The Commander Read online

  Carrie started on the moon shortly after Annie had arrived and the two girls became fast friends. Annie was tickled by Carrie’s rapid rise in the hierarchy following her celebrity status from the space station disaster. Nowadays she worked in Amanda’s PR department and was often engaged in negotiations with heads of state.

  “What are you here for?” Annie asked.

  “The Chinese.”

  Annie gave her a look of mock horror. “How’s that going?”

  “About what you’d expect.”

  They giggled and gave each other a hug. Of course, it was not a joking matter. Luke had wiped out a big chunk of the Chinese navy and then destroyed the Great Hall of the People in the middle of Beijing. There was no justification from the Chinese viewpoint.

  “China will do its best to destroy the alliance,” Annie predicted. “Tell them we’re trying to populate other star systems with people from Earth, including China. If they don’t join us and the Bakkui hit Earth, their race will be wiped out.” Annie shuddered involuntarily.

  “I know,” Carrie agreed. “Sometimes it just comes over me. I can’t imagine how the commander does it.”

  Tears suddenly flowed down Annie’s cheeks.

  Carrie was apologetic. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “It’s okay,” Annie sniffled. “I’m just miserable about everything these days. I feel guilty for leaving him but I’m too afraid to go back. I can’t tell you why but it would put him in danger.”

  “Don’t tell me,” Carrie said. “I’m not asking. Whatever it is, I hope it gets resolved. He really needs you. Sorry. That probably doesn’t help.”

  It didn’t. But having Carrie suddenly appear was the right medicine. Annie dragged Carrie into her room and they decided to empty the room’s mini-bar. They drank and talked about what was going on at the moon. Carrie had a knack for embellishing other people’s embarrassing stories and Annie laughed more than she could remember in a long time.

  Before they called it a night, on a more serious note Carrie bragged about the upcoming colony ship. “The Marco Polo launches day after tomorrow. That will be number three. You should go. Everyone would love to see you. Maybe you could move to the Gateway. There must be twenty thousand people living there by now.”

  “I probably should,” Annie said. “Any more of that Jack Daniels?”

  Nothing else was said about the Gateway or the upcoming colony launch. Once the mini-bar was empty, Carrie tottered to her own suite to prepare for another round of negotiations with the unhappy Chinese.

  # # #

  Thanks to Annie’s implant, hangovers were a thing of the past. On the downside, she had no excuse not to show up for work. By seven she was up and dressed and stopped in the hotel restaurant for coffee and a blueberry muffin. Normally she would catch something at the diner. But today she was only going in to say a final goodbye.

  “What do you mean permanently?” Rosanne asked when given the news.

  “Just that,” Annie replied. She nodded toward the parking lot. Another van was pulling up to join the other two broadcasters. “I can’t live like this and I won’t ask you to.”

  “This is a phase, honey. Another few days and it’ll be Annie who? No sense in doing anything drastic.”

  There was wisdom behind the advice; most things did blow over. Annie’s notoriety for being the commander’s ex would soon be replaced by a new scandal or the next tragedy. But only until the moon made headlines once again. Scandals had a way of resurfacing at the wrong time and Annie wanted to sink into permanent oblivion. That wouldn’t happen on the moon and certainly not on Earth where an intrusive photo was worth a fortune to the paparazzi. She had already seen her picture on a few scandal rag covers.

  “Don’t tell anyone, Rosanne. That’s all I ask. When I can, I’ll drop you a line.”

  “I promise. But tell me where you’re going. I’ve known you since you were born. I can’t let you go without even knowing where you are.”

  It was a fair question. Annie could not remember a day when Roseanne had not been part of her life. She had been best friends with Grandma Shelly and the two women had thrown more than one birthday party for little Annie.

  Annie glanced at the TV mounted to the wall at the end of the counter. The CNN backdrop was a photo of the Marco Polo, the third colony ship. It would launch in the morning. Rosanne followed her gaze and gasped.

  “On that? I thought that was going to another planet or something.”

  Annie nodded. “A long way away, that’s for sure. No one will know me and I can start a new life. More important, it’s the only thing I can think of that will keep Luke safe.”

  “Baby, you’re gonna regret this. You should never make big changes because of a breakup. But I know you won’t listen. Give me a hug.”

  A few tears leaked out during the mutual assurances of affection, and Annie finally escaped. She had one more good-bye to make at the airport terminal building. After saying farewell to Linda, Annie walked onto the flight line.

  Thankfully, Duffy was still there. Annie had noticed her on the way to the hotel the night before. Carrie had confirmed that she had flown down on the little shuttle.

  “Open up, Duffy.”

  “Good morning, Miss Daniels,” the shuttle greeted her.

  “Duffy. I need you to take me to the Gateway, but you have to keep it a secret. Can you do that?”

  “A secret from whom, Miss Daniels?”

  “From everyone, especially George and Luke.”

  “I can make an unreported trip, but if queried about my location I have to respond. That function is hardwired.”

  “That’s fine. We’ll take our chances. Take me to the Isaac Newton Gateway, please. When you drop me off, you can come straight back here.”

  “Course set,” the shuttle whispered conspiratorially.

  The Marco Polo was the third colony expedition to the stars. In the morning, to great fanfare, its amazing gravity drives would take it out of the solar system and journey at unimaginable speeds to a star thousands of light-years away.

  On a new planet in the remote system, the colonists would create a world where their descendants would live in a different kind of society. The reality was made possible by the Nobility’s gift of replicators. The colony ship’s equipment list included hundreds of them and included the ability to create new ones. The Marco Polo AI contained all of that knowledge. As the colony grew, the AI would generate offspring in the form of dozens of specialized versions. The technology would ensure the fledgling colony survived and prospered. It meant hunger and deprivation wouldn't exist. Even the concept of money would be unknown in their civilization and Annie would be part of the new world.

  The night before, after Carrie went back to her room, Annie lay awake considering the idea. She had thought about it for weeks. She was not going back to the moon; not with George aware her every move, waiting for a mistake that could kill the only man she loved. Just as she could not stay on Earth as a reminder to the world that the commander’s woman had run away. But if she was actually gone, if she wasn’t even in the solar system, the threat to Luke would vanish, as would her distracting presence. Out of sight, out of mind. It was the only solution.

  During the quick flight to Gateway, Annie dug through the equipment locker and found one of the personal force fields that all shuttles maintained. She activated it and strapped it to her belt.

  Duffy set down on Gateway’s east landing pad, far away from the bustling activity around the Marco Polo.

  “Arriving at destination,” the shuttle said.

  “Thanks, Duffy. I’ve enjoyed knowing you. It probably doesn’t mean anything to your programming modules, but I wanted you to know. Return to Baggs now. And don’t tell anyone about our trip.”

  “Command accepted, Miss Daniels.”

  # # #

  The Gateway was bursting with activity. Annie likened it to a three-ring circus inside a busy international airport. People from th
e moon and visitors from Earth rushed busily to and fro. A few of them recognized her but they only waved hello. As the commander’s other half she was known to be a hardworking part of his team. Shuttling VIPs to and from Earth, especially before a launch, was not uncommon. Still, she was not in the mood to be recognized; a few precautions were in order.

  She made her way down to the tenth level. Part of level ten belonged to NASA, Luke’s compensation for the loss of their original International Space Station. NASA was free to use the space as they wished. He also gave them unlimited access to a Sadie-sized shuttle named Armstrong. Armstrong had specific instructions; travel was only authorized to and from Houston. The other restriction was that NASA personnel could bring anything they wanted to the Gateway, but could not take anything back. Luke would not take a chance on letting the technology genie out of the bag.

  The result was a large contingent of scientists on the Gateway. One problem NASA discovered was that many of their employees became converts to the new lifestyle and never returned to Earth. It was a sticking point, but manageable. Most of the deserters became permanent Gateway residents and continued their research on NASA projects.

  It had taken Annie a while to understand the genius behind Luke’s generosity. Each NASA defection served as a high-level advertisement of the new society he had created. It wasn’t just that money worries didn’t exist. On the Gateway, just as it was at Moonbase, people’s creativity was set free.

  When the entirety of the material world was at one’s fingertips, wealth became unimportant. The highest achievement became self-respect. What could one produce that others would admire? Artists and artisans flourished. Item of rare beauty and insightful gadgets filled the shelves of hundreds of small shops on level ten. And everything was free.

  No one wanted money in exchange for their industry because it had no value. The highest price anyone could receive was heartfelt appreciation. To be recognized for self-worth was the new pinnacle of human ambition.

  At the moment, however, Annie didn’t want to be recognized. On level ten she had anonymity. Here she could blend inconspicuously along the Smiling Mile, a wide corridor filled with boutiques, art galleries, and beauty salons.

  The mall had become something of a pilgrimage for every female VIP from Earth. Makeovers were free, as were the latest fashion designs from the Gateway’s haute couture. It was a loophole in the rules, if you could wear it out of the shop, you could wear it back to Earth.

  Off the main corridor, in one of the lesser-known salons, Annie got a makeover of her own. The beauty attendant didn’t recognize Annie when she walked in, and no one would recognize her after she walked out. Gone was the blonde ponytail. In its place, Annie now sported a close-cropped hairdo in bright red. From another shop, she added a pair of plastic-rimmed glasses and sensible work clothes of the sort favored by colonists.

  Annie found a serviceable backpack and loaded it with comfortable clothes and her favorite toiletries. None of the items were strictly necessary. The replicators in everyone’s quarters had the same menus. But colonists always carried backpacks. They were filled with bits of memorabilia that people clung to when setting off on a one-way journey. And of course, to the wearer, it was also a badge of honor, marking them as one of the brave explorers about to board a colony ship.

  Dressed appropriately, Annie made her way back to the upper level where the Marco Polo was being loaded.

  A steady stream of workers and colonists scurried in and out of the transport. The ship itself was the standard half sphere, the flat base resting on the surface. Inside was enough living space for the colonists and every piece of equipment they could ever need. When the ship reached its destination, it would land on the planet and become the new community’s town center.

  The concept had been proven on Mars. As a community, the new Martians believed their home was the best in the universe. Annie hoped she would feel the same about the Marco Polo’s destination.

  Near the wide doors that led to the launching area, several families were gathering bags and backpacks. Annie fell in behind and followed them onto the ship. No one questioned her presence.

  Inside the Marco Polo, Annie found the inevitable food court on the first residential level. She ordered a skinny mocha from the replicator bank and made herself comfortable at one of the tables. It was time to have a heart-to-heart chat with the AI.

  Good afternoon, Marco Polo. Do you know who I am?

  Of course, Miss Daniels. Welcome aboard. Please call me Marco.

  Thank you, Marco. I am going to give you an order. I do not want you to question it.

  Now came the tricky part. Was everything George said about authorization true? It always worked with shuttles and other AIs, but would the colony ship obey her unconditionally?

  Very well. How can I help you?

  Annie mentally crossed her fingers.

  I want you to add the name Theodora Smith to your crew manifest. I will be that colonist. Do not tell anyone about this. Not the captain, and especially not Luke or George. I want you to act like Annie Daniels was never here.

  Marco hesitated. I perceive that you are running away. Are you sure you will not regret your course of action?

  Uh oh. This could be a problem. Carry out my command, Marco.

  Command completed. Do you require quarters?

  Whew! In this case at least, George hadn’t lied.

  Yes. I want to stay incognito so modest accommodations would be best.

  Very well, Theodora. I have assigned you to Room 19E-52. No roommates, but your neighbors on either side are single females.

  Annie decided Marco might become her new best friend.

  Thank you, Marco.

  You will need an appropriate background. In what area would you like to work?

  Hmmm. Annie hadn’t thought that far ahead.

  For thirty minutes she sipped on her coffee and discussed how best to fit in. She decided to join the cleaning crew. No one noticed housekeeping staff and after all, for the past month that’s pretty much what she had been doing at Rosanne’s.

  With her cover story decided, Annie went to her assigned room. It was big enough for a family of four. The ship’s design allocated nine hundred square feet of living space for each colonist. It was bigger than her apartment on Earth and close to the same size apartment she shared with Luke on the moon.

  Although it was for a single crewmember, the apartment had two bedrooms. The kitchen and bath were modern and the living room tastefully furnished. Annie wondered who had equipped all the rooms. It brought back memories of her work on the moon. For the first two months, it had just been her and Luke. She had worked like a Trojan getting the lunar apartments ready for the early recruits. Her world had come full circle.

  Day 432—Population 55,005

  Luke had come to hate the chair he was sitting in. Every day he felt his grip on sanity slipping away. Keeping a smile plastered on his face during the meet-and-greet sessions for a colony launch wasn’t helping. He rubbed his face and examined the third colony ship they were about to launch. Someone at the lectern was saying this particular ship had over five hundred design improvements. Luke leaned over to Amanda and whispered harshly, “Where is she then?”

  “Shush, Luke,” Amanda replied. “Keep your voice down. She wasn’t in the diner. That’s all I know.”

  “Did you ask Rosanne, for God’s sake?”

  “Yes. I asked if Annie was in and the old woman said no. Now please shut up; people are staring.”

  Luke looked over the crowd while his frustration boiled. He leaned over again. “You said we wouldn’t do any more of these. You said people would get bored. Why are they still here?”

  “Hush, please! I said there would be a few more.”

  “How many?”

  “Luke! Shut. Up.”

  The person at the podium turned and looked at Luke and Amanda, his expression a bit concerned from the bickering going on behind him. Luke had no idea who he was
. The man smiled and gestured to Luke to come forward. “Mesdames et Messieurs, s'il vous plaît accueillir le Commandant Luc Blackburn!” He stepped aside to give Luke access to the microphone.

  Luke looked at Amanda. “Goddammit! You said!”

  Amanda gave him a you asked for it glare in return. “Don’t keep the secretary general waiting.” She shoved him hard and he leapt to his feet to keep from falling on his butt in front of the assembled dignitaries.

  He gave her one last dirty look and then turned to the crowd and forced a smile. After his remarks, he got a standing ovation but had no idea what he had said; only that he mumbled something from one of Annie’s old talking points.

  When his remarks were over Amanda appeared at his elbow and pulled him aside so the colony ship’s captain could give the closing comments. Moments later, like the two before it, the massive ship lifted off and soon disappeared.

  “I can’t stand this,” Luke said. “I’m going crazy. Don’t schedule me for any more of these; I mean it.”

  Amanda examined Luke carefully, a worried expression on her face. “I won’t,” she agreed. “Luke, I’m really worried about you. You’ve got to get over this. She’ll come back or she won’t, but you have to pull yourself together. It’s starting to worry all of us.”

  “This is just ridiculous,” he said. “I’m going down to the surface now and get her. I’ll tie her up if I have to.”

  He got unsteadily to his feet and wobbled toward the shuttle parking area. Roth scooted over from his seat, a few chairs down. “I think you should go with him. We shouldn’t let him be alone for a while. At least not in public.”

  “Okay,” Amanda said. “But shouldn’t you be the one to go? You’re his buddy.”

  “Probably. But there’s a snowball’s chance that I will.”

  “Thanks a lot, Roth,” Amanda said acerbically as she hurried after her commander. She caught up to him as he was climbing into his shuttle and sat next to him in the co-pilot’s seat.