The Key

by Pauline Baird Jones

  “We got a team on the way, sir, but the security camera in the hall outside Donovan’s quarters is down.”

  Just then the fire alarm began to shrill. Red lights spun on either side of the door.

  Halliwell hit his radio. “Donovan? Report. Captain Donovan?” He looked at Fyn. “Security, what the hell is going on?”

  “Now we got an alarm in Donovan’s quarters, sir.”

  He cursed silently.

  “Let’s go.”

  Was Sara already being taken off the ship? Was the fire a diversion or a move to get her out into the corridor?

  “Somebody talk to me,” Halliwell shouted into his radio as they headed for the elevator. “Is anyone outside Donovan’s quarters yet?”

  “Sir, we’re outside her room, we got here just as the alarm went off, but it’s locked down. We got someone working on over-riding her codes right now.”

  “How long does it take to open a damn door? I want you in there now!”

  Inside the elevator it seemed to take forever, but it finally opened. Fyn raced down the hall just as the security team breached the door. White smoke poured out the opening, sending the security team reeling back, coughing. One of them collapsed, his eyes open and surprised.

  Fyn held his breath and plunged in. Water sprayed down from the ceiling. It took him the space of two heartbeats to see that she was gone and see the body in the open vent. He came out coughing, almost slipping on the water that flowed out the door.

  “Body in the vent.” His head was spinning from the gas. He leaned against the wall, trying to clear his head, trying to think. He felt his muscles tingling, but he hadn’t inhaled enough to paralyze him.

  Where was Sara?

  If she’d been in the room, she was semi-conscious right now. Unable to fight or speak. Helpless. If they’d been going to use the vent…that wasn’t an easy play. Impossible, actually, but she was gone.

  It was a reality he couldn’t get past.

  Halliwell was shouting orders and pretty soon the water shut off and some kind of system kicked in that sucked the smoke out of the room. One of the security guys jumped up on the bed and eased the body free of the vent.

  He held up a small canister. “He had this.”

  At first they thought it was one of their guys. He was wearing a jarhead uniform.

  “Who is it?” Halliwell demanded.

  “He’s not one of ours, sir,” the SO said. “That’s one of the Gadi guards.”

  Fyn eased in and looked at the slack face. He had to be the Ojemba operative. Were there two of them? If so, it was a new play.

  “How did he die? And where is Donovan?” He looked at Fyn. “Could there be two of them?”

  “It would be…unusual,” he said, slowly. He climbed up and looked in the vent. There hadn’t been enough time for anyone to drag an unconscious body along that shaft. But she was gone.

  Could she have gotten out and locked the door, only to fall into the hands of another Ojemba enforcer, the one who took out the camera?

  “Get the damn doctor up here. And let’s start a ship-wide search for Donovan. I want the security tapes reviewed. I want to know how many men we’re dealing with. And I want this ship locked down tight. Is the Gadi ship still in the bay?”

  It shouldn’t be.

  Someone got on the radio, then looked at the Colonel. “They had a problem, but are requesting permission to leave now, sir.”

  “Not just no, hell no! Sound the damn alert, shields up, fangs out, and get some gun positions pointed at them, just in case they don’t listen. And get the birds ready to launch. We may be at war with these bastards in a few.”

  Halliwell was furious and deeply worried. He looked ten years older than he had ten minutes ago. He also looked like a warrior preparing for a fight. It was something, but it wouldn’t be enough, not against the Ojemba.

  Fyn just felt…sick. This was his fault. He’d led them to her. If he’d come clean sooner, they’d never have gotten this far. He sank to the floor, against the corridor wall.

  He could have lost her, he could have left knowing she was safe on her ship, doing what she loved. But the thought of her in Kalian’s control…now he wished he’d died on Kikk. He wished the enforcer had killed him first. Had Kalian ordered it like this? To make sure he suffered before his death? Was this his punishment for breaking his oath?

  People moved purposefully past him, the doctor stopped and asked him if he was all right, but Fyn shook him off. Someone directed the doc to the body. After a time, he heard him speaking to the colonel. He didn’t hear what the doctor said, but he did hear Halliwell’s response.

  “Electrocuted?”

  “He must have been in the vent when it happened. There are burns on his arms, legs and torso, anywhere he would have been touching the metal. Maybe it was a short that set off the fire alarm. The water…would have increased the grounding effect.”

  Fyn tensed. There’d been no short. Sara had done this. The gas had paralyzed her body, not her brain. She’d fought back. She’d still be fighting back until the gas knocked her out.

  He pushed up and went to Halliwell and pulled him aside.

  “Are there any other…malfunctions on the ship?”

  “What?”

  “She did this. She triggered the fire alarm. The gas paralyzes, but she can still think. Is there anything else unusual happening on the ship?”

  Halliwell’s eyes widened and he got on the radio. “You’re sure? Not one thing? What about down in any of the bays? Is everything locked down? I don’t give a damn if they are unhappy. Tell them it’s for their protection. We have a security breach. Like they don’t damn know.”

  He rubbed his face tiredly and Fyn wondered when he’d last slept.

  “There’s nothing. Everything is normal.”

  Carey made his way through the press of people until he reached the colonel and pulled him aside. He said something to him. The colonel looked…stunned. He signaled for Fyn to follow him down the hallway. Once they were clear of people, he stopped.

  “She’s down on the outpost.” He rubbed his face. “She’s still mostly immobilized, but did manage a few words. Said she’s fine. Asked them to call us and let us know where she was.”

  Fyn didn’t know what to say. He leaned against the wall as relief almost took his legs out from under him.

  “How?”

  “No clue. We have a detail posted in the portal room. They heard a noise, there was a bright flash, and she was lying on the floor in front of the portal. They are taking her to the infirmary right now.”

  “Colonel was busy, so I took the call,” Carey said. “Was sure it was a mistake.”

  “What I don’t understand, if the Ojemba agent was dead, why did she…leave?”

  “Maybe there was two of them,” Fyn said. “One here in the hall, waiting for her to come out.” Or waiting for him to return?

  Halliwell looked at Fyn. “How do I look for this guy, if he is on my ship?”

  Fyn hesitated, then approached the dead enforcer. He’d taken the uniform from someone. He crouched down. “Who does this uniform belong to?”

  Carey crouched down on the other side and pulled at the name, until he could read it. “Private Stevens. He’s assigned to the fighter bay’s security detail, where the Gadi ship landed.”

  “You need to find out if anyone else is missing, sir,” Fyn said.

  “And now that we know Donovan is safe,” Carey said, “maybe we should give the Gadi this guy back?”

  Fyn wondered when the colonel would remember to throw him in the brig.

  “Come with me,” Halliwell said, heading back to the elevator. When the three of them were back in his wardroom, he turned to Fyn.

  This would be the moment he remembered, Fyn decided.

  “Now, I’m sure it won’t surprise you that you’re grounded and off any flight rotation.”

  “Did I miss something?” Carey asked.

  Halliwell ignored him. �
��While I understand why you didn’t tell us initially, you should have spoken up before you got married. You made a mistake. I respect the fact you’re trying to fix it. But you need to figure out where your head—and your feet are, son. And you need to do it now. We’ve got a hell of a fight ahead. I’d like you to be in it. I think you earned the right to be in it. But you won’t be fighting with us, unless you’re with us.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you? I won’t stop you from returning to the Ojemba. Just understand, if you leave this ship, you leave Donovan. And you don’t come back. I will protect my people. You and I both know that she does not deserve what these people want to do to her. You’re with them, you’re not with her. I will erase this marriage like it never happened. I’m god on this ship and I can do it.”

  Was he being offered another chance? He hadn’t expected it. Fyn didn’t hesitate. “I’m with you, sir.”

  He didn’t know if Sara would still have him, but he still wanted to be here, with them.

  He got another one of those bore-to-the-gut looks and Halliwell got right in his face, like he did with Sara after her table walk.

  “You sure? Because you’re out of chances if you mess this one up. You dick with me or my people, I’ll make you wish you’d never been born—and not because of a damn, stupid oath.”

  To his surprise, Fyn came to attention. “I’m sure, sir.” After a short silence, he looked at Halliwell. “The only thing that bound me to the Ojemba was my word, sir.”

  “I don’t think much of oaths that bind good people to do things they know they shouldn’t. If someone is committed to a cause, the only oath they need to swear is to do their duty.”

  It was true. And on some level he’d always known it. That’s why he’d refused to become an enforcer for Kalian. He’d killed Dusan without hesitation, but he would not, he could not kill a comrade in arms. And because he would not blindly follow Kalian, he had sent him to die on Kikk.

  But once again he’d surprised Kalian by surviving.

  “Sara said she swore an oath, sir. I would like to swear this oath.”

  Halliwell looked surprised, then thoughtful. Finally he nodded.

  “Major, swear him.”

  Carey still looked confused, but he said, “Raise your right hand and repeat after me…”

  Fyn heard himself say, “I, Kiernan Fyn, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

  The colonel was right. This was a good oath, one that held a man to the highest standards. True faith and allegiance. Those were words to believe in.

  As Fyn lowered his arm, wondering what came next, but the intercom buzzed.

  “Colonel, the Gadi are getting restless.”

  “I’ll be right there.” He looked at Carey. “You stay with Fyn here. And you—” he pointed at Fyn. “—stay put until I get back.” He started to leave, then turned to say, “I’m going to put a security detail outside the door. It’s for your protection, just until we find the other operative.”

  Fyn didn’t like it, but he nodded. Was he supposed to salute? He tried one. It felt wrong. Must have looked wrong, too. The colonel kind of winced, then turned and left.

  * * * *

  Down in the fighter bay, Halliwell found a tense scene. Lots of guns and all of them pointed at the Gadi.

  Gaedon stood near the ramp of the ship, attempting to reason with the head of the security detail, but seemed relieved to see Halliwell approach. That wouldn’t last.

  “Colonel, the Leader is…not happy.”

  “That makes two of us, Commander.” Halliwell looked at him for a moment. He didn’t want them to know they hadn’t caught a second guy yet, but he did want to rattle their cage. “You’ve got some people missing. I’m wondering why you didn’t mention it.”

  Gaedon’s eyes widened. He started to speak, then stopped.

  Either he was a very good actor, or someone had lied to him.

  “I’m sorry to report that one of them attacked Captain Donovan.”

  Gaedon’s skin paled. “Is the Captain…all right?”

  “She’s fine. Better than your guy. He’s dead.”

  He flinched, but held it together pretty good. “And my other…man?”

  “We’ll talk about him after we talk about my men.”

  “Your men, Colonel? I don’t understand.”

  “My missing men. Their uniforms have turned up on your guys. If my men are dead…I will consider it an act of war unless you can convince me they were acting independently of the Gadi Federation. And your Leader.”

  Halliwell stared at him for a long moment before adding, “And I’m going to be damn hard to convince.”

  “May we speak…privately, Colonel?”

  Halliwell wasn’t surprised to see the Gadi Leader joining the conversation. In fact, he’d been expecting it.

  “Leader…” Gaedon began, but a wave of the Leader’s hand silenced him.

  Halliwell looked around. “We can talk over there.”

  The Leader didn’t look thrilled, but he followed Halliwell to the other end of the bay. They were in sight of Halliwell’s men and his own. That was the best he was going to get.

  Halliwell looked at the man. “Well, Leader? Or should I call you Kalian?”

  He didn’t even flinch. A very cool customer.

  “Why would you think that, Colonel?”

  “I might have bought the act, but it’s just your bad luck you reminded me of someone from my world.” And his bad luck the Baroness Orczy wrote The Scarlet Pimpernel.

  He stared at Halliwell for what seemed like a long time. “I see.” Another pause. “What do we do now?”

  “Well, you tell me my men are alive and where they are. And where your last guy is hiding.” That surprised him. “And if that goes well, then we can chat about a man named General Andrew Jackson and some Barbary pirates. If things don’t go well, then we take out your six ships and move on.”

  “Are you forgetting the Dusan, Colonel?”

  “No.” He stared calmly at the Leader. “I’ll deal with them when I’m through with you.” Damn, he sounded confident.

  Helfron nodded. “I find I am…curious about these…pirates.”

  * * * *

  This time Henderson didn’t just assign Sara a team, he was one of the three guys in the subway with her. Other than a hurting heart, she felt pretty good. The Ojemba’s mickey packed quite the punch, so she got a good night’s sleep out of the deal—something that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise. And the nanites had already taken care of any hangover. Too bad they couldn’t do anything about the heart.

  She touched the map and there was the obligatory green flash. It felt odd to be back in Zone Five and even odder to have company. As she passed Building Thirty-five, Henderson exchanged greetings with the jarhead guard. It was the only sign they weren’t alone in the section.

  She led them toward a building assigned the number Thirty, sitting on the edge of a kind of bay. As they approached, she could see what looked like docks jutting out into the water. Had the Garradians had boats? No surprise they hadn’t lasted five hundred years. If she had the privacy to stop and connect with the past, would she see cheerful sails out there?

  She still didn’t have a real clear sense about what kind of people they’d been. And she didn’t feel like they were her people, even though they were, more than she’d realized at first.

  Now that Sara had unlocked the city, the geeks weren’t having any trouble accessing any of the buildings. There just weren’t enough of them for all the stuff there to find.

  “So what are we looking for, Captain?” Henderson broke what had been a long silence.


  “I’m almost afraid to say, in case we jinx it.” She wouldn’t let herself think about Fyn, but he was there, on the edges of her mind, waiting for her guard to go down even slightly. It made her feel tense. She didn’t have time to wallow. The colonel needed ships. It was her job to find them and see if they still worked.

  Once inside the building, she began to feel more hopeful. The controls and consoles looked like a ship, the sea going kind. Big pipes, valves, and all sorts of gauges gave the room an unusually cluttered appearance. It smelled of the sea, too.

  She activated the consoles and looked at the data. So far things were looking promising.

  Across from the entrance was another door, but this one looked more like a submarine access hatch than a door. Henderson signaled to one of the men to turn the valve that sealed it and it opened with a metal shriek. Inside this was a small chamber and a ladder leading down to another chamber.

  That was pretty low-tech of them, Sara decided, as she waited her turn to descend. She dropped to the floor, the last one down.

  “Looks like a dead end,” Henderson said.

  It was a square, metal space, but one corner was…rounded. Was that a panel next to it? Sara eased past the men and touched the panel. The rounded edge, retracted, revealing a tube.

  “Or not.” Henderson came to stand next to her. “What is that?”

  “It’s a descent tube.” Looked like they could all fit inside, though it was going to be cozy. She hoped none of them had claustrophobia.

  “Descent tube. To where?”

  Sara looked at him. “Probably the ocean floor.”

  He looked at her. Then he looked at his guys. No one cracked any expression, but Sara still got the feeling they weren’t thrilled. For that matter, she wasn’t that thrilled. This was a five hundred year old tube. It could have sprung a leak in that time. And if it hadn’t, the thought of going down in a metal tube was pretty creepy. Not to mention unnerving.

  There was a downside to going where no man had gone before.

  “All aboard.” She tried to sound cheerful. Her voice had a hollow sound, but that could be the chamber echo. No one moved. Okay. Ladies first…could be the reason. Maybe.

  She tapped the floor with her foot. It didn’t move, so she stepped inside. It held, so she jumped up and down. She looked at the guys and shrugged.