“May I?” Darius pointed to the captain’s chair.
“No you may not.” She answered with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Okay?” He was not sure how to respond to her answer. “Well then, may I ask where we are going?”
Her demeanor changed again. She plopped down into the chair of authority and buckled in.
“How about Palatial?” Darius asked. “It is in Zoey’s Diamond.”
“I was under the knowledge there were no known coordinates for it?”
“Oh, it is there. Just well hidden and top secret.”
“Is it safe?”
“That’s where we need to be. So let’s pray it is safe.”
“Well,” she ordered. “Strap yourself in, co-pilot.” The Achernarian smiled at him again. “Instrument panel for jump coordinates is in the middle of the console. Dial us up.”
“No problem, Captain.” He smiled back at her. Something about how her mood changed so quickly troubled him. Hopefully her mind is stable.
“By the way, what’s your name, human?”
“My name is Darius. What might my Captain’s name be?”
She turned in time to see him wink playfully at her.
“I am Nux Vomica. I am Achernarian.”
“I am honored.” He bowed his head.
Vomica giggled.
Darius opened a channel to communicate with the rest of his group back in the cargo hold. “You better be snug. We are getting ready to jump!” Then he pushed some buttons. Shortly afterwards, the star field from the cockpit view began to move toward them at a high-speed. The hyper-drive hummed dramatically.
The pilot turned to her co-pilot. “Are your friends nice like you?” Her words were barely distinguishable under the vibration caused by the hyper drive.
“No, I really do not believe so.” His voice quivered from the same affect.
The Achernarian freighter vanished from Trestle space.
29
The G.N.S. Gabriel, command ship of the Giefan armada, detached from its moorings and positioned itself outside the station’s breakers. Admiral Jonathan Thomas stood on the bridge of his starship. The five star leader had a three-sixty view of space from this vantage point. This level was on top of the hull and close to the stern. Contoured like half of a bubble, it allowed for better visual scanning.
Below his position on the catwalk were a hundred or so cubicles. Within these miniature offices were the networking, navigation and weapons control systems. Resembling a star nursery, millions of tiny lights flickered and blinked upon their panels. A beehive of activity was taking place as hundreds of personnel scurried about to man their stations.
Flanked out to the starboard and port side, and directly in front of the Gabriel, were three more of the navy’s six fleets. Their command ships were heavy cruisers. Two battleships and four Neptune class destroyers were assigned to them. Eight of the ten carriers were in port for this deployment.
The two fleets not in Port were the flagships Smithton and Titan, whose command belonged to Bian Arnold and Harley Shanks. Both of these fleets had a carrier class amongst them and were in different systems. When Admiral Thomas gave the order to deploy, these two fleets were instructed to join together in Trestle space.
The Admiral was thankful for the message delivered from Citizen Shanks of Kritin’s Clamor. Shanks told his brother Harley about the impending attack, comprised of Earth and Luminescence navies. The history of the Shanks family political and military service goes back to the beginning of the Giefan people. With all the time they had invested into public service, the Shanks were a model example of integrity.
Thomas was taking no chances on his Navy being utterly destroyed as it sat in port. He issued a red alert no more than a half an hour before. Very few of the crew had been away from their ships when the alarm sounded. Those who were on shore leave were shuttled back to their assignments, even as the powerful armada fanned out in formation. Everyone readied their battle stations.
The bows of the ships were facing the direction from where the enemy force would come out of hyperspace. They hovered and waited patiently. No one had a clue as to how long the wait would be. Nonetheless, all of their weapons and shields were prepped and ready. Pilots sat in the cockpits of their fighters. Payloads were being hefted into the drop compartments of bomber craft. Flight deck crews made one final check of fuel levels and inspected gyro instruments.
An urgent call came through to the Gabriel. The call was put on the view screen. An image of a flagship officer appeared on screen. It was Captain Shanks. Once the Admiral returned his salute, the Captain began to tell of the predicament his fleet was up against.
“Sir,” he said. “We were ambushed as soon as we came out of hyperspace here at planet Trestle. Enemy bombers have made it down to the planet’s surface.”
Everyone on the command deck looked up to the monitor. With fixed eyes, a surge of adrenaline circulated through the crew of the Gabriel.
“Captain Arnold’s fleet has not arrived yet. We are fighting tooth and nail, but we are seriously outnumbered.”
“Just hang in there. Bian should be there soon.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“I will send another fleet to back you up.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“One quick question. Is the force you encountered from Earth or Luminescence?”
“Definitely from the Sol System, Sir!”
The following words out of the Admiral’s mouth were said as if they were coming from a brother, not a higher ranking officer. “Just hang in there.”
“Yes, Sir. Shanks out.” The image on the screen disappeared.
“Send a message to the Shepherd One. Tell them to make for light speed to reinforce the Smithton and Titan. Assign a carrier to them immediately.”
“Right away, sir.” replied the helmsman.
Immediately after the transmission went forth, the Shepherd fleet broke formation. As soon they were clear of the other warships, they powered up their FTL drives. The ships looked distorted against the backdrop of stars. A soft, blue glow engulfed their hulls. In the twinkling of an eye, they jumped into hyperspace.
Admiral Thomas and the remaining three fleets continued to wait. Twenty minutes had passed since Captain Newton’s fleet left to back up Shank’s and Arnold’s fleets. There was still no sign of enemy craft. Nonetheless, the multiple thousands of crewmen and women remained focused and ready.
Admiral Thomas had the fleet wide channel opened.
“Make ready to deploy the Mirror.”
30
Scion stayed hidden until such a time he realized the soldiers were in pursuit of the human. He came out from the thicket and ran for the cave. Unbeknownst to the human, the boy had observed him when he hid his weapon and gear.
He placed the red helmet upon his head. It brought about a sense of nostalgic empathy within him. He really did not know much about the human race. However, he knew that behind every piece of gear or weapon there was a story to be told. As he regarded the possible history of said helmet, he fastened the strap under his chin. If he had been a full grown Lumi it would have never fit upon his head. Even so, the equipment was somewhat snug.
The prize was still on the cave floor. Squatting down to reach it, he marveled at the beauty of the weapon. The gold trim accented the soft red color of its hilt. Extending a hand, he picked it up. He marveled at how balanced it felt in his hands. It was extremely light for its size. Standing up, he placed the weapon in his pocket and exited the cave.
He sprinted toward the grove of fern trees as fast as his legs could move. Even though he was running at top speed he managed to avoid the low hanging branches. In no time at all he was out the other side of the woodland.
He stopped momentarily to listen for any possible clues as to the direction everyone had gone. The boy waited. This is when he heard the echoes of a blaster rifle fired off in the distance.
Scion had not run much further be
fore he could see someone coming toward him. It was a Lumi from the patrol. The look upon the soldier’s face was one of extreme urgency to save his own life. As he drew closer to him, the boy stopped and took a defensive stance.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the weapon out and powered it on. The boy was taken in awe as the blade of sound stretched forth from the hilt. This new experience caused a sense of excitement inside him.
The oncoming soldier realized what the boy was holding in his hands. He slowed himself down quickly. When he finally came to a complete stop he was only feet away from the extended blade. Afraid for his life, he fell to his knees and begged.
“Please spare me!”
Scion turned the weapon off. He had a brainstorm. What if some of the troops knew the Banimpire had murdered to obtain the throne? Would those who had been loyal to my grandfather follow me if they knew of her crime? If they knew I existed?
“Honorable patriot, look upon my face!”
The soldier raised his head and met the boy’s eyes with his own. All he could see was a fire burning within the boy’s yellow pupils. It was a fire of resolve and determination; a fire that could not be extinguished.
“You look like… It is impossible. I feel like I am staring at a ghost.” The soldier was awestruck and at a loss for words.
“I am Scion-Roc, son of Amiable-Roc. Please rise to your feet.” He was not concerned he had let his guard down. The boy was prepared to react if the situation warranted it.
“If you truly are the son of Amiable, then we are of the same pride.” The look on his face reflected puzzlement. “I am Rantain-Roc. My cousin, who would have sat on the throne, did not have any descendents that I am aware of.” Rantain searched the boy’s face for truth.
“Malign had my father murdered.” Scion wanted to keep this conversation short but at the same time he wanted to gain the trust of his kin. “My parents conceived me about a week before father’s untimely death. Mother went off into the forest to raise me.”
“Is your mother still alive?”
At first, Scion was hesitant to answer his question in fear of endangering his mother. He concluded his cousin was on his side and had no interest in turning the woman in.
“Yes she is.”
“Well then, she deserves better than what she has had for all these years.”
“So does this mean you will stand beside me to get my rightful place on the throne?”
Rantain was hesitant to agree with the shaking of hands.
“Forgive me for wanting more. Do you have anything to prove who you say you are?”
Scion was not offended. He dug in his trouser pocket. He pulled out a small object. Then he took it and placed it upon the ring finger of his other hand. Throughout the entirety of his childhood, his mother had kept this item in a safe place. She also told him that the day would come when he would know when to wear it. With no reservations, he knew the time was right.
“Wow! That is the Signet ring of our people.”
“Now will you follow me?”
“Yes I will.” The two shook hands. “Most of us knew something was not right about Amiable’s death.”
“How many others do you think will join us?”
“I would think most of our people will.” Rantain paused a moment to think. “There might be a small band of resistance from some of Malign’s brood.”
“Well, then. It is time we remove her from the seat of power.” Scion smiled.
Rantain nodded his head in agreement. “I will spread the word amongst the troops first, then to the people.”
“By the way, which way did the human go?”
“Is he with you or Malign?”
“He only follows one, but he is my friend.”
“He should still be on top of that ridge over there,” he said. A quick motion of his hand and he pointed off to the southern horizon. “Two miles at the most.”
“Thank you.”
“Oh, wait one second.” Rantain pulled a small device from out of his pouch. “Here is a communicator,” he said. He handed it to him. “So we can know each others location at all times.”
Scion wasted no time. Two miles for a Lumi was but a mere six minute sprint. He made a beeline toward the point Rantain directed him. He knew there was no need to worry whether his cousin would inform enough of the people in time. Mother had taught him that there was a confident certainty within his Pride Brothers.
By the time he reached the plateau, there was no one there. He felt disappointed. The only things remaining from the battle were the bodies of several Lumi soldiers. Weapons were strewn about on the ground near the corpses.
Scion heard the rumbling of a ship, as its jets lifted the craft into the planets atmosphere. He ran to the other side of the plateau. From here, he could see a huge crater down below. It had been made recently. In the bottom rested a badly damaged troop carrier. Smoke rose up from off of it and trailed up into the auburn sky. Not far from ground zero was another small craft leaving the scene. He watched as the ship vanished upon the horizon.
There was only one thing left to do. He needed to find the human first and free him. So once again, he took off running. This time, he headed for the palace.
31
The Achernarian freighter and its diverse group of passengers came out of hyperspace inside the Marina System. This location in the system is the only chartered coordinates in existence for light speed travel. The planet Sultan E accounted for twenty percent of the view from within the cockpit of the freighter. The copilot introduced a new set of coordinates into the ships navigational computer. Instantly, the ship veered away from the planet and headed off on the new course.
An hour later, the craft slowed when it reached the programmed destination. There was nothing in the vicinity of the ship. No planet, no space station, nothing but space. However, the human who brought the craft to this point knew something that the rest of the crew had no clue about. Suddenly, as if appearing out of nowhere, two fighter craft approached the freighter. One came in on the starboard side while his wing man closed in on the port side.
Vomica jumped up and out of her seat. With the look of amazement in her eyes, she screamed.
“Wow! Where did they come from?”
Darius smiled. The expression upon his face made the young girl realize he knew.
One of the pilots from the fighter detail sent a transmission over the freighter’s com system.
“Unidentified craft please identify yourself.”
Darius pressed a button and spoke.” My name is Darius Talek. I am Matakeo. I need access to Palatial to warn of an impending attack.” For a couple of seconds, the only sound that emitted from the speaker was static.
“Palatial? There is no planet out here.” The pilot retorted. He was actually looking for a phrase used as a password.
“Oh yeah?” Darius retorted. “I never said Palatial was a planet.” Again there was another pause filled with static. The fighter pilot’s voice returned quicker then the previous time.
“Permission granted.” More static followed. Follow me in.”
“Thank you,” Darius replied.
“Follow him into what?” Vomica was dumbfounded.
“Just watch.” Then he steered the craft to follow the fighter. The other was close on their heels. Minutes later, they flew through a field of energy.
A planet came into view.
“Whoa!” Vomica exclaimed. “Does that energy cover the entire planet?”
“Sure does.” Darius was amused by the girl’s desire to question. “It is the largest scaled holographic camouflage in existence.”
“I have never seen anything like it before in my life.” She looked him directly in the eyes. “Are the people on Palatial friendly?”
“Yes.”
The cabin door slid open and Teron stepped inside. The aperture made a swoosh sound as it closed. Vomica and Darius turned their heads to see who had entered.
“How were the acc
ommodations in the cargo hold?” Darius inquired.
“Satisfactory,” she replied.
“We are on an approach vector now.” Darius pointed toward a clearing out past the horizon of densely populated trees in front of them. He guided the freighter in that direction. Then he decreased the ship’s speed from three hundred miles per hour to a mere fifty.
“Mister Talek,” said the voice from the escort craft once again. “On the west end of the tarmac you will see a pad surrounded by flashing yellow lights. Please set your ship down there.”
“I copy that.”
The Achernarian ship came to rest in the designated spot. A heavy sheet of moisture formed upon its icy hull, complements of the high humidity and temperature associated with the planet. All of the passengers exited the ship via the cargo bay. A security detail was waiting for them as the group descended the gangway.
“Please follow us.” The security guards led the group across the tarmac and toward a huge complex of buildings. From their vantage point they could see down both sides of the runway. Several dozen hangers were lined up down one side of the strip. In plain sight alone, there were at least two hundred fighters and many other designs of military craft on the tarmac. There was no telling how many more were stowed away in the hangers.
Soon thereafter, they entered the complex. Cool air greeted them as they entered. This was acceptable by all in Darius’ group. Vomica was accustomed to high humidity and she actually enjoyed the warm and wet climate of the planet. Her race had originated from a climate similar to this. Everyone else sweated profusely.
They entered a large room. Personnel were busy at their posts. Others offered up status and logistic reports. It did not take long to figure out they were standing in a war room. A tall gray-haired man stood in the middle of the room. This man had a lanky frame but well toned. As he turned to greet the new arrivals, Darius spied three stars atop the shoulders of this man’s uniform.
Matakeo: Echoes of the Future Page 21
