by Terry Mixon
“No. The decision was made to allow the strike to speak for itself. The Americans initiated this war by seizing the spaceport in which you sit. All we are doing is making certain our assets are in no further danger and repaying their temerity.”
That wasn’t quite the smartest play, Chen thought, but it wasn’t his call to make. Indeed, it hardly mattered what the Americans did in response to the Chinese provocation. The world order was about to change, and change favored the Dragon.
“I understand, Minister. I will await your instructions.”
Once the call was done, Chen leaned back in his comfortable new chair and considered the future. Oh yes, things were about to get very interesting indeed. All he had to do now was wait.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jess didn’t think the French base was going to be a good place to house the Volunteers over the long term. Even having worked for years in space, the artificial corridors would drive her nuts over time. She could only imagine how someone used to living out in a nature setting would react to that kind of confinement.
Still, this didn’t have to be a permanent thing. Once Harry managed to gather enough force, he could return to their world and clear out the zone around the hill. Once he did that, all of these people could go home.
Meanwhile, they were making themselves useful. The battle between Harry’s brother and the Islamic extremists at the base had made quite a mess. The bodies were gone, but the bloodstains remained. Extra hands for cleaning duty were welcome.
As soon as she found time, she pigeonholed Kevin McHugh. As expected, he was examining one of the gates when she cornered him. He’d gotten a comp to replace the one he’d left with Clayton Rogers and had plugged it into a gate.
“I thought you’d already checked these out,” she said as she stepped up beside him.
“I did. I’m looking at something else now. There has to be a way to restrict outside access. I mean, the Asharim had these things in their homes. Surely you don’t want to have a door that anyone can open from the outside in a place like that.”
That made sense and they’d already discussed the possibility. “Perhaps even something a bit more refined. You know, the ability to authorize only certain gates to connect or restrict them to certain times of the day.”
“Exactly. If I can locate the subroutines that authorize that kind of behavior in the computer, I can lock these gates down so that only friendly people can connect.”
He gestured meaningfully around at the people cleaning the room. “I’d sure like to avoid having the people that caused all this mess come back for a repeat performance.”
Jess couldn’t argue with that kind of logic. “You do that while I look into something else. We had two addresses that looked like somewhere a ship could go to from here. We figured out which one was the moon. I’d like to know where the other one lets out.”
She walked over to the next gate and brought out a handheld controller. After consulting her phone, she entered the address that led to the mountain range she’d seen in the video they’d recovered from the fighter.
The gate cycled through and opened onto a late-night view of what looked like the same mountainous area. The full moon bathed everything in silver.
Being careful to only extend her upper body through the gate, Jess checked that this wasn’t a sheer cliff.
It wasn’t, but that didn’t mean she had a lot of room to maneuver. The gate sat on the side of a mountain, all right. It was inside a relatively enclosed space, but she wouldn’t call it a cave. It was more like a massive divot.
The floor of the area seemed natural enough and extended out from the gate about ten meters. Being careful of her footing, she stepped through the gate and edged up to the opening.
This was a breathtakingly sheer drop into the dark jungle below.
The light from the French base gave her enough illumination to see the entire area around the gate. There was no base here. This was just an exit for small ships. Pity.
With a sigh, she went back through the gate and killed the connection.
She was just working herself up to helping clean up the bloody mess when Sandra Dean came into the room. The sniper immediately altered course and headed right for her.
“Good,” the other woman said. “I was hoping to find you.”
“Why is that? Nothing good I’m sure.”
“My, haven’t you turned into a pessimist. I wouldn’t call this good news, but at least it’s not overtly bad.”
Jess smiled wryly. “Lay it on me.”
“One of my people is monitoring the local police bands. They found the cars we moved away from the base. That’s got them buzzing.”
After the fight between Nathan and the Islamic militants, there had been no survivors left at the French base. Thankfully, it was isolated enough that no one had noticed all the vehicles they’d left behind.
It had taken Rex and his people all night and several trips to move the vehicles over fifty kilometers away. That was still a bit close for her comfort, but they’d only had one night to make it happen.
“You’re right. That’s not good news. What do you think the odds are they’re going to trace any of the activity back here?”
Sandra shrugged. “I have no idea. Rex and I have worked out an evacuation plan to get everyone to Freedom Express if someone comes sniffing around. They’re not going to come in guns blazing. We’ll have plenty of warning.”
Jess supposed that was true, but she’d hate to lose this facility. Of all the bases they’d found on Earth, this was the only one in operational condition.
“If trouble comes knocking, we’re not going to be able to move our refugees in a timely fashion,” she said after a moment. “We need to start relocating them if we even suspect we’re going to have company.
“And on the flip side, since we don’t have a means of locking the gates yet, if bad guys come calling, we need to be able to get everyone up to the surface and away from danger.”
Sandra considered that and nodded slowly. “If Nathan Bennett and his thugs come back, we’ll give them a hot reception, but that means innocent bystanders stand a very good chance of being hurt.”
Jess turned toward the gates. “He hasn’t come back yet. After the ship he and his mother were on went through that massive gate, we haven’t heard a word from them. Maybe they didn’t make it.”
“Last we saw, they were trapped on that ship with a bunch of hostiles,” Sandra said. “It’s always possible they lost that fight, but we can’t take that for granted. That’s why Rex has those men over in the corner. They’ll give any hostiles a warm welcome.”
Jess sighed. “Christ. I hate not knowing what they’re doing. I’d rather they just make their move and be done.”
* * * * *
Kathleen put her best face on as she sat waiting for the High Priest to return. She had to admit she was more nervous about Nathan’s fate than she cared to admit to herself.
Yes, the little weasel had gotten himself into this trouble. And yes, she’d made the decision that her life would be a lot simpler without him. That still didn’t make this process easy. She was a mother, for God’s sake.
She’d rather not be the one directly responsible for his death. It would be a lot better for all concerned if he managed to go out in a blaze of glory because of his own idiocy.
Perhaps that could be arranged, if she played her cards right.
About an hour after he’d departed, Jedan Louvan returned. He stalked into the room where she waited without bothering to knock.
Kathleen rose to her feet, hiding the irritation she felt at his rudeness. “Were you able to teach my son how to speak the language of the Masters?”
The man grunted. “Yes, but that does not make him any less of a savage. He is rude, insulting, and uncouth. Blasphemous, too, though I must overlook some aspects of his behavior as he is not aware of the full scope of the Masters.”
“That’s true of everyone on Earth. A y
ear ago, we had no idea the Masters existed. You’re the first person we’ve met that could explain them to us. We have a lot to learn.”
He sat, waving to one of his acolytes. “Bring us drinks and cakes. Veristar juice.”
Kathleen noted he didn’t ask what her preferences were. Apparently, she was getting what he wanted.
The High Priest of the Masters considered her for a long moment. “You claim to come from a world filled with people like ourselves. Rather, like the beings we were before the Masters changed us. Do I understand that correctly?”
“You do. For example, you saw how my son was unable to resist as you took him to educate in your language.”
The man held up a warning finger. “Not my language. The language of the Masters. Never forget that.”
“The Masters,” she agreed. “As I said, we know virtually nothing of the Masters. No one on Earth does. And there are people there who, now that they know the Masters exist, are working exceptionally hard to make certain they never return.”
The man sat up abruptly. “What blasphemy is this? Explain yourself swiftly or face my wrath.”
Kathleen made a show of shrugging. “Sadly, the leader of the forces arrayed against the Masters on Earth is my ex-husband and other son. I can’t begin to tell you what great disappointments they are to me. I’m fighting against them, but at the moment they have the upper hand.”
The High Priest’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me the story from the very beginning. Leave nothing out.”
She gave thanks to the gods that she was a skilled liar. It took her almost no effort to morph the truth of recent events into a story that suited her ends. Clayton and Harry became the enemies of the piece. She became the hero. Nathan was an inconvenient sidekick and fool.
The tale she told twisted everything into seeming as though she’d left the home world searching for the Masters. Looking for their aid in reestablishing their rule on Earth. By the time she’d finished, Kathleen was almost ready to cheer herself on.
Jedan Louvan seemed less than convinced. He sat there staring at her with one of the most skeptical expressions she’d ever seen.
“As High Priest of the Masters, it is my unfortunate duty to correct the faithful when they stray. I’ve heard many lies in my life. Some crude and others as smooth as a child’s skin. I’ve gained some skill at sensing deception.
“And in you Kathleen Bennett, I sense great deception. Oh, some aspects of your story are undoubtedly true. Perhaps even most of it. The part I doubt is your motive. Those are always the place where a liar conceals the harshest of truths.”
Kathleen was impressed, but she didn’t let that emotion make it to her face. Instead, she showed him a gentle sadness.
“I understand your skepticism. In your place, I would feel much the same. Yet, I can prove all of these things. Whether I am telling the truth or lying, you would still stand to gain from working with me.”
An acolyte walked into the room with a tray holding a pitcher of liquid, two glasses filled with ice, and some kind of small snack cakes. The man set it on a low table between the High Priest and Kathleen before departing.
Louvan poured them both glasses before sipping from his and nibbling on a cake. “The juice is from a local fruit you might find interesting. It is sweet, but comes with an almost shockingly sour aftertaste. It is quite good. The cakes serve to clean the palate and are also quite tasty.”
Kathleen worried for a moment that he intended to poison or drug her, but set it aside. A certain level of trust would serve her cause well here. Besides, they’d have to eat sooner or later.
She sipped the drink and found it was indeed just like he described it. An initial rush of sweetness like apple juice gave way to an almost lemonade flavor. It was refreshing. The cakes were sweet and light. She set herself to trying more as her stomach grumbled.
“If I were to work with you, what goals do you see us sharing?” he asked.
Kathleen smiled. The hook was set.
“If you want to bring the Masters back, then you need to suppress any who do not accept them. The forces of my ex-husband are already hard at work to make certain humanity never kneels to the Masters.
“I saw warriors among your flock. You could take some of them back to Earth where you could fight our shared enemies and establish new homes to use as bases for converting the rest of humanity to serve the Masters.”
The man grudgingly nodded. “Fighting the enemies of the Masters is always worthwhile and I agree that bringing servants who have lost their way back into the service of the Masters is also a desirable thing.
“What I do not understand is how that will benefit you? You do not know the Masters, Kathleen Bennett. They have not touched and shaped your life down to the very genes inside your body. What do you hope to gain?”
“Nothing too much,” she assured the man. “Unless you have greater numbers than I am aware of, you will need the willing assistance of unmodified humans on Earth. I intend to enter this agreement as your partner.
“One can serve the Masters and still rule the land on which they live to some degree. Much as you do here. I want the same on Earth.”
He considered her a long moment without saying a word. Then, he inclined his head.
“I cannot argue with the logic of your statement. While the People are great warriors, our numbers are not what they once were. Food was more difficult to produce after the Masters departed, so it served our needs to allow our numbers to fall.
“Yet when we fight, we still have the technology of the Masters and are unbeatable. Do not think yourself capable of betraying us. Once you enter the service of the Masters, you cannot change your mind.”
Kathleen could see the fire of belief in the man’s eyes. He was a fanatic. He meant every word he said.
She wasn’t sure she could finesse this situation completely, but she still had faith she would win in the end. All that mattered now was securing the best outcome for her. If she ended up being a servant of the so-called Masters, so be it. They probably didn’t even exist anymore.
“I’m in agreement,” Kathleen said. “All that remains is getting us back to Earth. I assume you have gates here.”
The high priest scowled. “We do, but they have not worked since the Masters departed. That is what causes me the most shock about your arrival.”
Kathleen smiled. Her mind had promptly provided information on how the Asharim would have locked the gates. With access to a controller, she could undo it from this end. Physical access was key.
“How long will it take you to gather a strong raiding party?” she asked. “There is a base on Earth that should be easy to secure, if we strike quickly.”
The man seemed to consider her words for a long moment before nodding. “We can gather enough men before dark. I agree that we should strike as soon as possible.”
She was almost certain the man intended to betray her, but she knew that once she reached Earth she could turn things around. She had knowledge from the Asharim computers that this man didn’t. If things truly went badly, she could lock the gates down on that side and deal with the people that came with her.
As long as they captured the base in France, this was going to work out in her favor. One way or the other.
“We have a deal.”
Chapter Thirty
It had taken far longer to gather officials from New Zealand, Australia, and Japan than Clayton had wanted. Not that he’d allow them to see his impatience. That would never have done.
Still, he’d finally convinced people with sufficient authority that he was telling the truth. Or at least something important enough to require sending someone to report back.
The Prime Minister of New Zealand was put out that Clayton had contacted the other two governments. He’d much rather have kept this a close secret, no doubt.
The senior government officials from Japan and Australia had only just arrived at the ruined base. The Asharim shuttle had wowed them, but now they
were all staring at the gates with a skepticism.
Yoshida Sato, an extremely powerful ally of the Japanese Prime Minister, walked boldly up to the center gate, staring down at the blue cube powering it. He spoke briefly with the translator he’d brought with him and the woman turned to face Clayton.
“Minister Sato asks what form of power is resident inside this device. Is it dangerous?”
Uncertain if this was somehow related to the man’s possible feelings about nuclear power, Clayton shook his head. “The specifics of how it generates energy are something of a mystery. I can say that it isn’t based on nuclear energy.”
Reginald Baker, the Australian Prime Minister’s brother, walked past the small group and into the gate depression itself. “I’m not seeing the big deal,” he said bluntly. “Just a glowing cube that probably has something painted on the inside and a hole in the rock.”
Clayton smiled. “If you’ll step back out and away from the gate, I believe I can demonstrate what the big deal is.”
Once the man had rejoined them, Clayton picked up the comp Kevin McHugh had left attached to the power device. A few taps on the screen brought up the address for the French base. He activated the gate.
Everyone stared at the roiling mist shot through with lightning that suddenly appeared inside the gate. Once it cleared, they could all see the interior of the French base.
The room on the other side was very much like the one they stood in, but it was well lit and filled with people.
First and foremost among those was Jessica Cook. The engineer had known Clayton would be opening the wormhole and had been standing by.
She smiled and walked into the ruined base. “Hello everyone, my name is Jess Cook. As you can see, this gate linked to another place. In this case, it’s a base we have in a secret location. Basically, matter transportation via a wormhole.
“These gates can link to one another across the planet, across the solar system, and across the galaxy. They were seeded by an alien race called the Asharim. Not nice people, but they seem to have gone down in a war about a thousand years ago.