by Jacob Holo
“What do you want me to do?” Miyuki asked. “Fire on them?”
“Uhh ... umm ... hold on. I have an idea.” Ryu grabbed a maneuvering bottle from his belt.
“Ryu, what are you doing?” Naomi asked.
“I’m going to create a distraction,” Ryu said. He loaded his desired trajectory into the bottle’s micromind.
“Don’t do it,” Naomi said.
“Too late,” Ryu said, triggering the bottle to fire. The jet of cold gas altered his trajectory. Yellow lines danced across his visual overlay, they settled onto a new part of Apocalypse.
“You’re going to land on the habitat ring,” Miyuki said. “About halfway between Naomi and the others.”
“I’ll worry about that later,” Ryu said. “What about those blackhawks?”
“No change yet,” Miyuki said. “Wait ... looks like they’re altering course. They’re heading for you.”
“Good,” Ryu said. He set up two timers in the bottle’s micromind and tied them to its smartskin illusion and the gas valve.
The blackhawks closed in, blotting out stars behind them. They had small bubble cockpits extending ahead of three massive engines. Gun pods and missile racks were slung underneath and above their stub wings.
“Ryu, they’re almost on top of you,” Miyuki said.
“I see that,” Ryu said. “Here goes.”
Ryu pitched the bottle at the lead blackhawk. His program executed, timers counting down until the first triggered. The bottle fired short gas bursts, oriented itself to face the blackhawk’s cockpit and then opened the valve fully. The bottle rocketed toward the blackhawk. With only a hundred meters to go, the second timer finished. Its smartskin reduced the illusion fidelity by five percent, changing it from undetectable to barely there.
The bottle struck the cockpit dead on and bounced off, corkscrewing wildly.
The four interceptors cut their engines. Inertia brought them closer.
“So,” Ryu said. “Was that junk pitched into space by a free trader? Or was it gear from a dragon infiltration team?”
The four interceptors floated closer. Ryu grabbed the spare bottle off his belt. Beneath him, Apocalypse filled almost half the sky.
“Come on,” Ryu said. “Just ignore it. No one likes chasing space junk.”
The interceptors were so close Ryu could see the face of the lead pilot. The Feddie spoke as he looked around. He shook his head, said something else, nodded, and grabbed the flight stick. The lead blackhawk veered off. The other three turned and followed.
Ryu let out a long exhale.
“You’re about to land,” Miyuki said. “That patrol is still nearby, but they shouldn’t bother with a gas pocket so close to Apocalypse.”
“Right,” Ryu said. “I’m not looking forward to this.”
Beneath his feet, the habitat ring rushed towards him. It was rotating awfully fast.
Ryu loaded the deceleration program into his spare bottle. The trigger point was a fat yellow dot on his trajectory line. He passed through it and the bottle fired, slowing his descent.
With fifty meters to go, Ryu switched his palms and boot soles to maximum friction. He landed feet first and stuck. The habitat ring’s rotation whipped him to one side, twisting his knees.
“Arrgh!” Ryu shouted. He slapped his hands against the ring’s hull, feeling the force of one gee pulling him “down” into space.
“Naomi, watch your landing,” Ryu said. “That rotation is a pain! Don’t get flung into space.”
“I can handle it,” she said.
“Target reached!” Cat said. Her locator beacon blinked in Ryu’s overlay half a kilometer down Apocalypse’s non-rotating cylinder.
“Target reached,” Toshi said, with a precise landing. “No problems.”
“Here it comes,” Naomi said. She slammed into the habitat ring four hundred meters downspin from Ryu. “Fuck!”
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. Damn, that hurt.”
“Cat, Toshi, proceed on mission,” Ryu said. “Naomi, stay where you are. I’ll come to you.”
“Okay.”
Ryu crawled along the ring’s hull, maintaining multiple points of contact at all times. Earth slowly passed over his head. He spotted Penance within the sky’s orbital clutter. It was uncomfortably close.
“I’ve hacked into the station’s SolarNet,” Cat said. “Proceeding to our next objective.”
“Ryu, I have a problem,” Naomi said. “There’s a Feddie spacewalk patrol heading my way. I need to dodge them.”
“Can you head towards me?”
“No. They’re between us.” Naomi tagged the Feddie patrol’s location. “There’s a hatch near my position. The map says it leads to a condemned section of the ring that still glows in the dark. I should be safe in there.”
“Okay,” Ryu said. “I’ll meet you inside.”
“Right ...”
Ryu crawled along until he reached a thicket of communication antennas. Four Feddies in pressure armor and jetpacks paced along the thicket’s far side. They carried multitrackers and M20 carbines.
“Naomi, are you sure that patrol was a threat?” Ryu asked. “Looks like they’re sweeping towards my position, not yours.”
“They weren’t when I saw them.”
The Feddie regulars kicked off the ring, engaged their jetpacks, and flew over the antenna thicket. Ryu checked to either side. The thicket extended from one edge of the ring to the other. Going through was the fastest way to Naomi.
“I’m heading in,” Ryu said.
“There’s a lot of SolarNet traffic passing through those antennas,” Cat said. “Don’t touch them.”
“Easy for you to say.”
Ryu weaved through the antennas, sometimes only keeping a hand or foot in contact with the hull while navigating the maze of aerials and mast radiators.
One of the Feddies landed where Ryu had entered the thicket. He turned and swept his multitracker back and forth.
“Your proximity is causing SolarNet static,” Cat said.
“Shit!” Ryu said. He grabbed his rifle and aimed at the Feddie’s head.
The Feddie moved closer, holding his multitracker at arm’s length.
“Cat, talk to me,” Ryu said. “Does he know I’m here or is he just being thorough?”
“I’m breaking into his channel now.”
“Cat, hurry. He’s getting close.”
“Hold your fire.”
“If he suspects ...”
“Hold your fire, Ryu. He’s calling in a maintenance ticket. You’re clear.”
The Feddie pushed off the hull and jetted over to the rest of his patrol.
Ryu stowed his rifle and finished weaving through the antenna thicket. He crawled across the hull to the hatch Naomi had entered. She’d already bypassed the lock and security devices with her hacking glove. Ryu opened the hatch, climbed in, and pulled it shut.
The interior was pitch black. His suit’s Geiger counter displayed two lines on his overlay indicating exposure limits. A regular human shouldn’t spend more than a day in this part of the station. A dragon could spend years inside with few ill effects.
“I’m in, Naomi.”
No response.
“Naomi? You hear me?”
“I ... yeah ...”
Something in the tone of her voice set Ryu’s mind on edge. He took a bending corridor to a hatch on the ceiling and climbed up through the airlock Naomi had hacked.
Naomi sat on a pipe in a small room above the airlock, leaning on her rifle. A light tube glowed over their heads, illuminating the particles of rust floating in the air. His suit didn’t detect any SolarNet traffic.
Ryu switched to a private channel. Matriarch could listen in, but that was all.
“What’s going on?” Ryu asked.
“I’m sorry ...” Naomi said. It took him a moment to realize she was crying.
“You’re sorry? About what? About screwing up your jump?”
>
Naomi shook her head. “No, I messed it up on purpose.”
“You what?”
Naomi took her helmet off. Tears trickled down her pale face. She wiped them away with a ghostly limb.
“I want out, Ryu. I want the implants out. I want my old life back. I just want it over, but I can’t even do this right.”
“Whatever your problem is, now is not the time.”
“I’ve lost my nerve,” she said. “I can’t go through with this.”
“Yes, you can. Come on!”
“No, you don’t understand,” Naomi said. “I messed up my jump because I wanted to land away from you.”
“Why would you do something like that?”
“Aren’t you listening? I want out. I want out of all of it.”
“You ...” It suddenly hit Ryu. It was impossible. It couldn’t happen. But it was happening right now in front of him. “No, there’s no way. There’s no fucking way!”
Naomi sniffed. She nodded her head.
Ryu took a step back. Without thinking, his rifle was in his hands. Naomi didn’t move.
“I don’t believe this,” he said. “You want to defect?”
“Yeah ... that’s why I volunteered ... but I can’t go through with it.”
“How could you?”
Naomi looked away.
“I trusted you!”
“I know ...”
“How could you be so stupid?”
“I’m tired, Ryu. I just want it to end. I don’t care how any more.”
“I don’t believe this!”
“I’m sorry ...”
Ryu felt his mind spinning. It didn’t seem possible. It didn’t make sense!
But that doesn’t matter, he thought. It’s happening. The impossible is happening right in front of me, and I have to do something about it. I have complete our mission, no matter how sick doing this makes me feel.
I have to. What choice do I have?
Slowly, Ryu raised his rifle and put the barrel against Naomi’s forehead. She looked up at him with tear-streaked eyes but said nothing.
Chapter 7
.. establishing link ...
source: [UNKNOWN]
routing: [UNKNOWN]
routing: [UNKNOWN]
routing: [UNKNOWN]
routing: Earth orbit - surveillance satellite JDN-SS-17 - link_002/link_001
routing: North Pacifica, Europa - JDN Main TangleNet Hub - link_118/link_010
routing: Capitol City, Europa - TangleNet Test Hub - link_005/link_001
destination: [UNKNOWN]
link distance: Exact distance unknown. Estimated at 792 million kilometers.
link signal delay: 0.006 seconds
... finalizing link protocol ...
... link established ...
2: I want answers, Sakura.
1: Hello, Paul. It’s so pleasant to have you call for a change.
2: Don’t get cute with me. You’re doing something near Apocalypse. I explicitly told you it was off limits.
1: I am on Europa. How could I do anything in Earth orbit?
2: Don’t parse words with me. The Raspberry’s flight path is too convenient. It just happened to arrive when the New Carolina and Apocalypse orbits are closest.
1: You’re jumping at shadows.
2: Am I? What is it? Another spy satellite? Perhaps you’re trying to infiltrate Apocalypse through its SolarNet connections? Soft intrusions won’t work. I’ve seen to that long ago.
1: Paul, I did nothing of the sort.
2: Then what are you doing? Answer me!
1: Paul ...
2: Tell me so that I know you speak the truth! No twisted words! No games!
1: You are over reacting.
2: Apocalypse is off limits! I will have my answer now or I will have your head! This is no game! Give me the answers I want or your people will suffer!
1: Very well. Now that the Raspberry has your attention, I doubt it will take you long to piece together the other evidence.
2: That’s better. Now tell me what this is about.
1: I had hoped to keep this hidden from you, but revealing the mission now presents its own opportunities. I will get to see how you react to a threat so close to home.
2: What have you done?
1: It’s quite simple. There are dragons on Apocalypse.
2: That’s impossible!
1: You know I can’t lie. They are on Apocalypse right now.
2: How many? What is their mission?
1: I won’t say.
2: Sakura, you have crossed the line! There is no going back from this!
1: You crossed the line long ago. Again and again, you hold the lives of my people over me. No more. Now it is time for you to cower in fear. Let our war begin.
2: You wouldn’t dare!
1: The dragons will succeed in their mission. They will reach the launch center.
2: You mean to fire on Earth?
1: Earth is your power base. Without it, you are hobbled. Europa can survive without her.
2: You would sacrifice all life on Earth to get at me?
1: If I thought it was the only way to save Europa, then yes. Wouldn’t you do the same? You and I are perhaps more alike than you think. You have pushed me to the wall, but I will save my home.
2: No, this doesn’t make sense. You’re revealing your plan too willingly.
1: As I said, revealing it has its own advantages. Even if Apocalypse fires, you will survive, I’m sure of it. Your obsession with security has seen to that. But your reaction to this threat will tell me much.
2: No ...
1: And you won’t destroy Apocalypse either. Your star drive project has made that clear. You have your own plans for the station.
2: No ...
1: Yes, Paul. You think yourself invincible, but you are not. I look forward to learning from your response.
2: No. NO! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!1234567890000000000
... link severed at source ...
Ryu held the rifle to Naomi’s head.
“Ryu, we’ve got problems!” Cat said.
“Not now!”
“This is important!” Cat said. “SolarNet traffic just went through the roof! The whole place is going nuts! Ryu, they know we’re here!”
“Is this your doing?” Ryu asked on a private channel.
Naomi looked away and shook her head.
“Cat, how bad is it?”
“I have no idea how they detected us. Every patrol just went to high alert, but no one is telling them where to go. I think the order came from the surrounding fleet, but that doesn’t make sense. They’re mobilizing the other two shifts, organizing for a massive search, but it’s like they don’t know where to start. Ryu, none of this makes sense. They know we’re here but they never saw us. We didn’t screw up.”
“You sure it’s us?”
“Completely sure,” Cat said. “They know dragons are on board. They just don’t know where or how many.”
“All right. Miyuki, you hear that?”
“Yeah. You stirred up the hive. Everything within a thousand kilometers is powering up.”
“Miyuki, you can’t help us anymore. Ditch your cargo and run like hell.”
“You sure?”
“It’s either that or the Federacy fleet shoots you down. If they know we’re here, you’re going to be the first suspect.”
“All right,” Miyuki said. “See you back at Europa!”
“Yeah.”
Ryu’s TangleNet link received another signal. He checked the source and opened the channel.
“Matriarch,” Ryu said. “What is going on?”
“Cat has assessed the situation accurately,” Matriarch said. “I am adjusting the plan to take advantage of this setback. You will split into two teams. Toshi and Cat will continue on mission while maintaining maximum stealth. You will proceed to the nuclear launch center and work to pull attention away. As for your current situation ...”
“I’ll handle it.”
“As you wish.”
“What should I do when I get to the launch center?” Ryu asked.
“The situation is very volatile. I cannot answer that yet.”
“Great. Just great,” Ryu said, shaking his head. “Any ideas on how they detected us?”
“Focus on your mission. For now everything else is unimportant.”
Matriarch closed the connection.
“Right. Okay,” Ryu said. “Cat, Toshi, don’t release your phantoms unless you have to. I’ll get Naomi’s phantom canister to a good spot and release it to draw the Feddies away.”
“Understood, boss,” Toshi said.
“Ryu,” Miyuki said. “I’ve got— Shit, that was close! Ryu, I’ve got bad news.”
“You hit?”
“I got a little burned, but I’m clear of immediate danger. A squadron of blackhawks is after me, but I think I can lose them. They don’t have the range to pursue me for long. That’s not why I’m calling. I’m seeing thermal spikes on Penance. The crusaders are powering up their assault transports.”
“Fuck me.”
“But the Federacy doesn’t allow armed crusaders on Apocalypse,” Toshi said.
“Don’t bet your life on that,” Ryu said. “Just get to the test ship.”
“Consider it done,” Toshi said.
Ryu looked at Naomi, feeling sick and empty. He slipped his finger into the trigger guard.
I have to do it, he thought. I have to fire. What choice do I have? It has to be done. Best to do it quickly and get it over with. Come on! Just pull the trigger!
Naomi didn’t look up. She just sat there crying, a broken and pathetic soldier.
Ryu lowered his rifle.
I can’t ... damn it, I just can’t! I can’t kill her!
Ryu sucked in a slow, shuddering breath.
If I can’t do it ... what do I do? Just leave her?
Or ...
Or what? What other option is there?
If there’s another way ... If there’s even the smallest chance of success ...
I have to try. Damn it, I have to try!
Ryu stuck the rifle to his back. He grabbed Naomi by the collar and lifted her to her feet. She hung from his arm like a ragdoll. He backhanded her across the jaw.
