Chronicles of a Space Mercenary 3: Vengeance

by Ronald Wintrick

  “You dare to execute one of my soldiers?” The Queen hissed as her floater halted several meters in front of and above us. I surmised that at this point any excuse to kill us was as good as any other and I had not missed her reference to the fact that they were her soldiers not mine. Bherlon had informed via wrist-bot and once again I had to marvel at Serrath’s intuition. The tension among the gathered Fsyth surrounding us was electric and though all had just sworn fealty to me none would interfere in a Royal Challenge. I was very conscious of the blast-rifle in my hands though I would never get the chance to use it.

  Though technically I wasn’t the one who had done the deed I decided it was an opportune moment to keep my mouth shut for once nor did I let that blast-rifle move an iota. The floater’s cannons were pointed right at me and I can’t say I’ve ever been closer to my maker. The Queen was going to talk for a bit and then she was going to kill us. Of that I was quite certain. It was then that Serrath’s training paid off. Not warned by Bherlon that there were actually three of us the Queen did not recognize Leethea amongst the crowd as a personal danger until it was far too late. Leethea raised her blasters where she stood in the crowd and the Queen and her floater vanished in an explosion that once more slapped us to the ground and left me dazed but somehow still alive.

  A glance Serrath’s way assured me she would survive though for the first time ever she seemed to have been knocked from her eternal perfect poise. She made hard work of getting to her feet but the fire in her eyes was in no way diminished. I did not think we would have survived the closeness of that explosion if we had been wearing our human bodies. Maybe not even if we had been Alartaw. The resilience of these reptilian bodies continued to amaze me. There was blood coming from my ears and nose I noted indifferently but though I couldn’t hear a thing I was alive and in the end that was all that mattered. A doc could fix anything but death.

  The floater lay burning in the middle of the street amongst my cheering subjects. I couldn’t hear the cheering but I could see it clearly enough. I would either convince the remainder of the Queen’s Regulars that I was the new King they wanted to follow or I and everyone else within this section of the street were going to be returned to their disparate atoms. I raised my arms aloft in victory and turned a full circuit amidst the attack-floaters and their bristling cannons. All were pointed in my direction but suddenly the tension was lifted.

  First one began to descend and then slowly the rest to follow. The Queen was gone and they needed a strong new leader. I was the reptile which had successfully led this assault on their ages old enemy and I was the reptile they wanted as their King. There was no room to land in the packed streets so they descended to just over the heads of the crowd and all made the small bow which indicated their allegiance.

  “Hail the King! Hail the King! Hail the King!” They chanted over and over again and though I still couldn’t hear a word they were saying knew exactly what they were saying. If they had not been ready to proclaim me King they would have done their speaking with their cannons.

  I was King of the Fsyth- for whatever that was worth.

  Chapter 51

  The attack-floater ride back to Warmonger only took moments and no feeling of inertia even with the reckless pace I adopted. Despite the rapidity of our travel through Cravotia’s atmosphere the anti-gravity field propelling and protecting the little floater kept the conditions within the confines of the floater itself undisturbed even though it was open to the air around us. The pressure of the atmosphere ripping past us at such velocity should have ripped us from our floaters piecemeal if our harnesses wouldn’t let us come bodily but with the anti-gravity drive surrounding and protecting us we were powerful yet invisible ghosts flitting quickly yet silently through the night. If any noticed us none dared further interfere.

  The floater was maneuvered via pheromone command and whipped us across the city as fast as my thoughts. The only real limitation of the floaters velocity was the pilot’s visual processing powers- the physical reaction-time of the pilot. It was nearly as fast as my thoughts but would never compare to my Alartaw link. My link allowed instantaneous communication with my ships and had the added benefit of the AI’s which would already have every possible probability pre-calculated before they were even thoughts in my own head. That made their response time very fast but once again I was impressed by the Fsyth’s biological computing system as suddenly I was physically connected to every one of my ships which were present. I would only be able to control one ship at a time but I could access any sensory data from any of those ships nearly instantaneously and nothing short of an AI piloted ship would be able to give me any kind of real challenge in a ship to ship dogfight. Maybe not even then. I now had an intimate connection with all of my ships which I felt through my linking with my floater and which were at my instant command should I merely think the thought.

  There were no thieves lurking about their games in the spaceport this day as I brought the floater down beside Warmonger amongst the entirety of my attack-floater force. Add to that the fact that there were a thousand Fsyth Destroyers littering the atmosphere above. All floating invisibly within the fog- though all within the city knew of their presence. Floating invisibly and silently on their anti-gravity drives and keeping a careful watch on everything occurring below. Above the Destroyers- and this also known by all within the city as the grapevine spread the word nearly as quickly as voices could talk- prowled the Armada of Fsyth Battle Cruisers on high-alert in orbit above.

  I knew nothing of the ancient blood-feud between the Vaes and the Fsyth, but inferring that the Emperor of the Vaes would not take our attack lightly. That war could very well be expected. Since I was in no way interested in a war with the Vaes I had ordered the immediate departure of all my forces. No reptile had questioned my decision and no Fsyth wanted to be on the surface of Cravotia when the Vaes arrived in force. The gist of what I gathered was that they would utterly destroy Cravotia before allowing us to possess it. I understood the sentiment well and didn’t doubt for a moment that was exactly what they would do if they got through the defending forces. I had no interest in holding Cravotia and less in remaining here even a moment longer than was necessary.

  “They’ll leave no undead enemies behind themselves.” Serrath had agreed when I issued the order. She would understand such a thing better than any being.

  “I don’t want to be here when they arrive.” I had also agreed but the pedantic part of my heart didn’t want them to have what I couldn’t and there was the small matter of the insult the Vaes had given. I had ordered the complete destruction of the mining-complex- they would profit no further from their crimes. Serrath had just given me a look as I issued the order that I was sure was reminiscent of many looks I had given her over and throughout our bloody career. In the end we were all just rotten vengeful dirty little animals no matter what skins we were wearing but Serrath and I were just that little bit much more rotten than the rest.

  Warmonger would not allow another reptile aboard her without my consent and I couldn’t leave her or allow other Fsyth aboard her. There was very little difference between Warmonger and other Fsyth ships but we had hardware aboard- the field-nullification chips in the blasters which could not be left behind and that could be very hard to explain if they were discovered. There would be room aboard one of my new Battle Cruisers to store her away safely, and I yet had use of her- use that was going to come as soon as I could come up with a plan. I had no interest in remaining a reptile, I reminded myself, though suddenly I wasn’t so sure of my determination. There had been a small hesitation in my thinking when I reminded myself and I wasn’t sure I liked the implication of that. I did not want to stay a reptile.

  “Time to get back to the Kievor!” I told Serrath and Leethea as Warmonger’s hatch closed behind us and within the confines of her protecting gravity-field I was once again able to speak openly. “I have a plan!”

  I lifted Warmonger from the fusion-fused tarmac
the moment the hatch closed. As I spoke and as Warmonger filled me with the mental image her sensory equipment was providing all three of us simultaneously- so any could take immediate control if the current pilot was somehow incapacitated- or if I were suddenly too intoxicated for example because I thought the time for that had finally arrived. In less time than an average being would imagine- truly only moments later- I was sliding Warmonger into the docking bay of one of my monstrous Battle Cruisers in orbit above Cravotia. A moment longer and we were standing within that bay and surveying what was ours.

  “If it involves killing Kievor the sooner we get to it the happier I’ll be.” Serrath commented as we looked over the Commanders who had gathered to show their obeisance.

  “I’m ready to kill some Kievor myself.” Leethea agreed. “No Fsyth will ever be press-ganged on a Kievor Trade Station ever again!” I know that I wasn’t the only reptile looking at Leethea but I wondered if I was the only one wondering if she was just playing along for our benefit or if she was serious. The cold light of murder that danced in her eyes left me truly wondering.

  “We’re to attack the Kievor?” Several among my new Commanders gasped out.

  “Not outright,” I assured, “but the Kievor will pay for their transgressions!”

  My Commanders bowed low before their strong new mad King.

  Chapter 52

  The vagaries of the Universe are many and governed by no absolute laws I can determine- never mind what the high-foreheads say. The Universe writes its own laws as It sees fit is the only sure conclusion I can draw. Either that or the Universe just plain hates me for fouling It’s every attempt to kill me. I was more inclined to the latter opinion but that still left the Universe with the power to change the laws as It saw fit. In my opinion the Universe is both alive and malignant and creates the living beings within it in It’s own image. Intelligent and malignant! The two never seemed far separated.

  “Incoming Fleet.” Serrath spoke aloud what every Fsyth on every ship knew the moment those ships detected the incoming warp signatures.

  “Of course there is.” I said. Serrath gave me a small look but nothing in the Universe would ever surprise her again and such roadblocks in the course of a being’s endeavors were always to be expected. When things were going too smoothly was generally when things were destined to really go wrong. A few roadblocks, in Serrath’s opinion, meant things were moving along just about as well as could be hoped. Violence was a part of life that could never be avoided completely though in the immediacy of now it needed to be circumvented at least temporarily.

  “They outnumber us two-to-one.” Serrath added unnecessarily.

  “I was tired of this neighborhood anyway.” I said as those ships began to enter real-space. As it turns out I hadn’t needed to do all the homework I had earlier avoided because my pheromone link to my ship was also a link to all its stored data. The data assimilated itself in response to my thoughts. The Vaes Emperor was named Zekel Falangan. The Fsyth Armada under my feet, for another instance, only represented a small number of the entire Fsyth Navy. The remainder of those ships left by the Queen to guard the home-worlds though it was doubtful the Vaes would attack Fsyth home-worlds knowing if they did we would retaliate in kind. Among their own kind reptiles had a certain honor they did not extend to mammals. The Fsyth had invented the anti-gravity drive and the Vaes had stolen that technology, I further assimilated, though the Vaes used conventional computing technology which meant we would be fighting AI piloted Capital Class Warships. I learned and assimilated the entire Fsyth history and much else besides in less time than it takes to describe it herein. I did not have to voice my command but every reptile on every ship heard it when I commanded it. In the barest moment my Armada accelerated and disappeared into warp under my sure control.

  “I’m not unhappy to see the end of them.” Leethea said.

  “I’m sure we’ll meet again.” I contradicted. “I expect they’ll be hot on our trail the moment they find their precious mine completely vaporized.” The only thing that remained of their mine was a monstrous crater.

  “You leave a trail of enemies every direction you turn.” Serrath said; “You mentioned a plan?”

  “Of course I did.” I said thinking quickly because as of that moment I still hadn’t devised the plan I had proclaimed to possess.

  “We’re waiting.” Leethea said when I didn’t immediately elaborate.

  “We’re going to create a diversion.” I said. “The Vaes will follow us to the Station and in the melee we’re going to steal the Kievor’s data-base.” This message was of course delivered to every Fsyth aboard every ship the moment it came out of my mouth and now with conclusiveness we had a plan.

  “A diversion?” Serrath asked. “Do you seriously believe the Kievor will fall for that?”

  “Do you have a better plan?” I asked.

  “I suppose it sounds as good as any other.” Serrath conceded. Of course she knew I had made that plan purely on the spur of the moment and it was purely a bullshit plan but I also truly believe she forces me into these rash decision making positions because she actually likes the half-ass plans I come up with when I was put under pressure. I seemed to think my clearest when the shit was the deepest and the deeper the shit the better she supposed our odds.

  I brought the entire Armada out of warp inside the Kievor’s Protected Zone with absolute unerring precision that I would never be able to duplicate in my human form- at least not without a little restructuring and organizing of certain integral bodily systems. I was beginning to appreciate an aspect of the Fsyth biological system for something that would never be possible with my link to the Alartaw AI’s. With my link I was able to command my AI’s with equal unerring precision the difference being that the AI’s then did the piloting while in the case of my Fsyth pheromone link I was hands-on flying my Fsyth Armada with full control of the entire procedure. In my mind’s eye I could see space around me and it was a fully three-dimensional awareness that is impossible to describe. I had to hurry and get out of this skin.

  “We’re here.” Serrath said.

  “Now the fun begins.” Leethea added. She looked completely serious and I vowed again to get us out of these skins before we went totally insane and decided we wanted to keep them.

  Chapter 53

  “Welcome King of the Fsyth.” The Kievor voice spoke from the thin air of my Bridge as my Armada came in to dock on the hull of the Station. I could afford to dock them inside though the cost of doing so would assuredly be enough to bankrupt all but the wealthiest beings. I didn’t want them inside the Station however I wanted them where they would be most readily available and of the two choices this was both the cheapest and would leave my ships the most accessible. Not that we would be able to leave unless the Kievor allowed it- or weren’t aware of our treacheries- but it made me feel better with the illusion that I would be able to just jump in my ship and fly away when my business here was finished. As usual I had no idea what I was getting us into and there was no telling what might happen when one of my spur-of-the-moment plans finally went terribly awry. This was one of those situations where I thought the chance was very good but as in all things I just bulled my way ahead and hoped and prayed to the malignant Universe that I would slip my Fate yet one more time. Some-Being must be listening I have always believed though that God’s Name might very well be Luck. “Will you be staying long, Your Majesty?” The Kievor asked.

  “Only long enough to let the Vaes cool down.” I lied with the full sure knowledge the Vaes would not cool down until reptile blood ran cold- colder than it already was, in any case. I meant to write a new chapter in the saga that was the Fsyth and Vaes’ blood-feud that would be remembered forever by both- if both survived. Did it bother my conscious at all that I was leading the entire Fsyth Empire down the road to destruction for my own personal gain? Not in the least I said to myself. It was that malignant Universe thing again- if you weren’t one of the strong and willing
to do whatever was necessary you were one of the weak- and everybeing knows what the Universe does to the weak.

  “The Kievor are at your service.” The Kievor said then went on, as I had expected; “Any and all damages to the Station will be compensated by the King or Emperor of the responsible parties. You are in a state of war and as such the compensation…”

  “Yeah yeah yeah.” I interrupted the Kievor and that was the last we heard from it. I imagined triple the normal fees but what could a reptile do. The King’s coffers were full and paying the bills wouldn’t be a problem.

  “I think the Kievor know something we don’t.” Leethea said.

  “Nothing we weren’t already aware of.” Serrath contradicted this time.

  “I would guess the hour of their coming will be within minutes.” I surmised.

  “I would guess even sooner than that.” Serrath said with her usual calm equanimity. Calm on the exterior only- and seldom a warning when that calm was going to be disturbed. I thought the command which would spread my next words to my Fsyth Legions and then gave the order to prepare for war.

  “We will skirmish in the same fashion as we fought for Cravotia. We’re going to be outnumbered for a while so every reptile must make his life count for at least three or no Fsyth will leave here alive!” All heard and all were eager to follow their new King into battle, no matter how odd the strategy might seem. Their fervent battle cries were heard reverberating on every ship. The Vaes would not fire on my ships in the Protected Zone so their only other option would be to meet us inside and where, in my experience, such odds weren’t as detrimental as they might be on the spacefield of battle. The odds couldn’t be any worse in any case so at least it wasn’t a step in the very worst direction though clearly it wasn’t a step in the best. The best would be the one in the direction of the remainder of my forces. To gather all my forces first, but they were on the way and I was in no mood to dally- nor of course was the game exactly what it seemed. Add the fact that there were good strong intoxicants onboard the Trade Station and the fact that I wanted to get to the drinking of them before the Vaes arrived- and since I was sure I didn’t have long to wait- I meant to get right to it.