"Jinx, why are they coming?"
With even more urgency, Shannon pulled out her knife and steadied it against the wire casing. She adjusted her arm and her feet, raising herself a few centimeters for better leverage.
"What is taking so long?"
"Cutting all the wires would disable the turret," she said. "But it would also switch the turret to its backup battery."
"Come on," he said from below. "We need the platoon in here to get into the control room."
She slid the knife under the wires, pulled the hilt back, and suddenly, a jolt flung her across the hallway, slamming her back hard. She tumbled along the floor.
Poof! The lights went out. The hallways went instantly dark.
Seth, unaffected, closed his eyes and shifted his concentration to the hallway, dropping to one knee, extending his gun toward the darkness. All the lighting units were no longer humming but had gone silent. The turret gun had stopped, and any movement on the part of the MSA was hidden from them.
Shannon groaned.
He could barely see her in the pale light shining from the outside through the doorway to her face. He reached for her hand. She favored it as if it was tender and sensitive. Definitely, she had burned the tips of her fingers when the amps surged along the blade and through the hilt of her knife.
"I was electrocuted," she muttered.
"Shannon," he whispered. "Are you okay?"
She looked around.
"I’m here," Seth said, shuffling his feet toward her. "Are you okay?"
She groaned again.
"Come here," he said, pulling out a small flashlight from his belt. He wiped the mucus from her upper lip and shone the light into her eyes.
They were glassy, confused, and distant, but they seemed to dilate fine. He examined her hands and found the tips of the fingers charred. They would need proper tending when he had more time. The rest of her body seemed to be functional.
"Seth, is the turret down?" She spoke clearly. She was coming back to him.
"Yes," he said. "The platoon should be here any second."
"I can barely see."
"You short-circuited the lights in the hallway." He smirked. "Of course you can’t see."
"Lights," she said, firmly. He moved the flashlight back to her face and could see the focusing of her eyes. "I have something."
She began patting her body with her hands. From the bottom of her chest pockets, she pulled out a transparent rectangular tube. She snapped it over her knee and flung it down the hallway. In a matter of seconds, a faint green light glowed.
A thump came from behind him. He whipped around with his gun pointing toward the sound. To his relief, half of the platoon squeezed into the double doors. He stood, moved to the doorway, and pressed the "unlock" button. The hiss of the door pained Seth’s ears as the slight pressure change popped within his head.
The platoon didn’t waste time thanking him. They quickly moved into the area, tossed several more of the glowing green sticks down the hallways, and scattered around the facility to secure it.
"Bareson," he said. "Where on Mars is the MSA? Are you sure the facility is right?"
"Yes. Our intelligence wasn’t wrong." Bareson’s eyes hardened as his gaze tightened on him.
Seth didn’t back down. He stepped toward Bareson. "Look, Shannon and I breezed in here and only had to take out a few MSA soldiers. This is supposed to be a coveted detention center. I didn’t even see barbwire around the building."
"Major Bareson," the lead lieutenant called from behind Seth. "The perimeter around the control room and the detention center cells have been searched. We only found one guard."
"Only one?" Bareson said, with a hint of surprise.
"I told you," he said. "They knew we were coming. They are setting a trap for us."
"No, the MSA are just sloppy. Get to the detention facility and get Captain Dalton and the rest of them out."
Shannon didn’t need to okay the suggestion. She moved toward the stairs.
"The detention facility has been overrun with Alliance forces," Admiral Manson said from his console in the battle room in the underground bunkers of Zephyria colony. "The control room is demanding we send in reinforcements." He turned to the communications officer to his left. "Johansson, order squadron alpha-five from the algae fields into the detention center."
"Belay that order," Gwen said, sitting in the command chair. She swiveled the chair from the main viewscreen toward Admiral Manson. "Keep them where they are."
The perplexed look on his face resonated throughout the battle room. Everyone turned their heads toward Gwen. "Back to your duties," she commanded. They obeyed swiftly.
Since the death of Thomas Cross, Gwen had noticed the newfound attentiveness within her personnel. Mostly from the senior officers, who all feared they could be next in line for a permanent demotion. And she was beginning to accept how Samantha and her father used fear to control them. Cross’s death garnered respect for the new supreme chancellor.
And yet…
After seeing the gawking perplexity on their faces at the admiral’s question, it seemed they had still a way to go in trusting her authority in military matters.
She directed her attention back to Admiral Manson. "They are moving their fleet into attack position. The blips are already starting to form on the northwest edge of our territory."
He stood. "We must secure the control room at the detention center. It houses our anti-aircraft weaponry systems."
Gwen waved her hand to signal him to sit down. "I want them to take it."
"Without our northern defenses, they will be able to come all the way to Zephyria. If they decide to break the civilian agreements, we can expect numerous casualties if the main dome is cracked."
"It won’t happen. You need to have patience. Scramble two squadrons of our light fighters to meet the Alliance when they cross our territory."
"You are sending those fighters on a suicide run. They can’t beat a force that large."
"I know," she said, firmly. She was disappointed.
She expected Admiral Manson to decipher her strategy thus far: she needed the people of Zephyria to see the battle cruisers of the Alliance on their doorstep; she needed the people of Trivium Port and Aethpis to bear witness to the unprovoked attack of the Alliance; she needed to show how brutal they really were; and more than anything, she needed her officers in the battle room to believe in her ability to lead them in a war. She wanted their trust. "It is the simplest of plans. Those fighters will provide the confidence and moral boost the Alliance needs to foray deeper into our territory.
"Admiral, the detention center is an insignificant loss to me. I have already moved the control room for the northern defense system away. The current control room is bogus. It will only give the illusion our northern defenses have been deactivated. In turn, the Alliance will move swiftly and recklessly toward Zephyria."
"But why?" Manson said, gazing at her, still searching for Gwen’s father within her. "We could mount a formidable defense to the north and not risk Zephyria."
"I don’t want to win another battle and have them run away. I want to push the Alliance fleet toward Zephyria and slaughter them for the last time. The Alliance will vanish after today."
Gwen stood, staring long at the radar screen, watching as blips moved into MSA territory. "Here, now, is where they have made their final mistake. Have Admiral Juncon and his orbital fleet execute attack plan Arwell-One."
Chapter 40
"Why would you agree to be their guest?" Jan said again.
Since they arrived in their quarters, her continual pacing was a constant annoyance to Chloe’s concentration.
"Because I didn’t want us locked up in a detention cube," Chloe replied sharply, as if she were biting every syllable. "Frankly, we don’t know the slightest thing about the megacruiser aside from a glance and a vague description. Any decision Parker made would have been based on ignorance. He needs a few days to f
ind out whether it is a risk for us to bring it back to Aethpis."
"Chloe is right," Parker said quietly from the corner, breaking his silence. "That meeting was nothing more than lobbying for something we know barely anything about."
Chloe had been wondering why he had been silent since they had arrived in the quarters. A sharp pain lingered in her mind from their encounter on the skimmer. No doubt he still felt the same effects.
"I don’t want to be locked up in here for days—if not weeks or months—on end," Jan said. "Shouldn’t we be doing something to get out of here? We can study the schematics from Aethpis as well as we can from here."
No one talked for a long time. Chloe sat on the couch with her legs extended and a pillow neatly tucked under her head. She could barely see Parker’s face from her position in the room. He was in the far corner, the shadows creating a mask. Jan, finally settling down, was to her side with her feet on the coffee table, allowing her tired feet to rest.
Defeated, demoralized, their slouched bodies told the story of their day. Chloe barely remembered their escape from the MSA only eight hours ago.
Since they had arrived, Ganges Chasma had been at the forefront of her mind. She was so sure the megacruiser was here and it would help the Alliance, she had committed the worst of indulgences. She took control of a person. She compromised Parker’s free will and for once, the MSA weren’t to blame.
Suddenly, she was jolted from her thought.
"I made a huge mistake," Parker said. "I contacted Atalo. I told him to bring the Protector to this location."
"When?" Jan said, springing up from her seated position to the edge of her seat.
"When I was fixing the skimmer, I thought we might need some help if I wasn’t able to fly us back. I sent our flight plan and told him if we didn’t arrive in time, to follow our course."
"We should get to the control room and signal him. He won’t find anything without our help," Jan said.
"Assuming he got my message, he should be here within the next hour."
Jan paced around the room. "Let’s come up with a plan. We could seize the communications room somehow. Find some weapons."
"Jarvis said this facility had a blackout in effect, and it has had one for ten years, so they’ll have encryption access to all the equipment. Unless we hold a gun to Jarvis’s head, we aren’t sending anything out."
"Let’s hold a gun to his head then," Jan replied. "He did it to us."
Chloe laughed.
"What is so damn funny?" Jan said, jabbing her finger toward Chloe. "Your cavalier attitude about our imprisonment is starting to get on my nerves."
"Using rudimentary force isn’t going to get the megacruiser to the Alliance. The main objective of our entire trip out here was to find it and bring it back to the Alliance. We have to manipulate Jarvis, and to a lesser extent Conway, into getting it." Chloe shook her head. "Both of you are far too concerned with getting back to Aethpis. The key to saving Aethpis and the Alliance lies within this cavern, and you are too selfish to realize it. Mars needs us, the people need us, and we need to act like soldiers in this war."
I had to say that, Chloe thought. She had no other choice but to shine the light in their eyes. To make them understand the severity of the situation.
"If you recall, we have a cease-fire agreement," Jan objected, the annoyance in her tone making it perfectly clear she wasn’t happy to be in the same room as Chloe anymore.
"The agreement will not last. This war has created wounds that are too deep for both sides to hold this cease-fire for long."
Jan objected. "I think you underestimate the perseverance of the Martian people. We will not allow the actions of one group to destroy what we have built—"
The intercom crackled. All three of them turned toward it. Jarvis spoke. "Parker McCloud."
"Yes, I’m here."
"I need you, Chloe, and Jan to come to my briefing room right away. The Alliance has begun its assault over Zephyrian territory. They are throwing everything they have against the MSA. We need to decide a permanent solution for the megacruiser."
Chloe gave an I-told-you-so look to both of them.
"We’re on our way," Parker said. "Have the complete data set from the battle at my ready. I need to see what is going on."
"It is already here."
But they never heard Jarvis’s reply. The door had already opened, and all three were in full sprint around the ringed platform encircling the megacruiser, heading toward what Chloe thought could be the turning point in the war for the Alliance and the destruction of the MSA. This was her chance for redemption.
Chapter 41
"Forty ships converging over northern Zephyria, my lady," the tech officer called from across the battle station deep in the bunkers under Zephyria. "Orbital vessels number in the hundreds."
"It is a full-scale assault." Samantha paced over to Gwen’s display screen. "We haven’t counterattacked yet?"
"No," Gwen said. "Not yet. Hold those Alliance ships away from our resources stations. Let them punch through a bit more. We’ll hold them off at the secondary north defense perimeter. Get me Admiral Juncon on the radio."
The tech officer keyed in the frequency for Admiral Juncon and relayed the transmission to Gwen.
"Lady Arwell, we have our hands full up here. We’ve been doing as you instructed. I can’t fully understand why we are letting them take up position over Zephyria. Our defense perimeter is open to direct bombardment."
"It is perfectly safe. I don’t want any of our large cruisers in the area. Keep them out of your instructed perimeter."
"I understand."
"I want only your fighters attacking their cruisers."
"That will be suicide."
"I can’t stress enough how vital your role is in this plan. Keep them moving toward Zephyrian space. We’ll handle the rest." She signaled the officer to cut the transmission. "Manson," she called. "How are our defenses holding up?"
"The primary northern defense perimeter has been destroyed. The secondary is holding. We’ve only lost one supply ring along the way."
"I didn’t want to lose any of those supply rings," she said. "What was housed there?"
"It held a number of explosives and field rations. Not a major loss."
"Everything is going according to plan." She grinned. "By daybreak, the Aethpisians will surrender."
Chapter 42
Seth walked down a dimly lit passage. The musky air and poor circulation squeezed at his chest as his lungs searched for more oxygen. He held his breathing mask up to his face and took in several breaths.
In the distance, behind him, he could hear the murmurs of joy as the soldiers released several of the men and women. Shannon had bolted down one of those passageways before he could stop her. It was better she wasn’t around when he rescued Eamonn. She was the reason he was there.
The passage was narrow, dark, and chilly; the sort of place that led to nowhere but trouble. Eamonn was down here. He was the MSA’s most wanted criminal and they would put him in the most wretched place they could find.
Seth turned a corner; the adjacent passage was short, with one cell to his left and one cell to his right. A single light source flittered from its mounting above. Taking his steps carefully, Seth moved to the first cell. Empty, the cot was vertical with a bare mattress folded neatly over the inverted bed.
The next cell was occupied. He opened the door.
Eamonn raised his head slightly, peering at him with a confused look as if he was trying to remember him. Seth nodded his head.
For a long moment, they just stared at one another, seemingly wondering what they should say. Although they hadn’t talked in over two weeks, Seth couldn’t think of anything appropriate to say to his old friend. Instead, he turned his head, and yelled, "I have found—"
An elbow caught him in the jaw, sending him two steps backward out of the cell. Eamonn drove forward. Seth was only taken aback for a second, and he set his feet
and drove his arms toward Eamonn, trying to grab him by the shoulders. Eamonn was ready for him. He sidestepped and propelled the palm of his hand into Seth’s jaw.
That was enough for Seth. He grabbed Eamonn’s upper arm, twisted him around, and drove his chest against the wall of the passage, pinning him. "Eamonn," he said. "It’s Seth. I’ve come to rescue you."
"Seth," Eamonn said. "I couldn’t see with the back light. I thought you were a sloppy MSA guard. They haven’t opened my cell door in days."
"Sloppy?" he said, releasing his grip. "I took you out pretty easily."
"I got in a couple of good shots."
"You mean your mother got in a few good shots because those weren’t man punches."
"Shut up," Eamonn said with a smirk on his face. "Where is the rest of the crew?"
"I’m afraid it is only me. Parker, Jan, and Chloe are back on Aethpis."
"Why would you bring Chloe to Mars? You know the MSA will stop at nothing to get her."
"She brought me to Mars. She thinks finding the metalor cache will save the Alliance. It doesn’t matter now. We have to get you to the main level. The transport is due to arrive at any moment."
"Transport? Who else is with you?"
He hesitated. "Shannon Buckley spearheaded this entire operation."
"Shannon," Eamonn said sharply. "I’m glad I punched you now. Don’t expect me to thank her and tell her how much I appreciate her putting me through agony."
"Whatever you have to work out, it is between the two of you. I’m here to rescue you."
"Give me your gun," Eamonn said. "Give it to me."
"Why do you want my gun?" Seth said.
"I want to kill Shannon Buckley. Right between the eyes."
"You would kill me," Shannon said from behind him. "I had no choice. It was either you or Adol."
"I don’t want to hear your excuses," Eamonn said, not turning to face her. "Leave now before I kill you. I have been through the deepest of agony and torment. Don’t think I have any compassion left within me."
Lunara: The Original Trilogy Page 63