Warrior Chronicles 5: Warrior's Curse Read online

  One by one, the ten prisoners were restrained by Marines. Ceram stepped from one prisoner to the next as the armored warriors lifted each human into the air. He used his upper arms first to tear the clothing from the person’s abdomen, then to insert a needle directly into their navel. After emptying the syringe, he used a laser torch to cauterize the wound before moving to the next person.

  While Ceram was working, Cort spoke over the screaming recipients of H’uuman tracking devices. “The rest of you need not worry. You won’t be subjected to this. These men and women are the ones who actually planned the bombing. Take heart, because what Doctor Ceram is doing to your leaders and their lackeys may very well save all of your lives.”

  “General Addison,” a Marine Lieutenant stepped into the room. “Transport is here, sir.”

  “You have no choice in what is about to happen. If you cooperate, you will not be hurt. But if you resist, the next day of your life will be very painful. You have all seen what I am capable of, and not a Marine here feels any differently than I do. Don’t make us hurt you.”

  Through the sensor package of another CONDOR, Cort heard a terrified woman in the back whisper, “Where are you taking us?”

  “I really don’t know. If I did, I might not send you there.”

  Two people tried to escape while they were being loaded onto flights, but no one needed to be hurt. Once the last of the church leaders were loaded and their flights lifted off, Cort called in the civilian police force and the press. The police took control of the building and the press gathered in the church sanctuary where Cort spoke to them from the pulpit.

  “The men and women taken into custody today will be among the next humans to be abducted. I don’t know how long it will take to figure out where people are going when they disappear, but until we figure it out, or a way to stop it, I will only allow criminals to be taken. After today, they will be non-violent ones.”

  A woman stepped forward. “General, why non-violent criminals? Wouldn’t it be better to send violent offenders?”

  Cort recognized her as the woman he noticed vomiting the day of the bombing. “If we knew the abductees were all dead, I would agree with you. But we don’t know, and if they are alive, I don’t want to add to their problems by sending violent people into their midst.”

  A man stepped forward. “How did you learn of the church’s guilt so quickly?”

  “I can’t discuss that. However, I know the attack was in protest of our alliances with non-human life forms. I will say that both the military government and an independent civilian judicial board found them to be guilty. Both verdicts were unanimous.”

  The man continued, “Follow up, sir. How do your actions today compare to those of your enemies?”

  The room went silent as Cort considered his answer. Some of the reporters probably expected him to lash out, or end the press conference. Instead, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I am quite cognizant of my sins. My path to whatever hell there may be is marked by the blood of my enemies. Blood I have shed to protect my family and the citizens of the Ares Federation. The mistake these people made was they took the law into their own hands. They decided they could dictate my actions on another planet.”

  When more reporters started to speak, Cort held his hand up to quiet them. “No planet in the federation is kept here by force. If Earth wants out, have a vote. If you opt to leave us, I will pull all Ares assets back and cede the planet. But from that point on, you will protect yourself. Without Ares or Addison assistance. The same is true for any federation planet. If you decide to stay, I will protect you no matter what the cost.”

  Cort heard a voice in the crowd say, “So long as we pay tribute, you mean.”

  Cort sighed as he looked in the direction of the voice. “That is correct. But keep in mind, I pay more in taxes than the rest of humanity combined. I personally pay more than any entire planet in the federation.”

  Cort finally located and locked his gaze on the woman who had spoken in the crowd of reporters. She had tried to move behind a colleague. “You are treating me like I am a politician, but I am not. I am a military dictator. I don’t care about your headlines or how you portray me. I don’t care about your polls. I care about protecting us all. And unless you are willing to stand next to me with a weapon in your hands, you have absolutely no say in how I do that. All that other crap is politics, and I leave politics to the people I assign to act on Earth’s behalf within my government.”

  “Speaking of which, General Addison, who is taking Dar Sike’s place as Superintendent?” a H’uuman reporter clicked.

  Cort smiled at the insectoid, thankful for the question. “His grandson, my 12th great-grandson, Rand Gaines. I had hoped that Rand would not take over for many years to come, but he has always been next in line to take over.”

  A man in the back of the room called out, “Is this the end of the investigation?”

  “Yes. Other than imposing equal taxation, I have never interfered with religion on Earth or on any Federation planet. Moving forward, I will not interfere with any religion that does not interfere with the rights or freedoms of other Federation citizens. However, if someone attempts to restrict the rights and freedoms of others, for any reason, including religion, I will act. More importantly, I will protect our citizens from all enemies. Your sons and daughters and loved ones mean just as much to the Ares Federation as my sons George and Dalek do. I will find those who seek to do us harm, and I will kill them.”

  “Your son? Is George a Federation citizen? How does this affect the H’uuman blood oath?” the H’uuman reporter clicked right on cue. It was the one staged question of the press conference, and Cort was ready for it.

  “Yes, George is both a Federation citizen and my son. Yesterday afternoon, legal documents were signed and registered to establish once and for all that George Cortland Addison is both a living entity and my son. I will not answer further questions on this personal, family matter. Regarding your blood oath, your obligation is to Dalek. Your species has no more obligation to George than they do to the Pledge Mother or myself. His title among H’uumans is Pledge Brother.”

  Cort did answer two more questions, but both were political in nature. He ended the press conference and went to his own waiting shuttle. Bazal was inside the shuttle waiting for him. He looked at the octopod after taking off his helmet. “Are they all guilty? I mean I know the leaders were, but what about the rest of them?”

  “Everyone in the church knew of the plot. Some of them did not approve of it, but neither did they report it to the civilian authorities.”

  “That’s good enough for me.” Cort turned to the shuttle pilot and said, “Get me back to the ship. I want to go home.”

  Before the Kalashnikov activated its Jonah drive, Cort sent a message to Kimberly telling her to clear the isthmus retreat on Solitude. He wanted to be alone with his family. The ship slipped into warp and went radio silent for the trip home.

  --

  The day before Cort married Kim, he took a camping trip with Bane, his dire wolf. While exploring, Bane had become trapped in a cave. When Cort found the wolf, he discovered a vast system of artificial caves and tunnels. On the walls of the largest chamber in the maze was a single, continuous mural that depicted Solitude’s history. Eventually, an archaeologist deciphered the mural and learned that over a million years before, an astronomy computer predicted a quasar that would sterilize the planet. The inhabitants of the world modified the computer to help them find a way off the planet.

  For reasons they had not yet determined, one being remained on the planet with the computer after the rest of the inhabitants had been evacuated. When the quasar hit, that being lost his life. At the same time, the computer became self-aware. After the archaeologists discovered the computer, Bazal was able to communicate with it and learn more of the history of the planet. Ultimately, the computer was given an avatar to be able to interact with the rest of the planet’s current inhabitants
.

  --

  Three days after the explosion, Cort was walking through the excavation site with his family. At Kimberly’s request, the area was empty. They had even left the security team at the cave entrance. It was the first time that George or Dalek had ever seen the mural. As they walked through the site, Cort recalled his first experience in the cave. Step by step, he told the others what he saw that day, what he did, and what he felt those years before.

  Cort realized that George was overwhelmed and suggested that they leave him alone in the main room of the cave. As his family began to move to another area, George said, “Will you stay with me, Father?”

  “Of course, Son.” Kim and Dalek left, their wolves in tow, leaving Bane with Cort and George.

  The two were silent for several minutes. George reached up and put his hand in Cort’s.

  “They left me.”

  Cort didn’t have to know who George meant. “Did they know you were alive?”

  “I wasn’t alive then. I knew about them, and I had thoughts, I think. But I don’t think I was alive. I think Doctor Tsao is right. I think the quasar changed me. After it hit the planet, I suddenly felt alone.”

  “Do you remember their society?”

  “Yes.”

  “You haven’t told Doctor Tsao about them. Why not?”

  “Do you want me to, Father?”

  “What I want doesn’t matter, George. I’m just curious why you haven’t.”

  It took immense effort on Cort’s part not to smile when George sighed. Clearly he was becoming adept at mimicking human behavior. Was it mimicking? Or has he learned it from us? The boy said, “It is all I have of them. I am afraid that if I share it, that memory will not be special anymore.”

  Cort thought about the answer. He understood it perfectly. He himself still held secrets about his own past that no one, not even Kimberly, would ever know. He protected both good and bad memories from that time over three centuries before. “I understand.”

  They had reached an image of a bright star. “They were both good and bad to me. They could have taken part of me with them, but if they hadn’t left me, I would not be alive.” George looked up at Cort. “I would not have you.”

  “You are growing up, George. Much faster than Dalek. It will become noticeable soon. Your speech and your actions.”

  “I know. I already change my behavior when I am around him.”

  Cort frowned. “I guess I’m not around enough to notice that. Thank you for being here with them.”

  “I will always protect them, Father.”

  They reached the gravesite of the mural artist. Cort asked, “Did you know him?”

  “Yes. His name was Raon. His mate was in poor health. It prevented her from being evacuated, so he stayed with her. After she died, he and I communicated and played a game similar to chess. That was before I was aware of myself. He was inventive. Before the quasar hit, he dug his own grave and devised a way to keep the dirt from collapsing on him. When it happened, the quasar I mean, he died and let go of the device he had built. That caused the dirt to be released and cover his body.”

  “It sounds as if Raon was quite a person.”

  “Yes. I remember him most of all.”

  George turned to face Cort. “Should I tell Doctor Tsao about them?”

  “I can’t answer that for you, George. I’ve had to make the same decision though.”

  “How did you resolve it?”

  “My past is common knowledge now. What isn’t is how my first wife Angela and our daughter Diane died.”

  Cort could almost see George accessing the datanet and looking at the files. “It was a car accident, Father.”

  “Yes it was. But my wife was coming home from seeing her lover. She had been drinking alcohol as well. After she picked Diane up from a babysitter, she lost control of the car and crashed.”

  “Have you told anyone?”

  “Just you, Son.”

  “Why are you telling me?”

  “That’s how I balance my past. I have that one thing that I don’t share with anyone. You have something like that too.”

  “What thing?”

  “Your memories of Raon. You could give Doctor Tsao everything else, but don’t tell him about Raon. That can be a secret only you and I share. Just as what I told you about Angela and Diane is.”

  “Thank you, Father.”

  Cort put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Let’s go find the others. I’ll bet your brother is getting hungry. I know I am.”

  As they began walking, George said, “ I would like to talk to you again after he is in bed.”

  “About anything in particular?”

  “Yes. I have a suggestion about how best to utilize my abilities.”

  “I don’t even know all of your abilities yet, George.”

  “Neither do I, Father. But we should learn them, don’t you think?”

  They turned a corner to see the wolves running toward them and Kim and Dalek walking through an ancient living area. The family had a picnic lunch in the ruins and spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area.

  That evening, after the family finished dinner, Cort was reading a paper book. Tur interrupted him and clicked, “Doctor Ceram is here to see you, General.”

  “He can wait. I’m not back on duty until tomorrow morning. I’ll see him then.”

  Tur left the room and returned a moment later. “Sir, he says that you can see him, or he can contact Mrs. Addison.”

  “Godsdammit. Send him in.”

  Ceram moved into the room and clicked, “General, how are you feeling?”

  “I feel like breaking off your antennae, Ceram. Why are you here?”

  “You agreed to allow me to examine you once a day. It is time for that exam.” Ceram looked at the sideboard and added, “May I have some sweetwater?”

  Cort jerked his thumb toward the cabinet. “Get it yourself.”

  “You are in a bad mood, I take it?”

  “My mood was just fine before you interrupted me,” Cort growled, standing up.

  The big insect poured a liter of warm water into a specially shaped container and added nearly a pint of honey to it. After the mixture was complete he widened his mandibles and drank.

  “I must examine your face. Please remove your bandage.”

  Cort unwrapped the bandage and turned to face the doctor. Ceram manipulated his skin and took a blood sample. As he put the sample away, he said, “Your eye is beginning to develop. Now that the socket is fully formed, I can fill it with a nutrient pod and cover the hole. In a few months, four at the most, your eye should be fully formed. Then we can recut your eyelid and allow it to grow back normally.”

  Looking at Cort with what the human had come to recognize as contempt, Ceram added, “Your eye would be almost usable by now if you hadn’t cut it off for dramatic effect. You have travelled through time, founded an empire, sired a living god, and yet you seem to be an idiot.”

  “Fuck you, Ceram. What about my hearing? That side is still pretty bad.”

  Ceram held a small flat panel against the damaged side of Cort’s head. “A few more days. The tiny bones of the inner ear are forming now.”

  “Okay. One more thing. Will you go with us if we jump after the abductees?”

  “That is up to you, General. You are my leader, so if you tell me to go, I will go.”

  “Not this time, Ceram. Everyone who goes will be a volunteer.”

  “I see. Very well then. I will accompany you.”

  “Good.”

  “May I ask what I interrupted when I arrived?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You were angry. I assume that I interrupted you.”

  Cort closed his eye for a moment. “No, you didn’t interrupt me.”

  “Oh. Then what were you doing?” Ceram was making himself more sweetwater.

  Cort looked up at the doctor. H’uumans were the only species common to the federation th
at Cort had to physically look up to. At just over 193 centimeters, Cort was the tallest human to have lived for over a century. He was also much shorter than any adult H’uuman he had ever met. “I was reading an old book.”

  Ceram clicked, “I have been reading Earth literature as well. I’ve grown fond of Edgar Allen Poe.”

  Cort laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me at all, Ceram.”

  “I do not understand.”

  “He was one of the most macabre men to have ever lived. Lovecraft was probably his only equal.”