by Justin Sloan
When Praks gestured to the right, the shield swung over to block her, then again to the left as she lunged. Testing it, she put the tip of her sword forward and watched with horror as it quickly disappeared, leaving her with a flattened end of her blade.
“You won’t be facing me today,” Praks said with a gleeful laugh. “Not like this. Rest assured, the day I take your life, I will have the entire Shadow Fleet at my back, and you will beg me to make it quick.” He leaned in, smiling evilly. “I won’t.”
Dex, we need everything we’ve got, Samantha communicated to her friend.
Praks was able to hear it, though, because he just shook his head. “As soon as you made yourself known, my ship went into lockdown mode. They won’t be able to enter.”
“Your… ship?”
“You must be a simple one,” he countered, with a glance that made her feel very small. “Too bad. Maybe they can send someone with more of a chance next time.”
With that, he took a step back and into the doorway behind him, and she watched as he turned and walked back into the dome. No, not a dome at all, but the ship he had mentioned. As the ceiling above opened to reveal a militarized opening, she put all the pieces together. The gate was here, or had been put here by him with the help of Karstrack. They created an underground location, where the ship could be stored too. But, now that ship was starting to rumble, moving up and out of there.
The other guards were shouting, pounding on the door and calling up to the ship, but Praks had simply left them behind.
Dex, new plan, Samantha messaged him. Get Hadrian and the others, tell them to shoot down that damn ship, and then come help me with a dragon coming out of a portal.
Here I was thinking you were going to tell me you’d taken care of it, Dex replied. Too bad.
Samantha wanted to roll her eyes at him, but knew he wouldn’t see that. Instead, she turned back to the dragon. It began wailing, turning its head toward her. Its eyes were glowing, and she realized this dragon likely had some other means of attack.
She didn’t intend to stick around long enough to find out. As the ship lifted up into the air, the entire fleet of Arzanian ships, along with the Noraldian, rose to meet it. Samantha spun, torn between watching what was bound to be a great show of strength and trying to figure out how to stop the portal from letting the dragon through.
But instead of bothering to try and fight, the cowardly pirate took to the skies, flying straight for space. Several ships gave chase as the Noraldian flew over and hovered above the opening. A moment later Hadrian appeared, leaping down to join Samantha just as the ship dodged a blast of energy that flew up from the dragon.
The others were there now too, including Dex and Napalm, and Hadrian was glancing around at them to determine the next move.
He joined Kwan in dealing with the guards and shouted to Samantha, “Me, you, and Napalm. We need to push back the dragon so I can close the gate.”
“Can’t we just close it with the dragon’s head there?” she countered. “Kill it at the same time. Two birds with one stone.”
Hadrian blasted a guard, and then turned to draw his sword and slice at the final one. “For reasons you can’t possibly understand, we don’t want to do that.”
“Try me,” she countered.
“There’s no time!” He motioned her and Napalm to follow, and the three went to the edge of the metal ledge. “The simple version is that these ancient dragons were Guardians for a reason. With one gone, we might be okay. If two were to die, we’d never be able to push back the darkness.”
“Orion’s Belt,” Samantha said, putting together the connection. “It guards us against something out there.”
He nodded. “More to come, but we must deal with the matter at hand.”
A burst of light came from above, and they glanced up to see the pirate ship vanish as it took off in space. Likely at FTL or through a gate, as far as Samantha could guess.
“We’ll get to them,” Hadrian said, “Focus!”
As one, the three of them turned to the dragon and began working to push it back, latching onto energy with all of their focus. The others took up a defensive perimeter, but it wasn’t necessary.
Another blast emerged from the dragon’s eyes. It hit the remains of the tunnels and the ship bay, instantly disintegrating both.
“Keep on it!” Hadrian shouted, but it wasn’t enough.
“Maybe we can help,” a voice said from behind, and Samantha turned to see a small army of Arzanians who had been held captive. They had the gems they were being forced to make, and all stepped forward, holding them out. Light reflected on one and then bounced to another, until soon all of them were lit up. Then it was happening—the golden flakes from before, only falling like a blizzard. Each time they touched Samantha’s skin they filled her with energy, power.
As the storm of warmth took them, Hadrian, Napalm, and Samantha all levitated, energy now visibly flowing from their outstretched hands. Now, the dragon was no match for them.
With one last scream of anger, it was pushed back through the portal. Not wasting any time, Hadrian leaped forward and moved his hands in a complicated system that looked like he was spelling something out in the air—and then the hole and the portal were gone. Just regular dirt and rocks, though in quite a state of disarray.
Above, ships were circling, likely looking for any trace of pirates, but there appeared to be none.
Hadrian turned to them, stumbled, and caught himself on the railing. “We’re going after him.” Touching a finger to the side of his helmet, he said, “Jackal, prepare the ship. We’re going FTL into uncharted territory. We’ll need all sensing systems on-line. I’ll prepare the runes.”
“Runes?” Samantha asked.
Hadrian nodded. “We know where Praks is going, and we know the way to get there. We just don’t know if the jump path is clear. We have runes that can help with that, help us avoid certain problems.”
“So we’re good, then.”
He raised an eyebrow. “We’re safer than we’d otherwise be, I’d say.”
That wasn’t the most encouraging answer, but they would do what needed to be done. They followed him back to the Noraldian, and were in the air in a matter of minutes.
On the bridge, Hadrian pulled up the display and dialed in the two Arzanian sides.
“We now know they have the second dragon, likely the third,” Hadrian explained. “Praks isn’t retreating. He’s pulling back to gather his forces, now that he understands what he’s up against.”
“What can we do?” Mistress Reyn asked.
“The Shadow Corps and I will go after him, though it is a long flight. I need to know that we can trust you both to cooperate. Because you were divided, the dark forces were able to use your planet as a staging grounds for what could have been a divisive blow, had we not interfered. I need to know that you will fight together against evil, and set up safeguards to ensure they cannot take any more of you into captivity. Your gems are too valuable to go into their hands.”
Mistress Reyn nodded. “We’ll do our part. General?”
General Pottan’s face was like stone, uncompromising, but finally he gave a curt nod. “A cut doesn’t heal in a day, and neither will our bond that was broken long ago. But I promise this, we will make it right. We will form a united member of the alliance that you can be proud of.”
“Protect our universe, General, Mistress.” Hadrian saluted them with a hand on his heart, and then added, “We can be sure that our enemy forces will not be able to rely on the Arzanians to help their cause further. United, we will all see to that. It also means the Scrapulent won’t have enhanced mind control any longer, which I’m sure we can all agree is a wonderful prospect. As for our next steps, we’re glad to have you onboard. Welcome to the Corps.”
They smiled and returned the salute before signing off.
When the screen was blank, Jackal pulled up a star map. He flipped across it a few times until landing on a sta
r system surrounded by black, empty space.
“The Shadow Worlds,” Hadrian announced with a nod of his head. “Get us moving, Jackal. Find an open route while I prepare the runes and then brief the team on what this long of a journey means for them.
“Excuse me?” Samantha asked.
He simply waved for her and the others to follow, standing and leaving the bridge. As they walked, he said, “I’m bringing you to a room we try to avoid using as much as possible.”
“And what room would that be?” Voira asked.
“The Cryogenics Bay,” Hadrian replied. “We have to prepare each of you to be frozen.”
20
The Noraldian
The worst part about going to the Shadow Worlds was the amount of time it was going to take. While everything to this point had been based on gates that Hadrian had set up, this was beyond his reach. This was at the edge. Their best chance, he insisted, lay in taking the outermost gate and then traveling as fast as they could while putting the crew in cryogenic sleep.
All except Napalm and Dex, however, since Napalm’s life force revolved around fire and the deep freeze would have very negative consequences. Dex just didn’t need it. He didn’t age the same as the rest of them.
Before going, Samantha stopped by Ferder’s room. He was sitting there, staring at a holographic image he’d pulled up of Entono Fos, rotating it around, eyes moister than usual.
When he noticed her there, he said, “I wondered if I’d ever see the place again.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Samantha replied, lingering a moment longer, overcome with joy for him and complete confusion regarding the other feelings churning in her gut. “It’s… really perfect.”
He looked up at her, frowned, and nodded. “Thanks, Sam. I owe you.”
She was suddenly aware of a presence behind her. When she turned, she was glad to see Hadrian standing with his hands behind his back, smiling.
“It’s your turn,” Hadrian stated. “Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied, and gave Ferder a wave. “See you on the other side.”
“Later, gator,” he replied.
“What?”
“Isn’t that what you say on Earth?” He looked embarrassed. “Kwan said it was an American saying. Aren’t you American?”
She laughed. “Yes, just… it’s old. Nobody says it anymore, and I mean nobody.”
He shrugged. “Well, now I do.
“Later, gator,” she replied, then nodded to Hadrian and the two departed.
As they entered the cryogenics room, Hadrian turned to her with a concerned frown. “Sam, when you come out, I advise you spend some time in thought.”
“You want me to think?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted right now.”
“Specifically,” he went on, ignoring that, “I want you to think about where you are emotionally.”
“Oh.” Images of Dan filled her head, but it was strange. Now the face of Dan faded, replaced by Ferder, and he was laughing, running with her on Entono Fos that first day they’d met. Clenching her jaw, she pushed those thoughts from her mind.
“That, right there,” he added. “There’s something going on, but it’s like you don’t accept that part of yourself. It’s okay to feel, it’s okay to love. It’s what makes you human, what makes many of us what we are… and separates us from the enemy.”
“You’re saying that if I don’t have sexual feelings for someone the dark forces will take over my mind?”
He sighed, shaking his head. “I assume most of what you say is a joke, but I’m serious here. Just… allow yourself to feel is all I’m saying.”
She nodded. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
For another moment he stared at her, a look like a concerned father on his face, and then he led her to a white tube, one of several in the room. A couple were already sealed, their inhabitants in deep sleep.
“You’re sure this will be safe?” Samantha asked, staring into the pod she was expected to enter before spending a year in deep sleep. “While we’re gone, everything could fall apart. What if the enemy reaches Earth. What if—”
“Sam,” Hadrian interjected. “The Arzan insisted our enemy is out there. We must return Worsan and his people to their homes. As far as you’re concerned, you won’t even lose the time.”
“Wait, Worsan…” It had slipped her mind during all of the action, but the Shadows had definitely been helping Captain Praks in his underground base. She spun, looking for the traitors.
“Sam, no,” Ferder said, holding a hand out to catch her arm. She glared down at his hand and waited for whatever he was about to say. “I saw them too,” he continued, “or, what I recognized to be them. But Worsan and the others…” He paused, letting go of her arm to gesture to his glasses. “Come on.”
She crossed her arms as she thought.
“He’s right,” Hadrian agreed. “These ones… they can be trusted.”
With a wave of her hand, she brushed the topic aside. “Fine, the cryogenics then. What about coming back? What if something does happen back here, and they need us?”
“I’ve created a stable point for a jump or a gate here. My plan is to create one there, once we’ve touched down. This will allow us to return quickly, and to go back there when we must.” He leaned in. “But… we cannot let Worsan know, as gates into their backyard are highly frowned upon.”
She nodded, glanced back at him one more time, and then stepped into the pod. As the door closed and air around her shifted, she caught one more glimpse of him before everything went black.
A jolt hit the ship, and Hadrian took over advanced maneuver controls. He had taken over for Jackal, so that the pilot could get some training in with Napalm and Dex, and then sleep before returning to the bridge for duty.
It seemed that Captain Praks was sending back debris that, at these speeds, would obliterate the Noraldian if they made contact. Fortunately, Hadrian’s runes allowed for FTL maneuverability. Each time an object came, he was able to focus his mind, becoming one with the ship as time slowed. When he nudged her slightly to the side, the result was amplified, and the slightest miscalculation could throw them all to their deaths.
But the runes did more than give Hadrian maneuvering skills. They also allowed those on the ship to move outside of time. Not exactly time traveling, but to make the trip speed by. Hadrian had learned through experience with others in the past that the process was hard on most beings when conscious. It was the unsaid part of why he had insisted on the cryogenics, and why he insisted Dex spend time with Napalm. He had to learn to meditate through this, to control the mind. It would be harder on Napalm, but cryogenics simply wasn’t possible with his kind.
More obstacles came his way, one blinking red that would surely have exploded had he stayed in its proximity. But with a swipe of his hand and a connection to the ship’s runes, it wasn’t a concern.
He couldn’t tell how long the journey had gone on, but after some time he realized the obstacles had stopped. Either the pirates had run out of objects, or they had realized that if the ship had made it this far, that wasn’t the way to stop it.
Hadrian was losing himself in thoughts of his past, memories of those within him creeping up—a day sitting on a throne, a feast to celebrate the king’s inauguration, and many more. As his eyelids were growing heavy, so too was his heart, so it was with perfect timing when Jackal relieved Hadrian.
“All’s well?”
“Stay alert,” Hadrian replied with a nod. “We won’t likely see trouble soon, but find me if we do.”
“Will you be… here?”
“You mean will I jump back to Entono Fos?” Hadrian shook his head. “At these speeds, the return jump would be risky. I fear that our current task takes priority, and only after we have found a solution to this predicament will I be able to return to that one.”
“Roger that,” Jackal said, then put on his helmet and w
ent about his job.
He was an odd one, Hadrian thought with a smile, heading toward his chambers. It was a common thought when interacting with Jackal, the man who had been all too eager to leave so much on Earth behind.
The man could have stayed, been awarded medals for what he and his team went through. But as the last of his race, Hadrian understood all too well the feelings Jackal had expressed after discovering Hadrian, telling him how his squad was dead, his family gone long before that. He had wanted a greater purpose, to be part of something again… to have a reason to live again.
Now he had it, and it was clear he put his all into the job.
Hadrian stopped by the training room and saw Dex and Napalm sitting across from each other, cross-legged, and smiled. He hoped they were taking time for themselves too, and not forgetting to eat.
The Shadow men were in the mess hall, and Hadrian paused briefly to talk strategy with Worsan before retiring to his room.
Before allowing sleep, however, he lay down in bed and said, “Noraldian, play yesterday’s video.”
An image appeared floating just off the ceiling. It was Nora.
“You’re doing wonderful, my dear,” she said. “Every day, you bring the universe farther and farther away from any potential future with the enemy’s victory. I have faith in you, as I always have. What more do you need of me?”
“But Earth… the Potentate has gone too far,” Hadrian said, knowing the video couldn’t hear his protestations. “I let him. I failed.”
Nora in the video lingered for a moment, then smiled at him and simply said, “I love you. I always will.”
The video flickered out, and this time Hadrian chose to take on a different persona while recording.
“Noraldian, record,” he said. As the ship responded, he glowed, gold at first and then a dull red.
He was no longer Hadrian, but Karstrack.
