Siren Song
Chapter 7: Questions
By: Dark-Elk
Massive shells collided into a torn battlefield, destroying whole sections of a seemingly never-ending wave of hideous creatures. There were more than before now, and they weren't attacking a colony. This was a fully defended base, as was evidenced by the presence of Siege Tanks. The constant thudding of shells being fired at the fastest pace possible was like a drumbeat, setting the background noise for the battle.
The gates to the base slid open, releasing a massive clustered group of Marines, Firebats, and Medics. They charged forward in formation, spraying gauss rifle fire and gouts of flaming plasma towards the creatures. The creatures halted their steady advance, turning instead towards this new target. The creatures surged as one, encircling the massed Terran regiment. Marines continued to pour fire into their attackers while Firebats charged into the enemy lines, roasting the creatures alive. Medics followed close behind, dragging the fallen warriors back into the protective circle formed by the Marines. Their healing consisted of quick- fixes; bandages taped over wounds, anti-venoms for those infected by the needle spines, and amphetamines to keep the warriors on their feet, fighting against the shock of blood loss and the creatures simultaneously. Slowly the perimeter of Marines shrunk as they were killed by the dog- creatures and the taller serpent creatures, but then the battle suddenly stopped. A massive hole formed in the creature's lines, a long column stretching back towards the horizon.
A roar filled the air as a massive creature charged forward, massive tusks swinging wildly. The creature crashed into the circle of Marines, tearing some in half, trampling the others. The Marines focused their fire on this new threat, but the gauss rifles seemed barely adequate to damage this massive creature. The rest of the creatures charged as the fire turned away from them, quickly shredding through the armor of the Marines, finally collapsing the circle, killing the Medics and wounded guarded within.
A trio of explosions flung dirt and remains of both creature and Terran alike into the air as the Siege Tanks attempted to crush the cluster of creatures. The explosions continued unabated, shredding the lines, beating the creatures back over the horizon. A cheer rose from the bunkers and Siege Tanks as they fired their final few shots at the fleeing foe. . .but their joy was short lived.
An endless wave of the massive creatures flooded over the horizon, charging the base. They collided with the perimeter walls, shredding through the duracrete and NeoSteel ramparts with ease. Bunkers collapsed as the creatures stomped over them, turning the Siege Tanks into unrecognizable hunks of metal. The creatures that had retreated chose that moment to return, spelling doom for the Terran base. . .
Mackenzie lunged forward abruptly in his bed, only to find he was not in his bed, but tied to an office chair. He looked around the room he was in, noting the rich mahogany wall panels and desk before him, framed by the rosy sunset visible through the massive window behind the desk.
A chair was behind the desk and in front of the window, but it wasn't turned towards Mackenzie. He tried to speak, to ask where he was, what he was doing here, but his voice was little more than a sibilant rasp.
"Your voice will return shortly, Major Surak. The temporary disabling of your vocal cords is an unfortunate side effect of the serum we used to incapacitate you," a cultured voice said, seemingly someone seated in the chair before the window.
Mackenzie remembered what had happened to him: his blunder trying to enter and kill his target, the man springing awake and aiming guns at him, a cold needle sliding into his flesh, numbing his body, forcing him unconscious.
"I apologize for being forced to drug you, and also for being forced to restrain you to that chair. You need to hear what I have to tell you, and these were the only methods at hand that would ensure this. Believe me, you will be most interested in what I have to tell you, most especially about the visions that have been plaguing you for months now."
Mackenzie's thoughts were still a disorganized flurry because of the serum, and it took a few seconds before what the man said registered fully. His confused mind stopped almost immediately, and he strained to speak. After a few gasps and sounds that bore now resemblance to speech, he managed to cough out something that sounded vaguely like "Huh?".
The chair slowly swiveled around, revealing the man seated within. His dark hair blended well into his bronzed skin, and he had the noble bearing of an autocrat. His nose hooked sharply down, seemingly dividing his face in two. It was his eyes that caught Mackenzie's attention most, noticing something he hadn't before he was drugged. The man had the milky eyes of someone blinded, but he could see a glowing within which suggested the man had ocular implants, giving him back vague, distorted eyesight. He clasped his hands in front of him and seemed to be lost in thought for a few moments. "I know about the dreams, Major Surak. I've had them myself. The terrified people, the screaming monstrosities, the death and destruction. . . I've lost my own share of sleep to them."
Mackenzie's voice finally returned to him as he listened, and said slowly "Only a Ghost should be able to pick up those visions, if that's what they are, and one skilled at mental telepathy. Your bearing doesn't seem to be that of a Ghost."
The man smiled broadly, revealing perfectly aligned teeth. "Indeed, Major Surak, I am not, nor have I ever been a member of the UED Ghost program. I am an unregistered telepath, overlooked by the potential tests all children take at a young age. For some reason I've been unable to discern, the UED testers failed to detect my nascent skills, and in the years since then I've been very careful in my usage of my abilities so as not to draw unwanted attention to myself," he said quietly, and then looked pointedly at Mackenzie. "Obviously, my reactions to recent events have alerted the UED to my abilities. How else would I know that Admiral DuGalle's fleet was decimated in the Koprulu sector months ago? The UED has only recently learned of the disaster, and I assure you I knew of it far before they did."
"I wasn't sent to eliminate you for your psionic potential; the UED learned that you were going to make a speech shortly, and thought that it would be politically damaging to them," said Mackenzie with a slight smile. "Although it wouldn't matter much whether you were dead because of your potential or over your speech, now would it?"
The man shook his head. "I was indeed scheduled to make a speech, but only to announce what I knew. Although I suppose that could damage the UED, I can't imagine them sending you after me. Then again," he laughed softly. "even your talents seem to have been inadequate, and you are their poster- child."
Dark anger crossed Mackenzie's face at the mention of his failure. "What do you want? I don't even know your goddamn name!"
"My name is Michael Sommers, and what I want it your aid in saving the Koprulu sector, and ultimately the Earth," said the man, his face somber.
Mackenzie burst out laughing, but quickly stopped as he noticed the man hadn't joined him. "You're serious? You want me to help you save the world?"
Sommers nodded. "Major Surak, both you and I are anomalies on Earth. As far as I've been able to discern, out of the nearly twenty-nine billion people that live here, we are the only two who have received this distress signal from the Koprulu sector," said Sommers as he stood and looked out now dark city beneath his palatial fortress. "You were sent to deal with me because I have influence in the upper echelons of the UED. Another Ghost was slated to have assassinated me, but I wanted you here. I knew you'd understand what I'm telling you, and you'd help me do what's right."
"And what is it you think is right, Sommers?"
"I want to lead a fleet to the Koprulu sector and put an end to the horrors occurring out there. Wouldn't you like a full night's sleep for the first time in months? I know I would. But that's beside the point. I don't know the exact content of your visions, but it's innocent people dying in mine, Surak, innocent people that shouldn't be dying. DuGalle failed to stabilize the Koprulu sector, probably because of these hideous monstrosities who decimate entire cities and planets in minutes."
Mackenzie looked at him skeptically. "And where are you going to get a fleet, Sommers? You want me to go ask the UED if you can borrow one, because I can tell you now what their answer will be."
"The UED is indeed unwilling to send another expeditionary fleet to the Koprulu sector; the media would notice, questions would be asked, and eventually it would become street knowledge that the most decorated Admiral in Terran history died and lost the majority of his fleet. The knowledge of those beasts pillaging the entire Koprulu sector wouldn't comfort them either, as I'm sure it won't be hard for the beasts to trace Admiral DuGalle's path to the Koprulu sector back here to Earth. They want their fleets to stay here and keep them feeling safe and secure, but the fact is that if the entire Koprulu sector falls to the monstrosities they will have nearly limitless resources to draw upon. They will crush Earth."
The blunt prediction chilled Mackenzie's spine, surprising him utterly. "You honestly think these creatures will come here? Why shouldn't the UED just expand as much as possible as quickly as possible so they can match forces with the beasts?"
"Because the UED is a bureaucracy, and as such is slow and unwilling to change. By the time the UED got around to filling out the forms authorizing the construction of colonization ships, the beasts would already be on our doorsteps. We cannot count on the UED to deal with this threat."
"So how do you expect to deal with it? I highly doubt a Ghost and an unregistered psyche are really going to stop these creatures, or even be anything more than another number on the casualty total I'm sure is climbing as we speak. The UED won't give you ships to go to the Koprulu sector," said Mackenzie, although he thought he knew Summers' plan already.
"Of course they won't. That's why I want you to help me, shall we say, "borrow" them," Summers said as he turned away from the window. "I am most sure that such operations would be well within your realm of ability."
Mackenzie nodded slowly, but asked "And why would I do such a thing for you, Summers?"
Summers laughed softly before answering "Because you want the dreams to stop. Because you don't like the idea of innocent people dying. Because you're the 'Noble Assassin'. And because I know that working for the UED chafes horribly with your internal beliefs, damning the soul you don't think you have anymore. All of these reasons, or none of them. You know you will help me already, that much I can sense in your mind, so why not just end this verbal fencing match and agree?"
Mackenzie's face flushed with anger again. "Stay out of my head, or there's not a chance in hell I'll help you, beliefs or not. My thoughts are my own."
Summers looked away for a moment before returning his gaze to Mackenzie. "Are you going to help me? I suppose I need to ask that as a mere formality."
Mackenzie stared into his eyes, probing Summer's mind, trying to find a reason to believe the man. . .and he found it. No where in Summer's mind could he find the slightest hint of deception; the man truly wanted to heal the wounds of the Koprulu sector. "Fine. I'm in. But I'm not going to kill anyone to steal these ships you want, Summers. I'm making that clear now. I'm done with that."
Summers looked at Mackenzie gravely for a few seconds before responding. "Mackenzie, I can only hope that you won't need to dispose of anyone while trying to steal these ships. You know as well as I do that sometimes sacrifices must be made. Let's get you untied from that chair and begin our preparations, before the UED sends in a team to retrieve you and kill me."
Chapter 7: Questions
By: Dark-Elk
Massive shells collided into a torn battlefield, destroying whole sections of a seemingly never-ending wave of hideous creatures. There were more than before now, and they weren't attacking a colony. This was a fully defended base, as was evidenced by the presence of Siege Tanks. The constant thudding of shells being fired at the fastest pace possible was like a drumbeat, setting the background noise for the battle.
The gates to the base slid open, releasing a massive clustered group of Marines, Firebats, and Medics. They charged forward in formation, spraying gauss rifle fire and gouts of flaming plasma towards the creatures. The creatures halted their steady advance, turning instead towards this new target. The creatures surged as one, encircling the massed Terran regiment. Marines continued to pour fire into their attackers while Firebats charged into the enemy lines, roasting the creatures alive. Medics followed close behind, dragging the fallen warriors back into the protective circle formed by the Marines. Their healing consisted of quick- fixes; bandages taped over wounds, anti-venoms for those infected by the needle spines, and amphetamines to keep the warriors on their feet, fighting against the shock of blood loss and the creatures simultaneously. Slowly the perimeter of Marines shrunk as they were killed by the dog- creatures and the taller serpent creatures, but then the battle suddenly stopped. A massive hole formed in the creature's lines, a long column stretching back towards the horizon.
A roar filled the air as a massive creature charged forward, massive tusks swinging wildly. The creature crashed into the circle of Marines, tearing some in half, trampling the others. The Marines focused their fire on this new threat, but the gauss rifles seemed barely adequate to damage this massive creature. The rest of the creatures charged as the fire turned away from them, quickly shredding through the armor of the Marines, finally collapsing the circle, killing the Medics and wounded guarded within.
A trio of explosions flung dirt and remains of both creature and Terran alike into the air as the Siege Tanks attempted to crush the cluster of creatures. The explosions continued unabated, shredding the lines, beating the creatures back over the horizon. A cheer rose from the bunkers and Siege Tanks as they fired their final few shots at the fleeing foe. . .but their joy was short lived.
An endless wave of the massive creatures flooded over the horizon, charging the base. They collided with the perimeter walls, shredding through the duracrete and NeoSteel ramparts with ease. Bunkers collapsed as the creatures stomped over them, turning the Siege Tanks into unrecognizable hunks of metal. The creatures that had retreated chose that moment to return, spelling doom for the Terran base. . .
Mackenzie lunged forward abruptly in his bed, only to find he was not in his bed, but tied to an office chair. He looked around the room he was in, noting the rich mahogany wall panels and desk before him, framed by the rosy sunset visible through the massive window behind the desk.
A chair was behind the desk and in front of the window, but it wasn't turned towards Mackenzie. He tried to speak, to ask where he was, what he was doing here, but his voice was little more than a sibilant rasp.
"Your voice will return shortly, Major Surak. The temporary disabling of your vocal cords is an unfortunate side effect of the serum we used to incapacitate you," a cultured voice said, seemingly someone seated in the chair before the window.
Mackenzie remembered what had happened to him: his blunder trying to enter and kill his target, the man springing awake and aiming guns at him, a cold needle sliding into his flesh, numbing his body, forcing him unconscious.
"I apologize for being forced to drug you, and also for being forced to restrain you to that chair. You need to hear what I have to tell you, and these were the only methods at hand that would ensure this. Believe me, you will be most interested in what I have to tell you, most especially about the visions that have been plaguing you for months now."
Mackenzie's thoughts were still a disorganized flurry because of the serum, and it took a few seconds before what the man said registered fully. His confused mind stopped almost immediately, and he strained to speak. After a few gasps and sounds that bore now resemblance to speech, he managed to cough out something that sounded vaguely like "Huh?".
The chair slowly swiveled around, revealing the man seated within. His dark hair blended well into his bronzed skin, and he had the noble bearing of an autocrat. His nose hooked sharply down, seemingly dividing his face in two. It was his eyes that caught Mackenzie's attention most, noticing something he hadn't before he was drugged. The man had the milky eyes of someone blinded, but he could see a glowing within which suggested the man had ocular implants, giving him back vague, distorted eyesight. He clasped his hands in front of him and seemed to be lost in thought for a few moments. "I know about the dreams, Major Surak. I've had them myself. The terrified people, the screaming monstrosities, the death and destruction. . . I've lost my own share of sleep to them."
Mackenzie's voice finally returned to him as he listened, and said slowly "Only a Ghost should be able to pick up those visions, if that's what they are, and one skilled at mental telepathy. Your bearing doesn't seem to be that of a Ghost."
The man smiled broadly, revealing perfectly aligned teeth. "Indeed, Major Surak, I am not, nor have I ever been a member of the UED Ghost program. I am an unregistered telepath, overlooked by the potential tests all children take at a young age. For some reason I've been unable to discern, the UED testers failed to detect my nascent skills, and in the years since then I've been very careful in my usage of my abilities so as not to draw unwanted attention to myself," he said quietly, and then looked pointedly at Mackenzie. "Obviously, my reactions to recent events have alerted the UED to my abilities. How else would I know that Admiral DuGalle's fleet was decimated in the Koprulu sector months ago? The UED has only recently learned of the disaster, and I assure you I knew of it far before they did."
"I wasn't sent to eliminate you for your psionic potential; the UED learned that you were going to make a speech shortly, and thought that it would be politically damaging to them," said Mackenzie with a slight smile. "Although it wouldn't matter much whether you were dead because of your potential or over your speech, now would it?"
The man shook his head. "I was indeed scheduled to make a speech, but only to announce what I knew. Although I suppose that could damage the UED, I can't imagine them sending you after me. Then again," he laughed softly. "even your talents seem to have been inadequate, and you are their poster- child."
Dark anger crossed Mackenzie's face at the mention of his failure. "What do you want? I don't even know your goddamn name!"
"My name is Michael Sommers, and what I want it your aid in saving the Koprulu sector, and ultimately the Earth," said the man, his face somber.
Mackenzie burst out laughing, but quickly stopped as he noticed the man hadn't joined him. "You're serious? You want me to help you save the world?"
Sommers nodded. "Major Surak, both you and I are anomalies on Earth. As far as I've been able to discern, out of the nearly twenty-nine billion people that live here, we are the only two who have received this distress signal from the Koprulu sector," said Sommers as he stood and looked out now dark city beneath his palatial fortress. "You were sent to deal with me because I have influence in the upper echelons of the UED. Another Ghost was slated to have assassinated me, but I wanted you here. I knew you'd understand what I'm telling you, and you'd help me do what's right."
"And what is it you think is right, Sommers?"
"I want to lead a fleet to the Koprulu sector and put an end to the horrors occurring out there. Wouldn't you like a full night's sleep for the first time in months? I know I would. But that's beside the point. I don't know the exact content of your visions, but it's innocent people dying in mine, Surak, innocent people that shouldn't be dying. DuGalle failed to stabilize the Koprulu sector, probably because of these hideous monstrosities who decimate entire cities and planets in minutes."
Mackenzie looked at him skeptically. "And where are you going to get a fleet, Sommers? You want me to go ask the UED if you can borrow one, because I can tell you now what their answer will be."
"The UED is indeed unwilling to send another expeditionary fleet to the Koprulu sector; the media would notice, questions would be asked, and eventually it would become street knowledge that the most decorated Admiral in Terran history died and lost the majority of his fleet. The knowledge of those beasts pillaging the entire Koprulu sector wouldn't comfort them either, as I'm sure it won't be hard for the beasts to trace Admiral DuGalle's path to the Koprulu sector back here to Earth. They want their fleets to stay here and keep them feeling safe and secure, but the fact is that if the entire Koprulu sector falls to the monstrosities they will have nearly limitless resources to draw upon. They will crush Earth."
The blunt prediction chilled Mackenzie's spine, surprising him utterly. "You honestly think these creatures will come here? Why shouldn't the UED just expand as much as possible as quickly as possible so they can match forces with the beasts?"
"Because the UED is a bureaucracy, and as such is slow and unwilling to change. By the time the UED got around to filling out the forms authorizing the construction of colonization ships, the beasts would already be on our doorsteps. We cannot count on the UED to deal with this threat."
"So how do you expect to deal with it? I highly doubt a Ghost and an unregistered psyche are really going to stop these creatures, or even be anything more than another number on the casualty total I'm sure is climbing as we speak. The UED won't give you ships to go to the Koprulu sector," said Mackenzie, although he thought he knew Summers' plan already.
"Of course they won't. That's why I want you to help me, shall we say, "borrow" them," Summers said as he turned away from the window. "I am most sure that such operations would be well within your realm of ability."
Mackenzie nodded slowly, but asked "And why would I do such a thing for you, Summers?"
Summers laughed softly before answering "Because you want the dreams to stop. Because you don't like the idea of innocent people dying. Because you're the 'Noble Assassin'. And because I know that working for the UED chafes horribly with your internal beliefs, damning the soul you don't think you have anymore. All of these reasons, or none of them. You know you will help me already, that much I can sense in your mind, so why not just end this verbal fencing match and agree?"
Mackenzie's face flushed with anger again. "Stay out of my head, or there's not a chance in hell I'll help you, beliefs or not. My thoughts are my own."
Summers looked away for a moment before returning his gaze to Mackenzie. "Are you going to help me? I suppose I need to ask that as a mere formality."
Mackenzie stared into his eyes, probing Summer's mind, trying to find a reason to believe the man. . .and he found it. No where in Summer's mind could he find the slightest hint of deception; the man truly wanted to heal the wounds of the Koprulu sector. "Fine. I'm in. But I'm not going to kill anyone to steal these ships you want, Summers. I'm making that clear now. I'm done with that."
Summers looked at Mackenzie gravely for a few seconds before responding. "Mackenzie, I can only hope that you won't need to dispose of anyone while trying to steal these ships. You know as well as I do that sometimes sacrifices must be made. Let's get you untied from that chair and begin our preparations, before the UED sends in a team to retrieve you and kill me."