Fire on the Frontline

by Trevor Wyatt

  “Must be linked to their vitals,” I say. I run for the hatch.

  “I’ll stop it,” I yell for the benefit of everyone.

  I run across the tube, fighting the feeling of dizziness that besiege me due to the vastness of space all around me. Inside the security pod, I can see the countdown on the dashboard.

  I blink my eyes, calling up my nanites.

  “Computer, interface with this pod,” I command.

  “Interfaced,” the reply comes in my ears.

  “Deactivate targeting sequence,” I say.

  “Negative,” replies the computer. “Authorization required.”

  “Authorize,” I say, “Commander Anika Grayson.”

  “Confirmed,” the computer says. “Targeting sequence deactivated.”

  The countdown stops.

  I deactivate my nanites and return to the corvette to see that the four officers have been stripped. The team leader, Zhang, and one other guy are dressed as Armada security personnel.

  “Ready to go?” Zhang asks me and I nod. The corvette disengages and enters the activation codes for safe clearance. A minute later we’re given coordinates to land.

  Zhang hands me the fourth uniform.

  “You can’t go down there looking like an assassin,” he says.

  I take the uniform and shrug.

  Time to play ball.

  No One

  Once inside the atmosphere, Zhang makes a beeline for the main space port, where we know the TAIOC has offices. The space port is a triangular structure that has a main shuttle port smack in its center. We land in one of the several terminals.

  Zhang, the team leader, the other guy wearing the uniform who's leading the team, and I file out into the launch pad. The others are not dressed like we were when we attacked the StarTech facility earlier. They are dressed like actual tourists and their weapons are well concealed.

  The entryway into the terminal opens up and a man strolls in casually. We are all surprised by this that we turn to look at him.

  He stops short at first, looking at us in confusion. We look back at him. Then he marches boldly to us.

  “Who the fuck are you guys?” he asks.

  Zhang begins to say something when a Separatist reaches across the space and stabs the man in his jugular.

  Terror appears on his face as he grabs the knife, crumpling to his feet. The blood pools around his body and we all watch as he dies before our eyes. Zhang gives me a troubled look. I subtly shake my head. There’s nothing we could have done about that.

  Zhang isn’t satisfied with my nonchalance, which isn’t really nonchalance but wisdom. He says to the Separatist who stabbed the officer, “Why did you do that?”

  Everyone looks at him as though he had committed an unpardonable sin.

  “What?” the man who stabbed the officer asked, genuinely befuddled. He looks between me and the leader, wondering if he’s done anything wrong.

  I say, “Killing him will raise suspicion. You’ve just reduced the number of minutes we have to plant the bomb. Once they realize this guy is dead, they’ll come looking for him. They’ll know he came to check out our vessel. They’ll come here and they’ll see he’s missing. Then they’ll realize that the agents sent with this security pod to check out our ship…Hey, you see where this is going, right?”

  The man now looks forlorn.

  “Let’s just hide the body,” Zhang says, “and hope no one comes looking for him.”

  Zhang and I drag the body into the security pod.

  “We need to put a lid on this as soon as possible,” Zhang whispered to me in anger. “We can’t let these guys indiscriminately kill our people.”

  I have just about had it with Zhang’s fussing.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re undercover. We have to remain in the act for as long as necessary. Now, I understand about refraining from perpetrating acts of terror ourselves, but you can’t stop them from perpetrating these acts.” Zhang is silent and I continue.

  “One day they’ll stop and think about how, since you came along, they haven’t killed any Terran Union infidels and all. Then they’ll start looking into you and find loopholes in your cover.”

  “My cover is perfect,” he says.

  “No cover is perfect,” I reply. “There will always be loopholes. That’s why we have to constantly maintain our act at all costs.”

  We return back outside and lock the security pod.

  “Is he secured?” asks the team leader.

  “Yes,” Zhang replies. “Hopefully, they’ll think something other than he was murdered.”

  “Good, let’s get this done,” I say. To Zhang, I say, “Stick to the plan.”

  Zhang and I lead the team into a network of corridors and concourses that twist in and out of the massive superstructure. There are a lot of people, Terran and otherwise, moving about. There are also security agents in visible sight everywhere. No one gives us any second glance and we don’t keep our gaze lingering for too long.

  I follow the signposts that lead out of one section of the spaceport to another, where the offices are. A vast courtyard separates one wing from another. There are several walkways and driveways for small conveyor carts for people to move between wings.

  The courtyard is filled with people moving about their businesses. There are small carts dotting the courtyard, where food is being sold. I can see Tyreesians, Sonali, Kurta, even Reznak. When I see a Reznak food seller, I stiffen.

  “Come this way,” I say, leading the team farther away from the Reznak. When the team leader asks me for explanations, I motion for the Reznak about a hundred yards away in the courtyard.

  “That’s a Reznak,” I say. “They have telepathic abilities.”

  “What, they can read minds?” the team leader asks, incredulously. Then he burst out into a hearty laughter. Some of the other men join him.

  I don’t laugh, neither do I smile. Once he sees me keeping a straight face, he shuts up.

  “You can’t be serious,” he says, now a little uncertain.

  “I’m very serious,” I reply. “They can read minds. Of course, some have more power than others. I don’t know how strong that Reznak's ability is. I don’t know how their ability works. I don’t know if the thoughts are like stray words that move about their heads.

  I don’t want to find out. If he picks up on our intent, he may raise an alarm.”

  “Then we’ll just kill him,” says the same man who stabbed the officer.

  I’m not sure why, but I feel anger burst into my heart. I glance at this man. He’s a short and sturdy man with a strong upper build. His bare hands look weathered. I wonder if he’s worked in the military before because he marches along with a powerful gait. I take a good look at him. I’ll be sure to kill him before this is over, and I’ll make sure it hurts.

  I fake a smile and say, “Great. And create more problems for us.”

  Then I hiss aloud. The man wipes the smirk off his face.

  What is wrong with these people? I wonder. So trigger happy. I wonder how they’ve lasted this long without me. I frown deeply.

  We make it to the end of the courtyard, where there are three lines of people waiting to get into the TAIOC office. The entry way is a wide open space, and three officers are scanning the badges of people entering.

  I stop several yards from the line. The others stop as well and hang around, looking about so as not to look suspicious.

  I lean towards the team leader.

  “We need the exact coordinates for where the Terran Union building is located that’s hosting the summit. It’s inside the office.”

  “How many Terran Union buildings are there on this fucking farming colony?” the team leader asks me.

  “Usually about three to four per city,” I say. “You’re dealing with a massive bureaucracy. We have to pick the right one.”

  “Right,” he says. “Go ahead.”

  I look at our crew. They are trying their best to
not look conspicuous, but it’s not working so well. I can tell that we’re together. And if I can tell, the security officers at the entryway can as well.

  I say to the team leader, “Tell them to disperse more. People can tell that we’re together.”

  He nods in agreement. I walk away from him to the last person in the middle of the line. I notice two things. One, most of them are carrying food packs. Two, they all have badges.

  This can get tricky, I think to myself.

  As soon as I join the line, a few other people join the line up behind me. The person in front of me is an ensign. She’s wearing a blue jumpsuit, her attention fully focused on her tablet. I read her badge which she has in her other hand in clear view. It says Brenda.

  “Excuse me, Brenda,” I whisper into her ear.

  She turns in surprise. I flash a smile that disarms her immediately.

  “Hi,” she says with a smile. “What can I do for you?”

  Her voice is chirpy.

  “I’m sorry, I was wondering why we’re all lining up here,” I say. “Isn’t the Terran Armada Office supposed to be open to all?”

  She smiles even as she shakes her head.

  “This isn’t just any Armada Office, honey,” she says, eyeing my security uniform. “You just joined up? This is the Operations Command of the Intelligence Arm of the Terran Armada. Entrance is highly restricted even for us staff. I’m sorry, but you won’t be allowed in.”

  I make a sad look on my face, slumping my shoulders.

  “I was really hoping I’d get in to see some cool stuff, you know? I’ve always admired the Armada. I’m hoping someday I can join and go from enlisted to an officer and do great things in the galaxy.”

  “Yeah, I’m really sorry about that,” she says.

  “Do you figure I could maybe ask the security officers to let me in? Maybe if I explained myself? I just transferred here.”

  “I doubt they’d let you in,” she replies. “Hell, they may even detain you.”

  Then she pauses and looks around to see if we are being watched. When she has ascertained that we aren’t, she leans onto me and whispers.

  “Hey, so on a normal day I could take you in and the guards wouldn’t mind, but today isn’t any normal day. A hush hush summit is being held on this planet and security is on top gear. If you don’t want to spend an unpleasant afternoon in an Armada cell, I suggest you don’t beg your way in.”

  I nod once. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  I leave the line and return to the team leader. Once I meet him, the rest gather around us. I tell them everything I’ve learned. The line has become so much longer that our gathering is no longer suspicious; there are other officers gathering, too, waiting to join the line so they can go into the office.

  “Let’s join the line,” I tell the team leader.

  We join the line. I stay in the line in the middle, while the team leader on the line to my right and a little to the front, just where I want him.

  If I could avoid the line, I’d do it. But Zhang and I are too deep cover to surface just yet.

  By the time we are about five persons away from the entryway, my line levels up with the team leader’s line and we are side by side. The team leader leans onto me again..

  “So how do you plan on getting us inside?”

  “Don’t worry,” I say, winking my eye. “I have a plan.”

  Three minutes later, there is only one person before us. The three officers checking the badges aren’t armed. They’re merely tech officers. The armed security operatives are around and about. As soon as the person in front of me is clear, I pull out my gun and shoot the team leader in the skull.

  I shout, “Terrorist!”

  Panic erupts as people begin to flee everywhere. There is now a mass exodus inwards the TAIOC office wing and I’m swept along by the flood. Seconds later, the whole station is put in lockdown, with klaxons blaring into the air.

  I wonder if Zhang will roll his eyes at me for killing again. At least this time I can say it wasn’t one of ours.

  It’s baby steps after all.

  Zhang

  No One’s action is quite bold. I’m liking it because if she’s got to go into death machine mode, she took out a Separatist. It’s a long way from redemption anyways—fuck, we aren’t even at forgiveness.

  The powerful wave of fear and panic present in the stampede sweeps us into the TAIOC wing.

  Well, that’s one way to get through the line and into the building. There is literally no order present.

  I try to stay afloat because the force pushing against me from behind is so strong that, if I don’t constantly maintain being upright, it’ll drown me and then a hundred and something terrified men and women will trample over me. Well, at least I’ll get the death I deserve for all the terrible things I’ve helped No One do.

  The entry way leads into a wide hallway that cuts through the entire floor of the wing. The walls are made with a special kind of glass that shows a blurred image of the other compartments of the floor. Overhead, there are light bots flashing a mix of yellow and red while the sirens are still going.

  I hear running boots that are so unionized that I have to look over my shoulders. I’m not so far that I can’t see the entry way and even a portion of the courtyard. I see that the entry way remains open and people keep pouring into this wing. The officers checking for badges are now nowhere to be found.

  The Marine detachments assigned to this wing are pouring into the corridor from an opening in one side of the wall. This opening wasn’t there when we passed. It’s wide enough to allow two men marching shoulder to shoulder, which is how the Marines armed with assault rifles arrive into the commotion.

  They head past me to the direction of the courtyard, where there seems to be a firefight going. Despite being in a state of shock, I try to look deeper into the courtyard. I’m tempted to activate my nanites so I can see farther. I resist this urge since I’m in the Armada Intelligence area and they’ve probably got all manner of scanners running through the corridor. Plus, my limited nanites can only do so much. Nothing like No One. It wouldn’t help as much.

  However, I realize that I don’t need nanite enhancements. I can see a couple of ratty-dressed humans firing off laser blasts at the Terran security force.

  What the hell?

  The Separatists without a leader—they’re going crazy.

  It’s a little fortuitous that, just when we need a diversion created so we can go pass the security, the perfect opportunity presents itself.

  I get to the other end of the corridor, where the people begin to exit the space port into a wide area without fence. It simply merges with a network of roads that go in all directions. I look around the heads of the people pressing me from all sides, trying to get away from the sharp crack of automatic projectile weapons and the supersonic report of disruptors and blasters.

  I can see the fear in the eyes of the Separatists. Some are even bleeding sweat. I look for No One but I don’t see her. However, I see a couple of my Separatist mates. Seeing them brings two emotions into my heart.

  The first one is joy over the fact that No One finally killed one of them. The second one is anger over the fact that many more of these deadly killers still live and how they need to be dispatched off with immediacy.

  The moment I make it past the entry way, a hand grabs me and pulls me out. I don’t see who it is, so I immediately go for my gun that is secured underneath my guard’s uniform. A hand grabs mine and locks it in place to my surprise. I’m pulled out of the stampede to the side of the massive building.

  “Cool your horses, Zhang,” No One says to me, her face balmy with perspiration. She’s looking furtively around for the remaining terrorists. “There was a panel that we passed with all the Terran Union installations on the planet. I was able to find out which one we need to go to. Now we just need our Separatist friends.”

  “Do you think they made it out?” she
asks me.

  “Yes,” I reply. “They’ll be making it out any moment from…”

  Then I spot one being pushed by the running crowd out of the complex.

  I pull out of No One’s hold and run into the stampede again, only this time it has thinned as people are dispersing into the grounds. I grab the terrorist and he immediately goes for his weapon. Then he sees me and cools down.

  “When the others come out, signal them to meet us there,” I say. I motion to where No One should be standing but she’s nowhere in sight again.

  I pause, wondering where she has gone to.

  “Okay,” the man replies.

  I leave him and return to the side of the building just outside the entryway. I look around for No One. I don’t see her. Ten minutes later, there are nine angry Separatists looking at me as if they’re about to take a crack at someone—and I can tell that someone is No One. She did kill their—well, our leader. I begin to think of how she’s going to get out of this one.

  The area around the space port is a no fly zone for air cars. Only shuttles are allowed to fly by and that’s when they’re landing. There are five major depots around the space port, three of which are in view and on this side of the complex..

  In fact, access to the part of the spaceport that gives you admission to the depot is restricted. These three depots lead into the main city, where the Terran Union administrative buildings are. That is where we need to go. – once we know which one

  There is an aircar hangar just outside the grounds of the space port. It’s wide enough to park about a thousand air cars, and it has special antigravity stubs that keep the air cars above the ground. The vast setup has a lot of aircars parked.

  Above and ahead, behind the depot, which is comprised of small structures with waiting lines and small bays for air buses to park, there is a stream of aircars coming and going to and from the aircar hangar, while a few larger air cars go past the park to the depot.

  I see one of the aircars rising from the car park instead of joining the stream. It swerves off lane and shoots towards us.

  The Separatists begin to scatter, but I grab a few of them.