“I should have seen that myself.” He looked a little sad, but not at all surprised. “It’s just that I really don’t want to think that kind of thing could happen in the Corps.” His shoulder had been throbbing, but now he forgot about it entirely as he considered Vance’s news. He was thinking about the overall strategic implications, but then he remembered. “General Holm. I’ve got to get to General Holm. He’s on his way to meet with Samuels. He has no idea he’s walking into a trap.”
“Indeed.” Vance’s voice was calm as usual, but there was an undercurrent of concern there. “Thus the urgency in getting you here. We must get to the general and advise him of this news. It is impossible to predict what will happen if he reaches that meeting unwarned. None of the likely prospects are favorable.” His eyes bored into Cain’s. “I have ordered the ship that brought you here placed at your disposal. It is the fastest thing in space. Your backup teams are boarding now.”
Cain had assembled two additional teams for the Garret rescue mission, but Vance had only been able to get Cain and the one group smuggled to Washbalt. The others had been waiting on Mars, enjoying the not inconsiderable hospitality of Roderick Vance. Now they would have their chance at some action.
Erik rose painfully from the couch. “Well, Mr. Vance, I should be on my way. There is no time to waste if I am going to intercept the general before he gets to the meeting on Terra Nova.”
Vance rose also. “Your vessel is still being fueled for the voyage. It will be at least another 2-3 hours before you will be able to depart. Long enough for me to get you something to eat…and have my own doctor look at that shoulder. Perhaps he can do something to ease your discomfort at higher g forces.”
“Thank you, Mr. Vance. I will accept on both counts.” Erik considered himself a pretty hardass Marine, but his shoulder hurt like hell, especially under acceleration, and he’d take any help with that he could get. And he was starving. The voyage to Mars had been so uncomfortable he hadn’t eaten a thing.
“Excellent.” Vance moved toward the door, motioning for Erik to follow. “If you’ll come with me we’ll tend to both matters.” He turned back to face Cain. “Then you can go rescue General Holm.”
Terra Nova was the first world colonized by man outside his own solar system. At the close of the Unification Wars, most of the Superpowers had outposts there, so the planet – along with the entire Centauri system – was demilitarized by the Treaty of Paris. Terra Nova itself was divided into zones, one for each of the Superpowers.
At the time it was expected Terra Nova would become a paradise, an unspoiled world with an amazing climate and tremendous untapped resources. The reality had turned out somewhat differently. The early colonists quickly discovered a number of unexpected problems, including variable but significant radiation levels and a particularly troublesome set of local pathogens. The rapid discoveries of new and more accommodating worlds put a brake on the development of Terra Nova, and the planet had become a moderately seedy collection of small cities and transport depots.
Colonists had been attracted by opportunities that never developed and, once there, they were stuck. Terra Nova’s cities were mostly low-income slums, packed with seething masses of colonists – people whose families had been middle class on Earth but now lived like Cogs in the violent ghettoes of a colony gone wrong.
The Centauri system was a busy nexus, though, and the orbital installations crowding the space around Terra Nova were a different story, humming with constant activity. With six warp gates to the Sol system’s two, Alpha Centauri was man’s gateway to the stars, and enormous traffic passed through every day.
Holm’s shuttle docked with one of the main Alliance orbital facilities, a massive space station containing cargo holds, meeting rooms, restaurants, even two hotels. He was wary – he knew something was going on with Samuels, but he had no idea what. If the Commandant was being pressured somehow, it was possible, even likely, that their meeting would be watched. Holm reminded himself to be careful as he waited for the hatch to open.
He gripped the handrails as he eased out of the zero gravity of the shuttle’s docking portal into the artificial gravity of the station. It was a transition people found difficult to execute the first couple times, but Holm had been traveling in space for forty years, and it was all second nature to him.
He had two aides with him, both fully armed, but that was miniscule protection, and he knew it. He’d have preferred a full strike team – he didn’t like walking into an unknown situation almost defenseless. But there was no way around that; not without tipping off anyone who was watching.
He walked onto the deck of the station, a loose section of metal grating rattling under his feet. He took a few steps forward, hearing the whoosh as the shuttle doors shut behind him. He stood in the empty compartment, alone with his two aides for perhaps thirty seconds, and then the hatch to the main station concourse opened up and armed men and women poured into the landing bay, at least twenty of them, with weapons drawn.
Holm felt a rush of adrenalin, his battle instincts kicking in. But he knew he was trapped, and fighting now would be futile. His mind raced, rapidly analyzing the possibilities. He decided to play along; maybe there’d be an opportunity later. He stood still and unthreatening, motioning for his aides to do the same.
The gunmen wore generic gray jumpsuits with no insignia and helmets with visors down. The apparent leader walked up to Holm, his hand slowly moving to his helmet, raising the dark visor to reveal his face.
“So, we’ve captured the famous General Elias Holm!” He turned and ran his eyes around the room before pulling off his helmet and looking right at the general. “The special action teams at your service, sir.”
Holm looked like he’d seen a ghost, but the shock lasted for just a moment, before his stunned expression gave way to a broad smile. “Erik! What are you doing here?”
Cain smiled back, letting some of his tension drain away. Not all of it – they still had to get off the station and out of the system. But at least they’d gotten to Holm first - he hadn’t been at all sure they’d get here in time. And if they hadn’t gotten here first, he didn’t think they had much chance of pulling off another rescue mission into Alliance Intelligence HQ.
“We’re here for you, sir.” Cain was gesturing to his troopers as he spoke, directing them to cover the doorway. “I have a lot to tell you, but I think you trust me by now, so I suggest we get out of here first.”
Holm could feel the tension from Cain, and he could only imagine the issues they were facing. “Yes, I suppose I trust you by now.” He smiled, mildly sarcastic. “A little.”
Cain smiled. “Come on, sir.” He gestured toward the door. “We need to get to our ship. It’s not far.”
“We can take my shuttle, Erik.” Holm pointed over his back, toward the closed hatch. “Your crew will all fit.”
“No, sir.” Cain was already moving toward the door, weapon at the ready. “We’ve got something fast waiting. Really fast.” He glanced back at Holm. “We may need to outrun whatever they send after us.”
Holm just nodded. Erik Cain knew what he was doing. He took his pistol out of the holster and held it at the ready, and he followed Cain out into the corridor.
“We have some work to do, sir.” Cain spoke softly as he made his way down the hallway cautiously. “We have to rally the Corps.”