by T. R. Harris
“All right, follow me.”
Adam led them out from the stairwell and into a utilitarian corridor lined with doors spaced very far apart. The rooms beyond the doors had to be large, yet no one was on the floor. At least not until an elevator door ten feet away began to open….
Chapter 36
Sub-conference room six was located near the center of the great pyramid, yet far below the traditional meeting rooms of the Elites. It was for overflow and meetings between staff. Typically, the Elites traveled the building with two loyal Guards. They were there for more than simple protection, but as advisors and communication conduits. To have one of these important leaders journey the corridors unescorted was highly unusual. Thus they traveled to the clandestine meeting by stairwell and deserted passageways. All eight of the remaining Elites made it to the room without alarm, to be joined there by four others, two Overlords of legal expertise and two with military experience—and all loyal to the Council.
“Why have you brought us here, Malens?” asked his distant relative Cyros.
“I wish to play a recording and receive your opinion—all your opinions—on its contents.”
He nodded to one of the Overlords and a screen on an adjoining wall came to life. For several minutes, the Elites sat in silence, watching and listening to the surveillance record of what had taken place at the Military Command Center four days prior, and the subsequent melt-down of Elder Synnoc li Qriss. At the end, there was a long moment of silence before Cyros spoke again.
“Master Malens, I have no knowledge of Fleet Marshal Kradis being arrested, or any appeal to the Council for adjudication.”
There were several murmurs around the table as all the Elites agreed.
“That is because Kradis is either being held in silent confinement, or he is dead.”
Now the murmurs became more vocal and the attendees more agitated.
“He would not do such a thing, and to his friend Kradis,” said another of the Elites.
“It is done, Master Havorn. I have researched it. After a confidant of mine made a copy of this recording, the original was destroyed by order of the Elder. He wishes no record of his actions, including the arrest of Kradis.”
“Pardon me, my Lords,” said one of the non-Elites in the room.
“Please Lord Gasin, your contribution is vital to our proceedings,” said Malens.
“Thank you, my Lord. The Elder has the right to appoint his own Fleet Marshal. It has become tradition that any such appointment be approved by the full Council, yet that is not required. His demotion of Lord Kradis, and his subsequent confinement—if that is what has happened—is also within his rights. However, to keep this confinement from the Council is not permitted. Ranking Juireans have rights to defense. This has been denied in the case of the former Fleet Marshal.”
“Appreciated,” said Malens. “That is my thinking as well.” He took a moment to scan the faces of those at the table. Most were elderly, yet all of sound mind. There was no shame in Juirean society to relinquish a chair when faculties became impaired. “My fellow Elites, I wish to point out some very troubling facts surrounding our current Elder, of which this recording is only the most recent. First, I go back to the time of the Great Exodus. Immediately upon becoming Elder, he ordered our people to partake in physical mating practices. As we all know, that policy proved to be disastrous. Five years later, and following many protests, he abandoned the policy, yet without a transition period. That also proved to be disruptive. Further, I offer his weak and misguided management of the Sol-Kor conflict, where he allowed the Humans to assume the lead and receive all the glory. Because of that, the Expansion has begun to crumble, as members lose confidence in our strength and leadership. Now I add this baseless and costly war with the Humans and their Union. This was promulgated on the death of a single Overlord by the notorious Adam Cain. This event—although tragic—was cause for protest, not war. Now we have suffered humiliating defeats, both in the Kidis Frontier and now at our very front door. You all know of the defeat of our fleet near Handic-non—”
“My Lord, that battle is being classified as a stalemate by Master Synnoc,” said Havorn.
“That is because the number of remaining vessels has come out to be about even. What he fails to tell us is that we had numerical supremacy going into the battle. We suffered far more loses than did the Union forces. Not only that, but his reckless removal of all defensive units between the battle scene and Juir has placed our homeworld once again in jeopardy.”
“That status is changing, my Lord,” said one of the other Overlords.
“Yes, we have five hundred ships stationed throughout the Alliance Cluster, and many more now racing ahead of the Human fleet to get here. But the point is this should never have been allowed to happen. Master Synnoc cleared the way to allow said terrorist Adam Cain free access to Juir, so he could play some game with our most dangerous and accomplished adversary. My friends, taken together, are these the acts of a sane and competent leader?”
“This is dangerous talk, Malens,” said Cyros. He looked around the room, taking special note of the ceiling.
“The room has been cleared of scanning devices, Master Cyros.”
“He will undoubtedly learn that the Council Elite has met without his presence or invitation.”
“I realize that,” said Malens. “But these are dangerous times.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “We must come to a decision. It will be a difficult, yet one that will determine the fate not only of the Expansion but of the Juirean race as well. Do we allow Elder Synnoc to continue…or do we not?”
********
Adam and his team pressed against the wall before retreating around a nearby corner. A single Juirean stepped from the elevator, then turned to speak amicably to the others in the car. He was smiling as the door slid shut.
Then the alien did something completely unexpected. He turned away from Adam and the others and sprinted down the corridor. Where was he going in such a hurry?
“Follow me,” he said to the group. “Something’s not right.”
The wide and well-lit hallway was empty…except for the running Juirean. The tall alien barely stopped at a door before opening it and disappearing inside.
Adam and his team were there a moment later. He listened through the door; there were animated voices coming from inside. He scanned the room for flash weapons, and detecting none—only electronic signatures from lights, computers and communicators—he made a decision.
“We’re going in. There are no weapons inside. Riyad, Sherri, we go in together. Lila, you have my six.”
“Your six what?”
“Sorry. You bring up the rear.”
“Ah, a military term. I shall have to research that more for later use. I do not like to be uninformed.”
Adam smiled. That was about the only thing she didn’t know.
Adam put his hand in the door slot and it slid open.
The three Human entered in a spread formation, Adam in the center, Riyad and Sherri moving left and right. What they found inside made their jaws drop.
Adam knew the Elites, not personally, but by sight. The brilliant white hair and pale blue gowns, adorned by gold sashes, was the first give-away. They sat staring at the Humans from around long table, along with a pair of white-haired Master-Overlords and two regular blue-hairs sitting at one end.
The breathless messenger was standing next one of the Elites.
After only split second, Adam and the rest of the team rushed to the table and surrounded it, weapons ready.
“I recognize you,” said the Elite with the messenger next to him. “You are Adam Cain. And you are the prisoner Sherri Valentine, along with the Formilian Arieel Bol.” He looked at Riyad. “I do not recognize you.”
“I’m Riyad Tarazi. Perhaps the name rings a bell?”
“Vaguely. What are you doing here? This is a private meeting.”
Adam raised his eyebrows. “Eh, if you hadn
’t noticed, we’re at war, and we’re, like, the enemy. Where’s Synnoc?”
There was an awkward silence on the part of the Juireans. Adam saw the guilt on the green alien faces. He smiled. “So, we have a little coup being planned here, don’t we? Where do I sign up?”
The white-haired Juirean sighed and slumped in his chair. “So will you kill us now, Adam Cain?”
“We have a saying where I come from. ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ If your plan is to depose Synnoc, we’re all for it.”
“Forgive me, father,” said Lila. Adam froze. “There are searchers moving along the corridor. They are four rooms away, armed with flash weapons.”
“They will report us to Synnoc!” exclaimed one of the other Elites.
Adam looked around for a place to hide. There was another side room with a small glass window. It would be tight, but they had no option. He wasn’t ready to start the fighting, not just yet.
“Everyone…in there, hurry!”
There was a mad rush of aliens and Humans as twenty-one bodies crammed into a room measuring approximately ten by ten. It was actually rather humorous, as the seven-to-eight foot tall Juireans towered over the shorter Humans and Formilians. Adam ended up with his nose stuck in the chest of one of the Overlords, where he discovered, to his chagrin, that Juireans did not use deodorant. He looked up at the alien and grinned. The Juirean did not smile back.
Mentally, Lila turned off all the lights in the room, only a second before the door to the huge conference room opened. Adam could detect the Guard’s flash weapon. The creature stepped a few feet into the room, hesitated, and then left. At least twenty other energy signatures registered in Adam’s mind as they moved down the corridor, pausing at each of the adjoining doorways.
The door to the small room opened and bodies poured out.
An white-haired Juirean stepped up to Adam. “I am Vice-Elder Malens, and yes, we have been meeting to discuss the matter of Elder Synnoc, yet that is a Juirean matter, not a Human matter—or Formilian.”
“Unfortunately, your buddy Synnoc has made it our concern, as well. If you do act and take him out, what do you intend to do about this trumped up war of his?”
“You precipitated the war with the killing of an Overlord.”
“I didn’t kill him. Synnoc had the ship’s captain do it as a way of blaming me and the Humans. He wanted this war and now he’s got it. In fact, he’s about to lose it.”
The Juirean pursed his thin lips and looked at a few of the other Elites gathered around. “I had my suspicions. He was too quick to take up arms against the Union for such a minor act.”
“Are you trusting the words of the terrorist Adam Cain?” asked another of the Elites.
“What he says makes more sense than how Synnoc has reacted to the event. Do you doubt that the Elder would be beyond such an act, knowing as we do now the demise of Fleet Admiral Kradis?”
Malens looked down at Adam. “I am afraid we may be powerless at this point to stop him. As you have seen, he is already looking for us. With his current state of mind, he will accuse us of colluding with the enemy and promoting a revolt against his rule.”
“Then if you don’t mind,” Adam looked at his rag-tag team of Humans, Formilians and mutant, “why don’t we do something about it. Where is Synnoc now?”
The Juirean track star stepped forward. “He has cloistered himself in the Pinnacle Room.”
“Good,” said Adam. “Let’s make sure he stays there. Okay everyone, we’re heading down.”
“What about Synnoc?” Arieel asked. “He is located above us.”
“Don’t worry, he’ll be taken care of.”
“How?” Riyad asked.
“Remember the backup generators under the building? They’re fusion powered, right?”
Riyad’s eyes grew wide. “I like your thinking, Captain Cain.”
“What are brew talking about?” Sherri asked.
Lila stepped forward. “I detect the generators, as well.” She turned to Sherri. “An overload of those units—similar to a flash weapons overload—would produce a small nuclear explosion under the structure.”
“You’re going to nuke ‘em?” Sherri’s swollen eye suddenly opened. “And where are we going to be when this happens?”
“Two nukes, actually,” Adam replied. “As to where we will be at the time…. Trimen, you have a ship nearby, don’t you?”
“Yes, at the Council landing field to the west of the building.”
“All right everyone, that’s our goal—to reach Trimen’s ship and get the hell off the mountain before we set off the nukes.”
“You are going to destroy the Malor-Hydon Tower?” Malens asked breathlessly.
“That’s the plan.”
“I cannot allow that. That is too high a price to pay for removing Synnoc from office. We can do that through procedure.”
“You just said he’s gone off the rails.”
“Pardon me?”
“He’s gone rogue, setting up a dictatorship. Your life-expectancy—and that of your fellow Elites—is probably measured in minutes. If I were you, I’d be running for the exits, along with the rest of us.”
“He is indeed a savage terrorist!” declared another of the Elites. “Malens, you cannot allow this.”
“Maby you shouldn’t have started a war with dus,” Sherri said to the mouthy Juirean.
“I do not understand.”
She jabbed the barrel of her M-101 into the alien’s chest. “Do you understand dis?”
“Adam Cain, I must protest,” said Malens. “There must be a better solution.”
“Yeah, we could wait until the Union fleet gets here and lays waste to your entire stinking planet, but that might get some Humans killed, too. That’s something I can’t allow.” Adam was angry. He hadn’t come all this way to negotiate with a bunch of prissy aliens in shimmering blue gowns. He’d come to kick some alien ass. With two juicy nukes sitting only a few hundred feet below where he was standing, he now he had a chance to bring his scorched earth campaign to a close. He wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass by.
He looked at the combination of scared, anxious and angry alien faces. “The way I see it, you guys don’t have much of a choice. Either you leave the building as fast as you can, or you end up as radioactive ash.”
“We shall raise the alarm—”
Adam’s M-101 lit off with a small three-round burst. The bullets tore into the body of Juirean, nearly slicing him in half. “No you won’t,” Adam said to the falling body.
The other Juireans in the room gasped and backed away. All except Malens.
“I see you have made our decision for us.” There was fire in the alien’s eyes. “If the decision is to ally with a beast like you or with Master Synnoc, then nothing he has done—or will do—is worse than this.”
“Malens—or whatever your name is—you forget we’re at war…a war you and your kind started. When are you Juireans going to realize you can’t win every fight and that being arrogant assholes has consequences? I started this campaign to avenge the death of my oldest friend, a father-figure to me, really. For a moment there, I thought you mane-heads were worth saving, and that this was all Synnoc’s fault, just like it had been the Klin’s before that. Now I see I was wrong. You’re all alike.”
“We side with our own kind, just as you do, Adam Cain. I feel no shame for that.”
Adam nodded. “Then neither do I—”
Arieel took hold of Adam’s arm just as his trigger finger tightened on M-101.
“What are you thinking of doing, Adam?” the Formilian asked softly, concern in her voice.
“Either they die now or they die later. I vote for now.”
“And they know our plans,” Sherri added, her own M-101 leveled at the Juireans.
“Should we not have mercy?” Arieel asked.
Sherri glared at her. “Did they show any mercy when then blew off Andy’s head? You were there, you saw it ha
ppen. We’re at war, Arieel. We always have been since the first moment the Juireans learned of us. At some point all this has to end. We tried peace and that didn’t work. Frankly, I’m pretty damn tired of playing nice with these savages.” Sherri’s lips were bleeding as scabs ripped open during her tirade, but her message came through loud and clear.
Arieel looked at Sherri’s battered face and then at Adam’s manic expression. Then she turned away with a flip of her hand and shrugged. “Perhaps you are right. Okay, go ahead, kill them.”
Sherri and Adam exchanged surprised looks. “Well, maybe….” Adam said.
“Lock them in the side room?” Sherri said.
“At least give them a fighting chance to get away?”
“Yeah, that would be better.”
Adam turned to Malens. “You have Arieel Bol to thank for saving your miserable lives, at least for now.”
Arieel turned in protest. “I did not do any such thing! I said kill them.”
Adam smiled. “We all know what you were doing, Arieel. We call it reverse psychology.”
“No…I agree with Sherri. They showed no mercy for Andy Tobias. I remember vividly as he was killed. It was horrific and savage.”
Adam patted her back. “You’re a better person than I am, sweetie.” He waved the barrel of this M-101 at the aliens. “All right, everyone in the room.”
“Are you still going to destroy the building?” Malens asked.
“Of course.”
“So you would have remorse for killing us here, yet will incinerate tens of thousands without any such regret?
“There’s another saying where I come from,” Adam said. “‘Kill one man and you’re a murderer. Kill millions and you’re a conqueror. Kill them all and you’re a god.’ I still working on the god part. Now into the room…move!”
Chapter 37
The team left the conference room minutes later after Lila fused the door controls, locking the Juireans in the small ten-by-ten room. Before they left, Adam assured Malens that the generators could be made to explode remotely, so there was nothing they could do to stop it. That’s when one of the other Elites pointed out that killing the team would be a way of stopping it. The mane-head had a point.
