The Last Praetorian (21 page)

After a moment of silence Gunny offered. “I have discussed
an idea with David, that he fully supports,” he said referring to their head of
security. “However, as the original idea came from Miranda I think she should
be the one to present it.”  Patrick gestured to her to continue. 

Surprised, as it was obvious that she was not expecting to
be asked to contribute to the meeting, Miranda took a deep breath and
explained. “If we need hard facts and information then we need to get our hands
on a Syndicate computer core, high level personnel, or both.  As we can safely
assume that they will not venture this information I propose that we go ahead
and take it.”  The room became very still following this announcement. 

Leaning forward and staring at Miranda intensely, Jon
commented. “You are suggesting that we raid one of the Syndicate bases?”  Jon
scoffed.  “Based on our intelligence,” Jon cast his gaze towards Jason before
continuing, “such a raid would be a disaster as all the Syndicate outposts are
too heavily defended with space-based energy, projectile and missile
emplacements.  Any assault team would get cut to pieces before we could get
within ten kilometres of any of their stations.”

“Most of their base of operations in this system are
significant in size and therefore heavily protected,” Miranda conceded.  “However
I often shuttled high ranking members of the organisation to a smaller
outpost.  They used this for more confidential high-level briefings and
discussions.  By its very nature this is smaller, highly concealed and lightly
defended.  Ideally, I could sneak a small shuttle onto the station with my
access codes, assuming they have not been changed.  Thereafter we should be
able to neutralise any defences and send a boarding team to capture their
computer core.”

“I assume that this is where you two come in,” Jon
interjected dryly pointing his finger at Gunny and David.

“A number of my Marines have been training with Security for
the past few weeks,” Patrick replied confidently.  “While it will take a little
longer to make Marines out of them, we can assemble an assault team consisting
of a dozen Special Forces and Marines backed up by David and his security
team.  We can punch through whatever defences that they have, grab the computer
core and be out of there in under ten minutes, long before any reinforcements
could arrive.”

“And you agreed to this crazy scheme?”  Jon directed this
question to his head of security.

“The plan is tactically sound, sir,” David responded
stiffly.  “We have a fairly good idea of the internal layout of the station
from Miranda. We will have the element of surprise on our side.  Patrick and
his team will assault the compute core while my team and I will secure the dock
and cover the exit.” 

Jon just shook his head in disbelief at the sheer audacity
of the plan that his senior staff was proposing.  Just to waltz onto a
Syndicate station, no matter how lightly defended, poke around until they had
located the computer core, steal it right under the noses of the Syndicate and
waltz back out.  Sighing, as there seemed to be little better idea, Jon
concluded the meeting. “I want to see a full tactical plan on my desk in 48
hours... and it had better be damn good! Dismissed!”

As his senior command staff filed out of the conference
room, Jon’s thoughts turned back to Sofia.  It had been at least 32 hours since
he had last thought about her, Jon idly wondered if he was going to spend the
rest of his life thinking about her. 

Lashing out in frustration, Jon threw the data pad that had
been resting on the table in front of him, taking some satisfaction in the
sharp crack as it shattered against the wall.  He stalked across the room to
stare out of the window at the stars, the only way he seemed to find any peace
and solitude these days.

Jon had spent years criss-crossing the Confederation,
hunting down Harkov after ensuring Sofia’s safe arrival on Eden Prime.  In
those years he had seen sights and sounds that most citizens could only dream
of, but with his desperate quest for vengeance always driving him onwards.  As
each rumour, each possible sighting was meticulously followed up– always with
no success - another piece of Jon’s soul seemed to shrivel and die. 

In his quest for vengeance he had discarded everyone and everything
that he held dear to him.  Finally Jon came to the very edge of explored space,
gazing upon the billions and billions of unexplored stars ahead, he finally
surrendered to his despair.  With loneliness as his only companion he turned
his ship around.  All the things he had seen, experienced…

But what’s the point of life, if you have nobody to share
it with!
Jon thought angrily. 

On his return Jon had spent restless nights tossing and
turning, his dreams plagued by Sofia, her smile, her scent and her gentle
touch.  Now he spent his days aimlessly wandering the station, alone, in this
ivory tower, his own self imposed exile.  Hiding from the mistakes that he had
made in the past.

Jon had failed so many people in his life, first his younger
sister, then when he had joined the Navy his colleagues, finally concluding
with the Emperor, his fellow Praetorians and eventually even Sofia.  Everything
that he touched, he destroyed.  Jon felt in his heart that this meaningless
existence was the cost that he had to bear for a lifetime of mistakes. 

Glancing down at the conference table, Jon observed the
small data chip innocently resting in front of him.  Jason had put it there
prior to his departure from the room.  Delicately picking up the chip he
observed it thoughtfully, resting in the palm of his hand.

He held no regard for the Confederation.  The Confederation
had been Sofia’s dream not his.  Everything he had done for the Confederation
in the past was for her – not them.  Jon had dragged Sofia through hell to get
her to Eden Prime.  By some miracle, bloodied and bruised they had finally made
it – alive, just.  Jon had no intention of dragging Sofia through such events
again.  She had seen too much death and destruction in those few short months…

Jon slammed the chip against the table’s surface, the chips
delicate membrane shattering, leaving a thin coating of fragments littering the
table’s surface.   

Five Years Previously

Altair V, Altair System

Jon brought the
‘Light
down in a gentle descent along
the terminator of the planet Altair V.  Following their disastrous visit to
Transcendence
Jon had made the conscious decision to avoid any populated areas and had
decided to land the
‘Light
some distance from Carrington city, the main
settlement on Altair.  The plan, discussed during the short FTL jump from
Transcendence
,
was to put the shuttle down just beyond the city, to conceal it, and then make
their way using ground-based transportation to his family’s home.   

Jon had purposefully chosen this time to begin the descent,
as hopefully the setting sun along the terminator would help shield the shuttle’s
re-entry from any observant eyes.  Jon knew for a fact that sensors from the
ancient orbiting docking control would be unable to track the descending
shuttle.

Outside of the core-worlds Altair had been one of the first
worlds settled.  Located 16.7 light-years from Old Earth, it was one of the
most visible stars from the birthplace of humanity.  Unfortunately it had also
been one of the most disappointing.  As a type-A main sequence star with
approximately 1.8 times the mass of the Sol star, it was also 11 times its
luminosity.  Combined with an extremely rapid rate of rotation it resulted in
an extremely narrow ‘Goldilocks zone’, the zone where water could exist in a
liquid form on the planetary surface and a breathable atmosphere could
develop.  Unfortunately only one planet in the system fell into this zone…
just.  With a wide day-night temperature variation of between -30
^o
C
during the night and up to 50
^o
C during the day, life was difficult
for the early colonists.  Crops often failed due to the temperature range and
the infrequent rains, with little mineral resources discovered on the planet. 
Were it not for the close proximity to the core-systems it was entirely
possible that the system could have been completely abandoned.  Instead the
system managed to eke out a meagre existence from the frequent trade ships
travelling between the core and rim worlds combined with some heavy industry
and weak agriculture. With high unemployment, rampant crime, and few prospects,
the rest of the Imperium looked down upon the inhabitants of Altair.

Jon had not been born into a well-to-do family.  The eldest
of two, he had spent most of his youth scrabbling in the streets doing anything
that he could to earn some credits to help his family.  His father worked as a
mechanic in the small spaceport and his mother had balanced two jobs along with
bringing up two kids.  The likely outcome for the young Radec would have been a
short education followed by longer hours in the factories, were it not for his
parents.  Desperate for their son to aspire to greater things, they pooled all
their hard-earned wages and sent Jon to the Imperial Military College, the
select school on Altair, where Jon’s situation only grew worse…

The buffeting of atmospheric re-entry awoke Jon from his
internal contemplation.  It had been many years since he had last been to
Altair.  Reducing power to the shuttle’s main engines and bringing the shuttle’s
nose up slightly to reduce the air turbulence, Jon observed that Sofia had gone
an even whiter shade of pale.  Not having said much since their frantic escape
from
Transcendence
, Jon was hoping to have an opportunity to talk, in
private, at his home.  Jon had been in enough combat to recognise the symptoms
of post-traumatic stress.  Hopefully Sofia would confide in him and that he
could help her, as Jon knew from personal experience that just keeping the
feelings and emotions bottled up inside would only make the situation worse.

Turning back to the flight instruments Jon confirmed that
the shuttle was in atmospheric flight mode, glancing out of the cockpit windows
he could make out the lights of Carrington city ahead.  Banking slightly to
port, Jon angled the shuttle towards the southern tip of the city, as this was
where his family lived.  Activating the shuttle’s sensors he began to look for
a good concealed landing spot.  A dry riverbed 30 kilometres ahead seemed like
the ideal location, and so Jon began the ships landing cycle.         

*****

Being only a few hours after sunset, Altair time, Jon
suggested to Sofia that they could walk the few kilometres to the city’s public
transport system.  From there they could obtain transport to his family’s
modest residence on the outskirts of the city.  After taking a few moments to
conceal the shuttle, the young couple set off towards the bright lights of the
city.

Initially the journey was easy going, as this close to the
city the terrain was relatively flat, mostly consisting of well-marked hiking
trails for the more adventurous inhabitants.  Soon however, the sky started to
cloud over, followed by a light rain, then a deluge!  Jon had forgotten how
changeable the weather could be on Altair and within moments both were
completely soaked! 

Cursing, Jon raised his eyes skywards, wondering what he
could possibly have done in an earlier life to deserve such a continuous streak
of bad luck.  Allowing his gaze to wander, observing a gap in the cloud cover,
he took in the magnificent star filled vista above them.  With little heavy
industry on the planet and still a distance from Carrington city the sky seemed
to be alive with stars; Jon could easy pick-out the major constellations.  He
had forgotten what had drawn him to space in the first instance, sitting
outside the city, on a path much like this one, staring into the night-sky,
wishing on a star… wondering what adventures awaited, what Princesses he would
meet…  With a soft smile his gaze fell from the dark sky to focus on the soaked
and weary woman walking at his side. 

Noticing the way that her hair was plastered to the side of
her face, rivulets of water running down her face, her drenched flight suit
hugging her curves closely.  Jon was mesmerised by the sight, wondering how he
had spent so many years in her company but only recently recognising how
astonishingly beautiful she was.  

Looks like both of my wishes came true,
Jon thought.

It was only a short distance
further, trudging through the thick mud that the path had become, until they
came to the edge of the city proper and Jon quickly found a public
communication terminal to call for transport to his home.  When the transport
arrived it was only a brief journey to their destination and before they knew
it, they were disembarking from the taxi in a small up-market suburb of the
city.  While the houses were built close together, it was obvious from the
street that the owners took pride in their homes, with all being neat and well
maintained. 

Assuming that this was where Jon
grew up, Sofia looked around curiously with a hint of nervousness, following
him towards one of the well-maintained homes.

Recognising the nerves in her
expression, Jon caught Sofia by the hand and in a reassuring tone whispered.
“Don’t worry.  I am sure my family will love you!”  It was only after he had
uttered the words that he noticed the Freudian slip; fortunately Sofia seemed
not to notice as her attention was solely focused on the approaching door. 
Activating the announcer, Jon waited patiently for somebody to open the door.  The
thought suddenly crossed his mind.

I hope they’re at home!

Fortunately he needn’t have worried as only moments later
the door was opened by his mother.  Her puzzled expression rapidly changed to
delight upon recognising her son. “Jon?” She asked confused for a moment as she
had not been expecting him.  “Jon!” She exclaimed again in delight, enfolding
him in a rib crushing hug.  “Ryan!” she called back into the house.  “You get
out here right this instant!” The sounds of doors opening and closing could be
heard, along with some grumbling when Jon’s father rounded the corner and froze
at the sight of his long absent son.  His expression of shocked disbelief
suddenly changed to delight and he enfolded both of them in a huge hug, not
even giving his mother the chance to release her hold on him.