by S. E. Smith
“How? I was a Service Bot programmer,” Bantu muttered, picking at the food on his plate. “I was never a soldier.”
Josh watched as Cassa reached out and gently touched Bantu’s hand. He could see the compassion on her face. Once again, a warmth spread through him at her understanding.
“Neither was I, Squeals,” she said, using the affectionate nickname she had for him. “Remember what we were able to do on General Landais’ Battle Cruiser? We can do this. We have to do this – for our parents, for… Jesup, for our people.”
“Why wasn’t he stopped before? Why didn’t the Knights of the Gallant Order stop Lord Andronikos when they had the chance?” Bantu whispered in a strained voice.
“Bad men have come to power using force, deceit, and treachery for thousands of years,” Josh replied in a blunt tone. “There will always be men like Andronikos, just as there will always be good men willing to stand up against them. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to stop him?”
Silence descended around the table as everyone thought about what he had said. He bowed his head as he thought about his question. The gauntlet was not just for Bantu, but for himself as well. What was he willing to risk to stand up to a man like Andronikos? This had not started out as his war, but it became personal when the Director attacked Cassa’s family searching for him and the rest of the crew of the Gliese. His jaw tightened and he looked up at Bantu with a steely gaze and waited.
“Yes,” Bantu replied in a quiet voice filled with resolve. “I resisted it when the Legion came and took me from my family nearly ten years ago. I learned very quickly what happened to those that didn’t follow their rules. Over the years, I’ve done what I can to help the resistance.” His gaze flickered to Cassa before he looked down at the table. “I know it wasn’t much, but I knew sharing things with Cassa would get back to her father. I’ve never been much of a soldier,” he continued, looking up at Josh. “Until now. If my family… if they are dead, I have nothing to lose anyway.”
Josh didn’t miss Bantu’s second glance at Cassa. Turning his attention to Hutu, Josh thought of what they knew so far. The video that Devona sent had cemented the fact that Ash was alive. The image had been grainy, but Josh would know his friend’s easy gait anywhere.
“Once we’ve reach the base, we can coordinate with the teams we have around the galaxy to find the freighter your friend was on. Devona erased the video stored on the service bot, but that is no guarantee that there weren’t others. If we found information about your man, so can the Legion,” Hutu said, pushing back and rising to his feet. “I need to relieve Pack.”
Josh nodded and rose. “I’d like to go over the video again and see if there is anything else I can discover,” he said.
“I’ll help you,” Cassa murmured, standing.
Josh reached for her hand. “Thank you,” he murmured as they stepped out of the narrow galley.
“For what?” She asked in surprise.
Josh turned her so that her back was against the wall. “For being you,” he whispered. He covered her lips with his, giving her the long, deep kiss that he had started earlier. A soft sigh escaped him when he released her lips and pulled back. Turning his head, he returned Bantu’s sardonic stare with one of his own. “You have terrible timing,” he muttered to the other man where he was standing in the doorway.
“Not from my perspective,” Bantu retorted, turning on his heel. “You should get a room.”
“We have one!” Josh snapped before releasing a surprised chuckle when Bantu raised his hand and extended his middle finger. “I’ll be damned! You use that gesture, too?!”
Chapter 24
Several hours later, Josh walked along the wide corridors inside the Tesla Terra One rebel base. The variety of species on the other planets were nothing compared to what he was seeing here. All of them were working toward the same goal – freedom.
He turned when he heard his name called. Cassa was hurrying toward him. She had changed into a heavier tunic and pants. The moon was covered in ice and deadly storms made landing and taking off difficult at best, impossible at worst. He had been shocked when Hutu had asked him to sit in the copilot seat so he could see the base first hand.
*.*.*
“It looks like Antarctica on steroids,” Josh remembered mumbling as they broke through the thin atmosphere.
Hutu chuckled. “I do not know what your Antarctica or steroids are, but from the sound of it, they must be impressive,” he reflected.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Josh muttered.
Josh was surprised when he saw a line of lights along the frozen surface. Hutu had followed the line to a thick, snow-covered mountain. At first, the blizzard made it difficult to see that the side of the mountain had opened into a long, wide hanger. They passed through a protective shield that hung like an invisible curtain across the entrance to the cavernous area where hundreds of fighters were lined up.
“What you see has taken years of planning,” Hutu murmured. “Time is running out, though. The Legion forces grow more powerful every day and more and more planets are falling under the Director’s iron fist. If we do not strike soon, I fear nothing will stop him.”
“You don’t have to convince me, Hutu,” Josh responded in a quiet voice as Hutu landed the Tracer. “I’ve seen first hand what the Legion can do. As I told Pack, the Legion brought the war to me. It’s personal now.”
Hutu shut down the engines and turned to him. Josh held the old Knight’s thoughtful gaze. He saw the look of approval and something else – almost like a sense of relief in the man’s eyes.
“You are a good man, Josh. The Gallant Order is very fortunate to have you here,” Hutu finally said, rising from his seat. “Come now. I will introduce you to some of the best fighters in the galaxy.”
*.*.*
“You look warm,” Josh commented, returning to the present and wrapping his arm around Cassa’s waist as she came to stand near him. “And rested.”
“You left me alone,” she teased. “Of course, I was able to get some sleep. What are you doing?”
“Learning,” Josh admitted, staring around the vast area. “In some ways, this is very reminiscent of my world, if you take out the fact that there are aliens, spaceships, and that we are on a frozen moon.”
“Oh, not that different at all,” she murmured, trying to keep a straight face. “Do you miss it? Your world?”
Josh stopped in the middle of the hanger and looked around. Did he miss the Earth? He thought about it for a moment. In some ways, it seemed more like a dream than a reality. Tilting his head, he brushed his hand along her cheek.
“No, I don’t miss it,” he said with a slight frown. “I want to find the members of my crew and stop the Legion forces. I’ve been so focused on that, I haven’t thought about Earth.”
Cassa bit her lip and bowed her head. “When this is over, if you find your crew, do you think you will want to return?” She asked in a slightly husky tone.
Josh slid his hand down under her chin and lifted it so that she could look into his eyes. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip. His eyes swept over the markings that ran across her forehead and down along her cheek. Bending, he brushed a light kiss along her lips before following the markings along her cheek to her forehead. When he had kissed each section, he drew her into his arms and held her close to his body – to his heart.
“No. I’ve found where I belong,” he said, gazing over her head at the fighters and the men, women, and service bots that worked on them. “I told you this was forever, Cassa. I meant it. I love you.”
He felt the shudder that ran through her body before she relaxed against him and wrapped her arms around him. Releasing a deep sigh, he reluctantly released her when he felt a faint vibration and stepped back. He glanced down at the communicator Hutu had given him.
“There is to be a meeting,” he said. “I was going to come get you. Hutu wants to meet with the leaders down on the planet. We are going to head
down there to coordinate a plan of attack against the Legion forces and see what we can do to help the survivors on Jeslean.”
Cassa nodded. “I heard Pack talking about it,” she admitted.
“Josh,” Hutu said, walking toward him with a grim expression on his face.
“What is it?” Josh asked with a frown.
“We’ve just received word that Andronikos has ordered Legion Battle Cruisers to destroy additional cities found to be harboring rebel forces. This time, though, he has instructed that every major city on the planet be leveled,” Hutu said.
“Which one?” Josh asked.
“Tesla Terra,” Hutu responded. “Not only that, the short range freighter that your friend was last seen on has been located.”
“Where?”Josh demanded.
“Heading for Telsa Terra,” Hutu stated, holding out a helmet and uniform. “We need every pilot that we have. A decision has been made to strike back. Will you fight beside us?”
Josh reached for the uniform and helmet. He glanced down at it for a moment. His jaw tightened and he nodded.
“Of course,” Josh stated.
“Good. You are going to need some time in one of the fighters. Gear up. I will meet you back here in ten minutes to take you out. We don’t have much time,” Hutu stated. He turned and hurriedly walked away.
Cassa stepped back. “I’ll make sure your fighter bot is ready,” she said. “Good luck.”
“Cassa,” Josh murmured, catching her arm when she started to turn away.
“Yes,” she whispered, looking up at him, her eyes filled with emotion.
“I want you to know that meant it when I said I love you,” Josh said in a gruff voice. “I’m coming back.”
A slight smile pulled at the corner of her lips. “You’d better,” she said, pulling and walking away with a strong, confident stride.
“Damn, I’m a lucky man,” Josh muttered before he turned to locate the fighter that matched the symbol on his helmet.
*.*.*
“This is Phantom One, coming in to refuel,” Josh said.
“Phantom One, clear for entry,” the voice on the other end stated.
Josh eased the fighter around and cut through the sheets of icy sleet. Hutu had started out slow, giving Josh time to get familiar with the fighter. It hadn’t taken long for Josh to realize that the spacecraft was actually easier to fly and more maneuverable than the jets he had flown back home.
Josh chuckled when he heard Hutu’s mutterings over his comlink. Josh had introduced Hutu to a modern day dog fight. It was not something the General had encountered before.
He carefully turned the craft in the air with the help of the Fighter bot and landed the spacecraft. Almost immediately, work crews swarmed the fighter and were preparing it for its next mission. He waited as the cockpit slid back and released his helmet, pulling it off.
“You are crazy!” Hutu growled, stomping toward him with a good-natured grin on his face. “You are also very good.”
Josh laughed as he climbed out of the cockpit and waited for the lift to lower him to the ground. He stepped off and slapped Hutu on the shoulder. The old Knight wasn’t half-bad himself.
“I liked that one maneuver you did,” Josh commented. “That was pretty tricky coming up out of the canyon that way, especially with those ice shelves hanging down.”
“It didn’t stop you from following me,” Hutu retorted dryly. “You had me locked on the entire time.”
Josh laughed again. “Ash and I used to take bets on who could shoot a BB through a one inch pipe and hit the target at the other end,” he replied. “We didn’t have much choice after my dad banned us from shooting the weather vane with the .22 rifle he had.”
“You were one of those types of children,” Hutu muttered.
Josh slung his arm around Hutu’s shoulders. “You have no idea,” he admitted with a grin. “Of course, having Ash to hang with made it more fun,” he added dropping his arm. “Is there any way to contact the freighter?” He asked.
Hutu shook his head. “Their communication systems must be down. All efforts to reach them have been in vain. I’m afraid they are going to arrive to a less than warm welcome,” he responded in a heavy voice.
“Surely they will know?” Josh murmured with a dark scowl. “There has to be some way of contacting them – warning them – about what is headed this way.”
Hutu shook his head. “Only if they get here first,” he replied, turning when he heard his name.
“General, the other members of the Gallant Order have arrived and are waiting for you,” the man said, glancing curiously at Josh.
“We are on our way,” Hutu responded.
Josh followed Hutu back through the hanger to the staging area. His gaze swept the room, narrowing in on where Cassa was talking to one of the military personnel he had seen shortly before they left Tesla Terra the first time. Pack was also there, talking with several other pilots. He was dressed in a a dark green uniform similar to the one Josh and Hutu were wearing.
Cassa must have felt his gaze on her because she glanced up. For a brief second, Josh felt like they were the only two people in the room. He bowed his head to her when she started at the touch of the person talking to her.
*.*.*
“General,” the group said, coming to attention when Hutu stepped up to the screen.
“General Tailsman,” Hutu acknowledged, stepping up to the front.
Josh stood in the back as General Tailsman began explaining what they knew of the Legion’s movement. Two Battle Cruisers, almost a thousand fighters, and just as many ground troops were estimated to be among the group converging on the planet. Inside information stated that after the Battle Cruiser and the fighters completed the initial assault, the ground troops were to move in and eliminate any survivors.
“We are expecting them to arrive within the next few hours,” Hutu interjected, stepping forward. “Our bases on the planet are ready. Those that agreed to be evacuated have been.”
Josh frowned. “What about those that are supporting the Legion? Have measures been taken to prevent them from warning the Legion that the rebels are expecting them?” He asked, remembering the spy from the bar.
“Yes,” General Tailsman responded. “Additional security has been increased since the attack on General de Rola’s family.”
Josh glanced at where Pack and Cassa were standing. He saw Pack wrap his arm around his sister and give her a hug. He could feel the tension in the room at the reminder of what happened to their father and brother.
“Your presence has been a catalyst for the rebel forces,” General Tailsman informed him.
Josh stiffened in surprise when he saw heads turning to stare at him. He had noticed the odd looks in the hanger and the quiet greetings as he walked through the corridors earlier. He had not realized what it meant, though.
“Why would my presence be a catalyst?” Josh asked with a puzzled frown.
“You give us hope,” General Tailsman replied in a quiet voice.
“Hope?” Josh repeated, stunned.
He glanced around the room. Everyone in it was staring back at him in silence. His gaze took in the expressions of quiet respect and determination. He finally paused on Hutu, staring back at the old Knight with a frown.
“You are believed to be one of the original Knights of the Gallant Order, returned to help defeat the Legion and restore order to the galaxy, Josh,” Hutu said, stepping through the crowded room toward him. “You strike fear in the Director, something no one has ever seen before. He is desperate to find you and destroy the hope that has been spreading through the star system since your ship was discovered. Word of it and your defeat of the Legion forces at the vineyard offers the hope of freedom to the people. This is not something that should be ignored.”
“Hutu,” Josh spoke in a low voice so only the old Knight could hear him. “You know that I’m not who they think I am.”
“How do you know that you aren�
��t?” Hutu asked. “You give hope where there was none before, Josh. I would say that is pretty incredible in itself. I am an old man now, my time here is growing short. I am the last of the old Order. You are the first of the new one. Give them hope, Josh. Give them the power to believe that there is a way to defeat the Legion and they will.”
Josh tore his gaze from the old Knight and glanced around the room. He saw the truth behind Hutu’s quietly spoken words. During his time in the military, he had seen missions, thought to be impossible, succeed because those fighting believed they could win. His forefathers had proven that centuries before.
His gaze locked on Cassa’s face. He could see the belief in her gaze. He could also see the fear that she was trying to hide. Acceptance swept through him when he saw her head bow and she smiled back at him. Pulling his gaze away from her, he stared at the images of the Legion Battle Cruisers. A plan began to form in his mind as resolve sunk in.
“I have a plan,” he said as his mind ran through the information that had been shared. “Bantu, Cassa, we are going to need your expertise on the Legion’s programming.”
Chapter 25
Roan Landais stepped into the office of the Director. His lips were pressed together in anger. He had toured the areas of destruction on the planet before making his way to the New Legions, one of the largest and newest cities on Jeslean.
Removing his hat, he tucked it under his arm as he walked into the room. Andri Andronikos stood with his back to it, looking out over the city and citizens that he ruled with the same ruthlessness that he commanded his forces. Roan’s gaze moved around the room, pausing on the other man sitting in one of the plush chairs by a hologram fireplace. He hid his grimace of distaste. This meeting was going to be more difficult than he anticipated.
