“Any news?” Neffy asked, looking up from his holo.
Ally looked blank.
She couldn’t possibly tell him what she’d just been doing. Her mind raced, looking for a plausible cover story or distraction.
Neffy continued, “Any word on the big love story? Xena and Haafiz? Is it a tragedy for the ages, or just some nonsense he was peddling?”
Ally breathed a sigh of relief. That was close.
“Ah…I’m not sure yet,” she said, opening a new holoscreen to continue the investigation, “I should have something soon though.” She turned her eyes back to the screens to make it look like she was working. She couldn’t focus.
If Drewdonia didn’t make their strike soon, she would be deactivated. If Neffy interfered again, she would be deactivated. That means dead. But Neffy would be in danger too. Ally wondered what other agents this puppeteer had doing his bidding in the ranks of either the Drewdonians or the Atlantians. She wondered what he might threaten them with. It could be anything. These people had families, loved ones. Careers and reputations they cared about. Any one of them could be leveraged to destroy that prototype. Any one of them could be getting orders right now to take the two Peacekeepers out, so that this prototype would remain a secret.
But what was it about the prototype that was so important? Why did this powerful shadow want so much for this device to be destroyed? And why didn’t he find a simpler way of getting rid of it, if he really was as powerful as he was making himself out to be? Ally’s mind churned over the possibilities, trying to work out who might have a motive for eliminating this thing. If she could understand the motive, she might be able to find out who was behind these threats.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Teleport is ready whenever we are,” Neffy informed Ally as he strode into the warm little room that seemed to have become their office during their stay on New Atlantia. They had spent hours here, investigating and running down leads. Neffy had had another communication with Haafiz about their visit to his ship. Things seemed to be moving forward.
“Great. I think I’ve found something.” Ally looked up from her holo, pleased to finally have something to report to Neffy. Relieved to have a distraction from the secret dilemma she faced.
Neffy went to sit down opposite her and grabbed the mug sitting on the other side of the table. Easing back into the chair, he put the mug up to his lips to drink, but then, realizing it was empty, he set it back down.
“I was just checking for any changes over the last three months, seeing if there was any indication of transmissions that were anomalous or might give us an idea about this engineer we’ve been trying to track down. While I was scanning traffic, I noticed that there was an influx of Goliath Industries cargo ships in and out. That gave me the idea of checking the logs…”
Ally swiped across another holodoc and then spun it around and flicked it forward to Neffy so he could see.
“Looks like there has been an uptick in Vipassana devices to the colony. I went back a few years, and this uptick only started in the last month or so. The orders were placed about two months prior to delivery.”
Neffy listened intently. Vipassanators induced altered states of consciousness and helped to eliminate irrational fear. They helped people mature and evolve as human beings, in directions more aligned with the Federation’s goals. A sudden interest in these devices could indicate the need to regulate high levels of conflict or aggression in society – but why?
“These devices aren’t cheap. In fact, for a new colony they represent a huge commitment of financial resources they probably don’t have,” Ally continued.
“You think this has something to do with our missing engineer?” Neffy asked as he studied the log on the holo screen.
“Maybe. But maybe it shows that something else is going on. Why would Drewdonia suddenly start importing so many of these machines? Surely, at this point, they have more need for agricultural and terraforming equipment…”
Neffy nodded, “Something else we can ask Commander Haafiz on our visit.”
He yawned, suddenly realizing how tired he was.
“How many hours has it been since you slept?” asked Ally.
Neffy looked up at the ceiling as he estimated how long it had been since he’d gotten up that morning on T3. The nap in hyperspace wasn’t really a nap. He’d barely dozed. “About 32,” he admitted.
“You need to get more sleep. You’re going to miss something.” Ally started to sound a little like a concerned mother, and a lot like a colleague who knew her life was riding on Neffy’s ability to respond effectively.
As usual, Neffy just wasn’t listening.
“I know. I’ll sleep when we get to the bottom of this. We’re up against the clock until we can find enough evidence that either the Drewdonians have fabricated the existence of this prototype, or we can say categorically that the Federation can step in and deal with whatever the Atlantians have been up to. It’s all down to us right now.”
He never took care of himself when they were on a case, a fact that had often concerned her before. It terrified her now. He didn’t know it, but his insistence on working himself into a breakdown could get her killed – or push her into a corner where her only choice was to kill or be killed. The sense that he was putting her in a position was making her more and more angry at him.
Ally looked at him. “And if you make a mistake at this stage?”
“Look, there isn’t an alternative right now. What am I going to do? Sleep while the two colonies are pointing weapons at each other, threatening mutual destruction?” Neffy was getting irritable. He knew it. But he had to get this to a certain point before he could rest.
Ally wasn’t buying the excuses.
“They’re standing down right now. You have a few hours. Plus…I don’t think that Trent’s involvement is helping you to read this situation clearly. Whatever has happened between you two is affecting your judgment.” Ally paused, contemplating whether to continue or not. She decided she needed to say it.
“I’ve been watching the way you’ve been weighing the information, especially since he messaged you.”
Neffy felt instantly defensive. And a little betrayed. Ally had been monitoring his responses without his permission or knowledge. This, it seemed, was one of the problems of having a best friend who was rigged up as a lie detector with enhanced investigative abilities. Thing was, she was also his partner, and she needed to trust him to do his job. He’d graduated at the top of his class from the Academy and repeatedly proven himself in the field. He knew what he was doing. Why was Ally suddenly questioning his judgment?
“What’s this really about?” he asked, looking directly at Ally, allowing the holoscreen to dematerialize.
“Nothing. I’m just concerned about your judgment.” Ally wondered if Neffy suspected something. She had to make sure that he did not.
She needed a way to get him out of here, or to give the Drewdonians a chance to act without Neffy interfering. If she could get Neffy to take some downtime or agree to bring in some backup, she might have half a chance of getting him away from the operations deck long enough for tensions to erupt.
“It’s just…it seems that Trent is doing a number on your head, and too much is at stake to let his opinions cloud your judgment out here in the field. Sure, he has agents everywhere feeding him information, but he’s not here on the ground like us. He’s in a nice safe office back on T3. Plus, he doesn’t know what you know. You just need some time to get some rest, and some distance on all of this.”
Good recovery, she thought to herself. She hoped pushing the Trent angle might also distract Neffy from any suspicion of an ulterior motive on her part.
But then, maybe she should tell Neffy what was really going on. Neffy could help. And it would remove any possibility of being forced to kill him. Maybe, just maybe, he might be able to find a way to have her backed up so this lunatic didn’t end up killing her.
Okay. Time to co
me clean, decided Ally.
“Neff…” she began, trying to decide which piece to tell him first.
Neffy was overwhelmed though. And distracted. He wasn’t used to Ally reacting like this. Ally had never questioned him like this before. Not this strongly. He felt exhausted and attacked in equal measure. He knew he could figure this out, he just needed a bit more time.
“It’s nothing to do with Trent,” he said, interrupting Ally’s near-confession. Feeling criticized, he fell back on a speech about the importance of their mission. “I just want to do a good job. We have the opportunity to make history here. T3 has improved so much since the dark times, when humans fought constant wars and plundered the resources of the planet without any concern for the future. The colonies still have a lot of catching up to do, but they look up to us to set a good example, something to aspire to. Even a colony as primitive as Drewdonia, a society that will need decades to continue their terraforming operations and become independent of resource shipments from Sol – they need us, too. We’re partly responsible for helping them mature to T3’s level.”
Ally saw that this was the wrong time to pile another thing on him. Neffy was a mess from lack of sleep. Better to wait till later, when he’s had some rest, she concluded. She felt relieved that she was off the hook for telling him, but also felt anxious knowing she still had to bear this awful secret on her own.
“I know,” Ally responded, flipping dutifully into best-friend mode, “but what is this hold he has over you? Why are you willing to risk not just your own health, but the fate of the galaxy to impress this one man?”
Neffy didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His brain was overwhelmed, and the fog of exhaustion made it too hard for him to think clearly.
“You’ve been different since you had some time off,” said Ally, “and I know it’s not just because of what happened on Alpha Base, or lying on the report. What exactly happened with you and Trent?”
Neffy took a breath.
“Whatever discussion happened with me and Trent is done. It’s over. And it had nothing to do with what’s going on here and now, nothing to do with what’s important here. What affects these two colonies affects the whole galaxy. And I think there is more going on than just a conflict between Haafiz and Xena. There’s something important going down and we’re missing it.”
Ally interrupted, her voice tense, and more elevated than a synthetic voice box would normally produce.
“You’re wrong, Neffy. This is personal for you. You haven’t slept. You’re exhausted. You’re nearly burned out and you’re so focused on the result you want that you’re becoming blind to the information in front of you. I mean, what is your gut telling you about these two? What’s your gut telling you about the prototype? It’s not telling you anything. Because your head isn't in the game and you don't know which way is up!”
Neffy sat silently. He finally seemed to be relenting to Ally’s argument.
“This isn’t the Neffy I know,” Ally continued more gently, “It’s not the Neffy who consistently hits his mark. It’s certainly not the Neffy that Trent put in the field a matter of hours ago. So I’m asking you…please. Take a break. Get some rest. Or let’s get someone else in here to double check our moves. Because you’re right – these colonies depend on our skills. A lot of lives depend on our skills. Our own lives included. When you run around like you’re invincible, you forget all about that.”
“What happens here is important,” he agreed, his voice breaking a little with emotion, “The peace and wellbeing of these two colonies does affect the whole galaxy – and the Federation’s credibility to police it. And what’s more…if that prototype exists and has the potential to do serious damage, it’s the Federation’s responsibility to deal with it. And if they can’t, then they will be replaced by whoever can show they have the strength to do it. It’s a tough job. Not everyone can make the tough calls, but the cost of not keeping the peace is just too high for any one establishment, any one system of governance to…”
Neffy was losing the thread of what he wanted to say.
“You need rest,” concluded Ally, “At the very least…”
She didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence.
The words were lost as the high alert siren started up again. This time it seemed louder and more intrusive than before. The insistent beeping signaled a code red. The lights in their room flicked to a flashing scarlet as the consoles brightened.
Neffy sat up and wiped at his face again. He took a sharp breath to pull himself together. “The Drewdonians must have locked their weapons on us again!” He jumped to his feet and headed briskly for the door.
The pair went out into the corridor, Neffy carrying the weight of the world, and Ally right behind him carrying the increasingly heavy load of the secret she desperately needed to share.
“Status report,” demanded Neffy as he joined Xena and the operations team by the main viewer in the operations hall. The hall was alive with panic. Neffy could sense the fear in the officials and techs alike. None of them had been in a situation like this before. They’d done the drills, but that could never come close to the real thing. He pitied them, despite being at ground zero himself. He was used to the tension, the uncertainty. Plus, he had more than a few plays left if he could get a line through to Haafiz.
Not thinking to question Neffy’s authority, one of the operators behind him obliged. “The Aegelweard has locked on to this building again. Weapons at full capacity.”
Another operator at a second console was reporting on the ground to space weapons. “Target in range in 5, 4, 3…”
“On my mark…” Xena’s voice came from behind Neffy in the other direction. Neffy turned to face her. He’d walked into a situation that was in full play already, and the Atlantians had defaulted toward defending themselves at any cost.
Neffy held his hand up “No – stand down! I have new intelligence. You need to stand down!”
Xena hesitated.
“One. Target in range.” The operator sounded uncertain, not knowing whether they were going to get the order to stand down or not.
“We need to talk,” Neffy said firmly, challenging Xena to defy his authority. He didn't have a game plan. He just knew he had to stop the New Atlantians from firing no matter what.
“Sir, do we have permission to fire?” The woman in the console behind Neffy had turned to look at her commander, and saw the stand-off in play between Neffy and Xena.
Hearing her orders being challenged reawakened the doubts Xena had been pushing aside. If she fired, she would essentially be destroying a whole crew of 500-something people, and would probably spark a full scale war between the two colonies. No one wanted that on their conscience. Up until this moment, she had never even considered the consequences, only her duty. But seeing Neffy there, so sure, so adamant, so compelling in his certainty…she welcomed the option to surrender control.
Neffy gave her the final nudge she needed to just let go. “There is something you need to know before you take that ship out,” he said.
Xena started to speak, hesitated, and then gave the order to stand down. “No – stand down,” she said, “Do you hear me? Abort! Abort!”
“Aborting. Standing down missiles,” the woman said, acknowledging the order.
The operations room was still on high alert as Neffy gave the order to get Haafiz on the holo.
“The Aegelweard is still locked on,” reported someone from the console off to the right. Xena, on hearing this, glared at Neffy, as if resentful that he had stopped her from firing. Secretly she was relieved, but she felt obliged to keep up the performance.
Neffy nodded to her, acknowledging the issue with the Aegelweard, and prepared himself, squaring up to the holo viewer.
The holo transmission opened up with a rather frustrated looking Commander on the screen.
“Commander Haafiz,” Neffy greeted him, “I thought we had an understanding?”
He waited for his
response.
“We did. Until we got a lock on the tracker we had installed on the prototype before it was stolen.”
Neffy glanced at Xena to see if there was any reaction. Nothing. He hoped that Ally was watching her because he really wanted to watch the playback of Xena’s expressions during this conversation.
Perhaps Xena wasn’t involved in whatever was going on, but it was certainly starting to look likely that the New Atlantians were not the victims they had claimed to be. Neffy watched Xena for as long as he could, still not knowing what his gut was telling him.
He hoped that he wouldn’t be forced to save the New Atlantians from themselves.
Neffy adapted to the new development. “Thank you, Commander, that is helpful intel.” Neffy needed to demonstrate that he wasn’t here to take sides, but rather to resolve the issue swiftly and fairly. “Tell me, where have you tracked it to?”
“It was in the city about an hour ago. Now it’s moving westward, out of the built-up area, toward an outpost about 50 clicks north-west.” Haafiz was clearly pleased he was being heard. If the Federation was on his side, at least he had some possibility of either retrieving the technology or making sure the Atlantians didn’t get it.
“Right. Any other data? Can you see who has it and how it’s being transported?” Neffy asked.
“Negative. We’re working on getting a camera into position. Our sensors haven’t been able to reach the resolution we need to see anything useful,” He suddenly closed his mouth, probably because he had just realized that he was potentially disclosing operationally sensitive information to his enemy. Haafiz thought for a moment and then went on, “I think this conversation should be continued privately. It might be time for you to come aboard.”
This was a good indicator. If he was open to having them on board now, he clearly trusted that they would do the right thing.
“Agreed,” Neffy responded hopefully, “can you stand down your weapons, though? The Atlantians have removed their lock on your ship, even though you locked onto them initially. If we’re aboard the Aegelweard they are very unlikely to lock on again, particularly if there is no immediate threat from your ship.”
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