Cyborg Assault

“You’ve lost me,” Omi said.

“It’s basic,” Yakov said. “It is also clever. Maybe more than that, it’s also based on gargantuan mechanics. That’s what makes it difficult to see or conceptualize.”

“See what?” asked Omi. “I’m getting tired of your hinting. Just tell us.”

“If Tan is right, the cyborgs are taking Carme and attempting to turn it into a weapon of planetary destruction. Jupiter has sixty-three moons, more than any other system. Maybe they’ll attach massive engines and power plants to the other moons. If they build up enough velocity circling the gas giant, they could fling the moons at Earth or at Mars perhaps. In time—bam,” Yakov said as he clapped his hands together. “It’s extinction for everyone on that planet.”

Omi blinked rapidly. “A planet-wrecker,” he whispered.

“You need to send out your warships,” Marten said. “Destroy the wrecker before it can begin.”

Yakov shook his head. “It’s not that easy. The cyborgs have shattered the system, murdering nearly half the Jovian population with their strike on Callisto. The massive fortifications there helped guard the other Galilean moons. Obviously, Callisto doesn’t guard them anymore. Athena Station is now the strongest defensive position, and the cyborgs hold it.”

Yakov massaged his forehead. “They’ve slaughtered millions and put us on the brink of extinction, but they’ve lost four capital ships doing it. That means Tan has a slight edge with the remaining Guardian and Secessionist warships. It also turns out that the Pythagoras Cruise-Line can convert several of their tugs into mine-laying ships.”

“That doesn’t stop Carme,” Marten said.

“No,” said Yakov. “But it means that Tan has persuaded the others to send two meteor-ships into the outer system.”

“You just showed us the video,” Marten said. “A dreadnaught guards Carme. Can two meteor-ships fight past it?”

“Theoretically, we can.” Yakov drummed his fingers on the computer-desk. “One has to expect, however, that if the cyborgs have built engines and exhaust-ports large enough to move Carme, that they would have added missiles and laser-bunkers to it.”

“I know what to do,” Omi said.

Yakov looked at him with hope.

“It’s not our problem. Let Earth deal with it.”

Yakov shook his head. “It could be targeted on Ganymede. But even if their eventual plan is to target Earth, we can’t stand by and let the cyborgs win. If Social Unity goes down and if the Highborn lose, that would likely mean the end of humanity. We have a stake in seeing that doesn’t happen.”

“Radio Earth,” Marten said. “Tell them.”

“Tan already has.”

“No,” Omi said. “Social Unity isn’t our friend. Neither are the Highborn.”

“You speak truth,” Yakov muttered. “Both have done us harm. Yet both are still human.”

“That’s all beside the point,” said Marten. “Two meteor-ships might fail to take out a dreadnaught and an armored Carme.”

“The massive exhaust-port shows us that even two meteor-ships might fail to stop the moon,” Yakov said.

“I get it,” Omi said, with a bitter laugh. “You want to land shock troopers onto Carme, hoping they kill every cyborg there. It’s a suicide mission in other words, which means you plan on sending us and other fools to do it.”

“Tan has chosen me to go with you,” Yakov said quietly.

“We should have killed her when we had the chance,” Omi said. “Now she’s taking her revenge. Yeah, I know her kind.”

“The stakes are too high and her rationality too sound for that,” Yakov said.

Omi stared at the Force-Leader. “Don’t bet on it.”

“You’re missing a greater truth,” Yakov said, with a faint scowl. “Chief Strategist Tan is sending us because of you two. No one is better at space-marine fighting. You both know it, and you can both lead—”

“Lead other fools to commit suicide?” Omi asked.

“Perhaps we are all fools,” Yakov said. “Sometimes, however, fools win.”

“Fools luck?” asked Omi. “Marten’s and my luck ran out a long time ago.”

“So did mine,” Yakov said. “Still, in the end, the Secessionists broke free from the Dictates.”

Omi stared at the vidscreen, studying Carme and the bright mote on it. He whirled on Marten. “Aren’t you going to tell him this is crazy?”

Marten moistened his lips. “It is crazy. The cyborgs are crazy. Breaking a moon out of its orbit, even a small asteroid-moon, and sending it across space to hit a planet—that’s lunacy. It tells me this is a war of annihilation, either theirs or ours.” Marten flexed his hands. “I told you before, I’m finished running away. It’s time to slug it out. Maybe that means you and I are supposed to lead an attack onto that rock. I don’t know.”

“We’ll be facing cyborgs,” Omi said.

“Yeah,” Marten whispered. Cyborgs—he remembered Olympus Mons. A handful of cyborgs had handled them with ease. If Osadar hadn’t shown up, Omi and he would likely be cyborgs now. This was a suicide mission. Damn, he hated cyborgs.

Marten scowled. Hadn’t he already killed cyborgs here? He’d helped destroy a dreadnaught full of them. It’s also likely his action had given the Jovians whatever chance they had of surviving this stealth attack from Neptune. Marten stood very still then. Had he arrived in the Jupiter System for a reason?

A queasy feeling filled Marten’s stomach. What did he stand for? Did the cyborgs really plan to make planet- wreckers and send them at Earth? Could he stand by and watch them do it, knowing he could have done something but that fear had caused him to run to Saturn or Uranus for safety? How long could he run in a Solar System ruled by cyborgs?

“Tell Yakov he’s full of crap,” Omi said.

Marten swallowed a lump in his throat. “Maybe this is crazy,” he told Omi. “But we have to do it.”

“Why? We’ve done our time.”

“We survived Japan,” Marten said. “But Stick and Turbo died there. We survived the Bangladesh. Vip, Lance and Kang become sterile motes in space. We survived Mars, but Chavez and the others are radioactive dust. Maybe this is why we lived. We’re meant to help stop humanity’s extinction.”

Omi folded his arms across his chest. After a moment, he said, “Osadar is right. Life is rigged.”

“All men die,” Marten said. “Maybe it’s time to make our existence worth something.” He faced Yakov. “I’m in.”

Yakov checked a chronometer. “We leave in eleven hours. In that time, I want you to choose which ship- guardians to take along.”

“Come again?” asked Omi.

“We had planned to take the Thebes with us,” Yakov said. “Now we’ve discovered severe engine damage.”

“What?” Omi asked.

“There was sabotage aboard the Thebes,” Yakov admitted.

Omi laughed bitterly.

“Now we must select the best ship-guardians,” Yakov said, ignoring the laugh. “You two must teach them what you can in the time remaining. Then you will lead them to victory once we reach Carme.”

It was Marten’s turn to laugh. He stared into space as if recalling a grim memory. “We have to choose the best. Yeah, I know what to do. Omi?”

Omi’s face had become blank. He gave the barest of nods. Marten clapped him on the back, and that made Omi scowl.

“This is crap,” Omi said.

“When isn’t it?”

Omi thought about that, and said, “Yeah.”