Resist the Red Battlenaut (23 page)

 

*****

 

 

When Scott had finished his story, Perseid got up from behind the desk and paced his office, rubbing the scar on his left cheek.

Meanwhile, Scott kept standing by the door, hands clasped behind his back. "That's everything," he said. "The whole message."

Perseid shook his head. "It's hard to believe. Every Commonwealth citizen inoculated at birth with a mind-altering virus? And the news never leaked in 75 years?" He rubbed his scar harder. "If it was anyone other than Bern breaking the story, I wouldn't buy it for a second."

"So what now?" asked Scott. "This changes everything, doesn't it?"

"Does it?" Perseid flashed him a look. "We have confirmation of a strike against Tack, which might already be in motion. Does it matter how the strike's being directed? We still have to stop it."

"But what if the attack is by our own forces, controlled by Lethe?" said Scott. "Rushing to the defense of Tack would just add more firepower that can be turned against our own people."

"But we have the countermeasure virus, don't forget," said Perseid.

"Which, as far as we know, might not do anything but let our forces
see
the Reds."

"Or it might block all the effects of Lethe, preventing any warping of sensory input that makes friendlies look like hostiles." Perseid pointed a finger at Scott as he marched past. "In which case, you can bet we'll be ready for them. We've already transmitted the specs on the countermeasure virus to all Commonwealth forces, and replication and inoculation are underway."

"But it won't get to everyone in time," said Scott. "Not if the attacks have already been launched."

Perseid stopped pacing. "We'll get to enough, hopefully, to minimize the damage. What the hell else can we do?"

Scott narrowed his eyes. "We can stop Lethe at the source. We can cut off the Reds' signal and stop it from turning our forces against each other."

"Stop it where?" said Perseid. "Bellerophon Station?"

Scott nodded. "Bern said it went dark."

"Which could mean any number of things." Perseid resumed pacing. "There could have been a power blackout."

"Or the Reds could have taken it off the grid to launch their attack," said Scott. "Otherwise, it's an awfully big coincidence, don't you think? Lethe's secret center of operations goes dark just as the Reds are gearing up for a massive Lethe-based assault?"

"So you think we should divert assets to Bellerophon?" Perseid blew out his breath. "What if you're wrong, and the Reds
aren't
directing their assault from that location? Tack is
eight hours
across the quadrant from there! We'll never make it to the front in time to push back the Reds."

"But we can't afford
not
to go to Bellerophon!" said Scott. "And we only need to divert
one
asset--the
Sun Tzu
. Roll out the rest of the fleet to the core worlds as planned, equipped with as much of the countermeasure virus as they can get their hands on. Hopefully, they can hold the line long enough for the
Sun Tzu
to shut down Lethe at Bellerophon."

Perseid paced in silence for a long moment, passing Scott five times before he spoke. "Bellerophon is too much of a longshot to risk keeping the
Sun Tzu
out of the action. We have confirmed intel, Solomon--
confirmed
intel of an assault on Tack. Everything else is
guesswork
."

Frustration bubbling up at Perseid's resistance, Scott stepped forward and smacked his fist in the palm of his hand. "I'll take the
guesswork
of Commandant Chalice over the
confirmed intel
of Cairn Barrie
any
day of the week."

Perseid stopped and fixed him in an icy stare. "But
you're
not in command here, are you, Corporal? You don't get to make the final call, and you won't have to
live with it
if you're
wrong
. So don't
tell
me what to do with
my
ship."

Scott started to say something, but Perseid cut him off. It was probably for the best, given the hotheaded nature of what he'd been about to say.

"
Here's
how it's going to be," said Perseid. "We're going to
Tack
, and here's why.

"If somebody tells me a building's on fire, I'm heading straight for the building...not another building across town where I think the guy who set the fire might be. I'm going to save whoever I can, not try to prevent other fires that might or might not happen.

"End of story!" Perseid jabbed Scott in the chest with an index finger. "Do we have an understanding?"

Scott stared down at the finger and stiffened. "Yes, sir."

Perseid held his gaze for a moment, then leaned back and withdrew his finger. "Your opinion is noted, but we don't have time for debate. We are leaving for Tack in two hours at best possible speed. Once we get there, we will join elements of the Commonwealth Defense Fleet in an all-out effort to protect the core worlds from the Reds." Perseid rubbed the scar across his throat. "Nothing--and I mean
nothing
--will persuade me to pursue another course. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." Scott nodded. "Understood, sir."

"Good." Perseid gestured at the door. "Then report to your duty station and help get this ship ready for the fight of her life."

"Aye, sir." Scott fired off a salute that was a little too crisp. "Reporting to my duty station, sir."

Then, he turned his back on Perseid and marched out the door.

 

*****

 

The corridors of the ship were filled with activity as Scott drifted through them. Diamondbacks ran past in both directions, rushing to prepare the
Sun Tzu
for impending departure and battle. No one spared more than a fleeting glance at Scott, just enough to make sure they didn't collide with him.

Scott paid the same amount of attention to them. He was lost in thought, processing all that had happened in the last eventful hours, from Bern's message to Perseid's decision. So much had happened in a short amount of time; it was hard to wrap his head around it, let alone figure out how to deal with the fallout.

But he
had
to deal with it, and fast. In less than two hours, the
Sun Tzu
would be on its way to Tack with Scott aboard, irrevocably committed to the course of action Perseid had chosen.

It was a course of action that Scott believed was dead wrong. Every time he went over it again, he came to the same conclusion--and felt more strongly than ever in his heart that he was right.

Going to Tack would be a mistake. The only way to stop the Reds and save the Commonwealth was to go to Bellerophon Station.

The thought of it ate at him, because Tack was his homeworld. He badly wanted to rush to its defense in this dark hour, no matter the consequences.

But every time he tried to convince himself to go along with that plan, he hit a wall. An inner voice caught him and pulled him back, turning him again toward the plan he knew was right.

It was the same voice that had guided him all his life. It was
Bern's
voice.

What would
she
do in this situation? There was really no doubt in his mind, as much as he wished there would be...as much as he wished he could go the less arduous route, just this once.

He damn well knew exactly what he had to do.

Even without consciously making a decision, he found himself moving toward the Training Deck. Even without telling himself that he was definitely starting down a path, he entered the vast, deserted chamber and headed for a certain gate.

Only when he was standing before it with his hand on the opener did he pause and reconsider. He ran it all through his mind once more, weighing the alternatives and possible outcomes, second-guessing the inner voice and the dictates of his conscience.

And when he was done with all that, he realized he had three choices. He could go along to Tack and do his part to stop the Reds--or the friendlies who imagined he and his allies
were
the Reds. Or he could try to start a mutiny, convincing the
Sun Tzu
's crew to place him in command in less than two hours...asking them, essentially, to turn their backs on Tack and put their faith in his gut instinct.

Or this. He could open the gate, and...this.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the gate. As it slid away, he found himself gazing up at a towering metal figure, plated in gleaming blue and silver armor.

It was Vic Fong's Mark VI Marine Corps Battlenaut, the one that was identical to Scott's old unit. It stood there silently in its bay, staring out at the darkened Training Deck as if thirsting for action. Even as other, newer Battlenauts were prepped for the fight, the Mark VI remained alone in its bay, held back from the very purpose for which it had been built.

But not for long.

 

*****

 

 

If the crew of the
Sun Tzu
had known what Scott was up to, somebody would have stopped him. But as it was, they were all too frantically busy to think twice about what he was doing. Not to mention, as he had proven himself in battle again and again, they had to come to trust him completely. He was the man with the Red-sight, the light in the darkness, the Commandant's grandson, not someone who would disobey direct orders on the brink of an epic battle to preserve the precious core world of Tack.

That was why he could move around so easily, doing exactly what was needed to set his plan in motion. That was why he had the time and privacy to override access codes on Fong's Mark VI and order its delivery by robotic hauler to the Hangar Deck.

It was also why Trane wasn't suspicious when Scott showed up unannounced at Lab Five.

"Hey there." Trane looked downcast as he packed gear in a ruggedized black case. "All ready for the big hoedown, rookie?"

Scott shrugged and leaned against one of the metal workbenches, looking over the equipment scattered there. "Are you?"

"Are we going to Dornick VII, where the evidence is pointing?" Trane scowled.

"Nope."

"Then no." Trane tossed a double-pronged silver instrument in the case with a clang. "No, I am not jazzed big-time about this particular hoedown."

Scott was pleased. He'd expected Trane to react this way, since he'd also presented a target dismissed by Perseid. Now all Scott had to do was play him just right to get what he wanted. "Well, that makes two of us."

Trane snorted. "Not like we have any
say
in the matter. Almighty Perseid has spoken!" Puffing up his chest, he jabbed his finger in the air dramatically. "No mere
mortal
can hope to influence the
gods
."

"Well, I don't know about that." Scott rubbed the back of his neck. "There might be
something
we can do."

Instantly, Trane's attitude changed. "Oh, yeah?" He narrowed his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "And what might that be?"

Scott pretended to think it over for a moment. "I'd like to make another run at Cairn Barrie," he said. "With the gloves off this time."

"To what end?" said Trane.

"I think he lied about Tack," said Scott. "I think he misled us on purpose."

Trane rubbed his chin. "What about the other prisoner? He named Tack, too, and he did it under extreme pressure. Perseid and the boys
broke
him."

"I think he was conditioned to give that answer under pressure," said Scott. "Maybe all of them were, if they broke--but not Cairn. He's too tough, too much in control. He gave up Tack because he
wanted
to, and he had no motivation to tell the truth. No
pressure
." Scott raised his eyebrows. "But we can
apply
that pressure, can't we?"

Trane nodded slowly. "The bomb."

Scott shrugged. "It's worth a try, don't you think?"

Trane frowned. "But the Red bastard said he
wanted
to activate the bomb, didn't he? He wanted to take the
Sun Tzu
with him."

"Which I think was
also
a lie. I'd like to see how he reacts when I tell him he really
is
about to blow up."

"Hmm." Trane scrubbed his fingers through his white crewcut and stared at the floor. "You sure wouldn't have much time to get it out of him."

"Either it'll work or it won't," said Scott. "If he calls my bluff, oh well. If he gives us the actual target, we'll have something to take to Perseid."

Trane looked up and smirked. "You think I'd send you in that bastard's cell with the remote control for a weapon that could destroy the ship?"

"That's kind of the point, isn't it?" said Scott.

"Well, that isn't going to happen." Trane crossed the lab and punched numbers on a keypad mounted on the metal wall at eye level. "I'll tell you why." A rectangular panel of the wall slid aside, revealing a secure storage box. Trane reached in and drew out the exact device that Scott wanted--a gleaming silver oval mounted on a wrist strap. "Because I'll program this baby to respond only to your DNA. Right now, it's set for mine and Monique's, but it's a simple matter to add yours to the mix."

Scott nodded. "So Cairn won't be able to set off the bomb himself."

"That's right, rookie." Trane started tinkering with the device. "And then you can scare the truth out of that Red bastard, and we can talk Perseid into changing course for Dornick VII."

"Absolutely," said Scott, though his real intentions were quite different. "We'll save Commandant Chalice and stop the Reds from destroying the Commonwealth."

"And Perseid will probably
still
end up getting all the credit." Trane chuckled and walked back across the lab, holding out the device. "But what the hell, right? You and I will always know the truth about what happened."

"Oh, yeah." Scott extended his left arm, and Trane wrapped the band around his wrist. "Nobody can take the truth away from us."

 

*****

 

When Trane had finished adjusting the bomb control, Scott headed straight for the medicenter.

His timing could not have been better. Donna was awake when he got there, and Beauchamp had just finished removing the casts from her left arm and right leg.

"Free at last!" Beaming, Donna turned her hand and wiggled her fingers. "I was starting to think they'd
never
come off."

"Nevertheless, you must still be gentle," said Beauchamp. "You still have some healing to do."

"May I take her for a spin down the hall, though?" asked Scott. "Just to get some fresh air and a change of scenery?"

Beauchamp pursed her lips and gave him a cautionary look from the corner of her eye. "You may, but only if you promise to be very careful. I do not think she would be pleased if you bumped her into a wall and put her leg back into a cast for another week."

"She's right." Donna nodded emphatically. "I wouldn't be pleased at all."

"I'll take
good
care of her." Scott winked at Beauchamp. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

Nurse Tourmal brought over an antigrav chair and helped Donna get into it. With a last warning from Beauchamp to be careful, Scott pushed the chair and its occupant out of the medicenter, promising to bring them back soon.

But by soon, he meant not soon at all.

"You seem to be feeling better," he said as he and Donna moved slowly down the corridor.

"
Much
better," said Donna, and he could tell she meant it. She seemed much more energetic than the last time he'd seen her...and that was a damn good thing, considering the circumstances.

Considering she was one of the only two people on the whole ship he could trust to help him with what he was about to do. "How would you like to get a
real
change of scenery?" he asked.

Donna looked up and back at him, grinning. "Like a vacation, you mean? A real getaway?"

Scott kept pushing her down the corridor, heading in the direction of the Hangar Deck. "A getaway that could cost you your career," he said. "And maybe a lot more than that."

This time, when she looked up at him, she wasn't grinning anymore. "Tell me, Solomon. Tell me what you need me to do."

"It might be too much for you," said Scott. "It isn't even fair of me to
ask
, since you just woke up from a coma. So if you decide you can't do it, for any reason at all, I'll take you straight back to the medicenter. All I ask is that you don't report me until I've had time to make my move."

"Enough with the foreplay." Donna smirked up at him. "Tell me what you have in mind before I start to lose interest."

It was then that Scott knew he'd done the right thing by coming to Donna. But even as he found a secluded spot and told her his plan, his mind was racing ahead to the next stop he would make.

Because the next person he was going to approach could be the biggest challenge yet.

 

*****

 

"I'm here to take the Red oath," said Scott as he barged into Cairn's cell in the brig, "as promised."

Cairn, who was sitting cross-legged on the cot, didn't bother to open his eyes. "Took you long enough," he said calmly. "What makes you think the offer's still open?"

"This." Scott held up his left wrist with the bomb remote control strapped to it.

Puffing out his breath, Cairn opened his eyes. When he got a look at the remote, he broke into a smile. "Oh, no! What will I do? Please don't blow me up and take your precious ship with me!"

"Now why would I do that?" This time, it was Scott's turn to smile. "Reds don't blow up fellow Reds, do they?"

Cairn's smile widened. "Now you've got me interested." Uncrossing his legs, he got up from the cot. "If you're not here to threaten me, then what
are
you going to do, pray tell?"

"Prove my loyalty to the cause," said Scott, "by breaking you out of here."

"Let me see if I've got this straight." Cairn narrowed his eyes as he crossed the room. "You're going to use the bomb in my head to break me out of the brig?"

"Nope." Scott shook his head. "To break you out of the whole damn
ship
."

Cairn stopped walking toward him and folded his arms over his chest. "Assuming you
could
, what makes you think I'd want you to? Hasn't it occurred to you that I might be exactly where I
want
to be right now?"

"I can't join the Reds without you, can I? They'd blow me to smithereens."

Cairn sneered. "And that would be a
bad
thing?"

Scott felt himself growing anxious and had to force down the feeling. Time was running out as Cairn played with him, but Cairn would just drag it out more if he knew it was making Scott nervous. "Maybe I want to pay you back for saving me from Vore all those years ago. Maybe I want to make things right between us."

"Oh, good." Cairn tipped his head to one side and tapped his lower lip with a fingertip. "Because for a minute there, I was worried you might be trying to use me to save your sweet little ol' granny."

"That's the icing on the cake," said Scott. "Making things right with you is the main course."

"As if that's even possible." Cairn laughed. "You crack me up, you know that? I went through hell for
years
because I saved you, because you never bothered to
look
for me, and now you think we can just wipe the slate clean?"

"Not wipe it clean." Scott clasped his hands together, then flung them apart to mimic an explosion. "Blow it up."

Cairn laughed again. "With the bomb in my head? How do you plan to pull
that
off?"

"You'll see." Scott walked to the door and typed on the keypad beside it. When the door swept away, he gestured for Cairn to follow him. "Come on."

Cairn hung back, looking suspicious. "How do I know you haven't lost your damn mind? Or that this whole 'breakout' isn't just a trick to get me killed?"

"Do you see my grandma standing here safe and sound?" Scott shook his head emphatically. "Neither do I." Patience exhausted, he gestured more forcefully. "So no trick. Now come on."

Cairn hesitated a moment more, then headed for the doorway. "What the hell. I'm guessing this won't be boring at least."

"Congratulations," said Scott as Cairn walked past him and peeked through the doorway. "You've guessed correctly."

"That's for sure." Cairn let out a low whistle as he looked around the brig anteroom. "Maybe you should go on without me, ol' buddy."

"Don't worry. I've got it covered." Stepping through the doorway, Scott raised his left arm with the remote control wrist device strapped to it. "Hey, guys. Remember this?"

The four guards in the anteroom kept their rifles aimed at Scott, but no one pulled a trigger. They were the same four who'd been joking with Scott not long ago about his trip to the medicenter--but they weren't in much of a joking mood now.

"Coming through." Scott started across the anteroom, keeping his left arm up and his right hand over the device. Three quick taps, and Cairn's bomb would blow, destroying the
Sun Tzu
and all hands aboard her.

The four guards never took their eyes off him, but they did make way. Scott walked between them, then realized Cairn wasn't following and stopped. Turning, he glared at Cairn and bobbed his head toward the anteroom exit.

Cairn took three slow steps, then rolled his eyes and rushed to catch up. "This is your great breakout plan? Am I the
escapee
or the
weapon
?"

"Both." Scott crossed the anteroom and stopped at the exit. Keeping one eye on the guards, he tapped the pass code on the keypad, and the door slid open. "This way."

The corridor outside the brig was lined with guards on both sides, stretching as far as Scott could see in both directions. Every one of them was aiming a rifle at Scott and Cairn.

"No one's going to shoot, huh?" said Cairn. "You sure about that?"

"Think of them as your honor guard." Scott swung right and marched briskly between the rows of men, women, and guns. "All part of your V.I.P. treatment."

"Why do I feel like I'm back on Penitent Peak all over again?" said Cairn. "Going through the grinder to save your sorry ass."

"Funny," said Scott. "It seems like the other way around to me."

 

*****

 

Given the number of guards and guns along their route, Scott and Cairn's trip to the Hangar Deck was quick and painless. No one made a move to stop them or even said a word, just let them slip past as if they weren't the real targets at all.

But when Scott opened the Hangar Deck door, he saw the trouble-free transit was over. There, between him and the jump-ship Donna had hotwired, stood Perseid and Rexis. They were both unarmed, with hands extended palm-up at their sides--but the glares on their faces could not have been any icier.

"What the flux, Scott?" said Perseid. "You switching sides on us?"

"Just doing what I have to." Scott raised the bomb remote control. "Now please don't make me use this. Both of you, step aside."

"Seriously?" snapped Rexis. "You're planning to fly off with an asset just as we're going into
battle
? And you've got your
girlfriend
, who just woke up from a
coma
, piloting it?"

"I've got my reasons," Scott said flatly, and then he looked at Perseid. "You're wrong about Tack."

"It's a confirmed target," said Perseid. "Confirmed by your Red buddy there."

"You trust
him
?" Scott laughed. "Don't be
ridiculous
."

"Hey!" Cairn sounded offended. "I'm standing
right here
!"

Scott ignored him. "Tack's the wrong call." He shook his head at Perseid. "It's like plugging one hole when the dam around it's about to explode."

"So
you're
going to save the day single-handedly?" Rexis snorted. "You're going to be the
hero
of the Commonwealth?"

"Something like that," said Scott.

"The hero of the Commandant, is more like it," said Perseid. "When it comes down to it, he just wants to save his grandma."

Scott took a step forward. He was running out of time--which, of course, was why Perseid wanted to keep him talking. "You can't tell me you wouldn't do the same in my situation."

Perseid didn't budge. "I made a mistake recruiting you. You were never Diamondback material."

"Never said I
was
." Scott kept walking toward him. "Now
move
."

Still, Perseid stood his ground. "I'll give you one more chance. Surrender now, and I'll recommend deferring your court-martial. After the battle, you can just resign your commission and walk away."

Scott shook his head. "
Move
." He tapped the remote control once, priming the mechanism. Two more taps, and Cairn's bomb would blow.

Perseid raised his hands in front of him. "You win." Never taking his eyes off Scott, he backed away to one side. "But just so you know, your military career ends here. Right now. It's over."

"I kind of figured." Scott looked back at Cairn, who wasn't moving, and bobbed his head toward the jump-ship. Cairn looked behind him at the armed guards crowding the doorway, then rolled his eyes and followed.

"I mean it," said Perseid as Scott walked past. "You're done. Go save grandma, go be the hero and save the whole Commonwealth if you want, but there's no coming back from this. You're a traitor. You're finished."

"So is Donna," added Rexis as she also let Scott pass. "What do you think she'll have to say about that?"

Scott shrugged. "I guess I'm about to find out."

"God help you, you selfish son of a bitch." Rexis hissed out the words.

"God help us all." Scott reached the shadow of the jump-ship. The open gangway was less than ten meters away, slanting down from the ship's belly.

"I should've called your bluff," said Perseid. "You'd never have triggered the bomb and destroyed Commandant Chalice's only chance of being rescued."

Scott stopped at the gangway and gave Perseid and Rexis one last salute. "Good luck at Tack, sirs."

Rexis turned her back. Perseid returned the salute, albeit half-heartedly.

Then, Scott and Cairn ran up the gangway steps into the jump-ship.