The Rush's Edge

by Ginger Smith

  “Missile in space, running hot.” Hal smiled as he watched the heads-up display. “Eira, time to missile impact?”

  “Twenty-five seconds, Hal.”

  “Just about right. Boost now.” His voice was calm, as if he were channeling Tyce Bernon.

  “Oh my gods,” Vivi murmured.

  “Yep.” Hal said, a grin on his face when he realized she saw the plan. For a second, the cruiser in front of him was huge, taking up the entire display as they flew right beneath it.

  “Hal, permission to engage full power,” Eira asked calmly.

  “What? Yes. YES!”

  The sudden acceleration from the Loshad’s retuned engines pushed them all back before the gravity fields could adjust. Hal howled with unrestrained excitement. “Fuck, yeah!” he yelled, reading his sensors and seeing that the cruiser had chosen self-preservation over blowing them to bits. Eira’s adjustments to the engine made it clear that neither ACAS ship would be able to keep up with them.

  “Oh my gods, Hal!” Vivi said, leaping from her position to the weapons station. “I thought we were dead there for a minute!”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. “I knew we’d make it.”

  “I, too, was sure we would make it,” Eira said from the monitor. “There are no signs of pursuit.”

  Hal placed his hand on the panel as if he could clap Eira on the back. “It wouldn’t have worked without you. You were amazing. What did you do to the engines?”

  “Thank you, Hal. I simply enhanced their full potential – allowing us an acceleration far beyond the ACAS ships’ capabilities. As far as they are concerned, we simply vanished.”

  Hal turned to back to Vivi, and as he did so he remembered Max. His face fell. “I gotta get back to the medbay. Eira, let me know immediately if there’s any trouble.”

  “Who was hurt?” Vivi said, her eyes shifting to his bloody hands and remembering what he’d said. “I’m coming along.”

  “Veevs–” Hal turned to stop her. “Max took a bad hit. I don’t think you want to–”

  “Is it serious?” she asked. “Maybe I can help.”

  Hal weighed her expression, then nodded. “Come on.”

  Together they made their way to the medbay. Lane had gloves on and was using a laser cauterizer on the wound in Max’s chest. “He was hit with a slug thrower,” she explained. “There were at least three shots, grouped closely. One shattered into three pieces.”

  “Do you have a lot of experience patching guys like this up?” Hal asked.

  “A few,” she said with a shrug. “I took out the slugs.”

  He nodded. “Good.”

  Vivi came closer. “He’s so pale…”

  “I’m going to do all I can to hold him together until we get back to Al-Kimia,” Lane said.

  Max began to groan as she continued to work on him.

  “Shit, he’s waking up,” Lane muttered. “He needs more Lanapram to keep him knocked out. Medjet’s on the tray.”

  “Got it,” Hal said, reaching for it and checking the dosage. Years of watching Beryl patch them up was good for something. “How much did you give him before?” he asked Lane.

  “Fifty. Your shipboard computer told me he could have up to a hundred micrograms.”

  Hal injected Max with the rest, and the tension in his muscles released as the researcher fell back, fully sedated again.

  “Be quick,” Hal said, setting the medjet on a nearby table.

  She looked over at him. “Are you any good at setting up an IV? He’s going to need fluids, and blood stim.”

  “I know how, yeah,” Hal said, and moved to gather up what they would need.

  Once they were done, Hal and Lane stepped back, taking off their blue exam gloves. “Not bad for a couple of vats, huh?” Lane said with a pleased smile.

  “Yeah,” Hal replied. Then he looked at Vivi. She stood alone and apart from them and had been watching silently the whole time. Her hair was a golden halo around her head and her green eyes seemed brighter than ever through their sheen of tears.

  “I’m sorry I judged him so harshly,” she murmured.

  “We had our reasons,” Hal said plainly, “and he understood. Come on.” Hal led her up the ramp to the hallway and into the common area. The further away he got her from Max, the better she’d begin to be.

  He went into a cabinet in the galley and pulled out Ty’s bottle of Celian whiskey. He poured a generous two-shots’ worth into a coffee mug and handed it to her. His hand was shaking slightly.

  “Drink it,” he told her.

  She did, coughing a little as she looked at him over the top of it. “Are you OK?”

  He closed his hand into a fist. “Yeah… it’s just the rush trying to fade and the amp keeping it going.”

  “The neutralizer, I’ll get–”

  “It’s OK. We have a couple of hours yet and I should stay sharp. Drink that. It’ll steady you.”

  “Do you know that from personal experience?”

  “Maybe.” Dismissing the mental image of another time, a younger version of himself, and his first combat, he sloshed another shot’s worth into her cup, then put the bottle away.

  A few hours later, Vivi had dosed everyone but Hal with the neutralizer. Lane and Orin had gone to crash and sleep off the effects. Vivi entered the bridge, finding Hal, deep in thought.

  He’d showered to wash off the blood and changed his clothes. As she drew closer, she saw his fingers tapping on the panel in front of him. Every once in a while, she could see the muscles in his body twitching against his will.

  “Hal, it’s time,” she held up a hand with the neutralizer. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “I know what you’re going to say, and no. You need to get some sleep.”

  “Fine.” He held out his hand for the injector, but she shook her head.

  “Not until I get you back to your room.” She took him by the hand and led him to bed. After dosing him, she watched as he pulled off his shirt. There was a wound, covered with a bandage, in the top of his shoulder, an obvious graze. “Hal,” she said. “You didn’t mention getting hurt anywhere else…”

  He shrugged, crawling in the bed and grumbling as he shifted to lie on his back instead of his side. “It didn’t hurt until just a minute ago.”

  She could already sense the change in him. His eyelids grew heavy as he settled his head into the pillow. “You took care of everyone today. Kept us all alive.” Vivi brushed his hand with her fingers. “I can watch over you now though, OK?”

  “Mm… yeah…” His eyes closed as he took hold of her hand. She sat there for a moment, thinking he’d fallen asleep when his forehead suddenly creased. He mumbled, “Tyce and Max got injured on my watch.”

  “No one could have foreseen either one.”

  He was quiet a moment, then sighed. “Still my fault,” he frowned. “No… excuses.”

  She realized he was talking in his sleep. “Shh, Hal.” She smoothed her hand over his warm brow. The amp had caused an increase in body temperature as it jacked up his metabolism. “You did everything right.”

  The frown lines faded and he took a deep breath, rolling toward her on his uninjured side. “I won’t let anything hurt you, Veevs.” There was one slow open and close of his now blue eyes, then he sighed heavily.

  “I know. Now sleep, babe. If I need you, I’ll call.” She stayed and watched over him until he began to breathe more deeply and regularly. Finally, his hand relaxed so that she could slip hers out.

  “I… I think I’m falling in love with you, Hal Cullen,” she whispered, knowing he wouldn’t hear, but wanting to try it out anyway. It felt right. Without another word, she got up, made her way to the door and headed out to check on Max.

  “Eira? How is he?” Vivi asked. Max was lying on the medbed, his feet elevated, wrapped in blankets that were as pale as he was.

  “I have been monitoring his condition. According to your information, he had eight out of ele
ven symptoms of hypovolemic shock, but his heart rate and respiration are improving. The blood stim is working. But there is still a sixty-four percent chance he will die before we reach Al-Kimia.”

  “Is there anything else we can do for him?”

  “No, there isn’t.”

  “OK.” She checked his IV, then covered him back up.

  “Is everyone asleep?” Eira asked.

  “Yes. It’s just you and me,” Vivi said.

  “I heard what Dr Parsen said about his work with the ACAS. They have done deplorable things, Vivi. I understand Dr Parsen’s decision to leave.” Eira sounded uncharacteristically emotional. “Eira, are you OK?”

  “Yes,” Eira replied. “However, the actions of the ACAS disturb me deeply.”

  “Me too.” Vivi nodded thoughtfully. “Please, don’t think all humans are like the ACAS. We aren’t.”

  “I have observed all of you and have seen that. However, would you say that you were the exception of your species or the rule?”

  Vivi bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know. I think that most people are good, if given the chance. But some people are not. Some people are very, very bad. And then there are others, like Max, who are just misguided, I guess. We have to help the misguided ones see what’s right.”

  “And oppose the others,” Eira mused.

  “Yes, I guess so,” Vivi said. “Please monitor Max and keep me informed.”

  “Of course, Vivi. I will track his values and notify you of any changes.”

  “Good.”

  She walked through the quiet ship, listening to the purr of the engines. The ship’s frame couldn’t survive constant use of the engine’s full potential, so Eira had reduced demand – but even so, at this rate, they would be back in Al-Kimian space in three days, rather than the six it had taken them on the outward journey.

  Her path took her to the galley, to grab some ration bars and water for Hal, in case he woke up hungry. She set everything on the table, then collapsed on the bench, exhausted. She folded her arms on the table and buried her head.

  “You should eat,” Eira urged gently. “It has been nine hours since you last–”

  “I’m not hungry. These are for Hal when he wakes.”

  There was too much to think about. The threat of war loomed above them like some great predatory bird – it was only a matter of time, she was sure. Hal, the man she loved, was going to die before they had a chance to live, and now this doctor and his death machine could erase what little time there was left, as well as the lives of all the other vats. Tyce and his injuries were a giant question mark. Would her captain and friend be able to lead a normal life?

  It was all too much. She scrubbed a hand across her eyes and wasn’t surprised to find she was crying. Her body felt too numb to cry, but the swelling of sadness in her mind was overwhelming. Before she knew it, she was fully sobbing as the dam of tears burst.

  Eira’s gentle voice broke through the dark, swirling sea of her emotion. “Vivi. Would you like me to wake Hal?”

  “No,” she answered quickly between sobs, sitting up and struggling to get herself under control. “He needs to rest. Please. I’m OK,” she said as she wiped her face. “It’s… it’s just been a long day.”

  “Emotions impact biologics differently,” Eira said. “I will watch over you until you get to your room, amatan.”

  “Amatan?”

  “It means you are dear to me. You would probably define it as ‘family,’ except it has no connotation of biology. Perhaps think of it as the family you choose, not those biologically related to you.”

  She wiped away another tear and smiled. “You mean a friend? Thank you, Eira.”

  “Of course, my friend.”

  She walked back to Hal’s room, placed the ration bars and water on his table then undressed down to her T-shirt, before climbing into bed. Hal’s breathing was regular and deep, and she began to reassure herself by listening to the slow rhythm. She could feel the warmth coming from him and she slid closer, not wanting to wake him but needing him near.

  His arm pulled her in as he rolled toward her, burying his face against her hair. Hal mumbled something; she didn’t know what, but it sounded sleepy and content, and he had soon fallen back asleep.

  She wouldn’t allow anything to happen to him. There would be a way around this. It was like at university, when she would fall asleep over some programming problem she was working on that week. She would always wake up with the answer clear and fresh before her eyes, as if her mind had worked on it during her slumber. Maybe that could happen again. She could always hope.

  THIRTY-FIVE

  Tyce was watching the feed with wide eyes when Beryl entered. She immediately glanced toward the display where a large headline read ATTACK in the Home Systems!

  “And now, we take you to our military facility on Chamn-Alpha where Senate Leader Roger Triuna is ready to make a statement…”

  They had set up a podium in a room with a Coalition flag on one side and the seal of the senate leader on the other. There was a murmur of reporters in the room as Triuna approached the podium.

  “Good evening. My fellow citizens…we have suffered a horrific terrorist attack in the home systems. Today, two ships landed at the Beruga City spaceport, near the Vanguard Assault Troop facility on Chamn-Alpha. These ships, which have now been identified as crewed by released vats and Al-Kimians, landed in the space port in order to stage a kidnapping.”

  The senate leader looked down at his own display, tapped a button and a picture of a lab assistant appeared, taken from an ID card.

  “This is Max Parsen. Dr Parsen has been a loyal employee of the Coalition for fifteen years. He is a researcher of ours and was working on highly sensitive materials when he was kidnapped and most likely injured or killed by these radicals. These terrorists also attacked the spaceport in their effort to escape, killing over fifty ACAS soldiers and civilians.”

  There were shots of destroyed ship bays and the dead, their bodies strewn around like dolls.

  “No,” Ty said, glancing at Beryl. He used his hands to shift himself in the bed, so he was sitting further up. “They wouldn’t have done that. And there was only the one of them, wasn’t there? Or am I getting that wrong?”

  “No, you’re right – just the Loshad,” Beryl said. “It’s more propaganda.”

  “As you can see, the damage and loss of life was quite severe,” Triuna said. “During their escape, they also crippled a ship in orbit around Chamn-Alpha. We cannot allow these extremists to attack the very planet and people who fight to keep us safe. Not addressing this directly is a travesty of justice. We will not stand by and watch our own people be murdered.”

  He looked into the camera and said: “Those who would attack the Coalition of Allied Systems will be utterly destroyed. We will have another press conference in two days, after the Senate has had a chance to meet on this issue. I intend to bring tough resolutions against Al-Kimia and her allies. Until then, no Vanguard Assault Troops will be released from service. We will need every hand in the coming fight, and I know our brave soldiers will insist on contributing. Thank you.”

  The Senate Leader made his way out of the building amidst a chaos of questions, but it was clear the press conference was over. Tyce felt his stomach clench so hard he thought he was going to retch.

  “They didn’t do that,” Beryl said. “This is a set up. They’re using this as an excuse for war.”

  Tyce got a grip on himself. “I know. Hal never would have killed innocent civilians. Vivi either.”

  “At least we know they escaped,” Beryl said with hope.

  “Yeah,” Ty nodded.

  “The vats…” she mused. “They can’t keep them in for longer than seven years unless they solved the Nash problem.”

  “It might just be temporary,” Tyce said, not sure what to think. “Did… Did we ask Patrin to check on the Loshad?”

  “We did,” she replied, “but I guess Hal is maintaining r
adio silence so they can’t be tracked by ACAS.”

  “Shit, I forgot again, didn’t I?” Ty’s brow furrowed. His brain had been pretty fuzzy the past few days, but he had felt like he was starting to get a handle on everything again. Well, mentally anyway, he thought as he glanced down at his legs with a frown.

  “Ty. Listen to me. A little memory loss is nothing when you look at all you’ve been through. I’ll check back and see if he’s heard anything.”

  “Thanks,” Ty said, watching her go. He couldn’t help worrying how Hal and Vivi had managed on their own. He’d never be able to forgive himself if they didn’t make it back safely.

  The next few days were spent traveling on a wavering course to Al-Kimia. Max was hanging on; however, he had developed a fever and infection from his wounds that the ship’s antibiotics didn’t seem to be able to cure.

  They were nearing Al-Kimian space, as fast as Eira could take them.

  “Hal, we are receiving a hail,” Eira announced.

  “Put it on speakers,” Hal said.

  A stern voice was broadcast around the bridge. “Unknown vessel. This is Al-Kimian Military Flight Command. You have crossed into in Al-Kimian space. Turn back now or be eliminated.”

  “Verify that signal, Eira.”

  “The signal is coming from the planet’s surface,” she responded.

  “Flight Command, this is the free ship Loshad. We have retrieved your package and intend to land. We are sending you the correct command codes. May we land at the same coordinates as before?”

  He waited a moment. There was apparently some sort of discussion going on.

  “Identify verified, Loshad, we have been anxiously awaiting word from you. You may land at the same coordinates.”

  “Thanks, command. We have one severely wounded – he’s critical. Please have a full medical team standing by.”

  Hal glanced to Vivi as they answered, “We understand, Loshad. Welcome home. There are a lot of people that didn’t expect you back. They’re going to lose some money on this whole thing.”

  Hal replied, “Thank you, command. See you soon.”