by Lance Powers
“Corporal Parson is with her, he’ll keep her safe.” He assured her, but she hardly was.
“Yes, Garth, but she’ll know she’s a hostage as soon as she gets to speak with her father.”
“So she will. That can’t be helped.” He clenched his square jaw hard.
“I’m not okay with this at all, Colonel.” She pouted her lips at him.
“It’s not your call.” His voice was hard edged and she didn’t like it. “You need to concentrate on isolating the core sector connecting all these alien generators. Once we hit that, the chain reaction will deactivate the others and Roberson’s dominion is over.”
“I… yes, you’re right.” She suddenly felt uncomfortable under his ice-cold gaze. Was this his war face on? She didn’t like that at all. “I have a few areas being monitored on the scanners.” She added. “I just need more data to substantiate a conclusion.”
“Good.” He nodded curtly before walking away in the direction Orkney and his daughter had taken.
She stood silently for a while, watching him walk away. The urge to run after him was strong but she controlled herself. He was right, she knew that. What he did was exactly what he was needed to do. And she too had to do just that, in her area of expertise. She decided to head back to the control lab and keep working, even though it bothered her that a young woman was being held there against her will, for the good of their mission or not.
It didn’t take her long to get to the lab, now that she had full access to the entire rebel base. She eased into the large comfortable chair and got to work, focusing on the stream of data pouring in. In a way, this was better than the resources that Earth Gov had. She guessed destroying half of the alien generators had also weakened other areas of the Earth Gov control matrix. This was the perfect time to finally overthrow the stifling regime of Leland Roberson.
The co-ordinates of the remaining alien bases on the planet flashed on the wall of monitors before her. One region in particular was highlighted in red, pulsating rapidly. Her eyes lit up. That was it. The core. That was where the aliens were controlling the other bases from. She noted down the co-ordinates and ran a reference check. She couldn’t help stifle a snorting laugh. Sector PDZ-18. Where it had all started from. To think she had nailed it from the very beginning. She slapped her forehead. Wouldn’t this be a hoot to tell the others, especially Colonel Evans? And no wonder Roberson was so hell bent to get there in person and look into things.
Realization hit her like a bucket of ice cold water then. The entire attack was staged that day, by Roberson. He had intended to frame her from the beginning. The rebel faction had nothing to do with it. Orkney and his people probably never even had a clue about this at all, until Evans and she had come to them after escaping from her cell.
She sat for a while, mulling over it. Her disgust for the President multiplied with every passing moment. To think such a man was in charge of the entire human species. And his innocent teenaged daughter had to suffer being abducted for the sins of her father. She had to do something about it. Maybe if she could talk to the girl, tell her the truth and have her convince her father to change his ways. But how would she do that, she didn’t even know where they were holding the President’s daughter in this enormous rebel base.
She wondered if Garth would agree and take her to where Cecilia was hidden. And then it dawned on her that she didn’t need him at all. She had been given full access to the base, which included the holding cells too. Excited, she went to work, scanning through the base schematics to locate her objective. There she was, the President’s daughter, in a cell just a level below. Regina mapped out the route on her handheld and briskly set off, completely forgetting about the discovery she had made about the aliens’ core control center in sector PDX-18 in her zeal.
“Doctor Scott?” The young blond soldier gave her a look of bewilderment as she stepped up to him.
“Yes. Corporal Parson, is it?” She smiled at him.
“Yes, Ma’am.” He nodded cautiously. “What can …I do for you?”
“I’d like to see Miss Cecilia Roberson.”
“The President’s daughter?”
“Yes. She is in here, correct?” She smiled at him warmly.
“Uh… uhhm, I mean…” The young man looked very ill at ease.
“It’s quite alright. Colonel Evans wouldn’t mind.”
“If you say so, Doctor.”
“Thank you. Now let me in and keep guard outside.” She told him, sounding almost as effective as Garth Evans.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Parson stepped aside and keyed in the code to open the door.
The young woman inside looked up as Regina walked into the little room. Cecelia had a look of concern in her pretty young face. “Have you any news of what’s going on?” She asked Regina. “The Corporal doesn’t seem to know anything.”
“That’s part of his job, Miss Roberson.” She told the girl. “I am Doctor Regina Scott. Tell me, are you alright… no one’s given you any kind of trouble, have they?”
“No, not at all.” Cecilia gave her a searching look. “What’s going on? Colonel Evans told me I’ll be safe here… and so far the only one keeping me company is the Corporal. You’re the first person other than him I’ve seen since yesterday.”
“First of all, I apologize for what’s happened.” Regina placed her hand tenderly on the girl’s shoulder.
“You mean the rebel attack on the mansion?” Cecilia’s blue eyes widened.
“It wasn’t a rebel attack… well; it was, but not just that.” She told the girl, smiling pleasantly. “How old are you, Cecilia?”
“I’m a month short of nineteen.” The blonde replied. “Why?”
“Good. You’re old enough to know the truth.”
“What truth?” Cecilia tensed. “What’s happening… is my Dad okay?”
“Your father is fine.” Regina replied with conviction. “In fact, you will be seeing him soon.”
“Oh, good.” The younger woman sighed and pursed her lips. “I hope the rebels get punished for this.”
“The truth I spoke of is about your father.” Regina said calmly.
“My fa… about Dad?” Cecilia looked at her blankly. “What do you mean?”
“Your father might be the greatest man you know, Cecilia. But in truth he is not a good person.”
“Ohmigod!” The girl sort of blushed and lowered her eyes. “Are you one of the ladies that he’s, you know… um, dated?”
“No, I’m not.” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m a scientist who worked for the Science Division. And now I am allied with the rebel faction.”
“Oh, my goodness.” The President’s daughter pressed back against the wall, her eyes wide in shock. “Are you here to… kill me?”
Good heavens, no, girl.” Regina threw her hands up in the air. “I’m here to tell you what your father really is… better yet I’m going to show you.”
“What he really is?”Cecilia Roberson slumped her narrow shoulders, looking embarrassed. “Wow, I mean… and I thought I was the only one who knew.”
“Knew what?” Regina took in a sharp breath.
“That Dad became the president by not being entirely honest with everyone.”
“You knew that?”
“I kind of guessed as I grew up and began noticing things.” The blonde teen shrugged and made a sad face. “I live in the same house, you know. After Mom passed, I kept mostly to myself, and so did he. But I knew there were a lot of funny things going on with him and his work.”
“So you know about the aliens?” Regina raised an eyebrow at the girl.
“Aliens?” Cecilia gave her a puzzled stare.
“Ah, I thought so.” The scientist shook her had and laughed. “Crazy as it may sound; your father has been dealing with aliens to help him keep New Earth One under his control.”
“Yeah, it sounds crazy alright.” Cecilia exhaled, seemingly relaxing a bit. “But I know my Dad and crazy isn’t the half
of anything he does.”
“So you’re not really surprised.”
“No.” The girl replied. “But I don’t like the sound of it. I want to know more.”
“I can show you everything.” Regina tapped on the door for the Corporal waiting outside. “But I want you to promise me that you’ll convince your father to stop this madness.”
“I will, I promise.” Cecilia nodded eagerly. “What do these aliens look like?”
“We haven’t any of seen them…” She answered and stepped outside as the door slid open. “I think Colonel Evans has, when he spied on the President.”
“Spied?” The blonde gasped and followed her out.
“Well, yeah. Colonel Garth Evans is with the rebel faction now.” Regina informed her in a matter-of-fact manner.
“So I’m a prisoner of the rebel faction.” Cecilia concluded glumly, looking around the corridor they had stepped into.
“More like a hostage.” She told the girl. “Now come, I’ll take you to the Colonel.”
“Why didn’t the Corporal tell me this?” Cecilia gave the young man following them a curious look.
“His orders were not to.” Regina replied, looking back at the surprised Corporal.
“Poor boy.” Cecilia whispered to her. “And he’s so cute too.”
“Yes, he is, isn’t he…?” She smiled. “...and very loyal to Colonel Evans.’
“So what happens to me now?” Cecilia asked as they rounded a corner.
“You’ll be sent back to your father once he abdicates from office.”
“Wow.” The President’s daughter shook her head. “And is he going to be arrested and locked up after that?”
“I don’t know.” Regina clenched her teeth as they approached the command center. “But I would think so. He deserves it for all the damage that he’s done.”
“I am so sorry; I can’t believe Dad did all of this… and with aliens and all. But I know he’s crazy enough.”
“We’re here at the command center.” Regina led the young woman inside. “Please try and convince the President to not make it any worse than it is. More people don’t need to die.”
“I’ll try my best, Doctor Scott.” Cecilia nodded and followed her in. “I will.”
“Doctor Scott?” Garth Evans sounded unusually surprised as they walked up to him. “What is she doing here?”
“I’ve told her everything…” She told him.
“What? Have you lost your mind, Doctor?”
“You don’t understand, Colonel.” Regina replied hotly. “Cecilia has agreed to convince her father to step down and end this once and for all.”
“How much have you told the girl?” Orkney walked up to her.
“Most of what we know about what’s going on and that her father is responsible.”
“I can’t tell all of you how embarrassed I am right now,” Cecilia looked around at everyone there. “…all because of my Dad’s madness.”
“You don’t have to, child.” Orkney told the girl. “But will Roberson listen to you?”
“I’ll try my best, Sir.” She told the imposing rebel leader. “If he doesn’t, I’ll tell him you will kill me.”
“Not our style… but it might work.” Jillian Orkney snorted.
“I’m not too pleased with you letting her out of the protected area, Doctor Scott.” Evans looked at Regina coldly.
“I just couldn’t bear the thought of being part of a kidnapping.” Regina held her resolve.
“I explained that to you… ah, never mind.” Evans shook his head dismissively. “Anything new on the sector sweeps, Doctor?”
“Oh my goodness!” She gasped. She could almost feel her heart drop like a stone through her stomach and all the way down to her feet. How could she have forgotten her only priority on this mission? She took a deep breath to compose herself, licked her lips and looked up at the expectant stares everyone was giving her. “Er… I did find what we were looking for, about an hour ago. Somehow it slipped my mind.”
“Quite unlike you, Doctor.” Evans exhaled loudly and she felt her heart shatter a few more times.
“Give her a break, lad.” Orkney told him. “She’s been under a lot of stress, for one so young.”
“I’ll grant her that.” The Colonel replied in a softer tone. “Okay, Doctor, let’s hear it.”
“It’s in sector PDZ-18… where it all started. I know.” She laughed nervously, with relief or apprehension she couldn’t really tell. “I’m relaying the data to all recipients now.”
“Is that where the aliens are?” Cecilia asked with childlike innocence.
“So we believe.” Orkney told her. “We’re going to have to take over the entire sector and hold it.”
“That’s right.” Regina nodded. “I’ll need full access to the machines there to program in a reversal of the damage… forty years of damage.”
“Okay, I want two teams to move out now.” The rebel leader announced. “Jillian will lead one, and you can command the other, Colonel. Take Doctor Scott with you. I’ll remain here and contact the President. His child will stay with me.”
“With all due respect, Orkney.” Evans told the man. “I’d like to be present for that call.”
“So would I.” Regina added, eyeing Cecilia.
“Fair enough.” Orkney nodded. “Let’s call the President now.”
With a dull beep the overhead monitor in the middle of the room lit up. Static and more beeps and blips went on for another minute before Roberson’s face filled the screen.
“This better be good, Orkney.” The President growled.
“Miss Roberson.” Orkney gestured at the girl to step up before the screen.
Cecilia gave Regina a nervous glance, to which the scientist responded with a nod of assurance. The young woman stepped up to Orkney standing in front of the screen and stared at the surprised look her father had on his face. “Hello Daddy.” She said softly.
“Lia, my child.” Roberson looked genuinely disturbed. “Are you alright? Did any of those… those…”
“I’m fine, Daddy, I really am.” Cecilia seemed to steady her voice. “But they said I can’t go unless you stop whatever it is you’re doing… with the aliens.”
“So they twisted your mind too, did they?” Roberson fumed. “I swear on your mother’s grave, honey, I’m going to wipe them all out.”
“Do what they want, Daddy.” The girl pleaded. “Or else… they’ll kill me.”
“They wouldn’t dare… this is preposterous.”
“Not nearly as much as your grand plan to rule New Earth One.” Regina stepped in front of the monitor and put her arm around Cecilia. “For your daughter’s sake, Mister President, do what’s best for everyone else for a change.”
“You! Doctor Scott!” Roberson leaned in, filling out the screen. “You’ve been behind this all along. And now you’ve got my only child working against me…”
“That’s enough, Leland.” Orkney growled, ushering the two young women out of visual range. “You’ve the proof now that we have your daughter, and she too wants you to stop this dangerous game you’ve been playing for forty years. Call back all the men and women guarding the remaining targets, or their deaths will be on you.”
“You don’t understand what you’re dealing with, Mavis.” Roberson gnashed his teeth. “But as long as you hold my dear Lia hostage, I must comply. I know that turncoat Evans is there with you. Tell him to meet me in person, to work this out… and have him bring my daughter to me.”
“You have no standing to make demands, Leland.” Orkney replied after an exchange of glances with Evans. “The Colonel will meet you in person, but Cecilia will stay here until this is all over.”
“Right then… I’ll be waiting.” The President spat and flicked at the switch before him, ending the call.
“When will you go there, Garth?” Regina whispered to Evans.
“After we have secured sector PDZ-18.” He told her plainly. “Suit
up, Doctor. We’re launching a full scale offensive there in five.”
Mavis Orkney opened a hailing channel to all the rebel bases that were hidden within the citadel and in the areas just outside. “This is it, my brothers and sisters…” His deep voice resonated. “What we’ve dedicated our lives to for nearly four decades. The revolution will come to full circle tonight.”
“That’s right.” Jillian Orkney added. “We’ll be deploying nearly seventy five percent of all our forces to secure the target zone, Sector PDZ-18. That means all our bases will be manned at only twenty percent capacity. Let’s do this, people.”
Regina gave the President’s daughter one last smile as she fell in step behind the Colonel. Cecilia was going to remain within the rebel base there, with Mavis Orkney and a handful of armed rebel soldiers. Evans had ordered Corporal Parson to continue being the young woman’s bodyguard until everything was resolved.
The young scientist felt strange sensations, the likes of she had never before. A sense of excitement and anticipation that made her stomach all tremulous. This was something that was bigger than anything Regina had ever known. Bigger than anyone and everyone. The world as she knew it was going to change and she was a major contributor to it. But before that, they had to secure PDZ-18, and by now that sector would have a full-scale Earth Gov defense formation protecting it. This was going to be a big-time battle, almost a war. Her first war.
A first war for everyone there, for that matter, she mused, as armed men and women in exo suits sporting colors not indicative of Earth Gov filled the launching bay. She would have never guessed in a million years that there were so many people who believed in the rebel faction. So many brave souls who spent their lives opposing Roberson’s disguised tyranny.
More than two dozen cloaked ships took to the air, each carrying close to fifty rebel fighters. That made almost one thousand of them from this central rebel base alone, and then there were many other bases all over the citadel and beyond. There was nothing covert or stealthy about an endeavor of this scale and Regina prayed that Roberson would come to his senses and not have any kind of resistance set up there at Sector PDZ-18. Earth Gov had more than twenty thousand active soldiers. That was almost ten times that of the rebels, and a lot of lives would needlessly be lost unless the President had a change of heart. If not for anyone else, but at least for his only child.