Triorion Omnibus

by L. J. Hachmeister

  As the pain subsided, Reht returned to the present with a hot lump in his throat. He closed his eyes, sealing off his memories. “Chakking... get it... over... with...”

  “You still see them, don’t you?” Shandin whispered in his ear as he touched the sharp instrument to the lower lid of his right eye, his voice as cold as ice. “Your parents, lying there, dead at your hands. The Koiwros and their land, reduced to ashes. You gave Lugger all their secrets so readily. Rash, so impetuous, so quick to believe that the natives had murdered your parents, when really it was your own ignorance...”

  As Shandin sliced open his lid, Billy gurgled and squealed in the background, ramming his wheels against Diawn. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her shooing the little Liiker, but that only threw him into a more violent frenzy.

  “Shut that thing off,” Shandin said, pausing.

  The brief interruption gave Reht enough time to release his breath and acquiesce to the pain. Don’t scream; that’s all that ratchakker wants.

  Diawn leaned over and tried to access Billy Don’t’s control panel, but he spun around and ran over her toes. She yelped and clutched her injury, hopping around on one foot. Ignoring Femi’s attempts to help, Diawn cursed at the Johnnies to catch the little Liiker as he whipped and weaved around the storeroom.

  “Get him!” Shandin shouted, withdrawing the weapon from Reht’s eye.

  Lurching forward, Reht tipped over his chair, and sank his teeth into Shandin’s neck. As his long incisors cut into muscle and sinew, Shandin screamed and stabbed him repeatedly in the shoulder with the gouging instrument. Reht held fast, warm, salty blood filling his mouth.

  Shouting, gunfire. A flash of azure, then a crimson spray. Reht closed his eyes, unable to shield himself from the bloodbath. He heard Mom’s roar, and the wet sounds of claws dividing flesh. A fluttering of wings. Wild cackles and a screech of excitement.

  Bacthar, Ro, Cray—

  Something sharp stabbed him the flank. Gasping, he released Shandin, flaying about to get away from the excruciating pain. He smacked hard against the ground, but managed to roll himself, and the chair, onto its back.

  Diawn stood poised above him, bloodied knife held high. “You bear the blood of your family.”

  Straddling his shoulders, she left only his face exposed to her weapon’s descent.

  “I always loved you,” she whispered as fluorescent light gave the silver blade one last kiss.

  JAEIA STEPPED ONTO the dirt-swept ground, shielding her eyes against the flashes of lightning tearing up the skies. Even suited up and connected through com channels, she could barely hear her crew over the thunderous roar of the firestorm.

  “...no sign of...wreckage at...what is...command?”

  Grumbling, she tapped her helmet, seeing if the static and interference would clear. No luck.

  This way, she thought, motioning the alpha team to take point while she brought up the omega team to sweep the crash site.

  Huh, that’s odd. Jaeia bent down and put her hand next to a large paw print in the mud. Whatever had made it was big enough to leave an impression that could survive the raging storm. There are dogs and wolf breeds still present on Old Earth, but nothing this size.

  With her stomach in knots, Jaeia watched as the alpha team pried open the bay doors to the freighter.

  Something isn’t right.

  She held her breath as she sensed a presence on the other side of the door, alert and ready for battle.

  What is that?

  (Not human.)

  “Wait!” she shouted over the group channel. “Hold position!”

  Jaeia ordered the crew to stand down as she slipped through the crack in the door and entered the belly of the ship.

  “Jetta?” she said, lifting up her visor.

  Before she could react, something huge pinned her against the interior wall, white teeth glistening in the low light.

  Without explanation, she spoke from a place beyond herself, relying on a deeper instinct. “I’m a friend. Please... I’m her sister.”

  The huge weight left her chest. As she caught her breath, eyes like burning coals met hers and dark lips peeled back to reveal sharp, canine teeth. She reached out, unafraid, and stroked black fur and pointed ears.

  “How do I know you?” she whispered.

  “Jaeia...”

  Her head whipped toward the sound. Spotting several unmoving bodies to her left, she seized upon them.

  “Jetta!” she said, clearing the debris around her head. “Are you okay?”

  Her sister’s eyes opened just a crack, her voice barely audible. “Help them. Please, Jaeia. Help them.”

  Turning back to the wolf, Jaeia gently held his muzzle in her hands. “Please—you have to let my crew in. It’s the only way to help her.”

  The wolf bent down and gingerly bit into Jetta’s suit, dragging her by the collar toward the door.

  “Alpha team, ready stretchers. Omega team, I need a holding cell big enough for one—”

  And then she felt it. Another animal. This one closing in on their position, coming from the east.

  “Make that two wolves.”

  After assisting the alpha team to force open the bay door, she put herself between the wolf and her crew as she brokered his unveiling.

  One of the soldiers took a few steps back when he saw the dark predator. “S-sir, is that a feather-paw? Aren’t they native to Algar?”

  “Yes. And so is that one,” she said as the second wolf trotted up and began to inspect her. She waved off her teams’ weapons as he poked his nose inside her helmet and gave her a long lick.

  How is this possible? She could hear both of them in the depths of her mind, like an ancient song she had always known, in a language she implicitly understood. Interwoven within their harmonies she felt her sister’s presence, and the tune of her memories.

  “You protected her, didn’t you?” she whispered, rubbing behind the new arrival’s right ear. He whined sweetly and nuzzled into her side. “Thank you.”

  Within minutes, her crew extracted Jetta, Triel, and an unidentified humanoid male wearing outdated terrestrial clothing from the middle of the twenty-first century. As she supervised their admittance to medical, she acknowledged her own discomforts. I’ve seen that man before—but where?

  No time to wonder. As much as she wanted to stay and at least make sure her sister and Triel were okay, she couldn’t afford that luxury.

  After the wolves had been carefully boarded and locked in a storage cell, and the rest of the crew had secured as much of the wreck as possible, Jaeia resumed her post on the bridge.

  Time for a tough call, she thought. I can’t risk my crew, ship, or its cargo, by punching back through the firestorm.

  Only one option left.

  “Ensign,” she said, laying in the coordinates herself. “Prepare to jump at eight thousand meters.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  As part of her reimagined the devastating consequence of her sister’s jump on Trigos, she forced herself to downplay the hazards. Ripping open space-time on a dead world has minimal risk, especially with most of its habitants well underground.

  But that didn’t stop her from grinding her knuckles into the armrests of the commander’s chair. (As long as the nearest Pit is at least fifty kilos away...)

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and gave the cue to jump.

  After the floor resettled and the cosmic backdrop reappeared on the viewscreen, she breathed a sigh of relief. I’ve never thought I’d be so happy to see the stars.

  She considered asking the ensign to sweep their jump site for casualties, but thought better of it. Sensors can’t penetrate Earth’s atmosphere.

  (I hope I did the right thing.)

  The call she both anticipated and dreaded came in just as the helmsmen was making the final calculations for Trigos. “Sir, Commander Kyron is awake and requesting to speak with you.”

  Instinctively, Jaeia checked the gun on her hi
p.

  What am I doing? she thought, blushing.

  As she made her way down the corridor towards medical holding, her mind wouldn’t let go of the gun, playing out visions of her sister attacking her and the crew. Jetta wouldn’t do that.

  (But she has before...)

  The truth hit her hard: She didn’t know what to expect. Jetta had become so volatile and unpredictable over the past few weeks that anything was possible.

  Please, Jetta, she thought, too afraid to release her inner voice into their shared bond, be my sister. Don’t make me do something I can’t live with.

  After passing through the biofilters, Jaeia arrived to find the medical staff had put each patient in strict isolation.

  “It’s just a precaution, Sir,” the lead medical officer informed her as she looked over the datascope readouts. “They were exposed to high levels of radiation, the Necro plague, and something that the Scabbers call ‘Redder Lung.’ Hard to treat, but we caught most of it in the early stages, so they should be okay. Except for Commander Kyron, Sir.”

  Touching the data readout, Jaeia enhanced her sister’s stats. She didn’t know what all the numbers meant, but the doctor kept his mind open to her as he explained her status, and it wasn’t more than a second before she understood the prognosis all too well.

  “I reviewed Dr. Kaoto’s analysis of her cellular decomposition as a result of the Motti’s biochemical augmentations, Sir. From these comparative readings, it doesn’t look good.”

  “How long, Doctor?” she said, turning to him.

  Despite his years of experience delivering difficult news to patients, his voice quavered as he gave the answer that sealed both their fates. “Days now. Maybe a week, at best. Not long.”

  Even though it came as no surprise, Jaeia couldn’t keep herself from tearing up. “Excuse me for a moment, doctor.”

  “Of course, Sir,” he said, giving her a bow before returning to the monitoring station.

  After passing through another set of biofilters, Jaeia joined her sister at her bedside. Intravenous tubes hung from the ceiling, infusing her body with yellow and white cocktails that reminded her of darker times, but she swallowed her revulsion and took her sister’s hand.

  “How are you feeling, Jetta?”

  “About as good as you,” she said, opening her eyes. The familiar green made Jaeia relax a little, even as her free hand moved to the hilt of her gun. Seeing behind her eyes again, Jetta turned away. “Do you really think that’s necessary, Sis?”

  Jaeia kept her tone neutral. “You tell me.”

  Groaning, Jetta sat up and inspected her wounds. Most of the physical injuries she had incurred on her journey had been mended, save the nasty wound on her stomach. The doctor had mentioned its abnormality, and that the dermawands couldn’t repair the tissue damage.

  “Jaeia,” she said, lowering her eyes. “I don’t even know how to begin.”

  Jaeia crossed her arms. “You’d better think of something good, and quick. As captain, I have the sense to put you in lockup.”

  “Captain?” Jetta said, raising a brow. Hints of disbelief and jealousy seeped from her mind. “When did that happen?”

  “When the Fleet went under.”

  “So, they’re promoting just anybody then?”

  “Death looms over the two of us, and you’re still an assino.”

  A smile touched her lips, but vanished as soon as she changed subjects. “How’s Jahx?”

  The mention of their brother lowered Jaeia’s guard for a second, allowing her sister a peek into the grim reality. Jetta slammed her fist against the siderail, breaking it in two. “Skucheka.”

  Setting aside her own feelings, Jaeia reached out and touched the back of her sister’s hand. “Hey, he’s still with us. And you and I are still here, too. It’s not over yet, Jetta.”

  Jetta looked up at the overhead examination light. “Tell me you missed me,” she said, her voice softer this time.

  Sighing, Jaeia relaxed just enough to let Jetta experience her loneliness and fear over the last few weeks. “You’re part of me, Jetta. When you run away, cut me out, I feel as if someone’s stolen part of my soul.”

  “I had to, Jaeia. For us, for Jahx. I had to find out what was inside me. And I had to help Triel.”

  “So?” Jaeia said, not withholding her frustration.

  Jetta shook her head. “Just more questions.”

  “Show me,” Jaeia said, offering up her hand.

  Jetta took her hand, but hesitated. “I should warn you that—”

  Surprised at her own reaction, Jaeia slapped her hand on Jetta’s forehead and delved inside.

  As she plunged through Jetta’s memories, Jaeia couldn’t believe her eyes. The escape from the Alliance. The refueling outpost. A disturbing conversation about Josef Stein. Edgar Wallace’s gently spoken words:

  “You can help the human race restore Earth. You can give us back our home, give us a second chance.”

  Iyo Kono. Humans shedding their skins to become something else.

  “This is a place of rebirth...”

  Algar, the lost colonies. Majestic wolves. Reivers. Lockheads. Salam, the man with a poisonous tongue: “I’ve seen all the reels, seen the trials. You only do anything for one reason—resurrecting your dead brother.”

  The Temple of Exxuthus. Sir Amargo and Lady Helena. Promise keepers.

  “It’s important for all of us, Commander, to know the truth about Saol. I believe that his story holds the key for all of us—human and Sentient alike—to finding everlasting peace.”

  Inside the Diez di Trios. A world within worlds. Memories revived, transformed. A demon in her sister’s skin.

  “Thief. You stole from me. You took my chacathra, and I want it back!”

  A crash landing on the ruins of Earth. Running from nightmare creatures infecting a tortured landscape. Inside an ancient laboratory, silent walls stained by rage and sorrow unmitigated by the ages.

  “Please forgive me for all that I have done...”

  A narrow escape. Fatigue, the subconscious futility gnawing away at her last shreds of willpower. Clinging to black fur, the rhythm of four legs stretching out toward an unreachable horizon.

  Restless sleep. Perhaps a dream. A man surrounded by poisonous yellow light. Mitigating blue, a maternal touch.

  “I am Ariya Ohakn. I am your mother.”

  Precious memories awaken to a long-forgotten voice. An unnamed hope realized, a flame rekindled. Perhaps, maybe; a chance.

  The veil lifted. Kurt Stein. A dream reborn, a true name found.

  “Save Kurt Stein... not all is lost...”

  “...Ashya...”

  And through it all, Jaeia felt the same raw fear roiling below the fragile surface tension.

  “What am I?”

  (I am a monster)

  Jetta’s voice, her greatest fear. And yet—

  The Healer knew the truth. Jaeia saw it, even through Jetta’s prejudiced experience of their interaction.

  “Jetta,” Triel whispered. “I saw you. You’re not a monster. Your powers are limitless. But right now you draw your talent from your fear.”

  Jaeia opened her eyes, breathing heavily. A nurse, bent over beside her, asked if she needed help, while another checked on Jetta.

  “I’m fine, we’re fine,” Jaeia reassured them, returning to her sister.

  A conflicted mix of anger, fear, shame, and frustration brought tears to Jetta’s eyes, and words, unable to be found or spoken, turned her hands into tight fists.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Forgetting how long it had been since she had last alleviated her sister’s temper, Jaeia extended herself into Jetta. The shock of her emotions jolted her senses, but she held fast, determined to soothe her distress. “I shouldn’t have been so impatient.”

  Jetta swallowed hard, and let out a breath through gritted teeth. “Don’t do that again.”

  A tech popped his head in. “Captain—the Healer is asking for
you.”

  “I’ll be there shortly,” Jaeia said, trying to reach out to her sister, but Jetta stiffened to her touch, her expression unwelcoming.

  “She was very insistent,” the tech said.

  “I’ll be right back,” Jaeia said, squeezing Jetta’s shoulder.

  Jaeia passed through another biofilter and into the next isolation suite. To her relief, the Healer’s progress was much more pronounced. Her skin had color again, and her eyes looked brighter than she expected.

  “It’s so good to see you again,” Jaeia said, hugging her carefully, minding the monitors.

  Triel hugged back, holding her for longer than she expected.

  “Thank you, Jaeia. I can always count on you.”

  Jaeia’s cheeks flushed. She hid her smile. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” the Healer said, pulling back her hair carefully to avoid dislodging the intravenous lines. “Have you seen Jetta yet?”

  Before she could even respond, Triel’s eyes found her firearm. “I know you two haven’t been getting along lately, but Jaeia...”

  Jaeia’s went rigid, her back straightening as her voice lost the air of familiarity. “It was a necessary precaution.”

  “Have you shared memories with her yet?”

  “Yes.”

  “And that hasn’t changed your mind?”

  Jaeia shook her head. “If nothing else, it confirms my concerns.”

  Triel sighed. “Those issues aside, I needed to see you because of... that,” the Healer said, indicating with her head the suite to her right. “Can you feel that?”

  Jaeia lifted a brow. “You mean from the next patient?”

  “I don’t know—you tell me. Whoever that is has a very strong aura. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

  Jaeia nodded. “I do feel something, but I’m not sure what to make of it. We picked him up inside the same freighter where we found you two. Human male, mid-thirties, appears uninjured, but in some kind of dreamless sleep state, possibly a coma.”