Critical Strike (The Critical Series Book 3) (32 page)

“Your algorithm dictates much progress in our aims. We would rather cooperate with you for mutual benefit than increase the odds that our progress will be delayed. The war with the croatoans is a complex affair and has already put us back an estimated fifty thousand Earth years. A minor issue in the grand scheme, but the Order of Things has sent you to us, and by our calculations, you’ll help us to our goals significantly quicker than without.”

Denver sat back and thought about what this being was saying. They obviously wanted him badly, which gave him some bargaining power… depending on what they wanted him to do.

“Listen, are you familiar with our term ‘put all the cards on the table’?”

The drone flickered briefly before affirming.

“Then let’s do that right now, shall we? I appreciate your other drones not killing me, I really do, and I appreciate you guys bringing us back here and attempting to rebuild the gate, but I know so little about you and your kind. Who are you, for example? Do you have a consciousness? Are you an individual or just a software program?”

“Would it matter to our negotiations whether I have a consciousness or not?” it replied.

“I suppose not, but you’re not exactly being forthcoming with details here. Tell me what you are, what you and your kind want, and what your plans are for me. You mentioned the Order of Things… what is that and how does it factor into my working with you as an agent?”

“Unlike many, you ask the right questions,” Drone 451 replied. The holographic image changed to a flat screen. On the screen a stream of code flowed too fast for Denver to understand or recognize any individual characters. “This is the Order of Things as it stands now. It is much changed since you arrived on Tredeya. It is the underlying programmatic expression of the chaos that exists in all things. Our intelligences mine it for information, seeking patterns. We build algorithms to fix complex programs and compute outcomes.”

“That’s… interesting, I suppose, but I’ve never really used computers, so excuse me if I’m not blown away. Are you suggesting you guys can tell the future?”

“No,” the drone said. “We can infer from it. And that’s where you come in. One of our algorithmists saw your pattern in the Order of Things and we knew that you would be important to us regarding one of our long-running missions.”

Denver cocked his head as the screen changed to show a small blue planet surrounded by darkness and a single sun. There were no other planets or moons on the image and so few stars that he couldn’t make out any recognizable constellations, which told him it could only be one thing. “That’s not Earth, is it, even though it looks like it at first glance?”

“You’re correct, although you could look upon it as the first Earth.”

“First… you’re saying there’s multiple Earths?”

“Of a kind, yes. Humans currently inhabit three hundred and fifty-nine planets with similar properties to the first Earth. Yours is classified as number ninety-seven.”

“Okay, that’s… kind of mind-bending, but then I suppose everything is at the moment. I’ll be sure to process this all at some point. So what’s special about this first Earth, and where do I come in?”

“You’re going to find it for us,” Drone 451 said.

“Oh, am I?” Denver wanted to laugh at first. The absurdity of this whole scenario suddenly hit him in the chest. “Is this like some kind of weird test? You know I’m just a guy from Earth ninety-seven, right? I know nothing of the galaxy. I think you lot would be better suited to find this planet than me.”

“But you’re human,” the drone responded as though that answered everything. “For the mission we have in mind, we need you. Doslin, please provide Agent 6001 with the printed mission brief.”

The holographic display shut down. The cone clasped down onto the prism and the room’s lights slowly came back up to their previous illumination. Denver felt as if he had just awoken from a dream.

Doslin appeared by his side. He hadn’t even seen or sensed her move. She held out a folded piece of white card. “Your mission brief. You’re to press your thumb against the box to accept.”

“You all seem so sure that I will just go along with this madness.”

Doslin gave him the slightest smile. “The scion are… persuasive. Now please, read the brief. Then we can return to your father and Layla. There is still much to discuss before the gate is fully operational.”

Denver took the card and sat back in the sofa. He realized he was smiling, still thinking all this was some weird elaborate game, but when he opened the card and started to read, his smile dropped and he leaned forward. The card shook slightly in his grip. He twisted his head to stare up at Doslin. “This isn’t bullshit, is it?”

“The scion might be many things, but when they offer agent status, bullshit is not in their mode of operation. I can assure you of that.”

“Right,” Denver said, turning back to the briefing. He paused for a second, his thumb hovering over the small chip embedded into the card. And then he pressed his thumb down. A small tickle of electricity excited his skin.

Doslin took the mission briefing from him and held out her hand.

“Welcome to the scion, Agent 6001.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Charlie peered through the glass of the observation room. A large scion prism had floated to the surface and stopped over a flat strip of land. A ramp dropped from its underside.

Hundreds of tredeyans and croatoans were being escorted aboard by a row of hovering jet-black mechs. He felt little sympathy after his experiences with both species. At least they probably weren’t being turned into trays of silver slop.

Scion fighters still patrolled the sky, although they only made sweeping runs around the ship and none fired during the time Charlie observed their movements.

Half an hour had passed since Denver left the room. Layla paced around behind him, fidgeting and mumbling to herself.

“Get yourself over here and relax,” Charlie said.

She stood by his shoulder and looked at the fully formed gate. “What do you think they’re saying to him?”

“No idea, but worrying about it isn’t going to change anything. We’ll find out when he comes back.”

“If he’s coming back.”

Charlie wrapped his arm around her. “You should know Denver by now. He’ll be back.”

A loud crack echoed to their right. From their position, only the top half of the gate was visible. A solid shimmering blue surface filled the giant circular structure, like a piece of suspended water. Green waves rippled across it as the strip of light running around the perimeter flashed. The green strip remained solid after ten blinks, turning the internal space to aquamarine.

The ground shook below Charlie’s boots, accompanied by a low rumbling sound. Layla gasped and pressed her hand against the vibrating glass. Stones danced around on the ground directly outside.

“Looks like they’ve got it working,” Layla said.

Charlie shook his head. “That’s insane. Hard to believe we came through it.”

A black tip punctured the surface inside the gate. Electricity fizzed around it. A large black prism smoothly glided through, filling three-quarters of the area.

It continued forward over the trees toward the command center. Charlie took a couple of steps back, maintaining a fixed gaze on the ship. It stopped over an area covered in yellow grass peppered with orange wild-growing root. The croatoans must have used a different version of it on Tredeya. The ones on Earth didn’t spread seeds.

Dust puffed from below the prism and showered the observation window. Through the haze, a graphite ramp, with blue lights running along each side, lowered twenty meters to the ground.

“Do you trust them?” Layla said.

“I’m prepared to trust anyone who’s fighting the croatoans. If they make good on their promise to defend our solar system, I’m all for it.”

“It’s hard to believe this could all finally be over.”

Charlie shrugged. “It ain’t over ’til we get back to Earth.”

The door clicked open behind them and he spun around. Doslin walked toward them. Denver followed with the black prism fastened around his neck.

Charlie attempted to read the expression on his face. Denver looked sheepishly away, which wasn’t a good sign.

“That is your transport back to Earth,” Doslin said. “Terms have been agreed and the scion are content. They are preparing an environment chamber and you need to be ready to board in ten minutes.”

“What’s happening?” Layla said and grabbed Denver’s arm. He stared outside at the scion ship and the top of the crackling gate. “Answer me. What terms did you agree to with them?”

Denver puffed his cheeks and fished a piece of card out of his back pocket. “You two best sit down for what I’m about to tell you.”

“It’s us you’re talking to,” Charlie said and remained standing. Being told to sit down for news was never a good thing. Especially when it involved his son. “Why do I get the feeling there’s a catch to all of this?”

“The agreement benefits your planet,” Doslin said. “Denver can supply the details. I have to go and brief another agent.”

She turned, lifted either side of her peach robe and shuffled out of the room.

Denver sat on the bench. Charlie and Layla both stood over him. He looked up and took a deep breath. “I need to carry out a mission for them to fulfill their agreement.”

“A mission?” Charlie said and felt anger bubble up inside. “What kind of thing are we talking about?

“I need to find a lost human planet for them. Our original one.”

Layla shook her head. “What the hell are you talking about? How do you even begin to attempt that? I don’t—”

Her voice cracked. She bit her finger and bowed her head.

“What kind of shit have they been spinning you? Original one?” Charlie said.

“We’re one of the oldest species in the galaxy,” Denver said in a rational tone. He’d obviously bought into the idea. “When Vingo told us we were spread around the universe, he forgot to mention that we inhabit three hundred and fifty-nine planets. Earth, the one we’re from, is apparently number ninety-seven, according to the Drone.”

“Even if that were true…” Charlie said, although he’d long dropped the notion of seeing anything as farfetched. “Why you, and how are you supposed to help?”

“The drone mentioned something about an algorithm and that I’m human. It didn’t expand beyond that. When I complete the mission, we’ll all be safe and I come home. The scion are providing me with the resources I need.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Layla said. “They could be sending you on an impossible mission. To your death…”

She wiped a tear from her cheek and sniffed. Charlie knew Layla had feelings for Denver, but she broke down quickly. He simmered internally. “I’m coming with you. I’m not allowing you to go on your own.”

Denver sighed and shook his head. “It’s a one-man mission. That’s the deal. Humans created the scion. We’re inextricably linked. Hagellan and a few other croatoans had some artifacts, other parts of information are hidden around the galaxy. They believe the answer they’re looking for is on the first Earth.”

Layla sat next to him and placed her hand on his knee. “You can’t do it. This is crazy!”

“Crazy?” Denver said. “Look around you and tell me what isn’t? By doing this I keep Earth safe. They even think they might find clues in caves below Unity. That’s why Mike agreed to the proposition too. This works out good for all of us.”

“Doesn’t work out good for you,” Charlie said and sat on the other side of him. He understood that Denver agreed to the request in order to keep everyone safe, but they always did things together. “I want to speak to the Drone.”

“Forget it,” Denver said. “I’m happy doing the mission. What use will I be on Earth in peacetime? I spent my whole life fighting aliens. You two know what a settled world looks like. I have no idea and might not even fit in.”

“Why not give it a chance?” Layla said. “I thought we might…”

“Have a future?” Denver said. “As much as I love you…” His cheeks flushed and he gazed at his boots. “My future is elsewhere. I’ve got no intention of failing and I will be back.”

Layla turned away, cupped her face, and sobbed.

Charlie slowly nodded, understanding the motivation and reasoning behind his son’s decision. As much as he didn’t like it, he would’ve done the same thing. Denver returned his gesture of acceptance.

Denver took it on the chin when Charlie decided to take a bomb up to the mother ship. As much as Charlie hated it, he had to afford his son the same latitude. The decision was based on the survival and safety of the remaining humans on Earth.

“You know if you don’t come back, I will personally hunt you down?” Charlie said.

“I’m counting on it,” Denver said and cracked a smile. “I didn’t even explore the possibility of refusing. Doesn’t take a genius to work out what might happen.”

Layla stood and walked away. She drank her cup of water and stared at a row of five prisms that floated down the ramp of the scion ship.

Charlie hadn’t spent half as much time with her as Denver, but he liked Layla. Bonds forged in adversity were often the strongest. He understood her mood and felt the same way internally, but Denver needed support from this point forward, until he headed off on his mission to find the first Earth.

The door on the opposite side of the room opened. Doslin stood in the gap. “Are you ready to go?”

“Never been more ready to get off this shithole,” Charlie said.

“You need to put your suits back on until you reach the prepared area in the ship. The scion will instruct you from there.”

Denver linked his arm with Layla’s, gently encouraged her away from the window, and they all followed Doslin. Although Charlie never said the words out loud, he never expected to reach this moment, whatever the circumstances.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Mike and Mai were interrupted from a quiet cuddle with the cracking of the sky and a rumble that shook the ground, giving Mike a flashback to when those damned croatoans came up from beneath the earth.

At first he thought this was another one of Augustus’ plans. Perhaps he had found another stock of croatoan destroyers still embedded in the planet’s interior. But when a shadow blotted out the sun of their chalet, he grunted. “What the hell is that now?” he said.