[05] Elite: Reclamation (37 page)

‘Ok?’ he asked.

She nodded.

They emerged from the lift. Kahina blinked in surprise.

Noise. The combined chatter, shouting and bustle of hundreds of people milling around about her. The lower levels of the station were crammed full of people, pushing in one direction or another. Small bots flew overhead, some carrying out errands for their owners, others dragging holofac advertisements behind them. One passed close over her head, making her duck instinctively. Somebody nearby giggled at her. She looked, catching a faint glimpse of the machine as it whirred away, blaring an irritating but catchy tune as it did so.

Priest’s perfect protopolpys! Tuttle’s tasty therapsabladders! Just five credits, all you can eat! Last real food before witchspace …

Huge holofac images glowed around her, full height holograms of bizarre looking clothing, ships, food and here and there surprisingly erotic forms of entertainment that left her gaping in surprise. It was gauche and unsophisticated; it would never have been allowed on an Imperial world. They seemed to be in a huge shopping precinct. Shops haphazardly framed a street that ran straight in both directions.

No, not straight.

It gently curved up to her right and left, rising up like a cliff. Her mouth dropped open with a gasp of surprise.

The lift they had just arrived in had descended down a vast columnar support which ran from the central axis of the station down to here, near the outside. She could see two others, each arranged a quarter of the way around the inside of the station. She guessed there was a fourth, hidden from her view. The ‘street’ circumnavigated the inside of this self-contained world, meeting itself high above her head, behind the central hub. She’d been ‘up’ there just a moment ago. Buildings jutted upwards from the ground towards the axis all around her. Above she could distinguish side ‘streets’, departing the main route and allowing access into other parts of the station. There was even one green area, about a third of the way around the circumference from her position, framing what was clearly a lake.

She swallowed. It looked totally ridiculous. Untold millions of litres of water just hanging there on the wall, poised to fall …

But from there I’m hanging in the air too!

Kahina staggered backwards, trying to make sense of it all. She was jostled impatiently by people trying to get past.

‘You look like tourist,’ Luko scolded, pulling her behind him and to one side, out of the never-ending stream of people. ‘Golden rule. Never look up. Yes?’

Kahina took a deep breath and nodded. Keeping her eyes at ‘ground’ level definitely helped.

‘I need to get parts,’ Luko said. ‘You want to come with me or look around?’

Kahina looked around her, still fascinated. ‘I’ll look …’

‘Docking Bay 42 if you get lost, yes?’ Luko said, looking seriously at her. ‘And don’t buy anything. They see you coming a light year away. Tourist prices, bad.’

Kahina frowned, but conceded the point.

‘Sure?’ he queried.

Kahina nodded. ‘See you soon.’

Luko disappeared into the crowd. Kahina turned and headed in the other direction. She traversed the crowd, finding that people on the other side of the street were generally heading in the direction she was going. One thing reassured her, it was impossible to get lost. A quick glance overhead told her exactly where she was. She’d easily be able to find her way back to the lift.

She looked around her for a specific sign, not seeing it immediately in the crowded mix of banners and adverts. Above, transports came and went, she instinctively moved aside as an aircar with police markings slowly traversed the area, before moving onwards.

There, a comms station.

That was what she needed. She moved onwards, past a busy crowd of people clustered around one stall. She negotiated her way past, trying to get through as politely as possible. Something was grabbing their attention. She idly looked across.

She caught sight of a rather shabby looking man, with long almost mane-like hair and wild protruding eyes, standing on a series of packing crates. They were all marked
SS Hesperus
in hastily painted text. He held something in his hand; it looked like a small round mound of fur. She caught his voice, hawking his wares.

‘Are you looking for a cute and fluffy companion for those long interstellar journeys perchance? I have some rare, exotic and adorable creatures from the far flung corners of the galaxy aboard that would give you much care and affection in the dark and lonely void ...’

Whatever the creatures were they seemed popular. Folk were waving credit vouchers and ID bracelets at him. She could see kids cradling the things excitedly in their hands. Some of them made little whistling noises. One had eyes she could see, huge soulful eyes with big brown irises. They were adorably cute, perhaps she could get one.

A man pushed past with a rough laugh. ‘Look at that ‘stard with his Trumbles. Get one of those on your ship and you can kiss your cargo goodbye, teeth like razors, eat anything. And they sell ‘em to kids!’

Perhaps not.

She spotted the family she’d seen in the lift on the far side of the Trumble seller. Both boys clearly had their minds set on owning one of the furry creatures. The father shook his head. The youngest child pouted. She heard him even over the sound of the crowd.

‘Oh … disappointment!’

She moved on. The comm station wasn’t busy compared to the other stalls and shops. It seemed like most folk were after food, drink and entertainment. There were a series of holofac cubicles. With a quick look around her she stepped inside one, allowing the door to close behind her. She settled into the single chair contained within.

She touched the communication system, waiting for it to link up and negotiate with the station’s systems. A few moments later a young man’s face appeared.

‘Station five comms. How can I help?’

‘I need a message sent to the Imperial Herald and the Imperial Citizen,’ Kahina said.

‘News report, general enquiries or job application?’

Kahina smiled. ‘Oh, news. Definitely, news.’

‘Standby.’ The man looked aside. Kahina could see him calling up a holofac display and gesturing with his hand. ‘Direct message or pre-rec?’

‘Pre-rec.’

‘File please.’

Kahina tapped commands into her own console and tapped her bracelet against it, sending a file across the link.

‘That will take about half an hour to reach them, ok?’

‘That’s fine.’

‘Charge is fifteen credits. ID please.’

Kahina placed her ID bracelet on the console. It flickered briefly as it was interrogated.

‘That’s on its way. Anything else I can do for you?’

Kahina smiled at him. ‘Oh no, I think that’s more than enough. But thank you anyway.’

The man nodded and she closed down the link. She relaxed back in her chair for a moment.

There was no turning back now.

Chapter Twelve

The
Manucacamonton
slowed as it approached the enormous Federation battlecruiser. The ship was a dramatic sight at close range. Jenu’s overall impression was of an enormous double-bladed sword. The ship’s centre line was bisected by a large division, empty and open to space. She could see ships flitting in and out of it and could make out deck upon deck of lights, still tiny even from this distance.

The bridge of the vessel was located near the stern, overlooking the docking area. Dotted around the hull were the telltale blisters of ballistic turrets, missile defences, laser barrage guns, plasma emplacements and doubtless many other weapons devised by those who had designed the vessel.

The ship had little aesthetic appeal, it was built to intimidate, to frighten, to ensure power could be demonstrated easily and deployed swiftly. The arrival of a ship such as this could cow an entire system into submission. Jenu could understand why, her overriding impression was of brooding malevolence.

Communications barked, sharp and efficient, over the comms system. Shields were carefully lowered for the approach, docking clearance was granted and terse instructions given to their fighter escort. Jenu watched as their ship nestled up against the internal flanks of the battlecruiser. With a faint rumble they came to a halt.

Tenim turned, his magnetic boots disengaging and reclamping to the corrugated floor of the bridge. He signalled to Jenu. She gave the battlecruiser one last glance and turned to follow him.

They were met by the captain and his first officer on the other side of the airlock. Both stood ram-rod straight, clean shaven, chins jutting forward. Their uniform was dark and functional, their rank indicated by small emblems on cuffs and collars. As Tenim and Jenu stepped out both snapped a salute in perfect unison.

‘Commissioner Neseva.’

‘Permission to come aboard, Captain?’

‘Permission granted, Commissioner. Welcome aboard the
Xajorkith.
’

Tenim nodded and looked back at Jenu, rolling his eyes with amusement. He looked back at the officers.

‘At ease, gentlemen.’

Both men eased their stance, just perceptibly.

‘Might I introduce my aide, Jenu Merrington.’

Both officers gave her a peremptory nod. The captain extended his hand. Jenu took it and was rewarded with a firm shake.

‘Ms Merrington. My vessel is at your disposal.’

‘Most kind,’ Jenu replied.

‘We’ve had a long trip, Captain,’ Tenim began, ‘perhaps we might …’

‘Quarters have been prepared, Commissioner,’ the captain answered. ‘However, we’ve received a transmission we think you ought to see immediately. It has a direct bearing on our current situation.’

Tenim frowned. ‘From the Imperials?’

The captain and the first officer exchanged a look before the captain replied.

‘Not exactly, Commissioner.’

Tenim raised an eyebrow.

‘Then you’d better show us. Have someone deal with our effects.’

The captain signalled to some nearby deckhands and they scurried off. The captain gestured along the internal corridor that ran the length of the docking area.

Tenim and Jenu were led towards the rear of the vessel. Jenu was quickly disoriented by the sheer internal size of the ship, particularly once they were led away from the areas where external windows allowed a view into space. The interior was drab, grey and functional. Each section of the vessel was sealed off from the next by a series of blast doors, requiring tedious stepping over raised bulkheads to venture into the next section. At least the doors were open, though she assumed they would be closed in the heat of battle. It seemed curiously low tech. Jenu assumed it was a precaution against breaches to the hull. This was a military vessel after all, not a pleasure cruiser.

They arrived in a comms centre. The captain dismissed the operatives inside and closed the door behind them. The first officer busied himself with activating the display units.

A large holofac emitter in the middle of the room began to glow and then the image of a young woman appeared. She was simply clothed, in a plain but smart dress, a single necklace around her neck. Her hair was dark, cut at the shoulders and neatly brushed. Her face bore the marks of bruises and cuts. Behind her the bulkhead of an old ship could be vaguely made out.

Jenu gasped and Tenim straightened in surprise, there was no mistaking her identity.

The woman turned to look at whatever recording device had been used to create the holofac and began speaking in resolute and assured tones. She was clearly angry, her eyes flashing with emotion and zeal. Tenim and Jenu watched in disbelief and growing alarm as her words filled the room.

‘Fellow citizens of the Empire. I am Lady Kahina Tijani Loren …’

The message was direct, challenging and determined. She concluded with an ultimatum, leaning forward aggressively. Then the holofac transmission ended.

Tenim looked at Jenu.

‘We did wonder when she’d appear again. She appears to have adopted her own position.’

‘She can’t mean it?’ Jenu said.

‘She looked like she meant it to me,’ Tenim said thoughtfully. ‘Misguided and naïve perhaps, but definitely sincere.’ He turned to the captain. ‘When did this arrive?’

The captain checked his chronometer. ‘Approximately twenty minutes ago, Commissioner. It was wideband, sent out by one of the Imperial newsfeeds. It will be propagating across the systems as we speak.’

‘Could it be jammed?’

The first officer shook his head. ‘Impossible Commissioner, the independent networks will already have it by now.’

Tenim nodded.

‘Well then. Captain, your priorities have changed.’

The captain snapped to attention.

‘Bring the fleet to a state of battle readiness,’ Tenim instructed. ‘We must be prepared to jump to the Prism system as fast as is practically possible. A blockade, if you please.’

The captain nodded, his eyes glowing with excitement. ‘It will be done, Commissioner.’

‘One further thing, Captain.’

‘Commissioner?’

‘If you identify the ship that wretched girl is on and it happens to suffer an unfortunate accident …’

‘Understood, Commissioner.’

The captain signalled to his first officer and both departed quickly, striding purposefully out of the room.

Jenu turned to Tenim.

‘Jump to the Prism system? I thought we were just going to stand off on opposing star systems. The Imperials will be forced to respond if we go in. All those ships in the same system? It will start a war!’

Tenim sighed. ‘I’m afraid that is almost inevitable now, my dear. Imperial honour will demand a response to the girl’s directive.’

‘But …’

Tenim held up a hand. ‘No buts my dear. I’m afraid the Loren girl has pulled the trigger. We must move quickly now … before the hammer falls.’

***

Gerrun poured himself a Zaqueesoan Evil Juice and downed a generous portion, savouring the sensation as it warmed the back of his throat and eased its way down into his stomach. Zyair continued to quiz the ambassador.