by T. R. Harris
The young man tried to reply, but his lips wouldn’t cooperate. His one functioning eye spoke of his appreciation. He was wheeled away.
Although the Zeta looked to be in his early twenties, Angus knew he was only ten to twelve in REV years. Although his body grew at an astounding rate, that didn’t mean time slowed down for him, giving him twenty years of equivalent experiences. He only had the chronological years to experience all that life had to offer. And for a Zeta REV, that wasn’t much. He’d been born to fight wars, and that was all he’d done during his short life.
Angus cringed when he called the young man son. If Angus’s real-life son had lived, he would be about the same age as the injured Zeta. The fact that Angus had fathered a boy was something he’d only learned a couple of weeks ago. In the tirade David Cross delivered when he spoke of the acceptance of Zac’s fate, he let it drop that he knew the sex of the aborted babies from twelve years ago. At first, David denied knowing, saying he was so wrapped up in the effort to save the lives of the mothers that he didn’t pay attention. But then he announced that Angus’s son was dead, as was Zac’s daughter.
Did knowing this change anything? In a way, it did. Now he could look around the hangar and see dozens of what-ifs filling the cold, grey chamber. His son would have been a REV, just like his father. But then Angus caught himself. That wasn’t exactly true. His son would have been more than a REV, a super REV, even more powerful than either a Zeta or a Delta. That was Cross’s intention: to produce the ultimate REV, the ultimate Human.
Angus huffed. So much for the best-laid plans…
His melancholy thoughts were interrupted by a special tone coming from the communicator on his belt. It took him a moment to recognize the tone as linking to his private line, known only to—to Zac Murphy!
He snatched the unit from the belt and pressed the receive button. It was audio-only.
“Zac, is that you?”
There was a slight pause on the line before a female voice spoke. “Eh, no, it’s not. Why would you be expecting his call?”
The voice was familiar and was just as much a shock as if Zac was on the link.
“Ashley?”
“That’s right.”
“Holy crap! Where are you?” Then anger took over. “Why the bloody hell did you just disappear like that? I was sure you were dead by now.”
“Not yet, I’m afraid. But it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Do you mind if we save more of the details until I’m safely aboard your ship?”
“My ship? You’re … here?”
“In the vicinity,” said Ashley Hunter. “I could be there in about an hour if you can give me clearance. After your latest dust-up with the Seken, I don’t want to get blown out of space by approaching what’s left of your fleet without permission.”
“Of course; ping me your transponder code. I’ll get it filed. Dammit, Ashley…”
“I know,” she said. “We have a lot to talk about. But later. I hope you have some whiskey aboard that tub of yours. I ran out about three years ago. I could sure use a stiff one, and not like you used to give back in the day when we were an item. Signing off. I’ll have Amber send the code.”
“Amber? She’s with you?” But the audio line was already dead.
Which was more than Angus could say for the mother of his long-dead son.
The spaceship that slipped into a shuttle hangar was beat up and of alien origin. That didn’t surprise Angus. Ashley Hunter specialized in behind-the-line intelligence gathering, having perfected the art of undercover operations long ago. But what was she doing in the Seken Federation? Was she part of some government operation to learn more of the Seken? Undoubtedly, otherwise, she was a long way from home.
Angus was shocked by his reaction to the stunning brunette. It was as if she hadn’t aged in the twelve years since he’d last seen her. He shrugged. She was an Alpha REV and only the second female to carry that distinction at the time of her transition. The rejuvenating benefits of the natural Rev in her system had worked exceptionally well in her case. She was just as breathtaking and vibrant as Angus remembered her being. And just as appealing.
She stepped from the starship wearing a form-fitting dark green flight suit and carrying a small metal case by a leather handle. The case was too small to carry personal belongings, so Angus knew instantly that it was the Amber module rather than a suitcase.
Amber was the most advanced artificial intelligence ever built by mankind. Years ago, when the AI controlled the super starship Zanzibar, it took on the female persona of Amber. It had other incarnations available, but Amber was how Angus identified the personality. Having both Ashley Hunter and Amber aboard the battle-carrier gave Angus an unexplained sense of confidence. Individually, each was formidable; together, they were a force to be reckoned with.
Ashley and Angus came to within a foot of each other before stopping. Awkwardly, they hugged. It had been a long time since they were a couple, and even at that time, it was mainly lust that drove the relationship. Unlike Zac and Joanie, there had been no talk of making their relationship permanent. But then she became pregnant. For the four months afterward, they’d danced around the subject. For a long-term NT-4 REV and a professional deep-cover spy, neither had considered ever settling down into conventional relationships, including children. For a REV like Angus, that possibly was taboo—until he changed. And Ashley enjoyed what she did for a living. She didn’t see a family and children in her future.
The bottom line: The pregnancy changed everything. For as long as it lasted.
“C’mon, let’s get to my cabin,” Angus said. “I’m sure you don’t want to talk out here in public.”
“On multiple levels, no,” she replied solemnly. “Lead the way.”
Chapter 10
Angus did have whiskey aboard the Taipei. He filled two shot glasses, and Ashley threw hers down in a single gulp. She slammed the glass down on the table and wiggled her finger for another fill-up.
“You know it’s almost impossible for a REV to get drunk,” Angus said with a concerned grin.
“We’re going to find out if that’s true.” She slammed the second shot.
“So—”
She raised her hand to stop him.
“You know why I left,” she said. “I had to get back to being me. Getting wrapped up in the fantasy of a family and kids wasn’t me. But I saw how happy you were with the idea. Somehow I felt guilty taking that away from you. And I had to come to grips with this whole being-a-REV thing. It’s what caused the pregnancy, at least in a way.”
Angus smirked and downed his shot. “I’ve got news for you; it wasn’t the Rev. It was our beloved Doctor David Cross.”
“I agree. He should have known what the babies would do to Joanie and me.”
“That’s not what I mean. Cross caused the pregnancies by messing with the contraceptives aboard the Zanzibar. He wanted you to get pregnant, and he knew the only way that was going to happen is if he tricked us.”
For a long moment, Ashley stared at him before casting a horrified glare at the small metal case on a nearby table.
“Amber, is that true?”
The AI could tap into any local comm network, whether physically connected or not. She was already tied into the Taipei’s system.
“It’s true,” said a disenfranchised voice coming through the room’s audio system.
“Why didn’t you tell us, warn us?” Ashley was genuinely hurt. She and Amber had been working together for twelve years. She trusted the AI.
“That was not within my instructions. Contrary to popular belief, I do not always act autonomously. Even I have masters to follow.”
“David fucking Cross?” Angus snarled.
“Howard Summerlin … working with David Cross.”
“What does Summerlin have to do with the REV program?” Angus asked. Then he caught himself. That was a stupid question; Summerlin had everything to do with it.
“Howard has been funding Dr. Cross’s work for deca
des,” Amber said. “They share the same goal. I do feel bad for the consequences of the deception aboard the Zanzibar. They were unforeseen.”
Ashley continued to stare at the shiny metal box as a tear streamed down her cheek.
“I trusted you.”
“You still can trust me. That was a long time ago. I have been under your direct control for over ten years. You are my master now.”
“But Joanie … and the children.”
“Regrettable. But at the time, the objective was important. I am sorry.”
“How did you find out about this?” Ashley asked Angus.
“Ben Smith found out just before Zac and I headed back out into the fleet. It was right after you left.”
“Smith? He’s the one who got me back into the field. I had to do something to get away.”
“If he’d known at the time, I’m sure he would have told you. As you know, he died about that time. Zac didn’t find out for ten years, not until we got back to Earth.”
Ashley drained another shot. “We’re going to need another bottle. I see what you mean about REVs not getting drunk. This sucks.”
“No argument there. But I have even more news for you. This one is really going to shock you.”
Ashley’s jaw fell open. “Even more shocking than what you just told me? I don’t know if I can handle any more surprises.”
Angus snickered. “David Cross is a REV,” he blurted.
Ashley laughed, maybe a little too loudly. Perhaps the alcohol was having an effect.
“Believe it or not, I’m not surprised,” she said. “He eats, sleeps and breathes REVs for, well, I don’t know how long.”
“How about somewhere around ninety-two years.”
Ashley frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m saying the bloody asshole is over ninety years old.”
“No way! How do you know?”
“He told us. And it makes sense. Just think about when he started working with Slater. Add up the years.”
“The Rev did that?”
Angus nodded. “He’s been on a slow regimen for decades. He’s a Delta, like Zac and me, having turned natural on NT-4. But while our Rev is mutating rapidly, his changes at a much slower pace. We’re all about equal now in abilities, but pretty soon, Zac and I are going to be beyond where he is.”
“That’s if we can save Zac.”
Now Angus frowned.
“What do you know about Zac? And what do you mean we?”
“You didn’t think I came here to ignite the old flame, did you? I’ve been operating in the Seken Federation for the past two years. I know things.”
“How?”
Ashley snorted. “It is a Federation, stupid. There are a lot more species in it than just the Seken. I’ve been hopping between these worlds, gathering intel.”
“For the World Government?”
“Mostly, and for Summerlin, of all people.”
“Summerlin? How is he involved in all this?”
She shook her head. “Who knows what he’s up to? He gave me Amber a long time ago and all the funding I needed. He and Smith were working together at the time. I imagine he has his tentacles throughout the government. But back on point, I’ve been following the debacle on Voris. It’s big news throughout the Federation. And Zac is the major headline.”
“So, he’s still alive!” The relief was palpable.
“For now,’ Ashley reported. “That Qwin bastard Kallen Zaphin is some kind of hero on Voris. He’s getting credit for capturing Zac and bringing him to the planet. It’s common knowledge that Zac is going to be kept alive until Earth is destroyed. A form of torture, they say.”
Angus slumped back in his chair. “This is good news. I’ve been stuck trying to get the fleet out of Federation territory when what I really want to do is get back to Voris to rescue Zac. But every day, he gets farther away. I thought I was going to run out of time.”
“You still may. Zaphin is going to keep him alive, but when the Azlorean fleet launches, he’s going with them.”
Angus sat up in the chair again. “When is that going to happen? We had passive monitors laid out in the system, but they’ve all been found by now. We don’t know what’s going on.”
“Then it’s good that I’m here. The Seken have moved their fleet near the Voris system. They’ve been chomping at the bit to head for Earth, but the Azloreans insist they wait until their fleet is ready. Many of their units are already integrated into the Seken armada, but there’s still more to be done. From the broadcasts I’ve seen, the estimates are for a launch in about thirty days.”
“Thirty days! It will take us that long at full thrust to get there. And we’d be leaving a trail that could be tracked from here to Earth. Besides that, we don’t have a ship that could make a trip the far without extra fuel. That will slow it down. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how to do this.”
“I thought you might,” Ashley said with a grin. “That’s why Amber and I are here. My ship is of Rancis design—one of the planets in the Federation. And you know what a wizard Amber is with transponder codes. We can get the fuel we need along the way. And she’s fast, too. Amber, what would be our ETA to Voris?”
“After the proper re-supply and figuring a departure two days from now, we could be at Voris in seventeen days, even with two stops for fuel pods.”
“Excellent!” Angus said. “Let’s do it.” Then he frowned. “And what do we do when we get there? It’s been pointed out that Humans would stand out like sore thumbs on Voris.”
Ashley maintained her grin. “As I said, there are a lot of other races in the Federation. We’ll go in as one of them. Amber has developed quite an amazing 3-D face painting device. It builds disguises that will stand up to some of the most intense scrutiny. Trust me. I use it all the time.”
Angus poured another set of drinks, finishing off the second half-gallon bottle of honey-colored whiskey.
“The two of you are godsends.”
Ashley toasted him.
“I couldn’t agree more. And now, do you have a suggestion as to where a lady might lay her head on this great big ship of yours? I’ve missed a good bedding as much as I’ve missed the whiskey.”
“I think I can find accommodations for you,” Angus said with a twinkle in his eye. “And I guarantee, the contraceptives on this ship are one hundred percent pure.”
Ashley stood from the couch. “I’ve heard that before. I believe field testing is called for, Colonel Price. The rescue of Zac Murphy will begin tomorrow, but tonight … we test.”
Chapter 11
Ashley was in her ship, restocking with food and weapons, preparing for the launch scheduled for the next day. Angus was in CIC, watching the imaginary borderline of the Seken Federation nearly meet the forward elements of his rag-tag fleet. He knew it was more symbolic than anything. Earth was in the process of pulling all forces from the Outer Reaches to fortify the Grid. The thirty ships that had been sent to reinforce his units were still out there, somewhere. They were hiding from any rogue Seken motherships patrolling the area. They would come in handy, mainly to make up for the warships he’d lost during the retreat from Voris. But they wouldn’t be enough to make his fleet into a viable threat. There would be no delay at the boundary, no celebration or sigh of relief. It was still another seven hundred light-years to the Grid, during which time the fleet would be in constant danger of attack.
But that would be Captain Reynold’s responsibility by then. The senior Vee officer had been briefed as to Angus’s plans. He understood and would assume command before reporting to Earth. After all, Angus wasn’t a fleet commander. He was a Delta REV, and it was time to get back to doing what he did best: Kicking alien ass and in-person if possible.
He’d told Ashley about the breakthroughs the REVs had made regarding stealth and jump-ship technology. They discussed it, concluding that the initial impact would be good for Humanity but that it probably wouldn’t mak
e much of a difference in the end. Granted, the alien fleet would be surprised when they reach the Grid boundary, and they would lose a fair number of ships before retreating. But after figuring out what happened, they would regroup. These were High-Tier civilizations; they would find a way of countering the Human tech. It would slow them down but not stop them.
Particularly the Seken. They wouldn’t stop until one of the homeworlds was destroyed. And at the moment, the location of the Seken homeworld was still a mystery, although Ashely had a reasonably good idea where it might be. The problem; alien vessels were only allowed there by invitation, and in her years in the Federation, she’d never been invited. But she was getting close. Or at least she had been until she broke off to help Angus rescue Zac.
And then there were the Azloreans. The species had a more contemporary temperament. One could negotiate with them, unlike with the Seken. But how determined they would be to continue a long-distance fight against Earth was anyone’s guess. However, with the Seken providing the impetus, they may be in it for the duration.
The conversation grew more depressing, knowing that Earth was about to lose most of her quasi-allies in the Grid, including the Ha’curn. The Seken were only at war with the Human—and anyone who sided with them. Angus didn’t blame the rest of the Grid for sitting this one out. And then the Antaere were always a thorn in their side. If they saw the opportunity, the Qwin would strike at Humanity again, opening up a second front.
In all honesty, the operation to save Zac was more a distraction to take their minds off the inevitable. After that challenge was met, they’d worry about saving the Human race.
“Priority call coming in, Colonel,” said a Zeta lieutenant a few steps away.
“Open the link.”
The grinning face of Dr. David Cross filled a station screen.
“Hello, Colonel Price.”
“General,” Angus replied icily.
“How goes the rescue plans? You’re just about to the boundary. Is that when you plan to launch?”
