by Lee Stephen
Murmurs grew around the table.
“I believe it’s his way of removing EDEN from the equation, without us suspecting a thing. The more soldiers EDEN loses, the more Nightmen are put in their place. Records show that the Nightman population in Novosibirsk has increased by almost fifty percent over the past two years, and it’s not slowing. And in truth…we don’t know how many Nightmen he has. We can only tally the Nightmen who are doubly registered as EDEN soldiers—we may have lost the majority already. It’s improbable, but not impossible.”
Torokin looked over to Grinkov, who in return gave him a pointed stare. This was big. This was the first concrete evidence EDEN had of Thoor undermining their influence. This was not going to be ignored.
Castellnou was the first to make sure of it.
“I told you!” he said, leaping from his chair and pointing at Pauling. “You have insisted that we let Thoor do what he pleases, that he is a special situation! Now we see how special he is!”
Richard Lena followed suit. “We’ve said, time and time again, that we can’t let him go on like this.” Chatter broke throughout the room.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Pauling said, wiping his brow. “Please…let us at least think this through…”
“Enough thinking!” shouted Castellnou. “We think too much! It is time to do!”
“Gentlemen,” said Judge Blake, “we need a course of action. Right now we’ve got nothing.” He turned his head to Archer. “Judge Archer, can you come up with a procedure for this? A proposal? Something for us to look at and consider?”
“I can.”
Torokin stared at Blake in disbelief. Without even thinking it through, he entered the verbal fray. “Why do you give this task to only Archer? Is this not something that involves all of us?”
“With all due respect, Leonid, we have collectively failed. Archer has the wind at his back. God forbid we take away his momentum.”
“Then maybe Archer should be president. He gets to make all the decisions.”
Both Grinkov and Lena raised their eyebrows at Torokin’s remark. Archer watched in silence.
“That was uncalled for,” Blake said. “If you’re envious of Judge Archer’s work, then maybe you should have taken a more proactive stance against Thoor yourself.”
“He has done nothing but restate what we already knew. Did any man here doubt that Thoor had his own priorities? Did anyone think that he cared whatsoever about EDEN’s goals? Why does this matter now? If Thoor wants Novosibirsk, let him have it. What does it matter to us?”
“It matters because Novosibirsk is ours. It belongs to EDEN.”
“But it fights the same war! Do you care more about EDEN or Earth?”
Judge Carol June, the American with the auburn shag haircut, interrupted him. “We’re making progress, Torokin. Why are you against that?”
Torokin pointed his glare at her. “I am not against progress. I am against one man alone deciding which way we should go.”
“I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention,” she answered, “but that one man is pulling his weight. Maybe you should give it a try.”
“Dura,” Torokin spat at her. Grinkov’s eyebrows shot up at the Russian remark. “This should be something we discuss. Don’t give all the decisions to one man.”
“Leonid,” Grinkov whispered as he leaned close to Torokin, “what is wrong with you? They are not letting him make all the decisions—he is only coming up with a proposal.”
Torokin averted his focus to respond. “He has been here for barely a week and we are worshipping him.”
“No, we are not. He is only coming up with a proposal. Why are you acting like this?”
“Because I don’t like him!” he whispered passionately. “I can’t tell you why. I just don’t!”
“Judge Archer,” Pauling said, interrupting the hushed exchange. “Come up with a proposal. We’ll decide what to do with it when you’re through.”
“Mr. President…” urged Torokin.
“That’s my decision,” Pauling said firmly, turning to Torokin. “End of discussion.”
The Russian judge growled under his breath.
“This has been a lot to digest. Benjamin, is there anything else you discovered that we need to talk about?”
Archer shook his head, though his eyes lingered on Torokin. “No, sir. Those were for the most part all of my findings.”
“We’ll convene again when your proposal is finished.”
It took no second command for Torokin to leave. As soon as the president dismissed them, the ex-Vector shoved back his chair and stormed out of the conference room. Grinkov and Lena were hot on his heels.
“Leonid,” Grinkov said. “Please, wait.”
“What do you want?” Torokin asked, still walking.
“Tell me why you are so upset. What did Archer do?”
“He’s done everything. That’s why I’m upset.”
Keeping pace behind them, Lena interjected. “Wait a minute, what’s going on? Is something wrong with Archer?”
“I do not know,” Grinkov shrugged. “I don’t know what the problem is.”
“Leonid?”
Torokin turned around in the hallway. “There is something about him. I can’t tell you what it is, because I do not know. But there is something that makes me feel wrong. Even when I spoke with him earlier, before all of this, I felt it. I do not like a politician, not at all.”
“Look, I’m not crazy about someone replacing Darryl either, but the bottom line is that ‘Sir Benjamin’ is making ground. Isn’t that good?”
“I don’t know. Is it good?” Torokin turned around to walk again. “He came in without a discussion. Rath gave him to Pauling, and Pauling appointed him judge. The rest of us had nothing to say. And now look at him.”
“Exactly,” Lena said. “Look at him. He’s doing great. What’s not to like?”
“There were many others who could have been chosen. Uta Volbrecht, Rene Demange, Bastiaan Platis—”
“So essentially anybody from Vector?”
“General Platis was never in Vector, and you know that’s not what I meant. We need people of war, not of talk.”
“Leonid,” said Grinkov behind him, “we both were not sure about Archer when we met him. But like it or not, so far he has given us good things. We are finally seeing results in something that has plagued us for years. What could be better now?”
Torokin snapped back around. “It would have been better if we’d had a choice.” Then he stopped. He looked past Grinkov and Lena to the younger man standing behind them. The younger man who had silently caught up. It was Archer.
Grinkov and Lena turned just as Torokin saw him. Archer stood in the middle of the hallway, his amber eyes resting on Torokin. A look of uncertainty swept over the new judge. Grinkov and Lena stepped aside as Archer approached.
“Judge Torokin, if you please, I’d like a chance to talk to you. I realize it may not be desired.”
Torokin was silent as he scrutinized Kentwood’s replacement. The man whom no one had seen coming. He glanced at Grinkov and Lena, giving them a subtle nod. The two other judges stepped away.
Archer approached Torokin and continued past him down the hall. “Please, will you walk with me?” Torokin cast a final glance back to his two friends, then turned to join Archer’s company. “I understand your words,” he said as soon as they were out of earshot, “and I realize that you have your reservations about me.”
Torokin drew a deliberate breath, but said nothing.
“I’m sorry,” Archer sighed. “I truly am. It was not my choice to be nominated judge. When the offer came, I saw it as an opportunity—an opportunity to excel. Believe me when I say, that’s all I wish to do. My convictions are the same as yours.”
“You replace a good man.”
“I know. Prior to coming here, I’d never met any judges. Judge Rath knew of me purely from hearsay. But as I’ve been here, I’ve had the privil
ege to examine what the High Command accomplish. I know Judge Kentwood had contributed great things. I wish to contribute great things as well.”
They rounded a corner in the hallway as Archer continued. “My wish is that everyone here would respect me. No man doesn’t wish that for himself. But I realize that trust comes with camaraderie and experience.” He turned his gaze to meet Torokin’s. “I respect that you have reservations. I look forward to proving them wrong.” He smiled faintly. “All I ask for is the opportunity to do that. I want to earn your trust—as trust should be earned. May I do that?”
“My trust is not that important.”
“It is to me. I do look up to you. You were a Vector.”
“Have you ever been in combat?”
Archer said disappointingly, “I’m afraid the answer is no. My roles have always been administrative.”
“That is why I do not trust you,” Torokin replied. “Only half of us have been on the battlefield. Myself, Grinkov, Lena. Rath, President Pauling, Castellnou…then Yu Jun Dao, and that’s it. The rest of the judges have never fired a weapon.”
“Did Judge Kentwood?”
“No.”
“And you trusted him, did you not?”
“He proved himself with time. I respected him.”
Archer stopped walking. “And that is all that I ask. I ask for the chance to do the very same thing. Judge Rath placed a great deal of trust in me. It’s not my intent to betray it.”
“You are off to a good start,” Torokin said, as he resumed walking again. “You have captured all the others’ attention with Novosibirsk.”
Archer chuckled as he kept by Torokin’s side. “Well, it wasn’t much, but thank you. As I said when I’d first met you, I’d like to think myself a tactician. It’s essential that I notice details.” He caught himself in the midst of a laugh. “But to be perfectly honest…” His hesitated as his words trailed off.
“What?”
“It’s nothing, I’m sorry.”
Torokin stopped and faced him. “No, tell me. What?”
Archer hesitated again, then he sighed. After a brief glance to ensure their privacy, he spoke to Torokin in hushed words. “To be honest, I’m shocked this wasn’t noticed before. The information I found wasn’t hidden. I don’t think anyone bothered to look.”
Torokin didn’t like what he heard. But he agreed.
“Who was in charge of Novosibirsk?”
“No one,” Torokin answered. “Occasionally someone would look into it, but…it was always only discussed. Nothing was done.” Thoor was sent letters—that was it. Letters of unenforced warning.
Archer frowned. “Has the Council always been run that inefficiently?” Torokin shot him a glare, and he quickly reworded. “What I mean by that is, how could that have been allowed to go on for so long?”
“There were doubts concerning its importance. Even I had some of them.”
“I certainly don’t question hesitation. But it’s the total lack of research that’s surprising.”
Those words stung him. President Pauling wasn’t perfect, but he had Earth’s best interests at heart. Nonetheless, he was the one who continually delayed action against Thoor. Torokin understood why. “You will take care of that now, I am sure.”
“I’ll do what’s required of me. Hopefully in a way that brings everyone together.”
“If you do that, even I will be impressed.”
“If I can do that, will you trust me?”
“If you can do that,” Torokin answered, “I will worship you.”
“Then that shall be my mission,” Archer said solemnly.
“Good luck.”
“Luck won’t have anything to do with it,” Archer said with some confidence. “You’ll see.” As he turned to walk away, he gave Torokin a final nod. “Farewell, my friend. You’ll be seeing my progress very soon.” Torokin offered the new judge a closing smile, and the two men went their separate ways.
Torokin still wasn’t buying it. Kentwood had been an honorable man, and there were more reputable choices to replace him. There were men and women of war—not discussion.
But Archer was doing something. He was doing something no one else in the High Command had bothered to do. Something Pauling never made a necessity.
He was getting to the bottom of Novosibirsk.
He had no idea whether the new judge’s proposal would indeed be something that would bring everyone together. If it was, it’d be an epic accomplishment. But for now, he’d keep his reservations about Archer. For now, he still didn’t like him.
No more meetings were called that day, and nothing more was made of that morning’s. Grinkov and Lena joined Torokin that evening for a card game of preferans, as they always did, and though Archer was mentioned in their banter, little was said about his private chat with the ex-Vector. For the most part, the conversation was lighthearted. Torokin would give Archer a chance to prove himself.
That was plenty enough.
15
Monday, August 8, 0011 NE
1540 hours
Novosibirsk, Russia
Shortly after their return to Novosibirsk, the Fourteenth completely split up. Galina and Varvara escorted Maksim and Clarke to the infirmary, where Clarke was told to remain for a day for precautionary reasons. Maksim’s rehabilitation would last considerably longer—almost two months. It was a tough break for the demolitionist alpha.
As for the Pariah, the gun mount was inspected thoroughly. After an overhaul from the technical crew, it was returned to functionality. No explanation was uncovered for its failure, but no one was surprised.
Esther had disappeared. She had unloaded the Pariah with the rest of the unit, then promptly escaped from their presence. Though Becan made an initial effort to find her, David persuaded him to stop, suggesting it would be best to give her time to herself.
The other members of the unit hung in the most awkward silence they’d experienced since the death of Lieutenant Novikov. Even Dostoevsky—the lone remaining Nightman of the Fourteenth—seemed affected. He abandoned the crew immediately after the Pariah was geared down. No one stood in his way.
The Eighth returned shortly after, where the full extent of their casualties came to light. Of the eighteen members of the demolitionist squad, seven were dead, including the unit’s second in command. Four were wounded, two critically. William and Derrick had come out of the battle unscathed. It was the only good news the Fourteenth heard.
The rest of the afternoon was a strange mix of rest, restlessness, and the foreboding sensation that at any moment, someone in the unit would snap. Scott did not return to Room 14, and the general consensus was that leaving him alone was the best thing to do.
Nonetheless, even the lieutenant’s absence was not enough to quell the morbid atmosphere in the unit. It was an atmosphere that demanded discussion. When Becan and Jayden stepped into Room 14’s lounge, David and Travis were already waiting. “What took you two so long?” David asked. His left arm was cradled across his stomach.
Jayden walked to the counter and slid his hands in his pockets.
“We went lookin’ for Esty,” Becan said. “How’s your shoulder?”
David frowned. “I’ll live. And if I recall, I already talked to you about Esther.”
“Righ’, I know, yeh told me to leave her alone. Well, I couldn’t do tha’.”
“Did you find her?”
“I did. She was sittin’ outside alone, wantin’ to quit.”
David sighed.
“The girl’s gone loopers. Every time yeh say somethin’, she jumps. I think she’s goin’ to need a bleedin’ shrink.”
“I never seen someone act like that before,” said Jayden. “I couldn’t believe it.”
“I can believe it,” David said. “After what she went through, absolutely.”
“Did Scott hit ‘er?”
“Yeah.”
“Man…that’s insane.”
“Righ’, well, Remmy’s
a bit insane at the moment, if yeh haven’t already noticed.”
“We’ve all noticed,” said Travis.
At Travis’s words, David shook his head. “It’s only going to get worse now.”
“Wha’ do yeh mean?”
“Scott needed this mission. That’s the only reason he went. He needed to kill something. He needed to release. Nothing got released.”
“Esty migh’ disagree,” Becan said.
“What Scott did to Esther—that was the tip of the iceberg. He wanted to explode out there. He wanted to pour every bit of his anger out on the Ceratopians. And they tore our tails off instead.”
“I bet that’s why he got so mad at the captain,” Jayden said. “When the captain said we were leaving.”
“Scott’s a volcano with a cork right now. At some point, he’s going to erupt.”
“I can’t believe the captain even let him go on the mission,” said Travis. “I mean, the guy just lost his fiancee. He should be mourning right now.”
“He’s more focused on revenge than remorse,” David said.
“I wouldn’t want to be the guy that killed Nicole right now.”
“Speaking of that,” said David, “if by some chance one of you finds out who that guy was, I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell Scott.”
“Why not?” Becan asked.
“Because I have no doubt Scott would kill him.”
“Righ’. Well, maybe tha’s a good thing. One less Nightman in the world.”
“Maybe we should tell Esther that, too,” Jayden said, ignoring Becan. “If she finds out who did it, not to tell Scott.”
“I doubt he goes looking for Esther anytime soon,” David said, “but you’re still right. It’s better for Scott that way.”
“I say you’re both wrong. Let Remmy kill every one o’ them.”
“That’s impossible, man,” answered Jayden. “Even Scott knows that. He’s gotta.”
“The last thing we need is another war on top of the one we already have,” said David. “If we find out who did it, we’ll deal with it then.”
