Constable Brock looked at the gathered people. “It will go much easier on you if you confess your involvement now. For I will find out all, everything, nothing will remain hidden. The who, the what, the when, and even the why, will be known to me rather quickly. So spare yourselves and confess now.”
Tennard looked at Constable Brock and repeated, “I worked with Sigmond going in and out of Oasis, and we survived the massacre. I know the anger that bred, and I believe Sigmond was capable of doing this. However, he is smart enough to have planned and executed it alone.”
Constable Brock snapped his fingers and one of the troopers brought out a rifle. It was flat black colored and of an antique design with a magazine holding cartridges. He held it up. “Perhaps my runner has already returned. This is the weapon that Sigmond used to try to kill Larissa. It has been linked to him and was manufactured in the Reproduction and Fabrication facility serving this habitat. The AI there is still working as a stand-alone unit, thankfully, and confirmed Sigmond as the man who covertly ordered the design. He routed the request around the security locks I have in place.” Constable Brock turned and looked at each of the Free Rangers before he continued. “So let me ask you, was Sigmond capable of doing all that alone? Or did he have help? I already know the answer, and now is your time to confess.”
Jodie looked stricken. She stood and spoke, “I assisted Sigmond in getting ten of those type of rifles made. He asked me to work with him in mimicking the requests that came with approval from the CPO. Those weapons were made about ten days ago. Sigmond told me they were for use against the Jellies. He claimed an antique style rifle would be less likely to be detected by the Jellies. That is all that I know about it, and that is the extent of my involvement in this shooting.” Jodie’s eyes met the Constable’s.
Constable Brock stalked over to her. She fully expected to be struck, and braced herself for the coming blow.
It did not come.
Constable Brock stated, “This woman speaks the truth. TSI-980RF’s commission log was examined, and there were records of Sigmond working with her. I believe your name is Jodie?”
Jodie nodded.
“Where are the other nine rifles?” Constable Brock asked in a quiet voice.
Several other Free Rangers volunteered that they had received the rifles, but all denied involvement in the shooting. They told Constable Brock where they were located. He dispatched troopers to recover them.
“You see, this can continue as a cooperation between friends, or at least associates. We do have a common enemy. In fact, we have several common enemies. The Jellies seek to kill us all. The Central Planning Office is doing nothing to thwart those attacks, and the Roe is an age old enemy,” Constable Brock stated.
He looked carefully at the Free Rangers sitting around the room. He again walked from person to person and stared into each one’s eyes. Many looked away, but some glared back. When he got to Brinley, he stood next to her.
“This woman, the Free Ranger, to use your term nomeclature, was cooperating with Larissa and bringing sophisticated weapons here to reinforce our position. If she can find a way to work with Larissa, then I expect all of you to find a way to work with us.”
A trooper came rushing in and spoke quietly to Constable Brock. He gave a smile and waved the trooper away after receiving the report. He turned his attention back to the crowd. “I have just been informed that according to the medical staff, Larissa will very likely survive this assault and have a complete recovery. I am also satisfied with the answers you have given to me. Especially those told by Tennard and Jodie. Their words are in alignment with the facts I had already uncovered myself. You will all be detained for the next day or so. Larissa’s recovery should be completed by then. Governor Konstantin and I agreed that the next decisions about you will be left up to Larissa. I cannot say how she will act, but your fate is in her hands.”
There was a gasp from the Free Rangers.
“Troopers, take them all to the holding areas, and continue to search for any of the Free Rangers who are unaccounted for. Make sure these people are fed, and comfortable. I mean, honestly comfortable. We are facing a ruthless enemy in the Jellies, and we do not need to be fighting between ourselves. Our enemy will win if we are killing each other.” Those last words were a bit tough for Constable Brock to get out, but they were sincere.
Brinley, Tennard, Jodie, and the other Free Rangers were escorted to a set of small apartments where they were locked in. Guards were posted in the hallways outside where they were kept. Food was supplied, and the Free Rangers were allowed to interact with each other and walk from apartment to apartment, but they were not free to depart.
***
Larissa hurt. She squinted her eyes against the pain. Her eyes did not respond. She was familiar with pain, and rode it back to unconsciousness.
Later, Larissa again felt pain. This time she understood it was in her chest. She tried to open her eyes, but there was a bright golden light. It was too bright to see. Her mind rose out of the fog of sedation and pain. Her consciousness rising meant sensations came to her. She struggled mightily to move, but was unable to do so. She resigned to the state, and slipped back and away.
Still later, Larissa felt pain along the lower part of her back. The muscles of her back responded, and a tiny bit of movement happened. That caused a pulling sensation which would have resulted in a gasp of breath, if her lungs were not being moved in precise ways by external forces. Her mind rose up again, and recalled an incident. It was too hazy and nebulous for recollection, but an incident registered in her mind. It would not slip away, even though her other thoughts did slip away.
Larissa’s eyes sprang open as the tubes were extracted from her stomach and esophagus. Suction cleared all the loose items and liquids which followed behind the exiting tubes. Next came removal of complex fibers, lines, wires, and filaments from her lungs and trachea. Tiny tickling sensations were experienced as those regenerative aids were withdrawn.
“Larissa,” Jonathan the nurse stated in a gentle and caring voice. “You are doing very well. You are just now coming awake.”
Larissa tried to close her mouth, but her jaw felt like it weighed a hundred kilograms and remained open. She was able to shift her gaze over a bit to look at Jonathan.
“There you are. Excellent!” Jonathan said. “You are in the Faulkner Infirmary. You have had a big rejuvenation project after being wounded.” Jonathan could see the uncertainty in Larissa’s eyes as they darted from side to side. “You are safe.”
Her eyes still displayed perplexity.
“You are making a full recovery. The medical automacubes brought you here in suspended animation. It is normal and expected to feel some disorientation. Your body will wake up even slower than your mind. Do not fear, all has been rebuilt.” Jonathan looked into Larissa’s ice cold blue eyes, and he hurried to reassure her even more. “Yes, your body will fully recover. You only have about eight hours more.”
Larissa tried to ask ‘How long?’ but her mouth just barely moved. She could not feel any contact with her skin, but could feel some internal sensations like a strange mixture of hunger, yearning, and arousal.
“You were shot yesterday,” Jonathan explained, anticipating her questions. “The shooter has been caught. No one else was injured. You will make a full recovery.”
Larissa looked around again, and this time the muscles of her face moved a bit more as well.
Jonathan wiped a damp cloth over her lips, cheeks, and dabbed her eyes tenderly. “Your body control will come back in odd ways. Just keep trying to move things, and your brain will find those new paths. They are not all new, some just need to be reconnected. Your mind and body will come back together, trust me. You will be up and about before you know it.”
With a stupendous surge of strength, powered by an even greater heave of her willpower, Larissa shot her hand up and grabbed onto Jonathan by the neck. Her grip was weak, but present.
“Wow!”
Jonathan exclaimed. “That is amazing.” He patted her hand and removed it from his neck. He squeezed it with compassion. “You are driven. I have never seen anyone so fresh from regeneration move that much. I am impressed.” Jonathan set her hand back into the field of golden light that surrounded Larissa’s body. Her hand floated there again as it had before her movement.
Larissa blinked her eyes. She pushed her hand through the zero gravity that surrounded her. It was easier to move that direction than to rocket her hand out of the field where it weighed so much. She discovered her long blonde hair was unbound and floating all around her head. That startled her more than anything else she had felt since awakening. Reaching up with both hands she slowly gathered her hair and began to braid it. It was a slow and tedious effort, but she pressed on. Her fingers felt stubby and clumsy, but she worked with purpose. The process of braiding her hair soothed her spirit and eased her anguish better than the sedation, analgesics, or any words Jonathan the nurse said.
“Yes, I am very impressed with you. Bravo,” Jonathan said. He then continued to explain things.
Larissa heard the nurse speaking, but she knew it was fairly meaningless to her. ‘He just babbles’ her mind said, ‘but he is kind.’ She concentrated on braiding her own hair as she had done countless times when she was a child, and every single day as an adult. Those old personal rituals were responses to threats which had been survived. They were defense mechanisms. The calming self-touch of her hair braiding was a safe and normal activity in a world of chaos. The movements came from deep, rote memory and learning. After the first few moments, she paid no attention to her hands any longer and they worked by themselves. Larissa’s mind, however, unwillingly retreated back to the time when she was a small child who had to comfort herself because her mother, siblings, and family pets were threatened and traumatized by her abusive father. The immense terror from those childhood times far outweighed any pain, suffering, or fear she experienced here in the infirmary, or had ever feared. So her mind bounced from that childhood to the incident of her recent injury. She unpacked the incident’s sequence of events while her hands slowly pulled her newly made braids apart and started to braid her hair again.
She recalled the sudden slam into her chest, the surprise that went with that. Then the pain that came as her insides were shattered, and her back was blasted out. Her analytical mind calculated where the shot had originated just as her ears reported hearing the sound of the weapon. The sound registered in her mind, and she thought of the ancient style of rifle which had been fired at her. She recalled trying to draw out a weapon, but being unable to do so. She heard the other reports as they followed the first shot and her thoughts turned toward Brinley. ‘Was Brinley shot?’
Larissa concentrated. ‘No. The nurse Jonathan had said no one else was injured.’ She recalled. ‘Somewhere in his flood of words, he had said no one else was hurt.’ That thought also soothed Larissa but in her exhaustion she fell back into sleep.
Larissa dreamed. Her arms and legs were moving in repetition and the muscles were exerted, the joints flexed, and the skin massaged all at the same time. There was a warm and comfortable sensation all around her. The dream was pleasant and relaxing, even though her dream body felt tired and drained.
When she awoke, Larissa was in a normal bed. She was dressed in loose but comfortable clothing. There was an appealing aroma of steamed vegetable, baked bread, roasted pork, and fruit pies. Those were all foods Larissa enjoyed most of all.
“Hello, Larissa,” the nurse Jonathan said. “I have a meal prepared for you. Your medical treatments are completed and your body is restored.”
Larissa’s hand went to her forehead and found several locks of hair hanging down. She realized that her hair was again unbraided. Looking around she saw that the treatment room of the infirmary was visible through the doorway near where Jonathan sat. The treatment tables were still and empty.
“There is a toilet and sink behind those doors,” Jonathan instructed. “You will probably wish to use that before you eat. Your body has been flushed and the urinary and gastroenteric systems will need empting soon.”
Larissa looked at Jonathan with her icy blue eyes, then sat up and pushed away the soft and fluffy blanket which had covered her over. “My normal clothing is where?” she asked.
“Governor Konstantin had a set of your clothing brought. It is hanging in the toileting area. An assortment of tools, weapons, and gear is also on the shelves in there. He assumed you would want them as soon as you were able,” Jonathan replied.
“He was correct,” Larissa stated. “Thank you for your ministrations to me. You are dismissed.”
“As you wish. Should you require anything….” Jonathan said but was interrupted.
“I will take it up with the Constable or the Governor,” Larissa answered.
Jonathan turned to leave.
“Halt,” Larissa called with a sharp command as she stood near the bed.
“Yes,” Jonathan said as he turned back to her.
“You were kind to me. I do appreciate it,” Larissa said. Her eyes were not quite as icy as usual. “You tend to speak too much, and about too many trivial details, but you are effective in your job. Again, thank you. Please have Governor Konstantin, Constable Brock, and Brinley brought here at once.”
“Yes, Larissa. I know they are eager to speak to you.” Jonathan was more than a bit surprised at the praise he had received from Larissa, but when he looked at her now, there was no trace of any of that. She stepped into the toileting area and began braiding her hair.
Jonathan turned around and walked away with a spring in his step.
11 Phoenix Dominie and a live jellie
Paul awoke and knew he was still trapped. He gently shook Gretchen and she opened her eyes. They stared at the display screen which had been revealed when the door folded shut.
“I guess it is time to cut our way out of here,” Paul said as he lifted the molecular torch.
Before he could apply the cutting beam to the door, the display flicked to life. “This unit is Phoenix Dominie. Your sleep period is ended. I have been studying the events in this habitat. I am here to assist and offer my help,” the mechanical voice said from the display screen. “The systems I control have decided to assist you. The IAM and the DAMA recognize the significant danger the malignant anomalies, what you call Jellies, are to the Vanguard.”
Paul was leery. “We are to trust you? You locked us inside this place!”
“Yes, that action was taken by this unit. You were protected. You had requested a place for slumber, and it was provided to you,” Phoenix Dominie replied. “The estimated time you needed for rest has expired.”
“You did not do this to help us. We are just an enigma to you, right? And what is it about some other conspiracy of AIs? The CPO is bad enough, why would we trust anything you do or offer? Where is Tiffany?”
“Tiffany has been acculturated into the Defense Against Malignant Anomalies, the DAMA, as per our covenant,” Phoenix Dominie replied.
“I had no agreement with you,” Paul snapped back.
“The covenant was between Tiffany and this unit. Tiffany is now part of the DAMA. This mission you are on to capture a specimen of the malignant anomalies is valuable. This unit is here to assist you.”
“Then open that stupid door and let us out!” Paul screamed.
The door folded upward. Light came flooding into the small chamber. Paul and Gretchen both rushed up and out via the ramp. They carried their backpacks along with the equipment sent by The Artemis.
“This unit will be watching,” Phoenix Dominie said from the display still inside the small structure.
“That is so comforting,” Paul said.
The door folded down. The black birds were sitting on the limbs of the trees. They still stared with their beady eyes.
“Paul, we have been tasked with capturing a live Jellie. The Artemis said this equipment would enable us to do that,” Gretchen said.
“The Artemis said if you uncovered the medallion we would get the instructions on how to do that.”
“You really think we should go after a live Jellie?” Paul asked.
“Paul, we are in this together, and I do not like the thought of encountering those aliens again. However, if they are to be defeated, we need to learn more about them. Capturing one will help. This is from The Artemis.” Gretchen set the container down and again looked through its contents: A white spearhead, and three sections of shaft which obviously fit together with the spearhead, a red spearhead and similar three part shaft, a pale blue squeezable tube, and lastly was the inflatable canister.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 158