E-Day

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

  The MOTH first rose to intercept Frost. A shard of space elevator whizzed by it, nearly sheering off a wing. Frost raised her arms to break her descent into the open troop hold. It swallowed her, and the pilots rolled away from another huge piece of shrapnel. Ghost came next, with the technician secured to his chest.

  A raucous boom came from above, drawing Akira’s eyes to a sight that took his breath away.

  Normally, things didn’t shock him. In war, he had seen entire cities devastated by chemical and biological attacks on civilians, but seeing the space elevator falling to Earth was different—it seemed surreal.

  “Son of a bitch!” Tadhg yelled.

  Akira spotted the big Engine spinning out of control with the technician. The pilots changed course to intercept him.

  According to Akira’s HUD, he was falling at one hundred eighty miles per hour. A proximity warning flashed on his faceplate from a slab of metal sailing right toward him.

  “Captain,” Apeiron said.

  “I see it.”

  “You are way off course.”

  Akira looked back down as he slowly passed the MOTH. He deployed the wings under his arms and from slots in his leg armor, shaving off more speed.

  He forced his body back into a suicide dive, curving to his left. The pilots matched his trajectory. Thousands of debris objects had already hit the atmosphere, burning on reentry in the dark sky above Earth. The MOTH was now coming up fast on Akira’s right.

  “Almost there, Captain,” Apeiron said.

  For a fleeting moment, Akira appreciated her voice, and her guidance, just when he suddenly felt so alone, falling through space, his family and the entire Earth below him at risk.

  The MOTH raced toward him, the troop hold open, his other family—Frost, Ghost, and Tadhg—waiting inside to catch him.

  As Akira soared toward them, another proximity warning chirped.

  A spear of metal debris punched into the shield on his back and ripped into the right upper wing of the MOTH, taking out a thruster in an explosion that peppered his body with shrapnel. He shielded Okami with an arm and landed inside the troop hold.

  “Close the hatch!” Tadhg screamed.

  The MOTH rolled hard, sending Akira slamming into the inside of the hull, headfirst. Pads and gel inside his helmet helped absorbed some of the impact, but not all of it. Pain broke across his forehead and red flashed across his vision.

  “We’ve lost two thrusters!” said one of the pilots over an open channel.

  The hulls vibrated, the entire MOTH threatening to buckle under the stress.

  Akira squinted at the stars bursting across his eyes. He looked out a porthole window and saw a storm of burning shards from the space elevator streaking through the sky like meteors.

  The irony wasn’t lost on him.

  In fifteen hours and two minutes, Hros-1 would be doing the same thing if it wasn’t destroyed. And with the Red Wolves attacking on the surface and Dr. Cross on the loose, Akira had a feeling the attack on the Titan Space Elevator was just part of the plan to derail their efforts to do just that.

  Akira snapped back to the reality of their situation—Perez was dead, the MOTH was coming apart, and they were still an hour flight from his family and their comrades at Gold Base in Megacity Tokyo.

  He stood despite the vibrating ship. Reaching over his back, he unlatched Perez’s shield. There wasn’t much left, just the center part and a few engraved words.

  The Engines all directed their visors at Akira, waiting for him to say something compelling, or inspiring. But Akira didn’t need to search deep for those words. Perez had left them behind on his shield.

  “Here is courage, mankind’s finest possession,” he said, reading the quotation from Tyrtaeus that was etched into the burned metal.

  Some leaders might have sugarcoated what Akira needed to say next, but he never lied to his squad.

  “Get ready for the toughest fight of your lives,” he said. “My gut tells me bringing down the space elevator was just the start of what Doctor Cross has planned. Courage is the only thing that will get us through this night.”

  — 28 —

  “What’s going on up there?” Ronin whispered.

  He held up his Commpad. No connection.

  Deep under the surface of Gold Base, he sat with his mother and brothers on cots set up for the hundreds of civilians around them, people of all ages, all families of soldiers: parents, wives, husbands, and children of the forces assigned to the base.

  Almost everyone was looking at Commpads, trying to figure out what was happening above on the surface. It appeared the Nova Alliance had limited the INN connections.

  What Ronin did know was simple—in fourteen hours and forty minutes, Hros-1 would enter the Earth’s atmosphere if it wasn’t stopped.

  Kai was across the room talking to a tall man with a buzzed head and scars across his square jaw. Prosthetic legs showed under his green pant cuffs. A droid dog that looked like a Rottweiler stood by the man.

  “I don’t understand how INN can just be down,” Zachary said.

  “Maybe Apeiron is limiting the network so we don’t know what’s going on,” Lise said.

  “To keep people from panicking?” Zachary said. “If so, then things are worse than when we came down here.”

  “I’m really worried about Uncle Akira,” Ronin said. “Don’t you think he would come visit us if he was back?”

  Elan looked up from the translation on his Commpad.

  “Your uncle can look after himself,” Lise said. “Don’t worry about him. Everything’s going to be okay, boys. I promise.”

  She looked across the room at Kai.

  “Who is that guy Dad’s talking to?” Ronin asked.

  “A corporal he served with named Jared,” Lise said. She got up and stretched. “You guys should try and get some rest. We could be down here a while.”

  Ronin took in a deep breath and pulled out the book Akira had asked Zachary to safeguard.

  “Be careful,” Zachary said.

  “I will.” Ronin cracked it open carefully, turning to a page written in Japanese. He held his Commpad over the text to translate it, then held the screen out for Elan who leaned in to look.

  “What’s it say?” Lise asked.

  “It’s a story about thirty mercenaries sent to kidnap the children of a rival lord,” Ronin said. “Two samurai were deployed to track down the children.”

  “Did they get them back?” Zachary asked. He put his Commpad down for the first time in hours.

  “Yup, and they killed all the mercenaries,” Ronin said.

  “And we really have a samurai in our family history?” Zachary asked.

  “Yes,” Lise said.

  “How come no one ever told us until now?” Ronin asked.

  “Your father and your Uncle Akira had a pact,” Lise said. “They wanted to share your history with you together.”

  She seemed to be staring at Zachary, but then quickly looked at Ronin. “Both of you, of course.”

  Her eyes darted away. Maybe she wanted to say something else. Her eyes always darted like that when she was hiding something.

  “I’ll be right back,” Lise said.

  She got up and crossed the room to the doors where Kai and Jared stood with a small group of people. Kai spoke with two Piston guards. Murmur and Shana, Ronin had heard them call each other earlier.

  Zachary stretched with a smirk. “This book and all of the stories gives me an idea. Maybe next year they’ll call me the Samurai in the stadium.”

  Ronin rolled his eyes. Just when he thought his older brother was genuinely interested in their family history, his ego proved otherwise.

  Elan reached out and turned the page to a drawing of two samurai standing in front of a group of children. The men wore black and red tiled armor, with masks that looked like grinning warriors.

  “Beautiful,” Ronin whispered.

&
nbsp; Elan read along with Ronin and Zachary. After a few stories, Ronin looked over to the crowd again.

  I’m going to go listen, he signed to Elan.

  Elan got up to join him and Ronin handed the book back to Zachary who tucked it away. He stayed behind while Ronin led his twin brother through the maze of beds.

  Halfway across the room, a mother sat on a bed rocking a baby. Ronin could see the fear in her eyes. He wanted to say something kind, but instead he just smiled.

  When he got to the back of the group, he put a hand on Lise. “Mom, do you know anything?”

  The Pistons began to nudge the gathering crowd back.

  “Get back inside,” said Shana. “We’ll let you know when we have more information.” She had a youthful, innocent face, with a tattoo of an eagle on her neck.

  “She said back up,” Murmur added. He was a hefty man, with a big mole on his forehead and less patience than his comrade.

  “We just want some answers,” Kai said.

  “Sir, please…” Shana said.

  “Master Sergeant,” Jared corrected. “You’re talking to Master Sergeant Kai Hayashi.”

  “Retired,” Kai corrected.

  “He’s Captain Akira Hayashi’s brother,” Jared said, “who, as you know, is not retired.”

  The Pistons shared a glance and turned to talk. A few moments later Shana motioned for Kai to join them in the hallway. The doors shut, and the crowd backed away.

  Zachary walked over with his arms folded across his muscular chest.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “I told you to stay at the bunks,” Lise said angrily.

  “Whoa, relax,” Zachary said.

  “Go back there and wait for me. Don’t argue, Zachary, just do it.”

  He put up his hands defensively. “Okay, no problem.”

  Ronin and Elan followed their older brother back toward their beds.

  “Don’t worry, guys,” Zachary said. “Everything will be…”

  His words trailed as the lights flickered.

  They halted, looking up at the ceiling. Ronin’s gut tightened. Something was wrong up there—something worse than a single terrorist attack.

  Even Zachary, usually so confident, looked unsure.

  “Do you think there were more attacks?” Ronin asked.

  “Maybe, but no way anyone could take this base. We’re safe here.” Zachary flashed his handsome smile.

  I’m telling you guys, we’re good, he signed.

  Ronin sat back on his bed next to Elan, their eyes on the door, waiting for Kai.

  Zachary pulled out the Warrior Codex again. “Let’s keep reading.”

  Ronin scooted over, and Zachary sat between him and Elan.

  Moments like these were rare, but they reminded Ronin that his older brother did care deeply for both of them. They read through the passages silently, turning each page carefully, reliving history through the lens of their ancestors.

  Finally, the doors opened. Kai limped back into the room and crossed over to his family. He was out of breath when he reached them.

  “Dad, what’s going on?” Ronin asked.

  “It’s Titan Station,” Kai said. “The space elevator was destroyed.”

  “No way,” Zachary said. “That can’t be true.”

  Ronin translated for Elan but then hesitated at his father’s next statement.

  “We need to get ready to leave,” Kai said.

  Zachary narrowed his brows and folded his arms over his chest. “What do you mean ‘get ready to leave’? Where are we going?”

  “I thought we were safe here, Kai,” Lise said.

  “Just in case, I want to be ready to move,” Kai said. “Hurry and pack up your things.”

  ***

  Jason stared out the window of the command center at Nova One Station.

  There was nothing left of the Titan Space Elevator but the black of space and dazzling stars. The trillion-dollar engineering feat that had launched supplies to help construct the lunar colonies and served as the research and manufacturing center for the Canebrakes and the birthplace of Apeiron was gone.

  Jason clenched his jaw. He was normally a calm and patient man, but he was growing paranoid. He knew the mad doctor had help escaping and destroying the space elevator. He seemed to have spies and allies everywhere, even off planet.

  And hours after he had escaped, they still didn’t know where Dr. Cross was now.

  Glancing around, Jason discretely examined the staff in the command center, wondering if anyone here was involved in these new attacks. It wouldn’t be the first time, but every single one of these people had been vetted meticulously by Apeiron.

  Jason shook off the paranoia and reminded himself that, like the restoration sites and megacities, the space elevator could be rebuilt.

  You’re still in control. You can still stop Hros-1.

  And they would find Dr. Cross. It was just a matter of time.

  Jason checked the Hros-1 clock.

  Fourteen hours and one minute remained until the asteroid was within range of the cannons.

  He tapped into INN for views from Earth. Most of the larger chunks of the space elevator had hit the ocean, but hundreds of reports documented pieces hitting land. Fortunately, most of the population was underground.

  Commotion pulled Jason away from INN. He opened his eyes at General Chase talking to two Pistons. Apeiron was standing nearby, her metallic fingers tapping at a pair of terminals.

  Jason rushed over to them. “Did you find the MOTH?”

  At first, it seemed the general didn’t know the answer. He glanced over at Jason skeptically before nodding.

  “Where?” Jason asked.

  “Here, Doctor,” said the general.

  “What do you mean, it’s here? Like on Nova Station?”

  “Spaceport 3. I already have a team of Canebrakes and Pistons en route, and all of the surrounding sectors are on lockdown.”

  “We are safe here,” Apeiron said. “Do not worry.”

  Darnel walked over, his exoskeleton clicking with each movement. He pulled up a holo-feed of the spaceport. Sure enough, a MOTH sat in the enclosed bay. He switched to video of the surrounding sectors, watching as squads of Canebrakes and Pistons closed in. They formed barricades at each intersection, and two of the droids climbed into the ducts. There was no way that Dr. Cross and his men could reach the bridge without being stopped. This was a suicide mission.

  But why? What was Dr. Cross planning now?

  “General, do you have all EMP defenses online?” Jason asked.

  “Yes, we’re shielded here,” Chase replied. “There’s no technology that could bring down this station from outside the command center.”

  Jason checked with Apeiron for confirmation. She nodded.

  That was good, but Dr. Cross had to know this station wasn’t unguarded like Titan. So what was his next move?

  Jason racked his brain, quickly coming up with a theory.

  If Dr. Cross somehow took Nova One, he would control the cannons. He could hold the entire globe hostage. That had to be it.

  “We located Doctor Cross,” Apeiron said.

  The announcement made Jason’s heart skip. He stepped closer to the holo-screen. The feed from the spaceport showed a male figure walking down the stealth MOTH’s ramp, his hands in the air.

  “He’s surrendering,” General Chase said.

  A dozen Canebrakes surrounded the MOTH as Pistons took Dr. Cross into custody. Another squad ran up the ramp and into the MOTH. Their helmet cams showed what was left. Just like at the dam in Siberia, Dr. Cross had slaughtered everyone.

  “The MOTH is secure,” General Chase said. “I say we shoot Doctor Cross out an airlock.”

  On the holo-screen, Dr. Cross bowed his head, as if in prayer, but Jason knew he wasn’t praying. This was an act, a ploy.

  The doctor hadn’t come all this way to surrender so eas
ily.

  “Before you kill him, I want to speak with him,” Jason said.

  “Doctor,” Chase said gravely.

  “I will speak with him through a Canebrake, General.”

  “Fine, but do it quickly.”

  “I will connect to Unit E-491,” Apeiron said. “Standby.”

  Jason closed his eyes and saw the view through one of the Canebrakes as it approached and stood directly in front of Dr. Cross.

  “This is Doctor Jason Crichton,” he said through the Canebrake. “I know you came to take over the cannons so Hros-1 will hit, but you failed. This is the end for you.”

  Dr. Cross slowly looked up, his blood-red INVS eyes leering. He smirked, a wide, toothless grin like a diseased wolf.

  “Oh, I didn’t come for the cannons, I came to say goodbye to you, Doctor Crichton,” he said. “But you’re right about my life being over, and soon, you’ll see I was right.”

  “Right about what?”

  “Don’t you remember what I said about your creation?”

  “You called Apeiron the devil.”

  “Indeed.”

  “The only devil on this station is you,” Jason said. “You wanted to destroy our planet for your ‘reset’ and sacrifice billions for a fresh start.”

  “You’re very good at projection, Doctor Crichton, I will give you that.” Dr. Cross laughed.

  Jason shook his head wearily. “At one point I thought you and I could have worked together, to change the world for the better, but you chose the path of evil, and now you’ll pay with your life.”

  Dr. Cross held out his hands and lifted his head like a demented angel.

  “AI is salvation, Doctor Cross. I wish you could have seen us destroy Hros-1 and bring the Earth back to her green and blue glory,” Jason said.

  He opened his eyes and turned to Apeiron. “Finish him, and General, you can vent his body after he’s dead.”

  “With pleasure, Doctor,” Chase replied.

  On the holo-screen, Jason watched the Canebrake he had been speaking through. Energy blades activated on all four segmented limbs. The mad doctor grinned and winked at the droid right before it struck.

  Two of the blades punched into his chest, while the other two wrapped around his neck and legs. The droid hefted him up, and then ripped his body in half. Both pieces of meat crashed to the floor, insides slopping out.