Gunship (60 page)

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Zain’s eyes flashed at her implication. “I would never betray my government or my galaxy.”

“No, I’m sure you wouldn’t,” Reilly snapped back. “But that doesn’t stop you from betraying your own people, now does it?”

“That’s a pretty bold accusation. I suppose you have something to back it up?”

Reilly stared back through the screen at him, her anger palpable as she spoke two words: “Seth Jackson.”

Zain glared as he began to speak, but Reilly cut him off. “Don’t bother. We figured out Tiny was a Gaiden and it wasn’t too much of a leap to guess the rest, especially when Seth showed up to save our asses from Welch and Alton. Thanks for the intel, by the way, and the backup. Nice to know just how concerned you were with keeping us alive. You’re some kind of bastard these days, turning a sick kid who lost his whole family into your weapon of choice. What’s worse is Seth actually believes all that shit you put into his head. He thinks he’s actually saving us, when instead you’re hanging him out there like bait.”

“You don’t understand what’s at stake here. I was authorized to take extreme measures…”

“Yet another lie. You weren’t authorized to program him and you broke regulation by doing what you did. Yeah, I know what you did to him, tying into his emotions, making him a mental basket case for your war. You’re no better than Welch or that sick psycho Alton. You can’t just decide to break the rules to make them fit what you want and then expect the rest of us to be okay with it! You can justify it however you want, but in the end you still know it’s wrong. We all know it’s wrong!”

Zain shook his head. “You always were a sucker for a hard-luck case, Campbell. When it came down to it, you always wanted to show compassion. Well, I hate to tell you this, but we’ve got no room left for compassion or mercy. And if I have to use kids to save this galaxy, then I’ll do it. Right now, we’ll be lucky if we can hold off Welch’s implants and the aliens for three weeks. One kid versus three million people wiped out so far. That seems to be pretty easy math to me—we save the majority, even if the kid has to bite it. It might be ugly, but it serves the greater good. Say what you want, but I know you’ve made similar choices on the battlefield.”

Reilly was furious. “I’ve never made a choice like that. You’re cutting deals with the devil and it’s going to come back on you, starting with the decision to put Seth Jackson on the front lines! I promise you, the next time we meet you will regret that decision. I’m hoping it will be soon.”

Zain smiled at her, a pitying sort of smile. “Well, unfortunately you’re going to have to wait awhile before you can even that score. Here are your new orders. Stay warm and try to stay alive. Like I said, I need you to win the war. Zain out.”

Reilly slammed both fists on the console, cursing him as the screen went blank. The transmission ended, and Tiny decrypted the coordinates and printed their orders. Reilly looked at them and threw them down in disgust. Of course he would send them there to hold the line. She and the rest of the crew already knew the system, knew the planets, so they could put up a good fight. And if they died in the process, the bastard would probably be even happier. No witnesses to hold him responsible for what he had done.

“So, uh, where are we headed?” Ty asked from the back of the bridge.

Reilly tossed the papers at him. Chang leaned over his shoulder to see what they said.

“The ice planets! That son of a bitch!” Ty breathed. “I think he wants us all dead.”

Chang looked at the orders again before handing them back to Marek. “The fire you kindle for your enemy often burns yourself more than him. Zain is desperate and frightened. He will regret this decision before long.”

“Before how long?” Ty muttered. “’Cause from what I remember, it doesn’t take too long to die out there, and that’s just from the elements. Not including some implant army or alien hoards!”

Reilly gazed out into space. Zain was frightened. The situation must have become worse while they were away. The last thing she needed right now was another enemy, but it was beginning to feel like she had found one. Was Zain desperate enough to protect the program that he was willing to risk losing them and losing a critical spearhead in the picket line? Or did he place them there because he knew they would have an advantage because they already knew the solar system? Reilly rubbed her eyes, pushing these thoughts away. The memories of her time on the ice planets loomed large in her mind. She had hoped to never have to go back there. They all had.

—————

Tiny made her way down to the cargo bay before she contacted Zain. She knew what kind of mood he would be in. The link connected and he appeared, his face dark with anger.

“So, you felt the need to discuss Gaiden training protocol with outsiders?” he snarled.

Tiny remained placid even though she was just as angry as he was underneath. “A situation developed in which I was forced to.” She thought back to her agreement with the Captain and knew it had been the right decision.

Zain eyed her suspiciously. “Lying is not an attribute that I would encourage you to foster. You more than anyone should understand that I had to do what I did to save lives. Sometimes in this line of work you aren’t able to take half measures. This is how it was with Seth. I had no option. I had to make the hard choice.”

He waited for her to respond. When she didn’t, he changed the topic.

“I want you to continue your mission with Campbell’s crew. It seems they trust you, and I think you will be an asset to them in the coming battle. They will hold a critical point in the picket line I have established. It is important that they don’t lose ground. Despite what they might think, I placed them where I did because I don’t think I have anyone else who can hold that ground. You will provide me with weekly reports on the status of Campbell’s forces. I also want full after-action reports of any contact with enemy forces. I need to know what I’m dealing with.”

Tiny nodded but remained silent. She could see Zain was irritated with her lack of response. He dipped his head and then looked back up at the screen.

“By the way, I wanted to commend you on the rapport you developed with Alton.” Zain smirked at the flash of surprise she quickly hid. “It appears that he was quite taken with you. That may be useful for us in the future. You never know when the enemy of your enemy may need to become your friend. I have a feeling that he would be more than willing to continue your…relationship…if given an opportunity to do so.”

Tiny felt sickened by his suggestion. It was bad enough to have to pretend to be interested in that sadistic bastard for a few hours. To have to carry it on for longer, potentially to have to live it, would be hellish.

Zain continued, “Since you haven’t bonded with anyone, I think the relationship came off as much more authentic. Try to remain unattached, hmmm? I’d hate for you to lose your edge!”

He signed off and Tiny jammed the handheld into her pocket, shaking slightly with rage. She stood still, trying to compose herself, but then launched several knives into a nearby crate. Zain had no say over who she chose to bond with or even if she chose to bond with someone. That was her personal life, the little bit of it she had, anyway. Tiny yanked the knives out of the plastic and wood and secured them in their proper places. Zain was pushing her buttons again, trying for a response. She was glad she hadn’t given him one. Gaiden were encouraged not to “bond” with another person while they were still active in the field. A close relationship could be used by an enemy to threaten or blackmail them. Additionally, it would be harder for Gaiden to foster any intimate relationships with potential targets if they were bonded. She calmed herself by degrees as she walked back towards the bridge. A thought occurred to her, but she brushed it off. There was no way Zain could know about the time she had been spending with Ty. Besides, they were friends, comrades in arms, nothing more. The thought flitted around like a moth as she tried to ignore it. Her mind flashed back to Ty’s comment about Zain treating her as an implant, and she shivered. The Commander wouldn’t force her to go back to Alton. Not unless it was a life-or-death situation. Besides, there was a very good chance that the arms dealer would kill her if she did return. Zain couldn’t afford to risk that. They had too few Gaiden already. She crushed the worry with this logic and got back to work on the bridge. But in the back of her mind, the soft flutter of broken wings still echoed.

—————

“You’re certain?” Crazy Ray’s eyes shone with delight as he took in what Dobbin had just told him.

“Here is what I pulled. He has no idea. No one else knows, either. Quite a find.” Dobbin smiled proudly as Crazy Ray flipped through the file on his handheld.

“Indeed! This is more than I could have hoped for. You have been a valuable asset!” Crazy Ray looked up at Dobbin as the man gave him a puzzled look before falling to the floor in a pool of his own blood. Seth stood behind him, a wild look in his eyes, as he slowly lowered a dagger down to his side.

Crazy Ray shot him a grateful look. “How did you know?”

“I’m not sure…they give off a different energy or something…but he was definitely an implant.” Seth casually wiped the blood on his pants. “When can we get off of this ship?”

“Well, there are some other people who need to come with us, but I’m not sure if I will be able to get them all off safely. They are watching the dock area, and as soon as I go past a certain line, it seems to trigger them. They will kill us all if we stay, but they will kill many of us if we go, too.” He furrowed his brow and looked worried.

Seth considered this. He couldn’t let his father down. This man had come to save him, to rescue him from the oblivion of that silent hell they had trapped him in. He wouldn’t let him down, wouldn’t let them hurt him. Seth thought about how ruthless his father could be, but then immediately justified it. He had to be ruthless. They had taken his mother, killed his brother and the rest of their family, and then tried to enslave him. The enemy was desperate to kill them both. So Seth had to be ruthless too. There could be no mercy for these people who had killed so many and enslaved the galaxy. He would make certain of that.

Seth thought about their problem. They had to leave the ship, but that would put them squarely in enemy territory. He knew they would only have seconds to get everyone out. He squinted, thinking hard, his thoughts dulled by the lack of sleep and the constant moving to avoid enemy patrols. Lately his mind had shown him it knew things, things about weapons, about people and computers. Seth didn’t know why this was, but he was glad of it. He waited patiently for the thoughts to unscramble. Then he looked up with grim determination.

“I have a plan,” he said. “But we need to get the others.”

Crazy Ray nodded, biting his lip to hide his grin. “I’ll get them, but they will be frightened.”

Seth nodded somberly. “They just need to do what I tell them and they’ll stay alive.”

“And our enemies?” Crazy Ray asked hesitantly, feigning fear.

“What enemies?” Seth said, his gaze going cold and flat again.

Crazy Ray nodded and then hurried off to get his detainers. He couldn’t help but giggle as he rounded the next corner.
A delicious little viper indeed!
The boy was a natural killer and so much more. He couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Crazy Ray wished he had thought of having kids sooner. So much untapped potential, and who knew they could provide such wonderful entertainment?

—————

Welch finished up with his after-lunch appointment, pushing her firmly out the door with a last kiss before locking it behind him. He made a note to have her by again sometime before pulling up his holoscreen link to the guns and opening his sky-view window a bit more. The turret gunners turned and saluted before taking their places as their commander stepped up to direct their fire. The commander waited patiently as Welch poured himself a glass of brandy and settled back into his leather arm chair.

Welch smiled at the cruiser now positioned on the far side of the dock, remembering how many times Raymond had promised him that he would be there to catch him at that one moment when he slipped up, when he relaxed. Where was he now? Playing games with his pet and torturing people in between, when he grew bored. They both knew it would be ugly when the time came. Welch gave a mock toast to the cruiser and tossed back his drink. He nodded once. The commander gave the signal, and the turrets opened up. Welch sighed delightedly as the explosions rippled along the vessel like fireworks. He decided that Raymond had received a far better ending than he deserved as he watched the smoking hull spark and burn against the evening sky. He poured himself another and wandered over to stand close to the window, enjoying the fires and his inevitable victory.

“Now that was bloody beautiful! I can’t imagine a better way to go!”

Welch whirled in surprise, his drink crashing from his hand to the floor as he grabbed for his blaster. His blaster, however, was already leveled at his head as he stared into the cold, flat gaze of Raymond’s new pet. He froze as Raymond himself wandered into view, grinning and drinking out of his brandy bottle.

“Sorry—were we interrupting something?” Crazy Ray practically danced around Welch, waving the bottle as Seth kept the blaster steady at Welch’s temple.

Welch glanced briefly to one side, but before he could move, Seth had dropped him and removed the knife. He gasped for air as he leaned over on all fours holding his gut.

“I wouldn’t test the boy if I were you. He knows what you’ve done and he’d be well within his rights to kill you right now. Especially since that knife he’s holding was one you stole from his own mother.”

At that, Seth looked at Crazy Ray and then back at Welch, his face a terrible mask. Welch looked up and then began to laugh.

“Your son? His mother?” His words caught as he coughed briefly, feeling one of his ribs out of place. “That’s rich—you with a family!”

Seth kicked him again and Welch rolled onto his back, wincing in pain but continuing to grin. Raymond had been a disappointment until now. This was more than he could’ve hoped for. He gave a low whistle, and the side wall dropped under the floor as two Enforcers stepped into the room and locked onto Crazy Ray and Seth. At the same time, an alarm began to go off. Within moments, ISU shock troops crashed through the door, armed to the teeth. Welch grinned even more as Raymond reluctantly put up his hands, refusing to relinquish the bottle. He turned to Seth.