Ahead, was the entrance to the Cube drive enclosure, bathed in the hard glare of The Infinite. Bara pulled herself inside and found Gofal on the floor, inactive. She did a quick survey of the Cube drive, confirming it was shut down, then began Gofal’s reboot process.
‘I have seen things,’ he said, sitting up.
‘Are you okay?’ Bara asked.
The bot didn’t reply immediately, no doubt running through his internal checks. ‘Yes, I think I’m fine, Bara. The Cube drive?’
‘Disengaged.’
‘Good,’ he said, standing. ‘Where are we?’
She pointed to the vast holes in the hull around the engines, and the terrifying vision of The Infinite, growing larger by the second.
‘Oh,’ Gofal said quietly. ‘We should probably leave.’
‘Yes, I think so.’
‘Are we already inside its influence?’
Bara nodded. ‘No engines, no way out. I’m not sure how we get out of this one.’
Gofal hesitated, his head tilted. ‘Wynn has a plan.’
She looked at him through the visor of her suit. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘It means we must get to the flight deck.’
THRESHOLD
‘Seal the flight deck,’ Commander Van Leeuwen ordered as the Vengeance plummeted towards The Infinite. At the same moment the elevator doors slide apart and Bara and Gofal stumbled out. Wynn smiled with relief, glad to see them both.
A warning alarm sounded, followed by a synthesized voice. ‘Flight deck lock down. Stand clear of doors.’
A heavy shield slammed over the windows, relieving them of the blinding light from outside, and the entire flight deck began to lower into the protective shelter of the arkship. Wynn could barely sense the movement as the space retreated.
Bara wrapped her arms around him, smiling. ‘You’ve looked better.’
Wynn grinned. ‘I’ve seen things.’
‘What?’ she asked, glancing between him and Gofal.
‘Later,’ Wynn replied.
Gofal stepped closer to the holograph, reviewing the flight plan of the Vengeance into The Infinite. He nodded his approval and stepped away.
‘You think this’ll work?’ Bara asked Wynn.
‘Yes, I do.’ He smiled, feeling calm now.
‘Gods help us,’ Commander Van Leeuwen said quietly.
The arkship vibrated as warning lights flashed on the consoles.
‘Gravitational eddies!’ an officer reported.
‘Space-time distortions.’
Gofal turned to Bara and Wynn. ‘You might want to hold onto something. This will be rough.’
The pair braced themselves, just as the mighty vessel rocked beneath them. The holograph showed their progress, flickering and adjusting as they fell into The Infinite.
The vibrations became more and more violent, pulling at Wynn. Around him, as the lights wavered, he saw the others fighting the disturbances.
‘Time distort!’ a voice cried. The front of the flight deck pulled away from him, stretching faster and faster. He saw people caught in frozen screams as the very fiber of the arkship was twisted and stretched. He looked behind him: Gofal was moving away from him, telescoping behind. Even Bara, stood beside him, appeared like a warped statue. He reached out to touch her, and he felt a pain like never before. Slowly, the agony grew to consume his entire body, until he would have been glad of death. Then, after an age of suffering, the distortion lessened. The flight deck returned to normal, and the screaming figures caught up with him.
‘Are we through?’ Wynn asked.
Gofal checked the holograph. ‘Eye of the storm, Wynn. We have passed the first threshold. In a moment we will pass through the other side. The spatial distortion will return. You must prepare yourself. This one will be stronger.’
Before Wynn could respond he saw the flight deck buckle and expand again, taking the other figures away from him. He was alone now, a solitary screaming man in a universe of his own. The pain was too much, but he couldn’t escape it. As time broke apart he endured a relentless torture, wishing for a release until, finally, one came.
It was as if the arkship itself cried out, a deep roar of defiance that broke the unending cycle. The flight deck snapped back to its correct dimensions, and Wynn, Bara and the others collapsed in relief.
‘We are through,’ Gofal said. ‘The Infinite is receding behind us. The Vengeance has reached escape-velocity. The gravitational slingshot is taking us towards a safe elliptical orbit.’
Recovering, Wynn checked on Bara.
‘I’ll live,’ she said feebly, her exhaustion obvious.
‘The commander will not,’ Gofal said. He was stood beside Van Leeuwen, still in his seat, his head resting on his chest as if he was asleep. ‘Shock,’ Gofal noted. ‘His body could not cope with the stress. He will not be the only one.’
In that moment, Wynn finally succumbed to his ordeal and fell to his knees. As Bara held him, the enormity of his decisions caught up with him. He could feel no joy in their escape, only anger and regret that so many had died because of him. He had brought them here, and he had almost lost everything. In the dark stillness of the damaged flight deck Wynn let his guilt consume him.
LUCKY
The dark recesses of the arkship Fenrir’s food production level seemed like as good a place as any to hide. The space was vast, mostly automated and had very little in the way of security. Derward Tarkkail had made it here by accident in his retreat from the guards on the habitation levels, but it had proven a fortuitous location to catch his breath.
The guards had given up their search for him, no doubt taking their frustration out on the informant. If Derward was lucky the incident might not even be reported, and he would be able to continue his exploration of the arkship soon enough. He sighed, knowing it wouldn’t be that easy. Derward had never put much faith in luck. A part of him wanted to end the mission now, return to his ship and report what he had found. But he knew that wouldn’t be enough. He had to discover more, and the only way to do that was to tap into the command levels, or find someone who worked there.
He took a breath and strode out of the shadows – there was nothing to be gained by caution, he decided. Act like you’re supposed to be here, he told himself as he paused at the gantry that overlooked the giant yeast vats.
Derward strode purposefully towards the elevators. He stepped inside, hoping his forged clearance pass would allow him access. ‘Level one.’ He said.
The device paused, then the doors closed. The elevator rattled upwards, slowing as the numbers counted down. The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.
Derward froze, staring at the muzzles of six assault weapons.
A hand reached forwards and Derward felt the electric jolt of something forced against his chest. His body tensed, every muscle spasming, then his legs buckled, and he fell to the floor. He couldn’t move anything, even his eyes ignored his commands. He stared at his attackers, unable to blink as they kicked his side and dragged him along the floor by his feet. Derward felt his heart racing, adrenaline tempting him into shock. He retreated inwards, calming his body, memorizing the faces of his captors, the route they were taking him, every detail that fell past his eyes.
They travelled through the ship, depositing him in an over-lit room. He was facing the mirrored floor, his view obstructed. A figure stood over him, and he felt the small scratch of an injection in his neck. His muscles became warm as, one by one, they came back under his control.
Derward blinked, restoring moisture to his dry eyes as he tested his dexterity. His hands didn’t work properly, and he struggled to lift himself over.
‘Unpleasant, isn’t it?’
There was a man in front of him, sitting on a chair. Behind him were three others, each with a gun. He knew their faces, they had brought him here, but the man in the chair was new. He was young, early twenties, thin face with a strong jaw, thick dark hair. It had been years since he ha
d seen him but Derward recognized the face immediately.
‘Don’t worry, your control will return, in time,’ Orcades Draig said with a tight smile. ‘In the meantime, we can talk.’
‘Always happy to talk,’ Derward said, slurring.
‘Good. Your name is Otomo?’
Derward nodded, his recovering muscles exaggerating the gesture. ‘Can I get some water?’
‘And you are a merchant. A trader, buying and selling, moving from arkship to arkship, a different place every week. An exciting life, yes? You must see many things.’
‘Sometimes. Look, I’m happy to talk, but I could really use some water.’
Orcades stood, walking toward Derward. ‘You will be looked after, in time. First, we will talk.’ He squatted in front of him, staring into his eyes. ‘Have we met before?’
He couldn’t possibly remember Derward, Orcades would have been just a child. ‘Depends on who you are. I’ve been here plenty,’ Derward said, hiding his fear behind a smile.
‘You don’t know me?’
Derward said nothing, realizing he’d made a mistake.
Orcades inched closer. ‘A trader, who’s been here plenty, and yet you do not know me?’
Derward squinted. ‘Hard to remember. My brain’s a bit frazzled from your boys’ stick.’
‘Even so, you would forget the Valtais so easily?’
‘Valtais?’ Derward spoke quickly, feigning recollection. ‘You’re him? You’re the Valtais? Hey, I’m sorry, really, it’s been one of those days, what with the battle and all of this. I’m tired, and thirsty, and I’m sorry I didn’t know who you are, really I am.’
Orcades laughed. ‘You are a good liar, very good.’
‘I’m not lying, really I’m not,’ Derward pleaded.
‘Everyone lies, at least to begin with,’ Orcades replied, straightening. ‘But soon, very soon, you’ll tell me everything.’
AFTERMATH
‘Derward Tarkkail, a traitor?’ Wynn said, aghast.
‘The evidence points in that direction,’ the Lord Chamberlain Cam Tanis replied solemnly.
Wynn leaned back from the table, trying to take in what Tanis had told him. ‘I can’t believe that. I’d trust him with my life. You must be wrong.’
Tanis sighed impatiently and activated the table’s holograph. ‘Derward Tarkkail left the Vengeance on board his ship, the . . .’ He checked his pad. ‘The Lupaus, just prior to your Cube transit. The Caerleon was still there. As we broke off our attack we monitored the Lupaus’ flight plan. It communicated with the Fenrir’s docking traffic controllers, gave off a different transponder code than the one we have on record for him, and was allowed entry. By the time we left he was safely on board the enemy’s flagship.’
Bara was sat on the edge of the table, arms folded, not committing herself to a chair. She had been silent throughout the meeting so far. She looked up, her face tense. ‘I’ve known Derward longer than any of you. I’ve never had cause to question his loyalty . . . until now.’
‘Until now?’ Wynn replied, hardly able to hide his disappointment. ‘Don’t say you believe this?’
She didn’t reply, turning her back to him.
Gofal leaned forwards, catching Wynn’s eyes. ‘The evidence the Lord Chamberlain has presented is compelling.’
‘Compelling? We’re talking about our friend, not a statistic or an equation. I still don’t believe it. I can’t believe it.’
‘Gods damn it, Wynn, look at the facts!’ Tanis replied, slamming his hand onto the table top. ‘We walked into a trap. We were told the Fenrir would be alone. It wasn’t. Someone led us there. Then, in the middle of the battle, Tarkkail leaves the Vengeance and docks with the enemy! He punched a dock worker and made an illegal departure. What other conclusion can we come to?’
‘No one told us the Fenrir would be alone,’ Wynn replied, raising his voice. ‘We presumed. I presumed, based on the information we have. I was wrong.’
‘And where did that information come from?’
‘The Church,’ Wynn replied, his voice losing its fire.
‘Through Derward Tarkkail. He was a Reader once; did you know that?’
Wynn said nothing, his surprise written across his face.
‘I knew him years ago,’ Tanis continued, speaking quietly. ‘He was a Reader then. He left the Church, but you know he’s still close to the Scribe.’
‘You knew this, and yet you did not tell me?’ Wynn asked, feeling betrayed.
Tanis looked at his hands. ‘I felt it was a personal matter for Tarkkail to divulge. I did not think that it mattered now, so many years later. I see now that I was wrong.’
Wynn shook his head, standing to pace the War Room. ‘It was Reader Mallory who brought the information to us, not Derward.’
‘She was being used by Tarkkail,’ Tanis snapped. ‘We’ve interrogated her; she doesn’t seem to know anything about it. I think Tarkkail used her to feed the information to you.’
‘She was quite distraught,’ Gofal noted.
Wynn returned to the table. He was tired, his energy spent. He hadn’t slept since their flight through The Infinite, and half-forgotten visions kept breaking in to confuse his eyes. ‘I thought I knew him. He was a friend.’
Tanis came to his side. ‘He was Draig, and he fooled us all. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can move on.’
The evidence was hard to argue against, and yet Wynn couldn’t shake the feeling that it was wrong.
Bara stood, resting her hand on his shoulder. ‘We are all hurt, Wynn, but you are our prince. You can’t let your personal feelings get in the way. You must lead.’
She was right, he knew that. He took a moment to compose himself, then said, ‘Thank you, Cam. Forgive my questions, I don’t doubt your evidence.’
‘I understand,’ Tanis replied.
Wynn acknowledged him with a polite nod. ‘What must we do to limit the damage?’
‘We have already changed all command access codes,’ Gofal said. ‘We have reviewed our security systems and we are adding in additional safety measures. We are also scanning both arkships for trackers or other transmitters.’
‘Thank you, Gofal,’ Wynn said, turning to Tanis. ‘It’s good to have you back with us again, Cam. How are repairs on the Caerleon?’
‘She’s in better shape than the Vengeance,’ he replied with a tired chuckle. ‘We’ve started to assign repair teams from the Caerleon to help here.’
‘The engines are our main concern. Until they’re back online, we’re a sitting target. Bara?’
She looked at him, as if she wasn’t listening. ‘They’re doing it as quickly as they can.’
‘I’m sure they are,’ Wynn replied. ‘But they need a chief, someone who knows those systems inside out, someone who can get things done.’
‘You’re looking at the wrong person, Wynn.’
‘Bara, you’re the perfect person for the job. Please, the Vengeance needs you.’
Bara tensed. ‘I’ve said I’d help get things repaired, but I’m no chief, Wynn.’
‘You saved us when the chief got killed. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.’
Bara turned on him, her anger erupting. ‘And the chief wouldn’t be dead if . . .’ She stopped herself and walked away from the table.
‘I know,’ Wynn replied quietly, holding back his emotion. ‘It’s because of me that he’s dead.’
‘Look, I didn’t mean it like that,’ Bara said, but she wouldn’t look at him.
‘Many people have died, Bara. Draig started this war, but I’ll end it. Those deaths won’t be in vain. As soon as we’ve completed repairs we can avenge the fallen and put an end to this bloodshed.’
Bara shook her head, finally staring at him. ‘Can you hear yourself? Can you hear what you’re saying? After everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve lost, all you can talk about is more killing.’
‘This has to end.’ Wynn said firmly.
�
��You’re right, it does. It’s ending for me today. I’m sorry, but I’ve lost too much already. I’m not going to help you kill us all.’ Tears formed in her eyes. She stood, watching him, waiting.
‘Bara, we need those engines repaired.’
She shook her head, crying. ‘I won’t help you anymore, Wynn, I’m sorry.’
Wynn felt a tremble in his stomach as he stared at her. With Bara, his emotions were never simple or clear. ‘What are you saying?’
‘That I’m leaving. I can’t be a part of this war. It’s suicide! I’m leaving on Lexica.’
‘You’re the best engineer we have! You can’t just go.’
She wiped her face, stepping closer to him. ‘Is that all I am to you?’
‘Of course not! Look, this is stupid. You know how I feel about you. You know you’re needed here. You can’t just go!’
‘It’s up to you, Wynn. If you want to repair the arkship, build this community, mourn our dead, make this family whole again, then I’ll stay. But if all you can see is vengeance and killing and death, then I can’t stand with you any longer.’
Wynn stared at her, unable to think clearly. The jumble of images he had seen in The Infinite came back to him, confusing his senses. He gripped the edge of the table, waiting for it to pass.
‘Well?’ Bara insisted.
‘I . . . we’re not safe as long as Draig is still–’
She threw her hands up and turned towards the doors. ‘Enjoy your war, Wynn!’
Bara stormed through the doors of the War Room and disappeared from sight. Wynn wanted to go after her, but everything seemed to be happening too quickly for him to respond. He slumped into his chair, stroking his chin. He was only vaguely aware of Gofal standing.
‘Prince Halstead,’ he began.
Wynn looked up. Gofal rarely used Wynn’s formal title and name outside of official functions.
Arkship Vengeance (The Arkship Saga Book 2) Page 11