The Broken Cage (Solstice 31 Saga Book 2)

by Martin Wilsey

  “Yes.” He was so happy. “What do I need to do?”

  “Do you remember the exercise we practiced when I was broken in the hangar?” AI~Em asked.

  Olias turned, and Peace was already there, kneeling low before him.

  “Yes, Em,” he replied. “I'm ready.”

  Barcus watched, in horror, as the front access opened the suit, revealing it wasn't empty. The chest contained the Javelin missile pod, self-destruct nuclear bomb.

  “First, I raise the red toggle cover,” Olias repeated, from memory.

  “No. Em, what are you doing?” Barcus asked, through gritted teeth.

  “It's the only way, Barcus. The cage is already broken. I cannot do it myself. You know this. It's the only way.” AI~Em was sad.

  Olias flipped the toggle. The large button went from green to red.

  “Em, it says ‘Armed’,” Olias said, proud he could read it.

  “Yes, Olias. A is for armed,” AI~Em said.

  “B is for button,” he said.

  He pressed the button.

  ***

  “I want you to watch the sky, peanut.” He pointed in the direction away from the Citadel. He sat with his back to a giant boulder. “Just keep watching,” the Scarecrow said, as she sat in his lap. “Don’t be afraid. We are free. We are all free. The cage is broken.”

  He covered her ears with both hands.

  ***

  Even though they were far away, the shockwave tossed the shuttle like a leaf in a storm. Po almost failed to recover, before hitting a mountain that surrounded the valley. The canopy on the High Keeper's shuttle had windows, but they automatically adjusted for the flash.

  Everyone, except Po, was violently tossed about the compartment when the shock wave hit. Po looked down and saw the five-point harness held her. She had no memory of clipping into it.

  The Emergency Module had been parked in Mason's suite, in the center of the Citadel, but on the outside edge. The explosion gutted the fortress and threw the rubble away from Exeter, up the rocky valley. The avalanche that followed created havoc and damaged hundreds of buildings. The shock wave and the fallout moved away from the city. But, the forest was now on fire.

  “The Citadel is gone, sir. Erased,” Cook reported to Worthington. “EmNet comms are down. EmNet does not seem to be routing any traffic, anymore. Even the sat traffic is off-line.”

  “Sedna, this is Po. Please respond. This is an emergency,” Po said, over broadcast comms, breaking radio silence.

  “Worthington here. Po, I need a status. Is Barcus with you?” Jim replied.

  “Yes, but the Citadel has been destroyed.”

  “Yes,we know the—” Worthington began, but was interrupted.

  “No, you don't understand,” Po interrupted. “Earlier, Em said there might be… It might not be over… The planet-side defense grid.”

  “Oh, shit,” Worthington cursed, looking at Hume, and then Cook.

  “Po, where are you? Is Barcus okay?” Worthington asked.

  “I’m just to your left, sir.”

  Jimbo looked out the windows and a sleek, luxury shuttle flew there, keeping pace with them, thirty meters away, at Mach 2, like a fighter jet escort. “Barcus is hurt, badly. Open the dock? He needs the med bay.”

  “Po, we are flying supersonic on manual. You want to dock?” Jimbo was incredulous. Only experienced fighter pilots even tried it.

  “When Barcus taught me, he said pilots do it all the time. Open the dock. Do it,” Po growled.

  Jimbo never knew why he did it. He risked their lives by even considering it. The rear ramp slowly began to open.

  ***

  Po landed directly in the bay next to the STU, barely skidding into the port wall. They had to climb out on the right side. The dock apron was already closing. The sudden silence was disturbing as it sealed.

  Cook looked at Jimbo, wide-eyed. “We are at Mach 2,” he said, in a quiet, incredulous tone.

  Jimbo just shook his head.

  “They are dragging Barcus to the autoDoc now. It looks like he’s bad,” Muir said, looking away from the monitor.

  “Po, Wex, Jude and Cine are taking Barcus to the med bay.”

  “Mr. Cook, East Isles at best speed. We need to drop these people off and get off this rock, in case it decides to slag itself,” Worthington said, as they turned and began to ascend. “If you see anyone move to intercept, let's make sure the EMP cannon is fully charged.”

  ***

  “Activate the med bay, Stu, and hurry. Barcus is injured,” Po said, as she held him.

  He had fallen unconscious, again, and seemed to be having a seizure. Steam came from his wounds and even his breath. The muscles around the wounds, somehow, rippled and constricted to close the hole farther. Po ran to get the zero gravity gurney from the med bay.

  She snagged the gurney. She heard another bloodcurdling scream and ran back, without pause. Cine was lying on the floor of the dock near Barcus, and Jude was tearing her habit open and off, revealing a deep sword wound that went from her right hip straight down her thigh to her kneecap.

  “Po, you stay here with Barcus. We need to get Cine to the med bay,” Wex said, in a tone that would not be argued with, as she guided the gurney to Cine. “The med bay can help her. It can't help Barcus.”

  “But you said he would live!” Po screamed.

  “And, he will. But, he won't need the med bay. She does,” Wex said.

  “Po...” It was Barcus in a whisper.

  She sat, cradled his head and drew him up as he watched her. With her braid cut off, her hair was constantly in her way.

  “How?” he asked. Po looked at his wound. It was black now, but closed. The clothes around it were scorched. It seemed to be rippling on the surface. It smelled like cooking meat. She wanted to throw up.

  “Magic.” She smiled.

  “It hurts,” he said, quietly, through a wince, understating it by several hundred factors.

  “But, you'll live,” she said. “I promise.”

  “Did we save them? Wex?” he asked, weakly.

  “Yes, but we lost...Olias,” she said.

  Real pain crossed his face at this news. He buried his face in her lap for a few minutes as his shoulders shook silently.

  “Stu, can you contact Jimbo for me?” he asked, clearing his throat as Stu opened a channel.

  “Jimbo?” Barcus said, weakly.

  “Hey, ass-wipe. Are we done yet?” Jim asked, as Barcus paused to gasp. “I'm just waiting on you, slacker. I heard you were taking a nap. Get enough beauty sleep yet?”

  “I'm not sure I can get any prettier.” His humor could not hide the pain from his voice. The joking was their way of quickly saying they were safe. “Would you mind asking Dr. Shaw if I could squeeze in an appointment?”

  Suddenly, he bent over to the side, vomited a gallon of bloody chunks, and passed out, tumbling over limp, once again.

  “Barcus?” Jimbo called.

  “He's hurt badly, Jimbo,” Po sobbed. “I don't know what to do.”

  “Get him to the med bay,” Jimbo said. “Dr. Shaw will need the data when she gets there. She’s in the lift now.”

  Po looked up and Ash was standing there. But, it didn't feel like Ash. His movements were different as he knelt and gently lifted Barcus, foregoing the gurney.

  Ash moved to the med bay just as Wex was coming out with Cine. They helped get Barcus into the autoDoc. She activated the scan and the bar of light drifted over him.

  Nothing happened, except a flat beep.

  Another wave of tiny seizures came over him.

  AI~Stu was inside her HUD, speaking, “Po, I don't understand these readings.” The scan bar scanned over him, again.

  His eyes fluttered open in the brightness and Barcus turned to look at Po through the glass. He raised his bloody hand to the clear panel. Po mirrored it with hers. Wex was there just behind Po.

  “I have never seen one of these before,” Wex said to her, in quiet, comfo
rting tones, indicating the autoDoc, before addressing him, “Barcus, you will be okay. Eventually. You will not enjoy the recovery. You see, you were dead. That is going to make you really sore for a few weeks.”

  Wex looked at Po when Barcus's head dropped back and his eyes closed. “It's closed him up, but it is going to hurt, putting his guts back together. We will need to give him liquids only, for a few weeks.”

  “But, he will live?” Po clung to this point.

  “Yes. Starving, and in pain, for a month or so, I was at first, but he will live,” Wex said.

  “You received this treatment?” Po asked.

  “Yes. Long ago, on Earth.” Wex confessed. “I have been trapped on that planet for so very long. I never thought I'd ever get away. I’m so sorry it happened this way.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Escape

  “During the chaos in the Flask and Anvil, a beacon was activated on the moon. The High Keeper launched a nuclear missile to destroy it. He thought Barcus was, somehow, behind it. It revealed that the High Keeper did in fact still have control over the defense grid.”

  --Solstice 31 Incident Investigation Testimony Transcript: Captain James Worthington, senior surviving member of the Ventura's command crew.

  <<<>>>

  The Sedna neatly parked on Ronan’s private landing pad in the East Isles. It barely fit. As Cook settled onto the spot in front of the island estate, the door was already closing behind Ronan.

  Barcus stood in the middle of the STU’s cargo bay. His clothes were burned, in tatters, and covered in blood. Po was under his arm, trying to hold him up, though it felt like he no longer needed help.

  Wex, and Cine, joined them.

  Wex spoke first. “Those nanites, they are aggressive.”

  Barcus laughed weakly. “Yes. Yes, they are.” He looked to the others.

  Hume was the first up the ramp, mirroring Po on the other side. She said, “That's gotta hurt.”

  “Barcus, you look like shit. I mean worse than usual,” Captain Worthington said, smiling.

  Barcus limped down the cargo ramp of the STU-1138 shuttle. Po helped him on one side, and Hume on the other. Both of the women were far smaller than Barcus. His clothes were shredded and even burned from his hip to his ribs, his exposed skin was black and cracking. Po still had on the black flight suit covered with a tabard. Wex had on a bloodstained, white flowing dress.

  Ronan stood there at the bottom of the Sedna’s ramp.

  The group limped down the ramp when he spoke.

  “Why?”

  They realized he was furious.

  “Tell me why you just killed Grady and 5,000 other people.” He moved a step closer towards Wex.

  Barcus glanced at Jimbo, and then Po. Confused.

  “I did not do this,” Wex said. “I only saw it coming. I never knew why.”

  “The Citadel is gone. The High Council is in shreds. My troops are moving, but even still, many more will die,” Ronan said, coolly.

  “But, you have your world back. It’s no longer just a cage, no longer just a genetic experiment. You are free, Ronan.”

  “The Citadel is gone! The primary control center, including missile control, and with it, all hope of controlling the damned defense grid.”

  Just then, there was a flash from the sky. They looked up. There was an expanding fireball where the old man in the moon's right eye would be.

  “Nuclear detonation detected.” AI~Stu’s voice came from Ash—for all to hear—who was standing to one side.

  Ulric appeared from the lift with Tan’Vi.

  “I can explain.” It was Poole’s voice. He continued as the spider walked out of the STU’s cargo bay. “Around midnight, a warning beacon began to transmit from the moon.”

  Poole walked down the ramp and settled to the ground, as if to allow passengers to board. Vi placed a hand on Poole’s nose, as if it were a good dog.

  AI~Stu added, “The High Keeper transmitted a specific signal. I had never detected anything like it since our arrival here. Poole and I just figured it out. It was a launch signal with target coordinates of that spot on the moon.”

  “You didn’t think to mention any of this?” Jimbo sounded annoyed.

  “EmNet was down. I was under orders not to break radio silence. We didn’t know what it was until just a few minutes ago.”

  Barcus became heavier for Po and Hume, but he spoke anyway. “What was the warning beacon? From where? We didn’t stand up a warning beacon. We just discussed it,” Barcus choked out.

  “Transmission ID tag is from the Ventura, Memphis lifeboat number four, user Wes Hagan.”

  Barcus looked at Jimbo, who said, “Wes survived in lifeboat four? He set up that warning beacon.”

  They looked at the moon.

  Barcus winced, “Wes is the smartest engineer I have ever worked with. He would have known the risks. I bet he was nowhere near that transmitter when he activated it.”

  “Let’s find out.” He walked out further to see the moon better, knowing it wouldn’t help. “Stu open a channel. Broad frequencies, unencrypted.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?” Po asked Barcus.

  AI~Poole said, unintentionally, sounding ominous, “I now have full control of the planetary defense grid.”

  “Channel open.”

  “Wes, are you making all that racket?” They heard Jimbo’s smile in his voice.

  There was no reply.

  “Wes, thanks to you, we now have control of the planetary defense grid.” Jimbo’s eyes met Ronan’s. “We now own this planet. You have permission to break radio silence, if you’re still alive, you crazy bastard.”

  When the transmission came back, it was clear. “Damn, Jimbo. When was the last time you brushed your teeth? I can smell your breath from here.”

  “So…What’s new, Wes?” Jimbo asked, casually.

  “Mom, can you come pick me up?” Wes said, equally as casual.

  ***

  Sunrise, on the second day, was glorious to the east.

  Rand, Hume and Po stood on a rock outcropping as the light fell onto their faces.

  “Soak it up. It may be the last you get for months,” Hume said.

  To Po, it sounded like a typical conversation they’d had many times, in the past. And then, she realized they were speaking to her. Po had been by Barcus’s side, until this morning. He was with Dr. Shaw, getting another once over. She had no idea what the plans were.

  “Ronan and Jimbo met for several hours, yesterday,” Hume said. “We met with Jimbo, last night, after that. I told them to assume you were coming with us. But, Jimbo still wanted us to talk to you.” She paused, looking at Rand. “To ask you.”

  “Yes. I’m going,” Po instantly replied. “I go where Barcus goes.”

  “He wanted us to tell you, it won’t be easy. It will be dangerous. And, we have no idea what your reception will be when you get there,” Rand said.

  “You sound like you are staying,” Po said.

  “I will not be going with you. Jimbo asked me to stay. I understand why now. He’s now thinking long term. He is not sure we will be welcomed home. He wants a permanent presence. We needed a Sec Chief for the installation and it was either me or Hume,” Rand said. “So Tyrrell, Cook, Weston, Elkin and Shea are going to stay. Ronan has already granted us a residence here, in the East Isles. We’ve already started calling it the Embassy. We plan to recover the Memphis and continue its repairs in Salterkirk, where we will set up the primary base. The mining redoubt as well.”

  Hume added, “The High Keeper's shuttle is space-worthy. They will keep that, two pressure suits, and one of the Hammerheads, here.”

  “Ronan is pissed that we own the defense grid,” Hume said. “What can he do about it? Nothing. It will ensure his cooperation.”

  “He won’t like that,” Po said.

  ***

  “Wes, wake up. We are almost there,” AI~ECHO said, pausing as if there was more to say.

  Wes sa
t up in the pilot’s seat, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The Tesla facility was visible on the horizon. “What’s up? Do I need to suit up?”

  “Wes, recent developments have revealed that original mission objectives are, once again, possible.” AI~ECHO was all business. “I have decrypted the mission briefing and support documents for you.”

  He began reviewing the files as the lifeboat settled on the pad. AI~ECHO left him alone for a long while so he could continue.

  “You want me to do this? Worthington will know I am lying.” He kept reading.

  ***

  They assembled at the cargo apron of the Sedna. They had started calling the sleek, black High Keeper's shuttle the Limo. It had been quietly flown out, along with one Hammerhead.

  Ronan was there, with May, to say good-bye.

  The sun shone, and it was a glorious morning.

  Rand, Cook, Elkin, Ibenez, Tyrrell, Weston, and Shea stood by the Limo.

  Smith, Mason, Ty, Tannhauser and Vi stood behind Ronan. They still looked like they were in shock. Mason had decided he was going to help Ronan in his data center. Ty convinced him. They will try to get the Baytirus network back up. Tyrrell will help them.

  Wex was there. She never stepped off the Sedna’s apron. It was like she was afraid she would not be allowed back on.

  Ulric had decided to stay. He turned, shook Barcus’s hand, and said, “I’m too old for this shit.”

  Barcus smiled, knowing Shaw had given him a longevity booster just last night. Shea had a good supply.

  “My part is done. Try not to kill so many people,” said Ulric, as he joined the others.

  Barcus came forward and gave a slight bow to Ronan. “Thank you, Ronan.”

  Ronan said nothing, but returned the bow.

  As if on cue, Poole descended the STU ramp and then the dock apron.

  Barcus spoke to AI~Poole, “Poole, has Stu transferred all comms keys to you?”

  “Yes, Barcus,” AI~Poole said, out loud.

  “Allow administrative access to planetary comms to High Keeper Ronan and his Chief Tech Mason,” Barcus said, formally.

  “Done.”