The Constant Star (28)

THE STORY SO FAR

Karl’s voice is authoritative and Siff hears him simultaneously through the headset with zero delay on the vocals, “The enemy has been spotted making their way down the shafts and vents to several stages of critical interest to our goals. Our job is to make our way to the grav modules and keep any Brainers bottlenecked inside the shafts. We will be joining five other units at grav module seven. Once there we will hold the brainers inside the shafts and wait for orders to enter.

“It has been thousands of years that we have been hidden, and now we have hope for the first time. We will not let them take that from us. We shall let them know the Lower Levels are here and we will no longer be their slaves. We are already free, they just don’t know it yet. And I can’t wait to tell them in person. How about you?”

“Yes, Sir!” the unified shout shocks Siff as she sees her new friends shift from being relaxed and laughing, to hardened eyes and determined jaws. These are warriors with nothing to lose, and vengeance to gain. There’s going to be blood. Lots of blood. How does Macy think she’s going to control these people once they see the security forces? They’re going to do everything they can to kill everyone they can.

“All right, let’s move!”

21

The Pegasus flies beautifully. The stealth technology activated, it refracts light around its exterior shape. Graceful, acrobatic, strong, and almost invisible to the naked eye. The computer systems are able to scan Janus for anomalies and it is very soon that Bellerophon has a list and a flight plan. But as he inputs the first coordinates, the scan shows abnormal activity on Janus’ connection to the Needle. Elevators and access doorways have been infiltrated. It looks like someone is preparing to breach the Needle through one of the grav-modules. If they are successful the Chosen Ones environment could be held ransom, or worse, infiltrated, “Oh deisa. They wouldn’t. They wouldn’t do that. Oh deisa.”

Bellerophon swings Pegasus around and skims silently between levels, landing out of sight near where Jupiter and Mars are preparing to join the invasion force. He retracts his black visor and sprints toward them, “Sir! Sir!” Both men turn from their conversation to see his panicked face, “We have a breach Sir!”

“Where, Agent?”

Bellerophon’s wide eyes fill them with dread anticipation, “The Needle, Sir. Someone is attempting to breach the Needle.”

Mars grips his rifle, “When?”

Bellerophon swipes on his forearm and shares the intel with the two Council-members, “Right now, Sir. They are using the fight as a distraction to get in.”

Jupiter’s face turns grim, “If they get to the Chosen Ones everything could be lost.”

“Want me to pursue, Sir?”

“No. Keep to your mission. Mars and I will secure the Needle. Go.”

The two commanders turn to give instruction to their generals as Bear runs back to the Pegasus. As he takes off he sees the two men racing toward the Needle in a transport, “Well, this is getting crazy.” He engages the thrusters and speeds toward his first objective.

22

Siff follows the unit on foot to a transport that whisks them to a set of railed train-cars taking troops in all directions. They board the closest one, “This is how we get around to our slave labour. The grav doesn’t work so well on these things so you might feel a-” The transport lunges forward and accelerates, Siff feels her breakfast coming up again and forces it down. The rest of the team watches her until it’s clear she has managed to fight back the urge to vomit.

“Dammit!”

“Ha! Pay up guys!”

“No fair. You tried to warn her!”

“But I didn’t, did I? Pay up.”

Karl’s face has a big grin as the others hand over cash one-by-one, “They didn’t think you’d handle the acceleration so well, but I had faith in you. You’re tougher than you look, kiddo.”

Siff isn’t sure if she should be offended that they laid bets against her, or proud that she proved them wrong. But she is happy that Karl believes in her. Maybe the others will, too. Maybe she’ll even be able to believe in herself. She looks at the guns and grenades strapped to her military suit. Can I do it? Is it in me to fight—to kill—for others? Can I kill those who want to kill me? She can feel the soft fabrics underneath it all reminding her what she is really here for. Can I leave my friends for the Chosen Ones? After they said I was one of them? After I’ve been accepted as part of the team? Siff sees her face in the reflection of a window. No, this isn’t me. Violence is not me. I need to find peace. And that peace is my only hope. And my hope is just as important as my new friends’ hope. Besides, I’m not a soldier like them. I’ll just slow them all down. Addy’s right, I’m just a burden to the team.

Siff chooses to believe herself and returns to focus on her surroundings. The tracks take them deep into tunnels lined with wiring and pipes. Ventilation and doors into the walls appear every so often, but as the transport continues to accelerate it is harder to notice them beyond a brief flash of color or texture against the continuous lines of cables. It feels much more raw down here. Exposed. Not as finely finished as she is used to, but she imagines it makes maintenance easier without having to remove, replace, and polish paneling for every piece of work you do.

The other units on the transport are joking and catching up with one another, but the tension is palpable. Everyone here is nervous, but also excited to finally exact some revenge on their oppressors. Siff is not exactly comfortable and wonders if they know who she is. And if they knew

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