‘My prince.’
Halstead tensed, startled by the whispered voice. Commander Watson was by his side, close so that only he could hear her, the drone of the flight deck cutting them off from everyone else.
‘What is it?’ he asked.
‘We picked up several com messages as we engaged the Cube drive. The Scribe has denounced your actions . . .’
Halstead brushed this aside. ‘I expected that.’
‘There is more . . .’ Watson’s face was severe, her muscles tensed around her eyes.
‘Go on.’
‘Valine has offered her support to the Church. The Scribe has recognized her as the official leader of the Kenric Draig fleets.’
Halstead laughed. This was absurd. But as he stared into Watson’s eyes, he realized how serious the situation had become. He was losing control. ‘Valine was controlling me, poisoning me, I’m sure. And I believe she killed Constable Fabien because he was close to linking her to the assassination attempt. The arkship commanders won’t follow her.’
‘They already have. The Draig commodores have fallen in line behind Valine.’
‘What about the Kenric arkships?’ Halstead asked, feeling sick.
‘We don’t know yet, but even if they remain loyal to us–’
‘I understand,’ Halstead replied quickly. ‘We have halved our influence. The alliance is at an end.’
Watson hesitated, then added, ‘I’m also uncertain if we have complete loyalty within our own ranks.’ She glanced furtively around the flight deck.
‘There’s nothing I can do about that right now,’ Halstead replied irritably. ‘In time, they’ll understand why I did this.’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘For now, let’s just find Bara and then we can deal with the rest later.’
‘I agree, but I’d suggest you do something to explain your actions to the crew. Something that will help them to understand . . .’
‘Damage limitation?’ Halstead asked, feeling angry at the commander. This wasn’t her fault, he knew that, but he couldn’t help snapping at her. He sighed, holding his hands up. ‘Sorry. Thank you, Ellen.’
The commander retreated, leaving Halstead to wallow in his doubts. He took a final glance out of the window then returned to his chair. ‘Com, put me on a ship-wide channel,’ he ordered.
The com officer obeyed, nodding when Halstead could begin.
‘My people,’ Halstead began, trying to find the right tone. ‘My friends . . . You may be wondering what I am thinking . . . why I have defied the Church after we have worked so hard to regain their trust. The truth is that the Church under Scribe Mori has overexerted its powers. They want all believers to register with them. This so-called Act of Devotion is a first step to segregation, to a two-state population where those who follow the Church benefit while those who think differently are punished. The House of Kenric was founded on the beliefs of tolerance and equality. Therefore, I cannot allow such a segregation to happen to us. The price the Scribe asks for our loyalty is too high, and that is why I have stood with the House of Dulac in defiance of the Scribe.’ He paused, taking in the watching faces. ‘Let me be clear: our quarrel is with the Scribe, not the Church itself. Not with the Readers, not with the Infinite Gods. It is the Scribe alone who has the blood of innocents on his hands, and as long as he is in control, we cannot give the Church our loyalty. Once this crisis is over, anyone who wishes to leave the Caerleon can do so, without prejudice, without hatred. But I ask you this: stay with me, work with me, for we are Kenric and we endure. We are Kenric and we endure.’
Halstead closed the channel, resting back in his seat, his eyes closed. Then, as he began to think about his next move, he heard a voice whisper: ‘We are Kenric and we endure.’
It was Commander Watson, by his side.
Another voice spoke. ‘We are Kenric and we endure.’ It was one of the flight deck officers.
Another took up the chant, repeating it, louder and louder until the entire flight deck resonated with the cries.
Overcome with emotion, Halstead covered his face with his hand. After a moment, he wiped his eyes and stood, accepting his people’s loud allegiance.
SHAPES
The arkship Benwick drifted through the Callisto Span, a lonely giant in a sea of gray clouds.
Bara stood with her back to the windows of her suite, not wanting to look at the featureless view. Not even the hazy shape of the Infinite could be seen here, it was just a vague smudge of color, an ochre gloom, hardly penetrating the drab twilight.
‘We should fight!’ Galen protested. ‘What’s the point in hiding?’
‘Because if we fought them, we’d lose!’ Bara replied bitterly.
‘I hate just waiting,’ Galen muttered as he came to his mother’s side.
‘Me too,’ Bara said, touching his arm for reassurance. ‘But this is the best plan, believe me.’
Galen turned to stare into the emptiness. ‘What about him?’
‘You mean Halstead?’ Bara asked, not receiving a response from her son. ‘He knows how to find us, if he wants to.’
Galen blew out of his nose, a disapproving sigh.
‘He’s not a bad man,’ Bara said softly. She hadn’t expected to be the one to defend Halstead to her son. ‘You’re quite alike, actually.’
Galen’s face reddened. ‘I’m not like him! Faron was my father, not Halstead.’
‘They’re both men I loved, Galen, and they made you the person you’re going to be.’
Galen shook his head, refusing to accept her words. He was still so young. In time, he might come to accept Halstead, but for now it was better not to push too hard.
Her wrist com buzzed, and she raised her arm to answer it. It was Captain Beric.
‘Possible signal detected nearby,’ he said.
‘Thank you, I’m on my way,’ Bara said, cutting the connection.
‘Is it him?’ Galen asked. ‘Is it Halstead?’
Bara smiled. ‘I hope so.’
She glanced out of the windows one last time and stopped. She could make out a dark shape against the clouds, getting larger.
Galen saw it too. ‘Is that the Caerleon?’
Bara inched closer to the glass, trying to discern details on the shifting mists.
‘It’s too small to be an arkship,’ Bara mused. She realized now it was tiny, and very close to the Benwick. She felt a knot of fear in his stomach and she pulled her son away from the windows. At the same moment, the object detonated, pushing the clouds apart in a growing sphere. The shockwave hit the arkship, rocking it to one side, then the clouds rushed over the windows, driven away by the blast.
‘Anemoi grenades,’ Bara said, her voice trembling.
GAMBLE
‘What the hell was that?’ Halstead asked as the Ark Royal Caerleon was caught in the turbulent gas.
Commander Watson checked her console, then a new image appeared on the holograph above Halstead’s head. It showed an area of the Callisto Span where the clouds were thinner.
‘Anemoi grenade detonation,’ Watson explained. ‘How do they know we’re in here?’
‘A logical conclusion,’ Watson said calmly. ‘This is the closest place to offer shelter.’
‘And now they’re trying to clear the gas so they can find us.’
Another shockwave pushed the arkship in the opposite direction. The holograph lit up, showing a chain of new detonations.
‘Have they found us?’ Halstead checked as the Caerleon righted itself.
‘I don’t think so. The grenades are designed to detonate if they sense an eddy that might suggest a ship. Once they detonate, they push the clouds apart, making it easier for them to find us.’
‘Eddies?’ Halstead replied. ‘They can follow our path?’
Watson nodded. ‘Our wake disturbs the clouds.’
‘All stop,’ Halstead ordered.
‘It may already be too late for that,’ Watson cautioned. ‘I’m detecting a
nother arkship in the region.’
‘Church?’
‘I can’t tell yet.’
‘Then it could be Bara,’ Halstead replied. ‘Take us to the signal.’
The commander stared at him. ‘That could easily be a Church arkship. It’s too big a gamble.’
Halstead glanced back at the holograph image, knowing he was risking everything. ‘Take us in, Commander.’
BLUFF
By the time Bara had raced to the arkship Benwick’s flight deck, the shifting gas around the vessel was already noticeable finer. Out of the windows, she could see the faint points of stars burning through the expanding clouds, as their hiding place became more and more exposed.
‘Eighteen Anemoi grenade detonations detected,’ Captain Beric said quickly. ‘I’ve initiated transit prep, the gird is charging.’
‘Any signs of contact?’
‘Not yet, but they’ll have the advantage. We’re sitting in a less dense part of the Span, they’re still hidden in the clouds.’
‘They can see us,’ Bara mused.
‘Most likely. But we can’t see them.’
The holograph shifted focus and a new signal blipped into view.
‘Incoming!’ someone called.
To Bara’s ears, their seemed to be a moment of silence, where the air pressure increased, then the arkship shook, tossing the crew about like dolls. Bara fell to the floor, dazed and shaken as all around her alarms began to call for attention.
‘Hostile fire,’ Beric shouted breathlessly as she returned to his chair. ‘All decks, brace for impact.’
Before Bara could stand up, another projectile struck the arkship, pushing it in a new direction. She felt a pair of hands lifting her up, and saw it was Galen by her side.
‘Get to the shelters,’ she ordered.
‘I’m staying right here,’ he said resolutely.
Together, they staggered back to the holograph, finding seats to strap into. Bara took a few seconds to try to understand the situation, but the holograph flickered with a stream of information, changing too quickly for her stunned mind to keep up.
‘Somebody tell me what’s happening?’ she shouted over the chaos.
Captain Beric gave a series of orders to one of his officers, then he turned to speak to Bara. Blood marked the edge of his face, running from a cut somewhere under his hair. ‘We can’t pinpoint the attack. They have us cold.’
‘I think it’s time to leave, don’t you?’ Bara suggested.
‘Already on it,’ Beric replied. ‘Cube transit in three minutes.’
‘Can we last that long?’ Galen asked, wide eyed.
‘We have to,’ Bara said, grimacing as another missile struck the arkship.
‘We can stall them,’ he suggested.
Bara nodded. ‘Open a com channel, broad spectrum.’
Beric obeyed quickly.
‘This is Bara Delaterre on the Dulac arkship Benwick to hostiles. Identify yourself.’
The com channel filled with noise. After a moment, Bara tried again. ‘We have protected this region with graviton mines,’ she bluffed, smiling at her surprised son. ‘If you do not cease fire immediately and identify yourself, we will begin detonation.’
‘They’ll never buy that,’ Beric said doubtfully.
‘All I need them to do is stop to scan the area, that’ll buy us some time. How long do we need?’
Beric checked his console. ‘Sixty-two seconds.’
Bara counted down in her head, praying they would have enough time. It seemed as if the bombardment had stopped, that her bluff had worked, but then the thunderous attack began anew, striking the arkship with a ferocious onslaught.
‘Cube drive energy drain,’ Lieutenant Thomas called out.
‘Unable to form a stable ST bubble,’ another officer said. ‘Drive shutdown.’
Captain Beric looked up from his console, his face desperate. ‘We’re trapped.’
Bara’s mind raced, trying to think of something that might save them, and she remembered her conversation with the enigmatic Regional Director Gilani. She’d asked him to help her, but all he offered was information. ‘You’ll know it when you see it,’ he’d said cryptically. What had he meant?
She turned to the captain and said, ‘Get me all the data we have on Church arkships, specifically any new information updated in the last week.’
PUNISHMENT
‘Where are they going?’ Valine wondered as she watched the last Church arkship disappear. They had politely – but firmly – declined her offer to help them, leaving her on the edge of the action. She needed to be closer.
‘We’ve picked up some activity in the Callisto Span,’ Commodore Berg said. ‘It could be nothing, but it’s not too far away, a good place to hide.’
Valine smiled. ‘Take us there, quickly.’
Behind her, a figure entered the flight deck and walked slowly to meet her.
‘Reader Aditsan, welcome aboard,’ Valine said with a bow. ‘It’s good that you are here, amongst the faithful.’
‘Yes . . .’ Aditsan managed, looking guilt-ridden.
‘Ready for Cube transit,’ Berg announced.
Valine gestured to one of the empty chairs. ‘You’d better strap in, Reader, we’re about to hunt down the heretics and bring them to justice.’
‘Perhaps talking to the prince will bring about a peaceful–’
‘That time has passed,’ Valine cut in. ‘The prince has made his choice, now he must pay the price.’ She smiled, watching the Reader squirm in his seat as the Cube drive took them into the Span. She was going to enjoy punishing this old fool.
MOTIVES
‘There’s the signal,’ Commander Watson said, pointing to the holograph. They were inside the Callisto Span, amongst its turbulent clouds. Ahead, a region of gas was finer, and at its center was a signal.
‘What are those heat points?’ Halstead asked, expanding the view.
Watson squinted at the image. ‘Looks like they’re under attack.’
‘So, it must be Bara. Who’s attacking them?’
‘Can’t tell. The rest of the region is too dense to scan with any certainty.’
‘Can we track the weapon’s fire back to its source?’
Watson shook her head. ‘If they were travelling in a straight line, maybe. But they seem to be circling before they strike to hide their origin point.’
‘Okay,’ Halstead replied, stroking his beard, trying to think of a solution. ‘Still no response to our com?’
‘I’m not even sure our signals are getting through.’
‘Then we have no choice: take us closer.’
‘We have a choice!’ Watson said with uncharacteristic fire. ‘We can keep searching the region for the attackers. We don’t have to make ourselves a target.’
‘And by time we find something to shoot at, Bara and the Benwick could be destroyed.’
Watson straightened, and Halstead thought she was about to voice her obvious misgivings, but she simply said, ‘Yes, my prince,’ and turned to speak to her officers.
Halstead wallowed in the information on the holograph, thinking about Watson’s reservations. He was pushing his crew, testing their loyalty more than ever before. He tried to convince himself that he was doing it all for the good of his people, but he knew that was a lie. All he could think about was Bara and Galen.
HOPE
‘New contact, on a direct course for our location!’
Bara looked up from the tactical file she was reading and saw the ashen face of a young flight deck officer gesturing to the holograph.
‘A Church ship?’
‘Its signal is weak,’ Captain Beric noted, ‘but I think it’s a Kenric frequency.’
‘The Caerleon?’ Bara asked.
Before Beric could reply, the Benwick shook again as another volley of missiles found them.
‘Damage to water processing factories of levels forty-eight to fifty,’ Beric said grimly. ‘No com signal, no
ultimatum . . . Whoever is behind this seems intent on one end.’
Bara had thought the same thing. This wasn’t a warning, an attempt to have them surrender, they wanted to destroy the Benwick.
‘Nothing from our fighters?’ she checked.
‘The region is just too big. It could take them hours to pinpoint a target.’
‘Any contact with the Caerleon yet?’ Bara checked.
‘Still nothing,’ Lieutenant Thomas said. ‘We’ll keep trying.’
Galen reached out to touch her hand. His eyes were wide and fearful. ‘What do we do?’
Bara pointed to his console. ‘Help me find something.’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know,’ she confessed. ‘Something about the Church arkships, I hope. Some piece of information that might help us. Sol! I don’t know!’ The sense of helplessness was too much for her, and she couldn’t hide her emotion from her son.
He smiled, comforting her with a squeeze of his hand. ‘We’ll be okay,’ he said, then Galen let go, his attention on the console. She watched him for a moment, finding new strength in his determination, then she returned to her own console, scanning through the files they had on Church arkships. In truth, it wasn’t very much. The Church kept its secrets.
Most of the information they had on file concerned the arkships’ exterior, data gleaned at a distance from a handful of encounters. She really wished she could get inside one of them, crawl around inside their engine stacks and get to know them properly. It was her engineer’s mind, wishing to pull apart the mechanical innards, to dissect their arkships until she fully understood them. Even in her time spent on Icarus, she had never been allowed to see one of the Church’s arkships up close.
‘What’s Ganium-trioxide?’ Galen said, just as a further bombardment struck the hull.
Smoke filled the flight deck, obscuring the view, then the air scrubbers wailed into life, cleaning the air.
‘What did you say?’ Bara asked her son.
‘Ganium-trioxide,’ Galen repeated. ‘I’ve not heard of it before. According to this, it’s an emission of the Church arkship’s propulsion system. It’s not found naturally in the Callisto Span . . .’
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