V_The 2nd Generation

by Kenneth Johnson

  The crowd's cheers were swelling, but the Leader's amplified voice rang out loud and clear above them. "A New Era begins here tonight! And tomorrow we'll prepare to move against the Zedti! They shall hear a cry of revenge come from our throats that will make them turn pale and cower with fear at our combined power!—Rise up with me and unleash the storm!" The crowd's roar grew deafening as her intensity rose to an unparalleled, climactic peak. "Let theirs be the first of many Brave New Worlds that we—shall—command—and—we—shall—share—together!"

  The multitude was on their feet. They were jubilant. The very concrete and steel of the great stadium shook with their collective, thunderous energy. Dazzling fireworks lit up the night sky above and around the stadium adding more brilliance to the exhilaration of the roaring crowd. One hundred thousand strong, the people were swept up in the grandeur of their own superiority, the thrill of conquest and of unstoppable power!

  IN THE SCI BATHROOM, CHARLES HAD PULLED MARY'S DEAD WEIGHT out of the bloody tub and onto the old tile floor. He was administering frantic CPR to her and shouting, "Get Dr. Winslow, Pop! Hurry, for God's sake!"

  THE LIGHTS OF SAN FRANCISCO TWINKLED IN THE DISTANCE AS Kayta settled the airbike to a landing on Pine Mountain several miles south of the Marin uplink. She answered her communicator pin, "Yes, Ayden?"

  Her commander still stood on the rooftop a few miles north of Candlestick Park. "Signal the fleet to attack here and destroy the Visitor Armada."

  Ruby heard his command and glanced at Mike with new hope. But Kayta frowned. "Very well, sir. I will transmit now." Kayta's breathing was shallow as she tapped a code onto the pin.

  Ruby was elated, finding new strength. She wiped away her tears. "Yes! Now those damned bastards'll get what they deserve! We'll save Mom and all of 'em."

  Mike was also very encouraged. "Thank you, Kayta. I'm sorry if I—"

  The blond Zedti interrupted them, "Mike . . . Ruby . . . It is not what you think."

  "What do you mean?" The feisty girl said, "Your fleet's coming to kick their butts, right?"

  "Yes, Ruby, our thermobaric nuclear weaponry will hopefully destroy the Visitors." She drew a grieved breath.

  Mike could see her deeply troubled expressions. "So how is that a problem?"

  She looked at him. "The attack will also vaporize your atmosphere and decimate the Earth."

  Mike and Ruby stared, trying to comprehend her. "What!"

  "I belong to a very pragmatic race," Kayta said quietly. "The Zedti are concerned only about our own world's survival. Earth is . . . unfortunately . . ."

  "Expendable!" Mike was staring at her.

  She nodded sadly. "It is acceptable collateral damage, yes."

  He chortled with angry incredulity, "What? We're just a disposable battleground! To spare your planet from a nuclear holocaust!"

  "Yes," Kayta was completely drained by the thought. She could barely form the words, "The Earth is doomed."

  28

  EVEN UTILIZING THEIR ZEDTI WORMHOLE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH ALlowed communication at faster than light speed, it took Kayta's signal over two minutes to travel the 821,190,000 miles necessary to reach the Zedti fleet marshaled behind Saturn.

  Immediately upon receiving the message from her second-in-command, the Zedti Executive Officer keyed her communicator in the shadowy, organic, cavernlike control center, "This is Fleet Command. This is no drill. The Flagship is setting a course for Earth. Form with us immediately and activate stealth mode. Prepare for hostile contact. Repeat, this is no drill."

  The stately, nude Zedti female clicked off the communicator. She paused for a moment to feel the true weight of command that had been placed upon her shoulders. When she raised her amber eyes she realized that the other Zedti officers were looking at her from their various stations and crystalline view panels. They all realized the danger of the enemy they were facing but their expressions clearly gave the executive officer their unswerving allegiance. She knew that such loyalty was inherent in her race, but she appreciated their show of support.

  She drew a breath, then spoke with a strong clear voice, "All ahead full. Flank speed."

  Throughout the massive Zedti fleet rasping, gutteral alarms began to sound as their running lights changed from orange alert to battle red. The 177 enormous, strangely shaped warships began to move forward. As they engaged their stealth mode they became barely visible against the starry blackness of deep space. One of the billion pinpoints of light ahead of them was the embattled Earth.

  BY THE TIME JON INCHED INTO THE CAPSULE STORAGE CHAMBER WITH his custodial module to observe the happenings, the Secretary-General and his wife, along with Ysabel, Harmy, Street-C, and dozens of others from the Resistance, who were under heavy guard, had already been made to step into open capsules. Patrollers were everywhere. Reptilian-faced capsule technicians were affixing a Medusa-like neurological unit onto each prisoner's head. Six Patrollers held Margarita and Nathan to one side as Julie was led into one of the forbidding containers.

  Jeremy strolled past each of them one at a time along the edge of the semicircular Capsule Operations platform. Above, below, and around him stretched a million other capsules, each containing a previously entombed human. Jeremy spoke with a businesslike satisfaction, "You'll be in appropriate company. Your co-conspirators across the Earth are also being encapsulated at this very moment."

  "Yes," said Diana, who stood by the curved control consoles. She sought to make the point to the prisoners and all the others present, including Martin and Shawn who stood slightly to one side of her, "We saw and traced your communications links to them and they have all been arrested, thanks to the optic implant and transmitter which I placed inside your dear Mr. Donovan."

  Julie and the others were all startled to learn that truth. "He was unaware of it, of course," Diana continued, "but I found a certain poetic justice in having him lead us into your inner sanctum." Then Diana smiled at Martin, who stood near the Patrollers holding Nathan and a very angry Margarita. "And your help was invaluable, Martin. I had long suspected you were their spy. You'll continue to be with them."

  The blond Visitor who had first come to Donovan's rescue over twenty years earlier was suddenly in the grasp of two Patrollers. Martin was led to a capsule near Julie and thrust into it. A female reptilian technician leered at the traitor as she clamped the neuro unit onto Martin's head.

  Jeremy eyed the neuro unit on Street-C. "You'll all be trained to do exactly what we want. We look forward to your services and sacrifices on our behalf." Then he turned toward Margarita and Nathan. "And you two will get some very special treatment." He nodded for the Patrollers to take them away. They were led off, but a distraught Margarita looked back as the capsules began to close.

  She saw Diana smile at Julie. "Your war is over, Juliet."

  Julie shook her head, soft-spoken and undaunted. "Not so long as one person still fights for freedom."

  As the intestinelike coils surrounding the capsules began to throb and surge to life and the plasticine containers slowly closed, some of the others screamed, but Julie's eyes were defiant even as the green gas swirled around her and she was entombed.

  THE VISITOR LEADER WAS SELECTING A LARGE STRIP OF FRESH, PINK, veined mammalian flesh from a tray being offered her by an aide. The visualizers in the Flagship conference room were presenting three-dimensional images of various Motherships as Shawn described them to Diana, Jeremy, and the Leader, who were comfortably seated nearby along with several key aides. "With the exception of this Flagship, all 250 of our Motherships have now received Jeremy's plug-ins and are taking in water at a greatly accelerated rate."

  The Leader gave Jeremy what Diana recognized as an intimate glance. "Yes, your plug-in is phenomenal, Jeremy." He smiled faintly and nodded appreciatively. Then the Leader opened her mouth and ingested the large piece of raw flesh.

  Diana sought to subtly ingratiate herself. "Jeremy's contribution is indeed a wonderful supplement to the work we've already achie
ved. And since I have now quelled the Resistance—"

  "Hmm." The Leader was licking some blood and membrane off of her fingers. She didn't even look toward Diana as she said very casually, "Oh, yes. Nicely done, Diana."

  Diana paused, but only said flatly, "Thank you, Excellency."

  Shawn was anxious to remain personally engaged with the Leader. "Excellency, you mentioned at the rally that the Zedti were developing new weaponry capable of even more mass destruction?"

  "Did I?" The Leader said with offhanded innocence, "Well, then they must be, mustn't they?"

  Shawn got the point and nodded immediately. "Of course."

  "In any event"—the Leader dried her fingers—"we know this is a war that we are determined to wage so I wish to get on with it as soon as possible." She focused again on Jeremy. "Your suggestion of using that captured Zedti to inflame the masses was inspired. Truly inspired."

  A haughty, satisfied smile crossed his aristocratic face. "They did rather like it, didn't they, Excellency?"

  His mistress's eyes gleamed. "They certainly did."

  "Well"—Jeremy inclined his head with studied humility—"I'm only too happy to be of service."

  "And you will be," the Leader said with a promising smile as her eyes met his. And Diana saw it.

  As the Leader stood up, all those in the room instantly followed suit. "Have the Armada begin preparations for our assault against the Zedti planet. And I want to know the status of readiness of our chemical weapon." As she exited, she spoke brusquely, without looking back, "Diana, attend me."

  "Of course, Excellency." Diana followed, and though she tried to hide it, Jeremy noted her look of concern about the Leader's austere tone and earlier dismissive treatment. He and Shawn also picked up on the flavor of the Leader's command. The two exchanged a glance and Shawn eased his way past the other aides, discreetly following the two females at a distance.

  The Leader moved ahead of Diana down the clean, gray corridor, passing several of her subjects who each paused and bowed to the Great Leader and the Commandant trailing her. "Diana, may we use your chamber?" Again the Leader had not looked back and her remark, though phrased as a question, was recognized by Diana as being a directive.

  "Of course, Excellency."

  The Leader paused before Diana's quarters. The Commandant touched the panel code to open the hatch, then followed her mistress inside. As the hatch closed behind them Shawn approached and casually assessed the corridor to see that he was unobserved long enough to deftly attach his tiny listening device. Then he stood by and pretended to study his PDA as other Visitors and Patrollers passed in the corridor.

  Within the supposed privacy of Diana's quarters the Leader turned slowly toward the beautiful, stern Commandant and studied her for a long moment. If Diana was completely unsure what to expect, outwardly she was still maintaining a professional attitude. Finally the regal Leader allowed herself a slightly softer tone, "I've missed you."

  Though Diana was unconvinced, her voice was strong and level, "I'm pleased to hear that, Excellency."

  "It's been far too long." The Leader touched an errant lock of Diana's dark brown hair. Her movements had become more sinuous.

  "I'm flattered," Diana said without emotion, then she decided to press the matter. "But I'm certain you had many important affairs of state to occupy your thoughts."

  The Leader smiled at Diana's not-so-veiled reference to Jeremy. She touched Diana's cheek. "You don't imagine any such affairs could supersede my thoughts of you?"

  "I wasn't certain what to imagine."

  The Leader saw that Diana was holding her own without being insubordinate. It was one of the many shrewd qualities that the Leader found so appealing about her. "My relationship with Jeremy need not concern you."

  "As your Excellency directs."

  The Leader formed a knowing smile and spoke more personally still, female to female. "Oh, come now, have you had no minor dalliances during our separation? I would certainly not begrudge them, even now."

  Diana's answer was again astute. "My thoughts have only ever been of you." Diana's keen brown eyes looked directly into the deep blue eyes of her Leader.

  They both knew they were cut from the same dangerous cloth. They were both highly skilled in the darker arts. That was part of their mutual attraction. Like the Leader, Diana had also murdered her way upward to where she now had the power of life or death over everyone except Jeremy and the Leader herself. Diana was feared and respected by all her hundreds of thousands of troops. The Leader knew that those legions were exceedingly loyal to her own person, but after her their strongest allegiance was to their Commandant Diana. Jeremy was astute, clever, and ingenious. His inventive mastery of the new technology that would speed their conquests was unsurpassed, but it was ultimately not as vital as what Diana supplied. The Leader knew Jeremy could not muster the same personal support or enthusiasm from the soldiers and technicians of the Armada that Diana could.

  At least he could not hope to do so while Diana was still alive.

  And that was a consideration the Leader had pondered a good deal. Dispensing with Diana was an option about which the Leader had often weighed the pros and cons. Despite the Leader's abilities to provoke the masses to rise in support of her vision and her proven skills at maintaining power by Machiavellian maneuvers or murders of convenience, she occasionally remembered that she was still mortal. Even while enjoying absolute power she sometimes recalled that it could be a seductive trap to begin believing in one's infallibility and invulnerability. She knew that throughout the history of every known culture such hubris had been the ultimate downfall of many a great imperial conqueror.

  The Leader knew that a powerful commanding general who gave her great victories could, with but a slight turn of fate, become an equally powerful adversary. She had certainly rid herself of many annoying or overly ambitious generals in the past. Whenever the Leader looked at Diana she saw enough of herself, of her own lethal capability and ambition, to be extremely wary. She knew that Diana must be relentlessly watched and always handled with significant care.

  The Leader also had the wisdom to know that the brilliant Diana was equally aware of the delicate balance of power that existed between the two of them. The Leader knew that her undertakings would be strongly championed, supported, and well executed by Diana. But she also knew that the beautiful Commandant was an opportunist of the first order, equally as driven and determined to prevail personally as was the Leader herself. And the Leader knew that Diana also knew her Imperial Mistress was mortal.

  Those same qualities that made them quite dangerous to each other also made them exceedingly attractive to one another. Though each knew she could never fully turn her back on the other, the feral, often incendiary sexuality they enjoyed together was not only intensely satisfying, it also served to strengthen their unique dance with one another. It solidified their dark bond.

  As they stood facing each other alone in the dim chamber, the Leader suddenly pulled Diana close and kissed her, hard and forcefully, full on the mouth.

  In the corridor outside Shawn had been listening carefully. He knew the dice were rolling. He drew a long breath, reconsidering yet again where to invest his loyalty, where among the shifting winds of palace intrigue might lay his safest harbor and his greatest advantage.

  FAR BELOW THE CAPSULE STORAGE CHAMBER, IN THE DEEPEST BOWels of the Flagship, the Patrollers guiding Nathan and Margarita shoved them roughly into a dank cell. Nathan landed hard on one hand and yelped with pain.

  Margarita was picking herself up. "What is it?"

  "Aw, nothing." Nathan was disgruntled as he rubbed his left wrist. "Scraped it when that bitch shot me on the roof. It's no biggie," he said, but stopped when he saw that her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears. He spoke comfortingly, "Hey . . . Red, really. I'm okay. There's no need to—"

  "It's not about you. It's me." She was anguished. "I can't . . . believe I led them all into a trap. How could I have been
so incredibly . . ." She couldn't find a word harsh enough to describe herself.

  He was low-key, gently chiding, "Yeah. What were you thinking? Big-time Resistance general and you're not omniscient? What's up with that?" But his effort to assuage her guilt failed.

  She turned away and planted her hands flat against the cold, black metal of the cell wall. Then she pressed her aching forehead against it. "Did you see their faces? Julie . . . all the others when those capsules were closing?" Her throat tightened with emotion. "Oh, God . . ."

  "Hey. I'm the one who bungled it." Nathan leaned back against the wall beside her and slid down onto the floor by her feet, mentally replaying his lost chance. "If I'd pulled that trigger five seconds sooner . . ."

  "And hadn't been shot by a pulse cannon," she said wryly, her turn to counsel him, "what's up with that?"

  He looked up into her glistening eyes. They shared a melancholy smile. Then she slid down the wall to lean against it beside him. He touched her cheek with the back of his hand and was gratified when she actually let herself lean into it.

  United in grief, they were finally connected.

  IN THE TINY BEDROOM OF THE ELGIN FLAT CHARLES AND HIS FATHER looked on worriedly as a sixtyish black man with short white hair and mustache closed his medical bag and nodded to them. He rose up from where Mary lay on the bed. Her wrists were bandaged heavily.

  Charles squeezed the doctor's arm with deep appreciation. "Thanks, Douglas . . ."

  The doctor smiled sorrowfully. "Glad to help. Keep her warm. Lots of liquids. And get that iron into her. I'll check back tomorrow."

  "Thanks again," Pop Elgin said as the doctor exited quietly and Charles eased himself down onto the edge of Mary's bed.