Atlas: Infinity Verge Trilogy: Book II

by DJ Morand

  Ima considered it for a moment then nodded, “I am hailing them now love,” she paused. “You have a channel.”

  “This is Captain Ivan Straught of the EFNF Mining Vessel Icarus. Identify yourself.”

  “I am Abel Cain,” the voice came back over the comms. “And I am commandeering your fuel and power reserves.”

  “The hell you are!” Ivan spat. He had heard the rumors of the Kodiak and Abel Cain, most freighters had. However, they were pretty far out for the trade routes and dark space where he was rumored to be.

  “Are you going to stop me?” the voice said.

  How could we? Ivan thought.

  “I didn’t think so,” the voice said when Ivan didn’t respond.

  Ima looked at her husband. There was real fear on her face and Ivan couldn’t reassure her.

  “If you do not resist I will leave you with backup power,” the voice said. “It won’t last long, but maybe it will be long enough for another ship to find you … maybe.”

  Ivan looked unsure, but he said, “I won’t resist. My crew?”

  “Dead,” the voice said. “They resisted.”

  “Understood,” Ivan said. He face was a mask of fear and his voice shook. “Take what you will and leave us be.”

  “We will,” the voice said. “If someone does find you, you let them know who did this to you.”

  The comms channel closed. Ivan looked to Ima. She looked at him with understanding in her eyes, but she was crying. Ivan didn’t know what to say.

  Maybe, he thought. Maybe, someone will come.

  7: BANDITRY

  EXO URSA Class Gunship - Mirage

  2973 ESD - Friday, May 14th 09:55 hours

  “We will,” Breaker said. “If someone does find you, you let them know who did this to you.”

  He touched the haptic controls that closed the comms channel. Breaker Jones motioned to the EXOs to start the exchange. The large mining freighter was twice the size of the URSA class gunship, but the cargo hold had been slightly expanded on this model. They should be able to obtain the resources from the larger ship and haul them for a ways before dumping them. Breaker had no need of the power cells he was stealing, it was all a means to an end. Once they left the freighter they would send an EFNF signal to give the location of the Icarus.

  There was no need for needless slaughter, but if enough vessels started to claim that Abel Cain was robbing them word would make it back to the EFNF on Quintar IV and Abel would be forced to act.

  I’ll be ready when he does, Breaker thought.

  The EXOs left the command deck and made their way to the port side airlock. Luckily, the EXO Prime had enough foresight in the creation of the Mirage to ensure the airlock could cycle without having to be docked directly. The automated crew members left the airlock and Breaker tracked them on the Transteel viewer.

  The cargo hold of the powered down freighter was nearly half-full. Their initial attack had been subtle. Breaker landed the Mirage close to the mining laser and deployed one of the quantum shield plates. The mirrored side of the plate reflected enough of the laser back into the heat shields. It would have been completely unnoticed until the laser overheated if not for the electromagnets. Breaker hadn’t planned for the magnets and the quantum locked plate launched up and collided with the laser. The collision knocked the laser off and caused it to overheat inside the cargo bay.

  Unfortunately for the crew in the bay they were all cooked. He had told the captain they had resisted, but it had been Breaker’s miscalculation. Breaker figured that was the reason he decided to let the captain live. It was a small thing, but it alleviated enough of what remained of his conscience.

  Breaker did not particularly like the EXO Prime or his plan, but he had to admit the effectiveness of it. Within minutes the EXOs pinged the command deck requesting to have the cargo doors opened. Breaker sent the command and waited for the EXOs to complete the transfer of supplies.

  * * * *

  Quintar IV - EFNF Alpha Base: Officer’s Quarters

  2973 ESD - Saturday, May 15th 06:01 Hours

  Fleet Admiral Andromeda Clark sat behind the large stone desk she loved so dearly. The room was cold, but she was used to being cold. For years she had lived aboard star-ships and worked her way through military channels. When she had been young she accelerated through naval ranks faster than she should have. Joining the Exodus Union had been a happy accident. The Earth Coalition - where she had begun her career - was not known for gender equality and she capped out as a destroyer captain. The only other female she heard of rising higher was Admiral Jezebel Cade.

  “That woman had been a bloodthirsty maniac,” Andromeda said aloud.

  “Who was that?” a sickly looking creature asked.

  “No one, musing on my own thoughts.”

  The creature sat in the corner of the room seated in a chair. The same chair that Echo Shade had occupied when Abel Cain resigned.

  The boy had not really resigned, Andromeda thought. I revoked his commission.

  In truth Andromeda had enjoyed putting Abel in his place. She felt that he had too long been at the top of the minds of the EFNF. She resented that he seemed to think himself above everyone else and yet expected everyone else to give him his due. What about her due? She was upsetting herself all over again. Andromeda had not come into the office on a Saturday to sit and brood about Abel or the bloodthirstiness of Admirals past. She reviewed the holo-screen on her desk and examined the contents of the message.

  The holo-screen showed an image of a box-like freighter drifting on the back of an asteroid. The ship floated listlessly in the dark illuminated only by the few outer hull lights. EFNF channels had received a message indicating that the Icarus had been attacked by a pirate vessel. Normally, she wouldn’t have batted an eye, but the message indicated that it had been the Kodiak. The message also stated that Abel had robbed them and killed all the crew, save for the husband and wife captains. The former half of the message about the Kodiak she could believe. When she had sent a team to retrieve the crashed vessel, it was already gone, which meant someone had already removed it. Andromeda figured it was salvagers in the poorer districts of Quintar IV’s Alpha Base. Now, she was not so sure.

  The latter half of the message was absurd. Even if Abel had been able to retrieve the Kodiak and get the ship flight-worthy, she couldn’t see the boy killing. She knew it was not Abel’s style to go about killing miners and civilians, unless they were EXO infected. She searched the report again. Nothing said anything about EXOs or EXO virus. Andromeda turned to the sickly creature in the room. The grotesque being had six limbs and she could not tell which parts were arms and which were legs. Its segmented abdomen reminded her of a cockroach. Although its face appeared mostly humanoid the entirety of the creature’s existence unnerved her. However, the Vald - as it referred to itself - had been a great help in uncovering plots to undermine the EFNF.

  “What do you make of these reports Arvol? This is the seventh such report in a month,” Andromeda sighed and leaned back in the office chair.

  “I think they are nonsense designed to draw out Abel Cain. Whoever is doing this intends the boy harm. I think it is unwise to give them voice. I would also suggest eliminating the witnesses to ensure the entire acts are silenced.” Arvol hissed.

  “We’re not killing people to keep this secret,” Andromeda said. “However, I agree these are a ruse. It stinks of Alek Vale.”

  “His is a particular stench,” Arvol agreed.

  Andromeda sighed again. She turned back to the holo-display and deleted the reports. She sent a message to the reporting vessel and advised that the reports were not to be circulated by her command. The response was immediate.

  Understood, it read.

  Hire well and get out of the way, Andromeda thought. She had handpicked her network and each of them would do the job she assigned them and they would follow orders without question.

  Andromeda had consulted Arvol about it once and he ag
reed it was wise. He had said, it is wise to create your own network so that you know it can be trusted. She appreciated his praise and his help. The Vald’s assistance had uncovered several plots by the Remnant to undermine her authority. While the Remnant had planned nothing direct, they planned to usurp her power. Instead, she had limited theirs under the guise of security. The elders had not liked it, but they knew their presence on Quintar IV was by her leave. Andromeda smiled. Things were going well for her. She wished she could do something about the rebellious Abel Cain, but that was a matter for another day. She had bigger fish to fry.

  8: ABEL CAIN

  Quintar IV - EFNF Alpha Base: Spaceport

  2973 ESD - Saturday, May 15th 10:00 hours

  Abel walked the spaceport outside of the main military installation on Quintar IV. The port was a massive collection of capable freighters, fighters, and various cargo and personnel carriers. He was furious. In addition to having his commission revoked he had been grounded. The Fleet Admiral sent out a planet-wide notification that he was on a no-fly restriction.

  Flakking woman thinks she can bully me, Abel complained.

  He watched as various craft lifted off and ventured into the great beyond. He missed Dark Space, he missed the Kodiak, but most of all he missed Zee. Abel had to admit to himself that he missed Echo too. He had half expected her to support his rebellion, part of him had hoped for it. When she did not it sealed the last nail in their relationship.

  When Echo accepted his commission as the commanding officer for the TP-D it crushed their friendship too. He had let his temper get the best of him. They both said things they did not mean, but he had instigated the fight and broke the ties. Now, here he was standing in a spaceport unable to even board a ship, let alone fly one.

  He looked up at the dark clouds forming above.

  Great, he thought, now it’s going to rain.

  The deluge started moments later. As if in defiance of the storm, ships still came and went booming with the thunder or in contention with it. Abel walked solemnly through the pouring rain. He was soaked in moments. Storms on Quintar IV were not like the storms on Earth or even like the ones on Mars. The showers were wet, but they were never cold. The bright star in the Quintar Prime system kept all planets in the habitable zone well heated.

  Abel Cain decided his mood was particularly suited for the rain today - gloomy and brooding. He looked around for some sort of shelter from the storm. As warm as it was, he was tired of being wet. A sign caught his attention, Blue Lagoon. He looked at the electronic sign, an odd tree that appeared to have no branches and a small tuft at the top was lit prominently.

  The tree resembled a palm tree in some senses, but it was something native to Quintar IV. Abel decided a drink might be refreshing. As he entered the pub he learned quickly that it was primarily a Quintarran pub. The sea of blue faces greeted him, some with worry and others with curiosity. As he understood it, the relations between Quintarran and humans had become strained after Andromeda limited Quintarran freedoms in the past month.

  Abel almost turned around and backed out of the pub, almost. A burly Quintarran at least as wide as he was tall, approached Abel. Abel prepared for a fight, but when the Quintarran spoke he calmed.

  “You … Abel?” He said in very broken English with a very wide smile. Sometimes Abel forgot that Quintarrans had their own backward language, few had learned English to better communicate with the humans. Abel stared for a moment dumbfounded.

  The Quintarran took it as a sign that Abel did not understand him and repeated the question, “Abel … you … Abel Abe-Abel?”” the Quintarran language often put the last name before the first, many Quintarrans simply went by a sound or a single letter for their name, a surname was a foreign concept. This Quintarran though seemed to be attempting to say his name properly, first and then last.

  Abel stared for a moment more then tried to remember his grasp of the Quintarran language. Zee had learned English faster than he had learned Quintarran and so they always conversed in English.

  “E ma Abel Cain, uoy era tcerroc.” Abel replied, I am Abel Cain, you are correct. He hoped he had said it right.

  The Quintarran’s eyes lit up, “Uoy kaeps Narratniuq?” the large blue alien asked in astonishment. You speak Quintarran?

  Is that what he said? Abel thought.

  “Sey E kaeps Narratniuq. Uoy wonk ym eman, tahw si sruoy?” Abel said, Yes, I speak Quintarran. You know my name what is yours?

  He still was not sure if he was speaking it right, but the alien seemed to understand him. The Quintarran smiled broadly again, his dark blue skin in stark contrast to his bright white teeth. He grabbed Abel’s right arm and lifted it high in the air. He did it with such enthusiasm that he nearly lifted Abel off the floor.

  Still smiling the Quintarran announced to the entire pub, “Cain Abel!!!” to Abel’s surprise the entire room filled with clapping and laughter, and then a cheer rose up.

  Abel was astonished to hear his name being chanted, albeit in reverse, Cain Abel, Cain Abel. The Quintarrans clapped their hands and pounded their fists on the tables. The large Quintarran dragged Abel to a table and motioned to the serving girl. She brought a large mug of some sort of green-black liquid.

  “Uoy knird Cain Abel.” The Quintarran said, doing his best to emphasize Abel’s name in English.

  “Despite your notoriety among humans, the Quintarran people still herald you as a hero.” A voice said behind Abel. It was soft and very definitely feminine.

  Abel turned around and caught a full view of a gorgeous human woman. She was not too thin and not too thick, and had a soft light color to her skin. He eyed her up and down, noting her subtle, but noticeable curves. She wore a sleeveless flak jacket beneath a hooded overcoat. The coat was a bright yellow, indicating she was part of some flight or deck crew.

  Belted at her waist was a single plasma pistol, a Browning Lite P-50. Abel noted it was a newer model, but lacking in sustainability. He preferred the two Canik Shark Ps at his waist. The Browning had a faster rate of fire, but as the designation suggested it only lasted for fifty seconds, before it had to cool.

  Abel’s Caniks had a slightly slower rate of fire, but would last almost indefinitely. The cooling power of the Canik was just superior.

  To each his, or her, own, he thought.

  She must have noted his frown regarding her pistol, because she pulled her coat around her to cover the weapon.

  She must have thought I was offended, he concluded.

  Abel followed the outline of her face, it was roundish, but angle slightly at her jaw line. Her features were soft and reminiscent of ancient Irish ancestry.

  So she is, or was rather, from one of the orbital stations in the Sol system, he thought.

  Abel met her eyes. He stared, they were white, iris, pupils, all of them. Despite the color of her eyes he could see the proper outlines of where the pupil and iris should be, nanite modification, he realized and then immediately wondered what gift it gave to her sight.

  “Abel Cain and who might you be beautiful?” Abel laid on the charm. The mysterious woman laughed, but she did not giggle. The laugh was more of incredulity than it was of one who had been flattered.

  “Aurora Rigel,” she said extending a hand, “and you are Captain Abel Cain.”

  “Just Abel Cain now,” he said, “can’t be much of a Captain without a ship.” He grumbled while extending his own hand and shaking hers. “It is nice to meet you Aurora Rigel.”

  “Just Aurora, or Rigel if you prefer.” She smiled. “So you want to get off this rock?” she asked directly.

  Something about her personality struck Abel as unusual, she was bright and peppy, too peppy? Or too pretty? He wondered.

  “I think that is the best suggestion anyone has had all day. You have a way to do that?” Abel asked, both in curiosity and incredulity.

  Sure, plenty of people were coming and going from Quintar IV. He wanted to get off the planet. He had never been keen
on the idea of government being military controlled, even if the Remnant and the True EFNF did a decent job of it. Quintar IV was not the haven the people thought it was, not to Able at least to him it had become a prison.

  Aurora considered Abel, he was handsome in a sort of rugged way, his face and head covered with a small growth of stubble. He was too ready with a smile though. With all the crap happening in this universe, he smiled too much.

  Maybe I don’t smile enough, she thought. “No, Abel Cain, I do not have a ship, but I know where we can find one.” Aurora smiled slightly.

  Abel was taken in by that small grin playing across her very feminine features, but those eyes! He found himself entranced by her subtle beauty, but even more-so by her stunning eyes. She did not shy away at his scrutinizing. Instead, she fixed her white eyed stare on him. Abel’s mouth felt dry, but his curiosity was piqued.

  “Is that so, and just where can we find a ship?” he asked.

  He knew full well what she intended, he had intended it himself, but a lone man could not steal a starship. “For that matter do you have a crew?”

  Aurora still bore that sideways grin as she motioned for Abel to follow her. He did so, watching the sway of her hips as she moved.

  You’re like a schoolboy, put your tongue back in your mouth and get serious, this could be a trap, he scolded himself harshly.

  Aurora led Abel down several corridors and alleys before it opened up onto the tarmac for the spaceport. He wondered momentarily if Aurora Rigel had been sent by the Fleet Admiral to make him toe the line, but dismissed it. The Fleet Admiral was one who would do her own brow-beating. That left him wondering who this mysterious woman was and why she had taken such an interest in helping him. The risks of helping him off planet were grim, he had been grounded by the Fleet Admiral herself, anyone disobeying that order was likely putting themselves in a cell.