Fourteen
Chris wrung his hands and looked at yet another space force representative. The man looked fit. He was tall with short black hair and a serious set to his mouth.
“Look. I’ve been talking to a dozen people, and I don’t think my message is getting through,” Chris said. At first, when his shuttle had been intercepted by the UNSF in deep space, he had felt elated. The chances of being intercepted by any vessel before arriving near Earth had to be low. Then he’d fallen into despair as he’d told his story and no one responded the way he’d hoped. Then they’d sent him to doctors and he’d begun to doubt his own sanity.
“You’re talking to the right people now. Tell us about Red.”
“The what?”
“The spinner. The alien you’ve been talking about.”
“Oh. Are you a psychologist?”
“No, I’m Major Creighton. I work for space force intelligence. Like I said, you’re talking to the right people now.”
Chris leaned forward.
“I was beginning to think it was hopeless.”
“I understand your frustration. That’s behind you now. Tell us about the cyborg.”
“Well, they call one Captain. Alec says that it’s their leader.”
“Their leader? At Synchronicity?”
“Yes. And there’s a second one called Slicer.”
There was a pause. Chris assumed his inquisitor was shuffling along information on his link.
“So there are at least two of them? How long has the station been under their control?”
“I think only two. I don’t know how long they’ve been in charge at Synchronicity. Longer than three months. There’s some kind of alien ship there. I don’t know where it comes from. The people have been wearing these suits—”
“Chris, this information is very important to us. Important enough that we need to verify the facts, make sure we don’t miss anything, or get anything wrong. We have some equipment that will help us do that. Would you be willing to let us hook you up here so we can take some readings?”
“Well … sure. Yeah. I’ve been asking people to give me a lie detector test since I started trying to tell the UNSF about this. It’ll prove that I’m telling you the truth.”
“Good,” said Creighton. A couple of seconds later, a bald technician in a red overcoat came into the room pushing an equipment cart before him. The machine was larger than Chris expected, about the size of a motorcycle with a bright red shell.
“This man will get you set up. Then all you have to do is answer the questions. I’ll be listening in with my link. Nice to meet you, Chris.”
“Sure. Thanks, Major Creighton.”
The major nodded and walked out of the room. Chris watched the technician for a second, but he didn’t meet Chris’s gaze. Chris realized immediately that he didn’t like the man, could never like him. The man’s face held some intrinsic detachment that made Chris uncomfortable.
Maybe they’re just playing along. They might think I’m crazy and this is a sanity examination.
Chris hid his dislike and forced himself to speak.
“Wow. What’s this thing called?”
The man pointed at a symbol on the device. The silhouette of a scorpion.
“Oh. Great,” Chris said. “Scorpion. This thing is harmless though, right?”
The technician didn’t reply. Did he think it was a rhetorical question? He reminded Chris of a scientist who refused to befriend a lab animal he was about to put to death.
Chris fidgeted while the tech hooked him up to the Scorpion. The number of physical connections it required surprised him. Apparently, the device didn’t work exclusively through his link like a regular truth check. The man even put a seeking urine catheter into him, adding more discomfort to the whole procedure. Chris thought of Major Creighton and how the man had smoothed over this whole thing, made it sound so simple and straightforward. His trust of the major dropped a notch.
When the technician finished, he left the room. Chris felt thankful for that small thing. A voice spoke to Chris through his link.
“This is a lie detection device. I am the operator software. The use of this device has been authorized by the UNSF because it has been determined that the citizens of Earth are in imminent danger.”
“I understand.”
“What is your name?”
“Chris Adrastus.”
“Have you learned that the leader of the aliens has been at Synchronicity?”
Hrm. Not wasting any time.
“Yes.”
“Were you sent to Earth by an alien?”
“What? No.”
“Were you sent to Earth by the Chinese government?”
“No!”
“Do you know a woman named Cinmei?”
“Yes.”
“What is your relationship with this woman?”
“She maintained my quarters, was my servant.”
“Do you love this woman?”
“No.”
“How long have you known Cinmei?”
“Only since I came to Synchronicity.”
“How many times before have you worked with the Chinese government?”
“What the fuck? Worked with the Chinese … that’s not what I was doing!”
“Please don’t avoid the question.”
“The question is bullshit!”
“Do you refuse to answer? There may be consequences.”
Chris took a deep breath. He reminded himself that the UNSF would probably be using high tech methods, even better than a civilian truth check. If he answered truthfully, he’d be vindicated.
“Zero. Zero times.”
“You did willingly work with her by your own account.”
“Only to escape the station. Not to gather intelligence for the Chinese. And I detained her as soon as I could. I set the course to come into a Western controlled area.”
“Do you believe that rape was necessary to achieve your objective?”
“I didn’t rape anyone.”
“Cinmei says you raped her,” the operator said.
“She’s lying. I took control of the spacecraft. So I could bring the UNSF a warning. Look, you can do a truth check.”
“How much information about the alien technology have you learned?”
“Only what Alec told me. The creatures live in artificial bodies; they took over Synchronicity easily. They’re fast and smart. They came in some kind of ship. I assumed it is from another star, a starship.”
“Where do you keep information about the alien’s technology?”
“In my head,” Chris replied.
“Which storage device?”
“No, I mean, in my memory. My natural memory. Not my link.”
Chris hoped that would end the interrogation. But they had only begun.
***
The next afternoon, a beautiful woman came into Chris’s quarters. He quickly noted her long black hair and the fold of her eyes. Asian. He jumped up off the white sofa despite the fatigue of yesterday’s extensive grilling.
“Shit. Help!” he called out. He hopped over the back of the sofa trying to distance him from her. He requested help on the emergency channel of his link.
They sent an assassin to get me for killing her.
“Uhm, you a little nervous?” she asked. She did have an accent, but it didn’t sound anything like Cinmei’s accent.
Chris didn’t respond verbally this time, but redoubled his efforts to make sure his link requests were of the highest priority.
The door opened and two soldiers came rushing in. They wore government-issue military skinsuits and had their hand stunners out.
“What’s the trouble here?” the first one asked.
“You shouldn’t have done that. Now it’s going to take us half an hour to get back to business,” said Aldriena. “Have you really been that freaked out by what happened?”
“Back up, please, miss,” the soldier said. He aimed his stunner at her.
“Business? You’re Aldriena? That’s not a Chinese name. I don’t want to be anywhere near any Chinese for the rest of my life.”
Aldriena stepped back calmly. “Then you and I have more in common that you might imagine,” she said.
Lieutenant Devin walked into the room.
“Chris, this is not an assassin. Her name is Aldriena, and she’s done a lot to help us. I would ask that you answer her questions.”
Chris didn’t know what to say. He was mortified.
“Okay,” he finally said.
“What’s the problem, anyway?” Aldriena asked.
“I thought you were here to kill me. A Chinese agent.”
Aldriena’s face darkened. “That’s a good imagination you have there. Besides, I’m not Chinese.”
“It wasn’t my imagination on Synchronicity, was it? There were agents. And freaking aliens, for chrissakes. Don’t tell me I have an overactive imagination! Unless I really am insane. But that’s not what they’ve been telling me recently.”
Aldriena’s voice softened.
“Yeah, I guess you’ve got a good reason to be jumpy. Aliens aren’t an everyday thing. Look, let’s start over again.”
Chris looked to Devin, hoping she would stay nearby. She seemed to sense the meaning of his stare. The guards walked out. Chris guessed that Devin had dismissed them with her link.
“How long were you at Synchronicity?”
“Only three weeks. Long enough.”
“Everyone is in gear there?”
“Oh, yeah. The whole time. It was well established when I arrived. They said it was part of a challenging program to develop our leadership talents.”
“Then you found out it was crazy,” Aldriena prompted.
“Yes! A bunch of virtual games going on. Ordinary life has all these weird rules; we couldn’t even eat in the cafeterias … they were all closed.”
“How many spinners are there?”
“How many what? Oh. Spinners, is that what you call them? Good name. Better than Reds, which is what the space force calls them. Doesn’t make any sense … I guess they thought they were Chinese at first.”
“No, it was because one of them had a red dot on its side. Long story. So, how many?”
“Sorry. As far as I know, only Captain and Slicer.”
“Captain. I can guess that one. The name Slicer though … I guess he wasted someone that way?”
“I heard that when the aliens first showed up, in the first takeover, Slicer cut some security people up. No one saw a knife, though. They were mysteriously sliced open and they bled to death.”
“Oh, right. I actually know about that. One sliced me up, too.”
“What?”
“I made the mistake of trying to trap one and it didn’t work.”
“Then I’m surprised you’re alive.”
“Look, I’m going back there. I want to know as much as I can. Tell me about Vineaux and then tell me about Vineaux Genomix.”
“Okay. But VG has nothing to do with what the station’s like now.”
“I want to know if the people there will help me if I ask them to betray Captain and Slicer.”
Chris nodded. “They will. But they’re scared. I tried to stir some things up against Captain. It didn’t go over well. Some people have died.”
“So, I have to make them believe that the UNSF is here and now they’re as good as free. What about Vineaux himself? I heard he’s some kind of daredevil.”
“He was. Used to be. Now he’s … broken. I don’t know if all his people are, though. Vineaux knows the truth about Captain and Slicer. Most of the other station inhabitants think that the cyborgs are robots of Vineaux’s making. So they’ll be confused. But I think at least half of them would help you unless they’re looking down the barrel of a gun. It’s been crazy there too long.”
Chris hesitated, then continued.
“Have you talked with my … with the spy named Cinmei?” he asked.
Aldriena looked away for a moment.
“Everyone decided it would be best if I didn’t speak with her in person. But yes, I have heard her side of the story, and it more or less matches what you’ve said.”
“I didn’t rape her,” Chris said.
Aldriena was silent for a moment. “If you had to rape her to get home, would you have?”
Now it was Chris’s turn to stand silent. Finally, he said, “I don’t know.”
Aldriena’s voice became cold and distant. “I’m sure you would have found an answer. I think I have enough information, please leave now.”
Chris nodded and retreated, glad to leave the room. He wandered for a moment before accessing his link and getting directions to the lounge. He needed a drink.
“Mr. Adrastus?”
Chris received the transmission through his link. The other party was identified in his PV as Admiral Jameson.
“Hello? Er, sir?”
“How are you doing? I wanted to thank you for your assistance. We’re in your debt.”
“I’m more than willing to trade anything you need for a ride back home. I want to go back to my job at VG as soon as possible.”
“Please be patient. As you know, a lot is going on right now.”
Chris could tell from the admiral’s tone that he was being prepared for bad news.
“I’m not headed back to Earth? I’m sorry, I don’t understand. I just want to get home.”
“I’ll route you back with a supply ship as soon as I can. But for now, you have to stay with us. Your information has been critical. We’ve changed course, and we’ll be under heavy acceleration for hours.”
Chris’s shoulders slumped.
“So, we’re going back there.”
“We’re not the only ones, unfortunately,” Jameson said. “We’ve noticed a Chinese task force left Earth orbit and we believe it’s headed for Synchronicity.”
“I don’t see how they found out. Cinmei was in that locker most of the time.”
“She found a way. Her link was sophisticated, or rather I should say her links. She had three.”
“Three? Well, I guess I should expect something like that from a spy.”
Chris felt his fear come back as strong as ever. It seemed that the Chinese weren’t done screwing with his life yet. He wondered if he’d survive the next encounter.
Chris arrived at the lounge. Now he needed that drink even more.