by Shawn Jones
“Then you come to me, and I consider your input, Doc. But ultimately, the military leader of the federation, currently me, makes all military decisions.”
“That has not worked historically, Cort. In fact, it led to some serious consequences in your time,” Verne argued.
“I agree. It did lead to consequences for societies that were fully established. However, in the cases of exploration and expansion, military leadership was necessary to ensure safety. I do recognize your concern though, Dr. Verne, and that is part of the reason I put you in the military chain of command. That being said, I think we need to stick to the topic at hand.”
“If I am truly a member of this administration I would like to revisit this at a later date, but I agree that we have a more pressing matter at hand,” Verne replied.
Cort messaged Chief, Kim, and Rand that Verne was going to be a good addition to the group. Then he said, “Of course, Doctor.”
“So what do we do?” Kim asked.
“It seems to me we have three options,” Rand said. “One, we help her. Two, we do not help her. Three, we get more information.”
“There is a fourth option, Rand. We kill her,” Kim added.
Rhodes spoke next. “If what she says is true, we’ve wiped out a significant part of their defensive ability.”
“No we didn’t, Chief. That’s their problem,” Cort said. “If they didn’t want to risk those ships, they shouldn’t have sent them. Further, if they underestimated our abilities, then extinction may be the next step in their evolutionary process. Throughout history, empires have fallen. It may be their turn if they can’t defend themselves. Just as it was Atlantica’s. And it is not our duty to avenge the deaths on Earth, either.”
Doctor Verne asked, “Mr., er, Cort. If this is your decision, why are we discussing it as a group?”
“Doc, you haven’t had the chance to get to know me. I do my best to listen to everyone’s opinions. That doesn’t mean I will agree, but I will consider them. Knowledge, especially alternate perspectives, is vital to good decision making. But again, let’s stay on point.”
Cort’s screen blinked with message from Kim. ‘So Cort, do you like staying on Point?’ His scarred and weathered skin did little to hide his blush from the others. He faked a cough and took a sip of coffee. “If I had to decide right now, I would say ‘no’ to Speral. But if what she claims is even partly true, we need more information. Throughout history the people and societies that stood by and did nothing in the face of tyranny have fallen themselves. If we can stop or limit the potential threat now, before it becomes too powerful, we may be able to avoid it among our own people.”
Chief Rhodes said, “One of the reasons the old United States did so well until The Cull was that it fought its wars on foreign soil, rather than its own.”
“I agree with that to some extent, but for the purpose of this conversation it is correct. I would rather wreak havoc on another planet. Especially with our atmosphere situation. If our structures are destroyed, we die.”
Black, the geologist who was now in charge of sciences for the federation said, “We should consider subsurface shelters. For several reasons. They wou…”
Cort interrupted with, “Agreed, but that is something the civilians need to discuss later.”
This time Mike Rage spoke. “Cort, you can’t make a decision without more information than we have at hand. I think you need to get more information from Speral.”
“Agreed. I’m going to talk her some more. In the mean time, Doctor Black, what have your people come up with about the drone that we recovered from the first attack?”
“We’re still working on it. I’ve kept some people studying it, but Kim asked me to divert some of the people I had on the team to help with getting more CONDOR Twos combat ready. I can say that it uses ion thrusters, much like their larger ships. We have been able to adjust its gravity settings and we have been able steer it. I won’t go so far as to say that we are ready to operate it, but we will get there.”
“Weapons?” Cort asked.
“Nothing to speak of, Cort. The robot has a cutting laser, but it is low range. The craft does have magnetic shielding, but they are of limited use. That’s it, so far. I’m sorry.”
“That’s actually more than I expected, and it’s helpful. If the drone had its own weapons systems, I would have to question Speral’s account. Could the magnetic shielding be used to manipulate incoming weaponry, like the missiles Atlantica tried to use against them?”
“Interesting,” Black said. “Possibly. I will have to talk to the physicists about it, but I see where you are going. If they are of a defensive in nature as Speral claims, it would stand to reason they use them to redirect weapons. They certainly don’t seem powerful enough to actually block things.”
The others saw Black’s expression become more distant as he stopped speaking and began to make notes. Finally, he looked up and said, “I don’t mean to go off topic, but if we could scale the magnetic shielding they use, it would certainly be enough to reinforce our own magnetosphere.”
“Excellent. That gives me a bargaining chip. Okay, I’m going to comm Speral to set up our next communication, then I’m going to try to get a little rest. Thanks everyone, I’ll talk to you soon.”
Kim Point walked into Cort’s quarters as he finished his conversation with Speral. “Very well, Speral. I will communicate with you sometime after sunrise.” Turning to Kim he said, “You are an evil woman.”
As her clothes fell to the floor next to Coke, Kim smiled.
Fourteen
At noon the next day, Speral walked back to her ship. Cort immediately opened another administrative conference. “Okay people, talk me out of going with her.”
“Can’t be done, Grandpa,” Rand said. “You are going regardless of what we say. So why bother?”
“You’re right, Rand. I’m going with her provided she meets my requirements. I’m going to make her take me to one of the systems currently under attack. Then I’m going to this ‘Collaborative’ conference with her. After that, I’m coming back here. I’ll update you all, then we will decide what to do next.”
“We?” Doctor Verne asked. “I thought those decisions were yours.”
“They are, Doc. But I won’t compromise our security without us all having a say in it.”
The other watched as the doctor shook his head subtly. “I don’t understand you, Cort.”
“No one understands him, Doctor,” Rhodes said.
I do. Kim Point thought to herself.
“Until I return, Kim Point is in sole charge of the military. All decisions regarding the safety of the Ares Federation are hers alone to make. Are you all clear on that?”
Everyone agreed and Cort continued. “Her ship won’t accommodate the HAWC, so I have to go in one of my CONDORs. The problem is I don’t want her to see me, yet. I’m still an unknown to Speral.”
“That will present some challenges for you, Cort,” Doctor Verne said. “Nutrition, waste, and rest all require you to remove your armor.
“I know. At best I have a few days in it. Even with nutrition and hydration bladders. Suggestions?”
Kim Point offered “Send someone else.”
“You know better, Kim. But I have an idea that should work,” Mike Rage said.
--
“Speral,” Cort said a few minutes later. “I have decided on my requirements.”
“Cort Addison, what are your requirements?”
“I want you to take me to one of the star systems currently under attack, then I want to accompany you to meet with your collaborative. After that, you will bring me back here where my people will decide whether or not we will help you.”
“Cort Addison, I cannot do so. You are too large for my ship. Perhaps another of your warriors may go in your stead. This would be acceptable to me. Your warrior can assess the situation and report back to you.”
Bingo. Cort thought. “Wraith, step forward.”
>
One of the two powered suits next to the HAWC stepped forward. Cort casually dismissed its salute with one of his own.
“Wraith, you will accompany Speral. I will give you your orders. Be ready to leave in two hours. Dismissed.”
‘Wraith’ was actually Mike Rage inside one of Cort’s CONDORs. He would not have been able to move the suit without an ATLAS interface except for the strength augmentation provided by his own FALCON suit. Rage left the room and Cort turned back to his diminutive guest. “Speral, be ready to depart in three hours.” Cort stood as Speral began to put her suit back on. “But Speral, if you do not return Wraith to me safely, our people will never negotiate with you again. We will sit idly by as your collaborative is destroyed.”
“Cort Addison, I understand. I have one more inquiry before we depart.”
“Yes?”
“Cort Addison, how did your sire know what to designate you?”
“I don’t understand.” Glydnal said something about my ‘designation’ as well.
“Cort Addison, are your people designated according to their station?” Speral asked.
“No.”
“Cort Addison, are you required to practice your designation upon maturity?”
“No Speral, we are not.”
“Cort Addison, then why did your sire designate you ‘Death’? Was your sire aware of your destiny?”
Cort was silent for almost a minute before Speral said, “Cort Addison, have I offended you?”
“No Speral. You did not offend me. Cort, my designation, are you saying it means ‘Death’ in your language?”
“Cort Addison, yes, Cort means Death.”
“In my family history, it is a variation of ‘Brave Counsel’. Though looking back upon my personal history, I believe your meaning is more appropriate.” Cort watched as Speral finished suiting up and said, “You may wait in your ship for Wraith. Goodbye Speral.”
“Cort Addison, I hope it is not.”
--
“I had planned on giving you this in a few weeks,” Kim Point said as she handed Cort a long slender box that was over a meter long. “There is another larger one as well, for the HAWC suit.”
Cort opened the box and lifted a sheathed black sword from the wrappings. Almost involuntarily he reached up and touched the scar on his cheek. As he reached back down to draw the straight blade from its scabbard he told her, “It’s beautiful. I’ve never learned to use a sword though.”
“Then learn. It’s called a ‘bastard’. In your CONDOR it will be more the size of a longsword though. It has a molecular edge that’s only one molecule wide when aligned. It will cut through anything we have, even the HAWC. After you use it, press this button on the hilt,” she said, pointing out a decorative insignia on the pommel. “That will realign the edge.”
“So I don’t even have to sharpen it?”
“Nope. And when you sheath it, any chips in the blade will self repair. Also, the scabbard works with the CONDOR’s universal mounts so you can mount it on your back.”
Cort took Kim in his arms and said, “Thank you, Kim.”
“Just come back to me.” Kim looked away as she broke his embrace and said, “There’s one more thing. Instead of your MAT, take this.” She handed him a long gun.
“What is it?” Cort asked.
“It’s a fractional. I’ve had the research and development people working on a portable one. It won’t fire in any other mode though, so don’t use it for close quarters battle. Not even a CONDOR would protect you from that shockwave, so use your sidearm or the bastard for close work. The rounds are only a half-kilo each, but they are high density and you can carry a lot of them. Fifty to a clip and you get ten clips. I didn’t know you were leaving, or I would have made you a better care package.”
“How tested is it, Kim?”
“Very. This one has had over a hundred slugs launched from it, and its maintenance cycle is five-thousand rounds.”
“I assume you’re putting them into production.”
“Yes. I was waiting for your approval, but you turned the military over to me so I approved them this morning. We should have one for every active CONDOR by the time you get back.”
“Great.” Cort put the weapon down and took Kim’s hands in his own. “Also, when I get back I expect your things to be here.”
“Gods, you are dense, Cortland Addison. My things have been here for days.”
“Oh. Damn.” Cort kissed her hands. “I never had a chance did I?”
“Neither did I, ‘Wraith’. Please come home. I couldn’t bear that loss again.”
“I will. This is just a look-see.”
“That’s what you said about the ‘scientific’ base at the pole. That nearly ended in your death.”
--
When ‘Wraith’ stepped out of his quarters, Mike Rage was waiting for him. “We have a problem, sir. Clare Gaines is missing. Rand just commed me.”
“God dammit!” Cort exclaimed as he opened a comm to Rand. When his grandson answered Cort asked, “Rand, what the hell? Have you gone through the security tapes?”
From across the planet Rand answered “Yes. It happened three days ago. She put on an atmosphere suit and overrode the airlock. There is also a MERV missing. I have Chief Rhodes checking the MPS feeds from the platforms around us. Cort, this isn’t your problem. I will handle it. Do your thing, and hopefully this will be resolved by the time you get back.”
“I don’t have a choice. I have more than one person to worry about. Hell, now I have more than one planet to worry about. Standby.” Cort added Kim to the conversation and filled her in. “I want every security code changed. Let Clare have access to the outer airlocks, but once she’s inside I want her locked in. And she could be going anywhere. So do it at every site, including the temporary structures at Tharsis. Once she’s found, take her into custody. She is a threat right now, and you will all treat her as such. Rand, do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Cort added, “Rand, I mean it. I know she’s your sister but don’t risk a colony to save her.”
Cort was approaching the proving ground when Rhodes commed him. “Cort, I found Clare. She’s approaching Speral’s ship, and about two thousand meters out.”
“Fuck!” Cort activated the security frequency. “Sentries. There is a MERV approaching the alien ship. Stop it at all costs.”
--
Jeff Pence was in charge of the sentry detail currently assigned to guard Speral and the proving ground airlock. When the call came through he immediately took control of the new railgun system at the entrance.
“Oh Gods,” Rand said over the security channel. “Please don’t kill her, Cort.”
“Don’t fire unless you have no other choice, Pence.” Cort opened a separate channel to Speral. “Speral, this Cort Addison. We have a rogue vehicle approaching your ship. Stay inside and do not interfere. We will stop it.”
“Cort Addison, I will not act. Please do not allow your vehicle to attack me.”
“I won’t. Stand by.”
“Twelve hundred meters,” Rhodes said over the security channel.
Pence said, “Sir, if she gets much closer I can’t use the railgun. What are your orders?”
“Use your MAT. Charged round only. Do not destroy the MERV unless you have to. I’m cycling through the airlock now.”
“One thousand meters Cort,” Rhodes said.
“Clare, it’s Cort. Don’t do this,” Cort said over an open frequency. “Stop where you are.”
“I told you never to talk to me again, you murdering bastard!” Clare screamed over the channel.
“Clare, it’s Rand. What are you doing, Sis?”
“I’m putting an end to all of this, dear brother. No one else is going to die.” Clare’s voice was calm now. “I’m saving us.”
Cort exited the airlock and said privately to the sentry team “I want all of you between Clare and the ship. If she gets past me, kill her. I nee
d to hear that you all understand your orders.” After he got four affirmatives, he returned to the open channel. “Rand, if you can’t stop her, I have to.”
“Clare, please. You have to stop where you are. Why are you doing this?”
“Don’t you see, Rand? He’s going to kill us all. That’s been his plan all along. He planned this. Coming to Mars. Getting Grandfather and Mother killed. He’s a monster. When he found out he had a family, he set out to kill us. He doesn’t want us alive. Just him and his precious wolves. They are all that matter to him.”