Sanctuary

by Ken Lozito

  “You’re hurt,” Lenora said and started checking him for injuries.

  Pain lanced across Connor’s side. “Ouch!” he gasped. “I think you found it.”

  Lenora looked behind her and waved over the only remaining soldier, then looked back at Connor. “It’s alright. He helped with the other soldiers.”

  Connor looked at the soldier warily as he approached.

  “My name is Gibbs, sir. I’m a medic.”

  “That’s nice. Give your kit to her and step away,” Connor said.

  Gibbs handed his medical kit to Lenora and did as Connor ordered. The central monolith began to glow once again and he opened a comlink to the others. Lenora tore his shirt open near his wound and Connor swore.

  “A little gentler.”

  “Stop being such a baby,” Lenora replied. She applied medipaste to the wound and it immediately became numb. “Dash escaped.”

  Connor nodded and filled her in on what had happened. He saw the bruising on her cheek and glared at Maddox’s dead body.

  “He’s gone,” Lenora said. “He can’t hurt anyone else.”

  A comlink opened to Connor. It was from Dash.

  “We have a problem,” Dash said.

  “Were you able to stop the purge protocol?” Connor asked.

  “Yes. It’s being sent out now, but there are ryklars in the area,” Dash said.

  As if in response to Dash’s statement, Connor heard several screeches outside the camp. They sounded close.

  “How close are they?” Connor asked.

  Dash sounded as if he was running. “Getting pretty close,” he said. “Can you open the Hellcat? We’ll be there in a minute.”

  Connor glanced around and then yelled for Ian to come down. “We’ve got to go.”

  They headed to the Hellcat and Connor opened the loading ramp. Ian was already on his way.

  “Go do the preflight checks,” Connor said to Lenora. “It’s almost the same as the troop-carriers you’ve flown. We need to be ready to go quickly.”

  Lenora ran toward the cockpit and Connor looked at Gibbs. “Grab a rifle and cover the area outside the ramp. The others are on their way here.”

  Connor went over to Ian. “Thanks for your help back there.”

  “You’d do the same for me,” Ian said. “Why are the ryklars still coming? Didn’t Dash send a command telling them to stop the purge?”

  “It’s not as simple as an on-and-off button,” Connor replied and glanced up at the monolith. “Even if they received the new update, it may take them some time to process it. They won’t suddenly stop, but when enough time passes, the ryklars should revert back to their natural behavior when not under the NEIIS influence.”

  “We really need to figure this out,” Ian said.

  Connor agreed there was a lot that needed to change.

  The others joined them on the Hellcat and Connor put Gibbs’ medical training to good use on the wounded. Sergeant Flint secured the prisoners away from the others while Connor closed the loading ramp on the ryklars’ threatening screeches.

  Sergeant Flint handed Connor his weapon. “It doesn’t seem right that we hold onto our weapons, sir. We disgraced ourselves and surrender to whatever the colonial government has in store for us.”

  The CDF soldiers who had helped Connor turned in their weapons and joined the other prisoners. Connor took a long look at the men, and after a few moments, Captain Ramsey came over to his side.

  “What do you think will happen to them?” Captain Ramsey asked.

  Connor looked at him and saw that he had a bandage covering one of his eyes. “To be honest, I have no idea,” he said.

  They finished securing the loading ramp and began the long flight home.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  On their way back to Sanctuary, they were met by several Hellcats that escorted them to the CDF main base at Sierra. There was very little talking throughout the flight, but Corporal Gibbs was able to stabilize Brad’s wounded leg and it was apparent that he would make a full recovery. Afterward, Gibbs joined the other CDF soldiers in the cargo hold.

  Connor glanced around at the others and realized the wounds they’d have to deal with were the ones they couldn’t see. Most of them were still in shock. Even he was still coming to grips with what had happened. Maddox hadn’t been just a solitary figure who had completely snapped. The CDF lieutenant had been able to convince his team to follow him and represented a deep-seated sickness that Connor couldn’t allow to take root.

  Connor returned to the cockpit and sat in the copilot’s seat next to Lenora.

  “Want me to take over?” Connor offered.

  Lenora set the controls on autopilot and nearly tackled him in his seat. She clung to him, and he held her tightly. She was the strongest person he’d ever met, but this experience had taken its toll on her, as it would on anyone. Connor tried to think of something to say that would comfort her, but it all sounded foolish in his mind, and Lenora remained quiet in his lap. Once they reached Sierra, they’d have to relive the whole thing for the debriefings that were surely coming.

  A few hours later they were approaching Sierra. Connor hadn’t been there in months, and he noted the defenses that had been put in place in preparation for the ryklar attack. According to Diaz, who flew one of the Hellcats escorting them back, there were still ryklars in the area, but they’d stopped their advance.

  Connor landed their ship and a squad of CDF soldiers took the prisoners into custody. Connor looked at Sergeant Flint as he was led away and gave him a nod, promising himself to do what he could for them. Nearby soldiers stood at attention and saluted. Connor had to fight years of training to keep from returning the salute, but then he realized they weren’t saluting him and almost grinned. Colonel Sean Quinn was walking toward him.

  “I’d salute you, General, but then you’d only remind me that you’re retired,” Sean said and saluted anyway, then extended his hand and Connor shook it. Sean looked at the others for a moment before his gaze returned to Connor. “I should have known you were somehow involved in all this.”

  “It’s quite a story, but we could all use some food and rest,” Connor replied.

  “I think that could be arranged,” Sean said.

  They were given temporary quarters on base where they were allowed to clean up, and Connor noted that they were being kept under observation. They weren’t in any trouble, but he knew they’d be debriefed before they were allowed to go home. There was a knock at the door and Connor opened it.

  Dash stood outside. “They’re ready for us, but I wanted to ask you something first.”

  Connor and Lenora joined Dash outside and together they headed to where they’d be meeting with the others. “Sure thing," Connor said. "Was this for me, or would you rather speak to Lenora?”

  “For you, actually,” Dash said. “I’m not sure what to say in this debriefing they want from us.”

  “Just tell them the truth as you see it. That’s all there is to it,” Connor said.

  He watched as Dash looked away worriedly. “I feel like this is all my fault—not the sneaking away part, but we triggered this purge protocol.”

  “It was an accident. It could have happened to any of us,” Connor said.

  “But it didn’t; it happened to me. I was the one who was there, and I was the one who pushed for this,” Dash said.

  “You were also the one who stopped it. And you’re also the one who’s always telling me you’re ready for the risks that come with fieldwork. So now you know this is what can happen, but I do think we’ll get a little more support than we did before,” Connor said.

  “You have nothing to worry about, Dash,” Lenora said.

  Connor noticed that Dash had matured a little bit beyond the shocking nature of this experience. He still saw the same youthful vigor, but there had been a dose of caution and forethought instilled in him, which was a good thing.

  They were debriefed over the next few hours. Each of the
m was brought into a separate room with both CDF and colonial government representatives while they gave their accounts of what had transpired. The representatives were sensitive to the fact that they’d been through a terrible ordeal.

  Afterward, they were given some time to rest, and Connor and Lenora had decided it would be best if they gave Dash and the others the option to return to Sanctuary if they wanted. Sean had quickly arranged transport for them, but Connor and Lenora chose to remain in Sierra for a few days.

  Connor learned from one of the soldiers in Captain Fletcher’s squad that they’d used an armored drone to take out the troop-carrier Connor and the others had flown in on their way to the city. The energy weapon that had taken out the C-cat Dash had used remained a mystery. Recent evidence supported the theory that the NEIIS were no strangers to war and conflict. Given what they’d been able to do with the ryklars, this wasn’t surprising, but city defenses were a surprise and meant that as they explored these new cities, they’d have to be aware that there could still be automated defenses online.

  Connor and Lenora were brought to the seat of the colonial government and spent the next several hours going over all the events. Connor had been to many of these sessions throughout his career, and it was almost strange for him to be on the other side for once. He noticed that both General Nathan Hayes and Governor Ashley Quinn glanced at him with wry amusement outside the subject they were addressing.

  “I know I’ve said this before, but we owe you—all of you—a debt of gratitude,” Ashley said.

  “We did have help,” Connor said. “There were several soldiers who, upon learning what Lieutenant Maddox truly intended, were working to stop him when we arrived.”

  Ashley nodded and turned toward Nathan. “This latest development concerning the Colonial Defense Force is quite alarming. Each soldier’s actions will go before the consideration of our courts. We’ll need a full investigation and perhaps rethink our priorities. I certainly don’t want the CDF to believe the colony doesn’t appreciate them, but this latest development doesn’t put us in the best position given the imminent threat the ryklars pose.”

  “I have a couple of suggestions regarding priorities,” Connor said.

  Ashley arched an eyebrow and smiled. “Now my curiosity is piqued. Go on.”

  Despite how tired he was, Connor smiled. Ashley had always been like a sister to him. He’d rather be at an informal dinner with her and Lenora discussing these things, but it was what it was. “We obviously need to take care of our soldiers, but I think we need a place for them to recharge—a place they can go that will help them rejoin the colony, and a place where they can contribute but not necessarily be on the front lines so to speak. We train them for combat, rescue, and salvage, but we don’t address how they can best move on from the CDF.”

  Nathan frowned and glanced at Ashley.

  “Do you have someplace in mind?” Ashley said.

  Connor glanced at Lenora and she gave him an encouraging nod. “I do, actually—at least initially for the more difficult cases. I suggest sending them to me at Sanctuary. It’s far enough away from the main colonial centers and people seem to like the simplicity of the place. Captain Fletcher was a good man. His men trusted him, but even he thought his men needed something more. While putting them on duty in remote locations got them away from some of the pressures they’d have had to deal with in the population centers, it may not have been what was best for them. General Hayes has allowed me to review the service records of Lieutenant Maddox and the others of the squad. There were some warning signs that he was on the verge of the breakdown that led him to become what he did. We’re stretched thin, and not just the CDF but all facets of our colony. We’re trying to get back to where we were before the Vemus attack, but we need to slow things down a bit. But getting back to my suggestion that we allow soldiers to come to Sanctuary and spend some time, it would be a good thing for them.”

  “Is this your first request as the interim mayor of Sanctuary?” Ashley asked.

  Even though Connor hadn’t officially accepted the job yet, he said, “If it has to be.”

  “Why don’t you work with General Hayes and a few psychologists, then present me with a proposal,” Ashley said and glanced at the others. “Now, we need to address the ryklars and how best to deal with them.” Connor watched as she gave a sidelong glance at Sean. “I do have a proposal for a military solution that involves cutting down the ryklar population significantly.”

  There were several grim looks from those in attendance.

  “Considering the current events, some might think this an appropriate response," Ashley began. "However, I don’t agree, and while the option is certainly there, I think we can afford to explore other options that include disabling all communication systems that the NEIIS currently have in place across the entire continent.”

  Connor cleared his throat and Ashley nodded for him to speak. “I know someone who would be an ideal candidate to be involved in that effort . . .” He went on to describe what he and Lenora had come up with that didn’t involve the wholesale slaughter of an indigenous species. Though there was a need for population control, what they had in mind would allow the ryklars to occupy a portion of the continent.

  The fact that the NEIIS had used ryklars as some kind of military weapon gave a strong indication of who they actually were, and Connor was glad they hadn’t found any remains of the intelligent species that used to occupy New Earth. He still wanted to understand what had happened to them, but those questions wouldn’t be answered there. It would take time to unravel that particular mystery.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Dash had returned to Sanctuary shortly after providing his testimony to the colonial officials. The NEIIS city they’d found had been nicknamed The Capital, but he was sure the name wouldn’t stick. Most of New Earth’s supercontinent remained largely unexplored, and to believe that they’d discovered an NEIIS capital city was a bit presumptuous, to say the least. He thought Dr. Bishop felt the same, but she was preoccupied with something she and Connor were doing with the colonial government. Dash, along with Jim and Selena, had been sent back to Sanctuary. They were supposed to take some time off and rest, which he’d done for a few days, but a week later he started having nightmares. He’d wake up sweaty and gasping, believing he was still in the NEIIS city being hunted by ryklars or CDF soldiers—sometimes both at the same time—but there was also one time when the ryklars had been wearing CDF uniforms.

  One of Sanctuary’s newest residents was a counselor named Dr. Tran who had relocated there to be part of a recovery program for CDF soldiers. Dash had spoken to him about the nightmares, which Dr. Tran didn’t find surprising. He assured Dash that they would fade in time and offered to meet with him on a weekly basis to talk about it. Dash wasn’t sure if he wanted to do that. He’d already talked about what happened and wasn’t sure talking about it more would help. Instead, he began planning another expedition to better explore the NEIIS city. The CDF had sent a team to recover equipment and retrieve the bodies of the colonists who had died there.

  “So you’re really going back there?” Jim said for the second time. They had just finished eating lunch.

  “Yeah,” Dash said, nodding. “There’s a lot of work to be done there and I’m going to establish a research base. After that, Dr. Bishop will be coming with the rest of the team. We’ll all be rotating through there for the next six months at least.”

  “Better you than me,” Jim said.

  “I guess this means you don’t want one of the coveted spots on the away team?” Dash asked. He knew what the answer would be but still hoped Jim would change his mind.

  Jim shook his head. “Selena isn’t ready for that. She’s said she wants to stay near Sanctuary for a while.”

  Dash wasn’t surprised by this. “Maybe next time.”

  Jim smiled. “Yeah, maybe,” he said and stood up. “I need to get back to Field Ops.”

  Dash nodded. “B
y the way, congratulations on your appointment.”

  “Thanks. I’m officially part of Field Ops since Captain Ramsey pushed my application through,” Jim said and looked at Dash with a bit of regret in his eyes.

  Dash shook his head. “Hey, don’t worry about it. You’ve got things happening here, but if you get bored or need a break, I’ll be just a comlink away.”

  Jim left him to go back to Field Ops Headquarters and Dash returned to the Research Institute. He walked through the hallways toward Dr. Bishop’s lab and thought about when he, Jim, Selena, and Merissa had been working on the NEIIS console they’d retrieved from the outpost. He thought about opening a comlink to Merissa, who’d stayed behind at Sierra to visit family and friends she had living there. He supposed it was no coincidence she’d stayed there because that was where Brad lived.

  He opened the door to the dark lab and the automatic lighting turned on. Dash stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the mostly empty lab, but pieces of the NEIIS console were still cataloged on the long tables. He looked over at the wallscreens and thought about the presentation they’d worked on. The lab seemed so barren now where once it had been a place he hadn’t minded spending time.

  He realized he was frowning and sighed, allowing the lab door to close as he took a step back out into the hall and rubbed his hand over his face. A few moments later, he heard the soft footsteps of someone walking toward him. He turned toward the sound and saw Merissa, her lips lifted into a smile, and he felt like he’d been punched in the stomach.

  “I heard you were recruiting a new team and was wondering if you had any openings,” Merissa said.

  Dash made a show of looking behind her and grinned. “I don’t know. It’s pretty competitive and there’s this whole lengthy application process. They’d have to be resourceful and intelligent. Do you know someone who might be a good candidate? They’d have to have done field work before—”