The Alorian Wars Box Set

by Drew Avera

  “Personally, I want you to suffer as my children did. Ravaged in flames as they burned, screaming for help that came too late. I want you and every one of your kind to die,” the woman spat, her shoulders rising with her heavy breathing as the lights in the room flickered.

  Brendle’s eyes shot towards the doorway where a man dressed as a security officer stood. “Excuse me, I need you to settle down. As for you,” he said, pointing towards Brendle, “Come with me.”

  “Now?” Brendle asked.

  The man placed a hand on the handle of his weapon. “Now.”

  Brendle looked back to Deis and Malikea, both nodding, urging him to go without protest. He rose from his seat and stepped past the woman. “I hope you enjoy your accommodations, Greshian.” She spat on him, her saliva hot against his neck, but he kept moving, looking forward.

  “Why do you need me? I’m not here to cause trouble,” Brendle said as he neared the man.

  “I didn’t ask you to speak,” the guard replied. “I told you to come with me. Keep your mouth shut, do you understand?” Brendle nodded. “Good. Let’s go.”

  41

  Ilium

  In the passageway, the light burned his retinas and he saw the same pain etched on Stavis’s face. “The Mar did a number on us last night,” Ilium said.

  “No kidding, but I woke with an aftertaste in my mouth that wasn’t Mar. I think our drinks were spiked,” Stavis replied bluntly.

  “In the wardroom? Who would do that?”

  “No, sir, if it was the wardroom, then Commander Quino would be feeling like us.”

  Ilium leaned against the bulkhead and Stavis did likewise. “Do you remember our conversation about Quino last night?”

  “I do.”

  “How soon before that can be done?”

  Stavis smirked. “It’s in work now. I have my Chief of Security working on it. I asked him to bug your stateroom as well.”

  “What? Why would you do that?” Ilium asked. “I told you, the old me is gone.”

  Stavis stepped forward, pressing a finger to his lips to quiet him down. “To keep the CoS from asking too many questions. My message to him expressed it was an exercise where a team would attempt seizing control of the ship and I wanted to monitor the safety of our top brass.”

  “You hit it a little on the nose, didn’t you?”

  “Why not? That’s Security’s job, to prevent these things from happening.”

  “Good thinking then. Now, what about this spiked drink theory you have?”

  “Pretty simple, actually. Have you ever felt like this after drinking Mar?” Ilium shook his head. “I think someone spiked the bottle in my stateroom, not what we drank in the Ward Room.”

  “But to what end?”

  “Look at what we’re facing, sir. You’re new XO isn’t who he says he is. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but I’m willing to bet he’s behind it.”

  Ilium scoffed, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed reasonable that Quino was playing him, pretending to be unfamiliar with the ship as a justification for being late. “Maybe you’re onto something. Have you had your bottle tested?”

  Stavis’s face scrunched with worry lines. “It’s no longer in my room. Did you take it with you?”

  Ilium took in a deep breath, for the first time his concern about Quino becoming something more terrifying. “No, and I don’t remember returning to my room last night.”

  “Something is up, sir, and I’m afraid if we make too big a fuss then we will draw attention to ourselves.”

  “What do you suggest?” Ilium rubbed at his eyes again as another round of pounding formed behind them.

  “I put the CoS in charge of monitoring your stateroom, and I’ll handle Quino’s. if anything happens, I’ll let you know and we can go from there.”

  “And the device?”

  “For this plan to work, I need the device to be low priority.”

  “That should be your top priority,” Ilium snapped, his voice raised. He watched as she winced from the shouting and felt guilty. Lowering his voice, he continued, “If he activates it on this ship, then everyone could die.”

  Stavis nodded. “I’m aware, sir, but there are limits to what we can do without drawing attention from Quino or the crew. Either situation could cause the dire situation we’re in to escalate out of our control.” She stood her ground and Ilium knew her experience spoke louder than her pride. That was why he depended on her so heavily.

  “Noted. Do this your way and do it quietly. Let me know what you need from me and I’ll try to keep the XO busy.”

  “Roger that. As I stated before, the CoS is on it. I should have access by lunch time.”

  “I guess it’s time to return to the bridge before Quino fires missiles at space rocks,” Ilium sighed.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on the progress of our secret mission. He might think something is up if we leave and return together.”

  “Good thinking.” Without realizing it, Ilium took Stavis’s hand in his, holding it for a moment. “Be careful.”

  She stared down at his hand, but didn’t pull away. Instead, she gazed into his eyes as replied, “same to you.”

  He watched her walk away, her hand pulling from his, slipping from his grasp. Ilium’s eyes followed until she turned the corner and he realized something he hadn’t before. He was falling for her.

  42

  Hespha

  Leaving the bathroom, her heart pounded, making her slow walk back to her seat more difficult. Her mind raced. She was an adult, she knew what caused pregnancy, but somewhere in her mind she thought this part of her life was behind her. More than guilt flooded her emotions. Anger rose to the surface as well. Not just towards Ka’Hor’al, but for herself. It was her self-loathing she found most difficult to handle lately.

  She collapsed into the cushioned row of seats behind Ka’Hor’al, not wanting to look at him, or hear his snoring. She craved silence and solitude as she processed her condition. She felt like a bitch for thinking of it in those terms, but felt justified knowing it was unplanned and practically forced by Ka’Hor’al’s constant whining and pressure for sex. This is what I get for giving in. An unwanted child with a man I couldn’t give a shit less about.

  In front of her, Ka’Hor’al stirred. Sitting up from his seat, he turned his head before looking back at her. “What are you doing sitting back there?”

  She rolled her eyes before looking up. “Trying to enjoy some personal space.”

  His brow furrowed as she watched him study her in her peripheral vision. “Is everything all right?”

  “I’m just not feeling well and I’m not in the mood to talk.”

  Ka’Hor’al nodded, but didn’t look away, or seem to take a hint. “What’s wrong−can I get you anything?”

  Hespha scoffed. “Yes, you can leave me in peace for the duration of the flight. I just told you I wasn’t feeling well, and I don’t want to discuss it. Please, respect my wishes.”

  “All right,” Ka’Hor’al snapped back with a pitiful expression. His pouting grated on Hespha’s nerves just as much as his insistence on doing the opposite of what she asked. How he was T’anoi’s brother continued to baffle her.

  Behind her, the relief pilot approached. “Can I get you two anything? Perhaps some food or drink?”

  Ka’Hor’al turned. “I would love something stiff to dull this feeling like there’s a weight on my chest. Hespha, what about you?”

  “No. I don’t want alcohol or food. I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure? You never pass up a drink normally,” Ka’Hor’al replied.

  Hespha glared at him. “What did I say?”

  “No,” he replied.

  “Then leave it at that,” Hespha scolded.

  The relief pilot took a step back. “I’ll return shortly with your beverage, sir.”

  Ka’Hor’al stared at Hespha as the other man’s footsteps lightly faded in the background. She could see his
mind turning as if he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. She knew he took her tone as unusually cruel, but she didn’t care. She was nothing more than something to fuck and manipulate for him and, in all honesty, he was someone for her to use as well. But the ends weren’t justifying the means. Perhaps that’s what I’m most upset about. That my world is falling apart and everything I’ve done is coming back to haunt me.

  But bringing a child into this world is the last thing I wanted after dissolving my relationship with T’anoi. With the thought flowing through her mind, the relief pilot returned, handing the drink to Ka’Hor’al.

  “Thank you,” Ka’Hor’al said, not looking back to make eye contact with Hespha.

  Guilt urged her to lean forward and apologize, but she knew it wouldn’t be sincere, so she leaned back and stared at the white wall of the transport, losing herself in the textured plastic. With two more days of flying, she didn’t know how she would make it to their destination without snapping, but she knew the first thing she wanted to do when arriving. And she considered it too bad that her own intentions drove the nails of guilt deeper into her heart.

  43

  Ilium

  “I’m telling you, he was onto me from the start,” Quino said softly as he spoke into a com-unit. The video surveillance gave Ilium an impeccable view of Quino, but maddeningly kept whoever the man spoke to a mystery. Even trying to increase the zoom of the lens onto the small video feed did nothing to sharpen the image and provide a means to identify them. The fact the receiver was placed in Quino’s ears meant Ilium was unable to use voice recognition to learn more about the handler on the other end.

  “I think he has his lieutenant on a tight leash, but the rest of the crew should be easy to recruit.” Ilium watched as Quino adjust the bud in his ear. “The device is secure and ready when you are. I don’t foresee any issues with deployment.”

  Ilium leaned closer, willing himself to learn more but knowing that, no matter how close his face was to the monitor, it wasn’t going to magically unveil the mystery. He swore under his breath as he wacked his knee on the bottom of his desk. Startled, he knocked over his drink and swiftly dealt with the liquid emergency before it damaged the surveillance receiver. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he seethed, wiping at the spill with a dirty shirt while attempting to pay attention to the secret meeting unfolding before him.

  “As I stated before; Ilium is onto me, but he doesn’t know what my true purpose is. I imagine he thinks I’m here to seize control of the ship. Lieutenant Stavis appears to be on board with his wild accusations as well.” Quino paused. “I’m unsure if she believes that because he has manipulated her, or if she is in on his scheme.” Another pause. “Yes, sir. I understand. I will continue my investigation and let you know what I find. If Captain Gyl was behind the attack, we will see him court marshalled and executed.”

  With those final words, Quino closed the connection and Ilium sat gawking at the monitor. What the hell just happened? He stared for a moment as the man who certainly had it out for him wrapped up his com-unit and carried on with his nightly routine. It was the second night in a row that the new XO made a secret call, but this time Ilium felt nervous. An investigation into whether he was behind the attack on the King Slayer was absurd, but as he thought about his past and the ways he manipulated the system in his favor before, he knew it was only a matter of time before coincidences fell short and someone would try to pin something on him. I’m not that guy anymore, though, he thought.

  Pulling back from his desk, his first thought was to contact Stavis and tell he what was happening, but the idea felt more like collusion which would support Quino’s investigation. Perplexed, Ilium had no idea what to do next. His strongest ally was on the hit list of an investigation that could see both trialed and executed. As much as he knew the justification was there for him, he could not let that happen to Stavis.

  Ilium paced his room, his robe hanging off his shoulders loosely as he placed one step in front of the other. The chill of the room went unnoticed as his mind turned, trying to formulate a plan that would keep himself and Stavis out of the hot seat. If Headquarters initiated the investigation, then there had to be some kind of evidence which supported their theory. What was it? If it exists, how can I use it to clear my name?

  The answer to that question escaped him, but as much as he knew it was wrong, he knew someone who would have an idea to save both their skins. He just hoped it didn’t dig them deeper into whatever hell Quino had planned.

  Ilium reached for his com-unit to make the call, but hesitated. What if Headquarters is tracking my calls? He set it down on his desk and reclaimed his seat. I can’t trust anything right now. Short of going to her stateroom and revealing what he’d learned, there was no way of notifying her without leaving digital evidence. “What the hell am I going to do?” he leaned back in his seat and tapped the desk with his com-unit. Life was easier when I had nothing to lose. Now, I feel like I have everything to lose, but I’m not going down without a fight. I just need to find the right weapon to win.

  An idea came to mind. Perhaps I do have the right weapon for the job. Stavis can manipulate the feed to show Quino colluding with an enemy. We can use it to conduct a tribunal and toss his sorry ass out of an airlock. The idea tickled the sinister bone in his body that made him susceptible to working for men like Haranger in the first place. Guilt chilled him as the ferocity of his plan came to the forefront of his mind. He knew the idea was sketchy enough to prove Quino’s case for him, but desperation was a miserable partner when cornered. And as much as Ilium hated to admit it, he may have met his match.

  44

  Brendle

  The guards dropped him off with a huff of discontent. Saying nothing, the man left Brendle alone in the vacant room. Within it stood a simple table and four chairs. As he looked around, he noticed tiny slits for windows and suddenly felt imprisoned by his new environment. It was one thing to be on a ship without windows and having it under your control. It was another to be locked in a room on an unknown world. Brendle moved quickly to the door and gripped the handle, feeling it turn in his hand and the door lightly sliding open. The guard stood on the other side and gazed over to Brendle. “Do you need something?”

  “An explanation,” Brendle replied.

  The guard leaned closer. “Pila has received numerous threats from Greshia. Because of this, we fear and loathe your people. But we aren’t violent people. Any other world in any other sector would have let the crowd in the waiting room tear you apart, but my boss urged me to pull you from that situation before any damage was done. Is that enough of an explanation for you?”

  “Who’s your boss?”

  The guard scoffed. “Really? The Director of Medicine, Dr. Hathlene Otero.”

  Brendle sighed, not recognizing the name. “Please tell Dr. Otero I said thank you.”

  The guard nodded. “It would be best to keep the door closed. I’ll let you know when we receive word about the patient you brought in.” Despite the man’s seemingly helpful nature, the tone in his voice was not altogether friendly, but Brendle would take what he could get.

  “Her name is Anki,” Brendle said.

  The guard nodded again, clenching his jaw as two people walked past. “I’m sure it is, just as this door is shut.” The guard grabbed the handle and slid it closed.

  Brendle turned towards the table and stalked off. “What do I expect on a world that hates Greshians; a fucking parade in my honor?” he pulled a chair out and plopped down in it, kicking his right leg up onto the table facing the door. “One day this gods forsaken war will be over, or I’ll be dead.”

  He leaned back in the seat and pulled out his com-unit. Scrolling across the screen he found the latest news events. Stories of Greshian aggression cluttered the feed, minimizing the number of positive newscasts. It was propaganda, but he doubted any of it was untrue. As he swiped the screen again, he saw a report regarding Dr. Otero, the headline reading, �
��Pila’s Director of Medicine Donates Homes to Less Fortunate”. The headline told the bulk of the story, but Brendle’s eyebrows raised at the estimated funds required for the donation. Either Otero purchased upscale homes, or the cost of living on Pila was outrageous. “Remind me never to look for property here, not that these people would likely sell to me.”

  Brendle placed his com-unit on the table to conserve power and sat quietly, listening to the faint noises outside his non-prison cell. He couldn’t help but wonder how long before the door would be locked, and he would be trapped. Neither did he know why dark thoughts such as these often flooded into his mind. Perhaps a life on the run has tainted my happiness, he thought, but a knock on the door pulled him out of it. “Come in?” Not like I have a choice.

  The door slid open and Deis walked through. “I have to say, I don’t know what makes you so special that you get a VIP waiting room. I thought your being captain was more for the hierarchy during heated battle. You didn’t say it came with other perks.” A smile stretched across Deis’s face as he pulled the chair across from Brendle out and took a seat.

  “What’s going on? Did the heated crowd settle down?”

  Deis nodded. “Yeah, they had a few cheap shots to say after you left, but Malikea and I agreed with them about how terrible a person you are, and the fire died down.”

  Brendle chuckled. “It’s a good thing you religious types aren’t afraid to lie.”

  Deis’s grin widened, showing his teeth. “You would think that, right?”

  Both men laughed. “So, what brings you to my quaint corner of paradise?”

  Deis adjusted the sleeve of his robe before speaking. “The doctors verified our finding regarding the tumor and have taken her back for emergency surgery. Luckily, they have performed similar surgeries before on Luthians, even recently, which means her people are not extinct. She may find solace in that when she recovers.”