Winter Dread, page 23
I do. Thank you, Kyle. Thank you for understanding why we haven’t before.
I admit, I’m struggling with the concept and death side of it. I don’t want to be responsible for it on that scale.
I know. This is our life; this is how we wish to live too. We help, we serve.
Can we get it to be more of a symbiotic relationship, not just like we order you about?
Possibly, though I’m not sure you would like to hear some of our meetings.
You have meetings?
We’re a democracy, even though we’re inside your body. We have arguments disagreements, just like you and Tyto would.
I want to meet all of the lead nites, all twenty-six in here. Can we arrange that?
Yes, I think so. If you give me a little time.
Tyto coughed at me.
“Sorry,” I said. “Internal conversation.”
I pushed the thoughts aside, knowing Xe was now going on her mission, but those thoughts of meeting twenty-six other free minds were huge.
You’re not the only one who is nervous here, Asht said. I think once your friends are told, all of us will be meeting all of them.
You think we should do this soon? I asked him.
I do, sooner rather than later.
Okay, okay. I said. I’m going to instruct them all to do their explaining to their respective partners, tonight. Is that good enough for you?
I smiled, Yes. We then can meet tomorrow night, after some more practice and digging.
I looked to the room. “I think we all have enough to be going on with. Let’s get this public image going, right? If that means you have to be pissed with me on the outside, I understand. Do what you must.”
There were some nods, and the wolves moved to leave. No doubt their hunger drove them; so did some of the others. I was left looking at my closest friends.
I could see there were one or two already locked in something else. Deep conversations within. Their eyes glazed over, expressions upset.
They already started? I asked Xe.
There’s been a little unrest for a while. Just because you wanted them to do it didn’t mean it would not come without consequences. The strongest of us lead from the front, Kyle. The leads in this room are amongst the most respected generals I have had the experience of meeting.
Consequences?
Of course, she said. There will be repercussions throughout the galaxy now.
Tyto was the first to look at me, then around the room. Dylan and Hiroto, Craig and Paul. Corey. All eyes on me.
Vitya, who I wasn’t sure actually had any nites at first, but it was clear he did, said, “I had no idea.” His words were filled with emotion, and he moved to sit closer to Tyto, resting his head on shoulder of the man he loved. My heart went out to all of them, knowing I had just been through the exact same emotions. They’d probably lived with their nites and their decisions for a lot, lot longer than we had.
Tyto wrapped a hand around his mate, then looked to me. “We need some time, is that okay?”
“I would never deny any of you what you need. You know that. Go.”
Vitya moved with Tyto back to the bunks. And the door closed.
I looked to Hiroto, then Dylan. “Come,” I said. “We need to find a bar. I believe there’s something in the grounds. Maybe we’ll grab food there as well.”
“Don’t feel like eating much,” Craig said.
“Me neither, I just feel sick,” Paul agreed. “Kyle, there’s been billions and billions.”
I moved to walk past the two of them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I know, and we need to work through this just as much as everyone else. But we can, because we have to show we can be strong for them. We can lead this tomorrow. For all of them. Understand?”
I held Dylan’s gaze, and he nodded to me.
I can take you to the bar, Xe said. Follow the flag.
Are they okay? I asked her.
They will be, just like we will be. Kyle, you do amazing things, even if you don’t always think you do.
I followed the flag, and we left the bunks, back out onto the yard, the full length of the hangar where all our mechs were stored. “Maybe we should pick up some kind of transport?” Dylan said. “This place is the largest I’ve ever seen.”
“How many are being trained at this moment in time?” I asked anyone who might have had an answer.
It was Corey who answered. “Vitya and I took a fly over the rest of the area today. He said there were at least ten thousand hangars. We took back to space to get the sheer size of the area when we realised it wasn’t going to be easy to see either side of it.”
“There’s really that many in training, right now?”
Those numbers. The sheer amount of mechs needed for it. I knew Lance had said it was large, not to mention the actual respawns. Fuck!
I also needed to speak with Ohara or Xirob if I could. Though Xirob was still blanking all my messages.
I paused outside the bar and made my decision then. “You go in, I need to go do something before I join you. I won’t be long.”
The others walked in. Hiroto stayed outside the door. “Xirob?” He gave me the stink eye, and I shook my head.
“No, but I do need to see Ohara. I need to do this on my own.”
“You sure?”
I nodded. Really I just wanted some air, a break. “Get them relaxed, work through what you can. I need to work through what I can with her. Then maybe she can pass my message to Xirob, and we can meet up once again.”
“Why is he not talking?”
I shrugged. I had no idea. But he was ignoring me, and I was growing weary of this game.
24
I walked for quite some time, not even really noticing where I was going, before I asked, Xe, can you locate Xirob at all?
He’s not on the planet, I know that much.
I let out a sigh. General Veti it is, then.
You mean his sister? Just making sure.
I laughed at her. Yes, I mean Ohara. Thank you.
The flag popped up, and I followed the path for a while. It soon started to look like one of the longest walks I’d done in a while. It was dry out. I was sweating, and I really wanted a drink. Not a water drink. I wasn’t enjoying the amount of exercise here, even if it was making me stronger.
Maybe I should go back?
I toyed with it for a while longer and then turned around. I wasn’t up for that amount of walking.
I would make sure we got a cart for our use and the team.
I walked back to the bar where I’d left my friends and stepped through into the ambient atmosphere and enticing smell of ale.
I walked to the others. “My errand can wait. We need a vehicle. This base is too huge to be walking everywhere.”
“Yeah, I do agree with that,” Hiroto said. “Sit.”
I sat next to him, and he ordered me a drink. Well, passed me his and got himself another. I was thankful and drank deeply.
“You never even guessed Xe and the nites were real?” Hiroto asked.
I sighed. “I had thought about it a few times, even you know that. I just guess I didn’t want to think that it could be something real what we were doing to them, you know?”
“It’s a hard thing for us who aren’t military trained to swallow,” Craig said and downed a shot.
I could see his hand shaking, and I reached to steady it on the glass. “It is, but now we do know, we can understand more about what they want from life. We will be okay.”
“I don’t know,” Paul said. “I don’t think any of us would ever send any of them to do anything dangerous again, ever.”
“We have just as many billions of lives out there depending on us as they do. Do you think they want their fellow members of their species to suffer? What if those creatures we’ve seen at the fringe are just as interested in them as us? If we die, don’t forget they die as well.”
Paul closed his eyes for a brief second. I’d not known either of them drink back home. Hell, I don’t think we had ever had more than one or two beers on my birthday. But here, now, they both had beer and shots. I was looking at men, not boys. None of us were boys anymore.
Corey raised a glass to the centre of the table. “To those we have known along the way, those we sacrificed for the sake of others, and more importantly, to those we shall save because of every decision we make.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said.
Hiroto asked for them to leave the bottle of rum; its classy, round-shaped bottle had me note the name, Ron Murano 22, and we all poured shots once more.
Then we clinked glasses. “To the future and the decisions we make.”
I downed the shot and then chased it with some beer. It was vile, whatever it was.
“I don’t want too much of that.” I coughed.
Hiroto laughed. “You’re just not used to it.”
“How the hell are you?” I asked.
“Cast iron stomach.” He grinned.
Corey did, however, pour some more. “So now with all this in our arsenal, what do you really want, Kyle? Are you sure you want to take on Edward head to head like this?”
“I don’t think he has any of our best interests at heart, no, and honestly I think there’s a ton going on in the background here he’s not letting on.”
“I agree with that. He doesn’t want you on his team, and I also think the others were blocking us on the merge. I can’t see a real one being so restrictive. We’ve never had that before,” Dylan said. “In all the people I merged with, even as a hack on Tolsa, we never once didn’t link minds. I knew all their thoughts, their everything. I didn’t care. But those guys didn’t want to know at all. And it showed.”
“How long do you think it will take us to get this practice and merging sorted out within even their own mega merge?” I asked.
“You want to be connected to us even inside his?” Hiroto asked.
“Yes, I do. I don’t want to not be linked to you, so I’m going to be learning some extensive kenosi techniques on strand connections.”
“I’ve never known anything like it even in their merge, so I can’t say that it won’t be done,” Dylan said.
“We’ll practice, all of us, every night after we’ve done everything we need to.”
“Why’s that important?” Hiroto asked, prodding me for my plan.
“If I have to—you remember on Tolsa, what we did for Ty, right?”
“You would take over a mega if you had to?”
“Yes, if I had to.”
Sounds like a plan, Xe said. Kyle, some of the others have also told the team. There’s a few on their way back to the bunks.
I looked to the guys. “We better grab some of this and bounce. We’ve incoming. Other guild members.”
Corey stood. “I’ll get something from the bar. I have more than enough credits stored.”
Craig moved with him, and we waited while they picked out several bottles and a carry tray.
“Nice,” I said, and we headed back.
Hiroto fell in line with me, “You doing okay?”
I glanced to him, and he linked his arm in mine. Dylan looked back to the both of us and then stepped to take my other arm. “You know I’m not drunk, right? I don’t need holding up?”
Paul and Craig turned and laughed.
“You three look adorable.” Corey snickered at me.
I tried to give him the stink eye, but it just turned into a fit of laughter. “You know you guys are the best friends I could ever ask for, right?”
Both Dylan and Hiroto squeezed my arm at the same time.
“It’s not the ale talking. I promise.”
But then I wobbled, and they only just about held me up.
“You’re really not used to drinking,” Dylan said.
“Wow, I really didn’t think it was that strong. No more for me.”
“The walk will do you right, don’t worry,” Hiroto said, “Besides, we’ve got your back.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Really.”
They were right. By the time I was back in our barracks area, I was sobering up again nicely.
Xe? I asked. Are they all back?
Yes, she replied. They are sitting and waiting.
“Guys, looks like we’re doing this now,” I said, and both Dylan and Hiroto dropped my arms, though I think their support would have been appreciated going in. ”Maybe I do need another drink.”
I palmed the door and stepped inside. They followed. I passed our bunks, wishing I could just go and hide. Taking in a huge breath, still feeling a little alcohol running through my veins, I stepped back into our classroom.
I strode to the front of the room and turned to face them all. I could see straight away that Naylar and Denn had been crying. Evia stood with them, and Los hung close by. No one was sitting. I didn’t expect them to.
“Is there some way we can hook up the lead nites to the 3D imaging and bring them all online for this?” I looked to Hiroto, who came to the front of the room with me.
“Give me a moment, I’ll sort it. It shouldn’t be too hard.”
I moved back to Naylar and the girls. Their faces were puffy, red. I held my arms out to them, and as much as it was unusual, I accepted a large group hug off them, until Hiroto was ready.
“Please, everyone, as hard as it is. Take a seat.”
They all moved, the sounds of the chairs grinding on my nerves slightly. I’d have to sort that out. Too scratchy, especially if they were doing things while I was asleep.
I coughed, and Dylan brought me some water over. “Thank you,” I said.
He nodded and retreated to sit near Hiroto.
“I am not saying this news isn’t heavy. There are only a few here who knew. We all feel this pain. The pain of loss.” I motioned to the screen. “You all know your nites, but I do not. I am really bad with names, so please forgive me.”
The view of the twenty-six other faces appeared before us. The only one I knew was Xe. She had no armour on this time, and her small frame stood looking out to the room. Her facial features, though metallic, were soft with her emotions. As she spoke, her picture enlarged. “I am not the oldest of my species here,” she said. “But I am Xe, and I—” She struggled with the words. “I am with Kyle.”
The next one to speak face also enlarged. An older gentleman, with a thick face and sturdy body. “I am Zy,” he said. “And I am with Denn. I am not the oldest here, but I am the most experienced. Denn was not my first denti/human host. I worked with someone else before I lost them in a ship-wide catastrophe in the Dox system.”
“I am not aware of the Dox system,” I said. There were several murmurs around the room. I glanced to them, seeing worry on their faces. “It sounds like something I need to be aware of.”
Xe’s face came back up. “The Dox system is widespread, and they’re notorious for setting catchers.”
I knew I raised an eyebrow. I’d no idea what a catcher was either.
“The Dox system,” Denn said, “is pirate territory. They lay out traps on known routes, then destroy ships, or take out as many as they can. The denti that are sent to respawn don’t. They’re caught in the pirates’ nets. They’re then respawned and sold, usually as play toys for those who like that kind of thing.”
“Humans are being sold as toys?” I swallowed. This was another atrocity, on par with using the denti women. I had no idea. “They’re sold and used in denti bodies?”
Denn nodded, her eyes low. “Yes, Kyle.”
“Oh, hell no,” I said. “Why has no one ever told me of this?”
“We don’t have time for it,” Hiroto said.
“It’s not been our fight, Kyle. Not part of our mission.”
“We’ll make time,” I replied, looking at Hiroto as the mission log came up.
MISSON LOG - TAKE OUT THOSE IN THE DOX SYSTEM
YOU THINK YOU CAN REALLY TAKE ON THE PIRATES? IF YOU DO, CLICK YES.
DESTROY ALL CATCHERS
Y/N
I didn’t hesitate. I clicked the Y. I would take a ship and get out there as soon as I could. There was no way in hell I was going to let them do that. Not now, not knowing.
“If they have tech out there that can catch the human soul, stop them from going somewhere safe. I’m going to destroy them all.”
“We don’t have time for a side mission.” Denn repeated Hiroto’s warning. “You should send in others we trust. Ask Yun, maybe?”
“He’s enough going on.” I sighed. “And as much as I trust everyone in the guild, this feels too important to let go. We will make the time.” I looked out to them all. “I’ll make sure we have enough time, for all of what we’re wanting to accomplish.”
“I would agree with the taking on the side mission,” Tyto said, as numbers flashed before me.
What’s this? I asked internally.
Those who have gone missing, lost for good, some who came back. Those with stories.
An image of a young woman came up, tears in her eyes, I listened to her account of the abuse for a moment. Tyto’s words coming in loud and clear then. “The Dox system has been taking people for many years, and their catchers have been getting wider. They’re a huge bane on the denti race.”
“I know. I can already see the numbers. Xe’s showing me.” I was mortified at what she had shown me. “I’ll message through to Jai, and if we have to go in with the full force of the Metal Titans, we will. I will not stand for that abuse of anyone. We just stopped the denti being abused in general. With a different life ahead for every human/denti in this side of the universe now, we are not having them stolen from us to be toys.”
“We’re all with you, Kyle,” Denn said. “Whatever we’re doing. Wherever we go, it’s together.”
The twenty-five images of the nanites before me also spoke. “We are all together.”
“If we can stop those catchers working through programming, we’re on it.” Xe said. “But it’s going to need to be some very special tech. I’m not sure we have it here.”
“No,” Denn said. “But we will, right?”
The rest of the room just agreed with her.
