Revelations: Judgment Day: Kingdom of Sand - Book 1

by R. E. Graham

  “They belong to Lord Fron of Opal. As the leader of the Opal’s he has been tasked in the safeguarding of Dusk along with Crest.”

  “So, he’s the one who decorates things so nicely outside?” Rhonda asked sarcastically.

  Deimos’ eyebrow arched then he nodded recognizing the irony.

  “I need to meet with the lords to inform them of an impending attack from the Republic,” Mikhail said above the loud volume as another fight started off to their left.

  More armored Opal guards rushed in and began hitting the fighters with batons.

  “You will meet with Lord Horsh later this evening.”

  The Captain stopped walking and stood in the middle of the hall. “That isn’t good enough Deimos. I need to speak with all of them.”

  “Who are you to demand an audience with the lords?” the Onyx pirate asked as he glared at the man standing defiantly.

  “Yondo killed one of my men.”

  “Yes, in response to your actions that resulted in Otto and many others losing their lives,” Deimos retorted.

  Men and women pirates of the different branches continued fighting while others laughed hysterically at the scene. One of the guards lifted a man up and tossed him into a table.

  “But I know who is responsible for all of this mess to begin with, and where he is headed.”

  That got the Onyx pirate’s attention. “I see. I will speak with Lord Horsh, but first I must escort you to a secure location first.”

  “Secure?” Rhonda asked.

  Hern watched as the Opal’s finished breaking up the fight and order was restored to the hall. A man across from him stared suspiciously, but he just stared right back.

  Deimos looked over to the female rifleman and smiled. “Crest is not a safe place unless you have a boss that protects you.”

  “Yondo told me that if I survived the inquisitor that he owned me,” Mikhail said.

  Rhonda looked at her captain in shock. She was totally caught off guard by his comment since he had told them that their service would be one of the bargaining chips they would use.

  “It is highly unlikely that you faced the inquisitor and have returned so quickly,” Deimos said confidently. “It is much more likely that you are here in some desperate attempt to give yourself time to form some sort of plan.”

  Mikhail didn’t show any indication that the Onyx pirate was right, but Deimos knew the truth. He scoffed at the Captain and continued onward. “Let’s go.”

  Rhonda and Hern looked at one another then to Mikhail.

  “Why didn’t you tell us,” the female gunman asked quietly.

  Mikhail exhaled through his nose then turned to her. “Because it wasn’t important.”

  “Us already being shackled to the likes of Yondo is a big deal Cap,” Hern said enthusiastically as he watched around them for someone looking to fight.

  Rhonda started to say something then stopped herself. The Captain followed after Deimos, and the other two did the same.

  “He’s off tilt what with his family and all,” the gunner whispered to Rhonda.

  “Be quiet. He has been good to us, and I am going to wait and see how this plays out,” she said as she tried to keep her voice down.

  Deimos led them to a room with two Opal guards standing outside. He gestured with his head towards the open door. “Wait here. I will return when Lord Horsh is ready to speak with you.”

  Mikhail didn’t say a word as he went inside and sat in one of the empty seats. Rhonda followed quietly while Hern looked up at the Onyx pirate. “Could I get a drink?”

  Deimos shook his head as if the gunner was some annoying child and walked off.

  “That’s rude,” Hern said as one of the Opal guards shoved him inside. “Hey now!”

  The door slid shut with a thud, and they all could hear an audible click as the door was locked.

  Hern looked around the room and saw that it was very dull. Besides the four chairs, which appeared to be very old and worn, there was only one artificial plant in the corner.

  “Well great, this is wonderful. Sittin’ here waitin’ to probably die,” he said as he sank into a chair on the right of the room.

  “Knock it off Hern,” Rhonda said as she sat back and crossed her arms. “There’s no reason to suspect they are going to hurt us. If they were aimin’ to, they would have gunned us down before we entered the atmosphere.”

  Hern scoffed and looked around the room. In the upper corner sat a camera pod with a black bulb covering it. The gunner gave a rude hand signal at it and stuck his tongue out.

  Mikhail sat silently as he waited. He had decided on his plan well before they arrived on Dusk, and he knew there was no sense in trying to change his mind now. His father used to tell him that a man must stick to his plans, especially right before the key moments started. Otherwise, you were likely to make a colossal mistake in switching objectives.

  How I wish you were still around Pa. Maybe we wouldn’t have ended up like this…

  Shortly after the Loaner Crash that brought down the planetary economy of Destiny, Mikhail’s father, Henry Tarvus, became seriously ill.

  “Sometimes a man has to make hard decisions to provide for his family. Sometimes we have to do things that we never thought we would so that the people we love can survive. I know you’ll do the right thing,” he had said to his son while on his deathbed.

  Deep down he knew that his father would never approve of piracy, but times had never been so desperate before. Originally, Henry had moved his family to Destiny because the economy was growing. They were one of the original families to help build Largo into what it was for decades.

  It’s all gone now Pa. What have I done?

  Rhonda shut her eyes and leaned her head against the wall behind her chair. Hern, on the other hand, began tapping to some rhythm in his mind. Suddenly they heard the sound of the door unlocking, and all three stood up cautiously.

  Deimos stood in the doorway with a smirk. “The gods smile on you, Captain.”

  The gunner looked over to Rhonda confused.

  “The lords have granted you an audience.”

  Hern took a step forward, but the Onyx pirate held his hand up. "Only Mikhail is permitted."

  Rhonda glanced over at the Captain, but he kept his focus on Deimos.

  “Let’s go,” Mikhail said as he stepped out of the room.

  One of the Opal guards shut the door, and it locked again. Deimos stomped down the hallway as he led the Captain to a set of large metal doors. On either side were armed guards dressed to match the color of whichever lord they served.

  The doors looked like they were made of silver, but Mikhail couldn't be sure. Each was adorned with all kinds of intricate spirals of art that worked its way to five separate human skulls made of the different precious stones each branch represented. At the center of the skulls was a sphere symbol made of gold.

  That’s probably supposed to be Dusk…

  While the art was impressive, Mikhail didn’t travel all this way to stare at doors. He came for a reason and wasn’t about to leave until he got what he needed to rescue his family from the Inquisitor and his troops.

  Deimos stood in front of the door and tried to use his height to intimidate the average sized man. “Understand Captain that these are the lords of the Five Skulls. While your last interaction with Lord Horsh ended poorly for you, you cannot bring any animosity to them. You will be shot for even looking at any of them wrong.”

  “I am here for a simple reason Deimos. What’s in the past stays in the past.”

  The Onyx pirate bowed his head slightly and stepped aside.

  Jaymes will be avenged, but not right now.

  Mikhail walked up to the massive doors as they swung inward. Inside the lighting was very dim except for a lone light that was positioned over each of the lords. From left to right was Nadia Tymus of Topaz, Yondo Horsh of Onyx, no one sat in the seat that would have been for Val "Redbeard" Henders of Ruby, but a man sto
od off to the side of the empty chair. Next was Lo Chan of Emerald and Tychicus Fron of Opal. Four of the five lords were present at the meeting, but for whatever reason Redbeard was absent.

  Probably for the best that he isn’t here…

  The lord of Ruby was well known throughout the criminal underworld as being an incredibly ruthless man. If half the stories were true that he had heard of, it made Yondo look like a small child playing in a sandbox.

  Alright, now which of you is going to help me?

  Lord Horsh slouched in his chair with his left leg lying on top of the chair’s arm. “Captain Tarvus, it is a surprise to see you so soon.”

  Mikhail bowed his head graciously at the lords. “I apologize for interrupting any affairs you were addressing. Thank you for making time to hear me.”

  “Oh please,” Nadia began, “spare us your groveling. Speak quickly or be out of here!”

  While the woman was lord of Topaz and was clearly very beautiful, the way she spoke showed that her heart was very bitter.

  “Nadia, it wasn’t like you were even paying attention earlier anyhow,” Lord Emerald said addressing a matter that occurred before Mikhail was in the room.

  “Chan, I told you, don’t call me Nadia.”

  “Why,” the man asked intrigued by her statement.

  “Because you haven’t earned that right.”

  “Why? Because I haven’t bedded you? Ha! I’ve heard that is quite the list of men to be sure.”

  Lord Topaz jumped up from her chair. Her various pieces of jewelry jingled from the sudden move, and her eyes were on fire. "How dare you!"

  Lord Opal held out an open hand. "Please, let us be civil. We have made an opening to hear out the Captain, and we need to give him his allotted time so that he can be on his way."

  He doesn’t think what I have to say is very important…

  Mikhail pushed aside his thoughts and addressed everyone in the room. “My lords, I have come to you to warn you of an incoming attack on your realms.”

  Yondo showed a toothy grin. None of them really looked concerned except for Lord Emerald.

  “What sort of attack?” Chan asked as he sat up a little straighter.

  “Lord Horsh is aware of some of the details that have led to the two of us crossing paths recently,” Mikhail said as he replied to the question.

  Nadia glanced over at the man on her left and tried to read him for any change in body language.

  “Speaking of which Mik, how is the inquisitor?” Yondo inquired sarcastically.

  The question got Chan and Nadia’s attention.

  “Inquisitor?” Lord Emerald asked surprised.

  The Captain knew he had most of their attention, now to suck them into his situation the rest of the way.

  “Several weeks ago, there was an attack on a Senator’s vessel. This attack has led to an inquisitor and a detachment of Republic soldiers to search out those responsible.”

  “I have not heard of such an attack,” Chan said as Yondo bounced his hanging leg his chair’s arm.

  "What he isn't telling you, my friend," Lord Horsh began, "is that he is the one they are looking for."

  Chan looked back at Mikhail but was very confused. “Why would you be here if an inquisitor is after you?”

  Lord Opal started to get very upset. “Lord Onyx, how dare you allow this man to enter this sacred chamber.”

  Yondo held up a hand to try and ease the concerns of Fron, but the other man got himself more and more worked up.

  “We have to think of the security of this facility!”

  “Fron, there is no danger in him being here. Do you think an inquisitor and some pups are going to be able to blast through our blockade? Especially with our combined might while we have this meeting?” Yondo asked as he remained relaxed in his chair.

  Lord Opal tried to calm himself, but he remained tense.

  “Why are you really here Mik?” Lord Horsh asked turning his attention back to the visitor.

  “It is true that the Senator died while my crew was aboard her vessel, but it was done by a new crewmember that I had recently brought on.”

  "Then kill him and be done with it," Nadia said as she flipped her ring-covered hand.

  “It isn’t that simple. The boy responsible has abandoned my crew along with his father and has fled to Frost.”

  "Smart move on his part," Nadia said before she picked at one of her polished fingernails.

  Chan resituated himself in his chair. “What does this have to do with us?”

  Mikhail's face turned very somber. "The Inquisitor that is hunting my ship had located my town…and has completely destroyed it and killed nearly everyone there."

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Lord Opal said genuinely.

  Nadia swatted away the Captain’s statement. “Okay, but who cares? How does this affect us?”

  “Because Lord, the Inquisitor is waiting for my ship to return. If we don’t, it is likely that he will continue his search.”

  “All the more reason you should leave right now,” Chan said as he stood up.

  Mikhail needed to act fast, or he knew that his chance of getting his family back was going to be gone. "With respect lords, I feel you should look at this as an opportunity."

  “Huh?” Nadia asked as she leaned forward.

  Chan also was perplexed. “What do you mean?”

  “The Inquisitor is waiting for my arrival on Destiny. However, he doesn’t know that I know he is waiting to pounce the moment we touch down. This is the perfect chance for all of you to strike and take down a deadly pirate killer and get revenge for your losses.”

  Yondo listened intently but didn’t want to be one of the first to speak up. Nadia was all too ready to chime in. “I have lost nothing and am not interested in starting a war with the Republic over your bad decisions. I have nothing to gain here.”

  "That may be true, but since Onyx, Ruby, and Emerald operate in the Republic, it is likely that they have," Mikhail replied to the weak counter argument Lord Topaz had tossed out.

  Chan looked over at Yondo then back to the Captain. “What are you proposing?”

  “My crew will act as bait to draw out the Lawman, then your forces arrive and crush him and his troops. They will have WarMechs along with other weaponry. We will do a fifteen to eighty-five split on salvage.”

  On the outside, Mikhail displayed as much strength as he could manage. Inward he was trembling because this was him laying all of his cards on the table. This was the critical moment.

  Deimos watched the conversation unfold from the corner of the room. He was impressed at the audacity that the Captain had while still managing to actually get them to hear him out.

  “Unfortunately, Lord Ruby is not here to participate in this discussion,” Chan said as he motioned towards the empty seat.

  The man in red who stood by the chair though spoke up boldly. “He may not lord, but he has sent me to manage his affairs.”

  “Be silent boy,” Nadia hissed. “or you will be sent home in pieces. Your presence was neither requested nor has been pleasant. You reek of weakness and shame, unlike the Captain here.”

  The man’s countenance faded at the harsh words directed to him while Mikhail puffed his chest out all the more.

  "Regardless, I cannot risk being drawn into open conflict with the Republic," Chan said as he retreated back to his chair. He sat down abruptly and glanced over at Yondo expecting him to agree.

  However, Lord Horsh smacked his lips as he thought. “What do you offer in return?”

  “Lord?” Mikhail asked confused by the question.

  “You come here requesting each of us to join you in exacting revenge on a man who has taken everything from you. What are you going to give any of us in return?”

  You bastard! I’m already giving away most of the salvage…

  The Captain struggled for a moment to think of what to say, but Nadia had enough. She clapped her hands together and the doors swung open. Dei
mos stepped forward ready to escort Mikhail out of the chamber.

  “My crew and myself,” the Captain blurted out. “I will pledge the service of my crew…and myself.”

  Lord Onyx was not impressed. “I recall our last conversation and that if you survived the inquisitor that you already belonged to me. You must offer something more. How about ten to ninety on salvage?”

  “My ship then.”

  “What’s a pathetic freighter like yours worth in a fleet like I control compared to Republic gear?”

  Mikhail finally got a strong idea. “Yes, my ship may appear ordinary, but it has been retrofitted with jamming equipment among other upgrades that many of your ships will not have.”

  Yondo sat up slowly and peered into the Captain’s eyes. “If I have you, I have your ship.”

  “I’ll destroy it unless you join us. You need us to get this big win. Think of adding multiple mechs to your army.”

  The pirate lord glared at the hubris this man had. Deimos was further impressed.

  Mikhail could only think of one more thing to add to the conversation. “You have lost much too by this same inquisitor. He dies, and I will join you with no hesitation.”

  Each of the lords looked to Yondo for his response. Lord Horsh stood up and walked over to Mikhail while he maintained perfect eye contact. He stopped close enough to the Captain’s face for him to smell the pirate lord’s breath. It wasn’t pleasant.

  “You will be the bait. If you die, I still take your ship. I accept your terms on salvage.”

  “Agreed,” Mikhail said confidently.

  “I am shocked Yondo,” Nadia said as she leaned back in her chair and picked at her nails again.

  “Why’s that?” Lord Horsh asked.

  “I thought you would have jumped for joy at the chance to strike at the Republic. Especially since you were here not two moments before he walked in begging for us to join you to get back at the lawman who destroyed your Noire operation.”

  “Woman, shut your damned face!” Yondo spat as he twisted around furious at her remark.

  Deimos stepped forward quickly and placed a firm hand on Mikhail’s shoulder as a heated argument broke out between the lords. “You will want to come with me,” he said as he began to pull Mikhail’s arm.