She breathed out carefully through her nose. “Express my commendations to the captains, would you, Thomas?”
‘Of course, Commandant.’
“Then take us in closer to the planet. It’s time for us to act as bait.”
DAF Flight #3
Small, annoyingly agile Rasu vessels swarmed around Kiernan’s fighter. Their strikes had taken out one of his two laser weapons by shooting straight through the open nozzle, and at this point his hull was basically bathing in Rasu weapons fire. Visual scans were useless, though at least wide-band scans assured him the battle continued to go well outside of his little party.
He frowned at the vicinity radar. Two of the dots making his life miserable had merged into one much larger dot.
He altered his course, falling into a spin for three seconds before yanking the ship hard to port and climbing toward the void.
The dot chased him. The others fell away, as did, thankfully, the relentless weapons fire. The blinding light on his visual scanner faded, revealing that the larger Rasu vessel had tracked him through his evasive maneuvers and was closing fast. At two hundred meters’ distance, the vessel began splitting apart again—but not completely.
He’d heard about this. It was planning to surround him, then slither inside his tiny fighter and eat him for breakfast, or dinner, or whatever meal was next.
His heart pounded violently in his chest. Dammit, he hadn’t spent weeks hiding from the Rasu on Livad, eating nothing but berries and twigs and catching fitful naps on hard dirt, only to get devoured by the monsters now.
The yawning mouth of the transformed vessel filled his viewport—and in his terror he’d almost forgotten his ship’s new trick.
He transmitted the command to the defensive system for the adiamene to go into ‘cocoon’ mode, then set about trying his damnedest to flee, just in case.
The system told him the engine had to shut down to complete the cocoon transition. Because engine exhaust ports were weaknesses that allowed the Rasu inside.
He wasn’t having much luck escaping anyway, so he brought the ship to a halt and killed the engine. Now he was naught but a floating minnow in space.
The stars, the planet and the sun all vanished as the Rasu swallowed his ship whole. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…. He tried to focus on the defensive system readings. They claimed the cocoon was complete and all seams and holes closed tight.
No fluid Rasu slithered into the cockpit, so maybe it was telling the truth. Only one small problem: he was now trapped inside a fucking Rasu.
Lieutenant Phillips (DAF Flight #3): “Hey, guys? Anyone want to come and shoot me out of this blasted thing?”
Lieutenant Romescu (DAF Flight #3): “Ha! On our way.”
CAF Aurora
The outer wisps of the planetary atmosphere danced across the energy barrier of the double-shielding as the Aurora banked around, placing the planet behind it and the remaining Rasu armada in front of it.
“Confirm we are situated completely inside the Rift Bubble’s perimeter.”
‘Confirmed.’
“Excellent. Weapons, pick a target and make them come to us.”
Considering two leviathans and three Rasu cruisers had chased them all the way here, selecting a target was not difficult. They fired on the lead leviathan as it drew inexorably closer. Flashes of Thomas’ recording haunted the fringes of Miriam’s consciousness; she ignored them. “Increase fire. Make them want to take us out.”
Four new streaks of laser fire joined the six already pouring into the hull of the leviathan. Though negative energy missiles were currently in prodigious use farther out from the planet, this close they didn’t dare risk it. And they didn’t need to.
The leviathan drew within four hundred meters, and she had to concentrate to keep her breathing normal. Three fifty….
The leviathan vanished. Caught in the Rift Bubble’s trap, it was now disintegrating inside the corona of the system’s star.
Her chin dropped to her chest for a mere half a second before rising high once again. “Excellent work. Let’s see how many Rasu we can trick into falling into our trap before they start getting wise to it.”
Commandant Solovy (CAF Aurora)(Namino Command Channel): “Vice-Admiral Ashonye, you have command of Battle Groups #1, #3 and #4. Begin Phase 3 operations.”
What Rasu didn’t fall into the Rift Bubble would now be mercilessly targeted by over five thousand Eidolons wielding a host of negative energy bombs, in addition to suffering the unremitting fire from the Concord fleet. There would be no escape for the Rasu. Not today.
Many hours remained before the battle could be declared ‘won,’ but in her own counsel she began to relax a little. This was not the end of this conflict, for the Rasu could reinforce any engagement with an effectively infinite number of ships. They could and likely would attack other planets, and before long those would include Concord planets. The Rift Bubbles alone did not bring victory, for they were at best a bandage designed to staunch the bleeding and buy them much needed time to engineer a proper offensive strategy.
No, this was not the end of the conflict. But perhaps it was the end of the beginning.
NAMINO
Nika opened her eyes to see Caleb looming over them, his frame blocking out the sun, his brow drawn tight in consternation. “Do I even want to ask?”
Alex giggled beside her, which provoked a new round of laughter from Nika, and they lay there on the ground for another thirty seconds alternately laughing and trying to catch their breath.
Finally Alex stretched an arm into the air, and Caleb helped her to her feet. “Well, the lattice was right here and….”
“Ah. I see. Nika, you weren’t responding to Grant’s messages. Please do, so he’ll stop hyperventilating to everyone on the ship.”
“Oops!” She leapt up to her feet, then swayed as a bout of lightheadedness overtook her. The Kat code spun enticingly through her mind…but that was for another, less exciting day.
Sorry, Grant. I’m good. Everything is…good.
I’m glad.
A new message arrived then, and she grabbed Alex by the arm. “We need to head back to the city.”
Alex grimaced. “What about getting all those people crowded into my ship to Mirai?”
“As soon as we do this one last thing.”
They landed well outside of downtown, on the opposite side of the city from the former Rasu compound. The cabin had grown quiet during the short trip; most everyone was too exhausted to stay afraid any longer.
Nika hurried down the ramp as two carriers of Asterion design broke through the clouds above her. One ship paused to hover fifty meters above the ground while the other landed. An airlock opened, and a man in DAF fatigues descended the ramp.
She met him halfway, and he snapped a formal salute. “Advisor Kirumase, I’m Major Benson. I bring you eleven hundred heavily armed and highly motivated special forces ground troops, courtesy of Commander Palmer and Advisor Ridani, to help clear this Rasu rabble out of the city. Tell me where you want them.”
She gazed back at the broken downtown skyline. “Head in from the southeast corner and sweep every block until no trace of Rasu metal remains.”
Overhead, a series of loud booms ruptured the sky, and they both peered up in surprise. Hundreds—no, thousands—of Concord warships had breached the Rift Bubble and were descending to engage the Rasu vessels above the city.
Alex appeared at her side once again. “Nothing like the cavalry arriving to brighten one’s day, is there?”
A radiant grin broke across Nika’s face. “No, there is not.”
“Unfortunately, this means the air above Namino One is shortly going to get messy with space-time vacuums, so we should probably head out.”
She nodded. “We should. I don’t know about you, but I am ready to go home.”
Dashiel touched her cheek while wearing a tender smile. “But my love, you are home.”
CONCORD
72<
br />
* * *
CONCORD HQ
Medical
Felzeor glided down the hallway toward the entrance to the regenesis lab, then forced himself to drift outside the door and wait for Drae. Walking took people so long!
“Excited to see Eren again, are you?”
“I am.” He cooed as he landed on Drae’s shoulder, but fell silent as a rush of worry overtook him. The action evoked memories of running around Concord HQ with Caleb, and that adventure had ended badly in so many ways.
In the days since, he’d remained at HQ, mostly hovering around the CINT offices when he wasn’t catching a few hours’ sleep in the small, Volucri-friendly lodging he’d procured. He needed to hear any news about his friends, about the wars, the instant it arrived. He needed to be where he might do some good, if given the opportunity.
Director Navick had assured him that Caleb was alive and slightly safe on the Asterions’ Namino planet, but the last update had been too long ago. This morning he’d heard how a grand battle was now underway at Namino, and he feared for Caleb and Alex being caught up in it. The Rasu sounded like truly awful creatures.
Space battles were beyond someone such as him, however, so he could do nothing to help them. But he believed he could help cheer Eren up. He’d been so happy to see Drae yesterday, then shamefully annoyed when his teammate had spent most of the evening meeting with Director Navick.
But Eren was scheduled to be released from the regenesis lab shortly. He’d forgiven Eren for abandoning him on Akeso and for missing Cosime’s funeral. If his dear friend promised not to vanish ever again, Felzeor might even forgive him for trying to kill himself. No matter how much someone’s heart was broken, they ought to keep living, so it would be able to heal. After all, his heart still needed to heal, too.
“Eren’s going to have his hair back, right?”
“He is.” Drae stroked Felzeor’s neck while he took his place at the end of a short line leading to the reception desk. “It’ll even be clean and brushed.”
Felzeor clucked in amusement at the thought. “Not for long, I bet!”
“I bet you’re right.” The line moved forward, and they stepped up to the desk.
The receptionist was an Anaden woman, but he couldn’t decide if she was an Erevna or a Kyvern. Not all Anadens matched their Dynasty stereotype any longer. “How can I assist you?”
“CINT agents Drae Shonen ela-Machim and Felzeor to see Eren Savitas asi-Idoni. He should have woken up from regenesis this morning.”
“Hmm.” The woman scanned the screen in front of her. “Ah, there he is. I’m sorry, but the patient checked himself out an hour ago.”
“What?”
“The medical system cleared him after a few tests, and he left promptly thereafter.”
Felzeor’s beak dropped to Drae’s shoulder in dismay. Not again!
“Dammit. Can you tell me…never mind. Thank you for your time.” Drae spun around to stride out of the lab, agitation roughing up his steps.
“Pardon me, sir? Did you say your name was Drae?”
His gait hitched, and he turned back to the receptionist. “I did.”
“Mr. Savitas left a message for you, with instructions for it to be delivered to you when you came by.”
Drae shot Felzeor a perturbed look and returned to the desk. “Why didn’t he just send me the message the normal way?”
Felzeor chuckled a little, happy to find amusement among so much sadness. “Eren never misses an opportunity for showmanship.”
“Truer words….” Drae motioned to the receptionist. “Give me the message.”
She passed over a thin film, and Drae opened it.
Drae,
Thank you for saving my life and not being too much of a prick about it. I’ll see you again one day, my friend.
—Eren
P.S.: Felzeor, I love you. I hope you can find a way to forgive me for abandoning you.
“Eren, you infuriating son of a bitch.”
Felzeor shook a tear out of his eye. In his darkest moments these last several weeks, he’d selfishly wondered if Eren had forgotten all about him. He’d forgiven his friend anyway. “What are we going to do? We need to find him.”
“Hang on for a second. I’m checking…he’s still hooked into the regenesis server, thank Athena.” Drae sighed and let himself sink against a nearby wall, and Felzeor adjusted his grip on his friend’s shirt. “Maybe he simply wants to be alone for a while. And there’s nothing else I can do for him, so maybe we should let him be.”
“But we can do something for him. We can help him feel better.”
“I know.” Drae reached up and scratched the soft feathers under Felzeor’s neck. “But not until he’s ready to feel better, I think. Much as it pains me to say, we should be patient with him.”
“I’m not very good at being patient.”
“Me either. I tell you what. Why don’t I buy you some baked apple tarts from the Consulate bakery, and we’ll figure out what to do next while we eat?”
His eyes lit up. The bakery’s tarts weren’t as tasty as Thelkt’s home-baked ones, but they were plenty delicious enough. “I accept your offer!”
HIRLAS
Naraida/Volucri Homeworld
Pegasus Dwarf Galaxy
The dew-soaked leaves of the weald glistened luminously in the early dawn light. An olive-and-amber canopy welcomed Eren home as he ascended the winding steps built into the broad tree trunk.
When he reached the landing at the top, he nearly bolted back down the tree to flee in a panic. He couldn’t do this. He wasn’t ready. He was weak, and he needed to run away and hide for a while longer, to drown his grief in a sea of alcohol and hypnols until he found a way to forget.
But Cosime would be so disappointed in him if he followed his baser nature into the depths of Hades. She’d saved him from those depths once, and she hadn’t done it just so he could relapse the instant she was gone.
Gone.
He took a deep and distressingly sober breath and stepped onto the wide platform encircling the tree. Home. Their home.
They’d spent little time here in recent years—so little, in fact, that a few months ago Cosime had suggested they sell it. He’d resisted, though. For one, he liked Hirlas, at least in small doses, before it had time to become too drearily peaceful. And while he’d never gotten her to admit it, Cosime always thrived here. Her skin glowed brighter; her step was lighter, her smile broader. So not only hadn’t they sold it, he’d tried to make sure they swung by here more often, merely to refresh that exquisite glow of hers.
A woven thatch roof covered the necessary rooms—kitchen, bath, greeting area, bedroom—but no solid walls stood to block out nature. A curtain of gauze fabric hung around the bedroom for a modicum of extra privacy, but mostly they’d relied on the natural flow of the weald to create what privacy they’d desired.
He went in the bedroom and sat on the edge of the feather-soft bed situated low upon the floor. A mint-green shirt of hers lay crumpled in the middle of the covers, discarded and forgotten the last time they’d raced off on a new adventure. His touch was reverential as he picked the shirt up and clutched it against his chest.
Eren stretched his arms lazily above his head, eyes closed as he basked in the warming sunrise flowing through the gaps in the trees. “Another wonderful day in paradise.”
“Mmm mfffm.”
He shifted around on the porch and looked back into the bedroom. One of Cosime’s legs jutted out from beneath the bedcovers, and her face was buried in her pillow. A shaft of golden light cut across the soft, creamy skin of her thigh, and he smiled. “What did you say, love?”
She rolled over and flung her arms wide atop the covers. “I’m bored.”
He rested against the opening to the porch and gave her a pout. “With me?”
“No, not with you, silly.” She grabbed a pillow and threw it haphazardly at him; it missed him by several centimeters and tumbled to the floor. “I
’m bored with this perfectly peaceful day, and it hasn’t even begun. Tomorrow will be yet another perfectly peaceful day, and another one will follow after that. I can hardly bear to consider it.”
“Well, since the weather’s so dreadfully perfect, do you want to go visit Shalemahr Peak?”
“We just went there a few weeks ago.”
“We did.” He returned to the bedroom and dropped to his knees on the bed beside her, then started playing with her exposed toes. A year had passed since the fall of the Directorate and the end of the anarch rebellion, and he felt the same wanderlust as she did. The same yearning to fight and chase and scheme. But he was doing his damnedest to suppress it. The battle was over and they’d won the day; this was his reward, and he intended to enjoy it to the fullest.
In the months following The Displacement, they’d had plenty to do. First, Cosime and Felzeor both had to finish their rehab for the injuries they’d sustained during the Directorate’s attack on Post Alpha. Next they’d helped Xanne and some of the other anarch leaders pack up the anarch posts and close up shop. They’d visited an unexpectedly reborn Caleb on Akeso and fixed up this quaint house in the trees on Hirlas. They’d visited every scenic vista on the planet, of which there were many, and made love under waterfalls and atop mountain peaks. Then they’d done it all again for good measure.
“That tickles!” She snatched her foot out of his grasp and sat up, feathery pearl hair falling across her features to obscure bleary emerald eyes. “Let’s run wild somewhere. Let’s find a defensible spot and stir up some trouble, maybe get into a fight—not with each other. Though if I grow bored enough, I’m not ruling it out.”
“We could always go to Chalmun Station and sign up for the arena contests.”
She flung her hair out of her face. “Ooh, can we?”
Inversion (Riven Worlds Book Two) Page 42
