True Cost: The Descendants War Book 5

by John Walker

  Rhys sighed. “Yes and no. Yes, because I’m an idiot male who thinks a woman deserves some sort of special treatment, I guess.”

  “That’s an admission.”

  “I don’t like it but there it is.”

  “So why no?”

  “Because she’s a highly skilled and trained operative for the Prytins who probably could beat the shit out of me without a second thought.”

  “You know it’s okay to worry, right?” Brett asked. “That you can have feelings about it without guilt? It’s important to recognize you aren’t a bad person for caring. The most capable of people in the universe can use some concern. It means we’re thinking about them. But there is a trick.”

  “What’s that?”

  “We can’t do it to the point of sacrificing our own effectiveness.”

  “Ah, you mean thinking about it until we’re not focused on our duties.”

  “To put it more directly, yes.”

  “I thought through that already.”

  Brett smiled. “How’s it working for you?”

  “Not great.” Rhys shrugged. “I think I need to throw myself into work so I have more important things to do.”

  “That can help. But when things quiet down, your mind will work against you.” Brett led him into the medical center then into his personal office. He closed the door behind them. “I’m not as familiar with you yet, but I can say this. Take the time to really worry. Let yourself do it. Freak out if you have to.”

  “What’s the benefit?”

  “Denial will make it all the harder to focus. When you ignore something, it comes back with a vengeance.”

  “Ah.”

  Brett took a seat. “Anyway, that’s my unsolicited advice. If you need to talk about her or anything else, you’re always welcome. From what I understand, we’ll have a lengthy trip to get where we’re going. You might want to chat about all this then. Drop me a line and I’ll see about clearing an hour or so.”

  “Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate it.”

  “Don’t mention it. What all do you have to do for this operation to be successful?”

  “Organize the ground crew,” Brett replied. “Listen to Gunny’s ire about his missing folks. Two sergeants. That’s going to be painful.”

  “I imagine. How’re you going to handle that?”

  “Let him vent then move on. If he does. That’s the thing about leadership. You can assume how someone will take news but you’re almost never right. No matter how much experience you have with them, they may still surprise you.”

  “Yes, that’s very true.” Brett leaned forward. “If he needs to talk…”

  “Oh, I’ll be sure to direct him your way. I’m guessing you’ve worked with him before?”

  “Yes,” Brett nodded, “many times. Especially after the initial encounter with the Kahl. That was a wild time for everyone. We experienced some serious losses. So you can imagine people needed to talk.”

  Rhys nodded. He’d heard all about it, read the reports, then talked to Titus. Their experience in that first entanglement didn’t only impact the ship but the lives of a colony and multiple TCN vessels which were annihilated. All those hands… and to think the crew of the Triton couldn’t do anything about it.

  Then they topped it off with the perpetrators, and saviors, being alien.

  That’s more than I would’ve wanted to take.

  “I’d better get to work.” Rhys offered a wave. “We’ll talk again later. Maybe over a drink.”

  “We’ll probably both need it, Commander. Good luck.”

  “You too.” Rhys headed out, moving toward the barracks. He figured he’d turn up unannounced to give them all the bad news. Most of them would already know their friends had been taken when the Flotilla warped out. His job involved getting ahead of rumors and answering questions.

  Worst part of the job in all honesty. Rhys steeled himself for an uncomfortable conversation. When they find out what we’re about to do, they’re going to lose their minds. I hope I can keep them call. That’ll be the biggest challenge of the day. Even more so than trusting Niva to take care of herself.

  Chapter 2

  Milna Lithe crawled along the metal floor. Gunk made it easier, allowing her to slide her legs. She struggled to breathe through pain in her chest. The oxygen in the room turned thin after the explosion. When she lost her helmet, she knew the situation had turned dire, perhaps even fatal.

  But she wasn’t about to give up.

  Jok had to be nearby. They both went down moments after the Flotilla entered warp. The station had seemed like it might hold, then a couple minutes later, an explosion had thrown them to the floor. When she came to, she could barely move. The lights were out. Electricity crackled nearby but likely in another room entirely since she couldn’t see the sparks.

  As she reached the edge of the chamber, Milna pressed against the wall. That let her shift to a sitting position. Rubbing her legs helped restore feeling. They were numb like she’d been shocked. Anything powerful enough to knock her unconscious through the armor would’ve been fatal had she lacked protection.

  I’m extremely lucky to be alive. Milna tapped her computer. The screen didn’t brighten. It had likely been fried along with all the systems in her armor for that matter. Any sort of reading she might hope for, damage gauges or environmental hazards would not be transmitted to her device. I have to find the ship.

  She struggled to remember what had happened. Everything prior to excruciating pain became a blur. Squeezing her eyes shut, she recalled a battle. Jok took up one of the turrets in the ship as she hid behind some crates in the hangar. Footsteps approached; dozens of them at least.

  Milna ensured she had enough distance from the entrance to avoid the damage from the ship’s weapons. As the first group charged in, Jok let loose a torrent of heavy blaster fire. Beams the size of ground cars cut into the crowd. Bodies were obliterated, turned to little more than burnt mist.

  He got eight of them before the others stopped to take cover. Scans showed another dozen lingering around. Unfortunately, she didn’t have anything about their weapons. Do they have blasters? Clubs? Heavy ordnance? She waited, maintaining aim with her rifle on the hallway.

  A man peeked in. She blasted him, regretting the decision instantly. Despite blowing half his face off, she gave herself away. She’d wanted them to believe they had one target to worry about in the ship. Killing a target of opportunity made her twitchy… unwise. The situation must’ve rattled her.

  If any of them paid attention, they knew my position. Milna didn’t understand what the criminals wanted. They couldn’t escape while the Flotilla was in warp. So why bother to charge their position? Do they simply want to cause trouble, or is there a method to their madness? What do they know we do not?

  She resolved to take a prisoner when another five came into the room. They laid down heavy fire on the ramp of the ship. Their small arms couldn’t penetrate the hull. Maybe they lost their minds. She shifted to fire at them when the turrets went off again. Once more, another five pirates were turned to dust.

  Seven of them remained out in the hall. Scans showed two hurried off back the way they came. The other five took potshots, leaning their weapons around the corner without bothering to look.

  Milna slipped away from her cover, drawing closer to the door. She pressed her back against the grimy wall, sidestepping until she caught sight of a silhouette of one of the men as he was about to take a shot. She rushed forward, grabbing his arm to drag him into the room. One of his companions cut through his back with blind fire, likely a total accident.

  I needed him! Milna dropped into a crouch, hoping for another opportunity. No one replaced the victim at that side of the door. The four left hustled off down the hall away from the hangar. “Jok! They’re making a break for it. We need to get after them if we want any information about what’s going on!”

  “I’m on my way!” Jok shouted back.

  Milna didn’t
wait for him. She rounded the corner, sprinting after the fleeing men. None of them looked back as they made their mad dash for the exit. A quick snapshot caught one in the leg. That made him spin, lifting his pistol as he dropped to his side. She shot him in the chest, killing him in an instant.

  Settle down, woman! Milna scolded herself. Keep one of them alive!

  Jok called to her as he came out. She was halfway to the exit when he shot near her. She spun, noting some of the men who broke off earlier ducked into a room. One went down while the other tackled her against the wall.

  Milna kneed him in the side, struggling with him as he pressed her weapon against her body. She smashed her head into his face. Her helmet dazed him enough to give her the advantage. She shoved him back, preparing to thrash him in the head with the butt of her rifle.

  Jok shot him in the side of the head, knocking him to the floor.

  “We need a prisoner!” Milna grumbled. “Come on!”

  “I didn’t know!” Jok caught up to her. “I thought he might go for the pistol!”

  “They made it to the exit,” Milna said. “We have to catch up.”

  “We can cut through this room,” Jok said. “Let’s go!”

  A power buildup showed on her scanner; something incredibly potent. She frowned as they stepped inside. The computer wouldn’t specify whatever was happening, whether it was the reactor or just a power relay in the area on the verge of popping. The former may well be fatal while the latter might lock a door or something.

  “Jok… we might have a serious problem.” Milna reached for him. “Are you seeing what’s going on here? Do you know what’s happening with this reading?”

  “Milna!” Jok shouted… and that was the last she recalled of the situation.

  They hadn’t made it through the room when the shock came. She figured she could find the ship easily enough if she could walk. The key involved taking everything slowly. With the oxygen content so low, she couldn’t expect to move swiftly though that’s exactly what she needed to do.

  There may be a leak. Or, worse, this is all the air I’ve got to work with. Milna’s legs tingled as feeling returned. She wiggled her toes then bent her knees. The sensation made her hiss, closing her eyes tightly. I’m lucky I can move at all. Thinking it made weathering the misery easier though not by much.

  “Jok,” Milna rasped. “Can you hear me?” Raising her voice seemed like a bad idea. She didn’t know what had happened to her rifle. Her hand fell instinctively to her pistol. Had it been ruined in the blast as well? She wouldn’t know until she had some light. “If you can hear me, follow my voice.”

  When she didn’t hear any motion, any response, she tried to stand. Her knees went shaky, but they held her weight. A dim flicker to her right caught her attention. She followed it, finding a door leading to a corridor. Every breath hurt. None of them provided her with enough oxygen.

  Panic threatened to make her hyperventilate. She closed her eyes, fighting to remain calm. A brief meditation helped but fear hovered at the back of her mind. The thought of suffocating filled her with real dread. Of all the ways she might die, that one bothered her the most.

  This is my personal trial. Milna glanced into the hall. A wire danced like a raging serpent, writhing in the air as it sparked and carried on. It provided a stark, blue light. She checked her gear. The computer was a total loss. The pistol had also been blackened. All circuitry likely burned. Meaning an EMP, I think?

  She wasn’t entirely sure, but that part didn’t matter. Unarmed, without scans or protection, she had limited time to return to the ship.

  And to find Jok, Milna thought. Wherever he is, I’ll need an ally. If anyone else survived this entry to warp, they won’t be friendly. She wondered if they could integrate into the criminals, act like them. I look the part and Jok certainly does considering he’s actively indulged in piracy before.

  Did the Prytins make it off the station? Those who belonged to the battleship specifically. She doubted it. Scans didn’t see any ships departing the Flotilla before Milna disembarked. Then the thing went to warp shortly after. That meant other soldiers were likely aboard.

  Far more dangerous than the criminals.

  Milna frowned. The dancing wire stood between her and the ship. Without her device, she couldn’t map another way to get to hangar. I need some light, anything at all to find another path. The opposite direction was pitch-black, which at least meant no power hazards to worry about.

  Could something detach itself while they were in warp?

  That was another question she didn’t have an answer for. However, if it was possible, that area may be at risk. Depending on the damage, someone in a command center may even detach it themselves. While she wasn’t sure, such a thing sounded final.

  I wish I’d studied starships more. Milna knew little about how faster than light travel worked. Would they slow or be obliterated? She knew a shield of sorts surrounded a vessel, protecting the contents from the extreme speeds. That much had been introduced in secondary school.

  All the rest required a level of interest she never possessed. I can fly the ships. I don’t know what they do specifically.

  A groan drew her attention back to the room she’d left. She stepped inside, rasping, “Be silent! We have limited air so don’t panic.”

  “Milna…” Jok muttered. “I… can’t see…”

  “It’s pitch-black in there. Follow the sound of my voice. Crawl if you have to. We were shocked.”

  “Badly?”

  “Do you still have your helmet on?”

  “No.” Jok hummed. “What happened to them?”

  “I have a feeling we took them off before we collapsed for some reason.” Milna winced as her chest burned. “We have to be quiet now. Until we get out of here.”

  “Under… understood.”

  Milna took a couple shallow breaths then tried to inhale deeply. Her body expected some satisfaction. Her lungs felt empty, deprived, agonizing. Calm! Remain calm, woman! Do not panic! The personal scolding only barely kept the worry away. It encroached like a hidden enemy, preparing to pounce on her.

  This will not get us back to the ship! Milna knew she would die in that corridor if she didn’t keep it together. I will survive this! I know I will. There’s far too much work to do so concentrate. Relax. Be wise. We will make it out of here soon enough. She hoped Jok had an idea. Thinking became increasingly difficult.

  “I’m here,” Jok whispered near her. “I took our helmets off. I remember now. With a good enough shock, they would’ve suffocated us. I guess we knew we were about to be blasted.” He looked over the wire dancing nearby, drawing his pistol. A quick examination brought him to the same conclusion she had. “Not good.”

  “Do you remember the map at all?” Milna leaned on him. “Another way around maybe? Or if there are enemy forces we should worry about?”

  “All through the dark.” Jok frowned. “Lights are out but we still have some power or we’d be freezing. Maybe rather than getting back to the ship…” He hurried down the corridor away from the wire. “No, none of those bastards would’ve survived if they stuck around in here. And if they didn’t, the doors are locked down so they can’t come back.”

  Milna labored to keep up with him. Walking taxed her more than it should’ve. She had to keep her breathing even. Her brain worked against her, demanding her to take deep gulps. Fighting against those thoughts took all her attention. Even in the darkness she noted tiny black spots dancing in her vision.

  That’s probably really bad.

  “Here!” Jok rasped. “I found a panel with some energy.”

  “What’ll that do?”

  “Maintenance,” Jok replied. “It’s got an independent power source. I’ll connect to the section here…” He tapped at it for a few moments. Every extra second escalated Milna’s desperation. She slumped against the wall. “It’ll only be another moment. Hang in there. I’ve got this under control.”

  “How…
do you… know how… to…” Milna shook her head. Thoughts drifted. She found herself giddy, swaying despite having the wall to steady her. “Oh… this is…” Laughter took her, which proved more dangerous than trying to gasp. Her chest ached, but she couldn’t help herself. Slipping down, she sat on the floor.

  “You’ll be okay.” Jok continued to work. “Life support is on minimal right now. Whoever set that up didn’t care about breathing. I’ll adjust those settings…” Vents hissed around them. “There we go. Oxygen content will be at normal in just about a minute.” He crouched by her. “You feeling any better?”

  “It’s been seconds,” Milna grumbled, “how would I already be feeling better?” The tightness in her chest slowly lifted. Panic still perched on her shoulders, waiting to pounce. “I think it’s helping.”

  “Doesn’t take long for a small module like this to get air,” Jok replied. “Now to bring the lights online.” He returned to the panel. “A big surge came through here. Hm. I’m going to leave the power levels at minimum and get emergency lights on. That’ll get us back to the ship. There are too many risks to restore it completely.”

  “Like what?” Milna asked. She drew several deep breaths, closing her eyes. The sensation of breathing filled her with entirely more joy than it should’ve. It would be a while before she took it for granted again. “Why not bring it on fully? We can shut down just that hallway over there to slip by the wire.”

  “First off, we don’t know why this area surged,” Jok said, “it might’ve been due to too much energy being drawn from the rest of the station. Whatever the case, it may have caused the shock. Second, if anyone’s monitoring this place, they may not notice emergency power. Sudden and total restoration may surprise them. There’s no automated repair here.”

  “These people are insane.”

  “Maybe. Ultimately, we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. So it’s better if we keep things to a minimum, get our weapons, then mingle with the other scum aboard this thing. Which gives us time to complete our task of finding out what everyone wanted here. I’m more curious than ever if the criminals risked a warp.”