Each step increased Caleb’s confidence, and within a minute he was walking confidently through the hallways, moving with assurance that he was headed in the right direction. He passed a few other Centurions on the way, always responding with the correct military protocol, grateful that none of the customs and courtesies had changed over the years.

  Caleb froze when he turned a corner and the exit to the outer part of the base came into view. At the same time he collided with another Centurion. A quick glance registered her as a Lieutenant.“Excuse me, ma’am,” he said, quickly coming to attention.

  She looked up at him with the flat expression of an officer. For a moment, he thought she would just keep walking, but then signs of recognition and confusion edged into the corners of her eyes. One of them was covered by a small transparency, slightly obfuscated by the data projected onto it. It reminded Caleb of similar wearables that had never caught on during his first time on Earth.

  I think she knows your Skin.

  “Corporal Dunn,” the Lieutenant said.

  “Yes, ma’am?” he replied.

  “I see the time is oh-one-hundred.” Her eye twitched behind the transparency. “According to my schedule, you’re on duty until oh-two-hundred.”

  Uh-oh.

  Caleb remained calm. “Ma’am, I wasn’t feeling well. I was headed to sickbay for a scan.”

  “I don’t have any comms report of illness listed here,” she replied, checking her device. “And I don’t have any record of you being relieved.” Her eyes narrowed. “What are you really doing out here, Corporal?”

  “Ma’am, can I please speak to you in private?”

  “No. Speak to me here, Corporal. What’s going on?”

  “I’m sorry ma’am. I…I don’t feel well.” Caleb’s stomach started churning, Ishek altering his body to make him nauseous. “Please ma’am. I need to get to a head.”

  She hesitated a moment and then pointed. “You do look pale. That way, Corporal.”

  Caleb nodded and hurried off in that direction. His stomach was still upset, and he really was going to lose it. They didn’t need the ruse anymore.

  Sorry. I can’t stop it once it’s started. You should have been a better actor.

  It figured. Caleb made it to the head, pushing through the door. He ducked into a stall, ripping the cowl of the Skin from his head before leaning over the bowl and vomiting out what little was in his stomach.

  He remained there until the nausea subsided, and then got up and exited the stall. He washed his mouth out and left the bathroom. The Lieutenant was waiting for him there.

  “Feel better, Corporal?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Leaving your post without being relieved is a serious offense, Dunn.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I expect you to return to your post immediately. As soon as you’re relieved, I expect you to report to your SO and explain what happened.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Caleb replied. She was letting him off way too easy for the infraction. In the Marines he knew, he would be in much worse trouble. She was probably just leaving it for his superior officer to handle.

  “Dismissed,” she said.

  He started to walk past her before pausing. He needed to get out of here and back on Sheriff Duke’s trail. He’d already wasted too much time.

  “Ma’am,” he said.

  She started turning toward him. “What is it now, Corporal?”

  He stepped forward, grabbing her and shoving her back through the door into the bathroom. She tried to shout, but he got his hand over her mouth before she could. She struggled, trying to bite his hand and wiggle her way free, but he held on tight, using his superior strength to guide her to the floor.

  “I’m sorry about this,” he said, quickly scanning her with the Skin. Her eyes widened at the sight of the red lasers that seemed to come out of his eyes. Then they rolled back in her head as he pressed his palm against her head, delivering an electrical charge that knocked her unconscious.

  Smooth.

  Caleb stood up, switching his projection to the Lieutenant and hurrying out of the bathroom. He only had a few minutes before she woke up, and he had a lot to do.

  16

  Caleb

  Caleb navigated back through the corridors of the operations center, making his way to the MP station. The Sergeant in charge stood up as he entered, coming to attention.

  “AH-TEHN-SHUN!” the man barked, bringing the other two Centurions in the room to their feet.

  “At ease,” Caleb said. “Sergeant…”

  “Ming, ma’am.”

  “Sergeant Ming, I’m aware we had an unexpected guest show up inside the Ziyou?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the sergeant replied. “Word travels fast around here.”

  “Sergeant, how did he get in here?”

  “Ma’am, I don’t know. Corporals Dunn and Frey called it in. I passed it to Second Lieutenant Blane, who ordered me to contact Command.”

  “Who did you speak with at Command?”

  “The orders came from Colonel Gray, ma’am. She told me to hold the detainee until the Judicus Department arrived.”

  “That’s not a typical response to an intruder, is it?”

  “No, ma’am. We’ve had a couple of stowaways before. They get into the transports and make the ride out here, but they always get caught pretty fast. Usually, we throw them in the brig for the night and send them home the next day. The Peace Officers might cite them, but most times they get a slap on the wrist and are told not to do it again. Ma’am, do you mind if I ask why you’re so interested?”

  “Yes, I do mind,” Caleb replied. “My interest is none of your concern, Sergeant. Is there a Judicus assigned to the base?”

  “You mean a permanent presence? No, ma’am. But they did send a third who stuck around after the others left with the detainee.”

  “Do you know where I can find them?”

  “I can look it up, ma’am.”

  “Go ahead.”

  The sergeant sat down at his terminal, looking up the data. He turned back to Caleb after a few seconds. “Officer’s barracks. Visitors quarters. Those PIB creeps always get the VIP treatment.”

  “PIB?”

  “Person in black. Sorry, ma’am. Enlisted slang for the Judici.”

  Caleb smiled. “I haven’t heard it before, but I like it. Thank you for your help, Sergeant.”

  “Of course, ma’am.”

  “Carry on.”

  The sergeant turned his back on Caleb, who made sure the other MPs in the room weren’t looking when he scanned the man. He didn’t switch skins and wouldn’t unless he needed to.

  He hurried back to the operations center exit and out into the open area of the base. Nearly two-dozen visible buildings were strewn across the inside of the dome. A mess hall, an exchange, a medical facility, rows of barracks, a pair of hangars and assorted vehicles all composed the space while open training fields were visible closer to the dome’s perimeter. The entire place was quiet, the early hour keeping most of the Centurions in their racks and only a skeleton crew of MPs on guard duty.

  One of them was stationed outside the entrance to the officer’s barracks, and he saluted Caleb as he passed. Caleb acknowledged him and entered quickly, locating the guest quarters.

  Taking his microspear in hand, he knocked on the door. He suspected at least one of the Judici wasn’t what he seemed. Which one would open the door?

  The door clicked and slid open.

  “Can I—” the Judicus barely got the words out before Caleb was on him, grabbing him roughly and using the enhanced strength of his Skin to throw him to the floor. He jumped down on top of the man. “Don’t move,” he said, placing the tip of the microspear against his throat.

  The Judicus smiled, remaining calm.

  Too calm.

  He stared up at Caleb for a few heartbeats before speaking. “Sergeant Caleb Card. You came here with Sheriff Duke after all. The question is, why are you both here?”

  Caleb glared down at the Judicus. Only the Judicus wasn’t the one speaking.

  It was Vyte.

  “It has something to do with General Haeri, I’m sure,” Vyte continued. “Everything that happens on this world seems to go back to Haeri somehow. You’re both going to be very disappointed. Haeri is dead, and this world is already in my grasp. You humans are so easy to manipulate. Whatever you came here for, you aren’t going to get it.”

  “I wouldn’t be too sure,” Caleb replied.

  “I would. The Judicus Department is mine. So is half the Centurion Space Force. The interlink is on its way to me, and as you already know I’m on my way to you. You’ve already lost, Caleb. But you never really had a chance to begin with, except to do what I asked and become one of mine. You wasted that opportunity, Card, and I’m not giving you another. I’m going to control the Axon and the Hunger, and once I do there will be nothing in the universe that can stand against us. That’s the only logical future for any of our species.”

  “If you’re so assured of your victory, why are you wasting time talking to me?”

  “Because I’m savoring the moment. The game. And I’m feeding my followers from your lost hope and pain.”

  “I haven’t lost hope.”

  “Not yet. But you will. And we’ll be there to feed on it. We hunger for it.”

  Just kill him and scan him already.

  It was the best idea Ishek had put forth all day. Caleb stabbed the microspear into the back of the Judicus’ neck. The Judicus spasmed once and was still.

  Vyte knows we’re here.

  “Yes.”

  He knows we’re here for Sheriff Duke.

  “Yes.”

  They’re setting a trap.

  “Yes.”

  But we’ll try to save him anyway?

  “Without question.”

  This is going to be a disaster.

  17

  Hayden

  The autonomous transport didn’t carry Hayden and the Judici very far. It left through the large open front of the hangar-like space and quickly crossed the Centurion base, rolling through the open square of the parade grounds. The base contained all of the usual and essential structures. Barracks, hospital, hangars and so on. All of it was simple and functional. Basic. Good enough.

  Hayden wasn’t overly impressed with the display, but then the people of Proxima weren’t likely trying to impress him. They were safe up here. Secure in the knowledge that nothing could touch them.

  Nevermind the fact that it was a lie.

  The Judici didn’t say anything as the transport came to a stop. Rex climbed out, circling the vehicle to cover Hayden as he slid across the seat and stepped out onto the tarmac. Hayden was going to ask where they were headed next when he noticed another boxy vehicle a few meters away. It had a wedge-shaped glass front with a cockpit behind it and an open hatch revealing a few simple seats in the rear. It reminded Hayden of the Iroquois, though it had no rotors. Instead, large discs jutted out from the corners, each one filled with a metal coil. He recognized the underlying tech from the anti-grav sleds he had been told lifted the generation ships closer to orbit, saving them massive volumes of reactor power.

  He remembered a conversation with Natalia as though it had happened a few minutes ago. He had asked her why the engineers hadn’t just put anti-gravity directly into the hulls of the ships. Wouldn’t that have made it easier to land?

  She had given him her typical look, saying it was adorable that he’d asked, but that he was seriously out to lunch. She’d patiently explained that coils were more inefficient than the thrusters at that scale until you factored in that they only had to make it to the upper atmosphere and then fall away. For the ship to carry the extra weight of coils for all those years would burn a lot more energy.

  No doubt Proxima had improved on the technology over the years, at least to the point it was viable for use in transports like this one. Hayden started walking toward it without prompting from Rex. There was no sense in making trouble here and now. He knew from Nathan that the main Centurion base was in Dome One, and if the Judici wanted to take him there, he wasn’t going to complain.

  Not that he was thrilled. Every look he could spare was spent searching for Caleb. The Marine had fallen behind and might not ever catch up. But he could do this alone. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  “Watch your step,” Judicus Heart said as they reached the transport.

  The side lip was raised from the ground just enough to require a hand grip to assist boarders in and out. Hayden used it to propel himself into the cabin, taking a seat on the opposite side of the craft and strapping himself in. Rex took the seat beside him.

  “How far to Praeton?” he asked.

  “About fifteen minutes,” Heart replied, sitting across from him. “The Ziyou landed on the far side of the planet. From what they teach in school, the Captain at the time thought all the ships from different countries landing in the same place would lead to conflict so they settled their colony here in this dome. Over time, the population trickled away to the larger settlements. The city was dismantled and repurposed, and Ziyou Base was opened instead.”

  “Why have a military base in what you call the middle of nowhere?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but it’s well above my pay grade, anyway.”

  She smiled warmly, seemingly more relaxed now that they were about to leave.

  The side hatch slid shut, and a moment later the transport vibrated as it spun up and began to rise, with a light hum from the coils. Hayden realized he should have sat in one of the forward-facing seats so he could watch the proceedings as the transport lifted off.

  “I take it the domes open?” he said.

  “They all have a retractable portion for ships to get in and out,” Heart said. “The planet’s atmosphere is breathable but uncomfortable. The temperature never gets above ten degrees celsius, and you probably noticed there isn’t much to the terrain.”

  “Pozz. I noticed. Is it all like that?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Hayden was pushed forward into his straps as the transport suddenly gained speed. The feeling subsided a few seconds later, the ship easing off on its acceleration.

  The minutes passed by in silence. Judicus Rex used the opportunity to take out Hayden’s glasses and examine them.

  “Interesting Oracle,” he said.

  “Oracle?” Hayden replied.

  “Don’t be too impressed,” Heart said. “It’s an eye-controlled microcomputer. That’s all.”

  Rex put the glasses over his eyes. Hayden had left them powered on so they could continue transmitting the beacon to Caleb. He wondered now if that had been a mistake.

  “This is a combat network,” Rex said.

  “Embedded in the glasses?” Heart asked.

  “The lenses are from a combat helmet, aren’t they?”

  Hayden nodded. “Pozz. My wife made them for me. She said I needed help with my aim.”

  “If I were married, I’m sure my husband would say the same thing,” Heart said. “You’re here. Where’s your wife?”

  “Dead,” Hayden said flatly.

  Heart’s face paled. “I’m sorry, Mr. Duke. My condolences.”

  Hayden didn’t reply. Rex continued looking at his glasses.

  “Any particular reason you left them active?” Rex asked a moment later. “I can see the battery packs aren ‘t especially large. You’re burning juice for nothing.”

  “I guess I didn’t give it much thought,” Hayden replied.

  Rex smirked at him, taking the glasses off. “I shut them down for you.”

  Hayden nodded. “That mean I can have them back once you get me processed?”

  “Of course,” Rex said. “They belong to you. Why wouldn’t we give them back?”

  Hayden shrugged. “I don’t know this place all that well. Which begs the question, how come neither one of you has asked me how I got here?”

  “I hate repetition,” Rex said. “And we need to cover that during processing. The interview will be recorded.”

  “What if I decline recording?”

  “It isn’t optional.”

  “You still don’t seem all that concerned about me.”

  “Should we be?” Heart asked.

  “That depends.”

  “On what?” Rex said.

  “I’ll save that answer for the interview,” Hayden replied.

  Rex laughed out loud. Heart glared at him and leaned back in her seat.

  They spent the rest of the flight in silence. Hayden kept his head down so he wouldn’t be staring at Rex the whole time. He wished he had his hat so he could pull it down over his face and get some sleep. Not that fifteen minutes was enough time to actually fall asleep, but he had learned to grab cat naps whenever he could.

  He had dozed off by the time the aircraft touched down. “Mr. Duke, we’re here—Praeton, Centurion Prime,” Heart said, shaking him awake

  “Great,” Hayden replied. He turned and looked outside the dome. He could see additional domes surrounding this one, each of them densely packed with buildings. “How far to the Judicus office?”

  “Not far.”

  “If you’ll follow me,” Rex said. The side of the craft slid open, and the Judicus hopped out. He waited there for Hayden, who released his harness and joined him on the outside of the transport. Another automated vehicle was approaching the craft from a line of buildings adjacent to the tarmac to pick them up.

  Heart climbed out behind them. They waited next to the aircraft until the ground transportation arrived, the vehicle coming to a stop a few meters away and the door swinging open. Hayden expected it to be empty.

  It wasn’t.

  Nathan Stacker waited inside.