Original: "The Remnant Fleet," Chapter 20
Before 9pm, zero words. Between 9pm and 10:30, 2,300 words. Getting real sick of this schedule, but... I mean... as long as the words get written...
Chapter Twenty
The dock master informed Cicero that her ship was ready for departure; all the major repairs were finished and the rest could wait until she retrieved the stone and brought it back. She expected that her crew would have dispersed, but a quick search at one of the station’s interfaces revealed they were all currently in the pavilion near the Sensuite theaters. She approached from the upper deck so she could see them before they saw her, and she spotted them gathered around a table near an Occamian eatery. Six people she trusted more than anyone else in the galaxy, Bauwerji excluded.
Irias Vuule was a Ladronis who left his people because of a rage that he couldn’t quell. He liked to fight, and he never did well turning the other cheek. Cicero liked having him around because his anger was tempered by a pacifist’s mind. He thought out every act of violence and only followed through if he found it absolutely necessary. It made him a trustworthy ally in some of the tense confrontations she’d had with clients.
Currently Irias was eating a piece of cudommine from the Occamian restaurant, licking the sauce from his middle finger. Across the table, Kela Se-Woei was watching him intently. She was Acapsian, and her kink for eating was well-known among the crew. Irias and Zennes had a friendly rivalry when it came to her affections, and Cicero knew for a fact that she had taken both of them to bed with her on several occasions.
Enatel Kaesa was sitting beside Kela trying to ignore Irias’ display. As far as she could tell, the Occamian was asexual. He seldom spent the night in any room but his own, and when they stopped off-world he never partake of the local “nightly companions.” Beside him was Sery Aranic, the only trustworthy Irikoan she had ever met. Sery’s loyalty extended to the rest of the crew, Cicero herself, and no further. She would lay down her life for the people of her ship, but the rest of the world was fair game.
Zennes Dainai was the only one besides Aryana who was missing. He was also Irikoan, but nowhere near as reliable as Sery. She assumed he was in the Sensuite and decided she wasn’t going to wait for him. Kela was the first to see her coming and tapped the table to alert everyone else. The chatter died down as she pulled a chair over.
“Uh-oh. I don’t want everyone to stop having fun just because the boss arrived.”
“It’s all right,” Enatel said. “Irias was just tickling Kela’s sensitive bits.”
Kela grinned. “And doing a fine job of it, I must say.”
Irias licked his lips and leaned back in his seat. “What say you, Captain? Or more accurately, what say the Admiral?”
“I don’t know how many details I’m at liberty to share, but there is a plan afoot. It involves getting the rock back from where we stashed it.”
The group’s good humor faded. Kela said, “Are we sure that’s a good idea? We all know how dangerous that thing could be.”
Cicero sighed. “Apparently we’re taking the stance that the weapon will be created no matter what we do, so we’re going to make sure we have it first. I want to know if you’re all comfortable with that.”
Looks were exchanged around the table before attention focused on Cicero again. Enatel said, “Depends on what you mean, Captain.”
“We’ve taken a lot of jobs for some very bad people. We can only assume what they’ve done with the merchandise we delivered. This time we have the unfortunate benefit of knowing exactly what they want the rock for. It’s the final piece they need to create a doomsday device that can wipe out an entire species.”
Kela said, “A species that crippled our ship and killed a man in cold blood. Will many tears be shed if the universe is rid of them?”
“True. But once the weapon has been created, there won’t be any going back. It can be altered to target any race. Sau mercenaries causing too many problems? Take out the species-killer, problem solved forever. Karezz cold war with the Balanquin stretching on too long? Pick the one you like the best and don’t worry about writing a treaty. We’ll be giving the Aphelion Project unprecedented power. The power to play god.”
Sery said, “You suddenly don’t trust Aphelion?”
“I trust the people of it, sure. Admiral Reshef. Bauwerji. But I wouldn’t trust any corporation as vast as Aphelion with something this powerful. That’s the option I want to give you. We’re not beholden to the people in charge of this station in any way, shape, or form. That was the promise I gave when you signed on to the Sastruga. We’re free of affiliation. They’re letting us leave the station to retrieve the stone. We don’t have to actually come back.”
Kela said, “Are you serious?”
“If any of you have qualms about what we’re doing, yes.”
Irias said, “All things considered, Captain, cutting off all contact with the station would affect you far more than it would any of us. You may not be tied to the Aphelion Project, but you definitely have connections here it would be painful to sever.”
“I know. That’s not the issue here. My loyalty is to my crew first.”
Zennes arrived from the Sensuite, his skin still smelling of oils and scented incense. He was the polar opposite of Enatel; he took any and every opportunity to engage in carnal pleasures. His tastes were very particular: he liked men and women of any race who was willing to be with an Irikoan. He gauged the tone of the table as he took a seat beside Sery.
“What have I missed?”
Cicero briefly caught him up. “If we do this, it could be some time before we’re welcome back at the Quay. We might never be allowed to come back. That would be a trial, but it’s doable. We would have to rely on a lot of disreputable shipyards for repairs and stopovers.”
Kela asked, “Does the Aphelion Project have a chance against the Wakerran without this weapon?”
“I don’t know. But I know Admiral Reshef isn’t entertaining any other options so long as the stone is available. Maybe if we took that away, she would be forced to come up with a plan she could actually live with.” She leaned back. “Look, it’s a big decision. We would be fugitives from most of our allies. Not exactly a new prospect, sure, but we’ve always been able to rely on the Quay. If we do this, we can forget that security. We don’t have to make a decision right away. We’ll go, we’ll get the stone, and then we’ll vote on what we do next. Sound good?”
The crew nodded. Enatel said, “What about Aryana? She gets a vote, surely.”
“She does. But seeing as she was personally victimized by the Wakerran, I wanted to bring this option to her privately. She may have an emotional response, and I know she wouldn’t want that put on display. Not even to you lot.” She stood up. “Enjoy the rest of your stay. It’ll take a few hours for a pre-launch check, but once we’re clear I want to go as soon as possible.”
“Aye, captain.”
She plucked a piece of food off Irias’ plate and popped it into her mouth, holding eye contact with Kela as she chewed. Kela took a deep breath and smiled pruriently. The captain winked at the Acapsian and left the crew to discuss their options. She ascended to the highest walkway, where the screens were programmed to show a stretch of the Kuiper belt. She rested her hands on the railing and stared at the screen as if it was the window it was meant to emulate.
Seven billion kilometers straight ahead, give or take depending on the current orbital status, Earth was silently spinning along. The planet where she was born and took her first steps. The planet where her family still lived, though every member had probably disowned her long ago. In the years since she escaped the world, returning had never appealed to her. She knew that her destiny lay in the stars. She was born on Earth, but born into the universe.
But if she made an enemy of the Quay and the Aphelion Project, she would never be allowed to go back. Choosing to stay away was one thing; being banned was entirely different.
Something made her turn away from the spinning rocks. Through the crowd she saw Bauwerji, the wholly unexpected love of her life, striding her way. Bauwerji saw her as well and graced Cicero with one of her rare smiles. Cicero pushed off the railing and moved to meet Bauwerji halfway. The flow of pedestrians continued around them as they stopped and gripped each other’s hands.
“I would have thought you’d be busy in the pilothouse right now.”
“There’s not a lot to be done. We’re always prepared for some sort of disaster, so the yeomen are well trained to respond if something happens. Besides, I can run really quickly when I have to. I wanted to be sure I came down to see you off. I wasn’t sure when you would leave.”
“We have a bit of time.” She took Bauwerji’s hand, guiding her to the railing so they weren’t blocking traffic. “Can I ask you something serious?”
Bauwerji nodded.
“Can you live with what Admiral Reshef is proposing? Killing an entire race?”
“We’ll be killing four members of a race,” Bauwerji corrected, “and hoping the rest take it as a message to stay away.”
Cicero said, “It will be a genocide, Bauwerji. Cold-blooded murder.”
“If we use the weapon, it will be because they are attacking us. They’ve already attacked us. Whatever we do when the Wakerran show up, our response will be justified.”
“You’re not answering my question.”
Bauwerji sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and ran her tongue across it. “During the third year of the Decade at the Battlements, I was leading a group of soldiers through a valley in search of food. We hadn’t eaten in... days, at least. Maybe a week. We were looking for food. We rounded a rock formation and spotted a Karezz troop in a wrecked transport. They were waiting for reinforcements to help them repair the ship. They didn’t see us. We could have snuck back out of sight and hidden until they were gone.
“Instead, I ordered my people to attack. We used the rocks as cover and we killed every soldier in sight. We raided their camp, took their supplies, and set the engines to explode by remote control. Then we waited. When their reinforcements showed up, we waited until they were in range and...” She mimed an explosion with her hands. “We killed at least seven Karezz that day. We didn’t give them a chance to engage or fight back. We didn’t wait until they spotted us, or try to escape. We just took them out.”
“That was different. That was war.”
“This is war,” Bauwerji said. “The Wakerran want us eradicated, but they’re not interested in a fair fight. They’re coming to wipe us out. This weapon is atrocious, I admit, but it puts us on equal footing with our enemy. I’m not going to lose any sleep about using it if things get that far.”
Cicero nodded slowly, not in agreement but in understanding. “Okay. I should go make sure my ship is ready for departure.” Bauwerji had put her hand on the railing, and Cicero covered it with hers. “Whatever happens, Bauwerji, I want you to know that I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Cicero stepped closed and kissed Bauwerji. She thought maybe her destiny hadn’t simply been space, traveling the stars, seeing other worlds... maybe her destiny had simply been to get far enough away from Earth to meet a Balanquin. The Balanquin currently in her arms, holding her tight as they kissed goodbye for what might have been the final time. Cicero didn’t want to release her, but finally she did. She brushed her nose against Bauwerji’s cheek and breathed deeply. Her skin still smelled like desert sand and sun after so many years away from Pelorum, and she found the scent intoxicating.
“Bauwerji...”
“What are you going to do?” Bauwerji asked.
Cicero opened her eyes and saw Bauwerji staring at her. She might not know details, but she certainly knew something was up.
“Come with me,” Cicero said.
“I can’t. I need to be here in case something happens.” She put her hand on Cicero’s, not tight enough to keep her from moving, but a definite presence. “Cicerone. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“That is exactly what I’m trying to avoid, Bauwerji.” She kissed her lover again, then brushed her hand across the braids on the side of Bauwerji’s head. “I know this honors the women in your family, but maybe they could watch over me for a little bit?”
Bauwerji said, “They’ve been watching over you since I made you the guard of my heart.” She took Cicero’s hand to kiss the knuckles. “Whatever action you take, I only ask that you make sure it’s the one you can live with.”
“I will.”
“And I trust you.” She touched the back of her hand to Cicero’s cheek. “I should go.”
“Me too.”
They parted and walked in opposite directions. Cicero didn’t look back, and she sensed that Bauwerji didn’t, either. She put in her earpiece and tapped it to call Aryana.
“This is Captain Drayton. Report to the docks. We’re shipping out as soon as possible.”
Chapter Twenty
The dock master informed Cicero that her ship was ready for departure; all the major repairs were finished and the rest could wait until she retrieved the stone and brought it back. She expected that her crew would have dispersed, but a quick search at one of the station’s interfaces revealed they were all currently in the pavilion near the Sensuite theaters. She approached from the upper deck so she could see them before they saw her, and she spotted them gathered around a table near an Occamian eatery. Six people she trusted more than anyone else in the galaxy, Bauwerji excluded.
Irias Vuule was a Ladronis who left his people because of a rage that he couldn’t quell. He liked to fight, and he never did well turning the other cheek. Cicero liked having him around because his anger was tempered by a pacifist’s mind. He thought out every act of violence and only followed through if he found it absolutely necessary. It made him a trustworthy ally in some of the tense confrontations she’d had with clients.
Currently Irias was eating a piece of cudommine from the Occamian restaurant, licking the sauce from his middle finger. Across the table, Kela Se-Woei was watching him intently. She was Acapsian, and her kink for eating was well-known among the crew. Irias and Zennes had a friendly rivalry when it came to her affections, and Cicero knew for a fact that she had taken both of them to bed with her on several occasions.
Enatel Kaesa was sitting beside Kela trying to ignore Irias’ display. As far as she could tell, the Occamian was asexual. He seldom spent the night in any room but his own, and when they stopped off-world he never partake of the local “nightly companions.” Beside him was Sery Aranic, the only trustworthy Irikoan she had ever met. Sery’s loyalty extended to the rest of the crew, Cicero herself, and no further. She would lay down her life for the people of her ship, but the rest of the world was fair game.
Zennes Dainai was the only one besides Aryana who was missing. He was also Irikoan, but nowhere near as reliable as Sery. She assumed he was in the Sensuite and decided she wasn’t going to wait for him. Kela was the first to see her coming and tapped the table to alert everyone else. The chatter died down as she pulled a chair over.
“Uh-oh. I don’t want everyone to stop having fun just because the boss arrived.”
“It’s all right,” Enatel said. “Irias was just tickling Kela’s sensitive bits.”
Kela grinned. “And doing a fine job of it, I must say.”
Irias licked his lips and leaned back in his seat. “What say you, Captain? Or more accurately, what say the Admiral?”
“I don’t know how many details I’m at liberty to share, but there is a plan afoot. It involves getting the rock back from where we stashed it.”
The group’s good humor faded. Kela said, “Are we sure that’s a good idea? We all know how dangerous that thing could be.”
Cicero sighed. “Apparently we’re taking the stance that the weapon will be created no matter what we do, so we’re going to make sure we have it first. I want to know if you’re all comfortable with that.”
Looks were exchanged around the table before attention focused on Cicero again. Enatel said, “Depends on what you mean, Captain.”
“We’ve taken a lot of jobs for some very bad people. We can only assume what they’ve done with the merchandise we delivered. This time we have the unfortunate benefit of knowing exactly what they want the rock for. It’s the final piece they need to create a doomsday device that can wipe out an entire species.”
Kela said, “A species that crippled our ship and killed a man in cold blood. Will many tears be shed if the universe is rid of them?”
“True. But once the weapon has been created, there won’t be any going back. It can be altered to target any race. Sau mercenaries causing too many problems? Take out the species-killer, problem solved forever. Karezz cold war with the Balanquin stretching on too long? Pick the one you like the best and don’t worry about writing a treaty. We’ll be giving the Aphelion Project unprecedented power. The power to play god.”
Sery said, “You suddenly don’t trust Aphelion?”
“I trust the people of it, sure. Admiral Reshef. Bauwerji. But I wouldn’t trust any corporation as vast as Aphelion with something this powerful. That’s the option I want to give you. We’re not beholden to the people in charge of this station in any way, shape, or form. That was the promise I gave when you signed on to the Sastruga. We’re free of affiliation. They’re letting us leave the station to retrieve the stone. We don’t have to actually come back.”
Kela said, “Are you serious?”
“If any of you have qualms about what we’re doing, yes.”
Irias said, “All things considered, Captain, cutting off all contact with the station would affect you far more than it would any of us. You may not be tied to the Aphelion Project, but you definitely have connections here it would be painful to sever.”
“I know. That’s not the issue here. My loyalty is to my crew first.”
Zennes arrived from the Sensuite, his skin still smelling of oils and scented incense. He was the polar opposite of Enatel; he took any and every opportunity to engage in carnal pleasures. His tastes were very particular: he liked men and women of any race who was willing to be with an Irikoan. He gauged the tone of the table as he took a seat beside Sery.
“What have I missed?”
Cicero briefly caught him up. “If we do this, it could be some time before we’re welcome back at the Quay. We might never be allowed to come back. That would be a trial, but it’s doable. We would have to rely on a lot of disreputable shipyards for repairs and stopovers.”
Kela asked, “Does the Aphelion Project have a chance against the Wakerran without this weapon?”
“I don’t know. But I know Admiral Reshef isn’t entertaining any other options so long as the stone is available. Maybe if we took that away, she would be forced to come up with a plan she could actually live with.” She leaned back. “Look, it’s a big decision. We would be fugitives from most of our allies. Not exactly a new prospect, sure, but we’ve always been able to rely on the Quay. If we do this, we can forget that security. We don’t have to make a decision right away. We’ll go, we’ll get the stone, and then we’ll vote on what we do next. Sound good?”
The crew nodded. Enatel said, “What about Aryana? She gets a vote, surely.”
“She does. But seeing as she was personally victimized by the Wakerran, I wanted to bring this option to her privately. She may have an emotional response, and I know she wouldn’t want that put on display. Not even to you lot.” She stood up. “Enjoy the rest of your stay. It’ll take a few hours for a pre-launch check, but once we’re clear I want to go as soon as possible.”
“Aye, captain.”
She plucked a piece of food off Irias’ plate and popped it into her mouth, holding eye contact with Kela as she chewed. Kela took a deep breath and smiled pruriently. The captain winked at the Acapsian and left the crew to discuss their options. She ascended to the highest walkway, where the screens were programmed to show a stretch of the Kuiper belt. She rested her hands on the railing and stared at the screen as if it was the window it was meant to emulate.
Seven billion kilometers straight ahead, give or take depending on the current orbital status, Earth was silently spinning along. The planet where she was born and took her first steps. The planet where her family still lived, though every member had probably disowned her long ago. In the years since she escaped the world, returning had never appealed to her. She knew that her destiny lay in the stars. She was born on Earth, but born into the universe.
But if she made an enemy of the Quay and the Aphelion Project, she would never be allowed to go back. Choosing to stay away was one thing; being banned was entirely different.
Something made her turn away from the spinning rocks. Through the crowd she saw Bauwerji, the wholly unexpected love of her life, striding her way. Bauwerji saw her as well and graced Cicero with one of her rare smiles. Cicero pushed off the railing and moved to meet Bauwerji halfway. The flow of pedestrians continued around them as they stopped and gripped each other’s hands.
“I would have thought you’d be busy in the pilothouse right now.”
“There’s not a lot to be done. We’re always prepared for some sort of disaster, so the yeomen are well trained to respond if something happens. Besides, I can run really quickly when I have to. I wanted to be sure I came down to see you off. I wasn’t sure when you would leave.”
“We have a bit of time.” She took Bauwerji’s hand, guiding her to the railing so they weren’t blocking traffic. “Can I ask you something serious?”
Bauwerji nodded.
“Can you live with what Admiral Reshef is proposing? Killing an entire race?”
“We’ll be killing four members of a race,” Bauwerji corrected, “and hoping the rest take it as a message to stay away.”
Cicero said, “It will be a genocide, Bauwerji. Cold-blooded murder.”
“If we use the weapon, it will be because they are attacking us. They’ve already attacked us. Whatever we do when the Wakerran show up, our response will be justified.”
“You’re not answering my question.”
Bauwerji sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and ran her tongue across it. “During the third year of the Decade at the Battlements, I was leading a group of soldiers through a valley in search of food. We hadn’t eaten in... days, at least. Maybe a week. We were looking for food. We rounded a rock formation and spotted a Karezz troop in a wrecked transport. They were waiting for reinforcements to help them repair the ship. They didn’t see us. We could have snuck back out of sight and hidden until they were gone.
“Instead, I ordered my people to attack. We used the rocks as cover and we killed every soldier in sight. We raided their camp, took their supplies, and set the engines to explode by remote control. Then we waited. When their reinforcements showed up, we waited until they were in range and...” She mimed an explosion with her hands. “We killed at least seven Karezz that day. We didn’t give them a chance to engage or fight back. We didn’t wait until they spotted us, or try to escape. We just took them out.”
“That was different. That was war.”
“This is war,” Bauwerji said. “The Wakerran want us eradicated, but they’re not interested in a fair fight. They’re coming to wipe us out. This weapon is atrocious, I admit, but it puts us on equal footing with our enemy. I’m not going to lose any sleep about using it if things get that far.”
Cicero nodded slowly, not in agreement but in understanding. “Okay. I should go make sure my ship is ready for departure.” Bauwerji had put her hand on the railing, and Cicero covered it with hers. “Whatever happens, Bauwerji, I want you to know that I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Cicero stepped closed and kissed Bauwerji. She thought maybe her destiny hadn’t simply been space, traveling the stars, seeing other worlds... maybe her destiny had simply been to get far enough away from Earth to meet a Balanquin. The Balanquin currently in her arms, holding her tight as they kissed goodbye for what might have been the final time. Cicero didn’t want to release her, but finally she did. She brushed her nose against Bauwerji’s cheek and breathed deeply. Her skin still smelled like desert sand and sun after so many years away from Pelorum, and she found the scent intoxicating.
“Bauwerji...”
“What are you going to do?” Bauwerji asked.
Cicero opened her eyes and saw Bauwerji staring at her. She might not know details, but she certainly knew something was up.
“Come with me,” Cicero said.
“I can’t. I need to be here in case something happens.” She put her hand on Cicero’s, not tight enough to keep her from moving, but a definite presence. “Cicerone. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“That is exactly what I’m trying to avoid, Bauwerji.” She kissed her lover again, then brushed her hand across the braids on the side of Bauwerji’s head. “I know this honors the women in your family, but maybe they could watch over me for a little bit?”
Bauwerji said, “They’ve been watching over you since I made you the guard of my heart.” She took Cicero’s hand to kiss the knuckles. “Whatever action you take, I only ask that you make sure it’s the one you can live with.”
“I will.”
“And I trust you.” She touched the back of her hand to Cicero’s cheek. “I should go.”
“Me too.”
They parted and walked in opposite directions. Cicero didn’t look back, and she sensed that Bauwerji didn’t, either. She put in her earpiece and tapped it to call Aryana.
“This is Captain Drayton. Report to the docks. We’re shipping out as soon as possible.”