by J Porteous
A defiant cheer rang out from the crowd, fists raised in the air. Carl tried to raise his voice but a lump in his throat stopped him. He thought of those who had given their lives. Not just those who had perished far from home, on the other side of the white-hole, but those who died to give them this victory. Rix, his parents, Sherlock, Watts, and Hawke. So many that he knew, now reduced to nothing but memories. He clenched his fists, not in celebration, but in grim reverence. Vengeance had at least brought him some closure.
The Faceless Man held his hands high, silencing the audience. 'There is another reason we have gathered here tonight,' he said. He looked back towards the empty chairs that surrounded him. 'Our council is diminished, I am sure that fact has not eluded you.' The celebratory atmosphere quickly evaporated. 'After some long talks between Daven and I, we have reached the decision that these positions must be reassigned to continue the work of the mercenary council, and to shape our way forward in the universe. We have chosen to assign these tonight.' He turned to Daven and pulled the man to his feet, supporting him as he stood.
Daven blew a few hard breaths then raised his head to the crowd. 'We have decided on who we wish to take up positions on the council. I shall announce two members, and the Faceless Man will announce two as well.' A stillness of anticipation settled over the room. 'I, Daven Farman, wish to assign the following two people to the council.' He winced again, and the Faceless Man pulled him up straighter, to which he nodded a thanks. 'Sara Threll of the Solar Phoenixes, for taking on the crews of three downed vessels and bringing them back through the white-hole with little regard for her own safety.'
A cheer roared up from the crowd as the surprised captain stumbled through the surrounding bodies and ascended the stairs. She nodded gratefully, and beamed a smile to Daven before standing next to him. Daven held a hand high to silence the crowd again. 'I also nominate Charger of the Fighting Bulls for taking down two enemy ships with sustained gunfire, then smashing his ship into a third when his own was irreparably damaged.' Another cheer rose from the crowd. 'Unfortunately Charger is still in sickbay at the moment while the Harathdans work to repair parts of his exoskeleton.'
The Faceless Man helped Daven back to his seat before returning to stand by Sara in front of the crowd. 'I, the Faceless Man, also wish to assign the following two people to the council.' He stared out into the crowd for a moment, as if searching for his nominees. 'Benja Doren of the Astral Reapers, for taking control of his ship when all others crew members had been killed, and then providing supporting fire for the ground attack before returning through the white-hole.'
The man made his way through the cheering crowd, grabbing and shaking hands that reached for him. He ascended to his position next to the Faceless Man. The crowd fell silent again. 'I have one last position to assign,' the Faceless Man said. He motioned to Sara and Benja. 'These positions were well argued and thought of since we returned through the white-hole. This next nominee, however, required no argument from either of us.' People in the crowd turned to look among themselves, muttering different names under their breath.
Carl turned to Justinia. 'Who have you got your money on?'
She grinned back at him. 'I think I know exactly who I'd put my money on.'
Carl went to reply, but the Faceless Man silenced them again.
'My final nomination is hopefully here as well tonight, I understand that they have been through medical treatment following their return.'
Carl nudged Justinia. 'That narrows it down to only ninety per cent of the crew here.' She said nothing in return to him, simply keeping a knowing grin on her face.
'I nominate Carl Goban of the Space Bastards, for his part in uncovering the Kalindros plot, for his tenacity in following and hunting down the enemy wherever they hid, and for helping destroy the central warp-hole.'
Carl felt like a bullet had hit him again. Did I hear that right? Was that my name? Surely this is some kind of mistake? Someone grabbed him and shook him out of his stupor.
'Carl? Carl?' Justinia said, shaking him back into the room. She grabbed his chin and forced his head to look towards the other council members. 'Don't just stand here staring, get moving!'
'This can't be right,' Carl said, shaking his head. 'You need to be a ship captain to be nominated.'
Justinia grabbed his arm, having to shout over the din of the cheering crowd. 'You are the captain,' she said. 'There's no one left in the crew apart from you and me. I've already told you, I don't want to, can't be, a captain with Carcino Relic syndrome. So guess who's left?'
Carl tried to steady his shaking limbs, just about stopping his legs from turning to jelly underneath him. Justinia gave him a hard push through the crowd to get him started. He weaved his way through the maze of faces that surrounded him. He reached out for those in front of him who wanted to touch him, to shake the hand of the man who helped track down the Kalindros. A smile spread over his face, the realisation of what he and the Space Bastards had done. Without them tracking down the Sender stones, without them seeing the truth about the Balanthur prophecy, the Kalindros would have broken through and stole all life from the universe. He mounted the stairs and stood next to the Faceless Man, who gripped his hand firmly.
'Do you have any words for the crowd, Captain Goban?'
Captain Goban? He smiled to himself. If only my parents could see this. He forced himself back into the moment and nodded. 'I'll try.'
The Faceless Man stepped back, reaching his hands in the air for silence from the crowd. 'Some words from Captain Goban,' he said.
A harsh silence fell over the room as Carl fought hard to coax the words from his throat. 'This wasn't just my victory,' he said eventually, trying to keep his voice steady. The images of the crew, his family, of Rix, flashed in his mind. 'The day we went through the white-hole was not the day we started to lose people.' He looked out into the crowd to find Justinia. 'My crew, my friends, gave their lives to recover the Sender stones and, ultimately, to close the central warp-hole.' He managed to rid himself of the lump of his throat before continuing. 'I've lost everything because of the Kalindros, everything...' He looked up and across the silent crowd, each one of them hanging on his next words.
A voice spoke to him from deep down. Rix. Give them something, Carl. Give them hope. He nodded to himself. 'But in the end, we took everything from them. And we didn't just save ourselves, we saved the countless other universes out there that they were waiting to prey on. The lives we gave are outweighed by the sheer number of lives we sacrificed our own for. Countless other lives can now live with our knowledge that they will never encounter the horrors we have.' He searched through the crowd again and locked his eyes to Justinia's. 'Some of us may have had our lives taken from us, but it was on our own terms, not the Kalindros. Every loss we suffered was not taken from us, it was given, in a final act of defiance. An act that says we are the defenders of our own universe, and you cannot take it from us.' Justinia smiled back at him, her fierce grin burning at him through the sea of faces. He smiled back and raised his fist. 'What happened in the white-hole proved to us that, together, we are unstoppable.'
The crowd roared. Fists were raised and cries of victory sounded out among the throng in front of him. Carl beamed a fierce grin back. They may be the remnants of those who went through, but tonight they make enough noise to make up for those who did not return. He felt a hand grab his arm and turn him.
'A good speech,' the Faceless Man said. 'It is what they needed.'
'What happens next?' Carl asked.
'For now, we make ourselves scarce,' the Faceless Man said. 'When the human military get wind of what has happened, they will hunt us down. A private militia is not taken lightly among the military commanders. No doubt they will see it as treason. I will contact all of the council members when we need to discuss how we go forward from this. That is when the real work will begin.'
Carl nodded an acknowledgment and took his seat, turning to greet the other council members beside him. The crowd
roared even louder at the sight of the new council members sat in their respective positions. Carl looked out to the crowd, and caught Justinia and Arrathnar stood together, smiling back at him.
Carl inspected the workmanship done to the War Goddess. All damage was repaired well, to the degree that you could not tell that the hull had ever been breached.
'Those Researchers know their tech,' Justinia said, circling the ship with him. 'If they are at a loose end now that the Kalindros aren't a threat, they would make great ship mechanics.'
Carl laughed. 'I'm sure they would love to hear you to refer to them as simple mechanics.' He ran his hand against part of the hull where a round had pierced straight through. It was now smooth and flawless. 'It's going to be odd, I know.'
Justinia did not have to ask what he was talking about. 'It's hard to believe he's gone,' she said. 'All of them actually. In the aftermath of everything, that's when reality hits you, you know?'
Carl nodded. 'We had something to fight our loss against, we had an enemy still to beat. Now the threat is gone that vengeance has been served, that hole that was filled with hatred has emptied and we are left with that empty feeling.'
'I've never really thought of it that way,' Justinia said thoughtfully. She slapped a firm hand against the War Goddess. 'It's just the thought of the Space Bastards without Hawke...it doesn't really feel like the Bastards.' She sighed and reluctantly took her hand from the side of the ship. 'We'll need to look at recruiting when we get the chance.' She stood still for a moment, biting her lip. 'I'll go check the interior for damage repairs,' she said, and quickly disappeared inside the ship.
'Is she going to be alright?'
Carl turned from the ship to see Arrathnar. She propped herself against the supply crates that the Harathdans had kindly supplied for each ship. 'She will be,' Carl said. 'She just needs time to heal, that's all.'
'We all do,' Arrathnar said. She threw him a sly grin. 'Quite a speech you gave earlier, Captain.'
'I did see you towards the end.' Carl's cheeks flushed red. 'Thanks.'
She smiled. 'I did not want to make myself too obvious. Besides, it took my mind off of making my own address.'
Carl cocked his head to one side. 'Your address? You didn't mention anything about it?'
She crossed her arms and laughed to herself. 'I was not sure if I could go through with it, but I did. With the Grand Researcher dead, I am the next in the chain of succession. I had to address them somehow.' She paused hesitantly for a moment. 'The Researchers are disbanding.'
'What?' Carl said, taken aback by the sudden declaration. 'I thought you said before it was simply murmurs, rumours?'
'Rumours are often based on a grain of truth,' she said. 'It was broadcast to all Chapter Houses, across all systems.'
'What did you tell them?'
“The truth,' Arrathnar said. 'I told them that our part of the prophecy was done, that we were no longer needed to stand watch. I received a lot of surprised responses, mostly asking what they are to do with their lives now.'
'And what you tell them?'
'I took your advice. I told them to seek their own causes. To go out into the universe and help where needed, to choose whichever calling spoke to them. I told them that they would always have a permanent home, here on the Winter Dawn, but their lives were ultimately their own choices now. The Winter Dawn will be sent to the far outreaches of the universe, to serve as a tomb for the Sender stones. Many offered to accompany it, and be the Winter Dawn's honour guard. After that, I thanked them for their diligence and their sacrifices, and closed the communication down. There will still be Harathdans in the universe, but we will no longer be Researchers.'
Carl stood shocked, unsure of what to say. 'Are you sure? That you made the choice you wanted?'
Arrathnar smiled at him. 'Sometimes there is no use pondering over something when you know what your heart wants,' she said. 'If you wait too long, you may find yourself losing more than you imagined, right?'
Carl could not help but smile back at his own words.
Justinia emerged from the War Goddess, brushing the dirt from her hands. 'All looking good inside. We're looking good to go whenever you are, Captain.' She looked up and saw Arrathnar. 'Once you've said your goodbyes, of course.'
Arrathnar straightened herself and looked back at Carl. 'That is the reason I am here,' she said. 'With the disbanding of the Researchers, I am free from all duties, free to make my own way and choice in the universe. My choice is to come with you, Captain.' She glanced at Justinia. 'If you would take me, of course.'
Carl looked at Justinia, and shrugged her a question.
Justinia looked between Carl and Arrathnar, before a smile split her face as she nodded. 'All good with me. I thought you were pretty much one of the crew by this point anyway.'
Carl grinned and turned to Arrathnar. 'Welcome to the Space Bastards,' Carl said, throwing his arms wide. 'Just one request.'
'Yes?'
'Don't call me Captain.'
Arrathnar beamed a smile back.
Carl grabbed one of the supply packages and lifted it to his shoulder. 'When can you be ready to leave?'
Arrathnar shrugged. 'I am carrying everything I own,' she said.
Carl nodded back. 'Let's get this loaded and get going.'
Once the supplies were loaded safely into the ship, they made their way through the crews who gathered in the docking bay, saying their goodbyes and wishing luck to those about to set off. Most of the crews were leaving the same day it seemed, although a few still stayed behind, either waiting for additional repairs or for crew to leave the sickbay. Carl had met again briefly with the other council members in the sickbay to greet Charger before departing. The Faceless Man reminded them that he would be in touch soon. 'We're all traitors now,' he had said. 'Keep a low profile.'
Carl sat himself at the pilot seat of the War Goddess, running his hands over the various dials and switches. The familiarity was comforting. Home. He hit the internal communication unit. 'Justinia, Arrathnar, to the cockpit.' He ran his hand along the cold metal of the console in front of him. Don't worry, Hawke. I'll take care of her. It did not take long for the both of them to arrive. He swiveled in the chair to greet them. 'How are we looking?'
'All good from my side of things,' Justinia said. 'Strangely empty, but all good otherwise.'
Arrathnar nodded in agreement. 'It is quiet, but the War Goddess is ready.'
'Good,' Carl said. He pointed to the galaxy map in front of them. 'Where to next? If we are going to avoid the military, we're going to need somewhere remote.'
Arrathnar leaned in to look at the galaxy map. 'May I suggest the Dentriga system?'
Justinia looked puzzled. 'Dentriga? I've heard odd things about that system, troubling things. Not the kind of things that make me want to visit.'
'This is not random,' Arrathnar said. 'It is a request.'
Questions etched Carl's face. 'A request? From who?'
'Hawke.' Arrathnar watched the colour drain from Carl's face.
'Hawke? How?'
'When Hawke came to relieve me from the core, he made me make a promise. In return for my life he asked me to seek out his daughter, Elpis.'
'What?' Justinia said. 'He knew her location?'
Arrathnar nodded. 'He did not say how. I suppose there was not much time for explanations. He planned on going after her once he returned through the white-hole.' She met both of their gazes. 'Obviously things did not go the way he planned. He made me promise that we would go save her. I plan on honouring that.'
Carl nodded with the sentiment. 'Do we know much more than the location?'
'Yes,' Arrathnar said. 'She was sold into slavery to serve the Oligarch of Lanak. Anything else beyond that is an unknown.'
Justinia's expression darkened. 'Sounds like we've got ourselves a plan. I've got the feeling that this isn't going to be straightforward.'
Carl nodded in agreement. 'Hawke gave his life for ours. It's the le
ast we can do.' He looked at both of them. 'So, are we in agreement?' The fierce expressions he received answered him more than any words could. He smiled. 'That's what I thought.' He swiveled his chair back towards the console and grabbed the headset that rested on it. 'Winter Dawn, this is Captain Carl Goban of the Space Bastards, preparing to exit the docking bay.'
The intercom crackled in response. 'Captain Goban, this is Jurante in the docking control room. Information received and confirmed. Doors opening now. Good luck out there.'
Carl pulled the headset microphone in closer. 'Keep the luck for yourself, Jurante. We don't need it, we're the Space Bastards.'
Epilogue
Hawke opened his eyes. Pure darkness. He shut his eyes and opened them again. Nothing. It was of the deepest darkness, the type that bent your idea of time, that convinced you that your eyes were blind.
'Daria?'
There was no response.
Perhaps this is death? Hawke thought. He dredged up the stories he had been told of what the religious exiles believed, that your soul would go join a greater consciousness somewhere in the nether. He searched around in the deep black. He was alone. They were wrong.
He felt a presence. It was hard for him to understand, but he knew something was there in the dark with him. It was close. He reached a hand out into the dark. 'Hello?' Nothing. 'Is anyone there?' He pulled himself to his feet. He was stood on something, he had to be somewhere. He held a hand out and walked towards the presence.
'Hawke? Is that you?'
It was her voice. The voice of the woman he had left behind on Callisto. He recognised it in a moment, his heart fluttering. 'Daria? Where are you? Where are we?' The feeling of presence grew closer, and stronger.
'Hawke? I'm just here.'
He moved forward, faster now. He stumbled through the pitch black, the presence growing, from a small tapping in the back of his mind, to a thundering roar. 'Daria? I did it. I did what I promised I would.'
You have changed nothing.
He shuddered to a halt. That voice, that deep, resonant voice dug through his skull. 'No, it can't be you. I've fucking killed you!'
