New Earth One

by Lance Powers

  “And you refused him.” He looked up at her with a hint of worry.

  “Yes.” She replied, fighting back the urge to scream. “…and further condemned myself to be sold as a slave to his alien friends.”

  “Alien.” He said, without surprise or emotion, as if something that absurd was a pretty routine thing.

  “Yes, that’s the whole point, Garth. The President is in league with some aliens who want a piece of this planet. He is fine with that as long as he gets to lord it over all the humans locked up in his citadel.”

  Evans kept silent, but his brow was furrowed in an intense frown and his thin lips were quivering. He looked like he was in some deep thought, as if working on a complex mathematical equation. “I’ll help you, Doctor.” He finally said, catching her off guard.

  “You will?” She couldn’t believe her ears. “But how?”

  “I’m going to get you out of here.” He stated resolutely.

  “Huh?” She looked at him blankly.

  “Wait a while.” He stood up. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “But… but what are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to log in a prisoner transfer request and get you out of here.”

  “Will it work?” She touched his hand gently, feeling the coarseness of his palm and the latent strength.

  “Yes, Doctor.” He said, and brushed his fingertips to hers, sending a jolt of sudden electricity through her. “I’ll be back in five.”

  Regina gasped as she watched him leave the cell and stride off. She hoped that was not the last she would be seeing of him. But even if it was, talking to him again made her feel strangely good. And when he said he was getting her out of there, she could have kissed him. Suddenly she felt very hungry, and those uninspiring squares on the trays began to look very inviting. She picked one up and bit into it gingerly.

  “Mhh. Not too bad.” She had to admit. “Tastes like ground beef, a tad under seasoned but still good.”

  Before she knew it, she had eaten all the food off both trays and Evans was back outside the cell door. It opened and he walked in holding out an exo suit for her. It was a standard naval issue suit, hardier and more flexible than her own suit that was confiscated before she was put under lock and key.

  “Where are we going?” She whispered, barely able to contain her excitement as the suit assembled itself over her body.

  “Out.” He said in his usual flat tone and fastened the restraints to her hands. “Now keep silent and follow me.”

  She did as he commanded and soon they were outside the containment sector and boarding a ship. There were two others in the ship. She recognized the blond young man from the mission, Corporal Parson. The other was a young woman with shoulder length dark hair she had never seen before. They nodded at the Colonel and touched the rim of their helmets in salute.

  “Thank you, people, for joining me on such short notice.” Evans told them as he took a seat and fastened the seatbelt. “Let’s go, pilot.”

  “Aye, aye, Colonel. Anchors aweigh!” The pilot laughed and undocked the ship out of the hangar.

  “Is it safe to talk now?” Regina leaned over and whispered to Evans.

  “Yes.” He nodded. “Tell me everything Roberson told you.”

  “Um… what about them?” She jerked her head at the two member crew.

  “They are with me in this. You know Corporal Parson from earlier, and our pilot is Captain Eileen Icelander. You can speak freely.”

  “Okay.” Regina nodded, easing back into her seat. Evans listened with cold fury burning in his eyes as she narrated every little detail of her infuriating exchange with Roberson that morning. He seemed to be taking mental notes, as he asked her to repeat a few things over and over; more specifically about the supposed alien involvement.

  “Tell me, Garth.” She asked him when he was satisfied with all she had to say. “What made you suddenly want to help me, and take this rather enormous risk?”

  “You are innocent, Regina.” His voice was strangely tender. “And I can’t live with myself if I stand by and do nothing.”

  “Well, I… I am very grateful.” She told him, feeling a sudden rush of heat flooding her face and ears.

  “I’m needed to log in a few reports to High Command.” He told her and turned toward the back of the ship. “Ride up front with the pilot, if you wish.”

  She would have rather been with him, but she didn’t want to make it look she depended on him for everything. At least he was with her and not against, in this, the worst situation of her twenty four years of existence. She moved up to the ship’s cockpit and slid into the vacant seat next to the pilot. The slender woman gave her a quick nod and a smile.

  “Where are we going?” Regina asked the other woman, peering out of the windscreen at the darker regions of the citadel they were speeding over.

  “Somewhere your accuser will least expect to find you?” The pilot replied.

  “Home.” She looked skeptical.

  “Your new home.” Eileen Icelander told her with a smirk.

  “A safe house then.” Regina sighed deeply. “Aren’t you going to be in trouble for aiding and abetting a criminal condemned by the President himself?”

  “Pa-faw! Never liked that pompous bastard anyway.” The hot eyed pilot laughed. “And neither does the Colonel by the looks of it.”

  “And what about Corporal Parson?” She asked the other woman, noting for the first time how eerily ghost-like Eileen Icelander’s blue eyes were.

  “He’s an idiot. He’ll do anything Evans tells him to do.”

  “And you, Captain?” She asked, noting that the ship had dropped into a zonal lane and was slowing down for a landing.

  “Me. Hell, no!” Icelander let out a wild laugh. “I’m my own woman, Doc. It’s only my duty to follow Evans orders that makes me; though this time I agree with him full throttle.”

  “Why this time?”

  “You’ll see soon enough. We are here.” The captain grinned as she expertly docked the little speeder.

  The front door of the ship opened and they stepped outside. She noted Evans and Parson had their guns drawn and primed for firing. The darkened docking bay was unlike any she had known in the citadel. This was seemingly one of the many unpopular zones of the citadel she had often heard about but never experienced. The air around her felt charged and tense. Only Icelander appeared as cool as her name would suggest, though by nature she was quite the opposite. Evans gave the pilot a curt nod and she stuck two fingers into her mouth and whistled sharply twice.

  Regina’s heart skipped a few beats when shadowy forms melted out of the surrounding dimness and walked up to them. The forms got closer and she could see they were just men and women in dark exo suits, weapons in hand. Evans stepped up protectively in front of her, and he and Parson held their guns up and stood tensed for a firefight.

  “Ease up, folks. Daddy’s naughty little girl is home.” Icelander said in a singsong voice and waved her arms over her head.

  “Eileen Icelander.” A rather heavyset figure in an old exo suit stepped up to them. “I see you have brought us guests. How wonderful!”

  “Keep your hands where I can see them, old man.” Evans barked at the man.

  “Ah, the patriotic Colonel Evans and the esteemed Doctor Regina Scott.” The other laughed and removed his helmet, revealing a head full of white hair on a very red, weather beaten face. “Welcome to the free world. I am Mavis Orkney.”

  Chapter Six

  ‘NAR-AX-0010 Garth Andrew Evans’ flashed on the screen confirming his identity. Taking his wrist off the barcode scanner, he zipped his sleeve up once more. Never had he imagined the rebels would have access to so much tech and resources. The place was well hidden and protected with cloaking devices, and he could hazard a guess this was not the only one. The rebel faction had a wider reach and influence than it had been given credit for, he understood.

  “He’s the real deal, ladies and gentlemen.”
Eileen Icelander told the assembled group standing around him. “The one and only Colonel Garth Evans.”

  “So he is.” The imposing figure of Mavis Orkney took a step toward him. “And he has finally seen the light.”

  “After all these years, and all it took was a pretty little scientist to do that.” A tall, well built woman standing next to Orkney said with a laugh that could have also passed off for a snarl.

  “And so it did.” Garth told the full-figured redhead coldly.

  “Ah, you mustn’t mind my daughter, Colonel.” Orkney offered. “Jillian tends to be quite outspoken sometimes, as you well know.”

  “I don’t mind at all, Orkney.” He turned toward the rebel faction leader. “What do you think of my proposal?”

  “A real ballsy one, Colonel.” Orkney nodded. “Nothing of the like we have ever attempted before.”

  “There’s always a first time, Dad.” Jillian Orkney said as she looked directly at Garth. “I like your daring proposal, Colonel. When do we get to execute it?”

  “Whenever you’re ready, Miss Orkney.”

  “We always are, Colonel.” She gave him another feral grin.

  “Then let’s move out.” He waved his hand above his head.

  The team he selected included the rookie Parson and the defector Icelander, Jillian Orkney and two of her father’s best men, also former naval officers. The plan was simple. Hit the Presidential residence hard to create a diversion and abduct his only daughter.

  As the sleek ship sped out of the hidden lane and into the commercial roadway, Garth checked on the readings from Regina’s exo suit on his handheld receiver. The young scientist was still asleep. He had her sedated for her own good. She needed the rest after the turmoil of the last few days.

  “We’ll hit ground zero in sixty seconds.” Icelander announced.

  “Miss Orkney, stand by to jump.” Garth told the rebel and her two cohorts.

  “Ready and waiting, Colonel.” The redhead replied, grinning though her visor. “And you can call me Jill. We’re on the same team again.”

  “Raise hell, Jill.” Icelander called after the wild eyed woman as the redhead and her team dived out of the open hatch.

  “They’re going to hit the Northwest wing.” Garth told his team. “I’m picking up Cecilia Roberson’s distinct signature pattern from the south side of the building. Take us there, Ice.”

  “We’re so there, boss.” The pilot yelled, banking a hard left and rocketing off southward.

  The ship circled the area of the large building where the President’s daughter was supposed to be. Her signature readings on the scanner were bright and steady. It was now or never.

  “Come with me, Corporal.” Garth called and dived out of the hatch. The jets on his boots burst into life, guiding him down an air current right through an open window and into the Presidential mansion’s opulent hallway. Parson came in smoothly behind him and they deactivated the boot jets, breaking into a silent run.

  Jillian Orkney and her boys were tearing it up at the front of the mansion, drawing away all the heavy security. The room Roberson’s only daughter was in had just the one guard. He was taken by surprise when Garth stepped up before him. A quick jab from his stun-stick rendered the young soldier senseless.

  “Miss Roberson. The mansion is under attack.” Garth told the bewildered eighteen-year old as he burst into her room. “We have to get you to safety.”

  “My… my Dad?” The pretty blonde looked at him with wide eyed horror. “What about my dad, Colonel Evans?”

  “The President is being safely escorted away by his bodyguards.” He lied. “He sent us to take you to him. Come, we’ve got to run.”

  And they ran; right into the waiting ship that took them all the way back to the secret rebel base somewhere in the darker regions of the citadel. The young woman was too dumbstruck to say anything and probably also frightened of him. He was certainly not a stranger to her; he was not a stranger to most people in the concerned circles of his profession. On several official missions Garth had been to the Presidential mansion and knew the girl ever since she was a child. It didn’t make him feel good about himself for doing what he did, but it was the only way.

  “Corporal Parson.” He whispered to the young rookie. “Cecilia Roberson is your responsibility. Keep her under close watch at all times, and make her feel comfortable. At no time must you tell her the truth. She is to believe that this is a security measure and she will return home once it’s safe again.”

  “Understood, Colonel.” The youth said in his deepest voice.

  “Very good.” He nodded and walked away. “Take her down to one of the secure cells below and stay there with her. Get her whatever she needs.”

  Parson was a good soldier, he knew that. A bit vacant upstairs but the boy followed orders, especially his. This experience would build some character for the rookie. Nothing was better than real hands-on knowledge, no matter how many simulation exercises and instructional manuals were available.

  “Colonel Evans.” Mavis Orkney welcomed him back as he stepped into the area where the rebel faction held their pow-wows. “You’ve made the news again, and not in your usual heroic way.”

  “What are they saying?” He almost growled.

  “That you are now a wanted fugitive running with my heinous rebel scum and raising hell.”

  “Anything about the girl?”

  “None yet, and I think Roberson would want to keep that under wraps.” Orkney said with a nod of his large head. “Tactical advantage and all that.”

  “I’ve got to get in there and negotiate a deal with him.” Garth said through gritted teeth. “But not before I find out everything he’s been doing.”

  “You’re the most wanted man on New Earth One right now, Colonel Evans.” Orkney chuckled. “That makes me a bit envious, being dethroned by the likes of you.”

  “You can keep your title, old man.” He said, scanning the monitor feeds closely. “All I need is a means to end this nonsense and get things back to normal.”

  “Normal in the sense that Roberson keeps getting his way and everyone goes on plodding under his whip?” The old rebel leader sounded pained. “That might work for you, my patriotic friend, but it has never had for me.”

  “What’s your story, Orkney?” Garth turned to face the white haired rebel. “What makes you want to do any of this?”

  “You’re a fine soldier, Colonel. A good man to depend on, but you’re too rigid, too much by the rulebook… all head and no heart.” Orkney told him and sipped on a dark hued drink from a cup. “But it’s for the better that you’ve seen the truth, and that happens when one finds a good reason to do so.”

  “And what is my reason?” He pursed his lips.

  “You’ve found someone to care about.” Orkney had a small smile on his lips. “You’ve found love.”

  He wanted to laugh at the old man, but deep down he knew what the rebel leader said was based on some truth. He did care, cared enough to risk his entire career and his life for a woman he had barely known for a day and half. Exhaling deeply, he hardened his gaze on Orkney. “You’re not entirely wrong, rebel. But I didn’t ask you for an evaluation of me.”

  “Yes, I understand.” Orkney grinned wide. “You wanted to know what my story here was. So I will tell you. Colonel. In the year 2305 you were…?”

  “A rookie younger than Corporal Parson.” Garth replied emotionlessly. “What of it?”

  “That’s the year Leland Roberson became President, and he did that by worming his way into office after inciting public opinion against Terry Langston.”

  “Langston was President before Roberson, I recall.” He nodded.

  “Your memory serves you well, Colonel.” Orkney smiled approvingly. “And do you also recall who President Langston’s chief of staff was?”

  “Some Regis or Jarvis… Mavis… Orkney. You!”

  “Yes, sir.” Orkney made a little bow. “Twenty years of service, and eight meda
ls of honor.”

  “And you started this rebel faction because Roberson didn’t retain you?”

  “Far from it, laddie. I retired with distinction.” The rebel leader held his head high. “Roberson conned his way into office, he used every nefarious trick in the book to defame my friend Langston, and slandered him with accusations of destroying the planet’s eco-system.”

  “We now know that it was Roberson who initiated that.” Garth frowned.

  “I knew that all along, I just didn’t believe it was aliens who helped that cretin.” The older man popped his knuckles. “That certainly changes the equation.”

  “Yes, we don’t really know what we are up against with these aliens.” Garth shook his head slowly. “I have to get in there and do some recon.”

  “How will you get past… well, anyone?” Orkney gave him an apologetic look. “With your name up in lights now.”

  “I’ve been working on a prototype cloaking array on my exo suit… with a little help from Doctor Scott.”

  “Really?” Orkney raised a bushy white eyebrow. “What does it do?”

  “It’s a complete upgrade on the ones we already have. This one can’t be detected by any means, not even by the air wave disruption around it.”

  “Oh, that’s incredible.” The rebel looked excited. “I want it for all of my people.”

  “It’s still in development.” He told the old man. “I’m going to put it to the test tonight.”

  “Hell of a time to test-run something, with your bloody life hanging in the balance.” Orkney looked grim as he stood up. “But I won’t keep you waiting.”

  “Look after Doctor Scott while I’m gone.” Garth turned around to leave.

  “She’ll be safe here, Colonel. Safer than anywhere else at the moment.”

  It was strange for him to trust this man, this enemy of the state, this hated scourge of the entire planet. But was Orkney really ever the threat here? Not anymore, it seemed to him, now that he could see the bigger picture. He trusted the convicted rebel leader more than he did the President at the moment. Leland Roberson had played them all. And he was still going strong as long as the people of New Earth One kept buying the lie he sold.