by M. R. Forbes
“I don’t know if I want to go to a party to celebrate killing thousands of people.”
“Nathan, there are two ways of looking at what we’re doing here. One way, we’re killing innocent people, and the truth is we are. It’s stupid to deny it. But then we’re only looking at the short term. We’re looking at the now. Think ahead a hundred years. If we finish this, if we kill the trife, every city in the world can look like Edenrise without needing a shield around it. In time, every city on the planet will be whole again. If Tinker is right about the Others, maybe sooner than we think.”
“Right about the Others? What does that mean? What does he think they’re going to do?”
“Bring their technology and restore humankind under their supervision. He believes they’re going to rule over us as gods.”
It sounded ridiculous. “Do you believe that?”
James hesitated. Then he put his arm around Nathan’s shoulders. “Let’s go outside. You haven’t seen the city at dusk yet.”
He led Nathan back out to the balcony. The sun was setting in the west, casting the sky in a beautiful red glow. The city was bathed in it, and between that and the lights of the apartments that were slowly coming on, it created a sparkle he could only marvel at.
“It’s amazing,” he admitted. He stared at it for a few seconds and then turned back to James. “But you didn’t answer my question.”
James leaned in close and lowered his voice. “To be honest, I don’t know. Nathan, I need to know if you’re with me or not.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s another reason I decided to keep you alive. One I haven’t told anyone else. One I don’t want them to know. But if I tell you, I’m putting tremendous faith and trust in you. If you betray that trust, it will be the end of me. Do you understand?”
Nathan nodded, and then turned away, looking out over the balcony again. James was telling him he needed to make a decision on his future right now. Once he heard what he had to say, there was no unhearing it.
“My life on Proxima was kind of shitty, except for Niobe,” Nathan said. “I can accept what she was. I loved her too much not to accept it. But I miss the simplicity of that life. I understood it. I knew how to navigate it, at least until the Trust screwed me over.” He turned back to James. “Nothing here is simple. I told myself I wasn’t going to trust anyone. That I had to look out for myself. Now I’m here, in this place. I don’t have grand designs on saving the world. I don’t want to be in charge of things. It bothers me that you and Tinker are planning to kill people, whether it’s good for the future of the planet or not.
“At the same time, this isn’t my world, and that isn’t my problem or my business. I thought I would have a chance to take down the Trust, to get back at them for killing Niobe, and then clear my name. To be honest, when you found me in Crosston, I wasn’t fighting Sheriff. I was about to join him. I thought he would be the best person to help me get what I wanted because everything he did was so moral and just.”
“Just?” James said, eyes narrowing. Nathan could sense the sudden rise in his anger. “He killed a lot of good soldiers.”
“Because you chased him.”
James’ jaw clenched. He was silent for a moment. Then he relaxed. “How could you consider trusting a Spacer after what they did to you?”
“Sheriff wasn’t a Spacer,” Nathan said.
“What?”
“He was an Earther.”
“He came here with the Spacers. You’re telling me Proxima is in contact with other Earthers?” He paused. “But it wasn’t the Trust or they would have known about our plans. Which means Proxima Command is dealing with another community somewhere.”
“I don’t know anything about that.”
“I’m glad you told me about it. It may be important.”
Nathan cringed internally. He hadn’t intended to lead James down that path. He didn’t know how Sheriff Duke knew the Centurions or what the extent of their relationship was, but he could see James was concerned.
“Important how?” he asked.
“Maybe it’s nothing. But what if someone comes looking for him? Someone with Centurion technology. Weapons, equipment, ships.”
“How is that a concern? What if the Trust sends more soldiers? What if Proxima Command sends another team to find out what happened to the one you destroyed?”
“Do you know how Proxima Command determines whether or not to do anything? They create an action plan, and then they pass if off to what they call the Assurance Department. They run numbers. They determine probabilities. If none of the soldiers come back, they’ll have to decide if it’s worth it to send more.”
Nathan had never heard of the Assurance Department. Was that really how it worked? “Don’t you think the key is worth sending more soldiers to recover?”
“The Trust wants to keep it hidden, but it’s a balancing act. If they send too much of a force, then people here will start to realize they’re out there, and their no contact protocol goes to shit. Whether or not that matters all that much, I’m not sure. If they send too small a force, we’ll take them out. In fact, I fully expect at least one more round of troops, but it’ll be at least two weeks before they can determine their original teams aren’t coming back and send a response.” He smiled. “There are benefits to being so far away.”
“If you can take out an army from Proxima, you can take out an army from Earth.”
“Depending on how large that army is. Right now, we just don’t know. Like I said, it may be nothing. We’ll worry about that when we have to, but I do appreciate you telling me the truth. I understand better now why you didn’t want Doc to kill him.”
“Did you only agree to leave him because you knew the virus would do the job for you?”
James nodded. “To be honest, yes. I know that may seem cold, but I have my orders, and I have my mission, and I’m not letting anyone get in the way of that. Which is also why I want to build a level of trust with you. I may need your help.”
Nathan wasn’t shocked by the response. He had guessed as much. He respected the sheriff for his perseverance and his moral code. But if Tinker was going to burn the world, he would have burned eventually anyway.
“That’s what it comes back to, right?” he said. “Am I right to guess that it may come down to a choice between you and Tinker? Because if that’s the case, you need to know: if Tinker told me he could make me a new replica of Niobe, I would do anything he asked.”
“The replicator is broken. If he made a new Mary Stacker, it would come out as damaged as I did. Would you want that?”
“No.”
Nathan was silent for a few seconds, still trying to decide what he wanted to do. He looked back inside, at the posh living room. He wished he could stay here, live a simple life. That had been his mantra, after all. But the wife was gone, and there was nothing simple about any of that.
“Okay,” he decided. “You can trust me, James. As long as what you say isn’t completely off the wall, I’ll do what I can.”
James smiled. “Thank you. To answer your earlier question about Tinker and the Others. No, I’m not sure I believe it. But Tinker created me. I’m not able to directly lie to him, and I’m not able to directly betray him. He coded that into my genetics somehow. I decided to keep you alive because I realized if he got the key like he wanted, he would look for the door. And when he finds the door, he’s going to want to open it.”
“You don’t want him to?” Nathan guessed.
“I don’t know. Tinker thinks we’ll be rewarded for letting them in. He thinks they’ll be pleased to have followers. But we don’t know anything about them, other than they brought the trife to Earth to destroy our civilization. If it looks like things are going to end badly, I’m not capable of stopping him from opening the door, and I won’t be able to pull the key out and close it. But you are.”
Nathan considered it. He had his own worries about Tinker’s plan to activate the a
rtifact. He was glad to know James was thinking the same way.
“Why not take care of it now, then?” Nathan asked. “Why recover the artifact? We know what we’re dealing with here.”
“When Proxima discovers what we’ve done, they’ll send their ships. They’ll try to take back the planet once it’s safe, after they abandoned it when it wasn’t. Like fucking vultures.”
Nathan didn’t know what a vulture was, but it sounded derogatory.
“Tinker’s hoping these Others will protect the planet?”
“Yes. Especially when we hand it over to them as loyal subjects.”
“He’s making a lot of assumptions.”
“Which is why we have to be prepared for the worst. The two of us, we need to be ready if things go wrong. Do you understand?”
Nathan nodded. “I’m with you, General.”
“Come to the party. I’ll convince Tinker to show you the sphere.”
“Sphere?”
“Everything I just told you stays between us, Nathan. Tinker would kill me if he knew I had any thought of stopping him, even if it was for the sake of what he’s worked so hard to build. You have an hour to get dressed. I’ll be back for you then.”
Nathan watched James exit the balcony, and make his way back out of the apartment. Then he turned around again to look at the setting sun.
He wanted to enjoy the peace and calm while it lasted. He had a feeling none of this was going to end well.
For anyone.
Chapter 5
Nathan looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn’t believe that after so much time, he was wearing a military dress uniform again.
The uniform didn’t bear much resemblance to the Centurion version, save for the eagle and star embroidery on the raised collar below his neck. The jacket was black with white piping that ran along the seams and lapels. The buttons were silver, each one featuring the same eagle and star logo, and they ran down the jacket toward a wide white belt with a silver buckle cinched over it. The pants were also black, ordinary compared to the coat, a simple flat-front with a sharp crease in the center. It trailed down to shiny black shoes.
All of it was sized for James, so it fit him perfectly. He actually thought he looked kind of handsome in it, and he wished Niobe was there to see him. The uniform came with a white cap which had the eagle and star logo on the front above a small black brim. He pulled it on, and then walked out into the living area to wait.
The knock came a few minutes later. Nathan hadn’t bothered to sit. He walked over to the door and pulled it open, surprised to find James hadn’t come to get him.
“Colonel Stacker,” the woman said, smiling.
She was wearing a sparkling silver dress, covered in sequins. It hugged her lithe frame, cut to be classy rather than trashy, keeping her small cleavage to a minimum and baring just enough leg. Her hair was golden, her eyes green, her smile perfect.
“Who are you?” Nathan asked.
“My name is Ebion,” she said. “I’ll be your escort to the party. General Stacker sends his regrets that he wasn’t able to come in person, but wanted me to assure you he will meet you there.”
Nathan stared at her. He hoped James hadn’t said anything about their earlier conversation to Tinker. If he couldn’t lie to his maker, and his maker asked specifically what they had talked about, would he be able to dance around the question?
“You’re very pretty,” he said awkwardly, trying to offer a compliment.
“Thank you, Colonel. Are you ready to go?”
Nathan nodded, stepping out into the hallway with Ebion and closing the door to his apartment. He remembered his manners, crooking his arm and holding it out for her to take.
She smiled in response, wrapping her pale arm around his. She led him down the corridor toward the lift.
“You’re very handsome in the Space Force blacks, Colonel,” she said.
“Thank you. It’s been a long time since I wore a dress uniform.”
“Oh? How long?”
“Fifty years, at least.”
She looked at him. “You don’t look more than thirty-five years old.” She smiled. “I forgot, you’re like General Stacker. He doesn’t age like a typical human either.”
They reached the lift and stepped in. Ebion tapped the screen to direct it to the top floor.
“Where is the party being held?” Nathan asked.
“Tinker’s private penthouse, right upstairs,” she said. “It takes up the entire eightieth floor.”
“I’m amazed this building survived the war.”
“Like many of the buildings in Edenrise, it was heavily damaged. But after the spire went up and the shield was activated, workers were able to repair it. It took a long time, but it’s been many years since the war.”
“Do you know a lot about the history of Edenrise?”
“I do.”
“Were you born here?”
“You could say that. I’ve never been beyond the shield. A lot of the people here haven’t, though Tinker has been bringing in many more survivors over the last few years. Our city has grown from ten thousand to nearly one hundred thousand.”
“That must be a strain on your resources?”
“Not really. The farm can produce enough grain, fruits, and vegetables to feed the population.”
“You don’t eat trife meat?”
“No. Tinker always says we shouldn’t depend on a food source that won’t be around much longer. The farm grows meat as well, poultry and beef.”
Nathan imagined the Edenrise farm was the same as the farms on Proxima. Everything was grown in large towers, hung vertically with exposed roots that were sprayed with a fine mist. It hardly used any water. They had grown meat too, produced in large vats in a process he didn’t understand.
The lift reached the top floor and the doors slid open, leading out into a small atrium. Nathan immediately heard talking and music in the distance, along with the clattering of dishes and glasses. He had a moment of panic at the idea of walking into a crowded room. He had never liked crowds all that much.
“You’re the guest of honor,” Ebion said. “There’s no need to be shy.”
“Guest of honor?” Nathan said.
The atrium had plants and flowers on both sides of a marble walkway that led to a second pair of dark wood doors which were currently closed. Ebion led him to the doors, and they started swinging open at their approach. Nathan’s heart was thumping hard even before he saw the group of people inside, nearly two hundred strong. Men and women looked over, their conversations pausing instantly. Within seconds, the entire room was silent.
Nathan stood framed in the open doorway, Ebion decorating his arm. He wanted to turn and run. Who were these people? They were mostly older, all finely dressed. Some were wearing uniforms like his, though they were more worn and faded. He saw another woman near the back who resembled Ebion so much he wondered if they were sisters. He didn’t see James or Tinker.
“To the Liberators.” Tinker’s voice came from everywhere in the room through hidden speakers.
“To the Liberators,” the crowd said.
“And to our newest addition. Please welcome former Centurion Space Force Captain Nathan Stacker, husband of my late daughter Niobe and brother of General James Stacker, now serving us as Colonel under James.”
“To Colonel Stacker,” the crowd said, clapping.
Nathan’s face flushed. Tinker was drawing him in. Trying to make him feel his importance both to the cause, and to the family. He knew how to grab at his weaknesses.
A hand fell across Nathan’s shoulder, and he looked to the left. James was there now, having come up behind him. The crowd cheered louder at his appearance.
“The day of the cleansing is coming, my friends,” Tinker said. “The will of the Others cannot be denied. As I have promised, so it will be done.”
The crowd found another volume. Someone whistled and whooped.
“Please. Eat. Drink. Be merry
. Soon the trife will be eradicated from this world, and the people of Edenrise shall take their rightful places as sons and daughters to the gods.”
More cheering. Nathan felt nauseous.
“Where’s Tinker?” he asked James, raising his voice to be heard over the crowd.
“He hates large groups of people,” James replied. “But he loves to observe.” He pointed toward the corner, where a camera was visible. There were more cameras positioned around the perimeter.
“I thought he would be here in person.”
“No. I’m sure you hate this as much as I do. We won’t stay long.”
The cheering started to calm. The music began to pick up again.
“Ebion,” James said. “Get Nathan and me a drink.”
“Of course, General.”
“You could be a little kinder,” Nathan said.
“I can’t hurt her feelings,” he replied. “She doesn’t have any.”
Nathan remembered Isabelle. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t figured it out. “She’s a robot?”
He nodded. “Tinker uses them as his personal guards.”
“How many does he have?”
James laughed. “I’m not telling.”
Ebion returned with two glasses and handed them out. Nathan took his and smelled the clear liquid. It had a sweet odor, with a strong hint of alcohol.
“Thank you,” he said to her.
“Of course, Colonel.”
“Who are all these people?” Nathan asked, holding his drink. He had no intention of tasting it. James did the same. It seemed he just wanted them to look like they fit in.
“The ones in uniform are officers in the Liberators. My subordinates. The northeast base is only one of four along the east coast. We’ve been working the area for a long time. The rest of them are government, mostly. Administrators. They help Tinker run the city. The boring details.” He smiled. “I can introduce you, but I don’t think you’d like any of them. I don’t.”
“So why are we here?”
“Tinker likes for me to make an appearance. The people here, they’re used to me coming in, waving, having a quick drink, and then disappearing.” He held out his glass. “To the future.”