Echoes of Harmony

Shuttle above Mornage

Stariek

2 March 3297

A notification from Vertyn came through in the corner of Zorn’s vision as the small shuttle was rocked side to side by turbulence from the speed of its entry into Stariek’s atmosphere. With a thought, he dismissed it. He thought he had told them he was going to be busy and not to disturb them. He’d need to have a talk with them about that. Such petulance did not belong in their society.

Clouds rushed by as nothing more than white blurs. His hands tightly held onto the straps securing him to the seat in the back of the shuttle. Hayden Reid did the same next to him, though he stared firmly at the nondescript wall in front of him. Zorn was just about to comment on it when the notification came through again.

<What?> he snarled through the link as he answered it.

<Sir, the Druthagar are here,> said the communications officer from the CIC of the space station. <Two hundred and fifty one new contacts just appeared. Shall we engage?>

Zorn felt as if someone ripped his heart from his chest and stomped on it. Too soon. The Druthagar arrived too soon. They were supposed to have a week. This was hardly a couple of hours from the time he received the report. By the time he and Reid arrived at the Bastion, the station could already be destroyed.

<Of course, you should engage them, you idiot.> Zorn felt as if a blood vessel in his head was going to pop. <I have a plan, but you need to distract them long enough for me to enact it. Now, do your societal duty or I will report you to the commissars.>

He cut the transmission before the officer could reply. Next to him, Reid continued staring ahead, unaware of what was happening. It was better he didn’t, otherwise he would panic and make some stupid decision.

A pocket of turbulence rattled the transport, causing them to shake in their seats. Reid closed his eyes and took a deep breath as it continued rattling them. Zorn couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Never been through a little turbulence? I thought you democracy types took trips like this all the time.”

“It has nothing to do with that, General.” Reid kept his eyes closed. The turbulence ended, and the clouds gave way to reveal the city of Mornage below them. “Do you have any children?”

Zorn considered the question for a moment. There was nothing saying he needed to answer his prisoner. Then again, it seemed fairly innocuous. He failed to see what sort ulterior motive Reid would have for asking.

“No. My duty to society always came first, as it should for any in our empire.”

“I’m afraid you wouldn’t understand what’s going through my head then.”

“I can guess. You love your son.” Zorn said the word like it burned his tongue to do so. “Of course, I can’t understand why. From what I saw of our file on him and you, it doesn’t seem like your relationship is the best. Especially with the argument you had a couple days before I took control of your planet.”

Reid’s hands tightened around his straps. Zorn couldn’t help but smirk. The man was too easy to rile. However, he made no indication of responding.

“Approaching the Bastion,” called out the pilot, Warrant Officer Schnorr, from the front of the shuttle. “ETA two minutes.”

“Make it one minute, Warrant,” Zorn said. “We don’t have any time to waste.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

The pilot muttered an affirmation. A jolt went through the transport as it sped up. Reid glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, but Zorn ignored it. Better to leave him guessing. Besides, the less he knew, the better.

After precisely a minute and twenty seconds, the shuttle came screeching to a halt on the concrete in front of the hexagonal building known as the Bastion. The doors slid open. A bevy of noise hit Zorn as he stood and made his way to it. Screams of people not expecting the shuttle. Others of people who recognized the Hyperion symbol on the side and shouted obscenities at him. He ignored them all, watching as Reid undid his straps and stood to join him.

Together, they made their way silently into the building. Zorn’s uniform—or perhaps Reid’s identity—allowed them to quickly pass through all security checkpoints until they reached the elevator that would bring them deep into the Bastion. After just a moment of waiting, the door opened to reveal an empty interior. Zorn gestured for Reid to enter.

“After you, Provost.”

“Thank you, General,” Reid replied with a scowl, He walked in and waited for Zorn to enter before pressing the button for the second to lowest floor. As the door closed and the elevator began its descent, he turned to Zorn. “When this is over, I want to see my son.”

“I can’t guarantee that, Provost. If you hold up your end of the bargain, I’ll see what I can do. But it’s really not up to me. If your missiles don’t work and the station gets destroyed, then I don’t see how it’s my fault you don’t get to see your son again.”

Zorn saw the fist coming before Reid even turned. He deftly took half a step backwards. In one hand, he caught the Provost’s wrist. With the other, he grabbed the man’s shoulder and spun him into the wall of the elevator. It shook with the impact but continued its descent.

“That was not very friendly.” Zorn released Reid and brushed off his robes.

“Neither is your fucking commentary!” Tears filled Reid’s eyes. His hands were clenched at his sides. Perhaps he would try for another strike at him.

Zorn tried his hardest to not smile at striking a nerve. The man’s heavy breaths filled the elevator. Finally, the lift came to a stop and the door opened, revealing a long corridor with a single guard at the far end. A desk with a scanner sat in front of him. Zorn grabbed Reid’s arm and roughly shoved him forward.

“Get moving,” he hissed. When he initially captured the man, he didn’t realize it would be so easy to cripple him just by bringing up the safety of his son. It was both endearing and revolting. “We don’t have much time.”

Reid scowled at him but said nothing as he approached the guard. The soldier was young, perhaps in his early twenties. A youthful innocence still dominated his face. By the time this was all over, that would be changed.

“Hello, Private Bradley,” Reid said. His voice made it evident he had been tearing up in the elevator, but the private made no mention of it.“I need access to the Mindscape.”

“Are you sure, sir?” The private glanced at Zorn. Such insolence would have been instantly punished in a real society. Questioning one’s superiors was unheard of in the Empire.

“Positive, Private. Now, please let me in.”

“Very well.” He gestured to the scanner. “You know the process, sir.”

Reid nodded and moved to the machine. He held his hand up to it. A green light ran across the surface to scan his hand. After a second delay, it beeped. A panel next to the door opened, containing a circular scanner that Reid quickly walked to and put his eye up to. Though the light in this was invisible, it only took a moment for it to scan the iris. The panel returned to its original place. Private Bradley pulled a keycard from his uniform and held it up to another scanner behind the desk.

Zorn couldn’t help but sigh. How many safeguards did one really need? Especially if it was something that only the Provost would actually be able to activate? But with the last step, the door opened, revealing a completely dark interior. A moment later, a light in the center turned on to illuminate a medical bed.

“About time,” Zorn said, walking forward. Reid, however, held his hand out and stopped him. The general had to resist the urge to snap the man’s fingers. “Provost, I’m joining you in there, whether you want me to or not.”

“Trust me, I’d be more than happy to let you in there with me.” A sardonic smile crossed his lips. “But what kind of example would I be setting my son if I let you in knowing you’d be ripped to shreds?”

“What are you talking about?” Zorn hissed.

“If anyone but myself enters, a bay of lasers will rip through you.” Reid took a step towards the door. “As much as I would like to see that happen, my conscience won’t let me. So, I’m going in alone, and you’ll just have to trust me, whether you like it or not.”

Zorn considered the words. It was possible Reid wanted to trick him. There might be nothing of the sort in the chamber. Then again, was it really something he was going to risk? Better to be safe and alive than sorry and dead.

“Very well.” He nodded. “Get in there and launch those missiles.”

“I’ll try my best.” Until that moment, Zorn had not fully realized how tired and disheveled Reid looked. He seemed to be running on nothing more than fumes. Nothing more than the desire to save his son.

Without another word, he walked over the threshold, and the door slammed shut behind him.

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