Zero

by J. S. Collyer

  “We'll see what his orders are.”

  “No,” Webb said. “Then what with me? Is what the Service has in mind any better than what LIL were planning? Because if not, I'd just as soon take my chances in the Haven shipyards too.”

  Hugo turned in his seat. His throat felt tight. “I would have come for you anyway,” he said, quietly. “Whether Luscombe ordered it or not.”

  “Would you?”

  Hugo nodded. “I don't care whose son you are. You've spent your life as a soldier of the Service. And you are my crew.”

  Webb was shaking his head. “The man you're thinking of is dead, Hugo. It's not me.”

  “I lost him and then I used and lied to you and almost lost you too. I've made a lot of mistakes, Webb. But I'm going to try and make them right.”

  “Just as soon as you've saved the world?”

  “Not that I'm sure the world deserves it,” Hugo muttered.

  Webb stared at a point just over his head for a minute. “I'm sorry, Hugo.”

  “What for?”

  Webb looked at him then. “I told you in Tranquillity Hall that it wasn't over. But it is now. All of it. I shouldn't have said those things.”

  Hugo swallowed. “I think I deserved some of them,” he said quietly.

  A half-smile played about the clone's mouth. “How did you know what I'd do?” he said, barely above a mumble. “In Tranquillity, I mean?”

  Hugo swallowed and looked away. “Because it's what I would have done.”

  “He believed in you, you know,” Webb said after a heavy silence. “Webb, I mean. The real Webb. He thought you were a good captain.” Hugo tightened the grip he had on the back of the chair, blinking through the heat behind his eyes. “A stubborn asshole,” Webb added, another ghost of a smile lingering about his mouth. “But a great captain.”

  Hugo felt a corner of his own mouth turn up but then he stared hard again at the clone. “Why didn't you talk?”

  “What?”

  “When we found you,” Hugo mumbled, keeping his voice steady with an effort. “The blade was still working. You hadn't talked. Why?”

  Webb's smile widened. “Because I'm an even more stubborn asshole than you?”

  Hugo out-and-out grinned before he could stop himself then shook himself and stood. “Lie down before you keel over. I'll send Rami down to fix you up. I want you fit to accompany me when we get to Command.”

  “Service Command?”

  “Yes,” Hugo said. “You know, I'm beginning to suspect Luscombe's the only one in this whole damn Orbit on our side.”

  “I guess we better hope so.”

  He ordered Rami down to medbay from the bridge and took over at the controls. “How are we doing?”

  “Okay, Captain,” More said, eyes locked out the viewscreen. They were just skirting the edge of the asteroid belt and More was steering them between the scattered rock. Hugo glanced at the course overview on the display and helped compensate the port. “Though you ought to know that we're entering Haven space. There's a mining team rigging a satellite about fifty clicks to starboard. We'll be showing up on their scanners soon.”

  “Head towards them.”

  “Sir?”

  “We're dumping Spinn.”

  More threw him a confused glance. “Sir?”

  Hugo ground his teeth. “The man's a traitor. He knew all along who Webb was and why he was targeted.”

  More blinked again. “Who was he?”

  Hugo swallowed. “He's... was... McCollough's son. LIL wanted him as a figurehead for a new revolution.”

  More stared at him a moment, his normally stoic face open with shock. He shook his head and pulled his attention back to the controls just in time to avoid a collision. “And Spinn knew?”

  “He was Pharos's man...charged with tracking Webb down and keeping him watched.”

  “The admiral knew?”

  Hugo nodded. “Knew. Knows. Is planning a revolution with the knowledge.”

  More shook his head again, staring out the screen and looking pale.

  “I take it you didn't? Know, I mean.”

  More threw him a baleful glance.

  “Thank God. That's at least one person in my crew who hasn’t been lying to me.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “We're getting the mutinous scum off this ship,” Hugo grated. “Then we're getting back to Command to warn them. What’s that look for?”

  “Nothing, sir.”

  “Thomas,” Hugo growled.

  More was silent for a second, not looking at him. “Permission to speak freely, sir.”

  “Just spit it out.”

  “Spinn was following orders, sir.”

  Hugo felt heat flare. “He betrayed us. It's mutiny.”

  “If you say so, sir.”

  “More, I don't understand you. Webb is dead because of this. None of this would have happened if he'd spoken out as soon as LIL reared their head. It's wilful treachery, mission or not. You do not treat your crew this way.”

  “Not even if you were ordered to?” More gave him a glance that Hugo couldn't read.

  “I'm not letting this go,” Hugo said after a difficult pause. “I can't believe you even want me to.”

  “I don't sir,” More said mildly. “I'm just thinking dropping Spinn with a Haven mining crew might not be the best course.”

  “What would you do then?”

  “Take him back to Command. We're going to need some evidence on our side if we're going to report on Pharos.”

  Hugo chewed his lip. The anger was still burning hot. He could see the flashes and dust in the distance that indicated the presence of the mining crew on one of the asteroids. A hail started bleeping on the control panel. More glanced at it then at Hugo.

  “You're not just wanting me to spare him because you like him?”

  “I've known him a long time,” More hedged. “And thought him a good man. But either way... I think my point still stands.”

  Hugo glared at the blinking hail light. “Turn her round,” he said. “Plot a course that will get us to Command. But avoid the Lunar Strip, for fuck's sake.”

  “Yes, sir. I can do that. Just one thing, though...”

  “Another?” Hugo said, kneading his temples to try and ease the pounding there.

  “The minute Luscombe knows we're coming with the clone they'll have us surrounded and a boarding party dispatched. I don't know if we'll get word through in time if we're boarded.”

  “We'll have to get docked without him knowing.”

  “So we're not turning the clone in?”

  “No.”

  More nodded, seeming slightly easier than before. “Quinn in supplies can get us in, I'm sure.”

  They increased their thrusters to full capacity as soon as they were clear of the Belt, but cast their sensors wide to manoeuvre around any approaching ships and the Lunar Strip sensor nets. Hugo had to stop himself from pacing as they skirted around the edge of the Strip.

  It seemed an intolerably long journey back to Command. He double and triple-checked their engine capacity to see if any more power could be re-routed from anywhere but More had seemingly already thought to that. He itched to try and hail Luscombe but knew More was right. The minute he knew they were on the approach he would want the clone secured and ready to face trial before he would listen to anything else.

  Slowly, however, Earth gained size and definition. Hugo filled the hours trying to find anything in the newsfeeds or Lunar status reports to suggest Pharos was making her move but all seemed normal. Painfully normal. It made him feel cold inside when he visualised the Resolution in orbit around the colonies.

  “In hailing distance now, sir,” More said.

  Hugo almost jumped to the comm and started keying in the commands to get a connection.

  “I don't know, Hugo,” Quinn sounded distracted over the comm. “I don't like how many people seem to know the name Zero all of a sudden.”

  “Look, Qui
nn,” Hugo kept his voice as neutral as he could. “Just get us your usual clearance through the patrols. Please.”

  “After all that happened at Tranquillity Hall? I'll get discharged.”

  Hugo ground his teeth. “Quinn, you have to trust me. We have information. Important information. Something big is coming.”

  “Is he with you?” she said after a pause.

  “Who?”

  “You know bloody well who. That maniac commander of yours that tried to ventilate the colonel.”

  “Yes, he's with us.”

  “Then forget it, Hugo. There's a contracted warrant out on his head. No way can I let you sneak him aboard.”

  “Quinn, I can't explain right now but you have to believe me that Webb's little stunt is the very least of our worries. I have a contact on Command who needs this information we have.”

  “So get them to give you clearance.”

  “We're approaching the edges of Command's sensor net now, sir,” More said.

  “Quinn, you do this and I won't forget it. Believe me, you'll regret it far more if you don't.”

  There was a pause and then a noisy sigh. “I don't know why I listen to you, Kaleb Hugo. My mother warned me against types like you. She always said sincerity is the worst deception of all.”

  “I swear, Quinn, on my life, that our contact is going to need and be grateful for what we have.”

  “Fine, fine. Transmitting clearance code now. But I don't want to see or hear from you ever, ever again, understand?”

  “Thank you,” Hugo unclenched his hands and started feeding the clearance code into their ID transmitters. “Berth U-276, More.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Sir?”

  Hugo turned in his chair. Rami was stood at the entryway.

  “How is he?”

  Rami nodded. “He's doing better, sir. They were all superficial wounds. The neuro-enhancer was the cruel part and it's out of his system now. But, sir...?”

  “Yes, Lieutenant?”

  “Are we turning him in?” She was gazing out the viewscreen to Service Command looming against the star-specked back drop.

  “No, we're not,” Hugo said, standing. “The Service has no more right to him the LIL do. We are keeping him safe until all this is over. What he does then is up to him.”

  “Very well, sir,” Rami said, dropping her gaze to the floor.

  “We can't make him stay, Lieutenant,” Hugo said in a low voice as he came closer to her. “And we can't use him to ease our own -”

  “I know, sir,” she said, quickly. “I know that.”

  Hugo nodded. “Good. Now help More ward off any invasive scans you can, and keep an eye on our clearances and docking registration. Webb and I are going in.”

  ɵ

  Webb was in the crew quarters, pulling on a t-shirt, cap and his old cargo jacket. “I can't believe you kept this,” he was saying. It hung a little loose on him now.

  “More wouldn't let it go.”

  Webb smiled, but then his hand went to his throat and his face fell. “I don't suppose...?”

  Hugo shook his head. “The pendant went with him. Sorry.”

  Webb nodded, tugging on the brim of his cap in a gesture so familiar it stirred up the pain all over again. “Are we ready?”

  “As we'll ever be. We'll have to move quick. It's only a matter of time before one or both of us gets recognised.”

  “I don't think Luscombe will exactly be pleased to see me, you know.”

  “You need to tell him everything you heard and saw. LIL could declare revolution any hour now.”

  Webb was staring at his boots.

  “Webb...” Hugo said then paused, swallowing through a tight throat. “Zeek... you do this and I'll make sure the Service doesn't get you. LIL either. I'll make sure you get to go your own way.”

  “That all rather depends on us surviving.”

  ɵ

  Hugo kept his head down as he paced through Command's corridors. They were already drawing looks though he couldn't determine whether it was people that recognised them or if they were just confused by their lack of uniform or their fevered pace.

  “Do you even know where he is?” Webb said, jogging to keep up.

  “I've got a good idea.”

  Hugo took them to a bank of express lifts and got them to the conference level. The armed guards gave him confused glances as he keyed in the codes for the doors without hesitation, recognition mixed with uncertainty in their faces, but Hugo kept them moving quickly enough so that none of them had time to make up their minds. Finally, they were moving down a corridor of black metal, display screens reeling status reports and statistical data. He turned a corner and passed a startled Commander Hudson who stood from her desk and scrambled after them, protesting as Hugo walked right up to some double doors and started keying in codes.

  The doors hissed open and Hugo stepped in, Webb at his shoulder. A dozen people in grey uniforms and a myriad of pips, insignia and medals between them looked up and fell silent when they burst in. Every face froze.

  “Hugo?” Luscombe stood from the head of the conference table, face pale with anger. His eyes slid from him to Webb and his cheeks flushed red. “What the hell?”

  “Colonel, we have to talk to you.”

  “Luscombe,” one of the other officers frowned heavily. “What's going on here? Is that Kaleb Hugo?”

  “Hugo, get out of here. Now.”

  “Colonel, you have to listen. LIL -”

  “Hudson!” Luscombe shouted. The other officers were exchanging confused or dangerous glances.

  The commander appeared at their side. “Sir?”

  “Get security immediately.”

  “Got some unexplained troop movements there, by any chance, Colonel?” Webb stood with his arms folded, nodding towards the Orbit maps on the wall displays.

  “Colonel Luscombe,” the man who had already spoken stood. “What is going on here? I’ve had troops out with the contact to arrest one of these men for your attempted murder.”

  “It's under control, General,” Luscombe growled.

  “Colonel,” Hugo said. “Please listen. The Lunar Strip is going to declare another Lunar State. ”

  “What's he talking about?” another officer demanded.

  “Hugo, you can go with Hudson to the brig quietly or you can be dragged out of here by security. It makes no difference to me but you may want to think hard -”

  “Christ Almighty, Marcus,” Webb snapped. “You wanna live out the week? Pull your head out of your ass for five fucking seconds, will you?”

  “Zeek,” Hugo growled as eyes widened and jaws set around the room. “Colonel, he's been aboard the Tide...” Hugo started, but then tailed off and stared at the wall displays which had begun to flicker. The Orbit maps and stats vanished and were replaced by an oriental man's face. He looked down from every screen, expression grave.

  “What's going on?” someone muttered.

  “It's Cho-Jin. What the hell...?”

  “Quiet,” Luscombe held a hand up as the governor started talking.

  “The time has come to embark on a new future. Too long have Lunar Colonists lived under tyranny and military control. The Lunar Strip will no longer bow to the Service yoke.” The image cut to scenes of smoke and fires, buildings under siege, people running and taking shelter, skies and colony backdrops a blaze of laser and gunfire. Someone in the room muttered an oath.

  “What you're seeing is a fight for freedom. We are declaring an independent Lunar State. We are purging the poison from our colonies. The Service have 12 hours to surrender and abandon all outposts in the Lunar Strip before we declare full war.”

  The screens went black. There was a moment of strained silence then every officer around the table stood and started barking orders into wrist panels and comm units. Commander Hudson stood at Hugo's side staring at the black screens, mouth open. Luscombe's face had gone very still.

  “Get the Sunside flotill
a mobilised immediately,” someone was muttering. “And someone get Pharos on the comm.”

  “They knew,” the officer that had recognised them pointed. “These men knew, Colonel. Get them into custody immediately.”

  “Wait, Colonel, there's more,” Hugo started but then he was grabbed from behind by armed guards. “Colonel, you must listen. Admiral Pharos -” he tried to protest desperately, but then a stunner was pressed to his neck and everything went black.

  ɵ

  “Well. That went well.”

  Hugo sat up, groaning, glaring at Webb who was staring at the ceiling of their small cell. “Did you manage to tell him?”

  “Tell him what? That their precious flotillas are not only going to meet an entire Service fleet at the Lunar Strip but the Resolution as well?”

  “Well?”

  “No, Hugo. They didn't give me much of a chance to discuss it in between getting arrested and getting stunned.”

  “Shit,” Hugo spat, standing and kicking the wall. “They'll be massacred.”

  Webb kept a stony silence, glaring at the opposite wall. “You think LIL threatened or paid Cho-Jin?”

  “He's always been weak. I'm betting that's why the Service had him elected.”

  “Well, that came back to bite them on the ass.”

  “Oh no...”

  “What?”

  Hugo stood on tip toe to try and get a better view into the brig corridor through the narrow window in the door. “Sub and Bolt... and Rami... Spinn too.”

  “They're here?”

  Hugo nodded. “In binders, getting locked up further down.”

  “So much for being valued members of the Service.” Webb put his hands behind his head and stretched his legs out in front of him.

  “We have to try and make them understand...”

  “Haven't you got it yet, Hugo? We're nothing. Scum. They don't want our help.”

  “So that's it, is it? You're giving in?”

  Webb blinked at him, slowly. “It's not like they've inspired much faith in me of late.”

  Hugo felt his face flush. “And what about me? What about my faith?”

  “Huh?”

  “I told you I believed in you.”

  “You were lying. We've been through this, Hugo. I'm not Webb.”

  “I know that, you idiot,” Hugo paced over and stood over him. “Don't you think I know that? I buried him. You may have lived it but I had to watch and lie and scream in silence because I thought it was the right thing to do. I was wrong, but I stopped you from killing Luscombe and signing your death-warrant. I busted you out of the Tide...”