“Probably not.”
“Do you think they know these mountains as well as we do?”
“No.”
His father smiled. “Maybe we can even the odds a little.”
Jon looked back, trying to catch a glimpse of who was hunting them. He saw nothing but trees. He listened, but heard nothing more than birds.
By late afternoon they were trudging up a steep incline through the forest. Jon’s leg’s ached from the effort and his socks felt like they had hardened and glued themselves to his feet. His shirt was drenched with sweat, and he had dirt caked everywhere from the adventure in the caves. When had he last eaten? He had grabbed a few berries a few hours back, but nothing else. His stomach growled. Did the Chaanisar get hungry? Were they tired? The stories said they didn’t feel any pain. Were they true? Could they be killed? They were human, or at least they had started that way. A shot through the heart should work just as well on them as on any human. He wanted to find out.
When they climbed up out of the forest Jon thought he had an idea of what his father had in mind. They had emerged into a narrow mountain pass. They stood on a thin path surrounded by sheer rock faces. He stopped and stared up at the cliffs, his shoulders heavy with intimidation.
“Are you ready for your climb?” asked his father.
Jon said nothing. He felt beaten. Exhausted and hungry, he didn’t know if he had another climb left in him. Was there an alternative? Wait for the Chaanisar to catch up and finish the job? No. He’d let himself fall off a cliff before giving them the satisfaction.
“I’m ready,” he said, grimly.
“Good. What we’re going to do is put those bastards into a crossfire. We each climb one of the cliffs, take cover and wait. When they show up we’ll let them get in between us and then we open fire.” He looked each one of them in the eyes. “Chaanisar are fast. If you’ve never fought them you’ll be surprised at just how fast they can move. Stay calm. We have the high ground. No matter how fast they are they still need to climb to get at us. We’ll have lots of time to pick them off. Any questions?”
Jon shook his head, as did his two cousins.
“Okay, let’s get into position.”
Jon picked his cliff and started yet another climb. He cursed as he grabbed hold of some rock and pulled himself up. As conditioned as his body and fingers were, he suddenly didn’t trust them. Pain coursed through his fingers, up his arms, and into his shoulders. The possibility of falling now became very real.
After what felt like hours, he found himself a decent perch. A man sized chunk of rock jutted out from the rock face providing a small nook for him to squeeze into. His long limbs barely fit in the cramped hiding spot, but he welcomed the opportunity to rest. Jon didn’t know when the Chaanisar would appear, but he hoped they would take their time. So long as he didn’t fall asleep he figured the break would do him some good.
The Chaanisar did take their time and dusk had started to set in. Jo
As if they had heard his wishes, dusk had started to set in with no sign of the Chaanisar. Jon watched the path and worried about nightfall. Could they know about the ambush? Was that possible? They might be waiting for the cover of darkness to make their move. Their bodies had been enhanced, could they have night vision? If so, they could sneak up on their position and take them by surprise. He shook his head, trying to expel the negative thoughts. There was certainly a possibility that his father was wrong. It made him somewhat hopeful, until he tried to remember a time when his father was actually wrong.
The faint sound of a small stone grinding into the earth told him someone approached. He shouldered his weapon and waited. Two figures began to emerge from the forest. Other than the Juttari uniforms, they looked like normal men. He studied them as they walked, looking for signs of technology, but there was nothing. No indication that they were any different than him. They held their weapons ready, slowly moving down the path. They acted like they knew something was wrong. How? They raised their weapons and scanned the rock faces surrounding them.
You’re right, thought Jon. This is a great place for an ambush.
Jon watched as one of them scanned toward his direction. His weapon steadily panned across until it came across his position, and stopped.
“Shit!” said Jon, as the weapon fired. He ducked behind the rock as blue energy bolts crashed all around him. He squeezed in tight, trying desperately to keep his body out of the line of fire. How had he seen him?
The sound of weapon fire echoed throughout the pass, but it didn’t seem to be pointed at him. He peeked out from his position and could no longer see either of the Chaanisar. The weapon fire came from his father and his cousins. It crisscrossed underneath him. He followed the direction of the fire, trying to spot the enemy. They were climbing.
He spotted one on the cliff opposite him. Damn he moved fast. Jon joined in the attack, but repeatedly missed the man. Each time he got him in his cross hairs and fired, the man leaped away. Jon had never seen anything like it. The man climbed with the agility of a mountain goat, jumping effortlessly from one location to another, never once losing his footing.
Their tactics weren’t working. The Chaanisar were anticipating their fire and simply getting out of the way. His target would soon be on top of Michael’s position. He had to stop him before that, but how? He would use the Chaanisar’s own tactics against him, that’s how. He jumped out of the way by either knowing, or anticipating, when he was fired upon. Jon would let his cousin fire at the man, and he would anticipate his jump and fire there. He watched as his cousin chased him up the cliff, saw the pattern, and pulled the trigger.
The Chaanisar seemed to realize his mistake in mid-air. His arms and legs shot out, searching for something to grab to halt his momentum. A blur of movement, but only a fraction of a second to adapt. It wasn’t enough, not even for an augmented super human, and he sailed into Jon’s volley. The energy bolts ripped into his back, his limbs found no purchase on the rocks, and he fell to his death. He hit the ground and didn’t move, still Jon followed up with more energy blasts to make sure. This time he didn’t jump out of the way.
The Chaanisar could be killed.
Weapon fire crashed into the rock face only a few meters below his position, alerting him to the coming danger. Jon whipped his gun around and tried to find the other man. He saw movement below him and fired, but didn’t hit anything. Damn it, where is he. He followed the weapon fire and tried the same trick, anticipating the man’s tactics. It didn’t work. He could hear the man climbing now, and began to feel very exposed. He tried shooting again, but only saw his bolts hit barren rock.
The impact knocked the weapon out of his hand. Jon didn’t even get off a shot. He had been ready, knowing that the man was close. He was going to blast the man the second he saw him. But he didn’t see him. Before he even registered the movement he had been hit with incredible force. Raw instinct saved him. The force had sent both of them hurtling off the perch and somehow Jon managed to get a hand out and find a rock to hold onto.
Unfortunately the Chaanisar had also grabbed hold of Jon’s legs. He couldn’t believe the man’s strength. He looked down as the man reached up and grabbed hold of Jon’s cloak. In that moment of life and death, Jon managed to look into the man’s eyes, and he saw nothing. No fear, no anger, no humanity. Whatever he had been was no more. Jon watched an energy bolt streak across the mountain pass and burn into the man’s back. He exhaled sharply, but kept his grip. The man held Jon’s gaze as a second bolt hit, and for a fleeting moment, as the man fell, Jon thought he saw a smile.
Chapter 20
“I’m so happy for you,” said Prime Minister Sallas. “This is wonderful news.”
“I still can’t believe it,” said Doctor Ellerbeck, sitting cross legged across from Sallas’s desk, eyes wide with wonder. “And what are they doing in a Chaanisar ship, of all things?”
“That will be an interesting story, I’m sure. We can hear it first hand when the
y arrive.”
“Captain Pike is coming to the surface?”
“Yes, he is flying down with this Colonel Bast and a couple of their men.”
“Colonel Bast? I don’t know that name.”
“He is the Chaanisar commander.”
“I see. I’ll need some time to get used to that. Either way, I can’t wait to see the Captain.”
“I can’t wait to learn about this jump technology they have.” He thought about how the ship vanished and reappeared in orbit around New Byzantium. If they had access to that type of tech they could even the odds against the Kemmar. “How far can they travel using it?”
“I’ve already told you too much. I’m really not supposed to talk about it.”
“Technically you’d be talking about Juttari technology, not Space Force.”
“Yes, that’s a clever way of looking at it, but I think I’ll let the Captain decide how much to tell you.”
Sallas noticed the way her tone changed when she spoke about Captain Pike. “You think highly of your Captain, don’t you?”
She seemed surprised by the question. “The Captain is unique, and very capable,” she said.
“He must be to earn your respect. I look forward to meeting him.” He wondered how this would change things. He had grown attached to her in the time they had spent together. What would she do now that her people were here? Would she just pack up and leave? Could he convince her to stay?
“You had mentioned that the ship you were on had been destroyed,” said Sallas.
“Yes, that’s correct. The Captain destroyed the Hermes to prevent its capture by the Kemmar.”
He probed further. “It seems that much of your crew is aboard this Chaanisar vessel. Do you think they’d want to stay on board?”
“I wouldn’t think so, but then I would’ve never expected to see them on that ship to begin with.”
“It must be hard for them to have to rely on a former enemy’s hospitality.”
“It can’t be easy,” said Ellerbeck. “But I don’t know all the details yet. Maybe they think the Chaanisar will take them home, although I can’t see that happening.”
“Why not?”
“They said they revolted against the Juttari. Doing something like that out here is one thing, but heading back to Sol in a Juttari Heavy Cruiser is another. If they encountered any other Juttari ships along the way their rebellion would come to an end. That ship has some very important technology on board. I imagine the whole Juttari Empire will be looking for it.”
“I have an idea,” Sallas pronounced.
Ellerbeck cocked her head. “I’m listening.”
“What if I make it so your crew can settle on New Byzantium? I’m sure they have a lot to offer us. We can provide them with homes, and positions within our government.”
“Captain Pike is not the bureaucratic type,” she said, with a mischievous smile.
“When I say the government, I am including the military.”
“As I said, I don’t know what their situation is, but they might find your offer interesting. What about the Chaanisar?”
“Do you think they would want to settle here?”
“I have no idea what they would want. If they really have revolted against the Juttari, then this would be the first time they have had free will since they were children. They might be interested.”
“Then it’s decided. The offer will be open to everyone on board that ship.” He felt like patting himself on the back. He could gain access to the jump technology and keep Dr. Ellerbeck on New Byzantium.
His feeling of victory was abruptly cut short when the doors to his office burst open. Soldiers stormed into the room with weapons drawn.
Outraged, Sallas stood and said, “What is the meaning of this. How dare you barge into my office?”
The soldiers didn’t respond. Instead they took positions around his office while two soldiers flanked his desk. Was there a threat against him? Were they here for protection? He thought that the most likely answer, but their silence made him nervous. Someone should have offered an explanation. He was the Prime Minister. He could have them court marshalled for disobeying him, yet they continued to ignore him. What gave them that type of confidence? His stomach turned when General Juneau strode into his office.
“What the hell is going on here, General?”
“Your arrest, Mr. Sallas, that’s what is going on here,” said Juneau, dismissively.
“Arrest? On what charges?”
“Unfortunately I can’t arrest you for incompetence, so how does treason sound? It seems you have been selling state secrets to the Kemmar Empire.”
“What? That’s ridiculous.”
“We believe the Kemmar have infiltrated all corners of the government. We are therefore declaring a state of emergency, and placing New Byzantium under martial law until all conspirators have been rooted out.” Juneau nodded to the two soldiers standing on either side of Sallas and they seized him by the arms.
“Let go of me! You can’t do this General.”
“Really? I thought I was doing it.” He glanced over at Dr. Ellerbeck and said, “Dr. Ellerbeck is a co-conspirator. Arrest her as well.”
“You can’t arrest me,” said Ellerbeck, pushing the soldier approaching her. “I’ve done nothing but try to help.” The soldier seized her by the arm, visibly angry that she had touched him. He wrenched the arm behind her back and she cried out in pain.
“Let her go you son of a bitch,” said Sallas, fighting the two men holding his arms.
The soldier who had hold of Ellerbeck looked back at him, pulled out his sidearm and pressed it against Ellerbeck’s head. She suddenly became very still.
“I suggest you go along peacefully,” said General Juneau. “My men despise traitors.”
Sallas stopped fighting. “Fine. I’ll go. Just take the gun away from her head.”
The two men restrained Sallas’s hands behind his back and the third soldier holstered his weapon and restrained the now compliant Dr. Ellerbeck.
“Take them away,” ordered Juneau.
The two men yanked on Sallas’s elbows. Pain spiked up his arms into his shoulders. He looked at Juneau as he left. The man walked around to his desk and sat down in his chair, a smug look on his face.
The old bastard was staging a coup.
***
“It’s done,” said Juneau to the wrinkled face appearing on the communicator.
“Is he dead?” asked Franz Stumpf, CEO of Amboss Corporation.
“He’s in custody. I can’t just kill him. He’ll need to stand trial first.”
“You need to shoot that bastard right now, or he’ll come back to haunt you,” said Stumpf, clearly annoyed.
“It doesn’t matter. I have deployed heavy weapons at strategic points throughout New Byzantium. The troops have been mobilized, and martial law has been declared. As we speak my men are rounding up members of Sallas’s ruling party on charges of corruption and treason. The planet is ours.”
“I hope so, General. We’ve put a lot of faith in you.”
“You won’t be disappointed, Sir.”
“This should send a clear message,” proclaimed Stumpf, a thick vein throbbing at his temple. “This democracy movement on New Byzantium has given the other populations too many bad ideas. People think they can just do away with corporate rule on a whim. Well all that is going to change. When will you start rounding up the activists?”
“We have lists already drawn up of outspoken supporters of the democratic movement. Phase one targets members of the ruling party. Phase two will target the intelligentsia. Phase three the supporters.”
“Good. That should give the other planets something to think about.”
“I’m sure it will,” said Juneau.
“No matter. We’ll make our move on the other planets soon enough. We’ll run media campaigns first, showing how the democracy movement on New Byzantium was merely a front. How Sallas and his party were sec
retly supporting the Kemmar. We’ll show videos of Kemmar brutality against the Otan. Frighten the masses. Then we’ll round up the activists and charge them with sedition and treason. I don’t foresee any problems.”
“It is a good plan, Sir.”
“That it is. Very well, keep me updated,” said Stumpf and terminated the communication.
Juneau sat back in the Prime Minister’s chair. Now his chair. He ran a hand across the desk’s fine wood grains. Satisfied. His plan had been executed with speed and precision. His ambition finally realized. He was now the ruler of New Byzantium.
Chapter 21
“I think I’ll find a nice beach house somewhere,” said Seiben, looking at the shuttle’s display of the planet’s surface. “Darla and the kids will like that.”
“You’ll love it,” said Kevin. “I grew up on an island. I went swimming every day when I was a kid. Do you swim?”
“No, I guess I’ll have to learn.”
“How about you guys?” said Kevin, looking at Colonel Bast and Lieutenant Jarvi. “Did the Juttari teach you how to swim?”
“The Chaanisar are trained to adapt to any planetary condition,” said Jarvi.
“Does that mean you can swim?” Kevin asked, smirking.
“Yes, Chief St. Clair, we are superior swimmers.”
“Superior? I think you’ll have to prove that.”
“You know we are augmented. We can surpass an unaugmented human in almost any activity,” said Jarvi.
“I know one activity you’re not superior at,” said Seiben, with a wide grin on his face.
“What activity is that?” Jarvi asked.
Seiben and Kevin both broke out into laughter. Bast and Jarvi seemed confused. Jon rolled his eyes and looked back at the display. They were flying over one of the planet’s massive oceans, heading to meet with Dr. Ellerbeck and Prime Minister Sallas. He was excited to see Dr. Ellerbeck again. She had always been good to him and he genuinely liked her. He also needed her advice on the symbiont. He needed to know if it would become a problem again.
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