by James Somers
"The Vorn military's strength diminished as the Sphere attacks continued and the Horva under Grod mounted campaign after campaign of deadly attacks upon our cities that were established here on Castai. The military attempted to push through the Transdimensional Rift to other worlds when scouts came back with data to support the proposal.
"After conquering the twin Castai on the other side, it was hoped that the remainder of our people might escape the Sphere by migrating through and somehow collapsing the Rift permanently.
"During that conflict with your people, Wynn was displaced here and worked with our resistance leaders in hopes of finding some way to overthrow the military's control over the remaining population even while Grod's forces gained more and more territory and threatened our lives.
"Now that you are here, Master Soone, we have seen some of your ability. Both Wynn and Daooth Pasad have put overwhelming confidence in you. Not only do we trust their judgment but we have considered the opportunity presented to us by returning an heir to Barudii throne.
"Our people once revered your leader as much as our own, and we feel compelled to ask you to ascend to your rightful place as king and lead both of our peaceful peoples against the threat we are faced with from the Baruk and Grod."
Tiet was stunned by the whole account of Castillian and Vorn history. It was much more than he expected. The pieces to a vast puzzle seemed to fall into place now. The Baruk had begun it all and very nearly destroyed these two great races of people in their greed for conquest.
Tiet now began to understand the importance that was being placed on the Barudii throne. Perhaps it was a matter of redemption for the Vorn after falsely accusing and executing their ally of long ago; or more importantly, maybe they genuinely believed that the Barudii King was so great an icon to rally around that the peace might even last and these two races could engage the threat wholeheartedly, maybe even victoriously.
Orin had taught him years ago that the confidence you take into a battle may well determine the outcome. Tiet still did not feel confident in himself, but he did have confidence in this great people. If he was what was needed to unite them and hold them together in the face of the coming conflict then perhaps he should reconsider.
Just then, Ranul and Estall appeared in the Council chamber.
"Forgive our interruption, Ambassadors," said Estall.
"We have new information from one of our long range probes near the star Casiss."
"Tell us," said Licoure.
"The Baruk appear to have amassed a battle fleet of some fifty large vessels and many smaller ones. They're on their way," said Ranul.
"When?"
"Maybe two days, if we're lucky," said Ranul.
A wave of murmuring enveloped the large chamber of delegates and guests as the realization of the coming storm hit them. Tiet thought further on the situation as the focus left him as the delegates began talking amongst themselves, and the whole assembly generally became disorganized.
Little was known about the Baruk's true capabilities; only that they were very fierce in combat, employing various kinds of technologies and bio-weaponry. It would be very difficult to fight a war on two fronts, even though Grod and his forces were weaker than before. If Grod seized the opportunity to attack en masse again with the coalition simultaneously fighting the Baruk, it could quickly turn out for the worse.
Then Tiet was struck with a new thought. The threat to this planet was also a threat to the Horva. They had no allegiance to the Baruk and had helped drive off the Vorn military presence, which held treaty with the Baruk. This fight was Grod's fight, whether the General realized it or not.
Tiet needed the assembly's attention, and he needed it now. Then he decided to get their attention. He kicked the podium off of the raised platform. It crashed down the few steps to crash loudly on the stone floor. All eyes were suddenly upon him.
"Forgive me for the interruption, Ambassadors," he said, "but I have reconsidered and decided to accept your endorsement."
Shouts began to erupt from the audience. He interrupted them again.
"Please…My acceptance is conditional!" he said over the crowd. Everyone became quite again at this point. Tiet could see Wynn considering him.
"I will accept-on the condition that the Council endorses my going to General Grod in an attempt to broker a peace agreement and convince him to fight with us against the Baruk."
He waited after that statement, expecting a reaction. The ambassadors were all looking at one another to confer. The room was now awash in low murmurs concerning Tiet's dangerous request. Tiet stood fast and waited. After a few moments Ambassador Licoure turned back to address him.
"Master Soone, your request is troubling to say the least, but I am curious why you would think the Horva would join us?"
"I believe the main thrust of Grod's campaign and the Horva's desires all center around wanting their freedom and a fight to attain it. I think he might be willing to listen to what I have to say. He wants what we want; I just have to make him see it."
"With all due respect, we have never known the Horva, especially Grod, to be open to negotiations," said Licoure.
"I only ask for your endorsement and willingness to work with the Horva peacefully if I am successful, nothing more. If you agree, I will accept your motion that I ascend to the throne of my father."
Licoure looked back at the other delegates in the council and at Wynn who was still fixed on Tiet. The other ambassadors gestured approving nods to Licoure.
"Well, Master Soone, against my better judgment."
"I appreciate your confidence, Ambassadors." With that, Tiet turned to leave the assembly.
Wynn made his way quickly to catch up to Tiet as he walked back down the great hall.
"Wait, Tiet!"
Tiet slowed, but did not stop.
"Tiet, what are you up to? Grod won't negotiate with you. He's a brute who loves conquest."
Tiet stopped then, surprised by the statement.
"Wynn, you told me things aren't always what they appear to be. I hated the Vorn who were actually peaceful-"
"Yes, but that's not Grod at all, he-"
"He and the Horva were slaves wanting their freedom. And as for being a brute…well, he managed to destroy the Sphere weapon no one else had been able to defeat, so he must be pretty smart and he must be a great leader to have generated the successful uprising against the Vorn military."
Wynn stood silent; surprised at the wisdom pouring out of his apprentice and king.
"Besides, we cannot afford to fight a war on two fronts; without him, I think we'll lose."
Wynn had considered that aspect before and remained silent as Tiet turned to continue out. "I've got to get going on this while we still have time," he said as he punched the button to open the lift door.
"Do you really think Grod will listen or even answer your transmission?"
"I have no intention of transmitting anything. I'm going to Nagon-Toth personally."
"And do you really think he will let you just walk in?" asked Wynn sarcastically.
"We'll see."
"You realize if you go and confront him he might just decide he should join the Baruk against us. Did you consider that?"
"I'm not giving him the opportunity," Tiet said matter-of-factly. "If he doesn't join us then I'm going to kill him."
And with that Tiet let the lift door close in front of him. Wynn stood there speechless. He was certainly his father's son. The same brash determination was something he remembered from serving under the king years ago. He was glad to see these qualities emerging finally, even though he was worried about the likelihood of him being successful.
XI
THE hangar bay of the Baruk flagship was teeming with warriors. Unfortunately, they were congregated very near Kale's ship. Kale watched from a shadowed position high above the massive tarmac. There were many ships inside the bay, mostly Baruk fighter craft. Then he spotted one that was different.
It was Tal's ship; he was surely either imprisoned or dead by now. Kale knew the Baruk were going to remove the remaining Vorn military from the equation very soon. Tal's presence on the flagship likely meant that was already in process.
Nevertheless, the Governor's ship was some distance across the bay from his own, and still better, it was unguarded. Kale deftly made his way to an area above the vessel. It was quite a bit bigger than his.
He pulled a spicor disc from his garment and flung it downward at the hull of the ship. When it impacted, a hole was created all the way through the hull. Kale dropped in fast. He landed inside and quickly made his way to the bridge.
He had learned a few things about Vorn spacecraft during his years with them. He pulled a palm-sized device from his coat and then fitted the mechanism to an interface panel at the helm.
The area around his ship was still quite crowded with warriors. Kale keyed in a sequence on the touch screen, and the ship hummed to life.
The group of warriors surrounding the strider noticed engine sounds coming from across the bay. From above the long lines of Baruk fighter craft they could see a ship rising off the platform. It was the ship that the Governor Tal had arrived in with his aides-all of whom had since been executed.
The Baruk warriors brought their personal weapons to bear as the commander received his order from the Three telepathically; attack the fleeing ship.
The warriors began to fire on the Vorn ship floating above the docking platform as it prepared to leave the bay. The ship began to drift as the warriors closed in on it. The craft crashed into Baruk fighters docked nearby, and then attempted to raise again as the warriors concentrated more firepower on it.
It was starting to spin out of control. The tail end was knocking Baruk fighters all around the bay, causing the warriors to scatter for cover while still maintaining their assault.
The shields on the vessel were not active. As it spun wildly out of control many Baruk were pummeled to death by flying debris from the ship and the destroyed Baruk fighters.
Kale sat calmly at the helm and adjusted the controls. The engine responded accordingly. He pulled up his handheld control and tapped in a new sequence. The Vorn craft drifted further down the bay toward the hangar control center. It tumbled and smashed into the area.
As the control center was engulfed in the fireball of the ship, the force field deactivated, allowing the influx of open space into the hangar bay. The entire hangar bay's contents rushed into the vacuum; carrying the Baruk warriors with it.
Kale laid aside his remote device. By remote piloting the Vorn ship he had been able to get to his strider. He launched the strider from the platform as debris impacted against the ship's shields. Baruk warriors sucked into the void bounced off the hull as he proceeded through the mass of bodies and wreckage swirling out of the hangar bay. He activated the ship's hyper coil and pushed away from the Baruk formation at speeds beyond light.
THE lush scenery that was common near the twelve cities had given way to the desolation of the territory around Nagon-Toth. Tiet was getting close now. The land itself was war torn and they had made no effort to revitalize it. No wonder the Horva were conducting raids for supplies. They might be starving to death otherwise.
He felt sure now of his motives for conducting this mission. The Horva were just trying to survive. They had their freedom from the Vorn military now, but this was a bad start.
The display showed another fifty miles before he would reach Grod's fortress. He made adjustments to the helm, as his small craft glided over the barren landscape. It was well-designed and fast. The mileage deficit clicked away rapidly on the display.
He slowed the fighter as he approached to within one mile of the facility. He realized that they must already know he was there, but he wasn't planning on a surprise visit; only a memorable one.
He brought the ship to a complete stop on a rise that overlooked Nagon-Toth in the distance. He got out of the cockpit and then strapped on his blade. He quickly checked his weaponry: two thigh mounted kemsticks and a few spicors in addition to his father's blade. He intentionally left his blasters in the ship. He didn't plan on killing anyone but Grod, if it came to that.
Tiet closed the cockpit of the ship and took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy. He had to get to Grod and then hope the general would listen to what he had to say. He had never even met the man, but he supposed it wouldn't be that difficult to distinguish him as the leader.
He began to walk toward the facility. He made no effort to conceal himself, but the same could not be said for his attackers. From an outcropping of rock nearby his path to the compound, no less than ten Horva jumped out to ambush him. Tiet was ready for them.
His E.M. shield hummed to life as the first pulse shot came at him. He blocked several more then dodged into the middle of the warriors. He swung his blade with absolute accuracy, cutting the pulse weapons through with the charged tip. Immediately he set off a kinetic burst that knocked the warriors to the ground around him as he replaced the blade in his scabbard. They were stunned but otherwise unharmed.
"I don't intend to harm you," he said. "I have business with General Grod."
"You'll never see the General," said one of the warriors as he leapt to his feet and charged. As he came toward him he drew a large dagger. Tiet grabbed the warrior's arm with one hand and with the other he brought two fingers to the warrior's throat and tapped a particular nerve with the right pressure to bring him down. He laid him down gently as the dagger slipped out of his hand. The warrior was unconscious; the others were staring at him with apprehension.
"As I said, my business is with your General Grod. This really doesn't have to be anymore difficult than you make it."
They all looked at each other not knowing what to do next. Then one of them rushed him and the others followed. As they attacked he moved among them and created quick chaos, throwing some off balance and into the others while hitting them with blow after rapid fire blow with his hands and feet. Within twenty seconds they were on the ground again but less aware of their assailant than before. Tiet gathered himself and continued his trek toward the complex, leaving his victims to their induced slumber.
WYNN'S com-link blinked to life on his wrist. He set the fighter on automatic pilot as he answered. "Wynn here."
"Sir, we've picked up a ship entering our system. It's a Barudii ship, strider class."
He was very surprised to hear this. "What's the heading?"
"It's on a direct course for Castai-Rex sir."
This was puzzling. It was almost certainly the ship that Kale had escaped the planet on months ago. So why would he return, and why now?
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"We're receiving a transmission from the ship…it's an intent to surrender sir."
Now he was very puzzled. Why in the world would he come back and then surrender? It didn't make sense, but he didn't have any time to deal with it personally.
"Captain, forward our acceptance of their surrender and meet the ship with a full squad of our best. Take the ship into custody. If you meet with any resistance from those aboard the ship, terminate them."
"Yes sir."
This was a twist Wynn hadn't counted on, but other matters were more pressing at the moment. He adjusted the controls again and the ship careened south toward Nagon-Toth. He quickly located Tiet's ship by scans. He hadn't put up a sensor cloak or anything. What was he up to?
Wynn brought his ship down in an area facing another side of the complex. He was out of the cockpit quickly and left the ship sensor cloaked and shielded. He wore his own Barudii cloak to keep him invisible to the Horva's sensor sweeps. He did not intend to be seen. If Tiet meant to boldly walk into a deathtrap, he was going to at least give him a fighting chance of getting out again.
KALE keyed off the display. The Command Center at Baeth Periege had formally accepted his surrender. He set the autopilot to the coordinates given to him to dock his ship. He
almost felt relief at the thought of giving himself up. His long run from all he had known was almost over.
He wondered if Tiet would be there to meet him as he landed. Perhaps he will run Father's blade right through my heart, he thought. Even so, the running was over.
Perhaps Tiet would imprison him for life to watch his traitorous brother rot on a daily basis. It didn't matter. If that was God's will, then so be it. He knew he deserved it anyway.
"Father, Mother…forgive me." Emotions, long pushed aside, threatened to flood in.
The computer soon sounded the alarm as the strider began to penetrate Castai's atmosphere. Turbulence was quick as the vessel passed through and came around on course for the city of Baeth Periege. He noticed on the approach how much damage had been repaired within the city. Even the surrounding area had begun some renewal as far as the destruction of the ecosphere during the battle for the city. He had not seen the ending of the battle. The city's defense shield was back in place and fully operational.
As he flew over the southeastern portion of the city he could see many large pulse laser batteries. They looked as though they were expecting a fight. And whether they knew it or not the Baruk would soon be here to give it to them.
A beacon flashed on his display showing him exactly where to bring the ship down on the huge landing platform near the Command Center. The building looked more imposing than before, with its added weaponry adorning the outside.
The area he was being led to below was being guarded by what looked to be an entire squad of troops. He did not recognize the uniforms they were wearing, but as he drew closer to the platform he could clearly see that the troops were a mix of Castillian and Vorn.
So they've formed an alliance, he thought. Maybe they stand some chance of survival with the Baruk this way; but it's going to be a terrible fight.
