Atlas: Infinity Verge Trilogy: Book II (26 page)

Ree nodded, but said nothing.

“Understood Captain,” Thomas Tee said with a grin.

Abel turned and gave him a glare before he realized Tee was responding to his previous request. Abel also noticed that once the boy's adrenaline was pumping he got over his nerves.

Good to know,
he thought.

The Transteel viewer flashed and the image of a dark blue face and dark blue eyes stared at Abel Cain. He wore the lapels of an officer in the EFNF, Abel noticed too that he was highly decorated, which meant this commander had served in the EXO wars.

That should help,
Abel thought.
ADM, scan for EXO virus aboard that cruiser. If you find any trace eradicate it.

Confirmation: Affirmative sir, it will be my pleasure. Eradication of EXO commencing,
ADM replied.

“Hello Rear Admiral, I do not think we've had the pleasure,” Abel said cordially.

“Greetings to you, Captain Abel Cain. I am Rear Admiral Zed,” his accent was slightly different from Zee's but he could have been the man's brother.

“I'd ask you to remove your blockade, but I am guessing the orders you have say to do otherwise,” Abel leaned back in his chair, he was always more at ease with Quintarrans than his own, especially those of his own in the EFNF.

“I do have orders to detain you,” the Rear Admiral said. The way he said it caught Abel's attention and he sat up. It sounded like the man was willing to go against those orders given the proper persuasion.

“I'd appreciate it if you didn't,” Abel replied.

“You knew Zee,” it was a statement more than a question. “He was my nephew.”

Abel was at a loss for words. If Zee was this man's nephew, did he hate Abel for what happened to Zee or for the role Zee played in Abel's life. The Rear Admiral seemed to relish the opportunity to put Abel off his guard.

“I thank you Abel Cain,” Rear Admiral Zed continued. “You gave us purpose when it had been lost and you overlooked the prejudice against our people. My ship may be the last battlecruiser aside from the TP-D
Justice
with any Quintarran crew. E ma ruoy rehtorb dna uoy era enim.”
I am your brother and you are mine.
He finished.

Zee had called him his brother once, Abel did not think it much more than calling someone a friend. However, when Zed said it, it was a proclamation of family. He realized now that Zee had a more profound impact on his life than he believed. Abel realized too that he had an impact on the Quintarrans.

“Thank you. E ma ruoy rehtorb dna uoy era enim,” Abel repeated the phrase.

“Now, allow us to accompany you to rescue my granddaughter,” Zed replied.

“Your … Echo!?” Abel was now completely dumbfounded. Suddenly the relationship between Echo and Zee made perfect sense. They were related, second cousins if he was correct.

“Another time. We are receiving new orders and I would like to leave before we have to act on them,” the Rear Admiral said. “This will likely be my last act as an Officer in the EFNF.”

Abel turned to Ree, “Do you have that warp vector for me?”

Rear Admiral Zed looked to where Abel was looking. He gave Abel a cold look, but not one of complete distrust, “We will discuss this later.”

At least he is still willing to help,
Abel thought.

Statement: I have discovered seventy-three gigabytes of EXO virus infiltration, hardly significant to cause a threat, but it has been eradicated. I have garnered understanding of the EXO virus and its adaptation. Query: would you like me to log this information in a secure location?
ADM sent to Abel.

Abel was distracted trying to gauge the Rear Admiral's reaction to the Vald and so he spoke quickly, “Please do so.”

Everyone looked at him. Abel realized he had said aloud what he intended for ADM. Shifting his attention to Ree again, “If you are not ready to employ the warp vector, please do so now,” He recovered.

He turned back to the Rear Admiral, “Do you have Warp-T drives aboard those cruisers or do we need to have you slave the ships?”

“We are properly equipped. We will see you there,” Rear Admiral Zed replied.

The Transteel viewer cut off and Abel watched as the cruisers meshed out of the system. Once they cleared the asteroid field they were gone.

“I do not trust the Quintarran Rear Admiral,” Aurora said.

And I don't trust you Aurora, so deal with it,
Abel wanted to say.

Instead he said, “I do. The EFNF has been divided too long. If we're going to win against the EXOs we need to remain united. We meet up with the Rear Admiral near Quintar V. Ree where the hell is my warp vector!?” Abel said.

Aurora nodded again, subtle and barely perceptible, but noticeable enough that it set Abel's teeth on edge.

Am I or aren’t I the Captain?
He thought.

Abel ignored her gesture, but he filed it away. Aurora had been lying to him all along, about her lineage, about the Vald, all of it. Twice the Quintarrans stared at the Vald like they were beasts. Rear Admiral Zed’s reaction sealed his suspicions.

Adam,
Abel sent.
Prep the system containments.

Confirmation: Affirmative,
ADM sent back.

When it came down to it, he knew that Aurora would betray him, but he'd rather be prepared when it happened. He had already maneuvered three of the crew she planned off the ship. He had also done it under false pretense. The schematic he had bartered would fail, sure they might manage to find the problem, but he figured ADM had done a decent job of hiding the code.

Abel angled the ship and found the exit vector through the asteroid belt. Ree fed the navigation data to Abel. The
Atlas
traveled through the belt without incident. Shortly after the ATLAS-V class vessel soared through warp and headed for Quintar V.

* * * *

Statement: I have located the encryption key for Aurora Rigel's external communication. It is a quantum space transmission coming from Quintar V. I have unlocked the encryption.
ADM said.

What!? Display message immediately,
Abel sent back.

Confirmation: Affirmative, displaying unencrypted message,
ADM replied.

Communication quantum space relay established. Atlas en route, EFNF cruisers, total four, en route. Echo Shade alive?
Aurora's message read.

The reply showed below Aurora's message,
Echo Shade alive. Accelerated nanite repair. Six Remington alive. Accelerated nanite repair. All other crew of the TP-D Justice eliminated. Exit vector Atlas and EFNF?

Alpha Niner Tango Foxtrot eight seven point Zulu Tango one one zero. ETA three hours. Send Breaker Jones and Mirage.
Aurora replied.

Flakking shit,
Abel replied to ADM.
Lock out the Vald station and the crew stations for her lackeys. Shut down Aurora Rigel's signal.

Confirmation: Affirmative. Lockout initiated. Defensive, warp, and navigation consoles rerouted to AI control,
ADM replied.

Aurora turned and looked at Abel. Shock was evident on her face. From her expression Abel assumed she realized that ADM had blocked her external communication. She moved faster than he anticipated and lashed out with her fist. Abel felt the impact on his face before he could react to Aurora's movement. However, he was quick as well. He rolled with the impact and came up wielding both his plasma pistols.

“ADM cease silent operations, take full control of navigation and drop us out of warp.” Abel said.

“Confirmation: Affirmative. Full navigational control has been passed to AI, dropping from Warp in three … two … one,” ADM replied.

The
Atlas
dropped from warp in a sudden motion. The Vald was thrown forward into his console where he leapt up and tried to blend into the shadows. Abel aimed his right pistol at Ree and shook his head. The Vald sat down slowly. The other members of Aurora’s party sat back as well.

“Alright, now we're going to figure this out and then I will decide if we're going to shoot you or shoot you and space you,” Abel said. Aurora did not move, but the Vald did.

All three of Aurora’s crew began to move. Abel opened fire. Three plasma bolts from his pistols connected with the Vald. For all of his stealth and ability to attack in secret, he was not a match for Abel's nanites or his reflexes. His shots were true, the Vald did not get up. The other two stopped in their tracks and shifted uncomfortably.

“I assume you had planned this all along, why?” Abel said.

Aurora stood calmly and spoke slowly, “The Vald ordered it. You are becoming a threat, you humans. The freed Quintarran are also a threat, although we know how to curb them again. You, Abel Cain, are too innovative. The EXO Shield, the escape from Quintar VII, your defeat of Mercury Frinz, these were all unforeseen events.”

“Who are the Vald?”

“The Vald are the supreme leaders of the universe. They control all from the shado--”

Abel cut her off, “Flak, I don’t want your wet-dream. I want to know who they are and what their plan is!”

Aurora stared. She looked confused for a moment, then she spoke calmly, “The Vald designed the first Intellis, the Auron Intellis. The one the Quintarrans simply called AI. There was a time when the Vald and the Quintarrans worked together, but the Vald turned on them and enslaved them with their own technology. The Remnant fought back and drove the Vald out, but their resources were sorely limited and they could not defeat the Auron Intellis.”

Aurora cracked her neck and flexed her muscles. Abel aimed his pistol at her and threatened to pull the trigger. She calmed and continued.

“In their exile the Vald created the Aurora Intellis to infiltrate the Quintarran ves--”

“How did you get on their ships? When?” Abel interrupted.

“We've been with the Remnant for some time,” Aurora's features changed and her skin turned blue. “I am a Thrallush, a construct that can take on the characteristics of other species. The Vald use us to infiltrate and to sabotage.”

AaBee, Artemis, and Tee all gasped. Abel stared hard. He had known she was not human. He tried not to show too much surprise when she changed form. Abel kept his pistols aimed at her chest and her head. He didn't know if she could change her anatomy too, he suspected so, but he wasn't taking chances.

“Observation: Aurora Rigel is not human. She is not fully organic.” ADM said.

“Clever AI,” Aurora said. “Your design I assume Abel? Silent operations, that is certainly useful. Once I've killed you that will come in handy. The Vald will be happy to have technology like that.”

“Not so fast Aurora,” Abel said. “What do the Vald have to do with the EFNF?”

“They control the Fleet Admiral,” Aurora stated. “The EXOs are their creation in a sense. The EXO Prime is a corruption of the Auron Intellis, they mean to use the EFNF to purge it. However, they want the technology. We are finished speaking. I intend to kill you Abel Cain, we have all we need from you.”

Abel wanted to say, ov
er my dead body,
but he figured that would be redundant at this point. Instead he steadied himself and aimed at Aurora, "Alright, you want me? Come and get me bitch."

Abel pulled the triggers on his pistols. The plasma tore down the barrels and sizzled as they flared towards Aurora. The woman dodged the first bolt aimed for her head, but the second connected solidly with her shoulder. AaBee rushed forward and tried to grab her, but she pivoted and punched him solidly in the chest. Abel was certain he heard a crack before AaBee fell to the floor.

Artemis stood and drew a pistol, but Aurora leapt at him and crushed his hand with a downward chop. The older man cried out and stepped back. The construct followed up with a kick to his neck. Unsure if he could hit her and not one of his crew, Abel held his fire. He rushed towards her and punched her hard in the middle of her spine. The force of the punch made his hand ache, but it had the desired effect. Aurora pitched forward and she cried out.

At least she is not invincible,
Abel thought.

She turned and reached for Abel, he narrowly avoided her grasp as he stepped back. Tee fired Artemis' plasma pistol. It grazed the side of Aurora's face and Abel had to bend back further, falling to the floor, to avoid the follow through.

“Careful kid!” Abel yelled.
Maybe we shouldn't get him worked up,
he thought.

Aurora turned towards Tee when Abel kicked with his mechanical leg. He connected solidly with Aurora's thigh and the audible snap sent the woman to the floor. Dropping to one knee Aurora looked at Abel. He could see the mark where Tee had shot her, her face contorted and electrical shocks sprouted from her torn face. Abel raised his plasma pistol.

“Sorry, I don't have time for this,” he said.

The plasma pistol whirred as it fired the bolt into Aurora's face. The construct went rigid as the bolt impacted and threw her back. Abel rose to his feet to stand over her and marveled that she still seemed to be alive.