The Dragons of Jupiter

by Jacob Holo

  “Understood. Naomi?”

  “On it.”

  “One more thing,” Matriarch said. “Find a thrall, cut out its spine and bring it back.”

  “Gathering intel?”

  “Precisely,” Matriarch said. “Good luck, Ryu. I pray that my calculations are correct.”

  “I’ve got this one,” Ryu said. “Cat, get Toshi into the test ship.”

  “On it!”

  Ryu grabbed a floating thrall torso and hacked at its back with his knife. He cut through the ribcage, sheathed his knife, and pulled the spine out. Already, he could see a lattice of silvery threads strung over and around the bones.

  “Got it!” Naomi said. She held a narrow yellow cylinder in her hand.

  “Those crusaders are coming!” Cat said. She pulled herself into the test ship.

  “Everyone inside!” Ryu shouted. He detached his grenade bandolier, armed everything for proximity detonation, and tossed it through the broken door. Hurried crusader footsteps rang from the corridor.

  Ryu grabbed the test ship’s cockpit hatch, squeezed in next to Naomi, and pulled the hatch shut. His head was squished between the hatch and Naomi’s arm.

  “Now, Matriarch!” Ryu shouted. “Get us out of here!”

  Mechanisms deep within the test ship powered up. An escalating sound rumbled through the ship. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. His inner ear told him something was wrong.

  A crusader ran into the hangar. Seventeen grenades detonated, vaporizing him. Another six crusaders charged in and took aim on the cockpit.

  The test ship shuddered so hard Ryu thought it would break apart. An aura of ghostly energy rippled across its skin, and the ship vanished!

  Chapter 10

  ... accessing SolarNet message archive ...

  ... opening folder [Personal - 4 Years Old] ...

  ... searching for [Olive Branch |and| Ceres] ...

  ... 1 match found ...

  ... retrieving ...

  source: Kaneda Kusanagi

  destination: Ryu Kusanagi

  message delay: 37 minutes

  title: An Olive Branch

  Dear Ryu,

  I imagine you are in no mood to receive this message, but I feel I must try one last time before blood is spilt. You know of the Federacy fleet preparing to leave orbit. How could you not? What you don’t know is the crusaders will travel with the fleet to the asteroid belt and Ceres.

  The Federacy requested our aid, and I have given it. It may surprise you how I agonized over the decision to deploy. I have no quarrel with the belters. Their piracy and “protection services” are deplorable, but these are not problems I am interested in solving. I almost denied the request despite the political damage such a move would cause.

  However the admiralty board showed me powerful evidence of Europa’s involvement. There is no direct link, of course. Your machine master is too slippery for that, but the data paints an interesting picture. Europa has used the belters to wage a proxy campaign against Federacy trade. The goal is clear enough to see: increase the other colonies’ reliance on Europan goods. Elevate your world and diminish the importance of Earth.

  This is intolerable. I have already told you countless times how the quantum mind controls you through technology. Do any of you know how smartsuits work? Could you recreate them if you tried? Could you even come close? Or how about TangleNet links? The best minds in the Federacy are still trying to figure that one out. You have these advantages only because the quantum mind allows it.

  What if that thing decides to take away your toys? What would you do to earn them back? What crimes would you commit to make the quantum mind happy?

  Ryu, you are a slave and you don’t even realize it. Humans can never allow themselves to be subservient to quantum minds. Our survival as a species depends on it. Can you not see this?

  Ryu, please. We were both at Bunker Zero. We have both seen the results of their dominance over humans. We are small, stupid creatures compared to them, and if we are to survive as a race, we must exterminate them before they become too powerful.

  I know your master will not give up Ceres without a fight, and I know who it will send. I do not want to fight you. I do not want you to die. Even though we disagree on a great many things, you are still my brother and I love you deeply. However, if I must fight you, I will. The stakes are too high. I will fight for what I believe in, even if it means fighting you.

  Please reconsider. I beg you. If nothing else, don’t go to Ceres. At least do that much for me.

  Your brother,

  Kaneda

  source: Ryu Kusanagi

  destination: Kaneda Kusanagi

  message delay: 37 minutes

  title: RE>An Olive Branch

  go to hell

  source: Kaneda Kusanagi

  destination: Ryu Kusanagi

  message delay: 37 minutes

  title: RE>RE>An Olive Branch

  Your response saddens me greatly, but it was expected. Perhaps you will understand one day. Perhaps not.

  Good bye, Ryu. I will see you on Ceres.

  Kaneda

  ... conversation ends ...

  “So the ship they stole has a star drive,” Kaneda said, rubbing the back of his neck. He grabbed a rail along the ceiling of the assault transport’s cockpit and pulled himself next to Alice. It felt good to slip into a pressure suit after all those hours in his armor. Viter floated into the cockpit after him. He closed the hatch to the transport’s hold and pushed off the wall to join them.

  “Yeah,” Alice said. “Apparently, the research team tested the star drive on two occasions. The first was supposedly a small jump. Only a million kilometers. The second took it fifty million over the solar plane.”

  “Incredible,” Viter said. “Just think about what this implies.”

  “They must have taken security precautions,” Kaneda said.

  “They used two corvettes for the tests,” Alice said. “One to haul the Needle into position and another waiting to retrieve it.”

  “Someone still saw them,” Kaneda said.

  “Or the research team leaked,” Alice said. “Their notes were easy enough to access before the army kicked us out.”

  “I don’t think they were helping Europa,” Viter said. “The dragons killed every researcher they came across.”

  “That doesn’t mean the team didn’t leak,” Alice said. “People can be stupid without being traitors. You should know.”

  Viter smiled. “Implying something?”

  “What kind of range does it have?” Kaneda asked.

  “I don’t know,” Alice said. “I don’t even think the research team knows. I did see plans for a test to Neptune next month.”

  Kaneda activated an information trawl cheat. He shook his head. “That’s over four billion kilometers away.”

  “Then it can make a trip from Earth to Jupiter easily,” Viter said.

  “Or Jupiter to Earth,” Kaneda said.

  “That too,” Viter said. “And they were able to escape even with the hangar closed.”

  “So theoretically they could keep this ship under the ice and launch an attack whenever they want,” Kaneda said.

  “Just load a nuke onto the test ship and teleport it to low Earth orbit,” Viter said. “They could take out New York City. Or any major city for that matter, not just the capitol.”

  Alice sighed. “Not to get side tracked, but I’ve always wondered. Does this particular psychosis come naturally to men? Is it built in at a genetic level? Why is it you feel compelled after each scientific discovery to ask the question, ‘How do we mount a gun to it’?”

  “If we don’t, someone else will,” Viter said.

  Alice shook her head. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

/>   “You can bet the quantum mind is thinking the same things,” Kaneda said.

  “Yeah, I know you’re right,” Alice said. “To be honest, I’m scared by what Matriarch will do next.”

  “Me too,” Kaneda said. “Did anyone notice you snooping?”

  “Viter?” Alice said.

  “I wish I could say I masterfully breached their firewalls,” Viter said. “But all I did was copy an encryption key off one of the dead researchers. After that, I kept the security viruses busy while Alice examined the database. And I scrubbed the system afterwards. It’s very unlikely we left evidence.”

  “Good,” Kaneda said. “Excellent work, both of you. Hopefully, our allies will share this information with us willingly.”

  “But it’s good to know just in case they don’t,” Alice said.

  “Exactly,” Kaneda said.

  “Should we share this with Three-Part?” Viter asked.

  “Yes, but keep it between the four of us for now,” Kaneda said.

  “Where is Three-Part, anyway?” Alice asked.

  “I negotiated with König and Piller to let him on the station,” Kaneda said. “He’s assisting one of the forensic teams on our behalf.”

  “You sent him instead of me?” Alice asked.

  “He has some experience in these matters.”

  “But that’s normally my job.”

  “Please don’t take it as a slight,” Kaneda said. He put a hand on Alice’s shoulder. “I want you to take a shuttle back to Penance. Make sure we’re ready for long-range deployment. There’s no telling what may happen next.”

  “All right,” Alice said. She rubbed her temples. “Hell, this attack is going to kill our budget.”

  Kaneda raised an eyebrow.

  “Look, I know money problems aren’t in the same league as star drive theft. All I’m saying is it’s a problem.”

  “If we don’t have enough money, take out another loan,” Kaneda said.

  “The interest rates are going to kill us,” Alice said. “We’re barely staying solvent as it is. You know the Federacy cut back our grants.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Kaneda said. “We just need enough to keep the crusaders ready.”

  “And if it bankrupts us later?”

  “That only matters if there is a later.”

  “You think this is it?” Viter asked. “You think we’re finally going to Europa?”

  “Let me put it this way.” Kaneda smiled wryly. “If I can’t make the admiralty board take action now, I should probably just shoot myself for incompetence and get it over with.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Alice said.

  Kaneda received a priority message from Three-Part. He opened a private channel.

  “Go ahead,” Kaneda said.

  “Sir, I need your assistance,” Three-Part said. “These idiots are destroying evidence!”

  “I’ll be right there,” Kaneda said. He opened a cheat and laid a path onto his overlay. Three-Part was located near one of the weapon storage cells a few hundred meters from the hangar.

  “What is it?” Alice asked.

  “I’m heading into the station to help Three-Part,” Kaneda said.

  “Should we come with you, sir?” Viter asked.

  “No. I’ll stir up enough trouble on my own. Head back to Penance and assist Alice with the preparations.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Kaneda put on a fishbowl helmet and secured his neck seal. He opened the hatch to the transport’s hold, kicked off the wall, and sailed through. Over fifty crusaders stood or floated within the hold. Most had stowed their equipment, but a few still wore their armor. Many of them looked weary. Some smoked, ate from meal packs, or drank from squeeze bulbs. They collected in small groups and spoke in subdued tones. All of them had seen action before, but only survivors of Bunker Zero knew the true inhumanity of war against a quantum mind.

  So many faces I’ll never see again, Kaneda thought. The hold felt empty despite the groups of crusaders, the rows of unoccupied armor suits secure in their cradles, and friction walls full of equipment. But while so many of them rested and recovered from the battle, Kaneda noted a look in their eyes. It didn’t matter whose eyes he saw: men or women, Federacy or Lunarian or Martian. So many of them had the same look.

  They know what they’re doing is right, Kaneda thought. They’ve seen the gruesome evidence, fought a terrible battle and know they made a difference. These are warriors cleansed of their last doubts. They are ready for whatever follows.

  Kaneda floated to the hatch on the side of the hold and took a flextube over to Apocalypse. A Federacy private in pressure armor hovered in the lounge beyond the exit. The young man turned, locked his boots to the floor, and held up a hand. He had a crucifix tattooed on one cheek and PVT. G. DAVIS painted on his armor.

  “Please return to your ship, crusader.”

  “Step aside,” Kaneda said.

  “I’m very sorry, crusader,” Private Davis said. He aimed his carbine at Kaneda’s chest. “But I have my orders. You should—”

  Kaneda snatched the carbine from his hands.

  “You’re pointing that the wrong way,” he said.

  Davis looked down at his empty fingers, then at the carbine in Kaneda’s hand.

  “How did you ...?” Davis said. “I didn’t see you move.”

  “Most people don’t,” Kaneda said, offering the carbine back.

  Davis took his carbine back. He carefully aimed it away from Kaneda.

  “I have business onboard the station,” Kaneda said. “I will be brief.”

  “Look, I know you can just push me aside, but I’m really not supposed to let you in.”

  “Were you in the fighting, private?” Kaneda asked.

  “A little of it,” Davis said. “Honestly, I lucked out. I was near the bottom of the station when they attacked. It took me almost two hours to get into the fight, and by that time you guys were mopping up the last robots. Thank God you were here.”

  Kaneda said nothing.

  “Err ... yeah. I guess there’s a good chance I’d be dead if you weren’t here.”

  Kaneda said nothing.

  “Well, I suppose I can’t stop you,” Davis said. “I mean, they can’t expect me to hold back a determined crusader, right?”

  Davis let out a nervous laugh. Kaneda said nothing.

  “Look, all right. You can go through. Just do me a favor. My sergeant is going to ask why I didn’t stop you. Can you do something threatening so I have an excuse?”

  “Of course,” Kaneda said. “Give me your weapon.”

  “Umm, okay. Here you go.”

  Kaneda took the carbine and folded it in half. He gave it back to Davis.

  “Wow, really? I didn’t know you could do that without your armor.”

  “Some of us can,” Kaneda said. “I will return shortly.”

  “Sure, umm ... you know I have to call this in. Just hurry, okay? I’ll give you a few minutes head start.”

  “Thank you, private.”

  Kaneda entered Apocalypse and walked briskly through the station. Some rooms and corridors showed no signs of fighting. Others held grisly reminders. He passed through a cargo junction where blood and gore coated the walls next to thick patterns of bullet holes. Stone-faced workers in stained jumpsuits vacuumed up their comrades’ remains. Blood stained their gloves. One worker maneuvered a large transparent bag around the junction. Chunks of meat and a dozen limbs strained its plastic skin.

  Two workers watched Kaneda float by, but said nothing, and eventually returned to their work. Kaneda passed through another three corridors before stopping in front of a bashed-open security door. Ribbons of caution tape clogged the doorway. Scrolling text read “DO NOT ENTER! HAZARDOUS MICROTECH!”

  Kaneda pulled the tape aside and floated in. He entered a four way junction with heavy plates welded into a hasty barricade. Bullet holes and blood splats covered the walls. Over a dozen workers stood to one side. U
nlike the first group, they wore heavy black pressure suits and carried an impressive array of handheld equipment.

  Three-Part stood near the doorway with five Federacy regulars aiming carbines at him.

  “What is going on here?” Kaneda asked, landing next to him.

  A regular lowered his carbine and stepped forward. His shoulder bore the white outline of a colonel’s eagle. Other than that, his armor bore no insignia and his face was obscured by a reflective visor.

  “Now there are two of you?” the colonel asked. He pointed at the door. “I want both of you back on your ship now.”

  “Sir,” Three-Part said. “We can’t let these men blindly destroy important evidence.”

  “Listen, you stupid Martian,” the colonel said. “I have just about had it with you.”

  “I witnessed them incinerate a wrecked gun-spider,” Three-Part said.

  “Is this true?” Kaneda asked.

  “What this idiot witnessed was us following orders,” the colonel said. “I don’t know if you realized, but we are fighting microdestroyer outbreaks all over the station. We don’t know what else these machines were carrying.”

  “That is exactly the problem,” Three-Part said. “We don’t know.”

  “My orders are to ensure nothing survives,” the colonel said. “No hidden weapons. No dot-cams. No stealth grenades. Nothing. We are sweeping this station clean deck by deck.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Three-Part said. “We should be studying these machines.”

  “The decision is not yours to make, crusader,” the colonel said. “I’ve already had eleven men go AWOL because they don’t want an invisible trap blowing their face off. We need to clear this station!”

  “The information we’d obtain outweighs any risks,” Three-Part said.

  “Not on Apocalypse! No risk is acceptable!”

  “Then let us—”

  “No!” the colonel shouted. “I don’t know who you think you are, sand-for-brains, but I am done asking.” He put his carbine to Three-Part’s chest. “Get out of here before I shoot you.”

  Kaneda loaded an M20 carbine hacking routine into his glove.