Zero

by J. S. Collyer

  “We've said before how there really are no sides,” More said. “Just who you trust. If you trust the Service to do the best thing for the Orbit... I will fight at your side, Captain.”

  Hugo nodded. “Thank you, More.”

  More ducked his head then gestured for Hugo to lead on.

  Hugo strode out onto the assembly deck trying to ignore the roiling in his belly. His crew were stood together, blinking about, looking awed. Even Webb was staring with his mouth open. The deck was wide and open with scores of uniformed officers and soldiers rushing back and forth, gathering into units, exchanging orders, consulting panels and the dozens of workstations that were wired in around the edge of the huge hall. The lights were on full so the metal walls were an almost blinding silver and the display that dominated a raised platform along one wall was streaming manoeuvres and Analyst data. The dozens of other screens around the room reeled individual unit commands, yet more Analyst data, more footage from the newsreels and he noticed one was looping the report about the Zero.

  Arching over all this was a vast plexiglass ceiling that looked out onto the infinite roll of stars and space. It was criss-crossed with thruster tracks as Service fighters and ships assembled or manoeuvred to units or were dispatched elsewhere. The two remaining flagships, the Assertion and the Sincerity loomed, cut about with light and shadow, directly in line with the assembly deck, their squadrons and units gathering around them in a flashing cloud of thrusters and reflected starlight.

  It brought back a feeling Hugo had forgotten: the feeling of being small, being a grain of sand amongst the tumbling dunes of consequence. He had taken comfort in that feeling once, of being part of a whole far greater than himself. Now it made everything that ebbed and flowed inside him even more difficult to pin down.

  He shook his head and scanned the throng for Gamma Company, just as a figure disengaged himself from the me-lee and trotted over.

  “Commander Hugo,” he called when he came up, eyes bright. “I mean, Captain? I mean...”

  “Fraser,” Hugo said, unable to stop a smile. “Hugo is fine for now, Commander. Where’s the rest of the unit?”

  “Over there, sir,” Fraser said, indicating a formation of soldiers, most of whom he recognised, forming into lines near the platform. “It's an honour to have you back, sir. I mean, when we got the news... well... I had always said it was a mistake for them to let you go.”

  “They didn't.”

  “Yes sir,” Fraser ducked his head. “We know that now. The whole company got the message about twenty minutes ago. I'm sorry...”

  “There's nothing to apologise for, Commander.”

  Fraser ducked his head again then glanced over Hugo's shoulder. “Is this your crew, sir?”

  “Yes,” Hugo said. Fraser looked doubtful. “They are Service-trained, remember, Commander. And more besides. You couldn't hope for better pilots or gunmen.”

  Fraser brightened. “Yes, sir.”

  “And less of the 'sir'. This is your unit.”

  “That's what I came to talk to you about, sir,” Fraser said. “I... well... we...”

  “Yes?” Hugo prodded, aware all the rest of the companies were almost assembled. The lights were dimming and Admiral Wilson was moving up onto the platform.

  “It just feels wrong, sir,” Fraser said, “you being back and not commanding the unit.”

  “Commander...”

  Fraser raised a hand. “We need you to command, Hugo. This...” he gestured toward the giant display which was mapping out predicted positions of Admiral Pharos's fleet. “It's big. We need you.”

  Hugo glanced behind him. Sub and Bolt and Rami were talking together, pointing out information from screens and More was gazing at the main display. Webb was watching him. “Very well, Commander. Lead the way and make sure everyone's present.”

  “Sir, yes sir,” Fraser said with a smart salute and disappeared back into the crowds towards Gamma Company.

  The unit was lined up with backs straight and eyes on the platform, but he felt eyes slide his way as he got closer. He got nods and even a few handshakes and some low words. Webb and the others got uncertain looks. Hugo drifted to the front and took the Commander's spot next to Fraser, reaching inside himself for some certainty.

  “All units, to attention,” Admiral Wilson's artificially amplified voice rang out through the assembly deck. The room fell quiet. All eyes were focused on the platform as the silent ballet of ships went on above them. “By now you should have all have assimilated the situation. At this present moment the Second Fleet is on its way back to Command and will arrive in approximately two hours. All units are to attend to their flagship.” The Lunar Strip appeared on the main display, divided up with a 3-dimensional grid. The same image from a different angle overlaid the plexiglass above them, real space providing the backdrop for the approach vector lines and formation simulations.

  “With the Resolution and her fleet on the opposing side,” Wilson continued, “we will be adopting class 2 assault tactics. We shall approach with a pincer movement...”

  Hugo felt Webb shifting next to him. He glanced at his commander in the gloom, the light from the screens paling his face. He was staring at the image of the Lunar Strip under attack with fire in his eyes. Hugo glanced around at all the still and stalwart faces focused on the admiral, and elbowed Webb in the ribs.

  “What?”

  “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  Webb just nodded.

  Hugo opened his mouth to say something else but then Wilson was dismissing them and the lights went back up. Hugo shook himself, looked away from Webb's unnerving blank stare and turned to his company.

  “Form up and proceed to the fighter bay.”

  Gamma Company moved on their heels as one and marched across the assembly deck to line up with the other companies leaving the hall. The Zero crew followed at a jog, only Rami glancing back over her shoulder to see if Hugo followed. Hugo waited a couple of heartbeats to see if he could figure out if he should be worried about Webb, then shook himself and followed. He felt his gait fall back into the regimental step of the marching company and kept at the rear, barking orders from instinct as they wove amongst the wide corridors towards the fighter bays.

  Fraser dropped back to march beside him. “We're in Bay 4, Commander,” he said, consulting his panel.

  “Good. Make sure everyone is fuelled, loaded and charged to full. We don't join the Assertion until everyone's fighter is ready and fully compliant.”

  Fraser glanced at him then looked away. “Yes, sir.”

  “I don't care about immediacy. My company aren't going into battle unless every fighter is fully energised and armed.”

  “Very well, Hugo,” Fraser said. “I agree, it's just -”

  “I'll take the rap. I'm used to that by now.”

  That managed to draw a smile from Fraser and he skipped ahead to start relaying orders to the marching company. They were approaching the fighter bays and Hugo called away the Zero's crew as they came towards a turn off towards the supply levels.

  “Get back to the Zero and our fighters. We need their speed and fire power. But I want you to hang together and at the edges of the engagement. Don't get in the middle.”

  “Captain,” Rami said, drawing herself up. “We are perfectly capable -”

  “I know you are, Lieutenant,” Hugo said. “Probably more capable than most of the company. But these officers have drilled and trained together under Service regulations. They don't do -”

  “Creative thinking?” Webb put in.

  Hugo shrugged. “They would struggle accounting for an unorthodox ship with unorthodox methods in their formation. It will do more harm than good if you try to fall in alongside.”

  “Very well, Captain,” Rami said, a little less stiffly.

  “Good. Now. Be prepared. Pharos will throw everything she has to stop anyone from getting anywhere near the strip whilst they're taking it under control.”

&
nbsp; “She'll prioritise defending Tranquillity,” More put in. “That's where Cho-Jin is. That's where Fitzroy is.”

  “It's also where the central servers for the moonframe are,” Rami added. “The newscasts, info sites and communication grids are controlled from Tranquillity. She won't want it taken or damaged.”

  Hugo nodded. “See, you're used to reasoning. Use it. But don't get caught up in the inter-unit fire. Hang back and to the side and engage renegades and assist evac. Keep eyes and ears open and stay on the comm. Webb?”

  “Captain?”

  “I'll leave the Zero company in your command.” Hugo watched him for any sort of reaction but Webb's face stayed blank.

  “Yes, sir.”

  The formality made Hugo go cold, but he couldn't think what else to do. He looked between the faces of his crew. He tried to speak, swallowed then tried again. “Come back from this,” he said. “All of you. I think it's time you got some recognition for everything you've done.”

  The responses on the faces were mixed. Sub and Bolt looked uncertain, More looked doubtful. Rami's face was still and calm and Webb's face held a twist of anger before he smoothed it out again.

  “Go,” Hugo said, gesturing down the corridor. “Report to me and only me. Rendezvous at the Assertion.”

  “Yes sir,” everyone muttered then jogged away. Hugo watched them go, suddenly feeling very alone in the thronging hallways.

  He was just turning towards the doors to the fighter bay when Quinn came trotting up the supply corridor, heading right for him and calling his name. “Hugo, you bastard,” she said as she drew up and jabbed him in the chest. Her face was flushed and she glanced at everyone that passed by. “You were Service all along? When I’ve been sneaking you through patrols this last year?”

  “We couldn't tell you, Quinn. We couldn't tell anyone.”

  “So you’ve been reporting on me?” she hissed.

  “No,” Hugo shook his head. “You don't understand.”

  “I helped you screw procedure…” Her mouth was tight with actual fear. “And all along -”

  “Quinn, quiet,” Hugo snapped seeing people start to look at them. “I’m not going to report you. My remit... well... we were closer to the other side than this, if you see what I mean.”

  “Huh?”

  “It was the trouble outside the Service they were interested in. Not problems at home.”

  She pressed her lips together and stared hard at him. Then she nodded. “Okay. Well. Thanks, I guess. But I would take it kindly, now that you're commander of Gamma Company again, if you forget that we ever met. Deal?”

  “You can trust me, Quinn.”

  “Well, I bloody well hope so.”

  “You can,” he insisted.

  She sighed and he thought he saw relief slump her shoulders. “Good.” Then she looked around at the chaos around her as if just noticing it. “I guess, considering, it would have been better if they had,” she mused “kept a closer watch at home, I mean. Not better for me, mind, but for the poor bastards in the Lunar Colonies.”

  “There's still time to fix it.”

  She made a noise, gazing at the wall display behind him. Then she looked back. “Good luck, Hugo,” she held out her hand. He shook it then she turned and disappeared into the crowd. He watched her go with something shifting inside him, trying not to think about how many more people might look at him that way before all this was over.

  He found Gamma Company in the bay, swarming around a unit of pristine fighters. The other units were already launching, but he was pleased to see Fraser was making sure his orders were being followed and that every fighter was having a full series of checks. Technicians were running amongst them all with fuelling lines, panels, tools and charge readers, obeying the many and impatient commands of the pilots.

  “How are we doing?” Hugo asked Fraser as he came trotting up with his panel full of reports, accompanied by a harried tech with arms full of vacuum suits.

  “Nearly, there Commander,” he said, though he was eyeing the other fighter units dwindling as more and more ships launched. “All fighters are almost compliant and we have 84% pilot capacity.”

  Hugo frowned as he took a suit from the tech and started climbing into it. “Where's everyone else?”

  “Part of the company was dispatched to Earth last week to increase manpower around the North America border disputes.”

  “Have they been recalled?”

  “Yes, sir. But they won't be here for hours yet. Civilians are answering the recruiting call, though,” he said, managing to sound disproving. “We've managed to fill four more fighters.”

  “And I'll take one more.”

  “Commander?”

  “I'm not going to sit staring at Analyst data whilst everyone else takes the hits,” he snapped, handing the panel back.

  “Very well, sir.”

  “Kaleb!”

  Hugo spun, not quite believing his ears. Harvey strolled towards him, waving. She had on a Service-issue vacuum suit and her smile was wide and bright.

  “Marilyn,” he said, blinking and glancing at Fraser. “I mean, Captain Harvey... what are you doing here?”

  “Far be it from me to ignore a Call,” she said with an even wider smile and a mock salute. “Especially one with such a handsome return. So...” she stood with her hands on her hips and looked him up and down. “Service all along, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  “The crew too?”

  “Everyone.”

  She shook her head, still grinning. “Should have guessed. Good lord,” she let her glance slide from Hugo to a very uncomfortable looking Fraser. “With friends like the Service who needs enemies, huh?”

  Fraser stiffened.

  “Fraser. To your fighter. Report in to Assertion with our status.”

  “Yes sir.” Fraser flung another dark look at Harvey then strode away.

  Harvey laughed. “You know, I can forgive myself for not figuring it out. You were always stiff as a board, Kaleb, but never as stiff as that.” She gestured after Fraser. “Hey,” she said, sobering up. “Can we talk?”

  “It's good to see you,” Hugo took a step closer to her and lowered his voice. “It really is. More than I can say, even. I wish I could talk -” He trailed off as more shouts and the clunks of sealing cockpits rang out around them.

  “It's good to see you too,” she said, her snide smile melting into something a little warmer. “Shall we agree to both make it through this so you can answer all my questions?”

  Hugo managed a smile of his own. “Not all of them, maybe.”

  Her smile faltered. “There's one main one. Webb...?”

  Hugo felt his spirits slump back down. “Did you hear?”

  “I don't know what I heard,” Harvey said, face grim. “I heard that he's... alive? How's that possible?”

  Hugo shook his head, the hum of fighter engines starting up filling the bay. “There's too much to explain. And even I don't entirely understand. Keep that promise and I'll tell you everything. Or I'll try to.”

  Harvey's eyes flickered for a moment, then she nodded. “Okay, Kaleb. Commander, even. You better get to your ship.”

  Hugo nodded, glanced around and then leant forward and kissed her on the cheek. The brief moment when he could smell her skin made him feel strong. He pulled away and made himself turn and head to one of the berthed fighters where a technician was shifting from one foot to another, visibly resisting the urge to tell Hugo to hurry.

  Hugo scrambled up the ladder and strapped himself in whilst keying in the commands to raise the engines and seal the cockpit. The tech scrambled away with the ladder and Hugo watched his hands move over the controls as if from a distance.

  “Gamma Company,” he said, pulling on his headset. “Move out and report in.”

  The unit reported into his earpiece in a regimented and practised order as he eased his fighter up from the berth and steered it towards the drift shield and open space beyond. They wer
e followed by the brusquer and more garbled reports of the civilian recruits without code names. Harvey was last and he could hear the grin in her voice as she addressed him as Commander.

  Hugo pushed thoughts of her from his mind as they left the fighter bay and Command fell away in his rear-view display. A glance at his other screens showed Gamma Company falling into perfect formation around him. The Assertion loomed ahead with other companies assembling around her and he headed in her direction, manoeuvring between the milling companies of fighters and fuel ships, repair rigs and communication vessels.

  “Commander Hugo, Gamma Company, reporting in,” Hugo said over the comm as they left the bustle of Command behind and his hail cue came in from the flagship.

  “Nice of you to join us, Commander,” Luscombe grumbled. “I have been told we don't have time to question why you are in a fighter and not here at your station so I will store that away for later. Along with many other things we need to chat about. Form your company up at point 5-0-99 and await orders.”

  As he moved along the underbelly of the Assertion, steering his company between the bands of skiffs, fighters and tugs that zoomed through the shadows, he saw a familiar shape up ahead. The Zero hung steady in the light beyond the flagship with her three fighters formed up beside her. The fractured light made her hull gleam and he felt a catch in his throat as he realised he knew every scratch and dent in her hull.

  There was a sweeping moment of vertigo whilst he struggled with the notion he was in drift around her rather than in her command chair and wondered if he would get to sit in it again.

  Hugo keyed in secure comm codes. “Webb? Are we set?”

  “Sure are, Hugo. Shall we dance?”

  “Fall in and follow me.”

  “Gotta say, Hugo,” Webb said with an edge in his voice. “This is kind of exciting, huh?”

  ɵ

  Webb listened to the silence that was Hugo's reply to his comment with a grim satisfaction stealing through him. He engaged Father's thrusters just as Gamma Company's formation drew level and he pulled in alongside. The others fell in to port and they followed the unit to the rendezvous.

  He took a moment to blink at the Assertion. It filled his whole screen, a great stretch of silver, blinking lights, busy portals, rows and rows of viewscreens and gargantuan thrusters mounted at her stern. He would have mistaken her for a colony, had she been more battered and possibly with some patched-up breaches in the hull.