‘Yes I’m concerned!’ Dowler said. He was sitting in a chair, facing more or less away from Aneka and his bedroom. She could see a phone in his hand, held to his ear. Whoever he was talking to was elsewhere in the system. ‘Elroy was looking daggers at me all through the meeting this afternoon. I’m quite sure he wants me dead…’
Aneka raised the disrupter, but Dowler was still talking and she paused. It would be better to wait until he was finished. Less chance of his apparently natural death being reversed by a rapid response.
‘I know he’s just a politician. I’m just a politician. How many people have I had killed?’ There was a pause and then, ‘I’m secure for the moment. The device you gave me worked against the telepaths, they got nothing. Truelove looked distinctly displeased. We need to get rid… She’s more trouble alive!’ His face tensed. Whoever he was talking to was not pleased. ‘No, I’m not questioning your decision. I simply feel that, now that everything is out in the open, there’s less need to be subtle.’
Screw waiting, if it was his handler he was talking to they were unlikely to report a problem. She raised the disruptor again and pressed the button. It made no sound, and for a second Aneka thought it might not be working. There was no visible effect, but after a second Dowler let out a shriek of pain. The phone flew from his hand, hitting a wall, as the man clutched at his chest, gasping and gulping at the air like a floundering fish. He rolled, slowly, forward and off the chair, falling to the plush carpet where he twitched once and then lay still, his eyes glazed.
Aneka lowered her weapon and slipped out of the room. She almost wished the wind would penetrate the metal skin she was wearing. Killing someone in a fair fight was different somehow. This kind of death made her feel dirty. But she still had to get out of the building; there was no time for worrying over her morals now.
Pulling her coat back on she said, ‘Make sure the door is locked, then we’ll go back up to the roof.’
‘Already done,’ Al informed her.
Nodding, she stepped onto the railing and let the harness haul her upward.
23.1.529 FSC.
There were Peacekeepers and FSA agents all over the lobby of the building as Aneka walked out. One of the agents moved to stop her, but he was intercepted by the guard Aneka had spoken to earlier.
‘She’s okay. She’s been… busy all night.’
Yeah, busy hiding on the top floor for the last three hours. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked, widening her eyes in surprise.
‘Uh, one of our residents had a heart attack,’ the guard replied. ‘His implant reported it immediately, of course, but he was too paranoid to let us in without his permission, and he was too busy dying to give it. Took them two hours to cut their way through his security.’
‘Oh that’s terrible. Who was he? Perhaps I know him… professionally.’
‘Doubt it. Never seen the guy with a woman. Or a man.’ The guard leaned forward and dropped his voice. ‘Between you and me, I think he was into robots or aliens, or he was just sick.’
Aneka giggled. ‘I know plenty of sick people. Maybe I’ll see you around. Night.’ Smiling, she strutted out past the assembled ranks of officials praying hard that none of them was going to recognise her. Most of them relied on their implants to remember people, and right now she was Leticia and wearing a wig, but you never knew.
She started breathing again when she was on the subway heading home.
Yorkbridge Mid-town.
Ella waited for twenty minutes before joining Aneka in the shower. She found her just leaning into the water, arms braced against the wall, head bowed. Ella slipped in between Aneka and the wall, reaching out and lifting the blonde woman’s chin.
Aneka gave her a bleak smile. ‘I’m fine. I will be fine.’
Ella nodded. ‘When I had to shoot that Herosian in the back, on Odanari, you were there for me while I fretted over it. I know you’re like this super killing machine, but you’re not an assassin. I understand it’s not the same. So, you were there for me, I’m here for you.’
Nodding, Aneka stepped forward, pressing Ella up against the wall and kissing her hard. There was an instant of surprised stiffness, then enthusiastic response, and then the gasping for breath as Aneka finally let her go.
‘I, uh, I need to breathe, remember?’ Ella said, her voice husky.
‘I know. I’m going to be a little rough tonight. In the morning I’ll be very tender.’ Reaching down, she took Ella’s wrists in her hands and pulled them up over her head, enhanced strength allowing her to keep them rising until Ella was on the tips of her toes, looking at Aneka with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation.
‘Anything you want,’ Ella whispered.
~~~
CFM News was on the wall screen. Aneka was basically watching it for confirmation, and she got it as the first item on the evening news. Hardly surprising: the war was theoretically exciting, but practically speaking, nothing was happening. This was news.
‘FSA Head Marcus Dowler died last night at his home in High Yorkbridge. Peacekeepers and FSA agents were brought in immediately to investigate, but this morning it was announced that his death was due to heart failure. An FSA spokesman stated that Dowler was under considerable stress and it is believed that an undiagnosed valve defect may have resulted in cardiac arrest.’
‘Undiagnosed valve defect, huh?’ Ella said.
‘A doctor I met once said that ultimately, everyone dies of heart failure. Your heart stops, you’re dead.’
‘Retired Admiral Jason Pierce has been appointed to lead the FSA,’ the presenter went on. ‘Administration statements have indicated that, in this time of war, it was felt that a military background would be helpful in deploying FSA resources.’
‘That doesn’t sound so good,’ Aneka commented, ‘but it’s also very fast. Elroy was obviously ready with a replacement.’
‘Yes, but why didn’t he just promote Elaine?’ Ella protested.
Aneka shrugged. ‘Too young?’
‘The FSA stays in the news with the arrest of several high-ranking agents for “behaviour suspected of being counter to the best interests of the Jenlay people.” Exactly what this means and who they are remain a mystery, but experts believe that there has been a fight to clear the Agency of personnel under the influence of the Herosians for several months.’
The presenter shifted slightly, turning to a different camera to break the storyline.
‘Mute,’ Aneka said before the woman on the screen could say another word.
‘There might have been something else important on,’ Ella said, frowning.
‘I highly doubt it and there’s something I’d rather do instead.’
‘There is?’
‘Uh-huh. Go to the bedroom. Come back naked, with the neurostim and some setae strip.’
Ella gave a little whimper and jumped to her feet. ‘I’ll be right back.’
Grand Hall, Administration Building, High Yorkbridge, 25.1.529 FSC.
The great and the good of New Earth society, or what passed for them, were gathered in the central Administration facility in High Yorkbridge primarily for the purpose of being seen in the Grand Hall with the people they thought they should be seen with.
The actual reason for the gathering was diplomatic: Abby and Tasker were down from the Hand of God to do some tie cementing. Those had been Abby’s words for it; Aneka had smirked.
Elroy and the entire crew of the Garnet Hyde were there, the latter as the ‘re-discoverers of Old Earth.’ Delta was looking distinctly uncomfortable in a new gown which, despite being ankle length, managed to show off almost her entire body. Aneka had recycled the silver gown she had worn at her first reception ball, despite Ella’s protestations. Aneka had said there was no time to buy something, which was a lie, but one she was willing to live with.
Aneka was spending most of the evening avoiding reporters, which was becoming increasingly difficult. It was only a matter of time before she was cornered by someone
from CFM. They were the most respected media organisation in the Federation, they always followed the rules, but they were tenacious.
‘Miss Jansen, it must be quite exciting to have people from your old home world visiting your new one?’ The reporter was named David Indian; Aneka had never met him before.
‘I’m pleased to see Ambassador Linden here,’ Aneka replied. ‘I only met Captain Tasker when the Hand of God arrived, but I like her.’ Exciting was not the word Aneka would have chosen under the circumstances, so she avoided it.
‘Yes, “Hand of God” seems an odd name for a vessel.’
Also an odd twist to the questions. ‘It’s a historic name. I understand they’re building a “Stellar” class as well. The first of those will be the Helios, named for an old sun god. The Hand is a powerful ship, it’s a good name.’
‘It almost seems like the people of Old Earth were preparing for a war before we were,’ Indian said.
‘In a way, but not with the Herosians. It’s a big galaxy, Mister Indian. There are people out there who have never heard of the Federation, or even the Jenlay. We’re quite sure there are worlds out beyond Old Earth which survived the Xinti War. Some of them aren’t friendly.’
Indian nodded slowly. ‘You’ve seen war before, Miss Jansen. What do you think we can expect from this one?’
Aneka looked at him. She wanted to say, ‘death and destruction, what do you expect?’ Instead she said, ‘This isn’t the kind of war I’m used to. There will be battles like the ones I’ve seen, I’m sure, but in many ways this will be like the wars on Earth centuries before my time. It would take weeks or months to move an army to where the battle was going to happen then. Now we’re back to weeks of travel to get to a contested world. I don’t have that kind of experience.’
Indian nodded again, his face going very serious, and a little vicious. ‘Do you think the Herosians are going to finish what the Xinti started?’
‘Hardly. The Xinti wanted to destroy the Herosians. The Humans and Torem were foolish enough to believe the Xinti were after everyone. If Humanity had stayed out of it, we wouldn’t be having this war.’ She smiled at him. ‘I think that’s all I have to say. Enjoy the party.’
She spotted Elroy heading toward her as she walked away and shifted her angle to meet him.
‘I was on my way to rescue you, but I see it wasn’t needed,’ the Senator said, smiling. ‘That man has been trying to get something provocative out of someone all evening.’
Aneka shrugged. ‘He might have something. Depends how you look at it.’
Elroy looked at her for a second and then returned the shrug. Taking her arm, he gently guided her across the floor. ‘I’m not sure how you did it, but I suspect I owe you for the sudden and untimely demise of a certain burrowing mammal.’
‘He died of heart failure, according to the news.’
‘Yes, I’ve read the coroner’s report. Heart failure is exactly what it was put down to. Of course, coroners usually put that when they don’t actually know what the cause of death is…’
‘He died, end of problem. Let’s just leave it at that. Can this Admiral you’ve put in his place be trusted?’
Elroy’s lips twitched. ‘He can be trusted to let Elaine Truelove handle the running of the Agency while he hosts press conferences. Pierce is that most rare of modern military men: someone who knows their limitations. He will provide better liaison with the Navy than anyone else we could have put there, but he knows that he knows less than a useful amount about intelligence gathering and counterintelligence.’
‘That all sounds almost too good to be true.’
‘Hopefully I’ve judged it well. Only time will tell. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the dancing is due to start shortly and I must peel young Abigail’s collection of admirers off her so that I can collect my promised dance.’
‘I’d better find Ella then. She’ll be miffed if she doesn’t get me first.’
~~~
‘You don’t have a gun on you, do you Aneka?’ Abby asked as she slumped onto a seat beside her and Ella.
‘Technically, yes, but it’s in my right palm. You can’t borrow it. Why?’
‘I need a defence against the stream of Jenlay who want to wear my feet to bloody stumps.’
‘Ah.’
‘Aneka will glare at them if they come too close,’ Ella said. ‘That generally works.’
‘I’m staying here then,’ Abby stated flatly. Then she leaned closer and lowered her voice. ‘Besides, I wanted to talk to you and I haven’t had a chance. Prime City dispatched a fleet of ships. Or should have by now. I’ll get confirmation tomorrow.’
‘How many?’ Aneka asked.
‘I’m not sure. I’ll know tomorrow. The Helios is one of them, I know that much. They’re being sent in to defend New Earth, that’s all. But it should free up some of your ships to do other things.’
‘It’ll even the odds a little,’ Aneka agreed. ‘Elroy knows?’
‘Yes, and Elaine Truelove. No one else in the Administration and only the top brass in the Admiralty. They’re keeping it quiet until a couple of days before warp exit.’
‘Probably wise. I might have held off telling the Admiralty. We don’t know how leaky they are. How far away is Herosia?’
‘Uh… about four hundred and odd parsecs,’ Ella replied.
‘Four hundred and forty-six,’ Al supplied.
Aneka nodded. ‘So the Old Earth fleet should get here before anything they can send, unless they’re already on their way, which I doubt.’
‘This is good though,’ Ella said, ‘isn’t it? I mean, this will really help?’
‘It’ll help,’ Aneka replied. ‘I’d be happier if we knew more about the size of the Herosian fleet and their battle plans, but it’ll help.’
Yorkbridge Mid-town, 5.2.529 FSC.
‘Confirmation today that the colonies of Lonar and Beryum are un-contactable via FTL relay.’ Aneka, her expression flat, watched the wall screen where the presenter was laying out the latest bad news. ‘News of possible Herosian attacks on the two colonies began to filter through yesterday, but the Administration has confirmed that local attempts to connect to the systems have been failing for some time. A spokesperson for the Navy has indicated that Herosian ships likely arrived in the two systems in a coordinated attack on the twentieth of last month. As yet there is no word of anyone escaping the colonies. Both systems are in the Herosian border region.’
‘Al,’ Aneka said silently, ‘get me a galaxy map with those systems and New Earth on it. Put it on one of the walls.’
‘Lonar,’ the presenter went on, ‘a mining colony, has a population of sixty-five million. Beryum, originally created just for mining, is famous for the unusual spices produced by local flora and is a major supplier of Helium-Three in the area. At last count it had twenty-five million inhabitants.’
The side wall between the two bedroom doors flicked over to show a large expanse of black with a number of pinpoints of light in it. Three of the lights had flashing rings around them. Aneka got to her feet and, ignoring the news channel, walked over to look at the display.
Ella joined her, wrapping an arm around her partner’s waist. ‘I don’t really know much about Lonar. You’ve used spices from Beryum in your recipes. It’s supposed to be a nice place. Bit cold and the atmospheric oxygen level is low, but pretty.’
‘Ninety million people,’ Aneka said. ‘The Herosians aren’t noted for keeping native populations alive when they take a world.’
‘They’ve probably taken them for the resources. At least initially they’ll need people to work the mines.’
‘Slavery or death. Tough choice.’
Beryum.
Mizzy lay in the darkness, curled into as tight a ball as she could manage. The children had been given blankets, and padded mats to keep them off the ground, but it was not enough to insulate her from the rock under the mat or the cold air in the cave they had been ushered into. The mines were oxygenated
to make working easier, but heating them properly had proven a difficult task. The temperature was barely tolerable, better than on the surface, but cold. Too cold for sleep to claim her easily.
She was still not really sure what had happened. There had been a lot of running and shouting, and very loud bangs. Her mother had been scared. Really scared. There had been men in heavy, armoured suits, and they had been shooting at people, and they had funny legs and looked wrong. Some of the older children had said they were Herosians.
And when the bangs and shooting stopped she had been taken away from her mother. She had screamed and cried, but the big man in the armour had growled at her and kept on dragging. It had almost been nice when she had been thrown into the cavern and the man had gone away. But she had been in this cold, hard place for days now and she just wanted her mother.
The older children had said that they were being held there so that their parents would keep working the mines. They had said that the Herosians had started a war, and that was why Beryum had been attacked. Mizzy had her own theory.
‘If you’ll just bring my Mommy back,’ she whispered to the Universe, her breath steaming in the cold air, ‘I promise I’ll never complain about my lessons again. Even the maths. I promise. Please…’
Yorkbridge Mid-town, 7.2.529 FSC.
Aneka was looking at the star display again. A fourth light had a ring around it.
‘Marchant,’ she said, ‘know anything about it?’
‘Just what was on the news. Mining again. They’re going after the resource-rich worlds on the border. I think Beryum and Marchant were disputed during the early years of the Federation. They already had Jenlay colonies, but the Herosians said they should be theirs.’
Aneka Jansen 5: The Greatest Heights of Honour Page 16