The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

is one aspect of this which continues to bother me.”

“Which is?”

“How you arrived. This Anchor you described is troubling.”

“It should be. As long as they have the right quantum signature, they can show up anywhere. No warning.”

Valentin sighed as he walked to the open bulkhead.

“In theory, the entire attack fleet could materialize directly above the city. Yes?”

“More than theory, Valentin. The shit works.”

“You’re living proof. But they can’t land on top of us unless they know our exact coordinates. Correct?”

Michael’s own journey validated the point. He tracked where Valentin was headed.

“They’ll have to scout the planet first,” Michael said.

“If we detect the scout ship, we’ll know they’re coming.”

“Better yet, if you can knock out the scout ship before it reports back, the folks on the other side of the jumpgate won’t know if we took them out, or if their ship was lost in the jump. Either way, we slow them down.”

Valentin double-tapped his amp. “Admiral Kane, sit-rep. News from our patrols?”

“All quiet, Admiral. No incursions.”

“Good. I might have new orders for you soon. Continue as you are. Valentin out.”

The six young soldiers reported for duty, lined up at the open door, awaiting orders.

“Still-seats,” Valentin said. “You look fit. Everyone.”

One of the soldiers, Rikhi Syed, offered Michael a suspicious eye. Rikhi awoke first to hear Michael’s mea culpa. The others ignored him and followed orders. During this brief interlude, Michael made greater sense of Valentin’s concerns. Why didn’t he realize the obvious weak link in their plan?

A new strategy emerged. “Valentin, you need somebody up there with Guard command experience. Somebody to anticipate their next move and have the best chance to disable or destroy their ships. Got anybody like that patrolling the system now?”

“No,” Valentin said. “But the Guard is not equipped for interstellar combat. Never has been.”

“Exactly. Which means there ain’t a lot of pages in their playbook.”

“What are you suggesting?”

When Michael dropped Aldo Cabrise’s name, the reaction was quick and forceful.

“What? You brought a fleet admiral to Aeterna?” Valentin surged toward Michael, his fists balled. “The enemy is here now?”

“Look. Chill. Aldo was an admiral, but he’s not fighting for either side. He has a longstanding beef with the Admiralty, and he wanted to come back here for personal reasons. He committed treason to do so.”

“What do you mean ‘back’? Wait. Now I know this name. He was Admiral of the Tamarind fleet. He dropped slews on my brother’s team last year. We lost two immortals and almost James.”

Ouch. Somehow, that tidbit never came up in conversation with Aldo. Michael scrambled.

“He resigned his post to be a flunky in Ericsson Station. He thought it gave him the best chance to return here. Aldo was fleet admiral the last time this planet went to hell. The Admiralty shut him up about what happened. He wanted to return so he could prove them wrong. He’s no threat to you, but he can be an ally.”

All of which Michael believed was true, but he also needed a reason to get Aldo off the planet – or at least outside the towers – before the Jewels took their revenge.

“Where is he now?”

“I left him two K north beside the river. If he’s on foot again, he’ll be closer. Valentin, we need every advantage. Yes?”

Valentin turned to Col. Joosten. “Scan north and take us there.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why is it,” Valentin told Michael, “I feel compelled to trust you?”

“I’m guessing same reason you trust Sam, but it ain’t because we’re good looking. We’re playing by different rules now, and the folks who made those rules? Out of our league.”

“And if it’s all a game to these Jewels?”

He shrugged. “Then we’re dead. I reckon anything else is a goddamn victory.”

“Is Cabrise armed?”

“Does it matter? Not like he’s gonna be able to make a dent.” Michael pivoted to the young soldiers. “For the sake of argument, helmets for everybody?”

The Scramjet landed, and the bulkhead pixelated clear. Michael wasn’t surprised when he saw Aldo on the run. He remembered his amp. Dumbass. Why didn’t you warn him?

He leaped from the ship. “Aldo! Aldo! It’s Michael. Slow the fuck down, will you?”

The old man limped as he ran, his quad still bothering him. He swung around after Michael’s third request. Aldo cocked his laser pistol hip-high.

“Dude. Seriously. I need you to settle.”

Aldo’s terrified eyes scanned Michael up and down.

“New threads,” Michael said. “Cool, huh?”

“You cudfrucker. How can you be … Did you go to their side?”

Michael grabbed the pistol. “A. Yes. I’m on their side. Sort of. B. If you plan to see another sunrise, you’ll do the same. Aldo, I don’t have time to explain all this shit again. When I left you behind, you said it was my mission. Yeah? Well, I’m calling the shots now, and I need your help. I need Admiral Cabrise back in the saddle.”

Aldo responded with a dead-eyed glare suggesting Michael grew additional appendages.

“Cooper, I don’t know what happened to you last night, but you have clearly parted ways with reality.”

“Yep. Three years ago, more or less. Aldo, we’ve come too far. Trust me. Oh, and just so you know: You’re probably gonna freak out when you see who’s onboard. Word to the wise: Don’t. Things are already kind of delicate. I killed a few of them earlier.”

64

T HE NEXT FEW MINUTES WERE NOT pleasant, as Michael anticipated. Aldo wasn’t fond of meeting the military leader of a group which killed more than two million Chancellors. Understandable. Learning about the fate of Ericsson Station did not ingratiate him to the child soldiers, who seemed equally disdainful. Michael short-changed a million years of history to layout the stakes, an argument which proved flimsy when Aldo said everyone in the