“That’s why you came here, to find my mother, to retrieve her.” Keira leaned back against the wall as the pieces began to fit into the puzzle. “You and my father came to Asherho for her because of this thing, this ability …”
“Only, we arrived too late,” Chris said. “Your grandfather sent us … well, really he dispatched your father. We were his protection detail and became trapped here when everything fell apart and the people turned on each other.”
“So,” Keira said, looking between them, “I have this ability then?”
“You do,” Chris said. “At first, we didn’t think so, but now”—Chris glanced at MK—“there is no doubt, not anymore. You’ve got the magic, the gift.”
It hardly seemed possible. She was just a repair tech. How could this be? Her head still hurt something fierce. They must be wrong. Though deep down, she knew they were right. Something within her had changed. She could feel it, the growing power within her breast, beating alongside her heart.
She scowled as understanding dawned. “You said the crate was keyed to me, that my father left it for me specifically.” The full implications slammed home. She recalled what MK said about Captain Scaretti putting him into sleep mode. “My father didn’t leave it for me, did he?”
“No, he didn’t,” Chris admitted.
“You knew,” Keira gasped, her horror growing. “You knew there was the possibility I might have it, this ability? All those years and you said nothing. How could you hide this from me?”
“The gift, your ability, usually manifests immediately after childhood. Sometimes the ability surfaces during stressful moments, life or death situations. It comes out when it needs to. That’s about all we know.”
“But you suspected I had it.” Keira said this as a statement and not a question.
“You’ve always been good with machines,” Chris said, “too good, a natural mechanic. You fixed and repaired things no one else could. Keira, all I did was give you a push in the right direction, at just the right moment. You did the rest, butterfly, and it was magnificent. I’ve never been prouder.”
Keira thought her heart might break. He had lied to her, just as he wanted to lie to the civilians in the corridor above. What else had he lied about? What had he concealed from her? She felt betrayed, wounded more deeply than she had ever thought possible. But at the same time, she understood his reasoning and his motives, and it made the hurt even worse.
“That’s the real reason you looked after me all these years, isn’t it? It’s why you stuck around after my father’s death, this special ability, this curse. That’s all it was … all I ever was to you, something of value, nothing more.”
Chris’s expression went rigid, and his gaze became piercing, fixed upon her. At first, he said nothing. His jaw flexed ever so slightly.
“Keira,” Vex said, “you’re being unfair. He—”
Chris held up a hand to Vex, stopping her.
“I made a promise to your father.” The words were hard, harsh-sounding. “That said, you are family, a daughter in all but name and blood, the daughter I always wanted but never had. The daughter I sacrificed everything for. I thought you knew me better than that. I really did.”
Keira suddenly felt wretched but at the same time still angry with him for not telling her the truth sooner.
“Think of me as you will, but you represent the future,” Chris continued, “a new beginning for us all, for all humanity.”
“What are you saying?” Keira asked. She had so very many questions. It was almost too much to take, to bear. “Humanity?”
“As I said, all it takes is the idea,” Chris said, “that the empire still exists. That and people willing to fight for a better future. Since the Fall, there have been no AIs, no augments, no constructs, none of that sort of thing on Asherho, not until today.” He gestured with a hand at MK, who was watching them.
“We still believe,” Vex said fervently, “and as long as we do, the empire exists. If we believe and set the example, others might join us, support our cause. A fallen standard can be picked up, brushed off, and people rallied to a cause long thought dead. Do you understand what we’re telling you? Do you understand why we are telling you this?”
“When we announce ourselves to those people in the corridor above,” Chris said, “in their eyes we will be the empire. And … it all starts here on Asherho.”
“But you’re still lying to them.”
“Are we?” Chris asked. “Are we really? Is it a lie when we believe?”
Keira found herself stunned. In an instant, her headache vanished. She blinked, looking from one to the other. The implications of what they were telling her were just now beginning to register and the thought of what they wanted to attempt was astounding.
“You want to rebuild the empire?” The words came out as a gasp.
“That’s one of the reasons we came to Asherho,” Chris said. “We had hoped your mother was the key, that she could help us. She can’t, but you can.”
“Me?”
“You are the most important person on this planet,” Chris said, “possibly in the entire galaxy. When others learn of what you can do, they will stop at nothing to get their hands on you. That is why we need to get you to the safe house, before word spreads, before the UPG learns of it, and the Protectorate.”
Keira was horrified.
“We think there’s a good chance the warships that arrived in the system have learned of your mother, father, and possibly you,” Vex said.
“But how?”
“We don’t know,” Chris said, “but it’s too much of a coincidence. Not many ships come to this system. It’s a dead end. Asherho is a dying world. There’s not much of value here, other than scrap material and …”
“Me,” Keira finished as a whisper.
“That’s right,” Chris said. “You.”
Her thoughts reeled at all they had told her. Then, abruptly, she felt the alien presence again, a light, almost inadvertent brush against her mind. It was with her, hovering on the edge of her consciousness, seemingly just out of view. Only this time it was not overwhelming her mind, not trying to tell her something. It was … listening.
Keira had the impression the presence was following the conversation intently and had been for some time. She’d just become aware of it. Though it was alien, there was something calming about it being with her, as if it was meant to be a part of her … was a part of her.
The emotional storm ebbed and then receded. Keira felt calm, dispassionate. For some reason she could not name, she felt a need, an urge to communicate with it. Keira closed her eyes and tried to reach out with her mind, to touch it back.
What are you? Keira thought at it. Who are you?
As if surprised that she had discovered it lurking, the alien presence abruptly withdrew, retreating with a shocking haste, until contact was broken. It was gone. Her eyes flew open in surprise and she gasped.
Why had it fled?
Both Chris and Vex were watching her.
“Gunny, two of the enemy’s scouts are now four levels beneath ours,” MK reported. “They are still moving up the stairs at a slow pace, one I would describe as being exceedingly cautious, which is reasonable, especially after the punishment I dealt out. I would recommend we move out before they reach our position.”
Chris glanced at the sealed door that led off the landing they were on. The level above this one, their destination, was likely sealed too. It would need to be broken open.
“Once we begin moving,” Vex said, as if she’d read Keira’s mind, “it won’t take them long to figure out where we’ve gone.”
“I can leave a few surprises behind,” Wash said, helpfully, his tone an eager one. He was holding a grenade in his armored hand, which he tossed casually into the air and caught. “I guarantee it will slow any pursuit.”
“All right, this is the plan,” Chris said, standing. “I’ll go first and announce who we are. We move through the level as quic
kly as possible. Based on the schematics Pikreet shared with me, it’s roughly six hundred meters from the exit of the stairwell to the stairs we need to take. Vex, MK, make sure nothing happens to Keira. Wash, don’t take too long setting your surprises. Once you’ve finished, haul ass and bring up the rear. We move quickly and with purpose. Remember, these are civilians, people we don’t have a quarrel with. They just want to survive. Try not to hurt anyone.”
“Got it, Gunny,” Vex said.
“I will do my best not to cause harm or injury, unless they mean us ill.” MK’s head gave a slight twitch. “I hope these civilians don’t see me as intimidating. I want them to see me for who I am, not this combat-enhanced shell. I find the thought of scaring them distressing.”
“Perhaps you should offer to play games with them,” Wash said.
“Oh, my,” MK said. “I had not considered that possibility. Do you really think such an offer might work? Do we have time for a game or two?” The mech’s head twitched. “I am thinking we do not, which makes me sad.”
“That was sarcasm again,” Vex said to the mech, while shooting Wash an unhappy look. “Stop teasing him.”
The mech’s shoulders slumped slightly.
“Wash?” Chris said in an irritated tone.
“Gunny?”
“Stop causing trouble and get to work.”
Grinning, Wash moved back down the stairs and out of view. Chris spared Keira a long look, one filled with a deep sadness and regret. For a moment, she thought he might speak, then without another word, he turned away and started climbing up the stairs.
Vex stood and glanced over as Keira came to her feet as well. Keira’s legs protested the movement. They were stiff and sore. She saw an odd look in the marine’s gaze too. It gave her pause, for there was sadness there as well.
What weren’t they telling her?
“I’ve known you since you were a child. Wash and I love you like you are our own.” Vex swallowed, as if the next part was difficult. “During our exile here on Asherho, there have been days I’ve doubted myself—days I’ve felt like giving up. I never thought to see you do what you did with MK, waking him up like that. You have given me my faith back, a belief that we can make a better world, a return of purpose. For that, I thank you.”
Keira didn’t know what to say and Vex didn’t wait for an answer. The marine gave her a nod, then followed after Chris, taking the steps two at a time. As Keira watched her go, she hefted her weapon and was about to follow when MK stepped in her path.
“I would like to thank you also.” MK’s head gave a minor twitch. “I am so very happy to be awake again. I am looking forward to playing games with you, like kick-the-ball or hide-and-seek. It will be so much fun, just like old times on the Seringapatam. Don’t you think that would be fun? I think that would be a lot of fun.”
“Ah … sure.” Keira did not know what else to say. Cognitive processing issues aside, there was something seriously wrong with the mech’s AI.
“Your answer pleases me greatly.” MK took a step out of the way. “Do not worry. I have your back. Any who mean you harm, I will terminate. I will gladly send them on to the next life and let God sort them out.” His head gave another twitch. With a mechanical hand, he motioned for her to move forward. “You may proceed. I will follow and, as the gunny likes to say, pick up the pieces.”
Keira hesitated a moment. Her life was spiraling out of control … no, she’d lost all control. MK’s cyclops-like gaze was fixed upon her. Eyeing the killing machine warily and wondering what was to come, she stepped by the mech and began climbing the stairs.
Chapter Eighteen
With both hands, Chris grabbed the metal bar welded across the door, locking it securely in place. As he tightened his grip, the bar groaned like an old man getting up in the morning. Keira watched in amazement as the metal began to warp around where he gripped the bar. He gave it a good pull, jerking it once. The door let out a tortured sort of noise, but the bar did not come free.
He tried again, exerting more force. Keira thought he might pull the reinforced door clean off its hinges, but after a heartbeat, the bar ripped free instead. He tossed the twisted bar aside and it landed on the floor with a solid clunk.
As the clunking echo reverberated about them, Keira cringed. Surely the enemy scouts would hear. Still, she found herself impressed. She had seen Chris use his powered armor before, mostly to lift heavy things, but never with such brutal force.
“That wasn’t too bad,” Chris said as he examined his work. His effort at removing the bar had also bent the door outward at the center. Light from the other side shined through the seams to either side of the frame, which had warped too. Muffled voices from the other side wondered what was happening.
Chris picked up his rifle from where it leaned against the wall. With his weapon in one hand, he tried the handle with the other. The door did not budge. He took a step back and placed the bottom of his boot against the door and applied force, pushing the damaged door open. It moved slowly. The hinges, which had clearly been damaged too, creaked and screamed as the bottom scraped and grated against the floor. When the door was fully open, light from the corridor spilled out into the stairwell.
Scanning all that was before him, he hesitated a heartbeat. Then, apparently satisfied with what he took in, Chris stepped through and into the corridor, disappearing.
“Imperial Marines.”
His voice was hard as reinforced steel. It was also magnified beyond what a normal voice could generate and impossibly loud. The sound of it made her start as it echoed back down through the stairwell behind her. Surely, if they had not heard the heavy clanging, those scouts coming up the stairs would hear him. The thought alarmed her.
“In the name of the emperor, I command you to stand aside. Comply and you will not be harmed. Resist and we will use force. I say again, we’re Imperial Marines and we’re coming through.”
There were shouts, cries, and screams. Still on the stairs before the landing, Keira could not see what was going on. Her rifle up and pointing forward, Vex followed after Chris until she reached the open door. She stopped, studying what lay ahead. After a moment, she motioned for Keira to come with a jerk of her head.
“Stay right behind me, understand?”
Keira gave a nod. With that, the marine turned away, stepping completely into the corridor. Keira moved up the last few steps and onto the landing. Before she knew it, she was through the door and into the corridor herself.
Under dim and sporadic light from only a handful of functioning lighting fixtures, people of all ages sat on the floor amidst their bags and packs. It seemed like a perpetual twilight had gripped the corridor.
Several had portable lanterns. These shed pools of light on those nearest and added to the shadows that abounded all around.
Scanning the nearest bags and packs, Keira realized they contained all the possessions the people sheltering here could manage to carry as they fled their homes in the tower, those things most dear and valuable. Everything else they had left behind. When they returned—that was, if they returned at all—the rest of their possessions would be gone, stolen by those who had remained behind.
So many people were crammed into the corridor that there was only room for a narrow path between them down the center. It was barely wide enough for one person, let alone marines in full armor. Keira sensed a desperate atmosphere about her.
Clearly alarmed, several people farther down had recovered from their initial shock. They had stood or were in the process of standing. Those nearest seemed almost paralyzed. Chris was already five meters ahead and moving with a purpose past stunned people. He held his rifle at the ready, and though his back was to her, he looked quite intimidating, hulking, even menacing. Just ahead of her, Vex appeared the same. It was as if somehow her armor had grown of its own accord. Vex seemed taller, bulkier.
Or was it that the people sheltering in the corridor were just on the small side, starved shadows of
their former selves?
“You’re not marines.” The shout came from farther down the corridor. The speaker was surly, combative. Keira could not see who had voiced it.
“There’s no bloody emperor. The empire’s gone,” a woman shouted.
“Imposters!”
“Test us not,” Chris replied, his voice still magnified. “We have no wish to harm you, but we will defend ourselves.”
“Move,” Vex ordered curtly, looking back pointedly. Keira hadn’t realized she had stopped. She immediately began moving again, stepping by people who were staring at the marines and their powered armor in both awe and fear. So frightened were some that they were trembling violently. Hardly an eye fell upon her. Though Keira held a rifle too, the people in the corridor were focused solely on the two marines.
Oddly, Keira realized that she could hear the armored footfalls of the marines. Each step was a solid thump that she could feel through her boots. How strange.
Keira was about to pass a child, a girl of no more than two, being held by her mother, who appeared terrified to the point of petrification. A doll lay in the middle of the corridor.
The child had her arms out and was reaching futilely for it. The mother was holding her back, clutching her tightly to her breast, her fearful eyes on the marines who had just passed. Keira bent down and picked the doll up. It was missing an arm. The doll’s clothing had been patched and re-sewn several times. The doll was a ragged and dirty thing, but clearly dear to the child, who was nothing more than skin and bones. She handed it to the little girl, who hugged the doll tight just like the mother was holding her.
“It’s all right,” Keira said to the woman as their eyes locked. “We’re not here to hurt you. We’re just passing through.”
The woman said nothing, but Keira could read the naked doubt in the other’s gaze. She looked like she’d prematurely aged, but Keira knew they were likely the same age, give or take a year.
Life on Asherho was hard and unforgiving, especially for those who did not have access to medicine and regular food. Living in Hakagi was an even more difficult struggle, one to just survive. It must have been a daily test, evading the gangs, the sexual predators, those who would take everything you had, the corrupt police and government officials, not to mention the effort and work to find extra food for yourself—Keira’s eyes fell upon the little girl clutching the doll—and her mother. Did the woman have a husband, a significant other? There was no one nearby that looked to fit that role.
Fallen Empire: A Military Science Fiction Epic Adventure (Born of Ash Book 1) Page 26