Hannibal felt his hands shake. He forced them into balls and stuck them behind his back. He felt Delilah’s agitated tail on the backs of his legs.
“Name your strategy, Captain Grint,” said Skatfall. “But know this: we are taking heavy losses. If we do not board Nightwing in the next few minutes, all shall be lost.”
Hannibal nodded and turned to Ryan. “Comms broadcast, ship wide.”
“Ready, Captain.”
“Crew of Valiant, this is your Captain. All personnel are to abandon ship. Repeat, abandon ship with immediate effect. This is not a drill. Good luck. God bless. Grint out.”
Madog spat. “What is this cowardice, Grint?”
Hannibal turned to Ryan. “Get Chief Gonzalez on the holograph.”
Ryan punched a button on his console and a static ball appeared before him. Gonzalez, covered in grease, appeared in a fracturing hologram.
“Aye, Captain, I know I’m still here, but someone needs to oversee the reactors.”
“I need you to leave the reactors online.”
“Captain, did you not get my report--”
“Engage light speed on my command.”
“The reactors can’t cope. They’ll melt down. Light speed is a death sentence, Captain.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not. It’s a calculated risk.”
“I’m telling you as a chief engineer of ten years, light speed with the reactors deteriorating is a certain death sentence for anyone within a five mile radius of these reactors.”
“We need to send a message of hope and defiance out to all those enslaved by Vanguard,” Hannibal said. “Dealing this death-blow is the only way. It’s asking a lot, Ffion, but will you stay with the engines until the last second?”
Her eyes popped wide. “You don’t ever have to ask, Captain.”
The lump in his throat made it impossible to say anything. He nodded and turned away.
Madog caught his glaring eye.
“Cowardice is precisely what you are meant to think,” Hannibal said and felt the shaking in his hands subside.
“Explain yourself, Captain,” said Skatfall.
“Lieutenant Blok,” Hannibal said, “bring Valiant’s helm to bear on Nightwing. Engage the enemy at full ram speed.”
Blok and the rest of the bridge crew stared at Hannibal.
Madog smiled. “I like your style, Grint. Are you not part Lupos on your father’s side?”
“Are you deaf?” Hannibal bellowed at Blok and smiled.
Blok swallowed hard. “Aye, aye, Captain,” she said and set the co-ordinates into her pilot console. “Bringing Valiant about now.”
“Set maximum speed for autopilot, Lieutenant,” Hannibal said.
“Captain?”
“Get off my ship, damn it.”
Blok set autopilot.
“But Captain--”
Hannibal scooped up Delilah and thrust the tabby cat into Blok’s hands.
“Delilah’s life is in your hands,” he said. “Don’t let me down.”
The bridge’s floor rolled back across the center. It exposed a row of life pods.
“Captain, this is--”
“My decision.” He said and smiled. “Now don’t make me regret my last order.”
“I can’t leave you, Captain,” Blok said. “Come with me, Hannibal.”
“A Captain stays with his ship.”
“We leave no one behind, remember?”
“Where I’m going, you cannot follow.”
She knew now was her last just to admit her feelings. “You’ve been like father to me, I just--”
“There has been no truer first officer than you, Oksana. I respect your decision.”
Her eyes narrowed. “So I can stay with you? On the bridge?”
“First make sure Delilah is safe,” he said.
She nodded and hurriedly slid down the ladder to the first life-pod. She opened the hatch and placed Delilah inside. She turned to Hannibal.
“She’s safe, so--”
Hannibal whipped the butt of his pistol across her neck. She crumpled and fell into the life-pod.
“Look after Lieutenant Blok, Ryan,” Hannibal said.
Ryan nodded and buckled Blok into her seat.
The marine sentries were the last of the bridge crew to enter the life pods. Before closing the hatches, each in turn saluted Hannibal.
Hannibal returned the salute briskly. He quickly turned away before the lump in his throat led him to make a fool of himself.
He rapidly climbed up the ladder to the main bridge. From there he watched the life-pods jettison away into space under a hail of plasma fire from Nightwing. He forced himself to turn away. He told himself they’d make it.
Somehow.
The holograms of Skatfall and Madog walked with him to the his chair.
“You’re a brave man, Captain Grint,” Madog said. “I hope to equal your bravery in battle.”
Hannibal didn’t feel brave. Part of him felt terror. Part of him felt safe in knowing he’d see his wife again soon.
“What words do you wish said at your funeral, Captain?” Madog asked.
Hannibal thought about it. “May our successors understand our convictions. I did my duty. And may God forgive us all.”
“Goodbye Captain Grint,” Skatfall said.
“Do your duty, captains,” Hannibal said.
The holograms disintegrated into static balls. Hannibal stared ahead through the windows as Valiant rapidly approached Nightwing.
Hannibal turned to the Chief’s hologram.
“On my command engage light speed, Ffion.”
She nodded and wiped an oily rag over her forehead.
“It’s been an honor to serve with you, Captain.”
“Honor is all mine,” he said and raised a hand in the air. He felt gratified that the trembling had vanished. “Now, Chief, engage light speed and make me proud of Valiant.”
He watched Valiant’s bow skewer Nightwing’s hull. With a ship shattering shudder, darkness engulfed him.
“See you soon, Rachel.”
CHAPTER 117 - DEATH OF DAX
Glaw found Fyre. She cradled Dax in her arms. Glaw knelt beside Dax.
He felt for a pulse. “Come on, buddy, give me something.”
When Myf caught his gaze, Glaw fought back tears. He shook his head.
Fyre reached for the crystal around her neck. She held it in the palm of her hands. A crack ran down its center. It split open. Black smoke rose from the fissure.
Myf ran to Fyre. “You can bring him back to us, right?”
Fyre sighed and shook her head. “I used up all the crystal’s energy saving Glaw. The crystal died.”
Glaw put a paw on her shoulder. “As remarkable as your crystal is, you and I know there are things in this universe more powerful.”
“What do you mean?”
“The blood mark. The unbreakable bond. Think about it, Fyre.”
He stepped away from Dax a respectful distance. “Give her space,” he said to the others.
Fyre knelt beside Dax. She placed one hand on Dax’s forehead and one on his silent heart.
She closed her eyes.
She spoke with her mind.
Zen, hear me. I speak with my heart. From the day I saw you in a vision, I knew you were the one. I knew you would lead us to freedom from tyranny. I knew it with all my heart.
You lead by example. It is your strength to keep on going when the rest of us would give up. It is your dedication to truth and justice that has given me the strength to turn against my own people. To find sanctuary. To find... love.
Come back to me. Our story is yet unfinished. Come back, my love.
She lifted one hand to her lips and bit down into her wrist. She tasted the blood and then leaned over Dax. She kissed his lips and let him taste her blood. She felt his chest rise and fall under her palm. She felt Dax’s heart beat with hers.
Her lips parted from his. Dax opened his eyes and met her gaze. He g
lanced around him.
“I had a dream,” he said. “In it you said--”
She placed a finger on his lips. “Dreams have no place in wartime, Zen. We shall speak of this after the battle is won.”
Dax looked up through the glass dome to Valiant. He swallowed hard as Nightwing shuddered with the full force of its main gun battery launching missiles.
***
Nightwing groaned like a harpoon whale as the temple walls collapsed. Valiant’s sharp bow spirit punctured Nightwing’s hull and tore the Vanguard ship in two.
Colonel Rage lifted up Dax’s unconscious body and slung him across his shoulder. He found a bank of life-pods and threw Dax into one.
“Spread the truth, Dax,” he said. “Fight the lies that they will spread about this day.”
He sealed the life-pod’s hatch and launched the pod.
As the archways collapsed around them, he turned to Fyre, Myf, Glaw and his marines. “This battle is over. Abandon ship.”
CHAPTER 118 - BIRTH OF A MIRACLE
One year later.
Dax refused to take the easy way out. Even when the USF guards gave him plenty of opportunity to hang himself. He knew he deserved a harsher punishment to end his days in the maximum security wing.
Dax watched the shadows under his cell door. But the shutter didn’t open for his daily rations. Instead, for the first time in a year, the cell door opened with the words, “You have a visitor.”
Standing in the doorway, Fyre cradled a bundle. She looked up at him and forced a smile.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet, Zen.”
She stepped into the cell and revealed the small child in her arms.
Dax couldn’t believe what his eyes showed him.
“Is this--”
“He’s our miracle,” she said. “The first human Vanguard hybrid child.”
“Does he have a name?”
“Cadell. It means warrior for peace in my language. Would you like to hold him?”
Dax couldn’t speak. He fought back tears as they welled up. He nodded.
He took his son in his arms and stared at the two innocent eyes staring up at him. The sclera of one eye shared the bio-luminescence of his mother. His other eye resembled the appearance of Dax’s.
“Say hello to your father, Cadell.”
“And he’s healthy?” Dax asked.
The child giggled. “Cadell just answered you.”
Dax smiled for the first time in a year. He knew he’d remember this moment for the rest of his life. He felt his smile diminish as he contemplated a lifetime without a chance to see Cadell grow up.
“Does Morlok know about Cadell?”
“No one’s seen or heard from Sol in a year. The Vanguard High Command believes Morlok died with Valiant.”
“What do you believe?”
She shook her head. “If Sol ever finds out about Cadell... we’ll never be allowed to see our son again.”
Dax nodded. “You must both go far away. Never come back.”
Fyre sighed. “They finally set your trial date.”
“For when?”
Fyre glanced over her shoulder at the sound of footsteps.
“For now,” she said.
“If I avoid the death penalty, I’ll likely be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
She studied Dax’s face.
“We shall wait for you,” Fyre said. “Cadell and I are your hope. Remember that.”
The guards stood behind her.
“It’s time.”
CHAPTER 119 - COURT MARTIAL
Guards lead Fyre and Cadell away. Dax dressed in his uniform for the first time in a year. Armed escorts sealed his wrists in magnetic cuffs and took him up to the USF court.
A young lawyer introduced herself as Major Kincaid. She said she was hopeful of a fair outcome, but her eyes betrayed her.
For the next three hours he told her his story. When he was done, she sighed heavily.
“That’s one hell of a fairy tale, Dax.”
“Every word is true.”
“They’ll charge you with treason. Ask for the death penalty.”
“But I tried to save everyone.”
She nodded. “I can argue you actively endeavored to prove a conspiracy based the hijack of Hermes and the kidnapped of its passengers by the Vanguard rogue element.”
“Rogue element? It was the entire government.”
“Get real, Dax. Earth’s President and the USF don’t want another galactic war.”
“They’ve been bought.”
“It’s called ‘compromise’, Dax, and it may save your neck.”
“How so?”
“I can call on Admiral Finnean to testify you stopped a saboteur on Valiant. Saved the ship from a catastrophic meltdown of its gravity sphere. It will likely bring to bear a lesser charge of neglect of duty by brining Valiant into harm’s way.”
“I’m determined to fight this,” Dax said. “You’ve viewed the video evidence of conspiracy involving Admiral Finnean and Captain Argyle Valkyrie?”
She avoided his eyes. “It’s been discredited.”
“Impossible. How?”
“Valkyrie’s dead. Finnean claims it was forged.”
“Why would I forge it?”
“Finnean’s too clever to accuse you of forging the video evidence.”
“Then who?”
“Sol Morlok. Finnean’s offered a billion dollar reward for former Vanguard President Morlock. Dead or alive.”
Dax paced up and down in his cell. “There are other witnesses. Commander Blaidd of Lupos Military Intelligence. Contact Blaidd for me. He will testify that--”
“Dead. Or missing.”
Dax took a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. “Colonel Rage. He will--”
“Missing. Presumed dead.”
“Lieutenant Blok of USF Valiant.”
She swallowed hard. “Missing. Presumed dead.”
“This is all very convenient for Finnean. How?”
“The evacuation of Valiant and Nightwing was chaotic to say the least.”
“There must be others. What about the weight of testimony from the survivors of Hermes? Please don’t tell me they all perished on Valiant.”
“Many did survive,” she said. “But their testimony merely corroborates Admiral Finnean’s assertion that the conspiracy was between Vanguard’s former President and rogue elements of USF. All of whom are now dead, missing, or on the run.”
“Captain Hannibal Grint?”
“He went down with his ship.”
Dax’s legs began to tremble. He sat down heavily.
There must be someone. Something I can do.
“I can’t believe a man like Colonel Rage is dead,” Dax said. “We have to ask for a stay of proceedings while we conduct a full search.”
“It’s been a year since--”
“I don’t care. Rage is a survivor.”
“He’s also a traitor, Dax.”
“What?”
“Why do you think Finnean waited a year before conducting your court martial?”
“He’s been busy?”
“Busy making sure your testimony will be laughed out of court.”
“Then summon President Arc.”
“Which one?”
“What?”
“The current president, Alex Arc, or the disgraced president Xylo Arc?”
“Alex knew more of the conspiracy that any of us,” Dax said. “He’ll confirm I’m innocent.”
She sighed and sat down opposite him. “Alex Arc has publicly denounced you as recklessly manipulating Valiant’s crew into armed engagement with the Mars Defense Force. He’s effectively distanced himself from you.”
“Got him elected?”
“A landslide victory on the promise of a peaceful and prosperous galaxy.”
Dax resigned himself to a death sentence.
“I can ask Fyre Von Rha to testify on your behalf,” she said.
“Then other than the testimony of your gun-runner friends, we got nothing.”
“Glaw is the leader of his people,” Dax said. “That’s got to count for something. After all, yesterday’s gun-running, smuggling, outlaw, is tomorrow’s President.”
“I’ll make contact,” she said. “But word out of the entire Ursu quadrant is things are pretty sticky.”
“Civil war?”
She nodded. “Don’t expect a reply anytime soon. Face it, Dax, anyone alive who is any use to your case is either missing, or too busy. Nobody wants to know you. So we remind them who you are. What you stand for. What you sacrificed to keep them safe in their homes at night. We campaign to make you a hero.”
“Is there time?” he asked.
“Fyre Von Rha supplied the funds to hire a top PR firm. They’ve been putting survivors of Hermes on twenty four news syndication all week. We’ll see what it gets us.”
There was a knock at the cell door. The cell door opened and military police accompanied Dax and Major Kincaid to the court room.
Admiral Finnean opened proceedings. “Commander Zen Dax, there are those amongst us in court today who wish you’d gone down with the brave crew of USF Valiant. Instead, by some miracle or act of cowardice, to be determined, you stand before us...”
During the preamble of evidence against him, Dax stared up through the vast glass roof of the courthouse at the blue sky and fast moving clouds. Knowing it would be his last chance to do so. He imagined flying high through those clouds until he reached the curvature of Earth.
Where, for the briefest of moments, the thinnest layer of atmosphere that existed between life and death made the entire planet seem as fragile and vulnerable as… Cadell.
And beyond, a frontier of fear and... Hope. Where Dax dreamed one day, perhaps, Cadell and Ben might meet in peace as brothers. Even if, their first meeting might inevitably be on opposite sides in a battlefield, or during a space battle.
Dax heard his name called twice. He felt the heavy silence and everyone’s eyes upon him. He jolted and glanced around. Everyone in the court stared at him in silence and shared bemused smiles.
Admiral Finnean sat before him, scowling, and raised an eyebrow.
Valiant (Jurassic War Universe Book 1) Page 48
