by Drew Wagar
Jim fled.
Rebecca had spent the rest of the morning going over the flight prep for the Spectre. She was itching to take it for a test flight but there was no time if the team was going to meet the launch window at ten. With two hours to go she’d done everything she could in advance.
The new ship was filled with all sorts of new technology but for the most part it was refinements on existing stuff she was familiar with. The big exception was the drive unit. She’d fired it up on idle and walked around to the rear of the ship just to take it in. It was totally foreign to her. All ships prior to this had flux exhausts where reaction material from the quirium sublight engines was vented out of the rear. It gave a distinctive cyan plume. The Spectre was different.
There was nothing but a dull flat panel at standby but when the engine was activated it cast an eerie and unearthly green glow across the hangar. Based on captured Thargoid technology, it used a completely different principle. The ship also lacked traditional fuel-injectors; after-burners which temporarily boosted a vessel speed at the cost of ruinous fuel consumption. The Spectre featured some kind of gravity lensing to achieve boosted speeds.
‘Quite a ship,’ said a heavily accented voice from behind her.
Rebecca turned and saw Coyote looking at her from across the room. He was smoking one his foul smelling colitas, his head wreathed in a swirl of smoke that curled around his strange oversized sombrero.
‘No smoking in the hangar,’ Rebecca fired back.
Coyote grinned at her. ‘I beg your forgiveness…’
Rebecca remotely shut down the ship and locked it up. The strange green glow faded. She walked back across the hangar to gather her jacket. Coyote was regarding her from the entrance. He hadn’t moved.
‘You still here?’ she asked.
‘We need to talk…’
‘Weather’s nice this time of year apparently,’ Rebecca snapped. ‘I don’t read the news but I hear there’s some Thargs heading this way. Best to be careful out there, yeah?’
She tried to walk past him but he blocked her.
‘We’ve done this once,’ she said, glaring at him, trying to push his arm out of the way. She might as well tried to move a Leestian Oak tree. ‘You lost, remember?’
‘And we’ll do it again if we need to…’ Coyote replied easily. ‘If we’re going to survive this, we need a few rules of engagement…’
Rebecca narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Say your piece.’
‘We’re in a tough spot here… if we’re going to make it we need to be able to work together. If I’m going to lead us across…’
‘Who said you were leading?’ she countered. ‘Guess you did, right?’
Damn you woman, we don’t have the time for this…
Coyote paused, keeping his voice level, biting down on rising fury. ‘Can you get the four of us across to Beenri without being spotted?’
Rebecca pursed her lips before reluctantly admitting. ‘No…’
‘I can… That’s what I’m bringing to this shindig. Which means I make the calls on time, location and jump. When we attack and when we run. Can you deal with that?’
‘Guess I’ll have to,’ she replied sullenly.
‘Guess you will,’ Coyote replied, his cool grey eyes staring into hers again. She sniffed.
‘Makes sense, I suppose,’ she said, returning the stare fiercely.
Coyote sighed and then asked his next question. ‘So what’s the deal with Garew?’
He noticed her eyes dance away, an expression of horror briefly crossing her face, before it was ruthlessly stamped into submission.
‘What about him?’ she snapped. ‘He’s got all us in a missile lock.’
Coyote nodded. ‘True enough. Anything else you want to tell me?’
‘No. There’s nothing to tell,’ her answer was hard, immediate. She was avoiding his gaze quite deliberately.
Coyote frowned and studied her for a moment.
‘You’re a liar, Rebecca,’ Coyote replied. ‘And not a good one. That tells me…’
‘This lecture ever going to end?’ she interrupted. ‘I’ve got work to do…’
Coyote nonchalantly leant toward her, propping up his sombrero a touch, deliberately encroaching on her personal space.
‘Listen senorita,’ he said, his voice lowered. ‘We’ve all got secrets. I get that. But if it’s something I need to know you’d better be telling me. You can’t hide behind your shield forever. Comprende?’
She regarded him for a moment and then whispered back. ‘Listen close, old man. Here’s some free advice…’
Coyote regarded her with irritation.
‘…I’m not the one you should be worried about.’
She pushed past him.
Watch your six, Coyote… watch your six…
Derik grimaced as he watched Udian ingest some foul looking bio-nutritional soup through one of his external access ports. A cylinder of fluid drained noisily. They were assembled in the bar where they’d met the previous evening.
Rebecca had arrived a few minutes before, ignoring everyone else in the room. She had sat near the observation windows, staring out into space without moving. Derik looked up as Coyote entered. He looked pensive.
‘How’d it go?’ Derik muttered under his breath
‘Not as well as I’d have liked,’ Coyote replied, quietly.
‘That well? I thought you were quite the ladies’ man,’ Derik replied. ‘Didn’t your irresistible charm have her swooning?’
Coyote raised his eyebrows at Derik. ‘You can do the pep talks next time.’
‘Oh no you don’t. You’re the boss. I’m just the hired help around here. Staff trouble is your bag.’
‘Thanks for the backup, mi amiga…’
Derik grew serious. ‘I still think she can help us.’
Coyote sighed. ‘I don’t doubt her skills. She’s a force and no mistake… it’s the baggage I’m worried about.’
He walked to the centre of the room and surveyed the three of them.
‘It’s time,’ he said, softly. ‘Time to go.’
Rebecca jumped to her feet and walked across to them. Udian strode across in two long thudding steps.
‘Ready,’ Udian said sonorously.
‘We’ve got two weeks to take the bio-weapon to Beenri and… make sure it works.’
‘Nicely put,’ Derik muttered.
‘First step is to get to Ermaso and retrieve the bomb.’
‘I’ll handle that,’ Udian interposed. ‘Get me to Ermaso.’
‘And does our illustrious leader have the route plotted?’ Rebecca asked.
‘We’re going via Qutiri…’ Coyote began.
‘Isinor is safer and quicker,’ Rebecca interrupted immediately.
‘We’re going via Qutiri,’ Coyote replied, patently ignoring her. ‘Otherwise we’re too close to Zaalela. I’m guessing the bugs will be coming from there, if they’re already near Erlasa.’
‘Last thing they’ll be expecting I presume?’ Derik inquired.
‘Something like that…’
Rebecca snapped on the navigation console and smiled as the astrogation equipment came on line. The Spectre was equipped with a new military heads-up-display, providing all the necessary information in a streamlined and easy to use form.
‘Bout time someone thought about the pilot rather than the magazine brochure.
She fired up the engines and brought the ship to a ready state, waiting for a cue from Coyote. Ahead she could see the two Caducei, one each side of the hangar, with Coyote’s innocent looking Cobra Mk3 in the lead.
The core-comm flashed a ‘new message’ symbol. Her heart leapt in anticipation.
Jim?
She called it up, only to be disappointed.
Dear Ms. Weston,
I never had the opportunity to thank you for rescuing me. Pressures of work prevent me from waiting until you’ve recovered from your injuries; I need to be back in chart three as soon as is p
ractical. Having established your credit account is most enviable, a token crediting of cash seemed inappropriate. I have therefore left you with a piece of emerging technology from Deep Horizon industries. It’s a witch-jump wormhole enhancer. It allows you to prevent the closure of a wormhole at will. You’ll find it stored in your hold. It may be useful given the current situation.
I hope our paths cross again. Once again, my thanks. Right on, Commander.
Cheyd Vlos’Oplyn, CEO DHI.
Rebecca triggered the hold inventory check. There was something there. One tonne of machinery apparently. She’d have to investigate that when she had time.
Coyote’s Cobra fired up its engines and began climbing towards the hangar exit, ready for transfer to the station egress. The pair of Caducei followed suit.
She paused for a moment, her hand resting on the throttle controls. Her grip tightened, she moved her fingers towards the thrusters…
The intercom buzzed for attention.
And why won’t this damn thing connect!
Jim pressed the transmit codes again.
‘Please identify,’ the vidcomm system prompted in a sultry female voice.
‘Jim McKenna, for the third time!’ Jim snapped.
‘Identity established. Welcome to Corp-Comm, Jim, Your last transmission was…’
‘Open commline to Tionisla, Station 5, Weston, Rebecca,’ Jim had no time for pleasantries, especially with an artificial intelligence.
‘Transmission bandwidth is limited at this time. Do you have an override code?’
‘Yes I frakking well do!’
‘If you would care to…’
‘Forty two z, z singular z alpha.’
‘Code confirmed. Attempting to establish link. Please wait. We value your custom and I’m sure your call will be connected shortly. In the meantime Core-Comm would like advise you of other facilities that you might…
‘No!’ Jim glared at the system unit as it spun up a series of holofac images. The Core-Comm sales AI lapsed into silence for a few moments.
‘Secure line established,’ it said, with what Jim fancied was a slightly peeved voice.
‘Jim!’
He looked back at the display and his heart jumped. She was there, whole, safe… alive. The big brown eyes, yet her face was drawn and pale. For a moment her face was bright with delight, before it abruptly faded.
She hasn’t changed one bit! But she looks so tired…
‘Rebecca…’
‘Been a long time.’
Jim nodded. ‘Yeah.’
They stared at each other for a moment. Neither prepared to speak.
‘I got your message,’ Jim managed to utter.
‘Took your time in answering,’ Rebecca fired back.
‘I had some things I had to take care of.’
‘Me too.’
‘You should have told me you were still going to Tionisla.’ He began, softly.
‘I couldn’t tell you.’
‘Why not?’
‘Was there some part of “I don’t want to know” I didn’t understand properly?’ she replied simply.
Jim stopped, his heart physically painful in his chest. He could feel it hammering within him. Rebecca was right, of course.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Bit late for that,’ she fired back.
‘How do you think I felt seeing your ship get shot up live on the holofac?’ he answered angrily.
‘Poor you.’ She snapped. ‘Oh… and when was it you last tried to call me?’
‘We didn’t exactly leave the comm-lines open did we? Would you have answered?’
Now it was her turn to look uncomfortable.
‘Exactly,’ Jim concluded.
‘You could have tried though,’ Rebecca shot back. ‘At least I’d have known you still cared.’
‘I…’
‘Don’t Jim. Just… don’t.’
Jim glared at her. ‘I refuse to live my life based on what they told us.’
‘We’ve had this argument.’
Jim continued unabated. ‘Still doing whatever Rebka and Iacobus told you to? Makes us nothing but slaves to some fate we don’t know and can’t predict! Always living on the edge, taking risks, one step away from being spaced! Death always around the corner…’
‘So, you happy with the way things turned out, are you? Got the dreams you wanted? Everything peachy is it? How’s the delightful Sonia?’
Jim stared at her accusing face. He couldn’t answer.
‘Didn’t work out, eh?’ Rebecca snapped.
‘It’s over.’ Jim managed to say.
If it ever really started!
‘Guess you didn’t know better after all, did you? Maybe you should have stuck with someone who loved you.’ Rebecca’s voice was snide. ‘Only a suggestion of course.’
‘I…’
‘We had it all mapped out Jim. You saw the future we could have had. It was all there! Only in outline, not the details. I had some dreams… thought you did too.’
He couldn’t bear to see the look on her face, a face from his past; younger; innocent; hurt. Standing at the loading ramp of her ship, her small frame silhouetted by the glare of the bay lights, crying hysterically at the words he’d just uttered.
If only I could change what happened…
‘It was never going to work, Rebecca! You were always on a mission! I couldn’t cope with you always being at risk. Constantly worrying whether you’d come back alive from your latest mission? That was no life to live.’
‘That’s what you loved about me,’ she said quietly, brutally.
Jim punched the console in frustration, trying and failing to stop tears welling up in his eyes.
‘Damn-it woman!’ he cracked out, his voice shaking. ‘You’re not invincible, haven’t you learnt that? You almost got killed today!’
‘You think I don’t know that?’ she fired back angrily. ‘I was trying to make a difference. Or have your forgotten about the Q-Bomb and… the other stuff? It’s what we used to do, Jim.’
‘I wanted to settle down, leave all the danger behind.’ he snapped at her.
‘There’s a frakkin’ war on! It was never an option!” Rebecca shot back. ‘Thousands have been killed.’
‘Exactly my point! I know!’
‘No you don’t! I’ve seen it first hand. We aren’t safe, Jim. Nowhere is safe anymore.’
‘It’s the Navy’s job! What can we do?’
‘We can save a thousand lives by doing the right thing. Not running and hiding like a damn coward!’
Maybe they’re both right. I am a coward…
Jim sighed, deflated. He shook his head.
‘Jim. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.’
‘We going to keep arguing all night?’ he asked, looking back at her image. ‘You called me, remember?’
Rebecca’s face hardened and she became all business-like.
She was always able to clamp down on what she was feeling…
‘They found Zerz’ ship.’
‘Who?’ Jim frowned.
‘Galcop.’
‘Wait a minute, Zerz’ ship was destroyed!’
‘They found it and the Thargoids found it before them,’ Rebecca continued relentlessly. ‘The Thargoids are coming and they’ve got the plasma accelerator. They reckon Lave will be taken inside two weeks.’
‘Two weeks?’ Jim’s mouth fell open. ‘Two weeks? That’s crazy, what about the Navy?’
‘Already falling back. Massive losses and the Thargoids have concentrated on Chart one. It’s not leaked onto the main feeds yet but it can’t be long before the snoopers get hold of it. They’re coming and we can’t stop them. It’s proper grim.’
‘Frak.’
‘Galcop reckons we’ve got a chance with some kind of new bio-weapon. Special Ops. Can’t tell you the details even on this channel.’
‘This sounds like another setup.’
Rebecca nodded shortly. ‘It is.’
‘No. One of them is plain scary but the others are ok. Don’t trust them obviously but I think they’re steady. Galcop on the other hand…’
‘What have they done?’
‘Nothing,’ Rebecca’s answer was evasive.
You can’t hide from me…
‘You were never good at lying.’
Jim saw the pained look cross her face.
‘And you were never good at being honest,’ she said, looking away.
Jim winced.
Rebecca changed the subject abruptly. ‘I’m test flying a new ship.’
‘Something special knowing you,’ Jim muttered.
‘Anyway that’s not the problem,’ Rebecca snapped. ‘It’s the Thargoids. Did you hear the strange words they were punching out?’
‘Yeah, nothing in the feeds about them at all. Strange. Vulgate. Duo quindecim novem?’
‘You don’t recognise them?’
Jim shook his head. ‘Should I?’
‘You used to be a genius and all…’
‘I’ll do a little more in depth research if you like. Why?’
Rebecca grew even more serious. ‘In the battle they scanned my ship. Then they all just came after me. They switched tactics, they gave up an advantage to go after me.’
‘They scanned you?’ Jim said.
‘And at the same time they started transmitting something else. I need to know why they’re after me.’
Jim frowned. ‘Can you send it to me?’
‘Got the audio here,’ Rebecca’s hands disappeared off the holofac as she turned aside. She threw a graphic onto the holofac screen.
A grating translated voice screamed out the Thargoid message.
‘RAGAZZA! DUX DUCIS, INCOLUMITAS!’
Jim winced at the volume before frowning and rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
‘Any clues?’
‘I’m not sure. It sounds like it might be some kind of old-earth language. Not one I recognise though. I’ll figure it out, where will you be?’
‘Beenri. We’re heading in the direction of Ermaso initially – meet me there if you want.’ She looked up at something out of range of the camera. ‘Gotta go.’
Jim reached out a hand towards her. ‘Promise me you’ll not take any stupid risks? If the Thargoids are after you…’
