by Titan Books
Daniels was the officer in charge of stores, stocks, and all ship’s supplies both for the journey and for the eventual establishment of the colony on Origae-6. There was one nagging crew-related omission that she felt compelled to point out to the two company representatives. She did so as the quartet continued along a hallway while striving to avoid the steady flow of cargo shifters, equipment installers, electricians, line routers, and arriving colonists.
“As you can see, we’re on schedule,” she said. “Colonists are being placed in deepsleep for the journey, and except for filling out the Security team, the crew is up to full strength.” She paused, then added, “Save for one other.” Halting in the main crew bay beside the empty sleep pods she and Jacob would occupy, she ran a hand along the edge of the open, transparent canopy.
“The Covenant doesn’t have a big crew,” she continued. “It’s not necessary to have one, since while in transit Mother handles the majority of functions. We’ve all gotten to know each other pretty well by now, but we’re still missing one key individual.”
Looking down at her, Kajsa nodded knowingly. “Your synthetic is still being prepped.”
Jacob gave a casual wave. “So we’ve been told. Repeatedly. He—I presume the David series is still mostly male—should have been on board and interacting with the rest of us several weeks ago.”
The two company representatives exchanged a glance. Mithun looked uncomfortable.
“Your device is being—refined. Since the Prometheus was designated as lost, every effort is being taken to ensure that the Covenant mission includes the very latest in technological advances and developments.” He indicated the brightly lit but sterile surrounds of the crew’s sleep bay. “That desire on the part of the company extends to every aspect of the ship’s systems—including its assigned synthetic.
“As the company no longer has the genius of Peter Weyland himself on which to rely,” Mithun continued, “and since synthetics are not and have never been a specialty of Yutani, it has been determined that it is worth taking the time. We want to make absolutely certain your synthetic is the best that can be made, so it is worth the modest delay in bringing him aboard ship.”
He looked to his colleague for confirmation.
Though no less perfunctory in manner, Kajsa had a more winning smile than her counterpart. “Everyone at Weyland-Yutani is aware of the approaching departure date. Rest assured that the Covenant will not leave until every requisition has been filled and every component has been thoroughly vetted. We know how important it is to establish a confident working relationship between synthetic and crew, even though he will be conscious for the majority of the journey while all of you remain in deepsleep.
“Until you arrive at your destination, you won’t need to interact with him, save for scheduled recharging and general maintenance wake times. You can be confident, however, that you will have time prior to departure to meet and interact with your synthetic.”
“I don’t want to play poker with him,” Daniels groused. “It’s just that he’s a critical piece of equipment. I have an enormous manifest to sign off, and he’s at the top of the list. I’d like to check him off.”
Sensing rising tension, Jacob spoke up. “We’re not trying to rush the company.” He smiled broadly. “My wife is something of a stickler for detail. She won’t rest easy until every last piece of gear is on board and accounted for, whether it’s our synthetic or a half pack of dehydrated peas. The company hired her because she’s thorough…” He glanced at Daniels. “Not because she’s tactful.”
“Hey!” Her eyes flashed. “I can be tactful. Right upside somebody’s head, if that’s what’s necessary to get things done.”
Mithun gestured as they approached a portal. “I think we can move on.” He adjusted the AV recorder ring on his right forefinger. “I’m getting everything I need to make my report. Kajsa will get everything she needs to make her report, and you will get everything you need to sign off on your manifest before the Covenant departs Earth orbit. Rest assured.”
Daniels was only partly mollified. “It’s assured that we’ll get plenty of rest, anyway, but the sooner our synthetic boards and we get to know him, the sooner I’ll relax.”
Jacob eyed his wife knowingly. “You won’t relax until you’re in a house on Origae-6, and the Covenant is oxidizing on the ground.”
She gave him a nudge in the ribs. “I’ll have you know, Captain Crazy-Flighty, that I—”
“We’ve got a problem.”
Daniels was interrupted by the arrival of Sergeant Hallet. His superior, Sergeant Lopé, was still on Earth working to fill the final open slot on the ship’s Security team, so Hallet was the senior security officer on board. For someone who had experienced his share of actual combat, he didn’t especially look the part. With a light-colored beard and sensitive face, he was far from filling the tall, muscular image they’d portrayed in the recruitment advertisements.
Rather than resembling someone who could keep them safe from carnivorous alien lifeforms or rogue space pirates, he looked more like someone who would make a good after-dinner conversationalist.
Having seen his interview and training vids, though, Daniels knew better. Despite his gentle appearance, he could move fast, showed extreme endurance, and knew how to handle the unexpected. In fact, his slim build was a positive, since he wouldn’t require the food resources necessary to sustain a heavy set of muscles.
Hallet was also discreet. His deceptively placid demeanor drew no attention from the surrounding swirl of workers as he quietly inserted himself into the conversation between the ship’s captain, supercargo officer, and company representatives. The husband-and-wife team expressed mild surprise at the sergeant’s interruption. The two Weyland-Yutani executives, a mix of irritation and confusion.
* * *
Hallet spared the two reps a quick, appraising glance. He would have preferred to deliver his message to Jacob and Daniels alone, but that didn’t appear possible. Given the urgency of the matter, there was no time for delay.
“We’ve got a problem,” he repeated. “In the main cargo bay.”
Daniels perked up. Slowly filling with terraforming equipment—from giant earth turners to atmospheric water condensers to muscular mechanical excavators—the cargo bay was her principal area of responsibility. Anything that happened to, with, or concerning cargo drew her immediate interest.
“Problem with volumetric assignments?” she ventured. A week ago loading had almost come to a halt when several workers nearly came to blows over where to park a two-story highly automated boring machine. Neither wanted it in his area. She’d had to physically step between the two men to prevent a fight. The problem was solved when she soothed them by informing each man, separately, that he was “right,” after which she’d assigned the machine to a third, entirely different lane outside of their respective jurisdictions.
Hallet met her questioning gaze. Though he was outwardly calm, she could see that he was sweating slightly. He stole another uneasy glance at the two bemused Weyland-Yutani representatives before continuing.
“We’ve got a renegade tech holed up all the way in back. At least, I was told he’s a tech. I haven’t had time to research his file because I’ve been too busy trying to keep him from blowing the cargo bay door.”
Jacob blinked. “’Scuse me, Hallet?”
The sergeant nodded vigorously, looking around to make certain no one outside the small group was listening.
“The guy says he’s mined the main hinges, and will blow the whole door off if the ship’s departure isn’t cancelled.”
A stunned Mithun blurted out what everyone knew. “No one on board has the authority to do that, not even the captain.” He moderated his tone as he added an afterthought to Jacob. “No offense.”
“None taken,” the captain replied while maintaining his focus on Hallet. ”You’re right. Only the Board could cancel or postpone the mission. This guy probably knows that, too.”
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The sergeant nodded again. “He demands that you contact corporate headquarters and get them to stop all preparations. He also wants media access via the ship’s system. He says he has a ‘manifesto’ that needs to be broadcast to the world.”
Kajsa looked horrified. “You can’t do that! Whoever this insane person is, we can’t give him a planet-wide platform to spread his views!” She struggled to regain her composure, then added, “Not that any ranting on his part would actually have any effect on the colonization program, but it would be bad—”
“—Publicity,” an equally anxious Mithun finished for her. He stared hard at Hallet. “You’re ship security. How did this person get on board with explosives?”
Daniels replied before Hallet had a chance to respond. “Explosives designed for clearing and excavating are part of the supplies for the colony. This person didn’t need to bring any with him, not if he found a way to bypass locks and cargo bay security. Then he could access what’s already been brought on board.”
“How could he do that?” Kajsa asked.
“I’ll be sure to ask him after we’ve prevented him from blowing up an important part of the ship,” Daniels replied tartly. “If he goes through with this, and if he’s used enough explosive material, he could do more than blow the cargo bay door. He could damage that portion of the Covenant’s superstructure as well. That could delay departure for months. In addition to which there’ll be enough negative air pressure to suck out anything not locked down or properly braced for travel. A lot of that equipment—especially the special terraforming vehicles—was custom-built, not off the shelf. That might take years to replace. This guy probably knows that, too.” She looked over at Hallet. “Let’s go.”
Mithun took a step as if to follow. “Are you going to try and reason with him?”
Her reply was matter-of-fact. “If Sergeant Hallet can’t get a clear shot, yeah, I’ll reason with him. First have to see what kind of explosive setup he’s put in place. If it’s something that will ignite if he’s taken down, then preemptively removing his head won’t work.” Turning, she hurried off, walking fast while blistering Hallet’s ears with one query after another.
* * *
Now it was Kajsa’s turn to move to follow. Putting out an arm, Jacob gently but forcefully restrained her.
“Nothing we can do except get in the way. Leave it to my wife. She knows the cargo bay and the cargo better than anyone else on board.”
Visibly uneasy, the tall company rep swallowed hard. “I was thinking… I was thinking maybe if Mithun and I were present, we could try reasoning with him. As ranking representatives of the company, we could make him an offer to stand down. Money, a future platform on which to safely express his views—anything to keep him from carrying out his intentions.”
Jacob’s reply was kindly but firm. “We don’t know who he might be working with or what else he might want besides putting a stop to the mission. Unless Weyland-Yutani is prepared to comply with his demands, in a public forum, it doesn’t sound like you’d have much luck trying to persuade him.” When the rep still looked ambivalent, the captain added, “Besides, you want this kept as quiet as possible, right?”
Mithun muttered aloud. “How do you keep ‘taking someone’s head off’ quiet?”
Jacob put a reassuring hand on the smaller man’s shoulder. “Hallet will already have cleared the area. None of the workers in the cargo section has access to the Covenant’s ship-to-surface relay system, so they can’t contact anyone on the ground. After this is over we’ll get them all together in one place and explain that the future of the mission, as well as a number of jobs, will be at risk unless this incident can be kept under wraps.” He paused. “We won’t have to specify whose jobs. I think we can keep a lid on this.”
Kajsa eyed him approvingly. “I didn’t think publicity management fell within a starship captain’s purview.”
He smiled slightly. “Then you don’t know how many careful answers I’ve had to give in the course of dozens of interviews during the past several years.” As he looked past her, his expression turned somber. “It’ll be a lot easier, of course, to manage the consequences if the missus can resolve it while keeping that section of the ship intact.”
Mithun eyed him curiously. “You don’t seem overtly worried about your wife’s safety.”
“It isn’t that I’m not worried,” Jacob told him evenly. “It’s just that I have complete confidence in her abilities. I know she’ll handle it. Hallet’s fully qualified, too, and completely competent, even if our head of Security is down on Earth.” He gestured toward another corridor. “Let’s head over to the bridge. We can monitor everything from there.”
The two representatives chattered nervously as Jacob led the way. He’d meant what he had told them: barring catastrophe, it should be possible to keep the incident confined to the ship. If necessary, a few suitable lies should be sufficient to calm any hint of concern. Just like he had lied to Mithun.
Though he didn’t show it, Jacob was worried sick.
III
The plan was in motion. The decision had been unanimous. If some on the Covenant died as a result, it would be so that billions might live.
Whatever was necessary to stop the colonization ship from departing was justified. Action could be delayed no longer. Each passing day brought the extraterrestrial mission closer to departure. Each rotation of the Earth represented missed opportunities. They bent to their work.
If on occasion one of them expressed uncertainty or showed hesitation, their resolve was easily stiffened. The reluctant person disappeared for a short time, and was subject to a full sensory barrage of the Prophet’s visions. Following this, the hesitant acolyte would return, his or her resolve redoubled.
Terror was a powerful motivator.
* * *
“You okay?”
Daniels asked the question of her companion as they hurried through the ship’s corridors. She would have felt more secure had Lopé been on board and in charge, but the chief of Covenant Security was on the planet’s surface, striving to fill the last available position on his team. Not that Hallet was incompetent: far from it. As with the rest of the crew, every member of the security team had been selected for a combination of military skills, physical competency, and attitude—the latter would be especially important when they arrived at Origae-6, and ship security became the colony’s first police force.
Instead of speaking, Hallet replied with a terse nod.
Privates Cole, Ledward, and Ankor were waiting for them at one of the personnel entrances to the massive cargo bay. All of them were wearing EVA suits. As Daniels stopped and caught her breath, Hallet queried his team.
“Any change?”
His big F90 rifle held out in front of him, Ankor shook his head once. Daniels recovered enough to notice that the safety was off. She didn’t have to ask if the weapon’s velocity setting had been adjusted for use inside the ship.
“Nothing,” Ankor replied. “He’s still back there by the main loading door, behind something with six wheels and a main cabin thick enough to stop anything short of a shoulder-fired piercer round. Which we couldn’t use inside, anyway.”
“Can’t get a clean shot, even if we get permission to fire,” Ledward said. “He’s keeping the service tech in front of him, and—”
“Wait a minute,” Daniels interrupted. “He’s got a hostage?” When Hallet nodded, she glared at him. “You didn’t tell us that. Why the hell didn’t you tell us that?”
The sergeant’s deportment did not change. “You really wanted the two suits from company to hear that? Both of them looked like they were going to have a heart attack as it was.”
She conceded the point. “Right. Okay, so there’s a hostage. How is he behaving?”
“She,” Ankor corrected. “Pretty well, considering that she’s in the hands of a crazy person who might at any moment blow the two of them out into space.”
Daniels’ though
ts churned. “Any chance she could get away from him?”
Ledward let out a snort. “Sure. Right before he shoots her in the back of the head. Near as we can see, he’s got only a pistol, but that’d do it. No heavy weaponry. Won’t need any if he blows the door.”
“He doesn’t seem concerned for his own life,” Hallet put in.
“The rest of the bay is secure?” Daniels pressed him.
The sergeant nodded. “Monitors show every piece of equipment as unoccupied and service spaces between are clear. There’s nobody left inside except crazy guy and his hostage. Whoever he is, he’s working this alone.” He was silent for a moment before continuing. “As a security situation, this falls within my sphere of operations—but I know you’ve got company reps on board. Plus—” he gestured toward the vast storage bay on the other side of the door “—I know you’re responsible for every piece of gear in there down to the last self-setting screw. I don’t want to do anything without getting your say-so. Any thoughts on how you want to proceed?”
She considered. “You said he claims to have set explosives in the bay. Do we know what kind of explosives?”
Hallet exchanged a glance with his team members before turning back to Daniels. “No idea. He didn’t go into details. He did say that he’s set packages at multiple locations.”
She nodded, thinking hard. “He’d have to. It would take a lot to blow the main door. So… multiple explosives at multiple points. To make a dent in the big door he’d have to set them all off—or most of them, at least—simultaneously. That suggests he’s working with some sort of remote detonator.”
The security team leader regarded her. “You sure you never worked security?” Hallet asked.
She shook her head, preoccupied. “When my section is involved, my cargo, my responsibilities, I try to think things through.” She looked up at the sergeant. “A remote detonator implies broadcasting an execute signal of some kind. Infrared would need line-of-sight. Short range RF would work better.” She eyed each of them in turn. “If we can’t disrupt his actions, maybe we can disrupt his device.”