above them. As they ascended, Jennings turned around just in time to see several of Cervera’s loyalists exit the elevator, weapons drawn. As they opened fire, the officer pulled the hatch shut behind him, and the weak lead slugs bounced harmlessly off the bulletproof surface of the plane.
“Mister President, it’s highly inadvisable for you to accompany us on this combat run. We don’t know what we’re going to find on that island.”
“I’m sure I’ll be safer with you than if I stayed behind with Cervera’s forces. Proceed with the mission, and I’ll try to stay out of your way.”
“Thank you, sir. And may I say that we’re with you all the way. My father and three uncles were killed in War Three, and I lost two brothers in the Quebec War. I don’t want to see our country forced into another war any time soon. Cervera will pay for her treason.”
“Yes, she will,” Jennings whispered. “Yes. She will.”
The plane shuddered and flew from beneath the White House into a brilliantly blue sky, leaving the Rocky Mountains behind. It picked up speed and disappeared to the west in a liquid flash of metal.
Simon.
The Judas Simon was at the front of the formation of Shadow-driven vessels. They passed through the belt of asteroids between Jupiter and Mars without incident, wary of an Enemy ambush.
((there it is.))
They could see the vessel, a dark silhouette against the sunlit face of Phobos. The red mass that was the fourth planet, Mars, loomed above them as the vessels careened toward oblivion.
“Look at the size of it.”
((it’s preparing to harvest. synthesizing the upload generators for the attack.))
“Do they see us yet?”
((no indication that they’ve been alerted to our presence. the shadows hide us.))
“So what do you think, Simon? Do we go for it?”
((we’ve never captured an enemy at this stage of harvest before. the data we could retrieve from the phase core would be priceless.))
“Do we board it?”
((it’s the only way.))
“I know, but I still hate sending troops out into close combat.”
((so do i, but it must be done.))
“Wake them up from their heavens, Simon. Wake them all up.”
The vessels sped on.
Deep within the Judas vessels, an ancient process began anew.
Valves opened. Atmosphere was pumped into chambers where lights flickered, brightened. Heating units began to discharge warmth. Artificial gravity was restored.
Hidden servos whirred; pneumatics pressurized.
In the vast expanse of chambers, the vessel decoded the genetic patterns of thousands of beings from precious files stored for centuries aboard the Judas and began the recreation process. From the base elements of the galaxy, in a primordial stew of nutrient-rich liquid, the vessel stimulated the formation of molecules, DNA strands, cells, tissue, organs, organisms. The vessel vastly sped up the growing process, and within minutes it had created thousands of perfectly viable organisms in the expanse of stasis chambers, reconstituting from ancient binary code the uploaded consciousnesses of the beings that were the Judas.
On the surface of the spherical room, doors slid open. From within, a ghostly steam emerged.
The Judas sentiences began to monitor, probe, analyze, assess the contents of these compartments.
A favorable judgment reached, the next step was taken.
Hydraulic systems lifted the contents out.
In the massive spherical chamber, two thousand sleeping humans lay on elevated platforms, the effects of their rebirth after centuries of emulated hibernation wearing off.
They were the pawns in the chess match of eternity.
Santa Fosca.
Reynald walked on the beach, arms outstretched.
He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, to let his rage shatter the very sky above him.
He fell to his knees, fists covering his eyes, body wracked in silent sobs.
All the pain…
The responsibility rested with him, now that Magdalene was dead. The symbol of her end, a dissipating mushroom cloud, scarred the horizon to the north.
These poor, blind people.
He kneeled in the shadow of the Enemy.
The Enemy shard stood before him, like an accusing finger pointed at the sky. The impact crater stretched outwards, the blackened debris of buildings that had been on the island scattered throughout.
He broke.
He ran for the shard, uttering his rage through incomprehensible nonsense. He tore the Judas symbol from his chest, and threw it at the dead Enemy vessel.
“Damn you! DAMN ALL OF YOU!!”
He fell back to his knees, weeping.
“Captain?”
He spun around, his face a grimace of agony, cold eyes flickering between gray and silver, illuminating the tear-wet surface of his wrinkled and scarred face.
“Captain Reynald?”
“They won’t get away with this. Command will not get away with her blood on their hands.”
“No, Captain…Reynald, we’re picking something up on wide-range sensors.”
“Is it Simon?”
“No, sir. It’s a native vessel. A warplane. On a direct approach vector.”
A silver dot formed on the horizon, drew closer.
((droptroops prepped.))
“Take us in.”
The Judas swept into the shadow eclipsing the surface of Phobos. The Enemy hung in the vacuum, unaware of pending execution.
((simon to strike force: engagement on my go.))
They swept closer, unseen.
Zero-Four locked his arms into the interface gauntlets.
“Ready, Simon?”
((always.))
It began.
black
PREPARE TO BREAK MOON ORBIT.
THE THIRD PLANET((?))
YES. IT IS THE RICHEST IN HUMAN RESOURCE.
LUSCIOUS… UPLOAD.
inquisition. suspicion. hatred.
THEY ARE HERE.
THE JUDAS((?))
THE JUDAS.
A CERTAINTY((?))
THEY ARE SHADOWED, BUT THEY ARE HERE. I CAN TASTE THE PRESENCE OF THEIR CONTAGION IN THE PATTERN. THEY SHALL PAY FOR THEIR BLASPHEMY.
INDEED THEY SHALL.
DESTROY THEM.
