The Madness Engine

by Paul B Spence

  "You mean like the Instrumentality?"

  "You know about that?" He seemed impressed. "Yes, that or the Cynosure of the other colony."

  "If that's what it's called. So it's real… And what of the Plaza? Does it still exist?"

  "I honestly don't know," David said. "I think it was destroyed or lost. My memories of that time aren't exactly clear. I wanted to forget what I had been, what I had done."

  "David, I've fought the Dark Ones from Tebrey's universe. They aren't like the ones we normally encounter. These are very powerful. It took everything I had to fight one. These aren't lesser ones that can be dispatched with normal weapons if caught off guard. I think these are the warriors of the Fallen First."

  "It could be, but why there? What could they want?"

  "Tebrey?"

  "Why? He's powerful, yes, but not that powerful."

  "Because he's the son of Drake?"

  "Maybe. Drake is almost certainly connected to the Instrumentality, but Tebrey wouldn't be, not unless..."

  "Unless what?"

  "Not unless Drake had taken him to be imprinted as young child, and he doesn't remember it."

  "Even if he had, even if that was possible, why would the Enemy want him?"

  "If he were to fall, they would have a minion wielding the power of the Instrumentality."

  "They could use him to open the tombs!"

  "Maybe. I think it would take more than that. But I think you should consider moving up your training schedule. Also, I think maybe I should go with you. I would be able to tell if he does have the link."

  "I can't leave right now. Brennen is making noises of war again, and the Terran Confederacy is mobilizing in the systems along our border. I wish we could get in there and clean out that rot, but they've made their position clear: any Mo'Ceri or Circle member found in Terran space will be considered an act of war."

  "So what would you like to do?"

  "Nothing for now, but please be ready in case I have to leave quickly."

  "I will be."

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Ana looked up as the lift doors opened.

  The admiral wasn't expecting any visitors; there was nothing on the itinerary. Working for Admiral Shadovsky was both easier and more difficult than she had imagined. She had thought she'd be helping to make critical decisions about the safety of the Concord, but mostly she just filed paperwork. There seemed to be an endless stack of forms for her to process. Most of them had to be scanned into the computer or typed in manually. It wasn't exciting at all.

  Only the fact that she was bored at home kept her at the job. That, and she had promised the admiral she would help. The money was nice but unnecessary. Tebrey made enough to keep them comfortable. At least she'd been allowed to bring Amanda with her; the baby was sleeping in her crib next to the desk.

  A tall young Rhyrhan stepped from the lift. She had rusty fur with black stripes and deep amber eyes. She smiled as she approached Ana, bowing slightly. Hunter raised his head to watch from the corner, but didn't get up.

  Ana leapt to her feet and bowed deeply. "Ambassador Keves'brin, welcome."

  "It's actually Senator now, Ana Tebrey. It is good to see you again. You are well?"

  "I'm sorry," Ana said. "Yes, I'm well. Thank you."

  "Is this your child?" Keves'brin stood over the crib.

  Ana moved next to her. "Yes, this is Amanda."

  "She is so small."

  "She's the size she should be, Senator. She is healthy."

  "I meant no aspersions, Ana Tebrey. You're the size of a child to me. I have no doubt that this little one will grow up great, with such a mother and father."

  "Thank you, Senator."

  "Is the admiral available?"

  "I'm sure he will be for you, Senator. If you'll wait here, I'll go announce you."

  "Very good."

  Ana turned quickly and entered Mandor's office.

  He looked up from his desk. "Something wrong?" he asked.

  "Senator Keves'brin is here. She would like to see you."

  "Of course," he said, standing up. "Show her in."

  Ana returned to the outer office. Hunter was standing next to Keves'brin. He glanced at her guiltily. Ana had the feeling they'd been talking about her.

  "The admiral will see you now."

  "Thank you."

  The senator walked past her into the office, and Ana shut the door. She suspected there would be more paperwork for her to do later. She also suspected that Mandor was going to need some coffee. She entered the little alcove and started some brewing. She hated the smell of the stuff, but it seemed to calm Mandor's nerves, so it was worth it.

  Θ

  Caedmon and his two companions led Dougal through a series of tunnels that he hadn't even realized existed. The rough-hewn corridors went on for kilometers. He followed them in silence. He didn't trust them, of course, but he didn't think they were leading him into some kind of trap either. The Masters weren't that subtle. They had no need to be.

  How many of you are there? he asked.

  Many, Caedmon replied. We have small groups all across the planet, and on a few others.

  You expected the Masters to return?

  Expected, no. Dreaded, yes. The Droogan prophesized their return, but we did not pay attention, to our shame.

  The Droogan are another of your factions, right?

  The Droogan were the first to follow Belial, back on the world of our origin. They ruled us then and enforced the change into the form you now see us in.

  This form isn't how you've always looked?

  No, our scientists think that we were once human. As you were.

  How long ago was that?

  Tens of thousands of years. We don't know exactly. The Droogan keep records, but they are all insane. When the Masters returned, they welcomed them. We, the Lorvan, did not follow the old ways. It is for that reason that we suffered so many torments when the Masters returned.

  So you've fought against them from the beginning?

  Yes, we have, and so have many of the Jaeran. They are not as disciplined in the mind as we are, but they hate what we are forced to do. We never wanted to harm the humans, much less help fill the Masters' need for pain and suffering.

  Why wait till now? asked Dougal. Why not rebel before?

  We did not know that the Masters could be killed. Now we know.

  Surely you knew they killed their own kind?

  Yes, but we didn't know mere mortals could do it. Tebrey proves it is possible.

  That name again. How are you planning to get us off this planet?

  We know a merchant. He is willing to smuggle sealed crates off the planet for us. We have led him believe that he is helping women escape religious persecution. It makes him happy to think that he is doing something good.

  And he is here now?

  He is, Caedmon replied. He is waiting just a few kilometers away. Once we are into the crates, a signal will be passed, and the merchant's people will come collect them.

  Sounds as if you have it all planned out. What happens if we're caught?

  Then we die most horribly.

  That isn't reassuring.

  Caedmon focused several of his eyes on him. You grow more... different by the hour. How do you feel?

  Dougal reflected for a moment. For the first time in I don't how long, I feel like a person again. I can actually feel something besides pain. I'm not sure what it all means, though.

  I think it means that what happened to you can be undone, Caedmon thought. You don't have to be a monster if you don't wish to be.

  I don't wish to be.

  The tunnel sloped sharply down and entered a series of connected chambers filled with strange machinery and other Jaernalith. The others looked at them with curiosity and a small amount of hostility. Dougal couldn't blame them; he'd have hated his kind, too.

  Did hate them, in fact. Are all these others loyal? Dougal asked.

  Caedmon floated close
r. They are loyal. You have nothing to fear, he thought.

  How much farther is it?

  You grow fatigued?

  I'm... I'm not sure, Dougal thought. Maybe.

  We didn't know you could be.

  I'm a lot different from the others, Dougal replied. I don't think that I'm a fair measure of what is normal.

  Still, you give us hope.

  How is that?

  You are powerful, and yet you haven't tortured any of us. Even before, you never did.

  I was insane, but it still didn't appeal to me.

  If you do not feed, do you not fade? We once saw a lesser Master killed by the Masters in such a way. It was denied torments. It was kept in a shielded room and fed nothing. Eventually, there was nothing in the room. Do you need to rest?

  No, said Dougal. I'm fine. I'll have plenty of time to rest once we're away from this planet. What's going to happen once we are away?

  We'll be transferred to the hold of a ship controlled by our kind, Caedmon said. Then we can travel to the Empire and discover who you were and how you came to be like this.

  Θ

  Geoffrey followed Tebrey onto the bridge of the Vigilant. It was his first time on the bridge of a Concord starship – that he could remember, anyway – and, as with so many things he'd seen recently, it was nothing like he had expected. The bridge was cramped and filled with acceleration couches and overhead crash frames. The screens were all projected air screens and only visible from certain angles. The bridge was dark, and there was no enormous central viewscreen, either, which was somewhat disappointing. The ship was on alert, and the crew were all wearing spacesuits, their helmets racked beside their couches.

  "Stay here," Tebrey said. "Hold onto that stanchion. Stay out from under the crash harness."

  "Okay."

  Geoffrey took a good grip on the stanchion while Tebrey moved forward to talk to the captain. From where Geoffrey was, he could see over the shoulder of the executive officer. He didn't understand much of what he was seeing. It all seemed very efficient, but he still wished there had been a screen so he could see what was going on.

  "Approaching Delta Pavonus hyperlimit, Captain," someone said from the front of the bridge.

  "Bring us out at ten light minutes, Helm, but be ready to jump back out on my mark."

  "Acknowledged, Captain. Translation in t-minus sixty."

  Geoffrey counted down in his head. His heart pounded. He wasn't scared; he was excited. At zero, the ship lurched as if it had hit a solid wall. Klaxons screamed, and the crash harnesses snapped down over the acceleration couches. Geoffrey understood now why Tebrey had warned him. If he'd had a limb under the edge of that, it would have been severed, despite his armor. The crew were scrambling for their helmets when the ship bucked again; this time there were other screams, across the com channels.

  "What the hell is going?" shouted the captain.

  "We've transited into Delta Pavonus, Captain," the helmsman replied. "I think... Dear god! There was a ship stationed at the jump point. We transited through it!"

  "The second impact was the ship blowing up, Captain," Alessa said calmly.

  "Please tell me that wasn't the Sycamore!" demanded the captain.

  "I don't think so," said Lt. Commander Fergusson. "I'm reading a Federation distress beacon."

  "Helm, get us out of here."

  "Can't, Captain. We've got nodes down. Repair crews are on their way."

  "Captain?" Alessa said.

  "What?"

  "We are not alone."

  "Tactical!" the captain snapped.

  "Got it, Captain. Four Federation destroyers and a cruiser are heading our way. They'll be entering weapons range in six seconds."

  "Get our defenses online. Ready missiles. Begin evasive maneuvers."

  "Aye, Captain."

  "Commander Tebrey, take your man and join the marines. We're going to need the extra firepower if we're boarded."

  "On my way, Captain." Tebrey dove past Geoffrey. "Come on!"

  Geoffrey let go of the stanchion and then quickly grabbed for it again. There wasn't any gravity. He hadn't even noticed it stop.

  Tebrey was waiting at the bridge access.

  "Come on, Meeks. I don't have time to babysit you. Earn your pay or buy a farm. Your choice." With that bit of inspiration, he was gone. Geoffrey wondered if he was actually earning pay. No one had told him anything about how money worked here.

  Geoffrey tried to remember what he'd heard about maneuvering in zero-gee, and kicked off toward the door. His aim wasn't that bad; he bounced off the frame but went through. The door snapped shut behind him, and one of the marines stationed next to the door grabbed his arm and steadied him. The woman was wearing powered armor and holding onto a stanchion herself.

  "Thanks!"

  "Jump from stanchion to stanchion or use your suit thrusters."

  "I have thrusters?"

  She laughed and shoved him down the corridor after Tebrey.

  Geoffrey was jealous, watching him move. Tebrey made it look effortless, and he was missing an arm. Geoffrey was grateful to the unknown marine who'd given the advice: he was just able to keep up. The only times he had trouble were when the ship suddenly lurched to the side as it evaded the targeting lock from the Federation ships. He was glad he had armor on. Otherwise he was sure he would've had broken bones.

  He lost sight of Tebrey and almost panicked until Tebrey grabbed him and pulled him into a lift.

  "You're doing fine, Meeks."

  "Thank you." Geoffrey was panting, not so much from effort as from terror.

  "I know you're afraid," Tebrey said. "So am I. Just stay close to me and do as I say. You'll make it through this."

  They exited the lift in a staging area for the marines. Geoffrey was surprised to see that they weren't wearing powered armor. They had on spacesuits covered with a fine metal mesh. His suit identified their weapons as laser rifles. Sergeant Pt'kar was there, off to the side. Naomi was giving out duty assignments.

  "Commander Tebrey! What's going on?" Naomi asked.

  "We've jumped into a mess, Commander. Multiple enemy ships. Where would you like us?"

  She glanced at Geoffrey, her expression unreadable through her helmet. "We're spread a little thin. I could use you and your people in shuttle bay two, if you don't mind."

  "We're on it."

  Geoffrey followed Tebrey with a quick glance over his shoulder. Naomi had turned away, but he was sure she was concerned for him. Sergeant Pt'kar followed behind them. She carried a plasma cannon and moved as casually as Tebrey.

  The shuttle bay was large. Shuttles and what must be assault craft were locked into frames in the back of the bay. Massive airlock doors faced forward. Tebrey led them across the bay to find cover in the shuttle frames.

  "I doubt we'll see any action," Tebrey said reassuringly.

  Geoffrey clung to the strut Tebrey had indicated. "Good," he managed.

  The ship suddenly shook and rang, as if a giant hammer had struck it.

  "What was that?"

  "About fifty megatons," Tebrey replied, sounding calm. He must have noticed Geoffrey's incredulity. "I'm not worried about one warhead. The Federation doesn't use antimatter warheads or shaped fusion charges. We could take a dozen hits like that last one at once and be all right. The smaller shakes are our missile leaving the ship. Stay calm. We'll be fine."

  Geoffrey nodded and tried not to worry. "How do you do it?" he asked. "How do you keep calm when you can't do anything but sit and hope not to die?"

  "It isn't calm, Meeks. I can't do anything to affect the battle. I can be ready to defend the ship if we're boarded. Don't worry about the things you can't do anything about. Focus on the things you can do."

  Sergeant Pt'kar tapped Geoffrey on the shoulder. "If we're boarded, you stay here with me."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Commander Tebrey likes to fight close, with quantum pistols, fists, or a knife. You don't want to be too close
to that. You stay here with me and use that rifle. I've slaved your targeter into mine. I'll highlight priority threats for you. Just fire at the flashing cursor."

  "Thank you. I wish I wasn't so useless."

  "You're not useless," Tebrey said, turning back. "You're green, inexperienced. No one takes to this easily. Just do what Pt'kar says, and you'll survive. I trust her with my life – yours too, for that matter."

  Geoffrey nodded. "I guess this means we aren't going to find that ship."

  Tebrey shrugged. "I'm sure the captain is looking for the debris, but with Federation ships here, I doubt we'll find any survivors."

  "I'm sorry, I know there were a lot of people on that ship."

  "It happens. You learn to move on. Deal with it later."

  Gravity came back abruptly, and then the ship started shaking. Geoffrey could feel it through his feet and his arms where he hung onto the strut. The shaking ended as quickly as it began, although gravity remained. He noticed that the klaxon had stopped.

  The intercom came on. "This is the captain. We're back in hyperspace and on our way home. Good job, everyone. Officers report for briefing at oh-nine hundred."

  "What does that mean?" Geoffrey asked.

  "It means we live to fight another day," said Pt'kar.

  "The battle is over," Tebrey replied. "The repair crews must have managed to replace the damaged nodes. We're back in hyperspace."

  "We're safe in hyperspace?" asked Geoffrey. "They can't follow us?"

  "They can follow us if they want to," Tebrey said. "They won't be happy if they do. We're on our way back to Steinway. Anyone who follows us there is going to get a rude surprise, unless they're wanting to surrender."

  "You seem pretty confident."

  "I spent eight years in the Federation Fleet, Meeks. Trust me when I say that the Federation is outclassed in every way." Tebrey took off his helmet and sat back against the bulkhead. "The Vigilant is a Concord heavy cruiser. She just took on four Federation destroyers and a cruiser. She took very little damage. We're headed back to Steinway for basic refit and repair. We'll have lost sensors and have damaged nodes. The Vigilant may not have destroyed any of the other ships, but they are hurting. Alessa, how did we do?"