by G J Ogden
Sterling headed out after his first officer and her dutiful familiar and set off towards Banks’ quarters, which were on the same deck. However, they hadn’t gone far before the dog became agitated.
“What’s wrong with the damn thing now?” said Sterling, scowling at the hound, which was scampering around the corridor, nose to the ground.
“Beats me,” said Banks, shrugging.
Suddenly, Jinx shot off ahead, nose still to the deck and stopped outside the door to the shuttle bay control room. Sterling and Banks looked at each other, both sensing something was wrong.
“Go to neural comms,” said Sterling, tapping his neural interface and linking to Banks.
Both then headed off in pursuit of the hound, who was now scratching at the base of the door and growling. Banks entered her ID codes then opened a weapons locker, pulling out two pistols, while Sterling extended his neural link to include Lieutenant Shade.
“Lieutenant, get a security detail to deck two, shuttle control,” Sterling said through the link. “Just you and a couple of commandoes. It may be nothing, but I’m not taking any chances.”
“Aye, sir,” Shade replied, smartly. His weapons officer then dropped off the link.
“Security is en-route, we should wait for them to arrive,” Sterling said, accepting one of the pistols from his first officer.
Sterling was then alerted by the familiar sound of a door swishing open further along the corridor. He looked just in time to see a figure flash across the corridor and enter another section. Jinx immediately set off after the intruder, barking aggressively.
“Jinx, hush!” said Banks, pressing a finger to her lips. The dog obeyed and stopped just outside the door, though Sterling could still detect a low, threatening growl from the animal.
“This is the main computer core,” said Sterling, approaching the new location. “If we have a saboteur on board then crippling the core would knock out our sensors and comms.”
Banks nodded. “We should take them alive,” she added. “We have no idea what other systems they could have tampered with.”
Sterling raised his pistol. “We go in now, no time to wait.”
Banks moved to the other side of the door and also made herself ready. Sterling then started a countdown from three over their neural link before punching the door release. Banks moved in first, moving right with Sterling following swiftly behind to check the left side of the room. He saw a shadow hiding behind one of the data clusters and was about to issue a challenge when Jinx raced inside and ran at the figure.
“Jinx, no!” Banks cried, but it was too late. The beagle was already standing in front of the computer core, barking and growling for all she was worth.
“I surrender!” a terrified voice called out from behind the data cluster. “Don’t let the beast maul me to death!”
Sterling cursed and enabled the safety on his pistol before lowering it to his side. Banks looked shocked that he would lower his defenses, but Sterling knew he wasn’t in any danger. He recognized the voice.
“Get out here, Colicos, right now,” Sterling called out to the shadow. “Or I’ll have Jinx bite your face off.”
“Argh! Keep it away, vicious beast!” Colicos yelled.
Banks also made her weapon safe then picked up Jinx, who continued to bark and growl at Colicos.
“It’s okay, the vicious attack hound is gone,” Sterling said, with no small amount of sarcasm. “Now get out here, before I lose patience and start shooting.”
Colicos scrambled out from behind the data cluster just as Lieutenant Shade and two armed commandoes burst into the computer core. Colicos thrust his hands up and jolted back in surprise, banging his head on the data cluster in the process.
“It’s okay, Lieutenant, our intruder isn’t dangerous,” Sterling said, waving off the commandoes. “And he certainly isn’t welcome,” Sterling added, stepping toward Colicos, who still had his hands up. “You’re supposed to be in the brig on A-COP. How the hell did you get back on board my ship?”
Colicos smiled. “Let’s just say that the SIB are not quite as adept as your fine officers are,” the scientist said, shooting a saccharine smile to Banks.
Banks responded by thrusting Jinx at him, causing the dog to bark and growl even more fiercely. Colicos again jolted back, banging his head for a second time.
“Okay, based on what I saw of Wessel’s SIB morons, I accept that you could probably slip past them,” Sterling said, folding his arms. “The question is why come here? It’s not like you’re my favorite person right now.”
“Better the devil you know, Captain,” Colicos replied, becoming more serious.
“You really don’t know me, and you don’t want to, either,” Sterling hit back. He glanced across to Banks. “Get to the bridge and set a course back to A-COP,” he added. “Commodore Wessel’s witch-hunt on New Danvers will have to wait.”
“No, please!” Colicos cut in, making the mistake of moving toward Sterling. Shade intercepted the scientist and pressed the barrel of her pistol underneath his chin. “Please, Captain,” Colicos pleaded again, struggling to talk due to the pressure from the pistol jammed under his jaw. “Please don’t send me back there. I will not become Fleet’s puppet. I do not deserve it!”
Sterling sighed, then stepped closer to Colicos so that their faces were only inches apart. “You don’t deserve it?” he repeated, scarcely able to believe the nerve of the man. “After what you did, you’re lucky I didn’t vaporize you when I found you. The least you can do is try to fix your mess.” He reached up to the power dial on Lieutenant Shade’s pistol and turned the setting to maximum. “And honestly, doctor, I don’t care what the SIB do to you in order to make you comply. One way or another, you’re going to create a way to nullify the neural weapon. That’s the only way you come out of this alive.”
Colicos was silent, his body shivering as if he was outdoors in an Alaskan winter wearing only shorts and a t-shirt. Sterling backed away, then met Shade’s eyes. His weapons officer looked like she was hoping Sterling was about to give the order to blast Colicos’ head off. However, as much as he wanted rid of the genius scientist, he knew Fleet needed his expertise badly.
“Take him to the brig, Lieutenant, and post a guard, twenty-four seven,” Sterling said. “If he manages to pull another Houdini act, you’re authorized to use whatever force is necessary, short of killing him, to get him back.”
The faintest flicker of a smile crossed Shade’s lips. She peered into Colicos’ eyes and pressed the barrel of the weapon even harder into the scientist’s flesh.
“Does that include the removal of limbs, Captain?” Shade asked, her gaze still locked onto Colicos.
“Stick to below the waist if you can, Lieutenant,” Sterling replied. “He’ll need his hands, though I guess we can replace the other one too if needs be.”
Colicos made a sort of squeaking sound, which Sterling assumed was an attempt at a laugh. The scientist clearly believed he was joking. It was an assumption Sterling hoped that Colicos wouldn’t be foolish enough to test. Shade then began to march the scientist out of the computer core, flanked by her two commandoes.
“Wait, there’s more!” Colicos yelled, though Shade did not stop. “Commodore Wessel does not want a way to reverse the effects of the neural weapon. He merely wants a detector.”
“Hold up, Lieutenant,” Sterling called out. Shade stopped and spun Colicos around to face him. “What do you mean he only wants a detector?”
“Exactly that, Captain,” Colicos replied. There was excitement in his voice now. The scientist had clearly said something of importance. Something the man believed would give him leverage. “He is only concerned with detecting those who are turned. That is the function of the SIB, after all. His orders did not extend to reversing the effects of the neural weapon.”
Sterling studied the scientist’s face, which was suddenly looking much more like its sixty-plus years. Stress was clearly taking its toll on Colicos.
“If you’re lying to me, doctor, then I promise you won’t live to regret it,” Sterling said.
“I know what you are, Captain Sterling, and believe me I would not dare test your commitment,” Colicos replied. The scientist was suddenly more composed and self-assured. “I swear on my honor that what I tell you is the truth.”
Banks snorted a laugh. “On your honor? You ran out of credit on that account a long time ago, asshole.”
“Fine, I swear on my life then,” Colicos hit back, risking a glower at Sterling’s first-officer.
“If I keep you on this ship, it’s for one reason and one reason alone, doctor,” Sterling said, causing the scientist to again meet his eyes. “I need a way to reverse the effects of that neural weapon, or at the very least defend against it.” Colicos opened his mouth, though Sterling was quick to shut him down. “And I don’t want to hear your crap about it not being possible,” he snapped. “You’re the genius. You either come up with something, or I airlock your worthless carcass into space. Is that understood?”
Colicos forced down a hard, dry swallow. “Perfectly understood, Captain.”
Sterling sighed again and shook his head. He suspected he’d live to regret it, but he’d made his decision.
“Take him away, Lieutenant,” Sterling said to Shade. “And keep it quiet. As far as anyone else is concerned, Colicos is not here, understood?”
“Aye, Captain,” Shade replied. She then spun Colicos around to face the door and jabbed her pistol into his back to usher him on. Moments later, Colicos, Shade and the commandoes were gone, and Jinx finally stopped growling.
“I take it we’re not heading back to A-COP then?” Banks asked, while stroking Jinx’s ears.
“No, we continue with the mission to New Danvers,” Sterling replied, rubbing the back of his neck, “and we just hope that Griffin shows up in time for us to do something useful with Colicos.”
“And what if she’s gone for good?” Banks asked.
“Let’s not go down that road until it’s the only one left to us,” Sterling locked eyes with his first-officer. “But one thing’s for sure. I’m not sitting out the rest of this war with Wessel pulling our strings.”
Banks nodded. “I’ll take Jinx back to my quarters, then see you on the bridge,” she said, placing the beagle onto the deck.
The hound looked up at Sterling, wagging her tail. He smiled at the dog and threw up a salute. “Good work, Acting Ensign Jinx. You’re dismissed.”
Chapter 8
Welcome to New Danvers
Captain Sterling and Commander Banks stepped off the cargo ramp of the Invictus and onto the heavily-tarnished surface of the landing pad at New Danvers. Sterling hugged his jacket tighter around his body as a bitter wind whipped across the exposed docking platform. It seemed that no matter how he held his head, rain still managed to sting his face.
“I’m even getting rained on from underneath me, how is that even possible?” Sterling grumbled, as the wind whipped another dagger-like spray of water onto his cheeks.
“This has got to be the most miserable planet I’ve ever seen,” replied Banks, braving the elements to look up at the mud-brown clouds swirling overhead.
Figuring that there was little point attempting to avoid getting wet, Sterling raised his gaze and looked out across the hyper-industrial complex of New Danvers Colony. Factories and tower blocks littered the horizon for as far as he could see. Only some haze-covered mountains in the distance broke up the sea of man-made structures and machinery. Even then, Sterling observed that many of the mountains had been ransacked for resources. Some looked like a god-like being had reached down from the heavens and taken a scoop out of the rock with a giant spoon.
“This is the economic and environmental cost of building thousands of warships over the last fifty years,” said Sterling, wincing as the wind lashed more rain against the side of his face. “This planet and others like it have already paid the price for the Earth-Sa’Nerra war.”
“This place is going to look like Eden compared to Earth, if the Sa’Nerra get their leathery fingers on it,” Banks commented.
As usual, Sterling agreed. If they failed in their mission then the Sa’Nerra would reduce humanity’s birthplace to an ash-covered wasteland.
A door at the end of the walkway opened and three figures stepped out, silhouetted by the bright light behind them. Unlike Sterling, they were dressed for the weather, wearing long, thick trench coats with hoods that completely covered their heads and faces. Sterling wiped the water from his eyes then set off to meet the welcoming party, allowing the Invictus’ cargo ramp to whir shut behind him.
“I’m Rhonda Reese, the administrator here,” the hooded figure at the front of the group announced as Sterling approached.
“I’m Captain Lucas Sterling from the Special Investigations Branch, and this is my first-officer, Commander Mercedes Banks,” Sterling replied, gesturing to Banks with a soaking-wet outstretched arm. “Pleased to meet you, Administrator Reese.” Sterling offered his hand to the woman. However, Reese just looked at it through the transparent face shield built into her hood before again meeting Sterling’s eyes.
“If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you where you can work,” the administrator said, refusing Sterling’s offer of friendship and turning sharply back toward to the entrance instead.
“That doesn’t bode well,” Banks commented, as the trio from New Danvers departed.
“It’s no more than I expected,” Sterling replied, shaking the water off his hand and shoving it inside his jacket pocket. “We can expect a pretty rough reception all-round. No-ones likes to feel that they’re being watched and are under suspicion.”
Banks nodded as they set off along the water-logged walkway towards the terminal building. “I don’t blame them,” she said, her heavy boots kicking up a muddy spray that dirtied the legs of her pants. “These people slog day and night to produce resources for Fleet with no reward and no thanks. Then we come along accusing some of them of being collaborators and traitors.”
Sterling stepped through the door, squinting to shield his eyes from the intense yellow lighting inside the room. Administrator Reese had already removed her coat and hung it on a hanger above a grate that collected the water pouring off the surface of the material. Sterling peered through the grate and saw that the drainage system beneath the floor extended deeper into the facility. A fast-flowing stream of murky water was flowing toward an outlet on the external wall.
“The three people you are looking for haven’t been seen for more than a week,” Reese said, rubbing her hands together to warm them up. Her two companions stood to her rear. Both were gruff-looking six-foot-tall brutes, covered in an intricate patchwork of tattoos that blanketed every visible patch of skin. “Their disappearing act also means that we’re behind on our quota, so keep your interviews brief. I can’t afford to have any more workers taken off the floor. Unless Fleet is happy for us to miss a few shipments, of course.”
“We’ll do our best to be discreet and get out of your hair as soon as possible,” Sterling replied. He didn’t resent the administrator giving them a frosty reception and genuinely didn’t want to disrupt her operation. “We’ll start by checking out the suspects’ quarters, if you can provide their locations and give us access.”
Reese nodded to one of the men behind her, who then removed a personal data assistant from his pocket and began working on it. The man’s inputs were slow and clumsy, on account of his calloused, stubby fingers.
“I honestly don’t know what you expect to find here, Captain,” Reese said as the man handed her the PDA. “The only Fleet ships that ever come here are freighters and escort ships to guard the convoys, and none of them ever land.” She pointed to the rain hammering against the window outside. “I think you can probably figure out why. This is hardly a vacation spot.”
“We spend most of our time in space, so real gravity and real weather is a welcome change, Administrator,”
Sterling replied. In truth, he didn’t want to spend a second longer than was necessary on New Danvers, but he thought being gracious and charming might improve his relations with the facility’s leader. However, from the look on Reese’s face, he could see that the woman hadn’t believed a word he had said.
“I have a nice little cabin in the woods that you can rent if you like, Captain?” Reese replied, sarcastically. She then snapped her fingers. “Oh, wait, there are no woods on this godforsaken planet.” The two brutes to Reese’s rear let out low, rumbling chuckles and the administrator held out the PDA to Sterling, who wasted no time in accepting it from her. He could see she was already itching to leave. “This will direct you to the crew quarters and to the missing workers’ individual rooms,” Reese went on. “But like I said, they haven’t been seen for days. In fact, they went missing after the last SIB ship showed up here, snooping around. If they didn’t find anything, I don’t know what you expect to gain by looking again.”
“Which other SIB ship was here?” Sterling asked, handing the PDA to Banks who turned it on and began to review the contents.
“Looked a lot like your one out there.”
“A Marauder?”
Reese shrugged. “We’re ironmongers, Captain, we just make metal. What Fleet does with it is none of my concern. But the ship looked the same, more or less.”
“Did you meet its Captain?” Sterling asked. “Was his name Wessel?”
“I was over in sector seven at the time so didn’t meet them personally.” Reese appeared bored of their conversation and as such her willingness to cooperate was at a low ebb. “They conducted a brief investigation, cited some ‘irregularities’ then were gone the same day, before I got back.”
Sterling frowned. There was nothing in the briefing files that indicated another Fleet ship had landed at New Danvers recently. If Wessel was here then why the hell didn’t the asshole tell me? he wondered. The more he dug into the details of their mission, the more it troubled him.