by J. N. Chaney
And I was fine with that.
I was more concerned with the cloaking technology that the Sarkonians had used to find us. It posed a whole new problem for when we made it back to Earth. How would we defend ourselves against something we couldn’t see? It was bad enough to know the Celestials could slip around undetected, but the Union and the Sarkonians? We’d have to adapt to a potential ambush from all three simultaneously. I only hoped our two stolen ships would be enough to backwards engineer the cloaks in time to see them coming.
“That could be a possibility,” said Freddie as he tapped a finger to his chin. “If the Union can track their own signal, I’m betting Sigmond and Athena can duplicate that tech.”
I had no doubt they could do it, but I did question the time it would take. There was also no telling how many other ships had followed us home from the meeting besides those three Sarkonian ones.
“You’re coming up on the building now,” said Angus. He and the others had gone back to the basement, but he could still give me directions with the comm. “The Sarkonians are inside.”
It was a tall, fat building with small windows. Angus had said this was where the administration staff worked. It had access to the mines where the workers clocked in and out every day. Given the time of day and the activity surrounding the building, I guessed it was the end of a shift.
“They’re around back,” said Angus. “Front entrance is open. You can walk right in.”
I kept my hand on my revolver inside my coat, never one to relax. I noticed Freddie doing the same.
“Shame we don’t have our shields,” I muttered.
Freddie looked up at me. “Shields?” he asked. “Oh, mine still works. It’s at 20%.”
“35%,” said Petra.
“You mean you both have a shield?” I asked, cocking my head. “I’ve been running around here exposed and you two have had those the entire time?”
Freddie raised his shoulder sleeve to show me a small device. “There’s not enough energy to use the disguise, but it’s still useful. Do you want it, Captain?”
I scoffed. “No, keep it,” I told him. “I think you’ll need it more than me.”
Inside, each kiosk had a line of tired workers in front of it. No one pushed or shoved, but they each wore the same empty expression on their faces. Hardly any of them talked to one another, like corpses waiting for their turn. I’d always been afraid of finding myself in a job like this. I was under the belief that folks just weren’t made to live like that. They were meant to be free, not working in the ground for decades at a time until their lungs went black with cancer.
I hated this place already, and we’d only been here a few seconds.
“In the back,” said Angus. “See them yet? They’re coming out with the Floor Chief.”
“I see them,” said Petra, holding the ear piece she’d borrowed from Lex.
“You two, make a scene,” I said, looking at Freddie and Petra. “I’ll step in when the time is right. We’ll take them before they know what’s happening.”
Petra glanced at Freddie. “I think we can handle that.”
“We can?” he asked.
I palmed my knife, then got into the line of a kiosk as four soldiers began their walk through the atrium.
The soldiers continued walking in our direction, weapons resting across their chests at patrol ready. The air in this place was thick with tension, the residents no doubt nervous at their foreign visitors, and I didn’t mean us. The Sarkonians and the Union might have an alliance, but it was one of convenience. The two would only work together for as long as it benefited them. These people were Union citizens, and while they might not have love for their own government, they had even less for the Sarkonians.
“How could you?” yelled Petra, glaring at Freddie.
“It was an accident,” he sputtered. He looked absolutely terrified as he shrank back.
“Of all the things you’ve done, this has to be the worst,” she said, making certain that the crowd could hear every last word.
I watched as the soldiers stopped what they were doing and focused on the couple.
Petra threw her head back in exaggerated laughter. “So, you just fell into the bar, is that it? Was that before or after you were already drunk?”
One of the soldiers walked closer to me, locking eyes. He paused, staring at me with some curiosity, while his two friends seemed more interested in the show.
I turned away, fumbling with one of the kiosk machines, pretending to have a hard time with the card reader. The mining crews only used these to clock in and out, and it would soon be obvious that I didn’t have any business using it.
I snarled and smacked the side of the box.
The soldier approached. “What’s wrong over here?” he asked, his voice a few octaves lower than his build suggested.
“Damn thing is acting up again,” I said.
He eyed the kiosk. “Try another one?”
“It just ate my card,” I said.
“I don’t give a damn about what you thought she said!” yelled Petra. “You don’t bring a random woman back to my house and—”
The soldier turned around, his attention drawn to the forming crowd.
When he did, I leaned in and pressed my revolver to his lower back. He instinctively stiffened and gripped his weapon, but I turned the barrel into his waist to let him know I had him. “Easy now,” I whispered.
“You’re him, aren’t you? The Renegade,” he said.
“Guilty,” I admitted. “Now, do yourself a favor and pull those hands away from the grip. There’s no reason this has to go a certain way. I’m tired of killing Sarkonians today.”
His hand paused, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the Floor Chief walk toward the arguing pair, an angry look on his face.
“You don’t need to die today,” I told the man in front of me. “Nobody does. I just want off this rock. Don’t you?”
He slowly nodded, a nervous shake in his chin.
“Good, then we’ve got something in common,” I said, placing my other hand on his arm. “You got a woman back home? Is there a Mrs. Sarkonian?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“That’s good, kid. It’s nice to have someone waiting for you to come home. I know how that is. Why don’t you ease those hands away from your gun now?” I asked him. “Do as I tell you and I promise you’ll make it out of here today.”
He nodded and moved his hands, palm out, away from the weapon.
“Smart man,” I said, then spun him around, repositioning my gun to press into his stomach. “What’s your name?”
“Rorick,” he said, nervously.
“Alright, Rorick, let’s you and me take a walk, and let’s not complicated things by signaling your friends.”
“What do you want?” he asked, turning back around as we started walking.
“Just to go home,” I said, nudging him. “Same as you, I’m sure.”
He took a step forward, my gun steady in his back.
We merged with the crowd as folks continued to move around the heated argument at the center of the atrium.
“Honey, please. I’m sor—” Before Freddie could finish, Petra hauled back and slapped him. It was a solid hit that made an audible crack as it landed.
“We’re done, you bastard. My mother was right about you. You’re nothing but a dog and I never want to see you again. Don’t even think of following me!”
The Floor Chief, with the other two soldiers in tow, had almost reached them when Petra stormed off.
The tunnel entrance stood in the rear of the building, with workers coming in and out. I moved quickly with the soldier, our backs to the others.
“We’ll be right behind you, Captain,” said Petra into her comm. “I’m walking out front for a few minutes and then I’ll double back inside.”
“Love, wait! Give me a second chance!” called Freddie, his voice echoing through the building.
As we entered, th
e crowd behind us blocked my line of sight with the other two soldiers. In a few minutes, we’d be inside and safely away from prying eyes and ears. Exactly what we needed to extract a bit of information.
“Take the next right, that tunnel is empty,” said Angus.
“Through there,” I told Rorick, urging him forward. He stumbled, and I grabbed the back of his uniform to steady him.
Freddie and Petra came running a few minutes later, trailing behind us. They arrived right as we reached the split Angus had indicated.
I paused and jerked the Sarkonian around to face me, digging the tip of the revolver into his jacket. The man flinched, but I tightened my grip. “Let’s see that earpiece,” I said, nodding to the comm.
He removed it and handed it to me. I tossed it on the floor and slammed my foot down on it.
Angus’s voice rolled in over the comm when we reached the next corridor. “Keep moving for another hundred meters and you’ll come to a long stretch. Isolated, mostly,” he explained.
The hall looked like a break area, a few beat up tables and chairs, with empty cups and plates sitting on the floor. We were the only people here at the moment, so I directed Rorick into the corner and had him take a seat. I made a show of checking to see how many rounds were in my weapon before slamming the magazine back in.
“I’m sorry about this, pal,” I told him. “Just answer a few of my questions and we’ll be on our way. You’ll be able to leave, and everything will be fine.”
Petra walked up to him before he could answer. “I saw you on the ship,” she said, looking him over. “You’re the one who shot Bolin.”
He stared up at her. “I followed orders. That’s what soldiers do.”
“We get it,” I said, giving Petra a look that suggested she ease off. Then I looked back at the soldier. “Just tell me what I want to know.”
He stared at petra for a few seconds, looking her over. “Fine, but nothing I tell you is going to help.”
I decided to ignore the arrogance. Sarkonians had always been a stubborn bunch. “Why haven’t your people taken this colony’s transport ship yet? Why spend your time looking for us?”
He turned his head at the question. “You mean the ship near the docks? The one for emergencies?”
I nodded.
“Our captain says there’s not much point in it since the Royal Frontier Expedition has an active patrol a few systems from here. It’s a better use of our time to”—he paused, studying my reaction—“to find and arrest you.”
“You think the R.F.E. is coming for you?” I asked, referring to the Sarkonian fleet by its proper name. “Why?”
“What do you mean?” he asked. “We contacted them, and they verified they were on their way.”
I tensed. “You did what?”
“The Captain spoke with Command before we left the ship. We only had a few minutes, but he sent a transmission before the ship was disabled.”
“You contacted Sarkon?” I asked.
“Not directly,” he admitted. “There was an imperial transport a few systems from here.”
I looked at both Freddie and Petra, then again at Rorick. “What did you send them?”
He stood steady at the question, unwavering.
“Answer me, Rorick,” I ordered, placing the gun to the side of his neck. “I’m not playing around with you.”
“We sent our complete logs,” he blurted out. “Earth’s location. Scans. Everything.”
I clenched my jaw at the sound of that, and my knuckles went white as my hand tensed, the trigger growing more tempting with each thought.
A hand touched my shoulder. “Captain,” said Freddie. I turned to see him looking at me.
“How long?” I asked Rorick.
“What?” asked the soldier.
“How long before they get here?”
“I-I don’t know,” he said.
“Guess.”
“A standard day, maybe? Twenty-four hours, but it could be sooner.” His eyes moved to the gun before flicking back to me. If I’d been another sort, I would have shot him then and there, left his corpse in this cave to fester and rot.
I motioned to Petra. “See if you can find something to tie Rorick up with.”
She nodded, quickly hurrying to the other side of the hall.
“What are you going to do to me?” asked the Sarkonian.
“Don’t worry,” I assured him. “I said I wouldn’t kill you and I meant it.”
Petra returned with some rope from one of the hover carts down the hall. She handed it to me, and together we wrapped it around Rorick, tying him in place.
“Let’s go,” I said.
“Hold,” said Angus. “I’ve got the other two Sarkonians moving again. They’re heading into the tunnel.”
“They must know he came back here,” I said, looking at Petra and Freddie. “We need to move.”
“There’s an exit inside the mine,” said Angus. “Comes out the western side. You’ll need to keep to your left as you go. Our connection’s already weak, so if I lose you, just stick to the path.” He paused. “Left, left, straight through the fork, and then right. Follow that, Hughes?”
“Follow,” I said.
I waved at the others to get moving, then gave Rorick a smack on the shoulder. “Now, I know you can’t lie to your friends. Go ahead and tell them we tied you up, questioned you, whatever you want,” I said, leaning close to him. “But do yourself a favor, kid, and don’t follow us. You do and I swear the next time we meet, it won’t go so well for you. You follow my meaning?”
He nodded.
“Good,” I said, stepping back from him. “Because trust me, we ain’t worth dying over.”
15
“Captain, do you know where we’re going?” asked Freddie, panting as he tried to keep up with Petra and me.
“Just keep running,” I said. The movement made my side sting, but we couldn’t stop now.
The comm had lost connection just as Angus had predicted. We were on our own, but if his instructions were accurate, we were almost clear.
We reached the fork that Angus had told us about. “There,” I said, motioning to a sign that read Outgoing.
“That must be it,” said Petra.
Shouts echoed in the tunnel behind us.
“That sounds like a lot more than a few Sarkonians, people,” remarked Petra.
“City police, I’d imagine,” I said, breaking into a jog. “Come on.”
We raced through the next corridor and found ourselves before a long metal walkway, ending with an inoperable loading platform. “This must be from the early mining days,” said Freddie. “Look over there, behind the rail. Is that a door?”
I leapt over the railing and an abandoned hover cart, going for the exit. The door was locked but loose enough that I might be able to force it. I braced myself and readied my shoulder to ram it.
“Wait,” said Freddie, hurrying up to my side. He reached to his shoulder and pinched off the shield device, sticking it to my arm.
“Shield activate,” the automated voice said, and a slight flicker washed over me.
“This should help,” said Freddie.
I nodded, then pulled out my gun and fired at the handle, hoping to break the lock. With that, I took a few steps back and leaned forward, ready to break the door.
Using my shoulder and the shield, I slammed into the metal. There was a hard crunch, but nothing moved.
“Shield at 12%,” said the voice.
I pulled back, ready to try again.
More shouts from behind us. “Did you hear that?” asked one of them.
I took a breath and charged again, this time slamming into the door and breaking it free of the lock. It swung open violently, and I tumbled through and into the clear light of the outdoors.
“Shield at 3%,” said the automated voice.
“So much for that,” I said, scrambling to my feet. “Let’s go!”
As we came out of the mine, we found
ourselves standing in front of an empty landing pad. This had to be one of the areas where the transport ships came in and out.
“What now?” asked Freddie. “I don’t know where we are.”
“We’re on the other side of the mine, opposite from where the bar is,” said Petra, checking her device. “The map shows these pads, but I don’t think anyone uses them anymore. The main loading docks are—” She stopped, eyes on something in the distance.
“What’s wrong?” asked Freddie.
She pointed across the dock to a set of hover vehicles.
“Now we’re talking,” I said.
As we started moving, a loud pop sounded, and a bullet struck the dirt at my feet, shredding a few blades of grass.
The vehicles were about fifty meters away with only the hard and flat surface of the landing pad between. I caught sight of Petra’s shield flickering as we crossed the center of it.
“I’m okay,” she exclaimed, still running.
Freddie reached the vehicle first, jumping into the back seat as Petra and I arrived. Sitting in the driver’s seat, I took a moment to orient myself with the controls. This looked to be a basic ground transport vehicle, so it couldn’t hover more than a meter high, which meant we wouldn’t be flying out of here. I pressed the ignition switch, waiting for the cab to power up.
“Insert authorized user access card,” said the vehicle.
“That’s not good,” said Petra.
I looked up to see the Sarkonians and a small group of local peacekeepers hurrying to reach us from across the landing pad. “I don’t have any kind of card, godsdammit,” I barked. “Angus? Can you hear me? Is there some sort of—”
The transport roared to life, startling the three of us in the process. “I’ve got you, Hughes,” said Angus. “Sent the authorization code remotely.”
I pulled the handle up and the cab lifted off the ground.
A bullet hit the windshield, shattering it as we tore away. Both Freddie and Petra screamed as another five shots struck the cab in the side and rear.
