Rath's Redemption (The Janus Group Book 6)

by Piers Platt

  There was a momentary pause, and then the space traffic controller radioed them again. “My apologies, Guardian. My system just updated: it looks like you’re cleared for immediate landing in a priority docking slip … I must have been looking at the wrong record, there.”

  Dasi grinned. “No worries,” she told the controller, and flicked the radio off.

  Nice job, Six.

  >>>Thank you. But I should warn you that Interstellar Police have already been notified of the ship’s presence, and they are organizing a team to apprehend us. They are unaware that we have been redirected to a priority docking slip, but we will need to move quickly upon landing to stay ahead of them.

  Noted, Dasi said.

  Five minutes later, she stepped out of the Guardian’s boarding tube, and found a spaceport security guard sitting on a small electric cart, waiting for her.

  “Officer Apter? I was told that you needed an escort to the rental car center,” he said.

  “Thanks,” she said, climbing onto the cart next to him.

  They whisked through the corridors of the spaceport, passing dozens of travelers on foot, before driving down a short ramp. The security guard brought the cart to a stop in front of a rental car counter – Dasi could see rows of cars parked in the garage beyond. She thanked the guard and walked past the counter agents, who watched her with some confusion.

  That one looks good, she decided, heading for a black-painted sports car in the first row.

  “Ma’am?” A female counter agent piped up, hurrying to follow Dasi. “Do you need help with anything?”

  “Nope,” Dasi said.

  The car’s door unlocked at her touch, and she sat down as the engine roared to life.

  “You’ll need to make a reservation—” the woman protested, but Dasi was already driving off.

  >>>District Attorney Hawken is being held at IP Headquarters. A route map appeared on Dasi’s heads-up display as she pulled out onto the main throughway. It is the same building where the emergency committee convened following the attack on Anchorpoint.

  Thanks, I remember how to get there, she replied.

  >>>The rental agency just reported the theft of this vehicle to Interstellar Police, Six warned her. I have retroactively placed a valid reservation in their system, but the IP team responding to our arrival is likely to deduce that we stole this car after landing.

  Where is that team of officers now? Dasi asked.

  >>>They have located the Rampart Guardian, and are preparing to board it.

  Shit, they’re moving fast. Dasi dodged past a car, finding an open stretch of road and hitting the gas. Can you lock them inside or something?

  >>>Temporarily, yes. I have also disabled this car’s location tracker, to slow their pursuit.

  Good. Where’s Senator Foss right now?

  >>>According to news reports, he will be appearing at a press conference in front of what remains of the Senate building in a matter of minutes. He is expected to announce the successful resolution of the Jokuan incident.

  Okay – let’s worry about getting Jace out of jail, first.

  >>>Yes, Dasi. The IP facility has an extensive prisoner holding area on the third sub-basement level. According to security cameras inside the building, there are fourteen other prisoners currently being detained with the district attorney, and one hundred and forty-three police officers in the building.

  Okay, Dasi told him, weaving around a slow-moving van in the left lane. Start working on his release paperwork.

  She drove for another minute, and then another message from Six appeared in her heads-up display.

  >>>I have started the release paperwork, but in order to be completed, it requires a digital signature from a judge. The signature system operates on an encrypted blockchain, which means I am unable to forge it – only the judge himself has permission to approve it. Any entries I make will not be verified by the system.

  Okay, I’m going to pretend I understood all of that – basically, I’m not just going to be able to walk in and sign him out? Dasi asked.

  >>>Correct.

  Then we’ll have to do it the hard way.

  Dasi turned off of the main highway and dropped down a short ramp; the IP Headquarters building appeared to her right, along with a large parking garage for police vehicles and visitors. Dasi bypassed the garage entrance and drove into the small lot directly in front of the building. There was one open parking spot, labeled Commanding General, Interstellar Police. Dasi parked in it, and climbed out.

  Inside the building, the security gate swung open at Dasi’s approach – she didn’t even bother swiping her badge. She strode over to the elevators, and waited with two other officers until one arrived. The three of them rode down to the third sub-basement in silence – Dasi guessed that they were just about to start a new shift, taking over from the other guards on the detention level.

  The doors opened onto a small lobby area – a guard stood at a reception desk behind a clear plastic window on one side, and directly ahead, a barred gate blocked access to the holding cells. Dasi stepped out of the elevator first, followed by the two uniformed officers. They headed for a side door marked Authorized Personnel Only. Dasi faced the holding cell area and took a deep breath.

  Sorry about this, guys, she thought. Okay. Security cameras off.

  “Can I help you?” the guard asked, watching her curiously.

  Dasi ignored him and walked up to the barred gate, which slid open.

  “Woah! Where are you going?” the gate guard called. She saw him slam down on a red alarm button, but nothing happened. He slammed it again, confused. Dasi simply walked through the open gate.

  “Prisoner break!” she heard him yell, as she headed down the corridor. “Unauthorized access on the detention level.”

  >>>I have disabled his communications equipment, Six reported.

  Dasi came to a stop in front of a steel door marked SB3-14. She waved her hand, and the door swung open, revealing a small cell. District Attorney Jace Hawken lay on a bunk at the far end.

  “Dasi?” he asked, frowning and sitting up.

  “Come on,” she told him, stepping inside the cell. “We’re getting out of here.”

  35

  The sun rose over the Jokuan death camp. Around the parade ground at its center, the floodlights flicked off, one by one. The Jokuan troops in formation in front of Rath stifled yawns, tired from their long night’s vigil. They grumbled quietly amongst themselves – the novelty of observing this torture of the man from Tarkis had worn off quickly, and they were eager to be done with their shift. At the machine gun positions and armored trucks around the square, the guards changed out, fresh troops taking over from the night shift. Then a new battalion of troops arrived at the square, ready to take their turn watching the prisoner die.

  Their commander waited while the current battalion marched away in neat columns, then marched his own battalion into the square, and formed them up facing the wooden stakes, and Rath. Finally, he gave them the order to sling their rifles, and relax.

  A truck bearing General Yo-Tsai arrived minutes later. The troops came to attention, and their commander saluted smartly as Yo-Tsai strode down the front of their formation, inspecting them with a practiced eye. The battalion looked immaculate – uniforms neatly pressed, soldiers alert and ready, watching him with eagerness. The general made a mental note to compliment their commander later on – it was rare that he saw such a fit, confident unit. He returned the commander’s salute, satisfied, then walked over to the doctor, who was sitting at a field desk near the prisoner.

  “How is your patient this morning, Doctor?” Yo-Tsai asked.

  “Progressing, sir,” the doctor replied. “I slowed the hemobots a bit – they were becoming a bit too aggressive.”

  Yo-Tsai glanced over at Rath, whose head hung limply on his chest. Rath’s body twitched involuntarily. “He’s still suffering, no?”

  “Most certainly,” the doctor assured him. “
The damage has been mostly internal so far, but it will become more visible later today.”

  Yo-Tsai walked over to the camera next, which was still streaming a live feed to a public web address. He faced the camera, addressing the millions of viewers he knew to be watching. “The Federacy is crowing about their supposed victory over Jokuan,” he said. He gestured at Rath. “But I don’t see any victory here today. I see a broken man, doomed to die.”

  Yo-Tsai saw movement at the edge of the square – a jeep drove into view, heading for him. He frowned. The jeep came to a stop nearby, and a woman wearing the uniform of a Jokuan captain stepped out.

  “Sir!” She saluted him.

  “What is it, Captain?” Yo-Tsai asked.

  “Sir, I beg to inform you that the prisoner is an impostor.” She pointed at Rath. “This man is not Rath Kaldirim.”

  “How can you be sure?” Yo-Tsai asked.

  “Simple: I’m Rath Kaldirim,” she said. Her face transformed, her hair darkening and shortening, and Yo-Tsai found himself facing an exact double of his prisoner.

  “Seize her!” he barked, stepping back hurriedly.

  Two soldiers ran forward, and grasped the woman by the arms. Yo-Tsai studied her warily, feeling the hairs rise up on the back of his neck. He caught sight of the camera, and composed himself. “That was exceedingly foolish, Guildsman,” he told the woman. “Brash, but foolish.”

  He gestured for the battalion commander, who stepped forward.

  “Sir?”

  “Colonel, alert your men,” Yo-Tsai told him. “I expected a rescue attempt, but not one so amateurish. There may be more guildsmen on their way.”

  “Yes, sir,” the battalion commander agreed. He started back toward his troops, and then paused. “Sir?”

  “What?” Yo-Tsai asked.

  The colonel lowered his voice. “I think we should consider the possibility that neither of them are Rath Kaldirim,” he said.

  The general’s eyes narrowed. “What?” he asked, warily. “Why?”

  The battalion commander’s face shifted smoothly. “Because I’m Rath Kaldirim.”

  “That’s a lie!” a soldier behind the commander shouted. “I’m Rath Kaldirim!”

  Suddenly, the parade ground was filled with troops shouting. Yo-Tsai watched in mute horror as three hundred soldiers changed in front of his eyes, until he was facing a battalion of doppelgangers.

  “It can’t be …,” he breathed.

  Around the perimeter of the square, the guards manning the machine gun posts had transformed, too – even the two guards holding the female captain looked exactly like Rath. They let go of her, and she shifted back to her original identity, flashing Yo-Tsai a cruel smile.

  “You see, General? In the Guild, we’re all Rath Kaldirim. And we take care of our own.”

  She brushed past him, heading over to Rath. Behind her, Yo-Tsai saw three people wearing civilian clothes climb out of the back of the jeep, and walk over to him. One of the women was Rath’s girlfriend – she ran over to Rath, to help the female captain. Yo-Tsai recognized the man as Martin Beauceron, the detective who had led the spaceport defense on Tarkis.

  Beauceron took out a pair of handcuffs, and grabbed Yo-Tsai by the wrists. “I hear you expressed some interest in making my acquaintance back on Tarkis,” he said. “So I’m happy to oblige you. This is my partner, Detective Atalia il-Singh, and as you know, I’m Detective Martin Beauceron. And you’re under arrest.”

  “This is a Territory planet. Interstellar Police has no jurisdiction here,” Yo-Tsai protested.

  Atalia cocked an eyebrow at him, and nodded at the formation of guildsmen watching them. “I’ve got about three hundred armed friends over there that don’t give a fuck about your jurisdiction,” she pointed out.

  She reached over and pulled the general’s shirt collar open, and found a data drive dangling from a necklace around his neck. She took it out, holding it aloft.

  “Jaymy,” she called, “is this the drive?”

  Jaymy, who was helping to take Rath down from the stake, looked over and nodded. “That’s it,” she confirmed. “He made Rath transfer all of his money onto there.”

  Atalia yanked on the necklace, breaking the cord. Then she handed the data drive to Beauceron, who pocketed it.

  “That’s my property,” Yo-Tsai said. “You can’t just take it from me.”

  “Take what?” Beauceron asked, frowning in mock confusion. “I didn’t see her take anything.”

  A deep-space transport roared into view above them, and Yo-Tsai looked up to see the sky full of military spacecraft of all descriptions – transports, landing ships, he even saw a pair of massive heavy cruisers.

  “The Fleet Reaction Force?” Yo-Tsai asked, eyes wide.

  “Ah, no,” Beauceron said. “The ‘Black Talon Fleet.’ My colleagues from the Guild rented them for this little venture.”

  The ships settled down on their thrusters, descending around the prison camp. Several landed around the edges of the square, and Yo-Tsai watched as the battalion of troops broke ranks and split into groups, dispersing amongst the barracks buildings.

  “What are they doing?” Yo-Tsai asked.

  “Rounding up your prisoners, and shutting this camp down,” Beauceron replied, pushing him toward the nearest transport. “We’re not just here to rescue Rath: we’re getting them all out of here.”

  “You won’t get far,” Yo-Tsai swore. “My fleet will already be taking up positions in orbit to prevent your escape.”

  “Well, here’s the thing,” Atalia said, falling into step next to them. “Your fleet had some unexpected maintenance issues this morning, and it’s been temporarily grounded. I didn’t get all the details, but it was something about fuel lines and catastrophic engine failure. I’m sure they’ll have everything repaired in a couple months.”

  “There seems to be a flu bug going around, too,” Beauceron added. “The stomach kind, it really knocks you off your feet for a day or two. But not to worry: the outbreak seems to be limited to Jokuan military personnel, so the civilian populace should be just fine.”

  They stopped at the foot of one of the transport’s ramps, and Beauceron took a minute to survey the scene. Across the square, uniformed guildsmen helped the first of the camp prisoners out of the barracks, in some cases literally carrying them to transports, where medical personnel waited to receive them. At the stakes, the two women lifted Rath’s limp body, and laid it carefully on a hovering field stretcher.

  “Not bad for a morning’s work,” Beauceron said. He turned to Atalia. “You have him from here?”

  “Yup,” she agreed, patting Yo-Tsai protectively on the shoulder. “All set.”

  “Then I’ll go with Rath,” Beauceron said. “Fly safe.”

  “You too,” Atalia agreed. She leaned in and kissed him, smiling. “See you soon.”

  The detective set off across the yard, heading for a different transport. Atalia guided Yo-Tsai toward the ramp of their ship.

  “Where are you taking me?” he demanded.

  “I hear Tarkis is nice this time of year,” she told him. “You ever been?”

  * * *

  Rath awoke to the faint hum of deep-space engines. His body ached, a dull, throbbing pain that seemed to sit deep in his bones. His eyes fluttered open. He saw Jaymy first, standing over his bed. She smiled and squeezed his arm.

  “Hey, you,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

  He winced. “Torn up.”

  He caught sight of Paisen next, at the foot of the bed. Rath cleared his throat. “You couldn’t have come … on the first day?” he asked her.

  She laughed. “You should be glad we came at all. I wanted to just leave your ass.”

  Rath smiled, faintly, at her joke. “The Jokuans. How did you …?”

  “I put out a call through the Guild network,” Paisen told him. “Asked for volunteers.”

  “The troops in the square,” Rath said, remembering.

  “
Yeah, and elsewhere,” Paisen agreed. “We infiltrated most of Jokuan’s military facilities in preparation. Almost a thousand contractors. You should have seen me trying to coordinate mission assignments before we went in.”

  “A thousand,” Rath echoed.

  “They came for you,” Jaymy told him. “To get you out.”

  “Where’s Martin?” Rath asked.

  “I’m here,” he heard. The detective stepped into view on the other side of the bed.

  “You’re okay?” Rath asked.

  “Fine,” Beauceron told him. “Thanks to you.”

  Rath lifted an arm, searching feebly for the metal collar around his neck.

  “It’s gone,” Jaymy reassured him. “Your hemobots are back to just healing.”

  “How bad?” he asked her.

  “Your injuries?” she asked. “Bad. But the doctors don’t think any of the damage is permanent. And your hemobots are working fast. You should be back on your feet in a couple days.”

  Rath’s eyelids felt heavy – he let them close.

  “You should rest,” Beauceron told him.

  “He’s right,” Jaymy agreed, slipping her hand into Rath’s. “Sleep’s the best thing for you right now.”

  Rath smiled. “I can do that,” he said. “I can sleep … for a while.” Then his eyes opened. “Where are we going?” he asked.

  “We’ve been debating that,” Paisen told him. “We hadn’t decided yet.”

  “Paisen and I are in a bit of trouble with the government,” Beauceron explained. “It seems we’re all outlaws for the time being.”

  “Can you do something for me, Martin?” Rath asked.

  “Of course,” Beauceron agreed. “Anything.”

  “Take me to Scapa,” Rath said.

  36

  In his cell on Anchorpoint, District Attorney Hawken jumped to his feet. “Foss dropped the charges against me?” he asked Dasi. “I’m free to go?”

  “Not quite,” she admitted. “Soon. But we need to get you out of here first.”