Chapter 16
►► ESV Winston Churchill, Earth Orbit
► Sol System
Two EDF members were brought aboard and rushed down to the Winston Churchill’s infirmary. The sight was becoming quite familiar to the crew, seeing as how not too long ago, Chloe and Ella were in that spot. Now it was Sarah’s and Chris’s turn. Their snow- and ice-covered bodies were found in the northernmost reaches of Baffin Island, embracing one another, most likely to keep each other warm with what little heat they had left. Or so Chloe hoped.
Lucky for them, advanced medical technology was at work to heal their frostbit bodies and bring body temperatures back up to normal. The two spent the last three days lying on the medical beds as hologram monitors kept an eye on their status. They were stable and recovering well, much to Ella’s surprise. All the medical devices used by the UNE were hybrids of human, Radiance, and Hashmedai technology. It was task that Ella was slowly getting used to, as the medical devices at Alpha Centauri were Radiance-made, modified for human use.
Chloe looked on as her sister and the man she loved recovered. From the very same position, Xavier had stood when he watched her and Ella slowly come back from the dead. Her fists clenched, slowly glowing red, the more she thought about what happened to her, what happened to her whole team. Someone’s going to have to pay, and it’s going to be in blood.
“At the first chance at vengeance, take it,” said a strange female voice in Chloe’s head.
Chloe’s balled-up fingers released as her face transformed from a woman full of rage to a woman spooked out. This was not the first time she had heard a voice talk to her since coming back, though it was the first time she was able to make out what the voice was saying. She continued to stand, playing things off as if nothing happened; too bad Ella stared right into her green eyes, making direct contact. Chloe could see a horrified look forming across every inch of her face as well; Ella too was trying to play it cool. Did she hear that voice as well?
… … …
Gavin’s body floated within the confines of the empty briefing room used by the fighter pilot crew. A holo pad was held in his hands, displaying contents and diagrams in regard to the F-108 Solaris fighters. There were still a few things about proper operation of the fighter he wasn’t aware of, and it clearly showed in his most recent runs in the simulator. Becoming an expert in regard to operation was his top priority, as he would be the main instructor for training the new recruits after returning to Alpha Centauri.
His head turned toward the right as he heard the soft sound of the sliding doors slip open, Aura floated in with a perplexed smile on her face once she saw him. “Aren’t we quite the keener tonight?” she said.
Gavin snorted and said to her, “The weightlessness helps me relax and take in more info. Gotta master this before we head back, whenever the hell that will be.”
“I was referring to the fact that you’re the first one here for our briefing,” she said. Oh, how he loved her English accent.
Wait, what briefing? “Didn’t know there was one planned,” Gavin said.
Aura floated past him and a multitude of chairs toward the large podium at the back center of the room. Chairs that will be full of the ship’s pilot crew soon. “We’ve been placed on a higher alert status because of the recent HLF activities, which I’m sure you and your friends are now aware of.” She stopped her body from floating too far away as her brown hands latched on to the side of the podium. “And according to Chris and Sarah’s recent debriefing, we’re one step closer to finding their base of operations.”
“Expecting some action?” Gavin asked.
“I’m expecting a shite show.”
… … …
Sarah and Chris were on their feet again after another twelve hours, and back in the practice range shooting holographic targets as if nothing happened. Though all that had to be put on hold as Captain Xavier summoned them along with Chloe to the Winston Churchill’s main briefing room located directly below the bridge and above the flight crew briefing room. There was a large rectangular table in the center of the room with a hologram of the Winston Churchill in orbit around Earth. Xavier’s weightless body sat on end of the table, while Chloe, Chris, and Sarah floated toward vacant seats next to the table. Staff sergeant Jacob Miles entered seconds later and floated toward the group to join them.
Xavier took a long stare at everyone and then began to address them. “All right, let’s get down to business, shall we? Long story short, an informant has been feeding us and only us intel since Major Vaughan’s and Dr. Lynn’s arrival. He calls himself Deep Throat and was kind enough to let us know that someone from the Hashmedai Empire recently touched down on Earth and made contact with the HLF.”
A serious and concerned aura came from all those present. It was long suspected the Hashmedai held a grudge. There was never a question as to if they would strike again, but rather when. And that when is apparently very soon. Chloe broke the silence that latched everyone’s mouths shut. “And we didn’t detect their ship?”
“There’s no record of an unknown ship entering the system or reports of one porting in from a space bridge,” explained Xavier.
Chloe thought about everything Radiance explained to her about the space bridge network and what they do to counter surprise attacks. “To my understanding, it’s like a psionic teleport,” Chloe said. “You can detect it but only if you are actively searching for it when it happens.”
“We’re always on the lookout for space bridge ports…but only in space,” Xavier said.
“You’re saying they teleported directly onto Earth?” Chris said. Chloe hopped the answer was going to be no, but she knew damn well that’s exactly what would have had to happen.
“It has to be, how else would they have entered without the UNE and Radiance fleet detecting it?” Xavier said, and then his weightless fingers pressed against a tiny command console on the table. “In any case, EISS managed to get a glimpse of the two and well.”
A new hologram appeared. It was a video recording of a short Hashmedai female with white hair and a tall human with a bald head and dark skin. Chloe’s eyes opened wide, her jaw wanted to do the same. This was a familiar face, the face of a man who shouldn’t be alive. “Oh my god,” she whispered.
“Recognize him?” Xavier asked.
“Jake ‘Jazz’ Johnson,” Chloe revealed.
Xavier continued. “Well, he and a Hashmedai female attacked a joint UNE and Radiance taskforce in Los Angles alongside HLF members.” The hologram switched to a helmet cam recording of the duo slaying the taskforce with an elegant yet deadly method. They used weapons and gadgets Chloe did not recognize. “They were both found hiding in plain sight with a stealth cloaking device,” he added.
“An assassin,” Chloe muttered. “They turned him into a fucking assassin!”
“Humans and Hashmedai working hand in hand with the HLF is one thing, but a human working with the empire?” Xavier asked.
“We encountered him during the invasion,” said Chloe. “He was working with the Hashmedai for some reason. I last saw him aboard the command ship just before we blew it up. I didn’t think he made it out and thought nothing of him ever since.” Her eyes analyzed his holographic projection closer, namely his face. “He hasn’t aged, either, so it’s safe to assume he’s been in cryo during the last few years.”
Of course, she left out the part of her having strange dreams about him before they even met. That little girl was in each of those dreams too. What was her name again? Right, Hannah.
“You should have told them about the dreams,” whispered the strange voice inside Chloe’s head. “Could you imagine their reaction?”
Jesus Christ, it can read my thoughts too? Get out of my head! Chloe exploded internally.
“Must have escaped and went on a voyage to the empire while we were heading to Alpha Centauri,” Sarah said. “And now they turned him into an assassin and sent him back to us. Any idea who their tar
get is?”
“None. All we know is that he’s working with the HLF, and the HLF has a plan to strike a target in Vancouver.” Xavier’s fingers loaded a new hologram, a three-dimensional layout of the city of Vancouver. It zoomed in to a red highlighted condo. “According to Deep Throat, this condo houses a small safe house for EISS agents tasked with dealing with the large presence of HLF forces in that region. Apparently, HLF knows this and are in the process of moving in. EISS and the EISS agents there have no idea of this; sadly, we have no means of getting ahold of them, either. Whatever those agents are doing, it’s so big that EISS isn’t cooperating with us.” Xavier faced the group, who looked at him intensely. “So we’re gonna give ’em a hand.”
“If I may, sir,” Chloe said. “I’d like to be part of the mission.”
“A wise choice,” the voice softly said. “The one called Jazz will be there. This I assure you.”
I’m not doing this for you. Chloe thought and then bit her lip, for she now had to accept the fact she had replied to the voice.
“I’m not a big fan of personal vendettas, Major,” said Xavier. “But lucky for you, command wants EDF to assist in this. Two assassins are in the hands of the HLF and will probably be in play, and as it stands, your team includes the only humans alive who have experience dealing with Hashmedai assassins. Radiance is reluctant to send Rangers in since this will be going down in an urban area, and Radiance still wants to keep human collateral damage nonexistent.”
“Gotta maintain the nice press image, eh?” Jacob said.
“This will be a joint operation between EDF and the marines; you’ll be working with Sergeant Miles and his team. It will also be a good chance for the two teams to see the unique equipment you use in action. Some members of his team are also top candidates for joining EDF.”
“Understood,” Chloe said.
“I have the flight team getting prepped up as well in case things go sideways,” said Xavier.
“One last thing, sir,” Chloe said. She paused for a moment, debating how to make her request. “I’d like Michei with us.”
Both Jacob and Xavier erupted with laughter. She had a feeling that would happen; Michei’s refusal to assist the crew with anything until his transfer went through was well known. “Good luck with that. He won’t provide any fuckin’ gravity on the bridge. I doubt he’ll want to go on a combat op that Radiance is reluctant to assist on.”
“HLF has psionics, and now two assassins. Having a psionic on our side will be necessary,” Chloe explained.
“Can always bring EVE, sir,” said Jacob.
“Eh, try to convince the sod to go with you,” Xavier said. “If not, you’ll want to take EVE. She is supposed to be the psionic replacement, after all. I’m curious as to what she can do in combat. But at the same time, I’d rather we not destroy the only android we have; they take almost as long to build and program as a starship.”
… … …
Chloe entered the bridge and floated toward Michei the Rabuabin psionic as he hovered with his eyes locked on the content of his data pad. As Chloe floated next to him, he spoke in the Radiance language to her. “Unless you have news of my transfer, please leave. You’re interrupting my reading, and this is an intriguing book.” His eye never left the pad.
“I have job for you,” Chloe said, also speaking in his language.
“I have one for you as well—get lost.”
“Look, you can sit here and be useless all you want, but you and I know that Radiance command will look at the massive number of complaints the captain has filed against you and—”
“And they’ll make me do some mundane task like providing gravity for an entire ship rather than just the bridge,” Michei said. His finger swiped across the screen, changing to a new page in his book. “I’m fine with that; at least I’ll be with a crew who don’t view me as obsolete.”
Chloe’s arms crossed as she said, “I’m going on a mission. I want you to come along, and I want you to prove to everyone here that psionics cannot be easily replaced.”
“Oh please.”
“We’re about to make the Hashmedai Liberation Front have a very, very bad day. Just think about it. You’ll be the one Radiance member who participates in an operation this big, an operation that will result in victory.”
“Not interested.”
“The union promotes and rewards you all based on how many enemies you’ve killed and successful missions, right? The Liberation Front has more victories versus Radiance, thus making them offer you more points toward your career advancement. If you help us win this, you can have sex with all the daughters of commanding officers you want, and nobody can say a damn thing.”
Michei’s eyes never left his data pad, though Chloe saw that her proposal made his face twist. There were thoughts going through his head, hopefully the ones she wanted. As his tail began to sway. “I have no plans to redo that mistake,” Michei finally said. “But,” he added. “Making everyone turn a blind eye toward that—”
“Your transfer might go through faster.”
Michei’s face rose up toward Chloe, who remained hovering above him. “When do we leave?”
… … …
►► HLF Headquarters, Northern Canada
► Sol System
Jazz and Veloshira patiently waited for Destiny, Vuyin, and Tetsuya to finish gearing up in their stolen UNE combat armor for the upcoming raid within the armory of the HLF base. Dollon, as expected, wore no top, revealing his complex network of psionic cybernetic implants wired on to his brawny upper body.
“So why are we doing this again?” Veloshira asked Jazz in Hashmedai.
Jazz often forgot that Veloshira didn’t understand English and needed a translation here and there. And more often than not, these translations were quick, and some things got missed. “We help them, they help us,” he replied. “Besides, we’re unwanted outsiders. This is the only place we can stay. Killing the president of Earth and some commando isn’t going to be a quick and easy job.”
Destiny, Vuyin, and Tetsuya finally finished as they powered on their rifles. Veloshira’s face turned away from Jazz and said. “I just don’t want to be dragged into a conflict that doesn’t concern us or our assignment. And these people look like the type who would rather have us fight their battles.”
“We won’t be here that long.”
“OK, everyone remember the plan?” Destiny cut in to address everyone in English.
Jazz quickly reviewed the game plan in his head. Veloshira was on sniper duty and was to be placed on top of a shorter adjacent building that directly faced the side of the condo they planned to assault. Jazz was to take point and scout ahead while cloaked as Destiny, Vuyin and Tetsuya remained behind him. All the while, Dollon was to float about in the skies, keeping an eye out for trouble. Jazz had suggested at least one other person go with Veloshira to watch her back, but Destiny insisted on this setup, arguing that Dollon was all Veloshira would need.
Dollon better not let us down, Jazz thought.
“We lost people in the last few missions; let’s make this one where we don’t lose anyone, OK?” Dollon said as he stepped into the middle of the group. “Gather up!”
Dollon’s cybernetics began to glow as he mustered his psionic mind to teleport the team into the heart of Vancouver.
… … …
Eupiar’s rickety hands held on to her holo phone, ready to compose a text. A message she would rather not have to send if it weren’t for her contact threatening to cut her off from giving her tips. That and he was the only one who knew that she uploaded the virus, knowledge that she’d rather he keep to himself. She dropped out of school to help the HLF in their cause and make some cash on the side, after all. And if doing shady deals like this was going to keep the flow of tips coming her way to help the group out, so be it. Get a grip; this is a good thing in the long run. She shut her eyes, and took several deep breaths before forcing her fingers to proceed forward and type in th
e message.
Me, 12:37am: They just left.
Deepthroat, 12:38am: Good. I knew I could count on you.
Me, 12:38am: Please make sure they don’t get hurt.
Deepthroat, 12:39am: You just be ready to send me a copy of the data they bring back.
Deepthroat, 12:39am: If they bring it back.
… … …
►► Transport En Route to Earth
► Sol System
The hangar bay doors to the ESV Winston Churchill slowly opened, allowing a single UNE transport to depart from the ship and sink into the night Earth skies in the distance. The occupants of the craft were none other than the joint teams of the EDF and marines. Chloe, Sarah, and Chris sat on one end of the transport, all three fully geared up in their protect suits. On the opposite end sat S. Sgt. Jacob Miles and his team, L. Cpl. Tom Richards and L. Cpl. Grace Petropoulos. The three marines wore their exosuits and were each outfitted with an HUD eyepiece, which transmitted a small hologram in front of their eyes containing valuable battle data. Michei sat up front next to the pilot as the transport cleared a thick patch of darkened rain clouds that hovered over the Vancouver area.
The team was surprised to see Michei tag along and even more surprised that Chloe insisted on taking the transport down, despite having a psionic powerful enough to teleport them all. Though her reason for this choice was quite simple, it hid the fact that Michei was with them. Psionic teleports could be directed if one was looking for it, and the psionic that the HLF brought with them would be scanning the city, hoping to find just that, an unexpected teleportation. A transport, however, would suggest to the HLF that no psionics on their side would be active—well, not at the start at least. On top of all that, the EISS installed a mind shield inside their suite, preventing psionics from teleporting inside the building.
Chloe saw the midnight Vancouver skyline come into view. Light rain from the skies splattered across the windshield of the transport. “All right, according to Deep Throat, they got a stealthy sniper on the rooftop, a Hashmedai named Veloshira. Miles, you and your team hang tight on the condo, and my team will deal with the assassin.”
Uprising of the Exiled (Splintered Galaxy Book 2) Page 23
