Star Carrier (Lost Colonies Trilogy Book 3) Page 4

  “I have a special role for you, Sparhawk. A critical one. Possibly, it’s the most critical mission of all. You’re going to stay home and guard Earth.”

  I felt as if I’d been punched in the gut. With all the talk of glory and flying into the face of the enemy, I’d never seen this moment coming.

  Suddenly, many things fell into place. I’d been unaware of many plans. I’d been surprised by everything going on at Phobos. I’d even been kept at arm’s length by personnel all over the navy.

  Sure, I was a member of a Great House and accustomed to being ostracized for my political connections. Further, I’d managed to embarrass the brass at CENTCOM on multiple occasions. But in addition to those negatives, I was also the most experienced starship commander in living memory.

  “Admiral,” I began, “I’m not sure that would be the best utilization of my skills.”

  “Oh now, don’t start. I knew you’d be sorely disappointed. I would be too, if I were in your shoes. One after another, we’ve rolled out battleships. We’ve even produced our first carrier in more than a century. Who wouldn’t become jealous and desire to command a bigger ship?”

  “That’s not what I—”

  “We all have our regrets, Sparhawk,” he interrupted sharply. “We all secretly wish to hog the glory. But I think it’s high time for you to allow older, wiser heads to take over. Don’t you? Let others guide this fleet to victory over the Stroj.”

  “If that is your wish, sir,” I said stiffly. “I will do as you command. What are my exact orders?”

  “Sit here in orbit. Go on patrol if you wish, but don’t leave the Solar System. If the Stroj show up, destroy them.”

  “By myself? With a single capital ship?”

  “You’ve done it before. You can do it again. But don’t worry. Our attack will seize the initiative. We’ll terrify the Stroj and drive them back. You’ll sit here and mind the store while we’re away.”

  “It hardly seems like a critical mission.”

  “On the contrary! Every civilian on Earth is depending on you. Keep them safe, keep them happy, and you’ll be just as big a hero by the time we return as I am.”

  That was it. The Admiral would hear nothing else on the topic.

  -6-

  Admiral Halsey paused for not more than forty hours before shipping out again. There was a great fanfare on Earth and the station as they left orbit. Seven princely battleships surrounded their queen, the star carrier. Encircling these capital ships were several dozen smaller vessels and a growing cloud of fighters.

  The armada floated away into the void, stopping off at Mars to load yet more fighters before heading to the edge of the Solar System to find a breach point. From there, they would enter an ER bridge and exit the star system.

  After they’d gone, I was left in a glum mood, unlike the rest of my crew. Most of them were overjoyed to learn Defiant was to remain parked in orbit while the fleet journeyed out into the unknown.

  I could not share their happiness. I felt I was being left behind, relegated to guard duty just when Earth needed my skills most.

  Durris seemed to understand my plight, but he didn’t share my sentiments.

  “Can’t get enough of the glory, can you Captain?” he asked.

  “It’s not that, Durris. I feel useless here. Admiral Halsey is about to leave the system, but I think he’s going to need our experience and guidance once he’s gone.”

  “Maybe he will, or maybe he won’t, but I guess it’s not our place to say.”

  I nodded in agreement and finished packing a duffel bag. I’d given everyone a further extension of their shore leave, and this time I’d included my command staff. We’d placed stand-ins on Defiant for now. There were plenty of green spacers begging for the chance just to fly my ship in circles.

  When I was finished, I headed for the station docks. I couldn’t help but tap at the walls of my ship as I walked the passages. I’d truly believed we were about to fly her into the unknown once again. It was such a disappointment.

  Zye met me on the station decks. She’d obviously been waiting around for me to disembark. I didn’t complain as I knew she was nervous whenever we returned to Earth. Too many people here seemed to wish me harm, and as my self-appointed bodyguard, she was keenly aware of this fact.

  My implant buzzed as we rode the sky-lift down the umbilical. I checked reflexively for storms or other oddities, but all seemed peaceful this time.

  Zye was stoic as usual. Her staring green eyes roved over the environment, suspecting every man, woman and child present of ill intent.

  Checking the identification of the caller, I knew in an instant it was Chloe of Astra. I smiled despite myself and answered quickly.

  She did not materialize at my side, but rather summoned me to her location. I went with the invitation, and I appeared beside her within the Astra family mansion.

  House Astra was richly appointed. There were crests, moving holo-portraits and deep carpets that gently massaged the foot. As I was only a hologram myself in her surroundings, I couldn’t enjoy the sensations, but I could hear and see everything else.

  Chloe was speaking with two of her house agents. I was glad to see their breed hadn’t been wiped out during previous unfortunate encounters at House Astra. The agents were impressive, as always.

  Fiercely loyal and bred for the job, they had the bearing of predatory beasts in human form. I knew from experience they weren’t thoughtful men. They were more akin to a special breed of dog. They’d been cultivated for nearly two centuries to serve the household with zeal.

  They had short dark hair, broad shoulders and expressionless mouths. Wearing midnight blue, their capes hung low and were dripping wet. I could tell they’d been out in the rain.

  My ghostly form stood motionless, waiting for her to finish with her agents. Chloe turned away from them at last and stepped toward me.

  “Thanks for accepting my invitation,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t think of refusing.”

  Her lips fluttered as if trying to form a smile, but failed at it.

  “What’s the matter, Chloe?” I asked.

  She licked her lips and stepped close before answering. The two men behind her stood silently. I knew that if they could have seen how close I was standing to her, they would have watched with great disapproval.

  “William, did you meet with certain people on Earth—after your last mission?”

  I shrugged. “I met with many people.”

  Her eyes darted around the room then landed back on me. “I’m not sure our words are private, but I must ask you more directly. Did you meet with certain individuals of… shall we say… unusual age?”

  This last question caused me to wince slightly. I had indeed met with a grim tribe of oldsters. People who should be, by all rights, long dead. People who our history files no doubt listed as deceased—but who had somehow evaded the reaper.

  “I might have,” I said cautiously.

  The oldsters in question had commissioned the very fleet I’d just seen off to war. They’d exhibited great power over earthly events, and I’d opted to follow their advice and keep their existence a secret.

  Chloe was quite possibly the only person I knew who could cause me to talk about something I’d sworn not to. I hated breaking my word in any form, but in her case, I just had to do it.

  She nodded knowingly. Her face seemed to tremble, almost as if she was about to cry.

  “What’s wrong, lady?” I asked. “Tell me.”

  She compressed her lips and regained her composure.

  “Nothing,” she said. “I’ve made a difficult decision, that’s all. I’m thinking about resigning my seat at the Ministry. About stepping down as a Public Servant.”

  “What? Whatever for? You recently devoted your life to the task.”

  “Yes… but I’ve changed my mind.”

  I sensed that she was holding back, that she was concerned we were being listened to, somehow. Over the
last year or so, I’d learned our implants could be used for more purposes than I’d understood. They could track a person, certainly, and they could also be hacked.

  “I understand,” I said. “I know it’s your decision, but I would urge you to reconsider.”

  “I value your advice,” she said, eyes downcast.

  “May I ask something?”

  “Certainly,” she said.

  “May I come visit you in person? Tonight, perhaps? It’s been a long time, and if your reason for ending our previous acquaintance was related to your role as a Servant—”

  She smiled weakly. “You’ve divined my secondary purpose for this call. I’d love to see you tonight.”

  “Excellent,” I said, feeling a surge of well-being despite her odd behavior. The truth was, I’d never felt quite the same way around other women. I’d moved on after our breakup, and I’d assumed she had as well. But now I hoped there could be a rekindling.

  “I’ll take a car to your mountaintop,” I said. “I should be there by nine.”

  “No,” she said quietly. “Can I come to your residence?”

  “My…” I began, disappointed. “Of course. I’ll be there by eight, in that case.”

  There was nothing wrong with my ancestral home. We Sparhawks were quite wealthy, if not as rich as House Astra. The trouble was my parents lived there too. Unfortunately, they weren’t the sort who excelled at allowing two young people the privacy I was craving right now.

  “I’ll see you at eight then,” she said, and the channel closed.

  Muttering, I crossed my arms. “I should have moved out a decade ago.”

  “What’s that, sir?” Zye asked.

  “My parents,” I said heavily. “They’re bound to be asking me a million irritating questions.”

  She looked at me quizzically. “Were you talking to someone just now? I thought I heard you muttering.”

  “A private matter. I’m going to have to part company tonight, Zye, if you don’t mind. I’m going home.”

  “Oh,” she said disappointedly. “I’d hoped we might share a hotel room and a drink.”

  There it was. She still hadn’t moved past our brief relationship. I’d wondered if that was the case, and it apparently was.

  “Well, my parents do have plenty of extra rooms to spare…”

  “No, no,” she said quickly. “I’ll find my own drinking partners. Plenty of crewmen have inquired about my availability on shore leave.”

  It was probably true. Zye had developed something of a reputation for her appetites—both in drink and men. She also knew from experience that my parents weren’t fun at a party.

  After climbing into the back of a purring vehicle, I rode home in comfort. The niceties of a Sparhawk air car with a professional driver were luxurious when compared to the simple fare of the Guard.

  The man driving the car spoke not a word. Even when I asked him an idle question about the weather, he seemed not to hear it.

  Shrugging, I took no insult. People these days often were distracted by having conversations with individuals that weren’t visible to anyone else.

  On another day, I might have become annoyed with him, but not today. I was in a good mood. Chloe seemed distraught, but she was also interested in seeing me again. I was surprised how much that meant to me even now.

  It was only when I saw we were outside the city and drifting down into a wooded area, that I became alarmed. I rapped on the glass between us—there was no response.

  Working the controls, I tried to lower the barrier—but it wouldn’t budge.

  Heart pounding, I reached out with my implant, finding there was no signal, no service. I tried the latch, but it didn’t work.

  My PAG was in my hand by now, and we were almost on the ground. I aimed the weapon at the back of the driver’s head, gave him an ultimatum, then fired a power-bolt.

  To my surprise, it was deflected. It spat around the enclosed space, narrowly missing my right knee before it splashed into the velvet-covered door and filled the cab with blue-white smoke.

  “Sealed in,” I said, coughing.

  My eyes were wide and my teeth bared when the car came to a rest. I thought I was prepared for anything when the door finally opened—but I was wrong.

  -7-

  Three striking individuals were standing outside the car. Their type was known to me. Feral in face and attitude, I recognized them as House agents.

  They wore black, from their capes down to their gloves and boots. They each carried a PAG in one hand and a powered truncheon in the other. The electric glow around the truncheons matched the gleam in their eyes.

  “Step out of the car, Sparhawk.”

  I lifted my PAG, pointing it at them through the glass. They lifted their weapons in turn. Their lips slid up to display their teeth.

  The driver turned to face me at last. I hadn’t gotten a good look at him when he’d picked me up at the station. Now, I studied him closely.

  “You’re one of my father’s men…” I said through the intercom. “A traitor?”

  “I’m a hired hand, just like the rest. Today, I resigned and took new employment. Now sir, if you would be so kind as to put aside your weapon, I’ll unlock the doors.”

  The agents outside the car stood tensely, watching us.

  Their kind was neither bright, nor thoughtful. But what they lacked in personality they made up for in tenacity, loyalty and vigilance.

  I thought about various delaying tactics, but I doubted they would improve my circumstances. Since they hadn’t seen fit to assassinate me thus far, I decided I might as well find out the nature of their plans.

  Placing the gun on the seat beside me, I waved for the driver to proceed.

  He shook his head. “The sword as well, sir.”

  “It’s ceremonial,” I protested.

  He chuckled. “Not for your family, it isn’t. If you would please hurry—these agents will soon lose patience.”

  His words were true. Two of the agents now stood at my door while the other had circled around to the far side.

  “You have no honor,” I told the driver flatly.

  This seemed to cause him a pang. He looked down, avoiding my gaze, but he still watched as I drew my power sword from its scabbard and placed it aside.

  The doors unlocked the instant I was disarmed. Both sides were wrenched open. A grasping hand snatched my PAG away. The agent’s other hand grabbed for the power sword at the same moment.

  I could tell the agent had no experience with this type of weapon. He’d grasped it by the blade in a gloved fist.

  When I’d drawn it, I’d thumbed the blade to its lowest power-setting. It was on, but appeared dormant.

  A shock of current caused the agent’s gloved hand to squeeze spasmodically around the blade. The edge of my sword was a mono-filament and extremely sharp. Three of his four fingers were severed, sending up a wisp of blue smoke.

  Before I could take advantage of the moment, two additional sets of hands reached in from the other side to haul me out.

  My cooperative mood vanished. I’d never liked being arrested or kidnapped, and I wasn’t enjoying the process now. I’d already decided to resist as best I could.

  Reaching up to my neck, I activated my cloak. A personal shield sprang into existence around my body.

  From inside the effect, the world appeared translucent as if observed through water. Angular planes of force surrounded my body, like moving blocks of clear ice.

  Unfortunately, each of the two agents already had a hand inside my shielding. They were able to pull me from the car, snarling.

  They dropped their PAGs and pulled out their powered truncheons. They knew a bolt from their guns couldn’t penetrate the shield.

  An uneven struggle began. They were beating on my shield ineffectually, causing showers of sparks and sounds like that of electrical discharges to fill the night air.

  The driver took this moment to emerge from the car and wave to them. �
��He’s got a button at his neck,” he said. “Turn it off or tear it free.”

  I might have spared him if he’d stayed in the car, but in my estimation, he’d gone too far. He was beyond redemption. As the two men struggled to reach the button at my neck, I dropped to the ground and managed to grab hold of a fallen PAG.

  The pistol spat fire. I landed a bolt on the driver’s chest. He slumped down with a stunned look on his face.

  The man with the missing fingers reentered the fray then. He’d come around from the far side of the car and taken aim. He fired his PAG at me, splattering my shield and making it turn a burnt orange. Fortunately, it held.

  The two men who had me now were grasping at my wrists, cursing. I managed to line up the gun briefly with the man who was missing three fingers, but I ended up hitting one of the men who were struggling with me instead. He spun around and thrashed in a pile of dry leaves.

  My luck ran out after that. The last undamaged agent got his hands to my neck. Rather than throttling me, he managed to turn off my shield by fumbling with the clasp.

  Grunting with excitement and fury, he began to rain down blows with his truncheon. Shocked, numb and face down in the leaves, I soon lost consciousness.

  * * *

  I awakened what seemed a short time later. My clothes were gone, except for a light smock of gauzy white.

  Inside… I thought hazily, I’m inside now, not out in the forest...

  I tried to use my implant, to reach out and contact the Guard. There was no response, no signal at all. I’d been cut off from the rest of the world.

  A figure stirred by the bed. She stood and laid a cool hand on my wrist.

  The woman was elderly in the extreme and gaunt. Her face was like that of someone who had lain in a coffin for years yet still somehow managed to draw dusty breath. I almost recoiled from her touch.

  “He’s awake,” she said. “Call the Chairman.”

  “You should not stand so close to him, Lady,” said an agent with a husky voice. “He’s dangerous. He killed two men as we were bringing him in.”