by Henry Vogel
Wright signaled his men and the rest of the Vanguard’s crew gave voice to their own battle cry as they surged up from behind the airship’s keel. Again, the leading edge of the charge faltered and our line crashed into them. Swords swung, blood flew, and the hollow hull thumped like a drum from the pounding of all the feet upon it.
Our line held for a few seconds before the fight broke into small pockets of swirling action. Wright and I formed a triangle with one of the airship’s other officers, protecting each other’s backs as we fought off the mass of attackers. Holding the high ground worked to our advantage, as any man we knocked backward was likely to tumble off the hull, taking one or two of his fellows down to the ground with him.
My sword rose and fell, swung and sliced, tore and thrust. Soon the bright silver blade Rob gave me was red with the blood of my enemies. My grip grew slick from sweat and a dull ache developed in my arm as it could never stop moving. With a clash of steel on steel, I deflected a thrust aimed at Wright’s back. I reversed my swing, bringing the edge of the blade across the chest of the attacker. The man screamed and stumbled backward. I caught sight of two ribs exposed by my cut before the man tumbled out of my line of sight.
For a few precious seconds, the fight moved away from our trio. All three of us used those seconds to scan the battlefield. Knots of crewmen battled all around us and, to my biased eye, gave better than they got. But no matter how valiantly our men fought, the math still didn’t work out for us. The crew had to take down three of Thor’s men for every man we lost just to break even. Without easily defensible choke points, like we had inside the wreck, it was only a matter of time before we were overrun. Boosting might buy us a few extra minutes, but the end result would be the same.
As despair rose up from within, Wright caught my shoulder and pointed his sword to the west. “Sir, look over there!”
The Tercel, plainly visible in the dawn light, steamed our way at top speed!
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Callan
A young ensign brought a speaking trumpet to me as the Tercel closed on both Thor and the trogs. The young, eager face reminded me of Chris and I’m afraid my smile of thanks also bore a tinge of sadness. With a nod, the boy ran back to help with the preparations to capture Thor.
Under the supervision of the Marine Commander, lines were tied off along both sides of the airship. The plan involved Marines swinging down to the ground and subduing Thor while the Tercel drove on toward the wreck of the Vanguard. Any plan devised to speed help to David and his men while also capturing the rogue galactic had my full support.
When apprised of the plan, I’d given my approval and offered one suggestion. “If it’s possible to pull Thor onboard without slowing down, please do so. He could be a handy tool for convincing his men to surrender. ‘Without slowing down’ is the vital phrase, Captain.”
Jorson relayed that to the six men picked for the job. Within seconds, betting pools formed around the Marines’ chances of dragging Thor back to the Tercel and which Marine might pull it off.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting ranged across the broken hull of the Vanguard. Thor still had his back to us, yelling commands into a device I assumed was a comm. Were some of his men equipped with comms, as well, so Thor could direct the battle? I found myself hoping that was the case since Thor hadn’t shown any indications of military training. His advantages lay in superior numbers and weaponry, though something must have happened to the blaster rifles. I’d watched a barrage of inaccurate shots at the beginning of the charge but nothing after that.
Tearing my eyes away from the battle, I moved to the railing as the airship approached the trogs. They’d stopped their jogging retreat at our approach, watching us with what must be wary eyes. Captain Jorson and I went to the airship’s railing and gave a friendly wave to the trogs. The idea was to let them catch sight of Lady Death and to reassure them we offered no threat to them.
“Your Highness, could you hold off calling to the trogs until my Marines have swung down upon Thor?” Jorson asked. “The man’s concentration is locked on the battle and I’d hate to draw his attention away from it.”
“That’s an excellent suggestion, Captain,” I said.
As the ship passed by the trogs, their posture relaxed and they lowered their weapons. Curiosity kept them watching us, though, and several pointed when the Marines climbed atop the railing. I looked for Thor, but he was hidden by the Tercel’s hull.
One after another, the Marines jumped from the railing and swung out of sight. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for the sound of blaster fire or the ring of steel. Before I heard either, a sudden cheer rose from the port railing and an officer yelled, “We’ve landed our catch, lads! Reel it in before it squirms off the hook.”
“We’ve got him, Your Highness!” Jorson crowed.
Grinning, I turned back to the trogs. More of them pointed and though I couldn’t hear their chuffing laughter, I saw many of them watching the scene with amusement. I raised the trumpet to my mouth and waved my other arm over my head.
“Trogs! I am Lady Death, the mate of the man you call the Hand of Death. He fights against the coward you so recently served, the man who refused the Hand of Death’s challenge for leadership, and the man we’ve just captured!” The trogs were falling behind quickly, so I skipped any other formalities and came to the point. “Come with us and join the Hand of Death in his fight. I give you my word you will be well rewarded if you do!”
I lowered the speaking trumpet and watched for any sign the trogs accepted my offer. Most of the trogs didn’t understand Mordanian and required a translation from the few who did. Nothing happened for a few terribly long seconds, then a small group of trogs turned and ran after the Tercel. Another band followed, then two more, and then the whole mass of trogs was running in our wake!
I turned back to the deck in time to watch the crew hoist a Marine over the railing. He had one strong arm wrapped around Thor, managing to keep hold of him and pin his arms at the same time. Two more Marines took the galactic in hand while the one who captured him quickly and expertly removed every weapon and device Thor carried. The man presented them to me as the other two bound their sputtering, red-faced prisoner
“Well done, gentlemen,” I cried. “Now let’s go help the crew of the Vanguard!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
David
My heart swelled with pride and renewed purpose at the sight of the mighty Tercel steaming our way. Even at this distance, we could make out Marines and airmen gathering along the railings and preparing to join the battle. If I could just be heard over the din of battle, maybe I could convince Thor’s men to surrender and save lives on both sides. Captain Wright beat me to it.
“Vanguards!” Wright bellowed in a voice capable of carrying to all corners of an airship in combat. It easily rose over the clash of swords. “Our sister ship, the Tercel, comes from the west! Hold out for another minute and we’ll have these blackguards outmanned and trapped between two forces!”
Silence descended as everyone turned and looked west. At the sight of the low-flying Tercel, our men roared in triumph. All around us, the will to fight leaked from our enemies. Their shoulders sagged, the blades dipped, and their eyes darted about as if frantically searching for some place to hide from the approaching airship.
The officer who fought with Wright and me took this quiet moment to note, “The trogs are charging along behind the Tercel!”
Hope flared in the faces of our enemies for a second, then Wright dashed it.
“The trogs must have switched to our side, Lieutenant Arnot. Otherwise, Captain Jorson would have his crossbowmen firing at them.”
As Thor’s men once again lost hope, I called, “Lay down your arms and surrender! On my honor, you’ll be treated fairly.”
A few men dropped their swords and it looked like we had the situation well in hand. Then four of Thor’s men bolted, leaping from the Vanguard’s hull and running off to th
e east. Then it was as if a dam broke and a hundred or more men ran off after them. Our men were too tired and too outnumbered to give pursuit.
“Let them go, men,” Wright ordered. “We can round them up later.”
“But sir,” Arnot said, “Ensign Marlow led the girl, the other ensigns, and the ship’s boys in that direction!”
Wright and I shielded our eyes as we looked directly into the rising sun. Not more than two hundred yards ahead of the mass of retreating men ran a band of small figures. They stumbled and staggered, obviously exhausted from the overwork in Thor’s base and a sleepless night filled with running and fighting. Excited shouts rose from some of Thor’s men as they caught sight of the group ahead of them.
“They’ll take the lass and those lads hostage and bargain the children’s lives against their own freedom,” Wright said. He looked back over his shoulder at the Tercel. “Captain Jorson won’t know to pursue until he gets here and I doubt he could reach the youngsters in time, anyway.”
My mind went back six years to our return to Aashla after defeating the space pirates and establishing contact with the Terran Federation. I felt again the horrible anguish as Callan and I told Kim that Milo, her younger brother and the last of her family, died so I could live. I saw again the wracking grief that overcame Kim as we delivered the news.
I knew Chris and Jade well enough to feel certain they would put up a fight against Thor’s men. I knew Mordanian ensigns well enough to know they’d follow Chris’s lead. And I knew Thor’s followers well enough to know they would probably kill several of the children while trying to subdue them.
These thoughts must have shown on my face because Captain Wright said, “I don’t think there’s anything we can do to help them, sir.”
“Like hell,” I said and jumped to the ground.
Boost!
As soon as my implant received the command, it flooded my body with adrenaline and my fatigue vanished. I was running as soon as I hit the ground, tearing across the desert in long, strong, inhumanly fast strides. I was dimly aware of the cheering voices of the Vanguard’s crew before I tuned out everything except the backs of the men running ahead of me. The ground blurred beneath my feet as I rapidly closed in on the trailing edge of the retreating men. I considered simply hacking my way through them in the hopes of drawing all attention to me and away from the fleeing children. Certain that would make the leaders all the more desperate to reach Chris and the others, I tried another tack.
“Clear the way or die!” I shouted when I was no more than ten yards from the closest men.
Several looked over their shoulders to see who shouted. Their eyes widened when they saw me bearing down on them. With my churning legs and raised sword, I hoped I was the embodiment of my trog nickname.
Never one to pass up a chance to spout lines like you’d hear in an adventure vid, I added, “Give way before the Hand of Death or feel his wrath!”
To my relief, the men dove aside and I charged into the middle of the mass of men. I gave voice to a wordless battle cry and more men turned to see what was approaching. Some cleared the way, some froze in shock, and others ran all the harder to get away from me. I dodged around one man before swinging my sword in a wide arc before me. The blade sliced across the backs of three men. They all screamed in pain and stumbled.
I leapt at the man directly ahead of me, pushing him farther down before planting a foot on his shoulder and springing forward. I passed over a couple of men who watched me with goggle-eyed astonishment. I saw no open ground to land on so, using the quickness Boost gave me, landed on another shoulder. I felt bone crack beneath my boot as I ran on. I used another man’s head for my next step, driving the man to his knees as I sprang away.
This time, I came down on open ground with only two men between me and the kids. Those men spun to face me, swords swinging in unison. I beat aside the attack from my right and simply caught the other man’s sword arm with my free hand. In riposte, I drove my sword through the man on the right. At the same time, I twisted the other man’s arm and yanked down. His wrist broke and his shoulder popped out of its socket. Yanking my sword free, I ran past the dying man and into the open.
Fifteen yards ahead of me, Chris, Jade, and the rest of the youngsters stood with weapons ready. Jade and one of the ship’s boys held blaster rifles and the others held blades. Their chests heaved from the run and their arms shook with fatigue, but they all wore looks of grim determination that gave way to wonder as I burst from the mob of men.
The charging men ground to a halt, still trying to figure out what had happened. I stopped in the open ground between the two groups and spun to face the men.
“You’ll have to go through me to get to these children,” I said, struggling against Boost to speak slowly and clearly. “The first man who makes a move toward them will die on the end of my blade. As will the second. And the third. And however many others I have to kill before the Tercel arrives.”
A voice called from inside the mob, “He can’t kill us all! Get him!”
The men before me surged forward.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Callan
Much as I wanted to watch the battle and reassure myself David was safe, I knew Thor could be the key to ending the conflict as soon as possible. Turning back to him, I studied the devices the Marine took from Thor. I couldn’t figure out what most of the things did, but two were obvious. Keeping the blaster pistol and the comm, I handed all but those two items back to the Marine who captured him, then ordered the Marines holding Thor to bring him to the bow rail.
“Your men are going to lose, Thor,” I said, pointing at the distant battle. “This is your chance to save a few lives. When I hold the comm to your mouth, order your men to surrender.”
Thor laughed, drawing a rough shake and glares from the Marines. One of them said, “Show some respect!”
“Or what? You’ll kill me?” Thor looked me in the eyes, calm despite the situation. “I could not care less about the lives of any of those men fighting over there. If their deaths can also buy the death of your planet-despoiling husband, I’ll die knowing my sacrifice was worthwhile.”
I cursed myself silently for not turning the comm on before speaking to this strange man. That one admission could have spurred exactly the surrender I wanted. I thumbed the unit on, hoping Thor might see fit to say something equally damning.
“I don’t understand you one bit,” I said. “How can you hate humanity so much that you’re willing to throw away the lives of those who serve you?”
Shifting his eyes to the comm, Thor smiled and said, “The Mordanians have taken me. Press the attack and avenge me!”
I nodded at one of the Marines and a fist slammed into Thor’s stomach. His breath whooshed out of him, leaving him incapable of speaking. Raising the comm, I said, “This is Her Royal Highness Princess Callan of Mordan. Throw down your arms and surrender. You have my word you’ll receive fair treatment and fair trials.”
“Well, well, if it isn’t the media darling herself,” said an unknown, feminine voice. “I’ve turned off the links to the comms worn by our men. They haven’t heard a word since you first turned the comm on.”
“And you must be the lady of the base. Freya, isn’t it?” I replied.
“That’s the name I’ve used on this operation.”
“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to tell me your real name?” I asked. “I so dislike using false names.”
“Says the woman who uses one name and three titles when introducing herself,” Freya sneered. “Besides, I haven’t used my birth name in decades. You’ll just have to make do with what you know.”
“Have it your way. I’m sure the Terran Federation will discover your real name when we turn you over to them.”
Soft and sultry laughter came from the comm. “You’re not going to capture me, little princess, and you’re not going to hold Thor for much longer.”
Despite his wheezing, Thor managed to g
asp out, “Farewell, my love. Savor this revenge!”
I looked at the man in alarm, recognizing someone accepting the idea of his own death. “Throw him overboard!”
The Marines didn’t hesitate, tossing Thor over the railing immediately. The Marine who had captured him tackled me to the deck a second before the explosion. With sickening splats, pieces of Thor landed on the deck. A thin red mist rose next to the Tercel before drifting away on the wind.
“Are you hurt, Your Highness?” demanded the Marine who tackled me.
All around us, officers and airmen rushed to our aid. Men shouted as I tried to reassure everyone. Then Dr. Mach pushed through the crowd and knelt next to me.
The doctor’s eyes roamed over my body with a detached professionalism I rarely received from men. “I don’t see any injuries, Your Highness. How do you feel?”
“I feel quite grateful to the Sergeant and his men for their quick reactions, Doctor. Now, if you would all stop hovering, I’d like to get up.” I smiled to take any possible sting from my words. Once back on my feet, I turned to Captain Jorson and asked, “How goes the battle?”
Now reassured I was unhurt, the crew quickly turned their attention back to the battle. Seconds later, Jorson said, “The Tercel has been seen, Your Highness, and it looks like our arrival has taken the fight out of our enemies. They’re surrendering.”
A cheer rose from the crew and I felt my knot of tension loosen. Lieutenant Tucker, his spyglass still raised to his eye, spoke over the cheers, “A good hundred of the cowards have taken to their heels, Captain, and are running off into the desert.”
Grinning broadly, Captain Jorson said, “A fat lot of good that will do for them, eh? They’ll come crawling back to surrender when they get thirsty!”
“I am less certain of that, sir,” Tucker replied as he unconsciously leaned forward. “It looks like Captain Rice has Boosted and is pursuing them!”
