by Kal Spriggs
She looked up to see Colonel Frost. He stood above her, one hand resting on the butt of his pistol in its holster. His face had a considering look, one that made her feel cold. She looked around frantically; how long had she slept?
He smiled slightly. “No, it’s not time yet.”
She gulped. Her throat felt drier than the deserts back home. “Oh... good.”
“I was surprised. I actually got a response from them. One of them, the one called Marcus, said they’re coming,” Frost said.
“No!” Mel shouted.
Frost’s eyes narrowed. “Any leniency you might have expected just died.”
She looked away, suddenly furious with herself.
“I must say, though, I respect your dedication, misguided as it’s been,” Frost grunted. He leaned against the rack across from her, arms crossed. “I honestly wish I’d recruited you when I did your brother.”
“Oh, great, then we’d be one happy terrorist family. My parents would be so proud,” Mel said. Her lip twisted in disgust.
Frost surprised her by laughter, “What spirit! Really a shame about you. You’re resourceful, intelligent, and you don’t give up.” He shook his head, “I just don’t understand why you support the Guard.”
She rolled her eyes, “Why does it have to be one side or the other?” She ground her teeth. “You people blow up civilians and the Guard conquers worlds. I don’t like either of you, is that good enough? I’m just trying to stop this ship from wiping out a bunch of innocent people!”
Frost shook his head, “No-one is innocent. People are ignorant and people are naïve. They aren’t innocent.”
Mel just rolled her eyes, “Okay…” Serves me right for trying to argue with a terrorist scumbag, she thought darkly.
Frost cast a glance over his shoulder then settled to the deck. He pulled his legs in and folded his arms over his knees. Like Roush had, he studied her for a moment in silence. Whereas Roush had watched her thoughtfully, Frost dissected her with his eyes. Slowly a grin spread across his face. “I really think you believe the things you’ve said.”
“What? Of course I believe what I’ve been saying! You’re the terrorist who lies and murders people!” She rolled her eyes; it was unbelievable that the last day of her life would be filled with the men who were going to kill her, trying to understand her.
Frost shook his head, “I never lie. I take that back, sometimes I lie, but only for a good reason. Everyone lies to themselves. I don’t have to.”
“Oh yeah?” Mel grimaced, “Then why are you hijacking this ship?”
Frost shrugged, “Power. Revenge. Freedom.”
“Oh, what a good idea, let me help you!” Mel growled.
Frost’s face went suddenly cold. “This isn’t a trivial matter. This goes far beyond the murder of your parents, little girl. We’ve all lost things in life. Welcome to life, people take things from us every day.”
“What did you lose?” Mel said angrily.
Frost didn’t answer for a long moment. Finally he spoke, his voice distant. “I was a captain in the Marine Corps. I lost my wife.”
Mel looked away from the pain in his face. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head, “Don’t be. I’m about to take your life. Your hatred for me, and your brother’s anger is completely rational.”
“Then why did you even come here?” Mel snapped.
Frost shrugged, “I wanted to understand you. And I realize now that I underestimated you all along.”
“What?” Mel asked.
The terrorist met her eyes, “At first, from what your brother said, I thought you were some ignorant, bubble-headed idiot.” He smiled at her grimace. “Then, after I heard what happened to Giran, I started to suspect a mercenary had switched places with you. There’s a female merc, goes by the name of Lace, who swaps out with women, takes their places as an infiltrator and then accomplishes her missions. Your actions since this started have been just enough out of character I thought you were her.”
“You think Rawn wouldn’t notice the difference?”
“Rawn’s been distracted.” Frost shrugged. He cast a glance over his shoulder at the open doors in the ceiling. “He never felt good about going behind your back. He felt worse about crashing your parents’ ship. Then with having to fool a Guard Intelligence Agent face to face and conceal his actions from the rest of your companions... well, he’s been busy.”
“So what makes you think I’m not this super secret agent?” Mel rolled her eyes again. She shrugged her shoulders against the bomb rack.
“You’re poor at lying.”
“Gee, thanks,” she grunted
“That’s a compliment, really. Anyone can pretend to be honest. Being a rotten liar means you are honest.” Frost smiled again, “I’ve met only a few people as bad at lying as you are.”
“So I’m an honest fool?”
“Essentially, yes,” Colonel Frost said. “But that’s part of why I underestimated you. You see, I’d never guessed you were an idealist.”
“An idealist is an underestimation of a super-spy who switches places with people?” Mel asked. She shook her head, totally bewildered.
“I’m an idealist too, Mel,” Frost said softly. “But you, you’re special. I can see why Rawn respects you so much. I can see how you caused a GI Agent to fall from grace. You’ve got so much potential it’s amazing.” He shook his head. “You’re a rebel without a cause. I wish you’d realized the importance of my mission.”
“Why is that?” she asked. She didn’t know what she found more surprising: that Rawn apparently respected her or that this terrorist was impressed by her.
Frost sighed, looking a little disappointed: “Because I’m going to have to kill you before you reach your potential. You’re too dangerous otherwise.”
***
Mel sipped at the water nervously. After Frost’s disturbing conversation, he’d left and Roush had returned. The other man had untied her, allowing her to walk around and restore some blood flow to her limbs. He’d even given her his canteen.
His generosity made her nervous.
Roush continued to watch her as she paced. He didn’t look hostile, just watchful. Even so, she knew there was no way he’d let her escape. He’d evidently remained awake, and the shadows under his eyes suggested that wasn’t a trivial effort.
“Captain Roush, can I get a few minutes with my sister?” Rawn said.
Mel started. She turned, surprised to see him come down from the ceiling doors.
Roush looked between them. He sighed slightly. Then he shouted, “Swaim!”
“Huh?” a muffled voice answered.
Roush grimaced: “I’m getting some sleep. Wake up. Stand by the exit. Give Rawn some privacy with his sister.”
“What?”
“Just go stand by the ladder and don’t let the woman leave,” Roush growled.
“Oh, sure.” The blond man stood, looked nervously at Rawn and then sidestepped to stand near the elevator. He didn’t seem to know which way to look, settling eventually on an empty patch of ceiling.
Rawn gave Swaim a sour glance then walked over to stand in front of Mel. “So,” he said, “why’d you have to go and screw things up?”
“Why did I have to go and screw things up?” she asked, clenching her hands into fists and reminding herself how it had been years since the last time she’d beaten up her little brother. That doesn't mean I couldn't do it again, she thought angrily.
“Yeah,” Rawn said sullenly. “All you had to do was stay prisoner on that ship—”
“The ship was destroyed by Fenris.” Mel said, feeling cold as her anger evaporated and was replaced by fear. She closed her eyes and shuddered slightly, seeing Giles floating in the dark with his bloated gray face hanging just inches away.
If she’d stayed a prisoner, she would be just as dead as the man she had killed. A glance at her suit's chrono confirmed that would be in another nine hours.
“Well, yo
u had your chance when we captured you. You screwed that one up too.” Rawn frowned, “How could you side with Marcus? He killed Mom and Dad!”
“Yes,” Mel said. She felt her anger return, and welcomed it. “And how many people have you killed?”
Rawn looked away. He didn’t speak but his silence was answer enough. She nodded slightly: “Whose parents, whose brothers, whose sisters?”
His jaw clenched, “I’m trying to make the world a better place. When have you ever made a stand?”
She shook her head, “When have I made a stand?” She threw the canteen against the wall. “Dammit Rawn! I gave away my life to come back and care for you and that stupid ship! I passed on a life of privilege and success for a life of living on the edge! I came back for you, that is the stand I made! Now I learn that the ship, your life, all of it didn’t mean squat to you!”
Rawn stared at her.
“I was happy in Guard Fleet,” she went on. “I had friends who are probably on those ships you want to destroy. They aren’t the fanatics. You and Frost are talking about noble causes and an evil empire. Neither of you realize you’re dealing with normal people. You don’t try to make the universe better by tearing things down, Rawn!”
She turned away and started at the floor, too angry to even look at him, wondering if she’d gotten anything through his thick head. From his mulish silence, he had gone on the defensive. She knew better than to try and break through to him now.
“Think what you want, Rawn. Don’t start arguing morality with me.”
She looked over at Jeremiah Swaim, who looked like he wanted to disappear. “Hey, you, I think I need to be tied up again.”
The blond kid flushed: “Okay.”
“There’s no need for you to be tied up,” Rawn said angrily.
“Yes, Rawn, there is,” Mel snapped back. “First of all, your boss is going to have me killed in... eight hours and forty-seven minutes.” She felt some dour satisfaction at the scowl on his face. If she had to die, maybe it would turn her brother away from his own bull-headed stupidity. “Second, if we keep arguing, I’m going start punching you. Then your 'friends' will probably think it's an escape attempt and they'll shoot me dead.”
“You’re impossible.” Rawn covered his eyes with his hands. “I’ll come back when I can talk sense into you.” He turned away.
“Don’t wait too long. Only eight hours and forty-seven minutes to go, remember?” Mel said sweetly. He paused like he wanted to say something. Then he departed.
She looked over at Swaim, “Well?”
He flushed and looked away, “I’m just a programmer. Don’t involve me in this.” Mel thought it would have been cute… under other circumstances.
“Well, you better tie me up before sleeping beauty over there,” Roush punctuated her statement with a loud snore, “wakes up.”
“Uh, okay.”
She watched his fumbling attempts at tying the knots with amusement. Finally, he got the bindings in place and Mel had to choke back a smile, “Your first time tying a woman up?”
His face went bright red, “I, uh…”
Mel just shook her head. “Why are you here? Guard Marines killed your puppy?”
He scowled, “I just answered a want ad.”
“GFN puts out wanted ads?” Mel said.
He shook his head. “No, I answered an anonymous want ad for a computer programmer willing to do a job, no questions asked.” He shrugged sheepishly, “Thought it was a credit fraud or maybe a bank job.”
“Learn your lesson?” Mel asked. She studied the young man. He looked to be in his late teens, but he had to have at least a few years schooling to be a computer programmer. His unkempt blond hair was as pale as her own was dirty.
Now if I were some storybook heroine, I’d seduce him and he’d cut me free and help me escape, she thought. Then again, with how things had gone so far, he’d probably turn out to be as gay as Roush.
Swaim nodded, looking away again, embarrassed.
“Good. Now I’m going to sleep again,” She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Sleep wouldn’t come, she knew. Too many thoughts, too many words she wished she’d used on her brother. Too many harebrained ideas percolated through her head.
None of them changed anything.
In eight hours and thirty three minutes she would die.
***
Michael Frost fingered the small golden cross. He could barely feel the bulge of it under his body armor. It seemed to have an inordinate weight for its size.
“Colonel?”
Frost turned quickly, and found Rawn Armstrong behind him. “Yes?” He tucked the cross away back inside his shirt.
“I wanted to talk to you about my sister,” the younger man said.
Frost looked him over. He noted the flushed cheeks. “Angry at my announcement?”
“Colonel, I understand you’re angry. But she’s my sister, she’s the only family I’ve got left.” Rawn’s jaw muscles stood out as he ground his teeth. Frost guessed the kid hated to beg for anything.
“Rawn,” Frost sighed. “Your sister went too far this time. She picked her side. You picked yours.” It pained him to see a dedicated young man like Rawn in such a state.
“She doesn’t know what she’s doing!” Rawn protested. “If I could have a week with her, I think I could make her understand what’s at stake!”
“If I had a week, I’d give it to you,” Frost rubbed at his chest absently as he felt for the small golden cross under his armor. “Trust me, Rawn, I know how you feel. I lost someone to this fight too.”
“This is my sister, though!” Rawn said.
Frost’s face went still. “I lost my wife to this war. I’ve lost nine men today. I’ve lost dozens in this war. I know all about loss, boy.” Rawn flushed and looked away. Frost nodded, “Now, tell me about Marcus. Do you think he’ll turn himself in?”
Rawn shrugged, “I don’t know. He’s a coward in a lot of ways. But… yeah, for Mel, I think he would.” Rawn scowled, “He loves her.”
“You don’t approve?” Frost said. He chuckled at the expression on Rawn’s face. “Let me guess, you don’t think he’s good enough?”
“No, he’s not. He might feel guilt over what he’s done. He might try to repent. He’s still not good enough to even look at her, much less love her.” Rawn let out an angry breath, “If he does turn himself in, I want to kill him.”
Frost shrugged, “We’ll see. Do you think the others will turn themselves in?”
“I don’t know.” Rawn said. “The female hacker struck me as a push-over. Brian… I don’t know about him.”
“And then there’s Robert,” Colonel Frost grimaced. “I always thought he was too cheerfully corruptible.”
Looking back, he could see how that must have been a ruse. Yet the man hadn't had any compunctions over killing Guard members. Yes, he had protested a bit at some of their pirate associates’ actions, but he hadn't flinched when they’d executed the Guard Intelligence operatives that Captain Roush had identified. Who did the man work for, then, if not the enemy?
“If they turn themselves in, you won’t hurt her?” Rawn asked.
“If that happens, there won’t be a need,” Colonel Frost said levelly. He hoped that Rawn didn't realize that he hadn't answered the question, and raised a hand to forestall him.
“You came to me, remember? You said you’d follow my commands, no matter the cost. Don’t lose your dedication now, Rawn. Trust me.”
***
“Mel?”
She sighed and opened her eyes. She had heard her brother come down. She had heard Swaim’s breathing turn regular as he fell asleep, and Roush’s loud snoring. She had given up hope she could let those things lull her to sleep somehow.
Evidently, Rawn wanted to continue their conversation. “Yes, Rawn?”
“Look… I know where you’re coming from. I just wish… you know, I wish you’d never gotten involved.” Rawn looked sad.
�
�Shit happens,” Mel said. She tried to keep her voice level. She closed her eyes and blinked away tears. She would not cry in front of her little brother.
“Yeah, well…” Rawn trailed off. He looked miserable.
Mel blinked in surprise at the giant metal spider she saw crawling across the ceiling. As she watched, its two forward limbs unrolled a sheet of paper above her. Scrawled across it was: We’re coming. We’ll attack in thirty minutes.
Something on her face gave her away, and Rawn turned, saw the repair robot and the paper. The robot scurried away, and Rawn turned for the exit.
“Wait,” Mel croaked. “They’re trying to save me.”
“They’re coming to kill my friends,” Rawn said. He hurried to the elevator. “If I warn them, we can trap them, and I can kill Marcus.”
“Rawn, if you do this, you sentence me to death,” she bit the words out.
Her brother froze, one foot raised to start climbing. He looked over at her, torn. “Look, Rawn, this could work. This could get me out. No one needs to get hurt, even,” she whispered, praying that Swaim wouldn’t hear her.
He shook his head. “This… Mel, I’ll try to help you with Colonel Frost... but not this.”
She looked away. “I understand.”
Her brother said nothing else as he climbed out. She could hear his voice echoing across the hangar as he warned the other terrorists. My brother made his choice, she thought.
Mel sighed, “Swaim, wake up.”
The programmer just mumbled something. Mel drew back her leg and kicked hard.
“Ow!” The boy started, hopping to his feet and rubbing at his thigh. “Why’d you do that?”
She gave him a level look, “You fell asleep.”
“Oh.” Swaim looked around quickly, “Anyone notice?”
She didn’t answer. Above, she heard the sounds of men moving, Colonel Frost barking out commands, and she ground her teeth.
Her brother had chosen his path, and she wondered how he could be so stupid. She wished she knew what words she could say to make him understand. Wished she wasn’t tied to a metal bomb rack facing an execution. Wished that Marcus hadn’t killed her parents. Wished she’d never met Giles, much less killed him.
