Broken Horizon Read online

  “I shouldn’t have did what I did with Amy. It was wrong. This was my punishment. I deserved it.”

  “You are nothing like the rest of these people. I will get you off of this planet. We will escape.”

  “Yes, we will leave when Terra is ready for me. Once I have paid my price.”

  “You already have.”

  Zebediah looked away. “And what if I’m really the Slicer? What do you think, then?”

  “The Slicer should take a knife to their own throat.”

  “He didn’t use a knife.”

  Riko cocked her head. “What did he use, then? Or, rather...” She sighed. “What did you use? Did you lie to me?”

  “I’m not the Slicer.”

  Riko stared at him. She didn’t say anything, but Zebediah could tell she was disappointed.

  “So you have made your choice.” He took a deep breath. “I understand.”

  “I actually don’t know.” Riko stared him down. “Who are you?”

  “Your friend.”

  Riko was still pondering. Was Zebediah the Slicer?

  He stood up and wiped a tear from his eye. “I hope you believe me. We will escape this planet one day.”

  Zebediah started walking out of the shack but paused and turned back to Riko. “He used a razor blade.”

  December 11, 0270 AC – 16:12

  Madcat-2

  Silver Cove, Neutral Space

  The dart narrowly missed Teresa Day’s head and impaled into the dart target board.

  Teresa snickered. “Nice shot, right in the center.”

  Switch Austrinus tossed a dart into the air and caught it. “Of course.”

  “Or did you miss?”

  Switch smirked. “I don’t miss.”

  Teresa collapsed into a chair in the lounge of the Madcat-2 corvette.

  “We get a new contract yet, boss?” Switch asked.

  “All the merc contracts are the usual Confederate shit. I think I need a break from that.”

  “I understand.”

  Teresa was massaging her head with her palm, trying to calm a headache.

  Switch kept one eye on a display showing the latest news and one eye on the target. She kept tossing the dart over and over until eventually she had the urge to throw the dart into the target.

  The news program was discussing the latest news from the Blood Dynasty; Drake Mabus was officially being crowned “King” of the Dynasty. Switch figured it was just something to distract everyone from the Confederate rebellion.

  It was getting awful in Confederation space. For the last few months, the Marauding Mad Cats mercenary group fielded contract missions for both sides of the conflict, depending on who paid better. At this point though, Switch was getting tired of it. She wanted to pick a side. Better yet, she wanted out of this life.

  “Boss?”

  “Yep?” Teresa was partially paying attention to the news.

  Switch tossed a dart straight up and followed the dart with her eyes. “I’m tired of this life.” She caught the falling dart.

  Teresa chuckled. “No you aren’t.”

  “No, really. I thought I could keep going after Denys died, and I did, but... I don’t know... I feel empty doing this stuff. The worst part of this work is that I could die defending someone else’s flag.”

  Teresa shook her head. “That’s what you signed up for. That’s what the recruit signed up for. He’s taking it well. Probably just your time-of-the-month.”

  Switch rolled her eyes. “No, ma’am, that’s not it.”

  “We have to take these missions to keep food on the table.”

  “What about Michael? Does he have anything for us?”

  “He’s been quiet. Maybe he doesn’t need us right now.”

  Switch didn’t know who Michael was, but this gentleman had hooked the Mad Cats up with lucrative missions in the past. Missions that meant something.

  “Maybe this life isn’t for me,” Switch said.

  Teresa shrugged. “Maybe not. Are you quitting on me?”

  Switch tossed another dart into the air. “I’m not sure, yet.”

  “It took long enough to replace the old man. It will be even harder to replace you.”

  “That’s sweet. I am pretty good at what I do.”

  “Nah, I wonder where I’d find another huge asshole.”

  Switch chuckled. “Effing bitch.”

  Teresa smiled. “Babe, do what you have to. Michael may need me in the future and I’m in debt to him. So, for now, I’ll keep running this show. If you think your time is up, let me know. I’ll find somebody.”

  “Who is Michael anyways?” Switch asked.

  Teresa sighed. “That’s above your pay grade.”

  “Give me a raise.”

  “You are about to effing quit, I’m not giving you a raise.”

  “Can you tell me anything?”

  “There is something bigger than the Blood Dynasty, the Confederation, and the Galactic Union. Something bigger than their petty political games. There is dark and light. Michael is an agent of the light, and I perform tasks to make sure the darkness doesn’t overtake everything.”

  Switch pointed at the display. “Have you seen the news? Sure seems like the darkness is winning.”

  Teresa nodded. “Maybe. But I won’t give up on the light just because the darkness is overwhelming. Always darkest before the dawn.”

  “So light and darkness? What are they? Shadow governments? Effing aliens? You aren’t telling me much.”

  “If I knew, I’d tell you,” Teresa said. “There’s something bigger out there. And I’ll be damned if I let the bad guys win.”

  Switch threw a dart into the target board. “Okay, whatever. I knew I wouldn’t get a straight answer. I haven’t decided yet if I want to leave. But I can fight for the light, whatever you call it, in my own way. You may have to find another asshole. Good luck with that.”

  Teresa smiled.

  Edwin White, the new recruit, called out from the corridor leading from the lounge, “Uh, miss? We have a visitor. I’m sorry, he insisted.”

  Edwin White was a nice kid. Completely green, but a diamond in the rough. They met Edwin on one of their contracts to Delphi Prime, a backwater world. He begged to get a job on board the corvette. Apparently he was a great shot with a rifle. Switch wasn’t sure how well that translated into corvette weaponry.

  Teresa grumbled, “Is it those engine salesmen again? Tell them the engine runs just damn fine, I don’t need a new Sakharov.”

  “No, it’s someone else,” the recruit replied.

  A man with a long blonde hair and a scruffy blonde beard appeared in the doorway. He had rags for clothes. It looked like he hadn’t bathed or eaten for days.

  Teresa groaned. “Well, speaking of assholes. Hey Knave. You go on a diet?”

  “No, not really,” Knave Gunner said. “Hi.”

  “What the eff are you doing here? Get off our ship!” Switch exclaimed.

  Knave put his hands up. “Hey, hey, calm down. I’ve had a rough few weeks.”

  “What happened on Aisu IV?” Teresa asked. “I haven’t heard about you in a very long time.”

  Edwin White looked bewildered and eased himself out of the room.

  Knave Gunner grabbed a chair and sat in it backwards. “We didn’t make it to Aisu IV. We got ambushed by raiders. Tore poor Eclipse apart. There is still a significant amount of damage. I’m just going to sell the poor girl. The corvette escort we had was obliterated. I had to fly at sublight speed through vampire space for months. Barely survived on the rations we had. I lost half of my crew to the carnage, and the other half after the fact. They gave up on this stuff. Not that I blame them. I have no crew and nowhere else to go. Luckily some junk runners found us and saved us and our ship. Do you have any openings? Any at all?”

  Switch glanced at Teresa and smirked.

  Teresa glared at Switch. “No, Switch. NO.”

  Knave looked back and forth between the
two women. “Hmm? What’s this?”

  Switch twirled a dart in one hand and placed the other on the side of her face as she leaned back in her chair.“How much you want for that old hunk of junk?”

  “What? You interested?” Knave asked.

  “I’m getting out of this life, but I need some sort of transportation. A corvette would be good. I could probably pilot it on my own if I don’t have to worry about combat missions or solo hyperspace jumps.”

  Teresa frowned. “No, Switch. You can’t leave. How will you support yourself without the Mad Cats?”

  “I’ll find my way,” Switch said. “I’ll be here for a little while longer. I need to spread my wings a little. I don’t need cash, I’ve been saving credits. Besides, you know how I am with computers, there’s no bank that can keep me out.” She laughed.

  Knave grinned. “Looks like there’s an opening.”

  Teresa grit her teeth. “Fine. Switch, fine.” She sighed. “This is such a bad idea.”

  Switch beamed with satisfaction.

  Teresa put her face in her hand. “Welcome aboard, Knave.”

  Dome 4, Chryse Planitia

  Mars

  Orion Confederation Space

  The prisoners under the dome lined up shoulder to shoulder in three rows. Warden Ross Algol walked the length of the rows of prisoners with three guards armed with automatic rifles.

  Warden Ross Algol walked by Riko Maeda and gazed directly into her eyes. He laughed and looked away and continued walking by.

  Algol didn’t even care that Riko didn’t belong there. She sighed and stared into the dusty sky through the dome. She was hoping for someone, anyone, to come and rescue her.

  “Mr. Cetus,” Algol said to one of the muscular members of the Dome.

  Cetus stared ahead.

  “You have been pardoned. Step out of the line. You are coming with us.”

  “Pardoned?” Cetus asked, confused.

  “You heard me. Where’s Mr. Martins?” Algol asked the prisoners.

  They were silent.

  Algol wore a lavish uniform. The logo of Starfire Systems was branded on his shoulder, SFS stylized in silver lettering. The prominent weapons manufacturer apparently owned the Citadel, the Orbital Guard, and, by extension, the prisoners. There were also chevrons under the Starfire brand, but Riko doubted this man had any actual military rank. Algol had a long machete hanging off his belt. He had a prideful walk to him that Riko despised.

  Algol spat. “Sodding ingrates. Answer me.”

  Zebediah, a few prisoners down from Riko, spoke up, “He’s dead.”

  Algol grinned and walked up to Zebediah. Algol placed his machete on Zebediah’s neck. “He’s what?”

  “Dead.”

  Algol spat again. “How did he die?”

  Zebediah stared straight ahead, not daring to look into Algol’s eyes. “He thought he saw something. A meteor. He went to investigate against the council’s wishes.”

  Algol smiled, revealing dirty teeth. Some of the prisoners had better teeth than him. “The council. You pigs got yourself a sodding government here? That’s quite different than most of the domes that spend their time beating each other to a pulp. Dome 4 was always a bunch of freaks.”

  “Martins was hoping for useful space junk,” Zebediah said. “We found him shortly after his body had succumbed to hypoxia. The oxygen tank he took was malfunctioning. He died in peace, at least.”

  “Martins deserved much worse than a peaceful death,” Algol said.

  “He was a changed man.”

  “You sure harp on that a lot, don’t you, boy? Nothing ever changes. Look up into that brown sky. It ain’t ever gonna change. You claim to be different, changed. You say some words and try to feel better about yourself but everyone here still has the same dirty, despicable, disgusting, revolting souls.”

  Riko spoke up. “No. People can change.”

  Algol chuckled. He walked toward Riko, moving his machete harmlessly across the throats of the men he walked by. The prisoners still flinched when the blade touched their skin.

  “She speaks,” Algol said.

  “These men were rapists and murderers. I haven’t been touched. People can change,” Riko said.

  “His rhetoric has infected your poor mind. What was I to expect, though? Just because they haven’t effed you raw yet doesn’t mean they won’t.” Algol looked across the lines of prisoners. “One day they’ll succumb to their primal urges. It’s just a matter of time. It’s a wondrous feat they haven’t yet, but you cannot truly change the heart of men. Each and every one of these pigs want to split you open. If the opportunity arises they will take it. They’re just animals.”

  Riko shook her head. “In the end, it will be your fault if that happens. You keep me on this planet even though you know full well I do not belong.”

  “I still haven’t decided what I want to do to you...” Algol traced his machete down Riko’s lithe body. “There are many....” He traced the machete between her legs. “Possibilities.” He smirked.

  Riko felt sick.

  Algol quickly snapped the machete back under her chin.

  “I’m not afraid of you,” Riko mustered up the courage to say.

  “You should be. I should just end you, since these dogs won’t.”

  Zebediah had enough and stepped out of formation. “Don’t you put a hand on her!” he yelled as he approached Algol.

  The guards trained their weapons onto Zebediah.

  He put his hands up and stopped moving.

  “Oh, I won’t put my hands on her.” Algol pressed the machete harder onto her skin. The machete brought a droplet of blood to the skin.

  Riko stared him down.

  Algol shrugged. “On second thought.” He placed his machete back on his belt. “It brings a certain satisfaction to watch you suffer. We have been a little too lenient to all of you. The last shipment of food was quite... excessive. Dome 4 will be now receiving extremely low rations, until this bitch is dead.” Algol grinned. “You see? I’m putting a little fire to them. I will show you and them that they are nothing but animals. Kill Riko and you’ll get more food. Guards, let’s get off this rock.”

  Algol laughed and walked away with his guards toward the airlock of the dome. The guards dragged Cetus with them.

  The crowd of prisoners looked toward Riko.

  “Listen,” Riko said. “He’s trying to put a wedge between all of us. If I die, things won’t get any better!” She turned and shouted towards the warden. “Algol! You castrated Zebediah, but you have no balls!”

  Algol turned back to her. He smirked.

  Riko continued yelling, “If you have some balls come over here and kill me yourself!”

  Algol laughed and continued to the airlock.

  Riko shouted, “I don’t belong here! Get me out of this prison!”

  Zebediah walked up to Riko. “Are you okay?”

  Riko rubbed her neck. “Yes, I’m fine. Where are they taking Cetus? Why can’t I leave too?”

  “You don’t want to get pardoned. I’m not sure where they are go, but it’s not good. Strangely enough, I think you are more safe here than the Citadel,” Zebediah said.

  Riko sighed. “Someone is going to kill me now.”

  “They can try.”

  December 23, 0270 AC – 17:17

  Madcat-2

  Silver Cove, Neutral Space

  “So this is your last day with us?” Knave asked.

  “Yep,” Switch replied.

  The entire mercenary group of the Mad Cats were eating a meal in the cargo bay of the Madcat-2. Random crates became the tables for their dinner. Other boxes and supplies were used as chairs.

  Rylan Ter, Russell Jackman, and Edwin White were staying out of this conservation. They typically didn’t get involved when Knave and Teresa argued.

  “I could still get rid of you, Knave, don’t you forget that. Switch can still stay,” Teresa said.

  “She doesn’t want to stay,
Reese,” Knave replied.

  “Don’t effing call me that, asshole!” Teresa hissed.

  She always hated that nickname, Switch mused to herself. Those two argue like a married couple.

  Knave chuckled. “Okay, whatever. Switch is leaving, I’m her replacement. Now I don’t have quite the talent for hacking she has, but I can get the job done. Be my guest to find somebody else, but you know I’m the best fit for this crew.”

  Teresa picked at her meal and sighed. “This is a bunch of bullshit, you know that, right, Switch?”

  “I’ll be alright on my own. And you and Knave? It’s perfect. When’s the wedding?” Switch laughed.

  Teresa stared at her meal. “Eff off.”

  If you could call it a meal. Mashed potatoes, corn, and some sort of meat product. The potatoes tasted okay enough. The corn was crunchy. Switch was pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to be like that. The meat didn’t take like any animal she had tasted before. She wondered if it was human, cat, dog, or some weird combination of them all.

  “It’ll be fine, Reese,” Knave said.

  Teresa glared at Knave in anger.

  “So, Knave,” Switch said. “I transferred the funds and most of the repairs are complete on Eclipse. It may be a little hard to pilot on its own, but I’ll manage. Thanks so much for letting me have it. She’s a beauty.”

  “She sure is. I have a tendency of always getting the prettiest girls, you see,” Knave smiled and gestured with his head toward Teresa.

  Teresa groaned.

  “I have a question, though, Knave,” Switch said. “You said it was raiders that damaged Eclipse?”

  “Yep. Bastards,” Knave responded.

  “The damage was impressive. Heavy mass driver hits. It looked like damage from a cruiser, not some raiders with corvettes and gunships. Big guns.”

  “They were armed to the teeth.”

  Switch pondered. “Yeah, okay. It’s really weird, that’s all.”

  Blood started to drip out of Knave’s nose. He covered it up and wiped it away with a napkin. Teresa was looking the opposite way and didn’t notice.