NORDIC WRATH (War In the Void Book 2)

by Anthony Thackston

  “And that is?” Benjamin softly tapped the table surface.

  “Regain his ship. Regain his crew. Connect with the Slagschip. Enact whatever his plan for Admiral Collins and destroy the Earth’s economy.”

  “The economy?” Durham raised one eyebrow. “Doesn’t sound that bad.”

  “It has the potential to be worse than a full scale war.” Benjamin stood from his chair. “War, for all of its disaster, has proven to bring people together for a common good. At least where alien attacks are concerned. But when financial matters are at stake, people tend to devolve into violence. One person loses all their money, they may go into a life of crime just to pay the rent. But imagine if everyone became suddenly broke. Do you know what grocery stores would look like? People fighting over the last loaf of bread or can of beans in the aisle? It could create a civil war on Earth. One where there are no sides but everyone is out for themselves. We’d tear each other apart.”

  “Well, when you put it that way.” Durham slumped in his chair.

  “And he can do it, too.” Benjamin walked to Mona. “He’s already got his ship back. That, coupled with the teleporter, and he could be in and out of any facility whenever he wants.”

  Irons stared at the holographic display of Haddron above the table. “So he’s got two out of four boxes checked off.” His gaze switched to Mona and Benjamin. “The safe bet is he’s on his way to his crew or he’s already met them. Next is to connect with a—What did you call it?” He asked Sitasha.

  “The Slagschip.”

  “Right,” Irons said. “I wanna know what that is.”

  Seven

  Slagschip

  Planet Erra circled around the star Taygeta in the Pleiades system. It was one of three worlds in the system the Nordics were from. Those who chose not to live on Earth enjoyed a life where all of their needs were provided for. Earth would see it as a socialist society and so rejected many of their customs. The treaty allowed for those Nordics who wished to experience other social structures to assimilate into Earth culture while still maintaining some of their own customs.

  In the capital city of Shugaar, the tallest buildings were made of a quartz-like material. Crystalline and reflective, the buildings created a natural light source as Taygeta’s rays pierced the building exteriors and shone back out in multiple directions. As long as Shugaar was in Taygeta’s light, the city would be illuminated but as the planet rotated, Shugaar would find itself in pitch black. It was a welcome change for the Nordics who embraced the night as much as the day. Between the allied planets, Earth was the only one whose people defied the dark with artificial light and technology.

  Haddron looked down on the city from his ship. It had been a long time since he’d seen Erra and Shugaar. He’d almost forgotten what the city looked like during his sentence. Adding his time spent in battle during the Ka’traxis Brood War, he wondered if his own people still remembered him. Those on the ship were the last to see him after the war.

  “Shall we tag along?” Elit asked.

  “This is something I must do alone.” Haddron made his way to the bridge door.

  Laura stepped forward. “Surely Sitasha has warned them of your release.”

  “Then they should be ready to receive me. But I do not wish for them to yet know of your involvement. And things may become agitated when they hear of my request.”

  “We can handle agitated.” Jammin started for the door.

  Haddron held up his hand. “But you will not handle it. I go alone.” He pressed the lens at his waist.

  “Haddron! Things are—“ Naura started.

  The light from his teleporter flashed and in an instant he was gone.

  “Different,” she finished quietly.

  Jammin smiled. “He’ll find out just how different real quick.”

  Kar’libon snarled at the Nordic.

  “I wonder how they’ll skewer him.” Elit spun the knife tip on his finger, unconcerned for the success or failure of Haddorn’s next move.

  * * *

  Haddron stood in the empty hallway into which he had teleported. The walls were frosted and he could see shadows moving around on the other side but not who they belonged to. Just a mass of forms going about their day. He turned his attention to a set of double doors. Above them was a bronze plaque. Written on it were words in the Nordic language.

  “Grand Council,” Haddron spoke the words in Earth english.

  He walked to the doors and pushed them both open as he stepped through.

  The next room was dimmer. The floor was an emerald Safire color. The quartz ceiling spread the light from outside throughout the room. It bounced off the floor, giving the lower half of the room an emerald tint.

  A desk sat in front of another door. This one was unassuming and less grand than those Haddron had just stepped through.

  “Hello, brother,” a cheerful woman said from behind the desk. She spoke in the native language.

  Haddron stopped and breathed in the words. It had been so long since he’d heard a voice in the words of Erra. It was almost symphonic to him.

  “Do you have an appointment this day?” she asked.

  Haddron stepped up to the desk. “Forgive me. It has been too long. Do you speak english?”

  “An Earth language? I do.”

  “Wonderful. It has been so long since I have spoken Erran, I’m afraid I will say the wrong meanings.”

  “You have been on Earth long?”

  “Yes and no. Perhaps you know who I am?”

  “I do not.” She smiled. “But all are welcome to the Grand Council should they have an appointment. Did you have one this day?”

  “Unofficially.”

  The woman looked down at her desk and scanned a document. “The council is very busy this day. Perhaps you would like to set an appointment for a future time.”

  “I’m afraid that is not possible.” Haddron tried to put on a smile, hoping that the pleasant woman would look past the oversight.

  “Then I feel terrible as I will have to turn down your—”

  Haddron struck her quickly.

  The woman fell face down in her desk, unconscious. Haddron walked to the other side and checked her pulse. It was strong.

  “It is I who feels terrible, sister. I hope that when you wake up all will be explained and you will come to join my crusade.”

  He turned to the single door and opened it. His ears were met by the sound of laughter while his eyes were met by darkness.

  Haddron reached out to his sides and felt the cool obsidian walls of the hallway. They were smooth as if polished. A dim but comfortable light shone from the other end of the hallway. The black walls absorbed the light and reflected none of it.

  The Grand Council was a place of confidential discussion. A place where members discussed all things political and social on matters pertaining to Erra. And as such, the room was designed to keep out prying eyes.

  As Haddron approached the source of the laughter, he could plainly see there was no one before the council. Only the members sat in their circle. Older men that thought themselves decision makers among the people. Those who gave advice, guidance and worst of all, permission. It was all in the name of what they believed to be the greater good of Erra’s people.

  Haddron knew how he wanted this to play out. But he was ready to convince them in other ways if need be.

  “Long has it been since I walked through this hallowed space.” Haddron stepped into the chamber and glanced at each council member sitting above the floor. Seven of them had themselves elevated above those who sought their wisdom.

  “Who’s there?” the older man in the middle asked.

  “Do you not recognize me?” Haddron stepped closer. “Am I already a forgotten son of Erra?”

  “Haddron Lariscthyus?”

  The other men went silent.

  “Has your sentence been served so soon?” the older man asked.

  “It has, old friends. I have been let back into
the world.”

  The old man in the middle looked at his contemporaries. His expression was one of concern. He returned his attention to Haddron and forced a smile. “This is a brighter day, then isn’t it? One of our own has returned to us. Glad tidings indeed.”

  Haddron stopped in the middle of the room. “I am afraid I must save any celebration until the appropriate hour. I come seeking the Council’s blessing and participation.”

  “Our blessing is freely given on most anything. But we would hear more on our participation.”

  Haddron looked at the obsidian floor, trying to find the correct words. He knew going in that there was a chance he would not hear what he wanted.

  “During the Ka’traxis Brood War, Erra allied with Earth against Queen Ju’ T-Leen. All Nordics did not fight in that battle. But in that time we developed an adequate fighting force.”

  “One that has mostly disbanded since those days, Haddron. Is there a new threat you were made aware of during your imprisonment?”

  “There is, Council.” Haddron grinned at the fortunate question. “The new threat is Earth.”

  The Council members spoke amongst themselves in hushed whispers.

  Haddron smiled again. If he could win them to his side, his revenge would be that much easier.

  “The humans, with their other less evolved actions and attitudes, have excelled at the art of accusation without sufficient evidence. They believe the first thing they see or hear rather than seeing all of the angles.”

  “Speak plainly, Haddron. Humans have been this way since long before we allied ourselves with them. What has that to do with us?”

  “My very imprisonment.” Haddron clenched his fists.

  “Your imprisonment was of no doing other than your own.”

  “During my sentence, I overheard murmers. Talk of Earth planning an attack on Erra. On our people,” he lied. Deceit was not part of his plan but he needed the Council members to side with him.

  “To what end?” another Council member asked.

  “Why else do humans attack?” Haddron asked. “To conquer. Enslave. To take resources. They’re no different than the Ka’traxis.”

  “You seek war with Earth?”

  “I seek preemptive measures. A counter before they can strike.”

  “This is a matter most serious, Haddron. If you are wrong, it would be more harmful to our people than it would Earth’s.”

  “I am not wrong.”

  The Council members returned to conferring with each other.

  “Yes, of course,” the middle Councilman said to his colleagues. He looked back at Haddron. “Leave us and we will discover the root of all of this. Perhaps we can come to a new understanding with the humans. Diplomacy worked before. There is no reason to believe—”

  “There is no time!” Haddron interrupted. “Forgive me. You’re right. It’s too important to leave up to conjecture and rumor. Still…” He thought carefully of his next words. The Council’s response to his additional request would determine the course of his future on Erra. “In case they are not rumors, allow me the use of the Slagschip.”

  “Are you mad, Haddron?”

  “Just as a preventative. If the humans do attack, I can hold them off long enough for Erra to fortify.”

  “Absolutely not. The Slagschip is forbidden to anyone until such a time as it is absolutely necessary. I see through you, Haddron Lariscthyuus. Earth is no threat to us. It is your mind for revenge that is a threat. A mind that will surely put us at war with Earth.”

  The rest of the Council raised their voices, pointing and ordering Haddron to leave and making other accusations at him.

  Haddron lowered his head. “You are wrong, Council.”

  “I do not like your tone, Haddron.” the old Council man rose. “You will leave this chamber and all thoughts of revenge shall go with you.”

  “If you will not give me your blessing then I will take it.”

  “What is that? Guards!” the Council man ordered.

  “Guards?” Haddron lifted his head, surprised at the order. The Council had never before seen a need for guards.

  Two lines of sword-wielding Nordics streamed from doorways on either side of the room. Their blades reflected the light as they bounced with the steps of the men.

  The guards lined up as a barricade to the Council members, one row in front of the other. Their swords were held in an offensive position toward Haddron.

  Haddron analyzed them, looking for a way through their lines. The most obvious was to teleport to the Council but this could make a good time to show them who he had become.

  The guards reformed to surround Haddron. All ten of them kept the circle tight enough that slipping through was impossible.

  “It pains us that this is even necessary.” The old Council member leaned forward.

  “When did this ever become necessary?”

  “When you turned others to your ways. After your betrayal of Earth.”

  Haddron sighed. “This would have been easier had you relented.”

  “Seize him!” the Councilman ordered.

  The first guard launched himself at Haddron.

  Haddron easily side-stepped and and thrust his foot backwards, knocking the guard into another. Both guards tumbled to the floor while two more rushed at Haddron. The Nordic stayed in one place, dodging the sword strikes until an opening presented itself.

  Finally he thrust his arm out, jabbing his fingers into the throat of one guard.

  That guard dropped his sword and Haddron threw a swift punch into the second guard’s nose. He too, dropped his sword.

  The six guards that remained, reformed their circle while Haddron lifted the fallen blades.

  “I have yet to train with weapons such as these.” He spun them them around, left hand then right before finally spinning both.

  The six remaining guards looked at one another, nearly frozen in their spots by how fast Haddron was. And with four of them already defeated it was as if they weren’t even there. The odds did not favor them.

  Most Nordics were pacifist in nature. Very few of them had any interest in conflict. Those rare individuals like Haddron had fought in the war alongside Humans. The ones who made it home after the war took on new jobs in their society where combat skills and the like could be useful. Most of them had not had to use such skills during the time of peace. None of them had continued training like Haddron.

  Two swords swung at him but Haddron parried them away swiftly enough to spin the guards holding the swords. He kicked one of them and slashed at the other, cutting him deeply enough to take him out of the fight.

  Four left.

  All four attacked Haddron at once. They were more skilled than the others and held their ground long enough to impress the Nordic attacker.

  Beneath all of the swinging blades, Haddron smiled. He was proud that others such as him lived on Erra. Proud that should any attacker make an attempt on the planet, they would be well defended. There was no honor or sense in killing any of them. But there was no time to continue with an exhibition.With six already down, he had proven his point.

  Haddron slashed at one sword, sending it out of that guard’s hand and into the wall. He bent backwards, avoiding a second sword thrusting straight toward him while a third guard swung his sword down at Haddron. But the invading Nordic swung his dual blades across the torso of the latter. Wounded, that guard dropped his weapon before he could strike Haddron. He backed away, clutching at the shallow cut across his stomach.

  Haddron dropped to his back and tripped the second guard. Then he popped up onto his feet and kicked the sword away.

  Two guards left.

  Haddron held both his weapons pointed at the now shaking guards. “Drop them.”

  The swords clanged to the ground.

  “What are you doing?” the old Councilman asked. “Stop him.”

  Haddron tossed down his swords and pressed the lens on his teleporter.

  The light fla
shed on the floor then flashed next to the old Councilman.

  Haddron stood on the arm rest of the chair and leaned down, grabbing at a silver chain around the old man’s neck. “I will have my revenge.” He tugged the chain, snapping it off of the old man. “With or without your blessing.”

  He held up the chain and stared at the silver key hanging from it.

  “Slagschip.” Haddron pressed the lens again and vanished in the flash of light.

  The Council members’ eyes darted around the room, hoping Haddron would appear. Hoping they could plead with him to drop the matter. To end his thirst for revenge.

  One of the councilmen stood. “We must warn the citizenry.”

  “He will bring war to Erra,” claimed another.

  “War with Earth,” one more added.

  “We will reach out to their leaders. Warn them. They will put a stop to this before it gets worse.”

  “And if they cannot defeat the Slagschip?” one asked.

  The old Councilman fell lower in his seat. “Then both Earth and Erra are lost.”

  * * *

  Haddron appeared in a dark room. He felt around for anything familiar. Finally his hand rested on a cube. He twisted it and a blue light glowed, illuminating the console on which it sat.

  Four recessed tubes lit up with the same light as it traveled in a cross pattern away from the console. Various other consoles lit up and the whole room came alive with sights and sounds. Reports from broadcasts throughout the cosmos, natural disasters and battles flickered through the air as if the open space above all of the workings was a screen.

  Haddron looked down at his console and pressed the cube. All of the transmissions disappeared and he was left in the silence of the space.

  “We will merge.” Haddron inserted the key into the single slot on the console. With one turn a thunderous sound erupted from the beneath him.

  Haddron grabbed hold of a lever and pushed it sideways. Vibrations surged through the floor. He smiled as the entire room shook.

  A crashing sound came from above him and he slid his finger across a clear panel. The front of the room opened up to the light of Shugaar.

  Haddron watched as the buildings of the city began to rapidly pass by him as he rose higher and higher until he finally cleared them and all he could see was sky.