by M. R. Forbes
“You must have believed some part of it, or you wouldn’t be questioning your place in Arluthu’s world to begin with.”
“Of course, the thought was always there. But at the same time, I always asked myself how it came to be that I was born to one of the most beautiful of Inahri and turned out so ugly?”
“I don’t think you’re ugly,” Caleb said. “I don’t think your mother would have found you ugly, either.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Yes. Marines don’t lie.” He smiled. She smiled back at him. “I want to save my people. I can’t do that stuck in here. I need your help.”
“If anyone found out, it would be the end of my life. I don’t know your people, Sergeant. And I don’t owe them anything. I don’t owe you anything.”
“That part is true. But you aren’t free here, Lia. You’ll never be free here. If you help me, I can get us both out of here.”
“You seem so sure of yourself. What if you can’t? What if you’re killed? You haven’t even entered the Kuu yet.”
Caleb stared at her. He could tell she wanted to believe in him, but she was afraid. He didn’t blame her. He was asking a lot, and she hardly knew anything about him.
“How much access do you have to the rest of the Citadel?” he asked.
“Not much. I can only venture beyond Dojo Shing when I’m on an errand from Harai.”
“What about Harai’s cell? Is there a computer terminal or data access point there?”
“Data access?”
“I want to know what’s happening to the Inahri Arluthu is supposedly taking to paradise. I want to find out what he’s really doing with them.”
“Oh. Sergeant Harai has access to a projector in his office. He sends me to retrieve his daily briefing sometimes. I know his identification code. If our people aren’t going to paradise...I don’t think he knows what happens to them either. I don’t think any of the Inahri do. I’m not sure the projector will help you find that answer.”
“Somebody knows. If not Inahri, then Relyeh. Do you ever go to the Relyeh city?”
Lia shook her head violently. “No. No Inahri goes down there. I’ve never seen it.”
“Okay. We probably need a different approach. What do you know about the Advocates?”
“They’re horrible.”
“I agree. Harai said the relationship between a soldier and an Advocate is symbiotic. But when Ishek was attached to me I couldn’t resist anything he wanted. I need to know how to resist.”
“I know the Kuu helps you learn to resist. Other than that, I can’t help you. Why do you ask?”
“Because the Relyeh have a shared history. Whatever they know somehow gets transferred across the entire race. If I could overpower an Advocate, I could find out the answer to our question.”
“How would that help?”
“How do you think the Inahri will react if they learn Arluthu is lying to them?”
“I don’t know. For some, the belief is too strong to break. For others, it could cause them to lose faith.”
“The truth will set you free.”
“What?”
“It’s an Earth saying. And maybe it’s our key to saving the Earthers and the Inahri from the Relyeh and setting everyone free.”
“Do you really believe Arluthu is wrong?”
“It’s not a question of right or wrong. It’s survival of the fittest. I’ll make you a deal. I’m going to try to get a little sleep and prepare myself for the Kuu. Think about everything we just discussed. Keep it to yourself and don’t do anything. After I beat Corporal Novai in the Kuu, I’ll be in charge of Dojo Shing. Come back to me with your decision then. Okay?”
Lia considered it for a moment before nodding. “Yes. I will do as you ask. Do you really think I’m beautiful?”
“Does it matter what I think? You don’t need me to validate you.” He smiled. “But yes, I do.”
She smiled back. “Thank you, Sergeant Caleb.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I will remain here for some time if you don’t mind. I don’t want you to dishonor yourself by finishing with me too quickly.”
Caleb couldn’t help but laugh. “You can stay as long as you want. Just warn me if you’re going to kill me.”
She tilted her head to the side, confused. “How can I?” She stopped talking and started laughing, realizing it was a joke. “As you ask, Sergeant.”
“Goodnight, Lia.”
“Goodnight, Sergeant Caleb.”
Chapter 25
Deputy Klahanie was waiting for Tsi when she landed in the secondary hangar of the Deliverance, returning the Dagger as she had promised.
Tsi climbed out of the cockpit, removing the helmet and patting it affectionately on the side before placing it in the seat and taking out the salvaged rifle. She had enjoyed the opportunity to take to the skies in the Earther ship, still impressed with its ability to read her thoughts.
She hoped she would have another chance to fly.
“Sergeant Tsi,” Klahanie said, smiling as she hopped off the wing. He noticed the rifle. “You didn’t come back to kill us, did you?”
She smiled. “You would already be dead, deputy.”
“I figured as much. How did it go?”
“I’d prefer to speak with Governor Jackson directly if you don’t mind.”
“Oh. Of course. I was just curious.” He shifted his head to look past her. “Are those burn marks?”
Tsi glanced over her shoulder. The Dagger had apparently taken minor damage while she passed over the Seeker. “I went to check on the status of the Seeker. I came under fire. It’s superficial.”
“Right,” Klahanie said, raising an eyebrow. “Anyway, the Governor’s been waiting for you. He was worried you had changed your mind and decided not to come back.”
“I gave my word, on my honor. Honor is the most important trait to a Free Inahri. Without it we might as well be like Arluthu or the Axon.”
“That works for me. You’re here, so...this way.”
Tsi followed the deputy back through the corridors of the Deliverance. She thought they would be headed for the bridge, but they went to the ship’s central lift instead, taking it down.
“Where are we going?” Tsi asked.
“Back to Metro,” Klahanie replied. “What with all the new recruits to the cause, the Governor is still working on logistics. He’s been holed up in the mansion the whole time you’ve been gone.”
“I wasn’t gone that long.”
“Long enough. We had almost eight thousand volunteers. That’s thirty percent of our population. Isn’t that incredible?”
Tsi nodded even if she didn’t agree. If the Free Inarhi were preparing for war, they would have nearly one hundred percent participation. She would wait to bring that up to Governor Stone directly.
They took the lift down to Deck Sixteen, entering through the primary seal into Engineering. Tsi heard shouting echoing out from the short passage leading to the main control room, Faith’s voice loud and crisp.
“We’re gonna prep this ride, oh yeah,” she sing-songed. “Wilks, how long to get the ion thrusters back online?”
Tsi couldn’t hear the answer, spoken too softly to carry through the corridor. She glanced at Deputy Klahanie.
“You’re repairing your ship?” she asked.
“Yeah. The Governor wants her flight ready, and Faith said that with the batteries fully recharged she should have enough juice to break atmosphere.”
“I thought the plan was to stay and fight.”
“Oh, it is. In general. I’ll let the Governor explain.”
Tsi nodded. She was suddenly eager to hear what Governor Jackson had planned.
They entered Metro through South Park. There was a line of people winding around the open field, angling back and forth, and originating from one of the buildings at the front edge of the city. Tsi quickly projected Doctor Rathbone, not wanting to draw undue attention. Not yet anyway.<
br />
Klahanie flinched at the sudden change before smiling. “Doctor Rathbone. Nice of you to join me.” He winked at her, apparently amused by the disguise.
They crossed the park, and then the strand leading to the Governor’s Mansion. A pair of Law Officers were positioned outside, helping to keep the entrance orderly. They held back the line to let Klahanie and Tsi pass into the structure.
Governor Stone was in the back of the lobby behind a desk. One of the colonists was leaning over in front of him, signing something. A deputy was standing nearby, and as soon as the colonist dropped the pen, the deputy took his arm and led him away.
The Governor looked up as Tsi approached, momentarily confused by Doctor Rathbone’s presence. Then he glanced at Klahanie before rolling out from behind the desk.
“You’re back,” he said. “I’m doing the best I can to process everyone so we can get them all organized into units and equipped as soon as possible. Did you make contact with your people?”
“Can we talk about it privately?” Tsi asked.
“Of course.” Governor Stone tapped a badge on the breast of his shirt. “Sheriff Zane, Tsi is back. I need you to take over the processing.”
“Yes, Governor,” Zane replied through the badge. “I’m on my way.”
“This task,” Tsi said. “It seems arduous.”
“I’m just trying to keep it all organized. We don’t want anything to disappear.”
“You don’t trust your own people?”
“For the most part, but they know the deal. Some of them might think to volunteer to get a gun, armor, ammunition, and then take it back to their cube to hole up with their families.”
“Where is the honor in that?”
“We don’t put as much emphasis on honor as you do, I suppose. People do irrational things when they’re frightened, and these people are as frightened as anyone I’ve ever seen. That so many volunteered is a testament to their resolve.”
Sheriff Zane hurried in past the line, having rushed over from the nearby Law Office. He bowed his head to both Tsi and the Governor before standing behind the desk. “Next.”
“Let’s talk,” Governor Stone said. “This way. Klahanie, head back to the bridge to continue the diagnostics.”
“Yes, Governor,” Klahanie said. “See you around, Sarge.”
Tsi followed Governor Stone to the lifts behind the desk. He tapped on a control panel, and one of the doors opened. They entered and began to ascend.
“About the turnout,” Tsi said, dropping the projection of Doctor Rathbone. “Deputy Klahanie tells me you had thirty percent of the colony volunteer.”
“It’s closer to thirty-five percent. Engineering is working hard on preparing the ship and readying the replicators, but we aren’t counting them as combatants.”
“I see.”
“It’s a great response, isn’t it?”
He seemed so pleased, Tsi hated to correct him. “It’s far from good enough, Governor Jackson.”
His smile vanished. “What do you mean?”
“As feared, the enemy learned the location of our forward base from Doctor Riley. They sent an assault force in and killed every man, woman, and child in the caverns.”
Governor Stone’s face paled, a horrified expression freezing on his face. “What? How many?”
“Nearly four thousand,” Tsi replied.
“I’m so sorry.”
“So am I.” She fought the tide of emotion that rose with the thought of the destruction.
“Where does that leave us?” the Governor asked.
The lift came to a stop, the doors sliding open. Governor Stone led Tsi out into a richly furnished apartment. Thick carpeting, artwork on all the walls, carved wood furniture. She had never seen anything like it. Her eyes stopped on a photograph directly ahead of her. Governor Stone and his wife, and a third person. A young girl.
“That’s Orla,” Governor Stone said. “She helped Sergeant Card destroy an Axon sentry in orbit around the planet. She didn’t make it.”
“ So much loss,” Tsi said, staring at the girl. She had been too young to die.
“That’s why we’re here. I have a feeling you have bad news.”
Tsi nodded. “I made contact with our main settlement. I spoke with our new acting General, Cox. He’s reluctant to commit more lives to what he’s decided is a losing battle.”
Governor Stone kept rolling ahead of her without pause, leading her out of the foyer and into an ample living space. He pointed to a plush sofa. “Would you like to sit?”
“No, thank you, Governor,” Tsi replied. “Did you hear what I said?”
“I heard you, Tsi,” Governor Stone said. “You’re saying we’re on our own.”
“Yes.”
“Then your statement about not having enough volunteers is truer than I guessed. I really didn’t want to conscript anyone. We have a lot of people on the ship who won’t make good soldiers. Not to mention a fair number of children.”
“Arluthu doesn’t care about any of that, Governor. He’ll most likely have all Earther children executed.”
“Do you have any more bad news to deliver?” Governor Stone asked.
“I’m sorry, Governor. We don’t have time to be anything but blunt. How many more people can you get?”
“Six thousand, maybe,” he replied. “Maybe two thousand of those won’t be disastrous.”
“Everybody counts.”
“We also have six Butchers. They’re robots designed to fight the trife. They’re pretty effective against the buggers. I don’t know how they’ll fare against the Relyeh.”
“Every machine counts too. Whatever you have.”
Governor Stone rubbed at his chin. “A dozen Daggers, a few APCs, forty or so drones. It suddenly doesn’t feel like enough. I take it General Cox won’t send weapons either?”
“No, Governor. In fact, he ordered me to abandon you and return to the settlement.”
“And you still came back?”
“I gave you my word that I’d return. At the least, it would’ve been stealing to keep your ship.”
Governor Stone laughed. “I guess there’s always a loophole. I imagine General Cox isn’t too happy with you right now.”
“Maybe he’ll send a platoon to come and collect me. Governor, I did a flyby of the Seeker on my way back. The ship is still disabled, but there’s no telling for how much longer. We have time, but there’s no way to guess how much. I understand your concern about your equipment, but the registration process is inefficient. I’d like to suggest that you abandon it.”
Governor Stone considered for a moment. “How do we get everyone equipped?”
“Redirect the line to the armory. Have your people tell the volunteers to return to the park as soon as they’re armed. If you already have platoon and squad leaders sorted out, send them to the park immediately.”
“To what end?”
“I’m going to give them the same course in combat I was given when I arrived at the Free Inahri compound, starting with the leaders so they can help teach the rest. In the meantime, you need to divert some energy to rounding up more of the colonists to help defend the ship.”
“Okay. Do you want a drink? Because I could really use one.” He rolled over to a small credenza in the corner, opening it to reveal bottles of clear liquid.
“Governor, there’s no time for this.”
He turned his chair around. “What if your General Cox is right, Sergeant? What if the battle is already lost?”
“How can it be over before it’s even started? Give me one-tenth cycle, and I’ll give you an army that can begin to hold its own in a battle.”
Governor Stone closed the credenza without taking any of the bottles out of it.
“Do you really think we can do this,” he asked. “Because I’m suddenly having a lot of doubts.”
“Stay strong, Governor. We will prevail. And if we don’t? At least you’ll know you had more courage than General Cox a
nd the Free Inahri.”
Governor Stone rolled back to where Tsi was standing. “I’ve got everyone in Engineering working overtime to repair the damage to the ship. If things look bad, and I mean real bad, we’ll have one shot to get as many people as we can off the planet and back into space.”
“I’m aware, but to what end, Governor?”
“I’m not completely sure. We’ll set the coordinates back to Earth and hope for the best. We won’t have the power to get to more than point two cees, if that, and it won’t be comfortable for anyone who makes the trip, but desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“I think your resources would be better served elsewhere.”
“I know. And you’re probably right. But the colony needs a way out. They won’t fight like cornered animals, knowing they’re trapped here. They’ll roll over and surrender. I know because that’s what I did when Harai showed up. We can’t afford to let that happen again.”
Tsi nodded. She had to accept the Earthers weren’t Inahri. They weren’t accustomed to fighting or war. They didn’t think the same or act the same as her people. It wasn’t good or bad. It was just different.
Governor Stone motioned back toward the lift. “I’m going to take a few minutes to regroup. Everything’s moving so fast, and I’m not a young man.” He smiled. “Thank you for coming back, Tsi. You have no idea how much it means to me.”
Tsi bowed her head. “I’ll do everything I can to help you and your people survive, Governor. I owe it to Sergeant Caleb.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
Chapter 26
Caleb wanted more than anything to prepare for the challenge against Corporal Novai. He wanted more than anything to get ready to enter the Kuu.
It was too bad nobody would tell him what the Kuu was or how he should get ready for it. It seemed almost as if Harai and the rest of the Relyeh Inahri wanted him to fail. It felt as though the lieutenant had brought him back to the Citadel for that singular purpose. Too look like a bumbling idiot and prove how weak the Earthers really are.
Of course, that didn’t line up with everything Harai had said and done to him since. When Caleb reflected on the soldier’s words and use of pain and anger against him to bring out his full potential, he saw someone who was almost trying to goad him into becoming something greater, using pain and anger to bring out his full potential.
