The Chaos Sutra

by Gregg Vann

  I jumped back up and fell into the pilot’s chair; the whole console was now powerless and the ship clearly adrift. Without sensors, I was reduced to looking out of the front window to find out what was happening. I saw the Udek warship firing—but not at me—their shots were ranging out past of my field of vision. It had to be the Brenin, but how had we miscalculated so badly? We shouldn’t have reached them yet; Eraz’s ‘attack’ was supposed to last a few minutes, to draw their attention from a distance.

  I watched as the Udek warship shuddered, suffering through an intense barrage of energy fire, then it returned an impressive salvo of its own. My ship was struck again, and I hugged the console tightly to keep from being thrown back down to the floor. When I looked up again, I saw a ship slightly larger than my own speed past the window. It was flat and perfectly round, with brilliant colors flecked across the surface. I’d seen those marking before in an intelligence report.

  It was an Obas fighter.

  What the hell is it doing out here? And why is it attacking us?

  As I tried to make sense of it all, my ship was hit again and the sound of hissing air returned. But this time, the vessel’s emergency system didn’t seem able to stop the leak. The lights flickered out and smoke began pouring out of a ventilation port overhead. Then the overpowering din of tearing metal filled the craft. I looked out the window just in time to see the Udek warship speed away.

  Eraz had called a retreat.

  A powerful flash erupted outside, forcing me to squint as my ship lurched upward. Then a piece of metal bearing Obas markings bounced off the window and I realized that the fighter had just been destroyed. As more debris pinged off my dying ship, a teal colored hull began to fill my view. A massive Brenin vessel was moving in toward me. The immense ship practically glowed, filling my craft with ambient light.

  The illumination allowed me to look around my ship, and I noticed a pale, blue liquid covering the console. It ran over the edge and down onto the floor in a steady drip. That same fluid was also flowing freely over my left eye, and I reached up to discover that I was bleeding profusely from my head. I became dizzy, and placed my other hand down on the console—to brace myself against the encroaching blackness. But my hand landed in a pool of blood and slipped off. I fell out of the chair and lay motionless on the deck, struggling to remain conscious. In my receding awareness, I heard the sound of torches cutting through metal, and strange, yet intelligible voices on the other side of the wall.

  My enemy was coming to rescue me.

  Chapter Nine

  I heard the voices again.

  No…different ones now. I kept my eyes shut—my instincts telling me to hold still and pretend to sleep. They’d kept me alive this long and I heeded the warning. A female voice rose up from the fog of unfamiliar sounds.

  “Marshal Toz? I’m surprised to see you in the infirmary at this time of day.”

  Toz? My target?

  “Yes, Doctor Uli,” he responded, his tone harsh and condescending. “I’m sure you are. But this situation requires my special attention.”

  “Of course,” she said. I heard footsteps as the two approached where I lay.

  “What can you tell me about him, doctor?”

  “They just brought him in, so not much. But look at this.”

  I felt her grab my arm and resisted the impulse to pull away. She turned my hand over and tapped my wrist; there was a slight pinch as something broke through the skin, then retracted back into my forearm.

  What the hell?

  “Yano!” Toz exclaimed. “One of your clan, doctor. What is he doing here?”

  “I don’t know, Marshal.”

  There was a loud crack and I felt her pull away sharply, dropping my hand back onto the gurney. I heard a stumbling impact, like a body slamming into something, and then the harsh clang of dozens of metallic things hitting the ground. The doctor cried out in pain.

  “Find out. Now!” Toz yelled. “Revive him as soon as possible. I don’t care if it kills him. I want to know what the hell he is doing here.”

  “Yes…yes sir,” she sputtered.

  The sound of doors sliding open broke the tension; it was followed by the wobble of wheels rolling across a hard surface.

  The marshal’s voice became animated. “Good…good. Get that set up immediately.”

  “It’s so…strange,” I heard Uli say, her voice returning to normal.

  “Just another of the local animals, doctor. I wouldn’t get too excited about it; they won’t be with us much longer anyway. Speaking of which, the formula has already been transferred to your database; you may begin the testing at once. I want the results soon—and don’t kill it, just in case the bio-weapons team comes up with alternatives and need to test other formulations.”

  “Yes, Marshal Toz.”

  “I have other matters to attend to,” he said dismissively. “Answers, doctor. I want them. I want them soon. And clean up this mess.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  I heard footsteps as he walked away, trailed by at least two other Brenin, then a door slid open and closed again behind them. I slowly cracked open one eye and flitted a glance around the room.

  The walls were constructed out of highly polished metal, and glinted in the abundant illumination—provided by a glowing white ceiling overhead. In stark contrast, the floor was matte black, and absorbed every trace of light that touched it like a black hole. I counted three other people in the room with me.

  Two, armed Brenin stood guard at the entryway to the room, while the female doctor was at the foot of my gurney, gathering up equipment that had been strewn about the floor when the marshal knocked her into a cabinet. Directly across from me, I saw a coffin-sized cylinder full of liquid—a shadowy figure motionless inside it. The doctor began to turn around and I quickly lowered my eyelid. She walked up to me and placed a disk on my chest, twisting it a half turn to seat it tightly against my skin. The device then started to vibrate, emitting a low-pitched hum.

  “What’s this now?” she said, confusion in her voice.

  She must be scanning me, I realized…she’d found the soul chamber.

  “What is it, doctor?” one of the guards asked.

  “I really don’t know. But I’m going to find out, right now.”

  I felt her breath on my chest as she leaned down closer to manipulate the scanner.

  {Decompress-Reset-OVERRIDE}

  What the hell? Where is tha—?

  Pain!

  My back arched up from the table and my eyes flew open. There was no pretense of sleep now…only unimaginable agony.

  Searing…like acid…burning a hole through my mind!

  It was unbearable, like someone cutting open my skull while I watched helplessly—savagely ripping my brain apart into chunks of useless flesh. But it wasn’t anything the doctor had done; she’d backed away in shock.

  And she looked terrified.

  “Gahhhhhhhh!” I yelled, clawing at my head furiously with both hands. But I couldn’t find the source; I couldn’t make it stop.

  {Decompress-Reset-OVERRIDE/OVERRIDE…REPEAT COMMAND…FAIL!}

  That voice…where was it coming from? Why does it hurt so much when it speaks?

  I started hyperventilating. I couldn’t get any air. The pain…it was too much. I fought to stay conscious, and through the torment, I felt the guards grab me on both sides and push me back down to the gurney—pinning me to it with their own bodies. I heard them screaming at each other—and at me—but I couldn’t understand the words. I couldn’t understand anything but the pain.

  {Operational Matrix=Corruption detected. Shepherd Personality=Improper configuration…}

  “Stop it!” I screamed. “Make it stop! NOW!”

  {Emergency Pathway established—initiating OS base communication subsystem…}

  {Say I’pra, Udek}

  The voice… It was inside my head.

  {Say I’pra, Udek. Say it now, or we will both surely die. Say i
t, and the pain will stop}

  “I’pra!” I screamed, repeating it again even louder. “I’pra!”

  Almost immediately, the intolerable pain began to subside—becoming a manageable ache instead. I heard the outside voices once again, but now I could understand them.

  “What did you just say?” Doctor Uli exclaimed. She walked over and stood beside me.

  “I’pra,” I spat out, then dropped my head down hard on the gurney.

  “What’s wrong with him, doctor?” one of the guards asked.

  “I’m not sure,” she replied. “Tie him to the table.”

  They did as she instructed using straps built into the gurney, while she retrieved the scanning disk from the floor where it had been thrown during my outburst. Uli looked me in the eyes as she passed it over my body, and I saw confusion cloud her features. I watched the deliberations play out across her face as questions flowed through her mind. Then something changed in the doctor’s demeanor and I knew that she’d reached a decision. About what, I hadn’t a clue.

  “Get away from him,” she yelled at the guards.

  “Why? What is it, doctor?”

  “Do as I say. Now! He may be contagious.”

  They both stepped back quickly, and she went over to where they’d retreated, methodically running the scanner over them in slow, sweeping motions.

  “You two are fine,” she said, and they relaxed somewhat. “But I need you to remain outside and make sure no one else comes in here. In fact, you should probably station yourselves away from the infirmary altogether. Cordon off this section on both sides of the corridor, and keep everyone out until I know what we’re dealing with.”

  Neither guard protested, and they both stepped through the door hurriedly, sealing it shut behind them. The doctor checked that it was locked before running over to my side.

  “Who are you?” she demanded. “I’m Yano. You can trust me.”

  Her face…it was familiar. I knew I’d seen it before. But where?

  Yes…that’s it! She’s the girl from the necklace.

  {Seeris. Tell her your name is Seeris. Say it now if you want to survive}

  The voice in my head was back…loud and irrepressible.

  {DO IT!}

  “I am Seeris,” I said, too weak to struggle against the voice any longer.

  “Liar!” she snapped. “Seeris is my brother. And he’s dead.”

  Who the hell is Seeris? I thought to myself, not really expecting an answer.

  But I got one nonetheless.

  {I am Seeris} the voice inside my head thundered.

  {What are you doing inside MY body, Udek?}

  Chapter Ten

  His body?

  What the hell was he talking about? And where was he? The overpowering voice had filled my mind—coming from everywhere at once—yet nowhere in particular. Doctor Uli continued to look at me impatiently, waiting for answers.

  “Who are you, really? A spy for the Yano?”

  “I am Seeris,” I repeated again, wary of the pain returning.

  “I already told you,” she said in frustration. “Seeris is dead.”

  {Tell her there is carving of I’pra in the Kish tree where we played as children}

  I relayed the message verbatim.

  “I’pra was my pet,” she breathed out in disbelief. “But how could you know that?”

  {Tell her it is really me…Seeris. That I disguised myself so I could come and rescue her}

  You are the corpse, I thought to myself, the body where Dyson put my chamber. You were dead!

  {No. Not dead. Almost… Give her my message and I will explain}

  Very well.

  Uli looked at me skeptically as I explained to her that Seeris had altered his appearance, but then she changed some settings on the scanner and waved it over me again. “Like Seeris, your juc sack has been removed on the right side, and…there are traces of reconstructive surgery to your face. And you are most definitely Yano… Is that really you Seeris?”

  {Yes}

  She stared at me…waiting for a response.

  {Tell her I said yes!}

  You don’t command me, Brenin.

  And then the pain returned and I started convulsing uncontrollably. Uli leaned away as I twisted violently against the straps, trying to get away from it. But the pain was everywhere; there was no escape. Just before I blacked out, the agony abruptly stopped and I fought to steady my breathing.

  Pain is not control, I thought to myself, knowing he would hear me. And I have no reason to cooperate with you.

  {I know your mission, Udek. And I can help you. We can help each other}

  Why would you want to help me?

  {Because I don’t care about this war or its outcome anymore; I only wish to escape it with my sister. And because neither you nor I really have a choice…do we?}

  It was clear that he could create debilitating pain throughout this body—rendering me helpless at will, and stopping me in my tracks. But without my cooperation, he wasn’t going anywhere either.

  Stalemate…for now anyway. I had little choice but to play it out and see what happened.

  I looked at Uli and relayed his message. “He says, yes. It’s him. Seeris is in here with me.”

  “In there with… Then who are you?”

  “Kiro Tien. Udek Special Corp.”

  “Udek! But how?”

  “That chamber you found in my chest…Seeris’ chest…contains my consciousness. The Bodhi placed it in this body so I could disguise myself and infiltrate the fleet.”

  “How could they do that? I don’t understand any of this,” she replied.

  “Then that makes three of us, doctor.”

  {Give her your communications device, Udek. Tell her to scan the chamber the Bodhi installed and find the broadcast signal. She can then route my speech through her scanner}

  I instructed the doctor to reach into my tunic and pull out the translator disk Eraz had given me. Uli turned the little machine over in her hands, examining both sides of it as I explained Seeris’ idea to her. She nodded, and then set about syncing her scanner with the internal signal coming from the chamber.

  “I think I’ve found it,” she announced. “Seeris, say something.”

  {Can you hear me?}

  “Yes!” she exclaimed. “Seeris, you’re alive!”

  {Yes, Uli. I’ve come to rescue you}

  “But how did you get here? Why aren’t you still with the Yano detachment?”

  “More importantly,” I interrupted, “how can you help me complete my mission? And how do you even know about it in the first place?”

  {I became aware in the laboratory—when you were speaking with Eraz and Dyson. I know everything from that point on}

  “Then you know that being placed in this body wasn’t my choice. And that I intend to leave it when this is all over.”

  {Yes}

  “I assume you were scanning this fleet to find your sister, but why were you spying on the Obas? And why aren’t you dead? Queltz was convinced that he’d killed you in the attack.” I futilely pulled against the straps again. “If you expect my help, get me off this gurney, doctor. And Seeris, I need answers. Tell me everything about what’s really going on here.”

  {Free him, Uli}

  She started to protest, but then thought better of it and undid my straps. Uli helped me sit up and gave me a cup of water as Seeris began to explain. I knew that her ‘kindness’ was prompted by a desire to preserve her brother’s body, not out of any special care for me.

  {I am Yano, Udek. It is my clan—my sister’s as well. This portion of the Brenin fleet is under the control of our chief rivals, the Saba. Uli is being held in hostage-servitude to ensure our loyalty. She is one of many, and we keep some of the Saba as well. All of the other clans do the same}

  I looked at Uli. “You are a slave?”

  “I am a doctor,” she replied indignantly. Then she looked down at the floor to avoid my eyes. “But I am bei
ng held as part of our arrangement with the Saba.”

  {I am a surveillance pilot for the Yano. My mission was to examine the Obas more closely. Our intelligence division had discovered something odd about their culture during the initial analysis, and I was dispatched to make a more thorough investigation of the planet—an attempt to reconcile the discrepancies found in the original data. But I saw it as an opportunity to sneak into this fleet and free my sister}

  “But why, Seeris?” Uli asked. “Why risk yourself like this for me? They told me you were dead. And what have you done to your face?”

  {I intercepted a communication between two Saba captains, Uli—they intend to kill all of the Yano hostages once we’ve finished crushing these backward races)

  “You shouldn’t presume that you’ll win,” I countered.

  (It’s a safe assumption, Udek. You are weak, all of you. Regardless, I altered my appearance so I could slip into this fleet and get Uli out. Due to the nature of our missions, surveillance pilots are very, high profile personnel; I couldn’t take the chance that I’d be recognized. I hadn’t quite finished disguising my ship yet when the Udek attacked me}

  “Tell me, Seeris, how were you able to pick Uli out from all of the other Brenin signatures?”

  {There are certain physical differences between the clans. I located and tracked all of the Yano life signs and she was the only one that frequented the infirmary…the only doctor. I was certain that I’d found her. And then the Udek found me. The scout ships aren’t equipped with our shielding technology, and the Udek managed to disable my vessel. I remember being seriously injured during their attack, and my body must have placed itself in a healing coma to repair the damage. When they boarded the ship and found me, the Udek just assumed that I was dead. And then I awoke—watching through my own eyes as someone else controlled my body}

  “I wasn’t happy about waking up under those circumstances either,” I replied.

  “Well, what are we going to do now?” Uli asked.

  “I intend to kill Marshal Toz and find a way to sabotage this fleet,” I said with finality. “Just as before. You can have this body back when I’m done with it.”