He was trapped in his own design of power.
He put one hand on Calico’s arm and the other on Regan’s. He squeezed, but not too tightly, yet Regan could feel the rage pulsing through his hand.
“A councilman’s work is never done,” he said past gritted teeth. He released his grip and dropped his hands. “But please stick around,” he said as he turned to walk away with his entourage of staff and security. “I would love to catch up.”
Regan and Calico watched Rubicio walk away. He didn’t look back at them. He headed for a set of doors across the grand circular room and walked in. When the doors closed behind them, Regan and Calico didn’t hesitate. They moved forward with their plan. They hurried toward the communications room.
It’s time to finish this.
Chapter Nineteen
Regan and Calico headed down another hallway, more hurriedly than they were walking before, but not enough to stand out to those they passed. Regan had to remind himself he was an Ambassador after all. He had just as much right to be here as anyone else who walked these halls. While his intentions were absolutely disruptive, he hadn’t done anything to cause alarm… yet.
They reached the door to the communications room, finding no security. This surprised Regan. He didn’t trust it.
“Could it be a trap?” he asked Calico is a hurried whisper.
“What makes you say that?”
“Well, the fact that there are no security guards here,” he said, motioning left and right, demonstrating the entire hallway was empty.
“Just consider this our lucky day,” she said. “Besides, they don’t need security guards when this door is locked with its own security features.”
I suppose that’s a good point.
Regan took out the two cards he had been given. The one from the Pershan King, and the other from Councilman Korshani. There were slots for each card on either side of the door, wide enough so that one person alone couldn’t enter, except perhaps a creature like Squit.
“We have to put them in at the same time,” Calico said as Regan handed her one of the cards.
“Count us down,” Regan said, putting his card near the slot on his side of the door, but not yet pushing it in.
Calico did the same.
“Three, two, one…”
They both pushed their cards in at the same time and a light above the door changed from red to green. A series of locks moved within the door, releasing pressurized air before the door slid open.
Calico walked in first. Regan followed right after, looking left and right as he did, making sure no one saw them enter the communications room.
The room itself wasn’t that big, and compared to the rest of the massive building, it wasn’t even that impressive. It was simple, just a boxy room, without any art or sculptures. The lights were like standard office lighting, the room having very little that was glamorous about it. In fact, it was more like an electronics closet than anything.
The walls were lined with computer equipment, but even this seemed slightly dated. While it was significantly advanced beyond what Regan knew from Earth, it was less advanced than much of what he had seen on his adventures.
The equipment was all different sizes, from large monitors to small devices with blinking lights. Regan put his hands behind his back, knowing that touching the wrong thing would be hugely problematic.
He also noticed the smell in the room, which was strongly like ozone. He thought of the air released when the door unlocked, as if this room was kept sterile and well-regulated in its temperature. He then wondered if being in this room for too long might trigger something. If the air was regulated to a specific level, the body heat of the two together might cause a problem.
The room droned with white noise from all the humming electronics. It was soothing, but it made Regan feel in violation of it. Then again, that was exactly what he meant to be doing, violating the space of this station and soon the airwaves it controlled.
For the first time Regan noticed the stage in the center of the room. It was elevated from the floor and its purpose wasn’t clear. Then he saw the camera hovering above it.
Shit. Spotted.
“Calico,” Regan said and nodded at the camera. “We’re being recorded right now. I’m sure armed guards are on their way.”
Calico looked at the camera and gave it a wink.
“They can’t stop us now,” she said. “We only need a moment.”
Calico went to a specific part of the room, finding a series of plugs. The ends all had different prong styles that Regan didn’t recognize. Calico found the one she was looking for and turned to Regan, reaching out her hand.
“This is it,” she said.
Regan understood.
He took the data cube out of his jacket and handed it to her, but he didn’t let go so quickly. They both had their hands on it while she looked at him.
“You have earned this,” he said to her, knowing she had been dreaming of doing this for so long. She was about to see it through. All her persistence finally paid off.
She smiled up at Regan. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
She then turned and plugged one of the cables into the data cube and stepped over to a control console. She inspected it for a few moments then nodded to herself, like she understood what needed to be done.
“What do we do now?” Regan asked.
“There is a quick calculation I’ll have to put in to open up the emergency broadcast system, but when I flip this switch, the information on the data cube can’t be stopped. It’ll fill the airwaves everywhere.”
Calico had an excitement in her eye, one that Regan hadn’t seen before. She looked like a little kid who finally got her wish. Her speech was a bit faster as well, and though he couldn’t tell, he thought there was some bounciness in her movements.
“Once I flip this switch,” she said. “We’ll have to run like hell.”
She was excited even about this. As if the thrill of the mission was part of her plan all along. But he was ready for it.
“I’m ready when you are,” Regan said.
Calico smiled at him. She quickly entered a calculation to open up the emergency broadcast network. Red lights started flashing on all the electronics in the room. Regan realized these were all individual feeds, receiving or sending information out to different sectors and galaxies of the universe. Calico was taking them all over, merging them into a single stream.
She pushed a button above the cable connected from the data cube to the system. She opened the flow of information, then the blue lights on the data cube started blinking rapidly. It was active, ready to go.
She looked at Regan one more time, her smile was massive. Her eyes were full of giddiness and joy. She was breaking all the rules, but restoring the balance, and she craved it all. There was a hunger on her face. An expression that said she could do whatever she wanted.
And in that moment, she did.
She flipped the switch.
The lights all shut down.
Oh no.
Regan and Calico looked at each other for a moment in the darkness thinking they were cut out, that someone watching was able to shut down the power before the process took hold.
But then the lights slowly came back on. Again, all red. Still on the same channel. Still being fed by the data cube. Then they heard the echoing streams of information and hustle happening in the hallways. They heard instant chatter and commotion.
Regan noticed the blue lights on the data cube that were blinking quickly, were now slowing down, until they drained from the cube altogether. It sat there lifeless. The information had been transferred. It was done.
Calico laughed giddily. She tried to contain the volume, but couldn’t help herself. She felt victorious. Regardless of what would happen next, the information was out. The universe was watching and listening. They were seeing the truth.
“Calico,” Regan said. “We gotta move now.”
Calico
grabbed Regan’s face and pulled it to hers. She kissed him passionately for a few moments, moaning as she did so.
Then they dashed from the room.
As they walked down a long hallway, security was hurrying toward them. However, in between them and security, doors were opening everywhere and creatures of all different species were emerging into the hallway, jamming everything.
They were all on their communications devices speaking to whatever press agency they were affiliated with about what was happening.
Regan got a good view of how it was all unfolding.
In the main area, the circular space with the voting chambers, a large holographic screen was hovering and displaying all the information from the data cube. It was giving away names, locations, lists, cover-ups, and every juicy bit of information that a journalist or tabloid writer would want.
The place was in chaos. Security moved quickly right by Regan, and he realized then that he wasn’t their target. They were hustling for another councilman to protect him from the barrage of questions and aggression that would be coming his way.
Regan wondered then how many other members of the Intergalactic Council would be impacted by this outbreak of information. They were likely to shut down a whole fraction of the universal government with all this data.
And that’s fine with me. Fuck ‘em.
Just then, in the midst of all the chaos, the doors that Rubicio had previously entered flew open. A swarm of reporters and security rushed to the door. Regan watched as Rubicio was being carried out of the room, too short to work his way through this mess of people. Regan noticed that these security guards who carried him out weren’t arresting him. Rather, they were helping him escape, carrying him to some place where he might have a chance at getting away.
Regan thought about shouting something to him, rubbing it in the wound a little. But he didn’t. He watched as the corrupt councilman attempted to flee. It made Regan smile, seeing someone else on the run for a change.
Then Rubicio made eye contact with him. He was furious, and Regan felt that those golden eyes could send lasers out and strike him down. The hate was like nothing he’d seen.
Rubicio pointed at Regan, clearly no longer hiding behind the proper facade.
“The human and the Pershan!” he shouted. “Get them!”
Two of the security guards in his detail broke off and started to fight their way through the angry crowd which was increasingly becoming a mob. They were angry at their leaders. They started throwing things at Rubicio, getting in security’s way on purpose.
But Regan and Calico didn’t have time to watch this play out.
“Now we run like hell,” she said.
“Yep.”
They did. They dashed out of the main area and sprinted down a hallway. This hallway was now lined with holographic screens as well. They displayed different broadcasts, but it was all saying the same thing. Rubicio’s name and picture was all over the screens. Regan even caught glimpses of Salvato. Pictures of the two of them together.
It was beautiful.
Everywhere they went in this building, every corner they turned, there was an outcry of people demanding justice. Regan thought these people might just start ripping down this entire building.
They finally made it to the front doors where a load of people were fighting to get in and get out. The scene was pure anarchy. Regan and Calico stopped and looked at the jammed-up doors, unsure how they were going to get out of here. They turned behind them to see fights breaking out between security guards and some now-protesters.
Regan loved the sight of all of it, but they had a serious problem. This building was going to implode in a straight up revolutionary fight, and they needed to get the hell out before that happened.
Then they were lifted into the air. They didn’t see it coming, but Regan and Calico both were pulled up by their garments and carried toward the door, above the heads of the protesters and security guards.
Regan looked up and saw Councilman Korshani. He was carrying each of them with his strong arms. His wings glimmered in the light and were impressively expansive. He twirled through the doorway, right above the crowd, reaching the outside.
And as Regan soon saw, the chaos outside was no different from it was inside. People were demanding answers. Security guards were wrestling protesters to the ground. Ships were taking off in all directions. Even the blockade of ships above was now in a seemingly panicked formation. Some ships were being shot down while others were sliding through with ease.
Their escape was far from over.
Korshani landed and set them down. His giant wingspan retreated, tucked behind his back. He looked at Regan and Calico.
“You have done great things, but we must part here,” he said. “Leave while you can.”
“We can’t thank you enough,” Regan said to him.
The councilman smiled.
“Another time, we can discuss it,” he said. “Maybe then you’ll join me in a toast and try my delicious homemade brew.”
He smiled. His wings unfolded again, then he flew back toward the large building, back toward the action. Regan thought that it was the single most badass move he’d ever seen and had faith that there other creatures like that on the council.
Earth might have a good chance after all. Hell, the whole universe might stand a chance.
Calico and Regan turned and ran for their ship. As they got closer, they noticed it was already in the air. The crew had fired it up and was idling by, ready to flee.
The loading door opened as Squit’s tentacles came reaching out. She yanked Regan and Calico inside the ship, then the door closed behind them.
“Hey buddy!” Bob shouted, standing near the loading door.
“Hey Bob,” Regan said. “Get to the bridge.”
Squit didn’t hesitate, she carried all of them through the ship toward the bridge. They flew down the hallways, and even though they weren’t out of the clear, Regan felt good to be back in the arms of his crew, literally. He was back on his ship. He was close to getting away with everything.
After they returned to the bridge, Squit dropped everyone into their respective seat, even buckled Bob into his. Reverie glanced at Regan with admiration, already buckled in and ready for takeoff.
“Well, you certainly woke that place up,” Posha said. “We have been listening to the broadcasts. It has been very exciting!”
Regan noticed a radio stream playing on the bridge. Commentators were discussing Rubicio and the corruption he had weaved throughout the universe. They were discussing the brave human who had taken it upon himself to fight injustice in a corrupt system.
Regan was a universal hero.
“You take any of those assholes out while you were in there?” Straya asked as she and Arkei went through the holographic map, plotting out their FTL jump coordinates.
“Didn’t have time,” Regan said with a smirk.
“Pity,” Arkei said. “That Rubicio could have used a good ass-blasting.”
“He’s got one coming to him, don’t worry about that,” Calico said, buckling in as she received the coordinates for the jump.
Arkei had the ship on course heading out of the atmosphere and into space. They just had to get through the blockade of destroyers before they could punch it.
Destroyers surrounded them. It was as chaotic up here as it was down there. Many smaller ships were trying to evacuate the Intergalactic Council Space Station, but the destroyers were inspecting many of them, even shooting some down, trying to contain the mess.
Now this is fucking Star Wars!
But as exciting as it was, Regan knew the danger was far from over.
“Our coordinates are locked!” Straya said.
“Let’s just hope none of the destroyers take an interest in us,” Calico said.
“But the advisor cleared our ship,” Arkei argued.
“Lots of things change when shit hits the fan,” Calico said.
And
she was right about that. Enemies wouldn’t be so bashful to reveal themselves when the gloves were off. Especially when they were ripped off with force. There was still the possibility that this could get ugly.
“Just keep it cool,” Regan said. “And if something—”
An alarm interrupted him. Arkei pulled up the security screen on the bridge and it revealed three ships headed right for them. Two of them were security frigates.
“Shit!” Straya said.
“They don’t have a missile lock on us,” Arkei reported.
“Let’s not wait for it,” Straya said.
“Let’s arm Posha’s last mine,” Regan said. “And then face them.”
“You’re a crazy son of a bitch,” Calico said as she turned the ship directly for the three ships. “I like it.”
“Yes, well, don’t forget my additions to the missiles as well!” Posha said.
“No firing in this tight zone,” Straya said. “Destroyers will take us out in no time if they see us fire upon an Intergalactic Council security frigate.”
“But what’s up with that third ship?” Arkei asked as she isolated it on the hologram.
Squit put a tentacle on the screen next to her and made some squishy sounds.
“Squit is scanning it out,” Bob said. “It seems to be a recon ship of some kind.”
“Recon ship?” Posha asked. “Operating in tandem with the security frigates.”
“I don’t like it,” Arkei said.
“Just hold the position!” Regan said.
The three ships were getting closer.
“Squit?” Regan asked. “What else you got?”
Her tentacle moved around. She made more sounds.
“There are many advanced security measures on that ship,” Bob said.
“Capture a voice through their communication channel!” Posha said. “If you—”
But then Squit shouted something, and it was clear she was telling Posha that she knew how to do that and was already working on it.
The ships were gaining on them.
“They haven’t made any demands!” Straya said. “I don’t trust it!”
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