Vigilante (25 page)
She presented her words in a logical and believable tone that hid the
nonsense. Tahir gaped at her answer. So did Ariane.
nonsense. Tahir gaped at her answer. So did Ariane.
“Take me to the State Prince, and you’ll see. He’ll corroborate,” Sabina
added.
added.
“Sit down. Vengeance has not been exacted for Ura-Guinn, and that still
festers in the heart of a State Prince.” Emery’s voice was flat; he’d been pushed too
far.
festers in the heart of a State Prince.” Emery’s voice was flat; he’d been pushed too
far.
Sabina sat down regally, every motion strengthening the veracity of her
story.
story.
Tahir frowned. “Parmet called for revenge and it was ru mored he
illicitly financed Terran reprisal squads.”
illicitly financed Terran reprisal squads.”
Ariane almost nodded, wondering why Sabina had come up with that
half-assed story. Certainly not to protect Ariane; perhaps Sabina wanted to see Parmet, but she
should have invented a more believable story.
half-assed story. Certainly not to protect Ariane; perhaps Sabina wanted to see Parmet, but she
should have invented a more believable story.
Tahir nodded at Emery. “You’ve seen him kill. Do any of you question
that he would kill you at my command? Starting with her”—he pointed at Garnet—“and proceeding
with you”—he pointed at Sabina—“until someone comes forward.”
that he would kill you at my command? Starting with her”—he pointed at Garnet—“and proceeding
with you”—he pointed at Sabina—“until someone comes forward.”
Emery visibly squirmed at the word “command,” but he nodded. He might
not like Tahir, but he wouldn’t walk away from a chance to use his wand.
not like Tahir, but he wouldn’t walk away from a chance to use his wand.
This changes everything
. Ariane couldn’t let
anybody else be hurt, tortured, or killed for Ura-Guinn. She stood up slowly.
. Ariane couldn’t let
anybody else be hurt, tortured, or killed for Ura-Guinn. She stood up slowly.
“I’m the person you want.” Her voice surprised her, being clear and
confident.
confident.
Tahir’s stunner and Emery’s pistol both pointed at her, but the men
didn’t look convinced.
didn’t look convinced.
“I’m
Major
Kedros, of the Reserve Armed
Forces of the Consortium of Autonomous Worlds. My service number is alpha-seven, one-two,
six-four-seven-two, and
yes
, I’m older than I look.”
Major
Kedros, of the Reserve Armed
Forces of the Consortium of Autonomous Worlds. My service number is alpha-seven, one-two,
six-four-seven-two, and
yes
, I’m older than I look.”
Emery’s face darkened. “You’re military.” His hand tightened on his
flechette pistol and Ariane’s stomach flinched.
flechette pistol and Ariane’s stomach flinched.
“No,” Tahir said quickly. “Abram wants to see this one.”
Emery looked at Ariane’s face for a moment. He gestured for one of his
men to hand over a flechette pistol, which he gave to Tahir. “I think you’d better use this.
She may be trouble.”
men to hand over a flechette pistol, which he gave to Tahir. “I think you’d better use this.
She may be trouble.”
Tahir accepted the weapon, handling it gingerly but competently. He
secured the stunner on his belt while Ariane cursed internally. Emery had made the right call:
Using a stunner was tricky against a combat-trained professional, who could initiate
hand-to-hand and spread the stun to both bodies. On the other hand, flechette weapons were
spaceship-safe, flesh-eating weapons that didn’t need fine aim or range adjustment.
secured the stunner on his belt while Ariane cursed internally. Emery had made the right call:
Using a stunner was tricky against a combat-trained professional, who could initiate
hand-to-hand and spread the stun to both bodies. On the other hand, flechette weapons were
spaceship-safe, flesh-eating weapons that didn’t need fine aim or range adjustment.
After her flare of frustration, Ariane cooled her emotions, trying for
objectivity.
They’ll make a mistake eventually; I just have to be
ready
. Cipher once complained that all Ari had, entrenched in the core of her being, was
a lump of logical ice—
well, don’t fail me now, lump of ice!
She
took a deep breath and met their gazes calmly.
objectivity.
They’ll make a mistake eventually; I just have to be
ready
. Cipher once complained that all Ari had, entrenched in the core of her being, was
a lump of logical ice—
well, don’t fail me now, lump of ice!
She
took a deep breath and met their gazes calmly.
Emery leered, although his expression seemed strained. “Go ahead and
take her. Leaves the better-looking Terrans for us.”
take her. Leaves the better-looking Terrans for us.”
“You’re not allowed to touch any women, not after that pilot.” Distaste
filled Tahir’s face, causing his nostrils to flare. “Everyone knows that’s by
Abram
’s command.”
filled Tahir’s face, causing his nostrils to flare. “Everyone knows that’s by
Abram
’s command.”
Abram
seemed to be the magic command word.
Emery’s face reddened.
seemed to be the magic command word.
Emery’s face reddened.
Tahir ordered Ariane to march out of the room ahead of him. He gave her
directions for turning. Since she barely knew the way back to the great hall, she tried to keep
her eyes open for the informational signs left by the archeological teams. She had an
ungracious thought for contractors who didn’t want to hand out maps to visitors; then she
realized Barone and his people were probably dead.
Executed
.
directions for turning. Since she barely knew the way back to the great hall, she tried to keep
her eyes open for the informational signs left by the archeological teams. She had an
ungracious thought for contractors who didn’t want to hand out maps to visitors; then she
realized Barone and his people were probably dead.
Executed
.
Anger rose again, but with it came a wave of reproach. The breach of her
false identity paled in significance to the loss of those people, who were hoping to advance
humanity’s knowledge with their work.
Focus, Ariane—you need to figure out
who’s behind this, and what they want.
This Abram, the leader, appeared to be the key.
He’d told his men to execute any military, probably because they’d be most likely to thwart his
plans, but why did he kill the Minoan contractors? Moreover, how did he get control of the
buoy? The hours of rejection for bandwidth now made sense to her. Her stomach tightened. Was
Matt okay? Had Joyce been captured?
false identity paled in significance to the loss of those people, who were hoping to advance
humanity’s knowledge with their work.
Focus, Ariane—you need to figure out
who’s behind this, and what they want.
This Abram, the leader, appeared to be the key.
He’d told his men to execute any military, probably because they’d be most likely to thwart his
plans, but why did he kill the Minoan contractors? Moreover, how did he get control of the
buoy? The hours of rejection for bandwidth now made sense to her. Her stomach tightened. Was
Matt okay? Had Joyce been captured?
“There’ll be a price to pay when the Minoans get wind of this,” she shot
over her shoulder.
over her shoulder.
There was no reply from Tahir.
“You can’t imagine they’ll allow one of their buoys to fall into
criminal hands.”
criminal hands.”
“We’ve already experienced Minoan retribution,” he said. “Take the tight
right corner here.”
right corner here.”
She turned, as directed, and at the end of the short corridor, she faced
a door much like the one to the original conference room for the contractor meeting. If her
sense of direction was correct, she was on the opposite side of the great hall.
a door much like the one to the original conference room for the contractor meeting. If her
sense of direction was correct, she was on the opposite side of the great hall.
“Turn around.”
They faced each other in the short corridor. Tahir placed himself at the
end so he could watch for anyone coming in the main corridor, looking as if he intended a
private conversation with her.
end so he could watch for anyone coming in the main corridor, looking as if he intended a
private conversation with her.
“Parmet said you’re the pilot who detonated a temporal-distortion weapon
in Ura-Guinn and still escaped through N-space.” He grinned. “I figure you still have your
N-space pilot qualification from the military. It’s too valuable a skill to throw
aside.”
in Ura-Guinn and still escaped through N-space.” He grinned. “I figure you still have your
N-space pilot qualification from the military. It’s too valuable a skill to throw
aside.”
She stayed silent, not admitting anything until she understood Tahir’s
agenda. From his accent, he was Terran, perhaps highly educated. He had a familial resemblance
to Emery, but they seemed to be at odds with each other.
agenda. From his accent, he was Terran, perhaps highly educated. He had a familial resemblance
to Emery, but they seemed to be at odds with each other.
Tahir reached inside his jacket, took out a slate, and thumbed it while
carefully keeping the pistol trained upon her. Then he dropped the slate, which skipped on the
polished stone floor and then rested against his boot. Keeping his distance, he pushed the
slate in her direction. It made a light whining sound on the clean floor.
carefully keeping the pistol trained upon her. Then he dropped the slate, which skipped on the
polished stone floor and then rested against his boot. Keeping his distance, he pushed the
slate in her direction. It made a light whining sound on the clean floor.
“Pick it up.”
She did, cautiously. The slate was an example of rugged Autonomist
manufacturing and it had the weight of an informational slate with additional sensors. She kept
it dangling at the end of her arm, preferring to keep her eyes on his face. She let her thumb
slide into thumbprint position and glanced down, but disappointingly, Tahir had locked the
slate and none of the functions lit up for her.
manufacturing and it had the weight of an informational slate with additional sensors. She kept
it dangling at the end of her arm, preferring to keep her eyes on his face. She let her thumb
slide into thumbprint position and glanced down, but disappointingly, Tahir had locked the
slate and none of the functions lit up for her.
“Look at the picture.” His eyes were bright with anticipation.
The slate had a display area about the size of her palm, but the high
quality and detail made her think the picture was a close-up, not a magnification. She saw the
pointed green vessel with wires sprouting from every sharp vertex and her face went numb.
Looking closely, she verified it was indeed shaped as a great stellated dodecahedron, having
twelve pentagrammic faces that each rose into multiple, pointed triangular pyramids. This was
the cheapest stable geometry for containing and accelerating microscopic amounts of exotic
matter to generate a temporal-distortion wave. The wired vessel sat inside a case with one
labeled edge showing near the bottom of the photograph. She could make out the red letters
TDP-2102-012/WM15 at the top of the label.
quality and detail made her think the picture was a close-up, not a magnification. She saw the
pointed green vessel with wires sprouting from every sharp vertex and her face went numb.
Looking closely, she verified it was indeed shaped as a great stellated dodecahedron, having
twelve pentagrammic faces that each rose into multiple, pointed triangular pyramids. This was
the cheapest stable geometry for containing and accelerating microscopic amounts of exotic
matter to generate a temporal-distortion wave. The wired vessel sat inside a case with one
labeled edge showing near the bottom of the photograph. She could make out the red letters
TDP-2102-012/WM15 at the top of the label.
“Where did you get this picture?”
“
That
, Major Kedros, is my gift to my
father. It rests within the hold of the
Father’s Wrath
, waiting for
its appropriate means of delivery.
That
is why there won’t be any
ships to rescue you—or me.”
That
, Major Kedros, is my gift to my
father. It rests within the hold of the
Father’s Wrath
, waiting for
its appropriate means of delivery.
That
is why there won’t be any
ships to rescue you—or me.”
CHAPTER 14
Galactic Sovereignty is a subject many applicants fail on entrance
exams. Each generational ship line is neutral and self-governing; otherwise the Minoans
wouldn’t deal with them. Their offices and headquarters, when located planet-side, enjoy
extraterritorial status. The solar systems they open, via a buoy, remain their territory
until they relinquish sovereignty.
Get Accepted to Law School!
Paris
Stephanos, 2102.260.09.42 UT, indexed by
Heraclitus 12
under Flux
Imperative
O
leander knew what G-145 was; that solar
system was one of the hottest topics on net-think and she’d followed reports released by
archeological teams. But why would Dr. Rouxe haul the stolen TD weapon there? As far as she
knew, there weren’t any habitable worlds in G-145. Then she realized the emphasis that Captain
Floros used:
Both
the Consortium and the League had received
Declarations of Emergency.
leander knew what G-145 was; that solar
system was one of the hottest topics on net-think and she’d followed reports released by
archeological teams. But why would Dr. Rouxe haul the stolen TD weapon there? As far as she
knew, there weren’t any habitable worlds in G-145. Then she realized the emphasis that Captain
Floros used:
Both
the Consortium and the League had received
Declarations of Emergency.
“I need an encrypted channel,” Colonel Edones said.
After Hauser’s aide authorized the channel, Edones immediately moved to
a corner of the conference room to make his call. Using his implanted mike, his discussion went
subvocal, but she could see the urgency in the set of his shoulders and the way he paced a
small circle into the carpet.
a corner of the conference room to make his call. Using his implanted mike, his discussion went
subvocal, but she could see the urgency in the set of his shoulders and the way he paced a
small circle into the carpet.
Terrans came and went on hushed errands for SP Hauser. Presently, Edones
and Hauser had received their orders and they faced off in the center of the room, right across
the table from Oleander and Floros.
and Hauser had received their orders and they faced off in the center of the room, right across
the table from Oleander and Floros.
“What’s going on?” she asked Floros.
“Just sit back and watch the show.” Floros grimly nodded toward Hauser
and Edones.
and Edones.
Silence fell over the room. The men eyed each other. Hauser was taller
but suddenly, for all his
somaural
projection, he didn’t quite
match Colonel Edones in presence.
but suddenly, for all his
somaural
projection, he didn’t quite
match Colonel Edones in presence.
“You go first,” Hauser said. “After all, we had to reveal the safety
issues with the warhead.”
issues with the warhead.”
Oleander frowned. The Terrans were becoming more childish by the
minute.
minute.
“Fine.” Edones’s expression would have frozen anyone with less
confidence than Hauser. “
Our
message states that Pilgrimage HQ
thinks the buoy is no longer under control of the
Pilgrimage III
.
They assume something has happened to the crew, but they’re not privy to the fact there’s a
madman with a TD warhead loose in their system.”
confidence than Hauser. “
Our
message states that Pilgrimage HQ
thinks the buoy is no longer under control of the
Pilgrimage III
.
They assume something has happened to the crew, but they’re not privy to the fact there’s a
madman with a TD warhead loose in their system.”
“Pilgrimage, I assume, asked for aid under a prearranged agreement made
with the Consortium? Please explain, Colonel, how they expect you to get into the system if the
buoy is locked down.” Hauser’s tone was triumphant.
with the Consortium? Please explain, Colonel, how they expect you to get into the system if the
buoy is locked down.” Hauser’s tone was triumphant.
Edones bent his head in acknowledgment. “Because there are encrypted
overrides for AFCAW, provided the
Pilgrimage III
crew was able to
activate them.”
overrides for AFCAW, provided the
Pilgrimage III
crew was able to
activate them.”
Hauser didn’t look surprised and merely gestured for an aide to hand him
a slate. Oleander, however, was taken aback by this admission. She glanced at Floros, whose
eyes had narrowed in triumph as if to say, “I knew it but I couldn’t prove it.”
a slate. Oleander, however, was taken aback by this admission. She glanced at Floros, whose
eyes had narrowed in triumph as if to say, “I knew it but I couldn’t prove it.”
“
If
CAW’s duplicity is made public, then
Overlord Three will release this statement expressing condemnation for the Consortium’s attempt
to undermine Pax Minoica.” Hauser handed Edones the slate.
If
CAW’s duplicity is made public, then
Overlord Three will release this statement expressing condemnation for the Consortium’s attempt
to undermine Pax Minoica.” Hauser handed Edones the slate.
“Duplicity is a strong word, considering the opening of G-145 was
contracted during the war.” Edones didn’t look at the slate. “Besides, we both know the codes
might not work. If the Overlords want political profit from this, I’m warning you that Senior
Senator Jude Stephanos, from Hellas, is currently drafting
his
statement of outrage over
your
override codes on a buoy financed by
Autonomous Worlds.”
contracted during the war.” Edones didn’t look at the slate. “Besides, we both know the codes
might not work. If the Overlords want political profit from this, I’m warning you that Senior
Senator Jude Stephanos, from Hellas, is currently drafting
his
statement of outrage over
your
override codes on a buoy financed by
Autonomous Worlds.”
Both sides had overrides to sovereign buoy operation? Oleander had
naively taken generational ship line “neutrality” at face value. She heard Floros snort.
naively taken generational ship line “neutrality” at face value. She heard Floros snort.
“At this time there’s no reason to release this information,” Hauser
said.
said.
Edones smiled coldly. “Agreed. Why tarnish the reputation of the
generational ship lines or take the chance of angering the Minoans? However, Pilgrimage HQ put
constraints on our response. This must be a joint mission and they’ve limited the ships we can
take into the system.”
generational ship lines or take the chance of angering the Minoans? However, Pilgrimage HQ put
constraints on our response. This must be a joint mission and they’ve limited the ships we can
take into the system.”
“Oh, Great Bull-shit,” Floros said in a low voice, out of the corner of
her mouth. “No matter what, the civilians will make this a clusterfuck.”
her mouth. “No matter what, the civilians will make this a clusterfuck.”
“Major Bernard and Captain Floros, I need a manifest of every ship and
crew inside G-145, and an analysis of where they might be when we enter the system. Lieutenant
Oleander!” Edones’s voice was clipped.
crew inside G-145, and an analysis of where they might be when we enter the system. Lieutenant
Oleander!” Edones’s voice was clipped.
“Yes, sir.” She sprang out of her seat.
“Notify Colonel Aquino that the
Bright
Crescent
must be ready to depart in eight hours, configured for
Rho-Epsilon-Sigma.”
Bright
Crescent
must be ready to depart in eight hours, configured for
Rho-Epsilon-Sigma.”
Her forehead wrinkled, but she didn’t voice her puzzlement. The colonel
was referencing the flexible battle configuration for several missions, such as reconnaissance,
extraction, and stealthy surgical strikes. However, the
Bright
Crescent
was only a medium-weight Fury-class cruiser, fitted with rail guns, swarm
weapons, and kinetic missile tubes, typically for use with the Champion II or Assassinator
missiles. A Fortress-class destroyer would have a wider range of weapons, plus shock troops and
a squadron or two of fighters to compare to the two weaponless pinnaces carried by the
Fury-class cruisers. She had figured a destroyer would be sent to G-145, if only for its
intimida tion factor.
was referencing the flexible battle configuration for several missions, such as reconnaissance,
extraction, and stealthy surgical strikes. However, the
Bright
Crescent
was only a medium-weight Fury-class cruiser, fitted with rail guns, swarm
weapons, and kinetic missile tubes, typically for use with the Champion II or Assassinator
missiles. A Fortress-class destroyer would have a wider range of weapons, plus shock troops and
a squadron or two of fighters to compare to the two weaponless pinnaces carried by the
Fury-class cruisers. She had figured a destroyer would be sent to G-145, if only for its
intimida tion factor.
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