Echo Rift

by G. S. Jennsen

  A corner of her mouth curled up briefly. “I suppose it does.”

  MENARIS

  A police barrier shimmered across the entrance to an alley off the main thoroughfare. The surrounding buildings were all shades of brown, varying only from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown. Menaris was not an attractive planet to begin with, and the local architects had done nothing to improve its presentation. Were she here, Cosime would be burning Eren’s ears with colorful complaints about the environs….

  A small crowd of interested onlookers milled around in the street near the barrier. Nyx moved through them with such smoothness it was as if the waters had parted for her, while those gathered jostled Eren rudely as he tried to follow her through. As soon as she’d cleared the crowd, she strode up to the Vigil officer guarding the barrier matter-of-factly. “Nyx elasson-Praesidis. Let us pass.”

  The guard’s eyes widened, and he stammered out a, “Yes, ma’am.” He entered a code on his handheld module, and the force field vanished long enough for them to walk through.

  Once they were on the other side, a Praesidis man dressed in a drab—wait for it—brown suit hurried up to them. “Inquisitor?”

  “I…” Nyx sighed “…yes. Are you Investigator Caban?”

  “I am. We’ve left the crime scene untouched, as you requested.”

  “Stay nearby, and I’ll inform you if I need your assistance.”

  Damn, she was hardcore cold. Eren shook his head as they picked their way toward a body lying prone in the rear of the alley. A thick trail of blood began outside the alley entrance and painted a viscous path to its source. It didn’t take an Inquisitor to deduce that the person was killed in the street then dragged down the alley in a half-assed attempt to conceal the body.

  The pasty, ashen, frozen face of Ferdinand elasson-Kyvern stared up at them from the concrete. He’d been stripped of clothing except for his briefs and socks, and no personal effects littered the area.

  Eren groaned and cast his gaze to the dull evening sky. “And now I’ve got blue balls again. This is just great.”

  Nyx’s eyes cut over to him, narrowed. “You were planning to kill him when we found him?”

  “Fuck yes, I was.”

  “But Grandfather told us to take him into custody and either turn him over to Concord Security or bring him back to Ares.”

  “And do you always do what you’re told?”

  “When he’s the one doing the telling, yes. I owe him my loyal allegiance.”

  Eren sank against the alley wall, careful to avoid the blood trail, and crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s nice. Listen, sweetheart, there’s something you need to understand about me. I like your grandfather. I think he’s a good man and an inspiring leader, and I was honored to play a small role in helping him take down the Directorate. I fancy the notion that I was a damn good anarch agent who furthered his cause in a thousand ways through the years. But unlike you, I don’t always do what I’m told, no matter who’s doing the telling. And your grandfather knows this perfectly well.”

  “Then why did he keep you on as an anarch agent if you routinely disobeyed orders? Why is he allowing you to help him now?”

  “Because things usually turn out better for the good guys when I don’t follow orders and instead do things my own way.”

  “Forgive me if I’m skeptical of your claim.” She knelt beside the body and placed a small scanner over a locked-open left eye. “Scan confirms it’s him.”

  “You were thinking he could have gotten someone else to wear his face, then killed the imposter?”

  “It would have been the smart thing to do if he legitimately wanted to disappear. But this scene…the temptation is to assign some nefarious scheme to it, but I suspect this was simply a robbery gone bad.”

  “Ferdinand would not have been polite to any would-be robbers, entitled tosser that he was.”

  She didn’t argue this time, keeping her attention on the readout of the scanner. “Brain activity has ceased, but I’m not seeing any evidence of an integral connection. I’ll order an autopsy of his brain to make certain, but I don’t think he had time to find a way to reconnect to a regenesis server.”

  “Good riddance. I’ll let Richard know what’s happened.”

  “Who?”

  “Director Richard Navick? Head of Concord Intelligence?”

  Surprise flickered across her features. “You consort with some powerful people, it seems.”

  “For my ‘station’ as an asi, you mean? I sure do. You’ll find I am just full of surprises.”

  “And I’d prefer it if you kept them to yourself.” She nodded perfunctorily and stood. “We’re done here.” Her voice raised a notch. “Investigator Caban, you can process the scene now. Autopsy his brain to confirm the absence of an integral connection and inform me if your investigation uncovers anything unusual. I don’t expect there to be anything, but treat this case with the utmost care and attention.”

  “Yes, ma’am. We won’t let you down.” Caban was practically slobbering in his eagerness to obey her.

  Eren grumbled in annoyance at the officer’s ridiculous fawning and pushed off the alley wall. “Back to Ares, then?”

  Nyx didn’t answer him immediately. Instead, she pivoted on a heel and strode out of the alley and back onto the street, forcing Eren to scramble to catch up to her. Only once they were clear of the crime scene did she stop and turn to him. The all-business Inquisitor’s mien she’d worn for the Vigil officers cracked a smidge to reveal something…darker.

  “No. As much as it pains me to say this, I need your help on one more mission.”

  51

  * * *

  CAF AURORA

  Toki’taku Stellar System

  The CAF Aurora arrived in the midst of a veritable ocean of Rasu vessels. Frowning, Miriam sent out the initial orders to the battle groups then messaged Commander Palmer.

  The first deployment of Concord vessels is now on the field, and we can expect reinforcements in another thirty-six minutes. You indicated the attacking force was of a manageable size. Perhaps we have different definitions of ‘manageable’?

  The attacking force WAS of a manageable size. Five minutes ago, another fifty million of them showed up.

  I see. I’ll activate an additional battalion.

  Palmer was exaggerating, but not by enough to make her comfortable. It took only a quick check of the tactical map to determine the Taiyoks and Asterions now found themselves vastly outnumbered. And unlike at Namino, here no Rift Bubble was en route to save the day.

  Miriam had spent the last fourteen years managing the often peculiar sensibilities of a variety of alien species. While she’d take great pleasure in finding the Taiyok leader and shaking some sense into them, she knew only hard-earned experience could change ancient ways.

  Today, they’d have to defeat the Rasu fair and square. Not that she expected the Rasu to appreciate such a concept.

  While the ships she oversaw maneuvered into position and she readied to take command of the battlefield—the sheer numbers of the Concord fleet allowed for no other eventuality—her gaze took in the expanse of shadowy creatures amassed before her. The quiet flutter in her chest the sight induced was so minor this time that it might have passed unnoticed if she hadn’t been waiting for it. But her nightmares were banished, and so too should be the deep terror elicited by the presence of these metal monstrosities.

  “Thomas, let’s take some of this heat off of the defenders. Let the Rasu know we’re here.”

  ‘With pleasure, ma’am.’

  Commandant Solovy (CAF Aurora)(Concord Command Channel): “Fleet Admiral Bastian, take command of Battle Groups #2 and #3 and execute on TP-Epsilon 4B. Pointe-Amiral Thisiame, assist DAF’s Fast Attack Squadrons in engaging the smaller and splintered Rasu vessels. Tokahe Naataan, initiate TP-Gamma 1A, as we previously discussed.”

  Fleet Admiral Bastian (AFS Leonidas)(Concord Command Channel): “Commandant, wouldn’t TP-Epsilon
5A be more appropriate here? I can deploy a squadron of Sabres on two flanks and snare—”

  Commandant Solovy (CAF Aurora)(Concord Command Channel): “You have your orders, Fleet Admiral.”

  The response took far too long. “Acknowledged.”

  She sighed quietly, then sent a pulse.

  Fleet Admiral, the time to disagree with our tactical combat scenarios is before the combat has begun. Nonetheless, if you take umbrage with my orders in the future, raise your concerns in private, not on an open channel.

  But it was the Command Channel—

  To the battle, Fleet Admiral.

  He didn’t argue further, but she kept a close eye on Battle Groups #2 and #3 until it was evident they were following her initial orders. She’d learned to manage Bastian’s insistence on playing devil’s advocate against her every decision during strategy sessions, but she’d believed him too professional to engage in it on the battlefield. Her thoughts drifted to Malcolm and whether his leave of absence might be nearing an end, though she recognized that his return to active duty would only complicate matters.

  Commander Palmer (TT Mission Channel): “To all the new arrivals, watch out for the Taiyoks’ planetary defense weapons. They are surprisingly robust.”

  Commandant Solovy (TT Mission Channel): “Duly noted.”

  It didn’t take long to see what Palmer was referencing. A planet-wide array fired repeaters into clusters of Rasu from every vantage, but a few gaps were appearing in their coverage; the batteries were beginning to take damage. Beyond the weapons array, reflective plates defected a full half of the Rasu fire that made it past the fleets. She made a mental note to recommend AEGIS investigate similar tools to augment their own planetary defenses, as new ideas were always welcome.

  Commandant Solovy, permission to join the Command Channel?”

  She almost stumbled off the overlook in surprise. Casmir?

  Yes, ma’am. Corradeo Praesidis sends his regards. At his behest, I and three brigades of Machim warships would like to assist you in your battle against this enemy.

  Three Machim brigades constituted a lot of ships, so she’d worry about how the Anadens had known about the battle and its location later. Convey my thanks to him. You are clear on who the enemy is here, yes?

  The soulless shapeshifting metal contraptions clogging this star system.

  Correct. I’m glad to have you at my side, Casmir. I’m sending you the combat briefing package on the Rasu. I hope you read fast.

  Already on it, ma’am.

  She shook her head, smiling—then realized she should make sure no one mistook the Machim ships for traitorous enemies and started shooting at them.

  Commandant Solovy (CAF Aurora)(Concord Command Channel): “Navarchos Casmir, I believe Pointe-Amiral Thisiame’s ships could benefit from some tanks taking a few of the blows for them, the better for their shots to strike true.”

  Navarchos Casmir (AMF Imperium Alpha)(Concord Command Channel): “Understood, Commandant. Pointe-Amiral, let us provide you some cover.”

  Did this mean the Anaden pseudo-rebellion was over? Had Corradeo Praesidis succeeded in bringing the recalcitrant elassons into line, and on the right side of the conflict? Few things were ever quite so simple or straightforward, but she would take Casmir’s arrival as a positive sign and hope for more such signs to come.

  And the Anadens’ arrival was none too soon. The long-range radar flashed red as a new slate of Rasu poured out of wormholes on the fringes of the stellar system. Word was out: Toki’taku was defended, but it was also vulnerable.

  An hour and two rounds of additional Rasu reinforcements later, a question rattled around in Miriam’s head: was there no end to the enemy’s supply of warships?

  It appeared to be a rhetorical question, for the answer was thus far ‘no.’ There was not an end to them. After being rebuffed at all Asterion Dominion worlds of consequence and getting embarrassed by the Kats, they wanted this planet badly.

  Miriam was not inclined to give it to them, and Commander Palmer had certainly made it obvious that he was also not so inclined. The DAF fleet was holding up considerably better this time around. They’d taken their under-the-table adiamene gift and promptly improved upon it to make the perfect metal somehow yet more perfect. She couldn’t help but be impressed.

  Kennedy Rossi was most perturbed at the failure of the kyoseil to perform for her, and rightly so. It was apparent the Asterions and the kyoseil enjoyed a…special relationship, as it were, even if the exact contours of that relationship remained mysterious.

  But Miriam had her impervious double-shielding, which was a less complicated if less elegant solution. Thirty-eight percent of the AEGIS cruisers now fielded the shielding as well, along with around twenty percent of the Novoloume and Khokteh ships. This still left many vessels unprotected from a Rasu boarding incursion, but they’d also developed new contingency plans to come to the rescue of any such threatened ships. Those plans had been successfully called into action almost a dozen times so far today.

  Despite their best efforts to keep the battle well clear of the planet below, the Rasu were slowly but surely dragging the fighting inexorably closer to Toki’Taku itself. As they did so, her fleet’s ability to utilize Dimensional Rifters and negative energy weapons became increasingly constrained. She thought perhaps the Rasu were beginning to notice this little detail, which, if true, stood to make future engagements that much more difficult. Their enemy was brutal and callous, but they were also smart, observant and swift to take advantage of any weaknesses once they were uncovered.

  As the Rasu numbers grew and Miriam’s available strategies dwindled, the Taiyok’s impressive orbital weapons array began falling to overwhelming Rasu firepower. One by one, their batteries fell silent and their defensive mirrors were shattered.

  When a sizeable gap in the defenses finally opened the planet itself to attack, a massive violet beam fired by a Rasu leviathan streaked toward the surface—and an even more massive bronze beam streaked up from somewhere on the planet to impact the leviathan, shredding it into pieces in a matter of seconds. It seemed the Taiyoks were not out of tricks just yet.

  Still, the Rasu weapon found its mark, lighting a conflagration on the forested surface below.

  Miriam ordered another four AEGIS Assault Divisions to report to the battle with all due speed, then gritted her teeth and glared at the tactical map. How were they going to stop the planet from burning?

  52

  * * *

  FICENTI

  The vile smells and screeching noises of the Mikro-Teln district had not improved in Nyx’s short time away. For this visit she was prepared, though, and fine-tuned her senses before they departed the spaceport to explicitly filter out what displeased her and hone only what she needed to monitor.

  She hadn’t warned her companion about the particulars of their destination, and Eren made a string of increasingly foul faces as they neared the district. His reaction evoked a perverse sense of satisfaction, which she quickly squelched, for it was petty and frivolous of her. After chastising herself, she stopped and touched his arm. “It only gets worse from here. You might want to filter out what you can.”

  “Thanks for the belated warning.” He scowled at her, but after a few seconds his nose uncrinkled and his eyes uncreased, which she took to mean he’d followed her suggestion.

  She didn’t like him. Every aspect of his cavalier attitude and reckless behavior made her deeply uncomfortable. He did everything the wrong way, openly flouting every rule and tradition he encountered. And worse, he appeared to take unashamed enjoyment in doing so. Why did her grandfather trust an Idoni asi at all? Obviously they had a history together, but she couldn’t imagine how the relationship had managed to go so favorably for her companion.

  She would follow her grandfather across the Styx and into the depths of Tartarus without hesitation. He was her blood and her liege. But centuries of hunting—and often killing—anarchs had embedded in her a dee
p sense of loathing for them. They were violent, aggressive and disruptive. Criminals and saboteurs.

  A voice in the back of her mind demanded she recognize that they had also been right. But ingrained prejudices demanded equally loudly that anarchs were beneath her. Miscreants to be corralled, imprisoned and reconditioned.

  The contradiction meant she had some more adapting to do if she wanted to thrive in her grandfather’s new empire. She’d work on it.

  Her thumb fiddled with the Veil module Eren had given her when they’d departed the Periplanos. She’d never needed a stealth device before. For millennia the diati had hidden her whenever she required it, and she’d had no cause to hide these last fourteen years. But, she admitted, it should come in handy tonight.

  When they reached the final block before the arena, she laid a hand on Eren’s shoulder to stop him a second time. “Let’s go over the plan again. When we’re close enough, I’ll de-stealth and distract Kolgo while you poison his drink. Where is the apomono?”

  He fished the vial out of his pocket and held it aloft on his palm. His gaze unfocused as he fixated on the small object and its clay-hued contents; a muscle in his left temple twitched.

  “Eren?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Just playing chicken with my darker impulses.” He blinked, seemingly shook off the spell and pocketed the vial.

  Was he suicidal? She opened her mouth to probe the ragged edges of his psyche, then thought better of it. She didn’t care. “If you’re planning to permanently shake off this mortal coil, kindly do it after the mission is complete.”

  He gave her a blasé look. “Not to worry. I’ll message you once the poison’s in place, then you—are you certain you don’t want me to shoot this guy? Truly, I’m happy to do it.”

  “I’m sure you are, but no. It’s my responsibility.”