Zena- Commander

by Edward Lake

  Ada stood up and set her hands on her hips. She looked down and kicked at the tiny rocks beneath her feet. “Go to her, Zena. I’ll clean up in here.” She let a few seconds go by before finally lifting her head and looking at me.

  Our eyes touched, and I saw distress on her face, like she didn’t want me to leave. “Thank you, Ada. For everything.” I rushed past her and Jax and pushed through everyone else. I ran outside. Even without a coat, the cold didn’t bother me as much this time. I hiked through the heavy snow and made it to the ship.

  The patrolling soldiers must have seen me coming. They opened the ramp and waved me up. I rushed up the entryway and went straight to Sadie.

  There was an old man standing next to her, holding a wet rag. He seemed to be some kind of medical aide, gently probing her head, checking every inch of her face. “Do you know your name?”

  “Yes. Sadie Saros.” She spun her head as I hurried to her. “Zena?”

  I stopped alongside the tank she had been sleeping in and slowly exhaled. “Thank God. You came back to me.” I bent down and kissed her cheek.

  She lifted her hand and touched my face. “The last thing I remember was jumping in front of you. What happened to me?”

  “You got shot in the back.” I stared at the old man. “But she’s okay now, right?”

  The medical aide nodded. “She will need more time in the tank. But after her wound heals, she should be fine.”

  You see, Ada. God is good. “Can we have a moment alone, sir?”

  “Sure.” He kindly left us.

  I pulled my head back and rubbed her cold, damp skin. “You look as beautiful as ever.”

  She chuckled, then coughed. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.” She calmed herself and closed her eyes. “We’re still in danger, aren’t we?”

  I waited until she opened her eyes. “Yes. But don’t worry. I have a plan.”

  “Did Evander and Taft make it?” she asked, her voice scratchy and low.

  “Yes. They’re here on Cato, too.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Cato?” Her teeth chattered. “Now I see why it’s so cold.”

  “Yeah, this place is a frozen wasteland.” I bent my head down again. “But if we survive this, I’m going to take you to a special place.”

  She wheezed again. “Oh really? Tell me more.”

  I smiled, my eyes flickering. “It’s a surprise.”

  She reached up and touched my lips, her hand shaking. “Warm me up with a kiss.”

  I closed my eyes and leaned my head forward. I kissed her so softly, on and on, until it became hard for her to breathe.

  She quickly pulled back and squirmed, her face turning red.

  I stood up straight and turned around. “Sir! We need your help, sir!”

  The medical aide came back and put a breathing mask over Sadie’s mouth. He pressed a button on the tank, and the machine made several loud noises. Within seconds, Sadie was calm again.

  “Listen, maybe you should go and give her some time to heal.”

  “I’m not going anywhere!”

  The man shook his head at me. “Jax isn’t going to put everything on hold for you and her. We are at war, Zena. Your duty is to fight until we win.”

  I took Sadie’s hand. “I don’t care about Jax. Or this stupid war. When we leave to do battle on Agholor, I could die. This might be my last chance to see her.” I reached out and touched her face, and Sadie closed her eyes and bent her head into my palm, the edge of her mask grazing my arm. “I can steal a ship and find a way to escape with her, tonight.”

  He sighed and crossed his arms. “Listen, Zena. My name is Revis Hex. I’m an ex-caregiver for the Holy Army. Sadie is in good hands with me.” He unfolded his arms and reached out to a small metal table stationed directly behind the tank. He grabbed a bag and pulled out a handful of those pem-peh plants. “I’m going to start Sadie with these right away. She will be back on her feet in a day or two.” He touched my shoulder with his free hand. “You have my word. I’ll take care of her and keep her safe.”

  Sadie removed the mask and showed me that breathtaking smile that won me over the first time I saw her. “I’ll be okay. And I believe you will come back to me. So go end this war. But not for the rebels.” Her lips trembled as tears welled in her eyes. “Do it for us, and when it’s over, I should be ready to get out of this thing.”

  I bit my lip and huffed through my nose. “Okay.” I lowered my head and saw Sadie close her eyes. I closed my eyes too and kissed her once more. I focused hard on the sweet touch of her chilly lips, enjoying every moment of our tender embrace. Slowly, our lips parted and our eyes opened at the same time. “Stay strong. I’ll return as soon as I can.” I let go of her hand and gradually backed away. I kept my eyes on her until I reached the ramp. I won’t lose you again, Sadie. I promise.

  When I got back to the building, I found Evander and Taft. They were sitting on a cot, warming their hands over a small fire.

  “How is she?” Evander asked.

  “She’s in a lot of pain. But her caretaker said she should be back on her feet in a few days.”

  Taft stood up and looked me over. “Well, I’m happy to hear that, Zena. But what about you?”

  I frowned, feeling the shame of what I had done to Ray and his family. “I’m not well, Taft. But I’ll be okay.”

  Evander wobbled to his feet, grimacing. “You know we’re here for you, Zena. Anything you need. Let us know.”

  “I know, my friend. But right now, we need to think of a plan to escape these God-hating thugs.”

  Evander glanced around the camp. “I agree. But we can’t make a move until we reach Sodus.”

  Taft crossed his arms and lowered his voice. “I say we steal a ship, find Zena’s family and your mother, then leave as fast as we can.”

  I wished it could all go down that easily. “That would be ideal. But Saros will be ready and heavily guarded.”

  Evander waved a hand in front of me. “Let’s stop talking about this before someone hears us. We’ll continue this conversation on Agholor.”

  Near the front of the building, Jax ordered everyone to join him. “Gather around, come on, troops, gather around and listen.” Once the group came forward and huddled around him, he held his hands out and gestured as he talked. “It’s time to move out. Master will be meeting us on Agholor to deliver further instructions. So get your guns and gear ready.”

  The troops shouted and raised their fists in the air. They roared like animals as they scattered to their cots and began to grab their guns and armor.

  Jax found me in a hurry and snapped his fingers. “Zena, find Ada. You’ll be flying with her again.”

  I rushed over to him, fuming. “Wait a minute. We had an agreement, Jax. I fight for the GGC, you help me save my family from Saros.”

  He stared at me and held his hands out. “I told you already, Zena, I’m a man of my word.” He pointed towards the outside. “But first, we have business on Agholor. Sodus will be next.”

  “I have to save my family now! There is no telling what Saros will do.”

  Jax walked to me and shook his head. “Listen, soldier. Regardless of our little agreement, you and I still work for Master. What do you think he’d do if he found out you and I plan to divert from the mission in order to save your family?”

  I stood there, stone-faced, my hands shaking.

  He gave me a nod. “You have to trust me, Zena. When we get to Sodus, we’ll rescue your family. But in the meantime, we have to do what Master says. Understand?”

  I looked down and nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Good.” He turned his back to me and headed outside with the others.

  I made a fist and slammed it into my other hand. If my family dies, I’ll kill you, Jax. I’ll slaughter you if they die. The gleam in his eyes and that smug look he carried so naturally made me think twice about everything he said.

  Evander limped forward and bent his head down. “We don’t need his help. We’
ll save them on our own.” He left with Taft and followed the rest of the camp to the ships.

  I checked the room for Ada, wondering if she had already left.

  Then suddenly, from behind me, I felt a hand touch my hip. “Looking for me?”

  I spun around. “Yes. Jax said I’m flying with you again.”

  “That’s right. I’m the best fighter in this unit. You’ll be safe with me.”

  I liked her confidence, and I was looking forward to seeing if she was as good as she said she was. “Very well then. Let’s head out.”

  We gathered our weapons and found a ship. Ada led me inside and closed the ramp. She tossed her gun and gear to the floor and ambled to the cockpit. “Have a seat, Zena. I want you to prepare the ship for takeoff. Do you remember how?”

  I set my things down and walked over to her. I took a seat in the adjacent chair and studied the buttons on the control panel. On the right side, I saw a collection of levers. I pressed the buttons to activate the levers. When the blinking red lights reached the maximum level, I pushed the levers forward. The ship made a rumbling sound, and the floor vibrated.

  Ada gave me an approving nod. “Very good. You remembered.”

  I was rather proud of myself, yet a bit bashful, too, trying to hide a faint smile. “Yeah, I did.”

  Ada took over and showed me how to plot a course. “It’s all touch-screen. First, you press the location you’re looking for, then press these buttons over here.” She touched a green button, then a red button. She glanced at me to see if I was watching, then turned her head and gestured at the buttons with her eyes. “Press them.”

  I reached out and tapped the green and red buttons. The control panel made a few humming sounds. Within seconds, the ship floated into the air. I looked at her, beaming from ear to ear. “This is incredible, Ada. Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  I stared at her, my eyes full of glee. “For teaching me how to fly.”

  She looked back at me with a smug grin. “Trust me, you haven’t seen anything yet. Piloting a ship in a battle is a level you’re not ready for.” She turned her head and focused on the controls. She pushed the main lever forward. The ship sped up, and we were soon flying through space. “When we reach Agholor, I want you to pay close attention to my hands as I operate the ship. Watch every movement I make. I’ll explain as much as I can as I go.”

  So far Ada had been a good teacher to me. I still hoped to convince her to join us. I needed to learn as much as I could from her, so that I could become a more powerful soldier.

  “I want you to continue my training, Ada. I want you to teach me everything you know.”

  She beamed. “Stick with me, blue eyes. I’ll turn you into the best soldier in the galaxy.” She blasted us into interstellar speed, and just like that, we arrived at our destination. Agholor. The ancient planet of the Holy Empire.

  Part 4

  War on Agholor

  13

  Evander

  The first time I came to Agholor, I was rather young. Six, maybe seven years old. My father, Unitas, and my mother, Juno, took me there to worship God at the ancient temples. It was a law for all families, to take their children to the temples and show their devotion to the Holy Spirit.

  The planet was filled with beautiful greenery and large bodies of shining water. The trees were as tall as skyscrapers, swarming with gorgeous, colorful birds—a true paradise to behold. But now, the Rebel Army had come to burn it down. Millions would die. Men, women and children.

  We drifted past a demolished area that had been hit during the first attack, when Commander Vault’s security system mysteriously became breached.

  Jax pointed at an empty space in the rubble. “You see that spot, Evander?”

  I bent forward and stared out the window. “Yeah. What about it?”

  “I’m going to build my palace there.” He smirked. “Huge balcony on both sides, a garden in the back, maybe a few wild animals locked in cages for decoration.”

  The moment I met Jax on Mercilus, I saw him as a twisted individual. Men like him are beyond dangerous. They’re psychotic—living with a sickness that can’t be cured—an evil soul that can’t be saved.

  “I hope your dream home gives you peace, Jax.”

  “I’m already at peace.” He turned his head and stared at me. “You know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I don’t believe in the lie known as God.” He put the ship on autopilot and undid his seatbelt. He stood up and walked to me, holding his hands out.

  I looked down and saw what appeared to be dried-up food. “What are those?”

  “Herbs from Mercilus. It will help you heal faster. You won’t be any use to us in the condition you’re in.”

  Hmm, so this is the pem-peh Zena was talking about. I didn’t want to eat the dried plants. I had no trust in Jax. But he had messed me up pretty good, and I needed something to help heal my body.

  “Okay.” I took the plants and ate them quickly. At first, I didn’t feel anything. But a few minutes later, my soreness began to fade away. I stretched my arms out and rolled my neck. “Hmm, that’s odd.”

  Taft came closer and checked me. “What’s odd?”

  “The plants worked.” I took a few steps and realized the pain in my legs had lessened, too. “I feel better.” I stood there, amazed, wondering how a plant from Mercilus could be so powerful.

  Jax landed the ship and opened the ramp. “Grab your guns and follow me.”

  I snatched my gun off the floor and slid it into my holster. Taft did the same, and together we hurried after Jax. He led us to the old, pebbly underground tunnels, a few miles outside the main city. I looked up and saw thousands of Holy Army ships gliding through the air. Clearly they had no idea we had arrived, which told me their security system was still down. Commander Vault? Why haven’t you sniffed out the rebel spy?

  I desperately pondered a way to contact Vault or someone inside the Holy Empire. I wanted to warn them, so that they could evacuate as many civilians as possible. I didn’t want to be a part of the madness, but I feared Jax and the rebels would kill me if I refused to fight.

  It was hard to believe that Agholor would soon become a burning mess of destruction and death. The ancient planet had brought me great joy as a child. I remembered Sadie and I escaping our parents and sneaking into the tunnels, chasing each other for hours, wondering how much trouble we would be in when we returned to our ships. Those were the days that made me love her.

  Taft nudged me. “You okay?”

  I glanced at him. “Yeah.”

  He shook his head. “Look, man. If we’re going to do something, we need to do it now.”

  “What can we do? Break our vow to join the rebels? Or run back to Saros and beg for his forgiveness?” I quietly chuckled. “Either way, we’re dead.”

  “So I guess we’re real rebels now, right?” He threw his hands up. “Might as well go along with this, win the war and pray to God they let us go when the dust settles.”

  One by one, more and more troops marched into the tunnel. Before long, the entire camp was down there. Jax gathered everyone in a circle. Zena and Ada were standing near him. I focused on her somber eyes and wondered if she felt as hopeless as me. Taft was right, it was now or never for the three of us. Yet it seemed we had simply run out of time.

  “Listen up, men,” Jax hollered, his voice echoing throughout the tunnel. He turned and held his hand out. “Master is here to lead us into battle.”

  Up ahead, far in the distance, a shadowy figure stepped forward. Thousands of footsteps followed him, and I soon realized there were soldiers marching behind him. When Master and his followers got closer, I noticed the men were dressed in Holy Army gear.

  I carefully studied them as they drew near. Have these troops revolted against Saros?

  Master stopped in front of Jax. The black mask the rebel leader wore buzzed as he turned his head. “Zena, I’d like to thank you for your participa
tion in our event with the GGC,” his mask murmured.

  She seemed so nervous, fidgeting with her hands, scratching her head. “Oh, well, thank you, sir.”

  Master paced in front of the Holy Army troops. “These men were once slaves, Zena. Just like you.” He made a fist and held it out towards the rebels. “But not anymore. No man or woman in this tunnel shall be slaves to Saros another day.”

  It appeared Master had somehow gotten to the slave soldiers from the North Star. Smart. They were easy targets. Men who had hated Saros all their lives.

  He held his hands out crookedly, slowly moving them across the crowd. “I spread the word of truth, and now, every slave soldier from the North Star is a member of the Rebel Army.”

  The men standing behind Master cheered and raised their fists in the air.

  He spread his arms out, his mask buzzing louder. “The others are in position as we speak.” He put his arms down, and red lights flashed on his mask. “At sundown, we attack.” He turned around and marched back to the shadows he came from, the slave soldiers close behind.

  The rebels shouted praise to Master and roared for the troops. I looked down and covered my brow. No. Please, God, no. I wondered if Master was the rebel spy. Or maybe he was working with the rebel spy.

  The camp spread out and mingled as we prepared for the battle at sundown. In my head, I mulled over who the spy could be. I figured the spy had to be someone with great power and influence. Someone who could control things from within the Holy Army. Vin Naas? Perhaps a highly ranked captain?

  Or maybe the GGC was behind all this. With the Holy Empire out of the way, they would be able to expand their organization to any civilization in the galaxy. Man versus woman. Serpent versus man. Woman versus Serpent, and so on.

  Taft patted my arm. “Evander, what is wrong with you? Since we left the ship, you haven’t said much of anything.”