The Crucible- The Complete Series

by Odette C. Bell

  She pressed her hands together, half closed her eyes, and took a calming breath. “You can't see clearly now. That's fine. You will eventually. But the fact remains, Nathan, you won't be able to do anything back there but sacrifice your life. When the reality is we need it. We'll need men like you to fight for our future.”

  “Stop saying that,” I roared. “You want to fight for your future, turn the ship around and head to the last stand. We don't throw everything we can at the Forgotten, there won't be a future.”

  She didn't react to my passion. Instead she kept her hands firmly clasped in front of herself. “Look me in the eye, Nathan Shepherd, and tell me you honestly think you – one man – can make a difference.”

  There was something about the way she was staring at me. Something about her words. They stilled my heart.

  And I hated to admit it, I knew my expression wavered.

  She saw, rose, and took several steps closer to the shield until she was standing right on the other side.

  The shield was unidirectional. Though it would be lethal if I were to touch it, she could brush a hand against the flickering wall of energy and come away without so much as a burn.

  And that's exactly what she did. She reached a hand up and placed it on the force field, blue light reflecting and playing up over her bare arm, neck, and across the side of her cheek. “I'm doing this for you. You will understand eventually. The future needs you more than the present.”

  I shook my head and took a jerked step back.

  There’d be no getting through to her, would there?

  She was mad.

  Maybe she knew what I was thinking, because she shook her head softly. “You need people like me at times like this.”

  “What?” I hissed through my teeth.

  “People who think of what will happen next. Because people like you incorrectly believe that victories at any cost are worth it. If we come out of the Forgotten war alive only for the Star Forces to take control, it will not be worth it. We are being provided with a unique opportunity. And unless we take it, there is no point in riding this war out to see the future. Because it won't be a future worth living.”

  “How dare you say that. I don't care if you believe it, you don't get to say it for everybody. There are countless lifeforms in this galaxy, and you,” I took another sharp step up to the force field, jutting my chin close, letting my eyes draw wide, “Lady Argoza, do not speak for everyone.”

  I watched her expression twitch.

  It was the first time I'd gotten through to her.

  “You are a representative on the Senate, you're a member of the Elogian Factions, but you do not get to speak for every lifeform in this galaxy,” I repeated, spitting through every word, drawing a harsh breath through my teeth.

  Her expression twitched again. She even teetered back on her feet.

  But her indecision didn't last. She brought up another hand and pressed it against the force field then leaned in until her face was practically pushed against it. “At times like this, I do speak for the galaxy. For I am in a position of power. A position to help or hinder. And I choose to help.”

  “You're following your own goddamn ideology. You only want peace if it matches your desires. Guess what, Argoza,” I clenched my teeth together, “everybody else out there wants peace at any cost. They don't care if the Star Forces or the resistance are in control if the Forgotten are defeated, they only care if they live. Everything else can be decided later.”

  “You are naive, Nathan. The galaxy will be in a state of disarray once the Forgotten are defeated. Whoever claims control over the Milky Way will be in control forever.”

  “Forever?” I choked on the word. “You’re out of your mind. If anything, this will lead to civil war.”

  “It will only lead to a civil war if we cannot deal a decisive blow to the Star Forces.”

  I shook my head once more. Then again. Then again. “Just let me go,” I defaulted to saying. “There's no way I’m going to help you with this ridiculous war.”

  She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “You will. Eventually. When you calm down enough to see that I’m right.”

  “Calm down enough?”

  “You’re emotional from the loss of your father,” she pointed out coldly.

  It was like a stab to the heart. “Don't you dare talk about him.”

  She considered me. Then the cold expression that had washed over her face changed, and that by now familiar compassion washed back in.

  She was a woman of many faces. If I'd appreciated that fact before today, I would never have trusted her.

  Again she pressed as close to the shield as she could, her soft skin brushing against that wall of bright blue energy.

  In a way it was tempting to reach out a hand and try to touch her.

  In every other way, it wasn't.

  I had to get back to Alyssa. That thought rang and rang in my mind, getting louder and louder as if it would soon split through my eardrums and tear my brain in two.

  “Don't worry, Nathan, it will all work out in the end. In a year from now, we won't look back. We’ll have brought peace to the galaxy. We'll be heroes.”

  I took a step back. And for the first time in my life, I looked at her.

  Though I hated to agree with my father, he often pointed out that I was too trusting. I jumped into situations and went with my gut instinct. Sometimes that worked. It was the only reason I was with Alyssa, after all.

  Sometimes it didn't work.

  I couldn't help but think that my father would never have been drawn in by Lady Argoza.

  … My father.

  The looming monster who had once defined my entire personality.

  Now he was dead.

  I hadn't had time to process that fact.

  But right now it sank in. I didn't… want to feel sad for him. He didn't deserve compassion. But… but….

  She leaned back suddenly, head tilting to the side as she stared at me. “Don't think about it, Nathan. I'll keep you safe until the battle is over. Then you will see sense.”

  … She was never going to see reason, was she?

  As I looked at her, I watched her reactions, saw deeper to the character that lay beyond, and I realized there was no way I was gonna talk my way out of this situation.

  So I took one step back, then another, and I sat.

  I arranged my burnt hand on my lap, leaned back until my shoulders rested against the wall, and I closed my mouth.

  She pressed close to the shields again. “Nathan?”

  I settled my gaze on the floor.

  “Nathan?”

  I wouldn't answer her.

  She watched me for several seconds, then let out another terse disappointed breath. “I had hoped you'd see reason quicker than this. But I understand this journey will be a long and arduous one. Never fear, though. Together we will make it. Together we will craft a peace unlike any other.” With that, she took several steps back, her bare feet padding on the floor. She turned. Skirts flaring around her legs, she walked back to the command seat.

  I watched and waited.

  I would break free. Not just for myself, not just for my father, not just for Alyssa, but for everyone.

  …

  Alyssa Nightingale

  I could hear them now. Their song had been growing louder and louder in my mind since the Forgotten had begun their plunge towards me.

  But now… it was so loud it almost drowned out every other sound.

  They couldn't reach in and control me though. God, I felt their desperation to try, but I was holding them back.

  As much as I hated to admit it, the tips Axis had given me were working.

  I could be aware of the Forgotten without allowing them to take control of me.

  Technically I'd even be able to use this ability to locate them. If I could just block out the cacophony of their song, I'd be able to use it to find out where they were. And then….

  I brou
ght my hands up and stared at them. The choppy cold wind of the barren planet still span around me, slicing at my clothes and sending my hair fanning across my shoulder.

  For about the 20th time I tipped my head up and stared at the sky. When I didn't see any cruisers powering towards the planet, I let out a sigh, tugged up my hand, and checked my wristwatch once more.

  Nothing.

  Shepherd wasn't back.

  No word of him.

  We hadn't even heard word whether the pirate factions and Star Forces were going to join us.

  We were in a perilous situation. Without those extra ships….

  I shook my head.

  There was no point in going over those morbid conclusions over and over again.

  Instead I clenched my teeth, turned hard on my boot, and paced that valley once more.

  The end game device would not be able to be armed until the Forgotten were in range. Then it would require 20 minutes before it could be deployed. The fleet would hold them off for as long as they could, picking up as many ships as possible so I had a fighting chance.

  I needed to know every dip in this valley, every rock, every minute detail of the lay of the land.

  I knelt down on one knee and brushed a hand over a boulder, fingers picking up the tiny imperfections in the rough rock.

  Suddenly my comm PIP beeped.

  Jolting, not expecting the surprise, I cleared my throat. “Nightingale here.”

  “The Forgotten have entered the system. They will reach the armada in 20 minutes.”

  I sucked in a breath and trapped it in my chest.

  I lurched to my feet and jerked my head up to stare at the sky.

  No matter how far I narrowed my eyes I couldn't see a sign of that deadly wave.

  But I could feel it.

  The songs swelled in my mind as the end drew near.

  …

  Lieutenant Commander Nathan Shepherd

  I watched her.

  She was a relatively competent pilot, but she wasn't a tactician.

  From my position I could see the flight data displayed on the view screen.

  It was clear her plan was to chart a path through this system and into one of the nebulous gas clouds beyond. I imagine she thought there we’d be safe. That particular gas cloud was treacherous to travel through, and you had to be a damn good pilot to avoid all the plasma eddies and gravitational disruptions.

  I imagine she thought the Forgotten wouldn’t follow us inside.

  She'd be wrong.

  I could have voiced my concerns. I didn't.

  Instead I watched.

  Occasionally she tried to engage me in conversation.

  I would always stare at the floor.

  I was still burnt, but she’d sent a medical bot into my cell to heal me.

  Clearly she wasn't stupid enough to try herself.

  I'd never picked her as being this insane. Passionate, yes, desperate to do the right thing, maybe. But this was mad.

  Couldn't she see I wasn't going to change my mind? Couldn’t she see it was pure fancy to expect me to thank her for so-called saving my life?

  As I watched her, I gritted my teeth and tried not to think of Alyssa.

  If I was any judge, the battle would be at her doorstep.

  If I stopped Argoza, turned this ship around, set it to maximum beyond light speed, and shot back to Alyssa, it would still take at least 50 minutes to get to her.

  By that time, it could all be over.

  I clenched my hands into fists.

  I'd made her a promise. I’d stared into her eyes and told her I would be back to stand by her side.

  Maybe Argoza was right, and I was just one man, and it was idiocy to think I alone could make a difference, but that didn't matter.

  Maybe I couldn’t make a difference to the Forgotten or the fleet. But maybe I could make a difference to Alyssa. I could stand by her side when she needed it most.

  “We'll be safe in here.” Argoza turned on her seat to nod at me, her purple robes slipping around her throat and arms. “The Forgotten will not follow us into this gas cloud. And don't worry. I am a competent pilot. My people value piloting skills above all others. I will be able to chart a steady path to the future.”

  She kept repeating that, and every time she did, it made me more and more nauseous.

  I sliced my gaze off her and back onto the view screen.

  We were nearing the gas cloud. In a minute or two, we would punch through into the disrupted space beyond.

  Rather than twist around and concentrate on piloting the ship, she took the time to smile at me again.

  As such, she didn't see when three contacts burst out of the gas cloud.

  Suddenly, a high-pitched warning alarm echoed through the ship.

  Argoza jerked around in her seat, eyes growing wide as she locked them on the view screen.

  “Three contacts. Scanning database for matches. They are Forgotten jumpers,” the tactical computer said in its emotionless voice.

  “What?” Fear punched through Argoza's tone as she threw herself forward and flattened her hands onto the tactical console.

  “Three Forgotten jumpers are making contact. They will reach our vessel in 50 seconds.”

  “No. That's not possible,” Argoza protested.

  “Let me out of here,” I roared. “You're gonna need me on tactical. There's no way you can outrun those jumpers.”

  She twisted her head around, eyes wide, body locked with tension.

  “Let me out, Argoza!” I jumped to my feet and pressed as close to the force field as I could.

  “30 seconds until contact,” the tactical computer interrupted.

  “Argoza!” I screamed.

  She looked immobilized by fear.

  “20 seconds until contact.”

  “Argoza!”

  She jerked around, ignoring me, pressing as close to the console as she could, hands flying over it.

  She was trying to outrun them.

  Idiot.

  I brought my hands too close to the force field as a nauseous wave of anger and fright punched through me. Again a brutal crackle of energy snapped across the bare skin on my hands, burning them further.

  I yanked back. “Argoza, let me out. There's no way you can outrun them.”

  “Contact,” the tactical computer said.

  Our ship lurched to the side.

  Argoza was thrown from her seat, hit the floor, and slid across it until she struck the far wall.

  “Tell the autopilot to start evasive maneuvers. Do it now!” I screamed as I stared at her prone body.

  She wasn't dead. She picked herself up.

  There was another lurch as our vessel was thrown to the side.

  I almost impacted the force field. I dug my foot hard into the floor and lurched backwards, changing my momentum and throwing myself at my seat. There I locked an arm around the metal base, twisted my head, and stared at her. “Let me out. We can't outrun them. We can't outrun them.”

  She picked herself up, her whole body convulsing in fear.

  Again our ship lurched to the side as we received another volley.

  “Let me out!” I bellowed. “Before it's too late.”

  Before it's too late.

  …

  Alyssa Nightingale

  I stood there.

  I felt it.

  I closed my eyes.

  The song burst into a cacophony.

  I jerked my eyes open.

  My comm PIP blared.

  “Our forces have engaged the Forgotten.”

  A chill feeling raced across my skin, prickling over my cheeks and down the back of my neck, making every fine hair stand on end.

  There was a sudden violent burst of wind that clambered over the rise and sailed into the valley. It slammed into me, buffeting my clothes and hair.

  I brought an arm up to protect my face, then brought one foot forward, then the other, then planted them firmly in the ground.

>   I activated my implants.

  I took another determined step forward.

  I took a breath. I sucked it deep into my chest, pressed my lips together, and trapped it.

  I felt the pressure push against my lungs, felt the heady sensation shove into my temples.

  Once more. Once more I tipped my head back and stared at the sky.

  I waited for him to arrive.

  Shepherd.

  Without him, I wouldn't be here.

  In many ways, this was his final battle and this would be his victory. Without him, we wouldn't have the Miracle or the endgame device. And I wouldn't have the confidence to do this.

  I brought my wrist device up and commanded it to play a continuous feed of the battle.

  According to our best computer models our armada in space would be able to hold off the Forgotten fleet for 20 minutes. Maybe more. It would depend if more forces came to our aid.

  We still hadn't received word from Shepherd.

  Which meant we only had three vessels up there. And though they were some of the strongest in the Star Forces fleet… it wouldn't be enough.

  As I kept my head tilted to the sky, the wind still pulling and tugging at my clothes and hair, I sent out a silent prayer.

  “Wherever you are, come back to me.”

  I tugged my head down and I waited.

  …

  Lieutenant Commander Nathan Shepherd

  Autopilot had engaged automatically, and just like the sophisticated boost drive in this vessel, it was extremely sophisticated.

  It managed to keep us just out of reach of those three Forgotten jumpers. But it wouldn't work forever. As soon as they got close enough to pierce our hull, it would all be over.

  Our ship was too small. Though we had reinforced force fields that could protect us from any minor hull breaches, a massive jumper piercing the ship would be too much.

  We’d depressurize and break apart.

  “You have to let me out of this cell. You have to let me out of the cell.” I was down on one hand and one knee, my other hand locked onto the edge of my seat so I wasn’t thrown against the force field every time our ship lurched to the side.

  Argoza was on the ground just before me.

  She was… terrified. I’d never seen anything like it. That stunning visage was cracked by fear. She looked like someone else entirely. Or maybe this was who she truly was when she took off her mask.