Guided by Starlight

by Matt Levin

  Nadia narrowed her eyes, trying to make sense of that. She had about a dozen questions: who was making the rules, and did that mean Morris wasn’t in charge anymore? Why was contacting Isadora off-limits? Why had he reached out to Nadia? Those were the top three, at least.

  “Your colleague Russ Kama just arrived,” Morris said.

  That answered a few questions. If Russ was on Calimor, that meant trouble.

  “Apparently, the Union has dispatched two warships to our colony,” Morris continued. “Russ has recalled every major government figure back to Calimor. Isadora is still in transit, although we’re not sure if she’s even going to make it. I’m not sure what the rest of our people did to piss off the Union, but it worked.”

  Nadia took only a second to wonder about the source of the latest tension with the Union. She could guess pretty well without knowing the specifics. Ever since they had woken up, Russ had been constantly whispering all of his what ifs in Isadora’s ear—what if the Union is hostile? What if they’re manipulating us? What if they’re trying to thwart our settlement efforts?—so Nadia figured the Union prime minister had some similar catastrophizer on her shoulder.

  And that was all she needed to know. As long as people let their fear of a worst-case scenario guide them, all while convincing themselves that they were just doing the pragmatic or the reasonable thing, they’d end up creating it themselves. Mutual suspicion made conflict inevitable.

  “Russ has taken over the colony,” Morris said. “Since the approaching Union vessels are considered a security threat, and because Isadora hasn’t arrived yet, he’s saying everything is a defense matter. And since he’s the ranking defense official in our government, that means he’s in charge.”

  Morris looked down, chuckled, and raised his head once more. “So I guess what I’m saying is, I’m just some guy now. But I’m some guy who wants to see this colony survive and prosper. Russ is going to get us all killed.”

  Nadia was horrified, of course, but she also felt an edge of sweet relief. Was this what it felt like when someone else just...agreed with her? After spending her first few months in the system going toe-to-toe with Russ, and the next few months trying to make Boyd and Derek to get along, she had forgotten what you know what? You’re right, Nadia sounded like.

  “Russ has taken most everyone off their work shifts entirely. The rest are on mandatory half-days,” Morris continued. “That means the shipments we promised the Horde will dry up. And with the Union fleet on the move, they’ll blockade anything coming from the core worlds for sure.

  “And Russ’ plans for defense? Lunacy. I’ve seen some of the projections he’s been working on. It’s the most brutal calculus I’ve ever seen...they’re estimating that somewhere around 80% of the colonists might be killed in a protracted guerrilla war with the Union. I asked Russ what could possibly justify those kinds of losses. That’s when I got kicked out of my office for good,” Morris said with a dark laugh.

  Nadia’s pulse quickened, and her vision blurred at the edges as raw anger surged inside her. Russ was exactly the kind of person to throw away hundreds of lives in some idiotic, unnecessary war. Everything was always survival, survival, survival with him. Nadia had come to appreciate that leadership sometimes required hard choices, but Russ couldn’t even envision a better outcome.

  “Hopefully, Isadora arrives soon and talks some sense into him,” the projection of Morris continued. “But if not, I have no idea what to do. The militia is backing him. I know you have experience dealing with Russ that I don’t. So I’m asking you to come back. To do what, I don’t really know. Just something. Otherwise, I’m worried this settlement is gonna go back to looking like a ghost town.”

  The image of Morris fizzled and disappeared. Nadia, meanwhile, was having a hard time discerning whether it was anger or panic that was causing her stomach to churn.

  Anger, because she was so damn tired of dealing with people who had no qualms about throwing others’ lives away in service of their own egos. All wars were avoidable before inflated personalities got in the way. She should have realized just how dangerous Russ was a long time ago. Maybe she could have prepared Isadora better before she let Russ push everyone to the brink of war.

  Panic, because New Arcena was more than just an oddball mixture of plastics and steel and mesh. It represented hope, promise, opportunity. And in starting her people’s settlement project there, she had accepted some sense of responsibility for the colony’s survival. She resolved to save the colony from a suicidal war with the Union. Whatever it took.

  She raced back for the tents.

  Neither Boyd nor Derek had stirred. She approached Boyd’s tent first, shouting his name several times in succession. She pushed his sleeping form lightly through his tent’s mesh.

  “Nadia?” Boyd mumbled finally, rolling his head from side to side as he woke up.

  “We have to get back to Calimor,” Nadia said.

  “But we’re already on Calimor,” Boyd protested. He continued to blink rapidly.

  If the situation had been less dire, Nadia might have laughed. “We’ve been on Ikkren for well over a month, Boyd,” she said.

  “Right. Dream.” Boyd rubbed his temples and slowly sat up.

  Nadia turned to Derek’s tent and urged him awake as well. Derek was more sluggish than Boyd, unable to form so much as a sentence as Nadia rapidly outlined the situation. Derek nodded along as he gathered his belongings, although Nadia couldn’t be sure how much he was really comprehending.

  Her crewmates had packed up their tents and compressed them into their packs within five minutes. “New Arcena is in danger,” Nadia said, still not sure if either of them was fully awake. “It looks like the Union military is sending ships. And if we can’t find some way to broker peace, many of my people will die. I intend to stop the march to war.”

  Boyd and Derek exchanged tired glances.

  “Truthfully, I have no plan,” Nadia confessed. “I’m still trying to make sense of everything in my head. All I know is that I have to leave for Calimor right now. And try to figure something out in the week it’ll take to get there.

  “No matter what, it will be dangerous. We’ll be flying directly into a war zone. And I know this is probably the last thing either of you wanted when you agreed to join my crew. So I’m letting you know that I don’t expect either of you to go with me.”

  “Bull,” Boyd said fiercely. “After everything we went through to get New Arcena set up? I’m not letting it get destroyed.”

  “And I know the stakes,” Derek said, his voice still deep and scratchy from sleep. “I know what this means for my people. I won’t let us get isolated out here again. I’m with you.”

  Nadia almost launched into another round of explaining why it was okay for them to leave before it hit her that both of them had agreed to stay on. “I...well, thanks,” she said. “But by leave right now, I really do mean right now.”

  “I’ll make sure the ship’s ready for immediate departure,” Boyd said, heading toward the Exemplar.

  “And I’ll get strapped in at the pilot’s station,” Derek said, falling into step behind Boyd. The two men slapped each other’s backs as they headed for the ship.

  Nadia stayed rooted for another few seconds, still surprised that both Boyd and Derek had agreed to accompany her on what she knew, logically, was probably some colossally stupid and hopeless crusade. She half expected them to come to their senses once they were fully awake and demand to be dropped off at the nearest settlement.

  But both of them continued marching toward the ship. Their ship.

  Nadia resolved not to question her luck and follow suit. She had no idea what they’d find when they made it to Calimor. It might still come to nothing. But at least she’d be going in alongside friends.

  CHAPTER 36

  * * *

  Even in the middle of crises, it was important to maintain a sense of order and decorum. That philosophy had been drilled into Russ his
whole life. So even as Union warships were bearing down on New Arcena and the colonists were spending their days in an unending series of combat drills and maneuvers, it was important to him to marshal an official welcome for Isadora.

  After five sleepless days of Russ running the colony all by himself, they had finally picked up the impending arrival of a commercial spaceliner a few hours ago. Probably one of the last ones to make it to Calimor before the Union set up a blockade. Once the transport had made planetfall, Isadora had finally broken the communications blackout Russ had instituted to let them know that she was on her way, and that Riley was with her.

  Just before the shooting starts, Russ thought grimly as he stood at the head of a small assembly line of militia recruits. Most of them were EDF reservists, not even full soldiers. But they still looked smart in the red-and-orange combat armor they had gotten from the Syndicate. Perfect camouflage against the backdrop of Calimor’s deserts.

  Russ took position at the head of one of the two lines. He straightened his back and crossed his hands behind him. Everyone else followed suit.

  The shuttle craft they had sent to pick up Isadora and Riley flew into the hangar, stuttered its engines, and came to a halt on the floor. Half a minute later, the shuttle door opened and Isadora walked out. Everyone saluted. Riley’s head popped out behind Isadora, and sweet relief coursed through Russ’ body. Having his closest comrade-in-arms—his friend—back by his side gave him strength.

  Isadora’s eyes looked frantic, as though she had been without adequate sleep for a while and was running purely on adrenaline. “Thank you,” she said at last.

  Riley snuck a glance at Russ and stifled a grin. This had clearly been the first time Isadora had gotten a military reception.

  Russ inched his head over and mouthed the words at ease to her.

  “Right. Yes. At ease,” Isadora said with a note of gratitude in her tone, returning the salute. The troops dropped their rigid postures and broke formation. While Isadora worked her way down the line, shaking everyone’s hands, Riley caught up with Russ.

  He felt like he had too many things to say to her—gratitude for keeping Isadora safe, relief to be working alongside her again, and sorrow for putting her back into a war zone—that he didn’t know where to begin.

  Riley, on the other hand, got straight to the point. “Are you okay, sir? That vein on your forehead looks like it’s about to rip through the skin.” She had a deeper look of concern painted on her face than he had ever seen before.

  “I’m fine,” Russ muttered wearily. “Just stressed. There’s been so much to do.”

  Riley furrowed her brow. “We went down on a crashing gunship and nearly died in the middle of the Zoledo desert. I’ve seen you stressed before. This is worse.”

  “I’m fine!” Russ growled, his voice coming out harsher than he had intended. Riley looked genuinely wounded, and Russ softened immediately. “I’m sorry,” he said, looking at his feet. “I need to speak with Isadora. Can you take over for me and coordinate the training drills?”

  “Okay,” Riley said quietly. “I’ll go to the militia office.” She gave him one more worried look, moved down the line of soldiers, and headed out into the rest of the complex.

  Russ caught up with Isadora after she had finished talking to the other soldiers. “Our current projections show that the Union warships will be here in just a couple of days,” he said. “We’ve been performing around-the-clock drills and maneuvers ever since I got here. I can’t say we’re in a good position, but we’re as prepared as we can be.”

  “What about everyone else?” Isadora said. “I know we pulled everyone off of Obrigan, but what about the Preserver...or Nadia and her team?”

  “The Union hasn’t made any moves against the Preserver,” Russ said. “We should be concerned about the vessel, but right now, defending this settlement has to take priority. As for Nadia, she hasn’t gotten in touch. As far as we know, she’s still on Ikkren.”

  Russ had been afraid that Nadia would break the communications blackout, immediately giving away Isadora’s position to any half-competent Union intelligence officer. Her showing restraint for once sparked a surprising amount of gratitude from Russ.

  “Oh, and one more thing: your chief diplomat made it here a few days ago,” Russ added.

  “Katrina?” Isadora said, arching an eyebrow. “I’d love to have seen that encounter.”

  Almost as soon as Katrina Lanzic had arrived, she began trying to boss everyone around. She had given Russ an earful about trying to fight an unwinnable war—a suicidal venture, in her words—against the Union. And then she had claimed that she deserved to be in charge while Isadora was still in transit.

  Russ had tried hard not to laugh. The militia was loyal and backed him. Katrina had found out the hard way that political power grew out of the barrel of a gun. She had quieted down when she realized the colonists weren’t about to let her take over, but Russ didn’t appreciate her silent brooding. Still, that wasn’t even making his top ten list of worries at the moment.

  “Katrina and I had...a number of philosophical disagreements,” Russ said, wincing.

  “I’m glad she finally found someone else to argue with besides me,” Isadora said with a small grin.

  The two of them arrived at the mayor’s office, now vacated since Russ kicked Morris Oxatur out. Unlike Katrina, Morris had accepted Russ’ takeover of the settlement. He hadn’t even made a fuss when Russ requisitioned his office.

  But now that Isadora was here, he wanted her to have the office. And even if it was just something small, having Isadora back in her natural leadership role could help rally the troops. Order and decorum, all the way down.

  Isadora’s eyes looked tired, but not droopy. It was a look Russ had seen plenty of times: the slaphappy stage of sleep deprivation. “Sorry if I’m a little slow to process all this,” Isadora said. “I’ve never been able to sleep that well on commercial transports.”

  There was something else she wasn’t saying, Russ could tell. Isadora had been brought out of cryo to negotiate with the Union. That had morphed into her larger role, of somehow managing one of the largest resettlement efforts in human history. Which had now put their people on a collision course with the Union. Isadora was never meant to be in this situation at all. Even less was she meant to be a wartime leader.

  He could see that sad realization in her pupils, or in the way her shoulders seemed to slump more than he had remembered. And yet she bore it all and kept forging ahead. Still a damn good pick, he thought. He’d have to pay his compliments to the Preserver’s computer someday.

  Isadora sat down and started going through a number of files on the desk console. That was different. Russ had a hard time picturing the Isadora he knew having the presumption to immediately settle into an office that wasn’t hers, technically. Apparently she had done a lot of growing into the role. She’d also developed an edge of firmness to her voice that only made Russ respect her all the more. But even if Isadora was different than how Russ remembered, she still wasn’t ready for this. Then again, none of them were.

  The first file Isadora pulled up was the casualty estimates Russ had been working on for the past few days. He couldn’t have blamed Isadora if her eyes went wide as she read his estimates. Instead, her body just went still. “80%?” she asked in a deathly quiet voice.

  “There’s no way we can beat the Union head-to-head,” Russ said, launching into his briefing. “We have to outlast their will to fight. And based on my analysis, that isn’t indefinite. Tricia’s been incredibly cautious ever since the war with the Horde. I don’t feel a never-ending campaign is her style. At least, not anymore.

  “But that means a war of attrition. And those tend to get bloody. But we’re fighting on home turf, and everyone knows the stakes. The Union troops are far from home, and they’ll be going in blind.”

  “80%,” Isadora continued in disbelief. “That practically undoes everything we’ve accomplished.”
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  “But we’ll survive,” Russ countered. “We can always bring more out of cryo.”

  Of course it sounded callous. He knew that. But he also knew that there was no avoiding it. He had always known it would come down to this. Maybe not the reasons—he couldn’t have predicted that violent Offspring radicals had compromised the Union government—but part of him always knew it would come to blows. He felt a pang of regret that he hadn’t prepared Isadora better for this inevitability.

  But he had given them a fighting shot. Without the work he and Riley had done on Zoledo, they’d be completely defenseless. And without ensuring that a good portion of the colonial population were military, they’d have no fighting know-how in the face of the Union war machine.

  “We’ve been doing drills around the clock,” Russ said, as Isadora continued to stare in silence at the casualty estimates. “Our people are prepared.”

  “And what if they just nuke us from orbit?” Isadora said. “What’s to say they won’t ignore their no-first-use doctrine, and that our casualty rate won’t just be a full 100%?”

  “Even ignoring their laws on the use of nuclear weapons, wars are fought over strategic objectives,” Russ said. “They wouldn't want to destroy the spice plantations. Not while they could still profit off of them. Their strategy probably revolves around a mixture of targeted artillery strikes and sending in teams on foot. That’s where we can gain an advantage.

  “This colony is capable of quickly containing hull integrity breaches, since the air outside isn’t breathable,” he continued. “Our technicians can throw up energy barriers to guide Union assault teams into the subterranean tunnels. And our people can ambush them there.”

  Isadora hardly looked any more comfortable. “I respected your communications blackout policy while in transit, but why not get in touch with Tricia Favan now?” she said. “Maybe she and I can negotiate, find a way out of this mess. So no one has to die. If we get caught in an escalation spiral with the Union, they might even threaten the Preserver. No matter what they’re doing right now.”