His father sighed. “Then if that’s the case, the most recent events have been carefully manipulated to culminate here. Beginning with the attack on Trident by unknown ships while you patrolled nearby.”
“You think the conspirators targeted Trident specifically?” he asked.
“What other explanation is there,” Patrick said. “We have reports of a ship with the same profile attacking Imperial assets.”
“I can’t believe anyone in the USS would order an attack on our own,” Aaron said. “Whatever is going to happen, it’s going to happen soon. We’ll take this back to our ship and back to the Supreme Commander. We need to isolate and seize these individuals before they execute the final piece of their plan.”
An access hatch burst open at the rear of the room. Two security types adorned in light body armor emerged moving quickly. Aaron poised for the attack but they ignored him and instead grabbed his father.
“Sir, there’s an emergency. We have to get you out of the building immediately.” They hustled him towards the access hatch.
He struggled to turn. “Wait! They’re with me, bring them!”
“I’m sorry, sir,” the security type said, not sounding very apologetic, “RAR protocol is activated and we’re taking you off world alone.”
With that he was gone and out of the room.
Aaron swung sharply to Rachael, “RAR?”
“Remove and relocate protocol. Means an imminent planet side attack, and no other internal security can be trusted.”
****
Aaron was about to reply when the floor lurched beneath them and they fell. She landed on top of him, her nose an inch away from his. The structure rattled again and he tightened his grip around her waist. People were screaming and the music died. They scrambled to their feet and ran from the booth.
“What’s happening?” She had to shout above the chaos erupting around them.
“Either this building is under attack or Atlas developed some serious seismic activity since I was gone!”
Another shock wave reverberated through the core of the building, throwing anyone still standing to the floor. They would soon realize the floor was the best place to be for the moment. Then the walls seemed to be leaning at an odd angle.
“The structure is buckling . . . we have to get out of here now!” he said.
Other patrons scrambled through the aftershocks for the disembarking platform. The walls now seemed to move in either direction, the structure had begun to sway. Aaron motioned for her to follow him. He scurried on hands and knees to the reception area and peered out the observation glass, another equally tall structure was nearby and this one seemed headed directly for it. Both were wide, and he was sure if it tipped and the structure snapped in the right place, it would contact the other one.
With the swaying motion of the building, no one was able to enter the air-cars. The cars were either too far or being struck by the building on approach. There were precious few seconds left. He knew the building was about to slam into the other.
He unclasped the buckle on his duty belt and began adjusting it to the widest length.
“What are you doing?” Rachael asked.
“Quiet, no time,” he said, adjusting the belt. “The building is going to hit and the other one is a bit shorter, we will fall a long way, do you trust me?”
“I trust you,” Rachael said.
“Good.”
He hustled her over to a reinforced pillar inside the lounge. Most of the patrons had left the immediate area. Some had even started down the building manually, using the emergency stairwell. Something he guessed no one had ever used. The poor souls would never make it.
He wrapped the belt around the pillar, positioned her back against it, turned his back to her and clasped the buckle. He then twisted around to face her.
“When we hit that other building,” he said. “We’ll be splatted against the far end of this one, and if we stay on the far end, the impact from the other building will penetrate and kill us just the same. You have to hold me tight with your legs around mine and your arms around my back and pull me into you. I’ll bury my head in your neck. If you don’t hold me well enough, the belt keeping us tethered to the pillar will snap my back on impact. I’ve got nothing to brace my lower and upper body.”
She nodded her understanding.
“I don’t think we’ve got back replacements, so I’d prefer to keep mine, plus I’m not sure you survive a snapped spinal cord.”
The rattling in his ears increased, followed by a grating metallic sound, forcing him to wince. The final supports within the building must have buckled, in a few seconds they would impact.
“Aaron?”
“Rachael?”
“If we don’t survive, I thought you should know that . . .”
“You really do always stop at the good parts don’t you?”
She forced a smile. “That I felt the—”
The last thing he heard was another loud bang, and then nothing.
Chapter 19 – Fates of Many
Imperial Warship—Phalanx
X-1501-D Emission Nebula
Near Border Worlds
A bored sensor technician yawned at his console. The sudden unexpected beep caused him to jump as though his superior had suddenly sneaked up on him.
“Lord Commander,” the tech called. “Sir, monitoring several large explosions on Atlas Prime.”
Sub-Commander Arias Decimus called across the command center. “Confirmed, sir,” he said. “Also registering an explosion in orbit. That orbital track would indicate it was one of Atlas Prime’s military shipyards.”
Quintus squinted at the readings.
“Source?”
“Unknown, my Lord. Analyzing residual effects and radiation now. The power levels would seem to indicate it was no accident. More than likely a weaponized device.”
“You’re saying someone either bombed, or shot at the shipyard?”
“Yes, Lord Commander. Bombed with some type of powerful explosive is the more likely conclusion.”
“What more do you need to be certain?” Quintus asked.
“When the effects clear further, then we can be one hundred percent certain. However, I take full responsibility—that is my assessment at this time.”
Decimus would go far in the Navy if he didn’t offend the wrong people—he had strong conviction and was unrivalled throughout the Empire in his position. Perhaps this is why Quintus chose him to be second-in-command aboard Phalanx. He’d engineered several schemes to test his Sub-Commander’s loyalty and he hadn’t failed once. But Quintus too had to be careful. Since the Lord Praetor commandeered his ship, he found his patience and discipline tested by the detestable politician—culminating in the destruction of the transport ship laden with civilians. The high-speed courier he dispatched to Hosque querying the actions of the Lord Praetor hadn’t sent back any communication. Quintus didn’t care if it ended his career, he would personally inform the Emperor of what had transpired on their return to Imperial space.
If he ever returned.
The Emperor himself sanctioned the Lord Praetor’s mission—likely due to fabricated reports—and Quintus was in no position to challenge that authority. Platus felt certain it was an invasion fleet, but Quintus held onto hope it was simple posturing by a politician playing dangerous games with the future of the Empire. He hoped the fleet dispatched by the USSF was merely in response to Empire posturing.
“Sir, should we inform the Lord Praetor?”
He didn’t think he had a choice. If he didn’t he would invite unnecessary scrutiny upon himself. Bannon was bound to hear of the incident soon.
“Yes inform him. What’s the location of our fleet?”
Decimus didn’t even check his console.
“70 warships, one light day away from our current position. The USSF will arrive several hours after. Initial intelligence and scans suggest about 40 warships inbound. However, with such a fleet travelin
g close at high warp, it is difficult from this range to differentiate gravity waves.”
Quintus nodded. Decimus was reminding him the USS Fleet was responding with either forty ships at the least or possibly many more. That was the nature of detection at these extreme light-year ranges.
“Thank you. Engineering, have you isolated the source of the deuterium leak?”
“Yes, Commander, a discharge from an electric storm struck one of the escorting destroyers. The leak cannot be fixed without EVA work.”
“Very well. Decimus, your opinion?”
“Sir, the leak cannot be detected from outside of our current position, another ship would have to be in close proximity.”
“Excellent, continue monitoring Atlas Prime. Notify me of any changes,” Quintus said.
Quintus left the bridge and entered his office. He fell into the chair behind his desk. Swiping a few controls, he played a message which recently arrived from Platus. Due to the light lag, whatever it contained was an hour old.
Platus’ face filled the frame. It was shaking and the background noise drowned out his voice. “Brother, as I’m sure you’re aware what has happened down here,” Platus said. “I have decided to make contact with the United Fleet operatives and show them what we’ve learned.”
Quintus agreed. The time for skulking in the background had passed.
The recording continued. “We shouldn’t have any issues once we get the troublesome one. Hopefully, he doesn’t kill my team before that happens. Judging from Rigel, he’s quite a handful. I’m tracking the male and female, in fact, I’m with them in a tumbling atmosphere structure. Facial recognition came up with nothing on the female, however, the male is Aaron Rayne, former Commander, USSF. Looks like they are about to do something crazy Quintus, not unlike that stunt you pulled back on Hosque—”
The transmission cut. Why was Quintus in that structure? He shouldn’t be too harsh, Platus had no way of knowing that structure would be hit. Honor guide you, brother. His thoughts turned to the approaching fleets.
Seventy years ago, neither side had the capability to deploy large fleets at extreme interstellar ranges. Until the USSF developed advanced warp propulsion capabilities. With the near equal advancements in warp technology, now either side was poised to strike at the heart of the other. Outlying colonies might fall first, and resistance might be fiercer the closer you got to the core worlds of either of the two belligerents. However, given both would prioritize protecting their most important worlds, any world insignificant to winning an interstellar war of this scale, would be left defenseless. There was no strategic value in targeting these types of worlds but he was sure once one side crossed that line, the other would.
Billions of peaceful people who didn’t care whether their fellow man was born on Earth or Hosque would die. They would all die because of the egos of a few who controlled the fates of many. Empowered by a system which long ruled human civilization—governments and other such hierarchies.
And so the cycle of human nature continued.
Nature be damned, it hadn’t counted on meeting Quintus Scipio. He would ensure the galaxy didn’t end during his lifetime. Whatever happened after was up to future generations to decide. He returned to the command center.
“Decimus, I will be transferring my Standard to Pilum. Phalanx will remain in the nebula in the event of any engagements. Pilum will remain on station inside the nebula until our fleet arrives, at which time I will rendezvous with them.” He leaned in close. “Decimus, do not allow the Lord Praetor to endanger my ship. If the situation changes I will return to Phalanx and I need you to ensure there’s a ship for me to return to.”
“Yes, Lord Commander.”
If Platus didn’t succeed, the opposing fleets would battle it out to a bitter end. And so would begin another great interstellar war. This was what it had all come down to. Whatever happened in the next day would determine the fate of future human interstellar endeavors forever.
“Decimus, you have command.” Quintus turned and left the command center.
“I have command, Lord Commander.”
Chapter 20 – You Were Deceived
Atlas Prime
The last thing Lee saw was darkness.
Or was that the second last thing? He was having trouble remembering the exact sequence. A bright flash and then darkness—that’s it. Now he was seeing something bright again. Muffled voices surrounded him. He could hear, yet he couldn’t feel or move. Why can’t I move?
“Lee!”
Lee’s eyes shot open. It’s Miroslav, and he was shining an insanely bright light in Lee’s eyes.
“Flaps, get that thing out of my face.”
“Don’t be so mean. I just pulled you from under six feet of rubble. I sheared off two fingernails digging you out by hand. You owe me,” Flaps said.
“Two whole fingernails? Real ones? Or the kind you can buy?”
“Very funny, Mister Rigellian Comedian.”
“Don’t be idle, Flaps, tell me what happened,” Lee said. “Other than someone detonating a powerful explosive device or fifty.”
Flaps frowned. “So that’s what it was, no one knows anything. While waiting for you to come around, I spotted dozens of other plumes of smoke on the horizon, some of them from the upper city. Also, there was a brief but bright flash in orbit. I don’t know what that was. Our stuff was lost under the rubble, so you’ll need new toys. All comms are out. They’ve blanketed the area with dampeners. Personnel devices or any kind of electronics are out of commission—apart from emergency personnel, who’ll have the dampening field frequency. Yours was smashed by the way, you need a new one.”
Lee groaned and sat straight. He balled his bionic fist and smashed a nearby piece of debris. He wanted to make sure it was in good working order as he had a distinct feeling he was soon going to be smashing someone’s head.
“So someone or someones, set off multiple explosives as far as we can see, and they’ve also bombed an orbital structure. That flash you saw was an orbital detonation. We’ve got to leave this area and get an idea of the scale of this attack.”
“You think this is the work of the separatists?”
Lee stood. “I don’t know,” he said. “But it’s well coordinated, and we need a better vantage point. Let’s return to Hammerhead and attempt to contact the Commander.”
Before he could move, unknown voices shouted towards them.
“There they are! They’re the ones!”
Lee craned his neck to see a short man pointing them out to two tall security looking types in trench coats. Each armed with a pulse pistol. They must be law enforcement since only they would have the frequency to bypass the energy- dampening field rendering energy weapons useless.
“You two hold it right there!” The taller of the pair began approaching while they each drew their pulse pistols.
Flaps looked at Lee.
“Lee?”
“If they take us in kid, even if we’re alive, it’ll be too late to stop whatever forces are at work here. Get ready to run. For now, put your hands up slowly, and run on my signal.”
“What’s the signal?”
Lee looked at his shipmate from the corner of his eye. “You’ll know it when you see it.”
Lee shouted back. “We haven’t done anything. We were just—”
“Silence!” the man to the left shouted. He must be in charge of this little goon squad. “Put them in restraints and bring them.”
As the first goon stepped forward within striking distance, Lee shot his arm straight into the man’s chest and launched him into the one behind. The lungs of the first one were likely crushed. Ah well, the arm was new, it would take some practice to perfect its use—the man would survive. He spun anticlockwise with his arm out stretched and slammed the other one ten feet into the air knocking over the goon squad leader. The leader only managed to squeeze off a wayward shot. Two were down. Two to go.
The goon who’d broken the fall of h
is comrade was now recovering. Lee scooped him up with his arm and tossed him thirty feet away over a pile of rubble—he too would survive. But the goon wouldn’t be walking out of his landing spot without medical assistance.
The leader threw his immobilized comrade off him and stumbled to his feet raising his pulse pistol. A rock struck the leader in the chest, but it bounced harmlessly off the man’s armor. It was all Lee needed, he leapt in and grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted until the pulse pistol dropped. The howl from the goon leader meant he wouldn’t be using that wrist for a while.
“Right on, Lee!” Flaps said, dropping the other rock he was holding.
“Not bad with the rock, kid.”
“Oh a compliment! I’ll make sure the Commander notes it in his log—Lee complimented me on—”
“Get down!”
Lee shoved the runt down into the rubble and pulse blasts slammed into the debris behind them. Another squad of twenty goons approached from fifty yards. The old “shoot first, questions later” approach. Interestingly enough he could tell the blast was only powerful enough to stun them.
“Try to keep up, Flaps, I hope all that cardio on Phoenix got you in shape!”
Lee bounded off and the quick footsteps behind him told him Flaps followed close by.
This was insane.
Different planet, same scenario—unknown goons chasing them . . . and this time across the rubble of several ruined buildings. He wasn’t sure this mission could get any more bizarre until he saw the stricken atmosphere-scraper crash into another, about two kilometers away. The poor wretches in that building. He was unable to look away from the spectacle as he ran. Five minutes later, the structure’s supports snapped four floors below and the upper portion of the structure impacted a neighboring one.
****
Slap!
“Aaron!”
He caught her hand as she was about to strike again. His jaw hurt. How many times had she hit him? And more importantly—how hard?
“What now?” he asked.
Border Worlds (United Star Systems Book 1) Page 15
