by G. P. Hudson
“Nothing will happen,” said David. “You have my word.”
They had strapped on their parachutes when an alarm rang out from the cockpit. David ran back to investigate.
“Contact!” shouted David. “Zeta atmospheric fighter closing fast.”
“I thought they couldn’t see us?” said Isaac.
“They can’t, but they’ll soon be close enough for a visual. We need to hurry this up.”
Ellie stretched out her arms to Danny. “I want to go with you,” she whined.
“Okay,” Danny said, scooping up the little girl and strapping her securely to his chest.
David, Luther, and Mark took Jess, Catherine and Isaac. Jarred, the only one not going tandem opened the hatch, and they all leaped out into the clear blue sky.
Chapter 34
The Butcher of Allimania, thought Reynolds, as he sat in his ready room waiting for his scheduled meeting with Admiral Cherenko. Most people would be horrified to have such a title attached to their name, but he liked it. It set him apart from the other, more timid officers in the fleet. Was it not that breed of privileged, entitled officer class that corrupted the Empire? Were they not the roots of its decline?
Thankfully, the Emperor was wise. The truth was that the Empire’s current predicament was a long time in the making. It had been plagued by a succession of weak rulers, and a corrupt officer class. But Emperor Detlev was different. He was a throwback to the great early emperors. He understood that these turbulent times required strength. Resolve. Iron will. He would be the instrument of that will. The rebels would learn to fear the Butcher of Allimania, as he meted out the Emperor’s retribution.
The comm display came to life, pulling Reynolds out of his thoughts, as Admiral Cherenko’s rugged face appeared. Reynolds straightened his back to salute the admiral. Cherenko returned in kind.
“Greetings Vice Admiral Reynolds. How are things holding up out there in the Allimanian system?” said Cherenko.
“All is well, Sir. Quiet,” said Reynolds.
“Yes, I imagine the Allimanians have lost much of their bluster.”
“It appears that way, Sir.”
Cherenko looked off screen at something, and then returned. “How is the construction of the new jump gate coming?”
“The engineering teams are working round the clock, Sir,” said Reynolds. “I’ve given the Allimanians a deadline for its construction, and warned them that there would be dire consequences if they failed to meet it.
Cherenko smiled. “I’m sure that got their attention.”
“Yes, Sir. They know better than anyone that I don’t bluff.”
“As does the rest of the galaxy. It should help in your future missions. Speaking of which, I have new orders for you. I’m dispatching capital ships to the Allimanian system. They’ll have extra personnel on board, to transfer to the Zeta ships under your command. That way they will consist entirely of UEDF crews. Existing Zeta personnel will remain in the Allimanian system, to man some of the captured ships. They will occupy the system along with the capital ships until the new gate is built, and a regular occupation force can take over. When those ships arrive, you will take your newly crewed Zeta squadron, and the rest of your fleet, and head toward Alliance space.”
“You want me to invade the Frontier Alliance?” Reynolds said in surprise. Even with the new Zeta ships, he would need a much larger force to attempt something like that. The Allimanian system was one thing, but the Frontier Alliance was another.
“No. I wouldn’t do that to my star commander,” Cherenko said with a smirk. “I want you to establish a presence in metaspace, between the Frontier Alliance worlds. Their strength lies in their close cooperation and trade with each other. Your ships will fire on any vessel traveling between their worlds. I believe you’ve had some experience hunting metaspace pirates early in your career, is that right?”
“I did. This assignment shouldn’t be much different.”
“Not at first. Once the Alliance figures out what you’re doing, they’ll send out larger escorts to protect their ships. This is what we want them to do. Meet you in battle on your terms.”
“I would relish that. Metaspace is ideal for hiding our numbers, and it distorts long range communications. The Alliance will think they’re dealing with pirates, rather than a UEDF fleet. We’ll destroy plenty of ships before they realize what’s happening.”
“That’s the idea. The Emperor is very pleased with your performance so far, Reynolds. We need to consolidate our gains right now, and ensure we don’t overextend ourselves. This assignment is perfect for that. When the time is right, I’ll see to it that you head up the next invasion.”
“Thank you, Sir. I won’t let you down.”
“I’ll transmit your orders momentarily. Cherenko out.”
The admiral’s face vanished and Reynolds was alone with his thoughts again. He thought back to his early years chasing metaspace pirates. It was an assignment that nobody wanted, and Reynolds knew he had gotten it because he wasn’t as ‘high born’ as the rest of the officer class.
A metaspace assignment was looked down upon because nobody wanted to spend months in that bizarre environment. Nobody other than pirates, and Reynolds. For some reason, he always liked the chaos that was metaspace. While other officers dreaded an assignment there, he saw it as an opportunity. A way to hone his skills, and prove himself. Now, all these years later he was going back. It seemed fitting.
Chapter 35
“We need to commandeer that vehicle,” said Danny. Once they had jumped from the aircraft, the group coordinated their descent to land within a forested area. After a hike, they came upon a clearing, and now watched a lone house in the distance, careful to remain hidden in the trees. There wasn’t a Zeta presence from what Danny could see, and with any luck, Zeta hadn’t realized that the aircraft was empty. The passenger vehicle parked outside the house was a perfect way for them to escape.
“Agreed,” said David. “I don’t see any other course, and Zeta’s bound to come looking for us soon.”
“I’ll go,” said Danny. “No offense, but I can run a lot faster than you.”
David frowned but didn’t object. “Okay, we’ll stay concealed and cover you in case you run into any trouble.”
Danny tightened his grip on his weapon and took off. He streaked across the empty field, hitting speeds no unaugmented human could ever hope to attain. As he ran, he scanned the countryside for signs that anything was amiss. He saw nothing, but felt uneasy nonetheless. Something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
Nearing the vehicle, he kept searching for signs of danger. Again, he saw nothing, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Only a few feet away, he realized what it was that bothered him. The quiet. It shouldn’t be this quiet. He stopped running and studied the house. More importantly, he listened for a sound. Movement of any kind.
He couldn’t see them, or hear them, but he knew he was being watched. He jumped behind the vehicle and pointed his weapon at the house.
“Your instincts are still sharp, little brother,” came the unmistakable voice of G325 from inside the house.
“Sister?” Danny said, sighting his weapon on the location of G325’s voice. “What are you doing here?”
“What do you think I’m doing here? Zeta sent me after you.”
“You’re here to kill me?”
“No. They want you alive. I must tell you, I didn’t believe it. When they said you turned traitor I was sure there was a mistake. Yet here you are. Not even in uniform. What the hell happened to you?”
Danny ducked down behind the vehicle turning to face the forest. Once certain he couldn’t be seen from the house he waved the rest of the group off, ensuring they remained hidden.
He turned his attention back to G325, and the rest of the Zeta contractors inside the house. “You want to know what happened? I’ll tell you. I was freed. I was given control
over my implants, my programming, my life.”
“You really are a traitor?” G325 said, the surprise in her voice unmistakable.
“No. I’m not. I’m in control now. And this is my life. Not Zeta’s.”
“What the hell are you talking about, little brother? This is your life. You’re a Zeta contractor, just like me. We were born to this. It is what we were made to do.”
“What if there is more? What if we could become more? We’d never know it, because we’d never be allowed to have it. Zeta tells us what we can and cannot do. That’s not a life. That is slavery.”
“Clearly, you’ve been damaged, little brother. Don’t worry, they’ll fix you up once we get you back home.”
“I’m not damaged. I told you, I’ve been freed. Do you know the name Isaac Stern?”
“Yes, we are looking for him too. Where is he?”
“Did you know that he was one of the founders of Zeta? That he was Ed Masterson’s partner? Did you also know that he developed most of the technology we have inside us?”
“No, I didn’t, but what difference does it make?”
“All the difference in the world. He is the one who freed me. He gave me control over my programming, and much more. He can free you too, sister.”
“I’m perfectly fine the way I am.”
“No, you’re not. You are a slave to Zeta. You think I’m a traitor because that is what they made you think. You are loyal to Zeta because they made you loyal. Do you ever ask yourself why it is that we don’t get paid like other soldiers?”
“So, this is about money? Is that it?” spat G325.
“No. I don’t care about that. The point is that we’re contractors. Mercenaries. The clients pay for our services, we put our lives on the line, yet Zeta makes all the money.”
“Zeta provides for us. All our needs are met. What need do we have of money?”
“We don’t have any need of it. Not if we stay with Zeta. But what if we want to leave? We are not allowed. We serve until we die, with no say in the matter.”
“Little brother, you are talking foolishness. This is what we were made to do. Why would we want to leave?”
“Maybe we don’t, but we should have the option. Zeta doesn’t give us that option. That makes us slaves. What Isaac Stern did was give me options. I am not a traitor. I am free.”
After a pause, G325 said. “I need to bring you in, little brother. That is all I know.”
“Okay, let me ask you this. After all we’ve been through, have you ever known me to lie to you?”
“No,” said G325 without hesitation.
“Why would I start now?”
Another pause. “Stay where you are, little brother. And don’t do anything stupid. Several weapons are pointed at you.”
Danny waited, and listened. One of the things Zeta contractors were known for was their ability to not make a sound. That silence was broken now.
He heard footsteps. Hushed voices. He strained to hear what they were saying, but couldn’t make it out. Clearly, they were deciding what to do next. How to capture him. He wondered if he had convinced G325, or if she would remain a slave to her programming.
Then he heard multiple plasma blasts. What the hell is going on in there? He wondered.
“Now it’s just the two of us, little brother,” G325 said after the weapons fell silent.
“What did you do?” said Danny, concerned for his sister.
“I shot the other clones I am with.”
“What!? Why?”
“I can’t say that I liked them very much. Did you know that Zeta pulled me out of my unit, and stuck me with these spook types? The same ones that handle the interrogations. They’re not like us, you know. We’re honest fighters. These ones are manipulative. Slimy. They wanted me to use our friendship to get you to surrender. Can you believe that. They deserved it. They were assholes.”
Danny couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and couldn’t help wondering if it was too good to be true. Maybe G325 was manipulating him right now. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“I’ll ask you the same question you asked me. Have I ever lied to you?”
“No, but Zeta could have changed you. There’s more at stake here than just my life.”
“Yes, I know. There are your friends. It was all in the data pack, which all Zeta contractors on Pallias were given, by the way.”
“Wonderful,” Danny said sarcastically.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll come out of the house, unarmed. Will that work?”
“With your hands up.”
“No problem, only I want you to promise me something.”
“Name it.”
“I want Isaac Stern to free me too. I’ve always trusted you. So, I might as well see what all the fuss is about.”
“Done.”
“Here I come.” G325 emerged from the house, unarmed with hands up, as promised.
“Stop right there,” said Danny.
“What’s the problem?”
“The problem is I don’t know if anyone is waiting inside.”
“They’re all dead. I told you that.”
“Prove it. Go back in and drag one of them out.”
G325 sighed. “The things I do…”
She went back inside the house and emerged moments later dragging the body of a uniformed Zeta contractor. The uniform was different, confirming G325’s story that these contractors were from a different section.
These were the ones everyone feared. The ones that gave the rest of them a bad name. Their skill-set consisted of a thorough knowledge of all known torture methods, and interrogation techniques. The last thing anyone wanted was to end up in their hands.
“There, you see? Dead.” To prove her point, she seized the dead contractor by the head and wrenched it around in an impossible direction. “Do you believe me now?”
“I do, but just to be safe, throw me his weapons.”
G325 rolled her eyes, and proceeded to disarm the man, tossing each weapon to Danny. “You see his uniform? Did you think that I would leave you to the tender mercies of these bastards?”
“Then why all the talk about taking me in?”
“I needed to know what had happened to you. Needed to hear it for myself. Believe me when I say that I was prepared to kill you if I didn’t like what I heard.”
“That’s comforting.”
“It should be. It was the least I could do. You know as well as I do that death is preferable to letting these animals have a go at you. Anyway, are you satisfied now?”
“Sure,” said Danny. “One more question. How did you know to wait for us at this house?”
“We were the ones that shot at your aircraft. We followed you on land, and saw you jump from the plane into the forest. We knew you wouldn’t stay in the forest. That would be foolish, as Zeta would eventually come looking for you there. Logic dictated that you would look for a way to escape. That house was close enough to the forest, and it had a large enough vehicle out front, so we took it and waited.”
Danny knew what that meant, especially with the spook types G325 was with. Whoever lived in the house was now dead. “What about your vehicle? Where is it?”
“That’s more than one question, little brother. The vehicle is nearby. Concealed. But don’t get any ideas. You know full well that Zeta can track it.”
Danny had heard enough. Opening the door to the civilian vehicle, he climbed inside, and looked over at G325 who still stood by the house. “What are you waiting for, sister? Hop in.”
G325 jumped into the passenger seat, and Danny powered up the engine. Turning the vehicle around, he headed towards the woods, where the rest of his group waited.
Chapter 36
The four Pallian soldiers came out of the woods, pointing their weapons at G325. “Don’t fucking move,” David shouted. “Either of you. Hands up where I can see them.”
“What are you doing?” said Danny, annoyed by the hostile react
ion.
“You were just supposed to get the vehicle, not bring another goddamn mercenary with you.”
“This is G325. She’s my sister.”
“Yeah? Fuck you and your sister. What the hell was she doing in that house? How did she know we’d come here?”
“Really, it wasn’t that hard to figure out,” G325 said mockingly.
“Quiet!” Danny hissed.
G325 shrugged, not looking particularly worried. Truth be told, neither was Danny. After all the combat they had seen together, this situation was another day at the office. Only there was one difference, Danny wanted to avoid killing these men.
“G325’s team were the ones who shot at our aircraft from the ground. They followed us and saw us jump from the plane. They deduced that we would try and take this vehicle, so they waited for us here.”
“Where’s the rest of your team?” said David.
“I killed them,” said G325.
“Why would you kill your own men?”
“Because, those bastards weren’t my men, and B732 is my brother.”
“Who is B732?”
“I am,” said Danny.
“I thought your name was Danny?” said David.
“It is. B732 is the designation Zeta gave me.”
“Danny?” said G325. “Where did you get that from?”
“Long story.”
“I want a name too.”
“Enough about the goddamn name!” said David, a large vein bulging at his temple. “Tell me again why you killed the other contractors.”
“I told you. B- I mean Danny here is my brother.”
“Not good enough.”
“She wants Isaac to free her,” said Danny. “Like he did for me.”
“Lower your weapons,” said Isaac, stepping out from the trees.
“I don’t think that’s wise, Mr. Stern,” said David.
“I understand. Lower your weapons. I freed Danny, and I trust him. If he trusts G325, then that is good enough for me. Besides, we need to free more Zeta contractors, so we might as well start with G325.”
Hesitantly, David lowered his weapon, and nodded to the others to do the same.