The Planetsider Trilogy

by G J Ogden

  They jogged up the stairs to the second floor and entered a wide corridor with rooms on either side. Heart thumping in her chest Maria crept down the corridor, counting the numbers on the doors until they came to number four; Ashley Jansen’s office. Maria tried the handle, but the door was locked. Page stepped forward and tried the hacked ident against the panel and the lock clicked open. He grabbed the handle and looked across to Maria.

  “Ready?” he whispered and Maria nodded.

  Page pushed the handle down and stepped into the room. Inside was a single occupant, standing a few meters back from the door with her hands behind her back, as if standing to attention. She had dark brown hair, streaked with silver, which was tied up tightly at the rear, but hung down messily at the sides of a diamond-shaped face with sharp, brown eyes that were fixed on Page. Neither spoke, and then the woman brought her hands forward and raised a pistol, aiming it squarely at Page’s head.

  Chapter 12

  Governor Kuba heard the door to the service entrance swing open, and swiveled in his enormous black chair to see Major Darien entering the Teardrop. The service entrance was concealed to the rear of the huge glass capsule, poised high above the government sector. It was accessed via a large elevator and was one of only two ways into the Teardrop, the other being the grand main entrance in government square, which had been designed to wow any visiting dignitaries. Kuba had entered an hour earlier using the main entrance, considering it befitting of his status and ambition, and he found it telling that Darien had chosen the lesser of the two routes. It was almost as if the bungling major was announcing his unworthiness to hold high office, and it merely crystallized in Kuba’s mind what needed to be done.

  “Ah, welcome Major Darien, please come in,” said Kuba with his characteristic greasy charm. “I took the liberty of having some refreshments brought up earlier, so that we could talk undisturbed.” He gestured to a tray, containing a clear, crystal decanter filled with a honey-yellow liquid, and an assortment of small dishes filled with a selection of finger foods. “But first, what news of Maria Salus and Major Page?”

  Kuba had already reviewed the latest intelligence, which he had ordered to be made available to him the instant that Major Darien’s communication had been circulated, granting Kuba effective military rank equal to that of Darien. But he considered it a good ice-breaker, and a way to steer the conversation immediately to the matters at hand. Despite his love of talking, and his propensity for verbosity, even when saying the simplest things, Kuba did not care for small talk. Or, at least, he did not care for the inconsequential trivialities of lesser men.

  “Still no word on their location,” grunted Darien, slumping into the plush, high-backed black chair next to Kuba and grabbing a handful of one of the snacks on the tray, which he then shoveled into his mouth. “Though we have recon drones and teams out in every sector.”

  Kuba watched him with disgust, noting that the Major also had seemingly not shaved and that his uniform was creased, as if he’d slept in it.

  “There was one strange reading,” Darien went on, still talking with his mouth full. “Something tripped a sensor alarm in the engineering void between two sectors. It could just have been a glitch, but we’re going to check it out, anyway.”

  “Very good, Major Darien,” said Kuba, smoothly, though he already knew of the reading and of the team that had been ordered to investigate it. “I hear there are reports of growing insurgent groups. We should redouble our efforts to locate these criminals, before their ranks swell to greater numbers.”

  “Yes, yes, we’re doing all we can, ” said Darien, dismissing Kuba’s comment, but then he sat upright and leaned in towards him. “Anyway, we should pick up our conversation about what to do next. Whether we find Salus or not, General Kurren is dead and no-one else is coming back from that barren wasteland of a planet, so we need to come up with an exit plan for this mess; one where we are protected.”

  “Of course!” said Kuba with his easy smile. “Though, as I mentioned, that requires delicate handling and should not be rushed. Our first priority is to capture Maria Salus and Major Page, in order to regain control of the situation. Once their disruptive influence is contained, I can speak to the council of ministers and discuss a transition back to civilian government; one where you are not personally held accountable for General Kurren’s actions, naturally.”

  “Good, good,” muttered Darien, rocking back in the chair as his PVSM bleeped an incoming message. He checked the screen and rose suddenly. “I should take this.”

  “I hold military rank now, Major,” said Kuba, stopping Darien before his exit. “Surely it is not something that should be kept from me? It is imperative that we trust one another, if I am going to be able to help you too.”

  Darien’s eyes narrowed; he hovered above the chair for a moment and flopped back down into it again. “Very well, Governor, I’ll patch the message to the holo in here,” he paused for effect and then added, “as a show of trust.” He tapped a few controls on his PVSM and the holo emitter in the center of the slab-like black desk hummed into life, displaying the ethereal image of a young, severe-looking soldier, visible from the torso up. She was wearing dark combat clothing that blended with her onyx-black hair, which was pulled back into a tight ponytail that seemed to stretch her eyes back into a persistent, penetrating stare. Her ident appeared alongside the image, which read, Jnr. Lieutenant Katrina Zahn, Sector Commander, Training Sector.

  “Report, Lieutenant Zahn,” barked Darien, sounding and acting like an officer for the first time since Kurren’s death had been confirmed.

  “Sir, a recon drone has sighted Maria Salus entering the technical flight training campus. Major Page is also with her. Requesting permission to move my team in and engage them.”

  Zahn’s robotic-sounding report was equally as clinical as her appearance.

  “You have their exact location?” said Darien.

  “Yes sir, they entered one of the campus buildings and have not yet emerged. I have my covert ops team standing by for your order.”

  Darien glanced across to Kuba, who was staring back at him intently but giving nothing away, and then he returned his attention to the holo, “Standby, Lieutenant.” He tapped his PVSM and the holo image blurred into a white fuzz.

  “If Maria Salus dies she will become a martyr,” said Kuba, not bothering to wait for Darien to invite his comment. “It will bolster support for the insurgency, and potentially plunge us into a civil war.”

  “So you suggest we don’t move in?” said Darien, not following the governor’s train of thought.

  “No, only that your soldiers understand the importance of keeping Maria Salus and Major Page alive,” clarified Kuba. “If I recall correctly, you and the General did not select the sector commanders based on their tact or restraint, but rather on their zealotry and ruthlessness.”

  Darien wasn’t sure whether this comment was meant as a rebuke, or if it was just another one of Kuba’s long-winded attempts to say something simple in the most obtuse manner possible.

  “I will ensure that Lieutenant Zahn understands the importance of taking them in one piece, if that’s what you’re getting at?”

  “Excellent!” said Kuba, smiling broadly. “Once captured, may I suggest that Maria Salus and Major Page be brought here, away from prying eyes and ears?”

  “Bring them to the Teardrop?” said Darien, again not following Kuba’s thinking. “Why here?”

  “For the same reason we are here, my dear Major. Here, they will not feel intimidated by a garrison of soldiers, and here also I can discuss the situation, and our plan, without being monitored or overhead. In short, Major, if you bring them here then I can ensure their co-operation.”

  “Very well,” grumbled Darien. He honestly didn’t care where they were held, so long as they did what he wanted. “But I will be present for the interrogation.”

  “Interview, my dear Major, not interrogation,” Kuba corrected him, continuin
g to play the role of the pacifist, though an interrogation was more what Kuba had in mind. Darien, however, was not part of his plan.

  “Call it what you like, Kuba,” snapped Darien. “So long as they agree to do what we need, I don’t care.” Darien hit a button on his PVSM and the holo image sharpened again.

  “Lieutenant Zahn, move in your team and capture Maria Salus and Major Page alive. If either are killed or significantly harmed, I will hold you personally responsible. Is that clear?”

  “Understood, sir,” said the holo image of Lieutenant Zahn, though from the further narrowing of her already sharp eyes, the order for restraint clearly did not sit well with her.

  “Once you have them, bring them directly to the Teardrop, and nowhere else. Darien, out.”

  The image fizzled to nothing and the cool white glow of the holo emitter faded. Darien shook his head, “It would have to be Zahn,” he said, irritated.

  “Is she not capable?” asked Kuba, concerned.

  “Quite the opposite. She was one of Kurren’s top recruits,” said Darien, “but, like Kurren, she’s harder than diamond, almost to the point of being cruel.”

  Kuba raised his bushy brown eyebrows, inviting Darien to elaborate further.

  “Let’s just say she’s not known for her lightness of touch,” said Darien. “She will bring them in alright; I just hope she doesn’t kill them and destroy half the sector in the process.”

  “I see…” said Kuba, making a mental note of the young officer’s name. He then reached over the table and drew the refreshments tray towards him. From it, he took two heavy, ornate crystal tumblers and poured two large measures of the amber liquid. “Do you take ice, major?” he asked, knowing full well that Darien did.

  “Yes, thanks.”

  Kuba lifted the lid off a small metal container and then with a pair of tongs carefully lifted out two cubes of ice and gently placed both into one of the tumblers. He then delicately slid the tumbler towards Darien, being careful not to spill the contents, and picked up his own tumbler.

  “Here’s to the end of the war and our prosperous futures,” said Kuba, his half-smile even more sickly than usual. Kuba took a polite sip of the liquid and watched Darien over the lip of the glass.

  Darien grabbed the tumbler and took a soldierly gulp, draining the contents in one, and then banged the glass down onto the desk. “Hopefully, this will be over soon.”

  Kuba’s forced half-smile suddenly widened into a toothy grin. “Yes, Major, it most certainly will be.”

  Darien’s eyes scrunched into a frown, then his throat closed shut like a valve and his eyes shot wide open, as if he’d just been electrocuted. Struggling for breath, he slid off the chair and clambered towards Kuba, reaching out to him like a desperate beggar. Starved of breath his mouth was unable to make a sound, though his eyes implored the politician to help him. Kuba simply stood and casually backed away.

  “I must apologize, Major Darien, but I’m afraid our time together has necessarily come to an end,” said Kuba, as Darien’s terrified, wild eyes locked on to his. “I regret that it had to come to this, but I’m afraid you simply lack the conviction to see this through.”

  Darien tried to stand, but immediately slumped onto the table and clawed at the smooth black surface, as the strength in his body began to fail. His arms flailed madly, crashing into the refreshments tray and the decanter containing the amber liquid tumbled over, spilling its contents onto the desk.

  “I have not come this far, enduring the constant discourtesy and contempt of that belligerent oaf, Kurren, only so that you can ruin everything!” said Kuba, his voice growing louder and angrier. “I will say one thing for Kurren, however; at least he had the fortitude to do what was necessary. You would undo everything we fought for, and deliver us to Maria Salus like scolded children. What you have failed to understand is that there is no turning back from what we have done, Major; there never was!”

  Darien slid off the table and hit the floor like a carcass fresh from slaughter, grasping his throat and making a low gargling sound. His skin had turned a bluish-gray and his mouth yawned wide open, desperate for the breath that could not come.

  Kuba took several deep breaths to compose himself – he disliked overt shows of emotion; they were uncouth and not befitting the character of a governor. As his equilibrium returned, so did his well-practiced half-smile. “I will control this base, as governor and general. Where Archer’s weakness and sentimentality led him to falter and Kurren’s cruelty and ego blinded him, I will ensure prosperity for the people of the UEC. I am sorry you will not live to see the glorious society I will nurture.”

  Darien’s eyes bulged, almost popping out of their sockets, and then with one last, low gargle, his body became rigid, as if it had suddenly been frozen solid, and the Major lay silent.

  Chapter 13

  Page slowly raised his hands above his head, his eyes fixed on the weapon in the woman’s grasp. He was still holding the blank ident card in his right hand; the woman’s eyes flicked up to it and then back to Page.

  “Where did you get that?”

  “I’m afraid we didn’t get his name,” called out Maria, who was hidden from view in the corridor.

  Ashley Jansen arced her neck, trying to see where the voice had come from. “Maria? Is that you?”

  “Yes, so how about you stop threatening to shoot my partner, and let us inside?”

  Ashley lowered the weapon and used it to wave Page inside. “It’s not actually loaded. I hate weapons.”

  “And I’m not especially fond of having them pointed at me,” quipped Page, lowering his hands and stepping further inside the room.

  Maria followed, closing the door behind her. Ashley shot a warm smile towards Maria and then focused on Page again, looking the soldier up and down, as if he was being subjected to an evaluation.

  “I remember your partner being older... and taller.”

  “It’s a long story,” said Maria.

  Then the two women closed the distance between them and embraced as if they had not seen each other in years. The pressure of the hug made Maria suddenly aware of just how many cuts, grazes and bruises were littered all over her body, but she didn’t care, and closed her arms even more tightly around her old teacher.

  “There were rumors you had come back, though I found them hard to believe,” said Ashley, drawing back but keeping a grip on Maria’s shoulders. “Then we picked you up in a hacked security feed, and I sent Byrne to get you before Kuba’s men tracked you down.”

  “Byrne? The big guy who sounds like he has broken glass in his throat?” said Maria.

  “He found you then?”

  “It would be more accurate to say that the heel of Sal’s boot found him,” interrupted Page, deciding to invite himself into the conversation, since no-one else had. “His voice is a few octaves higher now.”

  Ashley stood back, shot another penetrating look at Page, and then looked back at Maria. “Is he alright?”

  “He’ll live,” said Maria, “though he might find it difficult to walk properly for a while.”

  Ashley laughed openly and clasped her hands together. “You always did like to bust balls.”

  “I learned from the best,” said Maria, smirking.

  Page cleared his throat with a loud and deliberately fake-sounding cough. “I hate to be the one to break up this happy reunion, but there’s still the small matter of ending a coup to deal with?”

  Maria and Ashley raised their eyebrows in almost perfect unison, then Ashley wandered behind her desk and sat down. “Quite right, Major Page. But first, I’m curious to learn how the commander of General Kurren’s planetside task force ended up here, fighting alongside the UEC’s most-wanted criminal.”

  Maria pulled up a chair and flopped down into it, placing her boots on Ashley’s desk. The older woman did not complain, and both of them stared up at Page, expectantly waiting for his answer.

  Page had felt like he was under scrutiny f
rom the moment he entered the office, but it was beginning to feel like more of an interrogation. It reminded him of his awkward personal meeting with General Kurren before accepting his promotion, and that was something he did not want to be reminded of. He thought for a moment, and then folded his arms and locked his earnest brown eyes onto Ashley Jansen.

  “I made a bad call, and I’m trying to make it right,” he said, plainly. “That’s all there is to it.”

  Ashley stared back into his eyes; neither of them blinked. “Fair enough,” she said after a few silent seconds had elapsed. “Besides, if Sal trusts you then that’s good enough for me.”

  Maria slid her boots off the table and pulled her chair closer to Ashley’s desk. “You said there were rumors about my return. What more do you know?”

  “Not much,” Ashley replied, motioning for Page to also pull up a chair, which he did. “We heard that a ship from the planet had infiltrated the base and that two people were seen escaping from it. I knew it had to be you, even before we saw the holo feed from the security cameras. I know of no other pilot who would be crazy enough to pull a high-g burn inside a spaceport.”

  “Except you, of course,” said Maria, smiling. Ashley pouted, contemplating whether that was a fair statement, and then nodded to concede the point.

  “So, Kurren is dead?” Ashley added, skipping to the crux of the matter.

  “Yes, he and his entire squad, bar Karl of course.”

  “That has to be one hell of a story,” Ashley replied, relaxing back in her high-backed chair. “But it will have to wait for another time. Right now, you may be exactly what we need to help defeat Kuba and Darien.”

  “Your heavyweight friend, Byrne, talked of organized resistance,” said Page. “How many of you are there?”