A bell rang from the door. Wren closed the files and got up from the desk inside the office settled at the lab’s back corner. It was a great space, one Fairbanks had put a lot of thought into. He hadn’t known she was coming, so he must have had plans to have someone else continue her research. She was curious who it was and what had happened to them.
She tapped the door open and found Flint Lancaster standing there. “I thought I’d find you here. Want some company?” he asked nonchalantly.
They were hitting it off, and she worried about getting too close to a stranger like this. She wanted to tell him she was busy, but his intense eyes gave her other thoughts. “Sure. Come in.”
“What’s all this?” he asked, motioning to the tables and different sections of the lab. On the left of the room was a glass room with an energy-barrier wall, which sat deactivated. What was that for? She hadn’t gathered enough nerve to ask Fairbanks yet.
“This… is a biology lab.” Wren said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.
Flint walked around, touching tabletops and running his hand over a tray of beakers. “I don’t get out much. I was never much of a student either.”
“I find that hard to believe. You seem like a smart guy,” Wren said. Was this her way of flirting? It had been so long, she felt off her game.
“Sure. Space smart, but that’s about it. Maybe people smart too. You know, emotional and social I.Q., but not much else. What are you going to do in here?” he asked.
She didn’t know how much to tell him, but Fairbanks hadn’t asked her to keep it quiet. “I told you my story the other night. I was busted researching for the councilman. Apparently, one of the Watchers was left behind thirty years ago, and he got a sample of its flesh for me to study.”
Flint raised an eyebrow, evidently not believing that was all she was doing with it. “Study for what purpose?”
Wren cleared her throat. “To create a life-ending virus.”
He changed the subject, and she wasn’t sure if they connected in his mind. “Do you really think we’re going to a colony over there?”
The thought hadn’t crossed her mind. “Of course. What else are we doing?”
“We only have what Fairbanks is telling us to go by. I’ve seen the videos, so I know there’s indeed a Rift. Or someone doctored those videos, and this is all a big screw-around. All I’m saying is, maybe there never was a colony ship. Fairbanks might never have been married, and God knows if he had kids. I couldn’t find anything on the Interface about his personal life.”
“Come to think of it, Charles didn’t find many useful details either. I think we have to trust him, though. In the end, what other options do we have?” she asked.
Flint shrugged. “Not many, but I can’t help but feel like a puppet in all of this. They set me up to get here. That’s clear to me. But you, you came without them ever suspecting it. You throw a wrench into it. But still…” He tapped his lips with an index finger, deep in thought. “He conveniently had a lab for you, with all of your old files to sort through, I bet.”
Wren nodded.
“Are you sure this android doesn’t work for him?” Flint asked.
“No way. He’s been at the prison for forty years,” she said.
“And you know this how?”
“He told me,” Wren answered, but she was suddenly catching on to his line of reasoning.
“He told you so. Could he be unaware of it? Maybe programmed to think he’d been there that long?” Flint asked.
Wren had to sit down. Her head was spinning. “He broke me out of prison. He was the one who tracked down Fairbanks’ secret location when even the Fleet didn’t know where he was… oh my God, you could be right.”
“I’m not saying this for a certainty, but I want us to consider the possibility that Fairbanks gathered all of us here for a reason. He’s a cunning old fox, and if he wanted us here, he managed to do it.” Flint walked over to her and crouched down, setting his hands on her knees. “Let’s make a deal. We need to watch out for each other.”
She almost laughed at him, but he was right. Wren leaned forward into her hands. “How did I not see this? Here I was, actually admiring the man. Have I always been such a naïve fool?”
“He’s done the same thing to me. Let’s keep him thinking that we’re on his side, but in the back of our heads, we’re in this thing together. Deal?” Flint asked, sticking his hand out. She locked eyes with him. He did have kind eyes.
Her hand met his, and they softly shook. “Deal,” she whispered. A thought crossed her mind. “Flint, have you seen Charles around lately?”
“No,” Flint answered. “I thought he was with you.”
25
Ace
Ace couldn’t believe it. The Shift drive had worked. He’d been sure he was about to be killed, and when he activated the drive, he was sure it was going to blow up like the probe had. He found himself patting his own chest and legs, making sure all of him had made the trip.
“Very well done,” a voice from behind him said, and Ace remembered the android was back there.
“Let’s do this again. Who are you?” Ace asked, undoing his seat straps. He craned around to see the basic android staring back at him. Behind the android, a glowing blue energy field wrapped around another figure: a huge one, by the looks of it. Ace found he’d lost his voice and swallowed hard.
“I am CD6, more recently known as Charles. This is one of the Watchers, an alien race who will undoubtedly be the downfall of all humanity. We need to get him to the Eureka, where Dr. Wren Sando can study him and create a virus that will be deadly to his kind, so humans have a chance at survival.” The android said all of this quickly, and Ace’s head reeled from the information.
“You’re telling me that aliens are invading, and that’s one of them?” he asked.
“The only one in our solar system, yes,” Charles replied.
“And where did you find this alien?” Ace couldn’t believe the secured lump behind him was really an extra-terrestrial.
“On the Stellae. Grand Admiral Karn has had him stowed away in a secret room on her ship for the last thirty years.” Charles seemed to believe what he was saying, or at least he was programmed to. What kind of android was this? Ace had never seen a model so boisterous.
“Thirty years? You expect me to accept all of this?” Ace asked.
The orange eyes stared at him, and the android nodded. “I would prefer it that way. We don’t have much time. The Rift opens tomorrow. We must get over to the Eureka.”
Ace spun around, sitting heavily into his seat. His hands set over his mask, and he considered what he was hearing. The Grand Admiral must have had the alien tagged, and that was why she’d turned on Ace so aggressively. His life wasn’t worth the alien’s escape.
“Where is it?” he asked, unsure of his next move.
“Young man, may I ask your name?” Charles asked.
“Ace. Just Ace.”
“Ace, there is much you don’t know transpiring. Tomorrow, a Rift opens in space, not far from here. It’s likely why you were being sent here. As surveillance. The councilman claimed he sabotaged the probe.”
The probe. So it had backfired because of sabotage. That was why Ace was here now; otherwise, he might be dead after the attack. It hit him then. The same person responsible for the probe’s destruction had set up the attack on the Earth Fleet. Who would do such a heinous crime?
“I know what you’re thinking. It was the only way. The councilman has humanity’s best interest at heart,” Charles said.
“And what would an android understand about heart?” Ace asked, frustrated with his dilemma. No sound came from behind him for a minute, and Ace found himself feeling bad for his comment. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. It’s a consideration I’ve made for many years. I don’t seem to be like any other androids,” Charles said, and Ace could tell from the short conversation that he was correct.
/> “If I go along with this, what’s the next step?” Ace asked, still not having made up his mind. If this councilman could save their race, did he want to oppose him? Especially if the key was bundled in an energy field in his ship at the moment.
Charles was up, crouched over in the short ceiling of the cockpit. “We cut the feeds back to the Fleet before moving an inch. We remove your ship’s ID transponder and head to the Eureka’s location.”
Ace endured an internal battle. The Grand Admiral had seemed so kind, but he knew this was only because of her predicament. She wanted a grateful, disposable pilot to scout this Rift Charles talked about. She didn’t care about his little life. Then there was Serina. Was he betraying her if he did this? Or was he helping ensure her safety?
“Let’s do it. How do I kill the feeds?” Ace asked. He didn’t have full clarity on the situation, but he’d made up his mind. He was going to bring the alien to this councilman, and to the doctor who might be able to help save them all.
He hoped it was the right decision.
Benson
Benson waited for news from Shadow but wasn’t holding his breath. The militant leader wouldn’t be there for the actual attack on the Earth Fleet. She’d be hiding – in the shadows, as it were. No wonder she’d given herself that name. It was an apt description of the coward.
But to the woman’s credit, Benson knew he’d avoid the battle as well, were he in the other’s shoes.
It was almost time. Benson had put a lot of eggs in this android’s basket. But even if they didn’t get the captive Watcher, he’d still go ahead with his plan. In the end, Fairbanks wouldn’t have a choice but to go along with him.
“The student becomes the master,” Benson whispered to himself.
Soon. Soon they’d be on the other side of the Rift, and the next chapter would be upon them. Benson imagined the Grand Admiral’s smug face as the Fleet was under attack. She was so arrogant, so sure that no one would be dumb enough to consider such a thing. She’d always been short-sighted, focusing only on the Watchers’ imminent invasion, just as Fairbanks solely thought about his family and the lost colony. It was up to Benson to cover the rest of the ground.
He walked the halls, wondering if this Charles was really going to be able to pull off the impossible.
Flint
The jump was seamless. Flint was enjoying his position with the crew of the Eureka. It had been a long time since he’d been part of something larger than himself, or larger than his ship and Kat. Even when he’d been with the Fleet, they’d never felt like a solid unit. He’d mostly resented them and what they stood for. Now he understood he had good reason for it.
The hours of waiting were growing tiresome, but Jarden demanded he be ready to move should any issues arise. With the new Shift technology, a vessel could pop up to you in an instant, and you had to be ready. Flint didn’t want to fight a war against a race full of these ships. It would be chaos exemplified.
The bridge was quiet. Kat sat in the seat beside him, just five feet away, and he caught her staring absently into space out the viewscreen. A weapons officer stood at the edge of the room, typing away on a holoscreen. Otherwise, the bridge was empty.
“Hey,” Flint said, getting Kat’s attention. “I’m sorry you ended up mixed up in this.”
She gave him a soft smile, one that gave her dimples and caused her eyes to crinkle up just a little at their edges. “You’re all I’ve ever had, Flint. Did you know that? I was a kid when they died. You took me in, made me who I am today. I’ll forever be thankful, even if this crazy mission ends with us dying tomorrow.” She reached a hand out to him, and he took it.
Her speech hit him hard, and he blinked away a forming tear. “You’re my family, Kat. You and me. And we aren’t dying tomorrow. I’ll make sure of it.” Flint glanced at the viewscreen. “You know, in a weird way, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s on the other side of this Rift.”
She laughed then, a familiar sound from his co-pilot. “So am I. What’s wrong with us? Everyone else just wants a good job with a roof over their heads, and that wouldn’t be enough for either of us. We need adventure and space chases, don’t we?”
Flint nodded. Kat was right. He’d been that way since he was old enough to run. Flint was about to comment, when an alarm buzzed on his console. The holoscreen projected in front of him, and he spotted the reason. A single ship was heading toward them, within reach of the ship’s powerful scanners.
Kat was typing away. “Two life forms on board.”
Flint had been told no one was allowed near them. He got the weapons officer’s attention. “Lieutenant Tsang?”
“Already targeted. I’ve sent a message to the captain,” Tsang said.
They watched as the fighter approached. A bead of sweat dripped down Flint’s forehead as the doors to the bridge hissed open and Captain Barkley strode in, finding a standing position behind Flint and Kat.
“Zoom on the target,” Barkley said, and Kat did.
“That’s an EFF fighter, but modified,” Flint said.
Captain Barkley set a hand down on the back of Flint’s chair. “So it is. Curious.”
“Don’t you dare fire on that vessel.” Fairbanks’ voice carried from the door to his office. “That will be Charles, back from his mission.”
Flint glanced back at their old leader. “You sent the android on a mission? Where to?”
Jarden smiled and rubbed his hands together, as if they were cold. “He rescued something from the Earth Fleet for me. Please tell me there’s a life form reading on board.”
Tsang answered, “Sir, there are two.”
“Two? Let them in but use precautions. I’ll send Benson with some guards to greet them.” Fairbanks left as quickly as he’d arrived.
“Sending the clearance now,” Kat said.
Flint had a bad feeling after seeing the Fleet symbol on the side of that modified fighter.
Ace
“They aren’t going to kill me, are they?” Ace asked the android nervously. He was second-guessing his choices as the ship sealed into the huge vessel. The Eureka was like nothing he’d ever laid on eyes before. He’d thought the Stellae was impressive, and it was, but this ship was something new, something special. He noted there were no Earth Fleet markings on it.
“They will not harm you. I have seen nothing from them to indicate they would harm another human. Also, my friend Dr. Wren Sando is working with them, and I trust her implicitly.” Charles stood as the cockpit door hinged open. Ace glanced at their “guest” inside and cringed as it moved, struggling to break free from its confines. He couldn’t get a good look at it yet, and wasn’t sure he wanted to.
“Great work, Charles,” a deep voice said, and Ace spun to see a man in slacks and a blazer enter the room. He grinned at them, his face composed and friendly. “And who’s this?”
Ace didn’t fail to notice the four armed guards enter behind the suit. The front two pointed stunners directly at him.
Charles placed a hand on Ace’s shoulder. “This is Ace. He brought us here. Please do not harm him.”
The newcomer lifted a hand, and the guards lowered their weapons. “My name’s Benson. Why don’t you come on down from there, and we’ll get you settled?”
Ace did as he was told, climbing down the fighter and jumping the last three rungs to land on the ground with a clang. His mask came off with a snap, and he tossed it back into the cockpit, narrowly missing Charles. “What is this?” Ace asked, not specifying on purpose.
“This is the future. It looks like you’ve bought a free ticket on the most priceless train ever built.” Benson smiled again, and Ace found it unnerving. Benson had avoided giving a real answer, he noted.
Soon Charles was down on the ground, and the guards rushed forward, heading into the ship where the alien lay trapped.
Ace was ushered out of the hangar by Benson, who placed a hand on the small of his back and directed him away. “Come with me, Ace. Is that yo
ur first name or last?” Benson didn’t hold back laughing at his own joke.
Ace didn’t think it was funny. “What about Benson? Is that your first or last name?” he asked the older man, and the laughter ceased momentarily.
“Touché,” the man said; yet, again, Benson hadn’t answered his question.
They entered a wide hall. Smooth polished floors ran in both directions, and everything looked and smelled so new. Wherever they were going was a long time coming. This ship had to have taken an extended time, and more money than Ace could fathom, to build.
Ace followed Benson’s long steps down the corridor and into an elevator, where Benson chose the seventh floor. “Where are we going? Charles here said something about a Rift opening, but didn’t elaborate on it. I only entered the Fleet a few weeks ago, and now I’m going to be blacklisted. If I’m stuck here, I’d like to know what that means.”
“That will be disclosed very soon. I’ll take you to your room, and then we can figure out what to do with you. You seem to be a resourceful young man. How… how old are you?” Benson asked, looking Ace up and down.
Ace swallowed and considered lying like he had to the Fleet. “I’m sixteen. I think.”
To Ace’s surprise, Benson didn’t press him on it. Instead, he gave a quick nod and strode out when the door opened, beckoning Ace and Charles to follow him.
There were a lot more people here, walking the halls, talking amongst each other. There was a nervous but excited energy in the air. Ace felt younger than his sixteen years as he walked through these officers and crew members. Most of them were twice his age, and he knew he’d stand out like a sore thumb in their midst. Back on the moon, side-by-side with eighteen-year-old recruits, he only looked like the runt of the litter. Here, he’d look like someone’s kid.
Rift Page 23
