“Yes,” Hassan said. “The incident over her parents was covered up, and she was transferred to one of our remote research outposts in the Cygnus Rift Region, staffed only by our most trusted people. It took my intel team a while, but one of the base staffers might have gone over to a rival.”
Erich crossed his arms. “Explain.”
“Subject Zero was raised in that outpost for a long time,” Hassan said. “We had staff turnover—some of the researchers eventually moved on to other things over the years. I had my team comb through the files of every single member of the base and one stands out—a researcher by the name of Dr. Jing Navarro. He rotated out last year, and now he’s missing.”
“Missing?”
“Yes, we did an exhaustive search all over Union space for all the past members of the research outpost, and he is the only one we can’t account for,” Hassan said.
“How deep was his clearance?”
“He was one of the senior researchers along with Dr. Dhara Hayer. We must assume he had access to all of Subject Zero’s files since the very beginning.”
Erich gritted his teeth. “If this Navarro fellow defected over to the Concordance then my plans are screwed. Did those damned parasites hire the Nepenthe to hijack my ship?”
“There is a possibility, but I don’t think so,” Hassan said. “The liner Tamaishi and her escort traveled using an unorthodox and secretive route, but the star systems they passed through were still in Union space.”
“It’s not a legit reason to rule out the Concordance. The Nepenthe doesn’t care either way; those pirates violate everybody’s territory as a rule.”
“Yes, but if the Concordance did hire them then they would have gone public over this, or at least entered into secretive negotiations with our political representatives, but they have not. All our intel networks say the Concordance is currently quiet,” Hassan said.
Erich shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t like it. Perhaps they’re keeping quiet in order to gear up for a full-scale assault across the border systems?”
“Our latest intel on enemy fleet movements has been consistent over the decades,” Hassan said. “No major buildup of Concordance forces to merit an invasion.”
Erich sighed. “So we’re back to square one. We know there was a leak, but we don’t know who’s behind it all.”
“There is an interesting clue in Dr. Navarro’s personal files,” Hassan said. “Based on his financial records, he has very large shareholdings in Tyrell Interstellar, Kishikawa Corp, and Blue Star Spacelines.”
Erich was taken aback. The three companies mentioned were controlled by his rivals in the Executive Committee. “What? How big are his holdings?”
“Quite substantial,” Hassan said. “Enough for him and his husband to live out their lives in comfort and leisure. His salary as a researcher wouldn’t have been enough to acquire these large investments.”
Erich bit his lip. “So this is why you believe it’s one of my competitors for the chairmanship?”
“Yes,” Hassan said. A loud chime on his smartcom made him look down and stare at the holographic screen being displayed above it. “Director Carerra is waiting in the anteroom.”
“Show her in here,” Erich said. “And keep on looking. We need to narrow the list down.”
“Yes, Director,” Hassan said. He made a slight bow before turning around and heading for the door.
The entryway opened and in stepped Nilda Carerra, one of the senior members of the Committee. Hassan made a slight bow to her as well before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.
Nilda smiled as she made her way over to the center of the lounge. Her dress was made with the finest Arcturan fabrics, and they glittered in the sunlight like the golden scales of a mythical bird. “Good afternoon, Erich. How nice of you to see me.”
They shook hands. Even though they were bitter rivals, the battles for control of the Committee were subtle, and he could sense she was up to something. Nilda was the primary shareholder of Tyrell Interstellar, and one of his prime suspects. He remembered the time when she tried to ruin him by shorting the stock of his personal firm years ago, but Erich had weathered the storm, and his father’s company ultimately bounced back. He swore he would get even with her one day. In the meantime, the game had to be played with outward decorum. The Union heavily depended on public opinion, and appearances were everything.
Erich smiled in return. “You’re always welcome here for a chat, Nilda. How can I help you?”
Nilda moved past him and stood out by the balcony, enjoying the afternoon breeze. “You know, I always envied this place. The bidding war for the construction of this resort was fierce, and I thought I was going to win it. You were just a boy then.”
Erich walked over and stood beside her. “That was around twenty years ago. I was thirty-two. Hardly a boy.”
“Compared to me you were,” Nilda said. “I’m pushing eighty now.”
“I have to admit, I’d never heard of you back then and I made some mistakes.”
“You did,” Nilda said. “You underbid me and the others so badly I didn’t think your firm would survive. I was angry about being deprived of such a view as this.” She waved her hand across the air, taking in the Alpine breeze. “So I decided to undermine your father’s company in the markets and acquire the assets after the firm went under.”
Erich nodded in acknowledgement. “Yes, and you nearly succeeded.”
“But you turned it around just in time,” Nilda said. “You were able to secure credit—by what means I’m still not sure. You used it to buy back the shorted stock and doubled your company’s profits the year after. Your father would be proud.”
Erich had wanted to strangle her with his bare hands at one time, but over the years he began to gain a grudging respect for this wizened hag. He had learned much from their battles, and put it to good use in eliminating his other rivals. “Are we here to discuss old times, Nilda?”
The old woman continued to smile at him. If there was one thing he hadn’t learned, it was the art of polite conversation. She always thought of him as brusque and uncouth, despite his aristocratic upbringing. “I brought up that incident as a bit of background material. We are both aware this planet is the most expensive real estate in the galaxy.”
Erich smirked. “Yes, so expensive that very few individuals can even afford to own land here these days—you and I being two of them. Every square meter of this planet now belongs to the conglomerates, or is designated as government sanctuaries. Your typical citizen of Earth is now but a renter.”
She looked out into the distance, placing her wrinkled palm over her eyes to shield them from the glare, even though she had ocular implants. “Ah, but it is all because of our perceptions, is it not? Despite the over two hundred worlds humanity has settled in, the call to come home still resonates to even the most far-flung colonists in the Union. From what I heard, even the human populations of the Concordance are pressing for war—and their sole reason is a want to possess this very planet. Despite our successes in terraforming other worlds, Earth is still the perfect place for our species.”
“I thought their symbiote masters would cure them of any nostalgia for humanity’s birthplace,” Erich said.
Nilda laughed. “If only that were true. Our latest intel on the symbiotes indicates that their supposed control over their human hosts may not be as absolute as we once thought.”
Erich suppressed the urge to raise an eyebrow. What is she getting at? Does she know about Subject Zero? Is she the one behind the Nepenthe’s hijack of my prized possession? “That’s merely speculation and propaganda from the pro-war political factions, as far as I can tell. Do you know something that I don’t?”
She placed a hand on his cheek and patted it lightly. “My dear, I do fear the warhawks in our government are preparing something under our noses. That’s why I came to talk to you before the conference begins.”
“What do you mean?”
>
“My sources have told me that Malcolm has been working on something that could neutralize the symbiotes’ hold on their human hosts.”
Erich’s eyebrows finally went up. Next to her, Malcolm Walden was his other main rival. One of Malcolm’s many companies happened to be Blue Star Spacelines, and he was another implacable enemy whom Erich needed to neutralize if he were ever to become chairman. “You wouldn’t have told me this unless you have some proof. Let’s hear it.”
“Two things,” Nilda said softly. “The first is his firm’s recent contract to build new ships for the Star Force.”
Erich nodded. The bidding war to upgrade the Union military’s fleet of warships was one of the most hotly contested government contracts ever. Staggeringly huge bribes were laid out, and even a few mysterious deaths had occurred. Almost every member of the Committee tried their best to win the contract, but Malcolm was the one who came out on top. “And the other?”
She looked him straight in the eye. “Another rumor is that he has acquired some sort of … asset. Something to do with the antecessors. I believe it is an artifact that is powerful enough to change the course of history.”
Erich was speechless for a minute. So it was Malcolm who did it! He chose his next words carefully, so as not to arouse her suspicion. “Can you give me any more details? What does this artifact supposedly do?”
“Apparently it can render humans immune to the symbiosis of the parasites,” Nilda said. “If deployed on a wide scale it would deal the symbiote species a mortal blow from which they may not recover, and consequently undermine the power base of the Concordance.”
Erich drew in a sharp breath. Malcolm now possessed Subject Zero and his rise to the chairmanship would be assured. “How did you find out about this?”
Nilda smiled faintly. “I have my ways. We all have spies in our employ. You know this.”
He looked away, trying his best to keep his temper under control. “Malcolm’s chairmanship will be assured if he can pull this off.”
“Yes,” Nilda said softly. “This is why I came to see you. I know we’re both at odds with each other, but unless we band together, Malcolm will destroy us both once he becomes chairman at the end of this conference.”
Erich was stunned. “What? This soon? How?”
“Chairman Singh’s time is coming to an end,” Nilda said. “He will request a vote at the close of the final meeting to elect his replacement.”
Erich shook his head in denial. “This is impossible. My sources assured me it won’t happen until next year, at least.”
“Ravinder Singh’s time is pretty much over,” Nilda said wistfully. “I wish it were longer, but he is close to two hundred years old now. He went through four bouts of cancer over the decades and despite the new organ transplants and nanite therapy, he can’t stop his own brain from atrophying.”
“What about those rumors of him approaching the Concordance for a genome wonder treatment to extend his lifespan?”
Nilda shook her head slowly. “All false. The government has sent out feelers for trade, but there’s no evidence the Concordance even has such a treatment. Maybe they have, but the chairman has already accepted his own end is near.”
Erich trembled slightly. The frustrations were threatening to boil over, but he needed to stay calm and focused. He wasn’t defeated yet. “What do you propose?”
“An alliance,” Nilda said. “We both refrain from our rivalry, and put all of our resources into stopping Malcolm. You hold sway with some of the lesser members in the Committee, as do I. We can still stymie his election to the chairmanship if we keep our allies in line and work together.”
“This will be very tough. If Malcolm goes public with what he has, then even my political constituents will revolt if I tell them not to support him.”
There was a twinkle in her eye. “Then we must stop him from going public with it. He has to show proof in order for the citizens of the Union to believe him. With all the information going around across the net, Malcolm has to make certain he can do the things he proposes in order to convince the chairman that he should succeed him.”
“It will still be an uphill battle, Nilda. The riwwr lead the pro-war faction in the Senate, and if they can be convinced via a proper demonstration, then they will certainly get on Malcolm’s side.”
“We still have time,” she said confidently. “If we can marshal our influence and steal this asset for ourselves then we could take the credit for it.”
Erich narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean? He isn’t in full possession of it yet?”
The old woman winked at him. “No. My sources tell me Malcolm used a third party to take his asset from another. The agents he used are not completely reliable, and have yet to deliver the goods into his clutches.”
Does she know Malcolm took it from me? Erich decided to play dumb, if only to keep her guessing if she didn’t. “Oh? Do you have any contact with the agents who stole this asset?”
“Malcolm used pirates to steal the asset,” Nilda said. “I happen to know this because one of my agents was a passenger in the liner when she was raided.”
Erich tried to keep a neutral face. So she had her own people keeping watch too. She must have known about Subject Zero from the very beginning. “So you know the identity of these pirates?”
“Yes,” Nilda said. “They happen to be the most notorious raider outfit in the galaxy. I’m sure you already know who I’m talking about.”
Erich sighed. “The Nepenthe. Everyone has heard of them.”
“Correct. Now the question is, will the pirates live up to their end of the bargain.”
Erich thought about it for a minute. “Why wouldn’t they? Unless they are aware of the significance of this asset they’ll think it’s just another grab job.”
Nilda looked up at the sky again. She could see distant objects in high orbit, just beyond the wild blue. Earth was ringed with stations and spacecraft. “Let us assume Malcolm’s people never told them just how valuable this asset is, which is what I would have done.”
Erich pursed his lips. “Are you saying that these pirates now suspect that what they have is more valuable than what Malcolm initially paid for?”
“It’s the only logical explanation I could think of,” Nilda said. “Otherwise Malcolm would have gone public with it a long time ago. The pirates are most probably dragging their heels, delaying the final exchange. You and I must work together to find out where the rendezvous will be, and have our own forces in place.”
“To intercept them,” Erich said. “I see. So there is still a chance we can defeat Malcolm.”
“Only if we do it together,” Nilda said. “If either you or I take on Malcolm alone, then we shall lose.”
“Very well,” Erich said. “You have your alliance. We commit to a truce until we get this asset.”
Nilda placed a warm hand on his forearm. “Thank you.”
Erich knew he would have to fight her too once Malcolm’s plans were thwarted. He had a few solid contacts in the Star Force High Command that he had built up over the years. Now he had to commit them all for this job. Everything hung in the balance. “Can you predict Malcolm’s next move?”
“If he cannot get his hands on the asset before the conference is over then he will ask for a delay in the vote for a new chairman, and there will be no doubt we will all acquiesce to that,” Nilda said. “It will be all under the guise of gathering votes for the nomination.”
“So it’s a postponement, nothing more.”
“Yes, it ought to give us enough time to use our own people to find out where the exchange will take place,” Nilda said. “We must strive to monitor Malcolm’s com-links. He will lead us to the pirates.”
“Very well,” Erich said. “I think our subordinates ought to meet to discuss details.”
She pointed at the other end of the valley. “My people are on the other side of the lake. The buildings I own over there don’t have quite the view of
this one, but it suffices.”
“Alright, let’s coordinate this evening and our teams will hash out the finer points,” Erich said.
She shook his hand once more. “I knew I could count on you, Erich. Your father was quite formidable, and you are better than he ever was. See you later.”
After Nilda had left the room, Hassan came back inside. As per his master’s instructions, he had been listening in on the conversation using a multitude of surveillance devices that had been installed in the entire penthouse.
Erich continued to stay by the balcony, enjoying the sun. He beckoned his secretary to get closer. “Well, what did you think?”
“An interesting set of developments, sir,” Hassan said. “Director Walden is indeed a very dangerous adversary.”
Erich stared out across the valley and nodded. The three of them were at the apex of the food chain. “I was wrong about the timing. The chairmanship is up for grabs as of right now. Whoever gets it will run the Union for decades to come.”
“I’m sure the position shall be yours, sir.”
Erich snorted. “I don’t share your confidence. How many assets can we place to monitor Malcolm Walden’s most trusted people?”
“A substantial number to be sure, but I would suggest an alternate course of action.”
Erich was intrigued. “Explain.”
“Director Carerra suggested that we use all our assets to monitor Director Walden. What I propose instead is we turn it the other way,” Hassan said. “Our contacts are already spread out looking for the Nepenthe, and it would take a lot of effort to realign their focus.”
“You’re saying we ought to keep looking for the pirates? But we’ve been searching for weeks and haven’t heard a peep out of them. How would it be any different now?”
“I caught an interesting snippet from your conversation with Director Carerra,” Hassan said. “She mentioned the possibility of the pirates not yet handing the asset over to Director Walden in exchange for their pay.”
“Yeah, so?”
“This might imply the pirates may be suspicious of what they possess, and they may seek to find out more about it before making the exchange,” Hassan said.
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