Warrior Chronicles 2: Warrior's Blood (22 page)

“Mars? We are back at Mars? Why?”

“Wraith, I did so to negate the need to travel through your system when we return here. I believe you will agree that time is of the essence.”

“Do not transition again, Speral. Please land and let me communicate with Cort Addison.” Cort’s mind was racing. “Speral, what I just saw. Was that the crystal converting the planet’s surface?”

“Wraith, yes it was. I can land, but we have limited time. I must transition to the Collaborative Government within seven of your hours.”

“Thank you, Speral.”

--

Argyre Military Headquarters

“You were gone less than an hour, sir. What happened?” Jeff Pence asked as Cort cycled through the airlock.

“Bad things, Jeff. You handled yourself well outside earlier. Get someone else to take over your duty, and get ready to leave with me. I want your entire team.”

Jeff saluted Cort’s back and responded, “Yes, sir!”

Kim Point met Cort at his office as he finished calling for an administrative meeting. He removed his helmet and pulled back his FALCON mask as the conference came online. He recounted his discussion with Speral about the nature and origin of the crystalline enemy, then played the sensor tape of the dying moments of the beautiful indigo world. “This is a big problem. We still can’t confirm it’s heading our way, but at this point, I’m inclined to believe Speral. This crystalline plague will get to us and we will die.”

“What do they expect from us, though?” Kim asked. “I mean, yeah we can blow a few ships out of the sky, but we can’t stop the core of a planet from crystallizing.”

“And how long do we have?” Cort was surprised that Rand was in the meeting, but pleased nonetheless.

“I don’t know, Rand. Frankly, I thought I was going to have a lot more information when I returned. I didn’t expect to come back here before we went to her conference. The return has something to do with the travel time and graviton anchors.”

“I think I have an idea,” Doctor Black said. “Actually one of my people does. We were talking about it this morning. Their ships always appear at the last known locations of other ships. The data from the attack on Earth corroborates this. So perhaps they transition to points they have catalogued.”

“That would tie in with something else she said. She told me ‘Cort Addison used the process in a way that is unknown to us.’ She said I used the same technique. Apparently there are two potential variables. I used space as the constant, they use time as the constant. But there is a limit to the process. I didn’t get to discuss that with her. It wasn’t exactly the trip I had expected.”

“No kidding,” Rand said, “I didn’t even get to pack a bag, much less start my trip there.”

“So I want two things from you all. Sciences, I want you to start brainstorming about how this crystal works and how to stop it. I also want R&D working on weapons that can help.”

“Cort, I thought you were only in charge of our defense. Now you are acting as if you are in charge of all of us,” Doctor Verne said.

Rhodes said, “Doctor, now isn’t the time for semantics.”

“Doc, you are right,” Cort said, “and so is Chief. We are now facing a clear danger to humanity. We don’t know a lot about it, but it’s out there and I have to prepare now because we may not have a chance to survive if I don’t. But let me be clear about something with you all. I know some of you question Doctor Verne’s motivation, and maybe even his commitment to this colony. But to me, he is clearly more committed to our success than any of the rest of you are. After the last attack on Oxia, you stopped questioning my judgement. Doctor Verne didn’t. He continues to question my motivation even though I suspect he knows I am right. He keeps asking because he wants to make sure I have my head on straight. He knows as well as I do that our survival depends on my ability to defend us.”

“Thank you, Cort,” Verne said.

Cort moved on, saying, “Kim, get more of the man-portable railguns built. I need to go now, but have you guys ever tried to change your speech patterns for any length of time? It’s not easy. I almost wish I had told Speral who I was. ‘Wraith’s’ manner of speaking is irritating as hell. He sounds like you people. I’ll see you all soon.”

The conference ended and Cort started to stand when Kim pushed him back down into his seat saying, “Not so fast. Why are you taking a squad of men with you?”

“Grandstanding. I’m going to try and get some concessions from this ‘Collaborative Government’. To do so, I want them to think Wraith is more than just a substitute for Cort.”

“Why not just go as Cort. That would have more impact. Just tell them that Wraith’s information was important enough that you felt the need to join her.”

“How quickly can you break the HAWC down? Wait, what about strapping me to her ship? Like I did when Rhodes brought me here.”

“You have to ask Speral about that. From what I know about the suit, it would work. I don’t know about her ship though.”

Cort opened a channel to Speral. “Speral, this is Cort Addison. Is there any way to fit me into your ship?”

“Cort Addison, no.”

“Okay, Speral, what about securing me to the outside of your ship.”

“Cort Addison, please wait for my reply.”

Five minutes passed before Speral spoke again. “Cort Addison, securing you to the hull of my ship will pose no threat to the ship or to you. The transition will not be affected. The transition is spherical and will encompass your armor. Do you wish to accompany me?”

“There will be five of us, Speral. Four will travel inside with you. I will be secured to the hull.”

“Cort Addison, I believe that will be appropriate. There are locations on the hull used to secure the vessel. You may use those locations to secure yourself to the ship.”

Cort ended the conversation and turned to Kim. “Woman of the house! Bring me my other sword!”

“Bastard,” Kim said, slapping him playfully.

“No,” Cort said with a straight face. “Not the bastard, the one you had made for the HAWC.”

--

Cort was curious how this would go. He recognized the feel of the ship lifting off, but had no idea how the transition would happen or what it would be like. As he lay strapped to the top of Speral’s ship, he saw the top of Olympus Mons disappear below the edge of the craft and remembered a childhood trip to Colorado with his parents. They had taken ‘the scenic route’, like fathers throughout time had done. As they drove up the narrow road curving to the top of Mount Capulin, Cort’s mother leaned all the way over the center console of the small car, refusing to even look over the edge of the road. The memory made Cort smile, wondering his mother would think now,  with her youngest son strapped to the top of a starship.

At first, Cort didn’t realize it had happened, but the stars had shifted. “Speral, did we just transition?”

“Cort Addison, yes we did.”

“How soon until we arrive at your Collaborative Government?”

“Cort Addison, we will land in ten of your minutes.”

“Thank you. Speral, can you tell me how you control gravity on your ship?”

“Cort Addison, it would be best to wait until you have made arrangements with our leadership.”

“I understand. Thank you, Speral.”

“Cort Addison, why do you thank me? I refused your request.”

“True, but you were…” Cort paused. When he continued he said, “The experience of riding outside of your ship reminded me of something from my past. It was a pleasant memory.”

“Cort Addison, you’re welcome. The planet we are landing on has a different atmosphere than you are accustomed to. It is gaseous, but much heavier than your species or mine would consider acceptable. The gravity of this planet is similar to that of my own. It will be nearly twice what you are used to on your fourth planet. Will this be a problem for your species?”

“No, Speral. We will be fine long as we are not here too long.”

Cort felt the ship touch down. A minute later, Jeff Pence was on top of the ship unstrapping the HAWC. “It’s a little odd walking around here, sir. The higher gravity feels if we are carrying a lot of extra weight. I don’t think it will affect CONDOR performance, but it may affect the accuracy of the MATs if we have to use them.”

“Good point, Jeff. I hope we don’t have to use our weapons, but if we do make sure everyone knows to aim a little high for long shots. Also, I want everyone running full sensors. I want everything recorded.”

“Yes, sir.”

Cort dropped from the top of the ship and waited for Pence to join him. The other three CONDORs joined them before the small group followed Speral across a large landing area. It hadn’t occurred to any of the group that there might be other ships. Most of the craft seemed very sensible, shaped like hemispheres or cubes or pyramids, but some were outlandish. Pence remarked on one apparent craft that was landing as they passed it. It was cylindrical, about forty meters long, and less than a meter in diameter. Most remarkably though, when it landed, three spheres rolled out of one end of the craft and joined the procession leaving the landing area.

“Speral, how many species are represented in the Collaborative Government?” Cort asked.

“Cort Addison, currently, there are seventy-two voting species. In addition to the voting species, there are sixty species which are bound by the Collaboration. One hundred and forty species trade within the Collaboration and we have seeded seven hundred species throughout the galactic arm. Those species came from approximately twenty-three hundred planets in approximately four hundred star systems. Some of the star systems are binary.”

Cort was surprised by Speral’s answer. “That was the most complete answer you have ever given me.”

“Cort Addison, yes it was. You have placed additional importance on this journey. I feel it is important that you have as much information as possible regarding the Collaborative Government, so that you may understand how important it is that you help us to ensure the safety of the galactic arm.”

“I see. Are none of the species able to fight the crystals?”

“Cort Addison, no. To become a member of the Collaborative Government, a species must agree not to develop technology that can be used as a weapon against any other affiliated species.”

“Then our species will not be able to join the Collaboration?” Cort asked.

“Cort Addison, your species cannot join us. A species must be bound by the Collaboration for three hundred of its native orbits before it can be considered for inclusion in the list of voting species. This is to ensure it has resolved all internal conflict to its species. Your species is needed to combat the crystals. Therefore, you cannot be considered for membership or affiliation until this conflict is resolved.”

Pence opened a private channel to Cort. “Sir, it sounds like they need us for mercenaries. They don’t want to fight their war, so they need us to do it for them.”

“Agreed, but we may not have a choice. We have to ensure the safety of our people. If that means fighting for the Collaboration, then that’s what we do.” Switching to the open channel again, Cort said, “Speral, you told Wraith that you once transported another species to fight the crystals. What happened to that species?”

“Cort Addison, that species was destroyed by the crystals. They were seeded on another planet, but once a species is mathematically extinct, we will not utilize them for other purposes. If your species meets the same end, you will be seeded to another planet.”

“How did the crystals destroy them?”

“Cort Addison, I do not know. That information is unknown. The species was transitioned into a system that was under attack. Shortly after their arrival, we lost contact with them. According to an evacuation vessel, the ship transporting them exploded due to an impact with an unknown object of non-natural origin. We have arrived.”