StarFlight: The Prism Baronies (Beyond the Outer Rim Book 2)

by Reiter

  “Thank you, good Baron Wuldian,” Queen Phasanna purred after she spoke. “Though your barony is the least of our favored, I wish you well within it.

  “Many of you are familiar with the Nova Bomb that was detonated over NayFall not too long ago. What you may not know was that the woman who intercepted the device, sacrificing herself in the process, was a member of the crew captained by JoJo Starblazer. A crewman, I might add, who had to restrain her Captain from performing that very deed. The city of Z’Kynn stands at the foot of the mountain the device had targeted. Three of my children attend the academy there.

  “An investigation was immediately launched, as Nova Bombs are illegal to deploy outside the conditions of an officially declared war,” Phasanna continued. “While many details have not yet been verified, we have confirmed the identity of the individual who both possessed and launched the device. His name was Talthwynn Vidé, a Cyber Line Jockey who was a citizen of the Garnet Barony. Let me state now, for the record, we are not implying the involvement of the administration of that fine barony. Not all of our citizens reflect the example set by this governing body.

  “However, we have been able to confirm that Mr. Vidé had contracted his unlicensed services to three employers: Qeldrun O’Zhar, a former Professor of Archaeology at Atsildylweer College, revealed to be an unlicensed DreamCasteR by Governor Gundryss… Lady Arjhaka Olyairon of NayFall… and Uhnveer Plarzo. We have since discovered that Lady Olyairon was under the mind control of Qeldrun O’Zhar who abducted the First Mate of JoJo Starblazer, an abduction we now know to have been orchestrated by Talthwynn Vidé.

  “Most troubling, however, as this matter has somehow been raised to this committee at this hour as an emergency, is that information has reached the throne claiming the Nova Bomb stores of Field Marshal Plarzo to be depleted from their last given amount. Seven months ago, his stores were listed at forty-eight Nova Bombs. In that time, no official declarations of war have passed by this body of governance, yet I have been given a data file claiming that Plarzo’s stores now stand at forty-seven!”

  As murmurs rose in the chamber and on every channel, Plarzo looked down at his console and called up his stores inventory. The information the Jeelah Queen had reported was surprisingly accurate. A slight flash on his monitor caught his attention, and a message scrolled across his screen: Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Yeah, Vidé stole the bomb from you, but I made damn sure it looked more like a sanctioned sale. BTW… aren’t you on the wrong side of Tween-Space right about now? You’re not moving… it’s bad form to keep a lady waiting! Hugs n’ Kisses – Anastasia….

  “Forgive my tardiness, my fellow Ladies and Lords,” Quordion stated as the channel for the Onyx Barony went active. Slightly disheveled, he took his seat and rolled down the sleeve of his shirt over a fresh bandage. “I was detained by an attack on my person. Fortunately, the very same agents who liberated me from an abduction attempt aboard the Haggenshire have been successful in protecting me from mercenaries who sought to keep me from this convening. I speak, of course of the crew of JoJo Starblazer. During our exodus to this secure facility I was able to hear the testimony given by Field Marshal Plarzo. I can state as a matter of witnessed and recorded fact that JoJo Starblazer did indeed destroy a base held and maintained by the Field Marshal. She also stole his personal yacht. It was all in the process of rescuing me and my sister from military forces contracted by an Imperial citizen who was arrested two days ago. He has already testified that the Mercenary Lord, as he put it, that he contracted was none other than Uhnveer Plarzo.”

  “Perhaps, in the name of justice, we should be considering taking altogether different actions,” Isaiah Gundryss said as he entered the chamber. His eyes panned around the room, searching for the eyes that were the most shocked to see him. He was not surprised but definitely disappointed to complete his search and find Jeena Quazrell nearly unable to stand. He typed blindly on his brace-com as his eyes remained fixed on the woman. He approached the podium and looked up at the Garnet Barony representative.

  “Governor Gundryss?!” Sangron said, successfully masking his relief.

  “Yes, Representative Zelvak, it is me, and I thank you for not allowing my absence to delay matters. Justice must indeed be swift, but, as Baron Wuldian has stated, it must also be sure. In the name of complete honesty, I hereby apologize for engaging in a plot against this body, and offer my resignation. You see, it became clear to me some time ago that certain forces in The Territories were at work for their own ends and they were growing more powerful and bolder with every success. I filed a report to the former Governor, but it was ignored. No, I have not been able to make any connections between the Upyri and the Field Marshal who seems to have left this forum.” Those at the Black Gate chambers quickly looked over to see a blank screen. Isaiah chuckled, spotting the withdrawal of Jeena Quazrell as well. He did not bother to say anything. He had already sent her name to the Black Gate Keeper with instructions that stated that as far as the Governor was concerned… she was merchandise!

  “In an effort to uproot the architects of this particular cancer, I engaged the services of JoJo Starblazer and her ship the Xara-Mansura. After a few twists and turns, an attempt on my life and yes, even the Nova Bomb launched at NayFall, Captain Starblazer took it upon herself to be cast in a less than savory light in order to draw out those behind the hacking of Talthwynn Vidé. We still do not have all the facts, but it was necessary to allow the Field Marshal to make his declaration as we gathered more data. At this time, we can report that a band of rebels hailing from Nemus have joined forces with the Field Marshal against the Pearl Barony, the Star-Wing and the Dragons of Cloud Keep. As I said, we do not know to what end their efforts were pooled, but Captain Starblazer and her crew have proved invaluable in unveiling these perpetrators and foiling their aims.”

  “For a short-lived flesh-bug, this one is no fool!” Marjoram thought as she sat in her chair. “Mighty are my people, but we cannot stand against the combined forces of The Territories. He lies, this Governor Gundryss, but the task of proving his duplicity might prove to be more difficult than fighting the Dragons! Fine then, our course is clear. Difficult, but very clear!

  “I for one would like to thank Governor Gundryss for his efforts,” she said proudly. “The station of Governor of Black Gate had been stained by his predecessor… bloodstained at that. If the testimony that has been given to this forum can be verified as truth, I would dare to suggest that Governor Gundryss has erased that mark and returned a most prestigious status to Black Gate and its Governor!” As words of agreement and cheers rose in the room and over the lines, the Lord Governor looked only at the screen for Nemus as she gazed back at him. They both knew the game they were playing. The proxy of the Tonnogard throne had played her safety. In order for Isaiah to be equally successful, JoJo Starblazer would have to emerge victorious.

  ** b *** t *** o *** r **

  “It’s times like these that I can see that glowing, musclebound, good-smelling chunk of a priest smiling with that ‘I told you so’ look on his face,” Jocasta said as she continued her work. She made another pass with her welding torch over the seam, adding a bit more of the construct element that melted into place. To her eyes, it was far from perfect, but when the orb started to glow, Jocasta was willing to give her work a grade of ‘adequate’.

  “Harmonics are now at eighty-eight percent,” Satithe reported.

  “Eighty-eight?!” Jocasta whined. “Dammit!”

  “Captain, it is not the workmanship,” Satithe consoled, “… the construct material is insufficient to fully restore the body of the orb.”

  “But what you have done is sufficient enough for me to regenerate,” Tuitonn projected. “Thank you, Captain.”

  “You don’t have to thank me, T-Ball,” Jocasta said, touching her gloved hand to the surface. It was much cooler than she expected it to be, and that made her happy as well. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

  “And getti
ng better!” he replied, using sound instead of telepathy.

  “Two things: next time tell me when you’re hurt, and we both know that talking for you comes at a cost. I’m ordering you to shut up for now,” Jocasta said. She turned to put her tools away as Tuitonn returned to his place on top of her cane. “And no more moving about either! I swear, you’re worse than a kid!” The sound of shuttle engines reached her ears and Jocasta looked up for the source. “Speaking of petulant children…” Jocasta looked at her brace-come and giggled. “… who apparently does not own a watch.” Jocasta commanded the goggles to return to choker formation and she waited for the shuttle to land.

  “Oh look, he’s got his own personal driver!” Jocasta joked as the shuttle touched down on the far end of the flat top, the nose of the craft facing in her direction. “You have a lock on him, Satithe?”

  “Indeed I do,” Satithe reported. “… and shields are in dome formation. Topside launching mini-rockets are armed and ready to fire.”

  “Well, he’s a miserable pug at the moment,” Jocasta said, taking out a half-smoked cigaro and lighting it. “Better let him know we’ve got his measure.”

  “Targeting Ping sent,” Satithe confirmed. “Also, I am reading a relay probe at the breach of Tween-Space and The Territories. An encrypted pulse is being sent from the shuttle to the other side of the breach. Also, there is a Jockey on board the shuttle in a fortified chamber. He is on the Grid as we speak. I will not be able to breach the transmission undetected.”

  “Yeah, that definitely sounds like a relay-beacon of some sort,” Jocasta said. “Poor baby is scared I’m gonna bushwhack him on the way in.” Jocasta considered the tactic for a moment and nodded that it would have been a satisfying approach.

  The side door opened and Uhnveer Plarzo walked down to the rocky surface clad in a form-fitting body suit covered with data bands and sensors. It looked like the under-form for a highly interactive power-suit.

  “You’re late,” Jocasta said after she blew out the smoke in her mouth. “Damn, that’s smooth!”

  The Delbred man looked her over as he approached, finally seeing the woman face-to-face, visually marking every facet of her being. “I was expecting more.”

  “Hmmm, that was perfectly said. Sure sign you’ve heard it more than once and made notes along the way,” Jocasta replied, puffing on her cigaro. “What consolation do you give your partner, or do I presume too much?”

  “Manhood quips, Captain?”

  “Given the target of my volleys at the moment, let’s call them boyhood quips!”

  “I am told that many use humor as a defense mechanism,” Uhnveer spoke softly, cracking the finger joints of his suit. “The funnier the jests, the more frightened they tend to be.”

  “I guess that leaves me with knock-knock jokes then,” she replied, looking the man in the eye. “Going to the Baronial Council at the time when we’re supposed to be doing the mano-a-mano dance. That’s nasty, stumpy. Very nasty… and it was the last piece to the puzzle I needed.”

  “Oh? And tell me what puzzle you’re talking about.”

  “You cheated, Sabre,” she declared. “You cheated with me like you’ve had to cheat for damn near every win you’ve notched up on your ‘W’ wall when you didn’t have an overwhelming advantage. And I won’t ask about the ‘L’ wall, you won’t be alive to make the mark.”

  “You did say ‘damn near’ though,” Uhnveer pointed out. “Are you giving me credit for winning a few stand-up fights?”

  “I’m sure you’ve got no problem squaring off against a body you know you can beat,” Jocasta relayed. “Reminds me of the last big nut-cruncher I capped. He thought he was all that too. Turns out… reality and me are both bitches!”

  “You look like a woman who is enjoying her last pleasures in this life,” Uhnveer said. “Am I supposed to be afraid of you?”

  “I think that concept is over your head, pun intended.”

  “I’m sure,” he spoke with clenched teeth. “Shall we get to the fighting now?”

  “Fight’s over, short stuff,” Jocasta said, puffing on her cigar. “You see, the last big blowhard I took down all by myself… so I’m pretty much caught up on proving what I can do. What you assholes keep forgetting is that I’m a pirate! And the last big, dramatic, stand-up fight almost cost me something I love more than being a pirate. I’m not going to take that risk again… gods know I’ve already wasted enough time on you as it is.

  “Oh, Your Majesty?” Jocasta called out, going up on her toes.

  “Yes, Sister, I am here,” Nexia landed on Jocasta’s left side along with three of her attendants, all glaring at one of their most hated enemies. “… and I thank you for this long-awaited opportunity.”

  Uhnveer turned to see four Slip Shrikes streak into his shuttle. The pilot and the five-man fire team would not fare well against these creatures in close-quarters, and when he heard humans screaming he realized they had not even been given the opportunity to get the first shot off.

  “It must really suck to cheat and still lose,” Jocasta remarked. “But you’ve been circling the drain a long time, Plarzo. This was inevitable. I just hope you brought condiments. My friends can be real choosey eaters!” More Slip Shrikes landed all around the Field Marshal, and as he looked into their eyes, there was no doubt what their intentions were.

  “Disconnect feed,” he said as he began to laugh.

  Jocasta frowned. “Those have to be the strangest last words I’ve–”

  “They weren’t last words,” Satithe alerted. “The Jockey just sent what had to be a pre-packaged pulse to the relay. The connection with the fleet has been severed, and the probe just activated a self-destruct device. Captain, that data pulse could not have been intended for a human recipient!”

  “Plarzo uses robots in the thousands,” Nexia warned. “That is how he was able to push us into the caves.”

  “Not just push, beast!” Uhnveer exclaimed. Nexia nodded and two Shrikes passed behind Uhnveer, slashing the back of his calves and the back of his thighs as they flew by. The Delbred man screamed as he collapsed.

  “No, Field Marshal, you will not anger me into giving you a quick death. You are about to learn secrets of our power reserved for the most trusted, and the most hated. It will take time for you to die!

  “Trubble,” Nexia called out and her youngest guard quickly approached. “You brought word to us, and this kill will be noted as yours. But, our Sister-Flyer needs you. Take her to the Star-Wing. Sister, we will see to it that your ships are brought to you.”

  “I appreciate the offer, Nexia, but even wounded my Daedalus–”

  “Is not faster than teleportation,” Nexia interrupted.

  “No… no, he isn’t,” Jocasta agreed. “Man, you can teleport and you still prefer to fly?! My kind of people!”

  “Indeed,” Nexia smiled. “I will send–”

  “No,” Jocasta refused. “Trubble will have to be enough. If this loser’s got plans for my side, we can’t chance that he doesn’t have plans for you and yours. I’ll see you on the other side, my Queen.”

  “Indeed you shall,” Nexia said softly, touched at the flyer’s word choice.

  Trubble smiled and reached for Jocasta’s hand, but she pulled it back and closed her eyes. “Wait.” She turned and ran to the Daedalus. “I can’t believe I am doing this,” she muttered. “Talon, get your butt out here!” Satithe opened the hatch and released the power-suit.

  Sliding her cane into the small sleeve in the back, Jocasta prepared to climb in. “You okay back there, T-Ball?”

  “Feeling quite snug, actually.”

  “Good. Soak it in, there’s a good chance that might be the last comfort for a while.

  Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.

  Napoleon Bonaparte

  (Rims Time: XII-4204.24)

  Dungias fell out of t
he light, tucked into the joint where the Dragon-Man’s wing met his back. The Traveler had braced himself for pain… there was none. He had anticipated a brief period of disorientation or fatigue… neither had come to claim him. If anything, Alpha was glowing with an abundance of power. Checking the level on his brace-com readout, his suit was fully charged, as were his weapons and spare capacitors. Satithe noted that she had to allow nearly a third of the generated power to bleed off into the Dragon Man’s body. Looking around the floor, he could see why.

  “I might have failed you, magnificent creature, but you have served me, and Fate, quite well… twice now.” Aiming for the most familiar place in the nest where he stood a chance of not being immediately attacked, Dungias had focused on the chamber he and JoJo had been brought to when they were seeking answers regarding the source of the Star-Wing Corps’ ability. He stood in the middle of the chamber but he had appeared too low and the Dragon-Man’s corpse had been fused with the solid rock.

  “Did you feel that?” a voice inquired and it resembled Gexxur-Indaysi’s, not that it mattered. Dungias needed to reach one room in particular, and the closer he could get to that chamber without being detected, the better. He jumped up and dropped through the floor. The Sister-Princess came into the room, clad in chain mail armour, with spiked hammer and shield at the ready. She looked on the Dragon-Man and was able to immediately place which of her Brother-Subjects it was… and more importantly, she knew the scent that had reappeared with him.

  “The Star-Wings are here!” she shouted as she ran out of the room. She roared the alarm and her cry echoed through the halls. Dungias decided that he would have to make a stop en route to his intended destination.

  “One of the Star-Wing Corps is here, my Queen,” one of the few remaining adults shouted his warning into the throne room, but he did not dare to enter. The order had already been given that none were to enter without expressed invitation, despite the reason or cause. It was assumed that she must have been conjuring a powerful spell, one that would eradicate the Star-Wing for the crimes committed in the rookery.