The Soldier: Final Odyssey

by Vaughn Heppner

  “Perhaps not to a cyborg Master intent on capturing me.”

  Despite Halifax’s misgivings the plan had proceeded. The two of them continued down the utility corridor with their cargo.

  There was one other thing, something Halifax didn’t know yet. In order to keep Group Six busy and to forestall any attempts at thwarting them, Cade had sent an anonymous call to the local Patrol station on Hyperion Blue. He’d reported suspicious espionage activity in the rear rooms of the D Level casino. It was possible Patrol people were already raiding the G6 station and the Cade-given home locations of the various agents. Cade had learned their addresses from the conscious and fully cooperative operator.

  Thus, despite the brazen nature of the mission, everything was proceeding on schedule.

  ***

  After parking the unloaded anti-grav sled and ditching their paltry disguises, Cade and Halifax drank a beer each at a bar with the stools facing the street.

  Between sips, Cade told Halifax about the anonymous call.

  The doctor stared at him in horror. “You’ve ruined Group Six here.”

  “Yes. I’d imagine so.”

  “Cade—”

  Cade scowled at the doctor.

  Halifax stared at his beer bottle, put it to his lips and guzzled the rest.

  The bartender slid up. “Another?”

  Halifax nodded glumly.

  A moment later, the bartender put a second opened bottle before the small man. Halifax picked it up and began to sip. He shook his head, looking up at Cade. “How…?” He didn’t finish the question.

  “Relax,” Cade said. “We’re leaving soon.”

  “Yeah? Where are we headed next?”

  “The Sixteen Cygni System.”

  “But…” Halifax was frowning. “Why there?”

  Cade sipped his beer. This could work. It was a crazy plan, but it really could work. This part had gone so smoothly, too. It was a good omen.

  “Ca—” This time Halifax stopped himself from saying the soldier’s name. “I don’t get it. What are we trying to do?”

  “Trust me,” Cade said.

  Halifax stared at him as desperation began to creep into his eyes. He started trembling and then guzzling the beer.

  That wasn’t a good sign. “I told you to relax,” Cade said.

  “How can I?” Halifax said. “I’m terrified. I have no idea what you’re thinking, and you’re becoming reckless.” He guzzled the rest of the beer and set down the bottle as he gasped.

  The bartender slid up again. “Need another?”

  “No,” Cade said. “He doesn’t.”

  The bartender stared at Halifax, who said nothing, shrugged, picked up the empty and walked down the counter with it.

  “Actually, I do want another,” Halifax said.

  Cade ignored the comment. “Did you happen to notice that I placed our two imposters on a slow tramp hauler?”

  “Not really.”

  “I did,” Cade said. “We’re taking a fast starliner to Sixteen Cygni.”

  Furrow lines appeared on Halifax’s forehead.

  “That means we’re getting there ahead of our imposter selves,” Cade said.

  Halifax shook his head.

  “Who do you think is going to try to kidnap the imposters at Sixteen Cygni?” Cade asked.

  Understanding must have struck Halifax. He moaned as his skin turned a strange shade. “What…what are you thinking? You’re going to take on the cyborgs?”

  “I’m going to capture Rohan Mars or those like him trying to kidnap our imposters.”

  “But…that doesn’t make sense. Why would you do that?”

  “In order to give the Director a gift,” Cade said.

  “You’re going to give the Director Rohan Mars?”

  Cade just smiled, sipping his beer and studying the doctor.

  “The Director won’t give you your wife back if you try to trade him Rohan Mars.”

  “I’m aware of that,” Cade said.

  “Then I don’t get it. Your plan doesn’t make sense.”

  “Trust me, it does.”

  Halifax stared at Cade as hopelessness crept upon him.

  “Look,” Cade said. “Help me trap Rohan Mars. After that, you can leave and go your merry way.”

  “With all the credits?” asked Halifax.

  “Yes.”

  “You swear this?”

  “I do.”

  Halifax frowned, breathed deeply and exhaled. “Sure, why not, I guess? I want to get off Hyperion Blue. You’re really going to hand over the money to me at Sixteen Cygni?”

  “Once I have my prize,” Cade said cryptically.

  “When do we leave?”

  Cade set the bottle on the bar. “Now’s as good a time as any. Let’s go”

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Sixteen Cygni was a triple-star system. The A and B stars were yellow dwarfs like the sun, each of them orbiting the other at 73 AUs. The last was a red dwarf much farther out at 860 AUs. There was a planet with an eccentric orbit around 16 Cygni B. The planet was rich in metals and housed vast mining consortiums. That meant giant space habitats orbited Metal World, as the locals had named it.

  A few of the habs refined the ores, shipping the proceeds to nearby worlds. The 16 Cygni System was something of a shipping hub. It possessed a Patrol presence along with several consortium warships adding their weight to the system defenses.

  The fast Orleans starliner shutting down its Intersplit Field at the edge of the system was a normal occurrence. There were Patrol ships—one cruiser and two destroyers—on call. They made a routine inquiry and gave the liner the all-clear. A large passenger shuttle left the starliner as another from Metal World worked its way toward it.

  Cade and Halifax rode the shuttle for Metal World, its formal name Saint Louis Planet. They were headed for Louisville, the name of the most prominent space habitat orbiting the planet.

  The trip took six days as they enjoyed the last of the Orleans luxury mode of travel. Cade had chosen it as the Orleans starliners were noted as being among the fastest in the Concord.

  It had proven an uneventful trip from Blue Hyperion, although Dr. Halifax had grown increasingly nervous the closer they approached Earth. The homeworld was a mere 69 light-years away, far different from almost being 400 light-years out at Hyperion Blue.

  On the sixth day, the Orleans shuttle reached Louisville. This was an older habitat and looked like a giant tin can, and in a way, that was what it was: a huge tin can in space. The rotation gave the inhabitants pseudo-gravity inside.

  The long space trip, hotel fares and tips had eaten into the money supply. There was only half left from the beginning sum.

  “At this rate,” Halifax complained, “you won’t have anything to pay me.”

  “Wrong. I’ll have more, much more. You’ll see.”

  They were walking in a well-groomed park in Louisville, with trees, birds, grass and other people moving along the paths. The curvature of the inner space habitat meant the horizon was always curving up, so they could see the rest of Louisville above them. The privilege of strolling in the park had cost credits, and they were on a timer. Cade had suggested this, the open-air surroundings badly needed after the long trip confined in a spaceship, even a large one like the starliner.

  Halifax shoved his hands in his pants pocket and walked with his shoulders slumped, looking glum.

  Cade expanded his chest, breathing the air, feeling more relaxed than in a long time. The cheerful birds singing might have helped the most.

  “You actually like it here?” Halifax asked.

  “I feel like I can swing my arms again.”

  Halifax glanced sidelong at the giant of a soldier. “Isn’t it time you laid it on me.”

  “What?”

  “Told me the plan,” Halifax said. “We raced here ahead of the slower hauler bringing the two imposters. So, what’s next? What are we going to do?”

  “I’m surprised y
ou haven’t figured it out yet.”

  “I’m sure it has something to do with…” Halifax stopped walking.

  Cade stopped beside him.

  Halifax scrunched his forehead. “This isn’t only about capturing a few androids, is it?”

  “That’s certainly part of it.”

  “What’s the end result, though? What do we do after we’ve captured the androids—given it’s even possible?”

  Cade smiled.

  Halifax groaned, maybe understanding for the first time. “If you’re thinking about using the androids to storm the lurker, taking over the ship—” Halifax shook his head. “Cade, that’s lunacy. Androids are nearly unkillable. Wouldn’t cyborgs be ten times worse?”

  “I don’t know about ten times, but cyborgs would be tougher than androids.”

  “Then…how could we capture the lurker? Is that really your plan?”

  “It is.”

  Halifax looked away and started to shake his head. “I know you think you’re the ultimate soldier, but what you’re suggesting is a death wish.”

  “On the contrary, it’s a life-wish: that of Raina and my fellow soldiers.”

  “Okay. Okay. Suppose you captured the lurker. How would it help you get your people back?”

  “One thing at a time,” Cade said.

  Halifax rubbed his face, stared at Cade and shook his head again. “We’re a few weeks ahead of the tramp hauler carrying our imposters. Are you thinking the lurker will show up here?”

  “Yes.”

  “And do what exactly?”

  “The obvious,” Cade said. “Hijack the shuttle as it heads from the tramp hauler to Saint Louis Planet. We’ve learned the Master wants us and that he’s been trailing us to our former stops.”

  “That was my theory.”

  “It was a good one. Likely, he sent android agents onto Hyperion Blue and discovered us leaving in cryo units aboard the tramp hauler. The easiest way to grab us would be here in the Sixteen Cygni System. The Patrol is out there where the liners and haulers come out of the Intersplit Field. The lurker could sneak into the star system to hijack the shuttle before it reached the planet. We’ve surmised the Master wants us in order that we give him the stellar location of the vortex in the Vellani Rift. Once he knows the location, the cyborgs can go there. Do you remember the great cyborg vessel we saw drifting behind a strange field?”

  “Yeah. I remember.”

  “If the cyborgs are after old tech from the War, the pocket universe could give it to them. We know they’re after such tech because of what we saw on Therduim III.”

  Halifax nodded. “That’s all logical as far as it goes. But how can you storm a lurker—because I’m sure not going to try it.”

  “You strike to the heart of the matter, Doctor. We need help because I need special equipment and a small spacecraft in order to pull this off.”

  “What kind of special equipment?”

  “For one thing,” Cade said, “a state-of-the-art battlesuit.”

  Halifax stared at him. “Okay, okay, I can see that. Where do you expect to get the help to get you…? Oh, no. No way am I doing anything against the Group Six station here. I told you Blue Hyperion was the last time.”

  “We’re not going to storm the G6 station.”

  “No. Then what are we going to do? Are you going to ask the Patrol for help?”

  Cade shook his head.

  “How do you get a battlesuit then? You can’t steal one.”

  “Group Six is going to get it for me.”

  “But—you said you weren’t going to attack the Group Six station.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Cade, you’re not making sense.”

  “I am, though. I’m using the slow pace of communications throughout the Concord. We’re ahead of the news. You’re a case officer under direct authority from the Director. You’re going to demand help from the G6 station because that’s what Director Titus wants you to do. I’m the mind-controlled Ultra ready to do the dirty work. This is the big event that the Director has been working toward for years.”

  Halifax’s mouth opened, and he began to shake his head and then laugh. He did not laugh it in a derisive way, but as if he admired Cade’s thinking.

  “I must be rubbing off on you,” the doctor finally said. “That’s not a bad idea. I mean, you’ve put all our accumulated knowledge together, having figured out the enemy’s likely plan and…” Halifax’s pressed his lips together. “I don’t know, Cade. It’s ballsy and clever, and uses everything you’ve learned so far. But I still don’t see how you can storm the lurker. That’s the impossible part. Getting inside the enemy ship implies a commando team. How big a team are you thinking?”

  “One person.”

  “Just one? Do you mean you?”

  Cade nodded.

  “And Group Six is supposed to help you how?”

  “Get the battlesuit and get me into position for the shuttle hijacking and kidnapping of ‘Cade’ and ‘Halifax.’”

  “Then you’re expecting the lurker to hijack the shuttle.”

  “It seems like the best move for a cyborg with a lurker trying to kidnap us.”

  Halifax rubbed his jaw as he stared at a No-Walking-on-the-Grass sign. “Huh. I think you’re right. And you’re going to want me there to help you?”

  “That part is up to you,” Cade said.

  Halifax raised his eyebrows. “Up to me? You can bet I don’t want to be anywhere near the lurker when this goes down.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Okay… And how you will you ensure I don’t turn on you as you’re doing this?”

  “I’m going to take the money with me. Remember, we’re talking about an entire shuttle captured by the lurker. Those people will have money and likely won’t need it anymore.”

  “That’s not bad, Cade. That’s not bad at all. And once you have the lurker, you pay me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if the Master and his crew kills you while you’re there?”

  “There’s an old saying. In that case, ‘you’re shit out of luck.’”

  Halifax exhaled. “I figured it would be something like that. So once again poor Dr. Halifax is supposed to take it in the shorts. In the end, I don’t care for your plan.”

  “Well, my plan has the added benefit for you. I mean if I fail. You can tell Director Titus I was storming the lurker to give it to him in trade for my wife. That should get you off the hook with him, as you were trying to do something good for Earth and for Group Six.”

  Halifax stared at Cade before whistling long and low. “That’s it. That’s your damn plan, isn’t it? You want to trade the lurker for your wife.”

  “Something like that.”

  “I’ll be damned. It’s a good idea in some ways. Too bad there’s no way in hell you can pull this off.”

  “If anyone could, though,” Cade said, “who would that be?”

  Halifax finally nodded. “You have a point. And I like a lot of this. You’ll go off and die, and I’ll be the hero to the Director, and there won’t be anyone to gainsay me. It’s not bad. How about you give me the rest of the money now, just so I get something.”

  “How about instead you start thinking hard about how we’re going to convince the Group Six station head to help us.”

  Once more, Halifax rubbed his jaw. Did the plan appeal to his sense of cunning? Did he see a way it could help him in a better way than Cade saw? Whatever the case, Dr. Halifax stuck out his hand.

  “It’s a deal, Cade. It’s crazy as hell, but it’s a deal.”

  Cade shook the doctor’s hand, but it didn’t cause him to trust the trickster more than before. Halifax was a devious double-crosser. But if he could get the doctor to help long enough…the real plan might actually work.

  Chapter Fifty

  Dr. Halifax hadn’t lost his magic touch. He and Cade spied on the Group Six station down on Saint Louis Planet. Using more of the precious credit note
s the Chief Arbiter had given Cade, Halifax purchased some needed items and had a talented forger create a special document, one that seemed to have been given him by Director Titus.

  After that, the two waited a day.

  “We’re cutting it too close,” Cade said.

  “Relax. We have to relax if we’re going to fool the station head. Then we need to practice a few techniques. For one thing, you’re going to have to act more like an automaton, like an Ultra with an obedience chip in his head.”

  Cade nodded. It had been his idea after all.

  A day and a half later, Dr. Halifax phoned the G6 station and told them he was coming in with a special agent that needed careful handling.

  “Here we go,” Halifax said. “If it all goes south, I’m bailing. Then, you’d better kill everyone there and go to ground afterward.”

  Cade found that he was tenser than he liked. His stomach knotted and that made him scowl.

  Luckily, Halifax noticed. “No. No heavy scowling or frowning. You have to act neutral and move a little mechanically like we practiced.”

  “Sure,” Cade said. He would have actually felt more comfortable if they were going to storm the station and shoot up the place or knock everyone out. Doing it this way went against the grain and made him feel slimy.

  The opposite seemed true with Halifax. The man seemed as if he was in his element, which he probably was. He was grinning, snapping his fingers and moving with a jaunty step. Clearly, the doctor loved intrigue and pretending. Maybe it gave him a secret charge to fool others.

  The start went well because Halifax knew how to act like a special agent, and the forged document produced the desired results. Behind her desk in her office, the station head studied the card closely and then scrutinized Halifax even more.

  The doctor sat before her.

  She was an older lady with hard eyes, a bald scalp and missing two fingers on her left hand. “Halifax, Halifax,” she said, “I’ve heard of you.”

  The doctor raised his left eyebrow.

  “A cleaner spoke about you recently. She came through a week ago. Too bad she didn’t wait around to meet you.”

  Halifax crossed his legs as he sat before the desk. Cade stood behind Halifax’s chair, his eyes vacant as he waited.