Gravity Wars: Nova Strike, page 8
Livia rose and stepped to the giant globe, staring at an orbital station and wondering about Dawnstar.
Livia smiled and returned to the easy chair. She reached for the wine glass, but let her arm drop instead. She would never control the world until she controlled herself.
Livia inhaled, forcing her thoughts to the Vehicle Descent Shuttle (VDS). What would happen when Petty had twenty such vehicles? He could descend anywhere on the planet and capture anyone. If he had kept the VDS secret...
In order to save Huber, Petty had prematurely shown his hand.
Livia had debated ordering interceptors or missiles to take out the VDS. Then the general in the control room had informed her of new space interceptors in Low-Earth Orbit—hawks to her air force’s pigeons. They waited high overhead, probably to intercept anything thrown at the VDS.
How long had Petty been secretly strengthening orbital space?
If only she could destroy the orbital stations with a swift missile assault. Earth no longer needed the stations against the railgun-launched projectiles. But what if the aliens had built or were building a new railgun?
The original wave of projectiles had gravely weakened Earth’s industrial capacity. It would take time and cooperation to rebuild what they had lost, never mind creating something greater. Therefore, they could not replenish the orbital stations if they lost them. They had to husband what they had in order to be ready for the enemy’s next move.
What was that move?
Livia found herself back in the easy chair. Were the aliens more dangerous to her than Petty? Where had Petty found the resources to build the VDS and space interceptors?
She needed to investigate that.
Kidnapping Dr. Huber had failed. But she had forced Petty into revealing an important secret project. Had the mission really failed, then?
“No,” Livia said.
Now it was time to use that to her best advantage.
-15-
Major Demetrius Garvey nodded to the secretary behind her desk. She was extraordinarily beautiful, young, and pleasant.
“You can go right on in, Major,” she said.
Garvey inclined his head and entered through the hatch, walking into the spacious office of CEO James Petty.
“Garvey,” Petty said. He was at the wet bar and had just poured himself a whiskey neat. “Anything for you?”
“Scotch and soda,” Garvey said.”
“You want to drink that piss water? Come on. Drink something a man would be proud of.”
“I’m fine with a Scotch and soda, sir, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure.” Petty set down his shot glass and made a Scotch and soda for Garvey. Then he picked up his own, picked up Garvey’s glass, and walked to the Major. “Here you are, son.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“My pleasure,” Petty said. “Sit down.”
Big James Petty, in his black suit and tie, did not sit behind his desk. Instead, he went to a comfortable chair beside some paintings, what old-timers would have called Frazetta posters. Petty loved them, had always loved them.
Long ago, Petty had bet his kid brother, saying, “I’m going to look like that.” He’d referred to a poster of Tarzan and the Ant-Men. Petty had lost the bet, but he had lifted all his life. Even in his 60s, he was still stronger than ninety-nine percent of the men he met. He was getting older, but that didn’t matter. He could probably break Garvey if he wanted to, he meant with his bare hands.
Garvey was leaner and a lot lighter than Petty. Probably didn’t take the injections Petty did.
The CEO shook his head. He didn’t want to think about the injections. He didn’t ever want to pay the costs someday with his liver or kidneys.
Petty sat near the Frazetta posters and sipped his drink. He did not cross his legs like some fancy boy. He sat with both feet on the ground, observing as Garvey took a healthy swallow of his Scotch and soda.
“Well, Major, what do you think of our newest recruit?”
“Young Steele is happy that you’re letting him join the space marines.”
“You think I made a mistake?”
“It’s not for me to say, sir.”
“Garvey,” Petty pointed a thick finger at him with the same hand that held the whiskey. “I do not want to hear such cautious crap. You tell it to me straight. Tell me what you think. You always have.”
“I don’t know if that’s true, sir.”
“Now you’re going to call me a liar?”
Garvey shook his head, and he sipped his drink, almost as if he were nervous.
“None of that, Major. I’m pleased with you.”
“Even though I’m the one who talked you into revealing the VDS?” asked Garvey.
“That was a trade-off, but you helped me see that though Huber was the genesis and probably the genius behind those craft, losing him would have been worse. I could have used the rest of his good ideas. I keep them on file. Did you know that?”
“I did not, sir.”
“Livia was right in trying to grab Huber, and you were right to convince me to unveil the experimental VDS to get him back.”
“What about the space interceptors?” Garvey asked.
“Livia will understand what that means, but I got Huber back. I owe that to young Steele. He seems to have flair, wouldn’t you agree?”
“He’s a nut,” Garvey said. “I love him to death, sir, but he’s unhinged with his hero worship of Charles XII.”
Petty waved that aside. “I don’t care what a man thinks or why he thinks it. What I care about is results, and that boy brings them.”
Garvey nodded.
“That’s why I agreed to put him in the space marines,” Petty said. “Sooner or later, the aliens are going to make their next move. What if that move is near Earth?”
“That’s a good question,” Garvey said.
“We should be militarizing the Moon,” Petty said. “The Moon seems like an obvious choice for them to grab. If the Valiants could maintain their presence on the Moon, they could keep us from going anywhere else in the Solar System. We’ve got to expand.” Petty threw his arms wide. “We have to build forward bases and our industrial might. We have to rule space, not just our orbital space—the shallows around our world.”
“Our world is the place that really counts, though,” Garvey said.
“Are you contradicting me again, Major?”
“I may be doing that, but I don’t mean any disrespect by it. I’m just trying to do what you asked.”
“I did not ask,” Petty said. “I told you to tell me your thoughts.”
“Yes, sir, and I’m doing just that.”
“Good.” Petty drained his whiskey, thrust himself up, walked to the bar, and poured himself another.
Garvey wondered if the man was drunk. He knew Petty could hold his liquor better than just about anyone. Petty had a natural affinity for drinking a ton and acting normally the whole time.
Petty poured himself a double and walked back with just a trace of unsteadiness. He plopped into his chair.
“Livia knows we’re making moves.” Petty raised his glass and peered at it. “But now it’s time to relax just a little. We had the big scare. Gotta get ready for the next one. But you know what, Garvey? Sometimes you gotta unwind. You can’t stay tied up tight all the time. Why do you think I love the women so much?”
“You mean the beautiful women, sir?”
“I love all women, but I have a special place in my heart for the beauties. It’s to unwind, Garvey. And it’s because I have an appreciation for the finer things. Did you see the secretary I have outside?”
“She is pretty, sir.”
Garvey almost added, but she’s a gold ring in a pig’s snout. What he meant was that she was loose. He thought of himself then. He had loose morals. He had tightened them up some as he aged. He was faithful to his wives these days.
He wasn’t Muslim or any kind of cultist. He just had common-law wives. That wasn’t the right way. Sometimes he felt ashamed. But at least he was honest with them.
“You having a pang of conscience?” Petty asked shrewdly. “Is that for convincing me to use that VDS?”
Garvey remained silent.
“It had to be done,” Petty said, “had to be done.”
Garvey noticed the whiskey in the glass was gone. Petty was unwinding all right.
Garvey frowned. What was bothering the CEO? Was it the VDS and space interceptors? Petty had planned to build many of them and surprise Livia Drusus. Now she would prepare.
Garvey looked at his Scotch and soda. Did Petty have a point? Did he need to unwind? What was the best way to do that?
Garvey shook his head. He admired men like Colonel Steele. He admired that nut of a kid with his insane, gallant ideas. That was an old-fashioned word, a big word. But probably that was what the kid was. Gallant, a knight errant.
“What are you grinning at?” Petty asked. “You need more to drink?”
Garvey looked at his Scotch and soda. It was only half done.
“Not yet?”
“You don’t need a refresher?” Petty asked.
“Yeah, I guess I do.”
Petty lurched up, grabbed the drink and walked in a half-robotic way to the wet bar. He refreshed Garvey’s Scotch and soda and gave himself a double again. He walked back robotically.
The boss was a big man, a strong man, a tough man, a smart man. Not necessarily a good man, though—depending on how you defined it.
“Here,” Petty said.
Garvey took the drink and sipped obligatorily.
Petty sat down.
“Sir, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, and I don’t know if you’re going to like it or not.”
“Oh, yeah?” Petty slurped his drink.
How many has he had? Garvey wondered.
“Speak, man, speak!” Petty said. “What do you got to tell me?”
Garvey hesitated, holding his drink with both hands, and then blurted, “We ought to let the kid see her.”
Petty blinked several times and then sat back, his head lurching. “You talking about that spy, Dawnstar? Let her see our shining white knight?”
“Yep,” Garvey said. “That’s what I’m saying.”
“Do you know what kind of woman she is? I’ve had my people study her past. She’s tough, ruthless and confident. She’d twist that boy around her little finger. He’d be doing whatever she wants in no time. Why, he’d probably break her out. He’d probably join Livia’s side to please her.”
“Sir, I don’t think any girl is going to make any difference to who John Steele serves or what he does. That kid has his thoughts screwed on tight. I mean, she may make him lovelorn and lose his head in some ways, but not regarding his duty.”
“Come on,” Petty said. “I wouldn’t let a minnow see a shark like her. What are you thinking?”
“That he’s going off to space marine training and maybe should see the girl he’s in love with.”
“In love,” Petty shouted. “That’s what you call it. He just likes the sway of her ass.”
“I’m sure he does that, sir. But I think he’s in love. And for this kid, I don’t think that’s going to come around all that often.”
“You can’t be serious,” Petty said.
“Dead on, sir.”
Petty sat down his drink and stared at Garvey. “Love. Love.” It was like he bit off the word each time. “You think that kid is in love?”
“I do,” Garvey said.
“There ain’t no such thing as love,” Petty said. “There’s lust, enjoyment, and power.”
Garvey didn’t respond to that.
“You don’t agree with me?”
“Maybe for you and me, sir,” Garvey said. “But not for some kids. Not for some idealistic soldiers.”
“Well then, he’s a moron,” Petty said, “because he doesn’t know the facts of life.”
“Sir…”
“What?” Petty said. “You just hesitated. I don’t want you to hesitate at all. Otherwise,” Petty made a fist, shaking it.
“Respectfully, sir,” Garvey said, “in the area of love and women, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What?” Petty roared. “I enjoy women more than any man.”
“Certainly, you have beautiful ladies to bed. But do you love them? Do you have commitment? Do you have the engagement that lasts into old age?”
Petty picked up his whiskey glass and made as if he was going to hurl it at Garvey. At the last moment, he side-eyed the glass and noticed there was still whiskey in it. Petty lowered his arm, hiccupped, and then he drank it in a hard, fast swallow. He belched and turned away. Big, strong James Petty shook his head. He faced Garvey afterward. There were tears welling in his eyes.
Garvey was horrified. What had he done?
“Love,” Petty said in a dead voice. “I loved a woman once. I was young. You know what she did to me?”
“No, sir,” Garvey said. “Are you sure you should tell me?”
“Yeah, I should tell someone. She cheated with my best friend. Slept with him. And I had married her. She did that to me. To me, James Petty. You know what I did to the guy?”
“Killed him?”
“No, I didn’t do a thing. I thought to myself, you did me a favor by showing me how worthless she was. I did love, but it didn’t work. It didn’t take. That’s when I knew love was a scam. Do you realize what I’m saying?”
“You had bad luck, sir. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you go sorryin’ me. I got nothin’ that I’m ashamed of. I’d do it all over again in a second. Do you hear that?”
“I do.”
“Do you believe it?” Petty asked.
“You want me to tell you what you want to hear, sir? Or would you like to hear the truth?”
Petty swore and said, “I want the truth.”
‘I’m not sure I believe you this time, sir.”
“You’re a bastard,” Petty said. “And you know what? As for John Steele getting to see that shark Dawnstar before he goes off to space marine training—you know what? I’m gonna do him a favor. I’m gonna do him a great big, huge favor.”
Garvey’s heart fell. He knew he should have been more politic.
“I’m gonna let the kid see her. I’m gonna let Dawnstar break his heart in half so that he becomes hardened and tough and strong because he knows the way life really works. I’m gonna do that, Garvey. And get this, Steele is never gonna thank you for that. Never. Never. Never. But it’s probably what the boy needs.”
Garvey stared shell-shocked at the boss.
“Go on now,” Petty said. “Get out of here. I want to get drunk by myself.”
Garvey stood up, and he saluted. Then he turned smartly and hurried out. For the first time in his life, he felt sorry for Petty. Wasn’t that a crazy thing? He could hardly believe it.
-16-
John put on his best clothes, made reservations at Glen Eagles, and then hurried to the detention center. He had to pass several guards, showing them an ID, and finally, he came to a large room and waited. It was crazy, but his stomach churned with butterflies.
That’s good, John told himself. If you have butterflies, it means you’re nervous, and if you’re nervous, you like the girl, and that’s the way I want to live. I want to feel butterflies. I enjoy this.
Was this his innate personality or a matter of youth, or perhaps a combination of both?
He heard a click and a heavy door opened. He turned, and there was Dawnstar. She looked different without her gear. She looked sadder, but better rested.
“Hello,” John said. “Surprised to see me?”
Dawnstar glanced at the burly guard. “I’m free to go?”
“Yep,” the guard said, “that’s my orders.”
“I can go anywhere?” Dawnstar asked.
The guard pointed at John. “With him, that’s where you can go, or you can go back to your cell in detention.”
Dawnstar nodded and then smiled as she came to John holding out her hands. “I’m so happy to see you.” She grabbed his hands. “Let’s get out of here, then I can be on my own.”
“No, you’re in my custody,” John said. “That’s what the major told me, and I told him I would do exactly as he said.”
“Oh, so you’re going to rat me out?”
“No, I’m going to keep my word,” John said. “That’s what I do, I keep my word. If I give it, I keep it.”
“Is that supposed to impress me?”
John frowned. “Look, let’s get out of this place, at least walk the corridors. Are you willing to do that with me?”
“It’s better than being in my cell, that’s for sure.”
So they walked out, leaving the detention center. John took her to the outer corridors where he enjoyed walking.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to make me dislike you?” John asked.
There might have been a moment of surprise on her face. “What are you talking about?” she said with a sneer.
“That’s what my instinctive sense is telling me, and one thing I have learned to trust is it.”
“Oh, please,” Dawnstar said. “Is that more of your crazy ideas, why you do the stupidest things?”
“They haven’t turned out stupid.”
Dawnstar sighed. “John… you seem like a nice kid.”
“Kid? You can’t be any older than me.”
“Maybe not in years,” Dawnstar said, “but in hard experiences and knowing how the world works, I’m light years ahead of you.”
“Bull,” he said.
“Bull? You’re not going to use a cruder word?”
“No,” he said. “I’m saving those for when it makes a difference.”
“Saving them?” Dawnstar asked.
“What is bad language but crudity and boorishness? I don’t use it unless I have a need, and so far, there hasn’t been a need. Besides, actions speak louder than words.”
Dawnstar stared at the strange young man. He had such an open and honest face, and he seemed intense like there were wound-up springs in him, but he didn’t seem like a freak. Sure, he did some stupid things, but they were like…
