Chapter 4 - The Best Laid Plans (1/2)
January the 10th, Year 2682 A.D.:
It was an unusually cold day for this time of the year, and it was very early for Jane to be awake in her chambers. Jane was seated on her bed, livid and worried. Jane was a 62-year old military veteran. She has a 14-year old boy and had lost her husband to the war. She held her post for more than 7 years and was one of the candidates who competed for the colonel position along with Balthazar.
The plan was made many days ago, but she received an encrypted message informing her that it would be held by mid-day today. ”Tomorrow early morning would have been the best time to attack. As I informed, there was a large-scale drill and games involving both the battalions on the moon tonight. As such, many personnel would be a bit tardy and tired after such an event and would be considered the best time for an attack,” she sent in reply
The response time would have not been that quick and she could have easily had some men to delay the targeting and attack systems in that chaos. She also intended to have her son sent somewhere safe today night. She couldn't understand their reason for the sudden change of plans. But the reply stunned her.
”Colonel Balthazar may leave to asklepian today evening and we need him to not provide any further hindrances to our agenda.”
”Was Balthazar really that important?” she thought. She only considered his assassination attempt to be something that was optional during the chaos of the attack. Little did she or Balthazar know that a couple of their previous plans were delayed by Balthazar unintentionally.
”Is his death necessary to the mission?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowed. She always considered him a bit of trouble but never enough to change their plans. She only decided to help them as she thought their influence in the military would be of help to her.
Ever since her husband died a year ago, she just wanted to get away from the front lines. She just wanted to avoid a scenario where her son would become an orphan. She was a classic case where ambition and fear resulted in loss of rational thinking. She had never thought that knights would take such a risk to kill Balthazar.
”Balthazar was a rising figure and was considered a very intelligent personality. The knights wouldn't prefer him in the opposition,” replied Max. Max needed both Balthazar and his twin sister dead to inherit his family and Jane also considered him an obstacle to her promotion. Max just wanted to get rid of him and make it appear as a war casualty.
So, once Max came to know from his father that Balthazar intended to meet him, he was very afraid that Balthazar would come back to the family and all his work to divert Balthazar from family business would be in vain. Since, Balthazar became famous in the military, his father considered Balthazar to be a very capable leader and he feared that his father would insist that Balthazar would return to the family and lead it. So, he couldn't have Balthazar talk to his father and was the main reason to prepone the attack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few miles away in a hotel room in a neighbouring city, two men were discussing the same issue. ”I agree with Jane. Even though she is the latest addition, she speaks more sense than Max. It is just ridiculous to even consider this. She has been of more use in this last year than he has ever been,” explained Dave to Rowley.
”I agree. I hardly like him. But the family heads insist on helping him. For some reason, they consider the Blyth family to be very important. They don't even consider the failure of the mission. I can't see what is so important about that family.”
”There is a high chance of failure of the mission in this case. If we fail this time, then the chances of taking over another time would be very hard. It is a waste of resources. If we want to have him killed, we could just send an assassin rather than all this deception,” said Dave confused.
”When I suggested the same to them, Elder John told that he would rather kill me than have him assassinated. The elders seem to be quite concerned about the Blyths. Ever since John Blyth died, we have no clue where Walt and his old man are? Under no circ.u.mstances, they would like to have the public think that another Blyth was assassinated.”
”Even Max doesn't know where Walt is? He is Walt's son!”
”No, he doesn't. The elders don't want us in the Blyths' purview.”
”Fine. We will do as they want,” said Dave reluctantly.
”You just make sure your man is successful in killing Balthazar. I will go and help to convince Jane,” said Raymond as he went out the room to meet Max in the adjoining suite.
Just as he opened the door, he saw Max ending the call with Jane.
”Is she convinced?” asked Raymond.
”Yes. She was a bit uncertain and wanted to use the best possible time like Dave. But I managed to make her agree.”
”Even I was against the change. But I am just following orders.”
”You don't need to worry much. We made sure that an entire quadrant is invisible. The surprise is enough to take care of the base. The main concern was always my nephew,” said Max as he checked a message he just received.
”I just got the confirmation from Jane that Bel did apply for leave from tomorrow. It is best we handle him as soon as possible. Any more delay would be detrimental to the plan. Contact you brother and tell him to depart. Lie to the apes that the glitch would most probably be patched after tomorrow's drills. It is best that we don't delay any more.”
”He knows what to do. He is already on the way,” replied Rowley.
”Keep in mind, if under any circ.u.mstance, your brother, Jane or any of our men there come under doubt. They are to be killed. Can't have any loose ends.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
600000km away from PK-170-B:
There was a merchant ship, the cargo hold ripped off, full of scorch marks and holes. There were a lot of bodies in the passenger cabins, men, women and children all died of asphyxiation. There were four men in the c.o.c.kpit, two arguing with one another and the rest watching the show.
”You told us that we would be driving into the base after the event. Now, you just want to have it done during the event. We might even be fired upon if we go into the base during the event. I am not willing to risk my crew and myself any more than necessary,” shouted a man. He was black with a crew cut, 7 feet tall and had a sturdy build.
The merchant he was speaking to was livid with fury. ”Damn these greedy thugs to hell!” he thought.
”I am paying them more than 10 million credits and supplied the ship, weapons and consumables. Now, they are arguing and threatening to delay just because we preponed the flight. It is not like there will be much difference in the plan. They are just trying squeeze more credits off me.”
”Captain Ode!” he said raising his voice. ”Delaying the flight could cause the entire plan to be scrubbed. If the target gets away, there would hardly be any point in the entire mission. Then neither of us would be paid. And we would also be hunted down by my employer in that case.”
”I don't care. I am more concerned about the military being on our backs than your employer. We are putting ourselves at a high risk and what you are paying us isn't worth the risk,” he replied.