RIFT (The Rift Saga Book 1)

by Andreas Christensen

  “So, here on the right are your communication tools. On the left are shared and personal files. Access to shared files depends on your security level. On top are utilities, such as clock, calendar, notes, and so on, and once you get started, all your active stuff will be down at the bottom. In the center, you will find your current assignments. Don’t worry, that one tends to fill up quickly.” Sue saw there was only one icon in the middle. Welcome, it said. She assumed that was a good place to start.

  “How do I control it?” she asked. Back in Charlestown, they had swipe pads and control sticks in addition to the keyboard.

  “Look, try to forget how you did things back home. This system is designed to be intuitive. See an icon you’d like to open, just press it, tap it, or spread your fingers from the middle. You can do it directly on the screen, or just on the desk in front of you. The system will learn your habits. Wanna switch screens while multitasking? Just use your palm, swipe from side to side. Wanna close something? Just bring your fingers together or double tap. Everything is designed so that you figure stuff like that out yourself and find methods that work for you.” He looked at her as she tapped the Welcome icon.

  “Thanks,” she said. “Just one more question.” She looked up at him.

  “Where is the keyboard?” He laughed.

  “All right, just look.” He opened her message folder. It had just one item, some kind of standard welcome message. He tapped an icon to produce a new message. A cursor blinked in the recipient field, and he tapped it. A blue light projected a perfectly ordinary keyboard onto her desk, right where a physical keyboard would have been placed.

  “Now you can write,” he said.

  ~

  The welcome icon produced a tutorial for using the computer and several documents regarding her work in Strategos Command, rules, regulations, work expectations, and so on. There was also a long questionnaire, and she filled it out meticulously. A few seconds after she had completed it, she received a message.

  The message was automated, a profile sheet based on her answers on the questionnaire. She didn’t pay attention to it—after all, her answers were only partially honest, so an analysis based on them would be faulty in any case.

  She looked around. Evan sat with his face to his screen, working on one thing or another. The other two hadn’t even said hello yet. As far as she could tell, they were too preoccupied with their tasks to even register her presence. Some people might think this was a good job, she thought. She dreaded the prospect of spending her days in this room, in front of this computer, with people who didn’t even speak to her. Why had Counselor Novak wanted her to come? She sighed deeply and turned back to her own screen.

  A new task had appeared at the center of her screen. She tapped it, and a map opened up. It showed an area stretching from just west of Camp Gustavson to east of Camp Sharpe. The only town on the map was Fort Winter, Keisha’s hometown.

  The message below the map read: Please indicate the location of your capture. She was puzzled. Was this her task? She tapped the map once, just north of the small dot indicating Camp Gustavson.

  The map disappeared, and an image appeared. It was a woman, who looked vaguely familiar. Below her face was a short résumé.

  Colonel (Covenant equivalent: Sub Strategos) Renee Marsden

  Wanted for subversive activity, specification restricted

  Status: Missing

  Last known location: North of Camp Gustavson

  Extremely dangerous

  Terminate on sight

  Sue remembered.

  Renee, who had told her of the world, and how the Moon people had enslaved them all.

  The image disappeared.

  “Please answer the following questions,” the instructions said.

  Sue waited, a knot forming in her stomach. What was going on?

  Do you remember this face?—YES

  Did this woman speak to you?—YES

  Do you remember anything she told you?—YES

  Do you remember everything she told you?—NO

  Did she mention the history of the Covenant?—YES

  Do you believe she told you the truth?—…

  Sue hesitated. She knew she shouldn’t answer YES. That would condemn her in an instant. She ought to tap NO, right now. She moved her finger closer to the screen, but still she hesitated. Maybe it was a desire to finally stand up to them. Maybe it was uncertainty—after all, she had no way of knowing. Maybe it was the memories, pushing through a barrier somewhere in the depths of her mind, tearing it down, bringing it all back. Even the memory of how the Covenant soldier had stood over Rory while he lay helpless in bed.

  A second-rate citizen, expendable, Renee had said. And while that had felt like a blow, it hadn’t shocked her. Not really. She had known.

  Terminate subject. Like mandatory euthanasia. Once you’re spent, you get terminated. She felt her blood boiling. They had tried to make her forget. To make her a pliable little subject again. Medicate her; take away the memories that had shown her the truth. Ignorance is Bliss, the soldier had said as she’d passed out.

  She remembered now.

  And still she hesitated.

  She tapped the NO icon frantically. Too late. She turned away from the screen.

  The men who had been sitting in front of their own screens got up. They looked straight at her. Both were holding guns, pointing at her. Evan stood up, as well, looking confused and angry at the same time.

  “What the hell is going on?” he said.

  “Sit down, Hordvik,” one of the men said, moving his weapon slightly.

  The door opened, and a man walked in, followed by armed soldiers. She instantly recognized the face. The last time she had seen it, he had been looking straight at her, a threat apparent in those ice blue eyes. She had almost forgotten. He stood in front of her now, all six feet, hovering over her. That same black suit, white close-cropped hair and a face set in stone.

  “First Janissary Ivanov,” Sue said, knowing she had lost. He didn’t even speak her name.

  “Take this traitor away,” he said.

  Chapter 15

  MARK

  Mark Novak chewed his lip, pacing the room. This wasn’t going according to plan. In fact, this was the worst possible outcome. Ivanov had always been unpredictable. Worse, he had the ear of Head Servant Lunde. He looked at his guest. The young man sat in his lounge chair and seemed to be making an effort to remain calm.

  “What do you want me to do?” Mark asked. Evan Hordvik stared back at him.

  “What do you think? Counselor, you know she’s no traitor. But she must have seen something she wasn’t supposed to. You know what they do to people if they have, especially if they aren’t Moon blood.”

  Mark nodded, though he had no illusions that Moon people would be exempt if someone like Ivanov found out they were a threat. So the question remained, should he write her off, or take a risk trying to save her?

  “But what do you want me to do?” he repeated.

  “I want you to go right now and stop this. Go to the First Janissary, or above him if necessary. If anyone can do it, sir, it’s you,” Hordvik said. Mark continued pacing. He knew the young man was right. Susan Atlas was too special to let go so easily.

  “If you need a character witness, I’ll be more than willing,” Hordvik said. That made Mark chuckle.

  “No, thank you, Head Tacticus. That would only put you on the spot with her. I do appreciate your concern, but please don’t do anything reckless.”

  Mark stopped pacing. He suddenly knew what to do. It was a risky option, and it depended on finding out if blood really was thicker than water, something Mark wasn’t entirely certain of. Also, there were a lot of unknowns and even more guesswork. He couldn’t see any other options, though. He smiled at Hordvik.

  “First of all, relax. She’s a known heroine, remember? The ceremony was broadcast all over the Covenant. They need to take that into consideration,” Mark said. The young man shook
his head.

  “That won’t save her,” he said. Mark nodded.

  “You’re right, it won’t save her. But it will buy her some time.”

  Mark saw the confusion in the younger man’s face. In fact, it was Mark and young Hordvik who needed time. Time to put Mark’s plan into effect.

  “Your father has access to security level four, right?” he asked. Hordvik nodded. Of course. The Hordviks were a prominent family in the Covenant, had been since long before the Descent, and Evan’s father sat on the Luna Council, an advisory board that some thought had far too much influence over the head servant. Mark, though not a formal member of the Council due to his lack of Moon heritage, had often consulted with them, but as time went by, he tended to work more directly with the head servant, especially since Alexej Lunde trusted his advice and the two had developed a good working relationship.

  “It is time for you and your father to reconcile your differences,” he said. Hordvik just stared at him.

  “I don’t care what you have to do. But after all, you already took the first step coming here to Legacy. Now, all you have to do is reach out personally.”

  “Why?” Hordvik asked. Mark furrowed his brows.

  “Your father has a level-four security access. I do, as well, but I am monitored. Your father is in charge of all top-level security monitoring. I’m sure, if you showed an interest in intel and security work, you could manage to persuade him to let you into level three.”

  “I could get level three easily without asking him for it,” Hordvik replied. “I already need that clearance in my current work, so I was planning on getting it from the personnel security office.”

  Mark sat down next to him shaking his head.

  “Even better, but don’t go to PS. Instead, go to your father and make up. Then, once you have gone through the motions, done all the crying and embracing and all that, you mention your work. He has level four; there is nothing you need to hide from him. Work, got it?” he said. Hordvik just stared in front of him, and Mark knew this had to be difficult. Father and son hadn’t spoken for many years, and now, he expected the young man to try and heal such a wound in what must seem like an instant.

  “From there, you have to feel your way forward. When the timing is right, you complain that personnel security has given you an inadequate clearance. No bitching, just hint at not being able to do you job properly.” Hordvik turned toward Mark. It looked like he was beginning to grasp what he had in mind.

  “So, instead of PS granting me level-three access, I circumvent them by going through my father. That way, I would get clearance immediately, and they wouldn’t even know I had it until he remembered to inform them.” Mark grinned, nodding eagerly.

  “And even if he did it at once, with all the forms and the bureaucracy, it would easily take two to three days until monitoring took effect.” Mark leaned back. The young man was a good ally—intelligent, well trained—and he had very good connections. This could actually work.

  “In that time, you can move undetected all over the level-three system, as long as you cloak your movements. And you will have time to hide your tracks afterward,” he said.

  “Don’t you think my father would be monitoring me personally? You know how he can be,” Hordvik said.

  “Sure, that can happen. But in that case, you will have to make up a story and stick with it. Curiosity, perhaps, or a more desperate need to know. But whatever you do, don’t let him see your connection to me, or to Miss Atlas. Remember, he wants to believe you’re back on track. And he might even help you hide some of your moves, as long as he believes your story.”

  “So what is it you want me to do once I have access?” Hordvik asked. Mark walked over to his desk, and scribbled a note. He handed it over to the young man, who looked at it.

  “An English name,” he said. Mark nodded.

  “Level three includes certain drone footage from Warden territory. In at least one of those files, this person should be part of that footage. I want you to get me the location of that particular file and the key code for it.” He smiled. “You find that file, and I will take care of Miss Atlas.”

  SUE

  “Get on your feet,” the guard said as the door burst open. Sue jumped. She had been so lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed the buzz of the locks or the ping of the key.

  “You’re lucky, Tacticus. Someone up high decided to give you a second chance. Probably since you’re a decorated hero. So let’s move it, shall we?”

  Sue got up. She didn’t have any of her things here, and come to think of it, she didn’t own anything important, anyway. She exited her cell and saw there were two more guards outside. She let them lead on, and they all walked down the hall and into an elevator. Once the doors slid shut, one of the guards touched a panel, and the elevator began moving. Up, she noted.

  Ping.

  The doors opened, and she felt the breeze blow in, straight through her clothes. It was a cold day, and she wasn’t dressed for it. The chill felt good, though, after three days in a cell with no windows and no communication except for a few short phrases with the guards. First Janissary Ivanov hadn’t even come to gloat, which surprised her. She squinted in the harsh light and looked out at the skyline of Legacy, the capital city of the Covenant. The view, even from inside the elevator, was magnificent. The Moon people had built an empire out of the ashes, and if she hadn’t known of the cost, she would have been impressed. Now though, all she felt was disgust.

  She took a few steps out of the elevator and saw the tethered airship off to the right. And a man in long robes standing beside the boarding cage. A man she had seen a few times before. The man who had sent orders for her to come to Legacy. She walked over to him, the guards two steps behind. Counselor Novak motioned for the guards to stand back, and they left her alone with him.

  “Counselor,” she said, dipping her head slightly.

  “Atlas,” he replied, his face grave.

  “Some predicament you got yourself into,” he said. She didn’t know what to say, so she kept quiet.

  “Luckily, I managed to persuade the head servant that neither imprisonment nor execution of a decorated heroine, whose reputation is known throughout the Covenant, would serve to please the public. So we found another solution.” A half-smile appeared on his face.

  “Suffice to say, First Janissary Ivanov wasn’t pleased,” he said, and winked. She stared at him, forgetting the chill for a moment.

  “Why did you do this for me?” Sue asked.

  “Well, that’s a long story. But let me just say this: I think you have it in you to bring about change. A change for the better.” And she realized he must know.

  “But what can I do? I’m not even a citizen? And if I ever get there, I will still be English,” she said. She met his eyes, old and wise, despite the ageless face.

  “And the Moon blood rules, right?” he said quietly. She nodded. He turned and looked at the skyline, and she came and stood beside him, covering herself with her arms to keep the cold out. Novak spoke again, while staring out at the sprawling city.

  “Sometimes, one has to take great risks in order to produce great change. By taking you out from under the murderous clutches of Ivanov, I took a great risk. Someday there will be payback. And a common friend of ours—you don’t need to know the name—has taken great risks as well in the past few days.” He turned to face her. “Now it’s your turn.” He turned and nodded to the airship.

  “Once you get on that ship, your life is in dire peril,” he said. She looked at him, trying to read that look in his eyes. Concern? Determination? He was a hard man to read.

  “If they were smart, they would shoot the airship down today. But they won’t because they think they have another way. A way that will look better in the eyes of the public. But it can happen at any time. So be ready.”

  For what, she was about to say, but an airman came out of the cage, and motioned for her to enter.

  Counselor Novak lea
ned over and whispered in her ear before she stepped away.

  “Remember, Susan. Bliss is ignorance. Not the other way around.”

  Chapter 16

  SUE

  For the last hour, Sue had been blindfolded, and she squinted against the harsh sunlight when it was removed. The air felt warmer than back in Legacy, and for a moment, she feared that she had been sent back to Charlestown, kicked out of Service. Or worse, that she had been sent further south, to the Corpus, to slave under the whip until she wasted away.

  Then she saw the uniforms. Not spit shine, disciplined like the Janissaries, but rather a loose resemblance binding individualistic bents together. She looked around. Some of the men wore beards, and many were laughing or chatting loudly. A large, bearded man in a colorful shirt stood waiting, but she noticed that even he wore elements of uniform than identified him as part of this outfit.

  The Wardens.

  “Welcome, Initiate Atlas,” the man said.

  “Sorry about the rank, but our way is different. You’ll have to work your way up.” He grinned, a perfect set of teeth showing through his beard. And now that she looked closer, she saw that he was Moon blood, although the ruffled facade hid it well.

  “Having read your résumé, I have no doubt you will excel here, as well. In fact, we have already decided on your specialization.” She looked at him quizzically.

  “Why, you are a natural born ranger, of course. But let’s get you set up first.” He led her on, and they walked through the camp. The man talked and Sue listened. She was too stunned, realizing what lengths Counselor Novak must have gone to in order to get her transferred here instead of to the Corpus, or simply disappear.

  “You will have a few days to learn the ropes. Then, the rangers will come pick you up. You will only become a full Warden once you have field experience. Unfortunately, Warden experience is the only thing that counts. We’re quite busy these days, though, so it shouldn’t take long.”