Sigrid frowned. “I thought you said you had permission.”
Leta gave a sheepish shrug. “Well…they didn’t say, no.”
“Good point,” Suko said, as they piled into one of the parked Starlings. Leta’s hands flew over the controls with a practiced precision as she executed the startup routine. “Since when can you fly one of these?”
The thrusters roared to life, blasting the ground outside with a gush of wind.
Leta smiled. “Since now. I found the manuals in the Tactical Database.” She pointed out the various operations. “Thrust, lift, pitch…piece of cake. Check it out.”
Sigrid accessed the database stored in her PCM and instantly found the files, along with more files on basic flight characteristics. “Ooo, sweet!” she said, impulsively reaching over Leta’s shoulder and grabbing the stick—she yanked it back. The Starling shot up into the air, narrowly missing the hangar roof before buzzing low over a row of parked transports and scattering their astonished ground-crews.
“Hey!” Leta protested, wresting control from Sigrid. “You’ll get us grounded.”
“Sorry—I couldn’t resist.”
“Well, get your own.”
Sigrid sat back in her seat with a guilty grin. “Okay…I’ll be good.”
Leta rolled her eyes and gunned the thrusters. The T-48 shot through the open hangar doors and into the morning sunlight. Sigrid wasn’t sure if Leta was showing off or just trying to figure out the controls, but she put the Starling through a startling series of aerobatics—Sigrid fumbled quickly to fasten her seat and shoulder-belts.
“Scaredy-cat.” Leta stuck out her tongue as she put the Starling into a half-roll. She pulled out over the peak that hid the Annex, then zoomed low, skimming the surface of mountainside. “I think I’m getting the hang of this,” she said, going inverted again.
Sigrid gulped as she stared up at the ground now above her head.
Leta’s final maneuver brought them low over the Academy as she buzzed a group of Marines on a training run. As they flew by, Sigrid caught a glimpse of the new group of girls assembling in the center compound.
She pointed. “Look!”
Leta hauled back, coming hard about, then circled above them. The new girls began pointing up, some even waved. Leta zoomed back over the Marine compound before performing a spine-crushing landing in the airfield just outside the Academy walls.
A heavyset man wearing sergeant stripes stormed out of the hangar, ready to rip a new asshole for the pilot who had clearly lost his mind. He stopped short of the craft, staying clear of the props as they wound down. Sigrid saw the redness on his face, the veins bulging in his neck. It didn’t require genetically modified sensory receptors to see the man was furious and looking for a pound of flesh. She almost suggested that Leta take off again and flee back to the Annex.
Hesitantly, Sigrid climbed out from her jump seat and stepped down onto the muddy ground. The still-spinning props whipped her long blond hair over her back and shoulders. She pulled a loose strand from her face as she met the man’s glare.
All his bluster vanished in an instant and his jaw dropped as his eyes slowly traced the length of Sigrid’s body. Her formfitting uniform and knee-high military boots complemented the curve of her feminine hips, accentuated by the pistols strapped to each of her shapely thighs. Even as short as she was, Sigrid cut a striking figure, though she’d never been leered at so openly before. The instructors had always been professional and paternal, but this man looked at her with a craving, a hunger. The veins in his neck no longer bulged, but his face remained flushed red. When Suko and Leta came up beside her, Sigrid felt his pulse quicken as he took in the three women.
Dear God—he’s becoming sexually aroused. She looked at her two friends—they’d also picked up on it.
“Something we can help you with, Sergeant?” Leta asked, with a hand on her hip.
The sergeant must have realized he was gawking. He closed his mouth and straightened himself. “Ah…next time, make sure you radio for clearance.” He gave a dismissive wave and stormed off. The girls were out of his chain of command anyway.
The three of them stifled a laugh and headed toward the school, eager to see the new crop of students. They found the new recruits in the courtyard—forty-two girls between nine and eleven-years-old—gathered around Rosa. They listened as he gave the girls their induction speech, similar to the one he’d made to them so many years ago, telling the new group what instruction they would receive and what Kimura would expect of them.
It aroused a poignant feeling in Sigrid. Had it really been nine years since she’d come here and sat on that ground, listened to that lecture? Leaving Earth, her family, all her years of training; it was still so confusing. Perhaps more so now. She would be leaving soon, they all would be—leaving to begin their work as Mercenaries, working to repay their family debts that the Kimura Corporation had purchased.
Whatever would happen to her out there? And what of Suko?
Many of the new girls had seen them approach, their attention drawn away from Rosa and his lecture.
Rosa looked up sharply at the interruption, but rather than send the trio away, he invited them to come closer. The younger girls froze in awe, perhaps from some inherent connection, or maybe because the three older girls in black, with weapons slung at their sides, painted such an impressive and deadly picture.
Rosa’s face relaxed into a slight grin. “Ladies—perhaps you would like to come and meet your new sisters.”
The three girls approached the group, stepping into their midst. The little girls gathered close, reaching out to touch them and say hello. Sigrid was amazed. They all seemed so young. She couldn’t help but wonder if they would have an easier time of it than she did. Would they be bullied as well? Would they be beaten?
Rosa surprised the gate-crashers by asking them to join the new girls in the dining area. As they took lunch with the new arrivals, the three shared stories of their experiences, passing on whatever advice they could to the young girls. Some of them were still frightened and homesick, but the older girls’ presence seemed to calm them.
Finally, it was time for the younger ones to continue their lessons, so the three girls took their leave. The visit made Sigrid feel strangely sad and homesick herself, but not for Earth and her family. She was missing this place here, and she dreaded having to leave it again. A dark foreboding came over her accompanied by a pain in her gut she’d not felt for some time. The return flight to the Annex didn’t lighten her mood any, either.
When they arrived back at the wide hangar entrance atop the glacier, Sigrid’s heart sank one notch lower. Blocking the entrance was a parked transport ship. Painted in the black and red colors of the Kimura Corporation, the transport was far too large to enter the hangar and lay on station outside.
Sigrid heard an order over her comlink; she was to proceed immediately to Dr. Garrett’s office. Suko and Leta received the same order. All three looked to one another, anxiety etched on their faces.
“Who do you think it is?” Leta asked.
Sigrid stared up at the ship. It was definitely an interstellar-job. When her eyes passed over the registry numbers painted on its side, her optic module fed the information automatically into her database and the ship’s ID popped up in her HUD. It was registered as the Agatsuma, out of Kappa Aquarii. Home of Kimura Corporation.
Sigrid felt a cold shiver course through her. “They’ve come for us.”
* * *
Two Mercenary Marines stood guard outside Dr. Garrett’s office—the first sign that something was up. A young corporal retrieved Sigrid’s pistols, along with the two knives she kept in her boots. Sigrid would have felt less naked if they had asked her to remove her clothes.
Most of the other girls were already gathered in the reception area; Sigrid observed as one by one the girls were called inside while the other girls waited for their own turn in silence.
Sigrid was the ninth to be calle
d. Dr. Garrett did not greet her as she came in. Dr. Garrett always had a friendly word for Sigrid, ever since the very first time they’d met at her parents’ apartment on Earth. The fact that she said nothing set alarm bells ringing in Sigrid’s head. Sigrid swallowed hard.
Seated behind the polished stainless steel desk was Shinji Kimura, Deputy CEO of the Kimura Corporation. She’d never met the man before, but her optics scanned him, displaying his ID from her database. Shinji did not appear much older than Dr. Garrett, although she knew his age to be forty-two. His face was sharp and angular, and his eyes were narrow and a dark shade of brown. He sat stock still, facing her with a blank stare. She could tell he was studying her. He may not have had her bionic optics, but she could see things registering in his eyes, calculating, collating.
Two men with equally humorless dispositions stood to either side of him. No one had said anything as either greeting or introduction. Sigrid wasn’t sure if they were waiting for her to speak. An uncomfortable minute passed. She decided to bow in greeting; she would at least be polite.
Sigrid was in mid-bow when she saw the man on Shinji’s left shift his weight on his right knee. The motion was subtle and swift, but the threat registered instantly in her PCM; the motion was calculated, the solution presented to her. This was the Master Control Program at work. Not controlling her actions, but feeding her vital information and sending her systems into action, reacting to her instinctively.
Even before the shuriken left his hand, Sigrid was already moving. Her optics registered and tracked the weapon, her PCM calculated the velocity and trajectory of the small but deadly Ninja Star. Sigrid reached up, slapping both hands together as she caught the razor sharp throwing knife between her palms, eight centimeters from her face. She’d already anticipated her next action; her weight was already shifted forward, and she hurled the shuriken with all the deadly force she could muster back at her assailant. The knife hit him squarely in the chest and the man keeled over, face first, dead by the time he hit the floor with a sickening thud.
The man to Shinji’s right drew his sidearm. Too slow. Anticipating the first shot, Sigrid sidestepped, and rolled under the trajectory of the next one before he’d even fired. She came to her feet in front of him and swiftly kicked up, sending the man’s pistol flying upward before bringing her heel down hard on his neck. The force of the blow sent the man crashing down. Sigrid was on him, ready to strike, calculating different ways she might deliver the next blow: lethal, paralyzing, maiming…?
“Stop!”
Sigrid froze. Shinji Kimura stood placidly, holding out his hand to her. She was still in combat-mode, not quite certain what had transpired, but the man’s body language read calm, his pulse and respiration even and measured. He carried no weapons and seemed to present no threat—even though his goons had just tried to kill her.
Sigrid looked to Dr. Garrett for direction. The woman gave her only the slightest of nods. Not knowing what else to do, Sigrid took the Deputy CEO’s outstretched hand.
“Very good, Ms. Novak. Most impressive.”
Sigrid stumbled slightly backwards. “This was a…test?”
“Of course.”
“Your test is trying to kill me?” Had he done this with all the girls? Sigrid couldn’t believe it. “What—what if you’d killed me?”
“Then, you would have failed. If you can’t dodge a simple knife, you would be of little use to us.”
Sigrid felt her blood rise. “And the other girls? Did they…pass?”
“Most,” he said. He sat back down in the chair by the desk. “But only you attacked, Ms. Novak. Your solution was…most unique. While your fellow students all chose evasion, you chose to attack. Where others chose defense, you chose aggression, and with deadly force.” He turned to Dr. Garrett and said, “You may tell the other girls to leave, Dr. Garrett.” His eyes fell again to Sigrid.
“Pack your things, Ms. Novak. You will accompany us to Aquarii, immediately.”
* * *
February 23, 2348
“You’re going!” Suko cried. “Now?” She was clinging to the back of Sigrid’s uniform, clutching at the fabric. Sigrid was doing her best to pack her duffel—trying her best not to look Suko in the face. She couldn’t bear it.
She leaned down to pick up her meager belongings; a picture of her parents, the stacks of letters from her mother, and the small, stuffed rabbit she’d managed to keep with her all these years.
“You can’t go! Not after…” Suko wrapped her arms around her from behind and pulled her away from the duffel and her packing.
Sigrid hugged Suko’s arms even tighter around her. “It’s not like I want to.”
Suko’s eyes were raw and red with emotion. “Tell them to take me!”
“I did—I asked. He’s only taking me.”
“It doesn’t make any sense—just because you killed one of his men…?”
“I know!”
Suko’s eyes darkened and her body tensed. “Tell them I’ll meet with them—I’ll kill the other guy. I’ll kill him.”
“I wish you could.”
Suko sniffed. “What’s going to happen to the rest of us?”
“He said…Mr. Kimura just said I’m to go to Aquarii. He said they’re going to present me to the Board of Directors for evaluation. Then…they’ll decide what happens with the rest of you.” Sigrid groaned. “Of all the girls, why pick me?”
Sigrid felt dizzy and sick. She leaned heavily against Suko, who stroked her hair and shoulders. Everything was happening so fast. If only she could stay. But it was already time to go.
They were waiting for her.
It took all her force of will to free herself from Suko’s embrace. She didn’t look back. She couldn’t. Sigrid grabbed her duffel and strode toward the door.
Suko darted past her and backed up against the door, blocking Sigrid’s way. “You’re not walking out on me like that.” Suko was crying. “You can’t.”
Sigrid threw her bag to the ground. “It’s not like I have a choice, Suko. Don’t make this harder than it is.”
“Well, I’m not going to make it easy. I’m not letting them take you. I won’t.” Suko grabbed Sigrid by the shoulders, her eyes were wide and desperate. “Sigrid, let’s get out of here. Let’s leave.”
“Leave? Suko…?” What Suko was saying—it was impossible. “But, Kimura…they’ll never allow…”
“We can try. Sigrid—don’t go. Come with me.”
Sigrid’s heart beat faster. Could they really run away? For a brief moment she allowed herself to contemplate Suko’s outlandish proposal. But her heart sank just as quickly. It was impossible.
“Suko, it’s crazy. Kimura would track us. We’d never get off the planet.”
“You don’t know that!”
“Suko…” Sigrid slumped on her bunk, holding her head in her hands. “You’re just making things worse.” How could she leave? The answer was simple: she couldn’t. They wouldn’t let her. Even if she did, even if by some miracle she and Suko managed to escape, her family would be ruined.
Sigrid rubbed hard at her temples. Her head throbbed as a wave of nausea washed over her. Suko sat next to her. She sobbed as she leaned her head against Sigrid’s shoulder and pulled her close. Sigrid wanted to stay more than anything, but how could she? The decision had already been made long ago. Kimura owned her and her family. They would take her away and there was nothing she could do.
“I’m—I’m sorry, Suko.”
For a moment, Suko just stared back, her face a mixture of hurt and confusion. Suko wiped her nose with her arm. “Then, you’re…you’re really going?”
“What choice do I have?”
Suko looked down, staring at her feet. “I would never leave you.”
“That’s not fair! What you’re asking me…it would destroy my family.”
“The family that sent you here.”
Sigrid heard the anger in Suko’s voice—anger at her, or Suko’s own family,
she wasn’t sure. She put her hand on Suko’s arm. “Suko, I know how you feel about your family—”
“And I know how you feel about yours.” Suko pulled away from her hand so abruptly that Sigrid gasped. Suko’s eyes were redder still, and her nose was running freely. “But I guess you don’t know how I feel about you.”
The words stabbed at Sigrid, but this time it was Suko who couldn’t look at her. Sigrid reached for her, crying, but Suko turned away, shrugged off her touch and ran for the door.
“Suko…!”
Suko darted out into the hall, bumping into two Mercenary soldiers coming the other way.
“Suko! Wait!” Sigrid was up and running after her, but the two Marines at the door blocked her way.
“Time to go, Ms. Novak,” one of them said, holding up his hand.
Sigrid staggered back and fell onto her bunk. It was too late. Sigrid knew she’d never see Suko again. She lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to move. Moving would mean leaving, and leaving would mean that this was real, and not just some terrible nightmare.
Finally one of the soldiers cleared his throat. Sigrid looked up. They were both staring down at her as she lay on the bed.
“What,” Sigrid said. It was not even a question. She didn’t care. Nothing mattered anymore. Suko was gone.
Chapter 10
Agatsuma
February 23, 2348
The journey to the waiting transport ship felt like the walk of death to Sigrid. None of the girls in the halls looked up at her as she passed by them, shadowed by her mercenary escort. There was no one to meet Sigrid or see her off as she boarded the Agatsuma. The two mercenaries deposited her at the bottom of the staircase that reached up into the belly of the ship. As Sigrid entered, the stairs retracted behind her, sealing her in; sealing her fate, she reflected.
She was vaguely aware of the ship’s thrusters firing as the Corvette lifted off. The inertial-dampers shielded the crew from the crushing g-forces as the ship blasted its way skyward. By the time a single crewman arrived to escort her down the narrow corridors to her quarters, the Agatsuma had already cleared the atmosphere and broken orbit. Sigrid was instructed to wait until called for. She hardly heard the crewman—so lost was she in her own bleak thoughts.
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