Far Horizon (Juggernaut #4)

Nine

Tila rose early the next morning. None of the others were allowed into the briefing. Even Tila was nearly refused entry as a non-essential passenger on the mission, but Grace had persuaded the mission commander, Admiral Yannis, that Tila should be present. The more preparation more people had, the better it would be. She had satisfied his concerns about security, and so Tila was allowed to join.

This journey she had to make from memory. Information on the meeting rooms had been excised from the data pads.

Tila called the elevator and waited. A space station never sleeps. Although it was early in the day for her Skygarden was still busy. While Tila waited she heard footsteps approaching, alongside a familiar tapping sound of Mr Yoshihiro's cane.

"Miss Vasquez, good morning."

"Toma," said Tila.

"Your friends still call me Mr Yoshihiro."

"You asked us not to."

"Perhaps they still do as a sign of respect?"

"Perhaps you intimidate them."

Toma smiled to himself. "Some think me intimidating."

Toma was not alone this morning. He was flanked by two security guards who were already assessing Tila's threat potential. She recognised the look.

"You're not intimidating, Toma. You can't even walk without a cane." Tila looked the two huge security guards up and down. "These two are intimidating."

Toma shook his head at them. "She is no threat. At least not to me. She will be joining us this morning."

The guards relaxed, but only a little.

"Is there a problem?" said Tila. Toma put a finger to his lips instead of answering.

The elevator arrived. It was empty but one of the guards stepped inside. He looked closely at the controls, the doors and checked the ceiling and floor panels and swept every surface and component with a device in his hand.

Satisfied with the readings, he beckoned Toma and Tila forward. The second guard came in last and stood between them and the door.

He pressed the button. The door closed and they descended smoothly with no physical evidence of motion thanks to real-time adjustments made in the artificial gravity field of the elevator. Only the visual feedback provided by moving lights told them which way they were going.

"Now we can speak," said Toma. "We have increased security. There are signs the Cabal is trying to interfere with the mission directly. Possibly they have an agent on Skygarden."

"How could they do that? I thought Skygarden had the best security. I couldn't even go to the bathroom without my wristband."

"No system is perfect, so we must remain vigilant."

The elevator slowed for its next stop. The door opened to three people waiting for their ride. The guard planted himself in the doorway, shook his head and made his sidearm visible.

The doors closed again. They descended again.

"Is it going to interfere with the mission? Is it still going ahead?"

"The mission is unchanged, but I understand the Admiral is making some last minute changes, just in case."

"In case of what?"

"Surprises."

The elevator slowed, and the door opened. The guard again shook his head.

"Take the next one," he said.