Sentient

by Wendy L. Koenig

  Physe threw one of his famous mock salutes and took off in a jog again.

  Denten started toward the new science station, but then he stopped and turned to Pala. “I’ll get busy organizing the brains with their chemistry sets. Stop by and I’ll show you what our new friend looks like.”

  Pala nodded. “Check for the virus in that carnivore I brought in, too. I want confirmation.” This was giving her a headache. For a split-second, Pala wanted to fetch a hand cannon from The Hawk and shoot Makel again, this time for real. She was the law here; she could actually do it. She turned instead to Quade. “I’ll meet the other Unit Leaders at the kitchen. Apprise them of the situation.”

  Pala started toward the kitchen, but Quade caught her elbow. “What do you want me to tell Major Khamasa?”

  Shaking her head, Pala whispered, “At this point, I still don’t know I can trust her.”

  “Keep Physe on with you, then. Suez and I can run our unit. But, I’m pretty sure Khamasa will be on the up-and-up.”

  “I’m not so sure.” Squaring her shoulders, Pala resolutely walked to meet with the Unit leaders.

  CHAPTER

  22

  Khamasa was the first to arrive at the kitchen. Her eyes lids were heavy, and she looked none too pleased to be awake. She bowed low to Pala, careful to keep eye contact. Pala returned the bow. She sincerely hoped the Korean ranger was on the right side. Khamasa should be Mission Second, but until Pala was sure, the assignment would have to wait.

  Physe slipped into the shadows off to the left side of the group, already flipping his eagle-gaze back and forth across the exhausted faces as they arrived.

  When all were present, Pala began. “We have just learned that the IPC has injected us with an experimental biochemical weapon.” Several faces went pale, including Khamasa’s. Good. There was still a chance she could be on their side.

  “So far, we appear to be immune, but they've used us to spread the virus to all living matter on this planet. Even now, we are rounding up men to begin an electron burn of the vegetation on the perimeter of this base’s territory. A wide burn area, coupled with a wall of smoke, will reduce the risk of contaminant spread by the animal population. The scientists are in pursuit of an antitoxin that we can use to fog the affected areas. We have been unable to locate Sultesque. We are on our own. For some reason, we've been left in the dark, but I'm going to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, we need to act fast. As Unit Leaders, please return to your bases and begin the perimeter burns within your sectors. Stay in groups and stay alert. There still may be spheres out there. Report back here at completion.

  "If you have any questions, please speak with Captain Justiss; he will be acting as Mission Second until I know who I can trust,” she flitted her gaze over the group, bringing them to rest on Khamasa, “and who I can’t. That’s all. Dismissed.” She turned around to walk away, but Khamasa called out to her. Pala stopped to wait.

  The Korean walked up to her with carefully measured strides. “Colonel De la Croix, I wish you to know, I concur with your decision to withhold appointment of an official Mission Second. I also support your choice of Captain Justiss as a temporary measure.”

  “Thank you.”

  The Korean lowered her voice. “There are probably others, hidden from you that may be more accessible from a different angle. I believe I can be of more use to you, if my own loyalties are kept in question.”

  Pala regarded her friend with suspicion. It would also be very easy in that position for Khamasa to be ultimately working for Stastny, not her. Pala answered carefully, “Khamasa, you may be right. However, I’m unsure of anyone’s loyalties at this moment. I’ll be watching everyone very closely. Remember, our very own people tried to kill us.”

  “Also, only temporary.” She smiled, showing her perfectly matching teeth. “I have news of the boy you sent to work with the ministers.”

  “Roccio.”

  “He confided in one of my rangers. Roccio was the name of his brother who died four years ago. He took the birth certificate and applied to the IPC. He is under legal enlistment age, even for a cadet.”

  Pala took a deep sigh and shook her head. “He just bought himself a ticket to stay with the ministers, then. Thank you.”

  Khamasa bowed low and left.

  Roccio falsified his application. How had that been missed? Then she remembered, Roccio had been one of Cabot’s choices.

  Physe was waiting as Pala headed across the camp toward Denten and the science station. The gleam in her tired sergeant’s eyes was faint, but it was there. He loved playing spy. “The CO from Base One is sure to be dirty, working so closely to Stastny. He kept glancing over at the cages. I’m kinda leaning to the rest of them being okay, though it’s hard tellin’ with some.”

  “Arrest the Base One commander. Put him in holding with Makel, not Stastny. Put some cadets on to watch them all on the sly. Sooner or later the rest of their party will make contact.” She needed to make sure of everyone, 250 percent. If they were dirty, it would show, sooner or later. She’d been suckered too much already. “Find someone to tear apart that sphere I brought back. We need a programmer’s signature. And, then try to get some sleep.”

  He pivoted and walked away. She stared after him. He’d been with her a couple years, too, since the beginning of cadet training. Maybe she’d see to another promotion for him when they got back to Earth. “Physe, stay available and good work.”

  He lifted his hand in acknowledgement, but didn't look back.

  Seeing Denten ahead, working over a microscope, Pala veered away from him and her intended path to the science station, suddenly tired. Quade was right about Denten’s crush and she was in no mood for niceties right now. She needed to speak to Dr. Bardef about his tests on the plants and that animal. See if he found out anything. She decided to cut through the temporary hospital to get to his area.

  Wandering through the injured people, she stopped to chat and offer assistance to those she knew. At the end of the file, Bardef’s pale face greeted her. Sweat droplets clung to his brow even while his body spasmed with shivers. A jolt of shock ripped through her. He hadn’t been this sick, had he? His fingertips stuck out of the top of the thick bandage like red sausages inside bread. He smiled wanly up at her and spoke, his voice thin and distant. “Before you leave, I want to apologize for being so difficult. I just… It's not my normal life, you know?”

  “I understand.” She sat beside him on the edge of his table. “What happened? Is this from the infection?”

  “It seems so. I just can’t seem to shake it. I’d love some water.” He lifted his bloated hand to point at the canteen on the ground next to the legs of the table. Self-consciously, Pala brushed her thumb across her own swollen wound, not as bad as his, but still infected, nonetheless.

  Opening the canteen, she lifted Bardef’s head and tipped it against his lips, letting him drink. His skin felt like fire. When he’d had enough, he lifted his hand again. Pala placed the canteen beside him on the table. “I'm sorry I made you sick by taking out that chip."

  "No need to apologize. Looking back, I see that it was necessary. We were in danger." He shook his head and smiled.

  "Your water's close for you anytime you need it. Anything else I can do for you before I go? Do you want your blanket?”

  “Gods no. I get hot and then cold and then hot again. It’s easier just to leave it off.”

  Pala spoke gently. “Get better, Bardef. We need your expertise at the science station.”

  “I’m working on it.” He choked out a laugh, but it crashed into a wracking cough. When it finally passed, he smiled weakly at her again.

  She stood and patted his shoulder. Now she had no choice but to speak to Denten. As she left the hospital area, she passed the holding cages on the way to Denten’s table, Cadet Harlen called out to her. Against her better judgment she stopped to listen to him. Stastny sat in the corner of the cage, looking away with a scowl on his dark face.


  “Pala, let me out of here. I believe in Earth and the IPC. I believe in their protection. So did Cabot. So do you.”

  “Don’t speak about me in the same breath as you two, please.”

  He laughed bitterly and quite a few curious heads pivoted in their direction. “We’re all nothing more than experimental rats in a cage. You don’t like being a rat, Pala? Who’s to say you’re better?”

  Leaning in, she spoke through clenched teeth, her voice low. “In the first place, do not address me by my first name as if we are friends. We have never been such and you can rest assured that we never will be. You will address me as my rank and title dictate. Is that clear, Cadet?” She saw Physe approaching with two armed guards and the Cadet Commander of Base One.

  “Yes, ma’am.” His voice was curt, concise.

  “In the second place, how I feel or don’t feel about being a lab rat is my own business and of no concern to you.” She paused to be sure he understood. He reminded her more and more of Cabot and the scientist Makel. When he nodded, she continued. “Do not suppose that I won’t do my duty to protect Earth and the IPC, even from those like you and Stastny.”

  She leaned close. “And you may tell that to anyone you like.”

  CHAPTER

  23

  Trgyl folded his front flaps against his body and dove straight toward his barrio on a steep angle. The news he had couldn’t wait for a slower descent. He’d lifted off the ground as soon as he’d left Kryn. As he broke over the trees, he saw bodies scattered across his bluff home. Some were bent double, curled in agony. Others were still alive, but propped up against their cave shelters awaiting death, mouths agape.

  He found Rym contorted in pain, dead in the arms of one of his mates, perhaps seeking comfort, or to comfort, in his final breaths. His mate was taking her final gasps, white spit dribbling down her chin. Her eyes were glassy and Trgyl doubted she even saw him. He backed away slowly.

  The stench of sweat and sickness was overpowering. Kryn’s mate was sitting on the ground with her shoulder leaning against the wall of their dwelling. Her daughter was nestled in her arms. Both were dead. Trgyl hurried toward his own cave, in search of Dymlr and Tylg, his heart racing.

  His rock home was on the far edge of the barrio. The large purple blossoms that bordered it often waved gently in the wind, lulling his infant to sleep with their motion. Nearing, he heard soft murmurs coming from along the side of his cave. Parting the plant’s blue spikes, he saw Dymlr hunched over, rocking back and forth. She patted a dull gray mound lying on a soft bed of leaves.

  She hummed weakly and didn’t look up until he was almost upon her. When she did, her eyes were as hollow as her cheeks. Her skin was so dry it had formed shallow cracks. She blinked slowly as her gaze slid sideways to what lay on the ground.

  At first, Trgyl refused to follow her lead. But then, his gaze went to the gray mound. Tylg. His heart flung itself heavily against his ribs. It swallowed his throat and lungs. He couldn’t cry out. He couldn’t breathe.

  Dymlr mumbled slurred half-words to Tylg’s small body and patted it.

  Trgyl squatted and pulled his mate against him. Slowly her mutter settled into a whisper. “Everyone is sick or dead. What did the Ancients tell you, Trgyl? What?” She was panting just as Kryn had been.

  “They said nothing of this.” But they had shown him images of Tylg and the newcomers. His mind raced as he told her what had happened. He left out no single detail. “Kryn is dead,” he finished.

  “What have we done to anger the Ancients? We will all die. Lie with me here.” She pulled on him until he settled beside her. They shared the last of the tkrk from his pouch. Dymlr, though, ate very little. As the day wore on, she fell into ramblings again. Occasional clear moments punctuated her constant mumble, but in the heat of the day, she closed her eyes and breathed her last breath.

  Trgyl carefully arranged Tylg inside his mother’s pouch. The wild creatures would get them, but this is the way he would always remember them. It was the way of his kind.

  He heavily struggled to his feet and faced the barrio. The Ancients had to be angry. They had killed everyone he had known. They’d kill him, too. But, it didn't matter. He now had no reason to live, anyway. He sucked in all the energy he could and launched into the sky to wait for his death.

  CHAPTER

  24

  As Pala approached Denten’s end of the science station, he looked up, a pleased grin forming on his face. After a moment of watching her, though, it hesitantly disappeared. “Why the frown?”

  She shook her head and flicked her fingers over her shoulder at the holding cages as a means of explanation. Denten craned his neck to look around her. “Ah, Cadet Harlen.”

  She walked past the scientist, peering over the slide diaphragms, testing vials, and hand coms cluttering his table. “Why’s Dr. Bardef so sick? It’s not just the infection is it?”

  Denten slowly shook his head. His words were hesitant, dubious. “I honestly don’t think so. But, for comparison’s sake, I’ve pulled blood samples from different people throughout the camp, including him. Do you want to see?”

  “I certainly do.” Lowering her eyes to the viewer, nothing but blurs greeted her. She pulled away from the scope, looking for the adjustment pad. These things operated like her visor: able to see through multi-layered objects. The difference being the lack of automatic depth-adjust like the visors had. She supposed that was for more control.

  She focused the picture and little pointed blobs jumped into sharp relief. “What am I supposed to see here?”

  “This is a sample of blood from someone in your unit. Suez, I believe. She was inoculated with the virus. The round ones are normal blood cells. The spiky ones are blood cells infused with the virus.”

  “Okay.”

  “Now this,” he shifted beside her and the picture in the viewer blanked to a bright white and then to a more indistinct blob, “is Dr. Bardef’s blood.”

  The regular blood cells and the spiky virus ones were there, along with other shapes. “What are all those long snaky things?”

  “Those are the infected cells that are making Bardef sick. They’re boring right into his respiratory system. The giant cells you see are his white blood cells trying to combat it.”

  “There are tons of infected cells. How could there be so many?” Pala moved back from the microscope. She stared at it for a moment before she said softly, “I’d be interested in seeing a little bit of Makel’s blood.” She looked around, expecting to see his labeled bloody slide diaphragm.

  “So would I, but I can’t seem to convince him to volunteer any.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You just leave that to me. What about that carnivore? Has anyone had a chance to investigate it yet?”

  “It looks like the virus. It has the same initial feedback that Bardef reached with his experiments on the vegetation. His final results came back positive.” He reached for another labeled slide. “I’ll show you.”

  He swapped slides and Pala bent to look. Suddenly, a commotion broke out behind them.

  Pala turned to see the scientist Laramie rushing toward Bardef’s hospital table. Together, she and Denten bolted into the gathering crowd. Laramie was bent low, laboring to keep Bardef breathing. The sound of shallow rasping breaths filled Pala’s ears. Bardef's eyes frantically searched the crowd until they found her.

  She squatted beside him to give him comfort, resting her hand on his arm. He opened his mouth to speak, but then wheezed. His body spasmed and the acrid odor of urine filled the air. Laramie pushed her out of his way and she stood, moving back to give the scientists room. Suddenly, Bardef ceased his seizures, his eyes wide open, still facing Pala's direction, but not seeing anything. He was dead that quickly and she hadn’t even had time to say goodbye.

  The memory of her father's death flooded her mind. The unit had been en route to one of the biggest riots Detroit had ever seen. Pala had leaned into Cabot, shouting over the roar o
f the low altitude jet. “How did this get started?”

  “Your father gave a speech on Unilateral Commitment. Some dissidents yelled racial slurs and the fight started. He’s trapped with the rest. Your mom, too.”

  Pala leaned forward, slamming her fist into the back of the pilot’s seat. “Get us there now!”

  Within half an hour, the ship had settled on the roof of the Calder-Lineout Center, shoving aside smaller personal shuttles or crushing them beneath the landing gear. The streets below were one big roiling mass of bodies, slugging, knifing, and screaming. On the other roof tops surrounding the Center were more IPC ships. The units were deployed around the roof edges, weapons hot, waiting for the signal.

  Cabot led Pala and Quade with their unit across the heat of the roof toward the metal building access doors that stood in one corner. All at once, he paused, speaking to someone through his visor. Then his voice came over the mic. “We have confirmation. The Council has invoked Martial Law. It’s a lockdown.” He started toward the access doors again.

  The rangers around the edges of the building roofs opened their cannons, wide-band stun, on the massed people below. It was almost as if a collective sigh let out from the rioters as they fell to the ground unconscious, cluster by sweeping cluster.

  Cabot motioned his unit into defensive positions around the doors. He blew them open with his cannon and a mass of fighting, clawing and punching rioters tumbled through.

  The low-pitched hum of the cannons erupted and the rioters at the front of the crowd fell unconscious. The flood of fighters pushed forward again, only to be met by another stun blast from the cannons.

  On and on they went, Cabot, Pala and the unit pushing deeper and deeper into the stairwell, leaving quiet people stunned behind them. As they reached departing doorways, rangers peeled off and worked through those floors. Everyone they came into contact with was knocked unconscious, regardless of active rioting or not. Around the city, other IPC units were creeping through other buildings in the same manner.