by Ginger Smith
“But we can be more than we were designed to be,” Max said.
“Maybe,” Hal replied, glancing to Vivi with a smile. “Hopefully.”
“Where are you headed to?” Max asked, trying to stifle a yawn.
“We can’t say, but I’m sure we’ll see you again.” Vivi stood up. “We need to let you rest now. You look exhausted.”
Max nodded once. He was sure it was the drugs making him so sleepy. “OK. Be careful out there.”
“We will,” Vivi replied fondly.
Hal gave Max an easy smile. “Get well. Vivi’s right, we might see each other again someday. Who knows?”
Max nodded. “Safe travels,” he called as they disappeared through his door.
Ty and Beryl were checking off the ship’s inventory list together. They were just about ready to leave Al-Kimia but had to wait on the last few deliveries of food and medical supplies. Eira had assured them it would be a six month round trip, and Ty wanted them fully prepared.
“So we have enough medjets to replenish all the medkits aboard?” Ty was asking Beryl as he scrolled through the ship inventory. He was wearing his braces, sitting on a cargo container to examine the contents of the shipment since standing tired him easily.
“Yes. I think we’re all set,” Beryl replied from across the cargo bay. “Fifty pressure bandages,” she called as she rummaged through another box.
Ty looked up to see Vivi climbing the ramp. “Hey, how’s Max?”
“He’s healing up,” Vivi said. “It’ll probably be a while before he’s up and around at full strength, but he’s on the way.”
“That’s good,” Ty said. He saw that Hal was examining the stacks of anti-grav cargo crates at the foot of the ramp.
“How many more deliveries are we waiting on, Cap?” he called.
“Two more tomorrow. I was going to get those,” Ty said, halfheartedly. It wasn’t that they were heavy but just walking to the cargo bay had tired him out. Beryl wasn’t taking it easy on him during their “therapy sessions” in the morning, and it was catching up to him.
“I got ’em. No problem,” Hal said, maneuvering them to the corner of the bay. “This one’s full of rations,” he added after checking under the cover. After moving most of them onto the ship, he turned to go back for the last stack but stopped when he saw Seren, Lane and Orin at the bottom of the ramp.
“Hello,” Seren said. “We hear you’re pulling out soon, and we wanted to say our farewells.”
Ty stood up. “Please come aboard.”
Seren climbed the ramp, held out a hand and Ty shook it. “I must say you’re looking quite well,” Seren remarked.
“Thanks to Al-Kimia.” Ty smiled, glancing at Hal and Vivi. “And my crew. Thank you for taking us in for a while until we could get back on our feet.”
“You’re welcome,” Seren said as Hal greeted Lane and Orin with a handshake and a pat on the back.
“Where are you headed?” Lane asked Hal.
“We’ve got a request to help out a close friend,” Hal said. “She’s really more like family, and I don’t think we can turn her down after all she’s done for us.” He glanced at Ty, who nodded.
Seren nodded. “We certainly understand that. But I want you to know, you always have a place with us. We need as many brave souls as we can get for the coming battle, and you’ve more than proved yourselves.”
“It’s a worthy cause. If we can come back afterwards, we will,” Ty said firmly.
“You’re a hell of a vat, Hal Cullen,” Lane said. “I’d gladly have you at my back in any battle. And you as well, Vivi,” she shifted her eyes to Vivi, who stood beside Hal. “And I don’t say that lightly.”
Orin had obviously read her lips, and he added a silent nod, clapping Vivi gently on the shoulder.
“Thank you,” Vivi said.
“Well, then. We won’t take up any more of your time,” Seren said. “Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do for you before you depart.”
“Thank you,” Ty said. The big man shook everyone’s hand. When Seren approached Beryl, she hugged him.
“Take care of yourself,” Beryl said.
“I certainly will,” he replied. “I wish you a safe journey, my friends.” They watched Seren, Lane and Orin go, then Hal went to get the rest of the crates.
Once they were all aboard again, Eira spoke. “Are you certain about this journey, amatan? I know that you and the others have a stake in this coming conflict. It is possible we could delay this journey for a time.”
“No, Eira,” Hal said. “It’s just like we said. Amatan first, then everything else, am I right, Ty?”
“Yes, you are,” Ty nodded. “Eira, you’ve helped us in a way we can’t ever hope to repay, but that won’t stop us from trying.”
Hal added, “Besides, you and I share the same nanites, Eira. That means we’re closer than amatan now.”
There was a long pause. Hal shifted his eyes to Ty as they waited for Eira’s response. “I think of you all as family as well, Hal,” she said.
Eira’s word choice and tone seemed to Ty to be uncharacteristically emotional, and he couldn’t resist a gentle jab at her. “Are we starting to rub off on you, Eira?” Ty teased.
“Perhaps,” she replied dryly. “Or it could be that we are not that different after all.”
It took two more days to get everything packed for the trip. Vivi changed their transponder so that they were the Thezar out of Jaleeth Station. Patrin had commed a contact there, and suddenly there were falsified records of flight plans filed with Jaleeth for the last six months to support their story.
It was early morning when they assembled on the bridge to leave. Ty got heavily to his feet, feeling the braces dig into his hips in a way that he hoped he would become used to. If they couldn’t find Eira’s people or she couldn’t help him, this was what the rest of his life would be like.
“So. We’re ready?” Ty asked them all. Beryl was smiling as she nodded. Hal and Vivi were close, hands linked.
“Just give the word, Cap, and we’ll get underway,” Hal said.
Ty looked at each of them a moment. Beryl showed concern; he knew she would continue to make sure he healed well. The gleam in Hal’s eye showed he was ready for whatever the future had planned. Vivi had a look of determination; Ty knew she would help him keep everyone together. And lastly, Eira’s voiceprint remained steady on her display; she would guide them into unknown space to meet the Mudar. They were as ready as they’d ever be.
“Consider the word given. Let’s go.” He sat down in the captain’s chair and took a deep breath. “Eira, open a channel to flight command.”
“Channel open, Ty.”
“Flight, this is the Thezar, requesting clearance to depart.”
“Thezar, this is Flight Command. You have clearance to leave. Safe travels, oppos.”
“Thank you, Flight Command.”
The beautiful Al-Kimian sunrise had begun, throwing the green pines into shadow beneath them as they rose into the sky. It was a good sign. As they lifted, the city unfolded itself beneath them, a myriad of buildings nestled into the forest below. For a few moments, Tyce skimmed over the tops of the pines with his ship, racing the rainbow hues lighting the sky. He had no idea what they would find on this journey, but he was ready. Ready to find Eira’s people and whatever came next for his crew. A feeling of speed flowed through him and with a deep breath, he climbed into the black of space, spangled with stars.
GLOSSARY
ACAS: Acronym for Armed Forces of the Coalition of Allied Systems. The ACAS is divided into two branches of service: the army and navy. Both rely on vat soldiers for their personnel. Officers in both branches are natural born as vats cannot hold ranks above sergeant.
Al-Kimia: Most prosperous of the Edge worlds not aligned with the Coalition of Allied Systems. It is famous for its advanced medical facilities and is an active leader in resisting Coalition attempts to annex all the Edge worlds.
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ium: A Mudar alloy that is incredibly strong and resilient. The Coalition uses this metal for vat nanites and interfaces as well as shielding. The Edge does not have the ability to make allenium, so the salvaging of it from Mudar technology is essential.
Amp: A combat drug given to vats to strengthen and extend the rush response. It can allow a vat to go for days without food, water or rest, but it extracts a horrible toll on the vat’s body. If the neutralizer is not given as the amp wears off, the user suffers paralyzing muscle contractions.
Bel-Prime: An Edge world that revolted against the Coalition. Coalition reports state that the revolt was promoted by Al-Kimian agents and was suppressed by ACAS troops. Hal saved Tyce’s life during the assault.
Blaspistol/rifle: Generic term for any weapon which uses laser technology as opposed to older weapons using traditional kinetic energy rounds.
Bolt catcher: Vat slang term for expendable soldier.
Border: The region of space deemed off limits to human travel by the ACAS, except by permit. This area was the scene of battles and skirmishes during the Mudar War and contains many pieces of technology that can be valuable to the legal (and illegal) salvage crews that operate there.
BromCorp: The largest supplier of drugs for the military. They are responsible for manufacturing amp.
Coalition of Allied Systems (Coalition): A governmental body that controls the Inner Spiral worlds and much of the Edge. Since the conclusion of the Mudar War it has become expansionist and seeks to control any and all technology found beyond the Border.
Corvette: A naval patrol vehicle larger than an escort, but smaller than a destroyer. These vessels are used by the ACAS to enforce its laws restricting travel beyond the Edge’s Borders.
Cruiser: Large naval spacecraft of various configurations. Command cruisers are employed to serve as flagships for transportation of important personnel, while heavy cruisers are the main strike force ships, with immense firepower.
Destroyer: The workhorse vessels of the ACAS fleet. These ships are employed in any number of missions as needed by the Coalition.
Cube: Small hotel rooms on space stations and space ports.
Echo: One of the three big galaxy-wide hacking groups. Vivi’s ex-boyfriend Noah was a member of Echo.
Edge: A region of space containing numerous planets and systems, at the furthest reaches of Coalition control. These were the systems most impacted by the Mudar War.
Edger: A somewhat derogatory term used by some for a person who lives, works or spends most of their time in the Edge.
Escort: A naval vessel whose primary purpose is to provide support for larger ships, convoy protection, or other duties where a light small ship is needed.
EVA: An abbreviation for extravehicular activity. The term is used for spacewalks or as an adjective to designate specialized equipment used for spacewalks.
Feeds: Any source of electronic information provided over handhelds and other communication devices. Many believe the Coalition uses the feeds for pro-Coalition propaganda purposes.
Freighter: Generic term used for several classes and sizes of ships whose purpose is to haul cargo or ferry personnel. Size is generally noted by letters. “A” Class being the largest and “S” Class the smallest. The Loshad is a “J” Class Freighter denoting it as a mid-size ship.
Handheld: A palm-sized voice and text communication device also used to download information from the feeds. Some handhelds have holo capability.
Interface node: A piece of a vat’s interface that transmits signals to different areas of the brain.
Jaleeth: The second largest space station in the Edge. Jaleeth is shaped like an X with thick legs that extend out from the central point.
K-245j: The planet where the Loshad’s crew find a crashed Mudar ship.
LanTech: Salvage company started by Hugh Lan. It is the largest salvage company in the Edge.
Mudar: The race of AI who came to the Spiral for unknown reasons. According to the Coalition of Allied Systems, they were seeking to obliterate the human race until they were defeated and forced to retreat.
Nat: Vat slang for natural born human-beings.
Null: An illegal drug, null is extremely addictive to vats who use it as a release from the constant state of anxiety programmed into them.
Omicron: The largest space station in the Edge, it is a star-like structure with radial arms.
Quad: A game played by two teams on a field divided into four quads. A round ball is thrown and caught. Two famous teams in the Spiral are the Navs and the Bels.
Rinal: ACAS space station/base near the Edge.
Robotic Exploration Unit: (REU) A drone with a camera and manipulators. It is versatile in any environment and can fly, swim or roll on land.
Rush: The adrenaline response of a vat, marked by dilated pupils and excessive energy. With the rush, a vat can think faster, see farther and fight harder than a natural born.
Scrill or Scrilla: Edger slang for money.
Shredder comm: A cheap prepaid handheld. Shredders lack many features of a traditional handheld and are meant to be thrown away after a time.
Spiral: The part of the galaxy containing the home worlds of the Coalition. Many of its citizens know little about what life is really like in the Edge. Those that do rely on Coalition media outlets to provide coverage of events.
TechSolutions: The largest technology firm based on Omicron Station.
Tecker: Slang for technology specialist.
Tecker node: Bioware that allows for a virtual reality link with a computer. It assists teckers interfacing with the sophisticated computer systems by allowing them to do so virtually. Tecker nodes are not as extensive as a vat interface.
Vanguard Assault Troops: The artificially gestated, genetically manipulated and technologically augmented soldiers of the ACAS. The program was initially created during the Mudar War, but now vats are used to enforce Coalition laws and expansion. Through their interfaces, these second-class citizens are programmed for loyalty to the ACAS and its officers.
Vat: Slang term used for Vanguard Assault Troops
Vat’s Creed: A formal system of beliefs imposed on the vats through their training and reinforced through their interface. It says: “I am the fist of the ACAS. In war I am strength. I bring the justice of the Coalition to its enemies. Victory is mine. I will gladly fight to the death. I do not surrender to exhaustion or fear. I am steadfast and tenacious in the face of adversity. I am inexorable. I am the ACAS!”
Viblade: A term for a series of hand-to-hand weapons which operate through the use of an electrically charged vibrating blade. These weapons can be small for concealed use or larger military weapons such as swords and bayonets.
Yeoman: Naval occupation (rating) of a person who serves as an assistant to an officer.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are a few people to thank for this book becoming a reality. While writing is a solitary activity, sometimes it takes someone else to give you a kick in the rear-end to get you started. That person would be my husband, Judd Smith, who kept telling me I could write my own book. Finally, I said, “Fine! I’ll write a book for you.” The Rush’s Edge came out of that. This book would never have been completed without his willingness to read chapters for me, offer suggestions and listen to my ramblings. Thanks, Judd, for seeing the potential in me when I didn’t always see it in myself. You are truly a partner and best friend in all senses of the word.
Another person I have to thank for this book is my father, Warren H. Wolfe Jr. My dad was a hard sci-fi and space opera fan, and so I grew up reading all his 60s and 70s paperbacks. There were stacks and stacks of them around in my house when I was younger, and free access to those, combined with nights of reading snatches of The Hobbit to me before bed (stopping at the cliffhangers), always made me want to turn the next page. My father was also a veteran. He didn’t talk much about his experiences during the Vietnam war era, but this book is still for him and because of him.
&nb
sp; The other incredible group of people I must thank is the crew at Angry Robot. Eleanor Teasdale, Gemma Creffield, and everyone else there were kind enough to believe in my book, which I will be eternally grateful for. Gemma was an amazing editor who challenged me to make my story the absolute best it could be. Kieryn Tyler brought the characters to life on the beautiful cover that still makes my heart skip a beat every time I see it.
Lastly, I want to thank my agent, Amanda Rutter. She has been very kind and supportive all the way through this process, even though I had a million questions as a new author. I appreciate her taking a chance on me.
The final person to thank would be you, reader. All the way through this process my main goal has been to write a great story that people will enjoy reading. You’ll be the final judge as to whether I was successful or not
ADEM
Versailles City, Oct 14, 3235
Maybe God will make it better.
The thought escaped Adem’s throat in barely remembered Arabic. Years before, his grandmother had given him the words as a talisman against specters like the one he faced now. A crusted sore sealed its right eye into a squint, protein starvation bloated its belly, and its arms were thin as sticks. The little boy smiled and presented the bowl again. The blessing might have worked better in French. The Almighty always had a soft spot for Europeans and their descendants, the EuroD.
Adem reached into the belly pocket of his utilisuit and sorted through his supply of coins by touch.
“That bowl is an antique,” he said. The technology used to produce them had been lost to Gaul a century before. Sealed in its bottom, an animated 3D image of a once-popular cartoon character offered a cheerful thumbs up in recognition of cereal well eaten. “You should take it to an–”
Adem finished the sentence in his head. An antiquities dealer would most likely swindle the boy, and he would come away little better off and in need of a new bowl. There wasn’t much justice available to people like him. There were work programs and shelters for state-approved orphans, so the boy had to be an illicite: an illegal birth. His parents had abandoned him in fear of punishment or lost him to the streets when they went to prison.