by J. N. Chaney
Riva paused and looked around as if getting her bearings. She knew the forest far better than us, so I waited patiently when she lifted a clawed hand to ask for quiet. She cocked her head to the side and, I assumed, listened. After a few seconds, she started walking again.
“My apologies. Our destination is quite secret and must be protected. I want to make sure we aren’t being followed. To answer your question, I don’t know. It is possible, even probable that there is a connection between the two. However, until we have concrete evidence of this, I cannot say for sure.”
This was going to be a difficult thing to navigate. I had a gut feeling Riva wouldn’t appreciate finding out that our every move on the planet was being tracked this time. Since AMI had made repairs to her systems, her tracking capabilities were back and I wasn’t going to take any chances by turning her off.
It would be beyond foolhardy to not utilize them.
“What can you say for sure?” Tara managed to ask the question without coming off as rude, something I was starting to get a little envious of, truth be told.
“Only this: The discovery of the data caches confirmed that Makin posts an unusual amount of soldiers at certain points around the base of the mountain. This indicates the Turned have something in the mountain that is important, something they don’t want us to discover.”
“That brings up a good question,” I said. “Do the Turned know where the Elders are?”
Riva responded in the negative. “We believe they don’t or they would have attacked them by now.”
She swung around, her attention pulled to the south. I too had caught movement elsewhere in the forest thanks to my near perfect (at least by human standards) hearing. A beep in my ear interrupted the moment and alerted me to an incoming transmission. It was AMI.
“Kent, I’m picking up what appears to be a small scouting party of Turned, but they aren’t close enough to worry about. Their route is veering to the west.”
With Riva’s attention occupied, I sent AMI a short message using text only. Keep an eye on them. I want to know right away if anything changes.
“Of course, Kent. I’m here to be of service.”
With that, she clicked off.
Since I couldn’t very well explain how I knew that there was an enemy lurking nearby, I tilted my head to take in the noise.
“Sounds like a small party,” I said quietly. “Do you have scouts in the area?”
Riva’s feathers bristled, then relaxed. “No. We should stay quiet for the time being. The Turned may be branching out and trying to find out if the rebellion is more of a threat than they originally thought. There could be listening devices or scouts. It’s best not to take chances.”
I agreed. The presence of a hunting party, or whatever the group of Turned were, didn’t bode well. No doubt our arrival on the surface had triggered the reaction. This was precisely why I hadn’t brought more people. If we arrived with a platoon, Makin would have likely responded in kind.
We eventually came to an unfamiliar group of ruins, though they didn’t look all that different from the others we’d seen before. Daylight was fading fast, and Riva motioned for us to stop.
“It will be dark soon,” she explained. “There are creatures in the forest that grow more active at night. I believe you encountered them before. And they are not the only threats out there.”
“Fine by me,” I told her.
The three of us worked in silence to set up camp in the ruins. Riva found a small alcove that at one time used to be part of a building. The damage had allowed nature to take its course, but it provided decent shelter from the elements.
To keep our noise/visual pollution to a minimum, we didn’t start a fire. Even Riva wasn’t entirely sure of all the technology that Makin might have at his disposal. When night darkened the sky, we settled in for a few hours’ sleep.
I bolted upright, awake in an instant with the distinct feeling that something was off. A quick check of my wrist unit told me it was still the middle of the night. It only took a second for my eyes to adjust. When they did, I scanned the alcove. Tara was where she was supposed to be, but Riva wasn’t on her sleeping roll.
Where the hell was she?
The old instincts switched on, or maybe they were never off. More like my subconscious was a weapon, always primed and ready.
I tapped the comm in my ear to hail AMI. “Are you able to see where Riva went?”
“Of course, Kent. She is still in the ruins but on the eastern most side. Stand by for a visual.”
A moment later, my wrist unit beeped. I accepted the download and was treated to a small holomap thanks to a portable emitter. Every one of my team was outfitted with the devices now as a way for AMI to keep tabs on us.
Riva presented as a white dot. And she wasn’t alone. There was a second icon, almost on top of Riva’s, indicating she was talking to someone.
“Can I get a real time image?” I asked. “I want to know who the hell else is out there. We’re supposed to be alone.”
“And yet you’re talking to me,” the AI replied.
“Not the point,” I shot back.
She didn’t respond that time, but my unit beeped once more. The data package turned out to be a live feed, and I settled in to watch. The rebel leader was having what appeared to be a heated conversation with another of the Volcuri. My earlier guilt vanished with the realization that Riva hadn’t been entirely truthful with us either.
I studied her companion but didn’t recognize them. Whoever they were, they stood a head taller than Riva and their feathers were too dark to make out the actual color. I could, however, tell right away that her newfound companion was not one of the Turned.
They gestured wildly, and the feathers moved sharply in the same way I’d witnessed before when a Volcuri was agitated. Since the Turned weren’t capable of emoting like that, I figured this was someone else.
That just left one question.
Who the fuck was Riva arguing with?
My first thought was some kind of sabotage, and that had me up on my feet. I didn’t wake Tara as I strode out of the alcove and into the night. My goal was to find a place to listen to what was going on.
I kept my steps light and crept along an area with thick grass. AMI directed me since I didn’t want to chance being seen by using the holo on my wrist. The move paid off, and I soon had a direct line of sight on my quarries.
For a bad second I thought they heard me because the two stopped talking and turned back to scan the ruins near where I stood. I went completely still, not wanting to make myself known yet. They must have written off what they heard as a small animal because the pair started talking again, except more quietly.
Thankfully, my gear could still pick it up. Riva was not only wearing her translator, but AMI had been absorbing the language since our arrival and actively creating a cipher. That meant I could hear both sides of the conversation, not just Riva’s.
“As I’ve explained, Bakir, a lot has happened. Our most recent skirmish with the Turned marks a change in the air. The humans are part of that. Do you not find it curious that they have arrived on planet now?”
“But can you trust them?” the other Volcuri demanded.
“They fought with us. They want to find a cure, and they showed no hesitation in killing the Turned.” She stopped abruptly, prompting her companion to tilt his head in suspicion.
“Why does it appear as though you are holding something back, Riva?”
Riva’s feathers shook violently but she finally answered, “Skan is working with the human scientist to find a cure.”
For a moment, Bakir just stood there, his feathers going rigid. Then, in a movement I’d only seen angry animals do before charging, he stomped his foot and took a step toward her. Uh oh. It looked like things were about to get ugly.
That made up my mind. Riva wasn’t making any defensive moves and I wasn’t about to just let this Bakir individual attack her. I walked out into v
iew with my rifle up, pointed at the newcomer.
“Move away from Riva, now.”
The male Volcuri made a sound I hadn’t heard before. A series of clicks and growls that very clearly meant he was angry. Bakir swung around once more to face Riva. “You brought one of the aliens here? And the inferior creature dares to threaten me?”
Riva finally drew her blade, but from the low screech/growl that came from Bakir, she’d only pissed him off more. To my surprise, and satisfaction, Riva didn’t lower her weapon and instead snapped at the other Volcuri. “Bakir. Stop this nonsense. The Elders want to meet him. No harm can come to him.”
That did the trick. All of Bakir’s feathers relaxed at once, and he took a step back. Whoever he was, the Volcuri obviously shared the same respect for the hierarchy as Riva.
“As you know, I cannot explain more. However, old friend, you should be ready. A war is coming.”
He looked from her to me, then back to Riva. There was no mistaking the hostility there, and I had a gut feeling if Riva hadn’t been there, he might have attacked me. Not that it made any difference to me. I had no plans to relax and give him an opening if he changed his mind.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Riva.” With a final snarl, Bakir took off into the night, disappearing with hardly a sound.
6
Once he was gone, Riva turned back to me. “You can put away your weapon, Chief Mission Ward. Bakir will not attack us. For all his bluster, he is not violent. He has lost much in this war. A son, his only child. You did not need to interfere.”
I thought I understood. I lowered the rifle some but didn’t relax as Riva suggested. “Can’t be too careful. As for my interference, right now there are only three of us. You’re part of my team. Bakir looked like a threat, and I couldn’t stand by while you were at risk.”
Riva regarded me with sharp eyes before moving to join me. “Then I thank you, Chief Mission Ward. Shall we return to Tara?”
“Oh, I’m already here,” said a voice behind us.”
I’d been so focused on the conversation that I hadn’t heard her come. That wasn’t a good thing but she’d had my—our—back.
“Riva, who was that?” I asked as we began to make our way back to the alcove. “Bakir didn’t look like one of your people.”
At first I didn’t think she was going to answer. Finally, she looked in my direction and something about the set of her eyes spoke to me. Her usual gleam was gone, and her expression looked drawn, morose almost.
“Bakir used to be a friend. Part of the rebellion,” she added.
“And now?” Tara sounded suspicious.
“Now, Bakir is the leader of another group that lives in the forest. For safety, they don’t have a large camp; rather, they have become nomadic and travel in small ‘family’ groups.”
“Have become?” I repeated.
“Yes. They were never part of the main population, preferring to live off the land. The tribe used to have a main settlement before the First came, but now things are different. It is thanks to them that any of the Volcuri survived as dependent on tech as we were. Bakir’s people taught us how to return to our roots and live off the land.”
“So why are you separate now?” asked Tara.
Riva’s answer was simple. “They found the bunker. Those who still remembered technology saw the opportunity to fight back. Of course, not everyone wanted to be involved, so the factions split once more. I didn’t live during the time of exploration, but I grew up in the bunker, a foot in both worlds. Every now and then some of the Forest Dwellers join the cause, but more often than not they keep to themselves. Of course, they will help if they see another untouched in trouble.”
My mind turned this new information around, chewing on it so to speak. “Riva, it sounds like you have the potential for more troops. How many of the Forest Dwellers are there?”
“I am not sure. No one would know except Bakir and his people. But, I am sorry to say, I cannot pledge them to a war they do not wish to join.”
“But this is important,” exclaimed Tara. “Your people are dying. The First are coming back, and sooner or later there won’t be enough of you left to defend Kainos. Doesn’t that matter to Bakir?”
Riva shook her head, the motion slow and sad. “Bakir doesn’t want to see more death. Not like that. He will fight to protect from immediate danger but otherwise stays out of the rebellion’s affairs.”
“Maybe he just needs to understand what’s going on,” Tara returned.
“It’s worth thinking about at least,” I said. “We need all the help we can get.”
This time, Riva didn’t answer.
We broke camp the next morning in silence. The rest of the night had passed without further interruption, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Bakir. Regardless of his supposed peaceful stance on the Turned, he needed to see reason. So did Riva. Someone like her would always fight. I figured she was kind of like me in that sense, but on that same token, talking about it was a waste of time. Except it wasn’t, at least not for me. Tara, and my continued interactions with others, had taught me that.
Riva led us through the forest for better than half the day, giving me plenty of time to mull things over. Once or twice I thought I heard something and stopped to listen. AMI, apparently keeping tabs on all of us, whispered in my ear. “I’m not picking anything up, Kent. Just small animals.”
I couldn’t respond because it would have given away that others knew our location, and I didn’t want Riva to back out of taking us to the Elders.
We eventually stopped at the edge of another ruined city, but this one didn’t look as big as the others I’d seen. In fact, city might have been too generous. Something felt different here. All of my internal sensors were picking up on a distinct change, but nothing jumped out at me.
I turned in a slow circle, studying the decaying buildings.
Was that a hum? Not the sound of someone singing, but the low, underlying hum you heard around power lines.
“Please wait here,” said Riva.
Without further explanation, she advanced further into the ruins and began a methodical search pattern that indicated she was looking for something. We let her work.
A beep through my ear comm announced another incoming message. “Kent, this is AMI.” Her tone had gone urgent, and I stiffened. “Stay sharp. You aren’t alone. I repeat, you are not alone.”
I glanced over at Tara, who nodded slightly. She’d heard the message too. I wanted to ask what AMI saw but didn’t have to because she spoke again.
“There is a small squad of Volcuri. I cannot say whether they are Turned or not. They are well-armed and headed in your direction,” she informed. “I believe they are a guard company.”
“Great,” Tara muttered. “Just what we need right now.”
My grip tightened on the rifle in my hands as Riva came to a stop in the middle of a street. She angled her head to the north, and I followed suit, hoping to pick up on the incoming company that AMI alluded to. I didn’t say anything because I had a feeling they were who Riva was waiting for. If I was wrong, it would turn out to be a deadly mistake, but I didn’t think so.
It didn’t take long. A call from somewhere unseen sounded, and Riva set off in its direction.
“AMI,” I said under my breath. “Talk to me. What the hell is going on?”
“I... I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’ve lost track of them.”
“How the fuck does that happen?” hissed Tara. “We should follow Riva, Chief.”
“Stand down,” I told her. “She told us to wait.”
Tara took a breath. “Okay, yeah. You’re right. This is probably some sort of custom.”
I didn’t tell her that I hadn’t been thinking of that at all. Riva had given us a directive, and I was following it. I could see her logic though, and it calmed me down.
A few seconds later, Riva was no longer in my line of sight.
“I’ve lost Riva,” AMI
announced. “Commencing with a secondary scan.”
We waited in tense silence.
“Nothing, Kent. She’s gone. This must be cloaking tech that my sensors can’t get through. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, AMI. Just hold for now. Give her a few minutes to do whatever she’s doing.”
The ruins were quiet as we stood there. Usually, when danger was near, I could tell. No hairs stood on the back of my neck, no tingling gut feeling. While I wasn’t the type to be at peace, our surroundings felt peaceful.
“The squad must have been a guard for the Elders,” I concluded. “Like you said, Tara. A custom. That was a good call.”
She smiled at me. “Well, you’re getting better at recognizing that stuff. It’s a good thing. Who knows, you might actually learn how to flirt with someone other than the AI.”
My comm clicked again and was filled with AMI’s indignant response. “I resent that. She doesn’t understand what we’ve been through together, Kent. Tara Perez is just an unedited human.”
Since Tara didn’t respond to that, I was pretty sure it had been a private message.
“Don’t count on it,” I said out loud. “Interacting with civilians is one thing. Flirting is a whole new solar system for me. I don’t really see the point anyway.”
This time it was Tara who looked my way. Our gazes stayed locked on each other, the moment stretching into a couple seconds. She opened her mouth to say something, when AMI spoke again.
“Riva has just reappeared on my sensors. She is coming back to you.”
Tara closed her mouth, whatever she was about to say lost forever. She jerked a chin off in the distance, prompting me to look.
Riva was walking toward us, motioning for us to join her.
“Here we go,” I said and started jogging.
“Follow me,” said Riva after we reached her.
She led us deeper into the little town, then to one of the buildings.
Nothing about it stuck out, but from Riva’s sure walk it had to be where the Elders were. She opened a door and ushered us inside, then closed it behind us. The place was dark, but not pitch black. There was light coming from somewhere, just enough to make out shadows. Riva went to the far side of the room and stood there. A green beam of light ran over her, then the entire wall slid up to reveal an opening.
