“This doesn’t make sense. Why would they claim it was terrorism?”
“Because they know that what they did will get out,” Chris said. “Long term, there is no way to conceal a massacre of this scale. At first the truth will be just rumor. Over time, it will grow in the telling. The atrocities committed will be embellished. People will begin to believe and, from the UPG’s point of view, think they might be next if they step out of line.”
“You’re saying they did this to frighten people,” Keira said, “to scare them?”
“I am,” Chris said, with a heavy note in his voice. “It is a strategy that will backfire. Things are too far gone. Yanoyang will only serve to harden the resolve of those who stand against the government. The massacre will become a rallying cry, and the dead—martyrs. It will radicalize more of those who are unhappy with the government, speeding things toward a true break.”
“This is not good,” Keira said, thinking that an understatement.
“No, it is not,” Chris agreed. He shifted his feet. “I think it’s time to go to Seri, at least until things cool down. A revolution or civil war may be coming and those get ugly.”
“Seri? A war?” Keira looked up at that, surprised. She did not want to think about the possibility of such a thing happening but knew where he was going. “The safe house? Really?”
She had never been there, but Keira had long since known that Wash, Vex, and Chris had some place outside the city they had set up as a bolt-hole, a refuge to ride things out if they ever got bad. Why they had named the place Seri, she had no idea. It had just always been Seri, or the Seri.
“I think so,” Chris said. “It’s only a matter of time before the people have had enough, rise up, and push back. The food supply is so scarce, it’s bordering on starvation levels. You saw Li Sung and his family. Worse, and more concerning to me … as of this morning, there’s a lack of orbital transport available around the planet. The UPG is planning something big. Assignments was complaining that much of it had all been reserved for the Security Directorate. Even the supply transports have been requisitioned and called back to the orbital stations.”
“There’s only one reason to do that,” Keira said in a near whisper, “and it means the government is preparing to deploy additional troops and equipment to the surface.”
“More examples are forthcoming, and soon, too, if I’m any judge,” Chris said. “I’m guessing the arrival of the destroyer from the Protectorate is driving things to the brink. The UPG is preparing to either put the screws on the population or make a show of some kind before the ship arrives in orbit. They don’t want to appear weak, at least not to the Protectorate. If they do, it might mean an invasion at some point, which is all the more reason to demonstrate their strength and control.”
“Invasion? Surely not. What about the defenses?” Keira asked.
“One ship’s not a problem for the defense network. A mobile squadron or even a small fleet is a different matter—orbital defenses won’t mean squat to such a force. The UPG has no true warships, only a few short-range gunboats. A squadron will have enough firepower to brush aside our defenses with ease. Most of the transmissions around the planet are unencrypted. The Protectorate destroyer will be monitoring them as they approach the planet, which is why the UPG is desperate to flex their muscles, showing resolve and strength.”
“At the expense of their own people,” Keira said as she considered his words. Chris was right. She knew the UPG only too well. Though they pretended to be otherwise, they were a brutal regime, interested in only one thing, hanging onto power.
And then, there was the safe house.
“What about my work? The repairs? Helping people? We go to the safe house and that’s it. The UPG loses a senior team. People will die, Chris.”
“People are already dying,” Chris said simply.
“I know,” Keira said, feeling the prick of tears. “I want to see it stop.”
“That’s because you were raised to care. The world we live in is a harsh one, cruel even. You see the ugliness every day.” Chris sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. The APC rocked again as Lee increased power to the engine. They began to climb what she assumed was a sand mound before cresting it and continuing down the other side. “Keira, I promised your father that I’d take care of you and keep you safe. Yesterday I nearly failed. I don’t much like failing, never have.”
“But that was my fault,” Keira said, feeling anguish at her stupidity. “I should never have put myself in that position in the first place.”
“It doesn’t matter now. What happened is said and done. Learn from the experience and move on. What’s important is riding out the storm that’s surely coming.” He softened his tone a tad. “Things have changed. I know you can sense it. Yanoyang Park is only the beginning. The UPG’s tolerance for hurting their own people is increasing. And the people doing the hurting, like Crecee and his crew, enjoy their work. Make no mistake. They look forward to it. Soon, what few rules are left won’t matter for spit. That’s when things will really get ugly.”
Keira had not expected this, at least not yet. Go to Seri and turn their back on everything, the suffering, the casual brutality …? She wanted to go and put it all behind her. In a way, that felt like a betrayal to the people who needed help. She felt guilty about wanting to go. But at the same time, she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Keira did not know how much more she could take. She felt like a sponge that had been wrung too many times. The UPG, and the futility of trying to keep the inevitable at bay, was wringing every milliliter of life out of her, one squeeze at a time.
“I know this is the last thing you expected to hear,” Chris said. “But it’s time. We need to go. Remember the location of the safe house is in your tablet. So too is an emergency beacon. There are friends at Seri. You can trust them with your life, like you trust me. If you need to, trigger the beacon and they will come. It may take them some time to get to you. So, you might have to survive on your own a bit.”
“I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I know,” Chris said, his voice taking a gruff edge. He glanced away briefly. “I don’t want anything to happen to me either, nor you, which is why we must leave.” His voice hardened a tad. “Use it, if you need to, understand me on this?”
Feeling miserable, Keira gave a nod. He had told her all this before, drilled it into her head. It was their secret. But now, he was more insistent than ever. She’d never thought this day would come.
“Promise me.” Keira’s voice broke. She cleared her throat. “Promise me nothing will happen to you?”
“I’ve led a charmed life. There have been a few times that, by all rights, I should have checked out. I’ve always managed to beat the odds.” He gave her a sad smile. “That said, at some point, luck runs out for everyone. The trick is knowing when to get out of the way before things go sideways. I’ve been pretty good at that, knowing when to dodge. Sometimes, circumstances make that impossible, and then anything can happen. That’s what I’m trying to avoid by taking us to Seri. I want us to get there before things go sideways. Understand?”
Keira gave a nod.
Chris glanced around the crew compartment of the APC, then returned his gaze to her. “There’s more, and you’re not going to like it.”
“More?” Keira asked.
“The UPG has been monitoring our conversations.”
“What?” Keira asked, alarmed, feeling herself go cold. She found herself glancing around the crew compartment, looking for recording devices. Then felt suddenly stupid. The recording devices were built into their hazard suits.
“Don’t worry. I cut their monitoring software out for this conversation. Whoever is listening will think we’re still sitting here quietly, absorbed in our own thoughts. All they are getting is the background noise of the APC and Lee whistling. God, he doesn’t have an ear for music and can’t carry a tune.” Chris shook his head slightly. “Anyway, as to when th
ey started—I have no idea, weeks, months … I just discovered the feed embedded in our communications a week ago.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I didn’t see a need to alarm you. It’s not like we’re talking revolution or sedition or anything like that. The important takeaway is that the government is becoming paranoid of its people, even those who work for it and have been loyal. They trust no one. That’s another sign that things are bad.”
“How long do we have to talk?” Keira asked.
“Long enough for us to finish our conversation,” Chris said. “Then I will restore their monitoring. I do not want them to catch on that we’re leaving.”
Keira suddenly felt like snapping her fingers, only it was impossible to do with her suit gloves. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. “That’s why Wash and Vex are coming. You made the decision to head for Seri before we set out. We’re all going.”
“I did and yes we are,” Chris admitted. “There were signs that Yanoyang or something like it was coming.”
“You knew? You knew they were going to massacre people at Yanoyang Park?”
“Not with any certainty,” Chris said, “and I definitely had no foreknowledge of a massacre. That was likely a direct result of the hard fighting. Either the commanders of the operation unleashed their people on the park afterwards, or they simply lost control. It happens in combat.” The APC rocked again. “There was buzz of an operation beforehand. Several people I know heading security teams are worried about the direction things are headed. It’s one of the main reasons I thought it time to head to Seri. Yanoyang Park just reinforces my decision, is all. Keira, it is time to go.”
“And if I don’t want to go just yet?” Keira asked. “Would you force me?”
“No. I’d never do that. You are a grown woman and can make your own decisions.”
“And would you leave me?” For as long as she could remember, he had always been around. The thought of him not being there was painful.
“No,” Chris said. “I would stay and face whatever with you. I honor my promises. I hope you don’t make that choice for me.”
“What about Wash and Vex?”
“They’re to help convince you it’s time to head to Seri,” Chris said, then flashed her a grin. “On occasion, you’ve been known to dig your heels in. I thought the two of them would be good to have on hand. They’re also coming in the event things get tricky with the militia.”
“I see,” Keira said, sobering again. “If we go, how long do you think we will be there?”
“At the Seri?”
Keira nodded.
Chris hesitated a heartbeat before replying. “A few weeks or months, at least until things stabilize again and there’s a semblance of order, perhaps even a new government. The UPG might not survive what’s coming.”
Keira had not considered that. For her entire life she had only known the UPG.
“Really there’s no way to tell for certain how long that will be,” Chris continued. “Seri is secure and fully stocked. We will want for nothing while there. Honestly, I believe you will enjoy your stay. Think of it as the vacation you’re owed.”
Keira was silent for a long moment. The APC rocked again as it rolled over something hard, then tilted downward at a steep angle before making a turn and descending again. She glanced toward the cockpit. Completely unaware of their conversation, Lee was still whistling away as he drove.
“What about Lee?”
“We want to take him with us,” Chris said. “But we won’t force him. He can go back with the militia if he wishes to stay.”
“But without you,” Keira said.
“Wherever you go, I go too.”
“I see.”
“Hopefully, he will as well,” Chris said. “If we’re able, we plan to slip away after this next repair is complete, before the militia and UPG become wise to what we’re up to. I think the UPG is already on to my side business. There have been some uncomfortable questions of late from the Security Directorate.”
“We’re here,” Lee called back to Chris and Keira. The APC lurched to a halt. A moment later, there was a grinding as the parking brake engaged.
“Act normal,” Chris said, “and say nothing to Lee. If the UPG gets wind of what we intend, things could get tricky for us. They will not want to let us go. You are too valuable to them. Understand?”
“I do,” Keira said and she undid the harness and stood.
Chris set his tablet face-down onto his right thigh. It magnetically sealed to his armor with an audible click. To Keira it seemed as if the armor became liquid, flowing around the tablet, almost becoming one with it. Marine armor was highly advanced and appeared to be magic to her. Only an outline of the device remained.
Chris removed his harness and came to his feet. He had switched channels and looped in Lee. There was a beep, which alerted her to the change.
“We’re going to have to deal with that grinding,” Chris said. “It doesn’t sound so good to me.”
“The Beast is running a little rough,” Keira said.
“You’re talking about a full tear-down of the gearbox, hell maybe even the engine too, aren’t you?” Lee asked. There was an eager note to his voice.
“Yep, exactly,” Chris said as he slid a bag out from under one of the seats and unzipped it. He pulled out six magazines for his M23 rifle and fed them into his suit’s internal storage, one after another. It appeared as if his suit were eating the magazines, sucking them up. “Nothing like becoming a grease monkey for a few days.” He straightened and patted the wall next to him. “Working on these old babies builds character, isn’t that true, Keira?”
He looked at her meaningfully and tapped the side of his helmet. Chris’s gaze was intense.
“Character?” Keira gave a nod and pulled out two large bags. One was marked survival gear and the other rations. She unzipped the one that held survival gear. Inside, carefully stored in plastic bags, were two additional gumby suits and a specialized shelter. The shelter could be reconfigured to act as an airlock, if a room with good air needed sealing from the outside world. The shelter came complete with its own air purification unit.
“That’s right,” Chris said. “As I said, it builds character.”
“It sounds like fun,” Lee said.
“Fun?” Keira asked. “You both have a strange idea of fun, let me tell you that.”
“Character building,” Chris said enthusiastically. “We’ll get the Beast back in proper working order soon enough.”
“You think everything builds character.” Keira zipped the bag closed and slid it toward the back of the APC. She opened the other bag and found dehydrated ration packs, along with several UPG ready-to-eat meals. None of it was appetizing but it would give them fuel to keep going. She took a moment to count the meals and ration packs. There were enough for more than a week for the three of them. Another bag held a like number of meals. “To me it just sounds like a lot of work.”
“A lot of work means hard work and that’s good for the soul.” Chris paused for a long moment, studying the contents of a heavily reinforced canvas bag he’d pulled out. On its side was printed ISMC.
The APC’s power plant ceased rumbling as Lee powered the vehicle down. The internal lights dimmed slightly, but then, less than a heartbeat later, returned to full luminosity as the chassis batteries kicked in.
Lee came back and joined them.
“We’re in the Hakagi’s utility garage, bay, whatever you want to call it. Apparently, the regular maintenance entrance is still unsafe. We’re about five floors underground. Since we came in the back door, we will need to go deeper to get to where we need to go and then do some climbing, stairs again.”
“I received an update from the Security Directorate before we set out this morning. There’s a protest against police brutality, corruption, rations—take your pick,” Chris said. “It’s almost impossible to keep track of what the mob is upset about now, beyond
their lot in life. When it comes to that, they have a valid gripe. The bottom line is that there are several thousand irate people throwing a fit topside.” He paused and eyed Keira. “I also heard the rest of Crecee’s company is on their way down to the surface. Things might get worse at Hakagi before they get better.”
She understood what he was telling her. It was possible another example might be made and the target would likely be Hakagi. The thought of it made her go cold, especially if they were still here when it happened.
Keira felt a sudden tide of sadness at the thought of what had happened in Yanoyang Park. There had been some good people living there, a number she counted as friends. She hoped they were all right, but deep down, she feared they weren’t. No one living on Asherho was all right, let alone safe and that included her.
“I don’t like Crecee or his goons,” Lee said, then glanced over at Keira. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
Lee placed a hand on her arm. “Keira, you are looking pale. Are you sure?”
“Just tired,” she said, pulling away from him as she turned and dragged out another bag. “I was up most of the night repairing things for that family. I just need a little sleep, is all.”
“Okay,” Lee said, sounding far from convinced. She thought she detected a look of worry from him but wasn’t sure. Since they had grown up together, he knew her only too well. Keira knew she had to guard herself with him, for if he truly sensed something was wrong, he would press her on it. She could not have that.
“I just wish you hadn’t given away the spaghetti and meatballs,” Lee said. “I was looking forward to that.”
“They needed it more than we did.” Her tone came out harsher than she had intended. She saw a look of concern on his face, and before he could speak, she asked, “How far is the repair job? How much farther do we have to go from here?”
“Our destination is listed as being in Subsection 11A,” Lee said. “I checked the schematics provided to us—coming in from the garage, it’s gonna be a bit of a hike through the service tunnels. Say about two and a half kilometers, at least, just to get to the systems control center. Since they brought us in the back way, and to get to where we need to go, it looks like we will have to climb a good number of stairs. The lifts have been deactivated and are nonfunctional. There is good news, though.”
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