“Remembrance to Lance, blasters on standby,” replied the voice of the weapons officer.
Riley activated the laser pointer of her blaster and aimed at the gunship. She could see it even through rock thanks to her hyperspectral implants. “Target painted.”
“You miss, we’re dead,” Jason told the gunners of the Remembrance. “No pressure, guys.”
The mountain rumbled as the first blaster bolt hit its flank, missing the target. The gunship lurched to the side and fired two more missiles. The rock outcrop that sheltered Riley and Jason broke into pieces. The shockwave hurled them backward.
Riley’s laser was now pointing at the mountain instead of the dropship. “Cease fire!”
The sky flashed with blaster bolts fired by the Remembrance. Geysers of superheated vapor rose from the points of impact.
The gunship hung in the sky, its missile launcher tubes aimed at Riley and Jason. This time, there was no escape, nowhere to hide.
Riley fired at full power and hit one of its rear stabilizers. The gunship tilted to the side and started turning. A missile whooshed past her and exploded against a rock some fifty meters behind.
“Resume fire!” she ordered her subordinate on the Remembrance, pointing the laser at the gunship.
The sky flashed again, and the gunship turned into a fireball. A hail of blazing shrapnel sprayed the mountain. The remnants of the craft spun in the air like a wheel of fire and barreled into the void.
The mountain returned to the gray semi-darkness of dawn. Riley collapsed in the snow. Now that the adrenaline rush was over, her body had barely enough energy left to sustain her vital functions.
Jason leaned over her. “You holding up?”
She was too weak to reply. She could barely feel her limbs.
“Our ride is on its way.” His smile looked a bit forced. “Hold on a few more mins, okay?”
“So cold…” she breathed.
He took her in his arms and squeezed her against his chest for warmth. “Sorry, no heater and no thermostatic blankets left.”
The diagnostic implant displayed the extensive list of her injuries. One side of her head had been burned to the bone. No cosmetic surgery could repair such damage.
“You’ll never look at me the same way,” she whispered, turning her head to hide the disfigured half of her face. “You’ll all look at me with pity, disgust…or fear.”
He winced, as if she’d slapped him on the face. “What? Don’t talk like that. Don’t even think that. I’ll always see you the same way.” His face relaxed as he added, “I was attracted to you the very first time we met, at the ASF base on Vega. You pulled your piece and zapped me, remember?”
“Doing my job.”
“Of course you were. That’s what I always admired in you. A year later, when we served on the Remembrance together, I asked you out; you told me to get lost. But I persisted. I could have any girl on the ship, but I was still coming after you, the only one I couldn’t have. Humans always want something they can’t have. Why? Isn’t it crazy?”
“Challenge.”
He nodded. “That’s right. Challenge. When I lost hope and accepted that nothing would ever happen between us, I still wanted to earn your respect. My adoptive father was proud of me. My CO trusted me. But I wanted your approval. Strangely, it was more important to me than anything. I admired your dedication, your inner strength. I even envied you. You changed me, Riley. You motivated me to become a better officer, and maybe a better person.”
He gazed skyward and pointed at a star. “Look, it’s moving.”
Riley forced her eyes to focus on the celestial object. Indeed, it was a shooting star. Another one raced through the sky, then another.
“The planet is passing near an asteroid belt,” Jason explained. “Hence the meteor shower.”
Now the heavens glowed with the trails from dozens of fleeting stars. A breathtaking sight.
Riley looked at Jason’s handsome face again. “Don’t change the subject,” she said. “Even if I survive, I’ll be scarred. Disfigured for life.”
He gave her a soft smile. “To me, you’re beautiful, Riley. You’ll always be beautiful.”
*****
The dropship Hunt had sent to evacuate Jason and Riley arrived, hanging in the air above the snow. Two marines and a medic jumped out, and the medic started treating Riley immediately.
Jason still held Riley in his arms.
“She’ll be all right, commander,” the medic told him. She was a young female he didn’t recognize, maybe a recent addition to the crew. “We’ll take care of her.”
Reluctantly, Jason let go of Riley. The marines strapped her on a stretcher while the medic was giving her an injection.
The storm was now over, the sky was clear, and the glacier had stopped its slide. The sun was rising over a serene landscape. A sea of ice spread to the horizon, shimmering with reflections.
Jason squeezed Riley’s hand. “Look, isn’t it magnificent?”
She offered him a weak smile, then the stretcher lifted and disappeared into the dropship. Jason caught a rope of nanofibers hanging from the craft and was pulled inside as it retracted.
He wouldn’t leave Riley’s side for a second during the flight to the Remembrance. Even when the dropship landed in the hangar and she was carried to an autopod, he followed.
“Are you a family member?” the medic asked, looking at Jason intently. She was obviously new to the ASF.
“Yes, I am,” he replied. “Aren’t we all part of a family?”
He wondered if he still wanted to ask for a demotion. Being stripped of rank appeared the perfect solution to all his problems. He would continue to serve and be part of the big family that was the ASF, but the burden of responsibility would be lifted off his shoulders.
“I have to go,” he said to Riley with a soft smile. “See you soon.”
He took a shuttle to the Phenix and requested a meeting with his CO. O’Neil received him in the captain’s quarters. The news was encouraging—despite the losses, the mission was successful. Adrian and the lead scientist of Minos Station were safe, and the battlegroup had found the scientists who’d managed to escape the facility. They were hiding on another planet in the system, waiting for rescue.
Minos Station was lost, but that didn’t matter anymore. Now that the Taar’kuun knew of its existence and location, the Alliance had to evacuate Nifelheim Bis anyway. All the research data generated at the lab had also been recovered, including the structure of the retrovirus that could retroform the Jotnar.
Once O’Neil finished debriefing, Jason approached the subject of his demotion.
The captain raised his eyebrows at this request. “You think you don’t have what it takes to be a senior officer, Blaze? Or you don’t want the responsibility? No, don’t answer that. Let me tell you something first. Why do you think I sent you on that search and rescue mission? Of course I knew how you felt about Riley Lance. I knew you would go to hell and back to save her.”
Jason could only gape at his captain. “You knew?”
“If it was my family down there, trapped in that damn glacier, what do you think I would’ve done? I don’t need machines that blindly obey orders and follow protocols. I need officers with guts, with a heart.”
Jason nodded and sat silent, overwhelmed by conflicting feelings.
“Request denied, Blaze. You are to resume your duties as my wing commander.”
Understanding he’d been dismissed, Jason was about to snap a salute and leave, but O’Neil wasn’t finished.
“Have you read Darus’s book on anthropology? No? You should. You’ll learn that humanity has survived near-extinction events before. Have you ever wondered why Homo sapiens have endured, while all our hominid cousins perished? Was it just dumb luck, or do we have something special?”
“I think we do,” Jason replied.
“Humanity survived not because it was the strongest, the most resilient, or even the smartest species.
The Taar’kuun believe that our emotions make us weak, inferior. True, some of those emotions can be destructive. But Darus thinks that our ability to care about one another is our greatest strength. After everything I’ve seen, I tend to agree with him.”
Jason nodded. “I believe that too, captain. I truly do.”
24
Conspiracy theory
While Battlegroup Vega journeyed to Nifelheim Bis, political events unfolded quickly on Neo. The day of its departure, Talia attended an extraordinary meeting DeCourt convened. His ministers and advisers were assembled in the conference room at the heart of the presidential building.
The seating arrangement hadn’t changed since the government had been moved from the ASC Capitol to Base Alpha. DeCourt and Winsley were on opposite sides, facing one another across the rectangular table. DeCourt had considered Winsley as a rival from the start, and the election campaign made that rivalry official. However, in a crisis, they had to put their rivalry aside and work together.
Kwan Kor had the floor. “I uncovered a conspiracy to destroy the Alliance. The Earthists are traitors. They’re working with the Biozi.”
A moment of tense silence followed his words. Loyal to his habits, Kor had dropped a bombshell without any warning.
“Do you have proof of your allegations?” DeCourt demanded.
“My investigation is ongoing,” Kor replied, “but I believe the Earthists have made a deal with our enemies. I believe the TGS promised the Earthists to let them resettle Earth in exchange for the location of Neo and the gravimetric map of this region of space.”
“Absurd,” Winsley countered. “Why would the Earthists trust the Biozi?”
Kor turned to him. “They know the Biozi need unassimilated humans. That’s why Raak’naar kept human prisoners on the hulk. That’s why he didn’t destroy the human worlds. That’s why Biozi geno-architects designed the woman named Ophelia. All this to enter into contact with the beings Dr. Darus calls the Oneiroi.”
Winsley winced and shook his head. “You’re delusional. The Earthists are religious zealots. They believe humanity is the Chosen Race, and the Taar’kuun are an abomination. Surely they don’t want end up as lab rats in a Biozi prison.”
“To play devil’s advocate, let’s assume you’re correct, Colonel Kor,” DeCourt said, rubbing his cheek pensively. “Maybe the Earthists don’t intend to betray the Alliance; maybe some of them have been brainwashed by the Biozi while in captivity. Or maybe TGS agents infiltrated the Earthist organization.”
“We must keep those possibilities in mind,” Kor agreed. “Look at the evidence. Someone with access to classified information designed an interstellar transmitter and attempted to send gravimetric data. To whom? To the Biozi, of course. On the same day, Mr. Jin—an expert in long-range communications—was murdered. We know he paid an engineer, Mr. Chen, to steal the parts he needed to design an even more effective transmitter. I uncovered that Jin was secretly an Earthist sympathizer. Moreover, the man who crafted the murder weapon is a high-ranking member of the Earthist organization.
“My working theory is this. The Earthists needed a transmitter powerful enough to send a huge amount of data to the Biozi. They infiltrated the ASF to get their hands on the components for such a device, and Jin built it for them. To be exact, he built the transmitter and was working on a converter that would make it more efficient at sending gravimetric data. But he reconsidered for some reason, maybe because he found out that the Earthists were traitors. So they silenced him.”
Winsley raised his hands. “Okay, I’m willing to give your theory a fair chance, but you must bring us concrete evidence. You better have irrefutable proof before accusing any of my people of treason.”
“To find proof, I need to question some members of the ASF,” Kor declared, undeterred.
“No, you’re not to treat my people as suspects,” Winsley snapped. “You’re no member of the ASF, and you never will be. But I’m not unreasonable. If you agree to partner with the head of ASF intelligence, Captain Santiago Cordova, you may interview whoever you wish.”
DeCourt nodded. “This is a fair offer, admiral. However, Colonel Kor will remain the lead investigator. Captain Cordova is welcome to join his team.”
“I have an additional request,” Winsley said, leaning forward and glancing at Talia. “Dr. Galen is already part of the investigation, correct? We all know Colonel Kor’s interrogation methods. We cannot allow him to violate the rights of our citizens, as he did with Mr. Brunet and his spouse. Dr. Galen is the one who blew the whistle on him. I would like her to act as an independent observer.”
Talia’s face went pale as she imagined partnering with the Bloody Colonel on his investigation.
“Admiral, may I point out there’s a conflict of interest,” Kor croaked. “Dr. Galen is my counselor.”
“I don’t see any conflict of interest here,” DeCourt said. “Besides, you’re the one who involved her in your investigation, when you needed her medical opinion. I agree with the admiral’s proposal.” He turned to Talia. “Dr. Galen?”
She nodded weakly. What choice did she have?
“Excellent,” DeCourt concluded. “Then the matter is settled. We’ll reconvene in seven days to hear your progress report, colonel. Or earlier, if you have any urgent updates.”
*****
Haru Takamori had the dubious privilege of being the only detainee in the cell block on Base Alpha. The Alliance didn’t have the luxury of keeping people in jail. Serious offenders considered too dangerous to be released into the general population were detained on a prison ship, but worked like the rest of the citizens. None of them had refused work, as they’d been promised early release for good work.
Takamori’s case was different. He wasn’t allowed any contact with the outside world, and the only person who came to visit him was his lawyer, a certain Mr. Rakin. He was a short, fleshy, middle-aged male. His eyes always seemed half closed, as if he were never fully awake. Talia had met him once before, and wasn’t looking forward to meeting him again.
Through a one-way mirror, she observed Takamori and Rakin in the interrogation room. They were both sitting in silence as Kor and Cordova entered. Captain Cordova was a career officer who used to work as chief of security on a space station before the Retroforming. He was tall and handsome, with beard and mustache that would’ve been fashionable during the times of conquistadors.
“I have the right to a trial,” Takamori declared. “I’m a citizen of the Alliance, and the law gives me—”
“You’ve got squat, piece of trash,” Kor croaked. “You’ve conspired with a bunch of traitors in a time of war. That carries the penalty of death.”
Talia knew that was nonsense. Surely Rakin knew that as well; however, he remained silent, staring at Kor with dull annoyance.
“Not quite,” Cordova pointed out. His voice was surprisingly soft for a man of his stature. “Mr. Takamori here does have the right to a trial.” He turned to the prisoner. “The trouble, you see, is that we have no judges or prosecutors. Our justice system is not exactly what one might call…operational.”
“So you admit that my imprisonment is illegal,” Takamori said to Cordova.
“Oh, cut the crap,” Kor barked, stepping toward Takamori. Talia thought Kor would punch the prisoner, but he contented himself with dropping into a seat and slamming his fist on the table. “You expect us to let you walk after everything you’ve done? You assaulted and injured an ASF officer and attempted to kill our top scientist. Just for that you deserve to be fed to the hydras. You’re lucky my hands are tied, otherwise I—”
“Sir, please keep your voice down,” Rakin said with apathy. “Please ask your questions, but note that my client has the right to remain—”
“I know,” Kor snapped. “He exercised his right to remain silent the last time I questioned him. But I’m nothing but persistent, so I’ll repeat my questions. One—to whom did you provide the needler?”
Takamori rem
ained mute, staring at his interrogator with a dignified expression.
“Two—do you know of an Earthist conspiracy to build an interstellar transmitter and send data to the Taar’kuun?”
The prisoner’s reaction remained the same.
“Fine, I don’t need you.” Kor turned away, waving his hand dismissively. “I’ll nail your pals for treason, including your leader, Shana Multan. That filthy whore. When I do, I’ll throw her to the cons. They’ll have a hell of a party on the prison ship. And I’ll bring popcorn and watch as they have their way with her.”
Takamori’s eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed, as if he were about to pounce on Kor.
“Let’s keep our cool,” Cordova intervened, his tone soothing. “I suppose Mr. Takamori knew nothing about any conspiracy when he gifted the weapon to his friend. It was for self-defense only, isn’t that true, sir?”
Takamori threw Cordova a contemptuous glance. “You believe I’ll fall for the oldest trick in the book? Good cop, bad cop—I’ve seen this act before.”
Kor scoffed. “Oh yes, ‘cuz you were a hitman.” He turned to Cordova. “Captain, let’s pay a visit to the Earthist scum. We’ll shake the tree and see who falls out. One way or another, we’re taking them down.”
He started toward the door.
“The Earthists would never betray their own kind,” Takamori said to his back. “If you’re looking for traitors, look closer to home.”
Kor turned sharply to him. “What are you implying?”
Takamori retreated into silence.
*****
On that day, Talia had her weekly counseling session with Kor. He arrived right on time as usual.
“Mr. Kor, we made good progress last time, but I think we need to go further.” Talia never called him colonel during their sessions.
“Why are we still doing this?” he asked with his usual directness. “Do you think I need psychotherapy? Or is it just a formality for you?”
Talia raised her eyebrows. “After all this time, you still don’t believe I genuinely want to help you? Are you questioning my motivation or my competence? We do have a professional counselor at the hospital, if you—”
Survival Strategy Page 17
