The Tortuous Path (Fall of the Terran Empire Book 2) Read online

  Chapter 14

  “Can you turn off the alarm?” Gerry said while retrieving her weapons from the dead guards.

  “Yes, but it won’t make a difference. Security must investigate. It is station protocol.”

  “Then we should get going.”

  “Right behind you, sister.”

  “How long do we have until they get here?”

  “A couple of minutes at the most. I’ve disabled the cameras along the corridor. That will allow us to get to the chute without drawing any attention.”

  “Lead the way, little brother.”

  The clones used their augmented speed to race to the waiting vehicle before the security detail arrived.

  “Where is it?” Gerry said as they reached the chute.

  “I don’t know,” Danny said. “This is where we got out. The car must have left.”

  “How much time do we have?”

  “None. Security is almost here. Run.”

  The clones rushed back the way they came and passed Erbakan’s office.

  “I’ve locked the doors to Erbakan’s office,” Danny said. “That should slow the security detail down a little. I’m also hacking into Erbakan’s system.”

  “Why?”

  “To see if there’s anything else I can use to slow them down.”

  “Just don’t get distracted. We have to get out of here. Are you sure all the cameras have been disabled?”

  “Yes. Nobody can track us. I’ve also erased all records of our arrival at his office.”

  “Good. Maybe we’ll get off this station in one piece after all.”

  Danny simultaneously watched the security team’s progress, hacked into Erbakan’s computer systems, and monitored the surveillance systems up ahead of them. “Stop running. There are people up ahead.”

  “Okay,” Gerry said. “Switch to neural link communication.”

  Agreed, Danny said through his implant. Erbakan’s system is proving to be quite robust. I’m borrowing some of your brain’s resources to help break in.

  Just don’t turn me into a vegetable, okay?

  You’ll never notice the difference.

  Danny accessed unused parts of Gerry’s brain and discreetly tapped some of the station’s computing resources to mount a massive attack against Erbakan’s system. He hammered the system with millions of combinations, looking for hidden vulnerabilities. Surprisingly, the system turned out to use military level defenses. But Danny persisted, knowing that with time he would find a way to get in. Time was in short supply, however.

  Any progress? Gerry said.

  No.

  Let it go. We have other things to worry about.

  Just a little more. I think I’m on to something.

  Danny pushed harder, exploring an exploit that seemed promising. He felt the system straining against his onslaught. It was as though it shrank away from him. Danny hit it with everything he had, and it buckled allowing him to enter.

  “I’m in!” Danny said out loud, drawing surprised glances from the many passers-by.

  Use the neural link, Gerry chastised.

  Sorry, Danny said while he devoured the information stored on the gangster’s systems. This is incredible. Erbakan controls a criminal empire.

  Controlled, Gerry corrected.

  Right. But still. No wonder Mr. Leventis wanted us to assassinate him. With Erbakan gone, Leventis stands to become considerably more powerful.

  That is none of our concern. We just want to get out of here, and free Isaac, remember?

  I do. Don’t worry sister. I… Shit. Do you see this?”

  Danny could tell that Gerry had not been watching his progress, choosing instead to remain focused on their environment. But now she did look, and Danny felt her growing concern. We can’t help them, little brother, she said finally.

  Why can’t we? We have space on the ship for them.

  We don’t even know if we’ll get ourselves off this station in one piece, how can we possibly take these women with us?

  How can we leave them here, sister? Look at them. They’ll all be sold into slavery. Can you honestly tell me you can walk away from this?

  Gerry shook her head. You’re right, I can’t. Where are they holding them?

  Danny smiled. Right this way.

  The two disguised clones walked to another chute, and Danny used his access to the station’s systems to have a car waiting for them this time. They climbed in, and the vehicle took off through the station’s web of transportation tunnels.

  Danny sent a message from Erbakan’s system authorizing the release of the prisoners. At the same time, he took note of the fact that the security team had managed to get inside the office and now knew about the bloodbath. Gerry saw it too. They also saw the station-wide alert that followed.

  They still don’t know it’s us, Danny said reassuringly.

  That doesn’t matter, Gerry said. We work for Erbakan. They’ll stop us before our ship leaves the system.

  Good point, but you forget my network access. I can cover our tracks. Make it look like we’re someone else. Or just make it so that our ship doesn’t trigger a response.

  They’ve got a record of our ship arriving, little brother. Don’t you think they can figure the rest out? We show up, and then there’s a massacre in Erbakan’s office. The first place they’re going to look is our ship.

  Not necessarily, sister. I’m altering the station’s records of our arrival. That should prevent any unwanted attention.

  The vehicle came to a stop, and they got out into a distinctly rougher looking part of the station. Everything seemed to be in disrepair here, and all around them were people living in makeshift shelters and tents.

  Where are we, little brother? Gerry said.

  They call this area ‘the bowels’, Danny said.

  So, these people are homeless?

  Yes. Many are refugees. Others are victims of circumstances, with nowhere else to go. There is a considerable criminal element down here too since station security doesn’t often patrol down here.

  Our disguises fit right in.

  Yes, I imagine they’re all quite afraid of us. Erbakan ruled like an absolute dictator down here.

  Humanity will never change, Gerry said with disgust.

  No argument here, Danny said.

  The two clones moved through the station’s crowded bowels at a brisk pace. The inhabitants gave them a wide berth, careful not to give the slightest provocation. Hasad and Rollan were undoubtedly well known in the bowels.

  When they arrived at their destination, an armed goon waited. This one was shorter but possessed disproportionately broad shoulders, and muscles that hid anything that remotely resembled a neck.

  “I wasn’t given much time to get the cargo ready,” the troll-like guard said.

  “Mr. Erbakan wanted to take advantage of a sudden opportunity,” Danny said.

  The troll nodded. “None of my business either way. You two will just have to clean them up. That’s all.”

  “We’ll manage,” Gerry said. “Can we speed this up? We’ve got a deadline.”

  “Yeah, sure. Don’t want to get the boss upset. Follow me.”

  The troll walked through a door, with Danny and Gerry following close behind. They entered what seemed to be a private storage area, no doubt belonging to Erbakan. Several minutes later they arrived at an oversized container. “Want to look over the cargo?” the troll said.

  “Yes,” Danny said, trying to contain his growing anger.

  The troll opened the container’s heavy doors, and they were greeted by several gasps and whimpers. Danny clenched his fists and swallowed hard. There must have been at least thirty women living in squalor inside the container. He resisted the urge to put a hand over his nose to block the unbearable stench wafting out. Apparently, the human traffickers didn’t consider sanitation a priority.

  He took a good look at the wretched women inside. They were all dirty and unkempt, with many showing bruis
es, and other signs of physical abuse. Worst of all was their terror-stricken expressions, as though the opening door could only lead to more horrific consequences.

  Bastards, Gerry said through her implant.

  “I told you,” the troll said. “I haven’t had enough time to get the cargo ready for transport.”

  “Don’t worry,” Danny said. “We’ll take care of it. Let’s just hurry up and get them on board.”

  “No problem,” the troll said as he closed the door. “Mr. Erbakan sent us the port number. We’ll get them loaded right away.”

  After a brief discussion with the troll, Danny and Gerry left the storage area and headed for the ship.

  We’re really taking a significant risk here, Gerry said.

  I know, Danny said. But what else could we do?

  I don’t know, little brother. We can’t just leave those women. We must help them. But it’s risky. In some ways, life was less complicated when we were controlled by Zeta. I mean, they made us do horrible things, but we didn’t have any choice in the matter.

  Maybe we have to prove ourselves worthy of our freedom? Danny said.

  Are you joking? Gerry said.

  No. Why?

  Look around you. All these people are free, and they’re all corrupt.

  Just because they’re not worthy of their freedom, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be.

  All these new ideas you have are going to get you killed, little brother. You know that, don’t you?

  Shit!

  Oh, come on. I was just joking.

  No, it’s security. They’re waiting by the ship.

  Chapter 15

  The man’s naked body quivered, as it strained against the energy restraints. He had stopped kicking some time ago, the exertion tapping the last of his strength. His feet hung limply a foot above the floor, his chin rested against his chest.

  He had fought longer than she had expected and endured more than most, but none of it made any difference in the end. Her only question now was whether he was still conscious.

  Premier Margaret Reese, the leader of the Avar system, nodded to the burly soldier. The soldier’s hand swung with unusual speed, considering the man’s size, slapping the man across the cheek an ear. The man grunted, and his head twisted violently, as wild eyes darted back and forth until realization took hold.

  “That’s right,” Reese said. “It wasn’t a dream. You really are here. This is really happening.”

  “I already told you,” the man said. “You have the wrong person. I don’t know anything.”

  “Come now. Why do you persist with these lies? We both know that is not true. There is no reason why you should endure any more suffering. Why do it?”

  “You have the wrong person.”

  Reese took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Do you think this resistance makes you a hero? A martyr? Are you really that foolish? Let me explain the cold reality of your situation. No one will know what happened to you. Ever. No one will know how much suffering you endured before breaking. And believe me, you will break. Everybody breaks. Do you know why? Because no matter how much you fight, you cannot defeat your primary enemy. Time. Sooner or later, you will lose the last of your strength. Your resolve will disappear. Your willpower will desert you. When that happens, you will gladly tell me everything I want to know. It is inevitable. What isn’t inevitable is how much you will have to endure before that happens. The choice is yours.”

  She shook her head as his eyes filled with hatred. “Go to hell,” the man said and spit bloody saliva at her.

  “Hell? Really? Where did you think you were?” A comm request interrupted Reese, drawing her attention away from the brutalized man. “Go ahead,” she said, answering the comm.

  “I am sorry to disturb you, Premier, but we have a situation.”

  “What sort of situation?”

  “A squadron of UEDF capital ships have entered the system and are advancing on the planet Trianda.”

  “I see. I’ll be right there. Do nothing until I arrive. Understood?”

  “Yes, Premier.”

  Reese disconnected the comm and stood. “It seems we will have to continue our conversation later,” she said to the prone prisoner. “Fear not, I’ll make sure you are not left alone. Sergeant Mathers will continue to entertain you. Isn’t that right, Sergeant?”

  “Yes, Premier,” said the burly soldier. “I’ll keep things really interesting.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant.” Reese exited her room of horrors, and made her way to the nearby lift, barely noticing the sounds and smells of the subterranean level. So, the UEDF have moved against us, she thought. Why now? What has changed?

  Reese chewed on that question as she took the lift to Government House’s Operations Room. The Empire hadn’t moved against a Frontier Alliance system since its forces were repelled in the early days of the revolution. As far as Reese saw it, they had enough on their plate dealing with the core systems.

  When she entered the Operations Room, she found her generals gathered around an enormous holodisplay showing the squadron’s advance on the planet Trianda. “Have we received any transmissions from the UEDF?” she said as she stepped up to the generals.

  “None, Premier,” said General Ribault, her chief of staff. “We are preparing a response to the incursion.”

  “Don’t respond,” Reese said.

  “Premier?”

  “Leave our ships where they are, General.”

  “But that will leave Trianda vulnerable once their orbital defenses are destroyed,” Ribault protested.

  “I understand, and it is regrettable, but I am willing to wager that there is a fleet waiting in metaspace for us to do just that. Why else would they appear with just a squadron?”

  “It is not just a squadron, Premier. They are all capital ships, and they include the new Zeta battleships. It is a formidable force.”

  “Perhaps, but we do have the means to drive them off, do we not?”

  “Yes, Premier. We do.”

  “There is your answer, General. They are trying to be clever. A weaker force would be an obvious ruse.”

  General Ribault frowned but did not say anything.

  “Hail them. I want to speak to whoever is in command.”

  Chapter 16

  Admiral Reynolds sat on the bridge of the Valiant, his fleet’s flagship. He had commanded the Valiant when he had been a captain and saw no reason to move to a new ship when he became an Admiral. The capital ship had served him well over the years. With a few modifications, it made a perfect command ship.

  He had considered creating an Admiral’s bridge, so as not to interfere with the running of the ship itself but decided to keep things the way they were. Instead, the existing bridge was made larger to accommodate his responsibilities. The fleet had grown dramatically in size with his promotion and required his undivided attention. Nonetheless, he couldn’t bear to leave the ship’s bridge. He needed to stay in tune with the Valiant, even if Captain Travers had direct command of the warship.

  Admiral Reynolds now commanded a fleet that rivaled any other in the Empire. His fleet also included the powerful Zeta battleships that were purchased for the Pallian campaign. Their upgraded plasma beams and advanced shields were unrivaled at the time and had wreaked havoc on Imperial warships during the hostilities between the Empire and Zeta. Imperial engineers worked tirelessly to figure out the Zeta secrets. Their toil was rewarded, and they eventually succeeded in reverse engineering the Zeta technology.

  While all ships in the fleet had since been modernized with the advanced Zeta weaponry, the Zeta battleships remained unique and formidable. Larger than UEDF battleships, they possessed a devastating array of firepower and defenses. Their inclusion made his fleet particularly intimidating.

  That reality was not lost on the rest of the Admiralty. While the Admirals commanded their own fleets, they resented that a commoner like Reynolds now wielded so much power. With his recent successes overshadowing a
ny of their personal achievements, it was no wonder that they wanted to be rid of him.

  Even so, they would have to do a lot better than a meager hit squad if they wanted him dead. Reynolds still believed they were responsible for the attempt on his life, and the Emperor’s arguments to the contrary had not changed his mind.

  They all needed to watch their backs, because regardless of what the Emperor might want, Reynolds was far from finished with the nobility.

  Nonetheless, his thirst for vengeance would have to wait, as he had more pressing concerns. His priority was the Avar system. Once he successfully pacified the Avars, he could return to Earth triumphant. No one would dare challenge him then, and he could deal with his enemies at his leisure.

  Settling into his command chair, Reynolds pulled up a display of the hundreds of ships that comprised his fleet. They included battleships, carriers, battle cruisers, destroyers, frigates, gunboats, supply ships, and a couple of hospital ships. He felt confident that he could take any system in the galaxy with that much firepower. Of course, taking a star system was one thing, and holding it another.

  Still, the Empire had the means to bring the Frontier Alliance to its knees. What it didn’t have was the right people in charge. The blame for that fell squarely on the nobility. These so-called leaders were more concerned with safeguarding their wealth than promoting the interests of the Empire. The problem was that the other worlds knew it, and the moment they sensed weakness, they rebelled.

  Reynolds didn’t serve these men. He served the Empire. He believed it could again return to an age of glory. One day, the Empire would overcome these turbulent times and restore prosperity to its population. Until that day, he would wash away its sins with blood.

  The fleet had taken position near the Sol system’s jump gate. All captains had reported that they were ready, and now awaited his command. It was time for action. “Captain Travers, order the fleet to enter the jump gate and begin the journey to the Avar system.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Travers said. “Relaying orders.”