by G. P. Hudson
The craft turned upwards and glided into the impossible azure sky. Jon, Breeah and Anki all looked out their windows at the scenery below.
“Look at all the trees,” said Anki. “Is that a park?”
“Yes,” said Kulberg. “The station has several parks and every street has vegetation of all sorts. Trees, shrubs, flowers, they all assist in putting our people at ease, completing the illusion of being outdoors. Our filtration system keeps the air fresh, but the trees and vegetation do their part as well.”
Jon pointed to a skyline of buildings in the distance. “Is that a city?”
“Yes. That is where the bulk of our population lives. As you can imagine, the station doesn’t have an infinite amount of space. Clustering the population has proven to be most efficient.”
“Like an ant hill,” said Jon.
Kulberg gave Jon a questioning look, like he didn’t understand, but said nothing.
As the buildings drew nearer Jon realized that the structures were taller than he first thought. They all seemed to be roughly the same height, although the shapes varied to provide some semblance of diversity. The craft closed in on one of the buildings and circled it, waiting for its turn to land. A few moments later it had its opportunity. It positioned itself above the roof, its air jets maneuvering to allow a gentle drop onto the roof.
“You have a lot of air traffic,” said Jon.
“It is more convenient to travel by air in the station. At a certain altitude the gravity drops off substantially, to almost zero g, requiring very little energy for propulsion. All our vehicles use air jets for lift and acceleration. We do not allow any other systems to be used on the station. As you can imagine, we take air pollution very seriously. ”
The vehicle moved to its allotted parking space and came to a stop. Its doors slid open and Kulberg got out first. Jon followed, jumping out on the platform and quickly scanning the perimeter. No visible threats. The guards were already out of the vehicle, both watching Jon. Studying him. He had already assessed that they weren’t anything to worry about, armed or not. He wondered if they felt the same about him.
The rooftop platform was quite large, littered with several other vehicles. They were surrounded by other buildings, with their own rooftop traffic. At the far corner of the platform was a glass structure enclosing what looked like a lift.
Kulberg walked toward it and the group followed. Reaching the structure they all entered the lift and immediately a female voice said, “Hello Mr. Kulberg.”
“Mr. Jansen’s office,” said Kulberg.
The lift began dropping. It gave them a view of the surrounding structures. Several had giant displays providing a mixture of news reports and advertisements.
“How do you construct these buildings?” asked Breeah. “It must be difficult to build inside the station.”
“Everything is made to be light and versatile,” said Kulberg. “We use a lot of polymers in construction. Everything is modular, and prefabricated floor by floor. When demands for space increase, we build another module and stack it on top of the existing structure.”
“Like my building toys,” said Anki.
“Arriving at Mr. Jansen’s office,” said the lift’s female voice.
The door slid open exposing a busy office surrounded by windows. Rows of desks spread out across the floor with men and women seated, busily working. A young woman approached with the same fake smile. She was blond, thin, almost as tall as Kulberg, and wore a gray suit similar to his. Jon wondered if the suits designated status.
Kulberg spoke first. “Mr. Jansen is waiting to see our guests.”
“Of course,” she said, still smiling. “Right this way.” She moved effortlessly across the floor, her long legs covering the distance with ease and elegance. The guards had now fallen behind the group, keeping sight of all their guests. Jon could feel their eyes on him the whole time.
They approached a door, set in a wall of mirrored glass. No doubt Mr. Jansen was watching from the other side.
The door slid open and the woman entered. “Your guests have arrived Mr. Jansen.”
At the far end of the room a middle aged man sat behind a large desk. He nodded at the woman as they approached. Unlike the woman and Kulberg, Mr. Jansen’s suit was black. His white collarless shirt buttoned tightly up his neck. His perfectly coiffed dark hair accented by quick, piercing eyes.
The woman turned to the group and said, “Please come in.” She walked up to Jansen’s desk and motioned to a row of four chairs. When they were all seated she turned and left the room with the same long graceful strides.
Kulberg and the two guards remained, but stood back in front of the door. Jon glanced at them and acknowledged that they were doing their job. The guards stood a good distance apart from each other, with Kulberg in the middle. They could easily put the group in a crossfire if needed. Jon wondered if Kulberg was armed. He didn’t carry himself like the guards, like a soldier, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a threat.
“Welcome aboard DLC Station,” said Jansen. There was no fake Kulberg smile. Jansen was obviously comfortable with his power and didn’t need to put on an act. “I understand I am in your debt, Mr. Pike.”
Jansen met Jon’s gaze. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t seem intimidated by Jon like most people. Instead his eyes seemed to probe Jon’s, trying to discover what hid beneath the surface. They were patient and deadly, like a cobra’s. This man had killed. Of that Jon was certain.
“I merely reacted to the threat,” said Jon. “I did what I had to do.”
“Singlehandedly disposing of a raider boarding party is no small task, Mr. Pike. Even my best men couldn’t do what you did.”
“I don’t know your men.”
“Are you a soldier?”
“Yes.”
“But you are far from home.”
“Yes, we’re new to this region of space.”
“Where exactly is home, Mr. Pike?”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not say.”
“Yet you speak the old tongue.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can tell, even with your translator, that you speak the old tongue. Very few know how to speak it anymore.”
Jon stayed silent. He didn’t like the direction the conversation was headed.
“I understand Captain Seiben picked you up in a life pod. Were you in a battle?”
“I’m sorry, I’m not at liberty to discuss that either.” Jansen’s questions were direct and unsettling. The comment about the ‘old tongue’ had unnerved him. He didn’t know how much these people knew about Earth, but he couldn’t risk revealing himself until he better understood what he was getting into.
Jansen sat back in his chair, lacing his fingers together in front of his chin. His eyes were still locked on Jon’s, still probing for answers. “You are quite a mystery Mr. Pike.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. You saved me a great deal of money, wherever you’re from,” said Jansen. “Captain Seiben, you were quite fortunate to pick up this man when you did. There’s no telling what the raiders would have done to you and your crew.”
“Yes, we were very lucky,” said Seiben, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
“What do you think of our station, Mr. Pike?”
“It’s very impressive.”
“Mr. Pike, I am a direct man. I don’t like wasting time or playing games. I need someone like you. How would you like to stay here for a while?”
“You just met me. How would you know if you needed me for anything?”
“I did say I didn’t like playing games, didn’t I? Your abilities speak for themselves. No ordinary man could do what you did. You are obviously extremely well trained. So I’ll repeat my question, would you like to stay here for a while?”
“That all depends on what your needs are.”
“The raiders you encountered have been plaguing our shipping lanes for some time.”
&n
bsp; “I’m sure someone with your resources can deal with a few raiders,” said Jon.
“There are more than a few of them, Mr. Pike. Killing a few raiders doesn’t remove the scourge. What we really need to do is locate their base.”
“I still don’t understand why you need me.”
“You said you were a soldier. What rank?”
“Captain.”
Seiben turned and looked at Jon, surprised. Jansen simply nodded like he already knew the answer.
“But you’re a special type of soldier, aren’t you. The type that goes on difficult missions. No ordinary soldier could’ve done what you did on that freighter.”
“Your point?” said Jon, increasingly irritated by the cat and mouse game they were playing.
“You could succeed where we have failed. You could find the enemy base for us. Then we could eliminate the raider scourge once and for all.”
“That sounds like a suicide mission.”
“I’m sure you can handle it, Captain Pike. You would be well rewarded for your efforts.”
“You already said you were in my debt.”
“I did. And I am.” Jansen leaned forward. “But I can give you so much more. You can remain here and want for nothing. Or, if you wanted to leave I can provide you with a starship and anything else you needed. Just name your price.”
The offer was tempting. It could allow him to start a new life. What was one more mission? Still, he needed time to think. “I’m tired. Do you mind if I think it over?”
“Of course. I’ve had some housing allocated for you. Mr. Kulberg will escort you to your apartment. We’ll talk again, and in the meantime please make yourself at home on our station.”
Chapter 18
Kevin sat in his cell. Waiting. He wondered about Singh. What happened to him? How could he betray Earth like that? He didn’t know Singh that well, but he never expected him to turn into a traitor. With jump system technology the Kemmar could launch a surprise attack against the Sol System itself. Singh had even promised to give them Earth’s location. Earth wouldn’t know what was happening until it was too late. They wouldn’t have time to mount an effective defense. The Kemmar could take the Sol System with lightning speed.
The only hope for Sol would be a Diakan counterattack, but the damage would have been done. Even if the Diakans could push the Kemmar out of the system, Earth would be in ruins. After the Wars of Liberation and all the hard work to rebuild, this was the last thing Earth needed.
Singh had to be stopped.
Kevin had already decided to escape, but now he needed to capture Singh as well. They weren’t leaving Kerces without him. He had to make a move, and he had to do it today. So he waited for the doctor’s daily visit. He had only one chance and he couldn’t make a mistake.
He didn’t have to wait very long. When he heard the door to the cell block open, he readied himself. He lay down on the floor and closed his eyes, listening to the footsteps getting closer. As he expected, the doctor and the guard soon appeared in front of his cell.
“Get up,” said the guard, clear menace in his voice.
Kevin didn’t budge.
“Get up.”
Kevin stayed on the floor. The guard growled.
The doctor said something to the guard, but Kevin couldn’t make it out. He heard he guard respond, sounding angrier than normal. After the doctor finished speaking the guard touched his belt and the cell door slid open. Both Kemmar entered the cell and the door slid closed behind them.
The guard strode up to Kevin first and kicked him hard in the ribs. Pain surged through Kevin’s side, but he didn’t flinch. Another kick. Still nothing from Kevin. The guard kicked him two more times, the pain almost overwhelming, but Kevin didn’t move. He hoped no ribs were broken. He couldn’t afford anything slowing him down.
“I better examine him,” said the doctor. “They still want him alive.”
The guard grunted and the doctor bent forward to check Kevin’s pulse.
The act was working. The guard didn’t even put restraints on him. The doctor crouched down beside him, the putrid smell of rotting flesh on his breath. Kevin waited until he felt the hand touch his neck. Then he struck.
He shot out his right hand, fingers tight, and speared the doctor’s throat. The force of the blow sent the doctor reeling backward, gagging, hands clasping his neck. He fell into the wall and dropped to the ground, still gripping his throat, struggling to breathe.
The guard moved fast, surging forward at Kevin. But Kevin moved faster. He kicked a leg out and caught the guard on the side of his knee, sweeping his legs out from under him.
The Kemmar guard hit the ground hard, smacking his head on the cold floor. Kevin was on him. The speed of his attack surprised the guard, his eye slits growing wider than he had ever seen them. Kevin dropped a bomb of a punch into the Kemmar’s face. It felt good. He hit the guard two more times and the Kemmar responded with a weak swing of his baton. Kevin blocked the strike and stripped the baton from the guard’s hand.
“Let’s see how this thing works,” said Kevin.
He smashed the guard in the face with the baton, sending a powerful electric current into the Kemmar’s skull. The guard’s body convulsed. Kevin thought of Private Denney. Thought of how these animals ripped the flesh off his bones while he screamed. He hit the guard again and his body seized. Then again. And again. The blood splattered and squirted with each blow. The skull opened up before him. Again. He bludgeoned the guard repeatedly until there was no movement, no doubt he was dead.
Kevin got up, and heard the doctor gagging behind him. He turned to see the doctor still holding his neck. Kevin had struck him with intent to kill, but he didn’t want to take any chances. He stepped forward and the doctor raised a hand in a feeble attempt at defense. The first kick hit the doctor in the elbow. The satisfying sound of breaking bone filled the cell. The second kick finished the job. A powerful blow to the doctor’s throat, crushing whatever was left of his windpipe. The doctor’s head bounced off the wall behind him and then fell forward, blood gurgling from his mouth.
Kevin walked over to the guard, took off his belt, and strapped it around his own waist. He had watched the guard carefully, and memorized all the different ways he manipulated the belt. He touched the belt and smiled when the cell door slid open. Now he had to get his men.
Kevin walked out of his cell and looked at the row of cells. He touched the belt, half guessing this time, and all the other cell doors slid open.
The rest of the Marines walked out of their cells. They looked rough. Tired. Hungry. But not beaten. He knew that most had been tortured. He also knew they were tough. Well trained. The Fleet’s best. They knew how to stay focused under extreme conditions. There wasn’t a quitter among them. Each one of them would rather die than fail.
Kevin raised his hand, telling them not to make any noise. They had lost some good men, but there were still enough left to make this work. They needed weapons. Kevin had the guard’s baton, but that wouldn’t be much good against an energy weapon.
He crept up to the door at the end of the hallway, the Marines following close behind. Sergeant Henderson came up beside him. He looked just as tired as the rest, but his eyes were fierce. A tiger freed from his cage. Kevin whispered, “I saw two guards stationed on the other side of this door. They’re armed with energy weapons. I can open the door with this belt. When I do we need to take them out fast.”
“No problem, Chief,” said Henderson. He turned and gave a couple of hand signs to the rest of the Marines, letting them know what was going to happen. He nodded. They were ready.
Kevin took a deep breath. There was a pain in his ribs where the guard kicked him. They were only bruised, not broken. It wouldn’t slow him down. Already the adrenaline coursed through his veins, numbing the pain. Reviving him. He bent his knees. Prepared to pounce. He touched the belt and the door opened.
Henderson moved first. He had always been quicker. The Sergeant u
nleashed a flurry of strikes at the guard to the right of the door. The element of surprise worked perfectly, and Henderson obliterated his target, disarming him before he could fire a shot.
Kevin, a split second behind Henderson, struck the other guard in the arm with the baton, the electric shock forcing him to let go of his weapon. The guard seized up and Kevin’s arm firing like a piston with another strike to the back of the head. The guard dropped to his knees. Three precise strikes followed with lightning speed, all to the back of the neck. The guard fell to the ground. Limp. The vertebrae in his neck broken beyond repair.
The rest of the Marines were flooding through the door. They quickly took positions to secure the room. The guards had carried two energy weapons each. Kevin and Henderson each took an energy weapon and gave the other two to Burke and Reynolds. The guards also had ion blades which were given to two more Marines. Kevin passed the bloody baton to a third.
Kevin checked his weapon and nodded to Henderson, who was doing the same.
“At least we have a fighting chance now,” said Kevin.
“Yeah, and the element of surprise,” said Henderson.
“They aren’t wearing combat suits.”
“They’re comfortable.”
“Uh-huh,” said Kevin. “That gives us an advantage. We need to move fast before they figure out what’s happened.”
At the other end of the room were more doors. He remembered the route to and from the interrogation room. That was their first stop. He stepped up to the doors and the Marines took position along both sides. He leveled his weapon. Henderson, Burke and Reynolds did the same. He pushed a button on the belt and the door slid open. There were no guards on the other side. The Marines entered the room like a quiet brook filling a pond.
“Through the next set of doors it’s gonna get busier,” said Kevin. “There’s a corridor that branches off. We stay to the right. That’ll take us to the interrogation room.”