First Flight: Federal Space Book 1, page 15
“Not big on windows around here,” Mason said.
“Not exactly a lot to see around here, Flight Lieutenant,” Mister Cordial said.
Mason looked around the empty alley. “Fair point.”
“Indeed,” Mister Cordial said. He handed a card to Cynth. “See what’s inside.”
“On it, boss,” Cynth said.
Cynth walked over to the door and waved the card over the scanner. There was a click as the bolt released. Cynth leveled her battle rifle and pushed inside.
“Is anyone going to watch her back?” Mason asked.
“I think she watches her own back just fine,” Jessica said.
“Indeed, she does,” Mister Cordial said. “Any trouble that runs into Cynth is going to regret the experience.”
“So, we just wait until she clears the building by herself?” Mason asked.
“Yes,” Mister Cordial said.
After ten minutes, Cynth reappeared, her face grim. “It’s ugly in there, boss. Entire headquarters is a slaughterhouse.”
“Let’s get inside,” Mister Cordial said.
Shimura nodded to Mason and, with Jessica’s help, hobbled through the back entrance.
They were immediately greeted by the dead bodies of two security personnel, a heavyset man and a middle-aged woman, lying where they had been gunned down. They had been shot in the back, likely while they were fleeing from whomever killed them. Mister Cordial crouched next to the man and flipped him onto his back. His body was so stiff it looked like Cordial was flipping over a board.
Colonel Shimura hobbled up to the body. “You know him?”
Mister Cordial set the man’s head down. “This is Sector Chief Javier Rowe, the head of security for the Red Ring. He worked for me.” Cordial gestured to the stiff body. “This would explain why no one answered when Cynth called. He’s been dead for hours. Long enough for rigor mortis to set in.”
“That would have been before we arrived on the station,” Mason said.
“You’re right, Mister Grey.” Mister Cordial stood up and turned around. “It appears I did jump to a conclusion. It seems I owe you all an apology.”
“Apologies can wait, Mister Cordial. Let’s focus on finding a way out of this mess,” Colonel Shimura said.
“Indeed,” Mister Cordial said. He nodded to Cynth. “Miss Cynth, please relieve Chief Rowe of his head. We’ll need his eyes to open the biometric lock on his console.”
“Wait a moment; wait a moment.” Jessica extracted herself from under Shimura’s arm. “No need to go cutting off anyone’s head.”
“I wouldn’t feel too squeamish, Miss Sinclair,” Mister Cordial said. “It’s not like he’s using his head anymore. Didn’t use it that much in life, either.”
Jessica knelt over Chief Rowe’s body and pulled open his eyes. “It’s not that, Mister Cordial. I just have a more efficient way of getting Chief Rowe’s eyes on that scanner.”
“Uh, what are you doing?” Mason asked.
“Scanning his irises. My eyes can mimic them,” Jessica said.
Mason twisted a little. “That is creepy.”
“What it is, is useful,” Mister Cordial said. “Follow me, Miss Sinclair. We can use the console in Chief Rowe’s office. Miss Cynth, with me. Mister Styles, guard the front. Mister Tag, guard the back entrance.”
Mason took over helping Colonel Shimura walk, while Jessica followed Mister Cordial to Chief Rowe’s office.
There were a lot of bodies in grey security uniforms littering the hallways of the station, and Mason had to help Colonel Shimura step over them. Only the second time in his life he had seen dead bodies, Mason’s stomach twisted at the sight of them. He noted that most of them didn’t have their weapons drawn.
“The Cendies hit this place,” Mason said.
“I was thinking the same, Flight Lieutenant,” Colonel Shimura said. “Striking the enemy unawares. That fits their MO.”
“Yes, I’m starting to appreciate how your people must be feeling right now, Colonel.” Mister Cordial stopped at an open door. “This is it.”
Mason followed Jessica inside with Colonel Shimura.
Jessica walked around the desk and sat down in the late security chief’s chair.
Mason noticed a coffee mug on the floor, complete with spilled coffee staining the cheap carpeting. Written in Exo on the mug, translated by Mason’s brainset, was “Red Ring’s Top Cop”. Looked like Chief Rowe was about to enjoy a cup of coffee when his station was murdered.
“Poor guy,” Mason said.
Colonel Shimura glanced at him. “What?”
“Nothing, sir,” Mason said. He helped Shimura settle in the chair in front of the chief’s desk.
“And I’m in,” Jessica said. “Curious that this station uses biometrics for authentication. That’s rather outdated.”
“By design. None of the powers that be in Fomalhaut, myself included, would allow this station’s security to have up-to-date hardware.”
“Yes, it shows,” Jessica said. “The coverage on the Red Ring is spotty as hell.”
“Also by design,” Mister Cordial said.
“Right, right. It wouldn’t do on a station run by criminals for security to be able to easily track down said criminals.”
“Exactly,” Mister Cordial said.
“So, good news and bad news,” Jessica said.
“Start with the bad news, if you please, Lieutenant,” Mister Cordial said.
“Good, because it’s mostly got to do with you,” Jessica said. “There’s a station-wide security alert ordering the arrest of you and all your known associates, Mister Cordial.” She turned the screen around so Mister Cordial could see. “They’ve got your face plastered on every notification going through the system. From what I can tell, every location on this station that belongs to you is getting hit by security forces not loyal to you, with the assistance of the Ascendency.”
Mister Cordial’s jaw tightened, flexing the scars covering his face. “It’s a coup, and I didn’t see it coming.”
“I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself, Mister Cordial,” Mason said. “The Cendies have a talent for blindsiding people.”
Mister Cordial leaned close to the screen, his black prosthetic eyes glistening with reflected light. “It appears this is far worse than I thought. Any ally that I thought I could call upon for help is either dead or under attack. Looks like they’ve put all the ships I own, or are owned by my allies, under lockdown.”
“Well, there are two pieces of good news,” Jessica said. “First, it looks like security wants to take you alive, Mister Cordial.”
“Likely as a hostage to get the rest of my organization in line,” Mister Cordial said.
“A fair plan, if true,” Jessica said. “Also, based on what I’m reading off the security feeds, there’s no sign anyone is aware that there are Federal personnel active on this station.”
“So, you’re saying that you, me, and Colonel Shimura can move around the station without drawing suspicion?” Mason asked.
“If we’re careful, yes,” Jessica said.
“So, we just need to find a safe place for Mister Cordial to lie low while we find Major Hauer’s squad,” Mason said.
Colonel Shimura nodded. “Seems like a logical next step. We should get out of this building before someone takes notice of the fact a dead man just logged into his console.”
Mister Cordial’s eyes became distant. “Too late.”
Jessica put an exterior camera feed onto the security chief’s monitor. On it, dozens of security personnel formed a grey wall in front of the Red Ring’s security headquarters. Peppered among them were the sleek, faceless forms of Ascendency soldiers.
“They must have been expecting I’d come here,” Mister Cordial said. “Seems I’ve become predictable.”
“We need to get out of here before they storm the building.” Colonel Shimura held out her hand and Mason took it, putting his shoulder under hers.
“Agreed,” Mister Cordial said.
“You coming?” Shimura said to Jessica.
“Just a moment. I’m almost finished,” Jessica said.
“With what?” Shimura asked.
“Creating a new profile. I’ll explain later,” Jessica said. “Done.”
“All right, let’s move,” Shimura said.
Chapter 11
Tag and Styles were waiting for them when they reached the back entrance, the hulking bodyguards crouched with their backs to each other, holding their carbines at their shoulders.
“We’ve got movement in the alleys, Mister Cordial,” Tag said. “We’re going to have to shoot our way out.”
“Take the lead, Miss Cynth,” Mister Cordial said. “Plow us a path.”
“On it, boss,” Cynth said. She turned to Tag and Styles. “Time to earn our pay.”
Mister Cordial drew his pistol. Shimura did the same. Mason would have drawn his gun, but he was busy helping hold Shimura up. He didn’t complain too much. As a trooper, Shimura would be a better shot. Jessica took up the rear with her pistol ready.
The three cyborg bodyguards led the way, guided by Tag’s drones, presumably giving early warning to movements from the alley.
Cynth lifted her assault rifle into the air and fired a burst. A faceless body landed on the ground limp. Mason looked up just in time to see a rain of grey faceless figures descend on them, some falling to the ground dead as Cynth and the other bodyguards shot them down, but more landing on their feet, weapons ready.
In the close confines of the alley, the roar of the battle rifle was deafening. A faceless grey body crashed into the ground to Mason’s left, causing him to lose his balance. He and Shimura went tumbling down as more landed on their feet. As bodies fell to the ground and the alley filled with the sound of close-quarters automatic fire, Mason scrambled for his gun. Tag knocked over a faceless Cendy and planted a boot on their chest before unloading a burst into their face, but then was dropped by a burst to the back by a Cendy who landed behind him.
Styles fired his carbine in full auto as he swept it across the alley, catching two Cendies, before the third dropped him with a shot to the head. Mister Cordial brought his weapon up and then spasmed, dropping his gun as he fell to the ground. A Cendy landed in front of Jessica and shot her in the stomach. Unperturbed, Jessica grabbed the barrel of a Cendy’s rifle and yanked it, pulling herself close as she placed the barrel of her burst pistol under the chin of the Cendy and squeezed the trigger, sending a spray of blood and brains out the top of the Cendy’s head.
By the time he pulled the gun out of his holster, the fight was done. Long faceless bodies littered the floor of the alley, along with Tag, Styles, and Mister Cordial. The only ones left standing were Jessica and Cynth, and neither was uninjured. Cynth’s left arm was severed above the elbow, exposing wires and broken strands of artificial muscle. Jessica had a hole in her stomach.
Mason got up. “You’re hit.”
Jessica looked down and probed the wound with her hand. “I am, aren’t I?”
Cynth crouched over Mister Cordial and set down her battle rifle with her functioning arm to look over him. Shimura sat up, her pistol at the ready.
“You should sit down,” Mason said to Jessica. “I’ll get the medkit from Cynth.”
“It’s not that bad,” Jessica said.
Mason spared a moment to glance at the hole in her side, then back up to her face. “That looks pretty bad to me.”
Jessica held up a reassuring hand, showing no signs that her very serious-looking bullet wound was causing her any pain. “I know what it looks like, and I’m telling you that it’s not that bad for me. Help me pick up Colonel Shimura, so we can get out of here.”
Mason noticed Cynth reach under Mister Cordial’s body and load him onto her shoulder one-handed. “What are you doing?”
“He’s not dead. They hit him with a stun dart,” Cynth said. “You were right about them wanting him alive.”
“Where do we go?” Mason asked.
She nodded towards a barely lit alley that didn’t seem to lead anywhere. “How about that way?”
Mason didn’t know why she picked that particular direction but didn’t feel he had the time to ask questions. He and Jessica hooked their arms under Colonel Shimura’s shoulders and carried her between them.
“We’re not going to make it,” Shimura said.
“We can if we hustle,” Mason said, picking up his pace.
Cynth came to a stop. “No, she’s right, I can hear them closing in around us.”
Mason came to a stop behind her. “What do we do?”
“Set me down, both of you,” Shimura said.
They set Shimura against a grey plastic wall, footsteps and voices echoing through the alley and growing closer by the second.
“Lieutenant Sinclair,” Shimura said.
“Yes, sir?”
“You take Flight Lieutenant Grey and find Major Hauer,” Shimura said.
“You can’t ask us to abandon you, sir,” Mason said.
“I’m not asking, I’m ordering. And you’re not abandoning me,” Colonel Shimura said. “You’re going to find Major Hauer and get him and his raiders to rescue me, Cynth, and Mister Cordial.”
“Mister Cordial would appreciate a rescue,” Cynth said. “As would I.”
“And how do we find you after we take you?” Mason asked.
“I managed to create a backdoor account while using Chief Rowe’s identity,” Jessica said. “I should be able to access the security network without anyone noticing and track down wherever security takes the colonel.”
“See? We already have a solution to that problem,” Colonel Shimura said. “Security shouldn’t be on the lookout for you two, but only if you get out of here and find a place to hide. Right now.”
Jessica took Mason by the shoulder. “Come on, we need to go.”
Mason sighed, nodded, and followed Jessica down the alley.
She ran up to a dumpster and lifted the lid. “In here.”
“Seriously?”
“This is not the time for an argument,” Jessica said. “Get in!”
“Ah, belts and zones,” Mason said. He pinched his nose and climbed inside. Jessica followed right behind and closed the lid.
The garbage was soft and moist in ways Mason didn’t want to think about, inspiring him to keep his nose pinched tightly shut. A thin line of reddish light leaking through the dumpster’s lid was the only illumination. Barely enough for him to see Jessica lying in the trash in front of him.
She held her finger to her lips.
The thumps of boots—lots of boots—echoed outside the plastic walls of the dumpster. Voices shouted out in Exo, too muffled by distance and the dumpster to make out. His brainset couldn’t translate, but the tone was easy enough to read. It sounded like they were commanding someone to surrender. The echoed shouts and lack of any weapons fire seemed to indicate that Shimura and Cynth had complied. There were more footsteps, more voices, and maybe the sound of handcuffs clicking together. Mason assumed those were for Shimura and the unconscious Mister Cordial. He wasn’t sure what the procedure was for restraining a one-armed cyborg. The boots and voices faded away, some moving right past the plastic dumpster Mason and Jessica were hiding in. Mason felt the grip of his pistol as he saw shadows break up the thin line of light, and then relief as the sound of the boots faded out of hearing range.
After several minutes, Jessica opened the lid to the dumpster and looked out.
“I think we’re clear,” she said.
Mason climbed out of the dumpster. There was nothing in the alley other than pools of condensation and loose garbage. He took a preliminary sniff of his forearm and recoiled.
“Not a fan of the smell of wet garbage?” Jessica asked.
“Not especially, no.” Mason took another sniff and sighed. “Well, it’s not that strong. Just remind me to take a shower when we get back aboard Mervie.”
“Not before I do, but let’s find those Raiders and see if we can’t use them to sort out this mess, yeah?” Jessica said. She gestured for him to follow and walked down the alley.
After a couple of turns, they walked out of the alley onto a deserted street. Mason didn’t know if he should be grateful or concerned that there wasn’t anyone in sight.
A vehicle came barreling around the corner. Mason almost leapt back into the alley until he saw that it was an automated garbage truck, moving far faster than Mason thought safe as it passed by them.
“Well, that thing’s in a damn blood hurry,” Jessica said, more annoyed than surprised.
“Yeah.” Mason let out a long sigh. “Belts and zones.”
“You all right there?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah, just a bit on edge.” Mason grunted to clear his throat. “So, we find Raiders, rescue Colonel Shimura and her pirate lord not-friend as well. Then escape the station without getting shot down by either the Cendies or the station’s own defenses.”
Jessica walked up to the curb and turned around to face Mason, crossing her arms in front of her. “You think you could fly us out of here?”
“I mean, Buttercup could push 1.5 gs at maximum burn. Totally adequate for evading weapons fire,” Mason said.
“It’s a poor craftsman who blames his tools,” Jessica said.
“I’m not saying Buttercup is a bad tool. She’s just the wrong one for escaping a hostile station,” Mason said. “At least, not without help.”
“So, we’ll need to contact Mervie and see about getting Wing Commander Cade and his pilots to give us some cover.”
“Yes, that would help,” Mason said.
A smile broke out on Jessica’s face. “Sounds like we have everything we need.”
“Does that include luck?” Mason asked. “Because I think we’re going to need heaps of that.”
Jessica turned around. “Trust me, Mason—we’ll make our own luck. You’ll see.”
She turned around to cross the street just as another automated garbage truck came barreling around the corner. The vehicle didn’t so much as slow down as it plowed over Jessica. There was a sickening wet crunch as the wheels rolled over her.
