The Broken Cage (Solstice 31 Saga Book 2) (21 page)

Noticing, May said, as she placed the last napkin, “Would you like some, dear?”

“Yes, please,” Hume replied, smiling.

“Good manners, likes cocoa, and didn’t kill the security staff, even though they usually, mostly, deserve it. I like her.” May smiled. “Now, tell me about your beautiful skin.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Road Trip

“It was too much, too fast. It started accelerating, then. We didn’t notice so many things. Barcus in the north, the events at the Citadel, the
Memphis
crew on the moon, and even Hagan. The timing was chaotic. We were all just making it up as we went along.”

--
Solstice 31 Incident Investigation Testimony Transcript: Lieutenant Valerie Hume, the security chief on the Memphis.

<<<>>>

“I know I'm overdue. It was unavoidable, Captain.” Hume activated her helmet cam for Jim to see the view. “I was receiving a tour, by boat, of all things.”

She walked to the low wall at the edge of the patio, next to the stairs that led down to the docks.

“Sir, we were very lucky,” Hume said, as she turned the helmet to face herself. “I am sending you approach vectors, to avoid these populated areas. If you can get to Rand’s base without being noticed, we may have a chance.”

“What do you mean?” Jim asked.

“Use of any technology, by any but a select few, is strictly forbidden here. Not just space ships. Anything. No weapons. Even crossbows are forbidden to all but the few.”

“Crossbows?” he murmured.

Only Cook heard it.

“The caste system here is horrible. At least the man that rules this region is enlightened enough to forbid the use of slaves in this province. He is conservative but intelligent. He is willing to discreetly help us.”

“We’re about two weeks away from our attempt to join you. Find out everything you can, in the meantime,” Jim said.

“Hume, a lot has happened.” He paused. “Bowen's dead.”

“Good.” It was a simple statement.

“It was intentional, Hume.
Ventura’s
destruction, the whole thing. She was in on it. She knew it was going to happen.” Jimbo looked stressed. “Somehow, someone is sending ships here, knowing they will be destroyed. Bowen didn't know how tight Captain Everett could drop out of FTL. The
Memphis
was supposed to survive and bring back some sort of data. But, we were still too close when the
Ventura
was hit.” The look on his face was all held-in anger. “They murdered the entire crew. The crews of other ships, as well.”

“I will find out what I can, Jim,” Hume said.

“I will not be on the bridge for the next week, or more. We have to manually detach the remaining lifeboats, all three. And, rig one to fly it through the hole. Cook and Muir will man the bridge while we have line of sight.”

“I plan on finding the other EM.” Hume looked over her shoulder at the horizon, in the direction of the EM. “I wonder whose it is?”

“Touch base, once a day,” Jim said.

“Yes, sir,” Hume said, hesitating. “Jim, what will we do once you are down?”

“One miracle at a time, Hume. One goal at a time. A lot may depend on your new friend Ronan. That, and luck.”

“Hume out,” she said, not missing the implied importance of her diplomacy.

“
Memphis
out,” Worthington replied.

***

It took Worthington and the rest of his crew the next ten hours to get the remaining forward lifeboat detached. Even in the lower gravity, it was difficult. It turned out the other two lifeboats had multiple hull breaches and were unsuitable. Over the next few days, the remaining two were removed and dragged to the other side of the hangar. Everyone wondered what happened to the fourth lifeboat. It must have been torn off.

Systems were checked, and rechecked, on the
Memphis
. The last of the debris was dragged from the shuttle bay, including the remains of reactor number two. All the usable parts were salvaged and stowed away.

When the big jobs were done, everyone split into teams, to work on other, smaller projects.

The new grav-foils were installed on the lifeboat, and the new rig was casually called the
Tiller
. It was a fitting name. The newly installed foils will not provide any propulsion, like the system used on the sled. The
Tiller
will only steer the lifeboat, hopefully with enough control that Jim can easily guide it through the hole.

There had been an intense, but very short, argument between Captain Worthington and Commander Cook, regarding who was going to pilot the
Memphis
through the hole. It was decided with the simulator. Worthington, on twenty runs, only managed to make it through four times. AI~Ben, the AI on the
Memphis
, managed to make it through eleven times. But, Cook managed it, eighteen times.

***

Hume was given the run of the East Isles. Keeper Ronan had Coff escort her wherever she went. He didn't want her to fly the Hammerhead around in the daylight, or let anyone see her face. Her looks were too memorable. He was sure there were informants on his islands. She was given the same uniform set of clothes that Ronan's personal guards and couriers wore. It was all black with a black cloak. She found the black tabard with a belt, worn over her flight suit, allowed access to, and concealment of, her weapons, including her combat carbine, if she desired to carry it.

Ronan never even considered depriving her of her weapons. She discovered later, from Coff, that it was an ‘unforgivable offense’ for a woman to so much as touch a weapon. She could be condemned to death by sledge hammer and anvil.

If she wore her helmet, her face was invisible. Because of her clothes people averted their eyes as she passed them.

Ronan had a large shipyard. As many as twenty-two large, seagoing ships were being built.

What intrigued Hume the most was his shuttle. It was a CV-11a. The civilian version of the CV-11 orbital shuttle, with no weapons trays. It could hold a pilot, a copilot, and eight passengers. It could not be pressurized. On closer examination, she saw that the seals had been removed. She had a pressure suit and could have probably made it to the moon base in two days, but not if the engines were in a vacuum. Ronan was flying to the Citadel, for a High Council meeting, and Hume asked to go along. May was the one that convinced Hume it was too dangerous for her. For many reasons.

After a few days, Ronan returned. Hume was having dinner with Ronan, May and a couple of other trackers.

“Hume, I would like you to meet Ann and Pyke. Ann is the best tracker in East Isles.” She bowed her head to Hume, formally.

Pyke then added, “She can follow footprints from one island to the next.” His pride was evident.

“What is it trackers...track?” Hume asked. “Coff says most people are trackers just for the freedom.”

Pyke looked slightly uncomfortable with this statement, but didn't say anything.

Ann said, “Mostly, we track people, really.” She glanced at Keeper Ronan, as if seeking permission to answer honestly. “Lost people, runaways, others.” Feeling more comfortable, she continued, “We hunt for food and beautiful pelts and hides. We hunt predators and other killing beasts.”

That is when Hume saw the color slightly drain from Pyke's face.

“Beasts? What kind of beasts?” Hume asked.

“Mountain bears, forest wolves, Telis Raptors, other things. Animals that endanger remote villages,” she said.

“What is a Telis Raptor?” Hume asked, watching Pyke.

Ann turned to Ronan, who reached to his belt sheath and withdrew a knife that had a slightly curved blade, about half a meter long, tip to pommel. He handed it to Ann, handle first.

“This is the tail spike from a Telis Raptor. The last tailbone makes a perfect handle.” Ann flicked the blade and a candle toppled over, cut neatly off. “The tail spikes alone are worth a fortune.”

She looked at Keeper Ronan and was suddenly embarrassed. “No, no. It's alright, Ann. I know it's a vanity to carry one without having killed it myself. But, the blade is so fine, I can stand the scorn.”

Ann handed Hume the blade, as Pyke spoke, “Telis Raptors are the last of the old species. Part reptile and part bird. Mostly reptile. They are smart and savage, and once they get the taste for human flesh, can clear a village.”

“Not many people have seen one, up close. They say if you do, it's the last thing you'll see,” Ronan said, as Hume handed the knife back.

“We saw a demon once. Tracked it for days,” Pyke said.

Ann looked at him with a disapproving glare.

“A demon? Do tell, Pyke.” Ronan poured more wine.

“There were two. But different. It passed us in the dark, one night. We were on our way to Greenwarren, to find out about the spring order,” Pyke said, looking at Ronan.

“I remember,” Ronan said.

Ann picked up the story. “The village, and many others, had been destroyed. We followed it, as far as we dared. We met a Keeper, in some ruins north and east of Greenwarren, he helped us with directions to the Salterferry Bridge and Langforest Keep. Keeper Volk contacted you, and you picked us up in the CV-11.”

“You didn't mention the Keeper before. What was his name? I don't know of any Keepers left north of the gorge.”

“His name was Ulric,” Pyke said.

Ronan had been leaning back in his chair. His feet
thumped
to the floor.

“Was there a tracker with him named Grady?” Ronan demanded.

“Yes, my Lord. There was. An exceptional tracker, too. He is tall and wiry thin. Very capable. Sharp as a tracker’s axe,” Pyke said, as Ronan rose to his feet.

“Ronan, what's wrong?” May asked.

He was agitated. He stormed into the great room, without a word.

“I'm sorry, my lady. Did I say something wrong?” Pyke asked of May, worried.

He was back in less than a minute, unrolling a large map of the northern regions that was very detailed and heavily annotated. “Where did you meet the Keeper Ulric?”

Ann looked over the map. It was obvious to Hume that she could read it and was very familiar with that region. “It was around here.” She pointed with her finger. “There was a great road beneath the canopy, here, that leads to it. It's just about directly north of the Salterferry Bridge, on the opposite side of the unfinished tunnel.”

“Burke!” Ronan called.

“Yes, my Lord.” He was there, as if by magic.

Ronan stopped short. “Dammit,” he cursed.

“What's wrong?” Hume asked.

“The shuttles. They are all tracked. The Lord High Keeper would wonder what I was doing north of the gorge. Dammit.”

“I'll take you,” Hume said.

“What?” Ronan stopped, taken aback.

“I'll take you in the Hammerhead. He doesn't track me.” Hume smiled. “Let me earn my keep around here.”

“Lord Keeper, wait. You cannot go there. The demons are there,” Pyke said, with fear in his voice.

Ann stood. She almost seemed embarrassed as she spoke, “It's true, my Lord. There is a giant spider and a golem, there. I have seen them with my own eyes.”

“A giant spider, you say?” It was Hume’s turn to stand now. “Was this ‘golem’ all black?”

Ann tilted her head at Hume. “You have seen these demons?” Ann asked.

Hume looked at Ronan and leaned on the table. “I will take you. You'll be safe.”

Ronan leaned in, just as Hume had, from across the table. He looked at Ann, and then May. Something passed between them. He looked back, directly at Hume.

“When do we leave?” Hume asked, a glint in her eye.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The Golem

“I knew it was him. Right away. That bastard was too tough, too smart to die. I knew nothing about Wex just then. In a world where women meant nothing, I should have noticed she was special.”

--
Solstice 31 Incident Investigation Testimony Transcript: Lieutenant Valerie Hume, the security chief on the Memphis.

<<<>>>

Hume didn't like the compromise Ronan proposed. Hume will fly him in at night, tonight, and she will wait for him, inside the unfinished tunnel, hidden from the sky and the High Keeper.

“I will walk in, unarmed. It will take a few days, but Ann and Pyke have already followed this road,” Ronan said.

“Why not just fly all the way in?” Hume asked, frustration creeping into her voice.

“You cannot just approach this place, unannounced,” Ann said. “Ulric only has a few servants, but they are fierce and cunning. One of them, alone, killed the biggest Telis Raptor I have ever heard tale of. Grady could have killed us in our sleep. Us.” Ann pointed at Pyke and herself. Ronan must have known the weight of that statement.

“But, most of all, beware of the gatesman. He is more than he seems,” Pyke added.

“This spider has been seen before,” Ronan said, “It destroyed a shuttle. Tore it right from the sky. I don't want to risk your Hammerhead.” Ronan was sincere. “These demons have been seen in dozens of burning villages. They leave death and destruction in their wake. The High Keeper is quite annoyed.”

“Who is this Ulric?” Hume asked.

“Ulric is the Keeper at Whitehall Abbey,” Ann said. “He is in his mid forties or fifties, but the years seem to rest heavy on him. He has the typical look of a Keeper that drinks much and sleeps too little. But, he is troubled.”

“I don't really know Keeper Ulric. He is one of the lesser Keepers,” Ronan said. “But, I need to speak to Grady Tolwood, the tracker that is with him. He has a tracker wife named Wex. I just talked to her in the Citadel. I owe her a favor, and I believe I have found a way for her to collect. But, only if I can find Grady for her.”

“When do we leave?” Hume asked.

Ronan looked at May when he replied. “In two hours.”

She nodded and looked at the hands in her lap.

Burke spoke then, “My Lord. I will go. You can stay here. I will find this Grady for you.”

Hume began to understand Burke. She didn't envy him.

“Not this time, Burke. Plus, I can use the exercise.”

***

They were packed and ready in two hours.

“Here, take this.” Ronan handed Hume an old-style data pad. “I will alert you when you can come in.”

Hume took the device and rapidly drilled down into the menus and settings, examining the protocols and network settings in use. Inside her personal HUD, she was, basically, following the same paths.

Finally, she found the section she was looking for on the data pad. She replicated the settings in her personal HUD and a window popped up inside her vision.

“
New Network Detected, Access Requested”
followed by the prompt,
“Confirm or Deny.
”

Out loud, she said, “Confirm.”

She quickly explored the primitive network in search of the communications directory. She had a lot of training to do exactly this type of work, but had little need for that training, until now.

She handed the plate back to Ronan. “Keep it. Use this channel.”

Ronan's plate chimed, repeatedly. He answered it. There was a new address icon called ‘Hume’.

“Comms check. Testing one, two, three.” The voice echoed slightly, from the satellite lag.

Ronan looked at her, amazed. “Ready?” she asked, as Ronan handed the unnecessary plate to Burke.

***

Ronan climbed in and buckled his own five-point harness. He had both packs stowed in his foot well, but he didn't seem to mind. Hume could see him via her headrest cam. He was grinning, ear to ear.

Hume closed the canopy and activated the grav-foils. As they ascended, she felt the familiar vertigo of being inverted and falling up. Her inner ear had become used to the sensation as her weight fell against the harness. She saw in the passenger camera that Ronan placed his hand up onto the canopy as a reflex. He was still smiling, ear to ear.

“What if you rolled 180°? Could we still ascend?” he asked.

Hume was impressed. Some pilots did exactly that all the time. They were already up 400 meters, so by way of an answer, Hume did exactly that; but, instead of a roll, she did a summersault in the Hammerhead. End-over-end.

The canopy now faced the ground as they fell upward. They still had the feeling of falling, but it was toward their seats now. It had the advantage of allowing a spectacular view of the East Isle as they reached 2,000 meters.

She paused for a few minutes, just to enjoy the view, then activated the turbines. At full thrust, she finally did execute a few barrel rolls, widening Ronan's smile even farther.

Airspeed was set to 500 kph and leveled. It was cool and calm, and there was only the quiet hum of the turbines. Even the rapid rushing of the wind was insulated in there.

Ronan detailed his entire plan to her. They agreed on a series of communications security codes, so he could convey various situations. He was a quick study. He soon had about twenty basic codes memorized.

“Ronan, can I ask you something that might piss you off?” Hume asked, watching him.

He smiled again, everything seemed to amuse him on this trip. “By all means.”

“What the hell is with this ass-backward planet? You have access to technology, but don't use it. You, yourself, don't even support the typical culture on this planet. Slaves? Really? And, I hear other places on this world are so backward they don't ALLOW people to learn to read. Explain. Oh, and don’t forget the automated defense orbital platforms?”

She knew she might have crossed a line, as she watched him. His smile faded.

“Let me begin by saying how sorry I am for what has happened to you. To your ship. If I could control the defense network, I would. It's in the hands of the High Keeper. Well, he was…in control.”

He looked ashamed. Unguarded. He had no idea Hume watched his reactions.

“What does that mean?” Hume tried to moderate her tone.

“The High Keeper is losing control. Of everything.” Ronan looked like he needed to talk about this. “All the systems are slowly failing. Six of the original eleven data centers have died, or have been used to keep the others running. Decades ago, in a fit of anger, the High Keeper threw the only tech that knew the access codes for the defense platforms off a balcony at the Citadel. We are now unable to control them.

“The initial ‘back to nature for a simpler life’ movement somehow went horribly wrong. It focused on the collective, not the individual. The movement turned into a religion, one that slowly created disdain for technology, or even simple innovation. People's rights, or their worth as individuals, no longer mattered. Making people afraid was the tool of choice. It was easy when they had already surrendered the idea of self-defense. Later, fear of eternal, immortal damnation became a far better tool.”

There was sadness in his voice. “Yet, those in power reserved those things for themselves.”

He looked at the back of her head almost like he knew there was a camera there to speak to. “How old are you, Hume? In standard Earth years?”

She didn't know if she should tell him. She did anyway. “I am fifty-nine-years-old.” She looked like she was twenty-five or thirty.

“Is the longevity serum available to everyone on Earth?” he asked.

“It's available everywhere, for those that want it,” she said.

“What is a typical lifespan on Earth?” he asked.

“If you had your stem cells harvested before puberty for use in the initial treatment, and you get your annual boosters, most people live about 300 years. Barring accident, or war, or unmanned automated defense systems.” Hume tried to make a joke. But, it did not amuse Ronan.

“The High Keeper controls the serum, here. He uses it as leverage,” Ronan confessed.

A thought dawned on Hume. “Are you one of the original colonists on this planet?”

“No, but my parents were. They were scientists. They specialized in the ocean sciences.” Ronan now looked out the side, down at the clouds reflected in the water.

“The High Keeper is the last of the original colonists. His actual name is Atish. But, he would kill you, if you said it to him. I believe he has slowly slid into insanity. He hasn't even left the Citadel for over twenty years.”

“Who is Wex?” Hume asked, women usually were ignored here.

“I wish I knew how to answer that.” Ronan fell silent, staring at the sea. “I think she is like you.”

***

Worthington listened to Kuss. She went on for far too long about the tech specs of the comms array she managed to salvage from the destroyed shuttle. “So, all of this means what?”

“We can go to surface, take Hammerhead with, and still access sensor array with line of sight.” She seemed very excited about this prospect.

“I will go to sensors tomorrow with Ibenez on sled. Set up new directional laser antenna. Come back with Hammerhead AND sled. Then, we can take sled to surface, too. All wins.” She smiled.

“Okay. Do it.”

Worthington was decisive. There were no reasons not to be. It would still be several days before they were ready; and even then, they should wait for the right entry window to minimize the chance of being observed. Beary had plotted the track and it should be less than two hours from takeoff here to Rand’s hangar.

“Captain. Hume would like to speak to you. She has audio, video and data on this connection.”

“Pipe it through.” Kuss was already walking away. Jim walked out into the hangar.

“Hume. Go,” he said.

The image of Hume showed her standing on a flat, rocky outcropping, above the treetops of a dense forest below. Her helmet must have been sitting on the Hammerhead, pointed at her.

“Good morning, sir. A lot has happened since I first got down here. Instead of trying to tell you everything, I wrote a detailed report. Make sure Tyrrell reads it. I have been granted access to one of the planetary communications networks. Connection information and protocols are included in the report. We may be able to communicate via that network, if point-to-point does not have line of sight. It's Ronan's private network. It is segregated from the main grid, so it will have its limits.” She took a breath.

“I think I have located the other Emergency Module. You may not like what I have heard, sir,” she said.

“Go ahead,” Worthington encouraged her.

“Apparently, it's killing people. Lots of people. Ronan provided me with navigation maps. Just scanning the surface on the way here, I passed over dozens of destroyed towns and villages. Sir, an EM could wreak havoc here and could be unstoppable in the face of these primitive weapons. If the driver has lost it...” She let the statement hang there.

“I trust you to handle things how you see fit. I do NOT want another Bowen on my hands. Is that clear?”

Worthington knew what he was saying. So did Hume.

“Rescue survivors, if possible. Salvage the equipment, if you can't. Do not buy me any more problems,” Worthington said, flatly.

“Sir, how much longevity serum does the
Memphis
stores hold?” she asked.

Jim wondered about the change in topic.

“Honestly, I have no idea. Several thousand doses, I should think. I can have Dr. Shaw find out.”

Worthington was thinking now.
What if they were stranded forever?

“You may want to secure the supply, sir. I didn't include this consideration in my report,” Hume said.

Jimbo was glad he was alone, on a private channel.

“You don't think Bowen already...” Worthington moved toward the
Memphis
.

“Oh shit,” Hume said. “You don't really think that bitch would have thought that far ahead.”

Jim jogged into the heavier gravity, and slowed his pace as he moved to the infirmary. He entered, without knocking. Dr. Shaw looked up. She was securing everything, in prep for the flight.

“Hello, Jimbo. What can I do for you?” she asked.

“I am currently talking to Hume. At least she is thinking like a security chief. Will you check our supply of longevity serum?” He quickly added, “Please.”

“Certainly,” was her simple reply, as she went straight to a little used, out-of-the-way cabinet built into the back wall.

The look on Dr. Shaw's face told Worthington all he needed to know.

“Hume, it's gone. All of it.”

Shaw's nodding confirmed it.

“That bitch,” Hume cursed.