“It is better to die honorably in a fight, than to be executed.”
“They’ve got you brain washed...” Skati drew off her sword and swung around for another attack, which Danielle again blocked and held the two locked swords together. She was so close to the Draconian, she could smell the alien’s breath as she panted.
Danielle flung her sword, deflecting Skati’s off her blade. Then the two swords clanked several more times, first connecting at the low side, and then again at the high side.
Skati parried three more blows from Danielle before withdrawing and taking another defensive stance, while catching her breath.
“Danielle, I am impressed. You are a skilled warrior. Your death will be honorable indeed.”
“Indeed, you are an accomplished warrior as well. Now it seems to be a fight of endurance.”
“I shall not fail, Danielle...human female,” Skati said, then charged at Danielle.
________________________
The Rock
Secondary Jump Coordinates
________________________
Jed and his two guests toured the rest of the Rocinante, ending up at the ship’s galley, “Care to join us for dinner?”
“Why thank you, Captain Fitz, that is most kind of you. However, I am not sure you will have the necessary food stuffs aboard your ship,” Trygg answered, “But I thank you for your hospitality.”
“You sure? We’re serving beef stroganoff,” Jameson added.
“Quite sure.”
“You do eat meat, right? Jed asked.
The Draconian laughed and held his hands motioning, “Heavens no! Barbaric to say the least.”
“How about a nice salad? No meat, just vegetables.”
“Now that does sound nice. You have carbon-based plant matter in your stores?”
“Yes, there are those among us that are what we call Vegan or Vegetarian. Our ‘stores’ are full of rich vegetation from Earth.”
Trygg looked over at Styr, “Very well, Captain. We shall be honored to sup with you.”
“Excellent!” Jed said, waving one of his chiefs over with his hand, “See to it that our guests are treated to the very finest vegetarian cuisine.”
“Yes, Sir. Please have a seat, I will send it to your table shortly.”
“Does the Captain often dine with his crew? Wouldn’t you prefer dining with your senior officers?”
“Some ship Captains do dine by themselves, some with only senior officers. I feel this way gives me a chance to see how moral is doing. It gives me a chance to meet with my men on a more intimate level. It also ensures the crew knows that their Captain is approachable.”
“Captain Fitz has an open door policy aboard,” Commander Jameson added, “No one is afraid to approach the Captain with ideas.”
“Captain, aren’t you afraid that your crew will challenge you?”
“No, not in this fleet. Mutiny is something that doesn’t happen in our military...at least not anymore.”
“What changed?” Trygg asked.
“We started treating our crew with respect and paid them a fair wage.”
The Draconian first officer leaned over to his Captain, “We should take some lessons.”
“Be still, Commander,” Trygg spouted, “We shall speak of this in private.”
“Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir, I meant no disrespect.”
“It’s alright, Styr. All is forgiven as we are in the company of strange beings.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“So, Captain,” Jed began, “What brings you out here in this sector? There isn’t anything around here, that’s why we selected to park here.”
“We have been running from the Antarian invasion fleet ever since their last raid on our home world.”
“So far,” Styr added, “we have kept one step ahead of them.”
“Is it just the two of your ships? How many are out here?”
“We were separated from the main fleet,” Trygg answered. “At least what is left of our main fleet. We’re just jumping from sector to sector. Our intention is to eventually circle around and meet back at Sigma Draconis.”
“...and hopefully find the rest of the fleet there,” Styr nodded.
“We had over fifty fleet battleships. By the time the Antarian full invasion fleet came, we fought and lost thirty battleships. We’re down to twenty, maybe a handful more that jumped to locations we did not know about. Some stayed to fight. We stayed with them for as long as we could. Our ships were quickly overwhelmed, so we decided to jump with five of the remaining ships.”
“And now there’s only two of you left?”
“On our last jump sequence, an Antarian fleet of three jumped to our location. It was really a stroke of luck on their part. They quickly disabled two of our ships before we could execute our jump. The third one, well, we’re not entirely sure what happened to them. We think their jump coordinates were not calibrated with the rest of our ships, so they jumped somewhere else. We may never find them.”
“That’s too bad,” Jed said, leaning in this chair, letting the chef’s personal servers place his salad before them.
“This does look most excellent, Captain Fitz,” Trygg said.
Jed lifted his glass of wine in the air, “Here’s to a long relationship...to Sigma Draconis, may you find your lost crewmen, and free your home world!”
Captain Trygg followed suit, lifting his glass and clinked them together, “And here’s to our new Earthen brethren, may your stars always be at your back.”
________________________
Serintin Arena
________________________
Danielle once again blocked the Draconians charge and pushed her sword back before advancing with several hacking swings at her attacker. Danielle swung her sword over her head and pulled it down as the Draconian blocked the heavy blade. Skati fell to her knees at the thrust, dropping her sword. The exhausted Draconian tried to reach for it, but Danielle quickly kicked it over the edge. She rolled to see Danielle standing over her, pointing the tip of her blade at the alien woman’s neck.
Dumakas stood once more and shouted, “Kill her! Do it now!”
Danielle pinned the woman to the ground and looked up at Dumakas, then back to the Draconian, “We do not have to end it this way!”
Skati gulped at the thought of her defeat.
Dumakas raised his hands in the air, “You simply must kill her! Those are the rules!”
“Did I not promise the Emperor, Dumakas of the house of Serintin a blood lust like no other?”
“Explain!”
Danielle returned her look to the alien woman she had pinned to the ground, “We do not have to kill our opponent for you to satisfy your blood lust, my Lord Dumakas.”
“No! This has never happened in all of our recorded history! You must kill your opponent in order for the blood lust to be satisfied!”
“Is this not a battle to see who the stronger opponent is?”
“Yes! The stronger opponent kills the weaker!”
“Is it not clear that I have her life in my hands?”
“You must take her life to satisfy our blood lust!”
“Danielle tossed her sword over the side of the cliff. It clanked and clattered four times as it bounced off the rocks. Then she offered her hand to the Draconian, “I had her life in my hands, now I spare her life!”
“NOOOO! You must kill her!”
“Dumakas, know that I freely offer you my blood. It will be a blood lust such as you have never experienced.”
Skati looked at Danielle, “Thank you for sparing my life,” and then she bowed before her. “You truly won the match. You could have killed me.” Skati looked up to the balcony, “We are both victors, my Lord Dumakas. Drop the rope ladder and we will provide a double blood lust ritual.”
“I am intrigued,” Dumakas said, placing his large hands on his hips, “Laboolaron, lower the ladder. I shall experience this double blood lust!”
T
he two females climbed the ladder and stood before Dumakas. They each held their palms out before the Emperor. Dumakas eagerly drew his dagger.
Taking the Draconians’ hand first, he drew his blade opening a deep wound. She held her hands up to his lips and he drank of her life essence. Then he turned to Danielle and placed the blade on her hand. She gripped the blade as he drew it across her hand.
She winced with pain, but kept her eyes on Dumakas’ as he held her palm to his lips. Her red blood flowed from her hand to his lips. He drank her blood and then kissed the palm of her hand, “Yes...yes indeed! A double blood lust has been done today for the first day in Antarian history!”
“I hope my blood satisfies you, my Lord,” Danielle smiled.
“Oh yes...it is greatly satisfying...my apologies for causing you pain to your hand, but it is part of the ritual.”
Danielle looked at her hand, the Nanites within her blood had already begun closing the wound. “It will only hurt for a moment, my Lord. Know that this very well may be the last of the games.”
“How so?” Dumakas asked, interested in what she had to say.
“This day will go down in Antarian history alright...I have fulfilled your blood lust, and quite possibly for all time!”
Dumakas roared with laughter, “That remains to be seen.”
“Do you feel any different, Dumakas?” Danielle asked.
“No,” he thought about it for a moment, “No, I can’t say that I do, really.”
“Well, just wait for a few minutes...you will.”
“Now that we have two victors, who shall be sent to the Valley of the Trenches to battle the Boreshog?”
“We shall both go. In fact, Race, Skati, and myself shall battle the Boreshog.”
“Well now, the three of you? Hmmm. I do not know if I shall release the male human. He has not proven his worth in combat.”
“You said that if I battled the Boreshog and won, you would set us free, did you not?”
“Yes, I suppose I did say that.”
“Then honor your words here today. Show the people of Serintin that The Lord Emperor Dumakas keeps his word.”
“Very well! You shall fight the Boreshog! Prepare your weapons, you have one hour!”
Laboolaron freed Race’s bindings. The three were taken to the forge to make new weapons.
He rubbed his wrists and looked at Danielle, “Nice job!”
“Thanks, Race! I wasn’t sure how this would play out.”
“I am again indebted to and impressed by you, Danielle. Together we shall make strong weapons to fight the beast of the fields.”
“Let’s hope so,” Danielle said with a worried look, “Let’s hope so.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
________________________
Serintin Rescue Ship
________________________
Lieutenant Parker finished installing the thruster pack module and wiped his hands with a grease rag, “That ought to do it.”
“Good job, Mike,” Captain Hopkins nodded. “How’s our clock doing?
Sergeant Fletcher looked up from a console, “We’ve got about three hours before we have to get back to the stream. I’m keeping a close eye on that, trust me.”
“Okay, Mitch. What about any un-friendlies?”
“No sign of them, and I ain’t going to wander too far away from this here hatch,” Fletcher pointed.
“We’re going to have to go out and start digging the nose out. Artemis, you keep watch. Parker, you keep looking over these systems. I want to know if we’ll have enough spark to ignite our thrusters.”
“You got it, Captain,” Parker nodded.
“Wait a minute,” Fletcher said as the color of his face vanished, “You want me to go out there?”
“Yes, with me and Artemis.”
“But, Sir...”
“I know you’re scared, Sergeant. But we have to do this if we’re ever going to lift off. We’ll be right by the ship hatch.”
“I don’t know, Sir...”
“That’s an order, Soldier! I’ll be right there with you digging us out. Now, come on. We have to get started. The sooner we’re dug out, the better.”
“I’ll say.”
Fletcher nervously turned the hatch wheel and unlocked it. Then he pushed it out and the door swung open.
“You first, Sir.”
Hopkins glanced at the Sergeant in disgust, “Very well.” He un-holstered his side arm and poked his head out. Convinced that it was clear, he cautiously stepped out onto the short wing of his ship, and then jumped down to the ground.
Still aiming his weapons in front of him, he waited for the Sergeant to climb out with him. Then the two circled the ship, looking in all directions.
“It’s all clear out here, Artemis,” Hopkins shouted.
“Sir,” Fletcher whispered, “maybe we should hold our voices down a bit?”
Artemis finally climbed out on the wing, but instead of jumping to the ground, she climbed higher to the top of the ship and stood.
“I’m sensing some unusual things,” Artemis said.
“Oh, I don’t like it when the Eridonian feels uneasy, Sir.”
“Shut up, Fletcher. She’s just scoping the area out...right, Artemis?” Hopkins said, raising his voice for her to hear.
Artemis looked down at the two, “The beast has returned to the trenches. He is satiated. For now.”
“How do you know that?” Hopkins asked, “I thought you couldn’t make contact with the beast?”
“I never said that I couldn’t feel its presence.”
“So? Do you know how far away it is?”
“Maybe a kilometer, over that outcropping.”
“That’s where Killmocher bought it, alright,” Fletcher added.
“Okay,” Hopkins ordered, “That’s enough of bringing them up. Go check out the nose gear and I’ll get us some tools from storage.”
“You’re not leaving me out here alone, are you, Sir?”
“Artemis is here.”
“Yeah, well...”
“Come on, Mitch, get a grip. We’ll get out of here soon enough. But I need you to keep it together...can you do that for me?”
“Sorry, Sir. I’ll be fine.”
“Their deaths had a profound effect on all of us.”
“Yes, Sir. It sure did. They were good friends.”
“Okay then. Go inspect the struts. I’ll be right back.”
“Yes, Sir,” Fletcher acknowledged, and then cautiously stepped forward and crouched down low enough to see what damage there was to the ship’s nose.
“Captain,” Fletcher said as loud as he dared, “We’ll need something to get the actuator rod back in-line. She’s got a pretty nasty bend.”
Artemis continued to look all around the ship. Then she closed her eyes and meditated, “Something is coming.”
“Holly crap!” Fletcher yelped. “I’m heading back in!”
Captain Hopkins returned holding two shovels and a toolbox, “Oh no you’re not, Mister!”
“But, what about what the Eridonian just said.”
“The Eridonian has a name...Artemis...you should start using it,” the Captain snapped. Hopkins looked up to Artemis, “So, what is it you sense up there?”
“I don’t think it’s the beast...not sure what we have yet...and I am not offended by the term of ‘the Eridonian.’ You do not have to be concerned; we do not have egos, not as you do.”
“Nice to know,” Hopkins smiled, “Here,” he held out one of the shovels, “Start digging.”
Fletcher reluctantly grabbed the small portable shovel. He twisted the knob at the end and then extended it to full length, and then locked it in position. Positioning the blade of the shovel, Fletcher started digging out the nose.
Hodges examined the strut and got out a sledge. He began beating the rod back into position, “We’ve got to get this straightened, or we’ll have way too much drag on the ship.”
“Sir, the tip
of the nose is planted about two feet deep. It’s going to take the both of us to dig a hole big enough to tip her back up in time.”
“I’ll be there in a minute, Sergeant,” he said as he continued to beat on the rod, “But...first...have to...give...this...a...go...”
Fletcher jammed the tip of his shovel and flung as much dirt as he could with each pass.
“There is it again!” Artemis exclaimed with open eyes.
“What? What’s coming! Oh my god, were gonna die!”
“Artemis folded her arms and shook her head, “No, it’s not the beast,” she said, now sporting a smile, “It’s one of the Antarians.”
“I knew it was bad!”
Captain laid his hammer down and joined Fletcher with his shovel, “Will you just shut up already, Mitch.”
The towering Antarian came out from the tree line, approaching the ship at high speed. Artemis pointed with one of her spindly finger, “Look, there he is now.”
Fletcher dropped his shovel and ran to the ship’s hatch.
“Fetcher! It’s alight. Remember, Artemis told us one was coming here. Isn’t that right, Artemis?”
“Yes, yes I did say that...and there’s my beloved Malcom, riding high on his shoulders.”
Malcom waved his arm at the group as they approached. The giant, sasquatch-like alien let Malcom to the ground. Artemis sat on the ship and slid down to the wing, then jumped to the ground and ran to Malcom.
The two locked forearms and touched foreheads.
“It is all the Eridonian would talk about the entire way here,” the Antarian giant exclaimed.
“Oh, Malcom,” Artemis smiled, “I am so glad you’re alright.”
“I’m fine, my love,” Malcom looked over at Captain Hopkins, “This is Darnash. He is responsible for my escape.”
“Darnash,” Hopkins said, extending his hand, “Captain Hopkins,” then he pointed to the nose of the ship, “That’s Sergeant Fletcher, and Lieutenant Parker’s inside, fixing her up.”
“May I be of assistance to you?” Darnash asked.
“Well, if you wouldn’t mind helping us dig out my ship...”
“Dig it out?” Darnash laughed.
Warlords Saga Page 21
