Megalodon City, Tundra, Year 404 After Founding
Robert Nagar sat back, rewatching the recording of Alanna’s interrogation of Bernard Bernhard. “There was something on that station! I never missed! I don’t miss. Something stopped me from making that shot. Something stopped me from… from…”
“I should have asked the boys to eliminate him.” Robert admitted privately to Grant later that evening, speaking in the privacy of quantum comms, although they were only a few miles apart.
“Why didn’t you?”
“They’ve spent too much time on the human net. The first kill, it’s rare but sometimes children have a bad reaction, especially so if they picked up some crazy human notions along the way. And you know how Will can get. He would resent it if I asked.” Robert sighed. It had been a mistake. “I have a bad feeling about this.” He said out loud.
“Two videos, floating around the same solar system.” Grant rumbled thoughtfully. “But they are both classified, and to the extent they’re being circulated, it’s happening on two different planets. It may yet come to nothing.”
“Perhaps.” Robert agreed with a sigh, extending his fingers and ignoring the urge to extend his claws. “Anything on the Summers girl? Did you get the DNA?” Robert asked, changing the subject.
There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
“Grant?” Robert asked, somewhat sharply. “Did you get the DNA? I would like to know who I’m dealing with.”
“There were complications.”
“She should have been there. Was she moved without my knowledge?”
“Ah, possibly not, as it happens.”
“I don’t understand. You had her location. You had the floor number. What kind of complications could there possibly be?”
“I will get the DNA.” Grant said, picking up on the tension in Robert’s voice. Robert, was rarely tense. Robert, rarely cared.
“She’s on a ship. In space, Grant. How are you going to get onto the ship to access her DNA?”
“There wasn’t parking.” Grant explained.
“What?” Robert asked carefully.
“There wasn’t parking, Robert. But I have a plan. As soon as she returns to Tundra, I will get the DNA. You have my word.”
“And this plan, it comes with parking?”
“I am quite brilliant, Robert. All my plans are brilliant. And all my plans come with parking.”
“You’re a brilliant physicist, Grant. When it comes to military operations, frankly, there’s room for improvement.”
“As soon as she returns to Tundra. You have my word.” Grant repeated.
“Very well.”
---
Carda’an ship, Titan orbit, Standard Year 404 after founding
“A once in a lifetime opportunity.” Grant’s deep, unexpectedly melodious voice came through clearly over the ship’s speakers.
Pharel and Starel exchanged a glance. “Can we bring Amiya?” Starel asked.
“As long as she remains on the shuttle.” Grant said generously. “And again, you must remain in the forest, within a ten mile radius of the coordinates I provided. It’s winter. It won’t be that much fun outside.”
“But we can go outside.” Pharel stated, insistently. “We are going outside.”
“Yes fine, you can go outside. But not Amiya.”
“Why not?” Starel asked suspiciously.
“She may spawn. She’s not native to the planet.” Grant said, trying to hold on to his patience.
“Neither are we.” Starel pointed out.
“Well, you can’t spawn either.” Grant said.
“Dad did.” Pharel pointed out with a snort.
“Amiya stays on the shuttle.” Grant repeated in exasperation. “Or else the ship will send the shuttle to land on Tundra unmanned, and that’s how I’m sending over the DNA sample. Any more snarky questions?”
“No.” The boys said, roughly in unison.
“Good. I should have the sample within a few days. You can play until then.”
---
Megalodon City, Tundra, Standard Year 404 after founding
“You saw the recording of Bernard Bernhard’s interrogation?” Robert asked Daren from the comfort of his gray velvet armchair, gazing into the fire as snow beat against his oversized kitchen window. He had sent out the recording to Daren earlier that day.
“You should have had the kids take him out.” Daren said. It was unseemly to relish the mistakes of others. But then, no one was perfect.
“What about Diana?” Robert asked. “She may be the only person in the solar system who has enough information to connect these dots. And you say she saw Jane Thomson’s tape.”
“What about Diana?” Daren asked flatly.
“Is it possible she suspects?”
“Anything is possible.”
“Daren.” Robert said patiently. “Does Diana suspect?”
There was the briefest pause. “No.” Daren responded. And then he hung up.
Robert got up to put away the quantum communicator and stared into the fire. His reverie was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell. With a puzzled frown, he got up and walked through his garden to see who it was, Tigger the cat trailing along.
“Grant.” He said in surprise. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“And yet I am. May I come in?”
Robert paused. But then, Grant was already here. If anyone was watching, they were already compromised. Again.
“Fine.” He said curtly, stepping aside. “I spoke with Daren just now.” Robert continued as Grant settled on the grassy lawn, in an effort to spare Robert’s flimsy furniture. “About the recording. And I think he lied to me.”
“To protect Diana?” Grant asked. As a general rule, Carda’ans did not lie. Exceptions were rare and nearly always related to protecting a mate. “Perhaps it’s not a lie. Perhaps she does not suspect.”
“He hesitated.” Robert said.
“That sounds rather subjective, Robert. There are a million reasons…”
“This is what I do. Trust me, he lied.”
“If it all comes out… how long?”
“If it all comes out? Including the information from old earth records Diana is so conveniently tasked with maintaining? It won’t be long until they discover all of us.”
“They might figure it out anyway.” Grant pointed out, settling more comfortably as the cat rubbed against his back.
“I need Alanna’s DNA profile.” Robert said. “I need to know who I’m dealing with.”
“As soon as she returns, Robert. And Diana? She cannot be killed. Not if Daren has lied for her.”
“She cannot be killed. But she can be removed.”
“Hmm.” Grant said, carefully noncommittal as they sat in relatively companionable silence. “She is growing old.” He mused. “Do you think he’ll watch her die? His lifespan is ten times hers.”
Robert shifted in his chair, a look of distaste on his face. “Given the differences in their lifespans, he is watching her die now.”
“If Daren thought she could be lured into giving up her freedom for life, he would have already offered.”
“Yes.” Robert agreed.
“Did Olivia know?” Grant asked suddenly. “Did you ever tell her?”
Robert paused, unsure if he was pleased or annoyed that Olivia came up twice now, within a fairly short period of time. He rarely spoke of her. “That I wasn’t human? Yes, she knew.”
“And her legal status? Under Carda’an law? Did she know that?”
“Her legal status was unclear. There are jurisdictional ambiguities.”
“In this solar system, perhaps. But if she were ever removed from this solar system, within the defined borders of the Carda’an empire, her legal status was clear. She committed a capital offense on Saraya. You made the claim, you paid the fee. She was a slave.”
“What is your point?”
“You never told her.” Grant smiled slightly. He thought as much. “Are you still investigating the thefts?” He asked.
“I wasn’t investigating the thefts. There are no missing life mates in this region. Beyond that, it’s theft. There is nothing to investigate.”
“And?”
“And stop it.”
Grant paused for a long moment before speaking. “I’m not certain that’s possible.”
“For sun’s sake, Grant” Robert said with some exasperation “you have a perfectly suitable moon two and a half light years away. No recording capabilities, no viral videos, no records. If you must interfere, send them there. Why would you bring them here?”
“The cannibals…” Grant began.
“They do not have to join the cannibals if they don’t want to.”
“No indoor plumbing.”
“Perhaps that is the price of freedom.” Robert said sharply.
Grant sighed. It was a fair point. “There’s something wrong with that moon.” He said hesitantly, looking over at Robert.
“Yes, mostly the humans residing on it.”
“Let us say, theoretically of course, that there has been some theft.” Grant began, ignoring the annoyed glance Robert shot his way. “Let us further suppose that humans, our humans, came onto that moon.”
“These wild suppositions Grant, where will they end?” Robert muttered sarcastically.
“Not quite yet. For let us further suppose, that those humans came onto the moon and began acting, let us say, uncharacteristically. And some of those humans, retained enough introspection to tell us, repeatedly, that there is something deeply wrong with that moon.”
“Uncharacteristically how?” Robert asked.
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“Uncharacteristically violent, uncharacteristically sadistic, uncharacteristically destructive.”
“Cannibalism has an impact on the human brain.” Robert reminded him.
“Our humans did not become cannibals, Robert. Not at first. After coming onto the moon, some embraced it. But others… others begged to leave.”
“Jane asked to leave.”
“Yes.”
“And afterwards?” Robert asked. “Do these uncharacteristically violent, sadistic, and destructive tendencies fade?”
“They have to go to Tundra, first.” Grant explained.
“What?”
“There is something about Tundra. When they go directly to Saraya, the violent tendencies do not fade. In fact, we think they might get worse. But if they go to Tundra first, just for a year or two.” Grant shrugged. “There’s something about Tundra.” He repeated. “You know that’s the case with angerona, as well.”
“All well and good, but we cannot have them here. Look at the mess Jane has caused, quite unintentionally. And imagine what would occur if one of them intended harm. These are our humans, Grant. It isn’t just a matter of what their knowledge can do to those of us here. They know things no human on earth yet knows. It cannot go on. Send them back.”
“No.” Grant said. “Ask for something else.”
A drawn out silence descended. Robert considered. “Anything?” He asked thoughtfully.
“Within reason. Within our ability to give.”
Our, Robert quietly noted. And although Jane needed to spend time on Tundra, somehow, she ended up on Saraya. “Make the shields work.” Robert said, quite unexpectedly.
“The shields do work.” Grant said defensively.
“The shields cannot even withstand a Sarayan attack. They’re not anywhere near functional.”
“Well who else’s attack would you like them to…” Grant paused. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“We have no chance, Robert.”
“Then the human slaves go back. And get me Alanna Summers’ DNA.” Robert added.
The Grey Serepent, Tundran Space, Standard Year 404 After Founding
“I had to bring in the head.” Alanna announced, finding Tony sitting by Gregory’s side back in the med bay. Danil trailed after her, still in his antigrav wheelchair.
“I thought Danil was going to do it.” Gregory said. “That’s why he wanted it on the antigrav platform. He’s too weak to carry anything else.”
“Danil can’t do it.” Alanna reminded him. “Danil, is supposed to be dead. Otherwise, his family will pay the price. Something he might want to remember.” She shot Danil a warning glare. There were too many secrets, and too many people who knew them.
“Did you get any applause this time?” Tony asked with a grin.
“No, no I did not. I am now the traitor that puts Sarayan heads on pikes. The live Sarayans are not fond of me. And how do you know about the applause?”
“James told me. He talks about you.”
Alanna blinked, clearly taken aback.
“I wouldn’t worry about them going back and telling everyone about Danil.” Gregory spoke up. The doctor had warned him against laughter, and he was back on the stronger pain meds, his head spinning slightly.
Tony’s face remained perfectly blank.
“What is he talking about?” Alanna asked.
“Saraya declared martial law.” Tony said, looking to Danil, of all people, for backup.
“They did.” Danil acknowledged.
“To protect their freedom and democracy.” Tony nodded. “James loved that one.”
Gregory shook his head, ignoring the dizziness. “Martial law to protect…” he tried saying it out loud, to see if that would help. It didn’t.
“What does that have to do with the Sarayan POWs?” Alanna asked, ignoring Gregory.
“Saraya’s not taking them back, Alanna.” Tony was watching her closely, worried. “We’re doing our best, but we can’t force Saraya to take them back. And even if they did…” He trailed off. “You know how this works. Sarayans are concerned about the incentives. If we keep sending people home alive, other Sarayans just might decide they don’t want to fight, after all. So, they’re making sure no one else gets home alive. And Alanna, even if they do go home, Saraya will make sure they regret it. Just so those incentives line up as they should. We think someone high up is pulling the strings to protect the D12 miners.” He paused, leaving the rest unsaid. No one could be certain, just how long those protections would last.
“Glenda.” Alanna said quietly. “Glenda was connected. I’m surprised they didn’t simply sweep her association under the rug and go after everyone else. And the orphans.” She collapsed on an empty bunk on Tony’s other side, as her stomach twisted. The implications in Tony’s words were clear. Saraya wasn’t going after the D12 miners… yet. In the future, they still might. And it was all falling apart. Everything she tried to do. Everyone she tried to protect. “What will happen to them? The Sarayans that are here?” She asked.
“The ones who gave you the not so warm response?”
“I’m Alanna Summers, the traitor.”
“You’re the reason they’re still alive.”
“What will you do to them?” She repeated, her gaze on Tony.
“We’re tracking the ones who used the stun settings. They have a chance at asylum. The rest…” He shrugged. “If Saraya doesn’t take them back, their chances are not great.”
“How many is that?”
“About two thirds. Most shot to kill.”
Alanna closed her eyes. Most did indeed want to fight for the glory of Bernard Bernhard. And now they would die. She got up.
“Where are you going?” Tony asked.
“For a walk. Alone.” Alanna frowned when Tony ignored her request and got up to follow. “If you don’t trust me, why not just take my gun and put me back in the brig?” She said bitterly.
“I’d have to watch you there, too.”
“Ah.” Alanna nodded. It wasn’t other Tundrans Tony was worried about. It was her.
“I think a good dozen of them might live. And Danil. Because of you. It’s a good result.” Tony put his hand on her shoulder, ignoring the way she flinched. “James wants to talk to you.” He said, insistent.
“All right.” Alanna said with reluctance, following Tony to the training rooms.
Tony didn’t say anything further, he simply took off his wrist comm, enabling the hologram setting that would let her and James speak face to face, and walked out. The door shut firmly behind him.
“Hi.” James said, his voice coming through with crystal clarity, as if he were standing in front of her.
“Hey.” Alanna responded, accepting the inevitable. She sat down, so that the wrist comm camera would have a better angle.
“How are you?” James asked, his eyes searching her face.
“About the same. It’s been a long couple of weeks. Couple of years.” She shrugged.
“I missed you.” James said. “I wish we could talk in person. But there isn’t time.”
“I…” Alanna froze, not sure how to finish.
“It’s all right.” James held out his hands, visible on the screen.
Alanna looked down at the image, oddly reminding her of the gesture she made with Bernard. Signaling weakness. False.
“I owe you an apology.” James continued, ignoring her hesitation. “I promised you safety. And instead, I left you in danger, unprotected, without information. It was unforgiveable, and it won’t happen again. I heard what Bernard said. And I recognize he knows you well enough to hit you where it hurts. I hear him. I hear you. And I will ask nothing more of you. I swear it. Never. That is...” He paused, a slight smile on his face. “I won’t ask you for any help with the war. I will ask for a lot of other things. All sorts of things.”
“I got it.” Alanna said, stifling a completely unexpected grin in return. “It wasn’t that subtle.”
“But you won’t mind that.” James concluded, his eyes on hers.
“That might be ok.” Alanna agreed, green eyes sparkling with laughter.
“I’m glad you think so.” James smiled back. And took a breath. Time, was running out. Alanna had to hear it from him. Sometimes, you just went in and took the hits, hoping you would come back out alive. “Because we’re engaged.”
Alanna frowned. “No we’re not.” She said.
“Yes, we are.”
“But… James, I’m not an expert here but if I were engaged, I think I would know.”
“You do know. You’re engaged.”
Alanna raised a dubious eyebrow. “I would know before I was engaged. That is how it works, right? Just how many cultural differences could there be?”
“My father…”
“You told your father we were engaged? So he would stop coming after me? Would that even work?”
“Yes, it’s going to work.”
“I guess it’s worth a shot.” Alanna shrugged. If James thought it was worth trying, she really didn’t see the problem. And James could always break an engagement. Hell, he was known for it.
“But we actually are engaged.” James tried to explain.
“No James, no we are not.” Alanna said, as if that were the end of the matter.
James sighed, on some level recognizing that it wasn’t going at all well. “We are. And we’re getting married. Soon. I’m having a ring made.”
“You’re what? We’re what? No James, just no.”
“Yes.” James nodded emphatically. “Yes, we are. Please stop being difficult about this.”
Alanna’s eyes narrowed, as an inkling of just what James was doing finally reached her. “James.” She said carefully.
“Yes?”
“I’m saying no. Just to be very, crystal clear. The answer is no. No engagement. No marriage.”
“No you’re not.”
“I’m not saying no?”
“No.” James shook his head. “You’re not. And if you are, you don’t mean it.”
“I do. I do mean it.”
“Sweetheart, we both know you don’t. This isn’t a good use of our time.”
“I…” Alanna gritted her teeth. “I’m saying no. What happens now? Who will you threaten this time? The Sarayans so conveniently on ship? Releasing the recording of captain Mace’s death and giving President Achly the ammunition she so desperately needs to torture and kill the civilians of D12? Handing me back to Tundran prison? What will it be this time, James? You have so many options to choose from.” She said bitterly.
“No.” James held out his hands again, a gesture of peace.
False. Alanna thought. False.
“I’m not threatening anyone.” James continued. “We both know I don’t need to. I don’t want you to do this for the Sarayans or for the civilians of D12. Do it for us. Please.”
“Oh hell.” Alanna blinked unexpected moisture out of her eyes. “How can I be engaged without knowing it?” She asked, desperately.
“I told everyone we were engaged and no one questioned it.”
“Who… who’s everyone?”
“Everyone.” He repeated, realizing that any further detail would not help his cause. “The important thing is that you’re safe. No one will harm you. No one on that ship will harm a single hair on your head. I swear it. And I can’t wait to see you. I made reservations for us. For a real date. I want to show you…”
“Do not change the subject, James.” Alanna interrupted. “Don’t you dare change the subject. Who is everyone?”
“Everyone.” James repeated reluctantly. “Everyone on Tundra…” he hesitated. But James Hawk was no coward “and Saraya.” He continued, tensing slightly.
Alanna just stood there, staring at him. No words came out. No adequate words existed.
“I spoke with Captain Arden.” James continued, to fill in the silence. “The Gray Serpent is taking it slow, giving us time to catch up. I will be there waiting for you by the time you land. We’ll talk then. And I will take care of everything. I swear it. I’m sorry we couldn’t do this in person but Tony…”
“Tony, has been keeping everyone on the ship from telling me, informing me, that I am engaged.” Alanna said, as some of the odd events of the past twenty four hours finally fell into place. “Which we have been. Since yesterday.”
“Yes. He was less than thrilled.”
“Imagine that.”
“Alanna, sweetheart, I have to go. But we will talk soon. As soon as you land. I promise.” And then he disconnected.
Alanna sat on the floor of the training room for a long time, and focused on breathing. Then she got up in one smooth movement, her left hand slamming the button that would start the simulation as her other hand reached for her gun.
---
She walked out of the training room a while later, blinking at the bright lights of the hallway, a sharp contrast to the gloom of the training room. Her head spun.
Tony was there, waiting. And he got straight to the point. “You’re engaged, right?” He asked. “Because I can’t keep running interference for him. It just needs to stop.”
“Yes.” Alanna hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes nearly glowing in anger. “Yes, apparently I am.”
“Good. Glad that’s sorted.”
“And I, am also thrilled.” Alanna growled under her breath.
“So, ninety seven, huh?” Tony said, diplomatically changing the subject from what was clearly still a sensitive topic.
"Your point?”
“I still won.”
“You don’t get ninety nine every time.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Every time?”
“Yes.”
“Well I got…”
“You cheated to get to one hundred. Without cheating…” Tony gestured with his head towards the red nine and seven glowing on the door behind them.
“Well in that case, I see only one possible explanation.” Alanna crossed her arms.
“What’s that?”
“The ghost monster of Titan threw off my aim.”
“Otherwise, you would have gotten a ninety nine?”
“Damn right.”
“I don’t see it.” Tony said companionably, falling into step beside her as they walked down the hall of the ship. “See what I think is, the ghost monster of Titan likes you.”
“The ghost monster likes me?”
“Sure it does. Isn’t that Bernard’s story? He was aiming a kill shot and got your hip instead, a flesh wound. Sounds to me like the ghost monster is on your side. And you know what that means?”
“What does it mean?” Alanna asked sourly.
“Means the ghost monster’s been helping you all along. Without help, you’d probably be back down to a ninety two, tops.”
“Tony, I swear to God I will shoot you myself. And no ghost monster is going to stop me.”
“Why would it stop you? It doesn’t like me.”
“You never got shot at all.” Alanna pointed out. “Maybe it likes you more. Maybe the reason you got a ninety nine is because…”
“Nah.” Tony shook his head. “I was behind you and then everyone on the bridge was stunned. The ghost monster only helped you. Look at poor Danil, he got shot twice.”
“And Gregory.” Alanna nodded “How many times did Aster get shot?”
“Once, in the shoulder.” Tony paused mid-step. “It wasn’t a kill shot.”
“She was already dead.” Alanna said quietly, stopping with him.
“Yes.”
“So, the ghost monster likes women?”
“Other women got shot.” Tony shrugged. There had been women in the med bay.
Maybe the ghost monster wasn’t there, she thought. Maybe the ghost monster was on the bridge. Alanna closed her eyes as a vague memory came back to haunt her. Bernard’s hand, hovering over the control panel ready to press… something. Had he hesitated? In that moment, before she launched herself at him? She couldn’t quite recall. Everything happened so fast. The memory of burning hot pain eclipsed everything else. Had he hesitated? Had he intended to? She shook her head.
“What is it?” Tony asked.
“Did you see anything? Bernard was about to do something, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. There was a program he was about to run. It had a name.”
“And?”
“Operation Titan.”
“That’s all?”
“That’s all.” Tony said.
“You told the President, right?” Alanna asked. She hated saying it, but the threat Bernard described was far bigger than their petty squabble. And it scared her.
“Yes, of course.”
“Maybe…” Alanna mused, half-jokingly “maybe the ghost monster of Titan didn’t like whatever it was Bernard planned to do.”
“What could he have planned to do?” Tony asked. “What could happen on Titan that would be a threat to Tundra?”
Alanna shrugged. “I don’t know.” She admitted. “Big boom?”
“And ghost monsters don’t like big booms on their planet?”
“Well really, who does?”
“Fair point.”
“Hey Tony?” Alanna hesitated. “About James…”
“Oh that reminds me, I can now pass on the message from your Sarayan buddy. He says, and I quote ‘first ladies get their own wrist comms. I’ll be waiting.’ ”
“That arrogant, irresponsible…”
“Get your own wrist comm, Summers.”
“Did he know I was engaged before I did?”
“Sure. Everyone knew.”
“Well that is just… fine. It’s fine. Perfectly fine.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“The thing is… look, the thing is, I kind of like James.” Alanna admitted.
“Yeah, it was subtle but I picked up on that.”
“Does he really want to be president?”
“Yes.” Tony said without hesitation. “That’s who he is.”
“I know you’re helping because he asked. Because he’s a friend. It’s what I would have done.”
“So?”
Alanna met his eyes, searching. “Do you think it’s a mistake?” She asked. “For him? His father is right. I am a liability. Even I can see that.”
“You are.” Tony agreed flatly.
“Should I…”
“Bow out gracefully for the good of Tundra?” Tony asked, clearly bemused.
“Well…”
“He won’t give you a choice.”
“I will go toe to toe with James if I have to.”
“All right look, before you do that, I will answer your question. Your background – yes you’re right, it’s laughably awful. I mean just…” Tony shook his head “truly, astonishingly awful.”
“Thanks for that.”
“Sure, no problem. But there is one other thing you need to consider.”
“What’s that?”
“Thea, was an epic bitch. I mean, you search from Tundra to Saraya, high and low, I am telling you, the world’s biggest bitch.”
Alanna burst out laughing.
“You laugh but it’s not all that funny. He’s my friend. I had to tolerate her for years. And Clara, imagine what that was like for Clara. Only our respect for James kept us from arranging a quiet little accident for darling Thea. So all in all, having seen the memorable alternative, Clara and I will back you. And you, my friend, will need all the help you can get.”