He heard one of the circular drones whizz by as it attended to something ahead, maybe scouting, maybe checking in on a picker or a guard, it was impossible to know. "I'm going to climb up higher," Nigel said, seeing a bunch of coconut like nuts above. That would fill half his sack if he shared.
"Are you crazy? Everything's wet," Austin complained.
"That's what these grips are for," Nigel said, clinging to the tree using the device built into the palm of his glove. The ones on the insides of his boots detached one at a time as he moved further up. He was getting good at it, it didn't take long since he'd spent a fair amount of time using boot locks to walk around on starship hulls. Gravity was always a problem, though, so he was wary.
The fruit was his secondary objective. He was really there to catch one of those drones, but his partner for the day had no idea. Nigel slipped around the tree so there were more branches obscuring the view between him and Austin, who was on the next tree over, several metres below. "System!" he cried.
"What are you doing now?" Austin called up.
"Just want a drone to scan the fruit up there so I don't waste my time on something rotten."
"If it's still hanging from the top, then it's not rotten," Austin told him. "I mean, how complicated is it? If it's on the tree, it's still growing, how could it go bad?"
"System!" Nigel called out, taking one of the reprogrammed plastic slips from his pocket so Austin couldn't see. "Ah, the colouring looks wrong on this bunch, I just don't want to make the effort only to find that I've picked crap."
"Fine, don't believe me."
A drone finally answered his call, zipping through the air towards him then stopping suddenly to hover at his head level. It's scanner stalks focused on him. "System; check the fruit up there, I think there might be something wrong with it."
The ball drone did its duty, turning its eyestalks upward and rising a little. Nigel poked the plastic slip into a slot, making his mark on the second try. It was pulled in, the drone's lights blinked, then it went dead. Nigel barely caught it in time.
"Hey, what happened to the system drone?" Austin called up. He'd stopped climbing, all his attention was on Nigel. "Did you do something to it?"
"No, it just went dead. Maybe it needs to recharge or something?"
"Those things don't charge for days. Why is it blinking like that?"
A couple lights on the top half of it blinked as a bar of light started extending across the front of it, indicating the progress it was making to restarting. It was happening the way Stephanie said it would, only much slower. "Looks like it just needed to reboot, maybe there was an update."
"While it was hovering? It would land first. You did something to it," Austin was starting to climb up. "Let me see."
"I don’t want to drop this thing, if I damage it, they'll bill me," Nigel said, watching Austin climb faster than he'd ever seen him. "It might take me a year to work it off, probably two."
"If I report you for tampering, they'll pay me," Austin said. "If you didn't mess with it, then you'll have no trouble handing it over, Son."
That was one of the things he hated about Austin. He looked a few days older than Nigel, so he called him; 'son,' or 'boy,' even 'young man,' once in the few hours they'd been partners. He was also a climber and not in the way that mattered to picking fruit from the high branches. He was working the Order's system, making more money than most, he might rank up if he kept going.
The drone finished powering up, a backwards checkmark symbol appeared on its small front display for a second, just long enough for Nigel to know that the reprogramming worked, then it lifted off and sped away, back towards Haven Shore. "Everything's fine, see?"
"You messed with it, I saw you," Austin said from where he was just a little lower than Nigel on a tree less than two metres away.
"No, you didn't," Nigel said. "Just shimmy up, get back to work." Austin started making his way down. Nigel didn't like the guy, but what he might have to do next worse than even he deserved. "Where ya goin', Austin?" he asked, taking a large nut with a heavy husk from his net bag, it was bigger than his head.
"Just… down," Austin replied.
"You're going to run to a soldier, aren't you?" Nigel asked. After a moment and a couple metres, there was no reply from his picking partner, and he had no doubt that Austin was about to do something that could jeopardize his mission. "Yeah, you goddamned rat," he said, mostly to himself as he wound up, aimed, and threw the heavy giant nut down. His first shot missed, mashing Austin's hand. "What the hell, Boy? What are you doing?"
"Killing a rat," Nigel said, tossing the next one much harder, his other hand nearly came free, but he hit his mark. The hard-husked nut struck his partner on the top of the head.
"Help!" Austin shouted, grabbing at the tree in panic instead of climbing down faster.
Nigel leapt from his tree, fell several metres then affixed to the one Austin clung to. He was right above him, and he climbed down crudely, almost losing his grip before he was half on top of him. "Shut up, you idiot. Do you want these Order assholes to stay here forever?"
"I'll be out of this picking duty in a couple days! I'm buying up! I'm ranking up!" Austin protested.
"Shut up!" Nigel said harshly, looking around for anyone who might hear as he hurriedly pulled a giant nut from his partner's bag. "Or I'll shut you up, you goddamned collaborator!"
"You're insane! They'll catch you! You'll be a murd…"
Nigel brought the heavy nut down on the back of Austin's head. The man's face bounced against the tree and he groaned, his head falling back on a limp neck. There was blood, it started slowly but gushed the third time he struck. Rain came down in a rush, and Nigel could hear something hooting and whuffing in the trees even through the roar of drops. Austin was out, his skull was cracked, and Nigel tossed his improvised weapon at the large bundle of nuts above. It struck them but didn't dislodge any. That was his makeshift plan, to dislodge the nuts over Austin's head, to make it look like they fell on him while he was climbing, but the rain and Nigel's one hand grip on the tree made it a dangerous pursuit, even with the climbing gear. He hurriedly climbed down, reverting to an even more dangerous idea. "Hoooooot! Whooooooot!" he called as he made his way down the tree, hearing a chilling response; the belly hooting of an ape with a chest so big that he could fit in its ribcage four times. They rarely went to the ground, that was what was so unusual about them. Large primates normally stayed down low. That along with their omnivorous diet made them one of the most dangerous predators on the planet. They'd eat fruit all day, but they preferred meat, and Nigel hoped the big one he heard in the rain would be drawn to the smell of blood.
The rain stopped, and Nigel let himself slip down the tree trunk as quickly as he dared, picking up a few bruises on the way down as he bashed through a couple smaller branches. He backed away from the tree and looked up as soon as his feet hit the dirt. A dark shape leapt from branch to branch above until it reached Austin, who was still affixed to the tree thanks to his ankle and hand gear. He groaned as the ape moved to him, poked at his shoulder with his foot.
Nigel kept as quiet as a he could, backing away, horrified that his partner was conscious. He was sure he finished him off. The ape smelled Austin's face, jerked back a little when the man moaned, then smashed his head into the tree. As Nigel kept low and quiet, retreating, he cringed at the sight of the ape prying his partner's head open using the wound he'd inflicted with his final blow. The Order Soldiers wouldn't bother investigating if they found him, it was too much work for a lowly picker, especially since it would look like the wildlife got him.
The only question was; did anyone else see Nigel make it happen? He tried not to think about it. His main mission was accomplished. If he was caught they still wouldn't know about the drone he reprogrammed, or that it was off spreading the update to several others.
Five
Phase Seven Begins
* * *
A slight wavering of Ayan
's holographic image broke the illusion of her standing in the middle of Jake's quarters. The secret report about the Clever Dream joining the Corsair came to its conclusion, ending with a couple's announcement image that wouldn't go out to the fleet. Noah Lucas had his arms wrapped around Alice from behind as they grinned towards the viewer. If they were connected to the Crewcast Network, the whole fleet would know that they were officially together, but Jake and Ayan were the only ones to get a look.
It was easy to slip into what Jake saw as a little self-pity. He missed his daughter, wished he could get to know Noah better and that he could tease him a little. In that moment, he missed Ayan just as much. He watched her smile at the still image, those dimples in her cheeks showing, her face framed by red ringlets. A moment to take in her figure was all he needed to revive the memory of being close to her in his quarters. "They look so happy," Ayan said, her hologram regarding the image of Alice and Noah as it floated between them. It tickled Ayan to see a romance blooming, even from such a distance, and he loved to see her smile, the delight in her eyes was like a breath of fresh air after breathing thick fumes. Laura stirred in the background, where she happily babbled and kicked at the holographic mobile as it burst into a cloud of butterflies. He was missing firsts already, and Jake wanted to share in raising her, in making memories of a family with Ayan.
It wasn't the time to wish he was closer to everyone he cared about. He dragged himself out of his appreciation, from his moment of weakness. Someday he'd have the time to give in to all that, to adore Ayan, to carry his end of the responsibility of caring for Laura, tease Alice and Noah while he enjoyed their happiness from a safe distance. Someday. The report was automated, just a summary of what went on aboard the Clever Class ships, what was recorded from their communications to create a narrative that could update them on their progress. He looked forward to hearing a proper retelling of events from Alice and Noah.
"They're on an adventure," Jake said. "I'm happy they're making progress."
Ayan sobered a little. "I've been meaning to ask; what was it like, joining Alice while she was asleep?"
The memory of Alice as a toddler, giggling as she drifted between Ayan and him flashed through his mind. It was something he would never forget, a statement about what she thought she was missing that made him wish he had a chance to raise her like a normal child. "We don't have much private time left."
"I know, I've just been mad to know. Was it bad?"
Jake took a moment to put his answer together, he didn't want to give Ayan the wrong impression, and it was even more difficult because the memory seemed private. If there was anyone he could share it with, Ayan would be the one, but he wanted to present it the right way. "When I joined her, she was playing with us. Not Jonas and Ayan Rice, but us, as we are now. We were in a zero-gravity capsule on Freeground, you know, the type with the padded floor that people used to stargaze in. She was two or three, just a toddler, and laughing like crazy while we passed her between us."
"My aunt did that with me when I was really young," Ayan said, grinning. She wiped the corner of an eye. "That sounds so beautiful, Jake. I wish…"
"I know," Jake said, guessing Ayan's thought as she hesitated. "I wish you could have been there." The door behind him opened. He turned; it was Ashley, who regarded the dim room warily. "You're a little early, come in."
He trusted Ashley more than most people. He was sure that Alice wouldn't mind if she heard what was said next. "Hey, Ashley," Ayan's hologram said, turning to her for a moment.
"Hello, Admiral," Ashley said, standing straight.
"Please, have a seat and call me Ayan," she replied, gesturing towards a chair in the circle of comfortable furniture in Jake's quarters.
"Okay, thank you," Ashley said, taking a seat.
Jake turned to Ayan's image, her eyes locked with his. "I'll tell you about the rest of my visit with Alice when we have more time, I'm still unpacking it. I could feel what she was feeling while I was there, so I'm still sifting through it all. The most important thing about the experience for us is that we were the people she wanted to spend her time with while she was escaping to the happiest moment she could imagine."
"Oh, Jake," Ayan breathed. The revelation struck her heart, told her something she was longing to hear from the look of it.
There was no way he'd leave it there, if he never got a chance to talk about his experience again, there would be too great a balance of facts owing. "I know that she would have accepted you if I wasn't there to help her. You're the mother she wants. Maybe it's been like that for years, I don't know for sure. After I met her, she took us somewhere else, a walkway over an ocean. That's where she told me about her guilt and her fear. I did my best to show her how to look at it the right way, I think she'll have to figure out how to make it right with herself, but somehow I made it better, at least enough so Alice can be with Noah like that." He nodded at the couples' announcement picture.
Ayan sighed and smiled at Jake. "I'm going to have to give that girl the biggest hug when I see her next. It might be embarrassing."
Ashley laughed a little, then caught it behind her hand. "Sorry."
"No worries," Jake said. "Everyone else is about to come online, so you may as well get to your feet."
"Just one more thing," Ayan to Jake. "Don't be a hero on this mission. I know you want to go down there yourself, and if this phase of our long-term plan for the Haven System works out you'll get your wish, but I need you to promise me that you won't take this on like you're the only one fighting. I know I'm supposed to have a stiff upper lip so you don't think about me worrying about you, but I need you to promise me you'll take this on with your people, not for your people."
The notion that she expected him to turn the most dangerous part of the mission ahead into a solo act was irritating, and the fact that history backed her up made it doubly so. Even still, he nodded, doing his best to brush all that and his pride aside. "I hear you. I'll command from the middle while I'm down there. It won't become a solo hunt."
"Thank you, Jake. I can't wait to get our family all in one place."
"I know, I feel the same way," Jake said. Admiral Jessica Rice's hologram appeared to Ayan's left, then Minh-Chu's joined her on the right. Remmy came in through the door behind Jake and strode up to his left. Jake cleared his throat and looked to Admiral Rice. "Good to see everyone here."
"Yes, it's time for that last deep breath before we dive in," Admiral Rice said. "Everyone under my command is eager to teach the Order a lesson. Is Alaka in position?"
"He and his team aboard the Sky Queen is exactly where they're supposed to be. He's too close to a Command Carrier to risk transmissions. The Pelican is in position as well," Jake replied.
"Good, he's hiding so well that we couldn't locate the Sky Queen," Admiral Rice said. "I see we're joined by Remmy and Ashley, I'm sorry I haven't had the opportunity to meet either of you at length. Do you have any questions about the upcoming battle, Lieutenant Commander Lamport? I know this is one of your first high level meetings, so I'd remind you that suggestions are encouraged."
"I don't have any suggestions, Ma'am. I do wish the Merciless could move to the Komad Asteroid Belt sooner, though. I won't be able to do much to protect the ship without cover. I understand our role, though, no ship has the shielding we do. I wish I had a suggestion to make that easier. I suppose that's all I can say except 'good luck,' Admiral."
"Speak to Captain Price about breaking for the asteroid belt early if you have to, but I can see you have a good understanding of your part in the mission. The longer the Merciless can draw attention, the better our chances of success will be," Admiral Rice said.
"Lamonthe came up with this mission, shouldn't he be jacked in?" Remmy asked.
"I've taken his place," Ayan said. "He's elsewhere, on a secret mission."
"Ah," Remmy replied, Jake almost heard the whispered expletive he added.
"You have a concern, Captain Sands?" Jake asked.
<
br /> "Not with a switch between Admiral Lamonthe and Admiral Anderson, no. It's the way this mission is laid out. I get that we don't have the firepower to take and hold the Haven System, but do we really have the speed, coordination and power to get our people out of Haven Shore? I mean, there's a whole bunch of green pilots in combat shuttles and every corvette we could get ready to dive down on Tamber, so the math works, we can pick people up, but covering them? I wanted to talk to Lamonthe, I mean Admiral Lamonthe about the numbers. I was wondering if he saw the simulations, that we'd lose eighteen to twenty-five percent. That's a lot of people."
"It's my job to answer for him, Captain," Ayan told Remmy. "This is the best plan we could pull together to remove Tamber as a problem. There are a lot of places where I feel this plan falls short, but it's the best we could manage." Ayan took a breath and stepped forward so Laura wasn't visible in the background. "Evacuating Haven Shore breaks my heart, if I'm being honest, but the Order have moved all our citizens there so they can be used as hostages. I don't like the losses projected, either, but we have to get them out of there."
"Okay, so getting our people off Tamber eliminates them as hostages, fine, but…"
"As long as they're down there we can't expect to make any attempt to take the Haven System back without watching thousands of people get executed the moment the Order of Eden realizes they're about to lose control. In another likely scenario, the people of Haven Shore revolt, taking control of the island. In that case we know the Order would bombard it from orbit then most likely give the moon to the Edxi. There are other scenarios, but you get my point, I'm sure you've thought it through too. The only way to save most of the people on Haven Shore is this shock-and-awe evacuation," Ayan explained, her tone even.
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 14 Page 4
