Vincent Trigili - The Enemy of an Enemy

“What do you mean? We know where we comefrom, a planet near a G-class star …” I started. Then I realizedthat the planet had never been found, nor had I ever heard anythingbut the most general information on it. It was so ingrained intoour society that I had accepted it as true without ever thinkingabout it.

“I think you are starting to get it. By thelook on your face, you don’t like it very much,” he said.

My mind was reeling from the blow to thebasic beliefs I had grown up with. What could all this mean? Ineeded time to collect myself, so I took him down another road.“Doctor, assuming what you say is true, then why did the captaintell me you recommended me to him? I would think that if theywanted that buried they would have blocked his mind too.”

“Ah, now you see the trap that lies andcover-ups create. If they blocked his memory, then later he wouldnot have remembered my recommendation and would not have kept youon his staff. This of course allows the possibility of the captainasking me about it later, but in this case the imperfection of thememory blocks would help them. I think it’s safe to assume that youhave more memory blocks you haven’t yet found. In time, you willfind you still know things that you acquired during those memories,but you won’t know how you know them. For example, even though theyblocked my memory of recommending you to the captain, I know that Idid it. So if the captain asked me, they were betting I would justgo with it in order to avoid looking like a fool for notremembering.” He sat down behind his desk and leaned back. “Thequestion is, where does this all leave us? Well, from what I cantell, we have a lot more questions than answers, and you are ourbest hope for getting them. Like you, I know the answer is downthere on that planet. I can feel it calling me. If I could think ofa way to pull it off, I would be on that mission with you.”

I sat there quietly for a while just thinkingabout everything I had been told. I had never in my wildest dreamsever expected to have a conversation like this with a respectedofficer. On one hand, all my training and schooling was screamingat me that he was a traitor and it was my duty to kill him beforehe could tell more people what he told me, but on the other hand Iknew he was right. Something about all of this was calling me, anddragging me to that planet. I could not fight it. I had to followthis through and reach the planet.

He leaned forward in his chair and lockedeyes with me and said in a low tone, “Vydor, listen to me verycarefully. You must avoid Larath until you launch. If he discoversyou broke this memory block, it is his job to put it back.”

His tone implied so much more than his words.“That will not be easy. I am scheduled to meet with him at 0600tomorrow. He promised to teach me a defense against the Magi’s fearweapon.”

“You’re already able to beat that weapon.Just use the same thought shield you use when you drop intopuzzle-solving mode, without going into the mode. You will thenbecome completely immune to the Magi’s fear weapon and Larath’sempathic powers …”

“Wait a minute, Doctor, I never mentioned athought shield. How did you know that?” Just how much informationwas he withholding? As I pondered that he got that look on his faceagain. When he came out of it I said, “Let me guess, another memoryblock?” I paused as he nodded, then pushed on. “It seems our pastsare heavily intermingled and someone did everything they could toprevent us from knowing it.”

“It would appear so,” he said as he turnedand entered something in on the computer. “Either way, that thoughtshield is how you will block all the psychic powers. You areprobably wondering why I did not mention that in our briefings.That was because Larath was present at all of them. If he suspectsI have made progress on cracking my memory blocks — well, let’sjust say I would probably have an unexpected retirement party.”

“I really do not like casting Larath as anenemy,” I stated, but it was worse than that. It seemed like theenemy might be the Empire itself, but that could not be true!

“Nor do I, but really it is much worse thanthat. If both of us have had our pasts tampered with, what aboutthe rest of the senior staff? It would seem a given that if Iretired and came back as a different person they should haverecognized me.” He paused there, and then said, “One has to wonderhow deep this cover-up goes, or should I say, how high?”

“So where do we go from here? Obviously, Ihave to get to that planet, at any cost. I do not want to believethat this is how the Emperor wants it to be. I would rather believethere is some evil force operating inside the highest levels ofcommand which is orchestrating all this.” That was such a cop-out.I could see where all the evidence pointed, but I just could notbelieve the Emperor would betray his loyal servants like this.

“In any case, we can be assured that whoeveris behind this means to stay hidden at any cost. The first thing weneed to do is to arrange for you to be ordered off duty, to restand recover from your ordeal. Then we need you to leave a day earlyon your mission, in fact at 0500 hours tomorrow would be best,” hesaid.

“Assuming that could be done, that would tripsuspicions with my team since they are expecting me to make anannouncement at 1800 hours,” was my reply.

“Well that is simple; contact yourreplacement shortly before 0500 hours, saying that the mission wasmoved up, and that he has to take over as of 0515. It would not bethe first time a mission timeline was moved up. No one would bemuch surprised by that,” he stated.

“And how are we going to pull this off? Icannot just leave early; I am still waiting on a squad and shipassignment from Zalith,” I pointed out.

“I can handle that. Zalith and I have had avery good relationship ever since I saved his son’s life. I willsimply tell him that we have reason to believe that the mission hasbeen compromised and that we think the Magi know the missiontimeline. That way he will see the wisdom in stepping it up a dayso that you arrive long before they expect you. He may suspect heis not getting the whole truth, but he trusts me enough not to askquestions.” He turned back to his computer and a smile crept acrosshis face. “It seems that about ten years ago you had a faintingspell which was attributed to working too hard in school andneglecting your diet. They put you on medical leave for a fewdays.”

I looked over his shoulder and saw therecord. I knew that matched the memory I had just unblocked, butuntil that time I had had no recollection of it. “That settles it,we will go with your plan. And since I will be leaving on a stealthmission, I must conveniently turn in that faulty medical alertpatch.”

“Yes, and since it is faulty, there is noreason for me to keep it.” With that he tossed it in the trashdisposal that would quickly recycle it back to raw materials.

“There are many questions still to be asked,but I do not think we would get anywhere tonight. I must get backto my quarters and get some rest; it might be a while before I getanother chance,” I said. After exchanging well-wishes, I left andreturned to my quarters.

As soon as I entered my room, I noticed I hada message waiting from High Command. I went over and played it.

“Commander Vydor, this message is for youonly, direct from the officer of the Emperor. You are not clearedto share this with anyone except your strike team. These new orderssupersede all previous orders. You are not to attempt to contactthe Magi in any way. You will lead your team to steal one of theirplasma cannons and any information you can get with about the fearweapon you reported. Once you have that, you are to get off theplanet and it is to be destroyed. The captain will be told all heneeds to know when the time is right. When you return you willreport back all that you learned only to High Command. The Emperorsends his blessings for a successful mission.”