Compete (26 page)

Aeson Kassiopei watches him impassively. “And your point?”

“My point,” Logan says seriously, “is that I have been given real information that there is going to be a high-level hostage situation involving all the Imperial Command Ships. And it’s going to happen within the next few days and possibly as early as in the next few hours.”

“Go on.” Aeson’s expression is unreadable.

Logan takes a step forward and points to a chair before the desk. “May I?”

“Sit.”

He sits down slowly across from the Command Pilot, acting as a well-trained soldier who knows when not to make any drastic movements. “I am going to tell you something that puts me at cross-purposes with my own original orders. First, you need to know that I am a member of an Earth organization called Earth Union. We are
not
terrorists. Earth Union is sanctioned by the United States Government and the United Nations as a special operations task force to protect the interests of the planet Earth, in light of the present crisis.” He pauses to observe Kassiopei’s reaction. There is none.

“We are mostly observers,” Logan continues. “However, we have also been trained to mobilize and act upon specific orders if we receive them. Let me be honest—our interests lie first and foremost with Earth. And the joint governments have tasked us with ensuring that certain
arrangements
between Earth and Atlantis authorities are carried out as agreed.”

“Arrangements?” Aeson speaks for the first time. “Elaborate.”

Logan puts his fingers on the surface of the desk and taps them lightly against the smooth polish. “I am aware that the Imperator has made specific promises to Earth governments—promises in regards to rescue, use of Earth resources, and the asteroid itself.”

“And what are these promises?”

Logan makes a small sound. “I would think
you
are familiar with it. Because, with my low clearance level, I’m not. I have not been briefed on the fine details, only that the clandestine arrangement exists. In short, I know that there is a standing promise to rescue a much greater portion of the population than just the Qualified teenagers. Also, that in exchange for a percentage of Earth’s natural resources and mining rights, the asteroid impact will be lessened significantly, so that there will not be an Extinction Level Event, but a survivable situation.”

Aeson Kassiopei sits up in his chair and moves forward, closer to Logan, as they face each other across the desk.

“This so-called intelligence,” he says. “How do you have it? Who on the Atlantean side has supplied you with it?”

“I may not reveal this information—yet.”

Aeson’s lips move into the faintest shadow of a smile. “How convenient. You have told me nothing specific, but enough to have you incarcerated for plotting and treason against Atlantis.”

“I am not done,” Logan replies. “Please allow me to continue.”

Aeson’s expression, as he remains leaning forward, is terrifying. “I am waiting.”

Logan nods and his fingers continue to lightly sweep the desk. “I realize, Command Pilot, that you may not want to reveal to me your own level of involvement, and I do not expect any less from you. However, this is what must be shared. My fellow Earth Union operatives and I have been planted in the Fleet, and all subtle measures have been taken to place us in the most key positions possible. We are on each of the four Imperial Command Ships. And we have been ordered to prepare to make our move before the Fleet leaves the solar system.”

Aeson Kassiopei watches him, unblinking. “A few hours after midnight tonight the Fleet will pass the orbital region of Uranus,” he says thoughtfully. “Then, sometime after midnight the next day, we pass Neptune, and enter the Kuiper Belt region. By late afternoon, two days from now, we will be beyond Pluto, and approaching the end of your Sun’s heliosphere and entering true interstellar space. By the end of the third or fourth day, we will be moving through the final outer regions of the Oort Cloud, the absolute last marker defining the outer edges of your system’s reach.”

Logan nods. “This means we have only four days to carry out our orders—to take hostage the Commander and all three Command Pilots, including yourself. We are to hold all of you to assure the agreement terms are carried out.”

“And if they’re not?”

Logan’s expression is grave. “Then we are authorized to use extreme persuasive measures, up to and including execution of hostages.”

“Assuming all of this is true, why are you telling me this?” Aeson observes Logan’s face, every tiny muscle motion. “Why should I believe the words of a traitor to his own command?”

As they speak, I find that I am frozen motionless, with such an impossible mixture of emotion, confusion, and cold realization of new facts that I have forgotten to breathe.

“I have betrayed my orders, because I remain loyal to Earth, not some bureaucrats,” Logan says with a new level of forcefulness. “And because I have reason to believe that the organization I serve has been corrupted from the inside. Indeed, the corruption lies at the very top with the government leaders, including the United States President herself.”

Aeson moves his head slightly, shifting in his seat. “Tell me more,” he says. “You must tell me so much more before I can understand or might be willing to believe you. Begin with explaining this corruption.”

Logan sighs. A sense of weariness comes over him. “I’ve learned a few things overnight. And I put the facts together. First, I now know the reasons for your very peculiar age restrictions for Qualification. If they are indeed true, then
there can be no mass rescue
of the Earth population, not even with the availability of the cold storage capsules—they are enough only for a handful of VIPs. That’s point one, and a guarantee of at least one broken promise. Second, we’ve been promised that several of your Fleet ships will remain in orbit around Earth, ready to perform the terms, including various rescue functions and modification of the asteroid’s trajectory or whatever means you were going to use. But according to our satellite, radar, and other imaging tech, we find no ships remaining in orbit—”

“So . . . someone from Atlantis actually
promised
you that the asteroid can be moved from its impact trajectory?” Aeson Kassiopei says. “Name some names for me.”

“My source tells me the promise was made by the Imperator himself directly to an assembly session of Earth Union at the United Nations, via videoconference, four months ago.”

“I see. And what was my Father getting in exchange for this transaction?”

“That, I don’t know.”

“You are not making this very easy for yourself.”

Logan nods. “I am giving you as much information as I have. But allow me to finish—the one most troublesome thing I’ve learned yesterday, relates to the President and other high command. It turns out, upon receiving the urgent news from us about the age-based limitations for rescue of the general population, President Donahue and other Earth Union leaders did not show any
surprise
or
concern
—no concern at all that billions of people on Earth were going to perish after all. Instead, as soon as we relayed the information, our final orders were given to us—to stand by for the hostage taking operation.”

“You say ‘we relayed.’ Who else is working with you directly, on your ship?”

“There is one other operative that I know personally,” Logan says. “It’s the truth—he is the only one I know. Earth Union policy is, we are only given one other individual’s contact information at a time, so that if we are individually compromised the rest of the operatives remain viable. I can reveal his name to you because he and I both agree that Earth Union has been corrupted—has taken the wrong course of action, and gone too far. My operations partner is Cadet Daniel Tover. Both of us are assigned to ICS-1. However, we are not alone. Each Imperial Command Ship has
three pairs
of EU operatives. There are four more people who are still on that ship, ready to carry out EU orders and take Commander Manakteon Resoi hostage. Meanwhile, there are six people on
your
ship who are ready to enact the same orders with you. And same thing for ICS-3 and ICS-4.”

Command Pilot Aeson Kassiopei takes a deep breath and exhales, sitting back deeper in his chair, and momentarily turns away from Logan. “All right,” he says. “There is sufficient troubling information here that I am going to take your words under advisement. I know you haven’t told me the full story. But for now this is enough.”

Logan continues watching him.

“You do realize that you’re taking a different kind of risk in speaking with me about this?” Aeson says, again turning to face the other. “And I don’t mean incarceration for treason against Atlantis. Cadet Sangre—you think you know me? How easily you assume that I’m not in fact already working with Earth Union directly. I could be working on behalf of my Father with Earth Union, and you’ve just stupidly revealed your fundamental Earth Union doubts and disloyalty to me. You are at my mercy, Cadet. Well?”

Logan shakes his head slowly and does not look away. “No,” he says. “I think not. I believe you are not involved, Command Pilot, because I have a certain idea of your integrity.”

Aeson Kassiopei raises one brow in the closest semblance of sarcasm yet. “How so?”

“That.” And Logan points to the black armband on Aeson’s left bicep. “I know that you wear the mark of a hero. And I respect that. I do not see how you would be involved in such reprehensible dealings.”

There is another pause of silence.

“It appears, Cadet Sangre, that we have something in common,” Command Pilot Kassiopei says. He then leans forward again, placing his hands on his desk. “You will therefore tell me everything you know—
again
. Start from the beginning. How you were recruited, who is your handler, and who is your Atlantean contact, here in the Fleet. If you hold back, it will do neither of us any good. Prove to me that you are genuinely motivated to save lives.”

Logan thinks for a moment, then nods. And he begins to speak.

Chapter Fifteen

K
assiopei and Logan talk for the next twenty minutes, while I breathe shallow and stand perfectly still, my body approaching muscle atrophy, while my senses take everything in. At some point, Gennio and Anu arrive in the office, but seeing the intensity in the room, they pause at the doors.

I silently motion for them to come in and sit down. And then all three of us perch on our usual seats near the walls.

“What’s going on?” Gennio whispers to me, motioning with his head to the CP and Logan talking at the desk in moderately quiet voices. Now that I’ve stepped farther away, I can no longer hear them—at least not well enough to clearly tell what they’re saying, so I begin to fidget in agony. Gennio must see my extraordinary level of agitation, and the unrest in my posture.

But I only shake my head negatively, continuing to stare at the two speakers, Cadet and Command Pilot, trying to catch snatches of words. It’s like a bomb has exploded in my head. I no longer know what to think or feel or. . . .

Anu looks at them then back at me. “Must be really serious,” he finally mumbles.

“Yes!” I whisper fiercely. “It
is
.”

Finally another ten minutes later, it appears the conversation or interview is done.

“I am officially transferring you to my ship, Cadet Sangre,” Aeson Kassiopei says loudly. “As of now, you report to me directly. Any problem with that?”

Logan nods. “No, I am honored.”

“We will speak more on this later. For now, I’ll make the arrangements for transfer.” Aeson pulls up a mech arm with a monitor and console, then starts keying in something.

Logan watches the CP’s movements.

“Your new assignment is ICS-2, Red Quadrant Cadet Deck One. The official commanding officer in charge is Pilot Xelio Vekahat, but he will be informed of the actual arrangement. If anyone asks, you report to him. This must be kept discreet.”

“Understood.”

Aeson observes him. “One more thing—how did you get that gun past the ship security, both here and on the flagship?”

Logan smiles. “I didn’t. The gun was never unauthorized. I simply took it off one of your guards at the shuttle bay,
after
we were scanned. You might ask Gwen about the little incident near the exit doors with the dropped box of cosmetics—”

“Oh, no, you don’t mean—” I exclaim, putting one hand to my mouth. “That box you carried for Consul Denu? That was on purpose?”

Logan glances at me briefly and grins. “Oh, yeah. Did you think it was an accident? All those rolling paints underfoot, four guards crawling around on the floor, bumping into me, their weapons holsters unattended. I could have stripped them of multiple weapons and probably their underpants too. My thanks to Consul Denu and his luggage for providing such an easy scenario.”

Anu makes a snort and bites his lip, but there’s a blissful stifled smile on his face. I think he’s just been seriously impressed by Logan. Either that, or he just really, really has it in for Consul Denu, and Logan has made his day.

But Command Pilot Aeson Kassiopei is not smiling. “All right. I am sure I’ll be hearing about it from the Consul himself at some point.” He merely nods. “In that case, we’re done here for now. Cadet Sangre, dismissed.”