Conspiracy

by A. K. DuBoff

  Chastising herself wouldn’t change the present situation, though, so she set the thought aside.

  “Come with me.” Dominic led her out of his office.

  The location of the chancellor’s council chambers were well-known to Ellen from her previous time working in the Mysaran government building, but the location seemed much more confined within the structure now that she wasn’t confident she’d have a clear path out.

  She and Dominic took the elevator up to Level 2 above the surface, and then passed through several administrative wings within the squat government building before they arrived at the outer entrance to the chancellor’s chambers. Guards waited outside the doors—the only armed guards Ellen had seen beyond those posted at the outer entrance—and they stiffened when she approached.

  “Name and appointment?” the guard on the right asked.

  “Dominic Thoreau. I don’t need an appointment,” he replied.

  The guard conferred with a screen mounted next to the door. “Go ahead.”

  The second guard swung the entry door open so Ellen and Dominic could enter.

  Inside, a spacious anteroom was furnished with ornate two couches facing one another, a coffee table between them, and sophisticated artwork around the walls. The most notable feature of the room, however, was a bank of broad windows along the right wall—a rare luxury outside one of the biodomes.

  Ellen looked upon the furnishings with a suitable level of admiration without gawking, to which Dominic responded with a knowing smile.

  “This is your chance to enter the Mysaran elite, Ellen. Loyal civil servants can go far.”

  The loyalty part was where she was going to run into trouble, at least when it came to which master she pledged to. She nodded. “I’m here to serve.”

  Dominic took a seat on the couch with a view out the window, and Ellen sat down beside him.

  As soon as they were settled, a door on the back wall, to Ellen’s left, opened, and the Mysaran chancellor emerged.

  Cynthia Hale had a strong presence about her, even from a distance. Knowing what she did now, Ellen wondered if that stemmed from the alien controlling her or if it was that spark that had attracted the alien to Hale as a host in the first place.

  Ellen and Dominic rose out of respect when the chancellor entered, and she gave them a nod.

  “Chancellor, thank you for taking a meeting without notice,” Dominic said. “I just had a rather intriguing conversation with Ellen here, and I think you’d be interested in what she has to say.”

  Hale’s gaze turned to Ellen as she gracefully lowered herself to the couch across from the two visitors.

  Ellen could feel the older woman skim her mind. I serve Mysar. Elusia stands in our way, she thought to herself as a cover for her inner thoughts. She wasn’t sure her mental guards would hold up to intense scrutiny, but she may as well put up the best show she could.

  The chancellor lingered for several moments, and then Ellen felt her mental presence withdraw. “And who are you, Ellen?”

  “Ellen Calleti, ma’am. I’m from Valta, but I attended school here on Mysar. I began working with the government as an intern, and I quickly realized Mysar’s culture more closely aligned with my own ways of thinking than my homeworld.”

  “Yet, you are now the Elusian president’s new press secretary, correct?” Hale raised an eyebrow.

  Ellen nodded. “A little over two years ago, I was approached by the Sovereign. I was sent to Elusia to get close to the administration so that I could kill the president, should the need arise.”

  “I am quite familiar with this organization and the intent,” Hale revealed. “I’m the one who wrote their mission statement.”

  Ellen had suspected as much, but she was surprised the chancellor would be so candid. “A cause I believe in, ma’am. I’m still upset that the president moved forward with rejoining the Empire so quickly. I didn’t have a chance to act.”

  “You maintained your close place. Why?” the chancellor asked.

  “That’s why I invited Ellen here to speak with you,” Dominic interjected. “She presented a plan that would give Mysar permanent independence.”

  Ellen nodded. “In my time working on Elusia, I had contact with a covert ops group within the Tararian Guard. I learned through those interactions that the Empire is somewhat selective about the matters they get involved in. A world such as Elusia doesn’t have much to offer and, therefore, will take a lower priority when it comes to dealing with potential issues. If Mysar were to make a direct move against Elusia, the Empire could easily overwhelm us, wipe us out. But what we want is for the entire system to be left alone. We need to make the Empire distrust Elusia itself. If the Empire decides Elusia should not be a member, they’d leave and never come back.”

  Hale nodded. “And I take it you have a strategy to make that happen?”

  “I do. Now, what could little Elusia do that would be a threat to the Taran Empire?” Ellen asked rhetorically.

  Hale glanced at Dominic, then gave Ellen a questioning look.

  “You threaten the thing that allows them to maintain control over their domain: the navigation beacon network,” Ellen continued. “Make it look like Elusia is trying to hack the beacon outside the Elvar Trinary—to have any transit to the system be on their terms. After such tampering, effective or not, the Empire will assume Elusia was disingenuous in their intentions about the free and open exchange of resources as a member world, and they’ll withdraw.”

  The chancellor leaned back on the couch. “That is a very interesting plan, indeed.”

  — — —

  Leon and Doctor Elric studied the monitor inlaid in the lab’s wall. Having Jared in custody offered too great a research opportunity to waste any time during the two days they were authorized to study him.

  “What’s next?” Leon asked the Guard doctor.

  “This is your lab, I’m just here as a consultant,” Elric replied.

  “You know the Guard’s operations, though. I’m an outsider.” Leon turned back to the tray where they had the sample of the live nanites collected from Jared.

  They had an array of chemicals on hand to add to the sample to gauge reactions. It was how they had determined the baseline mixture to give Kaen, but Leon was interested to see what would happen if they went the opposite direction with the dosing.

  To maintain as much scientific rigor as possible, they had been adding controlled amounts of the chemicals in sequential order. The findings supported their initial observations that neurochemicals associated with positive emotional experience suppressed this particular strain of nanites while those linked with sadness or aggression fueled the nanite’s functions.

  Leon was particularly interested to find out how the nanites behaved when introduced into a new host. Of course, they couldn’t actually expose a person to the nanites, so his study was restricted to what he could observe in test batches and within Jared. Unfortunately, the time with their subject was running down far too quickly.

  Doctor Elric eased into one of the tall chairs at the workstation. “I’m used to dealing with Taran technology—and even some newly rediscovered tech from the Aesir—but this,” he pointed to the graphic on the screen, “is something else entirely. It’s all disjointed.”

  “What could it mean?” Leon asked.

  The doctor took a deep breath. “If I had to speculate, I’d say that this race has adopted pieces from different sources and cobbled it together.”

  “That means that there are other aliens out there.”

  “Likely, but we’ve always suspected that,” Elric continued.

  “At any rate, how do we fight these guys?” Leon pointed at the screen. “We think they’re in Gaelon, but if they have no bodies, what do we look for?”

  “There is that issue, yes.”

  Leon nodded. “It concerns me that their base may be so close to my home system.”

  “On the flip side, that proximity is what made your home the w
ay it is,” the doctor said. “We know the tech is alien in origin, yet it’s markedly similar to seemingly naturally occurring neural structures in native Valtans. Add in that your people in the Elvar Trinary never venture into Gaelon despite it being the neighboring system, and the entire situation sounds like a conspiracy orchestrated by this master race.”

  “Especially since we know they have embedded themselves in the Mysaran government.”

  “Precisely.”

  Leon thought for a moment. “We need to learn more about the nanotech’s mode of transmittal.”

  “Agreed. I’d like to be certain we won’t have new subverted officers walking around with no notice.”

  “No kidding.”

  “In the meantime,” Elric continued, “I think I have enough data to devise a vaccine, of sorts, to prevent the nanites from being able to create a TR.”

  “That’s a major step forward.” Leon paused. “What do we say about the nature of the nanotech?”

  The doctor shrugged. “It’s alien and it’s dangerous. We can treat the symptoms here, but to stop the menace, they’ll have to go to the source. Once Kira’s team gets the chancellor, we’ll know where that is.”

  CHAPTER 18

  The Raven dropped into orbit around Mysar in full stealth mode. Kira had been on a number of missions that required a silent approach, but never before had she gone after a world leader.

  “I’ll check in with Colonel Kaen. Stand by,” Kira instructed her team and then headed to the private communications booth.

  Kaen answered her video call after ten seconds. “What’s your status?”

  “Just arrived, sir.”

  “Excellent. President Joris relayed information about the transport ship Ellen used to get to Mysar. One of his administrative assistants, named Nico, is waiting for you at the spacedock. He can provide the specifics.”

  Information appeared on the screen detailing how to contact the Elusian ship. “Understood, sir.”

  “You have clearance to use Nico as a point of contact while you’re on the surface, and he can relay information back to us. The encrypted signals will draw less attention if they’re going to a known ship.”

  “Can he be trusted, sir?”

  “I have the Elusian president’s word.”

  Considering that President Joris trusted Ellen and she was an assassin sent to kill him, I’m not sure the man is a great judge of character. Kira nodded. “We’ll use our best discretion for communications.”

  “Good luck on the surface. I’ll be awaiting your report.” Kaen terminated the comm link.

  Kira sighed. This entire op is a shiteshow through and through.

  She was used to improvising and adapting to situations with questionable intel, but the combination of complications in this case were starting to add up. Even though she was never one to back down from a challenge, there were many more lives than her own on the line.

  After taking a minute to clear her head, Kira opened an encrypted channel with Nico’s transport ship.

  The video feed resolved on the wall-mounted viewscreen. A young man was seated at a communication station similar to her own. “You must be Kira,” he stated. “I know communicating through an intermediary isn’t ideal, but it was the best solution Ellen and I could come up with on short notice.”

  “That’s what happens when you don’t think through a plan! You should have left this to the Guard.”

  “I wasn’t a part of that decision.” Nico spread his hands on the tabletop. “What I can tell you is how Ellen will facilitate your access to the government building.”

  “I’m listening.”

  He cleared his throat. “So, Ellen used to work closely with a man named Dominic when she was employed as a Mysaran administrator. As I understand it, he officially holds a place in the Mysaran government, but he’s the main liaison with the underground group responsible for all the advocacy for Mysaran independence, the Sovereign. The government pulls the strings for the actions this group carries out. He got Ellen her place in the Elusian Alliance.”

  Kira eyed him.

  “Yes, I’m aware of why she was originally sent to Elusia,” Nico revealed. “The president granted her an official pardon, and I processed the executive order.”

  “And you still trust her coming back here?”

  He nodded. “I spoke with her at length during the trip over. She’s changed her thinking. I believe in the right for people to learn and grow.”

  “I agree.” Kira paused. “All right, so she’s convinced Dominic that she wants in again. How does that help my team get to the chancellor?”

  “Because the Sovereign collaborate more closely with the government than most realize—even those who know about the arrangement. Dominic, and now Ellen by extension, regularly lets members of the Sovereign into the capital building for strategy meetings. They have a back entrance for that occasion, and it’s the only time the security system is deactivated, so there isn’t an official record. Ellen will have access to that meeting schedule and can tell you exactly where to go to avoid the security system.”

  Kira crossed her arms. “That’s great, and all, but we have stealth suits. We need to get down there as soon as possible, not wait for one of these meetings to happen.”

  “There’s one tonight.”

  “Oh.”

  “Ellen sent me a datapacket with the details,” Nico continued. “Would you like me to forward it?”

  “Okay, I have to admit, that will be helpful, but this doesn’t forgive the fact that she ran in without clearing her plan with the Guard.”

  “You can bring that matter up with her yourself in…” Nico checked the time, “three hours. She’ll be waiting for you at the entrance to the council chambers.”

  An indicator on the screen blinked as the datapacket transferred to the Raven.

  “Thanks, Nico. I’ll have the crew relay any relevant information once we’re down in the field. Be prepared to rendezvous back at Elusia.”

  “We’ll be standing by. May the stars be with you.”

  — — —

  The meeting with the chancellor had gone surprisingly well. Chancellor Hale had asked Ellen precisely the right questions to show that she was engaged with her idea. Everything seemed to be going to plan.

  Now seated in the back corner of a room filled with cubicles, Ellen assessed her work station and surroundings. How closely will they be monitoring my communications?

  If nothing else, she needed to look the part a Sovereign loyalist while she waited for the Guard to arrive. She made coded notes about her meeting with the chancellor, using the organization’s secret vernacular. Everything was presented as official Mysaran government business using a code, so a discussion of a new water pipeline could really be a conversation about positioning mercenaries to seize an Elusian supply cache.

  When she’d completed the plan overview, Ellen peeked over the edge of her cubicle to see if any of her coworkers were paying attention to her. They all appeared to be absorbed in their work.

  I better do this while I have the chance. Ellen took a deep breath and began the riskiest part of her venture yet.

  It was one thing to lie to a person but quite another to try to fool a computer. Though piggybacking a personal message on an official communication was as challenging as it was risky, it was critical she confirm the details about the Sovereign’s meeting schedule for Nico so he could relay the information to the Guard. Assuming they received the information, the Guard team should land on the planet in another hour.

  There was nothing more for Ellen to do before then. Now how should I look busy?

  Approaching footfalls drew her attention. Ellen craned her neck to see who was coming. To her horror, she saw three guards wearing body armor.

  Oh, shite! She ducked back into her cubicle. Being in the back corner, she had nowhere to run except straight past the approaching guards. Did that latest communication give me away?

  Her mind raced, tryi
ng to think of how she’d explain her actions. She held her breath while she prayed to the stars that the guards weren’t coming for her. Of course, she couldn’t be so lucky.

  The three soldiers turned down her aisle. Two stopped three meters from her while the other continued ahead until he blocked the entrance to her cube.

  “Ellen Calleti.” It was a statement not a question.

  She swallowed. “Is there a problem?”

  The burly man scoffed. “That depends on whether or not you want to cooperate.”

  “I’m here as a servant to the Mysaran government. Why wouldn’t I?”

  The guard shook his head. “It really didn’t take long for you to confirm our suspicions.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ellen insisted, even as an icy chill gripped her chest.

  “Did you think we were that stupid? That you could contact an Elusian ship without us knowing?”

  Ellen bristled. “Yes, of course I’m communicating with that ship! I was sent here on official Elusian business, and I need to keep up appearances. I have a designated contact on that vessel. I wasn’t hiding anything from you.”

  The guard consulted with the colleagues. Another guard nodded.

  “All the same,” he continued, “we need to take you in for further questioning. Standard procedure. If you have nothing to hide, then you don’t have anything to worry about.”

  “Have you talked to Dominic about this?”

  “He’s the one who requested we take you in,” the guard replied.

  Ellen’s heart dropped. “He—”

  “Well, it wasn’t me, exactly,” Dominic said, coming up behind the guards.

  She pivoted to address him. “I just got here! Why are you—”

  “Oh, Ellen.” Dominic leaned against the cubicle divider of an adjacent workspace. “You honestly believed you could get back in with us this easily?”

  “I was loyal—”

  “Oh, at the time, yes,” he agreed. “But we know you’re one of the Elusians now. We’re not sure who you’re working with, precisely, but this was all a ploy to gather information, no?”