by Rachel Aukes
“Even if one’s a fake.”
“I’d better go.” The woman picked up the tray and hustled to the door. She opened it to reveal a young girl of maybe seven or eight standing there. The girl had auburn hair, green eyes, and the slightest blue hue to her skin.
“What are you doing here, dear? You should be studying.”
“I’m done, Qelle.” The girl then peeked around the woman to make eye contact with Throttle.
Throttle immediately knew who she was. “Hi, Lily.”
The girl gave a quick glance at Qelle before looking at Throttle again. Then the door closed, cutting them off.
Throttle stared at the door for a long time. She couldn’t make out what the girl was thinking, but there was sharp intelligence in those eyes. She hadn’t said much, but what she’d said told Throttle everything she needed to know.
Lily had called the woman Qelle, not Mother. She knew.
Throttle felt hope rise within her, and a plan formed in her mind. Maybe, just maybe, a little girl could help Throttle escape.
Chapter Seven
A New Plan
Tulan Canyon, Playa
Heid
Heid plopped down on the chair in front of Vym’s desk. “Only eighty-two Nova colonists have joined my crew. The rest show no interest whatsoever in joining the fight.”
“Do you blame them?” Vym glanced up from the computer screen in her desk. “They’ve faced death and survived. They deserve to enjoy a normal life. We can’t force them to fight. We made it clear: every torrent is a volunteer.”
“I know,” Heid said with a sigh. “It’s just that the CUF outnumbers us ten to one.”
“A hundred more would make little difference. In fact, a hundred more could hurt us if their hearts weren’t into the Campaign. The difference will come from the grassroots torrents who stand for their rights in each of the colonies. That’s who will win the Campaign.” The old woman pursed her lips. “News of your trip to Nova Colony has already made the headlines.”
Heid tried to suppress a grin, but failed. “I saw them.”
Vym raised her brows. “Did you really have to destroy every single CUF drone you came across?”
Heid held up her hand. “I didn’t destroy the drones. The Nova colonists pulled the triggers.” Her smile grew wider. “But it was rather fun.”
“Your fun escalated the Campaign. From what I hear, the CUF is cracking down harder on every colony now. We’ve recalled the specters from Darios and Spate.”
The younger woman waved her off. “The CUF is looking for any excuse to bring down more pressure.”
Vym wagged her finger in a motherly scold. “You and Critch both excel at giving them excuses. I hear Parliament hired private firms to rebuild the Ice Port space docks. Evidently, they’re feeling the loss of rilon production in their pocketbooks.”
Heid’s eyes widened. “What if they discover Tulan Base? This dock isn’t that far from Ice Port.”
Vym’s gaze narrowed. “Believe me, I’m not letting any citizen get their grubby hands on Ice Port. I lost Ice Port once. Never again. Those private firms are going to discover Playa is becoming a well-armed planet with drones of its own.”
Heid straightened, a look of shock crossing her face. “You’ve been building drones? When are you launching them?”
“They’re already in orbit. Your scanners didn’t pick them up because they’re made out of pure rilon, and their electronics are shielded. I learned a thing or two from my time as a stationmaster.”
Heid laid a hand on the desk. “Incredible.” She eyed Vym. “The moment the first shot is fired, the CUF will know our base is here. They’ll bring the entire armada here.”
Vym’s door chimed and Jed Baptiste entered. He strode over, smiled warmly, and clasped Heid’s hand in both of his hands. “Gabriela, it’s been too long.”
“You look great,” Heid said. The older man walked with a limp from his time spent as a prisoner in the Citadel. If he didn’t have the limp, Heid could’ve sworn she was looking at new man. He’d put on at least thirty pounds, and had shaved his beard. At his age, she’d never expected him to recover from imprisonment. She’d also had the same thought about Vym, who’d proven her just as wrong.
“Your timing is perfect, dear,” Vym said. “We were just going to talk about Terra.”
Jed leaned against Vym’s desk. “Excellent. Don’t stop on my account.”
Dear? Heid had known that Vym and Jed spent quite a bit of time together, but she’d assumed their time was spent in managing all the printing operations and refugee camp. As she saw the pair together now, the attraction was obvious, and Heid smiled. Clearly, the old CUF commandant and the Ice Port stationmaster had found time for themselves as well.
“We need to make sure the CUF is stopped at Terra,” Vym said, bluntly cutting into Heid’s thoughts. “Gabriela, I need you to travel to Terra. That’s where we’ll make our stand.”
Startled, Heid looked from Vym to Jed. “Every CUF ship in the armada has orders to attack the Arcadia on sight. If I fly the warship in front of the armada, I’m flaunting that I stole a ship. Even when the Fringe Liberation Campaign is over, they’ll still go after the Arcadia with everything they’ve got. It’s a matter of pride for them. Flying in front of the armada will get me shot. How will that help the Campaign?”
Vym raised a finger. “Terra is a tense situation, but every day we’re reclaiming another block or two of Rebus Station. Soon, we’ll reach the docks. I suspect that Ausyar will not take defeat quietly.”
“Our fleet is no match against the armada in a large-scale battle, but you can take on a single warship,” Jed said. “The Arcadia is our ace in the hole. With the modifications we’ve made to it, your ship can take Ausyar’s Unity in a fair fight. We’ve leaked intel that we plan to attack the citizen planets, which means the other three warships will remain at Alluvia and Myr. If you can reach Terra by the time we take the docks, you can ensure that victory on Terran soil can be matched by a victory in Terran space.”
Vym nodded. “With the Myrad recession looming closer to a depression, citizens have little appetite for an expensive war. If we take Terra, Parliament will be forced to consider a peace treaty.”
Jed spoke. “Critch has informed me that the Unity is the only warship that remains in Terran orbit, but it has frigates and destroyers defending it as well. We can’t risk the Arcadia against a full complement.”
“It can win,” Heid countered.
Vym pursed her lips. “The odds aren’t in your favor.”
“The specters are on their way to Terra, but you will reach Terra first,” Jed said. “While we need to take Rebus Station, we hope to have our fleet there when it happens. We can’t afford losing this fight.”
Heid sat straighter. “I can promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to put an end to Ausyar’s games.”
“I know, but be careful, Gabriela,” Vym cautioned. “If you’re spotted, Ausyar may have time to call reinforcements. If we lose the Arcadia, we lose everything.”
“Don’t worry,” Heid said. “I’ll keep the Arcadia a couple quadrants out from Terran airspace. Ausyar’s radar will never pick us up.”
Jed gave a wistful smile. “If I wasn’t so old, I’d be up there with you in a ship of my own.”
Vym patted his hand. “Oh, Jed. You’re not too old.” She turned to Heid. “He’s staying here to manage munitions production. I can’t manage printing operations and play mother to the two hundred and forty-one additional souls you brought to Tulan Base.”
Heid smirked, imagining hard-nosed Vym as a mother.
The older woman continued. “Later today, I plan to announce a rationing plan. How well do you think that will go over, considering these people nearly starved to death a month ago? Without Darios, I need to a miracle to find an additional food supply line to Playa. I’m even considering using the Matador as a food supply ship.”
“About the Matador…” Heid began. �
��Using it for food helps in the short-term, but I have an idea I’d like to discuss with you that may help with the growing number of refugees in the long-term. Remember the original generation ships that brought settlers to Alluvia?”
Vym’s lips thinned. “I’m not sure I like where you’re going with this.”
Jed narrowed his gaze. “Hear her out.”
Heid continued. “I’ve already worked out the details. If we—”
Vym held up her hand, cutting Heid off. Something on her computer panel had drawn her attention, and she didn’t look up from it. “I believe Seda just surpassed Critch and you for talent in causing trouble. This hit the networks three hours ago.” She transferred her panel’s display to the wall display. Seda Faulk, the Rebus Station stationmaster, faced the camera. He wore a short-sleeved shirt, putting his artificial arm on display, no doubt to add to the effect.
This is Stationmaster Seda Faulk with a message to all people, citizens and colonists alike. One year ago, martial law was illegally enacted across the entire Collective by Corps General Ausyar of the Collective Unified Forces Armada in response to my discovery and release of wartime prisoners who’d not been released at the end of the Fringe Uprising of 2910. Holding prisoners after a war has ended is in direct conflict with Collective Rule Fourteen A. Yet, these prisoners, which included both citizens and colonists, were held, against their will, for over twenty years. The Collective has made no move to compensate these innocents for their loss.
Parliament has made multiple attempts to bury this truth. That Parliament no longer strives to uphold the Collective Rules means Parliament no longer represents the needs of the people. I have previously declared independence for Terra. I now represent all colonies. As of this date, November Fourteen, 3014, all colonies declare full independence from the Collective. Each colony will stand on its own, governing itself and establishing its own laws. Stationmasters will be selected by colonists. No colonists will participate in the false Parliament. If colonies wish to trade with other colonies or with Alluvia or Myr, trade agreements may be formed.
As of this moment, the Collective, including the Collective Unified Forces, has no authority over any colony. The colonies are now independent, free from taxation and military oppression. Should CUF forces attempt to exert force or control over any colony, all colonists have full rights and responsibilities to stand against their illegal invaders.
This declaration has been approved by representatives of each colony, including Terra, Darios, Spate, Playa, and Nova Colony. We do not speak for Alluvia and Myr. Attached to this broadcast is a copy of the colonies’ declaration of independence in all languages and all file formats.
The broadcast ended with a brief image of the torrent teardrop, followed by a display of all five colony flags.
“I’m surprised his broadcast hasn’t been pulled yet,” Jed said. “He must have a talented hacker to get that speech across all the networks.”
“He does,” Heid said. “Demes connected us. Her name’s Vapor. She’s done one or two projects for me.”
“As you can see, you need to get to Terra,” Vym said. “The colonies have just declared war against the Collective.”
“I’ll have the Arcadia loaded with the full nine yards,” Heid said as she pushed to her feet. She started to head to the door, then paused. “By the way, who was the Playa representative who signed the declaration of independence?”
Vym smiled. “Yours truly. I told you, I have no intention of ever losing my colony again.”
Chapter Eight
Different Directions
Tulan Canyon, Playa
Reyne
Reyne and Boden arrived at rendezvous point Alpha, and Throttle was nowhere to be seen. When they landed, Reyne strode into Vym Patel’s office. “Have you seen Throttle?”
The old woman frowned. “Why would I have seen Throttle? She went with you to Spate.”
Reyne collapsed in a chair. “She stayed with the ship when Boden and I went to meet Gin James. She was missing when we returned, and the CUF had a squad posted at the ship.”
Vym leaned forward. “Then we must assume she’s either a prisoner or dead. And if she’s a prisoner, she won’t be alive for long.”
Reyne’s lips thinned. “I need to find her.”
“I’ll put ears out around Devil Town, but it’s become more difficult to get information with martial law everywhere. Tell me your meeting with Gin went well, at least.”
“It never happened.” Reyne waved his hands. “Gin was executed by the new stationmaster.”
“There’s a new stationmaster?” Vym’s brows lifted in surprise. “Parliament has never moved so fast before.”
“It’s Axos Wintsel,” Reyne said.
“A Myrad?” Vym filled two glasses with liquor as she thought. “Why, he can’t be older than twenty-five, thirty at most. He’s far too young to be a stationmaster. What could Mason possibly achieve with a Myrad as a stationmaster?”
She handed him a glass, and he took a drink before speaking. “We haven’t heard a peep from Mason in over a year. Who’s to say he’s still pulling the Collective’s strings? Maybe he was ousted from power.”
“Mason—Gabriel Heid—is not someone you simply oust from power. The only way to accomplish that would be to kill him, and his death would splash across all the headlines. It’s when he’s gone quiet that I begin to worry the most. With nearly half the Founders missing, disavowed, or broken off from his control, I imagine he’s grown quite desperate to see his ideology made a reality.”
Reyne shook his head. “Mason’s ideology is insanity.”
“Is it?” Vym countered. “We all want a unified Collective.”
“His unified Collective would be under a despot’s rule. We want equality, not slavery.”
“But we all desire peace. He’s always seen himself as working for the greater good. He firmly believes that.”
“He still deserves to die for the thousands he’s killed.”
“I absolutely agree with you,” she said, downing the remainder of her drink. “And I hope to see the look on his face before I send him into the abyss.”
Reyne finished off his drink. “I’d like to make that happen.” He set down the empty glass and looked out the window. “It looks like Tulan Base is growing. How’s production?”
“We’re running at optimum production levels. It took over a month to print a second 3D printer using the first, but once that was built, we had one printer for printing munitions and supplies, and a second printer producing more printers. We’re now at twelve printers operating thirty hours a day, seven days a week.”
His brows rose. “That puts us well ahead of schedule. How are you managing to find enough labor for packaging and loading?”
“Heid brought over two hundred Nova colonists back with her. Over one hundred of them are helping out around here. Another eighty joined her crew, and the remainder are still recovering from their time on Nova Colony.” Then Vym smiled. “It seems Gabriela made quite a statement on the return trip. Evidently, there wasn’t a single drone left by the time she was finished. The colonists are quite taken with her.”
Reyne chuckled. “I bet that caught her father’s notice. Where’s she? I need to catch up with her.”
“She’s on her way to Terra.”
“Terra? Why’s she going there? It’s too risky. Ausyar has an entire armada in orbit over Rebus Station.”
Vym held up her hands. “She and a few Nova colonists worked out a plan. It’s better if she tells you it herself.”
Reyne frowned. “I can’t go to Terra. I need to stay here in case—when—Throttle arrives.”
“Haven’t you heard?” Vym asked.
“Heard what?”
“Seda Faulk declared independence for the fringe. He stated every colony has the right to govern itself.” She inhaled deeply. “It made quite the headlines.”
“I can imagine. If Seda didn’t have a bulls-eye on his back before,
he sure has one now. I take it he and Sixx made it back to Terra?”
She nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t receive any update on how their trip to Myr went.” She tapped a finger on the table. “You’re doing Throttle and the Fringe Liberation Campaign no good here. The Campaign has escalated, and Rebus Station has become a warfront. The Arcadia is loaded with everything we’ve got, but Heid is still young. And Critch can be rash—he needs you there to balance him. The Campaign needs you there. There’s nothing you can do for Throttle from here, Aramis. I promise, I’ll send in people I can trust to Spate to find out what happened. I’ll send word the moment I hear something.”
He thought for a long, agonizing moment before abruptly pushing to his feet. “Okay, then. I guess I’m off to Terra. It’s only Boden and me on the Gryphon right now, so if you happen to have any torrents ready to go fight, I can take a dozen.”
“I’ll have a dozen eager torrents on your ship within the hour.”
He strode from Vym’s office without so much as a goodbye. Once he left, his pace slowed before he stopped. He braced against the wall to keep from collapsing. Tears welled in his eyes, and he clenched his fists.
He’d convinced himself Throttle had somehow avoided the CUF and would be here waiting for him. That she wasn’t here meant the CUF had her. He knew the odds of ever seeing her alive again were infinitesimally small, but he refused to give up.
He had to head to Terra, but as soon as he was finished there, he’d search every nook and cranny in the Collective until he found his daughter. God have mercy on anyone who got in his way.
Chapter Nine
Atmo Burn
Devil Town, Spate
Throttle
Throttle woke with a jolt in the middle of the night. She could’ve sworn she heard the door open, but she could see nothing the darkness.
When someone touched her hand, she nearly tumbled out of bed.