of them out. The female she chose had proven one of the most daring, and lunging brought her sword down with every remaining shred of strength she could muster. The Zerot defended but collapsed to the floor, bringing the tall Preenasettian with her. The bang to Kobios’s head was severe enough to initiate the onset of unconsciousness. She looked up, seeing the stone roof of the giant cave, wondering why she hadn’t noticed how beautifully ornate it looked. The three swords about to impale her didn’t register.

10min 0sec

CHAPTER 3- THE BROKEN AI

The Broken AI

Z34aTip

THE CAST:

Brack, Jerbbekk, Tanzine, Daviss, Stanza, Z34aTip,

(The Varr Map—at the rear of the book.)

Z34aTip was a mess.

Even Stanza couldn’t console the AI.

Tip sat in the secret room of the Varr Society with his mechanical head in his shiny metallic hands.

The Z34a resembled a standard biped’s skeletal structure, covered in a titanium layer acting as tendons, ligaments and joints. However, whether seated or standing, their usual pose was bolt upright. Seeing Tip slumped in such a manner was a strange and saddening sight.

‘Come on, my friend, snap out of it,’ said Daviss, his arm draped over the robot’s shoulder. ‘We need your help.’

Tip looked up at Daviss; the light given off from his compound eyes, consisting of thousands of photoreceptor cells, gave a sad visage. ‘I will try, Daviss, though I do not believe I can be of any help.’

Jerbbekk, Tanzine and Brack, were still clearly afraid of the AI and huddled together under the Varr map.

‘There is nothing to be afraid of,’ assured Daviss, ‘The Z34a are a peaceful race. The Zerot has altered the ones here. They can easily be changed back. Carry on telling me about the map, please.’

Jerbbekk still looked apprehensive but turned back to the collage of cloth sheets that formed the map. ‘The central section is a map of the underground portion of the Zerot world, before the planetary war.’ This map was an old sepia print, much darker than the outer parts. ‘The underground city was a tiny portion of their world, but only they had the foresight to build this sanctuary in the event of a holocaust. The peripheral maps are our surveys. The expansion could have been grander or taken onto the planet’s surface when it became safe to do so, but the population hardly increased for reasons we will explain. A lot of the growth was to accommodate the increased size of the slave pens—their trophy cabinet.’

Daviss studied the map. The