I pulled myself over the lip with a grunt, and then I felt a pressure around my ankle when Olav grabbed my left foot in his empowered gauntlets. Knowing he was about to pull me over the edge, I kicked with my other foot, and my talons slashed two rivulets into his metal skull. I hissed like a cobra when his fist tightened around my ankle and crushed my bones, and our Blue Team’s flagpole dropped from my mouth. The standard clattered to the ground, and I saw it about to roll off the precipice.
I noticed two flashes of light above me, but I couldn’t place what they were. They looked like the flares of a rifle firing, but I was too concerned with the flag about to tumble to the bottom level.
Suddenly, a Grendel Grunt snatched the Blue Flag before it could fall.
“I’ll be taking this,” Richard’s voice snapped from the lizard’s mouth.
“Toss me the Red Team’s flag!” Nathan screamed, and I realized the two flashes had been the squire twins respawning.
With Olav pulling me away, I balled the flag in my fist and pitched it toward the Grunt. Nathan caught it in his mouth like a dog's bone, and then he whirled around.
The countdown was at two when the berserker tore me from my feet and threw me into the open air. My arms and legs flailed as I plummeted, and I couldn’t get my feet beneath me in time. My back struck the ground first, and my spine snapped in a sudden slice of pain. After a second that seemed like hours, excruciating agony finally gave way to a terrifying numbness. My back was broken, and I could feel nothing except a tingling sensation. My legs and arms wouldn’t respond, and terror seized my heart.
Rubble from the ceiling pounded into my body. Chunks of bricks the size of cable carts pulverized my Grendel bones. The only mercy was that I couldn’t feel any pain.
As I was buried alive beneath the rocks, I could only think one thing: the game should be over now. I should be back in my human body, sitting in the large chamber on the Den Ark.
My vision peppered with black, and then the announcer’s voice echoed through the collapsing temple.
“The Blue Team have successfully captured the Red Team’s flag. Congratulations!”
Then I was back on the Den Ark.
Alin removed the helmet from my head, and I filled my lungs with air. I ran my hands over my human flesh, and it felt strangely soft. In the short time I’d been inside the Grendel’s body, I’d grown accustomed to my tough skin. My senses were also dull, as though I was seeing through smudged lenses and my nostrils couldn’t quite catch particular scents.
I knew now why the Grendels were such formidable enemies. They were stronger than humans in almost every way. I wondered how the Ecomese cyber alchemists had programmed the software. Was it an accurate portrayal of the aliens known as Grendels? How could it be if the Ecomese had never interacted with them? Even the Caledonian Kingdom knew little about the lizard-men because they never survived capture for long.
Despite the likely inaccuracies of the software, it was still a lot of fun.
“Not bad, squires,” Leith said as he stood from his bone-seat.
“I wouldn’t exactly say that,” Olav said. “It was four against two.”
“Don’t be a spoilsport,” the other knight snapped. He then turned to me and thrust out his hand. “You did well, Squire Lyons.”
“Uhh . . . thanks?” I wasn’t sure what else to say, but I took the slayer’s hand and shook it.
Olav glared at me, and I got the feeling he still didn’t trust me at all.
When we’d all removed our helmets and stood, the chamber broke out in applause. The giant monitor showed a highlight reel from the match, and I saw my Grendel form in all its monstrous power.
A delicate hand touched my shoulder, and I turned to see Dr. Lenkov.
“Nick,” she said. “I spoke to the captain. He wants to meet with you now.”
Everything I’d seen inside the power plant suddenly rushed back to me, and my stomach almost launched through my mouth. “It felt like so long since we saw . . .” I stopped and looked at Alin beside me. I didn’t want her to know we’d been inside the power plant.
“The World of Yamyra is like that,” the empath female said. “You can be inside the virtual world for days, but only hours pass in the real world.”
“Who is this?” Natali asked as she gestured at Alin. I got the feeling the doctor was a little suspicious of the other woman. I wasn’t sure whether it was because we’d uncovered the secret to how the Ark generated power, or whether the doctor was jealous of the beautiful empath who’d seemed to have taken a liking to me.
“This is Alin,” I said. “She’s the empath assigned to the squires.”
Alin tilted her head at Natali. “I sense such strong emotions from you.” The empath glanced from the doctor to me and back again. “Oh . . . Do not worry. I have no feelings beyond basic human sexual urges for this man. I am more than capable of controlling them. I assure you I am no competition--”
“Come, Nick,” Natali said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the empath. “We must speak with the captain right away. I told him our news, but he wants to talk to you.”
“Why me? Didn’t you tell him everything?”
“He has questions for you,” Natali answered as we marched toward the captain’s quarters. “He thinks I often overemphasize the gravity of situations. He is mostly right, but a doctor must be especially cautious.”
“And you want me to confirm what we saw?” I asked.
“Yes,” Dr. Lenkov said. “The data won’t be sufficient to convince him. The captain is a man of heart, not numbers and statistics. But I think he will listen if you recount what you saw inside the power plant.”
“You said you didn’t want me to speak to him at first because of my past. He’s not going to believe me either.”
“Yes, he will. He trusts you.”
“Why?”
Dr. Lenkov sighed. “I will let him tell you when the time is right. Now, let us see whether his ears will be open to our news.”
“I still cannot believe what we saw.”
“I wish it weren’t true,” the doctor replied. “But I have finished some tests, and it is much worse than I thought. Did you notice how the city was under populated?”
“It did seem a little quiet.”
“I found a particularly helpful empath. He told me only five thousand Ecomese remain on this Ark. You saw there were at least a thousand in the power plant waiting for the explosion.”
“I still don’t understand why they need so much power. Shouldn’t we be trying to find that out?” I asked in frustration.
The question had been plaguing me ever since I’d found out the harvesting’s purpose. Whatever required so much power had to be more important than the lives of their people. A civilization couldn’t continue if it slaughtered its people in so great a number.
The doctor sighed and stopped walking so she could look me in the eyes. “I doubt the prime minister will tell us.”
“Doesn’t it seem strange to you that they would kill themselves? They must have a pretty good reason for such extreme measures.”
“I am sure they do,” Natali said. “What matters now is the ticking clock. We are running out of time. I needed to double-check my conclusions, so I spoke with the point clerk. She not only confirmed my theory, but she was able to determine the exact amount of power generated from one explosive empath. I do not know how she did it, but Elle then accessed the Den Ark’s system and determined the total number of empath explosions required to keep this Ark afloat.”
“And?” I asked. My mouth went dry, and I dreaded hearing the doctor’s conclusion.
“There are only enough empaths to fuel the behemoth for five more weeks.”
Chapter 7
“If the Den Ark is using too much power, why are they using it on things like virtual games?” I asked Dr. Lenkov as we made our way to the captain's lodgings.
“They know they only have a few more weeks to live. A game here and t
here won’t grant them much more time, and they probably need something to take their minds off their fates.”
I shook my head, troubled by the sheer despair they must all feel.
If the Den Ark was using its own citizens to fuel itself, then it sounded like something Captain Cross would want to know immediately. I hadn’t known him very long, but he seemed like an honorable man who would care about the impending doom of the Ark’s people.
We turned into the captain’s room where Captain Cross and Commander Reynolds were seated in plush chairs while drinking bourbon from tumblers. Both officers had removed their blue coats, and they glanced up as the doctor and I entered.
“So you’ve returned with Mr. Lyons?” Commander Reynolds asked the doctor as she walked to us. “We won’t need to hear from him. I’ll send the knights to the power plant in the morning. They can investigate the doctor’s report.” The commander held her hand over the control panel as if to shut the door in our faces. Her sharp facial features angled into a scowl as her eyes landed on me. She might have been attractive once, but it seemed a tough past had ground all the beauty away.
I looked over her shoulder at the captain, hoping he would listen where she would not. His eyes were half-open, and I couldn’t tell whether he was exhausted or drunk. Then again, he always seemed at ease, as though nothing seemed to phase him.
“We can’t wait,” I said, but the commander scoffed before I could continue.
“Knights will be sent to inspect the power plant in the morning,” she snapped. “You will leave us now, Mr. Lyons. Enjoy your evening.”
“Let the squire speak, Commander.” The captain put an emphasis on ‘squire’, as though he was displeased with the commander not referring to me as such. I got the feeling he wasn’t pleased with the interruption but would still hear us out.
“The Ecomese are killing themselves in large numbers,” I said. “They will run out. And soon.”
The commander and the captain exchanged glances, and I could tell the woman was skeptical. Like Olav and Leith, I hadn’t managed to regain her trust, if I ever had it to begin with.
“This doesn’t add up,” Captain Cross said as he stood and walked to a painting depicting the outside of the Den Ark. “Why would they be killing their own?”
“It is as I explained earlier; the harvesting produces far more power than the inefficient process of extracting energy from atmospheric storms,” Dr. Lenkov said.
“That still doesn’t answer the captain’s question.” Commander Reynolds stepped away from the door’s control panel, but she still sounded skeptical. “Why do they need such large amounts of power?”
There was silence in the room as we all contemplated the question. The captain continued gazing at the painting as though he might discover the answers if he looked at the artistic rendition for long enough.
“They can’t have been using themselves for power for long,” Captain Cross said after some time. “Otherwise, there’d be no one left.”
“The rune circles inside the plant didn’t look new,” I said. “Some were breaking down, so I suspect they’re quite old, Captain.”
“Probably a remnant from the Dax,” he said. “But why have they resumed its use? Prime Minister Treyin should have informed me if they were doing something so abhorrent.”
“She was never completely honest with you, Captain,” the commander said.
“True.” Captain Cross sighed as he placed his tumbler on the table beside him. “Alright, Squire Lyons. I’ll confront the prime minister about this. Maybe there’s something we can do to help.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Dr. Lenkov said. “I only wish to assist these people in their plight. It is why I drew it to your attention. Thank you both for your time.” The doctor saluted the two officers.
Captain Cross stopped me from finishing my salute. “I want you to accompany me to see the Prime Minister, Squire Lyons,” he said as he slipped his coat on. The striking blue garment flowed halfway down his legs, and the cuffs and shoulders bore golden sigils.
“Yes, sir,” I said as the captain tied his silver hair into a ponytail.
“I would like to be present at the meeting, Captain,” Natali said.
The broad-shouldered man sighed. “It’s probably best for Squire Lyons to come alone. Treyin isn’t the most comfortable around other women.”
When the doctor started to press the issue, Captain Cross raised a hand, and she stopped speaking. The beautiful woman stared at the man for a few moments, and I could see she was debating her next action. With a rushed salute, Natali left the room.
The commander was still frowning, and I could tell she was displeased with the sudden liking the captain had taken to me.
“Commander, inform the prime minister that I will meet with her immediately,” he said. “Let’s see what she has to say for herself.”
The commander shot me a glare as the captain and I exited the room. I walked alongside the man as we traveled through the corridor and into the main chamber. The crew was still playing the virtual game, and this time Moses and Leith were competing against a trio of Ecomese males. The captain walked at a half-run, so I barely had a chance to see Moses in the form of a Grendel Elite take down a Rutheni shield knight.
The captain and I stepped into the egg-shaped elevator. He uttered a phrase in the Ecomese tongue to command the lift, and then he smiled at me as we descended.
“You’re surprised I know Ecomese, eh?” he asked.
“A little. This planet is so far from any of the Caledonian systems. Did you live here once?”
“For a time,” he said. “It takes a little getting used to. The Ecomese don’t exactly share our social norms. It’s a good place, though, and I’m glad Treyin now leads the Den Ark.”
“Was she once a member of the crew?” I asked.
“A long time ago.” The captain clenched and released his fists as though recalling a painful memory. Then he cracked his neck and sighed. I understood that the past he shared with Prime Minister Treyin wasn’t for my ears.
The elevator rattled and lurched. I thought we had arrived, but then the container started moving horizontally. The membranous walls flickered, and we plunged deeper into the behemoth’s inner core. The container traveled slower than any of the elevators I’d been inside, and I presumed its speed was affected by its quasi-organic structure.
“I hear you were communicating with Silvester Polgar via a rune-empowered communicator,” Captain Cross said. “Squire Holloway told me of the item’s existence the day after he first saw it in your possession.”
I remembered Neville threatening to tell the captain about the device, but I hadn’t actually expected him to follow through. It seemed he was more loyal to the crew than I’d first assumed.
“Long-range communicators are powerful pieces of enchanted technology,” the captain continued. “I’ve only seen a few in my time. The moment I heard you possessed one, I almost ordered it to be confiscated from you. But I figured I’d let you keep the device for a while. See how you played your hand.”
“So you knew I was spying on the crew the whole time?” I asked.
“I knew as soon as you were assigned to the ship. Duke Barnes and I have never been friends. He thinks his motives are hidden from me, but I am no fool.”
“Why didn’t you have me put in the cells?” I figured being arrested would have avoided Polgar’s attack on the ship, as well as the casualties from the space fight. But then I wouldn’t have had the chance to prove my loyalty, nor would I have never befriended so many of the crew members.
“Because I wanted to give you a chance,” he said. “I know Duke Barnes can be convincing, and I don’t doubt his sorcerer lackey did his own share of manipulation so you would follow orders.”
“He threatened my mom,” I said, and a shiver rippled down my back. If Polgar hadn’t died in the space fight, he would have followed through on his threat, and Mom would be on Dobuni’s streets.
Captain Cross nodded. “That’s exactly the kind of man Duke Barnes keeps in his employ. And you were the perfect candidate for manipulation. If not you, then some other squire fresh from the Academy would have joined our crew. I know your history, Squire Lyons. I know why you accepted the assignment. You wanted a way out of your Outlander poverty, and you took the best of your options. You thought you were serving Queen Catrina against insurrectionists. I would have done the same thing in your shoes.”
I tried to speak, but my mouth couldn’t form any words. He knew all my motivations, but I had discerned none of a diviner’s touch in my mind. I’d never met a non-diviner who could read my thoughts so easily, and I was overwhelmed with respect for the captain.
Gratitude followed as I realized I had him to thank for my new home. He’d given me more of a chance than anyone else I’d ever known.
I was glad to serve under such a man.
Captain Cross studied me as the elevator tilted and started to descend again. The man’s hair was silver, but it wasn’t the lifeless gray of the elderly. Nor did his skin bear many wrinkles, so I couldn’t quite place his age. He seemed ancient if only for the wisdom behind his icy blue eyes and the weary expression he always wore.
“This comms device the sorcerer gave you, do you still have it?” he asked.
I nodded. “Would you like me to destroy it?”
“That won’t be necessary. Polgar is dead so it cannot be used to determine our whereabouts or to spy on us.” The captain paused and stroked his thick beard in thought. “It might even be useful,” he said softly as though to himself. “There are a few folks not too far from here I wouldn’t mind contacting if we can get it working.” He glanced at me like he hadn’t meant to speak his thoughts aloud.
The captain obviously didn’t want me to know who he wished to contact with the device. It seemed like a bad idea to press the issue, so I waited in silence until the elevator lurched to a stop.
Captain Cross pressed the implant on his temple, and a helmet shifted over his face, piece by piece. Black gauze hid his eyes, and the item’s jaw ended in two sharp points. He touched the button on his chest, and a silver breastplate suddenly assembled over his torso and matching armor covered his legs.
Space Knight Book 2 Page 11
