"My people aren't warriors trained for jungle operations. They've only been trained for ship operations. So I ask again, what now?"
"The only thing to do is go back to the place where we lost their trail and try again. They have to be somewhere between that point and where we set up the ambush."
* * *
When the large monitor at the front of the Perry's bridge suddenly came on, a cheer went up on the bridge. The bridge crews had been sitting at their stations day after day with nothing to do, so some indication that things were getting fixed was cause for celebration. Unfortunately, the monitor went dark again after a few seconds. Just as depression started to set in, the monitor came on again. And this time it stayed on. Milty waited for five minutes, just in case, before calling the Captain, who wanted to be kept abreast of all developments regardless of the hour.
"Captain, I'm sorry to disturb you but I wanted to report that the main monitor has come on. We have eyes again, sir."
"That news is worth being awakened for. Can you see the other destroyer?"
"Yes, sir. It's still sitting where it's been since the day of the collision."
"No sign of any other vessels?"
"No, sir. She's alone."
"Okay, Milty. Anything else to report?"
"No, sir. All consoles are still down except for the main monitor functions at the tactical station."
"Okay, Milty. Keep an eye out for any other vessels. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir."
"Good morning, Milty," Captain Lidden said as he entered the bridge at 0740 and walked to the command chair. "Have there been any changes since you reported earlier?"
"Lieutenant Nivollo has tested the sensor system, sir. About sixty percent of the grid appears operational at this time. Space off the lower larboard hull is still black, as expected, but the rest of the ship's exterior sensors seem to be back on line, although neither the AutoTect nor DeTect systems on are online yet."
"At least we can see our adversary," Lidden said as he looked at the large image of the rebel destroyer on the main screen. "It appears she didn't get off much better than us."
"No, sir. Her damage appears to be pretty extensive. I doubt she'll be going FTL anytime soon."
"I'd almost be tempted to put a couple of torpedoes into her if our tubes were operational, but we have to go by the book. She didn't use deadly force against us, so we can't use it against her."
"Yes, sir. But they could have killed all of us with that crazy helm maneuver. "
"That might have been the act of one person, operating without the approval of the commanding officer."
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, Milty, I'll take over. Get some chow."
"Yes, sir," Milty said, climbing down from the command chair. "You have the bridge , Captain."
* * *
"Give me an update on efforts to find Citizen X," Gustallo Plelillo, the premier of the Clidepp government, said as he entered the office of Weislis Danttan, the minister of Intelligence.
"No change. The army has been arresting people on every planet but has learned nothing so far."
"Then they're not arresting enough people."
"They're picking up everybody who has ever spoken out against the central government. The camps are filled with screams from day to night, and the blood is being carried out of interrogation rooms in buckets. If anyone knew, they would talk. We've even tried drugs where pain didn't work. It made no difference. They simply don't know who Citizen X is."
"Kurrost," Plelillo said loudly.
Kurrost Mewaffal, the Minister of Public Information sat up straighter and said, "Yes, Gustallo."
"We need a new information campaign. We want to paint Citizen X as a crazed renegade hiding behind the people and ourselves as beneficent leaders who only want to end the terrible suffering of our people."
"We're already doing that."
"Well, step up the effort then. And— increase the reward of a hundred thousand credits to a hundred million for the identity and location of this Citizen X. There's always someone in the know who will sell their own mother for a few credits."
"A hundred million credits is a lot more than a few. It could break the treasury."
"I didn't say pay it. I said offer it. The individual who turns in Citizen X will quietly disappear. After all, if they know his identity, they have to be working for him."
"They'll want immunity from prosecution before they speak."
"Then simply give the informant to Weislis's people if you believe the traitor has the information."
"If word gets out that we did that, we'd never get anyone to turn again."
"Then make sure that no one finds out. Do I have to think of everything?"
* * *
"The plan is working perfectly," the hooded figure said. "The more the army cracks down on the civilian population, the more the fence-sitters give up their tenuous perch and finally adopt a position. And the overwhelming choice is the rebellion."
"X, did you plan it this way?" one of the others asked.
"Knowing how the central government on Yolongus works, and has always worked, it was an obvious course for events to follow."
"So you planned for people to be hurt in order to force others to make up their minds?"
"I expected it to happen because on Yolongus dissension has always been met with brute force. I didn't want it to happen, but I've always known that the situation had to devolve to this point before our rebellion could advance. The central government wasn't simply going to surrender power, and there was no mechanism in place for a peaceful transition because those in power were never going to step down willingly. Their heavy-handed techniques were expected and, in fact, necessary to give our movement the grass roots support it needed."
Citizen X stopped for a second, then continued with, "My friends, I'm no happier than any of you that our people are being hurt, but from the moment we began this initiative, there was never any question that we would arrive at this point. People can adapt and become complacent in almost any situation, but change is inevitable.
"Governments, even supposedly benign ones that claim to be representative of the people, if left alone, tend to usurp more and more citizenry rights and freedoms until the situation reaches a breaking point where excessive taxation and unreasonably low standards of living force the masses to take drastic action. As the divide between rich and poor widens, discontent increases proportionally. If there is no mechanism in place for real social change, the populace is forced to violently pull down governments propped up by powerful and excessively wealthy individuals and enterprises. That's the way it's always been. A pendulum can only swing so far, and then it must swing back. Our pendulum has almost reached that extreme point in its arc. As it begins to swing back, the wealthy who own the souls of the so-called public officials are going to resist firmly. We must help our people throw off the yoke of oppression and free them from the tyrannical rulers that have enslaved them for decades."
"You make it sound so easy," another hooded figure said, "but this campaign is just starting. Many will suffer and die before we achieve our goal."
"Yes, that's true. But nothing worth having ever comes easily. And freedom for all the people of this nation is worth having. What we must ensure is that the government we install remains ever responsive to the needs of the people instead of just the wealthiest one-percent. That's perhaps the most difficult challenge ahead. When the lessons of this rebellion become murky in the memories of our people, those in power will again begin stripping power from the masses in order to again shift the wealth of the nation to those moneyed enough to have bought the loyalties of politicians. They'll do it slowly, insidiously, and patiently as they attempt to subvert a government where the power should rest with the people. Unless we want to go through this agony again every few centuries, we must find a way for people to bloodlessly take back the power we have only lent our political leaders for a short time. Government officials s
hould be the guardians of power for the people, not mindless lap dogs to rich overlords."
* * *
Sydnee awoke to the sounds of activity in the cavern. They had enjoyed four days of almost carefree rest and the muscle aches of the first couple of days were just a memory. She was no longer startled when she awoke and saw the domed cavern ceiling overhead.
Sitting up, she looked at the activity going on around her. She motioned to a PFC passing back and asked, "What's going on?"
"The LT has decided it's time to move on, ma'am. We pull out at sundown."
"Okay, thanks."
The PFC said, "Oo-rah," and returned to his task of packing up some of the gear and carrying it to an oh-gee sled. Sydnee sauntered over to the mess table and looked at the imitation scrambled eggs made from dehydrated powder and bacon made from soy flour and chemicals. It was amazing that the food from emergency rations packs could taste so close to the real thing when there was the time and the hot water necessary to prepare it properly.
"Move it, Syd," she heard from behind her. "We pull out in twelve hours, and we want this place to look as it did when we arrived."
She turned to see Kennedy standing behind her. "I heard," she said. "Where are we headed?"
"East."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"I mean, why move at all? This cavern has been great. Why don't we just stay here until the rebels stop looking for us?"
"They passed us by a couple of days ago, then returned and made another, slower pass. Our scouts are watching them and report that the rebels don't seem disposed to giving up. Their shuttles have just returned them to the starting point for the second time. They've spread out and they're making a third search, far more thorough than the last. Someone is driving them to find us and I don't think he'll give up until they do. So we'll take advantage of their slower progression on this pass to put some distance between us."
"Rett, isn't it better to stay holed up in here where we're hidden and are less exposed to fire if found than to break out into the open where they might see us?"
"Look, I'm no more anxious than anyone else to start trudging through swamps again, but we're rested, and the rebels have to be exhausted after searching for days. This is our best time to make a run for it and try to put so much distance between us that we won't have to worry about them again."
"But how do they know we haven't already gone? Why are they assuming we're still in this area?"
"I don't know, Syd."
"Isn't not knowing enough to make us tread more carefully? Are we on a plateau from which we can't descend? Is there something impassable ahead, like an un-scalable cliff wall? There has to be a reason why the rebels keep searching this area for us after already completing two passes."
"I've already made the decision that we go. We pull out in twelve hours. End of discussion."
* * *
"We've found them," Suflagga announced proudly that evening when Currulla entered the operations tent.
"It's about time. I just learned that we lost an eighth man to one of those enormous swamp monsters that grab you and pull you down, then seem to just disappear with their victim. Are you sure it's them?"
"Yes— almost."
"Which is it?"
"On the second pass through the area, I had our people drop motion sensors every kilometer. We've had a few stray hits since then, probably from wildlife in the area, but we're now tracking approximately forty targets. If it's not them, then it's an unusual herd of animals."
"Why unusual?"
"Because they're walking single file."
"What now?"
"It's dark, so we'll keep monitoring them until dawn and then prepare our ambush."
* * *
"It's not right, Sterling," Sheree Marcola said to her brother. "You haven't even spoken to Sydnee in more than four years. I keep telling her that I haven't heard from you because I know how devastated she'd be if she knew we talked every week."
Sterling Marcola stared at the image of his sister on the vid phone for a couple of seconds before saying, "You know how much I opposed her decision to join the military."
"And because of that you cut yourself off from your sister? You should have seen how happy she was the day she graduated from the Academy."
"I saw."
"How?"
"I was at the graduation ceremony."
"What?"
"I sat alone up in the grandstand."
"I thought you were in Switzerland at the time."
"I was, but I flew in to see her graduate. As opposed as I was to her joining Space Command, I couldn't miss her graduation."
"And you never told any of us, you awful thing. Why didn't you sit with us? We had four tickets for seating down near the stage."
"I didn't want her know I was there. I'm really proud of her accomplishments, but I can't support her desire to be in Space Command. Dad was always away when we were small, and then he died out there in space. What kind of a life is that for a woman? What about a family?"
"It's a difficult life for anyone, man or woman, but the job is important. We all miss dad, but I'm proud that he fought to make the galaxy a safer place for all of us. And it is. The Raiders are a thing of the past."
"Now you sound like Syd."
"If you're so proud of her, why did you stop calling her and refuse to accept her calls?"
"I'd always hoped she would come to her senses and drop out of the Academy. When she didn't, I just— I don't know."
"Syd doesn't quit once she's made up her mind to do something. She never has. You should know that as well as anyone. She's your big sister."
"There's a first time for everything. Maybe being stuck in a boring assignment until she's met the service requirements for her education will convince her to quit."
"Sterling, Syd will never quit. She might change her direction slightly at times to improve her chances of accomplishing the goal she's set, but she never, ever quits."
Chapter Eighteen
~ Mar. 4th, 2285 ~
Although Sydnee remained perfectly dry when encased in her protective armor, slogging through bogs and swamps to hide the trail quickly grew tiresome. She was a pilot, not a ground pounder, and longed for even the briefest of rides through the sky at mach-five to forget the misery of this march. The four-day layover had been great but hadn't been long enough. As she trudged through mud and mire she wondered if any amount of time away from the morass would be enough to make her forget the experience.
They hadn't covered more than three kilometers from the cave when Syd heard a shout come over Com 1 and saw commotion ahead. Suddenly, one of the Marines, about the sixth ahead of her, disappeared below the water line in the swamp. A second later, the Marine in front and the Marine in back disappeared as well, but they seemed to dive under, where the first had seemed to be pulled under. "Something's chewing on my leg," Syd heard clearly over the com.
A flash that made the filthy water seem to glow was visible for a second, and then a series of flashes created a light show beneath the surface. During that time, the first Marine appeared briefly above the water before being sucked down again. More flashes could be seen in a light show that lasted at least two minutes while strings of curses and profanities from multiple voices were delivered over Com 1 and seemed to reverberate in her head. Everyone rushed to where the three Marines had gone under but could do nothing but watch an ever-widening froth of bubbles appear on the surface. Occasionally a human limb encased in armor broke the surface, then disappeared again, and once, something that looked like the belly of a crocodile, appeared for just an instant then slipped beneath the muddy water again.
"What's going on," Kennedy shouted on Com 1 several times, but the only answer to his demands were grunts, groans, and more strings of curses as the water continued to churn and bubble with an increasing ferocity.
Finally, the water began to calm and all three Marines involved in the situation regained their footing.<
br />
"We're okay," one said.
"What happened?" she heard Kennedy ask.
"Some of the local wildlife wanted to play, sir. We convinced it that we weren't in a playful mood."
"What was it?"
"Don't know, sir," another said, "We'll drag it ashore— when we make shore."
Several hundred meters ahead, Syd climbed up onto dry land and got a look at the thing that had tried to eat PFC Riley. It was as long as a giant anaconda on Earth and had two stubby legs, like those you might find on a lizard, attached along every meter of its twelve-meter body. Its head was as large as that of a great shark and, like a shark, had rows of serrated teeth. The PFC's armor hadn't been damaged, but it wasn't because the creature hadn't tried.
"Anyone know what it is?" Kennedy asked.
"I'll check the alien database," Sydnee said.
"You have an alien database that covers Diabolisto?"
"I downloaded all files pertaining to Diabolisto into the MAT's computer before we left the Perry and then added it to my helmet storage before I left the MAT," Syd said as she scanned the DB using eye movements. "That's how I knew what the Grepper was. Ah, here it is. It's a Lampaxa Vorheridine."
"Lampaxa Vorheridine? My Latin was never very good. What does that translate to?"
"Um, nothing. It wasn't named by an Earth scientist. According to the database it was named by a Cheblookan aboard a freighter when it stopped here looking for fresh food. His friend was killed by one as they searched the swamp for Greppers. After the hunting party killed the creature and determined that it was safe to eat if processed properly, the Cheblookan reportedly named it after his mother-in-law, Lampaxa Vorheridine. He said it sort of reminded him of her, even though they look nothing alike."
"Then it's good to eat?" Sergeant Booth asked.
"The DB lists it as perfectly edible, but gamey tasting."
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