by Nyk Nova
“I live but to protect my Lady’s best interests. However, at this juncture, you have two very brilliant choices. Kill the man who has brought you shame. Or have him bring you honor in victory over your enemies. Both wishes are from your own machinations. Perhaps a test of trust is in order?”
Jer’ren lowered the dagger. “Go on.”
“There is still the small matter of a certain artifact.”
“We would not trust him with such a thing. We refuse!” She raised the knife once more.
“Mother!” A youthful voice called out from the doorway.
“We are halted at every turn.” Jer’ren spun around to see a young woman stepping lively and purposefully toward her. The woman’s visage was different than the others. Her paler features slightly gave way to a darker complexion. And her clothes, while still in the planet’s colors were less restrictive and flowing.
“Ler’ren, this is no place for you,” Jer’ren said.
“But if I am to one day be Empress, would it not be best for me to learn the ways of rule?”
“Perhaps you would care to do the honors for us?” Jer’ren began passing the dagger to her daughter.
“No, mother. I do not wish for his death.”
Jer’ren took note of her daughter’s expression. It was one she had once had in her own youth. It was a look of intrigue and interest. The Empress watched as her daughter became smitten with the general. “We fear your tastes are too rich, Ler’ren.”
“Please, mother.”
Jer’ren took another glance at Kade then turned to Roland. “My daughter, I fear, is just as I was at her age. In a time before you grew so very cold. Very well. I will give you two choices, Roland, my love. You and your little group can find yourselves in the trenches or you can fight for Lugaz. Will either of those be sufficient, Ler’ren?”
Ler’ren smiled and hugged her mother who cleared her throat, reminding her that while her offspring, she was still Empress. Certain decorum was still expected. Even from one who would eventually take over.
“Forgive me, my Empress. Yes, those options are sufficient as long as I can see him when I choose.”
“Should he survive his trials, you will surely get that.”
“If it please the Empress,” Epok broke in. “There was a question of trust in the obtaining?”
“Our enemy— the very man who brought shame upon us will now bring us victory. Treason is of some concern. Specifically in the obtaining.”
“Then it is a perfect test of loyalty. Our scouts inform that Oscerian communication lines have been cut on Tagle. The Oscerians still believe the war is occurring and so are still fighting. It is an opportune moment to acquire that which you seek with little opposition.”
Roland watched as Jer’ren put the knife back in her belt. A sigh of relief slowly escaped his lungs.
“Very well,” Jer’ren said. “These five will aid our forces on Tagle.” She leaned into Kade’s ear. “If you fail in this, regardless of Ler’ren’s wishes, I will slit your throat. Pray that your failure results in your death at the hands of your brethren.”
18
Kade and the others were led through the ship hangar, passed the space fairing and flying vehicles of Lugaz. Kade swallowed hard at the sight. His battles had been kept to the ground. As general of the Oscerian military, it was his duty to oversee the combat missions and while he had certainly passed word to his officers, Kade liked to have a more hands on approach. He had heard reports of the battles that had occurred amongst the star ways but he had not participated in any. This was the first time he had seen the Lugazian fleet. A sight he was sure was only a small part of it.
The ships were fearful weapons of war. Every one of them armed on all sides. It was rare that any of the ships or jets had only one gun on them.
“I saw the smaller ones in the second war,” Roland said. “It appears Lugaz has changed quality for quantity.”
“For all the good it did them,” Lyra said.
Kade looked on at the sheer amount of crew rushing in and out of the ships. Each one, had their own military. A part of him was relieved he didn’t have to face one of those on his own. The Siege Machines were difficult enough.
“How many space tours did you go on?” Kade asked Roland.
“Two. One of them was with Korren’Tor.”
“Father was a captain?”
Roland chuckled. “No. Though it would have suited him. That was the first time I’d met him. We shared an escape pod when the captain decided that ramming the ship was the only way to take out a Lugazian Goliath.”
“That’s a lot of ship to take down,” Tuk commented.
“Indeed,” Roland responded. “A most fearsome vessel.”
“Did it work?” Kade asked.
“Pieces from both ships rained all around us as we made planet fall. Another disaster both sides had to avoid before the ground fighting began.”
The guards pressed them forward, silencing the conversation. Empress Jer’ren’s word may have been law but that didn’t mean there was trust from her people. Especially not of the man who’d brought shame to Lugaz.
They made their way around the nose of a jet, heading toward a smaller ship. It looked like an amalgamation of space ship and jet.
“Impressive, isn’t it,” a man said, stepping out of the vessel. “Our jets can fly in atmosphere but not space. And our ships burn up too much fuel flying in atmosphere. This manages to perform in both. A testament to Lugazian engineering.”
“Tare?” Kade asked, shocked at the sight of the very man who surrendered to him.
“General Kade’Tor Lorenth. Or is it Assassin of Emperors, now? Both take same amount of effort to say, so I suppose either is fitting.”
“How are you not in an Oscerian cell?”
“I wondered the same thing at first. But with the war over, I’m not exactly a strategic prisoner.”
“So you two know each other,” Payce said.
“Not exactly old friends, but yes,” Tare snarled. “Enemies on the battlefield-turned allies on Lugaz.”
“I’m not allying with you,” Kade insisted.
Tare unholstered his side arm. An unimpressive hand gun but more than enough to execute any one of the prisoners. “You would prefer this, then?”
Kade relaxed his tense muscles, relinquishing his defiance.
“A wise decision. Now, please, step aboard.”
Kade hesitated to get onto the Lugaz weapon of war. There was a fear that doing so was a complete commitment to Jer’ren. He wasn’t quite ready for that but he stepped forward, realizing he would never be ready for it.
The inside of the vessel was mostly bare. It looked more like it was a cargo transport than anything. The way Tare had gone on about it made the whole thing seem like it was the new pride of Lugaz.
“Where are the others?” Lyra asked.
“We call her the Vesper Haste,” Tare said, ignoring the question in favor of extolling the virtues of the ship. “I know that her insides are empty but the loss of weight has her the fastest ship in the fleet. Not counting those with on board portal talismans.”
“So, not the fastest,” Payce commented.
“The Vesper Haste is the lightest and most maneuverable of the ships at our disposal. Her purpose is to get our soldiers in and out before she can be targeted. But her workings are none of your concern. You have a mission ahead of you and I am to quicken your journey to getting there and back.” Tare walked to the front of the ship, leaving the Oscerians to themselves.
“We could take the whole thing over,” Lyra suggested.
“We can’t, actually,” Roland pointed at two automated guns on either side of the cargo hold.
They were no greater caliber than the one at Tare’s side but like Tare’s, they would be enough to put the prisoners down for good.
Tare returned seconds later. “And now, if you would all take your places over here, we are about to lift off.”
Kade searched around where Tar
e had referred them. There was no place to sit and nothing to strap into or even hold onto.
“The Gravimetric Merger takes care of the need for that,” Tare said, knowing what Kade was thinking. “She needs as much space as possible. So we needed to get rid of a few inefficiencies such as seating. Just be sure you all stay behind the yellow line.”
Everyone looked at the floor, making sure they did as instructed. None of them wanted to be slammed into the floor when the Vesper Haste took off.
A sky hatch opened in the roof of the hangar while red lights spun around, letting all on the floor know that a take off was about to occur. Those nearest the Vesper Haste rushed to safety to avoid getting crushed by the magnetic waves as they blasted out from the hover wells at the bottom of the ship.
The floor around the hover wells, rippled and pulsed as the surges of repulsion kicked out. They started slow then sped up as light bent around the waves, affected by the engines.
Finally the rapid pulsing stopped and a single, long alarm blared from the ship. Suddenly one last pulse shot out, launching the Vesper Haste up through the sky hatch.
Those in the ship felt nothing under the intense pressure of the launch. Roland stood, impressed by the science of it. He looked at Lyra who he could tell wanted to know more. Hover technology was not new to the Oscerians but none of them, not even Kade had experienced a launch that fast.
Tare looked back at them with a smug smile. It made him feel superior that Lugaz had such a machine and Osceria did not.
“So, it’s just us?” Kade asked, noting the lack of Lugazian soldiers. “I thought I was to lead the Lugazian troops?”
“First, you’ll have to get there. Now I would hold your breath if I were you. We’re about to launch the Wave Engine.”
“I thought that—”
“Launching,” Tare interrupted Kade. He pressed a single button and the front of the ship stretched farther away. The prisoners stumbled, trying to make sure their feet were solid and stable. The middle of the ship began to stretch as the Wave Engine increased velocity in ways their senses could not keep up with. Size and mass became meaningless under the engine’s power.
Kade glanced at Roland only to find his features had also become elongated and distorted. He stuck his own hands out in front and could barely see the tips of his fingers, they were so far away.
Tare looked back at them and mouthed something. It took several seconds before Kade finally heard it as the rest of the ship caught up to the front.
“We’re here,” Tare’s voice finally said. He walked toward the prisoners, already looking normal while they were just starting to return to their regular states.
The Oscerians inhaled deeply. The speed of the ship had drawn the air not only out of their lungs but also away from them.
“I warned you,” Tare said with a smile.
Kade glared at him.
“In any case, we have arrived.” Tare pointed to the windows at the cockpit. Outside of the ship was Tagle. It wasn’t a large planet but it had served Osceria as a military outpost. And it was certainly big enough for more fighting.
“Why don’t you tell your people the war is over?” Roland asked.
“And miss an opportunity to kill more Oscerians? Why would we do that?” Tare said.
Kade began to step toward Tare, angry at the comment.
“Please remain behind the yellow line,” Tare reminded. “It is for your safety as well as our own. We’ll be in atmosphere very soon. I’ll give you your briefing then.”
“I’ve already been briefed,” Kade said.
The ship made its way toward Tagle. Tuk watched as the clouds grew larger. It was clear that it was a very pretty planet, much like its bigger sister, Osceria. But as an outpost, it had been more focused on weaponry. Unlike Osceria— Tagle was not a planet for civilians.
Roland frowned, hoping there weren’t too many of his brethren that had been killed by the Lugazian invaders. The very invaders he was being forced to join.
The air in the ship warmed as it made its way through the atmosphere. The controlled flight kept things from getting too hot.
“The discomfort will be over soon,” Tare said.
“You speak of the heat or of the mission?” Payce asked.
“The choice is yours.”
Finally they could feel the ship slow and the air return to normal. Kade listened for the buckling sound of metal as it lowered to the ground. But no such sound occurred.
“We’ve stopped?” Kade asked.
“We’re too high to be targeted by any surface to air weapons. And I don’t want you distracted when I tell you what your mission is— your true mission.”
Kade glanced at the others, gauging their own confusion. There was something in Tare’s voice. An intent that hinted at a malicious scheme.
“This mission is a test for you. To see if you are truly on the side of Lugaz. I have my doubts but I serve my Empress. It is true that Tagle offers little military advantage to Lugaz. Victory in a fight is not why our forces are down there. Nor is it takeover that we seek. It is, in fact an item. An Oscerian treasure. I believe you’ve heard of it?”
Roland’s brow turned inward, already not liking what Tare was insinuating.
“You are to lead your little group here to the fortress, housing the Spirit Ignition Stone,” Tare went on.
“Are you crazy?” Kade yelled. “It’s too dangerous!”
“Maybe for you. But Jer’ren has demanded it. And so our forces seek to carry out her will. A task that has now fallen to you.”
“So I’m just supposed to lead Lugaz to a weapon that could give your entire planet the key to taking over Osceria.”
“It is absurd, I agree,” Tare said. “That it would take a piece of Oscerian trash to bring Lugaz to ultimate victory when that honor belongs to a Lugazian.”
“But if you could do it yourself…” Lyra said.
“Alas, my Empress seeks other paths to victory.” Tare stepped toward a screen on the wall and activated it. The prisoners watched as his finger flicked over various options— different capabilities of the ship, no doubt. Tare looked back at them then down at the yellow line. “Sadly, I do not know where the fortress is, exactly. And our intelligence on the ground has not been very communicative about such. Perhaps one of you knows where it is. Either way. You are to retrieve the stone and contact me for pick up.”
“And where will you be?” Kade asked.
“Up here.” Tare tapped one of the on-screen choices and a wall of energy closed up in front of the prisoners.
“What is this?”
“We’re trapped,” Tuk said, looking behind them at the same type of wall.
“Tare, what are you doing?” Kade demanded.
“My orders are only to bring you to Tagle. I have done so. What happens next is out of my hands.” He tapped another option and a voice began a ten second countdown. “Besides, The Vesper Haste is fast but I am not ready to test her against Oscerian missiles. I think we’ll stay up here.”
“Tare!” Kade yelled.
“We both have our missions,” Tare smiled. “Good luck making it to yours.”
“One,” the countdown said.
The metal sound of locks disengaging were like bomb blasts in the ears of the prisoners as the box they’d suddenly found themselves in, dropped from the Vesper Haste, free falling to the planet’s surface.
19
The Oscerians were slammed into the roof of the box they were in. There was no sound of rushing air. Only yelling, muffled by the sudden pressure in their ears as their new prison dropped, rapidly, to the surface below.
“Payce?” Roland yelled.
“Too big and too fast!” Payce yelled back. “I can’t slow it down, much less stop it!”
Kade looked out at the blue sky. They were still well above the clouds and could not gauge just how fast they were moving. The blue seemed to stay perfectly still while they fell under it.
“Options?
” Tuk asked.
“Stay on our backs or roll to our fronts!” Lyra yelled. “Either way, we crash!”
“General?” Tuk looked at Kade.
They were all smashed against the roof under the force of the fall. Even if they could walk around in their falling prison, there was nowhere to go. Kade looked all over the box for any sign of controls or something that could reverse their trajectory or at least slow it down enough to prevent their deaths.
“Barely even started and already betrayed,” Kade gritted his teeth.
“What did you expect?” Payce asked.
The blue sky had become dotted with pockets of white clouds. It wouldn’t be much longer till they hit the ground.
The box fell through the air, staying relatively straight. A tumble would have made things that much worse. At least this way, the prisoners could gauge their surroundings. Short-lived as it would be.
Kade looked out the energy wall as his mind raced to find a solution. In the distance he caught sight of a white plume of smoke racing upward. The projectile reached its apex then made a sudden sharp turn back downward.
“Scimitar Missile!” Kade shouted.
“The Oscerian forces are going to blow us out of the sky!” Tuk yelled.
“At least we won’t hit the ground,” Payce said, casually.
“Not in one piece,” Roland added.
“Payce, can you stop it?” Kade asked.
“To what end?”
“To the end that we live just a little longer.”
“I can try a barrier but it’s only going to be in the front and it will have to be at the very last moment or we’ll fall away from the shield.”
The missile rocketed right for the falling prison. Kade glanced back at Payce and saw his fingers moving in an inexplicable pattern. As if they had many bones or none at all. Either way they flowed in unnatural directions as his mouth muttered inaudibly.
The Scimitar Missile had become clear enough to make out the detail of its nose cone. Roland, Lyra and Tuk shut their eyes tight, preparing for the blast and a quick death.
“Payce!” Kade shouted, his eyes widening as the missile closed in, mere feet from them.
