Abysm (36 page)

He ran a hand through his hair…again, he realized belatedly. He couldn’t go behind Alex’s back. Not now.

Baby, your mother just threatened to castrate me if I didn’t tell her what we learned in the portal network.

What, really?

Well, no, not explicitly, but I feel as if castration might have been implied in her glare.

Yeah, I could see that.

The thing is, I suspect she’s right. And I’m kind of done with secrets.

More needed to be said on that, he knew, but later would have to suffice.

Damn. Okay, go ahead. I’ll be up to face the aftermath as soon as I can. I didn’t intend for you to have to be the one to do this. Thank you.

Always.

He nodded solemnly. “Can we go somewhere private, where we can sit? This is going to take a little while.”

Alex burst into the conference room. She was sweaty, half-covered in grease and her hair was falling out of its knot. It reminded Caleb of how she’d looked for most of his first days on the
Siyane
. He smiled.

Miriam did not. “You didn’t think this was something I needed to be made aware of? Have you no faith in me at all?”

Alex groaned and collapsed against the wall. “It’s exactly because I
do
have faith in you that I didn’t want to tell you yet. You don’t need to be lectured about how important it is for us to stay on the path of freedom and liberty or whatever, or how humans had gone astray in some other past with disastrous results, because you already appreciate how important it is. You don’t need to be told this is important for the future of the multiverse universe, because for you it’s important for the future of people alive here today.

“You already believe, and you’re already giving everything for your belief—giving everything to ensure such a future comes to pass.”

There you are.

He packed away the last vestiges of lingering terror that everything might crumble at any minute in a raging pyre of madness and tears—his own. A cognizant, vigilant peace assumed residence in the vacancy.

Meanwhile, Miriam’s expression prevaricated between aggravation and fondness. “Well…thank you. But it doesn’t excuse the fact that you decided something which wasn’t yours to decide. I swear, you are the most bullheadedly stubborn person I have ever known.”

Alex snorted.

Caleb watched on in amusement. Valkyrie had told him something this morning. She’d said it was Alex’s ‘bullheaded stubbornness,’ to use Miriam’s phrasing—and occasionally his own—which had, more than anything else, enabled her to beat the worst aspects of her addiction. She had simply refused to allow it to defeat her, under conditions that would have sent anyone lesser to a hospital or spiraling into a nightmare of torment.

It was a quality of character which could not be explained by neurology or captured in an algorithm, but its existence was proven by the results.

Alex pushed off the wall to flop into the chair next to him, tossing him a sloppy grin before regarding her mother with embellished exasperation. “Now. Can we please defer further discussions about the destiny of humanity until after you’ve won? Don’t you want to know if I made it work?”

35

EARTH

L
ONDON
E
ARTH
A
LLIANCE
A
SSEMBLY

N
O.
I
MPOSSIBLE.

Jude would not commit suicide. He was too arrogant, too narcissistic to ever deprive the world of his genius. As he should be…
have been
.

The news had reached Pamela via her network of spies and double agents shortly after she departed Washington; it remained secret from the public for now.

He was murdered. It was the sole plausible explanation. Murdered by one of the Prevos while shackled and imprisoned.

So now they had crowned themselves judge, jury and executioner, eschewing trials or even the appearance of the rule of law.

Despots, dictators, devils as aspiring gods.

What began as the ultimate power play had now become intensely, painfully personal. Pamela would smash Romane into dust for this. She simply needed her military back to do it.

But Miriam Solovy had taken it from her. All this horror, all this conflict and destruction could be traced back to Miriam Solovy. Prevo-creator, Prevo-lover, a despot in her own right. The woman was in league with the IDCC, in league with the Federation, in league with everyone except the Alliance that had
made
her.

In the end, the extent of the woman’s machinations meant she may as well have killed Jude herself.

Solovy would suffer commensurate to her crimes. And soon, for Pamela’s spies also reported Solovy’s fleet approached Earth even now. Doubtless the woman thought Pamela’s authority weakened, as if an Assembly investigation and a few press harpies were anything more than flies throwing themselves against the window pane.

Solovy’s ships would be destroyed and their admiral with them. The defecting military commanders would run home in shame and genuflect before her, swearing allegiance and begging to be allowed to keep their positions. Pamela would have her military once more. She would use it to crush the IDCC, starting with Romane, for killing her son.

Yes.

Her transport alighted on the rooftop landing pad of the Assembly, a prerogative reserved for visiting heads of state and a rare few individuals who, for one reason or another, did not need to be seen traipsing across the grounds. It was enclosed by not only a protective force field but also a visual one, preventing the press from discerning what prominent person had arrived.

She enjoyed an unobstructed view of the surroundings, however, and the sight of thousands of protesters clogging the streets below greeted her as she disembarked.

Were the people rallying to her son’s cause? Standing up and demanding the government respond to Romane’s flagrant misdeeds?

Strobes projected holo placards high into the air above the protestors.

Freedom For All Minds

Prevos Are People Too

You Can’t Stop The Signal

Break Free Of Your Shackles

This was unacceptable. Where were the authorities? If there were Prevos in the crowd, they needed to be arrested forthwith.

The masses were so fickle, so easily swayed and marshaled. Jude—anger frothed in her chest at the thought of him and the fate he had suffered, but she must not show it publically. Her grief must be her own, for now.

He should never have relied as heavily as he did on crowds to press his agenda. But she did not need them to press hers. Let them protest.

She spun away from the scene and strode to the rooftop entrance. The sooner this ludicrous ‘hearing’ was concluded, the better.

The Official Summons had been offensive in its demands. She was complying only because her attorney general counseled her she was legally required to do so, but she didn’t care to explain the delicate, complex justifications for the Scythia incident, particularly since it had failed. She was mourning!

If she announced Jude’s death, Gagnon would delay the hearing. Etiquette demanded it.

No…she needed to save the revelation for the moment it could most work to her benefit. So she continued downstairs.

She was traversing the main hall to the Assembly Chamber, security and aides in tow, when her Chief of Staff called a halt to the procession. “Prime Minister, Admiral Grigg is reporting the detection of a warship by short-range perimeter alert sensors. He believes it’s Admiral Solovy’s vessel.”

Oh, thank god. She nodded understanding. “We need to move to the Situation Room immediately. Luis, transfer Admiral Grigg to a dedicated holo there and reach Defense Minister Mori as well.”

36

EAS STALWART II

S
PACE,
S
OL
S
YSTEM

M
IRIAM STOOD ON THE BRIDGE
of the
Stalwart II
, her stance formal and her chin raised. The bulk of her fleet was aligned behind her, but at a distance and heavily cloaked. They would fight if a fight were required, but she was gambling on it not being necessary, and for now hers was the sole visible ship. She waited for the dance to begin.

It didn’t take long.

Earth Terrestrial Defense Command:  “Unidentified vessel, you are ordered to depart Sol space. Failure to do so will result in defensive measures being deployed against you.”

“This vessel is not unidentified, Command. Check EASC records. This is the
EAS Stalwart II
, naval command-class vessel, serial number designation EAAF-CC1X741A, captained by myself, Admiral Miriam Draner Solovy. I am not an enemy, nor is my ship.”

ETDC:  “EASC records have been compromised, and your vessel’s serial number designation cannot be confirmed. You therefore must be considered an enemy vessel and a threat to Earth and its citizens. Retreat or be destroyed.”

She recognized the voice; this was Grigg talking, though she highly doubted he was making the decisions. He might not even be choosing the words. “Firing unprovoked on an Earth Alliance admiral is against the entirety of the Code of Military Justice and all regulations. Accuse me of the worst crimes you can conjure. File reams of charges against me. But you cannot legally shoot me down.”

Miriam wondered if Winslow knew the interchange was being broadcast on every military channel and every news feed not completely beholden to the Prime Minister. Someone should probably tell her.

ETDC:  “Your incursion into Earth space is a provocation. Unless you retreat, you will be considered a clear and present danger and, no matter your rank, you will be neutralized.”

“Command, I’ve been repeatedly informed that I’m required to return to Earth to face charges of horrible crimes. I’m here, ready to do so.”

ETDC:  “Retreat to twenty-five megameters distance from Earth and permit your ship to be boarded so you can be taken into custody.”

Miriam smirked, though only those on the bridge who happened to be glancing her way caught it. “I prefer to surrender on my own terms, Prime Minister.”

The pause was long. She imagined there was much hand-waving and stammering going on. Having been present when a few charades were exposed, she knew what it looked like. She waited.

ETDC:  “Your ship possesses unknown weaponry. We cannot allow it to approach Earth. Who knows what damage it and your fleet could inflict upon innocent civilians.”

The voice had of course changed, but so had the tone. Winslow was having difficulty keeping her cool.

“What fleet, Prime Minister? There’s only me. And I have devoted my life—my husband gave his life—to protect Earth, its citizens and all citizens of the Earth Alliance. If there is one thing in this life I will not do, it is harm the innocent people of this planet.”

ETDC:  “And yet you have endangered them by encouraging the proliferation of Prevo monstrosities.”

Miriam kept her own composure, but inwardly she seethed. Winslow was the true monster, and if they followed her path they would all become the same. “Prevos saved the residents of Earth and every other world. They are heroes, and they are also people—people who should not be treated as criminals without ever committing a crime. They deserve to be judged by the same standards the rest of us are.”

ETDC:  “Their very existence is criminal.”

Not exactly the thoughtful, dignified position a head of state ought to adopt. “Only because you have made it so. But I do not accept this, nor should anyone, because it is unconstitutional, immoral and inhumane. We as a species cannot justify our way into adopting such beliefs and still call ourselves civilized.”

ETDC:  “Don’t distract from the fact you are pointing lethal weaponry at Earth. Everything else is just words.”

“And you’re very good with words, aren’t you, Prime Minister? You’ve used them to subvert the rule of law, due process and innumerable basic Constitutional and human rights. It’s my responsibility to uphold those rights, and I’ve returned to do exactly this.

“I will not fire on any person, vessel or structure which does not first fire in an offensive manner. On this you have my promise. But I will be landing on the soil of Earth today.”

ETDC:  “I cannot permit you to threaten the safety of our citizens. You represent a clear and present danger to the Earth and the Earth Alliance. You have ten seconds to retreat.”