by J. N. Chaney
I shrugged. “Fine with me. Just basic defense though. We don’t want her running around and testing out her new skills on her friends.” It was a joke, but I was also half-serious.
“Don’t worry,” promised Octavia. “Proper skills take time to develop. Today, we start with the basics. Isn’t that right, Lex?”
The girl nodded, a wide smile forming as her excitement grew.
I watched the pair leave, headed to the elevator down the hall. As the doors slid shut, I turned to Abigail, noticing how quiet she’d been since I walked in.
“Something on your mind?” I asked, walking over to her. “You worried about Lex?”
“What? Oh, no, it’s not that,” she said, coming out of her daze. Her eyes shifted to the floor, a hint of nostalgia in her tone. “Well, not exactly.”
“So, what is it?” I asked, leaning on one of the nearby consoles. When she didn’t answer right away, I continued. “You know, I’m surprised you didn’t try to train her yourself. I always imagined you’d be the one to do that.” I studied her face, trying to glean insight into whatever she wasn’t saying. I knew more about Abigail than anyone else on this ship, but there were moments when she would disappear into herself, lost in her own head.
She hesitated to answer. “It’s just that all of the training I have . . . I learned it as a means to kill. Lex is almost as old I was when my training started, and I don’t know if that’s something I want to pass on to her. Looking back, it’s not a life I’d wish on anyone.”
Abigail rarely talked about her past—something I could personally appreciate—but I’d seen enough by now to know she had a painful history in her, and it ran deep enough to leave a mark.
I reached out and touched her wrist. “I get it,” I said in a soft voice. “You know I do, but that knowledge has kept you alive. Hell, it’s kept all of us alive. Whatever tragedies you’ve had, they’ve made you who you are, and you turned them into something valuable. You saved Lex. You saved me.”
She shook her head. “It was different, though. To be told to kill when you’re just a child. They give you a rifle and say fire, and you do it because they’re adults and you trust them. You don’t realize what you’re becoming until you’re already there, and when it’s all over you’ve lost who you were. The worst and best parts of me came from that place, and every day I wonder about how my life would have gone if I’d never done it.” She looked into my eyes. “I never want Lex to look back on her life and wonder if things would be better if Abby had never found me?”
“She’d be dead if not for you,” I reminded her. “A dozen times over, she’d be dead.”
Pulling her in close, I wrapped my arms around her waist. “If Lex turns out like you, the world will be better for it.”
“How can you be sure?” She pulled back to look up at me with wide, damp eyes.
“The only reason I’m here, the only reason the Earth has a colony on it, the only reason any of us are free”—I gave her a kiss on the cheek—“is because you couldn’t stand by and watch a little girl suffer. That single decision changed a thousand lives. You changed the whole godsdamn galaxy.”
I spent the next hour with Abigail on the bridge going over recent events. I ran her through what had happened on the surface of the moon. She explained how she and Alphonse had made the decision to put in a call to Titan to come assist. She’d considered asking for The Galactic Dawn as well, but Earth needed the extra defense, which meant one of the two ships would need to stay behind.
A good call, as it turned out, since the Sarkonians had succeeded in getting the word out about Earth’s location.
The door to the bridge slid open and Alphonse walked in. “Captain,” he said, nodding. “Do you have a minute?”
“Sure,” I answered, leaning up from where I was standing. “Got something for us?”
He brought up designs for what I soon realized were new cloaks, tapping a finger to one of them. “As you’re aware, I’ve been working with Sigmond and Athena on how we could copy this tech and use it to detect ships similar to the two we procured.”
“Siggy told me that would take at least a month,” I said, scratching my head. “Are you telling me you figured out how to do that already?”
“I’m saying I don’t believe it will take that long, and I also think we can replicate and modify this technology for our own purposes,” he admitted. “Sigmond is using most of his processing power now to work on it, but we are making considerable progress. It seems these cloaks aren’t as different from previous models as we first believed.”
I moved closer to the screen and motioned for him to continue.
“We’ve disabled the tracking modules in both cloaking devices, and we think we can transplant one from the ship you left in orbit,” said Alphonse. “Perhaps to a ship of equal size, although Sigmond would have to create it in one of his drone factories. We’re still discussing that option.”
“I’m sensing there’s something else,” I said.
He nodded. “This has little to do with the cloak, but I’ve been going over what we know about the Celestials, contemplating how to better combat them, should we find ourselves face-to-face with another in the immediate future.”
“Oh?” I asked.
“It sounds like you have an idea,” said Abigail.
“Indeed, I have several,” he agreed. “The only problem is that they all require neutronium.”
“How is that a problem?” I asked. “We’ve got a planet full of it back home.”
“We have an excess at the center of the Earth, certainly, but I would caution against its removal. There’s no knowing what effect harvesting it would have on the terraforming process.”
He was right about that. The Celestials had buried all of that metal below the surface for a reason—something none of us could fully understand. Not even Gaia had the full story, thanks to the gaps in her memory and the corrupted files in her system.
“What are you suggesting, then?” asked Abigail.
“We make our own,” he said, cocking a half-smile. “Of course, the materials required are quite rare, found only in small deposits, much of which has already been mined by the Union.”
“Which is why they’re the only people making it,” said Abigail.
“For now,” said Alphonse. “But there’s still a large operation occurring in a system near the Sarkonian border, inside Union territory. They call it the White Cross.”
“I’ve heard of that,” I said, straightening at the sound of the term. “It’s why the Sarkonian economy went under a few decades ago. Are you telling me that system is where the Union’s been getting the materials to make neutronium?”
“Most of them, yes,” said Alphonse.
“I’ve never heard of that being the case,” said Abigail.
He nodded. “Not even the Sarkonians are aware of it,” he explained. “They had no idea these materials could be used to make something so valuable. At the time, the Union had chosen to buy the materials from them in bulk, but when the opportunity came to seize the planet—”
“They jumped on it,” I finished.
“Indeed,” he said.
“So, are you suggesting we go in and take this system?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, not at all,” he assured me. “If you can form an alliance with the Union, we can share our findings on the Celestials in exchange for their help with obtaining the necessary materials. The Union is slow to synthesize neutronium, but we can likely expedite the process. Sigmond’s factories could be modified to do the work in a fraction of the time.”
“You’re putting a lot of faith in people who want us all dead,” I said with a scoff.
He slipped a hand in his pocket and smirked. “On the contrary, Captain,” he said with a raised eyebrow. “You’re the one I’ve put my faith in, and I do believe you’ll find a way to prove me right.”
19
Titan arrived near Earth, and I was relieved to see the system fre
e of Union or Sarkonian ships.
As soon as we’d left slipspace, I’d sent word ahead to prepare for the arrival of the new colonists and the impending Union attack. There was no telling when Vick would arrive with his fleet, and I had to make certain we were prepared for them.
“I’m afraid I can give no estimates,” said Sigmond, “having no knowledge of their departure time.”
“We’ll have to assume they’ll be here soon,” said Alphonse.
Abigail, Octavia, Angus, and Freddie stood in the room, saying nothing.
I didn’t have to look at the group to know what they were all thinking. Their concerns were written all over their faces.
“Angus, make sure your people are set. Have them bring only what they can carry, and easily. I don’t want to see anyone loaded down. We can sort belongings later.” I’d invited the red-headed man to join us so there’d be less explaining later.
“They’re ready to leave at a moment’s notice,” he replied. “Most didn’t bring much in the way of belongings. We’re all set.”
I nodded. “Good man. Athena, how long before we’re in orbit?”
“Titan is now on its final approach. We will begin transporting the mining colonists within the next twenty minutes,” informed the Cognitive, standing near the wall.
“Pilots are readying their strike ships as well,” said Alphonse.
“And the drones?” I asked, glancing at Sigmond, his golden glow filling the corner of the bridge.
“Deploying as we speak, sir,” informed the Cognitive.
As we neared the planet, I ordered all non-essential personnel to leave for the surface. From there, they would move to the central core of the Earth to hide inside the underground city. They’d be safe down there, even from an orbital bombardment. I only hoped it didn’t get that far.
The landing grounds were alive with activity when we finally arrived. Hundreds of colonists scurried about as they gathered their belongings and prepared to evacuate.
Between Angus’s people, the Eternals, and everyone else we’d brought from the Deadlands, it would take some time to move them all.
I heard a few complaints about leaving one hazard for another, but they were said in passing. Everyone seemed to know the cause of our grief, and if we had to hold up inside the planet for a few days, then that was what we’d do.
As Abigail and I sorted through a list of rations, I noticed Bolin walking alone, hands in his pockets and shoulders sunk—a stark contrast to his normal demeanor. I excused myself from Abigail and the others, then jogged after him.
“Hey,” I said, catching up. “Where are you coming from?”
“I just spoke with Felix’s family,” he said, nodding in the other direction. “Rough talk.”
We sat on a crate together, letting the silence speak for us in that moment.
I’d had the same talk with other families in recent months and it never got any easier. “You always feel responsible for it, even if you weren’t there,” I told him. “Hindsight is a powerful thing. It blinds us to the truth of the moment, and we get lost in it.”
“Felix wasn’t the first I’ve lost,” he said, taking a long breath. “And by the look of what’s about to happen, I don’t think he’ll be the last.”
“Bolin, if any of this ever gets too hard—”
“Don’t,” he said, looking up at me. “I’m here because I want to be. I don’t care how rough it gets out there, I’m not leaving.”
“What about your daughter?” I asked.
“She’s exactly why I have to stay,” he answered. “I saw what that Celestial could do. I know how dangerous they are. If I didn’t stay and fight with the rest of you, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”
I glanced up at the sky. “Well, that’s saying something.”
Bolin leaned over and gave me a pat on the shoulder. “We’ve got ourselves a mess on our hands, that’s for sure.”
I smirked. “Ain’t that always the case?”
I took a shuttle to meet Dressler, who was still inside one of the domes. She’d set up shop there some time ago, working with her team to observe and study the animal birthing processes and try to uncover the next phase in the terraforming process, which remained a mystery.
That was when I saw the debris.
Metal and dirt piled up in an open field not far from the dome.
A flash of memory swept over me in a sudden, overwhelming moment.
The Sarkonians had found Lex in this place. This was the spot I had heard so much about.
I lowered the ship to rest about two hundred meters from the dome, close enough to the field to see what remained.
I had arrived here a few minutes after the attack happened, seconds before the nova ship had taken off. In the time leading up to that, I’d been with Alphonse discussing our recent meeting with Shaw, and he’d told me how concerned he was about Vice Admiral Vick’s behavior. A valid thought in hindsight, but one we’d yet to fully realize at the time.
To think how far a man would go to get his revenge, it made me wonder how I’d ever reach him. Would we find ourselves on another barren planet, fighting in the mud as we struggled to kill each other? Would I have to dig a piece of glass into his skull before he stopped his reckless pursuit, the same way I had Brigham?
The thought of it made my stomach turn.
There had to be a way to get through to him, to make him understand the cost of his hate.
Dressler was in one of the domes, which had luckily taken minimal damage.
“Hey, Doc,” I called out, crossing the room to meet her.
“Good afternoon, Captain,” she said, not bothering to look up from the pad she was working on. “I hope this is important. I’m quite occupied at the moment.”
“I need to know the extent of the damage from the Sarkonian attack on this dome of yours, and what we’re going to do in the event that all of this”—I gestured to the dome—“gets destroyed.”
“This facility remains fully operational, not to worry. As for the research itself, I am still cataloguing our findings as they occur. Every day brings new discoveries, Captain, as new flora and fauna return to the planet. However, to your point, Gaia and I have been working diligently to record all available data while looking at other, more complex solutions.”
“Other solutions?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“Yes, but it’s far from certain. There’s a small chance that we could return the domes to the ground by delivering a retraction order, but Gaia’s access is still somewhat limited.
She finally turned to me. “Is that why you came all the way out here?” she asked.
“Not exactly,” I admitted. “Truth is, I need to know if the body of the Celestial is still here.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I know you’ve been studying it,” I told her. “And I know how much you enjoy dissecting things.”
“Ah, well, I’ve only taken pieces of the whole, and hardly any that were large enough to matter,” she said. “Although, the autopsy left me with more questions than answers.”
“Save it for another time. I just need to see the body. Think you can do that for me?”
The doctor finally stopped what she was doing and sat up. “Of course, I can,” she said, swiveling around in her chair. “But why in the world are you asking?”
20
“I don’t want to go to the core with everyone,” said Lex, but there was no whine in her voice. It was calmer than that, almost relaxed. “I want to stay with both of you.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Abigail replied, keeping her tone even. She knelt in front of the girl and took her hands.
“I can handle myself now,” said Lex, darting her eyes between us. “Can’t I, Mr. Hughes?”
“Yeah, you can,” I said, giving her a knowing smile. “But Abby’s right. We can’t have you up there or we’ll be too worried about you. Besides, I need someone I can trust down there, same as I did before. Those new
arrivals still need you.”
“But—”
“Go get your pack,” interjected Abigail.
Lex frowned at the words but stopped arguing. She slowly left to gather her things, defeat on her face.
“Poor kid,” I said. “Probably doesn’t wanna be alone.”
“No, she’s just worried about us,” said Abigail, lowering her voice. “Watching you almost die in front of her was terrifying.”
“What? She seemed to handle it well.” I thought back to when I’d woken up on that ship.
A series of images flashed through my mind. Lex trying to wake; seeing her standing with a gun in her small hands; Lex watching as I passed out from the pain of my wound. That kind of stress had to have taken a heavy toll on her, to watch someone she was close to nearly die in front of her. I’d been a fool not to see it.
“She’s trying her best to be strong,” said Abigail.
“I get it, but she’ll be fine,” I assured her. “Lex has been through more than any kid her age. She can handle this.”
Lex came out of her room, carrying a small pack. “I’m ready,” she announced, no hint of fear or sadness.
I leapt up from my seat. “We’d best get going, then,” I said, glancing at Abigail. “The day’s wastin’.”
We met Hitchens at the evacuation site so he could take Lex to the core. By the time we arrived, nearly all of the colonists had already departed. Only a few remained, along with the last shuttle that would ferry them.
“See you soon, kiddo,” I said. “By the way, I stuck something inside your pack. Check the front pocket.”
She reached down and opened it, then pulled out a small figurine. “Foxy!” exclaimed the girl. “What is she doing here?”
“She can’t stay up here alone. She needs looking after. Think you can handle it?” I asked.
She nodded, emphatically. “’Course!”
“Thanks,” I said, grinning at her. “I knew I could count on you.”