by Ryk Brown
He shook his head. “If there is any possibility at all, it is too risky,” the president insisted. “No, the message should be delivered in person… by you.”
“That means a jump shuttle is going to have to jump in just above the surface to land and pick me up,” Jessica explained. “How quickly would the Jung’s air defenses respond?”
“Too quickly, I’m afraid, especially since the Aurora keeps popping in and attacking. The attack a few days ago still has them on edge.”
“Then we will need some kind of diversion.”
“We will think of something,” President Scott promised. “We must return you to your ship.” He leaned forward, putting his arms on the table. “Now, tell me more about your adventures in the Pentaurus cluster.”
* * *
Nathan entered Major Waddell’s office, pausing just inside the hatch. “Major?”
“Captain.” The major stood, surprised to see his commanding officer in his makeshift office down in the lower decks of the ship. “What are you doing down here?”
“I thought I might speak with you a moment.”
“Of course, sir, but shouldn’t I have come to you?”
“I spend too much time on the command deck,” Nathan said. “I like to get out and stretch my legs once in a while.”
“Of course.”
“I have to admit, I’ve never been below the main cargo deck before. There’s more room down here than I thought there would be.”
“It’s become a little less cramped over time,” the major explained. “As they use up raw materials in the fabricators, we are able to shift what remains around, giving us a bit more elbow room. Soon, we will have enough room to conduct our daily PT down here instead of on the main hangar deck.”
“I see,” Nathan said as he took a seat.
“How may I help you, sir?” the major asked as he also sat down.
“Garrett wishes to ally his forces with our own.”
“In exchange for whatever intelligence he might possess?”
“That and more,” Nathan said. “It would be advantageous to have the resources of an industrialized world and its population supporting us at the moment.”
“That may be true, Captain, but I don’t believe we have the forces necessary to accomplish our goals on Tanna, let alone Garrett’s.”
“That’s why I’ve come to you,” Nathan said.
“I’m not sure I understand, sir.”
“We have at our disposal resources you are not aware of,” Nathan began. “Unfortunately, they are also resources you may not feel comfortable utilizing.” Nathan leaned back in his chair. “In a special stasis container currently stored within our cargo hold, we have one hundred Ghatazhak warriors.”
The major just watched Nathan, his face impassive.
Nathan looked at the major, surprised he offered no reaction.
“These Ghatazhak, I assume they are programmed to follow your orders?” the major asked.
“According to Prince Casimir’s message, yes.”
“Have you revived them?”
“Not as of yet.”
“And you are telling me this because…?”
“Because you faced them in battle. From your reports, it was quite a horrific battle.”
“Yes, it was,” the major stated in a disturbingly matter-of-fact tone.
“Then you would understand their capabilities as well as anyone,” Nathan assumed.
“Better than most, I would expect.”
“Yes, I imagine so.”
“Do you have a question for me, sir?”
“Two, actually,” Nathan said. “The first is, Do you think one hundred Ghatazhak warriors would successfully tip the scales in our favor?”
“Likely, yes, depending on how they were utilized. However, the mere use of the Ghatazhak does not guarantee success.”
“Of course.”
“And your second question?”
“I apologize in advance if my next question is inappropriate, but I must ask… Will you be able to fight alongside the Ghatazhak?” Nathan asked. “Given your history with them, that is.”
“I’m not sure I can answer that question at this moment, Captain.”
“Care to elaborate on that, Major?”
“The Ghatazhak are not the soulless, programmed killing machines that people envision. They are, in fact, men just like you and me. What sets them apart, much like the Corinari, is their training. That and their single-minded dedication to purpose, duty, and honor. That dedication is what makes them able to commit acts that, to the average person, appear brutal and senseless.”
“And you believe they are not.”
“I believe that when the Ghatazhak are ordered to commit a violent act, the man giving the order does so for the purpose of accomplishing an objective. To that man, the actions of the Ghatazhak make perfect sense.”
“An interesting insight,” Nathan said. “Quite frankly, I am surprised to hear it from you.”
“Because of my experiences with the Ghatazhak?”
“Honestly, yes.”
“I do not hate the Ghatazhak, Captain. I respect them as warriors. I do not fear them. I fear the acts they are capable of committing, if so ordered. Can I fight alongside them? Well, that will depend on their platoon leader as much as it will on myself. I can tell you this much, however. For me to work with the Ghatazhak, they must be placed under my command. I would not feel comfortable any other way.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged, Major,” Nathan said.
“May I make a suggestion, Captain?”
“Please.”
“When you wake them, do so with great caution. The science used to program them is imperfect at best. If they do not accept your authority over them, there is no telling what they may decide to do. You could very well find yourself and your entire ship at their mercy.”
“When the time comes, I will rely on you and your Corinari to protect this ship should something untoward occur.”
“That would be acceptable.” Major Waddell leaned forward, looking the captain in the eyes. “Before you wake them, Captain, ask yourself this question: Are you prepared to kill them in cold blood should they suddenly turn on you? If the answer is no, then do not wake them.”
“Thank you, Major,” Nathan said. “I appreciate your honesty in this matter.” Nathan stood and prepared to exit. “Meanwhile, I would like you to speak at length with Garrett. Formulate a plan for a ground assault that will accomplish our goals using the Tanna resistance, the Corinari, and the Ghatazhak. I would like to see it by morning.”
“Yes, sir,” the major responded.
Nathan turned and headed for the hatch.
“Captain,” Major Waddell called after him.
“Yes, Major?” the captain said, pausing and turning back.
“Thank you for coming to speak to me in person about the Ghatazhak. I appreciate it.”
“You’re quite welcome, Major.”
* * *
Nathan stood at the entrance to the massive shipping container stored on the Aurora’s cargo deck. Inside the container were the one hundred Ghatazhak warriors and their equipment, all of which had been covertly passed to the captain as a gift of appreciation from Prince Casimir of Takara. The bay had been emptied of its contents, leaving only the specialized container that had been positioned at the center of the bay.
Nathan looked at Major Waddell and Cameron. “Are you ready?”
“The bay will be closed, and the entire deck has been sealed off,” the major reported. “All of my men are armed and ready. None of the Ghatazhak will leave this deck without your expressed permission.”
“Worst-case scenario, we open the loading doors and
suck everyone out into space,” Cameron explained, pointing to the large loading doors along the outboard side of the cargo bay.
“Why am I here, again?” Lieutenant Montgomery wondered.
“Because you’re a Takaran, same as them,” Nathan said.
“Hardly,” the lieutenant said.
“So I can show them that we are no longer at war, that we are allies,” Nathan explained.
“They are not dogs, Captain,” the lieutenant pointed out. “They are highly intelligent, highly disciplined, and highly trained soldiers. They have been programmed to accept you as their commanding officer. They will not question your orders. That is what it means to be Ghatazhak.”
“Humor me, Lieutenant,” Nathan said.
“Of course, sir,” Lieutenant Montgomery responded.
“Are you sure you want to do this, sir?” Cameron asked, as if offering him a chance to change his mind.
“Not really.” Nathan took a deep breath. “Here we go.” He placed his hand on the scanner pad. The display turned green, and a message indicating acceptance of the scan appeared in Takaran. A moment later, the six bolts that secured the large hatch slid to one side, and the door cracked open slightly. Nathan pulled the hatch open enough to step inside and pull it closed again.
An overhead light came on, bathing the inner airlock in a soft, red glow. A moment later, a fine mist filled the room. Nathan held his breath, trying not to inhale the vapors as they swirled around his body. Several seconds later, ventilation fans clicked on, and the mist was quickly sucked from the chamber. After which, the light turned green.
Nathan activated the inner door, pulling it open and stepping through. As his boot touched the deck inside, pale blue lights throughout the inside of the container began to flicker to life, starting at his end of the container.
Nathan closed the hatch behind him and turned around to face the inside of the container. Just as before, the cylinders along the sides of the container were filled with a swirling gray fog that masked the presence of the men within. He paused for a moment, half expecting the hologram of Prince Casimir to appear again. “Guess it was a single-play file,” he mumbled.
Nathan moved forward to the center support pillars on either side of the narrow aisle. He turned to his left to face the control panel built into one of the pillars and placed his hand on the scanning pad. The pad turned green, and a phrase was displayed in Angla. Nathan studied the phrase, recognizing enough of it to understand that the system was confirming that he indeed wanted to revive the Ghatazhak platoon.
“Okay, I’m ready to start the process,” he announced over his comm-set.
“We’re ready out here,” Major Waddell answered over the comms.
“Here goes nothing.” Nathan pressed the button to initiate the revival process. The lighting within the container instantly changed from blue to red as a countdown began ticking away from sixty to zero on the control panel. “The revival process has been initiated,” Nathan reported. “The countdown shows fifty-nine minutes and forty-five seconds until the process is complete.”
* * *
“Finally!” Synda said as Jessica entered the room.
“We were starting to wonder about you,” Tony added.
“I was being debriefed,” Jessica told them as she took a seat across the table from them. “How long have they had you two in the same room?”
“About an hour, maybe,” Tony said. “I guess they finally decided we weren’t spies or something.”
“Actually, they probably put you together to see if you would reveal anything during conversation between the two of you,” Jessica explained. “I’m sure they’re listening to us now,” she added, pointing over her shoulder toward the large mirror on the wall.
“We couldn’t get them to tell us anything,” Synda said.
“Yeah, are they the resistance?” Tony wondered.
“Yup.”
“Are you sure?” Tony asked.
“Let’s just say I met with their leader, and he would be pretty hard to fake,” Jessica said, “especially well enough to fool me.”
“So, what happens now?” Synda asked. “What happens to us?”
“It’ll be a few days before the Aurora returns and makes comm-contact with me. I suspect they’ll keep us all tucked away down here until then.”
“Down here?” Tony asked.
“We’re in an underground facility,” Jessica explained. “Exactly where, I have no idea. Probably better that way. Once I make contact with my ship, I’ll probably be leaving shortly thereafter.”
“And then what happens?” Tony asked. “Are they going to just let us go?”
“Doubtful,” Jessica said. “It’s too risky.”
“But we don’t even know where this place is located,” Synda said. “How are we a risk?”
“You are. Trust me. Maybe not a big risk, but still a potential risk.”
“So they’re just going to keep us locked up down here forever?” Synda asked. “Can they do that? I mean, don’t we have rights or something?”
“Are you kidding me?” Jessica said, dumbfounded. “This isn’t the NAU, child. There is no longer a union charter or national constitution in effect. This is a war, and these people are soldiers.”
Tony frowned. “Aren’t the soldiers supposed to protect us?”
“These aren’t NAU ground pounders,” Jessica said. “These are EDF spec-ops like me. These are the guys and gals that do the dirty work and like it. They’re not fighting over a line on a map. They’re trying to free an entire planet. If that means walking all over the civil rights of a couple of civilians, that’s exactly what they’ll do.”
“That’s the thanks we get for helping you out?” Tony asked.
Jessica understood their frustrations, but she also understood the stakes. “Look, I think I can work something out with the CO here. He and I have a bit of a connection going. Just be patient.” Jessica leaned back in her chair. “Meanwhile, we’ll all just sit back and relax. They have food, water, inside plumbing. It’s actually a pretty nice facility, once you get beyond the detention block.”
* * *
Nathan closed the inner hatch once more as he returned to the Ghatazhak container. The lighting was now a pale green, having slowly faded through the spectrum over from red. He moved to the control console once more. The countdown timer was at forty-two seconds and still counting down to zero.
The clear tubes along either wall were now completely void of the swirling, gray fog that had previously filled them. The Ghatazhak stood motionless inside the tubes, completely naked. With the fog gone, Nathan could see intravenous lines attached to the inner thigh of each man.
Amazingly, each of them looked extremely similar. They were all of the same general proportions in height, weight, and build, with the biggest differences being in facial features, hair and eye color, and skin tones. They were neither overly muscled nor slim but were all extremely fit.
The timer reached zero, and the clear tubes began to rotate, the outward faces retracting into the chamber walls. One by one, and in no certain order, their eyes began to open. They looked about, moving their heads as little as possible.
From the tube nearest the entrance to the container, one man, still naked, stepped down and turned toward Nathan. He raised his hand in salute according to Takaran military protocols. “Captain Scott,” the man said in a firm tone but with a scratchy voice. “I am Lieutenant Telles of the Ghatazhak. My platoon and I await your orders.”
Nathan returned the lieutenant’s salute, also in Takaran fashion. “You speak Angla?” Nathan asked, trying to hide his surprise.
“The Ghatazhak speak many languages, sir.”
“I see.”
“Our orders, sir?” the lieutenant repeated.
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“Make your platoon ready for action, Lieutenant.”
“Of course, sir,” the lieutenant responded. “May I inquire as to our present situation, sir?”
“You are on board the UES Aurora, currently located in the region of space known as the core, approximately nine hundred light years from Takara.”
“Then we are near Earth, relatively speaking,” the lieutenant surmised.
Nathan was unable to hide his surprise at the Ghatazhak lieutenant’s knowledge. “You know of Earth?”
“We know all that our programmers felt we needed to know,” the lieutenant responded. “That includes knowledge of the Aurora, the Earth, and the Jung, sir.”
“And what of Takara?” Nathan asked. “What do you know about the status of your own world?”
“The illegal regime of Caius was defeated by forces of the Alliance, forces led by yourself and Prince Casimir, the rightful heir to the throne of Takara.”
“And what are your orders?”
“To prepare my men for action, sir.”
“No, I meant what orders where you programmed with?”
“To obey the orders of Captain Nathan Scott as well as the orders of those he has designated as having command authority over us.”
“Very well,” Nathan said. “Your facility is currently housed inside one of our cargo bays. You may utilize all available space within the bay for the purpose of preparing your men for action. Do not leave the bay without my permission.”
“Understood, sir,” the lieutenant responded smartly.
“As soon as you are ready, ask the guard to be taken to my ready room.”
“Sir,” the lieutenant asked politely, “are we prisoners?”
“No, lieutenant, you are not.” Nathan stepped forward, aware that the eyes and ears of all one hundred of the Ghatazhak warriors were following him. He stood one meter from the naked lieutenant, looking him in the eye. “Lieutenant Telles, you should be aware that the majority of the Aurora’s crew are Corinairan. Many may find your presence objectionable. At the very least, it will come as a shock, as only myself and a few senior officers are aware of your presence aboard this ship. For now, I wish to keep your presence as clandestine as possible.”
