The Constant Star (41)

THE STORY SO FAR

Will you eat with us before the assault begins?”

“It was an honor, Captain, but I have important business to attend to. I will be back for the assault.”

Jupiter smiles and shakes the hands of everyone in his team before dropping his gear off and heading back to his secret-ops base with the protocol chip.

33

<<Citizen#0024-48389264

Entry#13912

She has been slain. Her influence is over. I cannot shake this sadness in my chest. I do not wish to mourn a traitor, but I cannot stop the tears from falling. She was willing to put our entire mission and the Chosen Ones at risk. My whole life has been sacrificed to save humanity, I shall continue in that work. May my heart forget her soon.>>

Closed off in his high-security office, Jupiter gets to work analyzing the chip. The first information is exactly as advertised: a direct link access to all laws and regulations, preventative measures and enforcements aboard Janus. The tech does indeed have the capability to access the wearers’ brain function, but it seems to only be for communicating these laws. Perhaps Siff was lied to about the so-called ‘Brainers’, and the Lower Levels only interpreted the hostility they experienced as not possible from someone not brainwashed.

Jupiter sighs, this thread of intelligence gathering seems to be coming to a dead end. The casing of the chip is solid: designed to be able to take a few hits, with insulation to cushion the hardware inside. All the hardware within has been scanned and come out as innocent. Out of curiosity Jupiter decides to scan the insulation, and is immediately rewarded, “Oh, wow. There it is.” The insulation itself is a hardware system protected by heavy security protocols, “It’s going to take a while to break through that firewall, better make myself seen again.”

Jupiter seals his office and heads back to the front lines to join his team.

<<Citizen#0022-48299735

Entry#21969

Such blasphemy! That anyone—even those who live in filth—would think to contaminate the Chosen Ones! She is dead, thankfully, but we must find her corpse and have it consumed.>>

The next twenty-four hours are a blur for Jupiter, between helping direct missions with Mars’ generals to retake the levels lost to the rebellion, keeping Bellerophon on target, and waiting for his systems to crack through the security of the protocol chip, his mind is quickly consumed with the magnitude of his responsibilities.

The war should be a lot easier than it is, as they are only battling untrained and malnourished citizens. But it seems their every move is telegraphed, and every inch of ground is only captured with a magnitude of blood. The explosives planted on the artillery were disarmed before they were detonated, and the snipers they marked all changed positions. On top of it all, Mars hasn’t been seen since departing for his top-secret mission. The enemy has a very well-informed intelligence network. Just how much of Janus has Diana hacked?

Less every minute, thanks to Bear.

Bellerophon’s missions have been bringing excellent results, though now Jupiter hears reports that security is looking to arrest Bear also, due to releasing prisoners of war and acting outside of mission protocols. So far, though, he has managed to evade capture.

And speaking of mission protocols, “Oh my god. There it is.” The screen is suddenly alive with data and systems from the Protocol Chip scan, “Mars, oh my god, what has been done to you?”

<<Citizen#0024-48389264

Entry#13914

The people are suffering and scattered. I try to give them safe places to seek refuge but the war seems so very random and our intel is often corrupt. We must keep our food and fuel resources running, but the people are often too scared to go to the fields. Refugees stream from one city to the next. So many die. How can I save them?>>

Back on the front lines to inspire the troops on a particularly difficult piece of terrain to capture, Jupiter’s mind is still reeling from his discovery. Siff was right. Diana was right. Every man and woman he fights alongside at this very moment is having their mind altered by the Protocol Chip. Turned into perpetuators of heartlessness. Pure justice without mercy. Once this war is over, so much will have to change. Killing and driving back these Rebellion soldiers pulls and strains at his morality. How much suffering have they been put through? Would not any human rebel against such oppression?

<Jupiter, come in.>

“This is Jupiter.”

<You have an urgent call, Sir. From the Council. You need to return to base.>

“Understood.”

Jupiter nods to the captain who leads his team into the next building. Jupiter turns and makes his way back to the Forward Operating Base. Once there he is directed into a room with shielding and left alone. He flicks the screen on to see Saturn looking back at him, and sighs, “What is it now? I’m in the middle of a war here.”

Saturn’s eyes have tears, “She’s alive. Baldr, they found her. She’s alive.”

34

“Can you help?”

“I don’t know. Lay her there.”

…

“It’s okay, Siff. It’ll be-“

…

“Are you serious?”

“I can hardly believe it myself-“

…

“This is not something we can hide.”

“Just give her time to recover.”

“I have to summon-“

…

“How long?”

“Three days ago.”

“And you’re just telling us now?”

“I wanted her to speak for herself.”

“I don’t know what we need to do, but I know you should have summoned us right away.”

…

“This is a blessing! I’m telling you! A god has come to us.”

“Okay. Calm down. Now we are all here, tell us what happened. Tell us what you saw.”

Siff keeps her eyes closed. The pain has abated to a dull ache in her side, and she is able to listen to most of what is said in the next room without falling back to sleep. She still feels very weak.

“Dearest elders, I was camping by

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