by L. Fergus
A rope-like tentacle wrapped around her foot. She drew the sword, attacked the tentacle, and landed on the silo’s roof. Cinnamon could hear the queen’s vocal reaction. More tentacles snaked upward, Cinnamon dodged them from all directions. One grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her to the ground. Terrified, she rolled across the roof. Her head banged against the handle of an access hatch. Scrambling, she ripped the hatch off and slid inside. She fell into a mound of xeox.
She laid in the black crystals, her breath coming in ragged gasps and tears came to her eyes. She’d survived this before, why was she so terrified now? She had to regain control, the others couldn’t save her. Talon’s fears for her became very real. Thinking of Talon calmed her. The older Angel gave her a sense of calm, even when she wasn’t standing right next to her. She wiped at her tears, and it caused her to cry harder. She cried until she was furious at herself for doing so. Talon and Sarin were both outside fighting the enemy. She was in a silo crying like a little girl. Picking herself up, she vowed not to cry anymore. At least, not until I’m in Talon’s arms.
Looking up, she spotted hatches along the front side of the silo. She glided upward and opened each one until she found the queen.
“Die, bitch,” Cinnamon snarled. She jumped from the hatch and grabbed onto the underside of the giant metallic cockroach. She plunged the sword between the crystal plates. The queen shook violently, and a pair of tentacles snaked toward Cinnamon. Jumping backward, she shot upward missing the tentacles.
She darted in and with a loud yell, she cleaved through the tentacle anchoring the queen to the silo. The queen fell toward the moon’s surface and disappeared in a cloud of dust.
Cinnamon landed at the base of the silo. Around her, xeox particulates performed false drops, creating a halo of shooting stars. Her arms and chest were glowing a cinnamon red. Kita never said my anger would cause my body to heat up.
A tentacle came toward her, but the xeox particulates surrounding her annihilated it. Cinnamon smiled wickedly. Time to see if this bitch can take the Cinnamon Challenge. She moved deeper into the cloud, and the lights increased. She could see the queen struggling ahead of her. Another tentacle dissolved as it tried to grab her.
“Keep trying,” Cinnamon snarled. “You’ll die piece by piece.”
A trio of tentacles shot toward her. Two survived long enough to make Cinnamon deviate from her path. “This is for Jane, Ryder, and Scarlett, you goddamn crystal zombie,” she snarled as she jumped into the air. She landed on the queen and plunged the sword into the head. Around her, xeox particulates hanging in the air exploded, punctuating the death of the queen with a fireworks show.
“You have been listening to too many of Kita’s stories,” Talon said a few yards away.
Cinnamon went from being enraged to embarrassed in a heartbeat. “I didn’t think anyone was listening.”
“Oh, we all heard it, yearling. But, good job,” said The Rider limping on Sarin’s arm.
Sarin looked like she’d been in a long fight. Her clothes were dirty and torn. Her hair disheveled, and a clip was missing.
“You both look like you shouldn’t be on your feet,” said Cinnamon.
“What happened, Jane?” said Talon. “Met your match?”
“You are in no better condition, hoots. It’s time to get back to headquarters and get you some proper—Oh, hell. Get down.”
A group of humans fired. Talon and Sarin raised their hand stopping the bullets. With a wave of their hands, they knocked them to the ground.
“These are just privates,” said The Rider.
“Legionnaires?” said Sarin.
“Let’s find out.” The Rider took off her belt and stepped forward. “Listen here legionnaires, I’m General Starr. Put your weapons away and report to Major Baxter at headquarters. Arrest any Political Bureau soldier. Any orders from them are illegal. Any questions, the Commandant and I will answer them—”
“You know what?” said Sarin.
“What?” Ryder grumbled.
“I’m ready to go home. I want a hot bath and something yummy to eat. I forget how much I hate playing in the dirt. This is Kita’s deal, not mine. I’d rather fight on a space station.” She wiggled her nose twice.
“Yes, General,” the legionnaires said in unison. “We’ll report to headquarters immediately.”
Sarin smiled. “Problem solved.”
“What did you do?” demanded Ryder.
“I just suggested to every human in the capital that if an Angel tells you something, it’s the damn truth, and you shouldn’t waste time arguing. Now, I have a question I want answered.”
Sarin walked over to the queen’s body. She placed her hand on the head. “Ok, bitch, what were you up to?”
Sarin scanned the queen’s equation, searching its thoughts. There wasn’t much, but what she found was disturbing. She removed her hand and stood.
“Anything useful?” said Talon.
Sarin wrinkled her nose. “We got lucky. She was going to create Machines with FTL capability.”
“They could go anywhere then.”
Sarin nodded. “I’ll inform Kita. We’ll have to keep an eye out in the future. There’s nothing more that can be done here. Let’s get back to Baxter.”
The Angels found Major Baxter outside the headquarters building directing an influx of subordinates.
“What’s the situation, Major?” said Sarin.
The man evaluated the group of battered Angels. “Better here than wherever you’ve been. If you look like that, I can only imagine what the other guys look like, Commandant.”
Sarin chuckled lightly.
“The Legion outposts around the moon are checking in and giving us status updates. Many have troops in the city because of Political Bureau orders. I’m getting them back out on patrol to clear the streets and dispatch others to incident areas. I think whatever you battled with solved the problem, ma’am.”
“It was a queen and a bunch of her groupies,” said Cinnamon with a huff.
“You look like you could use some down time to recoup. I’ll send a medic over to you.”
“That would be most kind, Major, but not necessary,” said Talon.
“If more of those Machines popup and you can’t fight, we’re screwed. Someone else with a scratch can wait fifteen minutes,” Baxter said with a grunt.
“Don’t worry about us, Major,” said Sarin. “Let’s get this mess straightened out so we can get back to Rainbow Station. Plans are already in motion to capture the next piece. Major, you’re now a colonel and in charge of this rock. Get it straightened out and producing xeox. Controlling the fuel supply to the Empire should convince the Shadow Fleet to take us seriously.”
“What if they try to retake the moon by force?” said Talon.
“I’ll threaten to blow it up.”
“We don’t have those kinds of weapons,” said Ryder.
The other Angels giggled. “We don’t need those kinds of weapons,” said Talon. “We’ve got Jane.”
“Are you planning on shooting the Shadow Fleet out of the sky?” Ryder chided.
“That’s an interesting idea,” said Sarin. “I just thought I’d throw a rich girl size tantrum.”
“More like god size,” said Talon.
“For me, same thing.”
Sarin touched the ringer on Ryder’s door. She checked her nails as she waited for the door to open. When it did, she was surprised to find Ryder wearing a red sports bra, jeans, and socks.
“What do you want?”
Sarin could smell the alcohol on her breath. “I came to talk to you. I thought you deserved a proper welcome and an explanation.”
Ryder raised an eyebrow, but stood aside and waved Sarin in. The cowgirl’s hat and shirt lay on a table next to a half-empty bottle and a tin cup. Ryder grabbed the cup and sat down hard on the bunk, then swore as she adjusted her wings.
“They take some getting used to,” Sarin said apologetically.
“Why the hell do I have to have them?”
“It’s the uniform.”
“Yeah? I suppose the urge to preen them comes with them?”
Sarin chuckled. “Yep. They need to be kept clean and neat. Don’t worry. You’ll get good at it.”
Ryder leaned back resting her head on the bulkhead. “So what have I become?”
“You’re now a member of the most exclusive girls club in the universe. You’re an Angel.”
Ryder rolled her eyes. “I notice it didn’t come with a harp.”
“No, but it comes with some other abilities. You’ll heal rapidly, eat once a month, sleep every two weeks, you can fly, your strength, perception, endurance are vastly increased, and you’ve already met your unique talent.”
“Bonehead.”
Sarin nodded. “That comes with its own unique abilities.”
“So why me? I’m no pretty girl. I’m a legionnaire first, cowboy second, and woman last. I’m a long way from my comfort zone. I hate space.”
“You had to have seen plenty of it as a legionnaire.”
“Sure, doesn’t mean I liked it. I took every dirt-side mission I could get.”
“How did you end up at your family’s ranch?”
“Rank has its privileges. My family’s ranch happens to be next to the mines, and they needed to be guarded.”
“It seems like a demotion.”
“I got to be home, and you’re taking me away from it.”
“When we’re finished you’re welcome to go back, but you might want to see what the flock is like first.”
“Where did you all come from anyway?”
“A lost world. Everyone fought to survive, and Angels are the pinnacle of that planet’s evolution. Your cousin, Gerald Hennessy, led the Red Legion there. That gun belt you have belonged to him.”
“Did it turn him into bonehead, too?”
“No. He did that on his own. The belt trapped his essence.”
Ryder scoffed. “Sounds like a bunch of hocus-pocus.”
“Maybe, but it’s an easier explanation than explaining how the belt is imbued with special nanites that pass to the wearer and the wearer retains them until they die.”
“That’s not possible.”
“You have wings, don’t you, flame face?”
“My cousin, Hennessy, you said? Is he behind the wings?”
“Oh, he wishes. Kita is the mistress of the Angels, and she knows all our secrets.”
“The VI at the headquarters building?”
“No. That’s just an AI version of her. She is somewhere out in the cosmos, and we are preparing for her arrival.”
“I don’t adhere to any messiah.”
“She’s hardly a messiah, but she is a god, just like I am.”
“That explains a few things about you.”
“You’ll believe I’m a god, but not in a cursed gun belt?”
“I believe in both, but only after seeing them with my own eyes. Tell me, how does a god get mixed up in a human civil war?”
“I wasn’t always a god. I was human, then an Angel. We’re after the leader of the Political Bureau, General Galina Lyakhova. She betrayed Kita and the flock.”
“So she’s an Angel?”
“Was…someone stripped her of her wings.”
“I take it you’re not omnipotent?”
“No. Think of me more like a Greek god.”
“Well, you look the part.”
“Give your body a few weeks and so will you.”
“Ha,” Ryder growled. “I’m dog meat. Always have been. Nothing will fix that.”
“Wait until I work my magic. I give all new Angels a class on beauty.”
“Why?”
“I don’t hang around with ugly people…and beauty is a weapon all its own. I’ll show you.”
“This I can’t wait to see. But you’re stuck hanging around this ugly duckling.”
“You have a rugged beauty. I would never try to make you a beauty queen. That’s not you.”
“Lipstick on a pig and all that.”
Sarin snapped her fingers, then pulled her compact from her belt. She tossed it to Ryder. “Have a look.”
Ryder fumbled with the compact. “How do I even open it?”
Sarin laughed. “The latch on the front.”
Ryder snapped open the compact and bobbled it when the top sprang open. Once she had it under control, she looked in the mirror.
“What did you do? God magic? That’s not me.”
“I did speed up nature a few weeks then a little foundation, some layering, highlighting with the right color, and ta-da.”
Sarin snapped her fingers again, and the makeup vanished. “That is your natural beauty.”
“No way.”
“Get used to looking at it.”
“Why waste it on me?”
“You don’t think you’re worth it?”
“I never wanted to be one to get by on my looks. I had to make sure I pulled my weight.”
“And you will, but there’s no reason you can’t look good doing it. Think of it as a favor to the rest of us.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?”
“I’m a gift to everyone.”
“You don’t lack ego, that’s for sure.”
“Oh, there is no shortage of ego in the flock. It’s all alpha girls. So be ready to hold your own.”
“I can go toe-to-toe with anyone.”
Sarin smiled. “Be careful. Some of the girls are supercharged.”
“Like what?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see. Scarlett, Kristie, Talli, and I are tame compared to others.”
“And when will I get to meet them?”
“Where Kita goes, the others are sure to follow.”
“And you’re sure Kita is coming?”
“Positive. Galina and I are here.”
Ryder’s eyes narrowed. “And who are you to Kita?”
Sarin flashed a dazzling smile. “Her partner.”
“You mean…?”
“She is my true love.”
“I bet you two make quite the pair.”
“We do stand out in a crowd. Now, come, get dressed. It’s time to meet with the others for some quality time.”
“Quality time?”
“We live, love, and fight together. You don’t put your life on the line for a stranger, only those you care about. You need to get to know the others, and they need to get to know you.”
Sarin sat in the shuttle seat waiting to dock with the Political Bureau supply depot that serviced the Shadow Fleet in the Bitterfreeze system. She rested her hand on Talon’s shoulder and opened a cloud connection.
“Intrigued. So, you and Kristi? You make an interesting pair.” She prefaced her statement to make up for the monotone voice she had in cloud form.
“How so?” Talon answered in the high melodic tone of a white cloud.
“She doesn’t seem your type.”
“She’s a kind person, a bit naïve, but in a cute way. She hasn’t been exposed to the horrors we have.”
“Amused. And you’re going to be the one to show it to her?”
“I hope never to have to go through that again,” said Talon.
“We’ve already faced Machines.”
“True, but that was nothing compared to when we first had to deal with Machines. I remember the fear.”
“And we overcame it. As we do everything. I’m surprised Kristi was so accepting of you. I expected her to be a harder nut to crack.”
“I just had to hit the right buttons,” said Talon.
“Laughter. I didn’t know you knew the right buttons.”
“Because I portray myself as solemn and full of piety? What do you think I did with the other owls?”
“Skeptical. Helped the poor, righted the wrongs, good girl stuff.”
“Good girls can be bad.”
“You’re opening up a whole new side to you I would never have guessed.�
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“You’re not the only one who likes sex. Just because I’m not you or Kita and flaunt it.”
“Next time the Pride has a sex party I expect to see you there.”
“I have Kristi now. That’s all I need.”
“Dire. Don’t break her heart.”
“And I thought it would be Sven I’d have to worry about,” said Talon.
“Daddy’s not as imaginative as I am.”
“It’s my heart I worry about. I’m afraid I’m not good enough for Kristi.”
“Of course you are. Why wouldn’t you be?”
“I am just a lowly cook here in UEE space.”
“Posh. You’re as much an elder Angel as I am. You’ve proven yourself. Don’t think any different.”
“I’ve made mistakes,” admitted Talon.
“Agitated. Haven’t we all? Kita chief among us. What’s important is you’ve never let those mistakes beat you and don’t let them start defining you now. You’re too good. You’ve done an excellent job with Talli, just like you did with the other owls.”
“They’re dead because they weren’t ready.”
“They’re dead because Kita tried to shove an owl sized peg through a wolverine sized hole. It’s her fault they died, and she admits it. You trained them for the mission you had.”
“Every Angel is supposed to be able to fight.”
“In her own way, according to her own skill set. You fought the war on poverty and injustice. That’s a specialty few have. It’s important. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“I…I’m sorry, Jane. I don’t mean to dump this on you.”
“It’s why we have each other, to talk, to get over problems like this. To reassure each other in moments of crisis. I’ve had my own questioning of faith. It took me a while to get over leaving Kita and not doing anything about it. I know she told me to go quietly, but it’s hard when I know I might have been able to make a difference or at least made Galina’s life harder.”
“I had the same thoughts, but I don’t think I could have accomplished anything,” said Talon. “So I didn’t even try, I just went along with Galina.”
