by T. R. Harris
“Okay, that’s good to know,” Smith said. “The situation is this: we can’t stay on Crious much longer. Every square inch of the planet is covered by satellites and it’s just a matter of time before they locate my transport and trace it to here. We’re going to need your ship to get away. You said it’s a prototype vehicle. How prototype?”
“It made the run from Earth to ES-10 in six days, and that wasn’t even pushing it, I don’t think.”
Smith leaned back on the couch and whistled. “Damn, that could come in handy. But we may have to fight our way to it. Are you men prepared to do what’s necessary?”
Angus grimaced. “Not too keen on killing Humans, if that’s what you mean, general? But busting a few skulls…yeah, no problem.”
“Good. But before we head out, we need a plan.”
“What do you know about your source regarding the Corollary, general?” Zac interrupted. “It’s the conflicting information that got things so screwed up.”
“All right, here’s what I know…and what I’ve been able to find out,” Smith began. “I got the first bit of intel regarding the contents of the document from a deep-cover operative at the Harmony Enclave on Iz’zar. It came from a Human scholar who had recently returned from Antara.”
“A Human on Antara?” Zac questioned.
“That’s right. It doesn’t happen very often, but this guy was special, one of those life-long devotees who’d gained the trust of the Qwin. That’s one of the reasons we gave such credence to his report.”
“He saw the Corollary on Antara?” Angus asked, astounded.
“That’s right.”
Zac shook his head. “Then how did the mission end up taking place on Iz’zar?”
“The researcher—a man named Davide Caspary—said there was another complete set of the Corollaries at the Temple of Light. Since very few Humans have ever been to Antara, we figured Iz’zar would be an easier target.”
“And this Caspary character is the one who said the Antaere were going to kill all their followers at the Final Glory, according to the document?”
Smith nodded. “He also told the agent that only Fourth Level priests could see all the Corollaries, meaning only about two hundred Antaere have ever seen the text.”
Angus sat up straighter in his chair. “But a whole set of them was on display in the temple Enlightenment Room. There were other Qwin around, even some teenagers, hardly Fourth Level anything. Doesn’t sound that secret to me.”
Zac nodded. “That’s right. And why didn’t the researcher just go to the temple on Iz’zar to study them? He didn’t need to go all the way to Antara.”
“I can explain that, somewhat,” said General Smith. “As a worshipper of the Order, to visit Antara is like a trip to Mecca, only about a hundred times more so. And to study the original religious documents in the Temple of Order is the highest honor of all, especially for a Human. I can think of only a handful of Humans who have ever been to the planet, and that’s including the time before the war.”
Angus was shaking his head. “How the bloody hell did he see the thing, considering that only the highest priests in the Order can view it?”
“He says it was an accident, a misinterpretation of instructions by a young Antaere aide.”
“Okay, but if he’s such a devout follower, why did he tell your agent about the Corollary?” Angus asked.
Smith laughed. “Just think about it. Most devotees worship the Order, not the Antaere. That’s been our main ace in the hole with the natives on the ES worlds—until now. Add to that the revelation that all the compliant little sheep are going to be slaughtered one day, and you have justification for Caspary’s actions.”
Zac came back from the kitchen with another round of native beers.
“So, here’s the question: Is Caspary telling the truth or not? Which version of the Corollary is real?”
“In my opinion, it doesn’t matter,” said General Smith. “At least not with regards to the mission.” The REVs looked at the officer, frowning. “The Qwin needed us to believe there was this irresistible target, something that would turn the tide of the war in our favor, if not win it outright. Caspary said it was an accident that he was able to see the Final Corollary, but was it really? Does that sound like something the Antaere would allow, especially with regards to their most-sacred documents? They could have planted the text on Antara, just like they did on Iz’zar. One to get us moving, the other to screw us over.”
“So the whole 13th Corollary could be a fake?” Angus asked. “Something they just made up to get us jumping through their hoops.”
“That’s a possibility,” said the general.
“Wait a minute,” Zac said after taking a swig of the beer. “There’s something that’s been bothering me for a while.”
“What?”
“If the Qwin destroyed the temple—like we think they did—would they sacrifice all the documents in the Enlightenment Chamber just to cover their tracks? Even if the Final Corollary was fake, I doubt all the other books and texts in the temple were. Some were extremely rare second editions, or whatever they call them.”
“And we only saw what was on display,” Angus pointed out. “We have no idea what was—or wasn’t—hidden away in the archives.”
“The whole thing could have been staged,” Zac added.
“You’re saying the Antaere moved the real documents out and hid them somewhere on Iz’zar?”
“Hopefully on Iz’zar. We’re screwed if they took them back to Antara,” Zac said.
General Smith narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying, Lt. Murphy?” he asked, wanting to hear the words aloud that he already heard in his mind.
“We have to go to Iz’zar,” Zac said with finality. “We have to find the documents they removed from the temple.”
“Assuming they removed them in the first place,” Gen. Smith countered. “The temple could have come down without their help.”
“But it all makes sense,” said Zac, his enthusiasm growing by the moment. “The Corollary Caspary saw on Antara had to be real. That got us going. The fake one was easy to plant in the Temple of Light, but they would have to remove all the real documents before they destroyed the temple.”
General Smith looked pensive. “During my ride to Crious, I didn’t have access to a lot of research material, but everything I did learn seemed to indicate the Antaere launched their propaganda counterattack against us with uncanny speed and efficiency. Planning and tactics is what I do for a living, gentlemen, and I know it takes time to put all the pieces in place for an effective campaign. The Qwin couldn’t have done it unless they started long before our mission was even a go. You’re right, lieutenant, it does makes sense.”
“That means the original documents are still around…somewhere,” Angus said.
“They’re probably on Iz’zar,” said Zac, trying to sound confident, even though he was worried. “Moving them would only be temporary, until a new temple could be built.”
Angus stuck out his bottom lip and nodded. “So, we’re going back to Iz’zar. Sounds bloody well exciting,” he said. “You also know it will be a suicide mission. Besides Antara, Iz’zar has the most fanatical followers on the planet, even more so after their precious little temple was destroyed. Also, no Human starship will be allowed within five hundred light-years of the place—”
“The Zanzibar can get there,” Amber’s ethereal voice said into the ears of the REVs.
Smith noticed their simultaneous change of expression. “What’s wrong?”
“Amber just said the Zanzibar can make it.”
“Who’s Amber…and what’s the Zanzibar?”
Zac smiled. They hadn’t gotten around to introducing the general to the names of the ship or the AI.
“How can it get through the blockades?” the general asked after the explanations.
Amber spoke while Zac relayed the information.
“The owner of the Zanzibar has a variety of bu
siness interests throughout the Grid,” Zac recited. “These reach to every ES world, except Antara, although products do reach the planet through intermediaries. The Zanzibar has transponder codes that can get it through blockades and to the enclave on Iz’zar.”
“How long will the trip take?” Smith asked.
“Twenty-nine days, barring any unforeseen incidents,” Zac said.
Smith’s mouth fell open. It would normally take three times that long.
“That’s…that’s incredible,” was all the senior officer could say.
“And when we get there? What happens then?” Angus asked.
“We find Caspary and the agent,” Zac said. “They live there, and obviously the researcher has the trust of the Antaere. He may have some idea where they would hide such important documents. And the only way we’re all going to get out of this mess is if we find that damn piece of paper and reveal to the Grid what it really says. It’s there, I can feel it. And besides, I want to look Caspary in the face and ask him if what he said was true. I’ll see it in his eyes.”
“And if the whole mission goes to shite, like it did before?” Angus asked.
“Then we’ll only be a hop, skip and a jump away from Antara. They’ve been wanting to meet us in the flesh for a while. This will save them a lot of time and effort and get it over quick for us.”
“That wasn’t the answer I was looking for.”
“We still need a plan to get off the planet,” said Gen. Smith. “We need your super-ship.”
“Thank you,” Amber said into the ears of the REVs. They didn’t relay the comment to the general.
“What’s the situation at the spaceport, Amber?” Zac asked.
“Improved. The guards left suddenly a few minutes ago.”
All three men stood up. The only reason the guards would be pulled from the ship was if the authorities knew where they were hiding.
“Get ready, Amber. We’re on our way.”
28
They had three weapons between them—two of the ubiquitous M-101 assault rifles with full packs and General Smith’s long-barrel Taser. Their one saving grace was that even the 101s had a highly effective energy component that could stun a normal Human into unconsciousness. They didn’t want to kill anyone. If they did, then even proving their innocence regarding the Temple of Light incident wouldn’t exonerate them from the consequences.
The general left the lights on in the cabin and even turned on the TV, making it look as if someone was still inside. It would delay the assault team, as they would have to be more cautious when approaching. But it wouldn’t be long. The trio jumped into Smith’s car and then turned right out of the driveway, heading farther down the slope with the lights off, toward the large lake at the base of the valley.
Smith studied the GPS. There were three ways out of the area and back to the main road. He drove along the edge of the lake before taking another road to the left, winding through a thick forest of evergreens, the area nearly pitch-black with the thick cloud cover and the coming of night. There were other houses tucked back from the road with their lights on. It was a race to get out of the rural subdivision before the entire area was locked down.
The spaceport was over forty miles away, and none of the men were holding out hope they could get there undetected and unopposed. What they needed was for Amber to meet them halfway. It would be a wild ride for the AI, and then she would need an open space to set down. None of the men knew the area well enough to know where; even the GPS map was no help.
That’s when Zac noticed the huge black blob on the computer screen.
“Amber, can you lift off and make your way towards us?”
“I can, yet I will be pursued and monitored, as I mentioned before. Where would you like me to go?”
“Can you see the lake near us?”
Smith and Angus looked at Zac, eyes wide, either from surprise or understanding.
Starships were airtight; they had to be to survive the rigors of outer space. That also made them waterproof.
“You wish me to land in the lake?”
“Preferably near the shore, actually,” Zac corrected.
“Estimated flight time, forty-two seconds. I cannot stay long.”
Zac turned to the driver of the car. “Turn us around, general. Time for a little swim.”
Amber had the chemical engines on the Zanzibar primed and ready, so when the blast of white smoke erupted from under the ship, it caught everyone watching by surprise. Although the guards had been pulled, there was still electronic surveillance of the starship. The moment it lifted, the alert went out. Seconds later, four heavily-armed hovercopters lifted from the military base and shot out over the treetops towards the REVs last known position.
General Smith raced down the tree-line street at breakneck speed, arriving at the river road just as a fiery dark object streaked overhead. It was still raining, with a thick cloud cover, which made the surface of the lake a black slate, devoid of features. But then a mighty splash hit the center, creating a circle of shimmering sparkles, reflecting the light from the few homes along the shoreline.
The car left the road and churned onto muddy dirt before coming to a stop a few feet from the lake’s placid surface. Moments later, the first of several huge waves swept over the land and crashed onto the hood of the car, enveloping the vehicle in a dark wash of blinding water. The wave subsided, only to be drenched again by a follow up crest.
Zac and the others jumped out and scanned the shimmering expanse of the lake. There was something coming their way, like a giant Loc Ness monster below the surface, creating a huge leading wave.
The men ran from the water’s edge, managing to reach the higher ground of the paved road just as a massive whale-like creature surged from under the surface and slammed into the shore, crushing the native transport beneath its towering head. Before them sat a grey and silver face, with a wide swath of light emanating from the grinning cockpit window.
Drenched from the rain, the men ran toward the beached starship.
“The side hatch is underwater,” Zac cried out over the bubbling roar of the lifting jets, still active in the water, and tearing deep holes in the sandy beach. “Climb up to the top escape hatch. Amber, unlock the damn thing if you haven’t already.”
“Unlocked and cycling open. Please hurry. Response craft will be here in eighteen seconds.”
The hull of the starship was smooth, making it difficult for General Smith to climb to the top of the cockpit. Zac and Angus had no such problem, using their enhanced leg strength to jump to the small ledge lining the cockpit window. As they jumped, they took Smith by the arms and lifted him effortlessly up as well. All three men slipped on the wet, metal surface; Angus grasped the hatch opening, while Zac took hold of his ankle with one hand and Smith’s collar with the other. A moment later, the men fell through the opening and into the short connecting corridor that led from the lounge area to the cockpit. Angus and Zac fell first, with Smith’s more tender body landing with a heavy grunt onto those of the REVs.
“Close the hatch, Amber!” Zac commanded. “Time to go.”
“Your obvious commands are superfluous, Lt. Murphy. I cannot liftoff with an open hatch, and it is obvious we must make a quick escape.”
“Hey, bite me!” Zac yelled as the three men climbed to their feet and rushed to the cockpit. “I feel better giving commands.”
“Even when they are not necessary?”
“Especially when they aren’t necessary. It makes me feel important.”
“Even when—”
“Amber…please!”
“Strap in the best you can,” the computer instructed. “We have one too many occupants than we have command seats. Security craft are on station, weapons hot.”
“Shit!” Zac growled.
But then nothing happened. The four, six-bladed hovercraft floated in the air above the Zanzibar, menacing mini-guns and flash weapons at the ready. Yet they didn’t fire.
/> “The Qwin want us alive,” Angus whispered.
“And the aircraft don’t have permission to fire,” stated General Smith. “Give me an open line to the pilots!”
“Ready, general,” said Amber.
“Attention, this is General Bill Smith. Do not fire and disengage immediately. This is a Priority One Security issue. You are interfering with an official military operation.”
“This is Lieutenant Elon Moncrief, sir,” said a voice over the speakers. “We have orders to ground your vessel by any means necessary.”
“Do you have permission to kill a senior officer and the passengers aboard this ship?”
“Eh, no, sir, only to prevent your departure.”
“Then you are going to have to kill us, lieutenant. Are you prepared to deal with the aftermath in a court of inquiry?”
“Sir, we’re just following orders.”
“That is a weak defense, mister. Now move aside. This ship is lifting in ten seconds. If you are still in position at that time when we do, you will either have to fire on the ship or be destroyed. The choice is yours. End of transmission.”
“Tell your computer to launch when ready,” the general said to Zac.
“You heard the man, Amber. Get us out of here.”
“Yes…sir.”
General Smith had been too busy negotiating with the pilots of the hovercraft to find a suitable handhold in the small cockpit. Zac and Angus had secured themselves in the command seats, but when the ship lifted, Smith was tossed against the rear bulkhead and held rudely in place by the sudden acceleration.
The Zanzibar slid past the helicopters, avoiding two of them by only a few feet as it climbed for clear air. Then with the nose pointed to the stars, the ship rocketed upward, creating a force of seven G’s on the Human occupants. Zac and Angus weathered the crushing weight with ease. Smith did to a point, before he blacked out.
At forty thousand feet, the Zanzibar encountered a small sortie of three jet aircraft. Within just the few seconds between leaving the surface and now, permission had been granted to fire on the ship. Zac figured Earth Command must have decided that handing over a pair of dead REVs to the Antaere was better than no REVs at all. The first missiles flared out from the aircraft and streaked through the black sky.