The Galactic Sentinel: Ultimate Edition: 4 Books with 2000+ Pages of Highly Entertaining Sci-Fi Space Adventure

by Killian Carter

  A burst of sadness, frustration, and anger tore through the gathering. Rather than quieten them this time, Foster let the crowd’s emotions run their course.

  Grimshaw opened his mouth but words evaded him. The last he had seen of Foster Senior; the old man had been bound and gagged by Artax and his men. For some reason, he’d assumed the old man was still fine, playing chess and annoying Bernice back at his residence. Grimshaw hadn’t even considered he’d been harmed.

  Finally, Foster spoke again. His voice still a little shaky. “Rest assured. Our best people are tracking them down even as we speak.”

  Another called a question, but Grimshaw didn’t notice who. “How did these terrorists hack the Sentinel? I thought that was impossible. And what’s to stop someone from doing it again?”

  “As to how they managed it, the investigation is still ongoing. We’ve already put measures in place so as to avoid it going forward.”

  “What about the prisoners?” A Yalore voice called over the crowd.

  Foster let the question and the resulting cries for justice and bloodshed hang in the air.

  Grimshaw shuffled back on the bed, ignoring the stab of pain across his right breast, still hardly able to believe what he was watching.

  “The terrorists will pay the ultimate price, of course.”

  Some in the crowd called out in agreement. Others heckled the human Minister.

  “You all know the penalty for treason.”

  The crowd erupted with renewed fervor as the blood drained from Grimshaw’s face.

  “We will have justice.” Foster stumbled back a step and winced in pain as he clutched his side. “That’ll be all for today,” he said, somehow managing to mask the pain from his words.

  Two SIA agents appeared at his shoulders and led him away by the elbows. Security moved in around the platform as the Ministers, Thandrall, and other officials began to disperse.

  An SIA agent stepped onto the podium to take Minister Foster’s place. “Please direct any other questions you have to the Sentinel Tower media department.”

  The video file ended, and the video-casting module deactivated.

  Zantho pulled the device from the wall and returned it to his SIG. “Minister Foster puts on quite the performance. I’ll give him that.”

  “He always kept quiet, and reserved,” Straiya said under her breath. “And now that he has played his cards, it’s too late.”

  “When are the executions?” Grimshaw could hardly believe he was asking such a question, but they were the only other words he could find as he stared at the blank wall where the video had played, his thoughts a muddled mess.

  “It has been scheduled for next week, but the Council have the power to pull it closer by five days if the petition wins a majority vote.”

  Grimshaw had to stop himself from springing off the bed again. Zantho stepped closer, as though sensing his ill-ease.

  “What are we doing about it?”

  Straiya looked at him, her tail swinging uncharacteristically nervously. “We’re already working on getting Clio out.”

  Grimshaw sighed. “How did Taza take being discovered?”

  “To say he was displeased would be an understatement,” Straiya said. “He is more eager than ever to leave the Sentinel.”

  “And how does he plan on achieving that? There isn’t a hope he’ll get past security now.”

  Straiya’s tail stopped swinging as resolve returned to her face. “We’ll be taking the North Star.”

  Grimshaw’s eyes went wide with surprise. “That’s an idea I could buy into, but they’re probably expecting us to do as much. Security will be all over that hangar. We’d be walking right into their hands.”

  “I still have a handful of loyal agents planted among Foster’s people. Two of them work in docking control. They’ll help us. We’ll strike when security changes shifts. If we time it correctly, we’ll avoid a conflict and be out of there before anyone knows.”

  “If they’ve left security on board the North Star, it’ll complicate matters. If they dig themselves in, it’ll buy time for others to arrive.”

  Straiya shook her head. “From what we know, SenSec tried to get aboard the North Star, soon after you and your crew arrived on the Sentinel, but the ship went into lock down. My agents inform me that a Tal’ri tech team has been trying to get access since Minister Zakahr arrived after the Chimera attack. So far, they haven’t succeeded.”

  “The designers built in a defense mechanism?” Grimshaw asked.

  “We aren’t sure, but it seems like the on-board AI will only allow you access.”

  “Why me?”

  “It thinks you’re the ship’s Captain.”

  “Strange. It referred to me as Captain when we escaped Colony 115, even though I was a Commander at the time.” Something suddenly occurred to him. “It explains why Artax tried to take me alive. They needed me to give them access to the ship.”

  “That would make sense.” Straiya said.

  Grimshaw recalled what he’d heard after being abducted. “While in the Chimera aircar, I overheard Artax talking with a General Ovious.”

  Straiya’s hair bristled. “Are you sure you heard correctly?”

  “It’s still a bit of a blur, but I’m certain about the name. They said something about a Primelord.”

  “I don’t know anything about a Primelord, but General Ovious used to serve in the Shanti Armada with my father. He was a fighter of great renown who was considered MIA after the last civil war. If he’s working with Chimera, it would explain how they have done such a good job of stirring things up on Shantalla.”

  “I wonder what they want with the North Star. It’s advanced, but if they already have the Tal’ri working with them…” his thoughts trailed off.

  “Whatever their interests, Chimera and the Council have put a lot of stock in the ship. Minister Zakahr even saw it fit to visit the Sentinel in person. That gives us even more reason to take it from them.”

  Grimshaw thought about that for a moment. He wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, but such an operation would be very risky, and that was providing they managed to break Clio and the others out of SenSec first. “I can see how Foster twisted things to make it look like Clio and they others were helping Chimera, but how did they tie it back to you?” he asked Straiya. “They said something about evidence at your offices.”

  “Foster had agents hidden among the workers at my offices. As did the other Ministers, no doubt. It’s a part of Sentinel politics. Each Minister keeps informants in the offices of the others, to stay abreast of each species’ most recent developments. Sometimes we feed each other misinformation, sometimes we use the system to secretly send correspondence to each other. It’s simply part of the game. Foster’s agents, however, planted evidence in my data-cores. When SenSec swept in for their raid, they knew what they were looking for, and they knew exactly where to find it. Taza had learned about Clio’s arrest and stopped me from returning to my offices while the raid was ongoing. I hate to think what might have happened had he not done so.”

  Though never happy with the level of power they exerted over galactic affairs, Grimshaw had always considered the Ministers on the Galactic Council to be lofty, in possession of some kind of special reverence, bestowed on them by the people. But the more time he spent around them, the more he saw through the illusion. The more was revealed about the inner-workings of Sentinel politics, the more Grimshaw realized they were nothing more than overgrown children.

  “Is everything okay, Grimshaw?” Straiya’s question snapped him from his daydream.

  “Sorry. This is all very surreal,” he said, still struggling to come to terms with events.

  “I know,” Zantho grunted. “I’ve watched that video a hundred times, and I still can’t believe that Minister Foster and Sergeant Chin were in on it all along. The bastards killed Harnuck, yet Chin wears that same smug look on his face. I’ll avenge my brother one of these days.”

>   Grimshaw nodded. He could hardly believe it himself, but SenSec’s involvement answered a lot of questions. “A lot about the Chimera attack suddenly makes sense. How they got access to the Data District. Why SenSec’s reinforcements took so long to reach Sentinel Tower. It’s easy to claim they were dealing with trouble elsewhere in the city, but the smoke at Sentinel Square would have been visible all over and protecting the ministers should have been their priority. Looking back on it, Chimera couldn’t have pulled half of it off without heavy support from the Council.”

  “And they pinned it all on us,” Straiya added. “Despite our efforts, and perhaps because of them, Chimera control the Sentinel, and we’re public enemy number one. I should have seen it coming. I knew there was something strange about Foster’s wound. It didn’t look like shrapnel from a shell. It was self-inflicted. He almost killed himself to make sure we’d play along with his sick plan.”

  “He seems to have recovered well,” Grimshaw said. “One of the reporters addressed him as High Minister. What happened to Orren?”

  Straiya’s expression turned sour. “High Minister Orren was found dead this morning. They say she finally succumbed to her illness, but it’s too much of a coincidence.”

  “Surely poison would show on the scanners.”

  Zantho turned to him. “High Minister Orren wasn’t poisoned. She contracted a rare Challahn disease. Normally, it is treatable with drugs, but no matter what the doctors did, the disease progressed.”

  “You think Chimera used a bioweapon?”

  “After everything else that’s happened, anything is possible,” the Rivarian Aegis said, shrugging his shoulders.

  “An inquiry could show something.”

  Straiya shook her head again. “An autopsy would be the only way to learn anything useful, but the Challah belief system views that as desecration of the body. They believe that one must enter the afterlife whole if possible. Orren’s remains were burned at her funeral ceremony before anyone could put in an appeal.”

  “They voted Foster in as High Minister, before they even held Orren’s funeral,” Zantho added.

  “That part is normal,” Straiya explained. “The law requires that a High Minister be elected right away. Foster was voted in yesterday when Orren went into a coma. The confirmation meeting was called in the Closed Chamber the moment Orren drew her last breath. Foster might be the new High Minister, but the Tal’ri still pull the strings no doubt.”

  Grimshaw couldn’t see how the Challah could be so passive. “How do the Challah feel about all this?”

  “My operatives in the Challah offices went dark. Either they were caught or had to go into hiding. Even if the Challah wanted to do anything, they are powerless without allies, and we were their only allies.”

  “What else have I missed?” Grimshaw mentally braced himself, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer.

  “The Galactic Council have used the attack as an excuse to take control of the SIA and banish the Aegi Order. They’ve seized our buildings, however the few Aegi on board had already retreated to various safe-houses like this one.” She gestured to the room. “The Council has also enforced a curfew, while they mop up any last bits of opposition. It’ll make our plans a little more difficult. They’ve brought in a third-party security force to bolster their numbers.”

  Zantho muttered a curse. “We aren’t certain, but we suspect this third-party are led by the Thandrall. Their uniforms are different, but it is likely that they’re made up of Chimera soldiers. They patrol the streets during curfew with SenSec. From what I hear, they don’t take trouble lightly.”

  “Otherwise, Sentinel life has gone back to normal,” Straiya added. “For the most part, the people are happy that something is being done. Repairs are underway, and the populace goes about their lives, completely oblivious to the fact that their home has been snatched out from under them.”

  The situation was much more hopeless than Grimshaw feared, yet Straiya seemed to think they could free Clio and hijack the North Star. “I don’t know how you plan on pulling off a jail-break and a hi-jack amidst all this, but what do you need me to do?”

  Straiya gulped. “I need you to cooperate. The plan to free your crew has already been set in motion. As for the North Star, Taza is taking care of that, but when the team is ready, they’ll need you there to lower the defenses so you can get on board.”

  Grimshaw wasn’t very good at sitting around doing nothing, but nodded agreement all the same. “You make it sound like you don’t plan on sticking around?”

  “Zantho and I must return to Shantalla. My people will have to work through the civil war before they can retake a seat on the Sentinel. Chimera are likely behind the troubles on my home-world and I have no intention of letting them beat us on that front too.”

  “You’ll be okay getting off the station?”

  Straiya smiled, though it didn’t touch her eyes. “Zantho and I will be fine.” She checked her SIG. “Speaking of which, we need to be somewhere soon. Andrews and Doctor Roshi will return momentarily. They have orders to move you to a safe-house closer to the North Star’s hangar. They’ll brief you on the details. You’ll wait there until Taza gives the signal.”

  “I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said, his mouth going dry again.

  “Taza told me about the Omnion and the artefact. It’s imperative that you snatch the North Star out of Chimera’s hands, Grimshaw. You need to bring it to the Shroud as the Omnion intended. Perhaps they will one day help us retake the Sentinel. The goddess knows, we’ll need every ally we can get.”

  “Of course,” he assured her. “I guess this is farewell then.”

  “For now,” Straiya said, tipping her head in respect. “Let’s hope the next time we see each other it isn’t on the news.”

  He waved at them both. As the door closed, Straiya’s final words sparked an idea in his head. A powerful ally had presented herself to him and he kept rejecting her. How was I too blind to see it until now?

  He spared Foster senior a brief thought, recalling what he’d told Grimshaw about learning to play chess. He slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ignoring the pain.

  It was time to play Chimera and the Council at their own game.

  30

  Beat Down

  Clio tried to stretch out the cramp in her elbow, but her restraints were too tight. The SenSec officer she’d nicknamed Burly had locked her to the magchair, its powerful electromagnets holding her arm and leg fetters in place. She’d long since learned that no matter how hard she tried, the restraints weren’t going to budge. Not without help.

  I bet O’Donovan could bust out of these without help, she told herself, hoping it would spur her on, but it didn’t. She had always competed with the heavy gunner. He was much stronger than her, but slower too. Thinking about him brought a sting. She hadn’t seen him since they were taken in by SenSec. She thought about Taza and Grimshaw. Had they made it? What about Swigger? Not to mention Booster. She hoped the bastards didn’t get the puck.

  No, Booster knows how to hide. She swore under her breath. Self-pity and worrying about her friends weren’t going to get her out of the situation. Hell, most of them were likely in cells of their own.

  She scrunched her eyes and held her breath, searching for any trace of the heat that once lent iron to her muscles and steel to her bones, but no matter how angry she got, Clio couldn’t detect even a hint of fury.

  Ever since Aegis Nakamura had treated her with the anti-fury serum, she hadn’t been able to control it as well as she used to. Not that she’d had much cause for it since escaping Colony 115. Over the months, it had come in erratic spurts, but even then, she didn’t use it for fear of the consequences.

  If only I could tap into the damn thing, maybe I could break out.

  She slumped against the chair, thinking about the Aegis who had given his arm to save her and his life to get everyone off the war-torn planet. Agis Nakamura had even gone so far as to c
onceal her act of treason and recommend her to the Aegi Order. Despite giving it much thought since Minister Straiya had extended the offer to join the Order, Clio couldn’t work out why. I didn’t deserve Nakamura’s help.

  The irony of the situation suddenly struck her. She had managed to get away with treason, only to be wrongly accused of it anyway.

  Clio opened her eyes, scanning the shiny metal table before her for anything she might use as a weapon. Apart from the recording device in the center, it was empty.

  Perhaps if I time things just right, I can wrestle myself free when they try to take me back to my cell.

  The door clicked and slid out of view, admitting Burly and Samity. Being a warrior-class Varg, Burly was—as his nickname suggested—barrel chested with pillars for limbs and a slab of granite for a jaw. Bone plates and splinters jutted from his head and hands. As a gangly human, two heads shorter than Burly and half as wide, Samity couldn’t have been more different. He wore a ginger handle-bar moustache, the length of which had earned him his nickname. It reminded Clio of an old Earth cartoon she’d once watched as a kid. She figured the man was compensating for his balding scalp, or something else.

  “This is the last chance,” Samity said in his nasally voice.

  “Have you reconsidered the proposal?” Burly said almost too softly, setting a board with a sheet of paper and pen attached to it on the table.

  Clio thought it funny that the mean-looking Varg was playing good cop and smirked. “My answer hasn’t changed.”

  Samity swore and Burly pushed the board closer to Clio.