Outlaws (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 2)

Chapter 26

Gottlieb sat in his seat, at his office. He looked up at Morticia, the High Monarch who he'd just had the pleasure of meeting, pacing slightly, examining his office. He had his hands on the desk, his fingers laced together, tapping his fingers slightly. As he sat in awkward silence, Morticia seemed to break it out of nowhere. "Are you surprised, Director?" Gottlieb looked up, confused. "I'm sorry?" Morticia looked at him with a razor-sharp stare. "Are you surprised that I am a woman?" Gottlieb sat there, frozen, not sure how to answer, or if he should answer at all. Once again, without waiting for a response, Morticia spoke. "My identity was kept a secret from everyone on the Council. For my own protection. But it is surprising. Most men like you never expect to see a woman in a position of power higher than their own." Gottlieb opened his mouth to protest, and then quickly closed it again, wisely deciding not to. Morticia stood in front of the desk, and looked at Gottlieb. "You currently have two AU Protocols missing, two enemies of the Federation loose, and your Project EO is currently MIA. I'd say things aren't working in your favour, Director. You've caused a great deal of trouble for the GDF." Gottlieb stood up. "I have made achievements as well, High Monarch! The Quantum Engine is fully functional and ready for use!" Morticia slowly turned around and glared at Gottlieb, making him instantly regret his words. "I did not come here to inspect the working qualities of a piece of machinery, Gottlieb. I came to inspect you. And as long as I am in command, you are nothing less than a piece of machinery. Is that clear?" Gottlieb nodded slowly, knowing full well where he stood in the views of the High Monarch. Morticia lowered her gaze, then walked out the office door. "Come with me, Director. I'm about to solve your problem for you."

The lift went through the different levels of the Independence Zero, flying down through the large ship.  The floor which Gottlieb had selected finally came up, and the door slid open with a hydraulic hiss. Morticia walked through first, flanked by her two guards, and Gottlieb followed close behind. They made it to a small door, labelled "Restricted to all below Level 8 clearance". Gottlieb pressed his hand against a small panel on the terminal next to the door, and it swung open, the isometric password system reading his palm. He let Morticia move through first, and he looked at the lab. This was where all of the data and files on Project EO were kept, as well as more cloning rigs. Project EO, or Enhanced Operator, had been the first in a series of proposed genetically created and modified super-soldiers, that would form the new GDF Militia. When EO was created, Gottlieb had been there for his birth, and watched as the accelerated aging process made him an adult in a mere few months. He was trained in every type of combat with every weapon known, making him the perfect soldier. He had been sent on several missions, from infiltration to assassination, until the day where he had been sent after the crew of the Renegade. Now, after the battle aboard the Avalon Zeta, he had gone AWOL. None of Gottlieb's technician's could explain why. This had forced Gottlieb to use his trump card. In Project EO's brain existed a small chip, which managed to control some of EO's inhibitions, and could produce pain to make him do what Gottlieb wished. Gottlieb now knew what Morticia intended to do. She went to one of the terminals, and saw the chip module that read: "Host: Lovecraft, Andress." When she had been captive on the Independence Zero, Gottlieb had placed one of these chips in her head. Now, Morticia wanted him to use it for his own means, and to get Project EO back. She stared at him. "Well Director? Get to work."

She rose off the floor of her room, the cold steel floor of the ship pressing against her skin. She could feel the Hurting beginning to fade away as she complied with what the Director said. "Good, Andress. Now, pick up your gun. Disable everyone aboard. Kill them if you have to, but I need them alive. Then, fly the ship home. The Hurting will stop then." She nodded to nothing, and then grabbed her rifle from the wall. She grabbed a clip of stun darts from her cache of ammo, and loaded and chambered a round. She stepped out of the room, and saw two people down below. They each had the same colour hair, but one was female, and one was male. Yet they looked almost exactly alike. She was puzzled by this, but soon dismissed it as she focused on her mission. She shot twice, reloading almost instantly, pushing the bolt back and forth, the gun spitting out the darts silently. Soon, the two of them collapsed next to the smaller ship in the cargo bay. She moved quietly across the catwalk, raising her scope and moving to the main cabin. The door then slid open, and she ducked behind a crate. She heard a voice. "I'm gonna go check on Andress, make sure she's ok." A man wearing armour belonging to the Resistance walked past the crate, not seeing her. She took a single dart and shot him in the neck, bringing him down. She hid his unconscious body behind the crate, and then kept moving to the cabin. She tapped twice on the door. Sure enough, a man with a long black coat opened the door and looked around, only to see her crouching on the ground. He looked confused. "Andress?" As she was about to fire, he seemed to move too quick, and knock the barrel sideways, causing the rifle to go off. He raised his leg to kick her in the temple, in an attempt to knock her out, but she caught his leg with her metal hand. She twisted it, and then stood up fast, her head knocking into his chin, making him fall backwards, giving her time to shoot him, making him unconscious. "What the hell?" She turned and saw a boy with brown hair and striking eyes and a large man in armour staring at her from the cabin. "Andress? What are you doing?" The boy said. She quickly drew her rifle and shot the man in armour, but found herself hesitating slightly before shooting the boy. With both of them unconscious, she pushed them out of the pilot's seat, and heard Gottlieb again. "Good, Andress. Now, come home."