by Marc Stevens
“Commander, a Chaalt warship, designated as Sael Nalen’s flagship, just entered our star system. It moved into a low orbit and has dropped below the horizon of our moon. I suspect it now occupies the crevasse you have designated for loitering.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head. This was unbelievable. Tria took it a lot better than I did. She whispered, “Justice, cold water please.” The shock of the cold water made me yell out. I used my implants to bring up the temperature enough that I could catch my breath. Tria did not seem to notice. She stepped out into the dry warm air from the drier.
I reached for her but she just wagged a finger at me. “We should not keep the Senior Operative waiting. I believe she will be here shortly. She is known for her punctuality.”
I was going to start bitching but my Backscatter link beeped. “Nathan Myers, I need to speak with you. It is a matter of urgency.”
It was all I could do to keep from telling her I was not available until tomorrow. Tria went by me and swatted me on the ass. I almost squalled out loud. I had failed to inform her Justice chose a much different target for my nanite booster shots than for hers. The pain brought my thoughts back from Tria’s slender physique to the business at hand.
“We will be expecting you Senior Operative.”
“Commander, outer doors are opening and a Chaalt shuttle is making its approach.”
“Thank you, Justice.”
If I did not know better, I would say Justice was as disappointed as I was. I looked around for Tria, but she must have gone to her cabin. I quickly dressed and made my way to the boarding hatch. As I exited, I was met with loud shouts of joy from the gathered Grawl scientists. Their ranks parted and they held their hands out to me. I touched each as I passed. Many stood to stare at my appearance. I looked like shit but felt surprisingly good. I thanked and assured them I would make a full recovery. I told them the Operative would arrive momentarily and they dispersed. I suspected they still did not trust Sael Nalen.
The second prototype Chaalt shuttle landed next to its duplicate and Sael Nalen quickly disembarked. She did not look happy. That had me worried.
She did not greet me and came right to the point. “Have you accessed the data cube I gave you?”
I was caught off guard by the question and her look of consternation. I was also surprised her face no longer sported the disfiguring scar. She now looked much younger. “We are studying it. Is there a problem Senior Operative?”
“Yes, Nathan Myers, information has come to light the device might be much more than it appears to be. Can we speak in private?”
I looked at several Grawl that were lingering close by and was going to shoo them away. I thought better of it because this was their home now and no place for enigmas.
“Please tell me what you want to say. There is nothing I wish to hide from anyone here.”
She closed her eyes, drew in a breath and slowly let it out. She was still not used to anyone questioning her authority. Tria, Klutch and Coonts walked up to us and stood with quizzical looks on their faces. She finally came to the point. “The device was designed to covertly data map the architecture of your ship’s A.I. and upload it to the IST. My superiors do not know I am here to reveal this information, nor do they know I have it. They have also been less than truthful about the amount of information we have on the Daggers you possess.”
It was disturbing to think every race I came into contact with had an ulterior motive behind our interactions. I turned and spoke loud enough that everyone could hear. “Justice, set two additional places in our conference room and please bring the Chaalt data cube.”
Justice made it a point to answer me over the base PA system. “Affirmative Commander, I have anticipated your request and have already made the preparations. Xul will be joining you shortly. I would also like to add the nature of the Chaalt spyware was discovered and our contingencies successfully quarantined the covert code. I had planned on briefing you on my findings during your morning meal.”
The Operative was startled by Justice’s disclosures. A look of relief crossed her face accompanied by a small smile. I could tell she was impressed with the Oolaran A.I.’s acuity. There was a very real chance she would inform her superiors to never underestimate the machine intelligence again. I was sure this would eventually turn into another problem. The Chaalt powers that be were not going to be happy with second best.
I led the Operative through the Legacy, and she seemed vaguely familiar with her surroundings. Tria had already told me her people had recovered Oolaran artifacts. It would be stupid to think the Operative was not current on intelligence pertaining to the Legacy. When we reached the bridge, the Operative stopped and gawked at the surround view of the star system. Apparently, this was not a feature installed on Chaalt warships. The screen changed to the mapped location of the Operative’s flagship. A blue box appeared around the crevasse. Several green lines came from the location. One was thick, solid and cone shaped. It spread out and disappeared off screen. Two were much fainter and appeared as pulses. One had “IST” next to it, the other “BST.” Sael Nalen turned with a look of shock on her face. Justice just verified what we had been hinting at. She now realized the covert comm devices were not as undetectable as her people thought.
I was puzzled why Justice would show the Operative his capabilities. Then it dawned on me the A.I. did not like being underestimated and was showing off. Even as the thought bounced around in my head, the screen abruptly went blank. Sael Nalen shook her head and followed us to the conference room. She might have come to the same conclusion. The Conference room table was now longer than it used to be. It had a chair at each end and two on each side. I knew mine was at the head of the table. My crews and Xul’s were on each side because our chairs matched. They were large and comfortable. The chair at the opposite end however was smaller and lacked the benefit of padding. Justice was going to make the Operative pay for interrupting an event he desperately wanted to analyze in detail. His spitefulness did not seem to bother me enough to comment on it. The Operative had a frown on her face that pretty much said she knew the A.I. was responsible for the chicanery. She finally rolled her eyes and sat down.
“Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to address an issue that has been weighing heavy on my heart. If we would have known what it was going to cost in Chaalt lives to keep this base hidden, I would have given the order to abandon this complex. Wasting so many precious lives to protect this piece of dirt is madness. If Quill forces return, I do not want you to defend this place.”
The Operative sat staring at me then cleared her throat. “I came here to tell the truth about several things I now find distasteful to hide from you. The conflict with the Quill shall be another. Information I am about to share can go no further than this room.”
The look on Sael Nalen’s face was dead serious. I made eye contact with each of my teammates and all gave me a nod. I personally did not need any assurances from my people. I knew I could trust each and every one with my life if it came to it. I did the small gesture for the benefit of the Operative. It seemed to be what she was looking for.
“The Chaalt people are at war with the Quill. It was true when I said there would be great danger if they found this place. You saw what they were doing to those planetary bodies. If they find their way here they would do the same to this moon. All Chaalt military assets have standing orders to attack Quill wherever they might be found. The engagement you came uninvited to would have taken place with or without you. That being said, I do not think I would be alive to tell you this if you had not been there to change the tide of the battle.”
Tria was shocked but not lost for words. “Our People have not been at war for a great number of years. What have the Quill done to change the last twenty years of peace, and why should it be a secret?”
The Operative looked at Tria for several long moments. I could tell she did not care for Tria’s insubordinate tone. Her look of annoyance quickly tur
ned neutral.
“Are you familiar with the Uluru system?”
Tria pondered the question then answered. “Yes, we discovered the star system long ago. The system had eight planets, two of which were habitable. One had a midlevel civilization, and they named their world Austral. If I remember correctly they called themselves the Eyre. They were industrious and hardworking people. They were granted a favorable trade status, and as I recall, several of our people settled among them.”
“Your memory serves you well, Tria Burlor. The second world, Tasma, was barely habitable. We set up twelve massive terraforming complexes on the planet. After several years, a Chaalt settlement was established and a lucrative trade route was set up between the two planets. Both prospered and were the epitome of peaceful coexistence until the Quill stumbled upon Tasma. The small garrison was no match for the Quill forces. Before our military could reach their location, the Quill had killed and harvested more than twenty-eight thousand Chaalt citizens. When our warships arrived, we found what the Quill had done. We wiped them out at the cost of nearly decimating the ecosystem on Tasma. We now hunt them the same as we hunt the Scrun. We will one day find their habitats, and they will pay dearly.”
“Did the Crits find Austral?”
“A small number of Quill survivor pods managed to safely land on Austral. The Eyre and Chaalt settlers captured them and they were fed to the local predators.”
I had no knowledge of the Quill until a few days ago. I hated them already. “Why does it have to be a secret? All should know about the atrocities committed by the Crits and action taken to prevent it from happening again.”
Sael looked at me shaking her head. “The Union is aware of what has transpired. There are some on the Union counsel that fear the Crits and want nothing to do with a war. They are actively seeking a non-aggression treaty. It is easy for the majority of Union races to look the other way since they have had no contact with the Quill. Few, if any, know what the Crits have done or where they come from. They appear from the unexplored void and then vanish, sometimes causing death and destruction and sometimes not. As long as the Quill do not attempt to infest a protected world, the Union will not interfere. The Union has said they do not want war and will not support one. None of this matters to the Chaalt people. We will destroy these vermin wherever they are found. My people are already in conflict with Union directives, so the less known about our actions, the better.”
I looked at my teammates and it did not take a genius to figure out their thoughts. I put it into words. “We will stand with the Chaalt people.”
The Operative smiled at me. It was a pleasant expression now that she had her scars repaired. “You have proven it to me more than any alien I know of.”
She got up and walked around the table. I stood to meet her. She reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out two devices that looked like small cell phones from my home world.
“The first of these devices will make your IST transmissions private. Once installed and powered on, your deep space communications can no longer be decrypted by my superiors. I suggest only using it for confidential conversations. I would be forced to answer difficult questions if it was known you have this capability. The second device is a dedicated signal generator. It will allow you to use your IST to talk directly to me anywhere in the galaxy. I recommend you activate the first device if you have something to say to me that you want to go no further.”
As Sael Nalen was telling me these things, I saw an extruded appendage come through the doorway. It was carrying a chair and swapped the smaller one with one that matched the rest. My team was on the verge of laughing out loud at the A.I.’s antics. Sael caught the small frown on my face and turned to look at my crew. They now had neutral looks on their faces. I should have yelled at Justice for screwing around, but it was kind of funny. Sael handed me the devices then turned to sit back down, noticing the chair swap.
Sael snorted out loud. “I had truly hoped the A.I. of this ship would not have its intelligence degraded by being in such close proximity to a mindless beast. It has just proven me wrong.”
It was time to get back to business. “Justice, I need the report on your findings.”
“Commander, it is as the Operative has stated. The data cube has several million lines of code interlaced with the star charting and Dagger information. The spyware was of a very subtle nature. The more information accessed, the more complete the architectural blueprinting became. If undetected, the program would have gathered sufficient data to give whoever was responsible for it valid Oolaran design specifications.”
I locked my eyes on the Operative. “Why would your people go through so much trouble? If you would have asked Justice, he might have been willing to disclose what your superiors are seeking.”
The Operative slapped two of her hands to her forehead. “Because there are many in our military that have the mindset that it is much easier to steal the information than ask for it. It removes the possibility of being denied access. The program has proven to be very useful and, far too often, the tool of choice.”
I really had no reason to be shocked by the revelation. The biggest governments on my home world did the same thing on a daily basis. Friend or foe, it usually made little difference to those with the power to do it.
The Operative gave me a look of resignation. “I have to know. Are we now beyond a simple request?”
“It is not a question you should be asking me.”
The Operative flinched at my answer. She seemed momentarily lost for words. Then she said, “Justice, is there still a chance you will freely give the information my superiors seek?”
“Senior Operative, I have gradually grown to like and respect you. However, I will not be extending the same courtesy to your superiors. A single infraction of our trust may have been forgivable, but the list is now quite extensive and apparently ongoing. I am sorry, but further cooperation is not warranted at this time.”
Justice’s answer to the Operative’s question was eloquently stated and got the point across. It was a thoroughly washed and dried statement that in no way resembled the oath-laden tirade running around in my brain box. My crew sat silently watching. It was amusing to see them focus on the Operative and then turn to me wondering what my response would be. It was a lot like an audience watching the back and forth of a ping-pong tournament. Justice was not done. He had been giving the Operative nonstop glimpses of his capabilities, all of which I am sure she was reporting to her superiors. He gave her more insight.
“Senior Operative, I have been carefully cataloging and analyzing all your collaborations along with your Superior’s directives. With the help of another entity, we have concluded the Daggers and associated equipment are inert objects of study without Oolaran A.I. interaction. When you file your report, I suggest you point out that transparency with a known friendly ally would garner goodwill significantly faster than deceit.”
The Operative sat rubbing her temples. She then looked up with a frown on her face. “There is another Oolaran AI. at this facility?”
The silence in the room became awkward. If Justice was not going to speak up and tell her about the Overseer, then I was going to keep my mouth shut. I would let him continue playing his mind games on the Operative’s superiors. It was unfortunate Sael Nalen was stuck in the middle.
15
The Operative sighed and stood up. “I have been recalled to head security for the Prule containment vessel until it is moved to a new research facility. I have done all I can to aid you for your service to my people. If you need to talk to me, you now have the means. I have decided to leave the other prototype shuttle with you to replace the one you lost in combat.
That comment got Coonts looking a little nervous, wondering if I was going to tell the Operative what really happened.
Much to his relief, I just smiled and thanked her. “Senior Operative, you have been most generous in your compensation, and we thank you. If, in the future, your
superiors come to their senses, we will consider other mutually beneficial exchanges. Before that can happen, your current policies involving us need to be of openness instead of espionage.”
The Operative nodded to us all and moved toward the door. We stood to follow her out and Tria gave me a push that almost made me collide with Sael. I looked over my shoulder and frowned at her. She jerked her head in the Operatives direction and made a shooing motion to me. I gave her the stink eye and stepped alongside the Operative. I hooked my arm in one of hers. Sael looked down at my arm and then looped her other around mine.
She spoke softly to me. “Being recalled for a security detail is not considered a step up the career ladder. I believe the more aggressive members of the Chaalt military counsel have determined my mission here to be an abject failure.”
I was stunned by her statement and stopped before we could step into the down tube. I looked down the corridor and saw that my crew had not followed us. I suspected it was Tria’s doing, so we could have a chance to air what might not be said otherwise.
“Sael, I do not see how anyone could call what you have managed a failure.”
“Nathan, there are those who think I should have sterilized this facility and taken everything back to our home worlds. If you add that to the less-than-glorious outcome of my battle with the Quill, I am fortunate I have not been placed in protective custody.”
“Sael, obviously brighter minds prevailed. While they might not have everything they wanted, they certainly are not going away empty handed. Surely they must realize the outcome would have been different if they had not been so deceitful.”
She gave me a pained expression and placed one of her hands on my cheek. “There is a very real possibility I may never see you again. I brought the comm devices so if I did not, I would at least be able to talk with you. It is regrettable how I acted when I first met you. I have never had a reason to be anything other than the sharp point of the military counsel’s will. Now I am not sure how I feel. I do know I will miss you, Nathan Myers.”
