Ten minutes later, Leid came back into my office, holding a lunch tray.
I scowled at the sight of her. “Why didn’t you eat in the cafeteria? I don’t want you getting crumbs on my—”
She placed the tray in front of me. My annoyance switched to confusion.
“I could hear your stomach growling,” she said. “And I thought maybe if you ate something you wouldn’t be so grouchy.”
I stared at the food. “Thank you.”
Leid returned to the chair. “So, can I have your outline now?”
Clever. “It’s in the front compartment of my briefcase,” I said, wolfing my sandwich. “Help yourself.”
As she read it over, I saw her face darken. “Qaira, this is inhumane.”
“And attacking my city and killing hundreds of people isn’t?”
“Those were soldiers. The angels in the refugee camp aren’t soldiers.”
“I’m willing to bet that some of them are.” When she only looked at me, I sighed. “I shouldn’t have given that to you.”
“Are you planning to hurt them?”
“If it comes to that.”
“If you cut off communications with their base ship, it’ll only provoke them.”
“Well maybe Commander Raith will actually grow a pair and face us.”
Leid hesitated, tucking my notes back into my briefcase. “You don’t want them to attack you. Not yet.”
“I suppose you’re entitled to your own opinion. End of discussion.”
“But Qaira—”
“End of discussion!” I shouted, making her jump. I was perfectly capable of military strategy. She knew nothing of me, or this war.
Leid stared at me, crestfallen. “As you wish, Commandant.”
I returned to my work.
* * *
At three-thirty, I watched as the eleven Enforcers I had handpicked filtered into the briefing room. I stood on the stage, in front of a large projection screen, going over my notes. Leid sat front and center, staring at me. It was annoying, and I was sure she knew that.
Although the rest of the council opted to trust me, Kanar entered as the Enforcers took their seats. He stood at the very back, giving me a nod of encouragement. When everyone was ready, I hit a button on the remote control lying on the podium. The projection monitor flickered behind me.
“Lieutenant Eltruan, hit the lights,” I said.
Ara stood, doing as I’d ordered.
“Thank you all for coming,” I began. “You are here because I have personally selected you to be part of our interrogation team for the raid on Crylle, happening three days from now. Our mission objective is to find out who among the angels are relaying intel to the Archaean base ship. We will be departing from Eroqam at nine in the evening—just a little after the camp’s curfew. That way, everyone is where they’re supposed to be when we arrive.”
I pressed another button on the remote. A map of Crylle flashed onto the screen.
“Lieutenants Eltruan and Geiss will take the left-side sweep of the camp, while Narish and Tem will take the right,” I continued, pointing out their paths with my finger. “Lieutenants Fedaz and Cama, I want you to go to their medical facility and evacuate their staff. I’ll be stationed at the southeast communications building. Make sure you all are taking headcounts as you move. I’ll be comparing them to the manifest to verify every white is accounted for. Everyone else will be on stand-by with me.” I paused. “Questions?”
Ara raised his hand.
“Lieutenant Eltruan.”
“Are we cutting the communications before or after we arrive?”
“Eroqam will jam their transmission signals when we arrive in Crylle. We don’t want to do it too soon or it could serve as a warning to the perpetrators in the camp.”
Uless raised his hand.
“Lieutenant Fedaz.”
“How are we treating hostiles?”
“Kill anyone who resists us.”
I glanced at Leid. She looked back at me, devoid of expression.
Garan raised his hand.
“Lieutenant Geiss.”
“What exactly are we looking for? How are we supposed to identify the mole?”
“We’re looking for weapons and incendiaries. If you find any questionable documentation, take that as well. The whites who tried to destroy our grain supply facility a few weeks ago were not soldiers. They were camp rebels, or so I’m suspecting. The rebels are in that camp, and we’re going to find them.”
“How are we to know if the documentation is questionable? We can’t read Archaean.”
A job requirement of an Enforcer was to be able to speak Archaean. Very few of us could read it. It looked like Leid was going to come in handy for once. “My advisor is fluent in Archaean, so you don’t have to worry about that. Lastly, we are not taking any angels back for questioning, and will be doing all of our interrogations in the Crylle communications building. It’s going to be a long, hot night, gentlemen.”
The crowd groaned. I ignored them. “Any more questions?”
Leid raised her hand.
I glared at her. “Yes, Advisor Koseling?”
“Commandant Eltruan, I’ve had a chance to look over the Crylle manifest. There are over five thousand children living there. What will be done about them while your fear-mongering is going on?”
A few of the Enforcers turned to look at her. She kept her eyes on me.
I was still trying to register her question. “Uh, what?”
“Are you telling me that you’re planning on storming the refugee camp, killing anyone that gets in your way, in front of children?”
Anger began to rise from my chest, moving over my head. It made my ears hot and left pinpricks along the nape of my neck. “Advisor Koseling, an angel is an angel.”
Leid seemed to anticipate my response, because she reclined in her seat with a knowing smile. “Commandant, that is exactly how you create these alleged rebels in the first place.”
The anger had now returned to my chest, quickening my pulse. That bitch never knew when to shut up.
“You go in there, kill their parents, and then they end up hating you enough to volunteer to blow your city to smithereens. To my understanding, most of the attacks on Sanctum were caused by adolescents, correct?”
“Most of them, yes.”
“So why don’t you instruct a team to round up the children and keep them out of harm’s way? It will be good publicity for you; showing your people and theirs that you at least have a heart.”
I looked at Kanar. His expression said it all. Once again, I was cornered. “Advisor Koseling, would you like to come up here and take over?”
“Of course not. You’re a wonderful tactician, Commandant.”
I clenched my jaw, realizing that she was getting back at me for this morning. “Very well. Lieutenant Samay, you’ll be in charge of rounding up all the children in the camp. Does that suit you, Advisor Koseling?”
Leid smiled. “It suits me fine.”
“Are you sure? Is there anything else we could do to make the angels more comfortable while we raid their camp for weapons of mass destruction?”
“Commandant Eltruan,” Kanar warned.
I swallowed my pride and moved on. For the rest of the briefing, Leid stared at me with that pretentious smile of hers, and I fantasized about peeling off her face and hanging it from Eroqam like a flag.
VI
FROM WITHIN
LIGHT REFLECTED OFF THE WINDSHIELD, creating blinding beams that made me squint. The sun was insufferable up here.
I sat quietly in the back of our Enforcer craft, trying to assemble my assault rifle through the sun’s glare. We were fifteen minutes from Crylle, and my soldiers were preparing for landing. Although I was leading the raid, I was nervous and everyone knew it. It made them nervous, but there was a good reason to worry. Even with the awaiting militia that would aid our charge, we were outnumbered twenty-five to one. We had firearms, but I had a h
unch that at least some of the whites did as well.
I latched the rifle to the strap around my shoulder, settling my gaze on Leid as she stared out of the cabin window. By some act of a miracle, she hadn’t said a thing since we’d left Eroqam.
“You’re violating your contract, you know,” I said.
She looked at me. The light made her hair and eyes shimmer. “How so?”
“Your contract said you shouldn’t be placed into harm’s way. Actively participating in a raid is as close to harm’s way as you can get.”
Leid smiled. “I’ll be just fine, Qaira, but thank you for your concern.”
In reality I hoped she got blown to pieces in crossfire, but all I did was nod and head to the empty co-pilot seat.
“How much longer?” I asked Lakash.
“Ten minutes, sir.”
I grabbed my radio. “Eroqam, come in. This is Commandant Qaira Eltruan.”
“This is Eroqam; go ahead, Commandant.”
“Jam all signals across Crylle airwaves. Let me know when that’s complete.”
“Yes, sir.”
I switched channels. “Crylle communications tower, this is Commandant Qaira Eltruan of the Sanctum Enforcer Division. Come in, please.”
After a few moments, I heard, “Good evening, Commandant. This is General Akrah Kalesh. Are you ready for our troops?”
“Just about. We land in ten.”
“I’ll have them assemble near the northwestern gate.”
“Good. We’ll see you soon.”
I let the radio fall to my lap. Lakash glanced at me. “I don’t like that look,” he said.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
Lakash reached into his coat pocket and handed me a flask. I shot him a look that relayed my disapproval of drinking and flying, but accepted it nonetheless. “It helps with my nerves,” he explained. “I keep thinking about Tela.”
I watched the scenery, recalling the ambush on Eroqam. A migraine was slowly settling in, one of the many side-effects of long-term malay use. The light was making it worse. “It was my fault.”
“No it wasn’t. You couldn’t have known it was an ambush.” I handed him his flask and he took another gulp before putting it back into his coat. “I’m just glad I showed up late.”
“That isn’t funny.”
“I wasn’t trying to be funny.”
The clouds parted and the ramshackle rooftops of Crylle came into view; shacks and tents with only a few stone edifices, enclosed in a dome of chain mesh. The sky was guarded as well, since angels had wings. Like us.
The similarities in our appearance were a little overwhelming. Archaeans and Nehel hailed from different planets yet we looked identical, save for our eyes, hair and wing structure. The angels were pale skinned, with ice blonde hair and white wings. We were tanner-skinned, with dark hair and black wings. The Nehel had various shades of eye color, but I’d only ever seen blue eyes on angels. It was hard to tell them apart; they all looked the same to us.
Leid looked like us, too. She just didn’t have wings. It made me wonder how many other creatures there were across the galaxy, living similar lives on similar worlds. But then I remembered I was about to raid Crylle, so I returned my attention to the matter at hand.
As Lakash drew the craft into a slow descent, I caught a glimpse of soldiers aligned at the northwestern gate. Then I looked at my radio, frowning. Eroqam should have jammed Crylle’s signal by now. Soon the angels would see us, and without a jam they could alert their base ship.
“Eroqam, come in.”
“Interference is complete, sir.”
“About time.”
We landed two minutes later. As my Enforces exited to greet the Sanctum squadron, I moved to block Leid from leaving the craft.
“I want you to stay beside me at all times,” I said, while she peered up at me with an amused grin.
“Such is the terms of my contract.”
“I mean it. You could get killed.”
“I have faith that you’ll protect me, Qaira.”
“I can’t afford to protect you when I have fifty thousand hostile whites to worry about. When we get to the southwestern communications building, you will stay there. Even if I leave.”
Leid crossed her arms, the grin fading. “Fine. Can you get out of my way now?”
I moved aside and she exited the craft without another word. Her agreement had seemed disingenuous. Surprise, surprise.
I’d thought my only obligation to Leid’s contract was to take her advice, but it seemed like I was going to have to keep her from catching a bullet, too.
Only nine years and eleven months more to go.
* * *
The heat was killing me.
I’d been outside for thirty seconds and I was already about to die. Crylle was located on the highest layer of The Atrium, and it was scorching. The sun never set, not even at night, so it was like living in a furnace all day, every day. General Kalesh must have really pissed someone off to be stationed here. I couldn’t imagine anyone volunteering to guard Crylle.
My men stood in a line, facing the Sanctum militia. I walked to the front and shook Kalesh’s hand. “Thank you for your help,” I said.
“The pleasure is all mine, Commandant,” he respond. His gaze shifted to Leid and stayed there. It was unusual for a woman to be in a place like this, and she didn’t look like a soldier. “Who is that?”
“This is Leid Koseling,” I said, gesturing to her. “She’s my appointed advisor from the Eye of Akul.”
General Kalesh smiled, holding out his hand. “Crylle is no place for such a beautiful lady, Advisor Koseling.”
I rolled my eyes as Leid took his hand. She looked at the camp behind us, wearing a conflicted frown. “Crylle is no place for anyone, General.”
“I need a lock-down of the perimeter,” I said, trying to break them up. If Kalesh’s attention stayed on her, he might notice her eyes. Nehelians had thin, red rings around their irises, and Leid did not. She was usually able to hide them in the shadows of her hair, but we weren’t in Sanctum anymore.
Three Enforcers and thirty guards followed us as we made our way toward the communications building. Most of the whites ran the moment they saw us, although some stayed to watch us pass. They were frail with hunger, dirty and poverty-stricken. Piles of trash lined the streets, as if they’d used them to mark out a system of roads. Despite my feelings about the angels, Crylle was a little hard to swallow.
There was nothing we could do for them; we had our own societal ills to treat. I was just baffled that Commander Raith would let his people live like this. Even if they couldn’t find another sustainable planet, death seemed like a better option than Crylle.
“Qaira,” Leid called. I looked down at her. “Could you please radio Lieutenant Samay and tell him to bring the children to the communications building?”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain in due time; but not here, Commandant.”
I didn’t feel like arguing with her. “Alright.”
A couple of hours later, Lt. Samay herded in as many angel children as the Sanctum militia could find. Leid ordered my men to line them up and she walked through the rows, inspecting every filthy, tear-stained face. After looking over them, she shook her head, appearing disappointed.
I might have been sour about the time and resources that she was wasting, but the Enforcers hadn’t found anything in Crylle yet. I could faintly hear gunfire and screams from the window. The militia was heading our way with whites under suspicion. Something, finally.
Leid tugged on my arm. “Lt. Samay didn’t bring all of them.”
“What?”
“There are children that he missed. We need them all.”
I stared at her. “Who are you looking for, Advisor Koseling?”
Instead of answering me, she looked away and tapped her chin. She always did that whenever she was thinking. “Can I have the map of Crylle?”
I’d had about enoug
h of this. “I’m not giving you anything until you tell me what you’re doing.”
“Qaira, I can’t say it here.”
“Why not?”
“Can you please just give me that map so I can get us something out of your pointless raid?”
I felt my lip curl. “If you don’t shut up and back off, I’ll have you detained with the whites.”
At first Leid looked surprised, but then she smiled. “As you wish, Commandant.”
She slipped into the crowd, while my attention turned toward a group of guards marching the first wave of suspected insurgents through the door. I directed them to the vacated offices down the hall.
When I returned, I spotted Leid outside of the communications building, talking to several guards in front of a land craft.
My eyes narrowed, and I approached them.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, glancing at the map in Leid’s hand. How she’d gotten that, I didn’t know. Probably from one of the other Enforcers.
“They’re taking me to the Crylle Medical Facility,” she said.
“No, they’re not,” I said through my teeth, waving the guards away.
When we were alone I took a step toward her, eyes fierce. “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t leave the communications building?”
“I wouldn’t have to if you’d listen to me.”
“Maybe I would listen if you told me your plan.”
Leid surveyed our surroundings, making sure we were alone. “I’m looking for a boy.”
“… A boy.”
“Yes, an angel boy. He’s extremely valuable.”
“What’s so valuable about him?”
She opened her mouth to respond, but another group of guards moved through the doors. “Sir,” one of them addressed me, “should we begin the interrogations now?”
“Yes,” I said. “Make sure someone is recording them, too.”
When I looked back at Leid, I realized that I didn’t care to hear her story. I needed to be here, exacting my operation; not running around Crylle in search of a little white. “Come on, we’re going inside.”
“I’m going to the Medical Facility with or without you, Commandant,” Leid said, giving me a defiant frown.
The Antithesis- The Complete Pentalogy Page 27