by Lance Powers
Yes, this was the only way, he told himself as his upgraded exo suit fell into place over his body. Regina was still asleep, his scanner told him. He hoped she was having pleasant dreams and when she woke up, most if not all of her dreams he would try to make come true.
What made him do this, he asked himself. Was he doing all this for his own benefit, or for someone else? He knew the answer, at least his heart did. Regina’s lovely face floated before his mind’s eye. Dark silken tresses, eyes so large and beautiful he could drown in them, that nose – so adorable when she frowned thoughtfully, and those lips, so lush, full and tempting. But it was her free spirit that stirred him the most. So young and so ambitious, and so very brave. If not for anything else, he would rally behind her just to see her succeed.
“Let move out, Ice.” He told his pilot, stepping into the sleek two-seater stealth craft suitable for this covert mission.
“Aye, boss.” Eileen Icelander acknowledged and the ship rocketed forward without a sound. “We’ll be there in three minutes and thirty six seconds.”
“And if I’m not out of there in sixty minutes, I want you to hightail it back to base, Ice.” He told the feisty woman. “No heroics, no crazy rescue attempts. You got that, Captain?”
She gave him a silent nod with a sulky pout on her cherry red lips. The ship sped along at twenty miles a minute. Street lights streaked by below them, making a visual display of bright yellows, blues, oranges and greens. And before long the Presidential mansion loomed up under them. The guards had been quadrupled and automated perimeter guns scanned every quarter with unwavering precision.
Garth gave the pilot a quick nod and dropped out of the underside of the stealth ship. He didn’t look up; his focus was on the ground rushing up to meet him. He glided down, jet boots on silent mode, and dropped silently into the lawn below.
The upgrade kicked in upon impact with the ground. The exo suit went into particle-bending mode, rendering him completely invisible to any and all means of detection. The front door of the mansion had at least a dozen armed soldiers. Garth recognized some of Harkens’ unit there, they were all good soldiers like him, and mostly unaware of the corrupt system they served.
He walked past them with ease. The exo suit’s enhanced protocol manipulating chips overrode all security codes and locked doors slid open for him. He was inside the mansion, and the schematics of the building that he tapped into, told him where Roberson did most of his governing of the state from. He headed there, silent as a ghost. Ultra-sonic sweep scans told him that Roberson was not in his office. The President was in the dining area, eating his dinner.
Once inside the President’s control room, Garth activated the data-mining software that Regina had integrated into his exo suit’s programming. The encrypted data from the President’s personal archives poured into the storage unit strapped to his back. He dared not relay the info back to the rebel base. Any kind of live transmission could easily be detected and compromise their objective entirely.
Ultra-sonic feedback alerted him of the President approaching the control room. Garth remained where he was, beside the sliding door. Roberson would not be able to detect him by any means at his disposal. Of that Regina had assured him when she upgraded his exo suit’s stealth programming. He watched the President enter the room and head right for his desk. The man had a worried look on his face. Was it for his missing daughter or everything else that was going on, Garth couldn’t really tell.
Roberson took something out of his pocket. It was a little cube. Garth recognized the little transmission disrupting device. It was a portable model of what he had used on the docking bay earlier. The President was up to something, something that required to be hidden from everyone else. Everyone but him, as long as he remained inside the green luminous grid projected by the little disruptor cube.
The President looked around the room carefully, as if to make sure he was alone. And when his gaze passed over where Garth stood, he looked right through him. Then the man pressed a few buttons on his desk console and a little screen slid up before him. Roberson whispered something and the screen came alive. At first all it displayed was static and a blurry snowstorm. Then the image resolved into what looked like a dark interior of a lab or ship.
“Speak, human.” A metallic voice echoed from the little screen as a darkened figure filled it. Garth could tell that the creature was an alien from the way it looked even in the dim visual of the screen, and what he heard was an automated translation of its native tongue.
“Muregure Prime.” Roberson’s tone was submissive. “We’ve had a few setbacks, I know. But I’ve got everything under control… all I need from you is a twenty five percent boost on all active generators.”
“Twenty five percent, we cannot spare.” This Muregure Prime told him in its metallic overtone. “Maybe ten or perhaps twelve. Indicate the location of all receptors to us again, Rob-Er-Son, and we will boost them.”
“Well, twelve percent will improve on what we have right now.” The President shook his head and rapidly keyed in a few codes. “There, that’s all the receptors we have online at the moment.”
“Be warned, human.” Muregure said as his image began fading away. “You have taken much; we will want our returns doubled for this.”
“Sure, sure.” Roberson rubbed his large hands together and exhaled. “You can have whatever you want, you frigging alien, as long as I get everything I want.”
Garth stood frozen in place. The thought of this man, the leader of the planet, playing with the lives of millions on people for his personal benefit sent rolling waves of rage through him. Only his keen methodical mind held him in check from rushing at Roberson and snapping his neck. He did well to remain calm even as a maelstrom of emotion roiled inside his head. There was enough incriminating evidence to have Roberson locked away for a million years. And he had to get that to the rebel base for effectively using it all against this sorry excuse for a human.
He waited to see what else Roberson had in store to surprise him with, but the man just poured himself a drink and sat with a smug smile on his hateful face. Sipping his drink, the President deactivated the transmission disruptor cube, indicating that he was done with all his secretive dealings, at least for the time being. Garth decided that he had seen enough, the secure door of the control room slid open and he stepped outside. He didn’t care if Roberson noticed the door opening and closing on its own as he rocketed down the hallway and exited the mansion. The man was going to pay for what he had done, with forty years of interest added.
***
“How many in the Naval and Martial Division are like you, Ice?” He asked his pilot as he climbed into the seat beside her.
“If you mean secretly aligned to Orkney…” The dark haired woman said casually. “I can name them all.”
“No need for names, just get word out that it’s time.”
“Got what you were looking for then?” Icelander smirked and widened her ghostly blue eyes at him.
“Enough to bury that bastard for a few million years.” He grunted, feeling a little uncomfortable by her ethereal stare.
Icelander’s rakish laughter filled the little craft as she expertly brought it into the rebel base docking bay. Garth exited the ship and hurried over to the rebel base control room. He found Orkney and his daughter Jillian, a few others and Regina waiting there for him.
“Here, we’ve got him now.” He said, handing over the data storage unit to Regina. “It’s all in here. His dealings with the aliens, how they corrupted New Earth One, and what he gains from it all.”
“More importantly we’ve got accurate information of the locations from where the aliens have been corrupting the planet’s eco-system.” Regina said, as she processed the data he had collected. “They’re using these out of the way industrial buildings as fronts to cover for their dirty work. And there’s quite a few of these places.”
“Excellent.” Jillian Orkney clapped her hands. “Now we can tak
e them out.”
“Standard demolition squads are ready.” Her father nodded. “Three targets at a time. Jill and I will lead two teams; you can lead the third, Colonel.”
“We’ll have some opposition, for sure.” Regina said and looked at Garth. “Are you okay with fighting against your former fellow soldiers, Garth?”
“They are the enemy now, Regina.” He told her. “But I’ll give them a fighting chance, if they listen to reason.”
“I’m going with you.” The young scientist stated obtrusively.
“Like hell. It’s going to be dangerous.” He held up his hand. “Besides, we need you here, monitoring everything and feeding us Intel.”
“But you might…” Regina began to protest.
“Out there I’ll be doing what I do best, Regina. And you will do what you do best here in the command center.” He told her sternly and walked away.
He didn’t intend to shut her down like that, but he couldn’t listen to his heart, not now. Not that he ever did before, but of late some of the decisions he was making had little to do with his head. And given the current situation, Garth Evans needed to keep his head on his broad shoulders more than he had ever done in his life before now.
***
The first three raids were perfect successes. Earth Gov did not expect the level of concentrated attacks on secluded industrial sectors. The rebels met with little resistance if any as they blew the structures housing the alien corruption generators to smithereens. Nine of the buildings were razed to the ground with everything in them. By now, Garth knew that Earth Gov would beef up security on all the remaining locations. And if the data Regina was feeding them was accurate, there were sixty six more such depots to go. That was the forty years of hard work that Roberson boasted so much about, the setting up of secret alien corruption generators for him to lord it over all of New Earth One. Well, all that was going to be undone, and in much less than the forty years it took the President to build it.
His fourth target loomed up before him, the tenth over all. And just as he had predicted, security was beefed up by the herd. He could count at least eighteen armed soldiers and four automated high grade plasma-fire cannons. His heart ached when he spotted his former second-in-command Kimberly Danish leading the defense force. But he hardened his heart, letting his head rule once again. It was a good thing that everything Danish knew about tactical war, she had learnt from him. But he hadn’t taught her everything he knew.
He held up his hand, signally his demolition squad to a halt. They carried a heavy payload that could decimate their intended target within three seconds. He did not want any of the defensive Earth Gov soldiers dying for something not worth fighting for.
“Captain Danish.” He hailed his former teammate.
“It’s Major Danish now, Colonel.” She told him. “The President promoted me himself.”
“Well, congratulations, Kim.” He sighed. “But what you’re fighting for is a lie. If you and your team stand down, no one needs to die today.”
“Afraid I can’t do that, Sir.” The tall woman shook her head slowly. “Some of us still hold on to the vows we took to defend this planet and its people.”
“The vows you took are same as I did.” He told her softly. “But the foundation for that was a lie.”
“By defecting to join the rebels, you are an enemy of the state now, Colonel.” Danish cocked her heavy hand-cannon. “Surrender to us now, and you may still receive a Presidential pardon.”
“Presidential pardon.” He almost laughed. “Roberson has had us all duped.”
“That’s treason, Colonel.” Danish said through gritted teeth and raised her hand to signal the attack. “Defend yourself.”
He anticipated the exact formation she would deploy and he had just the counter for it. A barrage of cannon fire and thermal blasts rained all around him, but his strategic counter move had half of the Earth Gov defenders down, either killed or injured. He regretted the carnage, but had little choice. None of the nine rebels with him were hit.
“Garth, I’ve got the electromagnetic field disruptor initiated over your area radius.” Regina’s voice resonated inside his helmet receptors.
“About time, Doctor. Engage.” He softly told her.
A numbing sonic boom filled the air around them and suddenly the remaining Earth Gov soldiers, including Danish, began collapsing to the ground, their battle mode exo suits completely deactivated. Of the eighteen men and women, six were dead and three injured from the fire fight before and the rest were rendered defenseless by the EMP disruptor, trapped inside their own powerless exo-suits.
“Proceed with the objective, people.” He told the three member demolition team. “The rest of you take these soldiers into custody, leave the Major to me.”
The armor suited demolition team moved in with practiced efficiency. Two of them zipped around the base of the building setting up particle disrupter units on strategic points of the building with amazing speed, while the third keyed in accurate detonation codes equally fast. The entire process took less than two minutes and the trio stepped back to watch the results of their labor in action. The detonator raised his hand, signaling the flick of the trigger.
As the tenth industrial building with its alien contents began to disintegrate under their powerful particle disruptors, Garth stood over his former second-in-command and stared into her helpless yet agitated eyes.
“Major Danish,” he told her. “I’m taking your crew prisoner. I will let you go free. Once your exo suit’s backup power kicks in… go back to the President and tell him New Earth One is no longer going to be his personal amusement park.”
He noted the fire in her green eyes flicker in confusion for a second before he turned around and walked away toward the heavily armored cruise ship under his command.
“Next stop, Sector EDE-66.” Icelander’s shrill voice rang in his ears.
Chapter Seven
“NAR-SD-1013 Regina Lauren Scott.” The bald headed technician read off the central security database screen. “There, you now have official clearance to all access areas of this base of operations, Doctor Scott.”
“Thank you, Ed.” Regina smiled. “The rebel faction must be very well funded to have almost as much resources as Earth Gov.”
“We have our ways.” The head tech replied with a grin. “And Earth Gov isn’t all that powerful and protected as it would like everyone to believe.”
“But they still control everything.” She said morosely.
“Not for long, Doc.” Jillian Orkney said as she walked into the room. “Dad’s going to have a little chat with the President. Come watch.”
Regina nodded and followed the tall redhead down a series of metallic corridors. The room they entered looked almost like a lab, with all manner of equipment and paraphernalia that was very familiar to her. This was the rebel command center, she understood. Mavis Orkney was seated on a large chair before a medium sized viewing screen, and Garth Evans stood by his side, muscular arms folded across his broad chest. The screen flickered to vibrant life and a red faced Leland Roberson was glaring at them through it.
“Where is my daughter, Orkney?” The President demanded without preamble.
“Here with me.” The rebel leader replied grimly. “Safe and sound, for now.”
“You have gone too far this time, rebel…”
“Save it, Roberson.” Orkney cut him off. “You and I both know this meeting isn’t about your daughter.”
Regina couldn’t follow what was going on for a while, and then it dawned on her. The rebels had taken the President’s daughter hostage. She had seen Cecilia Roberson a few times from afar over the years. Cecilia was a pleasant young girl, blond and blue eyed and seemingly very well mannered. That fact that the rebels held her captive sent a chill through Regina and she felt a knot in her stomach. She hadn’t expected them to try something so extreme.
“What ever do you mean, Orkney?” Roberson’s voice rose to a high pit
ch. “I want Cecilia returned unharmed.”
“And you shall, Mister President, right after you withdraw all Earth Gov troops from the remaining thirty nine industrial buildings that we are going to destroy, and then you will retire from Office.”
“You must be going senile, Orkney. You’re what, pushing seventy now?” Roberson chortled in that irritating manner of his. “I can’t let you damned rebels cause any more destruction to Earth Gov property.”
“We’re going to hit them regardless, Leland.” Orkney sounded dead serious. “Withdrawing the troops will spare a lot of lives.”
“I want to see my daughter first, old man. I want to know that she is safe and unhurt…”
“We’ll call you back after we discuss that over. Orkney out.”
The screen went blank as Orkney disconnected the link. He turned to Evans and nodded. The stone faced Colonel nodded back and said something into his comm. link. Regina had to know what was going on. She walked up to Evans hurriedly, before he could follow Orkney out of the room.
“What’s all this about the President’s daughter?” She asked him, staring into his gray eyes.
“We’ve taken the girl hostage, to keep Roberson in line.”
“Isn’t that a little too extreme.”
“It was necessary.” He exhaled deeply. “We need the leverage.”
“But the poor innocent girl… she must be traumatized, Garth.”
“She doesn’t know that she’s a hostage.”
“What?” Her eyes went wide.
“I told her that the President was under attack and this is a safe house.” Evans replied calmly.
“You mean… you are the one who abducted her?” She couldn’t believe he would do such a thing.
“The girl doesn’t know that. She thinks I’m still with Earth Gov and doing my job to protect the President.”
“But, Garth…” Her mind continued to reel.