by T. R. Harris
Nolan turned serious. “We have a Charlton-Class jumpship waiting in orbit, crew of twenty, all vetted.”
“Where is it taking us?” Sherri asked. She cinched the strap of her chest armor a little tighter, before pulling the MK-47 from its holster and checking the charge.
“Unknown, ma’am. Destination will be revealed once in a gravity-well.”
Sherri looked at the tall officer and frowned. “Ma’am? What’s that bullshit all about?”
“Just respectin’ my elders, Ms. Valentine.”
Sherri looked down at the weapon in her hand and then at the smiling officer. “It’s not wise to talk about a lady’s age, colonel, even if we have shared a pint or two at the local pub.”
“I would agree…if there were any ladies present.”
Sherri looked at Coop, who was watching the pair as they bantered, his mouth half open. No one spoke to Sherri Valentine like that. “It was before I met you,” she explained, answering the unasked question. She turned back to Nolan. “And although I wasn’t much of a lady that night, I sure was a woman. As I recall, you didn’t complain too much.”
“Not enough energy left to complain, ma’am.”
“This conversation is pissing me off,” Coop said, exasperated.
Sherri squeezed his arm. “Don’t worry, stud.” She smiled into his eyes. “You’re still the love of my life…for now.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Don’t worry, sir,” Nolan said. “She’s really not my type…except for that one night, of course.”
“You’re not coming with us, are you?” Coop asked the Marine officer.
“’Fraid so. On such short notice, there are only so many people we can trust. I’m one of them.”
“Because you screwed my girlfriend?”
“Once, sir. It was only a one-night stand.” Nolan looked down at a smiling Sherri Valentine. He was enjoying the game. “But oh what a night it was!”
Coop stalked away, leaving Nolan and Sherri to share a hearty laugh.
“Don’t worry, Josh, I’ll get around to telling him how you passed out before anything could happen.”
“And if I hadn’t?”
“Well, that will be my little secret.” She winked at him, before turning to catch up with a sulking Copernicus Smith.
“What do you mean little?” Nolan yelled after her. This trip is going to be fun.
5
Although a Charlton-class jumpship was the fastest thing in the fleet, it still didn’t come close to the speed of a trans-dimensional starship. Unfortunately, the only such ship in existence had been too badly damaged returning from Andromeda to be repaired. Scientists and engineers were still rifling through the wreckage, however, trying to learn its secrets. They were getting close, but were still a few years away from having a working prototype.
As a consequence, it took forty-two excruciatingly long days to reach Formil. Along the way, the jumpship—designated the UFS Biddle—and its two escorts encountered three separate attempts to take out Sherri and Copernicus. Only the speed of the ship and the skill of the crew got them through the gauntlet.
LtCol. Nolan—the senior officer aboard—was furious. Someone had leaked their destination and course, yet with a combined sixteen billion dollars on the line for both Sherri and Coop, he understood why assassins would spread enough cash around until someone finally talked. So far, the seed money had been wasted. Yet as long as Adam’s team remained alive, the temptation was still there.
When the three-ship squadron entered the Formilian star system, they were greeted by a ten-ship escort. Nolan kept a keen eye on the alien ships, and it was only his naturally-suspicious nature that saved them again. One of the Formilian ships suddenly shifted course and sent a five-burst barrage of flash bolts at the jumpship. The shields of the Biddle were up the moment the energy surge was detected within the launch ports of the attacking vessel. The bolts were diffused, and the attack ship destroyed through a combination of Human and alien return fire.
The Formilians apologized profusely, promising to screen all other natives coming in contact with the Humans more extensively. Nolan let his temper vent, even as he trusted the aliens to keep their word. The Formilians were some of Earth’s staunchest allies. He knew heads would roll—literally—over the incident.
After landing at the huge Temple Spaceport, a caravan of armored transports left for the towering O’lac Government Building just north of the Temple Complex. They reached it without incident, even as Nolan, Sherri and Coop took a separate utility truck to the building, leaving ten minutes after the main caravan departed the spaceport.
Sherri was fit to be tied by the time the elevator took the trio to the twenty-ninth floor, where she met up with Adam, Riyad and the two aliens, Kaylor and Jym. Arieel Bol—the leader of the Formilian people—was there, as well.
Sherri exited the elevator first and marched up to Adam. Copernicus was behind her, and when he spotted Arieel, his mouth fell open and his eyes focused on the stunning alien beauty. He also ran into Sherri’s back.
She turned to her boyfriend, a look of resignation on her face. “Dammit, Coop, try to control yourself.”
He tried to stammer a defense, but it just came out as gibberish.
Sherri shook her head before turning back to Adam. “We have to do something about this,” she said, jumping right to point. “I can’t live like this.”
Adam smiled. “There’s not much I can do about Arieel—”
“Not that, you idiot, about everyone in the galaxy trying to kill us!”
“Oh…that.”
“Yeah, that! Hell, they even tried to take us out once we got in-system.”
“I sincerely apologize for that, Sherri,” Arieel said, stepping forward and offering her delicate hand. Sherri took it—although everyone could tell she didn’t want to. “I assure you, you are safe within this building.”
“Yeah, that’s what they all say.”
Arieel looked askew at Sherri, trying to decipher the statement. In the end, she gave up. “If you will all follow me to the Grand Conference Chamber, there is an assembly of galactic leaders wishing to discuss your situation.” Arieel looked at Adam with concern in her eyes. After three days on the planet, this was the first time Adam had heard of this meeting being set up. It made him suspicious.
The entourage was lead down the wide corridor and to a room with an extremely high ceiling and a long, horseshoe-shaped table. Attendants were within the central open area, placing refreshments at stations along the table. Adam and his team took seats on the opposite side from a dozen aliens—and one Human. Yet it was the one grey-skinned creature on the other side of the table that attracted the most attention.
It was a Nuorean.
Adam wasn’t aware any diplomatic protocols had been set with the aliens from Andromeda, so his presence here was unusual. This creature was a representative of the race that had a galaxy-wide contract out for the death of Adam and his team. Yet here he sat, conversing politely with the beings to either side of him, one of which was a Juirean.
Coop sat between Sherri and Kaylor. He lifted a glass and looked at the contents. “Can’t rule out poison,” he said.
“It’s been tested,” Arieel said from across the table.
“And the escort crews were screened….”
The leader of the Formilians had no answer to Coop’s sarcasm.
The Human on the other side of the table stood, presumably to begin the meeting. Most of the others were too busy munching away on the food and guzzling the drink to give him much attention. Adam’s team was the exception.
“Captain Cain…and the others, I’m Ambassador Brandon Hale. I’m here representing the interests of the Orion-Cygnus Union. Seated here with me are also representatives from the Expansion and the other major affiliations within, including the Formilians, with Speaker Arieel Bol in attendance.” He turned to Arieel and nodded. “I thank you for sponsoring this meeting.”
“
I’m glad to see you’re taking this serious,” Sherri blurted out.
“Indeed we are, Ms. Valentine.”
“Then what the hell is a Nuorean doing here?”
Hale was taken aback slightly by Sherri’s bluntness.
“Lead-Player Ensal Calondo has been a part of the advisory council for nearly three months. He specifically requested to be included in this meeting. His insights may help you understand better how complicated this affair has become.”
“Complicated?” Coop stated. “What’s so complicated about it? The Nuoreans have a bounty out on our heads and they need to lift it—now!”
Ambassador Hale shook his head. “Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as that.”
“Why not?” Adam asked.
“If I may interject?” the Nuorean asked, addressing Ambassador Hale.
“Of course, Lead-Player.”
Of course, Lead-Player! Adam was fuming, aghast at how the leaders of the Milky Way were acting toward the Nuorean. He was of a race that had killed millions of people in the short time since they invaded the galaxy. Now they were all buddy-buddy with the gray bastard.
“Mister Cain—”
“That’s Captain Cain,” Adam corrected.
The Nuorean had a momentary flash of anger, quickly suppressed. “Yes…Captain Cain,” the alien said with undue emphasis. “On behalf of the Nuorean leadership, I want to sincerely apologize for this unfortunate set of circumstances that has befallen you recently.”
“Circumstances?”
“Please, Captain Cain, let the Representative continue,” said Hale.
Adam leaned back in his chair and extended his hands at the Nuorean, palms up. Calondo looked at the gesture and paused, lost in its meaning. Adam didn’t help him with an explanation. Eventually, the alien continued.
“Captain Cain, you may not be aware, but the offer you mention for your deaths has been extended by a separate team of Nuoreans, and not from those under the control of Master Lead-Player Qintis (435).”
“What the hell does that mean?” Adam asked. “What separate team?”
“They are called the Third Cadre—”
“I know who the Third Cadre are,” Adam interrupted. He was enjoying the reaction from the Nuorean when he did. “They’re your Brownshirts, your intimidation squad.”
“I do not understand the reference,” Calondo replied. “There are four cadres within Nuorean society, these are the third—”
“Yeah whatever, just get to the point.”
Calondo scanned the others on his side of the table, looking for support against Adam’s rudeness. Unfortunately for the alien, the others were aware of Adam’s status within the galaxy and therefore had very little to say.
“My point—as you call it—is that we are not responsible for the actions of this renegade group or the actions they initiate. The cadre members have left Nuorean space and their current location is unknown to us.”
“Bullshit,” Riyad said, entering the conversation. As usual, the word bullshit completely confused the alien. He began to babble something before Riyad continued. “The Nuoreans do not have renegades,” he said. “You guys are unified like nothing I’ve ever seen—except maybe the Juireans.” Riyad flashed a wide, toothy grin at the Juirean representative. They were used to the Human’s nasty habit of making death-challenges when they didn’t mean it, so the situation didn’t escalate
“The Third Cadre is different,” Calondo replied. “They are more independent than the rest of our society.”
“And we’re supposed to believe they rebelled against their leadership just so they could have us killed?” Adam asked.
“The motivation does involve the destruction of Nuor, Captain Cain. We take that seriously.”
“Just as you were trying to destroy the Earth the same way.”
“Yet your world survives; mine does not.”
“Which is my point,” Adam said. “All the Nuoreans in the Milky Way would be upset about the loss of their homeworld, yet conveniently, it’s only this small group who decided to do something about it.”
“There were discussions, and it was decided that the risk of retaliation would be too costly.”
Adam looked at his fellow team members, then at Ambassador Hale. “You’re not buying this bullshit, are you?”
“Captain Cain, it’s not a matter of buying it or not. We have to believe things like this happen, even in Nuorean society. Therefore, we cannot condemn an entire race for the actions of a few.”
“You what? These are the assholes who invaded the Milky Way and began killing us for sport. That’s enough to condemn them, in my opinion. Even if it is some renegade faction sponsoring the bounty on our heads, the fact that the Nuoreans still exist in the galaxy would be reason enough to send everything we have at them.”
“There would be additional casualties,” the huge blue-haired Juirean Overlord countered. “There is no justification for that to occur.”
“Wait just a minute,” Adam said. “Is this a Juirean who’s afraid of launching an attack…because people might die? Are we in the Twilight Zone or what? What happened to the galaxy recently? What happened to your guts?”
“Your comments border on the incomprehensible,” said the Juirean. “Yet I believe you challenge the courage of the Juireans.”
“Not your courage, just your common sense.”
The Juirean rose from his chair.
“Please Ambassador Penasor,” said Brandon Hale. “These are emotional times. You have to understand the pressure Captain Cain and his team are under. I’m sure he didn’t mean to insult you personally.”
The eight-foot-tall alien continued to stare at Adam.
“Nothing personal,” Adam finally said. “It’s just that I’ve never seen a Juirean run from a fight.”
“We are not running!”
Somehow Adam’s attempt at placating the Juirean failed.
“Then why doesn’t the galaxy unite and crush these Nuorean bastards once and for all?”
“Because there is no need to,” replied a strange looking creature known as a Hyben. He looked like a huge shrimp, with two solid black orbs for eyes, a pointed head, and a segmented carapace that shimmered from a thin coating of lubricating fluid. “The Nuoreans have abided by the terms of the agreement we have with them. They have not engaged in any forays beyond their space—”
“Their space is space they took from others,” Copernicus Smith interrupted. “You forget about the six planets they’ve conquered.”
“Forgive me, yet I was speaking,” said the uppity crustacean. “As I continue: The fate of the worlds you mention is a fair trade for the peace their sacrifice has brought to the galaxy.”
“I’m sure the natives of those planets would beg to differ with you,” Sherri added.
“The planets have not been sacrificed,” the Nuorean countered, “as I amend the comment by my colleague with respect.”
Adam noticed how quickly the Nuoreans had adopted the political machinations of the sycophants in the room. Knowing the Andromeda aliens as he did, he was sure it was just a strategy they were playing out, and not a true conversion to a more compromising way of thinking.
“The populations have been integrated into Nuorean society and are being treated very well,” the Nuorean continued.
“I repeat, the natives may have a different opinion,” Sherri said.
“The point is, Ms. Valentine,” said Ambassador Hale, “the galaxy cannot risk another flare up of the conflict with the Nuoreans.”
“They only have a couple of thousand ships….” Copernicus pointed out.
“That is still a considerable force, and any action taken against the main force would result in thousands of more dead….” His voice trailed off.
“More than the six of us,” Adam finished the sentence.
“That is not what I was going to say.”
“But it’s what you were thinking,” Sherri said.
Hales face turn
ed red. “You seem to be missing the point of this meaning.”
“What is the point of this meeting?” Adam asked. “To show us the door and say thanks for everything, but now you’re on your own?”
“No,” said Hale with emotion. “You have not allowed us to get to the point.”
He paused, expecting Adam or one of his team to say something. When they just stared at him, he continued. “We are willing to help…help you find the Third Cadre unit sponsoring the bounty.”
Adam looked at the Nuorean. “You too?”
“Yes, Captain Cain. Even before word of the offer got out, we have been searching for Master Janvis (784) and his Cadre.”
“No luck, right?”
“We have not located him as of yet.”
“Keep trying.”
“He will, Captain Cain,” Hale said, “as will we all. In the meantime, I implore you and your team to remain here on Formil under the protection of Speaker Bol and her people. Once the Cadre is located, we will then discuss within this advisory council an appropriate response.”
“And you still can’t say you’ll send in a fleet to destroy them?” Copernicus asked.
“There are only a hundred Third Cadre,” the Nuorean said. “You would hardly need a fleet to defeat them. And sending in such a large force would give my leadership cause for concern.”
“I don’t give a damn how big a force it will take, just so one is sent,” Coop growled back at the gray alien.
“First things first,” Hale said. “We must first find the Cadre, and I can assure we are doing everything in our power to make that happen.”
Adam continued to stare at the Nuorean. “I’m sure you are.”
6
After the meeting, Ambassador Hale escorted Adam and his entourage to the palatial room in the royal bank of suites where Adam had been assigned. Arieel came with them.
“Again, I implore you to remain here,” Hale said to the group. “There is plenty of security and you’ll be safe here.”
“For how long…how long do we have to stay here?” Jym asked.
