Legions & Legacies

by Lee Watts

  "Link into their sensor readings, and put it on the holo display," Balin ordered.

  As the three-dimensional image appeared over the command platform HPT, lines of data overlaid the image, giving greater detail of the hostile forces.

  Tapping commands into the buttons on the side of the circular table, Balin magnified the image.

  Focusing in on the world of Entauri IV revealed the pilot's initial assessments were correct; there were capital class ships out there. Four heavily-armed cruisers were in close, station-keeping orbit of the lifeless planet.

  "What do you make of those?" Balin asked Commodore Upton.

  Noticing the green ships' configuration and the hallmark star symbol prominently displayed on each, the first officer had a guess.

  "They're Confederacy ships, that much is certain," Upton said. "Looks like they're waiting in ambush, but for whom?"

  Considering it, Balin programmed the holograph to display an image of the surrounding systems. Replacing the image of Entauri IV appeared a three-dimensional wireframe hologram of the sector. Commodore Upton pointed to the adjacent Yoltin system.

  "There's the nearest colony in the Entauri Cluster. Any support ships would come in from this vector, but that's almost a full ninety degrees off of where those Confederacy ships are hiding. It doesn't figure. It's not like the Hateeg have the element of surprise because their invasion is well known. They must be waiting for someone else."

  Balin slowly stroked his hand over his beard and bald chin as he thought. Catching on an idea, his hand's movements stopped.

  "That's it," he proclaimed in revelation.

  "What's it?" Upton questioned.

  "Look," Balin explained while gesturing to the map. "Here are the cruisers; the planet hides them from only one angle, this one. Let's follow that line back to where it leads us…" His voice trailed off waiting for his executive officer to put the pieces together.

  "The Doneac system," Upton said understanding what Balin was hinting at. "It's the precise vector we would have taken if you hadn't diverted us to take cover behind the outermost planet."

  The two men looked at each other, and Balin spoke softly.

  "They knew we were coming," he breathed. "That means they must know the king is down there. Our rescue party is running into an ambush."

  Before their conversation could continue, the sensor operator called out, "Admiral, I'm reading six ships coming out of lightspeed behind us!"

  "It's a trap," Balin shouted. "Red alert!"

  ***

  Having learned of the deception, the rescue party faced their own problems.

  "Colonel, do you want me to signal the Indomitable and let them know about the faked message?"

  "No," Ortiz answered. "If we call the ship it'll give away our presence in the system and our location. No, the message was a ploy, bait to bring us here. I guess the Hateeg figured we'd come to get the King, they'd lure us into a firefight, and then draw the Realm into war with them. It makes us look like the aggressors."

  One of the Marines spoke up.

  "We took the bait," he said. "Question is how do we leave without springing the trap?"

  "Not the way we came in, that much is certain," the experienced warrior answered. Ortiz unclipped the radio from his belt and sent a coded call to the squad securing the escape route.

  "Sergeant Sanders here, go ahead."

  "Sanders, this is Ortiz. The distress signal was faked. We think the building is under surveillance right now. What's your situation?"

  "All's quiet. We didn't run into any resistance on the way."

  Nodding the colonel spoke into the radio.

  "Yea, I bet you didn't. It's all too easy. Keep your eyes open, and start looking for where you'd set up a crossfire. Stand by for my signal to move, Ortiz out."

  Assessing the group of Councilors and support staff, the colonel wasn't encouraged by what he saw. There were twenty civilians, many of who were older and not in the best of condition for running or diving for cover.

  Considering the problem, one of the Marines asked his commander a question.

  "Sir, how we gonna get all these people to the ship?"

  Slowly, inspiration came to Ortiz, causing his troops to get a little concerned by the devilish grin crossing his face

  "We're not," he hinted. "We're going to bring the ship to us."

  With alarms blaring throughout the battlecarrier and six unknown ships closing fast, the Indomitable bristled with activity. Born of years of battle experience, Admiral Balin rapidly called out orders.

  "Shields up, deploy armor, charge weapons, and prepare fighters to launch."

  Crewmen throughout the bridge raced to keep up with the directives. Thinking faster than he could speak, Balin continued his rapid fire of instructions.

  "Sensors, get me a reading on those ships and keep an eye on those four cruisers out there. Weapons, I want a firing solution on those incomings. Comm, make a note in the log and prepare to launch a drone if I give the word."

  The order to deploy armor sent thick, protective plates sliding over windows and locking into position. Pilots rushed to the flight deck to make hurried launches while the ships' gunners ran to man their stations. Calling out over the sound of red alert alarms, the sensor operator gave a report.

  "Sir, no change in the cruisers position, and the inbounds are…" his voice trailed off as he read the information. A quick second later he came to himself and relayed the information, "are Entauri ships."

  "Blast," Balin exclaimed. Realizing it wasn't a trap, but simply some of the Entauri Cluster colonies coming to the aid of their homeworld, the Indomitable had to quickly change its plan of action. "Cancel red alert," Balin ordered.

  "Have they spotted us yet?" Commodore Upton asked.

  "I don't think so, Sir," the sensor operator reported. "Entauri sensors aren't as good as ours, but at present speed, they'll pick us up in a few minutes."

  "We can't let them see us," Upton reminded. "Even if they are non-hostiles, if they detect us then our mere presence could draw us into the war."

  Balin agreed with his first officer, but the matter remaining was what to do about it. If the Indomitable headed for deep space the engines' power output would glow like a beacon on sensor readings. The ship couldn't hide on the opposite side of the gas giant they were near because it would expose them to the Hateeg. Balin couldn't go forward, and he couldn't go backward so headed the only direction left to him.

  "Helm, take us down."

  Thinking he must have misheard, the helmsman turned to face the admiral.

  "Did you say take us down, Sir?"

  "I did, Helm" Balin confirmed confidently. "The upper atmosphere of the gas giant will mask our power output and hide us from visuals too."

  Spinning back around to his console, the helmsman replied, "Very good, Sir. Changing heading. Setting angle to one-seven-zero mark two-two-five."

  "Sir, what about our two recons?" Upton asked.

  "There's not enough time for them to get all the way back here," Balin explained. "Tell them to set down on that barren moon on the far side of the planet they're near."

  Noticing the rapid approach of the Entauri craft, Admiral Balin was concerned his ship wasn't going to make it to the protective cover of the planet in time.

  "Step on it, Helm; we can't afford detection."

  "Aye, Sir - stepping on it."

  With a quick punch of power, the HMS Indomitable vanished into the thick, yellow fog of the gas giant world of Entauri VI.

  The moon of the fifth planet in the system was a small, lifeless hunk of rock with no atmosphere. The planetoid's sole asset was its rich deposits of tizanite ore, which were heavily mined by the people of Entauri Major. Mining operations made the rock a labyrinth of mining shafts adding to the many natural caverns. Due to the invasion, the mining operation was hastily abandoned and now served as an improvised landing site for two Realm starfighters. Low gravity levels made landing a bit trickier
than usual, but neither Ian nor Dakota dared mention any difficulty to the other man.

  "We're just sitting out here in the open?" Dakota complained. "This isn't going to work."

  "Don't worry about it," the calmer Ian responded. "Power down everything except life support. Those Entauri ships are rushing to battle; they won't bother doing visuals of this moon, and while powered down we won't show up on their passive sensors."

  Though far removed from the battle, Dakota didn't like the idea of taking his weapons and shields offline. While he thought he was bored before, sitting completely still on a barren moon brought boredom to a new level.

  ***

  Dodging buildings and laser blasts, Sergeant VanAllen skillfully piloted the Realm shuttle through the war-torn city. Weaving her way around skyscrapers, she kept a low altitude to reduce detection. Knocked from the sky, a burning Entauri fighter smashed into the building in front of her, causing the structure to lean then begin collapsing in her direction. Jerking hard, she pulled the shuttle into a quick climb as the crumbling building barely missed the craft. At a higher elevation, Tia caught a visual of the Realm Marines and civilians on the roof of a nearby building. Coming in quickly, she sped the shuttle toward them. Extending the landing gear, she prepared for another hard landing. As she reached to activate the emergency breaking thrusters, a high-pitched rapid beep sounded, warning her of an incoming missile. Observing helplessly from the rooftop, the waiting group saw the fast-moving rocket slam into their approaching escape craft, causing it to explode into a billowing ball of flame that sent debris flying. Aulani tackled Cheyenne, using her own body to protect the queen mother as burning hunks of metal rained down, and they watched the destruction of their only means off of the planet.

  CHAPTER 44

  "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." – John 1:5

  The two halves of Imenand's flaming battlestaff served as torches in the lightless but expansive passages beneath the surface of the forgotten world. Though Alexander was similarly armed with the battlestaff Merrick gave him, being a mortal, his blades didn't burn. Alexander didn't understand how, but the darkness itself seemed heavy, and the light didn't penetrate as much as one would expect. The air smelled musty and odd. Unrecognizable sounds echoed off the stone walls of the tunnel. Due to Salazar's description of the nightmarish creatures inhabiting the subterranean environment, Alexander's imagination ran wild with each strange sound.

  The pair moved steadily downward, and after half an hour of walking in silence, Alexander commented on the air growing warmer.

  "This planet must have a molten core," Imenand reasoned. "Explains how life can continue down here. I bet-"

  Suddenly dropping from holes of intersecting tunnels came four, horrid looking, filth covered beings. Two of the creatures were in front of the immortal and two behind Alexander. Primates, the animals walked on two legs but were hunched over using long, muscular arms to support themselves. With a terrifying, hissing roar exposing vicious pairs of upper and lower fangs, the roughly humanoid-shaped beings looked more as homicidal madmen than predatory animals. Shouting wildly, two of the beings charged Alexander while reaching for him with claw-tipped fingers. In a split-second, multiple thoughts raced through his mind.

  Why didn't I bring a blaster? They'll eat me alive! What am I doing down here?!

  Following his training, Alexander held one blade defensively and brought the other down forcefully in a diagonal chop. Slicing across the closest creature's chest caused it to cry out in a mix of pain and anger as it fell. Not pausing an instant, the other being lunged at the Realm King, its claws ready to sink deep into Alexander's face. Sidestepping, Alexander arched out with his other weapon, deeply cutting the flying creature as it passed. Howling with rage, it shoulder rolled as it fell, sprang to its feet, and sprinted at him with gaping mouth, wild compound eyes, and a bloodthirsty scream. Deflecting the creature's murderous arms with one blade, Alexander penetrated its chest with the other, killing it. Hearing more crazed shouts behind him, Alexander spun and saw eight more of the beings drop from the above tunnel.

  "IMENAND," he shouted in warning.

  Having dispatched his two attackers, the immortal yelled for the king to follow him as he raced forward through the wide tunnel. The two ran blindly as the pack of nightmare beings chased them while issuing terrifying screams in their lust for meat. At full speed, Alexander saw Imenand suddenly drop in a hole, but before he had half a chance to stop, he fell in as well. Falling down a high-angled tunnel, the wind rushed around them as they altered between free fall and banging up against the sides of the slick, steep walls. Imenand's flames whipped with the great force of air gushing around them. With a thud, the two men came to an abrupt halt on a level surface.

  Wind knocked out of him, Alexander took a moment finding the strength to get back on his feet. This rocky chamber, unlike the tunnels above, was lit, though dimly. Glowing with greenish-blue bioluminescence, mushroom-like plants grew sporadically on the floor, walls, and ceiling. The stone walls were sweaty, and there were passages leading off six different directions.

  "You alright?" Alexander asked Imenand.

  "Fine. You?"

  "Just glad I didn't land on my battlestaff. Which tunnel do we take?" Alexander asked.

  No longer needing his fire swords for light, Imenand sheathed each inside the handle of the other. He then looked to each passageway considering their choices. Taking a hand to sweep back his long hair from his eyes, he looked for a clue as to the right decision, but there was none. The Guardian they sought had left no traces; he didn't want to be found.

  "I don't know," Imenand admitted. "How about we-"

  Rapidly, half a dozen of the crazed primates burst from the tunnel that Alexander and Imenand had exited. The creatures were between the two off-worlders. Readying himself to fight, Alexander took half a step back, but there was another hole. Falling backward he descended into a second deep, sliding tunnel, but this time he fell alone.

  ***

  Sitting beneath two-hundred meters of water in the ocean of Acatus, the crew of the starship Fortune continued repairs.

  "Captain, I've tried rerouting it every way I can," Jaiden said, "I can't get the cargo bay doors to respond. They're about half closed, but won't go the rest of the way."

  "What's wrong?" Sosimo asked. "Something lodging them open?"

  "No, there's simply no power to the door mechanism," Jaiden explained. "It's shorted out, and I don't know how to get power to it with all that water in the way."

  "You'll have to connect an external battery pack and splice it into the mechanism leads," Sosimo said.

  "How do I do that?" Jaiden asked.

  "From outside the ship, but don't worry; I'll have someone go with you." Keying the intercom controls on his command chair, Sosimo addressed the crew. "All hands, I need a volunteer to grab an environmental suit and help go out to close the cargo bay doors shut. Uh… Giovanni, you volunteer. Suit up and report to the port side torpedo launch tube room. Captain out."

  Jaiden didn't really remember volunteering to go out in the ocean, but then again Giovanni didn't volunteer either. On the Fortune people didn't volunteer, they were voluntold.

  ***

  (1,000 years ago)

  Expecting the Dridmor to emerge through the sandstorm, Merrick was unprepared for the towering lizards charging into the temple. Maw's wide, the reptiles snapped with rows of dagger-sharp, ripping teeth. Using powerful back legs, the beast in front of Merrick sprung high in the air of the domed room. A pair of long, curved feet claws spread wide, preparing to penetrate Merrick like a bird of prey snatching fish from a river. Diving forward into a shoulder roll, Merrick caused the Rhia to overshoot him. It landed hard on the floor, its talons clicking against the stone. With a leap of his own, Merrick sunk his twin, burning blades into the creature's back. Roaring in pain, it clawed madly with its arms trying to reach the attacker, but Merrick stayed to its back.
The beast thrashed wildly from anger and pain with the immortal clinging to the handles of his weapons sunk deeply in the back of the creature.

  A pair of the khaki-hued creatures roared and snapped at Shania. One jutted forward with deadly jaws clamping at her. Slashing across its thick, leathery skin, the Guardian grievously wounded the Rhia across the face. Spinning repeatedly, she brought her fiery blades down in rapid whips. Caught off guard by the flames and motion, the Rhia stepped back in confused fear. Using the spin for speed and power, Shania released one of her swords, and it flew like an arrow straight into the chest of the remaining beast.

  Pipaluk and the other Elderites watched the deadly melee from the open second level of the large circular room. Turning to bury her face in Rew's chest, Pipaluk tried to blot out the image of the beasts and blood. A cacophony of sounds assaulted her ears. Even the deafening engine of the Vault Keeper's ship wasn't enough to drown out the roars and shouts from the below battle. Rew jerked, and Pipaluk felt a pounding behind her. Terrified, she turned and saw one of the creatures had leaped to the second level. Slowly, the beast turned its head and spotted them. Opening its mouth, it roared hungrily then charged.

  CHAPTER 45

  "Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me." – Psalm 143:9

  Concealed from sensors and sight by the thick clouds of the gas giant world of Entauri VI, the Indomitable was rendered not only invisible but also blind. The heavy, enveloping fog grew denser as the ship descended.

  "Sir, external pressure is increasing," reported the helmsman. "We're not in any danger at this level, but how much lower do you want me to go?"

  "Good question," Balin commented. "I don't want to go too deep. Only an idiot would intentionally sink his own ship. Sensors, what kind of readings are you getting?"

  The sensor operator checked the equipment.