Huh, I guess it made sense that she wouldn’t know about it, but it seemed a bit uncanny to be explaining something so simple to her after all our time being together. Nevertheless, I did.
“Well, when two people love each other, they decide to make a declaration of that in front of all of their friends, family, and the government they are under. That’s called marriage, and it’s supposed to link them together forever.”
“That…that sounds nice.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” I remembered daydreaming when I was younger of finding some sort of perfect partner, one that was rich and smart and would whisk me away from my colony life. Those thoughts had long since faded, but I could still remember them at the edge of my subconscious.
“Higgens?”
“Yes, Mimi?”
“Let’s get married.”
If there was anything that could make me sit bolt upright, it was that. “Wait, you want to get what now?”
She turned to me, utter seriousness across her face. “I love you. I know that you may have been the first human I ever met, and some might argue that my love is clouded by that, but I know you are the most spectacular person I have ever met.
“Right now, we both know that I will live well beyond you, and that idea haunts me every day. So, if I’m going to have to live with the fact that I will lose you far too soon, then I want to cherish you as much as I can in the time we’ve been given.
“If this is how your people show commitment and love to each other, then I want to do it. So please, Higgens, will you marry me?”
I stared at her, my mind reeling. We had been so busy with, well, everything, that I had forgotten that was even an option. Was this what I wanted? I knew without a doubt that I loved Mimi like I could love no one else, and that I would never feel about anyone else the way I did about her. I knew that I was happy in the morning knowing she was by my side, and the weeks we had been separated by the coup had been pure torture.
“Yes! Yes, of course!” I slid off the bed and knelt before her.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s tradition. Remember the sim?”
“Oh! Proceed.”
“Thanks.” I took her hand in mine, and although I didn’t have a ring, I gripped the bottom of my worn tunic and pulled off a piece of fabric. Tying it around her finger, I held it to me. “Mimi, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
“But I was the one who asked you fir—”
“Mimi, just trust me.”
“Ah, sorry. Yes, Hjarta Higgens, I will marry you.”
I surged forward, and we embraced, lips pressing upon each other as my whole body welled with happiness. Somehow, despite all the lies, the strife, and the war, we had found each other. Out of the entire universe, it had chosen me to meet the stunning woman in front of me.
And I was never going to let go.
I would love her, protect her, listen to her, encourage her, support her, anything she needed, for the rest of my time with her. And although we knew she would go on to have centuries without me, I could take contentment in making sure the time we had together was the best that it could possibly be.
Because goodness knows, she deserved it. Since she had been reborn, life had been throwing her spiky, poisonous curveballs every step of the way, and she never grew sour. She never turned on me, even though I was a large part of the reason that she was in this mess.
“I love you,” I whispered against her lips, holding her as tightly as I could, as if that would somehow punctuate my feelings.
“And I love you.”
She kissed me again, and we fell to the bed where we continued to hold each other and would continue to do so until the day I drew my last breath.
11
The First Wave
Unsurprisingly, Mimi, Eske, and I were not included in most of the planning. Ciangi and Bahn were a bit more involved considering they were helping build one of the cargo-crafts we were going to use to help infiltrate the base.
How we knew about the base, I had no idea, and also why we were never imprisoned there was beyond me. I figured they would want to keep us in the place with the highest security and biggest facility, but apparently, there were secrets and supplies even more important than us.
By the time we were ready to go, I felt like I was going into battle with one eye covered. Maybe I should have attended more briefings or planning sessions, but Gonzales and her friends made it quite clear that they wanted only those necessary to attend.
How the shapeshifting alien who could literally survive missiles to the face was somehow unnecessary, I didn’t know, but I wasn’t a military strategist or genius like some of the people in our number. Actually, now that we had at least seven engineers by my last count, I was pretty useless overall.
I was fine with that. I didn’t need to be the center of the action anymore. I didn’t feel the need to prove myself. I had the love of my life, and we had accomplished quite a lot together. I didn’t mind being an assistant in this play instead of the main event.
So, when our first wave went into action, and I was standing on the bridge with Gonzales, the leader-man, and a few others, I felt interested rather than inadequate.
It had been about eight hours since our first wave went out. There were three spies who, in our day and a half of preparation, had managed to steal the identities of several workers so they could slip into the base. What had happened to the actual workers, I wasn’t sure, but Gonzales promised to me that they wouldn’t be killed or maimed unless absolutely necessary.
I believed her, but so many things could go wrong. I’d hate to think of someone innocent paying the price for the evils of the coup, but that was exactly what could happen.
Then there were our handful of hackers—Babel, Lim, Min-ho, and a few others. They apparently were setting up their own mini-site, closer to the base and separate from us. There were super scientific and hacker-specific reasons for that, but I didn’t really understand, so I just trusted them when they said it would give us a leg up.
“Third Splinter, confirming identity grab and approaching the base.”
The tension in the air ramped up as our comms buzzed to life for the first time since everyone had left.
“Good job. Remember, secrecy is of the utmost importance. If we blow our cover now, it will make everything else nearly impossible. So, if you think you’re being made, beat a hasty retreat.”
“Got ya. Over and out.”
Gonzales looked to the people beside her, and they all exchanged a look I didn’t quite understand. I guessed it was some sort of solidarity, or maybe a confirmation that they all realized the plan was truly kicking into gear.
A few minutes later, the comms came alive again.
“First Splinter, checking in. Identity has been successfully assumed and I am heading into the security check now.”
“Thank you, First Splinter.” Gonzales repeated the same warning she had told the other, minus a couple of words or so, then silence again.
“Come on, Second Splinter,” the leader-man mumbled. “Where are you?”
It was an hour before we heard anything again, and then it was the hackers checking in.
“Hey there.” I recognized Babel’s tone through the comms. “Sorry that took a bit. We had a bit of trouble with the encryption and scrambler that Aja made.”
“Ay, don’t be blaming my work!” Aja’s voice cracked through right after him. “It just seems that our old coup buddies have gotten a new decryption system and some better scanners. I had to make some adjustments on the fly, and that took some time. Good grief, you young ones want everything so instantaneously.”
“What, are you a thousand or something?”
“Just maybe!”
“Guys! Focus! Are you into their system?”
“Almost. We’re injecting into their networks now, but we have to do less than a thousand at a time, otherwise we could get locked out.”
“Um, yeah, whate
ver, just tell me when you’re in. We have two operatives who are attempting to infiltrate right now.”
“Well, isn’t that exciting,” Aja said tersely before cutting off the comm.
Gonzales didn’t seem to mind, however, and instead paced. I guessed that she was anxious for the second splinter that had yet to check in, but there wasn’t much she could do about it.
“First Splinter, checking in. I’ve made it inside and am assuming my post. Ceasing all communication until the engagement of the plan. Beginning the checklist now.”
“Roger, roger, over and out.” Naturally, that was not Gonzales who spoke. The day she used such official language was the day that she straightened her hair and wore her old uniform.
No, the weapons engineer seemed pretty preoccupied.
“Come on, Second Splinter. Come on.”
But nothing. Just silence. I knew that there was a kind of risk of our entire operation being blown before it even got started and we would have to go with our back up plan—which in my understanding, involved a whole lot more explosives and chances of casualties.
“Alright! We’re into the cameras! We’re trying to get into their security logs now. Radio silence until update.”
The hackers clicked off and it was silent again. The tension ramped up with every passing second, and I was beginning to worry that Gonzales was going to have a stroke.
“Second Splinter here, had a rough go, but I’ve assumed the identity of my target and I’m moving to enter the base now.”
A huge sigh of relief rushed through the room, and Gonzales visibly relaxed. “Thank God, you had me worried there.”
The person on the other end laughed lightly. “Don’t have to worry about me. Great thing about modern weapons is that they cauterize instantly.”
“Wait, you’ve been shot? Is your ability compromised? Do you need to abort?”
“Whoa, relax. I’m fine. Assuming radio silence until I’m in position.”
The comms went dead again, and Gonzales held up her hand for a high-five. Naturally, leader-man didn’t return it, but Eske snuck her long arm over and slapped the woman’s hand instead.
“Thanks. Anyway, now that that’s taken care of, let’s all suit up for the second wave.”
Suddenly, the bridge bustled into motion, everyone going this way or that with purpose, but I could only raise my hand and wait for Gonzales to notice me.
“What’s up, Higgens?”
“Um, what’s wave number two?”
Apparently, wave two consisted of us barreling down the door and getting the fight started.
Why that was wave number two in our four-wave plan was beyond me, but I was beginning to understand that I knew even less than I thought I had when it came to our big, crushing blow to the coup and corrupt part of the government.
I sat next to Mimi and Eske in our little hovercraft, twenty of us crammed in a vehicle that was meant for twelve. We were all armed to the teeth and equipped with guns I would rather not use.
“Splinter team, cue on whether the presents have been delivered,” Gonzales said into her comm.
“Splinter Three, delivering the last present now.”
“Splinter Two, I have two left.”
“Splinter One, I’m struggling a little here. I’ve got one present delivered, but I’ve gotten roped into a QA meeting.”
“How are you talking to us now then?”
“Excused myself to the bathroom, but I don’t have a lot of time before they get suspicious.”
“Do the best you can then, but we need your load in position.”
“What’s your ETA?”
“About five minutes.”
“Roger. I’ll do what I can.”
The comms went out again and Gonzales let out a breath before hailing our other hovercraft. “Did you get that?”
“I did.”
“What are we going to do if everything’s not in place?”
“What you and your friends always did before you met us.”
“And what might that be?”
“Improvise.”
Gonzales smirked at that, then switched over her comms to our second brain. “Aja, how sure are you that we’ll be able to stop them from detecting our approach?”
“Why did you rescue me from people who trusted my work if you were going to second-guess me every step of the way?” came the surly answer.
“Right. So, I take that as pretty confident?”
“Extremely confident, little missy. Now, if you excuse me, I’m working on disabling their auto-detection on their turrets.”
“Wait, there are turrets?” Ciangi asked in concern.
Gonzales just shrugged and gave her a cheeky grin. “Hey, you’re the one who was complaining about being sidelined.”
“I now see the error of my ways and recant.”
“Too late,” the weapons engineer shot back, perhaps a little too gleefully. “Be ready, everyone. The big breach is in less than three minutes now.”
I swallowed as we floated along in what essentially felt like a tin can. Well, if Mimi and I wanted to retire from this high-flying life, we were certainly going out with a bang.
12
The Second Wave
“ETA one minute. Walls are in sight.”
“Thanks, Wergo,” Gonzales said. “Can I get a visual sent to the holo back here?”
In the center of our cramped vehicle, a holo-map came to life. It took a second for the image to load then clarify, but then we were staring at the biggest base I had ever seen.
“This is what we’re storming?” I asked incredulously.
“Yeah. Why?” Gonzales asked, batting her eyelashes at me. “Are you intimidated?”
“Of course I am. Sure, we’ve managed to bust out of two of their places before, and bust back into one, but you could take all three of those and fit them inside of this place, then still have more wiggle room!”
Gonzales nodded, seemingly amused. “That’s how it goes in life, right? You take baby steps at first, and then bigger and bigger strides until you’re walking like an adult.”
“Yeah, but walking like an adult and sieging what might be the biggest military base I’ve ever seen are two very different things.”
“Fair enough. This one’s gonna be a whole lot more fun.”
“Has she always been like this?” Avery asked from across from us. None of the armor really fit her, so she had attached two upper leg deflectors to her biceps, then used binding tape to curl chest armor around her thick, skull-crushing thighs.
“Actually, I think it’s gotten worse,” Ciangi said, sticking out her tongue at her longtime friend.
“If by worse you mean better, then yeah.”
“Approaching the walls now!”
Suddenly all the banter cut off, and Gonzales was all business again.
“Splinters! Detonate your packages now!”
For a moment, nothing happened. There was no response, no crackling of the comms, but then a low rumble crept through the air, increasing until fire erupted from the wall in front of us.
A cheer sounded from everyone around me, and the wall suddenly exploded outward. The moment there was an opening, we surged forward so fast, the back of my helmeted head smacked against the wall.
I could feel that the hovercraft was going faster than it was ever meant to, the engines whining behind us, but just as suddenly as it started, it stopped, and I nearly flew out of my seat.
“Go, go, go!”
The door slammed open, a wave of dust and ash shooting up, and then we were all running into the fray.
What had once been a massive wall crumbled behind us, and in front of us was the smoldering remains of what looked like it might have been a high-security entrance. I didn’t need Gonzales yelling in my ear to run that way, so I did, gun at the ready.
I wasn’t alone either. The other hovercraft was unloading at the same time, and the thirty of us stormed the place like we were professionals—which
I guessed several of us were.
Everything was chaos all around us. Obviously, there were competent soldiers running to find cover or laying down fire to try to hold us off, but between the explosions and others running for cover, there was only so much they could do. It wouldn’t be so easy once we got down into the lower levels, where security was bound to be tighter, so I figured I might as well be grateful while it lasted.
Ahead of me, I saw a soldier crouching behind a pile of rubble, aiming for Gonzales as she sprinted forward. That wouldn’t do at all, so I rushed as fast as I could, vaulting over the rubble and landing right over his back.
I dropped my gun, choosing instead to get my arms around his neck in a chokehold. If I could just make him pass out instead of ending his life, I would be pretty happy with that. He reared back the moment he knew what was happening, kicking and writhing, but I held on until he stilled.
When I let him go, I checked his pulse. Yes, he was still alive. That was one thing to be grateful for.
“Higgens!”
I heard someone cry my name and whipped toward the sound only to see the barrel of an ion rifle aimed right at me in my peripheral vision. Instantly, I collapsed to the ground, pressing myself flat as a beam of energy shot across my chest, scoring the armor there.
I rolled onto my belly, trying to find an escape route and realizing that I had lost my gun in the process, only for Eske to dive-tackle the soldier about twenty feet from me.
I scrambled to my feet and rushed over to help her, but by the time I reached them, she had already slammed the butt of her own gun into his head and ended the scuffle quite quickly.
“Here,” she said, handing me his rifle. “Don’t lose this one, okay?”
“I’ll try not to,” I answered. It still felt uncomfortable in my grip. I much preferred when we were fighting aliens who didn’t look, sound, or smell like us.
“They’re trying to shut down the elevators!” I heard someone cry over the comms. Aja maybe? Or Lim. It was hard to tell over the maelstrom of noise around us.
Mimic Changes the World Page 7
