The Commander (20 page)

“Thanks,
Duffy
. I’ve enjoyed knowing you. It probably doesn’t mean anything to your programming modules, but I wanted you to know. Return to Baggs now. And don’t tell anyone about our trip.”

“Command accepted, Miss Daniels.”

# # #

The Gateway was bursting with activity. Annie likened it to a three-ring circus inside a busy international airport. People from the moon and visitors from Earth rushed busily to and fro. A few of them recognized her but they only waved hello. As the commander’s other half she was known to be a hardworking part of his team.
Shuttling
VIPs to and from Earth, especially before a launch, was not uncommon. Still, she was not in the mood to be recognized; a few precautions were in order.

She made her way down to the tenth level. Part of level ten belonged to NASA, Luke’s compensation for the loss of their original International Space Station. NASA was free to use the space as they wished. He also gave them unlimited access to a
Sadie
-sized shuttle named
Armstrong
.
Armstrong
had specific instructions; travel was only authorized to and from Houston. The other restriction was that NASA personnel could bring anything they wanted to the Gateway, but could not take anything back. Luke would not take a chance on letting the technology genie out of the bag.

The result was a large contingent of scientists on the Gateway. One problem NASA discovered was that many of their employees became converts to the new lifestyle and never returned to Earth. It was a sticking point, but manageable. Most of the deserters became permanent Gateway residents and continued their research on NASA projects.

It had taken Annie a while to understand the genius behind Luke’s generosity. Each NASA defection served as a high-level advertisement of the new society he had created. It wasn’t just that money worries didn’t exist. On the Gateway, just as it was at Moonbase, people’s creativity was set free.

When the entirety of the material world was at one’s fingertips, wealth became unimportant. The highest achievement became self-respect. What could one produce that others would admire? Artists and artisans flourished. Item of rare beauty and insightful gadgets filled the shelves of hundreds of small shops on level ten. And everything was free.

No one wanted money in exchange for their industry because it had no value. The highest price anyone could receive was heartfelt appreciation. To be recognized for self-worth was the new pinnacle of human ambition.

At the moment, however, Annie didn’t want to be recognized. On level ten she had anonymity. Here she could blend inconspicuously along the
Smiling Mile
, a wide corridor filled with boutiques, art galleries, and beauty salons.

The mall had become something of a pilgrimage for every female VIP from Earth. Makeovers were free, as were the latest fashion designs from the Gateway’s haute couture. It was a loophole in the rules, if you could wear it out of the shop, you could wear it back to Earth.

Off the main corridor, in one of the lesser-known salons, Annie got a makeover of her own. The beauty attendant didn’t recognize Annie when she walked in, and no one would recognize her after she walked out. Gone was the blonde ponytail. In its place, Annie now sported a close-cropped hairdo in bright red. From another shop, she added a pair of plastic-rimmed glasses and sensible work clothes of the sort favored by colonists.

Annie found a serviceable backpack and loaded it with comfortable clothes and her favorite toiletries. None of the items were strictly necessary. The replicators in everyone’s quarters had the same menus. But colonists always carried backpacks. They were filled with bits of memorabilia that people clung to when setting off on a one-way journey. And of course, to the wearer, it was also a badge of honor, marking them as one of the brave explorers about to board a colony ship.

Dressed appropriately, Annie made her way back to the upper level where the
Marco Polo
was being loaded.

A steady stream of workers and colonists scurried in and out of the transport. The ship itself was the standard half sphere, the flat base resting on the surface. Inside was enough living space for the colonists and every piece of equipment they could ever need. When the ship reached its destination, it would land on the planet and become the new community’s town center.

The concept had been proven on Mars. As a community, the new Martians believed their home was the best in the universe. Annie hoped she would feel the same about the
Marco Polo
’s destination.

Near the wide doors that led to the launching area, several families were gathering bags and backpacks. Annie fell in behind and followed them onto the ship. No one questioned her presence.

Inside the
Marco Polo
, Annie found the inevitable food court on the first residential level. She ordered a skinny mocha from the replicator bank and made herself comfortable at one of the tables. It was time to have a heart-to-heart chat with the AI.

Good afternoon, Marco Polo. Do you know who I am?

Of course, Miss Daniels. Welcome aboard. Please call me Marco.

Thank you, Marco. I am going to give you an order. I do not want you to question it.

Now came the tricky part. Was everything George said about authorization true? It always worked with shuttles and other AIs, but would the colony ship obey her unconditionally?

Very well. How can I help you?

Annie mentally crossed her fingers.

I want you to add the name Theodora Smith to your crew manifest. I will be that colonist. Do not tell anyone about this. Not the captain, and especially not Luke or
George
. I want you to act like Annie Daniels was never here.

Marco
hesitated.
I perceive that you are running away. Are you sure you will not regret your course of action?

Uh oh. This could be a problem.
Carry out my command,
Marco
.

Command completed. Do you require quarters?

Whew! In this case at least, George hadn’t lied.

Yes. I want to stay incognito so modest accommodations would be best.

Very well, Theodora. I have assigned you to Room 19E-52. No roommates, but your neighbors on either side are single females.

Annie decided
Marco
might become her new best friend.

Thank you, Marco
.

You will need an appropriate background. In what area would you like to work?

Hmmm. Annie hadn’t thought that far ahead.

For thirty minutes she sipped on her coffee and discussed how best to fit in. She decided to join the cleaning crew. No one noticed housekeeping staff and after all, for the past month that’s pretty much what she had been doing at Rosanne’s.

With her cover story decided, Annie went to her assigned room. It was big enough for a family of four. The ship’s design allocated nine hundred square feet of living space for each colonist. It was bigger than her apartment on Earth and close to the same size apartment she shared with Luke on the moon.

Although it was for a single crewmember, the apartment had two bedrooms. The kitchen and bath were modern and the living room tastefully furnished. Annie wondered who had equipped all the rooms. It brought back memories of her work on the moon. For the first two months, it had just been her and Luke. She had worked like a Trojan getting the lunar apartments ready for the early recruits. Her world had come full circle.

Luke had come to hate the chair he was sitting in. Every day he felt his grip on sanity slipping away.
Keeping
a smile plastered on his face during the meet-and-greet sessions for a colony launch wasn’t helping. He rubbed his face and examined the third colony ship they were about to launch. Someone at the lectern was saying this particular ship had over five hundred design improvements. Luke leaned over to Amanda and whispered harshly, “Where is she then?”

“Shush, Luke,” Amanda replied. “Keep your voice down. She wasn’t in the diner. That’s all I know.”

“Did you ask Rosanne, for God’s sake?”

“Yes. I asked if Annie was in and the old woman said no. Now please shut up; people are staring.”

Luke looked over the crowd while his frustration boiled. He leaned over again. “You said we wouldn’t do any more of these. You said people would get bored. Why are they still here?”

“Hush, please! I said there would be a few more.”

“How many?”

“Luke! Shut. Up.”

The person at the podium turned and looked at Luke and Amanda, his expression a bit concerned from the bickering going on behind him. Luke had no idea who he was. The man smiled and gestured to Luke to come forward. “
Mesdames et Messieurs, s'il vous plaît accueillir le Commandant Luc Blackburn
!” He stepped aside to give Luke access to the microphone.

Luke looked at Amanda. “Goddammit! You said!”

Amanda gave him a
you asked for it
glare in return. “Don’t keep the secretary general waiting.” She shoved him hard and he leapt to his feet to keep from falling on his butt in front of the assembled dignitaries.

He gave her one last dirty look and then turned to the crowd and forced a smile. After his remarks, he got a standing ovation but had no idea what he had said; only that he mumbled something from one of Annie’s old talking points.

When his remarks were over Amanda appeared at his elbow and pulled him aside so the colony ship’s captain could give the closing comments. Moments later, like the two before it, the massive ship lifted off and soon disappeared.

“I can’t stand this,” Luke said. “I’m going crazy. Don’t schedule me for any more of these; I mean it.”

Amanda examined Luke carefully, a worried expression on her face. “I won’t,” she agreed. “Luke, I’m really worried about you. You’ve got to get over this. She’ll come back or she won’t, but you have to pull yourself together. It’s starting to worry all of us.”

“This is just ridiculous,” he said. “I’m going down to the surface now and get her. I’ll tie her up if I have to.”

He got unsteadily to his feet and wobbled toward the shuttle parking area. Roth scooted over from his seat, a few chairs down. “I think you should go with him. We shouldn’t let him be alone for a while. At least not in public.”

“Okay,” Amanda said. “But shouldn’t you be the one to go? You’re his buddy.”

“Probably. But there’s a snowball’s chance that I will.”

“Thanks a lot, Roth,” Amanda said acerbically as she hurried after her commander. She caught up to him as he was climbing into his shuttle and sat next to him in the co-pilot’s seat.

“
Sadie
, take me to the Baggs airport,” he ordered.

“This is
Duffy
, Commander Blackburn,” the ship’s AI said. “Course set.”

“
Duffy?
Good God, I’m really losing it. I thought I came in
Sadie
. Sorry about that.”

“Not a problem, Commander.”
Duffy
lifted off and pointed her nose at Earth.

# # #

During their journey Amanda had
Duffy
call ahead to ensure that a vehicle would be waiting. Wehrlite Security still kept the airport safe in addition to handling arrangements for VIP visitors from the moon. An armored SUV was waiting for Luke by the time he touched down. He tried to take the keys from the driver but Amanda forced him to get in the back.

“Take us to Rosanne’s Diner,” she told the driver.

“Yes, ma’am.”

The trip only took five minutes, four of which were spent going through the security gate. When they pulled up in front of the old-fashioned restaurant Luke reached for the vehicle door but Amanda shoved him back in his seat. “I’ll check on her,” she said and disappeared inside the eatery. A moment later she returned. “She’s not here. Take us to her apartment,” she told the driver.

“Yes ma’am,” he said.

Again, Amanda ran inside to find Annie and again she returned empty handed. Luke checked his house and Annie’s grandmother’s house. It was empty and the FOR SALE sign was at a crooked angle.

“Take me back to the diner,” he barked.

“Luke, we just…”

“Shut up, Amanda,” he growled, his face red.

When they reached the diner he got out of the car and stalked inside, anger radiating from his body. “Rosanne, where is she? And don’t give me any bullshit. I know you know where she is.”

Rosanne hesitated, but looked worried.

“I’m serious, Rosanne. I will tear this place to the ground if you don’t tell me right this second.”

Rosanne sighed. “She left, Luke. The paparazzi wouldn’t leave her alone and she didn’t want to go back to the moon. She was really angry with some George guy so she left. She’s gone.”

“I know she’s gone. Goddamnit, Rosanne. Where did she go?”

“She went on that big transport thing they were talking about on TV. She left this morning and said she wouldn’t be back.” Large tears seeped from her eyes and rolled down her plump cheeks. “Oh, Luke. I miss her already. Why did you let her go away?”

“Me? I…” Luke tried to calm himself. “Are you saying she left on the colony ship? The one going to another planet?”

Rosanne nodded fearfully. “I tried to talk her out of it, Luke. But she wouldn’t listen to me. I told her she should go back to you.”

Commander Blackburn, please return to Moonbase One. I have located Miss Daniels.

“You’re a little late, George!” Luke screamed at the ceiling. “How the hell did you let this happen?”

Commander Blackburn, please return to Moonbase One.

Luke’s anger drained away. A coldness seeped in that he had not felt in years. It was the same numbness that hardened his insides when Marcie died. His mind clouded over and old memories rushed into his thoughts, unbidden.

Rosanne shied away as Luke’s expression changed. The anger and worry that had filled his eyes evaporated. In their place was an ice-cold blackness. She crossed herself with a silent prayer. “Jesus and Mary,” she whispered.

Luke turned and left the restaurant. Once inside the SUV he glared at Amanda. “She left on the colony ship. Take me back to the airport.”

Amanda shrank to her side of the car. She had never seen the frozen expression Luke now wore.

# # #

“Come with me,” Luke instructed Amanda as
Duffy
settled onto the hangar floor inside Moonbase One.

Moments later he sat at his desk. “Explain this, George.”

Roth rushed in and cast a questioning glance at Amanda, who sat on the couch alongside the far wall. She shook her head in reply.

“Have a seat, Roth,” Luke said. “You too, Lou,” he added as Morrow entered. “George is about to explain how he allowed Annie to leave the solar system.”

“My apologies, Commander,” George said.

“Skip your electronic remorse,” Luke snapped. “What happened?”

“I received a transportation request from Doctor Higgins. He said that you had unexpectedly used
Duffy
to visit the surface an hour earlier. I knew you had flown to the ceremony in
Sadie
. She is your preferred transportation. That’s why we replicated a new version after Annie ordered her to self-destruct.”

“I
thought
I had gone in
Sadie
,” Luke confirmed. “But when I realized
Duffy
was there I thought I made a mistake; I’ve been a little out of it, lately.”

“A little!” Morrow barked. At the look he got from Luke he quietly apologized and subsided.

“I queried
Sadie
for her location,” George continued. “After receiving no response I expanded my search to Mars and then to all operations in the solar system including the research centers in the belt and both of our facilities on Jupiter’s moons. The result was conclusive. She was not in the solar system. The only explanation was that she had been destroyed or had shipped out on the
Marco Polo
which departed ninety minutes ago.”

“Are you sure she wasn’t destroyed somehow?” Luke asked.

“Positive, Commander. The last thing the colony ships do before departure is transmit a manifest to me of everything and everyone onboard. I store that information in my archives but do not review it unless required by some external request.”

“And?”

“And during the final pre-launch operations,
Sadie
was substituted for a different shuttle in the
Marco Polo
’s hangar bay. The replaced shuttle was listed as defective.”

“And was it defective?” Luke wanted to know.

“It was not. I ordered that shuttle to Far Side for investigation.”

“Nothing wrong with it,” “Morrow said. “We checked.”

“I further checked the
Marco Polo
’s logs and found that one additional colonist was added to the manifest at the last minute, a Miss Theodora Smith. This is her security badge photo.”

On the wall, a mugshot-like photograph appeared of a young woman. She had short red hair but it was unmistakably Annie.

“Don’t we have protocols in place to prevent an undocumented stowaway from boarding our colony ships?” Luke asked angrily.

“We do, Commander. However, as you know, Annie’s implant gives her authorization over everything up to and including a level three device. A colony ship AI is level twenty-seven. I surmise that Miss Daniels simply commandeered Sadie, ordered the
Marco Polo
to make the necessary changes to the roster, and to forget that the changes had taken place.”

“That sounds like her,” Luke agreed.

“Also, I must remind you that we do not know where the
Marco Polo
is heading.”

“What does that mean?” Luke asked. “They have a specific destination based on the results of our probes.”

Roth explained. “That’s partially true,” he said. “But probe reports can be wrong, so each colony ship has several possible destinations. If the first one doesn’t pan out, they go on to the next. It’s the captain’s call. The colonists know they could be on the ship for months. If Annie didn’t want to be found, this was the way to do it. Eventually we’ll get a report from their final destination, but that could take several months.”

In a quiet voice Luke asked the question he hated to ask. “You were supposed to detonate her fail-safe if she left the system. Did you do that?”

“No, Commander. My internal protocols called for it, but I felt the circumstances justified an exception.”

“And what were those?”

“Firstly, I am aware of Miss Daniels’s persecution by Earthside media. Her choice to escape on a colony ship does not indicate a malign intent toward the Nobility. Second, she exhibited a strong desire to be left alone. It seemed safe to let her proceed. Thirdly, I felt that if had I triggered the fail-safe, you would have taken steps to terminate my existence. My internal protocols would require me to let you carry out that intent. But if you did so, it would place the Nobility’s overall program in jeopardy.
According
to my calculations, the most favorable outcome for the Nobility was to grant the exception.”

“Good move,” Luke said. “Your deductions were accurate.”

After a lengthy silence, Roth finally asked the question that everyone but Luke was wondering. “So what now, boss? Are you still in?”

“Yes, for all the good it will do.”

“Don’t say that, Luke,” Amanda protested. “All of us need you. You’re an inspiration to everyone on the moon.”

“Thanks, Amanda. And I appreciate the sentiment. But like we’ve said in the past, no one can win a war—especially one like this—by trying to lead from behind the lines. In this case, about six months behind the lines. This is a fool’s game, but I’ll do my best. We all will.”

“He’s right,” Morrow grumbled. “That’s a stupid rule, keeping you in the solar system.”

“I agree,” Luke said. “I’m going down to the planet and get a few things from the house and then I’ll be back. After that, I’m not going to Earth ever again. Amanda, don’t schedule me for any public events. I’m done with PR from here on.” He got to his feet. “Any questions?”

After a subdued chorus of no’s from his colleagues, George spoke up. “Commander,
Sadie
is waiting for you in the hangar bay. She will take you planetside.”