Something had come undone. Something deep within the machine. And it had to be stopped.
Sadly, Magnus knew that peace would not bring peace. His past conversations with Awen bubbled to mind, the ones about finding alternative ways for conflict resolution. But there would be no stopping these foes without aggression, without force. Which was ironic, because in his attempt to thwart these particular enemies, he feared becoming just like them.
“It seems we all want to use peace to justify force,” Magnus said after a moment. “I suppose the only way we keep ourselves from sliding into the abyss is reminding ourselves why we do this. And by deciding what we want the end to look like.”
Sootriman spoke next. “You mean, who’s going to be in charge when all this is done?”
Magnus nodded. “Essentially. Yes.”
“Do you honestly think we can know that this far out?” Ezo asked.
Magnus looked around the room. Everyone seemed to wear uncertain faces, which is how he felt too. “In a word? No. For all I know, there won’t be anything left to lead by the time this is over.”
“Magnus,” Awen chided.
“I’m just saying. I think it’s too soon to tell.”
“I agree,” Caldwell replied. “But if we can at least say that the various factions represented in this room have within themselves something worth salvaging, then we have something to fight for. The Repub, for example, isn’t all bad. I know plenty of good men and women who have given everything for the preservation of peace, bucketheads and politicians alike. Likewise, I spent the last year on Worru. I’ve met my share of Luma who would keep a Marine’s blaster from firing faster than a mother walking in on her teenage son doing—”
“We got the picture, colonel,” Magnus said, trying to suppress some laughter.
“And the Jujari are not truly out for blood,” Awen said.
“At least not all of us,” Rohoar amended, giving the Elonian what seemed to be the Jujari version of a wink. “But I thank you for the honorable consideration.”
“So what you’re saying is that we’re fighting to return things to some semblance of what they once were,” Sootriman said.
Magnus nodded. “That seems like the best-case scenario. If not, then we’re talking chaos, aren’t we? Hundreds of years of treaties blown to ribbons. Whole systems without governance. If we don’t try to salvage some of the existing systems—if we can’t at least see the good in the roots, then what are we fighting for?” For some reason, Magnus found himself looking at Awen when he said this. He knew it wasn’t everything she’d want him to say. But it was a start. “Plus, none of us are smart enough to create a new governing body.”
“Speak for yourself,” Ezo said.
“But sir,” TO-96 said, raising a hand. “You failed to pay your taxes and file your divorce notice. Your competency in the civic realm would be questionable at best.”
“Ouch,” Dutch exclaimed. “Slammed by your own bot.”
“How does that feel?” Bliss asked.
Ezo blushed but was quick to reply, “Better than getting shot in the ass.”
Magnus smiled as he recalled the incident where Bliss got hit in the rear during their escape from the Grand Arielina. He cleared his throat and decided to change directions. “Do we believe there is any further link between So-Elku and Moldark?” Magnus asked.
It was Ricio’s turn to step forward. “I don’t know this So-Elku character, but as I’ve explained to Magnus, Moldark’s intentions seem to be somewhat different.”
“In what way?” Sootriman asked.
“For one, he doesn’t mention peace. All his talk is about elimination. About destruction.”
“Against the Jujari?” Sootriman said.
“That’s just it. Based on the war between the Repub and the Jujari, you’d think so.”
Sootriman folded her arms. “But you suspect something different.”
Ricio nodded. “I do. And for reasons I can’t fully explain. What little I’ve seen of the man, something seems to possess him, to drive him like a mad man toward some inexorable end.”
“Layman’s terms please, jockey,” Dutch said.
“Inevitable. Unstoppable.” Ricio looked around the room. “I think he wants to bring it all down.”
Ricio’s words made the room sag as if something heavy had just been draped over everyone’s shoulders. If having a wayward mystic bent on using otherworldly forces to bring supposed peace to the galaxy wasn’t enough, it seemed the cosmos also had a maniacal tyrant set on destroying whatever he could and using the Republic fleets to do so.
“We’re going to need help,” Caldwell said, breaking the long silence.
“Any suggestions, colonel?” Magnus asked.
“My best idea is to try rallying any Marines loyal to the Corps’s original mandate.”
“Ensure peace in the galaxy,” Magnus finished.
“OTF,” Bliss said.
Caldwell grunted in assent.
“And how do we go about doing that exactly?” Ricio asked.
The colonel gnawed the unlit cigar, moving it from one corner of his mouth to the other. “Well, I’m still working on that. But my first action would be to address those under my direct command.”
“You mean the Marines who got wiped out in Plumeria?” Abimbola asked.
“Easy, Bimby,” Magnus said with a raised hand. The team didn’t need any infighting.
“Not all of them got wiped,” Dutch added. “Many in the remaining two companies survived whatever Piper did.”
“And you think they’d be worth talking to?” Sootriman asked. “The last bunch didn’t seem too keen to hear you out.”
The colonel nodded. “That last scenario certainly was a splick show, I agree. But under the right circumstances, I think they’d at least consider what I have to say. It’s not gonna be easy, and I’ll invite plenty of danger in the process. But at my age? You get more comfortable with certain things, and dying is one of them.” Caldwell looked around the room, withdrew a lighter, and lit the end of his cigar. The flame disappeared inside the tobacco several times as thick white smoke got sucked up toward the ceiling. When the cigar was sufficiently stoked, Caldwell pulled it from his mouth and blew out. “The way I see it, I’d rather die for this than anything else on the table. Wouldn’t you?”
Magnus was grateful for the colonel’s perspective and the scent of the cigar’s tobacco. It reminded him of long nights around a campfire after firefights. He’d spent many an evening listening to his COs discuss strategies and share war stories. The old guard knew how to lead under pressure—to take fire and keep everything from going sideways. Which meant Caldwell knew how to throw his weight around to steer the ship in the captain’s direction. In this case, Magnus was the captain, and his heart swelled as everyone around the circle began to nod their heads in consent.
“So you’re implying that we head back to Worru so you can attempt to persuade some of your Marines?” Awen asked.
“I’m not implying you head anywhere, ma’am. But I am saying I should go back.”
“If some of us did go, it would give Awen and me more time to search for Piper locally,” Willowood said. “Assuming she’s planetside.”
“Azie,” Magnus said. “Can you give me the statistical likelihood that someone detects our ship and the quantum tunnel?”
“It is infinitesimal, sir,” Azelon replied. “Given the Republic’s current technologies, the void horizon is undetectable. Therefore, it would take an enemy vessel accidentally passing through it and physically ramming into us to alert enemy sensors of the Spire’s presence.”
While Magnus was somewhat comforted by Azelon’s words, he worried that she was only using TO-96’s database on current Repub tech. She had no files on Paragon tech—at least that Magnus knew of. Something told him that Moldark had more tricks up his sleeve than any of them bargained for.
“But So-Elku found the Spire,” Titus said and crossed his arms. “At least
enough to free Nos Kil and Ricio here. Who’s to say he can’t do that again?”
“I hadn’t anticipated that he would do that,” Awen said. “I should have guessed he might try to locate our ship and harm us. So that’s my fault. But he won’t be that lucky again. We’ve constructed a shield in the Unity.” Awen looked at Magnus. “While you were recovering.”
“A shield?” Ezo asked. “As in something to keep us out of view?”
“Precisely.” Awen brushed a few strands of hair behind her pointed ear. “Like with Azelon’s cloaking abilities for a physical ship, we’ll be hidden from sight within the Unity, both here and in protospace. That’s the hope anyway. We can’t anticipate his every move, especially now that he has access to the other realms of the Unity. But we can at least implement safeguards.”
“The shield we’ve fashioned will also let us know when he’s trying to find us,” Willowood added. “It’s one more preventative measure.”
“I like preventative measures,” Magnus said. “Anyone have anything else pertinent before we get underway?”
Sootriman raised her hand. “If we need reinforcements, I’d like to return to Ki Nar Four with Ezo, Saasarr, and TO-96, if you can spare them, and see what we can drum up. It might not be much, but it will at least be something. Maybe get word to some others in the outlying systems too.”
Magnus nodded in agreement. “I’m all for it if you trust them. The way I see it—”
“Ah, splick,” Ricio blurted out.
Magnus glanced at the pilot. “Everything alright there, commander?”
“No.” Ricio shook his head. “No, it’s not. I just remembered something.”
“You leave a roast in the oven too long, jockey?” Abimbola asked.
But Ricio wasn’t laughing. The man seemed genuinely rattled about something. “I can’t believe I didn’t remember this. I’m… sorry.”
“Remember what, Ricio?”
“Nos Kil. He tried sending a transmission. Just before we left the brig.”
“He what?” Awen asked with as much surprise as Magnus felt.
“Azië,” Magnus said, turning to the bot. “Can you confirm this?”
Azelon’s head cocked sideways as her subroutines did whatever computing they needed to do. Finally, she said, “I’m sorry, Magnus, but I have no record of any transmission being sent during the prisoners’ escape.”
“Are you lying to us, small flying human?” Rohoar asked as he took a step toward Ricio.
“No. I promise.” Ricio looked to Magnus. “Maybe it got wiped from her data drive. Or maybe he hacked the logs. I don’t know. But I do know he tried sending something. He even made me step out of the room for it.”
“And you did not try to listen in?” Rohoar’s hackles stood up, betraying his irritation. “Jujari have ears to let us hear very far away.”
“Well, if you haven’t noticed, my fine furry friend, humans don’t have giant flycatchers like you. And second, I didn’t exactly know I was going to betray the Repub yet, so I didn’t think there was a reason. Plus, you saw that guy, right?”
“So you have no idea what Nos Kil said?” Magnus asked, trying to keep things on task.
“Again, no. But he did mention it was a report of sorts.”
“Splick.” Magnus ran a hand over his face. He was tired, and still in a lot of pain despite all the nanobots he guessed were creeping through his body. “Azie, I need a better explanation of what you think happened. If he gave up information about the ship or its crew…”
“Again, sir, I am sorry to report that I have no additional information to provide.”
“But I thought you said your systems were fully restored? Don’t you have any footage from the control room? No transmission logs?”
“I do not have cameras in the control room, sir. That is where the brig’s security cameras are ported to. And, as I said, no data logs indicate any outgoing traffic. However, my systems may not be as fully restored as I previously thought. That, or Commander Ricio’s suspicions of Nos Kil hacking the logs could be accurate.”
“He could do that?” Ezo asked. “Ezo does not believe that oversized Bludervian dimdish had the wherewithal to outsmart Novian technology.”
“We forget one more element,” Willowood said.
“So-Elku,” Awen replied.
Willowood nodded. “Whatever he did to the Spire could have altered Azelon’s systems enough to mask activity in the brig, even unintentionally.”
“Dammit,” Magnus said, feeling his head start to spin a little. He needed sleep. But he also knew he had a job to do. “We can’t know what we don’t have a record of, so we need to suspect the worst.”
“Which is?” Awen asked.
“That Moldark has intel on the Spire and any crew he came in contact with.”
“Which includes Piper,” Awen said.
Magnus closed his eyes. “Which includes Piper, yes. And more importantly, it includes the Spire’s last known position over Worru.”
“Then we need a new quantum tunnel,” Zoll suggested. “The time dilation will give us the cushion we need to get it done.”
“But where?” Dutch replied. “I mean, we still need to get back to Worru for the colonel, and if we put it any further away from Ki Nar Far, Sootriman will be too long in getting there and back.”
“Don’t worry about us,” Ezo said. “Ezo knows just the ship to use. Focus on what’s best for the colonel and the Spire.”
“We proceed as planned, but we do so quickly and carefully,” Magnus said. “Even if Moldark has actionable intel, it will still take time to organize a search party, and something tells me he already has his hands full with the Jujari resistance.”
“La-raah,” Rohoar exclaimed with his chest puffed out.
Magnus smiled at the Jujari, then looked around the bridge. “We’ll jump back to Worru. But Azie, I need you to put us somewhere different, in case Moldark decides to get curious.”
“As you wish, sir.”
“Once there, Sootriman and her team will head to Ki Nar Four, while the colonel and I head to the surface along with Awen and Willowood.”
“Now hold on just a minute there, son,” Caldwell interjected. “You’re in no shape to be heading back down there.”
“I’m with the colonel on this one,” Awen added.
“Thank you both for your concern,” Magnus said. “But that’s not being realistic.”
“Realistic?” Awen put her hands on her hips.
Magnus leveled his eyes at the colonel. “What are you gonna say when your captains ask you for proof about all this, sir?” There was an awkward pause as the colonel worked his cigar in mouth. “And how hard do you wanna work at defending your actions against your own unit back there? The way I see it, you need someone a bit deeper in this splick hole to talk about just how bad it really is, to explain why we had to do what we did.” When the colonel didn’t respond right away, Magnus leaned back in his captain’s chair. “Plus, the way I see it, the only thing more convincing than a Caldwell is a Magnus, and it’s about time I throw my grandfather’s name around on purpose, wouldn’t you say, Colonel?”
Caldwell took several puffs on his cigar and let the smoke seep from his mouth and nose, swirling up and over his grey mustache. “You’re a stubborn-ass son of a bitch, Adonis.”
“Just taking after you, colonel.”
Caldwell chuckled.
“I’ll get rest when I can,” Magnus added. Then he turned to Awen and Willowood. “Your job is to look for Piper. You won’t have much time, and I don’t want you leaving the ship unless you clear it with me first, copy?”
Awen nodded, but she seemed reluctant. Probably just pissed at him for not staying put and resting here on the Spire.
“Then I think we have a plan. I’m not interested in a vote because, truthfully, I’m too damn tired to argue it through. But if you disagree with this line of thinking, I need to know right now.”
To a person, everyone in
the room stayed silent, including the bots. Magnus felt relieved to know that at least one thing was going right.
“Alright then,” he said, pushing himself up from his chair. “The rest of you debrief your platoons and square away your equipment if you haven’t already. Dutch, I want you instituting daily PT and anything else you want to do to ensure battle readiness. Connect with Rohoar to make sure its comprehensive for everyone. Abimbola, Titus, work with Azelon on refitting armament and keeping everyone well fed. And Ricio?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Since you’re the first human with any flight experience on a Jujari fighter, I want you to come up with a plan to train new pilots. If the colonel ends up doing what the colonel does best, then I think you’re going to get some recruits, and I want you prepared. Work with Azelon to make it happen.”
“Roger that, sir.”
“Good.” Magnus nodded and looked around the bridge. “Thank you. All of you. For being a part of this. It seems that…” The right words alluded him. But he had to find them—for their sake as much as his own. “It seems that we’re in this too far to back out now. The only way through is forward. I don’t know what we’ll find in the dark, but I want to be standing next to you when we find it. Dominate…”
“Liberate,” they responded as one.
Magnus took a deep breath and reflected on just how much he appreciated everyone in the room. It was an honor to serve with them, and he doubted he’d ever have the right words to express how he felt.
2
It wouldn’t be long before the Jujari were crushed. A few more days. Maybe a week at most. But either way, Moldark told himself, the end is near.
Ruins of the Galaxy Box Set: Books 1-6 Page 135