by Jan Domagala
“But if they’re indigenous that must mean they were experimented on here, on their home planet, but by whom and where?” asked Matt.
“We have no idea to your first question but we did find out where,” Garvey said.
“WHO DO YOU THINK BUILT this city?” Torres asked as the AI landed the craft on a landing pad on the outskirts of the sprawling city that had just been revealed to them.
“It looks ancient and yet modern somehow,” Riley commented.
“I know what you mean,” agreed Kurt who added, “Whoever built this had advanced technology long before us.”
“Whoa! Slow down there, are you suggesting aliens built this?” Cooper asked.
“Think about it, we sure didn’t build it. I doubt very much the Alliance did either so whom are we left with? Besides, on this planet, we’d be considered the aliens,” Kurt said.
“If an advanced alien race did build this, why does it look like no one lives here, nor has done for a long time?” Vance asked.
“Let’s get inside and see if we can find the answers we’re looking for, chances are we’ll be safer in there anyway,” Riley suggested.
“Don’t bank on the safety thing,” Kurt said, as everyone glanced at him questioningly. “Hey, it’s been abandoned for a reason, all I’m saying is we’d better be prepared, that’s all, take nothing for granted.”
Riley said, “Good point, everyone get tooled up, like Kurt said, we don’t know what we’ll find in there so let’s have no surprises.”
“Although those winged creatures might not attack the city, there’s no guarantee we won’t find any land based creatures that will,” Kurt said.
“Do you mean like those things we saw just before we picked you up?” asked Torres.
“Who knows what we’ll meet inside there, after all, if an advanced civilisation lived here something must’ve happened to them that either wiped them out or forced them to abandon it. So far we’ve only seen creatures with elevated aggression levels, so you do the maths,” Kurt said as he checked his Sig P996.
“So what you’re saying is we can’t leave because those winged creatures will attack us again, and while we’re down here there are more creatures that will attack us. So far this trip sounds great, I’m glad I came. What about you Coop, you glad you came?” Vance said.
“Wouldn’t have missed it for anything buddy,” Cooper replied.
“You’re forgetting the Outlaws who also want to kill us too,” added Torres.
“Isn’t it great to be this popular?” Vance joked.
“I’ll have to be careful, wouldn’t want to end up with a swelled head,” Cooper said.
“Okay you jokers, let’s get inside the city and do our jobs and find some answers to this puzzle,” Riley said putting an end to further bi-play between his teammates.
“Artie keep monitoring us, stay in contact as we’ll need your help to find our way through the city and your eyes should there be any hidden dangers lurking inside,” he added.
The door opened allowing them to leave.
“Okay people, stay alert, let’s move out,” Riley said and he led the small group towards the city.
37
“So you found a city, that explains some of it,” Sinclair said.
“What else did you find?” asked Matt.
“We found that the city was old, extremely old, but incredibly advanced even by our standards. We had no idea whom the inhabitants had been or what they looked like, just that they were possibly humanoid. There were no records within the city that we could use so at first we had no idea what had happened.”
“How did the conflict begin?” Matt asked.
“When the news of the discovery reached the Alliance hierarchy they set off to capture the planet at all cost. Because we thought it would be dangerous for them to attempt another landfall we tried to warn them of the dangers but they just took it to mean we wanted any tec we found for ourselves. It made them try that much harder and before we knew it we were engaged in an all out war.”
“So what brought it to an end? I can understand how it began because I know the mindset of the Alliance Council, they’re not much different today, but at least they can be reasoned with,” Sinclair said.
“It was the cost of life in the end, that and every landing party that managed to get past our blockade all ended the same way, being killed by the life forms down there. In the end, they agreed to talks in which we all conceded that the planet was just too dangerous. It cost both sides thousands of lives to come to a decision we learned from the start.”
“If you knew it, why defend it so vigorously against the Alliance, why not just let them have it, after all you knew they wouldn’t be able to colonise it?” asked Matt already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it anyway.
“Those in charge couldn’t take the chance that the Alliance would gain any scientific advantage from either the city or from studying any of the life forms so we went to war over a planet we didn’t want. We just didn’t want them to have it either. Not one of our finest decisions.”
“Was the cover story to prevent anyone else from getting inquisitive then?” Sinclair asked.
“What advantage did we gain from what was learned there?” Matt asked becoming angrier at the futility of the war, at the immense cost of lives lost over seemingly nothing. “Please tell me something positive came out of this other than what we already knew from countless other wars, that there are no winners in war,” he added in desperation.
“That’s certainly one point of view Matt, one I don’t personally subscribe to, and one that I find unusual for a military man like you to defend,” Garvey said.
“I fight so others don’t have to in the hope that some day the threat of war will be eradicated,” snapped Matt angrily, his blue eyes burning with barely contained fury.
“We may have something from that war that we didn’t realise,” Sinclair said which halted both Matt and Garvey.
Matt turned to the General, a question in his expression voiced by the words, “Excuse me?”
“Doctor Baxter’s research, which led to the project Kurt Stryder was involved in, I think the two are related somehow. I think whatever was learned during the autopsy of that creature was used as the basis for that particular experiment,” explained Sinclair.
“Quite possible that the data collected was later used in many experiments, so to answer your question, some good obviously came out of the conflict,” Garvey replied.
“Well, I’m sure the relatives of those who died would have a different opinion,” Matt said, still quite angry.
“Only because they were unaware of the full facts and unfortunately it will have to remain so. Now back to the task at hand, how do we deal with those creatures down on the surface and what else did you learn about them?” Sinclair said.
“Apart from them being dangerously aggressive transgenic creatures, nothing much really,” Garvey said.
“Isn’t that enough?” Matt asked.
Sinclair looked thoughtful for a second then said, “It doesn’t help us find out who made them like that or what happened to them.”
“Do you think it’s possible the creatures turned on their makers?” asked Matt.
“They did seem to vent their aggression on our soldiers and those of the Alliance. We thought it was because we had invaded their territory but I suppose it could be that it was directed towards humans,” Garvey said.
“Well, if that’s the case then it puts a whole new perspective on this situation, one that increases the danger involved to us all,” Sinclair said.
“I’ll make sure the marines are well armed and prepared for what we’ll meet down there,” Matt said.
“There’s one question that remains unanswered and that’s, who are those Outlaws, really? I doubt very much that outcasts such as those would have the technology that it’s reported they have, nor that a member of the Alliance’s Black Knights who is listed as being killed in action would be
among their number,” Sinclair mused.
“I wouldn’t put it past them. Quite remarkable really, a simple black op, hide in plain sight and get what they wanted right from under our noses,” Garvey said.
“Well, if it is an op sanctioned by someone in the Alliance I can suggest one person warped enough to try it, General Solon, head of the Black Knights,” suggested Matt as he took in what the others had said.
“Not any more he isn’t, it’s been reported he died in an accident at a facility they had on one of their planets, Toldax I think it was,” Sinclair said with a knowing glance at Matt.
“Yes, he would’ve been bold enough to try and snatch him to even things up a bit,” replied Matt, referring to the mission that he had a hand in specifically when he rescued Kurt recently.
“Don’t know what you two are on about but I do know Solon’s reputation and this is definitely something he would try. Seeing as how he’s no longer with us I wonder if his successor is even aware of what’s happening out here?” Garvey said.
“Probably not, and anyway its possibly a moot point,” Matt said.
“How so?” Sinclair said.
“Well, whatever those guys are looking for, you can bet a year’s pay they haven’t found it,” he said.
“How can you be so sure?” Garvey asked.
“Because if they had, they wouldn’t still be here,” Sinclair answered before Matt had the chance to.
“Are you suggesting they’re trying to copy the transgenic research?” Garvey asked.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Sinclair replied.
“What makes you so certain that they haven’t already and the men stationed there are to protect the source and prevent us accessing it?” Garvey asked.
“If they had a viable sample we’d have known about it by now.”
“Not if they only recently acquired it.”
“Good point, and all the more reason for us to find our people and then destroy their base of operations,” Sinclair said. “They are in violation of a treaty that’s stood for half a century, I’m sure Solon’s successor is unaware of that fact.”
“You’re not suggesting we inform him are you?” Garvey asked, hardly able to believe what he thought Sinclair was about to do.
“It might be one way of averting disaster. If the Alliance get wind of our operations out here and I have no doubts they will, we need to state our case first before they send in a flotilla of starships firing all weapons. If the new guy in charge is unaware of what’s been happening out here it’s best he knows that they were the first to violate the treaty and not us or Prince Aswan’s ill-advised detour.”
“And what if he’s aware of the Outlaws being Alliance troops and has merely taken up the reins as it were?” Garvey asked.
“Then he’ll know that we know and we’ll be back to where we started fifty odd years ago, fighting over what’s down there on that planet. Only this time we won’t be able to withhold the truth from the general public like last time. We can’t use the same lie twice,” Sinclair replied coldly.
“You’d risk plunging us back into a conflict that will cost both sides hundreds, possibly thousands, of lives and gain neither of us anything of value?” Garvey said.
“I have to, and I’m sure that the Alliance will want another conflict with us, about as much as we do with them,” Sinclair said.
“I’m with the General on this. It’s a risk granted, but one we have to take and just hope that common sense prevails,” agreed Matt.
“Not just common sense, this time we won’t have the lie to fall back on and I’m sure they don’t want the population to know of that lie as neither would we. As much as the Alliance differs from us they’re the same as us in one fundamental aspect – democracy. If the voters learned the truth, it would throw their government into absolute chaos as it would ours. Therefore, I’m relying on one thing: that they want to keep this secret as much as we do. If that’s the case then we have room to negotiate,” Sinclair said.
“Okay, so what’s the plan of action, sir?” Matt asked eager to get moving.
Sinclair thought for a few seconds then said, “I think if we go in all guns blazing we’ll just turn this into a blood bath. I’m going to contact the Alliance immediately to put them in the picture. In the meantime I want Colonel De Boer to organise a rescue mission for our people down on the planet’s surface.”
At that moment Captain Biggs voice came through a com. channel to all three occupants of the ready room. “Gentlemen, we’ve arrived,” he said.
38
Alexei Janovic piloted the large starship expertly using every evasive tactic he’d learned in his career, at the same time using sensors to try and locate Prince Aswan, the man they’d come to rescue.
Mikal Danovic manned the weapons console to counter attack the two smaller, more manoeuvrable attack craft that kept buzzing around them like angry flies; no, more like angry wasps because these craft had surprisingly large stingers.
Jared Saladar watched the action unfold and issued commands where and when he saw fit. His crew knew what to do from years of experience gained in the military of the Elysium Alliance and also the years of freelance action they had faced together as a team. They all knew what to do so he allowed them room to do their jobs, never interfering only advising or assisting if he saw something they had missed.
At the moment they were fighting a holding action where they were on the defensive, not really taking an offensive posture that they all knew they could not sustain.
“Jared, we need to do something,” Danovic said as he targeted one of the attack craft with the pulse cannons once more and fired another salvo. “Why are we holding back, they’re trying to kill us?” he added, his voice rising slightly in frustration.
“I know, strange don’t you think? They should be trying to board us so they can commandeer our ship, something else that doesn’t quite fit. Alexei, have you located the Prince yet?” Saladar replied calmly.
“Not yet, boss. Wait, there’s another attack craft leaving the planet’s surface in a hurry, the Prince is on board,” Janovic replied.
“Who’s with him, any of his entourage or the other passengers?” Saladar asked.
“No, sir, I’m reading just unidentified bio signs, several but none from the data base provided. I think they’re Outlaws, boss, it looks like Aswan’s the only survivor.”
Taking a calming breath, Saladar controlled the anger he felt at the loss of so many lives over some pampered jackass’s whim and quickly formulated a plan.
“Right take out those two attack craft, we’re going after the Prince,” he said. Then, turning to Danovic, his eyes blazing with fury added, “And Mikal, no holding back.”
AS RILEY LED THE SMALL group into the city, the first thing they all noticed was the architecture. The corridors were similar in design to structures built by humans. There were no strange angles, no strange configurations, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it could have been any station on any of the many planets already colonised.
Where it differed though was in the power source. As soon as they entered the first corridor lights came on to illuminate their way.
“Okay, that’s spooky,” Torres said.
“Stick close to me babe, I won’t let the bogey man get you,” joked Cooper.
“Bite me Coop,” Torres replied, smiling to herself.
“Wow, that’s the best offer I’ve had all day,” Cooper said.
“All year Coop,” Vance said.
“Do your team take anything seriously Jake?” Natasha asked.
“They may joke around but when the shit hits the fan, they’re the people you want having your back, trust me,” Riley replied.
“Do I have a choice?” Natasha asked, a tad petulantly.
“Of course you do, you can find your own way home, look after yourself, you’re good at that,” snapped Riley.
Kurt stepped forward to stand next to the two of them who were stari
ng angrily at each other. “Guys, it’s obvious to me that you two have some unresolved issues going on here. Now personally, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass what they are, but please leave it until this is sorted. When we’re safe on our way home the pair of you can tear each other apart for all I care, but until then we have to work as a team. Bottom line, we need each other,” he said.
Riley glanced at Kurt then back at Natasha. He knew Kurt was right, he knew his unresolved issues were that he was still in love with Natasha but he didn’t think her feelings were the same. He had doubts because he would never have done to her what she had done to him. He also realised that those issues could put the entire team in danger if he didn’t get them under control.
“You’re right, of course and I apologise,” Riley said.
“No need, we’re all human, just put whatever’s going on between you two on the back burner until this is over and let’s be professional,” Kurt said. “This is your team, lead them.”
“Okay, let’s see what’s in here we can use,” Riley said, turning away from a red-faced Natasha to lead his team as Kurt had suggested.
SINCLAIR, MATT HAWK and Admiral Garvey joined the crew on the bridge.
“What’s our status Captain?” Sinclair asked.
Captain Tyrell Biggs was standing, his legs apart, hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the forward viewport. When he spoke his bass voice seemed to fill the room.
“All pulse cannons are fully charged, missiles are armed and loaded into tubes, our shields are up and our stealth shield is active. I’m assured that Colonel De Boer and his men are ready to go at your command, sir. What are your orders?” he said.
“First we need to locate Captain Riley’s starship, the Pulsar, and then his team along with Captain Stryder, Prince Aswan, Natasha Garvey and whoever else they have with them,” Sinclair said. As those instructions were relayed to the ops station Sinclair contacted Kurt through an encrypted com. channel.
