Lacuna: The Prelude to Eternity (24 page)

Billions and billions of stars. Billions and billions of planets. Yet Humans were ready to make themselves extinct to attack just one.

“Why are you telling me this?” Ben asked. “You know this is a trap, don’t you? I’m sure that’s rhetorical. Even
you
can’t be so dense as to not realise the astronomically low chances that there’s anything other than subterfuge being hatched here.”

“Ben,” Anderson said, “we’re well aware of that.”

“And yet you continue to talk to me, and you still haven’t asked what you need.”

Anderson motioned over his shoulder. The door opened again, and the Marines re-entered. In their hands they held the oversized Toralii-handcuffs.

“Soon,” Anderson promised. The Marines slipped the manacles over Ben’s wrists and tightened them. “Soon.”

Hanger Bay

TFR
Beijing

That Liao was unhappy with Ben being aboard her ship was an understatement. She knew he had to be kept
somewhere
, certainly, but Decker-Sheng had specifically requested the
Beijing
due to its upgrades.

Liao was, however, so much more unhappy with Decker-Sheng accompanying Ben in person, so unhappy she personally went down to meet the Broadsword as it landed.

The hanger bay re-pressurised and the crew stepped out, Ben wearing the large Toralii-sized manacles, and Decker-Sheng flanked by two of the
Washington
’s Marines.

“Thank you for bringing Ben to us,” said Liao as she approached, accompanied by Cheung and a small group of her own Marines. “I hope your return journey is equally comfortable.”

“There must be some kind of mistake,” said Decker-Sheng, his tone genuinely hesitant. “Captain Anderson approved my posting to the
Beijing
as an advisor—”

“And yet, strangely, Captain Anderson is not in command of this vessel.” She folded her arms in a way that booked no argument. “You do not need to be physically present on my ship to advise me in any capacity, and as you yourself said, this is Captain Anderson’s operation. Your advice should go to him.”

He looked, for a moment, as though he might argue but then graciously bowed his head. “Of course, Captain. This is your ship.”

“It is. Thank you for your assistance.”

She watched him carefully as he turned, walked back to the Broadsword, and until the loading ramp was closed and sealed.

Operations

TFR
Beijing

Liao turned the key for the first time in what seemed like forever.

The ship groaned audibly, a low reverberation that shook the
Beijing
from stem to stern. Normally, the process was silent and undetectable.

“Did you feel that?” asked Iraj, resting a hand on his console. “It went through the whole ship.”

“Report,” she said.

[“Jump complete.”] Saara tapped at the engineering console. [“The
Beijing
is in position in the L1 Lagrange point between Qadeem and Qadeem’s third moon. There has been some… error with the jump systems. Engineering teams are attempting to gather more information.”]

More information than “an error” would definitely be welcome. Liao rubbed her prosthetic elbow, trying to fight away the itch. “Keep me posted,” she said. “Mister Ling?”

“Radar is clean,” he said. “First ping is ten light-seconds out. No detection.”

The Forerunner would have noticed it. Their plan relied on it. “Keep pinging,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to let them see us.”

Ling touched several keys on his console at once. “Aye aye, Captain. Active radar set to promiscuous mode.”

Rowe would have made a stupid joke. Without her, Operations continued working. Pings went out, strike craft were launched, and the well-oiled wheels in the machine that was the TFR
Beijing
continued to turn.

Liao could not have imagined she would ever miss Rowe’s sense of humour and inappropriate timing. Iraj gave her a sideways glance. She returned it, with the ghost of a smile.

[“Engineering teams report back,”] said Saara, her catlike features clouded. [“They report that an internal calibration of the jump drive was performed in error.”]

“What could cause such a thing?”

[“Many things,”] said Saara. [“Routine maintenance—none of which was scheduled—or enemy action.”] She exchanged a meaningful look with Liao. [“Or deliberate internal action.”]

Liao’s fingers clenched. “You mean sabotage. To what aim?”

[“Yes. And as for the purpose, it is unclear. Perhaps they intended us to misjump. Perhaps they intended to simply cause the jump to fail, which would necessitate cooling and rearming.”] Her whiskers twitched in annoyance. [“If their aim was to destroy or cripple us, there are much worse things any potential operative could have done.”]

She didn’t like it. “I want a full report on my desk as soon as this operation is complete.”

[“Yes, Captain.”]

Silence filled Operations like a gas. Even a mention of sabotage was chilling. This, after the micro-transmissions they had detected… what could be the cause?

Ling spoke. “The
Madrid
has appeared in system, Captain. As has the
Washington
. The
Tehran
remains on station in the Velsharn system and wishes us good hunting.”

“Signal them and coordinate clocks. Compensate for time dilation as we move toward Qadeem. And then patch me through to both of them.”

“Aye aye, Captain. Channel open.”

She touched her headset. “
Beijing
actual to
Madrid
,
Washington
. We’ve had some trouble with our jump drive. How was your journey?”

“Smooth,” said de Lugo.

“Likewise,” said Anderson. “Perhaps you should stay this one out, Captain. You don’t want to be stranded here without a working jump drive. I can have gunships escort you back to Velsharn.”

It was tempting. Being stuck here with no escape back to Velsharn was not ideal. Was anything, ever?

“Negative,” she said. “We’ll proceed.
Beijing
out.” She closed the connection and turned back to Saara. “Can we still jump?”

[“It appears so, Captain.”]

Her arm itched. Decker-Sheng had mentioned a software update to their systems. What manner of deviancy had he worked on her ship?

Suspicions, all without proof. She put them all out of her mind. Decker-Sheng was now on the
Washington
and completely unable to affect them any further. She would deal with this tremor in their jump drive when they returned. For now, to work. She put it all out of her mind.

At her command console, the observation screen showed a dusty ochre planet with light cloud cover and a thin atmosphere. The topographical information matched what they had been given.

“Saara,” Liao asked. “Karathi is a desert world. So is Belthas IV and also Qadeem. Why are the Alliance so fond of them?”

[“An interesting question,”] said Saara. [“The truth is they are not. However, there are so many worlds surrounding so many stars in the galaxy, the Alliance is not wanting for planets, and they know of so many that they struggle to make a mark on all of them. The Toralii Alliance, the Telvan, and other factions are disinterested in living on desert worlds, jungle worlds, ocean worlds… These are useful for dumping grounds. Prisons. Manufacturing facilities. Research facilities. That is a good use for that space. They have little value as population centres. Why would anyone choose to live on Qadeem when there are much more habitable and comfortable planets out, charted and waiting for settlement?”]

Although their new home was not entirely ocean, the only solid land it had were several island chains and a small continent. “That must be why the Telvan let us have Velsharn so easily,” said Liao.

[“Essentially, yes.”]

She ruminated on that as the ship drew closer to Qadeem. If it were not for the Telvan’s generosity, they would have nowhere. Eden was a fine home, for the time being, but they would have to expand in the future. Where could they go?

Would this planet one day be home to Humans?

Hours passed as the ship sailed closer and closer, followed by a swarm of strike craft. The
Beijing
synchronised its clocks with the
Washington
and the
Madrid
. The ships sailed on.

“No sign of the Forerunner?” she asked for the third time. “Or any other contact?”

[“If the Forerunner had detected us, it would have jumped away by now.”] Saara squinted at the console. Perhaps the writing was too small? [“Even so, I doubt we could have detected it at this range.”]

If there was no Forerunner and they could not execute their plan, that suited her just fine. Either way, they would not know.

They had not told Saara of their plan. What would she think of it? Liao studied the Toralii’s features, watching as the catlike alien woman worked at her console, unwittingly working to annihilate the lion’s share of her own species.

Liao felt a dark stab in her heart. Planning to kill so many faceless aliens from afar was one thing; doing it when staring one in the face was another.

“Saara?”

She did not look up from her work, her concentration firm. [“Yes, Captain?”]

“Can I see you in my office for a moment?”

The Operations room fell silent. Saara looked embarrassed, as though she’d been directly criticised. [“Did I do something wrong?”]

“No, no.” She forced a smile. “I just need to talk to you about something. Kamal, you have Operations.”

Together they walked to her office, and Liao closed the door.

“Saara,” she said, taking a seat behind her desk. How could she even begin? “There… is the distinct possibility something terrible is about to happen on this mission.”

[“I am afraid I don’t understand.”] Saara shuffled. [“Death is a constant companion in war. We risk our lives with every action we take. The odds are often in our favour, sometimes not, but the risk is always there. Every roll of the bones is a chance to fail.”]

“I didn’t mean for us.” She tried a hypothetical. “Let’s say the Iilan are very thankful for our help and gave us a weapon. A bioweapon which would cause widespread casualties amongst the Toralii Alliance.”

Saara considered the question with cautious scepticism. [“Define
widespread
.”]

Liao was blunt. “Comparable to the loss of Evarel.”

The confusion in Saara’s eyes was replaced by pain, and her tail sank down to the deck. [“Our homeworld’s end has been a wound that has never healed, Captain. We nearly became extinct. Your species, too, has recently lost the cradle of your kind. Why would you revisit this harm on another?”]

“Because
we
didn’t destroy Evarel, and the Toralii
did
destroy Earth.”

Saara said nothing for a moment. [“Do you know Lieutenant Kollek from the
Rubens
?”]

“Yes.”

[“She told me a story, once, of two nations on Earth. Palestine and Israel. They lived with hate in their hearts. One was powerful and had powerful allies, the other weaker. Both were at conflict constantly. The stronger could destroy the weaker at any time, but they held back. They killed as selectively as they could, they controlled their wrath, and their responses were measured.”]

That would be how an Israeli would describe the situation. The truth was more complicated—it always was—but Kollek’s point was technically true. Israel could have levelled Gaza if they wished. “Now both those countries are gone,” said Liao. “Whatever lesson that mess had for us, we didn’t learn it.”

[“Then the metaphor is even more accurate. Think of what they could have accomplished had they worked together, had they both not been so fixated on their wars and how to win—in terms of military objectives and diplomacy—and instead focused on science and technology. They died with hate in their hearts, and neither side resolved their conflict until, like two quarrelling children, they were stomped out.”]

Liao managed a smile. “I’m not sure how I feel about getting an Earth history lesson from you, but I appreciate your wisdom.”

Saara did not return the gesture. [“Whatever this weapon is, Captain, I urge you to reconsider deploying it. The Alliance are not known for their cooperation with outsiders, but they are not every Toralii. The Telvan hold a special place in their hearts for you, Captain Liao, and they want you to succeed. Do not squander their good will with revenge.”]