by A A Warren
TALON THE RAIDER
TALES OF TALON BOOK 2
A. A. Warren
TALON THE RAIDER
A. A. Warren
Copyright © 2019 by Andrew Warren. All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events or locales is purely coincidental. Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited.
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Contents
Readers Group
Excerpt 1192-C, From the Tales of Talon
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Talon returns in…
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What to Read Next
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This book is dedicated to Mimi.
Queen of the Universe, no evil plan required…
Excerpt 1192-C, From the Tales of Talon
Even as the young emperor Lucian reclaimed the crimson throne of Tal Adar, war erupted on the Tygon Dominion’s distant border.
Angered by years of Dominion attacks on their shipping lanes, the Consortium of Free Worlds struck back. The kingdom’s two rival houses, the Aoshun Clans and the Imperial Jotoru, united to defend their territory.
As the conflict grew, an unlikely warrior entered the fray. The man known as Talon, free and eager to wander the stars, joined a Merchant Marine convoy en route to the battlefront…
Jord’n Tomas, Dominion Chronicler
Chapter One
ONOHARA SYSTEM
Disputed Territory
Dominion / Consortium Border
Smoke and haze filled the darkened corridor. An occasional flash of light glowed in the distance… sparking wires or venting plasma conduits. The recycled air was heavy with the acrid stench of ozone and scorched metal. An alarm wailed in the distance, but the roar of explosions, and the high-pitched whine of pulse weapon fire, drowned out its warbling cry.
A trio of men dressed in battered dura-plas armor charged through the smoke. They advanced down the corridor, pivoting left and right to cover the smaller sub sections that branched off from the main passageway. Their forward progress slowed as they were forced to navigate through a mass of scorched bodies sprawled across the floor.
The man in the lead was a short, lanky human, no older than twenty years of age. His wide blue eyes swept across the carnage before him, as he fired his pulse rifle into the shadows. Sparse stubble covered his chin, and sweat-soaked locks of hair fell down across his panicked stare. A number adorned the dented breastplate of his armor: 1173
A voice crackled from the comm unit mounted to his scuffed helmet. “Unit 1173, do you re— ZZZT— Unit 1173, this is Command Unit 2246, what is yo— ZZZZT.”
The young man dropped to his knees as a volley of pulse beams lit up the hazy corridor. The man standing to his right cried out, and fell back onto the deck plates. His eyes fluttered closed, as smoke drifted from a black hole punched in the front of his armor.
The young man sent another blast into the smoke. Squinting, he made out shady figures stalking towards their position. His rifle stopped firing. Glancing down, he saw the energy meter read empty. Cursing, he ducked into a doorframe as more bolts flew past him. All the doors in the corridor were security locked, but at least the tiny alcove provided some cover from the glowing energy beams streaking back and forth around him. His remaining squad mate stood his ground in the corridor and returned fire.
The voice crackled to life again. “ZZZZZT… Kev, where in blazes are you? No one …ZZZZT… to the rendezvous point!”
Kev, the young man, slapped the side of his helmet as he ejected his rifle’s empty energy cell. The static cleared. “Unit 1173 responding. We’re pinned down in corridor…” He paused as he glanced around the corner of the door frame. “Deck 9, Corridor 16,” he shouted, reading the location coordinates stenciled on the wall.
As he slapped a fresh cell into his rifle, he heard another gasp of pain. His remaining team member flew past the door and tumbled to the ground. The smell of burned flesh and melted plastic wafted through the corridor.
“Pinned down, eh? You and half the other squads I’ll wager,” the voice grunted in his ear. “I thought Captain Snow said to expect light resistance?”
“He always says that,” Kev snapped back, as he fired another burst into the smoky corridor.
Peering around the door frame, he saw five men clad in sleek, black armor stomp out of the smoky haze. They stopped at an intersection several meters from his position. He could hear them arguing, their voices distorted by their helmets. They were debating in which direction to search next.
He sucked in his breath, as he recognized the design of their interlocking plate armor and curved sabers. Their helmets were molded to resemble ancient demons or monsters. These were Kujita Warriors… the elite soldiers of the Consortium.
“Are you nearby?” Kev whispered into the comm unit. “Could use a little help here. Five Kujita heading my way.”
“Kujita?” The crackling voice chuckled. “Still have a knack for trouble, eh? Stay put, I’ll come to you.”
“Not really an option at the moment,” Kev hissed. His rifle hummed and the indicator lights along the barrel glowed red as he pulled back the priming handle. “Gotta move… see you in a bit!”
Kev’s voice cracked as he uttered a high-pitched war cry. He dove into the corridor, and rolled to his knees, sweeping fire across the smoke-filled air. He grit his teeth and smiled as sparks erupted from his target's chest plates. The armored soldier collapsed to the ground. Kev ducked into another door frame on the opposite side of the smoky passageway.
The remaining armored warriors spun around and stalked down the corridor towards Kev. Two men in the lead held up their armored forearms. Blazing energy shields glowed to life, blocking their upper torso and heads.
Kev leaned out and fired again, but his shots rippled across the glowing shields. The rear guards opened fire, sending a hail of energy bolts down the corridor. The young man winced as bits of burning dura-plas hurtled past his face. He clutched his rifle tight against his body. The barrage continued, pinning him down in the tiny alcove.
Suddenly, a loud hum filled the corridor. The firing ceased, as the heavily armored men stopped advancing, and glanced to their right. Kev peered around the door frame, and saw an arc of brilliant orange light slice through
the wall of the corridor, next to the Kujita's position. The blinding line of energy traced a six-foot semi-circle in the white dura-plas plates.
Before the armored warriors could react, an explosion blasted the wall to pieces. Chunks of charred dura-plas slammed into the men, knocking them into the opposite wall.
As they slumped to the ground, a towering male human stepped through the smoking hole in the wall. He wore only a battle harness and crimson breeches, exposing the rippling cords of muscle in his broad chest and shoulders. The crackling blade of his plasma axe cast a dim orange glow over the fallen men. A tousle of dark hair fell to the man’s cheeks, and Kev saw his glowing crimson eye, peering through the haze. The man’s lips were curled in a savage grin.
Officially, the man's designation was Command Unit 2246. But Kev knew him by another name…
Talon.
The rubble shifted on the ground. One of the armored men heaved a chunk of the wall aside and sat up, raising his rifle. Before he could pull the trigger, Talon stomped down on the abdomen and kicked his rifle aside. The weapon fired wild and struck the ceiling, sending a shower of sparks cascading around them.
Talon raised a heavy pulse pistol and fired, melting the man’s armored face-plate to molten slag. The warrior slumped to the ground, but there was no time for Talon to savor his victory. He kept moving, swinging his axe behind him in a wide arc.
With an angry hum, the plasma blade tore through the arm of another warrior. The man screamed, as his severed limb flew into the air, and bounced to the debris-littered ground. The twitching hand still clutched a pulse rifle in its spasming fingers.
Talon’s pistol barked twice, and the man fell back to the floor. A pair of blazing holes glowed in his chestplate.
Kev watched as the hulking man dispatched the armored warrior. A shadow darted across the corridor. The youngster squinted as he registered the movement behind Talon. One of the armored men had rolled clear of the blast… he was drawing a bead on the back of Talon’s head with his pulse rifle.
Screaming to draw the man’s attention, Kev darted into the corridor and opened fire. One of his shots grazed the armored man’s side, and the warrior dipped down on one knee, grunting in pain. But the Kujita were well trained… The warrior kept his eyes on his target and adjusted his weapon, preparing to fire.
At the sound of Kev’s howl, Talon whirled around. He ducked, as a stray bolt from Kev's rifle flew over his left shoulder, missing his face by a few millimeters. The heat from the errant shot grazed his flesh, and his crimson eye glowed bright. He stared down the barrel of the Kujita warrior’s rifle. There was no time to attack, no time to think… He hefted his axe, covering his face with the fiery orange blade.
The enemy's weapon fired, but the glowing pulse bolt ricocheted off the magnetic containment field of the axe’s blade. Sparks erupted from the wall next to Talon, but he paid them no mind. He aimed his pistol and returned fired.
The Kujita jerked and spun in the corridor. Bolts from both Kev and Talon’s weapons burned scorch marks across his armor. After a dozen shots pierced his body, the smoking warrior collapsed to the ground. He ceased moving.
Panting, Talon powered down his axe and slung the weapon across his back. He stomped towards the younger man, his one dark eye filled with molten fury.
“Unit 1173… do you realize you almost shot a superior officer?” the hulking man bellowed.
“Better than letting these Consortium dogs take you hostage, sir!” the man snapped back, his voice quavering only a little.
Talon snarled, and raised his fist into the air. Then his angry growl turned to a burst of laughter, and Kev found himself grappled in a friendly bearhug. Talon rapped his knuckles on the shorter man’s helmet, as the young soldier struggled to escape the crushing embrace.
“By the gods, I’m glad to see you,” the bigger man said with a chuckle. “That Kujita almost sent me to the Golden Stars. Many thanks for the warning.”
A low groan rumbled through the walls of the corridor… The two men staggered as the floor seemed to shift and tilt beneath their feet. Kev spread his arms, as he struggled to maintain his balance. “By the gods… now what?”
Talon’s jaw clenched, and all traces of mirth and laughter vanished from his face. He grabbed the younger man and dragged him down the corridor, pulling him over the corpses of the fallen men in his way. “We’d better get moving! This way!”
They hurried down the corridor towards the intersection, as the wailing of the sirens grew louder. “I was a fool to sign on with Snow’s motley crew,” Talon muttered. “Merchant Marines, eh? I thought we’d be guarding Dominion cargo vessels, not raiding Consortium transports for booty.”
“You can thank General Kyr for that,” Kev panted, as they sprinted across the listing floor. “His attacks on Consortium shipping lanes blew up into an all out trade war, just before the Prince reclaimed the throne. Snow and the other Captains figured they’d make more chips as privateers than escorts!”
Talon glared at him. “Funny, I don’t see Snow down here with a blade or pistol in his hand!”
They sprinted around the corner. Power was fluctuating in the new stretch of corridor. The overhead lights flickered on and off, as sparks flew through the air. A long, clear viewing panel ran along the outer wall. Talon and Kev skidded to a stop, as another groaning lurch threw them off balance.
Talon glanced out the window. The black depths of space yawned before them. The plasma fires bursting from nearby ships glowed brighter than the distant stars. As the view rotated, a crumbling battle cruiser appeared, filling the dark horizon with its fiery death throws.
“Is that…” Kev began, but his voice trailed off.
“Aye,” Talon replied. “The Balteus… Captain Snow’s pride and joy!”
They watched as a series of glowing green explosions rippled through the distant vessel’s hull. For a moment, the ship seemed to swell like a balloon. Then the fire consumed it, as the explosion hurtled blazing debris in every direction.
The glow from the blast lit up Kev’s face as his jaw dropped. “Our ship… it’s gone!”
Talon grit his teeth and craned his neck, peering out the window towards the stern of the ship they were on. “I see, but we have bigger problems than that, my friend.”
Kev glanced up at him, his face pale with fear and surprise. “Bigger problems? Are you insane?”
“I wish,” Talon grunted. “Have a look yourself.”
He stepped aside, and Kev pressed his nose up to the window. In the distance, behind the ship, the scorched, sparking remains of a twin-engine assembly spiraled through space. The sheared metal decks of the engine room’s remains vented a stream of glowing plasma gas and debris in its wake.
“More wreckage,” Kev said, following the trail of mangled metal with his eyes. “What ship is that from?”
“This one,” Talon replied. “That’s why we’re listing so badly… the hull of this barge is falling apart!”
A shock wave rumbled through the deck plates beneath them. A new siren wailed, deeper and louder than the others. Talon grabbed Kev’s chestplate and pulled him down the corridor.
“Move, you fool! That’s the decompression alert!”
Suddenly, the ship lurched sideways, as if spun by the hand of a giant. Talon and Kev were thrown into the wall, grunting in pain they slammed against the dura-plas panels. The ship continued pin-wheeling through space. A high-pitched scream rose above the sirens… it was the sound of rending metal, snapped beyond its breaking point.
The muscles in Talon’s neck flexed as he forced his head to turn. Looking down the darkened corridor, his eyes opened wide. “Kev, grab something! Hold on, we—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a fireball erupted in the darkness. The explosion rolled towards them, filling the narrow passageway with a blast of super-heated air. But before the inferno could reach them it suddenly retreated, shooting backwards into the darkness.
With a final
groan, the section of corridor behind them snapped off, and spiraled away into the black oblivion of space. The roar of rushing air was deafening. Talon’s fingers scraped along the smooth wall as he frantically sought a handhold. In an instant, the rush of decompression sucked him and Kev into the air, and sent them hurtling towards the cold void that lay beyond the mangled hull of the ship.
Chapter Two
Talon heard Kev scream over the rushing air as they both flew towards the opening at the rear of the corridor. Looking back, he saw the smaller man’s body, tumbling just behind him. The maw of jagged metal rushed closer… Beyond lay nothing but cold infinite blackness, dotted with pinpricks of light.
A pair of emergency doors marked with yellow and black warning stripes had attempted to close off the damaged section. A clump of twisted metal debris blocked their path. The doors were stuck half open, just before the breach in the hull.
Moving on instinct, Talon drew his axe, then reached back and grabbed Kev’s arm. As they flew through the airlock doors, Talon spun the axe horizontally in front of him. The shaft of the axe was too long to fit between the half-open doors… it clanked against the metal, and Talon felt his body jerk to a stop. His fingers were numb from the rush of cold air, but he forced himself to keep an iron grip on his weapon. It was all that was preventing him from being sucked into the vacuum of space.
