The Fates Series 03 Veil of Innocence

by Alys Landale

  Karnus took another gulp of the drink in front of him. If there was one thing he could be sure of, he could outdrink this pathetic humanoid in front of him. After all, he was a Dezorisian.

  *What the Hell are you doing?!* Aria’s thoughts screamed through Paris’s head. She couldn’t believe that he was actually playing into Karnus’s hands. It would do no good if he was drunk before they made the trade.

  *Relax, I know what I’m doing.* Paris kept his face a neutral mask as he responded to Aria. Danag had already fallen drunk due to Karnus’s pressuring. The Dezorisian had told them that he would not trade with anyone who couldn’t drink so the three had ended up with a stack of drinks to go through before Karnus even conceded to discussing any form of trade.

  Aria sat back. She hadn’t touched the glass in front of her. Danag leaned over and placed his head on her shoulder. “Are they ready to trade yet.” he asked.

  She rolled her eyes. His speech was slurred, he could barely stand, and to top that off, Danag hadn’t consumed half as much as Paris.

  “Sit down Danag, before you pass out.” She pushed him into his chair. *How are you doing that?* she asked Paris.

  *For one thing, I never drank anything.*

  “Alright, can we talk trade now?” Tom asked.

  Karnus sat upright. “You seem to be able to hold your drink. That is a trait I admire in a man. Come what do you wish to trade.”

  Paris swallowed the rest of his glass. “Fighters,” he said. “I need two fighters and I need them ready to leave by the end of the day.”

  Karnus stood up. “I am certain we can come to some agreement. Come, I wish to see what you have to offer.”

  Aria was still puzzling over what Paris had just told her, therefore, she didn’t notice Danag waltz over to Karnus.

  “It’s about damn time.” Danag told the Dezorisian. He poked a finger into Karnus’s chest as he spoke. “You think you’re so big and might…might ...and big. But I can take you on.”

  Paris grabbed Danag by the arm. “I would appreciate it if you would shut up now.”

  “No let him finish.” Karnus growled out. “Are you challenging me little man?”

  “Well I’m sure not asking you to…to dance.” Danag stumbled back a step.

  Tom stepped between the two. “He’s drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

  Danag moved to make a contradiction but only received a harsh shove from Paris to Aria.

  Karnus let out a growl. “I will not tolerate any such insolence even from a drunkard.”

  “Well if you didn’t get him drunk you wouldn’t have to tolerate it.” Paris spat at him.

  “He has challenged me. If you wish to take his place, do so. But a battle of honor must be fought. I will settle for no less.”

  “And if I refuse?”

  “You don’t have that option.”

  The two males stared each other off, neither willing to let go of the gaze first. Aria stood back, forced out of the conflict due to the responsibility of holding back Danag.

  It was a Dezorisian female who finally stepped between the two.

  “Karnus,” she called out. “They have done nothing. Just let it go.”

  He turned an angry gaze on her. “Leave female. You know nothing of honor.”

  Her face flared red underneath the bronze tan of her skin. “I do know one thing though. He might have to fight you but he does have an hour to prepare. And you are forced to provide your opponent with hospitality before this battle of honor is fought.”

  She smiled confidently at Karnus. Being a runt of her species, she was barely the same size as Paris but held herself even more confidently than Karnus.

  He gave an angry snort. “Very well, show them to their quarters.” He turned to Paris. “You should at least have a good rest before you die I suppose.”

  The woman wasted no time before she herded the three newcomers into the hall.

  Danag was the first to break the silence. “You’re pretty hot.”

  This resulted in a sharp jab in the ribs by Aria.

  “Sorry for that. It seems he can’t hold a drink.” Paris apologized.

  The woman turned to him. “I understand. Karnus attempts to get newcomers drunk so they can enter battle with him. He seems to think that by defeating a few weak foes it will help the others to place more confidence in him as their leader.”

  “And you?” Aria asked.

  The woman paused to open the door to their quarters. “I am the doctor around here. I share no pride in watching innocent men die at his hand.” Her gaze then fell on Paris. “You however don’t seem to be affected by our liquor. Have you built up a tolerance?”

  Paris smiled. “I never drank any.” At the questioning stares from the two women, he chose to elaborate. “My ‘digestive’ system isn’t like yours. I can drink something and prevent the fluid from absorbing into my blood. It’s a gift I guess.”

  The woman let that set in before she replied. “You should be glad. You’ll need all your wits if you hope to stand a chance against him.”

  “Do you mind telling me what the rules are in this ‘battle’?”

  She hesitated but responded. “You will both enter the main hall where you will engage in a fight with blades. The first one killed relinquishes all holds on whatever property and titles he possesses. The victor receives them.”

  Paris nodded. “Thanks for your help. Do you mind telling me your name?”

  “I don’t have one,” she answered. “In my species a name must be earned before one can be called such. Currently the only one possessing such a title is Karnus. The rest of us are known as that female or male.”

  Paris nodded in affirmation. Aria took the words in stride. She was already knowledgeable of such customs of the Dezorisians.

  Danag broke the silence again as he slipped out of Aria’s grip and fell to the floor unconscious. “Tell me why we brought him along again?” Paris asked Aria.

  “He’ll come in useful,” she said. “Now would someone mind helping me get him to a bed? Then we can work on sobering him up.”

  *

  Sargon looked outside his cell. Well, actually it wasn’t his cell, there were at least forty other prisoners in the large room with him. He turned to look at his cellmates. Aside from Meylin, he didn’t know anyone else. And that was dangerous. The fact that he was a Parvanian didn’t help matters either. Anyone with a vendetta for his species would use him as a scapegoat to release any pent up hostility on. And there were a lot of vendettas here and even more hostility.

  He caught the child’s eyes again. She was an unusual species. The Empire had probably expanded its borders again and taken her as a prisoner of war. He felt confident he would see more of her kind soon.

  He averted his attention back outside to where the guards stood. He couldn’t help the girl, they were in the same boat anyway. All he could do was strain his ears and hope to hear any plans security might be making. Then maybe he could find a way for himself and Meylin to get out. The others would just have to fend for themselves.

  He tried even harder to listen.

  “You are needed in shuttlebay two,” said one guard to the other. “We have just gotten word from the Pretor that half our guards are to be placed around that area.”

  “What’s so important?” the other asked.

  “I don’t know, some new ship. From what I hear, it could change the whole course of this war,” said the first. Neither paid any attention to the figure watching them from inside the cell. No one had ever escaped from a Parvavian concentration camp. Well, maybe just one. But they knew that no such feat could possibly be accomplished again.

  The prisoner silently wondered as well just what use his new found information could be to him.

  *Well, Sargon old boy, maybe a rescue team will come in and get us all out of this hell hole.* He laughed out loud at this thought. He had long since let go of childish fantasies. After all, who would be stupid enough to attempt a rescue?


  *

  Paris wondered just how stupid he had become. Here he stood, in the main hall of the Dezorisian ship, face to face with the gigantic man he had challenged.

  Another Dezorisian stepped foreword. “Take a weapon.”

  Each took one of the proffered blades. Tom silently cursed Danag again. The man had better be as good as Aria had claimed otherwise he was going to have to kill him as well.

  His eyes searched the crowd that had gathered around the combatants. He had been told by the female that this kind of spectacle was not an everyday occurrence. Therefore, a mass of people had congregated to watch their leader triumph over yet another species. Paris thought maybe this species was getting a bit too arrogant.

  *And who better than me to give them a lesson in humility.* he thought.

  “Begin!” shouted a voice off to the side.

  That was his cue. It was now or never. He paced around the circle as he sought a vulnerable spot in the tank he was trying to defeat. Not two seconds had elapsed before Karnus rushed him from the left. *So much for finding a weakness* he thought.

  Aria watched tentatively at the festivities around her. She had been told of such things but had never before been so close to the actual fight. She prayed to the Fates that the man getting ready to fight wouldn’t get killed.

  *No* she told herself. *He is a warrior, otherwise I wouldn’t be here with him.*

  But still she hoped he was as good as she imagined him to be.

  Danag let out a groan next to her. “Has it started yet?”

  “Shhh, I’m trying to watch.” Aria scolded him. The man had good intentions but never could seem to do much of anything right.

  She held her breath as she watched Tom pace around the ring formed by the patrons surrounding the two combatants. The attack came much more quickly than she had predicted. She sucked in an involuntary gasp as she watched Karnus raise his blade and bring it down for the kill.

  Tom saw Karnus raise his blade. The weapons were quite crude but effective none the less. Taking a quick side step, he moved just in time for Karnus’s intended blow to fall short and hit the ground with a metallic clank.

  This was his chance. He knocked the butt of his weapon into the Dezorisian’s skull. Karnus did little more than blink before he recovered from the blow and backhanded Paris hard across the temple.

  Tom back peddled. He hadn’t realized just how strong the man was. A trickle of blood began to flow from where he had been hit. He wiped the red liquid out of his eyes and searched again for a weak spot in his foe.

  “Ready to die?” asked Karnus.

  Tom took another swing, hitting the man hard across the jaw. “Only if you are.”

  The Dezorisian smiled. This man had a lot of courage, much more than most of the species he had fought. This fight might prove much more interesting than he had first anticipated.

  Paris stood back. He could sense the man getting ready to pounce. Karnus didn’t disappoint him either. In the blink of an eye, the Dezorisian’s massive tail flew around its back and wrapped itself around Paris’s ribs.

  “You actually think you can beat me little man.” said Karnus as Paris struggled to unwrap the tail from where it had taken its hold. “I always win, remember that.”

  Tom could feel the tail tighten around his body. *Pity my bones won’t break* he thought to himself.

  “You know what Karnus,” he said. “The only thing bigger than that gut of yours has to be your ego.”

  Karnus’s face flushed red. *This is my chance* thought Paris. He took the blade in his hand and in one quick swipe had managed to loosen the tail’s death grip around his body.

  Karnus let out a roar mixed with anguish and pain. His tail hung on just barely, but visions of torn muscle now showed themselves where once had only been sinewy skin.

  He charged Paris who took another side step. This time however, Tom caught a grip on the neck of the giant beast. Using all his strength and leverage he managed to flip the Dezorisian onto its back. Falling on its wounded appendage, Karnus let out a harsh cry.

  Tom then brought the blade’s tip to the exposed neck. The kill was so close. Tom could smell the blood around him, sense the conflicting emotions of the patrons. They had been waiting for a kill. It wouldn’t be right to deny them now.

  He brought the blade above his head and brought it down for the deathblow.

  Aria watched as Tom pressed the blade closer to his opponent’s throat. She could sense he was getting ready for the kill. She knew that it was a kill-or-be-killed situation but somehow she hoped that it wouldn’t come to this. She had killed her own number of enemies in battle, but that was different.

  But she also couldn’t interfere now. This was up to him. She stood back quietly as she watched him raise his blade. It wouldn’t be long now.

  She prepared herself for the carnage to come as the blade tore through the air to the tender flesh below.

  Not a breath sounded as the whistle of the blade was brought down, down, and then stopped, not a quarter inch from Karnus’s neck.

  The Dezorisian looked up to Paris’s eyes. He had predicted to be minus a head by now but instead only looked up the shaft of a blade ground into his neck.

  Paris finally broke the silence around him. He addressed not only Karnus but the onlookers as well. “I have beaten you Karnus. And due to the Law of Honor I now hold possession to all that belongs to you, including your life.” A drop of blood rolled down Paris’s forehead. He paused as he contemplated the words he spoke himself. He then pulled the blade away. “But I don’t think I’ll take you up on that last claim just yet.” He then turned to the people around him. “By your law, I am now your clan’s leader. All I ask is that you get the fighters ready as soon as possible. We’ll be leaving soon.”

  He then walked through the crowd towards Aria. A dumbfounded Karnus lay where Paris had left him.

  “Can I ask you one question?” Aria inquired of Paris. She gently wiped away the trickle of blood flowing from his temple.

  “Go ahead and ask.” he said.

  She smiled. “Do you think I’ll ever be able to figure you out?”

  He joined her in the smile. “Don’t hope for too much.”

  The Dezorisian female then came towards them. “I must congratulate you. Never before has another species been able to defeat one of our own.”

  He nodded. His body ached up and down from the fight. All he wanted to do now was sleep. “Come on; let’s get back to the shuttle.”

  An hour later, Danag prepped the shuttle for preflight. He looked back at the events that had just occurred. *By the Fates, I am an idiot.* he cursed to himself. His head pounded from his hangover. Looking to the chair behind him, he wondered if Paris felt any better.

  Tom lay reclined in the captain’s chair of the shuttle. By all appearances, he looked asleep. Eyes closed, back slouched in the cushion, he wanted to get some rest but something prevented him from fully going to sleep. He had conceded however to at least take a load off. There was no telling what he would be up against once they reached the concentration camp; he needed to be as alert as possible once they reached their destination.

  Commander Brandwin stepped inside the shuttle. “The Fighters are ready to leave. I’ve got two pilots in them right now.

  All they’re doing is waiting for our say so.” She turned to Paris. “Some of the Dezorisians would like to say their farewells to you.

  You being their leader and everything now.”

  Tom pulled his tired limbs out of the chair. “Lead the way, Aria.”

  Once the two were outside the shuttle, Paris was greeted with the sight of almost every Dezorisian on the ship. He nodded a welcome as the female who had helped him out before approached him.

  “We have come to wish you a good journey, Rune,” she said to Paris.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Rune?”

  “It is our custom to give names to those who show great courage and honor. ‘Rune’ is our wo
rd for great warrior.”

  “I’m honored,” he replied.

  Karnus then approached him. He looked to the ground as he spoke. “I did not have chance to speak with you after the fight.

  I meant to congratulate you on your skill.”

  Tom looked at the man he had just fought not over an hour ago. He knew he had to broach a new topic and he thought he had the perfect idea of how to handle the situation. He addressed those around him. “I don’t know when, if ever, that I’ll be back here.” he started. “But I do know that you will need a leader while I’m absent. Therefore, I’m naming Karnus as my second in command. While I’m gone, he will be your leader.”

  Paris then looked at the crowd around him and reentered the shuttle. Aria followed close behind while on her heels was the female. Tom turned to the Dezorisian. “What are you doing here?”

  She lifted her head up. “You are our clan leader and I intend to stay with you. There isn’t a doctor aboard your vessel and there are very few in the Resistance from what I have been told. Therefore I should prove to be a valuable asset to you.”

  Karnus then came up behind the woman. “You can’t possibly be thinking of leaving.”

  She turned to him. “I am ready to see more than just the interior of this ship, brother. Besides, I am not needed here. If

  Rune will allow it I wish to accompany him.”

  All eyes turned to Paris. He sighed. “She can come.”

  A smile broke across the woman’s features as she heard his words. Karnus just turned to Paris. “Take care of her then. She is still a very young one.”

  Tom nodded. Karnus then turned to leave. Once he was outside the shuttle, he said one final word. “Thanks.”

  Tom then closed the hatch and went to the bridge. He turned to their newest crewmember. “You know we can’t just keep calling you ‘the female’ if you’re staying with us. You’re going to have to choose a name.”

  “That is the clan leader’s job.” she replied.