Taza seemed pleased by that. “From what little I could see from the sky, they’ve already hemmed security in around the Tower, and they’ll be all over the square by now. They’ve done a good job at drawing attention away from the Data District. Hopefully that means they don’t have a lot of troops at the terminals.”
“Seven of us should be able to take a single terminal without too much trouble,” Clio said.
“It’ll have to be six…if we’re including your furry friend.” Taza eyed Booster and the puck squeaked an affirmative. “I have somewhere else I need to be.”
“We should stick together,” Clio objected.
“I need to get to Sentinel Tower, and I’ll move much faster on my own. If Grimshaw made it, he’ll have tried to get the Ministers to the safe-room, and from what I’ve seen, he’ll need all the help he can get.”
“You think Grimshaw’s alive?” She tried not to sound too hopeful.
Taza shrugged. “I really don’t know, but that one’s a tough bastard.”
“You’ve never liked the Captain, yet you want to help him,” Clio said.
“I don’t like anyone,” Taza said urgently. “Either way. Too much is at stake here. Chimera have some of the most powerful people in the galaxy holed up inside that Tower, and I don’t see any sign of reinforcements arriving soon. The Sentinel has turned into a real shit-hole lately but wait ‘til you see what it’s like with people like Chimera running the show. The Council are idiots, but I reckon they’re the lesser of two evils.”
Clio didn’t like politicians as much as the next person, but she knew they served a purpose. “What’s your plan?”
Taza tapped his nose. “There used to be a few…different ways into Sentinel Tower. Hopefully, they’re still there and Chimera haven’t found them.”
“You get into the Tower, then what? Like you said, the place will be crawling with Chimera troops in no time.”
“I’ll worry about that when I get there. But you’ll make my job easier getting those defenses back up. Those terminal buildings can hide three or four people tops, and you’ve got the element of surprise, a fancy new TEK, and a monkey.”
Booster squeaked in objection.
Clio was about to offer a quip when a low, chugging rumble sounded outside the giant pipe.
“Boat. Get down,” Taza hissed, dropping onto his stomach.
Clio dropped close to the ground with the others, her chin plate resting in a layer of half-dried mud.
A bright light swept back and forth from outside the pipe’s opening. A second later, the boat continued up the river, its engine whirring into nothing.
Clio climbed to her feet and clutched her rifle, checking it was okay. Booster climbed back onto her shoulder. “It looks like SenSec are sending in reinforcements after all.”
“Or Chimera are checking the area for anyone trying to sneak up behind them.” Taza looked at her, rubbing the back of his neck. “It could also have something to do with an aircab I…borrowed. One of Chimera’s aircraft rammed us. Took out a SenSec car and almost got us too.”
“That explains the limp.”
“The cabbie must have told them what direction I was headed,” Taza said. “It complicates things. If they catch us down here, it won’t be good.”
“You won’t last long without your TEK in any case.”
“I’ve got a little something Zora cooked up for me.” He pulled his coat open and revealed a mobile shield unit strapped to his chest. “It’s no TEK, but this will keep me out of trouble for a bit.”
“Are you sure that’s enough?” Clio remembered the MSU she’d worn on Colony 115. It didn’t offer much in the way of protection. “If you’re lucky, those things will usually take a hit or two.”
“Zora’s stuff is usually a little special.”
“That’s true,” Clio mumbled. “Anyway, we’ve already wasted too much time. Good luck.”
Taza saluted them mockingly as he took a step back toward the shadows. “Don’t say good luck, kid. It’s almost as bad as saying goodbye, and neither of us are going anywhere. I’ll see you later.”
He spun on his heels and disappeared into the pipeline.
Clio looked to the team. Swigger didn’t appear too pleased. Riley looked indifferent, as always, and the Shanti looked eager to fight.
“We scout out the terminals first, then we hit them.” She walked to the pipe’s opening and looked both ways to make sure the security boat was nowhere in sight. “Let’s go.”
20
Barricading the Doors
The safe-room was more of a safe wing. It consisted of long communal living area with storage and a dozen adjacent rooms acting as temporary self-contained living quarters. It was built into the back of the Tower, where the building dug into the Sentinel’s superstructure. The safe-room had its own power source and an isolated life support system, allowing it to withstand a prolonged siege if needed.
Grimshaw watched as Captain Harnuck made sure the Ministers were ready for the doors to be closed. Minister Foster lay on a cot—the Tower Guard had fetched from their infirmary—and was being attended to by Straiya and a Tower medic as they hooked him up to various pieces of medical equipment. Minister Farmorai poured himself a drink at one of the cabinets and sank into a comfortable chair away from the bustle.
The Rivarian Minister had moaned the entire way to the seventh floor, making Grimshaw wish he’d stayed with Faye, and that was saying something. Much to her displeasure, the reporter had been ushered into a much larger—yet less secure—safe-room set aside for civilian use on the sixth floor. Straiya had ordered the SIA agents to reinforce the civilian room’s security.
Harnuck ordered three of his Tower Guard into the safe-room before signaling for the vault to be closed.
Grimshaw moved into the antechamber as one of Harnuck’s men worked at the door controls from inside the shelter. The monstrous door slid out of the ceiling and crashed to a close, shaking the floor. Its seals hissed as the room switched over to its own air supply.
Grimshaw checked his SIG again, but the network was still being jammed. He wondered what Clio and the rest of the team were doing. Captain Harnuck had confirmed Malek’s reports of trouble spreading throughout Sentinel City.
The Tower Guard senior officer carried himself more regally than most Rivarians. With partially protruding hips, his race often walked with a subtle waddle, but Harnuck directed his steps with unrelenting purpose.
His TEK, though ceremonial in appearance like those worn by his insubordinates, was designed with greater attention to function. His tactical exoframe looked fit for any battle. Rather than the gaudy feel given off by the standard-issue chrome Tower Guard TEKs, the gold plates and red fringing on Harnuck’s TEK further accentuated his dignity.
His golden helmet reflected the antechamber’s ceiling lights like a mirror as he nodded toward the exit. “We better return to the front of the Tower before Chimera shows up.”
Grimshaw muttered agreement. “I’m surprised SenSec or the SIA haven’t sent reinforcements already.”
“Pah,” Harnuck spat in disgust. “I wouldn’t count on them. Those fools are the reason we’re in this situation in the first place. I often read the official reports that come out of the Closed Chamber when they pertain to Tower security. They were fools to ignore you.”
After relentless waves of opposition from officials on the Sentinel, Harnuck voicing support took him by surprise. Grimshaw was encouraged knowing he wasn’t the only one irritated by Sentinel Security’s complacency. “I merely made a few observations. Still, it’s a pity they went ignored. But that hardly matters anymore.”
“I hope the Ministers have enough medical supplies inside that safe-room to see them through whatever comes next. As for Minister Foster…he didn’t look good.”
Grimshaw looked back to the closed shelter. “Hopefully this will all be over soon, and we can get him to a hospital.”
They left the antechamber and Harnuck
secured the metallic blast door with his SIG, cutting off the light spilling into the tunnel that connected the safe-room to the rest of the building. Grimshaw followed the Rivarian through the shadows and onto the moving walkway that ran the length of the Tower’s seventh floor, their destination a glowing circle about four-hundred feet ahead.
Harnuck sighed as the walkway carried them slowly toward their destination. “Call me a pessimist, but I suspect the Ministers might be stuck in there a brave while. Even if Chimera do get past us, they’ll not breach the safe-room.”
“You seem certain those blast doors will hold,” Grimshaw said. “It didn’t take long for their troops to break through the Tower’s main doors on the ground floor.”
“Sentinel Tower’s doors weren’t fashioned from reinforced tridarium. The safe-room is surrounded by a two-feet-thick tridarium shell. No known technology can penetrate the metal.”
“There aren’t any weak points?” Grimshaw asked.
“The doors are only a foot thick, but they’re shielded and can only be opened from the inside. The Ministers have got enough provisions in there to last several rotations.”
Grimshaw had never heard of tridarium armor two inches thick let alone two feet. Being one of the toughest materials in the galaxy made it one of the most expensive. “That kind of armor will slow them for sure.”
Harnuck shook his head. “I’m no engineer, but I’m told that if the entire Sentinel blew, the people inside that room wouldn’t even notice.”
“An impressive claim.”
“Let’s hope it’s more than a claim,” Captain Harnuck said.
Grimshaw tried reaching Evans and Taza on his SIG again. Still nothing. Short-band radio waves hadn’t been affected by the jamming signals quite as much, but that didn’t help Grimshaw. “Have you received further updates from the outside?”
“Sergeant Alia was the last guard to make it past Chimera a little over an hour ago. We haven’t heard back from her, and I doubt anyone will be making it past the battle on the lower floors. I don’t know how long we can keep the fight from spreading up here. I’d like to think Alia’s gathering reinforcements. It’s nice to dream.” Harnuck looked at Grimshaw, the gray scales on his brow furrowed with worry. “It’s just us and whoever’s between here and the lower floors. Either way, we’ve no choice but to hold them off as long as we can.”
“Reinforcements would be nice.” Grimshaw fiddled with his serial interface gate. “I could get some people over here if only this damn SIG would work.”
“This Chimera crowd knew all the right places to hit us. It doesn’t bode well.” The Rivarian pulled his rifle from his shoulder as they neared the end of the moving walkway, two silhouettes waiting for them at the end of the tunnel. “I’m not banking on SenSec getting here any time soon. They’ll probably get here eventually.” He flashed his multiple rows of serrated teeth in what Grimshaw took for a smile. “But we’ll probably be long gone before then.”
“Every time we encounter Chimera, we learn that their influence reaches deeper than we thought.” Grimshaw looked over his shoulder.
“You suspect that they control the Ministers?” Harnuck asked with the look of alarm.
“I’d like to think I’m wrong, but it would explain how they infiltrated the Sentinel without anyone knowing.”
“If what you’re saying is true, inside the safe-room probably isn’t safe at all.”
“Possibly. Only three Ministers entered. Minister Foster is in no shape to cause trouble. Minister Farmorai strikes me as the type who would sell his own mother for a handful of credits, but he doesn’t have the balls. Minister Straiya, though…”
“You think the very leader of your Aegi Order is in Chimera’s pockets?”
Grimshaw slowly shook his head and looked into the Rivarian’s dark eyes. “I’m just thinking out loud, Captain. To be honest, I really don’t know what to think at this point. But Chimera have played their cards. When the dust settles, we’ll figure things out, and if a politician really did betray the Sentinel, they will pay dearly.”
“Surely you realize that speaking so openly about such things could get you in a lot of trouble. Treason and dissension are not taken lightly on the Sentinel. For all you know I could report you.”
“A wise leader once told me that the only people you can really trust are those who fight by your side on the battle field,” Grimshaw said with a knowing grin.
Harnuck smiled in agreement then hung his head in thought as the walkway carried them along the final stretch in silence.
They met a Shanti Tower Guard officer and a Rivarian Aegis Grimshaw had never met. Captain Harnuck gestured to his SIG and another heavy door fell, blocking access to the walkway tunnel.
“Harnuck.” The Aegis nodded woodenly.
Captain Harnuck returned the gesture, but Grimshaw noticed reservation in the movement.
Without another word, Captain Harnuck respectfully tapped Grimshaw on the shoulder before briskly moving onward to check on his guards.
The Aegis jovially offered his forearm to Grimshaw. “Name’s Zantho. Well met, brother.”
“Well met,” Grimshaw said, accepting the Rivarian’s greeting by clasping him at the elbow. He looked over the Aegis’s shoulder as Harnuck spoke with the Tower Guard officer. “You and the Captain don’t get along?”
“Eh…” The Aegis smiled nervously and put his hand behind his head. “Without going into too much detail, Harnuck’s my brother. We haven’t always seen eye-to-eye. He disagrees with me serving the Aegi Order.”
“I see.” Grimshaw hoped the family dynamics weren’t going to be a problem.
“Don’t worry,” Zantho said, noticing his apprehension. “We don’t let personal differences interfere with our work.”
Grimshaw noted the crest on Zantho’s breastplate. “I have to say, it’s nice to have an Aegis Anointed on our side. You’re the first I’ve seen on board in a while.”
“Straiya likes to keep us busy, and the Galactic Council doesn’t like having too many of us on the Sentinel at once. They can be a bit paranoid that way.”
It would have been nice had the Council been more paranoid when it mattered most, Grimshaw thought. “They can be strange for sure.”
“I see you’ve been gifted angel-class armor.” Zantho said thoughtfully. “I’m glad to see the Order has started to make exceptions. The higher ranks can be somewhat stiff when it comes to tradition.”
“Evans and I both have angel-class TEKs, though we only joined the Order recently. I imagine it will be quite some time before we’re in a position to rise to a rank fitting of them.”
“Ah yes, I’ve heard of our new sister joining the Order. I would very much like to meet her before I leave for Shantalla. I arrived on the Sentinel yesterday, to deliver…information to Minister Straiya. I was supposed to leave today, but this happened.” Aegis Zantho gestured to the Tower in general.
“How are affairs on the Shanti home world?”
The Aegis’s expression suddenly darkened. “Things are bad, I’m afraid. The saratribe elders met in the hopes of ending the civil war before it gathered momentum. It turned out to be a trap set by Elder Haysin of the Namo saratribe. He’d somehow smuggled a unit of rebel soldiers into the secret location. As soon as the negotiations started, the troops stormed the place and killed without mercy. It was a slaughter.”
“You were there?”
Zantho grunted the affirmative. “Two sisters and I tried to fight them off, but there were just too many of them,” he said, obviously pained by the memory. “I barely made it out alive. Our sisters weren’t so lucky. Sadly…all three Kinthari elders were present. They didn’t stand a chance.”
Grimshaw’s eyes widened with realization. “Isn’t that Minister Straiya’s tribe?”
Zantho nodded. “Her father was one of the elders killed in the attack.”
“I didn’t realize. I spoke to Minister Straiya this morning. She didn’t say anything.”
> The Aegis leaned closer. “You know how the Shanti are about showing emotions, especially those in their priesthood. Her mother is the Kinthari high priestess, thank the goddess she wasn’t present for the meet. She’s requested that Minister Straiya return home. As an ordained Kinthari priestess, the Minister must be present for the election of the new elders. The longer the Kinthari go without elders, the longer they lie vulnerable to their enemies. That’s the real reason I’m here. Minister Straiya was to return to Shantalla with me after today’s ceremony.”
It was too much of a coincidence that the events on Shantalla and the Sentinel should coincide. Someone was moving pieces all across the galaxy. “You’ll get Straiya to Shantalla yet.”
“I don’t doubt it. We’ll hold Chimera back with your help, brother Grimshaw,” he said with something approaching reverence. “I’ve heard of your great feats. You defeated the mighty Kragak and rescued your race from annihilation. I also heard that you recently saved your people from an Aphnai attack on one of your colonies. It’s an honor to serve alongside a legend.” Zantho pounded his chest with his fist.
Grimshaw looked around for a means of escape, but the Aegis had him cornered. “I just try to do what needs to be done.”
A rumble tore through the floor and Grimshaw held onto the wall, he and Zantho looking to the doors.
“What the hell was that?” Harnuck shouted. “What’s going on out there? Does anyone read me?”
The sounds of fighting suddenly grew louder as though they came from close by.
Grimshaw and Zantho looked to the door as two young Tower Guard burst through, puffing from exertion. Grimshaw recognized one of them as Manx. The other was a young Shanti girl he hadn’t seen before.
“Alia!” Harnuck exclaimed. “By the sacred seas. I thought they’d gotten to you.”
“They nearly did,” the girl said, puffing. “They saw right through my phantom-drive. But I managed to…escape into the tunnels.”
“I’m glad you’re okay. What news do you bring? What about reinforcements?”
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