by A A Warren
Avra felt droplets of warm liquid running down her cheek.
Are they tears? she wondered. Or blood?
“Suphara, I’m sorry. I failed you.”
No, my sister. The battle is not over. Our enemy yet lives.
“I… I can’t fight any more,” Avra said. Her voice quivered as she held back a sob. “Suphara, I’m falling.”
Come to me. Come to the light, and I will catch you.
Avra felt her body roll over. Did I do that? She wondered. She no longer knew who controlled her own flesh and blood. She felt a hazy, distant sensation… rough stone, like sandpaper rubbing against her fingers.
She clawed at the ground, dragged herself forward. The darkness closed in around her, choking her, drowning her in freezing cold numbness. She could see nothing through the smothering black haze. Even the glowing sphere above faded into the shadows.
That’s it. Keep fighting, sister.
Avra crawled farther across the stones. She felt something soft touch her cheek. She could hear a distant hum, like power relays on the bridge of a starship. But she was so cold, and it was so far away.
“I… I can’t make it,” she gasped.
Your body is dying, nothing can stop that. But your life force… your ayari… it is still strong, the voice answered. We are Sorari battle sisters. We share our victories and losses, ecstasy and pain. Our souls our intertwined. And when we fight, we fight as one…
Avra dragged herself forward again. She could not feel her fingers anymore through the freezing cold. “It’s too far!”
You are almost there, Avra. Keep moving! Keep fighting!
She crawled ahead, and the shadows parted. The darkness began to lift. A red mist filled her vision. It grew brighter and brighter as she moved closer.
She reached out… her fingertips were millimeters away from the light. Sparks leapt from the column of energy. Her emerald eyes opened wide as she felt her hair lift and ripple behind her. A blast of wind rushed across her face.
She staggered to her feet and looked up. The Cortex hovered above, crackling with bolts of crimson lightning.
Come to me, sister. Join me in the Cortex. The Soul Vault shall unite us. And together, we shall deliver the Sorari’s vengeance!
“Blood… burn…” she mumbled, her cold lips struggling to form words.
Yes, now you remember. May the blood of our enemies burn upon the stars!
Avra stepped forward. The energy beam enveloped her, blasting away the remnants of darkness. She screamed as she felt the sudden tug of gravity lifting her up, pulling the molecules of her body apart.
The shadows on the platform receded below, as she flew up towards the pulsing light of the Cortex.
Chapter Forty
The lights on the Star Claw's bridge flickered as an energy blast streaked across the vessel’s shields. Alarms wailed, as critical systems began to fail. A bank of power relays exploded in the ceiling, bathing the dim cockpit in a shower of blinding sparks.
“No weapons, shields failing, outnumbered… what kind of plan is this?” Orvane grumbled.
“Regardless of the merits of Avra’s plan, this vessel cannot take another hit of that magnitude," Utu's droning voice reported. "We must divert as much power as possible to the shields.”
Orvane’s pudgy fingers danced over his controls, calling up a screen of sensor readouts. “That not even our biggest problem,” he exclaimed. “I patched into Blue Star emergency frequency. Fail-safe devices orbiting Gesa, Kharis, and other planets. Reaching critical power levels... Could fire any minute! World killers, millions die!”
Utu threw the ship into a banked turn, as another barrage of pulse bolts shot over the bow.
“It would be logical to assume the control system for these fail-safe devices is within the Soul Vault itself,” the mech replied. The ship rumbled as another blast struck the shields. A burst of steam erupted from a coolant hose, covering the floor of the bridge with a layer of noxious mist.
Orvane coughed, as the toxic vapor filled the air. “Yes, yes!” he exclaimed. “I’m reading energy signature off port bow… similar to Blue Star readings on the weapons! Take us closer… closer!”
Utu’s glowing eye stalks spun, peering out the sloped window of the cockpit. Two of the mech’s tentacles wrapped around the arms of the navigation chair, while another piloted the ship into a steep dive. They soared above another stone platform. Glowing rings of energy surrounded a metallic pyramid that towered into the hazy air. A brilliant beam of light emerged from the tip of the structure, piercing the upper reaches of the crystal chamber.
“The energy signature originates from the pyramid on that platform,” Utu observed. “This unit can close the distance, but setting down will be impossible without risking destruction of the ship.”
Orvane’s bushy eyebrows furrowed as he squinted at his holo-display. The contents of the ship’s cargo manifest scrolled down the screen. “I have to get down there. No more life boats, no escape pods… wait. What are thruster suits?”
“Sorari equipment, belonging to Avra and Suphara. The suit allows the wearer to—”
“Perfect!” Orvane shouted. His glowing orange eyes darted over the equipment’s schematics. “You fly ship, keep outlaws busy! I go to airlock. Stop signal from telling weapons to fire!”
Staggering from his seat, the short alien coughed and gasped for breath as he shuffled through the cloud of spewing mist. The hull shuddered as two more energy bolts slammed into the port side. Utu threw the vessel into a tight corkscrew, then dove closer to the glowing platform beneath them.
“Orvane, this unit does not believe the Sorari suits will fit your—” The mech stopped speaking, as its eye stalks spun around.
Orvane had already left the bridge. The doors hissed closed behind him.
Orvane took a lumbering step towards the blinking control panel. He could barely see over the lip of the power armor’s helmet. He heard a low rumbling… the muted echo of explosions and pulse bolts striking the hull. Every sound seemed distant and muffled inside the armored thruster suit.
Reaching up, he tightened the harness straps that held him in place. His feet dangled beneath him, and his tiny hands could not reach the gauntlets of the human-sized suit. Even with the servo-motors assisting him, it was all he could do to make the thing walk.
THUNK. He took another step, moving closer to the airlock’s metal doors. He teetered on one leg for a moment, struggling to balance within the armored shell.
“Utu,” he said, shouting to make sure the helmet’s comm system could pick up his voice. “Almost in position. We near platform?”
A burst of static flooded his ears. Then, the mech’s monotone voice replied. “We are nearing the energy signature. But this unit cannot guarantee a precise trajec — ZZZZT!” Another burst of static cut off the transmission. The vessel dipped, and Orvane felt himself sliding forward.
He slammed into the ground and rolled across the metal floor.
“Utu, wait I—”
“ZZZZT — stand by. This unit will activate airlock doors once we — ZZZZT!”
The suit’s motors whined as the alien flopped to a sitting position. He still could not reach the lower-leg actuators. The light on the airlock door flashed from red to yellow, and a loud alarm blared through the tiny chamber.
Orvane forced himself to one knee. Using the harness straps, he pulled his head up into the helmet. He could barely see the view outside the airlock window, and it was impossible to tell if they were flying over the platform or not… All he could make out was the light from the tip of a pyramid, reflecting off the crystal walls of the Soul Vault.
A brilliant energy blast streaked by the window… pulse-bolts from the pursuing ship. Another impact rumbled through the hull.
“Stand by for decompression,” the mech’s voice said. “Approaching drop coordinates in three — ZZZZT!”
“What was that?” Orvan shouted. “We there yet?”
There
was no answer. The alien grit his teeth as he teetered in the suit. Before he could recover his balance, another quick lurching of the ship threw him forward. As he rolled over the deck plates, he heard the wailing alarm sound again. Tumbling across the floor, he glanced up at the airlock control panel… the light had turned green.
“Wait!” he shouted. “Not ready to—”
WHOOSH!
The twin metal doors slid open, venting the airlock’s atmosphere into space. Orvane flew forward, launched into the dark void like a tiny, flailing torpedo. As he tumbled and rolled through space, he saw the Star Claw swoop overhead. Volonte’s massive warship followed in its wake. Blazing pulse bolts tore through the space between them.
The stray shots streaked past his spinning body, reflecting in his helmet like a fireworks display.
Shrieking in terror, Orvane reached down to his wrist and tapped on the control panel. The thruster suit’s jets blazed to life, sending him careening away from the battling ships. Internal guidance systems took over, controlling his trajectory as he streaked closer to the stone platform in the distance.
The platform rushed closer and closer… Orvane uttered a panicked howl as he crashed into the ground and tumbled towards the edge. The thruster jets in the armored boots continued to fire, rocketing him across the stone floor.
“Help!” Orvane shouted. “Can’t stop… going to fall!”
Utu’s calm, monotone voice crackled through the helmet’s speakers. “You must deactivate your thrusters. The suit cannot disengage while the jets are in use."
Peering over the bottom of his helmet, Orvane's glowing eyes opened wide. The edge of the platform was rushing closer… beyond lay the glowing crystal horizon of the vault. Unlike outer space, the vault was affected by gravity. If he fell over the edge, he would plummet to his death in the shimmering depths below.
He couldn't see the wrist display on his arm, but he reached over and tapped in a command from memory… the boot jets ceased firing, and the armor's emergency release kicked in. With a rush of venting air, the metal plates separated and flew away from his body. He tumbled to a stop, less than a meter away from the edge of the platform.
Gasping for breath, Orvane sat up… he could see the fragments of the thruster suit, spinning away into darkness beneath him.
Stumbling to his feet, he raced over to a glowing circle of stones that protruded from the center of the platform.
“Zedrakon tech,” he mumbled to himself. He touched one of the pulsing crystal shards. A beam of energy emerged from the floor, filling the space between the shards with a halo of light. Glowing symbols spun around him, floating in the column of energy. He felt his skin crackle, and his fur stood on end.
Reaching out, he began swiping the symbols into different combinations. Finishing, he stood back, and observed the new order. But a chime sounded, and the symbols rearranged themselves into their previous configuration. Frowning, the alien tried again, but they refused to stay in place.
“Not working,” he shouted. “Can’t deactivate the weapons, system won’t let me!”
“This unit is occupied with the Zedrakon warship,” Utu replied. Somehow the mech managed to convey a note of annoyance in its emotionless voice.
Orvane focused on the glowing symbols. He continued swiping at them, but each time the same electronic chime sounded, signaling that his efforts were in vain. “We running out of time,” he said, panting for breath. “Can’t let all those people die!”
“Perhaps — ZZZZRT — another option.”
“What? Can’t hear you?”
“Enemy fire is interfering with comm — ZRRRTT — equipment.”
Orvane blinked, as he tried another combination of symbols, but still nothing happened. “Speak up mech, I can’t hear you!”
“Perhaps the system would accept a different command.”
The alien’s eyes opened wide, and his rubbery lips broke into a smile. “Of course! Utu, you genius!”
The mech did not respond.
Orvane swiped at the symbols once more, arranging them into a diamond-shaped pattern. A beam of light emerged from each glowing icon, meeting in the center. A new symbol flashed to life, hovering between them. Orvane reached out and touched it. The column of light hummed and fell back into the floor, taking the glowing symbols with it.
Suddenly, the deafening roar of engines filled the air. Looking up, Utu saw the Star Claw streak overhead. A dark shadow loomed over the platform. The Serpentar was in pursuit, blocking all light from above. The massive warship’s guns fired, sending a barrage of glowing pulse bolts streaking through the air.
Before the shots found their mark, a faint glow lit up the interior of the vault, reflecting off the crystals above… A low rumble filled the chamber, and the ground beneath his feet shook. Cracks rippled through the stones in the distance. A massive crystal spire dislodged, and plunged through the air like a giant dagger. It struck the Serpentar near its stern. An explosion erupted from the one of the vessel’s engines. With a low groan, the warship listed to the right, falling away from the platform.
“Utu, thruster suit damaged,” the alien said, stepping away from the ring of glowing crystals. “Come get me, quick!” A series of cracks tore through the stone beneath his feet, and the ground began to shake even more.
“Please stand by. The Serpentar has sustained damage and broken off its attack. Apparently your efforts were successful.”
The crystals glowed brighter. One of them shattered, sending luminous shards flying through the air. Orvane ducked, crying out in pain as a sharp fragment cut across his arm.
“Hurry!” he shouted. “I couldn’t deactivate the failsafe devices, but system let me change target coordinates.”
“What coordinates did you choose?” Utu asked.
“I didn’t... System choose for me. But I think I know where beams are heading.”
"This unit would like to inquire where?” The mech replied, as the Star Claw circled back to the platform.
More crystal fragments tumbled down from above. The alien jumped back, as a glowing spire crashed to the floor. “Here,” he shouted. “They’re targeting the Soul Vault itself!”
Chapter Forty-One
ADUARA STAR
The Gyre, Wild Space
High Orbit…
Beyond the windows of the Blur Star frigate known as the Peacemaker, the glowing orb of Gesa’s sun roiled and burned. Swirling trails of plasma erupted into the vacuum of space, as a solar storm raged across the star’s surface. The explosive bursts of energy bathed the glowing pyramid orbiting above.
The frigate shook as another blast of radiation exploded from the star’s corona. A shower of electromagnetic particles assaulted the vessel’s shields, like the scattered shrapnel of an explosive shell.
Commander Arlen gripped her command chair, holding tight while the ship lurched though the plasma wave. She narrowed her dark brown eyes as a sudden burst of light flooded through the windows. A tiny ship, one of dozens in the Order’s fleet, exploded off the port bow. The blazing fireball vanished in the plasma trail of another solar flare.
The Commander stood, letting her flowing white cape fall to the deck as she stepped forward. She clenched her armored hand into a fist and grit her teeth. “By the gods! Who did we lose?”
“That was the Templar, ma’am,” the communications officer shouted from his console. “Total hull collapse. Crusader and Vigilant report shields at less than fifty percent.”
Arlen grabbed the railing that separated her command deck from the lower bridge. “We’re taking a beating out here. What’s the status of the object?”
“Energy levels continuing to rise, ma’am. If it discharges, the destructive potential could be—”
A rumbling vibration shuddered through the hull, and the ship rolled onto its starboard aside. Arlen stumbled back, struggling to maintain her balance as the vessel tilted beneath her feet. Looking up, she gasped as another pair of starships exploded into bu
rning fragments. Fiery tendrils leapt up from the star’s surface, curling through space, devouring all they touched.
The pyramid reoriented itself, spinning on its axis as it absorbed the energy of the flare. It glowed white hot, flooding the Peacemaker’s bridge with even brighter light.
"Tactical report!” Arlen shouted.
Picking herself up off the deck, the tactical officer examined her holo-display. “Ma’am, the Kharis object has already discharged. And this one is reaching critical energy levels as well. It’s re-positioned itself in space, aiming towards Gesa. It’s going to fire!”
The Commander sat in her chair and fastened her restraints. “Has Marshal Waylan completed the evacuation yet?”
The communications officer looked at Arlen over his shoulder. His expression was grim. “Negative ma’am. Seventy-five percent of the population is still planet-side. And the other worlds these things have targeted aren’t doing much better.”
“Seventy five percent?” Arlen gasped. “But that’s millions of—”
Suddenly, the blinding white light of the pyramid exploded into a focused beam. Arlen threw up her hands as the energy blast grazed the vessel's flank. The Peacemaker spun on its axis, and the shields rippled from the impact. Sparks flooded the bridge, as power relays exploded throughout the ship.
“Energy discharge,” the tactical officer shouted. “Whatever this thing is… it just fired!”
“How long till the blast hits?”
The glow died down, revealing a massive energy beam streaking through space from the tip of the pyramid.
The officer consulted her holo-display. “Reports indicate all other devices have fired as well. Impact in thirty-five seconds. We… wait a minute!”
The office tapped her display, calling up a new view on the holo-screens. It showed the pyramid’s beam, streaking through a swirling blue disk of light. Towering alien symbols whirled around the glowing portal, as it absorbed the massive output of the weapon.
