by Matt Verish
Fortunately, Harper made it for her.
A bold-lettered text message appeared across the viewport screen. “Remain where you are, Commander. I will rectify your current situation. The takeover is nearly complete. You’ve done well.”
“Take care of what?” Rig wondered aloud. “What’s she planning?”
Chrys’s eyes narrowed, a small, sinister smile creeping onto her face. “Revenge.”
The space station erupted in ferocious missile and auto cannon fire the likes of which Chrys had never seen. She squinted and had to look away from the brightness of the plasma-based weapons and swirling nukes. None of them were locked onto the Icarus; the same could not be said of the Terracom armada.
With the swiftness and destructive force of a tsunami, the storm of friendly fire eradicated the confused Terracom force. Stragglers were snuffed out, and the viewport screen was bereft of threats.
When Chrys was able to fully open her eyes, she saw Rig standing as close to the console as it would allow. His mouth was slack, eyes bulging with disbelief. She shared his incredulity, but she was now commander of this mission, and she had to maintain her composure.
“Now do you understand my decision to follow Admiral Musgrave?”
Rig wiped his hand down his face. “Whatever keeps me alive. That’s what I understand.” He dropped back into the co-pilot’s chair, looking fit to vomit.
“She will keep us alive,” Chrys said, pointing at the silent space station. The Icarus had a clear path to rendezvous with Harper.
A message request from inside The Fog appeared on the viewport screen, hailing the crew of the Icarus. Chrys answered, expecting to see Harper’s face. She didn’t. The tense, middle-aged visage of a businessman filled the screen instead.
“Greetings. I am Grant Mitchum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Terracom,” he said. “With whom am I speaking?”
Chrys struggled not to gawk at the “emperor” of Terracom himself, a man almost no one outside the company had ever seen. She took solace in seeing his coifed, silver hair in disarray. “This is Commander Chrysanthemum Emmerich of the Icarus.”
Mitchum gave a nearly imperceptible nod and glanced to someone off-screen before returning his attention back to her. “Commander.” He said the word as if tasting to see if it was bitter. “Yours and Military’s presence here is a mystery and, to be quite honest, most troublesome. Would you care to explain how it is you managed to not only locate this facility, but also withstand and cripple an otherwise impenetrable defense?”
Rig chuckled, and Chrys ignored him. This was her one shining moment to speak with the most hated man in the System and put him in his place. “Inevitability.”
Mitchum scowled. “I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me. This ship is the culmination of decades of repression...courtesy of your unwanted empire. We have come to render judgment against Terracom for unspeakable crimes against humanity.”
Mitchum appeared sincerely confused. “Commander, I don’t follow you. Whatever it is you believe my company to have committed, it is misunderstood and grossly exaggerated.”
Chrys saw red. “Explain the existence of this space station—this...Fog, if you will.”
Mitchum’s eyes flashed, his cheeks flushed. “I resent such a pejorative term. You speak in abject ignorance.” He cleared his throat and straightened his suit to calm himself. “What you have mistaken as a fictional, conspiracy-theorist delusion is actually a technological marvel, designed for the benefit of Science. This is not some lowly terroristic ploy designed to control the thoughts of all mankind.”
Chrys sighed. “How can I believe someone with the audacity to enslave people for his own gain? You bend those without a voice to do your bidding. The result is the monstrosity in which you hide yourself. If this station of yours is not what you claim it to be, then why not simply tell me the truth?”
The CEO shook his head. “I cannot. While you may have cleverly manufactured a way to deter our defenses, you are still only one small vessel. This facility is highly classified and works—legally, I might add—in a restricted area well outside your jurisdiction. I don’t have to answer to the likes of a Military spy with a grudge—regardless of your technology. The United System has greatly overstepped their bounds, and I will seek justice.”
“We do not fight under the banner of any of the five corrupt divisions of AMBER,” Chrys clarified. “Nor do we have any affiliation with the likes of the criminal underworld. We are here on behalf of the People.”
“You are alone, then,” Mitchum said as though he had discovered a weakness. “A rogue faction with nothing but a strong will and ignorance of what you oppose.”
Chrys was about to go on the verbal warpath once more, but Mitchum intercepted her chance. “But there is no reason for any more conflict. Perhaps we can reach an accord. Regardless of my personal feelings toward your invasion, I extend to you an open invitation to join me so we can discuss this matter further, face-to-face.”
“This is as close I wish your face to be to mine,” Chrys sneered.
“Then what is it you propose to do, Commander?” Mitchum asked, arms held wide. “Now that you have us dead-to-rights, what will you do? Have you another wonderful weapon up that sleeve of yours? With us at your mercy, do you intend to completely wipe us off the grid? An eye for an eye, as the zealots of Earth might proclaim? Will you see us all dead as an act of vengeance for the true criminals whom I keep under my employment? Will you be able to live with the deaths of hundreds of innocent lives—taken already by your hand, mind you—that had been simply protecting a precious investment? If not, then how is it you will be able to eliminate the rest of the thousands of us who still remain—most of whom have not the slightest inkling as to your baseless intentions?”
Chrys could only stare at Mitchum. She thought of Cole and when he had challenged her original intentions to destroy the Terraport space station orbiting above the debt colony on Terracom 3. He had made a similar plea to her then. How was this any different?
“I see that I have made an impression upon you,” Mitchum said in earnest. “Have you reconsidered my offer?”
As much as she hated to second guess Harper’s valiant assault, what if she was wrong? Could “The Fog” simply be the peaceful, technological marvel, he claimed it to be?
There was little evidence to draw a sound conclusion, and silence would get them all nowhere fast. Chrys thought of Harper, and she wondered when her mentor would finally establish contact. Would the admiral be willing to conduct a proper investigation before letting this situation grow out of control? Would she consider setting aside her decades-long mission and see past the blinding rage which drove her to such extremes in the first place? Could she? Or was this all well past the point of no return? How could one hope to turn over a new leaf when it was crushed ages ago?
Chrys knew in her heart what the correct course of action was, but would never happen. Not while the surreal scene unfolding on the viewport screen proposed a different story.
A horror story.
24
WICKED
“It looks like a graveyard.”
Cole surveyed the area surrounding the once-mythical space station, wondering what could have laid waste to so many ships. From what he and CAIN could gather through the scan, all of the remains belonged to Terracom vessels. There were no signs of an opposing force, confirmation that this was somehow the work of his mother.
Cole had no intention of turning this venture into a bigger rescue mission than it already was. Time was of the essence now that the veil that had been hiding the space station had finally fallen. He knew that UniSys and those associated with Terracom would soon come to investigate. Handling one galactic juggernaut would be difficult enough.
“We’re here for one reason,” Cole said. “I’m sure my mother is responsible
for this massacre, and that means the others are with her.”
Cole interlocked his fingers and rested his chin atop them. “They have no idea what they’ve signed up for. Whether or not they still trust me, they most certainly can’t trust her.”
There he goes again, asking me complicated questions without using my title. “Like a mother knows her child better than anyone alive, so, too, goes it the other way around. Harper hides behind a façade of duty and honor, but she’s the same person who used to screw a gangster overlord. It takes a master bullshitter to know one, and I learned from two grandmasters.”
CAIN did not answer immediately.
Cole smiled, aware that Fej’s influence had made a distinct impression upon CAIN. “You’re just gonna have to trust me, buddy. You might have a new perspective on life, but I’ve lived far longer than you.”
Cole was glad CAIN did not press the issue. While he was beyond relieved to have his friend alongside him, the AI had changed since the last time they had traveled together. To call it an upgrade would be an understatement. He did not have a word to describe what had happened to CAIN, though he intended to collect one from Lin once he had saved her.
“Can you navigate us through this mess?” Cole asked.
“Right, right, I get it. That’s just a fancy way of saying you can’t.” Cole sighed. “I know we’re flying a patchwork, shadow-of-herself version of the Daedalus, but I’d like to make it to that giant donut in one piece.”
“Nah, I mean donut,” Cole said. “It’s got a cream-filled center. See?” He pointed at the mass of mysterious light glowing at the station’s center. What it was, or from where it came, he had not the slightest idea.
Neither did CAIN.
Cole shrugged, eager to make his way through the junk field. “Whatever it is, my mother was completely wrong about it.”
“It’s about time.”
Cole nearly blurted yes, then reconsidered. “Any signs we’ve been detected from aboard the station?”
Cole’s mouth twisted in thought. “That doesn’t mean she won’t open a line for us a couple seconds before touchdown and nuke us to powder.”
“No assumption needed. If Terracom was still in charge, then this place’d still be invisible, and us dead. She’s rolling out the proverbial red carpet so she can perform her sinister monologue.”
“Good.” Cole took a deep breath, preparing for a second first-time mother-son reunion. “Alright. Let’s put this in motion.”
~
Chrys saw him standing there, but she still couldn’t believe it. As surprising as it was to see Cole Musgrave risen from the dead—still wearing his ridiculous SolEx flight jacket—her attention was drawn more to the unusual “man” standing beside him. “He” had a strong jaw line and the tall, lean body of a soldier, but that was where his human similarities ended. Its scaly “skin” was translucent, revealing a pale blue glow that emanated from within. His eyes were of the same hue, but the lack of pupils left his gaze unsettling, inhuman...and looking directly at her.
She had never seen him before, and yet she had a strange feeling she knew who it was. If she was right, then it was a miracle that both had survived.
She remained where she was as they approached, trying to maintain an air of importance. She nodded. “Musgrave.”
“Inspector Chrysanthemum Emmerich!” Cole said with a smirk. “Believe it or not, I’m actually glad to see you.” He lowered his outstretched arms and slowed. “I see my mother sent you to greet her miscreant son. Typical. Tell me, how is she? I don’t recall my reunion with her since she misplaced those memories.”
It’s like nothing has changed. “Admiral Musgrave is busy preparing.”
“‘Admiral,’” Cole said, as though testing the title for the first time. “She converted you that quick, eh?”
“How did you manage to find us?” Chrys asked, ignoring his question.
Cole feigned shock. He shook his head, his expression tight. “That’s what you want to know? Not how we survived or how Cain found his fancy new man-suit? Not even a guess as to how we glued the ship back together after my mother blew it up? She can thank us later, by the way. After she gives me back my Icarus.” He gave a quick sweep of their surroundings. “Wherever she parked it.”
Chrys held up a hand to silence him. So it is the AI. “You’re nothing, if not a clever survivalist, but you’re obviously exaggerating the facts, and that’s unbecoming. Even for you.”
Cole smiled his infuriating smile. “Oh, Chrys. How naïve you are. So, do we get the ten-cent tour? I always wanted to see the inside of the legendary Fog.”
A deep breath did not calm her. “You’re only standing here because Admiral Musgrave allowed it. I suggest you tread carefully. You’ll find no friends here.”
Cole winked and gave a thumbs-up.
Chrys squared her shoulders, ready to lead him to Harper. “You never explained how you found us.”
“Heh. Interesting, that. Let’s just say an old friend told me,” Cole said, glancing at CAIN.
Chrys frowned, not understanding... She dropped the topic and began to walk, the sound of the coinciding footsteps indicating they were following her. She hoped he would stay quiet until they reached their destination, but she knew that was impossible.
“So, where is everybody? Kinda quiet for a planet-sized brain-melter.”
She clenched her fists, eager to employ them upon his face. “Safe.”
“Ah, just like on DC-Alpha-6. Only they’re not legally being held against their will. I wonder how she managed to....”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do,” Chrys said, cutting him off. She glowered over her shoulder. “Your charms aren’t going to work this time. You crossed the line of trust one too many times when you abandoned us. It cost you your crew. Moreover, what you thought you knew about your mother’s intentions was wrong. Everyone was wrong about her. Including me. The entire System was too shortsighted to understand.”
Cole nodded, his expression unreadable. “I understand.”
Chrys blinked, uncertain if he was placating or mocking her. The following minutes were mercifully silent; she knew Cole was up to something, but it did not matter. After witnessing Harper’s power Chrys knew he could not slow the descending boulder Harper had already set in motion. She could warn him in advance, but Cole was nothing if not stubborn, and she was not entirely certain she wanted to prepare him.
By the time they reached the portion of the station that housed the reactors, she’d almost forgotten either of them was still there. They were a good ten feet behind he, but If Cole was nervous about confronting his mother, he did not let on. He gazed about the massive station as though he were actually on the tour about which he’d jested.
They encountered the others gathered around the Cosmic Particle collider near one of the giant reactors in a room large enough to fit the Daedalus. It made her question once again just how a handful of changed Military sol
diers could bring Terracom to its knees without suffering a single casualty. It both terrified and emboldened her to think of a future where the sole savior of the human race would not be human. Once Harper finally enacted her plan to bring about the end of an era of mass manipulation, who would take the reins?
Cole made that choice on his own. Too slow to react, Chrys watched as he removed his plastol—the one he had taken from her—and fired one shot. It opened a hole in Harper’s head, dropping her to the floor.
~
Cole gawked at the thin trail of smoke seeping from his mother’s forehead. His hand was still extended, though now it was trembling. All eyes fell upon the one-time war hero, and for a brief, surreal moment, there was peace in the galaxy.
A second later: bedlam.
Ignoring Emmerich’s shrieks, he opened fire on the changed soldiers hovering near Harper. Two of them met the same fate before his sidearm overheated and exploded near his face. The burst was minor, and had he not been wearing protection, the burns to his hand would have been much worse. He yanked off the charred leather glove and clenched his teeth. All of his digits were still attached, but they seared with pain.
The room went dark, lit only by flashing red emergency lights, while klaxons wailed all around. The lockdown was as CAIN had predicted: Harper had been connected to the mainframe.
Harper’s remaining followers ignored the surrounding pandemonium, kneeling beside their fallen leader, each of them laid a hand on her chest. Cole ignored them, spotting Lin’s huddled form before turning to CAIN. As he was opening his mouth, a sledgehammer slammed into his side, dropping him and his assailant to the ground. Emmerich. He was pretty sure she had cracked at least two of his ribs. He writhed against her assault, hoping CAIN would lend a hand, but the AI had its own problem: Archytas. Even as Emmerich pounded his head against the steel floor, he wondered why Lin was not interceding.
Emmerich’s careless punches and kicks, while still painful, left her off balance. Cole caught her unaware, shrugging her off and kicking her away. He rolled onto his side, gasping, as his world blurred. She came at him again, but this time he was prepared. He waited until she had a strong grip before throwing back his head and connecting solidly with her cheek. Emmerich cried out while Cole used his opening to crawl away....
