Icarus (Interstellar Cargo Book 1) Read online

  CAIN announced.

  Cole looked over just as Lin re-entered the bridge, and he shook his head. “You better be right about Cain.”

  The engineer blinked in response, worry lines cracking her impassive exterior.

  “Everything is going as planned,” Emmerich said to the group. “Our visit will go as expected, and then we will leave.” She focused on Cole. “Simple as that.”

  Except for the genocide part, Cole reminded himself. “Easy for you to say,” he said to the inspector. “You get to stay here and critique the show.” He pointed to her holstered sidearm. “You better have a good explanation for that.”

  “I’m an officer as well as an inspector, Captain. I have the proper legal documentation to carry, and I will temporarily surrender my weapon when asked.” She smiled that familiar steely smile. “I have no need for it while we are here.”

  Stop having answers for everything! Cole cleared his throat and turned back to the viewport.

  Much to his dismay, everything did proceed as planned. Lin and Forester exited the ship and joined the awaiting retinue. Cole was quickly forgotten as he set to the task of unloading the converted generator. Emmerich stayed aboard with CAIN and had a front row seat to the entertainment. In the midst of it all, the bay door permitted the docking of another SolEx spacecraft. This one was larger than the ICV-71 and built specifically for comfort.

  The Interstellar Limousine, Cole thought with a shake of his head. Caliber and company would be aboard, joining the congregation fashionably late. The Terracom executives would be among them, unknowingly walking into a trap. Both corporations would be dealt a critical blow in one fell swoop.

  Cole focused on the underside of the ICV-71 as the cargo hold opened to reveal the solitary item within: the generator. He examined the large piece of machinery, wondering what part of the complex design was the capacitor. For all he knew, the entire thing was rigged to be a bomb and made to look like a generator. The capacitor could be anything. He sighed. Should’ve been an easy first day as Captain. Not my last.

  A chatbox prompt entered his vision through Ocunet. The host’s name was generic, auto-generated at random. Cole had no idea who could be contacting him. Then he read the post.

  OcuGuest347: You must remove the capacitor.

  Cole began to sweat. He hesitated to reply, worried their conversation was being monitored somehow. As though the person at the other end sensed his concern, a new post appeared.

  OcuGuest347: This is a secure forum, Cole. I have routed all incoming and outgoing data through CAIN’s interface.

  Lin, Cole realized with relief. He looked back toward the approaching crew and security officers, then back at the suspended generator. It would take them some time to unfasten, lower, unload the oversized item, and sort through the proper documentation. He had a few minutes to play doctor. He sent his thoughts through the Ocunet.

  IcarusM15: Having second thoughts, Doc?

  OcuGuest347: My intentions were always noble. Unfortunate circumstances led me down this path.

  Cole thought back to the engineer’s odd behavior when Emmerich first came aboard the ICV-71. Her lack of interaction and silence spoke volumes. She was being blackmailed as well.

  IcarusM15: I’d love to help, but I have no idea where the capacitor is on the generator.

  OcuGuest347: CAIN is sending a schematic of the generator and the item in question.

  A three-dimensional line diagram appeared in Cole’s vision alongside the chatbox. As it slowly rotated, a particular area of the complex machinery highlighted and zoomed in to give a more detailed view. The capacitor had been designed to blend in with the generator seamlessly. Had he not been given the schematic, it would have been impossible to locate.

  IcarusM15: I see it. If I remove it, will that stop the bomb from detonating?

  OcuGuest347: The generator was never armed to explode.

  Cole frowned, confused. Never armed? He stepped aside for the receivers, offering them a half-hearted greeting. He looked over the generator, but was unable to locate the capacitor from where he stood. He would have to get closer and interfere with the receiving team.

  IcarusM15: I don’t understand.

  OcuGuest347: It’s not for you to understand. Just make sure you detach the capacitor.

  IcarusM15: That might be difficult as I’m watching a team of receivers inspect and unload it as we chat.

  OcuGuest347: You must discover a solution to your dilemma and keep the capacitor inside the ICV-71. Failure to do so will prove catastrophic.

  So many questions were filtering through Cole’s mind at once, but he knew he would get no answers. He would have to accept his current situation and trust Lin. There was no other alternative.

  IcarusM15: Alright, I’ll do it, but I have no idea what to do with the capacitor once I have it.

  OcuGuest347: As I already stated, leave it aboard the ICV-71. CAIN will assist you. The director and I will be indisposed for a time.

  The presentation, Cole remembered. Then another thought occurred to him.

  IcarusM15: What about Emmerich? How should I deal with her?

  There was a long pause between the response, and Cole wondered if maybe Lin had begun her presentation. He would be on his own.

  OcuGuest347: I don’t know. She must not learn of our betrayal.

  IcarusM15: That’s not very reassuring, Doc. She’s going to discover our double cross sooner or later.

  OcuGuest347: She will need to be dealt with.

  That’s one hell of a plan, Doc! Cole couldn’t openly chastise her. She was already taking a great risk going behind Emmerich’s back. Dealing with the inspector would have to be a delicate operation. She had clout, whereas he had little more than a cloudy past. There was also the issue of her sidearm.

  Unless...

  He eyed the security officers as they entered the ICV-71 to perform their physical sweep. They would soon come face-to-face with Emmerich. She would have to surrender her sidearm to them for the remained of their time in the Terraport. That could work in his favor.

  IcarusM15: Is Forester in on your little coup?

  OcuGuest347: That’s a difficult question to answer.

  IcarusM15: I need to know who I can trust, Doc.

  OcuGuest347: You can trust CAIN. But you must secure the capacitor in order to receive his assistance. There will be an event within the next twenty minutes. You will know it when it happens. I will need you to be ready.

  Cole could not shake the feeling he was trading one headache for another. Aside from Lin’s infuriating vagueness, he was starting to notice inconsistencies in her story. Numerous questions were begging to be asked, but he knew she would sidestep them. He could only help her, as the alternative was unimaginable.

  IcarusM15: Doc, you have a LOT of explaining to do.

  There was no response, and Cole set to his task with a heavy sigh. He approached the receiving crew, watching as they slowly lowered the massive piece of equipment from the cargo bay. He accessed the schematic file CAIN had uploaded to his lenses, and reexamined the highlighted area one last time before he made his attempt to confiscate the capacitor. He swallowed hard and approached the Terracom workers.

  “Hey there! This is my first interstellar delivery,” he said to the trio of receivers, judging their reactions. Two of them completely ignored him, while the third—most likely the foreman—cast him a cursory glance. Cole’s comment was left hanging.

  “I figured I’d introduce myself,” Cole tried again, “as you might be seeing more of me in the future if all goes well with today’s presentation.”

  The generator made contact with the floor of the hangar bay, and Cole immediately spotted the cylindrical object which was half the length and thickness of his forearm. He would be hard-pressed to remove something so obvious.

  “Sir, we’re going to have to ask you to stand back,” the fore
man said, his tone rife with irritation. “We will take care of things from here.”

  So much for getting close. Cole took several steps away from the generator, realizing he had subconsciously moved within arm’s reach of his intended target. Once their loader drove onto the airlock ramp into the cargo hold, the generator would be completely off limits. He would have to think fast.

  I can really use your help right now, Cain.

  There was a loud groaning sound, as though something mechanical was struggling to function. Cole watched as the airlock ramp raised about a foot off the hangar floor and held fast. The hydraulics strained, inexplicably unable to move from its current position. He did not hesitate to seize his opportunity.

  “How about that!” Cole said, feigning frustration. He cursed, leaped in front of the loader, and jumped onto the trembling platform, making to look as though he were about to troubleshoot the problem. In truth, he had no idea what was wrong. “Probably cost the company a couple bills to slap this baby together,” he said, removing his flight jacket. He tossed it onto the capacitor, completely covering it. “But that’s the problem with prototype vessels,” he shouted, stomping up the ramp. “They’re full of bugs!”

  At the top of the airlock ramp, Cole approached the emergency release panel and slapped it for emphasis. He held his breath, listening and hoping for the expected noise. He was not disappointed. He sighed, his hands trembling slightly.

  The ramp lowered back into position, and Cole threw up his arms in exasperation. “Unbelievable!” he said to whoever was listening and stomped back down the ramp. He stopped to collect his jacket, and placed his hand atop it, feeling the cylindrical capacitor beneath. There was a bit more weight to it than he thought, though it was not firmly attached.

  “Guess I’ll be documenting this malfunction in my daily inspection report,” he continued, clutching the capacitor and yanking it and the jacket away as though the task would somehow bring him great pain. The capacitor remained hidden, and he tucked both it and his jacket under his arm. He walked past the receivers, not meeting their annoyed gazes. “Carry on, gentlemen. I won’t impede your progress anymore.” Shut up, Cole!

  The rest of the receiving procedure continued as predicted: tedious, and unnecessarily convoluted. It was logistics at its finest. The generator was finally unloaded, digital documents were sorted and signed, and a detailed safety inspection was performed there in the hangar. Cole felt sweat rolling down his neck and back, and he clutched the capacitor tightly in his hands.

  When the excessive process reached its conclusion, Cole watched with great relief as the receiving team moved the palletized generator to another area of the hangar where several chairs had been set out for the impromptu presentation to come. Lin, Forester, and Caliber and company were elsewhere in the Terraport.

  Cole turned back toward the ICV-71 just as the group of security guards were exiting the vessel and coming around to the rear. They didn’t so much as acknowledge his existence, and Cole was glad for their collective superiority complex. One of the armed men remained behind, stationing himself near the ship. The others made toward the presentation site.

  Guard and pilot briefly met gazes, and Cole immediately felt awkward. He thumbed over his shoulder at the ship. “Well, I better get back inside and finish logging my report.” Because he really cares one iota about my duties, he thought.

  The guard frowned, and Cole turned away before he could make a bigger ass of himself. He halted before the airlock ramp leading back up into the ship. He knew who and what awaited him inside. The coup to prevent the coup had only just begun.

  6

  BLACKOUT

  Cole stood inside the belly of the ICV-71’s cargo hold, staring blankly at the capacitor. The airlock ramp closed behind him, sealing all sound from the Terraport’s launch bay. His ears rang from the quiet, though his mind was abuzz with thoughts of mutiny. Emmerich would be on the bridge, waiting for him to join her.

  She’ll have to wait, Cole decided, accessing the Ocunet. Doc said Cain would help me with the capacitor. Cole wanted to seek the AI’s assistance, but he had no idea how to remotely access the ship’s interface. He needed to be at the console, but Emmerich would be lurking about.

  Dammit! He drummed his leather fingertips on the capacitor, pondering a solution. His mouth twisted as he considered a ridiculous idea. He shook his head, and said, “Cain?”

  There was no reply, verbal or otherwise.

  He assumed the stress was getting to him, to have spoken aloud to an empty cargo hold. Well, it worked last time, he thought. He had hoped the unloading incident outside the ship had not been a coincidence. Lin had convinced him of CAIN’s miraculous involvement, and he had fallen for her ploy.

  The sound of a door opening drew Cole’s attention, and the desire to seek shelter was overwhelming. The hold, however, was barren and lacking in hideaways. He covered the capacitor and awaited Emmerich’s arrival.

  She never came. Stranger still, the door leading toward the bridge was closed. Another door in the hold must have slid open elsewhere, but Cole was not certain where it was or where to look. It was not until he nearly fell to his death that he realized the opening was in the floor. There was a ladder leading down to a short, narrow corridor. He had no idea to where it led, but the invitation was irresistible.

  Another sign from Cain? Cole wondered. He thought of the airlock malfunction, but there was only one way to know for certain CAIN’s involvement. He shrugged and climbed down. A familiar green light emanated from the far end of the corridor, shimmering as an electric emerald upon the dark metal walls. He felt as though he was heading toward some claustrophobic version of the gates of OZ.

  Once he reached the end of the corridor, it opened into a tight room that buzzed with sound. The green light streamed from behind seams in a circular hatch the size of a dinner plate. A thick metal handle just begged to be pulled. He grasped the bar and hoped for the best.

 

  Cole pulled his hand from the hatch to rub his hand over his ear. CAIN’S voice was inside his head, and it took him a moment to calm down and remember that his dispatch earpiece was still attached. He could not recall ever allowing the AI remote access.

  CAIN explained, answering Cole’s unspoken question.

  Cole licked his lips, recovering from his surprise. “Uh, okay.”

 

  EMP deflector? What is going on? “And how do I do that, exactly?”

  CAIN answered.

  In case Doc needed to shut you down at the source, Cole thought. CAIN was at the mercy of his human counterparts. He gave the handle a turn as instructed. The hatch slid out from the wall to reveal its glowing green contents. The buzzing intensified as a horizontal glass cylinder slid outward like a transparent casket. There was no body inside, but something was alive.

  Within the cylinder was a metallic black brain suspended in liquid. At least Cole thought the shape and size resembled a human brain, but that was where the similarities ended. The “brain” trembled, its wrinkles constantly changing their shape and emitting tiny bursts of bright green light. An intense cold poured off the case, and Cole could see condensation sublimating off the surface as it touched warm air.

  Cryorganic Artificially Intelligent Nanobiotechnology, Cole thought, the acronym making much more sense now that it was staring him in the face. This was CAIN’s frozen brain, hidden away beneath the ship’s cargo hold.

  Mesmerized, Cole had ignored the words trying to reach him. “What was that?”

  CAIN repeated. The green light
shifted and fell upon an area beneath the cylinder. It was a long, slender slot just the right size to accept the very object in Cole’s hand.

  CAIN urged.

  Cole nodded and placed the capacitor beneath the frigid brain. It slid in with a magnetic pull, and he jerked back his hand, fearing he may have frozen his fingertips despite his gloves. He resealed the cylinder hatch and rubbed warmth back into his throbbing digits. With it closed, the room was as it had been.

  I guess that’s it, Cole thought with slight relief. However, the more he considered his predicament, the less assured he felt. He knew who and what awaited him on the bridge, and he wondered why he should even do as he was instructed. Emmerich was a hell-bent terrorist and needed to be stopped, but Lin’s intentions were not entirely clear—perhaps not even noble—and he needed to discover just what the engineer’s endgame was if she wanted his further assistance.

  “Cain.”

 

  “What exactly is the protocol update?”

 

  Cole frowned, and slung his jacket over his shoulder. Why would Lin hinder her own creation if she was always going to betray SolEx? He was missing something.

  “The update gives SolEx unrestricted remote access to your CPU,” Cole inferred, a thought occurring to him.

 

  “In theory, that would also give you access to their mainframe.” And then it made perfect sense. “But Lin programmed you to be able to bypass their security and return the favor.”

 

  Was? “But you’re incapable?”

  CAIN did not answer immediately.

  The answer was vague, but the implication was clear. Cole wondered if Lin was aware of the AI’s growing pains. Either way, whatever it was she was concocting in that evil genius mind of hers was in jeopardy.

  And she’s counting on me to help her. Irrational intrigue threatened to eclipse his logical fear. Besides, he was a sucker for smart, sexy women with an arcane agenda.