ALLEGIANCE [3013]

by Laurie Roma

Even though the New Year’s date was for the human calendar, the Adaro brothers—the Krytos who owned New Vega—still capitalized on the day through their shops, casino, restaurants, and other businesses. Races from all the known planets traveled to the floating city in the weeks leading up to the holidays, and they enjoyed the decorations that seem to become more elaborate each year while doing their shopping.

  Others specifically came to New Vega for the beginning of the Baxxtora Tournament—an event that many looked forward to with great anticipation.

  Although there were many Krytos words for battle, baxxtora was a more lighthearted term, meant for training rather than actual war. With that in mind, the Krytos had created a kind of battle of the races they had named the Baxxtora Tournament, where combatants fought in sectioned off areas, cages, pits, or fighting rings created for the matches.

  The tournament was carried out in three separate stages that spanned weeks apart to account for rest, recovery, and travel time between fights. The first stage was held at a number of locations, and anyone was eligible to enter. The opening of the tournament was always held at New Vega on New Year’s Day. On that same day or soon after, the first stage of matches began at the other locations. The victors from the first fights gathered together to compete in the second stage, then the winners would journey to the city of Zion on Earth, where the final matches were held on Unity Day.

  Humans, Krytos, Helios, Reema, and even a few D’Aire fought in the tournament, tempted by the credit prize given to the winners of each group. Then again, some just fought for the love of combat, even if they had to follow the rules. The main decree being that they couldn’t kill. The fights were a test of strength and skill, the competitors like gladiators of a time long past.

  Roman had once loved the Baxxtora Tournament. He’d eagerly prepared all year for the sole purpose of entering the competition. It hadn’t mattered to him if he had to forgo the many holiday festivities or watch what he ate in addition to training like a demon. That hard work had paid off, and he had even won his division four years in a row. That was no small feat, though, he wasn’t in the heaviest groups with the best fighters from the other races. It was said that a few of the other races were just denser than humans.

  Still, his own self-indulgent ego turned out to be his ultimate weakness.

  He’d felt invincible—in life, love, and in the fighting ring. It was a fault of youth and foolishness, but that was no excuse, and it left him completely unprepared for what was to come. The very nature of time acted against him, and that period of triumph ended before he realized it was slipping through his fingers. Fate taught him a hard lesson...that victory was never everlasting for there was always another battle to be fought.

  And he’d fought some wicked battles in his life.

  Thinking of that, Roman took a deep breath and walked through the open doorway of the empty observation deck on the second level of suites. Lights automatically flickered on as he entered, and his black boots barely made a sound on the brown and beige swirled marble floors. He came to a stop midway into the room and folded his hands behind his back, staring around him in mild surprise.

  It had been many years since he had been in that room, so he had expected changes, but it looked so different, he barely recognized it. The last time he had been in there, it had been nothing but gray metal and glass. Still, viewing the expanse of space beyond the window had been well worth tolerating the cold, stark area.

  The view was still spectacular, but the straight window had been changed to a wide curve of thick glass, and the metal walls had been hidden behind panels of wood so dark they almost looked black. The tray ceiling was the color of rich cream, except for where two gold chandeliers hung from the large, dark recessed squares that hid the rest of the lighting. There were a few sitting areas with plush black armchairs and tables, and a few black and white paintings hung on the walls with only the barest of accent color to them.

  About two feet before the wall met glass, water trickled down in a wide, endless stream on both ends, falling into a small river that ran the entire length of the room. The gentle sound coming from the walls of water added to the peaceful feel of the room, and the soft golden light shimmering from behind it matched the rich tone of the chandeliers.

  The river was cleverly hidden beneath thick pieces of glass that he was sure could be walked on while it looked as if nothing were there. The transformation made sense since the observation deck was used by those staying in the VIP level suites, but there was a small part of him that wished he’d never seen it.

  Not when he’d sworn he would never step foot inside that room again.

  The truth was, he thought being there would bring back the pain of loss, make him feel like it was happening all over again. He’d risk it, and so much more, to be free of the nightmare that had plagued him for years. Maybe he’d expected a little clarity, but as he just stood there in the dim light, he felt as he always did when he thought about what had happened—a little hollow inside.

  Damn, this would be easier with a drink...or five.

  Roman was a man who liked control, which was why he never drank anything that would strip him of his senses. Furthermore, with his metabolism and large, enhanced body, he burned through alcohol faster than most humans, which meant it took some effort to keep a buzz, and he just wasn’t that dedicated to the task.

  There was a brief time when he hadn’t cared about caution or control. When he’d hated both the tournament and the holiday with the heat of a million suns, but he’d realized that nothing would ease the pain and guilt he’d carried with him like an emotional cargo container. Only time could heal his wounds, and it had, though, there was nothing he could do about the scars left behind.

  Throughout his career in the Alliance, he had visited New Vega countless times, but never on New Year’s Day. It was actually something he had avoided for years. Honestly, “hate” might have been too strong a word for it, but he genuinely disliked the holiday...with cause.

  But duty had given him the opportunity to finally face it, so when he’d been asked to fly out today, he hadn’t even considered making an excuse not to come.

  Roman’s entire life had been about taking orders, and he had never resented it. To be fair, he didn’t follow anyone blindly. He only followed orders if they made sense for him and his soldiers, and he paid the consequences when he’d earned them. Unlike those who bitched and complained about being an elite, he liked the structure and discipline that came with being part of the military. It was a constant, and a place where he had purpose.

  He had been born a soldier, then enhanced to be a better one.

  And he would die one when his time came.

  His parents had been soldiers, a trio of two fathers and a mother who had birthed two children with the sole purpose of continuing the human race. There had been few feelings involved, but he didn’t blame them for their reasoning. They’d been soldiers doing their duty in a time when humanity had been struggling to survive.

  It was that simple, or complex, depending on how one looked at it.

  In the year 2960, an alien race called the Zyphir had come to Earth to annihilate the humans and take over the planet. The Zyphir were a colony race of insect-like creatures that traveled to worlds in order to deplete them of all resources before moving on to the next planet that suited their needs. A three-year war had ravaged the planet, destroying cities and killing countless numbers on both sides.

  Humans had technology on their side, but the Zyphir were a horde that had been almost impossible to stop. Fortunately for the Alliance, other races had come to their aid in their time of need, and with the help of the D’Aire and the Krytos, the humans had been able to fight back, but Earth had still been overwhelmed.

  The D’Aire were a compassionate race that had joined in the fight to help the humans from being exterminated, but the Krytos had initially arrived to ensure the destruction of the Zyphir since the insects had destroyed their own home worl
d. During the fighting, a bond had been forged between the D’Aire, Krytos, and the humans, but the war hadn’t ended until the arrival of the Dragon Warriors.

  The Dragon Warriors were a powerful race who used magic and deadly fighting skills to take down their enemies. A dozen or so had arrived to help the humans take back Earth, and they were all that had been needed to end the war. Some had taken to the sky as dragons to rain down fire on the Zyphir, while others had fought on the ground.

  In the aftermath of the war, martial law had been declared, and the planet was left under the rule of the United Federation Command Alliance, or as it was more commonly called, the Alliance. Humans had struggled to rebuild their civilization, though, their troubles had been far from over.

  Although the Zyphir had been defeated, they had left behind an unknown virus that had swept through the world, altering the genetics of the survivors. The virus had attacked female reproductive systems, leaving most human women infertile. In the years that followed, and no matter how advanced medical technology had become, the Alliance had been unable to reverse the effects of the virus.

  To counteract the severe decrease in population, the Alliance had created new laws and programs to ensure the survival of the human race. When children turned ten, they were evaluated to determine who would become elites. All fertile females were chosen, but only the strongest and brightest men and infertile women were given the genetic enhancements to become elite soldiers. The elites were bigger and stronger than normal humans, with increased reflexes and heightened senses. Those enhancements were encoded into their genes, making them the hope for the future.

  Roman’s mother, Catherine Newgate-Beck, had been one of few women with a specialized scroll marking on the right side of her face near her eye asserting she was a fertile female. However, she had been a soldier long before the mark was given to her. She had fought in the war against the Zyphir and was lucky enough to have immunity against the virus. So, when the Alliance had decreed it, she had bonded with two elite males to increase the chance of pregnancy.

  When a woman was chosen, the two elite soldiers that claimed her would have their initials tattooed on the left side of her face, marking her as theirs for the world to see. In return, the men would have a similar tattoo placed on their left neck, shoulder and arm as a sign of pride to have claimed a woman. These markings took the place of archaic symbols such as wedding bands to declare them a bonded unit.

  Although Roman’s parents had bonded, there was no love in their union. They might have worn the marks, but it was to set an example rather than actually meaning what the marks represented. Perhaps, at one point, there had been a glimmer of affection, though, it couldn’t have lasted long.

  Still, as duty dictated, they’d had a son. Noah had come first, then Roman had been born five years later. They hadn’t tried again, which was probably a good thing for all parties involved.

  Due to her dedication to the Alliance, his mother had risen to the ranks until she had become the commander of Alpha Station: X10 when Roman was two years old. She’d had little time to be a mother before she had gotten the command, so after was no different. The boys had learned early on not to bother her. Most of the time, it was as if they were just like any other people on her space station, unless either boy fucked up somehow.

  Then, she’d scared the shit out of them.

  One of their fathers, Jeremy Beck, had been a war hero, or so people said. He’d lost part of his arm in the war, but he’d refused prosthetics or cybernetics afterward. It seemed as if he’d wanted to stay miserable as a reminder of what he had gone through, but Roman had a feeling it was more about the praise and adoration he was given because of it. Or it had been an excuse, so no one would lecture him about how much he drank.

  Beck had been Roman’s birth father, but thankfully, he hadn’t been around much. When he had, he’d been drunk, and he had scared the kids with his erratic behavior. That was another reason Roman didn’t lose himself in a bottle. He never wanted to be like his father, who could be a mean son of a bitch, even when he wasn’t drinking.

  When Beck drank himself to death, no one had been surprised.

  Wade Newgate was Noah’s birth father, and the only true family either boy ever had. The brothers had been proud to take his last name, and Wade had given them a semblance of normalcy while he protected them from Beck and Catherine. After Noah had been accepted into the Academy, Wade and Roman had moved to Jade City on Earth to be closer to him, and they’d finally been free to live the lives they wanted.

  Catherine hadn’t argued. In fact, she had seemed pleased that she didn’t have to deal with them any longer. The last time Roman had heard from his mother had been when he’d turned ten, and she had contacted him to tell him to be a good elite and not to embarrass her.

  For a brief time, their lives had been good. Wade had taken a position with the Development Division in Jade City, helping to build structures and expand the city. It was work he had loved, and he had often said he never wanted to be anywhere near a space station again. He’d enjoyed the open air and stable gravity, but most of all, he had said he just wanted to stay close to his sons.

  Since Wade had been older when the enhancement drugs were given to him, they hadn’t been as effective for him as they were when given to children. The drug had been altered and improved over the years, and the Alliance scientists and doctors had been able to create a superior version by the time Noah and Roman had become elites. Wade had aged more than his sons over the years, but he just joked about the silver that had been sprinkled liberally throughout his dark hair, not bothered by it in the least.

  Noah and Roman both excelled in the Academy, and they spent their time with Wade at their home in Jade City whenever they were on break. Some of the elites who had gotten the enhancement drugs received something a little extra, which were designated with a classification. Noah jested that he would have liked Class A-Telek enhancements, but he’d never been able to move anything with his mind.

  Even as a child, Roman had been big for his age. He had inherited his father’s strong build, dark-brown hair, and light-green eyes, but the enhancements he’d been given had amplified his size and strength beyond what most elites received. There wasn’t a specific classification for his increased physical modifications, but he was glad to have an additional advantage when it came to combat training.

  Noah had graduated from the Academy five years before Roman, and he and his partner were given the choice to stay in Jade City. Not long after their first promotion, there had been an accident at a work site when a lev-bed loaded with heavy metal beams had malfunctioned. It had fallen from the air, crushing six elites on the ground.

  Wade had been one of them.

  His loss had left a hole in Roman’s heart, but he had tried to find solace in his duties and training. Noah and his partner made sure Roman had a place to go whenever he had a break, but nothing had been the same without Wade.

  The brothers remained close and had continued to be even after Noah and his partner had bonded with a chosen shortly before Roman left the Academy. Noah’s new chosen, Adira, had become a sister to Roman, which was sort of odd at first, because she’d been one of the top-level instructors at the Academy.

  Some of the instructors were lifers, while others who were trained in certain fields of study were rotated out every few years to keep the lessons current and varied. Teaching wasn’t usually a glamorous post but teaching specialized skills at the Academy often led to promotions. Even as a young woman, Adira had command stamped all over her. It was one of the things that first caught the attention of Noah and his partner when they had met her during one of the Academy competitions that Roman had participated in.

  He hadn’t wanted to intrude on their new life together, but the trio still invited him into their home for visits whenever he was on break. They always welcomed his best friend, Declan Hicks, to family meals and holidays, and they treated him like a brother whenever Roman and Declan v
isited.

  It was during Roman’s final year at the Academy when he received word that their mother had died, but no one went to the funeral. Catherine had left specific instructions for the brothers to be told a week after she had passed, so they hadn’t even had the option.

  Even in death, she had to control everything.

  When he graduated, he and his partner had high enough marks that they had also been offered their choice of where they would be stationed. Hicks hadn’t cared where they went since he had been abandoned after being placed in the Academy, and he had not been tied to any specific area.

  After choosing to stay in Jade City, they had been assigned to a Strike Force Team. To be on a team, they had to be skilled in hand-to-hand combat, good with weapons, and fearless in the face of danger. Although they were perfect partners and teammates, they’d had opposing views often. Still, their skillsets complemented one another, and they’d learned to compromise, which was why they worked so well together.

  Hicks had been a smooth talker, and he’d always known exactly what to say to get them out of trouble...or into it. He’d been quick to anger, but calmed down fast, and his bright laugh and wicked grin made it difficult for anyone to stay irritated with him. Roman had a slow temper that would only explode if he was pushed too far. He was an expert tactician that made him valuable to any team, but more as a leader.

  Their duties on the team were strenuous, but it hadn’t been enough for Roman. He’d wanted more. Because of his size and strength, he always had to be careful. But the Baxxtora Tournament allowed him to do what he’d never done before, so he’d begun preparing for the competition in order to let loose a little.

  The thrill of it kept him going after he’d won the first time, and he’d pushed to keep on winning, but in the end, it had cost him everything.

  Roman’s attention was pulled away from his morose thoughts when he noticed something peculiar about the lower portion of the observation window. He stepped forward, walking onto the glass that covered the small flowing river and saw something had been etched onto the glass.