“I’ll always be yours,” Michael said later as he and an immortal teenager named Rosa Marteen placed Sam in a medpod.
“If I’m not here when you wake up, don’t worry. I’m probably right outside having a smoke.”
Her burns were far more extensive than she first let on. Michael couldn’t imagine how she found the strength to stand. Sam was burned over half her body. She would recover with time. The medpod would stabilize her systems; her immortality would kick in to regenerate the tissue. A part of Michael said James prevented the injuries from being worse by removing her from the amphitheater. The instinct may have been right, but he refused to give James credit for anything.
“She won’t need many days,” Rosa told him outside the dome. “A friend of ours, Col. Lennox, was burned even worse than her, and he’s recovering well on Lioness. Or so I’ve been told.”
“A friend?” Michael said. “So, Sam has friends here?”
“Many. More than she knows. And she was only here a week or so.”
“What do they like about her?”
“It’s strange. She was frightened the first few days and she didn’t leave her habitat. But once she did, she blended in. She’s older than the rest of us, but she seemed like she wanted to be one of us. We talked about it – the other kids and me. We didn’t understand at first.
“I heard what happened today, Michael. I know she’s like us. She’s immortal. I guess that explains it.”
“Maybe, Rosa. Or maybe you see how Sam has a very big heart.”
“Michael, are you like us, too?”
“I am.”
He sensed her relief. “So, will you stay here and help us?”
“Don’t have any other plans.”
“Good. The others will be happy to know. Michael, we haven’t heard anything official from Admiral Valentin since he told the troops to stand down, but there have been many rumors. I heard a crazy one, but I have to ask. Did you walk across the stars to save us?”
OK, here we go.
“No, Rosa. Of course not. I’m a lot of things, but I’m damn well not a god. I think we’ve had our fill of gods around here. OK?”
For a moment, Michael had flashbacks to middle school, where learning took a back seat to gossip.
“I understand. Michael, I have to check in at food production. Part of our storage facility was destroyed, and we’re calculating how many weeks of work we lost. Can you watch Sam?”
“Certainly. And don’t be in a hurry to rush back.”
He peeked inside; Sam was sound asleep.
“Sweet dreams, babe.”
He retrieved his pipe and planned to have the first quiet moment to himself in days. Naturally, as he turned around, someone else blocked the door.
“Shit. What the … who are …?”
The visitor dropped his hood.
“Hello, Michael Cooper.”
Michael lurched forward and grabbed the old man by the shoulders. “You again? Trayem Hadeed.”
“I’m glad you remember. You’re the last one who will.”
“How did you get in here? And how the hell did you survive the battle? Did the Jewels skip over you?”
“I’m not their enemy. I’m their emissary, and this is my final stop.”
“Whatever. You need to leave.”
“Please, Michael. When I visited last night, I told her we would see each other one more time if she survived. I promise not to wake her.”
Michael relented. “Twenty seconds, and then outside.”
The old man laid a hand on the medpod glass and studied Sam before nodding with approval.
“Please,” Hadeed said. “Follow me.”
“Sure. Whatever you say, strange old man in a gray cloak.”
Hadeed bathed in the sunlight and sighed.
“I wish it were my people who were being given a second chance. Michael, they’re pleased. They think this beautiful world might be in good hands. But they’re also worried.”
Great. “About what?”
“Two peoples destroyed this world when it was called Hiebimini. The Chancellors mined it to death, and the Hiebim people cooperated. Today, the Chancellors were expelled again. In a few minutes, the last of the Hiebim will be as well. Aeterna will follow a different path, but only as long as her enemies never return. Michael, do you remember what I told you this morning?”
He’d never forget it.
“‘The disciplined man binds grief and rage inside reason.’ You said that would be my test. Did I pass?”
Hadeed chuckled. “You haven’t taken the test, Michael.” He pointed toward the sky. “You are the hope that will bind Aeterna to a future of joy and peace. But you must close the last wound before it becomes fatal. They’re waiting for you.”
The old man stared away toward the western horizon with glee.
“Who’s waiting?”
“I have served my penance. It’s your turn now. Be the leader they need. Save this world.”
Hadeed closed his eyes. “Abraham. Omar.”
A single red flare consumed the old man. His ash formed a tiny mound at Michael’s feet.
He leaned back against the dome and processed the man’s dying words. He tapped his pipe and inhaled. The poltash was low, enough for two puffs.
“If I could go an entire day without a ‘wow’ moment, I’d be a happy man.”
Michael needed those two puffs to size up the scope of his final test. Hadeed was right about “the last wound” needing to be closed. This city and these kids wouldn’t be so lucky with round two.
“OK, Cooper. Let’s walk into the fire one more time. Then I’m taking a long-ass vacation.”
He tracked down Maya, who took Nilsson’s death harder than expected. The Major was hanging on when the flares appeared, but the Jewels did not spare him. She agreed to sit with Sam while Michael took care of business.
“I’ll be back soon,” he said. “I’ve got a proposal, Maya. I think it might be good for you. Keep an open mind.”
Michael asked for directions and found Valentin inside Haven, which suffered superficial damage in the attack. He sat behind a dais switching between holowindows. He was reconstructing duty rosters to account for cleanup, reconstruction, and food distribution. He also studied death reports. He appeared frantic, as if preparing for war instead of packing one away.
“We need to talk,” Michael said. “A private space would be good.”
Valentin hesitated. “There’s so much to do, Michael. It doesn’t feel like a victory.”
“But it is, more or less. And you know what? I think your people can handle it without you for a few minutes.”
They spoke by stream after the fighting stopped, but Valentin was subdued, and Michael wanted access to a medpod. They had yet to discuss how the battle ended.
Deep in the ship, with the door shut and all distractions behind them, Michael and Valentin fell into cushioned chairs and stared at each other. No smiles, no handshake, no thumbs-up. Michael understood why: They were strangers who joined forces because they had to. Now what? Where do we go from here? That conversation might have dragged on a bit, and Michael felt pressed for time.
“I’ll get straight to it,” Michael said. “We have to deal with the Guard before they try again.”
“Agreed. The entire crew of their scout ship is being held on Lioness. Admiral Kane says the ship was called the Praxis. You know it?”
Michael sighed. “And there’s another ‘wow’ moment. Yeah, Valentin. I know it well. I’m friends with the captain. Or, I used to be. You said Praxis ‘was.’ Did we destroy it?”
“No. The crew scuttled it.”
“Interesting choice. I’d like to see whatever data we gathered as well as the crew manifest. Good thing Aldo was up there.”
“It gets better. Praxis was commanded by the Supreme Admiral.”
“Damnation. Angela Poussard in the house. Nice catch. Look, Valentin, we need to negotiate with them. We have all the leverage.
We can’t let this opportunity slip away.”
“Agreed.” Valentin tapped his fingers on the armrest. “It can’t be me. You saw the way Aldo Cabrise reacted to me. They won’t talk so long as I’m involved.”
“Bottom line, Valentin. You’re the military leader of a group that killed two and a half million human beings. Folks tend to have pretty strong feelings. So, yeah. If we’re gonna start new, they can’t see the old faces.”
“Then you’ll do it?”
The tone suggested Valentin anticipated this awkward moment.
“I will.” Michael pointed skyward. “I think I’m supposed to.”
“About their new tech … the jumpgate … how do we solve this?”
“No worries. I got something brewing in the ol’ noggin. But I’m going to need information. A rundown of your military assets, brontinium resources, and all the exobiological data you have on Aeterna.”
Valentin frowned. “The last one is massive. Are you sure?”
“It won’t be for pleasure reading. I’ll cherry-pick a few items.”
“Fine. I’ll have it transferred to your admin stack.”
“Oh, and if you can set up a direct line between me and Aldo, I’d appreciate it.”
“I’ll take care of it immediately.”
Michael pushed himself out of the chair, hoping the meeting was over, until Valentin cleared his throat.
“Michael, I need to know something. At the end, did my brother ask about me?”
“Your name never came up. Why?”
“Hmm.” Valentin avoided Michael’s eyes. “It was always about him, wasn’t it?”
“Well, he did call himself a god. So, yeah. Pretty much.”
“But when we needed him most, James wasn’t the one who saved us. You did, Michael. You and Samantha.”
They were headed into that long conversation Michael intended to avoid.
“Dude, we gave you a heads-up. That’s it. You and your army did the rest. From where I stand, you were a helluva general. Sorry. Admiral. You trained those children so well they defeated ten thousand soldiers of the largest army in human history. You prepared the city’s defenses. The Guard never saw it coming. And you did it all without those lunatic hybrids lifting a finger to help.”
“We lost seventy soldiers,” Valentin interrupted. “Ten percent incinerated by slews. I didn’t do enough to save them. When they learn the cold, hard facts and how I turned against Brother James, they’ll see me for what I am.”
“OK. Yeah. I reckon that might be an awkward conversation. If you need backup, I’ll do what I can. But for now, don’t complicate this shit.”
“Good advice, Michael. I’ll organize an evening dine. We’ll all come together to celebrate life and honor the dead. Tomorrow, we start building the peace.”
“Assuming I can pull off a little sleight of hand on Lioness.” Michael started out the door. Valentin didn’t move. “You coming?”
“No. I need a few minutes to myself. I’ll be sure to send you everything you requested. Thank you, Michael.”
Valentin did not look well. Michael thought he aged years in a matter of hours. Perhaps he was just exhausted. Weren’t they all?
Or maybe he was finally letting it in. The brutality, the terror, the millions whose deaths belonged to him.
Michael thought of Trayem Hadeed, who started a war in which millions died. Hadeed said he “served his penance.” He spent thirty-eight years facing his crimes, but Hadeed had the benefit of being mortal. Valentin lacked that luxury.
Michael did not expect Valentin to recover any time soon.
74
S EVEN HOURS LATER, MICHAEL STEPPED off a Scramjet in the landing bay of Salvation’s flagship. Aldo Cabrise greeted him. The former fleet Admiral had changed into a casual bodysuit, insisting he’d be a hypocrite to wear the Guard colors despite a lifetime of service. Aldo was surprised Michael appeared in full black-and-bronze body armor.
“If Poussard believes you’re trying to intimidate her,” Aldo said, “she might refuse to negotiate.”
“I want her to see what she’s up against. Plus, it makes me look cool. So, have you thought about my proposal?”
Aldo smiled with the thrill of a man half his age.
“It’s the offer of a lifetime, Michael, but I’d have to be insane to accept. Anyone would.”
“But you will.”
“If you can assure me there won’t be trouble with the Jewels.”
“I’ll sort it.”
Aldo led Michael into a lift and ordered the AI to take them to Level Five. Aldo offered his hand, which Michael shook.
“I’ve never been a fan of people. It’s perfect for me, Michael.”
“Fantastic. I’ll make sure you have whatever you need.”
On Level 5, Aldo grabbed Michael’s arm as they approached the executive conference room.
“Valentin Bouchet gave you the keys, didn’t he?”
“Pretty much.”
“And when this affair is concluded?”
“He and I will sit down and talk.”
“Good. You’re the right man, Michael. The leader they’ll need.”
“Yeah, well. One clusterfuck at a time. All our assets in place?”
“Waiting on your command.”
“My command.” The words were equal parts terrifying and thrilling. “Has an odd ring, Aldo, but I like it.”
Two immortals stood guard outside the conference room. Their eyes glinted at Michael’s approach. Great. Bet they heard the rumor about me walking on the stars. I really got to put a muzzle on that.
“Showtime.” Michael nodded, and a guard pressed the printlock. He whispered to Aldo, “Do they know it’s me?”
“I told them they would meet with a representative.”
“Perfect. Lead the way, Aldo.”
Inside, Aldo quickly took his place in an empty swivel along the side of a sprawling conference table. The command staff of Praxis locked their disbelieving eyes on Michael. They all knew him, some as nothing more than a Chancellor’s plaything who asked too many questions and dared to reach above his station in life. But few saw what he experienced training for the Guard, and none spent time with him on Tamarind. Capt. Forsythe might have had an inkling of the man they were facing, but the rest? Michael loved having maximum leverage.
He surveyed the furniture. Something was off.
“You’re in the big chair,” he told Supreme Admiral Angela Poussard, who commanded the head of the table. “That’s not cool with me. I should be in the big chair.”
“Excuse me? Cooper, how are you even here? And dressed like the enemy? This is unacceptable.”
“Actually, what’s unacceptable is the seating chart. See, you’re the enemy now, and I’m on the winning side. Sure, I did a little switcheroo, and you probably shouldn’t trust me as far as you can throw me. But I’m all you got, and I’m gonna lay out your terms of surrender. In the meantime, I want the big chair. Up!”
After Michael threatened to bring in the guards, Poussard moved to the opposite end. Her new chair was almost as big, but Michael appreciated being able to make his point without tearing off into a long speech. He settled into the big chair and pulled out his pipe.
“Good news for me. Poltash grows wild around JaRa.” He took a long drag. “Nothing like fresh.”
He loved their expressions, as if they were being forced to go hungry while watching him eat a steak. Aldo covered his mouth to hold back the laughter.
“All right, then. On to business.” Michael tapped his stream and threw open a series of holowindows. He found the key document and tossed it to the end for Poussard’s viewing.
“Essentially, that’s a list of conditions the Chancellory and the Guard agree to abide by in order to maintain a lasting peace. You don’t have to stamp it now, Admiral. In fact, I recommend you might want to hold off for just a wee bit. Yes?”
Poussard ignored the document. “How dare you? How dare you, Cooper. You w
ere part of this massacre? After everything we did for you. The personal measures I extended to you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Where I grew up, we had a saying. ‘What have you done for me lately?’ So, let’s make a quick rundown of lately. You led me to believe I would have a chance to rescue Sam. You left me and forty other people on Tamarind to die – including Aldo Cabrise. You built a secret jumpgate. You sent ten thousand troops to wipe out seven hundred, most of whom are kids. Oh, and you sent an officer who I kind of admired down to the planet to kidnap hybrid babies, so the Chancellors can restart the Jewel bio-integration research.” He took a puff. “Lately.”
Eyes shifted uneasily toward Poussard. As Michael expected, most were unaware of Nilsson’s mission.
“You have no idea …” She began before Michael cut her off.
“What I’m talking about. Right. That’s always the first thing assholes say when they know they’ve been outed. And about this so-called massacre? You, Angela Poussard, sent ten thousand loyal soldiers to their deaths. We defended ourselves, but apparently you forgot about Supreme Admiral 101: Always know your enemy’s capability before you walk into the middle of a shitstorm.”
Nobody rose to Poussard’s defense. Good. They already knew she was incompetent.
“For the record, Sam is alive, and she and I are going to be very happy on Aeterna. New name, by the way, in case you hadn’t heard. Might want to change the star maps. Also, the hybrids are dead.”
“How do we know for certain?” Poussard asked.
“Well, I stabbed Brother James through his heart with a sword. Then he was turned to ash. Long story, but a reason why you don’t ever want to return here. As for the immortals, they won’t be a threat. They’ll never leave this system. In time, we’ll put the word out to the colonies about the other immortals who were hidden away. If they want to live with us, they’ll be welcome.”
Capt. Forsythe cleared his throat. “Lt. Cooper …”
The Impossible Future: Complete set Page 150
