Deep Dive: Legacy War Book 5 Read online

  “You seem rather calm about it,” Dulain said.

  Bradford shrugged. “I’ve found that it’s worthless to get overly passionate about the unknown. We’ve found preparing for it and reacting is better than living in anticipation of some horror to come.”

  “I suppose that’s a fair point.” Dulain slowed down to stand beside Christina. He whispered to her, “Did you know anything about this?”

  “Agent Alexander and I did discuss it, yes.”

  “And you didn’t think to put it in your report?”

  Christina smirked. “Sir, you ordered us to secure the Orbs and get them on the Gnosis. That was our focus. The conversation about danger and hyperspace was an aside while we were having lunch. It wouldn’t have made the report because it wasn’t relevant to our assignment. Why?” She paused. “Are you regretting your decision to come along?”

  “That’s enough out of you.” Dulain advanced to catch up to the captain, fighting off his irritation. He’d feel better when he had a chance to get cleaned up and change. They weren’t leaving for a while, so he technically still had a chance to change his mind. Of course, such a thing wouldn’t do well for his reputation.

  Of course, it wouldn’t matter much if he died. Then again, if he was gone, so too would the Orbs and along with them, Earth’s only hope to survive the coming storm. With that sobering fact in mind, he focused on what he could do to help ensure success rather than worry about his own skin.

  Chapter 4

  Four hours later, they entered hyperspace for their long journey. Deacon took the first watch, allowing Zach to get some downtime. Vincent held the bridge while Desmond visited the research deck where scientists and technicians were setup to make several attempts to interface with the Orbs.

  As the captain stepped off the elevator, the marines stood at attention but he waved them down to stand at ease. Guards covered each of the entry points, even the doors into quarters. Darren’s more paranoid than I thought he would be. Desmond thought. I hope it pays off.

  He entered the massive bay where the Orbs were kept. Several beds were positioned near the pedestals with medical equipment attached to each. They were put in place to watch the vital signs of the human subjects, people who very likely had no interest in volunteering for this mess but didn’t have a choice.

  Dulain stood with Christina in the corner as she pointed to various systems throughout the room, probably explaining the setup to the buffoon. Desmond didn’t really care for the head of the AIA. He seemed entirely too fake, too caught up in his position to be effective. The real work came from his agents, who put their lives on the line for him.

  Cassie stood alone off to the right, working on her tablet. Desmond approached and gently touched her shoulder. “How’re you holding up? You ready for this craziness?”

  “I’m not.” Cassie shook her head. “I’d rather not do it, if I’m to be perfectly honest.” She paused. “Um … Where’s Vin—Commander Bowman?”

  “I gave him the bridge while I came down to inspect the deck,” Desmond replied. He tilted his head. “Did you want to see him before … well … before this happens?”

  “Kind of, yes.” Cassie took a deep breath. “Would it be too much trouble?”

  Desmond shook his head. “Not at all. I’ll wrap up what I’m doing here and send him down. Isn’t Doctor Harper here?”

  “Yes.” Cassie gestured to the corner. “She’s been back there messing with the interface wiring for a while. I guess she isn’t happy with the readings she’s getting from the Orbs. If you don’t know, she can be very particular.”

  “So I’ve seen. I’ll leave her to it and get out of everyone’s hair.” Desmond hesitated to go. “Why don’t you head over to your temporary quarters and Vincent can meet you there? Would that be alright?”

  Cassie smiled nervously and nodded. “That would be great. Thank you.”

  Desmond nodded to Dulain when he noticed the man staring at him and he headed out, moving for the elevator. The tension in that room made his skin feel tight. Everyone was worried about it, except the people who didn’t understand it probably. That would be technicians and Dulain specifically.

  The marines held the deck, the researchers and techs were about to begin the experiment, and everything seemed in order. Desmond sent a quick message to Vincent asking him to head down for a conference with Cassie in her quarters. After that, he’d spend the next shift on the bridge, hoping everything went smoothly.

  Aside from the attack on Gamma Alpha, everything looked copacetic.

  ***

  Cassie fretted in her quarters. The first time she interfaced with the Orb had been an accident, it happened quickly and she didn’t have a choice in the matter. They’d deliberately attempted to get the interface to work again on Earth but it didn’t seem as possible there. Especially with Dulain’s theory that they needed to be in hyperspace.

  A knock on the door made her jump and she opened up right away. Vincent stood there wearing a worried expression. “The captain said you needed to talk to me.” He paused when he really looked at her, then stepped inside. She hugged him the moment the door closed. “Whoa, you’re not okay.”

  “No,” Cassie said. “This terrifies me. I don’t know why. Something about it really has me on edge.”

  “Can you go through with it?” Vincent asked.

  “I don’t have a choice.”

  Vincent hummed. “There’s always a choice. Always. Can you do it?”

  “I will … because they’re right. I’m the only person who’s ever done it. If I don’t try, I risk everything but it doesn’t make it any easier.” Cassie stepped back. “I’m all about duty and putting it on the line for humanity … I really am. But now, I feel weak for being afraid and since I wasn’t even thinking twice about it the first time, I worry that I’ll screw up the experiment.”

  “There’s no denying how important this is,” Vincent said. “But it’s going to work or it isn’t. We’ve done everything we can to stack the odds in our favor. I know you can’t control your feelings but you just have to go with the flow a little bit, don’t punish yourself for being scared. Anyone would be in your situation.”

  Cassie looked into his eyes for a long, lingering moment. There were things she almost said, a few she didn’t know if she should and several which wouldn’t have been appropriate given the circumstances. Some part of her screamed that she should talk before it was too late. After she went into the research lab, she might never have the chance again.

  “We’ve been through a lot together.” Cassie touched his cheek. “Especially the last mission.”

  “There’ll be plenty more.” Vincent smiled. “I have faith in you … and all those brilliant weirdos down the hall too.”

  “When this one’s over and we’re back home …” Cassie swallowed hard. “I want to get at least an afternoon off. Just a few hours so we can leave Gamma Alpha and be alone. Would you help me accomplish that?”

  “Of course.” Vincent nodded. “Absolutely.”

  “Thank you. I—”

  A voice in the hall called her name and Cassie sighed. “I guess they’re playing my number, huh?”

  “I guess so.” Vincent hugged her tightly. “Do you want me to stay down here? The captain took the bridge for the rest of this shift and I’m sure I can make up an excuse to stick around.”

  “I’m not sure you want to.” Cassie stepped away and opened the door. “But I’d love to know you were nearby.”

  “I won’t be far away. I promise.”

  “I believe you.” Cassie left the room, steadying herself for the experiment. Doctor Max Stevens waited to escort her back to the room, one of the Gamma Alpha personnel. He yammered on about their plan and what it meant to her and she could tell he was pretty nervous too.

  More likely because he’d never been in hyperspace before.

  Doctor Harper stood with her hands on her hips as Cassie arrived. “There you are!” She sounded grumpy. “Do ge
t into position, Agent Alexander. We are on a strict timeline here!”

  Cassie went to her designated bed and crawled onto it. Doctor Stevens closed a monitoring cuff over her left bicep and stepped away. The whole thing felt like a torture chamber but she had to put such thoughts out of her mind. Worry would just make the vitals spike and she had no idea what they’d do if that happened.

  Her eyes found Vincent and she smiled before turning her attention to the ceiling. Whatever happened next would help humanity, that was how she spun it to herself. It was time to focus on the positive and make something happen. Even as the tension rose around her, she took deep, calming breaths. Whatever happened next, she felt prepared.

  ***

  Gil Vaedra knew Orb technology. He studied it extensively while still in school and discussed theories of how much they might have impacted the entire universe with their power and data. Before he even finished primary school, he’d been allowed to visit the facility and see the Orb in person, witnessing firsthand how scientists used it every day to solve problems.

  Ultimately, his field of study took him away from such wonders into the ancient world of archaeology, but they didn’t have many qualified scientists to study the item. Their experiment had never been tried by the Pahxin so in a way, he got to be part of an amazing piece of history. If it worked, they’d be talking about it for generations.

  Though he would likely have to give most of the credit to Thayne Rindala, his colleague and longtime friend. That man had been studying Orb technology since he could crawl and forgot more about it than most would ever know. He worked close by, taking readings from one of the interface panels.

  Other Pahxin scientists arrived to help but even though they’d worked with these devices before, they deferred to Thayne when it came to questions or concerns. The Tol’An had captured the right man to discover what they needed to know but unfortunately for them, they wasted his talents tracking down more Orbs.

  If they would’ve taken him to their secret base and put him to work deciphering data, they might’ve had a distinct advantage over the other cultures in the galaxy. When they lost him to the humans, they were relieved of the greatest advantage they ever stole and would likely never enjoy such a benefit again.

  Especially if the experiment proved successful.

  Gil turned to Doctor Harper as she began to explain their first attempt. “Agent Alexander was performing deep scans of the Orb when she was struck with the initial interface. We were unable to replicate these effects on Earth so we will be trying the same thing now. She will hit the button and we will monitor her brain activity.”

  “What exactly is this doing to the Agent?” One of the other doctors asked. “Do we have any idea?”

  “I’m afraid not,” Harper replied. “When we examined her there were no abnormalities and nothing was physically wrong. However, it is our belief that she has been ‘opened’ to communication with the devices. Once connected, she may be able to do so again far easier. That’s why we must replicate the conditions of the first success.”

  Gil asked, “Are we thinking that she opened the lines of communication then? That her scan somehow triggered the effect?”

  “Indeed,” Harper replied. “If we are all prepared, we can get started. If this attempt does not work, we have a variety of suggestions from different researchers. They are listed by priority in your tablets. Alright, Agent Alexander, we will begin the experiment shortly. Scribe, please announce to security that we will be starting in five seconds.”

  Gil took a seat, turning his attention to the screen with Agent Alexander’s vitals on it. He didn’t know exactly what they’d be looking for, what was bad or good, but until the Orb showed signs of activity, he didn’t have anything else to focus on. Everyone fell silent as they counted down the few moments until they initiated the scan.

  Something shocked him, a sharp pain hitting his right hand first before quickly spreading to the rest of his body. He winced, gritting his teeth against the agony before slumping back in his chair. The abrupt sensation seemed to numb his nerves, rendering him incapable of moving.

  Gil became aware of someone standing beside him, saying his name but he couldn’t make out their voice or tell who they were. A strong hand slapped his face and he bolted upright, dull music pounding in his ringing ears. His mouth tasted like dry dust and he could barely see.

  “This can’t be him,” a man’s voice said nearby. “Look at him. This guy’s been drinking for three days. Probably more.”

  “It’s him,” came a response. That person sounded familiar. An old colleague? No … an employer. A man who was willing to pay for help on old dig sights across the universe. He’d paid for Gil’s long excursions to drinking establishments many times over. He was Quinda Folle from the Kalrawv Group. Definitely not a friend. “Sober up, Gil. We need to talk.”

  “I’m not sure I like your tone,” Gil replied. “And I’m busy, if you can’t tell.”

  “Yeah, we see.” Quinda sat across from him. “We need you for a job. It’s close by but we can’t figure out how to get into the damn place. We’ll triple your normal rates but we’ve got to get you out of here right away. What do you say?”

  “You sound desperate.” Gil rubbed his eyes, blinking several times. Quinda’s long black hair was tied back in a ponytail, his beady eyes squinting out beneath a wrinkled brow. “I’m not sure I can take triple from desperate men.”

  “What do you want then?” Quinda sighed. “Listen, you’ve got an advantage on us here because we’re in a damn hurry. I don’t normally spill it this fast and you know it so come on. Tell us what you want so we can get on with our lives. No one has time for the way you like to play around with prices.”

  “Okay, if you want to be like that.” Gil sat up straight, which required some effort. The odd numbness seemed to subside. He briefly wondered at the strange dream he had, of being on some bizarre spaceship with a lesser life form light years away but he put it aside. “I’ll do it for five times my usual rate and a cut of whatever we find.”

  “I’ll do the five times,” Quinda said. “But what we find is ours. You don’t want any part of it anyway.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because.” Quinda shrugged. “I don’t have to tell you everything. If you figure it out while we’re there, so be it but I’m not talking about it before then. Are you in or not?”

  Gil weighed the options, thinking about his dwindling account. They wouldn’t spot him a tab at the bar for much longer and he needed to pay for his room somehow. There were no other prospects, not legitimate ones so why not go with the Kalrawv? They may be total scum, but they always paid reliably.

  “Why not?” Gil replied, pushing to his feet. “Lead on to your ship, Quinda. I’m sure this will be another fine and illegal adventure to put under my belt.”

  “You should watch your tone in here,” Quinda rasped. “I don’t want station security to bother us.”

  “Oh, please. You know full well these idiots don’t bother with anything short of straight murder and mayhem.” Gil chuckled, clapping Quinda on the shoulder. “No, we could practically talk about the downfall of the Pahxin government and the rise of the Tol’An and no one would blink twice.”

  “I’m glad you’re so cavalier.” Quinda shrugged away from him. “Hurry up. I want you cleaned up. You smell like a brewery and something worse. Help him along if you have to. He looks a bit slow.”

  Gil followed along, musing about his dream but far more distracted by all the money he was about to make. All for a little stolen old-world tech from some dead culture long in its grave. He wondered what sort of foolishness Kalrawv wanted in on this time and whether or not he’d be accused of a war crime.

  It wouldn’t be the first time.

  ***

  Heat sat alone in the control center, going over the security logs for all the newcomers to the ship. The chaos of the attack had everyone on edge and so each new passenger came under strict scrutiny. Th
is meant that the light duty guy was given the job of vetting each of them, going through their records and ensuring they were legitimate.

  Some were still on their shuttles and those folks filed complaints. No one would care. Security on this project superseded comfort. Two people were given exceptions by Captain Bradford and they were both confirmed members of the AIA. Heat still would’ve liked to have them searched and checked but he kept that to himself.

  Nearly twenty-five people came aboard. A few doctors, a bunch of scientists and some technicians who supposedly specialized in the Orb technology. Those last ones were who Heat focused his efforts on. Of the different crews, they made the least amount of money and came from various walks of life.

  The researchers spent all their time at Gamma Alpha. They were practically heroes in some circles and most of them were known by name and reputation. As Heat checked their various dossiers, he quickly confirmed they were on the level. The technicians required more work. They plied their trade to far more positions than their superiors did.

  The first several came back clean according to the files delivered by the AIA. Heat took a moment to rub his eyes, yawning from boredom. He’d never been particularly great at paperwork. There was a reason he went into the infantry. Shooting things made sense to him. Hunting through mountains of files for a traitor never fit his career goals.

  But he wasn’t the only one doing the work either. Some computer guy in a different lab also checked the work. Protocol demanded a member of physical security do the same work as the techs but it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Unless they suspected one or the other might also be a traitor.

  Jesus Christ, we have a lot of paranoia going on around here.

  The thought made him tired. On the battlefield, things tended to be much simpler. Enemies shot at him, he shot back. They conquered a facility, blasted an ammo depot, or took out vehicles. There was no wondering if one of his marines might shoot him in the back. That sort of thing lived only in the world of the AIA and back at HQ.