by C. C. Ekeke
She rummaged through her liquor cabinet in the rarely used kitchen and found her favorite bottle of liquid heaven, 40oz of Orionid’s finest black dwarf whiskey.
“Te quiero.” Sam filled a tumbler with sparkly ebony liquid, draining it in two gulps. She pulled a face. The tart kick nearly froze her tongue off before scorching down her throat. Relief, delight, security, and familiarity packed into one little glass, dizzying but fleeting.
Goddamn tolerance. She almost refilled her glass, then realized how stupid that was with bottle in hand. Flinging the tumbler aside, Sam clutched the bottle’s slender neck and sucked down gulp after gulp after gulp.
After polishing off the black dwarf, Sam staggered over to the huge 3D holo-recreation of the Supremacy’s Ruin on her living-room wall. The cataclysm that destroyed the Ttaunz’s star-spanning realm over two centuries ago unfolded before her. Hundreds of worlds with billions of citizens, extinguished by one brutal supernova over and over. The beautiful visual made Sam think of CT-1, and not just because it was a gift from Habraum.
Her heart ached anew for her former teammates, to fight alongside them again.
Sam drew Habraum’s hoodie closer and hugged herself, rolling her neck around to stretch out the kinks. His musky fragrance clung to the fabric, whittling away her resolve not to miss him. “Fuck you, Habraum,” she slurred, lurching back toward her liquor stash. “Need sumthin stronger.”
A door chime stopped Sam in her tracks. She scowled and stomped over to the foyer, annoyed by the interruption. Whoever it was better be quick.
“Enter.” Her door hissed open and Surje entered, five foot ten inches of wiry muscle and skittish energy.
“Capt—” The Voton’s white pupil-less eyes widened. “Captain!” Surje radiated pale-red light and swiftly turned away.
“What?” Sam followed where his horror had fallen and gaped. “OH. Motherfuck…” In her stupor, she’d failed to fully zip up Habraum’s hoodie. She swiftly fixed that with a woozy smile. “Safe now. Whaddya want?”
Surje turned to confirm she was covered, then mouthed, “Privacy mode.”
Sam frowned, but called for private communications as asked.
“Sorry for the lateness.” He walked further inside. “But this couldn’t wait. My message.”
“Would it’ve killed ya to use comms?” Sam wigwagged a lazy hand at the ceiling.
Surje shook his tricrested head. “Can’t trust comms with this.” He seized Sam’s arms, which felt like someone stabbing lightning forks into all of her nerve endings. She nearly collapsed if not for Surje’s grasp.
“Maicào!” Sam shoved him off angrily once the electric shock diminished. “What the hell?”
The Voton was unapologetic. “I need you sober to hear me out.”
Sam recognized then that her blissful mental fog had lifted. So much for getting drunk tonight. “Talk.” She guided Surje toward the couch and sat beside him.
“Its Solomon Yin and Kingston Reyes,” Surje began, “both were sabotaged.”
“How you figure?”
“Scatter encryption,” the Voton replied, “dispersing a message in tiny data nanobytes across unrelated outgoing transmissions before those bytes reconnect at an anonymous endpoint. Untraceable unless you know what to look—”
“I know about it,” Sam interrupted impatiently. “Your point?”
“One such transmission went out before Solomon was made and killed, then another before we lost Reyes. At least five were sent from this station in total.”
“A Children of Earth mole aboard Hollus Maddrone?” Sam suppressed a shiver, truly hoping she’d never get that news. “Where on the starbase are the transmissions originating?”
“Still searching. For the location,” Surje answered in his Voton staccato speech. “I’m monitoring all human starbase personnel as you requested. But finding nothing solid yet. My main suspect probably uses a more advanced scatter encryption to hide transmissions, as a slicer would.”
Sam stiffened, already seeing this trail’s end. “You suspect Addison.” Surje nodded. She was no fan of Raichoudry, but this about-face baffled her. “You were one of her biggest apologists. What changed?”
The Voton put his head in both hands, looking so young and lost. “Losing two moles, the untraceable transmissions, Addison kissing up to Captain Nwosu yet disrupting CT-2’s Children of Earth investigation. These cannot be coincidences.”
Sam shook her head with a weary smile. “Addison was already psi-scanned by Lethe when you, Lily, and V’Korram exfiltrated her from Seredonia. He scanned her again ten weeks later. I’ve had her watched since she returned. It’s probably not her.”
“What if she’s found ways around Lethe’s psi-scans and your surveillance?” Surje pressed on stubbornly, “Maybe using a shadow AI that fools even the deepest psi-scans? She’s a top-rated slicer and very smart.”
“Yes, she’s smart.” Surje’s theory wasn’t holding up. Sam would have to let him down easy, despite his evidence piquing her interest. “What if you’re wrong?”
The Voton stared ahead as the ruby gleam of his body dimmed and brightened like heartbeats. “What if she has what you humans call ‘Stockholm’s Syndrome’ from being undercover so long? Jan’Hax joked about that after she returned. But he might be right. Addison might still be a Children of Earth agent.”
Sam was quiet for several moments, chewing on that statement. These facts felt too obvious, but if Raichoudry was a threat to Star Brigade… “This investigation stays between us,” she finally stated. “Crack those encrypted transmissions, get their origins and destinations. And widen your search outside of just Raichoudry.”
The Voton was a dog with a bone on this hunch. “And if I’m proven right?”
Sam looked at him directly, her features hardening. “Then we contain and eliminate the threat.”
Chapter 54
The quarters Kyas’argiid had provided the Brigadiers and TerraTroopers were in a spacious building near the city center. Inside housed a large, red-walled common space adjoined to five smaller bedrooms.
Despite his grief, Kyas’argiid kept his word: one of his spies delivered data to Habraum about the Ghebrekh’s whereabouts. Marguliese processed the data thanks to her fluency with Quud kineticabulary.
As soon as the Quud left the Brigade’s quarters, Khrome dashed from corner to corner, activating a makeshift privacy forcefield around their gathering. This would cancel out outgoing noise and distort their movements from eavesdroppers.
“Currently, the Ghebrekh are at Kakencha Beach,” Marguliese stated once the Thulican finished. “They plan on traveling to Akkabe Plateau tomorrow morning.”
Khal voiced the location into a 3x5” datapad, laying it on a small slab in the middle of the group. A scaled-down holo of Akkabe Plateau instantly appeared above the device: a backdrop of cracked terrain stretching roughly three miles in every direction, covered by copious flat cone buttes. A data scroll accompanied the hologram.
Habraum’s eyes nearly popped. I saw this place last night.
“Rocky highlands with a system of micro-geysers.” Khal pointed at a cone-shaped geyser on the display. “Most are constantly erupting.”
“Akkabe is an orv and a half south of the Qiidr Mountains by shuttlecraft,” Byzlar noted.
“Not an option,” V’Korram growled. “The Ghebrekh could vanish before we arrive.”
Marguliese circled the holographic display with graceful strides. “There appear to be several transport pillars around the plateau, so entry is not an impediment.”
“It’s a matter of where we can sneak in undetected,” Habraum stated, staring at the holographic display of micro geysers. Something about them felt far too familiar, far too tied to that odd experience from last night. Cortes had the same experience, which was why she got drenched. He glanced at his medic, who had since changed into dry clothing. Cortes remained focused on the holo display.
“Also notable,” Marguliese added, her right
eye flashing like a jagged cerulean starburst, “our informant obtained a visual on a Ghebrekh hostage, a young Ttaunz male.”
Fiyan spun about, whipping her long, loose craniowhisks. “Taorr the Lesser’s alive?”
The Cybernarr arched an eyebrow. “That is what I just articulated.”
Khal scratched his chin. “Didn’t expect Ghuj’aega to keep Taorr alive. Seems more like a burden.”
“Poor youngling.” Khrome shook his flat-topped head. “Ghuj’aega’s probably tortured him crazy.”
Habraum bristled at the thought. “No sign of a Kudoban ambassador?” He remembered his promise to try saving Lethe’s mentor.
“Negative,” Marguliese replied.
“Wait,” Lily’s tuneful voice drew everyone’s attention. “The Quud say Qos is the Zenith Point, and Ghuj’aega is its avatar. Khal, please show Qos’s position tomorrow at 0800 orvs?”
Khal smirked playfully at the medic and typed away. “0800 orvs.”
The display of Akkabe shrunk as a hologram of Qos appeared. Habraum didn’t miss Cortes’s reaction, looking like she just choked on a wishbone. Qos hung directly over Akkabe Plateau.
Khal looked up and added, “Qos will stay tidally locked with Faroor for three orvs afterward.”
Marguliese arched an eyebrow. “Plainly this is a deviation in Qos’s regular lunar sequence?”
Khal nodded.
Tyris furrowed his hairless brow. “I doubt this is just happenstance,” the Tanoeen said.
Fiyan appeared unmoved. “But it gives us a potential time that Ghuj’aega and his ilk will arrive.”
“Exactly,” Habraum accepted. The mystery behind Qos could wait. “I don’t care if Qos grows a mouth and sings. Ghuj’aega is the prime concern. We know a location, potential time, and that Taorr is alive—currently. Let’s stop moon gawking and find a way to end Ghuj’aega.”
A tense air hung over the rest of the evening. The thought of how much intel Tosh’logiid could have revealed to them and other moles possibly present in Qiidr Ol-Chaeda hung on everyone’s minds. For almost two orvs, Star Brigade and the TerraTroopers ran through tactics and counterattacks, depending on the Ghebrekhs’ hypothetical location and responses.
Time bled away as did the group’s patience, particularly between Star Brigade and the TerraTroopers, Khal and Khrome, V’Korram and everyone. But Habraum kept their focus on the mission and squeezed out five alternate strategies, all solid but flexible in regards to possible setbacks. Finally, when everyone’s nerves were cooked, the Cerc ordered them to bed so they could be up by 0700 orvs.
Sleep offered little solace. Habraum awoke after only a couple orvs—his mind racing with mission logistics, possibly dead hostages, Jeremy, Sam. After throwing on a red tank top and sweatpants, the Cerc ventured out of the Brigade’s dwelling into Qiidr Ol-Chaeda’s streets at 0520 orvs in the morning. A fog had settled over the city, making visibility a bit challenging. He took with him a floating recording orb, or “recorb,” that Khrome had rebuilt.
Just a few Quud warriors haunted the streets this early, most of them staring curiously. The unplanned hike led Habraum to one of the taller pyramids. He sprinted to the top, then back down. Sprinted up, jogged down. After eleven reps in forty macroms, the Cerc was drenched but more clearheaded. He sat down at the pyramid’s apex. His timing was perfect. To his left was a clear view of the Qiidr Mountains, white billows spilling leisurely through steep slopes between the peaks. At his right, Herope’s dirty crimson glow peeked over the horizon, washing the night away in slow, subtle waves.
The Cerc smiled, taking in the scenery. He triggered the recorb then, which floated just above his grasp. “Begin,” he ordered. When the green light encircling the lens flickered on, Habraum spoke, “Hey sprout! Guess where your dad is now?”
Habraum told Jeremy about Faroor and its indigenous species, but withheld his exact location for security reasons. He kept his message short, ending it with “Love you, Jer. See ya soon.” The Cerc then captured a panoramic shot of Qiidr Ol-Chaeda, its lofty crimson pyramid structures framed against the Qiidr Mountains’ majestic summits.
Since Jeremy was four, this had become Habraum’s ritual whenever he went on an away mission. And if Habraum enjoyed the planet he was stationed on, there was always a promise to take Jeremy there in the future.
As expected in the Cerc’s profession, the list he’d promised had grown very long. But Habraum intended to honor every world, whether he started next year or ten years from now.
At 0640 orvs, Habraum descended the pyramid to head back for the Brigade’s quarters. He contacted Khrome via wristcom. Within macroms, the Thulican soared down from the skies. “Oh captain, my captain,” Khrome proclaimed upon landing.
The Cerc handed his tech officer the recorb. “Ensure the transmission reaches my son.”
Having done the task many times before, Khrome took the recorb with a smile and rocketed up into the pink sky. By the time Habraum returned to Star Brigade’s quarters, the Thulican flew back and returned the globe to him.
Everyone else was awake and suited up by the time he returned. Habraum washed up in the surprisingly modern showers adjacent to the quarters, with water streaming from the mountains. He changed into his green, white, and gold armored uniform. Waiting for him near the entrance was a plate of fluffy white camke scrambled eggs with a side of toasted urbrui bread slathered with bluish jam. Habraum ate the meal quickly, washing it down with ice-cold water from a clay cup.
The Cerc walked back to the main quarters and heard Liliana’s voice before seeing her. “I’m just saying thanks. Can’t you just graciously accept?”
Habraum had wanted to speak to her since last night. He entered to see V’Korram, long ginger mane in a ponytail, seated in full uniform sharpening his scaphe daggers with a whetstone. “You were cold, I warmed you up. Move on,” he growled, not bothering to look at Liliana.
Lily jutted her dimpled chin obstinately. “Please, the ‘brooding’ act doesn’t scare me anymore!”
V’Korram whirled on her, snapping sharp teeth. Liliana shrieked and jumped back. The Kintarian went back to sharpening his daggers, a sneer playing across his muzzle. Lily composed herself enough to scowl back.
Habraum almost chuckled, but held it in. “V’Korram, leave us.” The Kintarian nodded, sheathed his scaphes and padded quickly out of the room.
Once he felt certain V’Korram was out of earshot, Habraum got to his point. “Last night, before everything got skittery...you saw the geysers, too?”
Liliana’s face drained of color, but she offered a feeble nod.
“You were there longer, hence why you were wet, and how you knew Qos’s position over Akkabe.” It wasn’t a question.
Liliana leaned against a wall, staring at nothing. “I saw Ghuj’aega and his followers there. I said nothing because the team had already figured it out.”
Habraum absorbed this when facing his subordinate, standing over half a foot taller. “And I’d ordered you not to.” He folded his arms, putting his full, penetrating gaze on Lily. “Anything else you’re not telling me?”
She stiffened, but met the Cerc’s stare. “I’d tell you if there was.”
The two Brigadiers moved about the room in silence for a time, Cortes prepping medical supplies she could transport on her person, Habraum sorting through weapons light enough to carry. He normally didn’t need artillery, but if his powers got disabled again, he couldn’t be unprepared. The routine, born from years of experience, came naturally.
“How do you do it?” Liliana asked.
“Do what?” Habraum asked vaguely, hooking a small pulse pistol to his left ankle.
“Be brave all the time? Barely anything seems to faze you.”
That seized Habraum’s attention. He turned as Cortes sighed heavily. “I’m always so scared, before and during a mission.” The doctor blushed and looked away from his gaze.
Habraum gaped, taken aback by her view of him. He chose his next words
carefully. “Way I see it,” he began quietly, “courage isn’t being fearless. It’s doing the job even if you’re scared to bits.”
Liliana hugged herself as if chilly. “If you don’t mind me asking, sir... What scares you?”
His reply took no thought. “Failing a mission... Not protecting my team... Jeremy becoming an orphan.” None of these fears were for himself; he couldn’t afford that luxury. But the last fear, Jeremy losing both parents, pressed like a tangible weight on Habraum’s chest. He remembered Liliana was watching him, and refocused on her with a forced grin.
“I see how confident you’ve become and how well you work with CT-1. Know what your orders are and do what needs to be done.”
Liliana stared back blankly, lips slightly parted as if to speak. Then, Habraum saw her close-set brown eyes harden, leaving no room for fear.
“Tell the team it’s go time,” Habraum said. Lily nodded and left the room.
He stopped smiling. She’s hiding something. It wouldn’t be the first time, either. However, Habraum knew Liliana would tell him if it directly affected the mission. So he would trust her...for now.
Habraum adjusted his utility belt and strode out to meet his group.
The fog covering Qiidr Ol-Chaeda had mostly burned away under Herope’s cherry blaze. Kyas’argiid waited outside, flanked by three warriors with gamey builds. By his expression, one couldn’t tell he had just killed his traitorous son last night.
Habraum offered his hand, and the high chief accepted. “Thanks for your hospitality.”
As the Quud nodded in understanding, Habraum saw flickers of grief in his opal-like eyes. Kyas’argiid was barely holding it together. He turned and walked back toward the heart of Qiidr Ol-Chaeda. One of his warriors stayed to initiate the pillar that would transport Star Brigade to Akkabe.
Habraum studied his team. They all surrounded a shorter-than-average stone pillar, cylindrical in its shape and wide in girth, but clearly constructed from various stones. Fiyan and Byzlar stood in full armor, pulse rifles hefted on their shoulders. Khal looked at the earth, clenching and unclenching his hands, looking slightly overwhelmed. This was his first major CT mission, so Habraum empathized. Cortes said Khal had no lasting injuries from the transport crash. Habraum was relieved, knowing how valuable a telekinetic would be on the field.