by A A Warren
Javis snapped a salute to Talon, then Avra. The guards lifted their force pikes in the air, then slammed them down into the floor. The crowd stood up, and thundering applause filled the hall.
Avra grabbed Talon’s arm. “That’s our cue to leave,” she whispered.
Talon looked down at the statue in his hands. His gaze traveled to the shattered shards of the info-crystal, glittering in the sunlight. “Your Highness,” he called out. Avra bit her lip, but said nothing.
Javis glared at him. “The ceremony is over sir. If you would—”
Lucian waved his hand. “Let him speak, Javis. Talon what is it?”
“A friend of mine once said, ‘There can be no freedom in a galaxy enslaved.’”
Lucian nodded. “That sounds like something Salena might say.”
“It is. You have kept your word, and given me my freedom. I thank you. But there are others who still suffer. Under Kyr’s rule, slavery has spread across many worlds. Men like my old owner, Rufa Omdura, grew rich off the blood of those who died in the arena. What of those others? Will you free them as well?”
Javis rested a hand on Lucian’s shoulder. “Your Highness, now is not the time to discuss policy changes in the empire. There are many factors to consider before we—”
Lucian looked up at his advisor. “Javis, I will address this request myself.”
The older man stood at attention. “Of course, Your Highness.”
Lucian clutched the sides of his throne. He thought for a moment. Then he looked Talon in the eyes with a steely stare. “What you say is true. The Dominion has suffered under Kyr’s rule. I do not approve of his laws, or these practices you speak of. Javis tells me this is a complicated matter, something we cannot change overnight. He means well, I know. But he is not Emperor. I am. And this is my responsibility.”
He turned to the crowds in the stands. A hush fell over the hall. Thousands of people, shadows in the distance, both human and alien alike, all hung on his every word.
“And so to you, and to all my people gathered here today… I herby proclaim that from this day forth, slavery shall no longer be tolerated within the Tygon Dominion. From this day forth… all men and women shall be free!”
Applause drowned out the rest of his words. More confetti fell from overhead, and holographic fireworks lit up the dark recesses of the chamber. The heralds blasted another triumphant march, as the crowds embraced and cheered in the stands.
Avra grabbed Talon’s arm and dragged him away from the throne. She glared at him, then broke into a smile and laughed. “You really like to push your luck, don’t you?” she shouted.
Talon shrugged. “Like Zobo said… it’s not a bad thing to have an Emperor owe you a favor.”
PLANET KORAL
Tygon Dominion
A few days later…
Dawn’s fire blazed across the morning sky. Vivid streaks of purple and orange splayed across the dark heavens, as the slate gray water slapped against the side of the hover boat. It was early, and the waves of Koral were still gentle swells, only a few feet tall. The gravitational effects of the planet’s three moons had not yet whipped them into a churning frenzy.
Talon knelt on the rear deck and dipped his hand in the water. He cupped it, and lifted out a handful of the salty brine, letting it flow between his fingers, and splash back to the surface. Avra sat down next to him, and set a pair of metal spheres into the water. She slipped a plasma torch from her belt, and held the glowing tip over one of the spheres. An invisible stream of gas ignited, and a flame sparked to life. The air above the sphere shimmered from the rising heat and smoke.
She stood up and watched as it floated away, bobbing up and down in the water. A projector inside activated, and a glowing figure of Zobo hovered above the flames.
“May the Golden Stars receive you,” she said.
She passed the torch to Talon, and he lit the second sphere.
“May the Golden Stars receive you.”
As it drifted away, an image of Salena glowed to life. The early morning light was dim, and they could see both flames burning bright as they drifted far into the distance. For a time, the two spheres bobbed next to each other, side by side. Eventually, the waves and the tide carried them apart. They continued on their separate journeys, until they both disappeared on the dark horizon.
Talon and Avra climbed back onto the main deck of the small boat. The craft rose and fell with the motion of the water. They were in the middle of a vast ocean, surrounded by water on all sides. Rippling waves stretched as far as the eye could see. Avra activated the craft’s auto pilot. It hovered on a lifter field and sped across the water’s surface, taking them back toward the floating port city.
She sat down next to Talon. They watched the sun rise, as sea spray kissed their skin and the breeze whipped through their hair.
“Have you decided where you will go?” she finally asked.
He nodded. “I’ve signed on with a compliment of Merchant Marines. They’re working out of the Free Consortium, guarding shipping lanes. I thought it would be a good way to see more of the galaxy.”
“I’m sure the prince… I mean the emperor… would be more than happy to offer you a naval commission.”
Talon shook his head. “No. No more favors. I’ve had enough of emperors and gods. Enough of destiny. I’ll make my own way now.” He looked up at her and smiled. “And what of you? The Star Claw is yours. Where will you take her?”
She brushed a strand of windswept hair from her face. “I’ve decided to return to the Sorari training center. See if I can make things right. I don’t know if that’s even possible, but I want to try.”
Talon nodded. “You’re one of the best warriors I’ve ever seen. They’ll be lucky to have you. When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.” She looked into his eyes. “And you?”
“Tomorrow as well.”
“Doesn’t leave us much time to say goodbye.” She leaned against him, and he slipped his arm around her.
“That reminds me,” he said. “You told me Sorari take what they are owed. Well, I still owe you something. We made it back alive, after all.”
“That’s right,” she said, laughing. “Your name. Your true name.”
“No. My true name is Talon. Regardless of my past, this is who I am now. This is who I chose to be. But if you want to know my No’varran name, it’s—”
She held a finger to his lips and grinned. “That’s not the deal. You said you would tell me when this is over.” She slid her arms around his neck. Her emerald eyes gazed into his dark, brooding stare. Her lips parted as she pressed her body against his. “It’s not over yet. We still have one more day.” Her voice lowered to husky whisper. “And one more night.”
One night of pleasure, he thought.
Talon crushed her mouth to his and drank deep. They slipped down to the deck, and she moaned beneath him as the boat raced across the waves. Above them, the sun continued on its path into the sky, lighting the heavens and burning away the last vestiges of darkness and night.
Talon the Raider
TALES OF TALON: BOOK 2
Galactic Chronicle, Excerpt 1192-C
Even as the young emperor Lucian reclaimed the crimson throne of Tal Adar, war erupted on the Tygon Dominion’s distant border.
Angered by years of Dominion attacks on their shipping lanes, the Consortium of Free Worlds struck back. The kingdom’s two rival houses, the Aoshun Clans and the Imperial Jotoru, united to defend their territory.
As the conflict grew, an unlikely warrior entered the fray. The man known as Talon, free and eager to wander the stars, joined a Merchant Marine convoy en route to the battlefront…
Jord’n Tomas, Dominion Chronicler
Chapter One
ONOHARA SYSTEM
Disputed Territory
Dominion / Consortium Border
Smoke and haze filled the darkened corridor. An occasional flash of light glowed in the distance… sparking wir
es or venting plasma conduits. The recycled air was heavy with the acrid stench of ozone and scorched metal. An alarm wailed in the distance, but the roar of explosions, and the high-pitched whine of pulse weapon fire, drowned out its warbling cry.
A trio of men dressed in battered dura-plas armor charged through the smoke. They advanced down the corridor, pivoting left and right to cover the smaller sub sections that branched off from the main passageway. Their forward progress slowed as they were forced to navigate through a mass of scorched bodies sprawled across the floor.
The man in the lead was a short, lanky human, no older than twenty years of age. His wide blue eyes swept across the carnage before him, as he fired his pulse rifle into the shadows. Sparse stubble covered his chin, and sweat-soaked locks of hair fell down across his panicked stare. A number adorned the dented breastplate of his armor: 1173
A voice crackled from the comm unit mounted to his scuffed helmet. “Unit 1173, do you re— ZZZT— Unit 1173, this is Command Unit 2246, what is yo— ZZZZT.”
The young man dropped to his knees as a volley of pulse beams lit up the hazy corridor. The man standing to his right cried out, and fell back onto the deck plates. His eyes fluttered closed, as smoke drifted from a black hole punched in the front of his armor.
The young man sent another blast into the smoke. Squinting, he made out shady figures stalking towards their position. His rifle stopped firing. Glancing down, he saw the energy meter read empty. Cursing, he ducked into a doorframe as more bolts flew past him. All the doors in the corridor were security locked, but at least the tiny alcove provided some cover from the glowing energy beams streaking back and forth around him. His remaining squad mate stood his ground in the corridor and returned fire.
The voice crackled to life again. “ZZZZZT… Kev, where in blazes are you? No one …ZZZZT… to the rendezvous point!”
Kev, the young man, slapped the side of his helmet as he ejected his rifle’s empty energy cell. The static cleared. “Unit 1173 responding. We’re pinned down in corridor…” He paused as he glanced around the corner of the door frame. “Deck 9, Corridor 16,” he shouted, reading the location coordinates stenciled on the wall.
As he slapped a fresh cell into his rifle, he heard another gasp of pain. His remaining team member flew past the door and tumbled to the ground. The smell of burned flesh and melted plastic wafted through the corridor.
“Pinned down, eh? You and half the other squads I’ll wager,” the voice grunted in his ear. “I thought Captain Snow said to expect light resistance?”
“He always says that,” Kev snapped back, as he fired another burst into the smoky corridor.
Peering around the door frame, he saw five men clad in sleek, black armor stomp out of the smoky haze. They stopped at an intersection several meters from his position. He could hear them arguing, their voices distorted by their helmets. They were debating in which direction to search next.
He sucked in his breath, as he recognized the design of their interlocking plate armor and curved sabers. Their helmets were molded to resemble ancient demons or monsters. These were Kujita Warriors… the elite soldiers of the Consortium.
“Are you nearby?” Kev whispered into the comm unit. “Could use a little help here. Five Kujita heading my way.”
“Kujita?” The crackling voice chuckled. “Still have a knack for trouble, eh? Stay put, I’ll come to you.”
“Not really an option at the moment,” Kev hissed. His rifle hummed and the indicator lights along the barrel glowed red as he pulled back the priming handle. “Gotta move… see you in a bit!”
Kev’s voice cracked as he uttered a high-pitched war cry. He dove into the corridor, and rolled to his knees, sweeping fire across the smoke-filled air. He grit his teeth and smiled as sparks erupted from his target's chest plates. The armored soldier collapsed to the ground. Kev ducked into another door frame on the opposite side of the smoky passageway.
The remaining armored warriors spun around and stalked down the corridor towards Kev. Two men in the lead held up their armored forearms. Blazing energy shields glowed to life, blocking their upper torso and heads.
Kev leaned out and fired again, but his shots rippled across the glowing shields. The rear guards opened fire, sending a hail of energy bolts down the corridor. The young man winced as bits of burning dura-plas hurtled past his face. He clutched his rifle tight against his body. The barrage continued, pinning him down in the tiny alcove.
Suddenly, a loud hum filled the corridor. The firing ceased, as the heavily armored men stopped advancing, and glanced to their right. Kev peered around the door frame, and saw an arc of brilliant orange light slice through the wall of the corridor, next to the Kujita's position. The blinding line of energy traced a six-foot semi-circle in the white dura-plas plates.
Before the armored warriors could react, an explosion blasted the wall to pieces. Chunks of charred dura-plas slammed into the men, knocking them into the opposite wall.
As they slumped to the ground, a towering male human stepped through the smoking hole in the wall. He wore only a battle harness and crimson breeches, exposing the rippling cords of muscle in his broad chest and shoulders. The crackling blade of his plasma axe cast a dim orange glow over the fallen men. A tousle of dark hair fell to the man’s cheeks, and Kev saw his glowing crimson eye, peering through the haze. The man’s lips were curled in a savage grin.
Officially, the man's designation was Command Unit 2246. But Kev knew him by another name…
Talon.
The rubble shifted on the ground. One of the armored men heaved a chunk of the wall aside and sat up, raising his rifle. Before he could pull the trigger, Talon stomped down on the abdomen and kicked his rifle aside. The weapon fired wild and struck the ceiling, sending a shower of sparks cascading around them.
Talon raised a heavy pulse pistol and fired, melting the man’s armored face-plate to molten slag. The warrior slumped to the ground, but there was no time for Talon to savor his victory. He kept moving, swinging his axe behind him in a wide arc.
With an angry hum, the plasma blade tore through the arm of another warrior. The man screamed, as his severed limb flew into the air, and bounced to the debris-littered ground. The twitching hand still clutched a pulse rifle in its spasming fingers.
Talon’s pistol barked twice, and the man fell back to the floor. A pair of blazing holes glowed in his chestplate.
Kev watched as the hulking man dispatched the armored warrior. A shadow darted across the corridor. The youngster squinted as he registered the movement behind Talon. One of the armored men had rolled clear of the blast… he was drawing a bead on the back of Talon’s head with his pulse rifle.
Screaming to draw the man’s attention, Kev darted into the corridor and opened fire. One of his shots grazed the armored man’s side, and the warrior dipped down on one knee, grunting in pain. But the Kujita were well trained… The warrior kept his eyes on his target and adjusted his weapon, preparing to fire.
At the sound of Kev’s howl, Talon whirled around. He ducked, as a stray bolt from Kev's rifle flew over his left shoulder, missing his face by a few millimeters. The heat from the errant shot grazed his flesh, and his crimson eye glowed bright. He stared down the barrel of the Kujita warrior’s rifle. There was no time to attack, no time to think… He hefted his axe, covering his face with the fiery orange blade.
The enemy's weapon fired, but the glowing pulse bolt ricocheted off the magnetic containment field of the axe’s blade. Sparks erupted from the wall next to Talon, but he paid them no mind. He aimed his pistol and returned fire.
The Kujita jerked and spun in the corridor. Bolts from both Kev and Talon’s weapons burned scorch marks across his armor. After a dozen shots pierced his body, the smoking warrior collapsed to the ground. He ceased moving.
Panting, Talon powered down his axe and slung the weapon across his back. He stomped towards the younger man, his one dark eye filled with molten fury.
�
�Unit 1173… do you realize you almost shot a superior officer?” the hulking man bellowed.
“Better than letting these Consortium dogs take you hostage, sir!” the man snapped back, his voice quavering only a little.
Talon snarled, and raised his fist into the air. Then his angry growl turned to a burst of laughter, and Kev found himself grappled in a friendly bearhug. Talon rapped his knuckles on the shorter man’s helmet, as the young soldier struggled to escape the crushing embrace.
“By the gods, I’m glad to see you,” the bigger man said with a chuckle. “That Kujita almost sent me to the Golden Stars. Many thanks for the warning.”
A low groan rumbled through the walls of the corridor… The two men staggered as the floor seemed to shift and tilt beneath their feet. Kev spread his arms, as he struggled to maintain his balance. “By the gods… now what?”
Talon’s jaw clenched, and all traces of mirth and laughter vanished from his face. He grabbed the younger man and dragged him down the corridor, pulling him over the corpses of the fallen men in his way. “We’d better get moving! This way!”
They hurried down the corridor towards the intersection, as the wailing of the sirens grew louder. “I was a fool to sign on with Snow’s motley crew,” Talon muttered. “Merchant Marines, eh? I thought we’d be guarding Dominion cargo vessels, not raiding Consortium transports for booty.”
“You can thank General Kyr for that,” Kev panted, as they sprinted across the listing floor. “His attacks on Consortium shipping lanes blew up into an all out trade war, just before the Prince reclaimed the throne. Snow and the other Captains figured they’d make more chips as privateers than escorts!”
Talon glared at him. “Funny, I don’t see Snow down here with a blade or pistol in his hand!”
