The Calypsis Project Boxed Set (Books 1-2 - The Echo-Alpha Duology)

by Brittany M. Willows

  Sol hissed. “You did.”

  “Well, as is the nature of human beings, we wanted to learn more about it, so we conducted further investigations. Turns out Sector Three’s AI and the foreign construct have been communicating with each other for quite some time now.”

  A look akin to fear flashed across his face. “It spoke?”

  “Yes, and what she had to share was quite intriguing.” That earned O’Connor a sharp jab in the shoulder from Stedman, but he continued regardless. “Her name was Serenity. She said her vessel was shipwrecked on the Drahkori homeworld, buried deep beneath the surface . . . Although, it appears these were nothing more than the delusions of a malfunctioning AI, and so we have dismissed her claims.”

  “Has she been dealt with properly?”

  “We decommissioned Sector Three’s AI core to sever her connection to our databases. She is as good as dead,” O’Connor lied. “Although, there is one other thing . . .” He gave his chin a thoughtful tap and went on, ignoring the burn of Stedman’s glare on his scalp. “Naturally, Serenity shouldn’t have known anything about the project—yet she did, and she seems to think you plan on using Calypsis to do more than wipe out the Drocain.”

  Immediately, Sol jumped to the offensive. “Do you take me for a liar?” He leaned in towards the camera and met his accuser’s eyes, but the agent did not move a muscle. “You said so yourself: the construct is broken. Her word cannot be trusted.”

  O’Connor raised his hands. “I meant no offense, Your Excellence. Just thought it wise to check. I’m sure you can understand that.”

  Sol’s lips twitched with irritation. Only when a legionnaire strode up beside him did he release O’Connor from his scrutiny. He withdrew momentarily to speak to a crew member off camera, then turned back to the humans. “Locate Echo Team. Apprehend Valinquint and bring him here. Fail me again, Agent O’Connor, and it will be your head on the pike.”

  Do what you can to apprehend Valinquint and alert me the second you have him in custody. Do not fail me again.”

  With that, the High Lord disconnected from the call.

  As soon as the screen went dark, Stedman started slapping O’Connor as though he were a punching bag. “What the hell is wrong with you, Leonard?” she spat. “Do you have a death wish?!”

  “Hey, hey! Give it a rest!” O’Connor threw his arms up to shield himself from her feeble attacks, and she retreated. “I wanted answers, alright?”

  “Answers? From him?”

  “If there really is no truth to these rumors, we should do our best to shut them down. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “I don’t care about the rumors right now, Leonard. You can’t just throw accusations around like that! Didn’t you see how angry he was?”

  “I can see how angry you are,” O’Connor chuckled. It wasn’t the first time he had pissed off Sol, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. However, he had learned early on how close he get to the boiling pot without slipping in.

  A sharp twinge of guilt silenced his ignorant sniggering when he realized Stedman was on the verge of tears. He had grown so used to her fearless façade over the years, it hadn’t occurred to him to check in and see how she was handling things. Now he could see how frightened she truly was.

  It was no secret that even he was terrified when the Director brought him into the fold and introduced him to the Nepheran High Lord. But having dealt with rebels and terrorists throughout his long career, he was able to conquer that fear quickly.

  Stedman, on the other hand, used to operate from the safety of her own office—monitoring drone feeds and communications channels. So when she decided she wanted in on the big secret, nothing could have prepared her for the emotional strain that came with it.

  “Alright, look, I’m sorry.” O’Connor stood and offered her his handkerchief, which she swiped from his grasp. A simple apology wouldn’t cut it. “I shouldn’t have questioned Sol while you were here. I know. But you have to understand: I’ve been working with this psychopath for nearly four decades. You don’t have to worry about me.”

  Stedman didn’t respond. She dried her cheeks with precise dabs, careful not to smudge her makeup, then straightened her blazer and took off without another word.

  O’Connor flinched as the door slammed shut behind her. He slumped in his chair and let out a heavy sigh. It was times like this that made him wonder whether he was the only person who could handle this job—the only one who could harbor the secrets without succumbing to the stress of it all.

  Even DuFrayne, in his old age, had reached a breaking point. It was the constant struggle, the fight to keep all of their alliances happy without exposing the project, that had ultimately pushed him over the edge and forced him out of the loop altogether.

  O’Connor took one last drag of his cigarette, then smothered the butt in a potted plant beside his desk and left the room.

  The way Sol had reacted to his questions was troubling. Though he did not outright confess to having an ulterior motive, he hadn’t exactly denied it either. And even if his plans didn’t entail wiping the galaxy clean of life, he was definitely hiding something.

  It’s about time I did some digging of my own.

  ———PART IV———

  WHENCE WE CAME

  Chapter

  —TWENTY-FOUR—

  2000 Hours, September 13, 2442 (Earth Calendar) / Queensway Station, Charab’dul, planet Chelwood Gate

  Upon arriving at Chelwood Gate, Echo Team hopped aboard the next space elevator to Charab’dul and settled in for the long descent. With the Legacy of Night barred from entering the planet’s atmosphere, the carrier would remain parked at the orbital station for the duration of their visit.

  Alana moved to the window and looked into the neighboring climber. Despite the tinting on the glass, the silhouettes of its passengers were so well-defined that she could make out the shapes of children running around inside. Several of them came up to the window, heads bobbing as they tried to catch a glimpse inside Echo Team’s brightly lit cabin.

  It had been ages since Alana last saw children in such high spirits. Or anyone, for that matter. She raised her hand in a wave, which sent them into a squealing fit.

  They bounced up and down excitedly, slapping chubby palms against the glass. Their parents promptly ushered them away, probably worried they were making too much noise.

  And not a single person over there had the slightest idea that three aliens and a team of soldiers had been riding the cable beside them all along.

  “Look at them.” Carter shook his head at the civilians as he sauntered over. “You’d almost think there wasn’t a war raging halfway across the galaxy.”

  Alana couldn’t tell whether he was annoyed by their naiveté or envious of the freedom it gave them. “Ignorance is bliss,” she said. “Let them enjoy it while they can.”

  Chelwood Gate was one of the few colony worlds that had managed to escape the conflict thus far, making it a primary drop-off point for refugees. It was a place where people could live and raise their families in peace. Most of the children had probably never even heard of the Royal Empire, let alone seen a Drocain warrior in action.

  “Hey guys,” Parker called from the lounge area, where he was sitting with Kenon, Levian, Jhiral, and Jenkinson. “You might want to take a look at this.”

  Alana and Carter joined them. They were staring at the monitor on the wall, upon which the EWC News logo was displayed. Parker cranked up the volume when the feed switched to a reporter.

  The woman was standing in front of the transport hub, the elevator cable towering behind her. Her name, Michelle Reyes, scrolled across the bottom of the screen. And judging by the noise in the background, she wasn’t alone.

  “Good evening, Charab’dul,” she said. “We are coming to you live from Queensway Station, where citizens have come from all over the city to protest the impending meeting between the UNPD’s Echo Team and our very own Security Council. President Talbot addressed t
he public’s questions earlier this afternoon. However, subsequent leaks from the press have raised even more concerns. But what exactly has caused this stir? Let’s see what Admiral Phillip Anderson has to say on the matter.”

  “Oh, this can’t end well,” Carter murmured.

  Reyes led the camera crew into the station. Most of the areas inside had been cordoned off, allowing the building to remain open whilst keeping civilian eyes off Echo Team and their alien allies. It would have been ideal to shut the whole place down, if not for the risk of upsetting the entire city.

  Queensway was the largest transport hub on the planet—perhaps even the largest in the system. Each and every day, more than five million people passed through the station on their way home, to work, or to visit friends and family. Closing it for twenty-four hours to avoid being seen by the public just wasn’t feasible.

  The cameras followed Reyes to the far side of the building. As they rounded the bend to Terminal 7, they were stopped by a line of security personnel decked out in riot gear. But their stun batons and polycarbonate shields did not faze Reyes. She marched right up to them and demanded to pass even when threatened with arrest.

  “Let me speak to the man in charge,” she insisted. “The public has a right to know what’s going on!”

  Not a second too soon, the Admiral emerged from the security barricade. He motioned for the police to stand down and strode toward the cameras with his chin held high. If anyone knew how to appease the press, it was Anderson.

  Reyes didn’t even bother to greet him. “Admiral Anderson, the people want answers. What can you tell us about the rumors surrounding this . . . clandestine meeting?” She held the microphone up to him.

  “There is nothing clandestine about it, Miss Reyes; we were simply waiting for the right moment to announce the details,” Anderson replied coolly. “This kind of reaction was to be expected. Most folks don’t take kindly to the idea of alien warriors setting foot on their homeworld unless those warriors are en route to a containment facility.”

  “So you’re admitting to the presence of Drocain on the space elevator?”

  “Former Drocain, yes,” Anderson corrected. “Echo Team is in the company of Levian ‘Nher and two Drahkori warriors.”

  “Levian ‘Nher was considered a Priority-Alpha target just a few years ago. As you can imagine, this is gravely concerning. Has the UNPD taken measures to keep him and the other warriors in check?”

  “Make no mistake, these warriors mean us no harm. They abandoned all past preconceptions when they joined us to fight for a greater cause. Nevertheless, they will be under military escort at all times.”

  As Reyes swung the microphone back to herself, Jenkinson stormed over to the monitor and turned it off. “Goddamned reporters, always running their mouths . . .” he muttered. “You’d think the Bureau would shut them up before the news could break.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if those spooks were responsible for the leak.” Parker tossed the monitor controller onto the coffee table. “They’re probably trying to keep us away from Calypsis so we can’t screw up whatever bogus plan the Nephera have been selling them.”

  “What does this mean for the mission?” Kenon asked.

  “We proceed as planned,” Levian said, extracting the batteries from his gauntlets to disarm his energy blades. He then slipped them into his belt and motioned for Kenon to do the same. “Civilians are harmless in most cases. Ownership of personal firearms is prohibited by law, so unless one wishes to risk their own freedom in order to eliminate us, we should not be in any danger.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t bet on it,” Jenkinson scoffed. Having worked in law enforcement prior to joining the military, he would know all too well just how harmless civilians could be.

  Alana returned to the window as they descended through the clouds, hoping the view would provide a distraction from her worries.

  A patchwork of greens and grays stretched beneath the elevator, dotted with the fiery colors of autumn. Situated on the west coast of Volusia, Charab’dul’s sprawling infrastructure covered nearly a third of the continent. Maglev lines ran for miles. Skyrails snaked between high-rises, many meters over the city—a terrific way to avoid the rush-hour traffic, which was clogging up the streets below.

  It reminded Alana of Anahk. Of home.

  Suddenly, the vista disappeared—replaced by the unlit interior of the elevator’s enclosed shaft. A whooshing sound filled the cabin as the climber began to slow, coming to a stop at the bottom of the cable.

  Echo Team and Levian departed from the climber and made their way to Terminal 7, where Anderson was still waiting with his entourage of armored guards. Thankfully, the nosy reporter and her camera crew had gone. Jenkinson probably would have ripped her to pieces if given the chance.

  As the seven of them halted before the welcome party, a policewoman broke away from her squad and moved to Anderson’s side. Echo Team snapped both of them a sharp salute, while Kenon and Levian stooped low in a bow.

  Anderson motioned for them to stand at ease. “Right on time,” he said. “The councilors have already been briefed. They’re all eager to hear what you have to say, as am I.”

  Jenkinson blew air out of his cheeks. “I just hope this goes over well. I don’t particularly want to fight past their gatekeepers, but we are going to Calypsis—with or without their permission.”

  “Either way, you have my support.”

  The officer standing at Anderson’s shoulder was eyeing Kenon and Levian’s gauntlets suspiciously. She clutched her firearm a little tighter and said, “You’re armed.”

  “I assure you, we are not.” Levian popped open the battery slot and extended his arm to show he had removed the blades’ power source.

  She leaned forward to inspect the empty slot, then asked to see Kenon’s gauntlets as well. When she was satisfied, she holstered her weapon and introduced herself. “I’m Sergeant Major Lindsay Roxburgh of the Charab’dul Police Department. President Talbot has assigned my squad to be your personal bodyguards for the duration of your visit.”

  “Is that necessary?” Carter asked.

  “Come and see for yourself.” With a jerk of her chin, Sergeant Roxburgh led Anderson and the team through the station’s sealed halls. Her squadron moved up to form a protective circle around them as they neared the front entrance, and the second they stepped outside, they were overwhelmed by the noise.

  The already-furious horde escalated to a whole new level of rage at the sight of the alien warriors, but their threats and insults were lost in the clamor. No one voice could be distinguished from another. However, the words plastered on their cardboard signs were another matter:

  BLOOD FOR BLOOD

  KEEP OUR PLANETS SAFE

  THE WAR ISN’T OVER YET

  SAVE A LIZARD, LOSE A COLONY

  THERE CAN BE NO PEACE UNTIL EVERY LIZARD IS DEAD

  THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT BE TRUSTED

  The message was clear, and the only thing standing between the team and these blood-thirsty protestors was the shock barrier set up around the perimeter. One step through those meter-high pillars would earn you a nasty jolt far stronger than any stun gun. Hopefully that would keep them at bay.

  Jhiral took Kenon’s arm as he shrank back, tail drawn over his feet. For once, even she looked anxious. Levian, on the other hand, just leveled an icy glare at the civilians.

  “Yikes. Tough crowd.” Carter grimaced.

  Jenkinson wasn’t having any of it. He marched up to the barrier and raised his middle finger to the masses. “Fuck off!”

  Someone near the front of the crowd hurled a plastic cup over the black-and-yellow holo-tape and struck him in the side of the head. Before he could lunge forth in retaliation, Alana rushed ahead and grabbed his arm.

  “Kurt, stop!” she shouted, dragging him away from the barrier. He tried to shake her off, but she just tightened her grip and drove her heels in to the pavement. “Don’t give them a reason to be angrier tha
n they already are.”

  “We’re busting our asses over here to save theirs, and this is how they repay us?”

  “Put yourself in their shoes! They don’t know about the Calypsis Project, and they have no idea why we’re here. They’re probably feeling scared and betrayed, and if we can’t keep the peace, it’ll just prove they can’t trust the UNPD.”

  Jenkinson’s fists shook at his sides. He was still raring to go, but he knew better than to let his anger take control. Once he’d had a minute to cool down, he uncurled his fingers and withdrew from the police line.

  They rejoined their teammates at the bottom of the concrete steps where a large transport truck was waiting on the side of the road. Echo Team clambered in alongside Roxburgh’s squad while Anderson moved up front with the driver. The vehicle buckled on its tires as the three warriors piled in.

  Once everyone was settled, Roxburgh pounded on the mesh partition. As the truck pulled away from Queensway Station, she leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees. “This was never supposed to go public, was it?”

  Jenkinson huffed. “No, it wasn’t. If everything had gone according to plan, we would have been in and out of the city without anyone noticing. Obviously somebody wanted to put an obstacle in our way.”

  “Journalists like a good story,” the man beside Roxburgh said. Judging by the bars on his uniform, he was her second-in-command. “Unfortunately for you, the pot’s been rather dry lately. Most interesting thing that’s hit the news here in the past month is some corny conspiracy theory about your little peace treaty.”

  Alana perked up at that. She hadn’t gotten wind of any stories regarding the alliance. “Care to tell?”

  “People think you’re hiding something.”

  “What do you think?”

  “It’s not right—humans running side by side with the lizards. They attacked us. They killed billions of people, and now we’re supposed to act all buddy-buddy? There’s no foundation for an alliance there.” He redirected his attention to the warriors in the back of the truck. “Everyone says you joined us to fight for a greater cause. What cause, exactly?”