Chapter 39

The plan they'd worked out had gotten them into the chamber with her ship, but she wasn't sure how much farther it would take them.

While they'd been planning in the lab, the major had pulled up a planet-wide bulletin on the console display. Xivthar had been arrested for treason and was on his way to being executed.

His brother, Drak'Karren Rasveen, was Acting Supreme Regent and was apparently the one overseeing his own brother's execution. The Earthling female, who was currently a Sylvie-look-alike, was to be killed along with the former regent. The broadcast alleged that she'd been working with the Hareema to take down the planetary defense shield the whole time.

“They say they found something on my ship to prove I took down the shields. The thing is, I don't think that command exists. We need to get back to my ship so I can talk to Magnis.”

“Who's Magnis?” the major asked, confused.

“Magnis is the ship's computer. He should be able to tell me if the so-called command exists or if someone is manipulating us.”

“What about the regent? If they're going to execute him immediately, we don't have much time.”

“I'm supposed to be executed as well. If they catch me wandering the halls, they'll think I'm Hareema for sure and zap me to death.”

“If you get zapped, then they'll know the female by the regent's side is Hareema.”

The major made a good point.

“That will just cement further in everyone's minds that he's working with the enemy. We have to keep me out of sight.” She rubbed her wrists, glad to finally be free of her cursed restraints. “I still think getting to my ship is most important. If we can figure out a way to get it out of the lab, we can use it to rescue the regent. Somehow.”

She'd come up with something on the fly, surely.

“But how do we sneak you into the lab?” The major turned and crossed his thick arms over his chest.

“Let's take a play from the Hareema playbook?” She smirked, unable to help herself.

The major requisitioned a tinted sample case, which came on a cart just like the one the Hareema agent had impersonated. Sylvie had squeezed herself into the sample case, trying to keep calm while she was wheeled down the hallway toward her ship.

They'd met resistance in the hallway outside the chamber where her ship was kept, but it was almost expected at some point. The guards had demanded an energy exchange, then had questioned the major about the equipment and his purpose for entering the lab.

The major played dumb. He was simply following orders. He was supposed to take the cart inside and to pack up some of the ship's equipment in the sample case. That was all he knew.

Luckily, the guards must have been used to responses of this type because they let him in with little hassle.

The chamber holding her ship was deserted as most of the scientists were distracted by the unfolding events.

“Where is everyone?” Sylvie glanced around as she crawled out from her hiding place.

“Most everyone turns out for an execution. They're rare, but well-attended. The scientists are probably all hustling to get good seats. This one is sure to be a really big deal. Never has a regent been sentenced to death before.”

Public executions seemed to be a bit primitive for such an advanced people. But as this trip was teaching her, advanced technology did not necessarily entail advanced moral fiber.

Still, it had worked to their advantage because now they were here, inside her ship, where the cameras couldn't see. Sylvie made her way to the main console and whispered to the green display.

“Magnis, I'm back and I need your help.”

The computer's voice was as monotone as ever. “Please explain.”

“The Zantharians said they've found a code embedded inside you that created a feedback pulse from our shields when we hit the atmosphere. Is this true?”

“I have no such record of a code.”

Sylvie frowned. “Could such a code exist without you having a record of it?”

“Unknown. I do not have enough training in philosophy to answer such a question.”

Fair enough. How was the computer to know if something was hidden, if it wasn't supposed to know it?

“If such a code existed, would a feedback pulse from our ship's shields be able to cause a malfunction in the shielding around Zanthar?”

“Limited data,” Magnis replied. “Assuming the intense level of shielding that would be required for a planetary-scale defense shield, it seems highly unlikely that our limited shielding could cause such a failure.”

“Highly unlikely?” the major asked.

“The odds are 1 in 500,000,000,000,” Magnis replied.

“That's pretty unlikely,” the major mumbled. “So what the ship is saying is that someone is lying?”

“Right. I didn't think it was possible. My ship just isn't equipped to do that kind of damage.” Sylvie leaned against the nearest wall and let out a long breath.

“But it could provide a convenient excuse. Even if the story didn't hold water in a thorough investigation, it would be plausible enough to let the real Hareema agents sneak onto the surface and start taking over.” The major shook his head.

“And by the time anyone discovered it, it would have been too late.”

“It almost is,” he said, his face dark.

“We can't give up now. We have to find a way to convince everyone that Xivthar isn't a traitor, and that Hareema agents have infiltrated the highest levels of the government.”

“It will have to be something big. Something that a lot of people can see at once. If it isn't, the Hareema will be able to cover it up. We have to out them in front of a crowd so we can insure that others believe us.”

“And I think I have an idea on how to do that.” Sylvie forced a tight smile as her heart fluttered.

Please let X be okay. Please.