Sarin's War

by L. Fergus

  “All right, you’re forgiven, but please leave the bloodshed and threats outside of our home and company. I will do my best to remember you’re not my little girl, anymore.” Sven sighed. “Did you really rule an entire planet?”

  Sarin nodded. “For more years than Kita did, but I wouldn’t have sat in that chair without her. She is the one with the true vision and drive to push forward.”

  “But, if it hadn’t been for the rest of us, Kita wouldn’t have known what to do when she caught what she wanted,” Athena said with a chuckle.

  Sarin smiled. “If that isn’t the truth. Ok, Daddy, so why can’t I go to this Angelica Station?”

  “I’ll show you.” Sven brought up some images. “The Empire confiscated or destroyed everyone’s footage of the fire that took place there about a week ago, but my spies were able to get their hands on some. Recognize her?” Sven blew up the only full facial image of Kita.

  “Neptune’s rings, I can’t believe it,” Sarin whispered. She walked to the screen to take a closer look.

  “I thought you said you knew it was her by the receipt,” said Sven.

  “Of course I did. I can’t believe Kita did her hair and makeup correctly. All those years and I thought she wasn’t paying attention. That smoky application looks good on her. Where did she get that style of lipstick? Impressive. I bet she was sick when they cut her hair. Can I see the rest?”

  Sven returned to the few pictures he had.

  “Do we know who she is?” said Sarin, pointing to a woman wearing a skintight blue suit.

  “That is Jessica A. Rabbit, Captain in the Political Bureau, probably former now. I have feelers out looking for information on her, but anything with her name on it is closely guarded. How she went from guarding Kita to helping her is a mystery.”

  “That’s a nice suit of armor she has,” Sarin said, tapping on the screen.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Reading between the lines of the blue suit and the armor suit, it reminds me of the collapsible armor the bears wore.”

  “The bears?” Sven said incredulously.

  “Frostbane, Pershing, Rusty, Tad, and a few others were shapeshifters. Frostbane was a descendant of a game warden, and Kita passed it on to the others. Katie, another Angel, developed collapsible armor for them when war went from swords and spears to tanks and bullets. If I remember correctly, that’s how Rusty met his end. He was unarmored and took a tank round in the side.”

  “And what of the boy with the cape and stick?” said Athena.

  “Nothing, absolutely nothing,” said Sven. “He’s not in the system anywhere. I’d almost say he came with Kita.”

  “I don’t think so,” said Sarin. She moved the pictures around in order. “Here they are in the salon without him. In the restaurant, he’s joined them. She must have picked him up. Kita has a weird thing for picking up strays with exceptional talents. I’m curious to know what his is.”

  “I have a bit of footage taken on the docks by the freighter Gjord Dallas.” He played the clip of the fight.

  “Not bad, she looks rusty.”

  “Did she take the freighter because she knew it was connected with us, or just the luck of the draw?” said Sven.

  “I believe it is because it was the only ship with FTL capability,” said Athena.

  “She’d need a crew.”

  “The statistical probability of knowing whom she recruited is low, but performing a quick background check of crews in port, I’ve limited it to eleven possibilities.”

  “Where are you getting this from?” said Sven.

  “Shipping data and logs are readily available, not stored on the station, but on several sites among the public access servers.” Athena pulled up all of the images of the possible crews’ faces on the screen next to the station footage.

  “Any chance of narrowing it down?” said Sven.

  “Him, him, her, and her,” Sarin said, pointing out Hawke, Auggy, Case, and Lacy.

  “Are you sure?”

  “These two are the only females on the list,” said Sarin. “Kita will always pick female over male. The old man is from the same crew as the girls. This fellow is the only one who looks like a soldier, and that’s the only reason she’d take him. Now the most pressing question is: Where did they go?”

  Sven frowned. “We don’t know. They haven’t appeared in known space. They can’t have jumped more than sixty light-years, but scans haven’t revealed anything.”

  “Is it possible they jumped again?” said Sarin.

  “Not without refueling. Most ships only carry enough fuel for their next jump. I’ve got people looking, but it’s a lot of space to cover, even if they’ve launched a rescue beacon.”

  Sarin grumped. “So, we are no better than when we started?”

  “We know she’s free, and we have postulated a quadrant of space to search,” said Athena.

  “Can I get a ship out there?” said Sarin.

  “You can’t go out there,” said Sven. “They’ll know where you’ve gone, and it’s not a big leap to know the why. It’s best if we lie low and wait for her to turn up again. I will increase surveillance around the nearby ports and stations. We can work out a quick response plan for the next time she appears. Until then, let’s concentrate on what we have, Lina.”

  Sarin nodded. She went to the screen. With a wave of her hand, the picture showing Kita’s face filled the screen. She floated up to the screen and touched it. Slowly, tears flowed down her cheeks. “I’ll be at home if you need me,” she said quietly.

  “Are you sure you want to be alone, moonbeam?” Sven said, concerned.

  “I’m sorry, Daddy, but all those who can console me are dead or gone. Next time you want to talk to me, just ask. I’ll always be listening to you and Kristi.” She turned and walked to Daniel. “As for you, you won’t do anything stupid, will you?” She raised her arm, and a black tendril of fog snaked from her palm to his forehead.

  “No…of course not,” Daniel said in a clear, calm voice.

  “Good boy. You will do whatever my father or Kristi tells you, clean yourself up, and you will move out of the fish tank into a proper condo. Your confidence is sky high, and your social skills are excellent. Do you understand me, human?”

  “Yes, Sarin.”

  “Good.” Sarin retracted the black fog tendril from Daniel. “He’ll be a model employee for you.”

  “What did you do?” Sven demanded.

  “I believe it’s a talent given to her by her cloud or Aa’hegre. It’s an alien life form living inside her. Did I pronounce that correctly?” Kristi asked Sarin.

  Sarin touched the side of her nose and smiled, and then vanished with Athena.

  “What does that mean?” Sven asked Kristi.

  “Honestly, sir, you need to go home early tonight, get some dinner, and sit down and talk to her. She and those other girls have seen more death, destruction, and heartache than the whole of the rest of human history. I’m not surprised they are the way they are. I guess Kita’s destined, but Jane went the way her environment directed. I’m sure Kita had her influence, too. But, you need to talk to her and get to understand her, sir. It will make your, her, and my life easier.”

  “And you approve of Kita?”

  “Yes. Maybe not her methods and desires, but as a person, I genuinely have enjoyed her company. She’s intelligent, confident, and very down to earth. It’s very refreshing to talk to someone who has grown up completely outside our system. She does have some very choice words about the Emperor and General Lyakhova. There’s something to be said about not spurning a lover.”

  “Is that what this is over? Kita, Jane, and Lyakhova?”

  “It’s a tale as old as time, sir—love, sex, and power. It goes well beyond the three of them, and all the players involved wield an incredible amount of power. In truth, Lyakhova would be seriously outgunned if the other gods hadn’t leveled the playing field by keeping Kita’s parts locked awa
y. This is only the beginning of the first act of this game of the gods.”

  Sven sighed. “I wish I were as enthusiastic as you are.”

  “It might be that you’re a man, sir, and they don’t reach you in the same way as they do me. Or, maybe it’s because I’m not in any of the hot seats and can watch from the sidelines.” Kristi smiled at him.

  “I might just move you into a place a little more uncomfortable,” Sven said, half-serious.

  “I don’t think that will be necessary, sir. I have a feeling I’m already on someone’s roster.”

  “What roster is this?”

  “Like any good chess player, Kita knows that even a simple pawn can checkmate a king,” said Kristi, her eyes twinkling.

  “You’re worth far more than a pawn.”

  “I know, sir. There’s a reason the most powerful piece on a chessboard is a woman.”

  Sven went to say something but stopped. He’d never looked at a chessboard that way before.

  “Well, let’s hope we don’t have to use our most powerful piece, eh?”

  “You don’t think I’d look good with a pair of wings waving a sword around?”

  “Ah…” Sven stumbled at a loss for words.

  “And what should I do with Doctor Rhodes, sir?” she asked, saving her boss from embarrassment.

  “Put him wherever he wants to be, but close by. He seems to have some unique talents.”

  “Of course, sir.” Kristi looked at Daniel. “Doctor Rhodes, will you please come with me?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Daniel said, hurrying over to her.

  Kristi led him out. Sven shook his head in amazement when he heard him ask if there was a shower available. He looked at the large screen, still displaying the large image of Kita’s face. How can one person dominate everything, without even being here? The only person with that kind of power was the Emperor, but even she required billions of people and trillions more in equipment. Kita had only Sarin, and already they were making waves.

  Sarin stepped out of the elevator. The designer dress she wore changed to her schoolgirl outfit. “Hi, Kristi. How’d Kita handle me being gone?”

  “Like a sulking cat.” Kristi picked up a paper cup and drank. She made a face. “Ugh, that stuff is rank.”

  “What is it? And since when do you drink coffee from a paper cup?”

  “They started showing up a few days after you left with a note saying: Drink me, love, Kita. I thought it was a joke after I took the first sip, but more showed up.”

  “Practical jokes aren’t her sense of humor. It runs more toward physical, blue, and morbid. Why are you still drinking them?”

  “I tossed the first two away and got scolded for it. I figured Kita had a reason.”

  “Did you ask her?”

  “Like I said, a sulking cat. She hasn’t said or replied to anything, except for these. I admit your father has been more relaxed since she’s gone into hiding.”

  “Kita can be hard to live with, especially for men. So, what is this stuff?” She took off the lid and stuck her nail into the dark liquid, then stuck it in her mouth and regretted it.

  “What is it?” Athena said, floating out of a pouch on Sarin’s belt.

  “I am so glad she always injected me,” Sarin said, sticking out her tongue.

  “Nanites? But she said she didn’t have any of that information.”

  “She doesn’t have any specific knowledge, but I’m sure she left enough breadcrumbs to do it if she needed to.”

  “What do you mean?” said Kristi. “I have the best nanites your father makes.”

  “If she’s doing what I think she’s doing, you’re getting the best in the equation.”

  Kristi gave Sarin a confused look.

  “In Infinity, what you call a universe, we call an equation. You are part of the equation and so are parts of me.”

  “Infinity?”

  “Infinity is the place that holds all the equations and is overseen by the gods. I am the god Edi’rp who merged with the equation known as Sarin.”

  “So, how do you know where parts of you begin and end?”

  “I’m not subdivided. I am one Angel god. My form changes depending on need. My Angel form is the most useful in this equation.”

  “I see. So, what kind of nanites am I getting?”

  “Kita has an arsenal at her disposal. She can give abilities and modify your form. You’ll get wings at some point, maybe a tail. She loves tails. Some Angels barely change while others change drastically. I’m not sure how she’s planning on activating you.”

  “Won’t I give you away? Your wings aren’t something you can just hide.”

  Sarin vanished. “Invisibility is something every Angel has.” Her body reappeared, but her wings remained invisible. “It takes time to get used to living with them. Most Angels get the hang of it in a few days.” Her wings appeared, and she fluffed her feathers.

  “Why?”

  “You said it yourself, chess pieces. Kita thinks you’re worthy of joining the ranks. Don’t worry, when you do get your wings, I’ll teach you the ropes.”

  The door to Sven’s office opened.

  “Moonbeam,” said Sven. “I’m glad you got my call. How was the Intergalactic Mall?”

  “I told you I’d be listening, Daddy. Shopping is shopping. It’s too bad I have to act like an addlebrained twit that can’t appreciate it.”

  “It does keep Galina’s forces from watching us too closely,” said Athena.

  “That reminds me,” Sarin said, tapping her nail against her pistol. “Two of my escorts have been compromised by Galina’s people.”

  Sven sighed. “I understand one of my guards met with an accident?”

  “He stuck his head out the high-speed train’s window at the wrong time.”

  Sven rolled his eyes. “And killing the man doesn’t bother you at all?”

  “No. Should it? He betrayed you and me.”

  “The only thing worse than a spy is a traitor,” said Athena.

  Sven shook his head. “Will you give me a chance to move the second man?”

  “He’s alive because I didn’t want to give us away.”

  “How did you know the men had betrayed us?” said Kristi.

  Sven raised an eyebrow.

  Sarin ignored her father’s annoyance over Kristi including herself in the conversation. “I read their thoughts. I keep tabs on all my guards and employees near me.”

  “Including me?” said Kristi.

  “Of course not. Reading thoughts is a serious invasion of privacy. I’d never do it to an Angel or anyone else I deem to be a friend.”

  “Anyone else I should be aware of?” said Sven.

  “None that people should die over. Though, some should die over crimes of fashion. So, what did you want?” Sarin was already tired of her father’s morality.

  “I have a picture I want you to see. Kristi, we’re not to be disturbed.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “She can come with us,” said Sarin. “Whatever you need to show me, she’s going to need to know, too.”

  “Are you sure? Who will watch the office?” said Sven.

  “I have my reasons. I’ll watch it, don’t worry, Daddy.”

  Sven led everyone into his office. The big screen lowered as he went to his desk and opened an image that filled the entire screen.

  “This was taken several days ago at our occupied research facility in Rio. I haven’t been able to verify if the image is real or not. Our data mining team found it on an obscure database in—”

  “Talon!” Sarin and Athena said together.

  On-screen, dark red hair spilled down Talon’s chest from under a giant white hooded cloak. Even with her face hidden, the cream and orange of her barn owl wings made her easy to identify.

  “What in Neptune’s rings is she doing working for Galina?” said Sarin.

  “Who is Talon?” said Kristi.

  “She is Scarlett Kobb. A cook on the colo
ny ship. We first met her when she was a privateer and had saved Nell and Nina from a perverted merchant ship. She lost her son for her troubles. Ten thousand years later, she crossed paths with Kita in Inferno as part of a prison work detail. She earned her wings for helping Kita get out. She led a group of Angels known as the Owlery.”

  “Silence, Shadow, and Night are all dead,” said Athena. “They died—”

  “Let’s not go into the details of how or why,” said Sarin. “Scarlett is a high angel. She works by herself on whatever charitable mission she dreams up. Don’t let her status and occupation fool you. She can fight. She’s also paired with a white cloud, which makes her even more powerful.”

  “A what?” said Sven.

  Sarin dissolved into a black cloud. It was so black it gave no discernible definition or shape. She shifted back.

  “The Aa’hegre are aliens that travel the universe seeking knowledge. They gather it by pairing with a host. In exchange for a pairing, we get access to their knowledge and abilities.”

  “How long have you had yours?” said Kristi.

  “Mine is young. It was a child of Kita’s cloud. I contain a fair amount of knowledge from outside human-occupied space.”

  “That could be very lucrative,” said Sven.

  “You’ve already been given FTL. We don’t give you information just because you want it,” Sarin scoffed.

  “FTL came from Kita?”

  “Yes. Kita’s cloud is large and holds a wealth of knowledge. She’s devoured at least one ancient Aa’hegre.”

  “They feed on each other?” said Kristi.

  “Clouds come in several shades. Black and white clouds don’t get along. Whites are driven to destroy black clouds. Kita and Tina found a way to counter the urges and keep them stable. They’ve been a valuable asset to us over the years.”

  “So, it’s the source of Kita’s knowledge?” said Sven.

  “Kita’s probably spent years of her life meditating and exploring the knowledge her cloud contains. She’d never have been able to unravel the mysteries of the equation without it. I know that much. Where Kita got her knowledge, I’m not sure. The cloud is just one volume out of many that she has access to.”