The Madness Engine

by Paul B Spence

  "My companions helped me… come back… from what I had become. I owe them. Their people are oppressed by the Dark Ones, the Thetas, as you call them."

  "Them?"

  "I'm not one of them anymore," said Ragnar. "I never really was."

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Drake glared at the marine who started to take his arm, and the man thought better of it and backed away.

  "Where is my son?" he demanded.

  "I'm Captain Maxwell," a woman said as she got out her acceleration couch. "Who are you, exactly?"

  "Daeren Drake. My companions are Aurorans."

  The woman gestured, and the alarms silenced. "You son is away on a mission, but should be back soon. The other Aurorans are in Medical. I'll escort you there myself. XO, you have the bridge."

  "Yes, Captain," Fergusson replied. He didn't sound happy.

  "Is my daughter aboard?" Drake asked.

  "Daughter?" The captain sounded mildly alarmed.

  "Ana? My son's wife."

  "Oh, yes." She sounded relieved. "She and her daughter are aboard. They came back a few hours ago. They'll probably be in Medical, as well."

  "They weren't harmed?"

  "No," the captain said as she led them down the corridor. "Not for lack of trying on the part of the enemy, though. The two Aurorans, Commander Harris, and Ghost were all badly injured."

  "I don't know Commander Harris or Ghost."

  "They're friends of your son and daughter-in-law."

  The captain stepped forward and spoke briefly to the guards and the personnel in Medical, then waved them in.

  "If you're planning to stay for a while, I'll have rooms prepared for you. Just let Alessa know."

  "Alessa?"

  "The MI of the Vigilant."

  "Hello, Daeren Drake," said a disembodied voice. "I've heard much about you."

  "Hello, Alessa," Drake said. "I wasn't aware that the people here had machine intelligences in their ships."

  "We of the Sentient Concord do," Alessa replied smugly. "Ana is in room sixteen. The Aurorans are in room eleven."

  "Thank you."

  "What was that all about?" asked Brennen. He didn't speak Normarish. "Where are Lyra and David?"

  "Room eleven," Drake said, pointing. "I'll be there in a moment."

  Drake waited until Brennen, Snow, and Onyx had entered the room before rapping on the door to room sixteen."

  The door slid open a moment later. Ana's eyes grew large when she saw him, and then she threw herself into an embrace. Drake patted her affectionately and returned her hug.

  "We've been worried, Father," she scolded.

  "I was looking for a friend."

  She nodded. "Geoffrey told us. I'm glad you're back."

  "Thank you. I plan to stay for a while this time."

  "Good. Come in. Can I get you anything?"

  "I'm fine."

  A woman was watching him from the only bed in the small room. She was holding the baby who must be his granddaughter. There was a neo-panther in the room, too, although not as large as Hunter.

  "You must be Commander Harris and Ghost."

  The woman kept looking back and forth between him and Ana.

  Ana laughed. "Tonya, this is Daeren Drake, Hrothgar's father."

  "Oh," the woman said. "Forgive me for not getting up. I've heard a lot about you."

  "I understand you were injured protecting my daughter."

  "Yes, sir."

  He smiled. He could see from the way they looked at each other that Ana and Tonya were lovers. He wondered how his son felt about that. Under the bandages, Tonya looked fit and attractive. His son probably didn't mind at all, he decided.

  "Oh! You haven't met little Amanda yet, have you?"

  Ana scooped the baby from Tonya's arms and presented her to Drake. He took her gently and cradled her. She was a very pretty baby. She cooed softly, content.

  "Amanda?" he asked.

  Ana nodded; her eyes showed concern.

  "A good name. Her grandmother was a brilliant woman. I'm sure she'll honor the name."

  "I was a little worried how you'd take it."

  "You didn't want to name her after your own mother?"

  "No." Ana's voice turned hard for a moment. "No, I wouldn't do that."

  Drake squeezed her shoulder. "You did well. She has a very powerful mind."

  "Ah, is that normal?" Ana asked. "For your people?"

  He laughed. "I'm not sure what would be normal. This little girl has the blood of several species within her. Given the strength of your mind, and my son's, I'd say she is normal enough."

  "Did you just get here?"

  "Yes," he replied. "I'm sure you heard the alarms a few minutes ago. I arrived with a few of the Aurorans."

  "More of them?" asked Tonya.

  "You know them?"

  "Only the ones I've fought next to."

  Drake handed Amanda back to Ana. "Tell my son I'm here as soon as he gets back. I'd like to see Geoffrey, as well, but now I need to speak to the Aurorans."

  "Of course," Ana said. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm glad you came back."

  The door was open to the Aurorans' room, so he walked on in to find several people variously sitting or standing. He didn't know any of them other than Brennen, Snow, and Onyx.

  Brennen glanced up as he came in. "Daeren Drake, these are David, Emerald, and Leander," he said, gesturing to each in turn. David was sitting in a bed; his right hand was missing.

  "I thought Lyra was here," said Drake.

  "She's in surgery," Leander said. "She was wounded very badly."

  "Defending my family?"

  David nodded. "Yes, she and I were both there."

  "Then I owe you all a debt of gratitude," Drake said. "If ever you should need me, I will come."

  "You saw Ana?" he asked. "How are Commander Harris and Ghost?"

  "They looked well, to my eyes," Drake answered. "You seem familiar to me, although I do not know you."

  "We may have met once, long ago," David answered enigmatically. "In another life."

  There was something about him... Drake let it go. It would come back to him when necessary.

  "I'm glad to see that you and Brennen worked out your problems," said Leander. "We were all a bit concerned."

  "I didn't have a problem with him," Drake said. "He simply got in the way last time we met."

  "Let it be," said Brennen. "We're all square now. Drake has some news about the enemy."

  "What about them?" David asked.

  Drake noticed that the others, although technically equal, tended to defer somewhat to David when he spoke. Drake decided it must be because David was so much older than the others – much, much older than Drake himself. He found himself curious about the man's story.

  "There is a place that lies beyond space, where the oldest of the Ancient Enemy slumber," Drake began.

  "I know of it," David said.

  Drake sensed surprise from the other Aurorans. Other than Brennen, he didn't think they knew anything about this, or that David had known already.

  "Not that long ago, I stopped my bother from opening the stasis tombs, although I died in the attempt." He let that sink in. "Now, it appears that many of the other Ancient Enemy are moving. I think they're going to make another attempt."

  "The Dark Ones we fought at your son's house were Ancients," David said. "They wore armor and carried weapons. I haven't seen their kind in a hundred thousand years."

  "I, too, have encountered several of these recently awakened ones," said Drake. "I'm not sure if they had been sleeping someplace else, or if they were ones who escaped during the Battle at the Tombs."

  "When was this battle?"

  "I'm not sure, exactly – being dead messes with your sense of time. No more than a few years passed on the Earth I visited recently. I doubt more than a few months have gone by back in the Courts."

  "So you are from there," David said. "Lyra thought s
o."

  "You know of the Courts?"

  "I've not been there. Lyra has."

  "I have, also," Brennen admitted.

  "This is interesting," Drake said, "but not to the point. I believe the Enemy are going to make another attempt at opening the Tombs."

  "Lyra thought they wanted Tebrey for that," said David. "Could he open the Tombs?"

  Drake shook his head. "No, he can't."

  "I don't understand," said Leander. "If he can't open the Tombs, why have the Enemy been after him?"

  "That is a good question," Drake said. "I can think of two answers, off-hand. One, they don't know that he can't do it. Two, they know I can, and they want to use him as leverage."

  Drake sensed thoughts pass quickly between the Aurorans.

  "You could open the Tombs?"

  "I could," Drake replied. "I took the key from my brother during the last battle."

  "Where is this key now?"

  "I assume it's on my rotting corpse," said Drake. "I died in the Tombs. Anything I had on me would still be there."

  "Wouldn't that mean that the Enemy have it now?"

  "No. I locked down the only Waypoint to the Tombs."

  "Like you did back on that Earth," Brennen said.

  "Exactly. I'm afraid they're going to destroy everything I love to get to me. That is what happened to the world you found me on, Brennen. The Enemy are hounding me. I intend to start fighting back."

  "How?" asked David.

  "I have a plan," Drake said with a smile. "We just have to see if I can live long enough to carry it out."

  Θ

  Tebrey left a detachment of marines aboard the Jaernalith ship and took the crew and the Theta, Ragnar, down to the surface. The pilot landed the shuttle next to an aging merchant vessel. Dr. Kainoa was waiting for them, along with a complement of marines.

  Kainoa was shaking with excitement.

  As soon as Tebrey exited the shuttle, he felt the pressure of the psionic dampening field. One of the marines with Kainoa carried a field generator. The others stood with weapons ready. Too many people had died to the Jaernalith and Thetas for anyone to trust that these wouldn't attack at any moment.

  "How are you holding up, Geoffrey?" Tebrey asked over a private channel.

  "I'm fine, thank you." Geoffrey's voice sounded shaky. "What are you going to do with them?"

  "For now, we're placing them in our maximum security facility. I don't trust them, no matter what they say. We have a lot of questions, and they are going to answer them."

  "What about them needing help?"

  "We'll investigate it," Tebrey said. "If it's true, then we'll decide where to go from there. I suspect the decision is going to have to go the president and senate."

  Geoffrey nodded. "That makes sense."

  "Commander Tebrey?" Alessa called over the com.

  Tebrey held up a hand to stop Geoffrey from speaking. "Yes?"

  "You are needed back aboard the Vigilant. Please bring Mr. Meeks with you."

  "Is something the matter, Alessa?"

  "No, Commander. You father arrived a few minutes ago. He requested your presence."

  "We're on our way," Tebrey said. "Meeks, we're going back up." He turned to Dr. Kainoa. "I've got to return to the Vigilant. Treat them as guests. I mean it. No poking or prodding. I'll be back as soon as I can."

  What's up? Hunter asked.

  Dad's back.

  Dr. Kainoa nodded. "Of course, Commander. I'd like to ask them questions, though."

  "That's fine, but no interrogations. Keep those psionic shields up, too." Tebrey gestured Geoffrey toward the shuttle. "Sergeant Pt'kar, keep an eye on things down here till I get back."

  "Yes, Commander." He knew she had questions, but they could wait. He wanted to be up there now. He was tempted to attempt apporting, but he was new to it, and that ship was a long way from the surface.

  Tebrey, Hunter, and Geoffrey settled into the shuttle, and he ordered the pilot to take them back up to the Vigilant.

  "What's going on?" asked Geoffrey.

  "Drake is back."

  "We're going to him now? Do you know if he brought a man back with him?"

  Tebrey shook his head. "I don't. Sorry. He just asked for both of us to came back."

  "I hope it isn't bad news."

  He gripped Geoffrey shoulder. "We'll know soon enough."

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Tonya Harris grudgingly relinquished Amanda to her mother and settled back into her bed. She'd never thought of herself as the nurturing type, but she had to admit that she really liked the little baby girl. If all babies were like her, she might not have resisted the idea so much.

  Who are you trying to convince? Ghost thought.

  I'm not saying I want one, Tonya explained. I'm just saying that if I had one like Amanda, things would be different. She's a really great baby.

  Uh-huh, Ghost replied. Why don't you leave the whole mom thing to me? Because, honestly, you'd be terrible.

  Bitch.

  Ape.

  Tonya didn't actually want any children. She never had. She was certain that her sterility could be fixed, but she'd never wanted it to be. The trauma of her childhood in the warrens under New Dublin on Terra Novae still haunted her. The injuries she had endured had left her scarred, mentally and physically. In the scheme of things, it wasn't as bad as what she'd endured at the hands of the Thetas, or even from fighting the Nurgg, but she'd been younger, more vulnerable, and those earlier injuries had been much more personal.

  Ana was cooing Amanda softly to sleep. Tonya was glad for the distraction. Ghost tucked her head under Tonya's arm and pressed close. Her love was something Tonya could always count on. It always helped when she was feeling down.

  "So… that was Daeren Drake," she said.

  "Yes. What did you think of him?" Ana asked without looking up.

  "He didn't seem that scary."

  Ana chuckled. "Did the admiral ever tell you about his first encounter with him?"

  "No, he didn't." Tonya hadn't much opportunity to talk to Shadovsky about anything; they hadn't been friends.

  "Apparently he showed up in Mandor's office demanding to know where Hrothgar was. Mandor thought he was a Theta. Mandor ran Father through with that blade he always used."

  "The psi-conductor blade?" asked Tonya.

  "Yes. Mandor said Father told him not to be rude."

  Tonya laughed. "I can almost imagine it. So the blade no effect, I take it."

  "That's what he said."

  "I'm not sure I'm happy to hear that. I always thought of those things as the ultimate weapons. I don't like to think that some things just can't be killed, even if it worked in our favor this time. I guess it makes the rumors from the Battle of Dawn seem more believable."

  "Mandor always said Father was the reason we won."

  "Well, that and the Rhyrhan Fleet showing up. Have you ever seen him fight?"

  "No, I haven't. I'm not sure I want to."

  "I'd like to fight next to him, see what he's got."

  Ana came and settled into the bed next to her. "I think he challenges you, like Hrothgar. You don't like to think there may be people tougher than you."

  She has a point, Ghost thought sleepily.

  Shut up, cat.

  "I don't know," Tonya replied. "I guess I just don't like the idea of someone being better at fighting than I am. I've spent my whole life fighting. I need to be the best at do what I do. If someone is better than me, I could get dead real quick."

  "Father is old, Tonya. He isn't even human."

  Tonya shrugged.

  "You don't have to prove anything," Ana said. "Not to me or anyone."

  "It isn't that, not really. I have to prove it to myself. I need to be tough."

  Ana squeezed her hand.

  Tonya met her intense green eyes. "You know, I expected Tebrey to be angry."

  "He's not like that. Besides, he likes you."

  "Yeah, about that. I can
tell what you have in mind. Your mind shields aren't as good as you think, Ana," Tonya said. Ana had a rather vivid and graphic imagination. Sometimes it was as if Tonya was mentally hooked into a porn vid when she was around her. "I'm not sure if I'm up to that."

  Ana blushed but didn't deny it. "I think he'd be good for you."

  "I think I'd rather have him try to kick my ass."

  "I'm sure he'd much rather –"

  "Okay, you can stop right there," Tonya interrupted. She was uncomfortably aware that what Ana was saying was turning her on, and she was in no condition to do anything about it. She wasn't in any pain, but that was only because of the neural blocks.

  "You'll be better soon."

  Tonya sighed. Sometimes Ana had a one-track mind.

  Like you're any different, Ghost thought to her.

  Tonya decided that she couldn't deny that, either.

  Θ

  Lt. Close was waiting for Tebrey when he stepped off the shuttle.

  "Where is he?" Tebrey snapped.

  "In Medical, speaking with the Aurorans, sir. Would you like me to take you there?"

  "I know the way," Tebrey replied. "Secure our gear. Also, the marines on the Jaernalith ship are going to need reinforcement. I'd like to get Riksen over there, too. We need to get that ship down to the surface, but I want confirmation there aren't any traps." He took off his helmet.

  "Of course, sir. I'll get right on it."

  Tebrey turned and led Geoffrey and Hunter to Medical. He could sense Geoffrey's impatience and worry. Tebrey felt much the same way. Drake had been gone for months. A lot had happened in that time. He wanted to know what Drake thought about the new Thetas. He was also curious as to what he thought about a Theta surrendering. Tebrey had met the... man, and he still couldn't believe it. He wondered what it meant.

  Ana is in Medical with Tonya, Hunter thought to him.

  Tebrey was torn. He wanted to see his father, but he wanted to see his wife and daughter more.

  "Geoffrey? Go on in. We're stopping to see Ana. I'll be there in a minute." Tebrey said, gesturing to the room where the Aurorans were.

  Geoffrey hesitated for a moment, then went into the room. Tebrey turned and entered Tonya's room. Ana was feeding Amanda, but she looked up and smiled as they entered. Hunter and Ghost immediately bumped foreheads and curled up together. Hunter tightened up his shields so his thoughts with Ghost wouldn't be overheard, which Tebrey thought was just as well. His dreams had been strange since Hunter and Ghost had gotten together.