The Constant Star (36)

THE STORY SO FAR

“Captured infiltrate group for pickup. Leaving tracker on target, over.”

<Copy. Will send team for pickup, over.>

“Infiltrate group? You think we’re Lower Levels? You ignorant slaver. We’ve been working for their freedom for years. We didn’t infiltrate anything. We fought for freedom.” She spits, “You disgust me.”

“Tell it to interrogation. I’ve got work to do.”

Bear returns to the Pegasus and fires up the engines. Another twelve foreign objects show on the scans. He punches in the coordinates of the closest one and sets off. As he looks down he sees the violence of rebellion and security forces clashing. He sees a team of security making their way to his captives. He punches the accelerator and speeds to the next target.

28

Jupiter is still a little groggy from the injection he was given earlier, but he is well aware of his surroundings. The Council is meeting in the Needle and he takes his seat at the circular table with Mars, Pluto, and Saturn. The faces are stern, his heart is grim. What he has condemned his daughter to breaks his heart, “You have to let me get her. Give me access to the God Armor and let me bring her back.”

“The entrance is overrun. The fighting is fierce. It is an important tactical site and we will get it back. But when we do, why should we let you go through?” Mars is barely containing his fury, “Your actions have already cost the lives of many of my soldiers, and endangered the Chosen Ones on top of that. She deserves to die, and she will. Why should we let you through?”

“Because that is my daughter.” His words come through gritted teeth, “And she is bleeding to death as we speak. And I will not let her die that way. She deserves a proper trial, and if found guilty, a swift departure.”

“If we allow you through, it will only further endanger the Chosen Ones. If she dies in the forest they will be none-the-wiser and remain safe from our influence.” Pluto sits back and shrugs, “I see no benefit to her retrieval beyond paternal responsibility. And that is something you evidently failed at years ago. Our mission is a higher call than your failed parenting.”

“My failure has been to accept your heartlessness and thinly veiled arrogance, Pluto. As much as you might want to be, you are not a god and your position does not grant you judgement over me, nor determine what I can and cannot do. The Chosen Ones are our mission and this rebellion is endangering them. Do you understand that? Do you understand that Siff has been in direct communication with our enemy’s leadership? Do you understand her value to us as an asset? To protect the Chosen Ones? Your arrogance is not an excuse for idiocy.”

“You would do well to hold your tongue, Jupiter. I have the final say in who goes into the Habitat.”

“Then understand the value of it! Weigh the risks and rewards. If we retrieve Siff alive she could provide intel to shut down Diana and protect the Chosen Ones, along with our way of life on board this ship. Without her this war could last a long time, and many will suffer for it.”

Mars interjects, “Since when were you so interested in intel? Your duty is to guide Janus to Vesta and protect us from any outside threat. What happens inside the ship is my responsibility and I am taking care of it.”

“Are you? That must mean you are aware of the foreign systems that have been placed about Janus allowing Diana to hack the AI, Right? And if so, what are you doing about it?”

“Janus’ AI will eventually overcome her hacks, those systems are inconsequential. However, my spies in the rebellion have been receiving reports of an operative hitting targets with EMPs. They say he comes out of nowhere and disappears without a trace. Like a ghost. In fact, that is what they have started calling him: Ghost. Like some superstitious moronic primitives. I think someone has been secretly crafting advanced stealth tech and has been operating a mission outside of their jurisdiction. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” He pauses, “It is a pointless endeavor, regardless. We can quash this rebellion quickly and we will do so through superior combat and advanced weaponry.”

“Is that what happened at the Gate earlier?”

“That was a father’s foolishness getting the better of him. We will retake the gate.”

“You don’t get to blame your failures on me, Mars! Take responsibility for your actions.”

“Coming from you?! What a joke!”

“Listen!” Saturns voice penetrates the fog of rage overcoming the Council, “Do you not think our enemy is intelligent? She has hacked our systems and forced us to meet in the Needle. She has contacted and manipulated the daughter of our Chief Pilot in order to gain intel on all of us. I will not underestimate her. To do so is to invite failure, and that we cannot accept. This rebellion needs to be stopped. Now.

“We need to send armed forces to retake the sections we have lost, and then quash this rebellion at its source. We need to protect the Chosen Ones. We need to get our AI back. And if you suspect Siff has intel that will help us we should retrieve her.”

Mars takes a breath, “Seeing the forces positioned against us at the Gate — even if I thought it was a wise idea — it could take several days to break through. She will be dead long before we can reach her.”

“What are you saying? That I just killed my daughter?”

“Doing so was the right thing. That gate is a high priority but the enemy has some powerful artillery protecting it. We can’t risk damaging the Gate so cannot use similar artillery. To retake it will require tactics and demand calm minds. I will lead our forces and we

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