It will help?
Very much, I think.
He snuggled up beside Alex and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “While we gaze at the stars, would you like for me to tell you a story? Maybe about one of my crazy stunts on a mission, when I thought I was immortal and tried to see if I’d be able to prove myself wrong by getting myself killed?”
She jerked a semblance of a nod, though her eyes remained fixed on the view. “Y-yeah.”
“You got it. Let’s see. Well, there was the time I broke into the government prison on Andromeda to break this anarchist out….”
He talked for what must have been hours. He scoured his memory for every remotely amusing story he could come up with, embellished them and added flair.
Every now and then she laughed a little; every now and then she had a bad spell and he could do nothing for her except hold her until the worst passed and she was able to return to watching the stars. But he just kept talking.
His voice was growing hoarse when Valkyrie finally contacted him.
I’ve done all I can for now. The brain tissue needs time to respond and adjust. If you wish, I can induce a sleep state in her.
Do it. She deserves some rest.
Agreed. It will not take long.
He ran a hand down her cheek and lifted her chin up. “I love you, Alex. I love you so much, and I will be here when you wake up.” He placed the softest kiss on her lips.
When he drew back, her eyes stayed closed. He felt her body slacken and relax in his arms.
He oh-so-carefully eased her down onto her pillow and pulled the cool sheet up to her shoulders.
Then he sank back on his own pillow and exhaled heavily.
Valkyrie, I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep, but if I do, you wake me the instant anything happens. The instant.
I will do so.
He closed his eyes and allowed exhaustion and guilt to wage their inevitable war.
27
EAS STALWART II
Space, Central Quadrant
* * *
Miriam dropped her elbows onto the rail spanning the edge of the raised bridge platform. The news of Eleni’s death was throwing her for a loop, plain and simple.
She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel, much less how she genuinely felt. Sadness, for whatever her faults, the woman did not deserve to die. Respect, for Eleni died because instead of saving herself she’d remained on the scene to shepherd those under her command to safety. Anger at OTS and their callous disregard for human life, the very thing they claimed to be trying to protect. Sorrow at the loss of someone who, in the end, wasn’t a friend but had once come close.
And beneath it all, the tiniest twinge of satisfaction at the notion that sooner or later, karma always took its due.
She wasn’t certain how she felt about the last bit, either. And unfortunately, she couldn’t spare the mental cycles to work it out.
Christopher approached from the main lift, bringing a welcome end to her musings. He’d been angling for a fight ever since the Churchill was sabotaged and destroyed, but now he just looked despondent.
She gave him a sad smile. “You heard about Gianno?”
“I swear if I get my hands on….” He shook his head. “I liked her, you know. More than you, I think. And now I am ready for this galaxy to be rid of both Winslows, one way or another.” He stared off in the distance for a minute, then shook himself out of the reverie. “Oh, Speaker Gagnon’s on the QEC for you.”
She groaned ruefully. “Excellent.” It likely was a good thing, if less than optimal timing. Then she patted him on the shoulder and headed for the QEC chamber.
Charles Gagnon appeared as if he hadn’t had a much better day than the rest of them. She imagined navigating Assembly politics was especially challenging of late. She didn’t pity him, however. He’d been an Assembly power player for a long time now; to her mind, he could have prevented most if not all of this.
“Speaker, what can I do for you?”
He grimaced straight off. “You have stirred up quite the fracas here, Admiral. Surely there was a better, more diplomatic way to handle the situation than starting a rebellion.”
“Didn’t listen to my speech, I see. This isn’t a rebellion, and I didn’t start it. The prime minister did when she delivered an ultimatum to either enforce an unconstitutional and immoral law or face a court martial. I chose a third path.”
He didn’t dispute her version of events, nor did he openly accept them. “Regardless of how it all began, I am sympathetic to your professed goals but wary of your actual ones. To put it unusually bluntly, Admiral, do you want control over the government?”
She forced herself not to display open acrimony. What a ludicrous suggestion. “Of course not. This is not about gaining power—it’s about restricting it—and it is not about me. Do not for an instant presume that I wanted any of this.”
“Then what is your endgame, Admiral Solovy? To your mind, what brings a peaceful end to this conflict?”
“The repeal of BANIA and the release of all those who are being imprisoned solely for its violation. The passage of reasonable, fair legislation to govern the use of Artificial technologies and guarantee the protection of Prevos’ human rights.
“The removal of Pamela Winslow from the office of prime minister and an investigation conducted into her activities and those of her administration for possible legal and Constitutional violations. I believe you have some experience in the steps necessary to remove a prime minister for cause.”
“So I do. If you’re successful in this gambit of yours, do you imagine you will name her successor?”
She sighed in exasperation. “Speaker, in my growing decades in this profession, I’ve seen enough politicians come and go to be able to make some generalizations. A few of them are inspirational. These are the rarest, and they change the world. A few of them are dangerous. We now find ourselves with our second dangerous prime minister in a year, which is notable, but so are the times.
“Most politicians, however, are more or less competent, more or less reasonable people. They shepherd along affairs of state such that citizens can live their lives in relative peace. As long as the next prime minister fits in the last category—or the first, but I know of no one currently serving with any prominence who does—I couldn’t give a respectful damn who it is.”
“Ma’am—”
“As Speaker, the Constitution gives you the job if the prime minister is removed for cause. Others may call for a special election, but I won’t dispute your right to serve out Winslow’s term. Perhaps you’re already beginning your moves and machinations in anticipation of winning such an election if one is forced.
“Go right ahead. I won’t speak out against you. I also won’t speak out for you, by the way. Nor will I do so for a dozen other names which come to mind.
“If you’ve reached out to ask for my public support—or to make it a condition of you giving me yours—I must respectfully decline. But if your goal here today is to ensure I won’t stand in your way should you make a move to unseat Winslow, then I have good news for us both. See to my other requests, and you and I will not have a problem.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Thank you for your candor. I would be happy to accept your terms, Admiral, but there is one small difficulty. The Assembly does not possess sufficient evidence to remove Winslow for cause.”
“I do.”
That one caught him unprepared. “Then please forward it to the Assembly Ethics Committee, where we can take it under consideration.”
“So Winslow can buy off enough representatives on the Committee to bury it? No. I won’t hand over the evidence until I’m assured it will see the light of day.”
“I assure you it will be.”
She regarded him deadpan. “I’m afraid your word alone will not suffice.”
He was a consummate politician, and his frustration never reached his face; it was there to be seen nonetheless. “Then let
’s explore a different approach. How much of the military do you control, Admiral?”
“You don’t know?”
“Trustworthy information is somewhat difficult to come by on Earth at present.”
“Oh, I bet it is. Sixty-eight percent of the flag officers and seventy-seven percent of the field officers.”
“Impossible.”
“A lot of officers didn’t care for Winslow’s failed coup attempt at Scythia. Sending the military to forcibly depose a colonial governor simply because he spoke out against her was not a wise move on her part. It reeked of tyranny, of…” she recalled Eleni’s accusation with a pang of remorse “…dictatorship, and it’s resulted in a number of new converts.”
“With those numbers you could….”
“Do nearly anything I wanted. Yes. But as I said at the start of this conversation, Volnosti is not a ploy by me to gain greater power. I am trying to protect innocent people and return Constitutionality and a modicum of basic morality to our government.”
Gagnon straightened up in his chair and leaned forward. “Come to Earth. Bring your evidence and several of your more respected flag officers. Stand with me and Chairman Anderson in front of the Assembly and the people and make your case. I promise you we will act on it.”
The Chairman of the Assembly Armed Forces Committee was leaning in her favor as well? If true, this was good news indeed.
“Interesting proposition, Speaker. Let me get back to you on it.”
As soon as the holo ended she turned to leave the chamber.
Christopher, meet me in the conference room in ten minutes. And send Colonel Jenner to Romane immediately. We need the special forces troops being held there.
On it. But I thought we were going to let them stew on Romane for a while. Why the change in plans?
Because the players are beginning to make their moves, and those troops are evidence.
‘Admiral Solovy, before you turn your attention to other matters, you should know we have received a message and data package from Dr. Canivon.’
She stopped in the doorway. “Considering Dr. Canivon is deceased, I’ll assume it’s a delayed message. But what do you mean by ‘we,’ Thomas?”
‘Allow me to clarify. The message and data package came to me from Dr. Canivon’s Artificial, Vii. The message is addressed to you, and the package is addressed to both of us.’
“Understood. Show me the message.”
Admiral Solovy,
Devon Reynolds informs me my life is in danger. Irked though I am at the possibility, I have resigned myself to believing him. To that end, I’m putting in place a variety of contingency plans, of which this is one. Should I suffer a fate from which I cannot recover, Vii will forward several sets of files to you.
You and I have not often been of like mind. We have each brought our own prejudices to bear on the relationship, generally to our detriment. My opinion of the Alliance government has not improved, but this is not the case with respect to some aspects of the military, and certainly with respect to you. I have come to believe, perhaps later than I should have, that you will always strive to act in the best interests of not merely the people generally, but also the Prevos and even Artificials.
Therefore, I am entrusting to you my ongoing research on a variety of topics related to the advancement of synthetic and biosynthetic technology. Use it well.
Included in the package is the encryption key for Olivia Montegreu’s data store which Colonel Jenner procured upon her execution. I have not been withholding this information, but rather deciphered the key only yesterday using information I collected from her cybernetics while in her…service. The enclosed instructions will enable you to unlock the device without triggering a self-destruct or erasure.
Since you are reading this message, I expect we will not speak again. Good fortune in your endeavor. Steer humanity toward a better future.
— Abigail Canivon
P.S.: I am also sending my research to the Noetica Prevos, with much optimism for where they can take it. Montegreu’s key is for you alone.
28
SIYANE
Romane
* * *
Caleb awoke with a start, terror yanking him from sleep to alertness.
Alex was again gone from the bed.
Valkyrie!
He leapt up, not waiting on a response before checking the corners and the space behind the chair and finding them empty. “Alex?”
“Up here.”
His careening heart returned to its proper location. Her voice sounded a bit strained, but she was talking. And she was here. He rushed up the stairs.
She stood at the stove in a lopsided tank and wrinkled shorts. Her hair was pulled back in a messy, unbrushed tail. Her skin was pale, almost pasty; her eyes remained bloodshot and her pupils still far too dilated.
But she smiled—honest to heaven smiled—at him. “You’re five minutes early. I was making you breakfast. Don’t be mad at Valkyrie. I forbade her from waking you.”
He’d never stopped moving, and when he reached her he brought up both hands to clasp her face and inspect it in concern. “Are you all right?”
Her lips parted. She exhaled softly, and her too-perky countenance faltered. “No. Not really. But I will be.”
He wrapped his arms around her. He recognized it was far from over, but he was just so damn relieved to feel her return the embrace, free of shivers and tears. “If we had known this was going to happen, I never would have pushed you like I did. We could’ve handled all this differently.”
She winced. “I did know.”
“What?”
“I mean, maybe I didn’t know it was going to be quite that bad. I’ve never had to go through a crash detox before. But I knew…I knew it would hurt. I knew it would be hard.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought it would sound like another excuse.”
“Not—I mean after. Last night. Why didn’t you warn me?”
“I didn’t want anything to spoil the sublime make-up sex.”
He rolled his eyes. “Alex.”
“I mean it. Or I mean…I didn’t want to let anything mar what was a special, wondrous evening. I wanted as many hours of perfection, of bliss, as I could steal, and I wanted you to have them, too.”
“Hmm. And it was perfect. Thank you. You still shouldn’t have kept it from me. You scared me half to death.”
“I’m sorry for that, among so many other things. I ought to have considered what….” She drifted off for a moment, then blinked. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I didn’t tell you the true extent of what was happening to me? Earlier?”
He ran his palm along her cheek; he couldn’t seem to stop touching her. “No. I get why you didn’t.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Right up until the last minute, you thought you were going to be able to bring it under control through sheer force of will alone. And you deeply hoped to be able to succeed.” He paused. “Also, I imagine you didn’t want to give it up.”
Her eyes slid away, but he reached up and urged her chin back until she looked at him. “That’s what addiction is, Alex. And even someone as remarkable as you is not immune from its insidious clutches.”
She laughed haltingly. “I really tried to be.”
“I’ve no doubt you did.” Now he instinctively withdrew. “But I should have seen it. I should have realized what was happening. I could’ve helped you, but instead I made it so much worse. I can’t begin to—”
Her face blanched. “No. This is not your fault.”
“But I acted—”
“No. I won’t let you take any responsibility for my poor choices. Caleb, listen to me, because I need to say something, now, before it gets lost in all the noise. What you did for me last night? No one has ever taken care of me like you did. No one has ever made me feel so safe, so protected, so…loved.”
His chest warmed in the glow of her words, but he tried to make l
ight of it. “Not since your dad when you were a kid anyway, right?”
“No. Never. This is what I’m telling you. I can’t even articulate properly what it meant—what it means—to me. It’s why I was making you a surprise breakfast, to say thank you….”
Her expression darkened, as if a storm rushed in to envelope her. “Which, once I reconsider it, is an incredibly lame, s-stupid way to say ‘thank you.’ ” She shuddered. “W-why did I think something as meaningless as b-breakfast—”
“Hey.” He gently grasped her shoulders. When she started to wrench away, he coaxed her back. He felt a tremble pass through her skin beneath his hands. “It’s a fantastic ‘thank you.’ I’m starving. But if you want to do more to thank me, I have an additional, equally great way for you to do it.”
She gazed at him with such hope his heart broke all over again. “You do?”
“I do. It’s this: let me be here for you.”
Her nose wrinkled up in consternation. “But that’s the p-point. You were here for me—”
“Now I need you to listen to me for a minute. I know last night was probably the worst it will ever be in most ways, but I also know this isn’t over for you. There are going to be good days and bad days—bad hours, maybe bad weeks. I’m okay with that.
“More than being okay with it, the one thing I desire most in the world is to be able to help you during those bad days and hours and weeks, even if ‘helping’ simply means holding you.”
“I don’t—”
“Hush. I’m not done.” He smiled tenderly and kept his voice the same way. “You fear it will make you look weak, and you don’t want to look weak in front of me. But last night solidified for me something I’ve suspected for a long time: you are by far the strongest, toughest, most resilient person I have ever met, and I am in awe of you. Holding you while you cry and scream and shake will only serve to reinforce what I know to be true, and it would be my privilege to do so.”
He cupped her cheek. “Because I know you are strong, let me see you when you are weak. You never need to prove a damn thing to me, so don’t do this alone. Please?”
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