by K. Aten
When she broke from the trees onto the south beach, utter chaos met her gaze. Olivienne was ahead of her, scrambling over large boulders to get to where a tentacle was creeping toward one flightless roc juvenile. The adult birds were taking turns diving at the beast and raking it with their claws but it was having little effect. Castellan used her telekinesis to pitch one tentacle back into the water, away from the Connate and a cycle-size bird while Olivienne was using her pyrokinesis to burn another that came near. The commander pitched a boulder toward the great eye of the leviathan where it had broken the surface of the water. The other guardians arrived and began firing their rifles into the creature as well. Unfortunately, such small weaponry had no effect and two more tentacles broke the waves onto the rocky shore.
The battle itself seemed suicidal unless the ship came around and brought its big guns to bear. The eye of the beast was frightening enough at twelve inces across and they could see it from where they stood on land, nearly thirty yords from where the leviathan sat in the water. The average tentacle size was around one hundred and forty foot and the monster that had washed ashore rotos before weighed nearly five thousand punds. They were massive and deadly. Not only were those long tentacles covered in suckers with jagged teeth ringing the inside, but they also had claws along the edges of each appendage that could rotate or even retract. Two screams tore through the air, one avian and the other more familiar.
“Tosh!”
The commander looked around and watched in horror as the leviathan had taken the Connate and one of the baby rocs into its grasp. As if that had been the creature’s intention all along, the tentacles began a slow withdrawal back out over the water. Thinking fast, Castellan grabbed the creature with her telekinesis to prevent it from sinking below the surface and called to the others. “Don’t fire projectile weapons! Devin, Yazzie, Madlin, grab it with your channel. Don’t let it go below the surface!”
Even though the claws near the end of the tentacle had already pierced her clothing and skin around her torso, Olivienne worked feverishly to free the young roc that was caught by the nearby tentacle. Her pyrokinesis flared as she worked at burning through the tough rubbery skin of the monster that had ensnared them. She sent a mental push outward, casting her thoughts toward shore. “Tosh!”
She was answered immediately. “We’re trying to hold the beast, can you free yourself?”
“I’m freeing the baby first!”
“No, please!”
Tosh’s words did no good. “I’m almost through, get ready to grab the bird—now!”
The commander didn’t consider her actions, she abruptly let go of her mental grip on the leviathan to grab the falling baby roc. With her lapse of concentration the burden of the entire five thousand pund beast fell to three guardians whose collective power didn’t even come close to the commander’s. It wasn’t their fault that the leviathan began to slip away. Between the three of them, they had less than a tun of capacity lift per oor, whereas Castellan could and had lifted three thousand pund armicrustes. Just as she set the young bird onto the rocky shore, Lt. Madlin called out frantically. “Commander, we can’t hold it!”
Tosh turned back to the horror in the water just as it sank below the surface, taking Olivienne with it. “No!” The scream tore from her just as her power cast out over the water until it could grab onto something that was much too large. Tapping into every bit of resource she had, Castellan mentally pulled the leviathan toward them as the exhausted guardians could only stare in awe. The commander screamed again as the large body of the beast was pulled into the shallows, along with a motionless Connate. Then before the leviathan could drag itself back out again, she grabbed the largest boulder she could and sent it crashing into that staring, baleful eye.
With its immediate death, Lt. Madlin grabbed the sovereign with her telekinesis and sped her toward the shore where Spc. Yazzie started pumping her chest and breathed into her mouth. After a meen of working on the Connate, Olivienne abruptly convulsed and they turned her to the side as she coughed out a wash of water into the pebbles on the beach. She gave a hoarse cry and grabbed her left side at the same time. Madlin called out with a triumphant smile. “Commander, she’s okay!” She turned and was dismayed to see Tosh lying on the ground ten yords away.
Spc. Qent and Spc. Leggett were also busy working on their commander just as Yazzie had been working on the Connate. Qent was giving chest compressions and glanced up at the lieutenant. “She dropped as soon as she had the beast nearly ashore. She’s not breathing, Lieutenant!”
Lt. Madlin tried to push into the commander’s mind and found her still aware. “Commander, you have to breathe! The Connate is safe, breathe—breathe!”
Without warning, Tosh gave a great gasp as her back bowed off the ground, then she groaned and grabbed her head as she rolled to the side and vomited. Before anyone could say anything, the heroic woman fell unconscious again. Lt. Madlin was concerned still, looking at the woman who had blood trickling from her nostrils and ears, but at least the officer was alive. Another cry split the air and the hairs on the back of Madlin’s neck stood on end. She felt a great wash of air buffet her back and turned slowly to take in a sight that both terrified and exhilarated her. Devin raised his bolt rifle and the lieutenant held her hand up to stay him. “Don’t fire, I’m not sensing any aggression from it, just curiosity.”
“But, ser!”
Lt. Madlin made eye contact with Devin then swung her gaze to take in the rest of them as the roc stepped closer to the Connate. “Hold, guardians! Any aggression on your part could get our sovereign killed right now. Do not engage! Savvy?”
They all nodded but none answered. The team was frozen in fear and Madlin could feel the anxiety practically radiating all around her. It spiked when the roc leaned down from its nearly four yord height and nudged the Connate with its beak. Olivienne was in pain but awake and stared at the creature with wide violet eyes. The roc cocked its head to one side, then the other, taking in the sight of the prone sovereign with each eye. Everyone held their breath as Olivienne lifted a single hand up to touch the razor sharp beak. “I won’t harm you. We saved your baby.”
Madlin felt new emotion then. “Connate Dracore, the roc...it is grateful, relieved. I think it’s just saying thank you.”
Olivienne smiled as the enormous bird stepped back again. “You’re welcome.” With those last words, the giant avian gave another squawk and took to the air. It swooped over to the chick and snatched it with its claws before flying off. The rest that had been circling followed it farther down the southern coast. Olivienne heard steps running toward her but was too sore to move. “Where’s Tosh?”
Madlin came into view with concern darkening her face. “Commander Tosh is down. Can you be moved? Is anything broken?”
Olivienne tried to take a deep breath and winced. “I think some ribs are broken, and I feel like I got chewed on. There was something sharp on the tentacles that cut though my clothes. I—” She gasped and grabbed her left side as she tried to sit up. “Definitely broken. If you help me up, I believe I can walk on my own. What’s wrong with the commander?”
Devin and Yazzie helped the Connate stand and steadied her when she swayed slightly. Madlin glanced to where Tosh lay farther down the beach and her brow furrowed. “The commander is, well, I’m not really sure what is wrong. She’s in great pain but I have no way of saying if anything else ails her. I suspect she overextended her channel pulling the leviathan in—”
“She what?” Olivienne looked from Lt. Madlin to her fallen lover then turned and caught sight of the beached leviathan that lay like a mountain behind her.
Devin was on her right side and spoke quietly into her hear. “When you got pulled under, she just—I’ve never seen anything like it. She screamed and her face looked like madness had come and left her scoured in its wake.”
Olivienne turned to look at the man who had served on her Shield Corp unit for nearly a long as Lt. Savon. He appear
ed to be in shock. “What is it, Devin?”
Their slow pace took them ever closer to the prone woman on the ground and Spc. Devin’s gaze seemed fixed on the downed officer. “I heard the story about Temple Beach, we all did. But I never really thought someone could have that much power. It’s a little frightening.”
“Let’s just be glad she uses it for good and not for other more nefarious purposes then, shall we?”
His answer was a whisper. “Yes, ser.”
Olivienne called out softly to Tosh’s mind. “Castellan?”
A whimper came from the other woman and Olivienne immediately withdrew. “She’s in shock, we need that ship now!”
Luckily for everyone, Spc. Lazaro had gotten in touch with the ship while they battled the sea beast and it was already within sight of the belabored group of guardians.
Spc. Leggett took measurements and recorded images of the leviathan while they waited, if only for the official report later. Within ten meens, a small boat had come to retrieve their partial team. It was a painful ride for the Connate. Every small bump and wave shot agony through her broken ribs, even as she tried to hold her side steady with her hand. Once they were safely aboard the large vessel, the ship took off up shore to collect Spc. Lazaro and the rest of their gear. Lt. Savon was the first to reach them as they made it aboard. Castellan was placed on a stabilizing plank even as Yazzie and Holling conferred on the best course of action for treatment of the Connate. “What happened?”
It was Olivienne herself that answered. “The leviathan came up to the edge of the south beach where one roc chick was located. I tried to keep it from taking the baby, but it grabbed me as well. I was able to burn one tentacle to free the young bird but I made the mistake of yelling for the commander to grab the freed chick. The other telekinetics couldn’t hold the beast by themselves without the commander’s help and it pulled me under. I don’t know what happened after that.”
Savon turned to take in his fellow lieutenant’s pale face. “And after?”
Madlin shook her head slowly as she watched Spc. Holling check Cmdr. Tosh’s pupils with a light then administer a pain reliever. “She just...she—she pulled the poxing thing up all by herself! She’s burned out I think, but I don’t know because I didn’t see her drop as I was the one bringing in the Connate at the time.”
Her own pain reliever was making her sleepy but Olivienne found the energy to assuage the lieutenant’s fears somewhat. “It’s not your fault, Madlin. Tosh did what she was trained to do. She did what she always does. There is no other action you could have taken to prevent this.”
Lt. Savon clasped Madlin’s shoulder and smiled at her. “She’s right, you grabbed the sovereign, which is the correct thing to do. If Commander Tosh were awake right now she’d tell you the same.”
Lt. Madlin rubbed her own head, not used to using her telekinesis to such an extent. As senior lieutenant of their team, she knew Savon would take charge of the group until the commander was able to resume command. “Yes, ser. If you don’t mind, I’m going to grab a pain reliever for my own head.”
“Absolutely. Grab some downtime, we’ve got oors before we get back to the mainland. Nice job, Lieutenant, the situation could have been a lot worse.” Savon looked down to the padded bench where the sovereign had slipped into sleep and heard Madlin mutter quietly as she walked away.
“It could have been a lot better too.”
Chapter Eighteen
CASTELLAN NEVER EVEN woke when they made it back to the dock and loaded her into the waiting hauler to be taken to the nearest med center. Olivienne had come around again though and dreaded the call she would have to make to the Queen as she was loaded into the hauler with Tosh. As they rode through the streets of Natus, the Connate grasped the medallion that still hung beneath her shirt and gazed down at the haggard features of the woman who had once again nearly died to save her life. They were going to have to talk, and soon.
The small fishing village wasn’t substantive enough to warrant a full hospital but their med center served most purposes for the residents. Olivienne was taken to a private room and Lt. Savon made a schedule to keep at least six guardians on duty at all times until the Connate was released. He had the displeasure of contacting Gen. Renou to inform her of the events that led to the Connate’s injury, as well as the current state of Cmdr. Tosh. He was told to inform Connate Dracore to expect a teleo call from her mother. As for Olivienne, she was treated for puncture wounds from the leviathan’s claws, as well as the abrasions from the rings of denticles within each sucker. Other than that and three broken ribs, she was fit as a flightless bird.
The sovereign was deep in thought when Lt. Savon entered her room. “Connate Dracore.”
She looked up immediately. “What is it Savon, do you have any word on Commander Tosh’s condition?”
“The news is not good, ser—”
Panic washed across the Connate’s face. “Bollux! What has happened to her? I need to see her right now!”
“No, Connate Dracore, Commander Tosh is in a deep sleep and receiving intravenous fluids for pain and dehydration. The news I was referring to comes from the capital. Regretfully, I had to inform General Renou of the events over the past weke and the injuries that were sustained in the battle against the leviathan. She informed me that you could expect a call from the Queen.” His gaze flickered toward the teleo that sat on the table next to the Connate’s bed then back to her pale face.
“My mother?” He nodded and she groaned before covering her eyes with her right hand. “I really have no energy to speak with her right now.”
He shuffled uncomfortably, unsure how to help his sovereign. “Um, I could maybe answer and tell her that you’re asleep?”
She peeked from between her fingers to take in the loyal lieutenant who had served her for rotos. “As much as the offer is appreciated, lieutenant, I need to speak with her about a number of things so best that I just answer and get it over with.”
He bowed, looking relieved. “Yes, Connate Dracore. If that is all, I should probably see to the rest of the unit and arrange to have our supplies taken back to the base camp.” Savon turned to go but Olivienne called out to him.
“Lieutenant.”
“Yes, ser?”
Olivienne smiled at him, and though it was tired and filled with discomfort it was also genuine. “Thank you for your warning yesterdae, and thank you for all you’ve done over the rotos that I’ve known you. You’re a good officer and I’m glad you’re on my team.”
Pride filled his eyes then and he saluted her. “Yes, ser. I’m happy to serve.” He turned and made his way out.
The quiet of Olivienne’s room didn’t last long as the air was split by the ringing of the teleo. Even though the Queen seemed quite calm, Olivienne could hear the panic in her mother’s voice. “I’m fine, maman, I promise.” She paused as she listened to her mother speak. “Scrapes mostly, and three broken ribs. I’m afraid that Commander Tosh bore the brunt of it as she has not awakened yet. The doctore on staff thinks that she burned out all her channels.” Another pause. “No, I didn’t see it but I heard after...yes, an entire leviathan.” Olivienne sighed as her mother continued to speak and pushed away a few stray hairs that had come out of her braid and hung down in her face. “Truthfully? I don’t know. I wasn’t aware she was capable of that much power.”
The next spate of questions took the Connate by surprise. “I—I don’t know what you mean.” The next words caused Olivienne’s heart to race. As much as she and Tosh had tried to keep it a secret, her mother already knew of their dalliance. Worse yet, she suspected the depth of Olivienne’s feelings. “Maman, I cannot say—fine, will not say then. I have to speak with Castellan first and she’s not...” Olivienne’s voice trailed off and her mother remained silent. Tears sprang to Olivienne’s eyes as she thought about how close her lover had come to dying. “Oh, maman...she has to wake!” Before their conversation could continue further, a knock sounded at the
door. “I have to go.” Olivara asked another question and the Connate answered. “Yes, Savon says we’ll leave tomorrow whether she wakes or not. She’ll get better care in the capital anyway. Yes, maman, and thank you. I love you too.”
The call disconnected. “Enter!”
An older gentlemen wearing a warm fishing sweater walked through the door carrying a small tablet and stylus. He saluted her and smiled warmly. “Good afternoon, Connate Dracore, it is an honor to officially meet you. I’m Doctore Strem.”
“As the man who patched me up, believe me when I say the honor is all mine. So when can I leave?”
He glanced at his tablet then back to her. “Truthfully, you can leave at any time. I’ll give you some analgesics for the pain but I’m afraid there’s nothing I can actually do for the ribs. Time will be the best healer for—” He paused and chuckled good-naturedly. “I forgot who you were for a sec. I supposed the Queen will have a telesana healer tend to you as soon as you enter Tesseron, so my words of advice may be for moot.”
Olivienne smiled in acknowledgement. “How is Commander Tosh?”
Dre. Strem frowned. “She is physically hale, but still sleeps. I think that her channel was so badly burned by the actions against the creature that any amount of stimulus is painful. I’m keeping her sedated for now. I recommend doing a telepathic check every oor and if she gets to the point where she doesn’t react with pain then she will be safe to stop administering the sedative. I’d like to keep you both overnight for observation and I’ll sign vellum for your release in the morning.”
“Can I see her?”
He touched the side of his nose, indicating a secret shared. “She was muttering your name in her sleep so I feel as though it is my duty to have her bed transferred to your room for the night.”
