Clio fought down a wave of anger. The last thing she needed was to kill one of the most influential people in the galaxy in a blind rage.
“Is everything okay?” Straiya asked with what seemed like concern. “You seem troubled.”
“You had no right to do that.”
“As Talori already explained, we had to test your loyalty. If anything, the affair panned out much better than we could have hoped. You should be full of pride, not fury. You exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
Clio drew a deep breath and steadied her nerves. “You could have asked.”
“Bah, Terrans can be so sensitive,” Straiya hissed. “You must understand. Our intentions were not to harm you. The plan was to contain and question you, but you slipped out of Commander Brikkon’s control and…complicated things.”
“How can you be so cold?” Clio seethed. “I could have killed him…or anyone for that matter.”
Straiya wagged her finger with a knowing smile. “Not with a weapon loaded with blanks. You’ll recall your blaster didn’t put my guard down permanently. We had your ammunition switched when you checked it in at reception.”
“It’s still no excuse for such recklessness.”
“Ah, so the roguish child wishes to lecture me on recklessness.”
Clio had to stop herself from shrinking in her seat. The Shanti Minister still made Clio feel so small despite her anger. “As I said, all you had to do was ask.”
“If life has taught me one lesson greater than any other, it is that actions speak a great deal louder than words.” Straiya pulled something from a desk drawer. “Especially when one has a questionable record.” She placed a familiar object on the table.
“Nakamura’s Crystal,” Clio whispered. A pang of pain stabbed at her heart even as she reached out for it. “He was a brave man.”
“He was one of my best, and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him.”
Clio thought she saw a faint sign of regret in Straiya’s eyes, but it fled the instant she noticed. “You were close?”
“We were friends,” Straiya sighed. “Long before I came to the Sentinel. Long before all this.” She gestured to the office. “So, you can understand why I took his words very seriously.” A severe furrow cut across the Minister’s bushy eyebrows and Clio knew that the jig was up.
Her head rang suddenly, and she fought a wave of panic as Straiya’s office came crashing down around her. I knew I should have fled the Sentinel the first chance I got. No one knowing what I did was too good to be true.
“You’re going to report me to the Confederation Fleet?”
“Nonsense, child. Letting you hang would be a careless waste of valuable resources. Tensions run high on the Sentinel as it is, and the entire galaxy is balanced on a knife’s edge. We can’t afford to squander talents such as yours.”
“Then what do you want? I’m guessing you won’t just let me walk out of here.”
“If not for Aegis Nakamura, you would have already been sentenced by your own people, regardless of your more…virtuous actions on Colony 115. We Shanti are a little more flexible. Rather than punishing those who do whatever they need to survive, we reward them. Sai Nakamura may have been a Terran, but he spent most of his life by my side. That’s why he made sure the Confederation never found out about your little acts of treason.”
Clio winced. Having her actions laid bare on the table like that proved much more painful—much more of a shock—than she had imagined. “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”
“Sai saw something in you, and now that I’ve seen it for myself, I’m glad he recorded a message for me on that crystal.” Straiya eyed the storage device in Clio’s hand. “He said that should anything happen to him, you were to take his place in the Aegi Order.”
“Take his place?”
“As an acolyte of course. We couldn’t just elect you to the ascended position of a seasoned commander like Sai.” Straiya absently scratched her twitching ear. “He believed that you would make a fine warrior. He described you as strong, highly intelligent, and fearless. I’m glad to find that his deductions were accurate.”
Clio could hardly believe her ears. Half of her suspected that she’d been hit much harder on the head than she thought. The other half suspected another trap. “You want me to become an Aegis?”
Straiya simply nodded, her large yellow eyes fixed on Clio’s.
Clio had been tortured by regret over her past deeds since arriving on the Sentinel. For all she knew, the information she’d transmitted off Colony 115 had been sent to Chimera. Her contact had kept his identity hidden, so there was no way to be sure, but Clio couldn’t think of who else it might have been. No matter what way she looked at it, she was at least partially responsible for any who died by their hands.
Straiya flashed another fanged smile. “Let there be no mention of past wrongs. Rather than be consumed by our mistakes, we learn from them—use them to grow stronger. Nakamura went to great lengths to make sure you survived. Do not let his sacrifice be in vain.”
Another pang stabbed Clio as she remembered how Nakamura had pulled her from the Bakura’s burning wreckage. “Did Sai receive a proper burial?”
“Aegis Nakamura received a sending off befitting a hero.”
“Good.” If she had helped Chimera, it was her fault he had died. Sadness clawed at Clio’s heart. “I thought Captain Grimshaw had taken Nakamura’s place as an Aegis.”
“Grimshaw took the place of Aegis Eline. By some miracle, she has almost made a full recovery, but her life hung in the balance for the longest time, and it still isn’t clear whether she will be returning to service.”
“I’m not sure about this,” Clio had to grip the arms of the chair again to make sure she hadn’t fallen into a dream or a nightmare. “This is all a lot to take on board at once.”
“As was the case with Grimshaw. It’s rare that someone his age is made an Aegis. At least time is on your side.”
“What about my position with the Confederation Fleet?”
“Again, it is not how we normally do things around here, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Normally, you would be expected to renounce all past allegiances, but we will forego that for the time being. I would like you to remain with Aegis Grimshaw as his apprentice.”
“The Captain’s apprentice?” She let that sink in. Captain Grimshaw had earned her respect since the crash on Colony 115 and Clio would happily lay her life down for him, just as he had for her, but he still treated her like a child.
“He’s an experienced warrior with an impressive track record,” Straiya continued. “Understand that you will both remain as acolytes. Should the time ever arise for you to be anointed as an ascended guardian, we will perform the proper ceremony.”
“I’m still shocked that you’re considering me for such a role if I’m honest.”
“Nakamura also mentioned an incident involving the fury gene.”
“Sometimes, when I get angry and lose control, things happen.” Clio said, placing her hand on her chest.
“You’re not to worry. I haven’t mentioned it to a soul outside of those who are already aware. I have never known anyone with the ability to manipulate the weave without certain…modifications.”
“The weave?”
“All will be made clear in time. For now, let’s say that becoming an Aegis will help you keep things under control. I’ll give you some time to consider my proposition. If you decide against joining the order, you will still benefit from tests.”
Clio got the feeling she didn’t really have a choice in the matter. “I appreciate the time to think about your offer.”
“Not to push you, but I expect a decision by the close of the Sentinel Ceremony. I have business to attend to off-station straight after.”
“I understand.”
Straiya checked her SIG. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, other matters demand my attention. Officer Karakane here will escort you to the e
xit.”
Clio nodded as a guard appeared by her side.
“And Clio.”
Clio turned her attention back to Straiya.
“Many people die on their journey to join the ranks of the Aegi. Know that I do not make such an offer lightly.”
Clio nodded and followed Karakane into the hallway outside Minister Straiya’s office. They walked through the main floor where dozens of Shanti went about their daily chores as though it was just any other day. A deluge of confusing thoughts and conflicting emotions threatened to snatch Clio’s hold on reality but recalling Nakamura’s sacrifice kept her grounded.
Before she knew it, she stood outside Sentinel Tower where Officer Karakane handed Clio her weapons with a respectful nod before returning to his station.
Clio had just finished stowing her gear when her SIG buzzed. Shit. Captain’s probably wondering where I’ve been.
She was surprised to find the call was coming from Taza.
“Clio! Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for ages.”
“Been running errands,” she lied. “I didn’t notice the missed calls until now.”
“I’ve finished working on the STD and I’m getting ready for the installation,” Taza said. “I’m going to need you to keep an eye on things for me.”
Work would serve as a good distraction until she had time to consider everything that had just happened. “That’s great news. Where will I meet you?”
“Sending you the coordinates now. I’ll see you there in thirty,” he said, cutting the line.
Clio barely noticed the crowds of skilled laborers milling around her. She gave the towering government building behind one last glance. The structure climbed toward the Sentinel’s synthetic sky, reaching further than her eyes could see. Life in Sentinel City had proven much more complicated than she had first imagined, but at least she was lucky enough to be alive. Something in the pit of her stomach told Clio that things might get tougher still. She spun and made a break for the nearby aircars, surprised to find something of a spring in her step.
6
Tight Spaces
Taza pulled himself along the narrow maintenance tube, the STD rattling as it dragged on a wheeled cart tied to a cord behind him. Worming his way through a mile-long tunnel—barely wide enough for his shoulders despite not wearing a TEK—wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time, but Grimshaw had hired him to perform the more questionable tasks and sneaking through the Sentinel’s maintenance network was as risky as it got. All the same, he cursed Captain Grimshaw and his team, and he cursed Zora too, for she no doubt sat back in her hide-out, giggling at the thought of him wiggling through narrow passages like some lower life-form.
Taza’s subarmor squelched with moisture as he moved, and he blinked as sweat on his brow trickled into his left eye. He wanted nothing more than to wipe the drop hanging from the end of his nose, but his arms were trapped at his sides, and the tube was much too narrow to maneuver them in any meaningful way. He pressed his lips together and blew the dripping liquid, but it made little difference. Growing desperate, he rubbed his nose on the smooth metal surface, but rather than helping, it spread the itch around.
Taza stopped to catch his breath, the clammy, metal walls closing in on him. The station’s maintenance bots moved freely through the tunnels despite being of stout build, but they were designed for that purpose. Taza and his friends had used the vast network to hide and move about the Underways undetected back when he was a spindly kid eking out a living in the slums. Even then, the tunnels were dangerous for those who didn’t know how to navigate them correctly. One could get lost in the maze, or even worse, encounter a maintenance bot and activate its pest-control extermination protocols. As a child, Taza had once stumbled upon a nest of knolra feeding on a corpse than had been fried by one such droid. Still, I’d rather a fatal, high-powered zap over getting lost and slowly wasting away.
“Everything okay up there?” Clio’s voice crackled in his ear-piece.
“I’m fine,” he said between shallow breaths. “I just need a minute.”
“Old age catching up on you. I told you I didn’t mind going down the shaft.” Her words were sprinkled with cockiness.
“You know...” He drew as deep a breath as he could manage in the confines. “I’m pretty sure you were bullshitting when you said you didn’t know enough about the hardware.”
“I didn’t say anything about not knowing enough about the hardware. That was you.”
“Yes. If it’s not configured properly, it’ll burn out. We’ve only got one shot at this,” he said, getting his breath back. “Can’t risk messing it up. No offense.”
“I would hardly mess it up,” Clio countered. “But have it your way.”
“Fucking STD,” he spat. “You should have seen the look on Grimshaw’s face when he found out what it’s called.”
Clio giggled. “You told him we named it an STD?”
“No. I told him you named it an STD.”
“You lying bastard,” she said defensively, her voice raising in pitch.
“Grimshaw said he wasn’t surprised,” Taza tried to laugh, but it came out a pathetic wheeze.
Clio sighed. “The Captain does like to judge.”
Taza continued to chuckle and finally brought himself back under control. “You should cut the old man some slack. He’s under a lot of pressure with the Council constantly on his ass.”
“Old man?” Clio laughed. “You’ve got to be older than him.”
“Maybe so, but I’ve aged better,” Taza said, pushing on. “How much further?”
“According to the map you gave me, you’ve got another hundred yards.”
Taza’s earpiece hummed as another channel opened. “The maintenance droid won’t be down your way for another three hours,” Zora cut in. “Take all the time you need.”
As always, Taza found her voice soothing, but for some reason, that irritated him all the more in the current situation. “You know, being nice doesn’t suit you.”
Zora laughed. “One of the few things we share in common.”
“Are you ready Clio?” he asked, ignoring Zora’s snide remark.
“At your current rate, my code will be uploaded long before you reach the end of that tunnel.”
“We’ll see about that,” he said, accepting the challenge and picking up the pace.
“Clio, you said something about a meeting with Minister Straiya,” Zora said. “How’d that go?”
Silence filled the radio wave for a long moment.
“Complicated,” Clio finally answered.
“One of the things I forgot,” Taza said, “was how damn complicated life is in the Overways, especially in Sentinel City. Makes me wonder why the hell everyone in the Underways wants to move up here.”
"Grass is always greener, I guess,” Clio said, sounding defeated.
“Fuck the grass!” Taza hissed, tired of being stuck in the tube. “This shit better work or I’m quitting and heading back to Bometown. With the White Dragons in-fighting, and their border dispute with the Abundus Clan, work won’t be hard to come by.”
“If only it were that easy,” Clio said.
“If only.” Taza moaned as he lifted his head and pushed forward another few inches.
“Part of the problem is neither of you know how to be content,” Zora piped in.
“Hard to be content when you and Mr. Wu are bent on getting me killed.”
“It’s a hazardous occupation,” Zora said, nonchalantly.
“Sometimes I wonder where Wu is,” Taza said.
“That makes the two of us,” Zora agreed. “I haven’t heard from him in months, and my precog data overdue an update. The longer I wait, the more inaccurate my projections become.”
“I mean right this minute,” Taza clarified. “If he’s still alive, is he eating or sleeping? Or maybe he’s taking a shit. Now that I think about it, do Omnion even do that?”
“It i
sn’t exactly something that springs to mind when speaking with one of the oldest beings in the galaxy,” Zora said.
“If I ever meet him again, that’s the first thing I’m gonna ask him.”
Clio sighed on the line. “Sometimes I have no idea what the hell you two are talking about.”
“Probably for the best, kid,” Taza said. He wiggled onward and finally reached the lip at the end of the shaft. He dropped into the adjacent vertical shaft and was relieved to find it was much broader than it had appeared on the station schematics he’d sourced. He climbed onto the narrow platform and his neck cracked as he stretched out the cramps. He pulled the STD from the smaller tunnel and checked it over to make sure it hadn’t been damaged.
“I’m on the platform, ready when you are Clio,” he muttered over the vox. “Your control chip better work.”
“Ready when I am? I’ve been waiting for the guts of an hour,” Clio’s voice cut into his ear. “The chip will work as long as you didn’t balls up when installing the housing.”
Taza couldn’t help but laugh at the kid's spirit. “You better watch that mouth of yours lest I kick your ass in our next training session.”
Zora chimed in. “He’s not all that good at kicking ass anyway.”
“I’ve noticed he’s getting slow,” Clio said. “Old age must be catching up on him.”
They both laughed at Taza’s expense, and he grinned. “Terrific, ladies.”
“Are you reading that movement, Zora?” Clio said, her voice suddenly more alarmed.
“Taza, you’ve got a bot coming down from above,” Zora said. “Must be a wild card. Better activate your jammer.”
“Okay, radio silence for now.” Taza cut the line and fumbled for the bio jammer Clio had built using Aphnai tech she had smuggled off the North Star. Taza didn’t know much about the race, but their communications technology was decades ahead of anything he had ever seen. They had tested the jamming device in the workshop, and it had disrupted all electromagnetic signals as expected, but they hadn’t had the opportunity to try it on a real maintenance bot. Few knew anything about the machines, and he couldn’t find anything on their scanning capabilities. I’ll never break the old gambling habit, he thought, smiling at the irony.
The Galactic Sentinel: Ultimate Edition: 4 Books with 2000+ Pages of Highly Entertaining Sci-Fi Space Adventure Page 41
