by M. R. Forbes
“I don’t know,” she replied. “Gant was transferring to the station network. I don’t know if it made it.”
Tibor relayed the message. “The Colonel’s going to give it a shot. He wants to meet near the reactor. I can only guess why.”
“It’s the only way to be sure,” Hayley said.
“He says if he doesn’t make it, we need to take care of things. Get the Oracle, save the galaxy from Thetan and the Collective.”
“He’s going to make it, even if we have to go up there and get him.”
“Roger that. We’re on our way, Colonel.”
Hayley stood and pulled off the oversized work clothes before retrieving her Uin from the floor. She felt naked without the visor, more so because it was gone this time, not just sitting next to her or in her pocket. It had been a companion for all of these years. A tool she had come to rely on.
But then, maybe she had been relying on it too much? A crutch was also a tool. Maybe losing it was for the best.
She turned back to Tibor. “Are you ready?”
He nodded. “I should have told you this earlier, but you have pretty eyes.”
14
They ran through the corridors, following the markers in the direction of the reactor. More synths appeared in their path on the way, most of them uniformed technicians of one kind of another, all of them under the control of the Collective. They dispatched them without slowing, the combination of claws and Uin enough to bring down the random tech without concern.
That didn’t mean Hayley had no concerns. She couldn’t help but wonder how many of the Collective’s naniates it took to seize a synth or a person or how many it might take to kill someone. If it only needed a single molecular machine, then the sentient group already had a large enough army to wipe out any planet in the galaxy, including Earth.
All it had to do was get there.
The fact that it hadn’t entered the brains of the rest of the Riders and killed them quickly and easily made her think that wasn’t the case. There had to be more to it than that. Anger could help resist the Gift. What made one person more resistant to the Collective than someone else?
It had said Tibor’s mind was weak. Weak how? Definitely not in terms of courage or loyalty. He was more sensitive than any other Nephilim she had ever known. Was that it? Quark was hardly a mush, and he could shut his emotions off tight if needed. She had no idea about Narrl or Jil. She had known them such a short time, but they seemed like strong soldiers, able to keep their personal feelings locked tight when needed.
Ahab?
He was an emotional mess.
“Tibor, radio the Colonel,” she said as they ran. “Tell him to keep an eye on Ahab. He may be susceptible to the Collective’s control.”
“Got it,” Tibor replied, passing the message to Quark. “He says not to worry about Ahab. He already figured out that the Collective can get into the brains of pansies.”
Tibor made a face after he said it, his qi shifting with yellow and gray.
“He didn’t mean you,” she said.
“He meant anyone who lets the Collective in.”
“So he did mean you. It caught you off-guard, just like it caught me off-guard. I’m sure it won’t happen again.”
He grunted softly but didn’t look convinced. Then he tilted his head slightly, listening.
“The Colonel says the tubes are clear. They’re on the way down.”
Hayley allowed herself to smile. “Finally, some good news.”
Gant had completed the transfer, which meant the AI was present in the station’s network. The visor was lost, but it wasn’t.
At least not yet.
They weren’t far from the reactor, and they reached the secured hatch to it less than a minute later, slowing to a stop in front of the heavy blast doors. Tibor started reaching a huge claw toward the control panel, pausing when the door started sliding open on its own.
“Thank you, Gant,” Hayley said. The control panel flashed twice, indicating the AI had heard her.
They moved into the room. Like before, Hayley grew nervous the moment her eyes fell on the ebocite, even though it was still protected by the containment field. It was too dangerous to be out in the open like this, and maybe even more dangerous because of the Collective.
But wasn’t that why they were down here?
She approached it slowly, with Tibor close behind. If the Colonel were on his way down, he would be here any minute.
“Hayley, my dear.”
Hayley turned at the sound of her name, looking to the corner of the room. She hadn’t noticed the lines of energy there a moment ago, but now she could make out the shape of Don Pallimo’s synth. It was a solid blue, with no sign of Collective infection.
“Don Pallimo,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
He came forward, leaning on his cane. “The same thing you’re doing here, I bet,” he replied. “These are strange days, aren’t they?”
“You started this,” Hayley said. “If you hadn’t been experimenting-”
He lifted his cane, interrupting her. “I don’t need the history lesson, Hal. I’m aware of my part in things. I believed the Colonel could handle this. That you could handle this. I’m not wrong in that, but I was wrong in my judgment of the threat the Collective poses. You may think me an unfeeling set of instructions, but that isn’t the truth. It killed the individuals who lived here. Almost every single one. I can't put myself before that and call myself a reasonable facsimile. I intend to kill it.”
“I’m glad you’re starting to see things our way,” Quark said, entering the room.
Narrl and Jil came in behind him, dragging a restrained Ahab with them. The weakest Rider had a copper-green hue to his qi, the Collective already having tried to use him against the Colonel.
“I wish you would have listened to me in the first place, instead of making me do things the hard way,” Quark continued. “Sykes is dead because of that.”
“I didn’t throw the synths down the shaft,” Pallimo said. “The Collective made its move the moment you did. It came from the Chalandra, through the transmission you sent in response to Control. It wanted you to think it was me.”
“Hayley,” Ahab said. “Have you reconsidered our request? There’s still a chance for-”
“Quiet,” Narrl said, punching the soldier in the side of the head. Ahab fell limp in his arms.
“I’ve had to listen to that thing bitch the entire way down,” Quark said. “Annoying fragger.”
“I apologize for the misunderstanding, Colonel. You’ve always been a good and loyal employee.”
“Forget about it,” Quark said. “We’ve got bigger problems here than you being an asshole.”
“Indeed we do,” Pallimo said. He pointed toward the ebocite. “And I believe you know how to rectify them.”
“We blow the station. Yeah, that was my plan. Unless you have something better?”
“I wish I could say I did.”
“How do we pull it off?”
Pallimo lifted his cane again, sliding the side of it back to reveal a control surface. “I can disengage the containment field. All you have to do is shoot it. Not all of you, obviously. There won’t be enough time to get back to the Chalandra before the station implodes.”
“You mean one of us has to die?” Narrl said.
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you do it?”
“I’m happy to do it,” the synth said. “But do you trust me enough to leave me to the task?”
“No,” Quark said without hesitating. “I’ll do it.”
“Colonel,” Hayley said. “You-”
“I have to,” he replied. “I do. I don’t trust anybody else to get it done.”
“I’ll do it,” Tibor said. “You can trust me, Colonel. I should have died on Kelvar. I should have been dead long before that. I’m happy to do it if it means saving Witchy and letting her keep you.”
“That’s sweet, really
Xolo,” Quark said. “But in all my career, I never asked a subordinate to do anything I wouldn’t do myself, including this.”
“Can I just say,” Jil said. “We don’t have time to stand here and argue about it. Unless you think the Collective is just going to let us blow it to shit.”
“My point exactly,” Quark said. “Jil, you know the way back to the ship from here, right?”
“Yes, sir,” Jil said.
“Good. Lead them out.”
Quark drew his sidearm, checking the magazine to make sure he had a few rounds in it.
“Colonel,” Hayley said, walking over to him and lowering her voice. “Dad, you can’t do this. You can’t. I was the one who talked you into taking Mazrael. I helped the Collective get off Yeti-4. I should be the one to die here. The Riders need you.”
Quark’s qi softened. He brought his hand up, putting it on Hayley’s cheek. “Oh, Hal. You know I’d never let you take the fall like that. You’re eighteen years old. You’ve barely even started to live. I’ve been around the galaxy three times more than any man has any right to, and it’s been a hell of a fun ride. But I never wanted to die of old and boring. This is how it’s supposed to go for me.”
Hayley felt the tears running from her eyes. It was her fault. He was ready to sacrifice himself for her mistake.
“I can’t let you,” she said again, grabbing his hand in hers. “The Riders need you, damn it. I still need you.”
“No you don’t, kiddo,” he said. “You don’t need me any more than you need that visor of yours. It’s a little ahead of schedule, but the training wheels are off. The Riders are yours now, ready or not.” He smiled. “I know you’ve spent a lot of time pissed at your mom. Don’t be mad at her. You’re so much like her, in all the best ways.” He put his hand on her chest, easily pushing her back a step. “Now go and save the galaxy.”
She stared at him, wishing she could see him. Really see him. Wishing she could know what he truly looked like. She lunged forward again, wrapping her arms around him. He had never been big on affection but damned if she wasn’t going to give him one last hug.
“I love you, Dad,” she said.
“I love you, too,” he replied. “Now get. Gant’s hollering in my ear that an army of fragging synths is coming our way. We don’t have time for any more goodbyes.”
She broke the embrace, looking at him one more time. As always, there was no fear there. Just pride. Just happiness. She didn’t know how he did it.
Maybe one day she would learn.
“Yes, sir,” she said, snapping a salute. “I’m going to go save the galaxy, sir.”
He continued smiling as he returned it.
“Damn right you are kiddo. Damn right you are.”
15
They ran back to the tube, with Jil taking point and Tibor bringing up the rear, making sure Hayley stayed with them instead of turning to go back to the reactor.
Her heart was breaking, but she didn’t even consider it. The Colonel’s last wish was for her to stop both the Collective and Thetan and damned if she wasn’t going to get it done, no matter what it took.
When it was over, she would mourn.
When it was over, she would cry.
But not one second before that. Quark would never want it that way.
They charged ahead, Tibor updating her on the enemy’s position as it was relaying to him from Gant. When the station blew, Gant was going to be destroyed, too. The AI had been her constant companion since she had received the visor. A friend and ally in a universe so much bigger than what she could see. She felt the pain of that loss too, though it seemed so small in comparison to Quark. A program was a program, regardless of how much time she had spent with it and how real it had made itself to her. It was ones and zeroes. Trillions of them, but still only binary pairs.
Don Pallimo ran beside her, no longer holding to the fake hobble like he had before. Despite its lack of qi, the synth seemed aware of its responsibility in the whole affair and even seemed vaguely remorseful at the outcome.
She hoped the simulated expression of emotion stuck. Without Sykes, without Gant, the synth was the closest thing to an Engineer and breaker they had, and they were still going to need that skill set to get into the Worldbrain to find the Oracle.
The tube was open and waiting for them as they arrived. The tube beside it was active, and Hayley could make out the energy signatures of at least a dozen synths riding it down, all of them blue and copper and green.
“Hurry,” Jil said, reaching the tube.
She stayed at the front of it, turning her rifle, ready to fire at the synths as they came off the adjacent transport. Narrl carried Ahab onto the platform, followed by Pallimo.
“Jil, go,” Tibor said. “I’ll cover you.”
The Goreshin stopped short of the tube as the one beside it reached the bottom, the doors sliding open.
“Xolo,” Hayley said, coming to a stop at the entrance to the platform. “Come on.”
She ducked as bullets slammed into the wall where her face had been an instant before. Then Tibor was blocking her view of the synths, roaring as he charged into them.
“Tibor!” Hayley shouted. She pulled her pistol and her Uin, flexing her legs to join him.
A large hand fell on her wrist, unbelievable strength throwing her into the tube.
“Sorry, Witchy,” Jil said. “Colonel’s last order was to get you out safe.”
The doors remained open, but the platform started to rise.
“Tibor!” Hayley shouted again. Was she going to lose him, too?
He was surrounded by synths, roaring and howling as he slashed and kicked, showing a ferocity she hadn’t seen since he was under Devain’s control. The synths fell beneath him, one after another as round after round buried itself in his fur. She could see dozens of purple spots in his qi, his healing factor struggling to keep up. He couldn’t survive that kind of damage forever.
“Tibor!” she shouted again, as loud as she could. “Damn it, let’s go!” She tried to move to the front of the platform, but Jil grabbed her again, holding her fast. “Tibor!”
He heard her that time. His head turned, and he looked up. Then he leaped backward, away from the synths. He landed near the open doors to the tube before throwing himself inside, climbing up the walls below them the way he had intended earlier. A moment later, Hayley felt the platform shake as he grabbed the bottom of it and held on.
The synths started piling back into the other tube, but now it refused to move.
“Thank you,” she said again, certain Gant could hear her.
They rose out of sight of the synths, through Deck Thirty-three, continuing to ascend until they reached the same level as the docking ring. The platform stopped, letting them out before rising enough to let Tibor climb onto the deck.
“Jil,” Don Pallimo said, raising his cane and tapping on the control surface. “Tell the Colonel it’s time.”
Hayley’s heart skipped at the words. This was real. This was final. She fought to keep her emotions in check. She had a job to do. She had a promise to keep. Justice for all.
“The containment field is down,” the Don said.
She knew the moment Quark fired on the ebocite. It was as though someone momentarily took every frequency of sound and cast it into a black hole. Utter silence enveloped everything, leaving them all suddenly stunned. Then reality bounced back, hitting them in a rush, coming on twice as powerfully as before. The station shook, the vibration nearly knocking Hayley off her feet.
Narrl stumbled in front of her, losing his grip on Ahab. The possessed Rider turned, glaring at Hayley and breaking away from the group, slipping past the and running back the other way.
“Ahab!” Narrl said, giving chase.
“Narrl, leave him,” Hayley said, blocking him. “It wants us to follow.” She turned her head back, watching him go. “There’s nothing we can do.”
He nodded somberly.
They ran as fast
as they could, out to the docking ring and along it to the Chalandra.
“Synths up ahead,” Tibor said. “Last obstacle.”
“Don’t slow down,” Hayley said. “No matter what.”
They came around the curve in the docking ring. The synths opened fire, hundreds of rounds zipping down the hallway at them. Tibor managed to get in the lead, and he caught dozens of them with his flesh, growling and stumbling but managing to stay on his feet. A few rounds caught Hayley too, hitting off her lightsuit but not making it through. They fired back, their return volley cutting into the ranks and knocking the synths down, leaving three of them disabled by the time they charged into the group, barreling past, with Tibor and Narrl shoving the remaining synths aside.
They reached the docking arm, turning and racing along it, the Chalandra dead ahead. Everything was shuddering harder now, and a familiar sound was audible in the distance.
The sound of the station collapsing inward.
“Let’s move, Riders!” Hayley shouted, slowing to wave the others past, insistent on bringing up the rear the way Quark always would.
They made it to the docking link, crossing it and piling inside. Hayley waited until they were all in before crossing the threshold, hitting the control pad and closing the outer link. They passed through the airlock, and then she closed the inner link too.
“Jil, get us out of here,” Hayley said.
“On it,” Jil replied, already rushing for the bridge.
“Witchy, what about the Collective?” Tibor asked.
“What about it?”
“You said before; it might be hiding on the ship.”
Damn. She had almost forgotten.
The ship rocked slightly as the docking clamps released, letting the Chalandra loose from the station’s grip. The reactors came online, and vectoring thrusters began pushing them away.
Hayley closed her eyes, focusing the way she had learned. The visor amplified her commands; it didn’t source them. She took a few deep breaths, trying to ignore the chaos around her.
“Come to me,” she said, reaching out for whatever naniates she could find. “Come to me.”