More flashes entered the system. Hundreds of Graxic and Reptilian ships jumped in, accompanying Enlil’s own vessels, creating an armada Earth couldn’t fend off even in their dreams.
Enlil shifted his gaze to the holographic display on his console. “Any word from Sleuth?” Enlil couldn’t believe the guy had survived the weapon he’d sent to end Sirona. He reminded Enlil of a Nibiru-roach, practically unkillable. He not only lived, the little bastard remained Team Enlil. He’d also somehow snuck onto a Space Templar ship and sent messages via his holopad to Enlil’s, the way they communicated before the weapon of mass destruction pulverized Starship Sirona.
“Messages arrived, sir,” said the woman. “They will come up on your monitor soon.”
“Excellent.”
A hologram lifted off the console, the words floating in front of him. He rubbed his cheek and read.
Message Code 114, Sleuth Entry: There are too many people in this ship’s control room. I can’t get anything done, nor can I do so in private. They seem suspicious of me, so I’ll communicate to you once I locate more private quarters.
“A message as worthless as your race.” Enlil swiped his finger on the hologram, bringing up the next message.
Message Code 115, Sleuth Entry: I have accessed this ship’s CIC, and heading to CC now to figure out how to stop these Space Templar starships. They’re heading your way. Please reply, and with a monetary number of what I’ll be rewarded for my loyalty.
Enlil laughed. “Rewarded?” he said under his breath. “The only reward is that I might let you live.”
Message Code 116, Sleuth Entry: I’m able to access both ships through one of the ship’s holonet. It connects these starships like none I’ve seen. It’s almost like they communicate together. I’m hacking now, trying to disrupt engine cores.
Message 117, Sleuth Entry: I will need a pick-up. I have a location, so let me know when you get this message. Both ships are experiencing severe issues. You’re welcome. And please, let me know the amount of my reward.
Message 118, Sleuth Entry: Where are you? I need a pick-up. I’ll patch location to you but get here soon.
Enlil frowned. “The poor man thinks I’ll pick him up?” He shook his head. “Console four, dictate, please.” He moved closer to the console’s mic. “Your reward will be handsome, I assure you. A ship is en route. Continue interrupting the ships. You’re our hero over here. The Anunnaki and I, Enlil, owe you our lives.” He ended the message, his shoulders moving up and down in a low chuckle, trying to keep his tone hushed.
He loved lying and playing games with humans. “They’re so naïve. So, so naïve.” He lifted his head. “How long until we can jump into Earth’s system?”
“Twelve hours, sir.”
“Excellent. I can’t wait to see all of humanity’s faces when I show up and take the planet as my own.”
49
Eden
Starship Swift
Eden awoke with a bang, the dome shaking violently. Her bed jostled back and forth. She bolted to a sitting position.
She’d just mastered the bow, got whipped in hand to hand combat against Skye, and played with the Sight, manipulating energy. It had seemed like months, maybe years. She didn’t know, but right now, the ship was under attack or being pummeled by asteroids.
She closed her eyes. Swift, what’s going on?
I’ve identified the problem, and I’m working on it, though I sense holocomp bugs crawling inside me.
Eden scrunched up her nose. Bugs?
A holonet virus, inert cells seeking my core like a missile. It’s powerful.
What do I do?
Find the source, Eden. It’s coming from this ship. It’s affecting Tranquil as well.
The source?
Eden knew nothing about holocomps, holochannels, or holonets. She understood piloting, leading, training, and now some new Space Templar tricks.
Eden, said Swift. The source is human.
50
Shae
Starship Ascension
Shae leaned forward in his chair with an alert gaze, his chin set high. “We punch in now.” He’d only had a few jumps to get used to his new starship, Ascension. It spoke to him every so often, but he put a stop to that strange sensation. The odd words flowing through his mind interrupted his own thoughts.
Sabra sat at the helm. “Ten more minutes and Ascension will be ready.”
“NMJ drives still charging?”
Sabra smiled. “Yes.”
Shae crossed his arms. “What I hear in my head is real? The ship speaks to me?”
“Yes, and you can speak to it, either verbally or with your thoughts,” said Sabra.
Devon adjusted in his seat as if uncomfortable at a station to Shae’s right. “What am I supposed to be doing?”
“You’re our white hat. Any attack on Swift’s holocomps and internal bio-computer core, you make sure it doesn’t last long,” said Shae.
Devon pressed several buttons, bringing up his holodisplay. “Got it.” He paused, glancing down at his keypad. “Where is Naveya?”
Sabra chuckled. “Of all people, Naveya needed a vacation. She spent years helping uplift humanity, doing her best to seed information while being on the front line, while acting homeless, while getting stomped on by uncompassionate souls in a hurry to get to work or home.” Sabra put her hands together at her chest. “That's why she’s still on Aurora, hopefully with her butt plopped in the sand at one of Aurora’s beaches.”
Shae eyed the time. “Five minutes.”
Sabra dipped her head. “Stay in the moment, Shae.”
“We have coordinates set for the specific entry point?” Shae figured the armada he led could jump three light seconds from Enlil’s and his allies’ flotillas. Once Shae’s fleet popped in, they’d target and send every weapon they had at the enemy. At three light seconds, Enlil and his group of assholes would have three seconds to react. It’d take them three seconds to realize what just dropped in on them. Shae hoped his Templar fleet’s first wave would devastate the invaders, ultimately crippling them.
“Yes, Shae. We’re good to go,” said Sabra.
Shae stared at the holovid’s clock in the upper left corner. He scanned the Space Templar fleet before him as well: mostly orbed ships, some large, some small, hundreds of them dotting the surrounding blackness; cruisers, destroyers, dreadnaughts, battleships, and more with names he’d never heard before. Starlancers, which held a long, sword-like bow, most likely for ramming. Starassaults, a cross between the size of a starfighter and a Starhawk transport, they looked fast and scary, two lances on either side that extended past the bow.
Sabra spoke into her chair’s com. “White powder gold vials, please.” She leaned back, resting her hands in her lap.
Shae gave her a blank look. “Did you just order something?”
She played off this soon-to-be-in-combat thing really well as if jumping into the next system where they’d face the Anunnaki fleet would be a cakewalk.
“Yes,” she said.
He rubbed the wrinkles on his forehead. “Okay, what’re the vials about?”
“Glad you asked.” She cleared her throat. “White powered gold is the secret to our long lives. It also raises energy levels and steadies the mind, enhancing brainpower. You’ll make better decisions. You’ll be sharper.”
“CJ at your service,” said a Space Templar, walking onto the bridge, the door shutting in a hiss behind him. He held several vials full of a white substance.
“Thank you, CJ.” Sabra stood and met him across the bridge, grabbing the vials. “Love your promptness.”
“Like I said, at your service, ma’am.” He spun on his heels and left the bridge.
Sabra sat at the helm, reaching back and handing Shae a vial. “This much should last you a month. Take a dab daily.”
“Then what?” asked Shae.
“You’ll see.”
Shae looked at the men and women in their Space Templar ga
rb, all at stations around the bridge.
“All right,” said Shae. He sat taller. He wanted to get this show on the road. He didn’t want anyone to harm his home planet, especially Helen. He glanced at the clock. It was nearly time to punch in.
Shae leaned into the intercom. “Man all flight quarters stations. Stand by to start all engines.” He paused, waiting for a Templar on the bridge to indicate the pilots were in their Aven starfighters, and ready to go. A Templar turned in her station, dipping her head.
Shae nodded. “Start engines.” He glanced at the vidscreen, switching to an open channel across the entire fleet. “Prepare for jump.”
Again, he waited for another nod to confirm all ships in the fleet called at ready. It came and Shae continued, “Time check, ten seconds. Set countdown. Prepare to jump.” He watched the clock on the vid, his lips moving at each passing second. Seat restraints automatically flipped over his shoulders and down his body, like an octopus sneaking up on its prey. Several clicks told him he had strapped in.
Shae wiggled in his chair, the restraints moving effortlessly with him. What he’d thought would make him feel confined and trapped, proved the opposite. Shae dabbed white powder gold into his palm. He licked it, his eyes on the time. A wave of concentration took over, his mind becoming clear, and his energy rising.
“Three, two…” whispered Shae, and a streak of light cut across the vidscreen. The colors of the rainbow leaped toward him, swirling in a long line, then opening into a tunnel.
In seconds, he’d be in front of an armada, bringing an armada of his own, and turning the enemy into fiery hell.
51
Eden
Starship Swift
Eden hustled onto the bridge, the ship moving back and forth as if falling apart. She eyed the holodisplay, seeing a split screen. One side displayed several planets, colorful and distant, with stars twinkling around them. On the other side stood Ali, doing her best to stand upright. Her ship jostled like Eden’s.
Nyx motioned toward Ali. “As you can see, Captain Ali Johnson is on the com.”
Eden dipped her head, taking a seat. “Thank you, Nyx.”
“Hank over there…” Ali thrust a thumb over her shoulder, “…patched into our ship’s mainframe, pulled up an encryption, and bypassed the codes. He’s actively looking for the source of the irritation now.”
“Do you have any ideas, Ali?” asked Eden, sitting down.
She nodded. “Do you know a man by the name of Sleuth?”
Eden leaned back, the name striking her like a lightning bolt in the chest. She’d rather forget that snake’s name for the rest of her life. “I met him a few times, yes.”
“Sleuth was my first thought,” said Skye.
Eden craned her neck. Skye sat at a station, giving her a nod, a gleam in his eye. He held a knowing grin, almost as if telling her she did a good job during their dream training. A voice mumbled in the background on Ali’s bridge. Eden turned, facing the vidscreen.
Ali slapped her hands together. “Hank found that Sleuth’s definitely the culprit. He’s messing with our main power core. He’s on your ship, not ours.”
Eden grasped her gun from her holster, almost wishing it were a bow and arrow, her newfound love. “Send the location to Swift, and Swift, let me know when you have the location.”
“On it,” said Ali. Her screen blinked off, and the holovid extended into one long view, showing Starship Tranquil just off the port side.
“Nyx,” said Eden. “Man the bridge.” She flicked her head toward Jantu, who sat at a station, monitoring data streaming off a screen. “Jantu, get your rifle ready. You’re coming with me.”
Eden, I scanned the decks. There appears to be an unknown on the Computer Control deck, room 4E. It’s a short man, balding with glasses.
“That’s Sleuth.” Thank you, Swift. Eden hurried out of the bridge, moving quickly down a corridor. Jantu walked behind her. Sirona’s techs were most likely manning the CC room and probably doing nothing as usual. To get Computer Control techs to do anything, donuts usually worked.
She turned down another corridor, her finger pressing against her gun’s trigger guard. “You with me, Jantu?”
“As always, Captain.”
Her lips were slightly upturned as Jantu’s voice calmly penetrated her mind. She enjoyed being called captain and liked it even more than the tall, burly Sirian had her six.
They hurried to an elevator and went down several decks. Opening the door, CC 1E quarters stood in front of her, its door closed. Eden moved around the elevator doorway and into the corridor, passing 2E. She slowed, her gun outstretched. She glanced over her shoulder. Jantu raised his rifle above her head and slightly away. They walked by 3E, stepping away from the wall and to the side of 4E’s closed door. “Swift,” she said. “Is the subject still in the room?”
Yes. He’s unaware of your presence.
Can you just zap him?
I don’t have weapons pointing inside.
Eden shrugged. I tried.
Noted, replied Swift. Are you ready?
Eden faced Jantu. He dipped his head. She nodded back. Ready.
Opening door now.
The door whooshed open, sliding upward and sucking into the wall. Eden stood clear of the wall, sweeping her gun up and down the empty doorway.
He’s unarmed, Eden, came Swift.
“Good, that makes things a hell of a lot easier.” She walked inside a rectangular room, a dim, blue light glowed from the ceiling. Holographic console displays lined the walls, and some sat on tables in the middle of the room.
A chair moved, squeaking. Someone stood. Eden and Jantu rounded an HDC island, filled with holocomps and monitors, blocking anyone from view sitting or standing on the other side. Eden paused, her finger against the trigger. “What are you doing, Sleuth?”
Sleuth lifted his hands above his head, the hair on the side of his nearly bald head standing on end. His skin appeared pale, and from the looks of things, he lost some weight from the last time she laid eyes on him, making his clothes seem baggy.
He moved his hands down slowly.
Eden jutted her gun in his direction. “Don’t move.”
He shook his head, continuing to move his arms. “I don’t care.” His voice sounded weak, and his eyes twitched like a madman, as perspiration dotted his skin.
“I’ll shoot if you do anything sudden,” she yelled.
He touched his glasses, moving them up the ridge of his nose. “I don’t care.” He sat, flopping in a chair next to a holocomp that blinked several strange scripts and codes on the monitor. He sighed, sliding lower. “They aren’t coming for me. I did everything.” He slapped his face, then did it again, and again, hard, as if punishing himself. He was losing his mind. “I did everything for Enlil. He said I’d be rewarded. He said he’d come for me. It’s…it’s all a lie.” He faced Eden. “He wants me dead.”
“Undo what you did, Sleuth,” ordered Eden, moving a step closer. “Clean what you messed up in the systems.”
“I can and might.” He turned, slouching, and held up his index finger. The ship shuttered. “But…”
“But what?” Eden moved to the side, sensing a change in his energy field.
“I’ll do something better if you don’t jail me.”
She could tell he had this idea forming for a while, ready to use it if he needed to.
Jantu lowered his rifle and leaned on his right leg, placing his hand on his hip.
“Okay, what is it you can do better?” said Eden.
“I have access to Enlil’s ship, and,” his voice rose, his anger seething, “I can mess with his fleet’s activenet. You know where he’s going, right?”
Eden nodded.
“He’ll be there soon,” continued Sleuth. “If I scramble his systems, screw with his targeting array…the list goes on as to what I can do to him. How much easier would it be for you to defeat him?” He smiled.
“What’s in it for you?”
/>
He moved his middle and index finger over his thumb, rubbing back and forth. “Money. So much that refusing would be akin to blowing my brains out. An amount I’d be an idiot to turn down.”
Eden rolled her eyes, taking a glimpse at Jantu. “Should I just shoot him now?”
“Shoot me?” Sleuth laughed, hovering his hand over a holokeypad. “I can destroy this ship so quickly you’d never know what hit you.”
He can do no such a thing, Eden, said Swift.
Eden’s lips curled upward, and she took a step closer.
“Why are you smiling?” Sleuth lowered his hand. “I have your life literally at the tip of my finger.”
“Do it.” She gestured toward the keypad. “Pressing it now would be nice. Come on, hurry.”
Sleuth pushed away from the holocomp and steepled his hands as if he had all the leverage in the world. “I help you, and you help me.”
“Up now. You’re going to the brig.” Eden eyed her Sirian friend. “Jantu, help me get him to lockup.”
“Wait, wait,” said Sleuth, clutching his chair’s armrest. “I can disrupt Enlil’s entire force. I mean, not his allies, but his own fleet, and you could tear them apart easily.”
“Turn off the hack first, and I’ll let you do what you want to Enlil.”
Sleuth turned and typed, his lips moving as he worked. He tapped one more holobutton and lifted his finger. “There.” The ship calmed, and the shaking ceased.
Eden looked the jerk up and down, as if scanning his energy, a new ability that turned on and off whenever it wanted. She could tell he spoke the truth, and he’d do what he said, though his heart wasn’t in it. He wanted money and piles of it. Eden gripped Sleuth’s arm by his bicep and tugged him out of the chair.
Backlash Rising Page 30