Universe in Flames – Ultimate 10 Book Box Set: An Epic Space Opera Adventure

by Christian Kallias

  This was the second time Chase entered the cockpit of this particular craft. The first time had been during its test flight where he had instructed Yanis on the modifications he needed to be made. As always, Yanis’ technical expertise had paid off, and the ship was ready for Chase’s next journey.

  Of course, he never thought the modifications to this starfighter would be used to abandon his old life and head him into the unknown. But, instead, Chase had designed this variation for longer missions. This StarFury’s engines were tuned for much longer jumps at the cost of lower firepower.

  From a certain point of view, that’s exactly what he was about to embark on, a longer mission. One to quench his ever-growing thirst for revenge, slowly but surely reaching its boiling point deep within his soul.

  4

  “What’s going on?” said a tired Saroudis, still trying to wake up. “You better have a good reason for disturbing me.”

  “I’m sorry, Commodore,” said his officer. “We’ve detected an unauthorized StarFury launch. It’s former Lieutenant Commander Athanatos.”

  That did the trick and sent enough of a jolt to the commodore’s brain to wake him fully from his semi-conscious slumber. Saroudis shook his head to regain all his senses further.

  “Patch me through to the ship. Now.”

  “Patching you through, Commodore.”

  The holo-screen turned to life in Saroudis’ quarters, filling its screen with a familiar face, albeit inside a helmet.

  “Chase, what are you doing?”

  “I’m sorry, Commodore, I need to get out of here.”

  “Be that as it may, you’re no longer part of the Earth Alliance, so turn your ship around and return to the Destiny at once. You’re no longer authorized to fly a StarFury and you know it. You can’t have it both ways.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but that’s an order I can’t comply with. I need a ship.”

  “Perhaps if you had asked me, I would have considered lending you one. But you can’t take a StarFury on a whim and just fly away.”

  “And yet that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

  “Look, Chase. I know you’re hurt, but please, don’t do this. Right now, StarFuries are the one advantage we have over the Obsidian Empire in terms of firepower. If yours gets captured, they’ll be able to reverse engineer it and find countermeasures, and we can’t afford that.”

  “I won’t let Obsidian forces take my StarFury, you have my word.”

  “That is not your decision to make, Chase, so this is the last time I’ll ask you before branding you a renegade and sending a squadron after you to stop you.”

  There was a pause, but Saroudis could read Chase like an open book. And he didn’t like what he saw in his eyes. Anger, hatred, sadness, and revenge all mixed into a fiery gaze.

  Saroudis swallowed hard, waiting for Chase’s reply.

  “This is my ship!” shouted Chase. “I helped design it from the ground up, and I’m the one who sacrificed everything so we would survive the Obsidian onslaught. So, with all due respect, sir, you can shove your order where the sun doesn’t shine. I’m taking this StarFury, and I’ll destroy anyone stupid enough to come after me, so do us all a favor and just let this be. Athanatos out!”

  Before Saroudis could answer, Chase had turned off the holo-communication and a bright flash outside the quarter’s viewport told Saroudis that Chase’s ship had entered hyperspace.

  Saroudis reached for his wrist holo-device to call the bridge, but his fingers paused over the controls. He hesitated for what felt like an eternity.

  Was Chase right? Did they owe him more than the commodore was willing to admit? The Lieutenant Commander had always been a hothead, and defiance had always been part of his attitude, as much as it pained Saroudis. But Chase had saved their lives many times in the past. And he was hurting.

  Saroudis knew that feeling well. He missed his wife and his children, and while war had taken them away from him, he knew Chase’s predicament was different.

  Would Saroudis have shot and killed his own family? And if he had, wouldn’t he feel the same feelings of remorse and hatred he sensed in Chase? As much as he deplored acknowledging it, he knew that in Chase’s place, he most likely would feel exactly like him.

  So he never contacted the bridge to order ships to deploy to go after Chase. Instead, he turned off the lights in his quarters and his head hit the pillow, even though he knew sleep would not return that night.

  “How the hell did you let this happen, sir!” exclaimed Daniel.

  “Commander Tharraleos, I would watch your tone if I were you,” answered Saroudis. “One arrogant, self-centered, and out of control pilot is enough. I don’t need another one.”

  Daniel took a deep breath, calming himself. “I apologize, sir. But why didn’t anyone tell me Chase left the ship or that he resigned?”

  “Look, Daniel, it was his decision. I tried talking him out of it, but he wouldn’t have it. I don’t have to tell you how stubborn your friend can be.”

  Daniel shook his head in disbelief. “I…I just can’t believe he’s gone, without saying a word.”

  “He’s hurting, and he probably feared you’d do everything you could to prevent him from going.”

  “I would have.”

  “Then put yourself in his shoes, and you’ll understand why he didn’t say goodbye or let you know about his intentions.”

  “He told you.”

  “I think he needed to tell at least one person, so he went for the one person he’s used to being rebellious toward. And that’s partly my fault. I’ve always been too lenient with the Lieutenant Commander. Chase may be the best pilot I’ve ever witnessed, but you and I both know he never belonged in the military.“

  “That’s a little harsh.”

  “As his best friend, I can see why you’d say that. But the truth of the matter is, Chase always did what he wanted, and orders be damned.”

  Daniel knew it would be difficult to argue this point about Chase’s personality. His best friend had always had trouble with authority and was more an instinct kind of pilot and officer.

  On some level, he had been lucky to be assigned to the Destiny and that Saroudis had tolerated his behavior over the years. On any other ship under any other commanding officer, Chase would have found permanent quarters in the brig. In times of war even, he could have been shot for mutiny.

  “Then why did you, sir?”

  “Why did I what?”

  “Why did you tolerate his bullheadedness?”

  Saroudis sighed. “It’s not an easy question to answer. I suppose the fact he was touched by Olympian gods has played a role.”

  “Chase was defiant way before Aphroditis contacted him.”

  “That’s true. Perhaps on some level I saw some of my own son in him. We never saw eye to eye, and it felt like my son’s mission in life was to disagree and defy me at every turn.”

  “Fathers and sons…never an easy relationship.”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  5

  Chase felt an energy source behind him and turned around just in time to see the fireball coming his way. He slashed it with the back his hand and deflected it.

  The sky above turned black, and red lightning hit the ground with tremendous force.

  “Who’s there?” shouted Chase.

  An evil laughed echoed in the valley and froze Chase’s blood. He knew that voice. In fact, he had wished it would be him. His twin brother Argos.

  “Today is a good day to die, Chase,” said Argos.

  “Funny you would say that, seeing as it will be your last.”

  Argos teleported a few yards away from Chase, a wicked grin across his face. More red lightning bolts hit behind Argos and turned his silhouette into an ominous shadow for a moment.

  “Glad to see you still have good reflexes,” said Argos. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

  “I should have killed you on board Damocles-3.”

  �
��Yes, you should have. Now I’m more powerful than you can ever imagine, and I won’t let myself be taken by surprise.”

  “Is that what you did back then? Seems to me I handed your ass to you, and the only reason you’re still breathing is that you threatened Sarah. Tell me something, was any of it true?”

  “Was what true?”

  “What you said back then, that if I killed you, Sarah would have died instantly?”

  Argos’ grin morphed into a wide smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “I will get revenge for Sarah’s death, and I’m gonna make you suffer in the process. And you know what, Argos, I’m going to enjoy every moment.”

  Argos took a fighting stance and taunted Chase. “Then stop your incessant blabbering and attack me already!”

  “With pleasure.”

  Chase’s purple aura grew around him, his eyes flashed, and he unleashed three fireballs toward Argos. Each one of them went through Argos as if he wasn’t there.

  What the hell? How is he doing this?

  Argos laughed out loud. “That was pathetic. But I’ve come to expect mediocrity from my brother.”

  “You’re not my brother! You’re a murderer!” shouted Chase.

  But then Chase heard a voice in his mind.

  Easy, Chase. It was Ares. He’s trying to get under your skin. Stay focused and don’t play his games. Attack him again, but this time, pay attention.

  Chase sent another fireball toward Argos, and he saw Argos blink a millisecond before impact, giving the impression that his attacks were passing through his body when in fact he teleported in and out at the exact moment the fireballs were upon him.

  There, you see, said Ares. Stay calm and focused, and ground yourself in this moment. Only then will you be able to adjust your tactics.

  Thank you, Ares.

  But there was no answer.

  Chase darted forward and attacked Argos with a kick, but like his previous attacks, it passed through Argos. Before he could turn around, an intense pain radiated in his back as Argos firmly planted his elbow.

  Chase stumbled forward, but when he turned around, Argos was gone.

  “You’re too slow,” whispered his brother’s voice near his ear.

  Chase reacted instinctively and smashed his elbow toward the sound but hit nothing but air.

  “Give it up already,” said a bodiless Argos. “You’re so sluggish it’s not even fun fighting you. I can’t believe you ever put my life in danger. But just as I suspected, your victory was a fluke. You’re no warrior.”

  Chase made fists. “It wasn’t a fluke!”

  “And yet here we are, you can’t even locate me. How pathetic. Too bad for you none of your friends are around, it seems only when I inflict them with pain does your potential really surface. But you know what? It just proves what I knew all along about you: how inexperienced and incompetent a Fury you are. If it weren’t for the fact that we look identical, I would never believe we share the same blood.”

  Chase’s heartbeat accelerated and knocked hard against his chest. Fear was settling in, and it was the last thing Chase needed right now.

  I need to calm myself, stay focused, stay grounded.

  Chase closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and expanded his consciousness around his body. Soon, he detected a powerful source of energy nearby. It was evil and manifested in a dark-red aura in his mind’s eye.

  There you are!

  With his eyes still closed, Chase darted toward his brother’s energy in his mind and felt his energy-infused fist connect with solid matter.

  When Chase opened his eyes, he saw his fist punch through Argos’ face and sent him flying and crashing yards away. Chase reduced the distance separating them in a split second and kicked Argos before he could recover.

  While his enemy was spinning in the air, Chase lit him up with five powerful fireballs. Argos caught fire and was catapulted further away.

  Chase knew he needed to keep hitting him and not let him recover or heal himself. Now that he was in the zone and fighting purely on instinct, he could feel his revenge burn deep. Hatred was now the raw fuel for his scorched soul.

  However, before he reached Argos, his brother landed back on his feet, a malevolent grin across his bloodied and burned face.

  “Time to die!” screamed Chase as he continued toward his enemy.

  “Stop!” Argos said, but Chase had no intention of doing so. Instead, he concentrated all his energy into his right arm, transforming it into a long purple sword to pierce Argos.

  Chase thrust forward when something unexpected happened. Before he could reconcile what he was seeing, he watched as Sarah materialized in front of Argos and was impaled by Chase’s attack.

  The look of terror on her face was a frightening sight, and Chase felt guilt and self-hatred fill his soul at an impossible speed.

  “Nooooooooo!” screamed Chase.

  He removed his energy-infused arm from her chest and blood spilled onto the ground.

  “How—how could you?” said Sarah, her face filling with bloody tears.

  Both Sarah and Chase fell to their knees at the same time, and as the life left her eyes, she collapsed into Chase’s arms.

  Argos’ laugher echoed all around Chase. “You seem really good at killing the ones you love. I’ll grant you that.”

  It can’t be, thought Chase. This can’t be happening! Not again.

  Chase’s anger exploded from deep within his soul and he unleashed an animalistic roar that felt like it came straight from the depths of hell.

  “NOOOOOOO!”

  Then everything changed, and Sarah, Argos, and the valley in which they had fought disappeared. Chase was back in the cockpit of his ship, panting and crying.

  “What the hell was that?” he muttered. A nightmare? Or a vision?

  6

  Daniel was staring at his coffee, studying the delicate swirling contrasts on its surface. He was lost in thought, wishing he could just go to Chase’s quarters and hang out until his next convoy escort mission.

  But Chase was gone. And as much as his talk with Saroudis had helped with some of the resentment Daniel felt about his best friend’s actions, he still hadn’t fully accepted nor swallowed the fact Chase hadn’t even left a holo-message for him.

  It took a shadow cast over the table and his coffee for Daniel to realize that someone was near. He looked up and saw Fillio.

  “How are you doing, Daniel?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  “Mind if I sit down?”

  “Be my guest,” he said, gesturing to the opposite seat. ”Just don’t expect great company.”

  “As a rule, I try to keep my expectations in check, especially with pilots, that way I don’t get too disappointed.”

  Daniel surprised himself with a chuckle. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You know very well what it means.”

  “I guess…”

  “Don’t be too hard on him, okay?”

  “I can’t promise anything. I thought we were brothers. Now…I don’t know anymore.”

  “Try to look at it from Chase’s perspective.”

  “Why does everyone keep telling me that? Doesn’t seem to help.”

  “I know. But there’s nothing we can do about it.”

  “Isn’t there?”

  Fillio’s eyebrows rose. “I don’t follow.”

  “Well, and off the top of my head, we could…try to go after him.”

  “You know as well as I do that Saroudis would never sanction that, and truth be told, I think that’s the last thing Chase would want.”

  “Screw what he wants, what about what I want?”

  “Look, you’re hurting, I get it. But take that feeling and multiply it by a thousand and maybe, just maybe you’d get a glimpse of what he must be going through. If Chase thinks heading to the unknown is the best thing for him, who are we to argue? Maybe it’s best we respect his wishes.”

  “We�
�re his friends, we could help.”

  “You can keep telling yourself that all day long and keep feeling worse about it, or you can accept that our friend has been scarred for life and that such wounds can’t be fixed just by being around friends. Chase has lost his true north, and he’s doing what he thinks is best to feel better. If you ask me, we should respect his wishes. We don’t need to understand it, we don’t need to agree with it even, only accept it. Do you think you can do that for your…brother?”

  Daniel reflected on Fillio’s words, and they hit home. Maybe on some level, he was actually being selfish, focusing on how Chase’s sudden departure affected him instead of focusing on how deeply hurt Chase must have been to leave the way he did.

  Daniel attempted a faint smile. “When did you get so wise?”

  “I’m not wise, Daniel. I just try not to let my emotions get in the way.”

  There was something both fascinating and sad about Fillio’s statement. On some level, Daniel thought he understood what she meant. But Daniel couldn’t do what she did. It wasn’t his way.

  When emotions rose to the surface, he had to deal with them. Sometimes it paralyzed him, but he always thought that it was the nature of living beings. He could never imagine a life where he would silence his emotions. Nor did he see the point in such a life.

  When Fillio realized her last comment had sent Daniel into deeper thinking, she continued.

  “Mind you, I’d like to emphasize the word try. It’s not as easy as my statement makes it sound. Truth be told, it’s a double-edged sword. But as a person prone to depression, it’s something I’ve noticed can help me…sometimes, anyway.”

  “Well, with Chase gone, I think depression is a real possibility for me as well. We’ve been fighting for our lives ever since we came in contact with the Earthers, but now that there’s no direct threat, especially after the defeat we inflicted to Argos’ forces, I find myself missing all the action.”

  “Then let’s do something to occupy our minds.”