Deception

by M. R. Forbes

  If the thrusters were active, it meant they were through the thermosphere and on their way to the surface.

  It meant they were running out of time.

  The lift made it to Deck Six. The doors slid open, and Washington helped Caleb hobble out into the corridor. The bridge wasn’t far from their position, and they ran across the passages as quickly as they could.

  It didn’t feel quick enough.

  Caleb pulled himself away from Washington, letting his weight come down on his ankle. It hurt like hell, threatening not to support him, but he forced the issue, charging ahead through sheer determination. He had to stop Riley from gaining control of the colony.

  He turned the corner, finding the door to the bridge up ahead. The ship’s rumbling was subsiding somewhat, suggesting the thrusters had leveled the velocity of the descent. They were almost to the surface.

  He made it to the door with Washington right behind him, swinging around it. His eyes were immediately drawn to the view through the displays, and he came to a sudden stop to stare. They were approaching what appeared to be a river valley. The river sat on the starboard side with a large clearing to its left. It vanished into a thick forest ahead, the trees visually similar to Earth trees, at least from their current distance. Caleb spotted birds coasting across the canopy and small animals rushing away from the ground below, sensing the danger of the incoming ship. He noticed mountains in the distance, and snowcaps reflecting the light of the planet’s sun. It all looked so much like Earth it seemed almost impossible.

  “What do we have, Klahanie?” Riley said.

  Her voice broke Caleb out of his transfixion. They were no more than a few kilometers from the surface. He regained himself, moving forward past the holotable, looking for Riley.

  “It’s perfect, Doctor,” Deputy Klahanie replied. “According to the sensors, the planet is perfect.”

  “What about signs of alien occupation?”

  “The ship is recording the descent, but it will take some time for the computer to parse all of the data and identify any anomalies. I didn’t see anything obvious on the way down, did you?”

  “No, but after the encounter with the drone we need to be ready for anything.”

  Caleb reached the edge of the master station. Klahanie was still sitting in the chair with Riley leaning over him. Governor Stone was across the room at one of the stations, his head buried in his hands. Flores was further up front, staring into the displays, while Sheriff Dante and her deputies were off to the side, also watching the view of the outside world.

  Riley was the first to notice his arrival, her head lifting from the master terminal and turning toward him. “Sergeant Card,” she said with a smile. “You made it.”

  Flores must have heard her say his name, because her head whipped back, and her lips split in a huge grin. “Alpha!” she shouted, rushing over. “Ha! I knew it. Score one for Star Wars!” She moved to embrace him, but he put his hand up, keeping her back.

  “Flores, hold up,” he said. “Doctor Valentine, step away from the station.”

  “Sergeant?” Riley said. “What’s going on?”

  “Flores, put your weapon on Doctor Valentine,” Caleb said.

  She didn’t hesitate, grabbing her rifle from her back and pointing it at Riley.

  “What the hell is this, Sergeant?” Riley asked.

  The activity got the attention of the others on the bridge. Sheriff Dante stood and approached from her side. Governor Stone did the same.

  “Riley Valentine, as is my right within Guardian protocol, I’m placing you under detention immediately, in connection with the murders of Sergeant James Pratt and civilian David Nash.”

  Riley’s face flushed immediately, her anger apparent. “What?” she hissed. “You can’t arrest me, damn it. We’re here. You’re a civilian, not a Guardian.”

  “We haven’t touched the ground yet,” Caleb said. “I’m still a Guardian, and you’re still being detained.”

  “This is bullshit,” Riley snapped. “Do you have evidence of anything, Sergeant? Because this sure is coming out of left field.”

  “I saw David, Doctor,” Caleb said. “I watched his corpse float out of the hangar with Sho and the Cerebus. You blew his brains out a second time, and threw him into space before he could regenerate.”

  “You’re out of your mind, Caleb,” Riley said. “David was a danger to this ship. He was trying to get into Metro. He wanted to kill every last person aboard. I dealt with the problem. Yes, I killed him, but not like you claim. If you saw a body going out into space, it wasn’t David’s.” She paused. “What is this about, Caleb? You’ve been running the show for so long, you don’t want to let go? What are your intentions? To seize control of Metro as the acting military leader on board?”

  “No. I don’t want to be in charge. If it’s safe here, I’ll happily retire. But you murdered David. I know you did. Worse, you gave one of my men an experimental drug and then killed him in cold blood when it didn’t take. I know what this planet isn’t, Doctor. I know this isn’t Earth-6. I know you directed the Deliverance here. Where the hell are we, and what the hell are we doing here?”

  Riley glared at him, her eyes furious, her jaw clenched. Her hands were balled into fists, and she looked like she wanted to pummel him into dust.

  “Look at that,” Klahanie said.

  His words broke the silent stalemate. All eyes turned to the display as the ship began crushing the edge of the treeline beneath its hard alloy shell. A moment later, they hit the ground.

  It wasn’t a grand landing. There was no fanfare and little excitement. The ship’s computer had placed them beside the river in the middle of a valley, judging the best location for the colony from the data received by the sensors. It had touched down perfectly, everything working as designed to land the massive craft as though it were a small drone.

  There was no crashing, no banging, no fire, no explosions. The starship simply came to rest and didn’t move again.

  Riley looked back at Caleb. Her lips spread into a wide, predatory smile. “We’re here,” she said.

  “I can’t believe it,” Flores said. “We’re actually here.”

  It should have been a moment of celebration. Instead, the bridge was otherwise silent as Caleb and Riley squared off.

  “Governor Stone,” Riley said. “You saw the output from the scan. Now that we’re on the surface, I’m claiming my right as the acting Governor of Metro. Sheriff Dante, would you please arrest Sergeant Card and his accomplices?”

  “On what charge?” Flores asked.

  “Treason,” Riley replied.

  Caleb glanced over at Sheriff Dante. He had warned her what might come. He was glad to see she didn’t move.

  “Sheriff, I gave you an order,” Riley said.

  “Hmm,” Dante said. “Funny thing, Doctor. You see, I read the protocols. Obviously, all mention of us being on a starship was erased, but they were very clear that if Marines detained a prisoner during the period before transition, that prisoner would be transferred directly to law post-transition. Meaning that since you were detained before we landed, you’re now under my authority to hold you or release you as I see fit.”

  Riley’s face flattened, her smile vanishing. “You have no proof of anything, Sheriff. You have no cause to arrest me.”

  “No, but you’ve already been arrested. I’m just not ready to release you just yet. I’m not saying I’m going to keep you indefinitely, but I’m also not going to allow you to become Governor with a black cloud hanging over your head. My deputies and I will bring you back to the law office for temporary holding. We’ll figure out what’s what once we get a little more settled here. Governor Stone, does that sound good to you?”

  All eyes turned to the Governor. His were red and swollen, and still moist with his tears. He nodded. “Yes, Sheriff. Take her back to law.” Governor Stone pointed at Caleb. “I want Sergeant Card arrested too.”

  “What?” Caleb said. “O
n what charge?”

  “Your actions on the whole are currently as questionable as hers.” He glanced at Riley. “I want both of you under control until we can sort things out.”

  “This is bullshit,” Flores said. “Sergeant Card risked his life a thousand times to get you people here and to keep you people alive. We all did. You can’t just – ”

  “Flores,” Caleb said. “It’s okay.”

  “No, Alpha, it isn’t,” Flores said. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Everybody knows you didn’t do anything wrong, including Maleficent over there.” She pointed at Riley.

  “Exactly. They won’t be able to keep me. It’s fine. Sheriff Dante, I’ll come quietly. Flores, we don’t know what this world is, or what may be on it. You and Wash need to help protect these people, okay? Just because we’re on the ground doesn’t mean we can stop being Guardians. Not until we know what this planet is like. Not until we know the truth.” He looked at Riley. “If you’re even capable of it.”

  Flores didn’t look happy, but she nodded in acquiescence.

  “Sheriff,” Governor Stone said. “Take them away.”

  Chapter 52

  Sheriff Dante didn’t bring Caleb and Riley directly to the law office. Caleb’s injuries were extensive enough that she decided to bring them to Metro’s hospital first.

  Walking through the streets of the city, or the strands as Sheriff Dante had taken to calling them, Caleb couldn’t help but feel the tension of the residents. Many had come out of their cubes in response to all the noise and shaking that had occurred. They gathered together in groups, approaching Dante and her deputies. Dante turned them away with promises that the Governor would be making an announcement soon.

  The people were afraid, and Caleb didn’t blame them. He felt his own share of anxiety and worry. Not for himself, but for all of them. He didn’t want to be in Metro, and he certainly didn’t want to be a prisoner. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He knew it. Riley knew it. Sheriff Dante knew it. He was convinced Governor Stone knew it too. The Governor was acting on emotion more than instinct, detaining him in part as retribution for Orla.

  It frustrated him that he was here instead of out there with Flores and Washington, but he also accepted it. How would he ever convince Dante or Stone of his honesty and integrity unless he stuck to it no matter how difficult the situation became? How would he get access to the mainframe and the proof of Riley’s transgressions, without making solid inroads?

  He glanced over at Riley. She had worn a sour expression — a sullen pout mixed with harsh anger — since Deputy Bashir had put the mechanical cuffs on her wrists. She refused to look in any direction but straight ahead, and every time Caleb looked her way he got the feeling she was planning out a web of intricate lies.

  Metro’s hospital was in better condition than most of the other buildings, having been granted priority with regard to parts and equipment that were in dwindling supply. The tiled floor was cracked but clean, the walls and doors faded but functional and the medical services fully staffed. Caleb and Riley were quickly admitted and brought to the main waiting room, with Caleb rolled up in a squeaky, worn wheelchair.

  “Sheriff Dante,” a man said, entering the room. He was older, in good shape, with a head of thick white hair and bushy white eyebrows. He wore a threadbare suit beneath an equally worn white coat and carried a stethoscope around his neck. “To be honest, with all the rocking and rolling I thought we’d be inundated by now. You only brought me two?”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Doctor Brom,” Sheriff Dante said with a smile. “I’ve got orders to put these two in lockup once they’re cleared. Sergeant Caleb Card and Doctor Riley Valentine. They’re from outside.”

  The way she said it clued Brom in on the significance. His eyes slipped over both of them. “I see. Are we going to make a habit of taking our protectors into custody, do you think?”

  “It’s a long story, Doctor,” Caleb said. “It’s fine though. I don’t mind taking the time to get the record straight. I do have a broken ankle and a number of lacerations on my back I’d love to get patched up.”

  Brom laughed at the statement. “Well, you came to the right place, Sergeant. Of course, if you have a doctor of your own?” He pointed at Riley.

  “I’m not a medical doctor,” she said. “I’m a scientist.”

  “Okay then. How come you didn’t get treatment on the other side of the hatch? Don’t you have facilities?”

  “Not anymore,” Caleb said. “No medical doctors. No facilities.”

  Brom glanced at Sheriff Dante. “Is there a particular reason your prisoners are acting as cagey as hell?”

  “I told you, Charles, it’s a long story,” Dante replied. “Right now, I need you to treat their injuries and chip them.”

  “I already have a chip,” Riley said.

  “And chip Sergeant Card,” Dante corrected. “The fewer the questions, the better. Governor Stone will speak to the residents soon, and everything will make more sense.”

  Brom hesitated a moment and then sighed. “Well, what do I know? I’m just an old man anyway. Okay, Sergeant, let’s head into the exam room over there.”

  “Don’t make any trouble, okay Sergeant?” Dante said.

  “It’s not me you have to worry about, Sheriff,” Caleb replied.

  Riley didn’t respond to the dig. Doctor Brom took the back of Caleb’s chair and rolled him into the exam room. It was a simple setup, kept in good condition.

  “Do you need help getting onto the table?” Brom asked.

  “I’ve got it,” Caleb replied. “Just put me next to it.”

  Brom rolled him next to the table. Caleb leaned over, pulling himself up on the strength of his replacement arm.

  “That’s an awfully impressive piece of machinery,” Brom said.

  “I’d rather have the real thing back, but it’ll do,” Caleb replied.

  “So, you want to tell me what all the fuss is about?” Brom asked as Caleb unhooked his combat armor and began peeling it away. “I promise I can keep a secret.”

  Caleb smiled. “I don’t think Sheriff Dante would appreciate that very much.”

  Brom laughed. “All the more reason to spill the beans, eh?”

  Caleb pulled the SOS off his shoulders, starting to bend down to separate it from his legs.

  “Whoa, hold up there,” Brom said. “You said you have wounds on your back? Don’t bend. I’ll get it.” The doctor helped him get the combat armor off his legs and then laid it out next to the table. The armor was filthy with blood, sweat, and grime. “You look like you’ve had a busy day.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “I just did. The shirt too, Sarge.”

  Caleb pulled off his shirt. Doctor Brom circled behind him, checking the lacerations.

  He whistled at the sight. “Sergeant, don’t take this the wrong way, but what the hell did this to you, and how the hell are you still standing?”

  “Part of that long story,” Caleb replied. “And this isn’t my first time. Can you fix it?”

  “Of course.” He tapped a small pin on his coat. “Reed, exam room three, please. And bring a gun.”

  “On my way, Doc,” a male voice replied.

  “A gun?” Caleb asked.

  “Probably not what you’re thinking,” Brom said. “The gun will insert an ID chip into your wrist with some basic information that’ll get written to Metro’s mainframe. It doesn’t hurt or anything. Anyway, once we’re done fixing your back, I’ll get your ankle scanned so we can brace it. Sound good?”

  “Thanks, Doctor,” Caleb replied.

  “It’s no problem. So, what’s it like on the outside? You being here, does that mean we’re winning?”

  Caleb smiled. “Winning is subjective.”

  “Still being cagey, huh? The condition of your armor and your body leads me to believe I may be speaking a bit optimistically.”

  “I applaud your effort, Doctor, but I really can’t talk about it
.”

  Brom laughed again. “Can’t blame an old man for trying, can you, Sarge?”

  Caleb didn’t get the chance to answer. Both men turned their heads toward the door at the sound of a shout and a thump from outside.

  “What the heck?” Doctor Brom said. “Wait here, Sergeant.”

  He started for the door.

  “Wait. I’ll come with you.”

  “Like that? You can barely stand.”

  “I’ve been in worse shape than this before.”

  “It’s not your place right now. You’re a patient first.”

  Caleb slid off the table and limped for the door ahead of Doctor Brom, ignoring the man’s half-hearted protests. He grabbed the handle, using it to balance as he pulled the door open.

  He froze when he saw Sheriff Dante on the floor at Riley’s feet, both her deputies and a third man, probably Reed, standing away from her. She had the sheriff’s revolver in her hand and was currently pointing it at the men. All three of them looked terrified. Why? They had to know the gun wasn’t loaded.

  “Valentine?” Caleb said. “What are you doing?”

  Riley spun in his direction, aiming the revolver at him. “Stay back,” she snapped. “Just say back!” She stared at him. “I had to do it, Harry. For my sister. For our kind. Somebody had to be the one to make the hard choice. Somebody had to play the devil. This is war, Harry. They started it. We came to end it.”

  “Riley, what are you talking about?” Caleb asked.

  She shoved the revolver toward him, eyes wild. “Stay back, damn it! I failed. I know. I messed everything up. I was trying to do the right thing. I swear. I was trying to do the hard thing to save everyone. I’m sorry.”

  She turned the revolver, putting the barrel in her mouth. What was she doing?

  Their eyes met.

  She pulled the trigger.

  The gun clicked, the chamber empty.

  Riley’s head snapped back as though the revolver had fired, and she collapsed to the floor.

  Doctor Brom pushed past Caleb, dropping to his knees beside Riley. He put his fingers to her neck, turning back to Caleb in surprise.