The Last Flight of the Argus (43 page)

Soon, B’taav reached the end of the Hydroponics glass paneling. The corridor turned sharply to the right and B’taav followed along. The windows that overlooked the levels below were replaced with a series of doors. He paused to look into the first one and found a crew compartment.

A set of three bunk beds lined the walls within. Against the opposite wall was a shattered video screen. On one of the beds was a framed photograph. B’taav picked it up and gazed at the image of a pretty blond woman. She was not much more than twenty years old at the time of the photograph and offered a warm smile to the cameraman. On the lower right corner of the picture was writing. Parts of it were blurred with the rot that permeated the area, but the Independent managed to read the note nonetheless.

I worry so much for you.

Please come back safely.

I’ll always love you,

Deborah

B’taav put the picture back on the bed. He eyed the other beds and noted several more photographs taped to the walls, a collage of pictures of different places and different people. People who no longer lived and places that no longer existed.

B’taav stepped out of the room and approached the next. He froze at that room's door.

Sitting on a chair in front of a video screen was a withered corpse. Long brown hair hung down her head. In her left hand was an antique Emerson handgun. The bullet hole that brought a speedy end to her life was all too evident on the right side of her head.

This was only the first body he encountered, B'taav realized. Surely there were many, many more elsewhere.

In the corpse’s right hand was a clothbound book. B’taav pulled it from the corpse’s fingers and opened it up. He read a few passages of the woman’s journal before closing and returning it to its place.

“
Rest in peace, Rebecca,” the Independent said. He walked out the room and abruptly came to a stop.

A figure in an environmental suit stood in the corridor, blocking his way.

Inquisitor Cer.

In her hand was her fusion gun.

The
communicator buzzed in the bridge of the
Xendos
. Saro Triste, manning the system at the moment, motioned to Francis Lane and Stephen Gray. They quickly came to his side while Nathaniel stood banished to a corner. Balthazar was the only one missing in the group. He was tasked to guard the decompression chamber, in case B'taav somehow made it back.

“
This is Inquisitor Cer,” came a static filled message.

“
I read you,” Saro Triste replied. “You have news?”

“
Yes, Cardinal,” Inquisitor Cer continued. “I found B’taav.”

“
We read you. Please continue.”

“
The Independent is dead.”

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE

Francis
Lane let out a relieved laugh. Stephen Gray and Saro Triste couldn't contain their smiles and nodded in satisfaction. Only Nathaniel showed no emotion toward the news. After a while Saro Triste shushed his companions and reactivated the communicator.

“
That is good news, Inquisitor,” Saro Triste said. Try as he might, it was hard to keep the elation from his voice.

“
I’ve recovered the stolen battery cells,” Inquisitor Cer continued. If she detected the Cardinal's tone, she made no mention of the fact. “There is atmosphere on this level. I’m transmitting my findings and position now.”

The trio looked over the Inquisitor's readings. A map showed her path from the
Xendos
to her current location, while below it was the atmospheric readings.

“
Oxygen?” Saro Triste asked. “How is this possible?”

“
Who knows?” Stephen Gray said. “If we have the time, perhaps we can investigate. After she restores energy to the central computer.”

Francis Lane pressed a switch and spoke into the microphone.

“
How does the computer look?” Francis Lane asked.

“
There was heavy rust in some of the corridors outside, but it was limited to that area.”

“
Can you reactivate the central computer?”

“
I think so. Yes.”

“
Good,” Francis Lane said. She stepped away from the microphone and Saro Triste took her place.

“
We’ll suit up and meet you there,” he said before shutting off the communications. He then faced his companions. “As I said, the Independent was no match for an Inquisitor.”

“
I'm glad you were right,” Francis Lane said.

“
Before we celebrate, remember that Maddox is still somewhere, hiding out,” Stephen Gray cautioned.

“
He doesn’t know B’taav is dead,” Saro Triste said. “Let’s make sure he continues waiting for the Independent’s return, until it’s too late.”

Stephen Gray and Saro Triste headed for the bridge's exit. Francis Lane approached the sullen Nathaniel and tried to get his attention.

“
Coming, Francis?” Stephen Gray asked.

Francis Lane shook Nathaniel.

“
With Maddox around, we shouldn't leave the bridge unguarded,” Francis Lane said. “I'll call Balthazar, tell him to come up.”

“
Good idea,” Saro Triste said. “We'll see you downstairs in the decompression chamber.”

Once Stephen Gray and Saro Triste were gone, Francis Lane rushed back to the communicator. She activated the intercom panel and directed her message to the decompression chamber.

“
Balthazar,” she said.

“
I'm here, Ma'am,” the Merc replied.

“
You heard the message from Inquisitor Cer?”

“
Yes.”

“
Then you know B’taav is dead.”

“
Yes Ma'am. That is good news.”

“
Stephen Gray and Saro Triste are heading down to suit up. I am a few steps behind them.”

In
the decompression chamber, Balthazar cocked his head. Francis Lane’s words were innocuous, but they also announced the fact that their conversation was private.

“
Understood,” Balthazar said. “What do you wish me to do?”

“
You
will suit up and take the lead. I will ensure this lead is considerable.” Francis Lane pressed a series of buttons and sent information down to the decompression chamber's computers. “The file I just sent has Inquisitor Cer's position. You will go to her. You will eliminate her.”

“
Should I make it look like an accident?”

“
No need to waste any time,” Francis Lane said. She bit her upper lip and eyed the atmospheric readings. A cold smile formed on her face. “Burn her. A single blast of your fusion gun.”

“
Understood,” the Merc replied. “You will create anxiety with the others.”

“
I could care less about them. When they arrive at the
Argus'
central computers, take them out, too.”

“
But who will pilot us out of here, Francis?” Balthazar said and laughed.

“
We'll speak later,” Francis concluded. Her attention returned to Nathaniel.

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

When
Stephen Gray and Saro Triste arrived at the
Xendos’
decompression antechamber, Balthazar wasn't there.

“
Where the hell did that Merc go?” Saro Triste asked. “We didn't pass him on the way down.”

Stephen Gray saw there were three missing environmental suits, but said nothing. The intercom let out a loud beep.

“
We've got a message from the bridge,” Stephen Gray said. He activated the communication system and Francis Lane appeared on the monitor. Behind her was Nathaniel. He was drenched in sweat.

“
You're still in the bridge?” Saro Triste said.

“
Yes,” Francis Lane said.

“
Where is Balthazar?”

“
I sent him to the supply room, to look for medicines. Any medicines. The boy...”

“
What’s wrong?”

“
He’s emerging from the tranquilizers much faster than I thought he would.”

“
Can he suit up?” Stephen Gray asked.

“
I don’t think so.”

“
By the Gods,” Saro Triste groaned. “We need to go!”

“
Easy, Saro,” Stephen Gray said. “If we lose the ship’s codes, we’re finished.”

“
Stephen is right,” Francis Lane said. “Hopefully, Balthazar will find something I can use. Until then, I'll stay here, guarding the bridge.”

Saro Triste shook his head.

“
When will he be ready?”

“
Maybe...maybe it’s best I take Nathaniel back to his room,” she said. “If he rests a little while, perhaps an—”

She never finished her thought. Nathaniel let out a howl and slammed his hands against his head. The boy collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Balthazar
walked past the landing bay doors and into the body of
Argus
. He wasted no time sightseeing for at this point the Merc only cared about his mission.

He pressed down on the Accelerant dispenser under his environmental suit and felt the warm, familiar burst of energy. His muscles tightened and power surged through his body.

No, Balthazar couldn’t waste time looking at all the wonders around him.

All he cared about was killing Inquisitor Cer.

Saro
Triste and Stephen Gray stood several feet behind Francis Lane and Nathaniel. The boy was in bed. His body was covered in sweat. A look of terror filled his face.

“
He’s getting worse,” Stephen Gray said. “Is this withdrawal or is something else going on?”

“
I don’t know,” Francis Lane responded.

Saro Triste bit his tongue. He wanted nothing more than to suit up and force the boy to the
Argus'
central computers. There, the codes that only the child knew would unlock the computer's databanks. Once unlocked, they would know where in this massive ship the
Charybdis
device was hidden.

“
You said the drugs would last a few hours,” Stephen Gray said.

“
I was obviously wrong,” Francis Lane retorted.

She rubbed the boys’ shoulders and, as she did, the terror in his face faded. After a few minutes, he closed his eyes. His breathing became deep and regular. Soon, he was sleeping.

Balthazar
stepped back as a burst of air rushed past him. Inquisitor Cer was right, there was atmosphere within the
Argus
.

He stepped inside the decompression chamber door and closed the outer door. He allowed the machinery to do its work. Once the atmospheric pressure was stable, he opened the inner door and moved forward.

“
Good,”
Francis Lane said. “Maybe when he wakes, he’ll be better.”

“
We're wasting too much time,” Saro Triste said. “We should suit him up, take him down, and hope for the best.”

“
That would be unwise,” Francis Lane said. “If he has one of these attacks while we’re out there…”

“
Then force him to reveal the access codes now!”

“
If I was able to do so, do you think I would have gone to all the trouble of bringing the boy along? Our best hope of getting those access codes is by sitting him down in front of the
Argus’
computer operating systems.”

“
And how do you propose to do that when we can't even get him out of this fucking room?” Saro Triste yelled.

“
If we can't bring the boy to the
Argus'
operating system, it might be enough to bring the operating system to him.”

“
But the computers within the
Argus’
are locked down, hardwired,” Stephen Gray said. “The last thing the crew wants is an outside force hacking into their software.”

“
We don’t need to link up to the actual computer,” Francis Lane said. “We could set up a camera before the central computer's monitor. The camera signals can be relayed back here so the boy can see them. The quality won’t be optimal...”

“
But it'll be enough for the boy to remember the codes!” Saro Triste exclaimed.

“
It just might,” Francis Lane said. “Suit up and I'll guide you to the central computer room. Once we get the system activated, and provided Nathaniel tells us what we need to know, we’ll unlock the security systems around the
Charybdis
bomb. When we secure the device, I’ll tell you how to set the self-destruct mechanisms.”

Francis Lane rubbed Nathaniel’s forehead.

“
You’ll need to take tools to release the bomb from its moorings. You'll have to work as fast as you can, in case Nathaniel doesn’t last.”