War for Orion: Ghosts from the Past

by Conner Walworth

  "Yes?" A voice answered the holographic comlink.

  "My men have left Erebos and are on their way to Hera as we speak," Kirill informed the contact.

  "I will get the appropriate staff on hand," The blue figure replied. "It is a poison as we agreed upon?"

  Kirill shook his head. "It is. They will be there by the end of the day."

  "Perfect," The figure grinned. "The Queen will be taken out by the end of the day and you will finally have your revenge, along with your long awaited spot on the Throne."

  "Finally," Kirill smiled. "After all of these long years she will finally be dead and I will claim my rightful place on the Throne of Orion."

  "I will inform the others there is about to be a change in power."

  "No, wait until after she is dead. I don't want anyone feeling guilty before we carry this out," Kirill ordered. "You know how they are, they'll change their minds if you tell them how close we are to our goal. Let them loath in sorry once our mission has been accomplished."

  "I understand completely."

  Kirill hung up his comlink and reclined back in his chair. The time for him to hide in the shadows was finally nearing an end. Soon, he'd be ruling Orion from the Throne that was rightfully his and he'd finally be able to create a pure Galaxy. The way that Orion was always meant to be.

  Chapter 10

  Anlon couldn't peel his eyes away from the mesmerizing stars flashing by the cockpit window. Anlon saw the pilot stir in the corner of his eye after about an hour and turned to look at him. He was pushing buttons and pulling levers when all of a sudden the stars stopped flashing by and they slowed down to become almost stationary again. Anlon stared at the beautiful planet with vibrant blues and greens directly in front of them.

  When the ship entered the planet, Anlon couldn't believe what he saw laying in front of him. Hera had abandoned all of the Exodus Era equipment that was common on Gaea and had switched over to the advanced technology that was more readily seen on the wealthier planets. There were cruisers skimming the sky and other things weaving in and out of traffic, forcing the pilot to concentrate carefully on flying. The only thing he saw on the ground were hundreds of races and small motorized vehicles only big enough for a single race.

  Buildings rose high in the sky and were made from material that reflected light off of them, making the city glitter from the sky. Beautiful blue lakes scattered the surface and luscious green grass grew anywhere there was no infrastructure.

  The pilot glanced over and saw the look of awe on Anlon's face. "It's not all like this kid. Just the big city."

  "It is as far as I can see," he replied, still not looking away from the window.

  "Well, we're in the Capitol. Get out of the Capitol and you'll find yourself in places you don't want to be without a weapon."

  "You mean the slum?" Anlon asked.

  "Yeah, I guess. It's the called the lower cities and that's where a lot of black-market type stuff goes on. I guess you could call it the slum, but compared to a regular planet, it's definitely not slum."

  "Why does the Queen let that stuff go on here if she's aware of it?"

  "Ha!" he laughed. "The Queen can't stop everything kid. No matter where you go, there'll be people breaking the law and good people trying to live with it happening around them. She's good at regulating it, but there's no stopping it."

  Anlon saw a huge building coming into view in front of them. "Is that where we're going?"

  The pilot smiled. "That is where we are going. The Queen's Palace."

  The building was bigger than all of the others surrounding it, but instead rising high, it expanded hundreds of acres. It also wasn't made of the same reflective material as the rest of the city, it was designed using Exodus Era materials. It was an old ancient building, made of cream colored stones, black roofs, and plants growing up the sides of the buildings. There was a giant wall surrounding the property made out of the same cream colored stones as the Palace and guards were stationed at all ends.

  "Why does this building look so different from the rest?" Anlon asked the pilot.

  "One of the first buildings put up on Hera five-hundred years ago. While the rest of the Galaxy evolved, as did Hera, the royals decided to keep this building standing as a type of historical marker. The outside may look old, but the inside is filled with the latest technology, all of it better than you can find anywhere in Orion."

  "Wow," Anlon muttered. "This is amazing."

  "Here we are," The pilot pointed.

  Anlon looked to where he was pointing and saw enormous bay doors opening, revealing the Queen's private hangar. As they entered the hangar, Anlon saw a female figure standing by another set of smaller doors leading inside of the Palace.

  "That's Queen Adira," The pilot pointed.

  The pilot landed the ship and the Queen immediately approached. He pulled a knob and the ramp hissed down.

  "Go talk to the Queen kid, she's anxious to meet you."

  Anlon got out of the co-pilot seat and quickly exited the ship. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to the Queen and was starting to feel jittery for the first time since being told he was going to meet her. He had never met anyone of any significance and now he was about to meet the most important person in all of Orion.

  "Hello Anlon," The Queen greeted, as he neared the bottom of the ramp.

  "Hi Queen Adira," He bowed awkwardly, not knowing what else to do.

  She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "No need to bow for me. We're friends."

  "But, I don't know you," he said. "I had no idea you even knew who I was until yesterday."

  "No, you don't know me," The Queen agreed. "But I was very close to your father, therefore, that makes us friends too, even though this is the first time we have met," Anlon just nodded and stood there, unsure of what to do next. "Let's go to the garden and talk," Adira motioned.

  Adira led Anlon down the massive marble hallways of the Palace, to the greenroom, and then out into the garden. Anlon hadn't seen the garden when they had been in the air, but he wasn't sure why he hadn't noticed it. The garden was enormous and full of a variety of vibrant colors which should've made it impossible to miss from the sky.

  There were a hundreds of plants from all over Orion. He saw a few trees and flowers that were native to Gaea, but there were even more plants he had never seen before that were obviously not native to Hera. Adira led him down a winding dirt path through the garden that felt more like a well up kept jungle.

  "Were you and your Dad close Anlon?" she asked.

  He nodded. "We were. He wasn't home much, but when he was, he would teach me different things and make sure that I was following the correct path."

  "What kind of things did Armino teach you?" Adira chuckled.

  "You know," he shrugged. "Just how to defend myself and use weapons for self defense."

  "Interesting," she said. "Sounds like typical Armino. Always was prepared for anything."

  "Did you know he never told me he worked for you? I found out after he was killed."

  "I know he didn't tell you," she nodded. "Weapcon was the cover up job I gave him. GSOU members with families like to stay hidden, even some who live alone like to stay hidden, so I provide them with cover jobs."

  "I know why now," Anlon's head dropped. "Unfortunately, it doesn't work all the time."

  "Anlon," Adira stopped and turned Anlon to face her. "You and your family should've been safe. I made sure of it, but someone with access to a secure database must have leaked the information to your family's killers. This was never supposed to happen. Ever."

  He broke free of her grasp. "I know. That's what I've been told, but no one has found out who leaked information yet. That's what's so frustrating for me."

  "We will Anlon. We will in time. These races won't get away with this."

  Anlon stopped to look at one of the trees. "Why did you bring me here, your majesty?"

  "Call me Adira," she corrected. "And I promised
Armino I would take care of his family if anything were to ever happen to him."

  "So I'm staying here is what you're telling me?"

  "If you would like," she answered. "My doors are always open for you."

  "And if I decide that I don't want to?"

  "Well, then you're free to go whenever you please. No one is forcing you to stay here against your will."

  Anlon smiled. "I'm thinking about staying, actually. It's beautiful here and if I were to choose someplace to live, this would be it."

  "I'm glad to hear it," she smiled. "I also brought you here to ask you a few questions."

  "Questions about who killed my family?"

  "Yes. I need to know more about what happened on Gaea. I can't do anything if I don't know all the facts."

  "You know, I told the District police everything I know. You could just look that up," he said.

  "Anlon, stop," she ordered. "I read the reports from your questionings and I think you were holding things back. Important things that could solve your case."

  "What could I possibly be holding back?"

  "You remember that lie detector that was hooked up to you?" Anlon nodded. "It recorded every time you lied. There were a couple of lies the detectives blew off."

  He let out a deep breath. "I don't know who I can trust Adira. Not after what happened to my family. I didn't just want to tell them everything. I also had some other plans and if they knew certain things, it'd only make things harder."

  "Do you trust Moran?" He gave her a startled look. "Yes, I know you've been in contact with him. I have no questions whatsoever what you two are up to. That is between you two, but I may be able to help if you tell me everything you know about your family's murder."

  "I have names and a planet they said they were going to."

  Anlon saw the Queen's eyes get bigger. "What were the names?"

  "Ulisse and Sanguinarius," He waited for the last name. "Donnchadh."

  Horror immediately washed over Adira's face. "No," She shook her head. "I couldn't believe it, but now you've confirmed what I couldn't bring myself to believe."

  "I can't believe it either. Moran told me who he was and what he used to do."

  "What about the planet that they mentioned?" Adira asked.

  "They said Plouton."

  "No. No," She shook her head. "They used to have a base there, but it hasn't been active in years. I've kept a close eye on it, and I know for a fact, that they no longer work there."

  "What about somewhere near it?" he suggested. "I'm positive that they're somewhere near there."

  "We've been looking, but so far we haven't found anything," she answered. "Why did you hide this from the police? They could've helped you."

  "I want to go after them myself," he hesitated.

  "You're so much like Armino," she smiled. "You were right to hide that from them. Though they could've helped you, there is a chance it could've gotten you killed. The Deimos Brotherhood is dangerous," She told him. "I'm assuming Moran is helping you with your little plan of catching them?"

  "He's trying to, yes," he nodded. "We were just getting things arranged when you sent for me."

  "I can help by keeping you out of trouble and supplying you with anything you may need along the way."

  "Keep me out of trouble?" he asked.

  "You don't think you're going to find these guys without doing illegal things do you?"

  "Am I going to track them down completely on my own?"

  She nodded her head. "I can't do anything myself without others finding out, so it's all up to you. If I try to find them, they'll surely find out before I can confirm their location. I have tried on many occasions, only to fail every time."

  "How am I supposed to find them without your help? I don't have the resources to do that."

  "The same way those men found your father."

  "The database," he muttered.

  "Exactly," she nodded. "You need to gain access and find them that way. You have names to go along with the races, which is more than enough to pinpoint a general location, though you'll never track them down to an exact location due to their line of work."

  "If you knew Donnchadh was a part of the Deimos Brotherhood, why didn't you track him down yourself?"

  She breathed out slowly. "I have leaks within the Palace, like there are apparently on Gaea. This Brotherhood has people planted everywhere and I can't do anything without them finding out. You're my best chance at finding where these guys are staked out because they're bound to think you're harmless."

  "Me?" he exclaimed. "I have no idea what I'm doing."

  "I can't keep anything I do, or anything I send someone from the GSOU out to do, hidden from my Council and their friends. It's like there's always someone watching me and every move I make is reported. Since I can't keep it hidden, the Deimos Brotherhood is always tipped off and it's like my men are led on a false trails every time."

  "So, you want me to find their hidden base alone because they won't be expecting me to be tracking them down?"

  "Yes," she said. "But you are to only scout, nothing more."

  "What do you mean just scout?"

  "When you find them, report back to me immediately. I will send out a team and inform my Council after we have taken them out. Even if the Deimos Brotherhood finds out, it should be too late for them to get away."

  "So I just find them and report it to you once I've confirmed a location?"

  "That is all," she nodded. "I can get you out of trouble and supply you with things if I think they're necessary, but it's best we keep our contact minimal once you leave here. I don't know who is watching me, even now as we speak, but I can assure you someone is."

  Anlon nodded his head. "Moran said I have a ship and weapons waiting for me already."

  "Good," she said. "After you leave here, I will know when you need help, trust me on that."

  "I do trust you Adira."

  "Things will get rough out there and it will seem impossible. It won't be easy and there will certainly be people who will try to stop you and kill you," she warned.

  "And there always will be," Anlon replied. "Once they find out what I know, I'll live with a target on my back."

  "Don't take any of this too lightly, the Deimos Brotherhood is very dangerous and won't hesitate about killing you."

  "I won't Adira. I want to catch them as much as you do."

  "Okay. It will take time and you'll have to be very careful, but I know you can do it Anlon."

  "How much longer do you want me to stay at the Palace?" he asked.

  "Until tomorrow," she answered. "After that, I will send you back home and you can continue working with Moran until you're ready to leave on your mission. The Deimos Brotherhood won't suspect anything going on if you leave and seem to continue living a normal life."

  The Queen's comlink went off, interrupting them. "Hello?" Anlon heard a voice come out of it, but couldn't make out what it said. "I'll be there soon." She turned to look at him. "I'm afraid I've been called to go to a dinner with the Prime Minister of Ares, which I didn't think would happen after I put him off."

  "The Prime Minister of Ares?" Anlon asked.

  She smiled. "Big things are happening Anlon. Groundbreaking things for Orion. Soon, groups like the Deimos Brotherhood will have more up against them than just the GSOU." They walked back inside of the Palace. "You can go that way to any of the available rooms for the night."

  Anlon nodded and turned in the direction that she had just pointed.

  "Oh and Anlon." she said, over her shoulder. "You'll meet someone special when you go back to Gaea. You can trust him, he works for me and me only."

  "Who is it?"

  "You'll know when you meet him," She winked before disappearing around a corner.

  Anlon kept walking the way that she had pointed and smiled to himself. He would have never guessed that the Queen would assist him with catching these guys, but he had been wrong, very wrong. Finding these guys was
going to be a lot easier than he had first imagined, but it would still be difficult. It would have to be done with very little help, but for some reason, the Queen believed he could do it, and because of that, he believed he could too.

  Chapter 11

  Kirill was going over his plans for after the Queen was taken out when his comlink started buzzing. He reached over, pressed the button, and waited for the blue hologram to flash to life.

  "Is there a problem?" Kirill asked the blue figure, only half focused on the figure.

  "Not necessarily," The voice replied. "But Anlon Valens just arrived on Hera just shortly before your men were scheduled to arrive."

  "Armino's son?" He asked, more to himself than the contact. "Were you aware he would be there while my men were?"

  "I didn't think it would be this close. I thought that your men would arrive sooner or Anlon would arrive later. The timing of his arrival couldn't possibly be worse."

  Kirill waved his hand in the air. "It'll be fine. My men are already there and I can't pull them out in the middle of an operation. Just keep the boy away from my men and it'll be fine."

  The figure bowed its head. "I will make sure that they don't come in contact."

  Kirill hung up the comlink and continued with what he had been doing before the interruption. His men were good, and he had sent out the best for this mission, so he wasn't too worried about failure. In a couple of hours, maybe even less than that, he would get another call confirming the mission was a success. After that, he could start to put the rest of his plans in motion after may long years of waiting in the shadows.

  The contact didn't like going forward with the mission with the boy so close, but he had to follow Kirill's orders. Everyone had heard of the Deimos Brotherhood, but few lived to see what they were really capable of firsthand. If Kirill believed that the mission should go forward without delay, that's what was going to happen. The contact walked down to the kitchen before Donnchadh and his men's arrival, abruptly swinging the doors open and startling the entire staff.