by M. R. Forbes
"You'll have more free time once we're all on the Magellan," she said. "If I don't see you before that, I hope I'll see you then."
"I'll definitely return this to you by then," Gabriel said. "Thank you for your help."
"Anytime, Captain."
"Gabriel."
"Anytime, Gabriel."
Gabriel reached out and took her hand, giving it a light shake. He put the storage device in his pocket and headed for the door with Curtis trailing behind him.
"What was that, sir?" Curtis said once they were back on the elevator.
"I needed the file," Gabriel said. "Besides, I told you I wouldn't come on to her and I didn't."
"You could have been a little less open to her advances."
"Why? I'm not interested in her romantically. That doesn't mean she wouldn't make a good friend. By the way, I appreciate your help with this."
Lieutenant Curtis didn't look happy, but he seemed satisfied with the answer. "You're welcome, sir."
FORTY-THREE
"I've got it," Gabriel said, holding the square up so Reza could see it.
The scientist lifted his attention from his handheld, his eyes falling on the square. "I knew I could count on you, Captain." He got to his feet, approaching the bars. Gabriel passed the storage device through.
Reza tapped it against his handheld and then navigated through to it. He scanned it quickly, nodding as he went while Gabriel waited.
"Well?" Gabriel asked a minute later.
Reza tilted his handheld so Gabriel could see the screen. It was filled with mathematical equations he didn't understand. "This is it. The original version. All of this is advanced math that you probably don't care about." He scrolled the data to the bottom. "Here's the important part. Look at that number."
Gabriel tracked Reza's finger to the line that said .001. "What is it?"
"The odds of reaching Eden. One thousandth of a percent."
"Those aren't good odds."
"No."
"I don't see how this proves anything."
"I have a copy of Guy's second report. The doctored one." He manipulated his handheld until he got to the same spot. "Take a look."
99.95.
"I can show you where he changed the calculation if you want. It's buried in the algorithms. Essentially, he reduced the variable until he got the number he wanted."
"Which variable?"
"Souls on board," Reza said.
The idea of it was chilling.
"And you swear that if you show this to the Council, they'll believe you?" Gabriel asked.
"If they don't, you'll know something is really rotten. I can share these two reports with any scientist on Gamma, and unless they're part of the conspiracy they'll jump all over this error."
"That's a problem, isn't it? It's going to be the good guys versus the bad guys. We need more proof than that."
"No, not proof, Captain. Support. If we can get enough people to believe this, we can at least get a stay of execution."
Gabriel considered it. If what Reza was saying was true, whoever didn't agree with his assertions would be outed as a possible traitor, which was good. It might not be enough to change the outcome, which was bad.
"We should bring this to General Cave," he said. "He was open to the Eden trip but he's not going to betray his soldiers to get there, and he has a lot of pull with some of the Council."
Reza nodded. "That sounds like a good start. Can you get me out of here so I can show him?"
"I don't know. I'll be right back."
Gabriel went to the front to find Spaceman Lee. The Spaceman stood and saluted as he entered.
"I'd like you to allow me to take Reza Mokri out of the prison," Gabriel said.
"Sir? What for?"
"He needs to speak with General Cave. He has some information that I believe the General would find valuable."
"I'm not allowed to do that, sir."
"I know you aren't supposed to. Does it explicitly say anywhere that you can't?"
"Not everything has to be spelled out for me to know that it isn't proper, sir."
"And in most cases I would agree with you, Spaceman. This is a bit of an unusual circumstance. You know you can trust me, and it isn't like there's anywhere for me to steal him to. I wouldn't ask if it weren't important."
"Even if I wanted to, I would need to get clearance from my Commanding Officer."
"Who is that?" Gabriel asked.
"Major Choi."
Gabriel smiled. "Can you reach her for me?"
Lee reached to the screen on his desk and tapped into the directory. Major Choi answered the request a moment later.
"Major," Lee said. "I'm sorry to bother you -"
Gabriel moved in front of the guard. "Major."
"Gabriel? What are you doing at the prison?"
"Where are you right now, Major?"
"Above your head in the concourse, getting something to eat. What's going on?"
"Would you mind meeting me down here? It's important."
He could tell she was thinking, trying to determine for herself why he was asking for her.
"This is about Mokri, isn't it? Gabriel, I know you're upset about the Council's decision, but-"
"Please, Vivian," Gabriel said. "For me."
Choi sighed. "Okay. Only because it's you. Give me five minutes."
"Thank you, Major," Gabriel said.
The screen returned to the directory. Gabriel left Lee and returned to Reza.
"Well?" Reza asked.
"I'm still working on it. Major Choi is coming down. I need you to show her what you showed me."
He looked unhappy about the news. "I thought you said General Cave would see me?"
"I have to get you out of this cell first. Major Choi is a friend of mine, and she's on our side. Convince her and she'll get you in front of Cave."
He seemed to relax. "Okay. Okay. I'm running a diff on the two reports that will show exactly what changed between versions. That should help me explain everything more easily."
"Whatever helps."
Reza continued staring down at his handheld while Gabriel waited, leaning against the wall. Major Choi arrived early, entering the cell block with Lee behind her.
"Major," Gabriel said, coming to attention and saluting.
"Relax, Gabriel. I'm here as your friend. Mr. Mokri."
"Major," Reza said, looking nervous.
"Spaceman Lee, you're dismissed," Choi said. The Spaceman saluted and left them. "Gabriel, what is this all about."
Gabriel explained the situation as best he could, with Reza filling in the details. Major Choi seemed unconvinced until he described how he had gotten the original file from the servers on Gamma, and Reza showed her the discrepancies.
"I don't want to believe this could be true," she said, staring at Reza's handheld. His diff program had highlighted the changed number in red. "Never mind what this means for the Eden mission. What does it mean for humanity if we're willing to sacrifice so many?"
"It means people are getting desperate," Gabriel said. "I understand why they would want to get out of Calawan and go somewhere green. I've seen Earth. So have you. Neither one of us is stupid. The allure is there."
"And the temptation may be too strong for some."
"Strong enough they'll let thousands of people die," Reza said. "It isn't right."
"No," Choi agreed. "It isn't. Both of you are coming with me. We're going to find General Cave, and we're going to put a stop to this right now while we figure out what the complete truth is."
"I knew I could count on you," Gabriel said.
Choi smiled, putting her hand on his cheek. "Always, Gabriel."
FORTY-FOUR
Gabriel was thankful he had enlisted Major Choi's help. All of the activity around planning for the trip to Exodus left General Cave's schedule full, and would have made it nearly impossible to get a minute to speak with him without her influence.
As it was, she had to
put in a communication with Colonel Graham to explain that Gabriel was helping her with an important task, and to request he be permitted to spend the night on Alpha. Graham was not only understanding but discreet as well. He didn't ask her why she needed him.
It was evening by the time they arrived at Space Force headquarters on the top floor of the central dome. They were standing in the lobby and waiting for Cave to finish a prior meeting. He had ten minutes between appointments. Ten minutes the General had been planning to spend eating his dinner, which would now have to be skipped until the early morning.
"It better be good," Cave had said to Choi. "If it weren't coming from a St. Martin, I wouldn't bother at all."
Gabriel knew it was good. He wasn't sure if it would be good enough. Reza had been heads down, staring at his handheld since Choi had released him from the jail. The astronomer was doing everything he could to arrange the data in a way that would be digestible to non-scientists.
"You should see your father after this," Choi said.
He didn't like that the Major had to keep telling him how to be a minimally responsible son. At the same time, he was more nervous than ever about seeing his father. It was Choi who had told Theodore about the resistance's message, and the plan to abandon Calawan. She said he had responded very similarly to Gabriel, turning over in his bed in silence and refusing to speak to anyone since. His condition was also getting worse, and the doctor had doubled his dose of medication to keep him nearly unconscious.
"I know. I'm going to. I should have been the one to tell him. I still feel like dirt about that."
"Good," Choi replied. "Let it bother you until we talk to Cave, and then let it go. We have bigger things to worry about now, and you can't change the past."
"Right."
"Major Choi," Spaceman Owens said. "The General will see you now."
"Thank you," Choi said.
They followed Owens through the corridors, past the visitor offices to the rear of the HQ. Owens approached the door first, knocking lightly. It slid open a moment later.
"General Cave, sir," Owens said, saluting and standing at attention. "Major Choi, Captain St. Martin, and Mr. Reza Mokri here to speak with you, sir."
"Send them in, please," Gabriel heard Cave say.
"Yes, sir." Owens shifted his hands to motion them into the room.
"Major Choi reporting, sir," Choi said, saluting and stepping to the side.
"Captain St. Martin reporting, sir," Gabriel said, doing the same.
"General," Reza said. His voice was barely more than a whisper as his nerves started to get the better of him.
"Relax, all of you," Cave said. "Take a seat."
The General's office was the largest in the NEA, as well as one of the fanciest. It not only contained the standard desk and chairs, but also a large conference table with a holographic projector in the center. An oil painting was also mounted on each wall of the room. The three of them each chose a seat on one side of the table.
"We can start in one minute. I'm waiting on, ah, there you are."
Gabriel was confused. He hadn't expected anyone else to be at the meeting. He turned his head toward the door as Guy and Sarah Larone walked in. Angela Rouse trailed behind them.
"I feel like we just walked into an ambush," Choi whispered.
"How the hell did they know about this?" Gabriel replied. He had a feeling he knew. He could picture Lieutenant Curtis running to Guy after Gabriel had left, eager to tell him what had happened to get some kind of childish revenge because Felicia liked Gabriel and didn't like him. Was it any wonder why?
"This isn't good," Reza said. "Not good at all."
Guy met Gabriel's eye as he was greeted by General Cave, letting a small smirk crease the corner of his mouth. Sarah was less subtle, glaring angrily at them while Councilwoman Rouse wore her same general look of amusement.
"Please, sit," Cave said, directing everyone to the table. He moved to the head. "I only have ten minutes, so we'll make this quick. Before anyone says anything, Gabriel, I understand that you went behind Guy's back to get a copy of a specific file from the servers on Gamma and that you got that file from my daughter."
"It was perfectly legal, sir," Gabriel said.
"Yes, it was. That doesn't make it acceptable behavior for an officer."
Gabriel wasn't surprised at the General's reaction. "You are correct, sir. Given any other option, I would have chosen a different course."
"You're undermining everything we're working for, Captain," Guy said.
"Be quiet," Cave said, forcefully enough to cause Guy to sit up a little straighter. "I wasn't done. I've spoken with Councilwoman Rouse about this situation. I understand what the contention is, and what you are trying to prove. Gabriel, Vivian, Reza, the truth is that you are only looking at half the story. As hard as it may be for you to accept, the resistance on Earth has chosen to disband and disappear. Without them, there's no reason for us to continue our military efforts. We don't have the resources to make a true attempt to take back Earth on our own. Is that part understood?"
"Yes, sir," Choi said immediately.
Gabriel was more hesitant, but he reluctantly agreed. "Yes, sir."
"That being the case, the only issue I see here is whether or not Eden is truly a viable planet to send the people of the New Earth Alliance to. My answer is that we have been scanning the stars for the last fifty years, and this is the first real possibility we've had. We can't stay here forever. You all know that."
"You're saying that even if half of us die, it's better than being here?" Reza asked.
"Half of us will not die," Sarah said. "That's a story you keep making up to scare people."
"I do not. General, let me-"
"I said, be quiet," Cave said, his voice low and harsh. It was more frightening at a whisper than it was at a shout. "I'm saying that what you're calling a conspiracy is a possible reality we may just have to deal with. If we can't go to Earth, and we can't stay here, then we have to go somewhere else. If Eden is the only somewhere else even some of us have a chance of reaching, then that is how it has to be. In other words, it doesn't matter which of you are right or wrong. The facts are the facts. There is only one way any of the human race survives, and that way points to Eden."
Reza sighed and slumped back in his seat. Gabriel stared at the General, a painful mixture of emotions stirring in his gut.
"You used to be a man I respected," he said, unable to stay quiet. "A man who would never give up. You promised my father you would be there with him. You swore you would help him avenge my mother's loss, as well as the loss of billions of others. You have given up, though, haven't you? You're too old, you've been away for too long, you miss the air and the grass and the rain. Whatever your reason, you've aged into nothing but a damn coward."
"Gabriel," Choi said beside him.
Cave didn't react to the outburst. He was calm when he spoke. "You need to open your eyes, Captain. We've lost Earth, and the only way we don't lose everything else is to go to Eden. In your head you know it's true. Your heart is loyal, and I admire that in you. Don't let it lead you to foolishness."
Gabriel felt his pulse racing. He was going to be court-martialed if he wasn't careful.
He didn't care.
"It already has, or I wouldn't be sitting here. I was stupid to think you would come through for my father. You admire my loyalty? You've forgotten what that is. I'm sorry, Reza. I tried. This whole colony is being run by a bunch of-" Gabriel stopped himself, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter." He looked over at Angela. "Congratulations. You've managed to convince one of the people I used to respect the most to agree to genocide. I hope you're proud of yourself."
Angela gasped and opened her mouth to reply. Gabriel stood and headed for the door.
"I haven't dismissed you, Captain," General Cave said.
"Go to Hell," Gabriel replied. His training had taught him to respect those above him in rank, but he couldn't pretend he had an
y respect left for the General.
He was a warrior without a war.
What did it matter anyway?
FORTY-FIVE
Gabriel's mind was a chaotic mess of anger and disappointment, sadness and rage. He stormed from the Space Force offices, shoving Spaceman Owens aside as he tried to respond to the General's request to stop him. It was too bad very few of the military personnel on Alpha were actually armed.
He made it to the elevator and headed for the ground floor. Cave would be livid with him, he knew. The General would have him arrested and brought to the prison he had just gotten Reza out of. Then he would be left to rot for a while until Cave came to see him, spoke to him calmly, rationally, and logically, and then let him go. The old man didn't have the fire left in his gut to give him a real dress down. He didn't have the energy to chew him out like a soldier.
Gabriel wasn't ready to be brought in. Not yet. He could feel how his emotions were swirling within him. He knew he had only two options left. Fall back into his terrible depression, or stand up and fight like the soldier he was. Like the man his father would be proud of. Even if the only victory he could muster would be to evade the MPs long enough to go and see Theodore.
General Cave was siding with the scientists. The idea of it was so alien to him; he could barely believe it was true. Cave owed Theodore his life. He owed him his daughter. It didn't matter that the resistance on Earth had failed. As Cave himself had said, that wasn't the point anymore. The point was that he was alive because Juliet St. Martin hadn't abandoned him. He was here to make the decision because he was saved by an act of charity that he refused to pay forward. Would he rather let half the colony die than stay here for a while longer? Would he rather turn his back on her sacrifice than make one of his own?
What if the entirety of the NEA voted on the decision with all of the facts in front of them? How many would want to risk being one of the ones left behind? How many would want to determine the fate of their friend or neighbor?
