by Brett P. S.
“Guards I can deal with. I hope Abigail keeps the Ghost busy.”
“No promises,” she said. “Worry about yourself right now. I’ve already instructed our decoy men to create their disturbances, but that will buy you a few minutes at most.”
It wasn’t as if he could bring up a map of base, having no cybernetics augmenting his brain, not that a free public one existed at any rate. He did memorize the bulk of the blueprints, however. To the best of his knowledge, this route would suffice. Elijah sped toward a T juncture and crept toward the edge of the wall before he peered down both directions.
Haste would favor his exploits more than caution at this point. He would have to make use of his assets to the fullest. If he delivered the canister unscathed, maybe he could hide inside the lab itself while the heat boiled down. What would happen to James and Abigail then? He shook his head. They knew what they signed up for. One way or another, they weren’t about to the leave Solus.
“Full Blood!” A deep, bellowing voice echoed through the halls behind him.
“Elijah,” Miss Dubois said, “Our cyborgs are down. He’s coming for you.”
Elijah sighed. “Yeah, I kind of caught wind of it.”
No need to look back. He darted down a clean hall to his right with the blood still smeared across his face. Elijah turned a hard left and nearly fell down as his shoes slid on the floor. Lighter was better, but he could have used more traction. Too late now, though. He heaved and huffed until his lungs were ready to burst, and he kept on even after that, what little good it would do him in the end.
He caught himself in a frozen stance as a set of troops curved around the bend and raised their carbines at him with angry, disturbed blood lust in their eyes. Elijah took a step back and waited for the crackling sound of gunfire. Instead, however, the group of soldiers lowered their weapons. A smoky mist enveloped the space between Elijah and his self-proclaimed firing squad. It solidified into the form of a human being, Jaeger, the man whom he evaded not once, but twice now. Looks as if this was the last straw, though.
“I will not take your life today,” Jaeger said. “Not yet. You and your fellow thieves will live to regret your choices.”
“Awfully soft for a Ghost, aren’t we?” Elijah said with a smirk.
He half expected Jaeger to humor him with some witty comeback, but instead, all he received was a physically enhanced slap to the face that sent him flying and knocked his skull against something hard. Elijah’s world grew dark, and he shut his eyes in a blink.
Chapter 11
Once in a Lifetime
Solus Station, Solus Sector
“Pirates, vagrants and thieves flood Orion Sector. The region of space sits on the edge of the Core Systems, opposite of the I’malar Collective. Despite political promises and the bulk of public opinion, OTO refuses to police the sector. According to public statements, cleansing Orion Sector would carry a death toll in the hundreds of thousands and would cripple OTO financially.” – Old Terrace Order (OTO) Archives
Elijah awoke within a blackened room. He collected himself and tried to stand, but his body rested at an angle, his wrists and ankles bound to a surface inclined at about 45 degrees. He tested the wrappings with some quick jerks, though he hardly expected them to break. They didn’t. He collected himself and glanced to his left and right. Dim lamps colored the dark ambience with a subtle white glow, like candlelight, though without the flickering.
He wouldn’t get far, even if he could break free, though he carefully observed what little he could make of his surroundings and plotted some numbers through his head. Either the Gallant’s crew sailed off the moment fate tipped against their favor or OTO impounded them shortly after the disturbance. Both scenarios boded poorly for his chances at escape and a much bigger problem overshadowed the thoughts racing through his head. Even if he could secure a suitable means of passage, he wasn’t about to escape from with arguably the largest OTO installation this side of Core Systems without a handout from God himself.
A bolt of pain shot through his head as a bright light flashed on a meter above his face, beams firing at his retinas. He flinched and squinted his eyes in a jerk reaction, eventually calming down before he opened them to their fullest again. His pupils adjusted to the new lighting, and he spotted a figure standing just inside the lit portion of the room. The man may only have been a silhouette, but Elijah recognized him by the way he carried himself as he strode over.
“I will make this quick,” Jaeger said. “Your Starlight Brigade lives for now. I will deal with them later, but I have an offer for you, Full Blood.”
Elijah rolled his eyes. “Please, call me Elijah.”
Jaeger cracked a grin. “You will die alone, years after I hand you and your terrorist group over to the I’malarian Consulate, Elijah. They will examine you in ways you can scarcely imagine.”
“Sounds swell,” Elijah said. “I assume there’s an alternative?”
“I have authority to take on an apprentice,” Jaeger continued. “You will train beneath me and eventually become a Ghost if you show promise. I will also exonerate you of your crimes.”
The request hit Elijah with the metaphorical force of a star cruiser. He’d heard of Ghosts picking apprentices off the streets before, but he hardly ever guessed it would happen to him. Granted, he fit the basic physical requirements. Cyborgs couldn’t make the transition. Mechanical implants didn’t mesh well with Phase Shifting, some kind of integral property of Phantom Drives and molecular acceleration.
“You like me that much, huh?” Elijah said, cracking a grin. “Let my crew walk on this one, and you’ve got a deal.”
Jaeger moved in closer, uncomfortably close. Elijah smelled his breath and felt the waves of air beating down on him as Jaeger spoke.
“This is not a negotiation,” he said. “You have my offer. Take it or join your fallen comrades in the blackest pits of I’malar.”
He stepped back into the middle ground between the dimly lit portion of the interrogation room and the utter absence of detail. Elijah didn’t exactly owe Miss Dubois or the Starlight Brigade anything in terms of loyalty and standing before him was an offer, the likes of which not more than a handful of people see in a given century. He tried to speak, to say yes, but each time he did, a knot tied itself up tightly in his stomach and a firm lump formed in the back of his throat.
“Can I weigh my options for a while?” Elijah asked.
Jaeger stepped back further, until his silhouette shifted out of sight completely. His voice grew soft as the source trailed off into the depths of the room.
“I will return in one hour. I expect your answer by then.”
Chapter 12
Bargaining Chip
Solus Station, Solus Sector
“A Ghost’s healing factor is actually an unintended side effect from use of his personal Phantom Drive. Accelerating his molecular structure allows for rapid healing during his Phase Shift Interval as the molecules settle back into place. Because of this effect, Ghosts can survive crippling damage to most vital organs. A few whose healing factor goes beyond ordinary talents can survive a shot to the heart.” – Old Terrace Order (OTO) Archives
Elijah contemplated for 20 minutes or so, tossing around the notion in his mind and dissecting the offer as it stood. He hardly held sway in the matter, and time was running out. He trusted Jaeger enough to believe the crew of the SBG Gallant were safe aboard Solus Station … somewhere. God knows what state the ship was in, though he tried not to think about it, better to imagine it ready for lift off somewhere in the corner of the docking bay reserved for confiscated property. If OTO hadn’t trashed it, they soon would.
As his thoughts drifted off, a door to his left on the far end of his makeshift interrogation chamber cracked open. A tall figure in a crimson OTO uniform walked in. He removed his cap and carefully crept forward. He moved haphazardly. The man hadn’t done this before. An assassin? He definitely wasn’t Jaeger.
“Did t
hey send you to clean up?” Elijah asked. “You sneak with the grace of a turtle.”
“I’d watch that free spirited tongue of yours,” the man said. Sure enough, Elijah recognized the voice, though he hadn’t expected it.
“Logan?” he asked. “Boy, I wasn’t expecting the man in person, but you’re a godsend. What’s the extraction plan? Are Abigail and James all right? What shape is the Gallant …?”
“Stop,” Logan interrupted, his voice stern. “I’m not here to help you. I’m here to pay my respects, the same as I did to your cohorts.”
“You were on base?” Elijah said. “And you didn’t tell Miss Dubois? I don’t buy your act.”
“Truthfully,” Logan said with a pause, “I really didn’t believe your crew would pull through in the end. This was a calculated risk.”
“You have some gambling problem there,” Elijah exclaimed. “What’s your contingency plan? Don’t tell me you hadn’t thought of one.”
“My contingency plan involves decades of waiting and observation until I can funnel enough funds into a shell company to build a second research station in the middle of nowhere, hidden from the eyes of the Galactic Union. It’s hardly an easy task, but now it seems the last option I have left.”
“And what about us?” Elijah stammered, tightening his fists. “What about the SBG and the people you hired so you didn’t have to bloody your hands?”
Logan slammed a heavy arm against the wall. “Don’t speak to me with that tone of disrespect! One more snarky line and I will have you shot.”
“I won’t apologize. You Terrace Centralists only care about what serves your cause. You don’t give a damn about the people you hurt unless they’re of use to you.”
“I’m warning you,” Logan said. He took a step forward, the light beams hitting his face.
“I’m done,” Elijah said. “Do you even have any of it left?”
Logan nodded. “Of course. I instructed your commander to ferry a few samples to some choice rocks. I know the coordinates, though it scarcely matters. I can’t operate under the GU’s alerted level of scrutiny. I’ll be lucky if I’m not found out already, thanks to your blunder.”
“That sounds like an awfully complicated problem,” Elijah said, grinning. “What if I could simplify the hell out of things for you?”
Logan perked up his head and took a step back. “Go on.”
“I swallowed a handful of your substance, along with … other things I’m not proud of.”
“You have to be kidding me,” Logan exclaimed. “You’re serious?”
“As far as I know, your men didn’t even bother with a body scan. I was sorely disappointed to be an over achiever, but if you could draw some blood, that’d be real nice.”
Logan shook his head. “You’re insane, you know that?”
“And I could also do without these harnesses eating into my wrists.”
“Stay put,” Logan said. “I’ll send one of my scientists and afterwards, you get ten minutes. That’s all I can afford.”
“My crew?”
Logan paused. “Of course … but I can’t protect you or them once you step into the furnace.”
“I understand,” Elijah said. “You have your reputation to uphold, after all.”
Part Four
Deep Space Prison Break
Chapter 13
Grim Showdown
Solus Station, Solus Sector
“Of the Core Systems in the Old Terrace Order, Solus Sector remains the most orderly, containing the bulk of OTO’s military craft. Gemini Sector, however, serves as a hub for Merchants and bolsters the galactic Economy. Most Xarconium is sold in Gemini Sector.” – Old Terrace Order (OTO) Archives
Elijah held up his chin and walked with authority. He widened his gait and puffed out his chest. Just a little, not too much. The red OTO uniform he wore appeared to house the medals of a second lieutenant and form fitting to boot. Miss Dubois could learn a thing from Logan and his resources. Never cross a man with the power and authority to damn near clear an entire section of the station for a drill. What did he call it again? It was some sort of space plague or something of the sort. Elijah found himself barely able to contain his awe in the face of the man he insulted minutes earlier.
“Fill me in, Miss Dubois,” Elijah said through his microphone.
Logan’s men had given him more than a suit and false rank. They’d outfitted him with new communication equipment and some standard weaponry as well. He’d have to thank them if he ever got the chance, though the thought of appearing before Logan caused a shiver up his neck.
“We’re prepping the Gallant for takeoff. The docking bay is clear, and I have the bay hatch open.”
“Anyone missing from the roster?” Elijah asked.
“None that I can tell,” Miss Dubois replied. “Abigail and Chandler are standing guard next to the ramp just in case. Elijah, what did you say to him?”
What could he say? He’d seen their exact scenario coming ahead of schedule, so he took it upon himself to meddle with Miss Dubois’s carefully laid plans. Ingesting the minerals that now flowed through his bloodstream paid off as a bargaining chip in the face of his captors, a risk nearly as shaky as Logan’s own gambit. It wasn’t over yet. No need to muddy the waters until after he received his payment.
“I reminded your employer of his assets and their usefulness. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“That’s a belt tug if I ever heard one,” James chimed in.
“Agreed,” Miss Dubois said. “Elijah, we can talk more about this later. For now, we need you to get moving. Preparations are nearly complete, and I don’t want to overstay our sudden stroke of luck.”
“There you go jinxing it!” Abigail shouted. “Knight can’t take another scuffle from the Full Blood’s new special friend.”
“You’re lucky Logan let you keep it,” Elijah said, chuckling.
“Don’t you joke!” Abigail scoffed. “I’ll plant a bullet through every skull on this station before I leave without Knight.”
Fair enough. He doubted she’d go so far, but he also couldn’t imagine Abigail without her signature rifle by her side. The trouble of conflicting hypothetical situations. Elijah stepped up to the docking bay entrance at the end of the same hallway he’d traveled down and the doors slid open with mechanical reflexes and precision. James and Abigail stood in full OTO regalia, dressed from head to boot in crimson suits and gold buttons. James waved at him, and Abigail hoisted Knight onto her shoulders and turned toward the docking ramp. Elijah carried himself toward them in a brisk jog. The worst was …
“Duck, Goose!”
Crap …
Chapter 14
Big Guns and Lasers
Solus Station, Solus Sector
“The key to defeating a Ghost is understanding his Phase Shift interval. Phase Shifting is a fluid process, always changing. However, once a Ghost reverts to a solid form, he must maintain it until his molecular structure settles down to safe levels. This period of cooldown is known as a Phase Shift Interval, and a Ghost is most vulnerable during this time.” – Old Terrace Order (OTO) Archives
Elijah ducked and rolled as two succinct shots fired over his head. The sound of bullets tearing through the plasma of a Ghost mid-way through his Phase Shift funneled through his ears. He stood up and spun around to see a Ghost eyeing him, quickly recovered from the damage Abigail inflicted. He hovered in full mist form now, invulnerable to anything outside of Plasma weaponry, and they had nothing of the …
“Miss Dubois, the Gallant has mini Plasma cannons, right?”
“Say no more. Keep your heads low,” Miss Dubois said. “Chandler, can you assist the targeting systems?”
“Of course. Not even a Ghost can dodge my predictive probability …”
“Shut it,” Miss Dubois said. “Firing now!”
Twin bolts of blue plasma tore through the air and lit it on fire with streams of smoke and electricity as they barreled down toward Jaeger
. The blue lasers screeched like one thousand birds gasping for breath in the blackest pits of I’malar. Jaeger swooped and swerved to dodge the brunt of them, but Elijah noticed … they were clipping him. Little by little, as blue fire ate holes in the titanium floor, Jaeger was slipping, losing his advantage in the fight.
Elijah broke his attention away from quiet contemplation. What was he doing? He bolted up the docking ramp and stopped, one foot past the open bay hatch doors. James strode up beside him and patted him on the back as he stepped inside.
“Full Blood!” Jaeger screamed. “Do you accept?”
Elijah paused. He cupped his hands and shouted. “I refuse!”
Jaeger sped up and lunged forward, but a blue bolt cut him off. James wouldn’t make this easy for him. Jaeger continued his leaps and bounds against the barrage levied at him as Abigail followed James though the hatch and the Gallant rose off the docking platform. Elijah stood within the decontamination chamber, his head poked outside. He eyed Jaeger’s mist form with a tired expression. This wasn’t over. One did not simply refuse a Ghost. One lived to regret it.
Epilogue
SBG Gallant, Gemini Sector
The Gallant drifted somewhere in the outer reaches of Gemini Sector, far enough apart from civilization to catch the wary gaze of the Galactic Union. Elijah heaved a heavy sigh as he stood next to his peers in the same briefing room they’d lumbered inside during their escape from the same Sector yesterday. Gemini glowed next to a vibrant green nebula. He assumed the visual appeared spectacular, but metallic walls and the hull of a heavy star ship obstructed his scenic view. While crew paced about the Gallant, Elijah watched as Miss Dubois made her way past sliding doors to stop and stand two meters in front of him.