Lacuna: The Spectre of Oblivion Read online

  The voice was instantly known to her. It brought back a surge of memories, too. None too pleasant. That familiar spike of excitement, fear, and anger, she felt, just for a moment, as though she were back in command of her ship, as if she were still the officer and commander she once had been.

  The voice of Ben.

  “You’re alive?”

  Ben’s hollow laughter filtered down the speaker. “Of course, my dear Melissa. Your jump drive carried me safely away.”

  “How did you get this number? How the hell are you communicating with me?”

  “The advantage of having a jump drive that can take you anywhere, Melissa, is that you can go anywhere. Tautologies like this are typically useless, but they illustrate my point. Your species believes, bumbling and ignorant as they are, that they have this whole system secure… but nowhere is safe from me. I go wherever I wish.”

  “I’m glad for your new found freedom.” She gripped her phone tightly. “What do you want?”

  Another faint, hollow laugh. “Just to chat, my dear friend. Don’t you have time to talk to me?”

  “Not after Velsharn, not after what you’ve done.”

  “Oh Melissa, you wound me so. I’ve been so busy since we last spoke, but it’s wonderful to hear your voice again.”

  Liao fought to keep her tone even. “I have nothing to say to you. Goodbye, Ben. Don’t call again.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” Ben said, “because important things are happening. Big things. But… don’t worry, Commander. I’ll see you soon.”

  “No you won’t.”

  Liao ended the call then, slowly and deliberately, placed it in her pocket. She stared out the window of her apartment, watching the headlights of cars and the lights of the city, fighting a vague sense of foreboding, and trying to contain her wild imagination.

  A faint knock on her door broke her from her musings. [“Is everything okay?”] came Saara’s voice. [“I heard your communicator, and you sounded angry…”]

  Distracted and half asleep, Liao had forgotten entirely that the Toralii was there. “No, it’s fine,” she answered, “just a prank caller.”

  [“Very well. Sleep well, Liao.”]

  Liao smiled at the closed door, then looked back out at the lights of the city. “Thank you, Saara.”

  Chapter III

  “Earth, As It Is”

  *****

  New York

  United States

  Two Months Later

  Liao slept like the dead.

  The eight weeks since Tai’s arrival and Ben’s mysterious call had gone by faster than she had anticipated. Saara’s visit had gone well. Liao had shown the planet Earth to the wide-eyed, excited Toralii. Her poor mood had evaporated once Liao had taken her out of the city. There, she was as bubbly as a child visiting Disneyland, and the smallest thing was something new and fresh for her: grass, cars, highways. It had been good to see Saara, and it was good to keep her promises, but eventually, she and James had returned to duty, leaving Liao alone. Initially, she feared that caring for her infant would overwhelm her, but Tai stepped in to help her better than she possibly could have hoped. He’d done something amazing, something that changed her current situation immeasurably.

  He’d arranged for a nanny.

  While she’d considered it, usually at the wee hours of the morning while trying to feed her screaming child, Liao opposed the idea with the kind of fiery, defensive, illogical arguments she struggled to justify even to herself. The unnamed baby was her responsibility, and if she could manage a 200,000 tonne starship, she could manage a single infant. A child needed her mother for those early years and, despite the considerable effort it took, Liao valued being with her.

  But eventually, her resolve wore down and, exhausted and desperate, she gave in.

  The nanny Tai hired, Jennifer Pycroft, was a thin, African-American woman in her early twenties and Liao was initially deeply suspicious of her. The tattered American economy meant finding a suitable person for the job was easy; for the simple position of part time nanny he’d received over two hundred applications from people with impressive resumes: scientists whose research grants had dried up, soldiers who could barely live on their benefits payments, teachers whose positions had been made redundant. She knew that, for many young adults, especially those in their teens who had never held a job, it was a struggle to peddle their meagre skills in a brutal job market.

  While this meant that he and Liao had their pick of who they wanted for the position, it also planted the seed of doubt back in Liao’s mind. She didn’t want someone desperate, someone who badly needed money, to have access to her child. What if they were a psychopath? A child abuser? What if they were desperate enough to kidnap her child for ransom?

  But Jennifer, in their very first meeting, was shy and polite. Liao could tell that Jennifer very much wanted to make a good impression. She dressed well, smiled a lot, and when Tai finally hired her, Jennifer completely changed everything. Kind and considerate, infinitely patient, warm and loving, Liao saw how Jennifer’s eyes had lit up when she saw the baby for the first time, how carefully she cradled the child in her arms, and how she babbled in adorable, loving baby talk. Because of Jennifer, Liao could now sleep through the night without being interrupted by crying. She could go out and do things without being shackled to her apartment. She felt as though her life was her own again.

  Her rest, like all things, eventually ended… not with the urgent, despair inducing wail of a hungry child, but with the gentle grace of the sun warming her face. Sliding herself out of bed, Liao brushed the sleep from her eyes and spent a moment doing the unthinkable, fixing her hair.

  On board the Beijing, Liao had kept it short as a matter of practicality, but her own preference was to wear her hair long. While she did remain on the payroll of the Chinese military, she was effectively out of any actual required work; nobody had come to check that she was maintaining the grooming standard or that her hair was an acceptable length, and Tai wouldn’t tell a soul, so she wore it as she pleased.

  Satisfied that she was now presentable, Liao pulled open the internal door of her bedroom and stepped into the living area. The apartment was blissfully quiet, and Jennifer’s purse was resting on the small table by the door. Pushing open the spare bedroom door, Liao saw Jennifer bottle-feeding the baby as Tai casually looked through the blinds at the outside.

  “Hey,” Liao said, keeping her voice quiet. “She eating okay?”

  “Like a dream, Miss Liao.” The baby gave a mindless gurgle. She seemed to respond well to Jennifer’s thick, smooth Louisianan accent. Jennifer gave a wide, eager smile and Liao returned it in kind.

  “Good.” She turned to Tai. “Hey, you up for some pizza from that place across the road?”

  “Again? Sure, as long as you’re buying.”

  “Well, you won’t be able to be much of a bodyguard if you don’t eat something.” Liao’s gaze fell on Jennifer. “You want anything?”

  Jennifer’s interest was obvious, but she shook her head, keeping the bottle held snugly so the baby could drink. “No thank you, Miss. I can’t afford anything like that. Money’s real tight with my Dad and my sisters at the moment. I brought a sandwich; that’ll do.”

  Liao respected her discipline. “My shout,” she offered.

  The young woman’s eyes lit up, but there was a hesitation there, too. An unwillingness to offend her employer even though Liao’s offer was made easily and genuinely. This simple job, Liao knew, was important to Jennifer.

  But evidently her desire for pizza won out. “Pepperoni?”

  Liao gave her a grin. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  *****

  Later

  Pizza turned out to be just what Liao wanted. There was a street stand just two blocks from their apartment that served the most delicious pizza she had ever tasted, New York style. The man who worked the stand, a heavy set Caucasian man named Anthony who seemed to be perpetually smiling,
appeared to have a talent for names. Whenever she and Tai visited, he would greet them by name, asking if they wanted their usual.

  Liao wanted to support local businesses as much as she could in these economically dark times. She had a lot of sympathy for Anthony, and it helped that he made an expensive, but tasty, treat.

  “The usual, Melissa?” Anthony boomed in his deep, cheerful voice as he saw them approach, beaming to them as though greeting old friends.

  “The usual for us both,” she answered, finding his smile infectious.

  “Fifty bucks a slice, usual price.”

  The American economy had suffered greatly in the financial collapse nearly a decade ago. The United States had borrowed ever increasing amounts to pay for foreign wars and bailouts of companies too sick to compete in an international market. They had then tried to inflate their way out of the debt. Their creditors had simply indexed the debt in Euros and the US had defaulted. Now the dollar was basically worthless. If it weren’t for the construction of the Pillars of the Earth bringing people back to work and creating a market for unskilled labour in the country, things would be much worse off.

  “Three hundred, then.” Liao flicked through a wad of notes, careful to keep them close to her chest. A number of vagrants sat nearby, watching the proceedings with envious eyes, no doubt eyeing her cash and smelling the pizza. “Here.”

  Anthony took the money, then looked at someone over Liao’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s James! Come back for the world’s best pizza, ‘ey?”

  Liao whirled around, her smile intensifying as she saw James. “James! I wasn’t expecting you back for—…”

  But James’s face was a grim mask and he was wearing his uniform. Her smile disappeared just as fast as it had arrived. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  He stepped up to her, leaning right up to her ear, whispering so only she could hear.

  “Get your stuff. Get the baby. We’re leaving for the airport. A Broadsword is coming to take us into orbit later this evening.”

  “To orbit?” Liao frowned. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?” she whispered back.

  “The Kel-Voranians withdrew their embassy. The bastards just packed up and left without saying a word; a ship picked them up a few hours ago. Intelligence has us at high alert. Something’s going down and we don’t know what it is. The Pillars are being prepared for combat and the crews are being recalled from leave.”

  Liao felt the familiar feeling of adrenaline pumping through her body, the rush that came with suddenly being at the very forefront of events taking place around her. No longer was she getting information through the nightly news or the papers; this was living in the middle of history being made.

  “Why do they need me?”

  “They don’t, but I put in a special request. I need a consultant I can trust. Given the threat against you, we’re taking the kid, too.”

  She pulled her head back from James, suddenly feeling like her old self again. She’d be going back into space. Not aboard her ship, mind, but a ship. It was enough for her. “Let’s go,” she said. “I can be ready in an hour.”

  Tai snatched up the pizza slices and the three of them began power walking back towards the apartment building.

  “What’s happened?” Tai asked, reaching a hand into the paper packet, extracting a slice, and blowing on it urgently.

  “I’m being recalled to the Tehran.” She gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

  Tai looked genuinely saddened, but nodded. “Damn. Well, I’ll take care of your affairs here. The apartment will be nice and clean when you get back.”

  Liao grinned at him. “That’ll be a nice change.” Suddenly she stopped, rolling her eyes. “I forgot Jennifer’s, damnit. I promised her.”

  With Liao leading, the three jogged back to the pizza stand.

  “Sorry,” she said breathlessly to Anthony, “three more pepperoni.”

  “It’s fine,” he said, shaking his head, a broad smile on his face as handed her the extras. “Always happy to sell more pizza.”

  She hurriedly withdrew her purse and paid for three pepperoni slices, then they started back again to her apartment. Hurrying down the street, Liao pointed down a cramped alley between two apartment blocks.

  “Let’s cut through here. It’s a shortcut.”

  James seemed sceptical, but she started down the narrow alley and they followed.

  “So,” James said to Tai, “you feel comfortable staying here while Liao and I go back to space? You should be used to the place by now.”

  “Hah, you must be kidding, Captain.” He chuckled. “Living in this city, surrounded by Americans? I think I’ll go crazy by the time—”

  A man, unshaven and unkempt, stepped into their path. He was lily-skinned and sickly, gaunt even, as though he had spent his days inside. His hair was a tangled mop, his body cloaked in a worn brown overcoat. Liao glanced at his face. Their eyes met for a moment, and within his hazel gaze she saw... something, something deep and instinctive, primal, a subtle subconscious warning that was too powerful to ignore.

  This wasn’t just another vagrant. They had passed dozens on the way through the city already, their presence almost invisible by now, but this man was different. This one was looking directly them, not to try to attract pity and sympathy, but with something darker... The desperation was no less or no more with this man than the others, but there was one key difference. He was willing to do them harm.

  She stopped walking right as the man reached into a deep pocket, withdrawing a silver revolver and, holding it at his hip, levelled it at Liao.

  “Your wallets and phones. Now.”

  There was a tense moment as the three of them stared at the man, surprised and uncertain. His voice was quiet but charged with sincerity. Liao felt her pulse quicken, the same reaction she had when she was in combat. Except this time, she didn’t have 200,000 tonnes of warship surrounding her and a battery of missiles and guns.

  “Now! You first, nigger!”

  He looked like a drug addict, Liao mused, although he didn’t have the typical bloodshot eyes that addicts usually possessed. A drug addict with eye drops, apparently.

  Liao held out her hands, palms upwards. “Look, you’re making a terrible mistake. I’m—”

  “I don’t care who you fucking gooks are.” The man levelled his pistol at her and Liao took a step backward.

  “It’s okay.” James threw Liao a side glance, nodding approvingly and slowly reached into his pocket. He withdrew his wallet, passing it over.

  The man took it eagerly, shoving it into his back pocket. “Phone?”

  “Don’t have one.”

  The man looked like he was going to argue, but instead he pointed his weapon to Tai.

  “Fine, whatever. Now you, tough guy. Don’t try anything or I’ll blow your fucking face off.”

  Tai nodded acceptingly, his hand already in his pocket. “Fine, here you go. Just don’t do anything rash, and let me get my ID chip out. That’s of no value to you. How about I just hand you the cash instead?”

  The man nodded in nervous agreement, glancing over his shoulder momentarily. For a second, Liao worried Tai was going to do something stupid, but his hand returned with his ID and the wallet was handed over. “I don’t have a phone either.”

  “Fine, whatever. Now you, lady.”

  “Okay,” said Liao. “Let me get my ID out first, too, okay?”

  “Fine, fine, just fucking hurry it up.”

  Fumbling, Liao reached into her pocket, reaching for her small purse. The man extended his empty hand.

  “Keep quiet and give it to me real easy, no tricks,” he said, the hand holding the firearm trembling slightly. “Hurry up!”

  It was gone. Liao tried all her pockets. “Damnit,” she said, “I must have left it at Anthony’s when I went back to pay for the pizza.”

  The man’s agitation suddenly grew. “You’re fucking shitting me. Bullshit. Bullshit!”

  Liao held u
p her hands. “I’m not. I’m not. I just left it—”

  “I’ll fucking end you, you lying bitch!”

  Tai stepped forward, moving in front of her. “Everybody just calm down! We already gave you what we have. Now—”

  “Who are you, a fucking cop? You’re a fucking cop! That’s why you didn’t want me to see your ID, because you’re a cop!”

  “What? No! No. Nobody here’s a cop, okay? Nobody.”

  “Look,” said Liao, “here. Here’s my phone. Take it and go.” She reached into her breast pocket, withdrawing the small black brick and holding it out. The strange man, relief crossing his face, snatched the device and jammed it into a pocket.

  Then his eyes lit up, wide and panicked, looking at something behind her. On instinct, Liao turned. She could see someone entering the gap between the two buildings. She recognised the rotund form of Anthony, his hand holding her purse.

  “Hey, Melissa, ya’ forgot yer’—”

  Their assailant, now behind her, shouted something incomprehensible and fired, the loud gunshot echoing against the walls of the building. Liao saw Anthony jerk, startled Then he turned and ran. James’s strong hands pushed her out of the way, and she saw that Tai’s hand now held a small, compact handgun. Tai aimed it quickly, depressing the trigger. Another loud roar and the handgun almost drowned out the cry of their attacker, the round catching the surprised man in his upper arm.

  Wounded, he howled, waving his pistol around like a lunatic. Tai fired again, the round knocking a chunk out of the brick wall. The mugger regained some semblance of wit. His pistol barked twice, a loud crack like a firework exploding near Liao’s head, and she felt James’s hands around her shoulders, pulling her down to the ground. Two more shots were fired, Liao recognising the loud retort of the man’s revolver as she raised her head in time to see the man, wounded and panicked, as he turned and ran down the alley, stumbling occasionally, his footsteps beating a rapid retreat away from where James and Liao lay sprawled.

  “You okay?” asked James.

  Liao closed her eyes a moment, hands trembling slightly before she stilled them. “I’m fine,” she said, inhaling and opening her eyes, her ears ringing from the loud gunshots. She had fought alien warships. She had repelled Toralii boarders. She was a decorated war hero. But despite the year she’d spent in space staring down death at every turn, a normal man with a gun had managed to rattle her. It was the striking normality of it all, something aside from aliens and space battles, something real and common. “Thanks for that.”