“Who?” asked Viris.
“Captain Deba.”
“The guy with the machine gun?” said Viris incredulously.
“He told me he used to be a computer programmer, before the revolution.”
“Right then. Let’s go get him!”
“You two stay here, I’ll find him,” said Karden “I’m no programmer and no linguist. My usefulness for the moment is limited to moral support, fetching snacks – less a suitable commission, and, I think, discussions with our hosts. I’ll be back.”
22
Karden, Tayyis, Viris, Captain Deba, Hesdis Chayar, and a small squad of soldiers flew low in a fast helicopter toward a remote location in the vast Baccharan desert. The hot wind whipped around their craft, and sand scattered below.
“The place we go to. Hard to see. Look as made ruin village on hill. In hill… lab,” said Chayar.
“I bet that wasn’t cheap. That help you are getting must be pretty good” said Viris.
“Yes,” Chayar replied gently.
Tayyis was following the cadence of Chayar’s speech, thinking how the patterns of Baccharan translated into her use of Tadine.
Chayar turned and spoke with Deba in a quiet voice, in their language. She called him Hesdi.
Viris looked over, curious. “Captain Deba, your name is Hesdi too?”
“Hesdi isn’t a name, it’s a title,” said Tayyis.
“Yes!” said Deba, surprised a foreigner knew, “It is like Mr. and Hesdis is like Ms. Only family and the closest friends know our… private names. You should talk to Tayyis, she speaks Halacchar, which is a similar language to Baccharan, just a lot more widespread.”
“Huh. I think I’ve got all I can handle for now just learning Elder while translating a mountain of alien code,” said Viris.
“Oh, sorry, yes,” said Deba, looking a bit deflated, he lowered his head slightly and peered up at her with a small smile, “I am happy to help you… with a project of such importance.”
“This is nice helicopter,” said Viris, changing the subject, “Fast and powerful. I like the ride.”
“Hadeb believed in a strong air force,” said Deba, “He didn’t really trust the army, and Bacchara is a big country, with a lot of empty land. He wanted fast mobile forces to strike… targets quickly.” A hint of emotion crept into Deba’s voice, “but it didn’t do him much good when the revolution came, and they refused to do it.”
“He didn’t leave us with much,” he added, “but now we do have the best air force on the eastern continent, if the council can convince them to go back to their planes.”
The conversation moved on, but from time to time Deba’s eyes returned to Viris.
The helicopter topped a ridge made of barren red-gold rock, and reached a dusty packed-sand plain with a highway running in a straight line off to the far distance. Karden thought the highway itself looked modern and well maintained, except for the line of burnt out vehicles and the scattering of large blast craters.
Passing the wreckage, they landed at a small military post with bullet-ridden buildings. A few soldiers, in varying degrees of uniform, were there. Some were working to patch up damage, others, on guard duty, stood around looking bored.
“Here,” said Chayar, “We take truck.”
They boarded a civilian truck, once brightly painted but now rusting and dusty. Karden looked at it doubtfully, but it seemed to run well enough, and had only a few bullet holes in its sides. They sped down the highway, and after some kilosteps, turned down a dirt road toward another ridge.
On the other side was a bleak valley with a dry oasis, some scrubby grass, and a few long-dead trees. The ruins of a village huddled there on the side of a hill. The dirt road headed straight toward it, winding when it reached the slopes to become a main street.
“The lab,” said Karden.
“Doesn’t look like much,” replied Viris.
“Come… see,” added Chayar with a soft, lilting laugh.
They stopped at a bare batch at the base of the hill, trudged up the road and into the largest of the ruined buildings, set back against the hillside. There on the inner wall was a rusty door. Chayar walked up to it, calmly turned the dented knob in a complicated pattern of left and right switches of varying length, opened it and walked in.
On the other side was a bare room of ancient-looking brick. She pushed a loose one, and the back wall slid back, then pulled to the side into the hill. What was revealed was a long, dimly lit concrete corridor, sloping down. They could feel air conditioning.
Viris hummed under her breath.
“Please follow” said Chayar, “Small door… this. Big door hidden like rock. Open inside only.”
Down the slope they went. At the bottom was a little landing with a grating on the floor and yet another door, steel with a panel of numbered buttons. Chayar entered a code, and the door opened to reveal an entry room with various doors. Two soldiers stood by at the ready, in full uniforms of tan camouflage. When they saw Chayar, they came to attention and saluted.
The group passed through the large double doors on the opposite wall. Before them was a huge concrete room, brightly lit and full of equipment. Far off, people were visible in white lab clothes.
Karden turned to Chayar and Deba.
“How did you have time to build all this?”
“If you mean the new revolutionary government, we didn’t,” said Deba. “Hadeb did. He was always worried about an attack coming from rebels or the southerners, or Tadine, or someone. This was originally one of his personal bunkers. That is why there are so many layers of concealment and security. All we did was help put in the scientific equipment.”
“Still, the engineering… I’m surprised the outside world didn’t know anything about the design and construction of things like this. Usually the firms involve can’t help but leak something out…”
“Firms?” said Deba, “Not so, Professor Karden. We have become a poor country, and only a few of us, like me have foreign educations, but we aren’t ignorant. We might surprise you with what we can do.”
Karden knew that well enough. Bacchara had been the site of rich coastal trading cities when the Tadine were still living in skin huts. And when… his mind wandered, the Elders were already ruling the galaxy.
Deba continued, “As to the construction and design of this place, the chief designer was…”
“Me,” said Chayar, her voice lilting soft.
They were about midway through the room, when an ear-splitting raucous noise, something like an animal being run over by broken machinery, let loose from around a corner.
“I know that laugh!” said Karden.
Jat came round at a fast walk, laughing uproariously, from further away, but running, came Neem.
Neem grabbed everyone, hugging them each with impetuous joy. Karden decided he was stronger than he looked. Viris knew that for sure as he lifted her off the ground. Jat brushed hands and gave them awkward hugs in his way. He started to speak, but Neem beat him to it in a stream of excited conversation.
“Come, come see what we’ve got done so far! It’s huge! No, this way, that’s right. Ok, over here…”
He showed them a row of clean rooms, each one containing a compact disc-shaped array of equipment.
“These are antimatter generators! They’re a quarter the size of our prototype, but more powerful. We’re closing on the Elders, I mean it’ll be a while, but we’re gaining fast! And look, ours are built on the Elder model! We can service and repair those generators we’ve heard they’ve been placing around the world! We can do this without them, and maybe use their own generators in this fight, we can…”
Jat interrupted him.
“That’s not all. Old scavenger chow, Hadeb, he built a lot of bunkers like this. Antimatter is hard to make. We’ve set up labs in other bunkers. Scientists are starting to show up from all over. Ones I know, ones Harker is sending. We’re making antimatter in labs across Bacchara. Getting it here
in all sorts of sneaky ways. Civilian trucks, couriers disguised as herdsmen, it’s brilliant!”
Chayar started to say something, and then seemed to decide it was too difficult in Tadine. She spoke to Captain Deba in their language, and he translated.
“We know this is a lot of secrecy, but we also know the only thing keeping us free right now is that the Elders don’t think we’re dangerous. If they find out what we have going on here, they’ll do something, or send one of their new slaves, like Tadine, to do it for them.”
“Until,” he continued, “the time comes when those slaves are too weak to crush us. It looks like they are going that way. Meanwhile, whatever appearances, we are trying to rebuild our air force and our army. Then, we’ll only have the Elders to worry about, which is where you come in.”
Karden considered the mad audacity of that, and how much it reminded him of his own ideas.
Viris was taking it all in too. Among the things she noticed was Neem, watching Chayar with something akin to worship in his eyes. She smiled and thought she couldn’t blame him. She noticed something else. Deba was watching her with worship of his own. Poor boy, she thought.
Jat looked impatient. “So now that the security conference is done. Let’s go look on the other side, where the REAL work is happening.”
He guided them to an area where a variety of weapon prototypes were in progress.
“These on this end. Rail guns. Not new technology, but the first combat effective ones on Ground. The Elders gave us a lot of ideas. Running tests underground. Hadeb was nuts. Had some idea about connecting all his bunkers with tunnels. Chayar got stuck with the job. Nowhere near possible in near future. But we extended ones here. Good for making antimatter and testing weapons.”
He led them further down the line.
“Here is even better. The closest thing to combat-effective lasers on Ground. Close but not yet. Neem was taking good notes on that ship. I helped with theoretical underpinnings. Would be good if we could get an Elder one, or get their computer data. They are good for certain things. Shooting down missiles for example. Or precision shots. Other ways no better or even worse than guns because no ballistic arc and no big physical impact. Yes, I’ve been taking notes from Neem.”
The last section of the line was different. It was all computers, and a large display of arrays.
“This is where I am modeling a star drive. Theoretical. Right now, much as I would like to, don’t think I can do it until we get hold of one of theirs. Something is missing. A big step somewhere. I’ve got good ideas how the wormhole might work. No idea how to generate one.”
Karden was in awe.
“Neem, Jat, this is amazing. You’ve come an unbelievable way. It is very clear to me that now the rest of us need to do our part. Viris got the transcription of the alien code done, and now she, Tayyis, and Captain Deba here are working on cracking it. We’re hoping to get more help over time.”
“If we can get it,” Said Jat.
“I’ll try to help you on that front,” replied Karden “I’m in touch with Harker and a few others in Tadine and elsewhere. Harker has a huge network built, an opposition alliance that includes a lot of prominent people, but almost none of them in politics. They’ve all stayed quiet thus far, and at least when I’d last heard, the administration hadn’t figured out that Harker is at the center of it.”
“On the other hand,” he continued, “the latest news from home is very, very bad. They’re arresting protesters in the streets now, and kicking in doors in the middle of the night.”
Deba interrupted, “That sounds just like my home too, not so long ago.”
Karden smiled a black-humored smile. “But now things seem ready to snap loose. They just need the right push. When we get that code cracked, we’ve got to find something key in the Elder’s communications. Something that shows the world exactly what we know they’re up to or what they’ve done elsewhere.”
“The other thing we need is a political ally. Someone in Tadine who can be there at the right time when everything does break loose, otherwise it could go very much the wrong way. Right now I think we do have an ally like that, whether or not they see it that way yet. Neem, Jat… I need to know who helped you escape.”
Neem looked worried, “We’ve sworn to secrecy. I think it was as dangerous for him as us.”
“Neem, think about where we are, right now, who you are with, and what hangs in the balance.”
“Chief of Staff Wimier,” interrupted Jat.
Karden surveyed them, surprised at the answer, “Him of all people? Then you might be interested to hear that Wimier recently vanished. The official word is he resigned, but in the current state of affairs, one can’t really know.”
“I hope he’s all right,” said Neem.
23
Chief of Staff Tarec sat in his office. He’d had it expanded into space that had once been the offices of several mid-level staffers. They in turn had been bumped to the former offices of now-imprisoned Senators. With the added space, he could enjoy a panoramic view of the Capital. Newly installed carpets and art, all of them assets seized from unenlightened opponents of the new laws, completed the effect.
It was a good day thus far. He looked at the stacks of sealed and stamped orders at his desk. A lot of business could be done electronically these days, but matters as serious as asset forfeitures and indefinite detainments needed a bit of formality, lest people fail to take them with the solemn sense of duty they merited.
Someday, someday soon…he wouldn’t have to tolerate the continued existence and potential danger of unenlightened reactionaries. Someday soon, those would be execution orders on his desk. Unfortunately, for now, even Vhel might balk at that. Vhel never did have the real courage it would take to do what was necessary. Still, someday…
His happy musings were interrupted by a call. It was one of his assistants out in the front room.
“Sir, Security Policy Advisor Karstens is here.”
“When will he learn to call first?”
“I don’t know sir. May I send him in?”
“Yes.”
In seconds, Karstens was through the door and making the long walk to Tarec’s desk. He looked agitated.
“Mr. Karstens, what’s wrong?”
“I’ve got some very disturbing news.”
Tarec watched him intently and unsmilingly as he approached.
“Here, sit down, have some juice. Fresh. I just had it flown up from the coast this morning by former military transport.”
Karstens threw his heavy form into one of the chairs next to the desk. His face was flush.
“Got anything stronger, Tarec?”
“You know I don’t drink.”
Karstens made a disapproving grunt, and gulped down the juice.
“Tarec, there’s a strike! It’s just started, all across the country and all at once.”
“Nearly all the unions are in our pockets now. Which one was it? We’ll teach them a little lesson.”
“No, not a union. It… well it seems to be random. I can’t figure out the connection.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well… its business owners, quite a few small, some big, scientists, some academics, a few performers, a lot of truck and transport drivers, doctors, hundreds of thousands of ordinary workers, even a couple of pro athletes. They’re all just stopping. Things are going to go to slag in a hurry if we don’t do something.”
“And you didn’t think to let me know earlier?”
“Slag! Tarec, I’ve only noticed, been figuring out, what was going on for the last half hour or so. If you paid attention to the nets once in a while you could have seen it as soon as I did.”
“Calm down, we’ll fix this.”
Karstens looked at him, uncertain.
“Karstens, does the President know yet?
“No, I figured we’d better talk about it first.”
“You’re correct about that. This requires decisive ac
tion, and we’ve got to present it to him in the right way,” Tarec fixed him in his cold gaze, “Karstens, are you prepared to do whatever needs to be done to save this country?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t!”
“Good. Let’s get to work.”
///
It was night in Bacchara. The furnace heat of the day had given way to cool night air. The moons shone over the warm sea, and stars twinkled overhead. Sounds of conversation and laughter, of meals and drinks, wafted from cafes along the still busy streets.
But Viris Nane was unaware of it. She was hard at work in a concrete room deep under Liberty Palace. At her side were Captain Deba and Sarat Sader, one of her coder friends who had decided, suddenly and just ahead of the Republic Investigative Service, that Bacchara was a more promising place to continue his career. Tayyis and a couple of others on the team were asleep.
Sader yawned. “Viris, I gotta take a break.”
“Are you nuts? We’re getting close.”
“Yeah, I know, but I just can’t take it. If I don’t walk around for a sec, I’m gonna fall over.”
“Ok fine.”
He got up. Even in the heat of Bacchara, he wore the same long, shiny red, and now very rumpled and dirty coat he always wore, day or night, back home. Without another word, he stumped out of the room.
Deba turned and spoke, “Don’t worry Viris, I know we’re close. You can do anything!”
“Deba?”
“Yes Viris,” he said, turning and focusing all his attention on her. His expression seemed to glow.
“I appreciate that, but…”
He continued, emotions flowing behind his eyes, “As a programmer, you have been an inspiration to me, and meeting you in person, you are an amazing woman! I really… Ah, I mean…”
Now she was sure what he meant, “Deba, I’m sorry.”
He looked confused.
“Deba, I appreciate it, I do, but you’re not my type. Look, even if… you were a woman, you’d be too young for me.”
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