Impulse, page 14
part #12 of First Colony Series
“When did you get back?” Isaac asked.
“Some time in the night… or is it the morning? I can’t remember. Doesn’t matter, I’m here now. I’ve had a few cups of coffee; hence, all the talking.”
“You were hoping Dr. Rostova would ride with you,” Ella said.
Agent Franklin’s shoulders sagged a little. “Yeah, I was. Kat is sometimes rigid… that’s not the right word.”
“Difficult?” Isaac asked.
Agent Franklin puffed out a breath. “Wiseass.”
“What happened between you two?” Ella asked.
“Why, Mariella Kingston, are you prying into my personal affairs?”
“No,” Ella said with a grin.
“Good, no time to discuss it now. Buckle up. We’re heading to our first stop. The schedule has very little in the way of wiggle room.”
Agent Franklin had visited the embassy a number of times since they’d been there, but Isaac couldn’t begin to predict when he would come through. He’d just show up. He’d tried to get them to call him by his first name, but Isaac wouldn’t do it. It just felt wrong. Maybe one day.
There’d been a handful of other times that Agent Franklin was assigned to their protective details, but most of the time they were escorted by CDF soldiers. Sometimes agents of the CIB went with them, and Isaac wondered if they were on some kind of CIB covert operation, but as far as he could tell they weren’t. He’d asked Agent Franklin about it once and he’d told Isaac that they were just there to observe, although he never elaborated on what they were observing.
Agent Franklin drove the rover through the embassy gates, and Isaac noticed him glance over at the second rover driving in the opposite direction.
Ella cleared her throat. She had her personal holoscreen active, and they began reviewing what they were going to do at each of the clinics.
Collecting blood samples from the clinics sounded simple enough, but as the hours went by, Isaac began to think he’d never know what to expect. Some of the clinics were only open part of the time, so if they missed them, they’d have to come back out the next day. They hadn’t missed any yet, but it had been close a few times. And their reception was a little different at each clinic they visited. Some of the Mekaal wanted nothing to do with them, which included the healers. Others feigned ignorance, but a short conversation with Cohsora seemed to jog their memories. Maybe the Mekaal in general felt as if they’d been poked and prodded enough.
Isaac was becoming more comfortable with using a needle to draw blood from the Mekaal. No one liked to be pricked by a needle, but those first few times, he thought the Mekaal was going to lash out at him. Ella, on the other hand, was quite comfortable with it. She called it her bedside manner, which she assured him he’d get better at. Isaac wasn’t convinced. He worked hard at everything he did, but making other people feel comfortable wasn’t part of his skillset. It seemed that Ella could just set people at ease, whether they were human or Ovarrow. It also appeared to him that the Mekaal were more accommodating of Ella in general, and Isaac believed it was because she was a woman. There weren’t many female Ovarrow among the Mekaal, which meant the males of the species were more accommodating.
“I wish we could tell them what we’re really doing here,” Isaac said.
Ella nodded. “I know, but we’re not allowed.”
They’d just gotten back into the rover and Agent Franklin was driving them to their next stop.
“Some of them know what we’re doing, but they won’t talk about it either,” Isaac said.
“Just focus on the job we have to do.”
Isaac leaned back and closed his eyes for a long moment. It would be nice to sleep for a little while. “They know we’re keeping something from them, and it feels a little dishonest.”
“It is a little dishonest. Do you think honesty is always the best medicine?”
Isaac sighed and shook his head. “Not all the time.”
He closed his eyes and leaned back against the padded headrest. He was falling asleep and didn’t know whether she’d replied or not.
All too soon, Ella shook him, and he had no idea how much time had passed. He opened his eyes and looked her, taking in her long dark hair that was tied off to the side and hanging in front of her shoulder, thick and lustrous. He blinked several times, looking at how her full lips fit together. The edges lifted as if a smile were moments from appearing.
“So beautiful,” he said quietly.
Ella’s eyes widened and her mouth opened a little.
His pulse raced as he suddenly became completely awake. “I’m up. I’m up,” he said and glanced out the rover’s window. “We’re here. Time to go.”
Ella opened her door and got out. Isaac did the same, rubbing his eyes and stretching. Agent Franklin was looking at him, so Isaac nodded in his direction. The agent walked over to him, leaned in, and said quietly, “At least one of us isn’t striking out.” He gave Isaac’s shoulder a firm pat.
Isaac snorted and looked at the entrance to the clinic. It was a restored building. The bronze-colored alloy looked almost polished amid the dark walls. They were on one of the main streets that went through the heart of the city. The main administration building that was the seat of the Mekaal government was about a kilometer away. A few tall spires rose above the nearby buildings.
Isaac retrieved his field kit from the back of the rover and walked inside the clinic. A Mekaal walked toward them. He was older and more weather-worn, but he moved as if he were much younger than he appeared.
Isaac recognized him. “Hi Jori.”
Jori paused in the middle of the room and raised his hands. Four long fingers shook as he performed jazz hands, and Isaac returned the gesture. “It’s so nice to see you, Isaac.”
Isaac smiled and saw Ella looking at him. He inclined his chin and did jazz hands toward her. After a moment’s hesitation she returned the gesture.
A chuffing sound came from Jori, which was the sound of an Ovarrow grinning. “One of the best cures I’ve ever come across.”
Jori was one of the most lighthearted Ovarrow Isaac had ever met.
“Come in. Come in. I have a lot of samples for you to take back with you,” Jori said.
They followed Jori across the clinic. There were only a couple of Ovarrow here. The Mekaal healer guided them toward his cold storage unit and opened it. Isaac’s eyebrows raised when he saw the rows of samples Jori had collected. They amounted to more than half of what they’d already gathered.
“How did you get so many?” Ella asked.
Jori looked around before he answered. “Very important work you’re doing. Deasira is my colleague.”
Isaac nodded. Jori knew of the project then. They began transferring the samples to their own portable cold-storage containers. Both he and Ella carried them out to the rover together. It took several trips, and he noticed that more Mekaal were gathering on the streets. They seemed to be waiting for something.
Isaac looked in the direction everyone else was watching and saw a procession of Mekaal vehicles driving toward them.
Agent Franklin walked over and peered in the same direction.
Ella joined them. “What’s going on?”
Isaac shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Cohsora stood across the street and gestured for their attention. Agent Franklin looked at him.
“Konus envoy,” Cohsora said, his mouth forming a grim line.
Agent Franklin was normally an easy-going person, but that was gone in an instant. Isaac could scarcely believe it. The CIB agent’s gaze hardened, and he looked around as if surveying the area for potential threats.
He turned toward Isaac and Ella. “I need both of you to get back to the clinic and stay out of sight.”
Agent Franklin hastened across the street to speak with Cohsora.
Isaac backed up and Ella leaned toward him.
“What did he say?” she asked.
The Mekaal lining the streets were speaking so fast that it was difficult for their translators to keep up, and it was getting difficult to hear.
“He wants us to go back into the clinic. Come on,” he said.
They hurried back to the clinic and stood off to the side of the open doorway.
Jori walked over to them. “What’s happening?”
“I’m not sure. There’s a Konus envoy coming through here,” Isaac said.
Jori looked out to the street in alarm. “Stay there,” he said and moved toward the entrance.
“What are the Konus doing here?” Ella asked.
“I don’t know.”
Isaac knew that the Konus had once tried to invade Shetrian but had failed. The CDF and Mekaal soldiers had fought to protect the city. He’d never seen a Konus before.
Isaac moved to the other side of the doorway and peered down the street.
“What are you doing?” Ella asked.
“I just want to get a better look at them,” he replied.
The commotion outside became louder. He peeked around the corner and couldn’t find Agent Franklin, but he knew the CIB agent hadn’t abandoned them. He glanced at the rovers, but they were empty.
The Mekaal vehicles came closer, sporting large, knobby tires suitable for rough terrain. The small convoy began to drive past the clinic and Isaac tried to see inside. Some of the vehicles looked more like military ground transports, open to the elements so it was easy for soldiers to get in and out of them. Ovarrow soldiers sat in the back. They wore green metallic armor and watched the Mekaal that had gathered along the street, their feline gazes surveying the area as they passed.
One of the vehicles stopped and a Konus stood up. He wore green metallic armor like the others, but his had a strip of gold that went down his arm, so Isaac assumed he was some sort of commander. The Konus turned toward the clinic. Jori stood in the doorway and stared back at the commander, who had a long scar that went from one of his cranial ridges down past his neck. He had the look of a veteran soldier that had fought many battles. The Konus peered into the clinic and Isaac thought he could see them. He backed farther into the shadows and gestured for Ella to do the same. He wasn’t sure why they had to hide, but Agent Franklin wouldn’t have told them to if it wasn’t important.
The convoy began moving again, and the Konus commander stared at the clinic until they drove away. Mekaal lined the streets. Some of them shouted at the Konus, while others watched them with an odd sort of fascination.
Agent Franklin walked into view and gestured toward the rover. “Time to leave.”
Jori wished them well. Isaac and Ella hastened to the rover and climbed inside. Cohsora joined them.
“What are the Konus doing here?” Isaac asked.
Agent Franklin shook his head. “I have no idea. I didn’t know they were coming. Did you know?” he asked Cohsora.
“I didn’t know either,” Cohsora replied.
Agent Franklin swore. He put the rover into gear and drove them away. “No more clinics today. We’re heading back to the embassy.”
Isaac listened as Agent Franklin opened a comlink to the other team. “Team two, head back to the nest. A general recall is going out,” he said. He paused, listening. “Tell her I don’t care. This is a security issue and they’re to return to the embassy immediately. The same for all other away teams.”
Isaac buckled himself into the seat and Ella did the same.
The rover increased speed as Agent Franklin drove them back to the embassy. Both he and Ella stayed quiet while the CIB agent spoke to the head of security at the embassy.
14
The Hercules class C-cat began its descent, and Connor watched the squad of Konus soldiers that had come with them. Eight additional bodies were making even the inside of the Hercules start to feel a little crowded. It hadn’t taken much in the way of negotiations to learn that Shuno hadn’t really expected all forty members of his scout force to come with them in search of the Bhatdin. They kept mostly to themselves, but they did trade appraising looks with the Mekaal. Urret had positioned his team where he could keep an eye on the Konus. Sergeant Tui had the CDF soldiers located in two areas so that one was always covering the Konus. Connor didn’t think Shuno had agreed to come with them only to try to do something like try to take them hostage or engage in some other kind of conflict. However, he didn’t mind showing Shuno and the other Konus scouts that they were being watched.
Lenora sat down in the seat next to his. “What do you think?”
“I didn’t expect the additional company.”
“Neither did I, but I’ve been reviewing the locations Shuno shared with us. They’re interesting.”
Connor nodded. “They’re nowhere near the Konus territory, so it’s unlikely they’re setting up an ambush for us, but as to whether those sites have anything to do with the Bhatdin, I’ll need to reserve judgment on that.”
“You think they’re just using us to scout locations for them?”
“It’s the perfect excuse. We’re able to travel anywhere on this massive continent and they can’t.”
“I see your point.”
“But if so, we’ll quickly see through that kind of ruse after visiting a couple of locations.”
Lenora inhaled deeply while she thought about it. “What will you do if that happens?”
“We’ll go back to our original plan and continue investigating the locations we’ve mapped out. I’ll arrange for transport to bring Shuno and the rest of his scout force back to their home as agreed.” Connor looked at his wife and shrugged. “I wouldn’t leave them stranded thousands of kilometers from home.”
Lenora smiled a little. “I can think of someone who might.”
Connor looked over to where Diaz was sitting. He had his personal holoscreen active with a video comlink to Sanctuary.
“I wouldn’t rule it out either,” Connor admitted. “Regardless, this is an opportunity for us to learn from each other. Better this than on a battlefield.”
“I’m on board with that, but it’s not quite the relaxing expedition I was hoping for. I’m not disappointed. It’s just not what I was expecting.”
“I agree, but sometimes it’s the unexpected things that can make all the difference.”
Lenora glanced at the Mekaal for a few moments. “Do you think they’ll ever work out their differences?”
“Maybe when Lauren and Ethan are our age,” Connor replied.
Lenora rolled her eyes and smiled as Connor continued speaking.
“They’re not so different from us. Some of them want to rebuild the world they lost, make things as they were before the Krake invaded. How much of what we’ve built here is because it reminds us of Old Earth?”
“Maybe in the beginning, but what Lauren and Ethan build,” she said and inclined her chin toward Diaz, “or any of the younger generations, will be based on what we’ve built here. This is their home, and I expect the inclination to hold on to designs and methods unique to Old Earth will eventually fade away. Not altogether, and not for everything. What I’m trying to say is that the longer we’re here, we’ll influence the world we build and who we build it with,” she said and tilted her head toward the Mekaal, but Connor supposed she included the Konus as well.
They traveled in a northeast direction, flying over the bones of cities that had been destroyed. There were several holoscreens active throughout the seating area that allowed all of them to watch their progress. The Mekaal were familiar with colonial technology. The Konus had seen it before but weren’t as familiar with it, and they watched the live video feed from the C-cat’s sensors with keen interest. The Konus mostly used ground transportation, but they were beginning to resurrect their flying machines. The Mekaal were re-examining the engineering used for their own flyers, but they hadn’t made as much progress. Between their scouting missions and their partnership with the colony, they hadn’t created as much of a need to rebuild flyers with outdated designs. There was interest in adapting certain colonial designs for the Mekaal, but it would be years before anything was actually built and tested, let alone actually used in a widespread capacity.
The Hercules flew over their destination, making several passes as they did some aerial reconnaissance before selecting a place to camp and explore the area. The Konus had provided a city location that, according to their archives, had an association with the Bhatdin. Connor and Lenora reviewed the data and would focus their search in the industrial parts of the city.
They’d gathered around a large holoscreen inside the Hercules. Connor had ordered the pilot to hold this position until they picked a destination.
“This city looks older than most, but I didn’t think we were far enough east for that,” Noah said and looked at Lenora. “The architecture is different.”
Lenora nodded. “Prewar and ice age. They used more elaborate designs because it was built for aesthetics.”
Connor looked at Sepal and then at Shuno, wondering what they thought. Most of his experience with any Ovarrow was that they’d become a society with strict rules, all tailored toward survival and war. He thought it was important for all the Ovarrow to visit these old cities in order to imagine a life before the Krake. How would they ever move forward if they didn’t take the time to learn about their past?
Connor looked at Sepal. “Do you know anything about them?”
Sepal stared at the video feed for a moment. “Dr. Bishop is correct. These ruins predate the ice age, but they didn’t escape the war with the Krake.”
“Not just the Krake,” Shuno said.
Both the Mekaal and the Konus looked at him.
“Agreed, we fought these wars. We destroyed these cities and are as much to blame as the Krake are,” Sepal replied.
“They failed to unite against the Krake. They were too concerned with establishing dominance,” Shuno said.
“Sounds familiar,” Diaz said.
The Konus soldier looked at him and then at Connor. “You refer to Warlord Kasmon’s efforts to absorb the Mekaal into the Konus.”
“I do.”
Shuno considered this for a few moments. “The reasoning for that campaign was to help us survive. And to determine whether the CDF could successfully defeat the Krake.”
