He put his thermal cloak on. “I’ll work on the shuttle right now. I know the weather’s bad, but I have to at least try.”
“Are you sure you can do it alone?” she asked.
He looked her in the eye and nodded. “Don’t worry; I’ve learned a lot in the last few days.” He took the scanner and put the rakna blade on his belt. When he went to leave he turned to Seles one more time. “I have you to thank. If I was stranded alone I would’ve gone mad. Because you were here to show me the light I’m not lost in the darkness. I owe everything to you Seles, and I’m going to make sure you get off this cold rock.”
Brian turned and walked out into a snow storm. Seles stood at the mouth of the cave. He looks similar to the description of the Teacher, but different enough for me to not be sure. She thought as he disappeared into the snow. Does that mean the Teacher was a Terran?
* * *
Brian closed the hatch behind him and went to the front console to turn the systems on. Then he opened a panel near the rear hatch and checked the wiring and circuitry. He replaced everything according to the blueprints and systems requirements. As the day wore on he moved around the shuttle and fixed the propulsion system. Exhausted after several hours of work, he returned to the front of the shuttle. He squeezed into the front seat and took the control stick to prep the shuttle for flight. He turned the shuttle’s systems on and hovered off the ground, steering the craft towards the cave.
“I can’t believe how easy this is,” he said to himself. He gazed out the front window as the blizzard and wind got worse.
* * *
Seles took the opportunity to bathe. After removing her clothing she felt around the water for a good place to sit. She went into the water and felt its warm, cleansing embrace. Sighing with pleasure she looked up at the rocky ceiling and thought about what to do next. After a while she got out of the water and put her clothes back on. She heard a loud sound coming from outside. That sounds like a shuttle landing. She thought as she put on her thermal cloak and ran outside. She saw the shuttle landed only a few vetres from the cave entrance and ran to the back hatch. A second later Brian opened it and collapsed from exhaustion.
She ran to him. “Brian, are you alright!?”
He turned his head and moaned. “Not really. I fixed everything except for the launch engines,” he said before falling asleep.
With some effort Seles dragged him into the cave. She sat next to him and ran her hand over his unshaven face. She lied down next to him and held the human close. I’ll keep you warm this time.
Chapter 11 – Battle Begins
The Avoni entered orbit of the frozen moon and closed rapidly on the Malcovin ship. Valis sat calmly in her chair on the bridge and waited. As the Avoni closed, they saw a smaller craft emerge from the bottom of the cube shaped ship and head towards the surface.
“Looks like a drop ship,” Zae reported. “They’re charging pulse cannons and deploying shields.”
“Do likewise,” Valis commanded, turning to Kivi. “It looks like diplomacy isn’t going to work this time.”
Kivi shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting much from them. They tend to lose their senses when treasure is to be had.”
“So true,” Valis remarked, turning to Daes. “Have they received any of our hails?”
Daes nodded. “Our communications system is at 100%. Either their systems are down or they don’t care what we have to say.”
Valis frowned. “I really don’t like an enemy who ignores me.” She stood up. “Deploy Novaguards and assume formation C-12.”
Kivi smiled. “You’re feeling aggressive today.”
“Nearly getting destroyed by a vastly superior foe does that to a captain.” Valis glanced at the monitor. “This is just the thing to relieve some stress amongst the crew, not just myself.” Valis walked up to Zae. “Are the Malcovin doing anything?”
“They’re launching a few smaller attack vessels.” Zae’s eyes widened. “I’m picking up five of the new models captain.”
“The Talons we’ve been hearing about?” Kivi asked. “I didn’t think they’d be mass produced for couple of years.”
Valis turned to Baed. “Alert the Novas of the Talon’s abilities. Adjust formation to C-9 and be ready to change on my command.”
* * *
Brian and Seles stood outside the cave and prepped the shuttle for launch. The air had shifted to bitter cold, with the wind picking up the freshly fallen snow and blowing it everywhere in waves of white. He looked to the sky and saw lights flashing high in the air.
“Seles, do you see that?” he asked.
Seles shivered and looked up. “There’s a battle in orbit between ships.”
“Do you think it’s the Avoni and the Malcovin ship?”
“Probably,” she said as her teeth chattered. “We should get everything from inside the cave and lift off.” She opened the back hatch of the shuttle.
“I’ll go get what’s left inside,” he said as he ran into the cave.
Brian grabbed everything and looked over the room one last time. This was my first home away from Earth, even if it was only for twelve days. He thought as he ran back to the shuttle. He noticed an object in the sky as ran in and closed the back hatch. Brian placed what he was carrying in the back container and then went to the front.
“Seles, there’s something descending from orbit,” he said as he took the seat next to her.
“I’m going to launch and fly away from here as fast as possible,” she said as she activated all systems.
“Is this ship fast enough?”
Seles shook her head. “I don’t know how fast their drop ship is. Hopefully, we can hold out until the Avoni finishes the battle in orbit.”
Seles steered them into the sky while keeping them close to the ground. The Malcovin ship was much larger and closed on them.
“They’re faster than we hoped,” Brian said as he activated the shuttle’s defense systems.
“They’ll overtake us in a half an hour or so,” she said. Seles carefully flew the shuttle through a mountain range.
Brian activated the weapons system. “I fixed the shields and pulse cannon. If they get too close we have a defense.”
“I’m glad to have you on my side. I wasn’t sure your boast of fixing the shuttle was accurate. Now I know how industrious a Terran is.”
He laughed. “It’s not industry that drove me, it was survival. We’re survivors above all else.”
A message came from the drop ship: Kalaidian shuttle stand down and surrender. If you don’t, we will shoot down your ship. You have ten minutes to make your decision.
“It’s so nice of them to give us ten minutes,” he said, sighing.
“Is the pulse cannon charged up?”
“It’s charged and ready to fire on your command,” he answered as he pressed a sequence of buttons on the console.
Ten minutes passed before the drop ship opened up fire on them, hitting the shuttle’s shields and shaking the ship. Seles masterfully evaded and kept them from a direct hit.
“Here we go,” Brian said, firing the pulse cannon. A red energy pulse slammed into the Malcovin ship, stopping it in its tracks.
Seles scanned them. “It looks like their shields are down, but…” as she spoke a massive beam of energy came from the damaged ship and drove the shuttle into the snowy plains below. Both Brian and Seles were thrown to the floor. He rolled over bruised and dazed, but still conscious. He sat up and saw Seles was bleeding.
“Seles!” he shouted, checking her wounds.
Brian found a spot in the shuttle to lie her down. Then he took a dermal bandage from the emergency supplies and applied it to the wound on her head. He placed a thermal cloak under her head and went to the front console to turn on the visual scanner. There are roughly thirty Malcovin headed here on foot. Damn, they move fast. He thought, looking at the rakna blade on his hip. I’ll try to buy her some time. Brian took a spare thermal cloak from the storage drawer and
put it on. He then took the three pulse grenades and placed them inside the cloak. A few minutes later, wrapped in the thermal cloak, he walked out the back hatch and into a snow storm. He saw the Malcovin approaching in the distance. I’ll show these birds what a human does when cornered.
* * *
Valis smiled as the last Talon was destroyed. “I’m glad they didn’t have their special system installed yet.”
Kivi turned to Valis. “True, but we still lost twenty of our Novas.”
Valis stared at the wreckage shown on the monitor. “It means we’ll have to come up with a new weapon to fight them Kivi.”
“All Novaguards return to base,” Zae said over the com.
“Thank you Zae,” Valis said. “Have you identified their ship?”
“It’s the Rigika,” said Kivi.
Valis grinned. “That explains their boldness and the Talons. Only a bird as resourceful as Captain Krigik would challenge me,” Valis said. “Zae, try contacting them ship again. I’d like request their surrender.”
When Zae hailed the Rigika it wavered in space and glowed. After a moment the ship vanished from the monitor.
“I thought their gravity drive was damaged,” Kivi said.
Valis smiled again. “You know how crafty those birds are Kivi. They must have had their real gravity drive hidden. The main ship may have fled, but we still have a prize waiting for us on the surface.”
“You mean the drop ship?” Kivi asked.
“Yes. I only hope that Seles and Brian are holding them off.” Valis turned to Zae. “Scan the surface for any combat activity. I’d like to know what’s going on down there before we send a ship down.”
“Yes captain,” Zae answered as she scanned the moon’s surface. “The shuttle’s been shot down without suffering serious damage. Seles is unconscious, and the alien is headed towards the Malcovin drop ship, also shot down.”
Valis stared at the image of the ice covered moon, thinking. Why would he go out on foot to attack them? A standard shuttle only has a few pulse grenades, a rakna blade, and a pulse rifle for weapons. What does he know that we don’t? She turned to Kivi. “I’m taking our drop ship down immediately.” She turned to Zae. “Prepare an attack squadron Zae.”
“Valis, I must object,” Kivi said, standing up. “I should be the one leading the assault, not you.”
“I hear you Kivi, but something’s tugging at me,” Valis said.
“You mean the alien?” Kivi asked.
“Yes, the alien. Unless he’s completely foolish, there’s no reason why he would be heading towards the Malcovin alone on the ground. My question is why? He’s outnumbered and outgunned,” Valis said. She headed to the elevator. “Take care of things here.”
Kivi nodded. “Be careful.”
After the elevator stopped she entered a hallway to see Celi running to the bridge. She stopped and walked with Valis. “Where are you going captain?”
“I’m going to the surface. Seles needs us and I’m interested in this Brian,” Valis answered.
“I know captain, I’m interested as well,” Celi said.
“Have you found anything useful?” Valis asked.
“Because his species’ genetic structure is similar to our own, I have a few ideas on what to do from here.”
Valis stopped, looking Celi in the eye. “You’d like try and create Kalaidian males using Brian as a base?”
“Then I don’t need to say anymore,” Celi said as they entered the shuttle bay.
“Let’s get down there before he gets himself killed,” Valis said.
Chapter 12 – One Man’s Fight
Brian turned off the computer. He went to Seles as she slept quietly in the back of the shuttle. She looks so peaceful right now. He brushed her face with his hand. She’s really cute. Why not? He thought, kissing her on the cheek.
“I know you can’t hear me Seles, but thank you. The last twelve days have been a lifetime to me,” he said as the closed the shuttle’s back hatch.
He calmly walked in the snow and noticed the Malcovin were indeed birdmen. They stood a head shorter than the average human with long black feathers and black beaks. They moved with grace and speed with legs of the reversed knee style. Their wings were very small, but their clawed hands were quite dexterous. They wore brightly colored armor and carried long barreled pulse rifles. They surrounded the human, unsure of what he was. He was taller than a Kalaidian with long brown hair and facial hair. As the ring closed around Brian he noticed a Malcovin with red plumes attached to his armor approaching.
“I’m Lieutenant Giga of the Rigika. We’ve come to except your surrender. Stand down stranger,” the birdman spoke with a high pitched voice, filled with screeches.
Brian grinned. “So your name is Giga. My name is Brian. I won’t let any of you take Seles. Leave now or die.”
Giga cawed. “You may be strange looking Kalaidian, but you can’t beat us single handedly.”
Brian glanced around to see the Malcovin’s positions. “I’m not Kalaidian. I’m just a lost traveler who found a princess on this cold moon. I look Kalaidian, but I’m not one of them.”
Giga paced around the Terran, looking closely. “I’ve never seen one of you kind. Just what planet do you call home?”
“Earth, but I believe your kind call it Terra Prime,” Brian answered. He carefully slipped a hand under his cloak and began the sequence to activate a pulse grenade.
Giga took a step back. “Did you say Terra Prime?”
“Yes, and I can’t let anyone know that fact,” he answered. With a quick motion he threw the grenade into the snow.
Giga screeched out the command when a flash of light and an explosion filled the area. Most of them were knocked prone with snow blowing all around them. In the confusion they heard a single phrase uttered: “Rakna bel de cou”. A red glow emitted from haze. One birdman fell as the glow flashed to the next birdman, killing him.
“All troops retreat to the check point!” Giga screeched as he retreated.
I feel something weird inside me. Brian thought as he sliced the third birdman in half. He sprinted into a small formation with the rakna blade and cut down another five. Using cover from the snow he tossed the second grenade into their midst, blowing a dozen away in the explosion. The remaining birdmen retreated, firing pulse blasts at Brian as he followed them. Giga, along with the few troops left hid behind an outcropping. He pressed his com, “This is Lieutenant Giga reporting. A Terran named Brian encountered, we have suffered heavy casualties. Request…” Giga’s report ended as Brian threw his last pulse grenade into their hiding spot. Two remained. Brian walked towards the very afraid birdmen as his eyes glowed blue.
“I’m sorry,” Brian said, grinning oddly. “It’s nothing personal.” He decapitated the two foot soldiers with a spinning slash.
Brian touched his left shoulder. One of their shots got through. Blood trickled onto the snow. He grimaced in pain. I can’t let that ship of theirs leave this moon with any information. He saw the drop ship close by and ran towards it in haste. As he came to the cube shaped ship he noticed the back hatch was wide open. Standing at the top was a Malcovin dressed in full armor, with blue and white plumes adorning his armor. He walked down the ramp with a spear in hand.
“I am Commander Dragik. My Lieutenant’s last transmission said your name is Brian, and that you’re Terran. Is this correct?” the birdman asked.
“Yes,” Brian answered as he took a battle stance.
“I pray to the gods you’re alone Terran.” Dragik pointed to the dead bodies lying all over the open plain. “My warriors were nothing compared to you. Even protected in full armor and carrying the latest pulse rifles, a single Terran was the death of them.”
“Dragik, your tactics were flawless. But your men fought for a prize. I fight to survive, and that’s the most important thing to my people.”
“Then let’s see who survives!” Dragik cawed loudly as the spear he held began glowing. He charg
ed Brian with the fiery lance. He deflected the spear, thrusting his rakna blade deep into the Malcovin commander’s chest. Gasping, Dragik dropped his weapon. The snow boiled into steam as the glowing spear touched the ground. The birdman stood as the life drained away in his eyes. He grasped Brian’s shoulder and took a small data crystal out from under his armor.
“He said…you would come. With the Thunder gone, I was entrusted…with this…for you. Use it well, and survive…Terran, survive…and claim your title as the Dragon…,” the birdman’s eyes went blank.
Brian removed the blade and placed Dragik on the ground. The birdman looked content in death. His eyes stopped glowing. He felt the ache in his shoulder growing and saw he was bleeding badly. He shoved the data crystal into his jeans pocket. Who is the Thunder, and how did he know I was coming to space? He thought. As he began heading back to the shuttle, he felt weak and fell to the ground. He rolled over and faced up. Barely able to breathe he reached up with his bloody hand as if he could touch the sky. So this is what it’s like to die. He thought, laughing. I didn’t think it feel so warm. His hand fell back into the snow. Was it worth it? He closed his eyes and thought of Seles. Yeah, it was. Goodbye Seles.
* * *
Seles awoke and noticed she was alone. The pulse rifle was on the ground next to her. Where did Brian go? She opened the back hatch and walked outside. She saw another shuttle near as Kalaidian troops spread out on the snowfields. She headed for the other shuttle and noticed Valis was leading the ground party.
Seles ran over to them. “Captain, where is Brian!?”
Valis turned. “It’s good to see you’re alright Seles. As for Brian, we haven’t been able to locate him. Our troops are moving towards the other ship.”
An ensign ran over to Valis. “We’ve found the alien. All of the Malcovin who landed are dead.”
Valis went to a nearby hill with binoculars in hand. She surveyed the area near the Malcovin ship, seeing the dead bodies. “First an entire Grey crew, now a squad of seasoned Malcovin mercenaries? What surprises does this one have in store for me?” she asked herself.
Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero Page 6
