by M. D. Cooper
Except Joe wasn’t.
Not that he didn’t have a nice chest.
Tanis stop! She got control of herself. Control was what she did, it was her game.
“Joe, you know I have feelings for you. I wouldn’t be such a blubbering moron at times like this if I didn’t.”
He smiled, though his expression showed that he suspected what was to come.
“But I can’t do this, not now. I simply don’t know how.”
His smile was warm and inviting. Tanis was getting the feeling there was nothing this man couldn’t just smile away? “Then let me show you how.”
“It’s too much. I do so well at my job because I restrict my emotions, I school myself. This is the endgame. I can’t get distracted now.”
Joe sat back, causing her hand to slide off of his arm. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
She wanted to, but she couldn’t afford the distraction. Not yet. “Once we get underway. I promise, I want it, I really do.”
Joe nodded. His eyes looked tight, his lips pursed like he didn’t trust himself to speak.
Tanis looked at his lips, almost losing herself in the desire to brush her own against them. She stood, forcing the emotion down, back under control. “I have to go speak to Trent.”
Tanis didn’t respond.
“Ah, Major Richards, I was wondering how long it was going to take for them to stitch you back together. I bet a lot of the original parts had to be replaced. Feeling up to a good bit of fun?” Trent spoke as soon as she entered the room.
Tanis tried to forget the conversation with Joe. She focused on the need to get the name from Trent. Once she had that things would fit into place.
“I’m feeling up to having a conversation with you…need you to answer a few questions about who you work for and what their agenda is.”
“And what makes you think you’re going to get anything out of me?”
“Well, I can think of a number of ways, but most of them take some time. I decided to go right for the throat—metaphorically speaking.”
At that prearranged signal, Kris was wheeled in, her naked form strapped to a chair. Tanis wasn’t looking directly at Trent, but she was watching him on several of the room cameras over the Link and saw his pupils dilate. Good. She’d called this correctly.
Kris wasn’t able to move, or—thanks to the seal over her mouth—speak.
“You may be interested in knowing that we’ve removed her AI. It seems that he had helped subvert the AI on those ships we had some issues with last month. The AI courts apparently weren’t too forgiving. Her Link has also been removed, as have most of her biomechanical mods. She’s as close to a vanilla human as you get these days, and now has a very easy-to-trigger pain response.”
Tanis reached over to Kris and grabbed an inch of skin on the inside of her bicep and twisted. The prisoner’s eyes opened wide with tears glistening in the corners as she sucked a deep breath through her nose.
“It makes torture really easy. So many people shunt pain with their mods or AI that they’ve forgotten what it feels like. No tolerance at all.”
“She may not be used to pain”—Trent’s expression betrayed nothing—“but I’m certain it’ll take more than that to really hurt her. You can’t do anything to her or me; your precious rules and regs see to that.”
“I’m sure you’re aware that we’re on the Intrepid,” Tanis said. “The ship’s AI is really quite amazing; one of the most advanced and powerful ever created. He really wants to live and see the galaxy, something that you’re trying to keep him from. Now normally he would be impartial, but you see he has a very special connection with a woman named Amanda. She’s in a unique position, and has also come to view you with a certain amount of distaste.”
“That’s great,” Trent said. “I’m really happy for her.”
“What you don’t get is that she has prevailed upon the Intrepid to arrange it so that we’re alone.”
No one was ever really alone anymore in the 42nd century. There was always a camera, a sensor, or someone conversing over the Link. The concept of truly being alone was very foreign to most people, even frightening to some. It most certainly was to Trent at that moment.
“No one knows what’s going on in here; key people will cover any injuries and no recordings will be made—unless you want them to be made while you give your confession.”
“You bitch…” Trent’s voice was weak.
“Lacking in conviction,” Tanis said. “I will have the truth out of you. If I need to cut her and then you down to just a brain and a pair of lungs to wheeze words out of, it will happen.”
Trent resisted at first, calling her bluff; unfortunately for him, and more so for Kris, Tanis followed through. She didn’t revel in it, didn’t take any joy in the things that she did to Kris’s body, but neither did she shy away from it. Her devotion to the colony effort, to leaving the Sol system, was foremost in her thoughts. She would know who was behind these attacks. All the while she wondered what Joe would think of her if he knew the sorts of things she did—had done?
After three hours Kris finally passed out. Tanis had stretched the woman’s endurance as far as it would go. Nothing Tanis did was permanent, but new skin would definitely be necessary. Not yet though. Kris would live like this as long as she was in Tanis’s custody.
Trent was having trouble breathing as he watched the ruins of Kris’s body collapse to the floor. Tanis had pre-deployed med-nano into the woman and they stabilized her and effected a semi-stasis.
“Now that we’re done with the warm-up”—Tanis wiped her hands and turned to Trent—“I’ll have my answers from you. The dead from the Dawn demanded it.”
It took him several minutes to calm down enough to be able to keep his trembling at bay. Tanis watched him, seeing his fear turn into resolve, followed by anger. He was going to resist.
Tanis cupped his chin in her hand and worked up her most evil smile.
“Careful. Just because I’m done with her doesn’t mean I’m going to slow down. Let’s start with your eyes. I’ve always believed that we have two so that we can afford to have one ruined.”
She picked up a laser scalpel and proceeded to slice Trent’s right eye to ribbons. The tool self-cauterized, keeping bleeding to a minimum. Once the screaming stopped, Tanis looked him in the remaining eye.
“You know, I don’t think you really need this one either. I think you’ll be a lot easier to manage once you’re blind.”
Trent broke.
“No! Stop, stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop pleeeeaaaaase!”
He was crying, tears coming out of both eyes and seeping into the ruined orb. His body was shaking, the fear a physical force assaulting him.
It was hard to watch. Tanis felt herself faltering at that moment. She hated torture. Hated doing it more than any human rights group hated that she did it. They found the actions despicable. She found herself despicable. She felt her stomach flutter like it did before battle.
Joe would find her despicable.
Tanis said.
Tanis looked down on the man, the thing in front of her.
“Then what? What do you have to say? Who is calling the shots? Who is trying to shut us down?”
Trent looked like he had built up a bit of resolve again, and Tanis held up the laser scalpel. He cringed and shook his head.
“OK OK OK…It’s the STR
, it’s Strang.”
“Strang? The CEO of STR?” Tanis asked.
“Yeah, him. He’s put a lot of personal stock in the Dakota and when New Eden came up he had to have it. He’ll do anything to stop the Intrepid.”
Tanis considered his words. If Strang was pulling the strings, this was far from over. The Intrepid had to go to Callisto to get its final cargo and colonists. STR was headquartered there. Strang was there.
Tanis spent the next thirty minutes getting particulars from Trent and making sure his story rang true. She hated every minute of it, but not nearly as much as he did.
“So we have our name.” Captain Andrews folded his hands and raised them to his lips. His eyes dropped to the table and he paused for a moment. “I assume that we proceed with legal indictments.”
“The brass are reviewing it,” Sanderson said.
“I thought you were the brass.” Terrance scowled. “Can’t you push this through?”
“Strang is the CEO of STR. We never thought it went this high. Pulling him down is no small thing. SolGov’s influence in Jovian space is not what it once was. They are more powerful than all the other members of the federal government combined. STR is one of their largest consortiums and wields a lot of influence. The feds will have to tread lightly.”
“So they’ll get away with this?” Terrance asked. “I swear, if they do nothing I’ll sue them, sue their pants off.”
“I’ve always wondered exactly what that means.” Captain Andrews ran a hand through his hair. “However, will suing them make us safer? I mean we’re going to Callisto, into the lion’s den so to speak.”
“Too bad we can’t just have the three cargo containers they’ve packed up there sent to us and just leave from here.” Terrance sighed.
“Not feasible,” Captain Andrews agreed. “It’s a complicated slingshot maneuver we’re doing. Without using Jupiter as our launching point we won’t have achieved enough velocity when we reach Sol. The decreased breakaway velocity will cause significant increase in travel time.”
“That and we need to be moving toward the sun at the correct speed and correct time to gather the isotopes we need for our fuel. If we don’t do that it will take thirteen percent longer to reach our max speed.” Earnest Redding seemed very anxious about the notion. “Also, if we have them ship those containers here, we’ll miss both the Jovian and Marsian windows and have to wait another nine months for the next one.”
“That’s all the time the Dakota will need to be able to contest our claim to New Eden and tie this colonization up in committee and courts for a decade. Which is exactly what Strang wants.” Tanis spoke for the first time since the meeting had started.
“I guess that rules that out,” Terrance said.
“I propose that I take Grenwald’s Marines in advance to Callisto and ensure that everything is secure. We need to make sure that the cargo and the rendezvous point are safe. We can also have a wing on patrol in Jovian space ready to escort the Intrepid in,” Tanis said. No point in wallowing forever. Plenty of work was still waiting to be done.
“Do you think we’ll be safe here?” Terrance asked. “Your work has proven instrumental in keeping us on track. In fact, Abby tells me that your alterations have actually accelerated the schedule.”
Tanis forced a smile. “You hired me to do a job, sir. I am glad I have been able to perform it to your satisfaction.” She brought up a holo showing various levels of activity on the station; 3D graphs and charts displayed periods of higher and lower threat to the Intrepid. The data showed that after the capture of Trent the threat levels were significantly lower.
“You’ll see, sirs, that all of the models show that no significant threats are impending. The bounty on me has actually been withdrawn and the four merc organizations that had been active locally have all left the Mars Protectorate. I’m guessing that they’re feeling the heat and their last payments probably didn’t show up. I’m not saying that everything is sunshine and daisies, but I do believe that the next big threat lies at Callisto and not here at Mars. I have every confidence that Commander Ouri can keep things under control here while I’m gone. Lieutenant Forsythe will be keeping his platoon here while I take Grenwald’s with me to Callisto.”
“And Commander Evans?” Captain Andrews’ eye had a twinkle to it.
The fewer complications, the better. “He’ll be staying on the Intrepid, sir. I believe his assistance will be key in organizing patrols and guarding the ship during transit.”
“I see no reason to not follow your plan.” Sanderson looked at Tanis sternly and at the others around the table who nodded. “You have my permission to proceed. I expect a full work-up of your plan within the day.”
“Aye, sir.” Tanis stood. “Sirs.” She nodded and left. They hadn’t asked her exactly how she got the information from Trent. She hadn’t volunteered it either.
CHAPTER 27
STELLAR DATE: 3227 301 / 12.14.4123 (Adjusted Gregorian)
LOCATION: Ceres Transfer Station, Ceres
REGION: InnerSol, Sol Space Federation
“Well boys and girls, here we are, lovely Ceres, just the place for a day’s layover.” Private Perez gestured magnanimously at the unadorned debarkation lobby.
“Shut it, Perez,” Williams said as he walked by. “Marines, hump your gear to the TSF Argonaut and stow it. We have a tactical analysis of our mission at 2100 hours station time in briefing room 2A, deck 16, quadrant 3.”
“You want us to do what to our gear, Staff?”
Williams chose to ignore the remark and hoisted his pack over his left shoulder.
They were in the TSF zone on Ceres, one of the main hubs of stellar commerce and travel in the solar system. It was doubly busy since Mars was nearing Jupiter at a time when Ceres was between them. Earth was on the far side of the sun, but a direct path between it and Jupiter also passed through Ceres for the current Sol month. The end result was that nearly all of the traffic between the InnerSol and OuterSol was currently flowing through Ceres.
Williams wasn’t worried about security, not in the TSF zone at least. With the hundred or so navy ships—ranging from patrol craft to Orion-class cruisers and Constellation-class carriers—all docked at this quadrant, not only was security tight, but it was backed up by a million or so TSF personnel that were, quite literally, everywhere. Anyone trying anything wouldn’t make it more than ten meters after doing it.
Being around men and women he could rely on always made Williams feel at home, and he walked easily down the corridor. That wasn’t to say that he wasn’t wary, but he was as relaxed as he got.
Being little more than a small planetoid, Ceres naturally only generated .03g at its surface; far less than most of the larger moons in the Sol system. It had been augmented by a GE Artificial Grav system, a fancy term for a mini black hole that was placed within the core of the world and spun up to create 0.51g on the world’s surface.
Ceres had a massive superstructure built around it, the main docking ring being four hundred kilometers above the world. Capable of docking over seven hundred thousand ships at once, the outer reaches operated in 0g, allowing an easier transfer of heavy materials.
Small ships like the transport that the Marines had taken from the MOS docked on the inside of the ring about seventy kilometers above the surface, which rotated enough to create just under a half a g.
Perez was taking advantage of that and tossing his pack in the air like it was some sort of ball.
Just like on Mars 1’s top level, the view was astounding. Even people who worked on the station could be caught looking up at the sight of the small planet wrapped in the massive docks. Since the planet was only about eight hundred kilometers in diameter, and the docks were much closer than most planetary halos, the effect
was more like a sphere captured in a glistening ring of steel, rather than a ring around a planet. In fact, without taking into account the GE AG system, the docks had more mass than Ceres itself.
Williams caught himself looking up for longer than he expected and Kowalski nudged him.
“Not your first time here is it?” he asked.
“No, but it’s one of the few times where the sun is shining from behind. It really lights the whole thing up nicely, doesn’t it?”
“You getting all sentimental, Staff?”
Williams cast a baleful eye on Kowalski. “I have as much sentimentality in me as you have taste in woman.”
Kowalski chuckled. “Sure thing, Staff.”
Williams glanced back up at the sight; it was a lot smaller than Mars 1, but he found it far more pleasant. He could spot the Tannen Docking Array R3D where the Argonaut was berthed along the arc, visible even though it was seven hundred kilometers away. He started moving again and ran through the platoon’s status to be certain that everyone was still keeping up, more or less. Since the officers had been in first class, they were ahead a few hundred meters, but they were making poorer time without a sergeant’s glare to help part the crowds.
Williams eased up his pace. He liked his officers, but he also liked peace and quiet, something that a certain lieutenant trying to look cool to Trist while simultaneously trying to impress the major just wouldn’t provide.
They passed out of the TSF zone and into a general civilian section. There were three military zones on the docks, but due to a combination of lease times and weight distribution, they weren’t all adjacent to one another.
The central boulevard changed as they walked. Gone were the plain bulkheads with their colored bars indicating location and purpose, as well as the spartan offices and facilities. In their place were the boutiques and restaurants that catered to the transient tourists that passed through the station.
While the population of both Ceres and its docking network was in the range of only three hundred million or so, at any given over a billion people were passing through. The place had rivers of credit flowing across its nets, generating more money than most planets.