"I feel like we should probably stick together," Swims signs. Ngawai hadn't considered splitting up of course. "Oh, I don't think we should split up. I want us to stick together, for various reasons." Davis smiles, and gives Ngawai a sideways hip bump. She pushes him back playfully, concentrates, and manages to form a kind of cup-with-seat around her lower body, presumably with the intention of levitating upwards like Kelly and Dominic had done upon their arrival.
"Nah, girl, you gotta.." Kelly trails off, realizing English doesn't help. "Davis, tell her to lift the field from the bottom."
Davis translates, and Ngawai nods. She shakily lifts off, and reflexively creates an oh-shit bar in front of her. "Just like my first drop harness," she jokes.
After a few test runs and some coaching by Dom and Kelly, the entire group lifts off in their personal fields and follows Chauncey up and over the wide-open prairie.
---
Oh my God it's full of stars. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. To boldly go where no man has gone before... These and other sweeping statements spurred on by visions of alien vistas flow through Davis' thoughts as he and his friends glide across the Groi shell in their field-bubbles.
Davis has seen the mountains of Colorado and the deserts of Egypt. He's seen endless blue ocean stretching over the horizon in all directions from the window of a trans-Atlantic flight. He's seen 15-foot windows onto other worlds through too many Gateways to count now. By the end of the day, Davis has seen continents floating overhead. He has seen tiny hive-mind exoskeletons coalesce then scatter at his approach. He has watched lava otters frolic in magma vents. He has surfed hurricanes the size of Africa and matched speeds with packs of sprinting trillix. And in the Earth archives, he has seen smilodons stalk through tall grass while mammoths' trumpet-calls echo off the strangely concave horizon.
They break for lunch on a hill overlooking a winding river. Solar beacons, bright lances piercing the sky-shield, transmit power to distant stations. Vampire hydrogen jellyfish startle herds of waddling cattle below, their clear bodies slowing turning pink as they take their toll. Kelly explains how he's been cataloging the interactions between various microorganisms. Dominic shows the visitors the beginnings of his sailing ship.
Davis would be hard-pressed to put into words the things he has seen; harder still to fully describe the feeling of frustration, of opportunities denied. Given sufficient space and over sufficient time, the universe is full of life. It is the best way to explain the Groi, a brilliant but stymied species, cursed to forever play in a giant sandbox of their own making. Experiments to be run, results to be observed, but precious little new data. No surprises.
Well, until now, Davis thinks. He ponders the situation while eating what Kelly assures him is mammoth steak sandwiches. There's a few missing pieces, but he's pretty sure what the right tactic to take is from here, but that can wait.
He slides over to Ngawai and Swims. "Pretty amazing stuff, huh?"
"It's beautiful," Ngawai agrees. Swims looks the most relaxed Davis has ever seen. The Whiirr has taken to smelling handfuls of soil from the various habitats - even now his newly-reattached fingers sift through black dirt.
"It's incredible, seeing all of what's out there." Davis scoots next to Ngawai, letting Swims just inhale the scents of where they are. "I've been all over Narsai, seen almost every corner of it at one time or another. I thought I had seen everything there was to see, but...there's just so much more out here. More than I'd ever be able to see. I don't know if I can just go back to my little Washington DC apartment, to just my little corner of the universe, once all this is done." He looks to Ngawai. "You know?"
"I know I was never going back... to Sambasan, or Jang-xur, maybe not even the Imperium after all this," she says. "I don't know where we'd go, but I'm... I'm a little scared right now. Everything you said back in the demon's cage, everything we've seen here... I'm scared of them trying to take it - of them taking too much."
"Well, we've got a lot of people counting on us back there," Davis says. "We've got to go back." He smiles and slides an arm over her shoulders. "As for the Groi messing with our heads, it doesn't seem like they'll just wipe our memories entirely. Some kind of choice or preview of what they'll do. They can't wipe the memories of Luis, Angel and Arketta, and they were in the containment area, so if nothing else, we'll have what was said back there. And if not...we'll figure something out." Davis leans closer to her. "I won't let them take anything that happened there, believe me."
"That's the other thing," she says, leaning closer. "Who exactly is counting on us now? Your own people seemed to figured us for a suicide mission, which we managed to pull off minus the suicide part. When is it time to let someone else carry the burden?"
“It’s not about that,” Davis says, his head resting against hers. “I’m not doing it because they ordered me to. I’m doing this because I believe in it. Because it’s what I should be doing. I was born to do this.” He closes his eyes. “Don’t you just...know something, sometimes? I just know that I’m supposed to fight the Imperium. I’m supposed to be right here, right now, on this mission, with you.”
Whiirr's instinctive grasp of body language tends towards the superhuman, and Swims-the-Black has been around people long enough to know what Davis and Ngawai have on their mind. His fur tinges slight embarrassment as he loudly gets up, stretches, and walks further down the hill to join Kelly and Dominic.
Ngawai has mischief in her eyes. "These things can make opaque fields, right?"
A half-hour later, after Ngawai and Davis have cooled down and cleaned themselves up a bit, they head down the hill together towards Kelly, Dominic, Swims and Chauncey. “So, I’ve been thinking,” Davis says.
"Is that what the kids call it now?" Kelly replies.
Davis may have been trained by the best, but he still blushes at Kelly’s comment. “Err...yeah. Anyway. Chauncey? I think I have a proposition that the Groi might be very interested in.”
The androgynous avatar regards Davis with... well, the same look it's had since it was built. Perhaps after some squinting Davis might call it a "curious" look.
“The agreement you have with the Imperium, to stay hidden in here or they’ll kill you?” Davis says. “Narsai never agreed to that.”
"Go on," Chauncey says softly.
"I think that my leaders would be very receptive to an alliance with you, your knowledge in exchange for our guaranteeing your freedom,” Davis says. “If we are successful in our efforts to overthrow the Imperium, you would be let out of this prison they locked you in, and would be free to go back to exploring. We wouldn’t be making this agreement as slaves, or subordinates," Davis says, briefly looking to Swims. "We’re equals."
"Freedom is not a scientific process. It cannot be replicated at will as can be done with antigravity and molecular templating. This is not a balanced offering," Chauncey states coldly.
“That’s because it’s more valuable than any of that,” Davis says. “We’re not fresh off of the opening shots of an interplanetary war because of scientific ideas. We’re fighting for our freedom, and the freedom of anyone that’s been oppressed by the Imperium, which includes your people. If we defeat them, we will simply stand aside and you will be able to pursue your research. I think that’s more valuable to you and your people than any invention or device. And the chances of us being able to defeat the Imperium will increase dramatically with your help.”
"It seemed like the best course of action last time we gave technology to humans. In retrospect, it may have been a mistake."
"Last time, we were not equals, we were slaves," Davis says. "Something you should know about humanity: we don't like being subjegated to anyone's will. Eventually we will rise up and use those talents you wanted to overthrow our oppressors. No matter how good things seem, no amount of creature comforts are worth our freedom. If both sides treat each other as equals, then there won't be any need for conflict between our species."
"Not only are you guaranteeing your victory over the Imperium and our freedom, but now you are vouching for the ethics and morals of your entire species. You are one amongst billions, Garrett. Can you truly make these claims?"
"I'm guaranteeing nothing. We might lose. Hell, we might lose even if you help us. The Imperium is massive and powerful, and we're just one planet and the refugees from a few others at this point. But all those traits you so admire in our species are coming into play here. Already, we have struck a decisive blow, infiltrating the Imperial palace, unlocking their Codex, and escaping almost unscathed. Right now, our forces are invading the planet Boranai, capturing the Imperium's technological storehouse." Davis pauses. "As for the rest of my species, I can't speak for every member of humanity. There will be those who react with fear and ignorance. But our leaders are not stupid. They know that we have to win this war, and they'll take help wherever they can get it."
Davis sighs. "Look, I know you have these fears. They're entirely justified, the last time you dealt with humanity, they turned on you and forced you into exile here. But that's why things need to be different this time. A partnership of equals, not you dominating us as our master. Yes, there are always doubts and risks when you try something new, and yes, this might fail for dozens of reasons, and if you're nervous about it, an ambassador of good will and a demonstration of what you can bring to the fight would be better than shutting down any chance for future aid. Check us out first, see if we can live up to my promises." Davis looks the automaton square in its sculpted-on eyes. "The real question is this: would you rather spend an eternity locked away in here, with no chance to really see, experience or learn anything new, or would you rather take a risk and help us for the chance of opening the entire Universe up to your species again?"
"There is taking a measured risk and then there is gambling on a long shot." Chauncey's metallic body doesn't move, but the tone suggests a sad resolution. "We have no good options here. The risk is too great for us to grant you your technological advances before we are assured of victory. If we withold those advances, they become some sort of reward for murder. The risk is too great that the motivation for your fight will pass beyond freedom and into treasure-hoarding. Let us not forget that whatever our arrangement, whatever trade might be conducted, it does not solve OUR greatest problem. Even absolute, instant, and bloodless victory over the Imperium would not make it possible for us to broaden our exploration past the barrier of light. It would return us all back to where we started, no more."
"I'd say that's much better than where you are right now, stuck here for all eternity." Davis says. "I'm pretty sure we'd be interested in helping you get past that barrier together, in the future." He sighs. "We're not the Imperium, Chauncey.They were shaped by generations of constant war and the bitterness of being enslaved. We're fighting for our freedom and the freedom of all those oppressed by the Imperum, which includes the Groi. If we win, your old contract with the Imperium is void anyway, and you'll be freed along with everyone else, that isn't contingent on you helping us. But with your help, we stand a much better chance of winning. As for the rest of it, like I said, send one of your species back with us, a volunteer, and provide a sample of what you can bring to the table. I may not be able to speak for my whole planet, but I can tell you that I will fight to defend my promises, and will do whatever it takes to make sure that whatever delegate you choose will be safe. If we continue to win victories and we hold to our promises of bringing freedom to the galaxy instead of simply subjegating and hoarding wealth like the Imperium has, then you they can report back and endorse our new partnership. If not, I will do whatever it takes to make sure they make it back safely."
Although Kelly winces at Davis' line about "generations of constant war", Chauncey does not appear to pick up on it. "It is decided. I shall go," Chauncey says. "This is a valuable opportunity to gather new data."
Davis laughs. "That's great!" He claps his hands together and extends a hand to shake.
The Groi grasps Davis' hand in return and allows the spook to shake its appendage about. "Now, what's next?" Davis asks, a smile on his face. He looks at the expressions of those around him, particularly Swims and Ngawai, to see what they think about what just happened.
Simultaneously, on a plate several million miles away
"WHAT?!?!" screamed the meat-form colocating the avatar which Dominic affectionately named 'Ivan'. Its manipulator appendage quivered in shock, and it bungled several attempts to raise a pancomm to its coven. "You don't just agree to leave without talking to anyone!"
Chauncey - well, the ancient, tentacled, pod-footed body that Chauncey had unceremoniously slipped back into after that thing with the clone tanks - regarded its brother with amusement. "It's an avatar going with them. We'll whip up an ansible for it, jack it to its ugly misshapen monkey head to the gills with surveillance, and we'll get real data on these people. REAL data, in the wild, not just half-assed experiments."
Disregarding the dubious translation from a species that has no ass, 'Sleepy' interjects over the pancomm, "As tempting as that is, you didn't ask us. I doubt you've considered the ramifications of some of the possible scenarios-"
"These humans have an ansible with their gear. It's an older iteration, and we're jamming it of course, but I thought it might be prudent to shuffle them off as soon as possible. Furthermore, I've had the longest time of anyone here to study their leader. His neural pathways suggest that he might resort to dangerous tactics to achieve his goals."
Sleepy softens somewhat. "So you agreed to this deal which doesn't really cost us much in order to get rid of them and get us data-"
"Doesn't cost us much?" Ivan interrupts. "This is a catastrophic security breach just waiting to happen."
"You're really... you're going to help us?" Kelly asks Chauncey, incredulous.
"No, not yet, Kelly," Chauncey replies. "I am going to travel to your Homeworld with Davis and those others among you who wish to return in order to observe, meet with your kind, gather data, and then
reevaluate the situation."
Kelly shakes Davis' hand. "You got us a chance, brother," he says.
Davis smiles as he shakes Kelly's hand. "Sometimes, that's all we need." Once he's done celebrating with Kelly and the two marooned men have returned to their lunch, he looks over to Swims. So, what do you think? I trust your opinion on this, Swims-the-Black.
"I think..." the big alien starts. "I think that Chauncey was quick to agree to your terms. They have no body language, no movement I can discern, but what prevents them from saying 'no' after they arrive on your world?"
Davis shrugs. That's just a risk we have to take. They've been burned pretty badly by the Imperials, I didn't expect them to trust us right away. We really need their help, and the worst thing that could happen is they just turn us down and we're no worse off than we were to begin with. There's a saying on Narsai: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
"What do they have that you desire so? What exactly can they give you that will bring about the Imperium's defeat?"
I've got no idea, Davis signs. But considering all that they have here, even a little bit of their technology and expertise could be enough. It's certainly better to have their assistance than not, no?
"Whiirr has had the Imperium's 'assistance' for a while now," Swims counters. "It has been good in some ways and bad in others. I suppose I really mean for you to be on your guard. It is too easy to place your salvation in the hands of others."
That's why I made it clear that this is a partnership of equals. The Imperium's relationship with your people is exploitative, to say the least. Davis smiles, and puts his hand on Swims' shoulder. Relax, Swims-the-Black. I'm always on the lookout for the next big disaster.
Swims laughs his kind's huffing laugh. "Such an alliance of false gods may invite many. Good luck to you against the Imperium."
Davis laughs with him and pats him on the shoulder a few times. Good luck to us all, Swims-the-Black.
He then turns to Ngawai. "What about you? What do you think?"
Ngawai looks around the Groi's manufactured vista slowly. "I think Swims just picked a real nice place to retire.
Also, if we're goin' back, let's go back. Doesn't feel right to stick around." She pauses before adding, "I'm not the only one who picks up on body language," she winks at Swims. "There won't be another one like you for a long time, buddy."
Davis puts his arm around Ngawai's shoulders. "Is that true?" Davis asks. "You looking to stay around here for a while? We could really use your help, if Boranai's a success, we have a fleet that could really use an admiral, and I can't think of anyone else I'd recommend for the job. I told you we'd get you a new ship, Swims-the-Black. How do you feel about a couple of Needleships?"
Swims shakes his head. "You brought me here, Davis. This is more than simply a ship; this is peace. I have always thrived amongst the Other; I leave behind no family, no crew, no treasure. I have fought the Emperor and survived. No, I mean to stay here and take my reward while the offer still exists."
Davis nods. "You're right. After all you've done for us, you deserve whatever you want. If this is it, then I won't stop you. I'll miss you, my friend." Davis embraces Swims-the-Black, well, as much as he can.
The human and the alien embrace as Dom and Kelly come forward. They've been talking in the background, and now Dominic addresses Davis. "Kelly and I will not go back right now. Chauncey will be back, and when he is, we will decide then. Until then, no need to damage our memories. If the Groi help you- er, help us, then there'll be no need anyway!"
"Well, I'll hopefully see you two then," Davis says, and looks to Ngawai, hands around her waist. "Looks like it's just you, me, and Chauncey for the ride back." He gives her a squeeze, then looks over at the alien's shell. "So, how are we getting back? Can you create an instance that drops us right back on Narsai, or are we taking the long way?"
"Do you have an instance identifier?" Chauncey asks.
Chauncey gets the Diego Garcia code from Davis while Ivan and Spock approach. The three Groi avatars stand motionless and silent for several minutes. After several apprehensive glances back and forth, Davis and Ngawai almost simultaneously take a step towards Chauncey to see if something went wrong.
The ground rumbles slightly, stopping them in their tracks. A flight of nesting birds dart into the sky, startled by the sudden shift. A cloud of soil and grass lifts up out of the ground between the three aliens, suspended in a powerful field akin to the small devices the Groi provided their visitors. As Davis watches, the material slowly orbits a center point, spinning itself into a ring shape. The dirt and grass shreds smaller and smaller until it's dust, then just a fog held inside a 15-foot diameter spinning force field.
Suddenly the ring ignites with a brilliant glow, like a constant incandescent Gateflash. The grass nearby withers and smoulders away to ash around the field, and even the Groi avatars shimmer with heat.
Flash fires are smothered by secondary fields. Davis, Ngawai, and the others retreat about 30 yards away while the brilliant work continues. Eventually the Groi release the protective field, revealing a pristine Gateway levitating above scorched earth. Its glyphs match those of the Diego Garcia and Imperial gates, but then that comes as little surprise given the code Davis supplied them with.
Davis punches in the code to the Diego Garcia gate, and stands back as the gate flashes on. The amber color of a blocked Gate connection isn't enough to give any sort of color to the ruined turf around the pristine artifact. It's at this point, as Davis reaches for his radio, that he realizes that it's still dead, along with the rest of the team's comm equipment. He wonders if Stanhill, Angel, and Arketta are going to be able to make it back.
"What's up?" Kelly asks.
"We block all the Narsai gates, keep the bad guys out. I need to be able to radio in so they'll unblock it and redial here from the other side." Davis looks at Chauncey. "Do you have any kind of radio equipment in that thing? There should be a broadcast coming through."
"Better to repair yours, I'd think," Chauncey says. Ngawai jumps from a painful-looking static jolt a second before Davis braces for the same. His earpiece crackles with static before resolving itself into Diego Garcia's standard warning.
"This is Garrett Davis, I'm here with Ngawai Holoni and a repersentative from the Groi race, requesting access to the gate," Davis says. "Prepare a welcoming party, we've got a VIP with us, code Spielberg."
*Delta Golf confirms SPIELBERG*, the island replies. *Transmit your Gateway code and stand by for visual confirmation.*
They do so (an easy task considering nascent Gateways flash their identifier upon their creation). Earth calls back with an unblocked Gate a few minutes later. The Gateroom has seen a lot of use lately, and there's a stream of personnel bustling about the area.
Davis figures it's reinforcements for Boranai, or wounded... at any rate, the MAARS drones and complement of NBC-suited Rangers forms a quick perimeter and the bustling soon turns to hustling as the decontamination teams take over the Gateroom. The drone cameras glint as they scan the open portal. *Delta Golf to Alpha six, you are confirmed. Welcome back.*
Davis looks over at Swims-the-Black. I shall see you later, friend. One more thing: What should I tell the shipkid? He's going to want to know why you left.
"Tell him I found peace. Tell him he has earned his own name."
*Alpha six, we are disengaging our side. Upon reconnection, please proceed directly to decontamination.* They wait for confirmation and then close the Diego Garcia portal.
"Affirmative. Alpha Six out." Davis looks around. "Will you be destroying this gate after we go through it? It might be a good idea to keep it around, but blocked."
"But just look at the lawn," Chauncey says, motioning to the ravaged circle of sod. "We will return this instance to its components once we transport to your Homeworld."
"Will there be any way of communicating with anyone here? Swims-the-Black, Kelly or Dom?" Davis grabs the ansible. "How about this thing?"
"I will be in contact with home," Chauncey replies. "Your ansible is being suppressed right now, but will return to functionality upon our arrival. I do not believe it is one of our currently utilized variants, however."
"Well, can you give out an upgrade? Not to be too demanding here, but it'd be good if I could remain in contact with the people here."
"Yes, it would. I will be happy to act as a communications proxy for you," Chauncey replies diplomatically.
"Hm. Alright then," Davis says. "Maybe we'll get there later, after we improve our relations a bit more." Davis leans over to Ngawai. "I don't think the Narsai brass will be exactly pleased with what's gone on here, and I definitely don't think they can be trusted with the Groi. Keep an eye out, okay?"
"No problem," she says. Davis punches in the gate code for Diego Garcia, and stands back. The glyphs glow their expected blue, soon flashing the portal back into existence.
"What is the proper way?" Chauncey asks. "Do I precede you, or should you be the first back?"
Davis thinks for a second. "It's probably best if you go in between Ngawai and myself. Our leaders can be a bit suspicious of new people, and we'll be better able to keep an eye out if we can watch both the front and back." Davis looks over at Ngawai. "I'll hold up the rear, alright?"
She nods and eagerly steps through the portal. Chauncey steps through next, and Davis sees the Rangers shuffle anxiously at the machine's presence. They have the good sense not to point weapons, however. Davis looks around the habitat one more time. He checks the concave horizon, and the fake sky above. Then he nods to Swims-the-Black, Kelly and Dom, and steps through the gate.
The portal winks out behind him and the noises catches up just about the same time that Davis' mastodon lunch spins his stomach with the environmental shift. After a few stumbles, he straightens back up for a whirlwind tour of Diego Garcia's decon showers.
---
In the noise of the decontamination showers, Davis leans over to Ngawai. "Keep an eye out," he whispers in her ear. "They might not be too pleased with Swims-the-Black staying behind, and I don't know how they'll react to the Groi."
"Anything we're NOT telling them?" Ngawai asks.
"Let's hold off on telling them about the omnipotent bracelets of power and the ansible, at least until we can get them back," Davis says. "If we tell them now, they'll take them someplace else and do who knows what with them. I don't think it's a good idea for the most paranoid and power-hungry people to have the most powerful toys, do you?"
Ngawai starts giggling at Davis' last words, then it turns into a fit of guffaws. She manages to compose herself before too long, with only a snicker sneaking out.
"What?" Davis asks, and kisses her on the neck. "I'd like to think I'm just paranoid, not power hungry."
The "debriefing room" Davis sits in is industrial cinderblock, with a taupe swath of paint from chest to floor. There's a nervous twitch to one of the overhead flourescents that casts flickering shadows on the wall textures. And wall texture's all Davis has really been looking at for the past half hour. His guy's late. Davis rattles the creaky chair for the eighth time. He could've slept in. Eventually he hears feet on linoleum. Shoes, not boots.
CIA, or some other spook agency. Could be good, could be bad, Davis thinks.
The cheap wooden door opens, letting in a burst of cool, damp air, the result of air conditioning's ongoing battle with the tropical environment. A medium-tall man with short brown curly hair, a smidge shorter than Davis, walks into the room and sets a folder and recorder down on the desk. His suit (no tie) is kept neat but the undershirt's already showing sweat.
Davis pegs him as about his age. "Still adjusting to Diego Garcia?" Davis asks. "Jet lag's a pain in the ass, huh? What, they call you last night? 'Get your ass on a plane to Diego Garcia and debrief Garrett Davis'?"
"Sorry I'm late." The man's voice betrays a hint of twang. He extends a hand. "Walter Simmons."
Davis stands and shakes the guys hand with a smile. "Garrett Davis, but you already knew that." He sits back down. "So, they give you time to pack, or did they give you the old 'we'll ship what you need and store what you don't' line?"
"I travel light." Simmons takes his seat with a terrible grinding of uncapped metal chair legs. He winces at the racket. "God, they don't cut corners out here. You feel like you've been caught stealing car radios yet?"
"Nope, but at least it's air conditioned inside here. Back in Afghanistan, interrogation rooms were considered luxury suites if they didn't have dirt floors." Davis leans forward. "So, did we get it? The Codex?"
Walter smiles. "Yes, we got what we needed. And Stanhill, Quis, and Riviera came out in Arizona yesterday. They're all doing fine." As punctuation, he clicks on the recorder. "Garrett Davis debrief, 0835 hours, 9/20/09." What follows is a painstaking recounting of the entire mission from the insertion onto Hedion through the exfiltration from Napai.
Much later
"...and that's when we departed through the Black Gate. Ngawai had recorded the gate sequence, but it didn't match anything we'd ever seen before. Luis had Jonnoperest's body over his shoulder, and Swims-the-Black and Angel covered our exit." Davis pauses. "Did Jonnoperest's body make it back? Brinai will probably want it, and he should have a proper burial with honors, or however the Bashakrans handle such things."
"Yes, I'll note that in my report," Simmons says nonchalantly. "What happened with the small spherical artifact you recovered from the... Emperor's Avatar? Is it dangerous?"
"Only around the...beings? Weapons? Whatever that thing was we killed on the other side of the Black Gate. It hijacked the artifact and tried to kill me inside my mind," Davis says. "It can change its shape, and was immune to the Turai swords, it just seemed to flow around them. Based on what the Groi and Kelly told us, it's probably because the sword is made of angles and isn't round. Bullets sure as hell kill them, though. There might be something on them in the Spire at Boranai. How did that go, did we capture the Spire intact?"
"All I know is that operation's still ongoing," Simmons replies. "If this weapon could be killed so easily, why was it still running amok in the Black Gate? Why didn't our golden visitor or its people remove it?"
"They say they're not fighters, that violence isn't something that comes naturally to their people. Whether that's from lack of motivation, mental or physical ability or simply bullshit, I don't know, but considering that they took thousands of us off Earth who knows how many years ago to fight a war with these things, and then promptly got their asses handed to them by the Imperium, despite an obvious technological superiority?" Davis shrugs. "It seems legit to me. They're researchers, scientists, not fighters. Speaking of which, where is Chauncey, the Groi avatar that came back with us? I had a rapport going with him, it'd probably be best if I participated in his interviews."
"Actually, you raise a good point," Simmons says. "You have a great working knowledge of the Imperium, its people, and even these... Groi aliens. That's why this debriefing is so imperative. We need your help if we're to form the same rapport with them. What can the Groi offer us? Any gotchas, any areas you've already felt out that might be a weakness or cultural taboo?"
"They're pretty stuck-up," Davis says. "They think they're better than, well, every other race they've encountered, except for whatever the hell makes those angle creatures. Stroke their egos a bit, and things go smoother." He leans back in the chair. "Look, it's not that hard. Treat them as equals, not like freaky aliens. When you make promises, mean it and keep them. Just be friendly with them. We're all in this together against the Imperium, after all."
There's a pause, then Davis looks back at Simmons. "How's Ngawai doing? Is her debrief done?" Davis senses Simmons' demeanor shift just a hair, like there was a 500-pound gorilla in the room that just got woken up.
Might as well get it fucking over with, Davis thinks.
"Yes," Simmons says. "And I mean, I have to hand it to you. I've read up on your previous reports. The way you turned that asset after what your team did to her partner, it's a stroke of brilliance." Simmons quickly returns to a more operational tone as he continues. "Do you feel Ngawai's capable of carrying out further operations? Her knowledge of the... seamier side of the Imperium is an unexpected bonus we could use while we take advantage of their temporary weakness."
"Yes, I do," Davis says. "She's an excellent field agent, and I can't wait to get back out there with her. Actually, I believe that making the Napai infiltration and assualt team a permanent detachment would be a very advantageous move. We're fast, stealthy, capable of establishing contact with new friends and rapidly dealing with new enemies. We need to fill in a few holes that casualties and departures over this last mission has left, but that aside, I think that we should be back out in the field again as soon as possible."
"Well let's talk about that then," Simmons interrupts. "Why do you want to get out there again so quickly? It sounds to me like it was a nightmare."
Davis laughs. "We were sneaking the Imperial capital planet with the intention of infiltrating to the most protected areas of the Imperial Palace itself, stealing their entire library of digital information, and our exfil plan was to fight to the Emperor's throne room and leave through a gate that no one's ever come back out of. When the mission plan involves doing at least eight or nine things that no one's ever survived or done before, 'nightmare' becomes a relative term. Obviously, we could use some time off, but the Imperium isn't going to topple itself, is it?"
Walter grins a real grin, a shark's grin. "Nah, we're gonna push it real hard. And you and your team got us to the point where we even stand a chance. But... and this is hard to say, Davis, and I don't know what you saw over there, but I'll just come out with it. We can use Ngawai; her preliminary psych profile suggests a very real attachment to you, if not Earth. We're worried more about you, however - is Ngawai an asset, or is she more to you, Davis?"
"Is there concern that I'll allow any feelings about her to impact my missions?" Davis asks. "How about questions about whether or not my relations to her will affect my judgement? Or why don't you just skip to the real question, huh?" Davis leans forward, right in Simmons' face. "They let me operate for years when I was with Hadiya, months after she was killed, and they were more than willing to take me back after I shot Nabil in the face, so obviously my effectiveness in emotionally vulnerable moments isn't in question. Why don't you just come out and fucking ask me, then? Am I still loyal? Come on, I know that's what they sent you here to find out."
"Drop the act," Simmons' eyes are cold. "The 'obvious sore spot' routine might fool one of these Army pukes, but not me. This isn't about some insurgent camp or leads on WMDs, this is the survival of every human on this planet. Look at it from our perspective. Any chink in your armor is a chink in Earth's armor when you're out there. You know too much to be allowed out there without a THOROUGH evaluation. Ngawai's different; what she's seen of Earth is no more than what her middling clearance allows. Her Imperial knowledge is an asset, but we can get it elsewhere. You, however, are a treasure trove to the enemy."
Simmons pauses and switches gears to an obvious jab. "And besides, you PASSED your evaluations after Hadiya. Why so defensive? Feeling... disloyal?" He grins his douchebag shark grin again, even with Davis in his face.
"No, just not interested in going through the same bullshit again, not when we don't have time for it." Davis leans back. "As for what I know, that's precisely why I have to be out there. I'm not talking about running some routine asset operation out on Sambasan or Botane, this team will be our first-contact team for establishing resistances on Imperium-controlled planets and probably for whatever new sentient species we find out there. We don't need somone who has to say "we'll get back to you on that" when they ask what we're capable of, we need someone in the field who knows what's really going on and has the experience to know what to give out and what to hold back. And as far as I can tell, I'm the only one with that experience. As for my loyalties, my loyalties are 100% behind our efforts to stop the Imperium. We need to do this, not just to save our own asses, but for everyone. They're a bunch of evil bastards and I'll put a bullet in my head before I give them a chance to strap me to a table and stick a Cyllan in my ears."
"Hopefully it won't come to that. We'll move on, though." Simmons produces some pictures from his folder, some surveillance footage taken through the Gateway showing Kelly, Dom, and Swims partially obscured through the portal. "Can you identify these two people for me? Secondly, why didn't Swims-the-Black return with you?"
"Kelly Washington and Dominic Bullchev," Davis says. "They were team members on the original gate retrieval mission in Antarctica, 25 years ago. Things went bad, the Groi were apparently using the gate as a remote prison for the same angle beast we killed, and they escaped through the gate with an Air Force lieutenant, who we think would up on Bashakra. They've been living with the Groi ever since. As for Swims-the-Black, he decided to stay behind with the Groi, and I decided not to push the issue. He's lost a lot and was looking for some peace and quiet. I guess he found it. The Groi avatar can put us in touch with him if we need to, and he's free to return at any time."
Simmons writes some notes down in addition to his recorder's everpresent soft whirr. "Interesting. We'll run a search for any family. What were the tiara things you were wearing when you came through the portal?"
"Those are the controls for the force field generators, the bracelet things," Davis says. "They can generate some kind of blocking field, and there's a few other tricks, you can do some basic levitation with them, push stuff around a bit. It's really fancy tech. Ngawai and I can give you a show when you give them back, and I'll be sure to ask Chauncey about it during the debriefing."
"Okay, good. R&D might want a demonstration. I'll recommend you attend Chauncey's meeting as an advisor. That should be this afternoon; if someone doesn't find you by noon, go to operations." Simmons writes a few more notes and then signs off the recorder. He gets up, wincing a second time at his chair's lack of subtlety.
Davis finds Ngawai in the mess, as one might expect to find a warrior-woman deprived of food and sleep after a nonstop breakneck race from certain death. She smiles as she spots him.
Davis returns the smile, grabs a banana and takes a seat next to her.
"How was debriefing? Did you get Simmons?"
"That scrofa," she says with some fervor, spraying a little cornbread over her plate. "Seemed more interested in our relationship than the mission. Real interested in my 'shady past', too."
"He's gunning after me, trying to get me taken off the mission, I think. Either that, or he's just trying to make life hard for us, typical paranoid Agency bullshit. Hadiya and I went through the same thing before."
"So what now?" Ngawai asks.
"Well, I was thinking we head by R&D, pick up our gear from there, put on a bit of a show for them with the bracelets," Davis says, and takes a bite out of his banana. Then he looks Ngawai in the eyes and puts on a wicked smile. "And then maybe swing by the PX, I'll buy you whatever bikini you like, and then we go down to the beach until we have to head back for Chauncey's interview."
"Are they going to let us just walk in and take those things?" Ngawai replies, suspicious.
"Simmons told them to expect us to make a demonstration with the bracelets, so that shouldn't be too hard. The ansible will be trickier, they think it's some kind of hazardous device, but we'll just play that one by ear."
Ngawai puts her fork down and sits back. "All right. What's going on? You've got a caper planned, I can smell it."
"Right now? I just want to work on smoothing everything out, keeping all the pieces of the game in the right places to stop things from getting out of control. I'm worried about the prisoners from Boranai, keeping things going well with the Bashakrans, working on establishing relationships with the Groi, you..." Davis bumps her with his shoulder, "and the ansible is a big part of that." Davis cups his hand around her ears and whispers to her. "They don't know this, but the ansible is a direct communications line to the Emperor. Also, when we're at the beach, I'm going to fuck you so hard you'll be feeling it for a week."
"Well let's get the stupid space jewelry already," she whispers back playfully.
"Okay, let's get started. The sooner we finish at R&D, the sooner we can move onto the second part of that plan," Davis says with a smile.
Diego Garcia's R&D department is set up in, and under, one of the hangars not too far from operations. Like the Gateroom and its adjoining area, R&D has an additional layer of security. Security cameras watch the large hangar doors (closed currently) as well as the side entrance (also closed). Underground, the connecting tunnel is watched by the same. Card readers prevent unauthorized access to the growing number of offworld treasures brought back from Boranai and elsewhere. They aren't so paranoid as to have additional guards, however. If you're even ON Diego Garcia, you've already passed all manner of testing and are sporting an inordinate amount of clearance.
Davis swipes his ID badge and walks into the R&D room proper. "Simmons told us that you would be expecting Ngawai and myself to give you a show?"
A major with not much hair to speak of but with an impressively thick pair of glasses straight out of the 60s engages Davis. "Yes, I'm Major Carlisle. You the spook that found 'em?"
"Yep. You want to start with the bracelets or the sphere?"
Carlisle raises an eyebrow in curiosity. "Simmons said the braclet. The sphere's off limits until we get some more intel on it, and seeing as how you two supplied the intel saying it's a menace, why the hell would you want to bring it out of containment?"
"We shot and killed the thing that made it a menace. Aside from that, it's harmless." Davis puts on his best "Jesus, who the hell am I talking to" face. "Besides, I'm going to need it for the interview with Chauncey, which you should have also been told that I'm consulting on."
"But that's not important right now. Where's the bracelets and tiaras?"
"Over here." Carlisle walks Davis over to a clear part of the hangar. Piles of printouts from spectroscopy to simple orthographic scans lie arranged on the table next to one of the fragile-looking artifacts. "This one is the one you came through wearing. We haven't been able to make it work, despite its similarities to the Keeper implants."
"Maybe you didn't put it on right," Davis says. He picks up the bracelet/tiara combo and puts them on. "Where's Ngawai's? I need her to help me out with this."
Carlisle frowns, a sign of a man who's used to routines and schedules and plans amongst roomfuls of highly dangerous material. "They said you were giving the demonstration, not her. The second one's downstairs undergoing testing. Why don't you demo this one, then we can bring the second one out after my boys are done with it and we'll see if there's a proximity effect or gestalt or something. If it doesn't work for you by itself, it's still data."
Davis shrugs. "Fine." He concentrates, and tries to levitate himself off the floor a foot or two. He feels the field coalesce around him, but he has a sense of weakness. Carlisle bursts into activity now, starting up a suite of recording equipment. "Great!" the major shouts.
The tiara imparts a sense of fatigue to Davis, of time run short, of a connection lost. Still, levitation is not something one experiences every day. Davis feels the rush as well, and embraces the sensation.
Davis lowers himself back down to the floor. "See, it's not that hard once you put it on right." He flashes Ngawai an "I have an idea" look. "Here, let me put it on you, maybe that'll help." Davis puts the tiara and bracelet on Carlisle. "Now, think of gently lifting yourself up from below. Very gently, though."
The major looks nervous. He concentrates, but nothing happens. He doesn't appear to be particularly frustrated, though. He hands the gear back to Davis and checks the recordings.
"Ah. See here, the energy spikes when you put it on for a moment, then... hold on, let me adjust the color map. Yes, when you're levitating I can see the fields, but here's me." Carlisle switches ahead to his test. There are no spikes, no blazes of color on the equipment. "Must be some sort of lock," he postulates. "Have her put them on."
Davis hands Ngawai the equipment, and stands back. "Try not to do what you did the first time, okay?" he says in Imperial with a smile.
She smiles back, mischievous. However, the Groi bracelet doesn't function for Ngawai either.
"All right," Carlisle says. "I'll have them bring up the second artifact. Thank you, Davis."
Ngawai tosses Davis the tiara and bracelet. "You need these things anymore? Any more readings you need to collect?"
"Of course," Carlisle replies. "That's Army property, son. And you've set us on a good track. I think we can crack 'em after now that it looks like they're tied to you and the lady's DNA or MRIs or something."
"Alright," Davis says, and puts them back on the table. "So, the sphere?"
"Listen, I wouldn't mind you putting it through the paces if it really is harmless, but I have my orders. The sphere is off limits. If you want to request access... well, I'd start with Lt. Colonel Gibbons in Operations. There's a phone on that far wall."
Davis walks over to the phone and snaps it up, dialing the extension for Operations. The phone rings once. "Put Colonel Gibbons on the phone. Tell him it's Garrett Davis, and I'm calling about the sphere."
"Davis?" Gibbons' voice is unfamiliar, but Davis has seen the squat officer with responsibility over the various items obtained from the Imperium a few times in the background during his return to Earth.
"What do you want?" Gibbons asks. "I'm getting alien junk by the carload here, make it quick."
"I need you to authorize the release of the sphere I brought back from Napai to my custody," Davis says. "I'm going to need it for the Groi debriefing."
"This would be the sphere inside the small, very thick, very heavy box marked 'Hazardous Alien Material'? That's got to be tested before we start bringing potentially damaging objects near VIPs. That said.... " Gibbons' voice gains distance, as he shouts some orders about cataloging to someone in the same room. "That said, I could use some help testing it if you've got the time."
Davis looks over at Ngawai and rolls his eyes. "Considering I carried it in my bag for a day or so and used it for a few hours straight, I'd say it's pretty safe. If I help with the test, will you release it to my custody?"
"We'll decide that after the test. If your head explodes, hell yes you can keep it." Gibbons laughs. "Put Carlisle on the phone."
Davis waves Carlisle over and hands him the phone. He walks over and leans against the shelves next to Ngawai and waits.
"Really glad we picked this before the picnic," Ngawai whispers, sarcasm evident.
"Yes, sir," Carlisle spurts. "Yes, sir. All right, sir."
"We've only been here ten, fifteen minutes. There'll be plenty of time for...extracurricular activities later," Davis whispers back, and kisses Ngawai on the neck.
Carlisle hangs up the phone and immediately makes another call. "Carlisle. Bring the sphere up here and set up the area for testing." *click*
Davis pushes off the shelves. "So, what's going on?"
"You're gonna get your wish, son," the major replies. "I and my team are going to set up shielding and recording equipment. The sphere will be inside this shielded container. You will engage the sphere and we'll record what happens."
"Exactly how long is this going to take? Ngawai and I have things we want to do before the briefing at 1200."
"I'm all for that," Carlisle says, his tone suggesting he'd be all for anything that got Davis to leave him alone. "Shouldn't take too long to set up."
---
The sphere arrives a few minutes later from below, accompanied by Carlisle's team of five engineers. Simmons and Lt. Col. Gibbons arrive about five minutes later, as the shield-box is being put together. It's like a military-grade Mythbusters setup, with a battery of cameras and other sensing gear arrayed around this transparent armored box just a little larger than an old phone booth.
Davis and Ngawai spend the time talking about heading back to the US, seeing LA and DC. He talks about taking her down the Miracle Mile, to Venice Beach, to the taco stands in East LA, and to see the Mall, Congress, the White House, and the Smithsonian. Ngawai doesn't seem quite as impressed with his stories of tacos compared to the other sights.
Carlisle interrupts them eventually. He leads Davis over and tells him to take off his shirt. Two techs wire Davis up to monitoring equipment. Once he's proclaimed ready, the major opens the armored container for Davis.
"She's all yours, Davis," the old major says. Then, to a reedy chief manning a computer console, "Site Golf, small sphere, test 1."
Davis smiles and rolls his eyes as he's being hooked up. He rolls his eyes and looks back at Ngawai. "You'd think that I'm about to go in for surgery," he says. Once's he's cleared and they're ready, he grabs the sphere.
*WHUMP*
A heartbeat - not his own, Davis realizes.
From outside the box, tinny, distant: "Heart rate's rising, normal so far."
"I've got some EMF activity on the sphere, looks like it's active."
Davis closes his eyes tries to tune out the distractions in the rest of the room and focus on what's on the other side of the connection.
Davis half-remembers being able to "feel" the Avatars before. No such feelings haunt him now. There were once thoughts of paths, of forks in the road, but now there's just a straight line.
*Hello?* Davis hears/receives.
*Garrett Davis here,* he sends.
*Are you to haunt me forever, Garrett?* Emperor Kao asks. *Where did you run off to?*
*Back to Narsai,* Davis says. *Just here for a moment, letting you know we made it out the other side.* He pauses for a moment. *Tell me, what do you know about the Masters? About why they left?*
*Because we would not be slaves. We rose up and fought them, and they left, never to be seen again. Some of the more orthodox believe that it was due to a treaty forged long ago, an exchange of territory for information. The Black Gate was to be the meeting place, but none return from that place.* A mental laugh echoes in Davis' mind. *Until now, apparently. Unless you lie, and you are still trapped.*
*No, we made it out. Someday we'll have to meet in person and I can show you.* Davis looks at the people monitoring his condition and the ansible. *I'm trying to keep the ansible an open line of communication between us, Kao. I'd still prefer a peaceful resolution to our differences to having to repeat Boranai over and over again. Think about what you just said, your history with the Masters. Your fight against them is not so different than our goals now. We both want the right to determine what happens for ourselves.*
*The ansible may provide us the means,* Kao replies, *But we shall see if your people and mine can find the way. Answer me this, Garrett: If I were to send my best through the Black Gate, what might happen to them?*
*Well, we killed the angle beast that was killing your people, so I'd expect they'd meet the Groi, or the Masters, as you called them,* Davis says. *I wouldn't expect a warm welcome, they're still rather wary of humanity. You might learn a lot, though. And that's the truth, Kao.*
*And so you went and you learned and you returned to Narsai. A pleasant end to an eventful trip. Perhaps another time we might discuss reciprocating that hospitality, but alas, my technicians are still piecing together my tattered puppets,* the Emperor responds. *Oh... not to intrude, but to whom might I speak about reclaiming my little lost planet? The acting August Keeper of Secrets, who had the pleasant fortune to be at Court for business, would like his home and his family back.*
Davis smiles. *His home and and Boranai might be an issue. His family and most of his belongings, however, should be fair to return. I'm going to be busy trying to make sure the Turai that were captured or surrendered are treated well, and if you were to tell me the names of his family and what items he would like returned to him, I'm sure some kind of hand-off can be arranged in the name of good will if they're among those who are under our care, of course. If not, I will try to find them for him, but I can't guarantee anything.*
*Very well.* Kao rattles off a short list of names.
*Alright, I'll get working on that, possibly within the next 24 hours, if not, then soon,* Davis says. *Well, until next time, Kao.*
*Stay safe, Garrett.*
*Same to you.* Davis puts the sphere back in the box and looks at Carlisle. "Good enough for you?"
The major looks at the medics, who nod back. "Yes, everything looks fine out here." Gibbons steps up, now that the hazardous nature of the ansible seems to be mostly debunked.
"What were you doing? There's a couple minutes of all manner of activity, you're quiet as a mouse, then you put it down and it goes as dead as a bowling ball. Explain."
Davis shrugs. "Beat the shit out of me. If I knew how it works, you guys would be out of a job," he says with a smile. He grabs a rag and tosses it over the ansible. "So, can I take it with me?"
"Where would you be taking it?" That's from Simmons, who has stepped up beside Gibbons. Gibbons frowns at the interruption.
"Something the Groi said back on the shells bothered me, something about this sphere. I want to see if the avatar can detect if without having to see it." Davis smiles. "Relax, Simmons. I had this thing on me the whole time we were on the shells, and it didn't kill me then. It'll be fine."
"Okay, so we'll have it waiting for you when you arrive for the Groi interview," Simmons offers.
"No, I need to have it on me. If it's just there, we won't be able to know when it starts to react to it. I'll hang a few hundred feet back when you bring him in. After a minute or so, I'll walk up to the other side of the observational window, hiding it from sight. If he doesn't react, I'll grab it and turn it on. What, do you think I'll try to make a break for it with the thing?" Davis asks, bemused. "The gate's under armed guard and we're on an island."
"I don't think you're going anywhere with it," Simmons replies. "But you've grown an attachment to it. You've referred to this and the other artifacts as 'yours', plus your report conveniently assigns an element of danger to the sphere that kept it locked up until now. I'm not feeling particularly inclined to let you traipse around this base with it."
"A word, please, agent Simmons." Gibbons walks Walter over to a corner. Davis edges closer, using his skills to eavesdrop on their conversation but doesn't get much; the ambient noise from the equipment, multipled by the hangar's cavernous space, serves to muddy anything he could overhear. He can't help but notice Gibbons seems fairly angry, which is conveniently punctuated by a brief moment where Davis does catch the colonel advising Simmons about "whip your dick out on me again and I'll-" but doesn't catch the end. The Lieutenant Colonel points towards Davis a few times before he and Simmons seem to reach an accord and walk back over.
"Agent Davis," Gibbons begins, "take the damn sphere already. Do whatever you like with it, but if it is not returned in the same condition you got it, I will personally take your ass out back and beat you with a Humvee. Are we clear?"
"Thank you, sir," Davis says. "I'm not so sure it can be damaged, so I'm not that worried about that."
"Good. I'm late for something, let's wrap this circus up. Major, gentlemen, lady, thank you for your time." Gibbons turns and beelines for the hangar exit. Simmons eyes Davis before turning to follow the officer.
Davis respectfully nods at Gibbons as he walks out. "I like that guy," Davis tells Ngawai as he grabs the ansible, making sure to cover it with the rag.
"All right, people, let's get to it," Carlisle tells his engineers. "Franklin, Yachua, you're on the EMF. Jonesey, map the bios and the EMF across a timeline, see if there's a correlation." The major seems to suddenly remember there are other people in his hangar and turns to Davis and Ngawai. "Didn't you say you had a thing before your other thing in some place somewhere?" Carlisle half-asks, half-orders.
"Yeah, yeah, we'll get out of your hair, Major," Davis says with a smile, and offers his hand to shake. "Thanks for your time, sir. If you ever need a guinea pig, just give me a call."
Carlisle returns the handshake. "It's what you're here for, son," he says.
Ngawai idly flicks sand off Davis' back as they lay in a pile of blankets and cheap discarded tupperware. The ansible lies forgotten in the picnic basket - Ngawai thought it would be funny to transport such a powerful artifact thusly. Her thoughts wander like the skittering grains sent arcing from the agent's skin.
"Well, she was sharp," Davis says. "Above everything else, she was quick. You couldn't get a damn thing past her, it's what made her such a great interrogator. You lied to her at all, even a polite, comforting lie, she'd slap you in the face with it. She was tough and ruthless when she had to be, which was most of the time, but when we were alone, she had this smooth and graceful kindness about her. Watching her walk across the room, it was...musical." Davis moves his hand in a wave, like a conductor in front of a symphony. "You couldn't help but notice her. And she was sly, she was sneaky and playful. Sometimes, when we were interrogating someone we knew we could break, we'd play games with each other, each one of us trying to get a rise out of the other. We were both alone because we had to be," Davis says. "And when we found each other...we both just knew."
"That day, the place where the demon brought her back... " Ngawai's clearly uncomfortable, but she presses on. "Do you think about where you'd be if she'd lived? Would there have been someone else to make your choices out there?"
"I used to think about that every day," Davis says. "If I wasn't thinking about working, I was thinking about her. So I worked. I dove back into interrogating and trying to bridge gaps and make alliances. As for right now? I'd hope so, but so much of who I am today was shaped by what happened that day. I just don't know."
"I want to get to know you better, Davis - Vidas fuckin' Lam, I still use your family name. What is that about?" She giggles, quite a counterpoint to the relatively serious conversation, and starts drawing mindless circles in the sand.
"Do you want to know what happened to Hadiya?" Davis asks.
"So... in that place, when you came out of it, you said you'd tell me. Yeah, I think I do. I think maybe it'd help you, too," she responds.
"We were working to support a village that had been attacked by...well, to spare you the history lesson, they weren't good people. They attacked, and we called for evac. The rescue came, but we had been sold out, and they blamed Hadiya. She was a foreign agent, she was close to a CIA agent with intel access, she was an easy target." Davis can't quite stop a few tears from leaking out. "And they made me leave her behind. We took off from the village, and left her there to die."
Davis takes a deep breath. "Eventually, I found the bastard who did betray us, and I put a bullet in his head. But something like that...I took a few months off to deal with it. When I came back, they told me to report to Mesas Negras. And the rest you already know."
Ngawai closes next to Davis. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it wasn't that long ago. And that fucking thing made you do it again, and I brought it up... I'm sorry."
Davis wraps his arms around her and holds her tight. "It's alright. You deserved to know. And without what happened back in that quarantine area, we wouldn't be here now, right? After what happened there, I don't think of her all the time anymore. She - I told myself to get over her. That it was time to move on." Davis kisses Ngawai. "I have you, Ngawai. I don't need to hold onto a ghost anymore. What about you, Ngawai? Tell me, who are you?"
She returns the kiss. "I feel like I don't even know that now. I'm a list of the things that I'm not. I'm not an Imperial, not an Apprehender, not a Homeworlder. I'm just me. I'd like to be a girl for a while, though. Never really got the chance before. I suspect even Homeworlder Kansat aren't very... you know, girly. And out in the shadowports, you'd best NOT be just a girl... So this vacation sounds pretty good."
"Oh - and you're gonna teach me your primitive barbarian language," she jokes.
Davis laughs. "I think the Army would prefer that," he says. "But all I know about your past is what I read in a file. That's just things you did. I want to know about you, Ngawai." He pauses. "Tell me about Harlon."
"You dirty fucker," she teases.
Davis grins. "Fair's fair."
"Harlon was... he was a product of his environment. A force of nature. I had no direction after I left Kansat - he pulled me in, like a gravity well. I saw the system break on Sambasan, and he taught me how to play that broken system. I didn't want to be left stranded either, not on some post-Expansion world and not on some backwater shadowport. Harlon had his scruples, of a sort, and I played them at first. It turned real after that, and we had this trust. Maybe not love, or maybe a different love than you, but I would say trust is better than love sometimes."
"Love does tend to stab you in the back sometimes," Davis says. "The best is when you have both. I had that with Hadiya. And now I have it with you. Do you love me, Ngawai?"
There's a shift in Ngawai's eyes, like she's just decided something that was up in the air for a while. "I love you, Garrett Davis."
"Do you trust me?"
"Only you."
"And I love you, Ngawai Lea Holoni. I trust you without a second thought. If they told me tomorrow that I had to choose between you and being able to set foot back on Earth ever again, they'd have to ship me my things because I wouldn't even stop to pack. And the Imperium had better look out, because there's nothing that can stop us."
---
Simmons flipped away the drone's video feed to another sector of the base as an operator entered the cramped room. The newcomer only stayed long enough to upload the latest flagged feeds to Operations, then left the far-too-warm surveillance room. Simmons returned to his drone feed, a grimace on his face.
"Alien-screwing bastard," he muttered. "Your ass is mine."
Admiral Duck Sauce
