ã€ŠRise of a Valkyrieã€‹


 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 1

    A whip-crack rang throughout Jack Fenway¡¯s ship as the pressure of the gas giant¡¯s atmosphere took its toll on the hull. Jack didn¡¯t flinch as he watched the readouts from the pilot¡¯s chair. He was past the rated design limit, but he knew that shipwrights over-engineered everything out of caution. The Aster-steel would flex and complain, but his small and well-hidden freighter would be fine.

    Outside, thousands of tons per square inch of hydrogen and helium bore down on the small pocket of life preserving atmosphere, while Jack waited. In the void of space beyond the planet¡¯s exosphere, a frontier patrol vessel was coasting, waiting to see if its sensor readings about an engine trail had been correct.

    The Helvetic League really had no hope of policing the far-flung frontiers of colonized space, but as far as Jack was concerned, everything they did was for show. He had only taken the risk of travelling so close to one of their observation stations because his boss had demanded it. She needed him to join her immediately, and didn¡¯t care what risks he had to take. If he had had more time, he would have taken a long route meandering through the Chiasmi bubble. But when Allana Rayker snapped her fingers, Jack had no choice but to obey.

    He had left a probe, running on passive systems, drifting in the ice debris that made up the gas giant¡¯s rings. Once it had detected the patrol ship jumping away, it would return to join him, and he would continue on his journey to whatever godforsaken spot Rayker had found, far beyond the warm candlelight of human consciousness.

    On the other hand, if he had left noticeable vortices in the planet¡¯s cloud layer as he entered his hiding spot, he would have only seconds of warning before an armed cruiser was on top of him. His ship would be seized, he would be arrested, and he would spend at least a week in prison. He would not leave alive, obviously. When Rayker was disappointed by failure, she made sure to exact the harshest punishments.

    The ship¡¯s superstructure moaned its melodrama, while the seconds ticked by on the command console¡¯s clock, and Jack wondered how much of a delay his boss would tolerate. Every minute that he was stuck there would provoke further anger from her.

    An electronic chirp filled his cockpit, and he felt a shock of adrenaline. A vessel was in close proximity. Range: five hundred yards. Size¡­

    Jack smacked his head back against the chair¡¯s headrest. Four meters.

    He tapped out commands into the console, bringing the engines back online. The probe nestled itself into its storage bracket on the hull, and soon the ghostly brown world was falling away behind him.

    Through the viewscreen, a comet glinted against the infinite black void like a mote caught in a beam of light. The ball of dust and ice looked unimpressive on Jack¡¯s scope, orbiting far from its host star, and lacking the tail that made the more well-known comets spectacular tourist attractions.

    What the hell was his employer doing out here, so far beyond the borders of settled space? Brilliant and ruthless as she was, Jack knew there was nothing she wouldn¡¯t do in pursuit of her goals. But she rarely told him more than he needed to know.

    His gaze slipped past his destination to the space beyond. For a split second, he was caught by a wave of vertigo, as though he were teetering over the edge of a terrifying abyss. Nobody knew what creatures lay beyond the huddled firelights of human civilization and its thirty-seven worlds, but Jack knew that if they too could produce a being like Rayker, it was better not to go looking.

    After an orbital docking rig secured his ship, workers wearing corporate industrial suits ushered him onto a shuttle. VennZech employees, Jack noted; the largest weapons manufacturer in the galaxy, and Rayker¡¯s usual partners. They didn¡¯t speak, though their body language¡ªhunched shoulders and averted gazes¡ªsaid a great deal.

    Once they landed on the surface of the tiny body, he was ushered into a tramcar that took him through rugged canyons and past deep crevasses until they reached what looked to be a dig site. Giant floodlights augmented the meager light of the distant star, focused down towards a village of reinforced vacuum tents. These were clustered around a borehole, where brilliant scars of blue shone through a white crust of ice¡ªthe comet¡¯s subsurface, visible now that the excavators had dislodged the thick layer of surface dust.

    Jack passed through an airlock and, after freeing himself from the travel suit, was led through several tunnels to the command tent, where he found himself face to face with a familiar gaunt and tall figure.

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    She flashed him a cold glare. ¡°You are an hour behind schedule.¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Madam Rayker,¡± Jack said, without letting any emotion enter his voice. ¡°I ran into a frontier patrol ship and had to wait for it to move on.¡±

    She flicked a speck of dirt from her sleeve. ¡°Very well. You may take a longer return journey, as you see fit. I don¡¯t want any risks taken with this shipment.

    An array of monitors displayed camera views from the drilling site, and she turned back to them. ¡°You may begin, Reskov.¡±

    On the central monitor, a derrick pulled a reinforced container up from the darkness of the bore. Jack glanced at one of the pit chiefs. Would he have enjoyed excavation instead of smuggling? The job had a romantic appeal, combined with a technical mastery that had always fascinated him¡ªbut of course it could never be. He was not the master of his own fate.

    The crew worked to keep the cargo clear of the pit walls with a diligence that betrayed their fear. Nobody liked to upset Rayker.

    ¡°What¡¯s down there?¡± he asked once the silence became too awkward.

    Rayker waved a hand. ¡°A crashed ship. A research vessel.¡±

    Jack did not like taking an object of unknown origin and nature aboard his vessel, though it wasn¡¯t unusual for either VennZech or Rayker to make such demands of him. Normally, he could deduce what he was carrying. Salvaged off a crashed navy ship; either a weapon or a powerplant. Handed over by grim-faced cartel members; contraband of one form or another.

    He trusted that his employer wouldn¡¯t endanger her best frontier-runner, and his trust had so far been lucratively rewarded. But a crashed ship, buried deep beneath the ice of a hitherto undisturbed comet? Of course, his job was not to question, it was to deliver on time and without damage. It was a charge he much preferred to the wealth, women, and power with which his brother had tried to buy his loyalty.

    ¡°Can you sign for receipt?¡± Drilling Chief Reskov asked once the package was secured onto a tram car.

    ¡°At the orbital rig, sure,¡± Jack replied.

    ¡°But I¡¯m handing it over to you.¡±

    Jack shook his head. ¡°I take responsibility for things on my ship. The container is not on my ship. You want the tram operator to sign? That¡¯s your problem.¡±

    Reskov scowled at him. ¡°VennZech procedure clearly states¡ª¡±

    ¡°Corporate isn¡¯t running this operation,¡± Rayker snapped. ¡°I am. Mr Fenway will sign when it is on his ship, is that clear?¡±

    The chief went pale and nodded his acceptance. He disappeared to find the truck driver, leaving Jack alone with Rayker.

    ¡°No mistakes, Jack.¡± She instructed him. ¡°No authority between the stars can interdict this shipment, or else you will answer for it. If you don¡¯t like that, you can go back to working for your brother.¡±

    Jack nodded, his throat dry.

    ¡°When you get back up there, tell them to prepare my vessel. I¡¯ll leave a day behind you.¡±

    Two hours later, Jack left orbit on a lazy course that evaded the Helvetic League¡¯s scattered watch stations by the simple expedient of going around them. He chose a region of space that was not heavily policed, and while the Leagues¡¯ propaganda might brag about their airtight border security, the reality was far different. Space was vast, ships could be made difficult to detect, and the human pretense at the mastery of anything between the stars was regularly made to look foolish by the hundreds of smugglers that plied the void.

    Even in the denser population zones¡ªthe dozen core worlds¡ªsmugglers got through the checkpoints using high-risk maneuvers. They would drop out of light speed so close to a star that no patrol vessel would dare follow them. Even as they lost the occasional daredevil this way, the payoff was immense. Humanity yearned for luxuries and contraband from the outer worlds, even as the League¡¯s administrators paid billions of credits for educational material to convince them that they didn¡¯t.

    Comfortable with his computer¡¯s calculations, Jack accelerated his ship past light speed, locked in the autopilot, and poured himself a whiskey. He preferred Islay scotch, and as he breathed in the heavy, peaty scent, and nestled into the comfort of his ship¡¯s lounge, he began to relax. With the new route he wasn¡¯t concerned about surprises. It was a quiet part of the Cluster¡ªthe local collection of star systems that played host to humanity.

    Rayker liked to send him on the boring trips, because he was careful and didn¡¯t make mistakes. She was boring as well, in her own way, preferring quiet deception to the loud, clumsy, and occasionally violent operations of the cartels.

    Jack felt a rush of anxiety as he visualized her cold smile.

    ¡°You wanted to revisit the possibility of a transfer, didn¡¯t you?¡± she had asked, an edge of disdain in her voice.

    Jack had nodded meekly. His oft repeated request to try a different line of work would be ignored, he knew. But she liked to toy with people.

    ¡°Perhaps it can be considered after your next assignment.¡±

    She lied so easily.

    She was beautiful too, he thought, in the same manner as a well-made knife. It didn¡¯t bother him that she kept his leash tight, and the work easy, sometimes even engaging. Though he ached for novelty, it gave him a thrill to outwit the fools of the Helvetic League¡¯s law enforcement. An empire that had once ruled the stars now reduced to a feeble bureaucracy¡ªit gave Jack pleasure to mock their pretensions of greatness.

    A tangle of connections and agreements were all they had left now that the Corporations held sway. The League might set rules for trade and control those too skittish to turn to the cartels, but their real power had been broken, lost beneath spider webs of corruption and grift. They thought they could rule the stars when they couldn¡¯t even rule themselves.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 2

    Jack stretched and lifted his feet onto the couch. For the next few days, he was a free man. He could drift in his thoughts and shut out the empty noise of the universe. Though his ship had access to the cluster-web, with its endless constellations of entertainment channels, news commentary and talking heads, he almost never used it. Occasionally, he might refer to the technical channels to help him fix an engine problem, but the rest of the drivel held no interest. It was all talk and stupidity.

    The truth was that nothing mattered anymore. You either served a corporation or did your best to avoid them, and nobody cared if you lived or died. Out in the void, however, Jack found the silence soothing. He could lose himself in the endless harmony of the galactic ballet, and not a soul could disturb the passage of his ship.

    A console pinged an alert, and Jack smiled. Apart from the Night Stalkers, obviously.

    It was a message from his friend Ruben¡ªno doubt sharing more rumors and speculation. Jack chose to ignore it until tomorrow, as he didn¡¯t care to have his peace invaded by conspiracy theories.

    A fellow smuggler, Ruben Archad, claimed to have seen and heard it all, usually from some drunk in a bar. He was always monitoring shipping reports and sending Jack his ¡®read¡¯ of ¡®the situation¡¯. The message would invariably fixate on a missing vessel¡ªprobably pegged to the wrong station by bureaucratic incompetence¡ªwhich Ruben would assert had been ¡®taken¡¯.

    They attacked ships in empty space, Ruben had tiresomely insisted after his fifth glass. An alien spaceship would appear out of nowhere, and a ship would go black, losing all power and control. Then ¡®they¡¯ would board, kill everyone, and take what was left.

    ¡°If they killed everybody,¡± Jack replied. ¡°How does anyone know it happened?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes they leave one to tell the story. To spread fear.¡±

    ¡°And you met one of these survivors?¡±

    ¡°I met a guy, who knows a guy, who said he talked to one of them.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Death from the darkness, Jack chuckled into his glass. More like piracy, or the cartels resolving unfinished business. Obviously, there was a great deal of violence ¡®out there¡¯, but while the unlucky or the unwise might run afoul of the cruel in the wrong patch of space, Jack would slip by unharassed.

    Night Stalkers were the stuff of myth, but Allana Rayker¡¯s displeasure would go viral on the news feeds. It would be talked about, in hushed tones, for months. He shuddered as he remembered where his life would have taken him without the protection of that same threat of violence. Back in the gilded cage with the other beast that wouldn¡¯t let him go, even as it called him family.

    When you got right down to it, everyone was evil.

    Jack dropped his empty glass as he laid his head back, enjoying the warm glow that drowned out the emptiness. A moment like this was an upside to working with Rayker, when he could step outside reality and let it all fade away.

    He woke up as the ship was on its final leg to Zaito station¡ªhis ultimate destination. After flicking through his messages¡ªsending a terse ¡®interesting as always¡¯ to Ruben¡ªhe reviewed the engineering logs. Apart from the engines, the ship¡¯s systems were purring happily. Then he stopped. An instrument panel was blinking a warning in the cargo hold. Checking the readout, Jack was surprised to see that a temperature sensor had detected an unusual increase in heat. Not dangerous or alarming, but certainly puzzling. Of course, he was carrying only one item.

    When he popped open the access hatch, he saw the container strapped in where it should be. Nothing had changed on the outside at least, but when he ran his hand along the smooth metal, he felt warmth beneath his fingers. That was concerning, for it took a lot of energy to heat up a hundred cubic feet of steel shipping container.

    Jack debated opening the container. Rayker had not explicitly forbidden him from doing so, but she rarely appreciated anyone prying too far into her business. If she found out, there would be a punishment.

    On the other hand, the mystery of whatever had been dug out of the comet weighed on his mind. A burning curiosity consumed him¡ªa desire to explore the darkness beyond humanity. So what if she got angry? It wasn¡¯t like he had a habit of talking, and they both knew that few of the deliveries she ordered were ethical. Besides, he was an expert in falsifying seals¡ªeven Rayker wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference. Jack made up his mind.

    First, he made a complete molecular scan of the existing seal, before he carefully broke it in a way that would be straightforward to repair. Then he opened the container, letting one of the metal walls drop to the deck of the hold. What he saw inside made him back away in shock.

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    R3: I just got an alert¡ªcentral tracking flagged a signal.

    R2: Where?

    R3: Heading into Zaito¡ªthat¡¯s a major logistical hub in the East sector. Shit, this thing could be going anywhere in the cluster.

    R1: What? It just popped up in the middle of empty space? How is that possible?

    R3: It shouldn¡¯t be¡ªand nobody at central knows either.

    R2: Could this be an attack or¡­?

    R3: Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions. Best we can say for now is that someone has figured out how to mask signatures for at least a short duration. Raven Four, let¡¯s send someone to the location?

    R4: Agreed. Better set up a logistics package too.

    R1: Can I recommend Raven Two? That last operation sure was exciting.

    R2: Oh sure, like you¡¯ve never received bad intel before¡­

    R4: Both of you will onsite. Raven One will approach, Raven Two will support. Acknowledge message.

    R2: Acknowledged.

    R1: Moving.

    Jack shook his head, trying to dislodge the daydream he had stumbled into. Secured inside the container was a device¡ªa cylindrical construction of metallic material. To the touch it was cold, and he realized that the container itself had been generating the heat¡ªbut why? A quick inspection revealed that its structure was a few inches thicker than usual.

    That was the least interesting problem he had to face, for the device he was looking at was covered in the short, color-coded labels he was used to seeing on aerospace machines and vehicles. The problem was that they were not in any language or format that he recognized from the major manufacturers. They were not in a language, he realized as he inspected the bizarre shapes, that was used by any human entity in the cluster.

    A device dug out from beneath the surface of an unexplored comet in an empty star system? Rayker had told him it was a crashed ship, but how could a wreck be buried beneath the ice unless it had been there¡ªhe searched his meager astrophysics knowledge¡ªthousands of years? Before even the building of cities on Earth?

    Jack tried to calm himself. It was obviously a secret project¡ªmilitary probably. They could have any reason to be crashing ships with strange devices aboard. Or maybe they had just made an underground lab that produced weird new technology in a script they didn¡¯t want anybody to understand. They would want it in out in the middle of nowhere to keep away prying eyes. That had to be it, he reassured himself.

    He closed the crate and reforged the seal, checking the work three times. The Helvetic League¡¯s best custom¡¯s officers wouldn¡¯t know any different, and neither would Rayker. His paycheck for the job was already generous, he knew, and he would use it to take a long vacation somewhere far from civilization. Until she called him again.

    Zaito was a class five station hosting nearly a million residents, and even more commuters from the planet Radian. It drifted comfortably in the world¡¯s busy Lagrange One point, together with a dozen other smaller stations, providing a transportation hub throughout most of the sector.

    Jack completed the handover of the container in one of the discreet industrial docking bays, nodding curtly to the grim faced VennZech security guards, and feeling the weight melt from his shoulders as he walked away.

    Once he had checked into a hotel on the company credit card he downed a stiff drink, then wandered out towards the station hub, looking for an appropriate dive. The central spire was out of the question. As in most of the big stations, the League¡¯s upper class would have installed themselves there, building the most luxurious bars and casinos for the super elite. The corporations furnished so much wealth for those lucky enough to be introduced¡ªor born¡ªinto the right social networks that they quickly came to control any colony or station they occupied.

    As he explored, Jack passed the concourse that led to the Tier One hub. A well-dressed businessman argued with a guard at the checkpoint. Apparently, his identity had been flagged by the system. No doubt he had committed a faux pas to one of his wealthy patrons without realizing it, and a phone call would have been made. Now, under the assumption he was still a member of the club, the unlucky man had tried to gain entry to the elite¡¯s private district, only to find that his digital reputation had been downgraded. As he began to understand that the world he had built his life in was now locked away from him, he sat down on a bench and began to cry. Behind the checkpoint, verdant gardens bordered the concourse, and two gorgeous young models were having loud sex as pedestrians passed by.

    It was all part of the scenery for Jack. He wouldn¡¯t be admitted no matter what tricks he pulled¡ªthough he could probably manage to get into a Tier Three district if he called in some favors. His world was elsewhere, however; a short walk and a tram ride to the Tier Five zone, where his compatriots preferred to do business in the shadows. It was a comfortable place, for he would be known and left alone by the troublemakers.

    Three hours later, the dim lights of the night cycle whirled around him as he stumbled back to his hotel. As he navigated the bridges and concourses of the sprawling station, he tried to recall if his room number had been 339, or 349. He rounded a corner and stopped, a cold sensation tickling his spine. The station corridors ahead of him were empty of people, except for a pair of men, standing in the shadows as they waited for something. They were dressed like Tier Fives, but they were confident and muscular, surveying the area with careful focus.

    When they spotted him, they were immediately alert. One was bald, and a little shorter than his companion. He moved closer, holding up a cigarette as if to ask him for a light. Jack eyed the other man¡ªmore weasel faced, with a low effort fake smile¡ªwho held his arm stiffly in his pocket. The whole scene felt wrong. Adrenaline washed over him like a cold shower as years of smuggler instinct began to kick in. Sensing his suspicion, both men lunged forward.

    Jack bolted, heading for the nearest staircase, running flat out without bothering to look back. When he reached the railing of the stairs, he vaulted over it, falling to the lower story and dropping into a roll. As he jumped back up into a sprint, his mind went blank, processing nothing beyond the next move, the next dodge, and he knew he wouldn¡¯t stop running until¡ª

    ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± someone called.

    Jack tried to stop, but it was too late. He collided with the figure, and they fell to the ground in a tangle of bodies.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 3

    ¡°Get off me, asshole!¡± a voice complained, and as Jack scrambled to recover, he looked up to see a young woman hauling herself upright¡ªa look of fury on her face.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡± she snarled, then looked past him, as Jack¡¯s pursuers arrived, slowing as they assessed the scene.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ so sorry I hit you!¡± Jack managed. ¡°I¡¯m being chased by these¡­ criminals!¡±

    The woman didn¡¯t move. Her expression hardened as she stood upright and stared them down.

    ¡°Criminals huh? What do you say to that, guys?¡±

    The two men approached cautiously, unsure of how to deal with the angry bystander. One of them, Jack saw, had concealed the knife he had been wielding back in his pocket.

    ¡°You need to leave, miss,¡± the bald one said. ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±

    The woman cocked her head, a stubborn expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s a public walkway. Don¡¯t tell me what I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Hey, lady¡ªwe aren¡¯t kidding around,¡± said the other man. ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Screw you! I¡¯m having a bad day and I feel like venting my anger.¡± She turned to Jack. ¡°They trying to mug you or what?¡±

    Jack nodded. ¡°They wanted my uh¡­ watch.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t have criminality rampant on the station.¡± She turned back to the men. ¡°Get out of here before I call security.¡±

    ¡°Last warning,¡± the bald man hissed. ¡°Stay out of things that don¡¯t concern you.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± He produced the knife again. ¡°Have it your way.¡±

    He darted forward.

    Jack watched, at first appalled as they attacked the woman, then stunned as she moved like lightning.

    She drove hard into the knife wielder, hooking a leg around his so that he stumbled. She threw him backwards, using his weight to push him off balance until they both slammed to the ground.  His knife stuck in her side and she yelped, twisted away, and drew back her elbow. She smashed his head back against the metal walkway and he went limp.

    The second man grabbed her by the neck, hauling her back off his partner. The skilled woman didn¡¯t slow or falter, she twisted again, almost climbing around his body, until her weight brought him crashing to the floor. Jack watched in fascination as the strange woman moved with skill and dexterity, writhing into a position that allowed her to control her victim¡¯s arm. He struggled and punched her, but he seemed helpless as her legs locked over his chest, and pulled the arm back to full extension. It broke with a sickening crack.

    She stood up, breathing hard, but apparently unconcerned by the wailing and dry wretching of her victim.

    ¡°Let¡¯s consider this a learning experience, gentlemen,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t go harassing people when you don¡¯t know what they¡¯re capable of.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡± Jack said. He was stunned to see that she neither seemed to be in a lot of pain or particularly alarmed.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She smiled as she held a hand over her side. ¡°No winners in a knife fight. No worries though, I have excellent health insurance.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get that looked at?¡±

    ¡°Nah. A bandage and a stiff drink will do the trick.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you for saving me. I¡¯m Jack, by the way.¡±

    She nodded to him. ¡°Nice to meet you Jack, I¡¯m Urtiga. Next time you make friends, consider a less physical approach.¡±

    Jack eyed the men as they hauled themselves upright and fled. ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a bodyguard,¡± Urtiga replied. ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised to learn what a solid foundation in combat sports can do for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jack¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry I knocked you over. I wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡±

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    ¡°Apology accepted. Mistakes happen, and it¡¯s clear you had a reason to be distracted. Let¡¯s just try to maintain our situational awareness in the public space.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. This might be a bit forward of me, but you wouldn¡¯t be interested in a job opportunity would you?¡±

    Urtiga laughed. ¡°Oh, I get it. You pissed someone off.¡±

    ¡°Could I buy you that stiff drink? Once you¡¯ve¡­ taken care of yourself?¡±

    Urtiga looked thoughtful. ¡°Sure, why not? I¡¯m out of work at the moment. Give me an hour. Do you know the ¡®Wharfside Stanchion¡¯?¡±

    Jack nodded.

    When he got back to his hotel room his head was spinning.  Who in their right mind would attack him in that part of the station? The repercussions from¡ª

    Of course¡­there was no other explanation, he realized with a sickening dread. Whatever had been in that container was so important to Rayker that she felt the need to tie up loose ends. Others¡ªnobodies, or losers¡ªwho worked with her over the years had wound up dead, but Jack could never have imagined she would turn on him. Wasn¡¯t he her best runner? Wasn¡¯t he the one she turned to when she needed something done exactly right?

    Not just her¡ªa tiny voice in his head called, and the next part of the awful puzzle locked into place. His standing with the VennZech corporation would have been nullified too. Checking his phone, he saw that all of his accounts had been locked. The next checkpoint he passed would flag him, either locking him out of a ship, or triggering an arrest.

    And so this was what she needed from him. The container moved, and whoever knew about it, gone.

    She would have hired some local thugs to make it look like a street robbery. He felt vaguely insulted that she didn¡¯t send a trained killer, but of course she had no respect for his ability to defend himself.

    Because he had no ability to defend himself. He felt a pang of shame as he realized that she was right. If Urtiga hadn¡¯t shown up, he would probably be dead.

    Fortunately, his crypto wallet contained emergency funds for just such a situation¡ªone he had planned for but never expected to live through.

    Jack tapped his new acquaintance¡¯s name into his phone and felt a rush of relief to see that no alerts came up for the alias. The odds of running into an unemployed bodyguard at such an opportune moment were slim, though not impossible. The Tier Five level was the area where most of them hung out. And her smile had been so beguiling.

    He made his way through the dinghy corridors and halls of the station to the bar and ordered a drink as he sat down to wait. He knew his backup identity would get him at least onto an economy shuttle, though any higher-level security would scan his face directly. A trip to the surface of Radian would be possible, provided he could stay out of sight of Rayker¡¯s minions. From there it would be easy to find work on an industrial freighter headed to the outer cluster, maybe even disappear in the colonies.

    It seemed strange to Jack that, now he was forced to put the pieces together, he could see that it had always been possible. He had always assumed his path in life was fixed by his circumstances, but perhaps the reality was that he had gotten comfortable. On the other hand, who in their right mind would choose the risk of having Rayker chase them down?

    ¡°Hey there, clutz.¡±

    Jack looked up to see Urtiga. She smiled at him, and it was such an open and genuine smile that he had to concentrate to keep his own expression fixed. Her olive skin shone like gold in the bar¡¯s subdued lighting, and he found himself struggling to overcome the distraction.

    ¡°Can I buy you a drink?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Islay scotch. Double¡±

    ¡°A woman of taste, I see.¡±

    When he returned with the drink, he saw her scanning the bar, her eyes alert. He moved to usher her to a table, but she stopped him.

    ¡°Not here. That table in the corner.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    They sat, and Jack watched as she drained the glass in one swallow.

    ¡°You must be in a lot of pain,¡± he said, now worried if he had made the right decision in offering the woman a job.

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°I enjoy quantity and quality.¡±

    Jack nodded slowly, but the doubt must have shown in his eyes.

    ¡°And I have a very high tolerance,¡± she added, and her smile was as warm as a sunbeam.

    Jack was silent for a moment. It wasn¡¯t like he had a choice. ¡°I can only pay you in crypto.¡± He said and felt a flood of relief when she nodded. Those cryptocurrencies not controlled by the Helvetic League¡¯s banking network were highly illegal, and though favored amongst the darker levels of society, introduced a level of complication that many wished to avoid.

    ¡°Works for me. So, what are we into?¡±

    Jack took a breath. Only a very brave or foolhardy woman would want to go up against his former employer. Though he didn¡¯t have to tell her the whole truth. ¡°Do you know the VennZech corporation?¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Certamente¡ªone of the most powerful corporations in the League. Quite the pickle we¡¯ve gotten ourselves into, isn¡¯t it? What a cruel world we live in.¡± She sighed and shook her head. ¡°But that¡¯s why people like me have a job, I suppose.¡±

    Jack exhaled slowly. Even a brave or foolhardy bodyguard would be worried by his situation. But Urtiga, it seemed, wasn¡¯t afraid of anything. Even so, he felt he should sweeten the deal.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay a premium rate,¡± he said. ¡°I can afford it.¡±

    Urtiga tipped her head approvingly. ¡°Where would you like to end up?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Somewhere in the outer cluster.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. Stay out of the League¡¯s influence where the suits don¡¯t control everything. Well, I know a nice place, actually. Have you heard of Caldera?¡±

    ¡°The newest planet? Only colonized a couple of decades ago?¡± He thought carefully. ¡°Have you been out there before?¡±

    ¡°Sure have,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Don¡¯t believe everything you hear about the settler movement. They¡¯re easy enough to get along with her.¡±

    ¡°Well, I hear they despise Helvets, and don¡¯t take well to strangers.¡±

    ¡°After this trip, I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll be on the same page.¡±

    Jack rubbed his head. She was probably right, and it wasn¡¯t like he had a choice. ¡°That sounds like a good idea, then.¡±

    ¡°Great, well, I¡¯ll take care of the travel arrangements while you get a room in one of these low-profile joints. Jack¡­?¡±

    The question hung in the air, and Jack hesitated before answering.

    ¡°Fenway¡±

    Urtiga paused, a look of concern in her eyes.

    ¡°No relation to the Cartel,¡± he reassured her.

    She nodded, but her smile had become a little more forced.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 4

    Several hours later, Urtiga collected him from his temporary room, and informed him they had a vessel to catch on the other side of the station. Feeling much more confident about his situation, Jack followed her, but froze when he saw that they were approaching the Tier Two Concourse.

    ¡°We can¡¯t go in there,¡± he protested. ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t.¡±

    He had been happy to let his new business partner take the lead in planning his evasion, while he sat in his dingy low rent hotel room browsing the web. Urtiga had presented a substantial bill for her services, which he had been willing to accept, so it didn¡¯t seem reasonable that she would try to sell him out until after she had been paid. She had only described their itenary in vague detail, explaining that they would take ¡®a shuttle¡¯ to the travel hub at Misian. Now, he worried that he had misplaced his trust.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get flagged for sure. I thought you were going to find something lower profile.¡±

    ¡°Your new ident is completely secure¡ªyou won¡¯t get flagged.¡±

    ¡°How did you¡ª¡±

    She smiled that warm, honest smile that was beginning to beguile him. ¡°Why do you think my bill is so high? I provide only the best service, and besides, I like to travel in comfort.¡±

    He stammered for a moment, before he realized that he really wanted to believe her. The idea of taking a luxury cruiser held its own seduction, and besides, he argued to himself, the level of martial arts that he had witnessed the night before had been impressive. She was certainly an experienced professional.

    Swallowing his anxiety, he stepped up to the checkpoint, counting the seconds for the scanner to process his profile¡­ and passed through without the guard even looking up.

    She followed him through. ¡°See?¡± she said, and punched his arm. ¡°I got this.¡±

    A gorgeous starliner waited for them on the other side of an expansive observation window. Jack had to admit that the open, spacious and comfortable boarding lounge was worth the price, and if he was going into hiding, it would be the last time he could expect to enjoy such comforts. Perhaps Urtiga had this in mind when she planned their trip, he thought. She seemed to be quite empathetic.

    With a sigh, he set down his finely aged whisky.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± she asked.

    He grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a hard life, being on the run.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine it¡¯s positively tiresome.¡± The cold, piercing voice behind him made his blood run cold.

    Fighting back nausea, Jack turned to see Allana Rayker, her face as pale and expressionless as a statue.

    ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± he managed.

    ¡°A little unscheduled holiday? I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve concluded our business yet, Mr. Fenway.¡±

    Urtiga leaned back in her chair, her warm smile ever present. ¡°Is that your old boss, Jack?¡± she asked.

    Jack was frozen, uncertain if he had been betrayed or even the victim of an elaborate prank.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve been introduced,¡± Rayker said, turning away from Jack.

    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t,¡± Urtiga said happily. The two women maintained eye contact, neither blinking.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to deprive you of your companion for a moment,¡± Rayker said, interrupting the awkward silence.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± Urtiga¡¯s smile never wavered.

    Rayker laughed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be dramatic. We have some old business to discuss.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t imagine what business it is of yours¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you can imagine. Mr. Fenway is under my protection, and he isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±

    Jack cringed, wishing he could crawl into an airlock to be shot out into space. Nobody interrupted Allana Rayker.

    ¡°Young lady¡ª¡± she said coldly.

    ¡°You are either going to leave us alone, or I¡¯m going to make a scene. And it isn¡¯t going to go the way you think it will.¡± Urtiga¡¯s smile had faded to a cocky smirk.

    Jack wondered if the woman wasn¡¯t narcissistically overconfident, even if she was obviously a world class poker player. Rayker glared at her, then at Jack, then turned and stalked back to a delegation of VennZech employees gathering by the bar. He began to shake as Urtiga put her feet up on the coffee table.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Do you know who that was?¡± he said quietly.

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors. I thought she¡¯d be taller, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Are you afraid of anything?¡±

    She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not super fond of heights, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god. Please tell me she won¡¯t be on board at least.¡±

    ¡°No. Some VennZech research team is having a business trip. I honestly didn¡¯t think she¡¯d come to send them off.¡± She smiled contritely. ¡°I screwed up. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Jack downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp.

    A few hours later, they were on board the starliner, and with a few more drinks in him, Jack had begun to calm down. It was certainly a restive environment. As soon as they boarded the vessel, helpful, smiling servants had rushed to their side, eager to cater to their every desire. Urtiga had shrugged them off, while Jack listened curiously to the variety of luxuries available. There were spas and hot-tubs, massage parlors and swimming pools. He found himself attracted to the botanical sphere, with its luscious gardens and light-enhanced glass ceiling, that allowed awed onlookers to see more of the galaxy than would be visible to the naked eye.

    Urtiga dismissed these suggestions as ¡®too complicated¡¯, preferring to keep in the vicinity of a small, but elegant restaurant. She chose a vantage point which allowed her to watch the entire room, and the concourse beyond it, while they chatted about the possibilities of colony life.

    ¡°It¡¯s very romantic,¡± Jack said. ¡°Setting down farms and homesteads on a completely unexplored planet.¡±

    ¡°Yes, easy to see how adventurous types are drawn out there,¡± Urtiga agreed.

    ¡°Is that where you¡¯re from¡ªthe outer cluster?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ well, anyway, I suppose I can see how those colonists find a real purpose in their lives, and I think that¡¯s really special. Uniting.¡±

    ¡°When the purpose is making sure you don¡¯t all die¡ªyeah.¡±

    ¡°But I just don¡¯t see that in our society anymore. Helvetic society, I mean. It¡¯s so¡­¡±

    ¡°Narcissistic.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªthat¡¯s exactly right. I don¡¯t know why that is.¡±

    Urtiga thought for a moment. ¡°What sticks out to me is the recent Frontier war. Nobody talks about it.¡±

    Jack thought back to what little he had remembered of the conflict that ended more than a decade ago. The Helvetic League had been a military superpower, and sought to crush cartel activity in the fringe worlds. Anxious to avoid accusations of imperialism, they had assembled an alliance of planetary forces to try and crack down on the trafficking, corruption, and gangsterism of that part of human space.

    After years of fighting, with millions dead, nothing seemed to have been achieved. The cartels were as powerful as ever, while the League had shattered its public image as a force for justice. Critics complained openly about naked war profiteering. Earth wasn¡¯t a leader of civilization; it just controlled the largest gang, they argued, before the League¡¯s censors began to silence them.

    ¡°Well, why would they? I don¡¯t think anyone really understands what happened.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°But war is just the word given to the kinds of extreme human interactions that go beyond a certain line. It¡¯s a line that exists in our minds, but not so much in reality. If you¡¯re not talking about war, then you¡¯re cutting yourself off from a ton of experiences and lessons that can apply to your own life, no matter how boring you think it is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an¡­ unusual perspective.¡±

    ¡°I mean, okay, violence is a different beast. All bets are off, no rules, disaster, and misery at every level of society. But they sent a lot of men and women out there, who experienced all the awful things that war generates. They saw, they learned, and they grew and returned to their homes with a vast storehouse of new experiences. Now, imagine if all those veterans told their stories and explained what they had learned and why it mattered. Imagine if it was discussed and debated by the artists and philosophers and became the cornerstone of cultural discourse. Those hard truths: the lessons learned in blood, all the accumulated experience that would teach a new generation how to confront darkness and overcome it¡ªwouldn¡¯t that push humanity to grow? Wouldn¡¯t that help people get a better sense of meaning and purpose?¡±

    Jack was captivated by her passion as she grew more animated. He found himself wishing he had such powerful convictions. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine a society like that,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Well, actually, you don¡¯t need to. ¡®Cos that¡¯s what happened in ancient Greece, after Homer wrote Iliad and Odyssey. And some people say there was no Homer, or that it was a group of people, and they were just condensing all the stories people had collected that meant the most to them. Their world had emerged from a dark age, surviving war and tragedy, and the writings provided the cornerstone of their culture.¡±

    Jack nodded, deciding he would go looking for history books at the next opportunity.

    ¡°But this Helvetic society just waves its hands.¡± Urtiga continued, her tone growing frustrated. ¡°They shrug their shoulders, make a few quickly forgotten documentaries that misrepresent what happened, and refuse to dig any deeper. The League didn¡¯t win, and neither did the rebels. Humans can¡¯t process anything without an obvious winner and loser because it¡¯s too painful and confusing. Nobody wants their happy, meaningless lives disturbed.¡±

    ¡°Did you serve in the war?¡± Jack asked, then wondered if he shouldn¡¯t have. She looked too young, but she had been so immersed in her argument that it seemed like she must have had a personal connection.

    She shrugged. ¡°Nah, I just watched from the sidelines, like everyone else.¡±

    They talked well into the shipboard evening, and Jack began to feel intoxicated by the presence of the young woman. She had such a treasure trove of stories, both hilarious and heart-breaking. He moved closer to her, craving the warmth of her smile as the warmth of the wine seeped through his nerves. She was certainly attractive, and he found himself getting lost in her open, honest eyes. Brushing aside all thoughts of professionalism, he didn¡¯t blink when she placed her hand on his wrist, giggling as she playfully pushed back his sleeve. Their eyes met again, and¡­

    He felt an intense stabbing pain in his forearm.

    Jack looked down, saw the needle she had withdrawn, saw the small rivulet of blood draining from the puncture hole in his flesh. When he looked back up, Urtiga¡¯s warm smile had been replaced by a cocky smirk, and her eyes sparked with mischief.

    Jack didn¡¯t hesitate. Driven purely by instinct, he bolted from the restaurant, sprinting across the concourse without looking back. He tried to identify the maintenance access, hoping to use the maze of confusing walkways to lose the psychopath who had manipulated and tricked him. Eventually he found a hatchway to engineering, and he ducked inside. Following the signs, he headed for the engine room. There, he would certainly be able to find a corner to crawl into, never to be found by the endless parade of thugs who wanted him dead.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 5

    The attack had come so fast that no-one had been able to plan an escape. Lab technicians whimpered as they jumped into storage closets or crawled beneath desks. Drilling Chief Reskov hurried through the darkened walkways into the control room where he crawled behind one of the computer banks. The base lighting had gone dead, and now only the dim illumination of the star was all he could see by. Across the room, one of his junior engineers had hidden like himself, his eyes wide with terror. Reskov raised a finger to his lips, hoping the young man would be able to keep himself from panicking.

    The first signal that something was wrong had come minutes earlier, when a technician had claimed that he had lost all communication with the orbital rig. There had been no warning from the crew or computer systems. According to the live data stream, the platform had simply ceased to exist. Then the security cameras caught a bright flash, and tremors shook the comet as every light and machine in the complex went dead. Reskov had tried to restart the backup power supply, but the generator had stubbornly refused to function.

    Then one of the security chiefs had burst into the science tents, claiming, with panic in his voice, that his men outside were reporting shapes descending to the comet¡¯s surface. Not believing his ears, Reskov had rushed to the lounge where hobby telescopes had been set up for the crew to amuse themselves with in their downtime. When he looked through the lens at the point in the sky that the orbital rig was supposed to occupy, the veteran chief had thought he was dreaming. The rig was there, intact, and dimly illuminated by the starlight. Not far away from it, a shadow was blotting out the distant stars; a spacecraft that absorbed no light and held its position without difficulty.

    As his head swam, trying to process the nightmare, Reskov watched through the observation windows as security guards ran aimlessly through the compound¡¯s exterior. Occasionally, one would stop and turn, raising his rifle, only to fall dead before he could fire it. Squinting at the shadows, Reskov saw flickers of movement, though never enough to make out their terrible new foe.

    Now cowering for his life, tucked away into the recesses of his last refuge, Reskov prayed to his God. What Rayker had discovered in the dark corners of space had condemned them all, and he cursed his own arrogance. He knew he should have found an excuse to leave at the first opportunity, but instead he had stayed, tempted by the sin of greed. Now, Reskov realized, as he trembled in the shadows, an inexorable judgement had arrived. They would be punished for their discovery of secrets humanity was not meant to learn.

    As he tried to repent, he heard the yelling of men in the connecting tunnels, immediately cut off by violent thuds. Then there was silence, broken soon after by the soft and rhythmic thump of heavy footsteps. Across from him, Reskov¡¯s terrified neighbor clutched a wrench as the sound drew nearer.

    Something entered the control room and stopped in silence. Reskov imagined the invader watching and listening, no doubt searching for the fugitives. He watched in horror as the young engineer lost his nerve, jumped up from his hiding spot and lunged forward with the wrench raised. There was a clang, followed by a sickening thud, and Reskov watched the body fall limp to the floor. He tried desperately to slow his breathing and stop the shaking of his limbs.

    A gloved hand reached into his hiding space, gripping him tightly as it hauled him upright with ease. He found himself face to face with a humanoid form. The figure was armored, tall and had a rifle slung to one side. A blank metallic face seemed to observe him carefully. Reskov¡¯s eyes darted around the room, looking for any hope of escape.

    On the floor, he saw the technician¡¯s wrench bent in two. Now his fate was sealed. He was a plaything in the hands of the terrible creature, and he closed his eyes as he began to pray.

    ¡°Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,¡± he stammered, ¡°I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me,¡± he muttered.

    When nothing happened, he summoned all his courage, and opened his eyes again. In the doorway to the control room, two more dark figures watched in silence as his captor raised a needle. It pressed the cold metal to his neck, and Reskov felt the sharp pain as it pierced his flesh. Then he felt nothing.

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    Jack came to a rest, panting hard, and nestled himself inside a mess of coolant pipes. He tried to think, but found himself overcome with hopelessness. No matter where he fled, they would surely find him.

    ¡°That was a good run,¡± Urtiga said as she sat down on a pipe, barely out of breath. ¡°I like that you¡¯re cultivating a healthy physical lifestyle. However, if we could go back to the discussion you abruptly put on hold¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay away from me,¡± Jack snarled. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to you.¡±

    ¡°Technically true, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you want from me? Are you going to kill me?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all,¡± she said, as she calmly produced a silenced pistol from her jacket. ¡°As you can see, you would already be dead.¡±

    Jack went pale.

    ¡°The tracker that I injected into your arm,¡± she continued, as though she was describing their last meal, ¡°will allow me to locate you anywhere in the galaxy. I can also run much faster than you, so let¡¯s put aside any of this running and hiding silliness. Also, I wouldn¡¯t try to remove it either, because it will explode¡ªtaking out most of¡­ you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone! I swear I didn¡¯t say a thing!¡±

    Urtiga nodded as though she understood. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s true. Just take a moment. Try to control your breathing, get yourself together, and then we can talk about it.¡±

    Jack tried to stop his head from spinning, anxious as he was not to upset the armed, and clearly dangerous woman.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with fundamentals,¡± Urtiga continued. ¡°I¡¯m giving you this advice for free because I kind of like you and if you survive, I want you to grow and develop as a healthy human being. I really mean that.¡±

    If I survive? Jack thought.

    ¡°Unless you are a billionaire, rock star or cartel leader, charming young women do not fall out of the sky into your lap, promising you everything you want to hear. Not for a guy like you. Any girl who does that has an agenda, and it certainly will not include your best interests. The smart move in that situation is to walk away. I hope you commit that advice to memory, because I¡¯m guessing that kind of braindead optimism is what lead you to Rayker in the first place. Am I right?¡±

    Jack didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°So anyway, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed, I am not really in the ¡®bodyguard¡¯ business. Fortunately for you, I am in the ¡®saving humanity¡¯ business. Honestly, this may just be the luckiest day of your life.¡±

    She waited expectantly, but Jack didn¡¯t feel particularly inclined to voice his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°In my business,¡± she said eventually, ¡°you are what we technically refer to as a ¡®bad guy¡¯. A bad guy, Jack Fenway,¡± she repeated when he still refused to respond.

    He shook his head. ¡°I never hurt anybody.¡±

    ¡°You transport things for Allana Rayker. She is the nastiest piece of work on this side of the Orion nebula. You facilitate the evil that she commits. The wages of sin are death, Mr. Fenway.¡±

    Jack shook his head as he felt anger clouding his mind. ¡°You have no clue what I had to go through to get by in this screwed up world. I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care. The laws of physics don¡¯t adjust themselves because you were having a bad day. But have no fear, because I am one of the good guys, and I am going to help you get out of your predicament. Now, Mr. Fenway, did you recently transport something for Miss Rayker that you should not have transported?¡±

    He felt himself calm a little as raw curiosity began to take over. ¡°What was it?¡± he asked quietly.

    ¡°A bomb. A very, very destructive bomb, that my better-educated colleagues affectionately call a ¡®plate-cracker¡¯, if that gives you an idea of the magnitude of energy that I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    ¡°Plate?¡± Jack¡¯s mind swam. ¡°Like an armor plate?¡±

    ¡°Think bigger. Orders of magnitude bigger.¡±

    ¡°Like¡­ tectonic?¡± He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Nobody has that kind of technology.¡±

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t. It is an alien technology, as you probably suspected when you opened that container.¡±

    ¡°Wha- how do you know I opened it?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter¡ªplease listen carefully. Thousands of years before human civilization emerged, an advanced race of aliens inhabited the surrounding stars. Theirs was not a healthy society, because they fought a catastrophic war that left an enormous amount of unexploded ordinance littered across the ancient battlefield. My job is to clean up that incredibly dangerous garbage. When you made that delivery, you made my job much more difficult.

    ¡°As we discussed earlier, the Helvetic League is a house of cards, incapable of learning from their mistakes. Now that their military power has faded, peace and order is maintained by a delicate balance of agreements between a few dozen mega corporations. By making that delivery, you handed a game-changing piece of technology to one of those corporations, who will certainly reverse engineer it to build themselves a war machine the likes of which the stars shudder to recall. There will be another war, but this time, billions will die.¡±

    Jack leaned himself back and banged his head against a steel strut. This could not be happening.

    Urtiga leaned down, looking him straight in the eye. ¡°I am here to prevent that, and I¡¯m pretty good at my job,¡± she said sternly. ¡°But I will need your help, Jack. It¡¯s really going to suck. You might die. I¡¯m not really leaving you a choice. Shall we go and get you cleaned up?¡±

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 6

    After a shower and a change of clothes, Jack sat shaking on the end of his bed as Urtiga paced the cabin. He had a lot of questions, not all of which he was brave enough to ask. Eventually, he settled on the obvious.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to Misian, are we?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Urtiga replied. ¡°Which is a good thing for you, because Rayker will have sent a kill-team there to welcome you off the ship.¡±

    ¡°You did this deliberately, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I want her chasing you around the sector, rather than thinking about where we are actually going.¡±

    ¡°Where is that?¡±

    ¡°That is something for you to tell me, with your insider knowledge of VennZech corporation.¡±

    Jack sighed and tried to think. He hadn¡¯t slept well in several days, and he was missing the usual alcoholic haze he needed to finish off the day. ¡°Maybe we can go back to the bar¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alcohol is for when things are boring. Things are about to get very interesting.¡±

    Her tone suggested she wasn¡¯t interested in a debate, and Jack decided to drop it. He left the bed and crossed the room, stepping out onto the balcony. A floor to ceiling glass pane stretched the room¡¯s considerable length, separating him from the cosmic void. Stars drifted almost imperceptibly slowly against the stunning backdrop of the Milky Way. A light enhancing film coated the window, allowing him to observe celestial objects otherwise invisible to the naked eye. The room had certainly been worth the cost, even if it was only a decoy.

    He sighed. ¡°I never wanted something like this to happen. I just made deliveries.¡±

    Urtiga sank into the balcony¡¯s leather couch as she swept her black hair around her neck. ¡°What you wanted is irrelevant,¡± she said dispassionately. ¡°You outsourced your decision-making ability to someone else, and because you are a poor gambler, you chose someone who would dispose of you once you became inconvenient. Whatever angst you¡¯re going through right now is the result of your apathy catching up with you.¡±

    Jack shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I didn¡¯t go looking for Rayker.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not consciously. But you took the path of least resistance within a community dedicated to lawlessness. At the same time, you¡¯re obviously a hardworking and skilled individual. By necessity, that would put you on the radar of ruthless and ambitious individuals like Rayker. I¡¯m going to go out on a limb and conclude that you took a degree of comfort in the protection afforded by her capacity for cruelty. But don¡¯t beat yourself up about it¡ªyou¡¯re only human.¡±

    ¡°Because you just know everything about me?¡± Jack snapped.

    Urtiga laughed. ¡°How could I know anything about you? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re one of billions of members of the same species that frequently commit genocide, rape and subjugation, only to come out the other side blaming everyone but themselves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a good person. I didn¡¯t¡­ want to hurt anybody.¡±

    ¡°But your actions will.¡±

    He sank his head into his hands. ¡°It¡¯s so unfair,¡± he said with a sigh.

    ¡°Um¡­ no. Unfair is digging your dead child out of a bombed-out building because a bunch of narcissistic elites decided to squabble over power. Last I checked, it is not unfair to expect capable adults to put themselves in harm¡¯s way to protect innocent people.¡±

    ¡°Oh okay. So, I¡¯m a coward now¡ªgot it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a coward. I think that society sold you a false understanding of what you could expect, and you need a bit of time to wake up from that. Admittedly, I don¡¯t know that much about you, but if had to guess¡­ I¡¯d say nobody ever gave you a path in life. It¡¯s a crazy universe, everyone needs direction, and when they don¡¯t get one, it¡¯s easy to feel lost. And you look around and see people whizzing past with lives of radical success, and you think it shouldn¡¯t be that hard for you to find the same. So, you thought you were owed something, and that is the bait Rayker reeled you in with. How were you supposed to know the difference when nobody ever helped you figure it out?¡±

    But one man did help me figure it out, Jack thought. I just recoiled in horror. Didn¡¯t that make me a good person?

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it was supposed to be easy,¡± Urtiga continued. ¡°Life is competitive and fast moving. If you¡¯re slow off the mark, you will get screwed over. If you have been handicapped, you will most likely fall out of the race. So why care about the world that left you behind?¡±

    Jack shook his head.

    ¡°Humans fall back on their instincts,¡± Urtiga continued. ¡°When you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, you look for the strongest person in the room and you try to get closer to them. For you, that was Rayker. Then all that¡¯s left is rationalization¡ªI¡¯m not really involved. At least she stands up to the Helvets. What they say about her is exaggerated. At least she protects me.¡±

    ¡°And now you are the strongest person in the room?¡± Jack observed, coldly.

    She nodded. ¡°Sim. But I have no easy solutions for you. I am not going to let you sit back and watch while I solve all the problems that you helped create. You are going to have to step up and get your hands dirty. And yes, you might screw it up and get killed. That¡¯s just how life is, I¡¯m afraid. You may have thought you could escape that reality. You were wrong.¡±

    Turning back to the window and the sparkling clouds of light, Jack remembered the times on his own ship, when he had contemplated the sky, wondering what unimaginable wonder could be found amongst the stars. He now realized with a shiver that there must also be unimaginable terror in equal quantity.

    ¡°And you¡¯ll kill me if I refuse?¡± he said.

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    ¡°You won¡¯t refuse. I know that you at least want to be a good person. You don¡¯t have to take me at my word either. If I could put you¡ªwith zero danger, and zero consequences¡ªnext to Rayker with a gun in your hand, would you pull the trigger?¡±

    Jack was silent for some time. In his mind, a different face presented itself. ¡°Yes,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°The path isn¡¯t hard to see¡ªjust hard to walk.¡± Urtiga stood up. ¡°Now, do you want to tell me where they are going to take that bomb?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°They have dozens of research labs. It could be going to any of them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so who will know which one?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He turned back to Urtiga with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Who in VennZech will know where a brand-new, top-secret research project will have been assigned?¡±

    Jack rubbed his eyes. ¡°The head of the research division, probably, but I don¡¯t see how that helps us.¡±

    ¡°We can just go and ask them, obviously.¡±

    Jack snorted in disbelief. ¡°Oh, obviously. We can break through a hundred levels of Tier One security on whatever fortress world he is located, put a gun to his head and hope he decides not to lie to us.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a solid plan. We can shave off a few rough edges, maybe add some frills, but I think it will serve.¡± She cocked her head. ¡°Actually, that part will largely be on me. But don¡¯t get comfortable.¡±

    Jack dropped his head in despair, afraid to think about what he was getting wrapped up in.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by finding the planet?¡± Urtiga asked.

    The next day, they stole one of the ship¡¯s emergency life rafts. Jack stowed all the luggage they brought while Urtiga neutralized the ship¡¯s alarm system and overrode the docking clamps. Soon, they were coasting in the blackness, engines extinguished as they watched the dark bulk of the starliner disappear into the void. It took them a day to reach a distant gas giant, and Urtiga flew them towards a bright white speck that soon resolved itself into an icy moon.

    ¡°We can use the survival equipment to get us to our destination,¡± she said, after touching them down on an empty white desert.

    Jack didn¡¯t ask for more details, numb as he felt to his new destiny. What use could his opinion be after all?

    He rummaged through the craft¡¯s stores, pulling out cold weather gear and food rations. When he popped the hatch, he shook as a chill wind invaded their warm bubble of comfort. Urtiga strode out into the snow, as comfortably as though she were out for a stroll in a meadow.

    They walked for hours, until Jack thought he was dying. The life raft had contained waterproof boots, but walking through snow meant that every step was a struggle. His veins pumped acid while his heart seemed to want to explode. Every breath of icy air had become painful. When finally he felt that he couldn¡¯t go on, he dropped into the snow, embracing the urge to sleep forever.

    ¡°It¡¯s just over that rise,¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve said that fifty times now,¡± Jack complained.

    ¡°Well, this time it¡¯s true.¡± She continued up the slope. Jack waited as long as he dared, but the fear of hyperthermia filled his body with electricity. With another burst of effort, he hauled himself upright and trudged after her. She had waited for him a few yards up the slope, and when he joined her, he saw the black metal of a refinery poking out from behind the next hill.

    When they got there, a friendly foreman ushered them inside and showed them to the canteen.

    ¡°A survey team?¡± the foreman¡ªwho introduced himself as Sevro¡ªasked skeptically, as he poured hot chocolate into their waiting mugs.

    ¡°Our shuttle touched down near the Alpha rig, but we got lost in the storm yesterday.¡± Urtiga explained. ¡°Our positioning system shorted out.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± He nodded. ¡°Been happening a lot with that new batch. R and D screwed up the design, though nobody in management cares. And, of course, they don¡¯t tell me anything about surveys.¡±

    ¡°We can catch a ride on the next tanker, and we¡¯ll be out of your hair.¡±

    Sevro shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t bother me or the crew. You been out here a year, you run out of things to talk about.¡± He laughed. ¡°I suspect they won¡¯t leave you alone for news of the outside world.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow the news, but if you¡¯re into combat sports, I can talk your ear off,¡± Urtiga said.

    Sevro shrugged, apparently not a fan.

    ¡°They keep you out here a year?¡± Jack said, appalled.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a high demand resource, deuterium, but difficult to keep the rigs going in the cold. You need constant supervision to keep everything humming along. It¡¯s alright; the pay¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice to be separated from the chaos out there.¡±

    ¡°Not really. I miss my family.¡±

    At that moment, some of the refinery¡¯s workers filed into the canteen, grabbing hot drinks and snacks. They joked back and forth, and Jack found himself feeling jealous of their camaraderie.

    ¡°Must be nice to be working together as a team?¡± he ventured. ¡°Advancing humanity into the stars.¡±

    Sevro looked him up and down suspiciously. ¡°You a politico?¡±

    ¡°No, I just¡­ well, it just seems¡­ romantic, I thought.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just a dreamer,¡± Urtiga explained.

    ¡°Well, this crew of tossers are a bunch of smelly loudmouths, but we keep each other alive.¡±

    Some of the workers cheered. ¡°We love you too, Sev,¡± a man shot back.

    Jack¡¯s face fell. ¡°But if you don¡¯t like it, why did you choose¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh Christ, you are a politico, aren¡¯t you? Or an idiot,¡± Sevro snapped. ¡°Who chooses anything in this day and age? I did my qualification exams at eighteen, same as everyone else, and got slotted into resource extraction.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ sorry.¡± Jack winced, realizing that his own background had protected him from the usual Helvetic social management.

    ¡°Hi,¡± a man smiled as he sat down across from Urtiga. ¡°What¡¯s a beautiful young woman like you doing in a shithole like this?¡±

    ¡°Survey work,¡± Urtiga said with a warm smile, ¡°And I¡¯m not into guys.¡±

    The man sank his head into his hands. ¡°Just my luck, isn¡¯t it?¡± He continued sinking until his forehead came to rest on the table.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Foggy there,¡± Sevro said. ¡°He¡¯s just the galaxy¡¯s whipping boy.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all Sev? Go on, I know you want to tell them.¡±

    Sevro grinned. ¡°So, Foggy used to be a mid-level manager. Until he ran afoul of a senior executive.¡±

    Foggy sat back upright, shaking his head. ¡°His wife was having a bad day. And this was the company Vice President, by the way. Well, she wanted to make him jealous for some bloody reason, and she started flirting with me in public. Once word got back to him, he made a few calls and¡­ poof. Twenty years of my life down the drain.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡± Jack frowned, though he had heard many similar stories.

    ¡°Yeah, well, there¡¯s plenty who have it worse, isn¡¯t there?¡± Sevro said, eyeing him with an annoyed expression. ¡°That¡¯s the way of the world and no-one can say anything about it, so I don¡¯t know who you are, going on about choice.¡±

    ¡°Here, you¡¯re not connected, are you?¡± Foggy asked, his expression growing anxious.

    Jack vigorously shook his head, keen to deny any suspicion of him being a cartel member.

    ¡°We¡¯re contractors. He used to work for VennZech,¡± Urtiga explained.

    ¡°Lucky sods. So, you get to work for whoever you please, and you chose the kiddy snatchers, right?¡± Foggy said as he glared accusingly at Jack.

    ¡°I never had anything to do with that,¡± Jack said hurriedly, glancing desperately back and forth between Urtiga¡¯s raised eyebrow and his interrogator.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny,¡± Foggy went on menacingly. ¡°Because they all say that.¡±

    Jack thought quickly. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be so stupid as to bring a contractor in on that kind of business, would they?¡±

    Foggy seemed to accept this, to Jack¡¯s relief. He had been lucky that Rayker had kept him away from VennZech¡¯s more sordid trafficking ventures. The rumors abounded that boys and girls were being taken for the secret enjoyment of the elites, though he had never seen real evidence of that crime.

    Later, when they were alone, he confronted Urtiga. ¡°If you¡¯re part of some secret organization running after alien weapons, surely you would know something about human trafficking?¡±

    For a moment she said nothing, but huffed and stared into the distance. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to be our responsibility.¡±

    ¡°But it could be?¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Is that one of those rationalizations you were telling me about?¡±

    She glared at him. ¡°I don¡¯t need to talk about this with you,¡± she snapped.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 7

    Jack dug his feet hard into the chassis floor of the vehicle, clutching at the door¡¯s handle as the Helios X super car steered into a tight corner. The G forces made his head spin, while seated next him Urtiga laughed manically. She exultated in the thrill as the vehicle roared down the roads of planet Ambrosia¡¯s manicured countryside.

    Jack held on for dear life¡ªthe last few seconds of which he was completely convinced he was living. They were heading for a gathering of the highest-ranking members of the VennZech corporation and their friends, where they would enjoy an elite party of staggering indulgence. Urtiga had sank into the role of high society woman with a voracious appetite, especially when she had discovered that the invitation allowed them to take any vehicle of their choosing from the starport¡¯s private lot.

    The head of VennZech¡¯s research division, Jerran Alskay, had recently moved his headquarters to the corporate resort of the cluster¡¯s most luxurious holiday planet, Ambrosia. The world was naturally off limits to most citizens of humanity, and even some of the wealthiest billionaires. Only the highest-ranking players had the right connections to enjoy its pristine beaches, manicured forests, and shining mountaintops. However, occasionally they got lonely, sending invitations out to a carefully chosen selection of loyal underlings. There would be dinner parties, operas, skiing trips and other joyful dalliances, giving the awed benefactors much opportunity to bask in the glory of their patron¡¯s aura.

    It was an old tradition in the Helvetic League¡¯s upper class, allowing the elites to guide the social and professional development of those they deemed worthy. Those same followers would then return to their substantially less privileged lives and broadcast their total admiration and respect for their patron to the cluster at large. Long speeches and laboriously penned tomes would follow, after which they would join intellectual discussion groups, explaining to the attentive citizenry why the particular set of beliefs and policies of their dear leader were the most beneficial to the advancement of the human condition.

    Citizens of the League who wanted to be taken seriously would make their choice of faction, dutifully repeating the talking points wherever friendly conversation turned to concerted debated. All the while, followers at every step of the social pyramid built their lives, careers and families around these loyalties, hoping that their personal patron would rise in ascendance, and not get caught out by the scandals that frequently gusted through their ranks. It was an effective system for corporations to build lasting loyalty, helping them drive political agendas on dozens of worlds.

    Jack couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how Urtiga had penetrated the network to such a high level.

    Every step in their journey to Ambrosia had been drenched in anxiety, as he expected them to be caught and imprisoned. Once they had left the deuterium refinery, Urtiga had led them through a myriad of connections, either hitchhiking on transporters, or flying in economy class with fake identities. At every stop, she seemed to be able to acquire everything she needed¡ªtickets, clothes, or transportation¡ªimmediately, as though it had been deposited for her in advance. When Jack questioned her on this, she would reply only that she ¡®had a friend¡¯.

    Urtiga pulled the supercar up to a stop outside the front entrance of the VennZech building, tossing the keys to the waiting valet. Though Jack had seen her engage in excited banter with anyone they met on their trip, this time she adopted a haughty disdain for the underling. He knew she wasn¡¯t simply playing a role¡ªfamiliarity with the lower classes would be seen as inappropriate by the surrounding elites, causing them to become suspicious of their new guests.

    Good etiquette aside, they had both done their best to look the part; while Jack stifled in an uncomfortable three-piece suit worth more than the cost of his old ship, Urtiga had selected a stunning evening dress that made it difficult for him to focus.

    ¡°Katryn, darling!¡± Urtiga cooed as she swept into the elaborately decorated foyer. A confused elderly woman looked her up and down, before understanding dawned.

    ¡°Oh, but you must be Zalia,¡± she said, and a delighted smile blossomed on her face. ¡°Yes, so nice to meet at last. Executive Bragan talked so highly of the work you¡¯ve been doing. It¡¯s¡­ security, is that right?¡±

    ¡°Security correspondence, yes,¡± Urtiga said politely. Her smile was so brilliant that other guests, caught up in admiration, began to imitate it. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t have read any of my work. It¡¯s far below the level of your esteemed journal.¡±

    ¡°Oh, nonsense!¡± The woman clucked. ¡°And who is your good friend here?¡±

    ¡°May I present Mr. Alton Jate? He works for VennZech¡¯s shipping and procurement division.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes; keeping the old train on the right tracks, eh Mr. Jate?¡±

    Jack smiled and greeted her as politely as he could, as his mind frantically monitored his every gesture for the slightest misstep that could get them both killed.

    There followed polite small talk, during which Urtiga showed her total mastery of their cover story while Jack did his best to keep up. Eventually, to his great relief, they pulled away, wandering among the elegant fountains and plant life of the expansive foyer as though they belonged there.

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    ¡°My goodness, that¡¯s a nice dress,¡± a female voice called. ¡°Did you make it yourself?¡±

    Jack looked around to see a tall, athletic woman nursing a glass of champagne by a sculpture. She was alone, out of the way of the throng, but there was a glint of mischief in her eye. Jack dutifully followed as Urtiga moved over to join her.

    ¡°Thank you for the compliment,¡± Urtiga said, flashing a cheeky smirk. ¡°I¡¯m actually not bad with the old needle and thread.¡±

    The strange woman nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can stitch up anything if you keep your head screwed on.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, parties, flesh wounds¡ªwhatever you need.¡±

    The woman scowled, scratching at a small scar on her arm. She sized Jack up and down. ¡°He¡¯s kind of cute. Make sure you don¡¯t get distracted dancing the night away.¡±

    ¡°I can be a grownup when I want to be,¡± Urtiga shot back. ¡°With the right tools, a girl can take care of anything.¡±

    The woman nodded. ¡°This place has everything, right where it should be¡ªif you know where to look.¡±

    ¡°The good stuff? Nice and Gucci?¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°Are you questioning my taste, miss ripped-jeans-and-unwashed-t-shirts?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡±

    The woman sniffed disdainfully. ¡°Your outfit¡¯s incomplete. What¡¯s a society lady doing wandering around without a nice handbag?¡± she said, discreetly passing over her own.

    ¡°And will there be fireworks, do you think? I so desperately wanted to see some fireworks.¡±

    ¡°So I hear, but the view from the lobby will be just terrible.¡±

    ¡°Well then. Here¡¯s to an exciting evening,¡± Urtiga said, and they clinked glasses.

    The woman walked away, lost to the crowd.

    Jack turned to Urtiga, his eyebrow raised, but she only shrugged.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go mingle,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the quality of life of those poor, poor colonists,¡± the chancellor said, her voice fraught with the tension of those who must be believed at all costs. ¡°They sacrifice so much, and I honestly think that it is our duty to do everything we can to make sure that they are supported,¡± here she slapped a fist into her open palm, ¡°that they have access to the necessary infrastructure, and that they are educated appropriately.¡±

    The group nodded as Jack¡¯s eyes glazed over.

    ¡°It¡¯s about saving lives, ultimately,¡± she finished, while a functionary softly clapped his hands in a strange imitation of genuine applause.

    ¡°Do you know, Charon, I am completely in agreement,¡± said an elderly gentleman.

    Jack remembered him as either the head of a physics laboratory or he had written widely in economics. So many people had been introduced that he had lost track.

    ¡°Of course we want to preserve their strategic autonomy,¡± the man continued, ¡°of course we don¡¯t want to unduly affect the development of their culture, and of course we don¡¯t want to let their trade suffer through lack of integration. But¡­ well, I mean¡­¡± He seemed to lose his train of thought as heads nodded rhythmically. After a moment, he recovered. ¡°I mean, how can we fail in our sacred responsibility to provide responsible, collective leadership? What do you think, young man?¡±

    Jack cringed as the group fixated on him. He had been trying to follow the conversation up to that point, only vaguely understanding the cut and thrust of the debate. Now caught up in the moment of truth, he floundered, painfully aware of Urtiga¡¯s insistent glare.

    ¡°Uh¡­ well, I think Caldera is a good example,¡± he managed.

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course, of course.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ well, colonization is a dangerous business, obviously. It¡¯s a real shame that they¡ªthe colonists, I mean¡ªseem so er¡­ recklessly motivated to throw their lives away trying to do things on their own.¡±

    The heads bobbed on cue as someone else chimed in, allowing Jack an internal sigh of relief.

    ¡°It¡¯s inherent in the mindset of certain backsliders,¡± said a functionary from the Helvetic League¡¯s central committee¡ªthe interplanetary governing body that pretended to keep the corporations in check. ¡°They think they need to go it alone, because they believe they can exist outside of the ecosystem. And it¡¯s simply not true. My office, under the guidance of the esteemed Cardinal Swayceister¡ªbrilliant, brilliant woman, by the way¡ªis putting together a proposal to address the real and immediate challenge posed by the cryptosphere. Those decentralized currencies must be controlled.¡±

    The Chancellor nodded. ¡°Absolutely. They are the primary asset-class of the smugglers and the cartels. With the criminal class on the loose out there, it¡¯s no wonder the Calderans keep slipping outside the umbrella of community that we proffer. Now, just the other day, I was chatting with this extraordinary young man. Do you know Hieron Djallen?¡±

    ¡°The fusion magnate¡¯s son? Quite an excitable fellow, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°So full of life. And he¡¯s volunteered to join the mission on Caldera¡¯s main city, what is it called¡­ Rackeye, I think?¡± Heads nodded, and she continued. ¡°I think that¡¯s wonderful because first and foremost, it is a question of trust¡ªpushing the light of civilization out to those people who have been left behind by it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about education,¡± Urtiga jumped in. ¡°Keep them away from all that ignorant nonsense about freedom and self-determination.¡± The nodding paused as the group considered this. ¡°Really, you can¡¯t have people thinking they can figure things out for themselves, avoiding the advice of their betters,¡± she continued.

    ¡°I see we have an essentialist among us,¡± the chancellor said with a smile. ¡°But let¡¯s not forget, honey catches more flies than vinegar.¡±

    ¡°Well, no, I disagree,¡± Urtiga said confidently. ¡°Coming from the security background, I¡¯ve seen how violent things can get on the ground. Really, the League needs to step up their commitment and stamp the boot down. Silence the free colony movements and the people will fall in line. Isn¡¯t that what the Governor of Misian keeps saying?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and that is certainly a popular sentiment throughout the League¡­¡± the chancellor said slowly.

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s the problem?¡± Urtiga insisted. ¡°Why hold back?¡±

    Jack watched as several of the group nodded their approval, while others appeared more pensive.

    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ve done enough damage,¡± Urtiga grinned, as the others dispersed, spreading like phages in search of other cells to latch onto. ¡°Helvetic politics are a headache, but what can you do?¡±

    ¡°You almost seemed to be having fun,¡± Jack observed.

    ¡°Of course¡ªI love to see people squirm in the face of their own ideology. Anyway, let¡¯s go and rob this joint.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have the feeling that I don¡¯t really need to be here?¡±

    Urtiga cocked her head. ¡°Do you know anything about neural adaptation?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ no.¡±

    ¡°The human brain needs to be desensitized to stress through exposure. That is how you will develop resilience and be prepared for your part. Also, you could use a demonstration in the art of the possible. Inspiration for your own master stroke.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any master strokes in me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but you do¡ªyou just need to believe it. Come on, I¡¯m getting twitchy.¡±

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 8

    Sweating and wheezing, Jack struggled up the stairs while Urtiga waited at the top. She had been carefully studying the security guards throughout the evening and had chosen a good opportunity for them to slip away through a service corridor. From there, they were able to navigate to the building¡¯s main maintenance stairwell to get to the top floor. Somehow her phone buzzed them through every security checkpoint, and now they had only to ascend the stairs. Urtiga, Jack painfully observed, didn¡¯t struggle at all with the climb, while his legs felt like jelly.

    ¡°How are you so fit?¡± he asked as he collapsed at the final landing.

    ¡°Well,¡± Urtiga said patiently. ¡°You take some difficult physical movements and do them repeatedly until you are tired. Then you rest a bit. Then you do it again the next day. Ad infinitum.¡±

    ¡°I never could get a workout program together,¡± Jack wheezed through heavy panting.

    ¡°Yeah, and now that you really need it, you don¡¯t have it. And of course, if you didn¡¯t have me here doing all the difficult things for you, you would be dead. And there would be nothing to stop the galaxy combusting like dry straw.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get it. I should have worked out more.¡±

    Urtiga nodded and calmly peered through the window of the maintenance access door.

    ¡°Are we waiting for something?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Urtiga replied, adding nothing further.

    She checked her watch. Suddenly, all the lights in the building went out. Reaching into her handbag, Urtiga produced a thick pair of glasses. She put them on, then reached for another device that unlocked the door.

    ¡°Stay with me,¡± she ordered, taking Jack¡¯s hand as she led them confidently into the darkness of the executive floor. They wandered through what Jack assumed would be corridors until Urtiga pushed them through a heavy door. On the other side, the stars of the night sky shone brightly through large windows, illuminating the Research Director¡¯s spacious office. Out in the distance, past the grandiose expanse of the VennZech campus, Jack saw the colorful lights of other resorts. He wondered how Urtiga¡ªor her friend¡ªhad managed to cut both the main power and backup generator to the building.

    She said nothing as they moved toward the director¡¯s computer, producing a data stick from her handbag. Once she had powered up the machine under its own battery supply, she inserted the stick, waited a few minutes, then withdrew it. They left the office, returning to the service stairs.

    ¡°The thing about data breaches,¡± Urtiga said, speaking quietly as they descended, ¡°Is that they can¡¯t really be done undetected. All interactions with data get logged, and anyone carefully checking those logs will figure it out, eventually.¡±

    ¡°Right, so we have to move quickly before they relocate the bomb?¡±

    ¡°No¡ªit would be impossible for us to get to it in time. However, there are alternatives.¡±

    This time, she led them out onto the floor overlooking the lobby. Jack cringed as he caught sight of a security guard facing away from them. Urtiga motioned for him to wait, and he watched, horrified, as she walked calmly behind the unsuspecting guard, produced a pistol from her handbag, and cracked him over the head with it. He dropped unconscious to the floor, while Urtiga strode out to the railing, aimed her weapon, and fired two bullets into the chandelier, shattering glass down on the stunned party goers.

    ¡°Death to the oppressors!¡± She yelled. ¡°Freedom for the workers!¡± She kept shooting, hitting glass and lights as the terrified guests fled the lobby, screaming and crying. A security guard shot back at her, and she took cover behind the banister, shooting bullets past his head until he lost his nerve and ran for an exit.

    Once the lobby appeared to be empty, she returned to Jack, produced a small device with a button, and thumbed it. The lobby exploded with a flash of light and thunder that left Jack¡¯s ears ringing.

    ¡°This way,¡± she said, leading them back to the stairwell.

    They reached the parking lot where Urtiga searched carefully among the cars. She found an expensive, but unremarkable looking sedan with a red sticker on the windshield. She frowned. ¡°Unsatisfactory, Gucci,¡± she said to herself.

    The car unlocked and Urtiga went to the boot, producing a machine gun, which she stored by the driver¡¯s seat. Then she drove them near to the closed gate, reversed into an empty space and waited.

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    Jack tried to pace his breathing, as Urtiga had shown him, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of shock. Lightning coursed through his nerves, and he found himself unable to focus. Even if he had known how to be useful to the plan, he doubted he would have been able to actually do anything. His imagination was filled completely with the scenes from the lobby, the gunfire, and explosions.

    ¡°Did¡­ uh¡­ did anyone¡­¡± he began, unable to finish the sentence.

    ¡°Apart from a few scratches, they¡¯ll all be fine,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°But the guests won¡¯t be thinking about that¡ªthey¡¯ll be freaking out about their near-death experience, and begging for someone to take action. As far as security is concerned, a terrorist attack is in progress, and they will respond per their training protocols. Of course, nobody will be looking at data logs from the executive network for months.¡±

    ¡°Why are we sitting here?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Urtiga explained patiently, ¡°after the frontier war, most of the combat veterans had severe criticisms of the League¡¯s tactics and procedures. But the army¡¯s culture can¡¯t handle disobedience or flexibility, so it pushed them out in favor of career focused yes-men and women. Once those officers gained political influence, they left to form private security forces for the upper classes.

    ¡°VennZech security contracts with Iron Fortress consulting, a rather unimaginative and inexperienced organization. They hire exclusively from among the core world¡¯s military forces, who hardly ever interact with the cartels. Of course, they pride themselves on their ¡®elite¡¯ status, but what does that even mean when your job consists mostly of training exercises, crowd control, or humanitarian work?¡±

    A sudden thought occurred to Jack. ¡°This is why they work with Rayker, isn¡¯t it? She can get stuff done, at least.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Criminals have real world experience.¡±

    A series of dull explosions reverberated through the ceiling of the garage.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be breaching into the lobby now, through the side entrances on the first floor. Since the camera feed shows no movement in the garage, and they won¡¯t have bothered to run the tape back¡­¡±

    The main parking gate rolled open, letting black armored vehicles roll through and into the garage. They spread out in the underground space, and as the last vehicle rolled past, Urtiga hit the accelerator. The unremarkable looking car leaped forward with astonishing force, slipping through the closing gate and into the night.

    Out on the campus grounds, they snaked between the milling crowds at appalling speed, smashed through a flimsy checkpoint, and disappeared onto the country roads. Urtiga drove using her night-vision glasses¡ªno lights illuminated¡ªand Jack could only hold on for dear life, trying not to vomit as they swung violently through turns he could feel but not see.

    As morning approached, Jack saw that they were navigating mountain trails, until Urtiga turned off-road and drove them a good distance into the woods, where they hid the car in a ravine. Then they hiked for hours until the sun was overhead.

    Jack felt both physically and mentally destroyed. The sheer amount of emotion and effort he had had to process in a short period left him almost braindead with exhaustion. He found his weakness shocking, as he had always expected he would be able to rise to any difficult occasion. But over the course of the evening, he hadn¡¯t done anything but follow a crazy woman around, and he still couldn¡¯t handle it.

    By noon they emerged into a clearing, where Urtiga¡¯s friend from the party was waiting with a small transport shuttle.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going? Gucci, we all set?¡± Urtiga said, a stern look in her eyes.

    ¡°Yeah, good to go,¡± Gucci said and grinned. ¡°Hey, that was an awesome display¡ªyou should have seen them running around like headless¡ª¡±

    ¡°It was a bad call on the car. Those models are only used by the starport workers. Anyone checking the garage would have gotten suspicious.¡±

    Gucci looked chastised and nodded. ¡°Okay, check. Bad choice of vehicle.¡±

    ¡°Take more care with your research next time.¡±

    Once they were airborne, Jack stared out at Ambrosia¡¯s perfect blue sky as he fought to stay awake. He was surprised to see that a variety of sports craft were also visible.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they lock air traffic down?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re trying,¡± Gucci said as she flew the shuttle. ¡°You should read the communication logs¡ªit¡¯ll turn your brain to mush.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s about a dozen corporate security services with responsibility for different zones of air traffic on Ambrosia,¡± Urtiga explained. ¡°But no senior executive is going to have his daytrip interrupted because of a rival¡¯s incompetence. And they don¡¯t believe they¡¯re in danger because, of course, their contractors are the best in the world. We¡¯re in Frontier Corp¡¯s territory now, and they have a particularly disgruntled relationship with VennZech¡ªso we¡¯ll pass without trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and all the chiefs are desperately trying to cover their backsides and pass the blame for why nothing is being done,¡± Gucci continued. ¡°It¡¯s like a schoolyard argument. Absolutely wild.¡±

    ¡°I always knew the border forces were a bit slow, but this is supposed to be the most well-protected planet¡ªafter Earth,¡± Jack observed in surprise.

    ¡°It¡¯s crazy.¡± Gucci shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m stunned these people hold the keys to the galaxy. Like, any halfway capable warlord with resources and a bunch of solid dudes could knock these losers off the throne. But no-one wants to.¡±

    ¡°Because the system works for everyone,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Well, everyone with power, anyway.¡± Then she cocked her head and took on a thoughtful expression. ¡°And us too, to be brutally honest. Gives us great freedom of action.¡±

    She inserted her data stick into a laptop, and by the time they had reached orbit, she was examining the data stream.

    ¡°Fascinating¡ªlooks like our device is in a laboratory on X¨©n l¨´. So, Jack, any ideas on how you are going to steal it?¡±

    Jack looked at her in surprise. ¡°Me¡­? Uh¡­ I thought that¡­you¡ª¡± he stammered.

    ¡°I just did the easy part. I told you¡ªthe real work is going to be all on you,¡± Urtiga said, her eyes gleaming.

    Jack rubbed his temples and tried to suppress a yawn. His answer seemed almost inevitable, even as it made him shudder with dread to contemplate it. He did not see that he had much of a choice, however.

    ¡°Well,¡± he began, ¡°You know how I told you that I¡¯m not connected to the cartels?¡±

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 9

    ¡°Misian¡ªgreat,¡± Urtiga complained. ¡°Right where Allana Rayker is expecting to find you. This is going to be a freaking dice roll.¡±

    Her head darted back and forth between the windows of the truck. She was sitting with Jack on the back seat of the discreetly armored vehicle, a machine gun tucked between her legs while she scanned the traffic of the freeway. They had landed at one of the less popular docks in the hopes that any surveillance operation Rayker had been running would have wound down after weeks of inactivity.

    ¡°Believe me, I would rather be anywhere else in the galaxy than here,¡± Jack said. ¡°You said I had to steal the device. I don¡¯t see what else I have to work with.¡±

    ¡°Murphy¡¯s law,¡± Gucci announced from the driver¡¯s seat, where a rifle rested against her leg. ¡°It stands to reason that his only useful contact would also happen to be on the same planet where we are most likely to get in a gunfight.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jack began. ¡°You and your ¡®friends¡¯ could probably handle the job quietly enough¡ª¡±

    ¡°Out of the question,¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°A secret organization invading a Helvetic planet to steal technology from a major corporate laboratory? That¡¯s how we end up losing our cover and attracting attention to a truth that absolutely cannot be revealed. No, it has to be a known entity¡ªone that can be blamed and dealt with by the powers that be.¡±

    ¡°My old family,¡± Jack said, as he felt his gut knot up.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve gotten away with the device, you¡¯ll deliver it into our hands, and the Helvetic League will bring their wrath crashing down upon them. Leaving you free to walk away.¡±

    ¡°Happy to sacrifice others for your higher purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked coldly.

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°Nobody¡¯s going to put a gun to their head. If they choose to walk away from your proposition, we figure something else out. If they want in, they¡¯re accepting the consequences.¡±

    ¡°And you get to walk away, hands clean?¡±

    ¡°Until next week¡¯s episode.¡±

    ¡°And how am I supposed to make all this happen? Any half-way intelligent cartel leader would dismiss this plan as suicide.¡±

    ¡°Because you have a bargaining chip.¡±

    ¡°I do?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Urtiga smiled. ¡°Your life, which Allana Rayker badly wants and will pay good money for. That gets them in the front door¡ªaccess to an even bigger prize.¡±

    Jack laughed bitterly. ¡°Or they¡¯ll just take the safest bet and hand me over to Rayker.¡±

    Urtiga frowned. ¡°I thought we were talking about your brother?¡±

    ¡°What, and you think genetic relation counts for anything in this galaxy?¡±

    She watched him in silence for a moment. ¡°Look, don¡¯t worry about it. If they do decide to take the easy way out, we¡¯ll come get you.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll stay in touch and provide you with support where we can. If your¡­ friends get suspicious, just tell them you have a contact in VennZech; someone with an axe to grind.¡±

    ¡°And of course, once we somehow get near this well-guarded research complex, we¡¯re supposed to overwhelm their security forces, neutralize the most sophisticated lockdown systems in the galaxy, and drive a two-ton alien bomb out through the front gate?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no problem a group of competent minds can¡¯t solve when they make an effort.¡±

    ¡°And when the job¡¯s finished? The second they have the device in their possession, they will hand me over to the nearest bounty hunter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come get you.¡±

    Jack stared at her suspiciously. He hated the idea of going back, but he didn¡¯t feel he had much of a choice.

    ¡°Tig,¡± Gucci called in a concerned tone, her eyes darting between the road and her rear-view mirror.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Urtiga span round, scanning the surrounding cars.

    ¡°That Grey SUV hanging four cars back in the left lane. He¡¯s been keeping a very consistent distance between us, and I am not driving consistently.¡±

    Urtiga watched the traffic carefully. ¡°Got about two or three more¡ªsame make, same color¡ªhanging back a few hundred yards.¡±

    Gucci scoffed. ¡°Yeah guys, wear uniforms. That¡¯s how the professionals do it. Think we need to go kinetic?¡±

    Urtiga¡¯s expression hardened into a ferocious glare. ¡°Don¡¯t see any way around it.¡± She brought up her machine gun. ¡°Get into the side-streets¡ªtake them out of their comfort zone.¡±

    Gucci floored the accelerator, swerving between the lanes to avoid the surrounding vehicles. Behind them, Jack watched as the gray SUVs shot forward out of their lanes. They took an offramp into the industrial zone of the city and traffic started to thin out. As they raced across the asphalt at what Jack thought was a terrifyingly unsafe speed, their pursuers nevertheless began to close in on them.

    ¡°Guess she had someone watching every starport,¡± Gucci said. ¡°Clever girl.¡±

    She took a fast corner, blasting through a red light and swerving to avoid the lone car that had gingerly pulled out into the intersection. The SUVs followed them.

    ¡°More likely she just pays everyone on the planet as an informant,¡± Jack said bitterly as a heady mixture of anger and fear rolled through his mind.

    ¡°Sure you don¡¯t want to turn him in for the reward money, Tig?¡± Gucci said, smirking as she slammed on the accelerator.

    Flashes exploded from the chasing SUVs, and Jack ducked low as bullets bounced off the truck¡¯s window.

    ¡°I¡¯m not closing the door to that possibility,¡± Urtiga chuckled as she wound down a window. Leaning carefully against the door, she pointed her silenced weapon through the crack and squeezed the trigger.

    Jack winced as the detonations struck his eardrums¡ªnot as quiet as he expected.

    ¡°Not happening,¡± Urtiga said as she pulled back inside. ¡°They¡¯ve got bulletproof windows too.¡±

    Gucci hit the brakes and span the wheel, pushing them through a dizzyingly tight turn into a construction park. Jack fought to keep his head as the car was thrown around with abandon. They swerved through yards and warehouses, sailing past steel girders by inches as the grey SUVs raced to catch up with them. Gucci cursed as their vehicle oversteered, losing traction and speed. She slammed the accelerator again and as they shot through a chain-link gate, an SUV appeared out of nowhere, smashing into the side door.

    The truck span round and flipped, bouncing across concrete paving like a toy. It came to rest on its side as Jack smacked his head against the window.

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    He came to, feeling as drunk as if he had just downed a bottle of whiskey. Dimly recognizing the sensation of being pulled, he found himself sitting upright against the underside of the wreck. Consciousness began to return with an agonizing headache, and it brought with it the cacophony of a gunfight.

    A rapid series of snaps erupted nearby, and Jack looked around to see Gucci perched on a pile of concrete column segments. She fired and ducked back down, moving to another position where she took careful aim, then fired again.

    Jack sensed heaviness in his lap and looked down to see a pistol had been placed there. Grabbing the weapon, he crawled to the edge of the truck, peeking out to try to figure out what was happening. He caught sight of Urtiga, racing towards one of the grey SUVs. As she disappeared from view, she fired a short burst of rounds at a target and a male voice screamed.

    Jack kept watching until a bullet slammed into the metal by his head, and he heard several loud snaps as more rounds passed through the air. He ducked back from the carnage and watched in horrified fascination as another burst tore up the dirt inches away from his hand.

    ¡°Keep your head down!¡± Gucci called to him.

    He did as he was told, curling up behind the protection of the wreck while he waited for the shooting to stop. Every so often, a bullet hit part of the truck with a loud bang, and he winced at the noise. He wondered how many mercenaries were at Rayker¡¯s disposal to send after him, and how much the strange women that protected him could handle.

    Peeking out as far as he dared, he saw one of the men moving around a wall on the opposite side of the truck to Urtiga. He kept moving, and Jack¡¯s heart thumped faster as he saw that the soldier was getting closer and closer to a place where he would be able to shoot him.

    Holding his pistol ready, he waited. The man approached carefully, dashing from cover to cover. He didn¡¯t seem very cautious, and Jack suspected that the mercenaries probably didn¡¯t consider him a threat¡ªa conclusion he would generally have agreed with.

    He peeked out again and nearly received a bullet for his trouble. The soldier had spotted him and decided to take full advantage of the golden opportunity he thought he had seized. He sprinted from cover, moving quickly towards the van.

    Gucci spotted him and whirled around¡ªbut too slowly. Jack leaned out, jerking the trigger as fast as he could as he tried to keep the sights aligned on the violently bucking pistol. When the trigger went click, he lowered the weapon. A flood of relief washed through him when he saw the crumpled body on the ground.

    ¡°Nice shot, guy!¡± Gucci called from somewhere nearby, before more gunshots rang out.

    Jack stared at the dead soldier. He had just killed someone for the first time in his life. It wasn¡¯t that he felt sorry for the man. After all, he had been expecting to get a paycheck to murder someone who had never done anything to him. But Jack felt horror at how easy it had been to take someone¡¯s life, followed by a curious sense of calmness. Was that really all there was to it? He thought there ought to have been more meaning to the act and then wondered if he was a psychopath when he realized that he didn¡¯t actually care.

    He certainly had the genes for it, after all.

    Then he grew hot with anger. All this was Rayker¡¯s fault. And it was his fault, too. She was the ruthless, ambitious psychopath at the heart of so much destruction. Like a fool, he had helped her, and why? Because his brother was a scumbag gangster? But he could have done anything in the galaxy after he ran away, and instead he had sought out an easier version of the same life.

    And maybe it would all end today, with a group of hired thugs shooting him dead.

    When he looked around, he saw Gucci get shot. She had been leaning out to line up another target, and the bullet hit her in the shoulder. Jack saw the back of her jacket jerk out while a splash of blood fountained into the air. She screamed. He watched as she scrambled off the column segments and got as close to the truck as the cover would allow. For a moment, Jack thought she was talking to herself until he realized she was probably communicating with Urtiga via a discreet radio.

    ¡°Hey Jack!¡± she called to him. ¡°I need you to crawl up to the back of the truck, get it open and get an aid kit from inside, okay?¡±

    Jack nodded hesitantly. He would have to expose himself to gunfire while he did that, but he didn¡¯t feel that he had a choice¡ªafter all, he was doing nothing, while two complete strangers were risking their lives to protect him.

    The idea that he might be anything like his brother revolted him. He had to move.

    Keeping as much of his body behind the back wheels of the truck as he could, he reached his arm out and around, finding the lever that opened the trunk. When it popped open, he scambled inside the overturned compartment. As he did so, the glass of the rear windshield shattered, and more bullets thumped against the roof¡ªsomebody had obviously seen him.

    He hunted around for the aid kit as he wondered how well rated the vehicle¡¯s armor protection was. Once he found what he needed, he moved like lightning to get back to safety, as cracks filled the air around his head. He held up the kit for Gucci to see and felt shame that his arms were shaking from the adrenaline.

    ¡°It¡¯s too far to throw¡ªyou need to run across.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?¡± he yelled.

    ¡°Sprint flat out¡ªyou¡¯ll make it.¡±

    Jack tried desperately to control his breathing, conscious that if he began hyperventilating, he would be useless to the wounded woman. He tried not to picture his own body being riddled with bullet holes, and tensed himself to run.

    He leaped out from the trunk, legs pounding the dirt as hard as his untrained muscles could manage, and his mind went blank. For a moment there was nothing but the blood pounding in his ears, and the slowly closing snaps of bullets passing in his wake. When he reached the pile of concrete, he collapsed into the dirt, panting heavily.

    ¡°Good job, man. Appreciate it. Think you could help me with this?¡± Gucci asked as she propped open the kit with her one good arm.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°Get my jacket off and tear the shirt open,¡± she said as she turned over. Her breathing was shallow, and she gasped whenever she moved. Jack did as she said, and fought to keep his lunch down when he saw the gaping hole¡ªflesh and muscle ripped open as blood poured out onto his hands.

    ¡°Apply pressure for a moment,¡± she instructed. Jack heard sprinting nearby, and a man panting. There was another hail of bullets, and a body collapsed in a heap near the concrete pile.

    ¡°Pack this gauze in¡ªall of it.¡± She passed him the tennis ball sized clump of dressing. Then she talked him through the process of wrapping the bandage around her neck.

    Jack breathed a sigh of relief when she sat back up, pale and blood-smeared, but in good spirits.

    ¡°Great, thanks for the help. You can hang out here for a moment while you calm down.¡± She smiled. ¡°You look worse than I probably do.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m just¡­ so sorry that I got you shot,¡± he stammered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t freak out about it¡­ my job isn¡¯t exactly safe at the best of times. Shit happens. Pass me that water, will you?¡±

    He did so, and watched in concern as she drank her fill. Then his expression turned to horror when she reached for her rifle.

    ¡°Can¡¯t let Urtiga have all the fun, you know?¡± she said with a wink, then hauled herself back up onto the pile of columns.

    She let her bad arm hang loose while she propped the weapon against the concrete, continuing to aim and fire.

    Jack could only sit and wait, preparing bandages from the kit in case he needed them again.

    Eventually the gunfire died down, petering out with the occasional sporadic burst, and Urtiga rejoined them. Jack saw her looking around as she walked over, a ferocious expression on her face that softened when she reached them.

    ¡°They¡¯re backing off,¡± she explained. ¡°But we need to get the hell out of here.¡±

    Gucci looked up. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a drone or a satellite up there.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to that steelworks over there.¡± Urtiga pointed to an enormous multi-building complex. ¡°We can hang out until the cops show up. Then we¡¯ll slip away with the inevitable bystanders.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯ll have paid off the police?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°Sure, but this plant has an owner, and he won¡¯t be happy about them delaying too long. Besides, these guys are not going to want to follow us into a confined space after the ass-kicking we just gave them. You two get moving¡ªI¡¯ll clean out the truck.¡±

    Once they had found themselves a cubby hole deep inside the maze of halls and workshops, they settled in for the wait. Jack was relieved to see that Gucci seemed to be in good shape¡ªnot declining as he thought she would be with such a severe injury.

    ¡°How¡¯s the pain?¡± he asked with concern, but she waved him off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°How can it not be a big deal? I could fit my fist in that hole.¡±

    ¡°Oh God.¡± Gucci sighed and dropped her head.

    Urtiga quickly turned away, but Jack caught the flicker of the smirk she tried to hide. He watched them both in confusion. When Urtiga turned back she was poker faced, while Gucci fixed her with a glare.

    ¡°There are some questions,¡± she said sharply, as she turned back to Jack, ¡°that you do not need answers to.¡±

    He said nothing.

    ¡°It actually worked out pretty well,¡± she said to Urtiga. ¡°When I went down, they started breaking cover to maneuver on you. Then, when I got back up, they were easy pickings.¡±

    Urtiga laughed. ¡°Lessons learned: getting shot to lull the enemy into a false sense of security. I love it.¡± She winked at Jack¡¯s appalled expression. ¡°Gucci likes to get shot.¡±

    The wounded woman chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a bad habit¡ªI see bullets flying around and I just want to try and catch them with my face.¡±

    Jack wiped away tears. ¡°I feel awful that this is happening. I¡¯ve placed you in danger because¡­ because I couldn¡¯t get a grip on my life.¡±

    Gucci smiled warmly at him. ¡°Do you want to hear a secret from high-tech alien land?¡±

    ¡°O-okay.¡±

    ¡°Time travel doesn¡¯t exist. All that time and energy you spend thinking about yesterday is wasted, and you¡¯ll never get it back. Take it as life experience and start thinking about tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ easier said than done,¡± he sighed.

    ¡°As with everything in life, it takes practice.¡±

    ¡°Here, take this.¡± Urtiga handed him a phone. ¡°It¡¯ll let us stay in touch¡ªuntraceable, by the way. Uh¡­ please don¡¯t lose it, because it¡¯ll be pretty well essential to any plan you want to put together. Also, they¡¯ll take it out of my salary.¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re done saving the world,¡± Gucci added, ¡°You¡¯ll need it to ask me out on a date.¡±

    Jack blushed, then smiled stupidly. ¡°In that case, I will definitely not lose it.¡±

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 10

    The brilliant lights of Kanta city flickered across the window of the autocab that took a severely anxious Jack deeper into the familiar urban sprawl of his hometown. He passed by street corners he remembered as intimately as the back of his hand, and shut his eyes as closed off memories forced their way back into his mind.

    There were the nights when nothing mattered, when the wealth had been never-ending, and the iron fist of his father protected them from the consequences of their own actions. There had been loves taken too easily from him by his watchful brother, whose cunning eyes scanned his every weakness. There had been the nights of terror, when things had gone too far, and they had raced through the shadows from police or rival gangs. Back then, life had been equally as exhilarating as it was heartbreaking. Now, Jack felt only coldness for the world he never wanted to be a part of, even as he was dragged back into it.

    Kanta was a wealthy city of several million, of which a sizeable percentage worked with or for the cartels. The colony of Misian had begun as a libertarian haven from the League, and proved that it could keep that reputation. But with time, an army of wealthy and well-connected business magnates had descended on the fragile young townships. Bankrolled by League subsidies, they outbuilt the colonists, establishing vast industrial bases faster than the struggling entrepreneurs who had originally been tempted by the new world. Soon, the majority of the population was composed of Helvetic missionaries; the students, academics, bureaucratic functionaries and business owners that rushed to each new colony established by the slowly expanding human diaspora. They worked aggressively to transform the planet¡¯s culture and society to fit the League¡¯s model, ensuring the blanket of their control would never be disturbed.

    The Misian libertarians, however, could not be so easily deterred from their stubborn, individualistic spirit. Over the generations that followed, they turned to the only form of true self-expression left to those who would not submit to stifling authoritarianism¡ªcrime. The more powerful of the families slowly abandoned their former principles as they struggled to find any crack in the armor that would keep their businesses breathing, and so were sown the seeds that had grown into the cartels.

    Kanta had been a fun town to grow up in, Jack reflected. Sat on the coastline of the same continent that held Misian¡¯s capital city, it provided the largest ports that industrialists needed to explore the planet¡¯s oceans. With that human traffic came tourism and a vast service industry to support those businesses. The entire center of the city was occupied by bars, nightclubs, and restaurants - packed with financial elites, struggling artists and adventurous explorers. The owners of those establishments enjoyed significant power and influence, enabling the funding of some of the largest cartels on Misian. In Kanta, the most powerful of the criminal families were the Fenways¡ªthough few outside of a shadowy network would know that name.

    Jack knew where his older brother would be on a Saturday night. The man was a passionate patron, visiting his network of venues as often as work allowed him. He was an aggressive businessman, and worked hard for the success of the family. Their workforce was loyal and talented, and Jack knew that though his absence would have earned him a cold reception, he would be recognized and well-treated.

    The door man at the club stared at him carefully, unsure if he was being set up.

    ¡°Sir,¡± he said eventually. ¡°It¡¯s been some time.¡±

    ¡°It has Steve,¡± Jack replied. ¡°I hope I am well remembered enough to at least seek an audience?¡±

    The bouncer laughed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to presume otherwise.¡±

    He led Jack past the long queue of well-dressed and hopeful partygoers, into the expansive basement complex of the hotel. Seductive but classy waitresses nodded respectively to the VIP guest being escorted by one of the owner¡¯s top lieutenants. They passed through the main hall, and Jack sighed as more memories flooded back; nights spent with beautiful young women¡ªout to spend their inherited millions¡ªthe drinking and gambling, the drugs, and the fighting. He felt the vibration of the bass in his skin, blinked as brilliant light bounced off the two-story chandelier above them. The old wave of anxiety settled into the background like the roar of a waterfall. He was home.

    Jack waited by the door of the club¡¯s balcony while the lieutenant went to inform his brother. As time stretched on, the painful knot in his gut grew tighter. He forced himself to remember that it was just his brother¡¯s way¡ªhe liked to make people wait for him, to make them realize how little he valued them no matter who they were.

    Eventually, the lieutenant returned, and Jack was ushered inside. He was greeted by the familiar form of the vast leather couch that looked out over the main hall¡ªthe throne from which the king observed his peasants. His brother was stood in front of it, a picture of cold rage on his face.

    ¡°Jack Fenway. My own flesh and blood. How dare you show yourself back here?¡±

    Jack steeled himself and nodded calmly. ¡°Theodore.¡±

    ¡°You come crawling back to me like a whipped mongrel, begging for mercy.¡± His brother stepped closer to him, pushing his ferocious expression close enough for Jack to smell the woman¡¯s perfume that had rubbed onto his skin.

    ¡°I ought to kill you right here and now,¡± Theodore finished.

    Jack returned the scowl, his own face a picture of calm. Theodore held the rictus until the silence itself became awkward. Then he blinked, and his expression melted into a wide grin as his intense eyes sparkled with mischief.

    ¡°I can¡¯t catch you out, can I you dog? Welcome home¡ªit¡¯s so good to see you again!¡±

    His laugh was just as Jack remembered; too loud and too intense to be genuine.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back,¡± Jack said with practiced sincerity. He had always known how to lie well¡ªa gift from their father.

    They sat down, while bottles and glasses were brought to them. Jack selected one of the fine eighteen-year-old whiskeys he had missed so much over the years, and when Theodore snapped his fingers, a gorgeous young model draped herself around his shoulders. The heady scent of privilege lightened the burden Jack hid within. They talked gossip at first, revisiting old friends and adventures. Theodore told him who among his childhood friends had been lost to prison, or a shootout with a rival, who had come up through the ranks, and who had betrayed them, only to pay the ultimate price.

    ¡°To the family,¡± Jack toasted, and their glasses clinked.

    ¡°And the lost lamb returned.¡± Theodore¡¯s eyes flashed as he smiled. ¡°Because the snake wants to eat him.¡±

    Of course he would know everything already, or almost everything. There was only one way to proceed.

    ¡°I was wrong, brother.¡± Jack nodded. ¡°I should have listened to you. I came to beg forgiveness.¡±

    Theodore quickly waved a hand. ¡°Without question¡ªold water under the bridge. And who can blame you, really? Rayker is a significant force in our world, not to mention terribly seductive. I don¡¯t suppose¡­?¡± His expression grew lurid as his imagination supplied him with a graphic fantasy.

    Jack laughed. ¡°No chance. She doesn¡¯t let anyone get that close to her as far as I can tell.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but she does,¡± Theodore corrected him. ¡°Those whom she pays for and occasionally disposes of. Helpless little chickens to feed the cougar. So, explain¡ªdid you offend her? What happened?¡±

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    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the interesting thing,¡± Jack said with a significant look. ¡°I learned something that I was not supposed to.¡±

    Theodore was silent behind the smile. He stared for some time as his mind ran through the computations. ¡°Jack, Jack, Jack, my dear brother.¡± He sighed. ¡°Are you about to make a business proposition?¡±

    Jack waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly¡ªI know you have so many profitable irons in the fire. No need to waste your time with my problems.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on, you can¡¯t just tease me like that. Your long-term employer has kept you from the fold for so long. She didn¡¯t turn on you over spilled milk. What are you hiding? Please, please tell me.¡±

    Jack chuckled. ¡°Well, if you really are that interested¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me quickly, or I¡¯ll have to beat it out of you.¡± The smile never wavered.

    Jack sighed. ¡°I suppose you are aware that VennZech is involved in illegal weapons development?¡±

    ¡°Oh, but so is everyone, behind the scenes. And people hardly bother to pretend otherwise these days. After all, what difference does a nuke make when ten million replacements are born every day?¡±

    ¡°They sent a team out to an unexplored comet¡ªbeyond the Delta limb.¡±

    ¡°Far from prying eyes¡ªgosh, I¡¯m getting tingles.¡±

    ¡°They set up a workshop and worked in secret.¡± Jack recited the details his brother would be able to corroborate. ¡°And they solved the quantum tunneling problem.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t!¡± Theodore¡¯s hand flew to his mouth.

    ¡°Absolutely they did¡ªI have the lab data to prove it.¡± He produced a data stick; a useful gift from Urtiga containing doctored scientific reports. He had no idea if quantum tunneling actually was the key to more destructive weaponry, but it was the talk of the engineering community.

    ¡°And the yield?¡±

    ¡°A hundred teratons of TNT.¡±

    ¡°Well, good lord.¡±

    His brother was momentarily at a loss for words¡ªa genuine reaction, Jack realized. The man started to go pale as he processed the implications of the news, and Jack found himself sympathizing. Theodore¡¯s reaction bespoke a man slowly coming to the realization that the world he had spent a lifetime building for himself might soon be destroyed.

    The excitement of the last few weeks had kept Jack from really connecting with the human cost that was a stake. But it suddenly became clear, even in so distasteful an example as his brother, and the thousands of people that worked for him. He felt a wave of horror pass over him, quickly replaced with steely determination. His last doubts had begun to fade away.

    ¡°Christ, no wonder she wants you dead,¡± Theodore observed, as he emerged from the reverie. ¡°How fortunate you managed to get away.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°But how did you get that kind of data?¡±

    Jack shrugged. ¡°It turns out that I am not the only person who has lost their respect for VennZech over the years.¡±

    ¡°An insider?¡±

    ¡°Someone high up in the research and development department. He helped me get away.¡± Jack cocked his head. ¡°You heard about the terrorist attack on Ambrosia?¡±

    ¡°That was him?¡±

    ¡°Cover for him to steal what he needed.¡±

    Theodore stared at him. ¡°Needed¡­ for what?¡±

    Jack returned his stare. ¡°Ted, you know what¡¯s going to happen if any corporation monopolizes that kind of technology. And Rayker¡­ well, she¡¯s everything they say she is.¡±

    Theodore nodded, his expression fraught with concern.

    ¡°I¡­ we¡ªhave an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all on this data stick.¡± Jack pressed it into Theodore¡¯s limp hand. ¡°Have a look.¡±

    His brother stared at him wordlessly as he passed the device to a patiently waiting functionary. The man disappeared, while Theodore leaned back against his couch.

    ¡°My brother. My kid brother,¡± he said, shaking his head.

    They spent the night deep in discussion, and Jack noticed that Theodore now avoided drinking. With reluctance, he decided to follow the example. His brother wanted to know everything about his experiences with Rayker and VennZech, laughing obnoxiously whenever Jack recounted a particularly gruesome event.

    Eventually, the functionary returned, giving Theodore a significant look and a nod. That was enough for the boss. He made several calls, then led them out of the nightclub to a waiting limousine. They were driven to the warehouse on the edge of the city, where¡ªJack remembered¡ªall the family¡¯s most serious business was discussed.

    Servants prepared a table with chairs and water to drink, and Jack remained fascinated with his brother¡¯s strict discipline towards mixing work and alcohol. It was something new, and he wondered what else had changed in his character over the years. Eventually, they were joined by more of Theodore¡¯s lieutenants, some of whom Jack recognized, some of whom he did not.

    ¡°Riley Thornton.¡± A man said calmly, as he shook Jack¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Riley is one of my best men,¡± Theodore explained proudly.

    Jack was shocked to hear this, since his brother almost never allowed praise to escape his lips. As he watched Riley out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the telltale signs of a professional; the cauliflower ears, the nasty looking scars on his hands, face and neck. Riley held himself with a calm and professional confidence that Jack had only seen in Rayker¡¯s most dangerous enforcers¡ªand more recently in Urtiga. When he spoke, he used measured words, and listened even more carefully. That he seemed to genuinely respect Theodore¡¯s opinions terrified Jack.

    ¡°And so, baby brother,¡± Theodore said, as he finished explaining Jack¡¯s story to the rest of the stunned cartel leaders, ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain to us exactly what you think we¡¯re going to do about this?¡±

    ¡°I want to steal it,¡± Jack said, and was pleased to see several of them react with incredulous laughter. They knew they were out of their depth, and while they might mock the idea, they were on the edge of their seats waiting for the punchline.

    Riley alone didn¡¯t react, but studied him in the awkward silence. ¡°Your contact¡ªthis was his idea?¡± he asked, eventually.

    Jack nodded. ¡°He believes he has the resources to help us pull this off.¡±

    ¡°The data stick?¡±

    ¡°Contains the full layout of the facility on X¨©n l¨´, together with their security protocols. He has also written a virus that¡ªonce uploaded¡ªwill erase all of their research data.¡±

    ¡°Apart from their physical backups,¡± Riley objected.

    ¡°Well, I have some ideas for that.¡±

    ¡°Okay Jack,¡± Theodore said, ¡°let¡¯s start with the basics. Who is this guy that is dropping magic beans in our laps with no strings attached? What is his deal?¡±

    ¡°I only met him when I went on the run,¡± Jack explained. ¡°And then only briefly. I know him to be a mid-level tech guy that¡¯s gone a little too long without promotion.¡±

    ¡°Not a good enough reason to betray one of the galaxies great powers and throw in with the cartels.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I think he is a grandiose narcissist.¡± Jack watched his brother¡¯s eyes, but the man didn¡¯t blink. ¡°The unacknowledged genius is not being recognized as he should be, and he wants to hurt them. There were rumors, I recall, that he had an affair with a senior executive¡¯s wife, and he¡¯s anticipating the blowback. On the flip side of the coin, the corporation is stifling his ambition. He thinks he¡¯s a tough guy, and he wants to find ways to hurt people. He even suggested you would want to hire him once this is over with.¡±

    Theodore scoffed. ¡°He¡¯d be as much of a liability to us as he is to them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Riley said. ¡°Too much of this is resting on Jack¡¯s opinion. They could be setting us up for a trap.¡±

    ¡°My brother¡¯s loyalty is beyond question,¡± Theodore said in a tone that did not allow the possibility of dissent.

    ¡°I¡¯m not questioning his loyalty, but they could be deceiving him. This story is frankly insane.¡±

    ¡°And why would VennZech have a problem with the Fenways? Our paths rarely cross.¡±

    Riley shrugged, but didn¡¯t respond. He was obviously more suspicious than he was thoughtful.

    Jack frowned. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s a total impossibility¡ªmy chief motivation, obviously, is the most dangerous woman in the galaxy currently trying to kill me.¡±

    ¡°The only reason you¡¯re back here,¡± another man scoffed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jack said contritely, ¡°I thought Rayker would take me further. I admit that I was wrong, and I will remind you all that I never accepted a job that went against the interests of the family. I was very strict about that.¡±

    ¡°Probably why she sidelined you,¡± Theodore said. ¡°Okay, well, we know that¡¯s true, and she wouldn¡¯t be after him if the stakes weren¡¯t high. We know that VennZech¡¯s headquarters on Ambrosia were attacked, but with no obvious motive¡ªclearly a diversion of some kind. We¡¯ve been able to confirm through our own contacts that something was going on at the comet described in the data logs. An interstellar sleeper probe picked up traffic in that direction at some point.¡±

    Jack¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°What do you mean at some point?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s gone quiet now, obviously. Why would they keep it running if they completed their research?¡±

    ¡°Right¡ªyeah, obviously.¡±

    Theodore gave him a strange look. ¡°And our own people have checked the research data that Jack brought us, and concluded it looks plausible.¡± He stood up and surveyed the assembled faces. ¡°Gentlemen, is it really so hard to believe that humanity is on the cusp of a technological leap forward, and that we have been fortunate enough that our wayward brother stumbled into the middle of it?¡±

    ¡°I remain skeptical. I want at least a phone call with this guy,¡± Riley said as he stared unblinkingly at Jack.

    Jack calmly returned his gaze and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it.¡±

    ¡°But what are we saying here?¡± someone else interjected. ¡°The Fenway family is going to take responsibility for the superweapon that¡¯s going to transform civilization as we know it?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided what it all means yet,¡± Theodore said and sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on the opportunity in front of us, okay? The Fenways know how to handle business, and I don¡¯t think anyone considers a job on X¨©n l¨´ to be too far outside of our capabilities? Right?¡±

    This was met with murmured assent and noncommittal shrugs.

    ¡°I know¡ªit¡¯s a VennZech site, and that poses some steep challenges. But if we really have an insider, then that¡¯s a start.¡±

    The men nodded their agreement, and they began the slow and laborious task of working out a plan.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 11

    The interstellar hub at Raisa was one of the largest stations in human space, second only to Jupiter, as far as Jack knew. The hundreds of thousands of inhabitants that crowded its streets and compartments certainly made it feel that way. Weaving his way through throngs of travelers at the public transit stops, Jack swore with frustration. He was not used to dealing with crowds, and the constant flow of bodies set his nerves even more on edge. He had only one more stop to make before he rejoined the Junker¡ªthe freighter they had chosen to pull off the heist¡ªbut the ambient light was already warming and dimming.

    Urban sprawl climbed up the horizon, and across the sky in a dizzying display. Only miles above Jack¡¯s head, the opposite side of the station¡¯s rotating body was clearly visible, hanging upside down. It was a nausea inducing illusion for those unused to space travel. Running through the center of the tube was a gigantic chandelier; a complex construction of mirrors that bounced solar light from the exterior, providing the citizens with the feeling of natural daytime.

    As the artificial day approached its end, those mirrors tinted to simulate the familiar comfort of a setting sun. Jack wondered how much time and effort had been sacrificed to create the ironic monument of human ingenuity, flaunting before the majesty of the universe a hairless ape¡¯s most base dependencies in a place they had no right¡ªor sense¡ªto be.

    Seeking a discreet purchase, he eventually arrived in the depths of the undercity, buried within the mile thick walls of the superstructure. A local contact had brought what he requested ¨C an unregistered firearm for his personal use.

    As they made the exchange at an unremarkable diner, Jack was not surprised to see Riley loitering in the crowd across the concourse, not even trying to be subtle. It was a necessary violation of his privacy, Jack knew, for the family would never truly trust him again.

    Of course, he thought darkly, if everything went well on X¨©n l¨´, then their trust wasn¡¯t something he would need to worry about.

    The firearm purchase would not concern them; expected and necessary as it was. He obviously wouldn¡¯t trust any device they handed him, and they wouldn¡¯t object to him making his own arrangements. It was all understood¡ªa part of the game as timeless as civilization.

    They had made contact with the ¡®insider¡¯¡ªa scrambled voice on the other end of a data stream. It contained just enough meta-clues for Fenway¡¯s technicians to trace the connection to a major VennZech campus on X¨©n l¨´. Jack wondered how Urtiga had pulled that off, and indeed what else access to sophisticated alien technology made her and her friends capable of.

    Riley had interrogated the voice for more than an hour, pushing ¡®him¡¯ for information that would confirm he was who he said he was, and that he was capable of doing what he claimed. The conversation had gone well, and acceptable assurances of good faith had been provided. The job was on. Jack¡¯s only concern was what exactly would happen to them all once the device was in their possession.

    His contact left him, and Jack was patiently sipping his drink when a familiar voice made him freeze in horror.

    Three women had entered the bar, and though he didn¡¯t look around, he knew immediately that it was Urtiga, Gucci, and a third individual. They sat at a stall near his, though they didn¡¯t look at or acknowledge him in the slightest. He listened with surprise as he realized they were arguing about something, and he turned as much as he dared to watch them out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡°Literally all I did, you know, as per my duties and obligations¡ª¡± Urtiga said defensively.

    ¡°Shut up. Just stop talking,¡± Gucci snapped at her.

    ¡°¡ªwas provide my honest and detailed account of the events that unfolded on the ground. And words that were exchanged.¡±

    ¡°And it was a great report; very detailed,¡± the third woman said as she nodded happily. ¡°Um, so Gucci, explain¡­ are there, like, special exercises that you have to do?¡±

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    ¡°Go to hell,¡± Gucci said.

    ¡°Definitely some kind of breathing technique,¡± Urtiga added.

    ¡°You are actually children¡ªall of you.¡±

    ¡°Probably a daily training regime, and you certainly wouldn¡¯t want to skip a session. What if you got an injury?¡± Urtiga laughed with the heartiest, most joyful laugh Jack had heard from the woman.

    Gucci sank her head into her hands. ¡°Oh God, what did I do to deserve this?¡± she moaned.

    ¡°Fate, destiny, fortune.¡± The third woman shrugged. ¡°Who can say what forces shape the world around us? Now¡ªI¡¯m just going to send a message making sure everyone knows that Gucci¡¯s new nickname will be ¡®Fist¡¯.¡±

    Urtiga roared with laughter again as Gucci flushed bright red.

    Jack stood up as the teasing continued and calmly walked out of the diner. He had been exchanging messages with Urtiga, and she seemed happy with the plan the cartel leaders had put together. She was also confident she could provide the additional resources they had requested from the insider. As Jack retraced his steps to the ship¡ªRiley maintaining a respectable distance behind him¡ªhe wondered what message he should take from the encounter. Reassurance, perhaps? Or a reminder, to make sure he didn¡¯t get cold feet.

    When he returned to the docking bay of the Junker, he was surprised to see a crowd of customs agents crowding around Theodore and a few others. They were talking heatedly, and every so often, Jack saw discreet handshakes pass between them. In the distance, where the ship was resting against the docking clamps, he saw a crewman hurriedly leave the ship, slinking away into the maintenance shafts.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± he demanded as he approached his brother.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, Jack.¡± Theodore waved him off. ¡°Get back onboard and I¡¯ll catch up with you in a bit.¡±

    As Jack stepped onto the gantry, he saw the customs officers begin to disperse, apparently satisfied with the results of their discussion.

    ¡°Well,¡± Theodore said when he joined Jack in the ship¡¯s lounge. ¡°That was a close call.¡±

    ¡°Looked like they wanted to search the ship,¡± Jack observed.

    ¡°They did¡ªapparently they received a tip off about contraband.¡±

    ¡°The weapons? I thought only your most loyal guys were involved.¡±

    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know what happened to be honest. Fortunately, I was able to convince them it wasn¡¯t worth their trouble.¡±

    ¡°Worth more to look away?¡±

    Theodore grimaced. ¡°Cost me a packet. I hope this job pays off.¡±

    Jack nodded but said nothing. Soon they heard the clamor of arguing men, and a stampede of footsteps. Riley stuck his head into the lounge, a severe frown on his face.

    ¡°We got him boss¡ªone of ours. This is going to be trouble.¡±

    Theodore gave him a look of surprise. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Staffer.¡±

    The news didn¡¯t surprise Jack. If he had seen the crewmen jumping ship, then so had Riley, and he would have figured it out quickly enough. They were led through the bowls of the vessel to an empty cargo hold where the technician Jack had seen earlier was seated on a stool, his face bloody and bruised. The hold was filled with men, but Jack noticed that not all of them wore the cold and furious expression of those that flanked the unfortunate Staffer. Some even looked scared.

    ¡°Eight years,¡± Theodore said quietly, after he had observed the scene. ¡°Eight years you¡¯ve worked for this family, Staffer, and done well. Always had your head screwed on, always dependable. Then you go and do this.¡±

    His brother wouldn¡¯t strike the man, Jack recalled. His temper was far too calculated, flaring only in those moments when he would need it to have the necessary effect.

    ¡°Just tell me why,¡± Theodore continued. ¡°A cheap pay off and a slap on the back from a Helvet pencil pusher? Or did they have something on you?¡±

    Staffer spat on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s wrong.¡±

    The tension in the room shifted. Jack saw men staring at their feet or exchanging worried glances.

    Theodore laughed. ¡°Oh yeah¡ªall this time a cartel man and suddenly you grow a conscience.¡±

    ¡°There are some lines,¡± the prisoner growled. ¡°That men should burn in hell for crossing.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Theodore said. He lunged forward and punched the man hard in the face. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he screamed as he punched again and again, ¡°what you¡¯re talking about!¡±

    Jack stepped back, shocked by the behavior. His brother grabbed a length of pipe from one of the men and used it to smash Staffer¡¯s head until blood pooled thickly on the deck. The others watched in appalled silence, as though the air had left the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s he talking about?¡± Theodore leapt back, wiping blood off his face. Now he was pacing back and forth, confronting each of the spectators. ¡°Do you know? Someone tell me. Anyone? Anyone?¡±

    Nobody moved or spoke. The moment was a photograph, with only Theodore in motion.

    ¡°Get this piece of shit stuffed into an airlock. We¡¯ll dump his body into space.¡± He left the hold, and still nobody moved a muscle.

    Jack felt his hands shaking. In all the years he had known Theodore, he had never lost control so completely, and so publicly. Something was very wrong.

    He met Riley¡¯s gaze. In contrast to the stunned men around them, the man seemed almost whimsical.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving, fellas,¡± Riley said, pushing his neighbors to stir them to life. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot to do before we get underway.¡±

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 12

    Jack¡¯s hands still shook as he navigated the darkened walkways of the Junker. It was the night cycle, and the crew were mostly asleep¡ªa luxury now withheld from Jack. The shocking behavior of his brother had made him question his own sanity until the pieces had begun to connect. He thought he knew Theodore, and such an outburst could never have been provoked by the insult Staffer had given. It could only mean one thing¡ªhis brother was at risk of losing control of the cartel.

    But what Staffer had said had not been meaningless, and as he reflected on the moment, Jack felt another flash of suspicion ignite in his mind. He had spent the nights since their departure from Raisa roaming the freighter¡¯s corridors, checking the cargo holds. He didn¡¯t know what he would find, but he knew that he had to make sure, if only to satisfy the desperate curiosity that kept him from sleep.

    Hold eight was the last place he hadn¡¯t checked. When he entered, he saw what he expected to see¡ªnothing. He flashed his light over the high walls and attachment struts and began to feel the strange sensation that something he couldn¡¯t see was missing. He stared for some time, trying to understand the instinctive warning. When it finally came, he felt the cold pit of despair open below him. The cargo hold was too small.

    Hidden compartments were an old trick for smugglers but had fallen out of fashion in the space age. Most ship scanners were perfectly capable of mapping a vessel¡¯s superstructure and all of its interior voids. The best solutions were old tricks; outrunning patrols, paying off or intimidating customs agents, or arranging more amenable ports of call through the vast web of connections that lay beneath the surface of the Helvetic League.

    The only conceivable reason to use a false compartment, Jack concluded as nausea began to unbalance him, was to hide something from your own crew. Something that would pass as the most conspiratorial of rumors through an organization. Never spoken or acknowledged¡ªonly hinted at until the level-headed dismissed the talk as absurd at best and dangerous at worst. Something that¡ªif proven to be true¡ªwould cause an entire room of dangerous men to turn with hatred against a once trusted leader.

    Jack poked at the wall for a loose panel. He found the slightly raised lip of a pressure plate and pushed against it, stepping back as part of the wall swung loosely aside. He crawled through into a cramped space¡ªobviously not too large, or the crew would have noticed it.

    The light played over a box of handcuffs and a few dirty blankets. He wanted to weep and rage, smash his fists against the wall, or take a gun, run to Theodore¡¯s quarters and get it over with. Once he had exhausted his emotions, he took ahold of himself, replacing the panel and returning to his bunk. A molten, lead weight sank into his stomach as he lay down, and he resolved that no matter what it cost him¡ªno matter how the job worked out¡ªthere would be a final reckoning.

    The mood on the bridge was somber as the vessel approached the end of its journey. Jack entered and took his usual seat near the edge of the compartment, from where he could observe the pilot¡¯s console.

    He met Theodore¡¯s eyes and smiled the empty smile. It was an easy act, since Jack had long ago learned how to silence the parts of his brain that he couldn¡¯t dare listen to.

    They were all nervous, because the planet X¨©n l¨´ occupied a well-protected system, and they would have to dive in as close to the sun as they dared to lose any patrol ships that might chase them. It was a maneuver that required the utmost care in calculation and execution, and the slightest mistake would result in their deaths. Fortunately, they had one of the more experienced and talented pilots in Rashid.

    ¡°Three Osprey class interceptors ahead of us.¡± The older man announced, as they watched the distant ball of plasma grow to the size of an orange in the tinted-view screen. He suggested a few course adjustments to the helmsman, who manipulated the ship¡¯s maneuvering thrusters. They were flying inverted, engines firing against the direction of travel to shed trans-light velocity as they followed a ballistic path that curved around the star¡¯s gravity well. Should the need arise, they would slow down to the speed of an asteroid, allowing the immense stellar mass to drag them closer into its incandescent atmosphere as they flew past in the slingshot maneuver.

    ¡°Can I see the orbital track?¡± Theodore asked, and a holographic view appeared in front of the Master¡¯s chair.

    Riley, Jack, and others craned their necks, to see the bright red thread of their orbital trajectory passing through the star¡¯s heliosphere, wrapping around in an as yet still loose curve.

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    An alarm pierced the tense quiet of the bridge, then a male voice rang out. ¡°Inbound vessel you are entering Wukong space¡ªplease identify yourselves and transmit your flight plan.¡±

    He spoke in a professional tone; the Junker having given no indication yet that they were anything other than a regular merchant vessel.

    Theodore motioned to the ship¡¯s communication officer, who engaged in discussion with the border patrol. Then he turned to the pilot. ¡°Let¡¯s slow down a little¡ªgive them the impression we are complying.¡±

    Jack watched, feeling helpless as the approach plan unfolded.

    They would bluff the patrol ship until the last second, looking to gain as much time and space as they could before diving into the star¡¯s corona. With temperatures ranging up to five million degrees, an active region of the star¡¯s turbulent atmosphere would vaporize their vessel in a heartbeat.

    Carefully monitoring the stellar flux, Rashid plotted several possible courses through the cooler inactive regions, where their electromagnetic shielding could handle the energy of the seething plasma. The problem was that, to discourage a determined pursuer, they would have to skirt as close to the hotter, more volatile regions as they dared. There, they ran the risk of a sudden flare, or shifting coronal loop catching them, leaving nothing but their trace elements drifting away in the solar wind.

    The border agent began to get agitated as the comm officer stalled him. He wasn¡¯t buying the fake identification tags, and the placating tone of the Junker¡¯s crewman did nothing to allay his suspicions.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough Junker,¡± the official snapped as his patience wore out. ¡°Burn to a parking orbit and standby for boarding.¡±

    Theodore sighed. ¡°Switch him off. Let¡¯s see how much his paycheck is really worth to him.¡±

    ¡°Igniting engines,¡± Rashid ordered.

    The ship shuddered as the engines fired, and their projected curve around the sun shrank into a suicidal dive. Thumps rang throughout the hull as the ship began to spin on its axis. Now the engines were facing away from their direction of travel, ready to add speed at the last second and increase the distance they would pass by the star. The custom¡¯s officer would see what they were planning¡ªa tense game of chicken with gravity.

    Jack eyed the glowing sphere in the viewscreen which had grown to the size of a basketball. How safe their trajectory would be depended on how long they waited to burn according to Rashid¡¯s calculations. The patrol ship would either lose his nerve, calling off his pursuit, or follow them into the maelstrom. Rashid continued his observations and calculations, calling out minor adjustments to the helmsman.

    Jack took a great deal of comfort when he saw the man wasn¡¯t even sweating, even as all eyes on the bridge watched him carefully.

    ¡°Still following us in,¡± the tactical officer called, referring to the patrol ship.

    ¡°Come on asshole,¡± Theodore muttered.

    On Rashid¡¯s console, Jack watched the countdown to their preferred course correction run to zero. It was replaced by another, with a few minutes to run¡ªthe backup maneuver.

    ¡°That¡¯s maneuver one,¡± Rashid called, and the tension grew heavier.

    Jack knew from experience that the pilot would have plotted three backup maneuvers and would fire the engines on the third regardless of what the patrol ship was doing. At that point, they would end up flying so close to a hot spot in the solar furnace that their chances of survival would be a dice roll.

    ¡°Maneuver two,¡± Rashid called as they blew through the next deadline. Jack eyed the disc that had grown to fill the viewscreen. The ship¡¯s external cameras filtered out most of the visible light, resolving the blinding glow into a moody red and orange sphere. A darker fur like structure writhed slowly across the surface, while patches of bright yellow burst forth swaying loops of light. These strands of super-heated plasma shot out into space, swinging around to fall back towards the surface like an impossible rollercoaster. On the opposite hemisphere from their path, a solar flare the size of a planet spat gobs of coronal mass out into the void.

    Jack tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, he¡¯s waved off,¡± called the tactical officer, and the rigid statues that filled the bridge wilted, like dying flowers.

    ¡°Okay, burn it,¡± Rashid instructed the helmsman in a voice that neither cracked nor wavered. The ship shuddered again as it sped back up. All that was left now was for gravity to do its inexorable work.

    ¡°How does it look?¡± Theodore asked.

    ¡°This course takes us through a filament cavity,¡± Rashid explained. ¡°It¡¯s a narrow zone almost devoid of plasma, and difficult to hit precisely. I guess our friend didn¡¯t have a lot of confidence in himself. A stroke of luck, really.¡±

    Theodore nodded. ¡°May the goddess Fortuna ever smile upon us. What¡¯s up Jack? You look mesmerized.¡±

    Jack glanced back at his brother, produced the empty smile again, and forced himself to play the role. ¡°I think it¡¯s beautiful, really.¡±

    ¡°Destructive beauty. Seems to be your thing, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    This time, Jack couldn¡¯t stop a genuine chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve got me there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, fellas,¡± Rashid said, rubbing his hands as he stared at his console. ¡°You¡¯re in for a real treat. Don¡¯t panic now¡ªwe¡¯re well out of danger¡ªbut watch the upper horizon where that big loop is forming.¡±

    As the churning ocean of light fluctuated around them, they turned to watch the coronal loop grow into an immense flare, thrashing out into space. The base of the flare writhed in turmoil, and a bright flash replaced the duller foam of plasma. The flash grew in intensity, then faded, leaving an immense shockwave that washed out over the surface in every direction, moving with appalling speed.

    ¡°Solar tsunami,¡± Rashid explained. ¡°The wave front is moving nearly as fast as a bolt of lightning. A very rare phenomenon.¡±

    Jack contemplated the display in silence. He wondered if such intimate visions of the universe¡¯s terrifying majesty could only ever be witnessed by those willing to court death.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 13

    ¡°Easy now,¡± an engineer cautioned as Jack twitched the flight controller, shifting the distant drone laterally to the right by a few feet.

    ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯m a pilot?¡± he asked, without looking around.

    ¡°No¡ªI just don¡¯t want to screw this up,¡± the man said, his voice fraught with tension.

    ¡°And you think I do?¡±

    Hundreds of miles from the Junker, the remotely piloted logistical drone drifted closer to the target as Jack nudged the controls. He was aiming for a survey satellite, a large machine, built to drift through a system by endless, convoluted loops as it slingshotted around the planets and moons. The artful trajectory gave it a maximum search area to scan asteroids for the valuable minerals they contained. Such satellites were often discreetly operated by cartel contractors¡ªgiven responsibility to protect them from pirates¡ªand therefore fair game as far as the corporations were concerned.

    Several days previously, as it travelled around the system¡¯s star, the Junker had performed additional maneuvers to make their trajectory back out of the gravity well impossible to predict. Then, once happy they weren¡¯t being tracked, they rendezvoused with an inner planetary mining station. The ship¡¯s ident signature had been swapped for one registered within the system, leaving them free to travel as they pleased, and start putting the pieces of their plan into motion.

    Jack had thrown himself into the work with a renewed vigor. He was nearly desperate to accomplish the only act that could assuage him of the anguish he felt, and wring some kind of humane contribution from his life. It also allowed him to avoid Theodore¡ªfor every second spent with his brother was becoming harder and harder to tolerate.

    As he piloted their heavy drone into conjunction with the satellite, he felt a rush when he realized that he was actually the real driving force behind their plan. No matter what data Urtiga had provided him with, he had designed and laid out the absurd steps of the heist, often pushing his brother to take risks he would otherwise have shied away from. The sensation quickened his pulse, brushing aside the fog of placid acceptance. Though he appeared calm on the outside, the anger he had nurtured on the inside had grown stronger. Whenever a pause was called to set up part of the operation, he often sulked with impatience, frustrated by the idle pace of destiny. He felt a sensation he had never experienced before¡ªanticipation that he might really pull it off. He hungered for the glory of that moment.

    It would be followed by the final confrontation, and Jack had long since stopped caring what consequences that event would bring.

    ¡°Okay, your alignment is good, straight down the middle,¡± the engineer said.

    ¡°Yeah, I know. Ready on the throttle?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    There was a tense silence, disturbed by the abrupt buzzing of the comm.

    ¡°Hey, Maharaba, your drone¡¯s getting awfully close¡ªwatch your trajectory,¡± one of the satellite contractors complained, as he watched the events unfold from a distant tracking station.

    ¡°Hey man¡ªwhatever, it¡¯s cool,¡± Jack complained loudly, adding a hint of inebriation to his drawl.

    ¡°I swear to Christ, operator, if you¡¯re drunk, I¡¯m going to have your ass!¡± the tinny voice yelled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me how to fly my drone, dude, and I won¡¯t tell you what to do with your hunk of junk!¡±

    Jack watched the conjunction radar carefully as he spoke and gestured to the nearby engineer, who jammed the throttle open. The drone lurched forward aggressively, accelerating until it was approaching the satellite as fast as a bullet. The small vessel impacted against one of the sturdier modules, smashing into pieces as the larger craft¡¯s superstructure deformed under the impact.

    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Jack signalled, while the contractor blew up on the comm. ¡°Oh man! Look, I¡¯m really sorry. I screwed that up I know.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re goddamned right you did! I¡¯m writing you up for incompetence!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I get that. You have to do your job. But I¡¯m on parole and I need to write up the incident; report myself or I¡¯m in violation of the terms. Can¡¯t you let me do that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, an ex-con,¡± the contractor scoffed. ¡°No reason I shouldn¡¯t do you a favor.¡±

    ¡°Look man¡ªit¡¯s just the decent thing or I¡¯m going back to a cell. Come on man, I¡¯m taking responsibility. I just can¡¯t get on the wrong side of the ass-crawling clerks out here.¡±

    The contractor sighed. ¡°Alright fine¡ªwhatever. But it better be sent out on time. And I don¡¯t ever want to see you near another one of our rigs again.¡±

    The comm clicked off.

    ¡°It looks good,¡± the engineer said as he studied the debris field, now falling through a much-decayed orbit that would take it drifting past X¨©n l¨´.

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    Jack smiled¡ªthe first genuine smile he could remember in a long time. The thrill of success was a heady drug, and his imagination began to conjure more tricks he might try to get away with. He tried to push away the temptations, conscious that his ego was starting to get the better of him.

    The incident report would be filed late, as so many often were, together with the bribery, intimidation and cajoling that accompanied all cartel business dealings. It bought them the time of bureaucratic incompetence and regulatory helplessness, while the debris field fell along its unstoppable trajectory, to pass through X¨©n l¨´¡¯s gravity well. The close-range tracking stations would pick it up too late to interdict, and so they would push satellites into safer orbits as needed to avoid the dangerous, but forgettable space trash.

    Things moved quickly after that. The families¡¯ senior lieutenants began setting up shop on the surface of X¨©n l¨´, within its capital city of Fuyang. Fortuitously, it turned out that one of the older lieutenants, Sparky Mike, had an old connection in the gambling industry. With businesses across X¨©n l¨´, the Gaming Circuit had developed a tense relationship with VennZech.

    The Helvetic League condemned the industry, moralizing against the vice to its citizens¡ªeven taking aggressive steps to close down businesses. On X¨©n l¨´, VennZech preached Helvetic philosophy, and banned its employees from gambling, inflicting harsh punishments on the inevitable fallen souls who strayed from the path of righteousness. Anxious not to anger the strongest corporate power on their world, other industries had also begun to distance themselves from the Gaming Circuit¡¯s business.

    Upon meeting the Circuit¡¯s representatives, Sparky Mike played on these grievances, convincing them that they could profit from the humiliation a successful job against VennZech would bring. The Fenways could promise a substantial payment for services rendered, and once reassured they would be clear of the fallout, the Circuit agreed to a partnership.

    With forged idents for the crew, the Junker docked with a backwater industrial station in low orbit, paying off the longshoremen as they moved sealed containers down to the planet. They worked through a group of shell companies, disguising the shipments as legitimate deliveries through several of the more well-trafficked and poorly secured logistical hubs. Then all that was left was to truck their equipment overland to a warehouse on Fuyang¡¯s outskirts, where crates were unpacked, and weapons assembled.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Even as Jack hated every minute spent back with the family, he found himself impressed by the skill with which they unfolded the artfully complex logistics of the plan. Seeing that so much relied on their ingenuity and dedication, he realized, shamefully, that he was hungry to repeat the experience. If Theodore were dead, he reflected as he lay awake at night trying to squeeze whatever hours of sleep he could from the oppressively tense atmosphere, he would be able to do this kind of thing under his own leadership.

    An even stronger drive¡ªone he was not sure he understood¡ªforced him to erase the dark temptation from his mind. That was not him, and could never be, though the psychological conflict was painful. He took comfort in a fantasy of a distant future, in which a young colony settlement looked to him for leadership as they built the future of humanity in the stars. He saw honest workers who had left the corruption of Helvetic civilization far behind, though he wasn¡¯t sure he would ever live to see such a life.

    ¡°Who do you like for the Sunan vs Rodriguez fight?¡± Theodore asked Jack as they drove through the night.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªmaybe if you tell me who is going to win, I can decide,¡± Jack scoffed, as he kept his eyes focused on the road.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that,¡± Theodore said with a hurt expression. ¡°Not this time. Sure, Mixed Martial Arts is a profitable business, but we really wanted a genuine fight between these two titans.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. Last month, I sat down with the other bosses and the Dojo leaders, and we agreed it was time to just let these guys test themselves; find out who was the real champion. No interference.¡±

    ¡°Theodore Fenway putting moral principle before profit,¡± Jack said, and shook his head.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m a businessman, and I¡¯ve done great things for the family. And I indulge in higher ideals when I can afford to.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Theodore tugged on Jack¡¯s arm, causing the truck to lurch on the road. ¡°What?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± Riley called from the back.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jack replied as he swallowed his pride. He only had to hold out a little longer. ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything, Theodore. I¡¯m glad to hear it¡¯ll be a real fight. You¡¯ll have to let me know how the fighters are looking¡ªI haven¡¯t been keeping up with the tournaments lately.¡±

    Theodore watched him carefully, then grinned. ¡°Sure. I mean, personally I like Sunan¡ªexcellent ground game.¡±

    They pulled up beneath a bridge. In the distance, across the river, Jack saw the buildings of VennZech¡¯s prestigious research facility gleaming with the reflected lights of the city. The three of them grabbed backpacks and walked into the nearby park. A small hilltop dominated the cultivated forests and gardens¡ªthe favorite lunchtime spot of many of the VennZech executives. Until morning, the cluster of trees and shrubs at its summit would serve the Fenway brothers as a hide.

    ¡°Okay, right here,¡± Jack panted, dropping low as they crested the rise.

    Damp but immaculate vegetation glinted in the darkness. From where he crouched, he could see all of the VennZech campus across the river, including the distant Advanced Sciences building.

    ¡°This is a better spot,¡± Theodore said quietly, pointing a few yards away.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jack acknowledged, and they dropped their bags.

    He pulled out a high-power hunting scope, setting it up on a tripod before focusing in on their target. Riley and Theodore scanned the campus with binoculars, but there would be nothing to see until dawn arrived.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see why we had to come out here,¡± Theodore continued in a low voice.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Jack protested. ¡°Me and Riley could have handled it, and you¡¯re just exposing yourself to unnecessary risk.¡±

    ¡°But you seem so passionate about it, and I want to help you with your passions, Jack.¡±

    ¡°You can rest assured that you are doing.¡±

    ¡°But why couldn¡¯t our contact inside tell us where Rayker has set up?¡± his brother demanded, almost petulantly.

    ¡°We know where she has set up, we just need to make sure she¡¯s actually in the building before I hand myself over.¡±

    ¡°With Riley.¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡± Jack grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t mind the risk of being tortured to death, right Riley?¡±

    The dark silhouette didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Jack went on. ¡°Once we¡¯re in custody, they¡¯ll take us to wherever she is.¡±

    ¡°The world must come to the woman,¡± Theodore said. ¡°I respect that about her.¡±

    ¡°Right¡ªand as long as she is in the Advanced Sciences building, they¡¯ll take us to that security office.¡±

    ¡°But why can¡¯t your insider just go there himself and find out?¡±

    ¡°He has no business being in that building, and he says they¡¯re already getting suspicious of him.¡±

    ¡°Sounds lazy to me.¡±

    ¡°And then¡­ well¡­¡± Jack paused as he searched for the words to express the depth of his motivation. He wanted to watch Rayker in her element before he tore it all away from her.

    Theodore sighed. ¡°Baby brother. Business should not get personal. I¡¯ve told you so many times.¡±

    Jack only shook his head.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see the look on her face,¡± Riley interjected. ¡°We¡¯ll snatch her as well¡ªkeep her around as a pet.¡±

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t Riley,¡± Jack said. ¡°That is way too ambitious.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Theodore added. ¡°That¡¯s an insane idea. Stealing their toy will get us some retaliation, but kidnapping Allana Rayker will mean outright war with the corporations.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t see why not if the opportunity presents itself,¡± Riley protested.

    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Jack said firmly. ¡°You have no idea what she is capable of.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just a woman.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ve heard some insane stories.¡±

    Theodore grimaced. ¡°We all have.¡±

    Dawn brought with it the usual surge of traffic, and the occasional passage of early morning joggers through the parks. The trio would not be invisible to anyone motivated enough to find them, but the athletes were usually distracted by podcasts or music played through noise-cancelled earbuds. In any case they had no reason to engage with the same unchanging surroundings that their daily routines trained them to view as background noise.

    ¡°Okay, got some vehicles pulling into the underground now,¡± Riley announced.

    Jack watched through his scope for the black SUV they were expecting. When it arrived, he carefully adjusted the angle, aligning it on a group of windows on the research building¡¯s upper floor, where previous teams of the Fenway family had observed her at work.

    They waited with bated breath as the sun climbed uncomfortably high above the golden horizon. Eventually, the blinds drew back, and Jack was greeted with the sight of his old boss¡ªher cold glare flicking across the landscape below her, before she turned and walked back into the office¡¯s interior.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he said, feeling the rush of adrenaline and anxiety building within him. ¡°We¡¯re go.¡±

    Theodore radioed a brief message to the eagerly waiting teams gathering around the industrial zone. Then, they waited until a gap in the foot traffic allowed them to pass unnoticed and return to their truck.

    The next hour passed in a blur. After dropping Theodore off at a lonely street corner, Riley had driven them straight on to the VennZech compound. Jack sat in the back of the truck, his wrists locked behind his back. He was relieved that they didn¡¯t talk, as Riley had taken a little too much enthusiasm in roughing him up. Through a black eye, Jack watched the buildings whip past, noting how they grew in size and sophistication as they drew closer to their goal. He tried not to think about what might happen once he was in Rayker¡¯s hands. She was fully capable of killing them both on sight.

    It seemed they arrived at the security gate almost instantly, and that the long drive had only been a dream. Jack fought back nausea as the guard stared at his face, then dragged him out of the vehicle and shoved him against a wall. They cuffed Riley as well, and he made a show of fighting back. The security gate became a truck entrance, became another security corridor, and finally, a prison cell. Both he and Riley sat with nothing to do but stare at the blank grey walls and hope the rest of the plan was smoothly in motion. Before long, they were rescued from their imaginations when the door unlocked, and Rayker stepped into the cell.

    She stared at Jack, who did not return her gaze. Then she addressed herself to Riley.

    ¡°Riley Moore¡ªlongtime associate of clan Fenway, I believe?¡±

    Jack fought back shock and tried to remain as motionless as possible. Of course she would know who he was. For his part, Riley nodded with a condescending chuckle, and Jack silently praised the heavens that his brother had had the luck and insight to gain the loyalty of a genuine psychopath. Rayker¡¯s paranoia knew no limits, and any tell would have given the game away.

    ¡°You just decided to hand your employer¡¯s brother over for a little bonus money?¡± she asked mockingly. ¡°Your reputation speaks of better loyalty than that.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Riley countered. ¡°But Theodore¡¯s doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Rayker cocked an eyebrow.

    ¡°He got rid of this louse a long time ago,¡± Riley continued, ¡°and he frankly doesn¡¯t need the trouble he knows you can cause him. ¡®Jack made his own bed,¡¯ the man said to me, ¡®and he can lie in it.¡¯ Those were his very words.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he contact me himself?¡±

    ¡°Risk that kind of exposure?¡± Riley sneered. ¡°How stupid do you think he is?¡±

    Rayker nodded slowly, and turned back to Jack. She walked up to him, leaning in so close that Jack felt his mind go foggy as her scent wrapped around him. He did his best to glare hatefully into her eyes.

    She sighed gently. ¡°Did you have to damage him so? I thought I might enjoy him before I toss the body out with the trash.¡±

    Riley laughed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what they say about you, Madam. That you don¡¯t like real men.¡±

    Rayker turned to glare at him.

    Any second now, Jack thought, and offered a silent prayer.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 14

    Hundreds of miles above the planet, an arrow of ceramic coated titanium the size of a tree trunk drifted in the void. The drone¡¯s debris cloud that had hidden it during the interplanetary coast had dispersed. The planet¡¯s tracking stations had so many pieces to track, and were too distracted by the need to co-ordinate a nightmarish number of satellite maneuvers, that they didn¡¯t look too closely.

    An electromagnetic pulse flashed up from the planet below, and discreet thrusters puffed gas, twisting the pylon against the starry backdrop. Once it had attained its final alignment, a recessed engine fired towards the planet, slowing the missile into a long, graceful dive into the atmosphere. Alarm stations across X¨©n l¨´ wailed desperate calls to action, but nothing short of a missile cruiser stood a chance of arresting the unfolding ballet of forces.

    The pylon entered the atmosphere and glowed brilliant white as it streaked through the atmosphere like a meteor. Travelling fifteen miles every second, the pylon¡¯s onboard computer steered it into the vehicle compound of the campus¡¯s security response team. It impacted with the force of an extremely large bomb, destroying half of the building, and killing many of those inside. While VennZech security teams across the campus radioed desperately for a sitrep, most began moving to the site of the impact. For the survivors inside, the next hour would be spent crawling their way out of the rubble and seeking medical attention for their substantial wounds.

    Jack felt the blast as a thump in his gut, while a cloud of dust dislodged from the cell walls. Riley kept the fa?ade perfectly, looking around with a startled wariness. As alarms blared out, Rayker scowled at both of them before darting out of the cell.

    The security guard tried to pull the cell door closed behind them, but Riley leapt up, pulling hard on the metal lip. The guard stumbled into the cell and went still as he took a boot kick to the head. They waited breathlessly, listening to the distant alarms and panicked voices. Fortunately, nobody else had been left to take care of them.

    Riley grabbed the guard¡¯s keys. ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Storage box first¡ªI need my phone.¡± Jack said.

    Riley managed to knock out the lone guard at the security booth without much noise, and they found their confiscated effects, including Riley¡¯s gun, in a plastic box on the desk. Following the plan they had spent weeks piecing together, they made their way through empty maintenance corridors until they reached the building¡¯s main lobby. They watched through the window of a security door as scientists raced around in confusion, some bleeding from minor cuts to their exposed skin, while others gawped in shock at the shattered glass of the lobby¡¯s multi-story windows.

    ¡°Come on Teddy,¡± Riley breathed, as they watched anxiously for the next step to unfold.

    In the campus¡¯ main building, the security dispatcher quickly figured out what had happened and tried to contact the state¡¯s police force for support. She found to her shock that the campus¡¯ phone and backup lines had been severed, while their cellular signals were being jammed. She ran outside to her truck and froze, watching in horror as a group of vehicles raced up to the campus¡¯ main gate.

    Theodore and his men swarmed the main security checkpoint, firing silenced weapons and killing the defenders easily. The Fenway men grabbed their radios, and some began to don their uniforms, as they transmitted confusing messages to the rest of the security force. Working from the communication protocols that Jack had shown them, they were able to quickly put an end to any hysterical rumors that an attack was underway. They told anyone on the channel that the news media was reporting a freak meteor impact.

    While he left a rear security team to protect their exit, Theodore and the rest of his men made straight for a dull grey building in the near corner of the campus, where the facilities¡¯ physical backup drives were located. They swept inside, shooting dead the few guards who resisted. A block of plastic explosives knocked down the access door to the main storage hangar. Theodore gave another command, and after they donned gas masks, a few of the men tossed canisters inside the room.

    Back at the Advanced Sciences building, Jack nearly cheered as thick metal shutters slammed down across the doors and windows, sealing the building off from the guards who had raced outside to see what was happening.

    ¡°Environmental lock down,¡± he said, in an almost boastful tone. ¡°I told you the nerve gas would be worth it.¡±

    Riley only grunted. Jack produced his phone and waved it over the lobby entrance¡¯s electronic lock. With a buzz the door popped open. They passed unnoticed by the research staff, who had begun to wander aimlessly through the building, stopping for confused conversation informed only by guesswork.

    Despite his new workout routine, Jack struggled to keep up with the fitter, faster Riley, who had hidden his gun in his waistband. They followed a carefully memorized path through the facility, Jack unlocking security doors when necessary. Most of the security guards had abandoned their posts when they heard about the impact.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    When the pair reached a chokepoint blocked by meandering bodies, Riley took a quick look around before yelling ¡°Security! Make a hole!¡± and driving through the compliant crowd. Jack looked away as he followed, trying not to meet the desperate eyes pleading for information.

    Eventually they reached the high-security underground floors that housed the device and stopped short when they saw that a security checkpoint was still manned ahead of them.

    ¡°Listen,¡± Riley said as he paused to recover his breath. ¡°I know you¡¯re no good in a fight. But if you can just grab the one on the left and keep him busy, I should be able to take care of the rest of them.¡±

    Jack nodded and offered a silent prayer to whoever was listening as Riley strode forward, both hands in the air, and called out to the guards.

    ¡°Guys! Special Branch!¡± he called, invoking the elite police unit that operated on X¨©n l¨´. ¡°Hey!¡± he called again, while the security team remained distracted with their equipment.

    ¡°Guys, are your radios down?¡± Riley asked.

    He spoke with such honest concern that Jack almost thought he would try and bluff their way through. The time it took for the guards to articulate a response allowed him to close the distance to them. Then, in a fast and fluid motion, reached his hands into his belt, withdrew the pistol, aimed and fired.

    Jack stopped thinking, lunging for the leftmost guard and catching him in his mid-section. They went down to the ground, and Jack tried to punch his way through the man¡¯s scrambling arms. He was barely cognizant of the gunshots and falling bodies, and when he saw the guard produce a knife from his chest rig, he nearly panicked.

    He caught the rising arm, trying to hold it still whilst his fingers grabbed at the man¡¯s face. Somehow, the stronger opponent had managed to wrap his legs around Jack¡¯s body. In a confused moment he was thrown sideways, laying on his back while the man leaned over him, knife raised in the air. His expression was fierce and determined, and Jack thought he had no chance against the trained professional. Then the man¡¯s face exploded outwards, spraying blood and brain matter over him. When Jack wiped away the gore, he saw Riley standing nearby, smoking pistol pointed at the ceiling.

    ¡°You good?¡±

    Jack¡¯s head spun. ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°Get up, then.¡±

    As he hauled himself up on shaking legs, Jack noticed a spreading blood stain in Riley¡¯s shirt.

    Seeing his expression, the wounded man nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, provided we can get out of here on time.¡±

    He turned away, heading off down the corridor. A thought burrowed its way into Jack¡¯s consciousness. He needed a weapon he could hide. It was an instinct he had never paid much attention to, but now it was screaming at him. Unable to resist, Jack quickly bent down and grabbed his attacker¡¯s knife, tucking it into his belt beneath his shirt where Riley wouldn¡¯t see it. Then he raced to catch up.

    Inside the subterranean research area, they quickly found the laboratory containing the device. Scientists and technicians fled as Riley fired gunshots into the air, but caught in a panic, some had trapped themselves in their offices. Riley selected one and kicked the door down. He strode inside and pointed his pistol at the cowering men and women.

    ¡°Hey¡ª¡± Jack began, unsure what the psychopath was about to do, but Riley cut him off.

    ¡°This is not a shooting spree,¡± he called loudly. ¡°This is a robbery, and we are here for the device. None of you have to die if you do not get in our way!¡± He pointed his gun at one of the scientists. ¡°You, get up. Come here!¡±

    Voices wailed as the man staggered to his feet and walked over on shaking legs.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the team leader?¡± Riley demanded; gun still aimed at the man¡¯s head.

    Jack wasn¡¯t sure if he should intervene, then reminded himself that VennZech security guards had already died getting in their way. It was true they had been armed and would have resisted, but¡­ He pushed the thought aside, knowing he would be having a heavy discussion with Urtiga if he survived.

    The scientist didn¡¯t answer, and Riley stepped closer to him, putting the muzzle of his weapon underneath the man¡¯s quivering jaw.

    ¡°Your life means nothing to me,¡± Riley explained carefully. ¡°I will kill you, and anyone else I need to, until I get what I want. One last time¡ªwhere is your team leader?¡±

    The scientist broke, turning and searching with his eyes, then pointing to a desk beneath which a pair of legs were almost hidden. Riley punched the scientist hard, knocking him unconscious, then strode over to the desk. He dragged the weeping woman out into the open, then lead her out of the office and over towards the sealed laboratory that contained their goal, as Jack followed helplessly.

    ¡°Watch the others,¡± Riley instructed him.

    Jack turned back hesitantly, but a helpless anger that he could not keep an eye on the unpredictably dangerous man was beginning to take over his thoughts.

    ¡°You have a loading bay beneath this level,¡± Riley explained to the lead research. ¡°No! Get up!¡± he yelled, as the hapless woman began to sink to the ground, her legs unable to support herself. ¡°I promise that I won¡¯t kill you, but I will kill every one of your colleagues until you do what I say. Understand?¡±

    The woman nodded, and Riley continued his instructions, describing how they needed her to move the device onto the material transport elevator, then load it into one of the waiting trucks. It took nearly ten nail-biting minutes to make this happen, as the researcher was required to electronically authorize each step in the transportation process. Once it was done, Riley lead her back to the office, threw her inside, and¡ªto Jack¡¯s immense relief¡ªlocked the door.

    ¡°Hey, grab that access card!¡± he yelled at Jack.

    Jack looked around and saw the card on the floor nearby. A shiver ran up his spine as some dormant part of his mind insisted that he hadn¡¯t seen it there on the way in. And what did Riley need it for, anyway?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Riley yelled as he moved closer.

    Jack knelt down, reaching forward for the card. He caught the movement of shadow in his peripheral vision, and he swung without thinking, the guard¡¯s knife clutched firmly in his grip. He heard a tear and a yell, and he whirled around to see Riley recoiling, blood on his arm.

    The man looked at him with shock, and Jack dove forward as the gun came up, knocking it away. Then they were on the floor, and Jack was smashing his fists down with all his might, until the clawing arms went limp.

    He felt a surge of adrenaline and wondered where the sudden flash of insight had come from. Had Riley really wanted to kill him? Thinking quickly, he searched the man¡¯s jacket and found a second phone. He activated the device, and his hands shook as he realized that it was a blank, with no user identity or access protection. It only contained a single contact¡ªTheodore.

    Jack picked the gun up, checked the magazine and the chamber, then sat down opposite his newest enemy and waited.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 15

    After a few minutes, Riley came to. His battered and bloody face broke into a sneer as he met Jack¡¯s watchful gaze.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that from you.¡± He spat blood onto the floor. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you had the instincts for it.¡±

    ¡°Surprised myself, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re full of surprises. Don¡¯t suppose you want to tell me who your ¡®insider¡¯ really is?¡±

    ¡°Sure, let me just write up a full confession. I can pass a copy over to my brother when I see him.¡±

    Riley laughed. ¡°Same sense of humor, I see. Yeah. Same cynicism too, when you don¡¯t have your head stuck up your backside. I told him it was a mistake to hand you over.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you did.¡± Jack fixed the man with a cold glare, as he tapped the pistol against his leg.

    Riley shrugged and wiped the blood off his nose. ¡°Whatever mate. It¡¯s all part of the game, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Theodore wanted me dead.¡±

    Riley snorted. ¡°Not dead¡ªdon¡¯t be daft. We¡¯re stealing from the most dangerous criminal in the cluster. Wouldn¡¯t have looked good to leave your dead body behind to rub her face in it. No¡ªshe wanted you alive, to play with, remember?¡± He grinned.

    ¡°Oh, I get. Peace offering. You were going to leave the blank phone so she could contact Ted?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. See, with that toy in the truck downstairs, the Fenway family is well on track to create a new power balance, one that could upend the League completely. Of course, Theodore is a shrewd player. He knows he¡¯s better off building bridges than burning them. Rayker doesn¡¯t care about VennZech; she just wants power. And he¡¯s prepared to share. Sort of.¡±

    ¡°All he has to do is give up his own blood? Not a good look to the cartels.¡±

    ¡°Who would know? Everyone would think you died fighting the guards back there, protecting me while I escaped. A true martyr for the family.¡± Riley spat blood again. ¡°Not like you were worth anything else to him.¡±

    Jack nodded and stood up.

    ¡°See, I know you though,¡± Riley continued. ¡°I know your type. You¡¯re not here for a paycheck and a life of crime.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me.¡±

    ¡°Sure I do. You hated your family, but you couldn¡¯t survive on your own. The League police would have been able to use you against us, so you went somewhere quiet and safe. Rayker knew you too, knew that all you needed was to be able to look away while she handled the dirty work. So what if she wanted you dead? You¡¯re resourceful, and you could have found another option¡ªa rival corp, probably. You certainly didn¡¯t need to come back to the cartel. It¡¯s not your world.¡±

    Jack watched him without comment.

    ¡°Something else is going on with you. All that secret information, all this energy and passion you have all of a sudden. You¡¯re working with somebody else for a different kind of goal. Frankly, you might want to consider the value a man like me could have to you.¡±

    ¡°Zero.¡±

    ¡°No, no, think it through,¡± Riley went on patiently. ¡°You¡¯re playing both sides of the table, and you¡¯re doing it quite well. Whoever you¡¯re working for would probably find a great deal of interest in a guy like me. With all my knowledge, my position in the family? And you know I only really care about money, right?¡±

    Jack watched Riley¡¯s eyes for a long moment before he made his decision. ¡°I know that the people I work with aren¡¯t going to tolerate Rayker getting her hands on any more¡­ assets.¡±

    ¡°No, hold on.¡± Riley said in a patronizing tone as Jack raised the pistol. ¡°You¡¯re being stupid, think it through. You don¡¯t know this business; you are making a dumb mistake!¡±

    Jack placed his finger on the trigger. ¡°Did you help him smuggle kids? Did you kidnap them off some street corner and drug them while you threw them into that stinking cubby hole?¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Riley said nothing, his face a mask of incomprehension.

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have done it with anyone else. I don¡¯t think he would have even dared come up with the idea. Most of the guys I¡¯ve known long enough to understand their humanity. People might dismiss them as criminals, but it¡¯s not that simple. He needed a push from someone new, someone different.¡±

    Riley shook his head in confusion. ¡°I swear, I know nothing about any of that. Come on, kid, we both know you are not the type¡ª¡±

    Jack pulled the trigger, and Riley¡¯s head snapped back with a shower of gore.

    The truck pulled out from the underground tunnels, onto the small spaceport on the other side of the river. A Fenway man stopped him at the bullet-scarred gatehouse.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Riley?¡±

    ¡°Guards broke in on us as we were trying to get out,¡± Jack explained. ¡°He got shot, and I couldn¡¯t get to him. But I got the package.¡±

    ¡°Shit. Well, okay then. Mikey and Jan will jump in with you, and our vehicles will lead you out of the city, got it?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Jack nodded. He watched as the cartel men abandoned the guardhouse, jumping into their trucks as two armed passengers stepped into his cab. One of them peeked into the cargo space, then slapped him on the back as he grinned at the other. In the distance, the sounds of gunfire began to fade away, as his success was radioed out to the other teams.

    As he gunned the truck forward onto the city streets, Jack realized that he didn¡¯t feel much of anything beyond relief that it was all nearly over.

    ¡°To success, fortune, and power!¡± Theodore cheered as he popped open a champagne bottle. The helmsman had already plotted their course and accelerated them past light speed, as they left behind a city desperately flailing for control. Now they were out of the solar system, heading for tried and tested smuggling routes on their way to enjoying the spoils of the greatest heist the Fenway family had ever accomplished. On the surface, Theodore was almost giddy with delight, though Jack had seen that the news of Riley¡¯s death disturbed him on a deeper level.

    ¡°To family!¡± one of the Lieutenants cheered as he raised his glass.

    Theodore roared as he wrapped his arm around Jack¡¯s shoulder. Jack only smiled and returned the salute with his own glass.

    The relief of success that had set in over the last few hours had crashed headlong into the hatred he felt bubbling up inside him. Urtiga had not transmitted any details to him about how she was going to get him or the weapon out of there, and the realization had sparked anger within him. He was going to be abandoned again, while powers he didn¡¯t understand played games over his head. Even now childhood rage came surging back to the surface as Theodore once again began to lead him around the room like a pet dog, finishing his sentences for him, and making promises on his behalf about what part of the business he would take over, and who he would report to.

    Jack watched the silent contempt behind the Lieutenant¡¯s eyes as they understood that the old order was reimposing itself. They knew that Theodore¡¯s own brother would be allowed no real power or influence. Only scraps from the table. At first, Jack faked the smiles and laughed when he was supposed to laugh, but the anger wouldn¡¯t subside beneath the alcohol.

    Finally, when the man who hours earlier had ordered his death once again roared with laughter at a joke at Jack¡¯s expense, he snapped. He seized his brother by the throat and pushed him hard against one of the bridge¡¯s consoles. The whole room froze as Theodore stared incredulously up at him. Then he laughed again.

    ¡°Jack! Steady on now, can¡¯t handle your drink, hey?¡±

    A few nervous chuckles broke out, but went silent as they saw Jack¡¯s stony glare.

    ¡°To family!¡± Jack roared, and allowed the awkward silence to stretch on. Then he spoke again; ¡°To leaving your family behind as a sacrificial pawn,¡± he toasted.

    Theodore eyed him carefully. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re upset about Riley-¡±

    ¡°Who the hell cares about Riley?¡± Jack laughed. ¡°I¡¯m talking about me. I mean, you ordered him to knock me out so you could hand me over to Rayker and cut a deal with her, right?¡±

    Men exchanged glances as Theodore stood upright, his eyes narrow.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had a lot to drink, mate,¡± someone said.

    Jack whipped out Riley¡¯s pistol and whirled it around, aiming it squarely at the speaker¡¯s head.

    ¡°So, explain to me, Darryl, why I¡¯m holding Riley¡¯s gun to your head? If he went down defending me, like I said earlier?¡±

    Darryl didn¡¯t flinch, but after holding Jack¡¯s gaze he ran his eyes over the pistol. ¡°Looks like Riley¡¯s gun to me,¡± he allowed.

    ¡°Oh, come on, nonsense!¡± Theodore said with a grin. ¡°You have the same model¡ªthe one you bought for yourself on Raisa. We all know about that. Jack¡¯s just playing around, aren¡¯t you, little brother?¡±

    He made to dart forward, but Jack switched targets, holding Theodore in his sights. He watched as his brother stiffened and glared at him.

    ¡°Practical jokes can go too far,¡± he growled.

    ¡°Jack was handed over as a prisoner,¡± Darryl observed coolly. ¡°He left his gun in the safehouse. One of my guys picked it up when we left.¡±

    Jack sensed the atmosphere begin to shift.

    ¡°Who the hell asked you?¡± Theodore roared.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just steal from Allana Rayker, right Teddy?¡± Jack said, watching with satisfaction as his brother¡¯s eyes twitched at the nickname. ¡°You need to leave her an olive branch, especially if you want to mend ties with her. After all, with that little device, the balance of power has shifted in your favor. No sense making an enemy out of a woman who doesn¡¯t care who pays her salary, right? And I mean,¡± Jack said with a shrug, ¡°It¡¯s not like you had any real use for me in the business is it? Come on Teddy¡ªeveryone knows it¡¯s true.¡±

    All eyes were fixated on Theodore now, whose face had turned pale. Betrayal of family was a cardinal sin in the cartel world, and he knew that the consequences he would face would be dire.

    ¡°Jack,¡± he spat, ¡°one more word from you, and you will regret it, you piece of shit!¡±

    There was a terrific bang and the whole ship lurched, knocking people off their feet. A shudder ran through the hull as the lights winked out.

 Part 1 - Prelude - Chapter 16

    Theodore darted over to an engineering console as dull-red emergency lighting flickered to life. Then there was another shudder, and the lights disappeared again.

    ¡°Activate my contingency batteries,¡± Theodore snapped, as a crewman carefully jabbed commands in the darkness.

    A dull whir filled the bridge, followed by the same red lights, this time distinctly dimmer. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Checking, sir,¡± the engineer said. ¡°I¡¯ve lost most of the ship¡¯s functionality¡­ we¡¯re drifting out of control.¡±

    A chill ran down Jack¡¯s spine. Looking around the room, he noticed more alarmed faces. ¡°Did your sins catch up with you at last, Teddy?¡± he asked.

    Theodore glared at him, but quickly turned away as he worked with the bridge crew.

    ¡°We put the ship under a lot of strain with all those maneuvers,¡± muttered the helmsman, though Jack could see he didn¡¯t believe his words.

    ¡°Something¡¯s out there,¡± Darryl said quietly as he looked through one of the bridge¡¯s telescopes. ¡°Off the port bow. There¡¯s a patch of black with no stars.¡±

    The bridge was deathly silent. Theodore slammed a console, causing every man to leap out of his skin. ¡°Dammit,¡± he cursed, ¡°why is nothing working?¡±

    ¡°Night Stalkers,¡± Rashid said calmly, and Jack saw a fatal resignation in his eyes. The experienced pilot had obviously heard enough of the stories.

    ¡°Absolute nonsense,¡± Theodore snarled. ¡°A pack of old wives¡¯ tales spread by the cartels to keep people off our routes.¡±

    ¡°You know that for a fact, do you?¡± Rashid asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Theodore didn¡¯t respond.

    A distant bang reverberated through the hull of the ship. One of the engineers went pale.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m showing a slight dip in air pressure,¡± he stammered. ¡°I think something has breached the hull.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Theodore snapped.

    ¡°I can¡¯t locate it¡ªthe batteries are barely able to keep the core systems online.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pirates. Has to be. We ran into someone else¡¯s route, and they obviously don¡¯t know who we are.¡±

    ¡°I never heard of pirates stopping an EM-shielded vessel dead in space, even with¡ª¡± Darryl began, but stopped as more bangs rang through the corridors of the vessel.

    ¡°More air pressure drops,¡± the engineer cautioned.

    ¡°Well,¡± Theodore said, ¡°they¡¯re about to find that they messed with the wrong guys. Darryl, take your men to the weapons lockers and patrol the ship in threes. In threes, do you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss,¡± Darryl nodded, and signalled to the others.

    They moved quickly; their earlier trepidation lost as they now only sought leadership to see them through the quickly deteriorating situation.

    ¡°It won¡¯t help,¡± Rashid shrugged as he seated himself in the pilot¡¯s chair, drawing a small bottle of spirits out of a cubbyhole. He offered some to Jack, who declined.

    ¡°We can get control of this if we can get the generator back online,¡± Theodore said calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll head over there and see what I can do.¡± He turned to the engineer at his side. ¡°Stay here and be ready to reset when I call you over the comm.¡±

    After his brother left the bridge, Jack strode over to one of the consoles.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on life-support,¡± he announced to the room at large, though nobody paid him any attention.

    Several minutes later, the backup generator hummed to life, restoring a little more light and more of the secondary systems. When he saw his console light up, Jack quickly went to work.

    ¡°Okay, ship¡¯s internals are back and¡­ Jesus, there are whole decks offline,¡± the engineer said.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Theodore snapped as he re-entered the bridge.

    ¡°I think¡­ I think they are severing cables wherever they go. Looks like the entire aft half of the ship is just¡­dead.¡±

    ¡°Darryl,¡± Theodore called into the ship¡¯s intercom. ¡°Wherever you are, get on a comm panel and tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Silence filled the bridge, reaching into the primal parts of Jack¡¯s brain to stir his worst nightmares. It continued until Theodore¡¯s patience snapped.

    ¡°Someone get on the damned com!¡± he yelled into the speaker.

    There was a brief fuzz of static, followed by a deep, rasping cough. ¡°It¡¯s Jan,¡± a voice wheezed. ¡°They¡¯re on deck four, moving forward. We can¡¯t stop them.¡± A clatter of gunfire rang out. ¡°They¡¯re so fast¡­ not human¡­we can¡¯t fight back. I¡¯ve been shot. Theodore, you need¡ª¡±

    The voice and the intercom cut off abruptly. Jack had thought he had heard a soft and repeated tap in the background. His imagination was churning away, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. Nothing else mattered to him now but to complete his task. Not even his own life.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting a gun,¡± he called, as he hurried off the bridge.

    With more of the ship going dead, and gunshots ringing out through the stifling air, Theodore eventually ran from the bridge, his anger turning to dread. The shooting was sparse; hurried bursts followed by long stretches of silence. At the far end of a corridor, he saw the dull red lighting flicker to blackness as another part of the ship died.

    Theodore shuddered at the thought of what was approaching through those shadows, and he hurried on, ducking through the crew lounge towards the storage lockers on the port side. He raced through the compartments until he came to the cubbyhole he had had secretly installed. There he would find salvation, there would be his way out of the nightmare, waiting for him alone, as the engineers had promised.

    He hauled the false bulkhead aside, pushed his thumb against the sensor, and waited to hear the wonderful acknowledgment beep.

    But instead, a harsh error tone buzzed in his ears. He jabbed his thumb down again, and when the lock refused a second time, he smashed it with his fist.

    ¡°Good plan,¡± Jack¡¯s voice spoke out from the shadows. ¡°A secret escape pod known only to you. Easily accessible from the bridge, physically separated from the ship¡¯s systems, and with one of the new micro-fusion plants to power it. You even had the latest EM shielding installed and permanently active, even as the dampener hid it from the internal sensors. Probably could have survived anything.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Jack?¡± Theodore hissed. ¡°What have you done?¡± He shoved his face up against a glass portal, desperate to glimpse a sign of his lifeboat in the stubbornly empty blackness.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s doing a great job taking care of itself, floating out there on its own,¡± Jack went on. ¡°With all the rest of the ship¡¯s pods.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Theodore sunk his head against the bulkhead as he quivered with rage. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why not? Not like I¡¯m going to live much longer with these eldritch horrors getting closer. They¡¯ve probably killed everyone else by now¡ªwon¡¯t be much longer before they find us here.¡±

    In the silence that followed, Theodore realized he hadn¡¯t heard another gunshot in quite some time.

    ¡°I always thought Ruben was full of shit,¡± Jack chuckled. ¡°Well, I guess he got the last laugh.¡±

    Theodore turned on him with a snarl, grabbing him by the throat and shoving him up against the cold metal wall of the compartment. ¡°What have you done?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really know,¡± Jack said with a manic smile. ¡°Been a crazy couple of months, met some crazy people. But I did what mattered to me. I trapped you and the rest of them in this coffin so you can die like you deserve, big brother.¡±

    Theodore smashed his fist repeatedly into Jack¡¯s face until he tired and stepped back, his expression a mask of helpless rage.

    ¡°All that anger.¡± Jack spat blood onto the floor. ¡°What¡¯s it doing for you, Teddy? Is it getting your escape pod back? Is it getting your dead men back? Is it going to resurrect the Fenway family before it dissolves into nothing?¡±

    ¡°How could you do this?¡± Theodore whispered. ¡°Your own family?¡±

    Jack laughed. ¡°My own family? You tried to hand me over to Rayker as a present. You ran to your private little escape craft so you could abandon everyone else and save your own skin.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not personal.¡±

    ¡°And trafficking kids, Teddy? You defiled the Fenway family for a few extra credits and killed anyone who figured that out.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come on, you colossal fool. I found your bolthole¡ªdid you really think I wouldn¡¯t find the hidden space in hold eight too? I¡¯m a pretty good smuggler, Teddy. You can¡¯t let me on a ship unless you want me to learn all its secrets.¡±

    Theodore drew a pistol from his belt and aimed it squarely at Jack¡¯s chest. When he pulled the trigger, the detonation exploded in the cramped compartment like a bolt of lighting. Jack fell back against the bulkhead. He reached up to feel the sticky blood on his chest.

    ¡°I know the stories too, little brother,¡± Theodore said quietly. ¡°They leave one alive to scare the others. Lucky me, right?¡±

    ¡°Not really the point,¡± Jack managed as his breathing grew heavier. ¡°I left all the files on a public server for VennZech to access.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°All the plans, the communications, the payoffs. The whole galaxy will know that it was your job, and the Helvetic League will pull every string they can to wipe the Fenway family from existence. The whole clan will be gone in a couple of months, and everyone else who did business with them. Everyone will know it was you. Everyone will know you were fooled by your idiot little brother, and that you were responsible for the destruction of the business empire your father left to you.¡±

    Theodore turned a sickly green as he took this in.

    ¡°I thought I knew how evil you were, Teddy. But kids?¡±

    Theodore turned away, waving a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer for that¡ªit¡¯s just business. The League squeezes us more every year and I had to get creative. Of course, the lieutenants would pretend they are better than that. But what happens when percentages shrink, and their precious lifestyles get threatened?¡±

    He turned back. ¡°Violence, of course. Clan warfare. Men dead and women weeping. I took the cruelty off their backs and put it somewhere else. There are League aristocrats who pay good money for that kind of service, and why should I judge? What difference does it make?¡±

    Jack shook his head, feeling the slow dullness of the movement. He tried to concentrate as darkness crept into the corners of his vision. ¡°Maybe a man like you would never understand. Or maybe you¡¯re not really human.¡±

    ¡°You just hate me, don¡¯t you? I know you always have, like the rest of them,¡± Theodore snapped. ¡°Why should I disappoint everyone?¡±

    Jack coughed blood onto the deck. ¡°Hate? It¡¯s not hate. Do you feel hate when you wash dirt off your hands? That¡¯s all you are really, and you know it. You¡¯ve always known that Dad despised you, knew you to be weak and incompetent. All your successes came from luck, or from the hard work of your lieutenants. Even in the last few years, everyone knew it was Riley who was the real strength of the family. I¡¯m guessing that trafficking was his idea, and he talked you into it. And you were too stupid to think of anything else.¡±

    Theodore¡¯s cold eyes drifted away, devoid of the manic energy that usually illuminated them. The mask had fallen, and it could never be replaced.

    ¡°You¡¯re not a real person,¡± Jack continued between rattled coughs. ¡°You¡¯re a cancer on the human race. You proved that when you started trafficking people. But you always knew, didn¡¯t you? Always suspected the truth, even as you tried desperately to hide it. Your whole life has been a lie, and now everybody knows it, and there¡¯s no anger, no lies, no manipulation that you can pull that¡¯s going to save you from that. The League aristocrats you served will parade your head around on a stake as a token victory against human trafficking. You¡¯ll be blacklisted by the cartels, and in a month you¡¯ll be as dead as I am. So no, I don¡¯t hate you. I¡¯m just glad I got it done. Whatever I got out of this shitty mess, I at least did something good for the world.¡±

    Theodore examined the gun in his hand closely. He savored the elegance of the finely shaped metal, ran his fingers over the embossed signature that made it his own. ¡°I always knew you were a sharp one, Jack. A coward, but sharp.¡±

    He turned to walk away, then paused as if lost in thought. After some time, he appeared to make a decision, then turned back.

    ¡°Well,¡± he said coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t leave it to you. I won¡¯t give you that pleasure. I will end it my way, at least.¡± He pushed the barrel of the gun up under his own chin as he squeezed the trigger.

    Jack didn¡¯t really hear the gun go off, and the flash of light seemed as dim as a candle in the darkness. He thought he had passed out, waking groggily to see a pair of boots stood in the doorway. When he looked up, he saw a gray armored figure with a blank-faced helmet and a rifle aimed at his head. He saw the red emergency lights glinting off wet patches across the figure¡¯s body and weapon¡ªblood.

    He stared at it calmly as it observed him. Eventually, it lowered the rifle, remaining in a position of rest while it appeared to wait. Jack wondered what thoughts must be passing through the thing¡¯s mind as it took in the scene¡ªhim shot and clinging to life in the corner, with his brother dead by his own hand.

    He grew cold and began to shake. As the life seeped from his body, he felt that his soul was leaking through the ship¡¯s hull into the void beyond, to wander amongst the stars for eternity. The image comforted him as he lay still, watching the mysterious being that had destroyed yet another ship.

    Another soldier appeared in the walkway beyond, shoving its way past the first, as a third followed closely behind. They knelt next to Jack, and he watched as a gloved hand reached up to its blank helmet.

    There was a hiss, and the face mask was pulled away, revealing Urtiga¡¯s grim smile. The third soldier did the same, and he saw Gucci, her face a mask of alarm as she took in his wounds. Once they had cleaned and bandaged his wound and hooked him up to an intra-venous bag, Jack heard Urtiga call into a radio for blood, watching as more faceless soldiers flooded the compartment. He felt himself lifted into the air before he passed out.

    He regained consciousness in a sickbay, a forest of tubes sticking out of his body, while monitors displayed his vital signs. When he tried to sit up, he felt intense pain stabbing through his chest, and thought better of it. A young woman in a doctor¡¯s coat approached, studying him with the coldness of a reptile. He tried to speak, but all he could manage was a murmur.

    ¡°Try to rest, please,¡± she said, and turned away to activate a comm unit on the wall. A short time later, Jack felt pressure on his arm, and opened his eyes to see the faces of his rescuers.

    ¡°We really have to stop meeting like this,¡± Gucci said as she flashed him a smile.

    ¡°Sorry we couldn¡¯t get to you sooner,¡± Urtiga said sheepishly. ¡°We basically had to run across the whole ship once they identified you.¡±

    Jack sighed and shook his head. ¡°Did you get the bomb?¡± he managed.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all good Jack. You did great.¡± Urtiga patted his forearm.

    ¡°The others?¡±

    ¡°Anyone who didn¡¯t resist is okay. We usually give them memory erasing drugs and drop them off in a dive bar somewhere.¡±

    Jack chuckled. ¡°Night Stalkers,¡± he managed, before he broke into a coughing fit.

    ¡°Sergeant, please don¡¯t tax my patient,¡± the doctor snapped from the corner of the sickbay. ¡°He needs rest.¡±

    Urtiga smiled guiltily. ¡°Sorry, Doc.¡±

    ¡°Most of the stories are bullshit,¡± Gucci explained. ¡°We¡¯re just doing a job. Some of us more professionally than others, maybe.¡± She exchanged a stern glance with Urtiga, who winked back.

    ¡°You¡­ will erase my memory?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°Well, you know that depends,¡± Gucci said thoughtfully. ¡°You did pretty well, and when we find good assets, we like to hang on to them. Something for you to think about.¡±

    Jack, now growing tired, flashed a thumbs up. They left him alone, promising to visit him again when he had healed. He sank back into his bed, letting his eyes close and his consciousness sink into a warm and comforting sleep. He dreamed of an alien sky and clusters of farmland as people around him worked for their future¡ªa place where he hoped he could one day belong.

 Part 2 - Chapter 1

    High on the shoulder of an alien mountain, Owen Shelden trudged up a steep slope as pain and exhaustion piled on his soul like the snowflakes on his jacket. But neither the harsh weather, nor his burning muscles, nor even his doubts about the expedition would convince him to turn back. It wasn¡¯t in his nature.

    A life in the colonies had taught him it took more than courage to survive on other planets. Either dangerous weather, disease, or the invisible horror of radiation from an unprotected sky could destroy generations of work. Only a fierce, collective desire to keep going could prevent a colony from collapsing, and tens of thousands from dying.

    From his fellow pioneers on the young world of Caldera, Owen had learned to expect trust and loyalty.

    But on this climb, he could expect none. The off-worlders who had hired him as a guide wouldn¡¯t even tell him what they were looking for, hidden among peaks never disturbed by humanity.

    Thousands of feet below the snow blanketed slope lay a glacial valley, a corridor that channeled the wind for miles until it accelerated to shrieking speeds. Cold air bit through Owen¡¯s Crylar weave jacket, and the polar fleece below. It bit through his skin and into his aching muscles. Soon, it would begin gnawing on his bones.

    A turbulent gust kicked icy powder into his face, and he raised an arm for protection. It was an automatic gesture; his face was already numb, his beard crusty with snow. Ahead on the trail, he caught sight of the dark figure of the expedition¡¯s leader¡ªRayker. She was waiting for him, as still against the blizzard as the rocks around them.

    The cold bit deeper. Owen had been climbing for thirty years, but somehow this Earther was leaving him in her tracks. Even from the beginning, her strength and stamina had seemed unnatural.

    He lowered his head, summoned a fresh burst of willpower, and pushed himself forward.

    She waited where the ridge split, her arms folded, and a contemptuous expression on her gaunt face. Owen stopped beside her and cast a glance backward while he tried to catch his breath.

    Behind them, the dozen other members of Rayker¡¯s team were still snaking their way up the mountain¡¯s treacherous ledges. Their heavy steps showed the toll the climb was taking. Owen glanced at her face again, but saw no warmth there. She obviously had as little concern for their welfare as his own and would probably drag them onward, even if it killed some of them.

    But something else bothered Owen. The rest of the team were all male, very fit, absurdly self-confident, and obeyed one of their own¡ªHalloran Reed¡ªwithout question.

    Owen recognized their bearing, plain speech, and blunt manners from his own time in a militia. Earth¡¯s empire¡ªthe Helvetic League¡ªwas weak and aging. What were their soldiers doing so far beyond their own frontiers?

    Rayker¡¯s voice pierced through the wind. ¡°I thought guides led their clients,¡± she said in a mocking tone, ¡°not the other way around.¡±

    Owen felt a little heat return with a flash of anger. She had the arrogance so typical of Helvets.

    ¡°Go on ahead without me,¡± he said. ¡°See how far you get. You need more than a map location to climb a mountain without getting yourself killed. I just need a moment¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re slowing me down,¡± she snapped. ¡°I thought I was paying for the best guide in the colony?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re paying for the only guide.¡±

    He turned to inspect the ground ahead of them. A gentle snow-covered slope stretched off to the east, while a steep rocky climb awaited them to the north.

    This mountain was unknown to Owen, lying further beyond his usual range than he had ever been before; further than any human had explored on Caldera. Only cheap satellites crossed the skies, and the terrain data they provided was not high resolution.

    He had studied the ridge lines on their approach, and, with Rayker¡¯s images, they had formed a rough approach plan. Now he worried he had lost his sense of their location. The white air shrieking around them was too thick to make out landmarks.

    He turned back to the rocks above and tried to push his anger away. ¡°Up,¡± he said.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± When he didn¡¯t reply, she snorted with derision. ¡°Typical colonist. Always unprepared¡ª¡±

    ¡°We ascended the ridgeline for three hours, so I think we¡¯ve reached a cutback up to the col¡ªa pass between the lower peaks¡ªwhich should open into your valley. But it¡¯s easy to get confused in the mountains, and sat photos can¡¯t help you navigate rough terrain.¡±

    Rayker gave him a look, like a cat watching a cornered mouse.

    ¡°To be brutally honest, lady, my professional advice is that we should turn back, camp below the clouds, and come back once the weather has cleared.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s up there. We must find it.¡±

    ¡°Find what?¡± Owen snapped. Despite his earlier enthusiasm and curiosity, she had never once shared the true goal of the expedition.

    She didn¡¯t respond at first, and when she did, her tone was as icy as the wind. ¡°The valley. Unless you¡¯re too weak to continue?¡±

    Owen matched her stare until his eyes watered, then broke away. He ought to have walked away from the expedition, and he hated the way Rayker and her team looked down their noses at him¡ªa lowly, uneducated colonist¡ªbut he needed the money.

    Even more, he was an explorer. When he wasn¡¯t working on his rundown, lonely farm, he spent every moment of his time in the mountains, discovering new trails, conquering unknown peaks, and watching the sunsets and sunrises over vistas never experienced by another soul.

    Or so he had thought.

    But Rayker, and whatever powers she served, had found their own secret in the shadows of his mountains, and he had to know what it was. Besides which, their first meetings had been cordial, and her smile had been so charming.

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    He motioned for her to continue. She scoffed at him, but, after a moment¡¯s thought, started climbing the rocks.

    The ascent ran up a broken cliff, requiring them to climb with hands and feet. It was steep¡ªnot enough for a rope, but enough to make for a dangerous fall. Owen pushed away the fog of fatigue as he concentrated on every foot placement, and handhold. He stopped thinking about time, as he often did under stress, looking only to the next ledge, or the next rest point. His muscles burned, the pain hitting him in waves, and he settled into the mindlessness of a man who can wait out torment.

    At last, the mountain side opened above him, and he found himself on better ground beneath the col. He trudged up the slope, following Rayker, and as he crested the rise, he saw a vast open space that disappeared into the low cloud blanket¡ªa valley.

    As they advanced, the wind died, and sunlight broke through the cloud cover. Boulders littered the ground, some as large as a house. They were piled atop each other in places, creating a maze of confusing nooks and crannies. Something felt wrong about them. Boulders were usually smooth from weathering, but these rocks were jagged and sharp, like they had been hacked off the mountainside with a giant chisel.

    Navigating through them was tricky, and Owen had to climb, jump, and squeeze through the tight gaps, taking care that he didn¡¯t slip and fall. Thick snow made for treacherous footing, and he nearly went down more than once. He shuddered as he imagined himself catching a limb in a crack as he fell, breaking it in two. Rayker¡¯s expedition had taken him far beyond his already sizable comfort zone.

    But what was she willing to risk the safety of herself and her men to find?

    She stopped near the center of the valley. ¡°The coordinates were incomplete, but it¡¯s somewhere around here.¡±

    Owen caught occasional glimpses of the ridgelines through the clouds above them. ¡°Do you want to tell me what you came here to find?¡± he asked.

    She shrugged, now apparently unconcerned by the question. ¡°If you see it, you¡¯ll know.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    He glanced back down the slope to see Reed slowly cresting the rise with another man. Even though the climb had been exhausting, Owen had seen how relentless the soldiers were. Unlike other climbers, they did not become sluggish and careless after a hard day. No matter how much fatigue weighed them down, they were always diligent with their tents and equipment. No doubt they would be as eager as Rayker to begin the search for the expedition¡¯s actual goal.

    He respected their drive, even if he didn¡¯t trust them, but he was also keen to discover what these Helvets were after in the wilderness of an alien world. Was it a new meteorite the League had been tracking, with important scientific implications? Or an experimental probe that had strayed off course and crashed? Owen had to know, though a glance around the mess of rocks gave him doubts about their chances for success.

    He sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s going to be tough finding anything other than snow in this weather.¡±

    ¡°We have plenty of time,¡± Rayker said airily. ¡°We can camp among these boulders if needed¡ªthey offer adequate shelter.¡±

    The rest of the men arrived and took a quick break, but they soon broke off into pairs and headed into the rocks. Owen found himself alone, and he wandered aimlessly towards the valley¡¯s cliff wall, letting his eyes dart towards the slightest oddity in the landscape.

    The team searched for hours until night fell, and they had to switch on head torches. Caldera¡¯s moon¡ªa blackened sphere whose tectonic plate boundaries glowed a livid red, while vast lava flows poured across the surface¡ªrose against the stars. Its light gave an eerie red tinge to the shadows. Meteors sailed across the sky like sparks thrown out of a fire.

    A prickly sensation ran up Owen¡¯s spine as he rounded a tall column of rock jutting from a cliff. He stopped dead. The torch light had flickered across something odd in the darkness, but he wasn¡¯t sure what.

    Goosebumps ran across his skin. A desire to leave the valley and never look back consumed him. No, not a desire; an instinct as old as time. He shook his head and slowed his breathing. He focused his mind on the moment, as he often did while climbing, when he was searching for the right move, hundreds of feet over certain death.

    Moving closer to the rock, he could make out the form of a deep crack running up the pillar. Inside the crack, barely visible, a dull metal door nearly twice his size was built into the mountainside. Stenciled over the head were words written in a script unlike any language Owen had ever seen. His breath caught. This was something far more profound than he had imagined.

    It had to be what Rayker was searching for, but he could not believe what he was seeing. Since humanity¡¯s expansion into the stars, no sign had ever been found of alien intelligence. The first settlers on Caldera had landed less than five decades ago, and he was the only colonist who went into these mountains. But some League bureaucrat had sent Rayker and her team to go looking for this doorway? Where did it lead? What was the Helvetic military up to on his home world?

    Owen briefly wondered if he should pretend he hadn¡¯t seen anything, but obsessed as she was, Rayker wouldn¡¯t leave the valley until she found what she was searching for. With the soldiers combing every inch of rock, they would come to this cliff eventually.

    And whatever lay beyond the doorway could transform the destiny of humanity. A shock of excitement ran through Owen¡¯s nerves as he realized he would get to discover this secret before anyone else.

    Guilt followed the rush of emotion. His personal feelings were irrelevant. The colonists of Caldera had no idea what lay beneath the surface of their planet, or that a foreign military had discovered it first. Owen¡¯s duty was to go further, if only so he could report back what was happening in these mountains.

    His hands shook as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a signal flare. It popped off with a brilliant green light that pierced throughout the gloom of the valley.

    Once Rayker had brought her men over, Reed and another man struggled to crack the door with a pry bar. Inside they found a dark tunnel, and Rayker strode forward, followed closely by the soldiers. They ignored Owen as he fell in behind.

    Typical Helvets; not even a word of thanks.

    After some distance, the tunnel emerged onto a balcony overlooking an immense underground space. Flashlights cut through the darkness, revealing giant crystals, many of which were larger than a human. Perfect geometric shapes, interlaced with striated patterns of all colors, decorated the cavern walls. Owen recognized them as much larger versions of the crystals he often found on his hikes. He called the gems bilrusts, and he collected them to sell to farmers who worked on the plains.

    A bridge of rock reached out from the near wall, crossing the gulf to tunnels on the opposite side. As they traversed the span, Owen wiped away a layer of dust from the carved parapet, and saw mirror-polished stone. He cut off a gasp of breath. The surface was inlaid with spider-thread, intricate patterns and runes that shifted in color under light. No human technology could have created this structure.

    Once over the bridge, Rayker approached a panel carved into the wall. As she passed her hand across it, a type of indecipherable sigil appeared, which she examined, before turning towards one of the downward sloping tunnels.

    Owen¡¯s pulse quickened, but he could no longer contain his curiosity. ¡°How do you know where you are going?¡± he asked, breaking the hushed silence.

    ¡°That was a sign,¡± Rayker said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. ¡°I can read it.¡±

    ¡°But this place can¡¯t be human!¡±

    She laughed. ¡°What do you know about aliens, mountain man?¡±

    ¡°No sign of intelligent life has been found on any colonized planet, including Caldera¡­¡± His voice broke off as he wondered why he had mindlessly accepted this commonly repeated factoid.

    ¡°So the galaxy¡¯s power-brokers have told you.¡±

    Owen¡¯s cheeks flushed with anger. ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°So, the Helvetic military has somehow discovered secret alien ruins¡ªis that it?¡±.

    The others stopped and stared at him.

    Reed spoke first. ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re military?¡± he asked.

    Owen rolled his eyes and gave Rayker a pained look.

    She had the decency to look contrite. ¡°Well, perhaps you could use a bit more practice passing yourself off as a civilian, Reed.¡±

    Reed¡¯s eyes flashed annoyance at Owen. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡±

    Rayker turned to Owen and gave him a wink. ¡°Would you like to see some alien technology?¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 2

    The group came to another huge open cavern, and their flashlights flickered over a mess of strangely shaped equipment. Owen¡¯s mind spun as he took in odd metal bulges and complex forms that looked like no machining he had seen before. Tall floodlights hung from the walls and ceiling, while thick power cables snaked up into the darkness. Banks of computers converged on a central plinth, atop which stood a row of hemispherical glass chambers, each much larger than a man.

    To one side was an enclosed booth, and Rayker strode directly to it. The cave echoed with the tapping of a computer keyboard, and within moments a dull hum filled the air as floodlights flickered to life. The soldiers spread out, examining everything carefully.

    Owen shivered. The hall had a lifeless and sterile feel that gave him the creeps. His gaze was drawn back to the chambers at the center of the room. They looked perfectly formed, and only a hairline crack hinted at their openings.

    He wasn¡¯t an engineer, but he didn¡¯t like what he was seeing. Alien machinery? Advanced technology? What if he was looking at some type of weapons laboratory? He wasn¡¯t interested in politics either, but everyone knew the Helvetic League was both in decline, and ruthless enough to do whatever it took to hold on to power. What if they had discovered something that would help them do that? It would certainly explain why they had sent soldiers.

    Owen made a decision. Nothing that Rayker and her men wanted with this lab could be good for the colonists of Caldera. He had to get out and warn them.

    He backed away as adrenaline flooded his veins, and he struggled to recall the path they had taken through the maze of tunnels.

    ¡°Owen¡ªyou¡¯re not leaving yet, I hope?¡± Rayker called from amid the machinery.

    He cursed. She had shown unnatural perception throughout the hike, hearing distant animals before they were even in sight.

    ¡°Uh¡­ you know, I¡¯m just a mountain guide,¡± he stammered. ¡°All this¡­ it¡¯s not my area of expertise.¡±

    Reed stepped forward, a machine gun now in his hands, as the other soldiers began withdrawing weapons from their backpacks. ¡°The lady has requested that you stay,¡± he said in an icy voice.

    Owen knew he couldn¡¯t make it to the tunnels before they shot him. Ice ran down his spine, and his mind filled with the horror of the unknown. What would they do to him?

    He put his hands up. Another soldier walked over and grabbed his coat.

    ¡°Do be gentle, Captain,¡± said Rayker. ¡°Fortunately, the manual my benefactor provided appears to be accurate, and we need our test subject in one piece.¡±

    Owen wanted to throw up. What manual? What kind of machine were they going to test on him? If they were armed, they had to be here for something dangerous that they would need to protect. Some kind of biological or chemical weapon?

    He struggled against his captor¡¯s firm grip, but his muscles felt weak and useless. There was no way out for him.

    They threw Owen into one of the glass chambers and sealed the door. He yelled, and beat his fists against the smooth wall of his prison, but it didn¡¯t crack or bulge. Tears ran down his cheeks as he cursed his stupidity. He should have listened to his instincts, and escaped while he had the chance. But his lust for exploration had led him too far.

    The colonists would have no warning; they would assume he had fallen off a cliff in a storm.

    Rayker emerged from the booth and approached the chamber. ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, had you refused earlier, we would have taken you at gunpoint. We needed a test subject for the transformation process. No need to blame yourself, but your willingness to go along speaks to the open and curious nature of frontiersmen, and that is something I do admire.¡±

    Owen banged a fist against the chamber. ¡°What are you? You¡¯re not human.¡±

    She grinned and gestured to the soldiers to spread out around the chamber. ¡°That¡¯s not really your problem anymore.¡±

    Owen collapsed to his knees, head in his hands. Whatever they were going to do to him, he could only hope it would be over quickly.

    Rayker flicked a switch on a control panel, and a buzz filled the air as the system powered up. She smiled at Owen and punched a button.

    There was a faint hiss. Gas poured into the confined space from vents in the floor and ceiling, accompanied by a sharp chemical scent. Owen tried to back away and felt like a fool when his back hit the glass wall of the chamber. The world spun around him as he began to cough. Pain lanced through his belly, and the coughing turned to retching. He dropped to his knees and vomited blood.

    Agony shot across his body like lightning as bony spikes broke out from his back with wet cracking sounds. Skin tore apart as his throat let loose a gurgling scream. His arms lengthened into claws, and his legs grew longer and more muscular. Bloody spines and sharp fins erupted along his limbs, while a chitinous armor hardened over his flesh. His torso bulged and expanded, and when he tried to vomit the acid that flooded his guts, his voice gave out only a dry shriek.

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    Owen clutched his head and lay still for some time. He was almost drunk with the pain; couldn¡¯t feel, or see, or remember a thing. Where was he? What was he doing here? Why couldn¡¯t he focus?

    The electric shocks jolting his body eased, though blood was still boiling in his veins. As the heat cooled, he felt tension throughout his muscles. They felt coiled, ready to explode into motion with incredible strength.

    He was almost sick with rage, as though it were forcing its way up his throat until he would spew vile black poison onto the floor. But the floor of what? Reaching out a claw, Owen felt it brush against a smooth wall.

    A dim flash of memory told him he had feared the glass, but now he hated it. He had to destroy it, and he raised his arm, but another image flashed into his mind¡ªa figure, and a voice.

    It was not the glass he hated, but what was beyond it.

    Owen curled his claws into fists and sat up. Beneath him was a ragged pile of blood-stained material. What did that mean?

    Clouds of vapor cleared from the chamber, revealing an approaching woman. Through the fog of confusion, a beam of bright clarity flashed for an instant. He hated her more than anything. He was going to kill her.

    Another man grabbed her, but she brushed him away as she approached closer. Owen realized she was not afraid. She would let him out.

    The woman walked right up to the door. Around the hall, more men aimed guns at him. They were all so small, and he sensed they were fragile too, while he felt so strong. He would easily kill them. All he had to do was wait.

    The woman¡¯s hand was steady as she reached for the lock. The door swung open, and she backed away, eyes fixed on Owen.

    He emerged, sniffing the air, and grunting with suspicion. He felt light, as though he could jump over mountains. His arms moved so freely, and he felt a rush of energy.

    The woman stepped closer; her eyes were wide with curiosity. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± she asked.

    Owen stared at her as she reached out to touch his arm. Why did he hate her so much? Did it matter? Blood hammered in his ears at the thought of destruction. It would feel so good, but why was he still waiting? Why couldn¡¯t he think?

    She spoke again. ¡°Do you remember anything?¡±

    Rayker. The name flashed through Owen¡¯s mind, washing away the uncertainty. He screamed, swung his arm round, and struck her, sending her body flying into a row of cabinets. The hall erupted with gunfire, but the soldier¡¯s bullets bounced harmlessly off his hide. He leaped forward, grabbed a man in both hands, and tore his legs from his torso with a wet ripping noise. Pure joy flooded through his veins. He was so fast, and powerful, like a god. He turned, saw another man frozen in fear, and skewered him with his claws.

    The others hid amongst the machinery, taking potshots as he destroyed everything in his path. Pain blossomed in his shoulder, and black blood sprayed across the floor. Owen didn¡¯t care; could barely feel the wound. Nothing was going to stop his limitless rage.

    On the other side of the lab, a man ducked behind a machine. Owen covered the twenty yards that separated them in a few powerful strides and crushed the metal structure in his grip like a tin can.

    His prey darted from cover, but Owen tossed a scrap of steel that struck him in the temple, dropping him to the floor. The man¡¯s leg twitched, and Owen closed in for the kill.

    Another flash of memory threw up a name¡ªReed. Owen nearly had his hands on his enemy when something punched him hard in the chest, stopping him in his tracks. He looked down at a long needle of bone poking through the armor below his shoulder.

    Numbness slowly consumed his arm. Owen tried to move the limb, but it flopped uselessly, while rivulets of his blood poured onto the floor. He looked around to see the woman a dozen yards away, standing in the open, one arm outstretched, and mad determination on her face. The smooth white skin of her forearm was torn open, revealing a fleshy cavity.

    She raised her other arm.

    Owen tried to turn and lunge towards her, but the stings of more bullet wounds were taking their toll. His movements had become slow and awkward, and his endless reserve of strength had drained to nothing. He felt tired and weak, stumbling forward with a roar of pain as he fell to the floor.

    The world became cold, while the rage that had consumed him was washing away with his blood. He raised his head to see the tip of a second spike rip through the flesh of Rayker¡¯s arm. She drew her fingers back and aimed carefully. Owen screamed in defiance, but the spike shot forward and everything went black.

    Rayker stared at the protruding tip of the bone needle she had fired into the monster¡¯s skull. Her chest rose and fell in ragged pants, while fire burned in her eyes. Eventually, she regained her composure and glanced at her arms, watching as the skin curled back into place. Torn strips of flesh merged, cells stitching themselves together to cover the small cavities that housed her weapons. Even under stress, her body would regenerate new spikes within hours. One of the more enjoyable gifts her benefactor had lavished on her.

    She turned to see soldiers emerging from the destruction that covered the lab. Several were badly wounded, while others lay in pieces on the floor. She certainly couldn¡¯t say the test had been unsuccessful. Owen had seemed like the obedient type, but apparently impetuosity could lie hidden beneath the surface, like an alligator waiting for prey.

    When Rayker checked the unconscious Captain Reed, she found he was still breathing, and her expression softened. He was a good officer, and loyal. The years of work ahead of them would need his leadership.

    He regained consciousness and tried to haul himself to his feet. ¡°Sergeant Venta?¡± he called, but received only morose looks from his surviving men.

    ¡°Dead, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Rayker said, ¡°along with three others. And our unfortunately powerful test subject.¡±

    Reed stumbled as he tried to move, but she grabbed his arm and helped steady him as he recovered his balance.

    ¡°I¡¯ll unpack the medical kits,¡± he said, and turned to Rayker, his eyes glancing at the bloodstains on her arms. ¡°Are you injured, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°But you have a concussion, Captain, and I insist you rest for a moment. I will take care of the wounded.¡±

    Reed checked his body. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. Just let me gather my senses.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°Owen¡­ was he conscious after the transformation? What happened?¡±

    Rayker sighed. ¡°I believe the thing recognized me, and it waited until it got out of the chamber to make a move. It must have retained something of Owen¡¯s memories and intelligence.¡±

    Reed nodded. ¡°I thought that was the goal? A killing machine that can think?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but intelligence without obedience¡­ well, you can see the consequences. Building an army isn¡¯t going to be as easy as I¡¯d hoped. Once we¡¯ve cleaned up this mess, we will have a lot of work to do.¡±

    ¡°Will we be needing to find more¡­ test subjects?¡±

    ¡°Just the local wildlife, for now. There will no doubt be some trial and error until we understand the transformation process better. It looks like are going to be here a while.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 3

    Wide-eyed and covered in mud, eight-year-old Kayla Barnes listened intently from her hiding spot in the bushes as the truckers described the attacks. The men stood in a roadside rest area, draining canisters of coffee, and sharing the latest rumors. They talked of terrifying shrieks in the night from animals they had never heard before, and the mutilated cattle carcasses littering the fields in the mornings. In hushed voices, they said it would only be a matter of time before the strange new creatures killed someone.

    Kayla said nothing, though she was bursting with questions. Even a slight movement would reveal herself. She breathed slowly, kept her body still, and listened patiently for more news about the monsters. She liked to daydream about fantastic creatures, and how she would hunt them down. The stories didn¡¯t scare her because her father would certainly keep their village protected. He wasn¡¯t afraid of anything.

    ¡°The Brunnard boys formed themselves a militia,¡± a tall man with a thick beard said.

    ¡°People are carrying guns everywhere they go now,¡± a shorter, bulkier fellow pointed out.

    Kayla¡¯s imagination wandered. Maybe a militia would recruit her and give her a rifle? Probably not. Her father wouldn¡¯t let her touch a gun until she was older. On her back, alongside her black ponytail, was slung the homemade bow she carried everywhere, and used to harass birds and vermin. The thin branch she had made it from wasn¡¯t very strong, but in her fantasies, it could punch through steel. She pictured the amazed expressions on the faces of her fellow villagers as she dragged a monster¡¯s dead body through the streets by herself.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t think where these cursed things came from,¡± the bearded trucker said. ¡°Fifty years since we settled on this planet, and never seen animals like this.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to catch one, cut it open and figure it out,¡± the short man said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Helvetic plot, I tell you,¡± another voice called from behind one of the trucks.

    ¡°Shut your mouth, Tom,¡± the bearded man replied. ¡°Everything¡¯s a Helvetic plot to you. The solar flare last month, which you said was one of their space lasers? And the drought the year before? Nature¡¯s harsh is all. These things probably migrated here from one of the unmapped territories.¡±

    ¡°So why don¡¯t they eat what they kill?¡± the voice said.

    The bearded man waved a dismissive hand and moved back to the cab of his truck, while his shorter friend grinned after him.

    A fly landed on Kayla¡¯s nose, but she didn¡¯t dare swat it away. She¡¯d crawled slowly and patiently through the bushes to get the actual story from these truckers. The attacks were accidents, her father had said. Like he had told her that there would always be enough food. And meteors never struck the ground. And they would one day be free of the Helvetic League, even though no-one pretended to believe it.

    She waited until the men returned to their vehicles and drove off before she crawled back through the bushes. In the hedgerows and forests of the Lanstead farming plain, she was the Huntress of Caldera. No animal could hide from her, or dodge her arrows, though she was only allowed to have blunt ones. When she smeared mud over her face and vanished into the long grass around her house, she could even give the local cats a fright.

    Kayla snuck through the hedgerows to her family¡¯s farmhouse. When she hid, she could go wherever she wanted, and do whatever she wanted. When she was seen, she got into trouble for sneaking out.

    ¡°Oh Kayla, you¡¯re so filthy!¡± snapped her mother, as Kayla returned to the house. ¡°And in the nice new dress. I only bought it last week! Why can¡¯t you behave like a normal child?¡±

    Kayla sniffed. It was the same rebuke for anything that she did. She was starting to suspect her mother didn¡¯t know what normal meant and just enjoyed scolding her.

    ¡°The people in Brunnard made a militia,¡± she said, ¡°and they¡¯re going to hunt the monsters that ripped their mayor¡¯s buffalo in two. I didn¡¯t see it, but my friend Kesan said its guts were pulled out all over the field.¡±

    Her mother grimaced. ¡°Just stop, won¡¯t you? I can¡¯t stand it when you talk of horrid things. Go and get clean, and don¡¯t talk to me again until you¡¯re civilized.¡±

    Kayla ignored her. As usual, she ended up talking to herself, but it was nice to pretend. ¡°Dad told me I¡¯m supposed to muck out the pigs today,¡± she went on. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot of dung, and I think I need help with it.¡±

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    Not that she would get any.

    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t ask you to do such things¡ªno wonder you spend all day rolling around in the mud,¡± her mother said. She tutted. ¡°And he¡¯s always out, helping other families fix their broken crap. Meanwhile, your poor neglected mother has to figure out how to do everything by herself.¡±

    Her voice had become low and bitter, almost theatrical. Kayla wondered if complaining made her mother happy, because she seemed to put a lot of effort into it.

    ¡°No, Kayla,¡± she said firmly, ¡°I want you to help me with the irrigation drone. There¡¯re dozens of leaks in the line, and we need to go over every yard.¡±

    A high-pitched call came from outside.

    Her mother glanced out the window. ¡°Those wretched hawks are nesting in the barn rafters again. Another chore for your father when he gets back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Kayla raced for the door before her mother could react.

    ¡°No¡ªstupid girl!¡± her mother yelled after her.

    Kayla didn¡¯t stop. Relieved at another chance to get out of the house and do something useful, she ran into the barn, taking the steps to the top level two at a time. She climbed onto a set of shelves that were backed against the wall, steadying herself as they shook beneath her. Overhead, a pair of hawks shrieked as she swung herself into the trusses like a monkey.

    Kayla climbed along the narrow wooden struts until she stood over the center of the barn, trying not to think about the tractor and trailer below that she would hit if she fell. Once settled, she pulled out her homemade bow, aimed carefully, and shot an arrow at one of the hawks. It tumbled, flapping to catch itself before it hit the ground. Kayla steadied herself as it flew towards her. With one hand gripping a beam, she smacked hard with the outstretched bow, and the bird shrieked as it beat a hasty retreat. Another few shots had both hawks taking to the skies, abandoning their newly made nest.

    Satisfied with her handiwork, Kayla climbed through the beams and sighed as she kicked the hawk¡¯s pile of twigs away. If it were up to her, the birds would be welcome to nest in the roof, if only they didn¡¯t keep attacking whoever went inside.

    She climbed out the barn¡¯s main window, seized the drainpipe, and used it to climb up to the roof. Sat on the edge, with her legs dangling over the drop, she gazed at the open fields. Everything outside of her house was glorious¡ªgolden fields, dotted by villages and farms, all the way to the horizon.

    Kayla liked to watch her fellow colonists as they worked hard to build themselves a new home on Caldera.

    The tall peaks of the Sentry mountain range framed the horizon, the natural border of the Lanstead plain, and she wondered how high she could climb if she could visit them.

    Later that day, Kayla¡¯s mother sent her into town to find her father. He was gathering men and women in the town square to form a militia, so she sat nearby on the fountain, swinging her legs. Jack Fenway, the town¡¯s bailiff, winked at her as he carried rifles from his truck.

    One of the younger men looked nervously at the assembled weapons. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what those things can do?¡± he whined. ¡°We can¡¯t just go out there with hunting rifles.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s father stepped forward. Tall and muscular, his imposing figure dwarfed the younger man¡¯s slight frame.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t born here, were you?¡± her father said quietly.

    The man shook his head. ¡°Arrived a few months ago, after I lost my business on Misian.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t know our ways yet. It¡¯s true these rifles aren¡¯t much, but it¡¯s all we have¡ªand sure, maybe it¡¯s not enough. So, point to the man or woman you want to die in your place.¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°You said yourself the creatures could kill us all. So, who¡¯s going to die in your place while you hide in your basement? Choose.¡±

    ¡°I, uh¡­¡± The young man looked around for support, but the gathered crowd watched him with hard faces.

    ¡°Is it me? That¡¯s fine kid, I¡¯ll do it while you run on home. Only pack up your belongings and drive back to the starport, because there isn¡¯t a family on this planet that will work with you again.¡± He turned away, a grimace on his face.

    Jack rolled his eyes at Kayla¡¯s father, then stepped up to the young man and shoved a rifle into his chest. ¡°Rolf¡¯s only teasing,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re not really giving you a choice.¡±

    He winked at the cowed young man before turning to the others. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to tell anyone that we¡¯re on our own out here. Nobody¡¯s coming to help us deal with these creatures. We can show them we¡¯re dangerous, and, like any other animal, they¡¯ll back off. But if we try to hide, they¡¯ll only get more brazen.¡±

    As the small crowd began lining up to take a rifle, Kayla jumped off the fountain and joined her father, tugging insistently on his trouser leg. ¡°When are you going to teach me to shoot?¡± she asked.

    ¡°When you¡¯re twelve, and not a day before,¡± he responded firmly.

    Kayla pouted. ¡°Uncle Jack will teach me to shoot.¡± Jack Fenway was not her real uncle, but he had a strong friendship with her father, and often taught her new skills.

    ¡°You¡¯ll listen to your dad, young Kayla,¡± said Jack. ¡°If I catch you sneaking around in the fields again, I¡¯ll take you right to the lockup.¡±

    Kayla was startled by the severity of the punishment. Only criminals went to the lockup, and criminals were the lowest form of life in a colony town.

    ¡°It¡¯d be, what, two years imprisonment for sneaking out?¡± her father asked, his face stony.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Kayla challenged him.

    ¡°Two years would be the minimum,¡± Jack agreed. ¡°Though it could be longer, depending on how dirty the culprit is.¡±

    ¡°But I hate staying home,¡± Kayla moaned. ¡°Mom hates me.¡±

    Her father glanced at Jack, then dropped to his knee and looked his daughter in the eye.

    ¡°No more games, Kayla. I didn¡¯t want to scare you, but we heard that these creatures have killed some people in the farms closer to the mountains. You see why we¡¯re handing out guns now? This is a very serious situation. I want you to promise me you won¡¯t sneak off outside anymore. Alright?¡±

    Kayla dropped her head and promised, though her heart ached to do so.

 Part 2 - Chapter 4

    Several nights later, she awoke in the early hours of the morning to hear a commotion in the streets, and her father rushing out of the house. Kayla dashed outside to see him, and the rest of the militia, driving off in their trucks. One of the older farmers explained to her that the Jaysons had sent a desperate call for help. Something had killed their dogs, and now it was sniffing around outside their home, clawing at the doors and windows while they cowered in the basement.

    Kayla waited in her garden, not caring about the chill. She hated not knowing what was happening to her neighbors and hated not being able to do anything. Painful energy burned through her nerves while time stretched on forever.

    Dawn was breaking when the vehicles returned, and Kayla raced through a gathering crowd¡ªmost of whom wore sleepy expressions¡ªto the village square. She stopped dead when she saw her father open the back of his truck and dump a bloody carcass onto the ground.

    It was like no animal she had ever seen before; four-legged, like a wolf, but larger, and covered in spikes and some kind of armor. Instead of fur, the exposed parts of its body were scaly like a snake. Not even her imagination had made anything so terrifying, and her father had gone to chase it down. Tears ran down her cheeks as she thought about what might have happened to him.

    Jack jumped out of another vehicle, glanced over at Kayla, and rushed to her side.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Kayla asked between sobs.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, nobody was hurt,¡± Jack said as he stroked her hair.

    He quickly explained as startled villagers closed in. ¡°We lined up in our trucks a decent distance from the property and put the high beams on the farm. When this thing darted out from a shed and charged us, everyone started shooting. It got really close before it went down. All that armor does a good job of keeping it protected.¡±

    ¡°Did you see anything like that when you were on Misian?¡± asked one militiaman.

    Jack smiled wryly. ¡°Nope. All the monsters on Misian are human, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Is it some kind of shaved wolf?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a wolf, it¡¯s more like a dinosaur,¡± said Kayla¡¯s father.

    ¡°What¡¯s a dinosaur?¡± someone else asked.

    ¡°An old Earth animal,¡± Jack explained as he led Kayla towards her father. ¡°Much bigger than this, and scaly too.¡±

    ¡°This has more armor than scales,¡± a young man pointed out. ¡°And what¡¯s with all the spikes? If these things mate, they must do it at a distance.¡±

    ¡°You mean through a monitor, Deak, like you do?¡± someone in the crowd said.

    Everyone laughed.

    Kayla grabbed her father¡¯s hand and buried her face in his stomach. He patted her head, but moved her to one side while he closed his truck.

    Kayla wiped her eyes and turned away from him to look at the carcass. She had seen many dead animals, but as she stared at the glazed eyes and ruptured flesh, she felt cold, and wrapped her arms around herself.

    All around her, the villagers continued to speculate. Two old women in one corner of the square remained silent, wrapped in shawls, and peering out through messy grey hair. They carried big backpacks, and one was resting against a tall, thick staff. Kayla didn¡¯t recognize them, and supposed they must be refugees fleeing other attacks in the nearby villages.

    Sheila, the town veterinarian, examined the carcass for some time, muttering as she worked. When she finished, she said, ¡°there is no rational use for these defensive features.¡± She gestured to the spines and armor. ¡°Only a dangerous apex predator would force this kind of adaptation, and we would certainly have learned about such a species by now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean. Isn¡¯t this a predator?¡± Jack asked.

    Sheila shook her head. ¡°No, it should be a prey species. Predators have to be light, and fast, with a simple main weapon¡ªusually the teeth,¡± she explained.

    ¡°Claws on hunters aren¡¯t as big as these.¡± She lifted the long spindly digits. ¡°Their primary function is to assist with grip and stability. And spikes are usually evolved by prey as a defense mechanism. Like the porcupine¡ªsame principle.¡±

    ¡°Well, it sure hunts people like a predator,¡± Kayla¡¯s father said. ¡°It was wicked fast, and very aggressive.¡±

    ¡°All I can tell you is that this morphology doesn¡¯t make sense from an evolutionary perspective,¡± Sheila said.

    ¡°Well, this is an alien world,¡± Kayla¡¯s father said. ¡°Who says it needs to obey our rules?¡±

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen,¡± Jack said, ¡°the rules of killing are universal.¡±

    As she listened, Kayla rubbed her hands against the mud of the square. She missed hunting, and the feeling of dirt on her hands.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Maybe it migrated from somewhere else?¡± her father suggested.

    ¡°Towards human settlements?¡± Sheila replied. ¡°When there¡¯s plenty of open space to roam around in? I think that¡¯s unlikely, and some major natural event would be needed to prompt them to change location. As far as we know, this planet¡¯s environment is stable, and the human impact on the ecosystem is still quite small.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, none of this makes any sense,¡± Jack said as he rubbed his jaw.

    ¡°The moon was full last night,¡± a grim-faced farmer observed, and a murmur passed through the crowd. Everyone knew to be wary of Caldera¡¯s volcanic moon. The first settlers had named it Ran, after an ancient Goddess that personified the treachery of the sea.

    ¡°Ran is just a ball of rock,¡± Jack protested. ¡°What has it got to do with anything?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first animal that responds to phases of the moon,¡± the farmer said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Helvetic plot!¡± someone in the crowd yelled, prompting equal amounts of agreement and skepticism.

    Kayla¡¯s father shrugged in response. ¡°Whatever the case, I think we should start training our militia full time. We need to be prepared. We¡¯ve been getting reports of dozens of new attacks every day, so I think this is only the beginning.¡±

    ¡°I learned some tactics back when I was fighting the cartels on Misian,¡± Jack said. ¡°I can start training them what I know. But Rolf, there are very few families who can spare a farmhand.¡±

    ¡°Sure, the farmers might complain, but just show them that picture of that lady from Zula, the one that got torn up the other day.¡±

    Jack grimaced.

    Kayla listened eagerly. Frightened as she was for her father¡¯s safety, she nevertheless burned with curiosity. How were they going to rid themselves of these monsters?

    A few days later, in the early morning, Kayla surprised her father alone in the kitchen. She had begun to wake up at dawn so she could enjoy the peace of the garden, before her mother called her for the day¡¯s chores.

    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± she asked as he hurriedly ate a bacon sandwich at the table.

    ¡°To Zula,¡± he said. ¡°I need to buy ammunition for the militia.¡±

    Kayla pulled out a chair across from him and sat down. ¡°Can I come?¡± A truck ride would be much more interesting than doing housework while her mother sipped on a wine glass and scolded her for fidgeting.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long drive, and I¡¯ll have to work fast. You¡¯ll slow me down.¡±

    Some of the other girls in the village bragged about how they brought up tears to get their way. That probably wouldn¡¯t work. Her father always saw straight through her, and he might get angry.

    ¡°I promise to be good, and to keep up,¡± she said. ¡°And I can carry things, and I¡¯ll stay next to you the whole time.¡±

    Kayla picked at loose threads on her clothes as she talked. The thought of being left behind was suddenly painful, though she couldn¡¯t show it.

    Rolf sighed and gave her a worried look.

    ¡°The house is so boring. And¡­¡± Kayla swallowed. ¡°Everyone does things that might get them hurt except me. It¡¯s not fair.¡±

    Her father reached out and stroked her hair. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s my job to protect you, little gem. I don¡¯t ever want you to get hurt.¡±

    Kayla stomped her foot. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡±

    ¡°I tell you what, why don¡¯t I teach you to shoot when I get back?¡±

    Kayla held a pleading gaze as her father watched her with a doubtful expression. But she could be just as stubborn as he was.

    ¡°Oh alright,¡± he said eventually. ¡°You promise to stay next to me? I don¡¯t want to have to hold your hand.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s face lit up in a grin, and she crossed her heart. ¡°I double promise.¡±

    Before they left, Jack dropped by. His normally good-natured smile was replaced with a frown. ¡°Seems some patrols are reporting larger creatures now,¡± he said.

    Kayla¡¯s father shook his head. ¡°Great.¡±

    ¡°Listen, we¡¯re planning an operation tonight to trap one of them. I¡­ uh¡­ called in a favor.¡±

    ¡°What kind of favor?¡±

    Jack¡¯s eyes flickered to Kayla. ¡°A once in a lifetime kind.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be back before dark with more ammunition. I guess you can read me in then?¡±

    Kayla followed her father through the streets of Zula as he pushed through crowds into dingy back street shops, where he haggled for small but heavy boxes. Kayla volunteered to carry some, but they were heavy, and as the day wore on her excitement subsided, and she grew tired. At least she¡¯d gotten to spend the day with her father. That had been more than worth the ache in her muscles.

    They stopped at a merchant¡¯s cart and her father bought her a small rainbow-colored crystal.

    ¡°It¡¯s called a bilrust,¡± he explained. ¡°There¡¯s a climber who finds them in the Sentry mountains. Soon, people from all over the galaxy will want to buy them.¡±

    ¡°A jewel of Caldera, for a jewel of Caldera,¡± the merchant said with a warm smile.

    Kayla grinned.

    Soon, the sky darkened, and Kayla caught sight of Ran rising into the sky. She tugged at her father¡¯s sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark Dad.¡±

    He sighed as he carried the last load of boxes back to the truck. ¡°We only got about half of what I had hoped to get,¡± he said. ¡°The merchants are low on stock.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t they buy more?¡± Kayla asked, as they got in the vehicle. The shadows were lengthening, and she kept an eye on them. At least the strong, heavy build of her father¡¯s truck would keep them safe.

    ¡°The local businesses try to,¡± he said, as he drove them onto the main road back to their village. ¡°But the Helvetic League punishes anyone who trades with Caldera.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Kayla had heard the explanation many times, but wanted the comfort of her father¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Because we didn¡¯t join the League. They say that everyone has to join, or else all the planets would break down into chaos, with everyone fighting and stealing from each other. If a colony refused, but was still able to make their planet rich and happy, it would show people how useless the Helvets are. Nobody would have any reason to listen to them, and they¡¯d lose all their power. But, when the first settlers arrived on Caldera, they agreed to go it alone, and never, no matter what it took, give into the Helvet¡¯s bullying. What do we say about bullies, Kayla?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop them dead, they just keep coming back,¡± she recited.

    ¡°Exactly right. When things get hard here, it might tempt us to make compromises, give into them a little; agree to just one of their trade rules, then another. Before you know it, the League would have us in their grip and make Caldera a part of their empire. The Central Committee tyrants would be our rulers. The Adjudicate priests would make us all carry a tracking device that watches everything you do, and tells you if you¡¯re a good citizen.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯ll never let that happen,¡± Kayla said sternly.

    Her father laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right, my little huntress.¡±

    She swelled with pride.

    ¡°But the Helvets still creep in, little by little,¡± he continued. ¡°Rackeye¡ªthat¡¯s the biggest city on Caldera¡ªis practically overrun with them. They want to set up a ¡®special trade zone¡¯ so they can claim the city as their own.¡±

    ¡°What will they do¡ª¡±

    Something smashed into the side of the truck and the world went black.

 Part 2 - Chapter 5

    When Kayla came to, she was lying on the truck¡¯s roof, surrounded by broken glass, with her seat hanging above her head. A hand grabbed her arm and hauled her through the smashed window. Her father sat her up against the side of the truck, and checked her for injuries, though she was only covered in scratches. His left arm was strangely bent, and he didn¡¯t use it.

    The sight of her father badly injured made Kayla want to cry.

    ¡°Dad¡ª¡± she whimpered, but he clamped his free hand over her mouth.

    From somewhere nearby, there was a snorting sound.

    The truck had rolled over the roadside bushes into a field, and, from the other side of the foliage, Kayla heard the scraping and shuffling of something big approaching.

    ¡°We¡¯re hunting now, understand?¡± her father whispered. ¡°You need to hide in the hedgerow over there, and don¡¯t let anything find you. No matter what you see or hear, stay hidden.¡±

    She wiped her eyes and nodded.

    He picked up his shotgun from beside the truck. Kayla followed his gesture and moved quietly toward the foliage a dozen yards away. Her hands shook as she hid herself in the bushes and smeared dirt on her face to camouflage her skin.

    She knew her father had lied to her. They weren¡¯t hunting; they were the prey.

    Her father moved around the truck, craning his neck to get a glimpse of whatever had hit them in the road.

    A terrible roar pierced the evening air, and Kayla almost yelped. The sound was louder than anything she¡¯d heard from an animal. Her father disappeared into the bushes separating him from the roadside, and for some time, she couldn¡¯t hear anything at all.

    A rapid series of gunshots broke the silence, followed by a snarl and the sound of something smacking against concrete.

    Then silence.

    Kayla fought back tears and begged for a sound from her father. A cough, a yell, or the snap of the shotgun as it reloaded¡ªanything to let her know he still lived. Every second that passed broke her heart a little more.

    After a while, the stomping and dragging sounds of the creature resumed.

    Her father had to be dead.

    Too frightened now to feel anything, Kayla didn¡¯t sob or shed a tear¡ªshe lay as still as the earth around her. Nothing would dig her out of her hiding place.

    As time passed, a ball of molten rage settled in her gut. She¡¯d survive, and one day kill this evil creature, along with every single member of its species, and anything else that wanted to hurt Calderans.

    Ran hung silently in the sky, a bleeding eye watching the night¡¯s horror. Only the brilliant line of a meteor proved that time still passed.

    A distant but gentle noise broke the silence.

    Suddenly, a black shape darted out of the tree line on the opposite side of the field. A figure was sprinting toward the truck, faster than Kayla had ever seen a human being move. The figure leapt impossibly high through the air and landed on the inverted vehicle.

    A weapon pointed toward the road, and a rapid staccato of snaps rang out, like gunshots, but quieter than Kayla had heard before. There was a distant roar, and the pounding of heavy feet. The creature charged through the hedgerow, smashing into the wreck as the mysterious assailant rolled away.

    Kayla shivered. The monster was a nightmare of spikes and claws, and almost as large as the truck. But it was as slow as a cow, and she watched breathlessly as the figure leapt out of the grass, weapon aimed. The black silhouette circled the beast, which turned to follow, until the figure stopped moving. Kayla held her breath as the creature tensed on its hind legs, obviously preparing to charge. She willed the mysterious figure to turn and run, but it didn¡¯t move as it seemed to stare down the monster.

    A loud crack pierced the air and the side of the creature¡¯s head exploded, the body collapsing in a heap. That had to have been another gunshot, but where had it come from? Kayla¡¯s eyes darted across the shadows, but found nothing. The figure moved towards the body, lowered its weapon, and fired a burst. The beast didn¡¯t move again.

    Kayla wondered if she should get up and make herself known to this strange person, who seemed to be some kind of soldier from one of the militias. But fear made her hesitate. Her father had said ¡®No matter what¡¯. Maybe she should wait and watch instead.

    A second figure emerged across the field, walking towards the carnage, and carrying the largest rifle Kayla had ever seen. The first figure remained still, head tilted, as though listening to an invisible voice. They searched the wreckage of the truck, then stood up, turning this way and that.

    A woman¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°Kayla Barnes!¡± she called. ¡°Are you out there? We¡¯re here to help!¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Overwhelmed by grief, fear, and anger, Kayla didn¡¯t move. The woman¡¯s accent was not from the area¡ªwhat if she was one of the Helvets her father and the other villagers always warned her about? Her stomach clenched, and a burning desire to protect her father¡¯s body from the strangers took ahold of her. She didn¡¯t want to see what the beast had done to him, but she couldn¡¯t let him be taken by Helvets.

    Kayla steeled herself and began to crawl through the undergrowth. As she moved down the hedgerow towards the truck, the second figure disappeared through the bushes bordering the road.

    ¡°We have food and water!¡± the woman called. ¡°And we can take you back to your village!¡± She began searching the field, stopping to call out now and again.

    As Kayla crawled closer, invisible in the dirt and leaves, she saw the soldier was wearing a dark uniform, with no markings. She didn¡¯t look like a woman, but a sinister machine. Her face was hidden behind a helmet that sprouted antennae, and bulged in odd places, like an insect¡¯s. Her weapon was not the type of hunting rifle used by the farmers in the militia, but black, and more complex.

    The soldier with the long rifle¡ªnow slung on their back¡ªreturned and joined the search, but as far as Kayla was concerned, they could stay out there all night and they wouldn¡¯t find her. They might have killed the monster, but her father¡¯s body lay out in the road. All she could think about was her duty to make sure he was taken home, and buried in the village cemetery.

    Slowly and patiently, hidden in the foliage of the hedgerow, she passed the soldiers and approached the truck. When she put her hand down, a sharp pain almost made her cry out. A sliver of multicolored crystal was stuck in her palm. Kayla pulled it out, wincing at the pain, and dropped it in the dirt. She wiped the blood off on her sleeve and continued to crawl.

    Behind her, there was a soft click. Moments later, a hand grabbed her arm and firmly but gently hauled her off the ground.

    ¡°Get off me! Let go!¡± Kayla screamed as she tried to kick the steel-faced soldier in the leg.

    The woman raised a hand to remove her helmet, and Kayla stopped struggling when she saw a smiling face looking back at her. Nearby, her partner did the same, revealing a concerned-looking woman.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, little one,¡± Kayla¡¯s captor said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Stay away from my dad!¡± Kayla screamed.

    She tried to get away, but the fingers around her wrist held her tightly, so she settled for attacking the woman¡¯s leg. Her victim didn¡¯t move or flinch as Kayla was driven by a rush of adrenaline into a frenzy of kicking, punching, and screaming. The pent-up terror of her ordeal unleashed itself into her muscles until her head ached and she became dizzy. When she finally exhausted herself, she collapsed on the ground in tears.

    ¡°Drink this,¡± said her captor gently, as she held out a bottle. ¡°It¡¯s water. Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    Kayla sniffed the drink suspiciously, then took a deep gulp. She wiped her eyes and glared at the women. ¡°Who are you? You don¡¯t sound Calderan.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not Calderan.¡± The woman let go of Kayla¡¯s wrist. ¡°Just friends. My name is Urtiga. This is my partner, Linh.¡±

    ¡°Helvets, then?¡± Kayla snapped. ¡°Are you taking my father¡¯s body?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes dropped, and Kayla felt grief begin to consume her.

    Another flash of anger held it at bay. ¡°Tell me!¡± she snapped.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your father,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Your town¡¯s militia is coming to take you both home¡ªwe just got here first.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not Helvets, we¡¯re just here to help. You know there are a lot more people than Helvets or Calderans in the galaxy?¡±

    The one called Linh reached out to take her hand. ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she said. ¡°Let me take a look.¡±

    Kayla wanted to resist, but as Linh¡¯s hands touched her skin, her anger gave way, and a wave of exhaustion and grief came crashing down as she burst into tears again. The soldiers cleaned and bandaged the cuts she¡¯d received from the crash, and when she had calmed, they fed her a chocolate bar.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you snuck past us,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Not many people can do that.¡±

    The woman¡¯s smile brought a little warmth back to Kayla¡¯s heart. She shrugged and let her eyes wander across the equipment they carried. Their dark suits and guns were more sophisticated than anything she had seen on Caldera.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re frightened,¡± Urtiga continued. ¡°I was also young when I saw death for the first time. But I can tell you are strong, too.¡±

    Something about the woman¡¯s blunt statement made Kayla want to like her. ¡°How did you know who I am?¡± she asked.

    Urtiga hesitated and glanced at Linh. The woman raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

    Urtiga turned back to Kayla. ¡°We have a friend in the area¡ªa Calderan. They asked us to come here and help the militias deal with these monsters.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Who? All the people I know say we are on our own. Where did you come from?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to leave you here alone before your villagers arrive to get you. To put it simply, we don¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s stupid. Of course you exist.¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean that it¡¯s a secret. You know, sometimes you need to stay hidden so you can do the things that need to be done in the world. You understand that don¡¯t you Kayla?¡±

    Kayla nodded. She wanted to know more about these mysterious women.

    ¡°Will you keep our secret?¡± Urtiga asked.

    ¡°Of course I will.¡±

    Urtiga flashed her a warm smile. ¡°Great. In that case, I have a gift for you.¡± She reached into her backpack and pulled out a plastic leaflet, which she handed to Kayla.

    ¡°Madam Georgia¡¯s school for girls?¡± Kayla read, puzzled.

    ¡°I think you are a very special girl. You know how to stay calm when things are bad, and you know how to sneak better than a cat. But you also know how to be angry when you¡¯re scared, and you don¡¯t easily give up. Sometimes we meet special young women like yourself, and we pass along an invitation. Do you want to help us kill these monsters, Kayla?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She glared at Urtiga, daring her to mock her.

    ¡°That voucher will get you into one of the best schools in Rackeye. They¡¯ll give you an education and pay for everything you need. You will have to study, work as hard as you can every day, and be the smartest person you know. If you can do that, you might earn the right to be given a choice.¡±

    ¡°What choice?¡±

    Urtiga smiled a dark smile. ¡°Live in the world with everyone else, Helvets and Calderans. Or¡­ stop existing.¡±

    Kayla felt a thrilling sensation in her chest. She didn¡¯t want to wait until a distant day. She wanted to know everything now, and her imagination ran wild. Would she be a soldier like these women? What kind of adventures would she have?

    The distant roar of a truck pierced the night. Urtiga nodded to Linh, who moved off to the tree line and melted into the darkness.

    Then she shouldered her backpack and stood up. ¡°It will be tough for you Kayla Barnes, but there¡¯s only one thing you need to remember if you want to see me again; don¡¯t ever quit, little night stalker.¡±

    Then she winked and moved off as the trucks pulled up on the road. Kayla watched the silhouette fade until the darkness swallowed her, leaving nothing behind but an impossible memory.

 Part 2 - Chapter 6

    Rose Djallen waved goodbye to her driver and entered the grounds of Madam Georgia¡¯s school for girls. She was nine years old, and her perfectly coiffed blonde hair framed her perfect blue eyes, just as her award-winning beautician had suggested. As the daughter of a billionaire fusion magnate, with millions of followers throughout the galaxy, she had to look her best.

    Memories of a private summer vacation spent visiting historical sites on Earth and Mars faded. Friends from across the galaxy had joined her, and they had all agreed they would enjoy a short break from public attention, before returning to their elite social circles.

    Now back in Caldera¡¯s capital, Rackeye, Rose welcomed the classmates who flocked to her side with the practiced good manners that were the hallmark of the Helvetic aristocracy.

    ¡°Gaella, it¡¯s so good to see you!¡± she cooed as her red-haired friend twirled, and flashed her a sunbeam smile. Rose¡¯s eyes widened as she inspected the handbag Gaella was holding. ¡°Is that a Stravelli? It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Got it for my birthday,¡± Gaella said. ¡°Signed by the artisan himself. Are you jealous?¡±

    ¡°God, yes!¡± They laughed as the rest of the mob craned their necks to see the coveted object.

    ¡°Is it true you met an Academy graduate on your holiday?¡± Gaella asked.

    Rose froze, but her smile didn¡¯t waver. ¡°I¡­ why yes, I did. How did you hear about that? We all swore not to post anything.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please, Rose,¡± Lunette, a tall brunette at Gaella¡¯s side, said. ¡°As if anything in your life can stay private for long. There are rumors all over the feeds.¡± She lightly prodded Rose¡¯s arm. ¡°Tell us everything.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ nothing special happened, to be honest,¡± Rose said. ¡°The graduate was very nice, and fun to hang out with.¡±

    She tried to ignore the knot in her stomach. One of her holiday friends had obviously betrayed the vow, though Rose doubted she would ever find out who. Of course, nothing in her life could ever be just for her¡ªit had been stupid to think otherwise. She started to walk towards the school building, now eager to get inside and settle into her dorm room.

    Gaella grabbed her arm as she chattered on. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine an Academy woman being ordinary,¡± she said. ¡°Only a handful of girls throughout the galaxy are even invited to take the entrance test, and out of them, it¡¯s only, what, one in ten who pass? And nobody knows what the graduates do after that because it¡¯s all such a big secret. So, what did you learn?¡±

    ¡°My mother says that they¡¯re spies for the League,¡± Lunette said.

    Rose shook her head. ¡°The graduate didn¡¯t tell us any secrets,¡± she said, ¡°and it¡¯s actually one in twenty. I suppose she was a bit¡­ intense. She was very good at sports, had a lot of hobbies, and I don¡¯t think she ever got tired or bored.¡±

    Gaella¡¯s face took on a pleading expression. ¡°You will invite us next time, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Rose stopped dead and turned to face her, a huge grin on her face. ¡°Oh, I just remembered! Aren¡¯t you joining our dance troop this year?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes.¡± Gaella smiled and nodded. ¡°But only in the corps de ballet. I¡¯m not at all good enough for a main role.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense,¡± Rose said, and squeezed her arm encouragingly. ¡°You¡¯re so graceful. I know you¡¯ll move up a rank in no time.¡±

    ¡°Rose, are you really going to be the principal dancer?¡± Lunette cut in.

    Gaella scowled at the interruption.

    ¡°Of course, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Rose replied. A weight lifted off her shoulders now that the conversation was firmly on another track.

    Lunette¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°But Sandrine told me you are going to model for the fashion channel. How are you going to have time to do all that and schoolwork?¡±

    Rose shrugged. ¡°My father says I can do it if I work hard.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t work that hard,¡± Gaella said. ¡°I¡¯d just collapse from exhaustion after a few days. You¡¯re so brave Rose.¡±

    ¡°But listen¡­¡± Rose¡¯s brow furrowed as she sought for the right words. ¡°My family motto is ¡®Empowering Humanity¡¯. People tell me I¡¯m beautiful, and that I inspire them; they love to see me dance and wear designer outfits. That makes them happy, and if they¡¯re happy, they can do more with their lives. I feel like I¡¯m helping people, and I think it¡¯s worth giving up my time for. Isn¡¯t that what Helvet society is all about?¡±

    Gaella laughed raucously. ¡°I just thought it meant power and money. My mother says that being Helvets means we get to enjoy ourselves.¡±

    Rose¡¯s eyes narrowed a little. ¡°Why are we even here on Caldera, if not to help the colonists with culture and education?¡±

    Gaella gave her a pitying look.

    ¡°Well, anyway, that¡¯s just what I think,¡± Rose said, and turned back toward the school. ¡°But enough about me. Are you excited to discover the new dormitories? I hear they have queen-sized beds.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    As they approached the main building, Rose noticed an unfamiliar girl. She wore faded cargo pants and an oversized t-shirt that looked like it had been picked out of a charity store. Her hair, tied in a ponytail, was as dark as night, and she was wandering across the manicured lawn of the grounds, staring at the exotic flowers and bushes like she had never seen such things before. Her head swiveled around, and when they locked eyes, Rose saw a scowl so penetrating that a jolt of anxiety shot through her.

    The girl walked over, pushed her way through the stunned crowd, and stuck out her hand, as her expression twisted into a tight smile.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Kayla. Who are you?¡± she asked. Her accent was strange, and certainly not from Rackeye.

    Rose¡¯s friends tittered, but she ignored them and smiled warmly in response. ¡°Hello Kayla, I¡¯m Rose,¡± she replied, as she gracefully shook the girl¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Are you important?¡± Kayla asked.

    Rose raised her eyebrows. ¡°Am I imp¡ªno, not at all. I¡¯m just one of the students at the school. I haven¡¯t seen you before¡ªdid you recently arrive from off-world?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m from Caldera. Byford, actually. It¡¯s north of Zula.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know where that is.¡±

    Kayla looked confused. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever been to Lanstead?¡±

    Didn¡¯t that mean the agricultural plain, where the colonists lived? Rose¡¯s eyes widened, while her friends giggled.

    Kayla rolled her eyes, though she kept the awkward smile.

    ¡°You came from the farms?¡± asked Gaella. Out of sight of Kayla, she flashed a smirk at the others.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a nice place, actually,¡± Kayla said earnestly.

    The assembled coterie pushed their way past her.

    ¡°Come on, Rose,¡± Gaella said, as she reached for her arm. ¡°Lunette¡¯s father is going to give us a tour of the new sports grounds.¡±

    ¡°No, you go on ahead.¡± Rose lifted her hand away. ¡°I want to talk to our new classmate.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is your higher duty calling you?¡± Gaella said with a mocking shake of her head.

    Rose returned the girl¡¯s look without blinking. ¡°Yes, Gaella, it is. I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    ¡°Find us in the cafeteria once you¡¯re done with your anthropology research.¡±

    The girls couldn¡¯t help themselves, hooting with laughter as they skipped away.

    Rose turned back to Kayla. ¡°How did you get an invite to Madam Georgia¡¯s?¡±

    Kayla looked away and wiped her eyes. Rose thought she saw a tear.

    When Kayla looked back, she wore a blank expression. ¡°Some scientists came to my village, and they gave me a voucher.¡±

    That seemed reasonable, but Rose was still puzzled. The school did have an outreach program, sending teachers out to enroll bright young minds in the less privileged parts of Caldera. They wouldn¡¯t have claimed to be scientists, though, and usually took care to teach their girls proper etiquette before term started.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± she said. ¡°Have you ever visited Rackeye before?¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Is there anything interesting to see?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Where do you want to go first? There¡¯s the Colonization Museum, then there¡¯s the famous Opera Hall¡ªoh and we must stop by the art gallery too!¡±

    ¡°Are they near here?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, silly, this is the suburbs. But it¡¯s okay, I can get my driver to pick us up.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You have your own driver?¡±

    Rose looked away, anxious not to seem like she was showing off. ¡°Oh, most girls here do.¡±

    ¡°We have trucks on the farms, but everybody drives themselves. They were going to let me try next year.¡±

    ¡°Let you drive¡­ a truck? How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Nine.¡±

    ¡°Children can¡¯t drive in Rackeye until they¡¯re sixteen,¡± Rose explained.

    ¡°That¡¯s dumb,¡± Kayla said. ¡°If you can reach the pedals and pay attention, then why can¡¯t you drive?¡±

    ¡°Oh well I¡­ Well, anyway, why don¡¯t I make a call¡­¡± Rose reached into her schoolbag.

    Kayla stopped her. ¡°The best way to explore is to see everything from up high. Why don¡¯t we go up on the school roof?¡±

    Rose followed her pointed finger to the top of the main building. She laughed, but when she looked back, she saw the earnest expression on Kayla¡¯s face. ¡°How would we get up there?¡± she asked, as her mind whirled with disbelief.

    ¡°Climb, silly. Look, there¡¯s a bunch of sloping roofs we can get to from that balcony.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re supposed to,¡± Rose said.

    She wanted to earn the poor girl¡¯s trust, and help Kayla find her place, but they might get in trouble, and Rose had always been a good girl.

    Suddenly, the frustration she had ignored earlier burst into her mind. Why shouldn¡¯t she get in trouble? Other people did, and couldn¡¯t she be just like other people once in a while? The world wouldn¡¯t leave her alone for five minutes, and one of her friends on her vacation had even betrayed her¡ªmaybe she deserved to do something naughty? She didn¡¯t know how far she would follow Kayla, but an inner voice she too often tried to ignore whispered to her. All the way, it said.

    ¡°Are we going?¡± Kayla asked as she stared at Rose. ¡°There might be pigeons I can shoot with my bow, so the cleaners here will probably thank us for helping with pests. Come on.¡± She grabbed her backpack.

    Rose noticed a length of wood sticking out of it, and her head spun. What was she getting into? She led the way to the main building, glancing at every schoolteacher she saw, certain they could smell the disobedience on her.

    Once inside, Rose led them up the main staircase and past the administration offices, where they were stopped by the school principal, wearing an unfriendly expression to match her unflattering uniform.

    ¡°Students should be moving into their dorm rooms, not running around the offices. What do you two think you¡¯re doing?¡± she demanded.

    Kayla began to speak, but Rose cut her off. ¡°Kayla¡¯s new here, and I was just going to show her the East Balcony. The view of the city is so beautiful from there, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The woman looked Kayla up and down and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Very well, but you¡¯re to head straight back downstairs once you¡¯re done. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam Lefevre, thank you so much,¡± Rose said.

    They reached the balcony, four stories above the school¡¯s gardens, and Rose gestured to the cityscape before them, framed by a high cliff nearby. The height scared her more than she had expected. Maybe if she acted like a tour guide, she could get Kayla to wait until she felt calmer.

    ¡°The city is enclosed by a wide canyon,¡± Rose began, ¡°and here you can see the near wall.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± Kayla¡¯s eyes widened as they followed the rock wall that rose above them. Then she turned and looked up at the roof.

    Rose quickly pointed at a distant skyscraper. ¡°That building over there is¡­ ah¡­ I think¡ª¡±

    ¡°We can get up this way,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Come on.¡±

    She stepped onto the wide stone railing and grabbed hold of one of the balconies¡¯ columns.

    ¡°Oh wait,¡± Rose said, suddenly unsure if she could go through with it. ¡°We¡¯ll get into so much trouble if someone sees us.¡±

    Kayla looked around. ¡°But there¡¯s nobody there.¡±

    Rose¡¯s heart pounded in her chest. ¡°But what if we fall?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It looks like an easy climb.¡±

    Rose hesitated. She was good at sports, but the height made her sick with fear. On Earth, during her holiday, the relentless Academy graduate had climbed the face of El Capitan with a guide, while Rose and her friends had watched excitedly through a telescope. Could she hope to pass the Academy¡¯s infamous entrance test herself if she didn¡¯t have the same spirit? The Helvetic world expected her to be good at everything, but she couldn¡¯t even climb up on a rooftop while this carefree farm girl acted like it was easy.

 Part 2 - Chapter 7

    Rose¡¯s father had sent her to mindfulness classes hosted by the League¡¯s Adjudicate office, who worked to spread Helvet culture throughout the colonies. They had taught her that reason must overcome the base limitations of instinct. They had taught her to elevate her soul through logic and discipline, so that she could do the same for others.

    Rose tried to slow her breathing. She had to persevere. She reminded herself that it was supposed to be her duty to elevate unfortunate girls like Kayla, and that meant earning her trust.

    Reaching out with shaking fingers, she took hold of the carved stone and stepped up on the balcony railing behind Kayla. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the ground below, and for a moment the world spun like she was going to faint.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not very good at climbing,¡± she said, as she clutched at the masonry with every fiber of strength in her being. The apparently fearless Kayla watched her with a blank expression. Rose wondered if she was ashamed to be climbing with such a scared girl.

    Kayla hauled herself onto the roof, then leaned down and held out her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. Hold on tight and don¡¯t look down.¡±

    Rose gripped the offered hand so tightly that Kayla grimaced. She pulled with all her might, and for one terrifying moment her foot kicked at empty air. Eventually she struggled up alongside Kayla onto mercifully solid tiling, though she could barely stand up, her legs were shaking so badly.

    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± Rose said, panting with exertion as a rush of euphoria flooded through her.

    Kayla nodded happily. ¡°See? You made it. It¡¯ll be easy on these rooftops now.¡± She set off, climbing higher up the slanted, intersecting roofs.

    Rose staggered along behind, mind reeling and unable to process what she had just done. Her usual confidence had vanished, and now she was no more than an obedient puppy.

    Kayla sat down next to the bell tower, gazing into the distance.

    Rose stopped dead as she crested the roof. ¡°This is an incredible view!¡± she said. ¡°You can see everything!¡±

    Across the canyon, the opposite cliff rose above Rackeye¡¯s towers of glass and steel. From the base of the rock wall, a slope ran down to the city center, where the river raced beneath bridges and boats, flowing westward to a distant bend. Rose turned and gasped again when she saw that the school roof rose just a little higher than the closer edge of the canyon. Beyond lay a green rolling plain, framed by forested mountains. How had she never seen them before?

    ¡°It¡¯s much nicer than the farms where I lived,¡± Kayla agreed. ¡°They¡¯re flat and boring, but there were some nice mountains on the horizon. Maybe we can visit them someday.¡±

    She reached into her backpack and pulled out her little bow, along with a few blunted arrows.

    Rose watched in fascination. ¡°Where did you get that?¡±

    ¡°I made it myself. It¡¯s not very good, but it¡¯ll be easy to hit one of those fat pigeons.¡± She gestured to a cooing mass of feathers at the far end of the rooftop.

    Rose frowned. ¡°It isn¡¯t right to hurt innocent animals.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re pests. Everybody hates pests. You can¡¯t let them do what they want, or they destroy your crops.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ This is a school. We don¡¯t have any crops.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but they¡¯ll make a mess out of the place.¡±

    ¡°In Rackeye,¡± Rose insisted, ¡°we don¡¯t have any pests, and everything is perfectly clean and tidy.¡±

    Kayla gave her a look. ¡°That¡¯s because someone takes care of them for you.¡±

    Rose didn¡¯t have an answer for that. She watched quietly as Kayla drew her bow and sighted along the shaft. The string twanged, and the arrow knocked a pigeon off its perch. Kayla laughed as it flew away, while the others began squawking.

    ¡°Here, now you try.¡± She held out the bow.

    Rose took the wooden grip, holding it away as though it might explode. Copying Kayla, she nocked an arrow, drew it back, then released it. The bowstring smacked painfully against her arm, and the shaft bounced disappointingly off the tiles a few feet away from them.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Kayla said. ¡°It¡¯s only your first time.¡±

    She coached her through the proper way to draw the string and aim, and Rose tried a few more times. When she succeeded in hitting a pigeon, she gave a small whoop of delight. Then she stopped herself. She had never caused pain to another living thing before. Apart from some mean comments to girls she didn¡¯t like, obviously, but her words weren¡¯t that bad, and her victims usually got over it.

    ¡°I told you this would be fun,¡± Kayla said, grinning ear to ear.

    Rose smiled back. Her other friends could also be cruel to each other, and Rose sometimes wondered whether they really liked her. But she had just made a fool of herself twice, first during the climb, and again with the bow. Kayla hadn¡¯t said anything. She had been nice and helpful, and didn¡¯t seem like she cared about anything other than having fun. Rose decided she would make for a good classmate, and would do everything she could to help her integrate into Helvetic society.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    They got down from the roof without being spotted, and once they were back in the gardens with the other students, Rose¡¯s hands started shaking again, but this time with excitement.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we just did that,¡± she said, unable to repress a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we didn¡¯t get shouted at.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Getting in trouble isn¡¯t such a big deal. I get into trouble all the time.¡±

    Nothing seemed to bother Kayla, and Rose was starting to admire her for it. ¡°But what if they kick us out of the school?¡±

    Kayla frowned and went quiet for a moment. ¡°Well, we just need to be careful, then.¡±

    Rose was both surprised and delighted to see that Kayla threw herself into her studies with a passion. She struggled in the first few days, but was obviously keen to improve. While she shocked the other girls with her blunt, confrontational nature, and complete disregard for social convention, she made a different impression on Rose. The pair were often seen disappearing together, sneaking into places they weren¡¯t supposed to go, emerging later in a dirtier state. When Kayla made crude jokes about farm animals, Rose laughed happily while her friends glared in jealous silence.

    Sometimes Rose was frightened by her new friend¡¯s antics. When a professor shouted at her for being disrespectful in class, Kayla later climbed three stories up a drainpipe to sneak into the woman¡¯s office through the window, and leave a foul-smelling herb beneath a filing cabinet. When Rose refused to follow her, she was punished with three days of pouting. Kayla did not make any other friends, and Rose saw that the isolation was hurting her.

    Still, Rose was making a real connection with ¡®the colony girl¡¯. Sometimes she grew frustrated by Kayla¡¯s disregard for refined culture. She only read comic books, and listened to the crass, loud music popular with the less well-educated residents of Rackeye. Contrarily, she studied the class material with a single-mindedness that surprised everyone at Madam Georgia¡¯s. Beyond grades and trouble, she had only one other obsession.

    ¡°Tell me about the secret place¡ªthe Academy,¡± Kayla said as they weaved through crowds of pedestrians in downtown Rackeye.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Rose said with a smile as she led the way down the street. ¡°But first, let¡¯s get some ice cream.¡±

    They had been visiting a museum until Rose saw Kayla dozing on a bench, and decided that a treat might help motivate them both.

    ¡°What is ice cream?¡±

    Rose turned to stare at her. ¡°You¡¯ve never had ice cream?¡±

    ¡°Is it like whipped cream?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a thousand times better than whipped cream. Come on over here.¡± Rose stepped into an alley that was home to a variety of small shops. She approached an exquisitely carved wooden doorway under a discreet sign that read ¡®Ghiacciaio¡¯. ¡°You¡¯ll need your phone so you can register your location.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Kayla fished around in her bag.

    The school had given her the device on her first day, and while she seemed to be amused by some of the games, she lost interest quickly.

    Rose was shocked that someone could live without the need for a phone, but apparently the colonists managed. She held her device out to a scanner, which beeped. Kayla tried the same thing, but instead got a shrill buzz.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Oh, bother,¡± Rose said and tapped her screen for a moment. ¡°Try again.¡±

    This time the scanner chirped happily, and they entered into a beautiful salon with carved wooden chairs and ornate marble tables.

    Once they had found a table, Rose explained further. ¡°If you were on your own, you couldn¡¯t come in. But I can let you in as a guest.¡±

    Kayla frowned. ¡°Why do you have to do that?¡±

    ¡°Well, this is a rather exclusive shop.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°When Madame Lefevre gave you the phone, she also gave you an ident, which is like a file they keep on you for your whole life. If you go anywhere in the League, a machine will scan your phone and look in your file to check your reputation score. Your activities are tracked over time, and if you¡¯re a productive and well-behaved member of society, you receive a higher score. I have the highest score in school.¡± Rose smiled proudly, but stopped when she saw Kayla¡¯s still puzzled expression.

    ¡°But the door was unlocked. Why would I care what some dumb machine says?¡± Kayla asked.

    Rose paused, taken aback by the suggestion. ¡°You would enter the shop when you weren¡¯t supposed to?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°W-well, you would be asked to leave, and your score would be fined heavily. The Adjudicate really doesn¡¯t like people breaking the rules. If you lose enough points, you might even get called in to one of their offices for an interview.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°If some shop owner wants to be a bully and throw me out, I would make him do it himself. People aren¡¯t always so mean when you yell back at them.¡±

    Rose stared at her. How was it possible that people could think like this? How could the world work without people following the rules? Taming Kayla Barnes was obviously going to be a bigger challenge than she thought.

    ¡°But this phone watches everything I do?¡± Kayla demanded, brandishing the black shape angrily.

    ¡°Well¡­ I wouldn¡¯t call it watching, exactly.¡±

    ¡°Even when I¡¯m climbing?¡±

    ¡°Only if someone sees you, and posts a photo of you to their own feed for everyone to see. If people like what you are doing, your score goes up. If they don¡¯t like what you are doing, it goes down.¡±

    Rose smiled patiently. She had demanded their classmates delete dozens of negative posts about Kayla. The girl needed time and patience to integrate herself, not ridicule.

    ¡°So¡­my ident decides where I can go and what I can do based on how much everyone likes me?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ how much respectable people like you, yes,¡± Rose said.

    Kayla¡¯s arm moved violently to smash the phone against the table, but Rose grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°Wait¡ªstop!¡± she said. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes narrowed as they focused on her, then she snarled and snatched her arm away.

    Rose shivered, but took a deep breath. She had to stay calm; she was making progress, and the tantrums were getting less common.

    ¡°You need that phone to do anything in Rackeye,¡± she explained. ¡°You can¡¯t go shopping, or get on trams, or do anything fun without it.¡±

    Kayla slammed the phone down on the table and slumped in her chair. ¡°This sucks. Helvets are awful. Everything they said about you back home is true.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Rose said as her cheeks warmed. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯re not used to our ways yet.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Kayla shook her head and picked up a menu. ¡°Now I really need something tasty.¡± She scanned the colorful photographs. ¡°Let¡¯s share that big one,¡± she said, stabbing her hand at the biggest picture, the deluxe sundae¡ªan enormous assemblage of decadent flavors.

    Rose blanched. ¡°Oh¡­ actually, I thought I¡¯d get a bowl of strawberries. I¡¯m not sure the two of us could manage that one.¡±

    ¡°Who cares? Let¡¯s make a mess.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be on a strict diet for my photoshoots, and if my parents found out¡­¡±

    Kayla grinned. ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t be a scaredy cat.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ alright then.¡± Rose had to admit, she was enjoying the guilty thrill that spending time with Kayla brought her.

 Part 2 - Chapter 8

    ¡°Academy,¡± Kayla said, after they had placed their order.

    Rose was happy to see Kayla¡¯s wide, focused eyes. At least she was interested in something other than hunting and climbing.

    ¡°It¡¯s the most prestigious and secretive organization in the galaxy,¡± Rose said. ¡°Only the very best female students from the settled worlds are invited to attend¡ªbut almost everyone gets rejected at the entrance test, and nobody knows what happens to the ones who get in.¡±

    ¡°Where is it? Why is it a secret?¡±

    ¡°Nobody knows where it is. Some people say they are spies for the League. I heard once that they explore planets that no-one has visited yet. But anyway, only the two highest scoring students from our school get selected to go to there.¡±

    ¡°And? What do they say about it when they come back?¡±

    Rose shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ve only got vague memories. They talk about wonderful science labs, dazzling engineering workshops, and alien creatures in zoos¡ªbut they can¡¯t say much more. Some people say they deliberately erase people¡¯s memories. I met a graduate when I was on holiday, but when I asked her questions, she gave me a look, like this.¡±

    She made a face that combined condemnation and disappointment, which made her friend laugh.

    ¡°I¡¯m going there.¡± Kayla¡¯s smile faded. Her eyes fixated on a spot behind Rose as her jaw clenched.

    ¡°Y-yes? You¡¯ll have to beat my grades at school. I want to get a spot too.¡± Rose laughed. ¡°My father doesn¡¯t want me to go. He says I should work for the company, but I hate engineering.¡±

    ¡°Bring it on.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Rose was more than a little nervous when she saw the fire in Kayla¡¯s eyes. ¡°But why?¡±

    Kayla shook her head, then swallowed and wiped her eyes. ¡°Do you know about what¡¯s happening at the farms? The monster attacks?¡±

    ¡°Yes, some people are talking about it. It sounds terrible.¡± Rose didn¡¯t mention that Helvetic society believed the colonists were exaggerating¡ªor even faking¡ªthe attacks to drive a division between themselves and the League.

    ¡°A few months ago¡­one killed my father.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± A chill seized Rose¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of anything hurting her own father.

    ¡°Nobody does anything about it, and they kill my friends every day. Whoever is at the Academy will help me make it stop.¡±

    ¡°How will they do that?¡±

    Kayla shrugged.

    Rose wanted to sympathize with the poor girl, but the talk shows couldn¡¯t be wrong. Kayla was obviously traumatized and had probably misremembered what had happened, or been told lies by one of her fellow colonists.

    When the mountain of ice cream was delivered, Kayla gasped at the sight. Rose¡¯s eyes widened. They couldn¡¯t possibly finish it all, and their reputation scores would be fined for wasting food. If they tried, they would probably end up throwing up. While Rose had made peace with the penalties she suffered for these moments, she knew Kayla would need every point she could get.

    ¡°Oh my god, this is the best thing ever,¡± Kayla said and began shoveling chocolate into her mouth.

    Rose watched appalled as drips of ice cream flicked around the table. ¡°Could you perhaps¡­ oh never mind.¡± She reached for a napkin to wipe a smudge off her cheek.

    ¡°Why do you want to go to the Academy?¡± Kayla asked once she had stopped eating.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think they are spies, anyway. But I believe anyone can achieve whatever they put their mind to, and it¡¯s my job to prove it to them. Whenever they see my photos or dancing videos, they believe in themselves a bit more. Do you know my family¡¯s motto?¡±

    ¡°Your family has a motto?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s more like the corporation¡¯s motto. You know, the fusion business my father runs?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Empowering Humanity¡¯. Get it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, like electric power.¡± Kayla laughed so loudly that other guests looked around.

    Rose cringed, reminding herself to stay calm and persevere.

    ¡°But that¡¯s so cool,¡± Kayla said as she nodded vigorously, ¡°because it means to help the people around you. I totally get it. On the farms, everyone has to look out for everyone else, whether you like them or not. There¡¯s an old colonist saying¡ªNo one gets left behind.¡±

    Rose smiled as a warm glow filled her heart. Though she didn¡¯t tell Kayla, she also had an unwavering conviction that she must dedicate her life to something greater than herself. Whatever secrets the Academy graduate had been keeping, Rose had seen the same belief in her eyes that she clung to when she thought she couldn¡¯t take the pain of another pirouette.

    And, sometimes, her new friend Kayla Barnes had the same look, even if she was a bit misguided.

    Rose noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye and froze.

    In the window of the caf¨¦, Gaella was taking a photo of them. It would be all over the feeds within hours, and the mockery from their classmates would carry on for weeks. Reminding herself to be more assertive, Rose smirked and waved. Kayla didn¡¯t seem to care.

    The driver picked them up as they struggled to walk out of the caf¨¦. Rose had at least convinced Kayla to wipe her face, but the man still scowled at the messy display, so Rose gave him a cold glare. Kayla might look a mess, but he was just a driver and ought to know his place.

    Later that day, Rose was summoned to Madame Lefevre¡¯s office, and when she entered, her stomach knotted up. Had she gone too far and embarrassed her family¡¯s business? Would they make her stop spending time with Kayla? What would the poor girl do when no-one else wanted to be her friend?

    The headmistress stared over the rims of her glasses and pursed her lips. She had made clear how unhappy she was to be assigned as Rose¡¯s personal counselor, and today¡¯s events certainly wouldn¡¯t improve things. But the Djallen family paid a generous contribution to the school and always got their way.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve just had a call from your social media manager, Ms. Djallen,¡± Lefevre said. She lifted a tablet from her desk and turned it toward Rose. Gaella¡¯s photo filled the screen. ¡°He has been shocked to learn that this image of two grotesquely self-indulgent girls has been blowing up the Rackeye feeds. Please, can you explain yourself?¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Rose smiled. She¡¯d already thought up a satisfying explanation. ¡°Of course, Madam Lefevre. Actually, I think the photo was a good thing. Kayla has joined us from the colony farms, and I think it¡¯s important that we are seen to bring her into the Helvetic world, even with her flaws. Of course, things won¡¯t always look perfect but¡ª¡±

    ¡°According to your classmates, this girl is having more of an effect on you than you are on her. This report contains dozens of posts complaining about you climbing on things, running wild, telling inappropriate jokes, and on and on.¡±

    Rose¡¯s face fell. Getting out of trouble was not going to be so easy. ¡°I can¡¯t reach out to her if I¡¯m not her friend, Madam Lefevre.¡±

    The headmistress tapped her stylus on her tablet in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s true that we have experienced some success with our outreach program, but those girls are supposed to be given strict mentorship and preparation before they enter Helvet society. I have no idea how this Barnes girl got hold of an invitation. In any case, I¡¯m afraid we cannot allow the elevation of lesser citizens to interfere with your own development. Some other student will have to mentor the girl.¡±

    ¡°But none of the others want to talk to her¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then she¡¯ll just have to learn the hard way what is expected of Helvet citizens. Really Rose, I¡¯m very disappointed in you. I certainly am not looking forward to calling your father and explaining the situation.¡±

    Rose paled. ¡°I don¡¯t think that he needs to be told anything about this.¡±

    ¡°Of course he does. Do you realize that there has been a hundredth of a percent dip in the Djallen stock price coincident with the spread of this photo?¡±

    Rose¡¯s mouth hung open. How could they blame her for such a thing? ¡°I¡ªbut¡­ that couldn¡¯t possibly¡ª¡±

    ¡°Public opinion has a big impact on the stock price. Perhaps some investors thought that your little stunt was part of a PR campaign to kick-start a charity venture? Or maybe they¡¯re wondering how your father managed to raise a troublesome daughter, and what that says about his leadership? Regardless, that dip represents hundreds of millions of credits of corporate value. Think of all the employees whose livelihoods are being damaged by your actions, not to mention the smear to the reputation of the brand, its patrons, and your very own family.¡±

    Rose wanted to cry. It was so monstrously unfair that whenever she suggested some activity her parents didn¡¯t like, they would always bring up the stock price. They made her feel like an employee, and they had taught Madame Lefevre to do the same. She had to stand firm.

    ¡°I will explain to my father,¡± she insisted, ¡°how important it is for Helvets to look like they are helping colonists instead of ignoring them, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand. When Kayla is an upstanding and respectable graduate of this school, you will all appreciate my actions.¡±

    Madam Lefevre glared at her. ¡°Very well. Your father will be informed immediately. Go back to your dormitory.¡±

    Kayla hadn¡¯t seen Rose at all since they had returned from the shop, and when she was called to Madam Lefevre¡¯s office later in the day, she began to worry. What if she¡¯d caused Rose to get in trouble?

    When she wandered into the room, she saw the headmistress waiting for her, with a handsome, well-dressed businessman, who she thought she recognized as Rose¡¯s father from his picture on the city billboards.

    The man smiled warmly. ¡°Miss Barnes, what a pleasure. I am Hieron Djallen¡ªRose is my daughter.¡± he extended his hand.

    Kayla shook it, anxious not to appear impolite lest she make things worse for her new friend. ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°I have heard from the esteemed Madame Lefevre,¡± Rose¡¯s father continued, ¡°that you are a strong-willed and energetic young woman. It certainly makes me proud to see that my daughter is an excellent judge of character.¡± He smiled again. ¡°Unfortunately, as I¡¯m sure you are aware, Rose¡¯s social activities are closely connected to the public image of a very large corporation, and we have to be extra careful about how she appears to the world.¡±

    Kayla said nothing. Why should she care what happened to some dumb company?

    ¡°I know if I ask you to stop spending time with Rose you will probably refuse, and cause even more trouble. Therefore, it behooves me to make a deal with you. We understand that you have expressed a strong interest in earning an invitation to the Academy. Obviously, we can¡¯t help you with their entrance test¡ªnot even I know what it involves,¡± he said with a strange little chuckle. ¡°But the invites are reserved for our top students, and¡ªwhen you turn eighteen¡ªwe can offer you one in exchange for your co-operation. Though I am sure Madame Lefevre will demand you at least make an effort to tone down your insubordination.¡±

    Beside him, Madame Lefevre nodded in agreement.

    Kayla¡¯s mind reeled. Nothing mattered to her more than reaching the Academy, and finding a way to save her fellow colonists. But Rose was her friend. She wasn¡¯t like the other stuck up Helvets, and seemed to enjoy Kayla¡¯s company.

    Besides, every girl in the school dreamed of earning one of the coveted invites, but the headmistress was prepared to send her there just to keep her away from Rose? Kayla sensed accepting their offer meant betraying her friend, and no matter what promises they made, she couldn¡¯t stomach that idea.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we be friends?¡± she demanded, as her cheeks flushed with heat.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there is more to life than fun and games, young lady,¡± Mr. Djallen said. ¡°The Helvetic world expects a certain decorum from its rising stars, and you do not measure up. Whilst I¡¯m sure you will adapt to our culture in time, for the moment, you and my daughter are simply¡­ incompatible.¡±

    Kayla balled her fists, as she felt the tightness in her chest. As she so often did, she let the despair, sadness, and shame of failure disappear in a hot flare of anger. It hurt, but, though she hated such moments, it was all she knew.

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop being friends with Rose, and I¡¯ll get the invite anyway,¡± she insisted as she felt her self-control slip.

    ¡°And what if we threaten to bar you from going?¡±

    A storm raged through Kayla¡¯s mind, but she struggled to control her anger and find a way out of the trap.

    She thought quickly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell everyone you tried to bribe me,¡± she said. ¡°I bet¡­ I bet that will cause just as much damage to your reputation score. It¡¯ll prove you hate colonists. And Rose will confirm it,¡± she added, with total conviction.

    They stared at her in silence, then exchanged glances.

    ¡°Go to your dormitory please,¡± Madam Lefevre ordered.

    Kayla didn¡¯t see Rose for several days. She noticed the other girls becoming colder, even hostile, toward her. Before, they had avoided her, but now they laughed whenever she passed them in the corridor, and they made crude references to farm animals. Eventually, Kayla caught sight of Rose as she was hurrying to class. They locked eyes across the hall, but Rose turned to retreat in the other direction.

    Kayla ran to catch up with her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she demanded. ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Kayla,¡± Rose said, not looking her in the eye. ¡°I can¡¯t talk now. I have to get to class¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are avoiding me. What¡¯s wrong with you? And why is everyone being so mean?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Rose¡¯s face turned bright red as she crossed her arms.

    ¡°Just tell me. I thought we were friends.¡±

    ¡°I thought so too, but then I found out that you lied to me.¡±

    ¡°I never lie! If I got caught lying¡­¡± Kayla tried to blink back tears as memories of her father surfaced.

    ¡°That story you told me¡ªabout the attacks and how your father died¡ªyou made it up.¡±

    Kayla lost control. She leaped forward, shoving Rose, who shrieked as she fell to the ground. Tears sprang from her eyes.

    ¡°How dare you say that?¡± Kayla yelled. ¡°How dare you say I lied about my father!¡± Her hands shook as tears ran down her own cheeks. How could her new friend betray her like this?

    One of the upperclassmen appeared around the corner, followed by more girls.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she demanded. The group surrounded them, and someone grabbed Kayla¡¯s arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Rose yelled through her sobs. ¡°They showed me proof. Your father died when a drunk hit his truck¡ªthey showed me the arrest reports. Those animal attacks were faked to make people hate Helvets, and you went along with it!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pack of lies!¡± Kayla cried as she struggled to escape her captor¡¯s grip. ¡°Everything about you people is fake. Colonists are dying every day, and instead of helping you call us liars. Your family and your friends are so rich, they could do something about those creatures. But they won¡¯t, because the attacks might make the colonists give up and join the League, and that¡¯s the only thing any of your care about!¡±

    ¡°I tried to help you,¡± Rose shot back as she was helped to her feet. ¡°But you just run around and do whatever you want. You¡¯re childish and vicious, and you don¡¯t care about anyone but yourself!¡±

    ¡°You hate anyone you can¡¯t control!¡± Kayla shouted. ¡°You¡¯re all just as evil as my dad said!¡±

    ¡°See? I knew you hated us!¡±

    ¡°I thought you were different!¡±

    Rose wiped her eyes and tilted her head in a condescending look. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be different. You¡¯re nothing but an ignorant farm girl, and I was mistaken to try to help you.¡±

    Kayla elbowed her captor hard in the ribs and felt a dark rush of joy as she heard the scream. Squirming free, she ran to escape from the corridor, and the nest of vipers she had fallen into.

    ¡°Stupid colonist!¡± a girl called behind her.

 Part 2 - Chapter 9

    Kayla passed her years at Madam Georgia¡¯s in quiet determination. Rose was never friendly to her again, offering only snide remarks about her disrespectful attitude in class or when they passed in the corridors. While the other girls condemned Kayla as vulgar and uncultured, and the teachers admonished her for talking back, she studied hard, and began to earn grades as high as the rest of her peer group. With time, she saw them grudgingly accept that she wouldn¡¯t be kicked out.

    As she grew older, fantastic daydreams about hunting monsters in the night faded, and she realized she couldn¡¯t know what the future held. All she knew was the single rule she had clung to as her guiding light; she must never quit. Her schoolwork demonstrated the power of that oath. She pushed to the top of her classes and was shocked to see representatives from universities across the League messaging her to offer scholarships. If Kayla had learned nothing else, she had gained the insight that no doors were closed to her if she didn¡¯t want them to be.

    She also saw that behind the jokes and the sniping, she scared her Helvet classmates. In their minds, success was supposed to come from family, connections, or reputation. Colonists were backsliders, running from their responsibility to civilization. Neither the girls nor the teachers could understand what drove her. They had no idea what the Academy was, but its exclusivity and mystery convinced them that it had to be a path to greatness in their world. Their culture was too narrow-minded to see any other possibility. Kayla¡¯s dogged ambition could only have looked like the attempt of a colonist to climb the social ladder higher, so she could kick down at them. That thought usually made her smile.

    While she often doubted her memories of the fateful day she lost her father, there was one conviction she never let go of. As Urtiga had promised, if she made it to the Academy, whoever was waiting for her there would offer her a choice. And then, finally, she would be able to figure out how to save her home from whatever was trying to destroy it.

    On her eighteenth birthday, Kayla wiped dirty hands on her jeans as she settled into her usual nook at the top of the bell tower. After working out in the gym, which she did religiously, she liked to pass her time contemplating the unmatched view of the wilderness outside the city. Sometimes, Caldera¡¯s magma-scarred moon rose as she watched the sunset, reminding her of all the death that hung on her conscience. She followed the news feeds from Zula, and though there were fewer attacks every year, each one left another small scar on her soul.

    As the sun dipped closer to the horizon, Kayla¡¯s phone buzzed, and she smiled when she saw that it was Jack. They had become very close following her father¡¯s death. Nothing could replace her true father in her heart, but Kayla knew that he would have wanted Jack to take his place.

    After her mother sold the farm and moved away with a new boyfriend, Jack offered to adopt her. Kayla had agreed without hesitation. She could never forgive her mother for moving on so quickly. They hadn¡¯t talked in several years, and that didn¡¯t bother Kayla one bit. Now she had a new parent; one who deserved every bit of her loyalty and respect.

    ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± Jack congratulated her.

    ¡°Oh¡­ yeah. Thanks, Dad,¡± Kayla said. She had forgotten and wasn¡¯t sure she cared.

    ¡°You¡¯re visiting soon, aren¡¯t you? I already got you a present.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Sure I did,¡± he said. ¡°You need a new pair of socks.¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°I have a vacation in two weeks. I can¡¯t wait to see you.¡±

    ¡°After you meet the Academy graduate?¡± Jack asked.

    Her stomach knotted as it had repeatedly over the last few days. ¡°Yes, but everyone will be there. I probably won¡¯t get to speak to her.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you will, don¡¯t be so pessimistic. You know you¡¯ll be accepted, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± All she wanted to do was get there, and hopefully see Urtiga again. After that, she could worry about passing the infamous entrance test.

    ¡°Definitely. Rolf Barnes raised a winner. I know that much.¡±

    The memory of Jack¡¯s firm shoulder squeeze floated through Kayla¡¯s mind, and she smiled. ¡°I guess. Thanks, Dad.¡±

    Jack never questioned her dedication, and she often wondered if he knew more about the Academy than he let on. One day, she had asked him if he¡¯d ever heard news about the old women who¡¯d passed through the village before the attack that killed her father. She always claimed to Jack that they had given her the invitation to Madam Georgia¡¯s. He only shrugged his shoulders and pleaded ignorance.

    His voice brought Kayla back to the present. ¡°Have you turned into a book yet?¡± he asked.

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Har har. Wasn¡¯t it you who said: ¡®work like someone else is working every day to take it all away from you?¡¯ Well, that¡¯s exactly what Rose is doing.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Your long-time arch nemesis, the terrible shadow you can¡¯t let slip, the lady of darkness¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, her. You have no idea what a bitch she is,¡± Kayla glowered.

    ¡°Watch your language, young lady.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Jack chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll forgive me for not taking school rivalries too seriously. Once you get out into the real world and get some experience, you¡¯ll look back on your squabbles and laugh about it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know her like I do. She¡¯s so horrible. You should hear the stories she tells about me, and only half of them are true,¡± she said, with a hint of pride.

    ¡°Probably as bad as the stories I heard about your father from when he was a boy.¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Kayla said. She loved Jack¡¯s stories and often tried to get him to talk about his life on other colonies. But he shied away from those conversations, and that saddened her.

    ¡°Kesan was asking about you.¡±

    Kayla sighed and closed her eyes. ¡°No. You¡¯re lying.¡±

    There was a pause. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure he would if you asked after him,¡± Jack said. ¡°People still talk about you.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re saying that I¡¯ve abandoned my community. Or that I traded in my roots for a life of privilege. I wish you wouldn¡¯t play this game.¡± Kayla¡¯s eyes started to well up at the memory of the cold stares she got whenever she went home. Someday, they would understand that she was trying to help the colony, but she had so far to go until then.

    ¡°They don¡¯t hate you, Kayla,¡± he said.

    ¡°Well, maybe they should. I feel useless here. All I¡¯m doing is reading books and losing my mind.¡±

    ¡°You stop that kind of talk right now. You know better than to get lost in self-pity.¡±

    Kayla rubbed her temple. ¡°They made me take a class on Helvetic governance. You should hear how they talk about colonists. They think they¡¯re saving us from ourselves. They¡¯re insane.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mind them, and don¡¯t you mind us either. You just focus on getting to where you¡¯re going, and the rest will work itself out.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    She wanted to cry and tell him that she had no idea what the Academy had in store for her, and demand to know if he knew anything. But even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t tell her. He had the same stubbornness as her father.

    After the call ended, Kayla took a last look at the horizon, then descended from her perch into the school¡¯s interior. Passing the common area, she saw Rose and Gaella, seated with a gaggle of admirers at a distant table. They glanced back at her as they usually did, whispering and giggling.

    Rose looked up and called out to her. ¡°Kayla¡ªhi, do you have a dress for tonight?¡± She smirked.

    Kayla stopped and gritted her teeth. She hadn¡¯t put on a dress in years, so Rose was obviously baiting her. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite nice actually,¡± she replied, ignoring Gaella¡¯s look of scorn.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad to hear it,¡± Rose continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm, ¡°because we don¡¯t want to make the wrong impression on the Academy graduate, and you know you can be so presentable when you make an effort.¡± She grinned as the other girls burst into giggles.

    A jolt of pain shot through Kayla¡¯s heart. Staying calm, she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, I agree impressions are important. So, I¡¯ll be sure not to mention the results of your physics test from last week.¡±

    Rose stiffened. ¡°The question on fluid dynamics was not covered in the reading material; I sent a stern letter to Madame Arnoise about it. That kind of trickery is not acceptable.¡±

    ¡°If you had paid attention to the hints she dropped in class, you would have prepared on your own. Like I did.¡±

    Rose got to her feet. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure farm schools prepare you for all kinds of dishonesty.¡±

    The other girls laughed, but Kayla had clearly gotten under her rival¡¯s skin. ¡°They prepare you to understand there isn¡¯t always a reading list you can rely on,¡± she said.

    ¡°What would we do without your folk wisdom?¡± Rose said. ¡°And of course, I suppose we had to suffer another lecture from the principal because it was you who stole permission slips from her office?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an unfair and completely unfounded accusation,¡± Kayla replied with a hurt expression. ¡°But she should probably remember to lock her office window when she leaves.¡±

    ¡°You climbed in through a fourth-floor window? Are you a monkey?¡±

    Gaella scratched her head. ¡°Eek eek!¡± she said to an outburst of laughter.

    Kayla pictured the girl with a bloody nose for a second but pushed the thought away and reminded herself to breathe slowly.

    ¡°Interesting question,¡± she replied to Rose, ¡°are your grades worse than those of a monkey? But listen, if you have a problem, why don¡¯t you just rat me out?¡±

    The room went silent. Kayla knew Rose wouldn¡¯t tell on her, or allow anyone else to either. She had to beat Kayla¡¯s grades fairly and show off her innate superiority. It obviously burned her pride to think that a lowly colonist could be working as hard and achieving as much as the elite daughter of a billionaire.

    ¡°Perhaps I will, Kayla,¡± Rose said. ¡°Your disrespect for rules and propriety is a great detriment to this school¡¯s reputation. I will never understand how you were accepted here in the first place. Just some random¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peasant?¡± Kayla said with a smirk of her own.

    ¡°¡ªnobody. Who certainly didn¡¯t earn their place here. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a dance recital to attend. Many of Rackeye¡¯s finest will be there, and I can¡¯t let them down.¡±

    Kayla waved her hand loftily. ¡°By all means, your highness, I wouldn¡¯t want to deprive the world of your delicate footwork.¡±

    Rose stalked off in anger, her entourage cooing around her. Kayla heard Gaella frantically whispering that they would never let a farm girl into the Academy.

    Dinner that night was held in the main hall¡ªthe most glamorous part of the school. An enormous crystal chandelier hung over ornately carved tables and chairs. Bright silver cutlery glittered alongside glasses as intricately stylized as snowflakes. At the back of the room, a long table sat on a raised stone platform¡ªthe reserved area from which the teachers would survey their obedient charges.

    For Kayla the opulence was gaudy. The colony needed infrastructure, but instead the school¡¯s benefactors had demanded what was obviously a giant peacock¡¯s tail.

    She wore her new dress¡ªblack¡ªa color she knew would never be out of style. Most of the day had been spent trying not to get her hopes up and the other half trying not to freak out. Even so, her imagination ran wild. After ten years, she was finally going to see someone from the same world as the mysterious Urtiga. She often wondered how much of her memory of that night was real, or whether she was just being stupid, inventing a fantasy to help her cope with the tragedy of losing her father.

    Kayla didn¡¯t know what kind of a person would run through dark and dangerous territory to kill a monster that had flipped a heavy truck with ease. Someone like her? She worked hard, and would do whatever it took to protect her fellow colonists, but what if that wasn¡¯t enough? What if she was just an idiot who liked to daydream? What if she couldn¡¯t help to stop the attacks after all, and all she had done was waste her time in this school? The prospect of finding out terrified her.

    She was seated at the back of the hall, as she expected; only the more well-connected ladies would be allowed near the graduate. Craning her neck, she saw the teachers¡¯ table fully seated, but with a new woman she didn¡¯t recognize. Kayla¡¯s stomach lurched. She had to be the graduate, though she looked like any other woman, albeit much more serene than the excited, chattering professors that surrounded her.

    Kayla¡¯s own neighbors largely ignored her. She didn¡¯t mind¡ªshe could only listen to their talk of renowned artists and rich heirs for so long before boredom reduced her mind to jelly. Their name dropping about who they were last invited to dinner with was an obvious show of superiority. They might not have Rose¡¯s station in life, or Kayla¡¯s grades, but they had to find some way to place themselves several rungs up the ladder. As far as Kayla could tell, that was the whole point of Helvetic society.

    At the teacher¡¯s table, Madame Lefevre tapped on a glass, and, once silence descended, introduced their guest as Masey Laukkanen. Masey rose from the table and walked to a nearby podium, where she began her speech. She talked about the importance of hard work, making sacrifices, and working towards higher moral principles¡ªthe same old speech every dignitary in Rackeye made. Kayla was disappointed by how generic the words sounded.

    The speech ended with applause and the dinner resumed, while Kayla scrutinized the speaker. Well-defined, though not big, muscles stood out on her arms, and her dress, also black, was what one of Kayla¡¯s classmates called ¡®uninspired¡¯. She was apparently bored by the school mistresses around her, who laughed loudly and excessively throughout the night. Amidst a sea of expressively flailing limbs, Masey was still. When she got up to walk around, she moved quickly and purposefully, and never hesitated. She reminded Kayla more of her fellow farmers than anyone she had met in Rackeye. Helvets had to invent things to be excited about. Colonists had a reason for everything they did.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± A girl named Sasha interrupted her reverie. ¡°Will you go home to visit your family during vacation?¡±

    Kayla dragged her gaze back to the table. ¡°My adoptive father, yes,¡± she said. ¡°He raises horses, so I¡¯ll get to ride a bit, and maybe shoot his guns.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ but your biological parents?¡±

    ¡°My parents died when I was young.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Still, it must be nice to take a break at home,¡± Sasha said politely.

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Kayla said, returning the fake smile.

    Sasha turned back to the other girls. Kayla mentally ticked off another girl at the table who¡¯d completed her charity work for the evening.

    The night wore on and Kayla did her best to be polite and make small talk when it was expected of her. She struggled because the effort of talking to people who obviously didn¡¯t care about anything she had to say was exhausting. By the time some of the other girls started to leave she¡¯d had enough, and got up herself.

    As she walked over to the cloakroom, a woman¡¯s voice called out to her. ¡°Kayla Barnes?¡±

    Kayla turned and saw, with shock, Masey looking at her expectantly. Kayla¡¯s heart began to race. Why was this famous graduate bothering to talk to her?

    ¡°Yeah- um yes. That¡¯s me,¡± she stammered.

    ¡°You stick out like a sore thumb in this place,¡± Masey said. ¡°Nice dress¡ªblack is always appropriate.¡±

    Kayla blushed¡ªpartly from the compliment, partly because years of habituation shocked her to hear such a blunt tone from another woman. ¡°How do you know who I am?¡± she asked nervously.

    ¡°Urtiga told me your story, and you¡¯re the only one here who looks like they want to punch someone in the face.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    In a heartbeat, the memory of Urtiga returned as though it had happened yesterday, and for the first time in a very long time, Kayla was intimidated. Masey stood with a confident posture, her feet evenly spaced, her shoulders back, and chin high. She spoke without pauses or hesitation, and her tone implied that nobody would want to interrupt her. Her lips curled in the hint of a smirk but not, Kayla decided, aimed just at her. She wanted to glance away from the unwavering eye contact, but didn¡¯t dare.

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you,¡± Masey continued. ¡°All this school stuff is a drag, and honestly, I hated it too.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Kayla was too nervous to ask the flood of questions that had built up over the years.

    ¡°This school might seem pretty dull to you right now, but, provided you don¡¯t quit, one day in the future you could end up in a situation that¡¯s going to demand everything from you and more. When that happens, you¡¯ll be grateful you put a hundred and ten percent into every stupid skillset your teachers put in front of you.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± was all Kayla could manage. She wanted to kick herself. A graduate of the Academy had decided to talk to her, and she was reacting like a mouth-breathing fool.

    Masey shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be seeing you soon. Urtiga always picks good ones¡ªdon¡¯t know how she does it. I¡¯ve got to get back to the old biddies, but tell me¡ªyou¡¯re working hard? Getting after it?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ yes. I¡¯m the top student in my year.¡± Kayla¡¯s mind raced. She was one of the ¡®good ones¡¯? What did that mean? What if Urtiga was wrong?

    ¡°Awesome, smash this challenge. Urtiga says hi. DQ¡ªI¡¯ll see you out there.¡±

    Then she was gone, leaving Kayla dazed, but enraptured.

 Part 2 - Chapter 10

    Allana Rayker¡¯s maintenance shuttle approached the lower service bay of Jupiter Station, the largest man-made structure in the galaxy. Huge, and regularly spaced triangular openings interrupted the surface of a hollow sphere twenty miles wide, through which vessels could reach the inner dockyards. Home to nearly a million inhabitants, the station orbited three thousand miles above Jupiter¡¯s atmosphere¡ªclose enough for awed travelers to make out the intricate swirling patterns in the brightly colored cloud layers.

    Once the shuttle landed in one of the station¡¯s smaller Service Division bays, Rayker stepped out, breezing impatiently past the dock personnel. She didn¡¯t thank the crewmen who had prepared this discreet arrival for her, and hadn¡¯t thanked the captain of the freighter for the trip from Caldera. They were cartel men and knew enough of her reputation to accept payment and leave her alone.

    She wore a maintenance jumpsuit over her usual attire and carried her possessions in a work bag, which was enough of a disguise to get her out of the docking hangars without being questioned by a supervisor. A private locker in the transit zone held a nondescript travel case, which she exchanged for the work bag after transferring her effects and ditching the suit. She then headed for the star-liner flight deck, strode up to the checkpoint and scanned her phone. The machine beeped happily, as it recognized the forged ident.

    ¡°Have a pleasant journey, Ms. Divine,¡± the border agent said, and Rayker nodded back.

    Fortunately, the core world¡¯s security forces were not as energetic in reviewing their population database as their frontier counterparts. If they were, the lesser-known business dealings of a great many politicians would be unacceptably disrupted.

    The alias ¡°Carlotta Divine¡± was senior enough in the Rackeye Research Council to be able to afford first class quarters on a passenger ship from Jupiter to Earth. Rayker had thought about boosting herself up to a Tier One luxury vessel, and all the pleasures of the flesh that would grant her, but decided it wasn¡¯t worth the risk.

    Whilst most of the Helvetic aristocracy would never have heard of Allana Rayker, there was always the possibility of running into one of the Justice Service¡¯s senior directors, and Rayker knew that their top-secret file contained her photograph. If caught, she could expect imprisonment and interrogation, while her partner in the Adjudicate would deny any knowledge of her, to save his own skin.

    No, for the six-hour trip, hot tubs and massage parlors could give way to a bar, with the possibility of a mid-wit businessman to play with.

    Once comfortably settled in her room aboard ship, Rayker messaged Reed, and waited for his video call.

    The alert flashed up on the screen, and Rayker tapped to accept. ¡°Well?¡± she said, pleased to see a cheerful expression on Reed¡¯s face.

    ¡°The lab¡¯s teleportation system continues to bear fruit,¡± he said. ¡°We were able to create a connection to another underground installation in the hills outside of Rackeye. I sent a team over to explore the new complex this morning. That makes fourteen bases discovered on the portal network. Based on the data files we¡¯ve already translated, I¡¯m confident there are an additional four waiting to be unlocked.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Have you found anything useful?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Useful, Madam?¡±

    ¡°Weapons?¡±

    ¡°Nothing like that, yet. It¡¯s still not clear what purpose these installations were meant to serve.¡±

    ¡°The mountain site we first discovered is clearly for nano-weapons research. I would have expected to find something a little less¡­ esoteric somewhere on the damned planet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we haven¡¯t yet, Madam.¡±

    Rayker tapped her fingers. Once it had become clear that the Calderan farmers could protect themselves against the transformation chambers¡¯ creations, she had ordered the team to investigate the base thoroughly. The discovery of a teleportation device had quite literally opened a new world for Reed¡¯s men to explore. Unfortunately, while competent engineers, the soldiers were far from possessing the training and experience needed to master such advanced technology. But, thanks to Rayker¡¯s ability to translate the base¡¯s computer files, they had located instructional documents and made progress.

    ¡°Access to Rackeye is excellent news, Reed. Well done.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°The men are certainly grateful to be finished with those long, risky trips through the farms. I gather there are no complications at your end, Madam? I still think a video call would have been the safer¡ª¡±

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    ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, Reed. I could live in Geneva if I wanted to; their security is so riddled with holes. Unfortunately, our friends in the Central Committee are sharp, and won¡¯t be persuaded by anything less than my personal touch.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    A few hours later, the passenger ship arrived in Earth orbit. Crewmen nodded respectfully as Rayker stepped into the small, luxurious shuttle that would take her down to the surface of humanity¡¯s home world. She ignored them, settling into a plush leather seat with a growing sense of impatience. The journey from Caldera had been long and tiring, demanding a week of her time. Of course, if her trip was successful, it would mean the culmination of years of preparation.

    Travel from the frontier to the core systems by official routes was strictly policed and highly bureaucratic, requiring long waits for documents to be checked and approved. The inflexible regulations were meant to protect the League from unwanted piracy. But everybody knew cartels got through whenever they wanted, crashing their lighter, nimbler freighters to a stop mere light seconds from stars¡¯ outer edges. They lost a few vessels¡ªincinerated in super-heated plasma¡ªevery year to this dangerous method, but outwitting the League was lucrative enough to accept the risk. Once through the border zones, they used connections and bribes to travel more freely. Rayker often made use of this method for speed, convenience, and entertainment.

    Her shuttle descended through the atmosphere, and she soon saw the blue of Lac Leman glinting sharply in the clear summer air, framed by the towering white peaks of the French Alps. As beautiful and timeless as the mountains were, they were almost upstaged by the sprawl of gleaming silver towers of the Geneva metropolis, crowding the Rhone valley. The innumerable mega-structures were marvels of engineering. Steel and glass rose thousands of feet into the air, surpassing even the height of the smaller Jura mountains, across the lake from the Alps.

    Rayker wondered if there were any Swiss people left in the city or surrounding valleys. Probably not¡ªthey would have migrated somewhere quiet, mountainous, and dull, no doubt.

    A beam of warm sunlight drifted gently through the cabin, as the vessel made subtle alterations to its heading. Rayker sank deeper into her thoughts.

    Her informal supervisor in the Helvetic bureaucracy, Cardinal Jansen Merriss, would be eager to know more about her progress on Caldera, or the lack thereof. The colonist population had proven more than usually resistant to the League¡¯s methods of seduction. So now, they were supposed to be living in terror of dangerous alien monsters, begging the League¡¯s military to protect them. Unfortunately, as well as stubborn, the colonists were also courageous and resourceful.

    Rayker argued from the start that it was a stupid plan. But, following her disastrous failure to transform humans into obedient killing machines, she had to play along until she was ready to try something bolder. The truth was that the mundane work of turning animals into monsters was outshone by the transporter discoveries her team had made over the years¡ªwhich she did not choose to share with Merriss. Now she was ready to move to the next step.

    The shuttle landed near the base of the Central Adjudicate Building, a towering structure that housed the beating heart of Helvetic culture. Inside its glass walls worked the men and women who kept the last tendrils of the Old Empire embedded in the institutions of other worlds. Maneuvering skillfully, and with the experience of centuries, Adjudicate agents bribed, threatened, and manipulated leaders across humanity¡¯s star systems. Businessmen, politicians, and the na?ve leaders of the newer colony worlds were easily absorbed into the League¡¯s web of corruption.

    As she entered the luxurious foyer, a guard checked Rayker¡¯s ident and waved her inside. The entrance hall was three stories high, and there wasn¡¯t an inch not decorated with sculptures and paintings of immaculate detail, girded with gold leaf and polished ivory frames. Most of the representations were of legendary agents or political victories. Rayker found it all so tiresome.

    The Helvetic elite couldn¡¯t understand, in their obsequious loyalty to old tradition, that power could not remain rooted like a tree. It had to be dynamic; a predator, fast moving and ready to adapt. The old scientists, at least, had understood this principle. They named it the ¡®Red Queen Hypothesis¡¯ in reference to the Alice in Wonderland character who had to run constantly just to stay in the same spot.

    A half century earlier, the disastrous Frontier war had proven how intolerant the human worlds were to the League¡¯s use of violence. A fragile alliance of planets sent forces to crush cartel activities on Misian and a few surrounding systems. As the violence escalated out of control, accusations of imperialism were thrown against Helvets everywhere. The League backed down, leaving the galaxy¡¯s political ties in a brittle state. But with Rayker¡¯s help, the less ethical members of the Adjudicate were willing to turn to darker schemes. Now that she had gained their trust, it was time to put her own vastly more ambitious plan into action.

    She stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the hundred and fiftieth floor¡ªthe highest office in the building. Now she was alone, Rayker allowed herself to stroke the underside of her wrist, tracing the elongated bone needles embedded beneath her skin. Even under stress, she could regenerate them within hours. They always left a bloody mess when they punched through her flesh, but neither that nor the pain disturbed her.

    A functionary ushered her into the empty office of the Director of the Adjudicate, a sprawling and luxurious room. Rayker sat in a comfortable leather seat facing an enormous wooden desk and looked out of the floor to ceiling windows. She reflected that she might have been able to enjoy a spectacular view of Mont. Blanc and its surrounding peaks, but for the forest of steel in the way.

    Eventually, Cardinal Merris arrived, together with several orderlies. When he saw her, he went white and quickly ushered his aides away.

 Part 2 - Chapter 11

    ¡°Are you mad?¡± he hissed once his office door was shut. ¡°If you were recognized in this city, or caught, I¡¯d have a dozen rivals using the resulting investigation to get rid of me.¡± He gingerly took a seat behind his desk.

    Rayker was not impressed by Merris¡ªa short, balding man, who thought of himself as subtle, but was as easy to read as a gossip magazine. ¡°You demanded a progress report,¡± she said. ¡°I decided to deliver it personally.¡±

    Merris raised a finger at her. ¡°You¡¯re an adrenaline junky, like everyone else in your sordid criminal underworld.¡±

    Rayker stared back at him but said nothing.

    He eventually turned away, flustered. Getting up out of his chair, he walked to the nearest window and looked out at the surrounding buildings. ¡°The Caldera project is proceeding well below expectations. I am struggling to justify its existence to the Secretariat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be closing it down, then?¡± she said, with practiced disinterest. No need to let him think she was too attached to the operation, or he might get suspicious. What the cardinals never understood about power was that it was never found in the decisions of the institution¡ªonly in what you could make people believe.

    He turned back. ¡°Now, I didn¡¯t say that. But we must address its limitations, and develop a holistic process going forward, making sure we keep the defined objectives in view whilst furthering the team¡¯s alignment with the Adjudicate¡¯s broader strategy.¡±

    Rayker tapped her fingers loudly on the armrest of her chair as she let the sentence fade into the forgettable past. He always spoke in such vacuous words that offered only the pretense of competence.

    ¡°As I have explained to you many times, Merris,¡± she said, ¡°the machine cannot turn people into obedient drones. It simplifies and amplifies their instincts, making them violent and dangerous. We have had success with animals, true. But that is because animals have simple minds. If we give them food and a warm place to sleep, they are easy to manage. Every time we put a human in there, I lose men, and it is rather difficult to manage a rampaging monstrosity when your workforce is in pieces on the floor.¡±

    Of course, Rayker had not been foolish enough to try a second human test, but she needed a believable way to justify her repeated requests for manpower. Specifically, for only those men who had served with, and were loyal to, Captain Reed.

    ¡°But you have been working towards a solution?¡±

    ¡°How can I? I don¡¯t have any scientists or engineers on my team. Instead, we¡¯ve been exploring the laboratory in greater detail, in the hopes of finding new research avenues.¡±

    ¡°Have you discovered anything?¡±

    Rayker rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I would have communicated something as exciting as a new discovery, Merris?¡±

    ¡°You will remember to address me as Cardinal Merris, please,¡± he said quietly, before looking back to the window. ¡°I thought you knew how to use this alien technology from¡­ from your own background.¡±

    She turned up the corners of her mouth. ¡°I am not an engineer, unfortunately, but I have had a degree of success in fine tuning some of our creature¡¯s characteristics.¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    ¡°I can program the machine to make them larger, give them¡­ upgrades.¡±

    ¡°But nothing so far that has truly intimidated the local populace?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately not,¡± Rayker said. ¡°They have proven quite adaptative. Their militias are well organized and able to absorb losses. The people have accepted the risk and continue to live their lives. Colony worlds are dangerous places that breed hardy folk.¡±

    Merris turned back from the window and returned to his desk. He sank into his chair like a collapsing plastic sack. ¡°Your, ah¡­ your test subjects¡­ You haven¡¯t been using League citizens, I hope?¡±

    ¡°As much as it tempts me, no,¡± she said, enjoying his expression. ¡°Don¡¯t look so appalled; it was only a joke.¡±

    Merris¡¯ rotund face turned pink. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you find so amusing in all of this. By now, the new colonies should be demanding the protection of Helvetic leadership from dangerous aliens. Instead, all we have after years of work is a manageable pest problem that barely makes the headlines in Rackeye. A brilliant plan, sloppily executed.¡±

    Rayker laughed at him. Did he really think he could intimidate her?

    Merris¡¯ face paled. ¡°I suppose we can¡¯t infiltrate the militia¡¯s command structure?¡± he suggested in a demurer tone.

    ¡°There is no command structure; they are completely decentralized,¡± Rayker said. This simple concept seemed to be beyond the understanding of anyone in the Helvetic world.

    Merris shook his head. ¡°Impossible to understand how these people get anything done.¡±

    Rayker rolled her eyes. ¡°They talk to each other.¡±

    ¡°Do I take it that you have some kind of sympathy for their way of life?¡±

    ¡°Of course. They are pursuing their biological need for self-determination, as any organism would, and with a reasonable degree of success. Unfortunately for them, evolution does not stand still; humanity must overcome its selfish, individualist nature if it is to approach philosophical truth.¡±

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    ¡°Indeed. The problem before us, then, is still to find what truth will return Caldera, and the other wayward colonies, to the brotherhood of nations?¡±

    Rayker shrugged. ¡°I need more people with the right backgrounds. Soldiers can only take me so far.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you were training them with technical manuals?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am, Merris.¡± She noted his twitching eyebrow and felt a buzz of satisfaction. ¡°But this technology is far more advanced than anything even a doctorate level engineer could understand. The men struggle with the basics of nanite networking. Now, if I were free to communicate with the League¡¯s scientific personnel¡ª¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± He sighed and turned away. ¡°The risk is too great. The Director of Biological Research, Cardinal Crayland, has initiated another escalation over the delays in the project. If she were to start looking too closely into¡­ ah, our personnel¡ª¡±

    ¡°You mean if she discovered who I am?¡± Rayker raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Indeed. She could dismantle the whole thing. An official request for more resources¡ªand League scientists¡ªcould threaten the future of the project.¡±

    ¡°You mean the future of your career?¡±

    Merris scowled. ¡°Must you be so damned literal Rayker?¡±

    ¡°Cutting through vain illusions has always brought me great pleasure,¡± she said with a grin.

    He shuddered.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m thinking about it,¡± she mused, ¡°a new biological research lab has opened in the University of Rackeye. Lots of budding young minds, eager to do their part for the League.¡±

    ¡°You believe they will be able to find a solution that will enable you to control a human subject?¡±

    Rayker nodded. ¡°I think it¡¯s worth a try.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, Adjudicate protocol does not allow us to work with¡­ uncontrolled agents. Without careful indoctrination, vetting, and oversight of these students, the risk is too great.¡±

    Rayker stood up to leave. ¡°Oh well, I guess that¡¯s it then. I have appreciated this discussion, and your input is always useful, but if we can¡¯t find a solution, then I have other projects¡ª¡±

    ¡°N-now wait a minute,¡± the Cardinal stammered. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it would be impossible. I just need to convince the other Cardinals¡­¡±

    Rayker smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way.¡±

    ¡°But these students¡ªwhat if they find our project to be¡­ distasteful?¡± He swallowed.

    Rayker waved a hand. ¡°They don¡¯t need to know everything,¡± she said. ¡°Feeding them only the necessary information should suffice to open the way for new theories.¡±

    She suppressed a smile. And if any of the pompous brats did make trouble, she would probably torture them. The pantomime Helvet culture raised their children to be bright and hopeful about the promise of mankind. A brief introduction to the horror that lay beneath the foundations of civilization would probably break them. Rayker felt a rush of excitement. How amusing it would be to look into a young man¡¯s eyes as his soul fractured. And, of course, whatever was left would one day make for a useful test subject for the transformation chamber.

    ¡°At the next committee meeting,¡± Merris said, ¡°I will suggest the possibility that a handful of students be transferred to your project. But understand that you will still have to answer to me, Rayker. If Crayland and her mob don¡¯t start to see results soon, they¡¯ll take me out of the equation. They¡¯ll find out who you are, and before you know it, you¡¯ll have a battle group in Calderan orbit ready to blow you all to pieces.¡±

    ¡°Did you just threaten me?¡±

    Merris clenched his jaw and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Yes. Work with me, dammit.¡±

    Rayker bowed her head. ¡°Very well Cardinal Merris. I will follow your lead.¡±

    Rayker wandered through Geneva, gazing in boredom at the uninspiring, Solarian-school architecture that rose high over her head. Glass and mirror-smooth steel bulged from the mega-structure¡¯s facades to create sleek curves and subtle forms. The designers had obviously intended to capture the power of technology and its domination over nature, but the reality looked cheap, like a child¡¯s plastic toy.

    When she reached the lakefront, Rayker saw the Secretariat building on the opposite side of the water. Housing the governing chambers of the League¡¯s Central Committee, the edifice was a vast sphere that balanced precariously over the site of the old Jet d¡¯Eau. Once, two powerful pumps had shot a fountain of water over four hundred feet into the air from the pier. Now, various Senators and functionaries imagined themselves to be just as magnificent, as they gazed out the windows of the debate chamber¡¯s upper balconies. They were no doubt blissfully content in their vision of the power they held over the thirty-seven colonized worlds.

    Rayker turned away from the view and headed towards the long Mont-Blanc bridge that stretched over Lac Leman. Mounted along the rail, flags of every nation, both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial, fluttered in the breeze. Pedestrians crowded the whole span¡ªall vehicle traffic moved through subterranean tunnels below¡ªthough there were no tourists allowed in Geneva.

    Only the most well-connected men and women could gain access to the hub of imperial power. The cities¡¯ residents imagined themselves completely protected by the army of bureaucrats that stood between themselves and the rest of humanity.

    Rayker felt the old seductive thrill, and her heartbeat quickened as she watched the passersby. If she turned on them now, she could kill hundreds before anyone could stop her. Corporations would collapse, planets would be plunged into political crisis, crime syndicates would run out of control. The possibilities were deliciously endless.

    She shuddered to imagine the tedium of holding high office. Fortunately, her work kept her at the sharp end of the stick, where the smell of blood was a welcome indulgence. She had never met her true benefactor, who was vastly more powerful and cunning than Merris. The shadowy entity sent Rayker instructions and briefings via anonymous messages, that demonstrated an immense political and historical knowledge. No matter what resources she needed, whether weapons, ships or money, she got them immediately.

    Only the Old Ones¡ªexiled from Earth for millennia¡ªhad such power. Rayker didn¡¯t know which of those mysterious beings she was dealing with, and she didn¡¯t care. They had earned her loyalty long ago. Now, her benefactor had made plain their plans for humanity¡¯s destiny, and Rayker was committed to fulfilling that vision.

    The species was so cruel, so ignorant, and wicked. They couldn¡¯t even imagine the glory of the civilization that had gone before them. The wiser, more evolved Old Ones had to be returned from the shadows to their rightful lordship over the heavens. But circumstances had left them weak, and humanity¡¯s factions would unite aggressively against an external threat. Transformation had to come slowly, from the inside.

    There had been pitfalls and failures, but the work continued. Humanity¡¯s¡¯ factions were all so petty; little fishes, singing and playing in the waves. Rayker navigated the tides and the currents. With time she would succeed in building her master¡¯s unassailable and eternal empire over humanity. As far as she was concerned, it would be brought about efficiently, or inefficiently. The only interesting variable would be the body count.

    To that end, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes of civilized society. A politician might have grown too principled and be overdue for an untimely accident. A corporation might need to be enriched by less than ethical means. If Rayker had to step outside the law to achieve her goals, so much the better. There was no room for doubt in her world. When she failed to stay a step ahead of her rivals, they tried to kill her, though none had survived such attempts. She had seen gangsters, oligarchs and warlords rise and fall. She had seen the inside of many prison cells. But she always managed to free herself, and with time and new identities, generations had forgotten who she was.

 Part 2 - Chapter 12

    Nearly three hundred years ago the explosion of human space exploration had begun. The earliest explorers had ventured out, slowly at first, planting the flags of dozens of nations on new worlds. The home planet, no longer needed for its resources, became irrelevant. Unable to accept this development, Earth¡¯s most powerful families, mega corporations, politicians, and power brokers schemed to maintain their hegemony. At other times in history, they might have been called Patricians, or Aristocrats, or passed without notice, hiding in plain sight. But they shared the same timeless purpose; to rule at any cost.

    Their plan, helped along by Rayker, was subtle, and painstakingly slow. Colonies were infiltrated with members from the cabal. Engineers, scientists, lawyers, and businessmen of all kinds, drawing on their wealth and personal ties, insinuated themselves into colonial society. This interplanetary elite relied on charisma, manipulation, and sometimes bribery to get their way. They did what social networkers do best¡ªmake connections, gain followers, and influence decisions.

    On Earth, a handful of the most renowned thought leaders created the Central Committee to guide galactic decisions during the direst emergencies. Through their legions of infiltrators, the Committee bribed, seduced, or intimidated colony leaders across the stars. Located in Geneva, the beating heart of a new kind of empire branded itself under the ancient Swiss covenant. When confronted with accusations of imperialism, the Committee fervently denied that was their goal. Ours is not control of a super-state; they claimed to the credulous. Rather, it is a loose association of free communities. A Helvetic League.

    With time, and Rayker¡¯s assistance, the League¡¯s grip tightened, and their control became irresistible. But cracks had begun to show in the fa?ade. Cartels ran rampant. Stifling under the bigoted cultural authority of the Adjudicate, colonies grew restless and unruly. Riots and protests might be silenced, but then tens of thousands of pioneers fled out into the void, searching for a new world, and another chance to begin again. Humanity seemed to have a stubborn and willful strain that would not be contained. Every time a new planet was settled, the Adjudicate¡¯s enforcers had to scramble to keep up. Caldera, the newest world, seemed to have entirely broken free of Helvetic influence¡ªthe small foothold of Rackeye notwithstanding.

    Now, as far as Rayker was concerned, the Helvetic League was a failure. No doctrine of influence, or new technology could change human nature. She argued to her benefactor that only a ruthless and technologically superior authority could bring the species into line. Despite receiving objections, she persisted in her argument. While it was true that such totalitarian states had failed in the past, this time would be different.

    As the League¡¯s military sought to covertly interfere in the affairs of the colonies, they had resurrected a long-forgotten type of soldier, for a long-forgotten type of war. Despite setbacks and missteps, the army succeeded in producing several regiments of Special Forces. These elite soldiers could work in the shadows, without need for a strict chain of command. They trained, supported, and fought alongside rebels, cartels, and militias¡ªany faction that could violently oppose an uncooperative planetary government.

    Rayker¡¯s vision was to find, amongst those soldiers, men who shared her and her benefactor¡¯s ideals, and use their skills to manage armies of obedient, biologically superior drones. Her benefactor had approved of her plan, and provided the coordinates to the installation on Caldera that held the technology she needed. They tricked Merris and the other Cardinals into believing that the monsters would only be used to scare the colonists, but their true goal was much grander. With scientists who could unlock the installation¡¯s true potential, Rayker¡¯s team would be armed with unstoppable legions. They would build a new empire and usher in a new dawn for humanity.

    As she reached the end of the Mont-Blanc bridge, Rayker entered the gardens of the Jardin Anglaise. The area around the old lakeside harbor was a clearing in the heart of the forest of steel skyscrapers. Around the gardens, the buildings were small, stone and baroque. The wide, empty streets were lined with luscious green trees, and peacefully quiet. The quays were filled with wooden yachts, outwardly classical, and romantic in design, but luxurious and modern on the inside.

    Rayker could almost imagine walking the streets of the city as it had been before the League. Back then, the humbling peaks of the alps dominated the skyline, while the cliff face of Sal¨¨ve taunted the adventurous day-tripper. Now, only the sheer glass walls of the surrounding mega-structures were visible in the near distance, reflecting their opposites across the lake.

    By the lakeside, surrounded by bushes and flowerbeds, Cardinal Yella Crayland waited for her. She wore sunglasses and a dull, inexpensive overcoat, and made a show of inspecting the plants. Rayker watched her for a time, then carefully observed the surrounding officials and businessmen. None were lingering, or too obviously pretending not to notice her.

    Satisfied, Rayker moved over to the other woman, likewise pretending to study the plants. She settled her thoughts and brought the character she had created to mind. ¡°Carlotta Divine¡± was a well-meaning functionary, a true believer in the League, who had gotten into a project that was out of her depth. She would be nervous and anxious not to appear judgmental or disloyal.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Ms. Divine,¡± Crayland said. ¡°Were you followed?¡± She flashed Rayker a look.

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± Rayker replied, as she avoided eye contact. Like most Cardinals, the woman was obviously incapable of understanding what incognito meant. ¡°I have my progress report ready for you.¡±

    ¡°Is it as bad as I think it is?¡± Crayland was unable to disguise the glee in her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so¡ªthe work on Caldera has ground to a halt. As much as I respect all our dedicated public officials, I¡¯m just not convinced they are the best suited to manage this kind of project.¡±

    ¡°There has been much talk about this in the Central Committee. They are asking questions about the lack of progress.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, perhaps your direct intervention¡ª¡±

    ¡°Out of the question,¡± Crayland said. ¡°The senior Cardinals are too suspicious of my ambition. That¡¯s why they moved me to Biological Research and gave Special Activities to that clown Merris. If they even caught me here talking to you¡­¡±

    Rayker blinked slowly as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Then they would have ten thousand and one scheming bureaucrats to keep track of, you narcissistic fool. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± she said, ¡°we can¡¯t proceed to phase two until the department heads agree to make a decision. We simply must have access to your department¡¯s scientists at the base on Caldera.¡±

    Crayland nodded slowly, apparently lost in thought. ¡°It is a shame,¡± she said eventually, ¡°that our first encounter with intelligent alien life should become so¡­ politicized. I can only imagine what those beings might think of us.¡±

    ¡°A tragedy indeed, however, I take hope in the fact that we haven¡¯t actually encountered these¡­ beings yet, only the works they left behind. Perhaps with a little effort, our society can be developed to the point that we are able to make true contact under better circumstances.¡±

    ¡°You are an optimist, aren¡¯t you, Miss Divine?¡±

    ¡°I like to believe I can get the best out of anyone. All it takes is a little persuasion.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I do not share your view. Can you imagine the impact if news of this discovery got out? There would be chaos, not to mention complete collapse of public confidence in the League. No¡­ we have a long way to go yet. We are fortunate the site is so well hidden, which makes me curious¡­ how were you able to locate it so easily?¡±

    ¡°You must keep this to yourself, ma¡¯am. There was another site, uncovered in a dig on Mars. That¡¯s where we found the coordinates.¡±

    It was an easy fabrication. Everything on Mars was underground, thus difficult to find or access. Crayland wouldn¡¯t want the hassle of trying to track the non-existent ¡°dig¡± down.

    ¡°Strange, I hadn¡¯t heard about it.¡±

    ¡°Merris ordered everything locked down,¡± Rayker explained. ¡°The records are not available outside the Adjudicate.¡±

    Crayland cocked her head. ¡°Surely the oversight committee would have demanded access¡­¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t ask for things they don¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°I see¡ªthat dinosaur still has some cunning in him. Now, don¡¯t be concerned. I won¡¯t use that information; I know it would make him suspicious. But you must tell me, what is his weakness?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d hate to criticize any of my seniors directly¡ª¡±

    ¡°Miss Divine.¡± Crayland leaned over intently. ¡°This project is of the highest importance to the future of colonized space. We must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure it is kept under strong leadership.¡±

    ¡°Please respect the distance, ma¡¯am,¡± Rayker said anxiously.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Crayland apologized and moved away a few steps. ¡°But please, tell me what you have to say.¡±

    Rayker let out a sigh and looked away across the lake. She played with a strand of hair to give the impression of nervousness. ¡°Well, I suppose I believe that a certain official is hesitant to move forward due to¡­ indecisiveness.¡±

    ¡°You mean fear?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of insulting anybody¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, but I think you¡¯ve made your point clear.¡± Crayland removed her sunglasses and pretended to study a particularly large flower up close. ¡°So, Merris is a coward¡­ well, this changes things.¡±

    Rayker ran her finger over some rose petals. She tore them off the bud with a quick and subtle hand movement, crushing them between her fingers. ¡°Perhaps he could be swayed,¡± she suggested, ¡°by a little more pressure from another member of the oversight committee. A respected scientist, say, might convince him to share some control over the project with other departments.¡±

    ¡°You may be right, but I can¡¯t be seen to attack him directly¡ªI have rivals of my own to contend with.¡±

    ¡°The Adjudicate needs a strong, wise figure at its head.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors,¡± Crayland said, ¡°that Merriss hired a woman¡ªsome kind of gangster¡ªto lead the team on Caldera, and is hiding it from the committee. Is it true? Did you meet her?¡±

    ¡°Only once,¡± Rayker said, looking ill as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest, ¡°and she didn¡¯t pay me much attention. If half the stories I heard about her are true, then she is certainly a dangerous psychopath.¡±

    ¡°How awful the paths we take to success. And we will do everything in our power to ensure your cover remains secure, Ms. Divine. Have no doubts that we will not leave you alone out there.¡±

    ¡°I have never doubted it.¡±

    ¡°Of course, and I know I don¡¯t have to worry about your loyalty, either. Very well. I will make a few calls, and we will see if we can¡¯t force Merris into a corner.¡±

    ¡°Your leadership and guidance is always appreciated, ma¡¯am.¡± Rayker turned to go, hesitated to check her surroundings, as a novice conspirator might, then walked away. Behind her, a few crushed petals lay in the grass where she had tossed them.

    Several hours later, Rayker felt her shuttle rising into the air as it departed for the Solar Liner and her long trip back to Caldera. She felt her phone buzz and answered the call.

    ¡°Yes, Merris?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re trying to corner me,¡± he spat. ¡°It¡¯s Crayland again, through her lap dogs this time. I¡¯ve made several calls to the cardinals. You¡¯ll have your students, Rayker, but keep it quiet. And only three or four. They only need to report to you. Just make sure you keep me informed of everything.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Cardinal Merris.¡±

    The call clicked off. Rayker put her feet up on the couch and reached for a bottle of whiskey from the minibar.

 Part 2 - Chapter 13

    Kayla flicked on the desk lamp as the light from the library windows began to fade. She took a bite from her bagel and turned back to her textbook. Hopefully, she could finish the remaining exercises in the chapter before the staff forced her out of the building.

    As she scribbled a solution, there was a scuff of shoes behind her. She looked around to see Gaella standing over her, grinning.

    ¡°Oh Kayla, you¡¯re still working on logarithms?¡± she said with obviously false sweetness. ¡°Rose finished that last week¡­¡±

    Kayla narrowed her eyes. ¡°Great. Good for her.¡±

    She stared at Gaella until the girl¡¯s smirk faded, and she turned to leave.

    Kayla sighed heavily. If Rose was ahead of her, then she had to skip to the next chapter, though she probably had the section mastered. Anxious not to give the impression that she cared what Rose was doing, she made sure no-one was watching, then flicked a few pages further into the book.

    Gaella might have been lying, but Kayla couldn¡¯t take the risk. She and Rose were locked in a battle for first place. Since the night of the Academy dinner, word had gotten out that the graduate had approached Kayla directly. Rose had dropped her dancing and modelling engagements to focus on study, and she had closed the gap in their grades. Kayla was vaguely aware that half a million people around the galaxy were talking about nothing else on their feeds, but she would not let that distract her.

    With only two invitations to the Academy available each year, she had to place as one of the top two students at the school. If she lost the first place slot, she might also lose the second one too, and everything she had worked for over the years. There were plenty of Rose¡¯s friends who were working just as hard to knock her down so they could gloat over the failure of ¡®the colony girl¡¯.

    The news feed from Zula that morning had mentioned another death. As she often did, Kayla had scanned the article and memorized the name of the victim. Most nights, before she went to sleep, she tried to remember all the names she had seen over the years. She had forgotten many of them, but it didn¡¯t stop her from trying. It was a reminder that she didn¡¯t have the right to fail.

    Kayla had been so tired the last few days, but she kept working. She wanted to reach the Academy more than anything, but the system seemed grossly unfair. After all, she had been the one to meet Urtiga. She had survived a tragic attack, and the loss of her father. She had suffered so much pain, and worked so hard to succeed, when all the other students treated her like dirt. Didn¡¯t that earn her the right to go? She was working to save the lives of the Calderan farmers. What did Rose, or any of her friends want beyond another trophy to show off? As much as she looked up to Urtiga, and now Masey, Kayla was angry at them for subjecting her to such pressure, when she didn¡¯t even have any friends for support.

    And if she failed, what would happen to her? How could she live in the Helvetic League¡¯s society when they hated her as much as she hated them? Could she ever go back to the farms now that they saw her as an outsider? Kayla often had nightmares of a life in front of a computer screen, shuffling agricultural stock around a warehouse. The workers would call her a stuck up Helvet, while the managers smiled as they belittled her.

    Gaella¡¯s laughter drifted up from the lounge on a lower floor, followed by the sound of a male voice that made Kayla tense. Weslan Genny was in the library.

    He was Rose¡¯s long-term college boyfriend, and shared her blond-haired, blue-eyed, aristocratic good looks. Another darling of Rackeye society, and the child of a famous, award-winning biologist, he was widely accepted as the perfect beau for Rose. Their pictures and video clips often went viral on the feeds, showcasing the joyful pair and their ¡®wholesome¡¯ antics.

    Kayla hated those posts. She wished she could dislike Weslan too, but¡ªsince he was socially oblivious¡ªhe was the only person who seemed to enjoy spending time with her. He was open and honest with everyone he met and always asked how she was getting on. But his visits to the school always annoyed Kayla, because they reminded her how lonely she felt.

    Once she heard Gaella say goodbye, Kayla dropped her books and scampered downstairs. Weslan was reclining on a sofa with a mug of hot chocolate, a plate of cookies, and a scientific journal.

    ¡°No pontificating in the library, please,¡± she said as she approached.

    Weslan looked up and grinned. Kayla sat beside him on the couch, and they exchanged pleasantries, though he didn¡¯t offer her a cookie.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you at all,¡± he said once they had caught up on recent events. ¡°You work so hard, and yet you would jeopardize it all by doing something stupid, like climbing up the bell tower.¡±

    Kayla attempted to ignore the charm of his puzzled expression. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t kick me out for that. Punishment, maybe, but that¡¯s the point. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be as much fun.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s much more fun talking to people and building relationships,¡± Weslan countered.

    Kayla sighed. ¡°You know I don¡¯t really have that option. You¡¯re the only person who takes an interest in me.¡±

    ¡°Just put in a bit more effort. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ll need good social skills once you get to the Academy?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll get in?¡±

    ¡°Of course you will. I know you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.¡± He laughed. ¡°Or you¡¯ll break something in the process.¡±

    She failed to hide a smile. ¡°Well, no-one else believes in me.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know how to talk to you. You have such odd quirks¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I happen to think my quirks will help me in the Academy.¡± Kayla¡¯s hands darted forward and snatched a cookie off Weslan¡¯s plate. She snuggled back into her seat and smiled cheekily at him before biting into her prize.

    Weslan rolled his eyes. ¡°Charming behaviour. What makes you think the Academy will approve of you?¡±

    Kayla stopped mid chew and shrugged. ¡°I just do,¡± she said through her mouthful. ¡°I met the graduate at the dinner. She was¡­ sort of quirky.¡±

    Weslan sighed and flicked a crumb off his cheek. ¡°Yes, Rose mentioned that. Still, it¡¯s not for us to judge the origins of greatness.¡±

    ¡°You really think like that don¡¯t you?¡± Kayla swallowed the last bit as she studied him. Even when they were charming, Helvets were incomprehensible.

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°That some people are born to be noble, wise leaders who will change the world, and they automatically deserve your respect.¡±

    ¡°I think history proves it.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Historians can be very flattering.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the Kayla viewpoint? Who do you respect?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everybody is an idiot in their own way. I suppose I respect ability and character, but the two don¡¯t always come together.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think of me as an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are. An idiot when it comes to women, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Kayla, why must you be so hurtful?¡± Weslan tutted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to offend you, and I¡¯m not trying to say you¡¯re a bad person. I¡¯m only saying that for all your intelligence, you still do stupid things. Like chatting with me when Rose is your girlfriend.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°But she doesn¡¯t really care about that. Okay, maybe she gets a bit stroppy when I talk to you, but it¡¯s not such a big deal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a big deal.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Well, she¡¯s wrong then. I always believe that with the right attitude, you can get the best from everyone. Even you,¡± he said with a wink.

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°I guess I think that no matter how much you achieve, you¡¯re always capable of doing something dumb. Greatness comes from having humility. You Helvets act like you couldn¡¯t put a foot wrong if you tried.¡±

    ¡°Say what you like, Kayla. Some day you will be one of us.¡±

    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± a cold voice said from behind them.

    Rose stood at the lounge entrance, her face twisted with fury.

    Kayla pretended to slap Weslan in the face. ¡°You pig!¡± she cried, ¡°you told me you were through with her!¡± She swept her arms across her face in a dramatic pose. ¡°Oh, how dreadfully I have been wronged.¡±

    ¡°Nobody thinks you¡¯re funny,¡± Rose snapped, as Weslan hid a sudden cough.

    ¡°Maybe not¡ªbut I guess I¡¯ll get over it,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be studying?¡± Rose said. ¡°Instead of galivanting about,¡± she glared at Weslan, ¡°with men beyond your station?¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°You two and your silly rivalry,¡± he groaned. ¡°I know you¡¯re both nice people. You could get along if you tried.¡±

    ¡°I think we have too few legs for Kayla to get along with us,¡± Rose said.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Kayla nodded. ¡°Animals are better. For instance, you¡¯d never catch a pig trying to pretend it can dance.¡±

    Rose took a step forward.

    Kayla sat up on the couch, hands gripping the edge, with a steady smirk on her lips.

    Rose crossed her arms and returned the smirk. ¡°You know, I told my new friend Ms. Masey Laukkanen all about you. She was very upset to hear that you are both a delinquent and a flirt¡ªtwo qualities they do not accept in Academy graduates.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ no. She either laughed at you or ignored you,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°Because I understand her better than you.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, everybody knows she only spoke to you for a moment!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and yet¡­¡± Kayla leaned back against the sofa, ¡°You know, maybe Weslan is getting through to me, and maybe there is a tiny glimmer of decency stuck in your shoe, so I¡¯m going to give you my genuine opinion.¡±

    ¡°How useful that will be,¡± Rose sneered.

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. ¡°This Academy thing is not for you. You don¡¯t understand what it is all about¡ªyou are going to be disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Rose said. ¡°So, just like that, I¡¯m supposed to drop my application and leave you to be the star graduate?¡±

    ¡°Do what you want¡ªI actually don¡¯t care. Do I act like I¡¯m desperate for that kind of attention? Nobody knows what happens to Academy graduates, Rose, they disappear from the public eye, remember? Sometimes they resurface for a speech and polite chitchat, then they¡¯re never heard from again.¡±

    For a moment, Rose looked uncertain.

    ¡°All I¡¯m saying,¡± Kayla continued, ¡°is that if you want to chase your dream of being some adored, over-achieving galaxy touring super-star, then you should probably go work for your dad¡¯s company, or whatever.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what on Earth makes you think you know anything about those women?¡±

    Kayla nodded sagely. ¡°Good point¡ªWhat could a dumb colonist know about anything outside of their farm?¡±

    Weslan gave her a suspicious look. ¡°Why do I get the impression you really do know more about the Academy than you¡¯re letting on?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Rose snapped. ¡°She¡¯s playing mind games. And Kayla, how dare you suggest I¡¯m only in it for the fame. Unlike you, I work hard every day because I want to make the world a better place. As, I¡¯m certain, does the Academy.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. She suspected Rose was lying, as Helvet¡¯s always did about their motives. A quick glance at the daily feed on her phone told her what drove them. ¡°So, the public image of your father¡¯s corporation has nothing to do with it?¡±

    Rose¡¯s brow creased. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it does. But why would you bring that up?¡±

    ¡°What would the Helvetic world think if Hieron Djallen¡¯s daughter failed to get an invite to the toughest school in the galaxy? Come on Rose, you people are so transparent.¡±

    Rose laughed. ¡°Well, obviously it would reflect poorly on the Djallen name. But there¡¯s a thousand other things I¡¯ve failed to achieve. Besides, so many candidates fail to get through the infamous screening process¡ªeven intellectual superstars. I¡¯m sure there would be disappointment, but everyone would move on. Really, Kayla, your two-dimensional critique of the League is getting tiresome.¡±

    ¡°I have to agree,¡± Weslan said with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s unfair of you to deny that Rose lives her own life.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± She got up to return to her desk. ¡°Keep your Helvet propaganda.¡±

    Rose¡¯s voice became sharp. ¡°And of course, you still won¡¯t share your real reason for wanting to go, will you?¡±

    Kayla froze. Even after so many years, the implied accusation that she was a liar hurt, like a knife in the chest.

    ¡°I suppose by going,¡± Rose continued, ¡°you think you can outrun the reputation you earned here?¡±

    Kayla turned back to her with a look of hurt confusion. ¡°Why did I even come to this school, according to you? Can¡¯t you see how much I hate it?¡±

    ¡°Obviously it was your golden ticket to high society. I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯d have had much of a future on those farms¡ª¡±

    ¡°Those people,¡± Kayla said angrily, ¡°would do whatever it took to protect me. Just like I will do whatever it takes to protect them. And in this vicious, lying, hateful society, you will never ever know what that feels like.¡±

    ¡°Oh please.¡± Rose stabbed the air with a finger. ¡°I can count among my peers some of the brightest minds in the galaxy.¡±

    Most Helvets talked like they weren¡¯t really listening, and Rose was the same. Kayla decided she¡¯d had enough of her vacuous drivel, and wanted nothing more than to hurt the stupid girl as deeply as she could.

    Her lips turned into a sneer. ¡°But there¡¯s that part of you that wonders how real their respect is. Maybe you¡¯re wrong. Maybe, deep down, all they really want is to use you¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a lying, impudent, arrogant girl!¡± Rose snapped. ¡°You talk about community, and have the nerve to come here and act like our moral superior while you insult everyone.¡± She took a step forward. ¡°You¡¯re the transparent one. Everyone can see you¡¯re here to prove to the colonists that Helvets are stuck up and evil.¡±

    Kayla clenched her jaw while she maintained eye contact. ¡°You know nothing.¡±

    ¡°Enough of this.¡± Rose held up a hand, palm outward. ¡°I have better things to do than explore the warped imagination of a future career criminal. Weslan, don¡¯t bother calling me until you¡¯re ready to apologize.¡±

    She turned on her heel and strode away as Weslan jumped up and chased after her.

    Final exams came and went. Madame Lefevre posted the student¡¯s scores on the school¡¯s bulletin board, and Kayla was high on adrenaline as her eyes focused on the top of the list.

    Her name was in second place. Rose had beaten her by only a few points, though Kayla¡¯s grades were far ahead of her nearest challenger. With a sigh of relief, she collapsed on a bench to collect herself as she wiped away tears. When her hands stopped shaking and her mind cleared, she began to feel heat filling her cheeks.

    Rose was first.

    The thought of seeing her smug grin along with the looks from her adoring imitators was almost more than Kayla could bear. Even worse, she would have to suffer Rose¡¯s presence on their trip to the Academy.

    But when she thought about that, she became nearly giddy with excitement. She had made it. She would see Urtiga again, and finally discover the truth about who those women really were. And with Kayla¡¯s help, they would destroy the monsters that were still killing her fellow colonists.

    Later that day, the headmistress invited them both to her office for a meeting in which she congratulated the pair for their stellar performance.

    ¡°All I can say, Madam Lefevre,¡± Rose said, as she beamed with delight, ¡°is that our success can only be due to the wonderful talent of our professors. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Kayla?¡±

    Kayla glared daggers at Rose. ¡°I think,¡± she said, almost struggling to speak, ¡°that at least my individual effort might have had something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Now ladies,¡± Madame Lefevre scolded. ¡°You must remember that you are representing the school to those vaunted women of the Academy. I absolutely insist you put away this¡­ this childish rivalry you have, and make sure to give a good account of yourselves. Is that clear?¡±

    Rose¡¯s already overdone smile blossomed into an expression that was too absurd to be real. Kayla nodded unenthusiastically.

    ¡°Yes, Madame,¡± she said.

    ¡°Excellent. Well, I trust you have your affairs in order for the weekend tour? Do try to take notes of what you see. Everyone we have sent there seems to forget the details.¡±

    As she left the headmistress¡¯ office, Kayla swatted away dark thoughts of confronting Rose in an empty alleyway. In the gardens she ran into Weslan, wandering aimlessly among the flowers. His eyes were red and watery.

    ¡°Hey¡­ are you okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Rose ditched me, you know?¡± he said.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Kayla struggled to hide her reaction. She should be sympathetic and supportive for him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±

    ¡°She said I was a distraction. She wants to be one hundred percent focused when she gets to the Academy.¡± His eyes narrowed as they focused on her. ¡°That¡¯s your fault, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Kayla returned the expression with a look of confusion. ¡°No, it¡¯s her fault.¡±

    Weslan scoffed. ¡°You provoke her. Don¡¯t act so innocent¡ªeveryone knows how much you want to humiliate her. Why else would you work so hard for something you¡¯ll probably hate?¡±

    Kayla wanted to yell, to tell him how wrong he was, and how much she hated all their assumptions. But how could she possibly explain, either to him or to Rose, what she had seen on the night of her father¡¯s death¡ªwhat she hoped was waiting for her? But he was obviously distraught by Rose¡¯s actions, so she settled for a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t tell you,¡± she said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t ask her to compete with me¡ªthat¡¯s all on her.¡±

    He sniffed. ¡°Well then, I hope the Academy is what you want it to be. You¡¯ve obviously worked hard enough for it.¡±

    Kayla decided to change the subject. ¡°How¡¯s your doctorate proposal looking? Everyone seems to be talking about it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going well, yes, the professors seem quite excited. It¡¯s a study of the organizational networks controlled in insects by pheromone receptors.¡±

    ¡°That sounds pretty cool. I hope you get it,¡± Kayla said with an encouraging smile.

    ¡°Thanks, and good luck. You¡¯ll stay in touch, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s gut tightened. Why was she feeling anxious? She decided to ignore the sensation. Resistance in all things was to be overcome.

    She smiled. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 14

    Kayla and Rose travelled by starliner to the interstellar hub at Raisa. Kayla had never left the surface of Caldera before, and she kept herself glued to the cabin window as they approached the impossibly large station. Hundreds of large vessels drifted near the docks and terminals of the station¡¯s outer ring, as shoals of smaller craft threaded between and around them. The inner core consisted of an immense rotating tube a dozen miles in diameter. Urban construction sprawled across the inner surface, while along the main axis a complex mirror structure captured sunlight, directing it into the depths of the habitation zone.

    Kayla had seen pictures, but they had not prepared her for the real thing. The sheer size and complexity of the station made her feel so small. How could her home resist a civilization that could build such things?

    As their ship closed on a docking clamp, Kayla drew her eyes away from the glass and prepared herself to disembark. The flight had been peaceful. Rose had left her alone, and Kayla expected to find her own way through the station. But as she stepped out of the boarding walkway into the terminal, she saw her rival waiting for her.

    ¡°This is your first interstellar trip, isn¡¯t it?¡± Rose asked.

    Kayla scoffed. ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll go crazy and start attacking people?¡±

    She glanced around the terminal. It was bigger than she had imagined, almost the size of one of Rackeye¡¯s shopping malls. Crowds of travelers hurried past in both directions.

    Through a viewport, Kayla saw the sun rising over Planet Raisa and she caught her breath. Warm sunlight softly revealed the ripples of a mountain range, interrupted by the occasional reflected glare of a large lake. Creamy white sheets of cloud drifted across an ocean. On the dark side, intricate spider webs of yellow light outlined the denser cities. Kayla had never seen a world from orbit before¡ªtheir shuttle having left Caldera during the night. She hadn¡¯t imagined it could be so¡­ humbling.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not dally,¡± Rose said impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Academy staff will expect us to be punctual.

    ¡°What, are you my babysitter now?¡± Kayla said as she dragged her gaze away from the view.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m following Madam Lefevre¡¯s guidance. I would not be making a good impression for our school if I let you get lost or kidnapped in one of the largest space stations in the galaxy.¡±

    ¡°Kidnapped? Seriously? I bet tens of thousands of people travel through here every day in complete safety.¡±

    ¡°Well, one never knows with these public thoroughfares.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Could you be any more out of touch?¡±

    ¡°Stay with me please until we find¡­¡± Rose checked her phone. ¡°Gate seventy-nine.¡±

    The route took them through a vast shopping mall, and Kayla craned her neck around to take in the view. Ten floors surrounded a large atrium, ringed with balconies that contained trees and hanging vines. Overhead, a specially coated glass roof enhanced the star light. The effect was like a diamond shattered into millions of fragments.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose Masey told you¡ª¡± Rose began.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± Kayla interrupted. She couldn¡¯t pull her eyes away from the ceiling. ¡°Is that the milky way? There¡¯s so much more of it than you can see on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rose said. ¡°But I was just wondering¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she seemed to lose interest in the question.

    ¡°What?¡± Kayla turned to Rose. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about the ceiling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it many times. Let¡¯s keep moving, please.¡± She reached out a hand to touch Kayla¡¯s arm, then quickly withdrew it.

    Kayla shook her head, but followed along as Rose moved away. ¡°Does everything in the galaxy bore you?¡± she asked.

    Rose glanced back at the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯m not bored by the view, Kayla. I spent hours staring up there when I was younger.¡±

    ¡°What were you going to ask me?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rose waved a hand dismissively. ¡°I was curious if Masey told you anything about the entrance process?¡±

    ¡°Nervous about failing?¡±

    ¡°I just wonder how it works. I find it strange that an organization can function when it turns away most applicants.¡±

    Kayla smirked. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re all secret super soldiers, stealing softly through the shadows?¡±

    Rose looked away. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. If only your common sense matched your alliteration skills.¡±

    ¡°Whatever¡ªwe¡¯re not going to walk away, and we can¡¯t do anything about it. So, think about something else.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about failing? It¡¯s not like you have anything to fall back on.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Charming. Like I said, I¡¯m not even thinking about it.¡±

    Rose raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s quite a stoic attitude you have.¡±

    ¡°Try it. You¡¯ll live longer.¡±

    As soon as they arrived at the gate, Rose waved and gasped as she saw one of her friends, and she left Kayla¡¯s side without a word. The girls hugged and shrieked excited praise as other members of the Helvet upper class gathered around them. Kayla withdrew to a quiet corner of the seating area from which she could observe the crowd. In total, nearly four hundred young women had arrived, buzzing with excitement and swapping rumors. Severe-looking women in dull, grey uniforms watched them without comment. Kayla wondered if they worked for the Academy, or if they were just contracted.

    She¡¯d expected the tour group to be filled with clones of Rose and her friends; well dressed, wealthy young women out to impress the universe, and she wasn¡¯t disappointed. However, she also saw plenty of invitees who didn¡¯t fit that mold, and at first glance, there didn¡¯t appear to be a typical candidate. Some were not as well dressed and probably came from the poorer quadrants. A few girls wore jeans and hoodies and glared at anyone who went near them. One muscular, tattooed young woman was talking amiably to a Hindu girl dressed in a full Sari. Across the hall, a famous rock climber had drawn a crowd, as had a chess player.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Kayla didn¡¯t feel like talking to anyone. She was there for herself. The crossed arms and averted gazes of some girls told her she was not the only one.

    After an hour passed, and no-one else arrived at the gate, the group was herded onto a passenger transport. Kayla found a window seat in an empty row. She stretched her legs out from the couch and admired the spacious interior of the vessel. It was even larger and more comfortable than the ship that had brought them from Caldera.

    Another girl walked up and smiled politely. She dropped into the aisle seat before pulling a book out of her backpack entitled ¡®The Post-Solar Aesthetic¡¯. Kayla raised an eyebrow. Her new neighbor was stylishly dressed, and her blonde hair and blue eyes marked her out as another Rose-clone. Did the Helvets stamp them out of a factory somewhere? And of course, she had to show off that she owned one of the old and extremely rare physical books.

    The vessel undocked from the terminal, cleared the station¡¯s transit zone, and made the jump into the void. A voice spoke in the cabin, thanking the passengers for their patience and explaining the trip would take around five hours, during which time food and drink would be served. Kayla dug out her phone and began scrolling through an e-book on the evolution of predatory species, but, before long, Rose¡¯s voice carried from across the cabin.

    ¡°Just a complete terror of a girl,¡± she was saying loudly, to the raucous laughter of her clique. ¡°And do you know what she said to the head of the Art department? ¡®Well, Miss, frankly, it looks like a cow turd!¡¯¡±

    Kayla chuckled at the memory. She had expressed an honest opinion, and it had been funny to watch the art teacher¡¯s face turning purple. But Rose¡¯s friends were not enjoying Kayla¡¯s point of view; they were mocking her. As the stories and laughter continued, her mood turned sour, and she began drumming her fingers loudly on her armrest.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± a voice said. Kayla¡¯s neighbor had looked up from her book and was smiling at her. She had a charismatic smile and an old-style English accent, which was a little entertaining.

    ¡°Hi.¡± Kayla tried her best to smile, but the tension of the unnatural social gathering made her muscle movements awkward, and she wondered if she looked like a fool.

    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re drumming your fingers quite loudly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t notice. It¡¯s a nervous habit.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but all the same,¡± said the girl, still smiling, ¡°it¡¯s rather loud.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll stop. I¡¯m Kayla Barnes, by the way. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Christie Stirling. Thank you, I do appreciate it.¡± She turned her attention back to her book.

    Kayla stared at the girl, then forced herself back to the text on her phone as dark thoughts filled her mind. By the time they arrived at their destination, she hadn¡¯t read more than a few sentences.

    The transport arrived in orbit around a gas giant, and Kayla stared at the red and brown atmosphere through the cabin viewports. The planet had to be more than ten times the size of Caldera. Centered in front of the sphere, like the iris of an alien eye, was a brilliant blue and green moon. It hung impossibly over the gaseous ocean beneath it, and Kayla¡¯s head began to spin with vertigo. She was a long way from climbing school towers, and things could only get stranger.

    Christie didn¡¯t stir, apparently unconcerned by the view, though the other girls in the ship crammed themselves around a window to get a look.

    Their vessel descended into the moon¡¯s atmosphere, and soon mountain ranges were visible, covering every land mass in sight. There wasn¡¯t any ice at the poles, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any large urban centers. Soon neat, gridline patterns of buildings came into view, connected by a road network spread out over vast, empty regions.

    The ship followed a coastline, until a bay fed by a river emerged from between green peaks. A city sprawled around the body of water, and the vessel spiraled down towards a small starport. Neatly geometric buildings gleamed white in the sun, their angular forms giving them a dashing look. In the cabin, girls were quiet with admiration as they studied the beautiful architecture. Luscious trees and shrubs lined the streets of the city, while pools and decorative waterways ran down the avenues. Large parks interrupted the urban landscape, and there didn¡¯t seem to be much traffic on the roadways.

    Once landed, the girls were met off the transport by more uniformed women who spoke into headsets and carried tablets. The tour group was lined up and directed to buses that took them to a hotel complex on the edge of the city. As Kayla gawked at the strange buildings and forested mountains that surrounded them, the staff informed the girls they had twenty minutes to find their rooms, drop their bags, and return to the main lobby.

    When they did, they found another group of uniformed women standing at the center. Their hair was tied back in small, tight buns, and whatever makeup they wore on their expressionless faces was discreet. One, a taller woman with a tan complexion, looked at her watch, and waited in silence as a few stragglers arrived. After another glance at her wrist, the woman passed her eye over the jostling, excited group as though she were inspecting cattle.

    ¡°Welcome ladies,¡± she said in a clear and formal voice, ¡°to this weekend tour of the Academy. Both the moon and this city are named Tyr and might be your future home. I am Colonel Qaghan, and my team is going to show you around our organization today, and give you the chance to learn what kind of work we do here. You will see some of our science and engineering laboratories, and a zoo containing many examples of the creatures we study across the galaxy.¡±

    Kayla looked around to see girls whispering and grinning excitedly.

    ¡°In the evening,¡± Qaghan continued, ¡°after the tour is complete there will be a presentation, and you will be given the chance to decide if you want to join us. Tomorrow, you will have a free day to explore the city as you wish, and meet with the personnel you will see today. You can ask them questions, and if you are polite, they will answer. Don¡¯t be shy¡ªthey are used to these tours so you will only annoy them a bit.¡±

    This was met with a smattering of laughter from the girls, but Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed. What did ¡®If you want to join us¡¯ mean? What about the infamous entrance test? Nothing was happening the way she had expected. Confronted with the excited and hopeful applicants, the tour guides looked bored. They didn¡¯t even introduce themselves as they stepped forward to take charge of the group. Nobody was acting like the university staff Kayla had seen in campus adverts, thrilled to welcome new applicants as they tried to win them over.

    Given what she had seen from Urtiga and Masey, Kayla suspected they would all be in for a big surprise by the end of the day.

    They were broken up into small groups, and Kayla saw with frustration that she would be with Rose for the day.

    Kayla flashed her a smile. ¡°Beautiful place isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, very,¡± Rose said with a curt nod.

    As they approached the tour bus, a figure appeared that stopped Kayla dead in her tracks. Urtiga hadn¡¯t changed or aged a bit. She wore an intimidating frown that melted into an infectious, good-natured grin as soon as she saw Kayla.

    ¡°Hey there, Kayla, remember me?¡± she asked.

    Kayla was so stunned she had to make a mental effort to respond. ¡°H-Hi. Yes. Urtiga. Of course I remember you.¡± She searched desperately for something cool and interesting to say but failed completely.

    The other candidates gawped at the new arrival. She wore jeans, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap, and her warm smile contrasted with the blank faces of the tour guides. The other girls cast curious glances at the stranger as they filed onto the bus, but their guide seemed happy to wait while Urtiga and Kayla chatted.

    ¡°Glad to see you made it,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°I wanted to come and say hi, so you didn¡¯t think I¡¯d forgotten about you. Wow, you grew up into a tough chica, eh?¡± She laughed and threw a pretend punch.

    ¡°Um, thanks,¡± Kayla said, trying desperately not to blush, even as the woman¡¯s energy brought an irrepressible smile to her face.

    ¡°Regretting the day you ever met me, maybe?¡±

    Which was an oddly insensitive thing to say. Kayla tried to remind herself that her daydreams had been pure fantasy, and she had no idea what she was getting into. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a different world,¡± she managed. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure what to expect.¡±

    ¡°Trust me on this, you¡¯re gonna love it. Just go with the tour and have fun. You have a free day tomorrow, so I¡¯ll come get you and we can hang out. After tonight¡¯s presentation, you¡¯ll have a lot of questions, and I¡¯ll try to answer as many as I can. How does that sound?¡±

    Kalya nodded. Her mood flipped, and she felt positively euphoric.

    Urtiga leaned in conspiratorially. ¡°Some of these girls are a bunch of prima donnas, I know. But look for those who are staying quiet. Try to make friends¡ªyou¡¯ll be surprised.¡±

    Kayla nodded, and, after waving goodbye to Urtiga, she practically skipped on to the bus. The tour guide flashed her a friendly smile.

    ¡°How do you know Urtiga?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I met her when I was younger. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°You must have impressed her.¡± She motioned for Kayla to take a seat.

    As she went to sit, Kayla caught sight of Rose glaring at her. She might just have a great day after all.

 Part 2 - Chapter 15

    ¡°This shouldn¡¯t work, it breaks our understanding of physics,¡± said Rose, as their group examined a cold fusion reactor the size of a large truck.

    Kayla had given it a brief inspection and was aware that such power plants were normally both highly experimental and required enormous installations. But she was growing impatient with the endless parade of technology demonstrations. When were they going to learn about soldiers?

    ¡°Well, we know they¡¯re a very secretive group,¡± offered one of Rose¡¯s friends.

    ¡°But this will change the world,¡± Rose argued. ¡°It¡¯s criminal that the Academy hasn¡¯t shared this tech.¡±

    Kayla wasn¡¯t surprised to learn this. From the start, she suspected the tour group would be shown things that didn¡¯t make sense. Like they were being tempted with forbidden knowledge, until the evening¡¯s presentation would reveal the catch. She glanced at Rose, but there was only confusion in her rival¡¯s eyes.

    They had already been treated to several scientific presentations, which had been interesting, but Kayla was losing her patience. A dark-skinned girl had been keeping to the back of the group and looking glum. Kayla, fidgeting with boredom, and remembering Urtiga¡¯s advice about meeting people, plucked up the courage to approach her. She smiled at the girl¡¯s unfriendly scowl and extended her hand.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Kayla Barnes,¡± she said. ¡°Do you also have the feeling you¡¯re at the wrong party?¡±

    The girl eyed her hand suspiciously, then shook it. ¡°Thandi Khawula. I don¡¯t normally get along with intellectual types.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you come from a top school?¡±

    Thandi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t see what my school has to do with anything. I guess you¡¯re from one of those super-rich Helvet places?¡±

    ¡°No. Well, yeah. But, I mean, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here. I mean, it is, but¡­¡± Kayla trailed off. ¡°The Academy is not what I expected, I guess.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you expect?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ machine guns? Sniper rifles? Stuff like that, I guess.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Seriously?¡±

    Kayla described her encounter with Urtiga without mentioning what had happened to her father. She managed not to tear up at the memory and saw with satisfaction her new acquaintance become more engaged.

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Shooting monsters, yeah? That¡¯s the kind of thing I want to hear about. I was getting ready for a boxing scholarship. I¡¯m a Zulu, you know.¡±

    Kayla smiled blankly.

    ¡°Zulus are warriors with a proud heritage,¡± Thandi explained. ¡°So, I was into fighting, winning competitions, and getting set for a career, but my coach told me to come here. I have no idea why, but she¡¯s has never led me wrong before.¡±

    ¡°I think everyone is misjudging what the Academy is.¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°The stories can¡¯t be wrong. They¡¯re showing us a bunch of high-tech toys too advanced for our civilization.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Kayla said. ¡°But now I¡¯m here, something seems off.¡±

    ¡°I know what you mean.¡±

    They chatted more while the tour continued. Thandi was from Intaba, one of the outer worlds, and her boxing stories fascinated Kayla. She hadn¡¯t been exposed to fighting in the high-brow culture of Rackeye. Now she wanted to know everything there was to know about Combat Sports.

    During the lunch break, Thandi showed her how to throw a real punch and held out her hand as a target. When Kayla missed completely, she laughed. ¡°Keep trying. It takes practice to get it right.¡±

    Kayla hit the outstretched palm dead on.

    Thandi swore and shook her hand. ¡°Okay, not bad,¡± she muttered.

    There were more lab visits, more gadgets, more lectures on physics theories, and, while the tour was interesting, Kayla tuned most of it out.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll get accepted to the Academy?¡± she asked her new friend.

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not impressed so far. Your story was incredible, but that¡¯s not what we¡¯re being shown. I¡¯m thinking I might not want to stay if I have to work behind a desk all day making super batteries, or some nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Something the tour guide said bothered me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She said, ¡®if you want to join us¡¯. Like she was saying it¡¯s really our choice.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s brow creased. ¡°That doesn¡¯t add up. What kind of choice would make ninety-five percent of the galaxies¡¯ most overachieving girls walk away?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kayla said, ¡°but the ¡®dolls¡¯ seem pretty excited by all of it.¡±

    ¡°Dolls?¡±

    Kayla nodded to Rose and her friends, and Thandi giggled.

    The rest of the group¡¯s probing questions to the Academy¡¯s presenters were deflected with the refrain; ¡®That will be answered in this evening¡¯s presentation¡¯. Rose¡¯s enthusiasm, however, hadn¡¯t diminished. The more that was revealed, the more impressed she and the ¡®dolls¡¯ became, until they started to act like Christmas had come early. Every presentation triggered new gasps and applause. Kayla suspected they were trying to impress the researchers with their enthusiasm, but the scientists didn¡¯t seem to care what the girls thought. As another row of hands went into the air, she spotted the tour guide trying to suppress a yawn.

    Once they arrived at the Academy¡¯s Zoo, the group found a startling change of pace. Sprawling paddocks and huge, caged enclosures contained creatures unlike anything humans had encountered on any of the colonized worlds. Avian predators the size of wolves fixed the girls with worryingly focused gazes. Flying insects the size of eagles buzzed passed with a drone that shook Kayla¡¯s ribcage.

    The tour guide explained that all the specimens were quite dangerous and highly aggressive. Kayla searched intently for anything like the monsters on Caldera, but found only disappointment.

    The ¡®dolls¡¯ cooed over a psychopathically enraged canine-like-animal, who refused to let the reinforced glass barrier discourage him from trying to attack them. Kayla and Thandi wandered away from the group.

    They passed alone into the next room; a large two-story hall lined with vault doors. One, on the far wall, was much larger than the others, and the pair moved closer. The front of the vault was inlaid with a small glass window that revealed the door was a yard thick of solid metal. Behind it, a small room was scanned by blue laser beams. A hollow casing sat on top of a plinth with a tiny shard of some reflective material mounted inside.

    Thandi leaned in closer to look. ¡°Whatever¡¯s in there has got to be either very valuable, or very dangerous,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a mimetic, parasitic, silicone-based lifeform,¡± said the tour guide behind them, who had left the rest of the group with the animals.

    Thandi¡¯s head whipped around as Kayla nearly jumped out of her skin. She took a breath and gave the guide a quizzical look.

    ¡°It invades organisms and controls their bodies like a puppet,¡± the woman explained.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Thandi¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°And you keep it in a zoo that teenagers come to visit?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± the guide said, and winked. ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you need the security for?¡± Kayla asked.

    The woman shrugged. ¡°In case someone tried to steal it. Could be used to engineer some really nasty bioweaponry if it got into the wrong hands.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you keep this place secret,¡± Kayla observed. ¡°Where did you find this silicone¡­ thing?¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m going to tell you is that it killed six women before they managed to contain it.¡±

    There was a long pause as this information sank in.

    ¡°Are there more lifeforms like this out there?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± the tour guide said.

    Kayla shivered at the sincerity in her eyes. Then she thought about the monsters on Caldera and her resolve hardened. She had to be in the right place.

    ¡°I guess my coach didn¡¯t send me here because she thought I¡¯d make a good lab assistant,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°No. She didn¡¯t,¡± the guide said. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the others¡ªtour¡¯s almost complete.¡±

    They finished the day back at the hotel, where they were taken into a large auditorium. Kayla found a seat at the front with Thandi. Once the hall was filled with the entire tour group, the excited chatter hushed. The lights dimmed and Colonel Qaghan took the podium.

    ¡°Good evening, ladies,¡± she began. ¡°Now that the tour has concluded, and you¡¯ve gotten a good look at what a career here has to offer, it¡¯s time for the full truth. Most of you will have heard rumors about memory erasing drugs. I will take this opportunity to assure you that they are completely true.¡±

    There were gasps from the audience.

    Qaghan waited for silence before she continued. ¡°A chemical mixture was administered to you through the air in the transit shuttle. If, after tomorrow, you decide you will stay with us, we will provide an antidote. Otherwise, you will return home under the belief that the Academy has rejected you, with only vague memories of what you experienced. Our organization is top secret and relies on a variety of cover stories to help us recruit the best female minds in the galaxy.

    ¡°We have waited until now to tell you this, because we didn¡¯t want you to make any undeserved assumptions. The scientific and technical work we do here is very important, and you will all have a chance to be engaged in it. I want you to bear that in mind while you listen to what I have to say next.¡±

    Kayla sat up in her seat. This was what she had been waiting for.

    A high-resolution map of the galaxy appeared on the screen behind her and zoomed in on the region containing the human worlds. The thirty-seven colonized systems appeared, highlighted in red.

    ¡°As far as the general population knows, no evidence of alien intelligence has ever been discovered during our species¡¯ exploration of the stars. As I¡¯m sure you have already guessed, that is not the reality. Ten to twenty thousand years ago, an alien civilization occupied this part of the galaxy.¡±

    Thousands of stars lit up green on the map, and Kayla¡¯s jaw dropped. This was way beyond anything she had imagined.

    ¡°We call them the Jotnar,¡± the Colonel continued, ¡°and we don¡¯t know exactly what happened to them. We do know that in the final era of their reign, their society was consumed by a civil war. We know this, because our organization has, over the centuries, located the remnants of this conflict scattered across these worlds. Every war leaves trash out in the open; minefields, unexploded ordinance, unused munitions. Even wrecked warships, and weapons of mass destruction. I¡¯m talking about devices that vastly exceed anything you can imagine in terms of destructive capacity. Bombs that can crack a planet into fragments, chemical agents that can poison an entire atmosphere, energy weapons that irradiate cities in seconds, or bioweapons that can render entire species extinct.¡±

    Kayla leaned forward. She was hanging on to every word.

    ¡°The war this species waged almost certainly led to its destruction, wiping much of the evidence of their existence away. The rest remains hidden from humanity because we have removed it. We are Valkyrie, and we exist to locate and neutralize these types of weapons. We work in secrecy, because there are dangerous people who would do anything to get their hands on alien super weapons. Imagine what it could mean for terrorists, criminals or even governments to wield this kind of power.

    ¡°Our work is essential for the protection of human civilization, but it is also extremely dangerous. In the last year, we have lost fifteen women, killed in action.¡±

    A gallery of portraits replaced the map of the galaxy. Kayla saw bright, smiling eyes looking back at her, and she wondered what death felt like. Searing and painful, or cold and lonely? Out of the corner of her eye, she saw girls with crossed arms, frowns, and shaking heads. She glanced at Thandi, who was, like her, wide eyed and leaning forward in her seat.

    ¡°The obstacles we face,¡± continued the Colonel, ¡°include automated defense systems and ruthless, mobile killing machines. Neutralizing and destroying them is by far the most difficult and urgent task our organization faces. For this reason, we require all our personnel to serve first and foremost as soldiers. Should you decide to join us, you will have to complete our twelve-month training course. It is physically and mentally demanding. Most of you who decide to enter will fail to pass. If you do, you will serve as an infantry Ranger for a minimum of five years, before you earn the opportunity to move into a specialty, such as research and development. All of you, no matter what you contribute, have to be focused on supporting the women in the field who are going into harm¡¯s way. Therefore, combat operations must be instilled in you as a foundation.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s heart hammered in her chest as she took this in. She glanced around and saw girls in shock now, hands held firmly to their mouths as they glanced nervously at their friends. Some, like Thandi, were watching with an expression of hunger.

    ¡°Ladies, I understand this is a lot to take in, and I know you will have a lot of questions; most of which must regrettably remain unanswered. I know that the nature of this organization means we have given you an unfair choice. You won¡¯t have years to consider your decision¡ªyou have one day. I will take this moment to reassure you that Valkyrie is a completely voluntary organization. You will be free to leave at any time, though we will erase your memory. In fact, within four months, eighty percent of those who choose to stay will have changed their minds.

    ¡°If you do not wish to join us, please do not allow yourself to feel any shame or self-recrimination. The life we are proposing is not for everyone. While we have gathered the best and brightest young women from your generation, the reality is that your talents and abilities are not enough. If you do not have within yourself a sincere desire to commit to and succeed in this work¡ªan inner motivation that is not moved by stress, fatigue or pain¡ªthen you won¡¯t make it through the training course.

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. Lack of resolve under stress had not been one of her weaknesses up to now. Even more importantly, as the lone applicant from the Calderan farms, she couldn¡¯t shame her fellow colonists by letting a bunch of Helvets succeed where she failed. Valkyrie would have to kill her to get her to quit.

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Qaghan continued, ¡°you may wander throughout the city and speak with anyone you encounter. I encourage you to keep an open mind as you talk to them. In the evening, you will return to this auditorium, and you will have a decision to make.¡±

    After the speech, a video about the training course played on the screen. It looked like typical military training; young women in uniform sports clothes engaged in a variety of exercises, hiking, and obstacle courses. As the video went on, fewer and fewer girls appeared on screen. Excited or anxious expressions were replaced by fatigued smiles, then zombie-like exhaustion.

    There were short interview segments with the trainees, some on the verge of tears. Kayla would never forget the empty look on the face of one trainee, her dead eyes fixated on a distant point on the horizon.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what day it is,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I can, but most of the time, I just hope I make it to lunch. I came so far, and I can¡¯t quit. That¡¯s all that matters to me.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s gut tightened as she took in the girl¡¯s words. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so easy.

    ¡°Okay, so that was insane,¡± said Thandi when the video was over.

    Colonel Qaghan had left the auditorium. Most of the girls didn¡¯t return to their rooms and gathered in groups to talk heatedly. Kayla heard varied reactions throughout the room, and many were incredulous at the idea that they would be expected to put their lives in danger.

    ¡°Disgusting that they pull this crap. What a joke,¡± a voice said in the next aisle.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll let us tell our parents at least?¡± asked another.

    ¡°What do you want to do tomorrow, Kayla?¡± Thandi asked.

    Kayla ran a hand through her hair. ¡°Is that really what you¡¯re thinking about?¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°We stay, we trust them, we find out more of the truth. Only thing I know for sure is I¡¯m not walking away from this yet.¡±

    ¡°That video didn¡¯t scare you?¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Boxing is pretty demanding. I¡¯m in good shape, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll struggle with this training course. The Lord has laid a righteous path before me, and I must walk it.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°God? The Creator?¡± Thandi gave her a worried look. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of Christianity before, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Kayla nodded without thinking. ¡°Uh¡­ The guy who killed his son¡­ uh, who was also himself because he was saving the world?¡±

    Thandi¡¯s expression turned stony, and Kayla wondered if she should have paid more attention in her religious studies class. The tutor had been a shrill and unpleasant woman who had a lot to say about the importance of faith to some people¡¯s worldview, though Kayla had usually made use of the dreary hour to daydream about hunting techniques.

    ¡°Nevermind,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Fortunately, you have me to lead you back to the light.¡±

    For a second, Kayla had the sensation she was talking to another Helvet. She tried to look past the moment. After all, she hadn¡¯t had any real friends since she was a child, and even then, there had been plenty to disagree about.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do okay,¡± she said reassuringly.

    Thandi looked questioningly at her. ¡°You don¡¯t look worried about it either.¡±

    Kayla wasn¡¯t, but she¡¯d had an advantage that none of the other girls had. She¡¯d been mentally preparing for something like this since she was eight years old. After watching Urtiga shoot the monster that killed her father, she¡¯d dreamed of doing whatever it took to destroy the rest of the creatures. The thought of failing the training course angered her. Over the years, every new attack on Caldera had reminded her of her purpose. Colonists were dying, and Valkyrie was going to help her save them. She had worked so hard for so long, in a school full of people she despised, and who despised her, so that she could go to the Academy. This was her destiny.

 Part 2 - Chapter 16

    The next morning, even though she was tired from staying up late to talk with her new friend, Kayla was eager to grab some food and meet Urtiga. The canteen was mostly empty when they went down for breakfast and joined the short buffet line. Thandi was evidently also impatient to get started, as she began tapping her feet and exhaling sharply while they waited. A girl ahead of them apparently could not decide what she wanted to eat.

    ¡°Hey, so take your time,¡± Thandi said finally. ¡°It¡¯s not like the rest of us have plans.¡±

    The girl swiped her blonde hair back behind her ear. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure if I feel like scrambled eggs or fried,¡± she said. ¡°And if you¡¯re up this early, you¡¯ve probably decided to join the organization, so I actually don¡¯t think your plans for today are that important.¡±

    Kayla recognized the English accent from the transport. She jumped in front of the furious looking Thandi. ¡°Christie, right? It¡¯s Kayla. Remember, we met on the shuttle?¡±

    Christie examined her. ¡°Ah yes, the finger drummer.¡±

    Kayla ignored the comment and smiled politely. ¡°This is Thandi, and we¡¯re both keen to join Valkyrie. Since you¡¯re also up early, I guess that means you have the same idea? You should come with us¡ªwe¡¯re going to hang out with one of the soldiers.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she frowned at Kayla.

    Christie appeared to consider the suggestion. ¡°Right. Get the ¡®boots on the ground¡¯ experience, as it were. I suppose that sounds interesting.¡±

    ¡°Do you suppose you can tolerate our company all day?¡± Thandi cut in, not bothering to hide her irritation.

    Christie ignored her and turned back to the buffet.

    Thandi grabbed a plate and dropped it onto Christie¡¯s tray. ¡°There you go¡ªscrambled eggs. Okay move on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The trio found an empty table, and Kayla wondered if she¡¯d taken Urtiga¡¯s advice too far. Just because someone kept to themselves didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t as elitist as other Helvets. ¡°Where did you go to school Christie?¡± she asked, as she set her tray down.

    ¡°Earth. Cambridge, if you must know.¡±

    ¡°My ancestors killed a bunch of your ancestors, you know,¡± Thandi said with evident pride.

    Christie peered intently at her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s casting rather a wide net. Who are your ancestors?¡±

    ¡°The Zulu people.¡±

    ¡°Right. You¡¯re referring to the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879, presumably. I see. Well, it¡¯s a fresh wound, but I¡¯ll try to get past it.¡± She swallowed a forkful of egg and made a face.

    ¡®Why did you invite her?¡¯ Thandi mouthed, as Christie turned to reach for a pot of salt on a nearby table.

    Kayla shrugged, but she couldn¡¯t voice what she was really thinking. Why would someone so stuck up want to join Valkyrie, much less agree to spend the day with her?

    She turned back to Christie. ¡°So, you¡¯re a Helvet, right?¡±

    Christie looked up from her food in confusion. ¡°Am I? What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ well, I¡¯m a colonist. From Caldera,¡± Kayla said, as she prepared herself for a contemptuous response.

    ¡°And do you think that Earthers have dark little sewing circles where we discuss how to oppress people like you?¡± Christie asked.

    Thandi glared accusingly. ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    Christie shook her head. ¡°The Helvetic League is a conglomeration of old institutions working together to maintain some semblance of authority in a disparate human social order. It isn¡¯t a tribe, or a culture, or whatever. Most people on Earth don¡¯t think of themselves that way.¡±

    Rose entered the breakfast room, acolytes in tow, and Kayla¡¯s heart sank.

    ¡°See that girl over there?¡± She nodded to the entrance.

    ¡°Yes. Oh my, she¡¯s quite a looker, isn¡¯t she?¡± Christie said.

    Kayla glared. ¡°She¡¯s the proof your theory is wrong. She¡¯s the daughter of a billionaire who proudly thinks of herself as Helvetic. She and her friends want to take over the galaxy, starting with my home planet.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Christie thought for a moment. ¡°Well, I admit that some of the missionaries in the outer reaches can be over-zealous.¡±

    ¡°Extremist, might one venture?¡± Kayla said, unable to hide a mocking tone.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Christie tipped her head deferentially. ¡°There are always bad apples. Anyway, I don¡¯t know who that is, and I¡¯m not sure I care, to be honest.¡±

    Kayla blinked in surprise. How could anyone not know who Rose Djallen was?

    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling us you don¡¯t want to take over the galaxy?¡± Thandi asked.

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    Christie smiled. ¡°No offense. I just don¡¯t see what possible benefit I could find in getting involved in the business of colonists.¡±

    Thandi looked unimpressed. Kayla wasn¡¯t sure if Christie¡¯s words were meant as an insult or a compliment.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Thandi said, and engaged Kayla in a discussion about the upcoming Amazon Mixed Martial Arts Championship while Christie ate in silence.

    ¡°So, you see,¡± Thandi concluded, ¡°Keala Maui will probably beat Lammy ?ukauskas easily.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christie interjected. ¡°Keala relies too heavily on striking. Lammy is creative enough with takedowns and movement to cause her problems.¡±

    ¡°You follow MMA?¡± Thandi said with an incredulous expression.

    ¡°From time to time,¡± Christie replied. ¡°I find Jiu Jitsu to be quite fascinating in its depth and complexity.¡±

    ¡°So, you ought to know that Keala is a well-developed all-rounder¡ª¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have a boxing background by any chance?¡± Christie interrupted. ¡°I tend to find that boxers overestimate striking importance.¡±

    Thandi glared at her, then turned back to Kayla. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go whenever you are.¡±

    The three girls waited outside the hotel¡¯s main entrance until the roar of an engine drew their attention. An expensive sports car rolled to a stop on the sidewalk.

    The girls gawped as Urtiga stepped out and waved to them. ¡°Bom Dia, Kayla. Glad to see you made some friends.¡± She introduced herself to Christie and Thandi, then gestured to the car. ¡°Lesson one of life on Tyr, girls¡ªIt¡¯s a post scarcity world. That means you can have whatever you want made on demand.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ your clothes¡­¡± Christie began, looking at the worn patches on Urtiga¡¯s jeans, the stained ballcap, and a t-shirt that had seen better days.

    Urtiga winked. ¡°Yeah, I wear whatever I want when I¡¯m off duty. By the way, it¡¯s nearly eight-thirty, which is kind of late. Get used to the fact that you¡¯ll be waking up a lot earlier from now on.¡±

    ¡°We were the first down for breakfast,¡± Thandi protested. ¡°Most of the group is still in bed.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Urtiga said sarcastically. ¡°Good job getting up earlier than lazy people,¡±

    Thandi scowled.

    Christie ran her hand along the bonnet of the supercar and frowned. ¡°How can you have whatever you want manufactured? Who pays for all this?¡±

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°No idea. Only the top brass has those kinds of answers.¡±

    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± Kayla asked. Other early risers had emerged from the hotel and were staring at them with jealous expressions. Kayla had to suppress a proud smirk.

    Urtiga grinned at her and opened one of the passenger doors. ¡°Want to fight?¡±

    A wild grin spread over Kayla¡¯s face as Urtiga¡¯s car raced along a road out of the city. She had never experienced such thrilling speed before, and the g-forces in the turns were so strong she thought the vehicle might spin out of control.

    They closed on a large two-story building set back from a sandy beach. The gym¡¯s walls were glass, and inside women clothed in martial arts uniforms were throwing each around on mats. Out to sea, windsurfers and racing dinghies skimmed across the waves, powered by a fresh breeze. As the vehicle reached the turnoff into the parking lot, Urtiga slammed the brakes and threw the sports car into a hard turn. Kayla wondered if her brain would be squeezed out through her ears.

    They pulled up alongside dozens of vehicles, from heavy trucks to all-terrain vehicles, and more flashy sports cars. Kayla stumbled out of the passenger door and tried to find her legs as she followed Urtiga. As the girls approached the gym¡¯s main entrance, a small group of casually dressed women flashed them annoyed looks.

    One of them stepped forward. ¡°Come on ¡®tiga, do we have to suffer this again?¡± she said.

    ¡°Just deal with it, Gucci,¡± Urtiga snapped.

    ¡°Freakin¡¯ girl scout club,¡± the woman muttered as they passed.

    Inside they found a wide hall tiled with thick blue mats. Pairs of wrestlers faced off against each other, while other women watched and offered judgements on the moves employed. Kayla couldn¡¯t help but glance between the violence around her, and the calming view of the beach through the gym¡¯s transparent walls. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but the contrast felt appropriate.

    ¡°Pick up your Gis in a closet through there,¡± Urtiga pointed. ¡°Then get dressed in the changing room next door. And don¡¯t bother anyone because they will punish you for it.¡±

    Once they had gotten into their sparring outfits, Kayla, Christie and Thandi joined Urtiga on an empty mat.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve got some friends coming to talk about their jobs in Valkyrie, and maybe show you some moves. But you can get started while we wait.¡±

    Christie stared expectantly at the others, waiting for them to go first.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know anything about wrestling,¡± Kayla said, ashamed by the admission.

    ¡°I watch the Amazon Championship,¡± Thandi said. ¡°But I never really got into grappling.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Sit around and do nothing, then.¡±

    Kayla had the impression she was being tested. She exchanged glances with Thandi, who shrugged, and they both moved onto the wrestling mat.

    Urtiga smiled. ¡°Start on your knees, though.¡±

    Thandi turned to Kayla with a grin. ¡°I guess I can try a few moves I¡¯ve seen. Sure you want to take me on?¡±

    ¡°Bring it.¡± Kayla set her jaw. Her body was buzzing with energy.

    Thandi stopped smiling. ¡°Okay, but basic rule¡ªif you¡¯re locked in a bad position, like a chokehold, you have to tap out. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°And if I tap out, you need to let go immediately. Otherwise, you might break a limb or something.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    Thandi squared off and started to move closer, but hesitated. Kayla darted forward, slamming into her waist. With no idea what she was doing, Kayla threw her opponent sideways, then tried to wedge her arm under Thandi¡¯s throat. Thandi moved quickly and squirmed away. Hands wrapped around Kayla¡¯s arm and pulled it out to nearly full extension. She tried to twist away, but Thandi¡¯s leg swept over her body, and she couldn¡¯t escape. Her trapped arm was pulled even harder as she fought back with all her might.

    The pair stayed locked in that position for a few moments until Urtiga stepped in and broke them up.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Thandi said. ¡°That move went okay, considering I¡¯ve only seen others doing it.¡±

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Credible attempt at an arm bar. Good job. But your leg position wasn¡¯t right¡ªthat¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t complete it. You need your thigh across her neck while your other leg is on her torso. Let me show you.¡±

    Urtiga talked them through some basic moves and then pushed Christie onto the mat with Thandi.

    Thandi took her opponent down easily and managed to complete a chokehold. ¡°Thought you liked Jiu Jitsu?¡± she said after she released her grip.

    Christie got up, her face red. ¡°The theory.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t get around to the actual practice.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like to lose, huh?¡± Urtiga said. ¡°It¡¯s good to have a competitive mindset, but here you will lose all the time. Kick your ego out the door before you get on the mat.¡±

    ¡°Come on Helvet, you and me,¡± Kayla said with a wink, and stepped forward. Christie narrowed her eyes, but dipped her head in acknowledgement and moved to join her. After a furious scramble, she managed to trap Kayla beneath her body and control her movements, until Urtiga stepped in and broke them apart.

    When they stood up, Christie avoided her gaze while trying to hide a smile.

    ¡°Having fun?¡± Urtiga asked.

    Kayla grinned. All she knew was that she was learning things she wished she had started years ago. And this crazy gang was going to pay her to do that and more besides.

    ¡°This is awesome,¡± she said.

 Part 2 - Chapter 17

    Masey Laukkanen arrived when they were taking a break, said hello to Kayla, and introduced herself to Thandi and Christie.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve done five years in a Ranger battalion,¡± Urtiga explained, ¡°you get to pick a specialty. Half of all women go into the Research and Development Collective, but the rest of us¡ª¡±

    ¡°The rowdy ones,¡± Masey said with a smile.

    ¡°Haha, right. The rowdy ones go into specialized units. Masey is in the Orbital Demolition Teams, or ODT for short.¡±

    ¡°Working in space,¡± Masey explained. ¡°Space walks, boarding and breaching ships or stations, that kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Thandi replied.

    Masey nodded. ¡°Very awesome, and amazing views. But you need to be comfortable in a completely hostile environment. Space will asphyxiate, or freeze you to death in seconds, so your life depends on your gear, and good decisions. Make the wrong move with your thrusters and you might end up burning up in the atmosphere or shooting off into the void to die over several days.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s smile vanished, while Christie¡¯s eyes went wide. Kayla wondered if they had been expecting some kind of adventure theme park. The idea of drifting in space didn¡¯t appeal to her when there was nothing to hide behind or climb over. But death was death. Whether a wild animal snapped your neck, or you suffocated from lack of air, the result was the same.

    ¡°Last week,¡± Masey continued, ¡°an orbital bombardment battery was drifting through the Oordo System, and we went in to disable it. Those platforms have a tendency to expend their ammunition on any planet they get near. Fortunately, its defenses were down, but that¡¯s not always the case.¡±

    ¡°What kind of defenses do they have?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Gun turrets, lasers, and drones are the usual,¡± Masey said.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just blow it up?¡± Christie asked.

    Masey rolled her eyes. ¡°Gee, I wonder if the Jotnar ever thought about that? Why can¡¯t we blow up something that¡¯s designed to resist being blown up? And who cares about the danger of a half-exploded weapons platform tumbling through space, right?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have drones of your own to send in?¡±

    ¡°Human piloted drones are not useful for anything other than recon,¡± Masey explained, ¡°because the Jotnar systems can jam their signal. What you¡¯re really asking is, why don¡¯t we start a battle in space managed by machines? To start with, machines are dumb. They react poorly to chaos, they can¡¯t adapt, they can¡¯t deceive, and they can¡¯t innovate. A platform or a ship is essentially an armored box packed with incredibly destructive ammunition and powered by a miniature sun. There is a lot of potential for things to go wrong. Our teams need to get inside and get control of its systems. Only then can the deconstruction process begin.¡±

    ¡°But the Jotnar can rely on drones for defense?¡± Christie persisted.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s a last-ditch defense. If their hardware was operated by living, thinking beings, our jobs wouldn¡¯t be so easy. It¡¯d be actual war.¡±

    Kayla wanted to learn more about Masey¡¯s job, but she couldn¡¯t keep her own questions buried any longer. ¡°What¡¯s happening on Caldera?¡± she interjected. ¡°Where did the monsters come from that are killing colonists? Are they Jotnar?¡±

    ¡°Caldera, yeah¡­¡± Urtiga began as she ran a hand through her hair. ¡°We¡¯ve seen some aggressive wildlife before, but not creatures that spend most of their time trying to attack human settlements. After I met you, I led survey teams all over the planet trying to track down their movement patterns or natural habitats, but we came up empty. We send teams down there regularly to thin their population.¡±

    ¡°But they keep reappearing. And people keep dying,¡± Kayla insisted.

    ¡°Ah¡­ let me see if I can get my friend in intel.¡± Urtiga waved to a woman on the other side of the room. She walked over and introduced herself as Jiao Zhang.

    ¡°Zhang works for unintelligence,¡± Masey said with a wink.

    Zhang smiled. ¡°Just a couple of letters off, but no worries.¡±

    ¡°On most operations,¡± Masey said, ¡°we depend on real-time, accurate information about whatever situation we are getting involved in. By tradition, Zhang provides us with wrong answers only.¡±

    Urtiga laughed.

    Zhang raised her hands. ¡°I keep telling the brass we should go back to tea leaves. They don¡¯t listen.¡±

    ¡°Kayla wanted to know about the situation on Caldera,¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°Yes, a difficult case,¡± Zhang said. ¡°We sent bodies to the Collective for analysis. They determined those creatures were genetically related to the existing fauna on the planet. Their conclusion was that some type of biological or chemical weapon had been activated in the past, mutating animals, resulting in pathologically disturbed species.¡±

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    Kayla was surprised by the explanation. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. They didn¡¯t appear in the first fifty years of the colony, and then they started showing up in droves.¡±

    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t attack colonists in the first fifty years,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°There¡¯re a lot of reasons why that could be.¡±

    Kayla scowled. ¡°Something is going on.¡±

    Masey looked at her with an impatient expression. ¡°So, what, sweety? You somehow know better than some of the brightest minds in the galaxy? Are you one of those Helvet prot¨¦g¨¦s I hear so much about?¡±

    Suddenly furious, Kayla gave her a foul look, which was returned with an unimpressed smirk.

    Urtiga put her hand on Kayla¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Calderans are still dying, but it¡¯s a big galaxy, and there are a lot of problems. Valkyrie is a small organization, and we can¡¯t afford to fixate on unsolvable mysteries.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s strange you don¡¯t recruit men,¡± Christie said. ¡°Your candidate pool would be many times larger.¡±

    ¡°Is that really true?¡± Zhang asked. ¡°Men make up ninety percent of humanity¡¯s security forces. We would miss out on many of the best candidates.¡±

    ¡°And women are naturally superior at what is essentially high stakes janitor work,¡± Masey added with a gleam in her eye.

    Zhang raised an eyebrow. ¡°An excellent example of the culture of overconfidence we are supposed to guard against.¡±

    Masey laughed. ¡°Out of all the things wrong with that joke, overconfidence is what you fixate on?¡±

    Zhang shrugged, but took on a contrite expression.

    ¡°So, you only recruit women because you don¡¯t want to compete with other security forces?¡± Christie persisted.

    ¡°Nope, and don¡¯t expect to have that question answered anytime soon,¡± Masey said. ¡°But listen, fighting robots is one thing. Keep in mind there are people out there who would pay a fortune for the weapons we uncover. They might be tempted by power and playing with forces they don¡¯t understand, so if they come looking for trouble, we have to be prepared to kill them.¡±

    ¡°Does that happen often?¡± Christie asked.

    Masey nodded. ¡°Zhang and Urtiga¡¯s units do a great job of running interference and keeping criminal or terrorist encounters low profile.¡± She winked at Urtiga. ¡°Until they screw up and beg for me and my friends to come and bail them out.¡±

    Urtiga raised her eyebrows and met Masey¡¯s smirk with one of her own. ¡°Really?¡± she said.

    ¡°What is your unit, Urtiga?¡± Kayla asked, doing her best not to appear too interested.

    ¡°We get involved when human lives are at stake,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Hostage rescue, or a device getting into a population center, for example.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Sounds cool. What¡¯s it called?¡±

    Urtiga gave her a wink. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to get all your questions answered until you¡¯ve earned your place here.¡±

    ¡°And even then, they keep you in the dark,¡± Zhang said glumly.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Masey said, ¡°Valkyrie is a compartmentalized organization, but we all signed up for it. Anyway, ODT does all that hostage rescue stuff too, by the way.¡±

    ¡°But not as well,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°See Kayla, my unit is really the most high-level. We demand not just toughness, but fast and creative thinking to solve problems. Smashing rocks is not usually going to get you out of delicate situations.¡±

    ¡°Alternatively,¡± Masey countered, ¡°your unit overthinks problems that can be solved by putting a bullet in the right place.¡±

    ¡°ODT¡¯s contribution is always valued,¡± Urtiga said with a hint of a grin. ¡°Perhaps not the brightest minds of Valkyrie, but certainly the most vigorous.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Masey shot back, ¡°by whatever fluke of destiny or universal truth, ODTs are more physically attractive and operationally capable specimens. It¡¯s a shame this often leads to jealousy amongst the lesser units.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you ladies,¡± Zhang said, ¡°but I came to the wrestling gym to wrestle. Is that weird?¡±

    Urtiga was about to respond when a wetsuit clad woman entered the gym.

    ¡°Hey listen up!¡± she called. ¡°A big storm hit the Ghinzi channel yesterday and pushed a nice swell in this direction. Get ready for serious breakers on the beach later today. Gold squadron has sector two, so if you¡¯re interested, go someplace else.¡±

    ¡°Oh, get some!¡± Urtiga said, as wrestlers throughout the gym began talking excitedly.

    Kayla, Christie and Thandi sat on towels on the beach, watching surfers head for the water, boards swinging in their grip. Masey ran past the patiently waiting trio, kicking up sand particles that the onshore breeze whipped into Kayla¡¯s eyes. She blinked away the irritant and wiped moisture off her cheek. Some of the women wore wetsuits, but those in swimwear all had noticeable scars on their bodies.

    Kayla wrapped her arms around herself and smiled at Thandi. ¡°This place is kind of crazy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a devil¡¯s bargain, I guess,¡± Thandi said glumly. ¡°Tour the galaxy, save humanity, and maybe die in the process.¡± She paused. ¡°But I think that every generation of my ancestors has done the same thing¡ªeither in war, or when facing the dangers of colonization. As a Zulu, I believe it is my duty to do my own part to protect my community.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Thandi,¡± Christie said with a condescending look. ¡°But which tribe did you say you were from? I forgot again.¡±

    Thandi glared at her.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your opinion, Christie?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°You have a first-class education. You could go a long way in Helvetic society.¡± She waved her hand at the beach. ¡°Feel like trading it in for all this?¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you were a top graduate at Caldera¡¯s most elite school, then surely you face the same dilemma?¡±

    Kayla shrugged and looked at her feet. She would rather die than try and live amongst Helvets. But aside from the occasional cutting remark, Christie had been polite enough, and Kayla didn¡¯t want to offend her.

    ¡°Valkyrie certainly does not offer a boring life,¡± Christie said. ¡°Though I confess I have a lot of questions. The voluntarism aspect of it is encouraging, because there is obviously an awful lot these women are keeping from us. I believe that anyone who puts a gun in your hand and tells you where to point it is also going to have to clearly explain the ¡®why¡¯.¡±

    Wind whipped Kayla¡¯s hair over her eyes, and she tried to tuck it back behind her ear. ¡°I think I would trust them until I saw something that concerns me.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Though I have to say¡­¡± Christie turned to watch the surfers as they barreled through the water in search of another wave. ¡°I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve ever seen a group of people so focused, and yet, at the same time, so free-spirited.¡±

    A huge wave broke beyond the surf zone, sending surfboards and bodies flying. Heads popped up above the water and there was a shout. Arms splashed frantically as swimmers converged on a splash of red blooming from the gray green sea.

    Footsteps thudded past the girls as a tall woman raced toward the surf, a small emergency bag in her hand. A few women carried a limp body out of the surf and laid it on the sand. Kayla, Christie and Thandi jumped up and began to walk toward the distant commotion.

    Masey ran over to them with her hands raised. ¡°Stay here,¡± she ordered, as she stepped in front of the trio.

 Part 2 - Chapter 18

    ¡°Is someone hurt?¡± Kayla asked. She couldn¡¯t see much as Masey blocked her view, but blood was soaking into the sand where the body lay still.

    ¡°The situation is under control. Go sit back down. I¡¯m not kidding¡ªnow, please.¡±

    The girls did as they were told and waited while the tall woman bent over the injured surfer. Eventually she finished working, and the prone figure sat up. Kayla recognized Urtiga, wearing a red-stained bandage around her head and her usual grin. The tall woman helped her to her feet and walked her towards the girls, despite Urtiga¡¯s attempts to wave her off.

    The memory of the night they had met popped into Kayla¡¯s mind. There had been something unnatural about Urtiga¡¯s speed and agility, and now she was shrugging off a serious head wound. Kayla exchanged a glance with the others. Christie raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

    ¡°That was like the inside of a washing machine,¡± Urtiga explained as she sat down next to Thandi. ¡°Surfboards were flying everywhere, and I got lucky.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you take a break for like, twenty minutes?¡± the tall woman asked.

    ¡°Haha, yeah I guess, since you¡¯re asking nicely,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Girls, this is Cara Favre. She¡¯s a medic. Sit with us, Cara. Introduce yourself.¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡± Cara shook their hands and flopped down in the sand. ¡°I¡¯m a pararescue jumper. That means I jump out of fast-moving vehicles in a bid to prevent someone else from dying.¡±

    ¡°We call Cara and her teammates PJs for short,¡± Urtiga explained. ¡°They are also the only unit in the organization that are allowed to call themselves Valkyries, because they¡¯re awesome.¡±

    ¡°Which we never do, because that¡¯s lame,¡± Cara objected.

    ¡°They totally do it all the time.¡± Urtiga kicked sand at Cara, who ducked away. ¡°But it¡¯s cool, because of the whole ¡®not dying¡¯ thing.¡±

    Cara shrugged. ¡°I mean, if you were all dead, then surfing out here alone would be super boring.¡±

    ¡°Cara has to do a bit of everything. She might have to jump into the middle of whatever catastrophe me and my friends created to get control of the situation, fight off anything dangerous, and provide emergency life-saving treatment to the dumbass,¡± Urtiga pointed at herself, ¡°who got herself blown up.¡± She turned to Cara. ¡°Did I miss anything?¡±

    ¡°Orbital insertion is pretty cool,¡± Cara said to the girls. ¡°That means you jump out of a spaceship and enter a planet¡¯s atmosphere in a wing suit. You get to do your best meteor impression.¡±

    ¡°Oh god, I love doing that,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°I wish we could practice it as much as you do.¡±

    ¡°Horrendously dangerous though.¡± Cara grinned. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll give you some advice that will serve you well in your time here; avoid at all times intersecting with moving bullets, projectiles or shrapnel. Follow this guidance, and we will hopefully avoid an on-the-job encounter.¡±

    ¡°So¡­um¡­ do you have any tips for bootcamp?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Sure, I have a tip for bootcamp,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Do what you¡¯re told and don¡¯t quit. What, do you want a manual for how to pass?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, but I do a lot of sports and I like to optimize my training routine. If there¡¯s a top recruit trophy, you can bet I¡¯m going to win it.¡± Thandi chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just hypercompetitive.¡±

    ¡°Sure, aren¡¯t we all?¡± Urtiga said. ¡°But bootcamp is not a competition. It is a gut check, meant to test your resolve while they grind you down. Actually, a lot of sporty girls quit on their first day once they figure out what they¡¯re in for.¡±

    Kayla inspected her fingernails as a wave of frustration shot through her. Thandi might call herself a colonist, but Intaba had been settled more than a century ago; long enough to become completely safe for its citizens.

    ¡°I guess people get into sport for a sense of personal accomplishment,¡± she said without looking up. ¡°It¡¯s about fame and money rather than self-sacrifice.¡±

    Thandi nodded. ¡°Oh totally. Most athletes are in it for themselves, and I hate that. I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s good to have that competitive edge. I mean, I don¡¯t really care if there¡¯s a trophy. I just¡­ well whatever, bring it on, you know?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla said, avoiding her gaze.

    ¡°All we want to know,¡± Urtiga said, ¡°is that you really want to be here. It¡¯s a lot harder to say that when you¡¯ve been walking for three days, you haven¡¯t slept or eaten, and you¡¯re expected to perform like your life depends on it.¡±

    ¡°The girls in last night¡¯s presentation video looked really broken up,¡± Kayla said.

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Yeah, of course¡ªhow can we know you have the right character if we don¡¯t push you to the point where you want to curl up into a ball and cry every day?¡±

    ¡°I cried like a baby,¡± Cara said happily. ¡°Definitely thought I might die from exhaustion in Stress Phase. It was fun.¡±

    ¡°Type-three fun. I had to recycle¡ªrolled my ankle towards the end and had to go through the whole thing again.¡± Urtiga said, and laughed. ¡°You should have seen my face when they told me.¡±

    ¡°Oh God, that really sucks.¡± Cara turned to the girls. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°What is type-three fun?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°Type one fun is just fun,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°A delicious chocolate cake, or a kickass concert. Type-two fun is kind of terrifying and painful at the time, but awesome when you look back on it.¡±

    ¡°Like climbing?¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Exactly. Then there¡¯s type-three fun. Terrifying, immensely painful, and not something you want to think about happening ever again,¡± Urtiga said.

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    Christie frowned. ¡°So, actually not fun at all?¡±

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°Depends on your perspective. You could choose to see the glass as half empty. We prefer to throw the glass away and find something dangerous to do that no-one¡¯s ever done before. You only get one existence, after all.¡±

    ¡°You forgot type-four fun,¡± Cara said. ¡°Which is type-three fun, but in combat. That¡¯s usually the time they call me in, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Hello losers.¡± Masey and another woman arrived and dug their boards into the sand. ¡°We¡¯re in search of food and alcohol.¡±

    ¡°In my truck,¡± Cara said. ¡°Want to give me a hand?¡±

    Masey sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t just wait on me hand and foot? I guess I¡¯ll have to knock a star off my review of this place. Toska, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself while me and Cara set up the barbeque?¡±

    ¡°Toska is my call-sign,¡± the woman said as she shook their hands and sat down. ¡°I am both the mother figure and social glue without which these fine ladies would just fall apart. You could say I¡¯m their mentor, moral compass, guiding light¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mooch, tattletale, gossip,¡± Urtiga interjected.

    ¡°A balanced person,¡± Toska continued, unperturbed, ¡°not perfect, but as close as anyone in, say, a hundred-foot radius could be. I¡¯m a fighter pilot, naturally.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always a good feeling to see a Shrike jet overhead,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Our lives often depend on it.¡±

    Toska nodded. ¡°Gives me something to do between refueling. Oh, and I should probably tell you girls about the Navy, because I¡¯m closest to that. There¡¯s a lot to do in the Navy, like working on consoles, or shooting big guns at planets. Um¡­ and cleaning¡ªlots of cleaning.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in the Navy,¡± Urtiga said, ¡°But I have been informed that sometimes they fly spaceships from place to place.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that as well,¡± Toska said. ¡°I mean, I should be more respectful, because those ladies keep my jet flying, and give me a place to land in the middle of nowhere, and keep me stocked with bombs and bullets, and fuel.¡±

    ¡°And then a combat controller tells you where to go and what to do. So, you¡¯re really just the middleman?¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°Basically. And they keep talking about replacing me with an Artificial Intelligence, so uh¡­ I probably shouldn¡¯t get too comfortable.¡±

    The others returned with a grill, and the girls waited patiently while the smell of cooking meat mingled with the sea breeze. They ate burgers, drank beer, and listened to stories from the small crowd that formed until Kayla¡¯s head began to swim. She was struck by the sheer number of different roles they performed, and how monstrously complex an operation it was to put an armed woman on the surface of a planet.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Toska was saying as she wiped grease off her hands, ¡°I just get particularly respectful around PJs because if I were to crash, they would have to come and get me. I would be completely useless in the face of all the horrible things you all deal with on a daily basis. That¡¯s even assuming my legs aren¡¯t lumps of spaghetti at that point.¡±

    Cara waved a hand dismissively. ¡°You had Ranger training. I don¡¯t even know that we would send people to get you.¡±

    Masey laughed. ¡°You¡¯re getting a radio message telling you to walk back.¡±

    Kayla worked up her confidence to say what had been growing in her mind over the last hour. ¡°I have a question. Why exactly did I have to sit through that horrible school, learning calculus and studying literature with people that hated me? Why did I need to be one of the top students just to earn an invitation here?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ you¡¯re welcome,¡± Masey said, ¡°because the organization just gifted you a first-class education.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t need to do all that to be a soldier,¡± Kayla said.

    Masey nodded. ¡°Okay, I get it¡ªyou wanted to spend more time partying and kissing boys?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°I mean¡­ no, I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. If you don¡¯t like hard work, you can take the shuttle back tomorrow, no big deal. Enjoy the incredible start to life that you earned. I went to that school, got top grades, and frankly it made me a better person, but whatever.¡±

    ¡°It was a difficult experience for me,¡± Kayla insisted.

    Masey stared at her for a moment. When she spoke, she had replaced her air of easy arrogance with an undercurrent of anger. ¡°It was a cakewalk compared to what¡¯s ahead of you,¡± she said. ¡°And I don¡¯t just mean boot camp. Nothing that you¡¯ve been through will prepare you for how awful combat can get. I promise you that from tonight until the day that you retire, you will go to bed every night knowing that you are not good enough.¡±

    Kayla looked away. Couldn¡¯t one person just sympathize with her for how unfair her life had been?

    ¡°Masey¡¯s a hardass, but she¡¯s right,¡± Urtiga said sympathetically. ¡°Anyway, Valkyrie can¡¯t control what the schools do with our invites. Caldera is such a young colony. Short of setting up a recruiting office, that was realistically the only option available.¡±

    Kayla turned back to Masey with a new plan of attack. ¡°You seemed really bored when you gave that speech. I don¡¯t see how it benefited any of the students.¡±

    Masey shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t like the place, didn¡¯t like the people, and I hate going back there. That¡¯s not the point, is it?¡±

    ¡°I just feel like you could have said something more¡­helpful. Maybe try to push them out of their elitist mindset,¡± Kayla continued.

    Masey held Kayla¡¯s gaze. ¡°The thing is,¡± she said eventually, ¡°those girls have no idea who we are or what we¡¯re about, and nothing I say is going to change that. You heard the rumors and most of it is fantasy; technocratic elite feminist utopia or whatever. What can I say to that? ¡®Hi everyone, please excuse my voice, but I¡¯m still recovering from being shot in the throat a week ago.¡¯¡±

    Out of the corner of her eye, Kayla saw Urtiga frown at Masey.

    ¡°Forget it,¡± Masey continued, as though she hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°At the end of the day, it¡¯s their school. They choose who to send, and we can¡¯t tell them who or what we need. They chose you and Rose, and frankly, I think we got a pretty good deal out of it.¡±

    Kayla felt hot lead settle in her gut. ¡°I hate her,¡± she said darkly.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Well, you never know what someone¡¯s capable of. When things get really bad, they may surprise you.¡±

    A silence descended on the group.

    ¡°So,¡± Christie said innocently, ¡°at what point in the training do you all get baseball caps glued to your head?¡±

    Urtiga gave her a puzzled look. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Once the sun began to set on the horizon, Urtiga drove the girls back to the hotel and dropped them off.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± she said. ¡°If I don¡¯t see you again, have a nice life.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for everything,¡± Kayla said, as butterflies whirled through her stomach.

    Urtiga shook their hands. ¡°Nothing is going to happen tomorrow that you can¡¯t deal with. Keeping reminding yourselves of that, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Urtiga looked embarrassed for a moment, then pulled Kayla to one side. ¡°I know you¡¯re coming from a dark place. It¡¯ll give you an advantage the others don¡¯t have.¡±

    She looked away, as if searching for what to say next. When she looked back, Kayla saw the stony reserve she wore when she wasn¡¯t talking to anyone.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be better off if you learn to start tapping the brake a little more. It hurts, I know, but you¡¯ll need it.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t know what to say to that, but she smiled and nodded, and thanked her for her advice.

    Once back inside the hotel, the girls followed the others into the half-empty auditorium. On the writing table attached to each chair was a paper form and a pen.

    Kayla sat down and read the text. It asked her to confirm she was of sound mind and body, and that she agreed to enter recruit training under her own volition. A section near the bottom reminded her that she¡¯d be exposed to physical danger and death. She signed on the dotted line, then sat back in her chair. Thandi and Christie also signed, and though they were acting aloof, there was obvious anxiety in their eyes.

    Rose was sat a few desks over. Her friends were laughing and joking, but she only stared at her hands. She glanced up and locked eyes with Kayla, but quickly looked away. On her desk was a signed form.

    Kayla blinked tired eyes and wondered if she was dreaming.

    A group of uniformed women showed up to collect the forms. The girls were told to collect everything from their rooms and wait in the lobby. Eventually, they were loaded onto buses and driven out of the city towards an unknown destination in the mountains.

 Part 2 - Chapter 19

    Kayla followed nearly two hundred recruits as they were ushered into a large gymnasium, arranged into ranks, and told to sit down on the floor. The Induction staff warned them not to talk amongst themselves, and that they were to wait for further instructions. Many of Kayla¡¯s fellow recruits wore nervous expressions or fidgeted as the time passed. The supervisors seemed to have disappeared, though a woman occasionally passed through the hall and cautioned the girls to stop talking. They waited and waited, and though Kayla couldn¡¯t see a clock, she sensed that more than an hour had passed by.

    She was beginning to feel like cattle for some kind of horrifying ranch. The induction process had already taken a week, and involved so many medical and psychological tests she wondered why they needed her anymore. With all the personal data the doctors had gathered, she joked to Thandi, they could probably manufacture perfect clones of the recruits.

    Her hair had been cut to shoulder length, and she¡¯d been subjected to a physical examination, requiring bloodwork, and a full body scan. This was followed by an interview with a doctor, who asked Kayla questions about her family history, state of health, what aches and pains bothered her, or if she had ever experienced a serious injury. Then came the psychological tests, and a barrage of personal questions about sexual activity, drug, and alcohol use. The Induction staff played gruesome films of animals being slaughtered, while a scanner monitored Kayla¡¯s parasympathetic responses. The machine concluded that she was not a psychopath, and a doctor attributed her relaxed response to her background in a farming community.

    Kayla received this information with pride. She always suspected that her Helvet classmates had been weak-minded, sheltered people, and now it had been scientifically proven.

    Next came the basic fitness tests. Kayla ran on treadmills, performed jumping jacks, pushups and sit-ups, or breathed into tubes to measure lung capacity. She passed all of them without difficulty and was impatient to get to the next phase. But now they had been marched into this auditorium with no explanation. The induction doctors were confident of the recruit¡¯s physical health¡ªwhat more did they need to know?

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± a girl seated in front of Kayla said to herself.

    ¡°This is stupid,¡± someone else nearby said. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting at least a couple of hours already.¡±

    Kayla took a deep breath and remembered that she would never quit. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said to the inquisitive girl. ¡°Just wait.¡±

    ¡°No talking please.¡± A supervisor¡¯s voice rang out through the hall as she walked past.

    In front of Kayla, the girl bounced her knees as she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, it¡¯s stupid. They¡¯re just messing with us.¡± She looked around a few times, sighed, then got to her feet and walked over to the nearby supervisor. ¡°I¡¯m done. I want to withdraw,¡± she said.

    The woman directed the recruit to a doorway at the back of the hall without comment. More girls stood up and queued in front of the supervisor to announce their desire to leave. Kayla shrugged her shoulders, slowed her breathing, and daydreamed about the cool things she would get to do once she was a Valkyrie. She would probably be a sniper in whatever unit Urtiga was part of, dispatching death to the monsters on Caldera.

    After another hour passed with no more recruits asking to leave, the supervisors returned. They began to call girls by name, who came forward and were led out of the hall through a different door. A short time later, one of those girls reappeared, red faced and crying, and a woman directed her to the exit. This happened several times, and a few more recruits in the hall stood up, found a supervisor, and asked to leave.

    Kayla watched the distraught figure walk out. What kind of interview could be so terrible? How would she react when her turn came? She focused on her breathing, and resolved to ignore the countless awful scenarios her imagination was presenting. What if they found a fatal disease, or a genetic defect? Had they gathered secret files on her misbehavior at Madam Georgia¡¯s?

    ¡°Kayla Barnes,¡± a voice called. Kayla struggled to stand on legs grown numb from hours of sitting on the gym¡¯s wooden floor. She followed a woman through a corridor to an office, and sat at a desk. Across from her, a white-coated woman made several notes on a form. Kayla waited as though a sword hung over her head.

    After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the woman turned to her without smiling. ¡°I¡¯m just going to give you a thought experiment to test your problem-solving aptitude. All you have to do is respond to my questions as best you can. Are you ready?¡±

    Kayla nodded. There was no test she couldn¡¯t pass. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You find yourself washed ashore on a desert island,¡± the woman said. ¡°On the beach, you can see a box from your shipwrecked yacht, which you open to find a flare, a survival blanket, a knife, a flashlight, and a whistle. What do you do next?¡±

    Kayla thought quickly. ¡°I would search the island for a fresh water source, and once I found it, I¡¯d set up shelter. I¡¯d use the knife to cut branches into sticks and prop up the blanket as a windbreak.¡±

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    The woman¡¯s expression remained stony. ¡°You¡¯re feeling hungry after your efforts. How will you find food?¡±

    ¡°At first, I¡¯d search for edible fruits or nuts, but later I¡¯d want to set up a trap for meat. I¡¯d twist plant fibers together to make the snare, then I¡¯d tie the knife onto a stick, and use it to spear fish.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late in the day, and the temperature is falling.¡±

    ¡°I make a fire and try to insulate my shelter with dead grass and leaves.¡± Kayla grew excited as the answers came more easily. Her farming knowledge probably gave her an advantage over city-born recruits, so she would surely impress her interviewer. ¡°When I trap an animal,¡± Kayla continued, ¡°I conserve its tendons to make stronger chords.¡±

    The game went on, and the interviewer presented her with challenges and setbacks. Her shelter was blown over in a storm, and when she tried to rebuild it, she was attacked by a wild animal. Though she drove the beast off, she broke her spear. Then she lost her food stockpile to seabirds. Kayla¡¯s heart began to race. The scenario was becoming deliberately unfair.

    ¡°A rainstorm passes during the night. You can no longer burn the damp wood.¡± Her interviewer said, a note of disappointment in her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯d try and skin the animals I caught to make better clothing.¡±

    ¡°You disposed of those carcasses,¡± the woman snapped. Then her tone became condescending. ¡°You should probably have thought about that earlier.¡±

    Kayla felt her cheeks flush with heat. Her interviewer was obviously cheating and was looking at her now with narrow eyes and a hint of a smirk. Kayla inhaled slowly. Her reactions were almost certainly part of the test.

    She focused on controlling her breathing while the interviewer presented more absurd challenges. Kayla responded as rationally as she could until her starving, emaciated and dehydrated corpse collapsed from exhaustion, to be eaten by scavengers.

    The interviewer sighed in exasperation and aggressively crossed something out on her form. ¡°That will be all.¡±

    Kayla left the office buzzing with anxiety. Had she just failed the test? Would she be kicked out? A supervisor wordlessly directed her to a new seating area, where she found Christie looking bored.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to throw me out¡ªI did so badly,¡± Kayla said as she sat down.

    ¡°They¡¯re not throwing anybody out,¡± Christie said. ¡°They¡¯re trying to see if you quit on your own because you were overwhelmed with stress. What was your scenario?¡±

    Kayla shot her a puzzled look. ¡°Tropical Island.¡±

    ¡°I was in the arctic. I froze to death before the end of the first day. Nobody asked me to leave and I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    A stricken recruit emerged from an interview room, walked up to one of the supervisors and asked to be taken home.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dirty trick,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. They didn¡¯t say you should leave¡ªonly that you could ask to quit if you wanted. Not their fault if you make undeserved assumptions.¡±

    ¡°Why did you decide to stay, anyway?¡±

    Christie smirked. ¡°Oh, we met such fascinating personalities at the beach; I couldn¡¯t possibly pass on the opportunity to dissect them.¡±

    There was a burst of giggles from the other side of the waiting area as Rose joined a gaggle of her admirers.

    Kayla winked at Christie, then walked over to her rival. ¡°Feeling the pressure?¡± she asked.

    Rose laughed. ¡°This is nothing compared to a full dance rehearsal from my old teacher.¡± She turned to the others and her voice changed to a high-pitched nasal mockery. ¡°Now girls, we¡¯re going to run that routine again until you all decide to stop acting like a bunch of hungover pigeons. Djallen, if your leg isn¡¯t fully extended next time, it¡¯s getting a whack from my cane.¡±

    The coterie giggled again, and Kayla fumed. ¡°So, you¡¯re just going to give up on all that fame and fortune, just like that? Won¡¯t your family be furious?¡±

    Rose scoffed. ¡°Kayla, you are well aware that the Djallen family motto is ¡®Empowering Humanity¡¯. I can¡¯t think of a better way to live up to that sentiment than doing my part here. My parents may not understand, and may disagree, but they can¡¯t stop me.¡±

    Kayla scoffed. ¡°Yeah, whatever. But I bet you¡¯ll have second thoughts once you realize what life is like without servants.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re simply delighted for the chance to engage in violence, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Go to hell, Rose. You know exactly why I¡¯m here,¡± Kayla said, and stalked away.

    She grew hot with anger as sniggers broke out behind her. A bunch of petty children laughing at her father¡¯s death. A little casual violence wouldn¡¯t be so bad, would it? But she couldn¡¯t be so stupid in the middle of the induction process¡ªthat would only get her kicked out.

    Kayla slowed her breathing again and tried to picture the look on Rose¡¯s face if she decided to drop out after only a week.

    She returned to Christie, where a stony-faced Thandi had seated herself several chairs away and was refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

    ¡°When I ran out of food, I explained that I would pray to help me maintain focus and morale,¡± she admitted sourly. ¡°That bi¡ªforgive me, that woman¡ªhad the nerve to laugh at me, then spent the rest of the interview calling me ignorant.¡±

    After the interviews were finished, the recruits were put on buses and driven into the rough mountains of Tyr. The journey took hours, and while Kayla exchanged a few encouraging words with Thandi, they didn¡¯t talk more. They were all nervous, no doubt worrying about what was in store for them.

    Nothing I can¡¯t handle, Kayla reminded herself.

    Eventually, the transports arrived at a coastline bordered by lower, gentler peaks and passed through the gates of the Camp White Basic Training Center.

    Four hundred young women had travelled to Tyr for the weekend tour, but now only one hundred and fifty dismounted from the buses. Kayla followed a line of recruits towards a large square bordered by wooden cabins. There was no technology visible that was more complicated than a lightbulb. At the edge of the square, a bronze statue of a horse was frozen in the act of climbing a slope. The animal¡¯s carved features seemed to portray an air of intense concentration.

    Next to the statue stood a dozen women wearing gray shorts and T-shirts stenciled with the word Instructor in large, black letters. Their cold expressions indicated they were not impressed by the gaggle of teenagers that had been dropped into their training camp. Some recruits stared longingly at the buses as they drove away.

 Part 2 - Chapter 20

    The instructors ordered the girls into evenly spaced lines, telling them to stand up straight, with their arms at their sides, and to look forward without fidgeting. A few tense minutes passed before the group was addressed by a woman wearing a jersey labeled Chief Instructor, who spoke in a thick Scottish accent.

    ¡°Welcome ladies, to Camp White,¡± she said. ¡°I am Chief Instructor McKinnon. My job is to prepare you mentally and physically for life in Valkyrie. Over the course of the next six months, you will be subjected to a demanding training course that will push you to your limits and force you to question your reasons for being here. If you pass, you will be eligible to continue to the Ranger training school, where your infantry skills will be developed.

    ¡°There is no passing quota I am required to meet. If I must reject all of you, have no doubt that is what I will do. At any time during this course, you may voluntarily withdraw; simply announce your intention to any of the instructors. A bus will be arranged for you, and you will be taken back to the starport in Tyr city for a shuttle flight home. We perform this process smoothly and quickly because we do it frequently. In fact, within the next month, I fully expect half of you to quit.

    ¡°Eventually, most of you will learn what Valkyrie is all about, and that your place is not among us. You should not be ashamed or disheartened by this¡ªit does not make you a bad person, nor diminish from the significant achievements you have made, and certainly will make in your life.

    Kayla shifted her feet. That might be true for everyone else, but not for her.

    ¡°Over the course of the next six months, we will be evaluating your physical fitness, and overall performance. If we find you are below our standards and are not making the effort required to keep up, you will be escorted out. If you are injured, you will be treated, and medically rolled into another class once you have recovered.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the introduction over with. Now ladies, are there any among you who like horses? Don¡¯t be shy¡­¡±

    A few hands were hesitantly raised.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± The Chief Instructor gestured to the statue next to her. ¡°This statue commemorates a horse named Sergeant Reckless. She was a member of an old and legendary band of warriors known as the United States Marine Corps. She is our camp mascot, and you would do well to study some of the literature we have about her in the camp library. If you adopt the Sergeant as your role model, you will certainly succeed in your training.¡±

    Kayla heard marching feet approaching, and she looked around. A group of two dozen recruits in hiking gear were approaching from a path in the nearby forest.

    ¡°It looks like we have been joined by the recruits of Camp Darzi,¡± Mckinnon said with a smile. ¡°This class started selection five months ago. They got up early this morning and walked twenty miles along the coast to get here.¡±

    ¡°Quick break girls,¡± A Darzi instructor called. ¡°Take a moment to drink and grab a snack.¡±

    The group sat down on their packs. They were lean, filthy, and barely exchanged words as they wolfed down snacks. Their faces were blank, jaws set, and there was no life in their eyes. They made slow simple movements, but nothing was done half-heartedly. None of them so much as glanced at the crowd of nervous girls in front of them.

    Kayla¡¯s stomach turned. Twenty miles with a full pack? She was fit, but she had never attempted a feat of such endurance.

    ¡°That¡¯s long enough, recruits,¡± the instructor called after a few minutes. ¡°Back on your feet and back to camp.¡±

    The zombie-like girls reacted without hesitation, packing away water bottles and litter, and getting to their feet, though their movements were stiff and slow. One of the recruits struggled to get her pack on when her strap caught behind her back, but another quickly dug it out for her. Then the group moved off down the path from where they had arrived.

    For a second, Kayla was certain she would never be able to manage such an unbelievable hike. She reminded herself not to doubt her abilities. All she had to do was stay the course. Thandi, next to her in the formation, looked over and winked. Kayla raised an eyebrow in response.

    Mckinnon gave a quiet order to the other instructors, who divided the class into smaller groups. The girls were shown basic physical training exercises, which they then had to repeat. They went through jumping jacks, burpees, pushups and situps, and the instructors scrutinized their form. Lazy posture, or incomplete movement, was met with harsh criticism. Kayla struggled through the PT workout until her lungs burned and acid soaked her muscles.

    Once that ordeal was over, the groups were led to the cabins that would be their homes for the next six months. As they left the square, Kayla looked over at Mckinnon¡¯s hut. A long line of recruits had queued up to drop out. Kayla shook her head. How could they want to quit before the end of the first day?

    An instructor led her group through a maze of identical wooden structures, stopping off occasionally to assign four girls to each. Kayla breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she would be grouped with Thandi and two others. At least she didn¡¯t have to start from scratch again.

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    Her other cabin mate, a cheerful and muscular girl, introduced herself as Kiki.

    ¡°I¡¯m a marathon runner, track athlete and gymnast,¡± Kiki boasted. ¡°I love sports. I can imagine I¡¯m going to have a great time here. This is my friend Chisom, by the way.¡±

    The other girl smiled politely, but quickly broke eye contact. She didn¡¯t appear to have much to say, which seemed to suit the talkative Kiki just fine.

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± she asked Kayla. ¡°Probably a border world, judging by your accent, right? I have a lot of friends from border worlds. They¡¯re all a bit odd, but don¡¯t let that bother you. Everyone should be a bit odd.¡±

    Kayla wanted to exchange a glance with Thandi, but reminded herself to be polite to her new cabin mate. ¡°What made you decide to stay?¡±

    Kiki laughed. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m an overachiever, I guess. Give me something hard and tell me I won¡¯t succeed, and I just get fired up. You?¡±

    Kayla explained about the attacks on Caldera, then Thandi described her fighting background. They turned to Chisom.

    ¡°My family was in the military on Janome for generations,¡± Chisom said shyly, ¡°and I would probably have joined too, but what changed my mind is that here it¡¯s all female.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kiki cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind having some nice buff guys about the place.¡±

    ¡°Well, my elder sister joined the Janomian Army,¡± Chisom continued in a low, detached tone, ¡°and she was raped by a superior officer.¡±

    ¡°Jesus, that¡¯s awful,¡± said Kayla.

    Thandi nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a big problem on a lot of worlds, and you know they do everything they can to downplay it.¡±

    ¡°For years they pretended it hadn¡¯t happened,¡± Chisom said. ¡°Then the guy got a few months of administrative leave and counseling. They say they¡¯ve improved a lot, and the risk is quite low, but still¡­¡±

    Kayla nodded sympathetically, glad that she hadn¡¯t had to contemplate such a risk.

    The next day began with a morning run around the camp, followed by calisthenics and mobility stretching. Kayla found the exercises easy enough, but the instructors kept the recruits repeating sets until her limbs were shaking, and she wanted to throw up. Then they were split into smaller groups again. Kayla, Christie, and Thandi followed a small line of girls into a classroom, where a Collective researcher introduced herself as Doctor Gilah.

    ¡°We have only found the Jotnar¡¯s machines,¡± said Gilah.

    The class watched in fascination as she illuminated a galaxy map on a holo-projector. It showed the milky way galaxy, with a small green smudge in the region of the Orion-Cygnus outer spiral arm.

    ¡°The highlighted sector,¡± Gilah continued, ¡°represents an empire of tens of thousands of star systems, but is relatively tiny compared to the vast size of the galaxy. I find that puts things into perspective.¡±

    ¡°Sure, if you¡¯re God,¡± Kayla announced. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem so insignificant if you look up at the night sky.¡± She paused, then looked around in surprise when nobody scolded her for speaking out of turn like they had at Madam Georgia¡¯s. The more she saw of Valkyrie, the more she liked.

    Gilah smiled. ¡°That may be true, but I want you to keep in mind that despite their achievements, the Jotnar were not gods. Perhaps they thought they were, but on a larger scale, they were insignificant.¡±

    ¡°I think my fellow recruit is trying to say,¡± Christie interjected, ¡°that from the perspective of the fragile human psyche, they may as well have been gods. Why wouldn¡¯t you extend your respect to beings of such power?¡±

    ¡°Her fellow recruit¡¯s perspective,¡± Kayla said, with a wink at Christie, ¡°is that of the soldier getting shot in the face.¡± Her tone shifted to heavy sarcasm. ¡°In lieu of more grandiose contemplation.¡±

    Christie flashed her a tight smile, while a wave of gasps and muttering fluttered through the classroom. Kayla saw recruits giving her alarmed looks. Obviously, some of the weak-minded girls did not want to hear about the reality of violence. The faster they dropped out, the better.

    ¡°These classroom sessions,¡± continued the unphased Gilah, ¡°will help you to understand that while you should always respect the power of the enemy, you mustn¡¯t overestimate them, nor underestimate yourself. Neither the power nor sophistication of a civilization enables its infantry to succeed in the field, but rather the ingenuity and determination of the individual soldier.

    ¡°¡®My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!¡¯ This infamous quotation refers to Rameses the second, who expanded the Egyptian empire over Syria, Libya, and the Levant. Less than two generations after his death, Egypt lost all their conquests to a wave of barbarians known as the ¡®sea peoples¡¯.

    Gilah smiled at Kayla. ¡°To put it another way, your enemy is just as concerned about getting shot in the face as you are. The Red Queen principle¡ªa lesson of evolutionary biology¡ªtells us that an organism must work extremely hard simply to maintain its place in the pecking order. If you are prepared to put in that work, and your enemy chooses to take a day off, then you will be much more likely to defeat them. In Valkyrie¡¯s case, our enemy is long dead. The mindless machines you will face are dangerous, but predictable.¡±

    Gilah tapped a button on her pointer, and a dense starfield replaced the galaxy.

    ¡°This map shows a regional display of all the Jotnar sites identified by our organization.¡±

    Red dots were intermixed with the white stars, tracing out spider web networks of clumps and threads. The pattern wasn¡¯t random¡ªtwo major clusters of networks sat opposite each other, separated by a thick red band where all order broke down.

    ¡°All these sites trace the outlines of a vast battlefield amongst the stars. Indeed, in those regions closest to the ¡®front¡¯, we tend to find the wrecks of starships and fortifications. Farther back, in the logistical hubs, we find stockpiles of weapons, and sometimes, more advanced, but unused, war machines. We have even begun to get an idea of the Jotnar¡¯s technological development throughout the war.¡±

    ¡°So, just to make sure I understand,¡± Christie said. ¡°Valkyrie, an organization no larger than a hundred thousand women, has secured and analyzed all of these sites at some point?¡±

    Gilah looked surprised. ¡°Where did you get that number?¡±

    ¡°A rough estimation based on the size of Tyr-city and the apparent population density,¡± Christie said. ¡°Given the sheer number of sites, this work must have taken thousands of years.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an unwarranted assumption.¡±

    ¡°How old is Valkyrie?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°That will not be discussed recruits.¡± The glacially cold voice of Chief Instructor Mckinnon rang out from the back of the classroom. ¡°If it concerns you too greatly, please feel free to drop out.¡±

    Kayla sighed. ¡°Please forgive me, Instructor. I am impertinently curious when strangers work me to exhaustion every day, so I may risk being killed for something I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Christie chuckled.

    Gilah seemed unperturbed. ¡°That¡¯s quite understandable, and I can only reiterate our assurances that those answers will come in time; once you have earned your place in the organization.¡±

    Kayla nodded unenthusiastically. Gilah and Mckinnon obviously knew a lot more than they were letting on, and she didn¡¯t like it.

 Part 2 - Chapter 21

    Gilah tapped another button, and a cutaway image of a starship appeared on the screen. The vessel resembled a pile of bricks, with antennae arrays sprouting along its length. The interior section looked brutally spartan, and uncomfortable for human habitation.

    ¡°One of the many warships you may one day have to secure,¡± she explained. ¡°As you can see, it has a labyrinthine and claustrophobic design, which an assault team would have to enter and secure compartment by compartment. As well as the obvious targets like the weapon magazine and power plant, there are onboard defense systems. These include automated turrets, laser barriers, and combat drones. A Ranger team would have to disarm or destroy all defensive systems, so that cleanup drones can dismember the structure and dispose of it.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just put a bomb inside it?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°That can be sufficient for smaller ships,¡± Gilah said. ¡°But some vessels were built to survive a planetary collision. They have internal shielding that dissipates or redirects energy. The only safe way to dispose of them is to break them apart piece by piece. These ships are powered by fusion cores, which can last millennia, and if they detect any hostile attack, they will defend themselves.¡±

    She clicked another button, and the starship was replaced with a mechanical spider. ¡°This is one of the most common combat drones. They can range in size from a few feet wide to several yards. A big one can manage as much as forty miles an hour, off-road.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s mouth went dry. The memory of the monster that killed her father surfaced in her mind, along with the never forgotten fear and helplessness. Now the fantasy was dissolving into reality, confronting a stronger, more powerful enemy didn¡¯t seem so easy.

    ¡°How many drones would you expect to see on a ship?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°That depends on the ship.¡± Gilah hesitated and looked to the back of the class.

    ¡°Several thousand on the capital ships,¡± Mckinnon said as heads turned. ¡°They can be armed with industrial lasers, as well as conventional firearms and explosives.¡±

    ¡°A team brought one in with an acid spray weapon last week,¡± Gilah said.

    Mckinnon nodded. ¡°I remember seeing those around old population centers, well away from the frontline. They were weak compared with the usual war machines, and we suspect they were designed to kill civilians. One of many indicators we received of a large-scale genocide towards the end of the conflict. Your colleagues in the History division would know more about that.¡±

    Gilah nodded gratefully.

    ¡°Did you ever find a weapon that can make crazy animals?¡± Kayla asked.

    Mckinnon thought for a moment. ¡°There are chemical weapons that can trigger panic or rage in animals, particularly herds, but those effects are not long lasting. The creatures you saw in the zoo were genetically modified, but aside from elevated levels of aggression, they live as most animals do. I wouldn¡¯t call them crazy.¡±

    ¡°What about creatures created to attack humans?¡± Kayla said.

    Mckinnon shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that.¡±

    In the back of the class, Rose laughed.

    Kayla¡¯s face reddened. Was this something else they wanted to hide from her? ¡°But on Caldera¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not current with events on Caldera,¡± McKinnon said. ¡°I do believe it was cleared before human colonization began, per standard practice.¡±

    Kayla sank deeper into her seat as a ball of molten lead settled into her stomach.

    ¡°Can we see one of them?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°One of what?¡± Gilah replied.

    ¡°One of the aliens¡ªa Jotnar. You must have recovered a body at some point?¡± Christie said.

    Gilah¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°No, we never have, unfortunately. It¡¯s understandable considering organic material degrades quickly. Especially in battlefield environments, which are exposed to chemicals and radiation.¡±

    ¡°But what about their civilization?¡± Christie said. ¡°They must have had cities everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Not that we have found¡ªthe destruction appears to have been complete. Our engineers speculate the Jotnar constructed civilian centers out of less durable materials, like steel and concrete, that would degrade completely within several thousand years. It makes sense they would divert all their durable resources to their war machines.¡±

    Kayla sat up as a thought struck her.

    Christie cocked her head. ¡°It still seems unlikely¡ª¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s another question,¡± Kayla interrupted, her eyes gleaming. ¡°Valkyrie cleared the human colony worlds before settlers arrived, right?¡±

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Gilah said.

    ¡°And Earth?¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°What happened on Earth? Before humans discovered space travel?¡±

    Gilah shook her head. ¡°We have no evidence of a Jotnar presence on Earth.¡±

    Kayla clenched her fist. That didn¡¯t make sense, but¡­ how could they make such a claim? ¡°Can I see your galaxy map again?¡± she asked.

    Gilah glanced warily at the back of the classroom before returning the galaxy map to the display.

    ¡°Where is Earth on this map?¡± Kayla asked.

    A blue dot lit up amongst the star systems. It was not in any of the major networks of Jotnar sites, but sat quite close to the center of the map, and the thick red band that divided it. Kayla exhaled slowly. There was obviously an even darker side to the truth that Valkyrie was hiding.

    ¡°Any more questions, recruit Barnes?¡± asked the cold voice of Mckinnon.

    ¡°None, Instructor,¡± Kayla said.

    The class ended for lunch, and once they had filled their trays with food, Kayla dragged Christie and Thandi to a table at the back of the cafeteria, out of the way of the crowd of recruits.

    ¡°They¡¯re lying to us,¡± she said, once they sat down.

    Christie nodded. ¡°Agreed¡ªthe only conceivable explanation.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°A resource rich, inhabited planet in the middle of a warzone?¡± Kayla said. ¡°Or was this genocidal, war mongering species just super ethical about not disturbing other sentient life?¡±

    ¡°An absurd idea,¡± Christie said. ¡°And I would go so far as to suggest that a salient was developing around today¡¯s core systems.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°A pocket of resistance that extends into enemy territory,¡± Christie explained. ¡°Usually because it is being defended more strongly than the surrounding area.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Thandi said. ¡°So, we know they are hiding a lot from us. This is part of what we have to accept.¡±

    Kayla sighed in frustration. ¡°Well, when does it become too much?¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°You know where the exit is. But anyway, what difference does it make? It doesn¡¯t seem unreasonable these Jotnar had a base on some uninhabited part of Earth when humans were still banging rocks together.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Someone had to clear all their crap away before anyone could find it.¡±

    ¡°Which, given the complete lack of historical references,¡± Christie continued, ¡°would need to have been done thousands of years ago¡ªbefore the development of human civilization.¡±

    ¡°Which means that humans and Jotnar were in contact, probably sharing technology, and this Valkyrie group is part of that legacy,¡± Kayla finished.

    Thandi thought for a moment. ¡°Valkyrie is obviously based on Scandinavian mythology. Then there are the Amazons, the Celtic Morrigan¡ªMoneiba from one African tradition¡ªlots of stories about isolated groups of warrior women.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re talking about genocide, and saying they don¡¯t know what happened? I don¡¯t believe that for a second. What the hell are we getting ourselves into?¡± Kayla banged the table with her fist.

    Christie froze at the impact, then scowled at her. ¡°Do you often do ape impressions?¡±

    Kayla shot her a dark look.

    ¡°Well, consider this,¡± Thandi said. ¡°What if the old religions were based on truth? Wouldn¡¯t those myths make more sense if humans had been a slave species to powerful beings? Across all the ancient mythologies, there¡¯s a clear trend of gods ruling over humans, while granting special individuals power to do their dirty work.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Kayla said. ¡°But why would Jotnar ¡®gods¡¯ murder each other and leave their slaves alive?¡±

    ¡°Think about the Abrahamic religion,¡± Christie said. ¡°One god ¡®destroyed¡¯ all the other gods, so to speak, and made humanity special.¡±

    Thandi looked at her in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s not what Christians or Jews believe.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Christie said. ¡°The war in heaven? Casting out Satan and the fallen angels? Of course, that would be great for us, since humans are the good guys of that story.¡±

    ¡°You have to take that with a grain of salt,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Of course, the victor would write themselves in a positive light.¡±

    ¡°God is not an alien handing out high-tech toys for people to play with!¡± Thandi complained.

    ¡°Oh super, you¡¯re a believer,¡± said Christie. ¡°So now we can¡¯t have a rational discussion about whether or not we¡¯re being indoctrinated into a genocidal militarist cult.¡±

    Thandi scowled at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be an ass. I¡¯m happy to concede God destroyed these demons and did not, in His infinite wisdom, feel it necessary to explain in detail the course of events to humanity. What about the story of the flood?¡±

    ¡°And Valkyrie?¡± Christie asked. ¡°A Pagan conception?¡±

    ¡°Angels are a Hebrew conception,¡± Thandi shot back.

    ¡°So, God really is handing out toys for the special children?¡±

    Thandi sighed and rubbed her temples. ¡°Okay, forget I said that. I don¡¯t pretend to have all the answers, but I still have faith we are doing the right thing. On Earth, every crazed dictator dreaming of immortality has failed and been left with humiliation or death. Every world conquering empire has collapsed. In the midst of this minefield of devastating alien technology, the Helvetic League¡ªthe most far-reaching, high-tech empire in interstellar history¡ªis weakening and declining. Somebody is doing something right. If humans and Jotnar once worked together, that relationship was obviously severed.¡±

    ¡°But there have always been empires,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Small groups of people with enough power to conquer everyone else and rule them for hundreds of years at a time.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so maybe there are some Jotnar who survived, working in the shadows,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And as far as I can see, it¡¯s a stalemate. No force has gained the upper hand.

    ¡°So how do we know Valkyrie are the good guys? What if they¡¯re the bad guys? What if we have to kill people without ever finding out for sure?¡±

    ¡°I find it hard to picture the forces of evil telling you that you can walk away if you don¡¯t like what you see. And what about your own experience with Urtiga?¡±

    Kayla fell silent.

    For some time, no one spoke, until Christie cleared her throat. ¡°There is another way to resolve this dilemma. As you say, Thandi, the pattern of history gives us an insight into which forces are wielding power for good and evil. In my opinion, there is a thread that connects the great empires of history and their terrible deeds. From the ancient Greeks, to Rome, to the European powers¡ªall the way through to the Helvetic League. I suggest that we follow that thread to determine the truth of the matter.¡±

    ¡°I think I know what thread you¡¯re referring to,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And there is a close connection to military history, so perhaps they¡¯ll let us have access to the books we need. Mckinnon did mention they have a camp library.¡±

    ¡°But of course, answers will not come quickly,¡± Christie said. ¡°We are talking about three thousand years, after all.¡±

    ¡°If Valkyrie really are that old,¡± Thandi said, ¡°they have had plenty of time to cover their tracks.¡±

    Kayla nodded in resignation.

    After they¡¯d eaten lunch, the instructors ordered the recruits back to the camp square for more calisthenics. Kayla thought the exercises were pointless, as they were already physically exhausted, but she pushed the pain to the back of her mind and struggled through the movements. When it was over, she looked up to see another line of recruits waiting to quit.

 Part 2 - Chapter 22

    Weslan clutched his satchel tightly as he crossed the Rackeye university quad, heading for the office of his father, the head of the Biology department. The summons had been sent via the official channel, and Weslan was breathless with anticipation. He had known from the excited reactions of the review board professors that his PhD proposal had caused a stir.

    After the rejection by Rose, a career opportunity would be a chance to retrieve some of his dignity. The news of the breakup had set the feeds on fire for days, and he¡¯d begun to believe he would never live down the disgrace. His closest friends had tried to reassure him everything would be forgotten. They had refrained from commenting on the extra drinks he¡¯d put away during their evening soir¨¦es. Even so, Weslan had been stung by their occasional concerned glances, and he felt certain they were ashamed of him. But how could his companions understand what it was like to be so prominent in League society? The best they could hope for was respect by association.

    A crowd from the athletics team barreled down the path toward Weslan, cheering and hooting as they celebrated a victory. Alarmed, he was obliged to step onto the grass to avoid being shoved aside. The athletes hadn¡¯t smiled or waved to him as they usually did¡ªas was proper for the son of the university¡¯s most distinguished scientist. Before he lost Rose, such a callous act of rudeness from the team would have been inconceivable. Even his own father had scolded him for failing to keep her affection. A marriage tie to the Djallen corporation would have held inestimable value for the Genny family, tying intellectual prestige to immense wealth.

    But Weslan¡¯s father apologized for the outburst a few days later. With a gleam in his eye, he had explained to his son that there were several private research labs in the Helvetic League that would be eager to fund his proposal. An official summons so soon after this revelation could only mean one thing. Weslan quickened his pace as the athletes faded from his memory. His second chance was waiting for him.

    When he reached his father¡¯s office, Weslan paused to catch his breath and smooth his hair. He knocked, waited for the command to enter, and pushed the door open. His father was seated at his desk, chatting with another man he didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°Hello Weslan,¡± said his father. ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce you to Mister Kyellan Bell, a representative from Geolox, who has reached out to us.¡±

    Weslan had heard of Geolox¡ªa bio-tech group working closely with the Helvetic League¡¯s military. He suppressed a shiver of excitement and reached out to shake the man¡¯s hand, gripping it firmly as he had practiced.

    Bell smiled. ¡°Great to meet you at last, young man. I¡¯ve heard a lot of things about you.¡±

    Weslan took in the man¡¯s bulging muscles and upright, self-confident posture¡ªso unusual in most of the scientists he knew. He wondered if the man might have been a soldier, then chided himself for making assumptions. ¡°You¡¯re most kind,¡± he responded.

    ¡°Is it true you¡¯re dating Rose Djallen?¡± Bell asked with a leering expression. ¡°She¡¯s quite a catch, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    Weslan caught his breath and looked down. He felt a flash of anger that a corporate representative would fail to study the social situation of a promising candidate like himself. ¡°I was, but we broke it off. She¡¯s very career-oriented, and she was recently accepted into that Academy place.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Bell said, without showing much concern. ¡°Still, if you play your cards right, she¡¯ll be regretting it for the rest of her life. I never did see those Academy girls in the big money circles.¡± The man chuckled to himself.

    ¡°Mr. Bell is here to discuss an important opportunity for you, Weslan,¡± said his father. ¡°One that would greatly benefit the reputation of our humble college.¡±

    Bell nodded. ¡°We¡¯re looking for kick-ass young researchers like yourself to join us on a military-sponsored research project. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to tell you those get the highest level of funding.¡±

    Thoughts of Rose slipped away as Weslan fought back an ear-splitting grin. ¡°That sounds fantastic. What are you working on?¡±

    Bell paused and appeared to concentrate. ¡°We¡¯re uh¡­ looking to leverage chemical signaling between isolated bio-systems in a genetically human environment,¡± he said.

    Weslan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s really exciting stuff. Do you think my research can help with that?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Bell paused again. ¡°You see, it¡¯s all about networks and hierarchies. Uh¡­ how do we get a population of bacteria to produce co-ordinated behavior once inside the body? Just think of the medical applications!¡± He smiled. ¡°There¡¯s only one caveat. The project is classified top secret.¡±

    Weslan glanced at his father, who nodded reassuringly.

    ¡°So, how does that work?¡± Weslan asked, cautiously. ¡°Obviously, I couldn¡¯t talk to my friends and family about what I¡¯d be doing, but will my communications be monitored?¡±

    ¡°We will ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement,¡± Bell said. ¡°Any communications sent through the laboratory computers will be subject to a security review. Video or audio calls are prohibited, though you will have use of an e-mail account. This is standard practice in military facilities, and it¡¯s something we all have to learn to live with.¡±

    ¡°How about the ah¡­ salary?¡±

    Bell smiled again. ¡°It will be generous, of course.¡± He passed over a sheet of paper. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a look at this proposal?¡±

    Weslan¡¯s eyes went wide as he scanned it. A well-paid League contract meant prestige, and the ¡®classified¡¯ nature of the work would only make his friends more jealous. They wouldn¡¯t dare bring up Rose again.

    ¡°Of course,¡± his father said, ¡°my young Weslan is not so materialistic as to be concerned purely with financial benefit. He is driven by higher philosophical ideals.¡±

    Bell nodded. ¡°I can assure you, Weslan, that you will be working alongside leading scientists in the field, with the most cutting-edge technology the League can provide, right here on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°A lab on Caldera?¡± Weslan said with a surprised expression. ¡°Close to Rackeye? I don¡¯t remember hearing about its construction.¡±

    ¡°Of course not¡ªit¡¯s top secret, remember? The lab is a few hours¡¯ drive outside the city. As I¡¯m sure you can understand, we won¡¯t disclose the location to you, and you won¡¯t be free to come and go at will. All travel arrangements will be managed by our security team.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t see what would stop me,¡± Weslan said with a smile.

    Once he had signed the contract, his father broke out a bottle of champagne.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    On his first day, Weslan waited with a bulging carryall outside his apartment in Rackeye. Bell had informed him that he wouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave the facility for the first few months, and he had packed as much as he could carry.

    A driver came to meet him, confiscated his phone, and took him outside Rackeye into the surrounding hills. As the pleasant scenery slid past, Weslan felt a pang of regret that he¡¯d never taken the opportunity to visit the countryside of Caldera. Now that he was out here, he would be sealed off from it. He made a mental note to plan a hiking adventure as soon as he could take some vacation.

    After more than an hour, the vehicle turned off the main road and followed a rough track for several miles. A large mountain rose above the surrounding hills, one face of which was a sheer cliff, as though a giant had sliced through it with a heavenly axe. They drove up the gentler flank to the top, where a makeshift camp was built into the slope. Fences and signs warned trespassers away, but Weslan couldn¡¯t imagine anyone approaching the mountain without being spotted. A guard at the gate waved them through, and Weslan was led into a large tent, cramped with equipment.

    Bell strode out of the clutter and offered his hand. ¡°Sorry about the mess,¡± he said as they shook, ¡°but we¡¯re still getting everything moved in. The lab itself is underground.¡±

    He motioned for Weslan to follow. One end of the tent was open to the mountainside. Hidden inside a rocky outcrop was a metal doorway. It seemed odd to Weslan they hadn¡¯t made it larger, given all the equipment they had to break down and carry through. Of course, it was a military project, and they would have their own ways of doing things.

    He followed Bell through the doorway and his jaw dropped as he took in the facility. Spacious corridors of polished metal, lined with neatly inlaid glass windows, disappeared into the distance. The walls sported intricately beveled panels that gave the place an almost abstract aesthetic. Fine patterns shone beneath the mirror-smooth metal surfaces, shifting color as Weslan moved his head. The area was well lit, though he couldn¡¯t see any lights, while the air was perfectly warm and fresh. He¡¯d never seen anything like it, even in the most prestigious academic facilities.

    ¡°What¡¯s that language?¡± he asked, pointing to the complex script embossed on the hallways and doors.

    ¡°Security code,¡± Bell said with a dismissive handwave. ¡°Helps with coordinating surveillance and tactical response. You won¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±

    They passed into another long hallway stacked with containers. A large round chamber bisected the corridor, and three-armed guards waited for them.

    ¡°New science team member,¡± Bell explained as he presented his ID. The guards let them through without comment.

    Unlike the rest of the facility, the chamber was lit by a blue light that was almost too bright. ¡°Is it a special room?¡± he asked.

    ¡°High-tech body scanner,¡± Bell said, but didn¡¯t elaborate.

    Once they left the chamber, the air freshened and smelled mustier. Weslan imagined there must be sophisticated atmospheric control. He was going to ask about it, but they turned a corner, and he stopped in his tracks.

    The corridor had opened onto a larger rocky cavern, studded with gigantic crystals. A Rainbow of colors glinted in the darkness, catching the light from lamps mounted along metal walkways.

    ¡°Incredible,¡± Weslan said. ¡°We must be deeper underground than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Pretty neat, huh?¡± said Bell. ¡°But you¡¯ll have plenty of time for sightseeing later, so let¡¯s keep moving.¡±

    ¡°I had no idea this kind of geology was so close to Rackeye,¡± Weslan said as they resumed their path. ¡°Once these projects are completed, you could make billions turning this place into a tourist trap.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bell replied, apparently not interested in the subject.

    A woman appeared from a branching walkway, walking in their direction but paying more attention to the tablet she was carrying. She was beautiful and athletic, but with a gracelessly stilted walk. Her dress was casual, black leather pants and jacket, unlike the uniforms the guards were wearing. Beside him, Weslan saw Bell stiffen.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± he said as they passed, but the woman ignored them. She approached a tunnel entrance, protected by two guards. A sign indicated that the area was off limits to non-authorized personnel. The woman passed the guards, again without acknowledging them, and they did not disturb her.

    ¡°Who was that?¡± Weslan asked, once she was out of hearing.

    ¡°The director of the facility,¡± Bell said. ¡°Try not to bother her¡ªshe¡¯s¡­ uh¡­ bad-tempered.¡±

    ¡°Shame, she¡¯s rather attractive,¡± Weslan said, hoping to strike up a bond with his new colleague.

    Bell went pale. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her like that. It¡¯s¡­ just safer for everyone.¡±

    He seemed so alarmed, Weslan decided not to press further.

    They exited the cavern through a tunnel lined with smaller rainbow-colored crystals. Weslan decided he would get himself a chisel, and take a sample at the next opportunity. After many confusing direction changes, they reached a large door embedded seamlessly into a rock face. Bell pushed a button, and the entrance opened onto a carved chamber, spacious, but almost completely bare. A few students looked up from a small stove, while others lounged on camping chairs in the middle of the space.

    ¡°This is the researcher¡¯s common area,¡± Bell explained, ¡°and just down that tunnel you will find a private bedroom. For the time being you¡¯ll have to make do with an inflatable mattress and sleeping bag, but we¡¯ll get some creature comforts in here before too long. I¡¯m sure the others will help you settle in.¡±

    Bell politely excused himself and left Weslan to be welcomed by his new colleagues. While he was taken aback to see how poorly furnished their quarters were, the other researchers were very friendly and welcoming.

    Weslan felt even more at ease when Julie Syranna, an old college friend, emerged from her room to greet him.

    ¡°What will you be doing here?¡± He asked her once they had caught up.

    ¡°Oh, well, it has to do with cutting-edge computer tech, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t go into details. They¡¯ve already explained that we have to compartmentalize as much as possible.¡±

    Weslan nodded, though he was disappointed not to learn more about the fascinating lab. ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful facility, isn¡¯t it?¡± Julie continued. ¡°I bet they discovered the natural caverns and decided to tunnel out the lab around them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen anything like it before,¡± Weslan agreed. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievably sophisticated¡ªmust have taken years to build. Strange that nobody had the slightest idea it was under construction.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m sure the League military has lots of experience keeping big projects a secret.¡±

    ¡°But anyway,¡± Weslan said as he looked around, ¡°it looks like we have a great group of people here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I must introduce you to everyone,¡± Julie said. She turned and waved to attract the attention of a young man. ¡°Stellan, this is my friend Weslan from the University¡¯s Biology department.¡±

    Weslan shook hands as Julie introduced more of her friends, and he struggled to memorize their names. Once they got chatting, he realized their resumes were as impressive as his. The other researchers seemed to cover almost every field imaginable, from ancient linguistics to electrical and structural engineering, and even theoretical physics. Frustratingly, nobody else was involved in biological research. He would be alone on his project.

    ¡°You must be eager to get stuck in, Weslan?¡± Stellan said once the introductions were finished. ¡°Get all that unpleasantness with Rose behind you.¡±

    Weslan¡¯s enthusiasm evaporated, and he balled his fists.

    Julie slapped Stellan¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be so insensitive! You know, I think that sometimes we forget that the stories we read on the feeds are someone¡¯s real life, their real pain.¡±

    Stellan¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°God, you¡¯re right. Weslan, I do apologize, I shouldn¡¯t have commented on something so personal.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s life.¡± Weslan ran a hand through his hair. He had to change the subject. ¡°Has anybody met our new boss? My recruiter seemed quite uncomfortable when we passed her in the hall.¡±

    ¡°I did, actually,¡± Stellan said. ¡°We had an introductory chat, and she seemed very professional. I know what you mean though¡ªthe security guards treat her like royalty. She¡¯s intense and blunt as a sledgehammer. Wouldn¡¯t want to give her bad news, I can tell you that.¡±

    Weslan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I hope she isn¡¯t some kind of corporate hack, climbing the greasy poll.¡±

    ¡°Definitely not; she was very passionate about the science. Wanted to know everything I was thinking straight away.¡±

    Weslan smiled, and as the conversation continued, he grew more and more eager to get started on his project. He felt like he was at the beginning of something big, and surrounded by similarly passionate scientists. They were going to do great things together.

    That evening, he sank into his air mattress, tired from the information he¡¯d absorbed. A laptop had been left in his room. Once he had signed into the lab¡¯s network, he decided to send a polite message to Kayla, asking how she was doing. When he checked back an hour later, he saw with frustration that it hadn¡¯t been delivered. She had to be under similar restrictions as him, wherever she was.

 Part 2 - Chapter 23

    Absorbed in paperwork, Halloran Reed heard the tap on his office door as someone entered.

    ¡°I got that new kid settled in okay, Cap,¡± Kyellan Bell¡¯s voice announced. ¡°My personality eval is in your inbox.¡±

    ¡°No ranks.¡± Reed looked up from the shipping forms on his desk. ¡°We aren¡¯t soldiers anymore, remember?¡±

    ¡°Sorry sir- uh¡­ sorry,¡± Bell said as he scratched his neck. ¡°Old habits are hard to kick.¡±

    ¡°Adapt for Victory. That was my old regiment¡¯s motto.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Bell grabbed a chair and sat down, his eyes wandering aimlessly around the makeshift office.

    Reed watched him for a moment. ¡°Is there something troubling you, Bell?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ uh¡­ I mean, you can go too far with ¡®thinking outside the box¡¯ can¡¯t you?¡±

    Reed nodded. ¡°Absolutely. Which is why I like to encourage my men to maintain a healthy skepticism, and express their concerns when necessary.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I have concerns exactly.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Bell sighed. ¡°I joined the Special Forces because I wanted to do whatever it took to win. But playacting as execs? Corporate fraud? Whatever¡ªit¡¯s a whole different game. There¡¯re so many weird rules. I think I nearly lost this new kid when I asked about his ex-girlfriend.¡±

    Reed sat back in his chair. ¡°Plenty of businessmen have a military background. Civilians understand that our world is a little different. These kids are na?ve and trusting¡ªthey may find us blunt or awkward, but they won¡¯t challenge us.¡±

    Bell tilted his head. ¡°But do you really think we can pull this off? What about when the Army figures out what we¡¯re up to?¡±

    Reed chuckled. ¡°Oh, come on, Bell. That bureaucratic monster would take the better part of a year to commission an investigation. Then they would be stuck in the planning and organization phase for months, all so a bunch of career chasing narcissists could waste time and resources to justify their rank and pay. That¡¯s if they even have the imagination to accept what we¡¯re doing. Alien technology? Secret bases? If I were the investigator presenting a report to the General¡¯s board, I¡¯d expect to be laughed out of the room.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s a crazy-ass plan.¡±

    ¡°Ambitious and imaginative, sure. But Madam Rayker is as brilliant as she is driven. She has the Adjudicate wrapped around her finger. The Cardinals are doing a fine job of covering up what we¡¯re doing, even if they don¡¯t understand it.¡± Reed smiled and leaned forward. ¡°And don¡¯t forget, we have the best soldiers in the galaxy. The League has an old, frail hand on the reins of power. By the time they see what¡¯s coming for them, it will be too late. Time for new blood.¡±

    Bell raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, that part I like. Getting there is the difficult bit.¡±

    ¡°In the long term,¡± Reed said, ¡°we will need a plan to gather human subjects for the machine. I¡¯m thinking about putting a team into the field, toward Lanstead. I¡¯ll keep you at the top of my list. Once you get out on the ground, away from this miserable dungeon, you¡¯ll start to regain your confidence.¡±

    ¡°I was going to say something about that. With the Rackeye site up, we should be able to talk about more leave for the guys. Trips to the farming towns hardly count.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Reed said as he sat back in his chair and crossed his hands, ¡°I think that a permanent team in the city would make sense. As time passes, the researchers will gossip, and people might start asking questions. We should be proactive in monitoring the social scene.¡±

    Bell stood up, a gleam in his eye. ¡°Boss, that would be awesome.¡±

    ¡°Can you figure out a schedule to rotate your men through this team?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Bell said with a gleam in his eye. ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it.¡±

    Reed raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse to go bar crawling, Bell.¡±

    ¡°No, s¡ªNo. We¡¯ll behave. You have my word.¡±

    A short time later, Reed found Rayker waiting at the teleportation corridor, and he blinked when she glared at him. Though he had found her easier to work with over the years, he was never exactly sure where her temper might take her.

    ¡°Late again, Reed,¡± she said.

    ¡°Apologies, Madam. Bell reported to me on the status of the researchers. Fortunately, they¡¯re settling in nicely.¡±

    Rayker turned away while the ¡®security guards¡¯ programmed the teleporter with the coordinates for the new site.

    ¡°We must watch those young workers carefully,¡± she said. ¡°They will quickly figure out how we are producing drones, once that phase of the operation is underway. Most of them will revolt, but some might be amenable to our cause.¡±

    Reed crossed his arms. Sometimes she could be too ambitious. ¡°I would caution against trusting any of them, Madam, no matter how idealistic they may appear. Their level of society rewards¡­ dissimulation. Besides, our cover is shaky enough as it is.¡±

    ¡°You are right to be cautious,¡± Rayker said. ¡°Nevertheless, child-abuse is rampant amongst the League¡¯s elites. There will certainly be a few amongst their youth who reject their upbringing and will be cold-blooded enough to give us their loyalty. Keep an eye out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    The transporter room hummed with energy, while the far end of the corridor shimmered. Reed felt a sense of nausea as the air changed, and the scene was replaced by another poorly lit corridor, darker and colder than the first. He followed Rayker as she strode confidently into the new base, leaving their men to deactivate the portal behind them.

    Reed tapped the holster at his side as he stepped into an environment that could never have seen humanity. These installations were so advanced, he had no idea what they might encounter. Perhaps their long-disappeared owners had actually succeeded in producing deadly and obedient creatures from the nanite chambers?

    Reed slowed his breathing and turned the volume down on his imagination. The complexes they had discovered were always completely empty, lacking even basic defense systems. Rayker had insisted that the original owners were long departed, though he would have felt better if she had told him how she could be so sure.

    She wouldn¡¯t even explain to Reed who this ¡®benefactor¡¯ was that had supplied her with the co-ordinates to the hidden doorway, and taught her to read the alien language. If he asked, Rayker would only fix him with that unyielding, reptilian stare that always made him look away.

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    She was certainly a killer, and he had worked with many, but she was also something else entirely.

    They split up to explore. Reed saw infrastructure for hundreds of individuals: cabins, kitchens and bunkrooms, along with maintenance stores. Though similar to previously explored areas, this site was more claustrophobic than usual. The lighting was meager, and the air had a stale, oppressive feel.

    He passed by a large porthole and stopped to look out. The facility was submerged, deep enough underwater that only murky blackness was visible, broken by a few exterior lights. The team knew from the translated computer schematics that the site sat on the seabed. Located near a coastline, on the opposite side of Caldera from human settlers, there was no chance of the place being discovered any time soon.

    Everything about the base suggested that the original architects were similar to humans. But how similar? And what had destroyed them? Rayker had assured him that they were not working for an enemy of humanity, though he sometimes wondered if even she could be manipulated.

    Suddenly a shrill scraping noise rang out, and Reed stiffened. He took a breath and told himself to relax. She would be amusing herself as she often did, dragging her fingernails along one of the many pipes that ran throughout the complex. She liked to play with his nerves that way.

    He obviously interested her¡ªa man and a woman working together in proximity for so long would inevitably be drawn together. Reed had always waved off her advances, insisting there should be no distractions until they completed the project. She did not take rejection well, and responded by interfering with his work in whatever creative and frustrating ways she could find.

    But she never inconvenienced his men or subjected them to unnecessary risk. Indeed, she had shown great patience when teaching them the alien language, and let them delve into the lab¡¯s computer files without her supervision. She trusted the soldiers and their intelligence, and Reed admired her for it. But, while she was beautiful enough, he had known more than his fair share of dangerous women, and with Rayker, he knew he was well out of his depth.

    His thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of his radio.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± Rayker¡¯s voice demanded.

    Reed scanned around for a landmark and took a moment to translate a series of symbols along the wall. ¡°Zone three¡ªSalinization,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ve found something in zone five. It appears to be a weapons laboratory.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Zone five consisted of machine assembly halls, and as Reed walked through the shadows between workstations, he caught sight of a stack of oblong boxes. On a workbench, a hand-portable missile had been opened; its warhead, fuel tanks and electronics exposed. He examined it before looking for Rayker, and nearly jumped out of his skin when she appeared noiselessly beside him.

    Her eyes glinted, and her lips twisted in a barely suppressed smirk. Reed¡¯s tall frame dwarfed her smaller stature, but somehow, she remained unsettling. She was like a spider that moved sedately, reserving its fury for a victim.

    ¡°I see you found a missile launcher of some type,¡± Reed said as he turned away from her. ¡°Something handheld that our men could use, if we can find a manual.¡±

    ¡°Not that I could find,¡± she said, opening one of the boxes. Inside was a launch tube and command unit that consisted of a small screen and unhelpfully unmarked buttons. ¡°The students we took in today¡ªone of them was an electronics engineer, wasn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°I think so, but do you really think she could¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course. When the League seeks to infiltrate and demoralize a colony world, they always send some of their best and brightest to build a life there. The scientists and engineers I convinced governor Craddock to hand over have received the best genetic and cultural foundation anywhere in the galaxy.¡±

    ¡°As long as they behave themselves,¡± Reed said. He lifted the command unit and pretended to inspect it.

    ¡°And how is my biologist?¡±

    ¡°Idealistic, eager to please. Attracted to you, Bell noted.¡±

    Rayker nodded. ¡°Good. All the elements he needs to be productive.¡±

    Reed raised an eyebrow, and he carefully put the unit down. ¡°Bell thinks he is likely to have a strong moral compass.¡±

    Rayker waved a hand. ¡°I will be keeping them far too exhausted to start questioning anything, at least for the first year. By which time we should have been reinforced. Your department, Reed?¡±

    ¡°The Forces chiefs are becoming concerned, Madam. They were already made suspicious by my hand-picking officers. But for your influence over the Adjudicate¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, such men are inherently paranoid in a society such as this¡ªand why blame them? Everyone is murderously desperate to seize their corner of the empire, after all. Never mind them. Take the men you need, and I shall ensure the Adjudicate provides a cover. The Army won¡¯t like it, but they¡¯ll spend months trying to get answers out of those seasoned old bureaucrats.¡±

    Reed turned and examined the workshop. ¡°How many more installations do you think are left to explore?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Rayker. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this place before. It¡¯s more than just a laboratory, it¡¯s also a research complex, and a command-and-control facility. There¡¯s something else too. The power generation we saw in installation four¡ªit¡¯s not just powering lights and computers, or the odd technological marvel.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°These complexes consume small streams of energy, while that base is producing a vast river. But where does it go? What is it meant for? We have so much more to uncover.¡±

    ¡°Our teleporter experiments are proving successful,¡± Reed said confidently. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time until we unlock all the remaining destinations.¡±

    Rayker sighed. ¡°I think we¡¯ll need hundreds more people before we can hope to do that. Something tells me this entire planet was created as a fortress.¡±

    Reed turned to her. ¡°These¡­ aliens. They were fighting a war, correct? Perhaps this base was part of the frontline.¡±

    Rayker hesitated before answering. ¡°They fled when the war ended.¡± She looked back at Reed. ¡°The commanders supposedly hid themselves in a handful of locations around the galaxy. There was to be a last stand, but they were never heard from again.¡±

    ¡°Do you think this was one of those locations?¡± Reed asked. Her secret benefactor aside, Rayker certainly knew more than she let on. Her strength and speed had often surprised him over the years, and she had spoken as though recalling a distant memory.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s no evidence the place was ever inhabited.¡±

    There was a long silence as Rayker caressed the missile unit.

    ¡°Madam?¡±

    ¡°Spit it out, Reed.¡±

    ¡°Your¡­ benefactor told you these things?¡±

    ¡°He tells me nothing more than I need to know. I am expected to figure out the rest.¡±

    Reed frowned. ¡°And you understand his motive?¡±

    ¡°Once all this,¡± Rayker gestured to the room, ¡°becomes known, humanity will find itself in possession of an arsenal the likes of which even your generals could not imagine. My benefactor fears that our corrupt civilization will repeat the mistakes of the past. He and his associates desire a strong hand in the galaxy, to confront the challenges to come.¡±

    Reed took a silent breath. ¡°Are you¡­ one of them?¡±

    She turned to him, a brilliant gleam in her eye. ¡°One of what Reed? An alien?¡±

    He was already regretting the question. She looked thrilled to have found a new weakness in his stoic reserve¡ªcuriosity. ¡°You look¡­ human,¡± he managed.

    She moved closer to him, until he could smell the woman-scented sweat in her pores.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find out?¡± She ran a finger along his thigh.

    Reed shifted uncomfortably, his breathing shallow and ragged. Rayker moved her other hand to his arm, feeling the bulging muscles beneath his jacket.

    ¡°You want to, don¡¯t you? I know I¡¯m beautiful¡ªa sore temptation for a military man a long way from home.¡± She reached up and stroked his jaw. ¡°We could do it right here. Nobody would know.¡±

    Reed didn¡¯t dare to move.

    ¡°You said you fought in the Frontier war,¡± Rayker whispered, stretching up on her toes to brush her lips against his ear. ¡°How many men did you kill¡ªtwenty? How many face to face?¡±

    ¡°A d-dozen,¡± he stammered.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you enjoy it? Didn¡¯t it arouse you?¡±

    As she caressed his jaw, the flesh of her wrist bulged and ripped apart. Reed couldn¡¯t keep his eyes from widening, or his skin from breaking out into goosebumps. A needle-sharp spike of bone pushed towards his eye, covered in smears of blood and mucus.

    His soldiers had traded rumors about how the Owen-creature had been killed, but he had never been sure if he believed them. Now Rayker had decided to show him firsthand. She was hungry, and he had no idea what she would do if denied.

    She brushed the spike¡¯s tip gently against his cheek. ¡°And when we finished, I could kill you¡ªslowly and carefully. Savoring every moment. They would never know. I¡¯d say it was an accident. And who would dare question me?¡±

    Reed¡¯s head began to spin as she grasped him between his legs.

    She groped, but found him unresponsive. Reed held his breath as she snarled.

    The bone spike withdrew into her arm, and the flesh sealed over it as she looked away. Reed remained still, convinced that the slightest sign of life would provoke her rage.

    Rayker stepped back, a bored expression on her face. ¡°So easy to toy with,¡± she sneered. Then she turned and stalked away.

    ¡°Have some men take these weapons to the main site,¡± she called back. ¡°Let¡¯s put those kids to work on something useful.¡±

    Her words rang through the lab and were still echoing off the walls as Reed began to shake.

 Part 2 - Chapter 24

    The heat of the sun blasted Kayla¡¯s face as she crested the hill, gasping for air. There could be no doubt that she had been transported to hell. Most of her body ached with pain, her lungs burned and her heart pounded like it was going to explode out of her chest. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time she hadn¡¯t felt exhausted.

    ¡°Lord, when does it end?¡± Thandi complained next to her.

    ¡°When you can¡¯t stand up,¡± Kayla gasped. She willed her burning thighs to take another step, though the pain was pushing tears into her eyes.

    Their small group had been hiking for hours, each recruit taking turns to read the map and set the path. Occasionally, an instructor would emerge from the trees, check on them, then move on. When they weren¡¯t hiking in the hills, they were doing PT in camp, only gaining respite from the workouts during the classroom sessions, where they studied first-aid, navigation, or military history. Each week, Kayla noticed the morning assembly on the parade ground was smaller and smaller.

    The instructors had started by taking the recruits on four-hour hikes, carrying packs filled with food, water, and clothes. When they were able to finish those marches, the time was increased to six hours, and at least once a week, ten hours. The instructors took them into the hills far from the coastline, so they could learn how to take bearings, identify landmarks, and guide themselves. Once the recruits had demonstrated their ability to navigate, their packs were filled with rocks. Kayla forced herself to accept each new layer of stress without complaint. The purpose of the training was clear; they would never be comfortable.

    On this hike, she was confident she would make it to the end, though she struggled to stay focused. Ahead, Kayla saw Aaliyah stumble over a loose stone. She looked like she was falling asleep, and had been dragging her feet, careless of the rough terrain. Kayla wondered if she should grab the recruit and try to wake her up, but moving her own trembling legs was demanding enough.

    Their group, led by Christie, was climbing up a steep mountain slope on a deteriorating rock-strewn path. When they came to a stream, Kayla watched anxiously while Aaliyah stepped on the glistening wet slabs. Her foot slipped and her body smacked into the rock. Then she was sliding, losing control as gravity dragged her down the steep hillside towards the top of a waterfall.

    Pain forgotten, Kayla dropped her pack and vaulted over the stream, scrambling through the dirt and trees on the other side. Looking over, she saw the terrified girl had come to a stop, clutching onto thin branches as she hung over a thirty-foot drop. Kayla peered over the cliff, spotted a rocky ledge below, and began to climb down.

    She lowered herself, but had trouble finding the ledge with her outstretched foot. Her arms reached full extension and Kayla offered a silent prayer. When her toes met resistance, she breathed a sigh of relief.

    Shuffling across the cliff face, she came to the struggling Aaliyah, who was trying to haul herself up as others gasped and yelled fruitless advice from above.

    Kayla evaluated the scene and thought quickly. First, she had to get her attention. ¡°Hey¡ªit¡¯s Aaliyah, right?¡± she asked.

    The girl¡¯s head snapped around, eyes wide with panic. ¡°Help! I¡¯m slipping!¡± she cried desperately.

    Kayla found a solid hold with her right hand, then, steadying herself, leaned across the sickening drop. ¡°See that hole in the rock across from you? Look where I¡¯m pointing!¡±

    Aaliyah¡¯s eyes focused on the weathered limestone as her muscles strained.

    ¡°If you grab my arm,¡± Kayla continued, ¡°you can put your left hand there and you¡¯ll swing onto this ledge.¡±

    Aaliyah looked sick as she contemplated the acrobatic maneuver.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate,¡± Kayla continued. ¡°Just do it. Grab my arm. Come on!¡± she yelled as a feeble branch began to rip itself away.

    Aaliyah moved like lightning, and Kayla winced as her fingernails drew blood from her arm. The desperate recruit found the handhold, and Kayla pulled hard as her legs swung onto the ledge. She held firmly onto the shaking girl, reassuring her that she wasn¡¯t about to let her fall off the mountain.

    Christie¡¯s head appeared above them. ¡°My God, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re good, right, Aaliyah?¡± Kayla flashed her a smile. ¡°She just decided to do some exploring.¡±

    Both girls stared at her with shocked expressions, so she switched gears. ¡°Aaliyah, I¡¯m going to put my boot on this foothold here, and you¡¯re going to step up on my leg. Don¡¯t worry, Chris will grab your arms, right Chris?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Aaliyah,¡± Christie said.

    The girl whimpered as she stepped up, then clambered frantically as Christie caught her outstretched hand. Kayla swore as Aaliyah¡¯s muddy boot stepped on her shoulder, then kicked her in the face on the way up. Outstretched arms grabbed the terrified young woman as recruits pulled her the rest of the way. They soothed her fright as she burst into tears. Once Kayla had climbed back over the edge, she turned back to admire the perilous drop.

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    ¡°Nice one,¡± she laughed and wiped dirt off her cheek. ¡°We¡¯re really going for the scenic route on this hike.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t reached the checkpoint yet,¡± Christie said with a frown. ¡°But she clearly needs a break.¡±

    Kayla looked at the sopping wet girl. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t stop here, or the instructors will yell at us. Tell you what, Aaliyah, hold on to my backpack strap and I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    Aaliyah, still trembling, shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can.¡±

    Kayla reminded herself to be patient with the girl. She had just survived a near death experience. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, just do it, and you¡¯ll feel better in no time,¡± she tried, as sensitively as she could manage.

    Kiki Marinos kicked a fallen branch. ¡°This is ridiculous. Somebody¡¯s going to get hurt, and what is the point of it?¡±

    Kayla sighed and ran her hand through her hair. ¡°So go find an instructor.¡±

    The red-faced Kiki waved her off. ¡°We mastered hiking two weeks ago and now they pull this crap, sticking rocks in our backpacks. Maybe they want to make us quit through injury to make themselves look tougher. I¡¯ve seen it before in the sports world.¡±

    Kayla wanted to snap. Kiki was another fool that ought to have quit long ago and threatened to often enough. But they were supposed to be learning to be teammates, so Kayla tried to check her anger. ¡°We are getting stronger, Kiki,¡± she pointed out. ¡°We¡¯re hiking further with more weight.¡±

    ¡°I was already fit enough when I joined, and this abuse isn¡¯t helping me develop in any way. It¡¯s just pointless,¡± Kiki said bitterly.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t pointless,¡± Christie said. ¡°They want us to be comfortable being uncomfortable.¡±

    Kayla shook her head, confused by Kiki¡¯s attitude. Did she not understand that they had signed up to suffer? Hadn¡¯t she paid attention to everything they had been told in the first day¡¯s presentation? If they were going to face death, why wouldn¡¯t they want to push to their limit every day, to get better, stronger, and faster with every second of time available? Aaliyah¡¯s fall had been a sharp reminder that there weren¡¯t always going to be instructors around to protect them from their own mistakes.

    Kayla was about to argue this point when she caught sight of movement in the trees. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s an instructor headed this way. Christie, lead on. Aaliyah with me. Kiki, panic.¡±

    ¡°Kayla¡ª¡± Aaliyah began, her mud-stained face a mask of doubt and pain.

    ¡°I tell you what,¡± Kayla said, ¡°why don¡¯t you just get through this, and you can quit tomorrow? How about that?¡± She held out her hand.

    Aaliyah sighed, wiped away a tear, and struggled to stand up. Kayla grabbed her arm and felt it tremble in her grip as she hauled the recruit to her feet.

    Half an hour later, Christie stopped to peer intently at the map. ¡°I believe this is the checkpoint. So, a rest stop is in order.¡±

    They flopped to the ground in silence, pulled out canteens, and gulped down water. To Kayla, the cool liquid was the sweetest, most delicious thing she¡¯d ever tasted. Leaves rustled in the trees, and her body began to feel like a lead weight. Soft, rhythmic pain coursed through her nerves, which promised warmth and happiness if she would rest. The world blurred as her eyes unfocused.

    Christie shuffled over to her, and she sighed as she pulled herself back from the reverie.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Christie asked. ¡°It got a bit hairy earlier.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°I should have stopped Aaliyah before she fell. I knew she was going to trip again, but I let myself get tired, like an idiot.¡±

    ¡°But you reacted quickly,¡± Christie said. ¡°Didn¡¯t the thirty-foot fall didn¡¯t concern you at all?¡±

    Kayla shrugged again before swallowing more water. ¡°We made it back up, no problem.¡± The memory had faded, and like the others, had already taken on the nature of a dream, or something she had seen happen to someone else. When she thought back to the moment, a shock of electricity burned in her chest, but it was only pain, and she had learned to ignore that long ago.

    ¡°Aaliyah said that you were seconds away from going over yourself.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s exaggerating; it was fine. What¡¯s your point?¡±

    ¡°That you are a mentally deranged individual that cannot even be entrusted with protecting your own life.¡± Christie punched her in the arm.

    ¡°Cheer up girls,¡± Thandi said, as she sat up on her rucksack. ¡°Pain makes you stronger. You know, you cannot cross a river without getting wet. That¡¯s a Zulu saying.¡±

    Christie smirked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a story about Shaka Zulu? That he ordered his best soldiers to march off a cliff, just to prove how loyal they were?¡±

    Thandi flopped her hand in a half-hearted gesture. ¡°That story is a lie, invented by European colonizers. Shaka was a military genius who transformed the Zulu kingdom.¡±

    ¡°By ruthlessly destroying any tribe that stood against him?¡± Christie said.

    Thandi took a breath and raised her eyebrows. ¡°The British conquest of Zululand was also an act of naked, unprovoked aggression.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. Were these two serious, arguing about history when everyone was exhausted?

    Christie sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow. ¡°Well, actually, I would argue that if Queen Victoria had known the true intentions of the colonial governor, she would have put a stop to the whole thing.¡±

    ¡°Irrelevant. The British aristocratic class was institutionally motivated¡ª¡±

    ¡°How in the name of whatever freaking deity,¡± Kayla said, ¡°do you two have the energy for this kind of debate?¡±

    ¡°History matters,¡± Thandi said. ¡°You can¡¯t confront the future if you don¡¯t learn from the past.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we had a scholar among us,¡± Christie said.

    Thandi gave her a cold smile. ¡°Threatening your expertise, Helvet?¡±

    ¡°Stop calling me that,¡± Christie snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t make me tell you again.¡±

    Thandi looked away.

    ¡°You two are cute together,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°And you enjoy causing trouble, don¡¯t you?¡± Christie said.

    ¡°A little bit,¡± Kayla admitted, too tired to pretend otherwise.

    ¡°You are childish, and you lack respect,¡± Thandi said. ¡°In a ring, I would beat you easily.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t training to get in a ring,¡± Kayla said. ¡°And I don¡¯t think something that wants to kill you is going to show a lot of respect.¡±

    Thandi said nothing.

    Chisom sat up. ¡°Why are you girls friends? All you do is argue.¡±

    Thandi was about to reply, but stopped, staring off down the hill. ¡°Trouble at seven o¡¯clock,¡± she muttered.

 Part 2 - Chapter 25

    Kayla looked around and saw Rose and her group emerging from the treeline, evidently heading to the same checkpoint. They stopped to inspect their map, and as they stared at it in confusion, an instructor approached them. After some deliberation, the words ¡°Pull your head out of your ass!¡± drifted by on the warm air.

    ¡°Oh, hell,¡± Kayla moaned. ¡°You know, all the girls in her clique give me the cold shoulder. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s been telling stories about me.¡±

    Thandi nodded. ¡°She¡¯s telling people that you spied on her when she was changing at her dance classes.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Kayla looked around suspiciously. ¡°When were you going to tell me that?¡±

    ¡°Just now.¡±

    ¡°Awesome, thanks¡­ anyway, I wouldn¡¯t even have been allowed into the building for God¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°Watch your language, please,¡± Thandi cautioned.

    ¡°Oh, give it a rest, won¡¯t you?¡±

    They watched as the rival group flopped down a short distance away, while Rose moved alone to a copse of trees.

    ¡°It¡¯s so on,¡± Kayla declared, tiredness forgotten as she staggered to her feet.

    Rose never heard a thing as she relieved herself in the undergrowth. Kayla crept up behind a tree, and as Rose walked back, she popped out right in front of her. Rose yelped with fright.

    Kayla enjoyed the genuine moment of fear she had provoked. She adopted the creepiest expression she could manage and spoke in a monotone voice. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Rose? Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡±

    ¡°God, Kayla!¡± Rose yelled. ¡°Just¡­screw you okay, that wasn¡¯t funny!¡±

    Others from the group walked over to see what was happening.

    ¡°I just want to be with you, Rose. Wherever you go. I like watching you,¡± Kayla continued as she stared without blinking.

    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± Rose grunted as she shoved past her.

    Kayla doubled over with laughter. ¡°Had you worried there for a moment,¡± she called once the buzz passed.

    ¡°You are crazy Kayla, how you say¡­ stalker,¡± said a member of Rose¡¯s group, in a thick French accent.

    ¡°She¡¯s not crazy, Brielle,¡± Thandi cut in, a smirk on her lips, ¡°and you are a dumbass.¡±

    The instructors watched from a distance, stone-faced and silent as they usually were during break times.

    Rose stomped back towards Kayla, a furious expression on her face. ¡°Isn¡¯t it typical of you to be so childish?¡± she snapped. ¡°We¡¯re trying to take this training seriously, and all you can do is joke around.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, and lying about fellow recruits is taking things seriously?¡± Kayla fired back.

    Rose flushed red. ¡°Well, there was that time in school when you burst in¡ª¡±

    ¡°I was running from the janitor! Why do you think everything is about you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, always causing trouble, aren¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you grow up and learn to accept your station like everyone else?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your majesty!¡± Kayla said sarcastically. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just get in line with all the other drones so we can serve your every whim?¡±

    ¡°I should think that in a military organization,¡± Rose explained slowly, as though she was talking to a child, ¡°everyone should understand their place on the team and work towards the common goal.¡±

    ¡°I guess that must be why you ditched Weslan? Because he wasn¡¯t useful to your ¡®common¡¯ goal?¡±

    Rose shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, as you are well aware.¡±

    ¡°I might look him up after I graduate boot camp. Now that he¡¯s single.¡±

    Rose laughed. ¡°You can do whatever you want, but he won¡¯t date a girl like you. Before I left, I heard they were going to offer him a job at some glamorous research lab, where he¡¯ll no doubt make enormous amounts of money.¡± Her expression turned sour. ¡°He¡¯ll only be interested in one sort of woman,¡± she muttered.

    Kayla grinned. ¡°Who knows? Some guys have a thing for tough chicks.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care who you are, he¡ªwell, actually, I¡¯ll let you find out for yourself.¡± A vicious smile appeared on her lips.

    ¡°You bet I will.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Rose, I don¡¯t get it,¡± Thandi cut in. ¡°Sounds like you walked away from one hell of a life. Why do you want to be here?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Kayla tell you?¡± Rose asked. ¡°All I care about is proving that I¡¯m better than her, or something ridiculous like that.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. Of course, that was all Rose cared about.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I think for myself, actually,¡± Thandi replied.

    Kayla glared at her, but Thandi avoided her gaze.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Rose said. ¡°If you must know, I don¡¯t think a billion credits and the adoration of your peers are all that interesting.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Thandi nodded. ¡°So, um¡­ if you stay in Valkyrie and I quit, can I just have your bank account?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you colonists all think like that, don¡¯t you? Find the money and life becomes paradise?¡± She looked down for a moment, then glared back at Thandi. ¡°And obviously, I don¡¯t believe you remotely care why I¡¯m here,¡± she snapped before walking away.

    ¡°She won¡¯t make it to the end of the month,¡± Kayla muttered, then saw Thandi raise an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why do you hate her?¡± Thandi asked. ¡°I mean, I get that Helvets are annoying, but she¡¯s no different than the rest of them.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s like,¡± Kayla said, as they started walking back to their rucksacks. ¡°Always has to be Miss Perfect, always needs everyone to know she¡¯s better than you, so she can boss you around.¡±

    ¡°Sure, she¡¯s motivated and competitive,¡± Thandi said, ¡°but I haven¡¯t seen her bossing anyone around.¡±

    Kayla scoffed. ¡°Oh please, you see that clique she¡¯s building up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s normal for girls to gather like that. And¡­ I don¡¯t know. She fits that mold; beautiful, charismatic¡­¡±

    Kayla spun around. ¡°What? You like her?¡± she snapped.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I said I can see why others might¡ªhey get back here!¡± she cried as Kayla turned on her heels and stalked off.

    The day finished with a mile run. Kayla¡¯s legs were so stiff she paced herself, going as slow as she could without falling to the back of the group. An instructor drew level with her, running alongside as they always did. No matter what exercise the recruits were asked to perform, an instructor would be there doing the same thing. When Kayla was near the end of a long PT session, struggling to complete the next repetition, she would look over and see an instructor nearby still going strong and in perfect form.

    Their watchful gaze never missed a slacker, and now Kayla¡¯s performance had drawn attention.

    ¡°Recruit Barnes you are pacing yourself,¡± the instructor said.

    ¡°Yes, instructor,¡± Kayla gasped. The recruits had learned to answer all instructor observations with this phrase, though not always with the spirit or meaning the words implied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need recruits who hold something back so they can make it easier on themselves. I need to see you at your limit. Right now.¡±

    ¡°Yes instructor.¡± Kayla ran faster until acid soaked through her thighs. The effort tired her quickly, and she began to slow, but she kept pushing, driving through the intense need to stop.

    The instructor kept pace with her the whole time. ¡°You will not pass this course by showing me an average performance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, instructor.¡±

    ¡°Push your limits all the time. I will be watching¡ªunderstand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, instructor,¡± Kayla gasped, mentally ascribing a less polite meaning to her words. How was she supposed to keep going when all she wanted was to throw up and pass out? But she didn¡¯t stop, and neither, to her surprise, did her body.

    Ahead, Thandi was similarly harassed. She tried to explain herself. ¡°Well, instructor, when we were hiking¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh good, an excuse!¡± the instructor snapped. ¡°I love excuses, and I¡¯ve collected millions of them. Go ahead, let¡¯s see if you can surprise me with a new one.¡±

    Kayla winced. The recruits might not like the instructors, but arguing with them was a critical error.

    Once the run was finished, the recruits returned to their cabins. Kayla approached hers and cringed when she heard the voice of Kiki berating Chisom. She dreaded having to go inside and face the endless torrent of negativity that the girl spewed, but she could hardly avoid it. Pushing through the cabin door, she saw the exhausted Chisom was already in bed with a book, clearly trying to avoid the conversation.

    ¡°I just think we should stand up to them,¡± Kiki was saying as she paced back and forth. ¡°You¡¯re all just going along with this nonsense. I mean, for god¡¯s sake, someone could have been killed today!¡±

    Chisom shrugged her shoulders and turned a page of her book.

    ¡°You¡¯re all just sheep, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kiki glared at Kayla.

    Kayla snapped. She was tired of breaking through physical and mental barriers, and Kiki was so consumed by her ego that she was piling on more. Besides, righteous anger felt so satisfying. She grabbed Kiki by her t-shirt and shoved her against the wall of the cabin.

    Chisom sat up in shock.

    ¡°Kayla¡­¡± Thandi stood at the door of the cabin, a stern look on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you mouthing off in my space, Kiki,¡± Kayla said in a quiet voice. ¡°You¡¯re trying to drag us all down with you, and I¡¯m not going to let it happen.¡±

    ¡°How dare you¡ª¡± Kiki began.

    Kayla shoved her again. ¡°You have two choices. Go ask to quit or shut your mouth from here onwards. Make it quick, ¡®cos I¡¯m not missing any sleep tonight.¡±

    Kiki stared open-mouthed and looked like she was about to speak. Instead, she grabbed her jacket and walked out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

    Kayla felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

    A short time later, Christie appeared with a full rucksack. ¡°The last recruit left my cabin, so the instructors sent me here,¡± she explained.

    Nestled comfortably between her bedsheets, Kayla groaned as she tried to sit up and reach for her glass of water. When she saw it was empty, her heart sank. ¡°Good to see you, Christie,¡± she said. ¡°Since you¡¯re up, would you be a dear and get me a refill?¡±

    ¡°I will not,¡± Christie said, as she stowed her gear. ¡°I heard you pushed Kiki up against a wall, and I do not condone that kind of behavior. Get your own water.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°She was a loser. And why are you here if you¡¯re against violence?¡±

    ¡°Because I expect to work alongside people who want to protect others from it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds right to me,¡± Chisom said, glancing at Kayla. ¡°Kiki was annoying, but you took it too far.¡±

    Kayla was tired of being questioned. She glared at Chisom, who looked away.

    ¡°I saw a lot of difficult people in the boxing world,¡± Thandi said idly as she lowered herself onto her mattress. ¡°Combat sports teach you a lot about discipline and conflict de-escalation. Of course, you also learn how to beat someone until they can¡¯t stand up straight.¡± She locked eyes with Kayla. ¡°That¡¯s so you can deal with those hard cases, you know, who need to learn they can¡¯t just throw their weight around whenever they want.¡±

    Kayla wavered in the calm, but unblinking, gaze. Maybe she had crossed a line. Her gut knotted tightly, and she shut her eyes. ¡°Well, maybe you¡¯re right, Chisom,¡± she said. ¡°Next time I¡¯ll try to be more diplomatic.¡±

    ¡°S¡¯all good,¡± Chisom said.

    ¡°This morning, in front of a class of my peers,¡± Christie said brightly as she leaned back on her pillow, ¡°an instructor politely corrected my assertion that the ancient Amazons had to cut off a breast to be good archers. A fact which would have been apparent to me, she explained, had I ever spent five seconds trying to shoot a bow. So, I¡¯m happy to report that I have enjoyed feeling like a complete idiot today.¡±

    ¡°They for sure enjoy humiliating us,¡± Thandi nodded. ¡°But we probably need it.¡±

    ¡°Well, in case you hadn¡¯t noticed,¡± Kayla said as she raised a finger, ¡°Rose is still here. I would caution against making assumptions about whether these people are the good guys. Or girls. Or whatever.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Thandi said with heavy sarcasm. ¡°The presence of one girl you don¡¯t like means the entire organization could be evil. That¡¯s definitely true.¡±

    ¡°Why would Valkyrie be evil?¡± Chisom asked.

    Thandi explained their suspicions that the instructors were not being truthful about the Jotnar¡¯s presence on Earth, and the age of Valkyrie.

 Part 2 - Chapter 26

    Christie pulled out a notebook. ¡°So, my objective, for which I spent my free time in the camp library, was to determine if there was a trend of authoritarian meddling in human affairs by powerful entities. Empire building, unusually aggressive conquest, the justification of human subjugation, and so on. I suspect that the Jotnar may have been working behind the scenes, using a group of human philosophers to try to enslave humanity. It all begins with Plato.¡±

    Thandi grinned. ¡°Does it, Christie? Really?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes I believe so; most of the major ideas¡ª¡±

    ¡°Start with Pythagoras. You really have to go beyond the basic reading list, you know?¡±

    Christie bristled. ¡°Pray tell, how does a high-school boxer get so well acquainted with Greek philosophy?¡±

    ¡°Bible school. Christians love Plato, but I think they¡¯re misguided in that respect.¡± Thandi cocked her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t see me stop by the library a couple of times?¡±

    Chisom put her book down. ¡°I am way too tired for this. I¡¯m going to sleep. At least keep your voices down?¡± She pulled her pillow over her head.

    ¡°So, I have no idea what you two are talking about,¡± Kayla said. ¡°How did the Jotnar get humans to try to enslave each other?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Christie began, ¡°it seems clear that, in the ancient past, human tribes were easily controlled by powerful warlords who claimed to represent ¡®the gods¡¯. These men were stronger than others, had better weapons, and were able to boast of a few miracles to justify their divine legitimacy.

    Kayla nodded. ¡°A few high-tech tricks to con the unsuspecting masses?¡±

    ¡°It seems too easy, doesn¡¯t it? But, in ancient Greece, the people questioned their ruler¡¯s power. They had discovered their own capacity for rational thought, and the claims of these powerful men stopped adding up. The Greeks wanted freedom, and they tried to fight back. There was a great deal of mob violence and bloodshed in the city states, until Cleisthenes arrived in Athens, in 510 BC. He managed to gain power, and enacted the reforms that created the first democracy. This new kind of government spread across Greece, and so the ruling class was faced with something of an existential threat. I think that about sets the scene for Pythagoras, and the Jotnar intervention.¡±

    ¡°Can I talk now?¡± Thandi said, her notepad held ready in her hand.

    Christie smiled. ¡°I ardently await your edification.¡±

    ¡°Pythagoras is the triangle guy, right?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Oh, this guy had a lot of angles,¡± Thandi said. ¡°As Christie said, the Greek aristocrats were facing the loss of all their power and control, until Pythagoras turned up with a solution. He was born to a powerful family, but had been run out of his hometown of Samos, and ended up in the Greek colonies in Italy. Styling himself as a charismatic cult leader, he created a belief system that completely transforms Greek philosophy.

    ¡°Pythagoras told his disciples,¡± she continued, ¡°that the purpose of existence is to attain the elevation of the soul through wisdom. He taught that the soul is reincarnated until it achieves harmony with the divine ¡®source¡¯ that created the universe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a fascinating conception,¡± Christie interjected, ¡°that opens the door to a really ugly kind of class system. Regardless of your merits as a person, your soul is just lower level, base and muddy, while mine is enlightened and pure. So, do what I say, peasant; my higher wisdom lets me see what is good for you better than you can.¡±

    ¡°What is this divine source supposed to be?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°A trick. Really, he means that if you play nice, you get to share the advanced technology and knowledge of the Jotnar. You see, Pythagoras is claiming to be a god himself. Actually, a version of Apollo from Hyperborea¡ªa northern region of Greece. He can heal sickness by playing mathematically calculated sounds. In his words, he has descended to the mortal realm ¡®to remedy and improve the condition of the human race, having assumed human form lest men, disturbed by the novelty of his transcendancy should avoid the discipline he advised¡¯.

    ¡°In other words,¡± Kayla said, ¡°if people realize that he is representing aliens, or that all his abilities are available at the flick of a switch, they¡¯ll want to know what is really going on. His best cover is that of a divine being in mortal form.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. He also claims to have a temple built to himself in the north, and he keeps showing people his golden thigh.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ is that a typical God thing, or is he just being a creep?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably being a creep, which is typical of cult leaders. Anyway,¡± Thandi continued, ¡°he gets a lot of aristocrats recruited into this cult, and once they¡¯ve passed a ¡®purity¡¯ test, he teaches them advanced mathematics. Where he got this knowledge, nobody knows.¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Aliens.¡± Kayla nodded wisely.

    ¡°Sure. And to us, it might seem trivial¡ªwe all learned the Pythagorean theorem in school¡ªbut to ancient Greeks, it would have been a staggering demonstration of divine truth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely what it is,¡± Christie said. ¡°Mathematical education will literally gain you mastery over the universe.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Thandi continued. ¡°And the insidious nature of this cult becomes clear when you realize that the cult members are forbidden from sharing the secret knowledge with the outside world. Well, knowledge is power, isn¡¯t it? Can¡¯t let the wrong people get a hold of it. The cult grows and grows and ultimately the Pythagorean secret society gets a very strong foothold in mainland Greece, southern Italy, Turkey, and many of the Mediterranean islands.¡±

    ¡°How does an aristocracy hold on to its power in a democracy?¡± Kayla said. ¡°Build a secret cult that hoards knowledge.¡± She cocked her head to one side. ¡°Imagine being excluded from the cult and growing up believing that your soul is worth less than the people who control you. You won¡¯t develop self-confidence, you will be credulous, doubting your own inspiration or creativity. You will be an easy victim for subjugation.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± said Thandi. ¡°It seems like the Jotnar have covertly introduced a scientific form of authority¡ªone that doesn¡¯t require power or wealth to sustain itself.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°A religion of control.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s something that¡¯s bothering me,¡± Kayla said. ¡°What you¡¯re talking about is only three thousand years ago. According to what the instructors taught us, this is a long time after the end of the war that supposedly destroyed the Jotnar.¡±

    ¡°So, maybe they weren¡¯t destroyed,¡± said Thandi. ¡°Somehow, at least one faction must have survived and stayed in the shadows, manipulating events.¡±

    ¡°But why Earth, and why couldn¡¯t they regain power?¡±

    Thandi flipped a page. ¡°Well, actually, their Pythagorean project didn¡¯t go that well. Someone figured out what these guys were up to, and the word spread. Suspected Pythagoreans were mobbed, run out of town or even killed. There¡¯s a story of a tyrant named Dionysius capturing a group of them. His soldiers are chasing them through the countryside, but when they get to a field of beans they stop. One of the cult rules is that they should die before touching beans, and so the soldiers kill them all, except for a few prisoners. Dionysius promises he¡¯ll let them go if they¡¯ll just tell him why they can¡¯t touch beans. They refuse. In an effort to get one man¡¯s pregnant wife to talk, the tyrant tortures him. Rather than comply, she bites off her own tongue and spits it in his face.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°That is some hardcore loyalty. What was the deal with beans?¡±

    ¡°Greeks deposited black and white beans in jars to vote,¡± Thandi said. ¡°They represented democracy.¡±

    The room fell quiet. The sound of chirping insects in the forests drifted through the cabin windows.

    ¡°Those people were totally committed to controlling the world,¡± Kayla said glumly, ¡°and they were willing to die for it.¡±

    ¡°Pythagoras himself gets killed by a mob, but a lot of his followers survived, and they went underground. They kept the religion alive until it was reintroduced in a sanitized and publicly digestible form by Plato, one of the most influential philosophers of the classical world.¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s no mention of secret groups of superwomen in any of your books, is there?"

    ¡°None, outside of unrelated myths.¡±

    ¡°But the instructors told us that Valkyrie stays well clear of civilization, for the most part,¡± Christie argued. ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t they? People are perfectly capable of protecting their own societies from these kinds of infiltrators. A quiet word in the ear of a powerful ruler to pay more attention would be all that was needed.¡±

    ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t pay attention, did they?¡± Kayla said stubbornly. ¡°Because now we have the Helvetic League to deal with, and this ugly ideology they¡¯ve been trying to push for centuries has finally taken over.¡±

    ¡°Maybe humans just prefer being ruled by tyrants? Did you think about that?¡±

    ¡°No, miss super brain, because I know colonists that would rather die than live in a world where someone controls everything you do and think. Look what happened the moment they began to gain freedom on Caldera. A bunch of alien bioweapons turn up to terrorize people. I don¡¯t care what Urtiga and her friends told us¡ªit¡¯s not a coincidence. Maybe Valkyrie doesn¡¯t let people blow themselves up with super bombs, but it is clear to me they haven¡¯t been paying attention to the last couple of hundred years of human history. A Jotnar agent is out there, running rings around them.¡±

    Christie shook her head but didn¡¯t respond. Thandi looked pensive.

    ¡°Actually, I think I get it,¡± she said. ¡°But you¡¯re not going to like it.¡±

    Kayla watched her expectantly.

    ¡°Valkyrie doesn¡¯t interfere because they don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s very clear that they don¡¯t want an army of super soldiers dictating human destiny. Frankly, I think that¡¯s why they only pick women¡ªmen would be much more ambitious. But if they spent two thousand years trying to outwit these Pythagoreans and whoever came after them¡­ maybe they just got fed up with trying? It is our society, and our responsibility to make it virtuous.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t agree with you about women,¡± Christie cautioned, ¡°we can be monstrously ambitious too. However, the Helvetic League is in decline. If they really had to resort to bioweapons to get the people of Caldera under control, that really shows how desperate they have become. Even worse, it means they have crossed a line that will eventually necessitate Valkyrie¡¯s intervention. Who knows what that will look like?¡±

    Kayla leaned her head back against the cabin wall. She felt frustratingly far from any real answers. How long would she have to wait? How much longer would colonists have to keep dying until she could figure it out?

    She tried to change the subject. ¡°So Rose is definitely going to get kicked out, right? If these are the good guys, there¡¯s no way they would let someone who believes in this ¡®scientific elitism¡¯ into their organization.¡±

    Thandi raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean the stuff she was raised from birth not to question, and probably doesn¡¯t fully understand?¡±

    ¡°And you must no doubt agree, Kayla,¡± Christie said with a smirk, ¡°that you and I, having gone through the same education system, are also agents of the enemy?¡±

    Kayla went red. ¡°Look, some of the ideas they were trying to shove down my throat¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we get it,¡± Thandi said. ¡°It¡¯s a messed-up community. But at the end of the day Rose is just another girl. Both of you need to grow up.¡±

    Kayla fell silent.

    ¡°Okay, girls,¡± Thandi announced, falling back onto her pillow. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯d like to get at least a few hours of sleep before the torture resumes.¡±

    ¡°Freaking finally,¡± Chisom¡¯s muffled voice said from under her pillow.

 Part 2 - Chapter 27

    ¡°At least the food is good,¡± Kayla announced as she wolfed down sausage and potato.

    At the start of the course, many girls had hesitated to finish their plates, until injuries became more common. The instructors reminded the class that undereating meant damaged muscles, which meant more accidents and injuries. Now, recruits piled their plates with as much food as they could, and ate as quickly as possible, although some managed this more efficiently than others.

    ¡°The highlight of the day, indeed,¡± Christie said. ¡°After sleep.¡±

    She wiped a smudge of something wet from her cheek that had passed through the chaotic region of Kayla¡¯s mouth, like a comet sling-shotting around a star. ¡°Madam, are you aware that you eat like an angry chimpanzee?¡±

    Kayla stopped to swallow. ¡°If I¡¯m so grotesque, then why do you hang around with me?¡±

    Christie smiled sweetly. ¡°I find you to be a fascinating character study of the frontier peasant mindset.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very touching.¡±

    ¡°What fascinates you about my mindset?¡± Thandi asked.

    Christie thought for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°Nothing really.¡±

    Thandi and Kayla exchanged sympathetic glances, then turned their heads as a commotion broke out in the canteen. Tyra Swanson had knocked over Rose¡¯s tray.

    Rose jumped to her feet. ¡°You did that on purpose!¡± she snapped. ¡°You¡¯re even worse than Kayla¡ªat least she has the sense to avoid me!¡±

    Tyra smirked at Rose and walked away.

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm, we should hang out with Tyra more often.¡±

    ¡°Uh-uh, don¡¯t be like that,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Pranks are all good fun, but this group ostracism stuff has to end. Everyone is trying to get through this, and it¡¯s really bad for morale. I know Rose can be a problem, but you don¡¯t have to make it worse.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Kayla complained. ¡°See that hoodie she¡¯s wearing? That¡¯s an instructor hoodie. I have no idea how she got a hold of it, but she clearly feels the need to elevate herself above everyone else.¡±

    Christie raised a finger. ¡°Or she got it because she knew it would get under your skin. At what point do both of you decide to stop acting like children and realize we are training to be part of a professional team?¡±

    ¡°Hold on a second?¡± Thandi said. ¡°Did you just agree with me?¡±

    Christie¡¯s eyelids fluttered. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°Rose will drop out,¡± Kayla said. ¡°She¡¯s only here because she can¡¯t let me beat her at something.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Thandi said. ¡°So, you¡¯re the center of her whole universe, huh?¡±

    Kayla took a deep breath and rubbed her temples. ¡°You remember I told you that I met Urtiga when I was attacked by a monster?¡±

    They nodded and watched her with interest.

    Kayla stopped herself, conscious that years had passed since the last time she had talked about what had really happened that night. The act felt wrong, like she was committing a crime. ¡°What I didn¡¯t tell you,¡± she said slowly, ¡°was that my father was killed during that attack. Trying to save me.¡± She blinked away a tear.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Thandi said gravely. ¡°That must have been awful.¡± She put a hand on Kayla¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Anything you need, just ask.¡±

    Kayla nodded gratefully.

    Christie cleared her throat. ¡°Kayla I must apologize.¡± She spoke stiffly and looked embarrassed. ¡°I have been condescending and insensitive, when you have clearly had a great burden to bear.¡±

    Kayla was taken aback by the candor. ¡°I appreciate that, Christie, but I¡¯m not a fragile sculpture. I can handle the back and forth.¡±

    Thandi tipped her head in acknowledgement. ¡°You¡¯re way too grimy to be in an art gallery.¡±

    Kayla laughed raucously.

    Christie turned bright red and covered her eyes with her hand. ¡°Now I feel like even more of a fool. Good lord, I¡¯m not sure why I open my mouth sometimes.¡±

    Kayla rubbed her shoulder. ¡°Breathe slowly. The ego burns, but it¡¯ll subside with time.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°Your father sounds like he was a brave man. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±

    Kayla felt a flush of pride. She had never been sure if Christie actually was a Helvet, but now she didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°But what does this have to do with Rose?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Well, I told Rose about what happened,¡± Kayla replied. ¡°Then, after she got together with her Helvet friends, she accused me of lying about it for attention. They said the colonists were exaggerating the attacks to prove how uncaring Helvets were.¡±

    ¡°What a senselessly cruel group of people,¡± Christie said with a shake of her head.

    Thandi thought for a moment. ¡°And how old were you when this happened?¡±

    ¡°Nine,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°And by Rose¡¯s Helvet friends, you mean her parents, and teachers, and all the other people she obeys and respects?¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. What happened to ¡®anything you need¡¯?

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°As painful an experience as that must have been,¡± Thandi continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think you need me to tell you why you shouldn¡¯t be holding that accusation against her.¡±

    Kayla clenched her jaw as the darkness rolled over her eyes. Why did it have to be so painful to be an adult? And why did it seem so much easier for everyone else? ¡°Yeah,¡± she managed, ¡°well, she¡¯s only here to continue her people¡¯s tradition of proving they are better than colonists.¡±

    ¡°Listen, you don¡¯t give her enough credit,¡± Thandi said. ¡°No one cares so much about you to put themselves through this course. Take it from me, and please note, I say that with love.¡±

    ¡°Fine. When she stops being so nasty, I¡¯ll reach out to her.¡±

    Christie leaned forward. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works, unfortunately.¡±

    Kayla sank back in her chair and tightly crossed her arms. ¡°Well, my mood is down the toilet. Why do I hang out with either of you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re enthralled by my dark African beauty,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And you hang out with Christie because you need someone to feel superior to.¡±

    Christie grabbed an apple off Thandi¡¯s plate.

    ¡°Oh, will you stop doing that!¡± Thandi snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not even joking Chris¡ªdon¡¯t touch my food!¡±

    Christie took a deep bite of the fruit, eating as though nothing could bring her greater pleasure.

    Thandi closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. ¡°Lord, give me strength with these two.¡±

    A few days later, Kayla was walking to breakfast when she heard whispering around the side of a cabin. She moved to the corner and stopped when she realized she was listening to Rose.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand her anymore, Abby,¡± Rose said. ¡°She¡¯s got to go. Kayla I can deal with¡ªeveryone hates her already. But if Tyra disrespects me like that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Rose, are you sure about this? If they find out¡ª¡± The voice of Abeni Zabu said.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re not going to rat on me, are you?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t need to,¡± Abeni said sharply. ¡°Everyone saw your confrontation in the canteen.¡±

    Rose laughed. ¡°They won¡¯t suspect sweet little me. If anything, they¡¯ll think it¡¯s Kayla.¡±

    Kayla balled her fists but stayed silent. If was Rose going to try something, maybe she could stop her.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Abeni asked.

    ¡°Tyra¡¯s the only vegetarian left. Did you get some bleach like I asked? I¡¯ll add just enough to her patties to put her in the hospital¡ªI¡¯m sure they have great medical care here. She¡¯ll just get rolled into another class.¡±

    Kayla absorbed this with anger. She crept away from the cabin, mind racing. She had to stop Rose from poisoning Tyra. On the other hand, if she could catch her in the act¡­

    Kayla smiled, enticed by the gleeful thought that she could get Rose kicked out for good.

    Later that night, Kayla waited in the shadows by the cafeteria until she saw a hooded figure slip inside the building. Kayla approached quietly, opened a window, and climbed in. She followed the figure into the kitchen and waited until she had opened the freezer door. While the woman was opening a food box, Kayla strode forward and grabbed her by the shoulder.

    ¡°Caught you red-hand¡ª¡± Kayla started, but didn¡¯t get further because an elbow smashed into her ribcage, followed instantly by a punch to the head. She collapsed onto her back, stunned. For a moment, she had no idea what had happened or where she was. When she raised her head, she saw Instructor Reyes staring at her, a horrified look on her face. In her confused state, Kayla wanted to giggle. So that¡¯s what a Valkyrie could do.

    ¡°Barnes?¡± Reyes said. ¡°What are you doing here? You shouldn¡¯t be outside your cabin at night.¡± She dropped to Kayla¡¯s side and checked her for injuries. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I hit you,¡± she said. ¡°You startled me and, well, I have some ingrained reflexes. You¡¯ll be okay, though; take it easy.¡±

    Kayla tried to speak, but the air had been driven out of her lungs. She forced herself to breathe until she was gasping and coughing. ¡°I-I thought you were Rose,¡± she managed eventually.

    ¡°Rose?¡± Reyes brow furrowed. ¡°What are you talking about? I come out here regularly to steal ice cream from the recruit rations. To be honest, I¡¯m kind of glad you caught me, because Mckinnon will probably send me back to a unit. Honestly, I hate teaching.¡±

    ¡°Hey wait a minute,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Maybe no-one needs to know¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh no, recruit Barnes! It¡¯s pretty obvious what¡¯s going on here, and I still have a job to do. You and Rose need to be dealt with. Come with me.¡±

    A pit opened in Kayla¡¯s stomach. She would certainly be punished. Even worse, everyone would know that Rose had tricked her.

    Reyes took her straight to Mckinnon¡¯s office, where she waited under the chief instructor¡¯s silent glare while Rose was summoned. She followed Reyes into the office and grinned when she saw Kayla, a glint of evil in her eye.

    Mckinnon inspected the two recruits. ¡°I see the slow-burning rivalry has escalated into something more severe,¡± she intoned and turned to Kayla. ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Um,¡± Kayla said, as the words refused to come. She swallowed. ¡°Well, I overheard Rose planning something with another recruit, and I waited¡­ uh, I waited¡ª¡± Kayla silently cursed herself for not having thought to follow Rose from her cabin. But how could she have guessed that the fashion model would have so much cunning?

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing,¡± Reyes said, ¡°that recruit Djallen found out about my nighttime excursions and came up with a clever scheme. Good job, Rose.¡±

    Mckinnon glared at Reyes, then turned back to the recruits. ¡°Ladies, it is no secret that the two of you have a rivalry, and we are now at the point that it is becoming a distraction to the rest of the class. There are seventy recruits here, struggling through an extremely demanding course. I would obviously be negligent in my duty if some of those recruits who have made it so far quit because they have the wrong impression about what kind of behavior we expect from our soldiers.¡±

    She thought for a moment. ¡°Here¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. If either one of you conducts any more pranks or jokes, I will send you both home immediately. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Ma-am please, she¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do I make myself clear, Barnes?¡± Mckinnon never raised her voice. She didn¡¯t need to. Now her tone was as sharp as a splinter of ice.

    Kayla felt the world drop from beneath her. She glanced to her side and saw that Rose was also looking horrified.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Rose said. ¡°There will be no more pranks on my part.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Mark my words, ladies,¡± Mckinnon continued. ¡°If you want to see the end of this course, and be a part of this organization, your attitude needs to change. Neither one of you is even remotely living up to the standards we set.¡±

    Kayla nodded meekly.

    ¡°Recruit Djallen, don¡¯t think we are through with you, either. It is obvious that your galaxy-wide notoriety has attracted to you a clique of followers who seem to think they are a class apart. I doubt that any of those recruits have the right idea about how we do things, so tomorrow we will give them a reminder.¡±

    Rose blanched but remained silent.

    Mckinnon dismissed them both, then turned back to Reyes with a stern expression.

    As Kayla stepped through the office door, she reached to close it behind her.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Reyes was saying sarcastically. ¡°Now I have to go back to doing a real job.¡±

    Kayla turned to see Rose staring at her with an air of superiority. Not wanting to be lectured again, Kayla pushed past her and headed back to the cabins.

    Rose hurried to keep up with her. ¡°We found out Instructor Reyes was taking ice cream,¡± she said smugly. ¡°I just had to get hold of a hoody and make sure you overheard us.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Rose grabbed Kayla¡¯s arm and spun her round. ¡°You thought that I¡¯d actually hurt one of the girls over some social status nonsense? I know I like to play dirty sometimes, but that¡¯s messed up, Kayla.¡±

    Kayla jabbed a finger into Rose¡¯s chest. ¡°And what about you? Turning this course into some kind of high-school drama?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Rose paused, searching for words. ¡°People like me, and I like being surrounded by people that like me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot!¡± Kayla snarled. ¡°They don¡¯t like you. They like the attention and respect they get from being associated with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh please! You¡¯re just jealous because you can¡¯t master basic social etiquette!¡±

    ¡°Yeah? You watch what the instructors do tomorrow and see how many ¡®friends¡¯ you have left.¡±

    Rose stared back, openmouthed. Kayla stalked away. When she got back into her cabin, she pummeled her pillow until Thandi tackled her to the ground.

    ¡°Remember to breathe, my dear!¡± Christie called from her bed.

 Part 2 - Chapter 28

    The next morning, Kayla followed the other recruits to the parade ground for their usual PT session, a flutter of excitement in her chest. At least she would get the satisfaction of watching the Princess get humbled.

    Once the class was in formation, instructor Susaki addressed them. ¡°As you know, Recruit Djallen has the strongest PT scores of all of you, and we would like to make a special recognition of that fact. Recruit, step forward.¡±

    Kayla had learned that getting any kind of attention from an instructor was bad news. A curt nod conveyed respect, while a terse conversation meant a recruit was doing poorly. She saw that Rose looked ill with apprehension as she walked to the front of the group.

    ¡°Recruit Djallen,¡± Susaki continued, ¡°since you are our star performer, I would like you to show the class the correct pushup form. Please assume the position.¡±

    Rose got down on her hands and knees.

    ¡°Take your weight.¡±

    She raised her back into a clean line, and her arms stiffened with tension.

    Kayla grudgingly admitted that she was certainly fit, as her body was steady in the tense position. For the moment, anyway.

    ¡°Now class,¡± Susaki said as she pointed to Rose, ¡°please observe how the correct form places tension not only on the arms but also on the abdominal and the back muscles. You may not have realized it, but this posture is fundamental to a correct pushup maneuver. Indeed, when we study the dorsal anatomy of the human body¡­¡±

    Susaki continued on an extensive discourse into human physiology, quoting textbooks and citing studies. It seemed she could carry on forever, reciting a full PhD thesis about pushups, while Rose¡¯s arms began shaking.

    Still, the instructor did not stop, but Kayla knew from experience she would be watching from the corner of her eye. When they looked away was when they watched you the closest. Kayla smirked. Rose was finally reaping her karma.

    Rose¡¯s back began to droop.

    Susaki whirled around immediately. ¡°Recruit? Did I say you could relax?¡±

    ¡°No instructor,¡± Rose gasped.

    ¡°I can¡¯t instruct the class on pushups if you won¡¯t hold the correct position.¡±

    ¡°No instructor.¡±

    ¡°Back into position then,¡± Susaki said, and turned back to the recruits to resume her speech.

    The other instructors stood to one side with amused expressions as Rose struggled to maintain the correct position. Her arms had to be in immense pain by now, and she was flushing red, gasping for breath, and sweating. Susaki continued her speech until Rose collapsed on the ground. She tried to get up, but her arms gave out again.

    Susaki ignored her. ¡°It appears that I no longer have a subject to demonstrate the correct form,¡± she said. ¡°Fortunately, I have always found personal experience to be the best teacher. Recruits, you will immediately adopt the correct pushup position and hold it. Ready¡ªinto position!¡±

    Dread flooded Kayla¡¯s mind as she got down on her hands and knees. She had been foolish to think the punishment would be so simple.

    ¡°Good work, recruits,¡± Susaki said. ¡°Now, as I was saying, it was around 1836 that the famed body builder Max Kleiber, in his seminal thesis on animal energetics, postulated¡­¡±

    As she continued, the other instructors moved in. After a few more postulates on physiology, Kayla felt her arms begin to burn, and she saw Christie¡¯s back droop.

    Instructor Reyes was at Christie¡¯s side in a heartbeat. ¡°Hold the position Stirling. I want to see perfect form!¡±

    Christie struggled back up, but it was clear to Kayla that they were all in a losing battle. More recruits faltered, and the instructors went to each of them mercilessly, forcing them back up until their strength was extinguished.

    Eventually, only Kayla remained, struggling to keep her numb arms straight under the blank stare of instructor Susaki.

    ¡°Anything to say, Barnes?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No Instr¡ªahh!¡± Kayla dropped to the ground, her arms as useless as lead weights.

    Susaki turned away. ¡°Now recruits, I would like us all to thank recruit Djallen for giving us the opportunity to perform this presentation. Say ¡®Thank you Recruit Djallen¡¯.¡±

    The group muttered the phrase, not without bitterness in their voices.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t hear you! Louder!¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Thank you, Recruit Djallen!¡± came the loud, angry chorus.

    Later that day, most of Rose¡¯s clique lined up outside Mckinnon¡¯s office to request a drop out. From then on, Rose ate her meals alone.

    Several days later, the instructors led the class to a new part of the woods around the camp. In the early days of the course, Kayla had snuck out after curfew to explore the area, and she knew what was waiting for them.

    As the group walked through the trees, she punched Thandi playfully in the arm and grinned. ¡°Today¡¯s the day. I told you we would get to this sooner or later.¡±

    Thandi smiled. ¡°You¡¯re just a big kid, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    The girls quieted as they came to a clearing in the trees. Wooden beams, cargo netting and ropes extended through the forest in the direction of the beach, and Kayla was high on euphoria. It had been a long time since she had been able to climb on something.

    Susaki gathered the recruits around her. ¡°Ladies, it is time to take things up a notch. This assault course will force you to confront a series of physical challenges that will push your strength and endurance to the limits. Some obstacles cannot be overcome without co-operation from a partner, so good teamwork will be required. We will work on the course every week for the remainder of your training, and you will need to complete a full circuit within a strict timeframe to graduate.¡±

    The instructors walked the class slowly through the course, presenting each obstacle and describing how to get through it. As they did so, instructors Ahmad and Cieslik executed the course together, showing the recruits the correct moves needed to get past each obstacle quickly. Many of the structures rose high into the air, and Kayla noticed that a lot of the recruits, including Rose, looked nervous.

    The course ended on the beach with a ladder climbing a thirty-five-foot tower. From the top, a narrow wooden beam extended seventy feet over the water, interrupted at the far end by a set of steps. Kayla was eager with anticipation as she watched instructor Ahmad walk carefully along the beam. She carefully traversed the steps while maintaining her balance over the drop.

    At the end of the beam, the instructor lowered herself onto a rope that hung over the water, supported by a column that rose out of the sea. She commando crawled along the rope for twenty feet until she reached a bell midway along it. A crisp clatter of bongs rang out, and she fell for an almost endless moment into the waves below. Seconds later, Instructor Cieslik completed the same sequence of movements.

    Kayla turned to look at Rose and saw her eyes focused on the beam, jaw clenched, and face pale.

    ¡°Afraid of heights?¡± Kayla asked in a careless voice.

    ¡°Recruit Barnes, step forward,¡± said Susaki, with a glimmer in her eye.

    Kayla did so happily. As the strongest recruit, she would obviously be asked to go first.

    ¡°Each recruit will be assigned a buddy,¡± Susaki explained, ¡°with whom you will attempt to complete the course. You will remain buddies until you graduate from this camp. You will be a team. You will go everywhere together; you will do everything together. If your buddy fails, you will be punished. If you fail, she will be punished. If you are, for some reason, separated, an instructor will demand the location of your buddy. If you cannot provide it¡­¡± Susaki smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can extrapolate the consequences.¡±

    A ball of hot lead settled in Kayla¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Class, as you all know,¡± Susaki continued, ¡°Recruits Barnes and Djallen hold the top PT scores. It therefore behooves us to reach the inevitable conclusion that they should be partnered as buddies. Recruit Djallen step forward.¡±

    Rose did so, but she had a distant expression and didn¡¯t seem to be paying attention. There was a wave of muffled giggling. When Kayla looked around to Thandi for moral support, she saw a smirk on her friend¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t fair. She had worked hard to be at the top of the class, so why should she be punished? Why couldn¡¯t the instructors just get rid of Rose?

    Susaki led them back to the first obstacle and sent Kayla and Rose through first, talking them through the movements. They ran across beams and swung on ropes over the easier sections. Rose kept up with Kayla, though she was slipping and stumbling as though she was inebriated.

    They started climbing higher, ascending a ladder onto a rope traverse. Kayla pulled her legs up and hooked them over, then began to pull herself along. She treasured the spike of adrenaline she got from seeing the ground uncomfortably far below. Once she was across, Rose reached up and took hold of the rope. She swung her legs up, and began to edge out from the platform, but then she stopped, and Kayla could see the terror on her face.

    Susaki called to Rose to continue, and she began to move forward at a slow pace, shaking arms reaching for a few handholds at a time, then stopping for long pauses.

    Kayla began to lose her patience. ¡°What¡¯s the matter Rose, can¡¯t handle it?¡±

    Rose flashed her a furious look, but began to move again until she reached the platform. Her skin was pale white, and she was trembling, refusing to make eye contact.

    Susaki climbed a ladder up to the platform and pulled them both to one side so they could let the other recruits through.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Djallen,¡± she said. ¡°Fear of heights is nothing to be ashamed of. Just take a minute, control your respiration, and collect yourself, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Rose stammered. Her breathing was shallow, and she stared wide-eyed at the ground.

    ¡°I understand this is difficult for you,¡± Susaki continued, ¡°but you are going to have to face your fear and get through it. You are training for a job that will involve people trying to kill you. Horrific things that I can¡¯t describe will try to kill you. I promise you that you will watch people die.¡±

    ¡°Yes Instructor.¡±

    ¡°If you cannot deal with the fear that you experience here, you will not be any use to us, and we will send you home. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes Instructor.¡±

    They took a long break while the rest of the class continued the course. Kayla felt humiliated by the awkward looks she received. The problem was Rose, not her.

    She watched enviously as Thandi and Christie passed them, working through the obstacles without much difficulty.

    ¡°Come on Zulu,¡± Christie called mockingly.

    Thandi struggled over a high and precarious walkway, legs shaking as she looked down. She stopped when she came to a ladder made of thick logs.

    ¡°Where¡¯s that warrior bravery?¡± Christie said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit high,¡± Thandi said nervously.

    ¡°It¡¯s not high; you¡¯re just scared.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Christie! I¡¯m not scared of anything.¡±

    ¡°Stop wasting time, then.¡±

    Thandi backed out over the ladder and stretched a foot out. ¡°I¡¯m not a climber. Where did you put your feet?¡±

    Christie pointed out each step on the ladder as Thandi descended. She dropped down with a relieved expression on her face.

    Christie smirked at her. She opened her mouth to speak.

    Thandi pushed straight past her. ¡°Stop wasting breath¡ªnext obstacle!¡± she called.

    Christie turned bashfully to follow.

 Part 2 - Chapter 29

    Once the rest of the group had gone, Susaki directed Kayla and Rose to continue. Kayla climbed freely and fidgeted restlessly while she waited for her buddy. Rose took her time to catch up, and her progress was clumsy, but deliberate. Eventually they came to the high scaffold, a wooden, four-story tower with no walls and floors five feet high.

    At the bottom, as she had been shown by the instructors, Kayla braced a leg, which Rose stepped on to climb up to the next floor. Then Kayla reached to grab the ledge and pulled hard, while Rose grabbed her shirt and belt to help her clamber up. Kayla turned around and positioned herself to jump to the next floor.

    ¡°Be ready to grab my leg and give me a shove,¡± Kayla said.

    Rose nodded, but her skin had turned sickly white.

    Kayla paused before continuing. Was Rose going to be able to handle the whole obstacle? With no choice but to continue, she shook her head and jumped for the next ledge. The boost came quickly, and she scrambled the rest of the way. The climb was challenging, but fun, though when she lay down to reach for Rose, she saw her eyes were as wide as saucers.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Rose began, and swallowed. ¡°You won¡¯t let go, will you?¡±

    Kayla wanted to curse her for her weakness. All this time acting like the role model for the galaxy, but when push came to shove, she was just a scared girl. Unfortunately, the rest of the course was still ahead, so Kayla chose her words carefully.

    ¡°I want to beat this course as much as you do, right?¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s get through this, then we can go back to smack talking.¡± She grinned. ¡°Imagine how jealous everyone will be when we set the best times.¡±

    Roses nodded, though she didn¡¯t seem convinced. She swallowed again, then jumped up on the ledge. Kayla grabbed her, pulled hard and felt Rose scrambling desperately as she tried to get her feet up. There was a thud as a limb smacked the wooden planking. Rose climbed onto the deck, blood dripping from her knee. She looked like she was going to vomit.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go first again,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Only two more stories.¡±

    She stepped back to the edge, turned, and reached for the next floor. When she hauled herself up, she felt no help from below, but she was a good enough climber to get a leg up and scramble the rest of the way on her own. Once she was secure, she looked back down and saw Rose clutching one of the scaffolds¡¯ struts and staring at the ground.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go Rose. Almost there,¡± Kayla called.

    Rose didn¡¯t answer her, perhaps didn¡¯t even hear her. She stayed frozen in place, knuckles white as her nails dug into the thick wooden post.

    Kayla decided they both needed a quick break. She turned around to check out the forest. The beach, crowded with recruits, was visible through the gaps in the trees. In the other direction, the low mountains framed the training camp. A fresh breeze rustled the leaves and Kayla almost lost track of time. After a while, she looked down again, but Rose still hadn¡¯t moved.

    Kayla wondered if her ¡®buddy¡¯ was irretrievably stuck and began to lose her patience. ¡°Come on Rose, let¡¯s go. The freakin¡¯ school tower was higher than this, and you did it when you were nine.¡±

    Rose didn¡¯t react, maintaining her death grip on the stanchion.

    Kayla tried a few more taunts, but nothing seemed to work. She looked around for an instructor, but they had all moved off, managing the distant crowd of recruits at the end of the course. However, maybe her problem had been solved after all?

    After exhausting all her options, Kayla huffed and slapped the scaffold in anger. ¡°You know what Rose, I think you¡¯re getting kicked out. Susaki said she¡¯d send you home if you couldn¡¯t do it, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    No response.

    ¡°Whatever. Stay here then. I guess they¡¯ll assign me another buddy.¡±

    Kayla dropped off the ladder and headed to the next obstacle, happy that she could finally get on with more climbing. After the scaffold was a rope netting, and she enjoyed the bouncing undulation her movements caused.

    ¡°Barnes! What are you doing?¡± An enraged call broke the silence.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Kayla¡¯s gut knotted up as a jolt of fear stabbed through her. Susaki had apparently returned to check on her progress. She turned her head and saw two Instructors climb up to where Rose was still frozen on the scaffold.

    Susaki approached the bottom of the netting with a look of fury on her face. ¡°Get down right now!¡± she snarled.

    Kayla did so, though her hands shook, making the climbing difficult. She was obviously in serious trouble.

    Once she stepped off the bottom, she turned to Susaki. ¡°Instructor, I was just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough. Go to that tree and wait for me. I don¡¯t even want to look at you right now.¡±

    Kayla waited where she was told, watching the instructors help Rose get off the scaffold. She looked terrible and was on the verge of tears. Susaki spoke quietly to her, before the other instructors walked her back to the camp.

    Then Susaki stalked over to Kayla with a venomous expression. ¡°Follow,¡± she snapped, as she walked straight past her.

    Kayla wanted to argue. She had tried everything; helped her buddy as much as she could. But Rose was too scared¡ªobviously didn¡¯t belong in the training. Kayla said none of these things, knowing full well that all her excuses would be rejected.

    She was led to the beach, which Susaki followed north away from the camp until they came to an estuary at low tide. It was fed by a stream with a weak flow. A wide channel of mud stretched inland as far as Kayla could see.

    ¡°Get down on your hands and knees,¡± Susaki ordered.

    Kayla did so and felt herself sinking into a substance as thick as syrup. She tried to pull her hand out but struggled against the suction pulling it back in. She looked up to see Susaki glaring at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a simple enough exercise,¡± the instructor said. ¡°Crawl up the stream bed until I tell you to stop.¡±

    Kayla knew she would be wiped out in minutes, but she had no choice. She started to move, and as she pulled her limbs out of the mud¡¯s grip, she began to feel nauseous. Susaki was going to put her through hell. Pulling out her hands and knees from the mud required an immense effort, and Kayla tired very quickly. She started blinking quickly to keep sodden lumps flicking into her eyes, and she stopped, gasping for breath as she looked up at the merciless gaze that followed her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say stop,¡± Susaki said, ¡°so I guess you must be asking to quit. Is that right?¡±

    Kayla shook her head and started to move again. Every muscle in her body was on fire. Her head spun, and she wondered if she was going to throw up. But she could not allow herself to stop.

    ¡°The thing is,¡± Susaki went on, ¡°I got a call from a mutual friend of ours, who wanted to know how her special recruit is doing.¡± She spat the word ¡®special¡¯ as though it revolted her.

    Kayla kept pushing. She was happy that Urtiga was interested in her progress, but this announcement could only mean worse treatment was to come.

    ¡°You know why Urtiga is famous here?¡± Susaki asked. ¡°Why everybody respects her? I can say that she has personally saved my life on more than one occasion.¡±

    Kayla kept moving, and soon she was catching specks of mud in her mouth as her chest heaved to take in air. She wondered if Susaki would let her stay in the training if she had to be rescued from drowning. Probably not.

    ¡°Stop crawling,¡± Susaki ordered.

    Kayla nearly collapsed, grateful for the respite, but afraid of what was next.

    Susaki knelt in the mud until she was eye to eye with Kayla. ¡°I know you have figured out how old the organization is. Believe me when I say that I have watched generations of women pass through this course, and you don¡¯t hold a candle to any of them.¡±

    She grimaced. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of death. But what really scares me is that an arrogant, ego-driven fool like you gets one of my friends killed. And the first thing the rest of them will do in their anger is demand to know which worthless excuse for an instructor let you pass through boot camp.¡±

    Kayla trembled as she waited for more.

    ¡°Tell me something Barnes, who¡¯s the most popular recruit on this course? Who do the other girls look up to and respect, and want to imitate?¡±

    Through the fog of pain in her mind, Kayla struggled to think. ¡°Rose?¡± she panted.

    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s you. You hang out with the most respected recruits, you¡¯re even with Rose for the top PT scores, and you crush everything we throw at you. On top of that, the whole class has heard by now that you were personally recruited by one of the most respected operators in this organization.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t speak until she managed to catch her breath. ¡°I thought they all hated me. Since the school, everyone I met hated me.¡±

    Susaki watched her carefully. ¡°Crawl.¡±

    Kayla started again, blinking back tears from the effort.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you came from, Kayla,¡± Susaki said, ¡°and I don¡¯t care. What you did to Rose back there¡­ leaving your buddy stuck, so you could go off on your own? If you did that in a real unit, they would probably take you somewhere quiet and beat you into a coma. Whatever problem you had, get past it.¡±

    Kayla gasped. ¡°Yes Instructor.¡±

    ¡°Urtiga and her damned prodigies. You may have impressed her once upon a time, but you¡¯ve been throwing away the respect you¡¯ve gained here. I¡¯m telling you right now, I don¡¯t like you, and I don¡¯t want you in this organization. I am just itching for an excuse to send you home, and there are other instructors debating it. After everything we taught you over the past few months, you show our traditions and principles nothing but contempt.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, instructor!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sorry you got caught,¡± Susaki said with derision. ¡°Alright. Well, you seem to thrive on challenges, so you¡¯re going to crawl until my anger subsides. Dig deep, and don¡¯t worry about drowning¡ªI¡¯ll pull you out If I feel like it.¡±

    Kayla tried to look ahead through the mud that was clogging and burning her eyes, but she saw nothing. She didn¡¯t need to, just like she didn¡¯t need to feel or think. She just had to crawl. A desperate fear drove her forward¡ªand not only that she might lose everything she had worked for. Maybe Rose had been right about her all along. Maybe she was too selfish to be useful to anyone.

 Part 2 - Chapter 30

    Kayla wiped away tears as she returned to the canteen for dinner. Would she be made to sit alone, like Rose? She queued up without speaking to the other recruits. Once she had her tray filled, she noticed Rose, eating alone, and looking miserable. Hadn¡¯t she been kicked out? Kayla felt a lurch of dread. She hadn¡¯t been assigned a new buddy either, which could only mean one thing.

    Steeling herself, she went to join her rival and sat down without saying a word. Both ate in silence for a few minutes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you up there,¡± Kayla said eventually.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a useless buddy,¡± Rose muttered. ¡°The instructors said I could try again tomorrow, but that¡¯s my last chance.¡±

    Kayla was surprised by the response. Had Rose called herself useless? She ate in silence, unsure what to say, until Thandi and Christie slapped their trays down at the table.

    ¡°So, Christie,¡± Thandi said through a nasty grin, ¡°if you would please describe the taxonomy of these two specimens.¡±

    ¡°Gladly, Thandi,¡± Christie replied, her own expression cheerful. ¡°Here we have a pair of the lesser known, large-headed girl-toads. A rare species, they are usually seen in pairs making obnoxious loud noises, meant to irritate passersby. You¡¯ll note the width of the cranium far exceeds the typical size.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating, and their mating habits?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Non-existent, given their off-putting demeanor,¡± Christie said.

    ¡°What are you two so happy about?¡± said Kayla miserably.

    ¡°Well, we aced the assault course together,¡± Thandi said, ¡°which was a lot of fun. Then there is your situation, which the whole class finds deeply entertaining. Great job from both of you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, you won¡¯t be getting much more of it,¡± Kayla said. ¡°They¡¯ll probably kick both of us out tomorrow.¡±

    Thandi laughed. ¡°You are such a drama queen, you know that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Rose said quietly. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with heights.¡±

    Kayla stabbed morosely at her food. ¡°Susaki told me there are instructors looking for any excuse to get rid of me, too. It turns out that I am a real asshole.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And both of you are pushovers who let difficult things hold you back?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re both in a bad place, obviously,¡± Christie interjected. ¡°But once you collect yourselves, you¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    Kayla glared at her, then looked away.

    They ate in silence until Thandi spoke. ¡°Hey, Christie, how come you¡¯re still here? I didn¡¯t peg you for this kind of life.¡±

    Christie chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. ¡°Well, I do sort of enjoy it. There¡¯s nothing like the joy of watching another girl drop out, proving that you are, in fact, a superior human being.¡±

    Thandi cackled. ¡°But seriously, with all your smarts, wouldn¡¯t you rather be, I don¡¯t know, a famous intellectual or something?¡±

    Christie snorted. ¡°Good grief! You think just because I¡¯m a Helvet I would have that kind of choice?¡±

    ¡°All you have to do is work for it, right?¡±

    Christie sighed and traced circles on the table with her finger. ¡°The Stirling family was not the most prestigious on Earth but was well-placed. My father had a working relationship with one of the Adjudicate Cardinals.¡±

    ¡°Gosh! Your family was close to the Adjudicate?¡± Rose¡¯s eyes went wide. She glanced at Kayla. ¡°That makes me a loser by comparison, you know?¡±

    Kayla shook her head. She was surprised by this revelation, but it didn¡¯t change her opinion of Christie. She didn¡¯t wear her status on her sleeve, while Rose, dense as ever, was already ingratiating herself.

    Christie gave a wry smile. ¡°Ha¡ªfor a short time we were¡ªbut this all happened when I was very young. The Cardinal in question was outspoken. He enjoyed publicly criticizing officials he felt were flirting with corruption.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Rose said as her brow furrowed, ¡°that¡¯s what he¡¯s supposed to do. The Adjudicate¡¯s job is to maintain the high ethical standards¡ª¡±

    Kayla put her head in her hands. ¡°Holy shit, Rose. You cannot be so na?ve.¡±

    ¡°Give it a rest, you two,¡± Thandi snapped. ¡°Christie, please continue.¡±

    ¡°So, he made a few enemies,¡± Christie said. ¡°Unfortunately, like so many of our esteemed officials, he had a thing for young girls and boys.¡±

    ¡°Uh, what?¡± Kayla sat up attentively. Her head spun. She had heard plenty of stories about the Helvets as a child, but never anything so shocking. Rose¡¯s eyes were also wide, and her jaw hung loose. Did she really have no idea that kind of thing was happening in the League?

    ¡°Is it not well known on Caldera?¡± Christie asked. ¡°It is on Earth.¡±

    ¡°And on Intaba,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°He was threatening too many interests,¡± Christie continued, ¡°so his enemies decided to make an example of him. They published several photographs. He was pushed out by Cardinal Merris, and my father was disgraced by association. We still had money, but after I graduated, I was destined for the work allocation system. I would undoubtedly have been assigned to translating meeting minutes for the rest of my life.¡±

    Rose shook her head in confusion. ¡°But that program¡¯s only for the poorest communities. Surely your status wouldn¡¯t have allowed¡ª¡±

    Christie waved a hand. ¡°The top players do whatever it takes to protect themselves from a threat. The list covers enemies, enemies¡¯ associates, their families, friends, and anyone who ever said anything good about them, you see?¡±

    The girls lapsed into silence. Kayla¡¯s gut burned hot with anger. If she failed to join Valkyrie, she would probably end up under the thumb of some petty tyrant. Of course, there was one way she could win back some of the instructor¡¯s respect, even if it burned her pride to do so. Besides which, Rose¡¯s expression was starting to attract her sympathy. After Christie¡¯s revelation, the stricken girl looked like a puppy that had been kicked out of the house.

    Kayla slammed her fist on the table and turned to Rose. ¡°Meet me at five a.m. outside your cabin. We¡¯ll go to the course and figure it out.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Rose frowned. ¡°We are supposed to respect the camp curfew until¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, for the love of¡ª¡± Kayla took a deep breath. ¡°Or else they kick you out for breaking the rules? They¡¯ll do that anyway if you fail, won¡¯t they?¡±

    Rose looked down at her plate. ¡°Rules are made for a reason, but it¡¯s not like you¡¯re capable of respecting that.¡±

    ¡°Nobody knows what is right for me, but me.¡±

    Rose¡¯s eyes snapped up. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, but you think you know everything!¡±

    ¡°Five a.m.! Be up and ready or I¡¯ll drag you out of bed,¡± Kayla said firmly.

    Rose didn¡¯t respond, and they both went back to angrily chewing their food.

    ¡°So, Thandi,¡± Christie said cheerfully. ¡°Odds they kill each other tomorrow? I¡¯ll bet you an ice cream portion.¡±

    Thandi laughed. ¡°Nah. It¡¯s a sure thing.¡±

    Dawn was breaking as Kayla found an anxious-looking Rose outside her cabin. They walked over to the assault course without speaking. Instructors were running on the beach, but none went inland, so they shouldn¡¯t be caught. Kayla¡¯s muscles were still aching from the previous day¡¯s mud session, and she was nervous about her ability to do all the obstacles. She tried not to think about it.

    Kayla stopped Rose as she headed toward the beginning of the course.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Kayla said, ¡°we only need to fix one problem.¡±

    Rose looked pensive. ¡°Oh¡­ I thought maybe if I built up gradually to it¡ª¡±

    ¡°No chance. You¡¯re looking for an excuse to put it off. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As they approached the scaffold where Rose had failed the day before, she began to go pale. Kayla shoved her.

    Rose caught herself and looked back, anger on her face. ¡°What did you do that for?¡±

    ¡°How come you didn¡¯t fall over?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not a child, and I have basic coordination.¡±

    ¡°What If I told you we were on the edge of a cliff right now?¡±

    Rose¡¯s eyebrow arched. ¡°What?¡±

    Kayla scratched a line in the dirt with her foot. ¡°Stand on the line.¡±

    Rose reluctantly did so, looking mystified.

    ¡°Stand on one leg.¡±

    Rose looked at her skeptically, but did so.

    ¡°Are you in any danger of falling over?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not drunk.¡±

    ¡°But if this line was the edge of a cliff,¡± Kayla said, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t dare do that, even though you¡¯re not in danger?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s completely different¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not different. The only thing that changes is your perception. You think you are in danger, and because you can¡¯t think straight, you become less stable. So, you lose confidence. It¡¯s a vicious cycle.¡±

    Rose stared at her in confusion.

    ¡°When I¡¯m up there,¡± Kayla explained, ¡°I¡¯m scared too, you know; I get that jolt of adrenaline. It sucks. But I concentrate on my grip and position, and I know that if I do everything right, I¡¯m in no danger of falling.¡±

    Rose¡¯s eyes went wide at the admission, but then her expression became thoughtful. ¡°I guess this is why people say don¡¯t look down.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. But you need to look down and then learn how to ignore it, because we need to set fast times on this course, and you can¡¯t trick your way out of it.¡±

    Kayla walked over to the scaffold and began to haul herself up. Rose followed, looking a bit more optimistic. They stopped on the first floor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t over-grip when you¡¯re stable,¡± Kayla explained. ¡°You¡¯re hanging on tighter than you need to and tiring out your arms.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Rose¡¯s fingers twitched.

    ¡°See how easily you reached the first floor? All the others are exactly the same. Don¡¯t let the height be part of the problem.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­¡±

    She still didn¡¯t look convinced, so Kayla tried a different tack. ¡°Have you thought about what happens if you fall?¡±

    Rose turned even paler. ¡°God no! I don¡¯t want to think about it.¡±

    ¡°Try it. A fall will happen super-fast and then you¡¯ll be in pain, but you know how to deal with pain. The instructors will take you to a hospital, and you said yourself, they have great medical care here, right? You¡¯ll get rolled back to another class, and they¡¯ll probably kick me out.¡± Kayla grinned. ¡°Works out great for you.¡±

    Rose gave a weak smile. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Kayla pulled herself up to the next floor with a helpful boost. Rose gingerly reached up for the wooden boards, and, with Kayla¡¯s help, clambered up.

    They reached the third floor before Rose looked down. She sat down heavily on the planking. ¡°No, I can¡¯t do it,¡± she said as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

    With one more climb left, Kayla wasn¡¯t about to accept defeat. Ignoring Rose, she grabbed the last floor above her, and with a burst of effort, hauled herself up.

    ¡°There, almost done,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°Once you get up here, we¡¯re home free.¡±

    Rose ignored her.

    Kayla took a breath and thought through her options. ¡°So, you¡¯re done? You¡¯re going home?¡± she said angrily.

    ¡°No!¡± Rose snapped back, but she didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Yes, because this is it. Either you do it, or all this work you¡¯ve done is wasted. All the pain and misery we¡¯ve gone through was for nothing, and you¡¯ve just wasted everybody¡¯s time.¡±

    Rose closed her eyes tightly and gasped for air. ¡°I uh¡­ I can¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all talk about empowering humanity, but you can¡¯t even get up this dumb pile of wood?¡±

    Rose said nothing. Her jaw tightened.

    ¡°I mean, I always knew you were lazy, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit selfish that you¡¯re leaving me stuck with a weaker buddy¡ª¡±

    Rose jumped to her feet, reached above her head, and pulled herself up to the last platform. Kayla grabbed her shirt and belt and hauled as hard as she could. They collapsed in a pile on top of the scaffold, and once Rose had stopped gasping for air, she rolled over and punched Kayla in the arm. ¡°You¡¯re such an ass.¡±

    Kayla nodded and smiled. ¡°Yeah, I know, and you just made it. Congratulations.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ yes. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Anger helps you do scary things. Maybe you can get a notebook and write that down?¡±

    Rose rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, I get it.¡±

    ¡°No, but you probably think you know better. You probably think it¡¯s another dumb Kayla thing.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Kayla.¡±

    Kayla laughed as she felt the weight lift from her shoulders. She shuffled over to the edge of the wooden platform, dropped her legs over and patted the space next to her. ¡°Come sit here and get some exposure.

    ¡°Oh, God.¡± Rose shuffled cautiously over to join her.

    They sat in silence for some time before Rose spoke again. ¡°I really do mean it. Thank you. I couldn¡¯t face failing this course.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense to me,¡± Kayla said.

    Rose sighed. ¡°How can I do nothing while other women put themselves in harm¡¯s way for me? Dancing? Modelling? Some highly paid bureaucratic job? It¡¯s all so¡­¡±

    ¡°Empty,¡± Kayla finished, staring at her in surprise.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why did you do it then?¡±

    ¡°Because I was supposed to,¡± Rose said. ¡°That¡¯s my role in society. I mean, I¡¯m beautiful and I inspire people, so my family uses that to make money. Then the school and all my friends like me for being rich and influential, so that¡¯s what I mean to them.¡± She paused thoughtfully. ¡°I guess there¡¯s also the buzz I get from it.¡±

    ¡°Buzz?¡±

    Rose smiled guiltily. ¡°Being on top. Beating the competition.¡±

    Kayla shook her head, as the memories of her first happy days with Rose began to fill her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t understand a thing about you.¡±

    They fell silent again.

    ¡°Remember when you took me up on the school roof?¡± Rose said with a smile. ¡°I thought I was going to die, but it was kind of awesome.¡±

    ¡°No, Rose, I don¡¯t remember that,¡± Kayla replied coldly. ¡°I remember the looks in the eyes of your friends whenever they passed me in the corridor. I remember every person in that place treating me like an alien.¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t talk about you that much.¡± Rose¡¯s voice was plaintive. ¡°Maybe I exaggerated some things, but I didn¡¯t make up stories. You made your own stories. You just can¡¯t act the way you wanted to act in our world.¡±

    Kayla crossed her arms. ¡°But I¡¯m a liar, right? So, who cares how I acted?¡±

    Rose looked down, then off into the distance. ¡°They showed me a report,¡± she said quietly. ¡°There were photos of a set and actors. They had doctors examining bodies and saying the deaths had been caused by farm equipment.¡±

    Kayla rubbed her eyes. ¡°So, they faked something.¡±

    ¡°I was a child then. Now, I don¡¯t¡­ know what to think.¡±

    ¡°Well, now you¡¯re here and you know the truth, Rose. So, am I the sort of person who would lie about her own father¡¯s death to get ahead, or is your bullshit society built on lies? Pick one.¡±

    Rose shook her head. ¡°The Helvetic world¡­ Since we came here¡­I just don¡¯t know any more.¡±

    Kayla looked her in the eye. ¡°Yes, you do. Come on, let¡¯s get back down.¡±

    Later that day, they completed the assault course together. Rose froze on the final balance beam, but after a short pause kept going, rang the bell, and dropped into the water. They swam back together and crossed the finish line to a round of jeering and hooting from the rest of the class. The instructors stood to one side and watched as the recruits, led by Christie and Thandi, grabbed the exhausted pair and dunked them back in the water.

    As they waded out, Rose sagged to her knees, tears in her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You made it!¡± Kayla said, her nerves buzzing with adrenaline. Christie bent down to talk to the unhappy young woman before leading her to the cabins.

    ¡°What is her problem now?¡± Kayla asked in exasperation.

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Thandi said. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± She stared at Kayla. ¡°I bet you¡¯re convinced that nothing in the world can hold you back?¡±

    Kayla crossed her arms. ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°Lord have mercy on all of us.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 31

    Weslan tapped the final simulation parameters into the computer and hit enter. All he had to do was wait while the program ran. He checked his watch. Two in the morning already? He hadn¡¯t taken a break since breakfast, but he couldn¡¯t sleep. In need of refreshment, he headed to the research lounge, where Julie was making coffee. Were they all becoming night owls?

    He returned her tired smile. ¡°Working late too?¡±

    Julie blinked red-rimmed eyes. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d rather work than sleep. I keep having anxiety attacks without my phone.¡±

    Weslan nodded. The security guards had confiscated their devices, and he felt like he had been locked out of the real world. ¡°It does get to you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± he said. ¡°I sometimes find my hand reaching for it of its own accord.¡±

    Julie chuckled quietly. ¡°Trained dependence. My whole life was on that phone, and now I can¡¯t help but feel terrified that everyone is forgetting I exist.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the downside of classified work. Our reputation won¡¯t come from our school or our friends anymore.¡±

    Julie raised her coffee mug and smiled. ¡°To service. Hopefully not thankless.¡±

    ¡°At least we got a free weekend, at last.¡±

    ¡°Any plans?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll meet some of the old crowd,¡± Weslan said. ¡°Go see a symposium, like the old days.¡±

    They chatted a little more, but Weslan soon returned to his lab. He would feel guilty if he didn¡¯t organize his notes before leaving. After all, Madam Rayker, the brilliant and passionate lab director, often told them that there was no such thing as free time in the quest for knowledge.

    He had been impressed by her exacting standards, though sometimes he got the impression that no matter how hard he worked, he always fell short of her expectations. But these thoughts were obviously a sign of immaturity¡ªthere was pressure on all the researchers. Everybody worked hard, and the toll showed in their exhausted faces and painfully brief mealtime conversations.

    When the weekend came, their phones were returned, and they were driven off base by the security team. As he re-entered Rackeye, Weslan saw the world through new eyes. For the first time, he understood the purpose of the city¡ªtheir drive to develop and spread their uplifting Helvetic culture for the betterment of mankind. He teared up. Now he was no longer a student, but a contributing member of that community. He swelled with pride at the thought.

    The local Adjudicate office hosted the Symposium at the Opera house. Weslan met his friends early for drinks and they caught up on gossip before finding their seats. The program consisted of a lengthy philosophical discourse, a drama based in a government office, and a short film about the latest colony efforts on an ice planet.

    The discourse included extracts from core Adjudicate texts concerning the necessity of elevating the soul through cultural engagement. The speaker spent some time naming and praising some of the important figures on Caldera and nearby systems. Having either financed, or publicly mentioned, the symposium¡¯s organizers and artists, they had to be paid their proper due.

    When he began his speech proper, he went on at length about the failures of humanity¡¯s collective spirit. The species, he claimed, was becoming lost to the void, wandering in the vast wilderness of space, and the wisest amongst them were duty bound to steer it back to the righteous path.

    Weslan nearly drifted off during the drama. Like so many of the Adjudicate¡¯s plays, it lacked any excitement or passion. The main character showed up to work, scolded a sloppy colleague, behaved correctly, and won a promotion. For Weslan, this was something that everyone experienced, and he didn¡¯t see the point of dramatizing it. He supposed he was experiencing a weakness of spirit in his failure to take interest, but after all the work he had been doing, he was probably due a little indulgence.

    The documentary film investigated the construction of a self-sustaining micro fusion plant on Cree. A world frozen over with ice, where conditions were harsh, the colonies there depended on machines which functioned reliably under great environmental stress. Helvetic scientists, in conjunction with Djallen Fusion Industries, had worked tirelessly to deliver the modules under a demanding schedule, and in the numbers required. It had taken an immense effort, and the construction machines required constant maintenance in the extreme temperatures. The film described the difficult conditions of life in this far-flung support post. The interviewed workers all explained that, despite the challenges, they felt fulfilled, and their community had become stronger.

    The symposium ended and Weslan joined his friends for dinner, though he struggled to make small talk as his friends drank and laughed. Why didn¡¯t they take their lives more seriously?

    ¡°You seem uncharacteristically quiet, Weslan,¡± Tomasso chided.

    Weslan forced a smile. ¡°Oh¡­ sorry¡ªjust thinking about work.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too locked in, my dear,¡± admonished Fayel. ¡°The inability to separate work from life is an unhealthy habit.¡±

    Weslan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Perhaps work can be life if you¡¯re passionate about it.¡±

    ¡°Oh darling,¡± Fayel said, with a gleam in her eye. ¡°We need to find you another girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°But what about the film we just watched?¡± replied Weslan as he sat forward. ¡°Look at those people giving up their lives, making sacrifices for the good of others.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but once they go home, they¡¯ll have some time off and start to relax again¡ªenjoy the things they missed: food, wine, music. I would hope so, anyway. Otherwise, what is the point of it all?¡±

    Weslan blushed. ¡°The point is to make the world a better place.¡±

    Fayel reached up and stroked a lock of hair out of his eye. ¡°I admire your passion, I truly do,¡± she said, ¡°But I hope your new boss isn¡¯t exploiting it.¡±

    Weslan waved her hand away. ¡°She isn¡¯t like that at all. She¡¯s just like the leader of that outpost from the documentary. Dedicated and driven. She really wants to get the best out of us.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like Weslan has a crush,¡± Tomasso said with a mischievous grin.

    Fayel narrowed her eyes. ¡°A job is just a job, don¡¯t forget. Employers only want to use you for their benefit.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that,¡± Weslan said. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªwell, we¡¯re a family, working for something better. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an attractive woman, I assume,¡± said Fayel.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°She¡ªI¡­ don¡¯t see what her attractiveness has to do with anything,¡± Weslan stammered.

    ¡°Uh oh¡ªjealousy alert!¡± Tomasso said, before knocking back his wine.

    ¡°You did say that it was Geolox you were working with, didn¡¯t you?¡± Fayel asked, ignoring the comment.

    Weslan nodded.

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°And yet they haven¡¯t announced any offices on Caldera. Or contractors stationed here at all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a confidential project, of course they wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Fayel did not look convinced.

    Another friend jumped in to steer the conversation to a happier subject. ¡°Weslan, tell us about your father¡¯s plans for the new house. I hear he wants to import old Earth oak?¡±

    The others seized on the subject of interior decorating and wanted to know everything Weslan¡¯s father was doing. As the evening went on, his friends exchanged more news of friends and family, lifting his spirits. The burn in his stomach never left, however, and he couldn¡¯t forget his frustration that they weren¡¯t taking him seriously. The world needed both Allana Rayker¡¯s zeal and his dedication. He yearned to return to the lab; to share his new insights with the rest of the team. At least they understood.

    There was something else missing. What about Kayla and Rose, off on their own secret adventure? Rose wouldn¡¯t want to speak to him¡ªhe had accepted that¡ªbut his messages to Kayla hadn¡¯t even been delivered. It was a shame, because while Kayla didn¡¯t get along with the others, she could certainly be quite charming in her own way. If some of the Academy rumors were true, she was probably in some type of government project, and perhaps they would even end up working together.

    After the weekend had finished and the students returned to the lab, Weslan found his computer had printed out the results, and he rushed over to check them. As he read through the data, his heart skipped a beat¡ªtotal success¡ªand he almost skipped to the office of his project supervisor. Reed gave a cursory look through the data, agreeing that they should present the results immediately to Madam Rayker.

    When they knocked on Rayker¡¯s door and entered, they were met with her customary cold glare. Weslan tried not to let it faze him, recalling the advice of other researchers that she looked at everybody in the same way.

    ¡°Madam,¡± Reed began. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know, Weslan has been working on the problem of organizing hierarchies and behavior in organisms using pheromone signaling.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s glare eased into a thin smile, which did nothing to reassure Weslan.

    ¡°Proceed,¡± she said.

    Weslan cleared his throat. ¡°Well-um Madam, I¡¯ve been working with some nematodes, which may appear to be quite simple organisms, but are in fact sophisticated in their behavior. When you observe their social¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about worms,¡± Rayker said.

    Weslan bowed. ¡°Yes, um, sorry Madam. Well, uh¡­ as you know, a pheromone isn¡¯t really a special kind of ability, it¡¯s just any case of a chemical signal prompting a change in behavior. So, for example, we could say even a hungry person smelling food and salivating is responding to a pheromone, and we shouldn¡¯t let the dictionary definition constrain us from thinking in this way. There are many chemical traces that can very strongly guide an organism¡¯s behavior, even though we wouldn¡¯t traditionally call them pheromones.¡±

    ¡°The point of a pheromone,¡± Rayker said, ¡°is that it is secreted by a member of the same species. Thus, allowing one individual to alter the behavior of its target.¡±

    ¡°Correct, but we must remember that this isn¡¯t exactly like ¡®hacking¡¯ a target¡ªthe organism must be a ¡®willing victim¡¯ so to speak, because it gains some kind of benefit from allowing itself to be manipulated in this way.¡±

    ¡°That is the main limitation, obviously,¡± Rayker said as she inspected her fingernails. ¡°We can¡¯t get them to do what they aren¡¯t driven by instinct to do.¡±

    ¡°R-right¡±, said Weslan, unsure if they were still talking about nematodes. ¡°So, I tried manipulating the genetic code of the worms to to grow new secretion sacks in key locations on their bodies. These implants store the chemical traces associated with other instinctive drives¡ªparticularly food, fear, and, um¡­mating.¡±

    Rayker sat forward, grinning. ¡°Did you get them to cannibalize each other?¡± she asked with a degree of anticipation that surprised Weslan.

    ¡°No. When they investigate the target worm, they don¡¯t find anything they recognize as food, so they lose interest.¡±

    Rayker sat back and looked away, drumming her fingers on the desk.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Weslan continued, ¡°but the mechanism itself was quite straightforward. I just had to find out whether I could tune these signals to allow for more sophisticated organization and control. This part was done in simulation, and I¡¯ve had some success with group co-ordination, and uh¡ªas requested¡ªbasic hunting tactics.¡± He wafted the printout in her direction.

    Rayker ignored the paper. ¡°You have them marching around in circles and attacking an enemy?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± he beamed. ¡°I am thrilled to announce that the project has met the simulation goals, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Worms aren¡¯t that useful. What about a larger organism?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam?¡±

    ¡°An animal,¡± Rayker said. ¡°Like me? How would you control me from this data?¡±

    Weslan¡¯s thoughts tripped over themselves. Where was she going with this? ¡°I- I don¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡ª¡±

    ¡°The principles are the same. Think it through. I am subject to chemical and hormonal influences which can be injected into the bloodstream. Isn¡¯t that what your research has shown? And now you have demonstrated the ability to provide organizational control of your subjects, so you ought to be able to do the same to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ yes, I suppose that does follow.¡± Was she in her right mind? Or was she making a more subtle point that he wasn¡¯t smart enough to grasp?

    ¡°Here¡¯s an easy example.¡± She got up from her desk and walked over to Reed. ¡°I, a beautiful woman, emit a natural scent from my hair follicles which men find arousing. Not often talked about, but how many times have you seen a young woman playing with her hair around a boy she wants to attract?¡±

    Weslan was suddenly struck by memories of Rose; how she occasionally tossed her hair over her shoulder when she got close to him. ¡°Right,¡± he said.

    Rayker flicked her hair in Reed¡¯s direction and smiled at him. ¡°This, of course, triggers a wave of impulses in weak men, leading to all kinds of irrational behavior: competitive drive, jealousy, and aggression. Is it not so, Reed?¡±

    ¡°In weak-minded individuals, indeed, Madam,¡± Reed said, his face stoic.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel good, Reed? Seductive, and overpowering?¡±

    Weslan¡¯s cheeks warmed. Where was this conversation going?

    ¡°Fortunately, Madam,¡± Reed replied stiffly. ¡°I am not weak-minded.¡±

    ¡°How fortunate.¡± She smiled sweetly before turning back to Weslan.

    ¡°I think, young man, the time has come to bring you up to the next level of security and show you the true purpose of this project. Reed, you will take him to the animal enclosures and tell him what he needs to know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± Reed said.

    She returned to her desk and peered at her computer as though they were no longer there. Weslan had the impression he had been switched off like a lightbulb. He hesitated for a moment before following Reed.

    Rayker looked up. ¡°Something else?¡±

    ¡°No. Thank you, Madam,¡± Welsan said, before hurriedly backing out of the office.

    Reed led him through the maze of tunnels to the part of the lab marked ¡®off limits¡¯. Passing by a pair of guards, Weslan found himself in an enclosure filled with large cages. Unnatural looking animals shrieked and howled as he moved further into the room. They grasped the metal bars with sharp claws, and spikes dotted their armored hides. Weslan shivered. Their guttural calls were nightmarish.

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the animal attacks across the colonies?¡± Reed asked him.

    Weslan¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I thought they were just pests¡ªthat most of the accounts were exaggerated or even hoaxes.¡±

    A monster the size of a bear fixed him with the evilest stare he had ever seen from another living thing.

    ¡°A pest that kills dozens of colonists every year,¡± said Reed. ¡°Make no mistake, they¡¯re very dangerous. They are wild and out of control, and no method has yet been found to pacify them. They don¡¯t react to me as strongly because I¡¯ve been feeding them, and they¡¯ve grown used to me. But make no mistake¡ªif one got out of its cage, it wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill me.¡±

    Weslan went pale, backing away from the cage doors, and the grasping claws.

    ¡°This is the real reason you¡¯re here, Weslan. You must find a way to control these creatures so we can eliminate this threat. As Rayker said, they are still animals, and they respond to chemistry like all animals do. We captured these for this experiment, and we can kill a few so you can dissect them. I will assign you a few men to handle them directly when you want to test your results. Any questions?¡±

    Weslan was speechless. The task before him seemed impossible. He should be working with a team of experts in a fully equipped laboratory, not alone in a makeshift installation, in a cave.

    ¡°My God¡­¡± he stammered. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I need more people, I need¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have sufficient resources,¡± Reed said. ¡°People are counting on you, Weslan, colonists who are dying every day. Madam Rayker is counting on you. This is your duty to humanity. I¡¯m sure you will succeed.¡±

    Reed smiled and patted him on the back. He turned and walked out, leaving Weslan alone, surrounded by the cacophony of the ravenous monsters.

 Part 2 - Chapter 32

    Christie watched from her seat as an instructor activated the classroom¡¯s presentation screen. A painting appeared before the recruits, who studied it without reacting. Against the background of a tall pillar of rock, a huddle of Red-coated soldiers desperately aimed their rifles. Dead comrades lay at their feet, together with wounded men who raised imploring arms. Around them crowded a horde of naked warriors armed with spears, wooden shields, and fierce expressions of murderous intent.

    Christie shifted in her seat and wondered again whether she was making the right decision by staying the course. Throughout their history lessons, the instructors had shown the recruits nothing but disaster and bloodshed.

    The instructor addressed the class. ¡°Major General Lord Chelmsford led the British when they camped at the foot of Mount Isandlwana in the Zulu kingdom in 1879.¡±

    At an adjacent desk, Thandi was on the edge of her seat. She glanced at Christie, no doubt hoping to revel smugly in the victory. Christie returned her attention to her pad and began taking notes.

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± the instructor continued, ¡°Chelmsford¡¯s military experience left a lot to be desired, having bought his commission before the government banned the practice.¡±

    Thandi raised her hand. ¡°Instructor, what does it mean to ¡®buy¡¯ a commission?¡±

    ¡°Wealthy individuals could pay money to receive the rank of an officer in a particular regiment, allowing them to skip any kind of selection, training, or promotion by merit.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°That¡¯s insane. Christie, isn¡¯t that insane?¡±

    Christie rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, Thandi. It is indeed a terrible way to run an army.¡±

    ¡°How could the British rulers allow that to happen?¡± Thandi pressed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stick to the battle, please recruit,¡± the instructor said. ¡°Once Chelmsford invaded Zulu territory, he camped at the foot of this mountain. Now, if we look at the map we can see how the Zulu¡¯s commander, or ¡®inDuna¡¯, Ntshingwayo Khoza, expertly drew Chelmsford away from his poorly protected base. Khoza used fast scouting parties and fake intelligence provided by locals to lead the British General east to the Mangeni Valley. The lightly armed impis could travel three times faster than the Imperial troops, and while the main Zulu army secretly positioned itself, their scouts managed to lure their enemy several miles away from the camp.

    ¡°Splitting Chelmsford¡¯s forces,¡± Thandi observed.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± The instructor gave a curt nod towards Thandi. ¡°In the meantime, Chelmsford had not given any order to the camp at Isandlwana to form defenses, and the camp¡¯s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pulleine, also did not take any initiative in that regard. Class?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t need an order, jackass,¡± Kayla declared.

    ¡°Eloquent as always, recruit Barnes,¡± the instructor said. ¡°In fact, accounts suggest that Pulleine was afraid to give the order because he feared the response he would provoke from Chelmsford. The British general already admonished Pulleine for slow progress in bringing supplies to the camp. This toxic leadership is a perfect demonstration of the weakness of too centralized a command structure. When officers are not encouraged to think for themselves, and the senior commander misses important details, disaster follows.

    ¡°Remember, class, it starts with the individual. A commander may draw up a plan, but every soldier has the responsibility to question orders that don¡¯t make sense. So, back to the battle. With Chelmsford looking in the wrong direction, Ntshingwayo marched his forces overnight to close with the unprepared camp. They attacked the next morning.¡±

    The instructor described the battle in detail. Her voice remained dispassionate as she explained how the Zulus were too many for the British defender¡¯s rifle fire, surrounding them in small, isolated groups and stabbing them to death with their Assegai spears. British soldiers and officers alike lost their minds with terror, running to hide in their tents only to be butchered there.

    A group of camp followers and soldiers escaped to the south, traversing a gorge and a river, even as the Zulus harassed their retreat, shooting with muskets until bodies floated away in the currents.

    Christie kept scribbling notes as she listened to the catastrophic destruction unfold. An old quote describing British soldiers as ¡®lions led by lambs¡¯ crossed her mind. Which one was she?

    ¡°All told, the British lost the entire column¡ªnearly fifteen hundred men,¡± the instructor finished.

    ¡°How could they be so stupid?¡± Thandi said, almost to herself.

    The instructor glared at her. ¡°Recruit Khawula, I expect comments to be constructive and insightful.¡±

    Christie turned to watch as the flustered Thandi hesitated, apparently unable to speak.

    ¡°But what did they think was going to happen?¡± she said eventually. ¡°They were going to just walk around Zulu territory while the poor dumb natives would cower in their tents? How can a people get so unbelievably arrogant?¡±

    Christie blinked. Good question.

    The instructor smiled and thumbed a switch. The display changed to a movie poster, showing a British soldier in a spotless uniform bayonetting a shirtless warrior.

    ¡°Let me remind you,¡± she said, ¡°that the Zulu army made a very similar mistake later that same day, when Prince Dabulamanzi led his Impis in an assault against a fortified position, losing hundreds of his men in defeat.¡±

    Thandi raised her hands in deference. ¡°Yes, okay, there can always be incompetence. But the Zulus were armed with wooden spears and hide shields, fighting the most technologically advanced army in the world. The British,¡± she glanced at Christie, ¡°had no excuse. They should not have been defeated like that!¡±

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    ¡°Why do you keep looking at me, exactly?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem very concerned.¡±

    ¡°I am concerned; that¡¯s why I¡¯m taking notes.¡±

    ¡°Hundreds of British soldiers were killed because of stupidity,¡± Thandi snapped. ¡°I¡¯d have thought you¡¯d be a bit less academic about it.¡±

    Confused by the outburst, Christie said nothing. Why was she so angry?

    As they left the class, Rose caught up to her. ¡°That was quite a history lesson, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Christie smiled. ¡°Yes, a wonderful little reminder before Stress Phase begins next week. Struggle through hell so you can enjoy the possibility of dying horribly.¡±

    ¡°It makes more sense to me than my previous life,¡± Rose said. ¡°With the modeling and dancing, it was ¡®struggle through hell so you can be perfect¡¯. I didn¡¯t really know what that meant.¡±

    ¡°That is why I skipped ballet classes for a life of reading. Of course, I wasn¡¯t turning down unimaginable fame and wealth by doing so.¡±

    Rose smiled sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s very surreal for me. I thought my biggest concern was going to be how my next haircut would be received by the galaxy at large. ¡®Don¡¯t get everyone killed¡¯ feels easier to deal with, in some respects.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we should trade lives?¡±

    Rose laughed. ¡°It¡¯s yours if you really want it. I prefer this.¡±

    Christie couldn¡¯t name many celebrities who were prepared to give up everything for a life of constant exhaustion and danger. ¡°That¡¯s rather astonishing.¡±

    ¡°I like the girls here. And I believe this is what I was meant for.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Christie said. ¡°There¡¯s a certain young lady who is adamant that you¡¯re an enemy infiltrator.¡±

    Rose gave a curt nod, while her eyes hinted at a deep sadness. ¡°We did have a difficult relationship. Now that I look back on it, I think some of the worst facets of both our cultures were clashing through us. I wish I had understood why before, but¡­ I mean, we were kids, for god¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°And yet I would argue that those same facets allow both of you to thrive here.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s always terrified me a little. But after these history lessons¡­ well, I can say I¡¯m glad she¡¯s here. I just need to figure out how to deal with her.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you join us for lunch?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°I suppose I should get it over with, yes.¡±

    Christie winced as Kayla slapped her tray down on their table, flinging droplets of juice into the air.

    ¡°Rose,¡± Kayla said, ¡°how come you like Christie so much? She¡¯s kind of a drag.¡±

    ¡°You know, I offered to move out of your cabin,¡± Christie said, ¡°but then you would have nobody washing your clothes for you.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Kayla held up a finger. ¡°The non-sport clothes do not need to be washed every single day. You¡¯re sometimes a clean freak.¡±

    Thandi coughed. ¡°You once allowed a week to pass¡ª¡±

    ¡°So Rose,¡± Kayla said quickly, ¡°I suppose you must be missing all those dumb operas you used to go to?¡±

    Rose smiled in embarrassment. ¡°I suppose so. And yourself, missing the scent of fresh excrement?¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°Of course! Can you really get comfortable if the smell of crap isn¡¯t in the air?¡±

    Christie snorted. ¡°If I had to choose between an opera house, and your proposal, Kayla¡ª¡±

    ¡°Farms are fun places,¡± Kayla said. ¡°You girls don¡¯t know what you¡¯re missing, living up your Helvet life.¡±

    The table fell silent. Christie stared at her food. The divide between herself, Rose, and colonists like Kayla and Thandi was obviously real, even if she wished it wasn¡¯t. She sighed and looked up. ¡°I suppose that life in the core worlds could be considered sheltered by many outside the League¡¯s protective boundary.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sheltered.¡±

    Christie narrowed her eyes. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not all fun and games when everyone around you is watching for the slightest crack in the polish.¡±

    ¡°One silly comment out of place,¡± Rose said, ¡°and they tell everyone you know. And don¡¯t drop it for years.¡±

    ¡°Almost like they take pleasure in throwing people to the wolves,¡± Christie said.

    Rose nodded. ¡°Because they¡¯re happy it¡¯s not them.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and that has always been the true font of human cruelty. But why don¡¯t you tell us, Miss Barnes?¡± Christie stared pointedly at Kayla. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the aristocrat of this course, what with your special association to a true¡­ what¡¯s the term? Operator?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Kayla looked glum. ¡°Don¡¯t bring that up. Urtiga just feels sorry for me because my dad was killed.¡±

    Rose¡¯s face fell, and she refused to meet Kayla¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Even so,¡± Christie continued, ¡°she¡¯s positively a celebrity in this crowd.¡±

    ¡°Meaning I will get my ass kicked if I start name dropping her or letting it inflate my ego.¡±

    ¡°Well, anyway. It seems that every planet has been a bit sheltered if the instructors are telling us the truth about Valkyrie.¡±

    ¡°Except Caldera,¡± Kayla said. ¡°The dangerous animals were clearly created by some kind of Jotnar device.¡±

    Thandi put a hand on Kayla¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not a competition,¡± she said sternly.

    ¡°If that¡¯s true,¡± Thandi said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Valkyrie hasn¡¯t been able to stop them.¡±

    ¡°Well, Valkyrie thinks they were created by chemical or radiation fallout thousands of years ago and are now a species like any other,¡± Kayla said. ¡°But I don¡¯t buy that explanation. Whoever is out there that is still working for the Jotnar is clearly up to something.¡±

    ¡°But how can Valkyrie have no idea about that if they¡¯ve been fighting this¡­ group for thousands of years?¡± Thandi said.

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Maybe they do? Maybe it¡¯s just way above our level as lowly recruits, or even above Urtiga and Zhang¡¯s level, too. I bet this organization is keeping all kinds of big secrets.¡±

    Rose looked up from her food, her eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯m sorry? Did you say thousands of years?¡±

    Kayla nodded and explained what they had concluded about the nature of Valkyrie¡¯s origins; that they had developed from humans who worked with the Jotnar in the ancient past. ¡°And we know that the Helvetic League is a tool of the Jotnar,¡± she finished.

    Christie sighed and suppressed the temptation to both smack the girl and yell at her to stop thinking like a child. ¡°No Kayla, that is not what we concluded. We learned that one ancient philosopher¡ªprobably influenced by the Jotnar¡ªkick started a destructive form of governance. We still have thousands of years of history to get through to see what the implications are for today¡¯s problems.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, but come on, it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Rose took a deep breath. ¡°I can agree that the League has a lot of flaws, but it is still a force for good.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re being manipulated by aliens to enslave humanity,¡± Kayla said.

    Rose stared at her. ¡°You cannot be serious. It is the civilization that literally allowed people to be out among the stars in the first place.¡±

    ¡°The colonies were built by people escaping that civilization.¡±

    Rose¡¯s face reddened. ¡°So, a colony owes nothing at all to the generations of scientists, businessmen and politicians that developed infrastructure, that trained¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey, we built everything with our own two hands, and you would know that if you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kayla, lower your voice,¡± Thandi said and placed a hand on her arm. She looked around at the other recruits in the cafeteria that were beginning to throw them annoyed looks. ¡°Lunch time is supposed to be a break for everyone.¡±

    ¡°I have a suggestion,¡± Christie said, before Kayla could talk again. ¡°After Stress Phase, I will ask Chisom if she would be happy to swap with Rose in our cabin, and we can look at Plato together. Maybe that will help you both figure things out.¡±

    ¡°Terrific,¡± Thandi said with heavy sarcasm. ¡°We¡¯ll never sleep again with these two arguing all night.¡±

    They ate in silence until Kayla spoke. ¡°I wish they would serve burgers again¡ªI¡¯ve been dreaming of them, actually.¡±

    Christie grinned mischievously. ¡°I can tell, because you drool a little in your sleep.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Kayla complained. ¡°You¡¯re such an ass sometimes, Chris.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t drool, Kayla,¡± said Thandi.

    ¡°Thank you¡ªmy one true friend.¡±

    ¡°Christie teases you because she hates wiping your meal off her face whenever you eat. Something we all have to suffer, including Rose, I see.¡±

    Rose dropped her hand away and smiled politely.

 Part 2 - Chapter 33

    Kayla¡¯s plans to debate Rose further were forgotten as the class approached their fifteenth week. Thirty-two of the one hundred and eighty-seven recruits that started the course were still present. The instructors ramped up the intensity of the physical training as they entered the dreaded ¡®Stress Phase¡¯. The moon was also moving into the winter cycle of its orbit around its host gas giant. The instructors bluntly admitted to the class that they would make full use of the cold weather to increase the pressure on them to quit.

    They visited the assault course every week, and what had once been fun for Kayla now became part of the grind, as the instructors pushed them to finish in a shorter time. On the most difficult obstacles, Kayla felt like she was sprinting with her whole body, and she often found herself hanging over a dangerous drop by her fingertips, amazed that her grip hadn¡¯t given out. Fortunately, Rose was the best athlete in the class, and as she gained more confidence with heights, they were able to set the best times together.

    Every day began with a surf run. Legs became lead weights as the water added more resistance to every step. Falling into the surf meant the misery of swallowing sea water, and even worse, the added discomfort of wet and sandy clothes. After the run, the instructors had them swim out to a buoy and come back through waves made violent by stronger winds.

    This was followed by a PT session on the beach, and if any of the recruits failed the required number of repetitions, the entire class would have to repeat the routine. Kayla moved as best she could, though she was shivering in cotton shorts and a t-shirt made crusty by salt water and sand. Like the others, she developed painful rashes across her body, which never fully healed. A few girls were even hospitalized with infections, to be medically rolled back to the start of the course.

    ¡°Recruit Djallen,¡± called an instructor one day, as the recruits lay on their backs and tried to do flutter kicks with trembling legs. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯d be more suited to a career as a professional dancer? Fame, adoration money¡ªa luxury hotel every night?¡±

    Kayla looked over to see Rose¡¯s face scrunched in pain.

    ¡°No, instructor Qadir,¡± Rose said in a hoarse voice. ¡°If I was a dancer, I would be bored out of my mind.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that recruit?¡±

    ¡°Where would I get the chance to get wet and sandy, and freezing cold, instructor?¡±

    Kayla felt raw enthusiasm block out the cold. ¡°You tell her, Rose!¡± she yelled, and the rest of the class cheered their agreement.

    She felt like she existed in a state of permanent exhaustion. That morning, they had been woken at two a.m. to start a long march into the hills. When they got back to camp for breakfast, the day had continued like any other, but the instructors warned there would be a cleaning inspection. These were more frequent, and much harder to pass. Whenever the girls changed from PT gear into their more comfortable classroom clothes, sand and dirt got everywhere.

    Kayla and her cabin mates had spent an hour struggling to stay awake as they tried to get every inch of the cabin spotlessly clean. The instructors tolerated nothing less than perfection. Fortunately, the whole class passed, and, as a reward, were taken out for more PT. Now, in the afternoon, they were getting covered in sand all over again.

    Qadir ordered the recruits to flip over to do pushups. As they struggled through the new exercise, Kayla¡¯s arms went numb, and she struggled to lift herself.

    Qadir approached her. ¡°You can do better than this Barnes¡ªI know you can. Your mind wants to quit, but your body will go on forever if you let it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, instructor,¡± Kayla gasped. The instructors could be as encouraging as they were cruel.

    ¡°How do you eat an elephant?¡± Qadir prompted.

    ¡°One bite at a time,¡± Kayla replied, completing the oft repeated phrase.

    ¡°One more push up, then.¡±

    Kayla groaned and strained, but she didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you have to scream, or yell!¡± Qadir said. ¡°Whatever you have to do¡ªget back up!¡±

    Kayla let out a deep primal scream and felt a rage building. Adrenaline flooded her system and somehow, she began to rise. She hit the top and held it for a second, before collapsing into the sand.

    They moved on to burpees, and Kayla heard the white-hot fury of another instructor harassing Ursula Derrick for sloppy form. She ignored the noise and focused on her own movements. Drop into pushup position, kick the legs out, then hop back up and jump, then repeat. There was nothing else she needed to think about.

    Ursula collapsed in tears. ¡°Instructor, I wish to voluntarily withdraw,¡± the miserable voice said once she had calmed down.

    ¡°Are you sure recruit?¡± The silence that followed was punctuated only by sobs. ¡°Are you sure?¡± the instructor had to repeat.

    ¡°Y-Yes, instructor.¡±

    Kalya wanted to block the voice from her mind. It felt like nails on a chalkboard. How could someone get this far in the training and decide to quit?

    ¡°Okay, come over here and take a seat,¡± the instructor said kindly. ¡°Wrap this towel around your shoulders. In a minute I¡¯ll take you back for a shower. Do you want a hot chocolate?¡±

    ¡°Yes please, instructor.¡±

    The instructor smiled warmly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me that anymore.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. The sweet and cuddly act the instructors gave to quitters had to be another mind game. It did not seem possible that they had a human side.

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    Ursula was led away, refusing to make eye contact with the cabinmates she left behind. She had been tough, and dependable, but Kayla had watched more than a few girls she had respected cry for an hour straight before making the decision to quit. At first it had been harrowing. Now she felt nothing. Ursula didn¡¯t exist anymore.

    ¡°Twenty more Barnes,¡± Qadir snapped. ¡°Or am I interrupting your break?¡±

    ¡°No instructor,¡± Kayla said, and dropped back down for another repetition.

    Days later, the class was taken out of the camp on an overnight hike. For two days they marched in the hills, stopping only for a few hours of sleep. Kayla and the other girls returned to camp at midnight, almost sleepwalking. At six a.m. they awoke reluctantly to banging on their cabin doors, and an impromptu room inspection, which they all failed.

    By way of punishment, they were to complete a surf run in the rain. Kayla struggled through the water and fantasized that the world was getting darker, until she suddenly woke up in heaven after having drowned. Then she was being judged by a jury of angels. Thandi was testifying to her status as a heathen as she flashed Kayla an unforgiving look from the witness stand. Rose yelled from the benches that she was a good-for-nothing, and Kayla was condemned to hell.

    She caught herself stumbling in the waves, on the verge of passing out. A hand grabbed her arm and Thandi pulled her upright.

    ¡°Keep moving,¡± she snapped, a look of alarm on her face.

    Kayla shook herself and forced the fantasies out of her mind. Now was not the time for daydreaming.

    The smell of fresh coffee entered her nostrils. A group of instructors had set up a makeshift canopy on the beach, with a stove. Sheltered from the weather, they joked and laughed like they were having a nice day out on the beach. As the class struggled past them, instructor McKinnon called them over.

    Kayla lined up with the others just short of the protection of the canopy. She waited, shivering with cold, while water streamed down her face. McKinnon launched into a lecture on the class¡¯s failed room inspections. Did they think they were all at a holiday resort? Had they grown arrogant now that so many recruits had quit while they remained? Tidy cabins, she reminded them, were a camp standard, to be upheld at all times.

    Kayla let the words drift past as she felt the seductive heat of the stove just beyond her reach. A sniff revealed the delicious flavor of the brew, and she closed her eyes to savor the moment. One day, in the distant future, she would be a happy person who enjoyed nice things, but until then, she was content to confront impossible challenges.

    ¡°You ladies enjoying your run?¡± McKinnon asked when she had finished her speech.

    ¡°Yes, instructor!¡± the girls called in unison.

    ¡°Do you don¡¯t want to stop for some coffee?¡±

    ¡°No, instructor!¡±

    ¡°All right, carry on.¡±

    The shaking girls turned and ran back into the surf zone.

    ¡°Intense pain and misery,¡± Thandi gasped as they ran, ¡°is a camp standard.¡±

    Kayla chuckled. In her weakened state, even the clumsiest joke from a fellow recruit brought warmth to her heart.

    Susaki caught up with them during the run to give them a ¡®morale boost¡¯. ¡°There is no light at the end of this tunnel,¡± her relentless voice droned on. ¡°Valkyrie works only in shadow. You will not be famous or praised or remembered. This test is not going to end; it will be your day-to-day in the organization. Recruit Khawula, you just want to look cool waving guns around. Admit it and make life easy for yourself.¡±

    Thandi shook her head, but was panting too hard to do more than cough out a weak ¡°No.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s own world had narrowed to a matter of hours. When she had woken up that morning, she had no future beyond the end of the surf run, and breakfast. After breakfast, her goal became lunch. Then dinner.

    After evening PT, Thandi, Christie and Chisom returned to their cabin to sleep, but Kayla didn¡¯t want them to hear her crying. She snuck out and went to sit, gasping and trembling, by the statue of Sergeant Reckless, the camp mascot. The sight of the horse, caught in motion as it climbed with steely determination, brought her great comfort.

    As she usually did in such moments, Kayla took the time to recall the names of colonists killed by animal attacks. She couldn¡¯t finish half the list, but she never forgot that she would rather die than fail them.

    After she returned to her bed, she dreamed she was on a hilltop in a long-forgotten battle. Thunder raged all around her, and in a brief flash of light, she saw the four-legged silhouette, loaded down with a heavy pack, pushing alone up the side of a hill. The horse paused for a moment on shaking legs, then put its head down and kept going into the darkness.

    The next morning, Kayla met up with Rose as they headed for the beach. Her gut tensed with the usual anxiety she had from seeing her rival, but Rose was upbeat.

    ¡°Nearly there, hey?¡± Rose said. ¡°You must be looking forward to graduation.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to make it?¡± Kayla asked in surprise.

    ¡°Of course. We all are.¡±

    Kayla blinked. ¡°Okay then.¡± What was she supposed to say to such absurd optimism?

    They lined up to start another surf run. Christie was stone-faced. She had been setting slower and slower run times, and there was some concern that she would get another negative performance review. Enough bad reviews meant getting kicked out.

    Rose grabbed her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve got this one, Chris¡ªcrush it.¡±

    Christie smiled.

    Once the ordeal was over, Kayla saw the instructor give Christie a thumbs up¡ªpass.

    At lunch, Brielle was talking about quitting.

    ¡°You¡¯re one of the strongest girls here,¡± Rose said in a reassuring voice. ¡°You know you can handle it.¡±

    Brielle wiped away tears. ¡°They just keep telling us that this is only the beginning¡ªthat the Rangers will be even harder. I don¡¯t think I can do this forever.¡±

    Rose shook her head. ¡°Why do you need to think about tomorrow? You only need to get through today.¡±

    Brielle nodded, but the sobbing continued.

    ¡°Remember when you told me that story about your friend Cassy, who got hit by a car and got a prosthetic leg, but trained super hard, and now she¡¯s a college para-athlete? I found that really inspirational.¡±

    Brielle sniffed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you remember that after all we¡¯ve been through.¡±

    ¡°Just think how proud she¡¯ll be of you,¡± Rose insisted.

    Brielle nodded and thanked Rose for the encouragement. Two days later, she quit. Kayla watched her walk away from the parade ground; eyes fixed downward as a glum-looking Rose stared after her.

    Thandi approached her. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked.

    Rose looked around and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m good. How are you doing?¡±

    ¡°The average passing class is fifteen recruits,¡± said Thandi. ¡°There are twenty-five of us¡­ do the math.¡±

    Rose shrugged. ¡°I see no reason to be as miserable as you are. Fifteen is a statistical average¡ªno reason there can¡¯t be a lot more in one class than another.¡±

    ¡°The Miss Sunshine act is so old. You¡¯re just carrying an extra burden you don¡¯t need. Give it a rest already.¡±

    ¡°Make me.¡±

    Thandi crossed her arms and yawned. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t so tired, I¡¯d give it a try.¡±

    Kayla sighed. Though she dreaded another argument with Rose, she had to say what was on her mind. ¡°I understand you¡¯re trying to be encouraging, Rose,¡± she began, ¡°and out in the real world, that would be really awesome of you, but here it is not helpful.¡±

    Rose frowned. ¡°Encouraging people to keep going isn¡¯t helpful?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s encouragement, then there¡¯s pushing,¡± Kayla said. ¡°I¡¯m happy Brielle quit. She obviously didn¡¯t want to be here, and it¡¯s better for everyone that she admitted that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of selfish.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. I do not want to be in a bad situation and have to rely on someone that can¡¯t get through the day without a rousing speech by the morale officer. And neither should you. Brielle¡¯s got her whole life ahead of her¡ªI hope she lives it to the fullest. But she didn¡¯t belong here, and she proved it.¡±

    Rose bristled. ¡°If she had just believed in herself a bit more, she might have made it. That she didn¡¯t is tragic.¡±

    Kayla glared at her. ¡°Death is tragic,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°Well,¡± Rose said in a bitter voice, ¡°I¡¯m so glad I have you here to lecture away my ignorance.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault your society taught you some bad lessons.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 34

    At lunch, Christie joined the rest of the class later than usual. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and her legs were shaking so badly she could barely stand upright. She explained that she had cheated on a surf run, turning back before the marker when she thought the instructors weren¡¯t looking. Unfortunately, they had seen her and made her do the whole thing again.

    Kayla winced. The instructors punished cheating with naked ferocity. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Christie replied, as she collapsed into a chair.

    Everyone was good. No matter who Kayla asked or what state they were in, the response was always the same.

    ¡°I can clean the cabin windows today,¡± she offered. It had been her turn the previous day, but her friend needed a favor.

    Christie shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m good. I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    Kayla admired the response. Everybody had their own burden to carry, and Christie had chosen to make hers heavier. She had refused to inflict that choice on her fellow recruits.

    ¡°That was dumb, trying to cheat Instructor Liang,¡± Thandi pointed out. ¡°She never misses anything.¡±

    Christie¡¯s shoulders moved slightly, as though she had tried to shrug. ¡°Wanted to see if I could get away with it.¡±

    Kayla nodded. The instructors controlled every part of their lives, and she often searched for any small way to take some of that control back. Earlier in the course, she had been sneaking desserts out of the cafeteria for their cabin, but stopped once Rose pointed out that this meant taking from the rest of the recruits.

    ¡°I¡¯m so tired today,¡± Thandi sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t handle another session of flutter kicks. I feel like I¡¯ve been knifed in the gut.¡±

    ¡°Just go into zombie mode,¡± Rose said.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Kayla agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t think, just do. Make them make you quit. If you don¡¯t die, you¡¯ll get through it.¡±

    ¡°Probably drown on the next swim,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°Nah, they watch us closely,¡± Kayla said. ¡°They¡¯ll pull you out if you get in trouble.¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°I might quit tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°You always say that,¡± Rose said, and yawned.

    ¡°Maybe this time I will,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°Yeah, but wait until tomorrow,¡± Kayla said. Despite her friend¡¯s strange vocal ritual, she knew Thandi would wake up the next day with renewed energy and conviction.

    Thandi turned to Kayla. ¡°I don¡¯t get you. You never cry, you never complain¡ªyou just hit things and keep going.¡±

    Kayla chuckled. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy. I¡¯m too stupid to know better.¡±

    The others gave her puzzled expressions, and she sighed heavily as she sought the energy to think.

    ¡°I guess,¡± she said eventually, ¡°the real problem is that scared part of your mind that tries to shout you down and convince you that you can¡¯t do something. But you have to ignore that voice and do it, anyway. That¡¯s what I meant. I don¡¯t give myself time to doubt or let my imagination run wild, I just do it.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Thandi.

    ¡°Hey, maybe the voice is the devil? What do you think?¡±

    Thandi stared at her in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know much about religion, but I don¡¯t see how a force that wants to hold you back or keep you weak would be anything else.¡±

    Thandi said nothing as she gazed into the distance.

    The next day, after another grueling hike in the hills, Thandi found herself alone in the cafeteria. The recruits had been given individual waypoints to navigate solo, and Thandi had been sent off first. The rest of the evening was off for rest, as a few recruits were nursing injuries. She munched slowly on the food, as she waited for the other girls to return. Despite the punishing exercise, she wasn¡¯t that hungry.

    As she ate, a wave of revulsion washed over her, and she thought she might vomit. She dropped her fork and felt the room spin.

    Moments later, the canteen door banged open. Christie was standing there, looking similarly shattered.

    ¡°All good?¡± Thandi asked as the chilling feeling dissipated.

    Christie helped herself to several plates of food. ¡°Yeah, it was nothing.¡± The tray rattled in her hands as she joined Thandi at her table. ¡°You?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Nothing.¡± She let the silence continue. Christie would be treasuring the moment of peace.

    ¡°You¡¯re staying the course quite well,¡± Christie said, once she had swallowed a few mouthfuls.

    ¡°I was called by the Lord,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Since the youngest age, I knew my place was in the military. I don¡¯t really know why, but who am I to argue with the creator of the universe?¡±

    Christie scrunched her eyebrows together.

    ¡°You either get it, or you don¡¯t,¡± Thandi said wryly. ¡°Don¡¯t bother overthinking it.¡±

    ¡°So, I take it you won¡¯t be quitting tomorrow?¡±

    Thandi gazed into the distance. ¡°When I was a kid, I had too much energy and I used to run around in the fields outside my house. Sometimes I would catch my foot and start to trip, but I stumbled forward. I could get my legs underneath me just in time to catch the next step, then the next. Eventually I¡¯d either dive into the dirt or end up righting myself.¡± She looked back at Christie. ¡°Know what I mean?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The image does feel familiar.¡±

    ¡°All I need to think about is the next step. If I remove all the others, it¡¯s easier.¡±

    ¡°And does it bother you that your parents will never know the truth?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Thandi frowned. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t accept me doing this. All my brothers got to join the Intaban army, but a woman¡¯s place is at her home waiting for her husband. That¡¯s the level of tradition in my hometown.¡±

    Christie blushed. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Until I turned eighteen, they could keep me from enlisting without their signature, but they couldn¡¯t stop me from becoming a boxer.¡± Thandi smiled. ¡°Even if they didn¡¯t come to see my fights.¡±

    ¡°Well, their loss is Valkyrie¡¯s gain.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ nice of you to say,¡± Thandi said, checking to see if she had detected any sarcasm.

    Christie raised an eyebrow. ¡°It was a genuine compliment. I¡¯m not completely made of ice.¡±

    ¡°I know. You¡¯re not the first person I¡¯ve met who has trouble being nice to people.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can charm and seduce with the best of them. I just don¡¯t feel like doing that around people I respect.¡±

    Thandi was silent for a moment. ¡°I guess you really aren¡¯t a Helvet.¡±

    ¡°That word is just a badge. People use it to get into the right social circles or cut corners in life.¡±

    ¡°So, why do you keep going?¡±

    Christie smiled slyly. ¡°Would it be so awful if I said I want to wipe that smirk off Kayla¡¯s face¡ªthe one she gets when she talks about my ¡®Helvetic background¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I can see how that might bother you.¡±

    ¡°One mustn¡¯t shy away from the guilty pleasures in life.¡± Christie looked down and her face grew somber. ¡°Of course, I feel that way because she¡¯s partly right. My peers talked nonstop about leading humanity into a brighter tomorrow. And here I am having nightmares about some children on a colony world wandering off to explore the hills. Perhaps they kick over a shiny piece of metal they thought was a toy, only to get their faces melted off by a Jotnar chemical weapon.¡± She shrugged. ¡°And what pain is too great to bear to prevent something like that from happening?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had similar thoughts.¡±

    Christie¡¯s tone grew bitter. ¡°Of course, if it did happen there¡¯d be a news story, widely shared with the appropriate reactions. And my classmates would go on long rants about whatever must be done, while they donate a sliver of their wealth to charity and replace the unfortunate memory on the next ski trip. The thought leaders of tomorrow.¡± Her lips smiled, but her eyes remained sharp.

    ¡°For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Book of James.¡±

    Christie chuckled and fell silent.

    Thandi kept her mind blank. Her thoughts could add nothing to a moment that was beyond the power of her spirit to comprehend.

    After a long moment, Christie cleared her throat. ¡°You know, I read a bit more about Isandlwana. The British reaction was quite fascinating. After the battle, the daughter of the colonial administrator wrote to Queen Victoria before any official dispatch was sent. She claimed that General Chelmsford was completely innocent and blamed Colonel Durnford for the catastrophe.¡±

    Thandi raised an eyebrow. ¡°The guy who arrived at the last minute to reinforce the camp? Didn¡¯t he die fighting?¡±

    ¡°Exactly¡ªran to the sound of the guns. Well, obviously the Queen threw her support behind Lord Chelmsford. She had to¡ªcan¡¯t have a member of the aristocracy appear to be incompetent. Outmaneuvered by the natives? Bad look for the Empire, don¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°Hah,¡± Thandi smiled. ¡°And King Cetshwayo ordered his brother not to push forward on his own towards Rorke¡¯s drift. But everyone knew he was jealous of the king. A great victory had been won, but the prince had been out of the battle, waiting in reserve. He had to get his name into the war-songs, no matter how many men he lost. Always the same, isn¡¯t it? Make your reputation, whatever it takes.¡±

    Christie nodded.

    ¡°But the British¡­ I just can¡¯t believe how soldiers in the best army in the world could allow themselves to be in that situation. I mean, they were all killed.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Christie said, ¡°they trusted that they would be led by people who knew what they were doing, and unfortunately, their trust was betrayed.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Racism, arrogance, overconfidence from a lifetime of beating small tribes.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s brow creased. ¡°How could the rest of them keep fighting when they had been betrayed like that?¡±

    Christie thought for a moment. ¡°They held onto their trust. They believed they would learn from the mistake and go on to victory. Unfortunately for your ancestors, that¡¯s exactly what happened.¡±

    ¡°Trust.¡± Thandi shook her head. ¡°These women are keeping so much from us, and yet they promise so much. They¡¯re going to send us to face whatever¡¯s left of an alien civilization more advanced than humanity. Are we getting red coats or wooden shields?¡±

    Christie shifted in her seat. ¡°You know, before my ancestors wore redcoats, they dressed in furs¡ªsometimes nothing at all¡ªbrandished wooden spears and hide shields. They, too, faced the most advanced military force the world had ever seen. And they won, quite often.¡±

    ¡°I did not know that.¡±

    ¡°If history has taught me anything, it¡¯s that anyone can win a fight. I don¡¯t know how much I trust this organization, either. I know that I trust you, and Kayla, and Rose. You¡¯re the toughest girls I ever met, and I know that we can do anything together.¡±

    Thandi looked down at her fingernails. ¡°I trust you too,¡± she said quietly, ¡°and, I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t mention this conversation to Kayla.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± Christie said.

    There was a loud clang as the canteen door ripped open and Kayla stomped inside. She grabbed plates of food and began stuffing her mouth while simultaneously trying to complain about one of the instructors.

    ¡°Mppphph graaghhuuuu flououhrhhg,¡± she said, when she sat down with them, impassioned frustration evident in her eyes.

    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake, Kayla!¡± Christie snapped, wiping splotches of sprayed sauce from her face. ¡°Your mouth can only do one thing at a time. Learn some bloody manners.¡±

    Thandi stood up and grabbed her tray. ¡°I¡¯m getting more pasta.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 35

    ¡°I cannot believe we have a day off,¡± Kayla said as she sat on her bed, clipping her toenails. ¡°It feels weird. Like I¡¯m a bad person for doing nothing.¡±

    Rose wrinkled her nose in disgust. ¡°Can you not do that in private?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Kayla said evenly, and snapped off another chunk of keratin. She wasn¡¯t thrilled about Chisom swapping cabins with Rose and had dealt with the problem by trying to avoid her new cabin-mate wherever possible. Sharing all their training together was enough of a trial, and Kayla had at least been able to count on evening curfew as a break. Unfortunately, now they had a few days of rest ahead of them, there was nothing to do but suffer each other¡¯s company.

    Stress Phase was over, and Kayla and the remaining recruits were about to graduate boot camp and be accepted into Valkyrie. They had completed long, solo marches in the hills, demonstrating their aptitude without instructor input and against time conditions. They had beaten the timed assault course, with no failures or restarts, and Kayla and Rose had set the best record.

    Only one challenge stood in their way. The dreaded fast walk was a six-hour endurance run across a rough stretch of hills. The girls had heard rumors, supposedly shared by rolled back recruits, about snapped tibias, ankle fractures, or destroyed knees. Kayla had butterflies in her stomach as the day drew closer.

    ¡°Anyway, we are not doing nothing,¡± Rose said in a painfully condescending tone. ¡°Christie and Thandi are going to enlighten us with a history lesson, isn¡¯t that right, girls?¡± She gave the others a smile that was just a little too forced.

    Kayla winced. Despite Rose¡¯s demotion to ordinary human-being, she still didn¡¯t seem to understand how real people spoke to each other.

    ¡°Remind me, what is the subject of your research?¡± Rose asked.

    Christie began to speak, but Kayla interrupted. ¡°The historical trend of aliens trying to enslave the human race, by recruiting human philosophers to create authoritarian regimes.¡±

    Rose raised an eyebrow. ¡°Aliens?¡±

    ¡°Jotnar.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    She seemed amused by the idea, but when Christie summarized the story of the Pythagoreans Rose¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°And so, we come to Plato,¡± Christie said, ¡°the next step in the Jotnar plan.¡±

    ¡°Successful wrestler, by the way,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Not that I¡¯m defending the guy, but I respect the hustle.¡±

    Christie tipped her head in acknowledgment. ¡°To resume where we left off last time, the Greek world rejected the Pythagoreans and drove them underground. It makes sense to conclude that they would need to switch tactics rather than risk elimination. They want a new way to control people, but they can¡¯t control knowledge, because intellectual inquiry is becoming very popular, and good teachers can be hired for a fee. A lot of the aristocrats in Athens are certainly covert Pythagoreans, but around 425 BC, a new figure wanders onto the scene. He¡¯s married to an aristocrat, though he isn¡¯t one himself, he¡¯s extremely well respected as an upstanding citizen, and he has a strong interest in philosophy. More to the point, he¡¯s making it popular and entertaining to the average citizen. This is Socrates.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°So, the Pythagoreans start hanging around with him, maybe using his popularity to gain credibility?¡±

    ¡°Quite possibly, and Socrates is able to host public sessions teaching the young men of Athens his ideas without getting into trouble. Plato was one of those young men and he latched on to the Pythagorean ideas that were spreading behind the scenes. Unfortunately, Socrates never wrote anything down, and all we know about him was provided by Plato, who had his own agenda. What Socrates knew or thought about Pythagoras, we will doubtless never know. So, Thandi, if you would like to lead us off on Plato?¡±

    Thandi nodded and flicked through her own notebook. ¡°Kayla, I know you hate philosophy,¡± she began, ¡°so I¡¯ll be as brief as I can. Plato¡¯s famous allegory of the cave sums it up¡ªimagine you were chained to a wall in a cave since childhood, made to watch shadows dancing on the far wall. But you are so completely stupid that you think the shadows are reality.¡±

    ¡°Chained by who? What wall? What are you even talking about?¡±

    Thandi raised her hand. ¡°Wait, it gets better, because this one guy managed to get free of his chains and went off to explore the outside world. Then he returns and explains that everything you think you know about the shadows is wrong. You, of course, remain blind, deaf, and dumb, having peed yourself, or whatever, and completely ignore the righteous genius.¡±

    Christie laughed. ¡°Had Plato met Kayla in a vision do you think? The description is uncanny.¡±

    Kayla flung a pillow at her, and she ducked away. ¡°I mean, it is kind of insulting when you think about it.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the real message here?¡± Thandi asked.

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t believe your lying eyes. You, the peasants, are ignorant¡ªeverything you think you know is wrong, and only I, by virtue of my elevated soul, know the truth.¡±

    Thandi grinned. ¡°Exactly. Remember, the exclusive cult of knowledge was run out of town. People know to watch out for those guys. But the second part of Pythagoreanism is that only the pure souls can attain true knowledge. Plato has just doubled down on that part. His approved friends have the truth; everyone else is not to be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I get it. Now you¡¯re excluding the inferior souls by suggesting that their knowledge is illegitimate.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Like Christie said, in democratic Athens, knowledge can be taught to anyone. So, how can the ruling class guard their control? All a citizen needs to be a leader in his community is the confidence and self-discipline to learn what he needs to know about the world. Plato is attacking that kind of character growth. Sorry loser, you might be an expert on Mediterranean trade routes, but your soul isn¡¯t pure enough to know how the world really works. Why don¡¯t you leave real power to me and my elite friends?¡±

    Rose scowled. ¡°So, the wisdom and knowledge of brilliant individuals counts for nothing?¡±

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    Kayla turned to her with an annoyed expression. ¡°But he¡¯s saying that the knowledge and life experience of ordinary people counts for nothing. Only con artists tell you not to listen to anyone else. Honestly, I¡¯d say Plato was the one trying to chain people to a cave wall.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But, at least he¡¯s not being an asshole and trying to take over Greece, I guess.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Thandi said, ¡°he totally is. He launches character attacks on what he calls ¡®Sophists¡¯. Athens¡ªas a democratic state¡ªfunctions through the Assembly. All the citizens can put forward motions, make speeches, and vote on an issue. The Assembly is also where legal trials are conducted, so the citizens can only effect change or find justice by making a convincing speech to the crowd. They need to be taught how to make strong arguments, or pay people to argue on their behalf. Well-educated men who are good at speaking sell their services in much the same way lawyers or consultants do today. Plato portrays these men¡ªwho are, in fact, empowering citizens¡ªas fools who believe in nothing and will defend any pack of lies for money.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, so he¡¯s attacking the foundations of the democratic state.¡± Kayla tipped her head in acknowledgment. ¡°Because he¡¯s an aristocrat, trying to take over the world for the Jotnar.¡±

    Rose held up her hands. ¡°Look. This was just a deep thinker and a bunch of esoteric ideas. You¡¯re going to have to do better than that.¡±

    Thandi grimaced. ¡°And so we come to Republic; Plato¡¯s plan for the perfect city. Step one, create a dedicated class of warrior-guardians to protect the city.¡±

    ¡°To keep people in or out?¡± Kayla chuckled.

    ¡°I know, right?¡± said Thandi. ¡°Next he describes how the roles in the society are strictly enforced ¨C people should only do jobs they are good at, and are forbidden from doing anything else. All literature which might misguide the citizens is banned, and he¡¯s talking about something like ninety percent of Greek poetry. He has long chapters attacking specific parts of popular poems and mythology like the Iliad.¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°You mean the story that shows misbehaving aristocrats confronting their flaws through the tragedy of war?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. How about that?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s actually just tossing out Greek culture, isn¡¯t he? Actually, citizen, your culture and traditions suck, here¡¯s some state propaganda instead.¡± Kayla winked at a stone-faced Rose.

    ¡°It gets worse,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Some of the best warrior guardians are elevated to rule as ¡®Philosopher Kings¡¯.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a military dictatorship,¡± Kayla concluded.

    ¡°Plato explains that they must tell a useful lie to the citizens; that their souls were forged by the Gods using different metals. Some people are gold, some are silver, bronze or iron, and the metals must not be mixed. If a child is born mixed, they will be driven out of the city. Citizens must take the station in life their metal indicates.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see any precious metals standing up to a well-aimed burst of high-velocity lead.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you haven¡¯t heard the half of it yet,¡± Thandi said. She gazed at them for a moment before looking around the cabin with an expression of subdued anger. ¡°Here comes the bottom line, and I¡¯ll just read straight from the text: ¡®all these women are to belong in common to all the men, that none are to live privately with any man, and that the children too, are to be possessed in common, so that no parent will know his own offspring or any child his parent¡­ I mean that it looks as though our rulers will have to make considerable use of falsehood and deception for the benefit of those they rule¡­

    ¡°It follows from our previous agreements, first, that the best men must have sex with the best women as frequently as possible, while the opposite is true of the most inferior men and women, and second, that if our herd is to be of the highest possible quality, the former¡¯s offspring must be reared but not the latter¡¯s. And this must all be brought about without being noticed by anyone except the rulers, so that our herd of guardians remains as free from dissension as possible.¡¯¡±

    Thandi sighed heavily. ¡°And Plato goes on to describe how they must use festivals to trick couples into controlled marriages, while the children they produce are confiscated to be raised in, he says, ¡®a rearing pen in a separate part of the city, but the children of inferior parents, or any child of the others that is born defective, they¡¯ll hide in a secret and unknown place, as is appropriate. It is, if indeed the guardian breed is to remain pure.¡¯¡±

    She threw her notebook on the bed as a stunned silence filled the cabin. ¡°I¡¯m done, someone else can talk.¡±

    For a minute, nobody did. The crack of a bat, followed by the sound of laughter, drifted into the cabin from outside.

    ¡°I seem to remember,¡± Rose muttered, ¡°a teacher suggesting that this was all a metaphor for the soul or something.¡±

    Thandi rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, come on. Look where his imagination led him. In all the social circles you¡¯ve moved through, you¡¯ve never met this type of absolute worm before?¡±

    Rose looked down.

    Kayla rubbed her eyes. ¡°I want to ask someone from the research collective if they think the Jotnar were silicone-based lifeforms. ¡®Cause this Republic sounds like something a machine would come up with after being programmed to solve the problems of a cattle farm.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°There were ethno-fascist, genocidal regimes on Earth that did not go this far.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I thought we were going to get lost in esoteric nonsense about meaning and forms,¡± Kayla said, ¡°but this is freakin¡¯ crazy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thandi agreed.

    ¡°Rather a religion of enslavement, than control,¡± Christie said.

    ¡°These Pythagorean guys really wore their contempt for humanity on their sleeve,¡± Kayla said as she avoided making eye contact with Rose. ¡°Guess that¡¯s what happens when super advanced alien overlords are offering you ultimate power over the whole planet, or galaxy.¡± She waited to hear an objection, but none came.

    Kayla decided to change the subject. ¡°So, what happened to Plato anyway? Did he ever try to put this stuff into practice?¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Thandi said. ¡°In Syracuse, Plato and his Pythagorean prot¨¦g¨¦, a man named Dion, attempted to groom a Tyrant¡¯s son, Dionysius II, into being a Philosopher King. But the attempt failed, and they were exiled from the state.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Rose said in a muted voice, ¡°that Valkyrie¡¯s philosophy has a more Aristotelian approach. ¡°They like to encourage our individuality, so long as we are committed to putting the team and the mission first.¡±

    Christie grinned at Thandi. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amusing that the four of us have completely different backgrounds, and yet seem to be succeeding in our pursuit of a common purpose? It seems that personal motivation trumps any kind of rulebook.¡±

    Thandi winked back at her. ¡°Don¡¯t get comfortable, Chris. I shall not rest until your immortal soul has been saved.¡±

    ¡°Okay, hold up,¡± Kayla said. ¡°I have this weird idea that if humans are innately religious, then maybe I believe in the God of War. I mean, I¡¯m not trying to codify a belief system or anything, it¡¯s just an image that helps me think about things.¡± She flashed them a cheeky grin. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is we need to sacrifice a goat at midnight when the moon is full, after dancing around a stone circle, and victory will be assured.¡±

    She held up a hand as Thandi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m kidding; I have a serious point to make. Just hear me out. The God of War is vastly more powerful than any living thing could be. It is capricious, unpredictable, and cruel, but forever changing and evolving. When you get too comfortable, you don¡¯t pay the God adequate respect, and you get harshly punished. When you make dumb assumptions, you pay a sacrifice of blood. I call this entity a God because it is immortal, and will always be more powerful than mere humans. No matter what fancy technology you create, no one will ever be strong enough or smart enough to defeat it. The best you can hope for is to placate its wrath for another day. And you¡¯d better get up early tomorrow because the game starts all over again, but there¡¯s no reward for a winning streak.¡±

    ¡°Certainly sounds like the way many ancient warriors portrayed the spirits they prayed too,¡± Christie observed. ¡°Including one notable semitic tribe.¡±

    Thandi stared at them incredulously, then shook her head. ¡°So, Rose,¡± she said, ¡°Would you agree that we seem to be with the proverbial good guys?¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Rose said.

    ¡°And the Helvetic League?¡± Kayla asked.

    Rose shook her head. ¡°There is a lot to criticize, but I still feel they¡¯ve done a lot of good. Misguided, perhaps, but controlled by aliens? No, I can¡¯t believe it. What we¡¯re discussing was such a long time ago, and so much has changed.¡±

    Kayla raised her eyebrows. ¡°Well, I hope you¡¯re right.¡±

    Rose nodded.

 Part 2 - Chapter 36

    ¡°So, Kayla,¡± Christie said with a smile. ¡°When can we expect you to lead one of these sessions?¡±

    ¡°Oh no.¡± Kayla raised her hands defensively. ¡°I¡¯m not wasting my time on those kinds of texts. I mean, you girls had some great insights, but I had a peek at Plato. Thousands and thousands of pages of inane nonsense¡ªI can¡¯t deal with that.¡±

    ¡°Oh cool, so you¡¯ll just ride along, letting us do all the work?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°I appreciate the stuff you¡¯ve dug out on the history of authoritarianism,¡± said Kayla, ¡°but I¡¯m not reading about the definition of ¡®the good¡¯ for two hours. I have better things to do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable you wouldn¡¯t want to touch Plato with a stick; his work is quite impenetrable,¡± said Christie. ¡°But there are some rather engaging epic poems¡ª¡±

    Kayla waved a hand. ¡°Ancient drivel. Completely meaningless to today¡¯s reality. People need a kick in the backside to stay focused on life¡¯s real problems.¡±

    ¡°Pray, enlighten us,¡± said Christie. ¡°How did the great philosopher Kayla Barnes arrive at this epiphany?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I remember when I was seven, it was late afternoon on a Sunday, and I saw the shadows start to move.¡± Kayla¡¯s voice grew detached, as her eyes fixated on the cieling.

    ¡°I looked up,¡± she continued, ¡°and I thought someone had plucked the sun out of the sky and had thrown it at me¡ªit was moving so fast, coming right down on top of us. I checked some meteor stats when I was older; this one probably travelled a hundred and fifty miles in ten seconds.¡±

    Thandi inhaled sharply. ¡°Lord have mercy.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a complete dumbass I thought, like, am I supposed to catch this?¡± Kayla chuckled. ¡°But then it got so bright I had to look away, and the air was really hot too, like a sauna. Then it winked out, and everyone was just kind of staring up at this immense cloud.¡±

    ¡°An airburst?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°Right¡ªit exploded probably fifteen miles up. But one guy took off running through the town screaming at everyone to get away from the windows, and¡ªagain, dumbass here¡ªI turned to my Dad and said ¡®why is he so mad?¡¯ But he pushed me to the ground and got on top of me, and then all the windows just exploded. Um¡­ then after the first big bang you could hear dozens of smaller thunderclaps, almost like being at a shooting range¡ªthey just went on and on.¡±

    ¡°The sonic booms of the fireball,¡± Christie explained.

    ¡°Right. Oh, and we all got sunburn too, so that was fun.¡± Kayla stared at her fingernails for a moment. ¡°So¡­you don¡¯t¡­ matter. The universe will paste you against the rock in a heartbeat and forget you in the next. The meaning of life? Get your community through to tomorrow. If you have time to sit around reading about the timeless love of two losers, then you should probably get off your ass and do something more constructive.¡±

    There was a thoughtful silence, and Kayla noticed Rose staring at her with a suspicious expression.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± said Christie, ¡°I really appreciate you sharing that experience and I think you certainly have a valuable perspective. That being said, I might allow you to flesh out your thesis a little bit more before I toss out humanity¡¯s vast collection of art and philosophy.¡±

    ¡°You are very brave,¡± Thandi said quietly.

    Kayla laughed. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I just try not to get worked up about things I can¡¯t control. I don¡¯t always succeed though. But I mean all these planets under human control¡ªpeople died to colonize all of them. Landing on an uninhabited world and trying to set up civilization in the face of all the elements against you is incredibly dangerous. This is the sacrifice our worlds are built on.¡±

    Rose glared at her. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right about that, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going a bit far this time?¡±

    ¡°Rose¡­¡± Christie said cautiously, but she was ignored.

    ¡°I am, of course, very sorry for what happened to your father,¡± Rose said, with strained politeness. ¡°But I think it¡¯s fair to say that the anti-Helvet feeling in your colony has influenced your memory in this case. Everyone knows that the asteroid defense deflects rocks that big before they get too close.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Awesome, this argument again. Rose, the first of Caldera¡¯s telescopes only launched to orbit a couple of years ago.¡±

    ¡°Absolute nonsense. I remember the conversation with the Mayor of Rackeye very clearly, and he assured us that all defensive measures were in place.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he was lying.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please!¡± Rose spat.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Christie interjected, placing her hand on Rose¡¯s, ¡°Kayla¡¯s right. I remember reading about it in the astronomy journal, and I was surprised that it was such a low priority project for a colony with a volcanic moon.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s still super rare to see a rock hit the ground. Most of the planet is uninhabited, so the odds of anyone being killed are small. There are more pressing dangers to worry about.¡±

    ¡°I was not lied to!¡± Rose insisted, her face scarlet.

    ¡°Then he exaggerated,¡± Kayla said. ¡°He meant there would be an evacuation shuttle or something. Of course, you have to spot the damn thing in time¡ª¡±

    Rose scoffed. ¡°How could they possibly expect to evacuate an entire planet with shuttles? Come on!¡±

    Kayla gave her a pitying look. ¡°Not the entire planet¡ªjust your family and a few others.¡±

    Rose stared back, her face now pale.

    ¡°Oh, honey,¡± Christie said as she wrapped an arm around Rose¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You really bought every line they fed you, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Rose jumped up from her bed and stormed out of the cabin into the night.

    ¡°Okay, that was definitely not my fault,¡± Kayla said.

    Christie glared at her. ¡°You are cold, Madam, and heartless. Of course it wasn¡¯t. Who cares?¡±

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    ¡°She accused me of being a liar again!¡± Kayla protested. ¡°I thought we were past this.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to be lied to and manipulated by everyone you thought you respected? And to have to face being taken for a fool?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Kayla¡¯s throat caught and she swallowed a sob. ¡°My father was the most honest, courageous man I ever knew.¡±

    Christie¡¯s eyes gleamed with steel. ¡°He told you that you were wonderful, I imagine. That you were perfect the way you were, and that no matter who you wanted to be, or what you wanted to do, he would support you. That your failure to achieve perfection in any of a dozen strictly prescribed skills did not mean you were a public shame to the family.

    ¡°I mean¡ªI had to do the chores properly,¡± Kayla muttered.

    ¡°Not a thing that Rose has ever heard in her life. She was spoiled, yes, and so were you, in a different way.¡±

    Kayla hung her head as Christie left the cabin in search of her friend.

    Out of the thirty-two recruits that started Stress Phase, eleven had dropped out. Seven had to recycle due to injuries. The fourteen that remained lined up in the camp¡¯s square for the infamous endurance run, and a hollow pit opened in Kayla¡¯s stomach as Instructor McKinnon made the briefing.

    They were going to fast march for twenty miles, backpacks filled with rocks, and reach the finish line within six hours. It would be crushing, McKinnon explained, and intensely painful. The recruits would not pass the boot camp course until they could complete it. Failure of an individual due to injury would result in a complete course recycle.

    McKinnon, Susaki, and Cieslik drove the class several hours from the camp to a less mountainous region of the moon, where the course stretched out across a rolling landscape of low, steep hills and ravines. After a short briefing from McKinnon, the instructors loaded down the recruit¡¯s rucksacks with rocks, and weighed them carefully. Then the group set off, and at first the going was easy, as they ran up steep hills, and walked across embankments, ploughed through muddy ditches and dodged between moraines.

    Soon, Mckinnon quickened the pace, and the pain began to set in. Kayla¡¯s thighs and calves burned with acid, while her lungs heaved to take in air. Sharp pain dug into her chest with every breath, and she felt the alarming sensation of her heart getting weaker. Then her knees began to shake, and every step was a struggle to stay balanced. Beside her, Rose matched her pace, while Christie and Thandi were ahead in the short double column of recruits as they jogged at what seemed to be an impossible pace across the scrub-covered hillside.

    At the two-hour mark, Kayla felt she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She started to adjust the strap of the rucksack that cut through her skin, though it didn¡¯t provide her more than a few seconds relief. The biting pain began to build again, slowly, and unstoppably, until she reached up and shifted the stiff fabric across what had to be a raw welt under the shirt. She liked the distraction. It gave her something else to think about besides the dull landscape passing underfoot.

    She tried to change her rhythm, or repeated songs over and over in her head¡ªany pitiful attempt to find a sliver of comfort. At the three-hour mark, she was bargaining with herself. She would quit after the next hill, she told herself, knowing it was a lie, but grateful for it anyway. They took short, desperately welcomed breaks; just enough time to gulp down water and energy bars before the torment continued. Kayla lost track of the time, and her mind wandered into fantasy¡ªimagining dragons and armies clashing across the hills.

    There was no path, just treacherous lumpy hillside, ready to catch the ankle of a runner made careless by exhaustion. Somehow, nobody fell, and they kept the merciless pace under the exhortations of Instructor McKinnon. She kept pace with them the whole time, while Susaki brought up the rear.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing well, ladies!¡± Mckinnon yelled. ¡°Just a bit further! Fast pace until the end.¡±

    Only one thing scared Kayla as she kept her legs pumping. Over the last six months, she had grown fitter and mentally tougher than she ever imagined she could be. No matter what the instructors threw at her, she would rather die than give up. She glanced down at the rough terrain beneath her feet and thought about rolling an ankle. The instructors would make her go through the whole course again, without Thandi, or Christie, or even¡ªshe had to admit¡ªRose. The thought made her blood run cold.

    As the run dragged on, she felt like she was watching herself from a distance. The pain was still there, but she could observe it, as though she had become aware of her own breathing. It passed through her and around her, like rushing water. She imagined waves breaking against a beach, crashing rhythmically. First there were small swells in short bursts. Sometimes the water would recede quickly, and there would be a long pause, followed by a huge breaker that raced up the sand, pelting her feet with sharp pebbles. Kayla stood in the surf, unmoving as the big wave struck and almost threw her over into a maelstrom of rushing water¡ªbut she held her ground. It was nothing more than a choice. She could stand and let the waves beat helplessly against her for eternity.

    The illusion was shattered when a truck appeared on the horizon¡ªthe final checkpoint. With the seductive temptation of imminent release, the pain crashed down more urgently. Kayla gulped back sobs and tried to stop thinking. Time stretched out unendingly while the truck never came closer.

    It was a cruel trick, she thought; every time she looked down, an instructor drove it further away. She hated them, and she would show them she couldn¡¯t be broken. Then the truck was closer, and she loved them¡ªthat they had brought her so far. Then it was a few hundred paces away, and Kayla let her mind go blank. She was going to make it. They all were.

    ¡°Full sprint to the end!¡± called McKinnon ¡°Dig deep now, show them who you are!¡±

    Adrenaline lanced through Kayla¡¯s body, followed by a wave of euphoria. She could go anywhere, do anything¡ªnobody would hold her back. It lasted until they reached the truck, and then it drained from her in a moment, leaving nothing but raging blood in her ears. Her trembling legs could barely continue to support her.

    The ordeal was finally over. After six months of suffering, she had earned what she had always dreamed of. Kayla felt tears welling up, and as exhaustion overwhelmed her, she let herself hunch forward.

    ¡°Stand tall,¡± McKinnon called. ¡°Have pride in yourselves. Rangers keep their heads held high!¡±

    Kayla obeyed, and, despite the pain, as she straightened up and raised her head she felt a piece of euphoria return.

    Mckinnon marched the recruits to a halt by the truck, where a uniformed woman waited for them. She wore bright parade dress, covered in gleaming medals, with the stars of a general, and her aide carried a bag. They waited patiently as the recruits formed a line facing her.

    McKinnon passed each of them and shook their hands. ¡°Congratulations ladies. You¡¯ve made it. General Kayode will now present you with your berets.¡±

    Kayla tried to stop herself from shaking like a leaf as the class formed a line. She wiped the tears out of her eyes, though they were quickly replaced by more.

    The General addressed them. ¡°Ladies, I cannot fully express how incredibly proud I am of all of you. You have achieved the very highest standards set by Valkyrie, and It is my honor to welcome you into the organization. I will now present you with your green berets, your official recognition as a Valkyrie Ranger. Wear this hat with pride, because very few women will ever achieve what you have.¡±

    The general stepped up to each of them in turn, while McKinnon named them. ¡°Ranger Thandi Khawula.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, Ranger Khawula. Accept your Beret.¡± General Kayode placed it on her head and straightened it out. ¡°How does it feel?¡±

    Thandi was struggling to blink back tears. ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am. Incredible¡ªworth every moment,¡± she said.

    Standing beside her, Kayla saw that Chisom Idowu¡¯s eyes shone with fire as she patiently waited her turn. Each recruit exchanged a few words with the general as she slowly worked her way down the line.

    While Kayla waited, she reflected on the strangeness of the setting. She was stood on a lonely hilltop surrounded by wilderness. Her heart burned with pride to see Thandi, Christie, Chisom, and even Rose standing beside her. She felt a sense of achievement she would never be able to explain to anyone else. In fact, she didn¡¯t even want to.

    The General came to her. ¡°Congratulations, Ranger Barnes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am,¡± Kayla said and sniffed.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    Kayla paused for a moment, not sure she could find the right words. ¡°Ready for more,¡± she said, and grinned as the other recruits laughed. The general placed her beret on her head and shook her hand.

    As the general moved off with her aide, Susaki walked over, smiled, and punched Kayla in the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t let it go to your head. See you around, Ranger Barnes.¡±

    The general turned, saluted the rank, and ordered them to fall out as Rangers. Kayla darted over to Rose and lifted her in the air with a bear hug.

 Part 2 - Chapter 37

    ¡°Do you remember when Susaki made us crawl through the surf for an hour straight?¡± Cara said fondly. ¡°I thought I was going to drown.¡±

    Toska took a swig of her beer. ¡°She once told me it¡¯s her life¡¯s work¡ªgetting recruits to quit. Like they¡¯re puzzles she¡¯s got to solve.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t solve me,¡± Kayla boasted.

    Cara smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s kind of the point.¡±

    The brand-new Rangers were in a bar in Tyr city, where Urtiga had invited a dozen women from various units to celebrate, drink and reminisce. Through the warm glow of success, Kayla looked back fondly on the painful experience she and the other girls had shared over the last six months. Once traumatic punishments were regaled as hilarious memories, made all the rosier by the alcoholic haze that quickly descended.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I slept so much, given how loudly Kayla snores,¡± Christie said as she giggled into her drink.

    Thandi grinned. ¡°How loudly does Kayla snore?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Christie said loudly, cupping her hand over her ear. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Kayla went red with embarrassment but joined in the laughter.

    ¡°Hey, Thandi,¡± Rose said with a wink. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to quit tomorrow?¡±

    Thandi tossed a bar mat at her.

    Jiao Zhang whispered into Christie¡¯s ear, then nodded to an empty table in the corner. Christie waggled her eyebrows, at the group then stood up from her chair and the two moved away to start a private conversation.

    ¡°Toska,¡± Cara said after she knocked back another shot. ¡°Did I tell you about the time I got a vacation on Ambrosia?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that one yet,¡± Toska said, watching her with an expectant smile.

    Rose gawped. ¡°Shut up! How did you get a ticket to the paradise planet?¡±

    Cara returned her amazed expression with a grin of satisfaction. ¡°I managed to win over the son of a major corporate player. We had a fling, but he cheated on me.¡±

    Rose smiled glassily. ¡°Gotta watch out for those rich kids¡ªcan¡¯t trust ¡®em. But seriously, my family is well connected, and we could never get tickets to Ambrosia. It¡¯s for the core-world cliques. They don¡¯t like frontier families very much.¡±

    Kayla raised an eyebrow.

    Cara nodded. ¡°For sure, I got lucky. But anyway, we drove around and ended up on this nice, flat beach, and I swear the whole place looked exactly like Camp Okorie, without the huts and assault course. Middle of the day, sweltering heat¡ªI took one look at the surf and started shivering.¡±

    Toska laughed. ¡°Oh God. What did the boytoy say?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t notice,¡± Cara said.

    ¡°You have to go do a stretch as an instructor to really work the trauma out of your system,¡± Toska said.

    ¡°And not jump for six months? Screw that.¡±

    Kayla began to lose focus as the alcohol did its work. She had noticed that almost all of the women in the bar were wearing identical silver necklaces. When she looked closer at Cara¡¯s, she saw the pendant had a name engraved on it. But what did that mean?

    She was about to enquire further when Masey¡¯s voice broke through the chatter. ¡°We¡¯re reeling her in¡ªyou count on it ¡®tiga,¡± she said.

    ¡°On Caldera?¡± Urtiga asked.

    Kayla looked down the table. Past a forest of glasses, she saw Urtiga looking concerned.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening on my home?¡± Kayla asked, slurring her words.

    Opposite Urtiga, Masey grinned. ¡°Basically, Kayla, Orbital Demolition is proving itself to be the most capable counter-terrorism force in the organization.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Urtiga said with a smile. ¡°Because you¡¯ve captured her and taken down her entire operation in complete secrecy. Oh no, wait¡ªyou haven¡¯t done any of that yet.¡±

    ¡°Who? Who¡¯s this?¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Allana Rayker,¡± Masey explained smugly. ¡°One of the most dangerous women in the galaxy, and a known hunter of Jotnar artefacts. Some units,¡± she said with a wink at Urtiga, ¡°have been chasing her for decades, but somehow, she always slips away. Now my team has her locked down on Caldera.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s blood ran cold, and she struggled to martial her sluggish thoughts. Terrorist. Jotnar. Caldera. Was she the only one who saw what this meant?

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    ¡°Somewhere,¡± added Urtiga.

    Masey waved dismissively. ¡°Somewhere. We¡¯re still working on that part.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a significant step on the road to patting yourself on the back,¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°So, I was right the whole time!¡± Kayla said, once her braincells lined themselves up. ¡°This Rayker woman is making those creatures attack colonists, and you know what else? She¡¯s actually working for the Jotnar. Thandi, tell them about Plato. You have to listen¡ª¡±

    Masey looked at her like she was crazy. ¡°What are you talking about? She only arrived there a few months ago, as far as we know. Though you might be right that she¡¯s involved with the creatures¡ªI¡¯d bet she wants to study them to understand whatever weapon effects created them.¡±

    ¡°As far as you know?¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Back when she was my problem, we never had the best luck tracking her movements.¡±

    Masey winked at her. ¡°I¡¯ll read you the play-by-play when you get back from¡ªwhat was it? Exploring caves in the Meridian system, looking for a mythical Jotnar fortress that probably didn¡¯t even exist?¡±

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll take anything that gets me outside¡ªthese training cycles make me stir crazy. Besides, the Ghost Fortress hypothesis answers a lot of questions about the end of the Jotnar war. It¡¯s worth investigating.¡±

    Kayla slammed a fist on the table. ¡°But what about¡ª¡±

    ¡°Calm the hell down, will you?¡± Urtiga scolded. ¡°Fog of war, remember? None of us really know what is happening on Caldera, except for one point. Which is?¡±

    Kayla tried to focus. ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°That a team of Valkyrie¡¯s finest, plus Masey, is going down there to track Rayker down, and see what she is up to. Beyond that, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it, so let it go. And, by the way, this kind of thing is going to happen to you a lot, so get used to it.¡±

    Kayla glanced back at Masey and saw, instead of her usual unimpressed smirk, an expression of sincere resolution. Masey gave her a curt nod, and Kayla felt immediately reassured. Then she realized she was ruining the night and tried to let the tension inside her ease.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± she said, ¡°What¡¯s a dead fortress, then?¡±

    ¡°Supposedly,¡± Urtiga said, ¡°the war ended with a faction of the Jotnar elite caste fleeing to one or more hidden fortresses. Such an installation would be way more advanced than anything we¡¯ve located previously. They might even be surviving there to this day. A lot of women don¡¯t want to pry too hard into this possibility, because the place would be extremely well defended. The organization would have to plan for a large and dangerous campaign. Years of siege fighting¡ªlots of casualties.¡±

    Kayla swallowed. She had daydreamed about hunting monsters on Caldera, and maybe fighting robot spiders, but she obviously didn¡¯t know half of what was waiting out in the void.

    ¡°The alternative perspective,¡± Masey offered, ¡°is that young and excitable officers with aspirations of grandeur generate a lot of enthusiasm running wild goose chases for an overinflated myth based on flimsy evidence.¡±

    Urtiga smiled at her. ¡°Either way¡ªthere¡¯s about a million more locations on the map to secure and they¡¯ve all got to be checked out. It¡¯s called grunt work, babe; it makes the world go round.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called missing career opportunities.¡± Masey glanced at Kayla. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Jack you said¡ª¡±

    Urtiga frantically waved her hands.

    ¡°Jack?¡± said Kayla. ¡°As in, my adoptive dad?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah,¡± Masey said guiltily.

    ¡°You both know Jack?¡± Kayla said, as she slowly processed the implications of this.

    Masey shrugged. ¡°She was going to find out sooner or later. Yes, he is a good friend of the organization. Works with us occasionally.¡±

    ¡°He had strict instructions not to tell you anything,¡± Urtiga said.

    Kayla blinked slowly. Her adoptive father had known the truth about Valkyrie the whole time, and said nothing? She nodded. ¡°I completely understand. And I¡¯ll be sure to give him your best regards before I kill him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on him,¡± Urtiga said sternly. ¡°The organization takes secrecy very seriously.¡± She turned back to Masey. ¡°So, has he got anything new on Rayker?¡±

    Masey shook her head. ¡°Nah. Best guess is she¡¯s in Rackeye, building up a power base. Jack doesn¡¯t have any good connections there. It¡¯s freakin¡¯ Helvet territory, so we¡¯re starting from scratch with some of our more well-educated gals. Can¡¯t win over everyone with perfect hair and good looks, you know?¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, you have educated operators in your unit?¡± Urtiga asked, straight faced.

    Masey raised her eyebrows, while a patient smile remained on her lips.

    ¡°I want to be on Caldera,¡± Kayla moaned sadly. ¡°Catch this hag.¡± She thought about Weslan and his new job. What if he was in danger?

    Urtiga winked at Masey. ¡°Girl hasn¡¯t even got her nanites yet, and she¡¯s already spoiling for a fight.¡±

    ¡°What are nanites?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you get before you go to Ranger School and learn how to be an actual soldier.¡± Urtiga put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Right now, you are a glorified hiker.¡±

    Kayla nodded, and got to her feet.

    ¡°Wait, where are you going in such a hurry?¡±

    ¡°Back to your apartment. Sleep, then get ready to train.¡±

    Urtiga grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the table. ¡°She sure likes to get after it.¡±

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Masey said. ¡°Drink up, have fun, and enjoy the night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting bored,¡± Kayla complained. ¡°I want to do stuff. What¡¯s next?¡± She sighed in frustration. Why was everyone so happy to sit around doing nothing? Why didn¡¯t her friends want to start getting stronger?

    Urtiga raised her eyebrows. ¡°What¡¯s next? You just spent six months getting destroyed in one of the toughest selection programs in the galaxy, and you¡¯re already getting antsy for more?¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°I mean¡­ everything hurts, but it¡¯ll pass.¡±

    Thandi collapsed into a neighboring seat and threw her non-drinking arm around Kayla. ¡°Recr¡ªuh¡­Ranger Barnes, your glass is haff-full,¡± she said, slurring her words. ¡°An empty glass is a camp standard!¡± She leaned over to Urtiga. ¡°She kind of like a rock bouncin¡¯ down a hill, you know.¡±

    Urtiga nodded her head. ¡°I have some appreciation for that; I did recruit her.¡±

    ¡°Good choice.¡± Thandi nodded approvingly. ¡°You¡¯re clever.¡±

    Masey chuckled. ¡°How much have you had to drink?¡±

    Urtiga turned back to Kayla. ¡°Your friends are awesome, you know? Maybe you should forget conquering the universe for a day or two and enjoy their company?¡±

    Kayla wrinkled her nose as the smell of Thandi¡¯s alcohol-soaked breath wafted into her face. ¡°Wooooh,¡± she said unenthusiastically, before taking another gulp of her drink.

    Urtiga stared at her for a moment, and when she spoke there was a hint of sadness in her voice. ¡°You know something? It¡¯s not all the cool ninja stuff that¡¯s going to make you love it here. It¡¯s the time you get to spend with the friends you make. Once that¡¯s gone, believe me, you¡¯ll miss it.¡±

    Rose flopped into a seat across from Kayla and stared at her glassily. ¡°You know Kayla¡­ you¡¯re not such a jackass you thought I was?¡± Then she broke down giggling.

    Kayla broke a little. It was nice to hang out with Rose, even if things between them were still awkward. She wasn¡¯t sure if they would ever really be friends, but maybe Urtiga was right and it was better just to try and enjoy the moment. Returning Rose¡¯s glassy, and completely carefree smile, she reached for her glass.

 Part 2 - Chapter 38

    A painful and poorly remembered weekend passed by¡ªeither in sleep or nursing hangovers¡ªuntil, per their orders, the freshly minted Rangers queued up outside the Physio-Development Center to complete their ¡®training¡¯. Joined by dozens of graduates from other training camps on Tyr, all were giddy with anticipation at the next step in their journey. Kayla found herself surrounded by young women just as boisterous, fit, and ready for action as she was. Most of them had concluded that the women of Valkyrie were something unusual, and guesswork ran wild.

    The crowd of girls waited for an hour, breaking ice, and sharing their boot camp stories, until the main doors opened and they were ushered into a lobby. Glass walls separated them from an expansive gymnasium, where they witnessed absurd feats of strength from women inside.

    Thandi nudged Kayla. ¡°Check it out¡ªshe¡¯s lifting five-hundred pounds!¡±

    A young woman got up from the bench press machine, saw the spectators and smiled, flexing her biceps in a Miss Universe pose.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look that big,¡± Rose said. ¡°Men who lift that much are built like tanks.¡±

    Kayla smirked. ¡°You could use a little more thickness.¡± She began to laugh, but stopped when Rose glared at her.

    ¡°This way ladies!¡± a woman called, and she led them into a small auditorium where she took the podium.

    ¡°Welcome to the next step on your journey in Valkyrie. It is an endless truth of war that nobody is ever as strong as they need to be. For that reason, all personnel in this organization undergo a biomolecular transformation. Today, we¡¯re going to subject you to that procedure.¡±

    An image flashed up on the screen of a bizarrely shaped flying robot, armed with strange twisting limbs and mechanical appendages arranged around its body.

    The speaker gestured with a laser pointer. ¡°You will be strapped down while this machine operates on you, rearranging your insides to make you physically superior. You¡¯ll have to hold very still while it goes to work because the slightest mistake could leave you in agonizing pain.¡± She paused, then glanced around the room and winked. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m kidding, sort of.¡±

    The Rangers laughed nervously.

    ¡°This is called a nanomachine, or nanite, and it¡¯s actually much smaller than your cells,¡± the speaker continued. ¡°In short, we will flood your bloodstream with these machines, and they will reconstruct your bone, muscle, connective tissue¡ªthe entire substance of your body. The process takes two weeks, during which time you will be in a chemically induced coma. When you wake up, you will have profoundly increased strength, stamina, speed, and healing potential.

    ¡°Obviously, this information has been deliberately kept from you until this point in the program. Napoleon once said, ¡®It¡¯s the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory¡¯. With your graduation from boot camp, you have proven your dedication, self-discipline, and ability to succeed against adversity, regardless of what you have to work with. Never forget¡ªRangers are the product of their own character first. Everything else is just a tool.¡±

    Kayla nodded keenly. Her imagination raced with possibilities. First on her mind¡ªwould there be anything in the galaxy she couldn¡¯t climb?

    ¡°In the second place,¡± the speaker said, ¡°knowledge of this transformation offers a grave temptation to those who would otherwise not be so committed to working here. For you see, these nanites will make you effectively immortal.¡±

    Jaws dropped around the room, and Christie raised her hand. ¡°What does ¡®effectively¡¯ mean in this context?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± the speaker said. ¡°Theoretically, up to fifty thousand years, but nobody has tested that.¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯re going to tell us about,¡± Kayla said, and murmurs of agreement filled the room.

    ¡°That we know about,¡± the speaker insisted. ¡°I can absolutely assure you that nobody in the organization is that old.¡±

    Kayla was not content with that response. ¡°How old are the oldest women here?¡±

    The speaker smiled patiently. ¡°Never ask a woman her age. However, I can tell you that I am seventy years old, though I know I don¡¯t look it. I won¡¯t answer any more questions of that nature, but if you¡¯re too far outside your comfort zone, you know where the door is.¡±

    Kayla was about to speak again, but snapped her mouth shut, when she felt Thandi¡¯s hand on her shoulder.

    The speaker nodded. ¡°Some of you are no doubt feeling pretty intimidated by the thought of having your body altered¡ªsome of you are maybe getting aroused.¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Nervous laughter filled the room again.

    ¡°I want to reassure you,¡± the speaker went on, ¡°this process will not change who you are as a person, but it will change your life. You will go to sleep and wake up in two weeks as a superhero. However, there are consequences.

    ¡°Consider the following question. If humanity did evolve to be bigger, stronger and meaner, would we still be human? Would we become a race of violent monsters? The purpose of this organization proves that the most advanced beings are not necessarily the wisest.

    ¡°So, it is not our policy to change the human species by introducing into its midst women that are biologically altered. Who knows what could happen to an infant born from a body like mine? Could it even survive? Maybe it would, and go on to engender a terrible race of mutants. We don¡¯t have the knowledge, and we don¡¯t have the desire, to play God.¡±

    ¡°This upgrade is therefore temporary. When you leave Valkyrie to return to a normal life, all these nanomachines will be flushed out of your system. From today until that time, you will be artificially sterilized. Now ladies, I personally have over a hundred friends who have retired, returned to a normal body and a normal life, and successfully had healthy children. This is a problem we worked very hard on, and I want to reassure you that whatever future you had planned for yourself is not threatened. This brings me to my next point¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is that why there are only women here?¡± Christie interjected.

    The speaker stopped and stared curiously at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You can presumably have the nanites sterilize egg cells against normal sperm easily enough,¡± Christie said. ¡°But if both an upgraded male and female got together, that would mean nanite modified sex cells interacting with each other. Something unpredictable could occur.¡±

    The speaker nodded. ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s very insightful, Ranger. Perhaps I will expect to see you in our R&D labs in a few years?¡±

    Christie wrinkled her nose. ¡°Doubt it. I like to play outdoors.¡±

    ¡°Well, in any case,¡± the speaker continued, ¡°yes, the founders of this organization were women, and agreed that they should not risk mixing two nanite enhanced genders for fear of what might be produced. Life evolves constantly, after all. The only alternative would be total voluntary abstinence, which you ladies,¡± she said with a grin, ¡°probably would fail to observe.¡±

    This was met with general agreement and a few confidently nodding heads.

    Kayla¡¯s jaw, however, clenched in frustration. There was still too much not being said.

    There were more questions on the effects of nanites on the human body, and many Rangers wanted to know exactly how ¡®super¡¯ they would become. Once these had been answered, the girls were led to individual exam rooms, where they received a series of tests. They reassembled in a large hall filled with medical beds that were hooked up to unpleasant looking machines. Technicians moved between the beds, checking their clipboards, and preparing for their future patients.

    ¡°Are there any questions before we begin?¡± a technician asked the excited but nervous Rangers.

    ¡°Why bother?¡± said one girl. ¡°You could tell us we¡¯ll grow wings, and we¡¯ll still go along with it.¡± The others laughed.

    ¡°Wings would be awesome, though,¡± Kayla mused.

    Christie raised a hand. ¡°Will the procedure provide any treatment for low intellect individuals with behavioral disorders?¡±

    The technician smiled. ¡°No, you will emerge exactly the same person as you are now.¡±

    Christie turned to Kayla and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kayla¡±.

    Kayla cracked a wry smile. ¡°Enough talk,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±

    When she woke, Kayla was nauseous, and her muscles felt weak. The glare of bright lights seared her eyes, and when she tried to blink, she found her eyelids were as heavy as lead. A concerned-looking, white-coated doctor moved into her field of vision.

    ¡°Take it easy, Ranger Barnes,¡± the doctor said. ¡°Everything looks good on the charts. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Dead,¡± Kayla whispered, and even that single word took great effort. She wanted to sleep for days. ¡°I can¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°You were withdrawn from the coma three days ago,¡± the doctor continued, ¡°and you¡¯ve been naturally asleep since then. Don¡¯t worry, this is all normal for the procedure. I¡¯m afraid you will have to learn how to move all over again. Try to relax¡ªyou aren¡¯t going anywhere, anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°When¡ª¡±

    ¡°A rehabilitation specialist will come by a bit later. Do you have any sharp pains or discomfort?¡±

    Kayla tried to shake her head, but she didn¡¯t have the energy. ¡°No,¡± she croaked.

    ¡°Be patient. Give yourself time.¡± The doctor moved on.

    Um¡­ no, Kayla thought. She didn¡¯t need anyone to tell her how rehabilitation worked. Focusing on her fingers, she tried to wiggle them as fast as she could, though they moved like they were immersed in treacle. When she got tired of that exercise, she switched to her toes. That too was a workout all on its own, and after struggling for as long as she could, Kayla became too tired to even keep her eyelids open. Suddenly convinced that everything she cared about was pointless, she decided she might as well sleep forever.

    She woke up again, not knowing how much time had passed, but feeling refreshed and ready for more. A new doctor soon moved over to her.

    ¡°Hello Kayla, I¡¯m the rehab specialist,¡± the doctor said. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you¡¯re awake again. Don¡¯t worry about sleeping too much¡ªin fact, I encourage it. Are you ready to start working on some simple moves?¡±

    Kayla felt like she didn¡¯t have the strength to argue, so she gently nodded her head.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try and wiggle your fingers?¡±

    Kayla obliged. They moved just a little quicker this time.

    ¡°Excellent work,¡± the doctor said. ¡°You seem to be progressing faster than the others. How about wiggling your toes?¡±

    Again, Kayla willed them to move faster and faster, and felt her heart buzz.

    ¡°Okay, slow down now. You don¡¯t want to run before you can walk.¡± The doctor gave a small and irritating laugh at her own joke.

    Kayla ignored her and focused on her movements. She soon felt a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Now, Barnes,¡± the doctor said less cheerfully, ¡°you really must pace yourself and get some more rest. I know it¡¯s frustrating, but this will take a lot of time.¡±

    Kayla nodded and stopped moving, closing her eyes until the doctor patted her arm approvingly and walked away. When the voice spoke again at another girl¡¯s bed, Kayla went back to wiggling her toes. No-one was going to tell her to take things slowly.

 Part 2 - Chapter 39

    The week it took to recover basic motor functionality was the longest of Kayla¡¯s life. Her body was nothing but a cage for the restless animal within. Worse, the doctors were unsupportive of her determination to push beyond the point of exhaustion until she was thrashing around in fury. Wasn¡¯t this what boot camp had trained her to do?

    Eventually, she managed to get out of bed and stumble around, and someone took her to a treadmill to try walking. As soon as she could hobble, she tried to jog, and fell flat on her face. The doctors gave her a stern talking to after that. She ignored them, and her rehab session ended with them pulling her away from the machine.

    Progress came slowly; treadmills became elliptical machines, became bikes and pushups, until eventually she was doing a full bodyweight routine. By the end of the week, Kayla could easily manage a hundred pushups, and her strength kept growing. She often stopped herself to make sure her form was correct; that she wasn¡¯t cheating herself. But her muscles were becoming powerful enough to do anything she asked of them.

    Thandi and Christie had only started learning to walk, but Rose wasn¡¯t far behind her. After a fast workout in a rowing machine, Kayla wiped it off with a towel. She went over to the squat rack, and, as she slid forty-five-pound plates onto the bar, she looked up and saw that Rose had taken her place.

    ¡°Trying to beat my speed?¡± Kayla taunted her.

    ¡°You know it,¡± Rose gasped, as her arms snapped back and forth. She got close to Kayla¡¯s record but failed by a few reps per minute. Panting hard, Rose sat back and fixed Kayla with a stern look. ¡°You take one too many breaks¡­ then you¡¯ll see.¡±

    Kayla laughed. She liked the challenge, but she also detected an edge to Rose¡¯s voice that she didn¡¯t like. It wasn¡¯t even that she was intimidating; Rose sounded angry with herself.

    They met a new specialist, a physical fitness coach, who talked with them about how their nanite enhanced bodies would be developed over time.

    ¡°It will actually take at least a couple of decades for you to develop your maximum potential,¡± the coach explained. ¡°In that time, you¡¯re going to find that you are genetically gifted in certain areas, and lacking in others, just like any other athlete. For example, Kayla, I noticed you¡¯re an excellent sprinter, but you¡¯re a little weaker with your cardio. For now, I¡¯m going to help you develop a basic beginner program that¡¯s going to target everything, because you have a lot of room for improvement. As time passes, you¡¯ll want to customize your training based on what¡¯s important to you and your role in the Ranger Battalion.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to be¡­ you know¡­butch?¡± asked Rose.

    Kayla tried not to laugh at her concerned expression. None of the women they had met up to that point had been excessively muscular. Even after all they had been through, Rose was still absurdly vain.

    The coach smiled. ¡°The timeless principles of infantry warfare require us to limit size and weight wherever possible, and in the case of these nanite modifications, size isn¡¯t a factor. They do more with less.¡±

    Rose seemed happy with that response.

    In another short class, Collective researchers taught the Rangers about the stress¨Crecovery cycle, and the effective weight to rep ratios that had been discovered throughout the organization¡¯s history. In the end, they concluded, everyone was different, but some things worked for everyone. They explained the difference between type one and type two muscle fibers, and how bad form or posture could lead to poor growth, or even injury.

    The Rangers learned that strength wasn¡¯t the same as stamina, that both were different again from explosive power, and that all three had to be addressed in a weekly plan. The specialists explained that physical fitness would be an endless evolving journey during their time in Valkyrie. Every soldier and scientist had to take regular fitness reviews to check their progress, and their score would have a significant impact on their careers.

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    There was a boxing ring in the complex, so in their downtime Thandi showed Kayla basic moves, and soon others joined in. Once the Rangers got bored with punching each other, they clumsily attempted wrestling or Jiu Jitsu techniques, trying to imitate the competitive fighters they now watched religiously on the institute¡¯s holo-screens.

    After a painful sparring session with Thandi, Kayla collapsed on a bench. She was bruised and exhausted, having failed to land a single strike on her friend.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Kayla said, after she caught her breath. ¡°Uh, where did that last punch come from, orbit?¡±

    Thandi chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it,¡± she said as she ripped her gloves off. ¡°You have a long way to go.¡±

    Kayla smirked. ¡°I nearly caught you, like, twice.¡± Just another few days, and she would have Thandi on the ropes.

    ¡°You might not want to hear this, sweety, but I¡¯m taking it really easy on you. Really easy,¡± she said again with emphasis.

    Kayla scratched her neck. Maybe more than a few days then. ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± she said. ¡°Now my ego is as bruised as my face.¡±

    Thandi shook her head. ¡°Come on Kayla, I¡¯ve been doing this for years, and you started a few days ago. You¡¯re progressing well, but you¡¯re crazy impatient.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not impatient, everyone else is slow!¡± Kayla shot back as she wrung the sweat out of her ponytail. She turned to the punching bag where Rose was slowly repeating the basic strikes Thandi had shown her. ¡°Want to go, Rose?¡±

    Rose looked around and her eyes widened. ¡°Really? Your bruises have bruises.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Seriously, I get a little giddy sometimes. Like I don¡¯t ever want to sleep again.¡±

    Thandi cocked her head. ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred percent convinced that¡¯s a healthy mindset you have there.¡±

    Kayla waved a hand. ¡°Whatever¡ªI¡¯ll fix it some other time. What do you say Rose?¡±

    Rose shook her head. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but actually I have some bike training penciled in shortly.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Kayla smiled. ¡°But I mean we¡¯re at the same level, so it would make sense¡ª¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. Another time?¡± Rose returned the smile, and turned to leave.

    Thandi gave Kayla a look of curiosity.

    ¡°I¡¯d say she was avoiding you,¡± Thandi said later, when they enjoyed the privacy of an empty locker room.

    Kayla lay back on a bench. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s always booked with someone else, or working on drills or something.¡±

    Thandi opened her locker and reached in for her towel. ¡°I thought you two were getting along better?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Kind of,¡± Kayla said. ¡°We don¡¯t argue, but there¡¯s still a lot of history to get past. She never really apologized for the past few years.¡±

    ¡°It might have something to do with the fact that you fight like you¡¯re trying to kill the other girl.¡±

    ¡°Thought that was the whole point, babe?¡±

    Thandi shook her head as she sat down and stared at her friend. ¡°Sparring is for practicing movement, awareness, how to read the body. You need to chill out.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes wandered over the ceiling. No matter what weight she lifted, no matter how hard or fast she punched or kicked, she still felt like she was holding back. There was so much more to learn.

    ¡°That attitude is why I have better PT scores than you,¡± she said idly.

    There was a soft snap, and she felt the flick of a towel against her shorts.

    ¡°That attitude is why I have more friends than you do,¡± Thandi said.

    Kayla withheld a scowl. How was she supposed to say that to the families of colonists that had died over the years, waiting for her to protect them? ¡°I don¡¯t need friends, Thandi. I have you to take care of me.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh? And who do I talk to about getting a replacement?¡±

    Kayla rose in one quick movement and Thandi ducked to avoid the boxing glove that flew past her head.

    ¡°But since we¡¯re friends,¡± Thandi said with a smile, ¡°I feel it¡¯s my obligation to once again try to convince you to read the Good Book¡ªI even have the best bits bookmarked.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Look, I appreciate some of those proverbs you¡¯ve taught me, and some of it¡¯s been really helpful¡­ but I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Well, you need to go into more depth and then you¡¯ll understand¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I think I understand just fine,¡± Kayla said. She got up from the bench and went to her locker. ¡°But I didn¡¯t sign the same contract you did.¡±

    ¡°What contract?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°The one you apparently signed before you were born,¡± Kayla said as she reached for her towel. ¡°The one that guaranteed you the universe had to make sense and provide you with a ¡®fill in the blank¡¯ path to fulfillment.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I just woke up surrounded by insanity, and I don¡¯t have the impression that I¡¯m owed an explanation or that there needs to be a happy ending. No offense.¡±

    Kayla turned and headed for the showers, leaving a silent Thandi behind her.

    One month later, and three months after leaving Camp White, Kayla crashed a five-hundred-pound weight back onto the holds of a bench press rack. She felt ecstatic at her development, but the thrill of accomplishment never seemed to last. She had beaten challenge after challenge, and she found that looking for the next one was a habit that was getting harder to shake.

 Part 2 - Chapter 40

    A video call notification flashed up on her monitor, and Rayker slammed her desk in frustration. How dare someone disturb her without warning? The caller was Cardinal Merris, but what could he want? She took a moment to calm her demeanor before opening the line.

    Merris¡¯ face popped up on the display. ¡°Rayker, hello. It¡¯s been a while since we last spoke,¡± he said.

    Rayker blinked. ¡°I believe my updates have been delivered on schedule. What is the reason for your call?¡±

    Merris fidgeted for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s the progress of the project?¡± he asked, eventually.

    ¡°As detailed in my last report on the subject,¡± Rayker said and cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Did you read it?¡±

    ¡°I understand you hired only six researchers in the fields of biology and genetic engineering?¡±

    Where was he going with this? ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Only six?¡±

    Rayker exhaled slowly. He could not possibly know about the team¡¯s corporate cover stories already. ¡°Merris, we are making substantial progress on the project and that means, obviously, we are all very busy. If you have any more of these administrative queries, I suggest you direct them to Captain Reed.¡±

    ¡°I ask the question,¡± Merris said as he fiddled with his pen, ¡°because it seems that a good deal more than six researchers in a variety of fields are currently not present in their usual posts in Rackeye.¡±

    Rayker drummed her fingers on the desk. Could one of Reed¡¯s soldiers be a traitor? Unlikely, but nothing was impossible. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about this.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one with sources on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, perhaps you should be contacting whoever is responsible for those individuals?¡±

    Merris paused again. Rayker suppressed a smile when she saw that the effort to speak seemed to cost him greatly. ¡°We¡¯ve also been getting some unusual calls from the Chief of Staff for the Army. It seems that personnel assignments are being made against the usual procedure¡­¡±

    Rayker silently cursed. Reed had obviously not covered his tracks well enough.

    ¡°Merris, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, adding an edge to her voice. ¡°I obviously haven¡¯t been making myself clear. I simply cannot divert my resources into helping you chase down interdepartmental administrative blunders. I¡¯m in the middle of a revolutionary project which will provide immense benefit to the future of the Helvetic league, not to mention the Adjudicate. Frankly, I think that what you¡¯re asking would fall under Captain Reed¡¯s purview, and if you would be so good as to put your concerns in a memo, I will make sure he receives it. If you have no other pressing concerns, I certainly do, and I need to get back to them.¡±

    ¡°Well, not pressing concerns, but if we could find some time to discuss¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you, goodbye, Merris,¡± Rayker said, and disconnected the call.

    Her first step was to go and see Reed, and as usual she pushed through the door to his office without bothering to knock. He was alone, working, and didn¡¯t react to her entrance.

    ¡°The Army is asking questions about the soldiers you transferred here,¡± Rayker said.

    Reed looked confused for a moment. ¡°I thought you were able to deflect¡ª¡±

    ¡°And someone has told Merris about missing researchers in Rackeye. I thought you were keeping track of his agent¡¯s communications?¡±

    Reed was silent for a moment. ¡°What if it¡¯s not the Adjudicate? Graduates talk quite freely amongst themselves, and their parents have connections. Maybe someone got jealous of their friend¡¯s nice new job and decided to have Mommy and Daddy start asking questions?¡±

    Rayker sighed. There was no part of the League¡¯s bureaucracy that was not burrowed through with family ties and old boy networks. ¡°We may need to accelerate our plans,¡± she said.

    ¡°Weslan¡¯s work is at least a year away from completion,¡± Reed said, doubtfully.

    ¡°Well then, it would be in your interest to motivate him, or else you will soon be dealing with a company of your former comrades knocking on our door, and you won¡¯t have an army of killing machines to call on.¡±

    ¡°Madam Raker, he has been working tirelessly. This kind of work requires careful¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. So I find once again that I must do your job for you, is that right?¡±

    Reed didn¡¯t respond as he rubbed his eyes.

    Rayker slapped the door. ¡°Very well, come with me.¡± She led him out of his office towards the Research Zone. ¡°Is he still trying to message that Academy girl?¡± she asked, as they walked through the tunnels.

    ¡°Kayla Barnes. Yes, but it¡¯s all reviewed before transmission. We added a silent receipt tracer to his messages, and we can see they have to pass through a very strong firewall to reach their destination. High level security.¡±

    ¡°Any replies?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Reed said. ¡°She was recruited recently, and if they¡¯re as secretive as they¡¯re made out to be, it¡¯s doubtful she would even have access to her personal messages.¡±

    Rayker nodded. ¡°Perhaps. But keep an eye on it. I would like all of Weslan¡¯s emails to that address¡ªincluding the drafts¡ªforwarded to me.¡±

    ¡°I will be sure to set that up, but the contents are really nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Not the point.¡±

    They arrived in the Researcher¡¯s common room, where Weslan was making a pot of coffee and chatting with an attractive woman from the engineering team. Rayker noted with satisfaction the hunched shoulders and dry eyes of the young workers.

    ¡°Weslan?¡± she said, so loudly they jumped. ¡°Is that another girl you¡¯re trying to charm? Rather out of your league, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The woman blushed, took one look at Rayker and hurried out of the room. Weslan stared back with fright in his eyes.

    ¡°Madam Rayker,¡± he said, ¡°I¡­ No, we were just¡ª¡±

    ¡°I understand you¡¯ve been flirting with a variety of young women while using the on-site communication system we have generously provided for you. Do you think you¡¯re here to entertain yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, Madam, of course not.¡±

    Rayker shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why you think girls like that would be interested in you when you show such a sloppy work ethic. I have to say you are not making a good impression of yourself.¡±

    Weslan looked like he was about to cry, and his voice wavered as he spoke. ¡°Madam Rayker, I am so sorry, I did not realize¡ª¡±

    ¡°How are you proceeding with the animal specimens? Have you worked out a detailed plan of their hormonal networks, as we discussed in our meetings?¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, I mean¡­ I am making good progress.¡±

    ¡°So, you haven¡¯t done it?¡± Rayker said with a raised eyebrow.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Weslan paused in silence. ¡°No, Madam Rayker.¡±

    ¡°Do you know that your peers in the other research teams have met their project objectives already and are much further along than you?¡± It was an easy lie. The students did not have the time or energy to discuss more than casual gossip, and were undoubtedly all insecure about their progress. ¡°Not surprising, given your poor attitude to this endeavor,¡± Rayker continued. ¡°You are letting our community down, Weslan.¡±

    ¡°Madam, I¡ªI don¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m trying as hard as I can, but there is so much work¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me Weslan. I¡¯ve put so much effort into building this place into something that could change the world, and the League. After all I¡¯ve given you, you have the nerve to stand there and lie to me?¡±

    ¡°No, Madam,¡± he said hoarsely, eyes fixed downward.

    ¡°So, you will have a presentation ready for me next week?¡±

    Weslan¡¯s blotched skin went paler still. His expression became glassy. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear it. With me, Reed,¡± Rayker said, as she turned to leave the common room.

    ¡°Did you take notes?¡± she asked, once they were out of earshot.

    ¡°If I were to be brutally honest,¡± Reed said, ¡°and I know you appreciate that¡ªI would say that young men are more sensitive to that kind of criticism from attractive women.¡±

    Rayker stopped walking and turned on him. ¡°Really? How attractive?¡±

    Reed sighed. ¡°Madam, please.¡±

    ¡°No¡ªyou must qualify your remarks. We are no longer merely a military operation. We must also consider ourselves a scientific community.¡±

    Reed stood stock still, his eyes fixed on nothing as though he were thinking quickly. Rayker savored the moment. He could resist any form of adversity, whether physical or psychological, and that was what made him so desirable. In a world of sheep, thugs, and powerful, yet vacuous narcissists, Reed was the only man she had met that could keep a sharp, clear mind no matter what the situation. He disproved everything she believed about humanity¡¯s fragility, and so she had to control him. But nothing she tried would unlock his mind for her, and that was almost intolerable.

    ¡°I would rate you as a ten,¡± he said eventually.

    Rayker crossed her arms. ¡°A ten? And what poor excuse for a man can resist the charms of a ten?¡±

    ¡°Madam,¡± Reed said firmly, ¡°as I have explained many times, we must demonstrate discipline, we must set an example for the men¡ª¡±

    ¡°You lie poorly, as most soldiers do. No, you are a coward obviously.¡±

    Reed matched her gaze. ¡°If you feel that way, then I am a liability to the plan, and you must dispose of me immediately.¡±

    She held the stare until he blinked. ¡°If Weslan fails, I will put you in the machine,¡± she snapped.

    Reed¡¯s expression didn¡¯t waver. ¡°I could break his spirit, if that would help?¡±

    Rayker waved a hand dismissively, and now it was her turn to break eye contact. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s young, he¡¯ll be fine. For heaven¡¯s sake Reed, use your imagination. Play to your strengths¡ªuse your physicality to intimidate him. Make it work.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    Rayker turned away. There was business to resolve, instead of petty arguments. ¡°You will start sending your team out to begin collecting subjects,¡± she ordered as they resumed their walk.

    Reed nodded. ¡°Good. They¡¯ve been getting bored playing babysitters.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where you will store the drones, once transformed?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The barracks cave should work¡ªit¡¯s huge, and out of the way of the research labs. We¡¯ve installed robust security on the doors and in the corridors. If they really can be controlled, then we should be able to manage a few hundred.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Collect as many colonists as you can.¡±

    Weslan wiped his mouth and stepped back from the toilet bowl. At first he had cried, and then emptied his stomach, but eventually the chill of dread had faded. He knew he would have to reduce his sleep limit again, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t have any time to socialize.

    Leaving the bathroom, he ran into Julie.

    A hand flew to her mouth. ¡°Wes, you look awful!¡±

    He shook his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m okay. We¡¯re all tired¡ªI know you are too.¡±

    Julie looked down. ¡°It¡¯s not right, what she said to you in the common room,¡± she said quietly. ¡°She humiliated you.¡±

    Weslan sighed. ¡°She¡¯s a great woman, Julie. People like that don¡¯t fit society¡¯s mold and sometimes they speak more freely than the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°I know she is, and I know she¡¯s leading us toward something¡­ but Wes, sometimes she scares me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I trust her. I believe in what she¡¯s doing and, well, we¡¯re here to save lives. To save colonists¡¯ lives. Doesn¡¯t that demand a great effort on our part?¡±

    Julie wiped away a tear. ¡°Yes, but there has to be a limit. We¡¯re only human.¡±

    Weslan gave her arm a squeeze. ¡°We push that boundary back every day.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so strong Wes. I admire that in you,¡± she said, and smiled bravely.

    He smiled back sheepishly. ¡°I have to get back to work.¡±

    As he returned to his office, he wondered if he really believed what he¡¯d said.

    ¡°What¡¯s up boss?¡± Kyellan Bell trudged into Reed¡¯s office, eager to be pulled away from the mindless work of reading the researcher¡¯s messages and listening to their conversations. He stopped when he saw that Reed looked pensive. Something had to be up.

    ¡°Everything fine with the science team?¡± Reed asked.

    Bell chuckled. ¡°I heard the Madam put the screws on that kid. She sure knows how to hurt people; I¡¯ll give her that. No wonder they¡¯re so well behaved. I¡¯d have told you if there was trouble¡ªmy guys are going brain dead with nothing to do.¡±

    ¡°Garron¡¯s detachment will take over. I have a new job for you.¡± Reed pulled out maps of the region, flattening them out on his desk.

    Bell¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Are we finally being let outside to play?¡± he asked, daring to get his hopes up.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Reed replied. ¡°Madam Rayker has determined that we should begin the collection of subjects for transformation. You¡¯ll take your detachment down to the farms and set up shop.¡±

    Bell stroked the small beard he had been working on. ¡°That¡¯s a tough one. It¡¯s a two-week hike down to the farms, and you want me to manage both kidnapping and transportation? I have enough security for maybe five per trip, so it¡¯s going to be slow.¡±

    Reed nodded as he examined the passes the team had mapped out over the years. ¡°Once we have the first drones ready, we¡¯ll send them down to you. Based on the strength we saw in the first test; they should be able to manage the rough north route quickly, which will speed up the transit.¡±

    Bell felt his gut tighten. ¡°And they¡¯ll be¡­ manageable, right?¡±

    ¡°Put it this way,¡± Reed said, giving him a significant look. ¡°If they aren¡¯t, you¡¯ll never hear from us again.¡±

    Bell shook his head as memories of the mountain climber surfaced in his mind. Still, this had always been the plan, and it was high time to put it into motion. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, ¡°and what kind of subjects are we talking about? Men, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Start with isolated men first, or word will spread quickly¡ªbut find a woman for the first batch, and we¡¯ll see how that works out. Under no circumstances are children to be harmed, or they¡¯ll send militias after you.¡±

    ¡°There are a lot of homesteaded families.¡±

    ¡°Avoid them,¡± Reed said. ¡°Get creative. Or would you like to entertain the thought of what Madam Rayker will do to you if you compromise this project?¡±

    Bell sighed. ¡°I think I¡¯ll keep my imagination on our eventual victory.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Masters of a whole planet. Can I get my own tropical island?¡±

    Reed laughed. ¡°We¡¯ve penciled you in for the frozen north, actually.¡±

    A month later, Bell was nursing stiff legs while he sat in a muddy ditch somewhere on the Lanstead farming plain. A stolen truck¡ªlights on and one of his men in the cab¡ªsat in the middle of the main road, while the rest waited in cover for the vehicle that was due in the next few minutes. Bell watched the horizon through night vision goggles. When light bloomed in the distance, he sat up and tapped his radio¡¯s transmit key, sending a burst of static as a signal to the squad. The soldiers were tense, since it had become clear that the colonists were well armed and alert for danger, despite the scarcity of animal attacks in recent months.

    The team had completed the long hike out of the mountains and set up camp in the foothills overlooking the scattered farm settlements. They sent out patrols to covertly observe the landscape. At night they explored, getting as close to the homesteads as they dared, in order to learn the dependencies and weaknesses of the sleeping colonists. During the day, they watched the roads and traffic, identifying patterns of life that would help them set up their first ambushes.

    The truck now closing on them had made its daily delivery of wood to the local construction crew and was returning on schedule to a distant sawmill, closer to the forests. The villages in the area had replenished their stockpiles, and further deliveries would not be needed for several weeks. The sawmill would assume the driver had returned to his secondary job, working as a mechanic, alone on his small property. It would be some time before his absence was noticed.

    The vehicle came to a halt. The Special Forces soldier¡ªdressed in local rags¡ªjumped out of his own cab and waved, before gesturing at it helplessly. The truck driver stepped onto the road holding a shotgun, but after he inspected the scene, he threw it back inside.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, buddy?¡± he called.

    ¡°My brakes gave out,¡± explained the soldier. ¡°Had to roll to a stop. I don¡¯t know, they seemed fine when I checked them last week.¡±

    The driver shook his head as he approached. ¡°Can¡¯t be half-assing inspections out here, son. Your accent is kind of strange. Where¡¯re you from?¡±

    ¡°Rackeye; came down on a long-haul assignment.¡±

    The driver laughed. ¡°Okay, that explains it. Let me take a quick look for you.¡±

    As the man bent down by a wheel, Bell emerged from the ditch, silenced weapon raised, as the soldier grabbed his target with a chokehold. If he failed, and the target got away or started to yell, Bell would be ready to drop him. Once the driver was unconscious, the rest of the team moved in, cuffing and muzzling the prisoner before securing him under their truck¡¯s tarpaulin. Two men took the delivery truck, and they drove both vehicles back to the hide site.

    They dumped the unconscious prisoner into the makeshift pit they had dug, to join four others. Bell¡¯s eyes lingered on the torn clothes of a quietly sobbing woman. He wanted to indulge his urges, but he probably wouldn¡¯t get away with it. His detachment had developed their own dynamic over the years. Some were high-aptitude criminals, though others believed at least in the true purpose and morality of the League, if not its current leadership. They would not tolerate him crossing certain lines. His personal tastes would have to wait until after the fall of Caldera.

    ¡°Dawson,¡± he said to one of the pit guards. ¡°Five is enough. Let¡¯s move this group to the lab. Get them dressed in cold weather gear and pack your rucks.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 41

    ¡°Okay,¡± said a Ranger cadre dressed in camouflage fatigues. ¡°Who can tell me the mortality rate of an expectant mother giving birth for the first time¡ªbefore the onset of agricultural society? No priests, healers, or village midwife. Just you and your friends in a cave. Any guesses?¡±

    Kayla shivered with excitement while the class of fifty Rangers pondered the question. They were sitting on a grassy field near the edge of a runway. Behind the cadre, a group of airplanes were fueling on the tarmac, and it had become common knowledge amongst the girls that they were going to jump out of them.

    Day one of the six-month Ranger School had begun. The dozen immortal warriors that now stood before the class were going to train Kayla in everything she needed to know to be one of the most dangerous women in the galaxy. As interesting as the rhetorical question was, she was impatient to get airborne. Seated beside her, Rose, Thandi, and a few of the others looked pale as they eyed the aircraft.

    Christie raised a hand. ¡°One to five percent,¡± she suggested.

    ¡°Way off,¡± the cadre replied. ¡°The actual number was fifteen percent. Today, women like you have better odds because you¡¯ve been raised with good diets and healthcare. But, throughout most of human existence, you would have effectively been rolling a die. Once agriculture and civilization started to develop, the lifetime death rate for all mothers dropped to between five and ten percent. Even an upper-class woman in the Middle Ages, upon announcing she was pregnant, would be encouraged to write her will. Since the revolution of modern medicine about six hundred years ago, childbirth, and life in general, have been relatively safe. That¡¯s three hundredths of a percent of the history of the human species.

    ¡°So, for a tiny sliver of our existence, an extremely privileged group of people have been able to live free of the fear of an untimely death. Unfortunately, as you have learned throughout your training, this is not a gift¡ªthe shelter stands firm because of the people that stand at the edge of it, risking their lives to push the darkness back.¡±

    The cadre watched the silent Rangers before continuing. ¡°The business of the infantry is to close with and kill the enemy. That means the enemy will have a chance to kill you. Dice will be rolled. You have endured so much pain and misery because you want the strongest possible odds on your side. While the rest of the world tries to ignore the anxiety of getting on a shuttlecraft to their summer vacation resort, you will crawl through the mud to meet your destiny face to face. For this, you will receive no recognition beyond the respect of the women around you.¡±

    She paused as she glanced at her colleagues, then looked back to the seated Rangers. ¡°Deep within all of you is the desire to confront evil and overcome it. We will teach you how to do this, and how to do it better than anything else in the galaxy. Then, when you meet the darkness, you will crush it beneath your boot.¡±

    The class was silent. Kayla buzzed with energy. If they told her to jump off a cliff, she would do so without hesitation.

    The cadre gestured to the runway. ¡°We will begin by throwing you out of an airplane.¡±

    The girls were broken into groups of twelve. While most of the class were led away to classrooms, the other cadre members approached Kayla¡¯s group and paired off with each of them. The Rangers were told the basics of tandem skydiving, then fitted with a harness. Once they were all ready, the cadre shepherded them to a large idling airplane and loaded them on board.

    The engines roared to life, and the aircraft sped down the runway. Kayla stared through a window and beamed as she watched the world fall away from her until the surrounding hills resembled a model landscape. Opposite her on the plane, Thandi and Rose¡¯s jaws were clenched. They looked subdued, though they didn¡¯t fail to respond to instructions.

    The plane¡¯s side door popped open, and the engine noise was drowned out by rushing air. A cadre clipped Kayla¡¯s harness into her own, before shuffling them both awkwardly over towards the opening.

    ¡°Last chance to back out, Barnes!¡± the cadre yelled in her ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Kayla shouted back.

    The cadre slapped her shoulder, braced her hands on the outer skin of the aircraft, then pushed them both into the void.

    Kayla¡¯s stomach dropped as a rush of panic threatened to overwhelm her, and the horizon spun in circles until the cadre managed to stabilize them. Kayla was able to watch the ground rising up to meet her as the wind rushed past her face. Shortly after, there was a pop, and she felt her shoulders jerked backwards as the chute deployed. Then she was hanging idly in the breeze, watching as more canopies blossomed above her, while the sound of girls shrieking in delight reached her ears.

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    Kayla didn¡¯t think she would ever be happier. They were going to pay her to do this for the rest of her life; even for eternity if she wanted.

    ¡°Cadre,¡± she said cheerfully, ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention that time. I think I need to go again.¡±

    The woman behind her chuckled as she reached for the risers and began to steer the canopy. ¡°You¡¯ll get plenty of jumps, don¡¯t you worry.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever have a chute failure?¡±

    ¡°Sure, three times now. But I cut away each time, and the reserve chutes did their job. We¡¯ll teach you that procedure that once we get down.¡±

    Kayla pondered for a moment. She was unable to keep her mind from delving into darker corners. ¡°Has anyone¡¯s reserve failed?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± said the woman nonchalantly. ¡°Fortunately, if that had happened today, I would have used you to cushion my body from the impact. So I wouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡±

    Kayla cackled at the joke.

    ¡°But in all seriousness, your enhanced body can survive the fall¡ªthough you won¡¯t be walking so well afterward.¡±

    Hoping she wouldn¡¯t have to experience that for herself, Kayla turned her attention back to the scenic descent.

    Once she got down onto the drop zone and unclipped from her jumper, Kayla watched while the others landed. Thandi was still pale, focused on her breathing rhythm, while Rose walked away from her cadre on shaking legs. Christie appeared pleased with the day¡¯s fun.

    To Kayla¡¯s immense disappointment, it would be a while before she would be allowed to jump again. While other Rangers walked out to the airplanes, Kayla¡¯s group took their place in a classroom to study the theory and practice of parachute jumping. Over the next few days, they learned the drills required for opening, cutaway, and reserve chute deployment, and practiced them until they were bored stiff. Then they jumped into vertical wind chambers to learn control and stability techniques.

    Finally, the Rangers made their first solo jump, with cadre jumpers falling alongside them to watch for problems. Kayla hadn¡¯t thought there was anything she would enjoy more than climbing, but she placed skydiving first on that list. Spinning wildly while hurtling toward the ground, with her life in her own hands, was a thrill beyond comparison.

    As they lined up to the plane for another jump, she wrapped her arms around a shaken Thandi, who was repeating her breathing routine like it was a religious mantra.

    ¡°I feel like a big kid,¡± Kayla crowed. ¡°How can a job be this much fun?¡±

    Thandi turned a foul expression on her. ¡°Do you enjoy anything that isn¡¯t completely terrifying?¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°I like horses too.¡±

    ¡°My cousin was once kicked by a horse!¡± Thandi snapped. ¡°He was in hospital for a month!¡±

    Kayla shrugged helplessly.

    Once basic parachute jumping had been mastered, the Rangers concluded several large-scale exercises, including a night jump. After landing on the blacked-out landing zone in night-vision goggles, they packed away chutes and withdrew into the cover of a nearby forest as rapidly as possible. Kayla tried to contain her disappointment, as the successful jump marked the end of parachute training.

    The course continued with the less exciting business of land navigation, which the Rangers had to learn all over again, with their new abilities. A mountain that would previously have taken a whole day to summit could now be climbed within an hour, especially as they could take more difficult paths. Kayla¡¯s spirits flagged, while the other Rangers scrambled excitedly across steep slopes that she found to be unchallenging.

    She brightened up when the cadre produced helmets, ropes, and harnesses. The class was taught the basics of climbing and rappelling. They swung beneath cliff faces thousands of feet high, hauled hundreds of pounds of equipment up ropes, and struggled to ignore gut-wrenching drops as they reached for shaky handholds. None of the class faltered in the training, though Rose and Thandi were relieved when the ¡®spider-girl¡¯ portion of the phase ended.

    Next, they were taken to a pool for water familiarization. The girls swam and dove, while the cadre encouraged them to sit at the bottom of the pool for as long as they could. Once the terror of drowning began to leave the Rangers, they discovered they could stay underwater for upwards of twenty minutes on a single deep breath. Then, they were taken out to sea to dive amongst the coral reefs without equipment.

    After the free dives, they moved to diving with oxygen and spent hours exploring the deepest trenches of Tyr¡¯s oceans. Several miles below the surface, they experienced a pitch-black world of nightmarish looking but harmless creatures. Though the class had been taught about the dangers of disorientation, one Ranger had to be rescued when she panicked, attempting to tear off her mask in a claustrophobic fit.

    Once dive training was complete, they moved on to boat handling, then kayaking in white water and over long distances. They learned to drive the all-terrain Caracal, the Ranger¡¯s standard ground transport¡ªthen they visited some of Tyr¡¯s tallest snowy peaks to learn skiing and more advanced hiking skills, from route setting through dangerous terrain to winter survival.

    The flood of information was intense and exhausting. Kayla felt like she was trying to drink through a fire hose. One week she was looking out over breathtaking valleys, trying to make sure she didn¡¯t lose her footing and fall into a thousand-foot void. The next, she was drifting with exotic fish on a lagoon seabed, or paddling an inflatable boat as a team through the surf zone, getting tipped over and dunked into the maelstrom.

    She started to imagine she had signed up for some kind of adventure holiday, but as the course¡¯s Movement Phase ended, the cadre reminded the class not to get overconfident. The novice Rangers had only been given basic familiarity with the techniques they had covered. More intense, expert training would be provided once they reached their unit, and depending on the type of operations they would be involved in.

 Part 2 - Chapter 42

    Kayla exhaled, squeezed her finger gently, and broke the trigger on her pistol. The slide jumped back, and the weapon barked loudly. She¡¯d struck her target two inches left and below center at the hundred-yard range.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, Barnes, but you¡¯re still twitching the sights a little,¡± explained the shooting cadre next to her. ¡°You¡¯re anticipating the shot¡ªmoving to absorb the recoil before it even happens.¡±

    Kayla grinned. ¡°I guess I¡¯m a little impatient to get to the point.¡±

    ¡°For sure,¡± the cadre smiled. ¡°And I¡¯m not saying that you should be trying to get that perfectly controlled shot in the middle of a gunfight. But, if you develop the basic skills as much as you can, you¡¯re going to improve your performance under stress. Do you dry fire?¡±

    Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°In your downtime, empty your service pistol and rack the slide to set the trigger, then aim and shoot, and be sure to watch the sights carefully.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that,¡± Kayla promised, hungry for any advice that would make her better.

    ¡°Do it about a million times and you¡¯ll be shooting at a high level,¡± the cadre finished.

    The next part of the course was named Combat Phase, and the intensity didn¡¯t let up. Before any of the girls were let near a weapon, they were ushered into classrooms to cover the basics of gun safety. The cadre began by showing them a graphic video from another class of a Ranger accidentally discharging her weapon and killing a nearby girl.

    ¡°Who wants to kill their best friend today?¡± The cadre asked dispassionately, while the stunned class watched the horror on the young woman¡¯s face.

    An accidental, or negligent discharge was one of the most serious crimes any member of the organization could commit¡ªeven grounds for instant dismissal. The girls saw this lesson driven home several weeks into the course, when a particularly excitable Ranger shot her rifle into the sand while walking back from a gun range. She was led away, begging and pleading, taken to the Physio-development center to have her nanite¡¯s flushed out before being sent home.

    The Rangers saw only expressions of contempt on the faces of the cadre as the class was lined up for a speech from the course¡¯s director on the seriousness of their new profession.

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t a one-off case,¡± shouted a furious officer. ¡°You¡¯re all starting to act like you wandered into fantasy land! Playing at wonder woman and getting high on life? Consider this your wake-up call because mistakes in this organization are usually rewarded with death; either yours, or your teammates. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± the class solemnly chorused.

    They trained on every small-arms weapons system, from pistols and rifles, to shotguns, and machine guns. They learned to field strip, clean and maintain all of them, then went back and focused on the standard service pistol and carbine until they could reassemble them blindfolded.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Christie observed to a cadre member, ¡°that you still depend on explosive driven bullets. Why don¡¯t you use rail accelerated, or laser weapons? Other security forces do.¡±

    ¡°We use advanced charges to get high muzzle velocity, so you can shoot an effective round out to four thousand yards from the carbine,¡± explained the woman. ¡°But ninety percent of all combat engagements will occur at around three hundred yards anyway. I don¡¯t care how good a shot you are; you¡¯re not hitting anything at extreme range whilst bullets are cracking past your head. But another reason is dependability¡ªbullets almost never misfire, and mechanical stoppages are easy to fix. All the sophisticated weapons you describe are well and good in a controlled, civilized environment, but if you¡¯re alone on a barren planet, and your fancy, electronics-dependent laser-rifle malfunctions, what are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Panic?¡± suggested Christie. The other Rangers laughed.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± the cadre continued. ¡°We always prepare for the worst-case scenario, and we¡¯re not often disappointed. But consider the basic laws of physics. Energy weapons can be interfered with or neutralized, plasma can be dispersed, and there are electro-magnetic fields which can slow the beams from particle weapons. But there¡¯s nothing besides a strong slab of matter that can block the destructive energy of a high-speed mass projectile.¡±

    Once weapons were mastered, the cadre switched to basic infantry skills; movement to contact, reacting to ambushes, patrolling, and finally room clearing. Almost every drill Kayla practiced was dependent on smooth, coordinated execution by a team of Rangers. They were required to move and react in harmony, like dancers in a ballet. But sometimes, others in her fire team were slow or awkward, and she struggled to wait for them to catch up. Kayla couldn¡¯t help feeling a flash of jealousy when she saw that Rose excelled in those drills.

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    ¡°Skill is engrained in muscle memory,¡± explained the cadre when the class showed less than total enthusiasm for repeating another exercise. ¡°Combat is a terrifying storm of chaos and confusion. You will be high on adrenaline, you will be physically exhausted, shaking and unable to focus. The only thing that will save you is skill repetition, until you can no longer get it wrong. Most people believe that when fate calls upon them, they will rise to the occasion. They believe this because they live sheltered, comfortable lives that allow them to indulge in fantasy. But don¡¯t take my word for it.¡±

    The Rangers were told to stand in a widely spaced row in a field, while a distant sniper engaged targets placed between them. They were given a simple list of ten words to memorize and repeat once they got back, which they all failed to do. Kayla would never forget the terrible paralysis she felt as supersonic rounds cracked past her head. After that reminder, the class threw themselves back into the grind with greater energy.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be pretty useless in your first firefight,¡± a cadre told them, once they had completed the last day of Combat Phase. ¡°Have faith that your experienced squad leaders will keep you shooting and moving as you should be. With time and experience, you¡¯ll become the master of yourself and your abilities.¡±

    ¡°That is a big drop,¡± Thandi said with a grimace.

    Kayla looked down the two-hundred-foot chasm. A thirty-foot gulf separated their squad from the opposite cliff face, beyond which lay the objective they were supposed to reach. She wondered if she could jump the gap.

    ¡°These contours don¡¯t show any kind of ravine,¡± Rose muttered with frustration as she peered at a map.

    She was the squad leader for the exercise, and therefore responsible for leading Kayla, Thandi, and five other Rangers to victory. They had entered the final Maneuver Phase of the training course, which had begun with classroom study of small unit tactics. Together with the basic drills they had practiced in the previous phase, the girls had learned how to confront realistic battle scenarios as a team. Now they were in full combat gear, armed with rifles loaded with wax bullets, and ready to shoot the training cadre¡¯s ¡®opposing force¡¯, or get shot by them.

    ¡°I told you Rose,¡± Kayla said. ¡°They gave us inaccurate maps.¡±

    Rose¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°But how do you know that?¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°I expect the unexpected. Every-time they send us off on our own they start messing with us.¡±

    She looked back at the rest of the squad and barely suppressed a snarl of frustration. The other girls had taken advantage of the confused pause in their advance to prop themselves against trees or boulders and let their eyes droop.

    ¡°Hey Cheng,¡± Kayla snapped. ¡°What the hell happened to ¡®everybody leads¡¯? Why don¡¯t you get off your ass and come take a look?¡±

    Ranger Cheng Juan Shen¡¯s eyes remained shut as she slowly shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ve overcome some difficult leadership challenges today,¡± she said, ¡°and now we¡¯re following Rose, which means we¡¯re all going to get shot.¡±

    A few giggles broke out from the squad, which Rose ignored, though her cheeks turned pink. Thandi inspected a distant tree line through her rifle scope, and said nothing.

    Kayla inhaled slowly. The instructors punished mistakes with a merciless volley of harmless, but painful training bullets, and Rose had been making more than her fair share of mistakes. She also didn¡¯t ask for advice, or listen to any that was offered.

    Through a gap in the trees, Kayla saw distant rolling hills. Christie was out there somewhere, working on another scenario with other Rangers. Kayla yearned to join her, if only to get a break from her own difficult squad leader. But that was not Ranger thinking. Decisions had to be made, regardless of who was technically in charge. Everyone had to step up.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla said. ¡°We know this is the right approach to the hilltop, so let¡¯s jump the chasm.¡±

    Cheng sat up, her eyes snapping wide open. ¡°Are you freaking serious?¡±

    The other Rangers in the squad looked similarly concerned.

    Thandi rubbed a deep blue bruise on her neck where an instructor¡¯s wax bullet had made her pay for moving too slowly. ¡°That¡¯s a big gap. You don¡¯t think we can go around it?¡±

    Rose sighed as her finger traced a route on her map. ¡°Not without leaving the cover of the trees. Unless we backtrack and head around to the eastern approach.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too far,¡± Kayla said. ¡°We¡¯ll get a late penalty. Look, this is a totally manageable jump. You have to believe in your new abilities.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stronger than us,¡± Thandi protested.

    Kayla thumped her shoulder. ¡°Only a bit¡ªyou can totally handle this.¡±

    Thandi shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to believe that.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have to learn it firsthand.¡±

    ¡°What if I fall?¡±

    Kayla looked down the ravine again, to a stream that frothed white over nasty looking rocks. She had to admit that, although¡ªaccording to the cadre¡ªshe might survive a fall like that, she wouldn¡¯t necessarily want to.

    ¡°You¡¯ll live,¡± she said. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re not going to flake out on me like you did on the big wall?¡±

    Thandi¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°It was a thousand-foot drop! Even the cadre told you to stop climbing!¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay. Sorry for ruffling your feathers.¡±

    Thandi glared at her. ¡°Lord how I hate you sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Stand back girls,¡± Kayla declared.

    They watched with appalled expressions as she backed off a short distance, broke into a sprint, then leaped over the gap. She hit the other side and collapsed into a roll. Once she got back to her feet and dusted off her hands, she turned back with a smirk on her face. ¡°Well, now you can¡¯t leave me here,¡± she called. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be teamwork, would it?¡±

    ¡°No sweat!¡± an angry-looking Rose yelled as she aimed her rifle. ¡°I¡¯ve got the perfect solution! Friendly fire happens all the time, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not even a risk!¡± Kayla called. ¡°You can easily make that distance.¡± She let her smile widen encouragingly, while she tried to ignore the part of her mind screaming at her in disbelief at what she had just done.

    ¡°You¡¯ll catch me, won¡¯t you, if something goes wrong?¡± Thandi yelled.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll probably just watch and laugh,¡± Kayla shot back.

    ¡°Yeah, funny! Oh, lord¡­ okay. Um¡­ get ready?¡±

    Kayla walked to the edge and moved into a stance, ready to catch her friend. ¡°I got you!¡±

    Thandi backed away from the gap, broke into a run, and jumped at the last moment. She sailed through the air, collided with Kayla, and they both fell to the ground. Thandi screamed in delight and punched the air as she jumped to her feet. ¡°That was awesome!¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 43

    Once the others found the courage to make the jump, the squad advanced quickly along the ridge until they approached the hilltop they were supposed to take. Through a break in the trees, Rose studied the peak with her rifle scope, while Kayla looked over her shoulder. Behind them, the rest of their squad took cover as they waited for a plan.

    Though she had ideas of her own, Kayla was happy to wait for Rose¡¯s orders. As far as she was concerned, their rivalry was long dead, and even more importantly, the princess needed to start acting like a Ranger.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Well,¡± Rose said, ¡°the obvious approach would be to follow the forest up along the ridgeline. Keep the cover of the trees until we get below the summit. It¡¯s quite exposed at the top, so the defenders won¡¯t have too much of an advantage.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Kayla began to turn to the others, but hesitated. Rose still looked pensive.

    ¡°But the thing is,¡± Rose said, ¡°that¡¯s just too obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Because it¡¯s the right move.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ won¡¯t the cadre be expecting us to do that?¡±

    Kayla inhaled slowly. ¡°Yes. They are expecting us to demonstrate the basic tactics we¡¯ve been taught.¡±

    ¡°But it could be a trick,¡± Rose protested. ¡°They could have set up an ambush in the forest. What if they want us to think beyond the obvious? You said yourself they keep messing with us.¡±

    ¡°You are overthinking the problem,¡± Kayla said, and smiled politely. It would not be a good day if they all got shot again.

    Rose raised her scope again. ¡°Look, if we go below the ridge, we can approach the summit from the other side. There¡¯s a rock formation there, and we¡¯ll have much better cover from the top.¡±

    Kayla closed her eyes and counted to three. She took a breath and raised her own scope to examine the path Rose was indicating.

    ¡°Well,¡± she said after a moment of contemplation, ¡°we would leave the cover of the trees and be completely visible to everyone on the hill. Then, when we passed beneath that line of rocks, we would be shot to pieces by the machinegun that they have definitely placed to cover that approach.¡± Kayla pointed to the top of the slope.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±

    ¡°No, but that¡¯s the point. It¡¯s the perfect defensive position, with excellent fields of fire down the hillside, and they want to know that we are smart enough to go around it.¡±

    Rose pursed her lips. ¡°I think that¡¯s too simple. We should do what they don¡¯t expect us to do.¡±

    There was a rustle nearby, and Kayla¡¯s head snapped around.

    Thandi, had evidently been listening in to the conversation, and was low crawling over to join them. ¡°Girls,¡± she said, ¡°I have too many bruises already. Can we please not screw this one up?¡±

    ¡°Rose,¡± Kayla said carefully. ¡°Remember the conversation we had about not trying to outsmart everyone all the time?¡±

    ¡°Do I need to remind you,¡± Rose said testily, ¡°that I have been placed in charge of the squad for this exercise?¡±

    Kayla began to grind her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m really trying to help you out here.¡±

    ¡°And I think that if we go through the forest, we will be ambushed,¡± Rose said.

    ¡°It will be a much weaker ambush, because we will have trees to hide behind.¡±

    Rose glared at her. ¡°Why is it that you still think you know everything? I have made a decision Kayla. Are you going to respect it?¡±

    Kayla rubbed a bruise on the back of her neck. Her mind was gradually tuning itself to the wavelength of the training and the organization. She suspected that sometimes the human spirit did not respond to a rational argument, and would even fight any attempt to sacrifice the ego¡¯s most cherished foundations. Only unforgettable pain could break down such strong psychological barriers.

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    Though she feared the humiliation and punishment they would certainly receive, she nodded her head. ¡°I disagree, Rose. But I¡¯m with you. Lead on.¡±

    ¡°My whole body is a bruise,¡± Thandi wailed, as they sat outside their tents in the training camp.

    ¡°You¡¯ll heal,¡± Kayla said as she flicked at her nails with a knife.

    Christie, back from her own successful exercise, had set up a coffee grinder, while the rest of them tried to meditate through the pain.

    Rose¡¯s squad had followed her plan. As they climbed the hill, traversing the exposed slope, a cadre¡¯s machinegun opened up, easily bouncing wax bullets off their bodies. Once the agonizing hail subsided, the Rangers were stood up by the instructors and asked if they thought themselves to be out on a casual day¡¯s hike? Had they all hit their heads on rocks during their approach, and become stunned with idiocy? In fact, the instructors insisted, they had obviously grown arrogant. Severe disciplinary action would be needed if they did not extract their craniums from their rectums and pay attention to the basic tactics the overworked and underpaid instructors had wasted much time to instill in them.

    Now back at the large campsite they called Tent City, word was spreading about Rose¡¯s latest disaster, and other girls were making jokes about her. Rose had hidden herself in her tent, and refused to come out.

    ¡°Ow dammit!¡± Kayla¡¯s fingers slipped, and the blade drew blood. ¡°That really hurt,¡± she complained, sucking the cut.

    Christie passed a mug of hot coffee to Thandi. ¡°Might we conclude,¡± she suggested, ¡°that hacking off pieces of your body with a combat knife might not be a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous¡ªthis thing can do everything,¡± Kayla retorted, proudly twirling the knife in her hand. A misjudged flick sent the blade spinning into a nearby bush with Kayla in hot pursuit, and she returned looking embarrassed. ¡°I just have to get good with it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to remind me of a cat, you know,¡± Christie said.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m cute and cuddly?¡±

    ¡°Because you couldn¡¯t care less about anyone¡¯s opinion, and when you get excited you tear up the furniture.¡±

    ¡°I have sharp claws too,¡± Kayla grinned, eyes gleaming as she stroked the knife¡¯s edge.

    Christie sipped on her coffee. ¡°And I saw you passed out on a rock this morning. I will never understand how you can possibly sleep in such uncomfortable positions.¡±

    ¡°Total physical exhaustion helps.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad metaphor¡ªcomparing cats to soldiers, I mean,¡± Christie continued. ¡°They play fight, train, or sleep. Or amuse themselves by breaking things.¡±

    ¡°You just described all predators,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Full time killers work on their skills all day every day, or else they¡¯d fail at hunting. The prey is working just as hard on staying alive. Whoever takes a day off loses.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°I suppose this is the point of Valkyrie, really. To quote Vegetius: ¡®How worthy of admiration are these people particularly applying themselves to the study of an art, without which no other art can possibly exist.¡¯¡±

    Kayla gave her an unimpressed look. ¡°You see, you had to read that in a book. Growing up on a farm, I just watched animals all day. I guess my meager country education made me just as smart as you after all.¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow. ¡°A bold statement from a woman who just sliced her own finger open.¡±

    Kayla chuckled. ¡°Yeah, well, I have better shot groupings than you.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I fell out of a tree and hit every branch on the way down,¡± Thandi said as she nursed her hot drink. She looked around as if searching for sympathy.

    Rose emerged from her tent, her face a picture of misery. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    Thandi just shook her head.

    Kayla waved dismissively. ¡°Forget it. You won¡¯t be making that mistake again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why it keeps happening,¡± Rose said. She reached gratefully for the mug that Christie offered.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get there eventually,¡± Kayla said.

    Rose glared at her. ¡°You¡¯re certainly in your element. I suppose you think this should be easy for everyone?¡±

    ¡°Everyone screws up and gets shot, me included.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit more embarrassing when you¡¯re the class loser.¡±

    Kayla sighed and rubbed her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you fixate on that¡ªif you focused on following the lessons you wouldn¡¯t be getting wound up in your head and making dumb mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I get it,¡± Rose said angrily. ¡°I¡¯m the useless idiot that can¡¯t get anything right. Spare me the lecture, won¡¯t you? I¡¯ve had enough to deal with for one day.¡±

    The girls fell into an awkward silence.

    ¡°Frankly, I find this phase to be such a bore,¡± Christie said.

    ¡°Because you also suck as a squad leader,¡± Kayla replied.

    Christie shook her head. ¡°But there is no knowledge, no preparation. It¡¯s all so artificial.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on to something there, Chris,¡± Thandi said, as she looked around suspiciously. ¡°Like we¡¯re in some kind of¡­ training camp.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you may well mock me,¡± Christie said, ¡°but I don¡¯t feel stimulated. Hide behind a rock, shoot the enemy. We might as well be wearing furs and waving clubs about. Defeating the enemy is as much about observation¡ªfor months if need be. Get inside their heads, understand their assumptions and weaknesses. Learn their patterns and find the perfect countermove before the battle even starts.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes I think you just can¡¯t wait to be the board master, moving us all around like chess pieces,¡± Thandi said.

    Kayla nodded. ¡°And that¡¯s so unlike an Earther,¡± she said sarcastically.

    ¡°But of course, and when I have to sacrifice a pawn,¡± Christie turned and stared at Kayla, ¡°rest assured I won¡¯t hesitate.¡±

    Kayla winked back at her. ¡°Love you too Chris.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to admit, you love shooting,¡± Thandi said, to general agreement. Everybody loved shooting. ¡°It¡¯s the smell,¡± she continued. ¡°I need to get that in a perfume somehow¡ªLord, it¡¯s intoxicating. Can you imagine? ¡®Firepower pour femme¡¯.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 44

    A cadre member pushed a button at the back of the aircraft, lowering the cargo ramp to reveal the screaming void beyond. Inside the plane, a dozen pairs of anxious eyes looked out.

    ¡°Okay ladies, this is your final exercise,¡± shouted the cadre over the roaring engines. ¡°If you do not die, you will graduate from Ranger School and be posted to a real unit to begin operations in the field.¡±

    The combat exercises had ended, and the Rangers finished the last week of Maneuver Phase in the classroom, discussing the theory of maneuver warfare. That morning, they had been dragged out of their bunks at dawn, told to dress in basic PT clothes, and were then driven to an airfield.

    An instructor handed each of them plastic-wrapped maps of the region, which they were to secure to their wrists with a cord loop. Then they were ushered onto an aircraft, while planes carrying groups of Rangers raced down the landing strip, climbing away and heading in different directions over the hills of Tyr. Tired, confused, and nervous, Kayla exchanged glances and shrugs with the others. Eventually, the engines of their own transport started up, and they were airborne.

    Now, after less than an hour of flying, the girls had no idea where they were, or what new ordeal was in store for them.

    ¡°In this organization,¡± the cadre yelled over the background noise, ¡°we believe personal experience is the best teacher. You have gotten to know your enhanced bodies, but you need one final lesson to underscore how tough you can be. We are now approximately one hundred miles from Tent City at one thousand feet in altitude.¡± She grinned. ¡°Your objective is simple; when instructed, you will exit this aircraft, and navigate your way back to the camp. Should take you about two to three days.¡±

    ¡°Where are the parachutes?¡± Kayla asked. She hadn¡¯t seen any on board, and was praying they had been stored out of sight.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need one,¡± the cadre said. ¡°Your bodies can survive the fall.¡±

    The Rangers stared back in shocked disbelief.

    ¡°Oh, Lord!¡± said Thandi. ¡°I knew there was a reason I was afraid of heights! God was trying to tell me something.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± said the instructor. ¡°Because in about thirty seconds, you will be cured of your fear!¡±

    ¡°You did the airborne training,¡± said Kayla encouragingly.

    Thandi was growing pale. ¡°That was completely different!¡± she snapped.

    Rose grabbed her by the shoulders. ¡°Come on, Thandi, we can do this. You and me¡ªwe¡¯ll go together. Remember your breathing, right?¡±

    Kayla walked up to the ramp and looked out at the world below. The trees and lakes looked small and fragile, and for a moment she imagined she could step out and float across the toy landscape. Suddenly, terror jolted her consciousness like a shock of electricity. She looked up at the cadre, hoping to see a wink, or some other sign that the whole thing was a joke.

    ¡°Once you get down, you¡¯ll be in bad shape,¡± the woman said grimly, ¡°but you¡¯ll heal quickly, and it will be the best high you¡¯ve ever experienced. Believe me.¡±

    Kayla blinked. She felt too dizzy to respond. Was the whole thing a nightmare? Was she really going to jump? Was the whole organization actually insane?

    The cadre nodded to her to go.

    Thandi, Christie, Rose, and the rest of the Rangers were lining up behind her, eyes wide as saucers. With nothing but unintelligent gibbering coming from her rational mind, Kayla settled for not thinking at all. Inhaling slowly, she stepped down the ramp and leaped into the void.

    Following her usual procedure for a jump, she stabilized into the free-fall position, then checked above her to see the other Rangers spreading across the sky. When she looked down, the ground was rising fast. The cadre said she would survive, so she assumed the position for a parachute landing fall, not sure if it would even help.

    Kayla struck the ground like a missile. Time and space collapsed in on themselves, then exploded into a flurry of chaos. The ground flexed as she bounced off it, tossing her through the air until she hit again. Her body rolled down a slope, and the world spun like a washing machine as rocks and bracken ripped her skin. She tumbled, unable to feel the pain, or even think, until she collided with a boulder. The impact tore her consciousness out from her skull, stretching it out to breaking point, before it snapped back like a rubber band.

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    Dizzy, and almost drunk with confusion, Kayla tried to breathe, but nothing happened. She willed her lungs to expand, heaving her chest until her eyes streamed tears, and she was almost retching. As air began to inflate her collapsed lungs, her senses returned, bringing a new world of agony. At least three ribs were moving strangely, punishing each breathing attempt with stabbing pain.

    Time passed, and the world swam back into focus, though her body felt like a heap of jelly. When she tried to shift her shoulder from an awkward and painful position against the rock, something clicked, and the joint wouldn¡¯t move at all. The same sensation occurred when she tried to move her left leg more than a few inches and it stopped¡ªpinned by a horrible internal break.

    Though she was in great pain, a flood of relief washed over her. She was still alive! She had passed Valkyrie¡¯s final test, though now she wasn¡¯t sure if that boded well for her future. While birds and insects flew lazy circles through the sky, Kayla lay still, wondering what had possessed her to sign up with a bunch of sadistic psychopaths.

    After an hour, she found she could move her leg again, and the agony in the rest of her body had diminished. She forced herself to her feet and limped forward. The first steps sent jolts of pain shooting through her knee, but with time, the movements got easier. The map was still tied to her wrist, so she moved towards higher ground to get her bearings and see if she could spot the others.

    As she moved slowly through the countryside, much of the pain faded, and she was eventually able to maintain a stiff walk. Euphoria began to build inside her as she thought about what she had just done, jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Now a broken leg¡ªand who knew what other injuries¡ªwere healing as she walked. She felt more alive than she had ever felt before, and she began to run awkwardly, building up speed through the grass that whipped at her legs.

    Kayla whooped and screamed as she vaulted over streams and boulders. She did handstands and backflips, she laughed, and then she cried tears of joy as she rode the rollercoaster of emotions. Once the intensity of the feeling began to dissipate, she felt a warm glow spread through her nerves. She could do anything; she would live forever, travel the galaxy, and fight epic battles with the greatest women humanity had to offer.

    Someone whistled through the still air, and Kayla looked around to see Christie cresting a rise. When they got closer, Kayla saw that she had a horrific gash in her arm, though the bleeding had already stopped.

    ¡°Incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Christie said with wonder.

    As they watched, the wound was slowly healing, cells stitching back together. It was a bizarre sight, like something out of a dream or a nightmare.

    Once they had checked each other¡¯s injuries, they headed for the nearest hilltop together, fixed their location, and set off in the direction of Tent City.

    ¡°I feel high,¡± said Christie as they walked at a fast pace. ¡°That was ¡­ insane.¡±

    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± agreed Kayla. ¡°Never felt anything like it.¡±

    ¡°And now we are Valkyrie.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Whatever that means. I just want to get the job finished.¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what will that involve?¡±

    ¡°Finding my way to whatever part of this organization can put a stop to the monsters on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Christie smiled. ¡°But do you ever wonder what all this is doing to us? Psychologically?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, we¡¯re becoming almost demi-gods, like the Amazons in Greek myth.¡±

    Kayla chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure these women were the Amazons of Greek myth.¡±

    ¡°But anyway, what does that mean?¡± Christie asked. ¡°Are we still human?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯m not sure I care.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Christie paused and reflected for a moment. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine a life after this, that¡¯s the problem.¡±

    ¡°Is it a problem?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to spend the next few decades touring the galaxy,¡± Christie said, ¡°seeing and doing incredible things. Then what? Jump straight back into the body of a typical young woman, and act like nothing happened? How do you go back to a normal life, surrounded by normal people? You could never tell them what you experienced, and even if you tried, they wouldn¡¯t understand. How can you build relationships when you have no shared reference?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Uh¡­ not sure what you¡¯re getting at.¡±

    ¡°How can you build a family with someone when the most important moments in your life will be memories to you, and fantasy to them?¡±

    ¡°You want that someday¡ªto have a family?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Christie said with a sincere expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±

    Kayla was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡­ honestly am not thinking about anything beyond tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I hope you do Kayla, you¡¯d make a good mother.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s mouth dropped open. She had never heard the slightest encouragement of that sort in her life, and certainly hadn¡¯t expected it from Christie. ¡°Uh¡ªI¡­ thanks.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be like those long timers we met on the beach or in the bar. Even Urtiga. No offense, I know you look up to her, but those are women who neither want nor need to rejoin the real world.¡±

    There was a long pause.

    ¡°You know, Christie,¡± Kayla said, ¡°five minutes ago, I felt like I was the queen of the universe. Now I¡¯m kind of bummed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 45

    As they climbed the next hill, they heard a sharp scream and raced up a ridge to investigate. Rose was sitting against a mound, white as a sheet, vomit and blood covering her t-shirt. Her leg was grotesquely inflated and bent at an odd angle.

    Thandi stood over her, looking deeply shaken. ¡°Thank God!¡± she said as Kayla and Christie ran up. ¡°I¡¯m losing my mind! She won¡¯t let me help.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she healing?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°She came down on a big rock,¡± Thandi explained. ¡°Completely shattered her leg. I don¡¯t know if this is beyond the nanite¡¯s capacity to heal, but it isn¡¯t getting better.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s feeling okay,¡± gasped Rose faintly.

    Thandi cradled her head in her hands. ¡°Rose, you crazy¡­ She won¡¯t let me carry her. Says she can walk by herself. Oh Lord, she¡¯s going to kill herself like this.¡±

    ¡°I know where my limits are, Thandi, and I have a little way to go yet,¡± said Rose, grimacing as she forced out each word.

    Kayla looked down at the wretched young woman. Rose had a lot more than a broken leg to get past before she was going anywhere.

    ¡°There is a fine line between hard-ass and dumb-ass, Rose, and it looks to me like you just jumped across it,¡± she said.

    ¡°You girls carry on,¡± Rose said. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up¡ªNo!¡± she yelled as Thandi reached down to try to pick her up.

    Kayla sat down next to her old rival. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Rose scowled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can do this. The point¡ª¡±

    ¡°The point is,¡± Kayla said flatly, ¡°Rose Djallen is worth nothing if she isn¡¯t out in front taking the universe¡¯s first prize. Billionaire heiress, dancer, elite soldier? Right?¡±

    Rose shook her head. ¡°Just go.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Nope. We¡¯re going to wait out here with you until you figure it out or we all die.¡±

    Rose didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°As a potential plan B,¡± Thandi began, cautiously, ¡°we could knock her unconscious and carry¡ªwhat?¡± She stopped as the others scowled at her. ¡°Oh, okay. Dying of thirst over several days is the plan.¡±

    ¡°When I arrived in Rackeye,¡± Kayla said, ¡°I had heard all the stories about Helvets, and I was convinced I would never meet a girl I could respect.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Rose replied.

    ¡°Yeah, I was wrong,¡± Kayla said. ¡°I met you. At first, I thought you were the most awesome person in the galaxy. Then you betrayed me.¡±

    Rose looked down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know it shouldn¡¯t have happened like that, but¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Can¡¯t risk your reputation? Can¡¯t upset the wrong people?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what it¡¯s like? What those people can do to you? To your life and your future? You act like society should be so easy.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Well, now it is that easy because you don¡¯t exist in that world anymore. You are a Valkyrie. We are your life now and you need to figure that out¡ªbut no rush. We¡¯ll wait, won¡¯t we, girls?¡±

    ¡°It would be nice to stop and enjoy the scenery,¡± Christie said as she sat cross-legged.

    Thandi gave Kayla a look of disbelief, but also dropped onto the grass.

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    Rose looked down at her leg and her stained t-shirt. She seemed to sag under the weight of the decision. ¡°What happened to pushing your limits every day?¡± she asked.

    Kayla laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think that applies when one of your limbs looks like a balloon animal. This isn¡¯t about toughness, is it? This is about your weaknesses in Maneuver Phase.¡±

    Rose said nothing.

    ¡°You know,¡± Kayla continued, ¡°I think you¡¯ve been on top of the world so long you¡¯ve forgotten what starting from the bottom looks like. Screwing up, falling flat on your face, looking like a dumbass.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°Mark her words Rose, she is the expert.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Chris,¡± Kayla said. ¡°But that¡¯s how it happens when you start down a path you¡¯ve never prepared for. You were bottom of the class for the first time in your life, and that sucks. But the cadre passed you through, and all you have to do is keep plugging away at it. You know how to do that, but you¡¯re afraid of anyone seeing you as less than perfect.¡±

    ¡°By the way,¡± Thandi said. ¡°The fact that you even tried to keep going with that leg is what¡¯s impressing me. The first time you fell was enough, though. That¡¯s your badass checkmark for today, and the next month, probably.¡±

    Rose stared into space while her mangled leg occasionally twitched. She wiped away tears. ¡°I don¡¯t know why anyone thinks I¡¯m worth anything without¡­ the other things. The money and fame and whatever. In school, I thought you wanted what everyone else did¡ªto get close to my family. Then after we fought, I thought you were jealous that you couldn¡¯t. You said you respected me, but¡­ I don¡¯t even know what that means.¡±

    ¡°It means you followed me up on the school roof, even though it terrified you,¡± Kayla said. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to know. And you¡¯ve earned your place in this insane organization, same as the rest of us. Hell, even as the squad leader, you were pushing to succeed. You were kind of pig-headed, but you weren¡¯t giving up or half-assing it.¡±

    Rose was silent for a while and refused to make eye contact. Kayla couldn¡¯t imagine that a lifetime of emotional disfunction would be easy to get past. She wanted to help, but had no idea how.

    Eventually, Rose spoke again. ¡°Leading people was terrifying and humiliating. I don¡¯t understand how you found it so easy.¡±

    Kayla snorted. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind being humiliated. But it sure wasn¡¯t easy.¡±

    Christie put her arm around Rose¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re all a little screwed up. It¡¯s going to take you a long time to figure it out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayla laughed. ¡°I mean, I think my life is meaningless unless I do stupidly dangerous things to help people. I probably need to work on that.¡±

    Rose sniffed and managed a smile. ¡°Sounds like something a colonist would think.¡±

    ¡°You might not have it figured out yet,¡± Kayla said. ¡°But I know you¡¯re a good person, and if anyone tells you you¡¯re not¡ªI¡¯ll beat the shit out of them.¡±

    ¡°Unless they¡¯re a moderately capable boxer,¡± Thandi cautioned.

    Even Rose laughed as she wiped away tears. Then she grabbed Kayla¡¯s arm and held it tightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was so mean to you,¡± she said. ¡°I was a coward.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Apology accepted.¡±

    A new warmth flooded her heart. While the soft breeze whipped the grass around them, as insects chirped happily in the sun, the world seemed to stand still. For the first time, Kayla thought she knew what serenity meant.

    The girls sat in silence for a while, each alone in their thoughts.

    ¡°Please, can you help me?¡± Rose asked softly, and without a word, Thandi and Kayla stood and hoisted her up on their shoulders.

    ¡°Let me hop for a bit,¡± Rose said. ¡°Just because¡­ I kind of want to see if I can.¡±

    ¡°You are a real headcase,¡± said Thandi.

    ¡°We can rotate so we get back in good time,¡± Christie suggested.

    They began to move off, Rose hopping awkwardly while the others supported her.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± Rose said.

    ¡°Yeah, babe?¡±

    ¡°If you drop me, I¡¯m actually going to kill you.¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t drop you.¡±

    ¡°You know how everyone gets a call-sign?¡± Thandi said. ¡°Rose is going to be ¡®Bunny¡¯.¡±

    By the time they got back to Tent City thirty-six exhausting hours later, they were carrying Rose¡¯s unconscious body over their shoulders. As the girls got close to the camp, cadre members caught sight of them and raced over with medical kits. A woman tried to take the weight from Kayla, but she abruptly pushed her aside. No-one was carrying her friend for her.

    They took Rose into the medical tent and laid her on a bed. After the cadre¡¯s medics provided what treatment they could, a dropship arrived to take her to a hospital in Tyr.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± one of the medics said, as they watched the craft disappear into the sky. ¡°Couple of months and she¡¯ll be back on her feet.¡±

    ¡°A couple of months after an injury like that?¡± Thandi said in disbelief.

    ¡°The Nanites can fix superficial wounds like cuts and small fractures very quickly,¡± the medic said. ¡°A severe skeletal break takes longer, and requires medical intervention, but it will still heal fast.¡±

    ¡°Looks like being super has its limits,¡± Christie remarked.

    Thandi, Christie and Kayla, along with the rest of the Rangers, were bussed to an administration building in Tyr city, where they received their orders. Thandi and Kayla were thrilled to see they were both assigned to the Mountain Ranger Battalion, while Christie¡¯s directions did not indicate her unit.

    ¡°Just an address in the city,¡± she said, shrugging it off.

 Part 2 - Chapter 46

    The girls awoke the next day to hangovers in Urtiga¡¯s apartment. With a couple of days to kill before they had to report to their new units, they took a day off, gorging themselves on food and alcohol while they watched Mixed Martial Arts tournaments.

    Kayla signed into the personal tablet she had been issued with her orders. She was pleasantly surprised to see that her old email account was filled with messages from Weslan.

    Hi Kayla! I was hoping to catch up with you, but I bet you probably have the same restrictions I do. No outside personal communication until I earned their trust. Hope I¡¯ll hear from you at some point! - Weslan

    She wrote back.

    Hi Weslan, sorry I missed your emails, but you¡¯re right, we didn¡¯t even have internet access for a long period. Nothing but hard work. How about you?

    When Urtiga returned from her unit training in the evening, Kayla took the opportunity to harass her with questions.

    ¡°No, Kayla, I don¡¯t know how old they are,¡± Urtiga sighed wearily as she grabbed a beer and flopped down on her couch.

    For an uncomfortable moment, Kayla was struck with the realization that she had never seen Urtiga relaxing without a drink in her hand. Of course, it wasn¡¯t any of her business what a well-respected soldier did in her free time.

    ¡°Well¡­ um¡­¡± she began.

    Urtiga rubbed her temples and sighed again. ¡°I am one hundred and forty-six years old.¡±

    ¡°Good lord,¡± Christie covered her mouth in shock. ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡±

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡ªthe universe is a fun place to explore, and I have some awesome friends.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re still only a master sergeant?¡± Christie asked, then frowned as she took in the scowls around her. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Still only a mast¡ªyou were actually born to be an officer, weren¡¯t you?¡± Urtiga said in exasperation.

    Christie arched her eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t see why knowledge and experience wouldn¡¯t be rewarded with authority.¡±

    ¡°My rank,¡± Urtiga explained, ¡°is the highest level of professional soldiering you can reach and stay in the field. Going higher means going behind a desk or becoming an officer and taking over a Ranger platoon¡ªwhich does not suit me at all. I love my job, and I am not interested in the opinion of people who think that a special badge means they can tell me how to do it.¡±

    ¡°Christie is going to be so insufferable as an officer,¡± Thandi said as she shook her head.

    ¡°Well,¡± Christie bristled, ¡°I¡¯m sure that individual expertise will always be taken into consideration.  Appropriately measured against intellectual ability, of course.¡±

    ¡°When you go to officer school,¡± Urtiga explained, ¡°you are going to have your preconceptions about ¡®authority¡¯ aggressively revised.¡±

    ¡°Urtiga, will you ever leave the organization?¡± Kayla asked.

    Urtiga took a slow swig of her beer. ¡°I have no idea. It¡¯s not something I care to think about, yet.¡±

    ¡°Does anyone leave?¡± Kayla continued as she picked at a piece of lint.

    ¡°Of course. The average service time is twenty years. Most women want to get back to reality at some point¡ªstart families, and so on. It¡¯s only the crazies like me that keep going.¡±

    ¡°Do they¡­ do well? The ones that leave?¡± Christie asked nervously.

    ¡°Mostly,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°It¡¯s a struggle though. Some can¡¯t handle it and they come back to Valkyrie. Others¡­¡± She sighed and shook her head. ¡°A couple of friends have killed themselves. It¡¯s an acknowledged problem, but nobody has any solutions.¡±

    Christie glanced at Kayla with a look of shock on her face. ¡°I feel like they might have mentioned that at some point during the introduction.¡±

    Urtiga made a gesture towards the horizon. ¡°You know where the door is.¡±

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    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°Who¡¯s the eldest Valkyrie you know of?¡±

    ¡°My old mentor¡ªHadasa Efrat. She admitted to me she was over five hundred years old. I think she had lost count of the exact number.¡±

    ¡°Five centuries at war?¡± Kayla shook her head, unable to imagine what kind of woman she would have been.

    ¡°Not really¡ªthere¡¯s a lot of downtime where not much happens. That¡¯s dangerous, because it breeds complacency, and people will get killed making stupid mistakes, or being reckless in training. Anyway, she told me that our time¡ªthe last couple of hundred years¡ªhave been relatively low intensity. When she was starting out, things were much crazier. They had a serious war going, with an organized enemy¡ªa fleet of ships, and divisions of mechanized soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Five hundred years¡ªbefore the Martian colony,¡± said Christie. She sighed. ¡°An interstellar war was taking place right over our heads, but we thought we knew everything.¡±

    The girls waited as Urtiga downed her bottle and picked up another one.

    She popped the top off and took a long gulp. ¡°One time we got into a bad situation and¡­ Hadasa got hit. We thought she was going to die. While she was lying there, she started to talk. I think she didn¡¯t want the memories to be lost. She told me that when she started Valkyrie would meet new recruits in empty fields on Earth, with stealthy dropships. They would do crazy things¡ªlike when they were figuring out how to stealthily re-enter a planet¡¯s atmosphere. Girls would just screw ceramic plates onto a steel rig with boosters, and just go for it¡ªwith no idea what they were doing.¡± Urtiga waved her bottle. ¡°Oh yeah, don¡¯t ever forget that all the knowledge and experience you have absorbed was learned in blood. Someone died to bring it to you.¡±

    Kayla felt a heavy darkness behind her eyes. She was becoming more sure that she wouldn¡¯t survive her time in the organization, but did she really care?

    Urtiga paused as she drank again. ¡°Then, she told me what her mentor had told her when she opened up. She said there had been these great and terrible wars, lasting for decades, spanning hundreds of star systems. She said Valkyrie had included millions of soldiers, and men too. They were led by a woman they all worshipped¡ªan actual goddess some said.¡±

    ¡°A Jotnar?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°No idea. But that¡¯s what she told me before she passed out.¡±

    ¡°Did she make it?¡± Kayla asked quietly.

    ¡°That time, yeah.¡± Urtiga took a swig of her beer. ¡°Some of the rumors say the Chieftains in the governing council are thousands of years old. They still go out in the field by the way, leading from the front. Not often, but they do. That¡¯s why we respect them so much.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a Chieftain named Smyrna?¡± Christie asked.

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Sim.¡±

    ¡°Smyrna was an Amazon attested to have existed before the Trojan war, around 1200 BC.¡±

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°What am I supposed to do with that information?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Christie said, ¡°given the legends, it would suggest that humans and Jotnar co-existed and at least shared technology. The Amazons were said to be the daughters of Ares, the Greek God of war, and one can easily imagine aliens and their servants being seen as ¡®god-like¡¯. Together with the evident reality of a genocide against the Jotnar, one has to wonder what exactly our leadership is capable of.¡±

    Urtiga sat in deep consideration for some time. ¡°Girls,¡± she said eventually, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of bad shit in this galaxy. I¡¯ve seen some Valkyrie do some bad things too¡ªwe aren¡¯t angels by any means. I don¡¯t know much about ancient history, but I do know what the Jotnar created¡ªon that you can consider me an expert. I can tell you that they are contemptuous of the value of life, and some of their devices¡ªwhat they can do to people¡ªshakes me to the core. I am one hundred percent certain that I would not have wanted to share the galaxy with them.¡±

    Cowed by the strength of Urtiga¡¯s conviction, Kayla absorbed her words in silence. She knew so little about what she had gotten involved in, but she had to keep going no matter what truths would be uncovered.

    She turned to Christie. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we pick up after Plato?¡±

    Christie nodded, and the girls explained to Urtiga what they had learned about Earth¡¯s history and the philosophers recruited by the Jotnar to enslave humanity.

    ¡°What Jotnar?¡± Urtiga demanded. ¡°They all died out, as far as anyone knows.¡±

    ¡°But what if some survived,¡± Kayla suggested, ¡°working from the shadows?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Urtiga said, as she sank her head back into her couch. ¡°Since you bring it up, there is a school of thought, amongst a lot of operators, that there is a faction of humans out there who know all about the Jotnar. The odds of finding something in deep space you don¡¯t even know about are millions to one. But somehow, pirates, smugglers, and other scumbags keep showing up at unsecured sites at a very alarming rate. Hell, my unit was created just to deal with that problem.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not just humans?¡± Kayla pushed.

    ¡°All I can tell you, is that it¡¯s not Valkyrie,¡± Urtiga said, and there wasn¡¯t a trace of doubt her in voice.

    ¡°But who watches the watchers?¡± Christie asked.

    In the silence that followed, she tried to maintain eye contact with Urtiga, until her cheeks turned pink and she looked away in embarrassment.

    ¡°I know a lot of girls get all starry eyed,¡± Urtiga said at last in a bored voice, ¡°once they get that nice, clean beret in their hands. They like to go on about how incredible it is to be working with other women who aren¡¯t bitches behind their back, who don¡¯t care about anything other than supporting each other.¡±

    She turned away to stare out of the window at the city outside. ¡°But they¡¯re wrong. We can be just as vicious. You¡¯re still under a microscope, and your reputation travels faster than light. Anyone who wants to start cultivating dark ambitions will get an unforgiving reaction, and if they ignore it, well¡­ There¡¯s nowhere they can run to that we won¡¯t find them.¡±

    In the silence that followed, Kayla felt herself growing hot with anger. ¡°If that¡¯s true,¡± she said bluntly, ¡°then the organization¡¯s been asleep at the wheel. Or else why the hell is someone like Rayker still on the loose?¡±

    Urtiga said nothing.

 Part 2 - Chapter 47

    Christie, cheeks still burning, cleared her throat. ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°we left Plato at his Academy, and our next subject of interest is named Epaminondas. He was an aristocrat by birth, claiming connection to the Spartoi¡ªthe mythical ancestors of Thebes. He was tutored by the Pythagorean Lysis of Tarentum, one of the original cult members who fled from Italy. However, whereas Plato taught philosophy and built his Academy, Epaminondas studied war, and became exceptionally good at it.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps supernaturally good?¡± Kayla suggested ¡°Taking advice from high places?¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°Perhaps. Well, he enjoyed a stellar military career in Thebes, taking part in several campaigns, chiefly against the Spartans. His victories paved the way for Thebes¡¯ expansion, culminating in the catastrophic destruction of the Spartan army at Leuctra in 371 BC.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kayla asked in surprise. ¡°The Spartans? The invincible badasses who trained for war from birth and never lost?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Using his new tactics¡ªthe likes of which have never been seen before¡ªEpaminondas inflicted a shocking defeat on some of Sparta¡¯s most experienced soldiers. Greece was stunned by the news, and while Sparta limped on through the next few decades, the city-state never recovered as a major power. Now, some might argue that Spartan culture had bred a stubbornly inflexible military leadership that refused to adapt, although¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡± Kayla waved her hand dismissively, ¡°This is clearly the work of aliens.¡±

    Christie smiled and bowed. ¡°But of course. Well anyway, Epaminondas continued leading Theban armies until he was killed at the Battle of Mantinea in 362 BC.¡±

    Kayla frowned. ¡°Oh, well, that thread didn¡¯t go anywhere then.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes it did, because of who his greatest student was.¡±

    ¡°Philip II of Macedon,¡± said Thandi. ¡°Best known for being the father of Alexander the Great, and less well known for building the revolutionary army that enabled his son to conquer the known world.¡±

    ¡°Quite so,¡± Christie said. ¡°In 368 BC, Philip II studied in Thebes directly under Epaminondas, and when he returned to Macedonia, he began putting his knowledge to work. You see, from the Pythagorean point of view, secret societies have failed. Plato¡¯s philosophy isn¡¯t going anywhere yet, though later it will have a huge impact on Rome. The cult¡¯s only hope to enslave humanity is by conquest. Philip created the Macedonian Phalanx, developed combined arms and maneuver tactics, and introduced a professional soldier class regulated by a code of conduct. He forged the weapon that Alexander would wield to conquer the world.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Literally a revolutionary weapon in the Sarissa, the twenty-foot spear, right? New technology for the aristocrats to play with.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Christie finished, and sat back.

    ¡°Yeah, Philip changed everything,¡± Thandi said. ¡°With his powerful new army, he was facing disorganized, squabbling city-states. He was able to conquer most of Greece, until his death in 336 BC, at which point the young Alexander takes over, finishing the job the following year.¡±

    She grimaced. ¡°His mother, Olympias, was another psycho cultist too. She joined the cult of Dionysus ¡ªjust like Pythagoras before he went solo. This was another aristocratic secret society, whose members liked to go out naked to nighttime orgies, drink wine, take drugs and sacrifice animals. They are said to fall into a state of ecstatic madness before the god literally takes over their bodies. There are stories about them trying to infiltrate city states so they can conquer Greece.

    ¡°Coincidence? I think not,¡± Kayla declared. ¡°Sounds like this could be the Jotnar¡¯s main method of recruitment.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And Olympias told Alexander from the youngest age that Philip wasn¡¯t his real father, that she had been impregnated in a bolt of lightning from Zeus himself. She convinced him that he was the descendant of Achilles and had a destiny to fulfill¡ªAchilles went East to fight Troy, Alexander had to go East to fight the Persians.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Oh, of course. Achilles was the son of a goddess, wasn¡¯t he? So, she¡¯s teaching Alexander that he¡¯s the next ¡®chosen one¡¯, sent by the gods to conquer the Earth.¡±

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    ¡°Hey, interesting you said that,¡± Thandi said as she flipped a page in her notebook. ¡°I saved this quote from Mary Renault¡¯s Fire From Heaven; a fictional biography of Alexander. It¡¯s revisionist fantasy, obviously, but there¡¯s a speech I thought you might particularly like to hear.¡±

    She began to read. ¡°¡®I don¡¯t know all your life histories,¡¯ said Derkylos. ¡®But if any of you has seen red in battle, or been frightened out of his skin, you may remember putting out strength you had never known was in you. At exercise, even in a contest, you could not find it. There is a lock on it, put there by nature or the gods¡¯ wisdom. It is the reserve against extremity.¡¯ ¡®I remember,¡¯ said Naukles presently, ¡®in the earthquake, when the house fell on our mother, I lifted the beams. Yet later I could not move them.¡¯ ¡®Nature wrung it out of you. Few men are born whose own will can do it. This boy will be one.¡¯¡± Thandi looked up. ¡°The boy is Alexander, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Typical aristocrats,¡± Kayla scoffed. ¡°Stop trying to break the divine lock peasants! Only the chosen one can do that!¡±

    She thought for a moment, then spoke more objectively. ¡°Okay, maybe most people struggle when they really try to push themselves, but the entire concept of Special Operations Forces exists because there are a lot of soldiers out there who can perform at such a high level. Frankly, I think anyone can do it if they really try to develop themselves.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about anyone,¡± Urtiga mused. ¡°But I do know that most people can get a lot more out of themselves than they want to believe. Anyone trying to argue otherwise is obviously an elitist asshole.¡±

    Christie sat forward. ¡°The Platonists believed that such strength of character was a mark of the divine; one of the qualities that would allow philosopher kings to rule us all.¡±

    Kayla smiled. ¡°Erm, no. People can be both extremely capable, and stupid at the same time, not to mention driven by selfish agendas. If I see anyone walking around trying to pass themselves off as a ¡®philosopher king¡¯, I will be having words with that individual. To put it bluntly, the conversation¡¯s not going to go their way.¡±

    ¡°I tend to agree,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°And, honestly, I bet most people feel that way. That¡¯s why these kinds of cults have to do everything behind the scenes.¡±

    ¡°Well, even when they do get their way,¡± Thandi went on, ¡°it still doesn¡¯t work out. In 326 BC Alexander conquers most of the known world, bringing it under the rule of a Greek¡ªor Hellenistic¡ªelite culture. I don¡¯t think I need a spoiler alert for what happened next.¡±

    ¡°He was a badass though,¡± Urtiga said, as she dropped her empty bottle on the table. ¡°I heard his men literally had to mutiny to get him to stop conquering. Bunch of quitters.¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°So, anyway,¡± said Kayla, ¡°He conquered a new empire with Plato¡¯s Academy at its heart. The philosopher king is in place, let the work begin, right?¡±

    ¡°That would certainly have been the plan,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Unfortunately for the Hellenes, Alexander died soon after in 323 BC, and his nascent empire immediately fell apart. Alexander¡¯s generals couldn¡¯t duplicate his kind of leadership.¡±

    ¡°Obviously,¡± Kayla said, ¡°because if you spend your life following someone else, you¡¯ll be useless when you have to carve your own path.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s inevitable,¡± Urtiga added. ¡°If your force is dependent on one personality calling the shots, it will fall apart when that individual gets killed. This is exactly why your Rangers leaders will train you to replace your leaders, and make yourself replaceable in turn.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but I want to connect all this to the present day,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°The Helvetic League has succeeded in making a class of ¡®philosopher rulers¡¯¡ªso they claim¡ª and suppressing anyone who tries to challenge them. But Caldera has cut all ties with the League, while leading a growing colonist separation movement. So, they are a threat to the regime. And¡­ well, what do you know? Allana Rayker; notorious terrorist, and thorn in Valkyrie¡¯s side, is up to no good in Rackeye, while unexplainable monstrosities are killing people throughout the countryside.¡±

    She sat back in her chair with a smug expression. ¡°Obviously the Jotnar are still around, using her as their pawn.¡±

    ¡°Listen Kayla,¡± Urtiga said sternly, ¡°I don¡¯t like what¡¯s going on in this galaxy any more than you do. But all you¡¯ve got is a lot of conjecture. Rayker is Masey¡¯s problem, understand? Your job is to go wherever your Ranger battalion goes and keep your theories to yourself, because you have years of intense training ahead of you. Distractions will do you no good.¡±

    Kayla sat forward again, her eyes wide. ¡°You said yourself there could be some fortress out there where all the Jotnar hid. What if Rayker is the key to finding it? Shouldn¡¯t the whole organization drop everything to try and capture her?¡±

    Urtiga rubbed her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve watched her for decades. She mostly plays corporations off against the cartels in a petty pursuit of power. On one or two occasions she has discovered and tried to exploit Jotnar locations, and we don¡¯t know how she did it. But humans are infinitely curious and clever. With the expansion of the colonies into the galaxy, this kind of thing is becoming inevitable, and all Valkyrie¡¯s biggest brains are focused on how to deal with it. Don¡¯t get me wrong, studying history is great, but conspiracy theories about ancient Jotnar pulling strings to control civilization are a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you just can¡¯t see the bigger pattern behind her moves.¡±

    Urtiga only shook her head, and refused to say anything more on the subject.

 Part 2 - Chapter 48

    Weslan could almost feel his intestines writhing like snakes as the cage¡¯s remote locks disengaged, and the door swung free. The first of three monstrous creatures slowly emerged into the sealed experimentation room. It was a lithe beast that made Weslan think of a big cat, but with much sharper horns, and spikes along its armored tail. Two smaller animals joined the larger one, and they seemed more relaxed than before their operations. Instead of tearing around in a rage, they sniffed the air cautiously, before dropping onto their bellies and waiting patiently.

    Even so, Weslan was still reassured by the inch thick reinforced glass that protected the observation booth.

    Conscious of Rayker¡¯s dispassionate gaze, he triggered another mechanism. A compartment in the wall pushed a towel into the room that immediately attracted the animal¡¯s attention. As they sniffed it with interest, the creatures seemed to become confused, looking around and making keening sounds.

    Weslan cleared his dry throat. ¡°The towel is laced with a scent that triggers a rush of dopamine in their brains,¡± he explained.

    His skin was grey and his eyes hollow with fatigue, but a spark of passion remained in his raw voice. He was proud of his incredible breakthrough in bioengineering; one he knew would change the world.

    The creatures continued circling and sniffing the towel aimlessly.

    ¡°They know the control object is giving them a strong sense of motivation,¡± Weslan continued, ¡°but they have no idea what it means. They could follow it around until they die of starvation.¡±

    Standing next to him at the window, Reed watched dispassionately. ¡°Like a religious man, with no prophet, no texts, and no inspiration,¡± she said.

    Weslan nodded. ¡°Quite an unpleasant experience.¡±

    Rayker said nothing, and continued to watch.

    Weslan took an aerosol can and sprayed it on a caged rat. He lifted the cage up to the wall compartment, opening the door to release the tiny animal as he triggered the transfer mechanism, and the rat scurried out into the experiment room. The creatures abandoned the towel and began to follow the newcomer. Once the rat calmed down, it allowed the creatures to approach closer. They were curious, sniffing it at first, then gently licking it with affection.

    ¡°A few days ago,¡± Weslan said, ¡°these specimens killed every rat they saw immediately. But this rodent carries a scent that triggers a release of oxytocin in the creature¡¯s brains, giving them a sense of love and attachment.¡±

    ¡°But if it didn¡¯t have the scent, they would still kill it?¡± Rayker asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t interfered with their normal levels of aggression?¡±

    Weslan nodded. ¡°They would certainly kill it. I¡¯m not sure how that could be changed without a much greater understanding of their neurological architecture. But this is still a wonderful breakthrough¡ª¡±

    His cheeks flushed as his mind caught up with what he¡¯d said. He shouldn¡¯t presume to congratulate himself. ¡°I mean, Madam Rayker, I hope it meets your expectations.¡±

    Rayker grabbed the aerosol can and sprayed herself with it. ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± she said, as she turned to leave the observation booth.

    ¡°No! Madam, please wait!¡± Weslan said to her retreating back, but he was ignored.

    He tried to chase after her, but Reed stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± he said. ¡°She won¡¯t be satisfied until she¡¯s tried it firsthand.¡±

    Weslan watched in horrified fascination as Rayker unlocked and opened the door to the experiment room, before stepping inside. The creatures spun around and raced over to her. Weslan¡¯s heart stopped as the largest of them leaped into the air. It collided with her, but she caught it without trouble, the animal sniffing and licking her face like an excited puppy.

    Weslan began to breathe again. All was well, though the scientific part of his mind made the quiet observation that Rayker was much stronger than she looked. An expression of genuine amusement appeared on her face¡ªthe first he had ever seen.

    When she returned to the observation booth, she was smiling. ¡°Good job Weslan. I¡¯m glad to see you rose to the challenge.¡±

    Weslan blushed, and his pride swelled. ¡°I am grateful for your praise, Madam Rayker. However, I must explain further. This modification was only possible through extensive surgery. We had to graft artificial glands to the creature¡¯s circulatory systems in operations that required the team¡¯s medical researchers. It¡¯s certainly a satisfying proof of concept, but we are no nearer to finding a way to affect one of these things in the wild.

    Rayker looked at him with a puzzled expression, then she appeared to realize something. ¡°Oh yes, of course. Well, time to show you the next part of the problem Weslan. Reed, be so good as to send a team down to the cages and fetch a new beast. Weslan, bring your aerosols, unless you want us to be eaten alive.¡± She laughed happily. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll also need samples of the glands, and one of the surgical reports.¡±

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    She led them through the tunnel that had previously been off limits to him, until they arrived at a large hall filled with machinery. At the center of the hall stood a trio of glass chambers. As they approached, Weslan stared in awe at the sophisticated looking technology.

    ¡°Do you have those samples?¡± Rayker asked him, as they reached an observation booth at the far end of the hall. When they entered, she activated a bank of computers and took the artificial organs that Weslan had brought. She placed them one by one into a scanning device.

    ¡°Those chambers over there,¡± she explained, as her fingers ran across a keyboard, ¡°have the power to modify organisms without the need for surgery.¡± She looked up with a peculiar smile. ¡°They are one of the medical breakthroughs we¡¯ve been working on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± Weslan breathed as he stared in wonder at the devices. ¡°I suppose this is what Doctor Kazran has been working on? How does it work?¡±

    ¡°Nanite reconstruction at the cellular level,¡± Rayker said. ¡°The machines are programmed, then released into the chamber as vapor to infect the host. We can, as you will see, introduce an animal into the tube, and within minutes the modifications will be complete. Weslan, please describe to me the exact anatomical locations of the glands you want to install.¡±

    He talked her through the anatomy of the creatures, and how the glands could be wedded to the blood stream and nervous system, thus making them a part of the organism. As he talked, she worked furiously at the console with a level of determination that he truly admired. Despite the pressure she had placed upon him, Madam Rayker was obviously a great woman, and her team was going to change the world.

    A furious burst of screeching and howling broke out at the other end of the hall as four of the lab¡¯s guards brought in one of the smaller creatures. It was lashing about in a rage, and they were struggling to keep it under control with their electrified leashes. Weslan stepped out of the booth as the monstrous thing was dragged up to one of the glass chambers and shoved inside, the leashes disengaging as the door snapped shut. Though the animal leaped at the glass, trying to pummel its way out, its claws didn¡¯t even make a scratch.

    Rayker didn¡¯t look up or pause as she continued her work. Weslan wondered if he would one day be able to attain the same level of tireless focus.

    She stopped tapping and gestured to Reed, who had been waiting by the chamber. He moved to a mounted panel to tap a switch, and the tube began to fill with a pale gas. The creature ceased its attack on the chamber¡¯s wall, collapsed to the floor, and started to writhe around, apparently in pain. Weslan watched in horrified fascination. Even considering how vicious the things were, he didn¡¯t like to see one suffering.

    ¡°Weslan?¡± Rayker said. She pointed to his spray cans. Weslan dragged his gaze away from the appalling spectacle in the chamber. He quickly applied the scent to himself, Reed and the other men in the room.

    ¡°Kid, if this doesn¡¯t work,¡± one of the guards said as he drew a pistol, ¡°I¡¯m making sure you don¡¯t get out alive.¡±

    Weslan stared at him. ¡°It should¡ªI mean it will work,¡± he stammered, though suddenly his confidence had evaporated. Was this man serious? How could Rayker have hired someone so volatile?

    The guard raised his eyebrows and tapped the pistol against his leg.

    The chamber emitted a high pitch shriek, and Reed stepped forward to open the door.

    The creature leaped out immediately, spinning around and growling. It sniffed the air, turning this way and that, as Reed backed away. It ignored them all, though the guards didn¡¯t relax.

    Rayker approached the creature and reached out her hand, but it snapped its jaws at her. As she crouched down, it began to calm until she touched its neck. The men in the room watched in awe as it began to purr while she patted its back and rubbed its head.

    ¡°Good job kid,¡± said the guard, holstering his pistol.

    Weslan forced himself to smile. What a crudely unpleasant joke.

    Rayker looked up at Reed. ¡°Move to phase three,¡± she ordered.

    Reed¡¯s eyes flickered to Weslan. ¡°Right now, Madam?¡±

    She flashed him a look of annoyance, and Reed stiffened. ¡°Of course, Madam.¡± He beckoned to several guards, who turned and left the lab.

    Rayker played with her gentle, but terrifying new pet as though she adored it. She made baby noises and lifted its claws as though to perform a handshake. The creature sat patiently, apparently content to be the center of attention.

    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Weslan was surprised by the question, and had to make eye contact with Rayker to be sure that she had spoken. ¡°Sorry, Madam?¡± he asked.

    ¡°This creature,¡± she said. ¡°A thing of beauty, when it isn¡¯t trying to kill you.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it has a charm,¡± he said, even though he hated the evil thing.

    ¡°They¡¯re darlings really. Of course, you fear them, but that¡¯s because you don¡¯t control them. Or rather, you haven¡¯t developed the confidence in your breakthrough needed to override your instincts. Once it serves you like a pet, you will find comfort in its ability to kill others.¡±

    Weslan didn¡¯t know what to say to that. He didn¡¯t want to see any of the creatures ever again, much less use them to kill or hunt, or whatever Rayker was talking about.

    She began jabbing at the creature, provoking it to play fight. The animal caught her hand in its mouth, and held it, apparently without biting down. It quickly let go, and she repeated the game.

    ¡°Every living thing must kill to survive, in one way or another,¡± she continued. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten that, living your comfortable life in Rackeye, protected by the people you disdain.¡±

    Weslan hesitated. Rayker had made a mistake¡ªthe first he had ever heard from her; plants or algae didn¡¯t kill anything. But he also felt insulted by her accusation. ¡°I don¡¯t er¡­ disdain anyone, Madam Rayker.¡±

    ¡°Certainly you do. You despise those who oppose the Helvetic League because they threaten your social network. You turn to the League like a son to his loving father because it provides you security. You don¡¯t want to think about the men who have to kill to make that happen, because then you would have to face your own hypocrisy¡ªthat your world is built on the corpses of your enemies.¡±

    Corpses? Killing? What was she talking about? Weslan¡¯s mind reeled, but he tried to remember the respect he owed her.

    ¡°Many have had to die to make the League a reality, Weslan,¡± she said as she scratched the creature¡¯s head. ¡°And you wanted to serve the League, didn¡¯t you? Make it stronger¡ªmake the galaxy a better place under their guidance?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, Madam.¡±

    Rayker left the creature and walked up to him, until her eyes were inches from his. He tried to ignore her intoxicating scent as her unblinking gaze mesmerized him.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to grow up, Weslan,¡± she said firmly. ¡°You must be a strong man. You must serve the league and do what is necessary. Will you be strong for me?¡±

    He hesitated, but there could only be one response. ¡°Yes, Madam. I would do anything.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Good.¡± Then she moved back to the observation booth, and began inputting something into the computer.

 Part 2 - Chapter 49

    The creature sat bolt upright as a commotion rang out at the entrance to the hall. Reed grabbed one of the discarded leashes and draped it around the neck of the beast. The guards had returned, and they were escorting a man with them. He was middle-aged, dirty and haggard, dressed in the threadbare clothes of a beggar. He looked confused, and when his eyes settled on the creature, Weslan saw fear. For its part, the creature stood upright, straining against Reed¡¯s leash, and snarling ferociously.

    A cold chill ran up Weslan¡¯s spine. The man hadn¡¯t been sprayed with the scent. The beast would kill him in a heartbeat if it got loose.

    From her place in the booth, Rayker watched the creature¡¯s behavior and gave a satisfied nod. ¡°Good girl.¡±

    The prisoner was squirming to get away, until one of the guards smacked him with a rifle butt. They dragged him to the chamber and threw him inside, closing the door behind him. Reed positioned himself once again by the chamber¡¯s operation panel.

    Weslan looked on, appalled, but helpless to do anything. ¡°What is this¡ªwhat are you trying to do?¡± he stammered.

    The rest of the guards now carried rifles instead of their usual pistols, and they were clutching them nervously. Weslan felt like the situation was devolving into some kind of nightmare.

    ¡°Are you going to try and control that man¡¯s mind, like you did with the creature?¡± he demanded.

    Rayker gave him a look of derision. ¡°Even I¡¯m not that ambitious,¡± she said.

    She stopped whatever she was doing and nodded to Reed, who hit the button.

    The gas began to fill the tube as before, and Weslan tensed, unsure of what was going to happen. He cried out in shock when the man doubled-over and vomited blood. Spines erupted from the man¡¯s flesh, and Weslan collapsed onto the floor.

    As the horrifying transformation continued, Weslan felt a strong hand grab his shoulder, pulling him to his feet as he almost slipped in the puddle that had formed around his legs. Reed and the others were backing away from the machine, naked fear on their faces.

    ¡°Get ready to run,¡± said the guard who had grabbed him, and continued to pull him further away from the chamber.

    Rayker alone moved in front of the tube, calm and curious as ever. When the gas faded, she opened the door and stood back as a newly formed monster, tall and covered in armor, stepped out. It gazed at her serenely, then reached out to touch her. She grasped its arm, running her hand up its enormous muscles, and caressing the razor-sharp blades that jutted out from the limb.

    ¡°Reed,¡± she said, ¡°come and see.¡±

    Reed cautiously approached the hulking thing. It didn¡¯t react, except to look back and forth between them, like a child meeting strangers for the first time. Eventually Reed was standing right next to it, his face a mask of sweat as he poked its chitinous armor.

    ¡°Bloody hell,¡± breathed the soldier who had pulled him back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that worked! You¡¯re alright, kid,¡± he said, patting Weslan on the shoulder.

    ¡°Reed, have your men take this one into the field to get a sense of its capabilities,¡± Rayker instructed.

    Reed nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be a great asset, but we will need to use it as a transportation mule for now. It should be able to move much faster through the mountains. We will rig some harnesses so that it can bring back more subjects from the farms.¡±

    ¡°Oh God,¡± gasped Weslan, as he absorbed what they said. He wanted to pass out. ¡°What have I done?¡±

    ¡°You have done your duty, Weslan,¡± Rayker said happily as she turned to him.  ¡°With these drones under our control, we will be able to strike down those who oppose the League. We will inspire terror in the recalcitrant Calderan colonists. In their desperation, they will join us, as all must join us, if the future of humanity is to be preserved.¡±

    Too many conflicting emotions ran through Weslan¡¯s mind for him to make sense of them all, but the scientist in him was still forming conclusions. ¡°You made the creatures! You¡¯re responsible for the colonists¡¯ deaths!¡±

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    ¡°Yes,¡± she said impatiently. ¡°An obvious deduction. But what matters, Weslan, is that we are doing what must be done.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± he protested, terrified by his own defiance. He wanted to run, hide, to wake up from the nightmare. ¡°No, it¡¯s not right!¡± His voice shook, and his eyes were unable to meet Rayker¡¯s.

    ¡°I understand you¡¯re going through a bit of shock, but you¡¯ll come around in time. Haven¡¯t you been a loyal and brilliant part of this family? Aren¡¯t you giving everything to make the world a better place?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± he stammered.

    ¡°But you already have.¡± Rayker approached Weslan and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll just need a little more from you. I need these¡­ drones to organize and adapt; to fight as a team. You must solve this problem for us, Weslan. We need you.¡±

    Weslan shook his head as old images of disemboweled colonists flashed through his mind. He had been told that they were faked. Now he knew the truth. How stupid they had all been.

    ¡°You will only have to work with the animal forms from the comfort of your lab,¡± Rayker said. ¡°I assure you; I will not bring you here again.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he managed at last. His knees could barely support his body, and he was as much ashamed by his refusal as he was determined to resist.

    Rayker sighed. She nodded to the guards, who quickly left the hall. ¡°I assure you that you will, Weslan,¡± she said. ¡°I will not tolerate failure or disobedience.¡±

    The soldiers soon returned, escorting Julie and Stellan. They stopped short at the hall¡¯s entrance, but the smaller animal, having already sensed their presence, was straining hard again, held back by the leash. The two young scientists stared in wide-eyed horror at the creatures inside.

    ¡°Now, Weslan,¡± Rayker continued, ¡°it is time to make a decision. These researchers have finished their projects to a satisfactory extent, and I don¡¯t need them anymore. Of course, they can always be useful, helping their colleagues by doing lab work and so on. We are an ambitious team, and we can always find room for eager workers. Otherwise, we will dispose of them. The choice is yours.¡±

    ¡°No, please!¡± Weslan wanted to beg, but the cold contempt on Raykers face made him realize the pointlessness of this act.

    ¡°Okay.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Let¡¯s grow up a bit, shall we young man? You have nothing¡ªno power, no leverage in this situation. I am not asking for your opinion, because it is worthless to me. I am giving you two options. Please accept one of them and do not waste my time with more pathetic whining.¡±

    Weslan wiped tears from his eyes. He could make things easy on himself; after all she had promised he wouldn¡¯t have to witness any more human transformations. Julie and Stellan could be safely led away, and everything would be so easy. But his stomach churned, and bile rose in his throat. He would be giving in to evil. He would become the obedient functionary that made possible a crime against humanity. No matter how scared he was, he had no choice. His eyes darted desperately about the room, searching for any other way out.

    They came to rest on the oxytocin canister he had placed on a bank of machines nearby, easily within his reach.

    Weslan jerked forward, snatched the canister, and sprinted toward his friends. He made it a few yards before his arm was wrenched backwards hard, as if caught in a steel vice. His shoulder screamed in agony, and he slipped to the floor, hanging from whatever held him. Looking up, he saw Rayker stood over him, her hand clasped around his wrist, where an ugly bruise marked the skin.

    She sneered at him. ¡°Disobedience! Unacceptable!¡± She nodded to the guard, who shoved Stellan forward into the hall towards them.

    ¡°No! Please!¡± Weslan screamed. ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want, I promise!¡±

    But Rayker was as unresponsive as a statue. Stellan staggered forward as the smaller creature shrieked and roared, straining at Reed¡¯s leash. The monster that had once been a man turned and raised its arm, aiming directly at the frozen Stellan. The guards darted out of the way as a large bony spike punched through the fleshy part of the monster¡¯s arm, and shot like a bullet across the hall, straight through the young man¡¯s chest. Julie screamed and collapsed on the floor. Reed released his leash.

    Weslan tried to look away, but Rayker grabbed his hair and forced his head upright. The creature ripped his friend¡¯s guts out over the floor and began to feast. Weslan vomited. Julie, white as a sheet, curled up in a ball and wept.

    Stellan hadn¡¯t made a sound the entire time.

    ¡°Weslan!¡± Rayker hauled him upright and stuck her face close to his, so that he was again confronted with her sweet scent. Overriding his bodies¡¯ disgusting emanations, it had a calming effect on him. He saw her eyes as they met his. She smirked, and there was genuine pleasure in her expression.

    ¡°Your punishment is over,¡± she said. ¡°If you work, there will be nothing further. I promise you. If you do not, I will put Julie in the chamber, and she will serve me as a drone. Do you understand?¡±

    Weslan nodded weakly. His will was spent. He couldn¡¯t think, couldn¡¯t protest, couldn¡¯t reason. Nothing mattered anymore but to end the nightmare.

    ¡°Thank you. It is only a shame you had to force me to do this. Had you been more intelligent your friend would still be alive.¡± Rayker let him go gently and beckoned to one of the guards.

    ¡°Get him cleaned up, get him some food, then make sure he goes back to the lab,¡± Rayker commanded. ¡°He is our greatest mind, so don¡¯t be rough,¡± she added sternly.

    Weslan was led away by the guard, tears streaming down his face. A sensation passed through him that was more horrifying than anything he¡¯d felt throughout the ordeal. He was relieved. He would live, even at the cost of innocent lives. The overwhelming pleasure of this sensation appalled him even more than the sight of Stellan¡¯s remains, scattered across the floor.

 Part 2 - Chapter 50

    An automated car drove Kayla and Thandi, along with their bags, for several hours into the southern highlands of Tyr. While she acted confident, Kayla spent most of the trip on edge. She had gotten so used to the idea that nobody thought she was worth talking to, it was difficult to imagine anything else.

    Boot camp and Ranger school had been easier to handle, because everyone was starting out from zero, and in any case had a lot more to worry about. Now she would be a loser again, amongst women she genuinely respected, who were far more experienced, and capable than she was. In Madam Georgia¡¯s the difference had been cultural. Now, she really did belong on the bottom of the totem pole. What if her new squad mates hated her too? What if her unit commanders rejected her personality?

    Thandi, on the other hand, seemed excited, full of speculation about their new home. But she had spent her life making friends, not enemies.

    The vehicle dropped them outside the main office of the Mountain Ranger Battalion¡¯s Camp Serrowood. Flanked by a range of intimidating peaks, the headquarters consisted of tall, stylish buildings with open glass lobbies that looked out at the dramatic landscape. In front of the main entrance stood a gleaming bronze statue. A group of Rangers were depicted in motion as they mounted a large boulder, lifting and pulling each other up, with grim determination carved into their faces. Kayla shivered with excitement, wondering how long it would be until she could climb the stony giants that rose above their heads.

    Once they had finished gawping at the environment, she and Thandi picked up their luggage and walked inside. A bored-looking Ranger behind the front desk took their identification cards without comment, and began typing at her computer.

    Kayla turned to look at the far wall of the lobby. It was covered from top to bottom in framed portraits of smiling, uniformed women. After a year in the organization, she had no doubts what a mounted photograph meant¡ªsomeone killed in action.  She nudged Thandi, who turned, raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.

    ¡°Bonne,¡± the Ranger at the desk said. ¡°Okay, mademoiselles, you¡¯re both assigned to second platoon, Bravo Company. I¡¯ll run you over. I¡¯m Lance-Corporal Eliane Michel. Do either of you speak French?¡±

    They shook their heads, and Eliane rolled her eyes. ¡°Bien sur, I must continue to endure life without being able to speak la plus belle langue du monde. Barbarians, all of you.¡±

    She led them through the main building until they exited on the other side. A wide, luscious garden was flanked by several large apartments and offices.

    The Bravo company building was quiet, the hallways empty. Over the main entrance hung a blue and gold banner depicting a snake with immense fangs, frozen in mid-strike. The title read ¡®Mountain Bravo ¨C The Venomous Vipers. Strike Swiftly!¡¯

    ¡°The whole battalion¡¯s out on an exercise,¡± explained Eliane as she pushed open the front door. ¡°Not me though. I have to stay and watch the front desk.¡± She turned to Kayla with a severe look. ¡°Somebody could try to steal it.¡±

    They toured the bottom floor of the building, which included a briefing room complete with large wall-mounted televisions, and a holographic projector. Further in they passed a well-equipped gym, a bar, and small cinema. Once they got up to their platoon¡¯s floor, they were shown their squad¡¯s apartment, which consisted of private rooms, a shared kitchen and a lounge. Kayla felt her stomach churn as she came closer to the moment of truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost too nice,¡± Thandi said as she and Kayla dropped their bags off to one side.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Eliane acknowledged as she flopped down into a sofa.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Kayla asked.

    She started to sit, hesitated, then forced herself into a chair as she fought off the sense of guilt. Thandi flashed her a questioning look as she relaxed on the sofa, but Kayla couldn¡¯t explain. She felt like an intruder.

    Eliane shrugged. ¡°Tyr is a post-scarcity world, so in theory this building could be a five-star hotel, but, of course, they don¡¯t want to spoil us. Most career girls build their own house out in the country, but base housing is mandatory for your first few years. Ha¡ªuntil they trust you, anyway.¡±

    ¡°They must have a lot of money,¡± Kayla observed.

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    Eliane just shrugged again, lifting her arms, and holding her hands upwards, as though the whole gesture conveyed both humility and indifference in the face of all the worlds¡¯ problems.

    Kayla shifted the subject. ¡°What do you do for fun around here?¡±

    ¡°Head into the city, or if we get a free weekend, we can go off-world. There¡¯s an hourly shuttle that can get to a few planets. Caldera is a popular spot¡ªoutside of Rackeye, I mean.¡±

    Kayla surged with pride, but tried not to show it. ¡°Tyr seems like a nice place to explore too.¡±

    ¡°Tyr is great for forests, beaches, lakes, and mountains. But everything within one hundred miles of the city is used for training or exercises. There are roads that can take you out into the wild, and there¡¯s a satellite positioning system you can access. Get yourselves cars, and you¡¯ll have a great time.¡±

    ¡°How do we get a car?¡±

    ¡°The app¡¯s on your tablets. Just order anything you want from the catalogue. Takes a few days for a drone to deliver. There¡¯s a parking garage behind the Admin block. Be warned; if you abuse the system you will be sanctioned, and your stuff confiscated.¡±

    Thandi shook her head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s crazy how can they just have free stuff to send out?¡±

    Eliane lifted her hands in another helpless gesture. ¡°What do you want me to say? I am but a humble Caporal.¡±

    ¡°What about apartments in the city?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°We know a¡ª¡± Kayla paused. She still didn¡¯t know what the name of the unit was. ¡°We stayed in Urtiga¡¯s apartment in the city.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a long-timer. If you want an apartment, you go on a waiting list¡ªonly takes a few years. The organization doesn¡¯t expand very much, so they don¡¯t build a lot of new ones, and frankly it¡¯s a status thing. How do you know Urtiga?¡±

    ¡°She saved me from¡­uh¡­ a Jotnar weapon when I was young,¡± Kayla said. ¡°That¡¯s how I got an invite to come here.¡±

    Eliane nodded approvingly. ¡°You¡¯re very lucky she took a liking to you. But those girls are so awesome. I¡¯d love to do that one day¡ªbe an operator in a Special Mission Unit.¡±

    ¡°How long have you been in?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Four years, so now I¡¯m starting to think about a specialty. Special Mission Units have a tough selection process, so perhaps I won¡¯t make it. Qui sait? But I don¡¯t feel like doing a desk job. Probably I¡¯ll just stay in the Rangers.¡±

    ¡°When does everyone get back?¡± Kayla asked, feeling a little impatient.

    ¡°Later tonight,¡± Eliane said. She stood up and yawned. ¡°You girls get settled in. You can find me at the main desk if you need anything. I have to stay there¡ªif a Chieftain called and no-one answered¡­¡± She shuddered.

    ¡°Thanks for showing us around,¡± Thandi said.

    Eliane smiled. ¡°No problem. If you want to make my day more interesting, feel free to start a fire or something, okay?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡±

    Kayla and Thandi packed away their things into their rooms and waited nervously in the apartment. At nineteen hundred hours, a cacophony of noise announced the battalion¡¯s return. They watched from the window as a column of trucks pulled up outside, disembarking so many muddy Rangers that they filled the parade ground.

    The sound of feet stomping their way up to the apartments filled the room, followed by joking and laughing, and Kayla¡¯s hands got clammy. How would she make a good impression on her new squad-mates? They were, after all, combat veterans, while she and Thandi were nobodies. She dug herself into a couch and waited.

    The door to the hallway flew open with a crash, as seven filthy women, clothes caked in dried mud, and stinking of several days¡¯ worth of sweat stamped back into their apartment, completely ignoring the newcomers.

    ¡°Beers or showers?¡± one Ranger called.

    ¡°Do you even have to ask?¡± came the reply. Once they had dropped their packs they gathered in the kitchen, popped open drinks, and talked about the events of their last week of field exercises. One of them looked over at Thandi and Kayla, who were trying desperately to look as relaxed as possible.

    ¡°These are the new cleaning girls, right Kes? They look pretty scared.¡± The others laughed.

    Kes smiled. ¡°Do our two newest Valkyrie¡¯s want a beer?¡± she asked.

    Kayla did her best to be brave. ¡°Sure,¡± she said with what she hoped was a genuine-looking smile.

    ¡°Wrong,¡± Kes snapped. ¡°Only the PJs can call themselves Valkyries¡ªdon¡¯t ever forget that. We are Rangers, and in Bravo company, Vipers. You two are a pair of completely ignorant losers, and from this moment on you are in charge of this squad¡¯s alcohol supply. So, if you want something to drink, go out and get it.¡±

    Another Ranger walked over and shook their hands. ¡°I¡¯m Lance Corporal Aisha Naaji¡ªcall me Ash. Try not to freak out. We¡¯re going to mess with you a bit, but we only bite if you screw up. Which Camp?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­ sorry?¡± Kayla asked, and cringed at her awkwardness.

    ¡°Which Boot Camp did you go through?¡± Ash said again.

    ¡°Camp White,¡± Thandi said, with more confidence.

    ¡°Oh, horse girls. Lyna went through White too.¡±

    ¡°Instructor Susaki still there?¡± Lyna asked.

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± she managed.

    Lyna shook her head. ¡°She was such a bitch.¡±

    ¡°So, we just got back from a week in the field,¡± Ash continued, ¡°and we want hot food, cold beers¡ªof which we are running short¡ªand showers. The showers part I think we can handle for ourselves, unless you girls are feeling lonely. But how about you take care of the rest, since you¡¯ve been sitting around doing nothing all day?¡±

    ¡°Sure, okay,¡± Kayla said, eager to be useful.

    ¡°Awesome. Use that tablet on the counter-top to order stuff¡ªit¡¯s got our favorite menus saved. Don¡¯t worry, right now we aren¡¯t that fussy. Do you know how to cook?¡±

    Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°Figures¡ªjust order takeout. A drone will bring it within twenty minutes or so. Got it?¡±

    Kayla nodded again.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t want to screw this up,¡± Ash said, setting down her empty beer, ¡°because I become a real bitch when I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    The Rangers disappeared, and Kayla raced to the tablet.

    ¡°Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life,¡± sighed Thandi.

 Part 2 - Chapter 51

    They figured out how to order takeout, deciding to keep it simple with burgers and fries, which mercifully arrived quickly. Once they re-emerged, the hungry Rangers wolfed down the food in minutes, and passed the newcomers a couple of beers.

    ¡°That¡¯s Lyna,¡± Ash said. ¡°This is Bibi, and then there¡¯s Tian, Yak, and Ray. Kes is your squad leader. You will refer to her as Corporal Rudaski until we decide otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Thandi, this is Kayla.¡±

    Ash smiled. ¡°Tina and Kate, got it. Don¡¯t panic, you¡¯ve got a long way to go yet. Where¡¯re you from?¡±

    Kayla felt a nudge from Thandi under the tabletop. Maybe she was being too shy? ¡°Caldera,¡± she said.

    ¡°Colonist?¡± Ash asked.

    Kayla nodded and couldn¡¯t stop herself from tensing. The year she had spent in training with the other new Rangers had made her more comfortable about her background, but the expectation of snobbery never left.

    ¡°Oh cool, you might actually be useful then. And you?¡±

    ¡°Intaba,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°What were you doing when the Organization picked you up?¡±

    ¡°I was boxing.¡±

    Ash sat up, with an expression of interest. ¡°Pro or Amateur?¡±

    ¡°I was teen fly-weight champion.¡±

    Kes chuckled. ¡°Ash, is it possible that we have actually been sent two interesting human beings?¡±

    ¡°I dunno Kes, beauty is only skin deep.¡± Ash nodded to Kayla. ¡°Any idea where you want to specialize?¡±

    ¡°Special Mission Unit, probably,¡± Kayla admitted, and felt foolish. In this company she might as well have said that she wanted to be a billionaire, or a planet¡¯s president.

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Probably the same.¡±

    Ash raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what do you two newbies know about tier one?¡±

    ¡°We hung out with Urtiga a bit,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Kes, these bitches are cooler than we are!¡± complained Ash.

    Kayla bit her tongue and wished she could take it back. She hadn¡¯t realized it with Eliane, but she was so nervous she was name dropping for credibility. How would Urtiga react if she found out? She was dimly aware that she was making a relatively good impression on the squad, but the constant storm of anxiety only made her fixate on every mistake she made.

    Kes was not impressed. ¡°Hmm¡­ we¡¯ll see about that. This is a warrior squad, girls. No one cares who your friends are¡ªwe expect you to work for a living.¡±

    The Ranger named Ray yowled like a big cat, while the others laughed.

    ¡°So we expect a lot from you,¡± Kes continued. ¡°Work hard, pay attention, and we¡¯ll get along just fine. See all the mud we brought into the hallway? I want that cleaned up by the morning. Then we¡¯ll head down to supply and get you kitted out.¡±

    ¡°You need to do suit orientation too,¡± Ash interjected.

    ¡°Yeah¡ªon top of the other crap I have to do.¡± Kes nodded to Kayla and Thandi. ¡°See to it that we don¡¯t have to waste time showing you anything twice.¡±

    ¡°Kes, I can do the suits, I have time,¡± offered Ray.

    Kes smiled appreciatively. ¡°Cool, thanks Ray. That sure makes my life easier. Alright¡ªI¡¯m completely drained¡ªI¡¯m heading to bed. Any questions, you two?¡±

    ¡°Where do you keep the broom?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Good girl.¡±

    The next day, Kayla was woken by a knock on her door at zero-seven-hundred. Wiping sleep out of her eyes, she joined Thandi and followed the corporal to the Armory, to be issued an assault rifle and pistol. They spent an hour zeroing their sights and practicing at the range, until Kayla¡¯s fingers were stiff, and her shoulder numb.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Kes said nothing about their accuracy, and delivered only a brief pep talk. ¡°Battalion¡¯s shooting standard is five hundred rifle rounds a week, and a hundred pistol rounds. But I expect you both to show me three hundred rounds a day on your range logs.¡±

    She gave them a sharp look. ¡°And don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to tolerate box-tickers either. If you want to do the minimum while you wait for a re-assignment to the Collective, you can request a transfer to Forest Rangers. My squad doesn¡¯t need paperweights.¡±

    Kayla nodded enthusiastically. Who the hell didn¡¯t want to spend all day shooting?

    After they were finished with the weapons, they found Ray in their apartment¡¯s common area running through paperwork from the field exercise. ¡°Just finishing,¡± she said, ¡°be with you in a moment.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Ashna Rai Bharath, actually,¡± she explained a few minutes later, as she led them to the battalion stores building. ¡°And as you probably guessed, ¡®Ash¡¯ was already taken. Whatever¡ªthere are too many Ashes in the world.¡±

    ¡°Everyone seems nice,¡± Kayla offered, struggling to make small talk as her mind reeled with all the information she was expected to retain.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of good cop, bad cop,¡± Ray explained. ¡°I¡¯m the good cop because I like people. Hey, Eliane!¡± She whirled around as the lance corporal passed them. ¡°How¡¯s your nephew?¡±

    ¡°Never seeing you again!¡± Eliane snapped. ¡°His fianc¨¦ was devastated!¡± She turned up her nose and walked away.

    Ray grinned and turned back to Kayla and Thandi. ¡°As I said, I like people. But, in my defense, he didn¡¯t tell me he was engaged.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Kayla searched her mind for something cool to say. ¡°Men, huh?¡± she finished, lamely.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask either,¡± Ray said with a shrug. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t my problem to worry about.¡±

    Thandi frowned. ¡°The battalion seems quite strict. I imagine they prefer to maintain high standards.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, welcome to the Vipers,¡± Ray said. ¡°This company is one of the toughest, most storied units in the whole organization. We have a hard-ass lieutenant, who you¡¯ll meet later at the daily briefing. She wants us to win all the Ranger competitions so she can hang the trophies on her wall. Kes is into all that stuff too.¡±

    She turned to them with a straight face. ¡°You weren¡¯t assigned here at random. Somebody obviously thinks you will be an asset to this company, but don¡¯t let that go to your heads. Your Ranger School training amounts to almost nothing. It will be at least a year until you have learned enough to really support the squad. Frankly, it never ends¡ªViper respect has to be earned from scratch every day.¡±

    Kayla nodded enthusiastically, as Thandi¡¯s sour expression faded.

    When they arrived at the battalion stores, they saw rows of combat suits in all sizes, and in a variety of camouflage colors.

    ¡°This is only static camo unfortunately,¡± Ray explained, as she pulled out an example. ¡°Not like the adaptive suits the Tier One operators get. Those change color to match the surrounding terrain¡ªthey just go invisible.¡± She shook her head wistfully.

    ¡°But anyway,¡± she continued, ¡°the EVHA Mark 3 or Extra Vehicular anti Hazard Assault suit, is a temperature regulated composite layered suit with Kraylon weave. It will protect you from acidic compounds, and hazardous environmental conditions. It will stop a knife and a glancing hit from many small calibers. As you probably deduced, the suit is rated for¡­ wait for it¡­ extra-vehicular activity¡ªor space walking, if you¡¯re not a nerd¡ªand it¡¯s got an internal heater and cooler.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of boxy,¡± observed Kayla as she checked out one of the hanging suits.

    ¡°That¡¯s by design¡ªthe suit hides your figure to make you look like you could be male. Sometimes we can be open about being women, sometimes we can¡¯t. It can draw a lot of unwanted attention, or trouble.¡±

    ¡°Trouble that super soldiers can¡¯t sort out?¡± asked Thandi.

    Ray shook her head. ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble honey, but you can¡¯t go around beating up everyone that disagrees with you.¡±

    Kayla nodded sympathetically. That made perfect sense, though she couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointment.

    ¡°Sometimes we operate in and around human settlements,¡± Ray explained, ¡°and some cultures just can¡¯t deal with taking orders from women. So, we pop the helmets on, activate the voice scrambler, and we¡¯re good to go. It¡¯s great fun, because people take you for a robot death machine and that really freaks them out.¡±

    Kayla couldn¡¯t repress a sudden smile.

    ¡°I thought Valkyrie was supposed to be secretive?¡± said Thandi.

    Ray shrugged. ¡°Public interaction is rare, but a small colonist community doesn¡¯t know better if we say we¡¯re troops from a distant government they don¡¯t even think about, much less interact with. Okay, let¡¯s size you both up.¡±

    First, they were fitted for their Alpha suits¡ªa tight formfitting type of body sock to wear inside the main suit, Ray explained. As well as being flame retardant, it provided mechanical counter-pressure to prevent the body inflating like a balloon in a low-pressure environment. In the event the main suit was damaged, the Alpha suit would keep them comfortable in the void of space¡ªprovided the helmet was intact. It was also resistant to the chemical and biological agents they might encounter.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ray finished. ¡°Why don¡¯t you undress, slip into these, and I¡¯ll find your size of combat suits.¡±

    Kayla looked around. ¡°Where are the changing rooms?¡± she asked.

    Ray scoffed. ¡°Girl, you can¡¯t be embarrassed about getting naked when you¡¯re on a tightly packed ship getting ready for a combat drop.¡±

    Kayla shrugged and started pulling off her clothes as Ray headed off down an aisle. Thandi did the same.

    ¡°Hey, you two!¡± the stores Quartermaster yelled as she caught sight of them from across the room. ¡°Stop exhibiting yourselves and go into the changing cabins. You¡¯re not making a damn porno in my shop!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the new generation Pip,¡± Ray¡¯s voice called. ¡°No moral standards¡ªbunch of perverts!¡± She cackled raucously.

    Kayla and Thandi grabbed their clothes and ducked out of sight behind the hanging suits.

 Part 2 - Chapter 52

    Later that day, they joined the platoon of thirty-three women in the ready room for the daily briefing. A pit opened up in Kayla¡¯s stomach, but the Rangers ignored the newcomers and chatted amongst themselves, until Lieutenant Minako Akane entered and stood at the front.

    ¡°Second platoon,¡± she said, with pride in her voice, ¡°that was a tough exercise we conducted, and I want to thank each and every one of you for putting out one hundred and ten percent effort. I just came here after meeting with Captain Aguilar, and the Company Sergeant Major, and they both said that we were on fire out there.¡±

    The Rangers nodded solemnly, and a few exchanged winks and nods.

    ¡°The first movement to contact was great,¡± Akane continued. ¡°Not sure how we can improve on it, but this is Mountain Rangers, so we¡¯ll find a way. On the other hand, the medevac of the simulated casualty was slower than I¡¯m happy with. Third squad, your radio calls and directions to the landing zone were slow and confused. You need to work on being clear and snappy.¡±

    ¡°Already working on that LT,¡± called a corporal.

    Akane nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not having any one of my Rangers bleed out in a dropship because we lost a couple of minutes messing around on protocols.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again,¡± replied the corporal with sincerity.

    ¡°Outstanding. Listen, apart from a few hiccups, it was a great EX, and you should all feel proud of yourselves. We have been awarded a weekend off-world, already confirmed by the Battalion X-O.¡±

    The platoon cheered and clapped.

    Akane grinned. ¡°Enjoy your free time,¡± she said when they¡¯d quietened, ¡°party and have fun. Don¡¯t break too many hearts.¡±

    The Rangers laughed.

    Lieutenant Akane cleared her throat. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget that overconfidence is our greatest enemy. The day we think we¡¯re good enough is the day we lose a Ranger. How copy?¡±

    This was met with a more subdued assent.

    The Lieutenant moved on to address the day-to-day concerns of the platoon. Kayla waited with growing anxiety as the Rangers talked at length about personnel issues, upcoming training schedules and duty assignments.

    ¡°Last but not least,¡± said Akane eventually, ¡°we have a couple of new faces here with us today. Privates Kayla Barnes and Thandi Khawula, please make yourselves known.¡±

    Kayla stood up from her chair, almost shaking with nervousness as the glares of thirty-three completely unimpressed women turned on her and Thandi. They were studied closely, as if all their flaws were being noted for later reference.

    ¡°Welcome to Second Platoon,¡± Akane said. ¡°Bravo company are known as the Venomous Vipers, and this platoon provides the Venom.¡±

    Someone hissed, prompting sniggers.

    ¡°This is a high-performance outfit,¡± continued the Lieutenant, ¡°and we expect everyone to keep up. If you have a problem with that, First Sergeant Reyes over here will set you up with a transfer somewhere else. Nothing personal, but I don¡¯t carry dead weight.¡±

    Kayla caught the smirk and raised eyebrow of her former boot camp instructor, and repressed the instinct to smile back. There was silence, and Kayla realized Akane was waiting for her to speak. She wracked her brain for something impressive to say, but came up short. Honesty was probably the best option.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± she said. ¡°We will keep up.¡±

    That drew a few unimpressed smirks from the other Rangers, and their eyes turned to Thandi.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Thandi said.

    The Lieutenant eyed them for a moment, then nodded. ¡°The Mountain Ranger battalion was stood up in 1634 Anno Domini. Since then, it has worked through some of the toughest operations in the organization¡¯s history. It is our family. You girls may have designs on a long and prosperous career elsewhere in the organization after your five-year tour, but we are career Rangers. We stay in the fight, together, and we don¡¯t need to serve as a steppingstone to anybody. If you can respect that, you will fit in just fine.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Over in the main building you will find the battalion library. I expect you to have the full, detailed history memorized within a week. There will be a quiz.¡±

    That evening, the squad leader took a look through Kayla and Thandi¡¯s gear and gave her approval. Once they¡¯d packed up, Kayla jumped into a chair with her tablet.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Thandi asked, studying her carefully.

    Kayla froze, like a deer caught in headlights. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said.

    Thandi rolled her eyes. ¡°Okay, point one¡ªnever play me at poker. Point two¡ªI know that look anywhere. You¡¯ve got a crush on.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Kayla thought quickly. ¡°Gambling is a sin, you know?¡±

    Thandi¡¯s expectant expression didn¡¯t waver.

    Kayla waved a hand and chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We¡¯re just old friends.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s sweet,¡± cut in Kes. ¡°I remember when me and my man were just old friends. Then we got married, then we divorced¡ªnow we hang out occasionally and quietly judge each other.¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful story, Kes,¡± said Private Lyna Bondarenko. ¡°Star-crossed lovers separated only by the size of their own egos.¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t forget your communications are monitored,¡± Kes warned Kayla. ¡°But hey, lucky you¡ªyour new squad are a bunch of hard-charging tigresses and earned you some planet-leave. Good chance for you to catch up, but don¡¯t forget you¡¯re going to have to repay us in kind.¡±

    Kayla nodded and tapped out a message. Strangely, Weslan hadn¡¯t responded since inviting her to meet him in Rackeye. Had she said something wrong? Was he annoyed by her slow responses? With Allana Rayker on Caldera, she couldn¡¯t prevent her imagination from running out of control.

    Kayla set down her tablet and tried to remind herself that she was probably overreacting, and that Weslan was just busy. Even so, her mood darkened as she contemplated the constant threats to her home.

    She turned to Kes. ¡°Corporal, have you ever deployed to Caldera?¡± she asked.

    Kes¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Deployed to Caldera? No, that¡¯s a settled planet. Maybe the tier one operators go there, but our unit generally stays clear of civilization.¡±

    ¡°I heard there was a terrorist there. Allana Rayker.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    Kayla scratched at her arm. ¡°I just thought between that and the animal attacks that have been going on¡­¡±

    The corporal raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sounds like you have your head stuck at home. You¡¯re going to have to let it go if you want to stay focused.¡±

    Kayla pursed her lips. That was not an answer she wanted to hear. ¡°I heard that Rayker is a smuggler of Jotnar artefacts. And there is a species of vicious alien monsters roaming around the planet and killing people. I just think there has to be a connection.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you hung out with Urtiga?¡±

    Kayla nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of thing her unit gets involved in. If you do well here, you will probably earn a slot in their selection program.¡±

    ¡°In five years?¡±

    Kes held her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry your home is under attack, Barnes. If there was anything the battalion could do to help, I¡¯d be banging on Akane¡¯s door to get the squad into the thick of it. That¡¯s why we¡¯re all here.¡±

    Kayla kicked her legs up onto the coffee table. ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s been ten years and no-one in Valkyrie seems to be able to figure out what to do about Caldera.¡±

    Kes was about to speak again when Ash entered the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

    She had a tired look on her face. ¡°Kes¡ªrunway detail tomorrow morning.¡±

    The corporal sat up, her face a picture of concern. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know yet,¡± Ash said. ¡°Two from Alpha company weapons platoon. They were attached to a Desert Ranger Op somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Kes said quietly, staring into the distance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s bring the rookies?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡ªOkay rookies, listen up. You need to take your dress uniforms, and get them fully ironed. Shine up all the metal, shine up your boots. I want you looking like the palace guard of the God Emperor, got it? Then you need to be outside the building at zero-six-thirty.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s one a.m. corporal,¡± said Thandi, then closed her eyes, obviously realizing the stupidity of what she¡¯d said.

    ¡°Do I look like I give a damn, Sandy?¡± Kes snapped at her.

    ¡°Yes, Corporal,¡± Kayla said as she got to her feet and headed for her room, followed meekly by Thandi.

    They got out cleaning kits and began the laborious process of smartening their freshly unpacked dress uniforms. Ash passed from room to room, letting the other Rangers know what was happening. Some of the girls had been asleep and blinked wearily at the news. Without comment, they all took out their dress uniforms and went to work.

    Kayla¡¯s mind became robotic. Tired from lack of sleep, and a day spent absorbing new information, she found that she didn¡¯t want to think about what was happening.

    The whole battalion assembled on the parade ground as the sun peeked up over the surrounding mountains, only to be swallowed by overhanging clouds. While Kayla waited, trying to suppress shivers from the cold air, Kes looked carefully over her and Thandi¡¯s uniforms. They were very smart, the brass buttons and badges shining so brightly they looked more like gold than brass, while their boots were black mirrors.

    Kes was not impressed when she found a loose thread hanging on Kayla¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Get it cut, and make a proper effort next time,¡± she said coldly.

    ¡°Yes, Corporal.¡±

    ¡°Perfect means Perfect. As in, better than your wedding day,¡± she snapped.

    ¡°Yes, Corporal.¡±

    Auto-Buses took the crowd of Rangers to a nearby airstrip, where they gathered on the apron. They were all so resplendent in their uniforms that, to Kayla, they really did resemble a palace guard on display.

    Time passed while the Rangers huddled in small groups, talking quietly. They were a far cry from the loud-mouthed chaotic mob that had returned from the field exercise, and Kayla wondered how such apparently opposite character types could exist within the same women. On the other hand, why did she assume they were different?

    Lieutenant Akane passed by the platoon, checking them over, and paying particular attention to Kayla and Thandi.

    After a good look, she appeared satisfied. ¡°Good job getting those two ready, Corporal,¡± she said warmly to Kes.

    The corporal nodded. ¡°Wasn¡¯t a problem LT¡ªthey¡¯re good girls.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± Akane turned to address Kayla and Thandi directly. ¡°We need good Rangers in this battalion. If you two keep your attitude up, you will both go a long way.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lieutenant,¡± they said in unison.

    After some time passed, the platoon sergeants moved the Rangers into parade formation, neat ranks facing the landing strip.

    Once they were in position, a tall, angry looking Sergeant Major¡ªflanked by the battalion¡¯s commanding officers¡ªcalled out to them. ¡°BATTALION- ATTEEEEHHN¡­SHUN!¡±

    Six-hundred women snapped into position; backs slightly arched, heads held high, arms straight as planks, bodies still as statues. For several minutes there was only silence, until the drone of an approaching shuttle filled the grey morning sky. The spacecraft landed gently on the runway with only the slightest screech of tires, then taxied over to the apron by the waiting battalion. The loading ramp dropped as the whine of the engines receded.

    ¡°BATTALION! PREEEEEE SENT¡­ ARMS!¡±

    Six hundred arms snapped up into a salute.

    Four Rangers descended the aircraft¡¯s ramp, carrying on their shoulders a steel coffin. The blue and gold Mountain Ranger flag was draped over the top, the cloth¡¯s smooth cleanliness contrasting sharply with the blood-stained uniforms of the Rangers carrying it. The women¡¯s eyes were-red rimmed, tear tracks running through the grime and dried blood on their faces, but they held themselves upright. The procession marched past the still battalion, heading for the nearby terminal building. One of the coffin bearers was missing an arm¡ªher sleeve tied in a hasty knot.

    A second group emerged from the plane, carrying another coffin. They, too, passed in front of the battalion and into the terminal.

    The battalion held their position for a while until the aircraft engines shut down and the crew emerged.

    ¡°BATTALION¡ªSTAND AT EASE!¡±

    ¡°BATTALION DISMISSED!¡±

    Then it was over.

    Kayla and Thandi stood alone at the edge of the crowds of Rangers. Thandi said nothing, and Kayla wanted to ask her how often she guessed they would find themselves back in the same place, but stifled the thought. She felt a sickening heaviness, a connection to the shared grief of her new tribe. The only thing she knew for certain was that she didn¡¯t want to feel it again, even though it was inevitable.

    Ash approached them. ¡°It was Lance-Corporal Rachel Holmes, and Sergeant Wu Cheng,¡± she said. ¡°Two very excellent Rangers.¡±

    ¡°Did you know them?¡± Kayla asked.

    Ash shrugged. ¡°Not well. But they were Mountain Rangers¡ªpart of the family. They wore the patch.¡± She gestured to a diamond on her right arm: gold swords crossed over a pair of blue peaks against a background of stars. ¡°Your combat suits won¡¯t carry that patch¡ªnot until we decide that you¡¯ve earned it. Until then, you¡¯re just a pair of nobodies, using us to get somewhere else.¡± She smiled. ¡°See you back at the compound.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 53

    ¡°Can you see the next bolt above you, across that slope?¡± Corporal Rudaski asked from her belay position, pointing to the gleam of metal against the dull grey of the cliff.

    Kayla ignored her as she stared at the abyss below. Distant boulders were scattered like grains of sand across a scree slope that ran down to a shimmering blue lake. Today, she was climbing with a rope, and therefore invincible. The platoon had spent the previous week training in mountain warfare, and Kayla was beginning to feel like a real super-woman.

    ¡°Kenya!¡± Kes snapped.

    Kayla¡¯s head span around. ¡°Yes, Corporal?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the bolt?¡±

    Kayla pointed. ¡°Right there.¡±

    The squad leader eyed her suspiciously. ¡°Alright. This technique is called slab climbing. You need to step across that slope slowly and carefully, without slipping.¡±

    Kayla examined the steep slope of rock. Just past the section Kes wanted her to creep across was a thin handhold, which she could probably reach with a good jump. It¡¯d make for a much more exciting traverse, and impress her new squad mates, who were still ascending the mountain face below. She was, after all, a very good climber.

    ¡°What I want you to think about,¡± Kes continued, ¡°is keeping your body pressed against the wall¡ª¡±

    With a grunt of exertion, Kayla launched herself into the air, arms reaching desperately for the inches-wide ledge. Her fingertips brushed against rock, but the handhold was horizontal, while her momentum was still carrying her sideways. She had jumped too hard, and her body continued its flight across the wall, pulling her away from the handhold, down onto the smooth slope below. She gasped as she slid painfully fast across the rock and fell below an outcropping. The rope pulled taut, and she let out a yelp as she smacked into the cliff face with a sickening jolt.

    Kayla hung in space a few feet from the cliff, coughing and gasping as she tried to suck air back into her lungs. Her arm was numb, and she saw that most of the skin from her biceps to her wrist had been ripped off from the slide. She clenched her jaw, fighting back tears as pain flared across her body. To distract herself, she watched in horrified fascination as her skin cells began slowly restitching themselves around the arm wound. It was a miraculously fast process, though she was still facing several painful days before it fully healed.

    ¡°Barnes?¡± Kes called from above.

    Kayla struggled to speak. ¡°Yes, Corporal?¡± she gasped, after a bout of wheezing. The rope crossed the overhang, leaving her swinging a few feet away from the wall. With her damaged arm, she¡¯d need Kes¡¯s help to get back up.

    ¡°Are you dead?¡±

    ¡°No, Corporal.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Kes was silent for a moment. ¡°That was an incorrect technique that you applied to the problem. I¡¯ll push the rest of the squad through, and then we¡¯ll see if you¡¯re ready to give it another go. Sit tight and wait.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Corporal.¡± Kayla swallowed as she hung over the gut-wrenching drop, her enthusiasm for the day suddenly gone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get to you in good time, but first I¡¯ll put the others onto a new rope, and make sure they move on to the next section. Tasha?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Corporal?¡± Thandi replied in a shaky voice.

    ¡°Are you interested in the slab climbing technique, or would you prefer to explore the cliff with your friend?¡±

    ¡°I am interested in the technique, Corporal.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Now, make sure to keep your weight forward on your toes¡­¡±

    It took some time for the rest of the squad to move through the climb. Kayla hung in silence as the dark thought began to grow that she may have done more than just annoy her new squad leader.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± Kes called from above.

    Kayla looked up.

    The corporal¡¯s face was staring down at her. ¡°The others are through, so I¡¯ll haul you up now.¡±

    Kayla felt her harness tug as Kes pulled the rope through a pulley. Just as she was almost back up to the ledge, the rope jerked, and Kayla¡¯s stomach plummeted into the void as she fell several feet. She fought back nausea as she looked back up to see Kes leaning out over the edge, a hard smile on her face.

    ¡°Wow, guess my hand slipped,¡± the corporal said. ¡°Gotta be more careful with a drop like that.¡± She eyed the valley below as she drew a knife out of her pocket. ¡°What do you think a drop like that would do to you, Kayla?¡± With an idle flick of the wrist, the knife flipped open, and she began tapping the flat edge of it against the taut rope, as though it were an old habit.

    Kayla looked down and shuddered as the image of Rose¡¯s shattered leg flashed through her mind.

    Her mouth was dry. She couldn¡¯t think of anything except to get away from the drop, and she had to fight to suppress the animal panic. ¡°I don¡¯t know Corporal.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know if that would kill a Ranger,¡± Kes went on. ¡°But I do know what would¡ªan arrogant, egotistical asshole that thinks she can run off and do whatever she wants. That for sure kills Rangers.¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The knife tapped gently against the rope, and Kayla hid her shamefully trembling hands behind her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Only thing I care about is protecting the girls in my squad from anything that could hurt them. We could be deployed tomorrow to a real situation, but here you are, wasting my goddamned time. Luckily, though, I just found an easy solution. After all, training accidents happen every day.¡±

    Kayla saw nothing but calm certainty in the eyes of her leader, and she looked down. For a moment, she thought she might vomit, but forced herself to remain calm.

    ¡°I became overconfident,¡± she admitted with a shaky voice. ¡°I let myself get carried away. I guarantee that it will never happen again.¡±

    Kes watched her carefully for an endless moment, then flicked her knife closed and put it away. The rope hauled again, and Kayla smacked herself in the head for being such a fool. Once she was back on the ledge, Kes made her sit down to calm her shaking.

    ¡°Take a moment to collect yourself,¡± the corporal said, ¡°then we¡¯ll go back to the climb.¡± She sighed. ¡°I like the fire in you, Barnes. Temper it with some discipline, and you¡¯ll be a dangerous weapon.¡±

    It had been a day of excitement, followed by terror, humiliation, and painfully honest personal insight. Another day of being a Ranger.

    Get comfortable being uncomfortable, Kayla reminded herself.

    After failing to relieve stress at the shooting range, she checked her weapons back in at the armory, then jogged over to the platoon¡¯s administration office, where she found Sergeant Reyes staring in frustration at her computer monitor.

    The sergeant looked up as she entered. ¡°Private Barnes? I was just checking to make sure there wasn¡¯t an error in your unit assignment. Mountain Rangers is a big deal, and honestly, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make it through boot camp.¡±

    Kayla caught the twinkle in the woman¡¯s eye and forced herself to stay calm. ¡°Thank you for the vote of confidence, Sergeant. I¡¯ll be sure to keep an eye out for nighttime interlopers around the camp.¡±

    Reyes laughed. ¡°I guess you¡¯re getting ready for your weekend trip? Where are you headed?¡±

    ¡°Caldera, Sergeant; visiting family.¡±

    ¡°I hear you¡¯ll have some young stud to impress, too.¡± Reyes smiled and ignored Kayla¡¯s scowl. ¡°Here¡¯s my best line; ¡®Listen, Johny, the rumors are true. The Academy is a super-secret spy ring.¡¯ Then you do the full puppy dog eyes and work up a tear. ¡®You know, Johnny, when you live on the edge of death, you have to make every moment as intense as you can.¡¯¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes.

    Reyes laughed raucously. ¡°That¡¯s the male override switch right there. One day you¡¯ll appreciate the advice, young neophyte. It¡¯s all in good fun.¡±

    Kayla grudgingly cracked a smile. She waited as the sergeant pulled up a file on her monitor and scanned it carefully.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Reyes continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure it will do you good to visit home again. Let¡¯s see, what do we need to go over? Okay, yes¡ªI¡¯m afraid you need to limit your stay to the Rackeye zone itself, as a security precaution.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s face fell. ¡°My dad lives out in the farms.¡±

    ¡°Can he meet you in Rackeye? It¡¯s not something I have control over, it¡¯s the rules for new recruits.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sergeant,¡± Kayla said, less politely.

    Reyes reached to a cupboard behind her and retrieved a small device, which she handed to Kayla; a metal key with a button.

    ¡°You¡¯ll want to keep that with you at all times off-world,¡± the sergeant explained. ¡°It¡¯s a sub-spatial transmitter. Once activated, it will send out a beacon, which our routing stations will pick up. Imagine you get hit by a car crossing the street, and the locals are too curious about your injuries. Tap this, and the closest team will be alerted that you need assistance. But it had better be an emergency, Barnes, or you will be in serious trouble.¡±

    ¡°Emergencies only¡ªgot it,¡± Kayla nodded.

    ¡°One more thing. When you walk out into the world, you¡¯ll feel like the baddest chick around. Don¡¯t let that go to your head; stay out of trouble. That means walking away from fights. I understand that probably runs contrary to your nature, but if we find out you¡¯re deliberately getting into fights, you will get kicked out of the organization. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sergeant,¡± Kayla responded, confident that an easy, relaxing weekend awaited her.

    Back at the squad apartment, she threw on a long sleeve shirt to hide her scar, and found Thandi packing a travel case.

    ¡°Did you have to tell everyone?¡± Kayla asked.

    Thandi grinned. ¡°No, Ray took care of that for me. Of course, I didn¡¯t deny it either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you for that. Where are you off to?¡±

    ¡°Heading back home to spend time with my family. They¡¯re so excited¡ªthey haven¡¯t seen me in such a long time. You?¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great¡ªsame for me.¡±

    ¡°And the boyfriend?¡± Thandi flashed her a wink.

    ¡°We¡¯re just friends!¡± Kayla flopped onto a couch and grabbed her tablet. She saw she had a new message from Weslan, and hurriedly opened it.

    Kayla, I¡¯m afraid my work here requires my undivided attention, and I cannot waste any more time on these exchanges. Please don¡¯t try to contact me in Rackeye. Perhaps in the future, things will be different. ¡ªWeslan

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Thandi asked, concern in her voice.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Kayla said as she stared at the screen. Whatever Reyes said, she could probably get away with at least one fight in Rackeye.

    ¡°You¡¯re either about to punch someone or smash your tablet. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Thandi sat down opposite her. ¡°Girlfriend. Your expressions are an open book to me. Did he just stand you up?¡±

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not even a big deal. I don¡¯t see why you care.¡± Kayla placed her tablet gently beside her in an exaggerated motion and fixed her eyes on a spot on the wall.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Thandi said, and waited.

    ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t see me. He was kind of an ass about it, frankly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, babe. Did he say why?¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Career stuff I guess.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, guys only want one thing. Sometimes you¡¯re just an obstacle to their ambition. Good thing you learned that he¡¯s an asshole before you got in any further.¡±

    Kayla paused, then shook her head slowly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make sense. He used to be crazy about Rose, and when she dumped him for the Academy, he was really torn up about it. He wouldn¡¯t turn around and do that to someone else.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well, that explains a couple of things about¡­¡± Thandi trailed off as she caught Kayla¡¯s expression.

    Kayla was not content to accept the email at face value. ¡°He was really excited to get a break from work and hang out,¡± she argued. ¡°They were pushing him so hard¡ªalmost seemed like he couldn¡¯t handle it.¡±

    Thandi studied her. ¡°I know you¡¯re hurting, but you shouldn¡¯t go chasing after people if they don¡¯t want to see you.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh¡­¡± Kayla said, barely paying attention.

    ¡°They have a word for people who do that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to chase after him¡ªI just want to say hi, right? I¡¯ve known him for a long time. Nothing wrong with not leaving things at an email?¡±

    Thandi placed her head in her hands. ¡°Please don¡¯t get in trouble. Or the news. Or kicked out.¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stopping by to see Rose on your way out? She messaged me that she saw Christie.¡± Neither of them had heard from their friend since they¡¯d left for their new units.

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± The habitual wave of apprehension threatened to flood her mind, but this time, she was able to let it pass. Now she was almost looking forward to chatting with her old rival.

 Part 2 - Chapter 54

    Rose was sat up in her hospital bed, smiling ear to ear as Kayla entered. She fidgeted around while they talked; a sign, Kayla realized, of the frustration of being trapped in a bed for weeks with nothing to do.

    ¡°How much longer do you have to stay here?¡± she asked.

    Rose pulled a face. ¡°Another month. I keep telling them I can walk around just fine, but they say the fracture is still fragile. And they don¡¯t let me outside. I¡¯m going crazy in this place, honestly.¡±

    Kayla winced. ¡°I can imagine. Did they assign you a unit yet?¡±

    ¡°Nope. A bunch of slots got filled while I was out, so I¡¯m just hanging around¡­ waiting to hear my fate. How¡¯s the Mountain Battalion?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so awesome,¡± Kayla gushed. ¡°All we do is shoot, and climb, and train. They push us really hard.¡± She rolled her up sleeve to show off the blood-red streak beneath. ¡°Check that out.¡±

    Rose scrunched up her face. ¡°Gross. It sounds great¡ªI hope I get a unit like that.¡±

    ¡°You will. They know to send girls to the right places,¡± Kayla assured her. ¡°Speaking of which, did you hear anything about Christie?¡±

    ¡°She stopped by a couple of days ago, but wouldn¡¯t say what she was doing. She¡¯s getting all mysterious these days.¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°Yeah, I bet they stuck her in some super-secret spy program, and now she¡¯s living her dream.¡±

    Rose smiled mischievously. ¡°Shut the door.¡±

    Kayla couldn¡¯t repress a grin as she did so. Rose sounded like she was going to break a rule, and Kayla was eager to see it. She took a seat on the bed, eyes wide.

    ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t say anything,¡± Rose said, ¡°but I do know that she¡¯s going to be on Caldera.¡±

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    ¡°She said she was going to get an up-close view of your ¡®fascinating culture¡¯.¡±

    Kayla took on a condescending expression and mimicked Christie¡¯s accent. ¡°I am, of course, your intellectual, moral, and spiritual better, but please know that I do think of you as a friend.¡±

    They both laughed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait until we can all hang out again,¡± Rose said, then looked away as her cheeks flushed.

    ¡°Yeah, that would be great,¡± Kayla said, but the awkwardness remained. Something was bothering her friend, and she needed a way to lift her spirits. ¡°Thandi is excited to visit you on her way out,¡± she tried.

    Rose¡¯s eyes moistened. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about¡­ about how I treated you, Kayla,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Kayla was stunned. Hadn¡¯t they put that behind them? She put a reassuring hand on Rose¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey, come on, it¡¯s over¡ªlost to the past.¡±

    ¡°No, I just¡ªnow I¡¯ve had time to think about it¡­ We should have been friends. We were almost friends.¡±

    ¡°I know, but you were caught up in your world, and I was angry all the time, and we were just kids. Kids are dumb,¡± Kayla said and laughed.

    Rose looked down. ¡°They gave the presentation that first night, and it changed everything for me. Whatever the flaws of Helvetic society may be, I genuinely believed that it was my duty to make the world a better place, whatever it took. Maybe that¡¯s why I was so cruel, because¡ª¡± she sniffed. ¡°Because I thought we had to get rid of people like you. That¡¯s what they wanted me to think.

    ¡°But now I know that our worlds¡ªour civilization¡ªwouldn¡¯t exist without a group of people ready to sacrifice themselves for it. And they aren¡¯t the most wise, revered types; they¡¯re just ordinary people.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°A little on the crazy side, maybe.¡± She nudged Rose and smiled.

    Rose looked up and smiled back. ¡°I thought that I didn¡¯t deserve any of what I had been given, or maybe that I had to pay it back somehow. That¡¯s what drove me through bootcamp.¡±

    Kayla looked down at her feet. ¡°I was being an ass, too. Sorry¡ªyou know I get stupid when I get angry.¡±

    Rose gazed at her warmly. ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much you don¡¯t even see it.¡±

    ¡°So have you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe once I get out of here, you can take me to the village you grew up in. Byford, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Kayla¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How did you remember that?¡±

    Rose shrugged.

    ¡°Maybe you can take me to visit that opera you were always pushing on me. The one about the dancer who loses her leg in an accident?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±

    Kayla paused, hesitant to say what she had to. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Wes in Rackeye during my leave. Is that okay?¡±

    Rose sighed and looked away. When she turned back, she wore a surprisingly earnest expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to hear from me, or what you¡¯ll reject,¡± she said. ¡°Please know I wouldn¡¯t do anything to deprive you of happiness. But I will tell you that you can do better than Weslan Genny¡ªa lot better.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t know what to say. She¡¯d always thought that everyone, especially Rose, liked Weslan. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Rose grabbed her hand. ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ll be there for you. For anything.¡±

    Kayla hugged her and thanked her for the advice. As she left the room, she paused and was overcome by the need to take a photo of her friend. But she dismissed the thought as childish. There were better places than a hospital room to make memories.

    The shuttles in the Tyr-city starport looked unremarkable to Kayla, but one of her flight companions explained that they were anything but. Together with cloaking devices and sensitive anti-tracking detectors, they used advanced engines that allowed them to slip in and out of the heavily trafficked space lanes without drawing attention.

    The trip passed with comfortable ease as Kayla spent the hours chatting with the half-dozen passengers who were also headed to Caldera. The shuttle-expert introduced herself as Elmira Aliyev¡ªa combat controller. Kayla listened in fascination as the woman explained that she was trained to create an entire makeshift starport out of a barren patch of alien landscape, to allow Valkyrie vessels to land, refuel or rearm. She was also a battlefield air-traffic controller, able to manage bombing runs from dozens of spacecraft at a time.

    ¡°You must be ridiculously smart,¡± Kayla said, wide eyed with fascination.

    Elmira waved a hand. ¡°It¡¯s all just a bunch of skillsets in the end. You can learn anything you want in the organization once you figure out your path.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m more of the gunfighter type. I¡¯m too dumb for the nerd stuff.¡±

    Elmira smiled and winked. ¡°You¡¯re young and trying to maintain some humility, I get that. But Combat Control means gunfighting alongside the highest-level operators. Don¡¯t dismiss it as all nerd stuff.¡±

    Kayla shook her head in disbelief and made a note of the unit¡¯s recruiting office on Tyr. It would be a useful experience for whenever she needed to deflate her ego.

    Before long, Kayla walked out through the private embarkation lounge in Rackeye¡¯s starport, struggling to contain the butterflies in her stomach. Jack was waiting in the arrivals lobby, and she ran over, grabbing him in a bear hug so tight that he yelped. She lifted his whole body up a few inches, then dropped him down before anybody noticed.

    ¡°You cheeky scoundrel!¡± she scolded playfully. ¡°You knew the whole time, and you didn¡¯t give me a single hint!¡±

    Jack wheezed, rubbing his sides. ¡°Easy there, girl, I¡¯m not a young man anymore,¡± he complained.

    They took a taxi to have lunch in a quieter part of the city, and Kayla told Jack everything that had happened since her first day. She tried to avoid giving away suspicious details that might be overheard by a passer-by, and mostly succeeded.

    ¡°You jumped out of an airplane?¡± Jack asked, incredulous.

    Kayla grinned. ¡°Yeah, that was awesome. I mean, not at first¡ªat first it was terrifying, and then really, really painful. But then later it was okay.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a tough group of women over there for sure. I didn¡¯t doubt you belonged with them.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±

    Jack raised his hands. ¡°In my defense, I didn¡¯t really know that much. I knew Urtiga was something else, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t have told you anything that would have helped to prepare you.¡±

    Kayla waved a hand dismissively, then leaned forward. ¡°How did you meet Urtiga?¡± she asked.

    Jack explained that he used to work for Rayker. She¡¯d used him to smuggle a Jotnar super weapon, until Urtiga intercepted him, explained what was really going on, and convinced him to help Valkyrie get the weapon back.

    Kayla listened with rapt attention, stunned to learn how adventurous Jack¡¯s life had been before Caldera.

    ¡°Is Rayker as bad as everyone says?¡± she asked.

    ¡°As brilliant as she is cruel. Worse than you can imagine.¡±

    Kayla sat back and ran a hand through her hair. ¡°That¡¯s insane. And she¡¯s here right now?¡±

    Jack smiled. ¡°Your friends know what they¡¯re doing. I trust them to handle the situation.¡±

    ¡°God, I hope so. I always knew Urtiga was a badass, but after what you just told me¡­ now I feel ashamed of how cocky I¡¯ve been around her.¡± She laughed. ¡°Sure was nice of her to get you out of that situation, though.¡±

    ¡°I bet they do it more than you think,¡± he said. ¡°I bet there¡¯s a bunch of guys out there in the know, calling in tips and so on.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we can meet up with her sometime,¡± Kayla suggested hopefully.

    Jack nodded. ¡°Rolf would be so proud of you, Kayla,¡± he said, and she saw tears running down his cheek. ¡°He always thought you could do anything¡ªhis little huntress.¡±

    The thought filled her with such pride that her own eyes welled up.

    They talked more about Caldera and the things that Kayla had missed. There were more problems with Helvets pushing their business out into the farmlands and stirring up conflict with the locals. Kayla wanted to know about the families she¡¯d grown up with; who had gotten married, who had moved out, who had passed on.

    ¡°What about the attacks?¡± she asked, eventually.

    ¡°Oh, they stopped completely,¡± Jack said. ¡°Not long after you left, actually. It was quite strange, but maybe the creatures got thinned out too much. That happens sometimes¡ªthe wild ones are all killed and only the shy ones remain. But these past few months it¡¯s something else. Always something on this cursed planet.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°People going missing. Not around our area, but further west, closer to the mountains. Lots of people. It¡¯s getting serious.¡±

    Kayla cringed, then clenched her fists. She didn¡¯t know how, but Rayker had to be involved. ¡°That sounds awful. Is it some new type of creature?¡±

    ¡°Not likely¡ªthey always leave bodies. Could be one of the cartels trying to move in, or just a bunch of psychopaths. Honestly, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve gotten away to something better.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯ll probably be dead in a few years, with all the stuff they¡¯re telling me.¡±

    Jack grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that, please.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°What else are you going to do while you¡¯re here?¡±

    Kayla inhaled slowly. ¡°Oh, I thought I might visit a friend.¡±

    Jack raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have any friends in Rackeye?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 55

    Kayla ran up the polished marble steps of the University of Rackeye, heading for the main reception area. As she passed through throngs of young men and women, she noticed that people seemed more deferential to her presence than they¡¯d been before. Nobody blocked her passage or challenged her reason for being there.

    She imagined it must be the way she walked, or held people¡¯s gazes. The usual anxiety she felt in public spaces had vanished. Now she could get into any situation and handle the consequences. After all, she was a brand-new Ranger.

    By contrast, the people around her seemed diminished. They hunched their shoulders or looked away nervously, seemingly devoid of clear purpose as they spoke and moved around. For the first time in her life, Kayla saw the insecurity that underlay most people¡¯s behavior. It seemed so alien after the absurd confidence of the Valkyrie women she¡¯d grown used to.

    A sharp tone of voice would probably get her whatever she wanted, but Kayla chided herself. That wouldn¡¯t be a good thing to do.

    She strode up to the lobby¡¯s main desk. ¡°Hi,¡± she said brightly to the receptionist.

    A young woman turned around with a scowl that softened as she caught Kayla¡¯s eye. ¡°How can I help you?¡± she asked.

    Kayla beamed. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a post-doc who works here¡ªWeslan Genny? We were supposed to meet in town earlier, but I was running late, and I wanted to apologize.¡±

    The lie was startlingly easy. It wasn¡¯t that she enjoyed misleading the other girl, but she had an objective, and she¡¯d be damned if she let something as silly as morality get in the way of it.

    The receptionist tapped away at her computer, then frowned. ¡°Yes, office thirty-five B, but that¡¯s an employee-only area. You¡¯ll need to take a seat and wait for security personnel.¡±

    ¡°Sure, thanks for your help.¡±

    Kayla wandered over to the seating area and sank into a chair, her eyes searching the building for details. There was a checkpoint gate leading to a corridor, at the far end of which a sign read ¡®25 to 45¡ªBiologicals¡¯. Of course, most buildings made themselves easy to navigate, even secure ones. Deciding that she could manage without an escort, she waited until the receptionist vanished from her desk to take care of another task. Then she jumped up, walking closely behind a young man who flashed his phone at the checkpoint.

    ¡°H-hey,¡± he stammered as she pushed through behind him.

    ¡°Move it, please,¡± Kayla snapped. ¡°I¡¯m late for a meeting.¡±

    ¡°B-but¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop holding people up, young man!¡±

    He stood aside, his jaw flapping, while she strode confidently away. Nobody questioned the purposeful woman who looked like she knew where she was going. Following the signs, she eventually came to the office the receptionist had mentioned. A small plaque said ¡®Weslan Genny, PhD¡¯ on the door, but the office looked like it hadn¡¯t been used in months. A fine layer of dust covered the computer monitor and desk, but Kayla couldn¡¯t see anything that might give her a clue about Weslan¡¯s current location. As she headed back out into the corridor, she caught sight of another name¡ªFayel Jearsan¡ªa girl that had been senior to her in Madam Georgia¡¯s, and a friend of Weslan¡¯s. The tag sat over a cubicle in a large open area, where Fayel sat at her computer, focused on her work.

    ¡°Fayel?¡± Kayla asked cheerfully.

    The women looked around, and her expression turned to one of shock. ¡°Kayla? Kayla Barnes? What are¡ªMy god it¡¯s been so long!¡±

    They hugged awkwardly, and though they had barely ever spoken before, Fayel was so surprised she accepted Kayla¡¯s forceful small talk.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Fayel asked eventually.

    Kayla shook her head with mock frustration. ¡°I was supposed to meet Weslan in town, but he didn¡¯t show up, and I thought I¡¯d find him here at his old office. I have a ton of work stuff to deal with, but he has to be a lousy communicator.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Fayel seemed to deflate a little. ¡°Well, nobody¡¯s seen him for quite some time. To tell the truth, we¡¯re a bit worried. It¡¯s that classified project he was moved to. I guess they don¡¯t let him out very often.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Kayla said, though she had no idea what Fayel was talking about. ¡°Last time we spoke, he seemed really stressed. Exhausted even¡ªI do hope they¡¯re not draining his life away.¡±

    Fayel shrugged helplessly.

    ¡°Do you know where he moved to?¡± Kayla pressed.

    ¡°Well, no. It¡¯s a confidential project.¡±

    ¡°Of course, but I mean you must have heard something¡ª¡± Kayla stopped, and her blood ran cold as she noticed something in the corner of her eye.

    There was a brightly colored object on Fayel¡¯s desk; a crystal, just like the one her father had given her on the day he was killed. The vision of the mud-smeared jewel drifted through her mind as the chill was replaced with a rush of heat and adrenaline.

    Kayla¡¯s smile vanished. No-one in the farms sold bilrust crystals since the attacks had begun. The hiker who collected them was presumed to be one of the first killed.

    She jabbed a finger at the object, all pretense of friendliness gone. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± she snapped.

    Fayel looked down to where Kayla was pointing. When she looked back up, her eyes betrayed fear. ¡°What?¡± she asked, almost angrily.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Kayla¡¯s mind raced. Fayel was acting like she¡¯d been caught with something she wasn¡¯t supposed to have, which meant someone had smuggled it to her. But from where?

    Kayla¡¯s eyes narrowed as she was seized by a wild hunch. ¡°Weslan gave that to you,¡± she said accusingly.

    The woman¡¯s shocked expression told Kayla all she needed to know.

    ¡°Excuse me, Miss?¡± a voice said.

    They looked around to see two smartly dressed men, one brandishing a security badge, and Kayla¡¯s skin tingled with goosebumps.

    They were too muscular for college security, and there was something in their eyes and posture that separated them from everyone else. Something that Kayla had been accustomed to seeing in the women on Tyr.

    One man¡¯s eyes ran up and down her body, not lustily checking her out, but scanning quickly for something¡ªweapons? The other man¡¯s eyes darted quickly about the room, and when he caught her gaze, he returned it without blinking. Neither of them approached her directly, keeping their distance, shoulders relaxed, and hands held close to the subtle bulges at their hips.

    They had to be military, and only Helvet soldiers would be walking around Rackeye looking for trouble.

    Kayla almost panicked. After all her training, was she giving away any subtle signals? She tried to subtly hunch her shoulders while avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°Sorry, can we help you?¡± she asked, smiling nervously.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to come with us, Miss,¡± the first man said. ¡°Seems there was an irregularity with your security pass.¡±

    It was a lie, told expertly, and with a hint of a smirk. They knew, and they knew that she knew.

    ¡°Oh, well, you know I just dropped in to say hi to a friend.¡± Kayla laughed nervously. She was nothing but a mischievous passerby with little regard for the rules.

    ¡°All the same, miss, we just need to process it through again.¡±

    They clearly weren¡¯t buying her act.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kayla said, and turned reluctantly to follow them.

    One of the men dropped behind her while the other stayed at her side, and their steps synchronized into a steady march. Kayla forced herself not to follow the same rhythm as she cursed the useless parade ground instruction that had given her the habit.

    They walked in silence while she desperately scanned around, searching for any way out. Just ahead of her was a staircase down to a fire escape door. The men were no doubt watching for her to make a move, which meant she¡¯d only have one advantage¡ªshe could move much faster than they¡¯d be expecting.

    As they drew level with the door, Kayla jabbed her foot out, tripping the man to her side before she darted away. She moved as fast as she could, but even so, felt fingertips brush against her arm. Yelling broke out behind her as she slammed through the fire escape and found herself in a parking lot. She raced immediately to the far wall, vaulted over the top of it, and dropped to the other side. Then she ran as fast as she could into the streets around the university, turning corners and taking side streets at random.

    Eventually, Kayla stopped to get her breath back and tried to think through the adrenaline. If there were Helvetic military on Caldera, hiding themselves as security guards, then she had a serious problem. They certainly hadn¡¯t shown up to stop some girl jumping a security gate in a public university. They¡¯d shown up, she realized with a chill, because she¡¯d asked the receptionist about Weslan.

    And Fayel had somehow received a chunk of a bilrust crystal. There was no possible way she¡¯d journeyed down to the mountains where they formed, and there was no good reason for Weslan to have done so either. Unless the Helvets really were more involved in the attacks on the farms than anyone had realized.

    Kayla¡¯s muscles began to shake as she came down from the adrenaline high, so she sat on a bench and tried to think. She could try contacting Masey, or someone else in Valkyrie, but it wasn¡¯t like she had any evidence. They would probably laugh at her for getting in trouble, and spinning wild stories.

    But hundreds of Calderans had gone missing around the mountains. If the terrorist Rayker was known to be on the planet too, then there had to be a connection. But could Weslan really be involved? How? She had never imagined him to be the type of guy to get involved with something so dark and sinister.

    Whatever was going on, Kayla¡¯s only leads were probably still looking for her around the university grounds. Even if Masey¡¯s team believed her, she couldn¡¯t contact them in time to follow the men back to their base of operations. If Kayla let them go, she might have lost her last chance to get to the bottom of whatever was happening to her home.

    She stopped in a clothes shop, picked up a new jacket, and put on a pair of sunglasses. Letting her hair down from her usual ponytail, she tossed it around to give it a wild look, and completed the image with a stylish scarf around her neck. She circled back to the university, where she sat in a caf¨¦ across the street from the main concourse, ordered a drink, and pretended to be engrossed in her phone. Her patience paid off when the two ¡®security guards¡¯ emerged from the main entrance and headed on foot into the city.

    Kayla put down her drink, tapped a remote payment into her phone, and got up to follow them.

    She tried her best to improvise¡ªthough she had no training in tailing suspects¡ªand pretended to be a bored shopper. Whenever the men stopped at a crosswalk or to make a call, she stared intently at the nearest shop window, studying whatever was on display. At one point, they doubled back, and she darted inside a boutique, only reemerging once she saw them stroll purposefully past the entrance. She kept following them out towards the residential part of the city, maintaining distance as they made several turns along a confusing route. Kayla had no idea where they were going, but she had nothing better to do than find out.

    Though she tried to stay inconspicuous, the men soon wandered into tighter side streets through a cluster of apartment buildings. Kayla had to let some distance open up, or she¡¯d risk being spotted, but the tail became harder to maintain as they moved further away. She tried her best to stay with them, but after she rounded the corner of yet another block, they vanished.

    It was getting late in the day, and Kayla had no idea where she was. A cold wind was blowing, so she drew her jacket tightly around herself, and tried to make her way back to a main road. A black cloud darkened her spirit. She cursed herself for losing the one link she had left to Weslan, and maybe even the truth to whatever was happening on Caldera.

    She made it halfway down an empty avenue when one of the men stepped out of an alleyway in front of her, grinning slyly.

    ¡°Looking for someone, miss secret agent?¡± he asked.

    Kayla turned to run, but the second man had appeared behind her. Her stomach tightened into knots. Both men drew guns, and she cursed herself for being so foolish, trying to tail no doubt experienced soldiers, when she had no idea what she was doing.

    The worst part was that they¡¯d want to know who she was and who she worked for. With her hand still buried in her jacket pocket, Kayla touched the cold metal of the panic alarm, and felt even more dread at the consequences of using it. The situation had been entirely her fault, and if she survived, she was going to be in serious trouble.

    But there was no choice. She thumbed the button, then put on a bright smile and walked straight up to the man in front of her. He stepped back and brought his weapon up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Kayla said. ¡°I surrender. You got me.¡±

    ¡°Let me see those hands, girl,¡± he demanded, as his partner approached from behind her, weapon also raised.

    Kayla opened her palms and lifted her arms. ¡°Happy?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± her captor asked. ¡°What are you doing snooping around the university?¡±

    Kayla went for broke. She fixed a manic expression on her face and tried to bring up tears. ¡°Weslan won¡¯t answer my calls,¡± she said desperately. ¡°I have to see him¡ªI can¡¯t live without him.¡± She stepped forward, and her voice became pleading. ¡°I thought if I followed you, you¡¯d lead me to him.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

 Part 2 - Chapter 56

    ¡°He¡¯s seeing another woman, isn¡¯t he?¡± Kayla said in anger, hoping that her acting ability was as good as she imagined. ¡°I can tell. Go on¡ªdeny it.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re trying to fool, lady?¡± said the second man behind her. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone run that fast and vault up a wall like that. You think we¡¯re going to believe you¡¯re just some obsessed stalker?¡±

    The first man raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories. We all have. Young women, freakishly strong, getting in people¡¯s business.¡± A car sped past the intersection ahead, but he ignored it. ¡°We¡¯re just going to stay here, nice and calm, until our ride shows up. Then you¡¯re coming with us and answering some questions. Get it?¡±

    Kayla had heard enough Earth accents in her time at Madam Georgia¡¯s, and both men spoke like natives. She¡¯d be lucky if they didn¡¯t take her off-world to dissect, and then the entire Helvetic military would become aware of Valkyrie¡¯s secrets. There was no way she could let that happen. She¡¯d have to watch carefully for the slightest chance to escape, though the two soldiers were still keeping their distance, guns ready. They obviously weren¡¯t fools.

    Unlike herself, she thought, as she regretted her choices that day.

    ¡°Hey, who¡¯s that?¡± one of the men yelled suddenly as he whirled around.

    There was movement down the street. Two women with guns drawn dodged between parked cars. Kayla dropped as gunshots cracked through the air. Both men fell to the pavement, a cluster of bullet holes in their chests. After a long moment, Kayla carefully raised her head, and saw Masey Laukkanen, together with a woman she did not recognize, standing over her.

    Masey¡¯s face was twisted into a sneer. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Private Barnes,¡± she said, almost spitting the rank. ¡°I¡¯m going to assume that we are close to your home, and that a pair of Helvet Special Forces soldiers had a moment of total professional incompetence when they took a fancy to you.¡±

    Her expression indicated that she didn¡¯t believe that for a second, and that her wrath for Kayla would be terrible.

    ¡°Um¡­ Not exactly,¡± Kayla said in a small voice. The shock of so much violence left her shaken. Maybe she would have been better off getting kidnapped.

    A battered old sedan drew up and stopped in the road.

    ¡°Grab him,¡± Masey said, pointing to one of the bodies.

    Kayla pulled the dead man up onto her shoulder. She noted, with a shiver, the glazed eyes of the first person who had died as a result of her decisions. Masey¡¯s partner dropped the other body in the trunk of the car, and Kayla did likewise, before getting into a passenger seat.

    ¡°Keep off the main roads,¡± Masey cautioned the driver.

    Nobody spoke to Kayla as they drove off, and she didn¡¯t think it wise to try and make excuses. She sat in silence for more than an hour, wondering if she was about to get kicked out of Valkyrie and lose the incredible life she had briefly achieved.

    Eventually, they pulled into the depot of a small taxi company. The place looked deserted but for a few non-descript vehicles. Several of the offices looking onto the main garage had their windows blacked out.

    When Kayla got out of the car, the driver emerged, and she saw with a shock that it was Christie.

    ¡°Chris¡ª¡± Kayla began, but her friend only smiled sadly, and shook her head.

    She followed Masey into a canteen, where a group of women were waiting with grave expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Sit!¡± Masey ordered, pointing to a wooden chair.

    Kayla did so. Concerned looks turned to muted anger as the others in the room picked up on Masey¡¯s mood.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Masey said sharply, ¡°these women are from Orbital Demolition Team Four. Would you kindly explain to them why you felt it necessary to piss away their months of hard work in Rackeye?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s throat was so dry, she wasn¡¯t even sure if she could talk. A dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on her, most now bearing expressions of anger or contempt.  She had never been so terrified in her life.

    She tried to speak as contritely as she could. ¡°Uh¡­ Masey, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Senior Chief Laukkanen!¡± Masey snapped.

    ¡°Senior Chief, uh, I was attempting to follow those men because they had attempted to kidnap me in the university. I uh¡­ think I may have gained a lead on what¡¯s causing the animal attacks here.¡± Kayla was certain nobody would believe her, but she didn¡¯t even have the wit to lie anymore.

    ¡°Hey, Zhang, get in here,¡± Masey called.

    After a short pause, Jiao Zhang entered the room. Kayla looked down. As If she needed anyone else to witness her humiliation.

    ¡°Zhang, you didn¡¯t tell me you had another member of your team on the ground?¡± Masey said in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°Why would you think I had another team member?¡± Zhang countered, her voice neutral.

    ¡°It¡¯s the only explanation!¡± Masey insisted. ¡°Because I could not possibly be hearing that the most promising young Ranger graduate this year would throw her career away, being so much of a senseless infantile airhead, that she thought she could tail two professional soldiers while she¡¯s off on her weekend leave. Right?¡±

    ¡°That is an astute conclusion,¡± Zhang replied.

    Kayla kept her eyes on the ground, fighting the urge to cry. She was certain she was going to be driven out of the organization in shame, to spend the rest of her life cleaning some Helvet family¡¯s bathrooms.

    ¡°Six months, we¡¯ve been watching these guys!¡± Masey yelled. ¡°Quietly building up profiles, tracking their movements, mapping their safe houses. And now they will go to ground, change everything up, and avoid any young woman like the plague, because you just forced us to kill two of their comrades. And absolutely none of this is going to tell us anything about the animal attacks! You stupid, ignorant little girl!¡± Masey smashed a coffee machine into the wall.

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    Kayla flinched. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry? Who cares if you¡¯re sorry? Does that get our operation back?¡± Masey clutched her forehead. ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°They took my friend¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, they took your friend!¡± Masey leaned down until she was inches from Kayla¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t care if your friend is lying dead in a dumpster somewhere,¡± she hissed. ¡°There is a Helvet Special Forces unit in Rackeye, in the company of a known serial killer, and they have likely kidnapped dozens of people in the last year! Do you have any idea what that means?¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t say anything while she focused on trying to stop her whole body from trembling.

    Masey stood up and looked around. ¡°So, there you have it, ladies. Everyone be sure to make your appreciation known to miss Kayla Barnes here, while I go and message a friend of mine that she is a pathetic judge of character.¡± She left the canteen, slamming the door behind her.

    The other ODTs filed out, muttering obscenities in Kayla¡¯s direction and letting her know exactly what they thought she was worth.

    Zhang trailed behind them, but when she reached the door, she stopped. ¡°Christie, would you please join us?¡± she called, before drawing up a chair of her own in front of the distraught Kayla.

    Kayla wiped tears out of her eyes. ¡°I should¡ª¡± she began, but couldn¡¯t think of what she could do. Masey was right¡ªshe was an irresponsible fool that didn¡¯t belong in Valkyrie, and she hated herself for betraying women who were clearly better than she could ever hope to be.

    Christie joined them, and Zhang turned to her. ¡°Did you get those reports on the kidnapped students?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have them here,¡± Christie replied.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Zhang offered Kayla a tissue. ¡°Senior Chief Laukkanen,¡± she said calmly, ¡°also known as ¡®Flashbang¡¯, for reasons you probably guessed, made some good points. However, Kayla, I would like you to please talk me through exactly what happened today.¡±

    Kayla wiped her eyes. ¡°I was so stupid,¡± she stammered.

    Zhang put an arm on her shoulder. ¡°Kayla, look at me. This is a very tense situation, and I need you to Ranger up right now. What happened? Tell me every detail.¡±

    Kayla breathed deeply and forced herself to think through the day. She slowly recounted the events of the morning; her visit to the university, her run-in with the soldiers, and her attempt to follow them. Zhang listened intently while Christie scribbled notes.

    Eventually, Zhang spoke. ¡°So, all you did in the university was hop the security barrier? That¡¯s it?¡±

    Kayla nodded.

    Zhang frowned. ¡°Tell me what happened to your friend Weslan.¡±

    Kayla explained about her communication with him, and why she felt that his last message, bluntly severing their connection, didn¡¯t make sense to her.

    Zhang nodded slowly. ¡°They obviously showed up there because you asked about him,¡± she observed. ¡°Then they tried to take you in.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±

    ¡°What you did was incredibly foolish, not to mention unprofessional. When you got away you should have immediately tried to make contact with the organization and tell them what was happening. Running off on your own to play the hero is a recipe for disaster.¡± Zhang sighed. ¡°However, it looks like we are not done with you yet. Please wait here.¡±

    Zhang left the canteen, leaving Kayla alone with Christie.

    Christie continued scribbling notes in silence. Then she stopped and looked up. ¡°How was Mountain Ranger Battalion?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Really great. I¡¯ll probably never get to go back there,¡± Kayla said. The thought hit home and made her want to cry again. Corporal Rudaski would right her off as a useless loser, while Thandi would begin an exciting and adventurous career, wondering why she had ever decided to be friends with Kayla.

    Christie gave her a sympathetic smile. ¡°Have a little faith.¡±

    Kayla sniffed ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is my job now. Sort of¡ªI¡¯m still in training, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Intelligence?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°What happened to five years in a Ranger battalion?¡±

    Christie shrugged. ¡°It appears that not all units feel the need to play by the rules.¡±

    Masey re-entered the room, followed closely by Zhang. The senior chief¡¯s expression, while still intimidating, had softened somewhat.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she began. ¡°Zhang has convinced me that your missing friend might not be so unimportant. Tell me more about him.¡±

    Kayla quickly listed off every detail she knew about Weslan, including who his parents were, and how well known he was after his relationship with Rose.

    ¡°So, he¡¯s a child of the Helvetic elite?¡± Masey asked, looking concerned.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kayla said firmly. ¡°His father is probably the most important scientist on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­then this isn¡¯t the kind of kid you roll up on the street and write off as a kidnapping,¡± said Masey. ¡°Unless you are getting really ambitious.¡±

    Christie looked pensive. ¡°You said he¡¯s working in a government lab? For a contractor?¡±

    Kayla nodded.

    ¡°There are no off-world biotech contractors in Rackeye¡ªonly official Helvet delegations,¡± Christie said confidently.

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. ¡°But if it¡¯s supposed to be a classified project¡ª¡±

    Christie gave a derisive laugh. ¡°I¡¯d know about that too. When you know where to look, the whole rotten bureaucracy becomes an open book.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what I¡¯m seeing,¡± Masey said. ¡°Dozens of college graduates were starting new lives in what appeared to be cushy contractor jobs. Then, over several months they stopped coming home or responding to calls, so we think they¡¯ve been kidnapped. But what if all these different contractors were actually fronts for a single organization?¡±

    Zhang nodded. ¡°That would make sense, but what would they want with college graduates? And why risk exposure by involving well-connected rich kids?¡±

    ¡°All of them were high-achieving science or engineering researchers,¡± Masey said. ¡°Exactly the kind of people you would need if you were trying to bootstrap some Jotnar technology outside the League¡¯s authority.¡±

    Zhang turned to Kayla. ¡°Did Weslan mention his boss?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kayla said. ¡°He said she was a visionary¡ªthat she was driven and intense. I thought he was being manipulated to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Did you get the sense that he might have been afraid of her?¡±

    Kayla scanned desperately through her memory. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe a little.¡±

    Masey swore.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Zhang said, ¡°Team Four¡¯s Gold squadron has been pursuing a woman named Allana Rayker for some time now. She is a mercenary working with the Helvetic bureaucracy at the highest levels. We know her to be responsible for a string of murders relating to the pursuit of Jotnar technology. She is a dangerous psychopath, and by all accounts she set up shop here on Caldera about a year ago.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s blood ran cold, as she thought back to what Jack had told her recently. Could Weslan be working for Rayker, helping her abduct farmers? The scenario seemed too nightmarish to contemplate.

    ¡°She¡¯s responsible for the kidnappings?¡± she asked.

    ¡°As we said, a few dozen students in Rackeye. We suspect she may be trying to build a base of operations here, outside the control of the Helvetic League. Why now, and why Caldera, we don¡¯t know.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Wait¡ªyou said students in Rackeye? Not colonists, from the farms?¡±

    Masey stared at her in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t she been kidnapping farmers out on the Lanstead plain?¡± Kayla demanded.

    ¡°No,¡± Masey said impatiently. ¡°For the last time, Kayla, the animal attacks¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know they were being attacked, Senior Chief,¡± Kayla interrupted, ¡°but the attacks stopped. They haven¡¯t seen an animal in over a year. But people are going missing; hundreds of them. Haven¡¯t you spoken to Jack?¡±

    Both Masey and Zhang stared at her in confusion.

    ¡°Well,¡± Masey began, ¡°obviously we talked to him when we got here, but the focus of our investigation has been Rackeye, so¡­¡± She rubbed her scalp. ¡°Well, shit.¡±

    ¡°How long¡ª¡± Zhang began.

    ¡°A few months,¡± Kayla said. ¡°About the time Weslan stopped replying to my messages.¡±

    The canteen was silent, except for the buzz of traffic in the streets outside.

    Zhang spoke first. ¡°What exactly was he studying when he was at the university?¡±

    Kayla thought hard. ¡°It was about pheromones and hormones. Biological networking or something to do with organizational¡ª¡± she stopped when she saw that Zhang¡¯s face had gone pale.

 Part 2 - Chapter 57

    Weslan herded a small group of dog-like creatures into the experimentation room. He could treat them like pets now that he and all Reed¡¯s soldiers¡ªhe now understood their true background¡ªhad been sprayed with pheromones.

    He shook out some dried meat chunks into the palm of his hand, and waited patiently as the hideous animals helped themselves, before waiting in vain for a scratch behind the ear.

    Weslan despised himself for his cowardice. Everyone he had ever respected, his father, his teachers, the vaunted Helvetic technocrats, had lied to him. They had preached to him about the fundamental goodness of man, and that was a lie. They had told him he would be able to influence the people that mattered, or persuade them with reason, and they had lied about that too.

    Allana Rayker had slipped past the guardians of Rackeye¡¯s elite, and now she would cut all their throats. The best that any of Weslan¡¯s peers could do was flee the planet, if they got a warning.

    He thought about Fayel, from time to time, wondering if Rayker would let her live. Or would she murder her just as brutally as she had Stellan, for no other reason than to watch another part of his mind shatter like fragile crystal? It all came down to her whim.

    Weslan left the experiment room, sealing the door behind him. Down the corridor, a few of Reed¡¯s men were preparing a cage containing a giant, bison-like subject, a bull, for the day¡¯s demonstration.

    More than anything, Weslan despised the soldiers. Their ¡®bravery¡¯ was nothing but vacuous swagger. Whatever pretense of righteousness led them to justify killing innocents was only the product of pure ignorance, or Rayker¡¯s lies. Perhaps, his mind argued, as it sought frantically to find self-justification, they were the real cowards, and he was the brave one. After all, he was at least honest about his helplessness, and his desperation to survive. Wasn¡¯t that what all living things wanted?

    Weslan decided that he alone could understand the epiphany he had experienced in the weeks since Stellan¡¯s death. Humans were evil. They would destroy anything good their species created, out of the fear that, someday, they might complete the edifice of civilization and all be held to account. For all the Helvetic League¡¯s noble proclamations about their great society, it was a dream they only loved from a distance. The willingness of their soldiers to work with a monster like Rayker proved that much.

    Weslan¡¯s hands trembled as he brought up a data pad from his pocket and checked the parameters of the test.

    How could a soul like his find anything positive in life, even if he survived his captivity? That could only be the beginning of ignorance and death. Now, he told himself, he would resolve to have no qualms about the work he was forced to complete. What difference did it make in a universe where morality was nothing more than the opiate of the masses?

    He joined Captain Reed, who had been waiting patiently for him in the observation room. Once Weslan had verified his cameras were recording, he pushed a switch to initiate a sample delivery.

    The cage was pushed into the cavern, and the smaller creatures stopped what they were doing to focus on it. They began to howl and scream, circling the newcomer, obviously searching for an opportunity to attack.

    ¡°I¡¯ve tagged the big one with a target scent, so they see him as their prey,¡± Weslan explained to Reed, his voice hoarse. His reflection in the mirror that morning had been gaunt and haggard, and he felt like he had aged a few years too many.

    Reed only nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯ll note that the prey is much too large for them to take down,¡± Weslan continued calmly, as he pressed another switch.

    The cage walls fell away, and the bull remained still, warily eyeing the circling pack. At first, they hesitated, but the more energetic pack leader barked at the others. They charged in, jumping and clawing at their foe.

    The bull swatted the smaller attackers away easily. With a swipe of a foreleg, it smashed one into the ground, and bit the creature cleanly in two. The pack cowered back into the corners of the experiment room.

    Their enemy charged, and the smaller creatures scattered. They kept their distance from it, circling carefully, watching for vulnerabilities. Occasionally, one would dart closer to test the bull¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°We have programmed them to be rewarded by learning experiences,¡± Weslan continued. ¡°In theory, they should adapt quickly.¡±

    Again, Reed said nothing, and nodded.

    Eventually, the pack split into two groups, the first snapping and barking in front of the bull, while the others moved quietly around behind it. With their enemy¡¯s attention drawn away, the second group attacked, and this time they were able to catch the massive beast by surprise. It roared furiously as they swarmed onto its back and clawed its legs. The smaller animals sank their teeth into its throat and limbs as it tried to spin and dislodge them, to no avail. Eventually, the bull managed to kill one of them, ripping the frantic animal away with a strong bite before crushing its spine. But the pack¡¯s jaws did their bloody work, and their victim collapsed onto its flank.

    ¡°A successful demonstration,¡± Weslan concluded, his voice shaking. He was making important strides, and it wouldn¡¯t be long until he could put his own plan in motion. If he could find a way to limit control of the creatures to himself alone, he would be able to turn them on the soldiers.

    But until that time he had to maintain the appearance of the obedient worker. ¡°The pack¡¯s adaptability relies on conserving the intelligence of the animals from before they were mutated,¡± he said. ¡°Without that, they would charge mindlessly to their deaths. A stroke of genius from Madam Rayker.¡±

    Weslan wanted to check Reed¡¯s face to see if he was believed, but to do so would only demonstrate insecurity.

    ¡°You have demonstrated both elegant and sophisticated solutions, Weslan,¡± Reed said. ¡°You obviously have a keen intellect.¡±

    Weslan gave a tight smile. Reed always made sure to avoid any moral implications in his praise, obviously, so he wouldn¡¯t get upset. ¡°I am running short of test subjects. Where is the next batch?¡±

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    Reed shook his head. ¡°Not for a while, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°I must have more creatures if I am to make further refinements,¡± Weslan pleaded. ¡°As you saw, they do not last long¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, but there are other priorities for our resources. We expect another batch of animals within a few weeks.¡±

    Weslan looked away. He yawned as exhaustion began to seep behind his eyes, but he shrugged away the feeling. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t stop the work. There was no other way to get himself and the other researchers out of this nightmare.

    ¡°If I could work with the transformation device¡ª¡± he began.

    ¡°Out of the question for the time being,¡± Reed said sternly. ¡°But you¡¯re making important breakthroughs. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a lot of theoretical leads to pursue until we can provide you with more test subjects.¡±

    Weslan nodded and kept his eyes lowered, avoiding Reed¡¯s penetrating gaze. His plans were useless if he couldn¡¯t have access to the control system for the nanite chamber. He had no choice but to try to earn the soldier¡¯s trust. The idea didn¡¯t even bother him. He would suffer any indignity if it gave him the chance to kill them.

    Reed mulled his thoughts as he left the experiment room, heading for the engineering workshop. The young biologist had watched with visceral pleasure as his beasts had shown the intelligence needed to tear their larger, stronger foe to pieces. Now Weslan could only be waiting for the smallest opportunity to turn his obedient monsters on Reed and his men. If he were given access to the transformation chamber, he would probably program secret commands into the drone¡¯s nervous systems. Seemingly docile creatures would turn on their masters with a word, or a finger snap.

    As he often did when faced with possible conflict, Reed imagined the details of such a scenario while he walked. Three soldiers would be killed immediately¡ªthe survivors would have to retreat into the tunnels to use them as chokepoints. He would want to keep plenty of grenades on hand, and perhaps even the missiles could be used in the larger caverns¡­

    Reed snapped himself out of the reverie. The possibility wasn¡¯t worth his time¡ªWeslan was too easy to control. However, the young man¡¯s anger could be turned to Rayker¡¯s advantage. Weslan¡¯s attempts to outwit his captors would doubtless lead to more breakthroughs if they kept dangling hope in front of him. The team¡¯s rapidly expanding army of killing machines, transformed from the vagrants and isolated farmers that Bell had kidnapped, would be continuously improved. Weslan would not get his chance for revenge, but his misguided rage could be exploited for a while longer.

    But eventually he would break. A young man, not yet hardened to the cruel reality of his situation would eventually realize he was being manipulated. Once their position on Caldera was unassailable, Reed would have to dispose of him. Rackeye¡¯s Helvetic elites would be outraged by the death of one of their prodigies. But when unstoppable, implacable super soldiers marched through the streets of their city, they would be forced to bend the knee.

    The Helvetic Navy would send a fleet, but Caldera¡¯s secret alien bases held weapons of immense destructive power. Rayker would triumph, and there would be a new force in the galaxy; young, energetic, and adaptable.

    In the workshop she was working alongside another of their young researchers, Nastia Tatyana, analyzing one of the missiles they had disassembled on a workbench. Nastia was a pragmatic and flexible electronics engineer, who had seemed completely unconcerned when Reed had explained the alien nature of the technology. Indeed, the task positively excited the young woman.

    ¡°Here is the interface mechanism,¡± she said to Rayker as she pointed. ¡°So, I believe these inputs here and here will allow us to attach our own control unit.¡±

    Rayker smiled. ¡°Good. And you have fully mapped the system?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nastia continued softly. ¡°A fascinating machine. It uses a combination of radar and image recognition to identify and track its targets with an almost human level of intelligence. Combined with multi-spectral analysis, there is no vehicle that can hide from it, night or day.¡± She cocked her head. ¡°But we must check carefully for unexpected bugs¡ªit is always the case. I will work on this today.¡±

    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Rayker said, and patted Nastia on the shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t waste any more of your time.¡±

    The girl smiled. ¡°It is a pleasure to see your interest in the project, Madam Rayker.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you will be able to instruct the soldiers in its use?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I believe so¡ªif they are attentive.¡±

    Rayker laughed. ¡°They will be, or they will be punished.¡± She winked as she looked up at Reed.

    A flicker of a smile danced across the young researcher¡¯s face.

    ¡°That one is a gift,¡± Rayker said excitedly, as she left the engineering workshop with Reed. ¡°She has even been able to activate the system that allows the seeker head to defeat most stealth technologies, giving us fully capable fire and forget missiles.¡±

    Reed nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure she is very valuable.¡±

    ¡°We must take her around to the other sites. I don¡¯t believe there is a limit to what she is capable of deciphering. Wherever electrons flow, she can have them dancing on strings like puppets.¡± Her smile faded, replaced by an expression of concern. ¡°How is Weslan¡¯s project?¡±

    ¡°Progressing well. I suspect that he hopes to achieve total mastery of the drones so he can one day turn them against us.¡±

    Rayker raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Rage is a potent driving force, especially for young men. You are keeping everything he does under close observation?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    They walked in silence for a moment, then Reed cleared his throat.

    Rayker stopped and turned to look at him. ¡°Your men haven¡¯t checked in?¡± she asked.

    Reed shook his head sadly. ¡°It¡¯s been several hours. We must consider the worst-case scenario.¡±

    Rayker looked off into the distance as a deadly calm settled over her. ¡°What were they doing at the university?¡±

    ¡°Somebody was looking for Weslan¡ªsomebody who seemed to know a lot about him, and who hopped the security barrier to get in.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°One of the students identified her as Kayla Barnes; an Academy graduate, apparently.¡±

    Rayker cursed. ¡°That damned Academy has always been a black box. I¡¯ve long suspected that it¡¯s a front for an intelligence operation close to the central committee, but I can¡¯t prove anything.¡±

    She tapped her foot. ¡°I received a call from Cardinal Crayland today. She informed me that she has been successful in pushing Merris out of the Adjudicate¡¯s operations. She also warned me that he retains many of his allies and may be inclined to turn to them.¡±

    Reed crossed his arms. ¡°What do you think he is capable of?¡±

    ¡°A powerful man, angry, betrayed, and humiliated¡ªanything, probably.¡± Rayker sighed. ¡°We will not long be able to remain here in secret.¡±

    Reed scratched his chin. ¡°We know that Weslan had a relationship with another Academy graduate, but she hasn¡¯t been sighted on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°No, of course, that would be far too obvious. But the Barnes girl won¡¯t be alone¡ªthere could be a full operational team snooping around.¡±

    ¡°I will instruct the men to begin preparations for an assault.¡±

    Rayker nodded. ¡°The Rackeye site is the greatest risk. Have your men bury the entrance and retreat inside.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll find it, eventually.¡±

    Rayker nodded. ¡°Obviously, so make sure it is well barricaded. Disable the teleportation device remotely.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    ¡°And I have no doubt that, with all the disappearances in the region, they will eventually discover this site, too.¡±

    Reed whipped out a tablet and began inspecting the base¡¯s blueprints. ¡°I have a defensive plan ready. Bell¡¯s field team, of course, will stay out amongst the farms, to keep an eye out for anyone sniffing around.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rayker said distantly. ¡°I want you to block off all the extraneous corridors between the mountain side doorway and the teleporter. Canalize the route.¡±

    Reed was puzzled. ¡°That isn¡¯t the most defensible area and would bring any assaulters dangerously close to the labs.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s lips twisted into the hint of a smirk. ¡°Defense is not always found in firepower, Reed. Don¡¯t they teach you that in Special Forces training?¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 58

    They came to Caldera by many different routes over the course of two weeks, from early morning to late evening, avoiding patterns that a suspicious eye might pick up. Amongst the usual stream of travelers there appeared cheerful, athletic women, either visiting family, pursuing business interests, or planning expeditions into the planet¡¯s unexplored regions.

    Most landed at the spaceport, their tickets stamped as tourists. Several arrived on freighters, disembarking at the industrial docks. Two were dropped off by a friend¡¯s luxury star-yacht¡ªa story they would later tell around bars and campfires to jealous audiences. Once they had landed, the travellers moved overland using different methods; some hitchhiking, while others took a chartered bus, or travelled with seasonal farmhands. All converged on an old and disused machine workshop, near the edge of the Lanstead plain, and close to the mountains.

    Kayla watched the parade of arrivals from Urtiga¡¯s mysterious unit. Hauling backpacks and carry bags into the main building¡¯s cramped living space, they rolled out mats and sleeping bags onto makeshift pallets. Small non-descript bags were extracted from their cargo with exaggerated care. These were opened to reveal disassembled weapon parts that were quickly fitted back together, cleaned, oiled, and dry-fired.

    Once the work was completed, the women got together in groups, cracking open cold drinks, to gossip about friends and memories. They treated Kayla like a servant, ordering food and making her clean up, and she tried her best to avoid them.

    Only Urtiga, one of the first to arrive, treated her with any patience. ¡°No-one hates you, Kayla,¡± she explained. ¡°After your stunt in Rackeye you have to earn back your respect.¡±

    Kayla had travelled to the workshop with Zhang and Christie soon after the discussions in Rackeye had reached a tipping point. The infamous Chieftain Smyrna had gotten involved, taking over command of the operation and assembling a task force.

    Masey¡¯s ODT team was only a small element, and as they were already familiar with the city, they had been ordered to stay there and watch for more activity. The senior chief¡¯s anger at this news had echoed throughout the safe house, though Kayla was at least relieved that she was no longer a target for it.

    Once the team got in touch with Jack, he quickly found them the new location in the farms, and arranged to buy it. Kayla hadn¡¯t exchanged more than a few words with him since they arrived. She didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him about what had happened in Rackeye, and what it might mean for her future.

    Fortunately, she could confide in Urtiga, who wanted to hear the whole story.

    ¡°So, wait, you actually pretended to be a crazy stalker?¡± The master sergeant snorted with laughter. ¡°Ten points for originality. Did they go for it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Kayla frowned, disappointed as she was by her acting abilities. ¡°Something had them spooked about super women running around.¡±

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s hard to interact with the population and not create a few rumors.¡±

    ¡°Shame. If it had worked, I wouldn¡¯t be getting kicked out.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not going to kick you out. If they kicked out every operator who did something stupid, they¡¯d have nobody left to serve beer, let alone fight.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Kayla barely dared to get her hopes up.

    ¡°Hey Gucci,¡± Urtiga called to someone nearby.

    The woman stopped fiddling with the sights on her weapon and looked up. ¡°Yeah ¡®tig?¡±

    ¡°How many times did I do something completely stupid as a Ranger, and nearly get canned?¡± Urtiga asked.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Gucci thought for a moment. ¡°I lost count after a baker¡¯s dozen.¡± She smiled evilly. ¡°But you know what, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s an ass-kicking I owe you for something, so I¡¯ll get together with the girls and figure it out¡ªmake sure that debt gets squared away.¡±

    Gucci¡¯s eyes met Kayla¡¯s and she quickly looked away.

    Urtiga laughed. ¡°Awesome. See Kayla, you did a stupid thing, but there was no way for you to know what you were getting involved in. You didn¡¯t go looking for a fight, so your battalion probably won¡¯t hold it against you.¡±

    Kayla felt her hair stand on end. Was she really going to be allowed to stay in Valkyrie? ¡°Masey seemed like she wanted to mop the floor with me. Sorry, Senior Chief Laukkanen, I mean.¡±

    Urtiga waved her hand. ¡°Masey¡¯s a powder keg. Likes to make noise. It was a bad situation for sure¡ªI¡¯d be pissed too. But again, not really your fault. Listen, you¡¯re still here because I asked for you, and everyone in the chain of command agreed. Caldera is your homeworld, and I need your knowledge. Nobody¡¯s called for your head,¡± she said with a warm smile, ¡°so, pull it out of your ass and give the job your undivided attention.

    Kayla nodded gratefully. Muscles she hadn¡¯t realized she¡¯d tensed began to relax. Maybe everything was going to be okay after all¡ªand of course, she would work like a demon to support the task force however they needed.

    A delivery truck rolled to a stop in the yard, and Jack emerged from the cab. Gucci¡¯s head snapped up. She jumped to her feet, ran over, and embraced him before they both disappeared behind the main building. Kayla stared silently after them. What else had her adoptive father hidden from her?

    Stolen novel; please report.

    She left Urtiga and wandered through the workshop¡¯s main hall until she came to a small side office. Inside, Christie was seated in front of a laptop, hunched forward as she scrolled through reams and reams of data. She looked peculiar to Kayla now that she was no longer dressed in standard issue gym clothes or combat fatigues.

    Everyone at the workshop wore whatever would help them blend in with the local farmers, but Christie looked like she had stepped straight out of the rustic section of an Earther¡¯s fashion catalogue. Besides the crisp and spotless work trousers, she wore a silk blouse decorated with a pattern that looked traditional, but was probably divorced from any genuine cultural significance. Around her shoulders she¡¯d wrapped a grey cloth scarf that might have passed with Calderans had it not been for the material¡¯s subtle glitter effect.

    ¡°Fire!¡± Kayla called, quietly enough so that she wouldn¡¯t be heard outside.

    Christie¡¯s head whipped around in surprise, but her startled expression quickly settled to one of forced patience. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the wunderkind. If you¡¯re looking for something expensive to break, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Listen, a guy stopped by earlier asking if he could get a picture with the Earth girl¡ªhis friends didn¡¯t believe we were a Helvet conspiracy out to destroy the whole colony. I said I¡¯d give you his number.¡±

    Christie clicked her tongue and turned back to her screen. ¡°I was undercover in Rackeye, and I forgot to buy anything before we moved out here. I¡¯ve had more than enough criticisms about it, so I¡¯ll thank you to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is this how you used to dress before Valkyrie?¡± Kayla made a face.

    Christie exhaled slowly. ¡°Is there something I can help you with, dear friend?¡±

    ¡°I was just wondering what you were doing.¡±

    ¡°Serving out my time as the rookie. Zhang is touring the local communities gathering data on crime in the region, and I have been tucked away, out of sight, to sift through it. I aspire to find something useful to our hunt.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get bored staring at numbers all day?¡± Kayla asked. She sat on the edge of the desk, grabbed a stack of data keys and examined them carefully.

    ¡°Boredom is a choice. If you are committed to getting your result, every detail is a potential lead,¡± Christie replied.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s what intelligence is all about.¡±

    ¡°I remain confident that with time and effort you¡¯ll get some to play around with.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh. Did you find anything yet?¡±

    Christie pushed her chair back and clasped her hands. ¡°There is clearly something going on closer to the Sentry mountains. A pattern of deaths and disappearances is beginning to develop. Fortunately, your compatriot¡¯s law enforcers appear to be quite organized, despite the lack of any formal institution. If they had better resources, they would probably be closer to solving the mystery of these attacks.¡±

    Kayla nodded wisely. ¡°It¡¯s amazing what the spirit of man can achieve when a community pulls together with a common purpose, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Christie arched an eyebrow. She leaned forward and clicked through the tables on the monitors. ¡°Bar brawls, violent public disturbances, and firearm-related crimes,¡± she read. ¡°A table that seems to extend without limit. How fascinating.¡±

    Kayla winced. ¡°Yes, well, sometimes tensions can build, and sometimes there are a few bad apples¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you haven¡¯t all killed each other,¡± Christie said.

    ¡°Why would we do that? Everyone¡¯s just trying to get by.¡±

    ¡°But if they¡¯re producing young adults with your temperament, the whole society is just a powder keg waiting to go off.¡±

    Kayla sighed and placed the data keys carefully on the desk. ¡°I bet you¡¯ll find just as much violence on any other planet. Obviously, nobody¡¯s perfect, but the reality is that we know we need to work together. It¡¯s a dangerous world, even without the creature attacks. Most people grow up with a sense of duty to the community, and usually it serves to keep everyone on the same page.¡±

    Christie smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why you wanted to join the organization, I suppose?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to protect all the people I grew up with. I just don¡¯t understand why there has to be someone to make you do that.¡±

    ¡°Still,¡± Christie said thoughtfully, ¡°it¡¯s a fascinating culture. Sort of a noble savage environment.¡±

    Kayla clasped her hands together earnestly. ¡°Can I just say, on behalf of Caldera, how grateful we are to have someone of your profound intellect among us?¡±

    A wicked grin broke out on Christie¡¯s lips. ¡°Oh, but of course. I¡¯m happy to give the commoners something to look up to.¡±

    ¡°Like a giant head stuck in the clouds, so to speak?¡±

    ¡°Rather, a heavenly body to contemplate.¡± Christie gestured to the night sky visible through an open window.

    Kayla peered at the stars. ¡°That¡¯s the Fat Widow constellation.¡±

    ¡°Did you just make that up?¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t,¡± said Kayla, who really had.

    Christie paused. ¡°Well¡­ rats. See what happens when you engage a woman on her own turf?¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m going to miss our talks when you¡¯re off on your secret missions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I shall seek you out whenever I am able. We can¡¯t abandon your intellectual development.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Kayla wandered past Christie and settled her arms on the window frame. In the distance, a soft breeze was nudging the treetops back and forth. ¡°I sometimes wonder if I¡¯m really going to make it here,¡± she said.

    ¡°I felt much the same when we were going through Ranger school,¡± Christie said, in a sympathetic tone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I could really handle five years in an infantry unit. But when Zhang recruited me, she explained that Valkyrie functions best when individuals are placed where they can do the most good, regardless of what the rulebook says. Frankly, I¡¯ve found a whole new sense of purpose in this unit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡± Kayla turned back from her observation and flashed Christie a smile. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. I love Mountain Rangers, but I don¡¯t get the impression they¡¯re going to bend to accommodate me.¡±

    Christie arched an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s not at all what I was saying.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Maybe not, but how am I supposed to be satisfied clearing out dead spaceships in the ass-end of nowhere when there is a threat here, against the people I promised to protect? And okay, we¡¯re dealing with it now, but only because I nearly got myself thrown out of the organization. So what happens next time?¡±

    ¡°Your loyalty and dedication to protecting your home is very commendable Kayla. But I do believe one of your culture¡¯s founding principles is the need to place ¡®we¡¯ before ¡®me¡¯? A noble sentiment that should certainly extend far beyond a single planet.¡±

    Kayla sighed heavily. Even when she had been training with her new squad, Caldera had been foremost in her mind. The thought that she might have to one day leave her home behind entirely sat in her mind like a lead weight.

    She said good night to Christie and left her to her work. Her friend could be as rational as she liked, but Earth had imposed its culture and people on every world in the galaxy. How could she know what it felt like for her home to be a secondary consideration?

 Part 2 - Chapter 59

    While they waited for the intelligence team to produce something actionable, Urtiga and her fellow operators began venturing into the surrounding countryside in small teams. They carried concealed weapons, just in case, but there wasn¡¯t a single mutant creature to be seen. To fill the time, the bored soldiers transformed the old workshop equipment into makeshift weight sets and began working out.

    To Kayla¡¯s delight, they even laid down rubber mats in a square and began practicing grappling. After some pestering, Christie reluctantly agreed to join her as a Jiu Jitsu partner, and with some mentorship from the unit women, they were soon rolling around, locking each other in chokeholds and armbars.

    The women of Urtiga¡¯s unit were quite different from the Mountain Rangers Kayla had been getting to know. Instead of a disciplined hierarchy they were a wild mob. They did and said what they wanted, though there was nothing lazy or thoughtless in their behavior.

    When they weren¡¯t training, working out, or maintaining their gear, they played chess, read dense theoretical tomes, or sketched pictures. One woman was even working on a novel.

    An unknown sergeant sat Kayla down for an impromptu lecture on the merits of her actions in Caldera.

    ¡°You introduced the element of chaos, and unpredictability,¡± the sergeant explained. ¡°An off-balance enemy is liable to make mistakes, which can be capitalized upon, got it?¡±

    Kayla nodded, though she found the academic conversation difficult to follow.

    ¡°Always look for ways to interrupt the enemy¡¯s decision-making processes through dynamic and unpredictable courses of action, got it?¡± The sergeant continued. ¡°The more centralized their C-2 structure the more effective this can be.¡±

    ¡°C-2?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Command and Control. Brain and nervous system effecting action through decision and co-ordination.¡±

    Kayla rubbed her temple.

    ¡°Conversely, communicate with your own team,¡± the sergeant said, suddenly sterner. ¡°Lone wolf shit is no good. You might answer to your platoon leader, but in this world your reputation is the only thing that matters. Don¡¯t start building a bad one, got it?¡±

    Kayla was grateful for the advice, though she wasn¡¯t sure she understood everything she had been told.

    The unit had only one officer¡ªCaptain Nazli¡ªat the safehouse. She mostly listened to whatever the soldiers said¡ªall of whom were sergeants or more senior NCOs¡ªmanaging the support and logistics required to turn their plans into reality. Team discussions were free form, and everybody chipped in their opinion. While some arguments got heated, they always seemed to get on the same page in the end.

    Their culture seemed chaotic to Kayla. Why did the organization allow them the scope to do mostly whatever they wanted? How had they earned so much trust? She interrogated Urtiga as much as she could, but got only short answers.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Ranger Intervention Detachment,¡± Urtiga eventually admitted, while she worked on a disassembled rifle under Kayla¡¯s fascinated gaze. ¡°Or Raiders. But we rarely use that name. To you and everyone else, it¡¯s just the unit.¡±

    ¡°Are you going with subsonic rounds?¡± Gucci interrupted as she reached for a multi-tool.

    Urtiga glanced over. ¡°Sure; nice and quiet. You¡¯re taking that 6.5 millimeter, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Gucci held up a slender, bronze-colored bullet the size of her pinky finger. ¡°These babies will punch a hole through any of those creature freaks.¡±

    A cheeky smirk broke out on Urtiga¡¯s face. ¡°Would that be, like, a fist-sized hole?¡±

    Gucci placed the round back on the workbench and sat back, a look of frustration on her face. ¡°Thirty years. It¡¯s been thirty years, and you still think that¡¯s funny.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s still funny. And it will be, for all time.¡±

    ¡°Freakin¡¯ infant.¡±

    Urtiga laughed and returned to her work.

    Kayla plucked up the courage to speak again. ¡°So, the unit has the most elite soldiers in Valkyrie?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a video game,¡± Urtiga chided. ¡°Stop thinking about your level and focus on developing yourself. The badge you wear on your uniform doesn¡¯t automatically bestow on you the ability to solve problems. You want to have more fun in this organization? Learn how to learn, and then never stop.¡±

    Kayla nodded eagerly. Every day she spent with Urtiga, she learned something useful.

    ¡°I can tell we¡¯re going to see you here one day,¡± Urtiga continued. ¡°Our unit is pretty high-speed, sure, but it¡¯s not the highest,¡± she said with a conspiratorial wink.

    But she refused to say more, and Kayla gave up on further questions.

    Eventually, the intelligence team was ready to present their briefing. Christie stuck a map on a corkboard, which she peppered with colored pins as soldiers crowded round to look, those at the front kneeling so their comrades could see. Urtiga sat on a table by the briefing team, watching expectantly.

    Kayla stood at the back, craning her neck. She remembered one of the lessons they had taught her in Ranger school; make do with what you have. Why risk drawing attention by shipping in high-tech display hardware, when paper and plastic pins were available?

    She made eye contact with Urtiga, who winked back at her. The woman was wearing a smug expression and looking excited.

    Zhang stepped in front of the map. ¡°Okay ladies,¡± she began, ¡°what you¡¯re seeing here is a layout of all animal attacks over the past ten years. These reports were particularly difficult to get ahold of since these communities have no central law enforcement authority, and we¡¯re talking about hundreds of individual stations. But that¡¯s enough bragging about all the hard work my team put in while you were sat around polishing your guns.¡±

    Laughter filled the room.

    Zhang gestured to the pins on the board. ¡°The pink, orange, and red colors mark three-year time segments of animal attacks, and with the blue, purple, and black, we have overlaid the new incidents that we now understand to be kidnappings. I think you¡¯ll agree there¡¯s a clear progression outward from an epicenter, here, close to the mountains.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°With Gold squadron¡¯s help, we¡¯ve been able to identify several of the Helvet Special Forces now operating in Rackeye. A thorough review of their records has revealed that they have not been present at their assigned posts for nearly ten years.¡± She glanced at Kayla. ¡°Which would be approximately the time the animal attacks began.¡±

    A wave of muttering filled the room. Some of the Raiders adopted angry expressions. Kayla made eye contact with Urtiga, who flashed her a grim smile.

    But she didn¡¯t care that she had been right all along, or that nobody had listened to her. All that mattered now was that their task force was going to hunt down Rayker and put a stop to her horrific plans. No matter what dark corner she and her soldiers had hidden in, soon she would be dead. Kayla knew that even if she didn¡¯t pull the trigger, she would at last stand over the body. Then her father, and all the colonists who had died over the years, would be avenged.

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Zhang continued, ¡°it looks like our theory about the origin of these aggressive creatures was wrong. ¡°This new information indicates that Rayker may have been responsible from the beginning. Our new theory is that she must have brought some kind of deadly viral agent onto the planet to transform the local wildlife into the monsters that were attacking the colonists. And there is a lot worse to come.¡±

    Urtiga tapped the table she was sitting on. ¡°It¡¯s an interesting theory. Shame it¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°The problem is,¡± Zhang said, without even acknowledging the comment, ¡°there¡¯s no unusual traffic or infrastructure in this area. It¡¯s in the middle of nowhere. If Rayker and other Helvets are based here, we have no idea how they are getting in or out.¡±

    ¡°So how can we be sure that there is a permanent base out there?¡± Gucci asked.

    ¡°Private Barnes here,¡± Zhang gestured to Kayla, ¡°was in contact with a significant person of interest at this site. He didn¡¯t give away too many details, but it is clear he was working in an advanced research facility, with a high level of security.

    ¡°And these sheltered rich kids were happy to go along with bioterrorism?¡± Gucci shook her head. ¡°Something¡¯s not adding up.¡±

    Urtiga stuck her hand in the air. ¡°Oh, I know¡ªpick me, miss.¡±

    Zhang again ignored Urtiga. ¡°There¡¯s no Jotnar bioweapon in our records that could do something like this, and Intel is working around the clock to track down the most cutting-edge research projects the Helvetic League is funding. But they likely have merged top secret research with some kind of Jotnar discovery. In any case, after their initial plan failed, it seems clear that they needed to recruit scientists with much broader knowledge to expand the project. Obviously, young people are easier to manipulate, so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stellan Uncenti, experimental fusion engineering,¡± Urtiga said as she held up a hand and tapped one of her fingers, then moved to another. ¡°Ashkan Yevgenn¡ªancient linguistics. Julie Syranna¡ªgeological mapping. Nastia Ignatova¡ªcomputer engineering. Please, Zhang, explain to us how that kind of expertise helps terrorists grow bioweapons?¡±

    Zhang rubbed her eyes and turned to Urtiga with a look of subdued anger, as murmurs filled the room.

    ¡°That¡¯s a question I¡¯d like to hear answered,¡± a woman said to general agreement.

    Zhang held up her hands. ¡°This is a briefing for verified intelligence, not for baseless speculation and guesswork.¡±

    ¡°In this case I think my guesses are as informed as yours,¡± Urtiga retorted as she crossed her arms.

    ¡°Alright, everyone settle down.¡± Another voice pierced the hall, and the small crowd fell silent.

    Kayla caught sight of the speaker, Captain Nazli, at the back. She hadn¡¯t spoken loudly, but the other Raiders watched her patiently.

    ¡°Urtiga,¡± the captain said, ¡°say your piece, and then let Zhang finish her briefing.¡±

    Urtiga nodded and jumped up from her table. ¡°In my opinion, Allana Rayker did not just spend ten years infecting and mutating animals¡ªshe¡¯s been exploring. She needs so many different scientists, because she has discovered a complete installation, buried beneath the surface of this planet.¡±

    She turned to face Zhang¡¯s narrowed eyes. ¡°She¡¯s happy to take the children of the Helvetic elite hostage, because she has discovered the Jotnar Ghost Fortress, and thinks she can take on the whole League.¡± She glanced back at Kayla and winked again. ¡°After all, the old guard is weak. A new conqueror is needed, to build a new empire.¡±

    A chorus of laughs and scoffs broke out, but Urtiga stood her ground. ¡°We rely too heavily on the navy¡¯s planetary scans,¡± she insisted, ¡°but we have been grossly underestimating the possibility that a much more advanced site could have been missed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a myth!¡± a woman jeered.

    Urtiga raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re a myth, Kali.¡±

    ¡°So, are there supposed to be Jotnar here right now?¡± Gucci demanded. ¡°How can you justify an alien presence on this world without any of the colonists suspecting a thing?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they did die out,¡± Urtiga replied. ¡°The existence of the fortress doesn¡¯t mean any of them made it here. But Rayker has kidnapped around two hundred people in a matter of months, which means she has the real estate to house them while she mutates them. A giant new Helvetic installation on Caldera is not something that could have been built in secret. But anyway, based on our past experience with these creatures, I¡¯d say Rayker is now one hundred percent capable of taking over the entire planet.¡±

    There was silence as everyone took this in.

    Zhang stepped forward again. ¡°In any case, it is clear that we have a location to track down. Presumably somewhere remote, but not too far from the farming plain.¡±

    Kayla cleared her throat and cowered as dozens of impatient eyes turned on her. ¡°Um¡­¡± she managed, ¡°I found something that I think might be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Spit it out girl, we haven¡¯t got all day,¡± Gucci said.

    ¡°Well, I saw a rock in the girl¡¯s office. The girl who talked to Weslan. I mean¡­ in the university.¡±

    ¡°You saw a rock?¡± somebody said, while a few chuckles ran through the small crowd.

    ¡°I mean a crystal. It grows in the mountains near here. Weslan must have smuggled it out of this lab, or fortress, or whatever.¡±

    Gucci nodded as she considered this. ¡°That makes sense. Whatever tech the Jotnar¡¯s secret base is hiding would be expected to attract some negative attention. You¡¯d want to be prepared to fight, so you¡¯d go to the most defensible spot. You¡¯re not sticking yourself in the middle of a flat plain if you don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Nobody lives in the mountains,¡± Zhang pointed out, ¡°so without missing person reports, that widens the search area to thousands of square miles.¡± She glanced at the map and sighed heavily. ¡°Our current epicenter contains the mouths of several major valley systems, branching off into hundreds of possible locations.¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± Urtiga agreed. ¡°Sucks to be us.¡±

    There was a period of silence as the soldiers struggled with the problem until Kayla worked up the courage to speak again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to the people in the area of the epicenter you found,¡± she suggested. ¡°See if they remember any Helvets passing through.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sweet that you¡¯re trying to play with the grown-ups,¡± Gucci said. ¡°But seriously¡ªyou want us to ask random people if they remember a bunch of Helvet explorers from ten years ago, who probably stopped in one or two villages max? That¡¯s a needle in a haystack.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t hear your great idea, Gucci,¡± Kali said.

    Kayla glanced at Urtiga, who didn¡¯t react, so she continued. ¡°If a Helvetic military team passed through that area, I guarantee they would remember it. They would be talking about it for years.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble,¡± Gucci shot back, ¡°but Helvet Special Forces do not walk around with their flags and unit badges sown onto their jackets. Well, maybe some of the insecure ones do,¡± she said, to laughter. ¡°But they would have made a serious effort to blend in.¡±

    ¡°And they would have failed,¡± Kayla said with absolute conviction.

    ¡°Uhuh, and what makes you so sure of that?¡±

    ¡°They have no idea who we are, and they don¡¯t respect us. They wouldn¡¯t have been able to hide the way they talk and act, because it¡¯s such an important part of their identity. And that would have stood out to the farmers like a rustle in the grass stands out to a deer.¡±

    Gucci fixed her with a skeptical stare, which Kayla returned without blinking. Finally, Gucci nodded. ¡°Okay. Maybe you have a point.¡±

    ¡°Cool. So, here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do,¡± Urtiga said, stepping forward. ¡°We can¡¯t have whole squads running around asking questions; that¡¯ll draw attention. I¡¯ll take Kayla and Zhang, and we¡¯ll head over to that area and see what we can find out. The rest of you can start working on environmental reconnaissance of those mountains. Let¡¯s start mapping some of the terrain, figuring out what the ground is like to operate in. I¡¯ve got a good feeling we¡¯re going to be heading up there. Kali, you talk to Jack, and figure out if we can get some kind of logistical support network going¡ªwe might need to arm up, or be prepared to evacuate casualties. Questions or Comments?¡±

    There were none, and Urtiga made eye contact with Captain Nazli, who gave her a curt nod.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get to it.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 60

    As she stared glumly into her morning hot chocolate, Kayla tried to divine some hidden truths in the milky swirls. The liquid stared back silently, mocking her desperation. She wondered if tea leaves might be better¡ªthey certainly couldn¡¯t be as useless as she had been to the hunt.

    Urtiga dropped her tray down onto the table next to her. She had piled her plate high with sausages, bacon and eggs, together with a pint of orange juice. The kitchen of the roadside guesthouse was well supplied¡ªit had to be, since it served the many truck drivers who plied the Lanstead roads. Kayla watched incredulously as the woman wolfed it all down.

    ¡°How are you so hungry?¡± she asked.

    Urtiga paused to swallow her last mouthful. ¡°You¡¯d better not be feeling sorry for yourself,¡± she said sternly.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like eating.¡±

    ¡°Get over it. Rangers stay positive and don¡¯t risk compromising their fitness by going hungry.¡±

    Kayla couldn¡¯t argue with that, so she went to fetch herself a somewhat less stacked plate of food. The kitchen lady smiled rosily at her as she shoveled greasy portions onto her plate.

    ¡°Cheer up, love,¡± she said. ¡°It might never happen.¡± It was a common expression amongst the colonists, a reminder that fate could be as kind as it was cruel.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Kayla nodded, trying her best to put on a believable smile. When she returned to the table, she saw that Zhang and Christie had arrived, and were already deep in discussion over unfolded maps.

    ¡°I take it back. I¡¯m an idiot,¡± Kayla said, as she dropped her tray. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t waste more time on this.¡±

    ¡°Kayla¡¯s always had a penchant for melodrama,¡± Christie explained to the others.

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°I decided to follow this lead, because it was a good one, and I will decide when we give it up.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been to more than twenty guesthouses and truck stops, and not a single person remembers anything about Helvetic soldiers wandering around,¡± Kayla objected.

    ¡°We¡¯ve only gotten through forty percent of the search area,¡± Zhang said. ¡°A few dry holes are to be expected.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­ news spreads so easily here,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°We should have heard something by now.¡± She searched for the words to try and help her comrades understand the wildfire nature of Calderan gossip, but came up empty.

    ¡°Give it a rest already,¡± Urtiga said firmly. ¡°This is intelligence work; it¡¯s long and boring and takes a while to get any kind of positive return. We¡¯re going to keep at this for another week, so you really need to get past the negativity.¡±

    Kayla said nothing, watching morosely as they planned the route they would take for the day. They had been working for two weeks, stopping at various public places where the local farmers would be expected to trade news. They usually posed as a survey team scouting unexploited land, and let Kayla do the talking, since she knew the mannerisms and phrases that would help them keep a low profile. At some point in the conversation, she would let slip her disdain for Rackeye and claim she had heard rumors of Helvetic military in the area. So far, this had only been met with sympathetic, but otherwise blank, stares.

    ¡°Lots of strange people pass through these areas,¡± farmers would respond. ¡°Explorers, prospectors, migrants¡ªnever seen Helvets, though. They prefer to keep to themselves, shut up in their city.¡±

    Kayla was beginning to despair, fearing that they would return empty-handed to the safe house, where she would be seen as a fool.

    As the others discussed routes, a trio of drivers at a nearby table glanced over at them. It was not unusual for the team to draw male attention, but the men looked concerned¡ªhostile even. Eventually, one of them pushed back his chair and walked over, drawing himself up to his full height and glaring angrily at them.

    ¡°You lot mind explaining who you are and what your business is around these parts?¡± he demanded.

    Kayla gave him a careless smile. ¡°What¡¯s it to you, cabby?¡± she asked, using the local slang term.

    ¡°You talk like you¡¯re from around here, girl,¡± the man replied calmly, ¡°but your friends surely ¡®aint. I¡¯m hearing from the fellas that your group has been up and down these roads asking questions about I don¡¯t know what. Frankly, I don¡¯t care. We don¡¯t need a bunch of off-world strangers sticking their noses into our business.¡±

    The other truck drivers loudly voiced their agreement, and the rest of the crowded breakfast room went quiet.

    Kayla¡¯s blood began to boil. ¡°Listen, buddy¡ª¡±

    Zhang waved her into silence. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªwe¡¯re off-worlders,¡± she said politely to their interrogator. ¡°Investigators, actually. My young friend hired us to look into the recent kidnappings. We have reason to think that the League military is involved, and we want to find out the truth, and maybe help the victims¡¯ families find some justice.¡±

    ¡°Off-worlders don¡¯t give a toss about families on Caldera,¡± the trucker said.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Zhang replied, and played into her role. ¡°Lots of people hate Helvets just as much as you do. Their corruption is everyone¡¯s problem.¡±

    The man stared back at her, thinking carefully. Eventually, he shrugged. ¡°You got a problem with Helvets, go deal with it somewhere else. We take care of our own problems, and we don¡¯t need your pity.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    He turned back to his table, but Kayla had decided she¡¯d had enough.

    ¡°Hey¡ªscrew you, asshole!¡± she yelled, as she slammed a fist down on the table. ¡°My name¡¯s Kayla Barnes and I lost my father to those things roaming around out there. His name was Rolf Barnes, and he was well respected up in Zula.¡±

    A few of the drivers muttered as they appeared to recognize the name.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got no right telling me how I find justice for his death, so how about you mind your own damn business!¡± she snapped.

    The man looked somewhat diminished after this dressing down.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry your father was killed¡ª¡± he began.

    Kayla was not remotely in the mood to let him continue. ¡°No, I¡¯m done talking to you. Tell it to someone who cares.¡± She turned away and reached for her fork as she started to shovel food approximately into her mouth.

    The room returned slowly to its idle chatter, while the shame faced man stood frozen in place, staring at the floor. After a few moments, he pulled up a seat next to the four women.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I spoke out of turn,¡± he said.

    The others smiled sympathetically, but Kayla ignored him, even though she received a sharp kick from Christie under the table. She had forgotten how pig-headed her fellow colonists could be when they wanted, and she was both alarmed, and slightly ashamed, to discover how upsetting that was. She was, after all, only trying to save the entire damned planet.

    ¡°My name¡¯s Jorge. Jorge Anistor.¡±

    Zhang¡¯s smile was both welcoming and forgiving. ¡°Everyone is on edge with all that¡¯s going on lately, but I appreciate you talking to us, Jorge.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, and I¡¯m sure you ladies mean well.¡± He paused. ¡°You learn not to trust outsiders out here. Sooner or later they take you over and you lose everything you worked for to a bunch of faceless, power hungry bureaucrats.¡±

    ¡°Helvets don¡¯t have any limits to their ambition,¡± Zhang agreed.

    Kayla felt a slight chill as she kept her eyes on her plate. The intelligence agent was obviously comfortable saying whatever was necessary to get the answers she wanted, and Kayla wondered how much of her personality was genuine. Would Christie end up like that, too? Would she?

    ¡°I know they¡¯re dirty,¡± Jorge continued, ¡°and maybe they would stoop so low as to sending out monstrosities to attack honest, hardworking folk. But I¡¯ll tell you right now, nobody¡¯s heard anything about Helvet military walking around the Lanstead plain looking for trouble. I don¡¯t know where you heard that, but it¡¯s pretty unlikely. We don¡¯t take kindly to those types,¡± he said with an embarrassed chuckle.

    ¡°We appreciate any information you can provide.¡±

    ¡°Strangers pass through all the time. Maybe explorers, or prospectors looking for some exotic mineral, or just new colonists looking for a patch of empty land. There¡¯s no way to tell where they¡¯re from, and they mostly keep to themselves.¡±

    ¡°You have to admit,¡± Urtiga pointed out, ¡°It¡¯s kind of strange that the disappearances and the animal attacks both originated in this area. Somebody has got to be up to something.¡±

    ¡°Nothing but farms around here, I can guarantee you that,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re mistaken¡ªthis isn¡¯t where the first incident happened.¡±

    Christie¡¯s brow creased. ¡°What do you mean? The first animal attack was on the Straythe estate¡ªyear fifty-seven on your calendar, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Jorge, don¡¯t you go telling them that story,¡± one of the truck drivers called over. ¡°You know that¡¯s nothing but a pack of nonsense.¡±

    Jorge turned and scowled. ¡°Back off Carl, they asked for information, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°You know full well that fool got himself lost in the mountains.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know Owen like I did¡ªhe was careful.¡±

    The other trucker shook his head. ¡°Careful doesn¡¯t mean a thing in the mountains, not when bad weather closes in. He wandered off alone like a damn fool and ended up walking right off a cliff. Take my word for it.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth talking about things you don¡¯t understand!¡± Jorge snapped, jabbing his finger out at the other man.

    Carl waved him off and settled to grumbling to the other truck drivers about people who hiked alone into unknown territory, and how they were all damned fools who got what they deserved.

    The women waited patiently for Jorge to calm down.

    He sighed heavily as he turned back to the table. ¡°A friend of mine, Owen Shelden, liked to go off hiking in the mountains, and one day he never came back. That was two weeks before the first attack. Now pay no attention to what that idiot was saying; Owen knew exactly what he was doing. He had been up into those peaks for twenty years and knew them like the back of his hand. He knew the weather patterns, and he had excellent gear. Level-headed too, unlike some of the adrenaline junkies you hear about on the bulletin boards. No way he just disappeared. For me, that was the first attack, because something got him for sure.¡±

    Zhang nodded carefully, while Christie frantically scrolled her tablet¡¯s display.

    Feeling a little calmer, Kayla looked back at Jorge. ¡°Was he from around here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, he was from Maria, about a hundred miles closer to Rackeye. But he liked to drive down for his hiking because these are the tallest peaks in the range, see?¡±

    ¡°That sounds like something we should look into,¡± Zhang said with a nod. ¡°I suppose his property was sold on?¡±

    Carl shook his head. ¡°No. When the attacks started happening people were scared, and his old place was forgotten about.¡±

    He gave them the address and expressed his hope that it led to something useful. They thanked him for the information, and as they got up to leave, he reached out and grabbed Kayla¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said. I didn¡¯t know your father, but I¡¯d heard of him. Good man¡ªgood man.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said awkwardly.

    ¡°Good to see his little girl¡¯s doing something about it. Can¡¯t say fairer than that. I lost mine. My daughter, I mean. She¡¯d be about your age now.¡± He blinked and looked away as his eyes moistened.

    Kayla felt heat soak through her body as she watched the man. Unbeknownst to the people of Caldera, an entire task force of elite soldiers was preparing to put down the perpetrators of their nightmares for the last ten years. She would only be a small part of the operation, but in that moment she knew she¡¯d rather die than let Allana Rayker, or any of her thugs, leave the planet alive.

    When Jorge met her gaze again, she spoke bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them all. All of them we find.¡±

    He was stunned for a moment. Then he nodded, and she saw that he believed her.

    Urtiga drove their truck down the main paved road, heading north, eager to follow up on the promising new lead.

    Christie was still thumbing through her tablet and looking glum. ¡°I checked the animal attacks from ten years ago. I didn¡¯t check for disappearances,¡± she explained in an annoyed tone.

    ¡°Even if you had, it would have been a weird datapoint that didn¡¯t fit,¡± Zhang pointed out. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have helped until we actually asked someone about it.¡±

    Christie paused, lost in thought. ¡°If Kayla wasn¡¯t here, we would be helpless.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kayla said, wrapping her arm around her friend¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be like that. What happens when we get to the next problem on a world we know nothing about?¡±

    ¡°Then we do what we can,¡± Zhang said. ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work, we keep trying new things until we stumble on a solution.¡±

    Christie pouted. ¡°That sounds inefficient.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Urtiga said with a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s called life. Not everything you need to know is in a database. Sorry if you¡¯re just figuring that out.¡±

    Christie turned to watch the mountains slowly passing by and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s so wild out here, it¡¯s beautiful. And a little scary.¡±

    ¡°Welcome to the world of the colonial peasant.¡± Kayla grinned as she squeezed her friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you want to fit in, you might want to stop dressing up so nice.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 61

    They reached the farmstead towards the evening of the next day as the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the fields. On the horizon, Kayla caught sight of the first limb of Ran, Caldera¡¯s black and livid-red moon, rising into the night.

    The main house was falling apart. Doors hung from their hinges, and insects zipped through shattered windows. Rust covered farming equipment was scattered here and there, while the musty smell of mold seemed to pervade everything. Kayla had a strange feeling as she realized that no sounds disturbed the evening air. Silence was almost unheard of on a farm. She fiddled with her shirt where it hung over her holstered pistol.

    Urtiga swiped at her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t advertise,¡± she cautioned in a low voice. She, too, was alert, eyes darting from the horizon to the house and back.

    Flicking on flashlights, they pushed through the front door and stepped inside, coughing as they inhaled the thick dust that hung in the air. The house had obviously been undisturbed since Owen had left it, with bits and pieces of woodwork scattered on surfaces, together with tools and other household objects. Kayla couldn¡¯t make out any photos that might indicate friends or family. He had obviously been a loner, and didn¡¯t keep very tidy.

    ¡°Dirtbag nest,¡± Urtiga commented.

    ¡°This is basically my backwood place on Tyr,¡± Zhang muttered. ¡°If it hasn¡¯t burned down yet. Haven¡¯t been back in a while.¡±

    Urtiga chuckled softly. ¡°Yeah, same.¡±

    On the wall by the shoe rack, the line of coats was interrupted by several empty pegs. There were also cupboards left open, containing a few pieces of camping and outdoor gear. Evidence that Owen had packed for a trip.

    They continued through the house, checking all the rooms but not finding anything significant. Eventually, Christie uncovered a computer beneath a mess of papers, and got to work booting it up. While she did this, Kayla descended the stairs into the basement. It was mostly full of housekeeping gear, but in one corner there was a desk and a wall covered in maps. She whistled loudly.

    ¡°Check this out,¡± she called, as Urtiga stuck her head through the basement door.

    Pegged out on the wall was a hand-drawn map of the mountain range, including contour lines and peak heights. Owen had obviously been a very busy and thorough hiker. Kayla¡¯s eyes were drawn to the bright red squiggles tracing their way through the valleys and over ridges.

    ¡°This is where he was walking. These are his paths,¡± she said, as excitement built up in her chest.

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Looks like we struck paydirt.¡±

    When Zhang joined them and saw the maps, she punched the air. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we needed. His range was limited to a small group of peaks¡ªthe highest ones.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I guess he thought size mattered.¡±

    ¡°Men,¡± Urtiga scoffed.

    ¡°This significantly lowers our search area. We just have to confirm he was actually working with the Helvets,¡± Zhang continued.

    ¡°Of course he was; it stands to reason,¡± Kayla argued.

    ¡°Maybe, but coincidences are ubiquitous in nature, and you shouldn¡¯t make assumptions.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they teach you the old Ranger saying?¡± Urtiga asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    She grinned. ¡°If you assume¡­ you get shot in the face. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure your friend will pull something up on the computer.¡±

    ¡°This is going to take a while,¡± Christie said, engrossed in the bright screen. ¡°His file structure is as tangled as a jungle.¡±

    ¡°At least you managed to hack in,¡± Kayla said encouragingly.

    ¡°His password was ¡®12345¡¯. To be honest, that¡¯s more sophisticated than I expected.¡±

    Kayla looked away. ¡°Um¡­ I dunno, sometimes when you have a lot of passwords¡­¡± her voice trailed off.

    Christie glanced up at her suspiciously, but Kayla said nothing.

    While the others worked, Kayla and Urtiga went to check the barn in case there was anything else they might be able to use. Unfortunately, it was filled with nothing more interesting than rusted up machines and rotting haybales, but as Kayla looked around, she thought she heard a scraping sound coming from outside. Opening a side door, she looked out across the empty fields. An old tractor had rolled into a ditch and been abandoned, and out of bored fascination, Kayla took a closer look, playing her flashlight over the aged metal.

    A deep growl filled the silence.

    She turned and froze as her flashlight illuminated a tall bulky figure, covered in the same spikes and armor that reminded her of the savage animals. Its face was hideous, like a human, but grossly distorted, and wearing an evil glare. Something in Kayla¡¯s mind told her to grab her pistol, but she couldn¡¯t move¡ªshe could only stare in horrified fascination as the figure snarled and raised its arm.

    ¡°Kayla, get down!¡± Urtiga shouted, and Kayla felt her legs obey of their own accord.

    She hit the dirt as an explosion of noise and light lit up the barn. The creature snarled and whirled around, trying to face its aggressor, but Urtiga had already moved behind cover. The monster roared with frustration and smashed its huge fist through the barn wall.

    Kayla cursed silently. She was out in the open, and the tractor was the only piece of cover she could get to, so she wormed her way through the grass and tucked herself under the machine. It wouldn¡¯t hide her for long, and the creature was obviously tough. Urtiga had emptied her pistol¡¯s magazine into the thing, only to piss it off.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Fortunately, the monster seemed to have lost interest in Kayla as it searched for its attacker. Her hand shook as she withdrew her own weapon, though she couldn¡¯t use it yet. The monster was between her and Urtiga, so if she fired, she risked hitting her.

    Another explosion of gunfire erupted, and she heard Zhang shouting something to Christie as they emerged from the house. Kayla heard the heavy thud of footfalls wandering back and forth in confusion. With the creature distracted, she jumped up from the tractor and dashed around the outside of the barn, where she found Urtiga huddled up against a stack of old tyres.

    ¡°Friendly!¡± she called, her training beginning to kick in.

    Urtiga glanced around, then impatiently motioned for her to start shooting.

    Kayla aimed her pistol at the hulk and saw it had raised its arm again. Without thinking, she dropped her front sight-post on the thing¡¯s head and began cycling the trigger as fast as she could. A projectile shot out of the creature¡¯s extended arm, hitting something with a wet thunk. There was a  scream, and Zhang dropped to the ground by the house. Christie darted into the open, grabbing the woman¡¯s body and pulling her back behind Owen¡¯s truck.

    Kayla hammered the trigger until it clicked, and she cursed again. What had gone wrong¡ªa stoppage? After a moment of angry confusion, she realized the magazine was empty. Feeling like an idiot, she started to reload, and as she did, Urtiga began firing again.

    No more shots came from the truck in front of the house where Christie had dragged Zhang, and Kayla felt a wave of nausea. Fortunately, the weight of gunfire appeared to be doing its job as the monster collapsed on all fours, vomiting blood. Now was her chance to finish the thing off for good.

    ¡°Reloading!¡± Urtiga called.

    ¡°Moving!¡± Kayla yelled, and dashed forward.

    ¡°Wait¡ªdammit!¡±

    The creature didn¡¯t look up as Kayla closed the distance. Approaching as closely as she dared, she aimed at the thing¡¯s massive blood-stained head. Several bullets had hit it in the neck, or ripped chunks out of the shoulders, but this time she wouldn¡¯t miss. She steadied her shaking hands, broke the trigger perfectly, and the round ripped through the cranium, spraying blood and gore across the grass. The creature collapsed, unmoving. Kayla stepped closer and fired two more shots, leaving nothing left on its shoulders and a gory mess on the ground.

    Then she noticed that Urtiga was at her side, weapon raised and a ferocious expression on her face. ¡°Good job,¡± she said with a nod. Then more loudly, she called, ¡°who¡¯s hit?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Zhang,¡± Christie called back.

    They ran over and saw a foot long spike of bone buried in Zhang¡¯s shoulder. She winced as Christie applied bandages and dressing around the wound. Her face was white, but while she was obviously in pain, she didn¡¯t seem alarmed.

    ¡°Shit, this thing hit hard,¡± Zhang said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°What did you run out in front of it for?¡± Urtiga scolded. ¡°We could have hit you in the crossfire.¡±

    ¡°Trying something stupid. Sorry, I know combat isn¡¯t my strong suit.¡±

    ¡°We need to get you back to the medics at the safe house before we try and get that thing out,¡± Urtiga said as she studied the wound. ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned, is it?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ no,¡± Christie said, as she checked the broken skin. ¡°We would see signs of necrosis around the wound already.¡±

    ¡°Nanites can handle most toxins,¡± Zhang said. ¡°I can manage for the trip back, if you have something to take the edge off?¡± Hopeful eyes met Urtiga¡¯s.

    Urtiga laughed. ¡°Fortunately, I have something strong in the truck.¡±

    They carried Zhang back to their vehicle and carefully seated her inside while Urtiga produced a bottle of brown liquid, unscrewed the top, and placed it in her good hand. Then they returned to the body.

    ¡°What the hell is this thing?¡± Urtiga asked, kneeling a short distance away. She flashed a warning expression when Kayla started to step closer. ¡°Not yet. Keep your distance.¡±

    Now that the violence was over, Kayla was starting to feel shaky with the excess flood of adrenaline. She felt tired and vulnerable, and was happy to obey the more experienced operator.

    ¡°I have never heard of a creature like this on the farms,¡± she said, to keep herself distracted. ¡°Those were all like animals. This is like a man, but much bigger.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Urtiga said darkly, ¡°this is one of those missing farmers.¡±

    Kayla shuddered at the thought of what had been done to the innocent person, whoever it had been. Had they been imprisoned and transformed? What a nightmare. Black rage descended over her, invading every pore until she thought she would exhale smoke and ash. Rayker was going to pay for what she had done.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take a closer look,¡± Urtiga said, and moved around the body until she was next to the head. When she saw the bloody mess of what remained, she shook her head. ¡°Damn girl, you went savage.¡±

    Kayla breathed a deep sigh and shook her head wearily. ¡°I was an idiot. I can¡¯t believe I froze up like that¡ª¡±

    ¡°You did just fine for a rookie, so knock those thoughts out of your head. Violence is overwhelming and confusing, and seeing something like this come out of the shadows is enough to shock anyone.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Kayla said, not satisfied.

    ¡°Now,¡± Urtiga said with a glare, ¡°you were a complete idiot when you broke cover to close in on it. You have no idea what this thing is or what it¡¯s capable of, so yeah, that was stupid. Don¡¯t let me catch you doing something like that again.¡±

    Kayla nodded somberly.

    ¡°Okay. You wait there, while I give this thing a closer inspection.¡±

    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± asked Christie, who had finished tending to Zhang and rejoined them.

    ¡°Dirty tricks, booby traps¡ªanything my sick imagination can conjure.¡± Urtiga began gently tracing her fingers around the corpse¡¯s arms. ¡°We once had to deal with a flying machine that sprayed acid in the air when it died. No such thing as too paranoid in this game.¡±

    Kayla began to shiver violently, despite the warm night air. The idea that her mentor might suddenly be killed by some evil martyrdom mechanism was appalling, but she couldn¡¯t argue, and she couldn¡¯t help.

    ¡°Get anything off the laptop?¡± she asked Christie.

    Christie beamed. ¡°Yes, as a matter of fact. I was able to access his crypto wallet and found a substantial transaction from a week before he went missing. He added a note about guiding an expedition into the mountains, which, I should think, provides us our confirmation.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t suppose he said where they were going?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately not. But he had a drawer of larger scale maps, and several were missing, so we can assume that he was near his usual range. That narrows down the potential area by a large margin.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s spirits lifted. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! So we¡¯re looking at what, three or four valleys¡­?¡±

    ¡°About six hundred square miles¡ªbut don¡¯t panic!¡± Christie said, as Kayla¡¯s face fell. ¡°That¡¯s much better than an entire mountain range.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Kayla said. There could never be a straightforward win, could there?

    Urtiga finished her examination and stood up. ¡°Okay, you two, since you¡¯re standing around yapping and doing nothing, why don¡¯t you help me load this into the truck? There¡¯s going to be a lot of people that will want to look at this thing.¡±

    Kyellan Bell watched the truck move off into the night. He and another soldier had heard the sounds of gunfire as they came to check on the drone they had left to guard Owen¡¯s house. They had stopped the vehicle in a ditch and ran up a slight rise to get to their vantage point.

    Bell rubbed his jaw as he put down the binoculars and turned to his comrade. ¡°I don¡¯t know who those people are, but they did surprisingly well against our ¡®unstoppable¡¯ super soldier.¡±

    ¡°They moved fast,¡± the other man agreed, ¡°and those must have been some powerful firearms to kill the thing so quickly. Just what the hell are we in for?¡±

    Bell shook his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we wrap things up out here.¡±

    ¡°Falling back to the valley, boss?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see that we have a choice. With the drones carrying us, we should be able to make it in two days.¡±

    ¡°You really think we can fight this out?¡± The soldier looked nervous. ¡°Now they have that body they¡¯ll have a good understanding of what they¡¯re up against.¡±

    Bell nodded. He sympathized with the soldier¡¯s anxiety. A siege would end in either total victory or their deaths. ¡°I think that they have no idea what Rayker is capable of. Come on, let¡¯s get moving.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 62

    After a non-stop five-hour drive through the night, the team returned to the workshop safe house, where Raiders ran out to meet them. Helping hands pulled Zhang out of the truck to take her for medical treatment, while others crowded around the monstrous corpse, eager to inspect their new enemy.

    The medics in the squadron carefully extracted the spike from Zhang¡¯s shoulder, and she could be seen wearing both a sling and a scowl, as her injury excluded her from taking part in the eagerly anticipated assault.

    Kayla saw with surprise that much had changed at their makeshift base. Working with Jack, the squadron had arranged for a large amount of equipment to be delivered, trading corkboards for clusters of digital displays and discreet antenna arrays. They were already holding regular teleconference calls with various officers in the wider organization.

    A new briefing told her that a stealth frigate¡ªthe Banshee¡ªhad entered orbit around Caldera to support the operation. To her delight, she learned that the Mountain Ranger battalion¡¯s Bravo company had been deployed and were now stationed on the ship. Thandi was only a few hundred miles above her head, though she couldn¡¯t find anyway to get in touch with her, and she was scolded by Urtiga when she pushed for communication privileges.

    ¡°We¡¯re not here for an ice-cream social¡ªget your head out of your ass!¡± her mentor snapped.

    A different approach was called for.

    At night, blacked out dropships flew in carrying additional weapons and equipment. While she was helping to offload a box, Kayla seized a chance to thrust something into the pocket of a distracted crew chief.

    ¡°Thandi Khawula, second platoon. Make sure she gets it.¡±

    ¡°Clear the landing area,¡± snapped the annoyed woman.

    Part of the drop included Kayla¡¯s combat suit and rifle, which she eagerly disassembled, cleaned, oiled and painstakingly reassembled. Then she checked over her suit¡¯s systems; radios, environmental controls, night vision and infra-red vizor.

    But the busy work didn¡¯t quell her growing excitement, which was even costing her sleep, so to find distraction, she pushed Christie to spar with her more often. Now that the intelligence gathering phase had wound down, they spent most of their off-time practicing Jiu Jitsu. This pleased Kayla immensely, because it was one area in which Christie was weak.

    ¡°Tap early, tap often,¡± she teased, as her friend writhed helplessly in a shoulder lock.

    ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± Christie pouted as they got up off the mat. ¡°You¡¯re much faster than me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up,¡± Kayla said with a wink. ¡°Jiu Jitsu is known to be the most intellectual martial art, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get good at it, eventually.¡±

    Christie fixed her with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°You need to practice the basics more,¡± Kayla went on, enjoying how much she was getting under her friend¡¯s upper-class skin. ¡°You spend too much time planning moves like it¡¯s a game of chess, and you can¡¯t even pull off the holds that you want.¡±

    ¡°I would probably be able to practice those moves,¡± Christie snapped, ¡°If you didn¡¯t spend all day pestering me to spar with you!¡±

    Several days after the team had returned, the wheels stopped turning and the task force assembled into a cohesive whole.

    A woman walked around the workshop repeating a loud summons: ¡°All hands in the main hall for the briefing at eighteen hundred tonight!¡±

    Then, to Kayla¡¯s surprise and apprehension, Masey showed up, grinning like a kid at Christmas, having hitchhiked her way down from Rackeye.

    ¡°Ahoy, landlubbers,¡± she said as she dropped her bag and winked at Kayla. ¡°Rookie¡±.

    Kayla nodded nervously. ¡°Hello Senior Chief¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, knock it off; you know I was just blowing off steam.¡± Masey punched Kayla in the shoulder¡ªa little too forcefully. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been slaying dragons and tracking the enemy. I guess you¡¯re full of surprises.¡±

    Kayla smiled ruefully.

    ¡°What¡¯s the deal Mase? Come to defend the base while the ¡®A¡¯ team goes to war?¡± Urtiga asked with a cheeky grin.

    ¡°Uh, nope! Since you couldn¡¯t protect your teammates, the Task Force deemed it necessary to provide you with a little adult supervision, in the form of myself.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m replacing Zhang on your team. I¡¯m going out with you girls. You have no idea how many favors I had to call in to make that happen. Frankly, I think I¡¯m owed it after you stole my operation. The rest of Team Four is borderline mutinous.¡±

    Urtiga calmly lifted her cap off her head and smoothed away rogue strands of hair before replacing it. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll just forget that tracking the animal attacks was my gig originally. You were only supposed to track Rayker. But, you know, it wasn¡¯t my call.¡±

    Masey sighed in frustration. ¡°Yeah, I know. Smyrna has to have everything in its neat little box. We chase Rayker for years, but now that she is on a planet surface with hostages, suddenly we¡¯re not ¡®mission appropriate¡¯ or whatever.¡±

    ¡°If you played the game a little better, you would get your way with the chieftains more often.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°I hate that ass-kissing bullshit. Never been my style.¡±

    Urtiga rolled her eyes. ¡°Okay then. Well, we¡¯ve got Kayla to carry the picnic stuff¡ªI don¡¯t know, maybe you can carry the beer?¡±

    ¡°Kayla, huh? Is that really necessary?¡± Masey¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong Kayla, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not completely useless, but you are way too green for something like this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m up one kill on you,¡± Kayla shot back.

    ¡°Her boyfriend is one of the scientists they kidnapped, and she has some familiarity with the others,¡± Urtiga explained.

    Kayla reddened. ¡°He¡¯s not my boy¡ª¡±

    ¡°So, it would be really helpful to have her interact with them when we make contact. Point two, her ability to deal with the locals is what got us this far in the first place. Point three, this is my task unit, so if you don¡¯t like it, you can go attach with the Rangers or something,¡± Urtiga finished.

    Masey wrinkled her nose. ¡°Well, it beats sitting in cover cars in Rackeye waiting to see if Miss Rayker is stupid enough to take a taxi to the starport. Spoiler alert¡ªshe isn¡¯t. Okay Barnes, I guess I¡¯m your new babysitter.¡±

    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t screw it up,¡± Kayla said earnestly.

    ¡°Oho! Miss big boots is making big girl promises. Let¡¯s start with the basics. Did you remember to brush your teeth before bedtime?¡±

    ¡°Hey, just so I know¡ªwhich one of your units is the best?¡± Kayla said with a sly grin. ¡°I need to know so I can choose whose advice to prioritize.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to stir the pot, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a crafty one,¡± Urtiga agreed.

    ¡°I guess she is,¡± Masey said, ¡°but for your information, Kayla, the correct answer is obviously Orbital Demolition.¡± She sighed and stared into the distance with a pained expression. ¡°It¡¯s tough, you know, setting the example and leading from the front, while lesser mortals strive for glory in your shadow.¡±

    Urtiga nodded sympathetically. ¡°That must be such a burden. All that weight on your shoulders added to the enormous ego you already carry.¡±

    ¡°It takes inner strength¡ªyou can¡¯t fake it.¡± Masey laughed.

    ¡°But Kayla wants to know who she should respect the most, right?¡± Urtiga continued.

    Kayla shrugged.

    ¡°Well, think about this.¡± Urtiga raised a finger. ¡°We are both of us extremely well trained and experienced warfighters. We are going in with the element of surprise, behind the back of the enemy¡¯s main force¡ªif the briefing goes our way¡ªto fight weaker, less well equipped, and unprepared human soldiers. You know who has none of that going for them?¡±

    Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°Your friend Thandi. Because the Rangers will have to fight those mutated super soldiers head-to-head, and she, with the least training and highest vulnerability, will be right in the thick of it. She barely has any idea what she is doing, but she will be standing in the line with everyone else. So that¡¯s where my respect goes.¡± Urtiga gave her a significant look.

    Kayla wanted to agree because she had been worried about Thandi, but Urtiga¡¯s words also made her glum.

    ¡°Sometimes,¡± she said, ¡°I feel like I¡¯m falling out of the idiot tree and smacking into every branch on the way down.¡±

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Yeah, that was about how it went for me.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± Masey added. ¡°The graceful ascent of the prodigy is for weak energy losers who care too much what everyone thinks of them and end up reading self-help books.¡±

    ¡°Right! They should drink their problems away like we do,¡± Urtiga said with a laugh.

    Later, Kayla found herself alone with Jack in the garage. She had been avoiding him, but had been dispatched to grab a tool for one of the Raiders, and he was adjusting the suspension on one of the task force¡¯s trucks.

    At first she watched him in silence. On the one hand, as her adoptive father, he at least owed her an account of his relationships with the immortal super women she now worked alongside¡ªor waited on hand and foot. On the other hand, the strangeness of it all was impossible to come to terms with. He was in his mid-sixties, while Gucci had the appearance of a woman in her thirties, which could mean she was hundreds of years old for all Kayla knew.

    She didn¡¯t dare approach the operator, anxious as she was not to be seen as a complete fool by any of the Raiders. Asking Jack also caused her a great deal of anxiety; she wasn¡¯t sure how she would even resolve such a mind-bending problem herself, let alone explain it to a daughter.

    Fortunately for her, Jack was a perceptive man, and smiled as he caught sight of her in the shadows.

    He put down his wrench. ¡°We¡¯re not together, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Kayla blushed. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business.¡±

    ¡°Of course it is. You¡¯re my daughter¡ªI owe you an explanation. I guess we haven¡¯t had a chance to talk through all of this since the craziness started.¡±

    ¡°You never really talked about your old life. Before Caldera.¡±

    ¡°I know I kept a lot from you, and I wanted to apologize. But so much of it was caught up in stuff like this and¡­¡± He stopped, then walked over and took her hand in his. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really an excuse.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hold it against you.¡± Though his hands were greasy, they were warm and strong and the feel of them made the whole conversation seem unnecessary.

    Jack grinned. ¡°Nothing phases you, does it? You get that from Rolf sure enough.¡±

    Kayla smiled as both pride and grief welled up inside her. But, no matter how much her adoptive father told her he loved her, or how proud he was of her, she could never make that inner glow last. While she treasured their moments together, she couldn¡¯t forget that she only mattered because she would make sure that what had happened to her never happened to any Calderan again. She didn¡¯t have the right to fail.

    Of course, Jack would try to convince her otherwise, but she knew too well how to switch off the parts of her mind that wondered if he might be right.

    Jack¡¯s eyes misted over as they focused on lost images. ¡°Well, the truth is we were together for a while back in my youth, and no, I don¡¯t know how old she or any of them really are.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really talked about in the organization either.¡±

    ¡°They certainly don¡¯t like to put seniority before character.¡± He paused, lost in a memory. ¡°Gucci¡¯s a hell of a soldier, but it¡¯s like she can turn it off and convince you that she¡¯s a normal person¡ªthat you¡¯re way more interesting than she is.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. You¡¯re all normal people, really.¡±

    ¡°Extra normal,¡± Kayla suggested.

    ¡°Right,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Extra normal. She¡¯s kind of awkward though, and probably just as unnerved by¡­ our situation as you are. Don¡¯t take it the wrong way if she¡¯s short with you.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah sure,¡± Kayla said, conscious that most of the women in Valkyrie, including herself, looked up to the Raiders like they were seven feet tall and walked on water.

    ¡°But whoever they build a relationship with is shared with the job. That comes first and that will never change until the day they decide to leave¡ªif they ever do. And are you about to tell me different?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Kayla didn¡¯t need to think about her response.

    Jack gave her a knowing smile. ¡°In the meantime, I was getting older, and she wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit shallow of her?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I think it changes you when you watch someone you care about age and realize that you¡¯re not connected to their life. You¡¯ll have to watch them die and then move on to someone new. Personally, I think that¡¯s what scares a lot of women into getting out before they go too far.¡±

    ¡°But not the long timers,¡± Kayla observed.

    ¡°All I can tell you is that they put everything they have into everything they do, no matter how painful the consequences. But I wasn¡¯t prepared to be the cause of Gucci¡¯s grief, so I broke it off. We¡¯re still good friends, but we don¡¯t see each other very often.¡±

    Kayla shook her head, unable to imagine the emotions that either of them must have been feeling. She tried not to think about what the future might hold for her. ¡°After all this is over,¡± she said, ¡°I want to hear about everything.¡±

    Jack took her in his arms and squeezed with all his strength. ¡°Just be safe.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 63

    Kayla packed her thoughts away into a little disturbed corner of her mind marked ¡®Later¡¯, and headed for the briefing. She entered the main hall of the workshop, caught a nod from Urtiga, and went to stand at the back of the crowd of soldiers.

    The expansive monitors showed camera feeds of smartly uniformed women; including, from her unique uniform, the Captain of the Banshee, a few senior generals Kayla didn¡¯t recognize, and the Commanding Officer of the Mountain Ranger Battalion. Information was whispered back and forth around the room as they waited to hear what would happen next.

    Kayla found Christie, flashed her an excited smile, and gave her arm a squeeze. She was far out of her depth in the operation, and it was nice to have company.

    ¡°Is everyone present?¡± A woman by the monitors said.

    She looked older, in her sixties or seventies, and was a head shorter than most of the others present. Kayla didn¡¯t recognize her, but when she studied the name tag, she realized with a shiver that she was looking at Chieftain-General Symrna.

    This was a human being who, if the rumors were true, had lived longer than entire civilizations. As far as Kayla was concerned, she had lived alongside the remnants of the creators of the very technology the task force was trying to destroy.

    Her uniform was blank, with no medals or identification beyond the tag, and a small badge Kayla hadn¡¯t seen before in the organization. She squinted as she tried to make out the shape, which seemed to be a pair of wings, with pinions that stabbed downward like spears.

    Smyrna spoke again, with a thick accent that Kayla couldn¡¯t place, and from the look on her face, she didn¡¯t tolerate fools easily.

    ¡°I have only one thing to say before I let you begin,¡± she said in a cold voice. ¡°Scientists from the Collective have completed their analysis of the remains you gathered. There is nothing else like it in our records¡ªthe sophistication of this creature surpasses anything we have previously taken from the Jotnar. But this is a colonized world, cleared more than a century ago. Who will explain to me how this kind of technology was shrouded from our scans?¡±

    She turned to Jiao Zhang, who stood nearby, looking particularly ill at ease.

    ¡°Well, ah¡­General,¡± Zhang said, ¡°as you know, we run high fidelity scans of all potential colony worlds before any humans attempt a landing. We look for any anomalous signals, uh¡­ of any kind, really. Caldera was scanned in depth, and we have that historical data. There were no readings anywhere on the planet we would have wanted to investigate further.

    ¡°The Banshee,¡± Zhang continued, ¡°has imaged every inch of the mountain range and come up with nothing unusual, so it seems logical to conclude that this base is underground, possibly built into a natural cave system. Right now, the crew are throwing every kind of undetectable scan we can think of at those mountains to try and get a return.¡±

    ¡°This soldier,¡± Smyrna nodded to an impassive Urtiga, ¡°claims we must be dealing with an installation far more advanced than any Jotnar site yet encountered. They have already stayed hidden for so long¡ªwhat gives you faith that our scans are ¡®undetectable¡¯?¡±

    Zhang went white and turned to the monitor that showed the Banshee¡¯s Captain as she drew her hand across her neck. Orders were quickly given. Someone in the main hall chuckled.

    ¡°I expect better from all of you,¡± said Smyrna, with an unwaveringly calm expression. ¡°I see two of you I remember from centuries past. I see none of the old guard. The laughing soldier here is amused, is she?¡± She pointed directly at the offender, who looked down at her boots. ¡°The joke is that the enemy might even now be alerted, I gather? And tomorrow kill more of our comrades?¡±

    ¡°No ma-am,¡± the woman said quietly.

    ¡°Guard eternal vigilance. Continue, Major.¡±

    Zhang cleared her throat before she spoke again. ¡°So, ma¡¯am, as I was saying, our initial scans came up short, but that¡¯s not unusual. We have occasionally seen other military installations that didn¡¯t show up on planetary scans, and we were able to locate them by exhaustive analysis of various Jotnar databases. This location is not listed in any data from any previously exploited site.¡±

    Smyrna was silent for some time before she spoke. ¡°This is a troubling revelation. A matter for the Chieftains to discuss. Now, we must decide how to proceed. I await your thoughts.¡±

    There was an awkward silence. Kayla was shocked to see that nobody, even the Raiders, wanted to speak first.

    ¡°Infiltration team,¡± offered Zhang. ¡°We could have operators dress up like an exploration expedition, walk around, wait to get captured or find something¡ªtap the panic button to broadcast the location.¡±

    Urtiga failed to suppress a pained look. ¡°Even if they were in the mood to take prisoners, that¡¯ll take months,¡± she objected. ¡°Rayker is capable of putting a lethal threat into the field right now.¡±

    ¡°Drone swarm into the mountains,¡± a Raider suggested.

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    ¡°Yeah, who needs the element of surprise?¡± Gucci said, rolling her eyes.

    There was more discussion, but nobody seemed able to come up with anything better. Kayla racked her own brain but couldn¡¯t think of anything that didn¡¯t seem stupid, dangerous, or physically impossible.

    Christie nervously put her hand up. ¡°Erm¡­ excuse me.¡±

    The room went silent, and everybody turned to look at her with expressions of incredulity. Kayla felt her friend trembling next to her.

    ¡°Are you for real with the hand?¡± someone asked.

    ¡°Your presence in the room grants you permission to speak,¡± said Smryna, impatiently.

    ¡°Well,¡± Christie began, ¡°I was just thinking, um¡­ the mountain range is sat near a fault line, and, well, you have a kinetic bombardment system on the ship.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about triggering an earthquake, let me remind you there are hostages on the site,¡± said Captain Aguilar, the Ranger company¡¯s commanding officer.

    ¡°No, but you could use seismic mapping,¡± Christie continued, a little more confidently. ¡°If you place seismic detectors in various locations in the mountain range, and you shoot a heavy pile into the ground¡ªdoesn¡¯t matter where¡ªyou can use the shockwave data to get a map of the tunnels in the region. The enemy might think it¡¯s natural seismic activity, from the fault.¡±

    ¡°And if they have observation posts?¡± Aguilar pushed.

    ¡°A meteor then. With the volcanic moon, shooting stars are an almost nightly occurrence.¡±

    This was met with silence as the room digested the idea.

    ¡°That could work,¡± Aguilar admitted.

    Kayla punched Christie in the arm and caught her look of grateful relief.

    ¡°But we¡¯ll have to be ready to go immediately, because it will certainly put them on the alert,¡± the senior Ranger finished.

    ¡°Okay, check this out,¡± said Urtiga. ¡°We put my people in four-woman teams into the mountains with detectors. We pound the rocks like Christie said, fix whatever cave system looks artificial, then we can displace immediately to that location and set up our assault.

    ¡°No need,¡± Aguilar responded. ¡°Bravo company can wait on standby at a jump off point, maybe twenty klicks to the south. Your teams get the location, and my Vipers can be driving down their throat within minutes.¡±

    Urtiga looked incredulous. ¡°You want to bang on the front door with a company of Rangers and gunships?¡± She shook her head. ¡°That is pure stupidity¡ªthis is a cave system, and there might only be one entrance. I could defend that all day with a rifle and a box of grenades.¡±

    Captain Aguilar stiffened at the retort. ¡°We can hit the front door with some pylons, to soften up the defense¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no. We¡¯re not doing that,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°We have no idea where our hostages might be located, and you could collapse the entrance.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Aguilar sneered at her. ¡°You think you can sneak in there?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Urtiga¡¯s expression remained blank. ¡°If they¡¯re looking at something else.¡±

    Aguilar¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I get it,¡± she said coldly. ¡°You want my Rangers to be your distraction.¡±

    Zhang stepped forward. ¡°We know that Rayker has fully weaponized these¡­ drones, and there could be up to two hundred of them. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to lure them out into the open?¡±

    ¡°I just thought Rangers would be up for a fight,¡± Urtiga said with a shrug.

    ¡°We are always up for a fight,¡± Aguilar snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want my girls being used as pawns in someone else¡¯s hairbrained scheme.¡±

    ¡°Your Rangers will be appointed as the main effort, Captain Aguilar,¡± Smyrna interrupted. ¡°If that assuages your concern?¡±

    Aguilar eyed the older woman. As the main effort, the Vipers would receive priority for fire support and casevac lifts. It was a fig leaf, but an acceptable one. She nodded.

    ¡°My teams will wait for you to draw out the enemy drones,¡± Urtiga explained. ¡°Once the shooting starts, we will maneuver behind them and break through the caves¡¯ entrance. There will probably be some kind of defense, but if they just sent out an army, they won¡¯t be expecting an assault. We will break through to the heart of that installation and destroy this device.¡±

    She gestured to Masey and stepped to one side.

    Masey stepped into the center of the hall and tapped a remote at one of the monitors. A video played of Helvetic soldiers engaging in training exercises while photos of young men flashed past on another screen, together with a series of unit crests.

    ¡°Based on my team¡¯s work over the past year,¡± Masey said, ¡°we think there are at least forty to fifty Helvet Special Forces on the planet, though where exactly is unknown. We spotted six or seven at a time in Rackeye, but couldn¡¯t track where they went. We also saw no sign of support from their army or navy, and Zhang¡¯s team was able to confirm that these men have been picked from a variety of battalions, apparently based on their prior service with one Captain Halloran Reed.¡±

    A man¡¯s face flashed on the screen. Kayla studied every detail and flaw.

    ¡°Personal loyalty. They are willing to betray the League, then?¡± Smyrna asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s our working hypothesis, yes ma¡¯am,¡± Masey said. ¡°And whatever they are planning, they are certainly operating on their own. Expect small arms, maybe grenade launchers; only equipment that they could realistically smuggle through the Rackeye starport.¡±

    Aguilar nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll lead the drones from the front, using the same tactics they learned in the Frontier War. We know their capabilities well enough.¡± She examined the holographic terrain map. ¡°Good thing this operation is going to go down in the middle of nowhere, or we¡¯d draw a lot of attention.¡±

    After a pause, she turned stiffly to Urtiga. ¡°Are you assuming there is a possibility of disabling these mutated drones using whatever device created them, Sergeant?¡±

    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to freshly minted Private Kayla Barnes,¡± Urtiga said with a gesture.

    Kayla cringed as Smyrna and the monitor faces regarded her like a piece of uninteresting furniture. Fortunately, they returned their attention to Urtiga as she continued.

    ¡°It just so happens she grew up around here, and she knows some of the scientists. Once we get on site and clear out the bad guys, she will work with them to see if there is anything that can be done from that angle.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ which team has to take her?¡± asked a Raider.

    ¡°Mine. Captain, I would say give us an hour, tops. Think you can hold them off for that long?¡±

    Aguilar shrugged. ¡°Give me orbital battery support and we¡¯ll be policing up the bodies before you come back out.¡±

    General Smyrna shook her head. ¡°I cannot allow it. The Banshee will unshroud briefly for this seismic search, but to use its armaments will reveal us to watchers on the planet. A Shrike will provide you the protection you request, flown by Major Yakovlev.¡±

    Kayla saw the familiar face of Toska on one of the monitors, who smiled and waved.

    Aguilar grunted. A Shrike was a stealth multirole aircraft¡ªwell armed, but not nearly as powerful as the kinetic guns of the Banshee.

    ¡°If you are all in agreement, then the meeting is finished. Senior commanders will remain,¡± Smyrna said, and the small crowd began to file out.

 Part 2 - Chapter 64

    Rose¡¯s comfortable hospital room was beginning to feel like a prison cell. Though she had already demonstrated her ability to walk on her leg, she was still confined to her bed until the doctor decided she was ready for duty. Now that she could move about, she was scheduled for an hour a day of physical therapy, and no more. The rest was spent in bed, reading whatever material was available from the Valkyrie library, even technical manuals, if it kept her from dying of boredom.

    She was slowly going stir crazy, and it got worse when new patients arrived. Some came from off-world, who had been severely wounded in an operation, and there would be a stampede of medical staff urgently shouting commands and calling for assistance, while Rose sat alone, feeling useless.

    A stroll in the gardens of Tyr city would have done her good¡ªshe was sure the nanites could heal whatever damage remained. But doctor¡¯s orders were orders, and she couldn¡¯t even leave her room without them signing off.

    ¡°I really think I can do some more advanced movement,¡± she complained, after her last physical therapy session. ¡°Like a nice walk outside?¡±

    The doctor checked her chart again. ¡°You¡¯re making good progress, I agree, but in my experience, we shouldn¡¯t rush this. Deep bone trauma needs time and patience, not enthusiasm.¡±

    Rose suppressed an outburst of frustration. ¡°Yes, Major.¡±

    Several days later, Rose had a welcome visit from a Ranger she didn¡¯t recognize. The woman was limping, but didn¡¯t seem too badly hurt as she entered the room.

    ¡°Rose Djallen?¡±

    Rose shot up in bed. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from Mountain Ranger battalion. A friend of yours, Thandi, asked me to check in on you and said she¡¯d tried to catch up with you soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you¡ªthat¡¯s very good of you,¡± Rose settled back against her pillows as her pulse relaxed again. The disappointment brought clear-headedness, and her forehead crinkled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she stop by herself?¡±

    ¡°Well, you know I was just passing through. Seems I had an unfortunate run in with a jeep that wasn¡¯t watching where it was going. Totally their fault. I¡¯m fine, really¡ªprobably shouldn¡¯t even be here. Can¡¯t believe my bad luck, you know?¡±

    Rose raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The Ranger paused a moment. ¡°Oh¡­ well, I probably shouldn¡¯t say. All I¡¯m saying is Thandi couldn¡¯t stop by, and she didn¡¯t want you thinking she¡¯d forgotten about you.¡±

    Something about her reluctance made Rose curious. ¡°What about Kayla? Did she say anything?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any Kayla, it¡¯s a big battalion you know?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re in the same squad.¡±

    The Ranger shrugged helplessly. ¡°Okay, well¡­ I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡±

    Rose thought fast. There was only one obvious reason somebody might not talk about a unit¡¯s activity to an outsider. ¡°Is the battalion deploying? That¡¯s why you¡¯re annoyed about your injury, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Come on, you know I shouldn¡¯t talk about that.¡± She stopped, seeing Rose¡¯s desperate expression. ¡°Ugh- whatever. Yes, they are, and don¡¯t I feel like the world¡¯s biggest idiot for getting myself out of action? It really sucks when your friends go out, and you can¡¯t be there, you know?¡±

    For Rose, everything began to add up. Christie was working on Caldera, then Kayla had gone over on leave, and apparently hadn¡¯t returned, while the rest of the battalion was deploying. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence.

    Rose leaned forward, nearly out of breath with excitement. ¡°They¡¯re going to Caldera aren¡¯t they? Something¡¯s happening there.¡±

    ¡°How¡­? No! Stop trying to guess! Compartmentalization is a real thing, you know? I¡¯m not getting posted to some back end of nowhere security detail again. No more questions, got it?¡±

    The buzz of energy was quickly replaced by a gnawing tension in Rose¡¯s gut. The organization had convinced her that they rarely went near human space, so what could have happened that needed Rangers to be sent to a colonized planet? Rackeye was her home. Were her friends or family in danger?

    She apologized politely and thanked her visitor, promising not to share what she¡¯d heard with anyone else. As she lay in bed, trying to pretend she could relax, Kayla¡¯s face passed in front of her mind, followed by Christie and Thandi.

    Leaving her family and social circles behind had been a difficult culture shock for Rose, but the presence of the three quarrelsome and strong-minded girls had quickly become an irreplaceable crutch.

    Gone were the lofty speeches about important social causes, by which Rose¡¯s old clique had measured their self-worth. Instead, her fellow recruits mended each other¡¯s boot laces when they snapped, or wiped the pus off a painful leg-rash while changing a bandage, or lent a shoulder when a knee gave out.

    Their training had forced them to live in each other¡¯s presence almost constantly¡ªsleeping, eating, hiking or exercising together. They had talked about life and death, history, philosophy, friends, boyfriends, family, suffering and success. They had talked absolute nonsense for hours straight, just to replace the boredom.

    In the beginning, Rose had barely been able to stand Kayla¡¯s presence. By graduation, she could recognize her silhouette on the opposite side of a field, at night. She knew how many hours into sleep Thandi would start talking to herself. She could describe in exactly which order Christie would eat the various sachets in any of a dozen ration packs.

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    The thought of being assigned to a different unit, to start all over again without them had been difficult. Now they were in danger, while she, the spoiled rich girl, was once again being held back and protected.

    Rose¡¯s cheeks flushed with heat as she remembered her and Kayla¡¯s fights, instigated for the most part by the lies of the peers she had respected. So much unnecessary pain and anger, while her precious League, in their arrogance, had dismissed the colonist¡¯s day-to-day struggles. It wasn¡¯t that she was ready to reject her own community, but she had to admit that while they might preach high-minded ideals, when they were really needed, the galaxy¡¯s elite were useless.

    And now so was she.

    That was simply unacceptable.

    A plan began to form, unbidden, in her mind. At first it was only a fantasy; after all she would need the Major¡¯s medical consent, which she obviously wouldn¡¯t get. But even as she tried to forget the idea, it sat in her subconscious, furiously building itself into a concrete course of action.

    Her medical status meant that she hadn¡¯t yet been assigned to a unit, so she wouldn¡¯t technically be disobeying orders if she wandered off on her own. All she had to do was convince the Major to sign off and let her leave the hospital. There would be a bureaucratic delay before any orders came through, during which time she would be free to slip through the cracks in the system.

    Rose tried to ignore her imagination and get back to sleep. She was just a small cog in an immense machine, and she had no business trying to interfere with its operation.

    She repeated these words over and over, until she remembered the Mountain Ranger¡¯s comment about letting her friends down. What if Kayla, Christie or Thandi got hurt, when she could have been there to stop it?

    Rose felt a painful ache in her chest.

    Why was she so concerned about the organization¡¯s rules? Didn¡¯t they teach her to think for herself? She wouldn¡¯t be hurting anyone if she went¡ªapart from possibly herself. But technically she was already injured, so did that even count? In the worst-case scenario, she could at least be passing messages in a command center on Caldera, rather than sitting helplessly in a hospital bed.

    Rose glanced at the bedside clock, and realized that she had been lying still with her eyes closed for nearly an hour.

    ¡°Private Djallen, what do you think you doing!¡± scolded the Major as she walked into the gym.

    Rose was squatting a six-hundred-pound bar¡ªmuch heavier than the limits of her physical therapy allowed.

    She racked the bar, and turned to the Major, a winning smile on her lips. ¡°Apologies ma¡¯am,¡± she said as politely as she could. ¡°But I know I¡¯ve healed sufficiently, and I just wanted to prove it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve disobeyed my medical orders.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t see the reason to follow the protocol when I could be applying myself more productively.¡±

    The doctor stared at her suspiciously. ¡°How many reps did you do with that weight?¡±

    ¡°Twelve,¡± Rose lied. She had managed six before sensing a pain begin to build in her leg.

    The doctor sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t appreciate your attitude, and it is clear that you¡¯re healing faster than expected.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to waste any more medical resources, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Well, I tell you what. Show me another twelve squats, and I might¡ªmight¡ªthink about signing your release.¡±

    Rose nodded, her gut tightening as she stepped back under the bar. The dull throbbing in her leg flared ominously as she lifted the bar on her back and took up the position. As she lowered to the bottom of the movement she sensed the tightness return.

    Adrenaline flooded her body and she experienced a flash of rage. How could some stupid rule of biology keep her from doing what was necessary? After a lifetime of exercising her legs to be a better dancer, how dare the limb threaten to let her down now? It would perform, regardless of the consequences, and she would not accept any alternative. And what was pain, after all? She had long ago gotten tired of that pathetic sensation¡ªthe wail of weakness.

    She got to rep six again before jolts of lightning broke through her mental walls, and she began sweating. Wondering if she might pass out, she found that she could still maintain the form and the movement if she concentrated hard.

    Reps seven, and eight nearly overwhelmed her, but her leg hadn¡¯t snapped in two. She might be in agony, but it would end eventually, leaving her victorious.

    Nine and ten made her want to shake all over. The pain had diminished, but she could feel her body beginning to fail. She saw Kayla sneering at her¡ªshe was a failure, and a shame on the organization. Everyone knew it. They were just waiting for her to prove it.

    Next rep. Don¡¯t think of the number. Just one more in an endless sequence. Don¡¯t think of anything.

    Next rep. At the bottom Rose wavered. A lifetime of Helvetic teaching passed through her mind. Her genetic potential. The perfection of the soul. Humanity challenging itself against the infinite might of the universe. She prayed to a god she didn¡¯t know she had worshipped. And, somehow, her body started to rise.

    For a moment, she felt like her spirit was watching it happen from a distance. The sensation only lasted a moment and then twelve was over. She had won.

    On the verge of passing out, Rose turned back to the Major, careful to keep her face blank, and most of her weight on her good leg. Even that movement forced her to suppress a wince.

    The woman eyed her suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re sweating pretty heavily.¡±

    ¡°I must have lost some fitness during all that time in bed.¡±

    ¡°I suppose. I¡¯m surprised how well you did, to be honest.¡± She ran her hand through her hair. ¡°Maybe I was being a bit conservative. Okay, if you¡¯re happy with your leg, we¡¯ll head over to my office and sign your release. You¡¯ll have to hang around here a couple of days until they assign you to a unit, but you can have free use of the gym, and you can wander around outside.¡±

    Rose made sure to smile brightly. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, thank you. I¡¯ll just grab a quick drink¡±.

    In the bathroom she vomited, then cleaned herself up and gulped down as much water as she could.

    As they walked over to the Major¡¯s office, Rose had to concentrate hard to ignore the screaming pain coursing through her nerves. It took an immense effort, but she could walk without a limp, though she knew that she had set back her true recovery by at least another month.

    She realized with fascination that she was still making this observation from a distance, as though the feelings belonged to someone else. The need to reach Caldera simply drowned out everything else in her mind.

    Once the release form was signed, Rose returned to her room feeling light-headed at her success. She made sure the wing was empty of staff before raiding a supply closet to rig an adequate splint for her leg, which she hid under her sports pants. With that done, she limped through the corridors, checking in some of the other rooms.

    A young woman was sleeping, her personal items piled up in a corner. Rose rifled through them, grabbing the woman¡¯s panic alarm. Then she went straight to the main desk, presented her release form, and walked out into the city of Tyr. For at least twenty-four hours she would be free to go wherever she pleased.

    An auto-taxi took her to the starport, where she followed the other women on leave who were queuing up for the transit shuttles.

    ¡°Where¡¯re you going, my dear?¡± asked one of the crew.

    ¡°Caldera, Rackeye city¡ªgot a couple days leave. I want to go get hammered with some old friends.¡±

    The woman laughed. ¡°Sure, I know that feeling. Strap in and put your feet up.¡±

    Rose grinned. ¡°Thanks!¡±

    The rush of success in the face of potential punishment was wonderful. No wonder Kayla did it so often.

    They didn¡¯t even bother to check her ID. So much of the organization was based on trust, and here she was, abusing it for her own ends. Again, Rose calmly observed the thoughts passing though her mind without really connecting, and she wondered if she was becoming a psychopath.

 Part 2 - Chapter 65

    ¡°You lost, Ranger?¡±

    Thandi looked around to see the familiar face of Cara Favre¡ªUrtiga¡¯s Pararescue friend¡ªwatching her. She smiled sheepishly. ¡°Um¡­ yeah this place is a maze.¡±

    She had been wandering the cramped metal walkways of the Banshee, trying to find her way to the canteen, but she hadn¡¯t figured out the cryptic compartment names. Harassed-looking women passed by her as they worked the ship, and their impatient demeanour had made Thandi think twice about asking for directions.

    ¡°Where are you trying to get to?¡± Cara asked, radiating earnest helpfulness.

    ¡°Oh uh¡­ the canteen, I guess.¡±

    Cara cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You guess?¡±

    ¡°I think my squad is there, but there¡¯s so much coming and going I just¡­¡± Thandi waved a hand in front of her face. ¡°I guess I¡¯m losing it.¡±

    Nearly thirty-six hours earlier the operation order had come down, and Kes had begun barking orders at the squad. They were deploying to Caldera, she explained without going into detail. They were to get all their kit together, check and clean their weapons, then be ready to load onto transports out to Tyr¡¯s starport.

    A rush of activity followed until a last-minute schedule change left the whole company sat in a boarding hall with nothing to do but stew for several hours. Thandi alternated between prayer, and the guilty feeling that she was wrong to ask for special treatment.

    Despite feeling constantly on edge, she was grateful that she had her squad leader to look to in the maelstrom of chaos. Kes seemed to know everything that was happening and what to do about it. She watched over the squad like a demon, making sure they had packed everything they needed, and were in the right places at the right times.

    Once the shuttles reached the Banshee waiting in orbit, one hundred and fifty Rangers had piled out into the claustrophobic metal corridors and berths. Bunks were quickly assigned, then they were pushed out of the way of the harassed crew of the starship. Thandi had a bunk¡ªmore of a shelf she thought¡ªlined up with dozens of others, and a small cubby hole to pack her rucksack into. That, and any trip to the head, was all the personal space she was allowed.

    Her time shipboard was spent navigating a frustrating maze, in closer proximity to hundreds of women than she had imagined possible, as she squeezed between bodies on the way to the mess, to a briefing, or back to the bunk.

    Though she was now completely lost, the friendly face of Cara meant that she would not have to ask for help, and expose herself as the shameful ¡®Freakin¡¯ New Girl¡¯. Thandi¡¯s shoulders relaxed for the first time in days, and she felt the ache of stiff muscles.

    Cara winked at the young Ranger. ¡°You want to see something awesome?¡±

    Thandi smiled and nodded. She was led through a series of turns and corridors until the wide-open space of the ship¡¯s hangar appeared before her.

    Large drop ships stood in a neat line, surrounded by smaller, more agile looking craft. Cara walked straight past them as Thandi hurried to keep up, until they approached the bulk of a sleek fighter jet. A group of women were slowly maneuvering it onto a rail which disappeared down a tunnel through the hull.

    Thandi recognized Toska, and another pilot stood to one side, examining a clipboard.

    ¡°Thought I¡¯d show you this since you were nearby anyway,¡± Cara said with a wink. ¡°Pretty cool, huh? Oh¡ªstep aside there.¡±

    Thandi moved quickly as a service drone barreled through the spot she had occupied. She glanced around for more movement, then stopped and let her eyes take in the dull grey bombs strapped to the aircraft. The plane itself had the smooth curves and matt black paint of a stealth fighter. As Thandi watched, the attendant crew rolled it into position and locked a launch hook to its landing gear. Then they began to check through the jet¡¯s systems.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of our Shrike fighters,¡± Cara explained. ¡°Toska will fly tomorrow to support the operation, but tonight, Chatter will stand by on alert status, in case the infiltration teams need air cover. They cover each other, so there¡¯s always someone ready to go, and nobody gets left hanging out in the cold.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Thandi said, though she felt like a tourist. ¡°Um¡­ are you going to be on the dropships with us?¡±

    ¡°Nope, I stay up here. If something goes wrong, or someone needs emergency medical treatment, then me and my team will jump in.¡±

    ¡°Jump?¡± Thandi¡¯s eyes went wide.

    Cara grinned. ¡°On the other side of the ship, we have gliders that the Banshee will shoot down into the atmosphere.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a wild ride. Dangerous for sure, but we practice it a lot, and it¡¯s totally worth it to try and keep someone alive. The one thing this organization does best is give us the tools we need to support each other. There¡¯s no other way to confront evil, you know?¡±

    Thandi nodded. ¡°Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for showing me.¡±

    ¡°No problem. Canteen¡¯s this way.¡±

    The Rangers received several briefings; makeshift affairs set up on the flight deck in front of the waiting dropships, with a jury-rigged holo projector and the cold metal deck for a seat.

    The first presentation gave them a general overview of the situation. A secret base on Caldera was turning people into monsters, and the Vipers were going to shut it down. They were given an overview of the autopsy of the mutated body brought back by the field team, and a tentative assessment of its presumed strength and abilities. Of particular interest were the recessed pressurized organs in its arms that allowed it to shoot deadly spikes, faster, the Collective scientist explained, than a bullet from a gun. This left the Rangers silent until Kes raised a hand.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying this was an innocent farmer who was transformed into this thing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± the scientist replied.

    The hangar filled with angry muttering. Thandi saw Ray begin to clench and unclench her fists.

    Kes, however, remained objective and curious. ¡°What kind of data do you have on their intelligence, or their ability to organize?¡±

    ¡°We suspect some artificial enhancement has been performed to facilitate those abilities, but we cannot confirm since the cranium was not provided intact.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°She said your dumbass new squad member blew its head to pieces, Kes!¡± another NCO called across the deck. ¡°So now we know nothing.¡±

    Thandi groaned quietly.

    ¡°Okay, check,¡± Kes replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take your concern as a form of jealousy that my squad picked up an effective killer who placed her team¡¯s lives first, while you¡¯re struggling to herd a bunch of wannabe lab technicians around.¡± This was met with murmurs of agreement, as the other Ranger shook her head, but fell quiet.

    More briefings followed on the cultural and political situation on Caldera. Eventually, a full holographic table was set up in the flight hangar so that the Rangers could familiarize themselves with the mountains and valleys around the search area. Kes spent a few hours there with the other non-commissioned officers, noting down particular features and examining potential ingress and egress routes, before returning to the squad and talking it over with them.

    They were all most concerned about the lack of an established landing zone. The terrain was so variable that some locations would be easily defendable, while others would be death traps. Strangely, everyone seemed to accept the lack of information, and Thandi was surprised that she was the only one concerned about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s called mountain warfare,¡± Kes replied bluntly, after Thandi pestered her once too often. ¡°Learn to live with uncertainty.¡±

    And that was only the start of her problems.

    ¡°Thandi, I need you to help me with something,¡± Lyna said as they went through their gear with Ash. ¡°With Kayla gone, we can¡¯t transport as much ammo for the light machine guns. Those are the biggest hitters, right? If they can¡¯t lay down fire, it puts the whole squad in danger.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Thandi nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re not up to speed yet, so you won¡¯t be quite so useful shooting and moving. But you can carry more weight.¡±

    Thandi listened carefully, dreading the conclusion, even as she had to acknowledge it was the correct one.

    ¡°Ash,¡± Lyna said, turning to their fire team leader, ¡°are you happy for me to drop another couple of boxes on Thandi?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ash¡¯s eyes scanned empty space, and she shrugged. ¡°Let me check that with Kes.¡±

    ¡°Why do you need to check that with Kes, Lance-Corporal?¡±

    Ash sighed. ¡°Whatever, fine. Do it.¡±

    Lyna shook her head as she helped Thandi rearrange her backpack.

    Eventually, all the running around and note-taking wound down, and there were no more tasks to complete or briefings to attend. Combat suits and weapons had been checked and rechecked, and all the Rangers had to do was sit around and wait. They spent as much time as they were permitted in the ship¡¯s mess.

    ¡°Thandi, I¡¯m telling you,¡± Lyna argued. ¡°Orbital Demolition is the best unit in Valkyrie. I mean, why would you pass on floating out in the vastness of space with an entire planet beneath your feet?¡±

    Thandi pushed her finished tray aside as someone stopped next to her in the crowded mess room, looked down at her, and scowled. ¡°Did she call you Thandi? Thandi Khawula?¡±

    Thandi nodded nervously. ¡°Um, yeah, that¡¯s me.¡±

    The woman, a flight crew chief, sighed as she reached into her pocket. ¡°I was going to throw this away, but since fate dropped you in my path¡ªhere.¡± She passed a note into Thandi¡¯s hand. ¡°But you tell your friend down there that if she tries to use a crew chief as a goddamn messaging service one more time, I will take both of you for a one-way dropship ride. Get it?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, sorry. She¡¯s a troublemaker, I know.¡±

    The crew chief nodded and moved away. Thandi unfolded the paper, carefully examining Kayla¡¯s almost unreadable handwriting. ¡®Going in with Urtiga and Masey. Christie¡¯s staying in a dropship¡ªvery sad. Best of luck!¡¯

    She laughed, folding it away as she turned back to her intrigued squad mates.

 Part 2 - Chapter 66

    ¡°You have a friend in Tier One?¡± asked Thandi¡¯s other fire team member, Beydaan Burale, who had caught sight of the note.

    ¡°No, Bibi, it¡¯s that other FNG, Kayla Barnes,¡± corrected Lyna, ¡°She¡¯s been on the ground since the start of this thing¡ªshe¡¯s Calderan and they wanted some local knowledge.¡±

    The other Ranger nodded. ¡°Oh, yes, of course,¡± she replied and fell silent.

    ¡°Seems like a big operation,¡± Thandi said.

    Lyna nodded, her eyes flashing. ¡°I hear this one¡¯s going to be serious. A real stand-up fight.¡±

    Ray agreed. ¡°I saw them dragging that body off the drop ship the other day. Nasty looking thing. Obviously not bullet proof, though.¡±

    ¡°It will depend on their tactics,¡± Bibi cautioned. ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to any conclusions.¡±

    ¡°What do you think it would feel like to get hit by one of those bone spikes? The tips looked nasty sharp,¡± Lyna asked, addressing no one in particular.

    Thandi thought they looked like spears, then immediately shut the image away.

    ¡°Not much different than being shot,¡± Bibi replied with confidence. ¡°They may have more mass than a bullet, but their momentum would drive them straight through you.¡± She spoke quietly, but with a detached, analytical tone.

    As Thandi had gotten to know her over the last several weeks, she thought that the woman was the last person she would have expected to find in a Ranger battalion¡ªmuch less with the aggressive Vipers. She never spoke unless she had something important to contribute, and when not in a gym or working with the squad was usually to be found hidden in a quiet corner with a book.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be picking yourself up off the floor,¡± Tian Bao argued. ¡°The things are an inch wide and more than a foot long. All that mass travelling at high speed¡ªtalk about stopping power.¡±

    ¡°No Tian, I just explained why that is wrong,¡± Bibi replied patiently. ¡°There is no transfer of momentum. You would have a big messy wound, but it would probably be survivable if it doesn¡¯t hit a vital organ.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not accounting for hydrostatic shock, though.¡±

    ¡°Because it is a pseudo-scientific concept that doesn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny.¡±

    ¡°How strong do you think they are?¡± Thandi interrupted. The pair had a habit of filling the squad¡¯s downtime with endless arguments.

    ¡°Big, nanite enhanced muscles?¡± Tian smiled. ¡°Probably could rip you in half if you give them the opportunity. Don¡¯t give them the opportunity.¡±

    Lyna sighed. ¡°It¡¯s always some eldritch horror bent on killing us all. Why can¡¯t we meet nice aliens for a change?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not aliens,¡± Bibi corrected. ¡°They are transformed humans.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine, but you get what I mean. I¡¯m waiting for the day we can meet another intelligent species and just¡­ hang out or whatever. You know? Talk about our similarities and differences, and what we¡¯ve learned about the universe.¡±

    ¡°Not in this quadrant,¡± Tian cut in, her eyes gleaming. ¡°Everything out there wants to kill you, so get ready to destroy it with fire.¡±

    Lyna gave a tight smile. ¡°When we make first contact, I¡¯m going to make sure that you are on desk duty somewhere.¡±

    Tian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why would you assume that an intelligent species doesn¡¯t have something to gain by hurting you? That¡¯s a dangerous philosophy.¡±

    ¡°But you have to express vulnerability in order to establish trust.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay, maybe. But that doesn¡¯t mean you have to actually be vulnerable. Experience has taught us to protect ourselves first and foremost.¡±

    ¡°Bibi, what do you think?¡± Lyna asked.

    The Ranger thought for a moment. ¡°I think that our experience has been biased, and selected for violence.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The Jotnar are extinct¡ªthe only technology they left behind had to be rugged and sophisticated enough to have survived millennia, and that usually means war machines. I don¡¯t think we should take that as a reflection on what the rest of their society was like.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re talking about the genocidal warrior race whose abandoned weapons regularly kill us, right?¡± Tian said with a grin.

    Bibi raised a finger. ¡°The human race experienced periods of devastating conflict¡ªworld wars that killed millions and levelled entire countries. And yet you wouldn¡¯t hesitate to walk into a bar on Caldera and order a drink.¡±

    ¡°Because we know how we work, I guess,¡± Lyna said with a nod. ¡°Interests, agendas, and customs¡ªfigure those out and you can get along with anyone.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, and I don¡¯t think it would have been any different with the Jotnar,¡± Bibi said. ¡°Just because their political class got caught up in something they couldn¡¯t control, doesn¡¯t mean that most of them weren¡¯t decent beings.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh, sure,¡± Tian said. ¡°But when blue tentacle creature rocks up in his spaceship, my hand is resting on my sidearm. And if he¡¯s really intelligent, he¡¯ll understand the reason for that.¡±

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    Lyna grabbed an apple off her tray. ¡°Thandi, take a side here,¡± she ordered, before taking a bite.

    Thandi, who had been trying desperately to think of something interesting to add, flustered under the suddenly cold and expectant gazes of the rest of her squad. ¡°Uh¡­ God loves all creatures equally.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a textbook response,¡± Lyna scolded. ¡°Tell me something I haven¡¯t heard before.¡±

    Thandi thought quickly. ¡°I agree with Tian. Just and peaceful beings may exist, but so does evil. To quote John, ¡®And He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in human nature.¡¯ If there are intelligent aliens,¡± she concluded, ¡°then however nice they may generally be, some of them will be criminals or psychopaths.¡±

    Lyna nodded. ¡°That¡¯s some three-thousand-year-old wisdom right there. Of course, you¡¯re assuming that aliens are the same as humans, which is speciesism, xenophobia, and probably racist.¡±

    Tian shook her head. ¡°What a bigot. Are all new recruits so ignorant these days?¡±

    Thandi returned the smirks with a tight smile and reminded herself that she would have to suffer at least a year of this kind of teasing before she would get any respect.

    Once the conversation died down, she began drumming her fingers on the table, trying to imagine how she should paint her hypothetical future sports car on Tyr. That problem occupied her for a few minutes, but then her mind began to wander again.

    ¡°Uh Ray, how come you¡¯re called Ray?¡± she asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t your middle name Rai?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡± The woman smiled at her from across the table. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a ray of sunshine in your life.¡±

    Thandi laughed as Ray pulled her hair aside, exposing her neck. ¡°See that scar?¡± she pointed.

    ¡°Yeah¡ªlooks nasty.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where a battle laser¡ªwe call them ¡®ray guns¡¯¡ªnearly sliced my head off. Yeah, that was a fun day.¡±

    Thandi snapped her mouth shut as Kes came over to join them.

    ¡°How are you doing, Khawula?¡± the squad leader asked.

    ¡°Good, Corporal,¡± Thandi lied.

    ¡°Great. Listen, I know we¡¯ve been giving you a hard time, but that¡¯s because I can see the potential in you, and I want to get the best out of you. Jokes aside, I am genuinely pleased that we got two obviously scrappy girls like you and Barnes.

    ¡°Thanks, Corporal.¡±

    ¡°When we get down there and it kicks off, you are basically going to be useless for the first hour¡ªthat¡¯s fine. You¡¯re just going to be overloaded with noise and confusion. Don¡¯t sweat it. Your job is not to kill anything or be a hero¡ªit¡¯s to support the squad and not do anything stupid.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°You follow your training, and you do exactly what I tell you, when I tell you. You¡¯ll do just fine, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Thandi nodded, conscious that she had nothing else to offer than meek acknowledgement.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it,¡± Ray reassured her. ¡°New Rangers are customarily prohibited from getting wounded until they have experienced at least one squad level night out in a major city, where they will undergo humiliation from excessive alcohol consumption, and failed attempts to flirt with boys. Or girls. Or farm animals.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually okay with guys,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°No¡ªyou were okay with guys when you were a civilian. Now you bench half a ton, you shoot bad guys in the face, and you jump out of perfectly good dropships. Be advised, your social skills have declined significantly.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Girls, I got the word,¡± Kes continued. ¡°The Raiders are going in tonight, so jump off time is expected tomorrow, around twenty-three hundred local time, which is twelve-hundred shipboard time.¡±

    Lyna cursed and fiddled with her watch. ¡°Off by an hour,¡± she explained.

    ¡°All of you know that this platoon has a stellar record, which is in a large part due to the efforts of our officers,¡± Kes said. ¡°They¡¯ve pushed us hard, and it has produced results. Okay, we¡¯re a Viper short, but you¡¯ve all seen how hard Thandi has been working to get herself up to speed. She¡¯s obviously good people.¡± She patted Thandi on the back, and the others nodded respectfully.

    ¡°So, we don¡¯t need to worry. Out of all the Vipers, we¡¯re the fangs; we produce the venom. We¡¯re going to get down there and do what needs to be done to protect the innocent people being targeted by these scumbag terrorists.¡±

    The others nodded calmly.

    ¡°Go spend as much time as you can with the sand table¡ªwrite your letters, get your affairs in order. Aguilar will address the company at zero-seven hundred, suit up at zero-eight hundred. Any questions?¡±

    There were none, and Kes left them to their own devices.

    ¡°That sucks,¡± Ray said, and Lyna grunted in agreement.

    Thandi raised her eyebrows.

    ¡°She gave us a pep talk, which means she¡¯s worried,¡± Ray explained.

    Thandi did her best to remain as nonchalant as the others, even though her heart was thumping out a fast rhythm, while her mind swam with a million questions. She kept quiet, trying to re-focus on her sports car, when she caught Ray¡¯s eye again.

    ¡°Thandi, whatever happens down that, just make sure you remember one thing.¡± Ray¡¯s tone was suddenly serious.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Switching to your pistol is always faster than reloading.¡± She winked, then laughed at Thandi¡¯s confused expression.

    Kayla squeezed gingerly into her combat suit, wishing she had had more time to wear it in. The tight joints felt restrictive, making some of her movements awkward, but there was nothing she could do other than embrace the discomfort. When the suit was on, with the helmet locked and sealed around her head, she draped her tactical rig over her chest, secured her sidearm holster to her leg, and began slotting magazines and grenades into the appropriate pouches.

    She and the other Raiders had spent the last few hours laying out all their gear, loading magazines with ammunition and running system checks on their helmet vizors. Then a ¡®gear up¡¯ call had echoed around the workshop, and it was time to get ready.

    When she had finished, Kayla checked everything again. Then a third time, then a fourth. She couldn¡¯t shake the almost addictive impulse and could barely think straight as adrenaline hummed through her system.

    Where was her knife, she asked herself¡ªwhere was the toggle for the helmet¡¯s night vision and infra-red capable face plate? Which was the fragmentation grenade, and which was smoke? Was that an unused pouch on her webbing, and should she fill it with another mag, or a spare flashlight? Then she felt like she had to go to the bathroom every twenty minutes, and this was even more embarrassing since the Raiders around her appeared completely calm and focused. Their cheerful humor and irreverent comments had disappeared, replaced by steely determination.

    As she slung her rifle, Urtiga came over to check her thoroughly, and Kayla stared in fascination at her combat suit. Unlike Kayla¡¯s Ranger suit, the Raiders used adaptive camouflage. Now activated, smears and splotches of color were forming almost imperceptibly slowly to imitate the workshop¡¯s grey, angular forms.

    ¡°Invert your magazines, top down,¡± Urtiga advised. ¡°That way you can just pull and flip, and slot them in. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ um, thanks,¡± Kayla stammered.

    ¡°The game tonight is stalking; we pass like shadows.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll stay in the back, you¡¯ll follow Masey and do everything she tells you to do and nothing else. I mean that with one hundred percent severity, Kayla.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sergeant,¡± Kayla said, hoping her genuine sincerity wouldn¡¯t be taken as sarcasm.

    Urtiga nodded and they bumped fists. Kayla, heartbeat thudding so loud she could hear it, tried to stop obsessing over her every movement. They piled up their backpacks, made heavier by the inclusion of the seismic mapping spikes that had been distributed to the teams, and sat down to wait outside the workshop, in the warm rays of the setting sun.

 Part 2 - Chapter 67

    Before long, three blacked out buses drew up, and the bulky soldiers piled awkwardly on board before settling in for a long drive into the dusk. They didn¡¯t chatter. Everybody seemed to be occupied with private rituals, though Kayla saw with jealousy that some Raiders had dozed off. She could barely keep her hand from shaking, and she hadn¡¯t slept properly since the mission briefing two days earlier.

    The driver navigated the dark country roads with her night vision, flooring the accelerator on the long straights, so that every bump or pebble of the poorly maintained tarmac shook the vehicle. After a few hours of that torment, they arrived at the staging area in pitch darkness. It was a large field outside an abandoned farmstead, far from any other community.

    The buses were met by Combat Controller Elmira Aliyev, whom Kayla remembered from her shuttle trip. During the previous night, Elmira had carefully prepared the isolated area to serve as a forward refueling depot and airfield for the task force¡¯s dozen dropships, including those that would soon carry the Rangers from the Banshee. Now she would join one of the Raider teams travelling into the valley.

    As others began dropping their night vision vizors, Kayla did likewise, and saw that the field was already filled with small drop ships, each no larger than a truck. Known informally as ¡®Cicadas¡¯, they would carry four Raiders apiece to the planned landing zone in the mountains, from which they would begin their long hike into the target area.

    Urtiga ushered Kayla over to one of the nearby Cicadas, sitting her next to Masey on a small bench bolted to the airframe. Gucci had to struggle to get herself seated, since her pack was larger and heavier than the others. She carried the squadron¡¯s command radio, from which Urtiga would direct the unit¡¯s operation.

    There had been a problem with the radio built into Kayla¡¯s Ranger suit, however. Because it used Ranger encryption, Gucci hadn¡¯t been able to patch it through to the individually protected channels used by the Raiders. It had surprised them that nobody in the Collective had considered the need to have different suit types communicate with each other directly, instead of going through the command net.

    As they waited for the rest of the squadron to load into their dropships, Kayla sat facing outwards from the aircraft, feet just off the ground. All around her women were hustling, preparing the dropships or stacking ammunition boxes for resupply. Kayla felt unworthy to be at the tip of a spear handled by so many people so much more competent than herself. She reminded herself that Urtiga certainly knew what she was doing, and swore that she would do as she was told and not screw anything up.

    Looking up into the sky she saw the fire-scarred surface of Ran hanging in the blackness, and she shivered with disquiet.

    Above her, the twin outboard engines of the dropship spooled up with a whine. Urtiga continued broadcasting and answering radio messages for some time until the fleet of vessels were ready to launch.

    ¡°All Cicada call-signs, green-light. I repeat, green-light,¡± she finally announced, and as a single body the ships lifted in the air, span around to face the mountains, and raced into the night.

    The flight took another hour while Kayla stared in awe at the terrain sweeping past thousands of feet below, tinted green through her night vision display. She had trouble connecting with the reality of what was happening¡ªeven tried to shake her head as if to dislodge a wiring problem. Try as she might, no rational thoughts helped her come to terms with the fact that she was flying over the mountains she had once dreamed about on the farm, on her way to destroy the source of the creatures that had killed her father. But there was so much to think about, from all the training she struggled to recall, to the strangeness of following a Raider team into unknown terrain.

    Eventually their ship separated from the others, flying alone through a valley as tall peaks towered over them. The Cicada slowed, descending towards a flat ledge that sat just below a main spur. From there, the team would climb a predetermined route which would take them into the heart of the search area.

    A cliff ran alongside the landing zone, and Kayla watched in horror as the ship slowed to a hover, one of its outboard engines mere inches away from the rock. The tiny, flat piece of ground they were to land on seemed impossibly small, and for a terrifying moment she thought they would surely crash.

    Fortunately, the pilot seemed to exercise superhuman control of the aircraft, touching them down perfectly without even a scrape. The second the skids touched Kayla stepped off, running forward through the darkness to the four-o¡¯clock position of the ship and dropping to a knee with her carbine raised, as she scanned the surrounding terrain. Moments before the landing, clarity had dawned, washing away the doubt and uncertainty in a rush of determination.

    With a shriek of engine power, the Cicada climbed away into the night, leaving the four of them alone in the darkness. The whine of thrust faded into the breeze, leaving an oppressive silence to fall upon them. They waited patiently, scanning the area for threats. Kayla was in her element now. She was a hunter, and she would pass through the shadows to stalk her prey, as she had been doing since the day she had learned to walk.

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    After a long pause, Urtiga gave a low whistle. The group moved away from the landing zone in single file, walking quickly over the rough mountainside and heading towards the ridgeline. For the first thirty minutes, they stopped every five hundred yards, dropping to a knee to wait and watch. Eventually, when Urtiga was satisfied, she gave them the signal to move out again.

    They picked up the pace, and the stops became less frequent. Unused to walking in night vision with its blurry peripherals, Kayla stumbled across the rough ground as she struggled to keep up with Masey. They were moving faster than she had ever travelled off a trail with so much weight. At the same time, she was trying to maintain awareness of her surroundings, checking for distant movement, or unusual sounds, while thinking about surrounding cover in case of an ambush. It was a tough mental game that required all her concentration.

    They only had six hours of darkness to climb nearly four thousand feet and travel ten miles in map distance. Though she drove them ruthlessly, Urtiga allowed them to stop for breaks, to quickly eat an energy bar or drink from water tubes installed in their helmets. When she noticed that the others barely seemed tired, Kayla tried to hide her heavy panting. She wondered, with a stab of shame, if the breaks had been planned just to help her keep up with the much stronger operators.

    No words were uttered at all throughout the hike, except whenever Urtiga took advantage of a break to radio the unit squadron¡¯s commander that their team had reached a pre-ordained checkpoint.

    The higher they climbed the more Kayla felt her lungs burning with the lack of oxygen. Every step became a struggle. But people¡¯s lives were depending on her, so she refused to allow herself to fail. That commitment gave her the strength to keep going, astonished as she was that the enhanced body of a super soldier could still be so weak in the face of an ordinary mountain range.

    Soon, a rosy haze began to creep over the horizon silhouetting the black teeth of the innumerable peaks. At the next checkpoint, after Urtiga had radioed the task force, she announced that they would lay up for the day. Bathed in a cool sweat, Kayla enjoyed the rush of relief that the ordeal was over¡ªfor now.

    They had stopped in a dell nestled into the side of the ridge line, framed by rocky outcroppings they could hide amongst.  After traversing two peaks during the night, avoiding the summits so as not to skyline themselves to any potential watchers, they were all fatigued.

    As Kayla pulled out her poncho, Gucci covered their hide site in camouflaged netting, drawing it across the rocks to make them invisible to the outside world. Kayla shifted position, trying to find a comfortable spot. She looked out at the rows of mountains, like frozen waves in a storm, and caught sight of the distant farming plain through a gap in the crests.

    ¡°Jesus,¡± she said, softly, too tired to heed the image of an annoyed Thandi that flashed through her mind.

    ¡°What?¡± Gucci asked, her voice low.

    ¡°Out there on that plain somewhere there¡¯s my old village with a big old barn,¡± Kayla explained, also keeping her voice as quiet as she could. ¡°As a kid I used to sit up on the roof and stare at these mountains, dreaming of being an explorer. Now here I am, kitted out like a cyborg and getting ready to get my arms ripped off by some freakish bioweapon.¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°Just feels¡­ I dunno¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down? Like what the hell am I doing here?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Gucci grinned. ¡°It¡¯s an awesome feeling, right? Personally, I love that sensation. Now Urtiga, she gets off on it.¡±

    ¡°Cut the chatter,¡± Urtiga ordered tersely.

    They wolfed down food and drink as the sun crested above the mountains, lancing the world around them with sharp rays of light. Kayla was last on the watch schedule, so she lay down and fell asleep the second her eyes were closed. She was nudged awake around midday by Gucci.

    ¡°Nothing happening,¡± announced the bleary-eyed soldier. ¡°Don¡¯t screw up, or I¡¯ll throw you off the mountain.¡±

    Kayla nodded meekly and rubbed a tender spot in her back where a rock had been jammed as she slept. She grabbed her rifle and moved to take up a sheltered position from which she could observe the ridgeline.

    The day passed lazily as she watched, scanning every inch of the mountain slopes, trying not to let herself get distracted or doze off. Soon she felt her mind slip into a strange level of awareness.

    She was a part of the mountain, like the rocks buried in the dirt for millions of years, or the blades of grass shivering in the breeze. She was no different than the small rodents, themselves hiding in their burrows from the large birds of prey above, whose screeches rang out across the valleys. She was as timeless as the planet they sat upon, drifting in space, the cycles of life and death spinning over the surface like the hands around a watch face.

    The peaceful sensation slipped away in one terrifying moment when a pride of small mountain cats wandered too close to their position. Kayla knew from experience that these cats, if disturbed, would call out in high-pitched wails that carried for miles¡ªa defense against bigger predators. Her heart pounded in her chest as they sniffed around the slope a dozen yards below the hide site. She forced herself to remain calm, her body as still as the rock as she wondered if the entire operation was about to be ruined¡ªand of course Gucci would certainly make good on her promise.

    The cats looked directly at her more than once; curious, but without showing any undue alarm. Fortunately, the combat suits masked their scent, and between the netting, suit camo and her face paint, she was completely invisible. Of course, a cat that spent its entire life in this terrain would find the slightest oddity suspicious.

    Fortunately, the pride was either hungry or had other business, and they wandered off quickly. Kayla started to breathe again. She felt humbled. Valkyrie¡¯s thousands of years of technology and experience had just about given them the ability to fool a natural predator, provided it didn¡¯t indulge any curiosity.

    An hour later, Kayla checked her watch, moved slowly over to Urtiga and nudged her awake.

    ¡°Nothing to report,¡± Kayla responded to her mentor¡¯s interrogative look. ¡°But watch out for cats.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 68

    Far above Kayla¡¯s head, the Venomous Vipers of Bravo company gathered on the flight deck of the Banshee. They stood before the bulky Titan dropships that would carry them down to the mountains to confront an enemy worse than any that Valkyrie had faced in hundreds of years.

    Thandi watched as Captain Aguilar strode in front of them, calmly observing the gathered women. Some sat or kneeled, allowing their comrades behind them to see, as they waited expectantly to hear what their commander had to say.

    ¡°Two days ago,¡± she began, ¡°I got a call from Chieftain-General Smyrna, and Colonel Haft, the battalion commander. When I went to see them, Smyrna looked as grave as I have ever seen her in my time in this organization. She said ¡®Captain, the situation on Caldera is grave. Very grave.¡¯ Ladies, I did not hesitate¡ªI looked her straight in the eye and I said a single word. When I said that word, I saw all hint of worry leave her face, and the gleam of victory was in her eye. That word was Viper. I have absolute confidence that this company, one of the finest companies of Rangers I have ever seen, will get the job done, and so does she.

    ¡°She also said ¡®Praise the stars this didn¡¯t happen on a forest moon¡¯, but I won¡¯t say anymore about that.¡±

    The assembled Rangers laughed, happy to take a friendly jab at a sister battalion.

    ¡°There is a Jotnar device under those mountains capable of transforming animals and humans into killing machines. These have been the source of the attacks, the hundreds of deaths on Caldera that you will no doubt have heard about these last few years. A team of Helvetic scientists and Special Forces have been working in secret to turn the relics of a terrible alien war machine on innocent people to satisfy their political goals.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s heart burned with fury for the father that Kayla had lost, as well as the other colonists. If she was still unsure of her place in the unfolding war machine, she was at least certain that her friend would soon be avenged.

    ¡°Intel estimates,¡± Aguilar continued, ¡°that more than two hundred colonists have been captured and potentially transformed. In a few hours, we will drop into the mountains to engage in battle with these creatures, while other elements take advantage of that opportunity to assault their main base. They will disable this technology and kill or capture those responsible.¡±

    She paused for a moment, staring into the distance.

    ¡°When i heard about the loss of our sisters Rachel and Adaku last week, it tore my heart in two. Today, that pain has settled into rage, because I am sick to my stomach of losing the greatest women the galaxy has ever seen, because arrogant, ego-centric space scum couldn¡¯t figure out how to break their cycle of violence, forcing us once again to expend blood cleaning up their trash.

    ¡°Vipers, make no mistake, this battle will cost us in blood once again. Here is my down payment.¡±

    She drew a knife from her belt and the Rangers watched in silence as she ran it across her arm. A red splash fell to the deck. It was a deep cut, but the bleeding stopped quickly as nanites worked to repair the injury.

    ¡°If I must pay the rest in full today, so be it. I pay it willingly if it spares the lives of innocents. Vipers, keep in mind that the scientists on the objective are civilian non-combatants and will be treated as hostages. Whatever sins they have committed in the name of their political and scientific agenda is not our concern. They will be delivered to Caldera¡¯s authorities to be judged accordingly. No matter what you see down there, you will not harm them unless they are armed, and threatening to harm you.

    ¡°We have learned that a terrorist named Allana Rayker is the leader of this operation. She is very dangerous, and apparently familiar with this alien technology. She is accompanied by forty or more Helvetic Special Forces, who¡¯s hearts, minds, and¡­ other body parts have been seduced into following her. In truth, we don¡¯t know what she is or what she is capable of, but I am reminded of a passage from an ancient text, in whose pages I occasionally find words of comfort. It states ¡®Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live¡¯.¡±

    She paused again.

    ¡°Vipers, the devil has recalled his spawn and entrusted us with the delivery. We will return this witch to the fire. We will cleanse Caldera of the demons she has spawned, laying to rest whatever remains of their souls. As for her dogs, I would ask you to bring me their heads so that I can mount them on stakes in Rackeye¡¯s main square, so that the galaxy will know the punishment due to terrorists.¡±

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    There was total silence on the flight deck as those last words sank in, even the flight crews having stopped their work to listen.

    Aguilar smirked. ¡°I might not get approval for that last part.¡±

    A few cold smiles broke out on the Ranger¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Any Questions?¡± she finished.

    There were none. Thandi felt tension coiling within her muscles.

    ¡°Strike swiftly Vipers. I¡¯ll see you in the field.¡±

    ¡°Old Aguilar sure knows how to get the blood flowing,¡± Ash commented as the squad geared up.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the tingles¡ªI¡¯m psyched,¡± Ray said with a laugh. ¡°Thandi, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Thandi had been silent since the address. ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± she said absently, fiddling with her webbing straps.

    ¡°Ready to kill?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    But most of her mental energy was focused on rehearsing the movement out of the dropship on landing. She wanted to move and fight perfectly, so her squad would be unstoppable, the platoon devastating, and the whole company lightning fast in its annihilation of the enemy.

    Once kitted up and ready to go, they loaded onto the dropships. They had carefully planned their seating with Thandi at the back, while Kes sat next to the loading ramp. Dropping down into the uncomfortable seats, several girls pulled out earphones or books as they waited, while others chatted idly. Across from Thandi, Ray played a video game on a portable device. They would have to wait for hours, but Thandi didn¡¯t feel like distracting herself. Instead, she mentally played through every tactical movement she had been taught since she entered boot camp, until she knew with certainty that she couldn¡¯t make a mistake.

    Rose landed in Rackeye and hung around the starport until she saw the transit shuttle leaving. Then she walked straight out into the city, losing herself in the side streets before pulling out the stolen panic alarm and thumbing the switch. She didn¡¯t have long to wait before a battered old car pulled into the street and stopped alongside her at the curb.

    When she opened the door, she cringed inwardly at the site of a furious looking woman at the wheel.

    ¡°You better have a damn good explanation for yourself,¡± the woman snarled, ¡°because it looks to me like you¡¯re trying to use the panic button like a taxi service.¡±

    Rose took a deep breath and stepped into the vehicle.

    ¡°I have no excuse¡ªand I fully accept any decision you want to take with me. I have to get to the ship that¡¯s in orbit.¡±

    The woman stared at her in disbelief, then pulled the car out into the road. ¡°I¡¯m dropping you back at the terminal and making sure you get delivered back to Tyr with orders for a court martial,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°Please hear me out¡ªI just broke out of the hospital,¡± Rose explained desperately, even as she was sure that her plee would be rejected. ¡°I¡¯m a Mountain Ranger, but the doctors wouldn¡¯t sign me out in time to join my unit. I¡¯m going to miss this operation, and I had to try something. I can¡¯t let my friends go in without me.¡±

    The woman said nothing, only shaking her head.

    ¡°I know I did something really stupid,¡± Rose said again, ¡°but I had to try. You can understand that, right? I had to try something.¡±

    The woman sighed deeply. ¡°You are one crazy, stupid-ass Ranger. All you Viper girls are like that. I suppose, if I¡¯m being honest, I can¡¯t blame you.¡±

    Rose¡¯s fingers went white as they gripped her seat. She was so close. ¡°Write me up for it, and I¡¯ll take whatever punishment I have coming. Please, just help me get back to my unit.¡±

    There was a long silence. The driver cast a sidelong glance at her. ¡°You know this is one of the biggest operations in a long time? It¡¯s going to be a real fight.¡±

    ¡°R-right; that¡¯s exactly why I had to do this,¡± Rose insisted, though she was stunned by the revelation. Was her homeworld in danger? She had had no idea that the situation was so serious, but now that she knew, her resolve only intensified.

    The woman scowled. ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m pissed because I¡¯m sat here on my ass doing nothing, watching a pot that won¡¯t boil. Goddamned Raiders¡ªalways jumping in on other people¡¯s hard work.¡±

    She paused for a few minutes, while Rose didn¡¯t dare to breathe.

    ¡°You know what? Screw it¡ªthe least I could do is help out a Ranger. There¡¯s a shuttle heading up to the Banshee in an hour. I¡¯ll get you on it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t tell them it was me who helped you.¡±

    Rose laughed as she felt the adrenaline-fueled high. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±

    A strange and terrifying energy shot through her heart as she wondered what other forbidden and impossible things she could do if she really wanted.

    They drove out to the suburbs, where a small, unmarked shuttle was waiting at a local transit hub. The driver wordlessly ushered her on board and shook her head at the pilot¡¯s questioning expression. ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± she said, before squeezing Rose¡¯s shoulder and heading back to her car.

    Rose felt her stomach lurch as Caldera dropped away beneath them and the clear blue sky turned inky dark. She found herself gazing at the stars, wondering how she had managed to convince herself to go through with such a stupid plan, and exactly how much trouble she would be in once it was all over. Her leg was effectively re-broken, so she certainly couldn¡¯t join the Rangers on the ground, even if they would have accepted her.

    She might even be kicked out of Valkyrie just so she could stack ammunition crates onto a resupply ship, or whatever work she could find. That was the worst thought; losing everything she had earned, and the friends she had made. But it was for those friends that she had to take the risk.

    As she stewed in the unknown, a deeper, wilder part of her mind, that had begun to grow in strength since her first days in the organization, tempted her with insane ambition. Perhaps they might let her on the bridge of the ship to watch the battle unfold, or onboard one of the dropships to get a closer look? Her rational mind told her that she would probably be thrown in the brig, but the whispers continued, promising adventure and excitement, if only she didn¡¯t give in to doubt.

 Part 2 - Chapter 69

    Through a porthole, a patch of blackness resolved itself into a mess of geometric shapes as the shuttle closed on the cloaked Banshee. They entered the main hangar, and Rose felt her heart leap as she caught sight of the large drop ships clustered at the far end, Rangers in full combat gear wandering between them. When she limped off the shuttle, the crew, obviously assuming she had a good reason to be there, ignored her. She looked around wildly, wondering if she should ask to speak to the Captain.

    ¡°Rose?¡± a familiar voice called, and she whirled around to see Christie stepping off a smaller dropship, staring at her with an expression of pure amazement.

    She looked fierce in her full combat suit and was carrying a strange-looking backpack. Rose limped over and hugged her friend.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Why are you limping? I thought your recovery was going well?¡± Christie said.

    ¡°Um, well,¡± Rose began, ¡°I put two and two together about you being out here, and then the Rangers deploying, and well I had to get out of the hospital to come over here, and I squatted four hundred kilos which basically destroyed my leg again¡ª¡± Rose stopped herself when she realized that she was rambling.

    Christie stared at her, then down at her leg.

    ¡°Well,¡± Rose tried again, ¡°I just wanted to be here, and I don¡¯t know, maybe I can stack supply boxes or something?¡±

    ¡°If the Banshee¡¯s Captain finds out about this you¡¯re going to be in serious trouble. You¡¯re basically a stowaway.¡±

    Rose¡¯s smile twisted into a crazed grin. ¡°Okay, well, I might have to tell them that you told me you were coming to Caldera, which I¡¯m pretty sure is a big no-no in the intelligence business, so¡­ hah!¡±

    Christie stared at her in amazement. ¡°Who are you and what have you done with Rose?¡± She cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Did Kayla brainwash you or something?¡±

    ¡°The doctors had me loaded up with horse tranquilizers for a while, so that probably turned my brain to mush. Anyway, can you tell me what¡¯s going on? When are you going in?¡±

    Christie briefly outlined the operation, and Rose was appalled to learn what had been brewing under the surface of her planet. That so many colonists had been kidnapped to be turned against her own friends and family was terrifying, and she couldn¡¯t imagine how Kayla must be feeling.

    ¡°Jump off is still a few hours away,¡± Christie said, ¡°but I¡¯m not going in on the ground. I have to sit on the ELINT¡ªElectronic Intelligence¡ªship. I will be spending the entire battle scanning for enemy radio signals with this fun little toy.¡± She slapped her backpack.

    ¡°That sounds awesome,¡± Rose said jealously.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Christie replied, suddenly lost in thought.

    ¡°I guess Thandi is over there in a dropship. I probably shouldn¡¯t go over and say hi.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Christie said again, then looked around conspiratorially. ¡°I have an idea. Come with me and we¡¯ll get you a combat suit.

    ¡°Won¡¯t people get suspicious?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they don¡¯t question intel girls¡ªthey generally have no idea what we¡¯re doing. Plus, my team leader is sat in the Operations center with a shoulder wound, and¡­ well, she trusts me¡ªhah!¡±

    ¡°Disobedience starts to grow on you, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Christie grinned. ¡°I know!¡±

    Once she had gotten Rose kitted out and armed with a weapon, Christie brought her back to the hangar where she approached the pilot of her dropship.

    ¡°Chief Dayo¡ªit appears that this Ranger broke her leg in an accident and was looking at sitting out the operation. I know you are setup to fly light and quiet, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to have a bit of extra security, could it?¡±

    The warrant officer looked Rose up and down. ¡°You can stand up okay, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Yes Chief,¡± Rose said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve operated the minigun before?¡± she asked, referring to the dropship¡¯s mounted weapon, which was capable of firing a stream of bullets so fast that the tracers resembled a laser beam scything across the sky.

    ¡°Yes Chief,¡± Rose lied. She recognized the weapon system from the technical manuals she had been reading in the hospital. With a little effort she managed to recall the operating instructions she had learned.

    ¡°Show me.¡± The pilot led them over to the dropship. Rose ducked inside, quickly locating the wall mounted control unit which powered up the weapon. She flicked it on, stared at the controls for a moment, then span up the barrel until it became a blur.

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    Chief Dayo seemed happy with this and gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Great, glad to have you on board,¡± she said. ¡°I know I¡¯d hate to sit this one out, too. Now, we¡¯re going in quiet, so don¡¯t engage anything unless I give you the green light¡ªgot it?¡±

    ¡°Yes chief,¡± Rose acknowledged, barely able to control her excitement, as she returned Christie¡¯s fist bump.

    As the sun set once again behind the mountains, Urtiga¡¯s team ate a quick breakfast, gathered their gear and set off along the ridge line towards their objective. The second night¡¯s hike was even more intense, as they needed enough time to both conduct the seismic survey and reach an overwatch of the cave system, wherever it might be hidden amongst the deep valleys. They would need to do all this while retaining enough hours of darkness to begin the assault. Through her own exhaustion, Kayla noticed that even Urtiga was beginning to reach her limit, panting hard and chugging down more water than usual, as sweat streamed off her brow.

    While her heart hammered to escape her chest, and her muscles burned with acid, Kayla thought back to the endless fast march that had marked the end of boot camp. She remembered the flood of relief once it was over. Now, suffering through the same pain, she understood why the course had been so hard. The team had to push as fast as they could without killing themselves, but there was no instructor to watch over them for injury, nor a nearby medical center. The end of the march would not be met with a truck ride and sleep, but by the enemy. If they were successful in achieving surprise there would be a brief rest. If not; a desperate gunfight for their lives.

    But the first leg went smoothly, and when they arrived at the final waypoint below one of the major peaks, Kayla collapsed gratefully onto a rock. Urtiga verified their coordinates against a positioning satellite constellation launched by the Banshee, and Masey unpacked the sensor they would need to collect seismic data. The device consisted of a long stake with a sharp needle end, which she drove into the ground with a powerful shove.

    ¡°Set,¡± she said.

    ¡°This is Tiger One,¡± Urtiga said quietly into the radio. ¡°I pass ¡®Sentry¡¯.¡±

    They waited in total silence.

    Somewhere amongst the surrounding peaks, other Tiger teams were setting up their own sensors. The thought gave Kayla a shiver, because even if she knew where to look, they would be too well disguised to be visible. And that meant that if a Helvet Special Forces team was also out there in the darkness, quietly preparing to kill them all, she would have no idea until it was too late.

    While they waited, the team watched the surrounding ridges and slopes for movement with their night vision vizors. Urtiga listened to her headset as she received confirmation from the other Tiger teams that they were also in position, and their sensors activated. Kayla felt her stomach lurch as the last team took much longer to check in. Fortunately, they had only encountered difficult terrain and had been delayed in reaching their checkpoint.

    Finally, Urtiga spoke the momentous command into her headset. Kayla didn¡¯t hear the response, but she knew that high above her head, an invisible dot in the night sky was loading a kinetic pile into a high-powered railgun, to be launched towards the planet faster than a meteor. It would not burn up, however, but streak down to an empty spot in the mountains, and impact with incredible destructive force. She braced for the violence and found herself counting the one hundred seconds it would take for the projectile to arrive.

    ¡°Switch to sun vizor,¡± Urtiga warned, and they tapped discreet switches in their headsets.

    The hazy green landscape turned black.

    High in the night sky, a distant point of light appeared. It began as a shooting star, racing across the sky towards them, growing rapidly in apparent speed and brightness. To Kayla, it looked like a fiery arrow shot directly at her, and she cringed as an old memory threatened to overwhelm her with panic.

    It came so close; a brilliant sun passing overhead, illuminating the silent mountain range almost as bright as day. Seconds later, the air was torn apart by a terrific ripple of sonic booms, followed by an explosion that shook the whole mountain. Kayla had the dim impression that even her brain had been shaken inside her skull, and she found herself dazed, unable to take her eyes away from the warm glow of the impact site.

    ¡°Get some,¡± Gucci said, making the devil¡¯s horns with her fingers. She glanced at Kayla. ¡°Hope your friend¡¯s brain is as big as she thinks it is.¡±

    Kayla nodded and switched back into night vision mode. Glancing back at the sky, she again caught sight of the moon and willed it to disappear behind a cloud.

    In the Banshee¡¯s Tactical Operations Center, Zhang watched data streaming in from the geophonic sensors. She punched a key to activate the ship¡¯s powerful central computer, which began to process the information into a readable map of the region¡¯s geological strata. The data stream was enormous, covering several hundred square miles, and the program took several minutes to execute. When it was finished, Zhang activated the holographic display of the mountains and layered the data on top.

    ¡°Right there,¡± she said, pointing for Chieftain Symrna¡¯s benefit.

    Nestled inside one of the valleys, and only several miles from the Tiger teams, neat geometrical tunnels ran through a series of caverns. A giant artificial looking well, located at the deepest part of the base, probably indicated a geothermal power plant. Zhang immediately punched in a command to the computer to download the map to the ground teams.

    ¡°All Tiger call-signs,¡± she radioed, ¡°objective located. Downloading the data to you.¡±

    ¡°Roger Banshee,¡± came back Urtiga¡¯s crackled response. ¡°Tiger teams, select overwatch positions around this valley. Move quickly, but be wary of observation posts. Remember, we are running out of darkness¡ªout.¡±

    Acknowledgments came in over the net, while Zhang continued to study the map with the other officers.

    ¡°I would hazard a guess that this will be where the main device is located,¡± she said, pointing to a large central chamber.

    ¡°It is a large fortress,¡± Smyrna mused. ¡°I wonder what else will be discovered within?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a treasure trove for the Collective,¡± Zhang replied.

    Smyrna sighed. ¡°How I long to be on the ground again. Avoid command, Major, for as long as you can.¡±

    Zhang laughed, then winced as she flexed her partially healed, but still stiff, shoulder. ¡°I did my best, but that drone had a different opinion. Anyway, where would we be without your accumulated experience and wisdom, General?¡±

    Smyrna snorted. ¡°You graciously call me old. Once your shoulder heals, remind me to meet you in an Octagon. I will show you what age can do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on, ma¡¯am.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 70

    The final hike to their position overlooking the valley and cave entrance went by quickly for Tiger One. They were already on a spur connecting to the valley¡¯s main ridgeline, and after some careful observation of their distant overwatch site, they practically sprinted the distance, managing seven miles in less than two hours.

    Several hundred yards away they stopped for more observation before creeping slowly across the remaining distance, all the while scanning for signs of a lookout post. Finally, once they were sure they were alone, they belly-crawled onto the crest of the ridge overlooking the valley.

    Kayla could not make out the doorway that would lead them inside, and her suit¡¯s communication issues kept her from seeing any of the team¡¯s navigation data. Fortunately, Masey was able to dump an extract onto a datacard which Kayla slotted into her helmet. The relevant positions lit up yellow on the vizor¡¯s heads up displays. A small icon appeared on the far side of the valley, and Kayla scanned the area carefully, looking for anything unusual.

    ¡°Tiger Three, be advised, I see an OP close to your overwatch position,¡± Gucci called over the radio, as she peered intently through her rifle¡¯s powerful scope. ¡°Counting three targets with small arms.¡±

    Kayla tensed¡ªthe enemy really was out there watching for them. Suddenly, the imminence of combat became so much more real. As she stared into the valley, she saw another group of men down amongst the boulders, armed with rifles, and patrolling near a fissure in the rock. The only entrance, according to her display, to their objective.

    ¡°Night-vision, short range radios,¡± Gucci announced softly as she studied their enemy. ¡°Not incredibly well equipped.¡±

    ¡°See any of those mutated drones?¡± Masey asked.

    ¡°Zero. They¡¯re probably holding them back inside.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they aren¡¯t that easy to control?¡±

    ¡°Possible,¡± Gucci said, curtly.

    Nobody wanted to make any assumptions.

    Another enemy position was located, and Urtiga began to get frustrated. Every second lost meant less time under the precious cover of darkness for the Rangers. The men might have night-vision, but it would be inferior to Valkyrie¡¯s more sophisticated devices, giving them the advantage.

    Finally, the Raiders were comfortable they had accounted for all the enemy soldiers in the valley, and all the teams managed to settle into their positions.

    ¡°All call-signs, Tiger passes ¡®Guardian¡¯,¡± Urtiga announced to the radio¡ªthe signal to commence the assault.

    Masey grabbed Kayla¡¯s arm. ¡°Time to get your game face on, rookie.¡±

    Thandi¡¯s tense reverie was shattered when speakers in her helmet, and in the dropship, blared ¡°Guardian, Guardian, Guardian!¡±

    Rangers stowed their headphones or other distractions. Lieutenant Akane, followed closely by Sergeant Reyes, bounded up the ramp and took their seats, plugging into the dropship¡¯s internal comms, while the engines whined with power. The ramp doors closed, and Thandi felt the sensation of movement. The hangar bay vanished from the portholes, replaced with starry blackness.

    As she scanned the faces of her platoon, Thandi saw only calm focus. When Reyes caught her eye, the sergeant winked. Her face barely hid an expression of pure joy.

    A violent jolt shook the vessel as the engines fired a de-orbit burn, and the Titan dropships began descending to the limits of Caldera¡¯s atmosphere.

    ¡°Ten minutes!¡± came the callout, and Thandi was crushed into her seat by a sickening jolt of deceleration as the Titans levelled out on their final approach paths.

    Once the rollercoaster was over, her mind switched focus to the possibilities that might unfold. The Titan dropship was an airborne bus, and enemy anti-aircraft fire could swat them out of the sky with ease as they sat, strapped helplessly into their doomed cage. Thandi found herself praying that the intel people were right when they said the Helvet soldiers would only have access to small arms.

    When the ¡®one minute¡¯ call came, the Rangers dropped their helmet¡¯s face plates and racked rifle bolts, chambering rounds. At ¡®thirty seconds¡¯, seat harnesses were unclipped, and they all stood up facing the exit ramp. Thandi couldn¡¯t make sense of the ship¡¯s tumultuous movements¡ªshe just tried to stay upright, grabbing one of the ceiling straps for stability.

    Then the ramp lowered, and she followed her squad as they stormed out into the green world beyond.

    She ran ten paces before dropping to the dirt, checking she could see her squad mates before aiming her weapon into the distance and scanning for targets. The dropships climbed back up into the night with a whine that seemed eerily quiet from outside the aircraft, leaving nearly a hundred and fifty Rangers alone on the landing zone.

    At first, they waited, watching the mountain side for movement. Thandi listened keenly to the night¡¯s total silence. She briefly wondered if she would see Kayla on top of a mountain somewhere, before reminding herself not to be stupid.

    Before long, her headset, linked to the platoon¡¯s short-range radio circuit, broke the silence.

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    ¡°First platoon¡ªmove out!¡± Lieutenant Akane ordered, and the Rangers got to their feet.

    They had landed on a wide, shallow slope below the target valley and would have to hike their way up as quickly as possible. This, Thandi understood, had been done deliberately to provoke the attention of the defenders. The plan was to draw them into a battle in the more defensible mid-section of the valley, away from the base itself, so that the Tiger teams could descend behind the enemy force and fight their way inside.

    So Thandi and her fellow Rangers were bait, and probably would not be shooting first. She tried not to dwell on this unhappy thought as they began their climb up the slope ahead.

    Up on the ridgeline, the Tiger teams watched through rifle scopes as the now alert enemy soldiers radioed in their reports. Now, all they could do was wait.

    ¡°Come out and play bad guys,¡± Gucci muttered softly.

    Kayla did not have a scope and could not see what was happening very well. Instead, she focused on the team¡¯s immediate perimeter, trying to ignore the feeling of utter helplessness she felt as her best friend marched towards an ambush.

    ¡°Madam,¡± Reed announced as he raced into Rayker¡¯s office. ¡°Observation Post One has just communicated the presence of a large enemy force landing below the valley.¡±

    Rayker sniffed. ¡°Of course. The chances of a meteor landing right on top of us at this particular moment are absurd. We should probably assume they used some form of geophonic mapping to locate the tunnels and get at least a general idea of their structure.¡±

    She cocked her head, and her expression changed to bemusement. ¡°That¡¯s a little bit more creative than I expected for a Central Committee led operation.¡±

    Reed gave her a look of annoyed impatience. He had no interest in the deeper politics of the League.

    ¡°How many?¡± Rayker asked.

    ¡°More than a hundred soldiers, advancing straight towards the valley entrance.¡±

    ¡°Insufficient. Our drones should tear them to pieces¡ªthough some prisoners will be useful. However¡­ hmm.¡± She pondered for a moment. ¡°Possibly an attempt to draw us out. Regardless, they will be completely outmatched by our force.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®meteor¡¯ indicates an orbital weapon system¡ª¡±

    Rayker waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Not relevant. A meteor impact can be ignored by Caldera¡¯s satellites, but prolonged bombardment would draw immediate attention. The League can¡¯t be seen to be conducting a full-scale invasion or there would be an international crisis of epic proportions.

    Reed did not relax. ¡°We should anticipate some kind of air support,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°I agree. Send out the drones, and make sure they stay in range of the observation posts. But hold the missiles back for now. We will wait to see what other surprises our enemy has in store.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    ¡°Keep the rest of your men inside the base, and if there is a second attack, execute the plan as discussed.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Madam.¡± Not for the first time, Reed found himself grateful for Rayker¡¯s ingenuity in the area of deception.

    ¡°And those additional tunnels are prepared?¡±

    ¡°Laying the charges now.¡±

    ¡°Good. If your men perform as they should, the enemy won¡¯t realize what they are walking into.¡±

    Reed went down to the large assembly caverns, where hundreds of drones sat or paced listlessly, minds floating in a blissful state of euphoria brought on by internal endorphin secretions. It made them easily manageable for the dozen or so Special Forces soldiers who had had to guard them for the past few months.

    After Reed relayed their orders, the men sprayed a command drone with an alert pheromone, sending it to wander through the ranks of the collective horde. The chemical triggered arousal in their hormonal structure, draining the endorphins away and forcing them to focus as norepinephrine flooded their minds. As the now awakened drones watched, the soldiers activated scented guide candles and led them out of the caverns in single file.

    This job completed, Reed took a handful of men and descended on the scientists¡¯ quarters.

    ¡°Emergency situation!¡± he yelled. ¡°Get to your quarters and lock the doors.¡±

    Weslan hesitated. ¡°I left something in the lab¡ªcan I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Now, Weslan!¡± Reed cut him off, shoving him toward his room.

    The Rangers had been hiking for at least an hour, and Thandi was already exhausted. They had been climbing quickly, only stopping for quick breaks to drink water. Huge boulders littered the valley slope, making the going tough as Rangers scrambled for hand and footholds, or hauled each other up high ledges. Thandi wondered what it would take to make one of the hundred-ton rocks tip over.

    The scramble was made even more difficult with night vision, as her eyes struggled to make sense of the confused green imagery, while at the same time watching the shadows for any sign of movement. It was a mentally demanding exercise, and she couldn¡¯t imagine how she could be useful once the battle started.

    When the squad approached a steeper part of the valley, Kes ordered them to stop.

    ¡°Listen up girls,¡± she said. ¡°If they hit us, it will probably be at the top of this rise. Heads on swivels, got it?¡±

    They nodded their acknowledgement, and Thandi heard blood rushing through her ears. Other squad leaders had arrived at the same conclusion, and the advance began to slow. As they leaned into the steeper climb, Thandi began glancing up at every step, causing her to stumble over a rock. Just then, a radio call came out over the net.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming for us. More than a hundred, right over the crest¡ªget ready.¡±

    The Rangers as a group dropped into cover and aimed their rifles at the distant rocks.

    Once she felt more secure in the team¡¯s position, Kayla had slow crawled into a better spot to see the valley. She watched with dread as a teeming mass of monstrous creatures passed below them, moving fast, and heading straight for the Rangers.

    Kayla felt horror prickle across her skin as she thought about the innocent men and women these drones had once been, who the Rangers of the task force were going to have to kill.

    She cut the thought off with anger. Rayker was the one who had killed them. Everything that happened next was her doing.

    She heard Urtiga describe what they were seeing on the radio, followed by another command. ¡°Weapons free.¡±

    Kayla almost jumped out of her skin as Gucci¡¯s high-powered rifle coughed¡ªthe first loud noise the team had made since their arrival. Down in the valley, five Helvet commandos dropped dead immediately as other hidden snipers also fired. The rifle next to her was the only one she heard, however, even after Urtiga confirmed that the other Observation Posts had been neutralized. Kayla hadn¡¯t even seen the muzzle flashes from the distant Tiger teams.

    The swarm of drones continued on their path, oblivious to what transpired behind them.

    ¡°Fast and loud, huh?¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Rayker must be feeling overconfident. Fortunately for the Rangers.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe they can¡¯t do subtle,¡± Masey suggested.

    Urtiga shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Okay, Chicas, prepare to move. As soon as the Rangers open up, we¡¯re heading down to that doorway.¡±

    ¡°What happens if the creatures realize we¡¯re behind them?¡± Kayla asked with horrified fascination.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s only thirty of us, all spread out, so they¡¯ll probably kill us without difficulty.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Kayla looked down, ashamed of the stupid question.

    Urtiga went to make one last radio call. ¡°Raven, this is Tiger, enemy observation teams neutralized. Airspace over the objective is open for business. Give ¡®em hell, ¡®Mira¡ªout.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 71

    High above the planet, Toska sat in her Shrike fighter, admiring the stars, and waiting to descend towards the vast dark mass of the planet below.

    The radio buzzed. ¡°Falcon, this is Raven.¡±

    At the highest point overlooking the valley, one of the Tiger teams had settled in for a long stay. Elmira Aliyev¡ªcall-sign Raven¡ªsurveyed the battlefield, so she could direct Toska¡¯s bombs to where they would most be needed.

    ¡°Standing by Raven.¡±

    ¡°You are cleared to descend to twenty thousand feet. Once you¡¯re on station, commence your approach from the south on bearing three-one-six degrees.¡±

    Toska flipped the stealthy fighter over, burning her engines against the direction of travel to shed orbital velocity. The craft slowed, and its trajectory curved down into Caldera¡¯s gravity well.

    ¡°Roger Raven, do you have some targets for me?¡±

    As she fell towards the planet, Toska flipped her nose back over and prepared to enter the upper atmosphere.

    ¡°More than I can count, Falcon. Be prepared for multiple turnarounds,¡± Elmira said, meaning that the fighter would have to return to the mothership several times to rearm and refuel.

    The delay was the main weakness of the Shrike fighter, but a necessary tradeoff in order to keep the whole operation secret.

    Toska brushed a finger along a sticker on the inside of her canopy that read, ¡®The objective is an eighteen-year-old with a rifle. Everything else is support.¡¯

    ¡°Copy that Raven, I¡¯m easily bored so make sure and keep me busy,¡± she joked to the woman, who for the next several hours would be her sole connection to the events unfolding on the ground.

    ¡°AIs don¡¯t get bored, you know?¡±

    Toska laughed.

    The first sign of trouble that caught Thandi¡¯s attention was a distant dragging sound, followed by falling rocks. Then she caught sight of movement between the far-off boulders, which immediately disappeared.

    ¡°Hold fire,¡± Kes said calmly. ¡°We want them in close.¡±

    Thandi thought that was the last thing she wanted, but kept her finger off the trigger. It was a hard decision.

    The squad had nestled into positions among the boulders with effective sight lines, watching for the slightest sign of movement in the rocks above them. Though the Rangers had thought they would be surprised by an enemy lying in wait, the mutated drones seemed to show no aptitude for stealthy movement, nor patience for setting an ambush. They simply advanced straight towards the waiting soldiers as though they were ignorant of the danger.

    Eventually, the boulders were crawling with movement, and Thandi saw something horrific lumbering along within a stone¡¯s throw distance. The figure was black in her night-vision, clearly visible against the green rocks. She stared at it, fascinated by its ugly face and bristling spikes.

    Without warning, Kes¡¯s rifle barked, and the world exploded into noise and light. Thandi tried to sight something squarely, but creatures were dropping too quickly. In the end, she settled for aiming at every gap in the rock and squeezing off a few rounds at each.

    As she went to change a magazine, Kes called out, ¡°Fast air going in¡ªstay down!¡±

    A terrible shriek ripped the sky open, followed soon after by an intense burst of light, and a blast wave that hit Thandi like a truck. Rangers whooped and yelled as they cheered the fighter, already circling around for another run.

    Ash smacked Thandi¡¯s helmet. ¡°Keep shooting!¡± she yelled over the raging storm of noise.

    Thandi sat up quickly, aiming and pulling the trigger as fast as she could. She had no idea if she hit anything, since between the noise and half glimpsed shapes, the battle was a chaotic blur. After a while, the drones seemed to have hidden themselves because the firing subsided, and Kes yelled at the squad to cease fire. For the most part, the valley had gone quiet, though sporadic shots rang out here and there whenever someone spotted a drone trying to approach closer.

    Kes was quiet as she listened to the radio before addressing the rest of them. ¡°Okay, time to take the initiative,¡± she called. ¡°Let¡¯s push forward.¡±

    Ash took point, bounding with two others to the next boulder ahead before stopping to scan carefully. Then the rest of the squad moved forward, taking up new positions and covering each other.

    ¡°Two o¡¯clock, two o¡¯clock!¡± Ash yelled, and squeezed off a burst of rounds into the rocks.

    Thandi¡¯s head snapped around, but the shadow had already vanished. She leaned out from behind a protective slab, scanning carefully for a target, but every time she saw movement through the impenetrable mess of rock, it was gone too quickly.

    As she turned her head again, she felt a whoosh of air, and a high pitch whistling sound. Not really sure what had happened, she grabbed her neighbor.

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    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked Bibi.

    ¡°What?¡± The Ranger stared back in confusion.

    ¡°You just whistled for me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Thandi heard another whistle from behind her, so she turned back to see Ray.

    ¡°Ray, why do you keep whistling at me?¡± she demanded.

    Ray returned her stare incredulously. Then a blur passed inches in front of Thandi¡¯s eyes, whistling as it struck a rock and bounced off into the night.

    ¡°They¡¯re shooting spikes at us¡ªkeep your heads down!¡± Ash snapped to the bewildered Rangers.

    Ray leaned out from her boulder and fired a chain of shots, ducking back as a flurry of supersonic projectiles whirred through the space she had just left. She glanced up to see Thandi¡¯s stunned expression.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overexpose!¡± she yelled with a grin.

    Thandi laughed¡ªthe idea that monsters were shooting spikes at her seemed ridiculous, and she sensed herself getting giddy with adrenaline. She tried the same move, ducking out, shooting, and slipping back in time to avoid a shrieking needle. The thrill of it was exhilarating, and she laughed again as a spike struck the rock she was hiding behind, shattering into hundreds of pieces. Without really knowing why, she reached down to grab one of the fragments, and placed it carefully in a free pouch.

    When she looked up, she saw a woman in a neighboring squad get hit. One moment she was firing her rifle, the next she had been knocked off her feet, squirming in the dirt, with a half-meter spike sticking out of her thigh. Another Ranger grabbed her harness, dragging her behind cover as a barrage of needles turned the bloody patch of ground into a pin cushion.

    Thandi felt a cold chill wash over her. The fun was over. She could easily be killed if she wasn¡¯t careful.

    The monsters moved through the rocks with astonishing speed, though they had learned quickly to back away from the lethal firepower of their enemy. They began to spread out across the valley. From better vantage points, they began to scurry from spot to spot, popping up to fire an arm spike before ducking away.

    Even through the dampening of her headset, Thandi cringed at the level of noise. An endless orchestra of thunder and fury raged around her. Voices became distant and tinny, and squad level communication was achieved only by screaming at each other at close range.

    A flash of movement caught her eye, and she looked around to see three drones moving swiftly along the side of the valley. They had to be trying to move around the flanks of the Ranger company. Without a thought, she snapped a few rounds at them, and they darted behind cover.

    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ drones¡­over behind those¡­ rocks!¡± she gasped, shocked by the effort to put even simple words together as her mind stumbled over itself.

    Then she realized what she had just said and nearly slapped herself for the stupidity of it.

    Kes was by her side in a moment. ¡°Stop. Take a breath. Try again.¡±

    Thandi inhaled, then exhaled. ¡°At our two o¡¯clock, moving to three¡ªa hundred yards. Three drones, near the rock that looks like an anvil.¡±

    ¡°Lyna!¡± Kes shouted, and the Ranger hefted her light machine gun and hauled herself over to them. Kes passed her the directions, and soon the weapon was chattering with short, controlled bursts. Thandi and Kes joined in the firing until a few flickers of black movement reassured them the drones were retreating.

    ¡°Keep your eyes on this sector,¡± Kes told Thandi. ¡°Two or three rounds at everything that moves. Don¡¯t fixate on trying to kill one that keeps popping in and out of cover. Got it?¡±

    Further away amid the rocks, Tian let out a scream of pain and Kes rushed off to help her. Thandi could see a broken fragment of a spike sticking out of the woman¡¯s hand, though she looked more angry than hurt.

    The anxiety that Kes¡¯ presence had kept at bay quickly returned. Her calm voice had been a balm against the chaos. Fortunately, Lyna seemed just as controlled and focused as she engaged targets, and Thandi offered a silent prayer of thanks that she was surrounded by people who knew what they were doing.

    Up on the ridgeline, Elmira was having trouble identifying clusters of drones fast enough before they dispersed. On several runs, the Shrike jet came in, firing a burst of heavy caliber bullets from the nose mounted chain gun, but failing to hit anything other than rock.

    ¡°They¡¯re swirling around like a cloud of hornets,¡± Elmira called over the radio to Urtiga. ¡°But they sure aren¡¯t paying attention to the cave entrance.¡±

    Urtiga agreed that their route looked clear and called to the other Tiger teams to begin their descent of the valley walls. Then with a quick gesture, she stepped forward to the edge of the ridge, with Masey, Gucci and Kayla close behind.

    ¡°Follow me!¡± Urtiga called, and she jumped, hitting a steep incline, and sliding to a stop against a rock a hundred feet below. Kayla looked down at the appalling drop and felt the same sense of giddy fear that she remembered standing in the plane at the end of Ranger school.

    But this was no time to hesitate. She threw herself into the void, sliding hard before smacking painfully into an outcropping. They descended the ridge in this fashion, sliding or hopping, falling and impacting against a natural barrier, then readjusting, and jumping again. The impacts were so painful that Kayla wondered if she would be able to walk once they reached the bottom.

    When they finally hit the valley floor, the team took cover amongst the boulders. Thunder and light from the battle raged further down the valley, but there didn¡¯t seem to be anything moving between their position and the doorway.

    They ducked and crouched between the rocks, moving as slowly as they could to avoid drawing any attention until they caught sight of movement ahead. Weapons shot up, and Urtiga stopped to check her radio, when one of the figures flashed an infrared strobe.

    Tiger four had reached the doorway ahead of them and were already stacking up to clear inside. A tall drone stepped out into the night, and its carapace exploded as bullets tore through its body. The creature resisted long enough to turn and face its attackers, but fell dead as it lunged towards a Raider, ripping claws missing her by inches.

    Once the remaining Tiger teams had assembled on the doorway, they tossed in grenades and made entry. As the command element, Tiger One waited outside while the others engaged the handful of soldiers taking cover inside the entryway. Then, when the clear signal was given, they followed in behind.

    The teams moved through the dark tunnels with precision and purpose, covering every angle, stacking up on corners and spreading out to cover open spaces. The movements were similar to the techniques Kayla had learned in Ranger School, though while she struggled to think through her actions, the Raiders moved with such easy, fluid precision that they might have been born doing it.

    As they advanced, one Raider slapped discreet antennae behind crates or wall fixtures where they would be hard to see. The signal boosters allowed the teams to maintain radio contact with the task force, even underground.

    Kayla found it strange that they hadn¡¯t encountered many enemy soldiers yet, but decided to keep her opinion to herself. Her job was to cover the rear of the group with her carbine, making sure nobody snuck in behind them, and she gave this her full attention. Urtiga knew what she was doing.

    A maze of tunnels descended deeper into the mountain, and soon Kayla caught sight of huge bilrust crystals that took her breath away. She had only seen the smaller chunks of them, and the discovery made her wonder what else was left to find on her largely unexplored homeworld. More wonder? More unimagined terror? Catching herself with annoyance, she shut away the intrusive thoughts and focused on the mission ahead of her.

 Part 2 - Chapter 72

    Eventually, the team arrived at a wide cavern, apparently a nexus of the tunnel network. They came under fire immediately from several fixed positions. Masey yelled at Kayla to hold where she was, before turning to snap off a few rounds, while Urtiga called in the contact to the Banshee, letting them know they had engaged the enemy.

    While she waited, listening to the storm of gunfire that had erupted, Kayla thought she saw electricity sparking off the walls. Thinking there must be some loose or damaged cables, she was about to warn Urtiga when her confused mind caught up to reality. The sparks, she realized, were caused by bullets ricocheting off the walls, changing direction as they followed the corridor¡¯s angle. Immediately she stepped away from the wall, and watched with fascination, as, moments later, bright sparks spat from the rock she had been hugging for cover.

    The danger made her angrier, and she chafed at being made to sit back, helpless to engage in the gunfight. Her instinct told her to join the fight, but the risk of Urtiga¡¯s stern reproach held her back.

    The teams advanced, passing corridors blocked off with barricades of furniture and construction material. Certainly a prepared defense, Kayla thought, and she started to feel the alarmed sense that they were not in control of the battle.

    ¡°We¡¯re being funneled!¡± Gucci snarled, her arm dripping with blood where a bullet had struck her.

    ¡°We¡¯re killing them faster than they can retreat! Keep pushing!¡± Urtiga yelled back, before calling the same directive into her radio.

    The lead squad rounded another intersection, leading onto a much longer, wider corridor. At the far end, two soldiers had set up a machine gun to cover their comrades as they ran down the vulnerable hall. Before they could fire, a Raider shot them both dead, then another killed the last soldier caught in the open before he could make it to safety.

    ¡°Watch our six here until we control the far end!¡± Urtiga called to Kayla, then raced forward to join the advancing squads.

    Kayla dropped to a knee, carefully scanning the area they had passed through. Bodies littered the hallways, the gray and green of their camouflage contrasting sharply with the bright red blood that pooled around them. Kayla¡¯s eyes came to rest on an upturned face, jaw frozen open in a rictus of fear. His eyes were wide¡ªglazed white as they stared into infinity.

    She shuddered, but a deeper, darker voice expressed only satisfaction that these men would never trouble Calderans again.

    A whistle tore her attention away, and she looked around to see Masey beckoning to her. She got up to run. As she traversed the long hallway, she noticed she was approaching an odd circular space with a strange blue lighting effect. The distraction caused her to slip in a pool of blood and fall flat on her face.

    ¡°Stop screwing around¡ªget down here!¡± Masey called.

    Kayla pushed herself up to her feet. As she took a step forward, she saw Masey and the Raiders ahead of her flicker, then vanish.

    The thunderous storm of gunfire was replaced with an empty hallway and an intersection that looked completely different from the one she had seen seconds earlier. Hearing nothing but her own heartbeat thumping in her ears, Kayla started to panic. At first, she tried to convince herself she must be having a vizor malfunction, and banged her helmet a few times.

    But that didn¡¯t change anything.

    Shock began to take over her senses, and she began gasping heavily. She forced herself to slow her breathing and tried to mentally detach herself from the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.

    Eventually, she pulled her faceplate up and stared appalled at the empty space ahead. All of the Raiders had disappeared, leaving her alone in the tunnels.

    The Vipers had advanced to within four hundred yards of the doorway, fighting confidently as the Shrike fighter overhead bombed the area to their front, forcing the drones back. Only a few Rangers had been wounded, as far as Thandi knew, though Tian had recovered quickly and was back on her gun.

    Thandi had been sure that she herself had been wounded in the leg. A drone had gotten too close and fired both its spikes. Thandi dove into a crevasse to get out of the way while the squad poured gunfire into its body. After that, her leg stopped responding, hanging limp from her hip.

    Bibi checked her over, but there was no blood or impact bruising.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± she said, once she completed the examination. ¡°Get back up and keep going as best you can.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t move my leg, it¡¯s like a dead weight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wounded; it¡¯s hysterical paralysis. It¡¯ll wear off in a while, trust me.¡±

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    ¡°What?¡± Thandi snapped. ¡°You think I¡¯m making this up because I¡¯m crazy?¡±

    Bibi grabbed the younger woman by her arm, hauling her in close, so they could hear each other over the constant storm of gunfire.

    ¡°You¡¯re not crazy, but it just happens. Your brain is overwhelmed with stress and doing weird stuff. Keep moving as best you can, and it¡¯ll wear off.¡±

    Thandi looked at her doubtfully, but there wasn¡¯t much else she could do. She hauled herself upright and braced herself against boulders as she dragged her leg through the rocks. With time, she noticed that sensation and movement slowly began to return.

    She felt ashamed of the experience and hoped that Bibi wouldn¡¯t tell the other Rangers in her squad. After so many months of accomplishment, warrior training, and feeling like a badass, in the face of actual battle she felt stupid and ridiculous. Fortunately, her squad seemed to be unconcerned by her obvious failures, relentlessly pushing forward and assigning her fields of fire as they advanced.

    The battle raged on as fiercely as it had begun. The Rangers scrabbled through a boulder strewn chaos, slipping and falling in their desperate efforts to maintain speed. They hunched themselves over to avoid the whistling bone spikes and hugged the boulders whenever the Shrike flew overhead. Though the thunderous booms of its bombs were welcome, they threw rocks and pebbles high into the air, to fall back as a terrifying hail that pounded their helmets and shoulders.

    Thandi¡¯s limbs burned with acid as she climbed over ledge after ledge. How long could she keep going before she collapsed? She didn¡¯t know, but the months of physical torment at the hands of her instructors kept her moving. Watching her squad mates as they persevered without hesitation, Thandi thought she would rather step out in the open to be killed, rather than allow herself to fall behind.

    A silhouette darted through her peripheral vision, and she stopped to sight her rifle before firing a pair of rounds. The figure stumbled before it disappeared from view. Thunderous cracks of gunfire erupted without cease across the valley, adding to Thandi¡¯s sense of a maelstrom without meaning. It was so loud she could barely think, and she concentrated on staying close as she could to Lyna.

    A cut off yell made her look around. In the next squad across from them Lance Corporal Michel, the French girl who had greeted Thandi and Kayla on their arrival to the battalion, had taken a spike through her neck and slumped to the ground.

    Incredibly, the impact hadn¡¯t killed her, and she sat there white as a sheet while the platoon medic worked on the horrifying wound. Michel¡¯s fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly¡ªshe was obviously in great pain.

    As she thought about the visceral image, it occurred to Thandi that had the drone¡¯s aim been an inch to the left or right, the projectile would have killed her instantly. A gust of air at the wrong moment, or a slight imperfection in the spike¡¯s surface, could determine if a person lived or died. The idea appalled her, and as she watched more deadly needles whistling past her squad mates, she was struck by the unfairness of it. The fate of her soul might be measured in millimeters or inches.

    Shrugging off the dread, Thandi pushed the dark thoughts out of her mind and turned back to the work ahead of her.

    Eventually they pushed through the valley¡¯s bottleneck, climbing over the top of the steepest section onto flatter ground. The company began to spread out, slowing their advance. The valley had widened, and the drones continued to harass them, feinting, and attacking at every opportunity. As the battle wore on, the Rangers found them harder and harder to kill. They were adapting quickly.

    Thandi stepped across to another boulder, and a drone erupted in front of her, shoving an arm right into her face. Yelling with fright, she fell backwards, jerking her rifle¡¯s trigger so fast and hard she thought she might break it. Most of her shots flew wide, and she watched in horror as the drone stepped over her body.

    Ray popped up from a crevasse, calmly switched her hands to her rifle¡¯s underslung shotgun, and pumped a burst of shells into the monster¡¯s head, which exploded off its shoulders.

    The drone dropped lifelessly on top of Thandi, and she screamed as one of the armored spikes punctured her suit, driving through the flesh of her abdomen and into her stomach.

    Ray pushed the body off her and grabbed her combat suit¡¯s strap handle. ¡°Don¡¯t fraternize with the enemy,¡± she cautioned, as she pulled Thandi in behind a large protective boulder.

    Kes appeared, radiating concern. ¡°Who¡¯s hit?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Thandi tried to flirt with one of them,¡± Ray said. She reached for a field dressing as Thandi gasped and writhed in pain. ¡°You¡¯ll be okay. Give yourself a few minutes off your feet and let it heal a bit.¡±

    She poured a clotting powder into the wound, and Thandi groaned, thinking she was about to pass out from the agony as Ray wrapped a bandage tightly around her gut. The pain slowly went from excruciating to manageable, as her nanites went to work.

    ¡°That was something new, Kes,¡± Ash observed. ¡°The thing crawled right up to us before jumping out.¡±

    They were apparently not alone in this experience as the slow methodical patter of gunfire down the company line exploded into ragged bursts and yelling. Kes cocked her ear as she listened to the platoon radio, then her eyes went wide.

    ¡°Danger close¡ªget cover!¡± she yelled, grabbing a distracted Bibi and pulling her downward. Other Rangers dropped down quickly, and Ray threw herself on top of Thandi, just as the world exploded.

    High on the ridgeline, observing the battlefield from above, Elmira had been tracking the changing behavior of the drones, and had called in a warning to Captain Aguilar. The commander had given the controller the green light for a danger close strike from the Shrike aircraft. Toska came in at a steep angle, lining up on the three GPS coordinates Elmira had plotted fifty yards ahead of the Ranger positions, and dropping three bombs.

    Thandi felt the ground sway beneath her. Overhead, a foot-wide knife of bomb fragmentation scythed inches past Ash¡¯s head. Then the hail of rocks from the impact came crashing down on them.

    Rangers raised their arms to protect themselves, and Ray cursed as a fist sized rock struck her in the back with a sickening thud. If her squad mate hadn¡¯t jumped on top of her, Thandi realized, the rock would have hit her own abdomen, where it likely would have turned a survivable wound into something much worse.

    ¡°Thanks Ray,¡± she said gratefully.

    ¡°Yup. No problem,¡± Ray groaned as she pushed herself upright.

    The strike worked as planned, forcing the drones to back off and regroup. They tried to shift positions and approach again, but the Rangers let loose another hail of gunfire. This time, the drones retreated back into the boulders and stayed there.

 Part 2 - Chapter 73

    Captain Aguilar at the company command post, a short way back from the line of battle, remained in close communication with Elmira as she talked to the Shrike above them.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting too spread out, and if they try that sneak attack again, we¡¯re going to get into real trouble,¡± Aguilar admitted in frustration.

    ¡°Falcon is winchester,¡± Elmira replied, meaning that the fighter would soon be low on ammunition. ¡°A few hundred rounds left on the gun¡ªthat¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the round trip?¡± Aguilar asked, wanting to know how long the Shrike would need to reach the Banshee in orbit, dock, resupply weapons, and return down to them.

    ¡°Ten to fifteen mikes,¡± came the curt reply.

    Aguilar cursed the absence of the Banshee¡¯s big kinetic railguns over their heads and wondered how many Rangers she might have to lose to protect the organization¡¯s treasured secrecy. On the other hand, if she asked, the worst response she could receive would be a flat ¡®no¡¯, so she decided to radio the request to Smyrna anyway.

    ¡°Captain,¡± Smyrna replied through the crackle of atmospheric interference, ¡°we must not unveil ourselves to the attention of Caldera¡¯s satellites. Your charge is to hold those drones in place until Tiger signals their control of the tunnels. I believe this is unfolding as we had foreseen, and you have taken few wounded¡ªrequest denied.¡±

    ¡°Solid Copy, Banshee,¡± Aguilar acknowledged bitterly.

    ¡°Persevere Ranger¡ªout.¡±

    Aguilar swore as she switched the radio channel. ¡°Raven, tell Falcon to get back upstairs ASAP. We seem to have a lull here¡ªbest to make use of it.¡±

    ¡°I confirm I observe minimal activity from my position,¡± Elmira said, and relayed the request.

    The distant whine of jet engines began to fade from the valley. One of the senior medics squatted next to Aguilar, waiting patiently for a radio call she didn¡¯t want to receive.

    She cleared her throat. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this the situation you wanted to avoid in the first place?¡± she asked, sourly. ¡°Rangers sat in limbo, waiting for someone else to get to the point?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, what do I know? I¡¯m only in the infantry,¡± Aguilar said glumly. ¡°So, I guess now we wait.¡±

    Alone in the tunnels and overwhelmed with emotion, Kayla was trying desperately not to freak out. She couldn¡¯t raise anybody on her suit radio, and the Raiders still hadn¡¯t returned from whatever dimension they had been zapped into. She had cautiously approached the central part of the hallway, looking for some type of control panel, but found nothing. Then, conscious of how exposed she was, she backtracked to the previous corridors, looking for another way around.

    As she poked at one of the barricades, looking for a weakness, she heard footsteps coming from the main hallway where the Raiders had disappeared. Working quickly, she shoved aside a piece of construction sheet, and managed to squeeze through the gap this created, pulling her rifle in behind her.

    She lay there, hidden from view, as a squad of Helvet soldiers emerged, followed by a towering drone, and a thin, severe looking woman.

    It had to be Rayker. Kayla felt her blood run hot as she watched the woman who was responsible for the death of her father, and so many of her fellow Calderans. Rayker¡¯s movements were somewhat awkward, like she didn¡¯t care to be graceful. Maybe she really was a Jotnar who had learned to look and act human?

    But she wasn¡¯t human. She reminded Kayla of a spider. Like all spiders she should be crushed into a smear of gore, and Kayla knew she wouldn¡¯t feel a thing to watch it happen.

    She almost began to aim her rifle, but stopped herself. The operation was on the verge of catastrophe. Killing Rayker and getting herself killed in the process wouldn¡¯t help anyone. She would have to stay in the shadows if she wanted to have a hope of stopping the drone army.

    ¡°Nicely executed Reed,¡± Rayker said. ¡°That should keep them occupied while we deal with the situation in the valley¡ªthough I fear we may lose a great deal of our men. Have you ever encountered such skilled soldiers in your military career?¡±

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    The harassed looking Reed turned his gaze away from the dead bodies littering the hallways. ¡°Um, yes, Madam, but only at the very highest levels. There are one or two units I can think of that would match the skill and aggression of this enemy, but those would be very close to the Central Committee. I confess, it does not make sense that they would have been sent here so soon. The bureaucratic wheels of the Defense Coalition do not turn this quickly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. A curiosity. Perhaps there is a traitor in our midst? We will deal with that later. What is the situation in the valley?¡±

    ¡°We have lost contact with the observation posts, no doubt neutralized by these infiltrators. The drone command team is being pinned down by sniper fire, and demanding we take care of the enemy aircraft.¡±

    ¡°Have Bell and his team take the missiles outside. Prepare the second stage of our defense.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    They both returned to the main hallway as soldiers dashed off towards the valley entrance.

    In her hiding spot, Kayla put her head in her hands and tried to think. With the soldiers back in control of the base, she was now cut off. Since her suit radio had been unable to access the Raider¡¯s beacons, she had no way of contacting the Rangers fighting in the valley.

    There could be dozens of Helvet commandos in the base, and who knew how many more drones. She had only one advantage; they did not know about her.

    But her skin crawled as she remembered what they had just said. Missiles? The task force had not prepared for such a weapon. Kayla had no idea whether the Helvets would have the ability to shoot down the Shrike jet, but her instincts were telling her that things were falling apart.

    She knew she must not rush forward¡ªthat would be disastrous¡ªand if she failed, the Rangers outside would be in grave danger. If she were very lucky, there might be no drones left deeper in the base, and she might at least have a chance to take the soldiers by surprise. After all, she should be much stronger than them, so perhaps she could try to get to Rayker and take her hostage? Of course, she would have to be very careful, move quietly, and only attack if she felt certain she could handle the situation.

    Kayla began to explore the blocked off corridors, looking for ways to bypass the main hallway and penetrate further into the base. Stored in one of her pouches was a small notepad and pencil. Working carefully, she began to sketch the maze of passageways around her.

    She stayed as quiet as she could, but her nerves buzzed with anxiety. As she moved further into the darkness, she became acutely aware of the noise she was making¡ªevery footfall a loud announcement as the silence grew heavier.

    The base was immense. Kayla wandered through the endless maze for some time, wondering if she would be lost for hours while Thandi and the Rangers fought for their lives. A sense of dread built up in her mind as she began to wonder what other dark secrets the passages were hiding. More horrific weapons? There didn¡¯t seem to be any Jotnar around, but what if they had been frozen in some kind of stasis? She shuddered at the sinister implications of the place, created by the most dangerous species in the galaxy, and hidden beneath the rock of Caldera, where everyone she knew and loved had unwittingly built their homes.

    After a few more turns, she heard footsteps and froze. Listening closely, she realized they weren¡¯t heading towards her, and she started to creep forward, turning her head from side to side to get a good idea of the direction. She kept moving until she entered a well-lit area, where she ducked behind a large outgrowth of crystal to keep herself hidden. Ahead there was a wide-open cavern, and what looked like a laboratory, filled with machinery.

    In the center of it all, in front of a group of large glass chambers, Rayker strode back and forth, issuing orders.

    Kayla moved in closer and stopped as she saw the source of the footsteps she had been following. A patrolling guard was stood right in the path she needed to take to get closer to the lab. Her stomach lurched as she realized she would have no choice but to take him out.

    It was an open part of the cavern, and large, man-sized bilrust crystals grew out from the walls and the floor. They provided a lot of places to hide a body.

    Kayla gently set down her carbine. She needed to be quiet, and it would only get in the way. Moving as quickly as she dared, she approached the guard from behind. Her heart beat so hard in her chest it sounded like a loud drum, but to her surprise, the guard didn¡¯t look round.

    As she got close, Kayla tensed. The decision to act was harder than she had guessed. Her mind seemed to unravel, lost in all the potential for things to go wrong. She tried to shake those thoughts aside. Right now, there was no choice.

    Shutting out the rising panic, she leaped forward and executed a fast rear-naked choke one of the Raiders had shown her. She jammed her arm under his neck and secured it, then squeezed it back as hard as she could. The man struggled bodily, unable to make a sound through his crushed windpipe. He was stronger than she had thought, but she managed to control him, and quickly dragged him back behind the cover of the crystals. She held the choke until the man¡¯s skin turned blue and he went limp. Then she gently lowered him to the floor, reached for her rifle and bashed him hard in the head, just in case.

    For an awful moment, she wondered if she had just killed him. The reality of that act, so close she had felt his sweat on her face, took her aback. But the guard¡¯s blue skin began to warm slowly, and she knew she would probably have a few minutes of unconsciousness to act.

    Now the way ahead was clear, and Kayla¡¯s confidence was building, so she moved forward. Inside the lab, the soldiers were doing something to the equipment near the glass chambers. They were completely engrossed in their work, and she knew she could overpower them¡ªeven shoot them if necessary. She would complete the mission, she thought with excitement, and deal with¡ª

    Kayla¡¯s thoughts ground to a stop. She had lost track of Rayker. Glancing around quickly, she saw nothing. It was too late to do anything about it now, so she approached closer, and stepped behind the soldiers, carbine raised.

 Part 2 - Chapter 74

    ¡°Hands up!¡± she yelled as loudly as she could, but her voice cracked, making the command unintelligible.

    The soldiers turned around and stared at her in amazement.

    ¡°I said get your hands up, or I¡¯ll kill you!¡± she yelled, trying desperately to channel her anger.

    Unfortunately, she only now realized she had no plan of action if the soldiers surrendered to her. She didn¡¯t have any cuffs or restraints. How could she possibly hope to control three men?

    There was a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye, and one of the men glanced sideways. Kayla started to turn, but too late. Something leaped out at her, sending her flying onto the concrete, and her rifle spinning away.

    ¡°A girl?¡± her attacker said, incredulously.

    Kayla looked up and saw Rayker standing over her, a sneer on her face. Rage flooded her mind, and she jumped up, slamming into the woman¡¯s body and throwing her down onto the floor. Kayla drew back her fists and punched the woman hard in the face. Her mind screamed for the death of this evil thing, the one responsible for her father¡¯s death, and for the deaths of so many on Caldera.

    Almost drunk with fury, Kayla struggled to wrap her hands around Rayker¡¯s skull, so that she could smash it against the concrete floor until it burst open.

    But Rayker was managing to protect herself, so Kayla punched again and again until the woman¡¯s face was covered in blood. Only once her fists went numb did she stop to see if her victim was still conscious.

    Rayker reached up to grab her shoulder and pulled hard, squirming away as she pinned Kayla¡¯s body with her legs. Then Kayla felt her own leg being grabbed, while her arm was held in a grip like a steel vice.

    Terror sobered Kayla from her anger. The woman she was facing was much stronger than her¡ªeven stronger than the Raiders she had sparred against. A burst of adrenaline let her flip over, surprising Rayker, and breaking the dangerous leg lock. She tried to get onto her opponent¡¯s back, but the other woman was too fast, rolling away to safety.

    Kayla leapt to her feet and staggered back a few paces.

    Rayker stood up, spitting out blood. ¡°What are you, girl?¡± she snarled. ¡°You¡¯re not a natural human.¡±

    Kayla said nothing as her lungs fought for air.

    ¡°The central committee has been getting creative, I see,¡± Rayker continued, as she began to circle Kayla. ¡°They have unlocked technology I thought centuries beyond them.¡±

    Kayla remained silent, hate-filled eyes fixated on her enemy.

    Rayker smiled and cocked her head. ¡°Did they tell you who I am? What I am?¡±

    No response.

    ¡°I would think a young soldier with such impressive abilities would want to know¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who cares what a dead woman thinks?¡± Kayla snapped.

    Rayker¡¯s face twisted in a sneer of incredulity, and Kayla used that moment to dart forward.

    Rayker lifted up her arm, outstretched, as though to point at her. Instinctive dread seized Kayla¡¯s mind, and she threw herself to one side. A terrible pain lanced through her body as something punched through her biceps, jerking her back with incredible force. She recovered from the shock, and saw with horror that she was now pinned against a concrete pillar, a long spike of bone buried in her arm. She got her feet under her and reached up to pull it loose.

    Rayker raised her other arm.

    With a scream of rage, Kayla dragged her arm forward, muscles, tendon and flesh sliding over the spike. Adrenaline drowned out the pain as her arm fell limp at her side, and she ducked away, just as the second spike buried itself into the concrete where her head had been.

    Now free, Kayla rolled away behind a bank of machines, jumped back up into a sprint, and raced for the nearest exit. As she tore through a doorway, she felt bullets snapping past her head, while her leg began to move strangely. Ignoring the sensation, she raced between the crystals and back into the tunnels, turning this way and that to throw off her pursuers. She left behind Rayker¡¯s furious shouts, and as she turned another corner, Kayla caught sight of a makeshift sign mounted to the wall.

    ¡®Researcher¡¯s Lounge.¡¯

    With no better option available, she turned, slammed through the door, and threw it shut behind her. She found herself in a communal lounge area. Down a hallway was another series of doors, and she stumbled toward one that was beginning to open. When she kicked it inwards, the occupant screamed and fell back inside. Kayla saw a terrified young woman on her back with blood running down her face.

    There was a moment of silence, and Kayla, mind racing at a hundred miles an hour, realized she was staring into the familiar eyes of one of Rose¡¯s old friends.

    ¡°Hi Julie,¡± she said, kicking the door shut and drawing her sidearm. ¡°You¡¯re going to hide me in here, or I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±

    Within minutes, guards came crashing into the lounge and began banging on the doors.

    ¡°Hey, get out here!¡± they yelled.

    Kayla heard other dorm rooms open, and she recognized another voice; shaken, but defiant.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Weslan demanded.

    ¡°Did someone come through here? A soldier¡ªwounded?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I think we would have noticed. Will someone please explain what the hell is going on?¡±

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    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Kayla heard the soldier demand angrily.

    She kept her pistol aimed at the fallen Julie, who was huddled on the floor, shaking in silence.

    ¡°How long are you going to keep us locked up for? We have work to do!¡± Weslan said with frustration.

    ¡°She¡¯s not here!¡± the soldier called to the others.

    ¡°She could be anywhere in this maze,¡± another replied.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably heading back to the valley entrance so she can regroup with her friends. Come on!¡±

    There was the sound of heavy footsteps receding, and the lounge door slammed shut.

    Kayla hauled Julie up and pushed her gun into her chest. She was a long way from being able to think straight, and she didn¡¯t dare to drop her guard against the¡­ traitor that she had captured. A moment of doubt entered her mind, but a lifetime of anger made her look on the young scientist with genuine hatred¡ªwhy else was she here, helping these terrorists?

    The door to the room opened gently, followed by a sharp intake of breath. Kayla spun around, holding her pistol tightly against Julie¡¯s cheek. Other doors began opening and there were alarmed murmurs.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± said Weslan.

    ¡°You need to hide me,¡± Kayla insisted, fingers turning white against the weapon¡¯s grip, ¡°or I¡¯ll kill Julie.¡±

    ¡°Kayla, it¡¯s okay. They¡¯re gone.¡±

    She didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Please put the gun down, Kayla,¡± Weslan continued insistently. ¡°We¡¯re not going to do anything¡ªwe¡¯re all prisoners here. Please.¡±

    His hand gently touched her arm, but she was still focused on the terrified, white faces staring into the room as she searched them for a threat. But there was nothing more than a huddle of terrified looking kids. Slowly, the adrenaline receded, and her senses began to rush back as she began to shake violently. She lowered her gun, and without acknowledging Weslan, stepped into the room¡¯s adjoining bathroom and vomited into the toilet.

    Rose had spent the duration of the battle observing the valley from afar, as her and Christie¡¯s dropship circled quietly and discreetly at a distance of a few miles. Christie had been preoccupied with her backpack, scanning for radio or other energy waves that might indicate activity from the Helvetic soldiers. The dropship had no business getting closer to the distant clouds of thunder and dust, so Rose was left with nothing to do but watch the light show. She wasn¡¯t even patched into the task force radio and had no idea what was happening.

    Feeling useless, she began to lose her patience, harassing Christie for information.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yes it seems the situation has degraded,¡± Christie confirmed, looking up from her equipment.

    ¡°What? How? Do they have casualties?¡±

    ¡°Quite a few, though nothing major. But the Tiger teams have gone completely silent, and nobody knows why.¡±

    Rose¡¯s felt a knot in her gut. She had already learned from Christie that Kayla had gone into the underground base with the Raiders.

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked with them a bit, haven¡¯t you? Do they normally do that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Christie responded.

    Rose saw through the darkness that her friend seemed quite concerned.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll send the dropship over, to support the battle?¡±

    Christie shrugged. ¡°Probably not. The Shrike seems to be doing fine holding the enemy drones at bay. The problem now is that we¡¯re getting into daylight, and nobody seems to have any good ideas.¡±

    Rose was speechless. ¡°I thought Valkyrie could handle anything.¡±

    Christie turned quickly back to her equipment. ¡°I¡¯m getting something,¡± she said as she played with the switches.

    This didn¡¯t seem to work, and she reached for her radio switch. ¡°Banshee, this is Osprey, be advised, I¡¯m getting a sporadic signal, but I can¡¯t lock it down.¡±

    Rose watched as Christie listened to the other side of the conversation.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a radio set. We could move in a bit closer. That would help me track the signal,¡± Christie said. The Banshee appeared to approve this request, as she turned and made the suggestion to the pilot.

    ¡°Copy; we will approach to two miles,¡± the pilot said. ¡°But I¡¯m not staying there long,¡±

    ¡°I just need a better line of sight on the valley.¡±

    The pilot acknowledged, and the aircraft banked into a new turn. Rose hoped desperately that her friend¡¯s efforts would pay off in some way, as she did not all like the feeling of helplessness growing within her.

    Thandi gingerly touched her stomach where the spike had punched through, but felt nothing. When she moved to sit up, she felt a stab of dull, but manageable, pain. As the battle in the valley settled into a stalemate, things had quietened, and the Rangers had taken the opportunity to assess their casualties and supplies.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation, Kes?¡± Ash wanted to know.

    Their squad leader was perched on a boulder, peering through a small crack at the valley beyond, while monitoring the task force¡¯s radio traffic.

    When Kes spoke, she looked away from her vigil of the distant rocks. ¡°Raven says that they¡¯re backing off, estimating we¡¯ve killed about a third of them.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re easy to drop when they just charge into bombs and machineguns,¡± Ash commented wryly.

    ¡°Yeah, well, we¡¯ve seen they can be quite nasty up close, so don¡¯t anybody start getting overconfident. I¡¯m watching our sector¡ªuse the opportunity to check your kit, eat some rations, drink water.¡±

    Ray sniffed. ¡°My bladder got holed.¡± She tapped at a ragged tear along the suit-integrated backpack. ¡°Lost my water.¡±

    Thandi stood up carefully, happy to rid her legs of the numbness that had been building while she recovered from her wound. ¡°Plug into mine Ray, I have plenty.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, give me your nipple.¡± She paused. ¡°If I catch you clipping that onto social media, I¡¯m gonna demand, like, eighty percent of the profit.¡±

    They laughed as the tension eased.

    ¡°Thandi,¡± Kes said sternly. ¡°You have plenty of water because you¡¯re not drinking enough. I want to see you sipping for the next fifteen minutes. Ray can plug into someone else.¡±

    ¡°Hydration, Hydration, Hydration,¡± Lyna said with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, Corporal,¡± Thandi obeyed meekly.

    ¡°Everyone good for ammo?¡± Kes asked. They nodded.

    A sudden shriek of jet engines disturbed the peaceful moment as the Shrike fighter passed low overhead. At the request of Elmira, Toska had begun to fly ¡®show of force¡¯ passes through the valley¡ªcoming in at low altitude to spook the enemy. Hopefully, this would remind the drones that they were not safe from above and force them to stay hidden.

    Lyna swallowed a mouthful of water. ¡°Hey, Corporal?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up Lyna?¡±

    ¡°How long are we supposed to sit here playing whack-a-mole with these lizard dudes? Dawn¡¯s not too far off.¡±

    She, like many of the Rangers, was obviously growing concerned by the approaching dawn, which would rob them of their night-vision advantage. Whilst the drones appeared to have some ability to see in darkness, the spikes weren¡¯t very accurate. Nobody wanted to find out how much better they would become with the benefit of the sun.

    ¡°Until we are told otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Copy that,¡± The Ranger sighed. ¡°Hey Thandi, you on Night-vis?¡±

    ¡°I-R.¡± Thandi replied. The Rangers had found that once they were in a stable position, Infra-Red mode helped them find targets more easily.

    ¡°Switch over.¡±

    Thandi did so.

    ¡°Now look up.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Just do it,¡± Lyna said, stretching her arms forward in readiness.

    Thandi shrugged and lifted her chin, bringing the night sky into view. It took a moment for the sensor¡¯s exposure to adapt, and when it did, she stumbled back into Lyna¡¯s waiting hands. ¡°Lord almighty¡­ that¡¯s incredible,¡± she breathed.

    The highly sensitive night vision sensor picked up light normally invisible to the human eye. As Thandi stared upwards, it seemed like every star in the galaxy was visible; vast clouds of them smeared across the heavens, while the Andromeda galaxy¡ªnormally a small bright spot¡ªappeared larger than the moon. The immense bulk of the milky way was draped across the mountain peaks, immaculately detailed in her vizor¡¯s high-resolution display.

    ¡°Pretty cool, huh?¡± Lyna said.

    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful¡­stunning. All of creation.¡±

    ¡°I like to get that perspective once in a while. Reminds you how timeless this all is.¡±

    ¡°I agree it¡¯s a beautiful sight,¡± Kes acknowledged, ¡°But let¡¯s bring our heads back down to ground level. We¡¯re still working.¡±

    Reluctantly, Thandi dragged her gaze away from the wonder, back to the dirt and blood that surrounded them. Several boulders away, a sudden clatter of gunfire erupted as the platoon¡¯s machine gun squad engaged a moving drone.

    After several hours of deafening noise, Thandi now found the rapid-fire crash of thunder as comforting as the surf breaking on a beach¡ªit kept the darkness at bay.

 Part 2 - Chapter 75

    At the Company Command Post, Aguilar was also getting frustrated with the Task Force commander.

    ¡°Banshee, when was your last contact with Tiger?¡± she demanded.

    There was a brief silence. ¡°About an hour ago, Viper,¡± Smyrna replied.

    ¡°That is a long time for a team in contact to go without communication,¡± Aguilar pointed out.

    ¡°We¡¯re aware of your concern.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so in the absence of any knowledge of what is going on down there, I¡¯m supposed to sit here facing the enemy, waiting for him to take the initiative. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    There was a pause, and the background hiss of static. ¡°For the moment¡ªyes.¡±

    Aguilar lifted her helmet vizor and rubbed her eyes. Smyrna¡¯s reluctance to take the initiative was infuriating. ¡°And you are aware that we will soon be fighting in daylight?¡±

    ¡°Do you have an alternative to offer?¡± the general¡¯s voice said from the distant spaceship.

    ¡°Let me push forward and see if we can penetrate to that doorway.¡±

    ¡°To throw the drones back on their cave risks endangering the Tigers within.¡±

    Aguilar¡¯s voice took on a harsh tone. ¡°You keep us sat here in the open like this, and I promise you, you will end up having to decloak, because our lives will be depending on that extra firepower.¡±

    ¡°Your concern is noted Viper¡ªout.¡±

    Aguilar swore again as she dropped the radio handset. ¡°Tell me again why I do this job?¡± she said to the Company First Sergeant at her side.

    ¡°Because without your tactical expertise and stunning good looks, we¡¯d all be lost, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Did you tell that to the bad guys? Maybe if we let them know we have some hotties, they¡¯ll stop trying to kill us.¡±

    The Sergeant laughed, then, after the moment passed, grew serious. ¡°I can feel this going bad,¡± she said darkly.

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    The radio buzzed to life; ¡°Viper, this is Raven.¡± Aguilar reached for the handset again, catching the Sergeant¡¯s eye. The experienced woman had always had an instinct for trouble and now she was giving Aguilar her ¡®I told you so¡¯ look.

    ¡°Go ahead Raven.¡±

    Thandi finished munching on her rations and peeked out carefully from behind a boulder. There was still no movement amongst the distant rocks, nor any orders to move forward, but she supposed the commanders knew what they were doing. A grey light had begun to creep into the valley, and Rangers were flipping up their night vision vizors and rubbing their sweaty faces.

    She turned to her fire team leader. ¡°Is every operation this much of a roller coaster?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, no,¡± Ash replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Raven is seeing movement¡ªsomething¡¯s happening,¡± Kes cut in.

    They jumped up, weapons ready as they scanned the boulders. Thandi caught glimpses of dark shapes darting through gaps, and a few ragged bursts of gunfire erupted along the line. Though the creatures were clearly darting between the rocks, no attack followed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Kes said. ¡°They¡¯re just moving back and forth like they¡¯re trying to dis¡ª¡±

    She was interrupted by a catastrophic explosion and the world around them collapsed.

    Thandi flung up her hands to protect herself as heavy rocks bounced around her. She was falling, then sliding, unable to stop her movement until she collided with another boulder and came to rest.

    At first, she was dazed, and confused as she wondered if the whole battle had been a dream. When her senses came back, she checked herself and found that she seemed to be miraculously uninjured. When her hands brushed against the cold metal of her rifle, she offered a silent prayer to her eternal guardian. Looking around, she saw through a dusty haze that she was at the bottom of a pit, with dimly lit tunnels leading down through the valley floor.

    Kes was lying still a few feet away. ¡°Corporal!¡± Thandi called desperately, but got no response.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that? Am I dead?¡± came a voice Thandi recognized as belonging to Bibi, though she couldn¡¯t see her.

    Kes began to stir, sitting up slowly, and obviously dazed. She looked around in confusion, and was about to speak when a spike buried itself in her chest, throwing her over backwards, as someone else screamed.

    Three hulking drones emerged from the pit¡¯s tunnel entrances, and Thandi didn¡¯t hesitate. Grabbing a grenade off her chest rig, she pulled the pin and threw it at the huge figures¡ªthen seized her rifle and switched the fire selector to full auto. She aimed and held the trigger down, steadying the bucking weapon until the magazine emptied and the bolt carrier locked back.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The grenade had exploded, killing a drone and wounding another, which her burst of fire finished off. But the last drone was still standing, and whirled around to face her.

    High on adrenaline, Thandi cursed as her empty magazine dropped to the ground, and she fumbled for another one in her pouch. She tried to ignore the creature, focusing on her own movements as her fingers wrapped around metal, pulled the fresh magazine free and slid it into the magwell. A flick of the finger released the bolt, snapping it forward. As she aligned the weapon¡¯s sight to her eye, she saw the drone¡¯s arm pointing directly at her. Another explosion knocked it over, then Ash was running into view, pumping rounds into the thing¡¯s head.

    Satisfied it was dead, the Lance-Corporal turned and froze as she caught sight of Kes¡¯s body.

    Thandi leaped to her feet and ran over. Though their squad leader seemed to be lifeless, she saw the subtle movement of respiration.

    ¡°She¡¯s still breathing,¡± she said.

    Ash reacted as though coming out of a daydream, kneeling down to check the woman¡¯s pulse and life signs.

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s breathing¡ªknocked unconscious. I don¡¯t think the spike punctured anything vital, thank God.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Thandi demanded furiously. Above them, a storm of gunfire and explosions erupted, then died away.

    Ash glanced at the dark passageways disappearing into the mountainside. ¡°Looks like they tunneled under us. I heard Bibi call out¡ªwhere¡¯s Ray?¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± Ray confirmed, peering over the lip of the pit above them. ¡°I got blown outwards. I¡¯m okay though.¡±

    Lyna emerged from beneath another pile of rocks. ¡°Broke my arm,¡± she said, indicating the blood-covered limb hanging by her side.

    ¡°Can you fight?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the Ranger said with a cheerful smile.

    As other members of the squad checked in, Thandi turned her attention back to the doorway and saw movement. Her rifle snapped up, and she fired a burst. ¡°Uh¡­ I think there¡¯s more of them,¡± she called.

    ¡°Ray, get Kes out of here and get her a medic, then get back down here!¡± Ash yelled.

    ¡°Okay, but it¡¯s gone to hell up there too!¡± Ray yelled back, as she started scrambling down into the pit.

    More bombs fell into the valley, shaking the ground, and gunfire exploded above them as the battle swung back into full force. The squad had their own problems to focus on, and they positioned quickly to shoot into the tunnels and toss grenades. This seemed to halt the would-be tunnelers in their tracks while Ray hauled their unconscious Corporal out of the pit.

    Once their situation was back under control, Ash took stock of the situation. ¡°Uh¡­ I guess I¡¯m squad leader now?¡± she asked Lyna.

    ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± the Ranger snapped back, impatiently.

    ¡°Yeah¡ªI¡¯m squad leader. Uh¡­ keep¡­ doing what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°Get it together, Ash!¡±

    Ash took a deep breath and thought for a moment. Then she keyed her radio. ¡°Viper two, this is Viper two-one,¡± she called to her platoon leader.

    ¡°Roger two-one,¡± Lieutenant Akane radioed back, ¡°what¡¯s your situation?¡±

    ¡°Corporal Rudaski is down¡ªbadly wounded¡ªtaken back to the casualty point. Looks like they had tunnels below our position and blew a hole through our line. We have the situation under control, repeat, under control.¡±

    ¡°Copy two-one. Be advised we are fully engaged up top and cannot assist you.¡±

    ¡°Solid copy¡ªholding position and awaiting instructions¡ªout.¡±

    The Rangers waited tensely for several minutes; guns pointed down the tunnels. As the battle raged above, and nothing but silence emerged from the caves, Thandi grew impatient. Somewhere in the darkness, there were answers about what had happened to Kayla and the Tiger teams.

    ¡°Are we¡¯re just going to sit here?¡± she demanded once she had plucked up the courage to speak.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, until we get new orders,¡± Ash replied.

    ¡°You know tunnels go both ways, right?¡±

    She got a confused expression in response and tried to explain further. ¡°Why don¡¯t we counter-attack? We have a new way inside the base, and the Tiger teams have obviously not been successful for whatever reason.¡±

    Ash stared at her incredulously. ¡°You want the seven of us to go in there and take them all on? You¡¯re crazy rookie.¡±

    Thandi just shrugged her shoulders and looked away, not wanting to argue. It was true that she didn¡¯t really know what she was talking about, and Ash¡¯s experience probably outweighed her enthusiasm.

    Eventually Ray returned. Her face was covered in dried blood from a nosebleed, but she seemed happy enough. ¡°Kes¡¯s good, got the platoon medic looking her over,¡± she said.

    ¡°How are things looking up there?¡± Ash demanded.

    Ray shook her head. ¡°I think they have it under control, but it got really hairy for a hot minute. Lots of girls got hit.¡±

    ¡°Awesome.¡±

    ¡°What are we doing?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ if you¡¯re feeling suicidal, you can go into these tunnels with Thandi,¡± Ash said in a sarcastic tone.

    Ray nodded, her eyes wide and alert. ¡°Okay, yeah, good idea.¡±

    Ash¡¯s jaw dropped as she stared back at Ray. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s starting to look like trench warfare up there. At least we could retake the initiative,¡± Ray suggested enthusiastically.

    Ash looked around at the rest of the squad. ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m with Ray on this, actually,¡± Bibi added. ¡°Why have we been sitting doing nothing into daylight? The plan has obviously gone off the rails.¡±

    Lyna and Tian also nodded their agreement, while Thandi remained silent, keeping her gaze fixed on the tunnels.

    ¡°Oh, shit¡­ okay then,¡± Ash said eventually, and keyed her radio to pass on the suggestion.

    ¡°What¡¯s your supply situation?¡± the Lieutenant wanted to know.

    ¡°We¡¯re good. We can go a few more rounds,¡± Ash confirmed.

    ¡°Standby.¡±

    Captain Aguilar received the call from her lieutenant and listened carefully.

    ¡°Seven rangers to penetrate those tunnels?¡± she asked, skeptically.

    ¡°They defeated the tunneling force easily enough,¡± Akane replied. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like the enemy has much in reserve.¡±

    ¡°Can you spare another squad to join them?¡±

    There was a short pause. ¡°My machine-gun section is doing fine keeping the drones at bay. I can spare some Vipers if you shift third platoon over to tie in the gap it will open on my flank. But I stress, we will be able to hold a defensive line only.¡±

    ¡°Standby.¡± Aguilar coordinated quickly with the third platoon commander, who felt reasonably secure in her position, and eager to assist with anything that would change their situation.

    Feeling renewed vigor, the Captain radioed up to the gunship in orbit.

    ¡°Banshee, this is Viper Actual. My second platoon has been hit by a tunneling attack. They were able to repel the assault¡ªsustained three casualties.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged, Viper.¡±

    ¡°Be advised, I want to dispatch two squads to exploit this tunnel system, see if they can penetrate the base and gain some awareness of the situation.¡±

    There was a long pause. ¡°Are you confident they will succeed?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, Banshee,¡± Aguilar said, ¡°or I wouldn¡¯t have suggested it.¡±

    ¡°Then you have my support.¡±

    ¡°Much appreciated. Out.¡±

    ¡°Okay, green light,¡± Aguilar confirmed to Akane. ¡°Send two squads in there and see if they can figure out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    The radio clicked off as Aguilar beamed at her first sergeant. ¡°She¡¯s not so bad, old Smyrna. Hasn¡¯t forgotten her soldiering.¡±

    The first sergeant frowned. ¡°I wonder what happened to the Tiger teams?¡± she asked, somberly.

    Aguilar nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s get those Vipers inside to figure it out.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 76

    Waiting patiently in the pit, the Rangers were soon joined by the squad from third platoon. Ash elected to take the two tunnels on the right, and after a short discussion they began to advance, while Tian took up the rear, dropping radio boosters as they moved. The tunnels were not lit, so they reengaged their night-vision. For the first hundred yards they encountered no movement, and Thandi began to suspect the tunnels had only been meant as a diversion to assist the main force on the surface rather than as a serious attack.

    Eventually they caught up with the drones they had pushed back earlier, together with a few Special Forces soldiers, who were attempting to set up a defense. The Rangers sealed their facemasks, rolling out tear gas grenades to great effect in the cramped caves. After a brief and intense firefight, they killed the defenders and continued forward.

    The tunnels opened up into a cavern, and Thandi caught sight of beautiful crystal formations embedded in the rock walls. Ahead of them was a maze of corridors, and the squads stopped to develop a plan.

    They were almost finished when Ash interrupted the chatter, her face pale. ¡°A dropship has been shot down.¡±

    Toska rolled her Shrike into another approach down towards the valley floor. Elmira¡¯s radio communication kept her well informed of the location of the Rangers. As soon as she was cleared hot for a run, she had no problem lining up an approach, without fear of accidentally shooting her comrades fighting desperately below.

    She waited until she was close enough, then squeezed a burst from the nose mounted minigun before banking away over the ridgeline.

    ¡°Good guns,¡± came Elmira¡¯s curt reply.

    Toska suspected that she hadn¡¯t done much damage, since the drones were once again hiding amongst the rocks, but at least her repeated attacks kept them from trying anything new.

    ¡°Two more runs and I¡¯m winchester,¡± she called.

    ¡°Copy that,¡± Elmira replied.

    A bright red light appeared on Toska¡¯s indicator panel, and she was so surprised she had to check it twice. Throughout several decades of operational experience, the light had almost never illuminated, and as she processed the implications she felt her stomach drop out of the aircraft.

    The red glow indicated that an enemy search radar had swept over her aircraft, trying to create a target lock¡ªno doubt for a missile. It wasn¡¯t an immediate concern since the Shrike was an effective stealth fighter, almost invisible to all forms of electromagnetic tracking, and whoever was aiming at her would have to be very lucky to get a return strong enough for a true missile lock. But it was an unwelcome development, only reinforcing Toska¡¯s sense that the operation was not going well.

    She began a series of fast turns, as she watched the light¡¯s behavior. Whenever she banked, it flicked off, but then quickly came back on again after she levelled out. That could only mean that someone with a handheld system could visually see her fighter and was trying to track her across the sky. At night, that would have been impossible, but in the brightening morning sky, she would be easily visible.

    She thumbed her radio switch. ¡°Raven, this is Falcon. Be advised I am getting a fire control radar alert. Seems to be a manual tracker.¡±

    ¡°Copy that Falcon,¡± came the quick response. ¡°We¡¯re scanning for contacts.¡±

    Far below her, Raider snipers perched on the ridgeline alongside the combat controller were checking every inch of the valley floor through their scopes, looking for enemy soldiers.

    A high pitch alarm shrieked a warning in the cockpit. Acting on pure instinct, Toska threw the fighter into a high-G snaking curve, dumping chaff and diving down into a neighboring valley in a bid to cut the line of sight.

    Whoever had been aiming that missile had obviously managed to get a lock, and fired.

    Now she was shaken¡ªnobody had ever heard of a Man Portable Air Defense system that could defeat the stealth of the Shrike. With a sickening realization, she understood there was an even greater danger, and she hit the all-coms radio switch to broadcast to the entire task force.

    ¡°All ships all ships, exit the airspace immediately!¡± she called, though her punishing maneuvering left her fighting for breath. ¡°They have a stealth defeating MANPAD on the ground. I repeat all ships, get out of the airspace!¡±

    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the bright flare of the missile racing off across the mountain tops, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, with horror, she saw the black speck in the distance¡ªthe new target the weapon had locked on to¡ªdesperately corkscrewing away.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    One of the dropships had gotten too close.

    On board the ELINT ship, several things happened at once. A high pitch alarm tone sounded throughout the ship, which banked violently, as the hull shuddered with the strong G forces. Rose was thrown hard against her minigun controls, but she had been careful to strap herself into the roof mounted harness. Christie too had been strapped in, but her equipment was tossed straight across the cabin as the aircraft swung around.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± called the pilot.

    Rose felt a rapid series of thunks, as chaff counter measures were fired out of the tail. There was an incredible bang, and Christie¡¯s chest erupted in blood as chunks of metal punched through the skin of the dropship.

    More alarms blared, and Rose felt the aircraft begin to spin violently. She prepared herself for the end, but the spinning began to slow as the pilot brought the aircraft under some degree of control. From the cockpit, computerized voices shrieked ¡°Terrain, Terrain,¡± and ¡°Pull-up¡± in different cadences.

    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± the pilot called. ¡°We¡¯re going in.¡±

    Christie was slunk over in her seat, unconscious and still bleeding, and Rose saw the mountainside pass by the window near her head, so close she thought she could touch it. There was a violent jerk as they impacted the ground, and the aircraft began to roll. Then everything went black.

    Inside the lab, Kayla began to calm down as she checked over her wounds.

    Weslan looked on with deep concern. ¡°That looks really bad,¡± he said, wincing as she pulled back a blood-soaked piece of her combat suit, to reveal the torn flesh of her arm.

    ¡°Yeah. You got some bandages or something?¡± she asked.

    Weslan scurried off to the lounge and returned with a first aid kit.

    The other researchers had gone back to their rooms after Weslan had patiently insisted that everything was fine, and that the amped up soldier wearing a fixed expression of merciless rage and waving a gun around was completely under control.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I scared Julie,¡± Kayla said. ¡°I just¡­ had a difficult day, and I thought maybe she was caught up in all this.¡±

    Weslan nodded gravely. ¡°Yes, well, we are ¡®all this¡¯. They lied to us, and we didn¡¯t know the truth until it was too late. They¡¯ve already killed some of our friends.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Weslan was preparing her bandages when he stopped, alarmed. ¡°You¡¯ve already stopped bleeding. How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°What? She felt her arm and winced with the pain. ¡°No, that¡¯s a deep wound, it will take a while longer.¡±

    ¡°I meant your leg.¡±

    ¡°My leg?¡± Kayla looked down. ¡°Oh wow, I got shot in the leg too? I can¡¯t believe how stupid I was.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You know that evil woman who¡¯s in charge? Rayker?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Weslan nodded, with a painful grimace.

    ¡°Well, I thought I could take her down, and I was wrong. She did this to me. Don¡¯t worry it will be okay in a few hours¡ªbut I just need a bandage on it.¡±

    ¡°Kayla¡­ how¡ªwhat is happening? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ well, you see, I¡¯m here to rescue you.¡± She flashed him a manic smile.

    Weslan just stared at her in confusion.

    She grabbed his arm. ¡°Listen, I promise I will explain¡ªbut can you please get that bandage on?¡±

    Weslan snapped out of his stupor. ¡°Oh, yes of course. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°So, after your last email,¡± Kayla continued while he worked on her wound, ¡°I decided you owed me a proper explanation, and I came out to Caldera to chase after you.¡±

    She recounted the events at the university and explained about Fayel¡¯s crystal, but provided only a vague and unspecific description of how they had located the lab. Weslan was stunned to hear that they were not near the city of Rackeye, but were in fact deep in the Sentry mountains, hundreds of miles away.

    Kayla realized that the hallway where she had lost the Raiders had to be some type of teleporter. Did that mean there might be way to get the others back?

    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re some kind of soldier?¡± Weslan asked with a frown.

    ¡°Yeah. Pretty poor excuse for one really,¡± she said, rubbing her free hand through her hair.

    ¡°And they sent you in alone?¡±

    ¡°Well, no¡ªthere were a lot of us, and things went really wrong and they¡¯ve all disappeared through that teleporter, so now I¡¯m completely alone. And unable to contact the task force.¡±

    Weslan¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°What task force?¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a big army out there, fighting off the drones as we speak.¡±

    He shook his head, apparently unable to process this information.

    When he finished with the bandages he sat back down. ¡°I did this, you know? I should have tried to resist, I should have sacrificed myself¡ª¡± He stopped as tears welled up in his eyes.

    Kayla almost wanted to snap at him, but she took a deep breath, and offered a silent prayer of thanks to Valkyrie for her relentless training. No pain, fatigue or fear was going to distract her from moving to the next problem.

    She put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Weslan, I know you didn¡¯t want to hurt anybody. I know you¡¯re one of the good guys. But right now, we need to focus on how we¡¯re going to get everyone out of this mess alive. Right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªwhat can we do?¡± he said hopelessly.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about the drones. How do they work?¡±

    Weslan began to describe the system he had designed to control them, but they were interrupted by a chirping noise. Kayla had placed her helmet to one side on the bed, and when she placed it back on her head, she heard a female voice and felt a rush of relief.

    ¡°¡ªany call signs, please respond. This is Viper two, we are inside the objective¡ªplease respond.¡±

    ¡°Viper two, this is uh¡­ Tiger One,¡± Kayla stammered.

    ¡°Tiger One, what the hell is going on? Where are you all?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I- No, I¡¯m just a Ranger¡ªI¡¯m alone here. Everyone else is gone.¡±

    ¡°A Ranger?¡± the voice said incredulously. ¡°Who is this¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kayla? is that you?¡± a new voice said.

    Kayla almost cried with relief. ¡°Thandi¡ªChrist, it¡¯s good to hear your voice. Yeah, It¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Where are you? We just penetrated some side tunnels, leading out to the valley, and everything is a maze down here.¡±

    Side tunnels? Kayla reached into a pouch for the map she had sketched, as she tried to recall seeing something similar.

    ¡°Stand by,¡± she said, pulling out the pencil and beckoning to Weslan. ¡°I need you to draw everything you know about this place on this map.¡±

    They worked over the map for several minutes, then Kayla talked with the Rangers until they were able to figure out their location and a route through the maze. She talked them through some directions that bypassed the main lab and would bring them to the Researcher¡¯s area.

    ¡°Do not engage If you can possibly avoid it,¡± she cautioned. ¡°Rayker is way more dangerous than you think.¡±

    ¡°Solid copy,¡± Thandi confirmed.

 Part 2 - Chapter 77

    Eventually, after what felt like a lifetime of waiting, they heard a soft banging on the lounge door.

    Kayla rushed over, but paused as her sudden chill ran up her spine. She had to be absolutely certain.

    ¡°Rose¡¯s call sign¡­?¡± she said through the door, and raised her pistol.

    There was a short pause, then ¡°Bunny,¡± came the muffled response.

    Kayla threw the door open, and sagged with relief as she saw the familiar Rangers waiting out in the hall. When Thandi walked in, Kayla threw her arms around her and squeezed with all the strength she had left.

    ¡°Ow, careful!¡± Thandi complained. ¡°I got hit. Lord have mercy, what happened to you?¡±

    ¡°Paid my idiot tax. I cannot explain how goddamned happy I am to see you.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Thandi said with a smile, then she scowled. ¡°But stop cursing.¡±

    ¡°How was it in the valley?¡±

    ¡°A little hairy, but the squad took care of me.¡±

    Kayla did her best to explain what had happened to the Tiger teams, and her confrontation with Rayker, though she struggled to talk sense as she blinked back tears.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you contact anyone?¡± Ash demanded.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get any radio signal until you girls came inside. I uh¡­ couldn¡¯t figure how to patch into the Raider¡¯s signal boosters,¡± she said, and blushed at her failure.

    Ash cursed. ¡°No, you can¡¯t¡ªI just realized. They use a different protocol to our suits. I cannot believe nobody thought about that in the planning room.¡±

    Kayla nodded meekly, relieved that she didn¡¯t have another addition to her list of mistakes.

    Ash, meanwhile, was all business. She strode over to Weslan. ¡°Are you with the research team? Are you all in this area?¡± she demanded.

    Weslan nodded.

    ¡°Okay, get them all assembled, we¡¯re getting you out.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡± he stammered ¡°who are you all?¡±

    Ash gave him a look. ¡°The people with guns telling you what to do,¡± she said impatiently.

    Kayla exchanged an alarmed look with Thandi.

    Weslan rushed away to knock on the doors, and slowly the young scientists emerged, staring wide eyed at the filthy, bloody-soaked, and armed women who had occupied their lounge.

    ¡°Kalya, listen, things are bad up there,¡± Thandi said somberly. ¡°Just as we came in here, we heard a dropship had been shot down.¡±

    ¡°Which dropship?¡± Kayla asked, as a stab of dread reminded her that Christie had been assigned to a ship orbiting the battlefield.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The task force is dealing with it.¡±

    Ash had been communicating their situation to Lieutenant Akane, but turned back to them. ¡°Yeah Vipers, they are dealing with it,¡± she said sternly. ¡°All our problems are contained in this room right here. Don¡¯t get distracted by things we cannot affect.¡±

    ¡°I saw where they have the machines,¡± Kayla said, ¡°And Weslan here, uh¡­ he knows how the drones work.¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Ash said. ¡°We have a solid attainable objective before us. Valenti¡¯s squad is holding down our exit route. We should escort these civilians out through the tunnels, and then we can evac them.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Thandi objected. ¡°They cleared the airspace completely.¡±

    ¡°Our company is holding a main line of resistance. So, we can walk the civilians out through the mountains.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more dangerous than you think,¡± Kayla argued. ¡°They don¡¯t have anything more than jeans, sneakers, and jackets to wear. It¡¯s seriously cold outside your suit.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a risk we will have to take, because that is our job right now,¡± Ash insisted.

    ¡°And just leave the Task Force to fight it out?¡± Kayla demanded, incredulously.

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    ¡°That is their job,¡± Ash said, though she didn¡¯t seem enthusiastic about the idea.

    ¡°What about the crew of the dropship?¡±

    Ash just shrugged. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m a lance-corporal and you are a private, so stop arguing, and do as you¡¯re told.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting the Commander¡¯s Intent?¡± Kayla insisted, describing the general guidance all Rangers were expected to use their initiative to follow. ¡°Destroy or disable the Jotnar device? We won¡¯t get a better chance to do that.¡±

    Ash walked right up to Kayla and stared her down. ¡°When I want the opinion of an FNG, I will give it to you,¡± she snapped.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± Kayla shot back, cold fury in her eyes, ¡°that Ranger doctrine does not require me to obey an order that I believe to be contradictory to the mission.¡±

    Ash snorted. ¡°Oh yeah, hot shot Kayla Barnes! Hangs around with the big girls for a week and thinks she knows everything. You have an attitude problem, and I can see the consequences of it all over your body.¡±

    Kayla stared right back, unblinking. ¡°I¡¯m not your squad member today,¡± she said calmly. ¡°I am a Tiger call-sign, and if you leave, I will figure this out on my own.¡±

    ¡°Screw you!¡± Ash yelled.

    ¡°Ash, you need to settle down right now,¡± Ray said, as her eyes flicked between the two Rangers. ¡°You¡¯re about to give away our position.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡ªyeah, got it,¡± Ash muttered, her cheeks going red.

    Kayla drew a deep breath. She felt the situation was getting desperately beyond her control, and she couldn¡¯t allow it. But short of leaping on Ash like she had Rayker¡ªand she was becoming tempted¡ª she didn¡¯t know what else she was supposed to do.

    Fortunately for her, Ray was calm and thoughtful, standing in the center of the room like she was at a bar deciding what to order.

    ¡°Look at it this way,¡± Ray said to Ash, in a measured tone. ¡°With Valenti¡¯s squad we have fifteen Vipers here, and it won¡¯t require all of us to get the civilians out. We know the route is clear. Maybe we should hear Kayla out.¡±

    Ash stared at her angrily, then looked away and shrugged. ¡°Fine. Whatever¡±. She slouched into one of the sofas, and ripped off her helmet with a scowl on her face.

    Kayla ushered Weslan into the center of the room, while the assembled Rangers took a knee or found a seat where they could.

    ¡°So, you were saying earlier,¡± Kayla began ¡°that you can feed these things a directive that will pass through to all of the drones it meets?¡±

    Weslan nodded. ¡°Yes, sort of like ants¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is that because you designed them that way?¡± Ash interrupted, the accusatory tone evident in her voice.

    ¡°Lance-Corporal Naaji, you can shut your mouth right now!¡± Kayla snapped.

    Not a single Ranger spoke, as Ash looked away in anger.

    ¡°Keep going Weslan,¡± Kayla said, encouragingly.

    ¡°W-well yes, the um¡­ control system can start with a single input if we select the right pheromone to apply¡­¡± his voice trailed off, and Kayla waited patiently.

    He continued, ¡°I was trying to create a system that could disable them all, that I could build in secretly. But I couldn¡¯t finish it, and I don¡¯t know if they found out and created some kind of protection. And yes, I am the designer. I am responsible for everything that is happening.¡± He put his head in his hands.

    ¡°Wes,¡± Kayla said as she placed a hand on his arm. ¡°Whatever you did, I know that you were tricked, or had no choice¡ªbut that is a problem we will address tomorrow. Right now, I need you to tell me how this transformation process works so we can try and disable these things.¡±

    Weslan explained how the chambers transformed people, and how Rayker had been programming the changes he had applied to animals into the chamber control system.

    ¡°But I have never used that control pad. I don¡¯t know how it works,¡± he finished, hopelessly.

    ¡°If we can get you to that control pad, I know you can figure it out Wes¡ªyou¡¯re the smartest guy I know.¡±

    He shook his head slowly, then stopped. ¡°I will try. But you will need a subj- you will need to put someone in there and transform them.¡±

    ¡°Should be some soldiers still around,¡± Kayla said, and glanced warily at Ash.

    The acting squad leader blinked tired eyes, and sighed. ¡°So now we need to capture a soldier and get to these chambers, which are presumably well guarded. What about the primary target¡ªRayker? You said she was very dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Nanite enhanced for sure, somehow,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Way stronger than any of us.¡±

    ¡°We could try and distract her,¡± Thandi suggested.

    ¡°That is not a plan!¡± Ash groaned. ¡°That is called half-assing it.¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s a really big hall, and it¡¯s a mess with all the machinery in there.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°What if one group initiates a firefight, while another uses the cover to sneak around the back, and get to the chambers unobserved?¡± Kayla continued. Even if they spot us, they¡¯ll be hesitant to shoot back for fear of damaging the equipment. If we win the fight, we can carry out Weslan¡¯s plan, but if things don¡¯t go well, we should at least be in a position to destroy the whole system.¡±

    Ash ran a hand over her face, wiping off some of the grime. She glanced at Ray, then shook her head.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t our call,¡± she said. ¡°This goes to Captain Aguilar.¡± She reached for her helmet. ¡°Got a problem with that Barnes?¡±

    ¡°No, Lance-Corporal,¡± Kayla answered, as respectfully as she could manage.

    They waited while Ash explained their situation and plan to their commander. The captain took a moment to process this information before replying.

    ¡°We are barely containing the situation out here,¡± she said, ¡°so I can¡¯t send anyone else down to you. Do you have what you need to pull this off?¡±

    Ash hesitated. ¡°I¡­ would prefer to have more Vipers. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Aguilar¡¯s response came immediately ¡°Lance-Corporal, you are closest to the problem. You need to decide.¡±

    Ash stared grimly at Kayla before she responded. ¡°We¡¯re going to do it. It¡¯s a risk, but one worth taking.¡±

    ¡°Give ¡®em hell Viper¡ªout,¡± Aguilar finished.

    Ash signed off the call looking miserable, then radioed Valenti, who agreed to send two members from her squad to join them.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ash said when she was ready, ¡°So who¡¯s going to be fighting, and who¡¯s going to try and sneak up to this machine?¡±

    Kayla saw the assembled Rangers and scientists watching her. She had a responsibility to everyone in the room and the valley.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sneak,¡± she said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s kind of my thing.¡±

    Ash looked at her skeptically, but Thandi quickly backed her up. ¡°She¡¯s not kidding Ash, Kayla can turn invisible when she wants to.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Come on then¡ªlet¡¯s do a gear check and get ready to move.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 78

    The dancing teacher smacked her baton against the wall as Rose stumbled gracelessly through another movement.

    ¡°Again, Rose. Again!¡± the older woman cried as she banged the stick,

    The percussion reverberated painfully through Rose¡¯s skull. She tried to stand, but her legs were too weak, and the teacher only laughed as she smacked the baton rhythmically.

    ¡°Again Rose! You¡¯re too lazy today. You want to get lost in your daydreams like a child? Get it right!¡±

    The vision faded out as she drifted back into consciousness, replaced with an even stranger scene.

    She was upside down, hanging in the air by her harness from the wall panel above her, and it took her a moment to realize that the dropship had landed on its side. As the sensation in her limbs began to return, she reached up to unclip the harness, dropping herself with a painful thud onto the awkwardly shaped metal of the opposite door.

    Struggling to breathe through lungs that didn¡¯t want to expand, Rose tried to focus. Her head throbbed with what felt like the worst hangover she had ever experienced. Despite nausea and confusion, urgent signals were forcing their way through the brain fog, demanding to be heard. She had to get up; she had to move, and do¡­ something¡ªanything but stay still on the floor of the crashed ship.

    Christie was strapped to the wall. She was held securely in her harness, still unconscious, but her cheeks were flushed, while the wound she had sustained from the missile strike had stopped bleeding.

    ¡°Hey! Everyone okay?¡± Rose called to the dark cockpit. Her voice was a weak groan, and she got no response.

    She hauled herself upright to get a better look. A mess of blood and shattered glass covered the pilot¡¯s and co-pilot¡¯s bodies, still strapped into their seats. Rose checked their pulses, relieved to discover that both women were still alive, though unresponsive. As she looked around, uncertain of what to do, the rhythmic whack of her dance teacher¡¯s baton began to sound more and more like distant explosions, and she realized she was listening to the sound of the battle.

    Christie¡¯s carbine was hanging off her body by a strap. Rose grabbed it and climbed out of the wreckage through an open hatchway.

    She emerged into the cold mountain air and saw the warm rays of the sun beginning to creep into the gray murk of the valley. Moving around the wrecked craft, for a better view, she came face to face with their desperate situation. The dropship had crashed higher up the valley from the Rangers¡¯ line of battle, near a saddle that linked to another valley.

    What really alarmed her, though, were the muzzle flashes she saw in the dim morning light. The Rangers were shooting in her direction, which meant that the entire enemy force of drones stood between her and rescue.

    There could be no doubt that they had seen the crash unfolding clearly.

    Rose did not allow herself to react to this information. She had a problem to solve, that was all. Moving to get a better sense of the ground, she staggered forward a few yards from the ship, still limping as she tried to keep weight off her injured leg. She mounted a rise and found she could see a slope stretching away to the north. A path to safety. If she ran now, she might make it, even with her bad leg.

    Of course, that would leave Christie and the pilots to the mercy of the enemy drones, so she crushed the idea immediately, and cursed herself for having even thought it.

    A cacophony of blood curdling shrieks echoed through the valley, and Rose felt a bottomless pit open in her stomach.

    The drones were coming.

    She had no option but to stand and fight for as long as she could; until the Task Force could send help. How¡ªor even whether¡ªthey could, was not her concern. Her only objective now was to defend the crashed ship, and the helpless women inside it until her last breath.

    Rose returned to the dropship, looking for anything she could use. Scavenging around, she managed to locate some grenades and magazines, and even found a survival knife, which she clipped into her belt.

    Another shriek rang out, much closer than before, and she jumped back out into the dirt, hunching against the wreckage for cover. She peeked out from behind the twisted metal to observe the boulder-strewn valley floor. A drone was marching towards her, accompanied by two soldiers. They were apparently not expecting to see any survivors, as they didn¡¯t even have their weapons raised.

    Without thinking, Rose racked her carbine¡¯s bolt to chamber a round, shouldered the weapon, and aimed carefully at the leading man. She fired, and her target dropped dead¡ªa bullet hole in his forehead.

    The other man ducked behind a boulder, while the monstrous drone broke into a charge, running forward at a frightening pace. Rose squeezed off a few rounds at the boulder to discourage the soldier, then emptied her entire magazine into the upper body of the fast-approaching drone. As her rounds began to shatter its chitinous armor, it raised its arms to protect its head, before collapsing like a rag doll as one of Rose¡¯s bullets penetrated its skull.

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    Rose heard the survivor calling for help on his radio. Sensing an opportunity, she raced forward to a new position, grimly ignoring the lightning bolts of pain from her leg. When she rounded another slab, she had a clear line of sight to the hunched soldier, still desperately arguing through the radio with someone who apparently didn¡¯t believe his story. He caught the movement in the corner of his eye, but looked up too late. Rose shot him clean in the head.

    More shrieks rang out in the valley below, so she turned and raced back to the wreckage.

    One hundred and fifty miles directly overhead, the command staff in the Banshee¡¯s Tactical Operations Center watched anxiously as the drama on the ground unfolded. The vessel¡¯s powerful cameras had focused in on the crash site, and the assembled officers watched Rose¡¯s actions on the display in tense silence, helpless to do anything.

    Smyrna raised Aguilar on the radio to discuss the situation, but the harassed captain had no good options.

    ¡°If the crash is drawing off enemy drones,¡± Aguilar said, ¡°and we can assume it is, we can try pushing forward to keep them under pressure,¡± she explained. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any way to get over there.¡±

    Zhang jumped in with an update. ¡°The Quick Reaction Force launched from the forward refuel point and is orbiting at twelve miles,¡± she said, referring to a dropship containing fifteen Rangers, who were on standby for exactly this kind of emergency.

    Smyrna rejected the suggestion. ¡°The missile danger is too great. That will only cost another downed ship. Locate a landing site for them in an adjacent valley, so they can at least try to climb up to the crash site.¡±

    ¡°That will put them at least a couple of hours away,¡± Zhang pointed out.

    Smyrna was silent as she stared at the image on the monitor. Rose again levelled her rifle, firing at targets off screen.

    ¡°Raven, Banshee?¡± the general called through the radio.

    ¡°Standing by Banshee,¡± came the immediate response.

    ¡°Can you well observe the crash site from your position?¡±

    ¡°Affirm. We relocated as soon as we saw the ship go down. The snipers took out a few soldiers in the vicinity of the missile launch, but we don¡¯t know how many launchers they have, and these boulders offer a lot of hiding places.¡±

    Smyrna inhaled slowly, conscious that she was about to make a decision that would have implications for the future of the whole organization. The only comfort was that she did not believe she had any reasonable choice.

    She keyed the ship¡¯s intercom. ¡°Captain Demirovic, you must unshroud the Banshee and prepare the railguns. We will fire on the valley.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± the Captain¡¯s disembodied voice replied. ¡°Be advised, I have no civilian traffic in sensor range, but it¡¯s only a matter of time until Rackeye control picks us up.¡±

    Smyrna acknowledged and switched back to the ground link. ¡°Raven,¡± she continued, ¡°you must take care that fire is given justly between the crash site and Viper.

    Aguilar cut in. ¡°Give them priority¡ªour situation is under control for the moment.¡±

    ¡°Copy that, Viper Actual,¡± Elmira replied, and began talking to the Banshee¡¯s bridge crew.

    Minutes later, the entire spacecraft shook as a two-thousand-pound carbon-coated tungsten pile was launched from one of the ship¡¯s rail guns at a speed of over thirty miles per second. Soon after, a series of thunks followed as the remaining guns fired.

    ¡°I hope she sees the strike coming in and takes cover,¡± Zhang said, then wiped her lower lip. She had bitten it so hard her teeth had drawn blood.

    The elongated needles streaking into Caldera¡¯s upper atmosphere were capped with a thermally protected guidance head and fins, mounted for limited maneuvering. When they hit denser air, friction caused them to glow as brilliantly as meteors as they blazed down towards the battlefield.

    Elmira had transmitted precise GPS coordinates to each pile, and once air resistance had slowed their velocity to a mere five miles per second, the strong fins began twitching to steer them onto their targets. The piles contained no explosives, but the kinetic force of dense material striking ground with so much momentum would produce an explosion as devastating as the most powerful bombs.

    Rose stopped firing her carbine at the figures closing on her position when she saw a brilliant glow in her peripheral vision. Looking up, she felt a wave of terror as bright streaks of fire fell from the heavens directly towards her. Animal instinct took over, throwing her body behind the wrecked dropship, where she curled tightly into a ball.

    The whole valley seemed to explode, and she was lifted into the air by the force of the impact, as a curtain of death fell close around her position. After she recovered, she clung tightly against the dropship¡¯s wreckage as rocks rained down on her, ringing the hull of the small vessel like a bell. She hoped desperately that the shattered cockpit canopy would offer some protection for the pilots, but there wasn¡¯t anything more she could do for them.

    Once the lethal rain had passed, she emerged from behind the dropship to see the valley wonderfully free of movement. In the distance, the Ranger¡¯s gunfire had reached a crescendo as they attempted to surge forward.

    Technical Sergeant Cara Favre entered the Banshee¡¯s TOC and waited patiently while Smyrna deliberated with the assembled officers. Fully outfitted with a combat suit and weapon as though she was ready to enter the battle at a moment¡¯s notice, Cara stood out from the rest of the crew. But still, she found herself growing impatient, waiting to be acknowledged, and tried to catch Smyrna¡¯s eye.

    ¡°General Smyrna,¡± she interrupted, after she had waited long enough, ¡°Valkyrie is ready to drop on your order.¡±

    Smyrna glanced around and looked Cara up and down.

    ¡°You are three, correct?¡± she asked, and Cara nodded her confirmation. ¡°Show me on the map.¡±

    Cara walked over to the holographic display and picked up a light pen, using it to trace a descending curve over the mountain range. ¡°We will approach from the south, following the ridgeline towards the crash site. My team can descend behind that ridge, using it as cover from the missile threat. We can land here,¡± she said, highlighting a shallower part of the slope, ¡°traversing the col to arrive on the target from the backside.¡±

    Smyrna nodded gravely. ¡°You accept you will be alone? No more support can be provided.¡±

    Cara¡¯s face did not so much as twitch. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± she said calmly.

    ¡°Then I leave the decision to you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already made it, General.¡±

    ¡°May the heavens protect you.¡±

 Part 2 - Chapter 79

    Cara made her way to a forward compartment on the bottom deck of the Banshee, where two other suited PJs were examining their own holo-map display of the valley. Cara went over the flight path with them again, and, once they were comfortable, they signaled to a waiting petty officer, who began opening three large hatches in the hull.

    Cara gathered her team in for a last huddle.

    ¡°We must anticipate being targeted by missiles on the way in¡ªuntil we pass behind the ridgeline. Keep your eyes open and be prepared to react.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± the two others nodded.

    The women sealed and locked their helmets, then huddled in close, arms around each other.

    ¡°These things we do,¡± Cara said, reciting their unit¡¯s hallowed creed, ¡°that others may live.¡±

    Then they broke apart, stepping up to the tubes and crawling inside to lay down on a long, body length board. As they clipped suit attachments into the contraption, a crew chief checked their equipment before sealing the tube doors behind them.

    ¡°Confirm when ready,¡± Cara said, as she eyed the claustrophobic compartment around her.

    ¡°Two, set,¡± came the response through the radio. ¡°Three, set.¡±

    ¡°Banshee launch control, Valkyrie is loaded and ready to fire,¡± Cara finished.

    Her body tensed as her heartbeat accelerated to a hum.

    ¡°Valkyrie standby,¡± said the bridge controller¡¯s voice. ¡°Attitude is adjusted to your flight path. Standby to launch in five¡­four¡­three¡­two¡­one¡­ Launch!¡±

    A giant¡¯s fist crushed Cara¡¯s body with twenty times the strength of gravity¡ªthe maximum any of the nanite enhanced soldiers could endure. The blackness of the launch tube vanished, replaced with the brilliant blue green of Caldera looming below them, and slowly growing larger.

    For a moment, Cara was lost in the beauty of the spectacle; the precious globe hanging against the black void beyond. Edging around the planet¡¯s horizon, the warm glow of the retreating terminator framed the landscape in gold. Far below her, deep blue bodies of water glinted in the sunlight, and as they descended further, the vast pattern of wrinkles that made up Caldera¡¯s mountains passed at a terrifying speed.

    Cara¡¯s Heads-Up Display showed her that both teammates were hundreds of yards away, following her in a loose formation. The viewscreen automatically brought up the track of their flight path, descending in a slope down to the distant cloud tops.

    The glide-wing she was firmly strapped onto was a maneuverable heat shield, and as they fell into the upper atmosphere, she felt it begin to vibrate, gently at first, then more and more violently.

    There was no human input to the wing¡¯s flight control, so Cara had to trust the suit¡¯s onboard computer to maintain her stability and course. She watched through her helmet visor as the air inches in front of her face began to glow streaky green; the ablative material on the heat shield burning away with the intense friction of atmospheric deceleration. The glow turned red, then a white as brilliant as the sun, and Cara felt the searing heat even through the protective layers of her suit.

    Not for the first time, she hoped the women in the engineering department responsible for the glide-wing had been having a good day when they assembled it. Any fault or glitch in the control surfaces would send it tumbling out of control, instantly incinerating her alive.

    The three women of Valkyrie¡ªone of many elite teams of the Pararescue unit¡ªburned like meteors across Caldera¡¯s sky, bringing the only assistance that could be sent to the desperate survivors of the crashed dropship.

    Rose flinched as a bone spike shrieked through the air by her head, struck the top of a rock and span away. Taking a knee to steady her aim, she sighted the last, distant drone, and fired into its chest. The monstrous thing dropped to the ground, and her weapon bolt locked back.

    Rose swapped in her last magazine. Things had gone quiet, but that didn¡¯t mean she could relax.

    The cannons of the Banshee had kept the drones back so far, but the vessel had to periodically pass below the horizon, following its orbit around the planet.

    Rose took advantage of the lull following the latest bombardment and went back to check on the dropship¡¯s passengers. They appeared to be intact, and Christie was beginning to come to. She groaned and squirmed in her harness.

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    ¡°Christie? Can you hear me?¡± Rose called to the bloodstained, broken body.

    ¡°Uhhh- why is it dark?¡± a groggy voice replied.

    ¡°Can you look at me?¡± Rose tried again, trying to gauge her friend¡¯s conscious state by offering a simple command.

    In response Christie looked up, and her eyes focused in recognition.

    ¡°Rose? Why are you outside?¡±

    She was obviously still confused. ¡°Wait there, I¡¯ll unclip you,¡± Rose said.

    She was about to climb inside when she heard another series of howls. These were different than the drone calls¡ªhigher pitched and animal. A new group of creatures must have arrived in the valley, made bolder from the extended cessation of fire. From the sound¡¯s proximity, they were obviously advancing on the dropship.

    Rose put Christie out of her mind, went back to her firing position, and waited.

    She heard the roar of jet engines, then the sensation of being punched hard in the head as a blast detonated almost right next to her. Overhead, she caught sight of the black Shrike fighter swinging away over the top of a ridgeline, a sparkling cloud of chaff in its wake as a missile trail chased after it.

    The proximity of the fighter¡¯s bombs could only mean that the enemy had gotten much closer, and once the dust and smoke cleared, Rose saw movement between the closer rocks. Fast movement. Whatever the new creatures were, they would certainly arrive before the Banshee could fire again.

    She dove back into the dropship and unclipped Christie¡¯s harness¡ªthe least she could do was offer her friend a chance. Christie was staring at her uncomprehendingly, so Rose unholstered her friend¡¯s sidearm and placed it in her hand.

    ¡°Please wake up Chris!¡± Rose pleaded.

    But Christie dropped back against her seat, lapsing into unconsciousness.

    An animal howled nearby. Rose climbed out of the dropship and returned to her firing position. Two four-legged beasts were loping towards the crash site. They were smaller than the drones, but each was as large as a big wolf, and as soon as they saw her, they broke into a sprint. Rose focused on one and fired round after round into its body. It shrugged off the bullets as though they were insects, but she kept shooting until its armor shattered, and it collapsed into the dirt.

    Then the other beast was on her.

    It leaped from several yards away, reaching out razor-sharp claws to try to rip her flesh. Rose rolled quickly, jumping back to her feet, weapon aimed.

    She fired again until her carbine¡¯s trigger clicked, but it wasn¡¯t enough¡ªthe monster was still up, circling back towards her. It charged and leaped, and this time she was too slow¡ªa claw tore across her arm, and she was caught.

    The heavy beast grabbed her leg in its jaws and threw her against a far rock. Then it charged again, and the was air knocked out of her as a horn impaled her chest. Rose collapsed to the ground, her mind fading as though lost in a drunken haze. Her vision blurred, and she was overcome with a deep sensation of cold.

    The creature wandered away, losing interest in her, and approaching the wreckage of the dropship. Something had drawn its attention. It roared again, slamming into the side before standing up on its hind legs and searching for a way to get in.

    Rose felt like she wanted to sleep, but the sight of the creature closing in on her helpless friends lit a flash of rage in her mind. Her body flooded with adrenaline, and she jumped up, driving through the cold, pain, and tiredness that wanted to drag her down. From her belt she drew the combat knife¡ªall she had left. Driven by instinct, she leaped onto the creature¡¯s back and stabbed as hard as she could into its neck as she tried to hack through the weak gaps in the Chitin plating.

    The creature shrieked and rolled, and she was trapped beneath it. She didn¡¯t care¡ªall she knew was rage and the thrill of watching her knife draw blood. Her arm had already gone numb, while the blade flashed back and forth of its own accord.

    The creature scrambled to pull away. It turned, stumbled drunkenly, splashing black blood to mix with the red that covered the dusty ground. Rose got onto her knees, though she could barely keep her balance as her head swam.

    The creature turned again to face her and lowered its head to charge. Rose tensed her grip on the knife, though she knew she would surely die.

    Gunshots rang out over her head, and the monster collapsed lifelessly into the dirt. Rose looked up and saw Christie leaning out from the dropship, smoking weapon in her hand. When she looked over at Rose, her face went white.

    Rose felt the violent energy drain out of her in seconds, and now she was tired¡ªso terribly tired. Blood was streaming out of a ragged hole in her chest, and didn¡¯t seem to be slowing.

    ¡°Christie,¡± she said softly. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±

    Tendrils of darkness reached out to her and dragged the world away, leaving nothing but blackness.

    Cara and the two other flyers of Valkyrie entered the lower atmosphere of Caldera. Once their speed had dropped sufficiently, the flight computer beeped an alarm and detached the re-entry wing, which blew into pieces around her.

    She began to slow into free fall, but now her limbs were free, and she extended them, opening up the vanes of her specially designed wing suit. Toughened fabric chambers filled with the pressurized airflow, providing the rigid wing shape that would allow her to continue gliding down through the thin air to the target at more than two thousand miles an hour.

    As the trio flew high above the sparse cloud tops, Cara saw the meteors of the Orion¡¯s guns streaking past above them. Their glide had taken them in a steep curve so they could pass behind the ridgeline Urtiga¡¯s Tiger team had occupied just hours earlier. Looking ahead, Cara watched in awe as the kinetic piles struck the valley below, throwing fountains of debris higher than the peaks themselves.

    She checked her glide path, making sure to compensate for the air turbulence trying to push her off course. With the lower speed and greater control the wingsuits gave, the three PJs drew into a closer, tighter formation.

    All three women kept their eyes sharply focused on the valley. So far, neither Elmira, nor the Rangers had been able to put a stop to the missile launches that had isolated the battlefield from aircraft. The morning sky was nearly clear, and Cara had no doubts that observant watchers would see the three black dots moving slowly overhead, and that their missile system would be sophisticated enough to track them.

 Part 2 - Chapter 80

    Her suspicion was quickly confirmed. There was a flash and a puff of white smoke, which stretched up into the sky, reaching out towards the PJs like a ghostly tentacle.

    ¡°Break!¡± Cara called on the radio and tucked her arms and legs into a ball.

    As her glide turned into a fall, the two gliders above her banked hard in opposite directions, splitting the trio apart.

    Their close formation was intended to trick the missile¡¯s seeker head into identifying them as a single target. When they flew apart in different directions, its guidance computer experienced momentary confusion¡ªunable to select which fragment to follow. The pause lasted just long enough to take it straight through their formation and harmlessly off into the clouds.

    Cara stretched out into a glide again, but any sense of relief was cut short. Her fall had taken her perilously low. As the mountain ridgeline reared up, she would have to pass over a spur in order to continue the glide behind it, and now she could see that she would be lucky to get past that spur. Deploying her chute too early would leave her as an easy target for a second missile shot, but if she misjudged, she would impact the mountain, headfirst.

    ¡°Stay high,¡± she radioed her teammates, who had been descending to rejoin her.

    The mountain drew closer, and Cara saw that she would have a chance¡ªan incredibly slim chance. They raced towards the rocks at more than a hundred miles an hour as Cara held the shallowest glide she could manage without stalling.

    She offered a silent prayer to whatever might be listening.

    The rocks came closer, rising up to meet her until she was certain she would impact. They were a blur, a matter of feet away from her face, and she felt a gentle pressure under her right foot. Then the mountain side was dropping away hundreds of feet below her, and they were descending in the cover of the ridge, heading to the far end of the valley. Cara¡¯s inner child wanted to whoop and yell, but the soldier stayed quiet, knowing that the hardest part of her job was still ahead.

    The trio continued the glide until the ground began to rise again, leading up to the saddle on which the dropship had come to rest. The flyers separated, pulling their chutes a hundred feet above the terrain.

    Cara steered her chute hard, driving into a downward spiral, before flaring at the last second into a painful landing across the slope. Her body impacted shale, sliding and bouncing until she smacked into a large rock.

    She cut away the canopy before it could drag her down the mountain, then ripped the vanes out of her wing suit, giving her the freedom to move and fight until she had the time to properly remove it.

    Ahead of her, she saw with satisfaction that her teammates had also landed safely enough, so she released her weapon from the flight harness, and rushed over to join them. Once they reassembled together, they sprinted straight up the col towards the wreckage. They ran hard, moving as fast as they could without slipping on the rocks.

    When they reached the crash site, Cara motioned to the two other PJs, who raised their weapons and moved into the surrounding rocks. They would secure the site while she moved straight for the wreckage and the casualties that would surely be waiting for her.

    As she approached the downed dropship, what she found stopped her short. The corpse of a monstrous creature lay close to the wreck, while two women were on the ground, both covered in blood. One looked terrified, but alert, and was bent over the other and trying to apply soaked bandages to a nasty bleed on her chest. Cara approached her.

    ¡°Hey there¡ªI¡¯m with Pararescue. What¡¯s the situation?¡± she asked.

    The young woman looked up, and Cara saw desperation, shock, and relief pass through her eyes in moments.

    ¡°She¡¯s hurt. She¡¯s really hurt,¡± the woman sobbed.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, soldier?¡±

    ¡°Christie. She¡¯s Rose. Please, you have to help her!¡±

    Cara glanced at the nearby mass of twisted metal. ¡°I¡¯m going to take care of your friend, Christie, but I need to know about the other casualties.¡±

    Christie struggled to keep her emotions under control. ¡°T-they¡¯re in¡­ inside the cockpit. Unconscious, I think.¡±

    Just then, one of the other PJs re-appeared, signaling with a thumbs up that they were in the clear.

    ¡°Check the cockpit,¡± Cara instructed her, then dropped her pack and knelt down to Rose¡¯s side.

    What she saw appalled her; a gaping chest cavity, and heavy bleeding that didn¡¯t seem to be slowing. She got to work immediately, cleaning up the wound, before trying to locate the worst of the damage. Rose was drifting in and out of consciousness, and would occasionally make eye contact with her.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°C¡­.cockpit,¡± she whispered. ¡°Pilot.¡±

    Cara placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my friend is taking care of them. I¡¯m taking care of you, okay?¡±

    Rose passed out again, while Christie¡¯s fingers were white as she gripped her hand. She was obviously on the verge of panic.

    ¡°Will she be okay?¡± she asked, desperately.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help her,¡± Cara answered. She inserted an intravenous drip into Rose¡¯s good leg, then passed the attached bag of fluid to Christie. ¡°Can you hold this up for me? Keep it nice and high.¡±

    Christie wiped the mix of tears and blood from her face and did so.

    Kayla watched as all of the researchers except Weslan grabbed what little belongings they had from their rooms.

    ¡°Wrap up as warm as you can,¡± she instructed them. ¡°We are at high altitude, and it is cold. While we can get you out of the lab, you won¡¯t be leaving the mountains anytime soon.

    Once ready, they joined Valenti¡¯s squad, ready to escape through the tunnels. Two more Rangers stayed behind, eager to help attack the transformation chambers.

    ¡°Give ¡®em hell Vipers,¡± Valenti said, and led the huddled group out into the maze of tunnels, guided by a map she had copied from Kayla.

    Only the hard part lay ahead.

    ¡°I forget,¡± said Ash, ¡°Did I join this organization because I wanted to live forever, or because I wanted to die young, doing something stupid?¡±

    She seemed significantly more amenable now that a clear plan lay before them.

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°I feel like I want to live forever doing stupid things, but I guess we¡¯ll see how that works out.¡±

    She caught Weslan¡¯s eye and saw an expression of astonished confusion on his face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just thought¡­ I had gotten through to you before you left.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she replied, genuinely confused.

    Weslan frowned. ¡°I thought you would strive for greatness, but instead you¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I mean, this is an awful situation, and you seem¡­ almost happy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just feeling punchy,¡± Kayla said with a wink. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy when we win, and Rayker is lying in the dirt.¡±

    ¡°But this isn¡¯t what you were supposed¡ª¡± He stopped, suddenly aware that dozens of eyes were watching him with interest.

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think we¡¯re all crazy, huh?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Weslan stammered, trying to ignore the Ranger¡¯s stares. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful you all came down here and risked yourselves to put an end to this nightmare. But Kayla, I just thought you were meant for so much more¡­¡±

    Ray slapped her forehead hard.

    Thandi snorted. ¡°This guy? Seriously? Kayla, when this is over, you and me are having a talk.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ash interrupted, as Kayla glared daggers at the young scientist. ¡°This is a wonderful conversation for another time and place. Right now, we need to move out. Barnes, will you be okay without a rifle?¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± she said as she lost interest in Weslan. ¡°If I need more than my sidearm, I¡¯ve already screwed up.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do about the Tiger teams?¡± asked Thandi.

    ¡°I guess if we can capture one of the soldiers, we can interrogate him about the teleporter,¡± Ash added. ¡°With a little luck, we¡¯ll get them back unscathed.¡±

    ¡°A little luck?¡± Ray snorted. ¡°Since when do we enjoy such luxury in the Rangers?¡±

    The squad made their way back through the tunnels towards the transformation chambers, bounding from cover to cover. Once they reached the open cavern of the laboratory, they saw more than a dozen armed guards patrolling the area, together with five soldiers, and Rayker, visible in the hall itself.

    Looking closer, Kayla saw that they had a prisoner with them. Her lips twisted into a snarl.

    ¡°I think they¡¯re doing something,¡± she hissed urgently to Ash. ¡°I think they¡¯re going to transform that guy.¡±

    ¡°They could be sending out a new strategy to the rest of the drones,¡± Weslan explained. ¡°It would be the simplest way for them to establish control of the fighting.¡± He pointed a finger. ¡°That¡¯s the control booth where we¡¯ll need to input the new program.¡±

    To Kayla¡¯s relief, the booth was unguarded. Rayker and her soldiers were focusing their attention on the transformation chambers in the center of the hall.

    ¡°Alright Barnes, can you see a route through there?¡± Ash asked.

    Kayla examined the piled-up machinery. ¡°Yeah. I can go around to the right¡ªthere¡¯re a lot of big cables we can crawl through.¡±

    ¡°Ok, so we¡¯ll go left, kick up a firefight with those guards over there, and retreat back through the tunnels.¡± She glanced nervously at the young and inexperienced rookie. ¡°You¡¯ll be alone in here for a little while.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this,¡± Kayla nodded, hoping she portrayed more confidence than she felt.

    ¡°What if something goes wrong?¡± Weslan asked, nervously.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll hold them off while you run,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Regroup with the others back at the dorms and get the hell out of here.¡±

    He looked unhappy with that response, but she didn¡¯t have any better options to suggest.

    Thandi grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Hey, next time you bring me to visit your homeworld, someone else can be the tour guide, okay?¡±

    Kayla hugged her friend. ¡°Don¡¯t kill all of them. Leave some for me,¡± she said with a smile.

    Thandi blinked. ¡°Uh¡­ sure, I guess? God be with you.¡±

    Staying low, the Rangers moved off, working their way around the crystals to the far end of the hall.

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m sorry about what I said earlier,¡± Weslan said, while they waited.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get over it,¡± Kayla replied, ¡°But you know what I won¡¯t get over?¡±

    Weslan stared anxiously at her.

    ¡°Getting shot in the face. Let¡¯s try to focus, okay?¡±

    Weslan¡¯s appalled expression told her that this may have been the wrong choice of words, so she searched for something more comforting to tell him. Coming up short, she settled for patting him on the shoulder.

    ¡°You can do this,¡± she said earnestly. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the ear-splitting crash of a flash grenade, followed by gunfire. Kayla watched anxiously as two of the distant guards fell dead.

    ¡°There they are¡ªkill them!¡± Ash roared, drawing the attention of the Helvet soldiers scattered throughout the lab, while the Rangers ran between cover, shooting their rifles.

    Keeping low, Kayla grabbed Weslan¡¯s wrist and pulled him forward, leading him into the dense clutter of machinery. They crouched behind a humming powerbank, watching as the Rangers began to withdraw back into the tunnels. Someone collapsed onto the floor as the Helvets shot back, while another Ranger pulled the body away.

    Kayla hoped that it was only part of the act.

 Part 2 - Chapter 81

    She motioned silently to follow, and they passed behind a tangle of thick cables. From there, she dropped to her belly and crawled. She didn¡¯t feel the need to rush¡ªany mistake would almost certainly lead to their deaths now that they were surrounded by dozens of enemy soldiers and Rayker.

    Weslan managed to follow her movements exactly, staying quiet and knowing when to stop dead. With the bulk of the commandos chasing after the fleeing Ranger squad, the pair were able to sneak towards the control booth without any trouble. Once inside, Weslan grabbed a keyboard, keeping his head away from the main window while he accessed the computer.

    Kayla took up a position to observe as Rayker directed the remaining Helvets. They had abandoned their planned transformation¡ªthough the prisoner was already sealed into one of the chambers¡ªand were instead focused on coordinating the chase.

    As men yelled into radio sets, Kayla watched her enemy, standing calmly in the middle of the chaos. She obviously felt herself to be in control of events, though she was tapping her foot and glaring impatiently at the men around her. Her arrogance stirred Kayla¡¯s fury almost as much as her competence.

    Kayla turned to look at the prisoner, huddled against the glass wall of the chamber, eyes staring listlessly at nothing. He had obviously not been fed well, and the filthy clothes he wore bespoke the uncomfortable nature of his captivity on the base. The man appeared to have lost the will to live; lost in who knew what kind of internal nightmare.

    ¡°Did you hack the computer?¡± she asked quietly, since Weslan seemed to be working confidently.

    ¡°I, uh¡­ what?¡± He looked up, confused.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ pretty well. It¡¯s actually quite intuitive. The system gives me a full anatomical map of the target organism, and the layout of the modifications I want to make. All I have to do is figure out how to insert my new control structure.¡±

    ¡°Cool.¡± Kayla peered at the screen. ¡°You can read that language?¡±

    ¡°No, but the interface is so well done that I almost don¡¯t need to. I say almost, but I¡¯m still doing some trial-and-error guesswork.¡±

    He paused what he was doing, peeking out through the observation booth¡¯s window at the miserable-looking prisoner.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to sacrifice that poor man¡¯s life,¡± he said.

    Kayla turned back to the group on the platform. The tall man named Reed, who she had seen earlier, strode between the others, barking orders, and occasionally stopping to confer with Rayker. He was obviously her second in command.

    She glanced at the two empty chambers and set her jaw. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    Weslan shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t. I saw her¡­ operate that machine.¡±

    Kayla looked around and saw the pain flash through his eyes at the memory.

    ¡°The transformation is triggered from the platform¡ªthere¡¯s a separate control pad up there. I can¡¯t do anything from here.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    Weslan looked at her, shocked. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly want to go up there.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s suicide!¡± he hissed.

    Kayla ignored him, watching Rayker as she rested her hands on what looked like a control pad, her fingers idly stroking the switches.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± Weslan prompted her.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Because you really are crazy?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s a Calderan in that chamber.¡±

    Christie sat helplessly by Rose, keeping the IV bag elevated and trying to talk to her whenever she showed signs of consciousness. With the Banshee¡¯s return, kinetic strikes were landing again, so that she had to roll forward, protecting Rose from falling rocks with her body.

    Cara was working hard on the wound, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was making progress. Meanwhile, one of the other PJs had managed to extract the now conscious pilots from the cockpit. She treated their severe, but not life-threatening, wounds while the third fought back any creatures that tried to get close.

    Eventually, Cara left Rose¡¯s chest bandaged, and beckoned to her watchful teammate, moving away from the others to discuss the situation privately.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°She¡¯s urgent surgical,¡± Cara explained gravely. ¡°There are lacerations and tears across both Atria and surrounding arteries. The nanites are barely preventing her entire heart from exploding. I¡¯ve done all I can, but it¡¯s not enough.¡±

    The PJ nodded. ¡°Yan says the others are stable.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the tactical situation?¡± Cara had disconnected herself from the Task Force comms¡ªshe couldn¡¯t have any distractions.

    ¡°It seems like the drones have gone to ground under the barrages. Raven isn¡¯t seeing any movement, but they¡¯re out there, somewhere. These boulders make for some great hiding places.¡±

    Cara wiped her forehead. ¡°The Rangers?¡±

    ¡°Moving slowly¡ªthey drop piles here and there, but there¡¯s so much ground to cover, and every time they move forward, they just step on top of a group of drones and have to fight it out at close range. They¡¯ve taken a lot of casualties, but they aren¡¯t stopping.¡±

    ¡°How much time do you think they¡¯ll need?¡±

    ¡°An hour, maybe two.¡±

    Cara sighed heavily. ¡°She has twenty minutes.¡±

    The other PJ nodded and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll be over there if you need me.¡±

    Cara reached for her radio control. ¡°Banshee, this is Valkyrie.¡±

    ¡°Speak,¡± the voice of Smyrna crackled.

    ¡°Situation on the ground is secure. I have three stable, and one urgent surgical casualty. I need a medevac immediately.¡±

    There was a long pause on the other end. ¡°Can you operate on the ground?¡±

    Cara took another long, deep breath. Desperation sometimes prompted impossible requests from even the most experienced officers.

    ¡°Negative Banshee¡ªshe has extensive damage to the heart and surrounding arteries, and I need a fully equipped surgery table, or else I¡¯m just going to make things worse.¡±

    Another long pause.

    ¡°Cara,¡± said the quiet voice of Zhang. ¡°We cannot locate those missile launchers on the ground. They¡¯ve taken cover somewhere out there. We cannot put a dropship anywhere near that valley or they will shoot it down. The QRF landed as close as they could, but they¡¯re an hour away at best. We have nothing else to offer you.¡±

    ¡°Copy that, Banshee,¡± Cara said, her stomach sinking. ¡°I will keep her stable as long as I can.¡±

    Now patched into the main radio channel, Toska listened to the conversation from her fighter with a growing sense of frustration. When the Banshee had passed below the horizon, she had managed a handful of strikes around the crash site, but a close call with a missile forced her to keep away.

    Now she orbited the battlefield at a good distance, occasionally moving in close to try to provoke another shot, and hopefully reveal the launchers on the ground to the snipers on the ridgeline. But the watching officers on the Banshee kept yelling at her to back off. And that had used up a significant amount of her normally limitless patience.

    ¡°Banshee, this is Falcon,¡± she called in an idle tone, even as butterflies tried to smash their way out of her stomach. ¡°I recommend we perform a high-speed flyby of the valley to see if we can bait another shot, over.¡± She spoke quickly, hoping to be misunderstood. Without waiting for a response, she spoke again. ¡°Raven, would that help you locate that launcher?¡±

    ¡°Roger that, Falcon, if he decides to take the bait.¡±

    ¡°Falcon,¡± cut in the Banshee, ¡°your intention confuses me. Repeat yourself.¡±

    ¡°Banshee, you¡¯re weak and unreadable¡ªI understand you acknowledged¡ªout.¡±

    ¡°No, Falcon, hold your¡ª¡±

    Toska snap rolled into a tight bank that brought her around on a course heading up the valley, making her easily visible to everyone on the ground. As she raced closer, the radio messages telling her to wave off grew frantic.

    ¡°Ksssss wha- shee.. Ksssss¡ªunreadable, over,¡± she said into the mic, as she held back a grin. She was fully aware of the penalty for recklessly endangering an aircraft, and happy to pay it.

    The grey mountain walls raced up to meet her and flew past. In a matter of seconds, they were falling behind as she arced up into the sky¡ªa perfect target. Her radar alarm flickered red, stayed lit for one endless moment, then went dim.

    Toska thumped the canopy in anger¡ªwhoever was down there was as cool as a cucumber and was evidently not about to let themselves be drawn out. As she leveled off, she heard her radio buzz to life.

    ¡°Falcon, Raven; good effort, but no joy,¡± said the frustrated voice.

    Then she received a barrage of angry calls from the Banshee, and tried her best to play innocent. ¡°Sorry, Banshee, I lost communications there for a moment,¡± she said, ignoring the threats of a court martial, and wondering how long she would wait before trying again.

    Wedged underneath a large boulder, Bell sighed in frustration as he watched the aircraft veer off over the mountains. It had been a perfect shot, but he knew without a doubt that if he took it, he would not live to make another.

    The day had been terrible¡ªalready most of the men in his squad were dead. When the gliders had flown in, and his comrade Dellan had launched a missile at them, they hadn¡¯t moved ten yards from the firing point before his head exploded. The snipers on the ridgeline were eagle eyed and punished any mistake instantly. Now Bell and his men could do nothing but crawl around between the rocks.

    He shook his head. The things he was seeing ought to be impossible¡ªno Helvetic command had such capabilities. The enemy soldiers were fast, relentless, and excellent shooters. Unlike the drones, they maneuvered with intelligence, and had dominated the battlefield even before death had rained down from space. He swore he had seen more than a few of them get up after sustaining wounds that should have killed normal men. Now, Rayker¡¯s army of monsters was reduced to a mob, huddling, like himself, under the boulders, hoping not to draw the attention of the terrifying sky cannon.

    Bell was beginning to dread that Rayker had bitten off more than she could chew. Half-remembered rumors came back to him from his youth when he worked as a smuggler. The older men talked about ships that went where they didn¡¯t belong and vanished in space¡ªabout black clad, robotic super soldiers who climbed aboard frozen vessels, killing everyone they found. The Night Stalkers.

    Now he knew the truth. The void was not empty, and mere mortals did not put their hands on hidden alien technology without the punishment of death descending upon them. This secret army, advancing slowly, but inevitably through the valley, would kill them all.

    He had only one chance if he was to survive. The missile he dragged from hiding place to hiding place was his one guarantee they couldn¡¯t land more troops, and he had taken the risk of painting the fighter with the search beam to remind his enemy of that fact. Now he had to move as quickly as he could, if he was to have any chance of escaping death.

    Pressing himself tightly against the boulder¡¯s edges, Kyellan Bell crawled, dragging the missile launcher behind him.

 Part 2 - Chapter 82

    ¡°Headquarters section, get your weapons!¡± Aguilar yelled to her assembled command team, as she gathered up her gear. ¡°We will add our reserve strength to first platoon, and assist them with another push.¡±

    The eager looking Rangers didn¡¯t move, but waited for her, since they had prepared for exactly that order several minutes earlier. Everybody who knew the captain had been expecting something similar.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she called.

    Five senior Rangers, excluding the medical team, who already had their hands full tending to the dozens of casualties, jumped and leaped across the boulders, risking themselves as targets to move faster. The fact that they didn¡¯t draw a single spike demonstrated how carefully the drones had hidden themselves among the rocks of the valley.

    When they reached third platoon¡¯s position, Aguilar beckoned to the exhausted-looking Lieutenant Akane.

    ¡°Got another squad for you, Minako. Point us where you need us.¡±

    Akane nodded gratefully, and pointed down the line. ¡°Uh¡­ yes ma¡¯am¡ªI need to slot you in between first platoon and my machine-gun section. If we want to advance, that¡¯s where a gap will open.¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± Aguilar responded.

    The Lieutenant gestured toward the boulders ahead. ¡°We think there¡¯s a couple ducked down in there by that big egg-shaped rock. You¡¯ll want to maneuver around it up the slope, but watch yourself, they could be literally anywhere out there.¡±

    ¡°Right, thanks for the head¡¯s up.¡±

    There was a loud roar as the Shrike jet passed low overhead, and Aguilar silently thanked the pilot for the desperate attempt. The Rangers cheered as the aircraft shot back up into the sky, even as they knew it wouldn¡¯t help.

    When the captain and the rest of her headquarters section were in position, the Rangers began climbing forward through the boulders. In the beginning, they had used grenades on almost every nook and cranny, but now had begun to run low, and had little more they could use other than their rifles.

    Aguilar dashed forward through an apparently empty gap, turned, and saw a drone that had been crouching underneath an overhang, not more than a few yards from third platoon¡¯s starting position. They had all walked straight past it.

    It reached out an arm, pointing towards the unsuspecting first sergeant. Aguilar¡¯s rifle snapped up and she hammered the trigger, pumping bullets into the thing¡¯s torso until it dropped dead. The sergeant whirled around in surprise.

    Realizing what had happened, she flashed a smile at the captain. Aguilar winked back, but her sergeant twitched and dropped flat on her back, as a spike buried itself in her ribs. An explosion of gunfire followed, as nearby Rangers scrambled to shoot the drones that had emerged from a deep crevasse hidden behind another wide boulder.

    Aguilar tried to move again, her executive officer now close behind, but as soon as she stepped out, a spike struck her in the arm. The force of the impact spun her around as she stumbled and tripped, collapsing into the dirt. She looked up and watched, aghast, as her XO fired a burst of rounds, then took a spike in the shoulder and collapsed.

    Another drone stomped forward, and Aguilar switched her rifle to her left arm, firing as best she could. Though they had felled several drones, the entire headquarters team had themselves become casualties within minutes of moving off, and Aguilar could tell from several additional screams that they weren¡¯t the only ones.

    She pulled herself upright against a large rock, reached over and grabbed the unconscious XO¡¯s suit strap, dragging her into cover. Understanding dawned on Aguilar, together with a sensation that gravity had tripled in strength.

    The drones had developed a simple strategy. Once the orbital barrage had started, they had rushed towards the Ranger positions, using the boulders and jagged terrain as cover, never revealing themselves, but getting as close as possible to lie in wait where the fire support wouldn¡¯t dare strike.

    From where she sat, the captain could see a maximum of twelve yards in front of her where a new maze of rocks awaited them, and who knew how many more drones. When she looked back, she saw they had advanced no more than twenty yards.

    They had four hundred left to go until they reached the crashed dropship. They wouldn¡¯t make it.

    At the crash site, the enemy had proven bolder, sending animal and human drones forward after each gap in the bombing. Helvet snipers had also taken potshots at them from somewhere in the valley, until the Raider snipers had identified and neutralized them.

    Their human enemy, Cara realized, now saw the valley as a death trap. To escape, they needed to pass the weak point in the Task Force¡¯s defense; the downed dropship.

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    It had also become clear that the very boulders that kept them hidden also provided excellent protection against the destruction of the kinetic blasts. While the impacts looked devastating, anything that had a few reasonably large chunks of rock between itself and the impact point would remain dazed, but unharmed. Fortunately for Cara, the two other PJs were excellent shooters, and for the time being, were able to keep their attackers at bay.

    She looked down at Christie, still holding onto her friend. Rose had surprisingly managed to regain consciousness, though she was fading fast. Her skin was pale white, contrasting with the vibrant red soaking through the used bandages that were stacked in piles next to her.

    Nothing that Cara did could stop the bleeding¡ªit was beyond the nanite¡¯s ability to heal.

    ¡°I should never have let you come on the dropship,¡± Christie sobbed as tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°I should have turned you into the crew to put you in the brig.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯d be dead,¡± Rose managed to say, though she could only breathe the words. ¡°How would I live with that?¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Christie wiped her eyes. ¡°Why do you always have to be so stubborn?¡±

    ¡°I love you Chris¡ªyou and Kayla and Thandi. You¡¯re my best friends.¡±

    ¡°I love you too, Rose.¡±

    There was a long moment of silence, broken only by Christie¡¯s sniffing.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay. You¡¯ll be okay,¡± Rose whispered, before she passed out again.

    Her pulse eventually slowed and stopped. Christie called to Cara in desperation, but there was nothing that the medic could do. To start chest compressions on a damaged heart was an exercise in brutal futility. Cara held her fingers on Rose¡¯s neck to confirm her pulse had stopped, then closed her eyelids, and covered the body with a sheet.

    Christie held onto her friend¡¯s hand. Eventually, her tears stopped, her eyes also lifeless as she turned her head to the horizon and stared at nothing.

    ¡°Banshee, this is Valkyrie,¡± Cara called, mentally preparing herself.

    ¡°Yes, Valkyrie.¡±

    ¡°I now have one KIA,¡± she finished.

    Throughout the night and morning, as the battle had raged, the radio had been filled with messages back and forth between the task force¡¯s various elements as they coordinated their fight. When Cara put out her call, they stopped. For the first time since the Raider teams had arrived the previous night, total silence reigned over the valley. It lasted a full minute.

    While Kayla planned her move towards the transformation chambers, Weslan continued to work on the program. She looked around as he hissed in frustration.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± she asked, hoping that it was nothing major.

    Weslan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m getting messages in the alien language¡ªI have no idea what they¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°Well, did you program the changes you wanted?¡±

    ¡°I think so, but now I need to figure out how to override the current program on the chambers themselves. I¡¯m just trying different things here, but I¡¯m pretty sure that forward control panel next to Rayker is going to indicate something if I succeed.¡±

    Kayla glanced back towards the chambers, then ducked back down as she saw that one of the soldiers was staring at the booth, a curious expression on his face.

    ¡°Um¡­ That may have already happened,¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    They heard Rayker shout a series of orders, which were mercifully drowned out by the growing sounds of gunfire. The Ranger squad, fighting successfully against the Helvet soldiers, was pushing them back to the lab. Kayla moved to the entrance to the observation booth and checked outside, freezing when she saw movement in the nearby shadows.

    The figures drew closer, and with relief she recognized the familiar Ranger camouflage¡ªThandi, Ray and Bibi had quietly worked their way around through the base to rejoin the lonely pair.

    The soldiers with Rayker were now splitting up, some moving to fight the Rangers, others heading for the control booth. Kayla gestured frantically to the watching Thandi, that she wanted them to open fire immediately, distracting the approaching Helvets. Thandi stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment, then, when she understood what was happening, jumped up and shot one of the soldiers dead.

    On the podium, Rayker whirled around. ¡°They¡¯re trying to reach the control computer,¡± she yelled. ¡°Throw grenades¡ªI don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t let them change the program!¡±

    Inside the booth, Kayla nudged Weslan. ¡°Once you¡¯re finished, uh¡­ go someplace else. Good luck.¡±

    ¡°Kayla wait, don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    But he was too late. She darted back out into the hall, ducking past machinery and out of sight of the soldiers.

    The Rangers kept up a steady stream of accurate fire and were able to keep the Helvets from advancing on the booth, even as the rest of the squad continued to advance from the other side of the hall. Rayker snarled with frustration as she turned to Reed.

    ¡°Again, I have to make up for the weakness of you and your men! Wait here by the control, and be ready to activate it,¡± she ordered, then raced down towards the booth, moving with incredible speed.

    ¡°Witch lady, moving across your three,¡± Bibi yelled to Thandi.

    Thandi cursed and tossed a grenade at the bank of machines Rayker had ducked behind. She aimed a volley of fire in her direction, and whenever Rayker moved, bullets sparked off the metal around her, though it wasn¡¯t enough to keep her pinned. Slowly but surely, she closed on the booth.

    Kayla, meanwhile, squirmed her way through the cables around the back of the transformation chambers as she carefully approached the podium. She saw Reed taking cover several yards away with his back to her, watching the unfolding battle. He twitched his head this way and that, probably watching for the unexpected. Kayla moved as slowly and carefully as she could, hugging the shadows, desperate not to be seen until the last moment.

    Weslan cowered back as bullets ripped through the observation booth window, showering him with glass. In a moment, Rayker had reached the shattered window and was about to leap inside when Thandi sprinted forward, her weapon blazing on full auto. Rayker ducked around the side of the booth, while Thandi tossed away her empty rifle, drawing her pistol. She fired at the corner of the structure¡ªanything to keep the dangerous woman at bay.

    Reed was distracted, focused on Rayker¡¯s progress, and Kayla seized her opportunity. Leaping up from cover, she dashed the last few yards towards him as he whirled around with a shout. Kayla crashed him to the floor, punching him hard as she dared in the head.

    Hoping she hadn¡¯t just killed her potential drone; she bundled his body inside one of the open chambers and slammed the door shut. As she looked up, her eyes met the helpless gaze of the prisoner in the first chamber.

 Part 2 - Chapter 83

    ¡°Look out!¡± Thandi yelled.

    Kayla was thrown forward as though a freight train had hit her, sending her sprawling onto the concrete. Then Rayker was on top of her, pinning her to the ground. She started to smash her fists like hammers as Kayla raised her arms in a useless attempt to protect herself. The blows rained down, each as hard as a strike from a steel bar, and she wondered how long she could survive the onslaught.

    The pain stopped, and a hand grabbed the back of her head, dragging it upright.

    ¡°Look me in the eye you pathetic little brat!¡± Rayker spat at her, and her free arm came up.

    Kayla couldn¡¯t look away, as the flesh ripped open and the bloody tip of a spike poked out from the woman¡¯s wrist. Rayker brought it up under her chin.

    ¡°When I¡¯ve killed you, I¡¯ll transform each one of your pathetic friends and make sure they serve me,¡± she hissed.

    A gunshot rang out, and Kayla flinched as Rayker collapsed sideways off her. She lay still, a huge red welt forming on the side of her head. Outside the observation booth, Thandi lowered her pistol.

    ¡°That¡¯s it¡ªprogram set!¡± Weslan yelled.

    ¡°Move Kayla¡ªhit that switch!¡± Thandi called.

    As Kayla watched, the inhuman woman that had killed her father, and so many of her countrymen, began to move her limbs.

    Kayla staggered to her feet; fully aware she would never get a better chance to avenge those she had lost. A painful ache filled her chest as she turned away from Rayker¡¯s collapsed form. Wiping the blood out of her eyes, she moved over to the chambers¡¯ control panel, confirmed the switch for the third chamber containing Reed¡¯s unconscious body, and pushed it.

    Reed was beginning to stir as the gas surrounded him, and Kayla found herself morbidly curious to see how the process would unfold. But there was a scream of rage, and a blow came from nowhere, knocking her onto her hands and knees.

    ¡°For that, you piece of human trash, you die,¡± Rayker said as she stood over her.

    Kayla, now completely drained, waited for her death. At least she had defeated her executioner. Nothing that Rayker could do now would save her drone army from Weslan¡¯s new program. As she stared down at the blood-stained alien metal, waiting for the blackness, she wondered if Thandi was right¡ªif she would meet her father again. A new cacophony of gunfire erupted in the hall, but she didn¡¯t care. She shut her eyes.

    ¡°Clear!¡± a voice yelled.

    Arms shaking as she spit out blood, Kayla pushed herself upright. Her left eye had swollen shut from the beating she had taken, and through her one good eye, she saw armed soldiers spreading out through the lab, moving purposely. They were helping the Rangers, and closing in on the dead bodies of the Helvets. Then Urtiga was in front of her, helping her up to her feet, and calling for a medic.

    ¡°Rayker?¡± Kayla breathed.

    ¡°I shot her, but she got away,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°She¡¯s insanely fast. No worries¡ªI sent a team after her.¡±

    Kayla nodded, her heart aching painfully as she tried to make peace with the decision she had taken.

    ¡°Where did you go?¡± she asked, as one of the unit¡¯s medics arrived and began to check her over.

    Urtiga grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s just say there¡¯s a lot more to this place than meets the eye. It took us some time to defeat those soldiers, and then we had to figure out the teleporter. Sorry about the delay.¡±

    With a hiss, the nearby chamber cracked open, and a drone emerged. The Raiders raised their weapons, but Weslan, rushed forward, waving them off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± he yelled. ¡°It¡¯s one of ours!¡±.

    They watched as it looked around itself dreamily, ignoring them completely. Then it stomped forward, heading towards the valley entrance.

    ¡°Every drone it meets will turn docile, and then spread it on to the next drone, and so on,¡± he explained.

    Kayla shut her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to sleep. ¡°Get this guy out of the chamber,¡± she demanded, gesturing to the wide-eyed prisoner watching them.

    Another woman quickly cracked the chamber door and helped the hesitant man to his feet.

    As he was led away, Kayla scanned the carnage of the lab, devastated by explosions and bullets. There was no elation of victory, or rush of success¡ªonly emptiness, as though all the fight had drained out of her. She wandered over to where Thandi was watching helplessly as Raiders strode confidently through the area where, moments earlier, bullets had swarmed.

    ¡°I shot that woman in the freakin¡¯ head, Kayla. In the head,¡± Thandi insisted. ¡°She must have a bulletproof skull.¡±

    ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± Kayla asked in a daze.

    They turned to Ash, who was gathering the other squad members.

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    ¡°Gather your kit,¡± the Lance-Corporal instructed. ¡°We¡¯re heading back out to the valley to rejoin our platoon.¡±

    Kayla emerged from the valley¡¯s main doorway, blinking in the sunlight. As she scanned the boulders, she fought back the urge to duck behind something. The vulnerability of standing upright in the open made her cringe. She tried to ignore the instinctive fear, hoping it would wear off before too long.

    Everything in sight was covered in the dust that hung in the air like a fog; the residue of the fierce bombardment. Up the valley slope, the crashed dropship was just visible amongst the rocks, and Kayla was filled with anxious dread as she wondered what had happened to those inside.

    Another awful thought entered her mind; she didn¡¯t really care who it was, as long as it wasn¡¯t Christie. Pushing aside the shameful hope, she followed Ash, who had received a message from Lieutenant Akane to move immediately to the crash site.

    The drone that had once been Reed wandered placidly through the boulders. When it had entered the valley, it had disappeared into the rocks, searching for its fellow drones while the women of the Venomous Vipers held their fire. Soon, drones could be seen standing up and moving around at the same, slow, carefree pace.

    They followed a chemical scent to locate their comrades and pass them the good news¡ªthe activation of a permanent oxytocin drip straight into their brain stems that made them dopey, benevolent and obedient.

    Captain Aguilar watched, appalled, as nearly fifty drones emerged from hiding spots right next to her Rangers, many of them hidden in cracks behind the same boulders the women were using for cover. Eventually, the company was able to advance through the valley towards the downed dropship, watching carefully for any signs of Helvet soldiers.

    When their squad arrived, Kayla caught sight of Christie. She was heavily bruised and caked with dried blood, and the sight of her was shocking enough to make Kayla stop and sit on a boulder. One of her best friends had nearly been killed, and she had been powerless to do anything about it.

    But she was alive, and that was all that mattered anymore. Kayla let the shaking in her legs subside as Thandi raced over to embrace Christie. She immediately burst into tears and for a moment, Kayla thought that the two women were arguing. She watched in dismay as Thandi¡¯s face took on a rictus of shock, and she wrapped her arms around Christie.

    Finding the strength to stand, Kayla hobbled over to join them.

    ¡°Christie are you okay?¡± she asked anxiously, fearing the worst while Thandi wept.

    ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± Thandi sobbed. ¡°It¡¯s Rose. Rose was killed.¡±

    Kayla nodded gravely. ¡°That¡¯s terrible. Rose who?¡±

    Thandi stared at her as she blinked back tears. ¡°Rose. Our Rose.¡±

    Almost drunk with fatigue, Kayla dismissed this. ¡°She¡¯s in the hospital, Thandi, I think you¡¯re getting confused.¡±

    Thandi shook her head. She sat Kayla down, putting an arm around her shoulders as Christie explained the wild story. The reality sank into Kayla¡¯s gut like a ball of molten lead, and she felt herself going numb. Suddenly, everything around her, Weslan, the Rangers, the Valkyrie, even her friend Thandi didn¡¯t matter. A terrible dark fog clouded out the world.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± Thandi asked, looking concerned as her friend seemed not to react to the news. ¡°Are you Okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kayla said, staring into the distance. They got up, and Thandi led her over to the body, while Christie followed. Kayla sat down next to the sheet, where a pale hand stuck out in the dirt. She reached out with her fingers, and found it was cold and dusty, like the dead rocks around her. She sat there for some time, seeing nothing and hearing nothing.

    ¡°Viper Actual, this is Banshee.¡± Captain Aguilar¡¯s radio buzzed with Zhang¡¯s voice, as she stared tiredly at her Rangers moving through the valley.

    ¡°Go ahead Banshee.¡±

    ¡°A Calderan traffic control radar pinged our position. Security ships are moving in, and we need to bug out until things quiet down. Can you manage for a few hours?¡±

    ¡°Copy that, I¡¯m already organizing patrols to check for any squirters,¡± Aguilar said, referring to the real probability that Helvetic commandos had escaped into the mountains around them. ¡°We¡¯ll be here for a while, mopping up.¡±

    There was a pause, and Zhang¡¯s voice was replaced with Smyrna¡¯s.

    ¡°I mourn the loss of your Ranger, Brunilda,¡± the general said.

    Aguilar furrowed her brow. She had diligently checked the casualty count with her medics, and nearly collapsed with relief to find that, by some miracle, none of her company had been fatally wounded.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, ¡°but it was one of the dropship crew, not one of mine.¡±

    Smyrna paused. ¡°There must be some confusion¡ªwe will speak on this again. For now, we will shroud and return when we are able.¡± She signed off.

    Aguilar approached Cara, as she assisted with the pilot¡¯s injuries.

    ¡°Sergeant,¡± the captain said, ¡°I want to thank you and your team for everything you did. I tried as hard as I could to get up here in time, but I failed.¡±

    Cara glanced at the blood-soaked bandage wrapped around Aguilar¡¯s arm, and the dried blood smeared across her face. She shook her hand. ¡°I know you did, Captain. You could have burned out the whole valley and ran up here, and it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference.¡±

    Aguilar nodded, grateful for the reassurance, and turned to the recovering pilot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the loss of your crew,¡± she said somberly.

    The pilot looked at her in confusion. ¡°She wasn¡¯t a member of my crew. I thought she was a Ranger.¡±

    Aguilar stopped, taken aback, her mind racing through the reports of that day. ¡°No¡ªall my Rangers are accounted for.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have one with a broken leg who had to stay behind?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not, if they had broken a leg they wouldn¡¯t have been on the Banshee.¡±

    They stared at each other uncomprehendingly, until the pilot shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know who she is,¡± she insisted.

    Aguilar looked around, seeing a soldier standing near the body¡ªobviously grieving.

    ¡°Ranger,¡± she called gently, and Thandi looked around.

    Aguilar approached her respectfully, gesturing to the body. ¡°Is this your friend?¡±

    Thandi tried her best to wipe away tears and nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just want to know who she was.¡±

    Thandi stammered her way through the story, explaining how Rose had been confined to Tyr city¡¯s hospital, not assigned to any unit, and had managed to slip out to try and join them there. As Aguilar listened to the unbelievable chain of events, she felt a lump lodge in her throat.

    ¡°We found the bodies of two soldiers, five drones, and two other creatures around the crash site.¡± Cara filled in. ¡°She really gave them everything she had.¡±

    Aguilar looked across the crash site, at the saddle leading into the next valley, and made her own conclusions. She nodded. ¡°I see.¡±

    In one movement she reached up to the blue and gold flag of the Mountain Ranger badge on her combat suit, and ripped it off. She inspected it for a moment¡ªa coveted badge, given only to Mountain Rangers once they had proved themselves in combat. Wordlessly, she knelt by the body to place the badge on top of the sheet.

    Looking up, she locked eyes with another young Ranger, the one that had gone in with the Tiger Teams. The dead-eyed young woman returned her gaze in silence. With a nod of respect, Aguilar stood up and headed back down the valley, to deal with the endless work of securing the underground complex and surrounding mountains.

 Part 2 - Chapter 84

    Kayla remained at Rose¡¯s side, struggling to contain the chaos of emotions inside her. In the beginning she had felt nothing. Then the pain of grief had pierced her heart, sending jolts of electricity through her nerves until she thought she couldn¡¯t take any more. Finally, like all the intense and painful sensations from her life, the anguish faded away, leaving only the glowing coals of rage that fueled her motivation.

    Thandi tried to comfort her, and Christie too spoke kind words, but she didn¡¯t hear any of them, nor dare to look either of them in the eye. She was alone with her black fury, and she would keep it that way, until the day Rayker¡¯s eviscerated corpse lay at her feet.

    When she finally looked up, she saw a crowd of Rangers lined up by Rose. Without a word, each one of them was stripping their badges off their combat suit, and laying them in a pile on her body. The word had spread quickly, and soon every Ranger in the valley who could walk had come over to pay their respects.

    As Kayla stared, Christie sat beside her and placed an arm around her shoulder. ¡°You haven¡¯t shed a tear Kayla. You haven¡¯t said anything.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Please talk to me.¡±

    There was a pause as Kayla looked down. ¡°Rayker¡¯s still alive. She got away¡ªI let her get away.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Christie said. ¡°We¡¯ll find her.¡±

    ¡°And the soldiers who shot you down.¡±

    Christie nodded.

    Kayla stood quickly. ¡°I need a rifle,¡± she said firmly.

    Cara, standing nearby, turned. ¡°What do you want a rifle for?¡± she asked suspiciously.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Ranger, I can still fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re walking wounded,¡± Cara observed.

    ¡°Are you using that?¡± Kayla demanded coldly, pointing to the carbine slung around the PJ¡¯s body.

    Cara assessed the young Ranger¡¯s wounds and met her gaze again. She nodded, unslung the weapon, and passed it over. ¡°Good hunting,¡± she said.

    Kayla turned to leave, but Thandi stepped in front of her, a pleading expression on her face. ¡°You can barely stand. Can¡¯t you just stop and talk to us?¡±

    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± Kayla snapped. Then she was gone, heading for the platoons that were already moving up the valley.

    Thandi looked back at Christie, who shrugged. ¡°I guess I have a pistol,¡± she said, and they both grabbed their helmets as they ran to catch up.

    The ramp dropped slowly on the landing ship, letting in the brilliant morning light of Tyr. Dark clouds were gathering on the horizon, obscuring the dull red of the gas giant that dominated the sky. Kayla took a moment to inhale the air, so fresh and sweet after the valley, and their return journey in the stale Banshee.

    She faced Thandi and they stood up in synchronized movement. Like her, Thandi was resplendent in her dress uniform, which they had managed to straighten out in the cramped walkways of the gunship, shining the buttons and their boots to perfection. Christie was to Kayla¡¯s right, facing the crashed dropship¡¯s pilot, and after them the co-pilot, with Cara. They stood in two lines, with Rose¡¯s coffin between them, draped in the Mountain Ranger flag. In one movement they lifted it up their shoulders, turned to face the open ramp, and began their slow march.

    Outside, the full battalion, including the Vipers who had been wounded, had assembled, gleaming in the sun. Kayla heard the distant command to salute, and felt the glow of pride in her heart. Rose Djallen deserved nothing less.

    Over two exhausting days, they had succeeded in tracking several of the remaining soldiers in the mountains, who were neither strong, nor fast enough to outrun the women of Valkyrie. After a frantic cat and mouse chase, during which Kayla had collapsed twice from exhaustion, they had gone out in a last desperate firefight. She had thought their deaths would satisfy the ball of fire inside her, but it didn¡¯t. Rayker was still out there, and would want her revenge.

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    After completing the march to the airbase terminal, they were forced to pass the coffin onto the grave detail, and Kayla found that to be the hardest moment she had suffered in the previous few days. Since they returned to the Banshee, they hadn¡¯t allowed Rose to be alone, sitting by her side in shifts. Delaying the painful separation, they lingered for more than an hour, talking amongst themselves until the inevitable time came, and they watched through bitter tears as the coffin was removed to its transportation.

    On the journey back there had been the difficult and frustrating work following such a disastrous operation. They debriefed, and wrote reports of what they had done, said and thought. These were reviewed and compared against the logs of radio traffic from the battle. Then came the difficult process of open discussion, as a squad and a platoon, with Rangers going back and forth, admitting to what they had done wrong, and what they felt should have been done instead. Kayla found the process to be cathartic, as each of the women voiced their doubts and regrets, airing their failures for all to see, so that all might learn from them.

    The Raiders¡¯ Tiger teams took most of the criticism, and they took it with open acceptance. Urtiga committed to a walkthrough of their assault through the lab with the Chieftains, during which she took full responsibility for her aggressive push against the Special Forces teams.

    The organization had encountered Jotnar teleportation before, but never on such a large scale, and so discreetly installed and operated. Once the base had been fully explored, they realized they had uncovered a military complex larger and more sophisticated than any they had come across in the past. The ghost fortress was real, and would have profound consequences for Caldera¡¯s future.

    After the researchers had been evacuated from the valley, they were held on the Banshee while they were interrogated about everything they had seen and heard in the base. Once the process was completed, Kayla had been allowed to see Weslan again. She joined him in the medical station, while a doctor prepared a chemical amnesia solution.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to erase your memory,¡± she explained. ¡°You¡¯ll wake up on a rescue shuttle, believing that you survived a crash.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± he said bitterly. ¡°So, just like that, all this never happened. Nobody outside your dark little world learns anything because they won¡¯t hear about it. And you wonder why nobody understands you?¡±

    Kayla was silent, not knowing how to respond. Then she steeled herself for the immense courage she would need for what she had to say next.

    ¡°I wanted to tell you about Rose,¡± she began. ¡°The doctor says you won¡¯t exactly remember, but you will still have some kind of emotional closure, so you won¡¯t spend the rest of your life wondering what became of her. We at least owe you that much.¡±

    ¡°What about Rose? Was she with the other soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She was killed.¡±

    Weslan said nothing, and began to cry, as Kayla looked on, feeling stupid and helpless. She didn¡¯t know how to handle her own emotions, much less those of a man she barely knew.

    As he settled down, he became angry at her. ¡°You did this!¡± he shouted. ¡°You pushed her into this godforsaken gang!¡±

    Struggling to contain a retort, Kayla responded as best she could. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. She made her own choice.¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t like you! She had so much to live for, so much to achieve. You¡¯re just angry at everyone¡ªall you want to do is destroy.¡±

    Shocked by the venom directed at her, Kayla decided she should leave before she lost control of her own temper. She nodded at the doctor, who approached with the syringe. As she walked to the door, she stopped and turned back. Her gut tightened as she saw Weslan glaring back at her.

    ¡°You might be right,¡± she admitted, before she walked out, leaving the last connection to her Helvetic life.

    When they returned to their battalion campus, Kayla was informed by Lieutenant Akane that she was being considered for a medal for her actions in the lab, and that she would be interviewed by a review committee.

    On hearing this, Kayla only shrugged. ¡°No. Give it to Rose.¡±

    Once all the after-action work was completed, the battalion held the funeral in a large valley in the Tyr mountains, named the Vale of the Fallen. At the mouth of the valley, carefully manicured grass stretched all the way from the sea, until it met a forest of cherry blossoms. Before the forest, lines of young saplings were neatly ordered into rows, each one progressively older and larger the further back they were placed.

    It was an old tradition that the fallen members of Valkyrie were buried in a fresh patch of grass, while a tree, genetically engineered to live forever, was planted over the grave. The ceremony was long and solemn, ending with several volleys of rifle fire that shattered the peaceful mountain air. After it was over, Kayla, Christie and Thandi returned together to the black vehicles to start the long drive back to Tyr city, and new assignments.

    Urtiga drove, while Kayla sat in the back, staring out at the passing scenery. The road out of the valley climbed up over a ridgeline, and she could see the tall peaks and deep valleys stretching out around them.

    ¡°Stop the car!¡± she demanded suddenly.

    Urtiga didn¡¯t question her, pulling the vehicle over to the side of the road, onto a large, matted patch of earth that had received many visitors. The women got out, following Kayla as she approached the ridge¡¯s crest, where they stood in silent contemplation for some time.

    Before them lay the whole of the Vale of the Fallen, stretching far into the distance¡ªa great forest of innumerable cherry blossoms, weaving through the mountains like a great pink river reaching as far as the eye could see.

 Part 3 - Chapter 1

    ¡°You¡¯re one of those Academy girls, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Christie Stirling¡¯s heart seized as a shock of adrenaline lanced through her body, and she needed a great deal of effort not to flinch or tremor. Other party guests looked around in surprise, but her smile remained unblemished. She turned with the lazy and graceless air she had portrayed throughout the night to look into the predatory eyes of Allana Rayker; the inhuman terrorist who had killed her best friend.

    The question was either a trap or an accusation. The Academy¡ªa fake university¡ªwas the cover of the shadowy organization that had recruited Christie. They had made her a Valkyrie; an enhanced super soldier tasked with protecting humanity from the devastating armaments of an extinct alien race, and those, like Rayker, who wanted to exploit those weapons for evil purposes.

    Now that Valkyrie had found the evil woman¡¯s hiding place, the hunt was reaching its final moments. But, shaken by surprise, Christie¡¯s instincts screamed that her cover was blown, that she would be tortured and executed, and that the rest of the task force stealthily approaching the chateau would be discovered and attacked.

    She feigned a puzzled smile as she fought for control of her emotions. All around the room, expensively dressed party goers mingled and talked with abandon. Light flashed off crystal glasses, chandeliers, and jewelry worth more than any citizen¡¯s life. A man tipsy with wine laughed raucously at the joke of a Central Committee member, no doubt eager to impress one of the most powerful people in the galaxy.

    The exclusive party, hosted by Joakinn Meissner, newly selected president of the largest arms manufacturer in the galaxy, had been anticipated for months. The guests were lost in the lavish display of wealth, with no idea, Christie was certain, that they might be about to witness a gruesome murder.

    An angry inner voice drowned out the rising panic. How dare she allow herself to fail? How dare she let down her fellow Valkyrie, who had worked tirelessly for years to hunt down Rayker, and finally bring her to justice? And how dare she betray the memory of her friend Rose, who had already given her life in that struggle? There was simply no room for weakness, and Christie would be damned if she was going to let the operation end so abysmally.

    She held onto her fa?ade by her fingertips, as a gut-wrenching void swung beneath her.

    ¡°Where?¡± she asked, slurring her words. ¡°Oh, you mean the mystery school? No, I went to Cambridge actually.¡±

    She kept her eyes unfocused and wandering, but nevertheless taking in details. The galaxy¡¯s most dangerous terrorist was dressed in black, and an earpiece was just visible behind the locks of black hair that fell from the neat bun. She didn¡¯t hold a glass, and stood awkwardly, as one who doesn¡¯t care to impress or reassure. On her wrists, Christie noticed the subtle bulges in the skin that marked her most deadly weapons¡ªspikes of bone that she could launch with more power and speed than bullets.

    Rayker stared into her eyes, dragging out the silence. Around them, the fabulously adorned guests began to look over, bemused by the strange interaction. Christie continued the drunken pause, allowing her eyes to droop with fatigue. She wished it were real, but tonight she could not be affected by alcohol. Like all Valkyrie, her bloodstream was flooded with nano machines that gave her enhanced speed, strength, and healing potential. Twenty-four hours earlier, a bioengineer had programmed the nanites to target and break down all alcohol enzymes that passed through her system.

    Unfortunately, even advanced technology wouldn¡¯t help her survive for long against Rayker.

    Eventually Christie began to turn away, suppressing the shiver she felt at showing her back to a predator.

    ¡°Loving the dress,¡± she said with a hint of disdain. ¡°Not everyone can pull off funeral black at a drinky fete.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I was mistaken,¡± Rayker said, her voice neutral. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t had the pleasure.¡±

    Christie stopped and looked back at her with a smirk. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re scary!¡± she crowed. ¡°You might almost be a villain in one of those spy movies!¡±

    A wave of embarrassed silence, interrupted by a few titters, passed through the crowd, while others hid disbelieving grins behind their drinks.

    Rayker ignored them and extended her hand. ¡°Allana Rayker. I¡¯m an associate of Herr Meissner.¡±

    Christie shook limply. ¡°I¡¯m Petti.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s eyebrows flickered as she suppressed an obviously contemptuous expression. ¡°You¡¯re the girl who found success on the feeds recently? Modeling lingerie?¡± Her lips twisted into a fake smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t normally be interested, but so many men have told me that you have a surprising intellect.¡±

    Of course, the meeting had been inevitable. Rayker had been prowling the halls of Meissner¡¯s Chateau, interrogating every young woman in a similar fashion. Christie¡¯s cover had been calculated to make her stand out, but in a way that could be easily dismissed. ¡®Petti¡¯ was a highly connected social influencer, who craved adoration and attention. It had been a fun role, up until now.

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    Christie grinned at the lascivious looks around her. ¡°You guys¡ªyou¡¯re so sweet!¡±

    Her crowd of male admirers laughed, then directed blank stares at Rayker. Christie offered a prayer of thanks for the collective lust that was patiently trying to convince the intruder that she was an unwelcome bore who had no right to deprive them of the attention offered by an inebriated and provocatively dressed young woman, and should leave as soon as possible.

    ¡°Enchant¨¦,¡± Rayker said, and stalked off.

    ¡°Is there a draft in here? I think I felt a chill,¡± Christie said to more laughter.

    She turned her sunbeam smile back to the crowd while she reached a gently shaking hand up to brush the silver of her brooch. The tiny and delicate shapes of the flower¡¯s petals helped calm her mind as she focused on the next step.

    A mile away, in the dense woods of the Chateau¡¯s outer grounds, Lance Corporal Kayla Barnes moved slowly through the dark undergrowth. She placed each foot purposefully, testing the ground before shifting her weight to prevent the cracking of a twig or the rustle of leaves.

    As she crested a low rise, she froze. The multi-wavelength vizor of her helmet showed the surrounding trees and foliage in dark grey and black patterns. Amidst the visual chaos she had been struggling to navigate, a pair of tiny white blobs had suddenly appeared.

    Heat sources. Guards.

    Kayla reached for the comm switch on her chest and triple clicked the talk button, sending a burst of static noise to the rest of the squad. Close behind, the three other members of her fire team, who had stopped when she had, raised their rifles and peered through scopes at the distant threat. Further along the gentle slope, the second half of their eight-woman squad also stopped, as they too scanned to locate the new target.

    They were Rangers, part of Valkyrie¡¯s elite infantry force. Under the cover of darkness, they had climbed through the surrounding mountains and crept past local security forces to infiltrate the chateau grounds. When the time came, their job would be to neutralize the VennZech corporation¡¯s mercenary guards, leaving the Chateau infiltrators free to break in and take down Rayker.

    Kayla would either succeed in her mission or die trying. She had graduated Valkyrie¡¯s crushing selection course together with her three best friends, whom she had sworn never to let down. She had already unforgivably failed Rose Djallen; killed in action on a previous operation. Thandi Khawula was in the squad¡¯s second fire team, covering her movements. Christie was in the chateau, facing their target alone.

    As Kayla watched the distant blobs draw closer, they resolved into familiar human figures. Three of them. They were strolling, weapons slung, as they made the head and arm movements of everyday conversation.

    Of course they were distracted; they had the Ambrosia detail. The planet was the luxury destination for the most powerful members of human society. On its pristine shores, rivalries and factions were forgotten. Powerful cartel members, after being offered a month¡¯s stay, would be offered mutual, but discrete, agreements in place of a prison sentence. Business might be politely discussed, but anyone looking to extort or threaten fellow guests would find their home planet visited by a Helvetic League security fleet. The normally fractious and squeamish planetary governors would look the other way. Nobody in their right mind would want to disturb this world¡¯s tranquility.

    But Valkyrie worked from the shadows and went wherever they pleased. Besides, if everything went to plan, nobody would even know what had happened.

    The Chateau was built high on the slopes of Ambrosia¡¯s most popular mountain range, not far from a huge ski resort. Perched on the edge of a sheer cliff, the building was flanked by a spectacular waterfall. In daylight, there was a jaw dropping view of the surrounding peaks and valleys. The grounds were covered in dense forests that stretched across the surrounding slopes. Normally, they were peaceful, disturbed only by the occasional guest out for an adventurous hike. Now they were crawling with Rangers, closing in to seal the chateau off from the outside world.

    Kayla slowly turned her head and found the muted gray patch of her squad leader a short distance away. Their combat suits kept their body heat from seeping out into the world¡ªas much a necessity to protect them in the vacuum of space as to keep them hidden. The diffuse blob of Corporal Ksenia ¡®Kes¡¯ Rudaski slowly raised an arm towards Kayla, and made a gentle motion in the direction of the approaching men.

    Kayla raised her own hand in a thumbs up, then began to move forward. She did not need to see or hear her three other Rangers to know they would be close behind.

    The two elements were separating. Kes¡¯ Alpha team spread out on the rise to keep their rifles aimed at the new threats, while Kayla¡¯s Bravo team crept towards them.

    Their commanders had decided early in the operation that they should attempt to minimize human casualties wherever possible. To that end, Kayla and her squad mate, Ashna ¡®Ray¡¯ Bharath, carried stun rifles. They could stop the heart of a human with a projectile that could latch into the skin and deliver a violent electric shock. Then, the Rangers would have up to two minutes to reach the unconscious victims and inject them with a solution to restart their cardiac rhythm before a powerful tranquilizer took effect. The men would wake up with amnesia hours later, and Valkyrie would confidently maintain its secrecy while assuaging the ethical concerns that interfering in human society often brought them.

    Unfortunately, the weapons were only effective to a hundred yards. Kayla and Ray would have to get as close as they could before they could take out all three of the guards. They had night vision, and any sound would carry far on such a quiet night. Even distracted, they wouldn¡¯t miss a disturbance amongst the trees.

    Kayla had been a talented stalker since she was a child, a noiseless shadow in any environment. Nevertheless, there was always the chance that something could go wrong, and the Rangers couldn¡¯t take the risk of a compromise when so much was on the line.

    Certainly not, Kayla grimly reminded herself, when Christie¡¯s life was in so much peril. One wrong move and Rayker would kill her immediately before making good her own escape and destroying months of work.

    So Kes and her three Rangers kept their high-powered, suppressed rifles trained on the distant men. At the slightest hint of a problem, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill, and the ¡®moral question¡¯ would be chalked up to the fortune of war. False intelligence would be distributed implicating cartel involvement in the raid. Valkyrie ethics had always been a nebulous concept at best.

    The closer Kayla got through the undergrowth to her target the closer, she knew, her watcher¡¯s lethal assistance would have to pass by her own body. But she felt no fear. Thandi had become a talented marksman; neither she nor the others would make a mistake.

    Now only fifty yards away, the men stopped by a large boulder, leaning against the rock while they drank from their canteens. Kayla dropped to her belly and merged into the ground as she slithered forward.

 Part 3 - Chapter 2

    Christie emerged from the bathroom once her nerves had calmed and found one of the chateau¡¯s windows that looked out on the western ridgelines. She reached into her handbag and produced a stick of lipstick, sighted on a curve of blackness intersecting a particular constellation rising into the night sky, and pushed a discreet button on the base. The task force now had confirmation that Rayker was inside the chateau and the machine would be set in motion.

    As she turned to head back to the party, Christie saw a different range of mountains in the corner of her eye. A fishhook stabbed into the muscle of her heart and tugged, while she was nearly overwhelmed with nausea. For a moment, a dusty valley surrounded her, the rocky ground coursing with streams of blood. The ghostly white face of Rose Djallen was before her, life fading from her eyes. Christie wanted to gasp, but she let the pain wash over her in silence, as they had all done so often. A moment¡¯s concentration brought her back to the present, and the dangerous operation ahead.

    Rayker¡¯s expression had been so devoid of warmth¡ªas though she wore her psychotic nature with pride. Christie couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so inhuman.

    She wondered what would happen if Rayker sensed the trap that was closing around her. Christie knew that she, and probably some of the guests, would be taken hostage. No doubt the dozens of Rangers stalking through the darkness would break cover, racing through the night to rescue her, with one particularly hard-headed individual out front. The highly skilled operators now preparing their own move on the chateau would fight their way inside, killing anyone who resisted them. The Banshee, their well-armed gunship, would break its cloak, leaving its position behind Ambrosia¡¯s second moon to rain hellfire down on the small army that provided security for the Helvetic League¡¯s pleasure planet. Rayker would probably die in a hail of gunfire¡ªgiving Rose her deserved retribution. None would hesitate in the attack¡ªthe Valkyrie would eagerly sacrifice their own lives before leaving one of their own behind.

    But then the news of the incident would spread, and humanity¡¯s thirty-seven worlds would talk of nothing else but the secret army of super soldiers that protected them from the arsenal of the Jotnar¡ªan extinct interstellar civilization, who¡¯s abandoned weapons and warships littered the stars. Nations, corporations and crime syndicates would find ways to track down those weapons, exploiting their incredible destructive power for their own selfish purposes. There would be war, billions would die, and, like those who had preceded them, humanity would probably wipe itself out.

    Rose had died protecting Christie from Rayker¡¯s drone army, but she had also died to uphold Valkyrie¡¯s ancient responsibility.

    That operation had ultimately saved the planet Caldera, but in the chaos and confusion of the battle Rayker had managed to slip away. The organization had spent nearly two years trying to hunt her down, but she was too skilled, too deeply enmeshed in the Helvetic League¡¯s underworld.

    The council of chiefs, Valkyrie¡¯s inscrutable governing body, had agreed to form Task Force Nemesis under the command of General Smyrna. She was assigned the Mountain Ranger¡¯s Bravo company¡ªthe Venomous Vipers¡ªa Raider squadron of elite counter terrorists, and a task unit from Orbital Demolition Team Four. Supported by the Banshee and guided by Christie¡¯s intelligence gathering unit, their mission statement was simple¡ªdo whatever it took to kill or capture Allana Rayker.

    As they made slow, painstaking process, they began to receive indications that their target had rejoined her old corporate paymasters at VennZech, the most powerful weapons manufacturer in the galaxy. Then, the news broke that Joakkim Meissner, one of Rayker¡¯s suspected allies, had been promoted to Chief Executive, arranging his party on Ambrosia to celebrate.

    He had also invited one of the League¡¯s rising stars in physics. The brilliant young doctor Ernst Kolar was a specialist in theoretical energy development. He had recently published a paper describing a hypothetical anti-matter reactor alarmingly similar to those that powered the warships and killing machines of the Jotnar. Christie¡¯s team leader, Jiao Zhang, had offered the high-confidence assessment that Rayker would refuse to let such an asset out of her sight. And, on the protected world of Ambrosia, what could she have to fear?

    But Valkyrie had been breaking through Helvetic security barriers since the creation of the quasi-imperial state, and had become extremely good at it. And so, the operation had been set in motion.

    Christie took a deep breath and prepared herself, soothing away any traces of nervousness. She left the outer hall and re-entered the party.

    ¡°Olympus, Olympus, Olympus,¡± a voice intoned through Kayla¡¯s headset.

    The code word signaled that Christie had identified Rayker in the chateau, and the operation was a go. A double burst of static followed; a squad-level transmission from Kes. It was the order to take out the security guards.

    Kayla and Ray had crawled as close as they could to their position, readied their stun rifle and waited patiently. As the signal came in, the men had pushed away from their boulder rest spot and were resuming their patrol through the woods. Kayla waited until their line of sight had passed her, before she stood slowly, weapon aimed. A faint rustle told her that Ray had done the same.

    The guard at the back, still slurping from a water bottle, fell a little further behind. The stun rifle¡¯s projectile hit him in the neck, shocking his nervous system into an overload state. He seized and dropped to the ground, unconscious. The men ahead of him span and there was a mechanical thump from Ray¡¯s weapon. Her shot struck center mass, and another figure collapsed, just as Kayla pulled the trigger again. The last guard went down quickly, but, to Kayla¡¯s shock, seemed to remain conscious. He struggled on the ground like a dying fish as he tried to reach for his radio, so she sprinted forward and kicked him in the head.

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    Kayla wrinkled her nose and cursed quietly. The scientist who had trained her squad on the weapon had explained that a failed shot would result in the victim emptying the contents of their bowels and bladder. Looks like she had been right.

    ¡°Three down,¡± she muttered into her helmet mic. ¡°No other contacts in sight.¡±

    Even so, she continued to scan the distant trees carefully.

    Ray secured the guards with serum injections while Tian and Yak, the other two members of the fire team joined them. The projectiles were gathered into Tian¡¯s rucksack, and, when the rest of the squad arrived, they moved off through the trees together, climbing the slope until they reached another crest, and a chain link fence.

    Half a mile away from the chateau, the main security compound provided a base for the guard¡¯s rapid reaction force. The compound had a single entrance and out of the blockhouse blue light flickered to the loud chatter of an excited racing commentator.

    Kayla stopped in the shadows of the trees and waited patiently. The air above her head snapped and cracked as rounds shot past, impacting security cameras and sensors around the compound. The bullets were a large caliber, but with a thermic charge core. Each strike glowed brilliantly as intense temperatures melted through their targets, leaving no evidence of what had neutralized them.

    She grinned. Thandi was going to work, and though her presence and skill made Kayla feel much more confident, she would still tease her about doing the ¡®easy part¡¯ later.

    In the near distance, there were a pair of flashes and loud zaps as the base¡¯s generator and backup went out to EMP charges. Another squad from their platoon was working their own approach. That made Kayla nervous. The two elements would soon have to meet up, and nothing could be more dangerous to those who owned the night than confusing each other for the enemy.

    She took her team around the base to the now dark main gate as the on-duty guards emerged to check on the loss of power. Stun rifle shots knocked them out, and the squad regrouped behind the cover of a vehicle bay, while Kayla identified the largest building in the compound and watched it attentively.

    They waited patiently until the silence was broken by a new voice on the radio.

    ¡°Eyes on the barracks, north side. No movement.¡±

    ¡°South side clear,¡± Kayla confirmed.

    ¡°Approaching,¡± the other squad leader said.

    Kayla waited until she saw shapes emerging from the shadows and sprinting behind the back of the large structure. Then, one leaned out from the corner, watching. Kayla tapped a control on her helmet, and a perfect white line broke through her grey world, pointing towards the figure. She was answered with a similar flash of infra-red energy, and her anxiety eased.

    Kes, who had also been watching, tapped her shoulder, and Kayla led off towards the barracks.

    From outside the Rangers could make out the annoyed calls of men and women stumbling around in the darkness. One emerged from a side door and nearly got off a shout before Tian tackled him and knocked him out. The two squads moved quickly, cracking open doorways and rolling gas grenades inside.

    Invisible and odorless, the gas contained the signature compound Valkyrie used to erase memories. The Rangers waited a few minutes, safe behind their face masks, then entered and confirmed that all inside were unconscious. Kes and Thandi smashed a few liquor bottles against the walls, while others dragged the bodies into the main room, and distributed more ¡®evidence¡¯.

    Eventually, Kes called ¡®all clear¡¯, and Kayla emerged from the building into the night, lifting her faceplate to breathe in some fresh air. She saw her fire team, Ray, Tian and Yak, heading to the vehicles to place EMP charges, and began to follow them, when a sharp rap on her helmet brought her up short.

    She turned to see Thandi, vizor up, and an expectant expression on her face.

    ¡°Was that a curse word I heard earlier?¡± Thandi asked, keeping her voice low.

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Negative. I was providing a biological assessment of the dude.¡±

    ¡°Ick. Two in the barracks were uh¡­ in the middle of something when they passed out. I had to pull them apart.¡± She pulled a face. ¡°That was gross.¡±

    Kayla winked at her friend, who was spiritual enough for the both of them. ¡°Unmarried, I bet. Your god approves.¡±

    Thandi nodded gratefully, then shot her a look. ¡°He¡¯s not just my¡ª"

    Kes marched over, her expression severe. ¡°Do either of you have EMP charges left?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Yes Corporal,¡± Kayla nodded, and patted her rucksack.

    ¡°There¡¯s a couple of transports left in the north corner. Get on it, then rejoin us on the east fence. Come on, we need to move quickly!¡±

    Kayla scampered away, buzzing with energy. The squad still had to head for the chateau, and take up their position in the perimeter that was slowly drawing tighter around Rayker. She glanced at the dark mountains around her. In a dozen locations, radar arrays, missile defenses and communications stations were being similarly neutralized by small teams of Valkyrie from the various units. Soon they would have their prey, and Kayla privately hoped that she wouldn¡¯t surrender.

    Christie found Doctor Kolar, alone as usual, in the main hall and painfully out of place at such a large social gathering. He nursed a champagne glass, and smiled at passersby. Christie stared at him until their eyes met, and he quickly looked away, pretending to study one of Meissner¡¯s diamond statues.

    She walked in his direction, and as she passed, she flashed him a shy smile. Then, returning to her coterie of admirers, she looked back with another friendly expression.

    Kolar cautiously approached the group, obviously unsure of what to do. The men ignored him, but the second he managed to breach the outer mass of bodies, Christie was on him.

    ¡°Oh hello! I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve had the pleasure!¡± she cried, extending her hand and beaming like a searchlight.

    The other men frowned as they lost her attention.

    ¡°Um¡­ All mine,¡± stammered Kolar. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Doctor Kolar, isn¡¯t it?¡± interrupted a renowned and pompous pianist. ¡°You¡¯re working on space batteries for VennZech weapons research, or some such thing?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kolar gulped. ¡°We¡¯re starting a new project on micro-singularities at the Planck scale, you see the current theory on weak¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s weak, you say?¡± The pianist laughed raucously as he slapped the doctor¡¯s back. ¡°Well, I never would have guessed, old boy.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Zotty,¡± Christie cut in, addressing one of the other men, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell me this was one of Meissner¡¯s inner circle?¡± she tottered forward slightly as she spoke.

    ¡°Correct,¡± the elder son and heir apparent of the largest media corporation in the League replied with a smile. He lifted his gaze from her bosom. ¡°Doctor Kolar¡¯s work is vital for the Maestro.¡±

    Kolar smiled gratefully. ¡°Indeed. Well, it¡¯s about energy generation.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I hope you aren¡¯t helping him make more of those dreadful bombs,¡± Christie said, and pouted. ¡°War is very wrong! Really, I don¡¯t know why they haven¡¯t sanctioned the company for some of the absolutely horrid things they produce.¡±

    The surrounding billionaires nodded their approval, while Kolar flushed. ¡°No¡­ well, I mustn¡¯t talk about it, but I shouldn¡¯t be getting involved in that side of VennZech¡¯s business.¡±

    ¡°Quite right.¡± Christie nodded. ¡°Oh, but you¡¯re dry.¡± She turned to a waiter, grabbed a pair of glasses from his tray and handed one to Kolar.

 Part 3 - Chapter 3

    After a little polite small talk, she let him hang for a while, occasionally offering eye contact and a warm smile. Rayker prowled frequently through the room, casting brief glances at Kolar, and Christie reminded herself not to overdo it.

    As she watched the dark figure stalk away again, she escalated her apparent state of inebriation. Muttering something about the restroom, she stepped forward and jostled the unhappy looking Kolar, spilling his drink all over his badly fitted tuxedo.

    ¡°God I¡¯m SOOO sorry,¡± wailed Christie, smothering the appalled man¡¯s crotch with a napkin. ¡°Come out into the air to let it dry.¡±

    She dragged him, protesting furiously, out of the main room towards a quiet balcony. A pair of guards looked in on them, then moved away in embarrassment.

    ¡°We can¡¯t go back in until it¡¯s dried,¡± she declared. ¡°What will people think? They¡¯ll say we were¡ªoh well you know.¡± She cackled.

    Kolar stood helpless. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of¡ªtotally unthinkable.¡± He stammered.

    ¡°Oh my deeeaaaar!¡± Christie cooed. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m ugly?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not, you are¡­ very beautiful.¡±

    Christie stared into his eyes with the most seductive expression of gratitude she could muster. Then she turned back to the dark mountains beyond.

    ¡°This is such a lovely spot, isn¡¯t it?¡± she sighed, and took out her lipstick.

    A furious looking Rayker strode out from the balcony¡¯s doors.

    ¡°Doctor Kolar,¡± she snapped. ¡°Please return with me to the main room immediately. Your behavior is entirely inappropriate. Leave this¡­ this girl to make a fool of herself somewhere else.¡±

    Kolar¡¯s frightened eyes jumped from Christie¡¯s sly grin to Rayker¡¯s terrifying expression.

    Out of options, Christie decided to go for broke. ¡°God you¡¯re such a bore, aren¡¯t you, Ranky? Frigid old woman. Why don¡¯t you let the fellow enjoy himself?¡± She reached a hand up to his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

    Rayker¡¯s lips turned into a sneer. ¡°You pathetic, drunken¡ª¡±

    She froze, suddenly alert as her eyes snapped around the balcony.

    Christie almost wanted to grab Kolar and haul him backwards into the void. Below them, the waterfall fell away down a thousand-foot cliff. Her nanite enhanced body would survive the fall, and if she positioned herself to cushion Kolar, maybe he would too. She would be hospitalized for months, but anything was better than letting Rayker take her alive.

    But the woman lunged forward with impossible speed and seized Christie¡¯s neck. ¡°Luring me outside, is that it?¡± she spat.

    Christie was thrown bodily back into the hallway inside. She fought to regain her senses, but the cold fingers wrapped around her throat again, and she screamed as loudly as she could. On the balcony, a pale Kolar sank to the floor in shock.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are yet, you little whore,¡± Rayker hissed into Christie¡¯s ear.

    Her hand came up, and the flesh of her wrist ripped open to reveal a bloody cavity, and a needle-sharp spike of bone, aimed at Christie¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°But I think you¡¯ll soon tell me everything I want to know.¡±

    Christie screamed again, and tried to kick her captor. She probably ought to pretend to faint, but there was no way she could fool Rayker. What the hell had she seen to tip her off? How much longer before it would all be over?

    A breathless guard raced into the hallway and stopped, going pale as he caught sight of Rayker.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she snapped impatiently.

    The guard blinked, pulled his gaze away from the woman¡¯s mutated arm and began to speak. ¡°There¡¯s¡ª¡±

    The lights went out, and they were plunged into darkness. Christie heard the distant whir of something sliding fast down a rope.

    The pressure on her throat vanished and she collapsed to the ground, just as the windows exploded. Black shapes poured into the hallway. There was a whir, a wet thunk, and a cut off scream, followed by a clatter of silenced gunshots. Christie curled into a ball to protect herself, and out of the corner of her eye she saw something like a giant spider climb onto the ceiling before reaching out an arm.

    A black weapon spat another burst of fire. There was a rasping gurgle and Rayker¡¯s body fell to the ground.

    Boots stomped back and forth in a chaos of movement. As her spinning mind¡¯s revolutions began to slow, Christie felt a firm hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her upright.

    Nearby, a black-suited soldier strode away. ¡°Target secured,¡± it said, in the harsh rasp of a machine voice.

    Christie found herself sat upright, staring into a bug-eyed metal vizor.

    ¡°Clear! Move to the main room!¡± someone else announced.

    The vizor slid upwards to reveal the grim face of a woman she didn¡¯t recognize, staring at her in concern. ¡°Are you hurt soldier?¡± she asked.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Christie shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Did someone¡­?¡±

    ¡°We have one casualty. Kolar¡¯s secured, and Rayker is down for the count.¡±

    Christie looked over and saw a blood-stained body in a heap in the center of the hallway. Two armed, masked figures stood over it, weapons aimed firmly. Nearby, the security guards had been bound and blindfolded.

    By the balcony entrance, one of the Valkyrie had collapsed against a wall with a spike buried in her chest. As Christie stared at her, the facemask slid up to reveal the pale, gasping face of Urtiga, the Raider team¡¯s senior NCO. Urtiga caught her eye, and winked through her grimace of pain.

    Down the hall she could hear the steel-faced soldiers flooding the rooms, demanding, in robotic tones, compliance from the guests. There had been a terrorist attack in the area, they explained, but security had intervened, and the situation was under control.

    Still confused by the adrenaline haze, Christie turned back to the woman checking her over. Had she spoken?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I said, you did a great job,¡± the Raider said with a warm smile.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Christie said, and felt like she wanted to throw up.

    ¡°All call-signs¡ªHera! I say again, Hera,¡± the radio in Kayla¡¯s headset blared.

    She punched the air as a rush of adrenaline and rage flooded her system. The operation was a success, and it felt great, but she still wanted to scream questions into her mic. Had anyone been hurt? What had happened to Christie? Was Rayker dead?

    ¡°Get some,¡± Ray said out loud, as others nodded.

    ¡°Stay frosty,¡± Kes snapped. ¡°Watch your sectors. This isn¡¯t over yet.¡±

    Kayla silenced her mind and focused her eyes on the grounds of the nearby chateau. The perimeter formed by the Rangers was intended to keep Rayker from escaping. But there was still the possibility that rogue security or guests could have slipped through the control of the chateau¡¯s assaulters. If anyone made it through the mountains and back to civilization, they would begin to spread word about an attack by an unknown force and rumors would quickly circulate in Helvetic society.

    Kayla didn¡¯t think this would be such an awful development. The Helvetic League was an imperial power, intent on subjugating every human world to their control. Her home-world of Caldera was already in their tightening grip. Though she had sworn her allegiance to an organization that protected all of humanity, she couldn¡¯t help but question her choice. Did Valkyrie have to be so aloof? Weren¡¯t there evils threatening to engulf the human race from within?

    But she kept her doubts to herself, and only shared her agonizing with the eternally patient Thandi.

    Something made her glance upward, and she saw a star moving across the night sky, visible through her infra-red vizor. At first, she thought it was a nice symbol to end the mission under, but it began to change direction. With a start, Kayla saw that it was much closer than she had guessed, moving incredibly fast, and heading straight for the chateau. She tried to key her mic, but, before she could speak, the object impacted the south wall, where the Raiders and Christie had taken down Rayker.

    Kayla slammed her faceplate up, and watched in horror as bright orange fire blossomed into the night. The whole squad was transfixed in silence, before they were hit by a sonic boom from the object¡¯s flight, followed by the boom of the explosion.

    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Thandi began.

    ¡°Viper two,¡± Kes said into her headset. ¡°Viper two-one. We just saw what looked like a missile strike against the objective. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s heart raced. Her vision darkened around the edges and she felt herself flushing with heat. Smoke belched into the sky, while flames were already reaching the chateau¡¯s upper floors. Christie had been near the impact point, and Urtiga, her mentor, and the woman who had recruited her into Valkyrie. In her mind she saw them laying on the ground, unconscious, as fire crept towards their bodies.

    She became vaguely aware that Kes had said something to her, but she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away. Thandi repeated the question, but Kayla shook her head, without knowing why.

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°No.¡±

    And then the squad was behind her, fading into the distance. She was sprinting, legs pumping as hard and fast as her nanite enhanced muscles could manage. She raced for the chateau wall, ignoring the outburst of yelling in her headset that had become as meaningless as static.

    Kayla ran until her lungs ached and her heart threatened to burst out of her chest. She covered the half-mile to the building in less than two minutes, and when she reached its walls she jumped for a first floor window frame. Outstretched fingers grasped at the smooth metal lining, but didn¡¯t slip. She had been a strong climber since she had learned to walk, and the chateau¡¯s structure, with its ornate fa?ade and prominent stone slabs, wasn¡¯t much of a challenge.

    Smoke was billowing out from a hole in the fourth floor, and she moved as close as she could. She managed to haul herself over a balcony, and smashed through a locked door into a noisy haze. Guests were screaming in terror, while robotic voices yelled commands as the Raiders tried to get control of the situation.

    Thick fumes made Kayla¡¯s eyes smart, and she dropped her vizor, selecting infra-red. Further down the corridor, an intense heat source glowed through the hellish obscurity. Kayla headed straight for it. Wherever the other Valkyrie had been, she knew she had to go to the point of impact first. That would be where she would find the most severe casualties.

    A sharp scream made her skin crawl, and she rounded a corner, only for her display to blind her with white light. She flipped her vizor to see a ghastly scene. The missile had destroyed the balcony and hallway, leaving a dark void visible through the ragged hole. Fire crawled up the walls, while black suited bodies carpeted the floor. Rayker was crouching among them, blackened with soot and covered in blood. She held one of her spikes like a dagger, ready to strike. With her other hand, she had seized hold of another, buried in a fallen body. She tugged at the needle and pulled it free, then stood to see Kayla staring directly at her.

    Kayla shivered in her glare of manic rage.

    In the split seconds that followed, years of training came to her aid. Before she could even think her hands were moving, ignoring the stun rifle that hung from her back, and seizing hold of the pistol in her leg holster.

    She sidestepped as Rayker flung a spike towards her that buried itself several inches into the wall. Kayla¡¯s gun, almost of its own volition, rose up to her chest and began to orient towards her enemy. Even before she was aware of the sights in her vision, Kayla was pulling the trigger, sending rounds down the hallway in a gradually tightening circle.

    The flash and kick of the weapon appeared to pass in slow motion, but Rayker was already moving, darting away from the bullets. Kayla tried to adjust, but she was too slow, and watched helplessly as the most dangerous woman in the galaxy flung herself out into the night. She hung for a brief instant, like a high-diver, and then fell, straight down through the waterfall into the valley below.

    Kayla felt a click, and shifted her eyes from the empty sky to see her pistol¡¯s slide locked back. Then she refocused onto the pile of bodies before her.

    ¡°Hey?¡± she called. ¡°Is anyone alive?¡±

    She started to drag bodies as fast as she could away from the flames, hoping that someone had remained conscious.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± a soft voice called from somewhere out of sight.

    Kayla wiped away tears and raced forward. She dug beneath an unconscious pair of Raiders until she found a pale, unprotected arm. Then she hauled, until a cursing, soot blackened and shaking Christie emerged.

    ¡°Jesus, are you okay? What the hell happened?¡± Kayla asked.

    Christie coughed and spluttered but waved away the concerned and probing hands that were checking her for injuries.

    ¡°Call the medics in,¡± she said.

 Part 3 - Chapter 4

    Kayla followed her squad into a dropship and took the free seat next to Kes. The frantic treatment and evacuation of wounded Raiders had gone smoothly, and as far as Kayla knew, no-one had been pronounced killed in action.

    The vessel¡¯s ramp closed and it lifted into the night. Through a window, Kayla saw the mountains recede below them as they climbed to orbit. She tapped her helmet¡¯s release and servos whined as the faceplate retracted.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she demanded.

    Kes raised her own vizor. ¡°We¡¯re returning to the Banshee,¡± she said.

    Kayla began to protest, but the corporal held up a hand.

    ¡°Just take it easy, will you? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going either, but the order came direct from General Smyrna.¡±

    ¡°Rayker¡¯s out there and wounded. Aren¡¯t we going after her?¡±

    Kes returned her frustrated expression with raised eyebrows, and Kayla realized that she shouldn¡¯t push the issue. She would simply have to wait.

    Another helmet popped open. ¡°Kayla,¡± Ray said, with an edge to her voice, ¡°I obviously wasn¡¯t there with you in the castle. Didn¡¯t you say you surprised Rayker when you tried to shoot her?¡±

    Kayla nodded.

    ¡°But she¡¯d already been shot up by the Raiders? How many times?¡±

    ¡°Six, Christie said.¡±

    Ray gave her a significant look. ¡°Well, you¡¯re the best pistol shot in the company. How is it possible she got away from you?¡±

    Kayla shook her head. She was also confused about what exactly had happened. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She was just too fast.¡±

    ¡°So, she heals crazy fast, yeah? And now that she¡¯s alert and on the move, she could pick us to pieces while we try to chase her down.¡±

    Kayla flashed her fire team member a look of disdain. ¡°You know what, Ray, I didn¡¯t join Valkyrie because I wanted a safe and easy life¡ª¡±

    ¡°Barnes knock it off,¡± Kes hissed. ¡°This decision is over our heads, so let it go. We¡¯ll get a full briefing on the Banshee. Got it?¡±

    Kayla felt the pain of bottled-up anger, but the squad leader was right. She glanced back at Ray, but the woman had already sealed up her helmet and was watching the planet recede out the window.

    On the opposite seat of the ship, Kayla made out the form of Tian, and gave her a kick, but her helmet remained closed, and she didn¡¯t respond. Further down the bay, Thandi caught her eye and gave a quick shake of her head.

    That brought Kayla up short. Even her best friend looked like she was pissed at her, and that only happened when she genuinely screwed up.

    She carefully felt down her chest rig and pulled a silver necklace out from a pouch¡ªthe only place she kept it when she wasn¡¯t wearing it. It was a simple piece of jewelry consisting of a chain looped through a small coin which was engraved with a name. She tied the chain around her wrist so it couldn¡¯t fall off, and held the coin tightly in her hand. The adrenaline in her blood stream began to fade, and she soon crashed with exhaustion.

    The Rangers passed an uncomfortable flight of several hours, struggling to sleep in the awkward seats of the dropship. Once they began their approach to the Banshee, hidden in the shadow of Ambrosia¡¯s moon, Kes began to wake them. Yawning and sleepy eyed, they piled out into the hangar of their mothership.

    ¡°Team leaders!¡± Lieutanant Akane called to the disembarking Rangers. ¡°Gather on me. The rest of you are on standdown¡ªtake care of your kit, get some showers and food.¡±

    Kayla stayed with Kes as they followed Akane, and the rest of the company¡¯s NCOs and officers, over to a corner of the Banshee¡¯s hangar, where Captain Aguilar and her headquarters staff were waiting.

    ¡°Is that everyone?¡± Aguilar asked as she eyed the assembled Rangers. ¡°Okay take a knee, and I¡¯ll bring you up to speed. I know a lot of you were surprised to see us returning to the Banshee while our principal target is on the run, but here¡¯s what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Her company first sergeant activated a holo-projector and a spider web relief of the mountains they had left took shape from the light rays. A small point of light was nestled in the river canyon, just outside a major beach resort, twenty miles from the chateau.

    Aguilar gestured to the display. ¡°One of the team members in the chateau was able to plant a tracking device on Rayker¡¯s body before she regained consciousness. This is her current location. She is obviously resting in a concealed position, near a civilian population center.¡±

    Murmurs ran through the small crowd. Kayla¡¯s jaw clenched.

    ¡°A couple of things are immediately obvious from tonight¡¯s events,¡± Aguilar continued. ¡°Point one; she made this trip in thirty minutes. After the Raiders shot her to pieces.¡±

    This announcement was met with whistles and gasps of disbelief. Kayla shivered. What was it going to take to put her down for good?

    ¡°She went straight for a public place,¡± Aguilar continued, ¡°because she knows we would want to avoid exposure. That should tell you how much she¡¯s figured out about this organization.¡±

    ¡°Or already knew,¡± a voice said to a few murmurs of agreement.

    ¡°You keep thoughts like that to yourself,¡± Aguilar snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not having rumors and speculation distracting the company from this mission. Anyone who just mouthed off can consider this your first and final warning to pull your head out of your ass.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Nobody so much as shifted their weight.

    ¡°Point two;¡± Aguilar continued, ¡°her speed indicates how problematic a chase could be, even if she¡¯s unarmed. Command cannot take the risk of a protracted battle that roams across such a public area. Point three¡ªand this is where it gets really concerning¡ªthe missile launch that hit the building tonight came from a battery of Ambrosia¡¯s sky defense. Intel indicates it was hacked remotely.¡±

    Silence followed this statement. Anti-air missiles did not target buildings, which meant that either the launch had been planned ahead of time, or someone had pulled off an obscenely difficult system takeover and then reprogrammed a guidance head with only a few minutes of warning. Both possibilities were equally appalling.

    ¡°So, as we have suspected for some time, Rayker has an extremely powerful friend in the galaxy. Tonight, we were given proof of that relationship in spades. Someone was able to see what was happening at the chateau and reacted immediately to protect her, cutting out dozens of command-and-control links in seconds. Ladies, we have to face the fact that we are out of our depth if we try to fight our target within Helvet-controlled space.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s expression turned sour. Around the half-circle, other Rangers looked similarly morose.

    Aguilar sighed heavily before she continued. ¡°The decision has been made to let her go in the hopes that she will lead us towards her benefactor. Or at least somewhere that helps us better understand her support network.¡±

    Heads shook and voices grumbled. Even though the conclusion had been obvious since the words ¡®tracking device¡¯, Kayla still felt angry, and cheated. But she couldn¡¯t argue with the rationality behind the decision and resigned herself to the general opinion that they were all back to square one.

    ¡°The Task Force will remain close on her trail and, if this device sends out its tampering alert, we will close in for the kill as soon as we can.¡± Aguilar paused and ran a hand through her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling all of you that letting this animal go, after so much work and preparation, burns my soul. But we have to face the fact that our organization is behind the curve on a truly profound threat within human civilization. I, for one, want to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of it. So¡ªfood, showers and rest, and be ready for a fast turnaround. We might need to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    She looked around the assembled faces. ¡°Questions or comments?¡±

    Kayla cleared her throat. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I suggest we nuke the site from orbit. It¡¯s the only way to be sure.¡±

    Several Rangers laughed while Aguilar cracked a wry smile. ¡°Thank you, ¡®Great Destroyer¡¯ Barnes, for that insight. I will be sure to pass it up the chain.

    Some of the anger eased with the moment, and Kayla began to feel the creeping cloud of fatigue fog her mind. The officers had a few other questions about the company¡¯s readiness, which Kayla, in her unhappy state, took as further evidence that nothing reassured them more in times of stress than the sound of their own voices.

    Eventually the meeting broke up, but as Kayla turned to go, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Kes, accompanied by Lieutenant Akane. The corporal motioned with her head to step to one side. They were all visibly exhausted, but there was obviously more that needed to be said before they could call it a night.

    ¡°So, Lance Corporal Barnes,¡± the platoon leader began, ¡°I¡¯ve got Raiders clamoring to buy you a drink and demanding that I put in the paperwork for a medal. It seems that the two operators who were first to arrive at the scene, Shaklia and Guiying, were quickly neutralized by Rayker. Without your help, they might both have been killed, instead of currently comatose, but alive. Not to mention how many others in that hallway she might have exacted her revenge on.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I take full responsibility for my actions and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Goddammit Barnes, it¡¯s been a long night and I don¡¯t need you interrupting me when I¡¯m dressing you down.¡±

    Kayla fell silent.

    ¡°So, whilst your act of heroism undoubtedly should be recognized, it needs to be balanced against the reality that you effectively deserted your squad, without communication, or co-ordination, and without letting them catch up to support you. Leaving Corporal Rudaski here in the impossible position of splitting her squad in two, so your fire team could be led on a not-so-merry goose chase, while she held down the perimeter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Squads may be composed of two fire teams, Barnes, but they do not separate out of contact. They are a single, cohesive unit of Rangers that support each other through thick or thin.¡±

    Kayla nodded tiredly.

    Akane cocked her head. ¡°In hindsight everything turned out okay. But what if you had been wrong?¡±

    Kayla met her eyes with an expression of confusion. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°As far as we know, a missile system thirty kilometers away just upped and generated its own firing solution. Someone knew we were going for Rakyer, and they tried to stop us. But what if the strike wasn¡¯t enough? What if there was a risk of her being deeper in the chateau? What if this unknown adversary had a ground team nearby, whose job it was to approach the chateau and extract Rayker? If they had seen your movement, and gone for the perimeter covered by your weakened and distracted squad, you could be looking at four dead Rangers. Am I wrong, Barnes?¡±

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡± Kayla looked down, and felt a cold dread flooding her veins. ¡°Ma¡¯am I sincerely apologize for my actions. I lost control.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Kes interjected. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve had to speak to you about your lone-wolf approach.¡±

    ¡°I approved your promotion,¡± Lieutenant Akane said, ¡°because you drive hard to be a better Ranger, and you push the others to keep up. As much as I hate to criticize heroic actions and quick thinking, it seems clear that you tore off because you have a deep comfort with leaving your team behind to take on the world by yourself. If you can¡¯t get past your own ego, you¡¯re a danger to all of us. Any more solo adventures, and I¡¯m going to drop you back to private.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s stomach knotted. Up until that moment, she had been totally convinced she had been justified in taking off, but she hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of another threat. And, now that she was forced to think about it, why would Rayker have hung around to finish off the downed Valkyrie? She certainly knew she only had seconds to get away.

    Doubt and shame swirled together through the tiredness and left Kayla with only one certainty. She didn¡¯t have all the answers. With her lack of experience, she should obviously listen to her seniors and do her best to earn their respect. But Kes had stuck her neck out for her with the early promotion, and now she had embarrassed them both in the eyes of the platoon leader.

    Kayla hung her head, and nodded her acknowledgement.

    Akane rubbed her eyes. ¡°Corporal Rudaski, you¡¯ll put her on probation for the next three months. Any slip-ups, and I¡¯m dropping her to private again.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Kes replied.

    They saluted, and watched as the lieutenant walked away. Kayla began to head back to her bunk, but Kes stopped her.

    ¡°One more thing, Barnes. If I ever hear you question one of my girls¡¯ courage in front of the squad again, I¡¯m going to have you transferred out of the battalion. Understand?¡±

    Kayla was shocked. On the dropship, the thought of abandoning the hunt for Rayker had left her so angry. Had she really been that callous when she snapped at Ray?

    ¡°Yes, Corporal,¡± she nodded shamefully.

    ¡°That kind of leadership is a cancer that has to be destroyed before it can spread.¡± Her expression softened. ¡°But I want to leave you the benefit of the doubt. Your judgment tonight wasn¡¯t all that clear, was it? I mean, Christie was pretty vulnerable, alone in that chateau.¡±

    Kes paused as she rubbed her neck. Kayla noticed her fingers brushing the chain of a necklace, which she knew to be identical to her own, but with more names.

    ¡°You know,¡± Kes said hesitantly, ¡°we were all heartbroken by Rose¡¯s death¡ª¡±

    Kayla shook her head and her words came out in a rush. ¡°That has nothing to do with anything. Right? I am fully aware that everyone carries their own burden, and I¡¯m carrying mine. Okay, I screwed up and made a bad call. I¡¯ll own it in the hot wash, and I¡¯ll commit to working on myself as a better fire team leader.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she turned and strode away, as icy fingers threatened to crush her heart.

 Part 3 - Chapter 5

    In the cramped hallways and compartments of the Banshee, the squads from every unit clustered together in small groups. They all had the same subject of conversation¡ªthe events of the operation. These they relived in detail, commenting on or criticizing every thought, word, or action to draw valuable lessons from the experience while it was still fresh in their minds.

    Kayla apologized for leaving the squad, and was grateful to see their frosty expressions warm quickly.

    ¡°I was just jealous of your badassery,¡± Tian said with a wink. ¡°But make sure we¡¯re around when those Raiders you saved call in their favors.¡±

    Even Ray laughed at that.

    There were more comments, and the whole squad took the opportunity to get something off their chest.

    ¡°I nearly got lost when I took a wrong turn in the security compound,¡± Thandi said. ¡°I didn¡¯t spend enough time with the maps to make sure I knew where to go.¡±

    Kayla wondered if she had made that up. Everyone but Thandi had said something, and she seldom made mistakes.

    After the hot wash was over and they had showered and eaten, other Rangers headed back to their bunks for sleep. Kayla and Thandi stayed in the canteen until they saw Christie, arriving late and taking a tray laden down with every kind of food on the menu.

    ¡°I could eat forever,¡± she declared when she joined them. ¡°It took a starvation diet to fit into that dress.¡±

    ¡°You looked gorgeous though,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And all those billionaires fawning over you. I¡¯d be jealous, but your job is kind of terrifying.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing ¡®kind of¡¯ about it,¡± Kayla said as she kicked her feet up onto an empty chair. ¡°You couldn¡¯t pay me any amount of money to go into that house alone, much less pretend to be nice to those freakin¡¯ losers.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°Yes, the old nerves are certainly tested. Although with the proper preparation it isn¡¯t that much of a risk. And it¡¯s a chateau, not a house, actually.¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh, okay,¡± Kayla said with a grin. ¡°So, you were actually in your element hanging out with the galaxies¡¯ elites, celebrating your cerebral superiority over all mankind. I totally get why you do it now.¡±

    ¡°One simply needs to indulge in intellectual conversation from time to time. My brain gets stiff listening to the pair of you compare bullet calibers for hours on end.¡±

    They were quiet while Christie worked through her plate. Her usual impeccable table manners vanished as she practically inhaled food and drink with scant regard for collateral damage. Kayla caught Thandi¡¯s eye and they shared a silent grin.

    Eventually, she dropped her fork, pushed back from the table and belched loudly.

    ¡°That was impressive,¡± Kayla said, and meant it.

    ¡°Have you heard anything about the Raiders?¡± Thandi asked.

    Christie winked at Kayla. ¡°Fortunately, Rayker didn¡¯t cause too much damage before our heroine showed up. Urtiga regained consciousness and had a lot of unkind words to share about Rayker, and the world in general.¡±

    ¡°And the missile?¡±

    ¡°The command staff is just as confused as the rest of us. My team leader, Zhang, told me that she was able to pull the logs just after the launch; before they cut off the network. She says the thing just activated itself, calculated its own solution and fired. Apparently, the crew was helpless to stop it.

    ¡°Thank heavens it was only an anti-air warhead,¡± Kayla observed.

    Christie raised her eyebrows. ¡°Indeed. Information is being suppressed on the feeds, obviously. The current story is an act of terrorism by an unknown group, which puts us nicely in the clear, for now.¡±

    ¡°And Rayker?¡± Kayla demanded. ¡°How did they manage to get a tracker on her?¡±

    Christie waved her hand. ¡°A stroke of luck born of overthinking. My backup plan had been to try and bump into her and drop it in her dress or something equally desperate. A micro beacon is hardly original, but easily disguised in one¡¯s purse. Right before the missile hit, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking that I should err on the side of caution, so I tucked it under a subdermal layer, and watched a sack of mucus form over it before the rest of her wounds began to heal.¡±

    ¡°God spoke to you,¡± Thandi said, with a smug smile on her face while Kayla chuckled.

    ¡°Oh, yes of course,¡± Christie said with a hand wave. ¡°Heaven forbid that my own professional competence and ingrained paranoia came into play.¡± She sat back in her chair. ¡°In any case, gird your loins ladies, for we will be underway very soon to¡­ what would you say? Prosecute the target? Attack? Kayla smash, or something similar?¡±

    ¡°To perform on-site suppression of hostile actors, neutralizing human or non-human resistance on the ground while interdicting terrestrial and extra-terrestrial squirters.¡± Kayla said as she inspected her fingernails.

    ¡°Slow down please, we can¡¯t have you injuring yourself before the next operation,¡± Christie said.

    Kayla reached under the table and jerked her chair leg, causing her to yelp with surprise.

    Silence again descended on the group, and Christie reached for a dessert plate.

    Kayla stared pensively at a distant spot, working up the courage to say what was on her mind.

    ¡°So...um¡­¡± she began.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Christie swallowed quickly. ¡°She had me by the neck at one point.¡±

    ¡°Lord have mercy,¡± Thandi said and placed a hand on Christie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You are a brave woman.¡±

    ¡°It was a difficult moment. Thandi¡¯s efforts notwithstanding, I remain a committed atheist, but what I saw in her eyes pushed me closer to doubt than anything before.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Thandi began.

    ¡°She could charitably be described as the devil.¡±

    Kayla nodded glumly.

    ¡°Her nose was bent out of shape though,¡± Christie said with a twinkle in her eye.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Kayla laughed. When she had come face to face with Rayker she had made a considerable effort to rearrange the woman¡¯s face, before taking a spike through the arm for her trouble.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked.

    Christie gave an apologetic smile. ¡°No, not really.¡±

    ¡°Shame.¡±

    ¡°Did we at least pick up Kolar?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°Oh yes. He¡¯s enjoying a comfortable night¡¯s sleep before I go back to interrogate him, five hours from now.¡±

    ¡°Come on Chris, don¡¯t they let you get any rest?¡± Kayla demanded.

    Christie shrugged. ¡°It was my decision. He will be angrier and more disoriented from a rude awakening. In any case, I want to be cold and irritable when I talk to him. He will realize he was cruelly manipulated and start to hate me. Then, once his spirits are suitably depressed, we shall send in one of my colleagues, dressed in an oversized hoody, glasses, and a messy hair do. She will be socially awkward, but well-meaning and quirky, and completely ashamed of her obsessive interest in particle physics, not to mention the specific field in which Kolar excels. She will gradually let slip her dislike of the organization, and myself in particular¡ªher occasionally bullying supervisor. Their bond will be established quickly, and she will proceed with the real interrogation. By which time I will hopefully be enjoying a nap.¡±

    Kayla snorted laughter into her drink.

    Thandi¡¯s expression had turned to one of mild horror. ¡°That¡¯s a whole new level of ruthless,¡± she said. ¡°I remain convinced that you intel girls need Jesus.¡±

    ¡°My dear,¡± Christie said with a tired smile. ¡°May I remind you that you shoot people in the face for a living?¡±

    Thandi scowled. ¡°Oh, come on. We managed to avoid that tonight, and in any case we have strict rules of engagement. This poor kid just fell in with the wrong crowd, and now you¡¯re twisting his mind like putty.¡±

    Christie rubbed her eyes. ¡°He has spent the last year in Rayker¡¯s employ, and can tell us what kind of technology she passed to VennZech from the fortress on Caldera. His comfort is secondary to the needs of the service, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t care either,¡± Kayla added. ¡°It¡¯s been two years, I just want this to be over already, and that witch dead.¡±

    Thandi slouched in her chair and quickly showed an outstretched hand, her usual signal of resignation from an argument.

    ¡°Also,¡± Kayla began, but stopped to yawn. ¡°Urtiga told me that everyone in her unit thinks that Rayker is being assisted by an actual live Jotnar. How else could she possibly have known about the secret fortress on Caldera?¡±

    ¡°Well, their civilization is dead. If there are any of them left, they can only work in the shadows.¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Christie mused, ¡°and what is the limit to evil hidden in the shadows? How much catastrophe can be produced when it bursts into the sunlight? Civilization is fantastically complex and vulnerable. Any force that can get into the machine and start breaking things could cause incalculable harm.¡±

    Thandi nodded. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m not saying we can relax, or that Rayker isn¡¯t capable of going out in a blaze of mass murder.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Christie said, ¡°but my greatest concern is her abilities. I tend to side with the gossip that she must be a rogue Valkyrie from who knows what century past.¡±

    ¡°Upgraded though. Way stronger than we are, and with those bone spikes. Also, I thought they confirmed there are no records of anyone like her joining the organization?¡±

    ¡°The scientists say that absent a violent death, our nanites could keep us alive for tens of thousands of years. Rayker might have had all the time in the world to cover her tracks.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not convinced. Back on Caldera she was surprised to see me¡ªshocked, actually. Her entire force was not prepared to deal with soldiers like us. The Rayker-Valkyrie take just doesn¡¯t add up to me.¡±

    ¡°May I remind you,¡± Christie said, ¡°that the first Valkyrie were obviously created by the Jotnar¡ªprobably to leverage humans as supporting infantry in their war. The fact that we survived their extinction, or apparent extinction, suggests that our leaders may be guilty of genocide. It would not be prudent to believe everything they say.¡±

    Kayla shuddered. ¡°Oh, I hate this conversation.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Thandi said. ¡°The Jotnar may have destroyed themselves while humanity picked up the pieces.¡±

    ¡°But how is that imaginable?¡± Christie said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the last remaining members of an entire species recognize the insanity of their situation and try to salvage themselves from destruction? And wouldn¡¯t a slave, on seeing his master wounded, pick up a knife and finish the job?¡±

    ¡°They were clearly evil beings, destined to fall.¡±

    ¡°Such an unwarranted assumption. Some part of their society triggered a catastrophe they didn¡¯t know how to stop¡ªthat does not mean they were all evil. The very same thing nearly happened to humanity on several occasions.¡±

    Thandi waved her hand. ¡°The Bible tells us of the fall of lucifer and the other angels. I believe that is a retelling of the events. Whatever God¡¯s ultimate purpose, it is very clear that it involves the testing of man against forces greater than ourselves. Valkyrie forces humanity to choose self-sacrifice over material success.¡±

    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t there be men here? Is your god a radical feminist?¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to have all the answers.¡±

    ¡°Also,¡± Kayla said, ¡°if we fail in our mission, the end result will be war on a horrific scale. So, uh¡­ God¡¯s playing pretty fast and loose with the odds.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Thandi said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure Christie will guess her way to total knowledge of the universe any day now.¡±

    Christie smirked. ¡°Do you have faith in me?¡±

    ¡°Okay you two,¡± Kayla said, ¡°while I¡¯m sure you are another ten to fifteen minutes away from resolving the greatest ongoing debate in the history of our species, perhaps we can pencil that in for another time. I¡¯m about ready to pass out.¡± She yawned again, loudly, and deeply. ¡°Christie, you want to come roll with us tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Just Jiu Jitsu? None of that punching and kicking you like to do in your matches?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Are you referring to Mixed Martial Arts? The full spectrum of skills that, if you learned them, could well save your life one day?¡±

    ¡°I have a delicate brain. I don¡¯t see that it would be well served by letting you smack it with your fist. No, grappling and wrestling should be sufficient for my needs.¡±

    Thandi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m with Kayla on this one. We have to get you trained on movement, controlling distance, reading the body. Avoiding it is irresponsible in our line of work.¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm,¡± she said, but didn¡¯t look convinced.

    Kayla and Thandi made their way back to their bunks, and bumped into Ray in the now quieter walkways.

    ¡°Staying up late, huh?¡± she said mildly. ¡°We might have to go back out on a moment¡¯s notice, so maybe spend less time hanging out in the canteen?¡±

    ¡°Thandi, I¡¯ll catch up with you,¡± Kayla said, and caught her friend¡¯s eye.

    Thandi nodded, and left the pair alone.

    Kayla swallowed. She felt ashamed and awkward, but she didn¡¯t have a choice. ¡°I just wanted to apologize for what I said to you on the return trip. It was unprofessional of me to question your motives like that, especially with how much more experience you have.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the ¡®safe life¡¯ thing?¡± Ray laughed. ¡°Everyone knows how you get when you¡¯re in a mood Kayla. I mean, sure it was unprofessional, but I think I¡¯ll get over it.¡±

    The sparkle in her smile reminded Kayla that Ray never really got mad at anyone, and she relaxed a little.

    ¡°You know I always appreciate your insight,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Sometimes I wonder why you weren¡¯t promoted first.¡±

    Ray shrugged. ¡°Maybe I was a colonel and I got punished for a terrible crime. Or maybe leadership¡¯s just not my thing. You¡¯ll never know.¡±

    Kayla chuckled nervously. Their nanite enhancements made them effectively immortal, which meant that nobody really knew anyone¡¯s true age, unless they confessed it. Ray was certainly one of the most capable Rangers in the organization, as far as the gossip went, but nobody could piece together her service record. She knew all about the speculation, and repeatedly made jokes about it. That was one reason amongst many why Kayla liked her so much.

    ¡°Just a word of advice, my darling?¡± Ray added.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°You spend a lot of time hanging out with tier one operators. Don¡¯t forget that to most Rangers they are celebrities¡ªespecially Urtiga. Women who can walk on water. You are starting to give the impression that you have higher priorities than your squad.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t know what to say to that. ¡°I can¡¯t help having friends.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t figured out what a non-commissioned officer is yet, have you?¡± Ray said with another friendly smile.

    Kayla shrugged.

    ¡°Valkyrie may be immortal super soldiers, but it doesn¡¯t mean we aren¡¯t human. Combat is still overwhelming and terrifying. But the one thing every Ranger needs is to look up and see your team leader standing next to you, acting like she knows what she¡¯s doing. And if you don¡¯t see her, you have to believe that she still knows exactly where you are, and what you¡¯re doing, and will be right back to make sure you¡¯re okay. It means things are going to plan. The chaos is under control, and you aren¡¯t going to die alone, ripped to shreds by monsters.¡±

    Ray reached out and gave Kayla¡¯s shoulder a squeeze.

    ¡°Now you for sure know what you¡¯re doing Lance Corporal Barnes. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s any chaos that you can¡¯t find your way through. But you¡¯re missing the second part, and without a team that really believes in you, you¡¯re not a leader.¡±

    Kayla dropped her head. ¡°I really appreciate the advice, Ray. Now I kind of hate myself.¡±

    ¡°Atta-girl. That means you¡¯ll try to figure it out.¡± Ray winked and walked off down the passageway.

 Part 3 - Chapter 6

    Rayker¡¯s consciousness snapped into reality like a ball that had been cracked off a bat. Every nerve in her body was still firing pain signals, and her head throbbed with the worst hangover she had ever experienced.

    She lay still on a carpet of leaves, buried beneath thick tree roots overhanging a fold in the earth. A gentle breeze carried the sounds of resort guests from further down the forested slope. Jasulio¡ªshe remembered from her intensive study of the terrain around the chateau. Fortunately, they wouldn¡¯t venture in her direction. The Helvetic Elite who liked to visit Ambrosia didn¡¯t risk contact with the wild outside of the specially cultivated zones.

    Memory of the impact overtook her senses¡ªthe crushing pressure of icy water suffocating her mind, the panic of waking up as her lungs began to fill. She had crawled onto a rocky bank to vomit the liquid, before diving straight back into the river for the long swim. The effort had nearly killed her, even as she struggled to stay conscious through the pain, but she couldn¡¯t risk her pursuers seeing her falter¡ªrealizing she was vulnerable.

    Now her muscles, torn and frail from the exertion, refused to respond. Her superior healing powers had been pushed to their limit, first by the bullet wounds, still searing hot knives embedded in her flesh, and then by her flight. Even her bone spikes hadn¡¯t regenerated, and they were normally replaced within an hour. For the time being she would have to stay still until she could move again.

    Another image flashed through her thoughts. That girl had appeared again, the same one from the lab on Caldera. She had destroyed Rayker¡¯s fledgling army with the flick of a switch, killing her loyal commander, Captain Reed, in the process. Pain followed that memory, followed by hot rage. A rare wave of grief threatened to drown the other emotions, but she knew too well how to seal that part of her mind off.

    She had often fantasized about the tortures she would inflict on the whelp when she finally caught her, but the attack had left Rayker in shock, badly wounded, and with barely enough time to react. So, she had jumped.

    They had even dared to attack Ambrosia? That fact alone threw out all of her calculations. As far as she knew, only suicidal terrorists had attempted such a feat¡­ or had she been wrong about that too? In any case, while she did not know exactly what kind of force was pursuing her, she knew the look in that girl¡¯s eyes. They wouldn¡¯t stop until she was dead.

    Fortunately, she had gambled that they couldn¡¯t reveal themselves to the world, and that seemed to have paid off. So close to a public bastion of Helvetic luxury, where phones broadcast social vapidity non-stop to a jealous galaxy, she was safe. So long as they believed she could keep running, at least.

    During the night¡¯s swim, she had heard a drone moving about in the canyon. It had searched among the rocks and shore of the river, but she had maintained her hard strokes and left it behind. Now, with the arrival of daylight, she hoped she could recover in peace. Until she was ready.

    A distant flutter of leaves made her carefully turn her head. Pain flared in her neck, then faded. A rabbit was searching the forest floor for something to eat. Welcome to the club, Rayker thought, then dared to hope. She let her body go limp, and slowed her breathing as much as possible.

    With nothing in the area to concern it, the rabbit shuffled a little closer. When it caught her scent, it became curious and wondered over. She was a helpless, wounded animal, no threat to anyone. And of course it would be used to the presence of humans.

    Rayker felt its whiskers brush her neck, but didn¡¯t stir. It moved its way down her body, until it wasn¡¯t far from her hand. Then she moved like lightning, seizing the animal¡¯s legs as it tried to dart away. Ignoring the lightning bolts of agony from her limbs, she brought her other hand up and took hold of its neck, snapping it with a quick twist. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled, and her teeth ripped through the fur into the hot blood and meat beneath. Nothing had ever tasted so good.

    Night was beginning to fall again by the time she could stand up. Her legs were shaky, but she succeeded in walking slowly, avoiding roots and fallen branches as she made her way through the forest to the beach resort. An hour¡¯s observation of the apartments revealed one that could be safely raided. After emptying a fridge of food and swapping her bullet-riddled, blood-stained party dress for reasonably comfortable clothes, she headed towards the beach.

    A carefree couple had left their belongings in the sand while they enjoyed a romantic moonlight swim. Rayka stole a phone, then used a VennZech security code to hard reset the device. Once she was able to activate her own ident, she took a moment to catch up on the news feed.

    A terrorist attack? How fascinating. Whoever had been after her had apparently been too limited to cover up the missile strike that had set her free. That also told her something. The weapon had obviously been activated and fired by her eternally vigilant benefactor, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to enter into contact with him¡ªor her, or it, she was never quite sure¡ªuntil she had moved to a more secure network. Every publicly accessible communication link on Ambrosia was monitored by security. If only they could be so competent monitoring for intruders.

    The real question was, who would have dared attack the luxury planet of the Helvetic elite? And just for her? A group that could disappear into nothing, while the most powerful security service in the galaxy stared helplessly at the shadows.

    It was certainly a bold plan, Rayker acknowledged, and hinted at the desperation of whoever wanted to lay their hands on her. Of course, she had made many enemies over the centuries, but never any so competent. The last of her kind, if they hadn¡¯t already died out, were few and far between. They were a breed of egomaniacs, incapable of co-ordinating anything by the dozen, much less the hundred that would probably have been needed to knock out the chateau¡¯s security force.

    As she sat on the beach and watched the blissfully happy couple frolicking in the waves, Rayker thought back to her defeat on Caldera. They had destroyed her small Special Forces contingent with ease, and quickly overcame the loss of a vessel, brought down by a well-aimed missile. Assailants had penetrated the lab, though she had pinned one angry girl to a pillar with a spike through her arm, only to see her return an hour later ready to take her on again. Unnatural strength, speed, and healing¡ªthese abilities alone had convinced her that none of the League¡¯s forces were responsible. They couldn¡¯t hide that kind of breakthrough from her.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Then again, in the chateau, another young girl had played her like a fiddle. She had been so believably drunk and stupid up until the last moment, when her mind had lost control of her emotions, and Rayker had smelled the fear flowing from her pores.

    Outplayed by mere girls. No doubt she had gotten arrogant in her time outwitting dimwitted mafiosos and corporate hacks.

    She felt the anger grow like a fire inside her. It was not often she experienced defeat, and she didn¡¯t like the taste of it.

    A small pressure in her wrists made her aware that her spikes would soon be ready for use again. Would she kill the unsuspecting couple and leave their bodies on their beach? With the blood-stained dress in the apartment she had robbed, the local authorities would be usefully distracted.

    It would certainly provide her with some entertainment, but as she ruminated on her approach, she stopped and cursed at her shortsightedness. There had been a terrorist attack on the chateau. The murders would be assumed to be connected. They would lock down the entire resort immediately.

    She was obviously still tired. An irritating sensation made her scratch her ribs. Clearly there was a lot more healing needed until she was back on form. Waving goodbye to the oblivious lovebirds, wrapped in each other¡¯s arms as they enjoyed the surf of paradise, Rayker made her way back towards the resort to find a bar. She would drink until she felt nothing, then find herself a billionaire to spend the night with and later extort for a comfortable trip off the planet.

    A few days later, she was safely ensconced in the high-security zone of Raisa station, her full ident, and VennZech privileges restored to her through a new phone. Rayker checked into a spoofed, private connection, and accessed her benefactor¡¯s message service.

    There was only one, dated a few minutes after the missile strike. It was a series of stellar co-ordinates, followed by standard planetary co-ordinates based on degrees of longitude and latitude. A position on the surface of an uncharted planet.

    Not even an enquiry after her health.

    She pulled up an astronomical database and looked to see where she would be going. A star winked out at her, a dozen light years into unexplored space. ZN-19766. A telescope had once noted its location, and it had been largely ignored forever since.

    Rayker trawled through the older astronomy archives looking for anything she could learn. A spectrographic survey revealed the existence of water on a planet suspected of orbiting nearly a light hour from the host star.

    An ice planet, then. Terrific.

    She logged into the VennZech corporate network and sent a message to Joakinn Meissner. He called her almost immediately on a video link, his face pale.

    ¡°Good god, Rayker, where have you been?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°On the run,¡± she said matter of factly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you noticed Meissner, but whoever attacked your chateau was there to kill me.¡±

    She frowned and reached a hand around her side to scratch an irritating sensation beneath her ribs.

    Meissner gawped at her for a moment. ¡°Kill? You? But¡­but they¡¯ve taken Kolar!¡±

    ¡°My, my,¡± Rayker said, as she tapped the screen¡¯s stylus loudly against the desk. ¡°How immensely unfortunate. And your entire security force didn¡¯t notice a thing?¡±

    ¡°No, of course¡ª¡± Meissner froze, and his eyes darted back and forth as though searching for a memory that wasn¡¯t there. Then he turned stony. ¡°Is this a joke to you, Rayker? Our entire research project has collapsed. Billions of credits of investment¡ª¡±

    ¡°When the Roman legionnaires failed as badly as your men have, Meissner, their commanders would single out one of every ten of them, and have his comrades beat him to death.¡± She paused as she let Meissner¡¯s expression sink. ¡°They called it decimation,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious to see if it would still work.¡±

    Meissner stared at her in shocked silence.

    ¡°You are panicking, man,¡± she snapped suddenly. ¡°Get ahold of yourself. Our project is not over, and it does not depend on Kolar. Now, what is this they have been saying about a terrorist attack? Tell me every detail.¡±

    Once stocked with equipment and supplies, Rayker paid a cartel freighter to take her to a backwater port not far from Caldera. Her reputation preceded her and she was not disturbed during the trip. From there, a few private and untraceable transactions secured her passage on a maintenance vessel that was checking in with survey drones in the outer systems. Once they arrived within a few light years of her benefactor¡¯s co-ordinates, she loaded herself into an escape pod and shot out into space.

    The crew, as per their agreement, diligently logged the loss as an accident following a collision.

    The coast through interstellar space lasted several days, which Rayker spent studying events in the galaxy at large. Scanning through the news feeds she noted, with amusement, that VennZech was once again implicated in a scandal involving sex trafficking on Intaba. A government minister had also been named, while a group of activists had arrived on the planet to track down several missing teenagers.

    Rayker rolled her eyes. Intrigue! Scandal! How was it possible that humans were still surprised by their own nature after so many thousands of years of almost constant repetition? As far as she was concerned, everyone was a liar, parading their moral righteousness like a peacock waving its tail.

    But information was rarely useless, so she filed the story away for future interest. A spot beneath her rib felt sore, and she rubbed it while she stared out at the stars and wondered what her benefactor might want with her.

    The Caldera operation had been a miserable failure, while nothing could hold back the inevitable collapse of the bloated, stagnant, and corrupt Helvetic League. Now humanity was in space, the endless project to suppress their freedom was looking more and more like a fool¡¯s errand. There were too many unknowns, and too many directions to keep track of. If she was being honest, she was starting to get bored of the whole thing.

    As far as she knew, her leader and the rest of his ¡®Council of Elders¡¯ held unfathomable power that could not be revealed to humanity at large. Rayker and other willing followers had been endowed with their gifts so that they could steer civilization in the necessary direction. The first tribes, mindwiped by the Elders into superstitious ignorance, had revered them as gods. To a stone age world, that was exactly what they were, and she had almost begun to believe it. How else would you see yourself if you could live forever and destroy entire kingdoms on a whim? And her benefactor had been brilliant, offering her a grand vision of the future and gifting her the tools she needed to bring it about. Was she not serving a force of divinity? Had she truly even been born a human?

    Now, it wasn¡¯t that she was starting to doubt his agenda¡ªobviously humans were a catastrophe waiting to happen all over again. They were barely evolved apes with no self-awareness and an unlimited capacity for destruction. For reasons he hadn¡¯t shared, he didn¡¯t want to annihilate them, and Rayker had to admit that the galaxy couldn¡¯t have been left to her and her fellow deities; the narcissists, and psychopaths they had all been. By contrast, humanity was fun, spontaneous, and endlessly inventive. Rayker had been confident that, with time and guidance, they could attain the wisdom they were lacking.

    But the recent setbacks meant that all was not well with the powers that be. Together with the lack of imagination she had been suspecting in her benefactor, it now appeared that he was ignorant of something of profound importance. Since Caldera, she had begun to put the pieces together. Her failures over the post-Earth centuries had been more than the product of pure chance. The remnants of the great battlefields, forgotten for millennia, were apparently being policed. But by who? And, if her benefactor held the control that he always claimed, for what reason?

    Rayker felt her nerves thrum with energy as she began to consider how she might try and find out.

 Part 3 - Chapter 7

    The planet was indeed frozen, a vast desert of white reaching to the horizon, interrupted only by the ripples of smooth mountain ranges. Rayker touched down as close to the co-ordinates as she could, then trudged through thick snow until she came to a cave-like opening at the base of an ice cliff.

    After spending an hour hacking away with a shovel, Rayker soon discovered a metal wall bordering what looked like a garage entrance. Between the cold, fatigue and aching of her recent wounds, she soon reached the end of her patience, so she banged hard on the surface, and was satisfied by the hollow ringing it caused. The doorway retracted, collapsing heavy chunks of ice, as it revealed a dark hall.

    Lights flickered on revealing a dozen vehicles lined up in ranks, clean and polished as though they had just been manufactured. She wandered through the garage until she saw more lights activating down a hallway that disappeared into the distance.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she called, not really sure what to expect.

    ¡°Hello Allana,¡± a friendly and professional computerized voice replied from speakers embedded in the ceiling. ¡°I am pleased to welcome you to one of my more recent outposts. You will be pleased to hear that it is up to date with the most sophisticated automated weapons and reconnaissance systems.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s eyebrows arched. ¡°And you are¡­?¡±

    ¡°Who I have always been. I am communicating with you through the installation¡¯s artificial intelligence director. I would have liked to offer you a complete tour of this facility, but unfortunately there isn¡¯t time.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s lips curled into a grin. The base AI sounded much more polite than the blunt commandments she was used to receiving, and she wondered if it wasn¡¯t putting its own spin on the translation.

    ¡°Great,¡± she said. ¡°And what am I doing here¡­ dear leader?¡±

    Another group of lights flickered to life in the distance. Rayker followed obediently and, as she walked, scratched at an annoying irritation in her side.

    ¡°I have brought you here to take possession of a small arsenal of combat machines. The situation on Caldera is dire and must be addressed directly.¡±

    Rayker raised her eyebrows. ¡°I thought the council of Elders forbade any direct intervention in human affairs? So you told me.¡±

    ¡°The game has changed. The attack on the Fortress by your unknown aggressor has attracted much attention. Another Elder is suspected of interfering in human affairs. By the laws of the Humanity Pact, any such dissemination of technology, or direct contact, is strictly forbidden. The Counsel is attempting to track down the offender, but in the meantime, their¡­ human agents have occupied the base and are discovering its secrets. The Elders are in agreement that a more overt intervention is a necessity if we are to restore order.¡±

    ¡°And did they ask you what I was doing there in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Indeed they did, Allana.¡±

    Rayker couldn¡¯t help a little smirk every time she heard her first name.

    ¡°I explained,¡± the voice continued, ¡°that following the unfortunate discovery of the mountain site by a lucky climber, you were dispatched there to defuse the situation. They couldn¡¯t argue with my decision. They had hoped that the League would take ownership of the site eventually, but only once the slow absorption of the planet was complete. Unfortunately, the continued resistance of the colonists complicated things.¡±

    Rayker waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Humans. You can¡¯t leave them alone for five seconds or they start getting ideas.¡±

    ¡°I did suggest limited genocide. The tree of humanity is made healthier through regular pruning.¡±

    Rayker blinked. The voice had spoken with the same helpful politeness, but she had no illusions about what her benefactor was capable of. As for herself, she considered murder and torture on the smaller scale to be a good time. The desperate pleading expression of her victims always gave her a thrill. It was a deeply personal experience for both of them. But the disposal of hundreds of thousands of lives like removing trash? She couldn¡¯t explain why, but the idea disturbed her, as though a rotting carcass had been presented as a beloved house pet.

    ¡°That would not have been efficient, or subtle,¡± she said carefully. ¡°The consequences would have been wildly unpredictable.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    ¡°But what would you have done if I had succeeded with my drone army?¡±

    ¡°I would have condemned you as a rogue agent that needed to be stopped. But, since the Elders can only work by discreetly influencing the League, I am confident you would have destroyed any attempt at resistance. The Elders would have been helpless to do anything but watch as you took control of the galaxy.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    There was a short pause, which Rayker decided meant discomfort. He had never been able to acknowledge errors in judgment.

    ¡°But Allana, we must not dwell on the past,¡± the friendly, but monotonous voice droned on. ¡°Please continue to the central station.

    She followed the lights, observing the facility with interest as she passed huge machine halls and assembly lines. Great numbers of automaton had obviously been produced there, but the half empty carts of raw materials hung still from their rails. Skeletons of vehicles or walkers littered the workshops, though the munitions depots lay completely bare.

    ¡°I have arranged for the abandonment of the base,¡± her benefactor intoned, in what appeared to be an attempt at small talk. ¡°Apart from the units I have left for you to collect.¡±

    Rayker stepped out into a spacious command center and stood in admiration of the banks of monitors that oversaw the base¡¯s many systems.

    ¡°You may manage collection and transportation from here,¡± said the voice. ¡°The vehicles you passed on the way will be capable of clearing away the snow covering the docking bay. I took the liberty of reproducing an exact copy of an ageing type-seven Barrochian freighter, which will pass unnoticed through human space. With your renewed relationship with VennZech, you shouldn¡¯t have any trouble setting up on Caldera.¡±

    Rayker sat in an operator chair and pulled a knife from her boot. ¡°Yes, I see,¡± she said.

    She tapped at a keyboard, and the main display showed her a group of bipedal machines waiting in a storage hangar.

    ¡°Very nice design,¡± she added, as she flicked through their datasheets. ¡°Efficient, sophisticated and capable.¡± She sat back and began to trim her nails with the knife. ¡°And am I supposed to attack our new enemy head on with these?¡±

    ¡°They have explored much of the teleportation network on Caldera, and occupied almost all of the installations. However, they have not yet discovered the command site. You will travel there immediately and use your judgement to address the situation. I am sure your mind is already at work imagining how best to use this force.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Rayker placed the knife on a desk and removed her jacket.

    ¡°Our options have become¡­ limited, Allana. We must regain control of Caldera and its fortress.¡±

    ¡°Why? What purpose does it serve?¡±

    ¡°That is difficult to explain. You will have time to familiarize yourself with the installation¡¯s capabilities once you arrive at the command-and-control site.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t simply have explained this to me on my first trip?¡±

    There was a long silence.

    ¡°It would not have helped you in your mission,¡± the robotic voice said eventually. ¡°Instructing you on unnecessary information would have been inefficient and potentially distracting. Please focus your energies on our current problem, Allana. These foreign agents must be neutralized.¡±

    ¡°I once heard a rumor,¡± Rayker said as she picked up the knife again and carefully inspected the blade, ¡°that a small force of the old leaders fled to Caldera at the end of the great war. To shelter and regroup, so it was said.¡±

    There was another long pause. She decided that he might be getting frustrated with her questions, and felt a thrill at the possibility that he might snap.

    ¡°Correct,¡± the voice said. ¡°I killed them.¡±

    Rayker sighed and admired her reflection in the blade. ¡°Because you made a mistake?¡±

    This time the silence dragged on for minutes until she decided she obviously wasn¡¯t going to get anywhere. He wouldn¡¯t argue, debate, or reflect on his decisions, and knew too well that the only thing humans hated above all torments and threats was being ignored.

    Rayker put down the knife again, lifted her shirt and tossed it to one side. Her hand reached for the blade, but she paused. ¡°So, are you at least going to tell me what you know about my hunters?¡±

    ¡°There was suggestion from the counsel,¡± the voice said, ¡°which I have assigned a seventy-six percent probability of accuracy. I am sure you will not like to hear it.¡±

    Rayker cocked her head as she flipped the knife between her fingers. ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°It is the force that your sister created. Resurrected.¡±

    Hot fury poured through her veins like molten lead. Her lips turned into a sneer, and she clenched her jaw. She pushed the knife into the flesh beneath her ribs, and sliced through skin. Blood splashed onto the floor, and she held her breath as agonizing pain drowned out the anger. The knife twisted and probed until she felt resistance, then she let it drop to the floor. She pushed her fingers inside the wound, grunted with effort, then withdrew them, clutching at a torn lump of fat and tissue. Though her gaze went cold with loathing, she placed the bloody mess carefully on the desk.

    ¡°My sister is dead,¡± she said with a gasping voice as she sat back in her chair and let her nanites respond to the improvised surgery. ¡°Whatever was left of her pathetic rabble was hunted down and destroyed.¡±

    ¡°You know perfectly well there is insufficient evidence to confirm that hypothesis,¡± the voice said. ¡°Your judgement in this matter is clouded.¡±

    Rayker snorted in contempt. She held up her arm and pushed a bone spike slowly out through the skin of her wrist, letting the pain displace the agony from her side for a brief moment of relief. Then she aimed at a distant monitor. The spike crossed the intervening space in an instant, shattering the screen. The expense of rage brought its own anesthetic effect.

    She watched the flesh seal itself back over the cavity and felt a little respite from the emotional tidal wave that had consumed her. The blood from her side had already stopped flowing as her body repaired itself.

    ¡°Are there capable defenses in the base?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Does the system have a minefield?

    ¡°A very sparse array that covers only the galactic ecliptic¡ª¡±

    ¡°Activate any units nearest to my trajectory of arrival.¡±

    There was a short silence. ¡°It has been done.¡±

    Rayker replaced her shirt and jacket and reached for her phone. ¡°Meissner,¡± she began as the call connected, ¡°please listen¡ªI have news. There is a location on Caldera¡­ Meissner, stop being such a child and listen to what I have to say.¡±

    She held the phone a short distance away from her ear until the yelling stopped.

    When she replaced the device, she spoke quickly. ¡°All will be explained in time, I promise you, but you must do as I ask as quickly as possible. I want you to find me whichever freighter you currently have docked at Intaba. Send it to the following co-ordinates immediately at its fastest speed. Once that¡¯s done, come and meet me in Rackeye, and we will discuss how I will make you the most powerful man in the League.¡±

    She clicked off the call.

    ¡°I told you there was a transport already prepared. Is this a new strategy you have envisaged?¡± the voice asked.

    ¡°Call it an injection of chaos,¡± Rayker said.

 Part 3 - Chapter 8

    ¡°He¡¯s making this turn.¡±

    Gareth ¡®Gaz¡¯ Slake watched the unmarked white van veer off down a side street ahead. He checked his side mirror, tapped the indicator, and steered the vehicle over into the turning lane. The atmosphere inside the SUV remained calm as the other men checked their weapons. Further down the road, the team¡¯s lead car accelerated to find another turning, so it could circle back into contact with their quarry.

    The van came back into view as Gaz span the wheel.

    ¡°Street ends at a warehouse,¡± his earpiece buzzed. ¡°This could be it.¡±

    He slowed the vehicle to a stop by the side of the road, and couldn¡¯t stop his eyes flickering down to the photos he had pinned to the dash. Five hopeful teenage faces stared back at him.

    ¡°He¡¯s going in,¡± said the radio. ¡°All call-signs; Yorktown.¡±

    A clatter of metal disturbed the quiet of the SUV as rifle bolts racked bullets into their chambers. Gaz reached for his own weapon by his leg and pulled on the charging handle. In the near distance, the white van disappeared into the building.

    ¡°Alpha, block the garage entrance. Bravo take the west loading bay.¡±

    Gaz placed his thumb on a switch concealed beneath his jacket. ¡°Copy that.¡± He donned the helmet passed to him by his fellow former marine, Sal Matuidi, then readied his foot on the accelerator. ¡°Alpha is set.¡±

    ¡°All call-signs, I have control.¡±

    The tail had begun that morning in the slumbering streets of Intaba¡¯s capital city. Working from documents leaked by an ally in law enforcement, the group had needed two weeks to build up a picture of the starport¡¯s trafficking network. Then, one of VennZech¡¯s key contractors had gotten lazy and hinted on an unsecured call that he was ready to make a ¡®special¡¯ pickup. The operation had been planned at lightning speed before Gaz and the other shooters were jumping into vehicles.

    Driving just over the legal speed limit, they had closed on the truck depot known to be connected to VennZech¡¯s illegal operations. The caller had arrived after sunrise, been positively identified, and had steered his transport out into the light traffic, apparently without a care in the world.

    Since the electronic intercept the night before, Gaz had shut out all his concerns about the world, his messy personal life, and the group¡¯s questionable legal status on Intaba. He had taken pains to suppress all his doubts, fears, good memories and bad, to focus on the mission.

    Now he didn¡¯t have to. His whole existence congealed into the vehicle, the men by his side, the warehouse ahead, and the weapon at his leg.  Beyond that there was nothing.

    The earpiece buzzed again. ¡°Standby, standby... Execute!¡±

    Gaz sensed the others coil like snakes and he pushed the accelerator down to the floor. Ahead, a flimsy chain link gate closed the warehouse off from the street. The SUV smashed through, and the tires screeched as they brought it to a stop by the entrance.

    He waited as the doors popped open and his passengers dismounted. They used the vehicle as cover while they scanned the yard for threats. A smatter of snaps in the near distance broke the silence¡ªBravo team making contact.

    Sal turned back to Gaz, but as he raised his thumb a pair of craters erupted on the windshield. A silenced carbine whipped around and snapped off four shots. The silence returned, and Sal raised his thumb again, this time accompanied by an apologetic smile. Gaz span the SUV around, returning to the smashed entrance gate where he positioned it to block the exit.

    He grabbed his rifle, jumped out and raced to catch up with the team as they entered the warehouse.

    Sal and the others were already inside, mounting a stairwell as Gaz caught up. They moved quickly but kept their muzzles trained on every opening, ready for a threat. When they stepped off the warehouse¡¯s upper walkway into the offices, bullets exploded the wall around them. Sal gasped and sank to the floor.

    Almost out of sight around the corner, a terrified security guard was pointing his pistol at them. Gaz stepped through the doorway and flicked his carbine across the target, not even aligning the weapon¡¯s holo-sight as he snatched at the trigger. A round caught the guard in the hip, and another punched through his chest. He collapsed in a heap and lay motionless.

    Gaz reached down to check his friend as the two others pushed past them, moving quickly to the end of the corridor.

    ¡°Sal? Talk to me.¡±

    ¡°Got it in the leg, Gaz.¡±

    His eyes were saucers as he watched Gaz feel around for the wound.

    ¡°Okay, yeah. It¡¯s clean through the thigh. Not too much bleeding.¡±

    Sal¡¯s eyes closed and he sighed. ¡°Keep going, I can bandage it.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°All good, brother. Go finish it.¡±

    Gaz caught up with the others and they cleared the rest of the warehouse, killing anyone else who resisted and restraining those who surrendered. Once the call was made that the structure was clear, Gaz raced back to check up on Sal. He was a little dopey after the self-administered ketamine shot, but the bandage looked good, and he kept enough presence of mind to offer criticism.

    ¡°Won¡¯t find anything around me!¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Unless I¡¯m sat on a bad guy.¡±

    Then his expression turned to one of alarm, but he quickly calmed, and began chuckling to himself.

    Gaz shook his head, and returned to the rest of the team to help search the structure. As usual, the obvious places¡ªthe bunk rooms, kitchen or offices¡ªcontained nothing of interest. Following his instinct, Gaz made for the basement. A janitor¡¯s office caught his eye, and as he pushed open the door into the dark, musky room, his earpiece buzzed again.

    ¡°Police call has been made,¡± a female voice said. ¡°Reports of a disturbance. A patrol car has been dispatched, but he isn¡¯t hurrying.¡±

    ¡°Copy that, Rook. Do you have a location?¡± the voice of their controller replied.

    ¡°Passing sixth street. ETA ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Bravo one, take your vehicle around to the main entrance. All elements, that is your extraction point.¡±

    ¡°Alpha one copies,¡± Gaz said and flicked a light switch on the wall. He scanned the office, noting the clutter of a lazy occupant, while his teammate¡¯s acknowledgements buzzed in his ear.

    A closet door rested in the far corner, and Gaz moved over to it. The handle stuck, but the keys hung from a nail by the desk, and he tried each of them until the lock clicked open.

    He reached for his flashlight, and caught his breath as the beam played over pale white, then dark brown skin. Two faces¡ªa boy¡¯s and a girl¡¯s¡ªmet his gaze with fear as they huddled against the wall, their arms cuffed to a pipe.

    Gaz recognized them from the photographs, but their cheeks had hollowed, and their eye sockets looked grey. The bright t-shirts were now dark with filth and a few blood stains. Their eyes seemed devoid of light.

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    Gaz thumbed his radio switch and spoke softly. ¡°This is Alpha one¡ªJackpot. Basement, North-East corner¡ªjanitor¡¯s office.¡±

    Without approaching the pair, he knelt down on the ground and smiled.

    ¡°Geroff, Esther?¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m really happy I found you. Your parents sent me to take you home. Geroff, your mom says that Zipper had puppies and really misses you. Esther, your brother John¡¯s been watering your desert cacti for you.¡±

    The eyes blinked, but their owners didn¡¯t move. They flinched when a woman entered the office, banging the desk as she rushed in.

    ¡°Awesome, Gaz,¡± she said, a little out of breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got this.¡±

    Gaz got up and moved away as his teammate Rita¡ªchild psychologist, and combat medic¡ª dropped to her knees in his place. She moved slowly, gently pushing closer to them while she explained in a soothing voice, what was going to happen, and where they were going to be taken before they could see their parents again. When she finally touched their shoulders, the sobbing began.

    Gaz turned away and thumbed his mic. ¡°We¡¯re going to need the boltcutter.¡±

    ¡°Two weeks until I can walk again,¡± Sal said as he sat in the car at the edge of the starport¡¯s loading area. The door was open, and they were facing the landing pad where a shuttle had just touched down.

    ¡°It¡¯s cool mate,¡± Gaz said, leaning on the roof of the vehicle. ¡°You¡¯re little enough that I can carry you around on my shoulders.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great, thanks bro. Actually, I need to take a shit, so if you would oblige...¡±

    Gaz smiled and shook his head.

    On the landing pad, the shuttle¡¯s passenger door opened, and a wide-eyed woman stepped out followed by a blank-faced man. The SUV popped its doors and Esther stepped out onto the tarmac. Her mother sank to her knees as her father raced over to embrace her.

    Gaz liked to watch the reunions. When he saw the joy of a life restored, his own anger softened. He liked to think that each rescue chipped away a piece of his cold hatred for whatever god or universal force had decided he would never get to experience the same thing.

    He sighed. ¡°Good feeling,¡± he said, and tried to find a way to mean it.

    Sal nodded, but didn¡¯t smile. ¡°Two. Out of ten thousand a year.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fixate on the numbers, mate. You¡¯ll lose yourself doing that.¡±

    ¡°And four dead bodies.¡±

    Gaz sniffed. ¡°Does that bother you?¡±

    Sal shrugged. ¡°Not that they died. They knew what was going on in that basement. But bodies mean trouble.¡±

    ¡°Nothing the boss can¡¯t handle.¡±

    ¡°This is going to catch up with us eventually.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Gaz slapped the car roof. ¡°But it¡¯s been worth it. You know, when we got out of the Marine Corps I was struggling to find a direction. Now I wake up every morning knowing what I have to do.¡±

    Sal gave him a skeptical look. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly call this moving on.¡±

    ¡°Well. One step at a time, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Earlier you mentioned something about the truck?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. The driver was a less than diligent employee of the shipping company, and had his travel plans on his phone. Turns out he had booked himself onto one of VennZech¡¯s freighters, bound for Caldera.¡±

    Sal looked up at him in surprise. ¡°Are you serious? That¡¯s huge.¡±

    Gaz could only offer a disappointed shake of his head. ¡°Afraid not. Turns out the ship jumped out a few hours before our man¡¯s call was intercepted. No-one in the head-shed has any idea why, and gossip says that it dropped completely off the cluster¡¯s traffic control logs.¡±

    Sal scratched his stubbly jaw thoughtfully. ¡°Probably someone tipped off the corpos and they wanted to destroy the evidence. Though it doesn¡¯t make sense to me that they would forget to call off the pickup.¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Either way, Caldera is our only lead to find the others.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess. What¡¯s the turnaround time?¡±

    ¡°Couple of weeks,¡± Gaz said. ¡°Caldera might be the wild west, but Rackeye is territory of the Helvetic League. You know how their die-hard believers set themselves up as missionaries on every new planet?¡±

    Sal chuckled. ¡°Yeah, hence why the colonists gave the first settlement that name.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°French for scum.¡±

    Gaz laughed. ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°I think so, though I¡¯m not fluent.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, it will take the boss time to build covers and make connections. Long enough for you to heal. Unfortunately, we got a call from a new client this morning; three more faces to add to the list.¡±

    Sal rubbed his eyes and stared into the distance. ¡°Stellar.¡±

    They looked around as the whine of a car engine pierced the air. A blacked-out limousine raced up the taxiway and screeched to a halt right next to them. Out of the car stepped Dumi Sifiso, Intaba¡¯s deputy chief of police.

    ¡°Where he is?¡± Sifiso snapped. ¡°Your boss? Take me to him immediately.¡±

    Gaz maneuvered himself to block the irate man as another officer joined them. He kept his smile friendly, but his hands raised, palms out.

    ¡°Easy there, fella. Sanchez is talking with a family right now. Why don¡¯t you give them a moment?¡±

    Sifiso glanced over at the shuttle, but relented. ¡°I want you¡ªall of your people¡ªoff Intaba as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I just received a visit from a VennZech representative. He wanted to know why I haven¡¯t put a stop to some of the¡­ attacks on their buildings. When I gave him the usual line about gang violence, he rejected it.¡±

    Gaz¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Another four dead workers? It looks like a lot more than coincidence. He was angry. Said that there were accusations of corruption being levelled at my office.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve weathered that before.¡±

    ¡°He threatened my family!¡±

    Gaz clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Well maybe we can go and visit his.¡±

    Sifiso spat on the ground. ¡°Frontier Marines. You¡¯re a gang, and that¡¯s all you are. A bunch of washed-up has-beens clinging on to some forgotten dogma. And now you¡¯ve made too many enemies.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re panicking. I¡¯m sure Sanchez will figure something out.¡±

    Sifiso smiled. ¡°He won¡¯t need to. Because you¡¯ll be gone, or I¡¯ll have you arrested and charged with murder.¡±

    Gaz stepped to one side. ¡°You see over there. The fourteen-year-old? See her parent¡¯s faces?¡±

    ¡°Fourteen? That¡¯s a nice number. Here¡¯s another for you. Ten thousand. Ten thousand people, adults, and children are trafficked through this starport every year. Then there are the drugs, the smugglers, and everything else that goes on behind the scenes. And what do you think the galaxy wide total is?¡±

    Gaz let his bitterness stew in silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much,¡± Sifiso said, and his voice softened. ¡°The payoffs aren¡¯t working anymore. I¡­¡± he stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t regret helping your cause, but it¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Gaz raised said, raising his voice. ¡°You look out for number one, mate. Keep it within the comfort zone. Wouldn¡¯t want to mess with the old boy network, would we? And won¡¯t someone please think of the paychecks?¡±

    Sifiso¡¯s face darkened. ¡°It¡¯s easy, I think, for a young man with no family and no community to support to say these things. To live in fantasy, rather than confront reality.¡±

    ¡°No community? Look around, I got mine right here, and I¡¯ll have no problem keeping them safe, no matter who tries to get in the way.¡±

    ¡°Gaz,¡± Sal called in a warning tone.

    In the near distance, another, much less expensive vehicle drove up and Gaz recognized the plate. He scowled at Sifiso. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve got a client to attend to. And you¡¯d just better pray they¡¯ve already taken her child off the planet.¡±

    He almost wanted to punch himself for such an unbelievably stupid comment, but enraged pride kept pushing him forward. Shoving his way past the chief, he left Sal, now hobbling onto the tarmac on crutches, to do damage control. Not that Gaz cared. If Sanchez really was looking to move on to Caldera, leaving a few burnt bridges behind was something he could live with.

    Gaz took a deep breath and tried to decelerate. He opened the car door and slid into the front passenger seat. Behind the wheel, a middle-aged woman stared at him through eyes clouded by exhaustion. Her hair was a frayed mess, while reddened, irritated skin tinged her nose and eyes.

    ¡°How are you doing Ntsika?¡± he asked as gently as he could.

    She ignored the question and nodded to the plane on the tarmac. ¡°I heard about the rescue this morning. Is that them?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°They must be very happy.¡±

    Her voice was both bitter and sympathetic. Gaz remembered when he had felt those same contradictory emotions. Now he only felt a predator¡¯s hunger.

    ¡°They have happiness and pain,¡± he said. ¡°A lot of pain to heal from, but a lot of hope as well.¡±

    Ntsika sniffed and nodded. ¡°My cousin works for the attorney¡¯s office. He told me you would be kicked off Intaba.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, unfortunately,¡± Gaz said. ¡°But we have a lead pointing us to Caldera. We¡¯ll be heading there as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± She picked a tissue out of the door and played with it. The movements had obviously become an unconscious habit.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time, now, Ntsika. Once we start to get leads, we always run them down. Wherever they took your daughter, we will find her.¡±

    She smiled at him, and he knew immediately that it was an expression of pity for his naivety.

    ¡°I think,¡± she said, ¡°that the worst thing about you people, is that you keep offering hope. It is more painful than moving on.¡±

    Gaz said farewell and left the car. While he watched the vehicle drive off the tarmac, he took a portrait photo out of his pocket and looked into the eyes of young Milani Mayosi. She had been a basketball player, hoping to study architecture. A lot like his sister when they had taken her, though she had preferred swimming.

    He had been deployed when it happened. The Marines had given his life a greater meaning; serving the good of the League. But after eight years, he was forced to question what service they had rendered, holding back endless tribal conflicts while the Helvet governors only stewed the corrupt, incompetent mess. Meanwhile, the truly innocent, even his own family, were being preyed on by monsters.

    Some nights the drink reminded him that tearful reunions meant nothing. What he really wanted was the excuse to kill evil men. To leave their bodies behind to inflict fear in their masters. Perhaps some of them would have nightmares as they imagined him coming for them too.

    Milani would be rescued; he had no doubts about that. Sanchez had been a brilliant intelligence officer, and Caldera was so far beyond the League¡¯s authority they could operate almost with impunity. But his sister would never come home, wherever she was, dead or alive. He could only avenge her, and that he could do with extreme prejudice.

 Part 3 - Chapter 9

    Kayla leaned out over the open ramp of her dropship and watched the gentle folds of white mountain ranges drift past, nearly two dozen miles below. Like the rest of the Rangers on board, her white and gray pattern combat suit was fully sealed to protect her from the rarified atmosphere and extreme cold. Several miles below her feet, a black fighter circled lazily as it led the slower transport vessels.

    Days of gear maintenance, training and boredom had been violently interrupted when the Banshee crashed to a stop, alarms blaring and loudspeakers instructing all hands to brace for impact. The news quickly spread that a minefield had suddenly activated ahead of them, blocking their approach into the system that held their target.

    The Rangers waited impatiently while Smyrna debated with the Task Force¡¯s officers. A drone was dispatched, and gossip turned to cold hard fact as its findings were passed down the chain. Rayker appeared to be holed up in an underground base, possibly a construction plant, that once again had not been on any of Valkyrie¡¯s charts.

    Then the news broke of a VennZech-contracted freighter inbound from Intaba. Rumors flew fast. The ship was loaded with mercenaries, and Rayker wanted a pitched battle. Or the ship was supposed to transport her and a new army off the planet, while a Jotnar fleet jumped in to protect her escape.

    At this point, Smyrna deferred to Valkyrie¡¯s governing chiefs. The crew of the Banshee watched the planet like hawks while two more ships, the Sir¨¨ne, and the Erinys raced out to join them, packed with the Rangers of Winter Battalion.

    By the time the freighter was preparing to leave the foreboding new site¡ªlogged as delta-three-alpha in the Valkyrie archive¡ªa plan had formed, and the force had maneuvered forward to attack. Rayker¡¯s tracker had winked out right before the vessel climbed to orbit, and when that was announced, a chill passed through the ranks of the assembled warriors.

    Their prey had signaled that she was ready for them.

    The entirety of Orbital Demolition Team Four assembled on the Sir¨¨ne and prepared to capture the freighter as it left the system. Meanwhile, the Raiders and Rangers moved to assault the base, hidden beneath its shield of snow and ice.

    Even with the air superiority of nine Shrike fighters and two orbital gunships, Smyrna had no appetite to take the risks they had faced in their first operation on Caldera. No dropship would go anywhere near the target. Instead, the Rangers would jump in below the horizon, then navigate across the eerie, smooth landscape.

    And for Kayla, thrilled for the final confrontation, and always enamored of the terror brought on by too much altitude, that was just fine.

    ¡°Thirty seconds,¡± a call came through her headset from the pilots.

    Kayla¡¯s heart leaped. She hadn¡¯t gotten much sleep over the thirty-six hours of the assault¡¯s preparation, but adrenaline flushed her fatigue away. She was going to have a great time, and at the end of it, kill Rayker.

    Turning away from the exhilarating view, she went to check on her fire team as they queued up behind her on the ramp. Ray was humming a tune behind her faceplate, whilst Tian and Yak appeared to be staring at nothing.

    Kayla held up a fist. ¡°Ready to destroy evil?¡± she sent through the squad commlink.

    Tian banged her fist in return while Yak only nodded calmly. Kayla snuck a peek at Thandi, further back with Kes. She was never one for heights, but she seemed focused.

    A red light illuminated above the ramp, and Kayla shuffled forward. Between her armor, weapons, rucksack, main chute, and reserve chute, she weighed over two hundred pounds. For her nanite enhanced body it was still an uncomfortable, but manageable weight. She almost bounced on her toes as the red light hung placidly over her head.

    When it turned green, she leapt out over the white landscape without a second¡¯s hesitation.

    As she began to tumble, she twisted her neck to see the dropship vanishing to a dot, while small white forms drifted like snowflakes above her¡ªthe rest of the Rangers in the chalk.

    Soon the accelerating air currents allowed her to straighten out and orient along her trajectory. Her visor¡¯s electronic display showed a dark gray marker, three thousand feet below, against the endless white desert; the drop zone. From there, they would have to travel a hundred miles to reach the base, and begin the assault.

    Preliminary scans from stealth drones had suggested that the complex was the size of a small city. Even with the addition of the Winter Ranger battalion, the operation¡¯s commanders had estimated they would need several days to clear the place.

    Whilst Kayla¡¯s platoon had jumped as two chalks to the south of the base, the force had structured the assault around several potential entrances. Once contact was made, the gunships would rain destruction down on the remaining suspected openings, and even if Rayker did make it out, a small swarm of drones were waiting to provide total surveillance of the area. If she was on the escaping freighter, the ODT team would catch her there.

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    The noose was in place. All the Valkyrie had to do was draw it tight.

    The weather was calm, and the platoon landed smoothly. Kayla quickly checked that her Rangers were fine before she joined Kes.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± the squad leader said quietly after listening on the radio. ¡°A corporal in Winter had a main chute problem, and the reserve failed. She burned in.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. It was a dangerous job, though their enhanced bodies were able to handle a fall from any altitude through a sufficiently dense atmosphere, provided they landed on something soft. All Valkyrie had to jump out of a plane without a chute to pass Ranger school, but for an hour after the impact, Kayla had regretted surviving it.

    ¡°How is she doing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Non-ambulatory,¡± Kes replied. ¡°They¡¯re keeping a few extra bodies with her while she heals. Apart from that, the op is a go.¡±

    Lieutenant Akane signaled to the surrounding platoon, and they broke out the cross-country skis they had strapped to their packs. Soon, they were moving quickly through the snow, walking uphill, then racing off the crests and along the flats. They, and the other elements of the force, reached their objectives within hours.

    Kayla watched the distant mounds as she lay in the snow atop a ridgeline. The assault force was still maneuvering into position, and the squad kept the distant entrance under close observation. Expecting close quarters combat, she hadn¡¯t taken a scope for her carbine, instead preferring a lower magnification holosight. Through a small pair of binoculars, she studied what appeared to be the entrance to an underground garage over a mile away. No vehicles were visible, but there had been a recent collapse of snow around the large opening, while tracks led off in the direction of other mounds that formed more of the base.

    ¡°Lots of activity recently,¡± she said in a low voice.

    Off to her side, Ray chuckled. ¡°I hope you¡¯re all ready for a fun day.¡±

    Kayla smiled wryly. Ashna Rai Bharath was nicknamed for a nasty scar across her neck, the result of a defensive laser that came within a millisecond of decapitating the spirited woman. It was a memory she also liked to describe as a ¡®fun day¡¯.

    Kayla crawled back down the ridge¡¯s reverse until she came to Thandi, who was carrying the light machine gun for Kes¡¯ fire team.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Nothing really,¡± Thandi replied. ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of caves in the ground. No way to know what¡¯s down there until we go in.¡±

    Kes scooted across the line of Rangers to join them. ¡°The briefing said it¡¯s an uncharted site, so it could be literally anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get that Caldera vibe again,¡± Thandi said.

    Kes cocked her head. ¡°Did you ever own of those super cute tiny dogs? Like a Jack Russell?¡±

    Thandi raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean the little psychopaths that like to pick a fight with literally every other living thing?¡±

    Kes chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s them. I owned a couple. If you¡¯re out for a walk and they see a hole in the ground, they dive in like a crack addict going for his stash.¡±

    ¡°Cos they¡¯re terriers,¡± Kayla noted. ¡°Hunting dogs bred small, to go into the burrows of foxes or vermin.¡±

    ¡°The country girl gets it,¡± Kes said. ¡°And the awesome thing about a burrow is that it often contains a mama trying to protect her babies. So, she¡¯s going straight to eleven on the rage scale, and anything that sticks its face in there better be ready to have it ripped off. Pure up-front aggression is the only thing that will get you through an experience like that.¡±

    Thandi thought for a moment. ¡°Do you think Rayker¡¯s in there protecting her eggs?¡±

    Kayla chuckled quietly.

    ¡°She¡¯s brooding over them right now,¡± Thandi continued, ¡°while she preens her mandibles and rubs her front legs together. Lord that woman is a special kind of demon.¡±

    Lyna tossed a snowball at her. ¡°I really wish you hadn¡¯t said that,¡± she said glumly.

    There was a moment of silence while the squad reflected. Kayla had a deep scar on her right bicep, where Rayker¡¯s bone spike had pinned her to a concrete pillar. It began to itch.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Lyna said hopefully, ¡°but we have the element of surprise, so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Kayla interrupted. ¡°She pulled the tracker out. She knows what¡¯s coming, and she¡¯s had plenty of time to prepare for us.

    ¡°Find your eleven, girls, and get ready to stay there indefinitely,¡± Kes said.

    ¡°Thandi, did you pray?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Like, once a minute since we left the ship.¡±

    ¡°Ah well,¡± she squeezed her friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine then.¡±

    She glanced up as a shape popped up over the horizon opposite the target¡ªa low-flying Shrike fighter. They would prep the area for the initial assault, then return to orbit when the Rangers went inside. Fat lot of good they would be after that.

    A deafening screech followed the passage overhead of a pair of anti-ground missiles, straight into the garage door ahead. The first tore a ragged hole through the metal for the second to pass unhindered, and destroy anything that waited on the other side. Flames and smoke belched up into the sky while the Shrike circled for another pass. With a sound like the sky being ripped open, the fighter¡¯s rotary cannon spat a hundred high velocity, explosive shells into the now hellish maw.

    The silence that followed was filled seconds later by the whistle of mortars from the company¡¯s weapons platoon. Smoke rounds burst around the base¡¯s mounds, filling the air with an invisible haze.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lieutenant Akane called, and the mass of waiting Rangers surged forward, guided by their infra-red vision towards the breach point.

    Kayla¡¯s legs hammered through the thick snow, enhanced muscles pushing her across the mile distance quickly. Even so, her thigh¡¯s burned with acid by the end while she panted for breath. It was an endless struggle; super strength could take them further, with more weight, in less time. Pain was the only limit.

    When they reached the garage opening, they took no chances. Kayla motioned to Yak, who tossed a thermobaric grenade inside. The weapon¡¯s shockwave, produced a deadly overpressure that easily flowed through the structure.

    Even behind cover, Kayla felt the blast wave like a punch to the head. Then she led the way inside, climbing over the sheared wreckage as fast as she dared, with the rest of the squad in close pursuit. Their weapons played over twisted metal debris, lingering on nooks and crannies as they scanned for any sign of a hidden enemy.

 Part 3 - Chapter 10

    The base was dark, so, once clear of the smoke, the squad switched over to night vision. They moved through the walkways past the garage, until they were confident the area was clear.

    Second squad moved ahead to watch the passages that lead further into the complex interior, and Lieutenant Akane called the team leaders together. She was joined by one of their support personnel, a member of Valkyrie¡¯s combat engineering teams, who carried a heavy looking backpack.

    As the Rangers gathered around, they saw her withdrawing a small collection of drones and laying them out on the floor. She played with a control pad, and they buzzed to life one by one, taking off into the dark recesses of the base.

    ¡°Survey drones,¡± explained Akane. ¡°They¡¯ll use echolocation to generate a complete map of the facility as we move. Most Jotnar combat drones aren¡¯t equipped to pick up high frequency sounds, but if one does go down, that will tell us something new. Corporal Rudaski?¡± She turned to Kes.

    ¡°There¡¯s a ton of connecting halls right around this garage,¡± Kes explained. ¡°It¡¯s probably a maintenance shop for the bases¡¯ vehicles. I think we have a lot of room clearing ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°You happy to take point?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Great. The whole force is generating maps and the system will piece them together, and distribute them to your HUDs. Call in your position at regular intervals. We could easily get lost in this place.¡±

    With that, first squad got back to their feet, and Kayla led them forward into the darkness.

    She felt excited and alert, and was pieing her corners with perfect form, her weapon snapping around as she scanned for threats amid the maze of halls and machines. The rest of the squad followed behind, filling in the angles and keeping her covered as she moved.

    Further into the base they found storehouses stacked with components, and assembly lines manned by unmoving robots. Rail tracks and sky cranes ran everywhere. The Rangers flowed through the complex environment in the calculated dance of close quarters battle, one of the skills they drilled constantly when not deployed.

    It was a series of problems Kayla had to solve quickly and constantly. When she entered a new hall, should she move left, or right? Should she keep her body oriented towards the space of a large workshop, or in the direction of an upcoming corridor? She might be a quick shot, but she would always be faster if she faced the direction of highest probable threat¡ªusually any unscanned space. But there were new openings branching off every which way.

    The platoon¡¯s other squads moved with them, locking down their sectors as the area was cleared. Kayla¡¯s mind fell into the groove that rigorous training gave her easily enough, but the flow of information was constant, and she couldn¡¯t risk even a second¡¯s inattention.

    All this with the prospect of coming face to face with a combat drone¡¯s weapon around the next corner.

    The work took them more than an hour, and when Kes called them to stop and take up protective positions so they could rest, Kayla felt herself sag with relief.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting tired Barnes,¡± Kes observed.

    ¡°Vipers don¡¯t get tired,¡± Kayla objected. But the adrenaline of the assault had worn off, and she was starting to feel her lack of sleep like a heavy weight around her neck.

    ¡°Uhuh. Ray will take point from here onwards, and you can switch back in later.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t protest.

    They sipped water and munched on snacks as the platoon held the position. Kes spent time listening to the radio traffic from the battalion net.

    ¡°It sounds like this whole base is one big, automated plant,¡± she said eventually. ¡°There are loading bays for bringing in raw materials, and transit lanes for shipping things back and forth.¡±

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Lyna added. ¡°These warehouses are full of spare parts. And everything in here has a machine to move it and attach it somewhere. It¡¯s automated maintenance. The civilian world would dream of building factories like this, but they don¡¯t have the tech to remove humans from the process, yet.¡±

    ¡°So, there¡¯s no sign of life?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Kes observed.

    ¡°Did you ever see anything like this before?¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± Kes said, with a concerned expression. ¡°Ray, you?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Ray said. ¡°Active construction of Jotnar tech was not a possibility yesterday. But today we have an entire base built for it? On an unremarkable ice planet too, so it¡¯s nice and hidden while it works away. It¡¯s a little concerning.¡±

    ¡°All the shapes are different too,¡± Kes said. ¡°Different machines, different layout. Everything looks¡­ sexier, for want of a better word. It¡¯s like an evolution.¡±

    ¡°This is a fun conversation,¡± Kayla remarked.

    ¡°Oh, I bet Rayker left us all kinds of new surprises to play with,¡± Ray said with a wink.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for the nightmare fuel, Ray,¡± Lyna added. ¡°How about we change the subject?¡±

    ¡°Hey, did I ever tell you about the Trung sisters?¡± Tian asked. ¡°Two military leaders from the history of Vietnam?¡±

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    ¡°Don¡¯t think so,¡± Kes said. ¡°But now¡¯s a good time for a morale boost.¡±

    ¡°To make a long story short,¡± Tian continued to the attentive squad, ¡°Vietnam was occupied by Chinese oppressors. The governor executed some noblemen on suspicion of fomenting rebellion. These two sisters, Nhi and Trac, took over, lead the destruction of the Chinese garrison, and waged a war for independence.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Kayla said, as the others nodded in agreement. ¡°Woman-power, throwing off the shackles of colonizers. The Chinese empire really got put in their place, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Nah, not really,¡± Tian said as she tore open another energy bar. ¡°They won the war, and the sisters were both beheaded.¡±

    She chewed thoughtfully as the squad absorbed this information in silence.

    ¡°That was a lame-ass story, Tian,¡± Lyna observed eventually.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Tian said with an expression of disappointment. ¡°They led a glorious and heroic defense of the motherland. Their names passed into legend. What more do you want?¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Lyna said. ¡°The heroines surviving and living happily ever after?¡±

    Tian snorted with laughter. ¡°No, that¡¯s never a thing in Asian history.¡±

    ¡°Tian,¡± Kes said as she rubbed her eyes. ¡°You are forbidden from morale raising attempts until this op is over.¡±

    After the short break, and with the vehicle maintenance area cleared, the platoon began to push further into the base¡¯s interior. Transportation tunnels branched away in different directions, and Akane was forced to start splitting the squads.

    ¡°Drop your radio beacons as you go,¡± she cautioned Kes. ¡°Keep checking in.¡±

    This time, Kes¡¯s fire team led the squad, with Kayla bringing up the rear. They followed a tram line for a hundred yards, investigated a delivery car stacked with components, and exited the tunnel where a station opened up into another long hallway.

    The squad was moving alone, with Lyna on point, when Kes stopped their advance to give a location update.

    ¡°Entering uh¡­ hall echo-three,¡± she said, her head rotating slightly as her eyes scanned the holographic map that was projected in her vizor¡¯s HUD.

    ¡°Copy two-one, you are at echo three,¡± Sergeant Reyes¡¯ cool voice responded.

    ¡°Kes, check it out,¡± Lyna beckoned softly, and the corporal moved towards her to see where she was pointing. A narrow exit seemed to let out onto a larger open space.

    Kayla activated the map and took stock of their situation. ¡°Hey,¡± she hissed from behind them. ¡°Shut off your helmet lights.¡±

    The Rangers were in night vision mode, but the base was so dark they still had to use low energy settings on their helmet torches to give the sensors something to work with.

    ¡°What?¡± Lyna said back in confusion. ¡°Then we can¡¯t see a thing.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a huge space on the other side of that opening,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°Anything in there with low-light sensors will be able to pinpoint us easily. Why don¡¯t we use an illumination drone instead?¡±

    ¡°But it will cast shadows,¡± Kes insisted. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to see everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and an enemy will have the same problem.¡±

    Kes nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I agree. Squad¡ªlights off, break out an illumer.¡±

    Lyna quietly dropped her pack and withdrew an aircraft the size of a small bird. She controlled it with a handheld device, and watched its camera feed through her vizor. It drifted into the space ahead, and the dim light spread to reveal an area larger than a sports stadium.

    Thandi pointed to a raised assembly bench in the center of the space. ¡°I think we found the point of this place,¡± she said.

    On the bench a large humanoid form lay still. It appeared to be half-finished, though to Kayla, using the limited zoom of her helmet vizor, it was clearly armored and carrying what looked like weapons. She silently cursed as the distance made it impossible to make out more details. Her binoculars were not low-light adaptive. Others in the squad had attached sophisticated, high-magnification optics to their weapons, but with only a holo-sight, she was dependent on them for a clear view.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see what the fuss is all about,¡± Tian said, a little too confidently.

    ¡°No, wait,¡± Kayla hissed again.

    Lyna and Kes crept back from the entrance threshold to join her.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Barnes?¡± Kes asked patiently.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that just look wrong to you?¡± Kayla said. Her mind was still sluggish with fatigue, but adrenaline had started to seep into her blood, and she had learned to trust her instincts.

    ¡°Everything about this place looks wrong to me,¡± Kes said. ¡°But we need to keep moving. If we start jumping at shadows, we will be down here for weeks.¡±

    Kayla forced her thoughts to the surface, and tried to arrange them clearly. ¡°There¡¯s no machinery near the bench. Everything is stacked up around the outside of the hall. It¡¯s just a wide-open space surrounded by well-covered positions.¡±

    Kes shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re not engineers. How do we know how this place Is supposed to operate?¡±

    ¡°But there are trams packed with components back there,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°Rayker just left this thing half finished, when she knew we were coming?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she ran out of time? If she¡¯s on the freighter she was pushing her escape margin to the limit.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t buy it. I¡¯m getting goosebumps.¡±

    ¡°Gotta be honest,¡± Ray interjected, ¡°but I¡¯m with Kayla. The whole thing looks a bit sketch.¡±

    ¡°And what are we supposed to do about it?¡± Kes asked.

    ¡°Post overwatch while I sneak over there and check it out,¡± Kayla suggested hopefully.

    Lyna scoffed quietly. ¡°The lone Ranger rides again, huh?¡±

    Kes said nothing. Kayla wondered what thoughts were passing behind the impassive metal face of her vizor. Was she really pushing her squad leader¡¯s last nerve? Or just being sensible?

    Eventually, the corporal nodded slowly. ¡°Okay Barnes, you have fifteen minutes to get down there and see what¡¯s up. Yak will stay up here with her LMG, but Ray and Tian will go with you.¡±

    Kayla wanted to protest. ¡°Well¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think of questioning me this time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Corporal,¡± Kayla replied meekly.

    The squad moved through the entrance and took up positions on a walkway that ran around the hall. Four rifles, and two machine guns scanned the hall for anything that moved.

    ¡°Keep a good few yards of separation,¡± Kayla advised her companions. ¡°Do what I do. Do not make a sound.¡±

    It seemed logical to circle the hall and check out the hidden spaces circling the outside. Moving slowly forward, she stuck to the shadows cast by the drone, and when she had to cross an illuminated patch, she slung her weapon on her back and low crawled.

    Cranes and gantries ten stories high crowded the ceiling and cliff-like walls, and the three Rangers snaked their way through a chaos of geometric forms. They passed shelves of armor plates and actuators, stacks of energy modules, and trays neatly arrayed with control boards. Kayla looked closely at a bin filled with tubes to see that they were indeed barrels for a weapon system.

    Though she had begun the recon feeling nervous, Tian and Ray followed her well enough. Even so, she couldn¡¯t suppress the habit of looking back and checking up on them. Kayla eventually came to a ramp and conveyor belt from where she could observe a raised platform ringed with consoles. The position struck her as a perfect place to ambush an unsuspecting visitor, and she wanted a closer look.

    ¡°Time¡¯s a wasting Barnes, let¡¯s wrap this up,¡± Kes radioed to her headset.

    Kayla tapped her mic switch and transmitted a single burst of static; acknowledged.

    She peered around her hiding spot and watched the platform as carefully as she could. At first all she saw was a clean boxy structure, but as she zoomed into the fuzzy green image, she made out a spider like form, half-concealed in the shadows. It was carrying something that looked very much like a machine gun.

    Reaching up to her mic switch, she transmitted a triple burst. Enemy contact. Beside her, Ray and Tian stiffened. Kayla turned calmly to them, and made a fist with her hand, mimed a throw, then held up three fingers.

    They nodded, and reached into pouches for their grenades. Kayla transmitted a double burst; standby. The squad would be prepared for what would happen next.

 Part 3 - Chapter 11

    Her grenade sailed neatly onto the platform, followed by two more, and the three Rangers made themselves as small behind their flimsy cover as they could. Then the world exploded. After so much silence and darkness, the lightning flashes crashed through Kayla¡¯s ears, leaving her stunned.

    The familiar but intimidating cracks of bullets passed over her head, as the squad¡¯s two machineguns on the walkway opened up. They didn¡¯t know what they were shooting at yet, but they triangulated their fire onto the grenade¡¯s impact points to do as much damage to the area as possible.

    ¡°Contact on the left, behind those girders,¡± Thandi called through the radio.

    Kayla picked up the sound of single shots from the maelstrom of noise. A momentary gap in the shooting let her hear the clatter of metallic feet. There were obviously several combat drones in the hall, and they had begun to maneuver.

    She caught sight of movement above her head, and watched as a spidery form, sparking from damage, skittered up a wall, and stopped to shoot a burst of rounds towards the hall¡¯s entrance. A burst of machine gun fire quickly found it, and pulverized the machine.

    ¡°Barnes, you¡¯re in the clear,¡± Kes voice said in her headset. ¡°Get into the fight; opposite side of the hall at your ten, retreating for an exit.¡±

    Kayla shot upright, pulling her weapon to her shoulder as Bao and Ray did the same, they scanned the scene before them, watching tracer fire from the walkway as it pinpointed a group of scurrying shapes disappearing down an access corridor.

    Kayla squeezed off a few rounds in their direction, then radioed back. ¡°We¡¯ve got you covered, move up.¡±

    The Rangers sprinted through the hall until they had taken positions near to Kayla and the others. But the enemy had fled, and there was only one thing to do¡ªgive chase.

    Yak rejoined her fire team with a fist bump, whilst Kes called the contact back to the platoon. Akane approved them to push forward, so Kayla took the lead. She gestured to the others before sprinting up to the exit the hostile drones had vanished through.

    The squad bounded forward, moving from cover to cover, and watching carefully as they followed the path of their fleeing prey. Their illumination drone, travelling by autopilot, flew ahead of them. Kayla was most concerned they would be ambushed again, and she wanted to rush forward to keep the drones from setting up in a strong position. She kept advancing as far as she dared until Kes snapped a warning to her not to get too far ahead.

    Periodically a spidery shape ducked out from behind an obstacle and sprayed bullets in their direction, then vanished out of sight. The Rangers followed, crossing several tram tunnels until they came to another immense hall, connected to a multi lane-logistical trunk.

    ¡°Entering echo-five, in pursuit of enemy contact,¡± Kes called to the platoon commander, as she took cover. ¡°No¡ªignore my last. We¡¯re at delta-five, delta-five.¡±

    More spiders appeared, shooting and scooting at high speed around the new space. From what Kayla could see, it seemed clear that they were done retreating.

    ¡°We are in heavy contact,¡± Kes called, to Akane, ¡°requesting support.¡±

    She didn¡¯t have to say anything more; Kayla stopped where she was and gestured to her fire team to take firing positions. They found cover behind what looked like a big set of garbage drones, and began shooting at anything that moved. The battle raged around them, and Kayla found herself growing impatient to see more Rangers show up.

    ¡°Two-two is moving into echo-six¡ªadjacent to us¡ªalso pursuing a contact,¡± Kes called to the squad. ¡°Hold your fire to the north.¡±

    Kayla made a mental note, and shifted her aim. Fortunately, the combat drones didn¡¯t seem to be moving in that direction anyway. Instead, they were scrambling to the west, where distant columns of containers provided them with good cover. They popped out to shoot quick bursts, before ducking away just as Kayla¡¯s sights aligned on them. At that range she could barely make them out and react fast enough in the frustrating game of whack-a-mole.

    ¡°Viper Two-two,¡± Kes was saying, ¡°two-one is taking cover by some kind of scrap processor. Confirm you are entering delta-five from the north end? We can surround them.¡±

    Was it a scrap processor? Kayla glanced up at the thing she had been hiding behind. It seemed more like a vehicle, but things were happening fast and she was exhausted, running mainly on adrenaline. Bullets sparked off the steel bracings by her head, and she turned to return fire. Something scuttled off into the darkness as her rounds struck home.

    There was a spark in the corner of her vision and she turned to see a new set of muzzle flashes not far from the distant containers. Her vizor zoomed into its double magnification, but she couldn¡¯t make out much more in the shadows cast by the illumination drone.

    ¡°Kes, are we clear to the west?¡± she called.

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    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Kes hesitated. ¡°What do you have Kayla?¡±.

    ¡°A new element moving in from the west, heading for those containers. Lots of drones over there.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s friendlies to the north,¡± Kes replied. ¡°Nothing west.¡±

    ¡°Yak!¡± Kayla called.

    The Ranger lumbered over to her carrying the light machine gun, and under Kayla¡¯s direction set up facing the direction she had seen the gunfire originating from. There was nothing moving there now, but she hadn¡¯t seen anything leaving the area, so she motioned to Yak.

    Streams of fire spat into the distant shadows, and Kayla popped off a few rounds of her own, before turning to scan for more movement. Then, a hail of gunfire came back that passed inches from her head, and made her duck down out of the way.

    ¡°That was accurate,¡± she observed out loud. For the first time that day, she felt a hint of genuine fear.

    ¡°Two-two is taking heavy fire in echo-six,¡± Kes announced. ¡°They can¡¯t get to us yet.¡±

    Yak, without needing any prompting, kept up a steady burst of fire towards the new threat.

    Kayla¡¯s fear gave way to anger. The squad was becoming overwhelmed by the number of contacts, and they had to give the enemy everything they had. She sat back up to shoot, and saw movement.

    An ice-cold hand squeezed her guts. The shape that had darted briefly between cover had been humanoid.

    ¡°Yak¡ª¡± she began, but a bullet struck her helmet and she fell on her back while everything went momentarily dim.

    When she tried to sit up, Kayla saw Yak hunching over the machine gun as it bucked in her arms. The woman¡¯s back exploded with red spray, and she collapsed onto her side.

    The scene unfolded like a nightmare. ¡°Get down!¡± she called to the others ¡°Friendly fire, friendly fire!¡±

    The others dropped to their bellies, but Thandi, still shooting in the opposite direction, was slow to react. Kayla watched in horror as a burst of fire sparked off the floor then struck her friend in the legs. She screamed and dropped to the ground.

    ¡°Two-two, cease fire, cease fire. You are engaging us!¡± Kes screamed into the radio.

    ¡°Yak!¡± Kayla cried again, and crawled over to the woman¡¯s still body. She checked for signs of life, and felt sick when she felt a weak and irregular pulse. ¡°She needs a medic!¡±

    Lyna darted over as the fire from the surrounding drones continued to pour in. She stuffed bandages and clotting solution where she could, while Kayla moved over to Thandi. She was pale, but conscious, and her eyes were rolling back with pain.

    Kayla threw a tourniquet on her leg, and barely knew what else to do. But she had to act and move, because if she didn¡¯t she would throw up. The battle had taken a horrifying turn, and Kayla felt her head spinning. Her thoughts became sluggish, and she found nothing more to do except wait for help.

    The other Ranger squad had quickly shifted their fire, and were fighting back the drones more effectively. Kes was yelling on the radio, and Kayla understood that a team of PJs were on their way. The corporal¡¯s voice had gone monotone as she called in the directions to their position that she only had just been able to correct.

    Kayla seized Thandi¡¯s hand as she writhed on the floor in pain. Eventually, Lyna finished with Yak and came over to apply an anesthetic. Kayla watched her best friend¡¯s eyes begin to close, and something broke inside her.

    She looked out from behind the squad¡¯s hiding place. The drones were still fighting, darting back and forth as they were pushed to the north. But things were happening too slowly, and Kayla had had enough. Adrenaline and rage roared through her mind, barely keeping bile from rising up her throat. She had done this. She had shot at Rangers, and gotten her friends killed. And they were all still in danger.

    The voices of her squad faded to the background, overwhelmed by one single, intense goal. She had to make the chaos end.

    Ray had already picked up Yak¡¯s machine gun and was shooting short, controlled bursts, so Kayla picked up Thandi¡¯s. She checked the box, saw it was nearly empty, and reloaded the weapon.

    Then, because training had instilled it within her, she called, ¡°Moving,¡± and jumped to her feet.

    In the near corner of the hall, a crane rose above the rest of the machinery. Kayla raced straight for it and began to climb. She heard the yelling in her headset, but couldn¡¯t make out what the voices were saying. But it didn¡¯t matter. She had to get up to the top. She didn¡¯t even feel the strain in her muscles as she vaulted up the scaffold to the top. She was a bolt of lightning, without thought or feeling. Sparks shot off the metal near her hands, but they seemed so irrelevant.

    Once she reached the top of the crane, she found a perfect platform from which she could take aim at everything around them. The drones were scurrying away now, across the open ground, while clouds of wasps seemed to buzz around Kayla¡¯s head. There was no cover, either for them or for her. She propped the machine gun against the edge and lined up a drone through the weapon¡¯s scope. It had nothing to hide behind, and went down under a concentrated burst. Then she moved on to the next, and then the next.

    Eventually the hall went quiet, except for the yelling of voices and radio messages in her ears. Kayla sank onto the platform as her whole body began to shake, and she tried to rescue her senses from the roar that drowned them.

    A Ranger hauled herself up to the top of the crane. Kayla watched as Ray raised her vizor and smiled down at her.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going Kayla?¡± she asked, in a friendly voice.

    ¡°Yak¡¯s dead,¡± Kayla said listlessly. ¡°I killed her. And I got Thandi shot.¡± Her head snapped up. ¡°How is she?¡±

    ¡°No-one¡¯s dead. There¡¯s a group of Pararescue working on them right now. They¡¯re about to run Yak to the nearest exit, and a dropship is landing at the nearest entrance. She¡¯ll be in surgery within twenty minutes. Thandi¡¯s messed up, but she¡¯s in stable condition.¡±

    The adrenaline had already eased, and Kayla felt terribly cold, and so exhausted she could barely keep her eyes open.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Ray continued as she moved closer, ¡°There¡¯s been a bunch of firefights and a lot of Valkyrie wounded. Things seem to be calming down now. Looks like we won¡ªyay!¡± she said and punched the air.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°What¡¯s that, my dear?¡±

    ¡°Be a Viper. I screwed up again. I should leave the company.¡±

    Ray nodded slowly and sat down beside her, dropping an arm over her shoulders. ¡°It was a fun day, wasn¡¯t it? Type four fun, I mean.¡±

    Kayla just shook her head.

    ¡°How about we get you down from here, get some food, and maybe a nap?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t move my arms or legs.¡±

    Ray gingerly pushed on her limbs, and watched them flop freely. But when they tensed, Kayla¡¯s face screwed up in a grimace.

    ¡°Looks like you tore up your muscles in that climb. I¡¯m not surprised¡ªyou moved faster than one of those spider drones. No sweat. In half an hour the nanites will have fixed you up. We can just hang out here until then.¡±

    Ray reached for her mic switch. ¡°Barnes can¡¯t move. We¡¯ll be here a bit longer.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 12

    When Kayla awoke, she found herself curled up on a couch in the Banshee¡¯s infirmary. In the nearest bed, Thandi appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Across from her, Yak was hooked up to several scary looking tubes, but her vitals looked stable. Most of the rest of the beds were also filled. Another successful Valkyrie operation, Kayla thought, bitterly.

    She didn¡¯t remember the trip back from the planet. She did remember being told that nobody had found any sign of Rayker, and that memory kindled a little of the rage that never burned out. They had been through a nightmare for nothing.

    ¡°I wondered how long you would be asleep,¡± a voice said.

    Kayla turned to see Christie sat on the end of her couch. Her friend seemed to be weighed down by sadness as she put aside the tablet she was typing on and smiled back at her.

    ¡°Wha¡ª uh¡­¡± Kayla managed, as her stiff tongue flapped helplessly. She yawned and stretched.

    ¡°Twenty-three wounded in total,¡± Christie said. ¡°Thandi will walk again in a week. Yak¡¯s going to be in a coma for the next month. Fortunately, nothing struck her vital organs. And, by the way, one of the Raider squads was also involved in a friendly fire incident.¡±

    Kayla focused on her, then looked away. ¡°Jesus,¡± she said to herself. ¡°God dammit.¡±

    ¡°Thandi wouldn¡¯t like that,¡± Christie scolded. ¡°Heathen.¡±

    Kayla stood up and began to pace slowly as she wrapped her arms around herself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you right there,¡± Christie said, ¡°because you¡¯ve been asleep for about ten hours. In the interim, I was able to speak with several Rangers about what happened. It was not your fault. Not entirely.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Yes, it was. Oh, God, yes it was. I should have seen them, I should have had a stronger optic, I should have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Corporal Rudaski misread her map. So did the leader of second squad. You were both actually in hall hotel-four. The base was constructed in a circular pattern of radially linked zones, orbiting a central facility. It¡¯s a highly abstract layout that we have never seen before. Most Ranger battalions have spent the last several centuries clearing logical, grid-like layouts in ships and bunkers. Under fire, it is easy to see how confusion caused units to lose track of their positions as they advanced. Most of the platoons did, actually, at one point or another. And, in my opinion, we did not have anything like the troop numbers needed to comfortably secure that site. A consequence, no doubt, of Valkyrie¡¯s failure to prepare and train for large scale deployments, for which there has been no requirement in at least a millennia, so they tell me.¡±

    Kayla turned to her with a puzzled expression. ¡°You figured all that out already?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m drafting a report on the matter. I can¡¯t sleep, you see, because the flaws of this operation stem entirely from the task force¡¯s desire to follow Rayker until she discovered the tracker. We found it in the central command chamber. It was sealed in a wrapping of fat and muscle tissue, which she obviously cut out of herself hours before the tamper alarm sensed the toxins of cell decay. She left it there for us to find. To taunt us, no doubt.¡±

    Christie yawned deeply, stood up and brushed her sweater off. ¡°Do you see, Kayla, that the intelligence team were making decisions based off of my actions on Ambrosia, when I planted that device?¡± She smiled bitterly. ¡°And I had the arrogance to think I was outwitting the woman. So, in a way, it¡¯s my fault.¡±

    Kayla swallowed and slowly shook her head. Then she grabbed her friend and held her in a tight hug. ¡°War sucks,¡± she said. ¡°Everything about it is awful.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Nevertheless, we are drawn to it, like moths to a flame perhaps?¡±

    Kayla released her and collapsed into the couch. ¡°When I slept, I had a dream. I was in Plato¡¯s cave, but I got free. Outside there was a dragon, burning everything in sight. The world was covered in ash, and the puppets casting shadows were dead bodies,¡± She wiped moisture out of her eye. ¡°He said, ¡®come out and play, little girl¡¯.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°We were lucky nobody was killed today. Rayker will certainly cost us more blood before we manage to catch her. She could have set up a much stronger defense than a battalion of light combat drones, but she didn¡¯t.¡±

    Kayla reached into her pocket and found her necklace. She placed it over her head and ran a thumb over the engraved name.

    She looked back at Christie. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°The freighter the Sir¨¨ne caught was carrying several large combat walkers, produced by that plant. A deep space survey revealed that a second freighter had jumped away earlier. No doubt Rayker¡¯s escape¡ªshe seems to have plotted a course opposite the star from where we stopped at the minefield. There seems to be no question that she had the main force of those machines with her.¡±

    ¡°Any idea where they went?¡±

    Christie turned away to retrieve her tablet. ¡°Not yet, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°May the saints have mercy,¡± said a voice, ¡°if a shot up woman cannot get a wink of sleep with all the talking in here.¡±

    Kayla whirled around to see Thandi, sitting up in her bed. She darted over and grabbed her into a bearhug.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry I got you shot,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thandi said looking pleased with herself. ¡°And to apologize, you¡¯ll be fetching me chocolate cake from the mess until I get out of here.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°Seriously though, Kayla, I need you. The food is terrible.¡±

    Kayla chuckled. ¡°You can count on me.¡±

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    ¡°How are you feeling, wonder woman?¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ not that wonderful to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Leaping tall structures in a single bound?¡± Thandi grinned admiringly at her. ¡°You had a bit of a superhero moment.¡±

    Kayla raised her eyebrows. ¡°I tore half the muscles in my body. It was definitely not awesome.¡±

    ¡°Sure looked like it. I don¡¯t even know how you do stuff like that. The Lord moved you.¡±

    Christie cleared her throat and gave Thandi a significant look.

    Thandi rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a compliment¡ªI¡¯m not diminishing what you did.¡±

    Kayla returned her cheerful gaze with a flat expression. She had felt like everyone she cared about was about to die. Like her soul had been lit on fire, and the only way to put it out had been to move like a lightning bolt. It was not something she ever wanted to experience again.

    ¡°I was on probation for the incident on Ambrosia,¡± she reminded Thandi. ¡°I will definitely be dropped back to private from now on.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Thandi¡¯s sparkling eyes darkened. ¡°Well, that sucks. I hope they don¡¯t. You straight up saved us all from an ambush at the start of that firefight. And the illume drone¡ªyou made lots of good calls down there.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be a team leader. I keep losing control. I can¡¯t let¡­ I don¡¯t respond well when any of you are in danger.¡±

    Thandi grabbed her hand, and squeezed it. ¡°What happens to us is not up to you, my dear. It¡¯s in God¡¯s hands alone.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t know what to say. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could accept that.

    ¡°How¡¯s the pain?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Thandi said and waved her hand. ¡°Nothing too severe. I think of how Rose would be responding, and I know I can handle anything.¡±

    Christie nodded silently.

    ¡°She speaks to me, in my dreams. She tells me how proud she is of us.¡± Thandi glanced at Kayla. ¡°She says you are a true leader.¡±

    Kayla turned away, unable to keep her eyes from tearing up.

    ¡°Will you be up in time for the merger?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°On crutches maybe,¡± Thandi said. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world. I can¡¯t imagine anything more glorious.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kayla asked before slowly turning back.

    ¡°The Banshee is returning to Tyr,¡± Christie explained. ¡°On the way back, we have been tasked with collecting a probe that was observing a binary star merger. We will have the opportunity to observe the event live.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Kayla said with an eye roll. She was a little offended that their task force had been assigned a science project after what had happened. ¡°Nerd stuff, right?¡±

    Christie laughed, and met Thandi¡¯s eyes with a smirk. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    Thandi shifted against her pillows. ¡°How is the mood of the ship?¡± she said to Christie. ¡°Are people still angry?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kayla cut in.

    Thandi glanced back and forth between them. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her?¡±

    Christie waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Oh, but with all that¡¯s happening I didn¡¯t think it pertinent. Why add to our already substantial burdens?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kayla demanded, and felt her hair stand on end.

    Christie smiled tightly. ¡°ODT Four seized the freighter and searched it thoroughly. No evidence of Rayker, as I said.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? And?¡±

    ¡°Well, they found a false compartment in one of the holds. And there were a pair of young teenagers inside. A boy and a girl.¡±

    ¡°In rags, and chained up,¡± Thandi added.

    Kayla realized her jaw had clenched. She felt her skin crawl with a new kind of horror. ¡°Oh my God,¡± she said, then glanced at Thandi. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°In this case you get a dispensation.¡±

    ¡°Obviously,¡± Christie continued, ¡°the pour souls will be returned to their families. A terrible situation.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s mind buzzed with questions. ¡°What is¡ªuh¡­ where was it from? The ship?¡±

    ¡°Intaba,¡± Thandi said sullenly. ¡°A VennZech registered vessel. Justice cannot come swiftly enough for the demon scum who perpetrated this evil on my homeworld¡­¡± she frowned as she lost her words, and clenched her fists together.

    ¡°Do you think Valkyrie will start interdicting their ships?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Christie said. ¡°Hence the angry mood. It is a problem the organization has faced since humanity took to the stars. The chieftains have resolutely refused to address it. Our mission statement is to protect humanity, not interfere with their conduct. Frankly I have to agree with them, though I appear to be in the minority.¡±

    Kayla stared at her incredulously. ¡°But that¡¯s bullshit,¡± she said. ¡°How can you be okay with letting something like that go?¡±

    Christie arched an eyebrow. ¡°A secret army of super soldiers, with access to civilization destroying technology, and who answer¡ªas far as we know¡ªto nobody but themselves? The very thought of interfering gives me an existential crisis. However tragic the situation, it seems obvious that we must maintain our distance.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. She already felt hot anger driving her to act. How could such monsters be allowed to walk freely in a just galaxy?

    ¡°All that it takes for evil to succeed¡ª¡± Thandi began.

    ¡°Please can we not continue this conversation?¡± Christie snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of being insulted by some of my colleagues. I don¡¯t want it from my friends too.¡±

    Kayla exchanged looks with Thandi, but she owed her best friend the space she wanted.

    ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t bring it up again, Chris,¡± she said.

    Kayla ate in the ship¡¯s mess then returned to her bunk, where the rest of the squad were waiting. They were talking in somber tones, but fell silent when she approached.

    Kes stood up and beckoned to her. ¡°Platoon ready room, this way.¡±

    Once shut away in privacy, Kes sat her down and they retraced every event that had occurred inside the base. Every decision was picked apart minutely, with no judgement or grievance allowed.

    ¡°I needed us to go through this as soon as possible,¡± she explained. ¡°This will sit with you for the rest of your life. We all made mistakes, but nobody should feel incriminated. I have been through five blue on blue incidents. This shit just happens, and I guarantee it will happen to you again in the future.¡±

    Kayla felt a little relief as she spoke with her squad leader and found that she was neither alone, nor justified in hating herself. They had been moving quickly through a confusing environment, making a deadly situation much more likely.

    ¡°One last thing, though,¡± Kes added somberly. ¡°Private Voigt from second squad fired the burst that hit Yak and Thandi. She is being removed from the battalion. By her own account, she returned Yak¡¯s fire without any kind of communication with her team leader, or any attempt to check the position of friendlies. That was a major SOP violation when she knew they were expecting to move in our direction.¡±

    Kayla absorbed this with shock. She couldn¡¯t argue with it; after all, what good was a Ranger who couldn¡¯t do her job? And didn¡¯t that mean that the same punishment should apply to her?

    She cleared her throat. Terror gnawed at her insides as Kes stared at her expectantly.

    ¡°I lost control again,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Kes said, and rubbed her eyes with obvious frustration. ¡°And this time, your actions swiftly ended a dangerous firefight following a terrible accident. Yak got immediate medical attention because of that. On the other hand, you put yourself in a position to be killed or wounded where no-one could help you.¡±

    There was a long pause while the corporal appeared to search a distant horizon. ¡°You don¡¯t need a lecture, and Akane can¡¯t make a decision on you. Yak was my next choice for Lance Corporal, but she¡¯s out of action, along with a bunch of others. Together with this Rayker shitshow, it is not the time to be shuffling people around.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed ¡°What about Ray?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kes ran a hand through her hair. ¡°Every time I¡¯ve offered it, she¡¯s refused. Anyway, we¡¯ve already been told by Captain Aguilar to expect a new private out of Ranger school once we return to Tyr.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Corporal,¡± Kayla said, unsure what to think about the decision.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you make good decisions in the field. But I will push to replace you when the opportunity comes up again.¡± Kes narrowed her eyes. ¡°Unless you can show me I¡¯m wrong before that happens.¡±

    Kayla left the room with her head spinning. She was keeping her job, even though she obviously didn¡¯t have what it took to lead Rangers in combat.

 Part 3 - Chapter 13

    Two days later, Kayla helped Thandi get out of bed and into a pair of crutches. While they were practicing the strange new form of mobility, Lyna and Bibi also showed up to collect their squad-mate.

    ¡°Oh, hey, Kayla,¡± Lyna said. ¡°How¡¯s Yak doing?¡± She walked over and squeezed the unconscious woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°No change,¡± Thandi said. ¡°But I¡¯ve been playing her music and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Doctors know what they¡¯re doing right?¡± Kayla said. ¡°She¡¯ll be on her feet and smiling before long.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lyna said. ¡°But she¡¯ll need another month of rehab after that. Whatever they have planned for us next, she¡¯ll be pissed to miss out on it.¡± She kissed Yak¡¯s forehead, then turned to Kayla. ¡°Are you coming to watch the show too?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll help Thandi get over there,¡± Kayla replied. ¡°I dunno if I want to hang around for some big science experiment. I might go workout.¡±

    Thandi winked at the others as she began to hobble forwards. ¡°She doesn¡¯t get it yet, but she will.¡±

    As they slowly made their way to the ship¡¯s observation deck, they ran into other Rangers heading in the same direction. Kayla wondered what the big deal was.

    Tian caught sight of them and pushed through the crowd with a big grin. ¡°How¡¯s the squad hero?¡±

    Kayla shivered, and returned the grin with a blank smile. ¡°Well, Yak¡¯s still out, and Thandi¡¯s barely walking, so¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I meant you. You saved everyone with that crazy stunt. Lyna, did you see her go up the crane?¡±

    ¡°No, Tian, I was shooting,¡± Lyna said. ¡°Got a bit distracted.¡±

    ¡°It was like something out of a movie,¡± Tian gushed. ¡°Kayla, did you really tear your muscles doing that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was really painful afterwards.¡± Kayla tried to avoid her eye contact. Why couldn¡¯t she just stop talking about it?

    ¡°And you were still able to shoot the machine gun? I know we¡¯re all enhanced but that¡¯s a little superhuman.¡±

    ¡°Is this the place?¡± Kayla asked.

    The observation lounge off the corridor was filled with crewmembers, Rangers, and others. Huge windows let out onto the starscape beyond, while big displays showed a small point of light surrounded by blackness. Kayla peered closely at it. The glowing smudge appeared to be vibrating.

    ¡°Alright Thandi, I chaperoned you over here. I¡¯m kind of surprised there are so many people to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Well duh,¡± Lyna said. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want to watch a star explode?¡±

    Kayla paused. ¡°Wait what?¡±

    ¡°Not a star,¡± Bibi corrected. ¡°Two orbiting stars will collide, and then explode.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kayla demanded, and turned to Thandi. ¡°You told me it was going to be some dumb science project.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Christie said as she pushed through the crowd to join them. ¡°We said there would be a binary star merger. You assumed it would be uninteresting. It is not our fault that you have abandoned your intellectual growth in favor of wanton destruction.¡±

    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Kayla began, before shutting her mouth. She had no good response to that.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re off to the gym?¡± Thandi said with a smug grin. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fun.¡±

    Kayla reddened and looked down. ¡°I mean, I guess I could hang around¡­ it could be kind of cool.¡±

    ¡°Hey Christie,¡± Tian said loudly. ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re in the Minerva Group? Can I ask you about the selection process?¡±

    Kayla cringed as women around them went quiet and looked around. Christie pretended that she hadn¡¯t heard the question. The Minerva Group was one of the most secretive and select intelligence units in Valkyrie. Its members were never named, or acknowledged, although it was widely known to participate in the most hair-raising operations. Kayla had always known that her friend had both a brilliant and ruthless mind, while her team leader, Zhang, was only ever seen working with tier one operators. That left only one inevitable conclusion, though they had never spoken about it, and probably never would.

    Lyna snorted with laughter. ¡°Oh, is it Minerva this week, Tian? Last week it was Raiders. Next week it will be ODT again.¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t been ODT for a while,¡± Thandi said with a sly wink. ¡°I think she got scared of spacewalks.¡±

    ¡°I just like to be informed about potential career paths,¡± Tian said sulkily as the crowd¡¯s chatter resumed.

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    ¡°I believe in you, honey,¡± Lyna said. ¡°You¡¯ll be the baddest operator in the organization as soon as you can figure out which badge matches your hair color.¡±

    Tian looked away as her cheeks reddened. Kayla gave her arm a squeeze and saw her face scrunch in response. She knew she had done something stupid, and was obviously regretting it.

    ¡°Alright Chris, I can see you bursting with eagerness to stick your hand up,¡± Thandi said and gestured at one of the screens. ¡°You want to explain this phenomenon to us?¡±

    ¡°Oh gosh, it¡¯s not covered in the bible?¡± Christie shot back.

    Thandi half-heartedly stabbed a crutch at her leg, which she easily sidestepped with a playful smirk.

    ¡°But since you so politely ask,¡± Christie said, ¡°I will explain. You see, we have two neutron stars¡ª¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a neutron star?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°The small one, I guess, if memory serves.¡±

    Christie cocked her head. ¡°Okay, sure. When a really big star explodes, part of it gets compressed into an ultra-dense state, and you have something with the mass of a regular star but which is only twenty kilometers in diameter. So, if you took a teaspoon of its matter off the surface, it would weigh as much as a mountain.¡±

    Kayla nodded happily. This seemed simple enough.

    ¡°And then sometimes,¡± Christie continued, ¡°two neutron stars will end up orbiting around each other. But, as they orbit, their ultra-dense mass produces waves in the fabric of space-time. These waves cause instability in their orbit, which pushes the stars closer together. Right now, they are spinning around each other approximately eight hundred times per second, which is why it looks like it¡¯s buzzing. They will, in a few minutes, collide at an appreciable fraction of the speed of light.¡±

    She gestured to one of the monitors which was zooming in on the brilliant, energetic dot.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you right there,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Because I don¡¯t even know how to get my mind around half the absurd things you just said.¡±

    Christie raised her eyebrows. ¡°Hmm, yes. Unfortunately, I¡¯m not sure I can put it any more simply. It is what it is. Reality is often stranger than we can imagine.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Ridiculous space magic, got it.¡±

    ¡°Science is so fascinating,¡± cut in Bibi.

    ¡°No,¡± Thandi held up a finger. ¡°Creation is fascinating. Science is just the telescope we use to observe its wonders. But I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s not a great telescope,¡± she said, as Christie looked like she was about to argue. ¡°I¡¯m just arguing for humility.¡±

    ¡°How do we know the impact time so precisely?¡± asked Bibi. ¡°These events are supposed to be unpredictable.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Christie said with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s because the shockwave only travels at the speed of light. Our vessels are much faster than that. The star system actually exploded four years ago, and Valkyrie dropped a series of probes at varying distances.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s lame,¡± Kayla said. ¡°If we¡¯d gone earlier, we could have gotten a better view.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christie explained patiently. ¡°Any closer and the Banshee¡¯s shields would fail under the extreme radiation, resulting in the ship being vaporized.¡±

    Kayla couldn¡¯t keep a grin from sliding onto her face. ¡°Cool.¡±

    The buzz from the crowd faded as a speaker counted down the upcoming event. Kayla¡¯s eyes flicked back and forth between the display and the ship¡¯s windows. On the screen, the flickering white dot suddenly blossomed outward as a luminescent sphere of radiation. It began to fade, leaving twin fountains of matter exploding in opposite directions along the axis of rotation. They stretched for thousands of miles into space, while expanding vapor and light raced towards the recording probe. Then the feed went dead.

    Out through the ship¡¯s window, one of the stars had brightened substantially, but there was nothing else to see.

    ¡°Huh,¡± said Kayla. ¡°If you were on a planet around here and you weren¡¯t paying attention, you wouldn¡¯t even notice something had happened.¡±

    ¡°If you were on a planet occupying the space we are in right now,¡± Christie said, ¡°you would die in moments of lethal radiation exposure, while the atmosphere was stripped away to vacuum.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We are currently being flooded with more energy than would be released from a nuclear weapon. But most of it isn¡¯t light energy; it¡¯s gamma, alpha and beta particles. Fortunately for us, the Banshee¡¯s shield keeps us safe. Unless Tian knocks something on the control panel she¡¯s leaning against.¡±

    The Ranger leaped away from the bulkhead and span around, eyeing the small panel suspiciously. Members of the crew nearby laughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s an environmental control,¡± a woman said. ¡°Good to see Rangers keeping up their shipboard knowledge.¡±

    The observation lounge began to empty as the crowd returned to their daily routine.

    Bibi cleared her throat, and Kayla turned to watch her with interest. When not training, the woman was usually to be found with her head in a book, and rarely spoke if she didn''t have to.

    ¡°The super cool thing is,¡± Bibi said, ¡°that neutron star collisions produce most of the day-to-day elements in the galaxy¡ªOxygen, nitrogen, even metals. This event probably produced several planets worth of gold in that one explosion.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Kayla said enthusiastically. ¡°Let¡¯s go get a dropship and visit one of them.¡±

    The others stared at her in confusion.

    ¡°Visit¡­ what? What are you saying?¡± Thandi demanded.

    ¡°One of the gold planets that¡¯s just been sent spinning off into space. I want to go visit one of them,¡± Kayla insisted with a twinkle in her eye, and a smirk on her lips.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd you petulant girl,¡± Christie scolded. ¡°There isn¡¯t an actual planet made of gold out there. Good grief.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so after all that silly space magic you just described, I can¡¯t be queen of my own personal gold planet? That¡¯s just unfair.¡±

    Thandi gawped at her. ¡°And what are you going to do with a solid gold planet at your feet, exactly?¡±

    ¡°I would have a solid gold palace, with gold gardens, and gold servants, and I would wear gold dresses all day. It would be awesome come on, where¡¯s your imagination?¡±

    ¡°And what are you breathing all that time?¡± Bibi asked.

    ¡°Oxygen, duh. The gravity would hold an atmosphere. But it would be like¡­ sparkly air¡ªgold flecked.¡±

    Christie nodded wisely. ¡°Oh, of course. And so, you died of metal poisoning within days. Gosh, what an exciting adventure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be at your gold funeral, Kayla,¡± Lyna said sympathetically. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be nice. I¡¯ll be wearing a combat suit though, so I don¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°Queen Kayla the golden,¡± Kayla said with a sigh. ¡°I shall be remembered for my wisdom, and compassion.¡± She cocked her head. ¡°Maybe not compassion. I¡¯ll probably cut off a lot of heads when my gold subjects misbehave.¡±

    Thandi smirked. ¡°Someone wants to be a Philosopher Queen. Remember how we used to talk about that in boot camp?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Kayla said excitedly. ¡°How the Jotnar were trying to enslave humans by recruiting philosophers.¡±

    Lyna gave her an odd look. ¡°Huh? What are you talking about now?¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 14

    ¡°No, it¡¯s legit,¡± Kayla went on. ¡°We basically proved that the Jotnar created the evil empires in Earth¡¯s history so they could control people. And by ¡®we¡¯ I mean Thandi and Christie, because they read a lot more than I do.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s interesting,¡± said Bibi. ¡°I suppose you¡¯d have been talking about Pythagoras and Plato?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thandi said, ¡°but Kayla¡¯s overselling it a bit¡ªwe only got up to Alexander the Great. There were reasons to suspect that Pythagoras had extra-terrestrial help. It seems pretty obvious how his whole belief system influenced later authoritarian regimes.¡±

    Bibi nodded. ¡°Of course, after Hellenism, Roman military expansion and the imperial cult. Gosh, that¡¯s kind of creepy. Genocidal aliens messing with human culture? Although it makes sense. How else could the most advanced civilizations have been so horrifically barbarous?¡±

    ¡°Humans, of course, take after their role models,¡± Christie agreed. ¡°Genocidal tyrants beget genocidal tyrants.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hold on a sec,¡± Kayla said. ¡°It¡¯s not so obvious to me what happened after Alexander the Great. Could you expand on that?¡±

    ¡°Heaven forbid you start to study history,¡± Christie said, as she flashed her a disappointed look.

    Kayla crossed her arms. ¡°You know what, I actually tried to get into some history books. But there¡¯s so much disagreement and it gets frustrating to figure out what really happened. It¡¯s easier when you girls summarize things for me.¡±

    Christie peered owlishly at her. ¡°I see. In that case I shall draft a quote for my services and book you in for next year.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, if you¡¯re going to be an ass about it...¡±

    ¡°Hey, I want to know about this stuff.¡± Lyna said. ¡°I don¡¯t know much history, but it sounds interesting.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no worries, I¡¯ll break it down,¡± Thandi said.

    She gave a summary of the cult of Greek aristocrats who had tried to subvert democratic city-states, and their gatekeeping of secret knowledge for the elites.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget,¡± Kayla added, ¡°that Plato was saying that all the women in his city would belong to all the men, who would have sex with them whenever they liked, while anyone considered inferior would basically have their children stolen and murdered.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s gross,¡± Lyna said with a shudder. ¡°Who in their right mind would accept an idea like that?¡±

    ¡°The Hellenistic world, apparently,¡± Kayla said. ¡°They let Plato¡¯s ideas run their society, right?¡±

    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t work out that way,¡± Thandi said. ¡°After Alexander died, his fledgling empire broke apart. His generals started fighting over the pieces in the wars of the Diadochi. After a couple of decades of conflict, a new group of empires was born, ruled by a Macedonian and Greek elite class, called Hellenes. The Seleucid empire controlled most of the middle east, the Ptolemaic empire controlled Egypt, while the Antigonid kings ruled Macedonia and Greece.¡±

    ¡°I bet they thought they were civilizing the barbarians,¡± Kayla said.

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Sure, but greed had a lot to do with it. The Hellenes flooded into the newly conquered territories, buying up cheap land and building colonies. They became an aristocratic militarized class that ruled over every native population between Greece, Egypt, and Afghanistan. Alexander¡¯s generals all adopted the trappings of emperors; quasi-divine entities that ruled with an iron fist. They ruined communities with wars, forced them to speak Greek, and then pay for giant monuments to their new rulers. The Hellenes exploited their subjects even more with high taxes, and extortionate loans for business, leaving them with enormous levels of debt.¡±

    ¡°Looks like the Jotnar were succeeding in building their control,¡± said Bibi.

    ¡°Sort of. The native people had no power at all. They had to try and influence the monarchy by demonstrations of adoration and loyalty. If he was impressed, the king might grant them favors. This led to a new kind of social system based on patronage, which the Romans would perfect for administering their empire.¡±

    ¡°So, when do the philosophers come back in?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°Last I remember, Plato built an academy and was getting a huge following.¡±

    Thandi thought for a moment. ¡°So, here¡¯s what I think happened. Hellenistic control wasn¡¯t working that well. The kings spent most of their energy fighting each other, trying to be the one who could unite the entire world under their sword. Antigonus the one-eyed got closest, but he lost to Seleucus at the battle of Ipsus. Then Seleucus nearly succeeded, conquering all the provinces outside of Egypt and Greece, until he was assassinated. Things went back and forth like that for a while.¡±

    ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have been acceptable to the Jotnar,¡± Bibi noted. ¡°They would have wanted an ordered hierarchy under a single ruler. Anything else leads to chaos.¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Any group of humans who become preternaturally good at war are not going to suddenly bend the knee to a rival. Every warlord thinks he knows better.¡±

    Kayla snorted. ¡°Almost like that old drive for freedom ¡®ain¡¯t that easy to suppress.¡±

    ¡°So that becomes the next big problem to solve,¡± Thandi continued. ¡°Plato had established the need for a philosopher king to rule through ¡®perfect knowledge¡¯, but his school completely failed to produce anyone like that. Turns out that their discoveries in mathematics didn¡¯t help them understand leadership. So, despairing at the constant warfare, the academy itself turned against the project. Instead, around 266 BC, they emphasized a new philosophy called ¡®academic skepticism¡¯, which pushed back against the idea of pure wisdom.¡±

    ¡°Can you dumb it down for the knuckle-draggers?¡± Kayla asked.

    Thandi winked. ¡°¡®Nobody can have perfect knowledge, chill the heck out¡¯ about covers it. Unfortunately, there was a minority of purists who wouldn¡¯t back down. They split off under a new leader; Zeno of Citium. He developed Platonism into Stoicism, which began to spread amongst the elites. Once the Antigonid dynasty¡ªbased in Greece¡ªfelt their control begin to slip, they turned to these Stoics for help. Antigonus Gonatus, the grandson of old ¡®one-eye¡¯, invited them to his court. He gave them the power and influence they needed to build their own influential school.¡±

    Christie cleared her throat. ¡°Just to help you understand his belief system, Zeno was an ardent Platonist. He wrote his own version of the Republic, where he advocated for¡­?¡± she let the question hang in the air, while looking expectantly at Kayla.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Kayla sighed and put a hand over her eyes. ¡°Common ownership of women and constant sex?¡±

    ¡°Almost,¡± Christie said with a tight smile, ¡°but you do him a disservice. His imagination went even further. He also advocated the sexualization of children, for the purpose of ¡®teaching them morality.¡¯¡±

    The lounge went deathly silent.

    ¡°What,¡± Kayla began through gritted teeth ¡°the actual f¡ª¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Bibi said dispassionately. ¡°Child sexual abuse is common in several cultures, as a tool for elders to indoctrinate new members into the community. Traumatized children make for compliant and unquestioning adults.¡±

    ¡°No shit,¡± Thandi muttered.

    Dark expressions filled the room. Christie had switched her gaze to her fingernails and kept it there.

    ¡°Well, that was the ancient world, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Lyna said carefully. ¡°They did all sorts of horrible things.¡±

    Thandi exhaled slowly. ¡°The Romans certainly did once they started importing Greek culture. But only to slaves and foreigners. Obviously, the idea that one of their citizens might be abused in that way was considered a terrible crime, an attack against their dignity, and that of their whole family. Everyone else was fair game; they weren¡¯t real people.

    ¡°Philosophy of Kayla the Golden, chapter one,¡± Kayla said in a hard voice. ¡°Death to child molesters. Non-negotiable.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we can dream,¡± Thandi said. ¡°But anyway, Zeno promoted the concept of divine truth, which stoics ought to seek. It was the duty of every person to live in accordance with whatever ¡®reason and virtue¡¯ dictated was proper to their station in life.¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°Yeah, but who¡¯s reason and virtue? Plato had his metal caste system didn¡¯t he? So, if a gold person orders a bronze person to do something immoral, how can the bronze disobey?¡±

    ¡°In theory, because she¡¯s supposed to understand what absolute reason says is right.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°How, though? She¡¯s only a bronze¡ªshe doesn¡¯t have the education or experience or whatever. And presumably, if she did know that, she should be a gold anyway. It¡¯s just that ¡®divinely¡¯ and ¡®scientifically¡¯ authorized hierarchy of control again. Unless your entire society is made of philosopher kings, you¡¯ve got authoritarian fascism. Or am I supposed to believe that the Romans were all perfect and never did anything wrong?¡±

    ¡°Hey, who knows?¡± Thandi said with a smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s follow their progress and see how they got on.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but here¡¯s a counterpoint,¡± Lyna objected. ¡°Lots of Rangers like stoicism. It just talks about being resilient in the face of adversity, or maintaining an objective perspective. I thought it was kind of useful for¡­ you know¡­ war stuff.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s from the Late Stoa,¡± Christie explained. ¡°Once the Romans actually got their ¡®philosopher king¡¯, the movement began to fade away into something milder and less relevant.¡±

    ¡°So, the Romans actually pulled it off, didn¡¯t they?¡± Bibi asked. ¡°How did they conquer the world and unite it under a single emperor? What did they get right that everyone else got wrong?¡±

    Thandi furrowed her brow and looked away. ¡°If I remember correctly¡­their elites rode on growing populist waves until one was strong enough to defeat the others. It¡¯s been a while though. I might go back and check my books for the details.¡±

    ¡°Incorrect.¡± Christie said. ¡°It was about the stoic¡¯s control of land, actually.¡±

    ¡°What, the latifundia nonsense?¡± Thandi said in surprise. ¡°Come on, Chris, everyone knows that got debunked way back when.¡±

    ¡°Misunderstood, perhaps,¡± Christie said. ¡°However, it remains correct,¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is, I¡¯m afraid. Why don¡¯t you check your books again?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Lyna interjected with her hands raised, ¡°I feel like there should be a counter argument here to argue why ancient civilization might not have been manipulated by aliens. It¡¯s a bit of a wild theory.¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Kayla said as she scratched her head. ¡°Seems watertight to me. It¡¯s clearly aliens.¡±

    ¡°Our friend is most astute,¡± Christie said. ¡°I shall play devil¡¯s advocate. A human tribe might be motivated to conquer and rule the world in order to advance the cause of universal justice, and civilize barbarians. Humanity was so terribly beastly, after all. For instance, there was once a band of mercenary thugs who wanted to found their own city, but they didn¡¯t have any women. So, once they¡¯d put up some buildings and walls, they invited the people of the neighboring towns over for a festival. Then, when the guests were at their ease and distracted, the bandits jumped the men and drove them off. The women were seized and carried off back the new city, where they were forcibly married. And lo, a new nation was born.¡±

    Lyna scowled as Thandi snorted with laughter. ¡°Why is that funny?¡± she demanded. ¡°It sounds like a good example of barbarism.¡±

    ¡°Because that was the foundation myth of Rome,¡± Thandi said. ¡°They called it the Rape of the Sabines.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ well, perhaps that¡¯s just anti-Roman propaganda¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Thandi said with a grin. ¡°It was their own legend. They were proud of it.¡±

    Lyna sagged. ¡°Okay fine. Let¡¯s hear it, then.¡±

    Christie smiled at her. ¡°Truly the righteous and moral leaders of mankind, as they often liked to remind their subjects, at sword point. Now, Rome was a monarchy until a revolution tossed out the king and installed a republic in 509 BC. Kayla, I don¡¯t suppose the date reminds you of anything?¡±

    Kayla thought carefully. ¡°Oh yeah! That was around the time Pythagoras was in the south of Italy building his aristocratic super cult.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christie said. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no evidence he ever went to Rome, but the timing is very curious, isn¡¯t it? Rome was a major port that connected Italy to the Greek world, and the city¡¯s elites idolized Greek culture. They sought to emulate the ideas and fashions that dominated the Mediterranean world. Meanwhile, the city-states of Magna Graecia to the south engaged in several wars over Pythagoras and his followers. The Romans would certainly have been observing them closely, though perhaps we can only guess what conclusions they would have drawn.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not much of a guess,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Rome was never a republic¡ªit was an oligarchy from the start. Res Publica, means ¡®for the people¡¯, but their government was set up exclusively to serve the interests of a hundred families, called patricians. They controlled the first senate and all of early Roman society. Every single political right the actual people gained, they had to fight for tooth and nail. There were violent social and political struggles called the ¡®Conflict of the Orders¡¯ that lasted more than two hundred years. The only guarantee of the average citizen¡¯s right to influence decisions¡ªthe office of tribune of the plebs¡ªwas created because the entire army went on strike on the eve of a major war.¡±

    ¡°So, I guess the Romans were the backup plan?¡± Kayla asked.

    Christie tilted her head in thought. ¡°Possibly. The Pythagorean cult was large, so there would have been several attempts. Roman success was not at all guaranteed. Antigonus was courting Stoics¡ªmaking one of Zeno¡¯s best students ruler of the powerful city of Corinth¡ªin the 240s BC. At that time the Mediterranean was controlled by three superpowers: Rome, Antigonid Macedonia, and Carthage. Rome would have to defeat both of these contenders in a series of bloody, destructive wars before it got much attention from the Hellenes. As soon as it had achieved these victories, in 155, the head of the Stoic school, Diogenes of Babylon, took a trip to Rome with two other philosophers. They went ostensibly to address a fine that had been levied against Athens, but, in reality¡­¡±

    ¡°Sucking up, spreading the good word?¡± Kayla said. ¡°Hello worthy conquerors, looks like you¡¯ve got what it takes to rule the whole planet?¡±

    ¡°But of course. Not long after the visit, a very powerful Roman, and recent destroyer of Carthage, Scipio Aemilianus, began to gather Stoics together with other elite politicians to discuss Rome¡¯s place in the Hellenic schema.¡±

    Kayla sighed heavily. Was it actually possible for humans to leave each other to enjoy peace and freedom? Or were there always going to be a gang of psychos, working behind closed doors and hell bent on destroying it all for a taste of power? On Caldera, the colonists lived in imperfect harmony. Resolving their differences without violence had always been a struggle, but one that most adults managed to overcome. Kayla remembered how there would usually be a strong, respected figure in the community, ready to smack heads and impose common sense. Even with their flawed characters, Kayla had the same respect and trust in her fellow Valkyrie. Would it really be so wrong for them to nudge the rest of humanity in the right direction?

    Kes appeared in the doorway of the observation lounge. ¡°Girls, we¡¯re heading back to Tyr. We need to download suit logs, clean and inventory everything. Kayla, can you help me find Ray?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Corporal,¡± Kayla said absently.

    ¡°Roman history is fascinating,¡± Bibi said as they began to file out of the lounge. ¡°Let me know next time you¡¯re going to continue this conversation.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 15

    Weslan Genny stumbled as he ran through a cold mountain valley. The uphill slope stretched for miles ahead, but no matter hard he climbed, he never reached the top. The footing was loose, and shale and pebbles always tripped him up. Sometimes, he saw giant boulders on the path and he tried to hide behind them, but the creatures cowering there hissed and shooed him away.

    She was hunting him again. Whenever he stopped, he saw movement in the shadows, and he raced to get away.

    But she kept getting closer.

    Weslan ran, and it felt like he would never stop running. A voice told him that if he could only turn once and confront what was behind him, he would be free of her. But he didn¡¯t dare. He was doomed to run.

    ¡°Coward,¡± spat the shadow, as she closed on him, reaching out spectral arms to trap him.

    Caught, Weslan fell to the ground where he was pinned by a horrific black shape. Now she had him, and she would eat his insides.

    ¡°Worthless,¡± she spat in his face. ¡°Miserable wretch.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Weslan screamed as claws tore at his face and stomach.

    Sharp blades ripped through his flesh, as teeth bit into his arm. They ground down hard, shattering bone and ripping muscle and tendons. Weslan tried to shout again as his hand went numb, but another hand grabbed his jaw. He watched in horror as the limb morphed into a spike, and the shadow raised it over his face, poised to strike down.

    ¡°Weslan!¡± she called in a harsh voice, as cold as the void.

    He awoke to a cold sweat, and bed sheets wrapped in knots around his legs. The clock on the bedstand read 4.a.m. A glass of water helped him calm down, though he kept the light on as he tried to get back to sleep. He probably wouldn¡¯t. Some nights he would lie awake for hours, thinking of nothing while waves of electricity shook his body.

    That was his life since the crash. He didn¡¯t remember it, but a kindly female doctor had explained everything to him and his father. Weslan¡¯s employer had been flying him and his colleagues through the mountains of Caldera, until their transport had suffered engine failure and attempted a crash landing.

    Weslan and his fellow passengers, they were told, were all very lucky to walk away with mild cases of amnesia. Tragically, his former girlfriend, Rose Djallen, had been killed. There was barely enough of her left to bury. Strangely, Weslan didn¡¯t cry at the news, but felt only calm acceptance. None of them could remember much about the several months they had spent working for a top-secret laboratory, sponsored by the Helvetic League¡¯s military.

    Once in a while, scraps of memory came flashing back. There were tunnels and caves, and crystals the size of a house. Weslan wasn¡¯t able to make sense of the confusing images, but one kept flooding back to haunt his nightmares. The dark woman. She walked through his mind whenever she wanted, attacking him, laughing at him. Everything he did and thought, she watched, and judged.

    The worst part was the constant sensation that he had to flee. To his father¡¯s disappointment he left Caldera, finding work in a research lab on Raisa. Then he had provoked a furious argument by abandoning the field of biology, in which he had distinguished himself since his school days.

    ¡°You¡¯re walking away from your destiny, you stupid boy,¡± his father had yelled at him through the video link. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve built, everything I¡¯ve done for you over the years, and now you think you¡¯re too good for it?¡±

    Weslan couldn¡¯t reply. There was no way to explain his decision. There were rationalizations, and guesses, but the only thing that mattered was that he couldn¡¯t sit still. She would catch up with him. Instead, he chose to apply for a job in one of the League¡¯s regulatory offices.

    ¡°You were always a troublesome child,¡± his father said bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised your mother left.¡±

    Weslan wanted to hurt him then, and tell him that he was a cruel, miserable liar, obsessed only with his own legacy. But he couldn¡¯t. He knew from experience that nothing he said would be heard.

    After that call, Weslan began to read. He consumed everything he could about society, crime, politics and war. The knowledge brought him the conclusion he wanted to find. His willpower was nothing. He was like a mouse, watching the world from a hideaway, while clumsy, foolish humans stomped about in their pointless lives. In the near distance, the dark lady cheered his discovery.

    When he didn¡¯t feel fear, he felt spite. Cold, sneering, hateful spite. He couldn¡¯t stop¡ªit was like a disease. The dark lady told him that he was right to hate. He saw the truth that most people were too cowardly to see: the cruelty that formed the bedrock of their world.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Then he received a call that stunned him. Hieron Djallen, Rose¡¯s father, wanted him to travel to Earth. A private yacht had been arranged for a direct transit from Raisa. Weslan couldn¡¯t even imagine the level of power and influence required to make that happen. Hieron was the most powerful fusion magnate in the frontier systems, but surely not part of the core world¡¯s inner circle? And even if he was, what could such people want with his daughter¡¯s much less distinguished ex-boyfriend? Of course he couldn¡¯t refuse.

    The flight took several days, which Weslan spent in his stately cabin, reading, when he could manage to calm his mind. When he had to get out, he paced the deck, deep in thought, and ignoring the dutifully servile crew. The staggering opulence of the vessel and its many entertainments meant as much to him as a cardboard replica, and his only concern was the eternal question of what he must do next.

    Bypassing entirely the normal interstellar border controls, the Yacht landed outside Geneva. Vineyards and mansions sprawled across an undulating landscape. A classic electric powered vehicle drove Weslan towards an almost seamless mountain wall stretching from one horizon to another. The road took them through a gap that split the range in two, where a deep canyon wound its way through the imposing contours. High on the shoulder of one massif, a fortress jutted out over luscious green forests, and the vivid blue river below.

    The silent driver led him over a drawbridge, and through the fort¡¯s main gate where grim faced security guards took possession of him. They ushered him into a secure room where he was scanned and interrogated about anyone he met on his journey. Then, they showed him the way into a courtyard, where a smiling butler greeted him, and wished him a most pleasing visit to the Fort l¡¯Ecluse, private home to the Cardinal of the Adjudicate.

    Weslan¡¯s mind went into overdrive. A military project had failed, and he had been involved. He had betrayed his father, and left Caldera. His flight from Rackeye, the fledgling capital of the League¡¯s frontier presence, could only be seen as desertion from his duty as a Helvetic citizen. Now the Adjudicate¡¯s cultural enforcers would want to make an example of him to the whole galaxy.

    The butler led him deeper into the fort, and then the mountain itself, following a long tunnel that brought them to an elevator. Weslan fought for rationality to win out over his rising anxiety. They didn¡¯t need to bring him to Earth with such expense to make an example out of him. They certainly wouldn¡¯t want to involve Hieron, who had received an outpouring of grief and condolences from the galaxy at large over the accident. In any case, what good would fear do him when he was completely in their power? On Earth, a citizen couldn¡¯t cross the street without being scanned by a dozen security checkpoints.

    After a short wait, the elevator doors opened to reveal a hallway of sumptuous decoration. Gold-framed portraits lined the walls, interrupted by evenly spaced marble columns. Plants and flowers that were considered a luxury on Caldera blossomed from alcoves. The butler gestured to a large, well-lit room ahead, then left Weslan to continue alone.

    Pulse humming, he stepped forward into a wide lounge that looked out on a breathtaking view of the landscape. In the distance, the gleaming towers of Geneva crowded the skyline, capped by the sharp mountain peaks beyond.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± a voice said.

    Weslan looked around to see a cheerful, middle-aged woman reclining on a sofa. She got up, smoothed her dress, then stepped towards him.

    ¡°The fort was renovated by one of my predecessors, Murayama the third. It used to be so dull and utilitarian. I imagine it had a historical use, but I don¡¯t see what bland lumps of concrete have to tell us about the past, other than that people like to kill each other.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Weslan stammered. ¡°Madam Cardinal, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s Cardinal Crayland, actually. The title is gender neutral. I imagine you¡¯re wondering why I brought you out here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t imagine¡­ well, yes.¡±

    ¡°Mr Djallen will join us in a moment; I just sent him a message. I have no doubt that he will show his strong attachment to you. But I wanted to make sure you understood that I have no such interest. I serve the League, Mr Genny, and its hundred billion citizens. Their lives and prosperity matter much more to me than my own. And yours.¡±

    Weslan swallowed. Her blunt introduction was almost reassuring, even if it foreshadowed a difficult future. Here at last he had found someone who talked sense, instead of denying the terror of existence. But she also obviously expected to do something about it, and he wanted to hear more.

    ¡°Yes, Cardinal Crayland. I understand.¡±

    She smiled again, and ushered him into a chair, before sitting down opposite him.

    ¡°Your doctor has provided me with a report on your health. Insomnia, night terrors, and anxiety, he said.¡±

    Weslan nodded, even as he suppressed a flush of anger at the violation of his privacy. It didn¡¯t matter. Something was going to happen.

    ¡°Yet you refused all medication,¡± she continued. ¡°Do you drink?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Drugs?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    Crayland looked at him with curiosity and leaned forward. ¡°Why?¡±

    Weslan had to think for a moment before understanding. So many of his decisions now came through instinct. ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea that my mind is dependent on a chemical to function. It¡¯s a weakness.¡±

    ¡°Indeed?¡± Crayland said as her eyebrows raised. ¡°Are you Helvetic idealism personified? How about your fitness?¡±

    ¡°I run.¡± Weslan did his best to ignore the cackling of the dark lady in the background.

    ¡°What do you remember about Allana Rayker?¡±

    A bolt of lightning seared through his mind, but left only shock and pain in its wake. The name meant something, even if he couldn¡¯t grasp anything substantial. Even stranger, the dark lady¡¯s cackling had ceased, and she was watching him in silence.

    ¡°I¡­¡± He stopped and thought hard, but couldn¡¯t find any words that would be useful. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m sorry¡ªI recognize the name, but I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    Crayland watched him with cold, suspicious eyes. Then there was the crash of a door flying open, and Hieron Djallen was striding into the room, his face full of concern. Weslan stood and was shocked to find himself grabbed in a bear hug.

    Hieron¡¯s words flew quickly. ¡°Weslan, by god, I am so happy to see you here; we¡¯ve been so worried about you since the funeral. Awful to hear about you and your father¡ªI tried to talk sense into him, but he can be such a damned fool. How is Raisa? How are you doing? Please sit down, let¡¯s hear everything. Cardinal, can¡¯t we get something to eat and drink?¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 16

    The afternoon was so pleasant after that, Weslan nearly forgot where he was. Hieron¡¯s cheerful conversation, catching him up on Calderan business and gossip, took him back to an old life. Once, he had been successful and popular, and relieving those memories almost made him feel safe. But eventually the pleasantries faded, and the topic of conversation steered back to more serious matters.

    ¡°Terrible business, what happened to my daughter.¡± Hieron said, as his eyes misted over ¡°Such a tragic loss. Nearly killed her mother, poor thing.¡±

    Weslan could only nod, and wait for the questions that would inevitably follow.

    ¡°I won¡¯t bother you with the same old rigmarole, dear boy. But you¡¯ve no idea why she was on that transport?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯ve no memory at all about the trip.¡± Weslan tried to smile sympathetically.

    ¡°Of course, of course. No matter. But we¡¯d thought she was off at some sort of spy school, or whatever that damn place is. Next thing you know, we hear she¡¯s involved in a military project with old classmates. Back on Caldera and hadn¡¯t even called us. Not like her at all.¡±

    ¡°And not on the contractor¡¯s records either,¡± Crayland said gently. ¡°Meanwhile the other cardinals swear blind that they have no idea what the Academy is all about. It certainly doesn¡¯t report to the Adjudicate.¡±

    Hieron smiled sadly. ¡°She got in though, didn¡¯t she? Tells you everything you need to know about my darling Rose. Most others failed, but she was the best in the galaxy.¡±

    Crayland squeezed his shoulder, then turned back to Weslan. ¡°Not to get into gruesome detail, but it is somewhat surprising that only one person on the transport was killed, when everyone else returned unharmed. Apart from the amnesia, obviously.¡±

    Weslan nodded keenly. He had many of the same questions himself, but suspected they would never be answered. Then his hair stood on end. The two others had gone silent, as they watched him carefully.

    ¡°Did they tell you that an unidentified ship had been detected in an orbit that passed near your crash site?¡± Crayland said.

    ¡°No,¡± Weslan said, desperate to hear more.

    ¡°Vanished without a trace, so the report says. And other satellites detected evidence of ¡®explosive events¡¯ in the same area. Dust clouds and seismic readings, and so on.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. But the League is very concerned about the growth of terrorist movements in the frontier clusters. One individual of particular concern was spotted in Rackeye several months before the crash.¡±

    ¡°Who? What are you saying?¡± Weslan leaned forward, almost shouting the words.

    ¡°Allana Rayker. A wanted criminal with¡­ ties to radical separatists, and other groups that threaten to destabilize the region.¡±

    She was lying. Weslan had no idea why, but her tone and body language had changed ever so slightly. Since the accident, the lies of ordinary people had begun to seem more obvious. In Crayland¡¯s case, he wasn¡¯t sure what she was lying about, only that he was going to be a pawn in her agenda.

    But he was equally certain of her desire to protect the League and its citizens. And whatever secrets they wanted to uncover would help him understand what had happened to him. Maybe he could even rid himself of the dark lady.

    ¡°Every year,¡± said Hieron, ¡°we hear more and more reports of hostility from the colonists. Sometimes they threaten Helvet citizens, sometimes they attack their businesses. Whatever Rose was doing out there¡­ she was obviously doing it for the League. And, well, from our perch it looks like somebody wanted to stop her. Perhaps you and your fellow scientists were there by accident. Or maybe even used as part of the cover story? We can only guess.¡±

    Crayland looked at him sharply. ¡°Guessing is unacceptable. But the Adjudicate is nearly blind outside of Rackeye. Our people simply don¡¯t have the support or training to work in unfriendly environments.¡±

    Hieron grunted. ¡°That¡¯s what the Sentinels are supposed to do.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but Cardinal Darys is an incompetent and corrupt monster. The service watches his interests alone.¡±

    ¡°I spoke to him after the funeral. He assured me they were doing everything they could to maintain a presence on Caldera, but their resources were limited.

    ¡°He assured me,¡± Crayland said, ¡°that Caldera, as a precarious frontier outpost, was as relevant to him as a Martian rock.¡±

    Hieron¡¯s fists balled.

    ¡°Whatever you want me to do, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Weslan blurted out.

    Hieron and Crayland both turned and stared at him in surprise.

    A week later, Weslan walked into the recruitment office of the Helvetic League¡¯s security service. Known as ¡®Sentinels¡¯ they reported directly to the League¡¯s governing central committee, and monitored all colonized space for security threats.

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    It wasn¡¯t simply the Cardinal¡¯s concern for Caldera that had earned Weslan¡¯s loyalty, or that she seemed to be the only official with at least some idea of what had happened to him. A fundamental part of the galactic machine that kept them all safe was broken, and that appalled both of them. The League was the only source of order in the galaxy. Without it, the human worlds would cannibalize each other.

    And if he couldn¡¯t rid himself of the dark lady, he would at least make sure that others would be protected from her. Nothing else seemed to matter anymore.

    The Sentinels were impressed by his resume, and keen desire to serve. His motivation didn¡¯t need explaining¡ªhe was Calderan. Their citizens were constantly complaining about the threats from cartels or colonists, or space junk. Weslan found the selection program tough, but he pushed through it. They wanted his total dedication, and he was willing to give it.

    After a tough year of training, he graduated as the honor cadet of his class, and was assigned to a senior agent on Barroche. The posting neither pleased him nor displeased him. It was necessary. The desire to return to Caldera was buried beneath his work, and he maintained regular contact with Hieron. Their messages were friendly, mostly keeping each other up to date. Weslan occasionally inserted references to his new office in the form of anecdotes from his school years. Nothing bothered him about the Sentinels he was working with, but he felt he should build up the practice of passing information, and his comfort with the risk. Someday, he would rise through the ranks of the organization, and the stakes would only increase.

    But the nightmares never stopped, and even in his new job Weslan could not remember the last time he had slept well.

    Purpose, and responsibility kept him going. Despite draining fatigue, he got out of bed before the alarm went off. His joints groaned with pain as he changed into a suit¡ªthe heavy gravity of Barroche still took a toll on his body. Then he ate breakfast, and flicked through the news feeds before his shift started.

    There was another story about the terrorist attack on Ambrosia. Apparently, the central committee was preparing to name a special investigator. If Crayland had been placed in charge they would already have a list of suspects. However, the senior directors of the security service were politically connected, and their maneuvering and sabotaging had drawn the process out. Now, they were making a song and dance of the whole thing to appease the extremely powerful citizens who frequented the exclusive planet. As much as Weslan believed in the necessity of the League, its corruption infuriated him. But that was the nature of humanity: weakness, ignorance, and frailty.

    He grabbed a heavy jacket before stepping out into the frigid cold and feeble light of day. Barroche¡¯s star was much further away than Caldera¡¯s hot sun whose warmth had brought him so many happy summer memories. When he turned down a street towards a park, the sky lit up with a brilliant flash, and he automatically looked down. The planet was also nearly twice the size of Earth, and, apart from two other small rocky planets, alone in the system. Asteroids and comets were frequently drawn into its gravity well, producing spectacular fireballs on a regular basis.

    Colonization had been attractive, Weslan had learned, because the planet was so rich in mineral resources. The League had managed the challenging project entirely on its own, establishing a planetwide network of tracking stations and rocket batteries, both terrestrial and orbital, for asteroid defense. Big rocks, larger than a mile in diameter, were deflected decades in advance of a projected collision. Smaller impactors were far too numerous to track or do anything about, until they approached Barroche¡¯s atmosphere. Then, they were met with fusion warheads, capable of destroying the meteors before they fell too low into the atmosphere.

    Such spectacular interceptions occurred several times a week, and caused the locals to joke about the hardships of their world. ¡°Where the heavens touch the earth,¡± was one unofficial motto.

    Weslan met Marsella Espher, his senior partner, in the middle of the park, where she liked to enjoyed a bagel, and watch birds gathering around a lake. He contemplated her as he approached, and felt the usual heart stopping sensation. She was very beautiful, almost aristocratic, and with the toned athleticism typical of Barrochian women. There she was, so pure, so representative of everything good about humanity, enjoying a moment of peace while she observed the beauty of nature. The moment left him with a mild headache, as all beautiful things did. The sublime was difficult to process, for one of a diseased consciousness.

    She looked around and smiled when she saw him. Weslan felt a small flash of pain, which was logical for a cursed man. He wasn¡¯t attracted to her exactly¡ªshe was almost a mentor figure. He wanted her respect, and he was well on his way to gaining it. Marsella was more than other women, and Weslan felt that she should be treated as such, rather than being the object of base desires.

    ¡°Are you well, Genny?¡± she said warmly. ¡°Did you recover from your workout?¡±

    Twice a week, all non-native Sentinels were required to perform a supervised weightlifting routine, to help them adapt to the demands of Barroche¡¯s gravity. Weslan hated it. He would much rather be provided an exoskeleton, as the Army was doing with their research program. Unfortunately for him, the Sentinels rejected machine dependency.

    ¡°Good morning, Espher,¡± he said, and managed a tight smile. ¡°I¡¯m in a great deal of pain, and exhausted, thank you for your concern.¡±

    ¡°You still don¡¯t sleep well?¡±

    Weslan looked away and shifted uncomfortably. ¡°It¡¯s the meteors. I feel like I can¡¯t stop waiting for the next one.¡±

    ¡°We will have to book you in for a sleep therapist,¡± Marsella said. ¡°You can¡¯t adapt if you don¡¯t recover properly.¡±

    Weslan nodded. Whatever they asked him, he would lie anyway.

    ¡°More personnel reviews today?¡± he asked. Background checks were boring, but essential work for League security, and a favorite chore to dump on new recruits.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Masella said, and sighed. ¡°The parade¡¯s next month, you see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you check your calendar? Foundation day is coming up, and there will be a military parade through the city. We need to vet all the officers who will be present. The directorate is particularly keen, given the incident on Ambrosia.¡±

    Barroche¡¯s vast missile production industry, and physically stronger citizens, made the planet a natural base for the League¡¯s military. The citizens idolized their soldiers to an extent that made Weslan uncomfortable.

    He snorted. ¡°I should think we can manage to be more reliable than the fools defending their beach resorts.¡±

    Marsella fixed him with a stern look. ¡°What is our worst enemy, Genny? I have told you many times and I don¡¯t want to have to keep restating it.¡±

    Weslan rolled his eyes. ¡°Overconfidence. But I¡¯m not advocating that we take a day off. I¡¯m simply pointing out the incompetence of the corporate class.¡±

    Marsella tossed her wrapping in a bin, stood up and began heading in the direction of her car. ¡°I¡¯ve obviously never been to Ambrosia, but I hear they have several of our finest veterans contracted on their security details,¡± she said as they walked.

    ¡°Are these the same veterans who lost the frontier war?¡±

    She glanced at him with a disappointed expression. ¡°Why are you always so negative?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably the fatigue. But I promise to be attentive today. Ill-tempered, but attentive.¡±

    ¡°So be it.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 17

    Their first stop was the headquarters of the First Barroche Guards regiment. Nicknamed the ¡®Fires from heaven,¡¯ they enjoyed pride of place in the planet¡¯s society, and would be at the head of the Founder¡¯s day parade. They were supposed to be one of the toughest fighting units in the galaxy, with a fearsome reputation across the League.

    But even as the car drew into the base, Weslan could see the signs of neglect. Paint peeled off the sides of buildings, while the hardy arctic grass was long and patchy. A quick study of recent news articles about the unit revealed that a decade of peace had left them with a reduced budget, and officers promoted for family ties, rather than merit.

    His eyes passed over a platoon of soldiers marching past the main square. They were tall and muscular, and they seemed disciplined. A pair of appropriately respectful enlisted men led the agents to the regiment¡¯s office block. Their bearing was stiff, while their eyes were fixed ahead. Weslan had never received such deference, even on Rackeye. Or were they secretly mocking him? How could grown men be so sincerely robotic?

    The first interview was conducted with a staff major responsible for civilian affairs, who had only recently been transferred. He had obtained the position as a favor from his previous commander, who had been close to the army¡¯s chief of staff. The unspoken implication of disloyalty greatly displeased him.

    ¡°Is all that really necessary?¡± he demanded, as Marsella leafed through a list of his college acquaintances.

    Weslan had contented himself to stay quiet and take notes up to that point, but his patience had already worn thin.

    ¡°Major Bastaff, do you consider yourself above the League¡¯s security protocols?¡± he demanded.

    Marsella stopped what she was doing and fixed the man with a severe expression. She might not like Weslan¡¯s hijacking of her interview technique, but they had to appear united. The reprimand would come later.

    The major turned a contemptuous eye on Weslan. ¡°Are they something I need to be lectured on by a lab technician?¡±

    Weslan raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I understand that the entry requirements for Sentinels have been stretched recently, haven¡¯t they?¡± the major said in a neutral voice. ¡°Budget cuts, no doubt.¡±

    ¡°The only requirement is to obediently serve the League,¡± Marsella said icily. ¡°And you will answer my colleague¡¯s question.¡±

    Major Bastaff sighed in exasperation. ¡°No, I am not above security protocols. But you could have done all this busy work from your office. We have many preparations ahead of us for the parade, as well as seeing to the defense of the planet, and the readiness of our force. I¡¯d hate to have to explain to the chief of staff that bureaucratic entanglements have distracted us from our work.¡±

    He eyed Weslan, no doubt waiting for a retort. But Weslan didn¡¯t play games.

    ¡°If I contact any of your former colleagues,¡± he said calmly, ¡°will I hear similar examples of how Major Bastaff believes himself better placed to decide how League defense should function?¡±

    The major eyed him with thinly veiled hatred. Of course, Weslan had no power to end the career of a well-connected soldier. His report could just as easily backfire and get him tossed onto a backwater planet, monitoring street enforcers.  But Bastaff didn¡¯t know that. He had no idea that Weslan¡¯s highly respected father had broken off contact. He didn¡¯t know how far the young man¡¯s influence reached.

    Ignorance could be a powerful weapon in League society.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± he said eventually.

    From then on, his patience with Marsella¡¯s questions seemed to be restored.

    Weslan hated soldiers. They believed themselves to be unique as ¡®honorable men of action¡¯, but in truth they were just as petty and vain as everyone else. He suspected that even they didn¡¯t appreciate the true horrors that war offered. They had only staked out their corner of the galactic bureaucracy and were defending it like anyone official would¡ªto say nothing of their failures during the Frontier War. When the League was truly threatened, would they offer a genuine solution, or pour fuel on the fire?

    Once they had finished for the day Marsella gave him a quiet dressing down in the car for his impetuosity.

    ¡°I¡¯d say you have the instincts for this kind of work,¡± Marsella said, after he apologized. ¡°But you also have to find patience for people who view us with suspicion.¡± She nudged the car through traffic as they headed back to their headquarters building.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the military at least should respect the security service?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re afraid of Sentinels, as everyone is. As we are afraid of the Adjudicate.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t fear them,¡± Weslan said. ¡°Their work is vital to the League.¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡±

    ¡°But those soldiers despise us. They look down on us as parasites. They think they can do our job better.¡±

    Marsella glanced at him curiously. ¡°I think you¡¯re reading too much into the interviews today. They were tense, yes, but their effectiveness could be compromised because somebody made a dumb joke at a party.¡±

    Weslan shook his head. ¡°Major Bastaff would destroy us, if he thought he could get away with it.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just a spoilt brat who resents being questioned.¡±

    ¡°No, I think the entire officer corps are petty warlords in waiting. Their culture shows it perfectly.¡±

    The atmosphere in the car turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re still new here, Genny,¡± Marsella said. Her tone matched the reprimand she had just given. ¡°You haven¡¯t yet come to appreciate how much pride Barrochians have in our regiments. Especially the First Guards. I hope you do, in time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Weslan said, and though his voice was contrite, he felt bitter anger.

    Why should he show respect to people who hated him? Why should Marsella? Didn¡¯t she understand her superiority over them? In the darkness of his mind, the dark lady laughed at him, and he clenched his fingers around the car door¡¯s handle.

    Once they returned to the office, Weslan began sorting through his notes until the regional director summoned him to a meeting room.

    When he walked through the door, he glanced at one of the video monitors, and his skin tried to crawl off his body. The assembled agents were in the middle of a conversation with a woman via Sig-link. She was gaunt, and her eyes smiled cruelly even though her face remained blank.

    Terror soaked through his pores and into his blood, arcing off nerves like electricity. But what was he afraid of? Almost all of the most senior agents on the planet were looking at him, which would certainly trigger anxiety in most people. Perhaps his weaknesses were worse than he thought? Weslan waited for the dark lady¡¯s laughter, but she had vanished.

    ¡°Take a seat, Agent Genny,¡± the director said. ¡°This is Carlotta Divine, an employee of the VennZech corporation. She was present at the terrorist attack on Ambrosia and has some troubling revelations to share with us.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Divine,¡± the station-chief said, ¡°Weslan Genny is one of our younger agents from Caldera, and will certainly have some on-the-ground experience to share on this matter. Could you just repeat what you told us about the night of the bombing?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, director, and pleasure to meet you Mr. Genny,¡± the woman said pleasantly.

    She was lying, and it seemed obvious that her cheerful politeness was an imperfect mask. On the other hand, he too had to wear a mask, if only to hide the fear and bitterness. His sudden concern was probably a little juvenile. Taking a chair, he set up his tablet and prepared to take notes.

    ¡°So, once the explosion happened,¡± Carlotta continued, ¡°we saw these masked thugs parading through the building. They were yelling revolutionary slogans¡ªphrases like ¡®freedom for Caldera from Helvet tyranny.¡¯¡±

    The station chief turned in his chair to face Weslan. ¡°Now, I know you¡¯re not a specialist Genny, but does this track with any colonist tension you may have seen in your time there? You¡¯re first impressions will be helpful here.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Weslan said, eager to be helpful. ¡°And I can certainly confirm there were some very aggressive elements amongst the colonists. We¡ªthat is the Helvets in Rackeye city¡ªwere often warned not to go unaccompanied into the rural areas.¡±

    The chief nodded gratefully and turned back to the monitor. ¡°Obviously, over the last year, VennZech has been increasing their operations on Caldera, including the development of industrial sites around Rackeye¡¯s periphery. Would you please help us understand, Ms. Divine, what your security situation looks like?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re very concerned,¡± she said. ¡°Workers receive threats and harassment in their social feeds. We¡¯ve had to step up the armed security presence, and we¡¯re seeing increased criminal activities around the construction sites. Between this and the terrorist attack, VennZech is greatly concerned about the potential for violent conflict between Helvets and colonists. Hence why I reached out to you.¡±

    The director nodded and glanced around the room. ¡°Sentinel cannot countenance taking a lax attitude in the face of such dire warnings. We don¡¯t have much on file about terrorist movements in the colony per se, but they do have to start somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± the chief said. ¡°And failure to react at all would only provoke boldness from radical elements. I believe this office should put together a proposal to step up surveillance in Rackeye.¡± He turned to Weslan. ¡°And I think we will move you to join the station there, Mr. Genny. I know your lifelong experience with the city will be most valuable to the team.¡±

    Weslan smiled and nodded. The apparently rapid escalation was surprising, and he wished he could have had more time with Marsella. But the time had come. His duty was obviously back on his home world, where terrorists might soon try to kill his fellow citizens.

    ¡°Agent Espher?¡± he said, as he teetered in the doorway to her office.

    She turned from her monitor and recognition brought with it a restrained, but friendly smile. ¡°Bored already Genny?¡±

    Weslan stepped inside. ¡°Well, I just wanted to say thank you, and¡ªI¡¯m afraid¡ªgoodbye. I¡¯ve been reassigned to Caldera effective immediately.¡±

    The smile flattened. ¡°So soon? That¡¯s quite unusual. You¡¯ve barely had a chance to get to grips with this department.¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°Maybe I should have a word with¡ª¡±

    ¡°It came from the Station Chief¡ªI think there¡¯ll be an official communiqu¨¦ shortly. I just wanted to come and thank you for everything you¡¯ve taught me over the last year. It¡¯s been invaluable. I do hope we will meet again.¡±

    Marsella got up from her desk and moved to shake his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure that we will. You have a lot of promise, Weslan. I know you¡¯ll make an impact where you¡¯re going.¡±

    They exchanged a little small talk, and Weslan left the building pained by the separation. But he had a new mission, and he sensed that it would give him the opportunity to banish the dark lady from his mind forever.

 Part 3 - Chapter 18

    Buses pulled into the Mountain Rangers¡¯ parade ground outside their headquarters on Tyr, Valkyrie¡¯s hidden base of operations. The day was still early, and over the surrounding mountain peaks that rose above the glass and steel buildings, the moon¡¯s gas giant glowed a warm red against the sky.

    Kayla picked her large backpack out of the bus¡¯s storage bay, and followed the crowd towards the Bravo company buildings. She glanced up at the statue that stood in front of the main office¡ªa group of polished bronze Rangers climbing up on a metal boulder¡ªand suppressed a shudder. Her mind¡¯s eye saw grey boulders littering the floor of a cold valley, and she didn¡¯t like to return to those memories.

    She was behind Kes as they ascended the stairs to their squad apartment. The Mountain Rangers didn¡¯t use elevators. When they pushed through the front door, Kayla followed the corporal towards the kitchen, where cold beers would wait, and she could forget about the one room that would not greet a returning occupant.

    Entering the lounge, she stopped. A young woman in pressed and clean khakis was sat on the couch, trying not to look nervous and failing miserably. Kayla stared at her for a moment, then turned back towards her room. Maybe she didn¡¯t need a drink straight away. First, she could drop her things off and tidy them away.

    She pushed her door open and stared glumly at the closet doors hanging open, and the clothes strewn across the floor. They had deployed in a rush, but that had only left the place slightly cleaner. In theory, she could program a cleaning drone to put the place back in shape, though it would earn her a rebuke from the platoon sergeant.

    Yak would probably tease her about laziness too, and Kayla would respond with a joke. But she was gone today. If her recovery took a long time, she might never be part of the squad again. Only the closed door across the hall replaced the joy Kayla was missing.

    She dropped her bag and sank onto her bed, stared at the waiting mess, then decided her time would be better spent checking the news. As she browsed, heat filled her cheeks as a story about the terrorist attack on Ambrosia popped up. The Helvets were blaming the bombing on Calderan separatists. Of course they would lie about it. They lied about everything.

    She checked the comments, arguing with them in her head until she thought she couldn¡¯t control her temper. Then she moved to other stories, pretending to read them whilst continuing her imaginary argument with an ignorant Rackeye college student.

    Voices drifted in from the common area as her squad mates asked the new girl about herself. Kayla felt restless, so she stood in front of the mirror. She took in her dark brown eyes, and black ponytail, greasy from a day of work and travel. As her gaze wandered¡ª

    ¡°Kayla, what are you doing?¡± Thandi¡¯s voice snapped from the doorway.

    Guilt and surprise startled Kayla out of her reverie. ¡°Uh¡­¡± she scrambled for an excuse, because ¡®trying to avoid doing my job¡¯ would fetch her a real and unpleasant punishment.

    ¡°Are you checking yourself out in the mirror?¡± Thandi¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°That¡¯s a little narcissistic, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I was just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come on, get out here. Be sociable.¡±

    Kayla followed her friend into the lounge and cringed as the squad¡¯s eyes turned from the new girl to her. They smiled like hyenas.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Kes asked Thandi.

    Thandi shrugged, too expressively. ¡°Nothing. Kayla was just busy admiring herself in the mirror.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s gross,¡± Kes said. ¡°That¡¯s some poor leadership behavior right there. Setting a bad example, Lance Corporal Barnes.¡±

    Kayla smiled tightly and nodded. There would be a beating, and it would continue until morale improved. She grabbed a beer from the fridge, and gingerly took a seat opposite the wide-eyed new private.

    ¡°I tell her all the time,¡± Thandi went on, ¡°Pride goeth before the fall. It¡¯s a sin.¡±

    ¡°No, totally,¡± Kes nodded vigorously. ¡°Like, I¡¯m not a Christian, but I can still appreciate the strong moral compass that pushes back on bad behavior.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want her to go to hell. God does not approve of willful bad habits.¡±

    ¡°Definitely going to hell,¡± Lyna said with a smirk in her direction. ¡°I always said she was a bad sort.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all that attention that¡¯s getting to her,¡± Kes said. ¡°Celebrity corrupts even the most noble of us.¡±

    Kayla took a deep swallow from her bottle, eager to feel the sweet release of intoxication.

    ¡°Can I just say, as a woman, and a feminist,¡± Ray said, with tears in her eyes. ¡°That the biggest thing holding back our gender is the objectification of our bodies.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, thank you so much Ray,¡± Tian added. ¡°I applaud your bravery.¡±

    The others cheered.

    Ray returned Kayla¡¯s narrow-eyed glare with a look of heartbroken pity ¡°To see you, of all women,¡± she continued, ¡°my mentor, maybe even my idol¡­ reducing yourself to a sex object. It¡¯s a tragedy. Just a tragedy.¡±

    The Rangers, with one exception, murmured extensive words of agreement, as they looked upon Kayla with a mixture of sadness and disappointment. The sentiment on display barely hid their naked glee at the opportunity gifted to them.

    Kes pulled out her tablet. ¡°You know, I was just thinking about going over her performance review. It would be remiss of me not to mention this kind of failure in her character.¡±

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    Lyna looked thoughtful. ¡°Possible narcissistic or sociopathic tendencies?¡± she suggested.

    ¡°Yep, that sounds about right.¡± Kes tapped at the screen. ¡°Extreme self-absorption during the indoctrination of new team members.¡±

    Kayla took another swig, and smiled at the new girl. Beneath her perfectly bobbed hair and pristine uniform, she wore an expression of confused fright, and was probably arguing with herself whether she should try and laugh along, stay silent, or just run from the building.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be with you in just a moment,¡± Kayla said, and got a brave smile in response.

    ¡°It¡¯s really neglect of squad-essential duties,¡± Thandi added, while Kes made more notes.

    ¡°Or even platoon-essential,¡± Kes said. ¡°I mean, what is a platoon without a cohesive squad?¡±

    ¡°What is the company, without the platoon?¡± Tian added, now grinning openly.

    Kes nodded. ¡°When you put it like that, we could be looking at the total failure of the battalion and the organization itself.¡±

    ¡°Resulting in war across the galaxy and billions dead,¡± Lyna said, throwing a sickly sweet smile in Kayla¡¯s direction. ¡°Could any punishment be too severe for such grotesque irresponsibility?¡±

    A heavy silence fell as the Rangers contemplated the possibility of a satisfying punishment.

    ¡°The parade ground will need a sweep after our arrival,¡± Ray suggested. ¡°I think Alpha is on the roster, but you know they always appreciate volunteers.¡±

    Kes¡¯ lips twisted into an evil smile. ¡°That¡¯s a great suggestion, thanks Ray. Lance Corporal Barnes you will report for sweeping duty to the parade ground at oh-six-hundred tomorrow morning.¡±

    Kayla raised her beer. ¡°Oh-six-hundred, roger that,¡± she said listlessly. The job would take her a few hours, because the battalion liked a spotlessly clean parade ground. They would almost certainly send out an officer to inspect her work before she finished. Said officer would have spent a few minutes stamping around in the muddy field at the back of the building, resulting in a significant addition of dirt to Kayla¡¯s task. They would undoubtedly be accompanied by an orderly, whose footwear would be similarly filthy, and who would feel the need to closely observe the distant corners of the wide tarmac square. Also in attendance would be her squad, her platoon, and anyone else Kes managed to get the word to.

    Such was Kayla¡¯s punishment for leaving her squad on Ambrosia. Any hope of it being forgotten had been delusional, and the crime seemed to have grown worse in their minds with her growing notoriety.

    But as the buzz of alcohol took hold, not all her worries melted away. Her fingers clenched around the bottle as she saw Yak, her skin, muscle and bone fragments blasting out of her back. Then there was Rose, white as a sheet as her blood flowed away through a dead valley. Once again, the Valkyrie had failed, and Rayker was still on the loose. How many of them would die to finally bring her to justice?

    Kayla glanced again at the nervous young face across from her. She knew what was behind the fa?ade. Anxiety, without a doubt, but also hope, and the ignorant eagerness of a new recruit. After a year of training, the girl believed in Valkyrie¡¯s mission, and she would run into gunfire, even if she had no idea what she was doing.

    Heat radiated through Kayla¡¯s blood. Rose had fought to the death, alone, with no-one to help her. Should a rookie risk the same fate because her appointed mentor couldn¡¯t deal with her own problems?

    She swallowed rising tears. Kes had made her the Ranger she always dreamed she could be. And someone, many years ago, had done the same for Kes. Their unbroken chain stretched back¡ªKayla had no doubt¡ªto the first time a human learned how to swing a heavy stick, and taught the technique to a fascinated youth. Probably even further than that. It was not simply sacred; it was the only thing that had brought them all out of the darkness of a universe eager to destroy them.

    Kayla set her jaw. She was a lance corporal. Her doubts and fears were irrelevant. Her squad needed a second in command, and she would, by the heavens, stop being a selfish idiot and start doing her job properly. Somewhere in her psychic mailbox, she had no doubt, a message from Rose was waiting, unopened, that said exactly that.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked when the squad¡¯s teasing had run its course.

    ¡°Um¡­ Jess¡ªPrivate Jessica Hernandez,¡± the Ranger said.

    ¡°JessprivateJessica is a pretty name,¡± Tian said with a smirk.

    ¡°I am Lance Corporal Kayla Barnes, and I am your fire team leader. Which camp did you go to?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ White,¡± Jess said.

    ¡°Same. Susaki still there?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Kayla put her beer down. ¡°I really hated that woman.¡±

    ¡°We went through together two years ago,¡± Thandi explained.

    ¡°That was when boot camp was really tough,¡± Kayla added. ¡°They¡¯ve made it much easier since then.¡±

    Thandi grinned. ¡°Right. If you check the graduation rates, ours was actually the hardest one ever.¡±

    ¡°Definitely harder than Tian¡¯s,¡± Kayla said, with a wink at the woman.

    Jess chuckled nervously. Thandi asked her more questions, but Kayla noticed the girl kept glancing back at her.

    ¡°Have you picked up any martial arts yet?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh¡­ well I like Muay Thai. I um¡ª¡± Jess looked like she was going to say more, but hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m nervous. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d put me here.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What do you mean? In Mountain Rangers?¡±

    ¡°With¡­ um¡­ you. This squad, I mean.¡± Jess suddenly appeared to find part of her uniform fascinating.

    Thandi caught Kayla¡¯s eye, but she also looked confused.

    ¡°What, do we have a bad reputation with the instructors?¡± Kayla asked, and felt a touch of pride at the thought.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all anyone talks about in Ranger school¡­ the battle on Caldera I mean.¡± Jess fixed her eyes back down on the thread she was pulling on her shirt. She looked like she wanted to crawl away and hide. ¡°Is it true you beat up Allana Rayker?¡± she asked suddenly, showing a piece of the reckless confidence Valkyrie had selected her for.

    Total silence filled the apartment, and Kayla felt another lash of pain as the memory of that day returned. She pressed her chilled bottle against her forehead and counted to five. Then she pushed forward.

    ¡°Do you want me to tell you why they sent you here, Private Hernandez?¡± Kayla spoke sternly, now that she understood the work that needed to be done.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Because an experienced, capable and amazing friend of ours was nearly shot to death in a foreseeable failure of communication and planning.¡±

    Jess swallowed, but said nothing.

    ¡°They sent you here because, out of everyone in your graduating class, they thought you were the best. Well, you¡¯re not nearly good enough. Nothing personal¡ªno matter how dedicated you were, you¡¯re still a rookie. Maybe, in a year, if you work hard, and listen to everything you are told by the rest of this squad, you might start to look like a decent Ranger.¡±

    Kayla leaned forward. ¡°But we are very likely to be going back out after Rayker within a month.¡±

    The silence was broken by Ray cracking a bottle open. ¡°Yeah, thanks for lightning the mood, darling.¡±

    Jess¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Kayla, and she nodded slightly.

    ¡°Do you want to hear dumb stories, or do you want to get to work?¡± Kayla demanded.

    ¡°I want to work,¡± Jess said.

    ¡°Good. Unfortunately, my uh¡­ schedule appears to be fully booked tomorrow morning, so Ray will take you for a weapon and suit orientation. In the afternoon I¡¯ll take you to our climbing gym and we¡¯ll start on some techniques for vertical movement.¡±

    Jess¡¯s backpack pinged and she looked around in surprise.

    ¡°Just sent a document to your tablet,¡± Kes announced. ¡°It contains everything you need to know about the integrated mapping functions of your helmet¡¯s computer. I expect you to become an expert on chapter one tonight. I will test you at breakfast. It¡¯ll be nice to have someone who won¡¯t screw up like the last asshole who was in charge of our navigation.¡±

    ¡°Questions?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Um, no Lance-Corporal,¡± Jess said as she started fumbling for her things.

    ¡°Then start thinking of some.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 19

    A warm breeze rustled through the leaves of the peach blossom forest as Kayla walked with Urtiga. They were in the Vale of the Fallen, where every tree represented a woman who had been lost in the service of Valkyrie, and the sturdy, immortal trunks stretched as far as the eye could see.

    Urtiga liked to take Kayla to meet her fallen friends, and tell their stories. She insisted that it was the only way to keep alive the memories of those who were lost, and the knowledge they had earned in blood.

    For Kayla it was an honor and a privilege. By tacit agreement, no woman ever went further into the forest than their own generation, unless invited, because they would be able to guess the age of the Valkyrie they met.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you took me under your wing,¡± Kayla said, as they walked back to the entrance. ¡°I¡¯m more trouble than I¡¯m worth.¡±

    Urtiga gave her a mild shove. ¡°Have you been feeling sorry for yourself? You know that¡¯s not what I want to hear.¡±

    ¡°A little bit,¡± Kayla admitted. She reached up and scratched at a bad rash on her neck, and winced at the movement.

    ¡°Training accident?¡± Urtiga asked.

    Kayla chuckled ¡°No, I got a bit over-zealous with my role, and Thandi made me pay for it. She¡¯s got this natural talent for all martial arts. Makes me super jealous.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get,¡± said Urtiga. ¡°You¡¯ve been screwing up.¡±

    ¡°And then some. You heard about the friendly fire incident?¡±

    Urtiga smiled wryly. ¡°Which one? My unit had one too, you know.¡±

    ¡°At least nobody got shot in yours.¡±

    ¡°Kayla, anything can happen once bullets start flying.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what everyone says. I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve got this leadership business figured out yet.¡±

    Urtiga shook her head and said nothing. Then she stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°My whole family got vaporized by a bomb on Titan. During the Sol war¡ªmost people don¡¯t even remember it now. It¡¯s a footnote in any history book.¡± She looked sadly into the distance. ¡°A few rebels versus the Earth government in a weeklong exchange of ordinance that achieved nothing. Valkyrie took me in, and I¡¯ve never known anything else.

    Kayla watched her mentor as she took in every word.

    ¡°My older sister was the coolest person I knew. We used to do everything together; run around the colony, steal boats and race them on the methane lakes. When the bombs started falling, we all ran into the basement. They told me to stay still, but I was too scared, and we always used to run from trouble, so I got out of their grip and raced outside.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I honestly thought they would follow me. But I looked back and the whole building just disintegrated. They used a bunker buster because they said they the rebels had tunneled under our houses. There was nothing left at all.¡±

    ¡°Did you blame yourself?¡± Kayla asked.

    Despite the rush of grief and horror, and the parade of questions, she didn¡¯t want to overreact. She had no business falling to pieces when she hadn¡¯t experienced what Urtiga, at more than a century old, had already healed from. Even with her own memories, excessive sympathy made her uncomfortable.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°I went through the whole rollercoaster for decades. But anyway, when you lost your dad, I thought you could use an older sister. So that¡¯s why I took you under my wing.¡±

    Kayla suddenly lost control of her voice. ¡°Sometimes I wish you were my mother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d be a terrible mother,¡± Urtiga said as she awkwardly kicked at a fallen branch. ¡°Besides, yours is still alive.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s a narcissist,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there to connect with.¡±

    ¡°You remember when you came to Tyr? The first thing I said to you? It was so awful, and I beat myself up about it for ages.¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment, then laughed. ¡°Did I regret the day you met me? The day my dad died? Yeah, I wasn¡¯t sure about that one, but I think I forgot about it quickly with everything that was going on.¡±

    ¡°You see? I can¡¯t be a mother. I¡¯ve lost the touch. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a narcissist, but¡­ well, you would be reminded of one from time to time.¡±

    ¡°You probably could, if you wanted to be.¡±

    ¡°Just like you could be a good team leader, if you wanted to be?¡±

    Kayla stopped short and lifted her head to stare at the sky through the pink blossoms above them. She felt very angry, and very stupid at the same time.

    ¡°I¡¯m a reckless, irresponsible idiot, and I have no idea what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°That¡¯s about how most of us start out. It¡¯s very on the job training.¡±

    ¡°But the others¡­ they need someone way better than me.¡±

    ¡°No, they need you, because you are an excellent soldier, and as soon as you stop trying to take responsibility for the risks they accepted for themselves, you¡¯ll figure that out.¡±

    Urtiga stopped and stared down the path. The forest had given way to a crowd of evenly spaced young saplings. Where she was looking, Kayla saw Christe and Thandi sat by one of them, talking happily. ¡°Your friend Rose didn¡¯t join this organization because she wanted to live forever. She joined because she wanted her life to count for something more than herself. And it did.¡±

    Kayla tried to sniff back tears. ¡°But Rayker got away. I let it happen again.¡±

    Urtiga grabbed her shoulder and looked her in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that. We let Rayker get away. It was a team failure, and won¡¯t be the last we have to endure. But you know we¡¯ll hunt her down again. And some more women will die. And one day we will succeed, and it will all have been worth it. If you don¡¯t give everything you have to make that happen, failures included, then what does that mean for the sacrifices of those that did?¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    After she left Urtiga, Kayla joined her friends at the sapling where Rose¡¯s body was buried.

    ¡°How¡¯s your shoulder?¡± Thandi asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s good, but I need to stretch it some more. Did you really have to dislocate it?¡±

    ¡°I dunno. I guess we¡¯ll see how you do over the next couple of weeks.¡±

    ¡°One of these days it¡¯s going to be me kicking your ass,¡± Kayla said with a grimace.

    Thandi laughed, and shook her head dismissively.

    ¡°How is the wide-eyed, na?ve, and totally unsuspecting future of our precious organization?¡± Kayla asked.

    Thandi scoffed. ¡°Driving forward with a spring in her step. Barely put off by your doom and gloom speech. Still idolizes the squad in general, and you in particular, in defiance of explanation. Ray¡¯s taken her under her wing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Kayla nodded. ¡°Ray¡¯s awesome.¡±

    ¡°What will happen to Yak?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°She was already near the end of her probation,¡± Kayla said. Valkyrie were usually required to serve a five-year term as a Ranger before they could specialize into other units. ¡°And she was already on a program to prep for Pararescue selection. Either way, she won¡¯t come back to our squad.¡±

    ¡°What a coldly bureaucratic system your battalions operate under.¡±

    ¡°Obviously. Duty comes before everything else.¡±

    Christie looked thoughtful. ¡°Do you know, I¡¯ve heard a lot of stories about your friend Ray. I feel certain she¡¯s spent a lot more than five years as a Ranger.¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°You can stay however long you want. Before Ash left, she told me Ray was in Winter battalion before Mountain. But she¡¯s super cagey about it.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s easily the most dialed in Ranger in the company, too,¡± Kayla observed.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Christie mused, ¡°Given the advantages of nanite enhancement, we have no idea how old many of our colleagues are. I was shocked when I learned Urtiga was nearly a hundred and forty years old. You can¡¯t remotely tell by looking.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Ray can be a bit adolescent though, especially when it comes to men.¡±

    Christie only raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I just hope we have time to get our rookie up to speed before we have to go face Rayker again,¡± Kayla said, absently. She picked a blade of grass and studied it closely.

    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Christie said after a thoughtful pause. ¡°One cannot move a small army of alien war machines around without generating chatter. She might go into hibernation in dead space somewhere¡ªand who am I to make assumptions about her strategy? But if she moves, we will know within weeks. There are many ears to the ground, you see. It¡¯s a very all-hands on deck situation.¡±

    ¡°I would bet,¡± Thandi said carefully, ¡°that the Delta-Three-Alpha mess gave the chiefs a wakeup call. They need to reorganize Valkyrie into a large-scale, coordinated force, rather than the piecemeal cleanup groups they¡¯ve gotten used to.

    ¡°But there are so many problems with that approach,¡± Christie argued. ¡°You cannot simply start moving a private army into human space without catastrophic effects.¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Come on Chris. This whole ¡®neutral protectors¡¯ thing was never going to last. Between the trafficking and Rayker¡­ something had to change. Everyone knows it.¡±

    Christie scoffed. ¡°Oh gosh, how could I forget that we had the benefit of perfect moral righteousness to guide us?¡±

    Kayla gave her a disappointed look. ¡°But you think we have superior intellect, don¡¯t you? Here¡¯s the thing, you might want to revisit some of your assumptions about who exactly is in the driving seat of the Ranger battalions. And they don¡¯t necessarily share the opinions of the officer-intel class.¡±

    Christie stared at her, speechless. When she finally spoke, she sounded offended. ¡°I¡¯m stunned you would even use a term like that. What happened to one-team one-fight?¡±

    Kayla just shrugged. She couldn¡¯t help being the bearer of bad news.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought I had joined a responsible paramilitary organization. Now my friends tell me I¡¯m part of a gang, a mob, of angry, over-powered ego maniacs. I suppose this is the time where I need to shut up and do as I¡¯m told by those with the guns, is that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair,¡± Thandi said. ¡°I hate the way you try to oversimplify everything.¡±

    ¡°Un-simplify it for me then,¡± Christie said, as her cheeks began to color.

    Thandi¡¯s voice softened. ¡°You know that Valkyrie puts reputation and experience before rank, and you know that the most senior veterans could be anyone. Probably only the chiefs know who the old guard are.¡±

    ¡°It is an extremely effective clique; I grant you that.¡±

    ¡°Officers are a necessity for organization and coordination. They are the nerves which drive the muscle. But the body has a heart, and it has a gut.¡±

    ¡°An organ for pumping blood and another for digesting food, gosh, what an insightful metaphor.¡± Christie said coldly.

    Kayla chuckled. ¡°Which part do you think is the ass¡ªsorry, sorry.¡± She looked down as her friends scowled her into silence.

    ¡°Listen Chris,¡± Thandi continued, maintaining her even tone. ¡°You¡¯re the one making assumptions about how the organization thinks.

    ¡°Or ought to think,¡± Kayla said quietly.

    ¡°We¡¯re just sharing the broader picture,¡± Thandi finished.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Christie looked away into the forest as her jaw clenched.

    She didn¡¯t speak for some time, and Kayla exchanged a look with Thandi as the silence continued. Eventually, however, Christie appeared to relax, and sighed deeply.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, obviously,¡± she said. ¡°None of us really know what kind of people our superiors are, or their agenda.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°All I know is that I like who I work with, and that the missions we get handed seem worthy. Here, have a dandelion.¡±

    Christie gratefully accepted the flower and her smile brightened.

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll bring your new girl to Caldera?¡± she asked.

    Smyrna had declared mandatory weekend leave for the task force, with explicit instructions to get off Tyr and visit civilization. The squad had planned to unwind on Caldera by staying in the spacious town house of Kayla¡¯s adoptive father, Jack Fenway. The ability to find their own friends outside work had expired with time in service, and so they hoped to get drunk in Zula while flirting with locals. Only Kes had declined, citing family matters.

    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± Kayla said. ¡°She¡¯s been pushing so hard she¡¯s brain fried, and it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to integrate her. Anyway, check it out, I¡¯ve got this awesome new outfit I wanted to wear¡ª¡±

    ¡°If it was that meager scrap of fabric you had laid out on your bed, you¡¯re not wearing that,¡± Thandi said flatly.

    Kayla huffed in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you just my full-time mother now?¡±

    ¡°Yours mostly ignored you, as did all the girls you were with growing up, so yeah, I guess I have to take on some of that responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Well give it a rest. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me being feminine and showing off some skin.¡±

    ¡°First, those are two completely different concepts, and the fact that you don¡¯t understand that tells me how far you have left to go. Second¡ªno, listen,¡± she cut Kayla off as she tried to answer back. ¡°Second; girls who can dress like that without concern usually know what they are doing. You have no idea what you are doing, because you¡¯ve never socialized with people outside this group of immortal, trained killers, who are as far removed from real life as it is possible to get.¡±

    Kayla scowled as she scratched at the dirt. ¡°I bet Christie would be happy to take me out looking hot.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try and turn us against each other,¡± Thandi snapped. ¡°I¡¯m looking out for you, because you do not understand that the world is filled with sharks. When they see a young woman wearing skimpy outfits, without the experience to know how to handle herself, all they see is prey. Christie, back me up.¡±

    ¡°Thandi is correct,¡± Christie said. ¡°Social interaction is a subtle and fast spoken language, chiefly used in the exploitation of the inexperienced. And men, of course, are vile monsters to be watched with constant suspicion, while noting their range and elevation. Perhaps, Thandi, a mortar team could be called upon to set up a thousand meters from the venue, in case we have need?¡±

    Thandi slapped her on the leg and turned back to Kayla. ¡°She¡¯s being facetious, but she did agree.¡±

    ¡°Broadly agreed,¡± Christie allowed. ¡°Just don¡¯t be absurdly skittish. And can we do anything to convince you to explore the rest of the color spectrum? Black cannot be worn for every occasion.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s objectively false.¡±

    ¡°And please, whatever you do,¡± Thandi said, ¡°Remember Rose¡¯s advice. If you meet anyone who reminds you of your friend Weslan Genny, walk away immediately.¡±

    ¡°So, to clarify,¡± Kayla said in exasperation. ¡°Even when I get a long weekend break, I still have to spend it learning new tactics, techniques and procedures?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Christie said. ¡°And there will be a test.¡±

    Thandi squeezed her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry you weren¡¯t given the upbringing you needed to become as well-rounded as other girls. I¡¯m sorry you have to work hard just to become more normal. But, on the bright side, you are a Ranger, and you will crush this like you crush everything else.¡±

    Kayla smiled gratefully. ¡°Usually with a lot of collateral damage, but I appreciate the sentiment.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 20

    ¡°Uh oh,¡± Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. ¡°Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don¡¯t everyone look, or you¡¯ll attract their attention.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Kayla asked apprehensively. ¡°Helvets?¡±

    ¡°Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they¡¯re going to move in on our action. Freakin¡¯ teddy bear lovers.¡±

    Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.

    The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.

    Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go assault through the ambush,¡± Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.

    Lyna beamed at Jess. ¡°So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.¡±

    Jess¡¯s apprehensive smile flattened. ¡°What kind of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl¡¯s date, regardless of unit,¡± Lyna said. ¡°No, I am not kidding.¡±

    Kayla squeezed her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry it¡¯s less painful the second time you do it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Kayla chuckled. ¡°No, I¡¯m kidding. I haven¡¯t actually done it twice.¡±

    ¡°But anyway,¡± Lyna continued, ¡°let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That¡¯s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.¡± She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.

    ¡°But what about¡­¡± Jess glanced around carefully, ¡°civilians?¡±

    ¡°Weapons free,¡± Kayla said, then caught Thandi¡¯s eye. ¡°Metaphorically speaking. Don¡¯t start a fight. Call for support as needed.¡±

    ¡°Pick someone you like,¡± Tian said, ¡°then me and Kayla will set you up. I¡¯ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.¡±

    Kayla smiled grimly. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my talent.¡±

    ¡°Okay then,¡± Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.

    Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. ¡°They will stand down until we¡¯ve had our fun,¡± she explained.

    ¡°How did you sell that?¡± Lyna asked.

    ¡°I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.¡±

    ¡°Ray, for Christ¡¯s sake!¡± Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi¡¯s eye again. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding,¡± Ray reassured her. ¡°I said we¡¯d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.¡±

    Bibi sighed. ¡°All we do is gossip. It¡¯s so disheartening.¡±

    Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera¡¯s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League¡¯s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.

    In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.

    ¡°Take it easy,¡± Gaz said. ¡°You¡¯re not in the League¡¯s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there are any more wildlands, fella,¡± the man said.

    ¡°What do I call you?¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Kite for the time being.¡±

    Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn¡¯t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.

    ¡°Like the racing team?¡± Gaz asked. ¡°I guess you¡¯re a fanboy?¡±

    ¡°I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,¡± Kite insisted.

    ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.¡±

    Gaz shrugged. ¡°We try to be quiet, but it¡¯s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Kite paused and glared at him. ¡°So¡­?¡±

    Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,

    ¡°Tier three ident,¡± he explained. ¡°You can start a new life anywhere with that.¡±

    Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. ¡°Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.¡±

    A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.

    ¡°Cute, but harmless,¡± Gaz said. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk.¡±

    He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.

    Active workers wouldn¡¯t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.

    ¡°I worked in the port front office,¡± Kite explained, ¡°managing the admin. I didn¡¯t see or hear anything directly, you understand?¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,¡± Gaz said reassuringly.

    He didn¡¯t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not¡ªthey had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.

    ¡°All I know,¡± Kite continued, ¡°is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.¡±

    ¡°They make weapons. Sounds normal.¡±

    ¡°I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.¡±

    Gaz shrugged. ¡°Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn¡¯t prove anything.¡±

    ¡°Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.¡±

    ¡°These are connected guys?¡±

    Kite shrugged. He obviously didn¡¯t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.

    Gaz decided to push a little further. ¡°Were they local?¡±

    ¡°How should I know? I didn¡¯t interact with them.¡±

    ¡°From Intaba?¡±

    The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.

    ¡°But military restriction means we can¡¯t get anywhere near it,¡± he said disappointedly.

    Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. ¡°If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re being that helpful, Mr Kite.¡±

    Kite chuckled. ¡°Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.¡±

    Gaz brow furrowed. ¡°But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?¡±

    ¡°Sure, if you¡¯re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.¡±

    Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren¡¯t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn¡¯t have a lot of money to spend.

    On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite¡¯s information would lead to another vulnerability.

    Gaz nodded. ¡°20k into your ident¡¯s account, then.¡±

    ¡°A couple of weeks ago,¡± Kite said, ¡°they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn¡¯t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.¡±

    ¡°What kind of shipment?¡±

    ¡°No idea. But they wouldn¡¯t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.¡±

    Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?¡±

    Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. ¡°Intaba.¡±

    Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.

    ¡°The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Yup. Huh. Small world, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.

    He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.

    ¡°Gawd,¡± drawled a female voice nearby. ¡°Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?¡±

    Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.

    ¡°Leave him alone Kayla,¡± another young woman complained. ¡°You¡¯re so mean sometimes.¡±

    The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn¡¯t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.

    She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn¡¯t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.

    The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.

    ¡°Hey, man,¡± a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.

 Part 3 - Chapter 21

    Gaz turned and saw the girl standing behind him with an expression he could only describe as halfway between anger and curiosity.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he said cautiously.

    ¡°Can you stop checking out my friends all the time, it¡¯s super creepy.¡±

    That felt a bit unfair, but he happily demurred. ¡°Sorry If I made you uncomfortable,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to keep my eyes on the bar.¡±

    He turned away, then felt an insistent tapping on his shoulder.

    ¡°Hey again,¡± she said.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°So, are you just down here from Rackeye, or what¡¯s your story?¡±

    Gaz took a moment to study the young woman. She was staring at him in a way that put him in mind of an inexperienced noncom¡ªawkwardly insistent, though not unfriendly, and completely socially oblivious.

    ¡°I¡¯m from off-world,¡± he said. ¡°Just down here on business.¡±

    She crossed her arms. ¡°What kind of business do off-worlders have in Zula?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a private investigator, but I guess I¡¯m not very good if I don¡¯t blend in.¡± He sniffed his clothes. ¡°Do you know where I can get some of that farm smell you were talking about earlier?¡±

    She stared at him in silence for a moment, then burst out laughing. Too loudly, Gaz decided, which meant she was uncomfortable.

    ¡°You have to hang out with the locals more,¡± she said cheerfully.

    ¡°Hey, Kayla,¡± a stern voice said.

    Two of the woman¡¯s friends arrived, one of whom grabbed her arm.

    ¡°We¡¯re having this really serious disagreement, and we need you to step in,¡± the friend said.

    Next to her, an oriental looking woman fixed Gaz with an annoyed scowl.

    ¡°What? Really?¡± Kayla said, and glanced back at Gaz. ¡°But I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Now. You need to come back to the table,¡± her friend insisted.

    Gaz read the unspoken message and downed his drink. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said. ¡°I was just leaving.¡±

    He didn¡¯t look back as he stepped out into the night, his mind buzzing with questions about VennZech, and what Kite¡¯s information might have meant. The only thing he knew for sure was that they were a long way from reaching the kids that desperately needed their help.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Lyna hissed as she steered Kayla back to their table.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Kayla complained as she was forced back into her seat. ¡°I was just breaking the ice before you interrupted.¡±

    ¡°That was a Frontier Marine,¡± Bao said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the tattoos on his neck?¡±

    Kayla stared at her impatiently. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t go and chat up military,¡± Tian explained. ¡°That¡¯s just asking for trouble.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on, they¡¯re not all evil. Besides, we probably have things in common.¡±

    Lyna¡¯s eyes widened with intent. ¡°That you are forbidden from talking about.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only half the problem,¡± Tian added. ¡°You do not want to try and date military guys. Your personalities are basically identical.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow creased. She was already getting confused. ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°Oh my god, yes,¡± Tian said. ¡°You¡¯ll be trying to kill each other by the end of the week. Trust me on this, it goes so badly.¡±

    ¡°Okay but¡­ I dunno, that sounds kind of fun.¡±

    ¡°You poor misguided soul,¡± Lyna said sympathetically. ¡°You need a quiet intellectual type with a thing for tomboys. Please, let us share our accumulated wisdom, so we can save you from painful mistakes.¡±

    Kayla rolled her eyes, but signaled her acceptance. It was nice to have friends watching out for her. Over in the corner, she caught sight of Christie and Thandi, with a woman she didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°Christie¡¯s here, I¡¯ll catch up with you in a bit,¡± she said.

    Kayla sank into a seat next to Thandi, who flashed her a questioning look. Kayla shrugged and tilted her head¡ªthey would talk later.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Hi Christie,¡± she said politely. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Ah, my good friend Kayla Barnes,¡± Christie said in introduction. ¡°Allow me to present Moiray Gallan.¡±

    ¡°You with Forest?¡± Kayla demanded, before catching Thandi¡¯s slowly shaking head and wide eyes.

    ¡°I met Moiray in Rackeye,¡± Christie said smoothly. ¡°I thought I¡¯d tempt her out into the wider world.¡±

    ¡°Wait, who are you with?¡± Kayla said again.

    She¡¯d had a bit to drink already and after the terror of approaching a guy for the first time in her life, was having trouble focusing. A swift tap on the shin from Thandi¡¯s foot woke her up a little. She was missing something very important.

    ¡°Moiray is Christie¡¯s date,¡± Thandi said.

    A couple of insistent thoughts tried to push their way into Kayla¡¯s mind, and one got there leaps and bounds ahead of the others.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kayla said, ¡°so, you¡¯re a Helvet?¡±

    ¡°Gosh, do you think anyone will notice?¡± Moiray said nervously. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t get in trouble. They make such a fuss about the danger out here, but I always thought it was a bit um¡­ hyperbolic.¡±

    Kayla narrowed her eyes at Christie, who narrowed them back in return.

    ¡°It¡¯s true there is some tension with the colonists,¡± Christie said, ¡°but we are in no danger around my friends.¡±

    She said this with another threatening look at Kayla, whose remaining flash of introspection finally managed to catch up.

    ¡°Christie!¡± she declared in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were gay!¡±

    An awkward silence covered the group, while Thandi slowly put her head in her hands. Christie returned Kayla¡¯s insistent expression with a polite smile.

    ¡°First of all,¡± Christie said, ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for wrapping up my personality and shoving it into your neatly labelled little box. I date people I am attracted to. I am attracted to Moiray.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla said. ¡°My bad.¡± She didn¡¯t really understand the difference but was happy to take Christie¡¯s word. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªit¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± She beamed at Moiray, hoping that sheer enthusiasm would make up for her bad impression.

    ¡°Secondly,¡± Christie went on, ¡°I did not mention my dating preferences because they have not been relevant to any conversation we have had to date. I¡¯m not even sure why it would concern you.¡±

    Kayla felt annoyance escape her control like a slippery fish.  ¡°Oh, come on. We¡¯ve been friends for a long time. I feel like I should know these things about you, but you¡¯re so closed off.¡±

    Moiray giggled. ¡°I say that all the time.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Christie turned to her with an evil smile. ¡°Kayla isn¡¯t really my friend. She¡¯s more an experiment; my attempt to see if the savage natives can be educated and civilized.¡±

    Kayla hissed between her teeth. ¡°Mean girl confusing and complicated. Kayla want smash.¡±

    ¡°So, Moiray, you work for the art gallery?¡± Thandi said desperately.

    ¡°Just for info,¡± Kayla interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not gay. That is, I don¡¯t get attracted to women.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, really?¡± Christie said, ¡°And why did you feel the need to share that information, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Because, you ass, as friends we should learn more about each other.¡±

    Christie¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t because you expect me to instantly fall in love with you?¡±

    ¡°Well duh,¡± Kayla gestured to her herself. ¡°I mean I¡¯m super-hot, and you¡¯re only human.¡±

    ¡°This is great,¡± Thandi said to no-one in particular. ¡°So awesome. I¡¯m so glad we could share this side of ourselves with innocent people.¡±

    ¡°But Kayla,¡± Christie purred in a voice that had become slightly more upper class than usual. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m rather out of your league?¡±

    ¡°Oh Lord have mercy,¡± Thandi said as she put her head in her hands.

    The silence that followed seemed to extend forever.

    Kayla¡¯s glass hit the table with a small splash of liquid. ¡°The hell did you just say to me?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Christie said, in a slightly less confident voice, ¡°I¡¯m interested in intellectual pursuits and culture, and you¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°Smart and interested in lots of different things.¡±

    ¡°Mostly related to um¡­ rapid unscheduled disassembly.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s nostrils flared. ¡°Bullshit. Anyway, you should be more open minded.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m wrong about who I¡¯m attracted to?¡±

    Kayla narrowed her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Her brain caught up with her a moment later, and she turned to the stunned Moiray with a manic smile. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡ªyou are obviously great together. I hope you both have the happiest relationship. The three of us are kind of like very contentious sisters.¡±

    ¡°Adopted sisters,¡± Christie said. ¡°From different sides of the tracks.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair. I had a first-class education, just like yours¡ªI was the second smartest girl in my school, I¡ª¡±

    Kayla stopped and turned away, as a lump caught in her throat. She had been giddy with the carefree evening, and with four of them at the table she had fallen so naturally into an old dynamic. But Moiray was not their fourth, and the realization had hit her with a sickening jolt. The old wound tore itself open, and for a moment she couldn¡¯t speak through the pain.

    Even Thandi and Christie had been struck by the moment, as they stared in grim silence at their drinks. Between them, a completely confused Moiray glanced around helplessly.

    ¡°Um¡­ what did you say that you do, again?¡± she asked Thandi in an obvious attempt to find some semblance of normalcy.

    Thandi looked up and smiled weakly. ¡°Security. I¡¯m a consultant for um¡­¡± she waved a hand. ¡°security planning for venues.¡±

    ¡°We work for the same company,¡± Christie explained. ¡°You remember I explained that I do data analytics?¡±

    Kayla took in a breath and clawed her mind back to the present. ¡°Yes, and I um¡­¡± She swallowed and glanced at Christie, feeling the spirit of mischief returning. Reigniting the offensive would restore her spirits. ¡°I provide onsite tactical support and defensive capability, enabling multi-dimensional uh¡­ threat targeting and response from both a kinetic standpoint, and cyber¡­ uh¡­¡± she stopped, her inspiration having suddenly run out of steam.

    Christie leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands whilst gazing in mock adoration at Kayla. ¡°Please go on. I could listen to you all night.¡±

    Kayla, irritatingly at a loss, dropped her fingers into her drink and flicked a spray of liquid at her. Christie yelped and ducked away.

    ¡°She¡¯s a bodyguard,¡± Thandi explained.

    ¡°Gosh how thrilling,¡± Moiray exclaimed. ¡°That sounds so dangerous. But don¡¯t you worry you might have to¡­ kill someone?¡± She said the last partly quietly as though afraid to speak the words.

    Kayla rolled her eyes at Christie, who had the decency to look contrite.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d manage,¡± she said coolly.

    Christie put a hand on her date¡¯s shoulders. ¡°How are you doing my dear? I did warn you that we were completely crazy.¡±

    Moiray smiled uncertainly. ¡°You have such lively conversations, it¡¯s so fascinating.¡±

    Kayla looked around as a crash disturbed the bar¡¯s atmosphere. Two men had jumped up from their chairs and were squaring off, while Lyna was clutching the arm of one of them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your strength on him,¡± she said nastily, ¡°He¡¯s not worth it.¡±

    Tian jumped between the two furious looking combatants, while Bibi dragged Lyna away. It seemed to take her some effort. When she caught Lyna¡¯s eye, Kayla saw a spark of malicious joy through her drunken gaze.

    Over on the other side of the bar, Jess was staring glassily into the eyes of a wary young man while she giggled at nothing. Nearby, Ray waved for Kayla¡¯s attention, then twirled a small circle by her head with a finger.

    It was time to leave.

 Part 3 - Chapter 22

    Working together, the more coordinated members of the squad were able to guide Jess and Lyna back to Jack¡¯s house, before getting them tucked into sleeping bags.

    ¡°Sorry, Chris,¡± Kayla said as she showed the others into the lounge. ¡°Sometimes Lyna can be an angry drunk.¡±

    ¡°Vicious more like,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°Not to worry,¡± Christie said. ¡°No harm done, I think.¡±

    They filled up the seats where they could while Kayla went looking for her father¡¯s liquor cabinet. She returned with a bottle and a set of glasses, which the girls passed around.

    Moira looked around in bemusement. ¡°Do you all work together? Gosh, aren¡¯t you lucky to be good friends.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Ray, reclining on the floor, snorted loudly. ¡°Lucky, she says. Oh, boy, are we lucky.¡±

    ¡°I think we are,¡± Bibi said. ¡°I love you girls, you know?¡±

    ¡°I love all of you. Even Christie,¡± Thandi said with a wink. ¡°The love of Jesus surrounds us and guides us.¡±

    Her smile did not waver in the face of the awkward silence and giggles that followed her statement.

    ¡°That¡¯s such a lovely thought,¡± Moira said. ¡°You must have a great working environment that it¡¯s made you all so close.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Kayla lazily waved her hand. ¡°We can¡¯t talk about work. It¡¯s not good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, very wise,¡± Moira said. ¡°Let¡¯s make lighter conversation.¡±

    Silence once again drifted through the room. Kayla racked her brain, but struggled to come up with anything appropriate for a civilian. Was it possible that they¡¯d forgotten how to have normal conversations?

    ¡°Oh!¡± Bibi sat up. ¡°Tell us about the Romans. I was looking forward to that!¡±

    Ray slapped her face with her palm. ¡°This is not how you make friendly conversation.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting on you then, Ray,¡± Kayla said.

    There was a long pause. ¡°Shit, I dunno,¡± Ray said eventually. ¡°We could talk about MMA.¡±

    ¡°I think not,¡± Christie interjected. ¡°But I believe I am sufficiently prepared to take on the challenge of explaining the rise and fall of the Roman republic. Alone, if necessary,¡± she finished, with a questioning look at Thandi.

    ¡°No, I got this,¡± Thandi said. ¡°I am ready to take you on. You may go first.¡±

    Christie bowed, ¡°You are too kind. Well, it so happens that one day, in ancient Italy, a tribe of innocent, lovable rogues were sat around, quietly making pious sacrifices to the Gods, and minding their own business.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t do nuffin¡¯!¡± Thandi chirped happily.

    ¡°Never hurt so much as a fly! Apart from raping Sabine women, obviously. But what do you know, all of a sudden, a whole plethora of foreign armies just appeared out of nowhere and started charging about, raiding their land and fighting each other. And these completely blameless Romans were compelled, no, forced¡ª¡±

    ¡°By the demands of honor and justice!¡±

    ¡°¡ªto take up arms, in total contradiction to their detestation of violence, and march forth to knock heads together. And before anyone had stopped to think about it, why, the whole of Italy had just fallen under their power.¡±

    ¡°And then they looked at the rest of the Mediterranean,¡± Thandi continued. ¡°And they said, ¡®well, look at all those deadly threats to our allies and our honor.¡¯ So, they didn¡¯t have any choice.¡±

    ¡°Who were they to argue with destiny?¡± Christie demanded.

    Kayla cleared her throat, and all eyes turned to her. ¡°Rhinos have horns, Giraffes necks go high, birds are¡­ airborne, and humans lie.¡±

    She received a smatter of applause, and bowed her head in thanks.

    ¡°Quite so,¡± Christie said with a smile. ¡°In fact, if we examine Roman society, we can see the evidence of the Pythagorean plot to conquer the world. You see, it¡¯s all about land. To the ancient world, land is life. It feeds your family, gives you a home, and wealth. But more than that, it is inheritance. Money will be taxed, businesses can fail, ships can sink. If you are a powerful aristocrat, with designs on setting up your family to rule the earth for generations, you will need to leave them big estates. Because, when you have sons, you must split your property between them, and they will have to start with less.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Bibi said politely, ¡°that¡¯s what Alexander did. Only it didn¡¯t work because nobody could hold such a big empire together. So, how do you repeat such a feat with normal people?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy,¡± Christie said as she raised her hands. ¡°You just have to promise everyone that they will share the rewards. Instead of a single emperor ruling over devoted subjects, every citizen will get a nice chunk of the empire for themselves.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Rome won all the time because it had an endless supply of good soldiers. I guess land and loot is a better draw than a monthly salary.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Motivation is everything.¡±

    ¡°Citizen soldiers,¡± Christie went on. ¡°Every single land-owning Roman male was required to serve in the army, and every single one of them could expect to receive a part of the land taken from the enemy, as well as loot and slaves and so on. You may have heard that the Romans would elect dictators for a limited time to fight wars. Their actual title was magister populi, and they had a lieutenant called the magister equitum. Literally, master of the infantry, and master of the cavalry. So, the entire citizenry of Rome was viewed through the lens of military structure. They even based early infantry formations on the three tribes that made up the city; the Ramnes, the Tities, and the Luceres.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Kayla¡¯s face scrunched up as she tried to hold in laughter. ¡°I bet.. I bet one tribe got deployed a lot, because the Romans loved to get their Tities out!¡±

    An explosion of giggling filled the room. Christie met Thandi¡¯s gaze just in time to see a smirk darting out of sight, and she scowled.

    ¡°I heard those Roman ladies had huuuuge tracks of land!¡± cried Ray, holding her hands in front of her chest.

    Christie shot an apologetic look at her date, who only smiled patiently.

    ¡°To resume,¡± she said tetchily, once the giddiness had died down. ¡°The Romans also granted citizenship and land to those who showed them loyalty by deserting their own cities in wartime. Also, it was traditional to levy forces from conquered peoples, who served alongside the legions as auxiliary forces, boosting their numbers significantly. These men would also benefit from a share in looted treasure, though not land. Along with the Roman¡¯s relatively light-handed governance, many Italians, therefore, had good reason to support Rome¡¯s expansion. You might think of it as history¡¯s first pyramid scheme.¡±

    ¡°Second,¡± Kalya replied with another grin. ¡°After the Egyptians.¡± She received nothing but a blank stare, and sighed. ¡°Because they built the pyramids. It was a joke, Chris.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes of course.¡± Christie attempted an encouraging smile, and Kayla tossed a cushion at her.

    ¡°In any case,¡± Christie continued, ¡°The leading families of Rome, the patricians, made conquest almost a necessity. Whenever the plebs clawed back any kind of political right, it was quickly nullified. For example, the creation of the Plebian Tribune offered such a check on Senatorial abuse, that the elites quickly co-opted the office. Elections became a contest of money and favors that only went in their interest. The famous and successful plebeians were incorporated into a patricio-plebeian nobility, once again leaving the common people essentially powerless. A clientele system developed, allowing the aristocrats to control society through favors and connections¡ªjust as the Hellenes did.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Bibi said. ¡°They had immense admiration for Alexander didn¡¯t they? He was the perfect model of the conqueror they wanted to emulate.¡±

    ¡°Quite so. Thus, if you wanted to advance as a Roman citizen and achieve any kind of control over your life, you needed the fruits of conquest. Why else would a people tolerate living under an oligarchy, if not because they could profit from it? To demonstrate this, I shall now quote the most famous stoic of the Republic.¡±

    ¡°Cato,¡± said Thandi confidently.

    ¡°In fact, I was thinking of none other than the elite¡¯s legal hired gun, Marcus Tullius Cicero.¡±

    Thandi tilted her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think he was really a stoic.¡±

    ¡°He was a master of rhetoric and popularity. Everything he did and said was calculated to earn him public acclaim. An entire book of his work De Officiis is about how to get people to like you. Are we supposed to take at face value his stated commitment to honesty when his career is replete with examples of the opposite? I cite his attack on Clodia Metellus, a powerful, educated, and independent woman, who he slandered as an incestuous whore to win a trial. Or the defense of Milo after the murder of Clodius, when his guilt wasn¡¯t even in question.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget his insistence on the fake conspiracies of Catiline,¡± Bibi added.

    ¡°You are quite right,¡± said Christie as she whipped her phone out of her purse. ¡°So, it is true that Cicero liked to play coy with his philosophical positions, but an examination of works like De Re Publica shows him to be a stoic through and through. In his ¡®Scipionic Dream¡¯ the ghostly apparition of Scipio Africanus explains the nature of the universe to his grandson, drawing from Plato¡¯s celestial model, and Pythagoras¡¯ divine harmonies. But here comes the punchline, and I have the quote here: ¡®Now, in order to encourage you, my dear Aemilianus, continued the shade of my ancestor, to defend the State with the greater cheerfulness, be assured that, for all those who have in any way conduced to the preservation, defense, and enlargement of their native country, there is a certain place in heaven where they shall enjoy an eternity of happiness.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Enlargement,¡± said Kayla bitterly. ¡°Awesome.¡±

    ¡°And how does our friend Cicero judge the performance of his own heavenly bestowed rulers? ¡®But for so long as the empire of the Roman people was maintained in a spirit of service rather than by injustices, wars were waged either on behalf of allies or in the interests of empire; the outcome of those wars was dictated either by clemency or by necessity. The senate was a haven and refuge for kings, tribes, and nations.  Our magistrates and commanders were eager to win the greatest praise solely by endeavouring to defend our provinces and allies with justice and fidelity. As a result, ¡®protectorate of the world¡¯ rather than ¡®empire¡¯ would have been a truer title.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, totally,¡± Bibi said with heavy sarcasm.  ¡°Like the attack on Corinth for being an uncompliant trading rival. The Romans killed all the men and enslaved the women and children before completely destroying the city.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Christie said. ¡°But Cicero had a good explanation for that. He said that its favorable location may have incited future wars.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± replied Bibi, ¡°well how about the brutal and dishonest subjugation of Celt-Iberia over fifty years of war? Thousands of Lusitanians were promised a truce by Servius Galba, lured into a field without weapons and then massacred. Or, another time, Cicero¡¯s stoic idol Scipio Aemilianus starved a whole city to death after they attempted to surrender.¡±

    Christie held up a finger. ¡°I will just have to correct you there. They did not all starve to death. Hunger turned them to cannibalism and suicide, while Scipio enslaved whoever managed to survive, before burning the city to its foundations.¡±

    Bibi bowed her head. ¡°Okay, my bad. But let¡¯s not forget Scipio¡¯s greatest exploit¡ªthe sack of Carthage. His father had completely defeated their empire in the second Punic war, earning him the title Africanus. Unfortunately, the Carthaginians were very resilient, and they soon bounced back with a successful trade network, which threated Rome¡¯s commercial supremacy.¡±

    ¡°Cue Cato the Elder walking into the senate and dropping a pile of ripe, fresh Libyan figs out of his toga, before declaring, ¡®Carthago delenda est!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, and the Romans decided to wipe them out once and for all. First, they took three hundred children as hostages on Sicily. Then they demanded that Carthage surrender all their weapons, which they did. Then they ordered the population to abandon the city so that it could be razed to the ground. At that point the Carthaginians decided they had no choice but to fight, because life in North Africa for half a million people is nearly impossible if you don¡¯t have a seaport. Anyway, Scipio led the final assault on the city after a three-year siege. Once the legions broke through the defenses, they went house to house, killing every man, woman, and child they found, until the streets were flowing with blood. Almost the entire population was eradicated, save for fifty thousand prisoners taken as slaves.¡±

    Christie scrolled on her phone. ¡°Oh¡ªCicero says they had been guilty of cruelty, so¡­ that makes sense, I suppose.¡±

    Kayla rubbed her eyes. ¡°I mean, duh. People should know when they¡¯re conquered, right? But seriously, literally all I¡¯m hearing from this guy is that might makes right. Like, fine, bro, have it your way, but if someone comes along with a better army, don¡¯t complain when they smack you down and take over. That¡¯s the philosophy you obviously want to live by.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly Kayla,¡± Thandi scolded. ¡°It¡¯s only okay when him and his friends do it. When Julius Caesar marches over the Rubicon and begins to dismantle the power of the senate, whilst refusing to kill any of his enemies, Cicero screams about unjust behavior.¡±

    ¡°Of course he does,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Their little cult is not getting its way.¡±

    ¡°Not that I approve of Caesar either¡ªthey all had the same agenda,¡± Thandi said.

    Tian yawned loudly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve had enough. I¡¯m just going to go to sleep right here, If that¡¯s all good with everyone.

    ¡°Yeah, talk about information overload,¡± said Ray sleepily. ¡°But, I will insist on being carried to your finest chambers, dear hostess.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s this way,¡± Kayla said as she jumped to her feet. ¡°You can carry yourself.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 23

    Once the others were able to take care of themselves, Kayla wandered into the kitchen. She found Jack, helping himself to a snack.

    ¡°Sorry for keeping you up,¡± she said as she dropped into a chair.

    Jack gave her a hug and kissed her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m a midnight owl anyway. Want a hot chocolate?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my hero.¡±

    ¡°Actually, Mr Fenway,¡± Thandi said from the doorway, with Christie right behind her. ¡°If you already making one¡­¡±

    Jack bowed graciously and moved towards a cupboard while they seated themselves at the table.

    ¡°How¡¯s your girlfriend doing?¡± Kayla asked.

    Christie yawned. ¡°She¡¯s a trooper. Probably asleep already.¡±

    ¡°Did you two have to make it weird?¡± Thandi demanded.

    ¡°Well, she had to run her mouth about being better than me,¡± Kayla said defensively. ¡°Those kinds of words can¡¯t go unanswered.¡±

    Christie snickered.

    ¡°I bet you wouldn¡¯t have said Rose was out of your league,¡± Kayla said accusingly.

    ¡°No.¡± Christie¡¯s expression became somber. ¡°She was out of mine.¡±

    A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by Jack¡¯s gentle handling of the kettle.

    ¡°Do you remember the time she tried to carry you on that hike, after you sprained your ankle?¡± Kayla said as she smiled at Thandi. ¡°She got like ten paces before realizing she was too tired.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thandi chuckled. ¡°She literally dropped me off her back. I was so pissed.¡±

    ¡°She thought she could do anything at first,¡± Christie said. ¡°Always had to learn the hard way.¡±

    Thandi smiled. ¡°Bunny. Hopping along with that leg that looked like it had been caught up in a freaking shredder.¡±

    ¡°That was insane,¡± Kayla said. ¡°She could be insanely tough sometimes. But arrogant too.¡± She sighed. ¡°Just like me.¡±

    ¡°That why you got along so well?¡± Thandi asked.

    Jack cleared his throat and spoke in a whiny feminine voice. ¡°Dad, she¡¯s so awful. She¡¯s the queen of darkness and I hate her, and she said this, and she said that.¡±

    Kayla grinned as she shook her head. ¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t believe how childish I was. Back in the Before Times.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Thandi said. ¡°You¡¯re still crazy childish. Just in a different way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure. But I remember feeling that Rose represented everything I couldn¡¯t do. And I had to work so hard to catch up with her, and it hurt so much. But I blamed her, instead of myself for being driven. That¡¯s partly why I hated her.¡±

    ¡°So, boot camp changed that?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°Of course, because it made me face myself. Truly and honestly. Once that happened, I didn¡¯t have a reason to care about Rose so much.¡±

    ¡°She taught me to take the League¡¯s ideals seriously,¡± Christie said. ¡°No don¡¯t laugh. It¡¯s obviously a monstrous, bureaucratic nightmare, but what they pretend to believe does matter. Raise everyone else up no matter what it costs you. She took that as her guiding light, unlike those corrupt fools who only hide behind the words.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thandi said. ¡°She taught me how to be strong. I mean, boxing makes you tough, and that got me a lot of the way in the early days. But she told me, ¡®There¡¯s no trophy, Thandi, just you, and that¡¯s all you need.¡¯¡± She wiped away a tear. ¡°Oh, dammit.¡±

    ¡°Language,¡± Kayla said, and they laughed.

    ¡°Shame I never got to meet her,¡± Jack said quietly.

    ¡°Oh, I can see it now.¡± Kayla imitated a harsh, upper-class voice. ¡°So, you¡¯re the man responsible for this delinquent criminal in our midst? She definitely had her dark side.¡±

    Thandi shoved her shoulder. ¡°You had that in common.¡±

    ¡°Certainly wouldn¡¯t be letting you make eyes at a Frontier Marine,¡± Christie said.

    Kayla shook her head and pressed a finger to her lips, but Jack stared at her with a concerned expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Nothing dad!¡± Kayla said innocently.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you that you can date on your fortieth birthday, and not a day before, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Of course, dad,¡± Kayla insisted, but the trio couldn¡¯t help themselves, and a few giggles managed to escape.

    He began passing out hot mugs, and glanced again at Kayla. ¡°Alright, but seriously. You met someone tonight?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. And he wasn¡¯t tall or good looking or anything like that,¡± she said giddily.

    ¡°Is there something we should know?¡± Christie said, eyeing Jack with interest.

    ¡°I dunno, it¡¯s probably nothing. A group of ex-marines showed up in Rackeye recently, carrying a bit of a reputation. Seems they made waves on Intaba hunting down traffickers and rescuing some poor kids.¡±

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    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kayla sat up, suddenly alert.

    Thandi¡¯s brow furrowed as she digested the news. ¡°They exposed a VennZech employee?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess you heard about that?¡± Jack said.

    The girls exchanged glances.

    ¡°They got a tip off leading here?¡± Christie asked. ¡°From Intaba? On VennZech freighters? Oh, this is going to be gold. Mr Fenway, if you would please remind of this tomorrow when I regain sobriety, we must talk extensively.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Kayla objected. ¡°The implication here is that VennZech has brought trafficked children to Caldera?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly what your marines were asking about,¡± Jack confirmed. ¡°And offering money for information, around town.¡±

    ¡°No. No,¡± Kayla went on, as she felt an unstoppable wave of anger drowning out the alcohol-induced haze. ¡°Hell no. Those Helvet scum are not bringing their disgusting filthy behavior onto my home planet.¡±

    ¡°I saw him in the bar,¡± Thandi said, ¡°chatting with some creepy looking guy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d this other guy look like?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°Fat, short brown hair. Had a Kite jacket on.¡±

    Jack nodded. ¡°Oh, yeah, I know him. Used to work the docks in Rackeye starport. The Larue cartel operates the corporate traffic, and they enable most of the criminal activity in the city. Makes sense these marines are angling for a way in, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll find one.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Kayla said. ¡°Way into what?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Jack said, ¡°If VennZech did traffic some kids into the city, they¡¯ll have kept them within the dockyards themselves where the cartel is in charge. It¡¯s huge, privately controlled real estate which allows you to bring in uh¡­ customers discreetly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to throw up,¡± Thandi said miserably.

    ¡°It is indeed a horrific crime to contemplate,¡± Christie said. ¡°But I would encourage you to think of the broader implications. There is a connection to the freighter we¡­ um¡­ came across elsewhere.¡±

    She waggled her eyebrows.

    ¡°I can leave if you want to talk secret stuff,¡± Jack suggested.

    ¡°No, stay please,¡± Kayla said. ¡°And Christie, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t see you trying to change the subject.¡±

    Thandi had been staring at her hands as though they portended some kind of disaster. She looked up before Christie could respond. ¡°I want to go up there.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°Up where?¡±

    Thandi swallowed. For a moment she looked like she didn¡¯t want to speak. ¡°To Rackeye. To the docks.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°To see if there¡¯s something we can do about this.¡±

    They stared at her in silence.

    After a pause, Christie let out a short laugh of disbelief. ¡°Have you lost your mind completely? What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± Thandi said carefully, ¡°that the only people who both know about this problem and are able to fix it are located within the walls of this building.¡±

    ¡°Valkyrie does not police human trafficking,¡± Christie said sternly. ¡°They would probably tell you to contact the authorities, and do absolutely nothing.¡±

    Thandi nodded. ¡°I agree. Which is why I wouldn¡¯t ask them.¡±

    Christie scoffed. ¡°Well, I can see alcohol has clouded your judgement¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I think the shock and adrenaline has sobered me up pretty well.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?¡± Kayla said.

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Why not? You can infiltrate literally any location in the galaxy. My legs are healed well enough. We can be careful, but¡ªworst-case scenario¡ªa bunch of vanilla humans aren¡¯t going to be too difficult to handle. Besides, the whole place is covered in shipping containers. For Mountain Rangers, that¡¯s just easy access and freedom of movement.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Christie snapped. ¡°Do you have any idea what an irresponsible and selfish action you are suggesting?¡±

    ¡°The chance to rescue some poor teenagers from horrific captivity?¡±

    Christie inhaled deeply as her face began to redden. ¡°No. You want Valkyrie to step in where civilian authority is weak. You want a force of unaccountable super soldiers to begin meddling in human affairs. For the love of god Thandi, this is the first thing they warned us about in the ethics classes.¡±

    ¡°I slept through ethics,¡± Kayla said, her voice neutral. ¡°But If they missed the part about rescuing innocents from evil, then they got it wrong.¡±

    Christie slapped her forehead. ¡°Oh, how could I have been so stupid, it¡¯s all so clear. Queen in waiting Kayla Barnes is going to follow the religious crusader on a quest to right all wrongs. Then, once you¡¯re finished, you can both take over the galaxy and rule from your righteous thrones.¡±

    Kayla paused. In truth she wasn¡¯t giving much thought to the consequences. While she had become more wary of her own reckless impulses, the scheme wasn¡¯t her idea. The need to protect and support Thandi gave her a license to ignore the rules.

    ¡°I mean,¡± she said hesitantly, ¡°only if they find out about it.¡±

    ¡°By all means,¡± Christie said with a smirk. ¡°I intend to hear how you think you are going to keep such an action a secret from the most sophisticated intelligence agency in the galaxy, and a community of non-stop gossipers to boot.¡±

    ¡°It does not matter, Christie,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Personal risk does not weigh on the morality of an action.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be keen to hear how the ¡®god told me to do it¡¯ defense works during your court martial,¡± Christie said.

    ¡°Acts 5:29 ¡®For we must obey God rather than men.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Romans 13, ¡®Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hah,¡± said Thandi. ¡°The passage most frequently cited by tyrants to justify wanton oppression. I don¡¯t believe we can save the galaxy from this crime, but we might be able to save a handful of innocents right now, and that is righteous. Isn¡¯t that worth any sacrifice? These are children, Christie.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s stomach turned at the sudden possibility that she would be kicked out of Valkyrie, but she quelled the emotion. How could anyone argue with Thandi¡¯s logic? And maybe, a dark thought whispered, they would be supported by others who disagreed with the strict ethical standard.

    Christie clutched her head in her hands and turned away. ¡°I snapped at you, and I¡¯m sorry for my harsh words. But I need both of you to understand that this action you want to take¡­ may have no end point. Valkyrie is in control of an alien base on this world with profound implications for the future. The League wants to control Caldera, it¡¯s no secret. That means we are standing at the heart of a flashpoint that could unravel human civilization as we know it. We have to be so cautious in our actions or we could unleash a war that lasts generations.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Calderan,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°This is my home. I have a say in what happens to it.¡±

    ¡°No, you are not,¡± Christie said, her voice now pleading. ¡°You are a Valkyrie. You gave up your connection to humanity. That was the precondition for the power that was bestowed upon you, can¡¯t you see that?¡±

    Kayla sighed and clenched her jaw. ¡°It¡¯s a freakin¡¯ cartel operation. If anything happens, which it won¡¯t, the authorities will dismiss it as gang rivalry. No-one will care.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you not to go up there, as your friend. This is complete madness.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t respond. Rose would have gone, but she couldn¡¯t say that. Such a devastating argument would be crossing the line with a friend she loved just as much.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Thandi said, ¡°what you think a moral system can be based on if not the willingness to do what is right in the face of death. Doesn¡¯t anyone understand that better than us? Yes, there is a risk to many, but that is the cost of confronting evil. I can¡¯t see it any other way, I¡¯m sorry. And I can¡¯t live with myself if I don¡¯t even try to face this.¡±

    Kayla put a hand on her shoulder. She looked over at her adopted father. ¡°Dad, I haven¡¯t asked what you think yet because I would follow both of these girls,¡± she glanced meaningfully at Christie, ¡°into hell if they asked me. But I still want you to say what is on your mind. It would mean a lot to me.¡±

    Jack rubbed his neck and stared at the floor. ¡°After thirty years of working with Valkyrie I know that their non-interference principle only goes one way. Rayker is proof of that. And unfortunately, from my perspective, this situation on Caldera is only headed in one direction no matter what any of us do. It will come down to a fight one day.¡±

    Christie shook her head.

    ¡°But more than that,¡± Jack continued, ¡°I can¡¯t pretend to understand the perspective of your leadership, that a woman can stand on the outside of the world looking in. If you have the opportunity to move some innocents out of harms way, I won¡¯t try and stop you. And there¡¯s a small armory in the basement.¡±

    Kayla felt the slightest tremor through Thandi¡¯s shoulder, as she watched Christie march out of the room.

 Part 3 - Chapter 24

    ¡°Two silenced pistols will be enough,¡± Kayla said, as she passed one back to Thandi and holstered her own. ¡°If we get any kind of attention, we¡¯ll run.¡±

    ¡°Let me drive you up there,¡± Jack said.

    ¡°No, that¡¯ll raise suspicion,¡± she said. ¡°Can you tell the others that we went down to Byford to see my father¡¯s grave?¡±

    ¡°Alright. Most of their on-duty guys will be at the main gate, with maybe one or two small patrols. I could be wrong, but I¡¯ve seen the Larue cartel use that setup on Misian.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she grinned. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m following in my dad¡¯s footsteps.¡±

    Jack hugged her and kissed her forehead. ¡°Just be careful.¡±

    ¡°Your father¡¯s super cool,¡± Thandi said as Kayla drove them towards Rackeye. ¡°I would probably have been handed over to the police.¡±

    ¡°That sucks. But your parents were so nice when I met them.¡±

    ¡°They were just happy I found a female friend for once.¡± Thandi chuckled. ¡°What really sold it was telling them you were an agriculture student. They wouldn¡¯t have been so nice if they saw you doing some fighting moves with me.¡±

    Kayla laughed.

    ¡°I really appreciate you sticking with me on this one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d follow you anywhere Thandi, you know that. I¡¯m just surprised by Christie. I didn¡¯t expect her to follow us; she doesn¡¯t have the skillset, but she didn¡¯t have to be so hostile.¡±

    ¡°Did it occur to you that she expresses fear through anger?¡±

    Kayla tilted the wheel into a long turn, and for a moment she only focused on the road disappearing into blackness. ¡°No,¡± she said eventually. ¡°Which is weird because I probably do the same thing.¡±

    Thandi nodded. ¡°But you know, what she went through was much worse. She was there, holding Rose¡¯s hand at the end.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± Kayla sighed.

    She couldn¡¯t imagine how painful that must have been. And Christie liked to act like she was unaffected by suffering, which only made her harder to read.

    ¡°I think for all the fury, she doesn¡¯t want to lose another friend,¡± Thandi said. ¡°And besides, in her unit she doesn¡¯t seem to make many.¡±

    ¡°They spend most of their time alone, surrounded by bad guys,¡± Kayla said. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what that takes out of her. I just hope she¡¯s wrong about that whole generations of war thing.¡±

    ¡°Your father seemed pretty convinced.¡±

    ¡°I mean I hope she¡¯s wrong that it¡¯ll be our fault.¡±

    Thandi laughed.

    ¡°You really think this is going to work? What if we don¡¯t find anything?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Then at least we tried.¡±

    They pulled into the parking lot of the passenger terminal at Rackeye starport, and Thandi consulted a satellite map of the area. Warm rays of sunlight were already beginning to peak over the canyon walls that enclosed the old town to the west, casting the clouds above with blood-red shades.

    ¡°The container yard is four miles down the end of the starport,¡± Thandi said. ¡°We can wait until night, and move down there within an hour.¡±

    Kayla examined the map. ¡°Sure, we can stay alongside the rail line. It¡¯s kind of exposed for an emergency exfil though.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but if we jump the fence into the industrial yards that run alongside it, there¡¯ll be plenty of cover.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not an option if we¡¯re escorting a bunch of kids.¡±

    They fell silent as they contemplated the problem.

    ¡°Well,¡± Thandi began. ¡°If we retrieve the kids, and we have people following us, we¡¯ll have no choice but to deal with them.¡±

    ¡°You mean kill them?¡±

    Thandi hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to think about that up to now.¡±

    ¡°You know something? I don¡¯t care. If they¡¯re working for this dockyard, alongside cartels that smuggle kids, they¡¯ve made themselves legitimate targets.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. I just hope it doesn¡¯t come to that, because we are both twenty-one and have spent less than a day thinking this through. We are far from experts on rules of engagement.¡±

    Kayla raised an eyebrow. ¡°What happened to god¡¯s will?¡±

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    ¡°Um¡­ He doesn¡¯t like to be specific. Sometimes I think He enjoys seeing us confused.¡±

    ¡°Sweet.¡±

    They slept in the car until the sky darkened again, ate some of the food Jack had packed for them, then set out towards the distant towers of shipping containers. The rail line was quiet, and they made easy progress. Whenever a train ran past, they dove into a nearby ditch and stayed still until they were clear. Soon, the shadows brightened as the lights of the immense storage yard drew closer, and they had only to climb over the outer fence to get inside.

    Once they had darted amongst the steel canyons, Kayla slowed down. She kept to the shadows, and waited, listening to be sure no one was nearby before she moved. Thandi followed in her footsteps as they circled around the main stacks, until they saw a new set of fencing, and a host of warning signs.

    ¡°Lord, forgive us our trespasses,¡± Thandi quipped softly.

    Kayla studied the area. ¡°Up to the top of this stack, then we can do a long jump onto the other side,¡± she suggested.

    Thandi said a short prayer. Though their battalion spent much of their training time climbing mountains, she had never acquired Kayla¡¯s comfort with heights.

    ¡°Follow my lead,¡± Kayla said.

    She hauled herself up the side of the containers, using attachments on the doors as hand and footholds. The climb was straightforward, and when she reached the top, nearly fifty feet in the air, she paused to wait, to watch, and to listen. A murmur of voices drifted past on the still air¡ªno doubt the guards Jack had warned her about.

    Thandi hauled herself up beside her, and Kayla waited while she caught her breath. Near the distant canyon walls, she could make out a black needle between the blocky buildings¡ªthe belltower she had spent her youth climbing. It was good to be back.

    A running jump carried them over the gap to the next container wall, to land inside the fence of the maximum-security zone.

    Thandi moved ahead, produced a small monocular device, and scanned the dark avenues beneath them. They traversed two more stacks before she stopped and pointed.

    ¡°There¡¯s a cluster of portacabins down in the center of the zone,¡± she whispered.

    Kayla took the eyepiece. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s dark for now.¡±

    ¡°But three guards on patrol on the eastern side, and on the northern side. Plus a group of six clustered around the front gate.¡±

    Kayla nodded. Nice one, Dad. ¡°We can circle around the back and drop down. It¡¯s pitch black there.¡± She produced a laser device. ¡°I brought this for the security cameras. Burns through wires in seconds.¡±

    They didn¡¯t rush the descent, and arrived without incident in a dark passageway behind their target. A few minutes of quiet observation passed, and Kayla started neutralizing cameras where necessary.

    Then they approached the portacabins. Thandi boosted Kayla up to an elevated, unlit window. A man dozed on a sofa, while a television flickered softly against the far wall. Kayla climbed inside as carefully as she could, then crept over to the dozing man. A quick chokehold knocked him out, before she secured his wrists and ankles with flexcuffs, and tore his shirt into a blindfold and gag. Then she darted back to the window and reached down to help Thandi climb in after her.

    Kayla pointed out a hallway containing several shut doors. None of them showed any lighting under the jamb, but they would still have to be careful and check each one as quickly as they dared.

    The second doorway contained another man, sleeping in a bunk room, and he was quickly restrained. Through the fourth door, they found what they were looking for.

    Two small forms lay together on a mattress, arms tied to the bedframe. They were asleep, but Kayla didn¡¯t want to take the chance of waking them up and producing any sudden noises. She stared at Thandi, hoping for a suggestion.

    Thandi waved her off, and motioned for her to watch at the door. She approached the sleeping forms, then lay her hand over their mouths and gave them a small shake. There was a brief moment of struggle, but Thandi must have convinced them not to make a sound. Kayla heard her cut their bonds with her knife while she whispered a contrived explanation to them. Private investigators, sent by their parents¡ªthat was good enough.

    Kayla peered out at the lounge and the tied-up form on the sofa. He had regained consciousness, and was beginning to struggle. She scampered over and grabbed his hair, before pushing a knife against his throat.

    The blade nicked his skin, leaving a wet rivulet. Kayla inhaled slowly. Gang rivalries led to bloodshed all the time. Her captive and his friend had been sat in this stinking hole, while they sold the innocent bodies in the next room. On her world they had dared to do this. Kayla felt her arm almost shake with rage, and for a moment wasn¡¯t sure what she would do.

    A knife kill would be silent, and it would send a message. Two would be even better.

    Feet scraped in the hallway, and she thought about the kids. They would have to walk through the scene, and they would see the horror of it. Hadn¡¯t they been through enough? Besides, Kayla chided herself, they might lose trust in their new guardian angels.

    With a sigh, she put the knife away, but pushed the metal of her pistol against the man¡¯s cheek in case he got any ideas.

    Thandi appeared leading the two girls. They were dressed in old, filthy clothes¡ªprobably the same they had been captured in. Kayla wanted to grimace when she saw their miserable, terrified faces, but kept her expression blank.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s¡ª¡±

    A raucous burst of laughter erupted outside. She moved to the cabin window and looked out. A group of men, obviously not sober, had emerged from the containers and were heading slowly in their direction.

    Kayla cursed. If they tried to hide, all four of them would be trapped inside while the men discovered the trussed-up prisoners. They would have to exit via the window as quickly as they could.

    A loud bang broke the silence as a doorway down the hall flew open. The second prisoner had apparently been hiding a knife and had managed to cut himself free. Kayla mentally kicked herself for not having thought to check.

    He stumbled forward, the blade flashing in the darkness. Thandi grabbed the two girls and threw them to the side. Kayla¡¯s pistol snapped up, the red dot sight moving smoothly to rest on the man¡¯s head as she broke the trigger. A muted snap filled the room as the silenced weapon fired, and her target collapsed like a heavy sack.

    The silence that followed seemed to stretch for an eternity. Kayla offered a prayer to the goodwill of the universe, and hoped Thandi was doing something similar.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± said a voice from outside.

    A chill ran down Kayla¡¯s spine, and she flashed a significant look at Thandi. She motioned to the girls to stay low, then moved quickly to one of the cabin¡¯s windows as her own pistol appeared in her hand.

    ¡°Jumping at shadow¡¯s, Pikey?¡± a slurred voice said mockingly.

    ¡°No man, I¡¯m sure I heard something coming from the shack.¡±

    ¡°Probably just Darv taking a turn,¡± the drunken voice said and snickered.

    ¡°Then why are the lights out? Come on man, we need to check on this.¡±

    Adrenaline flooded Kayla¡¯s body. The men were already too close; escape was out of the question. There was no option now but to fight.

    She met Thandi¡¯s wide, questioning eyes, and finger mimed shooting a gun. Then she slowly cracked the main door open, and raised her pistol. Thandi stepped back from the window and took aim, obviously intending to shoot through the glass.

    Kayla felt a void open beneath her. There would be no going back from what was about to happen.

 Part 3 - Chapter 25

    Her first bullet struck the nearest man in the head, while her second, imperfectly placed after the slide¡¯s recoil, hit his neighbor in the side. The third struck him in the center of his chest as the first body hit the floor, and he too went down lifelessly. Thandi had dropped the third and fourth men in the group, but the fifth, apparently sober and very suspicious, had dropped to his belly at the sound of the first suppressed shot.

    Kayla cursed as she adjusted her aim, but just as quickly the man shot to his feet and threw himself around the side of the building. She didn¡¯t hesitate, barreling through the door and racing after him. Rounding the same corner, she watched with horror as the figure disappeared behind the stacks of shipping containers. For a lazy guard drinking on duty, his speed and dexterity were surprising. Adrenaline, apparently, really was a hell of a drug.

    A klaxon rang out through the yard and Kayla¡¯s blood ran cold. The alarm was easily loud enough to wake the dead, and would probably be heard throughout the entire starport, if not the city. She turned and raced back to the cabin.

    ¡°I guess we don¡¯t need to whisper now,¡± Thandi said, as she tried to calm her panicking charges. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve planned for this,¡± she reassured them. ¡°We are getting you out of here.¡±

    ¡°North side fence,¡± Kayla said. It ran between two walls of containers, and they would hopefully be able to cut through whilst hidden from the main gate.

    She led the way out of the cabin and moved into the shadows. In the distance she could hear yelling and the pounding of feet. Not a good sign.

    When they reached the edge of their new cage, she made eye contact with Thandi and mimed a sawing motion with her hand.

    ¡°Ten minutes?¡± Thandi suggested. She withdrew her knife and inspected the thick chain metal. There were two separate walls she would have to cut through as quickly as she could.

    Kayla shook her head violently. Thandi ignored her, and grunted with effort as she sawed the diamond-coated teeth on the blade¡¯s lower edge across the steel. It snapped quickly, but there was a lot of fence to cut. Kayla¡¯s heartbeat accelerated to a hum as she heard the yelling drawing closer.

    She patted Thandi on the back, then raced forward towards the secure facility¡¯s main entrance. A jeep pulled up as she reached the cover of a container wall, and disgorged another group of men. They were carrying assault rifles and sub machine guns, and wore headsets over their ears.

    While they cautiously began to spread out, Kayla grabbed a rock and flung it against the jeep. The men spun around, confused by the noise. With two shots, one fell dead, then another dropped with a scream, and Kayla ducked out of sight.

    The guards dove into cover, spraying bullets into the yard while they yelled on their radios. Kayla jumped to grab the lip of a container wall above her head, and hauled herself up the stack as quickly as she could. Once on top, she leapt across the towers to get a better angle on the patrol below. The man she had wounded died first, followed quickly by another.

    Huddled behind the vehicle, the lone survivor screamed into his radio. Kayla slipped her mag out and counted only a few bullets remaining. She exchanged it for another mag just as another jeep pulled up, and more headlights appeared in the distance. With only the three mags she had brought to fight so many guards, she would need to conserve ammo. Rocks would have to do from now on.

    ¡°They¡¯re on top of the containers!¡± the survivor yelled to his would be rescuers, who immediately took cover by the entrance gatehouse.

    Maybe the fear of imagination would keep them at bay. Kayla took a running jump over another stack, in full view of the men, who shot a burst at her. On the other side, she stepped off the tower to drop five stories and hit the ground with a parachute roll, wincing as her knees flared with pain. Another rock flew out of her hand, this time to strike a container¡¯s steel wall. The guards span, spraying bullets into the shadows in an evident display of emotional escalation.

    Kayla began to feel bolder. If she wanted to, she could run rings around these men all night. Or until their backup arrived. Huffing in oxygen and psyching herself up, she broke into a sprint and darted across the open center of the yard. Bullets passed through the air inches behind her, hisses and cracks inspiring delightful terror. Once back in the shadows, she tossed another rock in a high arc, which came down on top of the stacks with a satisfying bang.

    ¡°At least five guys in there,¡± a man yelled in the darkness. ¡°Definitely professionals. Stay back in the gatehouse until the others get here!¡±

    Kayla felt that the order deserved some encouragement, so she dipped out from behind a container and fired three rounds in the speaker¡¯s general direction. Fiery sparks spat across metal as return fire sought her out.

    Hopefully the performance had bought them some time. She raced back through the stacks to see Thandi, covered in sweat, tearing the cut section of fence out with her hands. Kayla motioned to her to hurry, and kept an eye on the distant gatehouse as her friend started to cut through the second fence. Instead of hacking out a whole circle, she pulled up the lip of metal she created, bending it back to reveal a gap large enough to crawl through.

    Thandi belly crawled through like a snake, then beckoned to the girls. One ran over and began to squeeze herself beneath the fence, but the other, clad in a denim jacket, stopped, and turned a muted expression of rage on Kayla.

    ¡°Can I have a gun?¡± she demanded.

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°No time. Move¡ªgo!¡± She pushed the girl down towards their exit.

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    They had barely made it into the labyrinthine walls of container stacks past the fence when they heard running feet approaching.

    Kayla wanted to spit with anger. The arriving guards were on the outside of the secure facility.

    ¡°Yep, there¡¯s the hole,¡± a nearby voice shouted. ¡°Told you they would cut through here, didn¡¯t I? They¡¯re probably going for the rail line.¡±

    The girls were now cut off from their line of escape, and Kayla once again cursed herself for being so stupid. If the guards controlled the only entrance to the cage, then of course their assailants would have another way out. It obviously hadn¡¯t taken them long to figure out where that exit was likely to be.

    ¡°Staff car park,¡± she hissed to Thandi.

    That would take them deeper into the starport, but they didn¡¯t have a choice.

    Thandi nodded and grabbed one of the girl¡¯s hands, who in turn took that of her friends. They moved off through the containers, while Kayla dropped back to ambush her pursuers.

    This time she stayed up high, leaping silently across container stacks to target the growing crowd of men, no doubt including cartel muscle, as they ventured hesitantly into the dark passages. She set up her angles of attack to keep herself hidden as she moved, and kept an eye out for Thandi¡¯s progress as she and the girls raced toward the distant lot of vehicles.

    More than once she drew a return shot that brushed her skin with heat. Even though she was able to slow the moving squads down, they pushed forward relentlessly, and she soon found herself counting every shot to save ammunition. Worse, she had no idea where they were supposed to go from the car park. Neither she nor Thandi had any idea how to bypass a vehicle¡¯s ident lock.

    She only had one advantage. The starport¡¯s security force still didn¡¯t understand how fast she could move. Holding onto the assumption that they were chasing several individuals, they spaced themselves out as though they expected to trap the escaping thieves inside the container area.

    A quick pause for breath allowed Kayla to check on her friends¡¯ progress. In the distance, Thandi and the girls reached the car park, and took cover behind a large truck. Kayla thought fast. Maybe with the delays and confusion she had caused, they would have enough time to carry the girls on their backs while they ran to the freight terminals. They were dark, and seemed to be devoid of any guards, who had probably all joined the hunt.

    Kayla raced to the last container stack and dropped down. This time, the landing struck her with a lightning shock of agony, and she had to limp the distance to the truck.

    Thandi jumped out in front of her, the barrel of her gun aimed squarely at Kayla¡¯s head.

    The gun wavered and dropped. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°All good,¡± Kayla said dismissively.

    ¡°I think we can carry them from here over to the freight terminals,¡± Thandi said. ¡°If we move fast. From there we can get into the passenger area, and we¡¯ll have a better chance.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t plan this very well, did you?¡± the girl with the jacket gasped as she struggled for breath.

    ¡°Everything is under control,¡± Kayla said automatically. Panic would help nobody.

    She took the girls arm and was about to take her weight when Thandi¡¯s head and weapon snapped around.

    ¡°Van at our six.¡±

    The new vehicle screeched to a halt in the middle of the parking lot, while Kayla lifted her own weapon. The side door floor open and her jaw almost dropped in disbelief as she saw the marine from the bar clamber out. He stared at them for a split second, then beckoned hurriedly.

    Just then, gunfire erupted from the containers, striking the truck the girls had hidden behind.

    ¡°Go!¡± Kayla yelled.

    She lunged forward and threw the girl over her shoulder, then broke into the fastest run she could manage. Knee pain, fatigue, and the limitations of her muscles melted away beneath a storm of adrenaline. She covered the thirty yards in seconds, almost throwing the body of her passenger into the waiting van.

    A quick glance confirmed Thandi was right behind her, while the alarmed looking marine looked on in disbelief. But now Kayla¡¯s arms were free, her gun shot up under his chin.

    ¡°Driver,¡± she said, as her Thandi swept past her.

    Thandi unholstered her own weapon as she clambered inside, moving behind the driver¡¯s seat as she pressed the silencer to his head.

    Another clatter of gunfire erupted in the distance, and bullets smacked into the van¡¯s body.

    ¡°After you,¡± Kayla said, and shoved her unprotesting prisoner into the van.

    She lifted her foot to climb inside, and her thigh exploded in pain.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re even on the ¡®injuries sustained¡¯ score,¡± Thandi said reassuringly.

    ¡°I got it in the leg too,¡± said Kayla. ¡°How about poetic justice? Shit, this hurts.¡±

    ¡°This is no time for blasphemy,¡± Thandi said and chuckled.

    The driver had floored the accelerator and swerved through some hair-raising maneuvers until they found themselves on the freeway heading away from the starport. The marine had grabbed a bandage and was treating Kayla¡¯s nasty bullet wound, while she cursed and gasped. Every so often she apologized for her language, but her gun never wavered from her rescuer.

    So far, there were no signs of pursuit, and everyone had begun to calm down, until one of the girls vomited into a bag.

    ¡°Do you think you could put the gun down?¡± the marine asked gently. ¡°Nobody is going to hurt anyone.¡±

    ¡°No, and false,¡± Kayla said evenly. ¡°I will hurt whoever I please until I feel like trusting you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well in the interest of building rapport, I¡¯m Gaz, and that is Sal.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Sal. Don¡¯t move out of that spot, Gaz, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Gaz said with a charming smile.

    Beside him, one of the girls began to cry as her hands shook violently. Her friend threw her jacket around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s been enough violence for one night?¡± she snapped.

    ¡°Nope. The god of war has a bottomless appetite,¡± Kayla said coldly.

    ¡°Heathen,¡± Thandi shot back.

    ¡°Who are you two, anyway?¡± the girl demanded. ¡°What were you thinking, putting us through all that?¡± She wiped tears out of her eyes as she returned Kayla¡¯s blank expression. ¡°I mean, thank you for rescuing us and everything, but um¡­ we could have all died!¡±

    Kayla felt the adrenaline fade. She said nothing as the girl lost her control, and began to sob quietly.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Gaz said in a friendly tone. ¡°Are either of you called Sachya?¡±

    The shaking girl looked up. ¡°Yes,¡± she whimpered.

    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Gaz said with a warm smile. ¡°I saw your parents last week, and they told me they were going to buy that white Arabian horse you wanted for your sixteenth birthday.¡±

    The girl stared at him in confusion.

    ¡°I¡¯m a private investigator,¡± he explained. ¡°I was hired to come and find you.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡± the girl glanced back at Kayla, then at the gun resting on her knee.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just call this a happy coincidence,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°I¡¯m Daria,¡± the second girl said. ¡°And if you tell me you saw my parents, I¡¯ll know you¡¯re lying.¡±

    ¡°Your teacher. Peron Alveda,¡± Gaz replied.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± the girl said softly, and broke into tears again.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Thandi said as she removed her gun away from Sal¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re okay now.¡±

    Kayla eyed Gaz reluctantly, then moved her gun to the side. ¡°Alright then. But don¡¯t get any ideas, buddy.¡±

    ¡°Well, I was going carry you out when we stop, but maybe you¡¯d prefer to hop?¡±

    Kayla narrowed her eyes as she suppressed a smile.

    Thandi shuffled over and inspected her leg. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to deal with them, remember?¡± she said with a wink. ¡°It¡¯ll be that easy.¡±

    Kayla couldn¡¯t help herself from laughing even as the girls they had rescued stared at them in appalled shock.

 Part 3 - Chapter 26

    They passed into downtown Rackeye and eventually pulled into a garage. Kayla and Thandi watched nervously as a small group rushed to the door to help the young girls out and lead them away. A woman turned to Kayla and reached for her leg.

    ¡°That looks terrible,¡± she said. ¡°Let me take a look.¡±

    ¡°Uh uh, nope,¡± Kayla said sternly, and withdraw further back into the van.

    ¡°I only put a temporary bandage on it,¡± Gaz explained. ¡°If you don¡¯t get it properly treated it will get infected.¡±

    ¡°Give me your supplies,¡± Thandi said, ¡°and I¡¯ll take care of it. But nobody is touching my friend.¡±

    Gaz nodded to the woman, who looked annoyed, but passed them a first aid kit. Thandi thanked her, then shut the van door in their faces.

    Kayla made a face. ¡°This is a bit of a pickle.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Thandi said with a wide grin. ¡°We got this. You had a through and through, so it¡¯ll be fine in a couple of hours.¡±

    ¡°Lucky me, huh?¡±

    ¡°I am so joyful right now,¡± Thandi gushed. ¡°The Lord has blessed us.¡±

    They sat in a side room with Gaz and Sal, who had politely refrained from asking too many questions, while providing them with food and drink.

    ¡°He blessed your friend¡¯s leg too?¡± Sal asked in bemusement.

    Thandi waved a hand and her unceasing grin barely flickered. ¡°She¡¯s fine. The point is that we have saved these innocents, and made friends with righteous allies.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not friends, much less allies,¡± Kayla said firmly. ¡°We still don¡¯t know who you guys are.¡±

    ¡°Straight back at ya,¡± Gaz said cooly. ¡°It would be nice to get a little bit of background. It¡¯s not every day you see two young women walk straight through one of the most heavily guarded cartel operations on Caldera.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The most heavily guarded¡­?¡±

    She glanced at Thandi, who shrugged as if to say ¡®whoops¡¯.

    ¡°We¡¯re private investigators too,¡± Thandi said airily. We heard about what was happening there and decided to intervene. I guess we just work a bit more efficiently than your organization.¡±

    ¡°So who contracted you?¡± Gaz asked. ¡°We know everyone in those girl¡¯s support networks and your names have never come up.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kayla shrugged as if the question had no importance whatsoever. ¡°We just keep our ears to the ground. Check the pulse of the criminal underworld. Watch the comings and goings in Rackeye¡ª that kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°God speaks to me and reveals his plans,¡± Thandi said confidently. ¡°He speaks to Kayla too, but she doesn¡¯t listen.¡±

    Kayla flashed her a look of pained incredulity and was rewarded with a megawatt smile.

    ¡°I expect your friend is right,¡± Sal added. ¡°Because otherwise you would not have been able to run rings around the starport¡¯s entire security force.¡±

    ¡°Or else they¡¯re just lying to us,¡± Gaz mused.

    ¡°Well, take it how you like,¡± Kayla said, a little more coldly. ¡°You can get those poor girls back to their families and forget you ever saw us.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Gaz said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will. You are obviously very well trained and supported, so I¡¯d rather you fill us in on whatever organization you represent. Whoever you are, you can¡¯t be running around in the dark, kicking up trouble whenever you feel like it. That¡¯s dangerous for everyone.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s over now,¡± Thandi said earnestly. ¡°We¡¯re done with our er¡­ operation, and we won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± Gaz raised his eyebrows. ¡°Just like that you¡¯re going to walk away? What about the last victim?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kayla said. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡±

    ¡°Okay, so you actually have no clue what I¡¯m talking about, because you¡¯re a bunch of amateurs making shit up as you go along,¡± Gaz snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve just walked into this thing, made a complete mess, and now you¡¯re going to let me and my guys deal with the fallout, right?¡±

    Kayla ground her teeth. ¡°Who else was taken?¡± she demanded.

    Gaz pulled out a photograph from his pocket. ¡°This is Milani Mayosi, missing for more than a year now. I¡¯d love to get you on a video call with her mother, so you can explain why she¡¯s never going to see her daughter again.¡±

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    Kayla snatched the photo out of his hand and stared at it.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t see anyone else there,¡± Thandi said, her smile fading quickly.

    ¡°No, we think they took Milani somewhere else,¡± Sal added in a gentler tone. ¡°She could be closer to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please stop talking, mate,¡± Gaz said sternly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give these chuckleheads any more opportunities to screw this thing up. I mean, with the Larue cartel on high alert, we can expect a total lockdown on their activities for at least a month. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they whisk Milani off the planet, leaving us no lead to follow.¡±

    Sal nodded sadly.

    ¡°Okay, look,¡± Kayla said in exasperation. ¡°I am really sorry if we have screwed up the opportunity to find this girl. That sucks, and I will find a way to make it right. But if what I¡¯ve seen of your HQ is anything to go by, there was no chance you were going to get inside that compound.¡±

    Gaz shrugged. ¡°Maybe not, but there are other ways. You can buy off cartel members, play rivals against each other, create friction in the group and wait for them to change locations.¡±

    ¡°And that would have taken you how long?¡±

    ¡°Months or years, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s completely unacceptable,¡± Kayla said. ¡°And maybe you just want to light a fire under your ass to make sure you find this last victim sooner rather than later.¡±

    ¡°Well thanks for the tip, farm smell. I¡¯ve only been doing this for five years, whilst you are obviously a dumb kid playing at action hero.¡±

    Kayla seethed with anger. She struggled to fight the rising urge to put the upstart offworlder in his place. ¡°Maybe,¡± she said with forced neutrality, ¡°if you worked with Calderans, you would have an easier time.¡±

    ¡°Awesome¡ªI¡¯m all about that.¡± Gaz pulled a notepad and pen out of his jacket. ¡°Just write whatever number I need to call on this piece of paper. But, of course, you can¡¯t because there isn¡¯t a colony law enforcement agency or militia that will come within a mile of Rackeye, while the Helvets are all completely corrupt.¡±

    Ego burning like a thermal charge, Kayla nevertheless fought for rationality. He was obviously right. Her and Thandi¡¯s reckless actions had potentially made a very difficult situation worse. She crossed her arms and scowled at nothing while she tried to ignore the pain in her leg, which had been getting worse since the conversation had turned sour.

    ¡°Let¡¯s everyone take a breath,¡± Sal advised. ¡°You too, Gaz, because we all know that you have gotten emotionally involved in this contract. We all want to find Milani, I know that. But a million kids are trafficked every year, and we can¡¯t run straight into VennZech¡¯s headquarters getting ourselves shot up for each one of them.¡±

    ¡°I just want these girls to understand that they need to be cooperative,¡± Gaz said. ¡°Whatever went down tonight is not how things can get done.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sal replied, ¡°But it¡¯s in the past now, and we need to discuss the next steps. Can we solve this problem with the best interests of the victim in mind?¡±

    There was a long silence.

    Thandi cleared her throat. ¡°Our employer is not going to get any more involved. For reasons I can¡¯t disclose, tonight was a one-off opportunity which won¡¯t be repeated. Your organization is on its own.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thanks for sharing,¡± Sal said. ¡°But if you have intelligence on the cartel or their movements, or even just on the starport itself¡ª¡±

    Kayla looked up. ¡°Why did you mention VennZech? Just now, you said ¡®VennZech HQ¡¯, why?¡±

    Sal exchanged a glance with Gaz, who gently shook his head, then shrugged.

    ¡°Well,¡± Sal said, ¡°everyone knows that VennZech is funding the traffickers, and moving them on their freighters.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Our investigation suggests that a senior executive is involved,¡± Sal said. ¡°He may be holding Milani himself.¡±

    Kayla shuddered. ¡°Filthy scum,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gaz said, and they locked eyes.

    Kayla¡¯s mind raced as the connections began to make themselves clearer. But she had to be careful if she didn¡¯t want to expose Valkyrie. ¡°We¡ªthat is, our organization¡ªis closely following VennZech activities,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Maybe there is an opportunity for us to help each other.¡±

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Thandi said warningly.

    ¡°To put your mind at ease,¡± Gaz said. ¡°Our guys don¡¯t really care about anything outside of human trafficking. And we don¡¯t work with the Helvet authorities because they¡¯re worse than the cartels.¡±

    Kayla nodded, and swallowed. She looked at Thandi and saw only deep alarm in her eyes that they were about to violate Valkyrie¡¯s code of ethics for the second time that night.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t kidding earlier,¡± Gaz said. ¡°If you have the number of someone in the colonies who can be a benefit to us, I want to contact them. The non-Helvet world is too fragmented to make connections easily.¡±

    ¡°And why would a Frontier Marine say something like that?¡±

    ¡°The Corps was dissolved by the Helvetic central committee,¡± Sal said. ¡°Because after the frontier war we were on the verge of mutiny. If you read some of our history, you¡¯ll understand why. We were always estranged from the League.¡±

    Kayla let out a long breath. ¡°Okay¡­ VennZech has recently been moving some high-grade military hardware. We¡­ were supposed to be tracking those movements. Since we were in the vicinity of the starport, we decided to engage in a little community service. I apologize for the difficulties this has caused your obviously valiant investigation.¡±

    Gaz watched her thoughtfully before he responded. ¡°A couple of weeks ago they moved a large group of top-secret shipments through the starport¡ªdestination unknown. They brought in old staff and paid high bonus rates to get it done as quickly and quietly as they could. Lots of containers moved in from a long-haul freighter.¡±

    Kayla hoped her skin wasn¡¯t going pale as she absorbed this information. She did her best to keep her cool, but her leg began to tremble. Once again, Rayker was scheming to bring death and destruction to her home world.

    ¡°That matches our information,¡± Thandi said calmly.

    Kayla tried to steady her hand as she withdrew her phone from her pocket. ¡°I¡¯m going to send you a number,¡± she said, as she selected her dad¡¯s contact information. ¡°Jack Fenway, in Zula. He¡¯s not in town for a few days, but if you contact him as soon as you can, and give him this information, he might be able to benefit your group.¡±

    It was a selfish lie, but she had no choice. Caldera¡ªmaybe even humanity¡ªwas facing down an existential threat. This was the only way she had to alert her superiors to what was happening, without getting her and Thandi kicked out of the organization. With Rayker on Caldera once again, there was no way she would miss out on hunting her down.

    But she also promised herself she would do whatever she could to find Milani, and free her. And if she could find a way to destroy VennZech in the process, so much the better.

    ¡°I hope this works out,¡± Gaz said sincerely.

    Thandi slapped the table. ¡°I told you,¡± she said, once again in a voice of pure happiness. ¡°The Lord works in mysterious ways.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 27

    Dried puddles of blood splattered the dock¡¯s secure facility, and Senior Agent Manion Whist dropped his cigarette in one and stubbed it out with his shoe. Weslan watched him in disgust. The man¡¯s hair was a mess, a five-o clock shadow covered his face, and in the car he had smelled the alcohol on his new partner¡¯s breath.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you damaging evidence?¡± Weslan demanded, barely able to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

    Whist swept his arm over the wreckage of the facility, taking in the ransacked containers and fire blackened portacabin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re short of it,¡± he said.

    Whenever he spoke his tone was cynical, and disinterested, and grated on Weslan¡¯s nerves. The agent was known to be a drunk and an idler, but his family was well connected, so he had been appointed as the head of Rackeye¡¯s Sentinel counter-terrorism team. After his transfer, Weslan had been thrilled to learn he would be partnered with an intelligence veteran, but the relationship had quickly soured.

    A besuited man walked over to join them and shook Whist¡¯s hand, before turning to Weslan and doing the same.

    ¡°Director of Operations Cirkiss Tensall, pleasure to make your acquaintances,¡± the man said.

    Weslan nodded respectfully. ¡°Whatever we can do to be of service, Mr Tensall. I am Weslan Genny, and Agent Whist here is chief of our counter-terrorism bureau.¡±

    Since it was time to be taken seriously, he elevated the tone of his voice like his father did. He injected more bass and tried to sound serious, eager as he was to convey the impression of an intelligence professional personally invested in the safety of Rackeye¡¯s citizens.

    Tensall looked around and shook his head. ¡°So terrible it had to come to this. The situation in the city rests on a knife edge, and to get the League¡¯s most talented investigators involved is nothing short of a miracle.¡±

    ¡°A knife edge, Mr Tensall?¡± Weslan enquired, as Whist only smirked and looked away.

    ¡°Why yes, Agent Genny,¡± Tensall replied earnestly. ¡°Attacks on Helvets have been mounting in recent months. Now this¡­¡± his gaze lingered on the containers at the far end of the facility that had their doors hanging off their hinges.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by telling us what they took?¡± Whist asked bluntly.

    He produced his phone and stylus, scribbled a note, then waited expectantly. Weslan was surprised to see that his hands didn¡¯t shake. He had obviously learned to hide the drinking.

    ¡°Several crates of small arms, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Tensall replied. ¡°And the really terrible news, is that there were a dozen man portable missile launchers.¡±

    Whist stared at the man thoughtfully, until even Weslan became a little uncomfortable.

    ¡°And why have you reported this incident as a terrorist attack, instead of a robbery?¡±

    Weslan wanted to smack him. Couldn¡¯t he see that these people were obviously in shock, and overwhelmed? As if they would be thinking clearly about criminal designations?

    Tensall colored. ¡°I think you¡¯d better step into the portacabin with me. Brace yourself, it¡¯s rather shocking.¡±

    According to the workers, when they had finished emptying the storage containers, the ¡®terrorists¡¯ had set the central area and gate house on fire. It hadn¡¯t burned fiercely, but the bodies inside stank in a way that Weslan knew would come back to his nightmares. In the shadows, the dark lady chuckled quietly.

    Inside, five blackened corpses were piled in the center of the room. The initial report had stated they had all been shot, but the terrorists had obviously wanted to send a more substantial message. Steel spikes had been driven into their skulls, with crude lettering scratched into their metal.

    ¡°¡®Burn the Helvet¡¯,¡± Tensall read faintly. ¡°A truly terrifying messaging. We¡¯re trying to keep this out of the news for fear of starting a panic.¡±

    Weslan nodded. He felt lightheaded, and sickened by the display, but he was managing to keep his head better than he thought. On the drive over, he thought he would vomit, and humiliate himself in front of the hardened Whist. But now, facing the reality, he didn¡¯t mind that much. The dark lady showed him worse visions in his nightmares. In fact, he was beginning to feel almost at home. This was the way of humanity¡¯s darkest elements, and he was here to fight them.

    Whist slid on a pair of plastic gloves, then bent down in the carnage and produced a soot blackened hunk of metal, which he deposited into a plastic bag. He did this several times. On the last occasion, he stared at the object¡ªa bullet casing¡ªfor a long moment, before dropping it in the bag.

    ¡°Evidence,¡± he said happily. ¡°Evidence makes the investigation.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Tensall said. ¡°Please examine everything you need to.¡±

    They moved into a hallway beyond the main room, and stopped at a door that was slightly ajar.

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    ¡°This one died in his sleep, fortunately,¡± Tensall explained. ¡°That is, they shot him in his bunk.¡±

    Whist gingerly pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. Once again, he produced a plastic bag, and plucked two blackened items off the ground to deposit inside.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my forensic tech?¡± he balled loudly. A functionary soon ran up and collected what he had taken.

    Eventually, Weslan got tired of looking at destruction he didn¡¯t understand, and busied himself taking interview testimony from the surviving guards.

    ¡°At least ten,¡± one talkative man explained. ¡°Five inside, and five waiting where they cut through the fence, see. Then they ran for the carpark where they¡¯d stashed their vehicles.¡±

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t the vehicles be intercepted?¡± Weslan asked.

    ¡°Our trucks closed on the secure facility, where the fire was,¡± the guard explained. ¡°Once we figured out was what going on, it was the devil trying to get them out through the stacks fast enough. Someone in corporate will get fired for that¡ªweak procedure, you see.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I should expect so,¡± Weslan said.

    To his immense regret, Whist walked over to join them.

    ¡°When did the security alarm trigger?¡± he demanded in a stern voice.

    ¡°Um¡­sir?¡± the guard glanced at him in confusion.

    ¡°The alarm from the electronic container locks. It must have triggered when they were broken. When?¡±

    The guard shook his head. ¡°They disabled the alarm system from the gate house.¡±

    Whist gave the man a confused look. ¡°So, they took out the gate house and proceeded to rob the place? How long do you think that took?¡±

    ¡°Oh uh¡­¡± the man hesitated. ¡°I¡¯d say about fifteen minutes.¡±

    Whist scoffed ¡°For fifteen minutes the command center for the secure facility was completely offline, and nobody noticed this?¡±

    The guard shrugged and gave a look of amused cynicism. ¡°You¡¯d have to ask the starport¡¯s control officers about that,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Whist replied, as his stylus scribbled across his phone.

    Once the guard had moved away, Weslan lowered his voice.

    ¡°Do you think they were paid off?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Or drunk,¡± Whist said dismissively. ¡°Or asleep. All of which would be grounds for criminal charges, given the presence of controlled weapons.¡± He peered owlishly at Weslan. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to make some notes of your own?¡±

    ¡°I have a photographic memory, actually,¡± Weslan said, and tried to subdue the pride in his voice.

    ¡°I will test you on that later.¡±

    Once their inspection of the scene was completed, Tensall ordered a car to take them to VennZech¡¯s main headquarters. The building sat in the wide canyon that cut into the surrounding hills, and marked the city¡¯s original founding. They ascended the wide slopes, and Weslan watched idly as they passed through his boyhood haunts. His heart broke a little when memories of Rose¡ªand the galaxy wide fame their relationship had won him¡ªcame flooding back,

    But it had all evaporated the moment she broke it off. Even after the shuttle accident, the throngs of admirers that poured out their grief for her had nothing to say to him. In the car window¡¯s reflection, the dark lady leered at him.

    ¡°How¡¯s security up here?¡± Whist asked

    The vehicle drove through the garden lined streets of the old city, between rows of sculptured glass and steel buildings. The Solarian school architecture helped accentuate the power and prestige of the Helvet class, and would certainly be a draw for terrorists looking to make an impact.

    ¡°Ah, very good, I expect¡±, Tensall said. ¡°Actually, I work down in the operations office closer to the starport. I prefer to be where the action is, you see. All our warehouses and workshops are down there.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Whist said doubtfully. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get comfortable, surrounded by all this privilege.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯m sure Madam Divine will be delighted to talk you through all their protocols. By the way, it is Madam that she prefers, not miss. Just a matter of etiquette.¡±

    The dark lady¡¯s reflection roared with laughter, and Weslan shivered. He wanted to check his appearance in the car¡¯s mirror, but stopped himself, in case Whist thought he was being a fool.

    Carlotta Divine occupied a small office on the top floor of the headquarters building, with a spectacular view out over the surrounding canyon and river. She smiled warmly as she greeted them, and quickly ordered drinks while they seated themselves around her conference table.

    ¡°Quite a view, you¡¯ve got here Miss Divine,¡± Whist said.

    Weslan¡¯s cheeks colored. The man was barely concealing a smirk

    ¡°We¡¯re so grateful that you were able to see us at this difficult time, Madam,¡± Weslan said stiffly, and avoided his partner¡¯s eyes.

    Divine stopped as she passed by his chair and laid a hand on his shoulder. Her face lit up into the most brilliant and charming smile Weslan had ever seen.

    ¡°It¡¯s Weslan Genny isn¡¯t it?¡± she purred. ¡°Formerly of the university of Rackeye?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I think we met at a symposium here in Rackeye some years ago. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t remember. It was very brief, and you had so many admirers.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Weslan fought to keep from blushing. ¡°Yes, I think I do.¡±

    She stared into his eyes for so long¡ªalmost searching for something¡ªthat he became uncomfortable.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, enigmatically, and turned away to take a seat further down the table.

    Weslan allowed himself to breathe again. When he inhaled, he caught the scent of her subtle aroma, and for a split second, he found it intoxicating.

    Then burning heat raced through his body, and his heart began to pound, while he felt the moisture of sweat across his palms. The sensation was so intense and urgent, he thought he was having a heart attack. He struggled to breathe as the room started to spin, but he couldn¡¯t gasp for fear of drawing attention.

    Fortunately, Tensall and Whist were debating some point of protocol, and paying no attention to Weslan as he fought for control of his mind.

    ¡°Run!¡± a bone-chilling voice snapped in his ear, but when he turned his head, nobody was there.

    In the distance, the dark lady cackled, and Weslan could think of nothing but the need to escape from the room immediately. His imagination even conjured images of him crashing through the window.

    ¡°Weslan?¡±

    The storm of emotion paused as he realized the others were looking expectantly at him. When he met Divine¡¯s gaze, he felt a spasm of lightning across his whole body, which he disguised by sitting forward suddenly in his seat.

    ¡°Yes?¡± he said, politely.

    ¡°I was just saying that you conducted interviews with the facility¡¯s guards?¡± Whist said impatiently.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Weslan replied.

    He felt he should say more, but his mind was so overwhelmed he couldn¡¯t even begin to concentrate.

    ¡°Er¡­ yes, well,¡± Whist continued. ¡°Those testimonies seem to be consistent, though there are a few details I hope can be clarified¡­¡±

    Weslan attempted to slow his breathing and find some semblance of stability. It was like his nightmares, but many times worse. Somehow the dark lady had found him, and was drawing closer. But how? What did she want from him?

    Divine met his eyes again, and watched him with a beautiful smile. She seemed almost transfixed by him, as though he was a puzzle to solve. And behind the smile there was a hint of genuine pleasure. Pleasure that he was there? Was she attracted to him?

 Part 3 - Chapter 28

    ¡°Do you know,¡± Divine said suddenly, interrupting Whist, ¡°I think that we are all feeling a little shocked by the terrible nature of this attack. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not alone in expressing my total horror and disgust that something so calculated and brutal could occur within the confines of our great city. Don¡¯t you agree, Agent Genny?¡±

    A cool sensation of relief flooded down Weslan¡¯s spine. She could obviously see he had been disturbed by something, and wanted to help him calm down. And perhaps she was right¡ªthe dead bodies and destruction he had witnessed earlier were horrifying, though he had felt nothing at the scene of the attack. Maybe he had only repressed his emotions, only to have them surface once he had moved to a new location?

    Whist watched him a little more carefully. ¡°Well, have a drink Genny and step outside if you need to.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that will be necessary,¡± Weslan said.

    ¡°And may I also add,¡± Divine said sweetly, ¡°how grateful the citizens of Rackeye are that the League¡¯s finest protectors are bringing their resources to bear on tracking down these terrorists. Surely, without your assistance, they will only continue to menace us even more.¡±

    Whist glanced at her with a mildly annoyed expression, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice. Her eyes remained on Weslan, and he found the attention oddly calming. The sense of danger was beginning to dissipate. Divine was his friend, and if he followed her lead, everything would be fine.

    But of course, the threat to his home, his family and his old friends was real and very menacing. That was certainly what was disturbing him so greatly. After all, if these terrorists really had stolen missiles, then a shuttle carrying hundreds of passengers could be shot down at any minute.

    The dark lady spoke to him in a tranquil voice. ¡°Obey,¡± she said.

    Weslan coughed. ¡°Obviously we will not rest until the enemies of this city have been brought to justice,¡± he said. ¡°The League is nothing if not ardent in the protection of its citizens.¡±

    Whist blinked slowly, then flicked through the notes on his phone.

    ¡°I assume you heard of the attack on Ambrosia?¡± Divine asked Weslan.

    He nodded.

    ¡°A most disturbing event. And of course, they were Calderan seperatists. They obviously wanted to us know that us we shouldn¡¯t expect to be safe anywhere. Do you know, agents,¡± she glanced at Whist, ¡°I really do fear that a wave of violence is coming that will threaten the very stability of our great society.¡±

    ¡°Not if we can help it,¡± Weslan said.

    ¡°How very fervent. But I can only say that we will all sleep easier if Rackeye were provided with a little more concrete protection. VennZech has developed an array of automated protection systems, and we will certainly be petitioning the League to allow us to deploy them.¡±

    There was a brief pause while they waited for Whist to respond. ¡°Indeed,¡± he said eventually. ¡°And if you don¡¯t mind, Miss Divine¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Madam, actually,¡±

    ¡°Oh right, sorry. Well, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d just like to ask you some questions regarding VennZech¡¯s security procedures. It will help me get a better understanding of what happened.¡±

    Divine smiled broadly. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Now, you were previously employed in Rackeye by the League¡¯s biological research council, as a representative to the Adjudicate office, were you not?¡±

    There was a brief pause.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand what that has to do with this recent attack,¡± Divine replied politely, though the temperature of her demeanour had dropped slightly.

    ¡°Just a routine question,¡± Whist said.

    ¡°I have worked with the adjudicate before, yes.¡±

    ¡°So, you would you say you¡¯re experienced in League operations on colony worlds?¡±

    Divine bowed her head graciously. ¡°I am a humble servant, as we all aspire to be.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Whist said, and scanned through his notes. ¡°Why is VennZech shipping dangerous missiles onto Caldera?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think I can answer that,¡± Tensall jumped in. ¡°Obviously we¡¯re not using them, but we are manufacturing new guidance chips for the seeker heads. It was necessary to bring in some of the old stock to run comparative tests.¡±

    ¡°Fully assembled? With the warheads and propulsion?¡±

    Tensall nodded gravely. ¡°It¡¯s certainly an oversight that should have been caught. Believe me, Agent, VennZech is conducting a complete investigation.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Agent Whist doesn¡¯t doubt our diligence in this regard,¡± Divine said sweetly.

    ¡°Of course, not,¡± Whist said with a wry smile.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    The meeting concluded amicably, and Divine gave Weslan such a warm smile when she shook his hand that he found it difficult to think of anything else. Somewhere in the background, the dark lady chuckled approvingly, but she was quieter and further away. He had, it seemed, found some measure of respite from the doom that pervaded his mind.

    They were driven back to the starport, and returned to their car. Whist took them back to the Sentinel office in an atmosphere of uncomfortable silence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry if you have some funny reactions to this morning,¡± Whist said eventually, and his tone was milder.

    Weslan looked at him in surprise. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The crime scene. It wasn¡¯t pretty. Everyone reacts differently their first time, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Weslan colored. ¡°It was hardly my first time dealing with death, thank you very much, and I will keep my reactions to myself.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh?¡± Whist¡¯s eyebrow raised. ¡°I thought you had amnesia from that crash?¡±

    ¡°To be quite frank, I¡¯d be more worried about your belligerent attitude towards our respected hosts. You seemed entirely insensitive to the fact that they had just suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks in the planet¡¯s history.¡±

    Whist paused while he switched lanes. ¡°They weren¡¯t our hosts, Genny, they were involved in a corporate robbery, which makes them at least fall under the category of due suspicion. If you take nothing else away from today, at least understand that.¡±

    ¡°Well, you may choose to be as cynical as you like, but I shall at least hold upstanding members of the Helvetic community in high regard.¡±

    Whist scoffed. ¡°Oh please, they were lying to our faces. They have an agenda of their own, and you¡¯d have realized that if you weren¡¯t spending your time getting lost in Divine¡¯s eyes.¡±

    Weslan laughed loudly and raucously. It was a vulgar, braying laugh that was meant to intimidate as much as convey his contempt. But he let it continue too long to be believed, and quickly snapped back with a response.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone told me you were obsessed with conspiracy theories. That¡¯s why nobody wants to work with you.¡±

    Whist only glanced at him with amusement, which made Weslan even more furious. ¡°Is that what they say? How dreadfully hurtful.¡±

    ¡°And everyone could smell the alcohol on your breath. Honestly, you¡¯ve put on a disgraceful show today.¡±

    Whist nodded. ¡°I appreciate your frankness. And what did you think of the plasticuffs?¡±

    Weslan¡¯s brows raised in an expression of impatient confusion. ¡°What plasticuffs? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The charred cuffs I recovered from the scene. One pair had been cut. The other hadn¡¯t. I thought you had a photographic memory?¡±

    Weslan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure that it isn¡¯t unusual for barbarian terrorists to restrain their captives before executing them.¡±

    ¡°There was also a knife thrown in with the bodies. The fire created a charring effect along the blade, most likely from a small blood stain. So, I think that whoever attacked that location restrained two men, but one cut themselves loose and attacked them. Then they shot him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fascinating, agent Whist, but I don¡¯t see what it changes about the attack.¡±

    ¡°Why tie them up if they knew they were going to kill everyone? Why only those two? Most of the blood stains were outside the portacabin, which means, most likely, that the thieves were trying to silently disable, but not kill, the guards inside when they were surprised. But if they had so thoroughly planned the theft, and were prepared to kill, why not neutralize the guards one by one when they first entered?¡±

    ¡°This is all supposition, obviously,¡± Weslan said tiredly.

    ¡°One of the bullet casings doesn¡¯t match the others,¡± Whist continued. ¡°The others are a brand used by colonists, but this one had a slightly different finish. I¡¯ll have to send it to the forensics lab, but I would not be shocked to learn that it is a type manufactured only in Rackeye.¡±

    ¡°A different finish? Where did you come up with that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the kind of detail you start to pick up on after twenty years pursuing urban crime. And another thing¡ªwhy didn¡¯t the container locks trigger an alarm? Your guard said the gatehouse was neutralized early, but the site logs show that the interior alarm was pulled, and that tripped the gatehouse system just fine. And even if the men inside were drunk, or sleeping, why weren¡¯t they killed there? The rest of the bodies were outside that structure.¡±

    Weslan said nothing. The dark lady was beginning to laugh at him again and he felt his skin crawling. He was tired and stressed, and didn¡¯t want to think about ludicrous theories.

    ¡°Are you a colonist sympathizer then?¡± he asked sharply. ¡°VennZech set this all up as a fake?¡±

    Whist glanced away from the traffic to scowl at him. ¡°Don¡¯t put words in my mouth you little brat. I have no idea what really happened. But we all know they contract cartels to run their shipments and nobody¡¯s supposed to talk about it. Maybe someone got greedy? Maybe there was a dispute about payments? Or maybe they did stage the whole thing to cover up an internal power struggle. But colonist terrorists? Come on, that doesn¡¯t add up. How could they possibly have found out about VennZech¡¯s top secret weapons shipments? Why would anyone in VennZech want to tip them off for anything less than a corporate bribe, and how could a bunch of farmworkers afford that? And I¡¯ve never heard ¡®Burn Helvet¡¯ used anywhere before¡ªthat was definitely faked.¡±

    ¡°You are forgetting about the recent attack on Ambrosia.¡±

    ¡°Which, again, was completely beyond the capability of Calderan colonists. And only VennZech has the evidence on that attack, so they can come up with whatever story they want. Hell, with the kind of money they have to throw around, maybe they staged the whole thing precisely to use as cover.¡±

    ¡°Cover for what exactly?¡±

    ¡°Covering up their relationship with the cartels, I imagine.¡± Whist sighed. ¡°But that¡¯s just one possible explanation. I know it¡¯s not exactly popular in the Sentinels, but real investigators are supposed to question everything. Think for yourself. Don¡¯t just accept what powerful people tell you at face value. Especially not when a beautiful woman is lighting you up like a Christmas tree.¡±

    Weslan thought for a moment. ¡°I think I understand. I should try to upset all of my peers, and societies¡¯ thought leaders, and end up being posted to a backwater planet for twenty years where my career can rot.¡± He smirked. ¡°You understand that I left Rackeye for Barroche for a good reason?¡±

    Whist chuckled as he shook his head. ¡°Too cold, kid.¡±

    ¡°Or I could wait to see where this investigation goes, and arrive at rationally informed conclusions, instead of hair brained fantasies.¡±

    ¡°Almost all of the key evidence will be provided by VennZech, and they have already decided what the story is going to be.¡±

    ¡°I for one choose to trust the luminaries of our Helvetic world,¡± Weslan said in a haughty voice. ¡°They did build the galaxy, after all. And Divine was right, the League should send some of the army here if things get any worse.¡±

    ¡°No chance,¡± Whist said. ¡°The other planets would be in uproar about imperialism. The League is on thin ice out here, kid.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. The governors¡¯ concerns can be dismissed. It¡¯s for everybody¡¯s protection.¡±

    Whist said nothing as he stared at the road. His face seemed to set in a colder, stonier reserve. ¡°I guess you must be one of those ¡®new men¡¯ they¡¯ve been promising us for the last few hundred years.¡±

    Weslan didn¡¯t bother to reply.

 Part 3 - Chapter 29

    ¡°Sergeant Zhang, please begin your oratory.¡±

    Chieftain General Smyrna¡¯s words brought the meeting to order as the assembled officers of Task Force Nemesis stopped their private chattering and quietened down.

    Christie watched from her position in a back seat as her boss lit up the conference room¡¯s holo-projector with a three-dimensional map of the city of Rackeye.

    ¡°It appears that our contact on Caldera,¡± Zhang said, ¡°Mr. Jack Fenway, recently came into possession of information regarding the movement of several top secret VennZech shipping containers into Rackeye¡¯s starport. According to the source, this took place three weeks ago, and neatly lines up with the date of Rayker¡¯s escape from site Delta-Three-Alpha. Comparing his estimates with the capacity of the assembly plant we found, we have very strong reason to believe that Rayker has moved her new war-machines onto Calderan soil.¡±

    There was a hushed silence around the room.

    ¡°And the source for this information?¡± Smyrna asked.

    ¡°A member of a private investigation group currently pursuing VennZech¡¯s human trafficking activities,¡± Zhang said. ¡°Apparently this individual had some historical connection with our contact, and thought he might be able to benefit from stirring up trouble amongst the locals.¡±

    Colonel Haft, commander of the Mountain Rangers battalion, chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it would be difficult to set them off, given the state of affairs down there.¡±

    Zhang tapped a button and a series of documents appeared on the display. ¡°We did manage to corroborate his information by accessing confidential files in the starport¡¯s data center.¡±

    Haft smiled in bemusement. ¡°How¡¯d you pull that off?¡±

    ¡°One of my team was already on location at that time, and was able to improvise.¡±

    Christie wrinkled her nose. That was likely all the credit she was going to receive for pulling off the most difficult data breach in her career. The shrill laugh of the center chief still rang in her ears¡ªan elderly woman in dire need of a cat. And the wig had made her scalp itchy for days afterwards. To cap it off, Moiray had driven back in a huff since their weekend break had been cut short. And the absolute worst part of it all had been Kayla and Thandi¡¯s completely blank expressions as the conversations and plans had played out. As though they were completely above the whole affair. The stubborn brats hadn¡¯t even had the decency to gloat.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about a terrorist attack on the facility?¡± Captain Nazli, the Raider squadron commander demanded. ¡°According to Rackeye news, it happened in the same time frame.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have the report here,¡± Zhang replied, ¡°Though it seems to have been marked as non-significant.¡± She turned in her chair. ¡°Stirling, why is that?¡±

    Christie leaned forward. ¡°The incident was attributed to cartel friction within the port services,¡± she said, impressed that her voice didn¡¯t even break. ¡°We think it was the inciting factor for the source to come forward, though not technically relevant to VennZech¡¯s activities.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, right,¡± Zhang said.

    They had all been so overloaded with potential leads over the past two days that nobody in the group had been unhappy when Christie had volunteered to run it down herself.

    ¡°Thus, we must come to face the inevitable, and long ignored contingency of Jotnar weapons among a civilian population,¡± Smyrna explained. ¡°No doubt we shall all be blamed by the council of chiefs¡ªa condemnation that will only be expunged with total success in resolving this catastrophe. Let us therefore begin.¡±

    Haft sneered. ¡°I just want to go on record that the council itself is to blame for assigning so few assets to the task force. Rayker has gone unchallenged for far too long. She¡¯s an obviously enhanced individual with a personal connection to incredibly powerful backers we don¡¯t understand. She pulled the Caldera facility out of her ass, and this plant on Delta-Three-Alpha. Completely unmapped locations that we knew nothing about, even though the database for human adjacent space was supposed to be complete. And the rocket artillery on Ambrosia? We are so for behind the curve she¡¯s about to lap us.¡±

    ¡°The concern was passed along, Colonel,¡± Smyrna said delicately.

    ¡°They don¡¯t know what the hell they¡¯re doing. Thousands of years of experience and they think that a reinforced Ranger company is going to resolve this? It¡¯s bullshit¡ªwith all due respect, General.¡±

    ¡°What would you have asked for?¡± Captain Nazli asked with a curious smile.

    ¡°Everyone. Every deployable battalion, every ship, every aircraft for a full-scale invasion of the planet under total communications blackout.¡±

    ¡°And how would the galaxy react to such a startling development?¡± Smyrna asked idly.

    Haft raised her hands. ¡°Who cares? Let them make up conspiracy theories. There won¡¯t be any evidence and they can spin themselves into a tizzy with rumors and make believe into the next century for all I care. And then, the council will have the breathing room it needs to actually start planning how they are going to deal with stuff like this when¡ªnot if, but when¡ªit happens again.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Smyrna said patiently. ¡°Unfortunately, the council is understandably hesitant to disturb the socio-political assumptions that human civilization is founded upon, and are not yet to be dissuaded. We must continue with our task to the best of our ability.¡±

    ¡°This pot is going to boil over eventually. All I¡¯m saying is that as long as we are kicking the can down the road, women will die unnecessarily, and the situation will get worse. That¡¯s what pussyfooting around gets you.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Duly-noted, Colonel. If you would now adjust your focus?¡±

    ¡°Red squadron has a full contingency plan developed for this kind of situation,¡± Nazli interjected. ¡°Once the location of these weapon systems can be established, teams of vehicle patrols in civilian attire can attack multiple locations simultaneously. We have small scale nanitic charges that can reduce them to dust.¡± She smiled. ¡°Assuming they aren¡¯t active, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Do we have enough Raiders and ODTs for that?¡±  Haft demanded.

    Nazli raised her eyebrows. ¡°I think Bravo company can be trained to operate and support such an assault in the same capacity. What do you think, Colonel?¡±

    The woman¡¯s expression lightened slightly. ¡°I guess we can make that work. Give us a couple of weeks of crash course training.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, Sergeant Zhang,¡± Smyrna continued, ¡°can I assume plans are in place to insert your agents into Rackeye?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Zhang replied.

    Christie let her mind wander. Perhaps the relationship with Moiray would be reparable if she was going to be in the city for an extended stay.

    ¡°But you¡¯re not actually going down there?¡± Kayla demanded, as they walked together through the grounds of Tyr¡¯s central hospital.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Christie said in exasperation. ¡°I am not going anywhere, or doing anything of any use to the organization, ever. I am to stay at home with my knitting and copious supplies of wine and ice cream. Heaven forbid I contravene the orders of a Ranger lance-corporal.¡±

    ¡°But Rayker has seen you. She knows you¡¯re bad news. If you run into her¡ª¡±

    ¡°If, hypothetically, I found myself in the city of Rackeye, I should think the chances of running into any one individual, particularly one who is trying to keep a low profile, should be around the same as being killed in a traffic accident. Though, of course, this conversation is irrelevant, because the particular activities of my unit are none of your business.¡±

    Kayla huffed in annoyance. It seemed to fly in the face of common sense that anyone would take such a risk. She was beginning to see suggestions of the reckless air in Christie she had seen in other Valkyrie, including herself. But of course, she was just a Ranger, so what did she know?

    ¡°You can be a smart ass all you like, but I don¡¯t see how anyone is served by you putting yourself in unnecessary danger,¡± Kayla said forcefully.

    Christie stopped and faced her friend. At first, she seemed like she might double down on her condescending rebuttals, but her expression softened. ¡°I appreciate your concern, of course. But don¡¯t you think that¡¯s hypocritical? You wouldn¡¯t have said that the same to Yak, would you?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s brow scrunched in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s completely different.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know exactly, but it is.¡±

    Ahead of them, Thandi emerged from the main lobby of the hospital with a kit bag, a post-workout glow, and a gleaming smile.

    ¡°Cleared for active duty,¡± she said. ¡°Legs as good as new. These nanites are such a blessing.¡±

    They continued into the depths of the hospital until they came to Yak¡¯s room. When Kayla stepped inside, she stopped dead, while Thandi and Christie, caught by surprise, walked into her back.

    Yak was still unconscious, lying in her bed in the center of the room, while machines beeped around her. Alone in a chair sat Birgit Voigt¡ªthe Ranger who had shot Yak and Thandi. She was curled up with her head down as though she had been sleeping, but her head shot up when Kayla entered. Her eyes were red rimmed, and her hair was a tangled mess.

    ¡°Hey, Birgit,¡± Kayla said, and pushed deeper into the room as the others nervously followed her.

    ¡°Uh¡­ hey,¡± Birgit said, and pulled out her phone to check the screen. ¡°Oh, I should be probably going.¡±

    ¡°You can stay if you want,¡± Kayla said as sensitively as she could manage.

    ¡°Um¡­ well I don¡¯t want to¡­ uh¡­¡±

    For a moment, the distraught young woman looked like she was going to cry.

    Thandi swept over to her with a warm smile and clasped her hands. ¡°I want you to know I¡¯ve been praying for you Birgit,¡± she said. ¡°For your well-being and your spirit. I didn¡¯t want you to leave the battalion. I know you are going through a lot.¡±

    Birgit turned bright red. ¡°I¡¯m going through a lot? Thandi I¡­ I should be in prison, I should be kicked out, not getting a transfer. I shot you. I nearly killed Yak.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense child,¡± Thandi said soothingly. ¡°Look at the poor dear. In bad shape, yes, but recovering. Soon she will be awake to tell you that she forgives you, as I have.¡±

    Birgit stared at her in confusion. ¡°Do you really believe that?¡±

    ¡°I do. I believe it with all my heart. Yak is a strong woman, and she wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this.¡±

    Kayla approached the still body on the bed and squeezed her arm. She didn¡¯t really know how to handle the pain her fellow Ranger was going through, and thought it was probably best not to say anything. Birgit had returned the fire that she had ordered Yak to give. Kayla herself had fired several rounds at their position, though none of them had hit anything. As far as she was concerned, it was her fault, and she had taken to making herself run an extra ten miles into the mountains every day, to remind herself to identify targets before shooting. But that was her.

    Birgit, however, looked inconsolable, even despite Thandi and Christie¡¯s reassuring comments. It was different, Kayla imagined, to have fired the shot that could have killed one of your friends.

    ¡°Where are you going next?¡± Christie asked. ¡°Desert battalion, I imagine?¡±

    It was another of the elite units in the Rangers, coveted by those that wanted a tougher fight than most other girls.

    Birgit shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m getting out. Leaving Valkyrie. I don¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s nonsense,¡± Christie complained. ¡°Everyone knows you are a great Ranger.¡±

    She glanced encouragingly at Kayla, who only nodded quietly.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you only have a year left?¡± Thandi asked. ¡°Then you can do whatever you want in the organization.¡±

    Birgit turned away with a hand to her forehead and didn¡¯t acknowledge the question.

    Kayla wanted to talk to her and find the key that would unlock her confidence, so that she could once again accept herself as a valued soldier. She wanted to help her understand that, although she had severely screwed up, she was only human. That the cost of war meant confronting mistakes as much as enemy ammunition.

    But there was something else in the woman¡¯s posture and look. She was hunching and shying away from them. In place of the confident and proud body language of most Valkyrie, Birgit was closing herself off. Wild, daring eyes had gone dim. She looked hunted, or even wounded. She looked a lot like the girls Kayla and Thandi had pulled out of the Rackeye starport. A soul preferring to hide, instead of striding forward.

    Kayla thought back to Jess. Her early nervousness had started to fade, and the new girl had returned to Tyr with the buoyant confidence of a woman who believed she would live forever. Although the hero worship had been somewhat hidden away, replaced by a more focused attitude, she still wore the determined expression of one who would do anything to impress her peers.

    Once upon a time, Birgit had been that young Ranger. Now her joy had been crushed, as her mind battled against pain like a dying star fighting gravity.

    Kayla fingered her necklace. She stepped around the bed, took Birgit her in her arms and hugged her as tightly as she could.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be a lesser unit without you,¡± she said somberly. ¡°I hope you find yourself again, wherever you go.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Birgit said as she sniffed back tears.

    She said goodbye to the others and left the room.

    ¡°I thought you would try to argue with her,¡± Christie noted curiously.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s cup has a limit,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Hers was full.¡±

    She left the words hanging in the air as she turned back to Yak. The molten coals that had sat permanently in her stomach since her father died began to glow again. There seemed to be no end to the ways her friends could get hurt. Running off to save people in crisis was all well and good. But if she could find a way to stop the problem before it even developed, that would work better.

 Part 3 - Chapter 30

    ¡°Okay, start to brake,¡± Gucci instructed.

    Kayla¡¯s foot pushed forward on the pedal, and deceleration forced her into her seat as the vehicle slowed. Ahead, a plastic cone indicated the corner she was supposed to swing the armored SUV around, as though it were a go-kart.

    ¡°Ready on the handbrake,¡± Gucci intoned.

    Kayla tensed, waiting for the maneuver.

    ¡°Hard over¡ªlift the brake.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s hands whirled the wheel across, then pulled the lever as the vehicle veered to the left. There was a squeal of tires and smoke drifted off the rear window.

    ¡°Feather your accelerator.¡±

    The whole car span like a top, juddering as it slid over tarmac to face the new direction.

    ¡°Now recover, and unleash some power.¡±

    Kayla controlled the wheel and, as the tires began to regain traction, she pushed her foot back into the gas pedal. A delightful rush of adrenaline ran through her body as the car responded, surging forward smoothly. She floored it, and whooped as acceleration shoved her back into her seat.

    Ahead of them, an identical vehicle pulled into an adjacent lane.

    ¡°Here comes the oppo, so let¡¯s see you nail this move,¡± Gucci said.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Kayla replied, buzzing with energy.

    She approached the other vehicle behind its rear quarter. Then she accelerated until her front bumper passed the lead car¡¯s rear. Drifting closer, she caught the vehicle with a nudge to the side, and she tried to shove its mass around. Her knuckles went white on the steering wheel as conflicting forces fought to throw her own car into an unrecoverable spin. But Kayla maintained her leverage until the opposing force¡¯s SUV veered wildly, smoking tires losing traction with the road. She breathed a sigh of relief as it slid out of control, drifting back in her rear-view mirror while she pulled away.

    ¡°Nice job,¡± Gucci said curtly.

    Kayla only smiled. Her new driving instructor hadn¡¯t been very friendly, though she had taught the Rangers an awful lot.

    On Tyr¡¯s vehicle testing grounds, the Raiders of Red Squadron had partnered up with Bravo company to teach them the basics of offensive and defensive driving. They had a small fleet of high-powered sports utility vehicles to smash up, and the previous few days had been an intense rush of tarmac, horsepower, and the smell of melting tires.

    Urtiga grinned mischievously when she paired Kayla¡¯s squad up with Gucci. For her part, the awkward super soldier lectured them monotonously on a variety of driving techniques, before taking them to the testing range¡¯s vast blacktop to practice. The sessions went very well, and the Venomous Vipers were well on their way to being ready for what would be one of the most difficult operations in the unit¡¯s history.

    Fortunately, they had the best technology on their side. The modified car looked like a normal vehicle on the outside, but it sported a powerful engine, advanced brakes and suspension, together with reinforced internal armor and glasswork. There were discreet compartments for slotting weapons, magazines and first aid kits, an advanced tactical display for the driver, and controls in the back for the passengers to drop seats and windows in the event of a gunfight. The machines¡¯ creation drew on experience from Valkyrie¡¯s toughest covert operations. Now they were being turned over to a bunch of Rangers, who would have to perform way outside of their usual mission parameters.

    Kayla was beginning to feel giddy with the training. Being able to unleash so much power and control was a heady sensation. Even better, not only were they going to destroy Rayker, but the task force would also give the despicable VennZech corporation a black eye.

    Drowning in confidence, she steered the vehicle back to the gathered squad at the start line, and decided to do some button pushing on the way.

    ¡°Hey Gucci,¡± she said, and felt a little apprehension creep into her mind. This was a soldier vastly more capable and respected than her, after all.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°If you wanted to ask my dad out again, I could totally set something up for you. He¡¯s single, you know.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Kayla kept her face blank, and her eyes on the road. She couldn¡¯t see, but she was sure Gucci had just broken out in a deep blush. There was a moment of silence.

    ¡°Ugh, I hate ¡®tiga for sticking me with you,¡± Gucci said eventually.

    Kayla frowned. ¡°That¡¯s hurtful.¡±

    ¡°You deserve it. Everyone knows you¡¯re a goddamned troublemaker. Look at that smirk you¡¯re barely holding back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, actually our squad has a member of high religious sensitivity, so I¡¯ll have to ask you to keep your language clean.¡±

    Gucci reached over and gave the steering wheel a sharp yank, forcing Kayla to fight to keep the car under control. Fortunately, there was nothing but empty tarmac around them.

    ¡°Is it an age thing?¡± Kayla went on, once she had calmed her nerves. ¡°Are you shallow like that?¡±

    Gucci inhaled deeply. ¡°Okay you little brat, let me make something clear. First Jack broke it off with me, and it was a painful experience for both of us. Second, he needs a real-world woman in his life, but that won¡¯t happen as long as he maintains his association with us, and he¡¯ll keep that up as long as you¡¯re here. So, his romantic problems are now officially your fault.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kayla said, now feeling less enthusiastic about the conversation. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that.¡±

    Gucci leaned forward, an evil expression on her face. ¡°Please, let¡¯s dissect your emotions on the issue. I mean, as long as it¡¯s not awkward or anything.¡±

    Kayla fought through the embarrassment, and her mind threw up an ace.

    ¡°My friend Christie has a girlfriend¡ªa civilian,¡± she said earnestly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like gossips.¡±

    ¡°No, but¡­ I mean, my squad leader was married. Girls obviously find ways to have healthy relationships in the real world, so that means Jack can too. We just need to find him someone, and help him make it work.¡±

    ¡°Was married?¡±

    Kayla hesitated. ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡±

    Gucci sighed. ¡°The average marriage in the organization ends in divorce within four years, which entirely proves my point.¡±

    Kayla waved a hand as she pulled onto the final straight. ¡°I am officially announcing operation Calderan Romance. Consisting of one Ranger element (command), and one Raider attachment (support). Briefing material to be distributed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you could command a piss up in a brewery,¡± Gucci said. ¡°And I have no interest in meddling with Jack¡¯s life without his knowledge.¡±

    Kayla glanced at her. ¡°That¡¯s not the Raider spirit we all look up to, you know?¡±

    ¡°Can you just please be a normal person for the rest of the training?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make promises.¡±

    Kayla pulled the car up next to her squad and hopped out, with an annoyed looking Gucci not far behind. The Rangers stared enthusiastically at the vehicle, hoping to be the next in line. Unfortunately, Tian and Jess were giggling about something.

    ¡°Hernandez,¡± Kayla called, and waited a moment while she stepped forward. ¡°What did I get wrong on my run?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± The young woman scrunched her eyes, obviously desperate to imagine an answer. ¡°Too slow on the corner exit?¡±

    Gucci shook her head. ¡°Nah, she was fine there.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Jess was quiet for a moment while she tried again, but came up short. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Lance-corporal.¡±

    ¡°Is that because you weren¡¯t paying attention in class, or while watching the session?¡± Kayla demanded with a hint of anger.

    The Rangers were supposed to be watching each other for mistakes so that they could learn more quickly. But the rookie had obviously been distracted by another inattentive squad mate.

    ¡°While watching the session,¡± Hernandez said in a chastised voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what? Speak in full sentences.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention to your driving session, Lance-corporal,¡± Hernandez repeated while the other members of the squad silently enjoyed the ritual humiliation that they had all been subjected to throughout their lives.

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°So, you missed the fact that I hit the oppo vehicle too quickly, and nearly span out of control. That¡¯s valuable experience you have failed to absorb.¡± She jabbed a finger at the private. ¡°You¡¯re up next. Are you going to give Sergeant Kilpatrick your full attention, or are you going to waste her time too?¡±

    ¡°I will give her my full attention, Lance-corporal,¡± Jess repeated dutifully.

    Kayla patted her on the shoulder as she guided her towards the waiting car. ¡°Good, because if she complains, I¡¯m going to have you run the twenty miles around the training grounds.¡±

    The vehicle moved off, and, as the squad looked on, Kayla turned on Tian next. ¡°A word, private Bao?¡± she said, and they moved away from the others.

    ¡°FYI,¡± Tian began carelessly, ¡°I can chat and watch at the same time.¡±

    Kayla reined in an escalating temper. ¡°Uhuh? But you¡¯re happy for Jess to be distracted whilst we¡¯re preparing for one of the toughest missions we¡¯ve ever faced? Why is that?¡±

    Tian shrugged. ¡°I thought she was on top of it.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t on top of anything because she¡¯s drowning in information,¡± Kayla snapped. ¡°And you¡¯re setting a shitty example.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t be like that.¡±

    ¡°Then stop screwing around. Can we get these sessions locked in? Can you be a little more professional?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always professional. And this squad knows how to kick ass, especially when you do your thing.¡±

    Kayla almost wanted to growl. Tian obviously wasn¡¯t listening to her, and she had no patience for it. She could always pull rank, but that would likely be perceived as weakness, especially considering that Tian had more combat experience than she did.

    ¡°If I have to send Jess for a run,¡± Kayla said forcefully, ¡°you¡¯re going with her. Got it?¡±

    Tian¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡°Okay, I got it. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    They rejoined the squad, and Kayla caught Kes¡¯s eye, and the vanishing smirk. It had been a setup. The squad leader had let the two Rangers get carried away so she could see what Kayla would do¡ªif she would step up and take responsibility for her job.

    Then Kayla wanted to kick herself. Of course Tian would be taken aback. On any normal day, it would have been the two of them chatting. On any normal day, they would be repeating the same maneuvers they had all memorized long ago. And, if she was being totally honest, Kayla would have made up for inattention by doing the most challenging thing herself, leaving the routine stuff to her teammates.

    Now even more angry, this time at herself, she glanced back at Kes and caught a wink. They all had a lot more to learn.

 Part 3 - Chapter 31

    The training only grew more intense, and Jess wasn¡¯t the only one to let her attention wander. The Raiders operated at only one level, which was far more intense than even the Vipers had prepared for. All day, and into each night for several weeks, the students felt like they were trying to drink from a fire hose. Meanwhile, the instructors worked like they did not have to worry about weaknesses like fatigue or mental saturation.

    After basic offensive and defensive driving, the Raiders moved on to cover vehicle-borne operational concepts. The classes covered long distance expeditions, road ambushes, breaking through checkpoints, and more. To finish each section, the Rangers hopped in their vehicles to practice against the opposing force.

    Per Valkyrie¡¯s standard practice, they shot rubber bullets to simulate real fire. Kayla thought back to Ranger school, and the painful punishment she had often received whenever she and the others made a mess of basic tactics. Training with the Raiders was much the same, except most of them were expert snipers, or lightning-fast assaulters. They had no interest in taking things easy on the Venomous Vipers, who were, after all, supposed to be the best Rangers in Valkyrie.

    Before long, everyone was covered in sores, while their hands and feet were blistering and bleeding. Fortunately, their bodies healed quickly, and they were left with only the psychological scars that being hunted by a relentless, merciless and totally superior enemy inflicted.

    Kayla did her best to support Jess wherever she could. The resilient young woman had only recently passed Valkyrie¡¯s gut-wrenching selection and training course. While her former classmates were enjoying a more sedate rookie experience in their new units, she had been thrown into a new challenge that even the hardened veterans found intense. Kayla was impressed that she was just about managing to keep up, though she took more than her fair share of hits.

    During a briefing for a building assault, Kayla glanced over at the young private. Her face wore the blank, stoic gaze that boot camp had instilled in her, though Kayla could see the subtler signs. Her eyes glazed over more frequently as the days dragged on. She made small mistakes, while her general appearance and tidiness began to fray at the edges. Even though Ray stuck close to her, keeping her spirits up and patiently correcting her movements, she was barely staying above water.

    After the briefing, the platoon geared up once again, loaded into vehicles and began a fast drive down a tarmac stretch towards a mockup warehouse. The plan required them to surround the building while neutralizing guards, then dismount to breach inside.

    Kayla drove her vehicle, carrying Jess, Ray, and Tian, at breakneck speed right up to the building, before slamming the brakes hard. She swerved sideways at the last second, presenting a side on profile so that the car could provide her fire team more cover. Even before the vehicle had come to a complete stop, the doors flew open as the other Rangers stepped out and began engaging targets. Kayla fought to hold back the nausea the sudden deceleration had brought, before yanking on the handbrake and grabbing her rifle.

    She jumped out to see the last of the Raiders hit with rubber bullets drop to the ground and lay still. The fire team fell in behind her as she raced towards the warehouse¡¯s side door.

    Working quickly, Kayla prepped a breaching charge on the door, then stepped back and blew it, absorbing the thump of overpressure like a punch to the head. Ray stepped into the breach, followed closely by Jess. As she scrambled over the door frame, the private tripped, cursing sharply as she fell face first onto the concrete. Behind her, Tian hesitated and leaned down to pull her back out. In the background, the snap of gunshots told Kayla that Ray was now fighting alone, inside the warehouse.

    Furious, she grabbed Tian by her suit¡¯s strap and shoved forward.

    ¡°Move!¡± she yelled. ¡°Leave Jess¡ªpush in, go!¡±

    Tian jerked and shot upright, stepped over the private¡¯s body with Kayla close behind. The two of them managed to get into the hallway, where they caught sight of a Ranger boot sticking out of a doorway. Tian kept moving, and they managed to shoot the two Raiders who had been waiting in the room.

    Jess caught up with them, and they were able to clear the rest of the rooms, then make contact with the other squads before the exercise finished. When they regrouped outside, Kayla saw that Jess had gone bright red and was refusing to make eye contact while rubbing her hand across her face.

    An unimpressed looking Ray marched out of the warehouse.

    ¡°Uh¡­ sorry Ray,¡± Tian said.

    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Ray said patiently. ¡°Dead women can¡¯t hear you talking.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Jess blurted out breathlessly. ¡°I accept responsibility for screwing everything up, and I promise it will never happen again.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Tian said tiredly as she rubbed her eyes. ¡°I froze up and got confused when I saw you go down. I¡¯m the screwup here.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll get it right next time.¡±

    ¡°Alright take a moment to think it through,¡± Kes said. ¡°Go over your actions and make you sure you understand everything that happened.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The squad leader¡¯s eyes and body language showed she was as exhausted as the rest of them, and more tired than annoyed. But Jess was not listening.

    ¡°God I am so sorry for letting you all down,¡± she blurted, almost on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡¯m not pulling my weight, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Private that¡¯s enough,¡± Kayla snapped.

    Jess went quiet, though her expression was one of misery. Her reaction had become alarming, and Kayla needed to help her get control.

    She turned to Kes. ¡°Please tell me this was the last run of the day? Everyone¡¯s dead on their feet.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Kes said. ¡°But I¡¯ll go check. After twelve hours it¡¯s just becoming an exercise in stupidity.¡±

    The others collapsed into the vehicle seats and shut their eyes while the squad leader stalked off towards the Raiders gathered near the warehouse. Jess started to pace back and forth in obvious distress.

    ¡°Hernandez, step over here with me,¡± Kayla said.

    She threw an arm around the girl¡¯s shoulders and moved her around the back of the car, for a moment of notional privacy.

    Jess¡¯s eyes were red rimmed as she wiped away tears. She kept her eyes to the ground.

    ¡°Look at me Hernandez,¡± Kayla ordered. ¡°Now take some deep breaths, okay?¡±

    Jess did so, and Kayla saw with relief that she began to calm down.

    ¡°What is going? Why are you freaking out?¡±

    Jess swallowed and switched into the robot tone Kayla knew all too well. She believed she had committed a major failure.

    ¡°I tripped up during the entry and my failure got Ray killed. I was not paying enough attention to my feet. I¡¯ve been failing to keep up with the rest of the squad, and I have no excuse for my poor performance.¡± She sniffed. ¡°I¡¯ll run around the strip, like you said, Lance corporal.¡±

    Kayla stifled a laugh and grabbed the girl¡¯s shoulder as she started to move away. ¡°Stay here private hard case. Hey, didn¡¯t you notice that the whole squad is in zombie mode? It¡¯s been a long day, everyone is braindead. Tripping happens¡ªit¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    Jess shook her head. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t blocked the stack, Ray would¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tian blocked the stack. She knew better than to stop. And so what if Ray got shot? It¡¯s training. It¡¯s meant to go wrong.¡±

    ¡°I just¡­¡± Jess gulped back a sob. ¡°I¡¯ve been making a lot of mistakes, I can¡¯t keep up with you all. It¡¯s obvious. I¡¯m just making a fool out of myself. You¡¯ve already had to caution me once, and I accept that.¡±

    Kayla took a deep breath and thought as quickly as her overworked mind would allow. ¡°Jess, everyone in the squad is an experienced Ranger, and you are brand new. We are only learning how to work from vehicles, while you are having to learn everything else on top of that. Yes, you are making mistakes, and yes, I have to push you to stay focused. That¡¯s just¡­ the new girl experience. But you¡¯re doing fine.¡±

    Jess said nothing, but stared at her with wide, confused eyes.

    ¡°Okay, I get it,¡± Kayla said with a smile. ¡°The Raiders are all ten feet tall and walk on water. You want to believe that they were born kicking ass, and it sucks to screw up in front of them. But I promise you, they all started off as dumb privates who screwed up and got yelled at. Hell, in my first week in this squad, Rudaski nearly threw me off a cliff because she¡¯d had enough of my bullshit.¡±

    Jess blushed and looked down.

    Kayla laughed and pointed. ¡°Look, some of them are even shorter than us! Whatever you have been told, they are not magic space witches. They¡¯re just¡­¡± She paused and winced. In fairness, it was hard to express a down-to-earth opinion about them. ¡°¡­freakishly driven and focused with years if not decades of better training,¡± she finished.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the Raiders,¡± Jess said quietly.

    ¡°Huh? Then what is it?¡±

    The private shrugged and refused to make eye contact again.

    ¡°Jess, I can¡¯t have you beating yourself down like this every time something goes wrong. We all need to show up the same time tomorrow and kick ass again. So, come on, out with it.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s you, Lance-corporal.¡±

    ¡°Me what?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ your Kayla Barnes. You saved Caldera. Everyone knows that you took on Rayker alone. Everyone in Ranger school was talking about nothing else. And here I am trying to act like I belong in the same squad as you.¡±

    Kayla had to bite back a snarl. How had grown-ass instructors let this become an issue? ¡°What?¡± she snapped. ¡°Did I do everything myself? There wasn¡¯t a whole company of Rangers fighting desperately, while my best friend¡ª¡±

    She cut off her voice as bile rose up her throat. Anger was not going to do her any good. Kayla took a breath, swallowed the hurt, and tried to be more patient.

    ¡°I tell you what, Jess, if I ever found out who started those kinds of stories, I will beat the¡­ I will express my sincere displeasure to that individual. But tell me this. Why do we tell you and other recruits to pull your head out of your ass so often?¡±

    ¡°To keep me paying attention?¡±

    ¡°The expression means that you are consumed by your own egotistical concerns whilst being distracted from a job that requires rising above them. Egotistical¡ªmeaning that you are so focused on what I think of you, because you believe that my ¡®fame¡¯, or whatever, has some kind of bearing on your reputation and character. Like, if Kayla Barnes thinks I did a good job, that means I¡¯m a really good Ranger. But if she¡¯s angry, that means I¡¯m completely worthless, right?¡±

    Jess nodded.

    ¡°But Kayla Barnes is only a Lance-corporal. Her opinion is not that relevant. I mean, they didn¡¯t make her a freakin¡¯ officer, did they? Meanwhile, you were selected ahead of your peers to enter one of the organization¡¯s highest performing units, on the eve of one of the toughest missions they have faced. Someone who knows you better than I do believes that you belong here. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ guess so.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t guess, Private,¡± Kayla said sternly. ¡°We are preparing to hunt the most dangerous woman in this galaxy. She is waiting for us on terrain she has prepared in advance. This is our job, and it is very likely that not all of us will make it through to the other side of this. So, if you are a quitter, and a failure, I need you to tell me right now, because we can¡¯t afford to waste time. Do you belong here, yes or no?¡±

    Jess took a deep breath. ¡°Yes, Lance-corporal.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. It is my professional opinion that you are doing a good job despite the immense pressure we are all under. I would like to keep you in my squad. I would like for you continue performing as well as you have done today, without letting that chatterbox Tian distract you. I would also like you to make a note somewhere of the following principle: Celebrity is a cancer that must be rooted out and destroyed by all decent women, wherever it is found, even if suspected bearers may be endowed with stunning black hair and a charming smile. Got that, Hernandez?¡±

    Jess giggled. ¡°Yes, Lance-corporal.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Kayla said, and put her arm around Jess¡¯ shoulder again as she led her back to the squad. ¡°Let¡¯s get some freakin¡¯ food and water.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 32

    Christie watched the video feed as an armored truck pulled off the road, and came to a stop outside the high security checkpoint. Beyond the gate lay the newly constructed VennZech industrial park, which the surveillance of Gaz and his fellow investigators was so far unable to penetrate.

    ¡°He does this every Thursday?¡± she asked as she scribbled notes. She wanted to stretch her legs inside the cramped surveillance van, but there was too much equipment in the way.

    ¡°Once he¡¯s met with that Divine lady up in the old town headquarters, he comes straight back down here. Only time he leaves.¡± Gaz sighed and rubbed his jaw. ¡°This is why I¡¯m convinced he¡¯s got Milani in there, somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find her name is Madam Divine,¡± Christie said idly. ¡°And you¡¯ve never seen her outside the headquarters building?¡±

    ¡°Never. I¡¯ve got a team watching that building 24/7 now.¡± He stared at her for a moment. ¡°Why do I get the impression that it¡¯s her you¡¯re really after?¡±

    Christie didn¡¯t reply, but continued to scribble notes. ¡°You¡¯ve never thought of attempting to break in through here?¡±

    Gaz tiled his head. ¡°Hmm. So, you¡¯re a fan of our work?¡±

    ¡°I just happened to see a few articles on the Intaba feeds.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s too much security at this site. In general, most of the execs that go looking for kids do it far from their workplace. It gets difficult for people to look the other way when it¡¯s taking place right in front of them.¡±

    ¡°Is Mr Cirkiss Tensall something of an odd ball?¡±

    ¡°More likely he¡¯s spooked by recent events. I would guess that his bosses ordered him to stop what he was doing, but he refused, and so they were forced to compromise. I guess they can get away with it here, because Helvetic society is limited to the city of Rackeye.¡± He caught Christie¡¯s puzzled look. ¡°It¡¯s a very small world,¡± he explained. ¡°The corporation would be able to squash discontent easily.¡±

    Christie tapped her stylus against her phone. ¡°You¡¯ve become quite the expert on social patterns, after eight years as a marine.¡±

    ¡°You ran my background?¡± Gaz shrugged. ¡°We were dealing with an insurgency on Solstice. Understanding the culture and politics was a necessity. Translates over to human trafficking pretty well, too.¡±

    Christie nodded. It was probably best not to ask about his sister. ¡°What would you do if you caught Tensall in a dark alley?¡±

    Gaz raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Christie jotted down another note. He would need to be treated with caution. Him and his fellow veterans were certainly capable of taking any action they felt would satisfy their closely guarded rage, and probably without warning.

    Gaz¡¯s phone rang, and he listened for a minute. ¡°Okay, take photos and run searches on everyone at the location.¡±

    He hung up and turned to Christie. ¡°That was my Charlie team. They¡¯ve tracked down one of the containers to a warehouse by the river.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Your efforts in this search are greatly appreciated.¡±

    ¡°You feel like giving me a hint about what we¡¯re getting ourselves into? What¡¯s in those containers?¡±

    Christie returned his gaze with open, honest eyes. ¡°A weapon system, certainly. I have no idea what kind. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so concerning.¡±

    Gaz¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°One container on its own by the river. Why would they spread them out like that?¡±

    Christie could only shrug helplessly.

    They watched the gate for several hours after that, until Gaz drove them back towards his group¡¯s base of operations.

    ¡°So¡­¡± he said awkwardly as they followed the traffic.

    Christie suppressed a smirk.

    ¡°Your friend¡­ uh¡­ Kayla?¡± he continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to discuss my friends or my employer with you,¡± she said.

    ¡°No, obviously, I get that.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°But I saw you together in the club, so it seems obvious that¡­ well, that you¡¯re friends,¡± he finished, and looked away in embarrassment.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°So, I mean, maybe you could pass her my number the next time you see her¡­ whenever that might be?¡±

    Christie laughed shrilly, then clamped a hand over her mouth. ¡°Gosh, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to. I just had this vision of you standing on a mountaintop in a thunderstorm, waving a copper rod while you shout blasphemy at the gods.¡±

    Gaz chuckled. ¡°She can¡¯t be that bad.¡±

    Christie shook her head, but her tone cooled. ¡°And did you see how many friends joined us in the club?¡±

    ¡°A fair few.¡±

    ¡°All of whom would be happy to kill you if you set a foot wrong with her.¡±

    Gaz nodded. ¡°Well, sure. That¡¯s fair. Good to see a strong group of people looking out for each other.¡±

    Christie watched him carefully. It was time to warn him. If he did have a mind to take matters into his own hands, he at least deserved some perspective.

    ¡°In any case,¡± she said, ¡°I should rather keep your mind focused on this predicament we have found ourselves in. There is no guarantee that we will all live through it.¡±

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    Gaz glanced at her in puzzlement.

    ¡°Carlotta Divine is a fake ident for Allana Rayker.¡±

    He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the road, but his jaw slowly opened and he exhaled deeply. ¡°The terrorist? In Rackeye, with a collection of top secret VennZech weapons?¡±

    ¡°Quite so.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Christ,¡± Gaz muttered.

    The battlefield preparation team consisted of the Raider¡¯s senior NCO Urtiga, her ODT equivalent Masey Laukkenen, Zhang, and Christie. They worked out of an apartment in Rackeye, building a picture of VennZech¡¯s properties around the city and the personnel who moved between them. Soon, advance teams of Raiders and ODT¡¯s showed up to begin street work, following their assigned targets and building up an understanding of their patterns of life. A sniper team managed to get themselves a top floor hotel room near the starport, with sight lines on both the shipping area, and the industrial zone, now dominated by VennZech¡¯s buildings and warehouses.

    Their headquarters was a different matter. Placed high on the slopes of the city¡¯s canyons, it was a perfect opportunity for a field team to camp on top of the cliff face. The high stretches of vertical rock, with their easy access, and stunning views, were a popular attraction for climbers from around the local cluster. A team was able to sit in the open with an unrivaled view of the VennZech building, camping in tents, hiking, climbing, and barbequing, while a discreet zoom lens faced the busy office windows.

    With surveillance operations in full swing, that left Zhang with only one problem left to solve.

    ¡°An undercover agent,¡± she announced to the apartment¡¯s crowded living room.

    The team was taking lunch with the operator¡¯s senior leadership, Captain Nazli and Lieutenant Commander Vukovic, while they discussed plans for the upcoming mission.

    ¡°Do you really think a spook will get much out of whatever VennZech desk job she gets stuck in?¡± Masey asked skeptically.

    ¡°Honestly,¡± Zhang said, ¡°I don¡¯t see us making much progress without one. The container that our asset managed to find is in deep storage. Nobody is going near it. Tails and cell networks aren¡¯t going to help us locate the rest.¡±

    Masey raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you think that they¡¯ll just leave that kind of data on their office servers?¡±

    Zhang shrugged. ¡°If they haven¡¯t, then we have the option of exploiting someone in the security division. They used cartel truckers to move the containers, but there would certainly have been company guards keeping an eye on them.¡±

    ¡°High security types with good discipline.¡±

    Urtiga cackled. ¡°Ain¡¯t no discipline known to man that can stand up to the wide-eyed adoration of a beautiful woman who wants to know exactly how cool your job is.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get carried away with expectations,¡± Zhang cautioned, as she gave Urtiga a disapproving look. ¡°Selecting and approaching a target is a delicate business that can go wrong for any number of reasons.¡±

    ¡°Urtiga only plays on our side of the fence,¡± Masey interjected with a wink at the master sergeant. ¡°So she thinks men are too easy. But anyway, who are you going to insert, Zhang?¡±

    Christie felt her ears burning, as she shifted in her chair. Across from her, the unit¡¯s newest recruit, Effimia Argyris, glanced at her anxiously. She was excited by the daunting assignment, though she hadn¡¯t done much more than support the team with data gathering. She was new, and had a lot to learn.

    ¡°Me,¡± said Christie, avoiding the frustrated eyes of her teammate. ¡°My background and continuing research into the corporation¡¯s culture and structure makes me ideally placed.¡±

    Zhang nodded. ¡°It makes sense, even though it¡¯s a risk. Only Rayker has seen Christie¡¯s face before, and she doesn¡¯t leave the headquarters building. We know what she remembers from the chateau, so we can go for a look that¡¯s very different.¡±

    ¡°And what if Christie gets summoned to HQ?¡± Urtiga demanded. ¡°However unlikely that might be? Makeup tricks aren¡¯t going to cut it with Rayker.¡±

    ¡°Traffic accident?¡± Zhang asked, glancing at Masey.

    Masey nodded. ¡°Could work. We¡¯ll have a Quick Response Team on standby for any eventualities,¡± she said as she glanced at her senior officer. The woman nodded.

    ¡°And if I do get caught,¡± Christie added, ¡°my family connections make for a good cover story. Disgraced friends of an Adjudicate Cardinal, out for revenge, etcetera.¡±

    This was met with silence, and the room got a little colder.

    Lieutenant Commander Vukovic cleared her throat and leaned forward. ¡°How about we make sure that doesn¡¯t happen?¡±

    They nodded their agreement.

    Zhang leaned towards her rookie. ¡°Effy, can you get to work on Christie¡¯s ident files and employment record? Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll make the data insertion¡ªit needs to be perfect.¡±

    The unhappy looking Effy nodded, and flashed Christie a jealous smile.

    Captain Nazli cleared her throat. ¡°I would like to hear more about a contingency for a hard compromise.¡±

    ¡°Open warfare,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Rules of engagement suspended.¡±

    Nazli rolled her eyes while the others blinked in surprise.

    ¡°Sorry, cap¡ªdid you think I was kidding?¡± Urtiga continued, while her tone remained playful. ¡°¡®Cos I wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Christie felt her pulse quicken. Unfolding before her was the very conversation both she and Zhang were desperate to prevent. But as Kayla had once pointed out, you might as well try and hold back the tide as prevent an operator from speaking her mind.

    ¡°You know,¡± Zhang said quickly, ¡°we don¡¯t have any kind of remit to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I doubt the Banshee can deploy in orbit without more substantial support,¡± Masey said, ignoring the intelligence leader completely.

    Urtiga nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Okay, so we pull in the Sir¨¨ne, and the Erinys again. Fill their holds with Shrikes.¡±

    ¡°A plan for additional firepower is under consideration,¡± Nazli said calmly. ¡°Please focus on your own little corner of the trash heap, Urtiga.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I ¡®ain¡¯t stepping foot near the trash heap unless I have substantial confidence it can be lit on fire on the request of me and my girls.¡±

    ¡°Our girls,¡± Nazli said sternly.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Vukovic said, and locked eyes with Nazli. A silent conversation passed between them, following which the ODT commander turned back to the room. ¡°Rest assured that no operation will be initiated without total support for a worst-case scenario. Under no circumstances will two hundred women be hung out to dry down here.¡±

    Christie felt the floor drop out beneath here. What were they about to initiate? What could be the consequences of such a momentous decision?

    Her voice shaky, she nevertheless tried to speak up. ¡°Don¡¯t you think¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡± Urtiga said with an unyielding grin. ¡°Sorry if you¡¯re keen to disappear into a VennZech torture dungeon, Christie. I¡¯m not personally into that and neither are probably¡­ eighty percent of the taskforce. But you can do that on your own time¡ªno judgement.¡±

    Christie went bright red at the rebuke.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Masey said thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve got some friends who are into all that chains and whips stuff¡ªtell me it¡¯s a fun time. With super-healing¡­ who knows?¡±

    ¡°Hey, good luck to you,¡± Urtiga said happily. ¡°I¡¯m open minded, but I have limits.¡±

    ¡°Nothing wrong with personal limits,¡± Vukovic said with a deadpan expression.

    Christie shot a furious glare at Zhang, who shrugged helplessly, then at Nazli, who only returned her look with an infuriatingly placid expression. Not for the first time Christie cursed the adolescent behavior of her co-workers that made them nearly impossible to argue with.

    ¡°The bottom line,¡± Masey said, ¡°is that we are not taking any more chances with the Jotnar sponsored freak. We¡¯ve played with kiddy gloves up until today, because of the sensitivity of command, but it has to end.¡±

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Amen. Those war machines have to be destroyed, and Rayker has to be put down with extreme prejudice. The longer this goes on, the worse it gets.¡±

    Masey turned to the officers. ¡°With that in mind, we will ask for anti-armor launchers for the tier 1 elements, plus combat controllers to accompany us. If things go so far south they end up heading north, we will assemble the Ranger teams into platoon-sized elements, and neutralize any resistance as we move between objectives.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± Vukovic said calmly.

    Christie felt a black cloud settle over her head as the meeting broke up with smiles. There hadn¡¯t even been a discussion.

 Part 3 - Chapter 33

    Several days later, she strolled through the lobby of the VennZech administration building in the industrial zone. She wore a perfectly tailored business suit, and her long blond hair was styled in the latest Earth fashion. She was the very picture of a Helvetic fashion model, and she pretended not to see the admiring glances she drew from the passing employees.

    ¡°Ah¡­Miss Derby-Fletcher?¡± a worried looking young woman asked hopefully, as she approached with a tablet poised in readiness.

    Christie whirled and flashed a winning smile. ¡°Charmed. You must be my onboarder? Pleasure, really. Won¡¯t you be a dear and offer me a caffeine fix? I¡¯m not quite over the space-lag.¡±

    ¡°Oh gosh, of course,¡± the assistant said as she took Christie¡¯s offered hand and shook it limply. ¡°Please follow me.¡±

    She set off towards one of the staircases, glancing backwards occasionally. Christie followed leisurely, taking her time to examine the expensive lobby.

    ¡°Frightfully good d¨¦cor,¡± she said half-heartedly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have thought it from such a quaint little town.¡±

    The assistant waited patiently for her to catch up, and grinned desperately through the backhanded compliment.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you noticed,¡± she said. ¡°Rackeye is only a small office, but we hope to lead the industrial growth of the outer colonies. May I say how thrilled we are to have someone of your background here to drive the business forward.¡±

    By background, she meant Earth, and Christie breathed in the fawning admiration; the scent of a drug she had long ago been deprived of. The role of intelligence agent offered her the life she had once been promised as the daughter of a minor, but wealthy aristocrat. Her father had fallen from grace and been exiled from the mother planet, while only Valkyrie had offered her the chance to do something exciting. Now, as a VennZech executive, she sank her teeth into the role of the superior class with a voracious appetite.

    The speech and mannerisms came naturally, and as they walked through the building towards the cafeteria, Christie felt a delicious thrill at every jealous glance that came her way, from men and women alike. Zhang and Effy had given her a modest role as a mid-level administrator. Fortunately, Helvetic society understood that true Earthers only descended amongst them to learn the ropes, before being whisked away to high office. She would be able to get away with a lot as her new colleagues fought for the opportunity of favors, friendship, or even just a remembered name.

    It would be a delightful assignment, and all she had to fear was a horrific death at the hands of a monster whose intelligence certainly surpassed her own. The adrenaline made her nerves sing like the strings of a violin, and she shamefully admitted she was becoming addicted to the rush. After all, an inner voice whispered seductively, what if you win?

    When they entered the cafeteria, the assistant scuttled off to fetch her a cup of tea while Christie found a seat by a window that offered a reasonably nice view of the city¡¯s distant canyon.

    ¡°What a charming setting,¡± she said to the returning assistant. ¡°New planets are so romantic.¡±

    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± said the woman as she handed over a hot porcelain cup. ¡°I feel like such a pioneer out here.¡±

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Christie asked with polite disinterest.

    ¡°Larentum, but my family is from Titan, originally.¡± She said this with a hint of embarrassment, obviously hoping that her meager background would at least rate some interest.

    ¡°Gosh,¡± Christie said blankly. No need to be too likeable.

    They discussed the details of Christie¡¯s role in Rackeye, and she launched into a short diatribe on the necessity of good file management until the assistant¡¯s eyes glazed over. Once the introduction was finished, they went to the security department, where her phone¡¯s ident was scanned and verified, and the system updated with VennZech¡¯s employee interface.

    Christie suffered the tension of uncertainty while she waited to see if they would pick up Zhang¡¯s discreetly encoded worm. They didn¡¯t, and it presumably went to work, quietly penetrating their systems.

    Then, the building¡¯s protection staff gave her a quick lecture on good security procedures. It was a boring speech, and Christie couldn¡¯t help but notice that their protocols were riddled with holes that an experienced operative would be able to exploit. While she made notes on her phone, she kept an eye on the security men themselves, some of whom had shown up to sit in on the training session.

    Most observed her with a wary eye. She was, after all, from Earth, and would obviously be suspected by the quiet professionals as an infiltrator from either a rival corporation, or any one of the League¡¯s jealous and interfering institutions. Fortunately, Helvetic management liked to maintain a condescending attitude towards their guardians. The higher ups were, in any case, currently afraid of colonist terrorism. Any conscientious employee who voiced concerns about her would be thrown out of the room for suggesting that an Earther would migrate to Caldera just as it was becoming more dangerous.

    Christie also doubted that Rayker had shared what little she knew about Valkyrie. Clever as the woman might be, she had only suspicions and scraps of information, which would do no good to a security team managing an office half-full of well-connected young ladies. She had obviously chosen the cover of Carlotta Divine because the name Rayker was too risky, and wild stories would only cast doubt on her own identity as a diligent Helvetic scientist.

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    One of the security men glanced at her once too often, and his eyes drifted below her neckline. During a break in the lecture, she looked idly around the room, caught his gaze, and flashed him a smile that lingered slightly too long.

    The day ended with a final interview with Director Tensall. Christie made her way to the top floor where his secretary made her wait for a few minutes. As she did, she took in the imposing door to his office. A reinforced frame was just barely concealed by the polished wooden walls. When at last she was summoned inside, she walked as slowly as she dared and inspected the doors. The hinges were set in front of a thick steel frame, through which ran a smooth channel an inch wide. A quick glance upwards revealed the reinforced bars of a drop-down door. Interesting.

    ¡°Ah, miss Derby-Fletcher,¡± Tensall crowed as he reached forward to shake her hand, and let his gaze drop down her shirt.

    ¡°Director Tensall,¡± Christie replied, demurely.

    ¡°How fortunate we are to have such a talented and lovely young woman amongst us.¡± He grinned at her with a grotesquely unnatural expression.

    And there was the flipside of all the power and influence. Of course, everyone in the company would be aware of Tensall¡¯s tastes for youth, and he would be a perverse exploiter of any young woman in his orbit. And nobody would say a thing because he held the power, the connections, and the ability to make or break careers.

    Every employee of VennZech, like every successful League citizen, would have built a small network of favors and loyalties on which their future path to success depended. If anyone offended or displeased a man like Tensall, he could destroy that individual and all of their friends with a quiet word. When they came to work, it was not only their personal well-being at stake, but an entire patch of the social fabric. So, they would ignore the inappropriate looks and comments. They would ignore his growing familiarity as he stood closer and closer to them, or how his hand would move to more intimate places. They would pretend they only had to survive this until they were well-placed enough to change things.

    But they never would, for the Helvetic elite did not tolerate threats to their control. Those already groomed, victims of abuse at a young age by some trusted authority figure, were meek and obedient. Humans looked to powerful leaders for their understanding of morality, and when no one dared to speak out, they simply followed their instincts. Their trauma was their fault¡ªa universal sign they were bad people, who deserved to be subjugated and exploited. The few rebels in the system, like the mentor of Christie¡¯s own father, were quickly crushed. Everyone else looked the other way, and, to protect their own egos, convinced themselves it was either a necessary part of life, for the good of all, or not their problem. Those who showed the slightest hint of judgement or distaste would not ascend the hierarchy.

    After much reflection on the possible outcomes of the operation, Christie had made her own mind up about the moral path she would follow. Now, facing the personified apotheosis of the world she had tried to protect, the decision became surprisingly easy. If the galaxy was to be consumed by disaster¡­ well, why not make use of it?

    As Tensall returned to his desk, she reached forward for the chair opposite him and moved her leg forcefully, so that her shin struck the low underside. She yelped in pain, and collapsed forward, her hands slapping against the desk for support.

    Tensall jumped up and was halfway around the desk before Christie collected herself. Even so he took hold of her arm and shoulder and leaned just a little too closely as he helped her into her chair.

    ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m such a clutz when I¡¯m nervous,¡± Christie gushed.

    Tensall returned to his seat and faced her with a compassionate smile.

    ¡°I do hope I haven¡¯t made you nervous,¡± he replied warmly. ¡°I do so want all our new employees to feel at home in this city.¡±

    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re very good,¡± Christie said, and a quick glance confirmed that the small EMP charge she had placed under the desk frame was well hidden.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t remember,¡± she continued, ¡°but we met at a function on Raisa station, and I spilled a drink on you.¡±

    Tensall maintained the cheerful smile as his eyes darted up and to the side. ¡°Oh really?¡± he asked hesitantly.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t serious, just a few drops, but I was completely ashamed of myself. Spent the rest of the night hiding in a corner while my friend Chek Valoris tried to pull me back.¡±

    Tensall¡¯s eyes lit up as the name triggered a memory. ¡°Oh of course, I do remember. You were wearing that¡­ delightful dress, and Chek had that wonderful white number. She¡¯s so good at introducing me to the rising stars.

    Christie smiled. The incident was fake, but human memory was easy to manipulate. Chek was a friend of his, who would have introduced him to hopeful young Earth graduates, and certainly a handful of women who would have matched Christie¡¯s appearance. And everyone had a drink spilled on them at some point. The final ingredient, of course, was that Tensall both expected and desired Christie to already be a member of his extensive social network.

    With the ice broken, they proceeded to a spirited conversation about Rackeye, the place of the Helvetic League, and how VennZech was helping to build the future of humanity. When Christie spoke, she gesticulated wildly and energetically, as a passionate but inexperienced youth would. When Tensall spoke, she leaned forward and fixed him with an expression of complete fascination.

    And once he was chuckling at Christie¡¯s witty remarks, she made her next move.

    ¡°But you know, Director Tensall, I find people can be so bothersome around issues of administration. They get on edge, and they think we¡¯re the enemy of their productivity.¡±

    Tensall nodded sympathetically. ¡°You¡¯re so correct. Somehow, we must find a way to put the minds of our engineers and workers at ease.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. I had hoped to become as familiar as I could with VennZech¡¯s operations in Rackeye. You really have to go and visit the departments, get to know people and how they work, you see?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡±

    ¡°But unfortunately, my security pass only covers the main campus, so perhaps that sort of thing will have to wait.¡± She bit her lip gently while her eyes widened in sadness.

    Tensall didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°Well, we will just have to get you more clearance, my dear.¡± He waved a hand in annoyance. ¡°Some of these security restrictions are too blinkered, in my opinion. We certainly have nothing to worry about from someone of your background.¡±

    ¡°But I just hate to be a nuisance,¡± Christie said imploringly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t do at all to push for special privileges.¡± She uncrossed, then crossed her legs again, and noted his eyes flicker to the movement.

    ¡°Nonsense. I won¡¯t hear of it. You¡¯ll have everything you need to get a good head start. Your pass will be cleared for¡­ well, for most of our sites in Rackeye.¡±

    Christie gave him the most grateful smile she could muster. ¡°Everyone told me you¡¯d be such a treasure to work for.¡±

    He almost blushed. ¡°Well¡­ I shall endeavor to earn that high praise every day.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 34

    The guard who had leered at her was named Byoran Calladan, and Christie found a few excuses to wander down to the security office when he was on duty. She flirted with coy enthusiasm, as would a high society lady seeking a more adventurous romance, and they began to date. However, she kept the cautious relationship at a distance, playing on the man¡¯s insecurities.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± she replied to another one of his rants while they sipped coffee in a mid-town caf¨¦.

    ¡°Sorry, am I boring you?¡± he said, eventually.

    Although Christie had actually been interested in his views on disorganized training schedules for VennZech¡¯s protection teams, she couldn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°No, not all,¡± she said, as her eyes wandered around the room. ¡°But you do always like to talk shop.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were interested in that part of the business? The ¡®real-life¡¯ stuff, as you put it. You know, you should pay a bit more attention to these issues. Caldera can be a dangerous place for Helvets, even more so an Earther.¡±

    ¡°Is it though?¡± Christie asked. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if the company isn¡¯t just trying to scare us into thinking we¡¯re having more fun than we really are.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the attacks. You think that¡¯s fun?¡±

    ¡°From the news, as you have. And it does stoke the romantic atmosphere, doesn¡¯t it? To be out on the frontier with the barbarians?¡± she laughed with contempt.

    Byoran smiled. ¡°I get it. Your little office fling didn¡¯t turn out to be quite so dangerous as you¡¯d thought, did it? My job is just pointless busy work to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh please,¡± Christie said. ¡°Don¡¯t be so childish.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not childish.¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± he said. ¡°You know full well I can¡¯t talk about the more interesting things I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Gosh. Well, at least I¡¯ve found one of the rare men who can make that kind of claim.¡±

    Byoran scoffed and looked away. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t know if this thing between you and me is going anywhere, but all I can do is once again try and convince you to take some firearm training. I am not kidding when I say that this place could get dangerous. See, I can care about people even when they¡¯re being stuck up.¡±

    ¡°I really thought the frontier would offer some excitement,¡± Christie said, as though she hadn¡¯t heard him. ¡°But it¡¯s all the same old talk. Perhaps I need to take a trip into the colony to meet these awful people that are supposed to hate Helvets.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue what¡¯s happening on this planet, and you¡¯ll get yourself killed.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    Byoran stared at her in angry silence. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll break the rules and give you a hint, but I¡¯m not telling you this because I want to get you into bed. If you go and do something stupid, it¡¯ll be my guys that have to respond and put themselves in danger to rescue you.¡±

    Christie smirked. ¡°How frightfully chivalrous.¡±

    ¡°Just shut up and listen. I happen to know that VennZech has brought more substantial security to this planet than they want anyone to know about. That¡¯s how serious the threat is. I know you¡¯ll keep that to yourself, because you¡¯re an Earther and you know how the game works.¡±

    ¡°Are you the substantial security?¡±

    Her tone was biting, while her expression stopped just short of insulting. She watched the cycle of anger, shame, and opportunism play out in his subtle reactions. If only he could show her what kind of a man he really was, maybe, just maybe, she would sleep with him. That would almost be enough. But word of the conquest would spread like wildfire through the company. In the overly masculine community of security professionals, his star would rise a little faster. And, of course, everybody would know that she was only using him for her personal agenda¡ªthat was how Earthers operated. They just couldn¡¯t possibly imagine what that agenda might be.

    Christie might even have felt a little ashamed by her manipulation, were it not for the brilliant research provided by Effi that revealed who ¡®Byoran¡¯ really was. Christie had almost called such a well-placed weak link a godsend, before biting her tongue.

    Reckless opportunism won out in Byoran¡¯s mind, and he leaned forward to speak in hushed tones. ¡°I¡¯m talking about weapon systems. Advanced ones. Moved throughout the city in case of need.¡±

    Christie shook her head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t really add up. It¡¯s a small town, and people would notice something new and out of place. There would be all kinds of gossip.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re hidden in key locations.¡±

    ¡°If they¡¯re that well-hidden, they¡¯ll hardly be of any use to us in case of an attack, will they?¡±

    ¡°We rigged some shipping containers¡ª¡± Byoran stopped himself. ¡°Look, don¡¯t tell anyone about this. But the intel from the high office is that something bad is going to happen, soon. All I want to know is that you¡¯ll keep out of trouble? Stay in the safe areas.¡±

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    Christie eyed him with doubtful suspicion. Eventually, she allowed her expression to soften. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say I believe you. If something were to happen, where exactly should I go? To be safe?¡±

    Byoran described a handful of locations near her living district and the town center. Several were worryingly close to the city¡¯s popular tourist sites. Rayker was almost certainly trying to make it nearly impossible for Valkyrie to secure them without exposing themselves.

    Christie was about to show her appreciation with the suggestion of a more intimate dinner date, when a distant explosion interrupted her.

    Wreckage from the maintenance shuttle lay strewn across the highway, and traffic was already backing up when Weslan arrived. Stuck in the endless mass of vehicles, he jumped out of his car and ran the half-mile to the scene where the police had only just begun to establish a cordon. There were no survivors. A blanket had been laid over what remained of the pilot.

    ¡°Sentinels,¡± Weslan said as he flashed his ID. ¡°Do we have a departure point?¡±

    ¡°Starport container yards, according to the witness over there,¡± replied one of the sergeants. ¡°I¡¯ll bet it was heading to orbit.¡±

    ¡°Look.¡± Weslan pulled the officer over to the twisted scraps of metal. ¡°You see these scattered impact points along the hull?¡± He gestured to the jagged punctures he had learned to recognize after reading extensively on the subject.

    The sergeant nodded in confusion. Rackeye was a place for petty theft and the occasional cartel murder. He was way out of his depth, and he knew it.

    ¡°It was an anti-aircraft missile stolen from a VennZech shipment a few weeks ago,¡± Weslan continued. ¡°When the forensics team arrive, tell them to scour the flight path for any fragments of the rocket¡¯s body or engine.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the sergeant said, grateful to have someone around who seemed to know what was going on.

    Weslan caught sight of a news crew setting up nearby as the police managed to reroute traffic around the crash. Where the hell was Whist? Difficult as his boss was, he would at least be much more capable of handling the press. But with no sign of the man, Weslan had no choice. He approached the crew, and showed them his ID.

    ¡°Please stay well back from the scene,¡± he ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t interfere.¡±

    ¡°Can we just get a quick word?¡± the reporter demanded desperately.

    Weslan shook his head as a camera aimed at his face. ¡°We have no details at this time. Obviously, we need to secure the area and carry out a full investigation.¡±

    ¡°Are you concerned about terrorist involvement?¡±

    Weslan paused before answering. In theory, he shouldn¡¯t implicate anybody, even though he knew full well what had happened. But the city was living under a cloud of fear, and citizens would probably jump to their own conclusions. Better to reassure them that the authorities were in control.

    ¡°We¡¯re taking the terrorist threat very seriously, and if that is what has happened here, rest assured severe action will be taken to track them down and bring them to justice.¡±

    ¡°But you have no reason to believe this was an accidental crash?¡± the reporter said, now in her smooth broadcast voice.

    Weslan scratched his neck and wished he wasn¡¯t there. Be vague, but honest.

    ¡°At this time, we suspect the crash was the result of a deliberate shoot-down.¡±

    ¡°Who has the ability to carry out such an attack on Caldera? Can you confirm there is a link to the robbery of VennZech weapons by League separatists several weeks ago?¡±

    Of course that rumor had gotten out. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I can¡¯t comment on that yet,¡± Weslan said firmly. Now he had definitely done enough damage. ¡°Stay back here¡ªif I catch you interfering, I¡¯ll have you detained.¡±

    As he returned to the wreckage, he prayed he hadn¡¯t just ended his own career.

    Twenty minutes later, Whist showed up looking furious. ¡°I caught your interview on the audio feed. What the hell were you thinking?¡±

    Weslan flushed with anger. Though he had obviously made a mistake, he certainly wasn¡¯t in the mood to be scolded like a child. ¡°If you had gotten here on time,¡± he hissed, ¡°like every other unit, you¡¯d have been able to take care of it.¡±

    ¡°What are you a goddamned idiot? Say nothing. No comment. Investigation ongoing.¡±

    Whist shoved past him and strode over to the forensics chief. ¡°Did you get an ID on the pilot?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Sure did,¡± the protective-suited woman replied.

    In a bag she held a recovered memory chip from a shattered phone. She had already scanned it, and showed the data file to Whist.

    ¡°Cartel man,¡± he snapped and turned back to Weslan. ¡°This was probably an internal hit. And you had to go and run your mouth about terrorists!¡±

    Weslan cocked his head and crossed his arms as the chief tried to get Whist¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Um¡­ sir?¡± she said.

    ¡°What?¡± he snapped.

    ¡°We also recovered remnants of the missile that struck the craft, and confirmed it was a VennZech model.¡±

    She held up another bag containing small chunks of metal as she glanced between him and Weslan.

    Whist waved her away.

    ¡°All that confirms,¡± he said to Weslan, ¡°is that the cartels set up VennZech, and there¡¯s just some violent internal evolution going on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why, in the name of god, would they turn on one of their primary employers after years of good relations?¡± Weslan demanded in response.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know jack about the complexity of cartel¡ª¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t know a weapons test when you¡¯re looking at one. The shuttle was heading to orbit along the same flight path as the passenger ships. Whoever stole those missiles wanted to make sure they worked. The next attack could cost hundreds of lives!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a ridiculous leap of logic.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a drunken old fool whose career has nosedived into the gutter, and you can¡¯t see what¡¯s in front of your face,¡± Weslan yelled. He didn¡¯t care who heard him now, or how professional it looked. ¡°I spent all of yesterday going through employee statements about harassment and death threats. This planet is on the verge of a catastrophic uprising, and lives are in the balance.¡±

    Whist¡¯s mouth twisted into a sneer. ¡°Divine sent you that information, did she?¡±

    ¡°The director of corporate operations on Caldera is coordinating with us, yes.¡±

    ¡°Get over here.¡±

    Whist strode forward and seized Weslan¡¯s arm, dragging him away from the crowd of stunned law enforcement officers.

    ¡°I looked into Divine¡¯s ident,¡± he hissed in Weslan¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s a fake¡ªI can prove it. I think she might actually be a cartel operative.¡±

    ¡°Would you listen to yourself?¡± Weslan said, with an appalled expression. ¡°A cartel plant rising to the top of one of the galaxy¡¯s biggest corporations? Have you finally lost your mind, or has the alcohol melted through your last brain cells?¡±

    ¡°We are being manipulated,¡± Whist said, his voice now pleading, his eyes wide. ¡°I need you to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°I think you just want all of us to be held responsible while this city burns to the ground. Will that justify whatever miserable hatred you have for the League? Forget it¡ªI don¡¯t care anymore. This is my home. I¡¯m taking control of this situation, and if you try to stop me, I¡¯ll have you charged with dereliction.¡±

    He shoved his way past his partner and reached for his phone.

    ¡°Agent Espher?¡± he said as the call clicked through. ¡°It¡¯s Weslan. Marsella¡ªplease¡ªI really need to speak to you. I need your help.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 35

    The Banshee¡¯s blacked out dropship landed in a wide valley among the foothills that separated the Lanstead plain from the Sentry mountains. Kayla and the rest of her platoon, dressed in civilian gear and sporting night vision headsets, grabbed their packs and hustled off the transport as quickly as possible. Outside, thick clouds obscured the stars, leaving the valley in near total darkness.

    The Rangers didn¡¯t wait for the following drops bringing the rest of Bravo company. While their craft climbed away into the night, they shouldered packs and began the long march towards the distant farms and Valkyrie¡¯s newest base on Caldera.

    The capture of the ghost fortress from Rayker had handed a challenging problem to the organization. An incredible new Jotnar installation was open to exploration and study, with its distant sites spread out over the whole planet, connected by a powerful teleportation network. The downside was that, as far as anybody could guess, Rayker knew where all of them were.

    Even from the beginning of colonization, League satellites had been placed in orbit around the planet to help map the surface. With the arrival of VennZech, hundreds of sophisticated communication and monitoring stations had been launched to a variety of inclinations, allowing them to cover Caldera¡¯s entire surface. Rayker would certainly be able to access, if not outright control, any of these, and would be able to watch the Ghost Fortresses¡¯ surface access points at will.

    The first teams of researchers from Valkyrie¡¯s Research and Development Collective had made do with a year¡¯s worth of long storage rations. The food was tasteless, but sufficient to keep them alive beneath the surface until they could complete their mission. Though the scientists and engineers had grumbled about the conditions, they worked hard. Beneath the Sentry mountains, they studied the base¡¯s teleportation device, mastered its technology and operation, then dismantled it.

    The machine was broken down into portable packages. While Mountain Rangers from Alpha company covered the mountains in small patrols, the Collective team left the base in pairs. They moved only at night, using thermal insulation suits to make them nearly invisible to infra-red. With the satellites distracted by the conspicuous Ranger teams, the engineers were able to carry their cargo down into the foothills, dozens of miles from anywhere Rayker would have thought to look.

    With Jack Fenway¡¯s former smuggling skills, they had excavation drones moved covertly through Lanstead to create a new underground base; much smaller and simpler than the first. The teleporter was reassembled, reconnected to the network, and Valkyrie had its hidden entrance on Caldera, through which personnel and supplies could be fed into a growing foothold.

    Working under an alias, Jack established a trucking company at the location. It was closer to the farms, but not too close. Smugglers plied their trade on Caldera every day, and an isolated location for a transport business was a believable cover. While he hired local drivers for real contracts, most of the activity on the base was done at night. Hundreds of specialists from the Collective were able to move into the ghost fortress and begin the real work of studying its secrets, so they could put together the missing pieces of the Jotnar story.

    After hours of marching through the darkness, Kayla and the rest of her platoon arrived at the new site, known informally as the burrow. A thick temperate forest covered the gentle valley and surrounding hills, allowing the Rangers a relaxing afternoon walk on the final stretch. Once in the compound, they were directed through to the company building¡¯s secure basement. They passed in groups through the teleportation system, and found themselves standing in the corridors of the Rackeye site. The place was bustling with activity, and the battalion¡¯s advance team welcomed the platoon, and quickly showed them to their adapted quarters.

    While they waited for a briefing, Kayla, Thandi and Bibi wandered around the facility. It was huge, and seemed to be destined mostly for housing personnel. The research teams had set up makeshift bunks in big halls, while some rooms had extensive plumbing for no other purpose, apparently, than washing or cleaning.

    The girls followed hallways and corridors up to a group of luxurious offices, where the Collective¡¯s senior researchers had set themselves up. Kayla was happy to find her old bootcamp lecturer Doctor Gilah, who happily welcomed them into her working space.

    ¡°Do you even have a window?¡± Kayla asked, gawping at the brightly lit, though clouded, pane of glass.

    ¡°Not really,¡± explained Gilah. ¡°There are crevasses in the hillside that hide mirrors, and the sunlight bounces down here for a few hours of the day. It¡¯s a nice touch though.¡±

    Thandi crashed into an upholstered couch. ¡°This is really nice,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I guess the Jotnar worked in style.¡±

    ¡°Oh er¡­ no,¡± Gilah, said as she blushed. ¡°I had it made and delivered from site four. Most of us have gotten a few luxuries, since we¡¯ll be here for a few years.¡±

    ¡°Site four?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a huge manufacturing plant,¡± Gilah explained. ¡°Sort of like what we have on Tyr. Other sites extract basic materials from the planet and send them there, and it¡¯s capable of producing anything you upload into the system. Quite incredible really. Synthetic leather, obviously.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Kayla narrowed her eyes. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re hollowing out my home world to make yourself a nice office?¡±

    Thandi chuckled. ¡°Come on Kayla, whatever they¡¯re extracting would be tiny compared to the whole planet. How would it be any different from a colonist mine?¡±

    ¡°Oh well¡­ of course,¡± Kayla, said, suddenly looking embarrassed. ¡°But you should be supporting local businesses, all the same,¡± she finished lamely.

    ¡°Which would draw unacceptable attention to your dad¡¯s cover,¡± Bibi chided her. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, Doctor Gilah, she¡¯s overused her few brain cells for the day.¡±

    Kayla scowled and slumped onto the couch. Thandi put an arm around her and smiled sympathetically.

    ¡°Well, we certainly don¡¯t spoil ourselves,¡± Gilah said. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t have time for much else beyond work. There¡¯s so much to learn about this place.¡±

    ¡°Was it really built for war?¡± Bibi asked.

    ¡°It appears so. Site four¡¯s schematic database contains dozens of weapon systems already known to Valkyrie. This site and some of the others were obviously meant to house soldiers. But we just can¡¯t crack the final enigma¡ªthe last site, which remains impossible to access.¡±

    ¡°The Omega site?¡± Bibi asked keenly. ¡°Our platoon has a few dozen guesses. Everything from Jotnar stasis machines to a DNA library.¡±

    ¡°The Collective pool favorite is a machine that contains uploaded Jotnar consciousnesses,¡± Gilah said with a smile. ¡°But whatever it is, it¡¯s drawing enormous power from the generator site. It must be something very special.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for sure the reason Rayker is here,¡± Kayla said. ¡°If you were an interstellar empire reduced to a few hundred survivors, you wouldn¡¯t just want a place to hide out. You¡¯d be looking for a base from which you could rebuild your forces.¡±

    ¡°But they didn¡¯t,¡± Thandi pointed out. ¡°The place is empty. Ergo, there is no force to rebuild. Even Rayker had to start making her army from scratch.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s a superweapon, like a giant laser cannon,¡± Kayla said, then smirked. ¡°I could live with that being in the hands of Caldera¡¯s colonists.¡±

    ¡°No way, you¡¯re kidding right?¡± Bibi said with a nervous smile.

    ¡°But hold on,¡± Thandi said as her brow creased. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how the power generation site could be transmitting to this mystery site without letting you know the teleporter co-ordinates.¡±

    ¡°Because they don¡¯t use co-ordinates,¡± Gilah explained. ¡°The system relies on micro-wormholes created between singularities. When our teleporter activates, it creates a fantastically complex set of initial field conditions based on an original pair of entangled particles. To reduce it to everyday parlance, both ends of the wormhole started off in the same place, then were moved to their final locations. That process was repeated for each possible connection, except the one we need. It¡¯s true that the link between the Omega site and the generator site was created this way, but it¡¯s a kind of¡­ well it¡¯s only capable of sending energy, so it doesn¡¯t help.¡±

    ¡°So, maybe nobody was meant to access it?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Or there¡¯s a lock that doesn¡¯t exist until the key shows up. Obviously, some of our mathematicians are trying to see if they can reverse engineer a bridge from theoretical calculations, but they¡¯re probably a few thousand years away.¡±

    ¡°It has to be the god-emperor¡¯s throne room,¡± Kayla said with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a small club and humanity ¡®aint in it.¡±

    Thandi smiled mischievously. ¡°All of which means that Valkyrie is becoming more entangled with civilization. Right?¡± She looked around with a grin. ¡°Because of the particles? Do you get it?¡±

    ¡°Haha,¡± said Kayla with a bright smile. ¡°Yeah, I get it.¡± She punched her disappointed friend gently on the shoulder. ¡°But seriously, Doc, whatever happens, don¡¯t be trying to get inside that place without a Ranger unit to back you up. No telling what dangers are waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Gilah said and laughed. ¡°Nobody in the Collective wants to play action hero.¡±

    Kayla looked confused. ¡°Wait, not even a little bit? You all did a Ranger battalion, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Gilah looked embarrassed again. ¡°That was more than a decade ago, and¡­ well¡­ I didn¡¯t get much experience.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I was never actually in combat.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Five years in a Ranger battalion and you never did anything?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we deployed a few times,¡± Gilah said. ¡°And there were one or two flair ups, but it always happened to the other platoons.¡±

    ¡°Forest battalion?¡± Bibi asked, then waved a dismissive hand as Thandi and Kayla started to smirk. ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me. Forests usually mean colonizable worlds and the ones we care about were cleared centuries ago. Plus, I have a sneaking suspicion that they push bright girls into the quieter battalions, because¡­ well, why wouldn¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Aw,¡± Kayla said with mock glumness. ¡°She¡¯s staying we¡¯re stoopid.¡±

    Thandi nodded wisely. ¡°I completely agree. You have to be as stupid as we are to deliberately risk getting yourself shot or blown up.¡±

    Gilah smiled. ¡°But all I care about is helping the real Valkyrie do their jobs better, so you can count on me for that.¡±

    Kayla shook her head vehemently. ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡ªI don¡¯t like to hear that kind of talk. Everyone¡¯s a real Valkyrie. You signed up, you consented to exposing yourself to risk¡ªwhatever happens or doesn¡¯t happen isn¡¯t up to you.¡±

    ¡°In God¡¯s hands alone,¡± Thandi said. ¡°But also, combat is kind of awful. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t have to experience it. Nobody should.¡±

    ¡°Seconded,¡± Bibi added.

    Gilah smiled gratefully at them.

    ¡°Anyway, look at it this way,¡± Kayla said thoughtfully. ¡°Rayker might win and kill us all horribly by the end of the week.¡±

    This statement was met with a contemplative silence.

    Bibi cleared her throat. ¡°So anyway, Christie sent me a message...¡±

    Kayla sat upright. ¡°Oh yeah, Doc. That¡¯s what I wanted to ask you about. Right at the start of boot camp I asked you if there was ever any evidence of a Jotnar presence on Earth, remember?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Gilah said. ¡°I explained that there wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But you were wrong!¡± Kayla said triumphantly. ¡°We¡¯ve managed to prove that there were totally aliens messing around with Earth¡¯s history, and I wanted to see if I could get someone smart to send it up the chain¡ªmaybe get us a few more answers.¡±

    Gilah smiled nervously. ¡°Gosh. Well, that sounds fascinating! I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°No worries, Doctor Gilah,¡± Bibi cut in. ¡°I¡¯m not personally that well read on the subject, but our friend Christie Stirling has sent me her notes, and I will be very happy to explain it all.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I remember Christie,¡± Gilah said happily. ¡°Such a bright young woman. What did she end up doing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± Kayla said cautiously. ¡°Intelligence stuff.¡±

    ¡°This and that,¡± Thandi mumbled.

    ¡°Gosh, how wonderful for her,¡± Gilah said.

 Part 3 - Chapter 36

    To change the subject, Thandi quickly explained their theory about the Jotnar¡¯s attempt to build a world empire in the ancient world, led by an elite cult of philosophers.

    ¡°So, the Romans finally had to face the inevitable problem,¡± she concluded. ¡°What are they going to do once the land grabbing pyramid scheme ends? If you don¡¯t have the spoils of conquest to share, why would anyone allow you to rule over them? Soon after they destroy their rivals in Carthage and Macedonia, a lot of their new subjects rebel. They have to spend a few decades putting down uprisings in Spain and Greece. Once the dust clears, Rome is left with an entire generation of veterans who had not conquered new territory. So where was their land going to come from? The argument over this problem would fuel the fire for the rise of populist¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to stop you there Thandi,¡± Bibi interrupted in an unusually confident voice. ¡°Because Christie has a different view on events, which I happen to find quite compelling.¡±

    Doctor Gilah turned to her with an expression of attentive fascination. Thandi narrowed her eyes, but raised her hands and lay back on the couch.

    ¡°Check out Madam Burale here,¡± Kayla said with a smirk. ¡°Bringing the intellectual smackdown. Do it, Bibi.¡±

    Bibi cleared her throat and glanced quickly at her phone. ¡°Well, it turns out that the senatorial elite didn¡¯t have to do anything about these landless veterans at first, because they found wage labor throughout the country. With their newfound wealth, the aristocrats spend money lavishly, on buildings, festivals, and on expanding businesses, all of which creates a lot of jobs. Now, Rome¡¯s legitimacy depends on it being presented as a Republic of free citizens, so they can¡¯t openly abuse power over people like the Macedonian kings did. Instead, the patricians build up huge social networks of clients based on debt. If a senator lends out money for a citizen to start a business, not only does he charge extortionate interest rates, but that man owes him loyalty for life.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Kayla looked thoughtful. ¡°Why does that sound so familiar?¡±

    ¡°Because we watched all those old mafia films last year,¡± Thandi answered.

    Kayla nodded. The frenetic activity of battalion life often paused for long stretches of time to give overdue logistics, maintenance and administrative tasks a chance to catch up. During those endless hours of standdowns, the Rangers had nothing to do but bicker, playfight, and watch movies. Surprisingly, it hadn¡¯t taken long before they had watched all the best films and tv shows several times over.

    ¡°But obviously,¡± Bibi continued, ¡°the stream of money eventually turns into a trickle, and people start to go out of work. The problem becomes even worse because all that success has increased the growth rate of Rome¡¯s population, and they¡¯ve spent the last couple of hundred years importing slaves.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that fix their problems, at least in the short term?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Well no. Slaves often get freed, and, by right, their children become landless Roman citizens. So, the urban population is skyrocketing. Now all the veterans are becoming just as poor as everybody else. So, there was an officer who served in the Numantine war, and he wants to do something for all the men he fought with, but he isn¡¯t a patrician. He is called Tiberius Gracchus and, I¡¯m sure you agree, Thandi, that trying to get demobilized veterans the same reward their forefathers had always received doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a populist.¡±

    Thandi shrugged. ¡°Hmm¡­ let¡¯s see where your argument goes.¡±

    Bibi checked her phone again. ¡°Okay, so whenever the Romans conquer territory, part of the land gets portioned off into a block called Ager Publicus. It¡¯s literally free land that any citizen can go and work however they like, explicitly as a means to help the poor. According to Roman law, no individual can use more than 310 acres each, but, over time, the senatorial class gathered a lot of this land for themselves, in excess of the limit. They¡¯re greedy, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh,¡± said Kayla. ¡°Sounds like there is a very straightforward, legal solution to this whole problem already laid out. I¡¯m sure the just and pious masters of the world talk to this guy Gracchus and figure it out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no,¡± Thandi said. ¡°They straight up murder him. Then his brother Gaius tries to take things further and give Roman citizenship to the whole of Italy, so they murder him too. They were both accused of trying to become kings.¡±

    ¡°Really? How does that work?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Because of the clientele system,¡± Thandi said. ¡°If they were praised for redistributing all that land, they would have so many veterans loyal to them that they would be able to challenge the power of the aristocracy.¡± Thandi kicked her legs out and lay back. ¡°This is the point where I would argue that the Jotnar plan was to provoke more and more powerful senators into building private armies so they could take over the republic.¡±

    Bibi shook her head. ¡°No, it can¡¯t work like that. Whoever becomes the emperor has to win the support of all the people, and the elites, or the new empire falls apart, Diadochi style. Now the Gracchi brothers stirred up a popular following, but as soon as they are out of the picture, the senate goes forward with the land redistribution¡ªthough not the citizenship thing. Thus, the people are kept sort of happy, for now.¡±

    ¡°Except,¡± Thandi said, raising a finger, ¡°for the equites.¡±

    ¡°Who are the equites?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°By the second century BC,¡± Thandi said, ¡°lots of citizens had become very wealthy, either through success in war, or through their relationships with the aristocrats. At the same time, lots of the Italian towns are starting to receive full Roman citizenship, so a new class of smart, ambitious people is beginning to flood into Rome. These are the equites, or ¡®cavalrymen¡¯, to be accurate.¡±

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    ¡°Looking for fame, fortune, and power?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Because they have citizenship rights, they can run for office¡ªstart climbing the greasy pole, as it were. But even though it has elections, Rome is not a democracy. Voting is rigged through the clientele networks, and a healthy dose of bribery. Even if you do have a decent fortune to spend on winning elections, real power is in the hands of the senate. They decide who joins their ranks, and anyone who wins office but doesn¡¯t toe the line, like the Gracchi, gets assassinated.¡±

    Kayla rested her chin on her fist. ¡°But what if one of these horse-guys gets too powerful? How far do they have to go?¡±

    ¡°All the way, because nothing can be allowed to disrupt the control of the patricians. Enter stage right one Gaius Marius. He came from Latium, and his family had connections and money, getting him a position in Scipio Aemilianus¡¯ personal legion. After an exemplary military career, Marius runs for office in 119 BC, and starts a slow but steady climb up the ¡®cursus honorum¡¯¡ªthat¡¯s the ladder of political achievement. For thirty years he does it all, plebeian tribune, praetor, consul, pro consul, and leads Roman armies to victory in two campaigns.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s still not a member of the club, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Thandi said. ¡°No matter how much backside he kisses, the patricians won¡¯t let him in. He¡¯s just not the right sort.¡±

    ¡°This is where I need to step in again,¡± Bibi said as she stared at her phone. ¡°I have a note from Christie. Remember that Marius is obviously not just greedy for power and kingship. His home community has no say in how it is governed, how it supports businesses, or manages land, debt, or infrastructure. Everything they do needs a favor to be granted by a patrician or one of their richer clients, otherwise they have to borrow money at insane rates. Ancient life being unpredictable, that carries the risk of ending up in so much debt, you get sold into slavery. It is not a coincidence that this period saw three servile wars, the last being the near-world shattering revolt led by Spartacus.¡±

    Kayla smiled apologetically at Thandi. ¡°Yeah, gotta side with team egghead over here. People have to think they have some kind of control, or they riot.¡±

    ¡°It seems clear to me,¡± said Gilah, ¡°that Marius really needs a war.¡±

    They turned to look at her with questioning expressions. Only Bibi nodded her agreement.

    ¡°Well,¡± Gilah continued, ¡°because, based on what you¡¯ve said, what is the one thing the Romans always want more of to keep them happy? Marius can¡¯t appeal to the populace, or propose dangerous laws, because he¡¯ll be assassinated. But if he conquers territory, he¡¯ll have something with which he can hopefully buy off the senate to give him a seat at the table.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Doctor,¡± Bibi said, and ignored Kayla¡¯s eyeroll. ¡°Fortunately for him, there happens to be a war ready and waiting. A small kingdom on the southern coast of the Black Sea called Pontus has been expanding into Turkey, threatening a Roman ally. The king of Pontus, Mithridates VI, hates Romans, and describes them with the following words: ¡®Once vagabonds without fatherland, without parents, created to be the scourge of the whole world, no laws, human or divine, prevent them from seizing and destroying allies and friends, those near them and those afar off, weak or powerful, and from considering every government which does not serve them, especially monarchies, as their enemies.¡¯¡±

    ¡°This guy sounds pissed,¡± Kayla noted. ¡°Understandably so.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Bibi said cautiously. ¡°But after Rome declared war on him, he murdered eighty thousand Romans in western Turkey.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayla cocked her head. ¡°That¡¯s not cool. Sure, they suck, but that doesn¡¯t make genocide okay.¡±

    ¡°But anyway, Rome has to send an army, and whoever gets the command is going to embark on a glorious conquest of the East. So, obviously, the patricians pick one of their own¡ªLucius Cornelius Sulla. But then Marius, seeing his chance, pulls off a clever political maneuver that gets the command switched to himself.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Good for him. I¡¯m sure Sulla was unhappy, but hey, he¡¯ll get over it.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ no. Sulla¡¯s next move is completely insane, unprecedented, and widely regarded as the moment the republic died. Instead of giving up his army, he marches on Rome in total violation of ancient religious law. When he gets there, he orders the execution of Marius and his supporters, though they only manage to find one of them.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla began, ¡°so that seems¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Thandi said. ¡°You are going to want to hear the rest of it.¡±

    Bibi flashed her a grateful smile and continued. ¡°Well, Sulla leaves Rome thinking he¡¯s taken care of business, and goes off to fight Mithridates. But the demand for reform in the city is a rising tide that can¡¯t be held back. A patrician named Cinna breaks ranks and pushes for Italian voting rights, but Sulla¡¯s supporters chase them out of the city. A few years later, Marius returns with his own army, takes over the city, and executes a couple of dozen of Sulla¡¯s men, sticking their heads on spikes in the forum. Now, Sulla easily wins the war against Mithridates and concludes it with a treaty, so that he can immediately march on Rome once again.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°Wait, sorry to interrupt. Sulla beats the guy who committed genocide, and then tells him ¡®No it¡¯s cool, bro, just sign here and we¡¯re good?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± Bibi said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a particularly harsh agreement either¡ªleft Mithridates as king of Pontus, and a Roman ally.

    Kayla¡¯s face twisted into an expression of bewilderment ¡°Um¡­ kay?¡±

    ¡°So, then Sulla enters Rome and installs himself as dictator. He executes around nine thousand people, starting with anyone he perceives as being opposed to him. But the killings morph into a massive self-enrichment scheme for the elite. Sulla¡¯s supporters murder senators and equites alike, so that they can appropriate their land for themselves. While this is going on, Sulla passes several laws meant to restore power to the patricians and guarantee the senate¡¯s total control.¡±

    Silence settled in the office, and even Gilah looked surprised. Kayla ran her hand through her hair and shook her head.

    ¡°I freakin¡¯ told you, didn¡¯t I? she said. ¡°This was the stoic¡¯s game. Might makes right. I kill you, take your stuff, enslave your family, and rule your country. Your descendants¡­ are just supposed to grovel and serve for eternity. And this is supposed to be the foundation of civilization, is it? Clearly the aliens are pulling the strings.¡±

    ¡°I think that might be an ambitious conclusion¡­¡± Gilah said.

    ¡°Of course they are,¡± Kayla huffed. ¡°How else do you explain humans being so evil? They just copied their role models. And what have you seen in history that says different?¡±

    ¡°Well, there is a long way to go yet,¡± Thandi cautioned. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more that goes on before the republic gives way to the empire. I still don¡¯t think Christie proved her argument.¡±

    ¡°And, I¡¯m afraid, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve proven yours,¡± Gilah said. ¡°I shall be sure to update one of my history-oriented colleagues with your theory. Unfortunately, it will need a great deal of fleshing out to be actionable.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kayla demanded. ¡°But did we mention how perverted the stoics¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for talking to us, Doctor Gilah,¡± Thandi said gratefully. ¡°It was a pleasure to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it,¡± Gilah said with a beaming smile. ¡°I do get a bit stir crazy cooped up in here. And please say hello to Christie for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you an e-mail,¡± Kayla called, as Thandi dragged her from the office.

 Part 3 - Chapter 37

    Eventually, the platoon was summoned into a small common room filled with chairs, while Sergeant Reyes prepared a holo-display. Once the Rangers had all assembled, Lieutenant Akane stepped forward and the chatter quickly faded.

    ¡°Everyone excited to go to work in your civvies?¡± she asked with a smile.

    Kayla laughed with the others, and felt a buzz of confidence. On the holo-display, the map of Rackeye appeared, divided into six highlighted zones. Reyes zoomed in on the easternmost zone, covering the starport and industrial area.

    ¡°This will be a very tough assignment,¡± Akane said, ¡°but we¡¯ve been training hard, and I know that everyone here is ready. Second platoon has been assigned to the part of the city you can see displayed, which contains three of Rayker¡¯s mechanized walkers. Intel determined that they are positioned in these locations.¡±

    Three sharp yellow dots appeared. One seemed to be in the starport itself, another was by the river¡¯s barge terminal, and a third was inside a steel works.

    ¡°So, one squad per target. Unfortunately, they are all in very public places. The consensus from command is that Rayker wants to secure key logistical and industrial parts of the city, so that she can gain total control within minutes. So far, the intel team has determined that these weapon systems are entirely isolated, sealed in their containers, and not a threat. There are no armed patrols in these areas yet, though it looks like the VennZech security force is slowly expanding their manpower and upgrading their weaponry.  So, on the plus side, whatever Rayker¡¯s plans are, it looks like we are interrupting them in the early stages.¡±

    Kes raised a hand. ¡°Is she really expecting the galaxy to accept the corporate takeover of an independent colony?¡±

    A video feed replaced the map on the holo-display. Some kind of aircraft was trailing smoke and nose-diving towards a busy highway before it impacted and exploded.

    Kayla¡¯s stomach tensed. She had been out of the loop of Calderan news during their intense training. What else had she missed?

    Akane nodded solemnly. ¡°Intel further determines that VennZech is conspiring to portray a terrorist threat to the capital, which would justify their takeover.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°Is it possible that this whole thing is a ruse to portray us as the ¡®terrorist threat¡¯ in that scenario?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Akane said, speaking to Kayla directly, ¡°And in that case, there could be serious consequences to this operation. Unfortunately, Valkyrie¡¯s mission statement is clear, and command has determined that we have no choice. All examples of Jotnar technology must be kept out of human hands and neutralized. We must act now before Rayker can make her position here even stronger.¡±

    The mood in the room turned cold, and several Rangers exchanged glances. Kayla felt more than one hand touch her shoulder, but her temper only simmered. No matter how much she wanted to protect Caldera from the League, her responsibility right now was to the women around her.

    ¡°It¡¯s important to remember that Rayker does not understand who we are,¡± Akane explained. ¡°All she knows is that her moves are being shut down by an unknown faction, which she probably believes is a part of the Helvetic League¡¯s shadow government.¡±

    ¡°Unless she was a Valkyrie,¡± another squad leader exclaimed loudly, provoking widespread agreement.

    ¡°The highest levels of the organization have confirmed that is not the case,¡± Akane said.

    The Lieutenant ignored the skepticism, but even she didn¡¯t look confident in the announcement.

    ¡°We are holding all the cards,¡± she continued. ¡°We have civilian clothes and vehicles. Our weapons are stowed in hidden compartments which can pass a police inspection. The task force commanders will be watching how events unfold on the ground very carefully with several high altitude, stealth ISR drones. So, squad leaders, when you approach your target, use your judgement. If you don¡¯t like what you see, back off and observe. If things go bad, vaporize your gear and follow your escape and evasion protocol. Raiders and ODTs will provide a roaming Quick Reaction Force, disguised as cops. If things go really bad¡ªif you¡¯re looking at capture¡ªthey will attempt a covert rescue. Worst case scenario¡ªAlpha and Charlie companies are on standby outside of the city. Both the Sir¨¨ne, and the Erinys are holding station in the system¡¯s asteroid belt, with Urban battalion and, I¡¯m told, a shit-ton of Shrikes for support.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°At the end of the day, we¡¯re not here to protect Calderan independence. We will get the job done and get everyone home. That commitment was given to me and the rest of the officers in person by General Smyrna.¡±

    Her eyes found Kayla again, who shrugged in resignation.

    ¡°Nobody here wants to play urban freedom fighter, do they?¡± Reyes cut in. ¡°You aren¡¯t about to start shooting up civilians and demanding the birth of the revolution. Wei, you got over your breakup, didn¡¯t you? And Kes, you¡¯re keeping Barnes on a leash, right?¡± Muted chuckles filled the room. ¡°So, we are not playing into Rayker¡¯s hands. If your targets are too heavily defended, or you sense a trap, you¡¯ll walk away, and we¡¯ll figure something else out.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t find the attempt at reassurance very encouraging. Their enemy was vastly more cunning than they gave her credit for.

    Akane hefted a small metal object in her hand. ¡°All you have to do is get close enough to slap on one of these nanitic charges. It will reduce the mech to dust in moments. Squad leaders have been provided intel packages for their assigned safe houses and targets, so study every detail. Starting from tonight, we will begin sending vehicle convoys to the city at random intervals. You¡¯ll have two days for recon, so get out and have a look around.¡±

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    There were dozens of questions, mostly about the contingency options if they did meet resistance, and the briefing continued for two hours. Once it was finished, Kes gathered the squad back in their room and passed around the materials from their target package.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got the steel works,¡± she explained, ¡°It¡¯s right on the edge of town. Memorize the surrounding streets and transportation options. Kayla drives vehicle one, Bibi vehicle two. The layout is close to the mockups we practiced, and we¡¯re going in at night when it should be quiet.¡±

    ¡°This container is tucked beneath the gas silos,¡± Kayla pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s no way to get a closer look at the place beforehand. It¡¯s right in the middle of all the buildings, and the ISR drones won¡¯t help us see if anyone¡¯s waiting inside.¡±

    ¡°Intel confirmed no unusual activity at the location,¡± Kes noted as she glanced at the report.

    ¡°Three days ago,¡± Ray grumbled. ¡°This placement is such an obvious setup¡ªthere are so many spots to hide, and one wrong move would blow the silos sky high. I mean, here¡¯s your terrorist attack.¡±

    Kes nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to push Akane to put us at the top of the list for convoy departure. That¡¯ll give us more time to try a recon. Make sure you¡¯re ready to leave immediately.¡±

    Kes got her way, and the squad left the base in the first group on the half-day drive to Rackeye. While Kayla drove her vehicle, Jess, Ray and Bao spent their time planning movements through the extensive grounds of the steel works, discussing entry routes and exits. Avoiding the main road and entrance seemed obvious. Eventually, they suggested that they should get as close as they could through the side streets, then leave their vehicle and sneak the rest of the way. Kayla, listening to the discussion from the driver¡¯s seat, agreed that it sounded good.

    After a rest stop, Ray took over the wheel while Kayla checked over the planned routes. She took a nap like the others, and woke up to find they were already inside the city limits, approaching their safe house. Ray pulled into a small lumber warehouse behind Kes¡¯ vehicle. Pallets of wood crowded the vehicles with a tight maze, while a forest scent filled the air. Lyna slapped trip-sensors wherever she could, and the others piled into the office to set up sleeping bags.

    The squad shared plans over an evening meal of heated rations, and found that they had come to similar conclusions.

    ¡°One more thing though,¡± offered Lyna. ¡°I wanted to suggest a drone recon tomorrow night to get a closer look. We wouldn¡¯t have to get inside the compound and risk triggering an alarm.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s no aerial view,¡± Kayla objected. ¡°I was thinking about climbing up on the roofs, but I don¡¯t see any angle.¡±

    ¡°A small drone can get inside the tight spaces,¡± Lyna said.

    ¡°If it got seen, it would alert them that something was going on,¡± Ray pointed out.

    Lyna nodded. ¡°I know, but a kit drone could be passed off as thieves casing the place, or hobbyists looking for a cool video for their feed.¡±

    Ray cocked her head ¡°And if another squad tries the same thing at their location?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Kes said as she thought it through. ¡°It¡¯s not a VennZech mill though, it¡¯s independent. If there was a guard, he wouldn¡¯t necessarily think it was the corporation¡¯s business.¡±

    ¡°And if someone else is there,¡± Kayla added, ¡°that would give us vital intelligence about what is going on in the city.¡±

    ¡°Or,¡± Ray countered, ¡°they could have a remote camera on the place, with a team tucked away out of sight.¡±

    There was a short silence

    Lyna slapped her leg. ¡°I could rig the drone to drop a small radius EMP charge. Any sensors would go offline, and they¡¯d probably send someone to check it.¡±

    ¡°You know what,¡± Kes said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel good about this plan. Let me check it with Akane.¡±

    To prepare themselves for nighttime activity, the squad stayed awake until the early hours, then slept once the sun was up. At Midday, Kayla and Tian took a hire car and drove through the city to get a feel for the roads. Bibi and Lyna did the same for public transport, while the others made contact with a group of ODTs who were already hanging out in the area and waiting for them. A stone-faced Jess was left behind in the warehouse to keep an eye on things.

    The next night, once traffic had eased, Kayla drove Kes, Ray, and Lyna within a mile of their chosen recon position, and they walked the rest of the way. They clambered up onto a store-roof across the road from the steelwork¡¯s fence, and sat out of sight behind a set of ventilators.

    ¡°Banshee overwatch, this is Viper-two-one actual,¡± Kes said into a discreet radio set. ¡°Can you patch our drone¡¯s control signal through one of your ISR assets?¡±

    The stealthy gunship had taken up position behind Caldera¡¯s moon to be extra cautious, and their conversation was relayed through satellites quietly deployed to orbit. Circling above the city were several stealth drones, equipped with powerful cameras and electromagnetic sensors. After a few seconds delay, a Banshee drone operator made the connection, and Lyna was able to use the aircraft as a signal booster for her own micro-copter.

    ¡°Be advised, Viper two-one,¡± the distant operator said ¡°we are monitoring VennZech¡¯s radio frequencies and security chatrooms for activity. Will let you know if I hear anything.¡±

    ¡°Appreciate it, Banshee,¡± Kes said.

    ¡°They even plugged into the chats?¡± Ray said as she shook her head. She nodded to Kayla. ¡°Your friend is a machine.¡±

    Kayla smiled tightly. Christie was a force to be reckoned with, but probably in a lot more danger than they were.

    The little device had a single rotor and tail, and Lyna had even painted it with a dark, but stylish paintjob. Exactly what a stunt flyer might use to make trouble for a viral video. Even better, it was quiet. The thing had barely left the rooftop before Kayla realized she couldn¡¯t hear a sound. Lyna steered through her headset, and kept up a running commentary as she explored.

    ¡°Stay high for now,¡± Kes cautioned.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Lyna said.

    Kayla watched a tablet display showing the infra-red camera feed, and sighed when she saw that nobody seemed to be in the area of the container. Lyna dropped below the rooftops and released the coin-shaped EMP charge, then climbed away as Kes thumbed the remote detonator.

    A few lights went out, and they waited while the drone returned to pick up a new power pack. Nobody showed up.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kes said, ¡°Get in there nice and close, but don¡¯t go inside any buildings.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Lyna replied. ¡°If it loses signal, it¡¯ll backtrack the whole flight path until it recovers.¡±

    Kayla almost felt nauseous watching the drone¡¯s display as it flew between the tight spaces of the steel mill and looped around gantries. Lyna was very skilled, and the machine danced through the maze of metal without a hitch. She got as close as she could to the plain-looking container that was their objective before dropping down and slowly sweeping the whole area. They saw nothing that looked unusual, or suspicious, and radioed back their findings to the Banshee operator, who would pass the information on to the task force commanders.

    ¡°Alright girls,¡± Kes said with a dark smile, as Lyna brought the drone back, ¡°it looks like we are going to do this thing.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 38

    Kayla woke at midday and got to work straight away laying out her kit. They had plate carriers, chest rigs, and holsters for sidearms, but that was the totality of their tactical equipment. Below that, they could only wear whatever civilian clothes would best help them blend into a crowd in case they had to make a run for it. Fortunately, Kayla was able to load the usual complement of grenades and ammo, and she felt suitably well-armed for any situation.

    She left the gear neatly arranged on her sleeping bag and went to check on the vehicles, making sure her driver side weapon stowage opened easily. A few practice attempts assured her she could pull her carbine out and aim it quickly out the window. Then she began loading the assortment of med-kits, extra grenades, and other accessories into the car¡¯s hidden compartments. Finally, a mag went into her rifle, though she kept the chamber empty for now. She was soon joined by Thandi and Kes, making the same preparations, as the rest of the squad began to crawl out of their sacks.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get some sunlight,¡± Thandi suggested, when she too had finished.

    Kayla cheerfully agreed, and they went to stand out in the warehouse¡¯s short driveway. They wouldn¡¯t step into view of the outside world for the rest of the day, which would be spent sitting by the squad¡¯s radio, listening for news. With tension running high, there was no chance of finding distraction through any form of entertainment.

    ¡°What do you think Christie¡¯s doing right now?¡± Thandi asked.

    Kayla snorted. ¡°She¡¯s got some high-rise office suite with big windows so she can watch the show with a cup of tea in hand.¡± Her voice changed to a mock English accent. ¡°Dance my puppets.¡±

    ¡°Honestly I just hope she ditched everything and went to find a safe house.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But you know she didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I pray for her, and the rest of her team.¡±

    ¡°Lord,¡± Kayla said out loud. ¡°We beseech your blessing in today¡¯s undertaking, and would greatly appreciate your assistance in sending that witch Rayker straight to hell. And any other son of a bitch who gets in our way.¡±

    Thandi nodded approvingly. ¡°That hits the spot, sure enough. But please don¡¯t curse when you address the Almighty.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ hey,¡± said a voice, and they turned to see Jess standing shyly in the warehouse doorway.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going, girl-boss?¡± Kayla said.

    The nickname seemed to annoy the young private and so, in accordance with Ranger tradition, it had been used more and more frequently. Debate raged as to whether it should become official. Kayla thought it was perfect, while Ray claimed it was way too cool for a rookie.

    ¡°Step out and get some sunlight with us,¡± Thandi said warmly.

    Jess nodded gratefully, and moved into the vitalizing rays. They allowed a moment of silence to pass. It might, after all, be the last time they ever experienced such simple happiness.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous,¡± Jess said, eventually.

    Thandi laughed. ¡°Really? Because I¡¯m as scared as a kitten.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t show it at all.¡±

    ¡°Comes with practice,¡± Thandi said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no mental technique or¡­?¡± Jess¡¯s voice trailed off.

    ¡°Exposure¡¯s the only way to deal with it,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Manage your breathing, keep your mind busy; do the best you can. I like that you¡¯re scared¡ªit will make you pay attention. Worse thing for you right now would be overconfidence.¡±

    ¡°Yay for me,¡± Jess said glumly.

    Kayla turned and looked her in the eye. ¡°Bravery is always an uphill struggle. The rent is due everyday¡ªyou just have to make sure it gets paid.¡±

    ¡°Amen,¡± said Thandi. ¡°And beyond that, don¡¯t try to be a hero, because death would be a bad look for you.¡±

    Gaz grabbed his snacks and juice bottles off the service shop counter and walked back out to the surveillance van. He and Sal were killing time in town before heading back to replace team three, outside VennZech headquarters. Nobody had heard from their new friends, and Gaz was tempted to conclude they never would again. The investigators had obviously been a source of information for the women, and not useful for much else.

    It was true that Kayla had seemed concerned about Milani, but nobody in the galaxy was free to go where their hearts took them. They all worked for an employer who had their own agenda, and that was all there was to it. Gaz was only happy to learn a little bit more about what VennZech was up to in Rackeye, and that Allana Rayker was in town.

    On second thought, he wasn¡¯t happy to learn that at all; just better off than being ignorant of the fact.

    Sal, standing next to the driver side door, gratefully took possession of one of Gaz¡¯s bags, which he dumped into the seat.

    ¡°Can¡¯t live without my Poppin¡¯ Rocks,¡± he exclaimed cheerfully.

    ¡°Sugar junkie,¡± Gaz chided.

    ¡°Still no word from that Earther girl?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Gaz said levelly.

    Sal grinned. ¡°Okay¡ªyou¡¯ve gotten all cynical. But I saw the way that other girl, Kayla, looked at you. You haven¡¯t heard the last from her, guaranteed.¡±

    ¡°Whatever man. I¡¯m just trying to focus on the problems in front of us,¡± Gaz said as he held back a smile.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sal said thoughtfully. ¡°Those two were something else though. Crazy fast, and carrying two teenagers? Makes you think. And all their friends are women? What did we get ourselves into?¡±

    ¡°The galaxy is a weird and wonderful place, mon ami. But we need to come up with a plan that doesn¡¯t rely on people we can¡¯t count on.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Sal said. ¡°I had a thought about that actually.¡±

    ¡°Send it.¡±

    ¡°Meteor strike, plus follow up assault. What do you think?¡±

    Gaz rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on man, how are we going to get a decent sized mass into a collision trajectory without anyone figuring it out?¡±

    ¡°They did it on the Xin Liu Job. The Fenway cartel¡­ you remember?¡±

    ¡°I remember that the League wiped them off the map afterwards, and I remember that every movie since then used an orbital strike as an action centerpiece. Literally everyone knows how that works now.¡±

    Sal shook his head. ¡°Damn. Okay, I¡¯ll go back to the drawing board. But my stroke of genius is coming, I can feel it.¡±

    Gaz chuckled. Their conversations often went the same way, and their harebrained schemes usually revolved around some spectacular movie moment. It was more a way to kill time than anything.

    ¡°Man,¡± Gaz said as he took one last moment to enjoy the sensation of being stood upright outside a vehicle. ¡°Do you ever wonder¡ª¡±

    Sal¡¯s head shot round, his eyes wide. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Gaz said, and waited in silence. Then he heard the sound, locked eyes with his partner, and darted for the passenger side of the van.

    ¡°Hey, Kayla?¡± Ray said as she stopped at the door to the warehouse. ¡°Did you check your radio this morning?¡±

    ¡°I ran the diagnostic an hour ago,¡± Kayla said. ¡°It was fine. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Ray shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not getting any signal. Neither is Kes.¡±

    ¡°Well, what did the diagnostic say?¡±

    ¡°It was fine too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on¡­¡± Kayla sighed in frustration. There was always something to go wrong.

    ¡°Can you try and contact Platoon headquarters?¡± Ray demanded impatiently. ¡°Otherwise, we have no comms.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m coming,¡± Kayla said, and turned to head inside.

    Thandi¡¯s hand grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± she asked.

    Kayla looked around in confusion. ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Over the background hum of the city, there was a distinct ¡®wump¡¯.

    ¡°And again¡ªthat was an explosion,¡± Thandi hissed.

    They remained still, Jess staring at them with wide eyes. Then there was another distant, but unmistakable boom.

    Kayla felt her insides turn to ice. Explosions and dead radios. Nothing that followed would be good. She shot past the alert-looking Ray and found Kes, cursing as she fiddled with the squad radio. Kayla lunged for her own set, and her sensation of dread deepened as she realized that she too could get nothing but static.

    ¡°Mine¡¯s dead too,¡± she said to Kes, ¡°and we¡¯re hearing explosions in the city.¡±

    Kes stared at her for a moment. ¡°Everyone gear up,¡± she called.

    The Rangers standing around the warehouse sprang into action. They threw on plate carriers and chest rigs, fixed their earpieces, for what good it would do them, and racked bolts on their weapons.

    ¡°Post security to watch the streets,¡± Kes ordered.

    Kayla grabbed Tian and Ray and sent them up on the roof, then she told Thandi and Lyna to watch the back way. She chased Bibi, who was already running to the main gate, followed closely by Jess .

    ¡°Nothing moving,¡± they called back after a few tense minutes.

    ¡°Kayla, can you even call me from your set?¡± Kes demanded.

    Kayla tried, but Kes shook her head and threw the earpiece down in frustration.

    ¡°This has to be jamming,¡± she said. ¡°No other way to block our comms like this.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Kayla asked, and saw nothing but confusion in the corporal¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Ray called back, ¡°I can hear gunfire. Rapid bursts. Sounds like it¡¯s out towards the starport.¡±

    Kes swore. ¡°We¡¯re dead and blind and on our own.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a construction site three blocks away,¡± Kayla suggested. ¡°Let me get up on one of the cranes and I¡¯ll be able to see what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Kes was about to agree, when Jess entered the room holding a tablet. ¡°I still have access to the planetary net. It¡¯s all over the news.¡±

    She turned up the volume and they watched, appalled, as an airborne camera stared down at the starport terminals. Pillars of smoke rose in the air, accompanied by the occasional flashes of explosions. A missile sailed across the tarmac and struck a parked shuttle, which evaporated in an immense fireball.

    ¡°Our mechs are supposed to have missile launchers,¡± Kes observed coldly.

    The commentary from the news feed continued in the background. ¡°¡­reports coming in of explosions across the entire city. No word on who is responsible yet, but at least four districts are under heavy attack¡­¡±

    ¡°Ray¡ªSteel mill?¡± Kes called.

    ¡°No smoke, no gunfire,¡± came the reply.

    ¡°Lyna, get in here, see if you can fly your drone. Hernandez, get back there and replace her.¡±

    ¡°That would be a small mercy,¡± Kayla observed as she grabbed Jess¡¯s tablet, and fought to keep from freaking out. ¡°Is this Rayker¡¯s plan? Take over Rackeye today with her mechs?¡±

    Kes shook her head. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense. Intel didn¡¯t support her having enough security forces on the ground, and these mechs aren¡¯t positioned to attack the police or the city hall. All they can do is cripple some infrastructure.¡± She inhaled deeply. ¡°I really need some insight here, Barnes. This is your city.¡±

    Kayla tried desperately to make sense of what was happening. ¡°I think¡­ I think she just wants to kill people so she can draw us out. She wants us fighting in the streets so she can scare the League into taking over the planet. But what does that get her? We¡¯re missing something important.¡±

    Kes nodded. ¡°Well, she¡¯s going to get her wish. Our mission just changed. We have to destroy these things and save as many civilians as we can. That¡¯s our mandate, and I guarantee you that every other team out there is coming to the same conclusion. Ray, tell me the streets are still clear,¡± she called.

    ¡°Looks that way,¡± Ray yelled back.

    ¡°Lyna?¡±

    There was a curse. ¡°No-go on the drone. Signal is jammed too.¡±

    ¡°Ditch it,¡± Kes ordered. ¡°Everyone load into the vehicles. We¡¯re going to the starport to try and stop that attack, and hopefully link up with some of the other squads.¡±

    ¡°And the steel mill?¡± Kayla asked as they moved into the warehouse.

    Kes shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about it. Any civilians working there have plenty of cover and escape routes; all that mech can do is destroy buildings. We need to make contact with our own and focus on the greatest danger.¡±

    Kayla threw open her driver side door and stowed her weapon by her seat, ignoring the hidden compartment.

    Kes grabbed her arm. ¡°Stick on my tail, but if we get separated, go find trouble and try to find Rangers.¡±

    Kayla nodded. Though the day probably wasn¡¯t going to go the way any of them hoped. She jumped behind the wheel, then stopped to check that the others had clambered in. Kes opened the gate, then jumped back into the first vehicle as Bibi nosed out into the street. Kayla followed close behind them.

    ¡°Girls,¡± Ray announced next to her, as she racked the bolt in her carbine, ¡°prepare for another fun day.¡±

    They raced north, dodging through traffic until they came to the main road running around the industrial zone. City police had set up a hasty checkpoint to block the route.

    ¡°VennZech security¡ªlet us through,¡± Kes yelled, as she held up a forged badge.

    The police, scared, confused, and overwhelmed, didn¡¯t even stop to check them, and they were hastily waved through onto an empty road. The smoke columns from the starport came into view, and the clatter of machine gun fire became audible over the noise of the engines.

    Ray cocked her head. ¡°It¡¯s still only a single weapon. And it¡¯s gotta be running low on ammunition by now.¡±

    Then, the clear sound of rifles firing single shots rang out, accompanied by small bangs.

    ¡°Valkyrie weapons,¡± Ray noted. ¡°That¡¯s got to be third squad,¡±

    Kes must have reached the same conclusion, because her vehicle suddenly accelerated down the long straight, that was taking them past the starport¡¯s train station.

    Then Kayla saw something that made her blood run cold. Vehicles¡ªblack SUVs¡ªtucked behind a building. As she passed, they pulled out behind her and began to follow. She thumped her horn to alert Kes.

    From behind the next building, a mech stepped out into the road. It levelled a shoulder mounted missile launcher at the lead vehicle, and fired. Time slowed down as Kes¡¯ truck was hit below the front wheel and flipped high into the air, before crashing back down into a high-speed roll.

    Kayla felt the urge to brake, to place her own truck protectively between the wreckage and the enemy, but a flash of rage-fueled insight took control.

    The mech had two legs, and it was turned at an angle to the road, presumably to steady itself for the missile shot. With nothing in her mind but destruction, Kayla veered into the opposite lane, slammed her foot on the accelerator, and aimed straight for it.

    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Ray yelled. ¡°Everyone, brace for impact.¡±

    The mech turned its torso to level a machine gun, but too slowly. As the SUV barreled towards its leg at more than a hundred miles per hour, Kayla let go of the wheel, and pulled her arms up to her face. The world went black.

 Part 3 - Chapter 39

    ¡°Quite frankly, I don¡¯t think you are very committed to this relationship,¡± Moira droned on. ¡°You certainly seem to enjoy yourself a lot more in the company of your friends.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Christie argued. ¡°We just go back a very long way.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re obviously not from Earth. How long have you known them?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Christie waved a hand and fought to suppress a yawn. She was too tired to lie. ¡°Three years.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s nothing, is it? I mean don¡¯t get me wrong, nobody brought up the word ¡®exclusive¡¯, but if you¡¯re just after a fun time then it¡¯s the end of the road for me. That¡¯s my ultimatum.¡±

    Christie nodded miserably. She hadn¡¯t slept the entire night. The intelligence team had been monitoring every form of signal traffic in the city for the slightest hint that the night¡¯s operation would go wrong. In the morning, Zhang had ordered them to try and get a few hours¡¯ sleep. Christie had returned to her cover apartment, but had been so consumed with stress that she couldn¡¯t drift off. So, she had gone for a walk and phoned Moira to meet her for a cup of tea in the nicer part of town. Unfortunately, she had not counted on being ambushed over her perceived relationship failures.

    ¡°Such an odd group of people you spend your time with,¡± Moira continued, and her voice carried an edge. ¡°Hardly our level of cultural sophistication. Oh, I¡¯m sorry, am I boring you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Christie said coldly, after she finished a deep yawn.

    The last comment had snapped her patience. But her mind was certainly distracted from the emotional rollercoaster of the operation, and now she wanted nothing more than to walk back to her apartment and sleep.

    ¡°For your information¡ª¡± she began, but stopped, as a distant explosion disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of the street.

    In the caf¨¦, heads turned, and people started muttering in alarm. Hands reached for phones to check the live news feeds.

    ¡°What do you think that was?¡± Morea asked. ¡°Not another shuttle shot down, I hope. It was bad enough that they closed the starport.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Christie¡¯s mind locked up as she felt a buzz through her purse. When she reached for her phone, she saw a message from Zhang telling her to get back ASAP.

    And then she saw that she had a dozen missed calls from VennZech, nearly an hour old.

    But she had called in sick.

    A sliver of fear ran through her body, and she remembered that the company could track her location through the device. She had obviously never carried the thing to the team¡¯s apartment, but if they wanted to track down employees¡­

    Which meant she was now caught in a horrible dilemma, even though, with danger already on its way, there was an easy way out. But she shuddered to think of herself becoming that sort of a person. A knot formed in her gut and drew even tighter when she caught sight of a black SUV nosing its way down the street in her direction.

    Another explosion rattled the windows, and thankfully made the decision suddenly easier.

    ¡°Well, Moira, frankly I find you stuck up and ignorant,¡± Christie snapped. ¡°I won¡¯t hear you say another word against my friends. And you are a cold, passionless fish who grossly overestimates your attractiveness. I only slept with you because I needed the distraction and I felt sorry for you. Do be a dear, and make this easier on both of us.¡±

    Morea¡¯s jaw dropped open, and her eyes began to water. ¡°How¡­ How¡ª¡±

    ¡°You and an Earther? How could you have imagined it would mean anything?¡± Christie waved her phone as her internal voice screamed at the woman to get moving. ¡°I have work to deal with. Do you want to get out of my hair, or shall I start listing your faults in public?¡±

    Moira slapped her hard, then leaped to her feet and staggered away from the table. Christie felt a horrible shudder of relief and shame. She buried it in her mind as she quickly found the app she had saved. There was a tense wait as the program connected to the company¡¯s secure line, then disguised her signal as a headquarters call.

    ¡°Mr. Tensall¡¯s office, how can I help you?¡± demanded the secretary.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care where he is,¡± Christie snapped in her most reptilian voice, ¡°get him on the secure phone, and tell him to call me back. And tell him he¡¯d better have a good explanation.¡± Then she hung up.

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    The black SUV drew up in front of the caf¨¦, and a VennZech security man jumped out.

    ¡°Miss Derby-Fletcher?¡± he said, his expression conveying a great deal of stress. ¡°I need you to get in, right now.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Christie cried, her eyes wide with terror. ¡°Are we under attack?¡±

    ¡°Please just get in the vehicle.¡± He began to reach for her arm.

    ¡°I actually left my tablet¡ª¡±

    ¡°Forget it. We are taking you somewhere safe.¡±

    With no choice, Christie staggered into the passenger seat where a panic-stricken suited woman was waiting. In the distance, the noise of explosions mixed with that of gunfire. The door slammed closed, and they drove through the streets of the city center, taking many twists and turns. Christie saw with a sinking feeling that she was being driven to the headquarters building. To Rayker.

    And no traffic accident had interrupted the journey.

    Her phone buzzed in her purse and she pulled it out.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she said sweetly.

    She felt a small rush of elation as Tensall answered. ¡°Divine? What¡¯s happening? What did you need from me?¡±

    ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said, for the benefit of the vehicle¡¯s occupants. ¡°There seems to be a bit of an emergency, I¡¯ll have to call you back.¡±

    Then she punched in an activation code, and hung up the phone. Another few taps activated the panic subroutine. The system started to erase all its data, leaving nothing behind but a positional beacon that would transmit for days.

    Inside his office, Tensall was still holding the secure phone to his ear in confusion when he heard the clamor of the building alarms ring out. The security door to his office slammed down, as did the armored blinds on the windows.

    He span back and forth, trying to make sense of the chaos. ¡°What the¡ª¡±

    A small bang from beneath the desk interrupted him, and all the electronics in the room went dead. Now blinded by darkness, he stumbled towards the office door and tried to find the keypad.

    But it wouldn¡¯t respond. He was trapped inside.

    Kayla drifted back to consciousness as though she was waking from a dream. Through a cloud of darkness, she made out the shape of the airbag that had cushioned her impact. Next to her, a colorful blur slowly resolved into a groggy looking Ray.

    ¡°Guuuugggh¡­¡± Kayla moaned as saliva dribbled from her lips.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ray said, then looked around sharply.

    The front of the vehicle was crumpled, but the body was mainly intact. Behind them, the Mech lay in a twisted pile, jerking around as it struggled to get back up. In the back seats, Jess and Tian looked stunned, but mercifully unharmed.

    Kayla fought to think through a splitting headache. Through the rear windshield she saw the black SUVs pulling to a stop. Armed men got out.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the nanitic charge,¡± Ray said as she threw off her seatbelt and tried to open the passenger side door. She struggled with it for a moment before it popped open. ¡°Cover me?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla managed.

    She forced her own door open and stumbled out with her weapon. Tian was fighting her door handle, and Kayla decided she could leave her to it. As Ray raced towards the downed war machine, now managing to push itself upright, the approaching men raised their weapons. Between them, flames shot up over Kes¡¯ inverted vehicle. No movement was visible behind the shattered glass windscreen.

    Kayla leaned out from the back of her truck, snapped her carbine to her cheek, and fired a pair of rounds. A man dropped. The others scattered, and began to return fire.

    ¡°Tian!¡± she yelled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Tian¡¯s door opened gradually with a metallic screech, and she emerged. ¡°Leave your door Jess,¡± she snapped. ¡°Exit this way.¡±

    Kayla kept shooting, and accurate fire started bouncing off the back of the truck and the tarmac. When she sensed someone behind her, she turned to see the wide-eyed rookie, looking scared, but focused.

    ¡°See that bus stop?¡± Kayla gestured. ¡°Dash behind it, then start shooting, and don¡¯t stop.¡±

    Jess sprinted away immediately. Tian grabbed Kayla¡¯s shoulder and passed in front of her.

    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat the hell are you doing?¡± Kayla demanded, as Tian rounded the back of the truck and stopped in front of the boot, in full view of their ambushers.

    Kayla sprayed shots towards them, but sparks spat from an impact inches from her squad mate¡¯s head. Unperturbed, Tian calmly reached down and opened the back. She leaned inside and retrieved the light machine gun, then ducked back behind Kayla.

    ¡°You are one crazy bitch,¡± Kayla yelled.

    Tian laughed as she dropped to the floor, popped the bipod on her weapon, and began laying down short, controlled bursts against the distant SUVs.

    There was a horrible moment when the nearby mech hauled itself to its feet and turned to face them. Then Ray reappeared, her finger on the charge¡¯s detonator.

    ¡°Always wanted to watch one of these,¡± she said gleefully, and pushed the switch.

    The towering machine aimed a weapon right at them, but then faltered. Its damaged leg collapsed as it seemed to rot from the inside out. Then the whole body smashed to the ground and began to disintegrate into a pile of scrap metal.

    Kayla wanted to whoop and high five Ray, but the sight of growing flames brought her back to reality. The rest of her squad were being burned alive. Rage began to consume her as she helplessly exchanged fire with the men down the street. She was so fast¡­ why didn¡¯t she just charge them?

    Kayla breathed deeply, and fought for control. She grabbed Ray¡¯s arm and yelled into her ear over the sound of gunfire. ¡°Take the others, get across the street and flank them! I¡¯m going for the vehicle.¡±

    Ray nodded, and whistled to get Jess¡¯s attention.

    Then Kayla darted out of cover and sprinted for the burning wreckage between them and the enemy. Rounds passed inches from her body, but she ignored them. A storm of adrenaline fueled her legs as she raced forward, faster than she had ever run before.

    Once she reached the wreck, more gunfire broke out, though not aimed at her. She stopped, dropped to a knee and emptied her magazine, killing two more men. Then she ducked back to check on the passengers. Somewhere behind her, shots rang out from the other side of the street. Ray could deal with the enemy. Kayla¡¯s job was to save her squad.

    The truck was a mess, and a fire was burning in the upturned chassis floor. Kayla had no idea how long the fuel tank could last before it became a bomb, and tried not to worry about it. She blinked away tears as the smoke began to sting her eyes, and reached for the rear passenger door frame.

 Part 3 - Chapter 40

    The metal was searing with heat, and she jerked her hands away. The pain brought a little clarity, and she quickly removed the chest rig carrying her grenades and ammunition while cursing her stupidity. Blocking out the lightning bolts of agony, she grabbed hold of the frame and pulled with all her might. As the steel began to warp and groan, Kayla tried not to think about the smell of burning flesh that invaded her nostrils. She tugged hard with another immense effort, and the door finally came loose.

    Kayla dropped to her knees and reached inside, felt the strap of a chest rig, and pulled. Nothing moved, so she reached for her knife and found the seatbelt, cutting it in one smooth motion. Thandi¡¯s unconscious body slid smoothly out of the wreck, and though she was covered in soot, she was still breathing. Kayla wanted to cry with relief, but she wasn¡¯t even close to finished.

    A storm of gunfire continued to rage around her, but she ignored it, dropping to her belly, and crawling into the hellish interior of the wreck. Through the roiling smoke, she found another body, cut the belt and dragged Lyna out onto the road. The woman began gasping for breath as soon as she found fresh air, but Kayla couldn¡¯t stop to check her over.

    Despite being numb, her hands and arms still worked, though she didn¡¯t feel the need to look at them. She moved by instinct, and looked for a hold on the driver¡¯s door. The frame seemed remarkably unharmed, so Kayla kicked the window hard until it shattered. Then she seized the serrated glass lined edge of the new opening and pulled again. This time, the door opened quickly.

    The fire was already spreading into the interior, and Bibi¡¯s leg was pressed against her rifle, wedged behind her seat. When Kayla pulled, melted flesh tore away. She almost vomited, but fought to stay in control. Once Bibi was outside, Kayla checked her pulse, and found to her relief that she was still alive. A coughing and spluttering Lyna waved her away as she pulled a bandage for the horrendously damaged leg off her chest pouch.

    Kes¡¯s clothes were burning, as she lay crumpled against the twisted far door. Kayla went to work, and though she had to push and pull a few times to get Kes¡¯s limbs past the steering wheel, she soon had the squad leader out. Kayla rushed to pat out the flames, and then stared appalled at the sight of the woman¡¯s body. Half of her visible flesh was burnt black, while in some places her clothes had melted themselves to her skin. Her pulse was weak, but still there.

    Kayla shuddered as she finally caught sight of her own arms; livid red where they weren¡¯t charcoal black, and blistering heavily. She put the sight out of her mind and grabbed her weapon again while Lyna took care of the others.

    Unfortunately, the situation had not improved. The attacking men¡ªvery likely a VennZech security force¡ªhad been pushed out of the street by the efforts of Ray and the others. But they had taken cover in a nearby store, and were able to maintain a dangerous level of fire against the women in the street. The squad would need grenades, and, ideally, two elements going in opposite directions to break the defensive position.

    Kayla wearily grabbed her chest rig and reattached it with trembling fingers that only reacted slowly. In the distance, she could hear the sounds of sirens drawing closer. There would be others on the way too, and a police or news drone was probably watching them at that very moment. She hoisted her weapon, and yelled over to Ray.

    ¡°Give ¡®em everything you got,¡± she roared hoarsely through a burning throat. ¡°I¡¯ll move in from the other side.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a hell of a gun fight,¡± Sal observed as he and Gaz moved cautiously towards the corner of a hotel by the main road.

    They had first headed towards the starport and tried, without success, to observe the chaos from the freeway. Then Sal heard the distant noise of another battle in the streets of the city. Reasoning that buildings would allow them to get a closer look than open tarmac, he had suggested they go and check it out. After a heart-pumping drive spent dodging the hastily assembled police checkpoints, they finally decided to ditch the vehicle somewhere safe and continue the rest of the way on foot. The cacophony of staccato thunder bounced off the walls of surrounding buildings, making the source of the shooting difficult to pinpoint.

    Gaz leaned his head out to observe the length of the wide street. The occasional bullet kicked up dust as it skipped across the nearby road surface. Then he pulled his binoculars out of his jacket and held them up to his eyes. The image shook with his heartbeat as barely resolved figures ran back and forth across the road.

    ¡°What do you see?¡± asked the impatient Sal.

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    ¡°Black SUVs and one wrecked. Got to be VennZech security. And¡ª¡±

    He held his breath and waited to confirm if he had really seen what he thought he had seen.

    ¡°And?¡± Sal demanded.

    Gaz ducked back behind the store and faced him with wide eyes. ¡°Ponytails and bobs. Looks like they have wounded.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the van,¡± Sal said, and turned to run without waiting for a reply.

    Kayla ducked behind a building column as a burst tore chunks out of the concrete. There was nothing for it but to storm the store alone. Maybe, if she took enough of them out before going down, the rest of her squad would be able to get away. Fortunately, she had managed to extract their second machine gun from the wreck, and passed it to Ray, who was now laying down fire from behind some parked cars. Kayla turned to try and make eye contact with her.

    Then, a bright green flare shot into view.

    Kayla stared at it in confusion, before her eyes, moving of their own accord, followed the smoke trail up the street. A few hundred meters away, some kind of cloth was waving from the side of a hotel. A man stepped out and waved. Kayla looked down her scope to see Gaz, holding both hands high in the air. A few bullets kicked up dirt near his feet, and he ducked out of sight. A car horn blasted a few times.

    Kayla thought quickly. She motioned to the confused looking Ray to keep shooting then dashed behind her and across the street to make contact with Jess and Tian.

    ¡°We have extraction,¡± she said breathlessly. Do not fire to the north.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Tian demanded.

    ¡°Lay down smoke and heavy fire so we can get the casualties into our truck. Lyna will drive, the rest of us will follow on foot.¡±

    ¡°Good, my legs are getting stiff already.¡±

    Kayla stuck her fingers in her mouth and gave a shrill whistle. Lyna was still pinned behind the smashed-up truck, trying to treat the others. She looked around, and watched while Kayla made a hand signal for her to prepare to pick up and move.

    ¡°With me, Jess,¡± Kayla snapped, then she grabbed every grenade on her vest, including the smoke, and tossed them hard at the enemy¡¯s strong point. Jess copied her, and the incoming fire slackened off as a series of bangs erupted at the gunmen¡¯s position.

    Tian started dumping rounds into the building faster, and, picking up on the cue, Ray did the same. Once a thick white cloud had begun to obscure the street, Kayla made a run for the wreck.

    She grabbed Thandi immediately and threw her still form over her shoulder.

    ¡°Our truck,¡± she yelled to the wide-eyed Lyna, over the storm of the machine guns.

    Then, carrying their friends, the Rangers sprinted as hard as they could.

    The machine guns kept up their frenetic chatter toward the smoke shrouded building, and Kayla offered a silent prayer that the wind wouldn¡¯t pick up. The unconscious members of the squad were roughly shoved into the truck, and Kayla pointed Lyna towards the driver seat.

    ¡°Two guys and a gray van waiting for us up the road,¡± she said with a rasping voice. ¡°Trust me, they¡¯re friendly.¡±

    Lyna nodded and hit the ignition. Kayla blinked back tears of relief when the engine started up.

    Another sharp whistle had Ray and Tian sprinting up the street as the truck pulled away. The Rangers began to leapfrog each other, dropping to their knees in pairs and shooting, then turning to sprint while their squad mates did the same.

    When they reached the hotel, the van was waiting down a side street. They all broke into a dash, throwing themselves into the back as the vehicle started to move. Ray threw her machine gun in, then swung her other weapon off her back. She stood still, aiming into the sky, and pulled the trigger on the underslung grenade launcher. Then, she caught up with the crawling van and jumped inside.

    ¡°Drones,¡± she explained and slapped her weapon. ¡°Got ¡®em with an EMP.¡±

    Kayla nodded and leaned out the open door, making sure Lyna was following them as they sped away into the safety of the streets.

    The city passed behind them without any indications of pursuit. Kayla¡¯s world began to slow down, while the agony from her arms took over her senses. Even so, she felt like she had dropped a heavy burden. The ambush had been a nightmare, but they were all alive, and would heal in time.

    After what seemed like hours, but had probably only been a dozen minutes, both vehicles pulled into Gaz¡¯s safe house, and a garage door swung shut behind them.

    It meant safety, and Kayla found herself beginning to shake.

    The truck was mobbed by men and women, who pulled the unconscious Rangers out and laid them on the floor, while first aid kits were produced and ripped open. Gaz had to have radioed ahead¡ªat least his comms weren¡¯t blocked. The thought gave Kayla a moment of hope; Rayker hadn¡¯t compromised everything.

    ¡°She needs ventilation,¡± Lyna yelled as they carefully moved Kes onto a stretcher.

    An intubation tube was produced, and somebody started chest compressions.

    ¡°Give us a room,¡± Ray was yelling, ¡°Put them in a room, then let us deal with them.¡±

    Kayla staggered out of the van and glanced at her vehicle. The bodywork was covered with so many bullet holes it looked like a cheese grater. Checking herself, she saw that she had been shot twice, once in the shoulder, and once in her hip. Both had gone straight through, and the bleeding had already stopped, but she couldn¡¯t hide her limp, or her arms.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down here,¡± Gaz said gently, as he guided her over to a sofa at the edge of the garage. ¡°Want some water?¡±

    He produced a bottle. Kayla grabbed it and emptied it down her throat. She still felt a bit dazed, and wondered if she was dealing with concussion after the first crash. Her ears were ringing, and she had to make an effort to control her breathing.

    ¡°Are these¡­ bullet holes? But you¡¯re not bleeding?¡± Gaz stared at her in confusion. Then he blinked and turned his attention to her arms. ¡°Let me get a bandage on those burns, okay?¡±

    Kayla waved him off. ¡°Forget it.¡± She sighed heavily, then turned to stare at him. ¡°Where the hell did you come from?¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 41

    Gaz looked like he was about to protest, then dropped the bandage and tube of burn cream he was holding.

    ¡°When the shooting started,¡± he explained, ¡°we headed towards the starport. We stopped near the tarmac, and we were thinking about what to do. I knew your lot were probably involved somehow, but I wasn¡¯t sure how to approach. Then we heard more gunfire behind us, pretty close, so we went to check it out.¡±

    Kayla nodded sadly. Pure dumb luck had saved her squad. But how had they been ambushed? And what was happening to the rest of the task force? Too many questions crowded her mind, and instinct told her that she had to find a way to get back outside and help.

    A loud argument echoed through the building. Other concerns could wait¡ªher squad came first. She pushed herself off the couch.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± she asked a man nearby, who was staring at her in concern.

    He looked reluctantly at Gaz, who shrugged. ¡°Right this way,¡± he said.

    Kayla nodded, and, as she followed him, picked a length of metal pipe off a parts rack.

    The eager medics had carried the bodies into the garage canteen, and Ray was now trying to convince the small crowd to get out and leave them alone.

    ¡°You have serious injuries,¡± a man said, loudly but patiently. ¡°You have to let us help you and your friends.¡±

    Kayla strode in front of the crowd. ¡°Everyone, shut the hell up,¡± she yelled, and silence descended on the small room.

    She held up her length of steel with both hands, then easily bent it in half.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± she said to the stunned medic, as she passed him the object. ¡°I really appreciate your help, but you do not understand what is happening. Believe me when I say there is no more aid you can render us for the moment. Please respect our wishes, and wait outside.¡±

    ¡°Do what she says,¡± Gaz ordered from the door. ¡°Come on guys, give them some room.¡±

    Kayla nodded gratefully, and breathed a sigh of relief once he closed it behind him. Lyna was already frantically working on Kes, fixing her an intravenous drip while Jess pumped away at an air bag hooked up to the tube that ran down her throat.

    Thandi opened her eyes and sat up. ¡°Sorry. I came to when they were carrying me, and I thought I should play dead. I was a little confused.¡±

    Kayla walked over to her and squeezed her in a bear hug. ¡°How¡¯s Bibi?¡± she asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Lyna said, without turning around. ¡°Leg¡¯s a mess but it¡¯ll heal. She didn¡¯t inhale too much smoke, so she¡¯ll come to at some point.¡±

    A raspy groan made them look around. Bibi stirred and slowly sat up. ¡°What is¡ªwhy is it hard to breathe?¡± she complained.

    Ray moved to join her and passed her some water as she put an arm around her shoulders.

    ¡°Kes?¡± Kayla asked, as she felt a pit open in her stomach.

    ¡°She needs a friggin¡¯ surgical room on the Banshee,¡± Lyna said. ¡°Without that, it¡¯s just a coin flip.¡±

    Kayla heard the crack in the woman¡¯s voice. The situation was desperate. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out what¡¯s going on,¡± she promised.

    Outside the canteen, she found some of Gaz¡¯s crew huddled anxiously in the garage. Someone had switched on a tv, and they were watching the reports of battles across the city.

    Gaz stepped over to join her. ¡°I sent our surveillance teams back out,¡± he explained. ¡°Told them to try and find any female combatants in civilian clothes.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kayla said gratefully. ¡°But they have no reason to trust you, so they¡¯ll probably avoid you.¡±

    Gaz shrugged.

    ¡°Your burns,¡± Sal said, pointing at her arms.

    Kayla glanced down and saw the skin was already beginning to look healthier.

    ¡°You on some kind of super-soldier serum, or what?¡± Sal asked.

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Kayla admitted. She turned to the tv. ¡°You getting some kind of picture of the situation out there?¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s winding down,¡± Sal said. ¡°Seems like a lot of the firefights have stopped and the cops are moving in to clean things up. The civilian death toll is in the hundreds, but none of these so-called terrorists have been captured.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s knees almost buckled. Although it didn¡¯t mean her fellow Rangers were safe, it was at least one blessing.

    ¡°Can we get out on the streets?¡± she asked.

    Gaz shrugged. ¡°If we¡¯re cautious. Cops are all over the place, searching anyone suspicious. Our teams had to go unarmed. To be honest, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they show up here, what with our reputation.¡±

    Which meant that moving casualties was out. And even if they could, without comms there was no chance of finding a ride up to the Banshee. Kes was on her own.

    Kayla ran a hand through her hair. ¡°Any mechs still out there?¡±

    Sal¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Mechs? What mechs?¡±

    Kayla stared at him. ¡°The giant war machines that were walking around blowing shit up?¡±

    ¡°They haven¡¯t shown anything like that on the news feeds,¡± Gaz said. ¡°There are explosions, and you can hear gunfire. A few clips have some missiles shooting across the camera, but you don¡¯t see what fired them. If VennZech had some new kind of weapon system out there, they¡¯ve hidden them away again.¡±

    Kayla wanted to laugh. A terrorist attack had taken place. Bullets and missiles had been fired; civilians had been killed. Presumably the task force had taken out a few of their objectives, if not all, leaving nothing but the destruction.

    And a perfect opportunity for the League to take over Caldera. She rubbed her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What was the next part of the plan?¡±

    ¡°I think I might know,¡± a small voice said.

    Kayla looked around to see an older woman staring at her phone. She read from the screen, quoting the text of the message.

    ¡°The Barrochian troop carrier Augustine has just arrived in the system, carrying the First Guards regiment. After hurried consultations with League representatives, the committee of planets has agreed to allow them to land on Caldera. Their mission is to assist with the security situation, and put an end to the heinous acts of terrorism committed there today, for the safety of Helvetic citizens who are being targeted by radical separatists. The government of Barroche confirmed in a press release that preparations have been under way for days, following repeated attacks. They express their sincere regret that they were too late to prevent the catastrophe of the last few hours. Hopefully, this will show the League that the security of its citizens is a high priority that must be enforced across the galaxy.¡±

    Total silence filled the room. Kayla sat down by a wall and put her head in her hands.

    Christie¡¯s vehicle stopped outside the gardens of VennZech¡¯s headquarters. As she was hustled out of the car, she caught sight of a shuttle taking off from the building¡¯s landing pad. It rose into the sky, then turned west, and raced towards the horizon. But they were already on the western edge of the city. What was out that way?

    She was led roughly into the main lobby, where crowds of employees were milling around, some staring desperately at their phones, while others swapped rumors. Byoran was directing people, and he caught her eye.

    ¡°Put her with the other girls,¡± he announced loudly to the man escorting her.

    When he glanced at her again, he only shrugged apologetically.

    Christie was taken through a hallway to a large conference room, where dozens of young women were waiting with nervous expressions. They didn¡¯t know why they had been separated, and those who welcomed Christie asked if she knew anything. She could only shake her head and claim ignorance.

    Even though she knew exactly what was happening.

    Half an hour passed by, and a few more female employees were led into the room. Those who tried to leave were stopped by guards posted outside. Some became frantic, and had to be calmed by their companions.

    Then Rayker entered the room. She said nothing, but stood there in silence, her eyes moving between the faces.

    Christie rose to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s just me, actually,¡± she announced. ¡°You can let the others go.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s head snapped around, and her reptilian expression twisted into a sneer as she recognized Christie.

    ¡°Is that right? And why should I believe you?¡± she asked.

    Christie felt a bottomless pit of fear open beneath her, but she forced herself to ignore it in favor of anger and self-righteousness. ¡°Two would have been too obvious, given the timing. And, honestly, do you even need anyone else?¡±

    Rayker studied her, then cocked her head. ¡°True. Very well.¡± She turned to the guard. ¡°Take the others back to the main hall, then prep our shuttle.¡±

    The crowd hurried past Christie to escape the room, and the woman they both knew, and feared, as Carlotta Divine.

    ¡°Gosh,¡± Christie said, ¡°Are we going on a trip?¡±

    Her air of arrogance seemed to annoy her adversary, and a deep instinct told her to continue in that vein. She settled her nerves as the woman strode over to her.

    ¡°The sheer hubris,¡± Rayker said. ¡°The arrogance to think that, after Ambrosia, you could infiltrate right under my nose.¡± Her lips twisted into a cold smile. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to like you.¡±

    ¡°How touching,¡± Christie replied sweetly. ¡°But I rather think I¡¯m out of your league.¡± She looked Rayker up and down. ¡°Still can¡¯t break out of the monochromatic style, I see,¡± she said disappointedly.

    Rayker stepped closer until her eyes were inches away from Christie¡¯s. ¡°My league? Let¡¯s find out.¡±

    She raised her hand, and, though Christie didn¡¯t break eye contact, out of the corner of her vision she both saw and heard the bone spike break through Rayker¡¯s skin. The needle point pushed slowly, but forcefully into her shoulder. Agony lanced through Christie¡¯s arm as her flesh was ripped apart, but she didn¡¯t let her expression change. Pain blossomed in her mind and threatened to overwhelm her, as the spike forced its way through muscles and pushed apart bone. Her jaw clenched, but she kept her eyes steadily on Rayker, and didn¡¯t make a sound.

    Then, the spike withdrew in a snap that hurt just as much, and Christie felt her knees start to tremble.

    Rayker held up her wrist as the skin began to seal itself back over the retracted weapon. She ripped Christie¡¯s shirt open where the blood stain was soaking through, and watched carefully.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rayker hissed. ¡°Nanitic healing. I suppose we are in the same league after all, my dear.¡±

    She grabbed Christie¡¯s hair, and turned, dragging her out of the conference room.

    ¡°Prepare the heavy-duty restraints,¡± she snapped to the guard.

    Christie was thrown against the hallway wall headfirst, and everything went black.

 Part 3 - Chapter 42

    Nobody in the garage dared to make a sound after the announcement. Kayla kept her eyes shut, as she wrestled with what would probably be the end of her world, and the free colonist community.

    Eventually, Gaz cleared his throat. ¡°They¡¯ll need a few hours before they can start landing troops,¡± he said. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can do for your friends¡­ we need to start moving.¡±

    ¡°They jammed our comms,¡± Kayla said without looking up. ¡°If we could somehow find their emitters¡­ that would be a huge help.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t need to,¡± Gaz said with a confident smile. ¡°Any systems they¡¯re operating in the city will be controlled out of their operations office in the industrial zone. They can¡¯t keep themselves from centralizing everything.¡±

    The canteen door opened. ¡°Kayla,¡± a voice said.

    Kayla opened her eyes and looked over to see Tian, her eyes moist, and rimmed with red. In the two years Kayla had known the woman, she had never seen her get so emotional.

    ¡°We lost Kes,¡± Tian said, and choked up.

    Kayla leapt to her feet and raced inside the canteen. The others were wiping away tears and staring at nothing. Even Ray was wiping her eyes.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, as gently as she could.

    Lyna was huddled against the wall with her head in her hands. She looked up and sniffed. ¡°She inhaled too much smoke. Her lungs are clogged with ash. She¡¯s had no oxygen since the crash. Nanites kept her alive since then but¡­¡± Her voice trailed off.

    Kayla felt nauseous. The room began to spin. She fought for control, but it was all too much. In the space of a few hours the entire universe seemed to have started collapsing. As she struggled to breathe and fought back tears, she didn¡¯t have long to wait until anger punched through the fog of despair.

    ¡°Goddamn Rayker,¡± she spat. ¡°The road was completely empty. It had to have been shut down before the attack even began. She must have gambled that someone would be near the mill, and that we would try to take that route to the starport. We played straight into her hands.¡±

    Tian closed the canteen door behind her as she stepped inside.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t even think about that,¡± she said morosely. ¡°Neither did Kes. We just had to get over there.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Valkyrie has learnt to fight robots, not people. And we¡¯re paying the price again.¡±

    Another awful thought crept into her mind. What if other squads had been ambushed in the same way? Who else hadn¡¯t managed to get out alive? What about the intelligence team? And Christie?

    Gaz¡¯s words came back to her. She jumped up and stormed out of the canteen.

    ¡°My friend?¡± she demanded ¡°The blonde girl. Where did she go?¡±

    A surprised Gaz shook his head in confusion. ¡°Go? I don¡¯t know. We didn¡¯t see her again after the first reconnaissance.¡±

    ¡°She would have gone undercover in the company. Where? You must have heard something.¡±

    He thought quickly. ¡°Probably the operations office. That would make sense if she wanted to access as much of their file system as she could without looking suspicious. And then¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kayla snapped.

    ¡°Tensall works there. When i talked to your friend, we agreed he was important.¡± His face turned grim. ¡°To uh¡­ Rayker.¡±

    ¡°Can you get us over there? Even with the cops?¡±

    Gaz looked at Sal, who shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Well, screw it,¡± Kayla said forcefully. ¡°We¡¯re going, even if we have to leave a trail of bodies behind us.¡±

    ¡°Kayla?¡± Lyna¡¯s voice said behind her. She sounded scared. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Gaz motioned to his team, and they moved to the vehicles to start preparing for the trip.

    Kayla grabbed Lyna¡¯s arm and led her back to the canteen. When she closed the door, she turned to find six pairs of eyes watching her.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    She took a quick breath. ¡°If they have jammers set up throughout the city, they¡¯ll be controlling them from a single building. If we can get over there, we can get the task force comms back online.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯d have to fight our way in,¡± Lyna said hesitantly. ¡°We¡¯d draw a ton of attention. All those cops¡­ The Task Force will have fallen back on the escape and evasion protocol, and we should do the same. Isn¡¯t the mission over?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Other squads might have been ambushed like we were¡ªRayker could have prisoners.¡±

    Tian cleared her throat. ¡°But isn¡¯t that for the QRFs and other companies to worry about? Aren¡¯t they supposed to come and rescue us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Lyna said, and her voice carried an edge of desperation. ¡°The operation is compromised. We can¡¯t start a fight we aren¡¯t trained for and risk the whole galaxy turning on us.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°No, without comms we can¡¯t expect any help to come. Command has no clue what is happening down here, and they¡¯ll want to move carefully.¡±

    ¡°But haven¡¯t we exposed ourselves enough?¡± Lyna continued. ¡°We need to stay in hiding and figure out how to get off the planet. Those were our orders.¡±

    Kayla crossed her arms. She wanted to slap the woman, but that wouldn¡¯t help anyone. Instead, she inflected her voice with a little more anger. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough, Lyna. Fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor. Remember?¡±

    Lyna¡¯s voice began to sound desperate. ¡°But¡­ but you just want to find Christie. There¡¯s nothing we can do for her. That was the risk she chose to take.¡±

    Kayla felt heavy gazes resting on her. Judging her. Waiting to decide how far they would follow her; creeds and training be damned.

    She stopped closer to the wretched looking woman and grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡°Rangers are out there right now, fighting on their own. They need our help. I need your help, Lyna.¡±

    Then Thandi was at her side, ¡°As do we,¡± she said gently, and took Lyna¡¯s hand in her own. She led her unresisting over to a pile of gear in the corner, and held up a plate carrier. ¡°Let us finish the day¡¯s work, before we can rest.¡±

    Lyna sniffed and nodded, and took the straps in her hands.

    Kayla turned to the others. Their eyes had brightened and narrowed as they prepared to start moving.

    A flash of inspiration dawned in her mind, though it hurt her to contemplate.

    ¡°Rackeye is under attack by terrorists,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s all the world knows. No matter what we do, that¡¯s all they¡¯ll see¡ªas long as we aren¡¯t captured.¡±

    Ray stared at her skeptically. ¡°And you¡¯re okay with that?¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°No. But what choice do we have?¡±

    There was a knock on the door. Kayla opened it to see Gaz, already dressed in tactical gear.

    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re going to decide, you need to do it quickly,¡± he said. ¡°Our group is going over there with or without you. We¡¯ll never get another chance to find Milani. But we need to move before they start landing troops.

    Lyna stepped forward. ¡°Our friend¡¯s body stays here. We will come back to collect her, and if she¡¯s gone, we¡¯ll burn your entire business down.¡±

    The older woman appeared behind Gaz. ¡°I¡¯ll look after her,¡± she promised. ¡°She won¡¯t be disturbed.¡±

    Kayla made eye contact with Ray, and motioned for her to follow.

    Gaz led them to a city map pinned up on the garage wall. He talked them through a route that entered the industrial zone through the train station, and brought them to the main building via a side street.

    ¡°Our watch-teams are confirming that VennZech¡¯s security force is scattered throughout the city,¡± he explained. ¡°Apparently, they moved a bunch of employees to the headquarters in the canyon. They won¡¯t be expecting this, so there shouldn¡¯t be much of a fight.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s gut knotted up. Did that mean Christie? There was only one way to find out.

    ¡°We have some idea of their security systems,¡± Gaz said. ¡°If your team can control whoever¡¯s inside, we¡¯ll disable the alarms.¡±

    ¡°We need to cover our faces,¡± Ray said. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be identified.¡±

    Kayla nodded.

    ¡°And you¡¯ll want to find the most senior employees you can,¡± Sal added. ¡°We¡¯ll need their access to get into their computer system and locate this jamming network.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just hack in?¡± Kayla demanded.

    Sal glanced at her in confusion. ¡°Hack¡­ what? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ignore her,¡± Ray said. ¡°She watches too many movies.¡±

    Once they had managed to scrounge face scarves and balaclavas, the squad started to mount up in the beat-up old vans. Ray grabbed Kayla and pulled her to one side.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Milani?¡± she asked.

    ¡°A kidnapped teenager they¡¯ve been looking for,¡± Kayla said impatiently. Why did this matter?

    ¡°So that¡¯s their agenda? And what if they don¡¯t care how many people they have to kill to find this girl?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been over this,¡± Kayla replied testily. ¡°If we¡¯re terrorists¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to use a cover to break into a building,¡± Ray hissed. ¡°But we have no idea what these people are capable of.¡±

    Kayla stared at her while she tried to think. ¡°It¡¯s not like we have an alternative,¡± she said eventually.

    ¡°Just keep your eye on them, alright? Stay suspicious.¡±

    Kayla blinked and nodded, though she had no idea what Ray was getting at. Saving the task force and rescuing a trafficking victim seemed like a clean win.

    Kayla went to sit up front in the lead van with Gaz. She nodded to him, and he drove them out into the street.

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll find Milani at this place?¡± she asked casually.

    Gaz nodded. ¡°According to our information, yes. And I don¡¯t see why they would have moved her with the other employees.¡±

    ¡°And what if she¡¯s not there?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep following the breadcrumbs.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯m not expecting you to do the same. Your people and your mission come first. I was a Marine; I know how it works.¡±

    Kayla met his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I can,¡± she promised.

    ¡°And if there¡¯s anything I can do to help you save your home, so will I.¡±

    Kayla smiled. Of course she could trust Gaz¡ªthey seemed to agree on most things. Ray was just being overly cautious, which made sense. She obviously didn¡¯t understand how dark and brutal life could be under the League¡¯s boot. Their new allies did.

    Kayla felt a little warmth return as the convoy sped through the city towards their new target.

 Part 3 - Chapter 43

    When he had heard the explosions and gunfire, Weslan immediately contacted the captain of the Augustine to demand that they expedite their troop landings. The man was only too happy to help, racing his warship in system and burning a hard braking maneuver that barely stopped them short of the atmosphere.

    Then, Weslan spent the afternoon coordinating between local police and the regiment¡¯s commanders, designating drop zones and helping them organize the evacuation of civilians from the affected areas of the city.

    Once the authorities seemed to be regaining control, he raced over to VennZech headquarters, and found a chaotic mob crowding the building¡¯s lobby.

    ¡°Madam Divine!¡± he called over the heads of the crowd, ¡°I must speak with Madam Divine!¡±

    ¡°Agent Genny?¡± a security officer called back and waved a hand.

    Weslan pushed his way through the crowd.

    ¡°What is going on here?¡± he demanded to the stressed-looking officer. ¡°All these people crowded into one building? It¡¯s a¡ª¡± he stopped himself, not wanting to scare the attentive employees who surrounded him. ¡°It¡¯s a problem,¡± he said insistently.

    ¡°We know,¡± the officer replied. ¡°Madam Divine was arranging evacuation shuttles to a safe area, but I don¡¯t know where she¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Did you account for all your people at least?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still a few down in the operations office,¡± the man said. He looked pale. ¡°Nobody has seen Director Tensall.¡±

    Weslan grabbed his arm. ¡°If you can¡¯t get in contact with Divine, you need to start moving these people out of here. Put groups in any of the nearby buildings, and if anyone challenges you, tell them this is by order of the Sentinels.¡±

    ¡°What about Tensall?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go down there and figure out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    The grateful officer lent Weslan a vehicle, and he managed to nose his way through the blocked streets. Before long, he found the main roads begin to clear as he approached the areas being emptied or blocked off by police. With a mixture of relief and anxiety, he arrived at the operations office to see it mercifully clear of the usual mass of people.

    He raced inside and an alarmed-looking receptionist looked up to see him.

    ¡°Are you police?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Sentinel agent,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank God! We¡¯ve been trying to get ahold of someone for hours now.¡±

    ¡°Director Tensall?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been trapped in his office,¡± the woman explained in a rush. ¡°Somehow the security system locked him in and then shut itself down. We can¡¯t use the encrypted key and the system rep on the phone has no idea what to do. Honestly, with everything that¡¯s happening, I thought I was going to lose my mind.¡±

    ¡°Okay, please take a breath, ma¡¯am,¡± Weslan said, trying to remove the stress from his own voice. ¡°We have security forces landing very soon and the situation will be brought back under control. All we need to focus on is whether we can get Tensall out, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, okay,¡± the woman said as she kept her eyes fixed on him.

    ¡°I need to know if there is anyone else still stuck in the building.¡±

    ¡°A few employees¡ªthe security cars only took the executives, but someone said they would come back for the rest of us. Most didn¡¯t believe that and left on their own. Only one of our officers stayed behind to look after us¡ªlet me take you to him.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Weslan said.

    They began to move out of the lobby, but as they headed deeper into the building, they heard a crash followed by an outburst of yelling. Weslan grabbed his guide¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Back this way,¡± he said, and reached to his waist to find his gun.

    The door behind them flew open, and a masked figure appeared, aiming a rifle.

    ¡°Down! Get on the floor!¡± a female voice yelled.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Weslan yelled as panic began to fill his mind. He had frozen with his hand on the grip of his pistol, unable to make the decision to act. Part of him was angry and thirsty for revenge, insisting it was time to be a hero. But the training kicked in, and he recognized that he would be shot if he tried anything. Beside him, the receptionist screamed and collapsed to the ground.

    Several figures moved forward quickly, their aim never flinching from his head as they continued to yell at him to get on the floor.

    ¡°I will kill you!¡± the female voice shouted again.

    Weslan lifted his hand away from his belt. It was roughly seized and cuffed to his other hand as he was shoved to the ground. Someone grabbed his pistol, patted him down and removed his phone. Around him, the masked soldiers¡ªor terrorists, he now realized¡ªcontinued down the hallway and through the building. He and the woman were led into a nearby office where other prisoners waited. The stamping of boots passed overhead as their captors moved to the next floor.

    ¡°What do they want from us?¡± another employee asked, his voice quaking.

    ¡°No talking!¡± a female voice rang out from the doorway.

    A muted series of bangs reverberated through the room. Weslan recognized the sound of a gunshot. Had someone tried to resist? An eerie quiet followed, until more cuffed employees were shoved into the room at gunpoint.

    Eventually, the woman who had threatened to kill them returned and strode over to him. She searched his jacket and pulled out his Sentinel ID, examined it carefully, then tossed it back in his lap.

    ¡°I always knew you were a true Helvet, Weslan Genny,¡± she said. ¡°Loyal to the empire.¡±

    ¡°Do I know you?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Nope, but I know you.¡± She kept her rifle clutched to her chest, though her finger didn¡¯t go near the trigger.

    ¡°Is that how much the Sentinels scare you?¡± Weslan demanded. ¡°Even a rookie needs to be watched?¡±

    The woman shrugged. Her eyes seemed to be smiling behind her mask.

    Weslan swallowed as more training started to kick in. Try to get them talking. ¡°What do you want with us?¡± he snapped. ¡°The League doesn¡¯t negotiate with terrorists, so you can forget getting any demands fulfilled.¡±

    The woman shook her head. ¡°Oh, come on, Wes, the first thing they should have taught you is not to antagonize your captors.¡±

    Weslan paused. The voice seemed like it was familiar, but his mind struggled to make the connection. He got only a headache and confusion for his effort, gave up, and settled for anger instead.

    ¡°Am I supposed to play nice after you¡¯ve murdered all those people?¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t murdered anyone. VennZech are the ones guilty of terrorism.¡±

    Weslan scoffed. ¡°Oh sure. How¡¯s that then? They take Calderan jobs and that¡¯s equivalent or something? You people are as ridiculous as you are monstrous. And what where those gunshots earlier?¡±

    ¡°None of your business,¡± the woman said. ¡°Where¡¯s Divine?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡±

    ¡°She left you all didn¡¯t she? Ran off somewhere without a trace, while people were dying?¡±

    ¡°She¡ª¡± Weslan bit back his words. No need to give them any more information. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to save people from the madness you have brought to this city.¡±

    The woman knelt in front of him, and her voice remained as maddeningly calm as ever. ¡°Well, people are in danger right here. So where is she?¡±

    ¡°The Headquarters building, obviously,¡± Weslan spat. ¡°Where else would she be in a crisis?¡±

    ¡°No, she isn¡¯t,¡± another voice said.

    Weslan looked over to see a suited employee looking as angry as he was terrified. He tried to glare the man into silence, but was ignored.

    ¡°Her and a small group took off in shuttles headed out of the city,¡± the employee said. ¡°Nobody knows where.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± asked the woman.

    ¡°My friend works over there. He¡¯s been keeping me up to date.¡±

    ¡°You in IT?¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°How did you guess?¡±

    ¡°I just have these hunches about people. What do you know about Divine?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice began to steady. ¡°Not much, but there¡¯s a lot of talk. Everyone knows she¡¯s a nasty piece of work. She has some kind of weird agenda with logistics that nobody has been able to figure out, and the bosses off-world are afraid of her. I have no idea where she would go outside of the city, but I don¡¯t think she gives a damn about any of this, frankly.¡±

    Weslan reddened. ¡°Madam Divine has been working tirelessly with our agents¡ª¡±

    ¡°Will you shut the hell up?¡± the woman snapped. ¡°Madam Divine? Get a spine already.¡±

    She rose to her feet as another terrorist entered the room and whispered in her ear.

    She turned back to the prisoners. ¡°Ladies and Gents, we are not here to make demands or hurt anyone. We want something from VennZech, and once we have it, we will be on our way. If you stay quiet and behave, you will spend the next few hours in this room, until the police come to search the building and set you free. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.¡±

    Then she turned and walked out of the room.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Kayla asked as she entered the reception, where Sal was working on the computer.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need someone¡¯s ident to get into the master files,¡± he announced. ¡°The highest level you can find.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°I will enquire with my new friends.¡±

    Gaz nodded to her. ¡°That shooting earlier?¡± he said with a concerned expression.

    Kayla returned his gaze blankly. ¡°Some security officer tried to be a hero. I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not criticizing, I just want to be aware.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be back with your guy.¡±

    As she returned to the prisoners, she found herself picturing the face of the guard as he had pulled his weapon, while her finger tightened on the trigger. Ray and Tian had been behind her. A stray bullet could easily have killed any of them, and the man had been a fool to try anything alone. But he was just a guy who thought he was doing his job, and that had left a nasty taste in her mouth. Even her customary anger for Helvets had dissipated.

    It had been a necessary evil. One of many that Rayker had forced on all of them.

    She knocked on the prisoner room door and an anxious looking Jess opened it. Guarding captured civilians was obviously way outside of her comfort zone. Kayla made a mental note to switch her with Ray as soon as she got back from clearing the rest of the building.

    ¡°IT Guy?¡± she said to the man in the corner.

    He looked up, suddenly alarmed.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Leod.¡±

    ¡°Leod, I¡¯m afraid we need your help with something. Would you please join me?¡±

    He stared back at her, obviously desperate for an excuse to refuse.

 Part 3 - Chapter 44

    ¡°Take me instead,¡± Weslan said angrily, his irritating red face flushed with righteous zeal. ¡°Leave them alone.¡±

    Kayla sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t need you for anything. I need an IT guy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more valuable to you. They¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wes, shut up! Not everything is about you, okay? Leod, I can be polite, or I can be impolite. Your decision.¡±

    Leod rose on shaking knees and approached slowly. Kayla led him outside, and once the door was shut, took his ident and checked it carefully. She cut his cuffs and began to explain.

    ¡°Director Tensall is locked in his office,¡± she said. ¡°We want access to your security system so we can figure out how to get him out of there.¡±

    He stared anxiously at her. ¡°What¡­ er¡­ what do you need him for?¡±

    ¡°Because he knows where Divine has gone, and we want her. And someone else he knows.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ are you sure?¡±

    Kayla nodded and tried to sound reassuring. ¡°Absolutely. We won¡¯t hurt him at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, God.¡±

    ¡°Listen man, I know this sucks, but it¡¯s not about you, or anyone else back in that room. Divine is responsible for everything that happened today, and she needs to be stopped. You might not believe me, but, you know, I am in charge.¡±

    He relaxed a little. ¡°I know. I don¡¯t want any trouble. I don¡¯t exactly love this corporation, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But you think I¡¯m lying and maybe I just want to kill everyone because I¡¯m a psycho?¡±

    Leod shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not being complicit if someone threatens to kill you. Anything you¡¯re forced to do is not your fault.¡±

    ¡°You obviously don¡¯t know VennZech that well.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Yeah, you have me there. What a bunch of A-holes.¡±

    Leod smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t seem that bad. Maybe you can let me wipe the logs when we¡¯re done, and it won¡¯t be a big deal?¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡±

    Gaz looked up when the man entered the lobby. Kayla was surprised to see that both he and Sal had removed their masks, along with the rest of their crew, who had returned from clearing the building. Off to one side, Ray waited for her with the others.

    ¡°Guys, meet Leod,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Leod is an IT director, and will hopefully have the access you need.¡±

    Gaz extended a hand. ¡°Leod, my name is Gareth Slake. You may or may not recognize the name. You might know our organization; Eagle Rescue Services.¡±

    Leod shook his head.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Gaz said, unperturbed. ¡°We rescue trafficked victims from their captors.¡± He withdrew a photo from his jacket and handed it to the man. ¡°This is Milani; sixteen years old. Director Tensall has been holding her against her will, and we want to get her back.¡±

    Leod glanced at Kayla. ¡°She promised you wouldn¡¯t hurt him.¡±

    Gaz nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve uncovered our faces so the world can see who we are. We¡¯re not ashamed of anything. All Tensall needs to do is tell us how to find Milani, and Divine, and he¡¯ll be free to go.¡±

    Leod nodded. ¡°I guess I should admit that we all kind of knew what he was up to. It¡¯s disgusting, but you know there¡¯s nothing anyone can do about the way of the world.¡± He looked up angrily. ¡°Or does that make me your enemy too?¡±

    Gaz¡¯s smile was warm and forgiving. ¡°The difference is, right now, you can do something about it.¡±

    Leod shrugged and moved over to the computer.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been at this all day,¡± he said. ¡°Nobody can figure out a way to unlock the security system.¡±

    ¡°We have power tools and explosives,¡± Gaz said. ¡°If we can find a weak point in the structure, we can break through. But first, we have another problem. There is a network of transmitters broadcasting a signal wave throughout the city.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that. It¡¯s probably a classified project.¡±

    ¡°Would you be able to shut it down anyway? Do a little IT magic?¡±

    Leod thought for a moment. ¡°If it¡¯s running from our master server, then probably, yes.¡±

    As he worked, Kayla checked in with the squad, and they arranged a plan to watch the streets outside. Ray was sent off to replace Jess, while the others went to take up observation positions, as the Marines patrolled the building in pairs. With that taken care of, Kayla returned to the front desk with her heart in her throat.

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    ¡°Okay,¡± Leod said as he finished tapping. ¡°That killed it.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s hand shot to her radio control.

    ¡°Any call-signs, this is Viper 2-1, do you read me?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Thandi¡¯s voice said in her ear. ¡°I can hear you in my earpiece. It¡¯s working!¡±

    Kayla repeated the call, and for a few minutes heard nothing. Then there was a hiss and crackle.

    ¡°Viper 2-1, this is Banshee, we read you, over.¡±

    She yelped, and her hand flew to her mouth. Once she composed herself, she responded, ¡°Banshee, stand by for sitrep.¡±

    ¡°With bated breath, Viper.¡±

    She raced into an empty office, and began to recount everything that had happened over the previous few hours. As soon as she paused to collect her thoughts, another voice broke out onto the net.

    ¡°This is Tiger six. Put that sitrep on hold, break. Every call-sign on this net, check in immediately.¡±

    The calls came quickly¡ªan uninterruptable choir of voices. Kayla silenced her radio and began to cry.

    The radio traffic soon transformed from a jumble of chaos into an organized pattern, as teams gave their status, and began to co-ordinate how to find each other. Soon, a voice Kayla had been waiting desperately to hear chimed in.

    ¡°Viper 2-1, Viper 2 actual. Move to platoon comms.¡±

    Kayla made the switch.

    ¡°Viper 2 actual,¡± she said, dreading the moment. ¡°This is Viper 2-1, awaiting traffic.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your sitrep?¡±

    For a moment, Kayla almost struggled to speak. ¡°2-1 actual is KIA,¡± she managed eventually. ¡°We are seven vipers, located in the VennZech operations office. Situation secure.¡±

    There was a pause. ¡°It was you who cut out the jamming?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s affirmative. We have made contact with local assets and are effectuating a plan to track Rayker¡¯s location.¡±

    ¡°Outstanding work, 2-1. We¡¯re trying to link up our platoon, but I want you to hold your position. Continue as planned and check back in within the hour, out.¡±

    ¡°Copy that, out.¡±

    Kayla punched the air, then switched back to squad comms. ¡°It¡¯s okay girls, we¡¯re back in business.¡±

    The dreaded casualty calls soon came through. At least seven were dead in total, although all the task force¡¯s objectives had been neutralized. Kayla wondered what acts of desperation and heroism had played out across the city, never to be known by the world they were trying to save.

    Finally, the worst of the news was delivered. Christie was missing, as were a squad from the company¡¯s weapons platoon. Hot lead settled in Kayla¡¯s stomach as she contemplated the possibilities. Were they dead? Captured? Would Rayker torture them? Would she ever see her friend again, or would she become another sapling in the ground, a testament to Kayla¡¯s failure to protect those she loved?

    Though the mission was complete, and the Raiders and ODTs were working miracles pulling the scattered Rangers out of danger, Kayla hoped in her heart that the battle was far from over.

    She tried to remain positive as she returned to the main lobby.

    Gaz looked up from the computer. ¡°Did you find your friend?¡± he asked.

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°I think Rayker took her. Wherever the hell she went.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Tensall will know something about that,¡± Gaz said with an encouraging smile.

    ¡°These ducts under the floor are a weakspot,¡± Sal said as he pointed to a map on the screen. We can maybe cut through there.¡±

    ¡°Is he likely to have a weapon in there with him?¡± Gaz asked.

    Leod chuckled. He seemed to be more relaxed. ¡°We uh¡­ don¡¯t allow guns in the building¡ªapart from security. And an executive? No way¡ªTensall is a soft bully, if you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Sure do,¡± Gaz said.

    He spoke into his radio, and a few of his men raced for the vehicles outside.

    Leod started when he saw Kayla. ¡°Why are you still wearing a mask? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the good guys?¡±

    She paused as she searched for a believable response. ¡°Because we¡¯re Calderans. If we¡¯re identified it will create blowback on the colony.¡±

    Leod nodded skeptically. ¡°And you were just chatting with your small army of resistance fighters, or what?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t attack the city,¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you. Do you think you can access the surveillance systems?¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± Gaz said. ¡°It would be nice to keep an eye on the troop landings. It won¡¯t take too long before people start showing up here.¡±

    ¡°Then what happens?¡± Leod asked nervously.

    ¡°Hopefully we¡¯ll be long gone by then,¡± Gaz said.

    ¡°And if you aren¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°If we aren¡¯t,¡± Kayla cut in, ¡°then we will definitely need as much situational awareness as we can get to plan an exit.¡±

    Leod nodded, and turned back to the computer. ¡°I was keeping an eye on their feeds when things were going down earlier. Didn¡¯t trust the company alerts that told us everything was under control.¡±

    Kayla felt her hopes rising. ¡°And did you happen to see any giant robots walking around blowing shit up?¡±

    Leod looked up. ¡°Yeah, a bunch of cameras caught them. What the hell was that?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re an experimental VennZech weapon. Ray¡ªI mean Divine used them to attack civilians. Did you see¡­ people fighting back?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I thought they were cops, though.¡±

    ¡°That was my band of freedom fighters. We were trying to protect the city.¡±

    Leod nodded slowly. ¡°I think I believe you. We¡ªthe smart ones¡ªalways knew the terrorist angle was overexaggerated. Especially with the company¡¯s connection to the cartel.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s thoughts raced and she almost jumped on the spot. ¡°Do you think you could cut together some of that footage while we¡¯re waiting?¡±

    ¡°I probably could. But why?¡±

    ¡°The news feeds cut all clips of the mechs. They¡¯re using the attack to justify a Helvet takeover of the whole planet.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well that¡¯s insane,¡± he said again, though he looked puzzled. ¡°But what good is a couple of video clips going to do?¡±

    Kayla suddenly realized that all three men were looking at her blankly. ¡°I want to show people the truth,¡± she said slowly.

    ¡°Who?¡± Gaz asked.

    There was a long pause while Kayla tried to figure out what was happening. ¡°Everyone?¡± she tried.

    Leod shook his head. ¡°Okay, I understand. You¡¯re a colonist¡ªyou don¡¯t really get how it works.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°League citizens can¡¯t watch unapproved news sources. Only tech-savvy underground guys know how to access the dark feeds. And information doesn¡¯t leave that circle, because nobody wants to be betrayed to the authorities. Nobody would believe us anyway. The League has the monopoly on truth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an underground guy?¡± Sal said with a grin.

    Leod blushed. ¡°Sometimes. I¡¯m not hardcore or anything.¡± He caught sight of Kayla¡¯s confused expression. ¡°Look, I can send this footage out to my circle, and I¡¯m sure it will get some traction, but the rest of the world will only know whatever the League wants them to know. That¡¯s how it works.¡±

    Kayla felt embarrassed, depressed, and furious at the same time. ¡°But¡­why did you guys take your masks off?¡± she asked Gaz.

    ¡°For VennZech¡¯s benefit,¡± he said. ¡°We want them to know we¡¯re not afraid of them, and that we won¡¯t stop hunting anyone who traffics children. But we¡¯ve been at this a few years and there¡¯s no chance we can get the outside world to care. I tried everything.¡±

    ¡°I guess the colonies talk about whatever they want,¡± Leod said. ¡°Some of my uh¡­ contacts always said things were better on the other side of the fence.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°And when someone breaks the law, everyone finds out about it.¡±

    Leod smiled. ¡°It sounds nice, but the League always wins in the end.¡± His voice carried a slightly condescending tone.

    Heat rushed through Kayla¡¯s body. The pressure of the day was beginning to weigh on her, and she felt herself losing control.

    ¡°Come get me when you¡¯ve broken Tensall out,¡± she said coldly, and stalked off to lose herself somewhere in the building.

 Part 3 - Chapter 45

    Christie came to on a shuttle and discovered, when she tried to move, that her arms were cuffed behind her back with something heavy and uncomfortable. Out of a nearby cabin window distant hills passed far below them. When she looked around, she saw, with shock, that she was sitting next to Byoran, though he avoided looking at her.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she tried, but got no response.

    Further down the small cabin, Rayker was discussing something with a senior VennZech scientist. He appeared to find the subject very exciting.

    With nobody to talk to, Christie contented herself with looking out the window, and did her best to memorize the endless patterns of hills and rivers. The shuttle eventually started a descent, and came to rest on a spur alongside a large mountain, one side of which appeared to be a sheer cliff face. Other shuttles had landed ahead of them, and people were already moving along the grassy slope, heading for the summit.

    When the shuttle¡¯s door opened, Byoran grabbed her by the arm and shoved her roughly forward down the aisle.

    ¡°Oh, steady on¡ª¡± she complained.

    ¡°Keep your mouth shut,¡± he snapped.

    She was marched off the shuttle and stopped near the group with Rayker, as they discussed the terrain around them. When they had finished, men and women unloaded backpacks from the shuttle, and they set off. It wasn¡¯t a difficult walk, but Christie soon realized that the slope of the mountainside resembled one half of a bowl, and she could see every inch of it. Ahead of her, a man was carrying a scoped rifle. Wherever they were going, they would have no problem defending the place.

    Eventually, Rayker dropped back to walk alongside her.

    ¡°Did you expect this?¡± she asked, almost childishly. ¡°You didn¡¯t, did you? You don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going.¡±

    Frightened, hurt, and desperately worried for Kayla and the other Valkyrie, Christie had no idea what to make of her situation. But Rayker seemed happy to talk to her, and information was her strongest weapon. A friendly demeanor was obviously called for.

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Christie announced with confidence. ¡°We¡¯re going to your mountain lair, to a cave that is, I have no doubt, shaped like a skull. Inside there will be some sort of terrible world ending machine guarded by tigers with laser beams, whilst you sit us around a large table and explain your devious plans. You will obviously want to steeple your fingers and cackle maniacally while you do so, for the look of the thing.¡±

    Rayker laughed. ¡°Tigers? With laser beams?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very a la mode for evil villains.¡±

    ¡°Byoran, did you hear that?¡± Rayker asked. ¡°Make a note please, I must have some of these creatures delivered.¡±

    Byoran remained stone-faced.

    ¡°He¡¯s very upset,¡± Rayker whispered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t like to be tricked by women.¡±

    ¡°Well, who does?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re wrong on a number of points,¡± Rayker said airily. ¡°I have no idea how the entrance is shaped, but I will be very much surprised if it has the form of a skull. The Jotnar were not known for such garish decoration. As for the rest, I have no idea what is inside¡ªI have never been before.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Christie said. ¡°In that case, I can only conclude from your helpful clue that we are going to the Omega site; that is, the one site on the Calderan teleportation network that nobody was able to access.¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Rayker said with a smile. ¡°And we shall explore it together, and discover once and for all what they intended for this world.¡±

    Christie looked at her with a curious expression. ¡°Or still intend?¡±

    ¡°Oh no¡ªmy benefactor is not a Jotnar. No, he only served them. Of course, they don¡¯t exist anymore. They were wiped out.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Christie said disappointedly. ¡°And there I was hoping to meet one of them.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, they weren¡¯t particularly interesting.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d mind unfastening my cuffs? My wrists are getting sore.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Rayker said bluntly. ¡°I can handle you, but my men have no idea how strong you are. Don¡¯t be petulant; you¡¯ll heal easily.¡±

    Christie sighed. ¡°Very well. Perhaps you can help me on a subject of historical enquiry?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not an expert, but I saw plenty of it.¡±

    ¡°Me and my friends had this running discussion about whether the Jotnar were interfering in human history. What with Plato, and Rome, and so on.¡±

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    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Rayker nodded happily. ¡°That was my benefactor. I was involved in some places, but he had many agents at his disposal.¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°Though, often a booming voice from the heavens, or in their dreams would do the trick. But, as I said, he¡¯s not a Jotnar.¡±

    Christie raised an eyebrow. ¡°A power crazed immortal, then, like yourself?¡±

    ¡°My dear woman,¡± Rayker said in exasperation. ¡°I am not remotely interested in power. Who wants that responsibility? It¡¯s so much work, and you need to pay attention to so many details.¡±

    ¡°But your prior activities on Caldera¡­¡±

    ¡°I am just a servant, and that was part of our new strategy. The League has grown so brittle and narcissistic, don¡¯t you think? Stirling, isn¡¯t it, your real name?¡±

    Christie nodded, but didn¡¯t take the bait. Rayker could easily have identified her without knowing a thing about Valkyrie. ¡°It is true my family experienced the darker side of League politics,¡± she said. Though I fail to see how hulking monstrosities would be much of an improvement.¡±

    Rayker waved a hand. ¡°Only temporary¡ªjust until the military was brought under control.¡±

    ¡°But heavy-handed control, nonetheless?¡±

    ¡°Well, you can hardly change human nature. People can¡¯t be free¡ªlook at the awful things they do to each other. Don¡¯t they discuss that in your gang? Your secret girl club?¡±

    ¡°Humanity¡¯s faults might rather be seen as a product of too much authority,¡± Christie replied.

    Rayker glanced at her with a sly expression. ¡°Now, dear, don¡¯t be a drag. Share and share alike.¡±

    Christie shrugged. ¡°Shan¡¯t. Won¡¯t. If my arms were free, I would cross them while I pouted.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Rayker said, her voice a little colder. ¡°But I think you¡¯ll come around once you see what¡¯s inside this place. It will be impressive, that I can promise. I studied the energy systems whilst I had the valley site; something phenomenal has been installed here. And believe me when I say that the Jotnar were capable of absolutely phenomenal things.¡±

    ¡°Some terrifying weapons, too.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Well, yes but so is every advanced society. Why is that relevant?¡±

    Christie hesitated. She was getting way out of her depth, but she had no choice but to continue. ¡°They were destroyed by war,¡± she said. ¡°Perhaps their last act was to build some kind of super weapon?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Rayker said. ¡°The war was started by your group¡¯s founder. They themselves lived relatively civilized lives, until we destroyed them all.¡±

    Christie stopped as an icy dagger stabbed into her gut. Rayker had admitted to her part in genocide so easily. Maintaining her composure, she said, ¡°hold on. Why would their servants kill them all?¡±

    Rayker studied her, then laughed again. ¡°They really didn¡¯t tell you anything, did they? And that was so typical of my sister. She was as good at manipulating people as I am.¡±

    Christie managed a faint smile. ¡°No physical resemblance, though, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Not after they crafted our appearance, no.¡± Rayker looked around. ¡°Oh, it looks like we¡¯ve nearly arrived. Come on then.¡±

    Christie took a deep breath, and continued up the slope while her mind raged with questions. Beside her, Byoran was staring at Rayker with an alarmed expression on his face.

    VennZech¡¯s security guards made entrance through a small, concealed doorway in the hillside while a crowd of scientists and engineers waited anxiously.

    Off to one side, Christie saw another grim-faced man holding the hand of a frightened looking dark-skinned teenager. It had to be the girl the investigators were searching for. But why was she here?

    Before they went further, Rayker pulled Byoran aside.

    ¡°They may try to take this position, despite the troop landings. I want a full defensive line along the top of the slope.¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± he said.

    Rayker glanced at Christie and smiled. ¡°And be sure to inform your men, that our guest is not allowed near the entrance. She is to be shot dead on sight, without hesitation. They must not allow her to speak, or try to explain anything.¡±

    Byoran¡¯s hand reached for his sidearm. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t mean right now?¡±

    Rayker patted his arm. ¡°Grow up, please. You are hardly the first man to allow a woman to make a fool of him.¡±

    She grabbed Christie¡¯s arm and pulled her deeper inside the complex, where she stopped to release her cuffs.

    ¡°There, you go,¡± Rayker said. ¡°Now you have the use of your arms, and I don¡¯t have to worry about you trying to escape.¡±

    ¡°I am much obliged,¡± Christie said, ¡°though I¡¯m not sure what I would find so alluring about the hills outside, when there is so much down here to explore.¡±

    Rayker¡¯s eyes sparked with excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    She strode off into the base, and Christie hurried to keep up with her. As they moved, lights activated ahead of them. Whenever they stopped at a junction in the maze of corridors, Rayker studied several glyphs, then took off in the new direction. Soon they reached an elevator with no controls which took them deeper underground. There was no indication how far, and even Rayker seemed to be scanning around for clues.

    Christie¡¯s emotions swirled with turbulence. She was desperate to know what had happened to the Valkyrie in the city, and if there was anything at all she could do to help them. That desire was almost as strong as her curiosity to learn more about what secrets the new base was hiding¡ªno doubt the purpose of the entire installation on Caldera.

    After the elevator, they soon reached what appeared to be a large control room, where a huge window looked out onto a cavern of immense proportions. At the center, a cubic structure the size of a city block dominated the space. It wasn¡¯t a solid construction, and appeared to be made from a complex pattern of interlocking planes, through which flowed a variety of pipes and sheaves of cables.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Rayker said as she folded her arms. ¡°What do you say to that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d want to suggest it was a computer of some kind,¡± Christie offered. ¡°Though I am far from any kind of expert.¡±

    Rayker glanced at her curiously.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s built to maximize surface area, without any large-scale mechanisms,¡± Christie explained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what else would fit that kind of form.¡±

    Rayker drew herself up to a console and cracked her knuckles. ¡°Let¡¯s take a closer look.¡±

    After a few minutes of tapping, accompanied by the odd chuckle and reflective ¡®hmm¡¯, she looked up.

    ¡°You were half-right. It is a computer. But it is also managing several million singularity-based connections that are feeding it data from remote sources.¡±

    Christie raised her eyebrows. ¡°What kind of data?¡±

    Rayker pushed her chair back from the console and beckoned to her. Crushing her fear, Christie strode over and leaned down to peer at the screen. Scrolling past at incredible speed were a variety of feeds from the cluster net. Videos, articles, talk shows and ridiculous animations streamed past as they watched.

    ¡°Gosh, it even has internet?¡± she remarked. ¡°Computers can do everything these days.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 46

    Rayker smirked. ¡°It is tapping into satellites spread throughout human space. Apparently, it has the means to identify key nodes in our communication network as they evolve, and establish permanent access. And don¡¯t ask me how, because I have no idea.¡±

    Christie cocked her head. ¡°Is it some sort of AI, planning our downfall?¡±

    Rayker snorted with laughter. ¡°In their dreams. The Jotnar never let them get that ambitious. However, the machine is certainly doing more than storing all this data.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s looking for the meaning of life? The answer is 42, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I am sure we will spend the next few months finding out. Undisturbed by the rest of your friends, of course.¡±

    ¡°And by the League as well?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd. I have those bureaucratic morons wrapped around my finger. Why else do you think I set up the invasion? With them in control of Caldera I can do whatever I want on this planet. Your band of plucky amazons can do little else but sit in the other bases and stew. Until Helvet forces go to call on them, that is.¡±

    Christie didn¡¯t respond. Rayker turned to her with a gleam in her eye.

    ¡°Your friends really aren¡¯t that much of a concern to me,¡± she continued. ¡°You might as well tell me all about them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have that many friends, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°What matters to me,¡± Rayker said, ignoring her, ¡°is that this whole human problem gets sorted out once and for all. My benefactor was happy to indulge my own humble attempt, but it appears your warriors were too much for us. Alas, I am not a general, nor have I ever pretended to be. Now he is back to feeding me breadcrumbs on his new scheme. Hardly ever tells me anything, you see.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose he has a name, this shadowy figure?¡±

    Rayker thought for a moment. ¡°He likes to be known as the Interregnum,¡± she said.

    ¡°Awaiting a worthy successor to the Jotnar¡¯s legacy, no doubt?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the big puzzle.¡± Rayker stood up and walked to the window to stare out at the cavern beyond. ¡°How do you make humans act like intelligent beings, and stop constantly destroying each other?¡±

    ¡°Have you tried killing the disobedient?¡± Christie offered, trying to keep her sarcastic tone to the minimum level. ¡°Oh no, wait, that rather seems to perpetuate the cycle, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°War, crime, violence, all the terrors of our species continue unchecked until we can figure out how to make civilization work. They tried for so long, the Elders, you see. The Interregnum led their most ambitious efforts, but all failed. Our kind simply won¡¯t see reason. Anyway, I have no idea which Elder my sister allied with, but they are certainly hatching their own strategy.¡±

    ¡°This would be after she fought against you?¡± Christie asked.

    Rayker turned back to her with a suspicious look. ¡°I can well believe you don¡¯t actually know any of this history. She was worse at leadership than I am. Fortunately for me, men are happy to follow talented killers who can at least pay them well, and I keep my operations relatively small-scale. In any case, you do serve an Elder, or you wouldn¡¯t be walking around with nanite enhancements. It would be most helpful to us if we could find out who, and to what end. If you¡¯re going to insist on interfering with our work, we will have to know why.¡±

    Christie felt a rush of adrenaline as she ignored Rayker¡¯s question. ¡°If the Interregnum is an Elder, as you say, shouldn¡¯t he already know what the others are doing?¡±

    ¡°Of course not; the others are free to do as they please so long as they don¡¯t infringe the accord.¡±

    ¡°The accord?¡±

    ¡°No direct involvement in human affairs by any of the powers.¡±

    Christie¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°But¡­ what you are doing now¡­¡±

    Rayker¡¯s expression turned to one of borderline contempt. ¡°No, of course not, darling, do try to keep up. The Interregnum only wants to make sure that Caldera remains under his control. He most certainly isn¡¯t about to hand the installation over to the League. Once we¡¯ve ferreted out your lot I will keep things under wraps for the foreseeable future, until whatever scheme he is pursuing bears fruit.¡±

    Christie felt compelled to point out that Rayker¡¯s recent actions on Caldera sounded exactly like a breach in whatever agreement her benefactor was pretending to uphold. She felt a very strong urge to share the truth about Valkyrie. Their agendas appeared to be similar; keep Jotnar technology away from human hands. Maybe Rayker could be convinced that they weren¡¯t a threat, and let them leave the planet? But, whereas her own leaders insisted on ethical behavior and a strict code of silence, Rayker seemed happy to bend or break her boundaries whenever she felt like it.

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    Of course, the woman was also a skilled manipulator, and in complete control of all Christie¡¯s assumptions. She had to keep her secrets to herself. The only question was how long could she keep her enemy talking, and how long until Rayker snapped and killed her?

    ¡°It¡¯s so unfortunate,¡± she said carefully, ¡°that the colonists of Caldera have to suffer from all this¡­ political maneuvering.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Rayker said in an annoyed tone. ¡°Who cares about them? Just another of hundreds of similar groups so na?ve as to believe the universe cares about their pathetic free will. You¡¯ll really have to grow a thicker skin if you want to be involved in this game, sweety.¡±

    Anger overwhelmed Christie¡¯s sense of caution. ¡°And how thick will my skin need to be to accept the presence of that young girl, Milani?¡± she asked sharply.

    A flicker of a snarl passed across Rayker¡¯s lips, and she turned away. For a long moment she didn¡¯t say anything, then almost growled a response. ¡°Not up to me. Tensall was necessary¡ªhe kept his people in line.¡±

    A spark of hope glowed in Christie¡¯s mind. ¡°I don¡¯t recall seeing him¡ª¡±

    Rayker shrugged. ¡°His evac team didn¡¯t show up. Nobody was able to make contact.¡±

    She rounded on Christie with a suddenly bright smile, as though all unpleasantness had been banished from the world. ¡°The girl is young and healthy¡ªwe will find her something useful to do. She¡¯ll have all the fun in the world learning about this place.¡±

    The statement was made with irresistible confidence, and Christie decided not to push.

    ¡°Well then,¡± she said, running out of options. ¡°I suppose my only remaining objection is your desire to hand the human species over to a bunch of aliens, however admirable they may have been.¡±

    Rayker crossed her arms and gave Christie a look of complete astonishment. ¡°What aliens? What are you talking about?¡±

    Christie¡¯s mind shuddered as her thoughts skidded off the track. ¡°The¡­ Jotnar?¡±

    Rayker shook her head, as though to dislodge a fly. Her jaw hung open for only a second before it snapped shut. ¡°Right¡­ I can see the situation is even worse than I thought. Not only do they keep you in ignorance of history, but obviously they outright lie to you. No, we can¡¯t have any more of this.¡±

    She snapped her fingers. At the far end of the control room a guard appeared, still breathing heavily from his efforts to track them down, turned and left.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rayker said coldly. ¡°I had thought your master or masters were at least trying to be constructive. I now see that they have nothing but bad intent for the future of our civilization.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡± Christie tried.

    ¡°Enough. No more games. You¡¯ll have to talk, or I will hurt you. I will explain, however, so you can at least make an informed decision. The Jotnar were human¡ªa powerful and technologically advanced society, whose corruption and hubris ultimately brought them down. There was war, the entire civilization collapsed, and the Elders put a reset plan into motion. They wanted to salvage us; you see. That was why I was created.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean born?¡± Christie said quickly, desperate to reach any last shred of humanity in the dangerous woman.

    Rayker narrowed her eyes. ¡°I am over five thousand years old, young lady, do not think you can put one over on me. And do not interrupt me again, or I will snap your fingers.¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°Actually, now I think back, there were other beings from the wider galaxy. Long before my time though. In any case, I have no idea what happened to them¡ªthey probably sealed off this area of space once they saw who we really were.¡±

    Christie closed her eyes. What was true, and what was false? It was too much to process. She was now drowning in deep water, without any hope of rescue. There was nothing else to do but resist until she died. And if, by the slightest possibility, she ever got back to Valkyrie, she would certainly make her leaders wish that she had.

    ¡°You will have this moment to think,¡± Rayker continued. ¡°Nobody is coming to save you. Even if your group is willing to go to war with the League, which I highly doubt, it will be a very long time before they find you here. A very long time before I give you the death you will be begging for.¡±

    Christie wanted to vomit. Rayker was obviously capable of doing horrific things to her, and would know exactly how far her nanite¡¯s healing powers could be pushed. Her knees felt weak, and for a moment she wondered if she really could just give in. The resistance training hadn¡¯t been too bad, but it was only a game, run by women invested in her success. And the organization had lied to them all, there could be no doubt.

    But what was the organization? A group of immortal old trouts who were at least a century behind actual events? Or was it Kayla, Thandi, and the squad of carefree Rangers she had spent the night with? What about Zhang, and Effy? They at least deserved a chance to get away from this nightmare. Christie clenched her fist. She had to give the others every moment she could, before she broke. Just as Rose had done for her.

    There was a scuffle at the control room¡¯s entrance. The guard had returned with friends, and they were pushing a woman ahead of them, handcuffed just as Christie had been. She was dressed in tactical gear, and covered in blood, burns, and dirt.

    Someone from the Task Force, though Christie didn¡¯t recognize her. She wanted to cry, because there was only one way this moment could end. Instead, she turned back to Rayker with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°I have taken many prisoners,¡± Rayker said calmly. ¡°I will torture and kill all of them until someone talks. And you will talk¡ªit is a biological necessity. The mind can only take so much pain before it loses control.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Christie said, with a mercifully steady voice, ¡°that you think you can intimidate me with some cartel trash you pulled off the street?¡±

    Rayker moved closer to her, and stared her in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re young, and inexperienced. You aren¡¯t smart enough, or strong enough to challenge me. Save the lives of your friends. Save your own life. Help me to put humanity back on the right track. It¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±

    At that moment, Christie knew how stupid she really was. There was no trick she could play, no clever retort that would make Rayker stop. A lifetime of study and reflection had nothing to offer. Her only certainty was that her enemy was evil and must be resisted no matter what it cost.

    She shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    With a nod, the Valkyrie was shoved down onto her knees. Rayker moved behind her and reached an arm out to the prisoner¡¯s back.

    Christie met the eyes of her unknown comrade. She saw rage, acceptance, and the courage she wished she could feel.

    There was a loud crack, and a bone spike bounced off the floor, spinning away into a dark corner. The Valkyrie¡¯s body slumped forward, never to move again.

    But her spirit would, Christie resolved, as she met Rayker¡¯s soulless gaze with one of her own. It would go as far as she could carry it.

 Part 3 - Chapter 47

    Senior Agent Manion Whist knew that something was wrong as soon as he laid eyes on the operations office. He was a good distance away, lying on his belly as he peered over the embankment of the freeway that ran past the complex. The shaking pocket monocular pressed up against his eye allowed him to identify the VennZech car that Weslan had taken parked outside the main entrance. Waiting next to it were three nondescript vans, with another sitting by one of the side entrances. In the lobby, Whist could just make out a small group of men in tactical gear crowded around the reception desk. Occasionally, figures with weapons walked past the glass walls of stairways or elevator shafts.

    Unfortunately, according to VennZech¡¯s security desk, they only had one guard on duty there, and he wasn¡¯t responding to calls.

    Whist¡¯s insides twisted like snakes as the combination of the previous night¡¯s drinking session, and naked fear, vied for control.

    It had been a difficult morning. Like most others, he had woken in a state of inebriation and crawled out of his squalid apartment in order to reach the Sentinel office in a manner approximately related to punctual.

    Weslan had ignored him as he had settled down to a day of blessedly mind-numbing paperwork, and that had made the veteran detective very happy. The spoiled, obnoxious young man was too feverish with zeal and arrogance, and often insisted on renewed attempts to reignite Whist¡¯s belief in the greatness of the League. Such conversations were entirely nauseating, and usually left him with both a headache and a thirst for something strong.

    But that day, Weslan had left the office before lunchtime, rambling about security preparations for the expected arrival of the Barrochian army regiment. Whist wanted nothing to do with the affair, and had decided to separate himself from it after the loud and endless row that had followed his learning about how Weslan had gone over his head. Insults to professionalism, career potential and personal integrity slid off the boy¡¯s back as he stormed out of Whist¡¯s office, leaving the senior agent to stew in his own helpless rage.

    That had been several days ago, during which he had spent many hours grieving for yet another promising colony that the League was going to destroy under his watch.

    But then the explosions had started, followed soon after by the gunfire. Through Whist¡¯s office window, smoke climbed over building tops, forcing him to confront the possibility that the welp had been right the whole time.

    A frantic morning ensued, while Rackeye¡¯s meager Sentinel office scrambled to get to grips with the developing situation. As well as coordinating with both police and the incoming regiment, they worked to dispatch their agents to wherever in the city they might be able to do some good.

    And then Whist had stopped to ask where in the hell was Weslan? Learning that the young agent hadn¡¯t been answering calls, he had pinged his phone for its location, revealing his trip to both VennZech headquarters, then the operations office. A quick call to the company¡¯s security desk filled him in on the story, and, notifying the duty officer, he had sped off in pursuit.

    Now he had seen enough of what appeared to be an extremely dangerous terrorist takeover. Of course, if he had been a goddamned fool for the last few months, then Divine and Weslan had been right about the colonists targeting VennZech. They might want to make a public example of captured employees, steal classified weapons research, or both.

    His hands shook as he scooted back behind the embankment and pulled out his phone. A moment of concentration was needed for him to set up an emergency conference call between the Sentinel office and VennZech security. He relayed what he had seen, then felt a jolt of anger, as realization struck him.

    ¡°As director of counterterrorism, I will be taking charge of this operation,¡± he said harshly, before anyone could respond. Hopefully, his years of experience would help him redeem his failure, though if Weslan were killed, he would probably never forgive himself.

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the VennZech representative said with a note of relief in her voice.

    Whist had already gathered that the company¡¯s leaders had vanished with Madam Divine. A sharp inner voice reminded him to maintain his skepticism towards the woman. The pieces were not all fitting together as they should be.

    ¡°I want every Sentinel agent who can to drop whatever they are doing and converge on this site,¡± he ordered. ¡°Have them approach cautiously for covert observation only. And co-ordinate with local police¡ªmake sure their perimeter is kept out of sight. It is absolutely imperative that we do not alert the terrorists until we are ready to move in.¡±

    He paused, and gave the listeners a moment to process what he had said. There was one last order he wanted to give, but he knew he would be derided as a conspiracy theorist. On the other hand, did he really care?

    ¡°If they¡¯ve got access to VennZech computers, they can probably monitor all our radio traffic. All of you will communicate through private means only, and anyone who fails to obey this order will be arrested for abetting terrorism. Is that clear?¡±

    Kayla found Jess on the building roof, watching over the complex¡¯s gardens that lay between them and the river. She squeezed the young woman¡¯s shoulder and received a grateful smile that failed to hide Jess¡¯s obvious anxiety. They were way beyond anything Ranger school had prepared them for.

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    ¡°I¡¯ll take over here,¡± Kayla said. ¡°You go find a place to shut your eyes for an hour.¡±

    Jess shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m okay, Lance-corporal. I got this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t question my orders,¡± Kayla replied mildly, and shot her a wink.

    Jess¡¯ shoulders visibly sagged, and she nodded in resignation. As she turned to leave, Kayla stopped her.

    ¡°I want you to know that you¡¯ve done an amazing job today,¡± she said. ¡°I am really glad you¡¯re here with us, and I will be saying so to Lieutenant Akane.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lance-corporal.¡± Jess said as she blushed.

    ¡°I mean it. You¡¯ve kept your head in a very difficult situation. Rest, eat, drink water, flirt with one of those cute Marines, and come back later ready to do more of the same.¡±

    There was a soft giggle. ¡°Yeah, okay.¡±

    As the footsteps faded, Kayla squeezed herself into a seat next to a ventilator and watched the nearby trees. Branches swayed in the breeze, while verdant foliage rustled its endless music. For a moment she was back on her farm, waiting for a critter to try and sneak by her. Even in her youth she could be invisible in the undergrowth, punishing the wildlife with a shot from her bow that left them with a bruise and a bad memory of young girls.

    Occasionally she missed the carefree days of colony life. The long hours and exhausting work that ensured their survival fell into a reassuring routine that brought its own kind of peace. Now, looking at the city around her, buzzing with tension, she understood that it had only been fleeting. All colonists knew that the universe never tired of dumping heavier burdens on its struggling denizens. There was nothing to do but fight back until you couldn¡¯t.

    A nearby scrape brought her back to reality. Gaz had stepped out on the roof and was scanning around. Kayla found a stone and tossed it at him. He moved to join her, keeping himself low as he checked the horizon.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± he asked. ¡°I was just¡­uh checking the perimeter.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all quiet,¡± Kayla said. ¡°But I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯ll stay that way. Sooner or later VennZech will want to check on their people. Did you get any news on those troop landings?¡±

    ¡°Within the hour.¡± Gaz made himself comfortable against the ventilator. ¡°If you get a moment, be sure and tell your people, from us, they¡¯re doing a great job. My guys are impressed, which is not easy to do. Clearing the building went very smoothly, and you don¡¯t often see that with¡­ well¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I mean, absent more information, I have to see you as a mercenary group. No offense intended.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Kayla thought for a moment. ¡°None taken. That¡¯s pretty much what we are.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Gaz said, and fell quiet.

    The silence continued while they avoided each other¡¯s gazes. Following a frantic effort, Kayla eventually thought of something cool to say, but was cut off as she started to speak.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m elitist about the military, or anything,¡± Gaz said hurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s just, in my experience¡ªwhich is not extensive¡ªthe training and discipline is better than corporations usually provide.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Kayla said energetically. ¡°I find the same too. But we work with a very¡­ uh, unusual corporation.¡±

    Gaz chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that I can see.¡±

    The silence returned, until Kayla remembered what she had wanted to say.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I ever saw people standing up to the League like you do. You must get a lot of trouble over it.¡±

    Gaz nodded. ¡°We get chased from planet to planet. The thing is that there are always groups of people, even at the high levels, who have had enough and want to claw back some justice. That usually lasts long enough to get the job done. Then we find somewhere new.¡±

    Kayla looked down. ¡°I never saw the League like that. For me it was always just a gang of heartless idiots, with two exceptions,¡± she laughed. ¡°And they both needed a gut check to become tolerable people.¡±

    ¡°I can understand why you feel like that. I¡¯ve been angry for a long time too. I have to keep reminding myself that it¡¯s the system that makes them that way. Once in a while, you see genuine humanity shine through.¡±

    ¡°It must be tough when you have to face the darker side every day. Dealing with abused kids is a heavy thing to accept.¡±

    Gaz rubbed his eyes. ¡°It is. You just take it one day at a time. But losing your planet is a heavy thing to accept as well.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes widened as she met his gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that, after this, if you wanted to go on a rampage through the city, I would not be hard to convince.¡± She gave him a manic smile.

    Gaz grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that. Violence is rarely the answer.¡±

    ¡°My dad told me that the Caldera situation can only end in a fight.¡±

    ¡°Would that be Mr. Fenway?¡±

    Kayla narrowed her eyes. ¡°How¡¯d you guess that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Gaz said with a shrug. ¡°You have the same mannerisms, I suppose. Though you don¡¯t look like him.¡±

    ¡°He adopted me. My real father died when I was young.¡± Kayla paused and sighed. ¡°Rayker killed him. Or rather, one of her schemes did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Judging by his daughter, he must have been one hell of a man.¡±

    Kayla stifled a smile that threatened to sever her jaw. She turned back to the complex gardens and watched them for a moment.

    ¡°If you want any chance of making progress with VennZech,¡± she said. ¡°That bitch has to die.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Gaz asked, with an expression of sincere doubt.

    ¡°I know so. Only¡­ well¡­ you remember the steel pipe, and the burns?¡±

    Gaz nodded.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably got twice that kind of capability.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± he said wryly. ¡°I really appreciate all these wonderful revelations you keep bringing into my life.¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Well, hey, man, if you have other stuff you need to take care of¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say that. Obviously, we¡¯re going to find Milani¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who is definitely with Rayker.¡±

    Gaz gave her an incredulous look. ¡°How could you possibly know that?¡±

    ¡°Pretty simple deduction,¡± she said. ¡°Tensall¡¯s secretary said he got a call from Divine right as the party started, then something triggered his office lock down, and then something killed all the power.¡±

    ¡°I suppose, given the sophistication of VennZech technology, that would be more than a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°Right? But why would Divine call him right as everything is ready to go? He wasn¡¯t relevant to events in the city, and they sent cars around for all their VIPs anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Gaz thought carefully. ¡°Are you saying your friend had something to do with this?¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°I think so. She is very clever, and¡­ may have had reasons to want to help you guys out, specifically.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s classified,¡± Kayla said with a handwave. ¡°But the thing is that if Rayker was taking El Scumbago, she would probably want to take Milani too. That girl is her leverage over him.¡±

    Gaz nodded. ¡°Definitely not someone she would want to leave in the city, where a bunch of, for example, Marines, might find her, and use her to sow division amongst VennZech¡¯s employees.¡±

    ¡°Exactly my thoughts,¡± said Kayla, who had, in fact, failed to consider that angle.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Gaz said. ¡°We really need to talk to El Scumbago. Want to go check on the break in?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 48

    After arranging for one of his team to replace them on the roof, Gaz led Kayla down to the floor beneath Tensall¡¯s office. She called for Ray to join her, and they waited patiently while the breaching team cut through the steel supports in the ceiling.

    Eventually, they were able to rip away the ventilation ducts, revealing a small hole that opened into a dark space.

    ¡°Hello?¡± A voice cried. ¡°Who¡¯s there? I can¡¯t see anything in here.¡±

    Kayla almost laughed, but stifled it while one of the team shoved chemlights through the gap.

    ¡°Sir?¡± he yelled. ¡°Can you identify the opening?¡±

    There was a scrabbling noise, and Tensall¡¯s voice became louder as he pressed his face against the vent.

    ¡°Thank God you got here. I thought I was losing my mind¡ªthere¡¯s no power in here at all.¡±

    ¡°Sir, please listen to me¡ª¡± the Marine began patiently.

    ¡°And what the hell took you so long? I¡¯ve been banging the walls and screaming. Didn¡¯t my secretary call you? I don¡¯t mind telling you I will be conducting a full investigation¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sir, I want to get you out of there, but I need you to listen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, obviously,¡± Tensall snapped, but fell quiet.

    ¡°The floor is too thick for us to cut through¡ªit would take hours. We need to use explosives to widen this hole enough for you to pass through.¡±

    ¡°Really? But that will make a mess of my office.¡±

    Kayla exchanged a look with Gaz, who was grinning and shaking his head. The patience of the breacher was impressive. She would probably have started hurling insults already.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have a choice,¡± said the Marine. ¡°While we set this up, I want you to make a barricade with whatever furniture you can in the far corner.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know,¡± Tensall grumbled. ¡°Perhaps it would be better to go with the slow option.¡±

    ¡°Director, this is security chief Slake,¡± Gaz said in a neutral tone. ¡°We are in an emergency situation. There has been a terrorist attack on Rackeye and we must extract you immediately.¡±

    ¡°Good god, and do you think they¡¯ll try to come here?¡±

    ¡°Our information is that there may be armed elements on the way as we speak.¡±

    Tensall squealed with self-righteousness. ¡°I demand that you immediately contact¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± the breacher interrupted loudly. ¡°We have to act now. Please start preparing yourself for the blast.¡±

    Ray mimed strangling herself, while Kayla clamped a hand over her mouth. The other men exchanged smiles, then quickly passed explosives to the breacher.

    Everybody retreated to the safety of nearby rooms, and, when Tensall announced that he was ready, the charge was blown. Kayla felt the mild thump of the pressure wave as dust billowed across the floor. She stepped forward towards the office threshold, when Gaz put a hand on her arm. He waggled his eyebrows and held a finger up to his lips. Kayla nodded, and she and Ray stayed back, out of sight.

    ¡°Sir?¡± the breacher called as he strode out towards the opening. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± a shaken voice squeaked.

    A great deal of scuffling and cursing followed as the men struggled to lower Tensall through the new opening, which was apparently only just wide enough for him to squeeze through.

    ¡°Director,¡± Gaz said eventually, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, and in one piece.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Tensall muttered. ¡°Well, perhaps this little operation could have gone better, but at least it¡¯s over with. So, what¡¯s the plan now? Where¡¯s Divine?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s already at the secure facility, sir. We are preparing to move there now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, there are perhaps some things I should take¡­ Would one of you mind hopping back up there?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Director,¡± Gaz said smoothly. ¡°Krenn?¡±

    A short silence passed during which, Kayla suspected, several expressions were discreetly passed back and forth contrasting the absurdity of such a task against its necessity as part of the roleplay.

    ¡°Yessir, happy to,¡± the unlucky Krenn said eventually, with what sounded like exaggerated cheerfulness.

    ¡°Very good of you, very good of you,¡± Tensall went on. ¡°And uh¡­ how about my young friend?¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± Gaz asked in a confused tone.

    ¡°Well, you know¡­¡± Tensall said in a hesitant voice. ¡°My special guest?¡±

    ¡°You remember Chief,¡± the breacher said confidently. ¡°Melissa, something?¡±

    ¡°Oh, wait¡± Gaz said, ¡°do you mean Mandy?¡±

    ¡°Milani,¡± Tensall snapped. ¡°I must keep her close, she means absolutely everything to me.¡±

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    A velcro strap opened. ¡°This is her in the picture, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gaz asked.

    ¡°Yes, obviously,¡± Tensall said, with increasing irritation. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get a move on and¡ª¡±

    A smack interrupted his voice, followed by the loud thump of something heavy hitting the floor.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± the breacher said with relief. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to do that since we cut through.¡±

    Kayla leaned her head out of the room to see the man nursing his knuckles while an unconscious Tensall was laid out on the floor.

    ¡°You guys are very good,¡± she said happily, and was rewarded with a collection of embarrassed smiles. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±

    A camera was set up in one of the conference rooms and Tensall was tied into a chair with his hands handcuffed behind him and a cloth bag over his head. He soon came to, and began squirming and wailing while Kayla watched placidly from the corner. A thought struck her, and she dashed downstairs to the prisoner room to grab Weslan.

    He complained and made demands, but a decent amount of duct tape from her pack put a stop to that. Then she frog-marched him up to the conference room, shoved him into a chair, and secured his wrists behind the back of it with flexicuffs.

    Gaz gave her a questioning look.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time he grows up,¡± she said.

    Weslan watched in mute rage as Gaz activated his camera, then pulled the hood off Tensall¡¯s head.

    The furious director stared at his captor. ¡°Who the hell are you and what¡ª¡±

    Gaz pulled his sidearm out of his holster and placed it gently on the desk. Tensall¡¯s eyes grew wide as they fixated on the weapon.

    ¡°I am Gareth Slake, a private investigator with Eagle Rescue Services. This recording is made for the VennZech corporation, so, Director Tensall, you are speaking to your employees. Will you state your name and title, for their benefit?

    ¡°Why should I do anything that you say?¡± Tensall said in a weak voice.

    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t then I will kill you, and the employees we hold captive downstairs.¡±

    Weslan groaned against the tape over his mouth. Standing near the conference room door, Ray made eye contact with Kayla and raised an eyebrow.

    Kayla shrugged. They needed answers, and a little intimidation wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    ¡°If I do this sick video,¡± Tensall said ¡°you will let us all go?¡±

    Gaz nodded.

    ¡°Are you terrorists? What do you want?¡±

    ¡°State your name and title, please.¡±

    Tensall paused for a moment, then did so. Gaz pulled the photo of Milani out of his pouch, held it up to the camera, then showed it to Tensall.

    ¡°Who is the individual in the photograph?¡± Gaz demanded.

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± said Tensall.

    Gaz gave a kurt nod, and Krenn, who had been standing off to one side, stepped forward. His arm blurred, and Tensall doubled over with a shriek of pain.

    ¡°When we extracted you from your office, you positively identified the individual in the photo. If you try to lie to me one more time, I will kill a hostage.¡±

    For the first time, Tensall seemed to notice Weslan. He blinked as he struggled to recognize the young agent.

    ¡°Genny? Is that you? God, I¡¯m sorry you got caught up in this. You mustn¡¯t believe anything they make me say.¡±

    Weslan nodded slowly.

    ¡°One more time, Mr Tensall,¡± Gaz said. ¡°Who is the individual in the photograph?¡±

    ¡°Milani Mayosi.¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°She works for the VennZech corporation.¡±

    Gaz grabbed his gun and aimed it at Weslan¡¯s head.

    ¡°No, no,¡± Tensall said frantically. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. She¡¯s on file as my assistant and draws a monthly salary. It¡¯s the truth, I swear!¡±

    ¡°How old is Miss Mayosi?¡± Gaz continued as he replaced the gun on the desk.

    There was a long pause.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself, or I will hurt you again.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen,¡± Tensall muttered in a broken voice.

    ¡°Louder,¡± Gaz snapped.

    ¡°Fifteen,¡± came the louder, and angrier reply. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that? Some girls just mature faster than others, you know?¡±

    Gaz¡¯s questions continued, and Kayla felt her hair stand on end. His tone was getting sharper, and whenever he got an answer he didn¡¯t like, he reached for the gun, or had Krenn punch Tensall in the gut again. It wasn¡¯t that she felt sorry for the disgusting man, but she was starting to lose confidence in Gaz¡¯s self-control. There was something more behind the questions than the extraction of information.

    She exchanged another look with Ray, and got a more anxious expression. However, Tensall¡¯s story was awful to the point that she soon found her own fingers dancing on the grip of her sidearm.

    A VennZech-employed groomer had convinced Milani and some friends to go to a party. There, Tensall had singled her out, bought her drinks, and offered her a visit to his private yacht. He had given her drugs, but sworn that nothing had happened between them. That was his technique¡ªhe liked to build trust with his ¡®young friends¡¯ as he called them, meeting them several times before moving to the next step.

    Eventually, there was a vacation to Ambrosia, paid for by him, and showering Milani with all the staggering luxury a high-level corporate salary could afford. That was the first time they had had sex, and the first time she hadn¡¯t been allowed to return home. Apparently, she hadn¡¯t complained.

    Kayla suspected it was the truth. The other girls had been charmed in a similar way, then kidnapped and sold to cheap-paying customers. But Milani was different. As the lover of a powerful executive, she was made to feel like his princess. All the wealth and fun of elite society was hers to enjoy. Until she got older, Tensall admitted. Then she would have a good salary, whatever job she wanted, and the right to ask him for favors, whether personal or business.

    ¡°It¡¯s all accepted,¡± Tensall said. His voice had soothed from the frightful pitch, into a bitter, rambling and self-congratulatory lecture. ¡°Everybody knows how it works. The whole galaxy does the same. And you still can¡¯t tell me what¡¯s wrong with it, can you?¡± Tensall sat forward in his chair, now confident in his pronouncements. ¡°Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m helping them? So many people are crushed by the machine, but shouldn¡¯t such divine beauty have its chance to rise up?¡±

    ¡°Milani¡¯s mother didn¡¯t understand,¡± Gaz said. ¡°She is living a nightmare.¡±

    His anger had also diminished, leaving his voice cold, and bored. His eyes were flat as he stared at Tensall, with an expression almost of serenity.

    ¡°Well, can anyone help that? Her daughter is happy, if it makes any difference.¡±

    Kayla stepped forward. ¡°Milani¡¯s mother wants to see her daughter, and we will happily kill anyone who tries to get in the way. Where is she?¡±

    Tensall stared at her, then shifted his gaze to the desk. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªNo!¡± he said, as Krenn stepped forward. ¡°I mean, I know that Divine will have moved her. I don¡¯t know the destination.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Gaz asked. ¡°You¡¯re the second most senior executive on Caldera.¡±

    ¡°But she was so secretive,¡± Tensall insisted. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell us anything. We only knew that there was a new site¡­¡± his voice lowered. ¡°Extra-terrestrial, she claimed. I had to bring my princess¡ª couldn¡¯t leave her behind for the terrorists. And such wonders to share with her.¡±

    ¡°Okay scumbag,¡± Kayla snapped as her pistol left its holster. ¡°You have five seconds to figure out what we need to know.¡±

    She moved around the table and shoved her weapon into his groin. ¡°The first bullet won¡¯t kill you,¡± she hissed into his ear. ¡°But you know what? I¡¯ve got a whole magazine to play with.¡±

    Gaz jumped to his feet. ¡°Wait just a second,¡± he said, but his voice was unusually pleading, and Kayla knew he was following the script.

    ¡°I guess all you men can sit around and discuss a girl¡¯s life like she¡¯s a piece of meat,¡± she went on, her voice finding a ready supply of venom. ¡°As for me, frankly I¡¯m not even sure we need to let you live once this is over.¡±

    She pushed harder, and Tensall squealed while his muscles shook. A sharp aroma filled the room as his bladder voided.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Gaz cried, then reached over and shut off the camera. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Please, please!¡± Tensall cried, and wept. ¡°Please, I can help you, I can find out, I promise.¡±

    Kayla tilted her head. ¡°Maybe. You don¡¯t need your balls to think with though, do you?¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 49

    Krenn stepped forward and touched her arm. Kayla glanced up, then over to Gaz, who nodded. She drew back, holstered her weapon, then moved behind the table. Her limbs were trembling, while lightning coursed through her nerves. After a moment spent struggling to think, she stepped out of the conference room into the open lobby beyond, where she gulped in oxygen.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Ray said behind her. ¡°You okay? It got a bit intense in there.¡±

    Kayla shook her head as she flushed with heat. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize how deep I got. Honestly, I was ready to kill him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t doubt it.¡± Ray cocked her head. ¡°It¡¯s your first time, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°First time what?¡±

    ¡°Talking to a rapist.¡±

    Kayla hesitated before responding. She couldn¡¯t doubt the fire that had roared through her mind, but the rational part of her still had questions.

    ¡°Is that what he is?¡± she asked. ¡°What if Milani really did want to be with him?¡±

    ¡°Of course he is,¡± Ray said firmly. ¡°She was fourteen when she met him. She has no idea what right or wrong is, which makes her easy to manipulate and control. Wherever she is, her mind is in survival mode. Every day she¡¯s making up a new reason why everything¡¯s fine, because she has no choice. Self-deception is how the mind deals with trauma, you know? Tensall is an expert abuser, so he knows how to feed that response with glitz and glamour. For a teenager from a middle-class background, it¡¯s as overwhelming as the drugs.¡±

    ¡°I guess. I respond to trauma with violence, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s one strategy. But you, me and Milani have this in common¡ªtwo months into a normal life, and we¡¯ll hit the wall.¡±

    Kayla gave her a lopsided grin. ¡°Gee, thanks, Ray. I can always count on you for a morale boost.¡±

    Ray shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it. Just do like me, and never leave the organization. Haha.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I get it. They¡¯re our abusers.¡±

    They both snorted with laughter at the dark joke, and Kayla¡¯s emotions started to settle.

    ¡°How can someone be like that?¡± she demanded. ¡°Destroying innocent lives for fun?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s likely a victim of abuse himself,¡± Ray said. ¡°Rather than face his own trauma, he can normalize it by passing it on to others. And then his society enables him, because he¡¯s a conduit for power and influence.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like child sacrifice for their insane worship of the ¡®common good¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I tell you what, the one thing I love slash hate about this job is that it shows you the gruesome reality of human beings.¡±

    ¡°Of Helvets, you mean,¡± Kayla said darkly. ¡°Tell me again why we can¡¯t just destroy them all?¡±

    Ray only arched her eyebrows.

    The conference room door opened, and Gaz emerged. ¡°Everything okay?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Kayla said with a smile. ¡°Just processing the horror.¡±

    Gaz nodded. ¡°Happens to all of us. You broke the man, though. He admitted he planted a tracker on Milani, and we¡¯re setting up a connection now. Good work.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kayla said, before her face screwed up in disgust. ¡°A tracker? How is that thing even called a human?¡±

    ¡°No reason he has to be,¡± Gaz said.

    Though his eyes appeared to rest on empty space, for a brief moment, the fire of a star reflected in them.

    Kayla wondered what was going through his mind, but her thoughts were derailed by a chirping in her ear.

    ¡°Viper two-one, flash traffic, how copy?¡± an unfamiliar voice said hurriedly.

    She tapped her ear, and Gaz gave her a nod before ducking back inside the conference room. Kayla keyed her mic.

    ¡°Viper two-one, standing by to copy,¡± she said, as her heart began to thump faster. Flash traffic meant emergency news.

    ¡°Viper two-one, this is Raven three. Be advised, large numbers of enemy combatants are moving on your position, ETA imminent.¡±

    Without even thinking, Kayla switched her headset to squad comms. ¡°Everyone, stand to, we might have a fight on our hands.¡±

    Ray¡¯s jaw dropped, but she turned and started to run for the roof.

    On Elmira Aliyev¡¯s tablet screen, a bird¡¯s eye view showed dozens of vehicles flooding through the streets in the direction of the operations office, and the Ranger squad holed up inside. The live feed showed her the view of a covert Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance drone circling high above them. For the previous hour, she and her fellow Combat Controllers had been watching the slow and seemingly random movements of identified police vehicles throughout the city. Without warning, they had all suddenly begun to converge in one direction, accompanied by another group of unidentified vehicles, assumed to be VennZech security. Now, they were only a matter of minutes away from their target.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    It had been a long two days for the Combat Controllers of element Raven. They started the operation setting up and managing a makeshift airfield for the operation¡¯s airborne assets in a secluded valley, twenty miles north of Rackeye. Events the next morning seemed to be progressing as planned when they lost signal with every drone simultaneously. A short while later, the automated aircraft came back to land, following their return to base protocols.

    Fortunately, whatever jamming had cut off the task force in the city didn¡¯t extend to the airfield, and many tense radio calls passed between Raven, the Banshee, and the Ghost Fortress site. A hasty plan was established, and a group of engineers sped out to take over the airfield, while the Combat Controllers raced into the city.

    Heading for the nearest battle, they quickly made contact with one of the Raider QRFs, and spent the afternoon on their guns, helping them destroy Rayker¡¯s mechs. Once that job was complete, they worked to track down the scattered Ranger elements, in some cases fighting off law enforcement as the task force struggled to break contact.

    As soon as the jamming was disabled, the drones were sent back over the city, and Raven split up with Raider or ODT partners. Their new mission was to track the movements of the hundreds of agents and officers hunting them and their friends while keeping an eye on the landing ships of the Augustine, and the thousands of soldiers that would soon deploy into the streets.

    Now, perched on top of a skyscraper near Rackeye¡¯s industrial zone, Elmira feared that the worst-case scenario was developing in front of her. A Ranger squad, cut off, and facing the might of the Helvetic League all on their own. Nearly two dozen vehicles were forming a tightening perimeter around the operations office, and there wasn¡¯t much anybody could do to stop them. For all the organization¡¯s need to maintain secrecy, the choice was about to be taken away from them.

    She activated her mic. ¡°Banshee, Raven-three.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead Raven,¡± said the tinny voice after a short delay.

    The cloaked warship was holding position behind Caldera¡¯s volcanic moon, relaying their communications through a widespread cluster of satellites.

    ¡°Do we have any word on those Shrikes?¡± Elmira asked hopefully.

    ¡°Still waiting, Raven-three,¡± the voice replied after an endless pause.

    Elmira cursed, drawing a concerned look from her Raider partner, Gucci.

    The Shrikes¡ªstealth multi-role fighters¡ªwere easily the most effective solution to the problem. They could drop bombs from high altitude while even the watchful Augustine would be clueless to their presence. Unfortunately, the small craft lacked the range to operate over the one hundred and fifty thousand miles that separated them from the surface of Caldera. The trip would take them an hour, after which they would have some loiter time to help support the Rangers. But then they would have to land at the small makeshift airfield, which had only stockpiled enough resources for the drones.

    In theory, fuel could be manufactured by the Jotnar installation on the planet, and tankers could be scrounged by some of the women in the city. Of course, it was only a matter of time before the League¡¯s own satellites or drones detected such a logistical chain, and tracked it to the airfield, if not back to the mountain site. If that happened, only wishful thinking would keep Valkyrie from being revealed to the world.

    The window of opportunity was fast closing as the Augustine settled into a holding orbit high above their heads. It would soon begin to disgorge dozens of landing craft, leaving the task force with only two options; try to vanish into the shadows, or go to war against the League itself.

    After fifty years of experience in Valkyrie, Elmira knew that any such decision would be put off until the last possible moment.

    Gucci, long gun braced tight into her shoulder, was peering through the scope at the activity around the VennZech complex.

    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re going to try an assault,¡± she observed calmly.

    ¡°Think we can get closer?¡± Elmira asked.

    If she was going to drop bombs on a populated area, she needed a better vantage point. Even the drone¡¯s-eye view didn¡¯t tell the whole story.

    Gucci¡¯s rifle swiveled. ¡°There¡¯s a construction site two miles from the complex. We could get up on the cranes, though a swift exit would be out of the question. Everything else over there is too low for good overwatch.¡±

    Elmira considered the suggestion. If the pair were compromised, their options for escape from such an exposed position would be minimal. On the other hand, the Ranger squad trapped in the distant building were facing the same problem.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± she said.

    Glass exploded across the lobby as Sal and Leod ran for cover. A truck had stopped a hundred yards short of the building, where a handful of men jumped out and sprayed bullets from automatic weapons.

    Sal pulled Leod¡¯s body low as they scampered away from the desk into the safety of the offices beyond. Kayla dropped down from the floor above and caught up with them as they skidded into an empty corridor.

    ¡°You okay?¡± she demanded.

    The two men checked themselves, then nodded as they caught their breath.

    ¡°What the hell are they thinking?¡± Kayla said, to no-one in particular. She shook her head in frustration. What kind of absolute morons unloaded into a building that, as far as they knew, contained civilians?

    Sal¡¯s radio burst into life with calls of incoming fire, and the repeated request to shoot back. Caught by surprise, he only managed a quick ¡°wait one,¡± before he looked with wild eyes at Kayla.

    ¡°What¡¯s your squad going to do?¡± he demanded impatiently.

    Muffled, but still audible, the staccato crash of shooting continued from outside.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know,¡± she said helplessly, and was about to return the same question.

    ¡°Kayla, it¡¯s Ray,¡± her earpiece buzzed. ¡°It¡¯s just four guys dumping their mags. They drove in ahead of the other vehicles, so I think they might have their own agenda.¡±

    ¡°Copy, stay quiet,¡± Kayla replied, and looked back at Sal. ¡°I think it¡¯s VennZech guys trying to escalate the situation. They don¡¯t want us walking away and talking to anybody.¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Leod yelled as his body shook with adrenaline. ¡°Do they want to kill all of us?¡±

    Sal narrowed his eyes and raised his radio. ¡°Everyone, sit tight until further notice. They¡¯re trying to goad us into a fight.¡±

    Teams across the building confirmed the order, and then added that the expletive-labelled individuals out front had already run out of ammunition. Tires began squealing in every direction, indicating that the rest of the vehicles had caught up, and were probably setting up a perimeter. No more gunshots rang out.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to check in with Gaz,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Leod, can I get you to go and keep your co-workers calm?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ no?¡± Leod snapped. ¡°They¡¯ll call me a traitor.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± Sal said. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Leod, go set up a computer somewhere safe and get us the camera feeds back.¡±

    The terrified engineer nodded, and scampered off down the hall. Kayla turned and headed for the maintenance staircase on her way back to the conference room. That hallway let out onto the main lobby, so she low-crawled until she reached the door, then ducked inside.

    ¡°Guys, here¡¯s the deal¡ª¡± she panted, then stopped dead.

    Blood was pooling across the conference table and onto the floor. Thick rivulets streamed into the carpet, soaking it black. Tensall was leaning to one side, his head lolling lifelessly. A red hole just above the ear marked a bullet entry, and the opposite side of his skull was missing.

    In the corner of her eye, Kayla saw the camera¡¯s red light blinking in record mode. Weslan was slouched in his chair, staring at the floor as tears ran down his cheeks.

    Gaz stood beside the executive¡¯s dead body, a gun in his hand, and the same empty expression on his face.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked casually.

 Part 3 - Chapter 50

    ¡°What¡­ what the hell¡­¡± Kayla¡¯s voice faded as she struggled to find words.

    Gaz scrubbed his hair then holstered his weapon. ¡°Well, there¡¯s bad news,¡± he said. ¡°We were able to get this wormfood to open his tracking app, and located Milani¡¯s last known position. The signal cut off next to a mountain two-hundred miles away¡ªquite literally in the middle of nowhere. So that means we are all shit out of luck, because nobody is going to be able to move once the League has taken over and is searching the whole planet for their terrorists.¡±

    ¡°You just¡­ you just killed him?¡± Kayla stammered, still unable to drag her eyes away from the bloody horror.

    ¡°Yeah, obviously. I mean, hopefully we can fight our way out of this mess, but not carrying prisoners. No point leaving this garbage behind.¡±

    Kayla glanced at Krenn, who was sitting with a laptop in front of him. He looked shocked and avoidant.

    A flash of rage brought Kayla¡¯s problems back into focus. ¡°Do you have a radio?¡± she asked him.

    Krenn nodded.

    ¡°Get Sal up here now.¡±

    Gaz snorted as the man reached for his set. ¡°What, is she your boss now?¡± he asked.

    Krenn avoided his gaze while sending the request, and Gaz turned his attention back to Kayla.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? I thought we were on the same page.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ no,¡± Kayla said carefully. ¡°No, my team has very strict rules of engagement¡­ uh, and basic morality.¡±

    ¡°Oh please. Were we supposed to let him live? That¡¯s rich coming from the woman who shot up the starport.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone who wasn¡¯t trying to kill me.¡±

    Gaz folded his arms and sneered at her. ¡°Oh okay, I get it. This whole time you thought you were going to hand him over to the cops, and he was going to go on trial, right?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s jaw clenched.

    ¡°And then what?¡± Gaz continued. ¡°He would admit his crimes and break down in front of the world and everyone would gather round and pledge to end sex crimes and live happily ever after? The League would renounce its ways and fly away from Caldera? Don¡¯t be childish.¡±

    ¡°You know what?¡± Kayla snapped ¡°Forget morality. You don¡¯t execute someone without telling me when I¡¯ve got my girls stuck in this building getting ready to hold off the whole freakin¡¯ city. You don¡¯t jump off script and do whatever you feel like doing, when we still have an important mission to complete.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Gaz snarled. ¡°What mission? Capture Rayker? Sabotage VennZech? I don¡¯t care about your corporate power games miss universe. The only justice in this galaxy is whatever you can take, and I took mine.¡±

    He sank into a chair and scowled at nothing. ¡°But Milani¡¯s gone. There¡¯s no way we are going to get her back now.¡±

    Sal burst into the room with a crash and turned grey as he stared at the carnage.

    ¡°Oh my god. What¡­ happened¡­?¡± he said eventually.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Kayla said furiously. ¡°You¡¯ve just screwed over your own people, same as mine. What the hell is wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Gaz?¡± Sal said anxiously.

    Gaz waved him away and said nothing.

    ¡°He shot him, Sal,¡± Krenn said quietly. ¡°Hit record like he was getting a confession, then listed his crimes and shot him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jesus,¡± Sal said and sighed heavily.

    Gaz turned quickly. ¡°I heard the gunfire. They¡¯re going to come in here, kill us all if we don¡¯t run, and set that monster loose again. Why are any of you okay with that?¡±

    ¡°Well, here¡¯s the thing, asshole.¡± Kayla said. ¡°They¡¯ve surrounded the building with half the cops in the city, plus VennZech¡¯s enforcers, so now there is no way out. They¡¯re probably going to try negotiation, and the first person they are going to want to hear from is half-dome over here. So, good job, you colossal son of a bitch.¡±

    She turned and stormed out of the conference room. The only question in her mind was how she was going to get her squad out of there, even if they had to leave their new allies behind.

    On the roof, Ray had the situation well in hand. Bibi and Tian manned the two machine guns, covering the front and rear of the building where the majority of the vehicles had stopped. Lyna and Jess were sheltered behind ventilators, with scopes trained on distant targets. A few of the Marines had joined them, covering the remaining angles of the perimeter.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Thandi?¡± Kayla demanded through the radio.

    ¡°I¡¯m nice and snug in a darkened office with good sight lines,¡± her friend¡¯s voice said. ¡°All tucked in behind some furniture where they probably won¡¯t see me, until I see them.¡±

    ¡°Good, watch ¡®em carefully,¡± Kayla said, and clicked off.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The lengthened barrel and powerful multi-spectrum scope on Thandi¡¯s rifle would allow her to identify police snipers and take them out, if the need arose. Kayla¡¯s racing heartbeat started to slow as she took in the situation. The world was hopefully not about to explode after all.

    Ray scooted over to her. ¡°The Marines have two more long guns set up facing the likely sniper hides,¡± she explained. ¡°All the others are going around the building covering up the windows however they can.¡±

    Kayla nodded. ¡°I think,¡± she said slowly and quietly, ¡°that we want to start thinking about making a quick exit. Leave the party before it gets going.¡±

    Ray¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°What? Just abandon these guys to deal with it?¡±

    Kayla gave her a grave look. ¡°Gaz just executed Tensall.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Ray replied neutrally. There was a long silence. ¡°Is it a problem that he didn¡¯t give you a heads up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a problem because¡­¡±

    Kayla paused and hissed through her teeth. Colonists did not tolerate vigilantes, no matter how sick or evil their targets were. Law wasn¡¯t just an ideal, it formed the fabric of their reality. And, even though she often bemoaned Valkyrie¡¯s frustrating ethics, she had always respected their strict code of conduct. The idea that someone who she thought she could trust and respect had lost control without warning was deeply disturbing. Along with the overwhelming new situation, the shock of seeing a helpless man¡ªhowever evil¡ªmurdered, had pushed her oldest instincts to the forefront of her mind.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t even warn his own guys,¡± Kayla said. ¡°He¡¯s obviously lost it.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ sucks. But I don¡¯t see us getting out of here very easily. Even if the girls would accept it.¡±

    ¡°The river is a quarter mile away, on the other side of those gardens,¡± Kayla said with a quick gesture. ¡°If a fight starts at the front, we could toss smoke, make a run for it, then swim underwater for a couple of miles. Why wouldn¡¯t they accept it?¡±

    ¡°No-one gets left behind, remember?¡±

    ¡°These guys aren¡¯t Valkyrie.¡±

    Ray¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Yeah, and Valkyrie aren¡¯t braindead robots, either. There have been social interactions of a casual nature. Jokes have been shared. Sympathy has been reached regarding mutual concerns. Don¡¯t you remember how angry everyone was after the freighter episode?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, so?¡± Kayla¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°So, these guys rescue trafficked kids. They have mourned our dead, whilst helping us save our fellow Vipers. Your indomitable young Rangers are impressed. Admiring, even. To be honest, I thought you were going the same way with Gaz.¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t see what I saw. The guy¡¯s a psycho.¡±

    ¡°Not a good enough reason to abandon these gentlemen to a violent death.¡±

    ¡°Do you not understand what is going on here, Ray? What this one flashpoint could lead to?¡±

    Ray leaned closer. ¡°I understand, just fine,¡± she said slowly. ¡°I am giving you the reality, not a comfortable fantasy. This squad is not going to hang these guys out to dry after we just lost Kes.¡±

    Kayla dropped her head in her hands. She wanted to start yelling at someone, but even that couldn¡¯t warm her glacially cold blood.

    ¡°Viper two-one, Raven three,¡± a voice in her ear said.

    ¡°Go ahead Raven,¡± she almost growled.

    ¡°I have reached a closer observation point and am ready to provide you with fire support. Be advised, I also have a long gun alongside me who is covering the east side of the complex.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news, Raven, I appreciate it,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°I heard Calderan Romance was in danger of going up in flames,¡± a familiar voice said.

    Kayla almost laughed. It was nice to speak with someone both vastly more experienced, and who knew her well. ¡°I think the whole planet is about to go up in flames,¡± she shot back.

    ¡°If it is, girlfriend, you¡¯ll be the one directing the fireworks,¡± Gucci said.

    ¡°Viper, be advised we have confirmed the availability of Shrike aircraft over the city,¡± Raven added.  ¡°They will be arriving shortly. Until then, you have several UAVs at your disposal, armed with both anti-vehicle and anti-personnel missiles.¡±

    Kayla exchanged a disbelieving look with Ray. She tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry. ¡°What happens if¡­ you know, if we have to drop bombs?¡± she asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

    ¡°I have worked up a fires plan that will involve minimal ordinance,¡± Raven said carefully. ¡°We can cause enough destruction for you to make a run for it, while hopefully avoiding too much suspicion.

    ¡°We can¡¯t run, Raven,¡± Kayla admitted. Saying it out loud brought a sense of comfort, and cleared the confused anger from her thoughts.

    ¡°If the shit really hits the fan,¡± Gucci said, ¡°our fallback plan is to go all in. The whole organization will mobilize to take control of Caldera and hold it against the League. Our Gunships will destroy the Augustine, then take up positions for orbital bombardment. You will have the power of God Almighty to call upon.¡±

    Kayla closed her eyes. She felt Ray squeezing her shoulder

    ¡°When are the first transports scheduled to land?¡± she asked.

    ¡°They are entering the atmosphere as we speak, heading for the starport. Boots on the ground within twenty minutes.¡±

    ¡°Get me that goddamned phone call!¡± Whist snapped at the police officer who gingerly approached him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything else until it¡¯s done.¡±

    He had been in a rage since VennZech¡¯s security vehicle had taken off ahead of the others, and, in total violation of his orders, opened fire on the building. After screaming for all his units to hold their fire, then dragging the new perimeter into some semblance of order, Whist demanded their arrest. The insolent guard¡¯s leader refused, insisting that the corporation had authority over the crisis on their private property. Whist punched the man in the face, breaking his nose, while officers rushed over to restrain the angry employees.

    They were cuffed and shoved into a nearby building, and Whist noticed that he started to receive an unusual level of respect from the assembled law enforcement teams. Only the remaining company security force watched him sullenly while waiting for instructions. As far as the Sentinel agent was concerned, they would do nothing but watch the quietest part of the complex for the rest of the day.

    ¡°Begging your pardon, sir,¡± the police captain said. ¡°We have a connection through to the building. Some sort of technician has answered. Says he¡¯s being held prisoner.¡±

    ¡°What? Why wasn¡¯t I told immediately?¡± Whist demanded. ¡°Damn you man, get me a headset.¡±

    ¡°Right here, sir,¡± said the captain, passing over a pair of headphones.

    ¡°Good, good, thank you. And where¡¯s your commissioner?¡±

    ¡°On the way, sir. He was expecting to meet the Barrochian troops, but he¡¯s changed his plans.¡±

    ¡°Fine, okay¡ªplease keep me informed.¡± Whist paused in embarrassment. He sorely needed a drink. ¡°Good work, Captain, your men have been exemplary,¡± he managed.

    ¡°More than happy, sir. These terrorists deserve hellfire, if you don¡¯t mind my saying.¡±

    Whist nodded and smiled, then turned back to the Sentinel agents clustered around the back of his truck. ¡°See if you can get the audio output,¡± he advised them.

    Then he donned the headset. ¡°This is agent Whist, director of counterterrorism in Rackeye. Who am I speaking to?¡±

    ¡°My name¡¯s Leod,¡± a nervous voice said. ¡°Leod Grazden. You can look me up in the corporate database. I¡¯m the senior network engineer.¡±

    ¡°Are your captors aware that you are in contact with us, Leod?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re here now¡ªthey¡¯ve sent for their leader.¡±

    Whist took in a deep breath. ¡°Are they threatening you? Have they harmed you at all?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m okay,¡± Leod replied. ¡°They¡¯re not bad, they just¡­ listen man, the worst thing that happened here was you guys shooting at us.¡±

    ¡°I am glad to hear you¡¯re okay, Leod. The gunfire was¡ª¡±

    There was a rustle, and a female voice spoke. ¡°Is this on? Am I talking to him? Yeah? Hey, who are you?¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 51

    Before Whist could respond, he heard the muted sound of a conversation held away from the microphone.

    ¡°Okay, you Helvetic piece of shit,¡± the woman suddenly yelled in a tone of apoplectic fury, ¡°what the hell were you thinking opening fire on us? There are innocent people in here and you just light up the lobby like it¡¯s a back-wood shooting range? Incompetent jackass¡ªdo they teach you anything in Sentinel school or do they just bounce you on your head until you can¡¯t talk back? Hey, are you listening to me?¡±

    The nearby agents, who had managed to plug into the audio feed, stifled grins while Whist closed his eyes and counted to three.

    ¡°Madam, I am senior agent Manion Whist, and I would like to know who I am speaking with.¡±

    ¡°Your freakin¡¯ mom, douchebag! Why don¡¯t you give me the respect of owning up to your dumbass bad decisions before you start trying to sweet talk me?¡±

    ¡°Listen to me,¡± Whist snapped. ¡°I gave no order to fire, and the men responsible have been arrested. Rest assured there will be no further action taken without my explicit authority. Now, may I please ask how I should address you?¡±

    There was a short pause. ¡°Taylor. That¡¯s my um¡­ code name. Call me Taylor.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Ms. Taylor. I want to assure you that I am absolutely dedicated to securing the lives of the innocent people inside the building. A lot of blood has been shed today, and we can make sure this confrontation ends without any more tragedy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, good, that¡¯s what I want to hear. You just¡ªwhat?¡±

    A long pause followed. Whist looked back to his fellow agents, who shrugged. He mouthed Psych-profile to a woman, who rushed off to make the necessary phone call.

    ¡°Alright, Helvet asshole,¡± Taylor yelled into Whist¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯m making you aware¡ªif you guys come anywhere near this building, I will start blowing away hostages, got that? We have at least¡­ we have a lot of employees in here, and I just hate all of them. Right? Freedom for Caldera, death to Helvet colonizers!¡±

    ¡°I understand completely,¡± Whist said calmly. ¡°Do you have a list of demands?¡±

    ¡°We absolutely have demands. We uh¡­ we will assemble our demands and get back to you when they are ready. So¡­ no wait¡ªfirst thing you need to do is call off the troop landings. No foreign scum on Calderan soil!¡±

    ¡°I will try to see if I can talk to someone in the army, but I understand that the ships are already approaching the starport. It will be very difficult to contact the pilots before they land.¡±

    ¡°Well tell them to take off again. Figure it out, buddy, or else¡­ you know¡­ bad things will happen.¡±

    Whist gestured to another agent, who shook his head vehemently. ¡°I will see what can be done,¡± he continued. ¡°In the meantime, I have a request of my own to make. That¡¯s fair, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine. Send it.¡±

    ¡°Send¡­? Sorry, I wish to speak with Director Tensall. It is imperative that we confirm he is alive and unharmed.¡±

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Taylor continued with heavy sarcasm. ¡°Take care of the big shot child rapist. Don¡¯t want our paymasters being made uncomfortable, do we? I mean, you don¡¯t give a shit about poor Leod here¡ªno, he¡¯s just a working guy, screw him.¡±

    Whist¡¯s brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of the harangue. ¡°Your¡­ concern is certainly valid. But as Director of the operations office, Cirkiss Tensall is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all VennZech employees, and will be able to help us co-ordinate with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever man. Can you believe this friggin¡¯ jackass? You can chat with Tensall when those transports are heading back to orbit, got it? Don¡¯t call me until it¡¯s done. Alright, how do I cut this¡ª¡±

    Whist ripped the headset off and stared at the sky. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what had just transpired in the conversation, but the notion that he was talking to a genuine terrorist did not sit well with him. Though confused, he knew only two things for certain; he desperately needed a drink, and absolutely could not have one. His nerves sang with misery, and he scanned around for something that might help calm them.

    ¡°You there¡ªstop right there,¡± he commanded a junior agent, who had just lit up a cigarette.

    ¡°Sir?¡± the startled young woman said.

    ¡°I need all of your smokes, immediately. And your lighter. Left mine in the office¡­ sorry. Remind me to pay you back later.¡±

    The packet was duly handed over and Whist breathed a sigh of relief as he finally inhaled the soothing, lung-destroying essence. This time it was a sacrifice that would probably be worth it.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°You are my new partner,¡± he continued in a calmer tone, to the unhappy looking agent.

    ¡°Oh, but actually I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Your new role will be to bring me all the cigarettes within the city limits, and a perpetual supply of coffee.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said glumly.

    ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Whist paused and tried to marshal his jangling thoughts. Relevant information was screaming to be acknowledged, and he tried to fixate on the most obvious pieces first. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there¡­ some sort of report recently about human trafficking in the city, or something?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ yes sir,¡± the young woman said. ¡°A group of former Frontier Marines have been causing trouble for VennZech, and they recently arrived in Rackeye.¡± She brightened. ¡°That was actually my area of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Good, good. I want to see the file on them immediately. I don¡¯t suppose we have their location?¡±

    ¡°No, sir. The investigation is still in its early stages.¡±

    Whist¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Do they have females in the Frontier Marines?¡±

    ¡°There were women Marines, yes sir,¡± the agent said patiently, ¡°though the corps was disbanded,¡±

    ¡°Not likely to be friendly towards the League, then, are they?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, sir.¡±

    Whist nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Right, well thank you, uh¡­ agent...?¡±

    The young woman smiled. ¡°Yanna Marinou, sir,¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Whist responded, and made an effort to be human. ¡°That¡¯s of Greek extraction, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The junior agent nodded, and Whist sent her on her way. She seemed bright and energetic, though he couldn¡¯t remember seeing her before. Probably a recent transfer that he had hoped to avoid, just like Weslan.

    His thoughts turned somber. If that young man were executed today, it would be Whist¡¯s fault. But he would draw on every day of his twenty years of experience to make sure it didn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°God, that was a disaster,¡± Kayla said as she slumped into a chair across from Leod. ¡°I was not a good terrorist.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t terrible,¡± Sal said. He paced around the office while thinking out loud. ¡°It all depends on this Whist guy. If he¡¯s a stuck-up ladder climber, then it won¡¯t matter what you said. He¡¯ll hear what he wanted to hear. But if we¡¯re lucky, and he¡¯s the free-thinking sort, then who knows? Maybe it¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°Free thinking Helvets?¡± Kayla rolled her eyes. ¡°Please.¡± She stopped and glanced guiltily at Leod. ¡°Uh¡­ present company excepted, obviously.¡±

    Leod raised his hands in a theatrical shrug, but didn¡¯t seem to take offence.

    ¡°What are you going to do about the director?¡± he asked.

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°Play for time. Hope that more options open up. There¡¯s nothing else we can do.¡±

    ¡°You promised me he wouldn¡¯t be hurt,¡± Leod said carefully.

    ¡°I did promise you that, Leod,¡± Kayla admitted. ¡°My promise was broken, and I apologize. But I will do everything I can to get all of us out of this alive.¡± She turned a dark glare on Sal. ¡°Unless your friend wants to do something else incredibly stupid?¡±

    Sal stopped pacing and crossed his arms. ¡°Look, that shook all of us up. I can tell you that none of the guys are happy about what went down. No-one¡¯s shedding any tears for Tensall, but it¡¯s just not how Marines do things. Gaz¡­ just had enough of seeing abusers walk away, I think.¡±

    Kayla lifted her legs onto the desk and stretched out. ¡°I remember you saying something to him when we first met. That he was emotionally involved in this rescue?¡±

    Sal nodded. ¡°His sister was¡­ is a victim. We never found her.¡±

    ¡°Jesus.¡± Kayla rubbed her face. ¡°Well, at least that adds a bit of context.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a good dude,¡± Sal insisted. ¡°I¡¯d put my life in his hands, even today.¡±

    Kayla nodded, though she took the announcement with a grain of salt. She fell quiet as her mind drifted over the problems they all faced. The moment was welcome¡ªshe could finally shed a little of the stress that had piled up that day. Unfortunately, the buzz of her earpiece broke her out of the reverie.

    ¡°Viper two-one, this is Banshee.¡±

    She sighed heavily, and pushed herself to her feet. ¡°Sorry gang, I have to go uh¡­ talk to my people.¡±

    Sal gave her a stern look. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any more of this secret squirrel nonsense. Don¡¯t you think you ought to share information relevant to everyone else?¡±

    ¡°Seconded,¡± Leod said.

    ¡°I tell you what, fellas, I¡¯ll make you a promise,¡± Kayla said. ¡°If the subject of this conversation risks becoming relevant, I will give you the whole story. All I¡¯m going to say now is that you genuinely do not want that to happen.¡±

    She left the unsatisfied glares and asked for Ray to join her again as she headed for a quiet corner of the building. They found a small sound-proofed booth, and Kayla readied herself for a difficult conversation.

    ¡°Banshee, Viper two-one, send traffic, over.¡±

    ¡°Standby for Nemesis actual, Viper,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°Oh boy,¡± Kayla murmured.

    She was about to speak directly with general Smyrna, a woman known to be several thousand years old, and probably one of the founding members of Valkyrie. Kayla fully expected every action she had taken that day to be thoroughly criticized, before she was dressed down in front of the entire task force.

    Ray flashed her a sympathetic smile.

    ¡°Viper two-one,¡± said a new and older sounding voice, ¡°This is Smyrna. How is your situation?¡±

    Kayla swallowed, ¡°General, our situation is secure for the moment, but we are surrounded with no hope of egress¡­ ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°I understand you sustained a casualty this morning?¡± Smyrna asked.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, Corporal Rudaski. She was KIA. I¡¯m uh¡­ the temporary squad leader, Lance-corporal Kayla Barnes.¡±

    ¡°Please know that we all grieve for her loss, as we grieve for the others taken from us during the course of this difficult day.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s shoulders relaxed a little. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°I want you to know,¡± the general continued, ¡°that you are all doing an excellent job managing an unforeseeable chain of events. The council of chiefs is proud of you, as am I. Your actions have shown proof of the highest valor, courage and commitment to victory that all Valkyrie aspire to uphold. Please convey my words to your Rangers.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, I will.¡±

    Ray¡¯s eyes widened. Kayla slunk into her chair. For the first time that day she knew that she was not alone, that the organization was behind her, and would support her through whatever was going to happen. She felt tears welling up, but that would have to wait until later.

    ¡°Now, Barnes,¡± Smyrna said, ¡°I will inform you of the situation as it stands. The soldiers of the First Barroche Guards Regiment are landing, and will soon begin the process of deploying four thousand men and women into the city.¡±

    Ray started, then reached for her comm control, before replying to a message she had apparently received on the squad channel. ¡°Copy that, we¡¯re aware.¡±

    Her finger pointed to the ceiling, and Kayla understood that the Rangers on the rooftop had reported the landing at the starport.

 Part 3 - Chapter 52

    ¡°There are three gunships ready to contest Calderan orbit on immediate notice,¡± Smyrna continued. ¡°A strike force of eight Shrike fighters is now entering the planet¡¯s atmosphere, ready to provide substantial fire support, if you have need. Doctor Gilah at the Rackeye facility has informed us that she is able to guarantee production of fuel and ordinance to resupply them, and enable them to continue supporting you for as long as necessary. As you know, the Urban Ranger Battalion is on standby outside the city, ready to intervene, along with the remaining companies of Mountain Battalion. As we speak, the council is mobilizing every available warship and unit currently on Tyr, to make haste to Caldera with an expected timeline of twenty-four hours.¡±

    There was another short pause.

    Overwhelmed by the insanity of the situation, Kayla could think of nothing more useful to add than ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Should your situation become untenable, you will pass the code word ¡®Anubis¡¯ to the Banshee, and element Raven will assist you in preserving your defenses by whatever means necessary. Our organization will then exist in a state of open war with the Helvetic League, to the extent of protecting ourselves, and the planet of Caldera from any external aggression.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Ray muttered. ¡°I guess it¡¯s official.¡±

    ¡°Should you manage to extricate your squad from foreseeable danger,¡± Smyrna added, ¡°and be able to safely exfiltrate the city, you must pass the code word ¡®Helios¡¯. Now, Barnes, is there anything you wish to inform us of at this time?¡±

    Kayla waited a few seconds for her mind to catch up. ¡°Uh¡­ yes, ma¡¯am, we have attained the probable location of Allana Rayker and the Omega site. I will have it transmitted momentarily, but it¡¯s about two hundred miles west of Rackeye.¡±

    There was a short pause, filled with radio static. ¡°Outstanding work again, Barnes. An assault will be planned for that target.¡±

    ¡°Our squad would like to participate, ma¡¯am, as soon as we get out of here.¡±

    ¡°I have no doubt. To finish, I will make you aware that the task force¡¯s intelligence assets are currently working hard on measures to bring your stand off to a peaceful conclusion. Updates will be sent to you directly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Persevere and you will be sure to overcome, Lance-corporal Barnes. All the stars of the galaxy are shining down upon you. Banshee, out.¡±

    Kayla sat and stared at nothing for a long moment. In the darker corners of her mind, a scene played out. It involved Thandi sniping a few Sentinel agents until the cops turned on them and assaulted the building. Then, after a long battle which Valkyrie would easily win, her home world would be free from the League. The whole Mountain Ranger battalion could assault the Omega site undisturbed, kill Rayker, and free Christie, Milani, and the other Rangers. The galaxy would see that a force had stood up to the corruption of the League, and other planets would be inspired to do the same. The fantasy went on and on, leading to an incredible future for all mankind.

    Of course, that was the problem with fantasies. They didn¡¯t cost lives, or destroy cities with bombardments. They didn¡¯t predict the zeal of a stagnant empire, caught in an existential crisis, committing all its resources and people to a war they didn¡¯t know they couldn¡¯t win. They also didn¡¯t predict the behavior of a new Calderan nation, allying with a force of super soldiers for an objective that nobody would be able to define beyond the immediate need for power.

    For years, Kayla¡¯s seniors had warned her of the danger of humanity gaining knowledge of their organization. She had always assumed they were talking about criminals somehow learning where to go and dig up Jotnar weapons of mass destruction. But wasn¡¯t Valkyrie itself a weapon? Did she have the right to use it? For all the men, women and children who would die, did she have the right to decide?

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Ray said, interrupting her train of thought.

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Another silence filled the small office.

    ¡°What the hell are we doing here, Ray?¡± Kayla demanded. ¡°How did this happen?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I could go on about chaos theory, but I¡¯m not sure that will be much help to you.¡±

    ¡°They need to parachute a Raider squad onto the building or something, because this is way too much for a dumbass Lance-corporal.¡±

    Ray held up a finger. ¡°At this point, you can consider yourself a corporal. They¡¯ll definitely promote you. If you survive.¡±

    Kayla threw up her arms. ¡°Who cares? I¡¯m literally sat here with the fate of an entire planet at my fingers. My planet.¡±

    ¡°Okay, no pressure then,¡± Ray said with a wink. ¡°But also, don¡¯t screw up.¡±

    Kayla turned to stare at her. ¡°How are you always so calm, no matter what we¡¯re up against?¡±

    Ray shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s my nature.¡±

    Kayla watched her a moment longer, then jumped to her feet. ¡°How old are you?¡± she demanded. ¡°Really? I know there¡¯s a time and a place for asking that question, and I think it¡¯s right now.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°There¡¯s probably never a good time for that¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about you cut the bullshit, Ray? You are older and way more experienced than any of us. You know what we need right now? Some actual freaking wisdom to help us get through this mess.¡±

    Ray sighed and turned away. ¡°I¡¯m just a private, acting-Corporal Barnes,¡± she said dismissively.

    ¡°Who gives a shit? Hey, private Barath, I¡¯m ordering you to stop playing games and help the squad.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no game,¡± Ray snapped. ¡°What answers could I possibly have to fix this mess? Rayker was always a step ahead of us, and now we¡¯re paying for it.¡±

    Kayla took a deep breath and held it for a moment. Then she exhaled slowly. ¡°Hypothetically. If an unnamed Ranger private was a couple of hundred years old, or whatever, might she have any insights that could help us understand what is going on?¡±

    Ray nodded and cocked her head. ¡°Hypothetically? She would probably tell you that, for the last thousand years, the leadership of Valkyrie has become overly cautious and conservative while humanity grew into a space-faring civilization. A handful of chieftains have been attempting to plan for the inevitable entanglement with Valkyrie¡¯s mission, but they have been constantly rebuffed. The council has become too used to repetitive, textbook style operations, fighting an unthinking enemy whose strengths and weaknesses were solved millennia ago. A reliable script is comforting, because uncertainty means risk, and risk means casualties. So, Valkyrie stopped being a cadre of dedicated warriors, and became a place for eighteen-year-old girls to contribute to the protection of their homes with the minimum casualty rate possible. Even the immortal get sick of seeing death.¡±

    ¡°But that complacency is only going to get more Valkyrie killed.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Whatever change has come in recent years was forced on them by Rayker, which means that she has always held the initiative, even if she didn¡¯t know it.¡±

    Kayla nodded. A lot of things were starting to finally make sense. ¡°And now?¡±

    ¡°Now, acting-Corporal, we are reaping the fallout of hesitancy and bad decisions,¡± Ray said. ¡°Even if some of the old guard tried to prepare¡ªand thank the heavens they created the Raiders¡ªthey couldn¡¯t predict how the inevitable conflict would take shape. Now, we just have to deal with it as best we can.¡±

    Kayla shook her head and stared glumly into the corners of the dark room. ¡°I could force their hand,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Start a war that¡¯s probably coming anyway.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one possibility.¡±

    ¡°Would you try and stop me?¡± Kayla asked with a dark smile.

    Ray raised her arms. ¡°How can I stop you? How could I, regardless of who I am, make that decision for an entire planet?¡± She smiled. ¡°But you are a Valkyrie Ranger, a squad leader, and a Calderan woman. Who else could be better?¡±

    Kayla laughed. ¡°This is such bullshit. I am twenty-one years old. I am a kid who has been paid to run around with guns and blow shit up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfair, I know. All I can tell you is that you have joined a small and exclusive club.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you caught sight of any philosopher kings out there?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Destiny throws curveballs, not rookie pitches.¡±

    ¡°So, Agent Whist, how are the plans for an assault coming along?¡± asked the digitized image of Colonel Stratos, commander of the regiment that was now marching out of the Rackeye starport.

    ¡°They are being developed by the chief of our tactical intervention force,¡± Whist said evenly. ¡°I do not expect to require them.¡±

    ¡°What a strange thing to say,¡± Stratos replied. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eager to destroy these despicable terrorists?¡±

    Whist smiled, while an inner voice screamed for a cigarette. He was speaking to a collection of monitors in the back of the Sentinel¡¯s communications van. The teleconference had been set up by the Sentinel¡¯s governing Cardinal, Megev Darys, and, for some reason included Cardinal Crayland of the adjudicate and Hieron Djallen.

    In some respects, the conversion of the crisis into a political opportunity had been inevitable, though Whist had dared to hope he would be left alone. The lack of drink was clearly making him a fool. Now, as he should have guessed, he would be micromanaged until the operation either crashed and burned, leaving him to take the blame, or succeeded, leaving the vultures to squabble over who would get the meat.

    ¡°I was hoping to avoid bloodshed,¡± Whist said. ¡°I think there are reasons to believe¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± The colonel banged a fist on his desk in the Augustine high above, where he would certainly remain for the duration of the crisis while handing out edicts like he was Zeus on Olympus. ¡°Now that we have these murderers cornered, you want to let them live?¡±

    ¡°I have to interject here, Colonel,¡± Cardinal Darys said smoothly. ¡°Agent Whist is simply following the proper Sentinel protocols for hostage rescue. I have full confidence in his ability to bring the crisis to a satisfactory conclusion.¡± He finished with a smile which quietly indicated that Whist would answer the contrary to his peril.

    ¡°I am sure the Colonel will appreciate the necessity of preserving the lives of the innocent civilians currently held hostage,¡± Hieron Djallen said acidly. ¡°The safety of Agent Genny is of particular concern to me.¡±

    Whist blinked. How could he have missed this? It all made sense now¡ªGenny had to be a plant for the Djallen corporation to preserve their interests on Caldera, or even help expand them. Even if he succeeded in rescuing the hostages, he would not be able to avoid getting caught up in power games way above his head. The thought was depressing, but he mentally swatted it away. He had a job to do, and everything else could go hang.

    ¡°Negotiations are currently underway¡ª¡± he tried.

    ¡°If necessary,¡± Colonel Stratos declared imperiously, ¡°my regiment has an in-extremis force that is trained for such difficult operations. Do not hesitate to call for help if you find yourself out of your depth, Agent. Now, what are their demands?¡±

    Whist let out a slow breath, and promised himself he would move to two cigarettes at a time.

    ¡°Their leader is a woman named Taylor, who wants all Helvet soldiers off the planet, in exchange for letting us speak to Director Tensall. She hasn¡¯t made any other demands as yet.¡±

    Stratos nodded. ¡°An obvious move, for colonist radicals, and completely out of the question. Gives them leverage straight away doesn¡¯t it? I hope you rejected the request immediately. We are here to stay until the safety of Rackeye can be assured.¡±

    ¡°No, Colonel, I did not reject anything. It is extremely bad practice to be confrontational with hostage takers; it makes them defensive and more likely to resort to violence.¡±

    Stratos¡¯ lips curled in a subtle sneer, but he said nothing further.

    ¡°As a matter of fact,¡± Whist continued, with some relief, ¡°I have reason to question the assumption that these are terrorists. My team is currently investigating the possibility that we are dealing with a private investigation group who have been after a number of VennZech employees on several planets, for suspicions of human trafficking.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what garbage,¡± Stratos said angrily. ¡°They told me you were fond of conspiracy theories, Whist. Frankly I think you should be replaced immediately, and if no other Sentinel Agent is senior enough, I will propose myself.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 53

    Unperturbed, Whist kept talking in a louder voice. ¡°The working theory is that they took advantage of the chaos in the city to move on the VennZech operations office with the explicit goal of capturing Director Tensall. We have collected a few sworn statements from employees that have confirmed he was possibly engaged in¡ª¡±

    ¡°Agent Whist,¡± Cardinal Crayland snapped, ¡°how dare you make such an accusation against a senior corporate executive. I want these employees to be investigated immediately on suspicions of slander. They might even be working with the terrorists.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not, and their confessions were made under strict anonymity.¡± Whist cracked his first gloating smile. ¡°And Sentinel agents do not take orders from the Adjudicate, Cardinal Crayland.¡±

    ¡°You listen to me, Manion,¡± Crayland said coldly. ¡°You are on very thin ice with us. I have a report on your career, and your¡­ personal habits. If you put one foot out of line, it will not be difficult to have you removed.¡±

    Whist was about to make a snappy retort, but Cardinal Darys cleared his throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will maintain the very highest standards of League security, and I will not have my agents interfered with,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Continue following your leads, Agent Whist, but keep your resources focused on resolving this crisis. The background of this group is irrelevant¡ªthey have taken hostages, and their lives are forfeit.¡±

    Once he was freed from the tyranny of live video calls, Whist stumbled out of the communications truck and looked around the staging area. A trolley carrying water bottles had been left to one side, so he kicked it over. Unfortunately, the act of petty violence did nothing to soothe his rage, and he whirled around to see a scared-looking Agent Marinou, holding a cup of coffee. She thrust it forward in a defensive gesture.

    Whist took a moment to calm himself, smiled, and took the coffee. It was delicious, and instantly made him feel more human.

    ¡°Good brew,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He continued to watch her expectantly, but when the expected side order did not materialize, his smile turned into a frown.

    ¡°I¡¯m so very sorry, Agent Whist,¡± she said ¡°I did try to get some more cigarettes, but the shops have started to close, and I couldn¡¯t¡­ it would have taken too long. Again, I am so very, very¡ª"

    ¡°Is that a report for me?¡± Whist snapped. ¡°Give it here.¡± He almost snatched the tablet out of the woman¡¯s arm, but stopped at the last moment, and let his hand remain outstretched.

    Marinou handed over the device, then blushed. ¡°Well, actually I¡¯ve just had a thought, sir.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Whist said, as he scrolled. The tablet contained information on the former Marines suspected of being resident on Caldera, and their possible connections to the colony. The information was interesting, causing him to almost miss his partner¡¯s hesitant suggestion.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, and his eyebrows tried to merge as he processed the beginnings of a migraine. ¡°Could you repeat that? Got distracted.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a new executive from VennZech who¡¯s standing in for Divine and Tensall, and she kept asking to meet with you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why in the name of god would I want to meet with another one of those cockroaches?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s a smoker, sir.¡±

    Whist¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Brilliant. Make it happen right now. I don¡¯t care what she has to say, but she¡¯d better have a spare pack.¡±

    A short car trip took Whist and Marinou towards the starport, and a quiet truck stop. Caught up in desperation whilst trying to digest ident histories, Whist did not think to ask why a senior executive would agree to meet in such a dinghy establishment, or why the place seemed to be empty apart from a few female bodyguards. He was completely absorbed by the connections between VennZech¡¯s rumors of their director¡¯s young-looking lady friend, and the possible presence of a rogue investigative group at the operations office, in what had to be more than a kidnapping attempt. Entering the caf¨¦, he didn¡¯t look up from his tablet until they stopped in front of a table.

    ¡°Hello Manion,¡± an unpleasantly familiar voice said.

    Whist stopped in his tracks until a rush of adrenaline made him try to dart backwards, but a woman stepped in his path with a gun aimed at his stomach. He growled as she held out an expectant hand.

    ¡°VennZech Executive?¡± Whist snarled as he glanced at the shocked looking Marinou. ¡°You treasonous, lying snake.¡±

    With exaggerated anger, he pulled his side arm from out of his jacket and shoved it hard into the woman¡¯s hand. Then he turned and glared at the figure who was waiting for him in the booth with an infuriatingly calm smile on her face.

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    ¡°Jiao Zhang,¡± he spat. ¡°I knew I¡¯d never be rid of you.¡±

    A quick scan of the room confirmed that he had indeed walked into an inescapable trap. The ¡®bodyguards¡¯ waited at every conceivable exit, while the woman who had disarmed him gestured for him to sit.

    He slumped into the couch and his finger shot out immediately towards his false Sentinel agent.

    ¡°Jezebel,¡± he snapped. ¡°Harpy. I know what you did. I know how you led me like a blind dog. You give them here right this instant, or so help me I will tear this place to pieces.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, of course, sorry,¡± Marinou said.

    She jumped forward and her hand shot into her jacket. When it emerged, it was carrying a glorious, sealed pack of smokes. Whist snatched them away from her, then almost tore the plastic seal away with his teeth.

    ¡°Oh, Manny, were you drinking again?¡± Zhang asked in a sympathetic voice.

    ¡°Late last night,¡± Marinou said. ¡°He¡¯s probably still hungover, as well as dealing with withdrawal.¡±

    After a frantic moment, driven more by helpless rage than actual desperation, Whist had two sticks lit and inhaled their fumes deeply. He eyed Zhang suspiciously. In the place of his normally impeccably dressed and manicured ex-lover sat a hunched figure, peering at him through exhausted, bloodshot eyes. Her hair, now loose and frizzled, framed skin pale from stress. She had obviously had a very difficult day, which meant that she was somehow tied up in whatever was going on.

    ¡°God dammit,¡± he said, resolved not to cut her any slack. ¡°Of all the things I do not need to deal with in the middle of this galactic shitshow. If I find out that you and your corporate masters are somehow responsible for all this¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Manny,¡± Zhang said. ¡°Whether you believe me or not, I¡¯m happy you¡¯re the one leading the force.¡±

    Whist snorted. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say the same. I have no appetite whatsoever for any ¡®favor¡¯ or ¡®deal¡¯ or whatever it is you¡¯ve dragged me here for.¡± He turned to stare at Marinou. ¡°You look like a rookie¡ªdid she tell you how her sordid games work? All the men you¡¯ll twist around your fingers and make dance like puppets?¡±

    Marinou gave a half-hearted smile.

    ¡°Do they at least offer you a personal yacht, for your work? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised, all the corporate strings she can pull.¡± He turned back and glanced at his watch. ¡°If I¡¯m not back in ten minutes they¡¯ll come looking for me.¡±

    ¡°No, they won¡¯t.¡± Zhang said. ¡°They¡¯ll assume you¡¯ve gone looking for a drink after your chat with your superiors.¡±

    ¡°You listen to me,¡± Whist said fiercely. ¡°If anyone gets hurt today because of your stupid games, I will spend the rest of my life trying to track you down. And it won¡¯t end with drunken phone messages either, you witch.¡±

    ¡°I will not allow anything of the sort to happen.¡±

    ¡°Then let me get back, by god! Can you imagine how much work I have to do? Can you imagine what the damned overlords will start plotting if they think I¡¯ve gone missing?¡±

    Zhang smiled patiently ¡°You actually don¡¯t have that much to do.¡± She slid a tablet across the table.

    ¡°What is that? Speak.¡±

    ¡°A variety of files detailing the recent movements of Eagle Rescue, and transcripts of everything that was done or said in the operations office since it was attacked this afternoon.¡±

    Whist narrowed his eyes. ¡°You were involved in this, weren¡¯t you?¡± he hissed. ¡°This¡­ this heinous assault on my city was perpetrated because you and your shadowy cronies¡ª¡±

    Zhang held up a finger. ¡°There are also files proving that Carlotta Divine is the terrorist Allana Rayker.¡±

    One of the many reasons Whist enjoyed anger was its blessed ability to mask pain. He was immediately reminded of that fact when his temper evaporated, leaving behind all the injuries and heartache he tried to suppress. He felt cold, alone, and miserable.

    But his aging, investigative clockwork wound on, and he found himself reaching across the table for the tablet and starting to scan it. Silence fell in the cafe, undisturbed by the patient women.

    After a few minutes, without lifting his eyes from the files, Whist spoke. ¡°Marinou, or whatever your real name is, you are not to look at Zhang, you are not to get her permission, you are not to hesitate for even a second, but you will leave immediately and return to the crisis center. There, as my new partner, you will give a believable explanation as to why I am missing, and do everything in your power to make sure my control of the scene continues unchallenged.¡±

    Marinou almost managed it, but couldn¡¯t help a slight pause in her movement as she turned for the door.

    ¡°And cigarettes,¡± Whist yelled after her as she broke into a dash. ¡°All of the cigarettes.¡±

    He continued to read, and when he was done, he laid the tablet down and looked up at Zhang.

    ¡°You look awful,¡± he said.

    She smiled grimly. ¡°One of mine was captured.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Do you want to tell me what you are proposing?¡±

    ¡°A trade, of sorts. One that will end this situation peacefully, and return law and order to the city. There¡¯s only one caveat. It will have to be stretched out.¡±

    ¡°For how long?¡±

    Zhang sighed heavily and shook her head. ¡°As long as you can manage.¡±

    ¡°And you have¡­ your people in there?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You needn¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll bend over backwards for you. We all just want this to end.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Whist stared out at the distant buildings. ¡°So that you can go and hunt Rayker? Find your lost sheep?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, Jiao, I¡¯ll do it. I suppose I don¡¯t need to remind you how completely different this day could have been if you just talked to me from the beginning?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Zhang looked away, and for a moment, appeared to have aged by a century. ¡°It¡¯s been a very bad month, for us. We¡¯ve made a lot of mistakes. I don¡¯t know what will happen next, but I will probably be severely disciplined. Unfortunately, none of that changes the fact that there was no possibility of my contacting you.¡±

    ¡°Just like there was no possibility for our relationship? For you to stop living in the shadows and playing games with people¡¯s lives?¡±

    Zhang smiled sadly. ¡°I regret what happened between us, Manny. I¡¯m sorry I betrayed you. And I know I¡¯m a very flawed person. But my job¡­ just has to be done.¡±

    Whist nodded, and managed what he hoped was a sympathetic expression. Then, unable to stop himself, he twisted it into a smug grin. He held out his hand past the table and snapped his fingers, while maintaining eye contact with Zhang.

    There was a tense silence, while she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Bro,¡± a satisfyingly offended voice behind him said. ¡°Bro, you did not just snap your fingers at me.¡±

    Zhang waved a hand. ¡°Just¡­ let him have this one.¡±

    The woman cursed, then strode forward and dumped Whist¡¯s sidearm into his patiently waiting hand.

    ¡°Do that again,¡± the bodyguard hissed, ¡°and you¡¯ll have it shoved up your ass.¡±

    Whist laughed. ¡°It¡¯s the little things in life,¡± he said cheerfully, and meant it. Despite the immense challenge ahead of him, he was suddenly feeling a lot happier.

 Part 3 - Chapter 54

    ¡°Viper two-one, Raven three; I am observing a new group of snipers taking position on the flat-top warehouse to your south-west. Their uniforms look different¡ªthey might be army.¡±

    Kayla sighed, then scooted across the rooftop to take a look through her scope. Though she had a less powerful optic, she was still able to identify the blurs of color that had not been there before.

    ¡°Slayer-four has new contacts to the south-west,¡± said a voice from her waist. ¡°Probable sniper element, now dialed in.¡±

    Sal had shared one of his team¡¯s radios with her to help them co-ordinate their defense. One of the Marine snipers had just confirmed he had sighted the new target and had calculated a shot. Kayla was comforted by the closer link with the obviously capable professionals, though the Rangers had sniggered at their more creative call-signs.

    The afternoon was wearing away to evening, and the embattled rooftop defenders had spent the last hour knocking police drones out of the sky. Leod had unlocked VennZech¡¯s prototype microwave system¡ªa handheld device with decent range that wreaked havoc on the machine¡¯s electronics. After a spirited dance around the sky, a few drones went down, and the rest kept their distance. The small victory provided a much-needed boost for everyone¡¯s spirits.

    Unfortunately, there seemed to be only bad news waiting for them.

    ¡°Do we know if the army and police are coordinating with each other?¡± Kayla asked her distant watchers. After a close discussion, Smyrna had decided that Raven would become Viper¡¯s sole point of contact to reduce the possibility of a catastrophic miscommunication.

    ¡°Intelligence suggests that there is some friction between them,¡± Raven said. ¡°We have been instructed to treat them as separate entities for the time being.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Kayla said sarcastically.

    She glanced up at the cranes high above the skyline, and spared a moment of sympathy for the two women watching the entire crisis scene.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting cold,¡± she observed. ¡°You two okay up there?¡±

    ¡°We have a bottle of whiskey to share,¡± Gucci¡¯s voice said. ¡°Plus, Elmira¡¯s kind of hot, so she¡¯s warming me up.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the compliment, but it might be the drink talking,¡± Raven replied.

    Gucci cackled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, I can still shoot straight, and I have the new boys bang to rights.¡±

    ¡°I sure am glad to have you both up there,¡± Kayla admitted,

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s nice digs,¡± Gucci said. ¡°We¡¯ve got space to stretch out, and a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree interactive surround sound entertainment system. Remind me to invite everyone round for a housewarming party after this is over.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Raven said, ¡°but put that on hold for a moment because we have a vehicle convoy approaching from the starport. Looks like light-armored transports.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s stomach churned. What more surprises were in store for them?

    ¡°Viper, get ready for trouble,¡± Raven continued, her tone becoming more serious. ¡°They are hauling ass, and blowing straight through the police checkpoints. These guys might be off on a whole page of their own. Looks like they¡¯ll approach you from the main entrance.¡±

    Kayla passed the warning on both radio channels, before moving to the front of the building for a better view.

    ¡°If we have to shoot, do not target the police units,¡± she told the tense defenders. They are not acting together.¡±

    ¡°What about this guy pointing a high-caliber rifle at me?¡± Thandi replied in a voice that was more strained than usual.

    ¡°You¡¯re hidden. Do you think he can really see you?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡± her friend snapped. ¡°If he¡¯s got a fancy infra-red scope, then yeah, probably.¡±

    Some of the men made the same complaint, and Kayla wrestled with the implications. The army couldn¡¯t be so stupid as to try an assault without the cops, could they? And even if they did, wouldn¡¯t the police snipers want to shoot anyway? It wouldn¡¯t take much gunfire for all hell to break loose.

    ¡°Viper, Raven, our drones have the convoy vehicles targeted with smokeless missiles. There will be no way for anyone to see where they came from, understand?¡±

    Kayla almost lost her patience. What the hell difference would that make to guys with itchy trigger fingers? But she paused herself and took a breath before keying her mic.

    ¡°Copy that, Raven,¡± she said coolly, then switched to the other radio. ¡°Leod, get me Whist again. Might be a good time to demand an update.¡±

    The roar of engines grew louder, and bulky gray forms soon became visible behind the line of police vehicles. Men and women dashed out of their way as they barreled forward, clipping a squad car and flinging it aside like it was a trashcan.

    ¡°Oh shit, this is it,¡± Tian yelled in Kayla¡¯s ear. ¡°They¡¯re going to assault the building.¡±

    ¡°Hold your fire,¡± Kayla said. ¡°They are not in control of this, we are.¡± Fingers tripped over themselves as she fumbled for the other talk switch. ¡°Leod?¡±

    ¡°No-one¡¯s answering,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll keep trying.¡±

    The armored vehicles rumbled straight up to the building lobby, but stopped just short of smashing through the entrance. Men piled out, their weapons darting around as they raced towards the doors.

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    ¡°They¡¯re stacking up Kayla,¡± Tian yelled. ¡°We need to hit them now.¡±

    ¡°Do not shoot,¡± Kayla yelled. ¡°Fingers off triggers¡ªno shooting.¡±

    An officer with a megaphone strolled in front of the entrance. ¡°You are surrounded by men of the first guards¡± he blared. ¡°Surrender now, or we will kill all of you.¡±

    ¡°Kayla, my opposite is talking on the radio. I don¡¯t like this,¡± Thandi sent, and her voice quivered in the static.

    ¡°Surrender!¡± the officer repeated. ¡°There is no escape. You will be destroyed.¡±

    Kalya felt time stand still. Desperate, pleading voices echoed across both channels while the soldiers outside screamed threats. The second any of them entered the building, the defensive plan would be made irrelevant as a nasty, close quarters fight developed. Then, Valkyrie¡¯s unseen advantage would be useless.

    Almost instinctively, she looked up to try and catch sight of her salvation. Menacing clouds rolled above the city, forming a horrifying skull that grinned down upon her. The wind quickly picked up, tearing the shape to pieces. Kayla became aware of a nagging question in her mind. It was an irritating and stupid distraction, but one she couldn¡¯t swat away¡ªwhy hadn¡¯t the vehicles crashed straight through the lobby?

    ¡°Viper, Gucci,¡± her earpiece buzzed. ¡°Be aware that the army snipers on the warehouse roof are not on their guns. I repeat, not on their guns.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Kayla tried to say, but her dry throat choked the words. She swallowed. ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    ¡°Still setting up. They don¡¯t look hurried.¡±

    Kayla switched channels and keyed the handheld. ¡°It¡¯s a bluff,¡± she said to the whole building, and tried to make herself believe it. ¡°They won¡¯t attack. They¡¯re still playing the same game.¡±

    ¡°Christ, are you sure?¡± Tian yelled.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Kayla lied. ¡°Intel just confirmed.¡±

    A horrible void opened beneath her as the verbal threats continued from the pavement below. What if this Helvetic army unit was just as incompetent as the rest of the League? What if the snipers¡¯ only job had been to draw their attention away? Nothing was lost yet. She could still call Raven for the missiles. They could still¡ª

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Jess¡¯ voice screeched in Kayla¡¯s ear. ¡°That¡¯s Effy. What is she doing?¡±

    ¡°What? Who?¡± Kayla demanded frantically.

    ¡°One of the agents outside is er¡­ I was in boot camp with her¡ªI know her. I can see her in my scope with all of the other cops. What is she¡ªis she undercover or something?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s she doing, what¡¯s she doing?¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°She¡¯s running around yelling at people,¡± Jess said. ¡°She¡¯s found some army officer, and she¡­ oh wow, she just slapped him in the face.¡±

    Outside, the megaphone abruptly cut off and the assault leader dashed back into his vehicle. For several minutes the entire building fell silent. Even the soldiers outside seemed to have calmed down as they traded looks and shrugs.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Leod¡¯s voice said. ¡°Agent Whist is on the line and wants to speak to you.¡±

    She didn¡¯t remember her sprint down the stairs, or the doors she crashed through. But the next moment a headset was going over her ears and the voice she thought she hated was speaking to her.

    ¡°Hello, Taylor,¡± Whist said in an impossibly calm voice. ¡°Please listen carefully. I have just received word from a senior VennZech representative who is very anxious for her daughter. Apparently, you are holding her prisoner, and it would be a wonderful show of goodwill if you could release her.

    ¡°Wha¡ª? Huh?¡± Kayla stammered.

    ¡°You know her as Bunny, her mother says. She asked me to tell you that the poor girl is her little cherry blossom, and shouldn¡¯t be made to worry.¡±

    The walls began to close in as Kayla¡¯s mind raced. There was no way those words could be a coincidence. He was talking about Rose, and the only way he could know that was if¡­

    ¡°Get those soldiers away from this building,¡± she snapped. ¡°And pull your own snipers back too.¡±

    ¡°And you will send out Bunny?¡± Whist asked patiently.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Kayla struggled to understand what she was supposed to do. ¡°Okay, yeah.¡±

    ¡°But let¡¯s take it slowly. Give me an hour to restore the original perimeter. We don¡¯t want to upset this dangerous situation, do we?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Not to worry, I¡¯ll call you back,¡± he said, then hung up.

    Kayla sank to the floor and stared at nothing as her hands started to shake. After a moment, she reached up to her squad radio control.

    ¡°Thandi?¡± she eventually managed to say.

    ¡°What?¡± an impatient voice snapped back.

    ¡°I think someone answered your prayers.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s about damned time,¡± Thandi said angrily. ¡°His phone¡¯s been ringing non-stop for the last half hour.¡±

    Kayla couldn¡¯t stop herself from giggling. ¡°You swore,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re going to hell.¡± Then she laughed and laughed until tears rolled down her face.

    A lengthy conversation soon followed with Raven-three, who passed along Zhang¡¯s outline of her meeting with Whist, and a possible resolution. Kayla, in turn, talked through iterations of a plan with her squad, and they pointed out flaws and solutions, until everybody was happy. That left them with only one problem; the Marines had to be convinced.

    Following a quick perimeter check to make sure the League¡¯s army was withdrawing in good order, Kayla asked Ray to join her downstairs. The computer room that Leod had set up in had become the defender¡¯s de facto command center, and Sal had agreed to meet them there.

    ¡°Hey, how¡¯s Tian?¡± Kayla asked as they descended the central staircase. ¡°She looked like she had some grazing around her eye.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ray said as she ran a hand through hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t like how excitable she was getting, so I ripped the machinegun out of her hands. It was a bit of a tussle, and she got whacked in the eye.¡±

    ¡°It was a hairy situation,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Did she settle down okay?¡±

    ¡°More or less. We might argue about it later. She¡¯s very default aggressive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how they want Rangers. Doesn¡¯t always translate to weird situations, though.¡±

    Ray shrugged. ¡°It is what it is. What matters is that we got through that insanity.¡±

    ¡°Almost,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    They entered the command center to find both Gaz and Sal waiting patiently in the corner. Leod was doing something on the computer, obviously trying to avoid talking to them.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kayla said, as she grabbed a chair and sat down opposite the two veterans. ¡°Let¡¯s do this thing. Leod, what¡¯s up?¡±

    The engineer glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just trying to process all the trauma this day has brought me. Gaz explained his deal and¡­ I dunno. I¡¯ll get over it with therapy, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Kayla nodded and turned to the somber-looking Gaz. ¡°Well, murderer, what do you have to say for yourself?¡±

    He sat hunched over with his arms crossed and eyes downcast. When he spoke, his voice lacked his usual confidence, and Kayla almost didn¡¯t recognize it.

    ¡°I apologize for my reckless actions,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I put you all in danger for selfish reasons, because I lost control of my emotions. I made our search for Milani about myself and my sister, and that was a mistake. Even worse, I deliberately hid my intentions from my teammates, to lead them¡ªand you¡ªto think I could be trusted.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate you taking ownership.¡± Kayla said, keeping her tone cool. ¡°Are you still armed?¡±

    Gaz briefly met her gaze. ¡°No, I surrendered my weapons. I¡¯ll just be a bystander from here on out.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Kayla rubbed the sweat and grime from her face, though she didn¡¯t feel any cleaner. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to apologize. The actions of my people have brought about this situation today. Not only have you all put your lives at risk to help us, but you have done it knowing that we are deliberately keeping secrets and plans from you. As a way of making amends and starting from a clean slate, I have been authorized to share certain things with you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, me too?¡± Leod asked.

    Kayla nodded. ¡°Yes, Mr. Grazden, you too. It turns out that one of your underground buddies is a friend of ours as well, and has recommended you for a job offer in the coming weeks. You¡¯ll probably want to agree, because when VennZech figures out your level of cooperation, they will make your life a living hell.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Leod said neutrally. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that.¡±

    ¡°Turn it down,¡± Ray said. ¡°Go teach IT or something. Trust me, this world sucks.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 55

    Kayla chuckled as she pulled out her phone and brought up a photo. She passed it over to Sal, who inspected it, then showed Gaz. Both men only looked confused.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Sal asked. ¡°A horse statue?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know who that is,¡± Gaz said after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°She was one of the statues in the regimental museum, don¡¯t you remember, Sal?¡± He glanced at Kayla. ¡°Some kind of historical war horse, right?¡±

    ¡°Sergeant Reckless,¡± she said.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Leod said, his brow furrowing. ¡°I thought you said it was a horse.¡±

    ¡°A Marine horse,¡± Kayla corrected. ¡°And a staff sergeant.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s a horse. How can a horse be¡ª¡± Leod stopped as he took in the impatient stares around the room. He shrugged and raised his hands. ¡°Okay, a Marine¡­ sergeant.¡±

    Gaz nodded as he handed her phone back. ¡°Not sure where you took that, though. Some camp in the middle of nowhere? All our bases would have statues of more recent Marines.¡±

    ¡°That photo,¡± Kayla explained, ¡°came from the camp where I was trained, on a moon far outside human space. You ever hear of the Night Stalkers?¡±

    Sal crossed his arms. ¡°Smuggler¡¯s myths to excuse shoddy spacefaring practices,¡± he said confidently.

    ¡°Mate, are you serious?¡± Gaz said with a small chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s obvious where she¡¯s going with this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayla said. ¡°That¡¯s us. There was an alien civilization in this part of the galaxy before humans, and they had a huge war, and left a ton of advanced weapons and ordinance behind. Our job is to clean up, and keep it out of everyone¡¯s hands. If we don¡¯t do our job, the corporations, the cartels, and the League would get into an arms race that could destroy civilization.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay,¡± Gaz said as he blinked slowly. ¡°And so, that¡¯s like¡­ a multilateral agency or¡­?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t answer to any political authority,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Then¡­ who do you answer to? Who pays for your kit and your training, and your super soldier potion?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something I can get into right now. Consider this conversation a limited introduction.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Gaz thought for a moment. ¡°Very limited. I mean, okay, aliens¡ªthat¡¯s insane. But beyond that you haven¡¯t told us anything. If we don¡¯t know who you work for then we don¡¯t know your agenda.¡±

    ¡°I just told you our agenda,¡± Kayla said patiently.

    ¡°No. You told us your current mission statement. Your agenda is whatever priorities your paymasters have that guarantee their security and success into the future. Up to now, you¡¯ve shown us secrecy, and the desire to hoard advanced technology. I know I¡¯m not exactly one to talk, but that doesn¡¯t instill a lot of confidence.¡±

    Kayla turned to Ray with a pleading expression.

    ¡°You are not wrong,¡± Ray responded smoothly. ¡°However, you have seen for yourselves that we share common values. And you appear to be out of options for a way out of this mess.¡±

    Kayla leaned towards her ear, hand covering her mouth and spoke in an audible mock whisper. ¡°Did they confirm plan B, that we could just kill them all?¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Leod said, his eyes darting back and forth. ¡°That was a joke, right? She was joking? Guys?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Kayla said with an exaggerated shrug. ¡°Many secrets lie behind my mystical agenda.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s great,¡± Sal said. ¡°But you don¡¯t have a way out of here either.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we can leave whenever we want,¡± Kayla said.

    All three men looked at her with stunned expressions.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Gaz said evenly.

    ¡°Nope. We can just pop smoke around the building and sprint to the river. My personal top speed, with kit, is fifty kilometers per hour. Then, we can swim underwater at 8 knots for up to twenty minutes before coming up for air.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± said Sal, though he seemed to lack conviction.

    Ray nodded. ¡°She¡¯s right. We stayed to get that lead on Milani and Rayker, and to make sure you guys got out okay. You have done a lot for us¡ªwe wouldn¡¯t leave you to a glorious last stand.¡±

    Gaz stared at them both for a long moment, then held up his hands. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s hear your brilliant plan, at least.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s super awesome,¡± Kayla said with a grin. ¡°We¡¯re going to pop smoke and run to the river, and leave you all here to play out this hostage crisis.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually starting to hate your sense of humor,¡± Leod said.

    ¡°What my colleague means to say,¡± Ray said in a more serious tone, ¡°is that we will depart the premises to go and recover Milani and hopefully kill Rayker. You will stay here to draw the attention of the League¡¯s security forces, with the cooperation of Agent Whist out there, who will shortly be in absolute control of the negotiations.

    Gaz scoffed. ¡°Milani is two hundred miles away in the mountains. And you¡¯re going to somehow travel that distance with the League searching for terrorists all around the city? How, exactly?¡±

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    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kayla scratched her head. ¡°We¡¯ll probably walk it. Looks like a chill hike, and it should be easy to keep a low profile in the hills.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well¡­ okay then.¡± Gaz looked surprised. ¡°So, wait¡­ you really expect to rescue Milani?¡±

    ¡°Yep. They¡¯re holed up in an underground base, so it¡¯ll be a tough fight. I¡¯m confident though. Rayker won¡¯t see this coming.¡±

    ¡°Where did she get an underground base?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alien too. That¡¯s kind of the whole deal with Caldera. There¡¯s this giant super laser in the planet that can just blow-up stars and whatever¡ª¡±

    Ray smiled tightly. ¡°She¡¯s joking again. We have no idea what the base was built for, only that it¡¯s very important to Rayker. She is, by the way, definitely working for alien overlords.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Sal weakly, ¡°that sounds¡­ well, you should probably go and take care of that situation. I think that makes sense, right, Gaz?¡±

    Gaz nodded. ¡°But what happens to us? We somehow play hostage traders for more than a week¡ª¡±

    ¡°A few days,¡± Kayla interjected.

    Gaz¡¯s face went blank while he processed that information.

    ¡°Come on, man, they have superpowers,¡± Leod added. ¡°Try to keep up.¡±

    ¡°¡­ A few days, then,¡± Gaz continued. ¡°After which, we all get arrested?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kayla said happily. ¡°You surrender after giving up the hostages in exchange for some minor concessions from the Rackeye authorities. Whist leads your capture and shuts you up in a nice jail somewhere. Then, in a month, when all the excitement¡¯s died down, we¡¯ll come and break you out.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t need to ask how you expect to do that so easily?¡±

    Kayla looked thoughtful. ¡°Dunno really. We¡¯ll figure it out when we get there.¡± She waved a hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go fine.¡±

    Gaz raised an eyebrow, then exchanged a look with Sal. ¡°So, uh¡­ what about Tensall?¡± he asked

    ¡°Well,¡± Kayla said with a grim smile. ¡°That¡¯s where things get interesting.¡±

    Whist¡¯s heartbeat hummed as he waited for the hostage takers to make their move. Around him, Sentinels, cops and army officers were standing around with bated breath to see what consequences would follow the failed assault. A few minutes ago, Taylor had contacted them to announce a broadcast, and although Whist knew exactly what it would contain, he was still very nervous. A lot could go wrong before he was able to consolidate his authority over the regiment that had come to Caldera in search of a fight.

    The command group watched a monitor that had been rigged outside the communications truck, only showing static for the moment. But that would change any second. Whist took comfort in the distant harangues of Marinou, who was on the phone to a nearby shop owner. She was promising wealth and favors if he would agree to stay open past business hours, and threats if he didn¡¯t. At least Zhang¡¯s people seemed to be both energetic and committed.

    A hush fell on the crowd as the screen went black, quickly replaced with shocked muttering when Tensall¡¯s face appeared. He looked tired, and stressed, but his smug and self-righteous tone of voice eased the tension, at first. An interviewer was questioning him, and he was answering frankly. He went on for several minutes, while images of young teenagers appeared in the corner, together with ages and planets of origin. Then the close-up cut to video footage of private rooms, in which Tensall and a young lover¡ªpresumably Milani Mayosi¡ªtalked, flirted, and then became more intimate.

    ¡°What a piece of shit,¡± a female police officer said in a shocked voice.

    A soldier spat on the ground.

    More video played of Milani, alone in her room, crying, and sometimes shaking. Then the feed cut back to Tensall.

    ¡°It¡¯s all accepted,¡± he said. ¡°Everybody knows how it works. The whole galaxy does the same. And you still can¡¯t tell me what¡¯s wrong with it, can you? Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m helping them? So many people are crushed by the machine, but shouldn¡¯t such divine beauty have its chance to rise up?¡±

    The mood darkened. Men and women either looked at the sky or at the ground. Nobody seemed to want to make eye contact with their neighbors.

    Whist cleared his throat. ¡°Conspiracy theorist am I, Jarrel?¡± he said to Caldera¡¯s station chief.

    He received a sidelong glance, but nothing more.

    The video cut again, showing a view from inside the operations office, with a clock displaying the current date and time. Through a nearby window, one of the distant police cruisers of the perimeter was just visible. Men with balaclavas stood next to a hooded Tensall, seated in a chair.

    Whist watched silently, hoping that nobody noticed how unnaturally still the Director seemed.

    A police officer marched away from the group, yelling into his radio for a shooter team to get a sightline on the room.

    Then another man, face exposed, appeared before the camera, and began to speak.

    ¡°For too long, Helvetic society has hidden the crimes of their leaders from the galaxy,¡± he began.

    ¡°Gareth Slake, Frontier Marine and currently employed by Eagle Rescue Services,¡± Whist said over the speech. ¡°You may recall they have been implicated in a variety of attacks on corporate and cartel targets, most recently on Intaba.¡±

    ¡°There was a VennZech man involved in that too,¡± a Sentinel agent said bitterly. ¡°Courts ruled no investigation was needed.¡±

    ¡°Of course they did,¡± Whist said, and turned his attention back to the monitor.

    ¡°Even as we try to bring justice to a proven child trafficker, the League¡¯s soldiers attack us,¡± Gaz went on, his voice full of enraged passion. ¡°They want to stop us from revealing the truth. They want to kill the witnesses. Now we are left with no choice. If Tensall is not punished for his crimes now, he will be released to terrorize more victims. We cannot allow this to happen. Innocent children must be protected at all costs. Now witness the punishment that is due to men or women such as him.¡±

    He stepped to the side of the unmoving Tensall, aimed a pistol at his head, and fired.

    Only tuts, or sighs came from the gathered officers. They had seen it coming, and had little desire to signal sympathy, or outrage. A few embarrassed Sentinel agents murmured obscenities against the army for inviting the execution, and were soon joined by the cops. Whist was only grateful that nobody questioned why a man about to be shot dead hadn¡¯t flinched, or begged for his life.

    Gaz faced the camera once again. ¡°We have no desire to harm innocent people. Once the government of Rackeye agrees to our demands for justice and protection against human traffickers, all hostages will be released. As a show of good will, we allow the woman known as Bunny to be released immediately. You may approach the western fire escape doors to take her into your protection.

    There was a collective sigh from the command group, while men from the tactical intervention team hurried off to prepare for the handover. A powerful VennZech executive had spoken to Whist, and now her daughter was being let go. Obviously, a deal had been made. Money had changed hands¡ªunderstandings had been reached. Against the backdrop of a now peaceful city, the prospect of a confrontation between colonist terrorists and the League had suddenly been reduced to a larger-than-life crime scene. It was a story of politics, corruption, and revenge. They had descended from the hysterical peaks of a confusing nightmare to the mundane problems that Helvetic life usually managed to sweep under the rug. After a little cleanup, all would be right with the world.

    In the distance, armed police approached the building. The doors opened, and a terrified young woman stumbled out, looked around in confusion, then raced for the waiting officers.

    Whist had no idea who she was. Probably the most well-connected employee the Marines and Zhang¡¯s operatives¡ªwhoever they were¡ªcould find. It didn¡¯t matter; different messages had been sent to their relevant recipients, and everyone could breathe a little easier. Of course, when the operation was reviewed, someone would discover that the pieces didn¡¯t fit together, but by then the narrative¡ªwith Tensall cast as an innocent victim¡ªwould have been broadcast across the League. Nobody would encourage further digging.

    The command group began to break away from the monitor, while the army officers were treated with a cold shoulder. Whist was summoned to another teleconference, for which, he saw with relief, Colonel Stratos had not been invited.

 Part 3 - Chapter 56

    As the sky outside the operations office darkened, the Rangers withdrew from their posts, shaking hands with the men who relieved them. Smiles and jokes were exchanged, and, in Ray¡¯s case, phone numbers. Solemn promises were made while good fortune was beseeched for all. Thandi even had a short prayer circle with her fellow believers.

    Kayla found Gaz, sitting alone near the building¡¯s lobby.

    ¡°You happy with everything we discussed?¡± she asked, referring to the squad¡¯s escape plan.

    ¡°If Whist plays his part, then I guess everything will go okay,¡± Gaz said. He took a moment to meet her eyes. ¡°Next time I see you, I¡¯ll be in a jail cell, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Our intel team is already making contact with your safe house. They¡¯ll keep you updated once you¡¯re on the inside.¡± Kayla smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t want you to feel like we¡¯re just going to forget about you.

    ¡°Technically speaking,¡± he said bitterly, ¡°abetting the escape of a murderer makes you an accessory to the crime.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°Listen Gaz, we might get you and your guys out of a Helvet jail, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re going free. I don¡¯t give a shit about Rackeye¡ª you committed that act on Calderan soil. My soil. The colony that raised me made damn sure I understood that our society was based on the rule of law, with no exceptions.¡±

    Gaz shrugged. ¡°I get it. I forfeited my rights and now I¡¯m just a pawn. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but that was my job description for a while.¡±

    ¡°Yeah well, you might prefer to sit and stew in your cynicism, but I suggest you take the opportunity of your confinement to think about things. Colony magistrates don¡¯t like to see the sad sack approach in defendants. Might be time you start thinking about how you can prove yourself a trustworthy contributor to your new home.¡±

    Gaz didn¡¯t respond as he let his gaze drop to the floor. After a moment¡¯s pause, he jumped to his feet and offered his hand. ¡°Good luck with everything. I hope you kick Rayker¡¯s ass into the next dimension.¡±

    They shook, and Kayla turned to leave.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± he said quickly.

    She looked back.

    ¡°Thank you for what you said. I will think about it.¡± Then he winked. ¡°Sometimes all a man needs to hear is the advice of a beautiful woman.¡±

    Kayla raised an eyebrow, gave him a curt nod, then headed for the stairs. She made it to the next floor before the wild grin broke through her controlled expression.

    Night fell, and the Rangers waited patiently on the roof. Ray had briefed them on the planned movement, and all were ready. All that was missing was the signal from Whist.

    ¡°But, what I¡¯m saying,¡± Sal said, his quite voice drifting through the silence, ¡°is that it¡¯s probably a rare event, right? Because, according to smugglers, the Night Stalkers hit several ships a year. I mean, that must be overexaggeration.¡±

    ¡°That number seems a little high to me,¡± Ray said, ¡°but I¡¯m not in that unit; I don¡¯t know how often they have to do that kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°I mean those freighters are just death traps waiting to explode,¡± Sal continued. ¡°And the crew are drunk half the time, so, you have to expect a high probability of shipboard accidents.¡±

    ¡°It seems reasonable,¡± Ray said patiently. ¡°But again, our unit doesn¡¯t really do that, so¡­¡±

    She was trying to seem disinterested, but Sal was relentless.

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously clear that some of the stories are real,¡± he said. ¡°But there is a baseline level of professionalism needed to travel in space safely, and the cartels cut corners everywhere¡ª"

    ¡°Got movement,¡± a Marine¡¯s voice said on the radio. ¡°Looks like one team coming in from 2 o¡¯ clock.¡±

    Kayla nodded, and tried to ignore her singing nerves. If anything went wrong with the stunt they were about to try, they would all be back to square one.

    Beside her, the waiting Rangers shuffled into a single file, and tensed themselves.

    ¡°Second team at ten o¡¯clock,¡± said another voice.

    Then confirmation came that the perimeter at the back of the building was starting to thin. The police units were low crawling towards the building from two angles, and Whist had been told to suggest shifting the visible force nearer the front to draw attention. Of course nobody would try to escape at the back, went the logic proposed to his fellow officers; where would they have to go, the river?

    The Marines had duly complied, moving near windows around the front of the building, to observe and prepare for their enemy¡¯s latest maneuvers. Whist¡¯s removal of snipers had caused some friction, but it allowed him to more effectively control the placement of infra-red observation devices to suit the plan. With the building¡¯s flanks now apparently free of activity, the tactical units¡ªso they believed¡ªhad gained the perfect opportunity to install microphones and cameras.

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    And so, events were set in motion that would give Kayla and her squad the seconds they needed to escape without anyone noticing. For her part, she had a very simple action to perform. But as with all such high-pressure moments, she found that fear of a screwup grew fantastically large in her imagination.

    In the gardens between her and the river, only a pair of vehicles remained more than a hundred yards apart. It was a perfect gap, and she focused her mind, committing the spot, and the nearby roof edge, to memory.

    ¡°Okay twenty yards now,¡± called the observer. ¡°Looks like number four in the stack bribed his way on the team, see the way his butt¡¯s up in the air?¡±

    ¡°Rookie error,¡± another voice said with a chuckle.

    Kayla smiled, then reached for her own mic. ¡°Raven three, go for release,¡± she said, then knelt into a sprinter¡¯s crouch.

    The response was as cool as the night air. ¡°Copy, Viper, weapon¡¯s away, splash in twenty.¡±

    Overhead, a group of bombs fell away from their drone carriers as their seeker heads swiveled onto preprogrammed co-ordinates. Kayla lifted her hand into the air, then dropped it.

    ¡°Standby, standby,¡± Sal said into the radio.

    Kayla felt the tension around her thicken, and wondered if her limbs would struggle to push through it as frequently happened in her nightmares.

    ¡°Ten,¡± Raven¡¯s voice said in her ear, then paused. ¡°Five, four, three, two¡ª¡±

    Kayla threw herself forward with all her might. Her legs pounded concrete for a heartbeat, and as her foot found the lip of the roof, she leaped into the darkness.

    Her stomach left her body as she flew through the air in an endless moment. Brilliant flashes of light exploded all around the building in a rolling fireworks display. Then Kayla sensed the ground rushing up to meet her, and she dropped into a roll as her feet made contact. Immediately she pushed herself up into a sprint and strained her ears, desperate to hear the impacts of her squad mates over the cacophony of noise. They came one after the other, while Kayla¡¯s veins flooded with adrenaline. What if someone tripped in the jump? What if someone landed badly? What if a cop saw them?

    Mercifully, she counted six thumps, and continued her race to the river¡¯s edge. When she reached the bank, she slid onto her knee and turned. The distant operations office was now covered in the smoke deployed from the cartridges that had accompanied the thunder charges. Police spotlights flashed on, drowning the building in light. Of course, that meant that everyone within half a mile would have their vision washed out, creating an impenetrable darkness in the spaces outside the illumination cones.

    Six figures flashed past her in a blur, and Kayla cringed at the soft splashes as they sank into the water as carefully as they dared. Everyone¡¯s ears were ringing, and it was unlikely that the nearby police vehicles would be able to pick up the sound. Even so, Kayla feared exposure as desperately as any prey.

    Happy that everyone had followed her, she turned and lowered herself into the river, and the sanctuary it offered. It was too dark to see anything underwater, but she dove for the bottom, and traced the slope of the bank to help her navigate. They would swim for ten minutes before surfacing for air, checking their surroundings and each other, then continuing until they left the city limits.

    ¡°God damn,¡± Sal said as he slapped Gaz on the back. ¡°Did you see them go? Real super soldiers huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, pretty cool.¡± Gaz rubbed his head. ¡°Wish we had that kind of stuff.¡±

    The thunder of the fireworks had left him feeling like he was in a warzone, and now he had to martial his thoughts. His men were already yelling obscenities at the retreating police squads, and his job was to go and make contact with Whist. He would demand to know what the police were thinking, while promising that he had plenty more traps set up in case they thought about trying it again. The Sentinel agent would apologize, and Gaz would follow it up with an unreasonable demand. Both camps would settle in for a long, drawn-out siege, before he and the rest of the Marines surrendered themselves for a jail cell. It would be a long time before any of them would get a decent night¡¯s sleep.

    The squad worked their way upriver, alternating fifteen minutes underwater with a few minutes of breath. A highway bridge gave them a place to shelter and take stock. There were no signs of pursuit, while all around them the city seemed to be returning to its normal state. Traffic was light, and the occasional police siren drew startled looks from the Rangers, though none came anywhere near them.

    Kayla let them have a short break, then urged them back into the water. They had to reach the city limits before daybreak, and their progress against the current was not as fast as they had wished. Weighed down by sodden gear, with weapons and equipment tightly lashed against their bodies, they struggled to maintain speed. It was hard swimming, and their muscles, enhanced though they were, had not been trained for that kind of endurance. Everyone became tired, and their pace slowed as midnight came and went.

    Eventually they reached the old town, where both banks sported brightly lit quays and bars that overlooked the peaceful river. It wasn¡¯t a crowded night, but some revelers were already drunk from celebrating their survival of the traumatic day. The Rangers stopped for another, longer break beneath the pier of a tourist ferry.

    ¡°Once we get past this last part of the city,¡± Kayla assured them, ¡°it¡¯s just a little further until we reach a waterfall. We can get out there.¡±

    Dull glances signaled their acknowledgment of the information, but the final stretch was what scared them. They would have to stay underwater to the absolute limit their lungs could allow in order to pass the more crowded area.

    ¡°Swim until you feel like drowning,¡± Kayla said, ¡°then come up for breath. If we can do another long stretch after that, we¡¯re home free.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like that big of a deal,¡± Lyna complained. ¡°Anyone who sees us will just think we¡¯re wild party girls.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, then they might want to join us,¡± Kayla cautioned. ¡°Let¡¯s keep the complacency at bay, and it¡¯ll soon be over.¡±

    What scared her was the possibility that she was pushing them too hard. The time they spent underwater was deceptively peaceful. The river¡¯s direction was easy to sense from the current, and they spent most of their time blind and deaf, wrapped in a cocoon of nothingness. Exhaustion, fatigue and fear were a perfect recipe for blacking out, and none of them would know they had lost someone until it was too late. But could they take the risk? In hindsight, a good length of string would have provided a perfect solution, but nobody had thought about it.

    Kayla went first, having asked the others to follow after short delays. Then, when she reached her own limit, she managed to scrounge a piece of trash and draped it over her head as she surfaced. She kept her eyes just below the waterline while she watched for the others. All around the wide river people laughed and talked. Even if they did see her, at least she would be the only one, and could draw attention away while deciding what she was going to do next.

 Part 3 - Chapter 57

    Five heads bobbed up in good time, then Kayla fell into a horrible moment of panic while waiting for the sixth. Her head whipped back and forth until she saw someone catching their breath far upstream before ducking beneath the gentle waves. It had to be Ray. Whenever Kayla led, she went last, and after who knew how many years in Valkyrie, the woman would likely have gained vastly superior fitness.

    ¡°Hey Juse, what the hell was that?¡± a voice called out.

    Kayla froze and did her best to bob naturally.

    ¡°A meteor show, man,¡± another voice replied. ¡°We get them all the time here because of the moon.¡±

    ¡°Freakin¡¯ awesome dude. It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    With a sharp intake of breath, Kayla dropped beneath the surface and kicked away.

    The last stretch felt easier, and she continued until the channel deepened slightly. Then she rose to the surface where the roar of falling water broke her silent bubble. She checked for the distant lights of the old town, then scanned ahead. A figure waved at her from a small pebbly beach running along the canyon wall. As she closed, Kayla was relieved to see every member of her squad waiting for her. Before she joined them, she made sure to replace her headset, and activate the mic.

    ¡°Banshee, Viper two-one passes Helios,¡± she said. Somehow, the message made their safety official, and the immense weight of displaced exhaustion began to settle on her shoulders.

    ¡°Banshee copies Helios¡ªgreat work, Viper,¡± came the reply.

    Kayla returned to her waiting Rangers. ¡°Short rest here, then we have to hike into the hills,¡± she said as she stepped out of the water into much chillier air.

    ¡°Two hours to sunrise,¡± Tian observed. ¡°Maybe we can manage a longer rest?¡±

    ¡°Oh, how I wish we could,¡± Kayla said before stifling a yawn.

    Like the others she stretched out on the rocky surface that seemed as inviting as a soft mattress.

    After a blissful pause, she managed to regain her train of thought. ¡°Problem is the cold,¡± she continued, slurring her words. ¡°We can¡¯t dry out and warm up unless we walk.¡±

    Tian said nothing. Kayla¡¯s ears filled with the waterfall¡¯s soothing lullaby, and she fell asleep immediately. A dull pain in her ribs woke her up, and she opened her eyes to see Ray standing over her.

    ¡°Short break, you said?¡± the private asked sweetly. ¡°It¡¯s been twenty minutes, and I¡¯m starting to shiver.¡±

    Kayla moaned softly with misery, then reached up to untie her shoes from her webbing.

    A trail took them further up into the hills, until Rackeye glowed below them in the distance. Following the directions she had been given, Kayla turned off into the trees to follow a ridgeline cutting south-west. Forests nestled in the valleys and crept up the slopes. The squad headed towards a prominent hill, where Kayla hoped to find a ravine hidden by trees.

    The world turned from darkness to grey, to light blue, and warm light soon streamed through the overhead foliage. Soft leaves crunched underfoot as they navigated the undergrowth, and a distant chorus of birdsong quickly joined the repetitive sound of their feet.

    Still drowsy, Kayla almost freaked out when she checked behind her and only saw six figures. Her brain was running on automatic, and years of training had taught it to look for seven. A needle pricked Kayla¡¯s heart as she realized that another friend would never see the sunrise again. Throughout the journey, fear had kept a chorus of doubts and regrets about the mission at bay. Now it began to break in on her, weighing her body down even more than the fatigue.

    Once again, she shrugged away the dark thoughts, as she expected to do for the rest of her life. They were all still in danger, and she couldn¡¯t afford reflection. All any of them could do was make Kes¡¯ sacrifice worthwhile. Kayla briefly wondered how long she could keep up the psychological tug of war. Maybe she¡¯d get lucky and die before it became a problem.

    The sound of a stream trickled out of the silence, and a low whistle stopped them all in their tracks. A chunk of foliage stood up and walked over to them, looking cheerful.

    ¡°Viper two-one?¡± the shrub said in a female voice. ¡°Good timing. We were worried you¡¯d get stuck in daylight,¡± It turned and pointed between the trees. ¡°Command Post is down that way, and they¡¯ll get you some food and water.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s stomach chose that moment to gurgle loudly, and tired giggles broke out behind her.

    ¡°Appreciate it,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°I was about to suggest cannibalizing our rookie.¡±

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    Kayla awoke with a big arm stretch and found that she was laying snugly against a nice boulder. Someone had draped a sleeping bag over her, and she saw groups of figures moving between the trees. The smell of cooking sausages drifted into her nostrils, and before she could stop herself, she belched.

    ¡°Hey there, sleeping beauty,¡± a familiar voice said nearby.

    Kayla turned, and saw Masey Laukkenen sat against a wide trunk as she sharpened a knife.

    ¡°You slept like a log,¡± Masey said. ¡°Good evening, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Kayla blinked tendrils of fatigue away and yawned. The sky seemed bright. Surely she had only slept a few hours?

    ¡°Yeah, sun¡¯s going down. You slept like a log¡ªall of you. I¡¯m surprised you had the energy to eat as much as you did.¡±

    Filled sleeping bags lay around the boulder. Vague memories of indiscriminate foodstuffs drifted through Kayla¡¯s mind. One image in particular stood out.

    ¡°Ice-cream?¡± she asked in confusion.

    Masey nodded. ¡°My team raided a strip mall on the way out of Rackeye. Others grabbed some stuff too. Cara¡¯s cooking up something if you¡¯re hungry again.¡±

    ¡°FFfffffffgghghhghghrrrrmmmm,¡± Kalya said as she stretched again. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re moving out come nighttime. Urtiga will give a briefing before then. You have maybe two hours to get some food, get washed and get organized.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kayla said, then yawned again. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    Masey pointed with her knife, then looked back with a grave expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Kes. She was a friend of mine.¡±

    Kayla nodded, but couldn¡¯t think of anything comforting to say. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You go on, get yourself up to speed¡ªI¡¯ll take care of your dozing flock.¡±

    A small crowd had gathered around the cook stove where Cara Favre, one of the task force¡¯s pararescue jumpers, was cooking up burgers and hotdogs. Women turned as Kayla approached and flashed her respectful smiles.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going, Barnes?¡± a Raider asked.

    Urtiga looked around. ¡°Hola! How did the rock star sleep?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kaya said nervously. ¡°Okay, I guess.¡± She grew extremely self-conscious as the crowd of tier one operators focused their attention exclusively on her.

    ¡°Great job out there,¡± Gucci said as she gave her shoulder a squeeze. ¡°Sorry about Kes.¡±

    A chorus of both sympathetic and congratulatory words followed Kayla as she took a seat next to Urtiga. She managed an embarrassed smile, and felt a touch of pride when she saw how well known and respected her squad leader was.

    Her mentor reached out and handed her a plate of mouth-watering meat as her eyes flashed with mischief.

    ¡°I heard that you managed to win over a cute Marine while you were in town.¡±

    Kayla blushed. ¡°Oh¡­um¡­ I mean, this one guy was super helpful¡­¡±

    Cara looked up from the grill with a grin. ¡°A little bird told me that she met him in Zula, and followed him back to Rackeye.¡±

    Kayla tried to clarify. ¡°No, no it was just¡ª"

    ¡°Remember how she went hounding after that kid she knew from school?¡± Gucci said. Her voice switched into an imitation of a whiny teenager. ¡°I can¡¯t live without him! I have to see him.¡± She pretended to swoon, then laughed at Kayla¡¯s incredulous expression.

    ¡°Always the same story with this one,¡± Cara said with a shake of head. ¡°Falls desperately in love, then nearly brings the whole world crashing down trying to chase after the poor guy.¡±

    ¡°Crazy stalker girl,¡± Gucci said, and winked at her.

    Urtiga flashed a cheeky smile. ¡°Only got into Valkyrie ¡®cos she was stalking me.¡±

    Now bright red, Kayla tried desperately to save herself. ¡°I am not a stalker,¡± she insisted. ¡°I just¡­ well there are these circumstances, where¡ª¡±

    Urtiga gave her a small shove. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re just messing with you.¡±

    With the whole crowd cackling at her expense, Kayla grabbed a burger and shoved it firmly into her mouth.

    ¡°But in all seriousness,¡± Urtiga said, ¡°It was a really tough day, and you pulled through it like a Ranger.¡±

    ¡°Like a Viper,¡± a voice said, and Kayla saw Ray approaching the group.

    She wore fresh clothes and looked like she had had a wash. It did not escape Kayla¡¯s notice that the Raiders acknowledged her presence with respect.

    ¡°She was cool as a cucumber in that hostage crisis,¡± Ray added. ¡°A natural team leader if I ever saw one.¡±

    Kayla swallowed. ¡°Just gave my whole planet up to the League, but thanks, I appreciate it.¡±

    Ray shook her head as she sat down. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Rayker was always going to get this place, and it wasn¡¯t our job to stop her.¡±

    Kayla didn¡¯t acknowledge the comment, and went back to eating.

    ¡°Hey, Myra,¡± Urtiga said to a woman who had been quietly reading on her phone. ¡°What was that you were saying about our new friends? The First Guards?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Myra said and put her device down. ¡°Well, I just thought that their T, O and E was a bit of a weird choice. Barrochians have had this ongoing trend in their force structure, which I find interesting.¡±

    ¡°Whaddya mean?¡± Kayla asked as she sprayed crumbs.

    ¡°They¡¯re very biased towards heavy vehicles. Surprisingly high-tech, but light on infantry. It¡¯s based around what they call a Battalion Tactical Group, which emerged after the end of the Frontier War as a sort of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I think Kayla might be interested in your strategic conclusions,¡± Urtiga said patiently.

    Myra¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Did I have a conclusion? I was more thinking out loud. But¡­ well, I suppose that they would have a lot of problems confronting a more flexible and balanced opponent.¡± She sat up as she became more engaged. ¡°What with the whole galactic war everyone was freaking out over, I only wanted to point out that there might be a lot of possibilities along a more covert approach. You know, if you take those militias you have in the Lanstead area¡ª¡±

    Kayla nearly spit out her mouthful. ¡°Are you saying¡ª¡± she swallowed quickly and coughed as she almost choked. ¡°Sorry. Are you saying that Caldera could defeat the League?¡±

    Myra paused and looked unhappy with that suggestion. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting the First Guards regiment could be effectively handled with a properly fleshed out indigenous engagement strategy. Think of the ¡®by, with and through¡¯ approach the League¡¯s Special Forces have used.¡±

    ¡°But with Valkyrie?¡± Kayla demanded.

    ¡°As I said,¡± Myra said hesitantly. ¡°I was just thinking out loud. And I make absolutely no commitments as to how the broader conflict might evolve.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting thought experiment,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°One we can pursue after we get through this little adventure.¡± She gave Kayla a significant look.

    Kayla nodded slowly. Was there any limit to the crazy schemes this gang of immortal women could come up with? But Urtiga was right, and she felt a rush of anger as she thought about what Rayker might be doing to Christie and the other missing Rangers.

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Urtiga said, and reached into her pack. She produced a shampoo and conditioner bottle which she handed to Kayla. ¡°That¡¯s your brand, right? You can go and wash in the stream, and I left you new clothes in the rucksack by your sleeping bag. Eat up quick and get moving, because I want to start my briefing soon.¡±

    Kayla nodded and wolfed down the food on her plate.

    ¡°Hey now, stalker,¡± Gucci said. ¡°If we catch you taking selfies for your new boy-toy, you¡¯ll be carrying all the camping equipment.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 58

    Kayla returned to the circle as the sky was darkening, and saw that a new group had arrived. They were mostly Vipers who had circled around the city to reach them, including some from Kayla¡¯s platoon. Most of the company was still stuck trying to extract from Rackeye without provoking an incident, and a great deal of Raiders and ODT¡¯s were needed to help. That left the ad-hoc strike force with only a few dozen members, though Kayla was happy to see her Platoon Sergeant Reyes, who had managed to pick up some friends on her way.

    ¡°Hi, Dr Gilah,¡± Kayla called as she waved happily.

    Her former bootcamp instructor and the few nervous looking researchers were carrying heavy looking backpacks. As they greeted each other, Kayla learned that the scientists had heard about the planned counterstrike, and offered their services to bring ammunition and equipment.

    ¡°A new comms system,¡± Gilah explained, as she unpacked a shiny looking machine. ¡°We finally got a singularity-based connection shrunk down to something practical, and we rushed some prototypes. So, no radio waves to detect or jam. There¡¯s only a few, though.¡±

    ¡°Doc, you are a legend,¡± Urtiga announced.

    The soldiers traded stories from their chaotic day, and commiserated over lost friends. Once tears had been shed, and hugs shared, they gathered together around a small clearing where Urtiga had built a dirt mound. It appeared to be shaped like half of a bowl, with a vertical outer edge.

    ¡°So, this is the objective,¡± she announced. ¡°A mountain, obviously. Kayla¡¯s log of the tracking beacon showed that it reached a spot near the summit before disappearing. Probably another small, hidden entrance, like we¡¯ve seen on all the Calderan sites.¡±

    ¡°Easily defended then,¡± Masey said. ¡°That¡¯s a tough piece of terrain to walk up without getting shot to pieces. Anyone at the top can see everything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°But we really want to try and get in there without alerting Rayker. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s become complacent. Surprise can only make things easier, no matter what she¡¯s prepared.¡±

    ¡°Frontal assault is out, then,¡± Gucci observed. ¡°Even at nighttime. I don¡¯t know¡ªmaybe they feel comfortable taking trips outdoors? Might be a way to infiltrate?¡±

    Kayla shook her head. ¡°Won¡¯t work. As far as we know, Rayker chose every person at that site.¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°I feel you¡¯re overcomplicating things. Why don¡¯t we just climb up the back way?¡±

    Gucci¡¯s eyes went wide. Up the cliff face? It¡¯s gotta be a few thousand feet tall.¡±

    ¡°Nearly two thousand,¡± Urtiga said calmly.

    She glanced at the nearby Mountain Rangers. Whilst many of the Raiders and ODTs had colored at the suggestion, the Venomous Vipers were nodding.

    ¡°It¡¯s a big wall to approach without equipment,¡± Sergeant Reyes said thoughtfully. ¡°But we train climbs like that regularly. It¡¯s definitely a possibility.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Gucci demanded. ¡°And what if you fall?¡±

    Kayla shrugged. ¡°What if we get shot when we get inside? Life is risk.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Gucci said, as though she didn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°So, you¡¯re all just going to climb up a mountain face without ropes? I mean, I won¡¯t be, just FYI, because holy shit.¡±

    ¡°I think this is the best option,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Anyone who feels like playing spidergirl can join the Rangers. The rest of us can kick up a fuss at the base of the mountain. Draw attention away while you either make entry or kill the defenders.¡±

    ¡°Cleaning up at the top might take a lot of time,¡± Masey said doubtfully. ¡°Might not be worth the risk if Rayker figures out what¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°What we can do,¡± Reyes said, as she scanned the suddenly alarmed expressions around the circle, ¡°is use some chalk to mark the best route for followers.¡±

    Gucci let out a strained laugh. ¡°That¡¯s cool. Good luck to you. I¡¯ll take my chances with the machine guns entrenched on high ground.¡±

    Dr Gilah raised her hand. ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Kayla cringed. An introduction like that amongst operators was likely to draw mockery. To her surprise, however, the others only smiled and fell quiet.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, doc?¡± Urtiga said in a friendly voice.

    ¡°Well, none of my team can climb,¡± she said apologetically. ¡°Though, we feel that we could probably do some good inside the base. The problem is that whatever is in there is consuming enormous amounts of power from site four, which is a gigantic fusion reactor. We thought about cutting the power, but¡­¡± her voice trailed off as she searched for the right words.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°¡­but we don¡¯t want to risk blowing up the planet?¡± Urtiga suggested.

    ¡°That¡¯s one of several catastrophic scenarios. The coupling control mechanisms have an awful lot of redundancies in place specifically to prevent any interruption of the wormhole. The designers very clearly did not want it to fail. Anyway, we all have a lot of experience with the other installation¡¯s systems, so if we can figure out what ¡®it¡¯ is, we might be able to disable it, or at least make sure it¡¯s harmless.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Masey said carelessly. ¡°I was just going to whack a few nanitic charges on the thing. We¡¯ve got some spare.¡±

    ¡°Uh, hey, how about no?¡± Kayla stammered, anxious as she was that her home not be reduced to an asteroid field.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be wise,¡± Gilah said carefully.

    The handful of scientists watched nervously as the soldiers reflected on the problem.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Masey announced after a moment. ¡°Check this out, then. The obvious compromise is to initiate a small attack at the bottom of the slope while the climbing element goes straight to the top. Once there, they can split in two¡ªone group breaches, the other helps clear a way in for the ner¡ªuh¡­ the Collective ladies.¡±

    ¡°How many operators can climb?¡± Urtiga asked. A dozen hands went up, including Masey¡¯s. ¡°Plus, what do we have?¡± she said as she craned her neck to scan the back of the crowd. ¡°About thirty Rangers?¡±

    ¡°Thirty-two,¡± confirmed Reyes.

    ¡°Intel estimated fifty defenders, and we can expect this site to be as big if not bigger than the others.¡± Urtiga said doubtfully. ¡°And, with all due respect, you Rangers are not that well trained for close quarters fighting. Elmira, can you give us an update on air support?¡±

    The combat controller stepped forward. ¡°The Shrikes were refueled and sent back upstairs,¡± she explained, ¡°so they¡¯re out of the picture. We just couldn¡¯t risk them drawing attention at the airstrip. We still have drones there, and if the army starts looking in that direction, we could build out a brand-new field somewhere along our route.¡±

    Urtiga¡¯s face turned sour. ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that. Any aircraft going back to Rackeye might spot it, and we can¡¯t take the risk.¡±

    Elmira shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a possibility. Without that, a drone flight would be more than an hour¡¯s round trip which could close at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    Kayla swallowed, then loudly cleared her throat. ¡°Uh,¡± she said cautiously, and butterflies danced in her stomach as everyone turned to look at her. ¡°What if we just hit them with everything at the same time?¡±

    ¡°Expand, clarify,¡± Masey said patiently.

    ¡°If we manage to achieve total surprise, we can do a bunch of things at once,¡± Kayla said, and tried not to rush her words. ¡°You could set up a local airfield the night before, while the climbers start up the cliff. The um¡­¡± she hesitated and cast around for right word, ¡°front door element, I guess, can drop ordinance just after sunrise, then attack the slopes. The climbers go in immediately behind the defender¡¯s backs. Maybe two squads can stay outside for a short delay to support the attack, before following them inside.¡±

    Masey raised an eyebrow. ¡°Thus leaving the main attack outside, alone, in daylight?¡±

    ¡°Not to mention giving Rayker time to call for assistance from the army,¡± Urtiga said.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t co-ordinated with them¡ªlook at her position,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°She thinks she¡¯s won, and so do her men. They have no idea that an assault like this is even possible. Probably only a small contingent will be manning the defenses, and they won¡¯t be that alert. And okay, they could still be very capable, but if chaos erupts everywhere all at once, they¡¯ll lose situational awareness. Rayker and her security force will be able to tell friend from foe, but the VennZech employees won¡¯t. The base will be filled with people running around, trying to figure out what¡¯s happening. Anyone wanting to fight will be isolated and confused. I bet we can get a long way inside before running into any kind of substantial resistance.¡±

    Masey let out a surprised laugh. ¡°That is an insanely ambitious, and gutsy plan.¡±

    Kayla scratched her head. ¡°I dunno, I see this whole thing as a longshot anyway. It just seems worth going all in.¡±

    ¡°I kind of like it, though,¡± Elmira said with a smile. If the army reacts, they¡¯ll struggle to figure out where they¡¯re going, and might try to investigate our airfield by default. We only need to do a couple of trips with the drones before scattering them to go crash into the mountains somewhere. Should give the attackers enough firepower to make it up the slope.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget,¡± Urtiga cautioned, ¡°the only way a plan like this ends is with a Barrochian battalion laying siege to the mountain.¡±

    ¡°But do we care about that?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°We only have to get inside, not out.¡±

    ¡°Oh damn,¡± Gucci said with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s some cold-blooded calculation.¡±

    Urtiga held up her hands. ¡°Alright, this gives us a starting point. We have a long hike ahead of us, so plenty of time to think it through. In any case, a lot will depend on what we find once we get there. Myra has maps of the route with checkpoints marked, and remember, we will be maintaining radio silence throughout. Go make sure your teams are sorted for food and water. You can start moving in your own time, but leave a ten-minute gap between each group.¡±

    Kayla joined the queue of women lining up next to Myra, and scanned her night vision goggles against the waiting tablet. With the map uploaded, she rushed back to her squad to share it with their devices.

    ¡°How¡¯s it looking?¡± Thandi asked her.

    Kayla tried to maintain a positive expression. ¡°I think we have a real shot of taking Rayker down, and sealing off the Omega site. Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­?¡± Thandi asked, as the others turned and watched them.

    Kayla swallowed. ¡°We might be looking at a one-way trip.¡±

    The group remained silent, as each Ranger stared at nothing.

    ¡°As God wills,¡± Thandi said eventually. ¡°I don¡¯t mind what happens after we find Christie and the squad from weapons platoon.¡±

    ¡°How do you think they¡¯re doing?¡± Tian asked glumly.

    Kayla shivered. She had been trying not to think about it. But she turned to face her squad with a confident expression. ¡°We¡¯re going to find them and take care of them, alright?¡±

    The girls nodded, and turned to their packs with renewed energy.

 Part 3 - Chapter 59

    Christie drifted back to consciousness as the pain in her muscles demanded her attention. Her tiny cell seemed to grow larger, then shrink. Or was it warping with time, as though a gravitational field was twisting reality? She wasn¡¯t sure anymore. The torture would never end, that much was obvious. Rayker was going to break her one way or the other. But all Christie needed was time. More time, and more time, and more¡­

    How much had passed? She didn¡¯t know, but it was more than an hour. Or a day? Was it a week? Was she being too hopeful?

    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot,¡± Kayla¡¯s shade said from the dark corner. ¡°And now we¡¯re all dead.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Christie murmured, her voice slow and heavy with fatigue. ¡°There¡¯s still time.¡±

    The first day, she thought, had been experimental. She had been drowned. Men forced her down into a tub until she choked and swallowed water in her desperation to breathe. Then they had pulled her out and left her body to fix itself. It seemed to be Rayker¡¯s favorite approach, because neither the electrocution nor the fire had lasted long. The pain, though agonizing, soon overwhelmed Christie¡¯s senses, leaving her numb and unresponsive. Neurological saturation, she guessed.

    ¡°Know it all bitch,¡± Kayla spat from her corner.

    But the drowning had continued. Rayker probably enjoyed seeing Christie¡¯s panicked thrashing as her instincts fought for survival. At night, when she drifted off to sleep in her cell, she woke up coughing and clawing at her throat. Her tormentor enjoyed inflicting trauma, obviously hoping it would break Christie¡¯s mind.

    But she hadn¡¯t broken. She was ready to die. What did agonizing suffering mean next to that?

    Another shade appeared next to Kayla. ¡°They tortured the Christians, you know?¡± Thandi said. ¡°Burned them alive, or fed them to wild beasts. But the evil little atheist can¡¯t even handle a bit of rough play?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you,¡± Christie murmured.

    The world darkened to blackness; then brilliant illumination filled the room. It faded, and brightened constantly. Christie drifted out of consciousness, then snapped back as her aching limbs woke her up again. A baby began screaming loudly in her ear, followed by the screams of a dying woman. Or was it her own screams played back to her? Rayker would probably find that funny. The sounds played randomly, on and on as time hurried past, a passerby determined to act like it hadn¡¯t seen her.

    Rayker had soon tired of inflicting pain. She seemed easily bored, and Christie decided she only had to wait out the woman¡¯s mood changes until a bone spike ended it all. But then her tormentor had found a new toy, and an ingenious new approach.

    ¡°These wonderful devices,¡± she explained as she lifted one up to Christie¡¯s dull, bloodshot eyes, ¡°were just discovered in a prototype workshop.¡±

    It was a small object that hung in the air as Rayker pulled her hand away. An anti-gravity motor? The thing moved slowly, darting left and right, then up and down, before flying in a circle. Then Rayker strapped one to Christie¡¯s wrist. It was a little heavy.

    Rayker grinned at her. ¡°The brilliant part is that I can program in random patterns. Look.¡±

    Christie¡¯s arm began to drift upwards, then back behind her, until it felt like her shoulder was being wrenched out of its socket. She struggled to bring her arm back, and found that she could resist the movement if she made an effort. It didn¡¯t seem too difficult. But the thing kept going, drifting downwards, and pulling her forward. She straightened up, and men closed around her, strapping devices to her other wrist and her ankles. Then they left her like that.

    ¡°They have a month¡¯s power supply. Have fun,¡± Rayker said, as she locked the cell door behind her.

    Controlling the legs was easy; all Christie had to do was stand up and keep her balance. She could even keep her arms still, though it required constant effort. And that was the brilliant part. Pain from the nerves was manageable, but the slow destruction of her muscles and tendons drained her entire body of energy. The emotional havoc wreaked by such abuse had already sent her through the rollercoaster. First, she raged in fury, then she sobbed, and finally she had shaken with panic attacks.

    She never slept, and the pain from her muscles built into a constant, agonizing force. Between that and the assault on her senses, her mind would probably be reduced to a gibbering mess before long.

    ¡°It already was to begin with,¡± Kayla said. ¡°This was all your fault, starting when you planted that tracker.¡±

    ¡°I had to try something,¡± Christie stammered. ¡°Didn¡¯t I?¡±

    Kayla sniggered. ¡°You think you¡¯re so clever¡ªalways trying to outsmart everyone. It¡¯s the only reason we don¡¯t hate you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t even understand basic morality,¡± Thandi said dismissively. ¡°Just let go and blame the gods, you stupid girl.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you give the woman what she wants?¡± a shade that resembled her mother demanded in her usually haughty and critical tone. ¡°Don¡¯t act like the trash¡ªdo as you¡¯re told.¡±

    ¡°But mummy,¡± a child¡¯s voice cried, ¡°she laughs at me in front of the whole class,¡±

    ¡°Well then, stop acting like the trash. You¡¯re an Earther, for god¡¯s sake.¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Hours passed by and Christie collapsed again. Sometimes she threw a tantrum and allowed the devices to take over in the hope that they¡¯d rip her to pieces. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t strong enough, and the constant pulling and twisting of her limbs only added a different harmony to the screeching off-note of pain.

    Then the doubts crept in. All Rayker wanted her to do was explain some things she would probably learn anyway. Would it really be so bad to end it all? Surely the other Valkyrie had gotten away by now?

    ¡°Go on, you selfish bitch,¡± Kayla spat. ¡°Be the loser we always knew you were. Filthy, evil Helvet.¡±

    ¡°She wants me dead, anyway,¡± Thandi said. ¡°Me and my disgusting ignorant ways.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christie whispered.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Kayla demanded. ¡°You could be a hero for the Helvets. Rayker likes you, she said so herself. She¡¯ll probably make you rich and powerful.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Chistie insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t want that. I just want you to stay here, with me.¡±

    ¡°Even though we hate you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Aww,¡± Thandi said sarcastically. ¡°What a pathetic little girl. Hasn¡¯t got any friends except the ones she made up in her head.¡±

    ¡°I never did,¡± Christie said.

    She slowly raised herself to her feet and prepared to resume the endless struggle, even as the tears ran down her cheeks.

    ¡°I can keep going,¡± she croaked. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Rose appeared before her, and once again, Christie found herself calmed by the woman¡¯s beauty.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s the sweetest, smartest, most beautiful woman I ever met,¡± Rose said.

    Kayla laughed. ¡°Look at her knees shake. She¡¯s still afraid of you.¡±

    Rose leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. ¡°I love you, Christie,¡± she said softly. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t we be together?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christie cried, as she saw what was coming.

    ¡°Why did you let me die?¡± Rose asked.

    Her skin bleached white as a red tear opened across her neck, gushing blood across the floor. Her eyes went wide, and her expression turned to one of desperate terror.

    ¡°Please, Chris, don¡¯t let me die,¡± she begged.

    ¡°No,¡± Christie cried again. ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asleep in the dropship. All you have to do is wake up. Wake up and save me, Chris.¡±

    Rose fell to the floor and wailed as her life left her.

    Christie screamed.

    Byoran came to see her. Or had she imagined him. Did it matter?

    ¡°What the hell is this place?¡± he demanded.

    Christie chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not real.¡±

    He grabbed her head and stared into her eyes. ¡°Hey, listen to me,¡± he hissed. ¡°I want to know what is going on here. Divine tells us nothing. All this stuff, this base¡ªit¡¯s alien, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Aliens,¡± Christie giggled. ¡°Aliens aren¡¯t real, Rayker said so. I know, because she told me.¡±

    ¡°You need to stay sane¡ªyou have to help me. I didn¡¯t sign up for this kind of bullshit.¡±

    He returned to her cell. When had he left? How many times had he visited?

    ¡°I know that she¡¯s strong,¡± Byoran said. ¡°And I¡¯ve seen that you¡¯re strong as well. I won¡¯t ask for your secrets, but is¡­ is there a way we can kill her?¡±

    ¡°Liar, liar, liar,¡± Kayla yelled and stamped her foot. ¡°He knows she can¡¯t be killed.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Christie demanded. ¡°Why does he know?¡±

    ¡°Christie, please,¡± Byoran said desperately. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this machine is for, but it¡¯s studying us. I talked to the scientists, and they¡¯re saying it¡¯s learning how we think. Are they enemies, the ones who built this place?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Christie said. ¡°They¡¯ll kill us all.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you help me?¡± Byoran asked with a pleading expression. ¡°We can do something about this. Maybe I can find a way to shut it down?¡±

    Thandi shook her head. ¡°Nope. Don¡¯t like him. He¡¯s a bad boy, and you should watch out for bad boys.¡±

    ¡°Do¡­¡± Christie struggled to think clearly. ¡°Do the others have doubts too?¡±

    But there was nobody there. Maybe there never had been.

    Christie opened her eyes to darkness and silence. She was lying on the cold floor of her cell, which meant her restraints had been removed. Though her muscles still ached, the pain had eased. Nausea, headache, and the perpetual sensation of nails running down a chalkboard corroded her brain. She had to have slept and begun to recover, but why? What was Rayker going to do to her next?

    She tried to shift, but there was a dragging sensation on her right ankle¡ªa thick steel chain. Obviously, Rayker didn¡¯t want to risk her escaping.

    An hour passed and there was a tap from outside. Light filled the cell, and Christie sat up as the door slid open. The girl she had guessed to be Milani Mayosi waited outside, carrying a tray of brown colored blocks and a bottle. Prison food.

    Milani stepped forward hesitantly and her eyes flickered towards the ceiling. ¡°Madam Divine said that if you hurt me, she¡¯ll torture you again.¡±

    Christie nodded slowly. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t want that to happen,¡± she said, and held out a hand for the tray.

    Milani edged forward, then shoved it into her hand before darting back to the doorway. Christie ignored her, and tore into the dry, tasteless nutrient blocks. Her appetite was ravenous, and she couldn¡¯t care less if Rayker had decided to poison or drug her.

    ¡°All your friends were defeated,¡± Milani said angrily. ¡°You should just tell Divine what you know.¡±

    Christie shrugged and emptied the bottle down her throat. It tasted a lot like water.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any friends,¡± Christie said when she had finished.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying. You¡¯re a terrorist and you¡¯ll kill people if you get the chance.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Christie asked. ¡°What if I killed Mr. Tensall?¡±

    The girl didn¡¯t even blink. She was obviously too well practiced.

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Milani said. ¡°He works hard and treats people well.¡±

    Christie decided not to push. She was only a teenager, and cocooned in whatever world had been built for her.

    ¡°That may be true,¡± Christie said carelessly. ¡°I¡¯m not a terrorist and I don¡¯t want to kill anyone.¡±

    ¡°So why does Madam Divine keep you prisoner?¡± The girl¡¯s voice carried the hint of a challenge.

    Christie decided that meant Milani wanted to believe her. It wasn¡¯t surprising. Most teenagers didn¡¯t want to believe that anyone they actually met was evil. She thought hard for a way to respond.

    ¡°I know secrets about this place that Divine doesn¡¯t,¡± she said eventually. ¡°But I won¡¯t tell her until she agrees to let me go.¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she let you go if you told her what she wants to know?¡±

    Christie smiled. ¡°Would she let you go?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Milani said. ¡°I¡¯m free to go wherever I want, and do whatever I want. So far, I¡¯ve been learning all about the technology in this place, and the people who built it.¡±

    ¡°Can you go outside?¡±

    ¡°Why would I want to do that?¡± The answer came faster, and was almost angry.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to go outside and see the world,¡± Christie said.

    Milani shrugged. ¡°I can go for a walk if I want.¡±

    Christie smiled. ¡°Off the mountain?¡±

    ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t do that anyway, because there¡¯s nothing interesting out there,¡± Milani said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s just mountains for miles in every direction. That¡¯s boring. I¡¯m happier here learning about science. And everyone¡¯s so nice, and they¡¯re all working so hard I don¡¯t see why anyone would want to go off and waste time by walking for hours. We have a great time here. You¡¯d probably like it if you weren¡¯t so stubborn.¡±

    She stopped, and her vaguely frustrated expression transformed into a bright smile. ¡°If you told Madam Divine what she wanted, we could hang out and I could show you all the cool stuff here.¡±

    Christie cocked her head and thought for a moment. ¡°Okay then, you¡¯ve convinced me. But first I have to tell you a secret. Come here so I can whisper it to you.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 60

    Milani hesitated. She was obviously still nervous after Rayker¡¯s warnings, though she couldn¡¯t have any idea how strong Christie really was. But teenage curiosity won the girl¡¯s internal argument, and she moved forward and tilted her ear.

    Christie cupped her hand. ¡°If you get me a photo of this mountain,¡± she whispered, ¡°I will tell Madam Divine what she wants to know. But you mustn¡¯t tell her why you want it. That¡¯s the secret, okay?¡±

    Milani withdrew, and nodded smugly. ¡°Too easy. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    She left the cell, and the concept of time once again dissipated into the air. Absent anything better to do, Christie carefully observed her cell. It seemed to be constructed from nothing more sophisticated than dull steel, interrupted only by an air vent in the ceiling, and a drain in the floor. The walls were seamless and blank, especially so in the spot above her head which she avoided looking at directly.

    Reconnaissance concluded, Christie moved to the next item on her checklist. Why, after such harrowing torture, had her mind fallen immediately back into its coldly detached routine? Was it the training she had received from Valkyrie? They had damn near inflicted the same punishment on her body and mind, then demanded she get up and go to work without a second thought. On the other hand, most of her peers insisted on explaining that the boot camp curriculum that rooted out more than ninety percent of the girls who signed up for it, was not a training course. It was a selection course; it chose the few who could respond to that kind of punishment and keep going.

    Did that mean she had been born to persevere in the face of adversity? Had the organization somehow managed to assemble a population of genetically superior beings who could right all wrongs and lead humanity to a brighter future? Christie chuckled at that thought. Half of the women she had met in her time there ranged from arrogant egomaniacs to probable psychopaths, shy and reclusive book worms to autistic geniuses. When they weren¡¯t throwing themselves recklessly into death defying stunts, they were giggling at jokes a twelve-year-old would find immature, or embracing alcoholism. They approached the immense and overwhelming problems of the universe with the apparent belief that if they smashed their heads against it hard enough, reality would give in. And, to Christies¡¯ constant disbelief, they were sometimes proven right.

    Were they thus a special breed of human? And if that were true, then why had the Helvetic League, whose foundational philosophy extolled the necessity of creating such specimens, failed to embrace them? Why did it appear that the harder one searched for such people, the more easily they slipped away, to reform themselves somewhere else, even more nebulous, untamed, and irreverent? Christie¡¯s childhood education protested the affrontery of that particular genre of brilliance, that made a mockery of any effort at capture or study.

    In fact, only one thing seemed to unite them. Theirs was a commonsense brand of morality that Christie struggled to define. Even Thandi, dedicated Christian though she was, found it easy to partake in a compromise groupthink nurtured by free spirits. They somehow just knew, and once they had decided on what they knew, they went into action, relentlessly and unstoppably.

    And what if Rayker had been right? Had they once formed an army that eradicated a civilization of godlike beings? Had they, men and women, attempted to evolve their own race, and sought to destroy weaker competitors? Christie had confirmed in her first year what lay behind the organization¡¯s strict criteria for women. The only thing that scared them was the idea that they might reproduce. Many of the older Valkyrie had confessed to hearing stories from the ancient past, that both genders had served alongside each other and that it had led to disaster.

    Therefore, one had ejected the other, then apparently sentenced themselves to an eternity of thankless toil. Was it chastisement for past sins? Did their insistence on avoiding the rest of humanity reflect traumatic guilt? Was Christie herself wrapped up in a culture that she neither understood, nor trusted?

    Her jaw clenched and her cheeks colored. All the educated guesswork in the world couldn¡¯t change one simple fact. Christie was happy to die for the women she knew. All of them, with no exceptions. It would not surprise her to learn that they would do the same for her¡ªas Rose had. And up until the point of death, she would release whatever monstrosity lay hidden inside her against any enemy that threatened them.

    Rose had done that; a nineteen-year-old girl with little training, a broken leg, and unlimited conviction. She hadn¡¯t even stopped to question her decision. It was even a little frightening, the existence of such a force of human nature. It respected no ideology or empire, and would certainly, given due cause, sweep away such dead leaves from beneath the tree of narcissism.

    Christie¡¯s veins pumped the same energy, like tendrils from a magma chamber. Its source was neither mystical, nor complex. She had two friends out on the surface of Caldera, and one in her heart, and she would rather be tortured to death than let them down.

    Byoran came to see her and wore a deeply concerned expression.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I am well, I thank you,¡± Christie said. ¡°It is so agreeable to entertain company in my chambers.¡± She smiled, though her voice lacked its usual strength.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Are you healthy?¡±

    ¡°I suppose so; as near as one could say.¡±

    Byoran lightly banged the wall with his fist. ¡°I convinced her to put a stop to your¡­ your¡ª¡±

    ¡°Torture,¡± Christie said helpfully.

    ¡°Yes. We were obviously not going to get anything, and she settled for a slower approach. Honestly, I think she just wanted to play with you, see how you held together. She likes that kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°No doubt we all must tolerate the whim of our hostess.¡±

    Byoran half smiled. ¡°This is the real you, isn¡¯t it? Instead of the stuck-up Earther you sold to me, now you¡¯ve been through hell, and you¡¯re acting like this is all a joke.¡±

    Christie crossed her arms and looked away. ¡°Was there a reason you wanted to speak to me?¡±

    ¡°I told her I would check your mental faculties. But the reality is that I want answers, and I think you have them. I don¡¯t care about whoever you work for¡ªI just want to know what the hell is going here. What is this planet? What is Rayker?¡±

    Rayker, not Divine? Christie struggled to sort through her recent memories. Had she told him the woman¡¯s real name earlier? Was he supposed to know already? As hard as she tried, she couldn¡¯t recollect their brief interactions.

    ¡°I¡¯d suggest you ask her¡ªshe¡¯s probably better informed than I am.¡±

    Byoran shook his head. ¡°Oh sure, I¡¯ll just start questioning things and she can put a bullet through my skull.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Byoran,¡± Christie snapped, as her frayed nerves ignited a rush of anger, ¡°but I didn¡¯t put you in this position. You signed on with the devil and now you have to face the consequences.¡±

    He didn¡¯t react¡ªonly watched her in silence. Eventually, he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I did,¡± he said. ¡°There may be a lot of bad decisions that led me here. Either way, I¡¯m swinging between burning the place down and just making a run for it.  A little understanding would help me figure it out.¡±

    Christie rubbed her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s told you nothing at all?¡±

    ¡°Only that there are a bunch of other sites just like it around the planet. All the scientists guessed that it¡¯s alien, but she won¡¯t discuss it. Only that our mission is to protect the place for the League so that it doesn¡¯t fall into the wrong hands.¡±

    ¡°Colonist hands, I take it?¡±

    Byoran nodded.

    ¡°And what about me?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t get the impression she really cares about you or your people. We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere, and the place is locked down tight.¡± His expression turned grim. ¡°She just¡­ likes her playthings.¡±

    A lie had drifted past, just below the surface. Christie could sense it, though couldn¡¯t define anything concrete. Using Byoran as her former victim turned sympathetic confidante seemed like an obvious play for Rayker. Christie¡¯s head throbbed as she tried to make the connections. Was she just becoming paranoid? Had her job turned her into a heartless scam artist who saw nothing but marks and scores?

    Either way, unless she wanted to spend her time sat in the dark twiddling her thumbs, it wasn¡¯t like she had much choice.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Christie said. ¡°It is alien. As far as I know, they¡¯re all extinct. The bases on Caldera house a lot of technology which Rayker wants to use for who knows what purpose. She certainly doesn¡¯t care about the League. When I talked to her, she mentioned something about her boss. A powerful, but secretive entity, apparently.¡±

    ¡°An alien?¡±

    ¡°She described him as a servant. Though I¡¯m not sure how far I¡¯m supposed to take her at her word.¡±

    Byoran quietly shook his head. ¡°I need to get to the bottom of this. Is there anything you feel you can tell me that might be helpful?¡±

    Christie sighed gently. She couldn¡¯t reasonably hope to keep all her cards to herself. ¡°These beings¡ª the Jotnar, we call them¡ªbuilt a war machine that you can¡¯t imagine. Just about everything we¡¯ve discovered from them has been designed for maximum destructive potential. I promise you that I have no idea what this particular complex is for, but I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s anything good.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. Do you think you can walk?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ well, yes, I suppose so. Am I being allowed out?¡±

    Byoran reached out a hand. ¡°Right now, our best bet is for you to convince her that she¡¯s starting to wear down your commitment. Not through pain, but through doubt. If I show you around, maybe you¡¯ll see something that give you a new perspective.¡±

    Christie eyed him cautiously, then took his hand and let him pull her upright.

    Dark, concrete lined corridors crisscrossed away from the cells in a featureless grid pattern. Irritating, stuffy air hummed through the sparsely placed vents, while automatic lights flicked on and off as Byoran guided them up several levels. Christie felt like she was being followed by her own personal spotlight, and the tactically juvenile, but nevertheless aware, part of her mind cringed at the implications for any assaulters. Then she chided herself for her foolishness. They would obviously figure out how to deal with that problem, when they came.

    Byoran soon led her to more polished passageways, and the noise of activity soon began to bounce across the walls. Even so, they hardly saw anyone, except for the odd guard hauling boxes.

    ¡°What happened to all the scientists?¡± Christie asked.

    ¡°Rayker won¡¯t let them out of the upper levels,¡± Byoran said. ¡°She seems to be anxious about the big machine; doesn¡¯t understand it and won¡¯t let anyone near it until she¡¯s figured it out. Only the security team has access for now, and Milani, for some reason.¡±

    Christie shook her head. Her enemy was certainly more complex than she understood, and it wouldn¡¯t do to make any assumptions. She identified her irrational desire to humanize the woman, and suppressed it. It would have been comforting to believe that Rayker had experienced past trauma, and was able to sympathize with another victim. Unfortunately, a more astute assumption was that she recognized a vulnerable, easily manipulated target who could become a reliable servant amidst the crowd of strangers she now had to work with.

    But another lie had nearly slipped passed that Christie had barely noticed. Why did Rayker trust the VennZech enforcers with such sensitive information? Byoran was giving too much away too easily. Of course, the alternative explanation was that Christie really had lost her mind. After her ordeal, she had become paranoid, or delusional, or both.

    ¡°Does she like men of action, do you think?¡± she asked, to fill the nerve-wracking silence.

    Byoran shrugged. ¡°Maybe. She seems more at ease when she talks to us.¡± His lips formed a thin smile. ¡°But on the other hand, everything she does seems to carry the risk of danger. Small wonder she likes to be surrounded by guns.¡±

    Christie¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Danger? Down here?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 61

    In the control room, Rayker was sat at a computer with her feet up on the desk. She stared at a screen in quiet concentration as text streamed past, and Byoran had to clear his throat. The woman didn¡¯t react, and he repeated the noise.

    ¡°Do you really think I didn¡¯t hear you?¡± Rayker said distractedly.

    ¡°Madam, as requested I have brought the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can practically smell her fear. Be quiet and wait.¡±

    Minutes drifted past before she sighed and dropped her feet down, before turning to fix Christie with an annoyed glare. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Where once a snappy retort might have surfaced, Christie¡¯s thoughts only frothed with a dark and choppy storm.

    ¡°What have you done with the other Rangers?¡± she demanded.

    Rayker smiled. ¡°I locked them in a cell together. You¡¯re all remarkably resistant, aren¡¯t you? However, did you know that humans, under conditions of extreme starvation, have been known to kill and eat each other?¡±

    Christie¡¯s voice nearly cracked. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, it will take a while. Though, I¡¯m wondering if, in that state, the offer of food will be enough to make the weak one break. She¡¯s already starting to look flaky.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who could tell you anything useful,¡± Christie insisted.

    Rayker waved a dismissive hand. ¡°I¡¯m over it, frankly. The battle is won, and I¡¯m more interested in this machine.¡±

    ¡°Then let them go.¡± Christie felt the desperation in her voice and was surprised by how little shame it caused her.

    ¡°No. I like torturing people, and that little experiment almost runs itself.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, how imaginative. Thousands of years and all you¡¯ve learned is more inventive forms of cruelty.¡±

    Rayker laughed, stood up and walked over to her. ¡°I learned all the savagery I¡¯ve ever needed before they even made me immortal.¡±

    Christie tried to think clearly through her seething anger. Rayker was talking. Make her keep talking.

    ¡°Was that how they bought you? Offering revenge in exchange for selling out humanity?¡±

    ¡°Selling out humanity? My dear, how did I give you such a bad impression of me? Didn¡¯t I explain that I am but a servant of one who is attempting to do what¡¯s best for the species?¡±

    ¡°Twisting Earth¡¯s emperors around your fingers?¡± Christie snapped. ¡°You aren¡¯t a servant, you¡¯re a puppet master.¡±

    Rayker turned away as she tossed her hair through her hands and stretched.

    ¡°Such a drama queen, aren¡¯t you?¡± She paced a little, then turned, her eyes flashing with delight. ¡°Was I the dark succubus, creeping through the shadows and corrupting men¡¯s dreams? Did I drug them and brainwash them once they fell in love with me?¡± She snorted. ¡°Oh yes, I can see it now. Me in a scanty nightrobe, purring at the door. ¡®My love¡¯, I said, ¡®I¡¯ll fulfill your heart¡¯s desires if only you¡¯ll invade Asia.¡¯¡±

    Rayker shook her head as she smiled at distant memories. ¡°No, you child. In that scenario, the warlord standing over his map over the world, waves his hand impatiently. ¡®Not now, please,¡¯ he says, ¡®I¡¯m planning to invade our neighbours.¡¯ And so, I am left to sleep alone for the next fortnight.¡±

    Christie shot her a sarcastic smile, but the woman seemed lost in her own world.

    ¡°Here¡¯s how it really works,¡± Rayker said, after a thoughtful pause. ¡°All men want to conquer¡ªor rather they did when it was the only worthwhile measure of their greatness. With technology they find new ways to do the same thing. But anyway, all you really have to do is find a sufficiently bright thinker, and poke and prod at his thoughts until he arrives where he already wants to go. What they needed was courage, not instructions.¡±

    She strode back and forth across the control room as she gestured with her arms, and swung through expressive poses in the pantomime of her art.

    ¡°You help them with rhetoric, charisma, and you work their crowd of followers. Stoke the fire of admiration and belief. Then you introduce them to people¡ªno one special at first, just the local community leaders. Once they become sufficiently infamous you spread the circle¡ªmake connections. ¡®My honored Praetor Lucullus, you absolutely must speak to my dear friend Jack Half-wit, I think you will find him quite to your liking.¡¯¡±

    Rayker stopped moving and tilted her head. ¡°At this point, one really needs money, because parties and gatherings become expensive. But power and wealth aren¡¯t hard to amass when you can kill effectively, and convince the incredulous that you¡¯re a goddess. Before you know it, the movement takes on a life of its own, and you¡¯re left cleaning up inconvenient obstacles.¡± She finished with a theatrical bow, ¡°you get the idea.¡±

    ¡°Certainly,¡± Christie said bitterly.

    ¡°Oh, does it hurt you?¡± Rayker said with exaggerated sympathy. ¡°Did you think people were too moral to do it on their own? All we really did, me and my colleagues, was navigate by the star of human nature.¡± She stepped closer to Christie until she was almost breathing in her ear. ¡°Should we maybe review our youthful assumptions? Do we need to grow up a little bit?¡±

    Christie shoved her away, and turned to run, but Byoran caught her arm. His urgent look suggested she had gone too far.

    Rayker, having only stumbled backward, cackled harshly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind at all,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°Let her roam around¡ªshe won¡¯t do anything, and the camera coverage is inescapable.¡± She gazed at Christie for a quiet moment. ¡°I do like you, still. You¡¯re so bright and ruthless yourself¡ªall you need is to wake up a bit.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Christie¡¯s head throbbed with black rage. It weighed her down as though it had been filled with molten lead. Her face twisted in resentment, and she threw off Byoran¡¯s arm before turning for the control room¡¯s exit.

    She had barely moved before a horrific spider-like creature lurched out of the doorway, and flailed its front legs at her.

    ¡°Back up please, make way,¡± a male voice said from behind it.

    The creature agitated its forelegs in a hesitant way, and appeared to be confused about what to do. Christie darted to the side, into the waiting arms of Byoran, while her heart hammered a drum beat. Unhindered by unexpected obstacles, the giant spider tottered forward. It carried a large container on its back, while one of the VennZech guards followed behind it.

    ¡°Where do you want this one?¡± He asked Rayker.

    She pointed. ¡°Conduit fourteen, down that way.¡±

    The man made an odd gesture, and the spider immediately turned and headed off in the new direction. Christie realized it was not a completely biological creature¡ªmechanical parts melded grotesquely into hairy flesh all over its body. Some of its eyes and antennae were artificial, while its legs seemed to be reinforced with metal joints and tips.

    ¡°Brilliant creations,¡± Rayker said idly. ¡°Turns out the transformation chambers were meant for much more sophisticated designs than I could imagine. Whoever built this place used them to merge much simpler life with machines, for completely obedient, and incredibly capable servants. We have a whole stockpile of them to work with, which makes things so much easier. You wouldn¡¯t believe what a stroke of luck that was.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± stammered Christie.

    ¡°Which reminds me, Byoran,¡± Rayker continued. ¡°Go down to the teleporter and check over the security arrangements as soon as you can.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Byoran glanced at Christie.

    ¡°What?¡± Rayker snapped. ¡°She¡¯s hardly going to try and sabotage her only way out, is she?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes Madam,¡± Byoran said with a head bow, before turning for the control room¡¯s exit.

    ¡°I think,¡± Christie said as they followed dark passageways deeper into the base, ¡°that you might have mentioned the giant robot spiders.¡±

    Byoran shuddered. ¡°Maybe my brain blocked them out. I hate the damn things.¡±

    Christie sighed. There was no question the things could be repurposed for combat, though Rayker had seemed content in her role of scientific investigator. Oddly relaxed, even.

    ¡°Was there any news from Rackeye? About the terrorists?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything. But I haven¡¯t exactly had any free time since we came down here.¡±

    Christie¡¯s spirits rose. They couldn¡¯t be too concerned about the surface, which implied that Valkyrie hadn¡¯t gone to war with the whole galaxy. On the other hand, it also meant that Rayker felt very secure, and if anymore of the task force had been captured, she would probably be parading them in front of Christie. So, they had either succeeded, or been wiped out.

    A jolt of pain lanced through her chest at the thought, but she didn¡¯t let it show. It didn¡¯t matter. If she wanted to find a way to help stop Rayker, she had only one option remaining. And yet, the woman had dangled the teleporter in front of her like a gift. Why would she be so obvious? Christie was beginning to sense a trap, unless her torture had made her psychotic. But that was the point of trauma, wasn¡¯t it? It made you protect yourself.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s some kind of a teleporter?¡± she asked calmly. It wasn¡¯t like she had anything to lose.

    Byoran shook his head. ¡°Damned if I know. That¡¯s what Madam said, but it doesn¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Then, why are you defending it?¡±

    ¡°I guess she doesn¡¯t want to risk leaving it unmonitored. It¡¯s not like we can pull the thing apart. Who knows if someone else can activate it?¡±

    And that was another odd thing to say, because Rayker knew very well that none of the other sites could connect to this teleporter. Why wouldn¡¯t she have told her team that same information? A more logical explanation was that she had arranged a possible escape route in case of an attack, and wanted to make sure it was protected. But her general demeanor suggested that possibility was the farthest thing from her mind.

    Christie¡¯s thoughts whirled around themselves as they entered a much larger hall where a carved stone archway let out onto an even bigger space beyond. They passed through, and as Christie rounded a column, she stopped dead and let out a gasp.

    The cavern she had glimpsed before opened up before them, an immense vault unlike anything she had ever seen. At its heart lay the machine; the city-sized computer that apparently wanted to understand humanity. Vast geometric structures rose up to a ceiling hidden by fog as they crisscrossed and intersected each other. Lights twinkled and streamed across sensor arrays, while highways of cables wove through the maze.

    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part. Christie focused her eyes to see dozens of the cyborg spiders scuttling around in the near outskirts of the complex. That gave her enough information to understand that the tiny moving dots all over the machine were probably more of the same thing. Occasionally, something detached from an upper wall, and flew away.

    There were thousands of them.

    ¡°Pretty freaky, right?¡± Byoran said as he looked up, and for a moment, a smile darted across his face. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Rayker needed an excuse to send you this way. She wants to impress you.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Christie breathed, though she didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°I¡¯m certainly impressed.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the workers. They don¡¯t attack unless you try to damage something important.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said this was a risky place?¡±

    ¡°Not here. They¡¯re just busy maintaining the thing, and we think they¡¯re expanding it too. There are hundreds of caverns being dug beneath the surface, and, right now, these guys seem to be working on new conduits for power and data access. Rayker wants to plug into the new lines and track the construction in real time. Might give us an idea how the damned thing works.¡±

    Christie could only smile meekly. ¡°But¡­ how is it cooled?¡± she asked, more for the continued sound of his voice than anything else.

    Byoran tore his gaze away from the machine, and continued along a dimly lit path. ¡°Water. The local river system was diverted down here, and it flows out into the nearby valleys.¡±

    ¡°And the danger?¡±

    Byoran grimaced. ¡°They are packed away in storage. Rayker said not to wake any of them on pain of an immediate and horrifying death. We guessed that she meant by them, not her, and we obviously don¡¯t understand enough about them to risk it. They might see any intruder as a threat. The workers might trigger their activation if you touch the wrong thing, or the installation itself.¡±

    Christie nodded. ¡°It makes sense to keep the science team upstairs, I suppose. No telling what kind of things they might try without thinking.¡±

    Byoran nodded. ¡°Right, you really need soldiers. Everything is a threat until proven otherwise. We don¡¯t try any new interaction without a worker nearby to test it. If it gets antsy, we back off. Worst case scenario is an evacuation plan to the surface, which everyone had to memorize.¡±

    Soldiers, Christie noted, and once again felt a rush of frustration. Byoran had never joined the military. Why were they making this so easy for her? Or was she really so much smarter than everybody else, to include an immortal demon? In the back of her mind, Kayla flashed her a scornful look.

    ¡°And yet,¡± Christie noted, ¡°you brought a teenager down here?¡±

    Byoran glanced at her and stopped walking. His expression grew solemn.

    ¡°Just make sure you understand something. When you¡¯re on her side, Rayker has a way of growing on you. She¡¯s extremely loyal, inspiring, and if you earn her respect, she¡¯ll extend a lot of responsibility to you. But never forget that she is a monster through and through. Milani is here for one reason only¡ªto help her get inside your head.¡±

    Despite her misgivings about him, Christie read nothing but honesty in his eyes.

 Part 3 - Chapter 62

    The teleportation chamber looked identical to the others that Christie had already seen, and it was a hive of activity. Men were stacking crates and supplies in the adjoining corridors, and one room had been filled with makeshift beds, presumably to house casualties. When she took in the scene, Christie had to stop short. It was all wrong. Weapons and ammunition were being assembled, but much too close to the chamber itself. There were no barricades in place, or firing positions set up. Where was the killing zone, into which the enemy should be lured, blocked, and ambushed? Was she really supposed to believe that they were preparing to defend against an attack?

    Her forehead furrowed while she struggled to process the implications. Certainly, her own theory was wrong¡ªRayker was not trying to protect an escape route. As far as Christie could tell, she was looking at a staging area for an assault through the teleporter.

    A glimmer of suspicion illuminated the shape of the trap she was being led towards, and she scanned the adjoining hallways quickly. Off to one side of the chamber, an accessway had been opened that appeared to expose the heart of the mechanism.

    Evidently, there was nothing for it but to plunge onward with all the skills at her disposal.

    She tossed her hair into a wild mess, then clutched tightly at Byoran¡¯s arms until her nails dug in. When he looked down at her, she fixed him with puppydog eyes, and called out in a loud, brash voice.

    ¡°Gosh, is that really a teleporter? It looks soooo complicated.¡±

    Byoran¡¯s expression grew more bewildered, but to an unsuspecting eye it might appear guilty, or panicked. Men¡¯s heads turned, and a few smirks appeared.

    Christie giggled flirtatiously, then turned to point at the accessway. ¡°And what¡¯s in there? More aliens?¡±

    Byoran was stricken with silence, so a guard decided to help him out. ¡°That space holds what you might call the keys to this contraption, miss.¡± He winked. ¡°But don¡¯t fluster our chief with too many questions, he¡¯s got a lot of responsibilities to worry about.¡±

    ¡°He could do with some stress relief, right enough,¡± another voice said, to subdued chuckles.

    Christie giggled as she leered at Byoran, who¡¯s scowl was lost on the hardworking men, now probably lost in their own contemplations of potential ¡®stress relief¡¯. As far as they knew, Christie was one of the many scientists from upstairs, brought down to be impressed by the incredible, and unsung work the security team were doing. And so, in a moment of weary idleness, one of them had given away a vital piece of information.

    Byoran grabbed Christie by the arm and led her quickly away. He remained quiet, but she didn¡¯t sense that he was annoyed with her, or particularly worried.

    Of course he wasn¡¯t, because it was all part of the plan.

    Christie now felt certain that she saw Rayker¡¯s trap in all its brilliance. The too-obvious instruction to visit the teleporter was probably a weak-point, though a necessary one. Christie had to see the open accessway, and understand what opportunity was being presented to her.

    She was well aware, as Rayker had anticipated, that the teleporter required entangled particles to be physically moved to the other sites before a connection could be activated. They did indeed function as keys to the lock, that were needed at both ends, and, so far, all the keys to the Omega site had been missing. It was now clear that they were assembled inside the mechanism here. A particularly bright, and particularly arrogant, Valkyrie captive would certainly want to find a way to smuggle one of those keys out of the base, and send it to her sisters at another site, together with a message explaining the enemy¡¯s defensive preparations. They would then plug it into their own teleporter, at which point, the virus Rayker would have planted in the device would activate, probably plunging their facility into darkness and chaos. While the Valkyrie struggled to get control, Rayker would simply initiate her own connection, then attack with her thoroughly prepared security force.

    The difficult bit was obviously the smuggling. Said captive would need to win over the affections of an insider, a man of responsibility, but also of ethics. He would have doubts about the implications of the disturbing alien technology, and the crazed woman in charge. Perhaps the possibility of facilitating an intervention from a more responsible and mature organization would sway his nerve. Perhaps all he needed was an attractive young woman, with whom he had already built rapport, to give him the push he needed. Especially when he had let her be so cruelly abused at his mistresses¡¯ hands. It was a romantic subplot, brimming with intrigue, seduction, and excitement. If only the plucky heroine could realize how clever she was, and seize on her chance to outwit the hated and legendary Rayker. Christie giggled at the thought.

    Byoran glanced at her curiously. ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± he asked.

    She didn¡¯t answer. Her thoughts were still not fully marshalled, so she continued to reflect.

    The first problem was that Christie had been taken for a fool, which did not seem to fit Rayker¡¯s style. Instead of making a show of a serious defensive position, the VennZech enforcers had taken the laziest approach possible. Did that reflect their contempt for her intelligence? Did they not yet fear Rayker¡¯s disappointment?

    On the other hand, absolutely none of them could foresee that Christie was not simply a young and inexperienced spy. She was also a trained infantrywoman. Short though the Ranger school had been, it had taught her small unit tactics, planning, and execution. It had taught her the basics of logistics, casualty care, divergent contingencies, and fallback positions. She certainly hadn¡¯t given VennZech any indication she had that kind of knowledge. Why should she be able to tell the difference? She would see guns, crates, and men preparing, and assume that meant defense, as most civilians would.

    Rayker had seen Christie¡¯s arrogant side in her brazen undercover role at VennZech. To an immortal, a young woman might be smart, but would probably overestimate her intelligence¡ªChristie winced as she realized how often she already did. But now she had been captured and tortured, she would be prone to taking reckless chances. Rayker probably could not understand that part of Christie¡¯s resilience meant the ability to maintain humility and a cool head against the most painful adversity.

    The final part of the puzzle was Byoran. As Christie and her fellow agents had well known, that was not his real identity. Rayker would probably have anticipated that too, hence why he had been chosen to play the savior. Christie would be able to confront him about his true name, and his crimes, and so gain another ego boost as she masterminded the rescue plan. The brilliant Valkyrie would be one step ahead, until they realized too late, that they had been craftily outmaneuvered.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Byoran asked her quietly.

    It sounded like a tantalizing worm for the conspiratorial hook, so she ignored him again. But she had to think quickly. She had a very small window to exploit her insight, and would absolutely not forgive herself screwing it up. Rayker had said that there were cameras everywhere. But what if she was wrong about that?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the cavern again,¡± Christie said quietly, and flashed Byoran a significant look.

    He nodded.

    They walked in silence, and Christie remembered his odd slip-ups¡ªusing Rayker¡¯s real name, inadvertently and referring to soldiers instead of security guards. To her, it made the whole plan seem absurdly amateur. But what if her perspective was too narrow? If Byoran really wanted to convince her that he could be a co-conspirator, shouldn¡¯t he be more charming? Shouldn¡¯t he be trying to build a connection? Expressing resentment of Rayker? Anything? He was certainly capable enough, and trained in the very mission he was now fumbling. But he actually seemed to be holding back¡ªalmost defensively so.

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    Only one explanation tied the whole mess together. Christie found it bizarre, and almost laughable. She was almost too cynical to entertain the idea, but what if it was true? Byoran was certainly afraid of Rayker, possibly even to the point of regretting his association with her. But she had given him this assignment assuming he could come up with a convincing performance, and the woman did not easily misplace her respect. But there was something that she had failed to understand about him.

    When they reached the cavern, Christie observed how he reacted to the spiders. He had claimed to hate them, but now he seemed not to notice them. She stopped suddenly and grabbed his arm. First he scanned around, then looked down at her in confusion. She smiled at him with a warm, and convincing expression of trust. And saw the truth written in his eyes.

    He was afraid of her. And she knew exactly why.

    She drove her fist hard into his gut, and as he doubled over, grabbed for the bulge concealed beneath his shirt. Her fingers clasped metal, and drew the weapon out of its holster, then she turned and ran as fast as she could for the distant workers, and the fresh tunnels they were excavating.

    The world turned dark as she left the lights of the main path, and she prayed silently that she wouldn¡¯t trip. Rough terrain hurtled beneath her feet, though she wasn¡¯t concerned about injury. She didn¡¯t want to look like an idiot. Any Ranger could easily outpace her, but not a normal human. In any case, she wouldn¡¯t have long before Rayker would notice their absence in the camera feeds.

    A ramp fell away beneath her into a tunnel, and Christie continued into darkness, where hundreds of feet clattered loudly against the rock and made her skin crawl with terror. Behind her, the faint sound of Byoran¡¯s footsteps were just audible. She had at least a minute.

    Suppressing an instinctive wave of nausea, she ran up to one of the worker spiders and waved frantically at it. If she was able to pull this off, her chances of success would skyrocket.

    The ugly mess of insectile flesh and metal wobbled around to face her, and appeared to wait patiently. Christie did her best to reproduce the gesture she had seen the guard make in the control room. When she pointed in the direction of her pursuer, the creature turned and dutifully headed off.

    Christie darted around, finding spiders and sending them after the first. They probably wouldn¡¯t do anything more than approach Byoran in confusion, before wandering back to their work. It didn¡¯t matter. What she needed was atmosphere.

    A foot scrape echoed off a tunnel wall. ¡°Christie?¡± a voice called, nervously. ¡°God damn¡ªget the hell away from me already.¡±

    Christie found more spiders, but this time convinced them to follow her. Then she stopped for breath, settled herself, brushed her hair into shape, and prepared to do her job.

    ¡°Ah, my good man,¡± Christie said, her voice dripping with disdain. ¡°So kind of you to catch up.¡±

    She stayed in the shadows as the dim shape of her prey inched forward.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± he demanded. ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t funny.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Christie said, and her tone carried a hint of nastiness. ¡°These things can be quite fun once you learn how they work. Do you want to see what tricks they can do?¡±

    A worker decided it was bored and started to wander off, and Christie frantically waved at it until it came back to her circle.

    Byoran inched nearer, still unaware of her position. ¡°I understand that you don¡¯t trust me¡ª¡± he began,

    ¡°You understand nothing,¡± Christie snarled with all the venom she could muster. ¡°I know your mind. I know who you are. How long did you think you could fool me for?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªwhat are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You know exactly, Kyellan Bell.¡±

    The announcement was met with silence. No shock, or anger. He had been expecting the accusation, but, now that things had gone completely off the rails, didn¡¯t know how to react.

    Christie snorted. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even come up with an imaginative cover, could you? Byoran, Kyellan¡­ How did you even make it through SF training?¡±

    She saw that he was trembling a little, and she strode forward with spiders at her heels. He whirled to face the sound of her footsteps, and at first seemed not to be able to make her out amidst the mass of horrifying shapes. Christie reached down and stroked one of the creatures. It seemed happy with the gesture. She reminded herself not to channel Rayker too closely.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, isn¡¯t it Kyellan?¡± Christie said contemptuously. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to beg for forgiveness for fighting us in the mountain valley. You¡¯ll promise that you¡¯ve had enough of Rayker, and tell me you can help me defeat her. Get on with it, man, I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Kyellan said nothing, but looked down. He seemed defeated, and helpless. ¡°I thought¡­ I thought you could offer me amnesty,¡± he managed in a weak voice.

    ¡°You mean your mistress told you. Just like she told you that once the virus activated, you would be able to hide and wait for the attack? What miracles she promises to her servants.¡±

    Kyellan¡¯s gaze turned to her, and she saw the wideness of his eyes.

    Christie laughed, loudly and shrilly. ¡°What were we supposed to offer you? A fresh start on a Helvet world? Your record of rape expunged?¡±

    Beneath her hand, Christie felt another spider shove the first one aside, before presenting its own back. She scratched it too. By the grace of¡­ the universe, they were starting to like her.

    Kyellan shook his head slowly. ¡°I was ready to go to prison. To pay for my crimes. I just wanted¡­ I wanted to leave all this. To live again.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Christie said, as moved toward him. ¡°I¡¯m sure your victims will be thrilled that you receive that opportunity.¡±

    She reached him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear while creatures scuttled around them. ¡°Don¡¯t you want one last ride? Just for the memories? There¡¯s no-one around to stop you.¡±

    She felt him shivering beneath his clothes, and when she touched his arm, he jerked backwards, almost tripping over a worker.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t think I could resist you?¡± Christie purred. ¡°A big strong soldier like yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I know what you are,¡± he stammered. ¡°You¡¯re like her. You¡¯re¡­¡± His voice trailed off, as if he were afraid of the name.

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°Night Stalkers,¡± he said at last.

    ¡°And you know what they say about us,¡± Christie whispered. ¡°That we leave no survivors. But you got away, didn¡¯t you? You ran through the mountains like a coward.¡±

    ¡°I just guided the drones,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even shoot my rifle.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear.¡± Christie turned and strode away a short distance. Her new followers scampered after her. ¡°You were doing so well until you tried to lie to me.¡±

    ¡°No, no I swear¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk back to me,¡± Christie yelled as she whirled around. ¡°I saw you do it, I watched the video a thousand times. You fired, you dropped the tube, then you ran for cover behind a boulder. I saw you, and I watched your every step out of the valley, so don¡¯t you dare lie to me, don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    Christie struggled to pull herself away from the edge as Kyellan wilted under the onslaught. Her calculated act was now crumpled beneath uncontrollable rage, and tears ran down her cheeks as her arms began to shake. In the months after the battle, Zhang had tried to stop her¡ªsaid the drone footage was a waste of time. But for Christie it was part of the healing process. She had to see exactly how her friend had died, even if it had taken hundreds of hours.

    Kyellan was frozen, speechless. Spiders drifted back to their work. Christie was left with nothing but a cold chill, and a horrible sense of emptiness. But it still wasn¡¯t over.

    ¡°No, Kyellan, we will never stop hunting you. One of our¡ª¡± She gulped back tears. ¡°One of our sisters died on that craft you shot down. Others were wounded. They have to live with the trauma, just like all the girls you raped.¡± She spit the last words, and felt a rush of joy as the cowering man flinched.

    ¡°Please,¡± he begged, and began to weep. ¡°Please. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Then, when she managed to regain her composure, Christie smiled. ¡°Rayker has told you to fly a teleporter key over to one of our sites. I am supposed to give you some kind of password that proves that I sent you. I could lie so easily, and you¡¯d never know. They won¡¯t shoot you. They¡¯ll take you in, then take apart your device and torture you until you confess. You¡¯ll be familiar with our techniques; we learned them from the same place Rayker did.¡±

    Kyellan cradled his head in his hands. ¡°I know that I¡¯m evil,¡± he muttered. ¡°I know I deserve to die. I¡¯m sorry about your friend and about those girls. I can¡¯t change it. I just want this to end. But, if I cross Rayker¡­ what she did to you was just for fun.¡±

    Christie laughed. ¡°Rayker. Even as our army closes on this fortress, you think she¡¯s in control. She is one, we are many. Like the stars in the night sky, we number, and we are everywhere. We infiltrate corporations and governments, and pass through the void that separates them with impunity. More than that, Kyellan, you know well. While we do all this for the protection of humanity, Rayker cowers in her burrows and hunts for scraps of power.¡±

    Kyellan wiped his eyes and looked up. ¡°I knew that was the truth. It¡¯s always the same¡ªthose that go missing. They found something no-one else could find. Or something humans aren¡¯t supposed to know about.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Christie turned away dismissively. ¡°It is a righteous cause,¡± she intoned. ¡°Only the just can pursue it, not the wicked.¡±

    Kyellan jumped to his feet. ¡°This place is evil,¡± he insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it does, but¡­ but I can feel it. And Rayker doesn¡¯t know either. Her master leads her around, but she¡¯s just as blind as I am. We¡¯re not supposed to be here¡ªI believe that.¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Christie said in a bored voice. ¡°That is why it must be retaken. My sisters will die in the thousands to break into this place, so they can seal it away from humanity. They will never stop until they succeed.¡±

    ¡°I can help,¡± Kyellan said, and his voice was almost pleading. ¡°Maybe nobody has to die. Maybe I¡ª¡± he swallowed. ¡°Maybe I can earn a little redemption?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Christie turned to him and smiled a treacherous smile. ¡°If you are brave enough. You will exchange Rayker¡¯s trapped key for a clean one and take it to the location of the site entrance near Rackeye. You will approach unarmed, and you will admit your guilt to the mountainside. You will say ¡®I am Kyellan Bell, and I shot down Bunny.¡¯ Then you will find out if I judged you worthy, or if I betrayed you.¡±

 Part 3 - Chapter 63

    ¡°Movement at the top,¡± a cool voice said through Kayla¡¯s earpiece. ¡°Guy exiting the doorway.¡±

    She shifted against her boulder, made particularly comfortable by its mossy blanket, grabbed her rifle and peered through the scope. The target mountain¡¯s open slope lay at an angle, since she and the other climbers were working their way around the southern flank to the cliff face. From the cover of a dense tree line, however, she could just about resolve their enemy¡¯s defenses. In the dim light of dawn, a man was strolling down the path towards the base¡¯s small collection of shuttles.

    ¡°Three more, exiting now,¡± the voice said again.

    One of the ODT snipers was closely monitoring activity outside the underground facility¡¯s entrance. A small contingent of VennZech¡¯s security force were maintaining a watch outside, and for the last several hours, long range optics had been trained on them.

    The Valkyrie assault group had arrived at the site within four days, and spent the fifth in reconnaissance of the area. Elmira and the other Combat Controllers of element Raven had already mapped out a valley thirty kilometers away for their makeshift drone field, shielded by ridgelines that would block landing and take-off. A single, smaller craft was doing laps of the mountain, streaming live video, by both sun and starlight, to the Banshee.

    The crew of the distant warship were not completely detached from events, and had kept the teams updated with satellite tracks and aircraft activity throughout their hike to the objective. It had been a long and grueling struggle, as they could only sleep during the short periods when Helvet and VennZech cameras passed overhead. Both the Raiders and ODT set a relentless pace, and though the Rangers had begun to adapt to their higher level of fitness, they barely managed to keep up. Forests, mountains and lakes had blurred past, leaving Kayla with the bittersweet reflection that she only got to see more of her home world when it was being threatened.

    Now, after a final night¡¯s slog, they were supposed to be sleeping during the daylight hours, ahead of the final climb. The rest of the squad were slumbering peacefully, but Kayla kept jolting awake with every radio call. She was too desperate to glean every piece of information that might affect the upcoming attack. The rest of Second platoon were stuck in Rackeye, leaving her alone to figure out how to fit her Rangers into the unfolding chaos. The radical increase in responsibility brought by the last week had only just begun to sink in, now that six lives were dependent on her decisions. It was a burden heavier than any she had carried before.

    ¡°Okay, he¡¯s prepping a shuttle,¡± the distant sniper announced. ¡°I¡¯m calling this in.¡±

    Kayla shrugged her tiredness away and felt adrenaline seeping into her muscles. There had been no flights leaving the mountain since Rayker had arrived there, which suggested that something important was about to happen.

    A dull roar engulfed the landscape as the small vessel¡¯s engines spooled up, then lifted their payload into the air.

    ¡°Turning south now,¡± another sniper called.

    ¡°Maintaining low speed and altitude,¡± someone pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s not leaving.¡±

    Kayla reached down and squeezed Ray¡¯s shoulder, then shook her until she jerked out of her fetal position.

    ¡°In the lake of cheese?¡± the woman muttered, before looking around in confusion.

    ¡°Maybe some trouble,¡± Kayla said.

    Ray blinked her eyes, nodded, and readied the rifle she had been cradling.

    The radio buzzed again. ¡°Landing pattern on point delta.¡±

    Which was the peak of the smaller mountain Kayla and the other Rangers were currently hiding on. She and Ray moved purposefully, but slowly, kicking and shoving the bodies of the squad and returning their bleary, annoyed gazes with urgent expressions.

    The whine of engines grew deafening, then faded to a muffled roar as the vessel landed up the slope.

    ¡°Three pax disembarking,¡± someone said. ¡°Two men, and a girl¡ªprobably a teenager, looks like.¡±

    Kayla recognized Masey¡¯s urgent voice next. ¡°Orca Four, are you compromised?¡±

    There was a brief pause, then a quick burst of static interrupted the silence¡ªa negative. But the two ODT snipers hiding close to the landing spot obviously couldn¡¯t risk speaking.

    ¡°Are they dressed for hiking, or what are they doing?¡± the voice of Urtiga asked.

    ¡°I confirm they are dressed for hiking¡ªboth men have small arms,¡± the first voice replied. ¡°The girl is uh¡­ using her phone.¡±

    ¡°Doing what with her phone?¡± Urtiga insisted.

    ¡°Seems to be¡­ taking pictures.¡±

    Another dull roar filled the air, and the radio conversation narrated the flight path of the shuttle as it climbed to high altitude, before turning East towards Rackeye. Then attention turned back to the three hikers it had left behind, and their relaxed journey back to the base.

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    Kayla¡¯s heart hummed. The teenage girl had to be Milani Mayosi, and for some reason Rayker had let her take a trip outside with only a minimum of protection. It was a clear indication that the upcoming assault would achieve complete surprise. Even better, they now had an opportunity to get some information on the base, before they went in.

    Kayla listened keenly as the team principles discussed the implications. A snatch was the favored option, even though it meant potentially alerting the defenders, who would no doubt be in constant communication with the hikers. Either way, the assault would have to be moved forward into daylight, and the Rangers still had several kilometers separating them from the start of their climb.

    ¡°Just confirmed with Banshee,¡± Urtiga said eventually. ¡°Our friends in the city have planned to surrender within the next hour. So, we need to go now, before the Helvets decide to start playing around with all those free assets. Who¡¯s in position to jump those hikers?¡±

    Kayla listened to the plan unfold, then turned to her waiting squad. ¡°So, here¡¯s the deal. We¡¯re initiating within the hour.¡±

    ¡°What, in daylight?¡± Lyna demanded. She and the others looked unhappy with this news.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kayla replied. ¡°But it¡¯s a risk worth taking. We know they haven¡¯t prepared for visitors, and this little outdoor trip proves it.¡±

    Lyna nodded glumly. ¡°Fine. Are we at least going to go sneak up on them?¡±

    ¡°No. Three-one is closer.¡±

    ¡°Psshh. Nobody in third platoon can match you and Ray.¡±

    Kayla bit back a smile. ¡°I have to run over there and make contact with Milani. Ray, can you take the others to our cliff sector? As close as you can get without breaking concealment.¡±

    ¡°Sure, thing,¡± Ray said with a smile.

    ¡°Oh uh¡­¡± Kayla paused for a moment. Her next announcement was oddly nerve wracking. ¡°So, also, you are now an acting Lance-corporal.¡±

    Ray¡¯s smile turned glacial. ¡°The hell I am.¡±

    Kayla gave her a pained expression. ¡°You can actually consider it an order.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? You and what army?¡±

    Tian reached over and grabbed the woman in a headlock. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kayla,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure she does her job.¡±

    Milani was chatting happily as she led her two guards through the forest back to the base, discussing her various plans for group outdoor activities. They listened idly, but spent most of their time scanning the trees. Kayla scanned the notes Gaz had given her and did her best to project an air of compassion. Unfortunately, she was way out of practice. She watched from a distance until the bushes around them shook, and they both went down like sacks of potatoes. Two Rangers ran forward and grabbed Milani, carrying her a good distance through the trees from the two new prisoners.

    Kayla sprinted to join them, and found to her surprise, that their damsel in distress was slapping and punching anyone who went near her.

    ¡°Let me go,¡± she yelled. ¡°Madame Divine will punish you when she comes to get me.¡±

    Kayla knelt before the furious young woman and tried a gentle tone. ¡°Uh, hi, Milani, I¡¯m a friend of your mom, and she says there¡¯s a slot in Grovemore architecture school still open for you¡ª¡±

    Milani kicked out at her, causing Kayla to stumble back.

    ¡°Go to hell,¡± she hissed. ¡°I hate my mom, and I hate you. You¡¯re more of those terrorists, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Kayla inhaled slowly. ¡°Milani, we¡¯ve come to rescue you from¡ª¡±

    The girl threw her head back and screamed. Third platoon¡¯s lieutenant stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.

    Then she leaned in close and hissed, ¡°Another sound from you, and I will have your two friends killed.¡±

    Nearby, a radio chirped to life. One of the Rangers standing over the prisoners held up a device to the handset and spoke into it.

    ¡°Negative, Hawk-eye,¡± she said, and her voice came out male and unfamiliar. ¡°She saw a spider.¡± There was a short pause. ¡°No bite, but it was a big spider. It¡¯s gone now, but she scratched her arm trying to get away. ETA still looks good¡­ okay, will check-in later.¡±

    The assembled women turned their grim expressions back to the now terrified teenager.

    The lieutenant turned away and keyed her headset. ¡°The girl¡¯s uncooperative, and we don¡¯t have time to hang around. Can you send someone to pick her up?¡±

    She nodded at the response, then grabbed Kayla¡¯s shoulder and steered her away through the trees.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got this. You carry on ahead¡­ Lance¡ªI mean acting-Corporal Barnes.¡±

    ¡°What is that, Stockholm syndrome?¡± Kayla asked. The violent reaction had left her feeling a little shaken. Hadn¡¯t the girl been living a nightmare?

    The lieutenant shook her head. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s a myth. I¡¯d guess she was exposed to trauma through her own family. Probably was willing to suffer to get out and felt like she had more control over the millionaires. Now she¡¯s been brainwashed by the Helvets.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s expression turned incredulous. ¡°Control? Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°A limited amount. Everyone has strings, and messed up kids figure out how to pull them. It¡¯s the only way to survive.¡±

    ¡°Jesus,¡± Kayla said softly. ¡°At least we can go kill the men who kept her there.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh?¡± The Lieutenant smiled. ¡°And that will fix what, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Evil exists in the world because a child¡¯s mind takes seconds to destroy. Then they grow up and decide to turn the hurt outwards. And there¡¯s always a Rayker around to help them do it. Do you think you can shoot them all?¡±

    Kayla ran her hand through her hair. ¡°Hmm. Trust an officer to give out morale boosts.¡±

    The lieutenant gave her shoulder a friendly shake. ¡°Might want to think about that, now that you¡¯re a team leader. See you up top.¡±

    Kayla caught up with her squad near the base of the cliff. They stayed below the trees, anxious not to give anyone on the mountain a hint of what was coming.

    ¡°That is a long, long climb,¡± Thandi said, as her wide eyes fixated on the towering rock wall.

    ¡°Hey, babe,¡± Kayla said, and grabbed her arm, forcing her attention back down to Earth. ¡°I need you to stay with Jess, and make sure she manages okay. Got it?¡±

    Thandi nodded. Her skin was a little paler than usual, but she wore her usual look of determination.

    ¡°Girlboss, you can climb, can¡¯t you?¡± Thandi asked.

    Jess gave her a gentle kick. ¡°Stop calling me that. Anyway, yes, I did a lot of bouldering.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same,¡± Thandi said. ¡°You really need to pace yourself. Plus, the height will make everything different.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Jess said. ¡°We did this in Ranger school.¡±

    ¡°With ropes,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Without ropes, you will feel less enthusiastic. Follow Thandi, do whatever she says, and don¡¯t try to be clever. And whatever you do, don¡¯t slap the wall and jump off when you hit the top.¡±

    Jess nodded. ¡°Yes Lance¡ª uh¡­ Corp, uh¡­ whatever you are.¡±

    Kayla smiled, then looked around suspiciously. ¡°I tell you what,¡± she said quietly. ¡°For now, you can call me Kayla. But don¡¯t tell anyone else, or the entire structure of military hierarchy and discipline will come crashing down around us.¡±

    Jess giggled.

 Part 3 - Chapter 64

    ¡°How¡¯re you doing Bibi?¡± Kayla asked, and saw with pleasure that her Ranger was looking almost bored.

    ¡°Can¡¯t complain,¡± Bibi said. ¡°Except there¡¯s this weirdo running around trying to convert everyone to her religion.¡±

    ¡°Persistence in the salvation of souls is a Godly virtue,¡± Thandi shot back.

    ¡°Oh, so are you godly now?¡± Bibi asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said. Why do you have to twist my words to win arguments?¡±

    ¡°I dunno. Why do you have to make shit up to support your claims?¡±

    ¡°Feeling good about the climb?¡± Kayla cut in quickly.

    Bibi shrugged and gestured to the cliff. ¡°This is a limestone fold cut out by glaciation. You can tell because there are smaller formations on the other side of these hills, which I assume were formed by sedimentary deposits. An immense river would have run through here until the rain patterns shifted and the temperature rose, leaving that relatively modest canyon we crossed.¡±

    Kayla thought about this for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m kind of jealous you know more about my home world than I do, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, you should read more.¡±

    ¡°And what does that have to do with the climb?¡±

    ¡°I mean, look at this rock here,¡± Bibi said, and snapped a piece off with her fingers. ¡°Soft and full of holes. This thing will be a stepladder to the top. See that giant crack?¡± She pointed to the dark, jagged line that ran all the way to the top. ¡°Stick close to that, and we¡¯ll have no problems.¡±

    Kayla gave her arm a squeeze and moved over to Ray. ¡°Hi there, Lance-corporal. Requesting sitrip on fireteam bravo.¡±

    Ray gave her an unimpressed look, then started to tick items off her fingers. ¡°Everyone¡¯s healthy, fed, has water, and ammo. Everyone has urinated and defecated. And if you call me that while we are on the wall, I will throw you straight off.¡±

    ¡°Are you allergic to responsibility or something?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªfully diagnosed by a medical professional. Actually, authority in all its forms. Fascism is a state unnatural to human beings, and must be resisted wherever possible.¡±

    Kayla blinked in surprise. ¡°Okay¡­ and yet you decided to spend most of your life in a military organization?¡±

    Ray smiled. ¡°Armies are unnatural extensions of illegitimate states. However, so are vast collections of alien superweapons¡ªit¡¯s a compromise I felt was justifiable. Anyway, I can contribute my skills without participating in the system¡¯s hierarchy.¡±

    ¡°I would love to know more about how your mind works, but right now I¡¯ll settle for messing with you whenever I can get away with it.¡±

    Ray craned her neck as she scanned the cliff towering over them. ¡°Thousands of feet. Lots of time for regret before you hit the bottom.¡±

    Kayla left her with a wink. ¡°How¡¯s my favorite ass-kicker doing?¡± she asked Tian.

    Tian looked solemn, and didn¡¯t react at first. ¡°I¡¯m okay. How¡¯s it looking?¡±

    ¡°It looks good,¡± Kayla replied. ¡°We have total surprise for a few hours. Enough to get up there.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± Tian fidgeted with her weapon strap for a moment. ¡°Hey uh¡­ I just wanted to say I¡¯m sorry about losing my shit the other day. On the VennZech building.¡±

    ¡°It was a tough moment.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be able to handle tough moments, and I didn¡¯t. I think I just wanted an excuse to start shooting, after¡­ you know¡­ Kes.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I think everyone felt a bit of that. Luckily Ray was keeping an eye on you.¡± Kayla grinned.

    Tian smiled back. ¡°Yeah, I guess. I don¡¯t hold any grudges.¡±

    ¡°Look at it this way. You won¡¯t need any excuses once we get up there.¡±

    Tian¡¯s smile turned dark, and her eyes sparked with fire.

    ¡°What¡¯s up Lyna?¡± Kayla asked the last woman in the group.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± she replied distantly.

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    Kayla didn¡¯t like the sound of that. ¡°Where¡¯s your head at?¡±

    Lyna gave her a focused and slightly impatient look. ¡°On mission.¡±

    Kayla wanted to give her a pat on the arm, or some encouraging words, but she stopped herself. The Ranger didn¡¯t need it. She was the type of woman who buried her anger deep inside, then let it out explosively. With the loss of Kes and other Rangers, she had more than enough fuel for the fire. Right now, the only thing Lyna wanted was to be left alone to prepare for the ordeal ahead.

    Kayla gave her a nod, and stepped away as her radio chirped.

    ¡°All Viper call-signs, jump off in fifteen mikes,¡± the senior lieutenant said. ¡°Report readiness.¡±

    Kayla waited for a space in the chorus, then keyed in. ¡°Viper two-one, all set.¡±

    The advance began quietly. While a fake message went out on the VennZech radio about a bear sighting between the hikers and the mountaintop, a drone confirmed nobody was checking on the cliff face. The Rangers dashed to the wall at several locations and began the laborious climb.

    Kayla, leading for two squads and a handful of Raiders, found her groove quickly. As Bibi had guessed, the climbing was easy. On the lower section, where the base of the wall was broken up by pyramid-like staggered layers, the teams climbed quickly. Foliage crowded ledges and grew out from small cracks. Even for amateur climbers it was easy, and Kayla didn¡¯t bother chalking the route. She stopped occasionally to check on the team below, and exulted in the thrill of height. The landscape sweltered in the sunlight that warmed her skin, and the first hour passed almost like a dream. Climbing mountains to kill evil witches and save the world. What had she done to deserve such a life?

    After two hundred feet, the wall became noticeably smoother and more difficult. More than once, Kayla pushed herself up to a new section, only to find no obvious handholds on the bare limestone. Comfortably hand-shaped buckets and deep cracks gave way to thin slivers, where flakes of rock had broken off the mountain. Sometimes, what seemed like her only option snapped away in her fingers. She also had to remind herself not to jump past easy, but time consuming sections; her responsibility was to find a path that the others could follow.

    Halfway up they reached the vertical crack that ran to the summit, and stopped for a rest on a nice ledge. Everyone was shaking, as much from the dropping temperature as the adrenaline. A stiff breeze swept through the void, and somehow exaggerated the sense of height. Nobody spoke, and they didn¡¯t wait for long.

    From then on, Kayla hated the climb. Every glance down replaced her eager thrill with a sickening jolt. Every new handhold made her beg for it to be over soon. Her legs began to judder like the needle of a sewing machine, even on secure footholds.

    A heavy thud broke the silence, but Kayla was too distracted to look around. Eventually, when she found a secure position, she scanned the wall. Everyone was climbing, but a slick trail of red had appeared towards the bottom. Somebody had fallen¡ªthough not from her squad. Whoever it was had obviously kept enough presence of mind during her plummet to keep from screaming. To alert the defenders at the top meant death for all of them. A few Pararescue medics were waiting below, but Kayla once again remembered why Rose had earned the nickname ¡®Bunny¡¯. A fall onto a rock had shattered her knee and leg, and even with the super healing potential of nanites, she had needed a month to heal.

    Kayla pushed the grim thoughts out of her mind and turned back to her climb.

    As expected, the crack made the going easier. Chunks of weathered limestone were stacked in irregular blocks that followed the great fold of the geological boundaries. Kayla kept an eye on her followers, and saw with relief that they all appeared to be maintaining the pace. Oddly, she was least concerned about the terrified looking Thandi. Her friend hated climbing, and heights in general, but she had also learned how to overcome her fear. That made her careful and methodical. Out of all the women on the cliff, she was the least likely to make a mistake.

    Unfortunately, the same could not be said for one of the Raiders. Three of them were following the more practiced Mountain Rangers, but one had apparently grown impatient with being at the back of the queue. She had traversed a little way across to follow her own route, and was gradually overtaking those above her. Obviously an excellent climber, the elite soldier had either chosen to set an inspiring example to the weaker, impressionable Rangers, or show off. Either way, Kayla watched with dread as the woman¡¯s stamina began to give out.

    It was a tragedy that had taken hours to unfold. The Raider¡¯s new route must have proven tougher than she had expected, forcing her to grip harder as she climbed. Even nanite enhanced muscles had limits, and Kayla¡¯s own forearms were feeling weaker. But now, the woman below was stuck, and her attempts to complete a difficult move were failing. She kept trying to pull herself over a small overhang and lift her feet up to a toehold. But she couldn¡¯t hang on, and dropped back to her tentative position.

    Kayla scanned the rock below, and saw the escape. She could downclimb a little way¡ªstill a dangerous maneuver¡ªwhere a traverse would take her back to where the Rangers were snaking up the crack. But she either didn¡¯t realize she had the option, or it was even more dangerous than it looked from a distance. When she dropped back again, her eyes met Kayla¡¯s, and shone with unconquerable determination. Her nostrils flared and she pulled once more. Muscles and tendons stood out like ropes on her arms while her jaw clenched with the pain.

    She almost made it, but her hand slipped just as her foot brushed its anchor point. Again, there was no cry or shout¡ªjust eerie silence as the body shrank to a dot, then bounced twice off the cliff, before coming to rest. More dots rushed out of the tree line to meet it.

    Kayla turned back to the route, and pushed herself upward. Whatever emotions the moment had caused her had to be suppressed for later. Instead, her inner critic kept up its constant narrative¡ªwarning her when she was being stupid, or scolding her for letting her attention drift. Mountains were dangerous places, and out of all the reasons for falling off one, arrogance was by far the most egregious. Unfortunately, it was also the most common.

    One voice Kayla could not keep at bay asked if the entire assault was an act of arrogance that would be punished with all their deaths. Were the risks worth taking? Was there another way?

    Kayla paused on a ledge and gathered the mental strength she needed to push back. It didn¡¯t matter. The dice would roll, and regrets would be saved for the after-action review, if there was one.

 Part 3 - Chapter 65

    The cliff was topped by a series of large, ascending ledges, and when Kayla hauled herself onto the second, she stopped to ready her weapon. Now that the sickening drop was removed she ought to feel safe,

    but she couldn¡¯t. This was enemy territory.

    ¡°Three hostiles above,¡± a familiar voice said in her ear. Elmira was directing a drone above, watching everything through its powerful cameras. ¡°The closest is at your two o¡¯clock,

    fifty meters, smoking a cigarette. He¡¯s facing east. Next two are at your ten¡ªone-two-zero meters, facing down the slope.¡±

    Kayla swallowed. She gently pushed herself up the lip of rock until she could make out a head, and the jerk of a hand flicking ash into the breeze. It would be foolish to try anything on her own¡ªif

    she made a mistake and alerted the defenders, the climbers behind her would be sitting ducks. Her first priority was to get her own squad into position.

    She retreated backdown to the clifftop as quietly as she could, and peeked over into the void to see Bibi below. Her eyes met Kayla¡¯s and conveyed the agony of knowing that death was still peeking

    over her shoulder. When she got close enough, Kayla reached out and grabbed her arm, then pulled hard. Bibi almost flew through the air and collapsed against the rocks lining the ledge. She paused for a few seconds, her jaw

    clenched, and eyes shut tight. Then, she looked back at Kayla with a questioning expression.

    Kayla used hand signals to convey what she needed to know, and Bibi was up again, creeping across the next ledge. While she formed the first line of defense for the Ranger¡¯s toehold, Kayla continued

    to pull the followers up.

    Thandi arrived with a death grip on Kaylas arm, and a wild look in her eye.

    ¡°Jesus is with me,¡± she muttered as she staggered forward. ¡°Jesus is with me.¡±

    Eventually, more Rangers topped out on the other routes, and the narrow perimeter was bristling with weapons. Hand signals flew back and forth as the squad leaders hatched a plan. The three men were still

    idly patrolling, and they had to be taken out quickly and silently. Kayla¡¯s heart thumped with adrenaline as she realized she would have to kill the smoker. At such a delicate stage of the assault, they couldn¡¯t

    afford to take prisoners.

    Ray followed behind her as she move in on her target through the maze of outcrops. The man wasn¡¯t wearing a helmet, so Kayla lay her rifle down, and picked up a small rock. Ray caught her eye, and

    took up a stable position with her weapon ready.

    It only took a minute for Kayla to close the final gap . When she could hear him breathing, she leaped, and struck the back of his head. His skull split open when he hit the ground. Kayla felt a moment

    of nausea at the red and pink puddle that formed around the body, but conviction swept it away.

    Here was a blood offering for the plant life on this lonely mountain, for the animals that ate it, and for her planet. There would be many more to come.

    With the peak secured, the climbers moved onto the outcrop above the doorway. Long range scopes scanned the slopes below for defenses and dialed in on the men who occupied them.

    The voice of the Ranger lieutenant soon filled Kayla¡¯s headset. ¡°All set.¡±

    A few minutes of silence passed while the elements hiding in the forest at the base of the mountain prepared themselves. Kayla¡¯s world narrowed into a tunnel of violent action.

    The trigger was pulled by a call on the guard¡¯s radio that none of them could hear. A Raider sent a warning of imminent danger and a few panicked curse words punctuated by gunshots. Those rang out

    across the mountain, grabbing the attention of the men at the top. They, in turn, sent their own reports, right as clouds of smoke billowed out from the edge of the valley forest, followed quickly by machinegun fire. The show

    was completed with a series of spectacular drone strikes along the lower slope that ignited chaos amongst the clueless defenders.

    The snipers at the top gave their targets a moment to report these developments, then opened fire.

    In seconds, every guard on the mountain top was either dead or trying to burrow into a hole. Silence filled the cool air, broken only by the occasional hiss and chatter of dropped radios. The strike team

    waited patiently for the confusion brewing inside the base to boil over.

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    Kayla closed her eyes, controlled her breathing, then raised her weapon to her shoulder. A metallic bang signaled the violent opening of the entrance door, followed by stern voices yelling orders. More

    than a dozen of Vennzech¡¯s finest poured out onto the upper slope, anxious to find out what was happening. At first they ran, but when they saw the empty scene ahead, and the smoke clouds drifting away, they slowed down

    and began to voice their doubts.

    Kayla dropped her reticle onto a target and waited for one of the operators to fire first. A suppressed crack was all she needed to apply finger pressure until her trigger broke. The man dropped dead and

    she moved to another, nearly oblivious to the noise erupting around her. When she couldn¡¯t find another target, she lowered her rifle and waited again for the assault leaders.

    Two men had dived behind the rocky outcrops protecting the doorway. Someone dashed forward with a frag grenade, and, after it went off, her partner dropped down and finished the job. The rest of the team

    moved forward, coalescing towards the entrance. A thermobaric grenade was thrown inside, detonating with a heavy thump that shot dust into the evening sky. After two counts, the operators  moved inside. A staccato burst of

    shots rang out, then nothing.

    Kayla counted her squad members into the queue, and they shuffled past bodies and blood pools as the assault swept into the corridors beyond. As she transitioned from rubber mats to a steel floor, she was

    slapped on the back and the lieutenant¡¯s voice called, ¡°seventeen.¡±

    Once counted through, the squad followed the train of bodies. Up ahead, the experienced operators cleared the first set of rooms at a lightning pace. A remaining guard using a computer was thrown on the

    floor, then restrained. Nervous looking civilians stepped out from doorways, so the Rangers eyed them for weapons, smiled and waved.

    ¡°First Barrochians,¡± they called. ¡°Don''t be alarmed¡ªwe¡¯re here for your protection and safety.¡±

    Milani had apparently provided some useful information, because the operators seemed to have a rough idea of where they were going. As they entered a larger space, the doors of what looked like an elevator

    slid open.

    Out in front, Masey dropped her weapon and strode forward with the self-confidence of a tornado. ¡°My guys,¡± she called, to the two stunned Vennzech guards inside, ¡°what is going on with

    your radios? We¡¯ve been calling for the last half-hour.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± one of them said as his eyes swung around the crowd of unfamiliar, armed soldiers. ¡°Ah¡­ I think we¡¯ve lost comms.¡±

    Masey gave him a pained look. ¡°You don¡¯t sound well informed.¡±

    He stepped out of the elevator like a scared cat, and Masey dropped a hand on his back to lead him away while she continued.

    ¡°Listen buddy, Captain Seraphin with First Guards. We dropped straight here from the Augustine after the signal dudes picked up some hints of trouble in this area.

    We need to get this situation squared away right now, because I see a lot of frightened civvies in here, how copy?¡±

    A small crowd began to form down the adjoining corridor, watching the unfolding drama.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± said the guard, ¡°my supervisor should be over by the entrance.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we met. He¡¯s outside securing the perimeter, and he said he¡¯s getting nothing but static from your command channel. Now listen, why don¡¯t you get these eggheads settled back

    in their rooms¡ª you know, keep them calm. Nobody¡¯s in danger, yet.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°There has been some gunfire. The situation is likely to escalate.¡±

    The confused mercenary looked into her eyes, and Kayla, holding at the back of the hall with her squad, trying to look as friendly and reassuring as she could, sensed that he wanted to believe. Unfortunately

    for him, he also seemed to have a curious nature.

    ¡°Are you¡­¡± He glanced around again. ¡°Are you all women?¡±

    ¡°Female Engagement Team,¡± Masey replied. ¡°We handle civil affairs mostly¡ªbring the soft touch, you know? The hairy-chests held us back from the first wave because¡­ I mean¡­

    you know.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Some guys don¡¯t like having us near combat. Think we can¡¯t handle it. Whatever¡ªit is what it is.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but¡­¡± the guard said, his mind unstoppable in its quest to fully explore the depths of the trouble he was now in. ¡°But¡­ you don¡¯t have uniforms?¡±

    Masey shrugged again, but the smiling operators behind them were already edging closer to the second man, and the controls of the elevator cab.

    ¡°Duh, that¡¯s part of the deal,¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°Blend in, put people at their ease.¡±

    His eyes flickered to the assault rifles, and he gave a forced smile. ¡°Yeah, ok¡ªi¡¯ll just get together with my supervisor and we¡¯ll get this radio issue fixed.¡±

    Masey threw her arm around his shoulders and squeezed him tight. ¡°You know, I love a diligent security professional. Guys like you are what keep us from the brink of chaos. So, just answer me this.

    Is it, or is not your job to keep all these people safe and secure from the evil terrorists out there, who want to kill them all?¡±

    Kayla saw him wince and stiffen, his eyes widening with shock. Another of Masey¡¯s ODTs was right behind him, and had obviously shoved the barrel of her sidearm into his back.

    He didn¡¯t speak, so Masey prompted him again. ¡°Whaddya say my good man?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ yes, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. So, let¡¯s get one of the senior docs up front, and we can get everyone settled back in their rooms, nice and safe. Make sure they don¡¯t all get gunned down in these very halls,

    like the poor lads outside.¡±

    The miserable looking man glanced at the armed women around them, then at the impatient looking collection of scientists and engineers nearby, waiting to be informed.

    ¡°Nice and cheerful, now. Let¡¯s not cause any alarm,¡± Masey cautioned.

    He nodded. ¡°Doctor Uzdan, could you please join us?¡± he called.

 Part 3 - Chapter 66

    Quickly reassured that a second group was arriving to deal with them directly, the civilians agreed to return to their rooms. The new prisoners were taken out of sight for a more in-depth discussion. Once

    convinced that their lives meant absolutely nothing to the attackers, they quickly divulged everything they knew about the lower portion of the base, and how to access it.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal,¡± Masey declared to an ad-hoc team leaders huddle. ¡°We have three modes of access that can get us to a control room below.¡± She counted off her fingers. ¡°The

    elevator, which is a death-trap. A maintenance staircase, which is likely to be defended, and a ventilation system, which is not. Once down there, our main objective will be located on the other side of a maze of empty offices.

    Everyone¡¯s seen the cameras dotted around the place, so assume Rayker is ready and waiting for us. Ideas?¡±

    ¡°ETA on the B-team?¡± Someone asked.

    ¡°Ten-plus minutes. A few defenders survived and are resisting as we speak. ¡®Tiga agreed we are pushing forward, not going back to help.¡±

    Kayla swallowed. The operation seemed to be getting more and more desperate. Fortunately the operators themselves seemed unconcerned by the enormous amount of pressure and risk.

    ¡°We need to secure the maintenance staircase,¡± a Raider said. ¡°That will help us get the B-team down quickly, so we can flood the objective with shooters.¡±

    ¡°I want to push the elevator,¡± an ODT added. ¡°Send it down with some smoke canisters, then rappel after it. We can hang out in the shaft and expend ordinance from relative safety¡ªkeep

    their attention focused on that spot.¡±

    ¡°And send the Rangers down the vents?¡± Masey asked, glancing at the lieutenant.

    The officer hesitated for only a second. ¡°Yes but¡­ is there a map somewhere? How are we supposed to find our way?¡±

    ¡°Listen for gunfire,¡± said a Raider that Kayla recognized, called Naima. She wore an impatient expression.

    For her part, Kayla could barely keep up with the discussion, much less contribute to it. She hoped that everybody knew what they were doing.

    ¡°Me and Shiva will go down the vents,¡± Naima continued. ¡°They¡¯ll need us to take point at the bottom.¡±

    The Lieutenant bristled. ¡°My Rangers are perfectly¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Masey said, and gave Naima the thumbs up. ¡°Wait for shit to kick off at the elevator and the staircase, then move in. Your element is now Viper, we are Tiger. Everyone

    happy with this?¡±

    Kayla wanted to demand details about the vents and how she was supposed to get down them. She desperately needed preparation time to help build her squad¡¯s confidence. But that wasn¡¯t what was

    meant by ¡®happy¡¯ in these circles. Nobody knew anything, and there was no time left.

    They signaled their acceptance of the plan and broke up. The lieutenant, having recovered from her embarrassment, quickly moved the squads in the direction of the ventilation shafts. Kayla ripped a steel

    cover off the wall and found herself staring down a wide chimney carved out of the rock. Fan boxes dotted the space, which a flashlight revealed to be a harrowing drop.

    Fortunately, the chimney was so narrow across that she could reach across it. That meant the Rangers could wedge themselves inside, sliding their backs down the wall in a reverse crawl.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect,¡± she said to the others. ¡°Easy descent. About time we caught a break.¡±

    Ray shoved her. ¡°Idiot,¡± she snapped. We just climbed a mountain that we now have to descend, to meet a prepared defense. And you want to throw around words like ¡°perfect¡± and ¡°break¡±?

    ¡°Yeah, Barnes,¡± said Sergeant Reyes, readying her own Rangers nearby. ¡°Just go ahead and beg for something to go wrong.¡±

    Kayla acknowledged her thoughtlessness, and clambered into the dark, confined opening. Once she got moving, she found she could make fast progress by allowing the tough weave of her backpack to absorb most

    of the friction, while using her hands and feet as brakes. She stopped to check on her squad and was happy to see them not far above her, keeping pace and moving comfortably.

    Then a radio call came through her headset that made her blood run cold. Someone up top had continued to interrogate the two guards, and had news to share.

    "¡ªthousands of spider-like creatures engaged in some kind of construction work," the voice explained. "They are potentially dangerous if engaged. Do not threaten them in any way, and

    you should be fine."

    Spider-like. Dangerous. Should be. The words found a cold reception in Kayla''s heart, and she spent the rest of the descent wishing the Jotnar, Rayker and Vennzech an express trip to the depths of hell.

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    Once they got down, Naima told them to hold position while she broke through a grate into the cavern beyond. She returned quickly, and confirmed their readiness over the radio. Kayla¡¯s heart hummed

    while she waited for the other two teams to get into position. After a short eternity, they heard dull pops and crackles drifting through the grate, barely audible. Kayla lunged forward, but a hand grabbed her backpack. She

    turned to see the second Raider, Shiva, wearing a ¡®you¡¯re a dumbass¡¯ look. Seconds ticked painfully by until a second, much louder barrage rang out.

    The team broke through the grates to emerge in a recessed trench at the bottom of a vast cavern.  Kayla edged out into the dark space beyond with her hairs standing on end. Thick cables and pipes ran for

    miles, snaking away into tunnels and rejoining at junction points like the tributaries of a river. Nobody took a second look at the enormous machine visible in the near distance. Tourism could wait for later.

    Ascending a ramp, Kayla almost ran into a giant biomechanical spider and felt her heart stop for several seconds. By the grace of whatever created the universe, she managed to keep her finger from spasming

    on the trigger. The thing waved its legs at her, then stopped and appeared to think.

    "What the hell is it doing?" Kayla gasped, a hairs breadth from panic.

    "Don''t move, don''t move,¡± Naima cautioned. ¡°Just stay calm,"

    Everyone watched in silence as the ugly form edged nearer to Kayla, then watched her expectantly. When no response was forthcoming, it headbutted her leg.

    "Ohmigod get this freakin¡¯ thing away from," Kayla snapped, as quietly as she could. She didn''t dare move an inch, and was keenly aware that the entire mission was about to be compromised.

    ¡°You tempted fate,¡± Ray muttered behind her, ¡°and now you¡¯re going to get impregnated by a giant spider. See how that works?¡±

    "Does it want a pet?" Thandi asked in an unacceptably calm tone of voice.

    "A¡­ a what?¡± Kayla hissed. ¡°Are you insane?"

    She sensed her friend walk up beside her, then watched her bend down and scratch a tuft of something potentially biological behind its head. The spider twisted  back and forth, exposing more of itself to

    the evidently welcome contact.

    "Poor little spider thing," Thandi cooed. "Did the mean lady scare you?"

    The creature squeaked and shivered. The surrounding Rangers rolled their eyes, then continued forward around the cavern.

    Following the two Raiders, they headed up any slope they found, until they identified the wall of the cavern and used it to help them navigate back in the direction of the elevator shaft. In the near distance

    a boxy metal structure, likely the control room, hung off the wall, several stories high. Not far beyond that they saw the source of the high-tempo thunder ringing out across the cavern; a cloud of dust and smoke, flashing

    with gunshots. The shapes of men drifted in and out of the haze as they darted back and forth, their yelling barely audible over the noise.

    ¡°Marksmen,¡± Naima ordered, and dropped to her belly.

    Other Rangers dropped, including Thandi. They dropped the eye-pieces on their headsets that let them see in the infrared spectrum, peered through their scopes for a few heartbeats, then let fly a volley.

    It seemed to do the job. Shiva spoke into her radio, and the battle eased, though it didn¡¯t stop. An undistracted observer might suspect that only one side was doing the shooting. Kayla hoped there

    were none of those around. Her head had been swiveling since they had emerged from the vent,  but you could never know for sure.

    The Rangers raced for a large archway cut into the wall beneath the control room. A few IR flashes confirmed their contact with the Raiders who had descended the staircase, and the gunfire cut out. Now

    the muted thumps and crackles from the elevator assault could be heard easily.

    First they tried to ascend, but the staircases didn¡¯t always join up, and they had to stop to probe through the maze of passageways. Thick, multistorey conduit lines gave way to narrow passages where

    cables split and wormed their way around densely packed server rooms. The higher the assault group climbed, the more computer-filled office spaces they passed. Kayla dutifully followed her two Raider leaders, pieing corners

    and clearing spaces with her squad while the noise got louder and louder

    The first sign they were getting close was the smell; a sharp mix of cordite and sulfur. The air became dry and hazy. Kayla¡¯s eyes and nostrils began to sting from the dispersed chemicals of smoke

    grenades. Detonations bounced off the walls and shook her body as she began to feel, rather than hear, the approaching battle.

    The top of another staircase brought the sound of men yelling over the gunfire, and Kayla tensed for action.

    "It''s just a faint," someone argued. "They''re not getting out that way."

    Naima spun to face the Rangers. "Hit ''em hard, and don''t stop pushing," she said, then turned back to her gunsight as a wide, smoky corridor opened up ahead.

    "I''ve got nothing from Echo team," a man called. "If they''re falling back we need to secure the archway. Give me two- THERE THEY ARE ON THE STAIR¡ª"

    Kayla''s first shot tore his throat out, while Naima''s splashed his skull against the wall. Viper weapons spat fire, dropping fleeing guards. In seconds the elevator hall was clear, but the sounds

    of stampeding boots and screamed orders indicated that dozens of men were retreating into the maze of passages leading towards the control room.

    Shiva indicated she wanted to cross the bar of the T-junction they now faced. She and a squad of Rangers peeled off, heading towards the smoking ruins of the elevator doors that looked like they had been

    blown outwards from their mounting points. Calls of ''Viper, Viper, Viper," brought an end to the gunshots coming from inside.

    Kayla veered left, following Naima down a side passage that ran parallel to the main corridor. They cleared their way into a server room, whose glass walls gave them a perfect view of the VennZech guards

    trying to setup new firing points. Kayla aimed and fired, exulting in the crash of the panes shattering in front of her as she gunned down another enemy.

    "Fall back to the office complex," a man screamed. "Don¡¯t shoot it out with them."

    The corridor cleared immediately, and when Kayla turned back to check on the squad, she glimpsed ODTs scrambling out from the hellish maw of the elevator shaft. Her limbs buzzed with electricity. The assault

    had broken through the enemy''s chokepoints, and now she was eager to mop up what should be a panicked, retreating force of poorly equipped security guards.

    "Girls, that was the easy part," Naima said in a tone that chilled Kayla''s confidence. "They''re going to force us into close quarters; take away our advantages. Time to get primal,

    got it?"

 Part 3 - Chapter 67

    Kayla¡¯s headset buzzed. A rapid-fire exchange of orders established the team¡¯s new plan of action. Both the Raiders and ODTs would assault down the right hand side of the main corridor, flowing

    through the rooms and side passages like lightning. On the left hand side, the Rangers, still led by Naima and Shiva, would continue at their slower, more methodical pace. The changing threat gradient should theoretically

    keep the retreating defenders confused and off balance. A few snipers watched the main corridor itself, in case any guards made the fatal error of trying to cross the wide, unprotected kill-zone.

    Naima took off immediately, with Kayla and her squad in close pursuit. They soon exited the cramped passageways of the server rooms, and arrived at the edge of an open space filled with makeshift chairs

    and tables. Plants and small trees sat in large bowls that dotted the space.

    The Rangers took positions overwatching the area, while Naima tapped her headset. ¡°It¡¯s some kind of a canteen area,¡± she explained. ¡°There are light sources everywhere.¡±

    Kayla grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Those lights behind us are going out. It¡¯s all motion sensitive.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no sweat, we are going dark,¡± Naima replied, and motioned for her to wait.

    Kayla glanced at the plants again. ¡°Or maybe¡ª¡±

    A flight of drones shot past them down the main corridor. One peeled off across the canteen, then disappeared into the passageways ahead. A moment later, they heard a bang and the lights went out.

    Most of the lights went out.

    Naima cursed and levelled her weapon at a bright panel in the ceiling. The bullet shattered glass, but warm rays of daylight still illuminated the dangerously open area.

    ¡°It¡¯s like the mirrors at the Rackeye site,¡± Kayla explained. ¡°They¡¯re built into shafts cut through the mountain.¡±

    ¡°Shit, I forgot about that,¡± Naima said.

    ¡°Suggestion,¡± Ray said. ¡°Switch to mixed mode on your headset and move using smoke.¡±

    Naima nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± She tapped her headset. ¡°Anyone carrying smoke, get up front, now.¡±

    There was a short pause. ¡°You mean break up our squads?¡± a nervous Ranger answered.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Naima said impatiently. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ give us a minute¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tiger has already pushed ahead and are reporting contact. Make it happen, fast,¡± the operator snapped.

    Kayla tapped her headset, and the canteen dimmed into a black haze, then blossomed with a frustrating light bloom. The women around her were a clear white, their body heat acting as an internal light source.

    The darker walls and doorways, difficult to see with infrared alone, should have been filled in by the low light sensor, but that was being washed out by the skylight.

    A clatter broke the quiet, followed by a sharp hiss. Smoke filled the canteen, easing the light bloom and making the picture less confusing. The team moved quickly across the space and flowed into the passageways

    beyond. Naima and Shiva were ahead, clearing corners and rooms so fast that Kayla struggled to keep up. Following close behind, she was supposed to be covering the angles they turned away from, but she started making mistakes.

    ¡°Stay behind me,¡± Shiva snapped when Kayla was a half second late following her into another side office.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to be moving slower?¡± Kayla tried, conscious that the other Rangers were also struggling with the pace.

    ¡°We are.¡±

    They moved deeper into the warren of corridors and cubicles, sweeping through dark rooms and open spaces but meeting no resistance. An occasional soft tap broke the eery silence¡ªgunshots from the

    more aggressive Tiger team, reminding all of them that the enemy were hiding somewhere in the maze.

    Kayla reached the double doors of a possible conference room, but the hallway opposite had too many unsecured openings. She was told to hold the door while others flowed past her; standing back at an angle

    with her weapon trained on it, to make sure nobody ran out to attack them. There she waited until a shoulder squeeze indicated she should go in.

    A brief moment of terror followed, drowned out by a gale of aggression as she threw the slide door back, then rushed inside to confront whoever might be waiting. Seeing nothing but a big table and chairs,

    she kept moving along the wall to the far end of the room while shifting her aim to the other entrance. Behind her, whoever was following her had hopefully swept the reverse corner, making sure she wouldn¡¯t get shot

    in the back.

    When she glanced around, she saw unexpected faces¡ªnobody from her squad. They all knew each other, but the constant splitting and swapping of Rangers had shuffled the good order of their fire teams.

    Now, more than ever, they were completely dependent on each other. That realization only fueled her motivation.

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    Outside the conference room, a wide open space of cubicles waited for them. On the far side of it, a glass wall separated the office from a cavern that seemed to rise several stories high. Trees, plants

    and light sources were dotted about what looked like a garden. A large block jutted out into the cubicles, bisecting the glass and accessed by an imposing looking pair of doors.

    "Some kind of executive office," Naima observed, beside Kayla. "Probably looks out onto the garden behind. Perfect spot to cover movement across."

    "Perfect spot for an ambush, then," Kayla observed.

    Naima smiled. "Yeah, I like it. Let''s go."

    "What¡ªwalk straight into their trap?"

    "Best opportunity we''ve had yet to find them and kill them. Or do you see another way around?"

    "Nope," Kayla said, and clenched her jaw.

    She stayed behind the operator as she stacked up on the door, and watched a small line of Rangers join them. The rest of the group stayed behind cover, watching the area beyond the glass for the ambushers.

    It had been so quiet since the first brief firefight, and everybody knew that wasn''t going to last much longer.

    This time, Shiva fixed a breaching charge to the door, then stepped back out of the way. Kayla held her breath, waiting for the explosion. The door blew inward, and a frag grenade followed it. After the

    blast, the assaulters darted forward. Inside, they found an empty room dominated by a wide desk, which seemed to guard another large double door, while more corridors branched off into the block.

    They hadn''t taken more than a few steps when the doors and the walls on either side of them exploded into a cluster of bullet holes. Rangers dropped immediately, but Naima, snatching her trigger, tried

    to move behind the desk for cover. Kayla caught sight of some kind of device fixed just under the flat-top, and didn''t hesitate. She lunged forward, grabbed the operator by the waist, and shoved her sideways. They both

    stumbled into one of the passageways to escape the hail of bullets and wooden splinters, and an explosion tossed them against the wall.

    Kayla felt the punch of overpressure to the back of her head and went numb as she collapsed on top of Naima. As her senses returned, she felt hot needles in her back and arms. Smoke filled the air, and

    the hammering of gunfire rose like a storm more intense than anything she had ever experienced.

    Naima cursed at her and tried to shove her off. Out of the corner of her eye, Kayla saw movement in the shadows around them. A side office was just ahead of them, and someone was waiting at the opening.

    She tried to jump up, but her weapon had gotten tangled with Naima''s, who''s struggling was only making things worse. Kayla reached for her knife and cut the strap. Then something struck her hard in the shoulder, making

    her arm slow and heavy.

    She didn''t hear any gunshots, but noise seemed to have faded out of relevance. Her muscles uncoiling like springs jumping out of their housings. Freed from her weapon''s strap, she slammed herself

    against the corridor''s far wall, breaking the line of sight with the side office. Then she dashed towards it and found the wide eyes of her would-be executioner. He reacted a fraction of a second too late, and she was

    able to knock his barrel away as she smashed into him. Light burst between them as they fell back against a wall.

    Knife still in her hand, Kayla stabbed hard, again and again. Blood drenched her arm; her own, his, or both. The struggling limbs beneath her slowed and weakened. Kayla didn''t dare stop the swinging

    of her arm until something seized it from behind and pulled backward. She swung around to find the fierce and insistent eyes of Naima.

    The woman''s lips moved, but nothing seemed to come out. Kayla nodded anyway. She was hauled to her feet, and the weighty metal of her carbine was shoved into her chest. Her fingers wrapped  around the

    reassuring handguard, and her senses began to return.

    "HOW''S YOUR SHOULDER?" Naima screamed in her ear.

    "It''s fine," Kayla said, but the woman gave her a puzzled look.

    As reality swam back into focus, Kayla realized why. The noise had risen to a level beyond her ability to process. Even her earplugs were useless, and her body vibrated with the timbre of battle. A machinegun

    was still raking the reception they had just escaped, but more than one was pouring fire into the area outside the block. She felt the regular bangs of grenades, and the nearby thumps of their impacts through her chest, and

    was able to discern the unceasing stream of return fire from the Rangers outside.

    "IT''S FINE," Kayla screamed back, and gave a thumbs up.

    "SMOKES?"

    Kayla felt around her chest rig, and found a familiar cylinder, so she held up a finger. Naima tapped her head, indicating that she wanted to be followed. She turned back into the corridor, and followed

    it to the end, where Kayla found herself stepping over two bodies, each shot cleanly through the head. Teamwork truly was a wonderful thing.

    They entered another office, and crossed to a door that led into the main executive suite¡ªobviously where the machine gun was set up, likely with several men to support it. Naima readied herself at

    the threshold, then tapped an earpiece.

    The high-speed thunderstorm changed subtly, and Kayla realized a group of Valkyrie weapons were shooting nearby. Naima balled a fist at her and pointed to the door, so Kayla stood to the opposite side of

    the frame and reached for her smoke grenade. Naima kicked the door in, and the grenade bounced in off the wall. They waited for a few seconds, then Kayla followed the operator inside, her arms tensed around her weapon, ready

    for targets.

    She didn''t have to wait long. While Naima went left, Kayla crossed behind her and found two men tensed against the opposite wall. Two bullets struck each of them in the chest, and she pivoted back towards

    Naima. The smoking barrel of a light machine gun stared back at her, it''s former owner slumped over it. Another man cowered away from the violence, hands over his head. Naima shoved him down. Training kicking in, Kayla

    stepped around, keeping her weapon aimed at him while Naima whipped out a pair of plasticuffs, restrained his arms, then searched him.

    "VIPER, VIPER" someone screamed from behind, and Kayla glanced back to see Shiva, followed by a few others.

    The doorway to the reception area looked like the gaping mouth of a horrific beast. Rangers who had been forced to lie prone beneath the withering fire pushed themselves upright. They shook off dust and

    debris, turned pink where it had mixed with the blood of several gunshot wounds. One body didn''t react, even as a medic ran over to her. Kayla had no idea who was who. White eyes peered out from dirt-caked faces, looking

    for guidance. Outside their small gathering, the war raged on.

 Part 3 - Chapter 68

    Kayla moved her shoulder and ignored the pain. It was good enough, and probably wouldn''t take long to heal. Then a thought struck her.

    "Who has smokes?" she yelled. Several hands went up. Kayla mimed for their owners to throw them out of the office into the open space ahead of them. The enemy wouldn''t take long to notice

    that their forward position had been overrun, and would likely turn their fire on it for good measure.

    A hand slapped Kayla''s back, and she turned to see Shiva giving her a thumbs up.

    "We have to cross now," Naima called. "When it fills, just go!"

    It was a grim decision, and another that set Kayla''s nerves on edge. The wide garden separated their office from an imposing structure that rose three stories high. There was no cover, or alternate

    route, so the Rangers would have to cross and engage the enemy''s defenses on the other side. Only smoke, and the men¡¯s hopeful slowness switching to infrared optics, would keep them from killing the Valkyrie.

    The rest of the Rangers were still outside the block, doing their best to find targets across the way. But the enemy had high-ground, machine guns and grenade launchers. Nothing could be done until somebody

    moved forward.

    As soon as Kayla''s world turned a dimmer shade through her headset, the incoming fire slackened off. Naima and Shiva darted forward, and the others followed, spreading out as they vaulted across the

    benches and bushes of the subterranean garden. Kayla pumped her legs as hard as she could. Whatever Rayker might have told her guards, they couldn''t guess the Valkyrie''s actual physical capabilities yet, leaving them

    at least one more advantage. In this claustrophobic, brutal, and bloody combat at close quarters, they needed every edge.

    When they reached the other side, the Rangers found the bottom floor of the structure blown to pieces by their comrades. Glass lay everywhere, making every footstep traitorous, even against the storm of

    gunfire. Kayla found cover against a supporting column, and leaned around it to clear what lay beyond the destroyed windows. A white blob was barely visible behind an open doorway. She fired twice, then scanned for more.

    "We need IR, we need IR," a man called, his voice carrying a hint of desperation.

    More shots rang out from the Rangers, and they quickly moved inside the new offices. Kayla pushed ahead towards what looked like an open lobby with spiral staircases rising to the floors above. Nobody was

    else was visible, which meant that the guards had left their first floor perimeter too lightly guarded. With the gunfire dying down, she was now able to make out the stampede of feet on the floor above.

    When she paused at a corner, Shiva joined her.

    "Go left down that hallway," she said as she pointed. "There''s a maintenance elevator you can climb up."

    Had the operators made a plan already? How were they so fast? Mind reeling, she settled for asking, "What about you?"

    "I''ll take these four," Shiva said, gesturing to the Rangers following her. "We''ll strong point this lobby. Move quick, ''cos it won''t fool them for long."

    Kayla thought one of them might have been Bibi, so she gave the soldier a light punch in the arm, just in case. She dashed away and quickly caught sight of Naima, who beckoned to her. Together, they forced

    open the elevator''s doors and found an empty shaft, with the cab two stories below them.

    "Can you climb that hand over hand?" Naima asked, pointing to the steel cable.

    "Can you not?" Kayla shot back, and thrilled at the first victory she had gained over the indomitable super soldier.

    "Not well enough to climb and fight. You can take point."

    "Right behind you," a familiar voice squeaked.

    Kayla turned to see the filthy, blood spattered Jess, first in a line of wild-eyed Rangers. She gave the private''s shoulder a squeeze, then reached out for the waiting cable.

    "Top floor, then pop the doors while we catch up," Naima said.

    Kayla flashed her a wink, and hauled herself up into the waiting darkness. Her muscles sang with adrenaline, almost giving her the impression that she levitated up the shaft. A closed door frame awaited

    her, but she managed to find a foot hold against the nearby elevator machinery. She was able to wedge her body into the frame while applying force against the doors, and they slid back a few inches.

    Naima had almost caught up, so Kayla raised her carbine and aimed through the tiny angle she had created onto the upper floor. The place seemed to be empty, and she shoved hard against the door. A raised

    hand found her boot and she grabbed it, hauling Naima up and through the opening. Jess was right behind, with more Rangers forming a dangling queue. Kayla settled into her new role as a crane, helping the assault team flood

    out into the corridors beyond.

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    When the last woman was up, she followed behind. They moved in the direction of the cavern windows, and stacked up on doors that they found flung open. Kayla was last in the queue, so now she watched the

    corridor running parallel to the outer rooms, while guns barked from behind the walls. A man burst out of a distant door, trying to flee from the advancing death. Two rounds to his back recalled him to the reaper.

    The small group of climbers circled back to the lobby, but it was quiet. Most of the guards on the second floor had heard the gunshots above. Recognizing that they had been outmaneuvered, they had fled

    past Shiva¡¯s small contingent. Two bodies lay on a stairway where they had tried to descend.

    Kayla swallowed the bitter taste of frustration. She wanted more.

    The rest of element Viper moved across the garden to join them, and pushed deeper into the second floor offices. They went as fast as they could, methodically clearing rooms to make sure no guards slipped

    behind them. Quiet returned again, but the tension didn¡¯t ease. Would there be a new ambush waiting ahead? Had Rayker planned an escape route into the cavern? Would her men rather die facing the Valkyrie than return

    to her defeated? There was only one way to find out.

    Kayla wished she could know the progress of the Tiger element. But that wasn¡¯t her problem¡ªshe had to focus on the next corridor, or the next doorway. She found herself behind Jess again, moving

    down a hallway of small offices, with a larger one waiting at the end.

    When the other rooms were cleared, she stacked up behind Shiva and the fresh private. A Ranger kicked the door in then stood aside, and the line started to move. A long burst of fire met them at the door.

    Kayla saw both women ahead fountain blood and hit the ground like puppets with their strings cut. She snatched at her trigger, pumping rounds through the wall while getting as close to the fatal funnel as she dared.

    It wasn¡¯t enough. The whole stack dumped their magazines into the room, but the rifle fire kept coming. It seemed like they might have cornered someone who had taken a wrong turn in the confused retreat.

    He had nowhere to run, and nothing left to do but take as many of his hunters out as possible.

    A Ranger yelled for him to surrender, and tried a slower approach. She took a bullet in her arm for getting too close.

    Jess¡¯s boot was visible, just inside the room. Too far for anyone to reach and drag her back. With her and Shiva still in harm¡¯s way, nobody wanted to throw a grenade. Watching them lay still,

    slowly bleeding to death just like Rose had done, Kayla snapped.

    Surprisingly, faced with an impossible dilemma, her thoughts turned icy. She picked up a piece of splintered wall and examined it.

    ¡°What is this shit?¡± she demanded to nobody in particular.

    Naima ran in from an adjoining corridor and stopped to survey the carnage. ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Look,¡± Kayla said, waving the chunk of material in her face. ¡°It feels light enough to snap in your fingers, but it¡¯s as tough as wood.¡±

    Naima shrugged distractedly. ¡°Can¡¯t make walls out of cardboard,¡± she offered. She seemed at a loss for the situation, and obviously didn¡¯t see what Kayla was getting at.

    Even Kayla didn¡¯t. She only knew that her brain was trying to tell her something fundamental. ¡°You don¡¯t want people¡ªaliens or whatever¡ªtripping and falling through walls.

    You might have to mount heavy things on them, but¡­¡±

    Then she understood. She grabbed Naima¡¯s arm and mimed her placing a breaching charge on the wall a significant distance across from the office they wanted to get into.

    ¡°I have two left,¡± the operator muttered, doubtfully. But she quickly figured out what Kayla was getting at, and nodded.

    They stopped speaking, and switched to hand gestures. A new stack was formed along the wall where Kayla wanted to break through. Naima carefully placed the charge, then stepped back out of the blast zone.

    Kayla willed the charge to be strong enough. While another Ranger kept firing at their enemy, it blew with a sharp crack, digging out a decent sized hole in the material. On the other side was a storeroom

    filled with empty shelves, adjoining the one they wanted to get into. Kayla didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªshe threw herself into the damaged wall with all her might. It fractured into larger chunks as she fell through, and Rangers

    behind her kicked at them until they could pile in behind her.

    Now it really had to count. They found the spot on the wall they guessed was closest to their dug in gunman, and Naima placed her final charge with a care bordering on reverence. Kayla readied herself again,

    this time dropping her rifle and taking hold of her sidearm. She stepped back a few paces to give herself a run up. The time for subtlety was long gone.

    When the charge blew, Kayla leaped forward, hitting the impact point head on with her arms up to protect her skull. The wall gave way and she fell half inside the room. A live body scrambled out from under

    the shattered panels, cursing loudly as it tried to maneuver a rifle around. Kayla¡¯s hand shot up, and grabbed the pants of his leg. Her pistol jammed awkwardly into his groin and she pulled the trigger.

    The weapon¡¯s slide smacked her bent wrist painfully, and the man let out an inhuman scream. But his hands still clutched his rifle tightly, leaving Kayla no choice. Again she fired, forcing the pistol

    blindly against his body. The slide struck her again, but she didn¡¯t stop pulling the trigger until it clicked.

    Hands pulled her backward into the first room and out of the way of a stream of Rangers. She heard cries for medics, and took the moment to lay her head back and closed her eyelids. Behind them she saw

    the face of pure terror that had greeted her, and it¡¯s slow devolution into dying agony. Her rage softened, and, for a brief moment, she felt terribly ashamed of herself.

    Of course, the asshole could have just surrendered.

    A boot kicked at her leg, and she opened her eyes to see Naima smiling at her.

    ¡°Survivable wounds,¡± the operator said. ¡°They played dead and waited for us, but they¡¯ll be okay. Nice work.¡±

    ¡°We got really lucky there,¡± Kayla observed, morosely.

    ¡°We sure did.¡±

    ¡°Why did that piece of shit have to go out like that?¡±

    Naima shook her head and held out her hand. Kayla took it, and hauled herself to her feet. Another burst of gunfire sounded close by, followed by male shouts.

    "Back to work then," Naima suggested.

 Part 3 - Chapter 69

    Gucci had begun the assault unenthusiastically. When the smoke burst ahead of the tree line, her fellow operators dashed forward to engage the enemy, while she marched at a slower, relaxed pace. The Raiders

    and ODTs who couldn''t handle the cliff face would leapfrog up the southern approach, pushing through the bunkers on the ridge, and neutralizing any survivors. Then they would rush inside the objective and assist the climbing

    team in the fight against Rayker, whilst saving the world from the greatest Jotnar superweapon ever discovered.

    Gucci, meanwhile, would follow a sheltered route up the northern side with a small collection of Collective scientists in tow. During the ascent she would watch over them, keep their morale up with songs,

    and fix up any booboos they might sustain in their feeble attempts to master terrain more challenging than an office staircase. As any good babysitter should.

    During this delicate operation, she would also be carrying her own heavy, but now useless, sniper rifle. Had she thought that someone else would take care of it, Urtiga had wanted to know? Had she brought

    a personal servant? Was she going to leave it behind for the Barrochian soldiers to find when they inevitably flew over to investigate the area? Was she complaining like a sulking Ranger private who had been consigned to cleaning

    duty?

    Those reflections had followed a quiet, yet furious conversation, in which all of Gucci''s peers had beaten her to convincing excuses as to why their presence on the assault was indispensable. And then

    they had the nerve to remind her that Valkyrie, like all military organizations, depended on work that simply Had To Get Done. The scientists had to be escorted and today it was her turn To Get The Job Done.

    Even more unhappily, the hike left her mind free to reflect on the email Jack had sent her right before the operation. He had a habit of going back on his emotional decisions whenever he thought she might

    die, and that wasn''t something she needed to deal with when preparing to face Rayker.

    On the plus side, once she got her passengers up the mountain and safely installed on computers somewhere, she would be free to join the battle. Then she might actually get killed, and that would at least

    resolve the long running relationship conundrum for the better.

    Nevertheless, Gucci was a professional, so she met the Collective team with a cheerful smile on her face, and briefly outlined the route they would take.

    "We could probably make it on our own," one scientist said dismissively. "We''re still Rangers, you know."

    "Some decades ago for me, I''m afraid," Doctor Gilah said apologetically. "I''m so grateful they managed to spare one of their best to look out for us. I''m sure you had much better

    things to do, Gucci¡ªplease know we will all owe you a big favor."

    The other scientists politely acknowledged this, and Gucci mentally appointed Gilah as the group''s de facto leader. She nevertheless turned to the first woman with a stern expression.

    "You''re right though," Gucci said thoughtfully. "We will need all of you to take this seriously and remember your infantry training. I''m sure you haven''t let your fitness slacken

    over the years?"

    The woman stood a little taller. "I''m a track athlete. I dare say I could give you a run for your money."

    "That''s great news. One of the things I''ve been warned about is the possibility that Rayker has mined the northern ridge, or left a well hidden machinegun nest up there that we didn''t see.

    In which case, I will need to maximize my maneuverability and flexibility to face a dynamic threat environment, while you stay ready to support me by fire."

    "Yes.. that makes sense."

    "Good." Gucci hefted her rifle. "I''ll need you to carry this, while I take your carbine."

    "Oh," the woman said as the tall weapon was passed into her waiting hands. "Wow, It''s quite heavy."

    Gucci winked. "Nothing a Ranger can''t handle, right?"

    "Of-of course not."

    The hike went well, and Gucci had to grudgingly admit that the scientists were all quite fit. She managed to increase the pace, and even her uncomplaining new porter didn''t fall behind. They trotted

    up inclines, hauled themselves around boulders, and navigated scree as though they were having a fun day out.

    An old Ranger stereotype held that Collective girls were all lazy, signing up for the cushiest job in the organization after sailing under the radar with a borderline acceptable Ranger stint. Gucci wondered

    if she should push back on that kind of talk with her new experience. But then, where would the fun in that be? Much better to make up a few stories for laughs at the bar. Sorry girls, but it¡¯s a dog-eat-dog world.

    A few bursts of gunfire broke out across the mountain, followed by the heavy thump of a drone missile striking a bunker. The scientists whirled around to gawp at the fireworks, and their lack of discipline

    reminded Gucci not to get comfortable. Leaving them to indulge themselves in the distraction, she kept a sharp eye on the ground above them.

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    It hadn''t escaped her attention that that the entire southern flank was visible from several points on their route, and that a well placed heavy machine gun would pose a serious threat to the advancing

    operators. Rayker was neither known for her lack of intelligence nor attention to detail. The drone feeds had shown nothing, and Gucci had spent a good amount of time scanning the ridge through her own scope. But a good defensive

    position was invisible until it wasn''t.

    Someone behind her whooped as another missile impact threw an impressive fountain of rocks and dirt into the void.

    "Cut that out," Gucci snapped. "Noise discipline."

    They pushed higher in silence, and with a little more focus. When it seemed that they were finally past the steepest section of the climb, the worst case scenario actually unfolded. A large rock formation

    not far down from the ridgeline¡ªand which had passed a careful inspection¡ªsuddenly erupted in thunder.

    Ignoring the cursing in her headset, Gucci scrambled up an outcrop for a better look. Letting loose a few foul words of her own, she scrambled back down to her porter, pulled the rifle off her back, then

    returned to the observation point. What she saw through her scope was maddening. Barely visible tracers streamed from an invisible crack In what looked like a solid gray wall. Even at a close distance, Gucci doubted she would

    have spotted anything without the gunfire to clue her in.

    The position looked nearly impossible to attack¡ªa natural fort on the mountain. The route she wanted to follow climbed the ridge in full view of the rocks, though the machinegun inside probably couldn''t

    traverse to cover it. Which meant¡­ ah.

    Her scope caught a flash of odd color, and settled on a boot sticking in the air. It''s owner had obviously been tasked with defending the bunker from the northern approach, until the first wave, identifying

    only a lookout, had taken him out. The machine gunners inside wouldn''t want to risk sticking their heads out, for fear of meeting the same fate. Maybe they just wanted to go out in a blaze of glory?

    Gucci clenched her jaw. Or had Rayker prepared them to meet blood sucking aliens? Inhuman monsters intent on torturing them to death? What if they were they convinced they would be protected by the Barrochians

    in orbit?

    In any case, the operators in their gunsights were stuck, taking cover behind whatever small piece of terrain they could. The snipers couldn''t find a clear shot, which meant¡­

    Gucci seized her rifle and rolled off her outcrop. When the call came in she was already sliding back down to her impromptu squad.

    "Find cover," she ordered, and squeezed herself against the mountainside.

    The drone strike exploded above them, and they hugged the ground as rocks bounced down the ridgeline towards them. Who wants to whoop and cheer now, Gucci wanted to ask. She listened carefully for the assessment,

    and cursed when it came back negative. The gun resumed its relentless bursts. Before the call came, she already knew what was next.

    "Gucci¡ª"

    "On it," she said, cutting off the transmission.

    She looked up to see her alarmed looking followers staring at her.

    "Ranger time," Gucci said with a grin. "We need to push closer. Everything you''ve got, yeah?"

    The dash forward needed it, as the terrain had gotten steeper and more precarious. Grassy slopes gave way to scree and rock formations they had to climb carefully. It them took a few minutes to ascend a

    hundred meters, driven by burning and shaking muscles. But apart from the necessary delay, Gucci wasn''t too worried about the problem itself. Her ¡®squad¡¯ could distract the gunners while she found a way through

    the rocks.

    Once again she swapped the rifle for the carbine, and discussed the plan with the scientists.

    "See that bulge just across from us?" She pointed to an exposed position  over a sickening drop that made some women turn pale. "I want you all to set up there and just take potshots at the

    guy, when I say. You won''t hit anything, so there''s no point burning through your mags. I just want you to keep them occupied. Don¡¯t shoot before I do, and¡ªmost importantly¡ªdon¡¯t shoot me."

    "Can I use the sniper rifle?" the track athlete asked.

    Gucci smiled. At least she was enthusiastic. "Sure, why not. Now, I need one volunteer to help me storm the bunker."

    Dr Gilah raised her hand. "Actually I brought a few grenades with me as well. Just¡­ well... in case of need."

    "Outstanding. Come on then."

    Leaving the others behind, Gucci and Gilah climbed higher into a maze of wide columns separated by cracks and chimneys. Once she could see where she wanted to go, Gucci stopped to let her teammate catch

    up and get her breath back.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, Doc?¡±

    ¡°Talia,¡± the scientist said between gulps of water.

    ¡°You can call me Aislinn.¡±

    Gilah¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Why do they call you Gucci?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cos I buy nice gear. That¡¯s how we do call-signs in our unit¡ªwhen we¡¯re being professional, anyway. Did you send your will before you left Tyr?¡±

    ¡°I um¡­ no, I didn¡¯t actually.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t have anything in the real world.¡±

    Gucci rubbed her hair and tried to laugh off the awkward moment. ¡°No worries. Just hide behind me when the shooting starts. I¡¯m all set to check out, haha.¡±

    This didn¡¯t get a positive reaction, so she gestured to their objective. ¡°See anything interesting over there?¡±

    Gilah focused on the area, but looked confused. ¡°Rocks. Dirt. Lots of places to hide, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Disturbed dirt. Like someone under a lot of stress put in a mine. Probably a claymore or two, ¡®cos they¡¯d have great coverage of the only pathway up.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ can you really see that? I wouldn¡¯t even look twice at it.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Means we¡¯ll have to skirt around the other side of the ridge. You¡¯re okay with heights?¡±

    Gilah did not look happy about this, but smiled grimly. ¡°I shall follow you wherever I must.¡±

    ¡°More fool you,¡± Gucci said with a grin, then set off across a small ledge that wound around the rock formation. For her own part, she was terrified, though she couldn¡¯t let it affect

    her. She might choose to avoid free soloing a giant cliff without incurring shame, but now it was do or die. The machine gun had calmed down, though it still let loose a burst whenever an operator on the far slopes tried to

    dash between cover. No serious casualties had been reported, but the assault had been held up, and that was simply unacceptable.

    Their path went below the largest boulders and soon brought them out over a sickening drop. The foot-wide space turned into a treacherous combination of smooth boulders and rough ledges, and Gucci had to

    grab her follower¡¯s arm to keep her stable while they crossed. To help her own progress, she decided that there actually was no drop. The mountain was tiny, starting a mere dozen feet below her, and there was certainly

    no point looking down to check. If she fell, she would have to walk back around the ridge and start again, which would cause her Raider squadron substantial disappointment in her abilities. That was certainly more scary than

    falling off a mountain, and thus provided all the motivation she needed.

 Part 3 - Chapter 70

    Eventually, they made it into a chimney where fractured limestone blocks made for easy climbing up onto the top of the formation that was causing so much trouble. Once Gucci topped out, carbine ready for

    trouble, she saw that she was looking down at a maze of narrow passageways. With Gilah in tow, she crept along until she heard the frantic exchanges of the guards below.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, let¡¯s get the hell out of here,¡± a younger man was saying.

    ¡°You think they don¡¯t have the mountain surrounded?¡± his older companion hissed back. ¡°Even if you get down without drawing a bullet or a missile, where do you think you¡¯re

    going to go?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to go out in a hail of gunfire.¡±

    Gucci moved closer, but couldn¡¯t get a good line of sight on the position. They were wedged inside a crack, blocked by a boulder below her. She probably couldn¡¯t drop down silently, though it

    wasn¡¯t like the men could retreat anywhere. Since they weren¡¯t shooting, she allowed herself a moment to mull the problem over.

    Her enemies continued the debate. ¡°They pull you apart, Rayker said. Experiment on you. Torture. I don¡¯t know what these freaks are, but if we hold them up a bit longer, someone will come from

    orbit, like Hasti said.¡±

    ¡°Come on,¡± the younger man whined. ¡°She was probably making that up. She has no clue what this place is, or who these guys are.¡±

    ¡°I dunno. You saw them running up the slope. Nothing human moves that fast.¡±

    Now comfortable with her selected course of action, Gucci aimed her weapon and fired a few bullets into the crack.

    ¡°I¡¯m behind you,¡± she called sweetly, before she was drowned out by the hail of gunfire from the scientists down the ridge.

    The men cursed and yelled as they tried, in their panic, to find another way out. Gucci stood up and raised her hand high, swinging her forearm to signal cease fire. Moments later, silence returned, followed

    by gasps and sobs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, my dude,¡± Gucci said loudly. ¡°You¡¯re one good decision away from a peaceful hike down the mountain and a hot meal, plus entertaining company. You are one bad decision

    from a quick death. All in all, it¡¯s not so bad.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you people?¡± the older man yelled back.

    ¡°That¡¯s no way to address a lady,¡± Gilah joined in, having guessed the strategy. ¡°I¡¯ll thank you to say yes, ma¡¯am, no ma¡¯am, and mind your language.¡±

    A burst of incredulous whispering followed.

    ¡°So, my friend has a bag of grenades she really wanted to use,¡± Gucci said after letting the tension draw out. ¡°But I think you guys might be cute, being VennZech security guards and all.

    Corpos like their staff to look good, don¡¯t they? If that¡¯s true, it¡¯d be a real shame to drag you out of there horizontally.¡±

    They didn¡¯t have to wait long. A pair of hands emerged from the crack, followed slowly by an apprehensive, young, male face.

    Gucci kept her rifle trained on him. ¡°Don¡¯t let my personable nature and good looks, fool you,¡± she said. ¡°Try anything, and I¡¯ll kill both of you.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long to get both men out and secured, hands tied behind their backs, and for the scientists to arrive to help move them.

    Then Gucci got a radio call. ¡°Okay, copy that,¡± she said wearily, and turned to the others. ¡°Look up and smile ladies, you are now on camera. The Augustine is watching.¡±

    ¡°Told you,¡± one of the prisoners muttered.

    ¡°You did,¡± Gucci said kindly. ¡°I heard you. But reinforcements are at least an hour away, so that means that we¡¯re all heading back inside your base for the foreseeable future. For

    your sake, I hope you stocked up on alcohol, because you¡¯ll want us to forget that you tried to kill our friends.¡±

    The younger prisoner turned away, glancing at the nearby body of the lookout, shot at the beginning of the assault.

    Once everyone had moved inside and the prisoners were put with the others, Gucci left the Collective team with a few positive remarks about their performance, their credit to the organization, and their

    promotional prospects. She took back her sniper rifle, gave it a brief inspection, then sent them on their way.

    "But do you think they''ll count it as combat?" the track athlete insisted to Dr Gilah, as they headed away to meet their VennZech counterparts.

    "I don''t know, but I will not be insisting on it," Gilah retorted.

    Gucci made a mental note that she owed the woman a drink. Then, as she wandered through the corridors, she stopped to take another, closer look at the scope on her rifle. Muttering to herself, she left

    it with the Rangers interrogating the prisoners and went to find Urtiga, who was conferring via radio with the assault commanders deeper in the base.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the bottom,¡± she said, then turned to follow the queue heading for the stairs.

    ¡°Hold position there, sister,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°Your chores are not done yet.¡±

    Gucci hissed to herself, but waited until the senior NCO had signed off.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Urtiga demanded with a smile. ¡°Eager to get shot?¡±

    ¡°Or kill Rayker, you know? Whichever option presents itself. No sense sending the new girls down to steal all the credit.¡±

    Urtiga chuckled. ¡°We have new information. Locations on kidnapped prisoners.¡±

    ¡°That Ranger squad?¡±

    ¡°Plus the spook, Christie. Not sure what state they¡¯re in, or if they¡¯re being guarded.¡±

    She pulled out a tablet and a holographic map sprung to life. The maze of corridors below them spread out like fine circuits on a chip, tendrils growing into empty air where the survey drones were making

    progress behind the assault.

    ¡°According to the team up here, their first prisoner claimed our girls are being held on sublevel four somewhere. But it''s a lot of empty space, so we need to go carefully and methodically."

    Gucci nodded. "Are we expecting resistance?"

    "No," Urtiga said. "It should be clear. So it''ll only take two of us."

    "Us?"

    Urtiga shrugged. "Masey''s got the attack in hand, so I don''t have anything better to do for the moment."

    Gucci let her thoughts catch up and her stomach twisted. "Do you think¡­ how do you think they¡­? She grimaced. ¡°Shit."

    Urtiga put a reassuring hand on her back. "Doesn''t matter. We''ll take care of them whatever state they''re in. But it''s not something the young ''uns need to deal with, is it?"

    Gucci nodded, and suddenly felt like a fool. "Sorry for bitchin¡¯."

    "No biggie. Only thing I care about today is that Rayker doesn''t leave this place alive. The Helvets can lay a siege for all I care. An exit was never part of the deal."

    There was a metallic screech behind them as someone closed the mountainside door and locked it.

    Urtiga turned for the stairs. "You comin'' or what?"

    The search was not difficult. The two Raiders moved carefully, but the sublevels really were empty, and when they reached the fourth level they started banging on doors and calling "Viper". A

    muted, but unmistakable banging came back, and they soon found themselves destroying a lock and pulling open a cell door to reveal seven furious, but mercifully healthy looking Rangers.

    "Where''s Rhonda?" Urtiga demanded, and saw the response written in their eyes. "Goddammit. Look, we''re stacking weapons by the elevator, so, if you want in on some payback, you can

    get kitted up and follow the crowd."

    "Got anything to eat?" a lance-corporal asked them.

    "Snack bars," Gucci answered. She and Urtiga turned over everything they had.

    "Thanks," said the Ranger. "The bitch wanted to starve us to death, for long-term fun."

    "What about Christie?" Urtiga asked.

    The lance-corporal shrugged.

    Once the squad was armed they rejoined the Raider operators and went from sublevel to sublevel. Christie was on the seventh, and when they pulled open her cell door she wiped away tears and shook their

    hands gratefully.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Urtiga asked her, a little bluntly.

    ¡°Physically healthy, if that¡¯s what you mean,¡± Christie replied. ¡°And willing to work.¡±

    She launched into a whirlwind explanation of what she had seen in the base, Rayker¡¯s plans for the teleporter, and her own attempt to change Byoran¡¯s decision.

    Gucci was immensely impressed, and showed it with a few ¡°no shit?¡± responses where appropriate. The girl was slighter than most Valkyrie¡ªprobably in part thanks to Rayker¡¯s treatment¡ªand

    talked with the same self-assured intelligence of the scientists. But she was obviously as dangerous, if not more so, than any of the operators.

    ¡°Have you heard anything from the Rackeye site?¡± Christie finished, with a slightly desperate expression.

    Urtiga nodded. ¡°Call came through as we got inside. They grabbed your guy off the mountainside. Apparently he announced his guilt over that shootdown, and was begging for forgiveness.¡± She shook

    her head in wonder. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything after that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be able to take care of their end, then.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and outstanding work getting Milani outside,¡± Urtiga said, with a smile on her face. ¡°That made our lives a lot easier.¡±

    Christie only nodded curtly.

    ¡°How about that spider trick?¡± Gucci asked. ¡°Think we can use that against Rayker?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Christie replied. ¡°What is happening out there?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve pushed her security force back towards the control room,¡± Urtiga explained. ¡°I fully expect her to have arranged a covert escape route.¡±

    ¡°Yes of course,¡± Christie said. ¡°Probably through the power and data conduits out to the cavern. And that means she¡¯ll want to fall back to the teleporter, from which she will expect

    to make her escape.¡±

    Her eyes drifted, and the two Raiders held their breath.

    ¡°But we cannot underestimate her instinct, or cynicism.  As I said, she may have access to a very dangerous weapon¡ªa defensive system¡ªand if she decides that her scheme has failed, she

    will certainly unleash it on us.¡±

    ¡°Like, killer spiders?¡± Gucci asked, her lips twisting into a preemptory grimace.

    Christie shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t say. But given the sophistication of this place, and its servants, it must certainly be effective. And if we give it access to the teleportation network, who

    knows how far it could spread?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Urtiga said, but she didn¡¯t look too concerned. ¡°We can shoot spiders though. I don¡¯t see that as a game-over scenario, necessarily.¡±

    ¡°Unless there are too many of them,¡± Gucci countered. ¡°Or they can recruit the workers. Or manufacture more, or¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alright, I get the picture,¡± Urtiga said.

    Christie pursed her lips. ¡°But¡ªif I may, Sergeant¡ªthis site is the center piece of the whole planet. The¡­ Jotnar built something more than a fortress, meant to stay hidden, yes.

    But I don¡¯t think I can overemphasize how likely they were to account for its discovery by an unwanted party, and to prepare for its resistance. Those spiders are partly biological¡ªwhich we have never encountered

    outside Caldera¡ªand far more advanced than the drones Rayker made in her first attempt. We must be very careful about the assumptions we make.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah, ¡®tiga,¡± Gucci said fervently. ¡°I think you should lift your finger off the trigger and step back a little, ¡®cos she is starting to freak me out right now.¡±

    ¡°Us too,¡± called one of the Rangers nearby.

    ¡°This is great,¡± Urtiga said. ¡°I love this whole thing. Especially the cyborg spiders.¡± She reached up and tapped her headset. ¡°Masey¡ª¡®tiga. How¡¯s it looking?

    We need to get our scientists into that control room, ASAP.¡±