Conspiracy

by A. K. DuBoff

  An alarm sounded, echoing in the compact chamber.

  “What now?” Sandren’s pulse spiked.

  Kira’s face drained. She began cycling through the ship’s systems to identify the issue. “Sir, we’re venting atmosphere.”

  “Where? How?”

  On the floor, Kaen chuckled to himself. “Stop trying to override the nav controls and I’ll halt the leak.”

  Kira scoffed. “Have you forgotten about our suits?”

  “You might want to look at it more closely,” Kaen replied.

  Sandren looked down at his suit and was horrified to see a gash running along the side of his torso. It must have been ripped in our fight earlier, or maybe when I landed, he realized. So much for having a functional pressure suit.

  “You’ll die with us,” he told Kaen.

  “Oh, no. This physical form is convenient, but it is not my only means of being. If you don’t want to die, then stop resisting.”

  “Too late. Course is already set back to the Guard base,” Kira replied.

  “Is it, now?” Kaen smirked. “Then why haven’t we turned around?”

  Sandren ran to look over Kira’s shoulder at the controls. “The destination is still set to Gaelon.”

  “I changed it!” Kira re-entered the Guard base and the system reset again. “It keeps overriding it. Why haven’t we jumped?”

  Fok! Sandren took a steadying breath.

  “Oh! The nav console is resetting,” Kira realized. “Shite, that means we’ll probably jump as soon as it finishes.”

  “What are our options?”

  “We could try the full system reset, but after seeing this, I’m not sure it will work. At a minimum, I imagine we’ll lose life support, like we feared.”

  “Do it.”

  “But, sir, your suit…”

  “I’ll get the patch kit. We can’t risk a jump to subspace,” Sandren said with a tone of finality.

  Kira nodded and turned her attention to initiating the reset.

  Sandren leaped over Kaen to access the back storage area of the ship. The patch kit was where it should be in a cabinet near the entry airlock. The materials hardly looked like something that would hold up long-term, but it would have to do. He hurriedly placed the adhesive strips along the tear. By the time he was finished, Kira had completed the preparations for the reset.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  “You’re making a mistake,” Kaen objected from the deck.

  “If you don’t want us to do this, then that means it’s exactly what we should be doing,” Sandren shot back. He nodded to Kira. “Proceed.”

  “Here it goes.” She initiated the restart sequence.

  All the mechanical and electrical systems cut out, leaving the cockpit in darkness. The artificial gravity released, and Sandren slowly floated upward. His stomach turned over, but he took calming breaths to settle his senses.

  He waited to the count of sixty before concern began to set in. “Why hasn’t it come back on?”

  “I don’t know,” Kira replied through the black to Sandren’s right.

  Great, we’re going to be floating out here until we die. That kind of thinking wouldn’t solve the situation. “How visible are we out here powered down?”

  “Not very.” Just the slightest hint of concern edged into Kira’s voice. “Do you think the Guard will have sent a rescue ship by now?”

  “That’s my hope. I did get off the distress call before the shutdown.”

  “Good, and we haven’t altered course.”

  “All the same, we’re a speck in the black. We need to activate the emergency beacon.” Sandren shook his head. “Which was probably right below the patch kit. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “We all have a few things on our minds. Don’t worry about it,” Kira assured him.

  Feeling his way through the dark, Sandren worked through the door into the open area surrounding the airlock. He followed his mental map of where he’d just been, feeling in front of him for a latch to the cabinet. There was no way he’d be able to locate and activate a beacon on feel alone, but there was one item he knew exactly how to find if he could just get the cabinet open.

  His hand found the handle and pulled. He ran his fingers along the inside panel of the door, and a cool cylinder met his probing touch.

  “Watch your eyes,” he warned Kira. With his own eyes closed, he activated the flashlight.

  Red light illuminated the cabin, casting an eerie glow in the small space.

  Sandren checked below the patch kit, finding nothing. He moved on to the adjacent cabinet.

  “Who outfitted this place?” he grumbled aloud.

  “I don’t think this ship was ever meant to venture out on its own,” Kira replied from the adjacent room.

  Sandren opened another cabinet, and his light found its mark: an orange box with all manner of emergency markings. “Got it!”

  Without hesitation, he activated the beacon.

  He carefully propelled himself back toward Kira in the cockpit. “Now we wait.”

  Kaen scowled below where he was secured to the bottom deck.

  “What will we tell everyone about the colonel?” Kira asked.

  “I’ll think of something. Maybe that he was exposed to a contagion and needs to go into quarantine,” Sandren suggested.

  “Why not the truth?” Kira asked.

  “Maybe. But we don’t want mass hysteria with people accusing each other of being subverted just because someone is acting a little off or having a bad day. We’ll need to be clear about the extent of the telepathic control.”

  Kira frowned. “But we don’t know that yet.”

  “My concerns exactly.” Sandren sighed. “Like I said, we’ll think of something.”

  They waited in relative silence for another five minutes until a shudder ran through the ship.

  Sandren’s heart leaped as he saw the interior of a cargo bay envelop the Lisbeth II, complete with the Guard emblem printed on the wall.

  “Thank the stars!” Kira relaxed.

  “All in a day’s work,” Sandren said with a grin. He was drawn back to the deck as the artificial gravity of the larger ship took over.

  Kira didn’t seem to share his enthusiasm. “There’s still the concern about the aliens—or whatever they are—coming for him.” She glanced at Kaen.

  “Orion Station is one of the most defensible locations we have at our disposal. Until we understand the situation, I think it’s the best place we can be,” Sandren replied.

  She nodded.

  Sandren took a deep breath as he regained his footing. “All right, Captain. Let’s go have a chat with this Nox.”

  CHAPTER 12

  “Any word back from the Guard?” President Joris asked Ellen as soon as she stepped into his office.

  “No.” Ellen closed the door. She wished she had information to bring him, but after her brief conversation with Leon, she’d been unable to raise any of her contacts.

  “Shite.” Joris sank into his chair. “If Colonel Kaen is subverted, do you think there are others?”

  “Maybe. Who’s to know?” Ellen walked over to sit across from the president in one of the visitor chairs.

  “It’s times like this when I wished Elusia had a bigger military presence.”

  “We’re in the Empire now. They have that muscle to bear on our behalf.”

  “And what good does that do when they won’t return our calls?” Joris grumbled.

  “I know, sir,” Ellen said in a calm, even tone that belied her private concerns. “We could reach out to the High Dynasty council instead.”

  “No time to jump through those administrative hoops—Mysar could attack us at any moment. If the Guard isn’t responding to this matter, who’s to say anyone else in the Empire would come to our aid in time?”

  Ellen wished she had an answer. “We have an agreement with them. We need to trust in our new alliance.”

  The president eyed her. “Do you really be
lieve that?”

  She was about to give a vague deflection but stopped herself. “The recent changes in Taran government were made to give individual worlds more autonomy. We can’t go running to the authorities on Tararia with every problem.”

  “Especially if the Guard has subverted members of its own leadership.”

  “Yes, sir. My concerns, as well.”

  “So, we need to take matters into our own hands,” Joris mused, steepling his fingers.

  “We don’t have military might, but there is one thing more valuable.”

  “Information,” Joris completed for her.

  “Precisely.”

  “But to gather information of sufficient value, one would need access to places no Elusian in their right mind would dare enter, given the current political environment.”

  Ellen tilted her head. “Not all of us are Elusian.”

  Joris dropped his hands to the desktop. “I wasn’t suggesting—”

  “No, sir, I know you weren’t. But I am.”

  He focused on her. “What are you thinking?”

  Ellen leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. “Well, I was initially sent to Elusia through an organization secretly working on behalf of the Mysaran government. The position afforded me a number of government contacts. One, in particular, remained a… I wouldn’t call him quite a friend, but more than a casual work acquaintance.”

  Joris raised an eyebrow. “A romantic entanglement?”

  “No, nothing like that. He was something of a mentor to me.” She paused. “We’ve spoken since I took this new job with you. He expressed an interest in working together again, should the circumstances align.”

  “That would be impossible so long as Mysar remains outside the Empire.”

  Ellen nodded. “But perhaps that offers a reason for a visit. The topic of Elusian and Mysaran relations remains a critical subject regardless of the outside political pressures.”

  “They still want the Elvar Trinary to remain independent. I doubt they’d be receptive to discussion of unification.”

  “No,” Ellen agreed, “but I can tell them what they do want to hear.”

  “Paint yourself as a traitor to me?”

  “It would fit with my original mission objective. For all they know, this promotion within the Elusian government was all a ruse to get close while I remained loyal to my origins.”

  Joris paled. “That’s just the scheming talking, right?”

  She gave him a reassuring smile. “Sir, when I pledged myself to you, I meant every word. Elusia is my future. I promise.”

  He didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded.

  “The cover story would make for an ideal entry back into the Mysaran ranks. It would grant me access.”

  “That it would,” Joris mused. He looked her over. “This would be dangerous for you.”

  “It will, sir, but I owe it to you and Elusia to take the risk.”

  “I can’t ask you to do this.”

  “I’m volunteering.”

  He considered her offer. “What would be your strategy?”

  “Get in, gather some information, and provide assistance for the Guard to get inside.”

  “Would they truly infiltrate a foreign nation’s capital building?”

  Ellen shrugged. “It’s an easier sell than infiltrating, say, this building on Elusia. Outsiders are enemies, allies must be treated as friends. You wouldn’t walk into a friend’s house uninvited.”

  “But with an enemy, you do whatever is necessary to protect your own interests.” Joris nodded, tapping his fingertips together. “So you go in, pave the way, and then…?”

  “I get the Guard access to Chancellor Hale.”

  Joris frowned. “I know that’s the end game, but if the plan fails…”

  “We’ll have the Guard fully engaged by that point. They’d be obligated to come to our aid.”

  “I hate making plans contingent on so many hypotheticals.”

  “Isn’t that the root of politics, anticipating potential moves and countering future actions three steps ahead?”

  Joris smiled. “Three steps would be child’s play.”

  “You’re in agreement, then,” Ellen replied with a slight smile of her own.

  “You’re confident in your contact? What would you tell him?”

  “That I have a close working relationship with you, which provides access. There are either possibilities to improve diplomatic relations through the official channels, or I can work through backchannels to get the Mysarans what they really want.”

  “The independence of the entire Elvar Trinary.”

  “Precisely. And my bet is that they’ll use any means necessary to accomplish that goal.”

  “Agreed.” Joris sighed. “But what if the Guard refuses to move in after you’ve laid the groundwork?”

  “That’s the beauty of the plan,” Ellen replied with a smile. “If the Mysarans try anything underhanded with me, that would mean that I, an Elusian citizen—a citizen of the Taran Empire—am in danger. The Guard will be obligated to intervene.”

  “Forcing their hand to act won’t win us any favor.”

  “Easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.”

  Joris chuckled. “That adage is always irksome on the receiving end.”

  “At least by the time we have to beg, we’ll have something to show for it,” Ellen pointed out.

  “If all goes well, yes.”

  Ellen looked the president square in his eyes. “Let me do this, sir. I think it’s our best chance to spur action before the Mysarans can mount an offensive against us.”

  “Make the arrangements,” he consented. “But I expect you back here unharmed. I’ve grown rather fond of your speechwriting.”

  “Yes, sir. I have many more yet to write.” She rose from her chair.

  “Good luck.” Joris paused. “And if this is meant to be disguised as an official diplomatic engagement, you should take Nico,” he suggested.

  “I can’t in good conscience bring someone else into that level of danger.”

  “Not into the facility,” Joris clarified, “just a ship docked at the main station. Someone through whom to relay information. He can be trusted.”

  She nodded. “Good idea, sir. I’ll speak with him.”

  “Be careful. I’ll see you soon.”

  Ellen departed with a deferential nod. She stopped by Nico’s post at the reception desk on her way out. He was surprised by the request, but in the style of any good assistant, he asked only enough questions to ensure he had the correct information to complete the travel arrangements. After receiving assurance that her transportation would be arranged, Ellen return to her office to have the more difficult conversations.

  Her first call was to Leon, her best chance of getting through to anyone with the Guard. She set up an encrypted channel and entered the direct line he gave her, but she got no answer. She tried again.

  Finally, the video feed activated. “Ellen, what is it?” he demanded by way of greeting.

  “Hello to you, too.”

  “This isn’t a great time.” Leon’s violet eyes had a hint of red.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “There’s a… situation here,” her brother replied.

  “What—”

  “I can’t talk about it, Ellen. Tell me why you called so I can get back to my work.”

  For a moment, she had second thoughts about telling him her plan. She hated to see her younger brother so distressed, and what she was about to say would only make matters worse. But, for the sake of Elusia—and Valta, by extension—she knew what she had to do.

  “Leon, I’m going to Mysar,” she stated.

  He processed the words for a full ten seconds. “You’re… What for?”

  “If the Guard won’t take action, then we have to.”

  Leon groaned. “The Guard will take care of Hale, Ellen. We’re dealing with a more urgent issue right now, but it’s n
ext on the list, I promise.”

  “Good, then I’ll be in place when they’re ready to move in.”

  “Ellen, don’t be stupid.”

  “I’m not. You think the Guard—however good they are—can just walk into a secure government facility and take the chancellor without bringing all manner of grief down on themselves?”

  He stared back at her. “Yes, that is exactly what they do all the time. It is literally their specialty.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “That’s not my problem. Stay on Elusia. We’ll take care of this.”

  “Well, I’ve talked with President Joris. This is how we want to proceed.”

  “Ellen, don’t,” Leon cautioned. “The subverted members of the government may have telepathic abilities. They’ll know you’re lying to them.”

  “Good thing Kira taught us about mental guards when we were kids then, huh?”

  “Maybe those can stand up to a casual gleaning, but if someone really wants information—”

  “If it comes to that, then it’s already too late.”

  “Precisely why you shouldn’t do this!”

  She shook her head. “It’s easy for you to be dismissive from your place, removed from the day-to-day life of people over here. Mysar could attack us and we’d be defenseless!”

  Leon massaged the bridge of his nose. “Ellen, you’re being reactionary and rash. There’s more going on here than you know. Let us deal with this the right way.”

  “I’m going to Mysar,” she insisted. “I’ll be in touch once I’m in position.”

  “No, don’t—”

  “Pass on my message to whoever it is that makes decisions. We’ll fix the system together.” She ended the call before he could protest further.

  The call could have gone better, but at least she got the message out. She had every confidence Leon would tell the right people to light a fire within the Guard. Hopefully, her next communication would be more productive. With her heart pounding in her ears, she dialed her contact on Mysar.

  “Hi, Dominic,” she greeted. “Would you still like to work together?”

  CHAPTER 13

  Kira had never been so relieved to return to Orion Station. While she’d been on her share of dangerous missions over the years, an impromptu spacewalk was at the bottom of her list of ways for how to have a good time.