The Exxar Chronicles: Book 01 - The Erayan

by Neal Jones

  Hazen exhaled slowly, casually scanning the darkness once more. The distant and discordant chorus of hovercar traffic from the city around the park provided an apt soundtrack to this somber moment. "What am I supposed to do with this, Art?" the admiral said at last. "No matter who I take it to, they're going to want to know where I got this information."

  "I'm sorry, Bill, but this is the best I can do. If Caine knew I was here he'd blast me a new asshole, and then I'd disappear as well." He clapped his friend on the shoulder and then stood. "You'll think of something. You haven't let me down yet." Whitaker mustered a smile before turning away and stepping out of the lamplight. But he paused long enough to say, "I promise our next reunion will be at King's Pub. First round is on me." Then he was gone, his footsteps echoing off the stone path.

  Hazen waited for several minutes, not wanting to leave the serenity of the park. He closed his eyes, once more breathing deep of the crisp, autumn air, and he smiled wanly at the thought of the upcoming ski vacations he would be taking with his daughter and her family in November. It was a Thanksgiving tradition in the Hazen household, and they congregated at William's cabin near Aspen, Colorado. But that was several weeks away, and there was a crisis on his plate right now which must be addressed. The admiral mustered his strength and stood, pulling a pair of dress gloves from his right pocket.

  He decided to take a brief stroll before returning to the station. Why the hell would Arthur believe that Hazen could help him in this matter? Who was the admiral supposed to pass this information on to? Surely there was at least one FCI agent on Exxar-One already, someone who was in a far better position than Hazen to act upon this. But if that were the case, then Caine and his staff would have already contacted said agent and given them an assignment. Because that was the primary objective here, after all. There was a desperate need for some concrete intelligence on the Jha'Drok, and the Tiralan Neutral Zone wasn't more than two days at maximum stardrive from the Jha'Drok border. This train of thought raised another question in Hazen's mind. Why hadn't Caine sent another operative - or two - into Jha'Drok space once the leak inside FCI's central headquarters had been plugged? The obvious answer was a fear of a new leak, and if that was the case, then it made sense to search for other, out-of-the-box options.

  A slow realization began to dawn on Hazen, and he grimaced as he comprehended his friend's true motives for arranging tonight's meeting. Arthur was expecting the admiral to give the assignment to someone from Exxar-One. An undercover military operation was the next best thing to an FCI covert tactical assault force, and with a battalion of Marines currently stationed there, so much the better. But would Gabriel be able to pull it off successfully? With so much going on around him right now, to add another weight to his burden seemed cruel and unnecessary at this point. There were at least two other starbases in other sectors adjacent to the Jha'Drok territories. Why not select a team from one of them? But even as he asked himself the question, Hazen knew the answer. Marc and his crew had gathered enough raw data to understand the full ramifications of the information which Hazen was about to pass on to him. Plus, they were the closest Federation starbase to the Chrisarii Alliance, and Gabriel would need to send a team in that direction as well, if for nothing more than to search for the whereabouts of Lieutenants Sikandra and Navarr. The Jha'Drok were working on more than one front, and Marcus Gabriel had more than proven himself thus far in his assignment. Now was when he and his crew needed a mission which would send them on the offensive, a mission whose success would give them a renewed sense of resolve and accomplishment in the face of so many recent defeats.

  There was, of course, no guarantee that such a mission would succeed at all, but Hazen would bet good money that Arthur was counting on the Jha'Drok being distracted by whatever top secret operation they were working on. Not only that, they wouldn't be expecting any new covert missions after having eradicated all foreign agents from their territories. Surely FCI wouldn't be foolish enough to attempt any more undercover missions after such a massive, dismal failure. And last, but not least, if the Jha'Drok really had developed a new, extremely advanced technology from garidium, they were bound to be a tad cocky about it. And there was nothing more dangerous than a healthy dose of pride mixed with overconfidence.

  The Jha'Drok knew how to wage a successful war campaign by combining cunning strategy with brute strength. They knew how to manipulate their opponent's attention, as evidenced by the Haal'Chai and the attacks on Exxar-One, and there was a good chance that they were prepared for anything. But right now there was no other choice. The hand had been dealt, the chips were on the table, and it was time to place a bet. At this point, there was nothing to lose, and it was that dark fact which kept Hazen up for almost the rest of the night.

  Chapter 17

  ____________________

  ( 1 )

  "Our scans show a network of tunnels beneath this city." Commanders McCoy and Decev, Lieutenants Endari, Asimonn, Zamora, Benson and Costello, and Ensigns Carter and Mitchell were all gathered in the cabin behind Apollo's flight deck. The small table, which had been sitting against the wall next to the food processor, was now in the center of the room, and the portable holo-emitter on it was projecting the sensor data that Costello had downloaded half an hour earlier. The nine officers were standing, grouped around the table, listening to Costello's report. "Most of them only go two kilometers deep, and end with large bunkers or warehouses. It's safe to assume that these were used as shelters during whatever apocalypse this planet's inhabitants suffered. But there's one tunnel that has no apparent end, or if it does it's beyond our sensor range. It's also larger in circumference than the other tunnels, though not by much."

  "How deep does our range go?" Mitchell asked.

  "A dozen kilometers."

  "And you think this tunnel might lead to the base which controls the planetary defense system," McCoy said.

  "It's a logical assumption," Costello replied.

  "Some of these other tunnels are damaged, or collapsed completely," Asimonn observed. He threw a glance at Decev, knowing that she was expecting him to throw another fit about the risk of sending a team into the larger tunnel.

  Exxar-One's science officer ignored the look. "You're right, lieutenant. "But that one appears intact, and I think that an exploratory mission is much better than sitting on our asses and playing rounds of poker while we wait to be rescued." What Mariah didn't say was that the whispers at the edge of her dreams for the past couple nights made her believe that something besides a control center resided deep underground.

  "I agree," McCoy added. "Who do you want on your team, commander?"

  "Endari, Costello, and ... Benson."

  "How far is the tunnel entrance from here?" McCoy asked Costello.

  "Two kilometers east."

  "Benson and I will go first to scout the area around the entrance, as well as the first few meters inside." Decev reached out and shut off the holo-emitter. "If I have to descend two hundred flights of stairs in an enviro-suit, then somebody else can lead this mission."

  Everyone smiled, and Karri headed for the exit. "I'll get our suits ready."

  The entrance to the tunnel was beneath a large pile of rubble that had once been a square tower of medium height, one of a group of towers that had formed a complex. Decev and Benson stepped through the cardon field and activated their scanners, moving away from each other to circle the perimeter of the ruins. Each was carrying an oblong case that held a type three pulse rifle. The other towers were still partially intact, their ground floor windows opaque with a thick coat of dirt and dust, like closed eyes of the dead. The remains of the central tower were almost nine hundred square meters in circumference, and as soon as the women met on the other side they compared notes.

  "It's going to take us a couple hours to vaporize this shit," Benson growled.

  Decev smiled as she set down her case and knelt to open it. Benson did the same, and the two women activated their rifles. T
hey began to cut a path through the mountain of glass, steel beams, rock and cement. The pair of officers worked in silence, facing away from each other as they swept the deadly phased energy beams of their rifles in a steady pattern. It was only forty-five minutes before they had safely and successfully uncovered the entrance to the tunnel. It was a large, double door, sealed with a trio of thick padlocks. Decev adjusted the width and intensity of her beam and fired three final shots. Benson kicked away the charred remains while Decev put her rifle back into its case. They each grabbed a handle and lifted. A maw of pitch black awaited them, and as Decev reached for her flashlight, a thunderclap resonated from the gray sky above them. Both women looked up, and Benson tapped her commlink.

  "Benson to Apollo."

  "Go ahead, commander," McCoy replied.

  "Were you going to warn us about the storm or just let us dissolve out here?"

  "I was actually about to call you when you tapped my line. We're ready to activate the cardon field at your word."

  Decev activated her own commlink. "How long will this one last, commander?"

  "Probably same as the others. A couple hours, maybe three at the most."

  Decev shined her light into the abyss, tracing the flight of steps as far as the beam would allow. "We'll be fine here. We've got what we need to start our descent. Endari can join us after the worst is over. Scans show nothing alive down there, not even critters. And these doors look thick enough to withstand a pulse grenade."

  "All right then. We'll see you on the other side. McCoy out."

  Decev terminated the link and her scanner and lowered her rifle case into the well, resting it on the stairs. She lowered herself into the tunnel, taking one step at a time. Benson followed as soon as there was a safe distance between them. The stairs wrapped around a central pillar, like an old-fashioned castle tower, spiraling into pitch black, and Decev swallowed, hoping that a dungeon of horrors wasn't awaiting them. Karri closed the doors and sealed them, then switched on her own flashlight.

  "You're not claustrophobic, are you?" she asked Mariah.

  "No. Are you?"

  "Not anymore." Decev looked up at her and Karri grinned. "Just kidding."

  Decev activated her scanner. The 3-D projection added some more illumination to the cramped stairwell, its blue light dancing with the amber of the flashlight beam on the gray wall in a ghostly waltz. Karri activated her scanner as well, and she frowned at the readout.

  "You're seeing the same metallurgical analysis?"

  "Yep. They built this tunnel to withstand everything but a direct disruptor barrage." Decev tapped her commlink, then frowned at its display. "We’ve lost communication. I can't get a signal out."

  Benson tried her own commlink and got the same result. "Must be something in the walls. So it's probably safe to assume that a cardon signal won't get in here either."

  "And yet our sensor scans weren't repelled." Decev considered it, then shrugged. There was nothing to do but start moving down.

  The descent was slow and careful, and the silence was broken only by the dull and distant thud of the deadly rain on the tunnel doors. The radiation-laced precipitation was so acidic that it could eat through the fabric of the envirosuits in a matter of minutes. The landing party survivors had learned this the day before when Costello and Endari had been scouting these ruins and discovered this tunnel. Since the sky was always overcast, it was hard to predict when a storm would break, and the two officers had barely made it back through the cardon field in time.

  "He mentioned you once," Karri said. The remark was more to break the silence than to start an actual conversation, but to her surprise, Mariah responded.

  "What did he say?"

  "That he once had feelings for you."

  "That's it?" Decev was glad that Benson couldn't see her expression. She'd wanted to have this conversation, but she didn't want Karri to see how much it annoyed her.

  "That was pretty much it. It was last year when we had this talk, and I think it all started because I was pressing him for info on his past girlfriends."

  Mariah focused on her empty scanner display. "I was never his girlfriend."

  "I know. He told me that you were married. I'm sorry about all that, by the way. About Paul's death."

  "Thanks." Mariah adjusted her flashlight, making sure the beam was turned to its brightest setting. Six flights of stairs covered so far. She coughed. "I heard that you two broke up right after the president's visit."

  Karri grimaced, and it was her turn to feel relieved that the other couldn't see her expression. "Yeah, we did. It was his choice."

  "Oh."

  There was a note in Mariah's tone that rankled Karri. "Well, actually, it was mutual. We both agreed a long time ago that neither of us was looking for anything long term. Now that we're no longer serving on the same ship together, we decided we should end it."

  "I see."

  A lengthy, uncomfortable silence followed, and both women were now regretting the conversation. But since neither knew what else to say, they continued their descent in silence. The going was slow, primarily because of the bulkiness of the envirosuits as well as the rifle cases. The steps, however, were plenty wide, which made Mariah wonder if the tunnel's architects had anticipated the presence of envirosuits. An hour into the descent, as they finished the 51st flight of stairs, a deep shudder pulsed through the walls of the tunnel, and the women stopped, their gazes snapping to their scanners' holo-displays. But nothing out of the ordinary appeared. Decev placed her hand against the wall, feeling a steady ttthhhrrruuuuummmmmm in the wall. Benson inputted a command that switched her scanner's readout.

  "Commander, look at this." Karri extended her arm so Decev could see the results. "The air in here is a clean oxygen/nitrogen mix. There's no sign of radiation or other contaminants."

  Decev nodded. "Atmospheric processors." Benson started to reach for her helmet's fastenings, but Mariah's voice stopped her. "No. Not yet. There could be contaminants that we might not be able to detect with our scanners. Envirosuits stay on for now."

  Karri nodded and they resumed their descent. After another hour, they were almost to the seven-kilometer mark.

  "I've got to take a break," Decev said, plopping onto a stair and setting her rifle case against the wall. Who knew that going down stairs in a full envirosuit would be such exercise? Benson situated herself as well, then reached for her survival pack that was attached to her rifle case. She connected her canteen to the small tube beneath her helmet fastenings and took a long drink. Then she conducted another full sensor scan of the surroundings.

  "The tunnel is getting wider."

  "You needed a scan to tell you that?"

  Karri looked at her fellow officer. "Now you're getting sarcastic?"

  "Sorry."

  "It bothers you, doesn't it?" Karri took another sip from her canteen, then maneuvered the drinking tube away from her mouth with a touch of her suit's control pad. "Marc is one of those clichés, the military officer who's got a girl in every port, and who doesn't believe in love or a long term relationship. Yet the two of you must have had something together, because he broke off our relationship to go after you."

  This got Decev's attention and she twisted on her perch to look up at Karri. "It was that obvious, huh?"

  Benson was about to give a derisive snort, but she smothered it with a cough when she saw the genuine hurt in Mariah's eyes. "Yeah, it was."

  The commander sighed and smiled. "You're right. It does bother me, and the fuck of it is, I don't know how to deal with it."

  "So you do have feelings for him?"

  Decev looked away, grimacing, as she took another sip of water. "I'm going to confide in you, and you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone." She looked back at Benson. "I'm serious. I need your word that you will keep my secret, no matter what."

  Karri frowned, but nodded.

  "I need to hear it."

  "I promise. I won't tell anyone."


  Decev capped her canteen and put it aside. "I'm a telepath. An L2. I was diagnosed when I was fourteen." She paused, looking at Benson to gauge her reaction.

  The Dauntless science officer was stunned, and she took several seconds to process the revelation. "So ... you're not registered?" Decev shook her head. "And you've kept this hidden for all this time? No one's suspected? How did you pass your medical screenings?"

  Decev explained it to her, then concluded by saying, "The reason I'm telling you is because there's something down here. Someone – or several people – is alive, but, at the moment, all I can detect is a consciousness. My ability isn't strong enough to distinguish between one or several. Not at this distance, anyway."

  "Why are you telling me all this?"

  "Because I want you have all the facts in case we run into trouble at the end of this tunnel. The technology running the planetary defense system is very advanced, and who knows what we might find down there." She pointed her beam at her feet. "Since we're cut off from the outside I wanted you to have all the facts."

  "I see." Benson couldn't think of what else to say.

  "Let's get moving." Decev stood and reached for her rifle case. The two women resumed their descent into darkness.

  ( 2 )

  "In conclusion, my fellow senators, I do not believe that this recent event will upset our timetable in any way. I have already alerted the fleet commanders, and so far, no Federation scouting parties have made their way to any of the Erayan bases which we have discovered."

  Jolan Nejra listened to Eril speak, and he felt another stab of anxiety in his gut. Every time he looked at his friend he saw the charred face from his nightmare. He'd had it again last night and not even two tumblers of Annaias' brandy helped him get back to sleep. She'd found him sitting in the parlor, watching the sunrise.