Boneshaker

by Joshua Dalzelle

  Defeated.

  He just felt completely and utterly defeated. Having his inner circle breached like this and to not have had even a tickle of suspicion put him in a dark place. At every turn, it seemed that Jansen and her crew had outsmarted them, digging in a little deeper with each operation while the United Earth Council and UEAS Central Command refused to even acknowledge it was happening at all. Director Welford had admitted to him that the NIS was also infested with sympathizers that he couldn't seem to root out, and when they did find one, they never made any headway figuring out why people were willing to commit treason for One World. It just never made any damn sense.

  At least now, he knew where there was one of One World's top moles and how to get his hands on the rat bastard. He tried to figure out what was the best way to handle it, and possibly who was the best person to handle it since right now he'd be just as likely to blow Bennet's head off as try and talk with him. Webb knew he would have to arrest his aide de camp just so they could begin the interrogation process and see what they could uncover. That meant that the wheels of military justice would chug into action. Formal charges would have to be filed, Bennet would get access to legal counsel, and access to him would be completely restricted. It also meant that word would get around that the head of NAVSOC couldn't even notice that his own close, trusted aide worked against him.

  There was also a more practical problem. From what Edgars had told him, One World had infiltrated quite a few ship crews, and if he arrested Bennet and threw him in the brig on the Kentucky, would he have a damn mutiny on his hands? He needed someone he could trust, someone able to watch his back. He had someone in mind, but it might be difficult to convince him to help out. Swallowing his pride, he keyed up the com terminal in the office and accessed one of the external short-range radios for a ship-to-ship channel.

  "Sergeant Mettler," he said when the channel resolved. "I assume 701 is still there with you?"

  "Yes, sir," Mettler said, climbing out of the seat. The camera angled up automatically to frame the next closest face, this one the burnished gray alloy of a battlesynth's facial armor.

  "701, I have a favor to ask of you," Webb said. "I know your people have said they don't want to get involved with internal human politics, but I hope you'll see this as a special exception."

  "I am listening," 701 said. Webb laid it all out for him and explained what he wanted. The whole time, the battlesynth stood impassive and motionless, just staring into the camera.

  "The long and short of what I need is someone incorruptible here on the Kentucky in case any One World sleepers activate and try anything cute when I take Bennet into custody," Webb finished.

  "Lieutenant Bennet is on the Eagle's Talon right now?" 701 asked.

  "Yes."

  "I should go there first and assist in his apprehension."

  "Not necessary. I'm having him come back here on the regularly scheduled shuttle, and then you can be there with me when he comes through the airlock," Webb said. "I'll have the corridors cleared, and we'll get him into confinement before anybody really even knows what's happening."

  "An acceptable plan," 701 said. "I will be coming in through the portside, aft engineering airlock. Please ensure the outer hatch is open."

  "That ship can't dock to an engineering airlock," Webb said. "They're meant for EVA and— Oh. Got it." 701 terminated the channel, and Webb got up to head down to engineering to meet his guest. He always forgot for some reason that battlesynths could operate in space, even being able to navigate through the void over incredible distances. It was part of what they were built to do. One thing that was a little odd was how quickly 701 had agreed to help him. It made him suspicious, but he didn't want to openly question him right after asking for a favor.

  He waved to the bridge crew as he stormed out of his office, hurrying down the central corridor to get to the lifts. The Kentucky wasn't that large of a ship, so it only took him five minutes to get to the port engineering bay, but by the time he got to the maintenance airlock, there was already a battlesynth outside the hatch, calmly waiting for him to open it up. Webb swiped his ID and punched in the command code that would allow him to cycle the lock. His credentials would also automatically keep that activity off the ship's log unless he put it there manually.

  "Let's go ahead and—"

  "Bridge to Captain Webb," his com unit chirped aloud. It would only do that if the bridge crew were trying to reach him in an emergency.

  "Go for Webb."

  "Sir, that ship that has been shadowing us just came about and is accelerating away at full burn. It's…surprisingly quick, sir."

  "Can you catch it?" Webb asked, glaring at 701.

  "Negative, sir. If we had started after it right when it took off, there may have been a chance to disable it, but we were taken by surprise. We can try to— Never mind…it just meshed-out. I apologize, sir."

  "Not your fault. Log it and let Commander Duncan know what happened. Webb out." He put his com unit back in his pocket and turned to his guest. "I suppose now I know why you so readily came when I asked."

  "Yes," 701 said simply. "Mettler and Marcos needed a diversion to allow them to escape out of range. I volunteered. I will still honor our agreement to assist you here, however."

  "How noble," Webb said through gritted teeth. "I don't suppose you can tell me where two enlisted Marines—neither of whom are qualified to pilot a ship, by the way—are heading in such a hurry?"

  "They are going to meet with the rest of their team, Captain," 701 said, his calm demeanor only further infuriating Webb. "The ship is equipped with a sophisticated AI piloting system. Apparently, Elton Hollick was not much of a pilot either."

  "You told me why they left, not where they were going."

  "It would be unwise to discuss this in such an open area. I will disclose to you what I know, but I would advise we wait until we are in a secure location."

  "Follow me," Webb said. He led the battlesynth past mildly surprised crewmembers and back into his office just off the bridge. While he no longer felt completely safe, even on his own ship, he was reasonably certain the office hadn't been bugged.

  "Obsidian has managed to discover much of Hollick's secrets after his death," 701 said as soon as the anti-eavesdropping systems came on. "Hollick had built in several access points to One World's communications network that allowed him access to information Margaret Jansen would have not wanted him to have."

  "Yeah I can understand why she wouldn't trust him," Webb said. "What'd they find out?"

  "Much. Most importantly, they found that Hollick had a way to track Jansen's location in real-time. They are going to attempt to apprehend her and bring her back to Terranovus before she finds out Hollick has been killed and her system may be compromised," 701 said. "Lieutenant Brown stressed he would have much preferred to turn the information in, but after discovering who one of the moles inside NAVSOC was, he felt that if he handed in Hollick's data cache, someone would almost certainly tip off Jansen."

  "He's going to apprehend her? Why not just hit her with an orbital strike once he has a location?"

  "He said that it wasn't their place to be judge and jury. Obsidian will try one time to take her by surprise and arrest her. If they fail or feel like the risk is simply too high, they will return to Taurus Station and surrender themselves for disciplinary action."

  "What a bunch of fucking heroes," Webb sneered. "Brown of all people knows how dangerous of a precedent he's setting with these stunts." He leaned back and took a deep, cleansing breath. "But…I understand where he's coming from. It at least sounds like he's being smart about it. Just one quick hit, and if they miss, run like hell. Are your two compatriots staying on with them?"

  "707 and 784 have volunteered to remain with Obsidian for the duration of this mission."

  "I do feel a lot better with those two watching their backs," Webb sighed. "I can't fault his logic, but I also can't condone his actions. He knows there are ways to contact m
e directly that would be secure, but he doesn't want to do that because he knows I'll order him home. Instead, he'll just pretend I don't exist while he executes his own agenda. If Command finds out about this, Obsidian will be listed as a rogue element and cut off. They'll be arrested as traitors the moment they try to come back in."

  "They understand the risks. Lieutenant Brown thinks the chance of success is worth the potential consequences. I have brought more data for you to look through once you have calmed down. After you see it, it will become clear just how badly you have underestimated your opponent and how that mistake has brought you to the brink of disaster."

  "Ouch," Webb said. "I'm willing to let this play out…briefly. If they start making too much noise, or they completely shit the bed out there, I'll have no choice but to disavow them and let the Navy send the wolves after them. There's no doubt the brass would order me to deploy a kill team for them."

  "Then I am obligated to inform you that 707 and 784 will do whatever is necessary to protect the son of Jason Burke…even from his own people."

  The thought of that chilled Webb's blood. He also understood there was an implied threat in the comment.

  "Your help notwithstanding, I think you need to consider your stance very carefully," Webb said. "We have granted you political asylum on one of our planets. Some might consider it…ungrateful…that you're threatening the safety of our military personnel as they execute their duty."

  "Our commitment to the Burke family remains firm," 701 said. "If circumstances put us at odds with being welcome on your planet, we will leave peacefully and willingly."

  "I just don’t understand this debt you think you owe Burke." Webb shook his head. "He didn't start out intending to be a liberator, even if that was the end result. Just send him a thank you card and maybe a nice bottle of whiskey and move on with your lives."

  "That is not our way."

  "Apparently not," Webb sighed. "Well, you can relax…for now. I'm in no shape to mount a mission to try and intercept Lieutenant Brown so, for the moment, I'm forced to leave him to his own devices. But I think we both know that by far overreaching even the loose orders Scout Fleet teams operate under, he has effectively ended his career in the Navy."

  "You could retroactively issue orders for his mission," 701 pointed out. "Claim they were held back for OPSEC reasons due to the myriad leaks in NAVSOC."

  "And if I do that to save Brown, I'm telling everyone under my command they really don't have to follow the rules just as long as they really, really believe they're doing the right thing. Come on…you're a soldier. You know that's not how these things work."

  "I am just offering potential solutions to your problem," 701 said. "However, you are correct that morale and discipline suffer if open disobedience is tolerated. I do not envy you the choices you will have to make in the coming months, Captain." Webb just grunted and picked up his service coat, slinging it on.

  "Between you and me, my career is not likely to survive all of this, anyway, so it'll be the next guy's problem," he said. "Let's go…the shuttle should be docking in ten minutes, and I ordered Bennet to be on it. I sent a couple of my detachment Marines over first, and they'll be the only other ones on the return trip escorting him back."

  "Is he really so dangerous?"

  "Bennet? Nah. He's an aide for a reason, and it's not because we have too many badasses in combat arms," Webb said. "But desperate, trapped men are unpredictable, and that can make anybody dangerous."

  When Lieutenant Bennet stepped off the shuttle and saw Webb's face and a battlesynth there to greet him, and looked at the five Marines behind him, his face took on a wild, panicked look.

  "Take him," Webb said. 701 moved so fast it seemed like he teleported across the small antechamber in front of the docking hatch. He spun Bennet around and slapped the restraints on him so quickly the administrative officer didn't even have time to cry out in protest. 701 stepped back and motioned the Marines forward, pointing wordlessly to the left thigh pocket of Bennet's fatigues.

  The sergeant in charge of the detail moved up while his men covered the prisoner and rooted around in the pocket, pulling out a device that looked like two cylinders taped together and attached to an older com unit. 701 held his hand out, and the Marine deposited the device into the alloy palm without question. The battlesynth looked the device over carefully before finally pulling off one of the components under the com unit.

  "Clear," he said. "This is an improvised binary explosive device. He used a com unit as the trigger so it would require his biometric signature as well as being easy to clear through security scans."

  "Got a little arts and crafts hobby on the side, Lieutenant?" Webb asked.

  "Sir, I can explain if you—"

  "Sergeant!" Webb barked.

  "Lieutenant Walton Bennet, you are under arrest for the charge of treason against the United Republic of Earth," the NCO said formally, his voice not betraying the hatred that shown in his eyes. "You are hereby remanded into custody of the Master at Arms of the Terran starship, UES Kentucky, to be transferred back to Terranovus for formal arraignment. You have the right to legal counsel. You have the right to silence. Anything you say can and will be used against you regardless of whether your attorney is present. Do you have any questions?"

  "Sir! Please, let's just go somewhere and talk about this before it gets out of hand!"

  "Oh, we will," Webb promised. "You will be accompanied to your new accommodations by these Marines, and this battlesynth will be there to make sure any other One World traitors aboard my ship don't decide to do something stupid and kill you before you can be questioned."

  "Kill me?!"

  "You don't think they'll risk trying to free you and escape, do you?" Webb laughed. "You're a loose end now, Walton. If there are any other sleepers aboard the Kentucky, they'll start getting very creative to try and silence you. Bearing that in mind, you'll probably want to have a list of names ready for me when I come down to visit you. Sergeant, please take the prisoner to the brig."

  "Aye, sir," the Marine said. The detail formed up around Bennet with two in front, two in back, and the sergeant keeping a hand on the prisoner while they walked. 701 ranged ahead of the group, leading the way. The sight was a punch in the gut Webb hadn't expected. Damnit, he had liked Bennet. Trusted him, and was doing his best to mentor him as a leader. To have the young officer betray him so completely left Webb’s stomach twisted into knots.

  Maybe Brown was right. In the last year alone, One World had managed to subvert so many of their own people that any strike he might order against Jansen herself would probably fail before it even left dock, her people making sure they sabotaged the effort the entire way. How were they getting to these people? And Bennet carrying a just-in-case suicide bomb? That was so antithetical to the man's mild nature it made no sense. Would he have actually triggered it?

  "I heard there was some excitement down here," a voice said from the hatchway. Webb spun and saw Commander Duncan, the Kentucky's CO, standing there.

  "You heard that, huh?" Webb asked, moving his hand down and behind him towards the sidearm he had in a holster at the small of his back.

  "Saw it, actually," Duncan said, pointing to the cameras covering the docking hatch. "I made sure I killed the feed to the other stations on the bridge once I realized what was happening. So, your aide is one of Jansen's?"

  "The proof is compelling," Webb said, moving his hand away from the weapon. "It appears he's the one feeding them real-time intel that let them hit all the Scout Fleet teams in the field at once."

  "This One World shit is getting out of hand, sir," Duncan said. "If they can so completely infiltrate NAVSOC, even with all the screening we do on personnel before they come to Taurus Station, what do you think the rest of the Navy looks like?"

  "I think they took special interest in our operation, but I get your point, Commander."

  "Do you think we'll ever get to actually hit back at them? The Ull couldn't stand
up to the Navy we have now. We don't have to sit and cower behind the Cridal's skirts anymore."

  "Not my choice to make," Webb said. "I'm leaving that battlesynth down in the brig to make sure nobody gets any ideas about trying to kill or free Bennet. Go ahead and ask the rest of the fleet if we're clear to withdraw, and then we'll head back home and get him the hell off your ship."

  "You think there are others aboard the Kentucky, sir?"

  "I hope to hell there isn't."

  28

  "You guys have any trouble finding the place?"

  "We didn't have to do shit," Mettler said. "This ship flies itself. The autopilot has a sexy woman's voice and can actually hold a better conversation than MG."

  "That's a pretty damn low bar," Murph said.

  "LT, I can't work under these conditions," MG said. "I need to be surrounded by professionals, not these lame asses who can't even come up with an original burn."

  "If you're all done, we have a couple decisions to make," Jacob said. "First off…this is the last chance any of you will have to back out. If you have any doubts, I'm begging you, get back on the ship and head home. I can't promise they won't drop the hammer on us when we finally come back in. Chances are good I'll end up in jail, the rest of you will probably just get kicked out."

  "We're in it to the end, LT," MG said. "It's not just about Commander Mosler and Taylor anymore…these bastards have killed our friends. If I get kicked out after this, it'll have been worth it."