by Matt Verish
...Right to Rig’s feet.
He stared up at the mechanic, whose face was a mixture of disdain and confusion. Unable to handle more than one angry crew member, he allowed Rig to unceremoniously drag him to his feet. Sacks of grain knew better treatment. For a moment, they stood eye-to-eye, Cole’s legs like rubber. He would not show any weakness in front of his crew; they needed to understand why he did what he did. They had to understand that he was still their captain. So, Cole spewed out the first words that came into his addled head.
“Ding-dong, the witch is dead. The Wicked Witch, the Wicked Witch...” Maybe I should’ve thought that through a little better.
Regardless, his statement had the desired effect. Rig’s scowl grew into a grin, and he shook his head. “You’re fucked up, Nugget.”
Cole barely heard the remark over the wailing, but he read the mechanic’s lips just fine. He laid a hand on his shoulder, more for balance than camaraderie. With a pounding headache on top of his injuries, he hoped he wouldn’t have to ask Rig to carry him to safety.
Chrys.
Cole followed Rig’s gaze to where Emmerich was laying in a heap. How hard did I hit her?
“That’s one thick skull you got there,” Rig said. He draped the pilot’s arm across his broad shoulder. “Clocked her right in the temple.”
Cole couldn't help but feel sorry for her despite her attempt on his life. Clenching his teeth and sucking in an excruciating breath, he removed himself from the mechanic’s support. “Grab her instead.” The words came out in a grunt. “I’ll get Lin, and we’ll make our way to the Icarus . Cain’ll take care of the... Ah, shit! I forgot about—”
BANG!
The sound of something powerful colliding with steel drew all eyes to the dueling AI beings. CAIN was on the retreat against Archytas. Lin’s protector was making a valiant effort to punch a hole through its target’s chest. Archytas had already left a dent in one of the reactors, whereas CAIN appeared to be doing little more than evading a similar end.
“Quit screwing around, Cain!” Cole barked, hoping to spur his pacifist friend. As he took the long way around the melee to Lin, he yelled again. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of that outdated model!”
CAIN said, while still back pedaling and deflecting all manner of physical attacks from Archytas.
Heck of a time to become the Dalai Lama. “There’s a reason it’s called self-defense, buddy,” Cole said over the comm. He kept an eye on the forms bent over Harper’s body. They did not seem to notice or care as he passed them, which was fine by him. “It’s not violence if you’re protecting yourself from a haywire babysitter.”
“Do you hear that blaring that is stabbing my eardrums?” Cole asked CAIN, his attention now split between Lin and the sparring AIs. “That’s the sound of you not gaining access to this station’s mainframe. UniSys has a tendency to dispatch Military and the Cosmic Order to mysterious, unauthorized mega space stations that send out distress signals. We’re gonna have some unwanted company really soon if you don’t stop playing around.”
“You’re a sentient being,” he said, nearly upon Lin. “Don’t take that for granted. Archytas is a program hell-bent on destroying you, then us. I can’t pull off this insane mission without your help. You’re gonna have to break in that fancy new body of yours and impose some free will if you truly want to be our equal. So you’d better get used to making difficult decisions, because that’s life.”
A pause, before CAIN replied with,
“Cain! I order you to eliminate the threat!” Cole turned in time to watch as the AI grabbed one of Archytas’s thrown fists.
Cole gawked as his friend dismantled the outdated AI. Archytas’s fist shattered like glass, and the arm to which it was attached was ripped from its socket. CAIN tossed the limb, and punched a hole directly through Archytas’s chest. Lin’s protector did not falter even as CAIN brushed aside its futile advances, jammed an open fist into Archytas’s face and crushed it into an unrecognizable mess. The head came off shortly after, topping the pile that was its body. The battle was over.
“Shit on me!” came Rig’s distant shout.
Cole, slack-jawed, shared the mechanic’s sentiments. Glad he’s on our side.
Cole gulped. “Um, yeah. Good. Do that.” He refocused his attention on Lin. She was staring at nothing, and did not seem to notice he was standing right in front of her. Her eyes were glassy, tired.
“Hey, Doc,” Cole said as gently as he could over the ruckus. He slowly, reached out to touch her shoulder. Upon contact, she finally registered his presence. “You alright?”
A single blink was her response. Her Rook hovered beside her head, though it remained dark.
Ignoring her bizarre comatose state, he pulled her into an embrace—one she did not fight nor return. “I’m sorry,” he said into her ear. “For everything.” Her let go but found no acknowledgment. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”
Grabbing her hand, he cast a fleeting glance at the collider Lin had been working on, and led her to Rig. He could see the mechanic was carrying Emmerich’s limp form over his shoulder. Unexpectedly, the lights turned on, and the klaxons subsided. Harper’s frozen mourners were still gathered around her still-dead form as they passed them.
Cole breathed a sigh of relief, though it hurt more than helped. “Good work. What about all the Terracom workers? Chrys said something about them being safe.”
“Keep it that way for now,” Cole said as he and Lin approached. “You said something about the ‘majority.’ Care to explain?”
CAIN said, reverting back to verbal speech.
Oh? I wonder if that was also part of my mother’s plan to achieve peace. “Anyone important?”
“Mitchum,” Rig answered for CAIN.
“Grant Mitchum?” Cole said, louder than he had intended. “The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Terracom is here?”
Rig shrugged as though it didn’t matter. “Was.”
“Oh, believe me, that puke sack is still here. He never had a soul to lose.”
“Yeah, good point,” Cole said. His head was spinning from the news of Mitchum’s death. Great. I’m sure this’ll be blamed on me as well. Oh well... What does it matter having one more notch to my ever-expanding legacy belt of ill repute?
“Uh...” Cole trailed, struggling to recall the plan he and CAIN had devised. He watched as Lin stared up at the AI. “Yeah. We’ll find the Icarus and meet up with you.”
CAIN gave a quick nod, turning its attention to an awestruck Lin.
The engineer’s expression was one of legitimate intrigue. She faced Cole, eyes brimming with questions he was not prepared to answer.
“Soon,” he mouthed, collecting her hand. He gently tugged her along and opened in Ocunet the interior schematic of the Terracom space station. The Icarus was a bright, flashing yellow beacon for them to follow. Satisfied, he opened the designated path into real-time AR to expedit
e their hunt. He took one last look to make sure his mother was still dead and Rig close behind.
“Care to explain that magical super gun of yours?” Rig asked, as they made their way. “Cuz you put them down like they weren’t superhuman. Which they were when cranky, here, shot them out of the cannons.” He slapped Emmerich’s rear end.
Cole was reminded of his throbbing hand and the empty holster at his side. I loved that thing. Wait... Did he say Chrys shot my mother out of a cannon? “Cain gave my piece a little boost from the particle collider aboard the Daedalus before we came aboard.” He cast a sidelong glare at CAIN. “Though he failed to mention that it could blow my hand off.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Details. It’s not like I could’ve asked those goons to wait while my fragile sidearm cooled off.” He turned back to Rig. “Regardless, why does no one want to know how we survived our marooning in another universe? I mean, I pulled off some pretty amazing shit.”
“Such feats of incredulity are now expected of you,” Lin said, speaking in Rig’s stead. “I would’ve been disappointed had you not.”
Cole’s grin was ear-to-ear. “I guess my death-defying escapes have become old hat. I’ll have to up my game and impress with my encore.” He winked at her, glad to know she was not completely lost.
The empty, cavernous hallways magnified their footsteps as they traveled the final leg of their journey. Cole wished he had the time to explore the space station. He wanted nothing more than to be first outsider to learn the secrets of The Fog and expose it to the System for the ruse it was. While he was confident mind-control was not at the forefront of Terracom’s malicious plans, just what it was they were doing out here at the edge of the galaxy was anyone’s guess. He would ask CAIN and Lin’s opinion later.
As they neared the Icarus, Cole’s trick knee began performing a familiar act. With his broken ribs and swelling face, he feared he would soon be the one dragged the rest of the way. He got a second wind once the sleek form of the former ICV-71 came into view.
There was silence as he slowed, and when he turned, he knew why. “Where are they?” Dread toiled in the pit of his stomach. A gentle squeeze from Lin’s hand on his shoulder reminded him that at least one person was still beside him.
Cole tried the comm, but there was no reply. Looking to Lin, she offered a simple nod, and they began to retrace their steps.
They didn’t have to go far, for they found Rig around the bend, sitting on the ground.
Alone.
They ran to the mechanic as fast as Cole’s ailing body would allow. There was blood on his face, a dazed look in his eyes. He slowly looked up at them and blinked.
“Hey, Rigsy,” Cole said, kneeling down to his level. Looks like you took a nasty fall.
The mechanic grunted and gingerly touched a knot on his temple. “She got me good. Didn’t know she was so strong.”
Uh oh... “Who got you good?” Cole knew the answer. He needed to hear her name to make it true.
“Who d’ya think?” Rig, slowly bent his neck to one side and cracked it. “Inspector Flip-flopper.”
Cole hung his head.
“Bitch throws an elbow like a sledgehammer,” Rig continued, struggling to stand.
“Forget her,” Lin said, her Rook flashing bright, angry colors. “She’s made her choice. If she wants to be by your mother’s side when the whole of UniSys arrives, then so be it. There’s nothing she can do to enact the collider, so we’re safe.”
Cole frowned. Doc’s right, of course. I already gave Chrys her final warning. I can’t risk the remaining lives of my crew again. He nodded, feeling little consolation with his decision. “Let’s go.”
Broken, beaten, and battered, they made their way back to the Icarus. Cole gave the signal to CAIN of their imminent departure as they boarded. He was last to step inside, standing at the top of the loading ramp, staring out at the vacant hangar. A quick call on the comm would make its way to her, but what would be the point? Too much time passed before he finally turned and closed the door. The sound of it sealing behind him was almost as painful as his wounds. No matter how much he believed his decision was the right one, he would never forgive himself for leaving her.
“Goodbye, Chrys.”
25
CONSEQUENCES
She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she knew. It was no surprise to Chrys when she returned to the reactor room to find Harper alive and seemingly in good health. The imposing admiral was near the abandoned collider, a noticeable lack of followers protecting her. Chrys had a feeling she knew to where they had vanished, and she shuddered.
The gaping head wound Harper had suffered from Cole’s surprise attack was also missing. As relieved as she was to see her mentor return from the dead, the veil of humanity had been lifted. What remained was a familiar shell covering a powerful, evolved being. There was no outward difference in Harper’s physical appearance, but the internal change had altered more than her biology. This Harper possessed a fiercer determination and a blood-thirsty drive to accomplish her mission. She was dangerous—far more so than Cole could ever be.
It did not matter to Chrys. Not anymore. The days of running from her past were over, and the time of reckoning was at hand. She would never allow herself see the inside of a federal prison—not when victory was within grasp. Terracom was at Harper’s mercy, and Chrys was determined to witness firsthand the evil empire crumble.
Even if it meant her own death.
“You’ve proven yourself a worthy companion, Commander,” Harper said. Her voice carried a weight powerful enough to bring any who opposed her to their knees. “Come and witness the dawn of a new age.”
Chrys joined Harper’s side, not knowing what would happen next.
“What you did was brave,” Harper said, and Chrys could feel the coldness of her hand through the attire, as it touched her shoulder. “Choosing duty over friendship is never easy, but it is right. What we will accomplish together will alter the course of history.”
Chrys’s throat felt dry. She had always regarded Harper with a certain amount of reverence—fear, even—but as she looked into those dead, calculating eyes, she only felt terror. This was not the regard of one who was about save humanity; it was the hungry gaze of a madwoman about to perform a final, devastating act.
“How will it happen?” Chrys asked, her voice a whisper compared to Harper’s.
“It will begin with them coming to us,” Harper explained.
Them? Chrys assumed Harper meant the UniSys investigation, but there was no sense to it. Was she not about to destroy the cause of the universe’s problem? And if not, then what was the point of taking over this space station? The original plan had been to unleash the Cosmic Particle to protect everyone from Terracom’s mind control. Now it was a moot point, and she wondered if there was a detail she had missed.
“The United System will finally witness the corrupt ways of Terracom, and they will be made to understand the truth of the matter.”
Chrys frowned, struggling to make sense of her logic. She risked a simple question. “What truth?”
Harper faced the hodgepodge of bulky electronics and wires that was the collider. “That they all need me as their leader.”
No... “Admiral. I don’t understand. I was always under the impression you were attempting to save humanity from Terracom. You’ve all but done that. What more do you have to prove?”
Harper looked at Chrys with disappointment and not a little bit of contempt.
“Because she finally understands what TIGS really is.”
Both Harper and Chrys spun toward the voice. It was, of course, Cole Musgrave. Like some fantastical cosmic knight awkwardly strutting about in a gleaming white, EVA spacesuit, he strode forth with all the executed arrogance of one who had claimed victory.
“The Terracom Interdimensional Gateway Station,” Cole continued, resting his l
arge, Black Market rifle on his shoulder. “That’s what this place is. And like the power-hungry lunatic that my mother is, she just couldn’t help but exploit it for her own gain.”
Chrys gawked at the reckless pilot. He had no chance of defeating Harper, yet, here he was. After everything they had experienced together—the friction, constant fighting, and the damaging betrayals....
He had come back for her.
~
His mother’s sinister smile nearly buckled Cole’s knees. Thankfully, his space suit was sturdy enough that it could almost stand on its own. It wouldn’t be enough to combat whatever it was Harper had become, but that didn’t matter. He had to try. Running from her now would only allow her the opportunity to exact her revenge, and that couldn’t happen. He had to find a way to permanently stop her. Third death’s a charm, right?
“You were wise not to attempt an escape,” Harper said, breaking the ice between mother and son. “You would not have made the return to the Daedalus.”
Cole adjusted the raised solar shield on his helmet and cleared his throat. “Which is just as well, because I couldn’t leave without giving you one last kiss on the cheek.” He puckered his lips.
Harper scowled, and Cole could’ve sworn he saw her eyes glint red. “You are as intolerable as ever. I see it was a mistake to abandon you on that miserable planet.”
Cole blinked. “You mean to tell me that after spending all of that time there, none of you ever thought to give it a name?”
“It was my personal hell,” Harper said, taking her first steps toward Cole, “just as this station is about to become yours.”
“That’s not very motherly of you,” Cole said, keeping his eyes on her hands. They were bereft of any deadly implements, though he had a bad feeling she wouldn’t need any. “I know you only used me to gather intel on the Icarus and discover how I came to the multiverse, but you were still nice enough to allow me the opportunity to live my dream of space exploration. Minus NASA’s assistance and life support, of course.”