Critical Path

Charlie didn’t expect any favors from Aimee after killing her champion, but she was clearly here for something. He’d grasp any opportunity that meant getting out of Augustus’ clutches and escaping this damned prison.

“You’re a dangerous man, Charlie Jackson. Augustus was right to call you a doom bringer.”

Aimee glanced around the quiet courtyard and stepped inside the cell—close enough for Charlie to attack. The croatoan guard remained out of striking distance, its weapon trained.

“I’m surprised Augustus allows visitors,” Charlie said.

The two aliens started to have a ticking conversation. Aimee knelt opposite him. “Augustus doesn’t know I’m here. He’s been summoned to chamber and will be tied up all morning. Unity holds its weekly committee meetings today. It’s his first one since he decided to live here permanently.”

“Why are you here?”

“Because of you, the wheels have been set in motion to destroy our planet. Did you think about the consequences when you brought down those ships?”

“Earth was being destroyed. We would have all died in the terraforming, if the croatoans didn’t kill us first. I’d say my group saved it.”

Aimee bitterly laughed. “You’re so naïve. Do you think the Croatoan Empire consisted of those two ships and the farms? They won’t let anyone get away with bringing down a colony and a terraform ship.”

He’d considered the scale of consequences, but speculation took second priority. Focus had been channeled into stamping out the immediate danger of the localized aliens and terraforming process.

“How do you know what they’ll do about it? If they destroy the planet, they’ll be destroying thousands of aliens who are still here,” Charlie said.

“We recovered Hagellan from the first escape pod. He’s just told me what to expect after recovering his galactic tracker.”

Charlie shrugged. “Hagellan? Who the fuck is that, and why should I care?”

“Hagellan ran the Earth program—he was the head of the croatoan council for this planet. There’s a precedent for when things like this happen. All croatoans involved in the operation are seen as guilty as the planet’s inhabitants. The Grand Council does not tolerate failure. They will send a planet destroyer to obliterate Earth. We’re not the first species that they’ve done this to.”

Her nonchalant delivery of the news confused Charlie. Aimee didn’t betray a flicker of emotion and waited for him to respond. “Are you serious?”

“They will smash us into a billion pieces.”

“Why are you telling me? Even if this is real—how the hell do I know you’re telling the truth? It’s not like you’ve done much to earn my trust since you took me from the escape pod. If it’s such a big deal, why can’t Hagellan do anything about it? He’s the head alien, ain’t he?”

“It is real, whether you want to believe or not. But are you willing to take the risk that I’m lying? Hagellan knows a way to stop it. Croatoan ships get to Earth by using a transport gate on a colonized planet in a neighboring galaxy. It’s not croatoan technology. If we destroy the gate, their ships won’t have the range to reach us. We need your help—and expertise.”

“What the hell do you expect me to do about it?”

“We require another bomb like the one you used to destroy the gate,” Aimee said. She leaned closer and touched Charlie’s shoulder. “We can do this, together. But I must warn you. This is a one-way mission. Once the gate is destroyed, there is no way to come back.”

“You want me to take a bomb? How do you propose getting to the gate? We don’t have the means to fly, never mind reach another galaxy.”

“Hagellan has a team of engineers working on an old grounded invasion craft. Their plan is to salvage parts from other downed ships. He thinks some of the internal infrastructure might still be intact. Once they have it working, the craft will fly to the transport area and signal the gate, ready to jump across space.”

“Why can’t one of them take a bomb if I decide to help?”

“This is your payment. The price of freedom. The planet has a similar atmosphere, and you can live out your life in peace.”

Charlie frowned. “You said the croatoans colonized it. What’s to stop them destroying that planet?”

“I don’t know those details. Only that we will be safe. You can discuss it with Hagellan when you meet him.”

“Why can’t his engineers make a bomb?”

Aimee sighed. “You smashed their local capability. Hagellan doesn’t think they can reproduce the kind of power you created. He only has vehicle engineers and those that stayed back in Unity—they just don’t have the expertise. Those that did were killed during the crash of the two ships.”