by Justin Sloan
“MOVE!” Hadrian shouted, now running.
Samantha was about to go to her station as commanded, but realized that she didn’t know where that was.
Instead, she followed Hadrian.
4
HADRIAN’S SHIP: COMMAND CENTER
Samantha hurried after Hadrian through the brightly lit halls, feeling the surge of the engines as the vessel turned to face the beast. They burst into the command center, where four aliens wearing dark gold armor and helmets manned the ship. A red line marked their helmets at eye level, and their gear reminded Samantha of video games she had seen her neighbor play as a kid. It was always about jumping around and shooting alien enemies, getting new guns and armor, and looking as badass as you could while doing the most damage.
Well, these guys certainly looked badass, she thought.
“Got it in our sights, sir,” one of the aliens said, glancing up as Hadrian entered.
“We’re fighting it?” Samantha asked.
Hadrian turned to her, frowning at her presence, and said, “Fire.”
Not fighting it, she saw as the ship’s blasters began their assault. Attacking the gate.
“Will that work?” she asked.
Hadrian gave her another annoyed glance. “You’re going to have to learn to follow orders, if you’re going to make it on your first mission. But… yes, it will work, in a fashion.”
The beast had seen them and was turning, the points on its horns beginning to glow bright yellow.
“Full power,” Hadrian said, then pressed his fingers to the side of his neck and spoke. His voice projected across the ship like a stereo sound system. “Napalm, we’re going to need you on the command deck.”
One of the glowing horns fired, sending a blast of energy through space. It connected with a bright explosion of light and a ripple of the shields around Hadrian’s ship.
“Evasive maneuvers?” the alien at the controls asked.
Hadrian shook his head. “Steady the attack.”
They let loose a non-stop barrage against the nodes of the gate, not even trying to move out of the way of the next explosive attack. Judging by the glow around the other horn, that attack was about to hit at any moment.
“Sir?” the alien said, voice quivering.
“Hold…” The glow intensified, but they continued their barrage. “Hold…” Here it came, Samantha thought, bracing herself against the wall.
The node exploded just as the horn released its attack.
“MOVE!” Hadrian shouted, grabbing the backs of the two chairs in front of him.
Everyone tilted as the ship jolted with the blast, then took off in flight mode, narrowly avoiding the explosion. They circled up and then came back around, the bright light of stars in the distance causing Samantha to stare for a moment, nearly forgetting their predicament.
“FIRE!” Hadrian shouted, the words pulling Samantha back to the present. She saw that the edges of the gate now looked like a sheet of plastic closing in on itself. It vibrated with sparks of light as the shots hit it, and the monster turned to them with a silent roar.
The doors to the command center slid open and Napalm rushed in, his eyes narrowing in curiosity at the sight of Samantha there.
“Reporting for duty, sir,” he said, taking a solid stance at Hadrian’s side.
“Let’s show Samantha here why you got your name, shall we?” Hadrian nodded to the control panel and said, “We need all expendable energy channeled into those blasters, can you do that?”
Napalm looked uncertain for a moment, but then said, “You tell me when to stop pulling, right? Monitor what we need?”
The alien he had addressed nodded.
“Do it,” Hadrian commanded.
Napalm stepped up, put his hands on the control panel, and closed his eyes. The ship continued its flight, but a massive drain of energy caused a shudder and all lights went out.
“We only need engines and blasters,” Hadrian commanded his pilot.
“We’re at forty-nine percent overall, sir,” the alien replied.
“More, Napalm. Give us more!”
Napalm gritted his teeth, muscles tensing, face turning red. Again the ship shuddered, and Samantha stared in horror as another explosion of energy came at them from the monster’s horns.
“Thirty-five,” the alien said, then leaned in. “Now fifteen!”
“RELEASE THE CANNON!” Hadrian commanded. The ship went still, a perfect target for the monster. But a massive blue light had formed at the front of the vessel, just visible from the edge of the command ship window. Suddenly, the light exploded outward.
It connected with the translucent gate, shattering it like glass that vanished from sight a moment later, along with the monster.
Samantha staggered back, finding a seat on a bench that ran along the back wall.
Hadrian turned to Napalm, a hand on his shoulder. “Well done.”
“Yeah, no shit,” Samantha said, shaking her head in awe. “That was amazing.”
“What the hell was that thing?” Napalm asked.
Hadrian hesitated. “I’ll brief you all, but for now, just know that’s only a sample of what’s to come.”
“And it made it through that gate… why?”
“There are various gates we’ve set up within this galaxy, and others, for inter-galactic travel,” Hadrian explained. “Gates are set up with star nodes, given the power to create a jump. Destroying that node as we did didn’t hurt the monster, it just redirected the gate back upon itself.”
“Sending it home,” Napalm offered, as if that wasn’t clear.
“Yes. The problem is, they aren’t supposed to be able to access these gates to begin with, which means…”
“A traitor?” Samantha asked.
His gaze this time wasn’t annoyed, but slightly worried and impressed. “As inexperienced in such matters as you may be, I’m still surprised at your insight, at times. Yes, the only explanation is that they’ve gotten to one of us. Somehow.”
“Sir, continue as planned?” one of the aliens asked.
Hadrian nodded. “The journey will take longer without the gate, but we can reach the next one within a week. In the meantime, we’ll begin our training on board, though that wasn’t what we’d planned.”
The alien pilot turned to him, waiting. “And… once on planet?”
“I’ll have to meet with the Elders, but I imagine they’ll agree with what I assume you’re thinking.”
“That we have to strike before they reach any more gates?”
“Precisely.” Hadrian’s eyes were now directed at Samantha and Napalm. “Meaning we’re going to have to accelerate training, in a sense. I believe on Earth it would be called in the field training. Or… on the job, maybe?”
“Meaning you’re going to send us to fight those things, as part of our training?” Napalm asked, fiery eyes going wide.
“No,” Samantha said, standing again. “Not those things. We’re going to find the one they’re using. We’re going to find the traitor.”
Hadrian nodded. “If they’ve captured one of our own and are using him or her to access gates, it must be stopped.”
“But why us?”
“The Elders are fighting a bigger war, a different kind of war. You five will be my strike team, a sort of black ops team in space, sent in to see to these sorts of jobs. Missions that are critical to the survival of our universe, but that are best done by a small team that can get in, kick immeasurable amounts of ass, and get out unharmed.”
For a long moment, Samantha and Napalm stared at him. Thoughts of running around space in black commando clothes, the type that Kwan wore in the mess hall, and sniping badass aliens or blowing up their ships before diving into space got her heart pumping with excitement.
“Let’s get to it!” she said.
Napalm smiled. “This is what I signed up for, chief. Put us out there. You won’t be disappointed.”
“That’s what the next week a
board this ship will test,” Hadrian replied, but he couldn’t hide his smile. “I’m glad to see this doesn’t scare you off.”
Samantha shrugged. “Is it terrifying? Hell yes. Does it thrill me to know we’re going to be saving the universe? Double hell yes. The latter outweighs any chance fear would have of raising its ugly face.”
Napalm laughed. “What she said.”
“Good.” Hadrian nodded to the door. “Now, follow orders. Get some rest while I brief the others. When we’re clear of this section of the galaxy, we’ll begin training.”
Samantha didn’t hesitate to follow orders this time, and as one of the aliens showed them to their chambers, she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Her friends back on Earth had thought she was crazy. She had started to believe she was crazy! Now that craziness was going to be unleashed on those alien bastards she had seen in her visions and nightmares.
They had no idea what was coming for them.
HADRIAN STARED out at space as they flew away from the gate, annoyed that he couldn’t simply transport the whole lot of them along with the ship instantly. It was inevitable, he figured, that the gate would be breached. The group needed time to train, so this wasn’t the worst setback. What came next though, would be the determining factor.
To what extent had the enemy breached the gates?
“Jackal, pull up the Elders,” Hadrian commanded.
His pilot looked up, then nodded. “On it.”
Screeching sounded as the windows shifted to a viewing screen showing a display of the reception room of an ancient castle. As Hadrian watched, the room in the image vibrated as if struck.
The image of Elder Orlean appeared, her eyes off-screen as she cursed. At the sight of Hadrian, her expression darkened. Still, she retained her regal poise, lavender hair tied up behind her and a crown of glowing white resting on her turquoise forehead. Golden robes flowed about her, and in the background the other members of the Elders were visible, each wrapped up in their own heated discussions.
“They opened siege the moment you left!” Orelan screamed into the display. “You were given strict orders—”
“I’m an equal member of the Elders,” Hadrian corrected her. “You very explicitly voiced your opinion, and I told you it was wrong. Need we carry on with this charade, or shall we move on to the topic at hand?”
Orlean seethed, but nodded.
“It’s worse than you thought,” he went on. “They haven’t just begun the assault there, they’ve breached the gates.”
The anger on Orlean’s face was replaced with concern. “How is it you know this, but your ship still operates and you’re still alive?”
“The team is with me. One of them took out the nearest gate, but that won’t hold the enemy off for long.”
“All I can say is hurry,” she replied, then swiveled off-camera to order a team of pilots to mount the defensive. “We’ll meet you on planet,” she added when she turned back to Hadrian. “We’ve been compromised here. It’s the only way.”
“It’s a signal to the alliance, one we can’t afford to ignore.”
“And if we stay here the Elders die. What sort of signal would that send? What would that do for morale?”
Hadrian consented to that with a grunt. “Then I look forward to seeing you soon, Elder Orlean.”
She nodded, then turned with a flurry of golden robes and walked off, leaving Hadrian to clear the display with a swipe of his hand.
The Elders watching his every move wasn’t exactly welcome, though he had expected something like this after setting off against their will.
He had no choice. None of them knew what was truly happening. None of them understood what these five chosen ones would bring to the alliance, what great feats they would accomplish as they carved the path to victory.
5
HADRIAN’S SHIP: TRAINING BAY
Samantha had lain in bed for hours trying to sleep, thinking about home while staring up at the perfectly white ceiling. If all this was real, what’d that mean for what she could do now?
If her memory of those days fighting alongside her mom was accurate, she had made things explode just with her mind. She had even flown, to a degree. All such memories had been pushed aside as nonsense, her mind’s way of coping with a disturbed childhood. But didn’t Hadrian’s presence prove otherwise?
At first, she hadn’t thought much of it—another mission her kickass mom was going to dominate. But then they never came back, and the real assault by the Syndicate began. It got worse and worse, and by the time Dan found Samantha, she was different. She wasn’t the same fighter. She wanted to hide in the dark corners and just be done with all of the explosions, death, and chaos.
Soon, that different had become the norm, until Dan had convinced her to join the LRR. It wasn’t long before her gusto for life and fighting the Syndicate had returned, but by then she had convinced herself most of what she remembered was a dream.
Her mom? Likely killed in some ambush that Samantha had blocked out of her memory, she thought.
But not anymore. This journey was real, as had been her powers…which meant the story Dan had told her of her mom going to a time ship could have been real. Whatever happened after that was anyone’s guess.
Finally, Samantha’s eyelids had grown heavy and she let sleep take her. For the first time she could remember, it was a sleep full of rest and pleasant thoughts. Her dreams took her to a day with her grandmother, visiting the old house in the country. Fields with fireflies dancing in the evening, sipping lemonade in her grandmother’s lap, and hearing stories about earlier days, what Samantha’s mom had been like before joining the Marines.
That was the world she fought for—a world of moments that mattered.
When she woke, she did her usual routine of pushups and stretches, then found an outfit someone must have dropped off for her while she was sleeping. It was a black training gear, much like the outfit Kwan had arrived in. The shoes were a hybrid of running shoes and boots, and the pants were made out of a material that was tight enough to not catch on anything, but loose enough to not restrict her movements.
She practiced a few kicks and takedown moves, stuff Dan and others before him had shown her, and felt ready for anything. The tank top was slightly too revealing for her tastes, but she was glad to see another shirt to wear over it. That was another part of growing older that had annoyed her—having to worry about clothes being too revealing and the thoughts they sent through the men’s minds on her team. She was supposed to be just another one of the team, a fighter, a warrior. It was hard to pretend that was true when eyes wandered where they shouldn’t.
Not that she would have ever complained if that had been the case with Dan… but it never was.
The last thing she wanted right now was to get lost in thoughts of him, so she went to find the others and see when training would start. The excitement over having a true purpose was overwhelming, and if she wasn’t preparing every spare minute, she thought she would burst.
Three doors down, she heard a muffled sound and figured that whoever it was must be awake. Pausing, she noticed the door ajar and lifted her hand to knock, but then froze.
In the mirror, she saw the reflection of Carma, completely nude, on top of someone. The two were moving as if in a small boat that rocked with the waves. She watched as hands moved up, caressing the woman’s back, then moved lower.
It was a sight Samantha had never seen. Sure, she had walked in on men and women making love back on Earth. Sometimes in the barracks of the LRR she had even seen it happening in a bunk three or four over, as if they didn’t know anyone was awake, or didn’t care.
This was different, though she couldn’t put her finger on why. Suddenly, Carma sat up and turned to look her way. For a moment, her eyes lingered on Samantha, then her eyebrows raised in a Do you like what you’re seeing way. Horrified to be caught looking, Samantha was about to turn and go when Carma backed up off the bed and the other figure rose
to look—another Carma!
Before Samantha could process this, the second version of Carma had vanished and it was just the original, throwing on a silk robe that barely covered her.
“My apologies,” Carma said, coming to the door and pulling it the rest of the way open. “It must have opened without me knowing.”
Samantha wasn’t sure if she should believe that, but was too flabbergasted by what she’d just seen to make a decision one way or the other. Instead, she just blinked hard, trying to get the image out of her mind.
The sensation of being tempted by something that went completely against your natural cravings was a frustrating and very curious one.
“On my planet, we don’t always need someone else to keep us… occupied,” Carma said. “Is it not the same on yours?”
Samantha blushed. “I was hoping the training would start soon and was looking for the rest of the team. Sorry to interrupt.”
“Is it not the same on yours?” the woman repeated.
Frowning, Samantha couldn’t help but notice the way the robe was falling slightly too low as Carma asked the question.
“I’m just… gonna go.” Samantha turned and started walking, mind spinning.
“Wait, I’ll come with you,” Carma said, skipping after her like a water nymph skimming across the pond.
Running a hand through her hair, Samantha bit her lip, wondering how to phrase her thoughts. “I don’t know if it’d be appropriate. In those clothes, I mean.”
Carma glanced down, realizing she was slightly exposed, and smiled. “My, you have a point. The men would likely explode, am I right?”
“I’m sure you are.”
“Give me two minutes.” Carma disappeared back inside, once again not bothering to close the door. Samantha stood in the hallway, arms folded across her chest, waiting.
