“But what good are people who only exist for handouts?” Moreau asked, feeling very dirty for some reason he couldn’t quite explain.
“Ah, my good Councilman Moreau, don’t you see? If we placate a majority, even in a historically rebellious nation, they will keep themselves in check.”
“Then why worry about a man trying to stir things up?” Moreau asked quietly.
“What we cannot allow is a symbol of revolution or freedom to influence the hearts and minds of those who still produce in this world. If the man inspires the ones who are held down by their fellows, then we will lose control of our resources, which are strained as it is. Councilman Stahl, this ‘Dragoon’ is in your region. Use whatever means necessary to bring him in, alive if possible.”
“I will see to it,” Stahl said, clearly unhappy that he was being stuck with the problem.
“How goes the progress of the 2nd fleet battle group in the Hourglass Nebula?” Stahl asked, trying to change the subject.
“It is proceeding on schedule. They should arrive at Aeris within two days. Our source, planet side, has informed me that all but five Battle Frigates from the 3rd and 5th fleets are on patrol in other sectors, and of those, two are grounded for maintenance. Our seven frigates should easily overwhelm them,” Harruhama said confidently.
The conference ended shortly after, leaving Councilman Stahl with his staff making plans to trap a terrorist.
~ ~ ~
Aboard the UEDF Cortez, Captain Balvoon was making preparations for battle. He’d been going over his plans with his officers for over a week and had been refining the specifics as details from long-range sensors start coming back.
He had been informed that the early warning system on Aeris VII would be disabled by an operative stationed on the planet and that his attack would be a surprise. He had new data on the enemy force as well.
The plan would be simple, with only three enemy Battle Frigates to contend with, he would focus his fire until all three were destroyed, sending his Anubis Squadrons down to the planet’s airfield to disable or destroy the other two frigates before they could launch.
Confident in an easy win that would mean the end of the Independents, Captain Balvoon was smiling as his battle group neared their target.
Chapter 7
Sapphire Night
The sound of water lapping at shore on the Island in Lake Amsvartnir made Marlena Mercer feel at ease as she watched her son speeding away on the boat toward Sapphire City. When he had returned from the city late in the evening a week before with a boyish grin on his face, she knew he’d met a girl. She was glad when Alex opened up to her and told her about Lyria and how excited he was to introduce them.
For a moment that night, she felt like a normal mother with a normal son living a normal life in a paradise world. And even after six years apart, she felt the impulse to tell William about Alex’s new romance. Her illusion came down after the momentary lapse leaving her feeling empty.
She and Alex had spent the last week working with two new Anubis gunners who had signed up into the voluntary Aeris Militia and had shown aptitude for targeting. The training went well, and Marlena had been amazed at Alex’s patience and skill as a teacher. As much as she hated everything that the OMBIcademy represented, she had to admit that they produced a peerless soldier.
When she had asked Alex how he learned to be so patient, he just shrugged and said, “Six years of training little lizard babies, I guess.” They both laughed, even though he had to explain the slang to his mom. The woman hadn’t smiled much since she had been betrayed by the UEDF in 2115. Especially when she knew that she could never return home if she wanted her husband and children to have any chance at surviving. She had played dead to protect them, and though it pained her deeply, she had not regretted it for even a moment.
A month with her son had reminded her how much of her life she’d lost. Thoughts like those always made her feel anxious, especially since she had still a ten-year-old son living under the oppressive reign of the EMC.
So, on a sunny Aeris day, Marlena boarded Tizona, leaving a note for Alex, and went off to find a mountain to climb.
~ ~ ~
When he arrived at the dock, Alex deftly tied up his boat and walked straight to the Cerulean Sky Café. He was enjoying the beautiful, cool weather as he crossed the small street and walked through the door.
He was greeted with a big smile as Lyria skipped over to him from behind the counter. She hugged him tight, holding on just long enough for Alex to catch the scent of strawberry in her hair. They shared a smile and then both began to blush, realizing that the patrons of the café were all watching them.
“Ahem. So, Captain, just one today?” Lyria said awkwardly.
“Yeah,” Alex replied coolly, still blushing.
“Is the counter okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
Alex sat down as Lyria went about her work. He hadn’t seen her since they met a week before, getting caught up with training. He had thought about her a lot since then, but was still surprised by how pretty she looked in person.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been back in a week,” Alex began sheepishly. “I had to train some new Anubis gunners.”
“It’s no problem; I’m just glad you found the time,” she replied playfully.
They shared another lingering smile before Lyria skipped off into the kitchen. Alex was amazed as he watched her walk out of the room. Her light-blonde hair seemed to bounce and sway with every step.
Alex knew that he was in trouble. He’d never really had a crush before. He had friends who were girls at the OMBIcademy, but none of them were as intoxicating as this one.
He tried to remember what the boys at the OMBIcademy had said when they had crushes on girls. But that line of thinking inevitably led him back to the day he had to turn on his squadron. He still wasn’t sure how to cope with it, but he knew that it wasn’t his fault. It was the fault of the UEDF and the inhibitor chips.
Alex unconsciously rubbed his OMBI, thinking about the inhibitors. He still had his 3rd inhibitor in, but he didn’t really know what to expect if he removed it. The device on his wrist allowed him to operate any vehicle, command any robotic device, and materialize weapons from nowhere. He could alter his vision into any spectrum of light, detect motion, and even create force fields with a mere thought. It made him stronger and faster in ways that training alone could never match. He had trained with it for almost six whole years and it now felt like an extension of himself. The “311 Anti-Fire and Medical Robot” (AFMR), which had removed his 4th inhibitor, had told him that the 3rd inhibitor restricts the transfer of data between the wearer and the device. Currently he could manifest almost anything he could think of; what would the experience be like if the OMBI were to communicate back with him?
The thought troubled Alex while he sat in the café. He was so deep in thought that he didn’t hear Lyria ask him what he wanted at first.
“You okay, Alex?” she asked, finally getting his attention.
“Yeah, sorry; I was just thinking about something,” he replied, shaking away the troubling thoughts.
Alex ordered the Baldur’s Banquet again, having enjoyed it tremendously the last time. After a while the room began to empty out, and Alex realized that he probably had arrived during the lunch rush. When they were alone, Alex finally spoke.
“Sorry if you were busy when I got here,” He offered.
“Think nothing of it. Honestly, ever since I met you, my heart has skipped a beat every time that door opened.”
Alex was smiling. “I think I know what you mean.”
Lyria returned Alex’s smile and the two sat staring at each other for several minutes before they realized they’d been sitting silently for some time.
“You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you?” A wistful smile spread across Lyria’s red lips.
“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing,” Alex replied in kind.
Lyria c
losed up the Cerulean Sky while Alex helped wipe down the counters. The two left together, walking down the street holding hands while they talked. Lyria led Alex to a part of the city he hadn’t been to on his last trip, where a man was playing a guitar and singing in an outdoor amphitheater. The man was pretty good and the two sat down on the grass and listened, Lyria leaning into Alex slightly.
“A lot of people here are into the arts; they come out here to perform all the time. Do you play anything?” Lyria asked.
“Not really,” Alex said with a laugh. “I used to play the drums a long time ago.”
“Were you good?”
“I was pretty good. No drums at the OMBIcademy though, so it’s been a long time. What about you, Lyria?” Alex liked saying her name.
“No instruments. Not very well anyway, but I can sing.”
“I would love to hear you,” Alex said with a hint of anticipation in his voice.
Lyria smiled and stared at him for a few seconds, causing Alex to wonder just what she was seeing in his eyes. In one fluid motion she stood up and began to walk down to the stage. The man who had been playing guitar, seeing someone else approach, stood back and smiled. They exchanged a few quiet words that Alex couldn’t make out from the back of the amphitheater before the man began playing a haunting melody while Lyria took center stage.
A look of focus came over her as the melodic voice of Lyria Shepherd echoed through the amphitheater.
Her eyes are the moon, in the darkest night
The stars above that guide my weary sight
She’s the sunrise each morning, upon my open road
The horizon that calls me, though heavy my load
She’s fair wind in my sails on quiet days at sea
The lighthouse fire burning, reaching out to me
She’s the muse behind my pen, in every word I write
The spark of flames in my heart that makes my world bright
Where the wind will take me, I have not a clue
But every road I travel, leads back to you.
Alex was entranced. He watched the lithe girl swaying to the song with her eyes closed, singing sweetly with the voice of an angel. His skin was covered in goose bumps as she continued the song.
I knew her soul when we touched; knew it lifetimes past
Felt it when I held her, that this love would be my last
No matter how far in the night these wheels let me roam
My heart will be with her because her heart is my home
Where the wind will take me, I have not a clue
But every road I travel, leads back to you.
The roar of applause shook Alex from his trance. He hadn’t realized that a crowd had formed to hear Lyria sing. She was smiling with tears in her eyes as she walked off the stage.
Alex got up and rushed forward through the crowd to meet her, surprised to find tears in his own eyes as well. The song had touched him and the way the girl had sung it left him sputtering for the right words.
“That was beautiful,” he managed to say.
“Thank you,” she replied with a smile, tears still in her eyes.
“I have never heard that before; who wrote it?”
She never got the chance to answer; a loud siren pierced the evening, destroying the moment. The audience in the amphitheater was stunned, looking at each other with panic in their faces.
“What’s going on?” Alex shouted above the commotion.
A voice sounded over a loudspeaker nearby.
“Attention residents of Sapphire City, proceed immediately to the nearest shelter. Aeris VII is under attack.”
~ ~ ~
Alex grabbed Lyria by the hand and led her at a run, following the illuminated signs that were pointing the way to the shelter. He looked up as the UEDF Anubis Squadrons flew over Sapphire City toward the airfield on the east side.
“How far is it to the shelter?” Alex yelled out over the sound of people screaming, sirens blaring and spacecrafts above.
“It’s right around the corner from my house! What’s happening?” Lyria screamed back, her voice on the edge of panic.
“Calm down, I’ll get you there.” Alex’s reply was steady, calming.
She seemed to relax a bit while they ran back down the crowded streets of Sapphire City. Alex could hear explosions near the airfield when he and Lyria rounded the corner. A large holographic arrow was pointing toward a stairway that led under the buildings of the city. When they arrived, Alex turned toward the docks.
“Don’t go out there!” Lyria pleaded.
“You’ll be fine in the shelter. I need to get to my ship.” Alex said as his eyes scanned the sky above.
The bright lights of explosions appeared in the darkening sky above Sapphire City. UEDF fighters flew above like flocks of birds, while the Aeris Militia fighters attempted to hold them back. With the night falling and the two moons of Aeris VII bright in the sky, Alex could see the tiny explosions of a battle in orbit as well.
Alex turned back to Lyria, who was clearly terrified. He pulled her in close, looking into her eyes. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest as it pressed against his. In the cacophony of the war, Alex Pereira and Lyria Shepherd shared their first kiss.
~ ~ ~
Alex ran as fast as he could toward the dock, putting the girl out of his mind and focusing on the larger issue ahead. Even with OMBI enhanced agility, he felt like he was taking too long. The planetary defenses were clearly being overwhelmed, and he knew he had to launch Skoll as quickly as he could. In his sprint, he almost missed the light flashing off the metal object out of the corner of his eye.
The long blade cut in front of Alex as he threw himself sideways into a roll. He came up with twin black scimitars already in his hands, manifested from his OMBI.
His attacker wore plain clothing and had a very common-looking face, which wore a slight grin. There was nothing about the man that made him stand out to Alex, except the fact he was holding a long sword in one hand and a gun in the other.
“Impressive, Son of Phoenix,” the operative said menacingly.
“Who are you?” Alex demanded as he circled the man like a hunter stalking his prey.
“Operative One,” the man replied casually, as if his name meant nothing.
Alex had heard of the operatives before. They were supposedly the assassins of the EMC, highly trained for espionage and murder. They were spoken of as a way to scare people, but most people were unsure they actually existed. The idea that the top assassin of the EMC stood before him made Alex’s skin crawl.
“Okay,” Alex said quietly, focusing on the man in front of him.
The man moved quickly, raising the gun in his left hand and firing several shots at the boy. Alex moved quicker, reaching into his OMBI through his Neuro-Sync, bringing up a force field between himself and the man. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off his barrier as Alex ran forward, blades spinning.
Operative One dropped his gun as Alex closed the distance, bringing his sword across in a high arc, causing Alex to slow and block the attack. He swung out again and again with cunning strikes designed to end the fight quickly. Alex turned them away deftly and countered with measured ferocity.
The man was the top assassin in the UEDF; he had been trained for decades, completed hundreds of missions, was the perfect killer, and even he was put back on his heels by the speed and intensity of this boy’s charge.
Alex sliced out high and came back low, not letting up as his scimitars bounced against the operative’s frantic blade. His speed was unfathomable and, as the fight progressed, he seemed to be getting faster.
The man was not out of tricks, though, and from the sleeve on his left arm he tossed several small projectiles which exploded against Alex’s force shield. In the flash of light and smoke, Operative One retreated back with several quick steps, thinking he would get a reprieve from the boy’s fury.
Alex came bursting through the smoke, eyes glowing red with his therma
l imaging overlay. Thin black armor began appearing over the boy’s body, replacing his downed force shield as he advanced. His attacks were becoming more cunning with each swing; two scimitars came in, working the assassin’s blade out wide and high. Alex then sprung forward, letting his blades dissipate and manifesting a short spear from his OMBI, which he thrust at the off-balance assassin.
The fight raged across the park in front of the docks, over picnic tables and around trees, the boy gaining an advantage with every step. The assassin had underestimated his mark badly. He knew the boy was well-trained and enhanced with an OMBI, but he had not been prepared for how quickly he adapted to the changing conditions of the fight. With each obstacle his weapons changed form, making it like fighting a new opponent every few seconds for the operative. It became rapidly apparent that he would not be able to beat this boy in a head-on fight.
He was running out of options. He caught a break when he spun in a circle, releasing several tiny explosive pellets which detonated against Alex’s armor, giving the assassin enough of a lead to run from the fight. He sprinted as fast as fast as the cybernetic enhancements in his legs could carry him, resolving to reevaluate his target later.
The operative in full retreat, Alex turned his attention to the battle ahead. He had wanted to give chase, but he’d already lost several precious minutes fighting off the assassin. Making a quick decision, Alex turned and ran for the boat, activating his infrared vision, hoping that he would not be too late.
~ ~ ~
She’d been halfway up the side of a mountain in the Grimnir range when her communicator signaled an incoming attack. Captain Marlena Mercer ran down the side of the hill with the agility of a cat back to where she had landed her ship. It took her far less time to get to the bottom and, once inside the Tizona, she began powering up the engines, trying to get updates from her sensors.
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