Jason caught the ship in his crosshairs. As he contemplated her aerodynamic shape, he had to admit to himself she was a beauty. He could understand why Varez was so in love with her.
He unmuted the channel with the ship and said, “Golden Arrow, we know your jump drive is charging. Take it offline immediately.”
“You won’t fire at me, Jase,” Varez replied with confidence. “You owe me—I saved your life.”
Jason shot his blasters across the ship’s bow. “Last chance to turn around. Comply or be fired upon.”
“You won’t fire on a civilian ship.” This time, there was tension in Varez’s voice, but he still sounded confident. “I know you refused to fire on civilians at the Battle of Vega.”
The jump drive neared one hundred percent.
“I want to believe you, Rico, but I can’t let you jump.” Jason squeezed the trigger, sending two EMP missiles into the ship’s thrusters.
A harsh glow enveloped the Golden Arrow. Electric arcs danced on its polarized hull while its systems were shutting down. Its thrusters flickered and died out.
13
Unusual suspect
Life on Neo continued its course while Battlegroup Vega was gone. Adrian made progress in his research during those three days. His work was so absorbing he didn’t have time to socialize, even with Talia. She also kept to herself, her duties at the hospital monopolizing her time and efforts.
His lab was in an underground bunker designed to withstand an orbital strike. On the surface, the building appeared as a dome of self-repairing concrete some twenty meters in diameter, but that was just the visible part.
The day Battlegroup Vega returned to Neo, Adrian went to his workplace, like every other morning. Two soldiers guarding the entrance snapped a salute, even though he was a civilian. He waved to them casually. The external door slid to the side, revealing a corridor leading to another door, a massive one. Made of military-grade nanoalloy and reinforced with a stasis field, it could withstand an antimatter blast.
“You have one new text message,” the warm female voice of his bionic PA said within his mind.
“On screen, Ria.”
She projected the text and the attached files onto his retinae. Adrian read it while an elevator was taking him deep below ground. The message was from Jason. He was asking Adrian to design a scanner capable of detecting highly compressed water in a tiny container, even if hidden in a secret bionic compartment.
“That’ll be a challenge, but I like the idea.”
Ria surprised him. “You could use Talia’s expertise in bionics.”
“Really? Since when is she an expert in hidden bionic compartments?”
“She’s not, but you could involve her in your work. She would be flattered, and that would bring you closer.”
Adrian scoffed. “You’re an expert in personal relationships now?” He could hardly believe that a clump of artificial neurons in his brain could give him any helpful advice on romantic relationships.
“Adrian, I compiled an extensive info-library on human behavior. Besides, even though I cannot feel emotions myself, I can detect your emotions. Since I also have access to your unconscious, I probably know more about you than yourself.”
“I’m not convinced. Last time we spoke, Talia wanted me to give her some space.”
“That was three days ago. Now would be a good time to check on her.”
The elevator doors opened and Adrian proceeded to his lab. It wasn’t particularly big, but contained the best scientific equipment Alliance had at its disposal.
“I’ll take that into advisement. Now, do the job I designed you for and display the files Colonel Kor sent to me, starting with the progress report on the criminal investigation.”
The report was detailed, but Adrian learned nothing useful from it. In summary, Kor had no leads. No witnesses, no clues to analyze, and no suspects. The identity of the individuals who’d sent the unauthorized interstellar transmission was also a mystery.
Adrian called Jason on a secure channel. After a short exchange of civilities, he said, “You think the killer carries the murder weapon in a secret bionic compartment? That seems unlikely.”
“No, but the one who crafted the murder weapon for the killer must have his own water needler,” Jason explained. “Contractors often carry a needler in a secret bionic compartment.”
Adrian rubbed his chin, mulling over Jason’s proposal. “Right; this lead is tenuous at best, but it’s the only one we have. Designing a few detectors shouldn’t take long, but scanning everyone on the fleet? Discreetly? That’ll take ages. Maybe we don’t have to scan everyone. My PA can compile a list of persons of interest based on specific criteria.”
“A dealer in illegal weapons should fit a specific profile,” Jason said. “It must be someone who travels from ship to ship to meet with clients, but avoids high-security areas. I doubt he’s trading on the Dionysus, otherwise Varez would know.”
“You trust Varez?”
“Nope, in general I trust him as much as a discounted gravimetric chart bought on the black market, but in this case, I believe him. Selling needlers isn’t his style. But we can’t count on his help. See, I had to fire on the Golden Arrow—remember how much he cared about that ship? I haven’t caused any severe damage, just disabled it, but Varez won’t forget that any time soon.”
“We don’t need him anyway. We can start by scanning people on the Hub. If our dealer travels often from ship to ship, he ought to show up on the Hub regularly.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Jason approved.
“I’ll prepare three scanners and bring them to the Hub.”
“Why three?”
“We’ll all take one—you, Riley, and me. Don’t tell anyone else. I don’t want KK in the loop on this for now. I don’t trust him.”
“Then count Riley out. You know how she is. She hates KK, but she follows orders, and KK is officially in charge of the investigation.”
Adrian felt dizzy with apprehension when he imagined facing a hitman without Riley by his side. “I’m not sure about this. What happens when we find the contractor?”
“Don’t worry, if he tries anything, I’ll protect you. I’ve been in quite a few scraps, and I’m handy with a blaster.”
Adrian gave out a frustrated sigh. “Well, if we can’t get Riley involved, we’ll have to do this, just the two of us. Meet me on the Hub, Jason. And please don’t forget your gun.”
“You know me—I wouldn’t even go to the shower without my piece,” Jason replied with a laugh. “I’d feel naked without it. Worse than naked, actually.”
*****
Adrian integrated the scanners into virtual reality goggles to make them inconspicuous. He also packed some of his experimental gear in a bag, slipped into a coverall of reinforced nanofibers, and left his lab.
While a shuttle was taking him from Base Alpha to the Hub, he thought about Ophelia. He wished he could spend more time with his daughter. Since her rescue from the Taar’kuun facility on Chloris, he tried to reestablish the bond that once existed between them. However, he could feel that Ophelia had changed in a subtle, yet profound way. That didn’t change the way he felt about her.
He promised himself to spend some quality time with her as soon as he had a chance.
On the Hub, Jason was waiting for him in the hangar bay, dressed in his usual civilian attire. Adrian handed him a pair of goggles and showed how to activate the scanner.
“Wow, I see people in a new light,” Jason said with a snigger, his gaze wandering through the hangar bay.
“Don’t get too excited,” Adrian replied with a smirk. “Granted, you can see through ladies’ clothes with this thing, but what you actually see is the water in their bodies. I calibrated the sensors so biological tissues appear in blue. Look at the pipe running along a wall, the third one from the bottom. It appears green, because water density is higher in the pipe than in the human body.”
Jason turned to the pipe a
nd nodded. “What color is the needler gonna be?”
“Bright red. If my calculations are correct.”
“Neat. Let’s do this. I took two days of shore leave, but what about you? You’re still the president’s scientific adviser, right? You can’t just disappear for hours.”
Adrian was determined to see it through. “This investigation takes priority. I’m DeCourt’s adviser, true, but I’m not his slave. I informed my staff of my whereabouts. If anyone needs me, they’ll call. For the next sixteen hours, we’ll scan as many people as possible.”
They set to work. They strolled from one hangar bay to the next, posing as passengers waiting for boarding.
Hours passed, yet their search was not yielding results. They detected a few people with bionic compartments, but none of them carried the sort of weapon they were looking for.
They took a break to get something to eat, then resumed their search.
After fifteen hours, Adrian felt tired and sleepy. He could barely keep his eyes open. “Maybe we should call it a day,” he slurred. “Get some sleep, resume tomorrow.”
“C’mon, doc,” Jason encouraged him. “We have to finish our shift. You can take a power nap while I keep on scanning.”
Adrian nodded and let himself fall on the nearest seat. His mind plunged into sleep almost immediately.
He woke up to the feeling that the ground was shaking. It was Jason shaking him by the shoulder.
“Hmm? What?” Adrian muttered.
“Wake up, sleeping beauty. We’ve got a bite. If you allow me an old fishing idiom.”
Adrian forced his eyes open and staggered to his feet. His goggles showed a male figure walking away, a red dot shining in his abdomen.
Now Adrian was fully awake. “It worked, Jason!” he whispered with excitement. “It worked!”
“Let’s have a chat with the gentleman, shall we?”
“No, wait!”
Jason started after the suspect. Adrian cursed inwardly. Patience had never been Jason’s virtue.
“Ria, give me full info on the suspect.”
Lines of text appeared on Adrian’s HUD. According to the database, this was Mr. Haru Takamori, inventory manager on the ASC Jamnagar, the ship the Earthists used as headquarters.
“Recheck the data, Ria.”
“This information is correct,” she replied. “Don’t you trust my ability to process information?”
“I do, but... An Earthist inventory manager with a needler?”
Jason’s hand moved to his holstered blaster. “Sir, may I have a word with you?” He was only a couple of meters behind the suspect.
The man turned. He was tall and gaunt with slanted eyes, his dark hair in a ponytail. “Can I help you?”
“I work for Hub Security,” Jason lied. “We had a minor leak in the engine room. Although the risk to living tissues is minimal, this type of radiation could affect implants. Did you experience any symptoms while on the Hub?”
Takamori gave Jason a blank stare. “No, I haven’t experienced any symptoms. Why are you asking me?”
Although the suspect had no visible implants, Adrian’s goggles showed his body had been extensively enhanced. Only the military or people working in high-risk professions would have such bionic systems.
“For your own safety, would you consent to a body scan?” Jason asked.
“That won’t be necessary,” Takamori replied. “I feel absolutely fine. Excuse me, my shuttle is due to depart in two minutes. I have to go.”
“We’re suspending all flights. Please follow me.”
Adrian knew Jason’s plan wouldn’t work. For starters, Jason wore civilian clothes, and security personnel were always in uniform. Detectives and counterintelligence operatives were the only members of law enforcement wearing plain clothes while on duty.
Takamori dashed to Jason and hit him in the chest with his palms, sending him flying several meters back. Then the bionic turned around and sprinted to the nearest hangar bay with superhuman speed.
Adrian rushed to Jason, who was on the floor, breathing heavily.
“I’m all right,” Jason rasped. “I’m glad I’m wearing my lucky protective vest.”
Two security guards pursued Takamori, but they couldn’t match his bionic speed. Adrian’s clearance level allowed him access to the Hub security channel, and he asked Ria to connect him so he could listen in.
“We lost the target in Hangar Eight,” the operator said.
“Send all available security teams to that area,” the chief of security instructed.
Jason staggered to his feet. “We must find Takamori.”
“Let security do their job,” Adrian objected.
Jason winced in pain, rubbing his chest. “They won’t find him. He’s a pro. We must go after him.”
“Unauthorized launch in Hangar Eight,” the operator reported. “It’s one of our Spearheads, headed to the surface.”
“Frag it,” Jason swore. “Only a starfighter can outrun a Spearhead, and starfighters aren’t adapted for Nean atmosphere.”
He trotted to the hangar, his hand still pressed against his chest.
“Wait, what are you doing?” Adrian shouted.
“Pursuing that son of a bug, of course,” Jason replied. “You stay here.”
“No way. I’m coming with you.”
“Why are you doing this, Adrian?” Ria asked. “Pursuing a hitman is hardly a job fit for the lead scientist of the Alliance.”
“I have to do this. We can’t let a killer get away.”
“Are you doing this because you feel you have something to prove? Atone for your past mistakes? Or maybe prove your worth to Talia?”
“Are you going Dr. Freud on me again? Sometimes, I wish I could just turn you off, Mrs. Shrink.”
14
A strange duel
Adrian followed Jason to a Spearhead-class dropship. He barely had time to hop into the co-pilot seat and trade his goggles for a helmet before Jason hit the accelerator. The dropship thrust out the hangar, engine howling.
“Commander Blaze, ASF. I’m on a classified mission,” Jason informed the flight control. “Sending authorization code.”
The standard procedure was to request permission first, then “borrow” a craft, but Jason remained true to his reputation. His status as Hero of Chloris gave him some privileges, and he could get away with bending the rules.
Adrian gasped as Jason fired the main thrusters and the dropship rocketed toward Neo. He felt as if an invisible weight dropped on his chest. He would never get used to Jason’s piloting style.
“This son of a bug is a good stick,” Jason said. “If he weren’t a killer, we could’ve drafted him into the ASF.”
“Where is he going?”
“He’s headed to a barely explored region. Why? There’s nothing there. I don’t get it.”
A fiery mantle enveloped the craft as it hit the atmosphere. Jason pushed the energy shield to maximum. Their Spearhead flew straight into an electric storm, a mass of swirling clouds.
“Fragging storm,” Jason muttered. “It’s scrambling our scanners.”
Electric arcs zigzagged around the craft as it plunged into a dark cloud.
“Switch to echolocation,” Adrian suggested. “It should work even in the midst of an electric storm.”
“Yep, good idea, doc.” The craft shuddered, and Jason was forced to reduce speed. “I think I’ve got something…”
Suddenly he pushed the stick to the side. Adrian gulped air as the Spearhead jolted. His stomach churned, and it took all his self-control not to throw up.
The trail of a missile flashed just a few meters away. Jason pulled the stick, and the craft’s nose went up.
“Dammit, how can he get a lock in the middle of an electric storm?” Jason shouted. “Not fragging possible!”
Adrian stifled a scream as the flyboy launched the craft into a high-gee maneuver. A second missile dashed through the clouds. A blast shook the craft, and
the cockpit lights flickered. The air smelled of burned plastic. The control panel beeped, alerting that the dropship had sustained damage, even though the missile hadn’t scored a direct hit.
“Doc, take control of the turrets and shoot.”
“But—”
“Just punch the red button, dammit,” Jason snapped.
A button on the co-pilot’s control panel glowed red, and the screen displayed a targeting reticule. The sonar picked up a faint signal straight ahead. Adrian had no experience in gunnery and only rudimentary knowledge of how ship’s turrets operated.
He aimed using the control panel and hit the red button. Both turrets rattled, spewing streams of blaster bolts into the clouds.
Adrian saw fire and smoke. Takamori’s craft barreled in a downward spiral, a dark trail in its wake.
“Yee-haw! Well done, doc. Not bad for a nerd.” Jason pushed the stick and sent the craft toward the surface. “No offense,” he added. “Military talk.”
“None taken. I’m a nerd and proud. Oddly, we’re not making such a bad team, you and me.”
Jason’s eyes darted at him. “I had worse. Now we need to land this thing. The engine took a hit. It’s gonna be rough.”
Adrian shook his head. “Not what I want to hear.”
“We can’t eject in the middle of the storm. That would be suicide. I’ll attempt landing. Still the safest option.”
The Spearhead pierced the clouds and hurtled through a hellish landscape of ragged mountain peaks. Takamori’s craft was a blazing dot above the horizon, quickly losing altitude.
“He’s going for the plateau ahead,” Jason said. “That’s the only viable landing zone in this region. We’ll do the same.”
The ground drew near. Adrian could detail the green water streams meandering amid pillar-shaped rocks, solidified lava flows, and patches of volcanic fungi, the Nean equivalent of woodland.
Takamori’s craft was now close. Its flames extinguished, it touched down in the middle of the plateau.
It was Jason’s turn to land his bird. “Maneuvering thrusters are toast,” he said. “Only one is responding. We’re more badly damaged than I thought.”
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