by D. M. Pruden
He advanced on the captain and before anyone could react sent him to the deck with a left cross.
Dark fury filled Pavlovich’s eyes as he sat up and rubbed his jaw. “This is wearing thin.”
Malkovich held his head high and stared down at him.
Then a smirk turned up the corners of Pavlovich’s mouth. Malkovich continued to glare at the fallen man before a smile grew on his face as well.
“You know, I believe it was my turn to hit you, Cousin.”
The general shrugged. “It’s been too long; I forgot.”
“Bullshit.” He rose and they embraced, slapping each other on the back.
Malkovich grinned. “I’ve been waiting to do that for years.”
Pavlovich rubbed his jaw. “I didn’t think I’d pissed you off that much when we last met.”
“I’ve had a lot of years to stew over it. Sorry I punched you so hard.”
The captain grinned. “No, you’re not.”
Malkovich returned the smile. “No, I’m not.”
Kaine shook his head in disbelief, and thought, My family is dysfunctional, but we have nothing on these two.
“Cap’n, if you’re finished, we have a crew to recover and a warship to deal with,” said Cora.
“Who the hell is that?” asked Malkovich.
“I’ll explain later. Let’s go to the conference room to make our plans.”
Pavlovich put his big arm around his cousin and gestured to the door. When everyone had exited to the corridor, the captain excused himself and signalled Hayden.
“Kaine, a word in private, if you don’t mind,” he said pleasantly before reentering engineering. Hayden hesitated for a moment then followed.
The door closed behind him and he approached Pavlovich, whose back was toward him.
“Yes, sir?”
Pavlovich whirled and punched him savagely in the gut. Kaine doubled over and fell to the deck. While he fought for breath, Pavlovich kneeled over him and said, “The next time you pull a weapon on someone, make sure you use it, because you usually won’t get another chance.”
He patted Hayden patronizingly on the cheek before he exited.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Allies
HAYDEN ENTERED THE conference room to the cousins sharing a drink and a laugh.
“Ah, Kaine, come and join us. I hope you’re feeling better?”
Hayden’s hand reflexively covered his stomach. His abdomen still ached from the blow. “I’ll be fine, sir.”
The captain seemed amused and satisfied. Malkovich regarded him with disappointment and disdain.
Feeling like a chastened child, Hayden assumed his seat at the table.
“Cora, please resume your summary.”
“Yes, Cap’n. As I was saying, the erganium we recovered was of sufficient grade that it required little in the way of refinement. We completed most of the conversion process before Chin and the others were evacuated.”
“Estimated time to finish it once they return?”
“About six hours.”
Hayden looked quizzically at Pavlovich, not quite able to believe what he’d just heard. Noticing his incredulity, the captain said, “We’ve no secrets from Cesar, Kaine. We all share the same goal.”
His aching midsection reminding him to be cautious, Hayden said as respectfully as he could manage, “I’m afraid I’m a little unclear on that matter, sir. What, exactly, is our goal?”
“My resources are at your disposal to help recover your shipmates, Lieutenant,” said Malkovich.
“In return, we will assist the rebels to bring Stromm down and reestablish ordered governance to this system,” said Pavlovich.
“And how does our FTL drive fit into this arrangement?”
“We’re pooling resources. It would be pointless to conceal all of our technology, since we will be dependent upon Cesar’s people to fill in the positions for our missing people. We can’t operate Scimitar in a combat scenario without a crew.”
“You anticipate a conflict?”
“It may come to that, Kaine,” said Malkovich. “My last reports indicated the prisoners are held in a high-security wing in the presidential palace on Pictor Prime. We won’t be able to get near the place without some advanced technology.”
“Right now, Cora is evaluating the possibility of adapting the rebel stealth tech to Scimitar,” said Pavlovich. “If that doesn’t prove possible, we may have to outfit Cesar’s ships with Glenatat weaponry.”
“That could take weeks. Our crew might be dead by then.”
“Not while Kovacs believes threatening them is motivating me to cooperate.”
“And how long can that lie be maintained? The bodies of his troops are floating around outside. Surely he is concerned they haven’t reported in recently?”
“Cora tapped into their comm frequency and has been sending text updates back to Iliad. That should keep them off our back for a short time.”
“To accomplish what?” said Hayden.
“We have to draw Stromm out from his fortress,” said Malkovich. “Right now, he trusts Kovacs to work in his interest. That trust must be broken to compel Stromm to come and retrieve the missing component himself.”
“What is this thing you two have been tearing the ship apart to locate?”
“Show him, Cora,” said Pavlovich.
A hologram appeared over the table and slowly rotated in front of Hayden.
“This is the thing that Kovacs and Stromm are so hot to get their hands on,” said the captain.
“What is it?”
Pavlovich shrugged. “Damned if I know. This image is a poor estimate of what it looks like, based on my description to Cora. It is a component for a much larger machine, already assembled and ready to use, once this part is located.”
“What is this device Stromm is assembling?”
“Something that reveals the cynosure,” said Malkovich.
“What the hell is that?” asked Hayden.
Pavlovich leaned forward, elbows on the table, like a professor about to go into a long explanation for an especially slow student. “Kaine, have you never wondered why, in the centuries since we’ve colonized our little corner of the galaxy, we have encountered no one else? Why does it look like we are the only ones out here?”
“That’s not true. We’ve found ruins on a number of worlds.”
“Ruins, yes, but never a living, thriving advanced civilization.”
“Until we met the Glenatat,” said Hayden.
“Yes, and their nemesis, the Malliac. But we were never meant to find them. It was only dumb luck and a crazy scientist that allowed you to pilot Scimitar through that wormhole. If not for that, the Glenatat would still be believed a dead civilization.”
“What is your point?”
“There are more advanced races out there than even the Glenatat,” said Malkovich. “The cynosure will point us to them.”
“Like a compass?”
He chuckled. “A bit like that, but there is much, much more. The cynosure is a portal.”
“Imagine a transportation network, but one not limited to jumping between receiver stations,” said Pavlovich. “One that is capable of transporting, not just ships, but entire planets to anywhere across the galaxy...even to other galaxies.”
“It would make our jump system seem like stone-age technology by comparison,” said Malkovich.
Hayden regarded Pavlovich. “You’re buying this?”
“I didn’t when I first heard it. When Thomas tried to recruit me, the story sounded too fantastic. I wasn’t about to drink from the crazy juice and join him. But when we encountered the Glenatat, Thomas’s delusions became credible.”
“They were aware of the cynosure,” said Malkovich. “For some reason, they disassembled the device that points to it and hid the components around the galaxy.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Who knows? Maybe you two should have asked them when you visited. An
yway, when their civilization collapsed, knowledge of it was lost until our archaeologists stumbled onto something about 180 years ago.”
“Since then,” said Pavlovich, “Thomas and others before him quietly recovered the missing pieces, looking forward to the day when they could assemble them.”
“But the plan went awry when you destroyed the light gate network, Mister Kaine,” said Malkovich. “Two ships, yours being one, were trapped at the farthest ends of the empire, and there was no way to recover them. Thomas and his conspirators’ plans were dashed, and it would have ended there had Scimitar not shown up here.”
Hayden faced Pavlovich. “You knew about this all along. We’re not in this mess by accident.”
Pavlovich nodded. “I knew there was something aboard Scimitar that Thomas wanted brought to this system. Two months before you were sent to us, I was ordered to come here for an unspecified mission. The order made no sense. I thought Thomas had finally decided to get rid of me. Naturally, I found a number of excuses to delay our departure. Then, when you arrived with orders that left no wiggle room about our return, I knew my days were numbered. When the network collapsed, I thought it was all finished and my worries over.”
“But you discovered the FTL technology.”
“It put me in a position of advantage. I reasoned that if the Glenatat and the Malliac existed, then the cynosure might also be real. If the technology exists to move entire planets out of the path of the Malliac threat, don’t we have an obligation to find it?”
“Did it ever occur to you that it might lead to something far worse?” asked Hayden.
“Look around you, Kaine! We’re witnessing the end of human civilization. Do you think Pictor is the only system experiencing this kind of anarchy? In another generation, there may be nobody left to save.”
“And who do you imagine having control of the cynosure and all the power it points to? You?” He pointed at Malkovich. “Him?”
The cousins regarded each other as the question hung in the air.
“Gentlemen,” said Cora, “we have a more pressing matter to deal with. The Iliad has launched missiles.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Taking Off the Gloves
PAVLOVICH STRODE ONTO the bridge, Hayden and Malkovich on his heels.
“Cora, can you shut down that damned klaxon? We’re all here.”
“Aye, Cap’n,” she replied as the alarm ended.
Hayden rushed to the science monitoring station.
“Yegor,” said Malkovich, “we still have time to escape in my ship. The missiles will not be able to detect it.”
Pavlovich glared at him. “Would you abandon your command so easily, Cesar?”
His cousin raised his hands in surrender. “It is only something for you to take into consideration, Cousin.”
“Captain,” said Hayden, “Cora has confirmed that missiles are locked on Scimitar and the repair vessel with our people aboard.”
“Well, that ends the debate.” Pavlovich assumed the command chair. “Cora, what do we have available?”
“Three of our engines are cold, sir, including the one powering the X-ray lasers.”
“We don’t have enough time to bring them online,” said Hayden.
“What kind of ordnance is coming our way?”
“Nukes, by the radiation readings.”
“Cora, can they hurt us?”
“No, sir, our armour should protect us.”
“But the repair ship hasn’t any protection.”
“Captain,” said Hayden, “the Glenatat weapons are tied into the active engine.”
“Do you know how to target them, Kaine?”
He hurried to Gunney’s tactical alcove. “I guess we’re going to find out. Cora, time to impact?”
“Two minutes, thirty-one seconds,” she said.
Pavlovich’s voice boomed. “Bring the other engines online. We aren’t hiding any more.”
“Way ahead of you, Cap’n, but they won’t be up to power for twelve minutes.”
Hayden took one last look at the interface then said, “Dark energy cannon charged and locked on the missiles. May I fire, sir?”
“Take ’em out, Kaine.”
Moments later, the lighting flickered as the alien weapon drew power. Hayden’s eyes remained glued to the tactical display as he watched the two approaching warheads vanish from the screen. “Enemy missiles neutralized.”
“That’s gonna piss off Kovacs.”
Kaine moved across the bridge to the engineering panel. “Let’s hope it will confuse him long enough for us to get our engines online.”
“Captain,” said Cora, “I’m detecting coded transmissions between Iliad and their other ship. Looks like it’s responded and is changing course, heading this way. ETA, seventeen minutes to weapons range.”
“Sounds like Kovacs called for help.”
“We should retreat once your engines are hot,” said Malkovich. “Poor old Scimitar is no match for one of those ship’s rail guns, let alone two.”
Pavlovich scowled at his cousin. “Careful how you speak about the old girl. She’s got more fight in her than you realize.”
Malkovich glared at him. “Yegor, you are out of your mind. This ship is over sixty years old and is three classes smaller than those modern warships. They have ten times your firepower and can withstand a direct hit by a nuke, if you had one. You don’t stand a chance. Your only advantage is speed. Use your FTL drive and get us out of here.”
Pavlovich looked up at Hayden. “What is your opinion, XO? Should we tuck our tail and run?”
“With all due respect, sir, if the general wishes to leave, his ship is still docked.”
“Yeah, I kind of agree with my first officer, Cesar. Feel free to go while you can, just make sure you close the door on your way out.”
Malkovich stared at Pavlovich then shot a withering look at Kaine. After a moment of consideration, he said, “Fine, I’ll stay. But at least let me put my ship into the fight.”
“Cora, have you accounted for the additional mass of the stealth ship attached to our hull?”
“Cap’n, you’ve hurt my feelings. Of course I have. It’s no problem.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
The general smiled and said, “Human merged with machine, you say? Impressive.”
Pavlovich returned the smile. “If you’re staying, we need you to do something useful. Do you remember how to fly?”
Malkovich glanced at the helm station. “I think I can recall a thing or two about how these old ships function...” He became more sober. “I can drive her where you tell me to go, but with only three of us, we don’t have much chance to engage Kovacs.”
“Cora will run engineering and keep the weapons hot. She’s got most of the ship on automation. Right girl?”
“Cap’n, I have a handle on all systems at the moment and can keep things humming as long as everything holds together. But we really need the crew. My temporary network is mostly bailing wire and spit. If a key connection blows, I don’t know if I can restore things. The general might be right.”
“Bullshit. Helmsman, bring us about and put us on an intercept course to meet the approaching ship...does she have a name, Cora?”
“Deimos, Cap’n.”
“Hmm, that’s a tad aggressive. Target her, Kaine; full power.”
“Sir?”
Annoyed, Pavlovich turned to Hayden. “That means turn the dial to maximum, XO. Cesar isn’t often correct about a lot of things, but he is right about our ability to take on two ships in our present condition. The sooner we remove one from the board, the easier this will become.”
“But there must be two hundred crewmen on that vessel...”
“Kaine, we don’t have time for a philosophical argument. Take out that ship.”
Frowning, Hayden lifted his chin. “Cora, what is your assessment of our defences? How much can we take?”
Pavlovich scowled at his XO as
she replied, “The captain and the general are correct. Even our enhanced armour won’t survive a combined attack from them.”
“It’s them or us, Kaine. What’s it going to be?”
He jumped to his feet. “We can outrun them.”
“I’m afraid it is too late for that,” said Cora. “Iliad has changed course to cover our only potential escape vector. Our other engines won’t come online before we are in weapons range of both ships. We won’t be able to build enough acceleration to take us out of danger.”
“It’s do or die, son, and I don’t plan on dying.”
Hayden noticed Pavlovich’s hand over his holstered sidearm. After their earlier altercation, he had no doubt that his captain would use it.
He returned to his place in the tactical alcove. “I am targeting Deimos with the dark energy cannon; full power.”
The words tasted like bile. He couldn’t get the image out of his mind of the floating armada of dead Malliac ships. How many of them had died on that day ten years ago? They were monsters, true, and needed to be stopped, but the crew aboard Deimos were not warrior aliens. They were men and women, just like him, trapped in a place they never intended to live for the rest of their lives; caught up in a conflict between two megalomaniacs, all because of his fateful decision on that day. Now they would die by his hand.
The light he dreaded seeing flashed on his panel. With a heavy heart, his hand rose to the interface. “Cannon charged. Target locked.”
He hesitated, until he heard Pavlovich shift in the command chair. Pressing the button, he said, “Firing.”
Despite his misgivings and shame, he couldn’t avoid watching the tactical display. Morbid fascination demanded he observe what the weapon could do against a human vessel.
What he witnessed tore at his heart with icy claws.
Undetectable by any human instrumentation, the dark energy beam struck Deimos with unimaginable fury.
Its bow crumpled as if piloted into an invisible wall. The vessel’s spine buckled while explosions blew her hull apart from within. Advancing from the impact point, a rippling distortion wave seemed to devour what remained undamaged. As the fury washed toward the stern, the hull plating vaporized, exposing the skeletal support structure beneath.