The Reaper Diaries: Supernova, Epilogue
16 Feb 2016Michael Wolfe
“So, you think you’ll be ok in there?”Nova and I stood just outside Gideon’s office door. Unlike before, Nova was back in her usual Pilot’s Fed tank t-shirt and jacket. She turned to me and shrugged.
“Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve dealt with someone I don’t like. Besides,” she grinned as she hit the door controls- “It ain’t like we’re in any kind of trouble, right?”
I rolled my eyes, absorbing Nova’s mockery of my cocky assurances the last time we were here. “Very funny, darlin’. Now c’mon.”
“Welcome back, Commanders. I trust everything went well?”
I shook my head. “You know damn well that it did, Gideon. You paid that Judge guy enough to make sure of it.”
My contact cocked his head to the side and half-smiled. “I’m in the business of preserving assets however I can. If throwing money at a problem solves it, I’m happy to do so.”
Nova cleared her throat. “Speaking of throwing money at problems…”
Gideon chuckled, reached into his jacket pocket, and produced a credit chip. “I believe you’ll find this adequate compensation for your efforts.”
I didn’t want to be rude and stare at the amount on the chip, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a long number and two commas as I slid the disk into my jacket's inner pocket.
Hell yeah.
Gideon stared hard at Nova, as though appraising her. “I’m sorry we don’t have anything for you, miss. I’m told that you played an important role in getting the commander back here alive. Is there anything I can do for you?”
My contact’s courtesy was formal to a fault, but it was not insincere. Nova leaned back, screwed up her mouth and exhaled loudly.
“Yeah. You can explain what the hell you were doing having us blast civvies. I thought you Inquisition types were slick enough that you didn’t have to resort to that bullshit.”
I glanced hard at my partner. Goddamnit, Nova.
For his part, Gideon didn’t appear to be upset. He simply smiled warmly- a first for him- and nodded before replying.
“When I first recruited your companion here to the Inquisition-“ he gestured towards me- “it was with the understanding that he would never be asked to carry out an atrocity. He is a man of conscience. I assume that those with whom he associates have similar qualities, and so I would never ask that of them, either.”
Nova’s eyes narrowed. “What are you saying?”
Gideon stared at my partner in the eye. “That you should have a little more faith in humanity. The Empire doesn’t murder innocents. It’s against everything that Emperor Arissa stands for.”
My partner didn’t reply immediately, still locked in eye contact with Gideon. Finally, she shook her head. “That’s real sweet, but
I couldn’t help seeing what I was seeing on my scanner. Matt and I offed bean counters, HR assistants- even a goddamn janitor. I'd say we're due some explanation.”
Again- Gideon smiled warmly and nodded, understanding. “Of course, you’re right to be concerned. But you’ve got to give our field operatives a little credit. And Lysenko, too. Though they were able to tag the key members of the superweapon team, the cover jobs on their employee IDs remained in place. All we could do was track them and eliminate them.”
Beside me, Nova released a long, pent-up sigh. “So- we weren’t actually wasting civvies? Just VIPs in disguise?”
“Of course. You don’t really think the Inquisition is in the business of murdering innocents, do you?”
Nova shook her head and frowned. “You never know. There are rumors…”
Gideon continued his gentle smile, unnerving me even more than when he had been angry at me for failing to deliver the data core.
“There are always rumors. Fear and wonder accomplish what a thousand agents cannot. I’m afraid that tales of the brutal cunning of the Inquisition are just that- tales.”
Nova didn’t reply, just nodding her head, looking like she was swimming in thought.
“Now-” he said. “Your partner and I have some business to discuss. If you would kindly wait outside...”
My partner rolled her eyes and moved to stand up. “What is this, a boy’s club?”
“I promise, I won’t keep the commander long.”
Nova shook her head and shot him a hard look. “Fine. I’ll be outside.”
Gideon rose to escort her out of the office, his every gesture an act of graciousness. He even bowed to her in the formal Imperial style. I shook my head.
Something’s up. Gideon is never like this.
We watched the door slide shut behind Nova, and I turned to Gideon. I wasn’t happy with cutting my partner out of the loop, but it was Gideon’s office, not mine.
“She’s a grown-up too, you know.”
Gideon nodded gravely. “Indeed she is. A bounty hunter as surely as yourself. But I’m a bit old-fashioned. I do business face-to-face when I can, and I don’t burden young ladies with information that is sure to haunt them.”
I took a sip of my scotch and narrowed my eyes. “What kind of 'haunting information'? What ain’t you been telling us?”
Gideon rose from his desk and surveyed the idyllic courtyard, speaking to the pane of glass instead of me. “It was inevitable that the irregular nature of the target list would be noticed. I even argued such to my superiors.”
I shrugged, eyeing him suspiciously. “Sure. It seemed like we were picking off random people from every department. But like you said- ”
His back still turned to me, Gideon interrupted. “You were.”
Gideon's word echoed in my head, causing fresh waves of fire within my belly. Are you saying-
My eyes narrowed as I cocked my head to the side. “But- why? If the only threat came from the project staff…”
Gideon didn’t answer at first, only talking a long sip from his glass. “We couldn’t afford for Lysenko to recognize a pattern and hide them away. So we needed it to seem as though the company itself was under attack, driving them to recall everyone back to the safety of their headquarters.”
I exhaled and struggled to speak. “And that’s when- you mean to say-“
My Chapterhouse contact turned and slowly nodded. “Yes. You helped drive them to the place where several sleeper cells had been waiting for them. Once the Lysenko leadership had put all its eggs in one basket, the teams struck- breaking all the eggs at once.”
I slumped over in my chair, staring down at my glass of scotch. My God… Nova and I… we…
Looking up, I shook my head. “You mean to say that the people that Nova and I dusted- they really were innocent? We were just sheepdogs?”
Gideon raised an eyebrow. “A crude metaphor to describe a complex operation, but you’re essentially correct. You and your partner helped sow the terror needed for our sleeper agents to be in proximity with all their targets.”
Noting my expression, his face softened. “And no. They weren’t all innocent. You are to be commended for the decisive way that that you handled the escaping CEO. He had rallied the surviving contingents of Lysenko security, temporarily overwhelming the team we had guarding the docking bay. The corvette you helped disable carried both him and the remaining prototype. He nearly slipped away from the Inquisition- but not quite. Both him and the prototype are in our possession.”
Lighting up a cigar, he took a few puffs. “But to make that omlette, quite a few bystanding eggs had to be broken.”
I didn’t even hear him.… all those people. Just trying to get home from work. Do their jobs. Feed their families. Do some good, even.
I looked back up at Gideon. “This is why you didn’t want Nova in here, isn’t it?”
Nodding sincerely, Gideon gestured to the door. “Indeed. Some people are driven by a most naive sense of justice-the need to protect the innocent and vanquish those would oppress others.”
He took a sip of his scotch, and continued. “All ridiculous motivations, of course. The only real means of justice in the universe is to possess the power to ensure it- and power is seldom upheld by strictly honorable means. People like you and I see it. Arissa sees it. Zachary Hudson sees it. Those like her never will.”
I frowned and slowly shook my head. “I ain’t so sure you should be including me in all that, pal.”
Gideon shrugged and sat down again. “Yet, here you are- accepting things for what they are. What do you suppose her reaction would be if she knew the truth?”
I looked toward the office door where Nova waiting just outside. “It would be a coin flip between screaming at you or tearing your eyes out.”
He leaned back in his chair, smiling almost imperceptibly. “My conclusion exactly. I can handle a tantrum, but a young woman attacking a trained inquisitor can only end one way-“ He smiled arrogantly- “And I’m sure you wouldn’t anything unpleasant to happen to her.”
I scoffed. Nova’s tougher than you know, pal. “So that’s it? Keep her in the dark?”
Gideon continued to smile, but with traces of sadness. “Your friend is currently under the impression that she’s had a hand in saving millions from doom, and that the violence that she did was necessary. Still- she's sure to ask questions. Would you take all that away and replace it with misery and mind-crippling guilt?”
I narrowed my eyes and learned forward. “You’re saying I should lie to her?”
“Indeed. For her own good.”
You’ve got to be kidding me… but he’s right. “You’re a real son of a bitch sometimes, Gideon.”
“The universe is run by such.”
Weakly scoffing, I shook my head, slumped over and defeated. Slowly, I rose from my chair. Setting my glass down, I smoothed my jacket, silently making my way towards the door.
Now, I’ve got to figure out how to betray someone who trusts me. Who saved my life. Who’s never done me wrong.
“There’s one more thing, commander.”
Miserable, I turned toward Gideon. “What the hell is it?”
A gleam of his old smugness flashed in his eyes. “The device. Our technicians analyzed both it and the schematics you delivered.”
I shrugged. Why wouldn’t they? “Yeah, and- ?”
“And it would never have worked- and Lysenko knew it. Their leadership was attempting to sell both us and the Federation the most expensive paperweight in the bubble. Once the credits were transferred, they had planned on absconding to Alliance space to repeat the scam, counting on both governments to keep the news that they fell for their scheme a secret.”
I nodded, not really caring, but glad that so much about the job was finally making sense. “Hence the cooperation with the Feds?”
Gideon nodded. “Hence the cooperation with the Feds. Even rivals can temporarily unite to stamp out a sniveling little den of weasels.”
That's your idea of the greater good? More efficient killing? It wasn’t all that long ago that even Lysenko was a beacon of hope and benevolence.
The smug look in Gideon's eye told me everything.
But that ain't what the Inquisition is about, is it?
Nova turned to me, rising from a nearby bench, eyes curious. “So?”
So, I have to choose between hurting you and lying to you.
Looking into her bright eyes, I knew it was the right choice. “So- that’s it. Job’s done.”
My partner's eyes narrowed. "Gideon kicked me out of the room so that you boys could chat in private. I know you two were discussing something juicy. Spill."
I grimaced and shook my head. "I'm really sorry, darlin', but I can't. Not on this one. Not with the Inquisition watching over my shoulder."
Nova exhaled in frustration. "You know- for being done with that gig, they sure have an awful lot of leverage on you."
Glancing back to Gideon's office, I shook my head. "I'm startin' to think there ain't no such thing as being 'done'. Not with Gideon. Not with the Chapterhouse."
Nova pursed her lips, understanding. She looked down at her feet, and then back up at me. “Seems like a lot’s happened since that first time at sushi, doesn’t it?”
I took her hand, wrapping it around my arm as we started back toward the docking hangars. “That it has, darlin’.” I looked up at the magnificent vaulted ceilings, smiling in recollection. “It was supposed to be a nice, easy salvage job, but instead we got-“
My partner’s eyes flashed. “Goddamn backstabbed!”
I smiled. “And ambushed.”
She replied: “And stranded.”
My turn. “And in a firefight.”
“And had to hide out in a nightclub!”
“And almost kidnapped!”
“And bored to death on the way to Hutton!”
“And then plain weirded out, watching geriatric lovers catch up.”
“And then winged up with a Federation hunter!”
“And torn up with shrapnel.”
“And bribing a Lysenko crew to fix the Bluebird!”
“And finally…”
Nova smiled, leaning against my shoulder. “Back here. I don’t think I’ll be forgetting this job for a long, long time.”
We stepped into the turbolift, laughing and joking all the way to the hangars about close calls, the unorthodox medic, the Supernova- we took the long, on-foot way to get there, but Nova didn't seem to mind. Finally, we stepped into Nova's hangar row, a seemingly endless corridor of doors leading to countless docking bays. I felt my pulse quicken, and an empty feeling spread inside me.
We ain’t got long before it’s time to say goodbye. I looked down at the young, spunky, blue-haired partner whose life had briefly touched mine.
Damn. I’m really gonna miss her. Ain't that some shit.
She must have thinking something similar, because she had been staring straight ahead, jovial speech halted, a melancholy look on her face.
Nova squeezed my arm and gestured towards the nearest hanger door. “This is me,” she said quietly.
I nodded, feeling her fingers intertwine in mine. “Yeah. I know.”
She frowned and looked down at her feet. Then, she looked up, concern in her eye. “Matt, before I go- there’s something I need to know.”
I gulped, looking her straight in her eyes and nodding. Never a good thing to hear from a woman.
Nova hesitated a moment, and took both my hands in hers. “What Gideon said- about the Lysenko civvies- was he telling the truth?”
Fuck. Anything but this, darlin’. Dump me, tell me you just want to be friends- anything but this.
“You mean, were we really hunting down the bad guys?”
She looked up me, imploring me with her eyes. “Yeah. It’s something I need to know. Something that still isn’t sitting right with me.”
I looked down at her, into her eyes- and put every ounce of the trust and bond we had formed into my answer:
“Yeah, darlin’. We were. Lysenko was good, but the Inquisition was better. We got ‘em.”
I tried to smile, but inside, I was wrecked. So this is what hating yourself feels like.
For her part Nova let out a ragged breath, looked down, and then back up at me, a tear forming in her eye. She smiled, a look of relief and letting go and catharsis all rolled into one.
“Thanks. I know that Gideon told us both, but-“ She smiled even wider, a great burden gone- “But I had to hear it from you. You’re just-“
She shook her head and looked around, failing to find the words. “- Thanks."
Nova stepped closer, and pulled me to her for one last, luxurious kiss. Our tongues touched, lingered, and then she pulled back. “And I won’t forget it.”
I smiled, emotions raging inside me. “I won’t ever forget you, darlin’. Or our time together.”
My partner- former partner?- friend? Would-be lover?- smiled back up at me and started toward her ship, jacket slung over her shoulder.
“Don’t you be gettin’ soft on me.”
I forced a smile and called after her. “Watch out for them big payin’ missions, now!”
Nova turned back to me as she walked towards the Bluebird, flashing me one last smile, her blue hair perfectly framing her youthful face. I smiled in return and gave her a mock salute, burning sensations of guilt already tearing through my chest.
Though the stasis drugs were long purged from my system, the memory of that conversation with Rax came to the forefront of my mind. It had been his words of guidance that had finally allowed me to accept the fact that I was what I was: a bounty hunter. His off-the-cuff advice had become my mantra, my moral justification every time I squeezed the trigger on a man or woman living on the wrong side of the law:
“Don’t think about ones you kill. Think about the ones you save.”
Well…
Isn't that what I’m doing? Saving Nova from a lifetime of guilt and self-hatred?
She smiled even wider at my salute and winked with her natural eye as she ascended the Bluebird’s boarding ramp. Her happiness almost broke my heart.
Well, what’s the matter, cowboy? Isn’t that your go-to rationale? The grand lie you tell yourself- that you’re protecting the innocent?
I bitterly shook my head as I watched the ramp close behind her. If I could live with reaping to safeguard the lives of strangers, then I could lie to protect a partner’s peace of mind, right?
What was it that Rax had added?
“Others have to search a little while for their calling. But when they find it, they know it...”
I was a natural reaper. That much had been obvious. Betraying a partner didn’t sit right with me. But I was good at that, too. As the Bluebird’s thrusters roared to life, the final truth of Rax’s words finally hit home:
“... and liking it ain’t always part of the deal.”
