The Dark Arrow of Time

by Massimo Villata

  And the pilot reached for his pistol.

  “Stop!” ordered Helias, drawing his own.

  “What are you doing? Are you on the other side too?”

  “Certainly not. But I think you’re rushing things a bit. After all, what you’re saying is just speculation. And anyway, I’d like to hear her version before jumping to conclusions, if you don’t mind.”

  “As you wish. I’ve got to get back to the helm. For me, it’s enough that you tie her up, or keep watch over her yourselves. I don’t want to have to think she’s free to move, behind my back, when she wakes up.”

  The professor slowly shook his head inside his helmet, looking at Helias who was facing him. He didn’t believe the pilot’s version either. He raised his hand and placed his fingers at the base of the helmet. Then he pressed two buttons, in succession, making what he was doing clear. Last, he pantomimed pressing another two, motioning that this was what Helias should do. Following his directions, Helias pushed the two buttons on his own helmet. Then he heard the professor’s voice.

  “Good. Now we’re partially isolated. In the sense that our helmets continue to receive everything, but the others can’t listen to what we’re saying.”

  “What do you think about all this, professor?”

  “I don’t believe the pilot’s version, even if I have to admit that I’m very puzzled by Kathia’s behavior.”

  “I agree. The pilot’s, though, is suspect too.”

  “About the second diskette, you mean? What is it?”

  “Exactly. It’s a program that by generating a password makes it possible to access the compiler. Just as you had no way of knowing it existed, neither should he have known, since neither of you were there when it was handed over. And he couldn’t have known it was given to Junas, unless somebody kept him informed about what was going on.”

  The professor turned toward Skullet.

  “Very likely.” confirmed Helias. “They must have been in contact by cell.”

  “And so now we have at least two suspects.”

  “Maybe Kathia had found out about their plans and tried to scupper them…. But there are some things that just don’t make sense…. Why, for example, did she try to shoot me, with that crazed look on her face?…”

  “What exactly happened? Tell me about it.”

  Helias tried to quickly fill the professor in.

  “Maybe I’ve understood what happened. Correct me if I’ve got something wrong. Let’s say Kathia ‘read’ something. Spitzer’s attack on Junas, for example, or Spitzer’s intention to attack her. So she decides to ‘head him off at the pass’, or in other words around the corner. From what you tell me, she must have calculated everything down to the smallest details. I know her, she’s capable of it. That ‘crazed look’ you mention is just her extreme concentration. First she drew ahead of you, to have time to prepare her ambush, not for you, but for Spitzer behind you. Even if you hadn’t thrown yourself to the ground, she would have hit Spitzer anyway, swerving to the side.”

  “That way it makes sense, at least some of it. But why then did my father warn me about her?”

  “Why don’t you ask her?”

  “What? She’s still out cold.”

  “Go on. Take her hand. You don’t know your own powers yet?”

  Helias took Kathia’s hand, and almost immediately she opened her eyes. The professor fiddled about with the helmets to tune her in too.

  “How’s it going?”

  “Ugh, I’m a wreck. But I see our peerless healer has been at work. Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  “What happened?”

  Kathia was brought up to speed, without omitting the accusations against her.

  “Yeah, the dapper little blonde…. He was the first I suspected, he’s not very good at covering up his thoughts….”

  “Or maybe you’re the one who’s good at ‘scanning’.” said the professor.

  “The other one was a harder nut to crack. He only let down his guard a couple of times, in the lab. The first when he was talking on the mercenary’s cell, he ‘wandered’ for a second.”

  “Ah! That’s why you were frowning….” broke in Helias.

  “The second time was when he said the mercenaries were animals for what they had done to your father. But he shouldn’t have known anything about it, since he had just come in from the corridor.”

  “So you already suspected them both.”

  “Yes. But I didn’t know when they would have made their move. I did a bit of a shell game with the diskette, and Junas lost. I’m sorry about that. I used him as bait, in a way. But I had no choice, given what was at stake. The attack on him set the alarm bells ringing. I’m also sorry I frightened you, Helias. But I didn’t have any choice there either. And now I’d say we should get the diskettes back, maybe before our friend back here wakes up.”

  “First I wanted to ask you about my father’s strange reaction, when he saw you.”

  “I have no idea. I already told you. You’re not convinced, are you?”

  “It wouldn’t be like my father to mix two people up. He’s always had a good memory for faces….”

  “Who knows? Maybe his sight was blurred….”

  “I don’t think so. He knew what he was saying.”

  “I think I might see what the explanation is. But it’s a long story, and we don’t have time now….”

  “What are you up to back there? Don’t you think all this silence is suspicious?” interrupted the pilot’s voice. “I wanted to inform you that there’s a ship approaching. It’s been following us for a while.”

  “You two answer. I’ll pretend to be unconscious still.”

  The professor pressed the buttons, as did Helias.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. They haven’t hailed us yet. But they will soon, judging from the approach speed.”

  In fact.

  “Patrol ship here. Identify yourselves and slow down.”

  “Shuttle on special mission. Sorry, but our mission does not allow us to slow down or communicate with you.”

  “Give us your operation code and acting commander’s name.”

  “Sorry, we are not authorized to give you that information.”

  “What agency do you belong to?”

  “Sorry, but we must interrupt this conversation. We can only tell you that you should have received notification of our presence, with the order to let us pass without interference. Please check. Over and out.”

  “You’re quite good at telling stories, I see.” said the professor.

  “It was the only way to gain us a little time. We can’t outrun them, they’re faster and well armed. The only way is a rapid change of course, right after activating the cloaking devices.”

  “What’s the point of changing course, if cloaking makes us invisible?” asked Helias.

  “The cloaking isn’t perfect, not at all frequencies. They can find us anyway, if they know where to look. So we can only try to veer suddenly in another direction.”

  “Why didn’t we ‘shield’ ourselves from the outset?”

  “You’ll understand in a moment. Go!”

  “Get ready to swelter, my boy.” said the professor.

  It was like going into a furnace. Then the fans went on, making the heat a little more bearable. The shuttle had turned abruptly. And now it was slowing down.

  “What’s happening?”

  “Nothing special. We’ve just been captured, is all. We didn’t make it.”

  “Patrol ship. Deactivate the shields. You are under arrest. In a moment we will come alongside and tow you. Don’t try to find an escape route. You have none.”

  “I formally protest and am officially recording this conversation. You are willfully interfering with a special mission, and I hereby inform you that you will suffer the consequences.”

  “Note duly taken. As for your mission, we have made inquiries and the records show nothing of th
e sort. Prepare for docking.”

  “One moment!” broke in Kathia. “We have two casualties on board. On a Code Delta basis, we ask that you transfer them on board your ship so that your medical officer can proceed with emergency care.”

  “Granted. Prepare for docking and transfer. Over and out.”

  The pilot had left his newly useless cockpit and approached the trio. “And so, if I’m not mistaken, your sudden recovery means we need another casualty, right? Were you thinking of me, by any chance?” he said, drawing his gun.

  “Don’t be a fool. It’s three against one here. Give me the diskettes.”

  “Three? You’re unarmed. As for the other two….” And he scoffed at them with a mocking smile.

  Helias, half hidden by the seat in front of him, was trying to pick up his weapon without being noticed. But the expression on his face had changed as a result. And Kathia understood that he would never manage. In fact, the pilot had realized what he was doing too, and now turned his entire attention to him. As well as his pistol.

  Kathia took immediate advantage, catching the pilot with an explosive kick to the nether regions, and at the same time diving on top of Helias to retrieve his weapon.

  But the pilot had already fired off a shot, toward her as she sprang from one seat to the other. And so the shot hit slightly off target, in Kathia’s left shoulder, which started to gush blood. This time the weapon had been loaded to kill. Kathia, wailing with rage and pain, jumped to her feet and, supporting herself against the seats, landed a kick in the middle of the pilot’s chest. With a whimper, he crashed to the floor, banging his head.

  “And now three of us are casualties, you son of a bitch.” Kathia just managed to get the words out, in a voice that was not her own, before sinking exhausted into her seat.

  Kathia had hurriedly stanched her wound, summoned her last strength, and headed toward the control console, stepping over the body of the pilot, who was already coming to his senses.

  She entered a few commands on the screen, then summoning Helias.

  “Stay here and don’t move, whatever happens. At a nod from me, press this blue button. After a few moments it will start flashing. The flashing should last around thirty seconds, and during that time you can push this orange button if I say ‘Now’. Otherwise the time will run out and we’ll have to repeat the operation. In any case, after the orange button, get strapped down as soon as you can.”

  Helias was about to ask for an explanation, but the patrol ship had docked and two uniformed men were already appearing in the airlock door.

  “Hands up, all of you, and no false moves. You’re under arrest. Any attempt to resist on your part will authorize us to shoot.”

  “Easy. As you can see, there’s not much that’s able to resist here.” said Kathia as she put up her hands, imitated by Helias and by the professor. “I ask you only, as the first thing you do, to take Professor Borodine here directly to your commander. The professor can explain the delicate situation we’re into him privately. Then the unconscious passengers should have precedence in being transferred…. Lastly, you can treat my own wound, and take us all down to the base….”

  By now, Kathia was clearly having trouble speaking, and couldn’t stand without leaning on something.

  Two more patrolmen came in, to help with the transfer. The professor had gone first, after exchanging a few glances and a few comments in an undertone with Kathia, who seemed to confirm that his impressions of what she was planning were correct. Then it was Skullet’s turn to leave the shuttle, still unconscious on a stretcher. The pilot, after a quick check with the radioscope, was helped to his feet and, staggering, was conducted toward the exit.

  Kathia followed him slowly and at a distance. And Helias understood that she was calculating the next movements, probably also reading the patrolmen’s minds. A few steps short of the doorway, she turned toward Helias, who was waiting near the console for her signal. But one of the two men guarding the door—who, holding the shuttle’s passengers at gunpoint as they frisked and disarmed them before allowing them through—had his suspicions roused when he noticed Helias hanging back near the control console.

  “What are you doing there? Come along!”

  Kathia was forced to jump into the breach. She threw herself on the still-dazed pilot, knocking him atop the two guards, who didn’t have time to react. At the same time, she shouted “Now! Right away!”. The engines started, but the shuttle was still under the patrol ship’s control. Kathia snatched up a weapon that had fallen to the ground and, with a look that quelled all protest, relieved the third remaining patrolman—the only one still on his feet—of his gun. Then, aiming the two pistols, she ordered all three to disembark without delay.

  While this was going on, Helias had pressed the two buttons in succession, and was now standing agog as he watched Kathia in action.

  Seeing him gawping at her, she shouted “What are you waiting for? Get strapped down!”.

  And then it hit him: Helias finally understood. He understood that Kathia was about to go through that door. And that maybe he would never see her again, ever. Because only she, from the patrol ship, could free the shuttle.

  And in his mind’s eye he saw his mother again, going through that other door.

  And the look Kathia gave him was not unlike his mother’s. A look that said ‘I’d give anything to stay here, with you…. But I can’t…. Because it would mean losing everything. Because I have no choice. Forgive me….’

  And so Helias stole this one last look. Then he strapped himself to his seat.

  He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes, his throat tightening. But he couldn’t prevent a tear from filtering past his closed lashes. A tear that, as the ship accelerated, was pushed back in a thin bright line across his temple and into his hair.

  And so Helias was alone. With the befuddled pilot. And running on autopilot, as set up by Kathia. He wouldn’t even have known where to start. He could only hope that the pilot down there, still flattened under the weight of acceleration, would come to quickly. In case corrective manoeuvres were needed. And to get somewhere, and not just escape.

  How they had miraculously escaped from the patrol was something he didn’t understand. Doubtless it was Kathia’s doing, and perhaps the professor’s too.

  Helias didn’t even know whether the Alkenian patrolmen were earthlings or Thaymites. In either case, they had too much to hide from them, whoever they were, and absolutely couldn’t risk letting the diskettes fall into the wrong hands.

  So Kathia had chosen the lesser of two evils, enabling him to get away. Him and the pilot, who had the diskettes and, what’s more, was indispensable for flying the shuttle and thus bring Helias and the diskettes to safety. But Helias had to be able to deal with the situation. And to get the better of the pilot. Kathia, then, had had faith in him. Or maybe she had just decided that she had to have faith. As the last resort. As the only way to accomplish the mission.

  Helias released his harness, rose and went to level his gun at the pilot, who just in that moment was getting to his feet.

  “Right, we’re alone. It’s between you and me now. Hand over the diskettes.”

  “Diskettes? What diskettes? Ah, the diskettes…. Why? And what’re you going to do if I don’t?”

  “I’ve got a gun, and you’re unarmed….”

  “Oh, yeah? So you’d shoot me…. And then what? Who’d fly the ship?”

  “Me.”

  “You? You’re bluffing pathetically. Get out of the way, I’ve got things to do.”

  And he went to the control console, pushing buttons here and there.

  “One of our engines is out. What happened?”

  “We were blocked by the patrol ship.”

  “That I remember. What happened afterwards?”

  “Kathia and the others went to the other ship. I started the engines, or at least I think I did…. After Kathia had fiddled with the controls. Then the hatch closed, and almost immediately t
he shuttle rocketed off like a torpedo….”

  “Hmmm, I think I see. In addition to freeing us from the patrol ship’s control, Kathia must have managed to prevent them—at least temporarily—from following us or capturing us again. But we can expect another attack, sooner or later. So let’s start cloaking. I’d advise you to take off your coveralls.”

  That suffocating heat again. Helias started to take off his coveralls. But he had to lower his weapon. And once he realized his mistake it was too late.

  When he came to, he was stretched full length on the floor, disarmed, legs paralyzed. And, if that weren’t enough, half undressed, soaked in sweat, and with a splitting headache.

  “Oh, welcome back!” smirked the pilot, bare-chested at the controls. “I was beginning to think you’d never wake up. As you can see, I went easy on you, I could have done a lot more damage. But it wasn’t worth it. And you might come in useful.”

  “Where are we? How much time has gone by?”

  “Several hours. First we quickly reached the cone of shadow, and so I was able to turn off the cloaking devices and return to a normal temperature, turning them back on only every once in a while to prevent a systematic search from finding us.”

  “But where are we?”

  “Not far from the Scientific Station. A bit before our arrival from Thaýma. Remember?”

  Actually, Helias was still pretty woozy, and was having a hard time connecting. Eventually he said “Yes, I remember…. The black object, the counterpart we couldn’t see….”.