The Enclave (The Verge)

by H. M. Clarke

“So they hit Val Myra and just disappeared, but are still on the planet.”

  “Yes.”

  “Any Special Ops team could do the job. Why the Adelaide? Why me?”

  “You and your crew have experience in tracking Hyde. And you are more…” John paused, searching for the right words, “shall we say ‘subtle’ in your operations.”

  Katherine looked up sharply at John’s words, unsure if he was taking a dig at her or not. She felt too tired to know the difference, or really care. “You do look like death warmed up Kath. Go and get some sleep. We’ll finish this when we arrive at New Holland. I have arranged a meeting with the New Holland Security Director before we meet with the Val Myran representatives. We’ll talk before then.”

  Katherine gave her brother a thankful nod and left to collapse in her bunk.

  Chapter

  Six

  New Holland Prefecture was one of the most beautiful colonial cities that Katherine had seen. Not that she had been too many in the last three years. Katherine had not been big on giving herself shore leave, and had refused the quarters that had been assigned to her by the New Holland authorities, preferring to stay aboard the Adelaide.

  AFV Adelaide was met on landing by a delegation from the New Holland leading Council. Katherine did not pay them much attention, except when she was introduced to Robert Prockter, the New Holland SIO Director. Katherine briefly wondered if the man knew why they were really there, she would not have been surprised if he did. Prockter probably knew more about what was going on than she did.

  Then the group rushed John and his entourage away and left her and the Adelaide in peace. Coulthard was already organizing the shore leave roster for the crew as they had not had any decent leave in over six months. Once everyone had done a rotation, the hunt for Hyde could begin.

  It was just after dinner when Brenton Joyce came to her door saying that Ambassador Kirk would like a meeting and had sent someone to escort her back to his rooms.

  “Why can’t he come here?” Katherine murmured. But Joyce thought she was asking him.

  “I don’t know,” he shrugged.

  “He hasn’t sent Hayes to escort me has he?” Katherine asked as she slipped on her coat. She was dressed casually, hoping for a quiet night before the round of long meetings scheduled for tomorrow.

  “No Skipper. It’s an officer from the local security forces.”

  Thank god, Katherine thought as she nodded to her Steward to leave. “Inform Mr. Coulthard that I’ll be ashore with the Ambassador. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

  “Yes Skipper.”

  Katherine met her escort on the Quay and she then followed the security officer through the docks to the car waiting for them outside the terminal; they then sped off into the heart of the city. The city looked majestic in the soft evening light and Katherine took this quiet time to soak up the sights. As the evening slowly darkened around them, the city began to come alive with light and Katherine was impressed by the wide green spaces and beautiful tree lined streets. Private homes soon gave way to small business districts and as the driver noted her interest in the city, he began to point out landmarks and entertainment areas. But all too soon the car pulled into an underground car park in what was obviously a government administration building.

  As they both stepped out of the car, Katherine thanked Liam for the impromptu tour and was happily surprised when the man smiled and gave her his Caller ID in case she wanted to do it again when they were both off duty. She smiled back. He was an attractive man and, though her crew might disagree, she was still human.

  A high silky voice intruded abruptly and ruined the mood.

  “Good evening Commander Kirk. The Ambassador is expecting you.”

  Katherine grimaced and saw Liam do the same. Her estimation of him went up as notch. She also did not miss the emphasis placed on her rank.

  “I’ll leave you now to her tender mercies,” he whispered to her.

  “I’ll remember this next time we meet,” Katherine replied and Liam flashed another smile as he slipped back into the driver’s seat.

  “Call me,” Liam said as he started the car and Katherine stepped away as he reversed out of the parking space and headed out of the garage.

  Katherine then turned to Julie Hayes with her best fake smile. “Ms. Hayes.”

  “Follow me.” Hayes turned and headed to the lift, still wearing that smug little smile.

  But Katherine’s ride over was enjoyable enough that Hayes could not affect her mood. Once this mission was over, and she had the time, maybe she would give Liam a call. As Tom had reminded her a few days ago; she was alive and should act like it. Maybe she was just having a high from breathing fresh air instead of the recycled and scrubbed atmosphere of a starship.

  The trip to the Ambassador’s floor was thankfully quick. And quiet. Hayes stood slightly in front, immaculately dressed and did her best to ignore the naval officer sharing the lift with her. Katherine hooked her hands in her coat pockets; it was old but was her favorite as was the skivvy and trousers she wore. They were casual, neat and comfortable, much like herself.

  The lift came to a halt and Hayes was on the move even before the lift doors opened. Katherine smiled as she followed along in her wake. She can’t stand my company as well. At least that’s something we have in common – mutual dislike. Halfway down the corridor Hayes spoke.

  “Don’t keep the Ambassador too long. He has a busy day tomorrow.”

  “What are you now? His mother?” The words just slipped out and Hayes tossed her a venomous look.

  “At least I’m not an ex-wife!”

  What the?! Katherine stopped in her tracks. “What in hell is that supposed to mean? He was married? Are you and John together?”

  Some color actually appeared on Hayes’s cheeks. “That’s none of your business.”

  “True enough. I don’t want to know about my brother’s sex life – especially if it involves you.” Katherine shoved her hands deeper into her coat pockets. “Are we going to go?” she nodded down the corridor but Hayes looked at her as if she had just been slapped with a wet fish.

  “Brother?” Her voice cracked.

  “Yes, brother. And I want to get this meeting over and done with as dearly as you do.”

  “Yes. Yes of course.” Hayes quickly turned and hurried off down the corridor.

  Katherine followed along after her, a small frown on her face. What was that all about? Do I really care? But before she could think of an answer, Hayes opened a door and ushered her into a large sitting room. John sat relaxed in a lounge chair, but he stood as they both entered the room. “Thank you Julie. You may go.”

  Julie Hayes turned and walked quickly from the room, closing the door quickly behind her.

  “Hello John.”

  “Hello Katherine.” John pointed to an arm chair and they both sat. “Drink?” he asked and Katherine shook her head.

  “I’ve just had an interesting conversation with your flunky,” she said as John poured himself a drink from the bottle on the coffee table.

  “How so?” John recapped the bottle and leaned back in his chair.

  “How long has Hayes worked for you?”

  “Only about three months. Why?” John gave her a puzzled look.

  “So, long enough to get to know you, but not long enough to know all about you.”

  “What are you getting at Kath?” John took a sip from her glass but there was a smile playing on his lips. At least he was enjoying himself.

  “Nothing. Just ignore me,” she laughed holding up her hands to ward him off. “You may have noticed that your aide rubs me the wrong way.”

  “Yeah, I’ve noticed, but you’re both big enough to swim in the same pond.”

  “Anyway John, there’d better be more to this than wanting a social drink with your sister.”

  “Yes there is. I wanted to finish our talk.” John’s face abruptly lost its jovial look; replaced by the Spook mask.

&n
bsp; “I thought we had ‘finished our talk’?” Hyde being free was bad enough. How worse can it be?

  “I informed you what I could accept the crew of the Adelaide being told. What I have to say now is for your ears alone.”

  “What is going on John?” Katherine felt a needle of fear prick at her mind. This was not going to be good.

  John leaned forward in his chair and faced her. “We have more information about what the aim of this Alliance black ops is. It looks to be connected with the attack on Adveral.”

  “What connection can there be between Val Myra and Adveral?”

  “A very tenuous one. Yunga.”

  Katherine jerked back as if burned.

  “Yunga was destroyed. I made sure of that.”

  “As you know there were only two people who came back out of that place alive. That was yourself and the Alliance solider you rescued.”

  Katherine tried to stop herself from shivering. “I couldn’t leave him there. That place was pure evil; and I’m glad I blew it back to Hell.”

  Images that Katherine had long managed to shut away from her mind’s eye flooded back. And the feelings they bought with them nearly made her cry out, the pain, the agony, the endless rounds of drugs and operations; and the sure knowledge that there was one other who suffered as she did.

  “They were killing him, killing us. He was the only one who spoke to me like a person in the dark of night when we were alone in our cages. One day they went too far with him and my guards became sloppy – to absorbed with what was happening to him next door. And they paid for it. They all paid for it.”

  It was the most she had ever said about Yunga. Even Tom did not know a third of what had happened there. The worst of it Katherine had kept to herself. The monsters were all dead and that suited her just fine.

  “The man you rescued had only just been returned to his family by the Federation. Did you know his name?’

  Katherine shook her head. “Names were unimportant and he wasn’t in any condition to talk when I bought him out of that place.” Katherine felt a twinge of guilt. She had never tried to find the man after they were picked up by a Federation patrol attracted to the explosions on the Yunga moon. He was sent to a RANSIO medical facility and she was tended by the Fleet. She had never asked after him because she never wanted to think on the events at Yunga again. It was past. It was over. But now it looked as if it was coming back to haunt her.

  “When Val Myra began to covertly negotiate with the Federation about leaving the Alliance, they asked if we had any intelligence on a member of the Val Myran leading family. A man by the name of Daniel Val Myra.” John paused to see if the name registered with Katherine. It didn’t. “By an off chance, it was then discovered that the man you had rescued from Yunga was Daniel. He was returned to his family and within a month Val Myra had been attacked and the reports sent to RANSIO from the New Holland Security Branch suggests that Daniel Val Myra had been taken.”

  Katherine stared at her brother in shock. “I had only been home a few months before Adveral was attacked.”

  “Katherine-” John moved to touch her arm but Katherine leapt from her chair.

  “John. Don’t.” She backed quickly away from her brother putting as much distance between them as the room allowed. “Are you saying that Adveral was attacked because of me? That I am the cause of my family’s death?”

  “I’m not saying that.” John rose from his chair but made no move towards her. “The Alliance is the cause of their deaths. But we now think that they were after you.”

  “Because of Yunga.”

  “Yes.”

  Katherine drew a deep breath to bury her fear, her memories, to box them back into their secure corner of her mind. She felt her face harden into the familiar face of command. Rationalization over emotion.

  “You want to use me as bait.”

  John hesitated but still nodded, Yes.

  “So the ‘SID analysts must think the link more than just ‘tenuous’.”

  “Yes, they do.”

  Katherine leaned back against the wall. She really needed to get some rest, but now she dreaded the prospect.

  “How was he?” Katherine asked finally.

  “Daniel?” When Katherine nodded, John said, “Physically he was fine. But mentally?” John shook his head. “I’m not the right person to ask. I’ve never met him, but his report stated he had a ‘skewed reality’, but his mind and memories were coming back. It was thought that being placed in familiar surroundings might help heal him.”

  “And you think that the Alliance have taken him again.”

  “I’m sure of it.”

  Katherine pushed herself away from the wall and returned to stand behind her chair and glared at the man seated across from her. Hate filled her soul and right now she hated her brother more than she had ever done in the past. She felt used and manipulated.

  “I’m not going to sit and play bait for you John. I’m going to get him back. I’m a hunter and I’m going to hunt these bastards down and bring Daniel home.” Katherine nearly choked over the name. His name was, is, Daniel! “He kept me sane, I owe him for that.”

  “But Kath-”

  “Don’t ‘but Kath’ me John. Unless you have orders direct from Fleet telling me specifically to play ‘bait’ or to do exactly what you say then I’m not going to do it.” Katherine glared at her brother who said nothing. “Then I think this meeting is over.”

  “Kath. Listen to me. Some of the security detail that travelled with me is to be assigned to protect you while-”

  “I do not need to be protected John. And if I did, I would only trust the crew of the Adelaide to do it.”

  “You are a stubborn, pig headed-” John threw up his hands in frustration. “I need you to work with me, not in parallel to me.”

  “I will not play bait.”

  “Fine. Just remember that whatever we both do, we do it together.”

  Katherine said nothing but nodded. As long as what we decide to do coincides with what I want.

  “Good.”

  “Now, I need to get back to my ship.” Katherine did not wait for John’s reply as she stormed out of the room.

  Chapter

  Seven

  I need a drink

  This thought repeated itself in Katherine’s mind as she stepped out of the underground car park and onto the street.

  The heavy scent of evening flowers assailed her nostrils and Katherine breathed it in deeply, savoring every sensation it caused within her. She held the scent in her throat long enough she could even taste it. The smell calmed her fear and her rapidly beating heart began to drop back to its normal rhythm.

  Across from her stood a park and Katherine remembered the string of bars that Liam had pointed out to her before they pulled into the car park. She would choose one, go in and have a few drinks without any of her crew being none the wiser. She needed to forget, to numb the pain, just for tonight. Tomorrow she will begin the hunt for Daniel and for Hyde. She could live with the newly dredged up hate and pain while doing that.

  Katherine buried her hands in her coat pockets and headed across the street to the park. The park was quiet and peaceful but Katherine hurried through it and stepped into the first bar she came to. It was neat, tidy and not too crowded. And it was quiet.

  She went to an empty spot at the bar and ordered a scotch, but Katherine delayed drinking it. She sat staring at the glass but was very aware of the people around her. It was then that she realized that what she really wanted was not to be left alone with her thoughts or feelings. At Yunga she was always alone; except when he was able to talk to her.

  Daniel. His name is Daniel.

  Katherine took a sip from her drink and let the mouthful of scotch roll over her tongue before swallowing it.

  Did Daniel find out her name? Or did he wish to forget as well?

  She took another sip from her scotch and then glanced around the bar.

  The small crowd that was
here sat scattered about the small, intimate tables, most looked to be couples out enjoying a drink. The others were like her. Alone and sitting at the bar. Katherine looked at the row of people sitting closest to her. All were male and all looked like they had come straight from the office. Katherine knocked back the rest of her glass and signaled for another drink.

  Bastard. Cold blooded bastard. Katherine grimaced into her glass. How could he? Orders or no orders, John should have known better. Whatever goodwill Katherine had for her brother was now quickly slipping away. Yunga had effectively smashed down and cleared away the rubble of their new found relationship from her side.

  Did he play nice just to get her onside to bait Hyde?

  Katherine finished her second glass but did not call immediately for a third. She hoped her brother was not that shallow but a little voice deep down inside was skeptical.

  Being her brother would have been the main reason Naval Intelligence chose John for this mission. If he had a conscience he would have refused. Should have refused.

  Katherine called for another drink and the bartender bought her a double.

  “You might want to slow down your intake there.”

  Katherine looked up at the bartender and the man took a step back. She blinked and shook her head, smoothing away the anger she could feel plastered all over her face. “Legal warning right?”

  The man nodded.

  “Fine. I’ll make this my last,” she said raising the double. The bartender pushed a datapad over to her. Katherine raised an eyebrow at the price but still passed her finger over the Gentec scanner to approve payment. The bartender then left her in peace.

  This place was too quiet. After this drink is finished, she will leave to find somewhere louder and more crowded. Somewhere that would keep the raw edge of her newly dredged memories from overwhelming her.

  Night had now taken hold outside and Katherine dug her hands deep into her coat pockets as she headed across the park, not really caring which direction she went in. She had a comm unit with her in case she got lost and needed a cab.