Exiles (The Progenitor Trilogy, Book One)

by Dan Worth

  Commander Ramirez stalked through the interior of the ship. Most of the crew were enjoying an unexpected shore leave whist the work was being carried out over the next few days, but the ship’s corridors were busy with technicians and engineers. Several times Ramirez, deep in thought, almost tripped over the tools, cables and nameless ship parts that littered the floor. He had a lot on his mind; aside from his personal feelings for his captain. He had received secret orders this morning instructing him to divulge certain details to her; a process that would involve revealing his real identity.

  He wondered how she would take the news. What he was about to tell her would signify the end of Chen’s purgatory as the captain of a pariah vessel and represented a declaration of renewed faith in her by the Admiralty. But he wondered how she would view his months of duplicity.

  He hoped that she would understand. He had already requested that he be allowed to remain on the vessel a while longer, protesting that to remove him would disrupt the ship’s chain of command at a crucial time. This was true, though he now had his own reasons for remaining.

  Chen was down on the planet. Unusually for her she was taking advantage of the extra shore-leave. Privately, Ramirez suspected that she had left the ship to make herself more accessible to the press, to whom she had given a number of triumphal interviews. He saw no harm in her revelling in her victory. She needed the adulation and her new found respect and the renewed confidence that it gave her.

  Some of the other crew were less enthusiastic about the attention. He knew that Singh had embarked on a few days of hiking in the wildernesses of the northern continent, well away from any pestering reporters. Ramirez had stayed on the ship a day longer than his captain; ostensibly to oversee the start of the refit, which he had indeed done, but primarily so that his superiors could contact him more easily. Amongst the bustle of technicians it was relatively easy for another operative to slip aboard and deliver the orders. They had done so, and now it was time to act upon them.

  Ramirez had booked a room in the same hotel as Chen: the Falls Tier in the planet’s capital, Constantine. He packed a bag with a few things for his stay, and then made his way towards the portside midsection docking port, his baggage slung over his shoulder. A broad umbilical with transparent walls linked the docking port to the side of the bay. As Ramirez crossed it afforded him a view along the length of the entire vessel as it floated serenely in the cavernous dock, attended by shoals of maintenance flitters and floating figures.

  One of the new forward turrets was being lowered into place. It was more angular and heavy looking than its predecessor and a long, fat pair of barrels protruded from its middle. One of the new heavier particle beam weapons included in the upgrade.

  Having reached the dockside, Ramirez made his way through the busy military section towards the centre of Tiberius Port and the high speed lifts to the planet’s surface. Having passed through security and then customs, he found himself at the hub station where the lift tracks terminated.

  The central column of the tower rose through the floor of the spacious circular station like a great metal tree trunk. A score of tracks were spaced equidistantly about its circumference to which were clamped a number sleek magnetically propelled trains. The tracks were met by a stack of circular platforms that thronged with people, whilst the station’s circumference was packed with an assortment of overpriced shops, cafés and fast food joints, each loudly competing with one another for the attention of the crush of humans and aliens that packed the station. It looked like hell. Ramirez groaned and trudged off to find a ticket office.

  Half an hour later and he found himself standing on platform deck ten, clutching his ticket and bag and in a foul mood. He decided that this place had been designed by a peculiar sort of sadist; it was loud, hot, stuffy and crowded and it was staffed by surly and unhelpful people whose attitude was no doubt a product of working here for far too long. A trickle of sweat was easing its way down the back of his neck and was making him itch, and the stale taste of the over priced fast food he had purchased still lingered in his mouth. His bag was beginning to cut into his aching shoulder too. To his relief his train arrived within a couple of minutes and once it had disgorged its cargo of passengers he was able to step into its cool, plush interior. He felt a thrill of childish glee: he had a window seat.

  The interior of each carriage was divided into a number of decks filled with rows of seats. Thick windows formed a strip along the walls of each deck affording the passengers an excellent view. Ramirez’s seat was on the front row. He stowed his bag under his seat then settled into the firm beige couch and buckled his safety belt as the other passengers filed into the carriage and did likewise – he noticed that a number of them studied his uniform and Commander’s bars. Ramirez made a mental note to change his attire once he reached the hotel since he disliked the attention.

  Once all were aboard the doors sealed and the train began its slow descent out of the station whilst overhead screens instructed passengers on safety procedures in the event of a mishap. The view outside of the station moved steadily upwards until it was replaced by darkness as the train passed through the upper levels of Tiberius Port before emerging into open space, the onboard artificial gravity keeping everyone seated. As the vehicle accelerated smoothly away from the port Ramirez peered upwards out of the window. He could see more and more of the great domed disk and the network of travel tubes, hanging gardens and buildings beneath it. A great multitude of vessels flowed to and from the top side of the structure whilst more held station some distance away. There seemed to be an unusual proportion of naval vessels among them, including at least two carriers, though it was hard to tell from this distance and angle. Their presence did not come as a complete surprise to Ramirez since his orders had confirmed as much. Officially they were due to start an exercise. However he knew a little differently.

  It would be a while before the train reached the planet’s surface as it was several hundred kilometres between the port and the ground. Ramirez admired the view of the blue-green, cloudy planet and the twin suns for a while, before donning a pair of head-phones and accessing the trains on board entertainment channels for some suitable music. He stretched out in his chair and let the strains of Bach wash over him whilst he studied the view and tried to compose his forthcoming meeting with Chen in his head. He couldn’t afford to ruin this one.

  An hour later and Ramirez found himself pressed gently into his seat as the train decelerated. They were approaching the thick cloud deck that shielded Constantine from view. It shone whitely in the sunshine. There was a moment of greyness as the train passed through it and then the capital was visible below, spread out like a map. Ramirez craned to see.

  The city had grown up around the tapered base of the space elevator. Spreading like lichen about the bole of a tree, it had originally grown in disordered patterns about the enormous tower which pierced the planet’s surface. Following its utter devastation in the war however, the tower and the city had been rebuilt. Now it was a model of urban planning, with broad boulevards lined with pristine buildings that radiated away from the base. These in turn subdivided into smaller and smaller side streets. The buildings at the centre forming the government and business district that clustered about the tower were tall and slender. Moving outwards, from the centre they became ever lower and broader until one reached the pleasant leafy suburbs of residential streets lined with two and three storey buildings that formed a broad belt around the city. These in turn were ringed by a zone of cheaper, poorer housing. From above, the city resembled an enormous snowflake of staggering complexity, its perfection broken by the network of high speed road and rail arteries that snaked across it and by the Nova Tiber river that tumbled over a set of spectacular falls from the cliffs at the western end, before flowing through the northern half of the metropolis where it was crossed by a number of gracefully arched bridges. As the train descended toward the cityscape Ramirez was able to pick out more detail; ind
ividual buildings, the traffic moving along the streets and in the air overhead, boats on the river and the sunlight sparkling on water and glass.

  The tower broadened smoothly at its base whereupon the tracks plunged into its parabolic curve down to the subterranean stations below. The train’s steady deceleration surged noticeably as it slid into the darkened oval of the tunnel mouth before emerging into the brightly lit artificial cavern of station number ten and braking fully to a stop.

  Ramirez undid his lap restraint, reached underneath his seat for his bag, then shuffled impatiently to the exit behind a dawdling crowd of alighting passengers. He stepped out of the train and then made his way down the crowded platforms, through the ticket barrier, then up the broad stairway to the airy glass-roofed station forecourt and thence to the sunlit street outside.

  A fleet of sleek looking AG taxis waited in line outside under the glass canopy, their black on white livery decorated with the city crest. Ramirez boarded one, slung his bag onto the back seat and scrambled in after it, settling heavily into the soft leather upholstery with a sigh of relief.

  ‘Ah, Falls Tier Hotel please,’ He called out to the driver.

  ‘Sure. Huh, you must have money to burn,’ said the grizzled looking driver as he angled the car off the tarmac and into the air. ‘Didn’t know the Navy paid that well.’

  ‘Well, I got some unexpected leave and I thought “what the hell.”’

  ‘Hey, why not eh? You ever been to this system before?’

  ‘Yeah, once or twice. Never stayed in the capital, though I’ve passed through a few times.’

  ‘This is one great place for shore leave let me tell you…’

  Ramirez only half listened as the driver gave him a running commentary of the various delights of Constantine, its bars, clubs, brothels and other delights, but he was too busy admiring the sights for himself as the cab sped through the aerial traffic amid the slender, soaring towers at the city’s heart. The glass forest of skyscrapers thinned then gave way to the lower, squatter buildings of the shopping and leisure district. Ahead, Ramirez could see the brown-green barrier of the cliffs that cut through the western end of the city, where the falls were visible as a foaming curtain that sparkled in the light.

  As the cab drew closer he could see the hotel. Where the falls had cut back into the cliff over the millennia it sprung like a bracket fungus in a stack of two dozen curved floors built into and onto the rock. The main entrance was at the top of the cliff and was accessible either by air or via a vertiginous road that snaked and switchbacked up the cliff.

  The interior of the hotel was modern and expensive looking. Ramirez’s eye was particularly caught by the furniture which floated above the ground at the correct height on its own AG fields. He wondered how much alone they had cost. He checked out the other guests: most of them looked moneyed in the extreme. He guessed he’d have to make Admiral before they’d even give him the time of day, even though he could well afford to stay here.

  Ramirez tipped the attendant, checked in, and was shown to his room by another flunky. His room was spacious and was situated on the far right hand side of the curving front of the hotel. The furniture was thankfully not floating, and though it lacked a view of the falls from its balcony the room gave a decent view of the city. The tapering spike of the elevator tower and the bright needles of skyscrapers gleamed in the light. Ramirez unpacked, and then sat on the bed to gather his thoughts. It was time to talk to Michelle.

  He checked with reception for Chen’s room and then made his way through the quiet, curving corridors. Her room was on the floor above and was larger, more expensive and had a good view of the falls. She was expecting him to call, though he had not told her the reason beforehand. She should just be finishing her breakfast about now he guessed. Ramirez was not hungry, he was still operating on ship time and his body-clock still thought that it was mid-afternoon. He reached the door to her room and knocked tentatively, there was a muffled call of ‘come in’ and he entered.

  Chen sat at a table on her balcony dressed in a white blouse and black trousers and was in the process of polishing off the remains of a bowl of fruit and cereal. Ramirez noticed that she was wearing her collar length, jet black hair down instead of tied back in its usual severe bun. The falls were visible behind her; their constant bass roar audible through the open balcony screens.

  ‘Good morning Al. Did you have a good trip?’ she said and smiled at him as she gestured to the other, unoccupied chair.

  ‘Yeah, not so bad,’ he replied. ‘So how’s the heroine of the hour?’

  ‘Much better, thanks,’ she gave a little laugh. ‘It feels good to be vindicated, you know?’

  ‘Good, look ah… I actually came here to discuss a few things with you. Sorry to talk shop and all, but it’s important.’

  ‘Oh?’ she looked at him quizzically.

  ‘You may find some of it not to your liking. The rest, well that’s for you to decide.’ He found he couldn’t meet her gaze. He stared at his wringing hands on the table.

  ‘Al, what on earth? What’s the matter?’ she said and took hold of his hands.

  ‘Talk to me.’

  He took a deep breath.

  ‘I am not… I’m not who you think I am Michelle,’ he said unsteadily.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’ve been living a double life. My name is Alvaro Ramirez and I do hold the rank of Commander, but I’m a Commander of the Naval branch of the CIB. You were subject to an internal scrutiny. I was posted to the Mark Antony to keep an eye on you and to report on your activities and behaviour to my superiors. I’ve been spying on you Michelle, it’s my job and well, I’m terribly sorry.’

  She looked at him silently, her mouth slightly open.

  ‘You and I became friends after all, as well as colleagues. I wanted to tell you, but…’

  ‘Al it’s… it’s okay it’s not your fault,’ she said slowly, fighting the sudden urge to strike him. Her better instincts prevailed. Ramirez was a good man, she knew that. . ‘Like you said, you were just doing your job, I understand. We’re still friends as well as colleagues, you’re a good officer.’

  He met her gaze briefly.

  ‘Thanks. You know I don’t blame you if… ’

  She shushed him. ‘This must have been eating you up for months.’

  ‘It has, believe me.’

  ‘So why are you telling me all this now?’

  ‘I was ordered to. It was part of the process of telling you... telling you that you passed the test, so to speak.’

  ‘What test?’

  ‘Command believes that you are a captain of tremendous ability and potential, Michelle. The Navy needs people like you, now more than ever. After the Highpoint incident they were reluctant to give you up, which is why you escaped with little more than a slap on the wrist.’

  ‘I thought my family had…’

  ‘Yes, your uncle did try and use his position in Parliament to influence your fate, but it was Command’s faith in you that saved your career Michelle. They wanted to give you a second chance and I was posted to keep an eye on you and monitor your behaviour; how you were coping with punishment, how you ran the ship and interacted with the crew, how you operated under pressure and so on, and you passed with flying colours. My reports and you catching those gun runners ensured your return to active frontline duty.’

  ‘That’s… that’s quite a lot to take in, in one go.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘What was that part about the Navy needing people like me more than ever before?’

  Ramirez opened his right hand. He was holding a small sonic inhibitor. He activated it.

  ‘War is coming Michelle.’ He whispered instinctively despite the inhibitor’s effects.

  ‘We don’t know that,’ she responded. ‘That sounds unusually fatalistic for you Al.’

  ‘The decision had already been taken. The negotiations will fail, the government has already decided. They’re trying to engi
neer a situation whereby we can justify an attack on the K’Soth. Command already has a plan in place for a strike. They want you to be a major part of it and they obviously think we can catch the K’Soth off guard.’

  ‘Dear God! That explains the refit then. Command thinks we can win? That it’s worth the inevitable losses?’

  ‘Yes, on all counts. Think you’re up to it?’

  Chen swallowed.

  ‘Yes, I am. I have to be. It’s my job.’

  ‘Good. Fleet Admiral Haines is holding a briefing at 12:30 at Naval Headquarters here in Constantine. You’ve been ordered to attend.’

  ‘I’ll be there,’ she paused. ‘You know a part of me is actually looking forward to this? Perverse I know, but I’ve always wanted some measure of payback for what they did to us last time.’

  Ramirez thought she looked visibly paler.

  ‘Haines feels the same way I think,’ he said. ‘You okay?’

  ‘Yes. Thank you, Al. Thanks for everything. I’d ah, better get going then hadn’t I?’

  ‘Yeah. Look, I’ll drop by later,’ he stood up and started to leave.

  ‘Al, would you like to have dinner tonight?’ she said suddenly. ‘Just you and me, as a… as a thank you.’

  ‘A thank you, for what?’

  ‘For supporting me these past few months.’

  ‘I’d love to. I’ll come by at eight then shall I?’

  ‘Great. I’ll see you later then.’

  ‘Sure. Good luck at the briefing,’ he replied, then turned and left, closing the door quietly behind him. Chen took a deep breath and then went to change into her dress uniform.