by Andrew Gates
The soldier who had stopped the distress beacon received no glorified recognition, nor did the soldiers who escorted Veznek and the Supreme Chieftess out of the ship. It was as if no one cared about the success of others, just the success of this new squad leader, Ikharus.
It did not help lessen his disgust that Ikharus seemed wholly modest when it came to his success. It was as if this soldier took no pride in his newfound celebrity status. Part of Veznek wished the squad leader was arrogant and braggadocios just so that he would be more dislikable.
Veznek closed his eyes and placed the scepter against the railing again. He welcomed a gust of wind as it brushed against his face. You worry too much, he told himself. Everything is going to plan. There is no reason to worry.
The Under Chieftain remained on the balcony for several more minutes, taking in the polluted air and noisy streets. When he felt ready, he picked up his scepter again and made his way back inside the skyscraper.
Kozakh was the first Kholvari he saw as he entered. The guard bowed to him. Veznek casually passed by and motioned back.
The room was as white as pure snow. Light gleamed and bounced across the walls. Guards lined every kotan. It reminded Veznek of the hall to the Supreme Chieftess’s chamber.
The squad leaders were all here, including Ikharus. Veznek spotted him right away. The Supreme Chieftess stood at the front of the room, facing everyone. Too many important people in the same place, Veznek thought. Good thing nobody knows we’re here.
“I apologize for my tardiness. I was reflecting on the past few days,” Veznek said as he entered.
“Your apology is welcome, Kho Veznek, but you are not the last to arrive. We are still waiting for Kal Ezenkharam,” the Supreme Chieftess explained. Khtallia seemed tired. There was heaviness in her voice.
Veznek was surprised to hear the news. As special operations commander, Kal Ezenkharam was usually early to all meetings. Her tardiness was worrying.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door to the main hallway. Everyone immediately turned to face it. The guards lowered their spears and the squad leaders reached for their weapons.
Before anyone knew it, Ezenkharam burst through the door. Her mandibles were wide open. She huffed for breath. Veznek had never seen her so rushed.
The room stood at ease.
“Kal Ezenkharam, what is the meaning for this sudden entrance?” Khtallia wondered.
She quickly glanced over her shoulders and then faced forward.
“I apologize. I could not wait for the guards to let me in. There is no time to waste. There are important matters to discuss.”
“Which matters? Are the matters of this meeting not important enough?” the Supreme Chieftess inquired.
“No, your Majesty. There is a new development, something occurring as we speak,” she explained as she hastily walked into the room. “This is why I was held up. I needed to make sure before I gave my warning.”
She comes bearing a warning. This does not bode well.
“Speak, Kal Ezenkharam,” the Supreme Chieftess said.
She nodded.
“On my way here, my team detected some sort of seismic activity in the north. Satellite imagery reveals an unearthed hole in the ground. The hole formed inexplicably on its own, like a door being opened.”
“What was in this hole, Kal Ezenkharam?”
“Some sort of buried missile.”
“A missile?” Veznek repeated. He could hardly believe it.
“Affirmative, Under Chieftain. The missile was unearthed not too far from the location where the evolved-ones attacked our team of ruor hunters.”
That could not be a coincidence. The so called “evolved-ones”, surely they are involved. Veznek grew angry. He despised their kind. They were untrustworthy and deceptive. They murdered his brother like savages. Their kind was not evolved, far from it.
Veznek clenched his grip tightly around the scepter.
“Do you suspect an attack?” Khtallia asked.
Ezenkharam nodded.
“I do, but I cannot anticipate the target.”
Veznek remembered staring up at the mothership above T’Dakho. It stood as a symbol of might, a symbol of power. It could be seen from far and wide.
If the evolved-ones were to pick a target, the Behemoth was the most obvious choice.
“Vigilant Behemoth,” he declared with confidence. “We must call an evacuation.”
All eyes turned to him. For a moment, the room was quiet. But then Ezenkharam nodded her head and stepped forward.
“He is likely right. Tactically, it is an obvious target,” she agreed.
For the first time since coming to T’Dakho, Veznek was glad to be here and not in the Behemoth.
The Supreme Chieftess clenched her claws in frustration. Veznek worried she would snap her own scepter in half. She took a deep breath and stared at Ezenkharam.
“Initiate an evacuation. We need to clear that ship,” she ordered.
“Your Majesty, a citywide evacuation with this short of notice is nearly impossible. We cannot get everyone out. We will have to prioritize,” Ezenkharam replied.
“The hierarchy is here, thankfully, as are the majority of our military leaders,” Kozakh stated.
I thought the guards were supposed to be quiet.
“Prioritize anyone who has worked with the evolved-ones, anyone who has done research or interrogation,” Veznek ordered, not wasting anytime. “If the evolved-ones are behind this attack, we will need knowledge of our enemy.”
“Who specifically?” Ezenkharam asked.
“Kho Rendevahrk, Kho Pkhtalli, Kal L’Tkytta, Kal Likus, the entire evolved-one research team,” Veznek ordered. He could not think of names fast enough.
“Slow your hastiness, Kho Veznek,” the Supreme Chieftess said. “There are other important members of our community to be saved; healers, engineers, teachers, craftsmen. We must do the best we can to get them all to safety.” She turned to the special operations commander. “Hail the ship’s captain. She will know what to do.”
“Understood, Supreme Chieftess. I shall put the command in at once,” Ezenkharam replied. She immediately turned and bolted out of the room.
“Squad Leaders, assist the special operations commander,” Khtallia ordered as the squad leaders remained standing at attention. They all nodded and walked out of the room like well-programmed machines.
All that remained in the room were Veznek, Khtallia and dozens of guards.
“Hierarchs, we need to get you to safety,” Kozakh said, stepping forward.
“Understood, Kho Kozakh, lead the way,” the Supreme Chieftess replied.
“I will not go,” Veznek debated. He turned to face the door to the balcony. “If our city is under attack, I want to witness it.” He took a few steps toward the window.
“Kho Veznek, I do not advise this course of action. We should defer to the wisdom of our security team,” the Supreme Chieftess replied.
“Wisdom? It is by mere happenstance that we are not aboard that ship right now. How can we be sure that these guards can keep us safe?” he asked as he looked outside.
“Do what you will, Under Chieftain. I will not stop you, but at least keep these guards by your side,” she said, motioning to the guards standing against the walls.
Veznek nodded as Khtallia exited the room. Kozakh and half the guards followed her out. The other half stayed behind.
The Under Chieftain pressed on the door and walked out to the balcony again. He gazed at the massive ship above. It hovered like an omnipotent presence.
Even from down here, Veznek could identify some of the smaller ships around it. Undeniable Truth hovered to the east and Chiefdom’s Gauntlet to the south. These were also impressive vessels, though neither was nearly as large as the Behemoth. Undeniable Truth was a warship, the sister vessel to Fruitful Spring. Chiefdom’s Gauntlet was an industrial transport vessel, though it was still outfitted with its own defenses and could be converted t
o a frigate if the need ever arose.
A great flash suddenly appeared from the north. The tall buildings obscured most of the light, casting looming shadows across the world. But despite the skyscrapers, Veznek still had to cover his eyes from the brightness, lest he go blind. The light did not linger for long. Soon the sky darkened again and the Under Chieftain could see clearly once more.
Through the buildings, Veznek saw a trail of smoke plowing straight through the sky. He held his breath. The missile was already launching. He could not believe it was all happening so soon.
Suddenly a burst of small compartments shot out from the underside of the Behemoth and careened downward like a flock of birds fleeing in unison from a predator. The sight made Veznek shiver. He never thought he would see something like this.
Escape pods.
Hundreds of them seemed to deploy at once. They caught aflame as they entered the atmosphere. It looked like the sky was practically on fire.
Smaller ships started to fly from the Behemoth now. Transport ships, cargo ships, even private vessels, they all escaped from the mothership. From down below, they simply appeared as clusters of black dots silhouetted against the daytime sky.
Screams erupted from the streets. It seemed T’Dakho’s residents had finally taken notice of the evacuation above. If the light was not enough to already scare them, the escape pods certainly were.
“Under Chieftain, should we come inside?” a male voice asked.
Veznek turned around. Two guards stood out on the balcony, watching him. He had not even realized they were there.
“No, I need to see this,” he replied.
“But the debris will soon be upon us like rain from above,” the guard pleaded.
“Silence! I will not hear of it. I want to see what these monstrous evolved-ones have done!” the Under Chieftain ordered. He turned back to face the sky again.
The missile continued upwards as the escape pods continued down. They crisscrossed in the middle. Each pod seemed to survive unscathed.
Undeniable Truth opened fire with everything it had, trying to shoot the missile out of the sky before it reached the mothership. But their target was moving too quickly. None of the shots hit. The missile simply continued onward.
Chiefdom’s Gauntlet redirected course and flew north, on route to pass directly beneath the Behemoth. Veznek had never seen this ship move so quickly. It’s intercepting the missile, he realized.
Sure enough, the missile passed through Undeniable Truth’s barrage unscathed and neared closer and closer to the target. Veznek grew worried that the Gauntlet would not reach it in time. He held his breath but dared not look away.
Three… two… one…
Collision.
A magnificent ball of pure white light silently lit up the sky. Veznek turned away and closed his eyes. This time the light was so powerful, he could practically feel his eyelids burning. He waited a few seconds and then turned back around, eager to see more.
Chiefdom’s Gauntlet was obliterated. Nothing of the ship remained, save for a sea of debris that took its place beneath the Behemoth.
Veznek let out a deep sigh of relief. The Gauntlet made the interception in time.
He lowered his head wiped his face. He did not realize it before, but he was shaking uncontrollably. Calm your nerves. They did it, he told himself. They did it.
Citizens cheered from below. Their shouts and chants brought a warm feeling to Veznek’s heart. The crew of the Gauntlet had made the ultimate sacrifice to save their greatest city. There could be no greater display of heroism. He was proud to have witnessed it unfold before his eyes.
He took a few moments to catch his breath and then turned to face the impatient guards. Both their gazes were aimed to the sky.
“Now I shall come,” Veznek said.
He took a step their way, expecting them to look down and escort him into the building. Instead, their sights remained fixed on the ship above. One of the guards held his left arm out, as if signaling for him to wait. Confused, the Under Chieftain stopped where he was and looked back up at the sky.
Vigilant Behemoth was not unscathed like he originally thought. A massive crater opened up on the underside of the ship. Metal came apart like it was nothing. In no time, Veznek could see various the interior. He made out long corridors and rooms. Kholvari bodies flew out of the gaping hole like leaves in the wind. They looked no larger than specks of dust from where he stood.
“No,” he said as he looked upon the sight. “No!”
A crack began to form laterally across the ship’s underside. As the crack grew larger, more and more bodies and debris separated from the vessel.
The bright light of the engines flickered on and off until they eventually went out entirely. For the first time, Vigilant Behemoth was without propulsion. More lights started to darken across the ship. It seemed the entire vessel was losing power.
Veznek dropped his scepter in shock. It clanked loudly against the metal surface of the balcony. He did not even bother to pick it back up. He simply walked to the edge and kept his eyes to the sky.
A thunderous roar echoed through the air as the escape pods neared the planet’s surface. Veznek had been so distracted by the Behemoth, he had completely forgotten about the pods. Some of them seemed to be falling quite a ways away, while others were bound for the city. The sky was practically orange now, ablaze with fire.
The Under Chieftain knew that a rain of debris would soon be upon him, but he felt compelled to stay and watch. He had to see his city’s fate.
As he feared, Vigilant Behemoth’s crack grew longer and thicker. It was like watching a trickle of water slowly expand. Before he knew it, the crack practically enveloped the entire ship.
The front of the vessel drifted forward as the back drifted backward, widening the chasm between the two halves. Before he knew it, they separated. The Behemoth was now split in two.
The forward half slowly drifted to the east, towards Undeniable Truth. Not wishing to collide, the frigate sped out of the way. Its hot engines blasted against the Behemoth’s damaged hull. Even from where he stood, Veznek saw more cracks form along the surface of the ship. The heat of the Truth’s engines was ripping the ship apart.
In an instant, Vigilant Behemoth’s front half simply shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Nothing remained of the hull.
That’s it then. The city is truly lost. Veznek gasped in horror.
“Under Chieftain! Watch out!” one of the guards shouted.
Veznek had not noticed it until now, but an escape pod careened downward directly above him. It soared through the air like a massive fireball. A thick cloud of smoke followed behind.
He picked up his scepter and made for the doorway as fast as he could, nearly stumbling. He entered the building before the two guards, who followed shortly behind. Now inside, Veznek could hear the fireball approaching. The room shook as if they were in the midst of an earthquake.
The last guard was only halfway inside the room when the balcony exploded in a blaze of fire. The glass shattered instantly and the guard fell back, dropping hundreds of stories below.
A boom echoed as the pod hit solid ground. A ripple nearly forced Veznek to topple over, but he was able to stabilize himself with the scepter.
“More debris will be falling. We need to leave,” another guard declared.
“Yes, get me out of here!” the Under Chieftain ordered. Veznek was finally convinced.
“We will take the elevator. We have one secure,” the same guard replied.
Regal Tower was massive. As the largest building in the city, it housed a number of offices, residences, restaurants and shops. In order to securely house the hierarchs here, even for a temporary time, the Kholvari military had to control the entire tower. It was a large operation, but one they had done time and time again. Part of that job meant securing escape routes for any scenario.
“Take me there,” the Under Chieftain ordered.
The distressed hierarch followed the guards out of the white room and into the hallway. Two guards led the way, three followed behind. They moved at full speed. Veznek was not used to sprinting, but he gave it his all. The lights flickered on and off above his head.
It did not take long before they reached the elevator. Another guard stood in front of it, waiting for them. As the escort party neared him, the guard turned and pressed a button on the wall, prompting the doors to open immediately.
“Get in, your Majesty,” this guard said.
Veznek brushed past him and entered the small enclosure. The elevator felt crammed, but safe. The walls were as black as the night sky. Three of the now six guards entered with him and let the doors close. Veznek wondered what would happen to the other three, but he did not rest on this thought for long. He could feel the elevator start to move.
“Does this building possess a basement?” Veznek asked.
“Indeed, for that is our destination,” one of the guards replied. “It will be the safest place to survive as the debris falls.”
“And it’s secure down there?”
“It is, your Majesty. The basement feeds into a massive underground structure that sprawls throughout the city. We will take refuge in the underground network. Kholvari troops are down there now, awaiting your arrival.”
“Regular soldiers or Kreeds?”
“The Kreeds are assisting Kal Ezenkharam with the evacuation of Vigilant Behemoth. We will be met with regular military.”
“What is left of Vigilant Behemoth to evacuate?”
“I do not know, your Majesty. Last I saw, only half the ship remained intact.”
“I saw the same.” It was difficult to accept, but Veznek doubted many more lives could be saved.
Suddenly a loud boom echoed above their heads. The noise was practically deafening. The guards instinctively faced the ceiling, just waiting for something bad to happen. Then the elevator came to an immediate halt. Veznek practically stumbled. The lights flickered off and on. Eventually they turned off entirely. Dim red emergency lights automatically activated, illuminating the cabin.
