Earth Star

31

The strange distant feeling lasted only a moment, before the real world was back with a rush and the full force of anger hit me. I took a step forward, staring at Gaius Devon’s pompous face on the vid image. Luckily for him, he was out of my physical reach. Chaos take my duty to protect civilians, if I could have strangled Gaius Devon at that moment then I would have done.

Behind the anger came a wave of panic. Gaius Devon had just called me an ape on a vid that was streaming out to every sector. That was personally humiliating, but far more importantly it was disastrous for the Military plans. I was supposed to be inspiring confidence, but no one on sector worlds would have confidence in an ape. I should have known this would happen, but I’d made the fatal mistake of starting to think of myself as human. If that meant Colonel Torrek was forced to order an attack on the alien sphere …

I stood there, white and shaking, knowing there was nothing I could do to mend things. I felt Fian’s arm go around me as Devon continued speaking.

‘Putting your pet throwback in charge of something of this importance is …’

Colonel Torrek’s voice calmly spoke over the top of him. ‘I was prepared to answer any issues of public concern, but I’m not willing to listen to personal abuse of a valued Military officer.’

‘Earth Rolling News is removing Gaius Devon from this broadcast,’ said the presenter. ‘We refuse to give a public platform to his statements.’

Gaius Devon’s image abruptly vanished. I was still stupid from shock, so it was a moment before I understood the obvious. Earth Rolling News was a vid channel run both by and for other Handicapped. The insult to me was an insult to them as well. Of course they would cut off his call.

I glanced around at the faces of the dig team members. Whether they were Handicapped or norms, they all looked furiously angry.

‘Thank you,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘It’s now painfully clear Gaius Devon suffers from uncontrolled prejudices. His true reason for breaking his oath of secrecy was a xenophobic wish to force the Military into a hostile act against an alien race of unknown capabilities. Every school teaches the basic logic and objectives of the Alien Contact programme. I remind everyone of Premise One. Conflict should be avoided if possible, since attacking an alien race of inferior technology is unnecessary, while attacking one of superior technology could result in the extinction of the human race.’

He gave people a few seconds to take that in, before hammering the point home. ‘There is every indication these aliens have far superior technology to us. An unprovoked attack could lead to a war that destroys our entire species, so we must make every possible attempt to establish friendly communications with them.’

Colonel Torrek paused again. ‘The insults Devon directed at our Field Commander aren’t worthy of comment, but I am prepared to reassure the public on the issue of her qualifications and age. Major Jarra Tell Morrath was recruited in the first phase of the Alien Contact programme, was personally responsible for the Ark initiative, and has in depth knowledge of the tactical situation with the alien sphere. She has extensive experience of excavating Earth’s ruined cities, and was involved in the discovery of both a cache of ancient paintings in New York and a partially functioning medical laboratory in the Eden ruins. She has received bravery commendations for her part in the rescue of another dig team and was recently awarded the Artemis medal after being injured while helping rescue Solar 5.’

My head wasn’t in much of a state for thinking, but there seemed something odd about the glib way Colonel Torrek reeled off these details.

‘As for the issue of age,’ he continued, ‘our Field Commander has many ancestors with distinguished Military records. Everyone will have heard of at least one of them. Tellon Blaze fought the chimera on Thetis when he was, coincidentally, 18 years old.’

The interview ended after that, and I stood there, numbly, with everyone staring at me. The lookup on my arm chimed for attention, and I automatically answered.

‘Jarra,’ said Colonel Torrek, ‘can we talk in reasonable privacy?’

I realized what this must be about, and moved away from the crowd before speaking. ‘Sir, I wish to stand down as Field Commander. My Handicap is an embarrassment and …’

He interrupted me. ‘Jarra, Gaius Devon had organized a group of politicians to table an emergency motion in tomorrow’s session of Parliament of Planets. We couldn’t risk Parliament ordering us to attack the sphere, so we set things up to tempt Devon into a public confrontation. We hoped the combination of glorifying one of the Handicapped and disparaging him would sting his ego, but we didn’t expect him to lose his head so completely. He made a huge fuss on the newzies about his noble self-sacrifice in risking prison because of his concern for public safety, but when we gave him the opportunity to state his case he wasted it in a display of personal jealousy and prejudice.’

They’d done it again, I realized. The Military had used my Handicap to check for prejudice on the Attack team, and now they’d used it against Devon. ‘You were expecting him to say something like that? So, that’s how you could recite all those details about me.’

‘Of course, Jarra. When I use one of my officers as bait to tempt the chimera out of the shadows, I make sure we’re ready to defend her.’

Yes, I thought. Last time they’d had Drago standing by to defend me, and this time it was Colonel Torrek himself. I couldn’t hate the Colonel for using me against Gaius Devon. He was fighting to defend humanity, particularly the part of it which was trapped on Earth like me. I did hate the fact that wherever I was, whatever I did, the only thing people cared about was the fact I was Handicapped. I wasn’t just a faulty immune system, I was a person!

‘Gaius Devon’s lost all credibility,’ continued Colonel Torrek, ‘and I’ve just scared everyone with a blunt reminder that a pre-emptive attack could lead to the extinction of the human race. Now the politicians have to allow us more time to contact the sphere. Of course, I risked triggering a blind panic, but that was why you were such a perfect choice for our Field Commander.’

I shook my head in bewilderment. ‘What? Why?’

Colonel Torrek laughed. ‘Because you’re descended from Tellon Blaze, Jarra. Right now every news channel in every sector is playing vid clips about him.’

I instinctively glanced across at the wall showing Earth Rolling News, and saw one of the famous images of Tellon Blaze. ‘But that’s ridiculous. We’re digging things up, not fighting, and …’

‘This isn’t about facts, or logic, it’s about pure emotion,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘The most terrifying creatures humanity has ever met were the chimeras of Thetis. Everyone’s seen the ent vids building up the legend of Tellon Blaze fighting them. An 18-year-old boy doing the impossible, rallying people against a terrifying foe and leading them to victory. Now we’re encountering intelligent aliens for the first time. Everyone is comforting themselves with the thought that if the aliens turn out to be hostile, there’s another Tellon Blaze in command ready to save them.’

I was grazzed. I could have understood that reaction, even felt the same way myself if the descendant of Tellon Blaze had been someone like Drago, but when it was just me … ‘Sir, I’m just a history student, how can anyone possibly believe …’

‘They believe it because they want to, because they’re scared and it makes them feel safer. Forget about Gaius Devon. He damaged himself, not you, by insulting a descendant of Tellon Blaze at a time like this, and it would be more than his life was worth to set foot in Beta sector.’

Beta sector, I thought vaguely. Yes, it wasn’t just that Tellon Blaze was Betan, Thetis was in Beta sector as well, so feelings would run strongly there. I realized this was like being constantly saluted when wearing the Artemis medal. I was only a clueless kid who’d been in the right place at the right time, but people weren’t really saluting me. They were saluting the history of courage and sacrifice represented by the medal on my shoulder.

Now it was the same again. I was still a clueless kid, but I was representing the glittering legend of Tellon Blaze. If the Military needed me to do that to prevent public panic, then I had to do the best I could.

‘Now, I need to discuss arrangements with you,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘The news channels all want to send their own reporters and vid teams to Zulu Dig Site.’

I forced my dazed head to focus on practical matters. ‘We can’t allow that, sir. The area is in pre-rainforest phase, smothered with Griffith hybrid trees. We’ll be felling and moving around huge quantities of them, and the Griffith hybrid was genetically engineered to provide a habitat to as many rainforest species as possible. That means we’ll be annoying everything from predators like scimitar cats and dire wolves, right down to a lot of unfriendly insects that sting or carry diseases. Dig Site Command will make sure everyone has the latest inoculations, but we still can’t have vid teams roaming around without impact suits, and teaching them to wear suits would take days.’

‘I see your point, but we need to let people see what’s happening. How would you suggest we handle it?’

‘Let a couple of reporters from Earth Rolling News come to the site, but they’ll have to stay in a dome. My team can run the vid bees for them.’

‘I’m sure Earth Rolling News would love the exclusive,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘I’ll patch them into this call.’

While he did that, I looked around. Fian had followed me, and was silently listening, but everyone else was keeping their distance. I spotted an elegant figure in deep red, and shouted across to her.

‘Dalmora! I may need you in a minute.’

The image of a man with a remarkably ugly but intelligent face appeared next to that of Colonel Torrek. They were already in mid conversation.

‘… delighted to handle coverage of this,’ said the man, ‘but if amateurs are running the vid bees then …’

I’d been through a lot recently, and I didn’t have the patience for this. I interrupted brutally. ‘I wouldn’t describe my team as amateurs at making vids.’

The man was obviously startled. ‘Major Tell Morrath! No criticism was intended, but …’

‘I understand your concerns. Please allow me to save time by reassuring you.’ I beckoned Dalmora into view of my lookup, and saw the man’s eyes widen as he saw what appeared to be a dazzling vid star.

‘Allow me to introduce you to Dalmora,’ I said. ‘She’ll be running the vid bees on the excavation with the help of her two assistants. Dalmora has some experience of making vids with her father. You may,’ I said, with completely fake innocence, ‘have heard of Ventrak Rostha.’

The man looked utterly grazzed. ‘Ventrak Rostha!’

‘I’ve just had a call from my father,’ said Dalmora. ‘He did his history degree in the days before they brought in the mandatory year on Earth dig sites, so he’s not familiar with impact suits, but he’d be delighted to help direct things from inside a dome.’

‘The Military would welcome the assistance of Ventrak Rostha,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘I suggest Earth Rolling News discuss the details directly with him and his daughter. Major Tell Morrath and I have to deal with other urgent matters.’

A few minutes later, I was staring at a blank lookup. I felt like I’d been hit by a falling skyscraper, and my dazed thoughts kept reliving the moment when the nuking exo, Gaius Devon, had called me an ape in front of the whole of humanity.

‘Sir,’ said an unfamiliar voice.

I turned and saw two strangers in Military uniform.

‘We’ve brought your equipment, sir,’ said one of them, gesturing at a hover trolley loaded with boxes. ‘Where would you like us to set up your command desk?’

Equipment? Oh yes, Command Support were sending over a lot of stuff. I’d asked them to include skintights and impact suits, as well as …

Impact suits! I had to get into my impact suit and lead the excavation, or everyone from Alpha to Zeta sector would know Gaius Devon was right, the Military had made a huge mistake trusting an ape with something important, and this descendant of the heroic Tellon Blaze was a snivelling coward.

I pointed at a random spot where the men could set up whatever equipment they’d brought, and instantly forgot them. I went to the hover trolley, checked the boxes, and dug out the impact suit and skintight meant for me.

I’d hoped my head would think there was a difference between a Military impact suit and the one that had attacked me. It didn’t. I still felt the same unreasoning fear, as if the suit would suddenly come alive, turn into a chimera, and rip me into pieces.

Fate had had a vendetta against me since before I was born. It wasn’t satisfied with making me Handicapped and taking my parents, it had to hit me with a fear of impact suits as well. It must be very pleased with itself right now, because this time it was going to utterly destroy not just me, but everyone who had trusted me. Gaius Devon was going to laugh and laugh and …

I let my anger at fate take over and fill me. I wore the Artemis on my shoulder. I was the Honour Child of Colonel Jarra Tell Morrath. I was a descendant of the glorious Tellon Blaze. I couldn’t let them all down by being beaten by a nuking impact suit. I was fighting back!

I picked up the skintight and suit, and headed towards Alpha corridor, Area 1.

‘Jarra?’ Fian’s voice spoke from somewhere next to me. ‘What are you doing?’

I kept blindly walking.

‘Jarra?’ It was Playdon this time.

I ignored him as well. Nothing existed now except for the pure white fury inside me. I let it loose, riding it like a surfer on one of the great waves of the California rift beaches.

‘Jarra,’ said Fian. ‘We haven’t got the meds yet. Just give us a few minutes before you try this.’

I stood in the middle of the huge room that was Area 1, dropped the impact suit and skintight to the floor, and stripped. I tugged on the protective skintight, felt it hug my body, its warmth contrasting to the chill of the air, and then reached for the impact suit. I’d put on suits like this hundreds of times, and I automatically followed the routine of gently smoothing the material up legs, then arms, and sealing the front.

Military standard was to be able do it in two minutes. I don’t know how long it took me that time. The important thing was that I did it. I stood there for a moment, frozen in sheer terror, as I waited for the smooth cool material to crush me, to turn into razors’ edges and flay me alive.

It didn’t of course. There was no magnetic or other hazard in this underground chamber, so the suit remained just a suit, like those that had protected me from a thousand potential dig site accidents, life threatening or trivial.

The fury and tension suddenly vanished, and I hastily sat down before I fell over.

‘Jarra? Are you all right?’

I looked up at Fian’s anxious face. ‘I think so. I couldn’t let Gaius Devon win and …’ I broke off, and looked frantically around the room. ‘Oh chaos! Did I just strip stark naked in front of Playdon?’

Fian sat down next to me, and tugged me against him. ‘Not quite,’ he said. ‘The two of us followed you in here, trying to stop you, but when you got down to your underwear the poor man ran for it.’

He started laughing. ‘You could be in serious trouble, Jarra. I don’t know if the Gamma sector moral code gives you amber or red warnings for stripping in front of a lecturer, but given Playdon is from Delta …’

I joined in the laughter. ‘I’m currently on active Military service. Does that get me out of it?’

Fian solemnly shook his head. ‘That makes it worse. I should report you for conduct unbecoming an officer, like Leveque did with Drago.’ He paused. ‘Come to think of it, I may have to. If we find this alien artefact, I’m betting they promote you.’

I stopped laughing. ‘What scares me is what happens when we don’t find anything at all.’