This time, when Perseid led him through the front door, Scott found himself in a sparsely-furnished conference room instead of a cluttered lab. A long green plastic table dominated the space, surrounded by a dozen folding metal chairs.
Only one of those chairs was occupied, and not for long. A woman in a black CORE uniform jumped to her feet instantly and saluted. Her appearance was striking: she had short red hair, a blazing bright smile, and emerald eyes that sparkled and flashed from all the way across the room.
Scott's heart beat faster as she walked toward them.
"Major Perseid." Her voice was high-pitched and strong, with a firm and friendly tone. "All ready for you, sir."
"Thank you, Captain." He nodded at Scott. "This is the guy."
When she looked at him, Scott was sure her smile got bigger. "Good to meet you, Corporal Scott. I'm Captain Cyan Rexis." She extended her hand.
Scott smiled and shook it. "Good to meet you, too, Captain." For the first time since Perseid had approached him in the canteen, he felt completely at ease...almost. The feel of her soft hand in his rattled him in other ways, all of them good.
"Shall we begin?" Rexis looked to Perseid, and he nodded. "Fantastic." Releasing Scott's hand, she crossed the room and grabbed a rectangular remote control from the table. When she pressed a spot on its control surface, the room lights dimmed and the far wall brightened, becoming a screen. "Please, take a seat."
Perseid sat near the middle of the table on one side, and Scott sat across from him. Rexis watched with a smile as they settled in, then turned to the screen.
"The Red Battlenaut." She worked the remote, and a computer-generated image of a Red Battlenaut appeared on the wall-screen. It didn't look much like the one Scott had fought, other than the fact that it was a Battlenaut and it was colored red. "You're the first to report having seen one, Corporal Scott. But we don't think you're the first to encounter one."
Intrigued, Scott leaned forward and folded his arms on the table.
"We think Red Battlenauts have been very active in the current conflict," said Rexis.
"Active but unseen," added Perseid. "An unknown third party intervening in the course of the war."
Rexis pressed a button, and the screen changed to show graphs and columns of data. "During the past month, reports of unexplained damage and loss of life among Commonwealth forces under battlefield conditions have increased significantly. Even accounting for inaccurate reporting and statistical error, our algorithmic analyses reveal a sharp upward trend." She pointed the remote at the screen, and a plotted line on a graph lit up yellow, highlighting a sudden rise. "In some cases, no one was left alive to testify about what happened. In other cases, surviving witnesses reported inexplicable assaults conducted by what could only have been an invisible opponent."
"Invisible to telemetry as well as the naked eye," said Perseid.
Rexis pressed another button, and the screen showed a photo of metallic debris on a background of red dirt. "Examination of remains in all cases was inconclusive. Investigators found evidence of scoring by ultra-high energy lasers...and nothing more." She flashed a look in Scott's direction. "Just like in your case."
Scott nodded. "So I'm not the first."
A map of the space sector appeared on-screen, with the systems of the Commonwealth on the right side, colored bright blue, and the Rightful systems--far fewer in number--in yellow on the left. Between them ran a jagged red border, the front line of the civil war. Blinking red dots were scattered along the length of the line, and in some cases well over the line in Commonwealth or Rightful space.
"All these are the locations of suspect incidents." Rexis waved the remote at the screen, and the red dots blinked brighter. There were dozens of them. "As you can see, we have identified quite a few."
"Wow." Scott stared at the screen and shook his head. "All that in one month?"
"There have to be more than one of them," said Rexis. "There's no other possible way they could make this much activity happen over these distances in this time frame."
"Though, until now, we had no idea what 'they' were," said Perseid. "You're the first to provide an actual description of the weapon."
"And survive an attack by one," said Rexis.
"And bring back a piece of one," added Perseid. "You've given us a description and physical evidence in one fell swoop. Now if we could just figure out how the hell you did it when no one else could."
Scott shrugged. "You haven't figured it out?"
Rexis changed the image on the screen to a set of graphs and tables and medical data. "We've gone over the results of the physical exam you were given after the battle, compared them to your baseline, and compared all that to the data from other personnel involved in Red Battlenaut non-sightings. We've gone over it all a hundred times, from every conceivable approach, and we've got nothing." She spread her arms wide. "Whatever it is that lets you see the Red Battlenaut, we haven't found it yet."
"And that's our priority," said Perseid. "Finding your secret and putting it to use so we can fight these things." He cleared his throat and looked at Rexis. "Though we have another priority, too."
"Tracking the source of the evidence you've obtained." Rexis pressed a button on the remote, and the screen switched back to the map of the sector with the blinking red dots along the front line. "We want to locate the source of the Red Battlenauts."
"And destroy them before they fulfill their agenda," said Perseid. "Whatever that might be."
Scott looked at Perseid, then Rexis, then Perseid again. "Isn't it obvious? The Reds are the Rightfuls' secret weapon. They want to defeat the Commonwealth, right?"
"Negative." Perseid got up and walked to the screen. "According to intelligence, the Reds may be attacking Rightful troops as well as Commonwealth forces. At least seventy percent of these incidents involve unexplained losses on both sides." He ran his finger down along the jagged front line on the map. "Whoever's controlling the Red Battlenauts, it isn't the Commonwealth or the Rightfuls."
Scott sat back in his chair, stunned by what he'd heard. If the Red Battlenauts weren't working for either side in the civil war, who were they working for? And what did their controllers want?
"So now you're seeing the big picture, aren't you?" Perseid stepped away from the screen and sat on the corner of the table. "You understand why we kept the evidence under wraps, even though it could have cleared your name."
Scott nodded. "You didn't want the word to get out that you have a piece of a Red Battlenaut."
"Whoever's behind this, we don't want to tip them off that we're coming," said Perseid. "Though we assume they're more than ready for us. Who knows how many invisible and undetectable Reds they have at their disposal?" He shook his head at Rexis. "It's a suicide mission, isn't it, Captain?"
Rexis smiled at Scott. "Not if we have someone along who can see the bastards."
"So now you know why you've been detailed to our CORE unit," said Perseid. "Because you're indispensable to the success of this mission. Because we need to figure out why you're able to see the Red Battlenauts, and we need you to see them for us when we fight them."
"We can't do it without you," said Rexis.
"Welcome to the team." Perseid walked over and extended a hand.
Scott stared at it for a moment. He'd been given his orders; he was going on the mission. The handshake was only a friendly gesture.
But he still hesitated. He'd never minded taking difficult roads in his life, but this one had so many unknowns, he wondered if he could survive it.
The odds seemed to be against him. He'd had a hard enough time fighting one Red Battlenaut; how could he handle more?
But the fact remained: he seemed to be the only one who could make a difference in this fight.
Even with the odds as steep as they were, he knew one thing with absolute confidence in his heart: if he hadn't been ordered to join the mission, he would have volunteered.
"Thank you, sir." Scott ros
e from his seat and shook Perseid's hand firmly. "Thanks for having me."
"Good." Perseid smiled and nodded. "Round up your gear and report to Hangar C-17 by oh-three hundred hours tonight. We leave promptly at oh-six hundred hours."
*****
Chapter 5
Scott arrived at Hangar C-17 fifteen minutes early and flashed his I.D. badge at the side door. He toted everything he owned behind him, packed in an olive drab duffel bag on wheels.
Two Marines manned the door, faces stony until they viewed his badge. Then, when they realized who he was, their eyes instantly changed, filling with disapproval. He'd seen it happen dozens of times since Chelong III; as far as they were concerned, he was under suspicion, his reliability and even his loyalty suspect.
The difference was, this time, their disapproval didn't give Scott the slightest twinge of doubt or worry. He knew there was evidence that backed him up, and people believed him. The hell with everyone else.
When the guards stepped aside, Scott threw the door open and marched into the hangar with his duffel. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw his next ride--a black transport shuttle squatting in the center of the huge space. It looked like a big crab with an ebony shell, its disklike body perched between four spindly struts. The shuttle's body bristled with weapons and instruments, and dual engine pods jutted from the rear, their flared cylinders ending in open silver cones.
Engineering personnel in red jumpsuits hurried around the ship, disconnecting hoses and conduits and running status checks with tablet computers. Other personnel in navy blue security uniforms stood close watch, rifles at the ready.
As Scott approached, a black-uniformed man with a tablet computer in one hand rushed out of the hatch in the belly of the shuttle and down the steps leading to the hangar floor. He spotted Scott immediately and jogged right over to him.
"Corporal Scott?" The man looked to be of Chinese descent, with broad, flat features and a thick black crew cut. He was muscular, like all CORE personnel, and tall--a few centimeters taller than Scott. "I'm Sergeant Vic Fong. Good to meet you." He reached for a handshake.
Scott liked him right away. "Likewise." He returned the handshake. "Reporting as ordered by Major Perseid."
Fong took a look at Scott's ID badge and nodded. "Roger that. Welcome to the Diamondbacks, sir."
It was the CORE unit's nickname. "Thanks." Scott glanced at the stylized snake jaws on the chest of Fong's uniform, the symbol that matched the nickname and called to mind a striking serpent. "I understand we're leaving at oh-six hundred hours?"
"From orbit, yes." Fong hiked a thumb toward the shuttle. "But we're launching from here to the mothership any minute now. Just waiting on a few more people." Suddenly, his eyes flicked away from Scott, looking over his shoulder. "There they are now."
As Fong jogged past, Scott spun to see who had gotten his attention. Seven people in black uniforms had just entered the hangar, loaded down with packs and ruggedized black plastic cases.
Scott knew four of them: Perseid and Rexis were up front, followed by Trane and Abby. The other three were strangers: a short, dark-haired man bulging with muscles; a woman with brown hair pulled back in a tight bun; and a tall woman with a long black ponytail and a lithe, swaying walk.
Fong met the group and accompanied them across the hangar, talking fast to Perseid, who listened and nodded. When Fong showed him something on the tablet screen, Perseid frowned and made a comment; Fong's fingers darted over the touch-screen, changing something, and Perseid nodded with satisfaction.
When the group reached Scott, Perseid stopped. "Glad you could make it."
Scott snapped off a crisp salute. "Corporal Scott reporting for duty, sir."
Perseid nodded. "You've already met Captain Rexis and Lieutenants Trane and Catharsis." He turned and gestured at the three newcomers bringing up the rear. "This is Gunnery Sergeant Joe Balko..."
The man with the bulging muscles nodded at Scott.
"...Lieutenant Masada Feinberg...," continued Perseid.
The woman with brown hair in a tight bun looked at Scott and blinked.
"...and Doctor Monique Beauchamp," finished Perseid.
The tall woman with the ponytail solemnly inclined her head.
Perseid ran his finger along the scar on his left cheek. "All present and accounted for?"
Fong nodded. "Everyone else is shipside, Major." He tapped the tablet screen three times, and the shuttle's engines whined to life, activated remotely. "Ready for departure, sir."
"Then let's get the hell rolling." Perseid stormed past him. "We've got work to do."
The rest of Perseid's group followed in his wake, leaving Fong and Scott standing alone. Fong tapped the screen a few more times, making the engines run louder, then leaned closer to Scott. "I've got a trivia question for you, Corporal."
"What is it?" said Scott.
"Do you know how many non-CORE personnel have returned in one piece from CORE Diamondback missions?"
Scott shook his head. "How many?"
"None." Fong raised his eyebrows and fixed Scott in a piercing gaze. "In other words, watch your back. This is some hardcore plang you've stepped in."
"Roger that," said Scott.
"The Diamondbacks are a family, and you're not one of them," said Fong. "Just something to keep in mind."
"Got it," said Scott, and then he turned and headed for the shuttle. He'd already understood what Fong had told him before Fong had said a damn word. He wasn't operating under any illusions when it came to the Diamondbacks.
As important as he was to the mission, he knew he'd still have to prove himself. And he knew he couldn't take anything for granted when the plang hit the fan.
*****
When everyone was aboard and strapped in, Fong closed the gangway and jumped into the pilot seat. As his fingers danced over the control boards, thrusters on the shuttle's underside hummed. The transport rose, and the four struts that had cradled it folded in snug against the hull.
Through the forward viewport, Scott could see the hangar doors slide apart, opening onto a short, floodlit runway. Then, the engines roared, and the shuttle surged forward, bolting out of the hangar. It raced along the runway a few dozen meters, then suddenly swooped upward, charging into the starlit night sky.
As the shuttle climbed, the Diamondbacks talked quietly among themselves, but Scott wasn't paying attention. His eyes were locked on the viewport, literally staring into space, his mind swirling as he contemplated the adventure that lay ahead.
He'd seen a lot of action since the start of the war, had fought on battlefields from Yolanda to Antimony. He'd fought some formidable enemies, had some life-changing experiences. He wasn't even close to being a wet-behind-the-ears rookie anymore. But he was out of his element, and the weight on his shoulders was enormous. The stakes, if he should fail, were unimaginably high. In so many ways, he was heading off into the unknown, moving in a direction he would not have thought possible just a few days ago.
He wondered what Bern would think of all this--and the answer came to him instantly. She would tell him to quit obsessing and go do his damn job. She wouldn't even wish him luck because he wouldn't need it, because he was a Commonwealth Marine.
After a few minutes, Fong gestured at the viewport. "There it is." He glanced back at Scott and smiled. "What do you think?"
Scott didn't see a thing except stars and darkness. "Not sure." He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes, but nothing changed. "Where is it?"
"You'll see." Fong chuckled and touched controls on the board in front of him. "Let me just switch the lights on."
Suddenly, the outline of a huge, streamlined vessel appeared in the viewport, traced in bright white lights. The hull showed nothing but space and stars, a perfect continuation of its surroundings--but the lights shone on its contours, making it stand out. Without them, Scott was sure it would have still blended in with the starscape around it, completely invisible to his eyes.
"Presenti
ng the CSS Sun Tzu." Fong chuckled and looked back at him again. "How about now?"
"Not bad." Scott smiled and nodded. "Nice stealth mode, by the way."
"It's all done with mirrors." Fong winked and turned back to his controls.
Scott was more impressed than he let on. He'd heard of such ships before but had never seen one. "Ghost ship, huh? You guys really are the elite." According to the rumor mill, the technology was very new and its use highly restricted due to its extreme energy consumption curve.
"It's no Red Battlenaut," said Trane, "but it gets the job done."
"Wasn't there an energy consumption issue?" said Scott.
"Not anymore," said Rexis. "Thanks to our new negative mass drive."
"Our ultra-top secret negative mass drive," added Perseid.
"Isn't everything ultra-top secret?" said Trane. "Including our bowel movements?"
As the Diamondbacks laughed, Scott took in the sleek lines of the Sun Tzu. It reminded him of an arrow, but with rounded, swooping curves instead of sharp angles and edges. Instead of a spiky arrowhead, it had a smoothly curving, conical tip dotted with windows. At the other end of its long shaft, it had a cluster of bulging engine pods instead of feathers. Each segment turned slowly--the nose, shaft, and engine block each rotating in opposite directions.
It looked graceful and delicate as it hung in the firmament ahead, though Scott didn't doubt its killing capabilities. It would have to be a lethal vessel to serve CORE's deadly purposes. It would have to live up its namesake--the Old Earth author of The Art of War.
"She's a hell of a ship," said Fong.
"They say they christened her with the blood of a hundred Rightful fighters." Abby said it with the usual dark edge in her voice.
"That's a lie," snapped Perseid. "But she's done well by us so far. She's more than a ship." He looked at Scott and nodded. "You'll see."
Scott was already convinced. When he turned his gaze back to the viewport and saw the Sun Tzu's nose glint with strokes of reflected sunlight, a chill ran up his spine.
Resist the Red Battlenaut Page 3