by L. Fergus
Talon peeked around a crate after Sarin’s message played. The firing had stopped as the message repeated. A pair of Political Bureau soldiers jumped up from their positions, threw down their rifles, and raised their hands. A few more followed.
“Soldier, pick up your weapon. The rest of you, open fire.” A Political Bureau officer from the rear of their positions yelled.
Shots came from a dozen positions, but the rest of the company remained silent. The firing increased as those firing yelled at the others to fire.
“Marines, hold your fire,” yelled Talon. “Political Bureau soldiers lay down your weapons and move forward through the Marines positions. The Marines won’t harm you.”
A few of the soldiers complied.
“Get back to your positions. I order you,” yelled the Political Bureau officer. Some of the soldiers wavered, a few continued to walk forward. “Shoot them!” The Political Bureau officer raised his pistol and fired into the back of an unarmed soldier. The soldiers who’d fired before turned their weapons on their comrades and fired. Some of the uninjured soldiers crawled toward the Marines.
Talon leaped on top of the crate she was using for cover and sprinted across the top of a row of crates lined up across the dock. She drew a quartet of throwing knives from under her cloak. She threw a trio into some soldiers firing on their comrades, the last blade she threw into the firing hand of the Political Bureau officer. She leaped off the last crate, landing and rolling as bullets hit around her. She drew her pistol, rolled into a cartwheel while shooting four more soldiers firing at her. Talon spun, twisted, and jumped into a sideways layout shooting three more soldiers. She landed and rolled, drawing two knives and throwing them into a pair of soldiers’ faces. Sliding to a stop next to the Political Bureau officer, she plunged her hand into his mouth and tore out a kill tooth.
“Jane,” said Talon.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t think the bulk of these troops are indoctrinated Political Bureau types. The company we were facing tried to lay down arms and crossover, but a handful gunned them down. I have the officer who gave the command.”
“I knew Galina wasn’t afraid to be barbaric, but damn, that’s low even for her. The second wave should be there any minute.”
“I think we should use shocker rounds.”
“That’s not a bad idea. We’re getting reports of other areas doing the same thing. I’ll have the rounds sent over with the third wave.”
Sarin and Talon stood over the captured Political Bureau officer in a quiet corner while the Marines gathered up the Political Bureau soldiers and solidified their positions.
“So, Captain Bremer, when did shooting your own soldiers become a proper way to motivate anyone?” said Sarin.
“I will not talk to you, imposter,” said Bremer.
“Oh, you’ll talk, don’t worry. I’m just giving you a chance to talk with dignity, instead of a giggling, drooling fool.”
To punctuate Sarin’s words Talon jabbed Bremer with her barb, injecting him with a truth serum.
“What’s your full name?” Sarin asked once the serum had taken effect.
“Josef Bremer.”
“And your rank?”
“Captain in the Political Bureau.”
“Who gave you orders to shoot your own men if they refused to fight?”
“The rabble aren’t real Political Bureau soldiers, just kids drafted off the street. Only the lash gets anything out of them. Command recognized this and authorized any means necessary to get them to perform to standard.”
“What are you protecting here on AC Station? It’s just a commercial hub, not military.”
Bremer giggled. “That’s what you think. Half of the Shadow Fleet brass is being held here.”
“Why?”
“No idea. The traitors should be shot. Some already have.”
Sarin spoke to Talon. “Half the Shadow Fleet leadership is here? What does he mean by that?”
“I don’t know, but we need to find out. This could be the break we’ve needed.”
Sarin nodded. “Ok, Captain Bremer, you’ve been most helpful. Talon will give you the antidote and turn you back over to the Marines.”
After the third wave of reinforcements arrived, the Marines went on the offensive. Armed with shocker rounds, they mopped up what was left of the initial resistance and started to move deeper into the station.
“Jane?”
“Yes, Talli? Are you ok?”
“I’m fine. I’m in a weird hotel, and the Political Bureau guys are all jacked up, running around. They just pulled a guy out of his room and shot him.”
“Where’s this hotel?”
“Deck thirty-five, section A. It’s called the Stellar.”
“Give me a second.”
“Ok.”
“Scarlett, Talli might have found our missing Shadow Fleet officers. They’re being kept in a hotel on deck thirty-five.”
“That’s not far from here.”
“I’ll tell her we’re coming.” Sarin changed back over to Talli. “We’re going to come to you. Until then, you’re to keep the guests alive by any means necessary.”
“You mean it?”
“Just don’t hurt the guests.”
“Ok, you’ve got it.”
Yells followed the thumps of two grenade launchers and shattering of glass as the Marines stormed the Stellar Hotel. Sarin and Talon went in after the first wave. They found the Political Bureau soldiers in a state of confusion. Most were oriented toward the threat coming from the top floor. The shocker rounds allowed the Marines to shoot first and sort out the good from the bad later.
The hotel was constructed from a series of stacked rings with doors every twenty feet, and six elevators stationed evenly around the structure. In the center was a large pool with a three-story fountain. Meant to inspire glamour, wealth, and prestige, Sarin found the decor to be tacky, fake, and gaudy.
“Talli, Sarin. I need you to stop what you’re doing and join us in the lobby.”
Almost as if a response to her command, a pair of soldiers splashed down in the large shallow pool. Blood leaked from their bodies and found its way into the fountain. Sarin sighed.
“Talli, please come down,” said Talon. “You’ve had your fun.”
“I’m not coming down until they’re all dead.”
Sarin exchanged looks with Talon and rolled her eyes.
“Talli,” said Talon, “the Marines are on their way. You’ve killed as many as you’re going to be able. It’s time to turn it over to them. The rest are prisoners.”
“That’s more than they deserve.”
“I know, sweetheart, but most of these are just kids, drafted off the streets to fight. They’re not the same people who killed your mom.”
All the senior Angels received was silence. Talon took off. Following the path, the bodies had taken. Sarin trailed her, pistols at the ready.
The upper story of the hotel was a bloody mess. Body parts littered the ground. Blood coated the walls.
“I don’t think there’s a whole body up here,” said Talon.
“I’ll begin to worry when I find them stacked and posed,” said Sarin.
They entered an open door and followed the sounds of muffled tears. A pair of bloody swords sat on the bed. Talli sat wedged between the bed and the wall. Talon knelt before her.
“Talli, I’m sorry. I wish I could bring Dev back. I know she loved you.”
“It’s not fair. What did I do?”
“Nothing, sweetheart. It’s not your fault. You are a victim of Galina’s petty revenge scheme because Kita refused to give her more than she was able. You have the right to be upset, but you can’t let it consume you.”
Talli wiped at her tears. “You keep saying that…but it’s all I have of her.”
Talon pulled Talli’s hood off and stroked her hair. “That’s not true. You have memories of her. I haven’t forgotten my promise that when we find Kita, we’ll ge
t you a picture of her.”
“But when? We’re never going to find her—”
“I may be able to help you with that, Child of the Emperor,” said a voice.
The three Angels turned to find a middle-aged man with sandy blond hair graying at the temples wearing an orange jumpsuit.
Sarin’s ears pricked up. Who’s he been talking to? “And who are you?”
“I am Vice Admiral Gene Hackett. I am the commander of the rescue fleet that was sent for Princess Bush after Admiral Sheppard remained with the Princess.”
“And you know Kita how?”
“I never met her, but both Admiral Sheppard and Princess Bush talked highly of her.”
“There is no way Kita would have left Sheppard alive.”
“On the contrary, the admiral was elevated to the status of Child of the Emperor.”
“You mean she got wings?”
“Yes. The princess had a pair as well. She said every Angel was a Child of the Emperor, and the Shadow Fleet was to treat them as we would her.”
“Does that mean you’re to protect us?”
“You will know her will better than I would. We are at your command.”
Kita, I will do more than kiss you when I see you. “I…haven’t seen the princess in a long time. What happened?”
“The rescue fleet left through the Alicorn wormhole and jumped into a region of space known as the Tetrahedron. We located the princess on UEE Gjord Dallas, and alien warships were pursuing it. We attacked and their forces engaged. During the attack, an enemy assault ship jumped within a mile of UEE Enterprise and boarded her, led by the princess and Child of the Emperor Kita. They captured the ship, and the princess halted the attack. It seems there was a misunderstanding, the princess was never in danger, and her handler had activated the rescue beacon. He was a Political Bureau agent in league with the conspirators trying to bring her home to capture her.
“Admiral Sheppard was elevated and was made the princess’ personal bodyguard. They kept the Enterprise with them as an escort for the princess. The rest of the fleet returned home. When we arrived without the princess, the Political Bureau under the order of the Emperor seized the fleet. They shipped the top officers in the fleet here. My guess is we’re to be tried for treason.”
“If I got you back to the fleet could you retake command?” said Sarin.
“With you at my back, all you have to do is say the word,” said Hackett.
Kita, I don’t know how you do it, but thank you. “We’ll get you to your fleet and show Galina her days are numbered.”
Sarin stood in front of a holographic display of the Sol system with Hackett. The Earth and the other planets were away from her, the wormhole nexus nearest the solar system hovered in front of her. There were several stations in the quadrant. A highlighted Political Bureau station, Black Station Five, was their target.
“When we were taken, the fleet that went through the Alicorn wormhole was on station to repel any alien incursions. In case they decided to follow us,” said Hackett.
“Why would they do that?” said Sarin.
“It was a precaution, not so much we expected them. The aliens didn’t seem interested beyond kicking us out of their space when we met with them.”
“The fleet is still closer to Black Station Five than we will be once we enter the system. And we don’t have the warships to slug it out with them.”
“I have discovered something that might be useful, Mom,” said Athena.
“What?”
“I’ve been studying the cargo manifests for the freighters in port. The UEE Northern Light’s next stop is Black Station Five.”
“That’s fine, but we can’t sneak a thousand Marines aboard.”
“We don’t take the Marines, just the ship captains. Once in Sol space, we fake an engine malfunction that takes us out toward Alicorn wormhole. Once we’re close, we ask for assistance from the fleet. When they come to help, we commandeer their shuttles and use them to get close to the UEE Fort Ticonderoga. Then we take the ship from the inside.”
“And what is the probability of success?” said Ryder.
“About three percent. But, it’s a much higher rate of success than anything else I’ve thought of.”
“And what else have you thought of?”
“About a thousand different ways to die.”
“We’ll have to pretend for almost a week that we’re trying to repair the engine,” said Sarin.
“Yes,” said Athena. “I believe we can bluff that we think we can fix it on our own. Once we get close to the fleet, we can change our course of action and ask for help.”
“Who says the fleet is going to help us?” said Ryder.
“As a licensed cargo ship for the Political Bureau, we carry valuable cargo for the Empire. We will be in the fleet’s system and can request aid. Unlike a regular ship, which would need to wait for Legion assistance.”
“We’re going to need the God of Luck for this one,” Ryder announced.
Sarin sighed. “She’s not working this equation. We’ll have to make our own luck.”
“You think this plan is doable?”
“The hardest part will be the end, but we’ll still have to bluff our way through the wormhole checkpoint on the Sol side. I’ve done crazier, but we had more Angels then.”
“And half our force is gone.”
Sarin nodded. Talon and Talli were on their way to take the wormhole checkpoint leading to the Sol system.
“First things first. Let’s get a look at this ship. Let’s make sure it’s usable before we plan anything else.”
To Sarin, the Political Bureau soldiers that entered through the airlock were goons. They wore assault armor and a full combat load with rifles, even their commanding officer. It’s a little strange that they’re expecting trouble at a wormhole checkpoint station.
She stood with the other Angels, disguised as crewmembers for the freighter. Her hair was braided and in a tight bun at the base of her skull. A week's worth of grime covered her face, hands, and overalls. So far, the mission to sneak Hackett and his officers to the Shadow Fleet had gone smoothly.
“All right you civilian scum, line up,” the officer ordered. “Sergeant Channahon, take a team and search the ship.”
“Yes, sir.”
The sergeant pointed to three men, and they pushed their way past the Angels.
“You don’t want a guide?” said Talon.
“Shut up, bitch,” said a soldier as he slammed the butt of his rifle into Talon’s gut. She doubled over and fell to the deck.
“You will only speak when spoken to,” said the officer. He produced a small panel from his belt. “You will press your thumb to the panel to confirm your identity.”
“Athena,” said Sarin, “please tell me you can spoof them.”
“I’ve been attacking the station since we arrived. I’m in a position to intercept and pass them false identities.”
Talon stood up slowly and leaned on Cinnamon.
The officer presented the pad to Sarin first. Without hesitation, she pressed her thumb to the screen. The wait icon appeared. Sarin kept her face neutral, giving the system and Athena time to work. The screen lit green.
The officer went down the line of Angels collecting thumbprints. “Everyone’s identity is confirmed,” he said after Talli finished. “Show me your manifest.”
Ryder pulled a panel from her belt. She pulled up the manifest list and showed it to the officer.
The officer took it and studied it. “Captain Henson, you will accompany me as I inventory your cargo.”
Sarin stiffened. “Yes—”
Clinks sounded across the deck followed by hissing sounds. The air filled with green smoke. Sarin felt her lungs burn as her limbs went weak. Coughing, she collapsed to the deck, and the world went black.
Sarin woke with the room spinning. What happened and where am I? She was on the floor, and the ceiling above her was white. What did they do? Whe
re are the others?
Sarin rolled onto her side, which made the spinning change axes. The walls were white and seamless. There was nothing else in the room.
What went wrong? It was all going according to plan.
She coughed, spitting up some green gunk. Whatever the Political Bureau used had been effective. The Political Bureau soldiers didn’t wear respirators. This stuff was meant for Angels. But How? Angel physiology was close to humans except at the subcellular level and below. Who would know Angels well enough to develop such a weapon?
Sarin hoped the other Angels weren’t harmed. How long have I been out?
The walls of her cell blinked and an image of Galina, in a formal Political Bureau uniform, sat behind a large wooden desk. Galina steepled her fingers. They were white like her face.
“Jane,” she cooed. “You’ve been a busy girl. I hope you’ve enjoyed your time on the frontier. I’ve missed you. You were always one of my favorite lovers.”
“Galina…we went together like oil and water,” said Sarin as she stood.
“You enjoyed it.”
“Then, but not now. I’m not into sexbots.”
Galina chuckled. “Evolution, Jane. We all must evolve. Kita called Angels the apex of human evolution, but she was wrong. I’m stronger, faster than I ever was as an Angel. You and your kind are just a failed experiment.”
“I think Kita has been far more successful than you’ll ever be. She created a new species. You’re just strapping on spare parts.”
“The first generation is already being deployed. Soon, I will have an army just like me.”
Sarin hissed through her teeth. “Earth won’t stand for this. Once the people learn what you’re doing, they won’t allow you to replace the Emperor.”
“I already have. After the Emperor died, and with the princess killed by Kita and aliens, it was easy to find a puppet to sit on the throne.”
“You think that story will survive when Kita arrives?”
Galina smiled. “The masses are already fooled. They’ve seen the footage of Enterprise being destroyed with all hands on deck.”