Ep.#6 - For the Triumph of Evil (The Frontiers Saga - Part 2: Rogue Castes)

by Ryk Brown

  “Pound her!” Cameron demanded. “Everything you’ve got!”

  “Target is moving away,” Lieutenant Commander Kono warned.

  “Firing all tubes and cannons!” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar announced as more plasma torpedoes leapt forward from under the Aurora’s bow.

  “They’re making a run for it!” Lieutenant Dinev surmised as the battleship began turning and pulling away from them. “She’s trying to keep her unprotected side from us!”

  “Their fighters are jumping away!” Lieutenant Commander Kono added. “Target bravo is powering up her jump drive!”

  The Aurora’s main view screen filled with the odd light of the Dusahn jump drive as the battleship made their escape.

  “Have the Reapers attempt to track her,” Cameron ordered.

  “All remaining Dusahn forces have jumped away,” Lieutenant Commander Kono announced triumphantly.

  “Damn,” Cameron cursed to herself. She looked about, realizing that her crew had overheard her. “I really wanted to take that bastard down.”

  Nathan sat on the deck of the Seiiki’s cargo bay, his helmet off, resting against the forward bulkhead that he had slammed into upon landing.

  “How are you doin’, Cap’n?” Marcus asked, noticing the forlorn looked on his friend’s face.

  Nathan looked at his trusted crew chief, the man who had served as his surrogate father figure for the last five years. “Honestly?” Nathan swallowed hard. “I’ve had better days,” he admitted, his voice cracking.

  Marcus put his hand on Nathan’s shoulder, squeezing it firmly to show his support. “You wanna get up?”

  “I don’t know that I can,” he admitted.

  “Are you injured?”

  “Bruises, at the most. I’m just exhausted.”

  Marcus laughed. “Aren’t we all.”

  Nathan tapped his comm-set. “Nice catch, Josh.”

  “Thanks, Cap’n,” Josh replied in a melancholy tone. “Sorry about Koku. But I couldn’t let…”

  “It’s okay, Josh,” Nathan assured him. “Patch me through to the Aurora, will you?”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Go ahead, sir,” Loki said a moment later.

  “Aurora Actual, Seiiki Actual,” Nathan called. “Status?”

  “Good to hear your voice, Captain,” Cameron replied. “All Dusahn forces have left the system. The battleship gave up once we got one of her shield sections down; the rest followed. I’ve got Reapers trying to track them, just to make sure they don’t try to double back and surprise us.”

  “Good thinking.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Not really,” Nathan admitted. “But I will be. How many Gunyoki survived?”

  “Out of the original twenty-seven who launched from the race platform, only eight. But another one hundred and six have launched from Rakuen within the last five minutes and are headed toward the engagement area. That may also have something to do with the Dusahn’s retreat.”

  “Any word from Jess?”

  “Negative. Last report from Telles, was that she went after Seeley. Seems he slit Yokimah’s throat.”

  “Yokimah’s dead?” Nathan asked, feeling like his plan had suddenly unraveled.

  “He’s still alive… Barely. Jessica pumped a load of Ghatazhak trauma nanites into his wound and called for one of our medical rescue teams. They’re landing at the race platform now.”

  “Understood,” Nathan replied. “Tell everyone ‘good job’.”

  “You just did, Captain,” Cameron replied.

  “Hey, who’s the lead Gunyoki at the moment?” Nathan asked.

  After a pause, Cameron replied, “Vol Kaguchi, in Gunyoki Six Seven.”

  “Copy that. Patch me through to him.”

  Another moment passed. “Go ahead, sir.”

  “Gunyoki Six Seven, Gunyoki Seven Five,” Nathan called. “How do you copy?”

  “Gunyoki Seven Five, Gunyoki Six Seven,” Nathan’s comm-set crackled. “Is that you, Captain Scott?”

  “Affirmative, this is Scott.”

  “It is good to hear your voice, Captain. I am happy to know that my dear friend did not die in vain.”

  Nathan closed his eyes for a moment, the vision of Master Koku’s death still fresh in his memory, as he suspected it would be for the rest of his days.

  “What can I do for you, Captain?” Vol asked.

  “I was hoping you could set up a barrier patrol around this system, in case the Dusahn try to sneak back in. Our forces need a chance to regroup and rearm.”

  “The Gunyoki stand ready to follow your command, Captain… For as long as you will have us. I believe that this was Master Koku’s hope.”

  Nathan fought back his tears, struggling for half a minute before he could answer, and even then, his voice was somewhat unsteady. “Thank you, sir.”

  “It is my honor, Captain,” Vol replied. “Today, we are all of the same ichi.”

  Nathan sniffled. “We always were, my friend,” he replied, his voice trembling. “Scott out.”

  “Seeley?” Jessica called in a lilting tone, hoping to taunt the Dusahn spy. “I know you’re in here,” she continued, walking slowly about the transfer airlock, where Yokimah’s private jump shuttle was located. “But you fucked up, fella. You took Yokimah’s access card, which meant it was easy to track your movements by reading the door logs.” She moved to her right, peaking under the back end of the shuttle, trying to determine where the man was hiding. “Pretty lousy tradecraft, if you ask me,” she continued. “But that wasn’t your only mistake. You were in such a hurry, that you forgot the security chip for his jump shuttle. I know, because I’ve got the chip right here in my pretty, little hand, and I’d love for you to try to take it away from me.”

  Jessica stood motionless for a moment, waiting for a response. After a minute passed, she started walking backward toward the open hangar door. “Of course, I could just close the door and vent the bay. Even if you’re inside that shuttle, you’ll run out of air in there eventually, as well.” She sidestepped to the edge of the hangar door, and activated the door motors, starting the close cycle. “Your call, Seeley, or whatever your name is.”

  There had been a day when Jessica’s emotions would have taken over, at times like this. She had grown up a skinny child, and had not blossomed until just before she had enlisted. The fact that she had been so active as a child, was mostly due to being surrounded by brothers all her life. That inner rage, she had always carried with her, had nearly gotten her killed on several occasions.

  The Ghatazhak had changed all of that. They taught her to control that rage, and only tap what was needed. She now saw it as a resource; as an energy that she could tap at will. There were still times when it threatened to get away from her, but it was those moments when she managed to go beyond what she knew she was capable of, redefining her own personal boundaries.

  This would be one of those times…she could feel it.

  The hangar doors clanged shut. A moment later, the jump shuttle hatch opened, and Jorkar Seeley climbed down the step ladder that extended out of the lower portion of the ship. He no longer carried himself as the nervous, talkative businessman, hell-bent on selling everything to everyone. This time, he moved with the confidence and swagger of a warrior. More than that, with the look of someone who felt himself superior to all those around him.

  That was when she knew. The man was Dusahn.

  “Well, well, well,” Seeley began. “If it isn’t Captain Scott’s personal bitch.” Seeley smiled as he strolled slowly toward Jessica. “The clone-boy sent you to do his dirty work, again, I see.”

  “I’m here of my own volition,” Jessica stated as she reached for the hatch controls, and locked the doors.

  “You can say that all you want, but you and I both know better.”

  “Are all Dusahn dickheads as talkative as you, or are you just a special case?” Jessica asked.

  “How about you just hand me that con
trol chip, and I’ll be on my way,” Seeley suggested.

  “Already trying to bargain,” Jessica noted. “A sure sign of a desperate man.”

  “Not a desperate one,” Seeley insisted. “Just one who doesn’t like to kill helpless women. It’s just not my thing.”

  Jessica laughed. Once she was done, she let out a sigh. “Well, I can see that you’re going to try to stall for as long as possible, so I’m going to force your hand.” Jessica reached up to the airlock bay control pad next to the door controls, and started the depressurization cycle. A warning horn sounded, and the trim lights around the top and bottom edges of the bay turned red, to warn all those inside that the air was being slowly pumped out of the room. “Perfect lighting for a fight, wouldn’t you say?”

  A grin came across Seeley’s face.

  “Just to give you a chance, I set it for a slow depress cycle. Probably take about five minutes to completely depress; even less before we suffocate.” A smirk appeared in the corner of Jessica’s mouth. “Let’s dance.”

  “This will not take long,” Seeley proclaimed as he pulled a short, flat tool from his belt. As he began walking confidently toward her, he pressed a button on the tool, and a blade the length of his forearm extended from it.

  Seeley quickened his pace, raising his blade and striking down at Jessica as he charged at her. Jessica stepped aside, spinning away from him with minimal effort, immediately raising her arm to block the next swing of his blade. In a flash, she slid her other arm around his blade arm, and twisted it back, knocking the blade from his hand with her, now, free hand.

  After releasing him, she stepped away, the blade lying on the floor, equidistant from them both. “Go ahead. Pick it up,” she said.

  Seeley eyed her suspiciously, unsure if she was laying a trap. He took a cautious step forward, keeping his eyes on her as he squatted down to pick up his weapon.

  Jessica simply stood there, her arms relaxed at her sides, waiting for his next move. She didn’t have to wait long.

  As soon as Seeley picked up his blade, he thrust forward and up, hoping to catch her in the abdomen, but Jessica turned sideways and bent just enough for the blade to miss. He immediately moved the blade toward her, but she jumped up, tucking in the air as she dove over the top of the blade as it moved laterally.

  Jessica tucked and rolled through her landing, and was back on her feet in an instant, still not trying to attack the man.

  Again, Seeley pressed the attack, spinning around as his blade arm came out, slashing at her midsection. Jessica bent at the knees and fell backward, landing with her feet and hands outstretched behind her, sweeping one leg between his, then the other, and twisting her body to pull him over and down. But her opponent was not without skills, himself.

  Seeley landed cleanly on his back, and swung his blade parallel to the floor, centimeters above it. Jessica made a snake-like motion with her entire body, lifting it off the floor, and allowing her attacker’s blade, and the arm wielding it, to pass under her, coming down with her elbow into his shoulder.

  Jessica quickly raised her feet, rolling backward and upright as her opponent scrambled to retrieve his blade, once again. He climbed back to his feet, stumbling for a moment as he pushed back the pain.

  Jessica smiled. “I guess you haven’t been doing much dancing lately, huh?”

  Seeley smiled back at her. “I must admit, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it.”

  “Then, please, don’t stop now,” Jessica urged.

  Seeley lunged, missing again as Jessica deftly dodged his parry. He swung high left, passing over her as she leaned back, then he came back around down low, and she merely jumped over his blade, as if skipping rope.

  This time, however, she added a step. A quick boot to his face, sending blood and spit spraying across the floor. “Oops,” she mocked in a girlish voice.

  Now Seeley was becoming annoyed, and it showed in both his expression and movements. He came at her again, only to find his blade arm locked in hers, and her fist in his chest and then in his face.

  Again, Jessica released him, his weapon still in his hand.

  Seeley stumbled backward, sweat dripping from his brow, and blood from his mouth.

  “Let’s make this more interesting,” Jessica decided, pulling her own knife from its sheath in the small of her back. “I like blades, too.” She spun the knife in her hand, taking it in an overhand grip, and held it ready in front of her.

  Seeley charged forth, his blade slashing back and forth across her, but Jessica parried each swipe of his long blade with her own shorter one. The blades clanged repeatedly as he tried everything to get through her defenses, but try as he might, every attempt was successfully thwarted. Every third or fourth attempt, Jessica added a punch to Seeley’s face, or midsection, once even spinning around and driving her knee into his side.

  After nearly a full minute of this, Seeley stumbled backward. His vision was fading, and his breathing had become shallow and gasping. He suddenly realized that he was suffocating. He glared at Jessica, standing there before him, seemingly unaffected by the thinning atmosphere that drained him so.

  “Had enough?” she asked, walking toward him. When he did not respond, she punched him square in the face, knocking him to the floor, out cold.

  Jessica kicked the blade away from Seeley’s unconscious body, then bent over and searched him for any additional weapons. All she found was his wallet. She opened it up, finding all the usual things one carried, including several rectangular Rakuen credit chips. “These should cover my jacket,” she said, taking the credit chips and placing them in her pocket. She looked at Seeley. “You’re a lousy dancer, you know that?”

  Jessica stood up and walked over to the airlock controls, stopping the decompression cycle and reversing it. “By the way,” she said to the still unconscious Dusahn spy, “the air on Burgess is a lot thinner than it is in here. But of course, you probably wouldn’t know that, since your people decided to glass it.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  His head hurt, and his hearing felt muffled. He could hear voices, but he did not recognize them. He tried to open his eyes, but they were fighting him as if they wanted to stay closed.

  The voices became louder, a few of them familiar. His eyes finally started to open, but his vision was blurry; slowly it began to focus. A white room. Curtains. Several people, some of them in uniform.

  “I think he’s waking up,” one of the voices said. Then the muffled sounds of movement, and the jiggling of his bed.

  “Mister Yokimah?”

  It was a woman’s voice.

  “Mister Yokimah, can you speak?”

  “I…” his voice was scratchy, weak.

  My neck.

  He reached for his neck, the place where the gaping wound had been, but there was nothing but smooth skin.

  How can that be?

  His vision cleared, and the faces around him became recognizable, familiar, as did their voices.

  “My neck,” he said, barely audible

  “It’s fully healed,” the Asian woman told him. “I’m Doctor Chen. How do you feel?”

  Ito thought for a moment. “Thirsty.”

  “Get him some water,” Doctor Chen told someone in the distance.

  A moment later, someone handed him a glass of water with a straw. He took a sip. It felt wonderful, so he took another.

  “Can you speak?” a male voice asked.

  “Yes,” Ito replied, his voice becoming stronger. He opened his eyes again, spotting Captain Scott standing at his bedside. “You.”

  “Yes, me,” Nathan replied. “If you’ll excuse us for a minute,” he instructed the others. He waited a moment for them to leave, and for the door to close behind them.

  “Where am I?” Ito asked.

  “In the medical department on board the Aurora, in orbit over Rakuen,” Nathan explained.

  “How long?”

  “Three and a half days.”

  “Have the Du
sahn…”

  “No, they have not returned,” Nathan assured him. “Our recon drones have verified that the ships that attacked this system have returned to Takara. Those that made it out, that is.”

  “My neck?” Ito asked. “How did it heal so quickly?”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t yet heard of the wonders of Corinairan nanites,” Nathan explained.

  “I have, I just didn’t realize…”

  “That they worked so well?”

  Ito nodded.

  “Yeah, well, that’s one of the reasons we kept you unconscious for the last three days. Not everyone finds it pleasant to have those buggers crawling around inside of them. We figured we’d play it safe, considering the depth of your neck wound.”

  “Then, I will recover?”

  “Fully,” Nathan promised.

  Ito closed his eyes, a wave of relief washing over him. Then reality reared its ugly head. “So, what is to become of me?” he asked, his eyes still closed.

  “Well, that depends on you.”

  Ito tried to make a power play. “People will be asking questions. I am quite well known…”

  “They already have,” Nathan replied. “Quite a few, in fact.”

  “What did you tell them?”

  “The truth.”

  Ito closed his eyes again, imagining his imprisonment.

  “That you sustained serious injuries while defending yourself against a Dusahn spy and saboteur,” Nathan elaborated.

  Ito opened one eye, looking suspiciously at the captain. “The truth?”

  “None of what I said is a lie,” Nathan insisted. “It is just…incomplete. How we let the truth be understood, in the eyes of your people, depends on you.”

  “What are my options?”

  “Always the businessman, I see.” Nathan took a breath before continuing. “Well, we can tell them the truth as you and I, and a few others, who shall remain nameless, know it, or we can tell them a truth that will save your future, and the future of Rakuen. Perhaps even of the entire quadrant.”

  “I’m not sure you and I share the same truth, Captain.”