Altered Destiny

by Trevor Gregg

  “There, that bought us a bit of time,” Alis said, panting.

  “How’re we going to find Tharox and Elarra, though?,” he asked her.

  “I may have an idea,” was her reply, willing a flicker of hope into her voice.

  The ship rumbled for several seconds, then shook and shuddered as what felt like explosions tore through it. A staccato of trembling shook the ship, like the rattle of a machine gun. It was unmistakable to her. It was the sound of the ship’s core detonating. The quantum-interlace generator would overload. It looked like they had done more than just disable the weapon. The ship was going to go nova.

  66

  The Mighty Warmaster

  Elarra trudged in the direction of the access vent. She passed by weapons turrets that would occasionally fire at passing Consortium vessels, swiveling to and fro tracking their targets. She tried not to fear being blown into space or vaporized by a Consortium strafing run, but couldn’t help it.

  Panic rose as she placed one ponderous step after another. Damn she needed to go faster, but she couldn’t exceed a walking pace with the magnetic boots. Her suit had no jetpack, either. So she took several deep breaths and pressed on.

  Finally reaching the exhaust vent she paused before entering. Which was good, because seconds later, her vision faded, and she was elsewhere.

  The scene faded and she saw the ship from roughly the same perspective as when the vision started. After a great pause, steam began to hiss from the vent. She jumped back as a column of gases streamed out into space. Had she entered before the venting, she would have been blown out into space and lost forever.

  Expecting the vision to end, she was surprised when it continued. She saw herself enter the vent, then the scene changed and she was climbing out of the hole that Alis must’ve cut. The door panel at the end of the corridor she had entered was green. She hit the panel and atmosphere began rushing out.

  Forcing her way through the onrushing wind, she climbed past the door and sealed it. This time, the vision did begin to fade. But something about it felt different, felt tactile, somehow. So she reached out and touched the vision. She held on, and it stopped fading, suddenly coming back into great clarity.

  She saw herself flick on her stealth belt moments before a squad of Crevak turned the corner. The slight shimmer that revealed her presence slowly backed away, stopping at the edge of the hall. The Crevak examined the door and spoke amongst themselves in their guttural, harsh language.

  Somehow she understood what they said. The words weren’t familiar, but in some way the meaning had come across. They were talking about the intruders, talking about them as if they were still loose. At least there was still hope.

  Waiting for the Crevak to leave before starting out, Elarra set off to find her companions. She followed herself for some time, doing her best to memorize the route. Her vision-self stopped before an access hatch in an empty, dimly lit side passage.

  Suddenly, explosions rumbled through the ship, the walls shuddering, rust raining down from the ceiling. She knew a clock had just started. But she had to wait, at least a short while.

  Dropping her cloaking, she banged twice on the hatch, then went about unlatching it. Latches removed, she planted her leg against the wall and grasped the handle. She heaved, straining to pop the rusted hatch free.

  Failing, she knocked twice more. This time she received two knocks in response. She knocked again and there was a groaning of metal as the hatch popped free and clattered to the deck. Kyren and Alis were inside, staring back in surprise.

  She released the vision, realizing it was fatiguing her. Expecting to be standing upon the edge of the exhaust vent, she was utterly disoriented to find herself aboard the ship, standing where she had been in her vision.

  It was too much, her head swam with vertigo. She began to topple but Kyren leapt through the hatch and caught her before she could fall.

  “Elarra!” Kyren cried, the look of joy plastered to his face turning to one of concern.

  Climbing out, Alis asked “Are you okay, Elarra? Is she okay, Kyren?”

  Recovering her composure, the dizziness passing, Elarra straightened herself and asked “I assume that rumbling was the bypass going off?”

  “Yes, it seems that shorting out the weapon overloaded the ship’s core, it’s going to go nova any minute now,” Alis exclaimed.

  As if to punctuate her statement, alarms began to wail and the lighting shifted to dim emergency lights.

  “And we’ve lost Tharox,” Kyren said with a surprising note of sadness. “Alis has an idea how to find him, but we need another terminal.”

  Remembering having passed a terminal a distance back, she informed them, “I can lead us to one.”

  The terminal wasn’t far away, and the corridors they were in must have been auxiliary passageways, as they were not occupied. Alis attached her wrench and began to program. After a short while, images flickered to life on the holopanel. It appeared she was running a facial recognition routine on the Crevak security footage.

  The search completed and she correlated the sightings to the schematics she had accessed earlier.

  “There,” she said, pointing. “He should be there somewhere.”

  “I can get us there, we’re not far,” Kyren said, leading the way.

  “Alis, any idea how long before the core detonates?” Elarra asked.

  “We may have fifteen or twenty minutes, but maybe less, probably much less. We need to grab Tharox as fast as possible,” Alis replied.

  It was slower going than she knew was prudent, but they had to wait and hide several times to avoid roving patrols. They knew they were close when they came across a sea of Crevak bodies, and heard the chattering of machine gun fire in the distance. It was growing closer by the moment.

  She was about to question whether they should wait or move towards the fighting, when heavy footsteps sounded around the corner. She whirled in time to see a massive figure step into view. The humanoid was all rust-brown bony plates and angular spurs. His jaw jutted forward from a bony, armored face, black eyes glittering with malice.

  Laughing a laugh like shoveling gravel, the Crevak snarled “Consortium scum, you will die this day.”

  Kyren did not hesitate and raised his weapon, depressing the trigger and sending a burst of blue-white fire at the creature. It raised its forearm just before Kyren fired and hit a button on a slender wrist band. An energy shield sprang into existence in front of him absorbing the blasts from Kyren’s weapon.

  Charging, the creature reached Kyren in two bounds, slamming into him with tremendous force. He went flying back into the wall, impacting with a sickening crack. Falling to the floor, he lay still.

  Elarra watched as Alis’ wrench completed its transformation into the sonic emitter, and she fired. The thunderclap echoed through the halls, but the blast only pushed the Crevak back a foot. He reached out and grabbed Alis by the throat, lifting her into the air and slamming her against the wall.

  “Do you know who I am? I am the mighty Warmaster Vlanchek, destroyer of the Consortium,” he growled.

  Seeing her opportunity, Elarra hit her stealth belt, disappearing from view. Vlanchek whirled and dropped Alis, who fell and didn’t move either. Elarra dashed to Kyren’s rifle and lifted the heavy gun. She braced it on her hip and depressed the trigger.

  The rifle bucked and streamed a trio of pulses straight at Vlanchek. He turned just as she fired, and the shots took him in the shoulder. Flesh steamed, and raw bone began to poke through, but he turned, undeterred.

  “You can’t hide forever. I’m going to disembowel your companions, you damn liadi.”

  Metallic footsteps thundered down the corridor. She looked up just in time to see Tharox barreling into Vlanchek.

  They fell in a heap but Tharox yelled, “Go, Elarra, get them and go!”

  Vlanchek immediately got the upper hand and began landing blows on Tharox’s face. Turning away, not wanting to watch, she tried to rouse Ky
ren. He came around groggily, but quickly pulled himself together. She stood to find Alis shakily climbing to her feet.

  Tharox and Vlanchek were now on their feet again, grappling.

  Again, Tharox screamed, “Go! Tell Isa I…”

  Vlanchek delivered a wicked head butt, staggering Tharox back. She turned and ran, hoping Tharox’s sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain.

  67

  Hatred

  Tharox had killed many Crevak this day, and he felt his vengeance was nearly sated. He had just one more Crevak to kill. Dancing with the Warmaster, grappling for the upper hand, his servos strained and whirred as his limbs struggled to overpower him.

  Realizing he was the one being overpowered, Tharox turned his body and twisted his wrists, driving an elbow into Vlanchek’s bony jaw. His head snapped back and his grip slackened a moment. Tharox broke free and dodged back, assuming a fighting stance.

  “Foolish bathalian, you value your Consortium so much you’d die for them?” Vlanchek spoke gutturally.

  Tharox certainly bore great animosity towards the Consortium, but he knew that if the Consortium fell, so too would the rest of the galaxy. He realized the irony and let out a great snort and a chuckle.

  “No, I don’t. I just hate Crevak more,” he said with vitriol, initiating a flurry of strikes.

  The first few blows took Vlanchek by surprise and he staggered back. But he recovered with lighting speed and delivered a vicious kick to Tharox’s midsection, sending him flying across the chamber.

  As he stood, he heard grinding noises coming from his right hip and knee, and his left elbow seemed to not bend as far as it had before.

  Angry at his own frailty, he snarled, “I’ll kill you, Crevak. I’ll be sure of it.”

  But then he began to doubt his ability to slay this foe. A moment of guilt passed over him at the thought of Isa, left alone. No, that was enough to motivate him, so he steeled himself.

  Tharox screamed and charged, connecting blows with Vlanchek’s face. Vlanchek fell back under the onslaught, staggering and catching himself against the wall. Tharox wrapped his hand around Vlanchek’s throat and began to pummel his face with his other fist.

  Vlanchek’s hand flew up and caught Tharox’s incoming fist, halting him mid-strike. His other hand clamped around the wrist holding his throat. Wrenching with substantial might, he ripped Tharox’s hand off his throat.

  Tharox, desperate, delivered a head-butt. Vlanchek head-butted him back, and he saw stars. They began to struggle, but Tharox realized he was outmatched, Vlanchek had greater strength. He twisted upward, driving Tharox to his knees.

  Rolling with the motion, Tharox dropped and turned his body, leaning into Vlanchek and levering him over. As he crashed to the floor he released Tharox. Rolling back to his feet, he squared of with Vlanchek as he also rose.

  Pressing the offensive, Tharox drove forward, preceded by his swinging fists. Vlanchek began to block, then counterattacked. The blow took Tharox in the jaw, staggering him back. Vlanchek did not let up.

  Blows rained down, driving him to his knees. He held his arms up attempting to protect himself, but the blows continued to land. Vlanchek connected a solid blow and Tharox saw stars. When his vision cleared, he was lying on his back, Vlanchek looming over him.

  He lifted a plated foot, laughing maniacally as he prepared to crush Tharox’s skull. An explosion rocked the ship, toppling Vlanchek to the floor. Tharox took the opportunity to launch himself onto Vlanchek’s back. Wrapping his arms around his neck, he constricted.

  Vlanchek rose and spun, trying to dislodge Tharox. But he hung on with all his considerable mechanical strength. Vlanchek ran backwards and slammed Tharox into the wall, but he managed to continue clinging to the Crevak’s back.

  They struggled for some time, but Vlanchek was unable to dislodge Tharox. Suddenly, a staccato burst of explosions sent them both to the floor. Tharox hit hard and lost his grip. But the explosions continued, growing ever closer.

  Vlanchek stood and snarled, raising his foot again, prepared to snuff Tharox out.

  “Hey Vlanchek,” he taunted. “Do you know what that sound is? It is the sound inevitability. It is the sound of your death!”

  “Graaaaahhh!” Vlanchek screamed in rage.

  And then the world exploded around them, and Tharox was no more, but neither was Vlanchek.

  68

  Nova

  “Let’s use the belt now, hopefully Tharox will be right behind us,” Kyren suggested.

  He noticed a look of hope flit across Elarra’s face, as she replied “yes, hurry Kyren.”

  He reached down and triggered the belt, and a portal flickered into view, then disappeared almost immediately.

  “What the hell?” Kyren cried.

  “We must be too deep within the ship, it seems it can’t connect to the beacon,” Alis posited. “I think we need to move to the outer edges of the ship.”

  “Let’s go, then,” he said, but stopped when he looked down and saw Elarra’s eyes were completely white.

  Dammit, she had to have a vision now, of all times. He reached down to steady her, keep her from collapsing, but she waved him off. Odd, she was still on her feet, and seemed to be fully cognizant.

  “This way,” she said, pointing.

  Strange, yes, but he would have to worry about it later. Now they needed to escape.

  “There,” Elarra said, pointing.

  Kyren turned to see Crevak troops rounding the corner a ways down the passage. He immediately fired, catching them unaware and mercilessly gunning them down.

  Elarra led them onward, pointing again. Kyren took aim and fired as the Crevak rounded the corner. He dropped the squad with a sustained burst of particle beams, the barrel of his rifle beginning to glow red.

  They continued onward as alarm klaxons wailed. The ship shook as distant explosions presaged the coming destruction. Kyren quickly led them into an access tunnel.

  “She’s going to go thermonuclear soon! We’ve got to get out of here,” Alis cried as she emerged from the maintenance hatch at the far end.

  “Okay, I know where we are. I can get us to the shuttle bay, we’re not far. That should be close enough to the outside. Hopefully the belt will lock on to the beacon,” Kyren informed them.

  Suddenly, Elarra’s eyes went white, and she pointed, “Coming.”

  He unloaded on the unsuspecting Crevak as they rounded the corner. He got all but one.

  “Shit, that one’s gonna come back with reinforcements,” Alis remarked as the Crevak bolted away, fear in her voice, her ears flat.

  “Yes, we should move. Kyren, lead the way,” Elarra instructed.

  They continued on, Elarra pointing and Kyren ambushing the oncoming Crevak. They were sprinting across a larger chamber when suddenly Elarra stopped. Her eyes had returned to normal, and she had a terrified look on her face.

  An explosion rocked the ship, sending them crashing to the deck. Smoke billowed in and began to surround them. The ship shook and shuddered.

  “Elarra!” Kyren cried, scrambling to his feet and scooping Elarra up. He sprinted for the nearby doorway, carrying her. He dodged through as another blast rocked the ship. Suddenly, the door whooshed shut behind them. He turned and Alis was not there. He saw her face through the porthole, nearly obscured by smoke.

  “Go now!” she mouthed, and then disappeared into the smoke.

  “No!” Kyren cried, and immediately thumbed the warp belt, hoping to open a portal to the other side of the door.

  The belt would only lock on to the beacon, he could not get it to select any other coordinates.

  “No! It’s not working!” he cried.

  “Kyren,” Elarra said with unnerving calm. “We have to go now, we can’t save Alis. But you must survive. You are needed if we are to have a chance at stopping the Kirugi.”

  “But Alis…”

  “We go now. As Alis said, the ship is going to go nova any second now,” Elarra said.

 
Kyren thumbed the engage button and a warp portal appeared before them. He took one last glance at the door, pain flooding him, even worse than when he lost his brother. He waved Elarra through, and she disappeared as she stepped through.

  Reluctantly, with heavy heart, he stepped through and into the cargo hold of the Ashari.

  “Alis? Tharox?” Benjam asked tentatively.

  “No,” was all Kyren could muster, words catching in his throat as he choked it out.

  “Everyone aboard? We need to warp out of here,” Geri’s voice came over the intercom.

  “Yes,” Elarra answered, before anyone else could speak.

  They made their way to the bridge somberly, none speaking. Geri looked up and immediately, a look of recognition settling on her face.

  “Alis? Alis?! Alis?!?!?” she screamed.

  Tears streamed down Kyren’s face. All he could manage was to shake his head. There was a tremendous flash on the viewscreen, and the Crevak flagship ceased to exist. In it’s place a tremendous blast wave traveled outward in all directions.

  “Geri, we need to warp!” Kyren cried.

  She turned to the console, concentrated for a moment, then engaged the warp. Kyren staggered and caught himself, as he shook his head to clear the cobwebs.

  Geri was bawling, inconsolable. Kyren was crying himself, loss tearing at his heart. Benjam wailed, and even Elarra had tears streaking her face.

  69

  Mayday

  The explosion threw Alis to the ground. She staggered to her feet, and before she could be taken down by another blast, she engaged her shield belt. Smoke swirled around her as she scanned for another way out. Locating a mostly clear corridor, she sprinted away. The corridor erupted in flame and shrapnel as a secondary explosion tore through the ship.

  Washing over the shield harmlessly, she was protected, but the shield was beginning to show several red spots. She suspected it wouldn’t hold out much longer. She noticed a symbol on the wall, and remembered it from the schematics she had reviewed with Kyren. That was the symbol for the hangar bay.