The Alpha Choice

by M. D. Hall

  Ω

  Gorn woke with a start, how long have I been asleep? He hurried over to his console and at the same time discovered two things, both of which worried him: Darl and Garnoth were alone, so whatever they discussed with Kirion and the Avatar, respectively, was consigned to archive, and he did not have time to discover what that was. Secondly, he could not find either the XO, or the Avatar, anywhere on the ship!

  Ω

  The Avatar was within half a dozen paces of the nearest armed guard. Within three-seconds it would make its move, and less than a second after that, all four guards would be neutralised.

  Ω

  Gorn formed a single voiceless command, stop whatever it is you are doing, now!

  Ω

  Kirion was stopped dead in his tracks by the bizarre sight of Garnoth becoming absolutely still. He was only a few steps from the guards, but appeared to be lost for words. The guards themselves seemed equally bemused.

  Ω

  Where are you, and what were you about to do? Gorn asked the Avatar. By the time the explanation was given, Kirion had continued on his way and was, by now part of the small group standing outside Genir’s quarters. Explain that you have been sent to accompany Genir to your master as he would like to discuss what happened during the battle.

  When Kirion heard the explanation his response was immediate. ‘I’m sorry but that won’t be possible. Any requests must be made through the commander.’

  Gorn answered, through Garnoth's machine double. ‘You will forgive my master for wishing to obtain information by direct means, when it is evident your commander has withheld critical intelligence concerning this incident.’

  ‘This,’ replied the XO, ‘is neither the time nor the place for such a discussion. I’ll relay your master’s concerns to the commander. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have my duty to perform,’ and with that he nodded to the guards who opened the door to Genir’s quarters. Once the door slid shut behind Kirion, the Avatar moved away, as instructed by Gorn. ‘Return to Garnoth and explain what happened.’

  Silently, unquestioningly, the Avatar followed its orders.

  Ω

  ‘What do you mean, they are still alive?’ Garnoth was less than pleased.

  ‘You were quite explicit, Garnoth. The Executive Officer was to be left alone. Once he arrived on the scene, I was forced to improvise.’

  ‘So I can expect a visit from that fool Darl. That is the last thing I need now. What of the original plan? Is it still possible?’

  ‘It is possible, however, the original numbers are no longer valid. I have monitored communications within the ship, and the number has now increased to forty-five. By the time I have carried out your instructions, it will have increased further, to approximately seventy-eight. I must caution you that to eradicate that many would likely result in repercussions from the crew, not even Darl could curtail. We must also consider that with such numbers, I cannot eliminate the possibility of one or two escaping the cull. If such a thing were to happen, they would come to realise the deaths were a result of the victims’ new found knowledge, and we would be unable to control the information cascade that would follow.’

  Gorn had embellished the numbers, knowing Garnoth had no means, independent of the Avatar, to check the accuracy of the data. He had also made sure the machine was incapable of carrying out such an order again.

  ‘Very well, I cannot pretend that I am happy, but l suppose I had better make myself comfortable before I hear from our idiot commander.’

  Ω

  Darl made no attempt to contain his amusement. ‘So the old spider tried to get one over on us. That’ll teach him. It’s just as well you didn’t stop to tell me about the bridge crew, otherwise he’d have got his fangs into the pilot.’

  ‘What do you intend doing about it?’ Kirion asked.

  ‘Absolutely nothing! Let him wonder. While I doubt he’ll worry what I think, even a little discomfort would be something. We can but hope!’

  As Kirion walked from the teleport in the corridor leading to his quarters, he stretched his arms and felt the joints crack, it had been a long day and he was looking forward to the rest.

  Ω

  He was woken by the announcement of an incoming message. The message was simple. ‘Sir, I might have found something, but would like you to run over the data before we speak to the commander. It’s highly sensitive, what do you suggest?’

  Gorn could see the XO, get out of bed and walk over to his console. The older man did not register, by any movement, that he had read Gorn's message. Then, a reply arrived. ‘Due to the sensitive nature of the information, it would not be wise to discuss it over the ship’s systems, in the event they have been compromised. Meet me at my quarters, I have a secure console where we can analyse your findings.’

  Within minutes Gorn was walking towards Kirion’s quarters, and thinking through his plan. Garnoth’s latest actions meant he could not wait to implement the final part of his plan. He had done sufficient work to enable a smart person, and Kirion was smart, to figure out where the trail led. All Gorn's findings would suggest he had just come across the data since they were hurled across the galaxy. It would then be for Kirion to find the link to the Avatar, and ultimately Garnoth. The XO would take the glory and Gorn would fade into the background.

  Garnoth would proclaim his innocence, but the young science officer had factored that into his plan. The spymaster would be found guilty and there would be nothing traceable to Gorn.

  He entered Kirion’s quarters, and found his superior officer still at his console. A tired Kirion motioned Gorn over. ‘Let’s see what you’ve uncovered.’

  Once he had displayed the information, Gorn stood up to allow Kirion to analyse it.

  Thirty minutes later, a wide awake XO shook his head. ‘Young man, you’ve done well. I’ve extrapolated your data and it leads us to Garnoth, through his Avatar,’ Kirion did not share his thoughts that a reasonable person, in possession of this new found knowledge, might re-evaluate the reason given by the Avatar for its visit to Genir’s quarters.

  He sat back, and looked up at the young science officer. ‘This explains why he had to be on the ship. The commander was convinced he had no legitimate reason to be here. It seems he was right after all,’ he looked again at the data and shook his head. ‘It was brilliantly hidden, how did you find it?’

  This was the question Gorn was anticipating. ‘I was simply checking the cause of the blackout before we encountered the Custodians, I know it was short-lived, but it didn’t make any sense, and that’s where I found an unusual signature, it was faint but unmistakeable.’

  ‘Show me?’

  Gorn moved towards the console.

  Kirion looked at the new data. ‘I’m impressed, and have no doubt you would have found the link to the Avatar in time.’

  Inwardly Gorn smiled, Kirion had taken the bait.

  ‘What do you suggest we do, sir?’

  ‘Do? We go straight to the commander, of course!’

  Ω

  As the XO and young science officer walked down the corridor from Kirion’s quarters, engrossed in what they had discovered, it was hardly surprising that they were oblivious to Trang stepping out of a doorway they had just passed. The two men were exactly where they were meant to be, about sixty paces ahead and deeply embroiled in conversation, with no reason to look behind. She was careful to maintain the distance between them.

  So far, everything was going according to plan, and while she was reluctant to do what was required, her orders were firm, he had to die, there was no other way. She had ensured it would look like an accident, and no one would ever be the wiser.

  Once it was over she would slip back into obscurity.

  Kirion was speaking to Gorn. ‘With the evidence you’ve uncovered, we need to act immediately.’ Knowing the Avatar could tap into the ship’s surveillance network, anything more specific could be dangerous, but to be sure, Kirion kept his face from ever vigilant len
ses. ‘What we’ve found could have precipitated the destruction of our entire race, and with no way of knowing what else is planned, we can’t delay.’ At that precise moment, Garnoth was planning nothing. There was no danger of the Avatar reporting anything, or Garnoth being precipitated into dangerous action, but it helped Gorn’s agenda if Kirion believed the risks were imminent.

  Gorn said nothing, nodding his agreement in deference to the older man.

  They were approaching twin teleports, one of which was about to be used by a crew member. Neither man recognised the woman about to teleport, but whoever it was, there was an unspoken understanding that no one should hear of this news, before the commander. Kirion fell into silence.

  The teleports were now clear, and Trang was closing in.

  As the two men were about to take their places in the teleport stations, Trang called out. ‘Gorn, stop!’

  The words had the desired effect, the sound of her voice froze him in his tracks. He thought quickly, whatever she wants, I can’t let her sidetrack me. He turned to confront the intruder. ‘What’s the problem Trang?’

  ‘If you enter that teleport, you’ll die!’

  Gorn looked at the machine. Despite telling himself she was talking nonsense, he instinctively stepped back. The young woman looked from Gorn to Kirion, and kept her eyes on the older man as she said. ‘You’ve rigged the teleport to vaporise, the moment Gorn uses it.’

  Kirion looked momentarily stunned by the suggestion. Recovering, he barked a laugh. ‘Are you insane?’

  Trang said nothing.

  The accused man calmed, becoming more relaxed as he said. ‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. We were on our way to see the commander on urgent business. I can’t tell you what it’s about, but believe me when I say, it’s critical we see Commander Darl, immediately. I can’t imagine where you’ve got this absurd idea from, but I suggest we talk about it when we have diffused the current situation.’

  Trang, continuing to look at the XO, still said nothing.

  The silence precipitated another response from Kirion. ‘Just how would I know Gorn was going to use this particular teleport? Anyone could use it…someone just has! Are you suggesting I want to kill anyone who uses it? Why didn’t that crew member die?’ He smiled and Gorn, who until now had been looking at the young woman, now glanced at Kirion, not liking what he saw in the man’s face.

  Trang replied. ‘Once the teleport was clear, you activated the malfunction with the remote device you have in your right hand.’

  Gorn looked at the other man’s right hand and saw it clench. It was his time to speak. ‘Kirion, let us see what’s in your hand?’

  The XO’s face now took on the look of a man in a panic. He backed towards the remaining teleport.

  Trang spoke. ‘Kirion, you mustn’t use the teleport,’ but her superior just smiled as he stepped between the posts, and began to say. ‘Interfering…’

  There was a flash, Gorn instinctively threw himself at Trang knocking her to the ground, where he kept his body between her and the heat from the destroyed machine. Within seconds, the heat had dissipated and they both looked up. Other than shapeless, twisted metal and a scorch mark on the floor where Kirion had been standing, there was nothing.

  Gorn helped Trang to her feet. Both of them unaware of the alarm that was sounding. Trang looked up at Gorn and said, in a subdued voice. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I should be the one thanking you,’ he looked at the wreckage. ‘We need to talk.’

  ‘I know, but not here and not now. When we’re asked, it was an accident and nothing more.’

  Gorn was finding it difficult to comprehend what he had just witnessed, it made no sense. He brought his attention back to their current predicament. ‘There will be images and sensor readings for this area. They’ll know it wasn’t an accident.’

  ‘There won’t be any record of what he was planning.’ Seeing the doubt expressed in his face she reassured him. ‘You must trust me, for now. An accident?’ He nodded.

  As expected, an emergency team arrived within minutes, closely followed by Darl. He was flanked by heavily armed shock troops; unlike other commanders in the fleet, he eschewed the use of marines for guard detail. The commander was visibly concerned for the safety of both his young charges, and went straight over to them.

  After a cursory examination, the medical officer assured him neither Trang, nor Gorn were injured, but they needed rest. ‘Within twenty-four hours, they will undergo a psychological reaction, to what they have witnessed.’ Darl nodded, to indicate he heard and understood, but as soon as the physician moved off to collect his equipment, he took them aside and asked, in a hushed voice. ‘Can either of you shed any light on this?’

  The two young officers looked at each other before Gorn quietly replied. ‘I think we need to speak to you sir, alone.’

  Darl needed no further explanation. ‘Come with me.’ The medical officer was about to speak, but the commander waved him away, and motioned the guards to accompany them.

  It was clear to Darl that, after the intervention of the Custodians, he could take no chances, and while it was highly improbable they would be responsible for what had just happened, the incident with Genir meant he was now functioning on high alert; anything out of the ordinary would be treated with the utmost suspicion. At the moment he had no reason to believe the vaporising teleport was anything other than a hostile act. Before leaving the scene, with his two young officers, he spoke briefly to the investigator in charge of determining the cause of the incident, giving the order that, throughout the ship, all teleports and lifts were to be shut down; walking and access tubes were the only permitted methods of travel.

  Eventually, with guards stationed outside, the three of them were inside the commander’s ready room, the place of their last meeting so many weeks before. Darl motioned both of his young charges to be seated.

  When they had been offered, and politely refused, refreshment, Gorn began his tale. He told Darl how, following the intervention of the Custodians, he was carrying out his orders by instigating a sweep of the ship’s systems. He looked at Trang and hesitated. ‘Carry on Gorn,’ his commander ordered, ‘after what the two of you have been through I think it’s appropriate to take Trang into your confidence.’

  Gorn added that he intensified the search after the incident with Genir, concerned that the Custodians may have infiltrated more than Genir’s ship. He told Darl of how he came across a disruption of certain fields set up on Telluria. The source of the disruption was within the ship.

  He recounted his approach to Kirion, and described how the older man had followed the trace, discovering instructions hidden within carrier waves to Telluria, and finding the link to the Avatar and through it, Garnoth. Finally, he told how Kirion suggested they take the information directly to the commander so as to circumvent the communications systems the Avatar had been monitoring. He stumbled over his words as he recalled the accident.

  ‘Why were you there Trang?’

  ‘Gorn had contacted me, about an hour before, and asked that I meet him here. I was on my way to the teleport, but when the XO saw me arrive he suggested I return to my quarters as I couldn’t add anything, sir.’

  He looked at his science officer. ‘Why did you ask Trang to meet you here, before you met with the XO?’

  Gorn did not have to exert himself to answer this question. ‘You tasked us, sir, with finding evidence of rebel involvement, and I thought you would want both of us present when you gave further orders. I didn’t tell Trang first, as I thought it better to pass the information to the XO, to see what he made of it. Whatever he found - and I didn’t think it would be this - I was sure he would want you to know, and you would want Trang here. Was I wrong, sir?’

  Darl sat back in his chair, allowing everything he had heard to sink in. ‘No Gorn, you did just what I would expect…poor Kirion, a fine officer…a good friend…Garnoth. The man brought his bloody machine on board to discover th
e traitor!’ It seemed to Gorn and Trang that he wanted to say more, but was obviously searching his brain for some way of rationalising the monstrous reality confronting him. One of the four Agency heads, tasked with rooting out and destroying the rebellion, was responsible for bringing their entire race to the brink of extinction.

  The console flashed and Darl, after reading what was in the projection, left the room without saying anything. The two conspirators looked at one another, each appearing to the other to be the quintessence of calm. Nothing was said, by either of them.

  Darl reappeared minutes later and sat back down at his desk. ‘Sorry about that, I received a message that the investigator was able to give me a preliminary finding on the cause of the incident. I didn’t want him to know you were here.’ There was a trace of relief in his face as he said, ‘at least Garnoth wasn’t responsible for Kirion’s death. Apparently, it was pure coincidence that he died on his way to me.’

  Gorn relaxed. The official version would have Kirion discovering Garnoth's treachery, and Kirion could neither confirm nor deny it. The records would show he was on his way to see the commander at the time of his death, and an examination of his console would provide the evidence that it was the XO, who followed the trail.’

  The commander continued. ‘The death of Kirion was an unfortunate accident. The final report is likely to confirm the initial findings,’ and as though to comfort Gorn, he added, ‘you did right in going to Kirion first, to have him follow the thread. Not even I would have expected the irregularity you found to lead where it did. Whatever the malfunction, it seems to have affected the sound on the surveillance equipment, we can see that the three of you met up, but not what you said,’ at this point his brows became furrowed, ‘what you didn’t tell me was that Kirion was less than pleased at your intervention, Trang. Even though we can only see the side of his face, it’s obvious he was annoyed.’