by Rick Royster
Winter had the look of a gorgeous Nordic mermaid with form-fitting battle armor and a cartel of deadly weapons.
"I work better alone, and we just saw what a team you put together can accomplish," Cayden said, trying not to glare at his superiors.
"You led that team; that failure is all yours, and this isn't your call, cowboy. Out of respect, I'm letting you get back on the horse to try and clean up your mess. But General Dak can take the lead on this if you don't want it," General Chertoff said. "Your call. Make it quick."
Cayden would pick a better time to fight, and instead nodded affirmatively.
Rhys and Winter saluted the General and Cayden.
"At ease." General Chertoff saluted them and left the room with General Chiang in tow.
Rhys approached Cayden, tipped his shades, and pulled his toothpick out of his mouth. "Compadre, let me tell you, I don't care for you much either."
Rhys centered his shades and walked past him, hugging Scanner. Winter approached Cayden and smiled. "Making nice already, I see."
Cayden was silent, and uncharacteristically glanced down at her feet.
"What is it?" Winter asked.
"What happened between us was a mistake. You shouldn't be on this mission," Cayden said.
Winter clenched her fist and her nostrils flared. "What? How dare you. I'm a soldier. I have a job to do, a duty. Just like you." She pointed toward his chest.
"Just know this isn't a honeymoon," Cayden said.
Winter glanced over to Rhys and Scanner, making sure they couldn't hear her before she got in Cayden’s face. "You certainly are full of yourself, unbelievable."
She flicked her hand toward him.
"I want you to understand; when we're out there, if it comes down to you or our mission, I will choose our mission every time. You need to have it in your mind to do the same."
Winter stared him in the eyes. "I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."
Cayden watched her turn and walk away from him. He thought maybe he should apologize.
Scanner cast a stone stare while drinking her coffee and shaking her head disapprovingly.
Cayden walked into General Chertoff's office unannounced. The General was seated behind his desk; another man, a Desani named Tao-Tzu, was dressed in white and blue armor. Tao-Tzu stood with his hands behind his back. He had jet-black hair, a strong jawline, and steel forearms from years of hand-to-hand combat training. The General stood and walked around his desk and up to Cayden.
"Come right on in, Commander," Chertoff said, taking a peek at the other man.
Cayden folded his arms and turned his stare toward the General. "What's really on the Cube?"
"That's classified, Commander," Chertoff responded.
Cayden’s jaws tightened. "Do you realize who you are talking to?"
"Yes. And my insignia still reads General. I will be respected as such. I point, you shoot, that's how this works."
Cayden took a step toward him and the General held his ground. "I'm not your personal killing machine and there is nothing classified beyond my rank."
General Chertoff smiled. "This time, Commander, there is. Scanner - our defense secretary and your sister - and Tao-Tzu - your mentor - thought it best you didn't know."
Tao-Tzu lowered his head and averted his eyes, and after a moment of staring at the wall, he turned to face Cayden's hostile glare. "Forgive me, I meant no slight. We thought it best if we didn't burden you with the enormity of the importance of this mission."
Cayden's scowl began to recede. He took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders.
"With all due respect, Commander," The General said, "If it came down to my life, your life or even Tao-Tzu's life or capturing that Cube, I'd choose the Cube."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Normal is an illusion, what is normal to the spider is absolute chaos to the fly.
― Charles Addams
She heard it all before.
Thief. Saboteur. Spy, Murderer… and those were just a few names of the names she earned when she was working with the good guys.
Gold fire burned bright from the quad engines of the Venom-1 as it cruised through the sky on a brisk cool evening, in the imperial city of Region Seven. Two Global Union fighter jets, Gladiator-class, trailed in close proximity.
Sateria Ritch's shuttle pitched and rolled as it entered GU airspace, riding the waves of white clouds tossed by swirling winds.
The ship’s suspensions and anti-gravity stabilizers maintained the interior’s balance, but Sateria continued to breathe through her nose to try and maintain her own equanimity.
The visor on her helmet slid up and despite the cold air, sweat covered the top of her brow. She could see just fine from her helmet cam, but up here, she wanted to lay her eyes unencumbered on the imperial city.
The shuttle slid beneath the clouds and she shifted in her chair and clenched her jaw as the pressurization in the cabin started with a slight hum and warming of the air.
She leaned forward and her body tingled in amazement.
"Incredible," she murmured.
Reading about a city having a hundred million people and seeing it in person were two totally different things.
In the distance, Sateria could see the United Federation of Globalized States headquarters; its super-structure towered high above the cityscape.
As her shuttle moved closer, Sateria could make out the unique details of the city’s construction. The foundation was layered like a castle, several large buildings forming a pentagram around it.
Like a sea of crimson and gold, several thousand imperial legionnaires stood guard around the Global Union headquarters.
They were the fiercest warriors, cyber-humanism perfected. They had superhuman strength and their artificial brains operated with computer-like efficiency. They were created to serve the Potentate Annulus Aurelius and the Global Union and obeyed his every command.
Everything about Region Seven was grand and extravagant but the Imperial Palace dominated the skyline. A large fire-breathing statue of the Potentate stood centermost, and on the grounds, Sateria could see vast gardens, open plazas and columns, and small buildings that served as dorms, hangar bays and military command quarters.
A circular blue light on the ship’s command panel lit up and Sateria tapped the comm button.
"Report to landing area three," a cold voice said through the intercom.
The call was similar to a dark cloud hovering over her and dousing her with a chilling rain.
It was a sudden reminder of why she was here. Well, the why was still a mystery but the for whom was what left her dizzy with weakened legs and chest pains.
She was here to meet Imperial High Command General Saigo Takimora, rumored to be an Angel, an interdimensional being from another sphere. He had the powers of a sorcerer, could move objects by thought alone, and shoot energy from his hands.
She knew better than most that the rumors were true.
She chastised herself for her fear and over-active imagination; now was not the time.
Her ship swept toward the landing area and began its slow descent. The two Gladiator fighters closed to attack position and her radar beeped in alarm to let her know her ship had been locked on and was in imminent danger. She had been given clearance, but that didn't stop her heart from thumping against her ribcage. It wouldn't be beyond the Global Union to blow her out of the sky as some sort of demonstration of punishment for those that dared to not follow orders.
Being an invited guest of the Imperial High Command General didn't ease her mind or provide much comfort; the Gladiators’ weapons were still hot and had her shuttle locked by their heatseeking missiles. Any novel feelings of her being a treasured visitor quickly eroded.
She'd just been released – rather, taken from prison - without any word as to why.
She was three years into a life sentence for treason and was given her old fighter ship with a ton of modified upgrades, along with her battle armor and
weapons. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed in the leather cockpit chair as she allowed the ship’s navigational computer to begin the landing.
She blew a huge sigh of relief when she landed; several Global Union soldiers surrounded her ship.
Unfastening her seatbelt, she stood and stretched her arms, then walked from her cockpit down to the exit door and tapped the button; the ramp slid open and she stepped off.
Two hulking Global Union Imperial Knights awaited, their weapons drawn to their sides and we'll kill you without thinking expressions on their faces.
The lead clone was the size of a grizzly bred for combat, with blood-red armor that wouldn't fold if run over by tank tracks, and a jarring countenance that reeked of malevolence; it was a face fit for a Caesar, black hair and dark eyes dead as stones, and so cold they made your bones quiver.
One moved toward her and roughly pulled her hands in front of her, slapping on the cuffs. A red energy beam ignited, forming a chain between the cuffs.
Sateria was a former Global Union espionage agent and bounty hunter who had spent the majority of her adult life following the Federation's rules, because she knew that within the GU's bureaucracy, not following the rules could result in swift and immediate termination.
She knew from experience the rules were to be followed without question; when an agent or soldier disobeyed, GU forces had been known to destroy their entire family and their family's family as a result of their rebellious behavior, and if a person somehow escaped the long and powerful reach of the Imperial Knights, then death squads and bounty hunters, people like herself, would hunt them down every waking moment for the rest of their lives.
She had looked into the eyes of many of her peers, seen them on their knees begging for mercy. Now she was on the other side of their brutality.
Sateria expected to feel increased tension as she began her walk toward the General's command quarters. Instead, a calm washed over her.
She looked down and checked out her metal-clad white armor; the suit was made of a lightweight astro-weave and titanium silk. She had a left-wrist-mounted rocket launcher that could stop a tank, and twin-propelled jet boosters on her heels that could vault her fifty feet in the air. She carried two BlasTech 45 laser pistols, wrist-mounted grappling hooks, double wrist blades and an electromagnetic device in her gloves that allowed her to attract her weapons like magnets from short distances.
She glanced at her reflection off a marbled wall, saw a smooth honey-like complexion, silky black hair and exotic green eyes; she was the type of woman physically, that upon seeing her, it made men drop to their knees and thank God they were male.
Seeking the attention of the broad-shouldered Imperial Knight that walked to her left, she cleared her throat. "Hey, big guy, I'm sure you are dying to give me a heads-up on what this is all about?" She watched as he took a few steps before slightly turning his head, giving her a side-eye and keeping on moving forward.
She'd never heard of a Global Union soldier joking, laughing or smiling. The Global Union scientists who designed them swore it was possible, as they all had unique gifts and personalities. Maybe she just wasn't that funny? She decided against pressing the issue; the Knights were known to snap, and had an unnatural bloodlust about them. They loved to fight, they loved to kill.
She knew she was still alive for only one reason; she was one of the world's foremost bounty hunters inside the Global Union. She was a legend - espionage, assassinations, kidnappings.
She was the best.
The soldiers marched her through the maze inside the imperial headquarters, sweeping through several well-designed and high-tech halls and corridors.
She glanced up at the upper level where there were dozens of host rooms accommodating world leaders and diplomats. They had the finest chefs and restaurants on that level, and also the finest clones. She observed the clones of several pop singers and sex stars, even a few of the world’s foremost athletes. Entertainers could make a fortune off being cloned and training their Iteration with their unique gifts.
For special guests, they even had unclassified clones of people and stars long dead. Gladiatorial combat between history’s best fighters was often arranged. Their clones, fully grown and trained in their disciplines, were available for entertainment.
As the Imperial Knights approached, a large steel door slid up, then two more slid apart. It led to the General's command room and was immaculate. It had a view of the city, holographic monitors and an army of super computers, and the outer surface of the floor was marble.
Saigo stood in silence looking at a digital holographic map, a globe of the earth floating behind him in the room’s center. The room’s middle had a clear glass floor and its borders were marbled checkerboard. Beneath the surface was an aquarium tank with three large great whites, the man-eaters, roaming the waters underneath.
Saigo had his back to her, his long black hair in its usual ponytail. He was also dressed in all white from head to toe, save for traces of gold and crimson here and there.
He turned and walked toward her. His posture was perfect, chin up and shoulders squared, and he carried an air and confidence about him that would make him attractive even without his model-like features. He was long-muscled and wide-shouldered, and walked from the waist down, as if the floor moved to accommodate him.
A face so beautiful it might be considered effeminate surmounted Saigo's lean muscular body. Unlike most Western mythologies, the Japanese had a history of such men being heroes.
He glanced at her. "I have another mission for you," Saigo said.
Saigo’s eyes lit with a soft red glow and with a low wave of his right hand, Sateria's restraints – the iron cuffs – separated and clanged to the ground.
Sateria rubbed her wrists together. Her arms felt weightless now. She was no Desani but could feel the swirl of energy and power that radiated off of him.
"Consider me impressed. I'd be even more so if you could make my life sentence go away," Sateria said, peering at him like a mongoose does a cobra, with equal parts fear and fascination.
She reminded herself that she needed to be careful; he was a living demon, one that could cast spells and overtake your mind. She wouldn't show fear, but one slip of the tongue and she could be dead before she knew she was being attacked.
"Leave us." Saigo waved his hand in dismissal at the Imperial Knights.
They stood motionless for a moment, then eyed each other.
"I won't ask again."
The soldier's faces battled conflicting orders; never under any circumstances leave the General unguarded and never disobey a direct command, both treasonous and punishable by death. For a moment, their intransigent programming made them stand firm. They must have surmised being executed later was better than them being executed right now. Begrudgingly and with eyes squarely on Sateria, they exited the room. "Thine will be done, my lord," they said in unison.
They bowed and the doors slid shut behind them.
Sateria eyed him, noted Saigo’s eyes were still on the door the soldiers just left from. They were cybernetic Iterations, cloned from an exceptional human specimen. They took the host body and loaded it with enhancements. The legionaries had superhuman speed and reflexes and were more expensive to build than a fighter jet. There was nothing more feared in the Federation. They were the model of the New World Order.
Cold. Efficient. Superior.
"I need you to find something, a quantum-cube. You don't have much time," Saigo said.
"What's in it for me?"
She watched as his eyes cut sharply toward her. Had she gone too far? A moment ago, there’d been a comfortable space between them; now, he mysteriously moved to within striking distance. When did he close the gap? How?
"Your talent is wasted. Rotting away inside a prison isn't a noble end for a warrior as skilled as yourself. Don't you agree?"
Sateria's mind raced. Two years prior, they'd freed her for one other mission with impossible odds. Her reward
was they would free her sister and not kill her entire family, the little family she had left, for her act of treason. She had to uncover a mole in a despot resistance and assassinate him. Her mission was a success, but she almost died. Sometimes, she wished she would have.
She wanted to tell him to go screw himself but in the interest of self-preservation, she chose a less fatal response.
"Where is the Cube?" Sateria said.
"Mission details will be aboard your shuttle if you choose to accept."
It was a shuttle that would be booby-trapped with explosives and a tracking device if she ever dared think of escaping.
Sateria didn't want to show her excitement, but this was the opportunity she could only have dreamed of the past three years, to be free of the Global Union. She stared at him, waited.
"Capture the Cube and you will be released immediately. Fail... and you die."
Saigo glanced down below and observed the sharks; he deliberately avoided eye contact. A shark swooped down and snapped a large fish in half, while another shot by and devoured the other half. Saigo’s eyes rose up to meet hers.
Great whites usually perished within a day of captivity but like everything else within the Global Union, they now thrived in an unnatural habitat. Looking down and watching them feed, she knew why they were the perfect predators; they were soulless, fearless, hunters.
Then there was Saigo.
His reputation preceded him; his skill in combat was legendary and she had no desire to test him. Those who saw him in a fight swore he fought with the power of ten demons. She had physical enhancements performed by both the Global Union and Coalition, and she was far stronger than any normal man. But there was nothing normal about Saigo or his power.
Although his voice was calm and collected, the threat to her life was real. She had no choice but to accept the mission. If she refused, she wouldn't leave this place alive.
"I will need military clearance and resources, also three of your finest Knights with the understanding they might not be coming home," Sateria said.