Part 26: Taking the Tour

As the shuttle made its way deeper into the cluster of ships and stations that was the SPARK project, Jade was left to ponder the ramifications of star igniting ship. John and Dr Uitleg started a lively, if not flirtatious conversation; the Kilon security team kept to themselves at the back of the shuttle. Jade’s mind was swimming.

This was a huge operation, apparently being overseen by the highest levels of the Kilon government. How did Byron ever imagine that Alex’s crew would sneak in and just walk out with not one but two shipments of mutonium? He was either plotting to kill them, or dangerously desperate. Jade hoped it was latter, not that it made the situation any better.

Being absorbed in her own thoughts, Jade paid no attention to the shuttle landing. Nor did she notice the large contingent of scientists and military personnel in the shuttle bay, or the large Kilon yacht that they were gathered around. Only when John tapped her shoulder did she start to take in what was happening around her.

“We’re here… and so is our other guest,” John said, pointing out the window. Jade followed his finger, where she saw the Kilon Broker. He was exiting his craft, engaging everyone who spoke to him, both human and Kilon.

He was tall, even for one of those bird people, Jade noted, and rather simply dressed, especially for someone of his position. All he wore as a simple white tunic, with the a few green accents here and there.

Jade and John moved to the door of their shuttle, but Dr Uitleg stopped them. “Broker Mertomco will be joining us for the final approach to the SPARK,” she said, motioning them back to their seats. The two of them exchanged a nervous glance, but Uitleg was quick to offer a reassurance. “There is no need to be nervous, the Broker is quite a genial and humble public servant,” she told them, not knowing the true reason for their anxiousness.

“Are you talking about me?” a voice asked from the door of the shuttle. The tall, green alien gracefully entered the shuttle. Dr Uitleg offered a bow that would be best described as awkward, given the space she was in. Mertomco asked her to stand, and seemed almost embarrassed at the attention. He settled himself into a seat and let the crew know he was ready to go. The door shut, and the shuttle was on its way to the SPARK.

Jade sat in silence, trying to get a read on the Kilon official who not sat a few feet away. The name Mertomco circled in her mind, it was so familiar. She tried to remember her history, her Kilon studies classes from the Academy, but she couldn’t make the connection. She was a pilot; that was what she was good at. Having to play spy games with… with…

She finally realized where she knew the name from. Mertomco, the Kilon Broker, the chief negotiator on the Star Base Luna Pact. This was the guy who set it all up. This was one who enabled the subjugation of Earth and the Terran Republic…

A buzzer went off in the cabin, causing her to nearly jump from her seat. A member of the security team quietly excused himself and headed towards the cockpit. This was not where Jade wanted to be. Behind the controls of the Bucephalus while dozens of ships fired on her? She’d be fine. But sitting across from the mastermind of Earth’s betrayal, and having to act like someone she wasn’t? That was almost too much to handle. She took a deep breath, and pretended to be interested in whatever was outside the window.

But she did not have to pretend for long. They were fast approaching the strange ship she’d noticed before, the SPARK. She could hear Uitleg giving Mertomco technical assessments as they flew around the superstructure, but Jade’s attention was focused on the ship.

“Look at the size of that thing…” she said to know one in particular. The other conversation stopped.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” a voice said over her shoulder. From the corner of her eye, she could see the white tunic, the accents of green. “This ship means life, not just for us, but for Terrans as well. Once it has been put into operation, it will dramatically increase the number of habitable worlds within proximity to both Kilos and Earth. There are scores of surveying teams out as we speak, scouring the cold star systems that we have already identified to determine which would be the most advantageous ignite next. It really is what I hope will be my enduring legacy.”

Jade collected herself for a moment. She was supposed be an owner of a mutonium mining operation, what would she say in this situation? She looked out at the ship, at the smooth surface, noticing there were no doors, no docks or viewports. It was a seamless surface. “Is it all mutonium? The entire ship?” she asked.

“The outer hull is about ninety percent mutonium,” Dr Uitleg answered. “Only the rear of the ship has not been constructed from that metal.”

The shuttle flew around the front of the SPARK, where Jade could see a large opening. “What about there?” she asked.

“Actually, the mutonium continues into there as well. That is where we fire the superheated plasma from. That entire interior is plated with mutonium, assuring us that this ship will not be a ‘single-use only’,” Dr Uitleg answered, unable to hide her pride in the ship.

Mertomco patted Jade on the shoulder. “I’m sure that for a mutonium supplier such as yourself, you are quite impressed. This project represents thirty two percent of all of the known mutonium in the galaxy.” As he finished speaking, the Kilon security officer returned from the cockpit, and whispered in Mertomco’s ear.

“That is impressive, “Jade said, trying to conceal her contempt. “When will we be able to see the inside?”

“You won’t,” the officer said, grabbing her hands and quickly placing them in restraints.

Jade shoved him off of her and leapt from her seat. Her brain was working quickly now. There was no way Byron could have expected them to pull this job off. Survival was her only concern now. This was a shuttle, she was a pilot, and a damned good one.

She lunged for the cockpit, only to feel an immense surge of pain rip through her body before hitting the floor. She couldn’t move, one of the security officers hit her with some sort of stun device. She heard a thump, and looked to see John hitting the ground, similarly restrained and stunned.

Jade cursed Byron for getting them in this situation. But why did they now get caught? How could the Kilons suddenly know that Jade wasn’t a mining magnate? She could see the security offer that she’d shoved talking with Mertomco. While she couldn’t move, she could still hear.

None of what she heard was making any sense. She had no idea who Commander Darlon was, or how having his ship’s weapons, communication, and navigation knocked out in the middle of open space had anything to do with her. “Maybe there has been some kind of mistake, maybe their cover still hasn’t been blown,” she thought, holding on to one last bit of hope. That hope completely disappeared when she heard one word that made everything else make sense; "Bucephalus".