The Dragons of Jupiter

by Jacob Holo

  “It’s best if you don’t know,” Sachio said.

  “Right,” Ryu said. “Yeah, I suppose that makes sense given where I’m going.”

  “Insertion will be via a passing free trader,” Matriarch said.

  “You mean Miyuki’s disguised ride?” Ryu said.

  “Of course,” Matriarch said.

  “How are we going to get from the free trader to Apocalypse?”

  “You’ll jump.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Ryu said. “Those patrolling ships will spot us.”

  “No they won’t,” Matriarch said. “I’ve prepared a new revision of the smartskin specifically for this mission. The hardware is a little bulkier, but the illusion will fool even a Federacy warship’s active trackers.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s good. This is still crazy, though.”

  “Once onboard, locate and retrieve the Needle of Destiny,” Matriarch said.

  “Any idea where it’s kept?”

  “The test ship is likely stored in a hangar near the top,” Sachio said. “Apocalypse’s internal layout hasn’t changed much since the beginning of the Third Space Age. There are a limited number of places it can be stored.”

  “So in short, no,” Ryu said.

  “Preferred extraction will occur via the star drive test ship,” Matriarch said. “Alternatives are stealing a craft docked at Apocalypse or returning to Miyuki’s free trader.”

  “So no definite plan for extraction,” Ryu said. “This just gets better and better.”

  “I know this must seem like suicide,” Matriarch said.

  “Well, so did Bunker Zero,” Ryu said. “You know I’m in. So don’t bother asking.”

  The storm clouds on Matriarch’s kimono receded.

  “Thank you, Ryu,” Matriarch said. “I’m very happy to hear you say that. And you, Catherine? Will you accept this mission?”

  “I’m in,” Cat said. “I won’t lie. This mission scares me a lot more than Luna did, but someone has to watch Ryu’s back.”

  “Cat’s tougher than she looks,” Ryu said. “That’s for sure.”

  “And for that we are thankful,” Matriarch said.

  “I have to wonder how the Federacy came up with this in the first place,” Ryu said. “You’ve kept us one step ahead of their technology for years.”

  “Part of their solution was brute force research,” Matriarch said. “The Federacy has almost a thousand times our resources and population. We lack the means to explore and develop exotic matter technology on a large scale. They also have other advantages.” Matriarch’s kimono flashed red for an instant, then returned to calm waves. “But we needn’t go into that now.”

  “What about the rest of your team?” Sachio asked.

  “Toshi and Naomi, of course,” Ryu said. “No need to break up a winning combination as long as they volunteer.”

  “I have no problems with Toshi,” Matriarch said. “But I am concerned about Naomi’s mental fitness for this mission. The report from the medical staff of the Io’s Fury brought up a number of questions. Perhaps another dragon would be more appropriate? One you’ve worked with before like Sakaki from green dragon?”

  “Yeah, I know Naomi hasn’t been at the top of her game lately,” Ryu said. “But she’s still one of the best dragons we have and she’s saved my life plenty of times. I’ll talk it over with her. If she volunteers, she’s in.”

  “Very well,” Matriarch said. “I’ll defer to your judgment on the matter.”

  “You know,” Ryu said. “It still surprises me you do that.”

  Matriarch shook her head. Her kimono showed tranquil seas with dolphins playing. “You’d be surprised at the mathematical complexity of a simple hello. Groups of people are easy to predict. All the variables average out. Individuals are far more difficult. And besides, I trust your judgment.”

  Ryu clapped his hands together. “Okay, it looks like I need to pay Toshi and Naomi a visit. I’ll bring the whole squad in if they volunteer. I take it everything we’ve talked about is a government secret?”

  “As usual,” Sachio said.

  “There is one last thing we need to discuss before you leave,” Matriarch said. “Catherine, would you please step outside?”

  “Awhhh ...” Cat said.

  “We’ll get a chance to talk later,” Matriarch said. “I promise.”

  They waited for Cat to disappear behind the security door.

  “So, you met Kaneda,” Sachio said.

  “I don’t know why I’m surprised you know,” Ryu said. “Yeah, he was in New London. You’d think with as much leading-from-the-front as he does someone would put a bullet through his head.”

  “The bastard is hard to kill,” Sachio said. “Matriarch did too good a job designing him.”

  “Not from scratch,” Matriarch said. “There’s a lot of you in both our sons.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, I have only one son,” Sachio said. “That traitor can rot in hell.”

  Matriarch bowed her head. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that.”

  “We’ll get him one of these days,” Ryu said.

  “Ryu,” Matriarch said. “I didn’t want to discuss this in front of Cat, but I think you know just how low the odds of success are.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Normally, I would send a different dragon squad on a mission this dangerous,” Matriarch said. “But the truth is this mission is so important and so difficult that combining your combat skills and Cat’s technical prowess gives us the best chance of success.”

  “I understand,” Ryu said. “We won’t let you down.”

  “Catherine the dragon,” Sachio said. “It still amazes me she did it.”

  “She could have experienced anything the solar system has to offer,” Matriarch said. “That’s why I picked an appearance that blends well on Earth. Instead, she chose to endure a year on the operating table and risk death to be at her brother’s side.”

  “Yeah,” Ryu said. “I don’t think I’d have made the same decision.”

  “Most people wouldn’t,” Matriarch said.

  “Do your best to come back alive,” Sachio said. “The both of you.”

  “Father,” Ryu said with a bow. “Matriarch.”

  Ryu stepped through the narrow security corridor and into the reception hall with all its corporate leeches, military officers, and public representatives.

  “What was that about?” Cat asked.

  “Just our parents being parents,” Ryu said. “Hey, do you want to get lunch before we round up the others?”

  “No need,” Cat said. “I was already going to meet Toshi at Fortune Tower. There’s an Italian restaurant on the bottom floor he recommended. We can meet him there.”

  Chapter 5

  ... accessing SolarNet message archive ...

  ... opening folder [Personal - 8 Years Old] ...

  ... searching for [Church |and| Stupid |and| Moron] ...

  ... 1 match found ...

  ... retrieving ...

  source: Ryu Kusanagi

  destination: Kaneda Kusanagi

  message delay: 50 minutes

  title: what are you stupid?

  -Am I reading this right?

  -You’re converting to the Church of Human? This is insane! Are you stupid or something? Don’t you understand what they stand for? The Church is packed with zealots who hate thinking machines! And guess what? They view Matriarch as a thinking machine! They’re a bunch of morons!

  -Are you doing this for Christen? Are you doing this just so the two of you can marry? Are you just stupidly in love or do you actually believe this garbage? Think about this! This goes against everything we are!

  ... retrieving next message in conversation ...

  source: Kaneda Kusanagi

  destination: Ryu Kusanagi

&n
bsp; message delay: 50 minutes

  title: No, I’m not stupid

  Dear Ryu,

  I have to admit your words wound me deeply. I had hoped that you’d be the best man in our wedding, despite Christen’s objections, but now I see that isn’t possible. I think it’s best for both of us if you don’t come at all.

  And now I must urge you to reconsider your views. We both saw the same things in Caesar’s bunker. The only difference is I opened my eyes and you didn’t. Matriarch runs Europa. Everyone on Europa does anything she says without question, hoping for her to dole out presents in the form of technology. But those baubles are merely the iron collar around your neck.

  I don’t trust Matriarch. That is too much power for any one person to have, especially someone who can no longer be considered human. How long before she views humans as obsolete tools the way Caesar did? Perhaps she already has.

  I’m sorry, Ryu. I really am. Goodbye.

  Your brother,

  Kaneda

  ... retrieving next message in conversation ...

  source: Ryu Kusanagi

  destination: Matriarch

  message delay: 0 seconds

  title: FW>No, I’m not stupid

  -Do you believe this idiot? You try talking to him.

  ... retrieving next message in conversation ...

  source: Matriarch

  destination: Kaneda Kusanagi

  message delay: 50 minutes

  title: FW>FW>No, I’m not stupid

  Kaneda,

  Please reconsider what you are doing. There is some truth in what you say. Quantum minds are dangerous, as Caesar’s example clearly shows. But I have always kept the best interests of Europa’s citizens at heart. I know I wield great power, but I respect that fact and pray for the wisdom to use it wisely.

  This fissure in our family pains me greatly. Please give me the chance to mend it. I don’t think you realize how much this hurts. I would gladly step down from my post if it would bring you back home. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.

  Matriarch

  ... retrieving next message in conversation ...

  source: Kaneda Kusanagi

  destination: Matriarch

  message delay: 50 minutes

  title: RE>FW>FW>No, I’m not stupid

  I am no longer your puppet.

  Kaneda

  ... conversation ends ...

  Kaneda took one last look at the bustle within Apocalypse’s command hangar, then stepped into flextube leading to the shuttle. He took a seat next to Admiral Piller and pulled his crash webbing snug.

  “Have I ever mentioned I hate politics?” Kaneda asked.

  “Quite often, actually.” Piller gave Kaneda a sideways smirk. His dark blue Federacy uniform hung loosely off his whipcord body. He kept his brunette hair in a traditionally short spacer’s cut, which made his sharp blue eyes stand out even more.

  “It deserves repeating,” Kaneda said.

  “Pilot,” Piller said. “Drop me off at the Stalwart then take Crusader Kusanagi to Penance.”

  “Yes, sir,” the pilot said over the intercom. “Calculating route now.”

  The shuttle lurched with the heavy release of docking latches. It drifted away from the retracting flextube then powered out of the mountainous space station’s uppermost hangar. A flight of four blackhawk interceptors formed up with the shuttle and escorted it out of Apocalypse’s inner patrol zone.

  Kaneda looked out the window. The Earth filled the view. A sliver of the Earth’s dark side glowed with countless city lights. As for the rest ... “You can really see what we did to her from up here.”

  “Hmm?” Piller asked.

  “The Earth.”

  “You know, I hardly look at her anymore.”

  “There’s Lake London, Lake Moscow. The Phobos Gulf is coming into view.”

  “Humanity has redrawn the map a few times. Hitting her with kinetic torpedoes and asteroids will do that.”

  “So what are we going to do about König?” Kaneda asked.

  “Not much we can do. He has seniority over me,” Piller said. “Plus he’s heavily entrenched in the admiralty board. The man has too many political allies. I don’t even think a good scandal could budge him.”

  “As long as he is on the board, we can’t change Federacy policy towards Europa.”

  “Maybe,” Piller said. “The events on the moon swayed some opinions. The defense secretary is starting to take notice. He has the president’s ear, and that can only mean good things for our cause.”

  “I suppose,” Kaneda said. “How are things going on Luna? I find it hard to believe the situation is as stable as the board wants to believe, but it wasn’t my place to comment.”

  “The idiots think the moon is ours just because we’ve occupied the major cities,” Piller said. “Of course, there are reasons to be pleased. New London is completely under our control and the Lunar State as a functioning government no longer exists. Most of the Lunar army has surrendered. What’s left of their navy is running for other colonies.”

  “You’re going to have problems with terror cells,” Kaneda said. “Those old tunnel networks are perfect for hit and run tactics.”

  “Going to? We already are.”

  “I can provide a few companies of crusaders to help patrol the tunnels.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but let the army handle this. Your crusaders are too valuable to be bogged down in this sort of problem.”

  The shuttle veered towards the Stalwart. The shape of Federacy battleships always reminded Kaneda of swords. They possessed very slender profiles from the front, ideal for long range engagements with energy or kinetic weapons. Numerous turrets dotted the top and bottom of the Stalwart’s “blade”, with a powerful cluster of engines at the rear. The heaviest weapons took up much of the vessel’s internal space and could fire in a limited forward arc.

  Like a sword, captains point their ships at an enemy and thrust, Kaneda thought.

  The shuttle matched speed and heading with the Stalwart, then maneuvered into a small hangar near the “hilt”. Kaneda felt the jarring contact of the flextube docking latches.

  “Good luck, Kaneda,” Piller said. He floated over to the airlock and touched down on the friction carpet. “I’ll see what I can do about König, but it’s an uphill battle.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  Piller gave him a mock salute. He passed through the airlock and closed it behind him. A minute later, the shuttle launched from the Stalwart and initiated a burn to bring it to Penance.

  Kaneda leaned back and stared out the window. Penance was a small white dot at this distance. If he just relaxed his eyes ...

  The intercom chimed.

  “Sir, is there anything you need?” the pilot asked with a squeak in the voice. Kaneda wondered just how young the man was. “I know it won’t be a long flight, but I have some refreshments in the cabin.”

  “No, that’s all right,” Kaneda said. “The admiralty board succeeded in killing both time and my appetite.”

  The pilot chuckled. “I see, sir.”

  “Please, there’s no need to call me sir. Technically, I’m just a mercenary.”

  “I know, sir. But you’re a crusader. That’s makes it different.”

  “Yes, I suppose it does.”

  “I’m not bothering you, am I?”

  “Of course not.”

  “You know, my brother’s regiment was on the moon. He actually saw crusaders fighting in New London.”

  “A lot of brave soldiers died in the campaign,” Kaneda said. “Did your brother make it out alive?”

  “He’s still on the moon, but he’s in good health and has been writing to me every day. He says the outcome would have been very different without crusaders there.”

  “T
hank you. Hearing that is certainly a breath of fresh air after my last meeting.”

  The pilot laugh. “Yes, sir. I imagine it was.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Derrick. Derrick Stein.”

  “Nice to meet you, Derrick.”

  “The pleasure’s all mine, sir.”

  Kaneda created a new message on his pad and jotted down a few notes. “Derrick Stein. Federacy pilot. Possible crusader candidate. Investigate background and advise on potential.” He sent the message to recruiting.

  Kaneda sat back and waited for Penance to come into view. The next time he saw it, the shuttle was circling around the station.

  Penance had started its life as an old Second Space Age habitat whose unfortunate residents didn’t survive the Second Great Fall. The habitat was a fairly conventional wheel design with a docking hub connected to the wheel with six spokes: small, abandoned, but structurally sound. The habitat had been perfect for Kaneda’s needs. With starter funds from the Federacy government, Kaneda had brought in construction crews to cremate the corpses and then refurbish the habitat into his base of operations.

  Now Penance looked better than some Third Space Age habitats and showed no sign of structural deformation. Most of the station was painted white with the outer surface of the wheel checkered in red. A gold crucifix stood out prominently on either side of the docking hub.

  The shuttle entered the docking hub and landed in an empty cradle between a row of assault transports (which dwarfed the shuttle) and a lamprey bunker designed to piggyback on a Federacy warship (which dwarfed the transports). The assault transports could hold a hundred crusaders in full battle armor. The bunker could support over five thousand.

  “Have a pleasant day, sir.”

  “Thank you, Derrick.”

  Kaneda stepped through the airlock and took the flextube into the hangar. Viter and Alice stood at attention on the friction carpet by his exit. Both wore red and white checkered jumpsuits. Alice also wore a scarf to cover her neck scar, though in a small nod to decorum, it was also checkered red and white.

  “Good news or bad news?” Alice asked.

  “What do you think?” Kaneda said.

  “They’re not going to make a formal announcement?” Viter asked.

  “Oh, they are. It’s just not what we wanted.”