by J. N. Chaney
Bakir said something in Volcuri that I had no problem translating into a stream of curses. “This should not surprise me. Why wouldn’t they sacrifice soldiers that are not their own? It’s so easy for them to throw our lives away.”
Tara let out a soft moan, and Bakir went quiet.
“You okay, Perez?” I said, using her last name to try and get a response.
“Tired,” she mumbled. “Getting stabbed hurts like a bitch.”
Riva shot me a puzzled look. “Is your warrior delirious?”
“She’s making jokes. That’s a good sign. I’d be more worried if she was silent,” I told her.
“Funny as ever, boss.”
I didn’t like how faint her voice was and checked my wrist unit. “Almost there. Hang on, Perez. You’ll be good as new in no time.”
I also didn’t like how the words seemed to stick in my throat. Worry was a tight ball of ice in my gut, and I wanted it to go away. For the millionth time, I almost wished for the days when I felt nothing and cared for no one.
Shaking the thought off, I pushed forward, walking a little faster now.
“Your chariot awaits,” AMI announced over the comm this time. Her avatar had winked out of view once we started toward her coordinates.
“Tara’s,” I corrected. “I’m going to stay on planet and coordinate with Riva on our next steps.”
AMI didn’t respond. Yeah, she was still pissed. I knew DICK was gone for good, but the parts of his personality that had seeped into AMI’s made her a little irrational at times. It was like dealing with a real person instead of the artificial intelligence she was supposed to be.
We continued the rest of the journey through the forest in silence. Some of Bakir’s people had gone ahead so they could alert Riva’s scouts to what was happening. The plan was to have some of them meet us at the drop-off so we couldn’t be ambushed on the way back to her camp.
I kept my senses alert, always scanning our surroundings for any sign that Makin would try again. For the most part, everything was quiet. As we got closer to the coordinates, I caught the familiar sound of a ship’s engine.
On the cart, Tara moaned. A quick check told me she was still in the same condition, probably just feeling the pain. Still, I quickened the pace so that we hit the meeting place a little earlier.
By the time we entered the clearing, her ride had already landed. It wasn’t the typical dropship. It was more of a land-to-space shuttle. I knew the Exodus Ark carried a small fleet of them, but I hadn’t expected AMI to spring for one. The AI didn’t really care for Tara, and the dropship would have made for an uncomfortable ride. The shuttle, in contrast, would be a lot smoother.
I saw all the present Volcuri staring at the ship in awe, and it hit me that they probably hadn’t seen anything like this in their lifetime. I was still a little fuzzy on how the Volcuri aged, but I knew that no one alive today had witnessed their history when tech was king.
“Open her up, AMI. I want to get Tara on board ASAP. Did you bring a medic?”
“Oh, you could say that,” she replied.
Something about the way she said it set off alarm bells. Not the life or death danger kind, but enough that I knew she wasn’t telling me everything.
“AMI.” I made the irritation clear in my tone, and she didn’t say anything else. The cargo door dropped down, revealing two people.
Well, crap.
The first was Dr. Emily Gray. I’d met her prior to our first excursion to the surface but hadn’t seen her since. A little bit more than a medic, but I was happy to have someone with an actual medical degree around.
Her companion gave me more than a little pause. The man walking down the ramp and looking slightly pissed off was none other than Director Jacob Wright.
10
“Chief Mission Ward.” Director Wright’s greeting held something else in it. A smugness, maybe. The man wasn’t usually the type, but I had a feeling catching me off guard was a little different.
I stiffened, the urge to stand at attention warring inside me with orders he’d already given me not to do so. “Director, I didn’t expect to see you here. Either of you.”
“Emily—” He stopped himself, cleared his throat, then started over. “Dr. Gray was in the room when AMI gave me her report. After hearing about Miss Perez’s injuries—”
“I decided to come,” Dr. Gray put in. “Speaking of that, Director Wright, we should get the patient inside.”
For just an instant, my direct superior looked chagrined even though I hadn’t heard Dr. Gray sound reproving. “Of course.”
He stepped aside to let two medics come down with a gurney. Dr. Gray supervised while they transferred Tara. The motion had her eyes fluttering open, and she let out a short groan before clenching her jaw tight.
“No need to tough it out, Miss Perez,” admonished Dr. Gray. This time her voice was disapproving, but only mildly so. “This wound looks nasty, but we’ll get you fixed up.”
“Just a flesh wound, Doc,” Tara replied through gritted teeth.
Dr. Gray smiled gently at her charge, a bit indulgently to my eye, then ushered the medics back up the ramp. “I’ll keep you both appraised of her condition when I know more.”
She turned on her heel and strode after Tara, white lab coat flapping in her wake.
Director Wright watched her disappear, then turned to me. The question in his eyes was unmistakable. Our earlier discourse left a bad taste in my mouth and made the air between us thick with tension.
We regarded each other warily.
Just what the hell was I doing? Having a pissing contest with my superior officer?
Black Shield agents do not question authority.
Of all the tenets burned into my psyche, this was the only one that superseded mission fulfillment. Yet here I was going against everything I’d been taught, and for what? I forced myself to get my head on straight and did the only thing that made sense. I saluted.
The next second seemed to stretch on until Wright nodded curtly and broke through the friction. A sudden fluttering to my right reminded me that we weren’t alone. Back in control, I took a step back and motioned at our guests. “Director Wright, the Volcuri leaders, Riva and Bakir.”
I realized too late that I didn’t know if there was a better way to make the introductions. It didn’t matter because both of the Volcuri offered deep bows. Wright returned the gesture smoothly.
“Welcome to Kainos, Director Wright.” Riva spoke with more formality than I was used to. It was a little stiff, more cautious. I recalled telling her about the violence back on Earth and wondered how that colored her view of other humans.
Director Wright was no small individual. Standing at around two meters with broad shoulders and hard lines dug into his face, there was no mistaking his leadership.
“Thank you, Riva. I do wish it was under better circumstances. Your... assistance has been invaluable.”
The rebel leader’s head tilted slightly to one side, and she tipped her beak down slightly in a sign of acknowledgement. “We’ll both help each other a lot more before the planet is ours again.”
Bakir said nothing. The translator around his neck appeared to be working because his keen eyes took in the exchange with quiet intellect. It appeared he preferred to listen, something I could understand. In fact, it was something I needed to get back to.
This pretending to fit in charade was wearing thin. I knew what I was best at, and it would do me good to keep that in mind.
“I know you’re wondering why I’m here,” continued Director Wright. “I won’t mince words. Due to recent developments, I believe it’s become necessary to move up our timetable. The attack at the landing site. I know we have some theories, but the truth is we don’t know for sure. Taking chances isn’t in the cards. With your permission, I would like to start the first colonization effort by building an outpost.”
Judging by the way both Volcuri jerked slightly, they hadn’t expected that. I cou
ldn’t blame them—it took me by surprise too.
“A civilian outpost?” I asked, wanting the clarification.
Wright’s gaze flicked to me, then back to Riva. “No. For now it would be a security hub, maybe a few scientists that have been woken up and briefed over the last few days.”
“Security. This means fighters?”
“Yes. If I understand correctly, Makin doesn’t have a significant force. Most are stored using stasis pods in the mountain, correct?”
Riva nodded. “Yes. Makin has at best just over one hundred soldiers, though that is a rough estimate.”
“Then my hope is to gather our forces and attack. Using a plan,” he said, looking pointedly at me. “By the time reinforcements arrive from Earth—”
Bakir let out a hiss. “More outsiders? This is not acceptable.”
“Reinforcements,” Riva repeated. “I take no issue with more help.”
“You do not speak for every clan, Riva.” Bakir’s feathers flicked back and forth in an agitated fashion. “Trusting foreigners is unwise.”
My hand itched to reach for the weapon at my hip. I didn’t move. The Forest leader was already on edge, and any indication of violence might be the last thing to push him over.
Riva turned to her counterpart and pointed at the mountain off in the distance. “Makin is the enemy.”
“And if they betray us?”
“We won’t.” The reply came from Director Wright. Seeing that he had their attention again, he continued. “We came here under the impression that Kainos would be uncolonized. No one expected a hostile force of mind enslaving overlords. Our ship cannot go elsewhere. Makin needs dealt with, and you need our help to do that.”
Bakir’s gaze slid over to me. “The warrior is quiet. Do you have no opinion?”
I glanced to Wright, who gave me the go ahead. “Division between ranks, that is to say your people and ours, will only weaken our cause. Makin and his superiors are the enemy, sir. I’m trained to kill the enemy, as are the incoming reinforcements. Mission priority is to eliminate the threat. Everything else can wait.”
The Volcuri looked back at the mountain. “Yes, I suppose that is logical.”
“Then it’s settled,” announced Wright with finality. “We need to coordinate, and quickly. The first order of business should be finding a suitable location to set up a basecamp.”
“Makin’s counselors mentioned the Kotar Basin and the Mohali region,” I recalled. “Would either of those work.”
Bakir laughed, or at least I think he did. It came out like a snort so I couldn’t be sure. Riva shook her head. “No. Both are on the opposite side of the planet and unfit for habitation. The tribes out there are extremely hostile and unaccepting of outsiders. Not even Makin dares to venture there for harvesting.”
“We’re open to your suggestions,” said Director Wright.
“I believe I may have an idea, but it will require some… discussion first. I will contact you when it is done.”
The director bowed slightly. “No disrespect, but don’t take too long. The situation is too uncertain for us to wait.”
“Of course, Director Wright.” Riva turned to Bakir. “Will you come as well? It is time our people discuss a new union.”
“Long overdue, I’d say,” he replied.
Riva bowed again. “Thank you for coming down to meet us, Director Wright. There are three of your people at my camp. To expedite your trip, I propose they stay under our protection. This will enable you to leave right away and prepare to make camp.”
It was a smart move. It gave him an opportunity to extend his trust. This was something Riva could take back to her people that might satisfy them and foster confidence in our intentions.
“Agreed. We’ll reconnect in one day’s time. Kent, with me.”
I’d planned on staying, and it surprised me that the Director wanted me back on the ship. Especially after our previous disagreement. I frowned as a possibility crossed my mind. There was a decent chance that Wright might remove me from the mission altogether after my earlier insubordination.
I knew that Exodus Ark carried a variety of vessels, for a number of different tasks. Dropships, as the name implied, were designed to drop things—or small teams of people—off. There were the transports designed to carry people en masse, similar to Earth’s jet planes. Then we had smaller defense crafts, though not many.
The land to space vehicle we climbed into wasn’t huge, but it had a sight more space and creature comforts than the basic dropship. It was built for treks that might take longer than simply going to a planet’s surface. Capable of longer flights, it could traverse a system and return. Five guests could live aboard comfortably, each with their own quarters. Uncomfortably, double that.
As an alternative, it was a higher end craft suitable for carrying someone of importance. Someone like Wright, for example, who wouldn’t be expected to ride with the common folk.
The Director said nothing as we strapped in, his face not revealing whatever was on his mind. At that moment, he could have passed for someone in Black Shield for all the emotion he showed. It seemed to me that the man had changed since the first time I’d met him. Waking up to his worst nightmare most certainly played a part in that.
I leaned back in my seat and cast a glance back at Tara. The two medics had her secured in a horizontal bay, her body strapped down tight so she wouldn’t move too much during flight. From the slackness of her jaw, I could tell they’d given her something for the pain.
That was good. Injury might have been a staple of war, but I found that it bothered me to see her pain.
“She’s going to be fine,” said Dr. Gray from her seat next to Tara. “I’m not sure what the Volcuri used, but it saved her life. The supplies we have in the medical bay will do the rest. Miss Perez will be back on her feet by tomorrow.”
The doctor watched me with curious eyes, clearly waiting for an answer. I’d dealt with enough scientists and medical doctors to know when they didn’t see me. They usually saw me as an experiment, or at least most in her profession did. Dr. Gray didn’t look at me that way, but it still made me uneasy. I nodded once, then turned back around.
“Your backup came out of stasis with no problems,” Director Wright informed me without looking up.
He paused when the bird took off, and I couldn’t tell if the rolling of my stomach was from his words and their potential meaning or from the quick incline.
“I’ve informed the backup Mission Ward that you are still the Chief Mission Ward. He’s still secondary until your current mission on Kainos is complete.”
“Understood, sir.”
Wright let out a snort. “Don’t ‘sir’ me, Kent. It’s not fooling anybody, least of all the commander of this ship.”
“Sorry, sir.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, then he let out a lofty sigh. “Dammit, Kent. I don’t know what happened out there, but Dr. Gray has some ideas. Ideas that are going to save your ass in this particular case.”
I fought the urge to look back at the woman and instead said, “I don’t understand.”
Wright frowned. “No, I don’t suppose you do. But it’s a conversation for the three of us to have once your man—team member—is settled and stable. While that’s happening, I want you to rendezvous with your Mission Ward and begin plans for a base. Somewhere easy to defend. Look for—“
He laughed, the sound short and sharp. “Oh, hell. You know what to do. Meet me in my office at 1800 tonight to debrief. That should give you time to get started. To save time, a team has been assembled, complete with their own leader. We can discuss more later.”
“I’ll be there,” I told him.
The midsize craft began to dock with the Ark then, cutting off further conversation.
Already, I was itching to get back to Kainos. Now that I knew I wasn’t being replaced, I was more than happy to let the Mission Ward handle things on the ship. Relieved, actually.
By
the time the doors slid open, my mind was rolodexing the different tactics. Much of what we did would depend on location, something Riva would be able to tell us.
“Don’t look now, but you’ve got a visitor,” said AMI in my ear.
“Why wouldn’t I look?” I asked, confused. “If someone is here to see me specifically, I have to look at them. It would be rude otherwise.”
“It’s just an expression, Kent. I believe Tara could use some work on her people training. With her out of commission, I think I can help.”
I was about to retort something when a man stepped into my view, one I recognized instantly.
Designation 1286-J. Another Black Shield agent like me. Older, referred to as the dinosaur by some of the unedited supervisors at the BSC base of operations. Physically, he didn’t look that much older, but I knew him to be at least twenty years my senior.
Those of us designated for combat didn’t gossip, but our ears worked more than fine. I’d heard stories about 1286, stories about how he shouldn’t be alive. Most from his original training class weren’t. I’d also heard he’d been pulled from active duty because of a glitch in his editing. Something about being unable to manage the aggression.
To hear them tell it, 1286-J was a one-man wrecking crew. Often sent in when there wasn’t any expectation of winning, just a grenade meant to throw off the enemy, he came out of it every time.
What was he doing here? Aboard my ship. Aboard the ship, I corrected myself. The Ark and her people weren’t mine.
The point was, 1286-J was said to be decommissioned. Then again, so was I.
I stopped in front of him and waited to see what he would do. His hands stayed clasped behind his back as he looked me up and down, sizing me up. I did the same to him.
“Jay, this is Kent, the Chief Mission Ward.”
“9464, sir!” The newly designated Jay snapped to attention. “1286-J, reporting.”
He recognized me too, then. I wasn’t dumbstruck by the former soldier’s actions, but they did give me pause.
“We’ve done away with the number designations,” Director Wright told him.