Kodon

by Chris Mills

  “Did they work for Talon Federation? You went to Earth.”

  “You catch on quick.”

  “Did they really have to act back then?” Stephen questioned. All he got was they didn’t like what was going on and because of that, they sent Kodon and their child away so the Talon Federation wouldn’t decide his fate.

  “I, I think their judgment then had to be what they saw as best,” Herald said. He took back a bit of his beer. “I wish I understood everything. Kodon is a strange find.”

  “What is it?”

  “That may be for another time.”

  “Cut the shit,” Stephen said. “We nearly died and you’re going to tell me it isn’t the time. What the hell is Kodon? You’ve haven’t told me anything about my parents either; I don’t even know their names.” Herald sighed. He tapped the sides of his glass but stayed quiet “If you can’t speak, I’m sure someone around here can get us help. You have to be honest with me. You owe me that.”

  Herald nodded. “I had come home late, and I was upset about my commanding officer getting arrested,” he said. “That’s when I got it.”

  //

  25 years ago, Herald Zumerkrin returned to his apartment aboard an orbital station. His first post had neared its end sooner than expected. His commanding officer had been fired from the empire for selling secrets that Herald had yet to understand. He awaited trial, and Herald feared that he may be accused in this matter.

  Light filled the small apartment. It wasn’t much, but it beat having to live on the starship. He could have free housing, but he was through with that till he got his transfer. A noise suddenly caught his ear.

  Herald passed around the counter and neared his bed. The communicator he set up here was paid. He liked to have his empire line free from personal stuff. He tapped at the screen. It lit and projected a large holo-screen above it. The encrypted message brought up his decrypter automatically. Its sequence matched that only used by a specific couple. His eyes lit as the title came through. Samantha Porter sent this an hour ago. He tapped it quick and found several documents, among the first being a letter of some sort.

  Herald,

  Something has happened. There is little time. I wish I could explain it all, but I can’t. You must trust me. Keep this data safe. Don’t let anyone in the Galatian Empire see it. Don’t respond to this. I am purging this line and all data linked to the project. This is all that is left of our finding on Project Kodon.

  I have sent a pod to coordinates attached. It has a cloak feature. I do not think they would have spotted it by now. Please, keep Ian safe. He is so precious to me. I cannot believe I had to do this. Take care of him. Raise him as your own. Kodon is in a containment tube aboard. Once you have my son and Kodon, activate the failsafe. It will cover your tracks.

  Know that I do this for my son. Take care of him where we can’t.

  Sam

  Herald’s heartbeat quickened. He read it twice more and soon opened up the project file. He gulped. Alvin Porter never would share what he was hired to leave. He felt a chill upon reading some of Sam’s own notes on it. Nearly thirty minutes later, Herald paced about the room. He must leave in an hour. If the coordinates were correct, he would be back by morning. He could call in sick. He had seen a sole picture of Ian and nothing more. Alvin had been quiet as he was on such a project.

  Herald pulled up a line for Ronald Wulf. His old roommate from the academy was still a chatterbox but one he could trust with his life. Dots started to dance upon the screen. A cough came quick.

  “Ah, Herald,” Ron’s cheery voice rose. “You won’t guess what-”

  “Ron, shut up and listen,” Herald said. “I am going to send you something. You must store it away safe. No questions asked.”

  “Uh, Herald. What’s wrong. You sound -”

  “Promise me. I will explain later.”

  “Tell me something, Herald.”

  “No. I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  //

  “My mother is the only one who sent something?” Stephen questioned.

  “Yes,” Herald said. His head hung. “Alvin hadn’t talked to me for a while. When I read it all, I got it quick why someone may want to obtain it. That is all I could figure happened. Your mother had a pure heart, and I doubt she could let anyone take it, let alone harm you without a fight.”

  “And what is Kodon?”

  “It is something else,” Herald said. He sighed. “Alvin classified it as an energy source, but he was uncertain what kind. Nothing has been seen by it.”

  “Okay, I still don’t get what the big deal is.”

  “You must understand,” Herald said. “This is unlike anything out there. The very first draw off it ended up in a machine being destroyed. Tests that followed yielded the same. Kodon can give an unlimited amount of power at any rate, void of degradation.”

  “Don’t ships have things that -”

  “No,” Herald said, shaking his head quick. “No power source in this galaxy can do what Kodon is capable of. All it takes is one person with the wrong motive to cause true chaos. What is better than a weapon without limits? What do you think people would do for that?”

  Stephen felt a chill come to the bar. He took an easy breath. “This thing,” he began, “is it dangerous?”

  “Not in that containment tube, and not without being drawn from.”

  “And Ron. Who is this?”

  “Ron is on Galat II. I will tell you more about him. He is very trustworthy, Stephen.”

  Stephen rubbed his face. “What do you think happened back there?” he asked.

  “I think Howard had struck a deal with someone. They must be high up enough to command that attack. I have a feeling the Talon Council won’t find record on it.”

  “Are they similar to the Galatian Council?”

  “They don’t have absolute control. Some decisions they make can be overturned. Not all issues can be voted on by them.”

  “Could they be responsible?” Stephen questioned. Herald shook his head. “But -”

  “I admit, maybe there is a chance for one, but as much as they had to campaign, I doubt it. I don’t think we have any way of knowing who did this right now.”

  Stephen sipped away on his beer. “How many people have you killed, Herald?” he whispered.

  “What?”

  “You shot two men dead without hesitation,” Stephen said. Herald took a breath. A plate of wings slid between them. The waitress places two plates and plenty of napkins. “Thank you.”

  “Anything else for now?” the waitress questioned.

  “No.”

  Herald scooped some of the off-red color wings onto his plate. Stephen could only stare. They were shaped like boomerangs. A few came onto his plate. He stuck his fork in one and bit. This was not chicken. The tang added to this delicious meat that he couldn’t compare to anything he ate before.

  Herald’s eyes met Stephen as he poked the first with his fork. “It’s not easy to talk about,” he said. Stephen bit again. The sauce clung to his tongue.

  “Herald, I did not come here for this.”

  “Nor did I think that would happen,” Herald said. “I didn’t factor you would come, or I would have three extra people who are scared. Your friend is really pushing me.”

  “Gabe acts out when he feels cornered,” Stephen said. “He doesn’t know what to do, and when he doesn’t have any control, of course, who wouldn’t?” Herald took back some more of his beer. “Answer me, Herald.”

  “When I was in college, I was with Ron. He had left to go back to the apartment, and I went to meet a girl I fancied at the time. I got lost and found myself in a predicament with three people. I was stabbed, robbed, and left to bleed out. I would never let that happen to me again.”

  “You didn’t hesitate, Herald.”

  “I’ve trained for combat situations,” Herald said. “I choose to take more courses not long after things happened with your parents. You never came, and I felt if I fou
nd you, I needed to ensure I could protect us.”

  “Have you killed before?”

  “No,” Herald said quick. “Not a real person. Killing my first hologram was an issue. When it comes down to it, whose life matters most? I wasn’t going to let Howard or that man end us.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I don’t know yet. When things calm down, I will have a lot to think about. I need to keep my mind focused.”

  Hanash had been a threat. Stephen hadn’t wanted anyone to get shot. It felt weird; he saw the gun, purposely got hit to be able to roll to it, and then fired first chance. He hadn’t aimed for the head, nor the chest. Pure luck let that bullet hit in that state. What might have happened if he had killed Hanash? His hand shook under the table. He needed to keep what Herald said in mind.

  “Eat,” Herald said. “We have a transport ship to catch soon.”

  Stephen nodded. The wings went unusually fast. They kicked butt. He wiped his mouth and finished the last of his beer. Herald waved the kedren chip in hand. It took a little while for the waitress to bring a tablet for them. It fit right into a slot at the top. He tapped on a decent tip.

  “Thank you, kindly,” the waitress said.

  “I see you eying her,” Herald whispered the moment she was behind the counter. Stephen tore his gaze. “Don’t be embarrassed. Zachar woman are very beautiful.”

  This Zachar had dark purple skin, a lovely curved body, and odd, yet attractive hair. They appeared like tons of thin tentacles, that she had pulled back and secured with a black clip. Did she have to cut them? Her eyes caught Stephen. A smile grew before she started to wipe down the counter. Someone like her might get a lot of tips in here.

  “How has your translator integrated?” Herald asked.

  “I think okay,” Stephen said. “It’s still weird to see mouths move and hear different. I like being able to understand. Too bad they don’t have something for written words.”

  “The brain can only be given so much,” Herald said. “You can learn a language, but the brain can only take so much at once. I learned a language for the academy specifically by that means but wouldn’t want to do another. I’m fine with learning as I go or learning from another.”

  “Could Andy be taught by a device if he had sight?” Stephen questioned.

  “Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend anything being done. He is from the past, and if he goes back, it would complicate things.”

  “It could make him have a whole new life.”

  “I understand, but you have to think about interfering with the past. He’d be studied for the miracle.”

  “Oh,” Stephen said. He forced the thoughts of his friend strapped to a table.

  “How are you, Stephen?” Herald asked. “I should have asked first, and I apologize. I know your surgery went well and you seem -”

  “I feel like my old self,” Stephen said. “As much as I can at least.”

  The physical state of Stephen had mostly returned. He wanted to be able to have some time to think and adjust. Going from a chair to walking was a lot. Everything had to be done for him since the accident. He hated it - asking for help. No one should have to be where he had been.

  “If you start to notice pain or weakness, rest. I’ll have you looked over on Galat II before we meet with Councilman Wallace. I’m sure he’ll clear time quickly.”

  “How do you know him so well?”

  “Well,” Herald admitted, “he’s the only human councilman. Back when he was a senator, he heard my story. I have been searching for a long time. It would have been easier if I had total control. He learned from me about Kodon and agreed that something like it needed to be studied in the right hands. From my years of service, he granted me a spot on the Explorer C.” He shook his head. “My home and friends are gone. It’s not -”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “He’ll know what to do,” Herald said. “He is one of the kindest men I have met and he’s young. He believes Kodon has a purpose, and I trust him with its fate. I’d like to be onboard, but I also wouldn’t mind finding a new role. I found you. If Kodon is safe, then I did my part for your parents.”

  “Did you really spend half your life looking for me?”

  “Long enough,” Herald said. “I didn’t want to believe you were dead. Something happened to the pod and finally I know. Its AI risked everything to hide and go through the tear. It damaged some vital systems, and then the AI chose to let you be on Earth because it did not calculate getting back.”

  “How did you find it?”

  “Time,” Herald said. “It ensured getting back to space. It powered at times, changing its course in orbit over the years. Eventually in the end, it broke from the pull of the sun and by luck went through the tear. I had to replace its power cells to get what I could.”

  “Interesting.”

  Herald shook slightly. “Damn thing,” he said. “Pardon.” He pulled his handheld. Slowly, his eyes grew wide. “We need to move.”

  “What?”

  “I had set the shuttle to detect anyone around it,” Herald said. “We have officers aboard looking at it.”

  “Talon Federation?”

  “No, but I know it’s them. If they are there, they most likely know we would go to departures.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  Herald’s finger moved along his tablet; a tap here and there. “Damn,” he cursed. “I know they’ll recognize me.”

  “A disguise?”

  “The departure staff will get suspicious, and no doubt our friends will be scanning people around the area.”

  Damn. Herald shook his head. A slight redness started to take to his forehead. “We need to head back down,” he said.

  “Our shuttle?”

  “No. I’m trying to think this through.”

  Again, Stephen felt like he was back in the chair.

  Chapter Nine

  The area looked the same as that of those Geletoids. A pair of Riftvores helped along a few people here. Stephen wanted to learn what he could of alien races. Riftvores had an odd bone feature that pressed out the skin where their eyebrows should be. They looked pretty human besides that. A man approached the circular desk looking very hot in the face.

  “Come on,” Herald called. The others kept close behind Stephen. Gabe held something that looked like foil in hand. It had once held a large burrito that still steamed. The green rice and orange meat looked good. Its smell made Stephen’s mouth water.

  “What do you need from the ship?” Kim questioned.

  “I’m not sure I got everything,” Herald said.

  Andy changed his shirt aboard before they left. Stephen tried to keep alert as they came into the hall. This wasn’t their deck. Herald took them a bit and came to a stop before a large open doorway. Inside, lockers lined a wall, along with some vending machines, and two stations waited. A catwoman, which Stephen needed to stop seeing them as, banged upon one of them.

  “That is my damn account,” the woman hissed. “Give me my geks, bastard!” Once more she slammed the machine. A red light flashed upon the screen. She sighed. “Fuckin’ thing.”

  “Reminds me of the ATM,” Gabe chuckled. The woman’s eyes shot to him briefly. She retreated to a bench by the lockers. She sunk down and quickly hung her head.

  “An ATM, Gabe?” Herald questioned.

  “Automated teller,” Stephen explained. “It lets us transfer money.”

  “Oh, that’s what this is,” Herald said. “I need to check my account.”

  “Check it now?” Gabe questioned. “Jeez, let’s get to the shuttle, and then get out of here.”

  “I need to ensure we have enough gek.”

  “I hope they reimburse you for all this,” Kim said. “It isn’t fair that we can’t pay.”

  “Thank you, Kim,” Herald said.

  Stephen stared curiously. Herald didn’t pull anything. He tapped at the screen on the credit station. A curse rose suddenly. The woman had her handhe
ld up. Back her arm went. She clutched it hard, several times enacting the throw.

  “Mam,” Stephen said. “Is there something I can do to help?”

  “Unless you have four hundred geks laying around, no,” the woman said.

  “What happened?”

  “My account’s been frozen,” the woman said. She shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh. “That’s the last time I trust them.”

  “Can’t you call them?”

  “I’ve dealt with them before. They’ll sit on their asses, and it will be tomorrow before they do anything. I need to pay my dock and maintenance fees.”

  “How much is it?” Herald chimed in.

  “Four hundred,” the woman said.

  “This may be odd to hear,” Herald began. The woman already had her arms crossed. “I may be willing to pay three times your fee if you can help us out.”

  “Three times?” the woman asked, leaning forward. “Don’t be pulling my tail.”

  “Three times,” Herald ensured. “Our recent venture with Kedel Marsh hasn’t been well. We want to get to a place where we can hire a private pilot to get us home. If you could provide us a ride to a good station or planet, then I would be very thankful.”

  “Kedel Marsh?” the woman scoffed. “Of course, you’d have issues. My brother works for them. Their fees are ridiculous.”

  “Oh, but they have the lowest transport cost,” Herald mocked.

  “Until you want to make any changes or bring a bag.”

  “Exactly. We don’t care about our luggage. Do you think you could help us out?”

  “I’m going to Earth.”

  “That’s fine. We can leave from there.”

  “There’s five of you.”

  “Four times your fees then,” Herald said.

  “Well, fine,” the woman said. “If you kindly transfer or give me the geks, we can be on our way. I need to leave soon.” Herald didn’t hesitate with the new kedren chip he had received. “Meet me in 13B. I’ll be along shortly. It’s the red, pointed nose hawk. Call me Majuri.”

  “Thanks,” Herald said. “Herald.”