The Last Flight of the Argus (55 page)

“
Pursuing Accelerant supplies?”

“
When we finally took off from
Titus
, we were to be pursued. Hard, but not too hard. Once we found and boarded the
Argus
, we had four hours to set off her self-destruct mechanism. Had we not done so, the
Dakota
would have bombed her until she was in pieces, regardless of whether we were aboard or not.”

The bridge grew quiet. The
Dakota
neared.

“
What about Nathaniel?” Maddox asked.

“
He's useless to anyone now,” B'taav lied. “The
Argus
is gone and whatever security codes he has in his head are worthless. As Francis Lane herself said, he was the ship's captain. He could no more replicate the device than any of us could.”

“
Then the danger is over,” Inquisitor Cer said. Although he couldn't be sure, B'taav detected a note of suspicion in her voice. Perhaps she too realized eliminating Saro Triste, Stephen Gray, and Francis Lane didn't mean their organization's end.

“
The flotillas will stand down, and peace between our Empires continues,” B'taav said and smiled.

“
Exactly what I was thinking,” Inquisitor said. “Perhaps I am something of a mind reader after all.”

Inquisitor Cer offered the Independent her own smile. It was frosty. The Independent no longer had any doubt that she too worried about the future.

“
We’re agreed then,” Maddox added. He was blissfully unaware of the unspoken messages between Independent and Inquisitor. “We'll make sure Nathaniel is treated as an innocent in this whole affair.”

“
Agreed.”

The three stared out the front window and at the
Dakota
.

In only a few minutes they would arrive at the Epsillon battleship.

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

The
Xendos
flew into the main landing bay of the
Dakota
and touched down. After atmosphere was pumped into the area, the decompression doors of the
Xendos
and
Dakota
opened.

Inquisitor Cer, Nathaniel, Maddox, and B’taav exited the ship. A large group of officers stepped off a lift and approached them. At the head of the group were Lieutenant Daniels, General Jurgens, and, standing at General Jurgens’ side, Jonah Merrick.

Another man dressed in flowing robes accompanied the group but kept his distance. B'taav recognized him as Overlord Octo, one of the twelve most powerful Phaecian Overlords.

“
Permission to come aboard,” Inquisitor Cer said. She offered a crisp military salute.

“
Permission granted,” General Jurgens said. He mirrored the Inquisitor's salute and said, “You must be exhausted. Please allow my men to escort you and Overlord Octo to your quarters. Should either of you need anything, food, medicine, whatever, please ask.”

“
We appreciate your hospitality,” Overlord Octo replied for his subject. “Our ship may require service. I’m certain your officers can provide this without forgetting the
Xendos
is property of the Holy Phaecian Fleet.”

“
Absolutely,” General Jurgens said. He motioned to several of the crewmembers standing behind him. “Provide whatever services Inquis...Overlord Octo requires. I want the ship in tip top shape.”

The crewmembers saluted and spread out. One group, armed with computers and tools equipment walked up to the entry ramp of the
Xendos
.

“
You won’t find anything,” B’taav told the General and the Overlord.

“
This is reassuring to hear,” Overlord Octo said. “However, there is no reason for mistrust, is there, Inquisitor?”

“
No sir. General Jurgens' technicians may board the ship as they please.”

General Jurgens nodded and the technicians headed into the craft. When they were gone, Inquisitor Cer motioned to the Overlord.

“
Permission to speak, sir?”

“
Granted.”

Inquisitor Cer addressed General Jurgens and said:

“
Your agent served admirably. I hope one day his work is recognized and properly rewarded.”

“
Perhaps it will be,” General Jurgens acknowledged.

“
As should yours, Inquisitor Cer,” B'taav added for the benefit of the Overlord.

Inquisitor Cer offered General Jurgens another crisp salute before stepping away from the group. Both Overlord Octo and she, along with a couple of escorts, headed for the lift.

“
You look better, Mr. Maddox,” General Jurgens said when they were gone. “However, it would be wise to get you and Nathaniel to our medical center.”

The last of the escorts appeared at Maddox and Nathaniel's side. Maddox tensed, but relaxed when B'taav laid his hand on the man's shoulder.

“
They'll take good care of you,” the Independent said. “I'll come down to visit shortly.”

Maddox nodded. Both he and Nathaniel were taken to the lift, leaving B’taav, General Jurgens, Lieutenant Daniels, and Jonah Merrick alone on the deck.

“
Who is the boy?” Merrick asked.

“
His name is Nathaniel,” B’taav replied. “He was adopted by Francis Lane. She couldn’t bear to part with him, so she took him along on the trip.”

“
That’s surprising,” Merrick said. “Given the gravity of her mission, wouldn’t she feel bringing along a child would be a burden?”

“
I’d be the last person to ask about what was going on in Francis Lane’s mind.”

“
He's missing a finger. How was he injured?”

“
The liftoff from the
Argus
was...hurried. His injury was accidental.”

It was an easy enough lie to tell.

“
What of the
Charybdis
bomb? Did you get any of the schematics?”

“
Not a one.”

The Industrialist nodded.

“
Just as well. It wouldn't be of much use, anyway.”

“
What do you mean?”

“
It’s been two hundred years since the Erebus War. In all that time neither Empire was able to make even one regular sized juggernaut, much less anything approaching the dimensions of the
Argus
. We have neither the materials, the manpower, nor, frankly, the interest in doing so. You do know why the ship was so damn large, right?”

B’taav shook his head.

“
Because the
Argus
was the
Charybdis
bomb.”

“
What?”

“
Did you think a device capable of destroying an entire solar system would fit into a suitcase?”

“
So making the bomb is...?”

“
A dream. At least at this point. Where would the makers get the money and material? And if they did, just how many years do you think it would take them to build it? A hundred years, if not more. Even assuming the project was somehow started, it wouldn't be long before word of its construction leaked. At that point, Epsillon and Phaecian agents would come swarming in. Depending on who arrived first, the project would either be seized or sabotaged.”

“
That’s why Francis Lane was after the bomb’s plans, rather than the device itself,” B’taav said. “She had everyone thinking the device could be towed away with the
Xendos
. She had them chasing after something that was all around them. How did you know?”

“
Francis Lane was a strong, intelligent woman,” Merrick said. “I've had my eyes on her for quite some time. She kept most of the information about the
Argus
well hidden. Once she left her palace, my agents searched her files more thoroughly. We didn't discover the truth about the
Argus
until after you guys were in
Titus
. Good thing, too, as the Phaecians were more than ready to resume the war right where we left off. Once they realized schematics were all that could be retrieved from the
Argus
, cooler heads prevailed. We even convinced them to send Overlord Octo as an observer on the
Dakota
. He witnessed firsthand our good intentions of routing out the traitors and destroying that damned ship.”

“
If she knew the bomb might not be replicated in her lifetime, what did Francis Lane hope to gain?”

“
Maybe she hoped to start the project and leave it for her offspring. Maybe she envisioned the Royal Epsillon Empire rising once again.”

“
Why did you guys keep up the facade that the
Charybdis
device was an imminent threat?”

“
We couldn't simply assassinate a Phaecian Cardinal and one of our highest ranking Industrialists. We had to let events work themselves out. Besides, the more people on the
Argus
, the greater the temptation. There was too much of a risk that someone might just sprint off with the ship's knowledge. No, it was better to keep the number of people on board at a minimum. In the end, Inquisitor Cer will tell Overlord Octo how we in good faith rid ourselves of that ship and kept the War's biggest secret a secret.”

“
There is more, though.”

Merrick smiled. “Of course there’s more. I’ve suspected for quite some time Stephen Gray’s industries were in league with the pirates raiding my ships. If Gray’s death at the hands of my personal agent doesn’t send a message to those bastards to stop messing with my property, then nothing will.”

B’taav nodded. Profit and loss, industrial one-upmanship. It was something so banal, yet easy to understand. The Independent suddenly felt very exhausted.

“
Am I done here?”

Merrick’s smile remained firm. “Yeah. You’ve earned a good vacation. Your room aboard our ship is…”

“
Number 5334, fifth level crew quarters,” General Jurgens said. It was the first time he spoke since the four were left alone. It was clear who the power in this group was and who were the underlings.

“
Thank you.”

“
Why don’t you come back to see me in a month or so and we’ll plot out your next job?” Merrick said.

“
Sure.”

B’taav broke away from this small group and headed for the lifts. Lieutenant Daniels followed him.

“
Next time,” he said. “Maybe they’ll let me catch you.”

“
If it's in the script,” B'taav replied. Despite his exhaustion, he laughed. Lieutenant Daniels joined him.

Soon the elevator arrived, and the Independent was gone.

CHAPTER SEVENTY

B’taav
spent the next few days resting in his room aboard the
Dakota
.

From his window he saw the Erebus asteroids fly by at incredible speeds. At first there were many but their numbers slowly dwindled. It wouldn’t be long before they arrived at the
Titus
space station. From there, everyone involved in the search for the
Argus
would return to their respective homes and jobs and lives.

Once, while taking a walk outside his room, B’taav spotted Maddox and Nathaniel on the ship’s leisure decks. The two had obviously grown close. Nathaniel acted like a normal child, and Maddox wisely kept up that act. If anyone suspected the boy was something more than he appeared, they never showed it.

B'taav didn't see much of Inquisitor Cer during the return trip, nor did he expect to. She was an Inquisitor, and she had to remain at the side of Overlord Octo, both as her duty and, certainly, for debriefing. Despite this, he spotted her a couple of times walking the forward decks alone and watching the stars. They avoided talking to each other, because on a military craft, every wall had ears.

After two more weeks of flight, the
Dakota
was hours away from the
Titus
Space Station. B’taav watched the station grow larger from that same forward deck. It felt like several lifetimes passed since he was this close to civilization.

“
I’ll be leaving soon.”

B'taav turned. Inquisitor Cer stood beside him.

“
They finished with your ship?”

“
Days ago,” Cer said. “But they nonetheless had to re-check it a few more times. Just in case.”

“
You'll have to pardon our suspicious nature.”

“
If the roles were reversed, I would do the same to your ship. I might even be in charge of taking it apart.”

“
When are you leaving?”

“
Soon.”

“
It’s been a pleasure working with you,” B’taav said.