by John Davis
Especially Adam, who did his best to calm his son as the shiny armada of the sky slowly touched ground.
The Hunters called Ronica home. The Husk had arrived, as had the Benzans and every smaller, yet organized, force throughout the Skyla System. Finally the colonials had come. Their commander just moments away from unifying the people who had arrived under his direction.
“Now my queen,” Vladris said with a sharp tongue. “Now we will see with our own eyes. Now we discover the truth of our place among this fleet.”
“Indeed,” she replied, her attention on the recently-landed ship. “Though I believe they will welcome us. I have a long history with Commander Ortega.”
“Does your history include his eyes catching sight of you as a Hunter?” Vladris asked.
It was a legitimate question, at least from Sarah's perspective as they joined everyone in watching the large group of soldiers exit, escorting Ortega.
“People have a way of viewing our race negatively based on our looks. Though our intentions may be true.” Vladris added.
Near the rear of the group, which consisted of hundreds of lives, Dalton, Skulls and Cambria exited the large ship. Their lungs welcoming the fresh air, though Dalton's craved the smoke of a cigar.
The fact was, Sarah first caught sight of the small group. Dalton's brown coat a beacon of smuggling among the colonial blue. That said, Dalton immediately caught sight of Adam Michaels a mere moment later.
“Well fuck me raw.” Dalton exclaimed loudly.
“Here? In front of hundreds, even thousands? Well it sounds crazy, but we can try it.” Cambria replied, motioning for her belt buckle as a gesture, though she had no intentions of going through with it.
Without an answer, Dalton blew off her advance, immediately walking toward a man who was like his own brother. A hasty strut quickly closing the gap of several hundred yards.
“Well who'd you go and knock up?” Dalton asked, the crisp of his voice immediately grabbing Adam's attention.
Turning, Adam's face told of relief. A welcomed reunion among old friends.
“Dalton James.” Adam said, doing so after finding himself without words. Happiness in no short supply.
“Why is it every damn time I run from the undead, you show up? I'm starting to put two and two together.” the smuggler replied, hugging his old friend firmly, their reunion conjuring up a lot of great memories.
“I wondered about you. Hoped you had made it out, but had started to worry.” Adam admitted.
“Nearly didn't, bunch of half-dead fucks. Didn't know they was up against the old smuggler extraordinaire.”
“And who are these good people?” Adam asked, both Cambria and Skulls approaching.
“This here is Skulls, the finest sniper around,” Dalton said, turning to Cambria and quickly finding himself at a loss as to how he should introduce her. Cambria slowly locking her hand into his and squeezing tight. “This here is my girl. Cambria.”
“Your girl?” Adam said with a grin. “I thought love was for suckers? What happened to the three women on...”
“Hey man.” Dalton warned.
“I'm only kidding, glad to meet you,” Adam said, shaking hands with both the sniper and Dalton's eye candy. “Any friend of Dalton's is a friend of mine.”
“So man, you never gave me an answer. Who'd you knock up?” Dalton asked.
Hesitant to answer, Adam simply began to walk away as Sarah approached. Her champion by her side.
“What's his problem?” Dalton asked.
“Adam is still grieving with the loss of Sasha. His son reminds him of her very much, I think.” Sarah replied.
Both Skulls and Cambria seemed intimidated by the idea of Hunters standing before them. Particularly Vladris, who was both hulking in appearance and scarred from battle.
“You need not fear us,” Sarah admitted, extending her hand to the blue-haired beauty. “Dalton is an old friend of mine, and Vladris is a great warrior no doubt, but he fights for your cause. For the defense of the innocent.”
Though she seemed to be shaken a bit, Cambria indeed shook hands with Sarah, a queen among the race of fear.
“Ah shit.” Dalton said.
Saying nothing, Sarah turned to listen to the smuggler.
“Didn't know he had lost someone important. Put my foot in my mouth, as usual.”
“I see,” Sarah replied. “Should you need anything, any of you...don't hesitate to ask.”
“Thanks Sarah. I appreciate you taking this old hound dog in.” Dalton replied with a wily grin.
With hundreds of bodies bustling around in preparation for the exodus launch, Dalton's group watched the queen and her champion walk away. Heading back to the sanctuary of castle walls.
“She seems a little strange.” Cambria confessed.
“The bitch has always been crazy, no doubt about it,” Dalton replied. “But the good kind of crazy I guess.”
“Wait, were you and her a thing?” Cambria asked, feeling a bit awkward.
“Oh hell no!” Dalton insisted. “Though I'm sure she's wanted to jump on my Glimmerian stick a time or two. Who hasn't?”
Smacking the man across his arm as a stern warning, their sniper finally began to make a clear picture of the situation.
“So you guys are together?” Skulls asked, the large bolt-action rifle hanging from his shoulder by a thick nylon strap.
“Um yea, hello?” Cambria replied.
“Oh dear God,” Skulls admitted. “I thought I dreamed those noises last night. They were so vivid. Some things cannot be undone.” the sniper confessed with shame, head hanging a bit in doing so.
“Just start worrying less about my sex life and more on keeping an eye on that hulking sumbitch,” Dalton said, motioning to Vladris as the champion and his queen made their way through the settlement of survivors. “He's tried to kill me more than once.”
“He didn't? Wow,” Cambria replied. “I'm impressed. He's like twice your size.”
“Fuck 'em,” Dalton barked. “I guess I showed him that size doesn't matter. It's the amount of fight inside.”
“Oh, he looks like he has plenty of fight inside of him.” Cambria said, taunting her lover a bit.
“What the fuck?” Dalton questioned, turning to the woman who openly joked about wanting to bed the champion vampire.
“Oh Dalton James,” Cambria said, portraying her damsel in distress act once more. “You know you're the only one for me.” she added with a snicker.
“Yea, yea. I hear 'ya,” Dalton replied, continuing to stare down the vampire's back. “Bet I could drink that sumbitch under the table.”
“Sarah Blaine, it has been a long time. Too long,” Commander Ortega remarked, surrounded by colonial soldiers as he approached the queen. “I humbly thank you and your people for providing us a safe haven.”
“It was not an easy sell. My people agreed to it with the belief that they will be treated equally.” Sarah replied, shaking hands with the commander.
She was surrounded by a group of guards. Though numbering less, their armor spoke of true ability in battle.
“That will be the case, I assure you. Your people have my word.”
“Thank you commander. We should talk in detail on this as soon as possible.” Sarah pushed.
“Sooner than I had hoped, I'm afraid. My scouts have confirmed a large armada making course for Ronica. Presumably the Priests. We will need to call a meeting quickly to discuss the future of our people as one, and, unfortunately, devise a plan to defend the invaders long enough to stage our exodus into the stars.” Ortega responded.
“We need no plan when it comes to defense. My people are masters when it comes to defending their homes against those who would take it from us.” Vladris replied swiftly.
“I do not doubt your ability in combat warrior. For I have heard stories of your ability on the battlefield, you are truly a hero among your people,” Ortega replied, soothing Vladris a bit. “But the threat which comes
is too large. They have the bodies to simply overrun this planet, growing their numbers as they shorten ours.”
“We understand your urgency commander.” Sarah replied, while casting a stare of scold onto her champion.
“Sarah, I do think it best if your hero were to lead the defensive efforts. He knows the layout of Ronica as well as any. That is if he is willing?” Ortega asked.
“I am willing to go wherever my queen commands – defending her, along with my home, to the death.”
“I agree commander. Vladris should lead our spearhead of defense.” Sarah replied.
“Fine. Vladris, you will command your finest, as well as the finest of the colonials, Benzans and Husk. Place them strategically and stagger them in a way that makes it possible to fall back. Eventually, when your force falls back to the fleet ships, you'll board and we'll begin our flight into the stars.” Ortega said.
“Understood. If the Benzans or Husk are unwilling to follow the lead of a vampire?” Vladris asked.
“Then they will be left behind as our fleet sails into the stars of night. I will brief them myself. You and your people are no longer the enemy,” Ortega said, his eyes turning to the champion vampire. “You are a part of this fleet now, I am a man of my word, and you will be treated as such. I'll see to it personally.”
“You are an honorable leader. Thank you.” Vladris replied with a nod.
-
It was a scene for the archives of man. A large meeting hall nestled inside the stone of castle walls, heavily guarded by dozens of soldiers of all nations and creed.
“We must first decide the government that will continue as our exodus begins.” Commander Ortega said.
He sat at a large table of polished wood, as did nineteen other leaders, all of them in agreement. So many powerful leaders confined to the meeting hall.
“I'm not exactly sure how we are supposed to do that during such times of chaos?” Cherlon, the Theron leader replied in question.
“We must remain a democracy. If the people have no voice, they have no hope.” Gore added, proudly representing the Husk.
“I agree,” Commander Ortega replied. “At final count we have forty-seven ships that can make such a voyage. Four of them colonial Stars. It is in my opinion that they should remain to the corners of our fleet. Military buffers against any and all would-be threats.”
The room seemed to easily agree with his statement, essentially turning the colonial stars into the backbone of their military.
“The ships we assign for government should remain to the center and must remain a mixture of our races. Everyone is to be represented. It will make my job a lot easier up there.”
“So you are not staying behind?” Sarah asked.
Indeed she was right, her question followed by an unnerving silence throughout the room.
“Of course not,” he replied, chatter begin to spread throughout the room, even among the posted guards. “Though I do feel it important to have two leaders in place. A civilian leader and a military leader, both equal in terms of power over our future.” he added.
“I disagree!” Gore said with conviction. “I feel as though a single leader of strong military background is needed if we are to survive.”
Gore's statement caused the whispers to grow louder, finally pushing Commander Ortega to acknowledge them.
“I do not,” Ortega confessed. “Our military should be strong enough to keep our people safe, but our ultimate goal is to find another home. To start over. Rebuild our civilization elsewhere. It is therefore important to retain a leader who will handle everything non-military.”
With that, the whispers seemed to calm a bit. Sarah finding herself proud of Ortega, who she'd personally selected as her own successor once upon a time. When she was a Colonial leader, though it seemed so long ago.
“I think,” Adam Michaels said, representing the Benzans at the meeting, though very few remained. “I think it is important to integrate those aboard our ships as well. Force them to respect others from the start so that we may put our past hatred behind us.” he added.
“Absolutely not!” Gore refused. “My people will not allow Hunters to board their ships and consider them home.”
“Yet your people run here to our home, only to be welcomed by the Hunters?” Sarah replied.
“Enough!” General Ortega demanded, silencing the bickering.
A very eerie quiet fell across the room, as if decades of fighting were about to resume.
“We are a single people now,” Ortega said, this time a bit calmer. “The Hunters are to be treated the same as Husk or even my very own race,” Ortega added. “I will oversee the exodus lottery in less than one hour. After which, I will personally see to it that each ship's manifest is integrated. Starting with yours,” he said, looking directly to Gore. “You will captain a Hunter-built ship as the exodus pulls out, and a Hunter will captain your own. If you, or any among your people disagree, you are free to go your own way. Perhaps leave the luxury of your ships to journey into the nearby hills to defend us, as so many Hunters do this very moment.”
Gore offered no reply, though he cutting stare could be counted as such.
“And of your mighty colonial star ships? Will they too be integrated, or are your people above your own laws?” the Theron representative lashed out.
“Every ship, including my own, will be staffed accordingly. Captains, their executive officers and even the soldiers aboard will be assigned based on their military experience. Fairly and equally.” Ortega defended.
“Very well then. You have the blessing of the Therons on this, as well as everyone else I believe.”
“Gore? Do the Husk agree to these terms?” Ortega asked with authority.
“Yes,” the mighty Orc-like Husk replied. “Though I wish to personally see the manifests before they go into effect.” adding suspicion to his arsenal.
“Very well.” Commander Ortega responded, proving to the room he had nothing to hide.
“The exodus lottery seems to be all that remains?” A leader of the Drifts commented; his rough beard testament to a life lived simply.
“Indeed. Now it is time for our computers to decide who is allowed to join us on our exodus into the stars.” Ortega replied. His statement effectively ending the meeting of leaders among what remained of the Skyla System.
“How will the moment of our launch play out?” a leader asked, representing the small moon of Novak, which neighbored Glimmeria.
“That is a very good question, I'm afraid,” Commander Ortega replied. “I don't think anyone has the answer. I do know that those who are in the hills to defend us have been promised a spot on the fleet, should they make it back alive. As they become overwhelmed, I've instructed them to fall back. Several lines of soldiers lay in wait, though they do so in a staggered position.” Ortega added.
“You mean to slow them down?” Gore asked.
“Precisely,” Ortega replied. “Rather than having the horde land and begin a sprint to our fleet, they will be forced to attack the soldiers at each staggered position, which has been strategically placed as far apart as possible. It will force the horde to zig-zag to us, rather than giving them a straight line of advancement.”
“That's a good plan.” Adam commented.
“It's a good start,” Ortega replied. “But I fear as they bear down on us, even the best of plans will begin to fall apart,” he added. “Our people will begin to panic. We must do our best to maintain order and provide those who have earned their passage a way through, while keeping those who are to be left behind at bay.”
“How do we do that? Begin shooting our own people?” the Theron representative demanded to know.
“Of course not,” Ortega replied. “If it came to that, we'd be no better than the horde that approaches,” he added, doing his best to calm the fears of other leaders who carried the same concern. “We will have to launch our fleet at a different time than announced.”
“We are goin
g to do what?” Adam Michaels asked.
“We need to give our people a set time in which we will launch. Allow them to drill it into their minds. Then, when the time is right, launch before they have time to respond.” Ortega replied.
“You mean lie to them?” Adam asked.
“I mean do what's necessary in order to give our people a chance to thrive once more. If that means lie to them, so be it.” Ortega admitted.
Adam was a lot of things. Smuggler, solider...and even compassionate at times. At this moment, however, his skills at the card table came into play. An ability to read the faces.
He's bluffing.
Something told Adam that Commander Ortega was not being honest. At least not completely.
-
“Sarah, may we speak?” Adam asked, catching up to her and her escort team as they left the meeting chamber. As did the other leaders who survived.
“Of course.” she replied, turning to face her former lover.
“My intuition,” he said, pausing on those words as he carefully mulled his next. “Something is going on.”
“I agree Adam Michaels,” Sarah replied, having pulled the same feeling away from the meeting. “Though I'm not sure what.”
“Sarah, you need to consider pulling your warriors back.” Adam suggested.
“Pull them back?” Sarah asked.
“I can't put my finger on it, but I came away with bad vibes about our man in charge. I feel as though he may have suggested Vladris to lead the defenses in order to thin your ranks,” Adam said, pausing for a moment. “I think he means to kill you.”
As the words left Adam's lips, Sarah's guards firmed up; their muscles tightening as if they were preparing for battle.
“No,” Sarah warned them. “Remain calm as if nothing is suspected. Wait for them to clear out, and then we will all decide on this in private.”
“Sarah,” Adam replied, turning to her with true concern. “Where is the safest place inside of these walls?”
