“Give me the spare mags!” he cried.
Christie did so, and then looked at the drum.
“Are you crazy?” she said, scrambling away from Ray. Ray reloaded the Beretta and resumed firing. Dana made it into the cargo bay and immediately ran for the bridge. Ari took cover behind some wooden crates and began firing her pistol down the ramp.
“Come on, John!” screamed Ray. John loaded his last clip into his rifle as he ran up the ramp, several shots following him inside. John dove behind the same crates as Ari.
“That’s everybody!” Christie yelled.
“Richter, get out of here, we’re closing the ramp!”
Richter nodded without looking, and broke cover. He ran forward a step, firing his rifle, and began to run for the northern tree line. A round impacted his chest and he fell backwards onto the ramp.
“Shit!” Ray yelled.
John had a shot on the man who had hit Richter. He fired his rifle slowly and his third shot found flesh.
“Close the ramp, Seth!” John shouted.
The ramp began to close. Ray ran forward and dragged Richter’s limp body into the cargo bay. The ramp shut solidly.
“Seth, get us out of here,” said John.
“Please state the desired destination,” said Seth.
“Anywhere but here! But drop the light refracting shield first. I want to force those bastards to see us leave.”
“Understood.”
Suddenly everything was deathly quiet. Each member of the crew struggled to catch their breath. Ray noticed the source of Christie’s reaction. He had been hiding behind the gasoline drum.
“And you call yourself a Doom fan,” he said to himself.
“What about Devonai?” Ari said.
“He made his choice,” John said. “He’s on his own now.”
Fifteen minutes later, the Faith was safely in low Earth orbit. Richter, whose Kevlar vest had stopped the 9mm round that hit him, was regaining consciousness in one of the spare crew quarters. Christie gingerly removed Richter’s shirt. Ray sat beside him on the bed, looking through a first aid kit. He found a cold compress and activated it. Richter groaned as Ray carefully applied the compress to the bruise on Richter’s chest.
“How are you feeling?” Christie asked.
“Like I got shot,” Richter said. “Am I aboard the ship?”
“Yes.”
“Where are we?”
“About three hundred miles above the planet.”
“Oh, cool.”
Richter sat up and looked out the window. All he could see were stars.
“John, this is Ray. Roll to starboard so our guest can get a look at the Earth.”
“Roger,” said John’s voice.
Imperceptibly the ship began to move. A moment later the Earth came into view.
“It’s beautiful,” said Richter, and flopped back down on the bed.
“You should rest,” said Christie. “We’ll drop you off when you have a little more strength.”
“Drop me off where?”
Ray shrugged. “Where would you like?”
“I don’t know. You aren’t accepting applications, are you?”
“What, do you mean... do you mean for the ship?”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant. From what I’ve seen it looks like fun. And since you don’t know what your mission is, I’ve always wanted to see a group of people crazier than myself.”
“That can be arranged, but I don’t think that you want to come with us.”
“I’ve been thinking about it since you rescued Ferro. I didn’t see much of the ship, but Devonai told me about what he saw. I listened in on his conversations with Ferro. I can’t say the thought of your mission wasn’t intriguing. Speaking of Devonai, do you know if he’s all right?”
“Sorry,” said Christie, “the last we saw of him he was still on the ground fighting.”
“He’ll be okay, as long as he didn’t kill any of Guilfoyle’s men. I did. Major Devonai might have enough standing to talk his way out of prison, but I’m screwed. That’s why I’d like to stay, if you’ll have me.”
“What about your family and friends?”
“None, and well, Devonai excepted, none. The Marine Corps was my family. My rifle was my friend.”
“We’ll consult with the others,” said Ray. “Your combat skills are an obvious bonus, and it just so happens that we have enough supplies to support another crewmember. You proved your allegiance to the cause. We’ll vote on it and let you know.”
“But be warned,” said Christie, “we may all die a horrible and agonizing death in deep space.”
Richter sat up again, and groped for his shirt. “Nobody lives forever.”
“You shouldn’t be walking around quite yet,” said Ray.
“I request an audience with the captain of this vessel.”
“Captain? We don’t have a captain.”
“We’re all equals aboard this ship,” Christie said.
“Then I’d like to speak with the crew.”
As soon as Richter got to his feet all signs of his discomfort disappeared.
Ray gestured towards the door. “All right then, follow me. Just keep that compress on your bruise.”
“Yes, doctor.”
Ray led the way out of the bedroom, down the corridor, and towards the bridge. Richter walked slowly but surely, with Christie behind him ready to aid him if need be. Richter stopped to look out of the hallway windows, which offered a larger vista of the exterior. Satisfied, and grinning widely, he continued on his way.
John was sitting in the pilot chair on the bridge, and Ari sat at the systems control console. Dana was standing in the left corner, holding Friday.
“Good, everyone’s here,” said Ray.
“Mister Richter, welcome back to the Faith,” John said sincerely.
“Have you got a first name?” asked Ari.
“Chance, wildcat,” said Richter.
“That seems appropriate for a man like you,” said Christie.
“Perhaps, but I don’t believe in luck.”
Ray approached John. “Chance wishes to join the crew.”
“Did you bump your head, too?” asked Dana.
“Well, like I told Christie and Ray,” Richter began, “the most I have to look forward to back home is prison time. Right or wrong, I don’t really feel like becoming the next Oliver North. And he made out much better than I certainly would.”
“We could drop you wherever you pleased,” said John.
“I’m an action junkie. I suppose I could find a new life and hide, but where’s the fun in that? I can see what’s going on here, and I want in. I don’t see how any self-respecting adventurer could resist.”
“All right, so we’ll vote on it. All in favor of letting Chance stay, raise your hand.”
Everyone but Dana raised their hand.
“All opposed?” asked Ari.
Dana’s hand remained down.
“Dana?” said John.
“I don’t really care one way or the other,” Dana said. “Besides, I’ve got a cat.”
“Fine, you’re in,” said Ray. “Now please sit down before you kill yourself.”
Richter grabbed the nearest chair and sat down. “When do we leave?”
“Immediately,” said John. “So you have exactly ten seconds to change your mind.”
“I don’t need ten seconds.”
“Suit yourself. Seth, begin final preparations for superluminal travel.”
“All systems ready,” said Seth. “Awaiting your command.”
“Here we go. Any last requests, folks?”
Christie choked back tears. There were no objections.
“I’m sorry,” said Christie, “I always get emotional about goodbyes.”
“Goodbye to Earth?”
“Yeah.”
“We’ll be back, God willing.”
“Go ahead,” said Ray.
“Engage stardrive, Seth. Next st
op, Umber.”
Epilogue
“For God’s sake, commander, take the handcuffs off.”
Lauren Hill regarded Guilfoyle with ire. Bringing Devonai into her office in shackles was rather offensive. Devonai, for his part, simply looked bored.
“With all due respect, Hill, I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this situation.”
“I understand that you’ve placed my best case officer under arrest,” said Hill, rounding her desk and approaching Devonai. She produced a handcuff key from her pocket and unlocked the restraints.
“You can try to override my arrest now,” began Guilfoyle, “but once my report is filed Devonai won’t be able to hide behind the auspices of the CIA.”
“I’ll let the facts speak for themselves. Until then, Devonai will be placed on leave status and confined to this facility.”
“Your case officer,” Guilfoyle said through gritted teeth, “shot at my men. Shot at his own men! Five men are dead, at the hands of Richter and the crew of that ship.”
“This wouldn’t have happened if you would have let me approach the situation,” said Devonai. “You got greedy and you paid the price. Richter and I did what we thought was right. That’s all that matters to us. I feel bad for the men that were killed but they all understood the situation. They could have chosen not to fire on us.”
“Your arrogance is unprecedented.”
“Enough arguing,” said Hill. “There will be plenty of time for that during the formal investigation. For now, I get to try to explain this whole mess to the director.”
“You’re right. There is a time and place for this. Don’t be too surprised if Omega ceases to exist after this. You’re like a pit bull that’s too aggressive for its own good. Sometimes your only choice is to put it down.”
Guilfoyle waved goodbye at Devonai and exited. Devonai sank into a chair.
“I acted on my own, Hill,” he said. “This had nothing to do with Omega Group.”
“Do you think that matters? Damn you for putting me in this position, Devonai.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Hill returned to her desk and sat down. She folded her arms across her chest and sighed.
“It makes you wish for simpler times, doesn’t it?” she said quietly.
“Or for a nice change of venue.”
“Do you think we’ll ever see Richter again?”
“Somehow, I think we’ll definitely see him again. Someday. Whatever mission that ship is on, I feel as if the Earth is inextricably bound to it. We may think we’ve weathered a storm, but the worst is yet to come. There are black clouds on the horizon, Lauren. And we’re fresh out of plywood.”
__________
Traveling faster than light through space did not look like what the crew of the Reckless Faith expected at all. Rather than the streaking stars flying past the ship that their television experience had ingrained into them as natural, the starfield was instead nearly motionless to their perception. Only a sharp eye could detect movement over time, sort of like watching for the movement of sunlight on a featureless floor. The one point of reference, their own star, had rapidly receded from their view and had become indistinguishable from the others within the matter of an hour. The only way they could tell they were still in motion most of the time was that the stars in front of them were bluish, and the stars behind reddish. As Christie said, that was to be expected. The crew had voted on whether or not to sight-see some of the other planets in the solar system. The vote was negative, mostly due to Seth’s admonition that Umber was waiting. And so it would remain for the next six weeks, barring an unexpected interruption.
Richter had returned to his quarters to convalesce. He seemed remarkably at peace with his new fate. The others wondered if he had all his marbles, but the CIA must have trusted his sanity. Then again, perhaps that’s precisely why they kept him around.
Dana was shaken by their violent departure from Earth and had decided to try out the zero-g room to relax. Ray, John, and Christie were compelled to go find out how she was doing, as she had quickly adopted a veneer of hard-boiled resolve that was obviously not natural. For now they would let her float in peace.
Ari had commandeered the armory to clean the firearms used in the escape. It was a task that could wait, and they certainly had plenty of time coming up, but Ari said she wanted to be alone for a little while so why not do something productive in the meantime. Ray didn’t know if she had the technical skills to disassemble the various weapons used. He realized he didn’t feel like going to find out. Ari would have to muddle through on her own.
For John, Ray, and Christie, their greatest interest was simply being on the bridge. As usual, the bridge lights were low to maximize the outside scenery. Christie was leisurely familiarizing herself with the different control stations, taking ample time between tasks to stare out the windows. John sat in the pilot chair, but he was not in control. Friday, acting as Seth’s intermediary, sat in his lap. Ray was also staring out of the main viewscreen, a half-smile on his face. The insanity of their mission was beginning to become more apparent.
“Ari thinks Dana is a liability,” said Ray.
John turned his head slightly. “Why, because she froze up in combat?”
“Yeah.”
“We shouldn’t blame her for that,” said Christie. “We were all scared. Nobody knows what they’ll do the first time they’re faced with that kind of situation. Ari is just being arrogant because she thinks she’s an expert now.”
“Ari is growing up fast,” said John. “I don’t think she’s going to be quite so self-assured from now on.”
“After six weeks together on the ship, we should certainly become well acquainted,” said Christie. “At least, those of us who aren’t yet lifelong friends. I can see the humanity in Ari, underneath her put-upon stoicism. We should become a good team.”
“Richter should have some good stories,” said Ray. “He’s got quite a past, you know.”
“I’m sure,” said John. “I still wish we had brought more games with us than a deck of cards.”
“Are you kidding?” said Christie, laughing. “Do you have any idea how many computer games Ari installed on the servers?”
“No, I had no idea she would even bother.”
“Well, let me put it this way: You are all in for a serious ass-kicking, for I am the deathmatch master.”
“You’re on,” said Ray. “John, maybe there’s a flight sim on there.”
“What would I need that for?” said John detachedly.
The hallway door opened and Ari entered.
“I need a break,” she said. “Cleaning all of those guns by myself would take forever.”
Ray smiled. “And taking a break will help how? Back to work, knave!”
“Anybody check on Richter lately?”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” said John.
“You got your six crewmembers after all,” said Ray.
“For the mission to be truly blessed, seven is much more divine.”
Those present on the bridge spun around in shock, for the man speaking was a stranger. Before them stood a man in his early twenties. He had long hair tied into a ponytail, glasses, and was smiling wryly despite a rather nasty bruise on his forehead. Ray thought about drawing his weapon when Christie spoke.
“Byron?” she gasped.
“Good to see you too, professor.”
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Do you know this guy?” Ray said, astonished.
“Byron is, or was, a student of mine.”
“Indeed. But that is not how I came to be here. Providence, it seems, is not without a sense of humor.”
“What the hell are you talking about, kid?” asked Ari.
“Perhaps I may tell my story over drinks in the galley.”
“Perhaps I should kick your ass out of the airlock.”
“Ari, take it easy,” said John, standing. “No need for ceremony, Mis
ter...?”
“Sterling, Byron Sterling. If you prefer it, John. It is a bit long, though.”
“Time we have.”
“All right,” said Byron, sitting at the systems station. “Remember a certain Sunday morning earlier this month, Christie?”
“Um. What?”
“Seventeen days ago. When you were first approached by John and Ari.”
“What about it?”
“Well, I saw that meeting. From my perspective, it looked like you had been kidnapped.”
“That was sort of true,” said Ari.
“I went with them willingly,” said Christie.
“I know that now,” said Byron, “but at the time I suspected foul play. After you missed your classes over the next couple of days, I approached campus police. They were of no help, so I decided to swing by your place and check see if you were home. When I got there, the CIA was camped out in front. When I saw my chance, I sneaked into the back of one of their vehicles. As it turns out, this vehicle was the very same one that was used to transport Ari later that day, and the same one that you swooped down and grabbed off the highway. During the confusion I sneaked out of the SUV and gave myself a nice self-guided tour of your ship. I even had a nice conversation with Seth while you guys slept that night. The next morning, when you went to pick up John’s car, I decided to disembark. I broke into the cabin that was right there and stayed there for a little while, but the CIA showed up and I had to skedaddle out of there. I found my way to the motel, and was quite surprised that you ended up choosing the same one as a base of operations.”
“Why the hell didn’t you make yourself known the whole damn time? Why all the sneaking around?”
“To be frank, I didn’t think you’d let me come with you.”
“So you figured stowing away was the better choice?” said John. “What if we do decide to boot you out the airlock?”
“I knew that once we were underway that there was no turning back. I just figured I’d remove any doubt from the process by staying hidden until then.”
Reckless Faith Page 30
