Argonauts 2: You Are Prey

by Isaac Hooke

Shaw rolled away again.

  Rade sighed.

  After a few moments, she spoke again:

  “Remember what you told me about having children out there?” Shaw said.

  Rade was wondering when that would come up.

  He sighed. “So that’s what you were leading up to.”

  “You’ve finally figured it out.” Shaw turned toward him. “Of course when we’re gallivanting around the galaxy after we retire, it won’t be just on our own.”

  He said, hopefully: “Oh, so you meant we’d have kids after we retired?”

  She frowned. “No...”

  Well, he had to deal with it eventually. Might as well do it now.

  “Shaw, I—” He sighed. “Emotions were running high at the time. You have to understand... I’m not... I just...”

  It was her turn to sigh. Then she smiled. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “You’re okay with not having kids yet?”

  “Well of course I’m a bit disappointed,” Shaw said. “But I suppose it can wait until you’re ready.”

  “Thank you,” Rade said.

  “But that doesn’t mean we can’t practice until then.” She rubbed his side. “If you can find the energy, that is.”

  “I have the energy,” he growled, and took her.

  THE TWO SHIPS set down the next day beside the ruins of the preservation depot. Rade assumed control of Electron, while Shaw crossed to the second vessel and boarded Nemesis. Harlequin took Rade’s passenger seat, while Surus joined Shaw.

  It was strange to think of her as Surus once again, and not merely Ms. Bounty, the Artificial. Surus shared the Artificial’s memory, of course, meaning she would have remembered her time with Rade in intimate detail. Rade wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Violated? A little. Uncomfortable? Definitely.

  Rade ordered the Hoplites to head back to the mountain to begin the process of digging out the Acceptor. The squad passed the nest on the way, and Surus asked for permission to communicate with the gatorbeetles on sentry duty, using the knowledge gleaned from Ms. Bounty’s possession by the King and Queen. She told him that with the help of the Xaranth, they would be able to excavate the Acceptor that much faster.

  Rade nearly refused. His men were exhausted, and half-starved. But that was another reason to request outside assistance. The faster they could return home, the better.

  So Rade reluctantly agreed.

  Surus spoke to the sentries and arranged an audience with their acting queen. The Hoplites were led deep into the nest, toward the queen chamber, and once there Surus dismounted and touched her gloves to the antennae of the queen and began a long chittering discussion. When it was done, she had convinced the queen to provide an escort of forty aliens to return with them to the mountain.

  On the way back to the surface, Rade asked Surus: “So what did the two of you talk about?”

  “We talked about life,” Surus said. “The trials and tribulations of living on a world with limited resources. I promised to send aid in the future, via the Acceptor.”

  “So I take it you’ve elected not to destroy the latter,” Rade asked.

  “That’s right,” Surus said. “I care for these beings, and wish to make reparations in some small way for what others of my race have done to them. I plan to send frequent teams here to bring aid, and to check on their progress as a species. I am considering leaving some of my scientists here to live with them and study their ecosystem to determine what more we can do to assist. I also plan to dispatch exploratory robots and telemetry drones across the planet, to search for other nests and preservation depots.”

  “What about the wormholes we spotted in the system?” Rade said. “Aren’t you curious about those?”

  “Yes,” Surus said. “I will eventually dispatch an exploratory party led by another Green. They will bring the Magnet and its twin into the wormholes to explore the connected systems.”

  “We could do that, too...” Rade said.

  Surus nodded. “We could, but the exploration of lost civilizations whose empires once spanned multiple systems can be a tiring, time consuming process. Especially when all the colonies in those systems have very likely been long since destroyed. Your expertise—and interest—lies elsewhere.”

  “True enough,” Rade said. He could only imagine how boring such an exploratory mission would be. The previous four months spent sweeping the Hellene system had been trying enough. Then again, it certainly would allow him to share ample time with Shaw. “By the way, do you ever plan on informing the governments of humanity about this planet?”

  “I haven’t decided yet whether I will,” Surus replied.

  Rade knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret forever. The local system government would wonder why so many ships were passing to and fro from the frozen dwarf planet on the outskirts of their system. Surus would have to arrange mining rights to Prattein XI, or purchase the planet outright, and set up defenses to keep prying eyes away. Even then, eventually some employee would see something he or she shouldn’t have. All it would take was a single message to a news network and the story would get out.

  “I don’t want human politicians meddling in the affairs of the Xaranth until they have advanced a few Tech Classes,” Surus continued. “Because it is my hope that someday humans and Xaranth can forge an alliance.”

  “Brokered by you, no doubt,” Rade said.

  “Yes,” Surus grinned. “I do like to feel useful.”

  “So wait, I thought you were going to interrogate our prisoners at some point?” Rade said. “To find out if there were any more hidden Acceptors in human space that they knew about.”

  “There was no longer a need,” Surus said. “Given that the memories of both Phants were stored completely in Ms. Bounty’s engramic banks. I have finished scouring through most of it. There appear to be no other Acceptors in human space. At least none that either of the Blacks knew of. They came here solely for the purpose of escaping us hunters. They weren’t planning on ever returning to human space.”

  “So we did all of this for nothing? We could have simply destroyed the Acceptor on our side and prevented them from ever returning?”

  “No, not for nothing,” Surus said. “We discovered a new race, freed them from corruption by evil Phant overlords, and forged a friendship with them. And we had to capture the Phants, of course. They could not be left to run amok in this area of the galaxy, looking for other conquered races to play with. We had to do this. You know I’m right.”

  “I suppose so,” Rade said.

  “Before departing, I told the Xaranth to beware of false prophets and queens in the future,” Surus said. “They swore they would be wary of those promising to lead them to greatness. Especially individuals with large metal embeds in their heads and thoraxes.”

  “You think other Phants will someday come here?” Rade asked.

  “It is possible,” Surus said. “While I plan to install a permanent watch on the Acceptor, there may be other teleporters hidden elsewhere on the planet.”

  When the Hoplites and their escorts reached the surface, Surus requested permission to return to the preservation depot. “While you’re digging out the Acceptor, I wish to search through the rubble of the depot. There may be a few technologically advanced artifacts that could help our cause.”

  “I thought you were going to send telemetry drones and search teams here to do that for you at a later date?” Rade said.

  “Well yes,” Surus replied. “But while I’m here, I might as well take the time...”

  “You’ll need at least two Hoplites to watch over you,” Rade said. “That’ll take away from our dig.”

  Surus gestured toward the forty gatorbeetles. “We have them, now.”

  “I’ll bring her,” Shaw said. “She’s in my passenger seat already, after all.”

  “Fine,” Rade said. “Bender, you go too.”

  “Yes, boss,” Bender returned wearily.

  Rade watched the two Ho
plites depart, then made his way to the mountain with the rest of the mixed alien-Hoplite party. Albert was able to communicate with the gatorbeetles in the absence of Surus.

  The party proceeded to the mountain, climbed the winding, precarious trail, and at the designated site they began the long process of excavating the Acceptor. The Xaranth did most of the actual digging, while the Hoplites mostly stayed back, helping to haul away excess rock material.

  Most of the pilots gave control of their mechs over to the AIs of Unit A and Harlequin, and simply vegetated in their cockpits. Rade did the same himself; he felt the overwhelming lassitude brought on by extreme caloric deprivation and radiation sickness. No one really talked or traded the usual barbs during the dig: none of them had the energy.

  After only thirty-six hours, the Xaranth had cleared a stable path through the avalanche and into the cave. They had braced the entrance with a rectangular framework formed of chewed and expectorated rock, naturally “3D-printed” as Bender would say.

  Rade dispatched Lui to fetch Surus, Shaw and Bender, and they returned in a few hours.

  “Find anything?” Rade asked, feeling surprisingly energetic now that the return home was imminent. He didn’t really expect that she had.

  Surus detached a small pyramidal object from her harness. “This might prove useful in the future.”

  “What is it?”

  “A very rare device,” she said mysteriously.

  Rade frowned. “I don’t suppose you can expound upon that?”

  She secured the item to her harness once more. “Well, simply, it can affect the flow of time when used in conjunction with a suitable Acceptor.”

  “An Acceptor?”

  “Yes,” Surus said. “A special kind of Acceptor. Very few of them still exist. In fact, there might not be any left at all.” She glanced at the pyramid and tapped it with one finger. “This might be the very last time pyramid in existence, with no matching Acceptor to pair with. Unfortunate, in a way. But also good. Used improperly, it can be very dangerous. A time weapon: giving one the ability to wipe out a species before it ever evolved from the primordial soup of its homeworld.”

  “Such a weapon could help us eliminate all the Phants from the universe,” Rade said, feeling a sudden sense of awe. “In one fell blow.”

  “Yes,” Surus said. “But you would also eliminate all of us Greens. Careful what you wish for, Rade Galaal.”

  Rade pressed her for more details, but she would say no more on the matter.

  They took the Acceptor to Prattein XI, ascended the cave system to the darkness-cloaked surface, crossed the methane and nitrogen ice to the waiting shuttle and booster rockets, and returned to the Argonaut. Bax had kept the ship operating smoothly in their absence.

  The Hoplites were taken to the mech hangar for maintenance and repair. The robot technicians promised to have the onboard AIs of the mechs fixed in a few days. And while the rest of the crew proceeded to sickbay for rehydration and glucose therapy, Rade and Shaw entered the makeshift decon ward Surus had created in the cargo hold. It was basically a glass tank with a Weaver inside. Surus constructed another tank beside it for the two Artificials, since they had also been exposed to the alien atmosphere. Because of the proximity of that tank, Rade and Shaw didn’t really have any privacy.

  “Did Surus really have to make them out of glass?” Shaw complained.

  But thankfully one of the combat robots placed black curtains between the tanks shortly.

  The Weaver treated Rade and Shaw for radiation poisoning, severe dehydration, and caloric deprivation. On the second day, they started to eat small amounts of solid food. On the third, they were able to eat bigger portions. They were also released from decon that day: they passed with flying colors.

  The two of them, along with the rest of the crew, continued to eat bigger and bigger portions as the days went by, and they were slowly weaned off the radiation treatments. In a week’s time, most of the crew had recovered their lost strength. By then, the Argonaut had reached a launch position in front of the Prattein star.

  Via the external camera, Rade watched from his cramped quarters as a missile headed toward the fiery corona. It broke up as the heat became too much for the tiny craft to bear. He couldn’t see the two Phants amid the debris, though he knew they were there.

  “I kind of feel sorry for them,” Rade said as the corona swallowed the fragments.

  “I don’t,” Shaw said from beside him.

  He glanced at her. Shaw’s eyes were filled with vengeance.

  “No one harms my warrior,” she said.

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  postscript

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  about the author

  USA Today bestselling author Isaac Hooke holds a degree in engineering physics, though his more unusual inventions remain fictive at this time. He is an avid hiker, cyclist, and photographer who sometimes resides in Edmonton, Alberta.

  acknowledgments

  THANK YOU to my knowledgeable beta readers and advanced reviewers who helped smooth out the rough edges of the prerelease manuscript: Nicole P., Sandy G., Amy B., Lance W., Myles C., Lisa A. G., Gregg C., Jeff K., Mark C., Jeremy G., Doug B., Jenny O., Bryan O., Lezza M., Gene A., Larry J., Allen M., Gary F., Norman H., Eric, Robine, Noel, Anton, Spencer, Trudi, Corey, Erol, David, Charles, Walter, Lisa, Ramon, Chris, Scott, Michael, Chris, Bob, Jim, Maureen, Zane, Chuck, Shayne, Anna, Dave, Roger, Nick, Gerry, Charles, Annie, Patrick, Mike, Jeff, Lisa, Jason, Bryant, Janna, Tom, Jerry, Chris, Jim, Brandon, Kathy, Norm, Jonathan, Derek, Shawn, Judi, Eric, Rick, Bryan, Barry, Sherman, Jim, Bob, Ralph, Darren, Michael, Chris, Michael, Julie, Glenn, Rickie, Rhonda, Neil, Claude, Ski, Joe, Paul, Larry, John, Norma, Jeff, David, Brennan, Phyllis, Robert, Darren, Daniel, Montzalee, Robert, Dave, Diane, Peter, Skip, Louise, Dave, Brent, Erin, Paul, Jeremy, Dan, Garland, Sharon, Dave, Pat, Nathan, Max, Martin, Greg, David, Nancy, Ed, David, Karen, Becky, Jacob, Ben, Don, Carl, Gene, Bob, Luke, Teri, Gerald, Lee, Rich, Ken, Daniel, Chris, Al, Andy, Tim, Robert, Fred, David, Mitch, Don, Tony, Dian, Tony, John, James, David, Pat, Jean, Bryan, William, Roy, Dave, Vincent, Tim, Richard, Kevin, George, Andrew, John, Richard, Robin, Sue, Mark, Jerry, Rodger, Rob, Byron, Ty, Mike, Gerry, Steve, Benjamin, Anna, Keith, Jeff, Josh, Herb, Bev, Simon, John, David, Greg, Larry, Timothy, Tony, Ian, Niraj, Maureen, Jim, Len, Bryan, Todd, Maria, Angela, Gerhard, Renee, Pete, Hemantkumar, Tim, Joseph, Will, David, Suzanne, Steve, Derek, Valerie, Laurence, James, Andy, Mark, Tarzy, Christina, Rick, Mike, Paula, Tim, Jim, Gal, Anthony, Ron, Dietrich, Mindy, Ben, Steve, Paddy & Penny, Troy, Marti, Herb, Jim, David, Alan, Leslie, Chuck, Dan, Perry, Chris, Rich, Rod, Trevor, Rick, Michael, Tim, Mark, Alex, John, William, Doug, Tony, David, Sam, Derek, John, Jay, Tom, Bryant, Larry, Anjanette, Gary, Travis, Jennifer, Henry, Drew, Michelle, Bob, Gregg, Billy, Jack, Sandra, Libby, Jonathan, Karl, Bruce, Clay, Gary, Sarge, Andrew, Deborah, Steve, and Curtis.

  Without you all, this novel would have typos, continuity errors, and excessive lapses in realism. Thank you for helping me make You Are Prey the best military science fiction novel it could possibly be, and thank you for leaving the early reviews that help new readers find my books.

  And of course I’d be remiss if I didn't thank my mother, father, and brothers, whose untiring wisdom and thought-provoking insights have always guided me through the untamed warrens of life.

  — Isa
ac Hooke

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