Graham Paul: The battle for Commitment planet

"Of course, by then she'll be begging to die, so having her shot is not much of a threat, but I mention it just so you have the full picture. I think I might even command the firing squad myself. It will be fun to watch the single most important person in your life die. Ah, revenge; it is such a sweet thing. And yes, talking of watching, I forgot. We'll have holocams film every minute of the last week of Lieutenant Cheung's life. I'll be sure to send you a copy. I think you'll enjoy it. I know I will. So there it is. Just so we're absolutely clear, our embassy on Scobie's World in three months or Anna dies a death you do not even want to think about. I'll be waiting for you, so be sure to ask for me.

"Oh, what the hell. As you know, I'm not an unreasonable man, Michael. I know it's going to be hard for you to get to Scobie's, so why don't we say October 1? I think that's only fair, don't you? But do not be late, d' you hear?

"Before I go, there is one last condition, so pay attention. Do not even think about telling anyone about this little arrangement of ours. Nobody. Because the minute we find out you've opened your big mouth-and we will-the deal's off and Lieutenant Cheung will be starting the party with my troopers early. You can trust me on that, Michael. Anyway, that's it from me. Looking forward to seeing you real soon. Bye, now."

Ferreira sat back in her chair, her face twisted into a mask of shock and anger. For a while she struggled to speak.

"Those Hammer bastards," she said at last. "You think they'd do that?"

"Hand the woman I love over to a bunch of psychopathic DocSec troopers for a gang-rape party followed by a firing squad?" Michael said, his face creased with pain. "Oh, yes, Jayla, oh, yes. I think they'd do that. I know the man in the holovid. Colonel Erwin Hartspring is exactly as you see him." Without knowing it, Michael ran his fingers across his cheek, where Hartspring's riding crop had slashed his face open all those months before. "I think he'd throw his own mother to those DocSec animals if it suited him."

"Sweetjeezus," Ferreira whispered. "So what… what happens next? What will you do?"

"What can I do?" Michael said. "Without the right orders, I can't even get off Nyleth, never mind get all the way to Scobie's. I'm screwed, Jayla, and because of me, Anna will die a death worse than your worst nightmares, a death so horrific you don't even want to think about it."

Ferreira nodded but said nothing. The silence dragged on for an age before she spoke again. "Tell you what, sir," she said when she climbed out of the armchair. "Leave the problem with me. I'll have a think about it. In the meantime, I'm exercising my authority as Redwood's medical officer to order you to take a day's bed rest. I'll have a medibot come and check you out, prescribe something that will at least allow you to get some sleep. I'll run the hot wash-up and have the report for you to look at when you're ready to deal with it. That okay?"

"Fine by me, Jayla," Michael said, his voice flattened into a monotone. "That's fine by me."

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow." Ferreira halted at the door and turned back to look at Michael. "Thanks for telling me, sir. I'm glad you did. Maybe we can find a way to sort this mess out."

"I hope so, Jayla," Michael said, his face a wooden mask. Unburdening himself to Ferreira had lifted his spirits, but not for long. The familiar feeling of sick dread had flooded back; he knew with a terrible certainty that Ferreira could do nothing to help him.

It was very simple. Either he found a way to hand himself over to Colonel Hartspring or Anna died.

And if Anna died, he might as well be dead, too. Friday, August 3, 2401, UD Offices of the Supreme Council for the Preservation of the Faith, City of McNair, Commitment Planet, Hammer of Kraa Worlds

Jeremiah Polk consigned the file to the trash and sat back. He allowed himself the luxury of a brief, wintry smile, buoyed by Colonel Hartspring's report.

"That's very good," he said to the man opposite. "It seems we are close to getting our hands on Michael Helfort." He paused to savor the prospect: Helfort, beaten, bruised, and bleeding, a man on his knees, cringing, hands outstretched, begging for forgiveness, pleading for his life… and then the moment of truth, a DocSec trooper's gun pressed hard into his temple, his eyes dulled as all hope vanished, the moment when Lieutenant Michael Wallace Helfort understood that he was about to die.

"Not long now," he added. "Not long now."

"No," Councillor de Mel said. "Not long now. The psychological profiling we have done on Helfort tells us that he will do anything to save Miss Cheung, though why anyone would throw his life away for a woman is beyond me."

"He's a Fed, that's why," Polk said with a sneer. "Bloody Feds! Cut away their arrogance and what do you find? Weakness, that's what. Which is why we are going to win this damn war, Councillor. The Feds are piss-weak, and we are not. I have to hand it to Colonel Hartspring, though. He's done well."

"I'll be sure to let him know, Chief Councillor."

"You do that. Doctrinal Security needs more officers like him. Smart, focused, creative, not afraid to get his hands dirty when he needs to. A man who listens to what his chief councillor wants… not like some." He stared at de Mel, forcing the man's eyes to turn away.

"Chief Councillor!" de Mel protested. "I never-"

"Spare me," Polk said. "I know what you think. I know what your staff thinks. I know you think it's absurd I even care about Helfort, but let me tell you this, Councillor. Helfort has his detractors, but to millions of Feds he's a hero. Can you imagine how they will feel when I bring the hero of Hell's Moons, the hero of Devastation Reef, back to face Hammer justice? And he will face justice; he will answer for the Hammers he killed after the breakout from I-2355"-anger had taken hold; Polk's voice had become a shout-"for the men he killed in the attack on Barkersville police station, for killing Kraa knows how many men while he destroyed Kraneveldt. We destroy the Feds when we destroy their gods, and Helfort is one of their gods."

Polk slumped back in his seat, the anger gone as fast as it had come. "But you know all that, Councillor."

"Yes, Chief Councillor," de Mel said feebly. "I do, and I agree with everything you say."

"Yes, I'm sure you do," Polk said. He did not much care whether de Mel agreed. Helfort was an itch he had the power to scratch, so scratch it he would. "Now, enough of that matter. What's next on the agenda?"

"The attack on Governor Bharat's compound."

"Kraa damn it," Polk muttered, the elation and excitement sparked by Helfort's imminent capture gone in an instant. Please, Kraa, he prayed, let me have one day without bad news, just one. He'd seen the holovids: A daring attack on the regional governor's elaborate private compound had left the governor and most of his staff dead and his prized compound a blazing pyre spewing a column of smoke into the sky, a triumphant beacon of defiance visible to millions of ordinary Hammers. "Let me guess. The NRA did it, they escaped, DocSec has nobody in custody, and the morons on the streets out there"-he jabbed a thumb at the window-"approve of what's happened. Am I right?"

"Yes, sir. I'm afraid you are. Support for the NRA and its political wing, the Nationalists, is up eight points. Governor Bharat was an unpopular man."

Polk snorted, openly derisive. "Bharat? Unpopular? Kraa, what a fucking understatement! The average Hammer hated the jerk. And are we surprised? No, we are not," Polk said. "Governor Bharat was brutal, greedy, and corrupt, and we both know it. He was also too stupid to know when to stop shoving his fat hands into the pockets of ordinary Hammers. Well, he's paid for it now. Saves me having the sleazebag shot."