Seeds of Earth

by Michael Cobley

  they'll know all about already . . .'

  'How?' said Theo.

  'Shared telemetry,' Donny said. 'AH this boat's instru-

  mentation will be showing up on one of the Heracles's

  screens - if they wanted to, they could probably take

  control of its navigationals as well.'

  'So now we open negotiations,' Theo said.

  'Aye.' Donny pressed the channel button. 'Hermes to

  Heracles-ops - my name is Captain Barbour, acting

  under special orders of President Sundstrom and

  requesting to speak with your CO.'

  'Heracles-ops to Hermes - please stand by ... sorry,

  Hermes, but Captain Velazquez is in a conference call

  with the Hegemony ambassador and President Kirkland

  right now but he should be speaking to you in a few

  minutes.'

  'Understood, Heracles-ops,' Donny said, cutting the

  respond.

  'Was that wise, giving your name?' Theo said.

  Donny shrugged. 'My folks are both dead and I was an

  only child, so there's nobody for them tae hold hostage.'

  'I am sorry to hear that,' Theo said.

  Donny grinned. 'Don't be - my friends are my family

  and I got tae choose every one.' He paused, glancing at

  the console then the pale blue holodisplay overhead.

  'Course has been changed, velocity too - we're picking

  up speed ...'

  Theo leaned on the couch armrest and ran his fingers

  through his hair. 'So the Heracles has taken control of

  us?'

  'Aye . .. dritt, if I knew a bit more I could . ..'

  'Heracles-ops to Shuttlecraft Hermes . . .'

  A small holoplane appeared over the main console,

  displaying the Earthsphere navy's symbol, two flaming

  comets against a stylised galactic spiral. Donny sniffed

  and thumbed the respond.

  'Shuttlecraft Hermes to Heracles-ops - Captain

  Barbour speaking.'

  The opaque holoplane blinked, suddenly showing a

  craggy-featured man with dark hair and intense, hazel-

  brown eyes.

  'I am Captain Velazquez - why have you hijacked

  my shuttle?'

  'Had to see ye about an important matter, Captain,'

  Donny said. 'Seemed as good a way as any, given that

  we're acting under President Sundstrom's executive

  order ...'

  'Kirkland is president now,' Velazquez said.

  'Sundstrom's policies have been superseded.'

  'That might be the case, Captain,' Theo said, 'if

  Kirkland actually had a spine and a brain to go with

  it!'

  Velazquez regarded him from the screen. 'And you

  are?'

  'Karlsson, former major in the Darien Volunteer

  Corps.'

  The Heracles's captain nodded. 'Major Karlsson,

  Viktor Ingram's right-hand man - hoping to overthrow

  another government, Major?'

  Theo gritted his teeth. 'If the government's corrupt, I

  see no problem with the notion.'

  'The probabilities are not in your favour, I'm afraid.'

  Velazquez seemed to grow impatient. 'Gentlemen, what

  is the reason for this charade?'

  'Ourselves and a group of researchers are formally

  requesting political asylum aboard your vessel, sir,' said

  Donny.

  'Thought it might be something like that,' Velazquez

  said. 'Why did Sundstrom want these researchers kept

  out of Hegemony hands?'

  Donny shrugged. 'The president originally had a deal

  with the Imisil to get them away, but as ye can see

  they've been kicked out. And before ye ask, we don't

  know anything about what's in their heads, but I guess

  it must be important. . .'

  And deadly, Theo thought, remembering Pyatkov's

  attitude.

  'I understand your position, gentlemen, but there is a

  problem.' Velazquez glanced at something nearby. 'A

  Brolturan soldier died during your illegal hijacking and

  both High Monitor Kuros and the Brolturan com-

  mander are screaming for the arrest of those responsible.

  So if I brought the Hermes on board my ship with the

  aim of offering its passengers asylum, this would cease

  to be a security matter and become a diplomatic inci-

  dent.'

  'And yet you've changed our course to meet the

  Heracles out beyond high orbit,' Donny said. 'And in

  just a few minutes, too.'

  'Yes - there is only one option open to you. When

  we rendezvous, you will get those researchers into the

  emergency suits then send them out through the air-

  lock. I will then be obliged to take them on board as

  Distressed Persons Adrift under the Rescue and

  Emergency protocol.'

  'But not us,' Theo said.

  'Correct. My report will state that you abandoned

  your passengers then took off for that forest moon.'

  Theo and Donny glanced at each other in puzzlement.

  'And why are we doing that?' said Donny.

  'Captain Barbour, if you were better trained you

  would notice that the Purifier has launched two inter-

  ceptors and that they are already halfway here. I suggest

  that you get those people ready.'

  Theo looked at Donny. 'Is he telling the truth?'

  Without answering, Donny punched up a display

  that showed two bright specks moving round the

  planet's curve towards where another pair of dots, blue

  this time, were converging. Resigned, Theo went with

  him to explain the situation to the Enhanced. It was

  oddly awkward - he couldn't tell from their expres-

  sions if they understood or were angry or calm. Then

  the one called Julia asked to speak with Captrin

  Velazquez, who assured her that anyone left behind by

  the shuttle would be brought to safety within the

  Heracles. Listening closely to Velazquez's careful word-

  ing, she nodded, once to the captain, once to Donny

  and Theo.

  After that the Enhanced were quickly suited up in

  lightweight metallic blue rigs, and their progression

  through the airlock went ahead, first pair, second pair,

  and Julia last. As she ducked through the hatch she

  paused to look back at them.

  'Thank you for helping us,' she said. 'I don't under-

  stand why you did this, but thank you.'

  Theo and Donny said their own goodbyes then, as

  the hatch closed and cycled through, they exchanged a

  puzzled look, before hurrying back to the cramped

  cockpit to check the long-range sensors. Even as they

  saw that the two interceptors were now between them

  and Darien, a voice came over the ship-to-ship.

  'Attention Hermes, this is Flight-Marshal Kowalski.

  Strap yourselves in, gentlemen - we're about to send

  you on a bit of a ride.'

  'Better do what the man says,' Donny muttered.

  Outside the cockpit viewport, the long, tapering

  shape of the Heracles loomed at an angle, its grey and

  silver hull sporting rows of dark, opaque blisters. Then,

  as they fastened their restraints, Theo heard a muffled,

  intermittent hum and the Hermes turned, giving them a

  transient view of the Enhanced being snagged by power

 
grappler lines and reeled into an open hold in the

  Heracles's belly. Then the green orb of Nivyesta swung

  into view and stopped.

  'Thruster systems initialised, Hermes - stand by for

  fast burn.'

  Patterns flickered on the console, then Theo felt a

  momentary kick of acceleration before the inertial

  dampening cut in. He sat there in the couch's firm

  embrace for a minute, breathing the plastic-tainted air,

  feeling the vibration of the shuttle's engines with his

  back, neck and arms, realising that his fear was still

  there but caged, shackled by old combat reflexes. The

  knack was in using your fear, knowing when to ignore

  it, when to listen and how to use it to stay alive. But

  now the kind of trouble that was looming was one in

  which he was completely reliant on Donny Barbour's

  skills to avoid dying in a fireball of destruction when

  those Brolturan fighters caught up with them.

  And now Kowalski was back on the comm, telling

  them where the two-man escape pod was and how to set

  the autopilot for a bail-out when they hit Nivyesta's

  upper atmosphere. He also gave Donny a quick run-

  down on the shuttle's weapons (or rather weapon, a

  single laser cannon), countermeasures and shields.

  'But you shouldn't get into the situation where you

  have to use them,' said Kowalski. 'Anyway, you've got

  another twelve minutes before you enter high orbit

  around that moon. After that, you're on your own.

  Good luck, Hermes.'

  'Aye, thanks, Heracles - when this is all over, we'll

  have ye round for a few drinks and all the steak ye can

  eat!'

  'We wouldn't miss it for anything, Hermes - safe

  journey.'

  The mood of the exchange was light and amiable and

  to Theo seemed to underline the gravity of their position.

  'So how bad is it?' he said.

  Donny gave a little smile and a sidelong glance. 'No'

  much gets past you, does it, Major?'

  Theo shrugged. 'I know the sound of bad odds, espe-

  cially when I hear them not being mentioned. What are

  our chances?'

  Donny pointed at the holodisplay. 'Those intercep-

  tors are closing on us faster than we'd reckoned - they

  might catch us just as we hit atmosphere.'

  'At which point we're dead.'

  'Well . . . aye, unless we try something a wee bit

  unorthodox.' He leaned closer. 'Set the autopilot to

  aggressively engage them just after our pod separates.

  The shuttle only has to keep them occupied for a few

  minutes, long enough for the pod to reach low altitude.'

  Theo nodded, feeling a twinge of nausea and a trem-

  ble in his hands and legs, and smiled. It was just his

  fear, rattling its cage.

  'Okay, if that's our only shot,' he said. 'We'll make it

  a good one.'

  The minutes fled past, Donny working at the console,

  setting up parameters for the autopilot while Theo

  checked the supplies for the pod. A small hatch in the

  bulkhead behind the cockpit led down a few steps to the

  open pod, into which they would have to crawl. Theo

  had raided the shuttle's medical and ration lockers and

  was stowing the booty away when Donny called down

  to him.

  'Have we got everything?'

  'We have - where are the hunters?'

  'Practically on top of us. Ye've got it all packed away,

  aye?'

  'Yes, is it time?'

  'It certainly is, Theo.'

  Theo heard the pod's own hatch thud shut and seal

  with the whine of motors.

  A horrible realisation struck him and he lunged

  round in the tiny space to get at the hatch, trying to

  find controls to open it, but there were none.

  'Theo, I know that this is a rotten trick ... aye, I

  know, but it's the only way. Better get strapped in -

  twenty seconds and you're away.'

  'Donny, you damn bloody fool!' Theo raged as he

  hurriedly crawled back round again and tugged several

  broad straps tight over his body. 'Is this some kind of

  Caledonian-warrior-self-sacrifice thing . . .'

  'Dinna be daft! - if we both left in the pod, those

  interceptors would pick us off with missiles. This way at

  least one of us stands a chance. Don't get me wrong -

  I've every intention of living to a ripe old age . . . right,

  hold on tae yer hat!'

  There was a cluster of small bangs and suddenly the

  pod lurched and dropped, Theo's stomach protesting as

  the tiny craft seemed to flip over then right itself.

  'Donny! - what's happening?'

  'I won't be able to speak much soon, Theo - just got

  my hands full with these two, but then they did come in

  staggered overwatch formation . . . right, got tae go.

  Good luck and good hunting, Major, and I'll see ye on

  the bright side!'

  Then the channel went dead.

  You're a fool, Donny Barbour, he thought as the pod

  shuddered about him. If I didn't know any better, Id

  say we were related. "When next we meet we'll drink the

  finest whisky and tell magnificent lies about our family

  trees.

  But a faint and hollow dread told him that he was

  thinking about a dead man.

  54

  DONNY

  As he cut the channel, the Brolturan interceptor was on

  his tail, lining up for a point-to-point attack. Donny

  grinned. He knew he'd been in the enemy's range for

  over thirty seconds, but the pilot had obviously decided

  that with such a weak opponent he could afford to relax

  and indulge in a bit of exhibition gunnery.

  Well, he's in for a wee surprise^.

  Donny punched up a sequence of special commands,

  which he had been preparing while Theo was gathering

  together those supplies a short while ago. Working on

  his own improvisations, backed up by brief text notes

  from Kowalski, he had figured out a handful of

  manoeuvres and shield configurations which had

  prompted the flight-marshal to call him 'a crazy man'.

  Donny didn't mind if his unorthodox scheme offered

  only a slim chance of survival. That was better than

  none.

  The enemy was almost in position, and the Hermes's

  sensors told him that its weapons were targeting. Donny

  hit the execute in the holodisplay, the attitude jets buzzed,

  and the shuttle made a perfect 180-degree lateral turn.

  Then the shields reconfigured into airbrakes, and since

  they were already entering Nivyesta's upper atmosphere

  the shuttle's velocity quickly began to fall. At the same

  time the main thrusters fired, ramping up the decelera-

  tion, and the Brolturan interceptor, a vaguely oval craft

  with weapon indents along its leading edge, seemed to

  rush straight towards the shuttle.

  Donny flinched in reflex, but there was nothing for

  him to do but watch and hope and pray.

  The Brolturan was already banking as the two vessels

  converged, but Donny's second shield configuration was

  ready, huge, curved blades of forc
efield projected out

  from the prow. Where they collided with the Brolturans

  own shields, harmonic interference dissipated in daz-

  zling flashes of light and energy and when gaps opened

  up in the underside barrier the Hermes's targeting

  system was quick to act. The laser cannon sent a stream

  of composite pulse bolts through the gaps, hammering

  into the hull, smashing open compartments, sending

  shattered fragments flying. ..

  The interceptor veered away sharply but it was too

  late. Lines of vapour and hot gas were trailing from the

  stern, then a fuel feed must have been exposed because

  an immense explosion abruptly tore the craft open from

  the engines forward. Donny let out a roar of delight as

  several pieces of burning debris arced and spun away

  down towards the forest moon's surface.

  But his triumph was cut short when alerts beeped

  and the display showed the second interceptor burning I

  tight turn towards him, and launching a couple of mis-

  siles into the bargain.

  Time to make tracks, he thought, bringing the shuttle

  round to point forward, angling to gain altitude as he

  engaged the thrusters. Another tactical sequence was

  selected, a simple but cunning one. Then, seeing that he

  had a minute or two before the missiles arrived, he

  opened a general widecast channel.

  'This is, er, Darien Combat Shuttle Hermes, Captain

  Barbour commanding, calling anyone within range of

  this signal.'

  A moment later, a sceptical male voice.

  'This is Pilipoint Station control - what did you say

  you were? Is this some kind of joke?'

  'Did ye see anything happening in the sky just

  recently, Pilipoint?'

  'By damn, yes! We've had explosions and burning

  things falling . . .'

  'Aye, well, that's because I just shot down a Brolturan

  fighter that was giving me grief, and I've got another one

  chasing after me with a brace,of missiles . . . just a

  second . . .'

  The missiles were coming in fast and lethal, twin

  undeviating trajectories, pale trails of oncoming destruc-

  tion. Donny knew that it was wing-and-a-prayer time as

  he triggered the countermeasures sequence and sat back,

  waiting to see if he lived through the next thirty seconds.