The Burning Grove

by Skyler Grant

  One of the Orcish shuttles had experienced a structural failure.

  They were still attached, but they’d decompressed. Bad now, worse when they hit space. They were in atmosphere suits, but ones meant for a planet’s surface. Nobody had planned on having to endure a vacuum.

  Banok kept watching the console. Right now the comm system was useless with the temporal displacement, but the moment they were clear the transponder signals from the Catspaw should register on their instruments.

  The purple gloom outside the ship only continued to grow, the Void desperately trying to hold them. Metal strained and from the rear of the ship Banok could feel the insane amounts of power that Astra was having to pour into his weaves to keep them going.

  “Do you read?” cracked the comm. Cleo’s voice.

  “This is Banok. We read you. Our engines are about to explode and one of the Orc shuttles has a hull breach,” Banok said.

  The purple around them faded. They were surrounded by the black of the Fade, with only a short distance around the planet free of its embrace.

  The instrument panel turned into a flashing mass of red, every engine component overloading simultaneously, and an explosion shook the ship.

  That was Astra, right on cue.

  “Rescue shuttles incoming,” Cleo said.

  They were. One from the Catspaw and two more from the Orc ships.

  Jia was gasping for breath and Banok himself was feeling it—sudden crushing nausea. In different ways they’d both spent a very long time in the Void atmosphere, and while the concentration here was high, it was so much less than the planet’s surface and they were experiencing physical symptoms.

  Banok wove lifeforce, amplifying his own suit systems towards stability and doing the same for Jia. It helped.

  All in all the rescue operations took hours. The shuttle’s hatch had fused shut with the explosion that took off the engines, and Nyx had to cut her way into the ship to retrieve them.

  By that time their oxygen was growing thin, and was it not for Banok’s supply of lifeforce they’d have suffocated.

  The Orc shuttle which had breached lost four people. Still, the majority of those who had gone down to the planet were returning.

  Now it was time for the hard work to begin.

  36

  Once everybody was back on the Catspaw and got their hugging out of the way Banok called a meeting.

  Cleo, Nyx, Jia, Ogdek, Vanwyn and Delilah joined him in the lounge. Banok got to refamiliarize himself with whiskey and proper food. Life on the planet had lacked for quite a bit. Lifeforce could be used to sustain one even without food, but it lacked the pleasure of it.

  “So. Let’s start with the fact it has been almost a week. What the hell went wrong?” Cleo asked.

  “Longer than that. First of all, we’ll want to get out of the Fade as soon as possible. I can help to enhance our fuel supplies if we’re having problems,” Banok said.

  “We are. Some dummies just have to go and take a vacation somewhere dangerous,” Nyx said peevishly, flying over to kick Banok in the head. She’d been at that almost since his return.

  “Did we at least get what we came for?” Cleo asked.

  “We did, if not quite how we expected to get it. Ogdek has been cured and while it will take me a few days, by the time we leave the Fade, I think I can do the same for everyone on those ships,” Banok said.

  “Lord, there are more of my people than just those on our ships. Can we save the rest of my clan?” Ogdek asked.

  Saving the Orcs served two purposes. Not only did each one bolster his own army a little, but it denied an asset to his enemy. Everything that he could do to help them was a phenomenal use of time.

  “Perhaps. Tell me what you know and what we’d be going into,” Banok said.

  “The world is called Etos. It is well removed from the great Empires. My people are raised there in great vats, made to fight each other. The losers are left as carrion, the greatest of victors contribute material for the next generation and go off to fight for those that made us,” Ogdek said.

  “How many of you are there?” Cleo asked.

  “On Etos? Thousands,” Ogdek said.

  That didn’t come close to being the number of Orcs they’d killed, close to the number that crewed the ships they’d seen.

  “How long is it going from vat to combat?” Nyx asked.

  “One day,” Ogdek said.

  They must be created with some basic set of memories. A universal sort of template that only really came to define themselves after the combat was done.

  “Do you hate that? What was done to you?” Vanwyn asked.

  Ogdek considered this. “I hate that my people are turned into slaves. I do not hate the strong surviving. That is only right and proper.”

  Banok wasn’t inclined to disagree, nature tended to think the same thing.

  “Are we going to have a fight on our hands if we try to save them?” Cleo asked.

  “Probably. The young, they know little more than to obey, and there are soldiers who watch the facility. If we approach the young we may make a difference, but … we may not,” Ogdek said.

  “It isn’t worth the risk. You wanted you and your ships saved, we’ve done that. You owe us the information we were promised,” Cleo said.

  “And I will provide it. Lord Banok has only to ask. But, this mission and yours are not at odds. Those you fight, none of them have names. They go only by titles. One of them is on Etos, the Biologist,” Ogdek said.

  “And how many of these titles are there? Do you know where to find the others?” Cleo asked.

  “The Banker, the Socialite, the Biologist, the Soldier, the Queen, the Gambler. Help my people and we can help you to find the others.”

  The names offered clues as to what they might be up against, and yet no real information. Still, it felt right. A little bit pretentious, a bit of a pain in the ass, definitely shadowy. It fit the organization they’d seen so far. It fit a group of people that would send an agent named Blank to meet with them.

  “What is your best case? What are you hoping to get out of this?” Cleo asked.

  “We want control of Etos. We want to take over the machinery that made us, and help so that it makes the young free of the flaw that enslaves us. Lord Banok already has our loyalty, but for now that is a few ships. We take this world and we can offer an army.”

  “Not that we can supply or equip one,” Cleo said, letting out a low breath.

  “Can’t we? We’re pretty rich,” Banok said.

  “We’re pretty rich by a ship full of criminals ratings. Hiring and maintaining a military force over a long term? Yes, we can, for awhile,” Cleo said.

  If Cleo wasn’t on board with this plan, things were going to be difficult. Banok felt guilty for using her weakness, but the enemy they fought had already done the same.

  “Get me my army and when this is done we’ll make sure your parents can return home,” Banok said.

  Cleo considered Banok for a few seconds and nodded.

  “Are you certain you want to do this? March at the head of an Orc army and send them rampaging through civilized space?” Vanwyn asked.

  Banok was certain.

  The plan to save Urania wasn’t complex, but it also wasn’t easy. The connection between them had been formed. Banok now slowly bled off Void energy into the world around him while Urania slowly drew on the life energy to which he was connected.

  Banok had to survive—not just survive, but thrive. A network of Groves across the galaxy would vastly hasten the neutralization of the Void energy. The Fade would slowly contract, and Urania would slowly become capable of living a human life again. The galaxy would be safe, and so would be the woman he loved.

  To get there all threats to Banok and the Druid Order had to die. Simple math, challenging execution.

  It was Cleo who said, “We didn’t start this, but we’ll finish it.”

  37

  By the time the Catspa
w left the Fade Banok had managed to help both ships of Orcs. They didn’t set off immediately for their destination, rather they were headed for Yeltor.

  The last time they’d been to Yeltor it was to hire mercenaries, and they were back for the same reason. Talk of a future army was all well and good, but to seize Etos was going to require more firepower than two ships could provide. So far the people behind this had proved to be competent in the extreme, and Banok didn’t want to go in with anything less than overwhelming firepower.

  Of course, the last mercenaries they’d hired from here had all died on assignment. Then Banok had later been betrayed by others he’d hired.

  That, and the presence of the black ships which many of the companies had lost forces fighting, wasn’t making hiring easy.

  “I don’t like our options here. We can try elsewhere,” Cleo said.

  Cleo had spent several hours going through the companies and finding the best deals possible before she called a meeting, Banok had rarely seen her look so discouraged.

  “We don’t have time to go elsewhere if they’re soon to pull the plug on the Orc program,” Banok said.

  “Surely it can’t be that bad? With the price we are offering someone must be willing to work with us,” Vanwyn said.

  “The problem isn’t having nobody to work with. The problem is what we have. Let me lay out our options. Seven different companies are willing to offer us contracts right now,” Cleo said.

  “That’s more than last time we were here,” Banok said.

  “It isn’t, really. Last time I ignored a lot of bad options and presented our best ones. This is really all I can get,” Cleo said, letting out a frustrated huff.

  “So how bad is it?” Vanwyn asked.

  “Our first option is the Flesheaters who are … well named. Mostly humans, a militant arm of the Cult of Carabi that believe devouring the flesh of sentient beings offers you some of their power,” Cleo said.

  Banok winced, that was pretty bad.

  “Are they right?” Vanwyn asked, sounding curious.

  “Not so far as anyone can tell. They’re reckless, poorly equipped, but still a mid-sized ground force that are said to be completely fearless.”

  “If we wanted to strike terror into unarmed and undefended settlements they might be useful. We’re going against competent military assets. What else do we have?” Banok asked.

  “The Copper Falcons. They’re unusual in that they are mostly an atmosphere-based aerial unit. Two big carrier craft that go to high atmosphere and drop planes,” Cleo said.

  “That’s not bad,” Ogdek said. “We and mine can fight on the ground and pack a punch in space, but we don’t have anything for air superiority.”

  “Do they have a drawback too?” Vanwyn asked.

  “Everyone I am going to name does. These are legendary cowards. The first sign that things are getting rough they tend to bail,” Cleo said.

  That wasn’t great. Still, they sounded better than the cannibals.

  “Next we have the Outcast Knights. They’re a bit like what they sound. Formed mostly of the disgraced commanders of human military. They’re battle-hardened, decently equipped and in the short-term probably the best option out there.”

  “I’m not seeing the long-term problem?” Banok asked.

  “They have the enmity of the powers they once worked for. Politically it is toxic to hire them, and bearing in mind your desire to restore the Order, and my wish to free my home, we have to consider that,” Cleo said.

  “Still, I’d have to think they’re a strong maybe,” Vanwyn said.

  Cleo nodded, seeming to agree. “Next up. Boom Horde. They are composed entirely of goblins and favor highly explosive weapons.”

  “I don’t know much about goblins,” Banok said.

  “A dummy like you wouldn’t. They love science, they love explosions. I vote for these guys,” Nyx said.

  “They’re also extremely disorderly, fractious, and hard to work with. The average goblin lifespan is about two weeks,” Vanwyn said.

  Well, that sucked for them. Still, if they’d figure out a way to work with it, Banok could as well.

  “That takes us up to four,” Banok said.

  “This next one is weird. The Night Walkers. From a species called wraiths, and they are completely intangible,” Cleo said.

  “Well, that isn’t much use in a fight unless they have some sort of combat magic?” Banok asked.

  “They don’t. But they’re supposedly great spies. Not exactly the thing most people looking for fighting mercenaries need, however,” Cleo said.

  True, which didn’t mean it might not be useful.

  “The Azure Wheel. These guys are interesting and one of my favorites. Competent in combat, and they also focus on healing. They aren’t getting much work, because on their own they aren’t worth much,” Cleo said.

  But embedded with other units they could be handy.

  “And the last?” Banok asked.

  “The Bloody Spikes. Heavy armor. Unlike a lot of these groups they’re extremely good at killing, but their equipment is prone to breaking down and expensive to maintain.”

  “I might be able to help with that,” Nyx said.

  Maybe, but they’d be a constant drain on resources.

  “You know your people best? What do you think?” Banok asked Ogdek.

  “My people are superior ground combatants and once we free our brothers we’ll have an army of them. I’d say hire those units that help us to support that long-term. I’d go with the healers and the spies,” Ogdek said.

  “Most of the human units won’t work with each other because of old rivalries. If we take the Azure Wheel, it will mean not working with any of those others,” Cleo said.

  That lost the possibility for air support, and the knights.

  “What about the goblins?” Nyx asked.

  “We can do that. But three companies is going to be enough,” Cleo said.

  It should also be enough to do what needed to be done. They had their army.

  38

  This was just weird. With time to kill while the mercenary companies prepared to mobilize Cleo had suggested a threesome. Banok had just assumed that she meant with Vanwyn, Delilah or perhaps even with Jia.

  “I offered to build some oversized sort of hussy armor, but he wouldn’t go for it,” Nyx said from her place sitting atop Banok’s cock.

  “Get off there,” Banok said swatting. The fairy drove his hand off with a rapid flurry of her wings.

  “You don’t get to call the shots. We outnumber you now! Girl power and all that! Besides, I could be carrying explosives. I’m usually carrying explosives. Jostling is bad!” Nyx said.

  Banok didn’t think she’d actually carry explosives into the bedroom, but then, he wasn’t really sure. The fairy did have an obsession with trying to bring her tools or creations into things in the weirdest of ways.

  “What, exactly, would go into a hussy suit?” Cleo asked as she stripped slowly out of her clothes while watching them with a grin. She was taking her time about it. Banok wished he’d had the foresight to do the same.

  “Shock pads! High-powered actuators! I even thought that you could turn the breasts into flamethrowers. The fuel would give that nice squishy feeling but also be functional in case assassins broke into the bedroom.” Nyx was jumping up and down excitedly. It was tremendously distracting.

  “I explained that while I am, in fact, fireproof it still seemed like a completely terrible idea,” Banok said, his voice strained.

  “Not to mention I could put in an interface so I could actually get something out of the whole thing,” Nyx said, stomping hard.

  “Stop that,” Banok said, swiping again.

  “I know I’ve read of fairies being able to resize themselves,” Cleo said.

  “Really?” Banok asked.

  Nyx scowled at Cleo. “We only do that when we want babies. I don’t want babies. Do you know how many alterations I’d have to m
ake to my power armor if I got pregnant? Do you?”

  “I fully support the idea of not getting anyone pregnant,” Banok said.

  Cleo finally finished stripping down and Banok took a moment to admire her form. For so long he’d only known Urania’s body, and getting into bed with her had always been so strange. The utter coldness on a physical level, and her complete inability to feel much in the way of passion on an emotional level.

  This might be strange too, but it was a different kind of strange.

  “Why don’t you get on the bed,” Cleo said.

  Banok did that, Nyx not shifting her position, and she clung on as he stretched out on his back. When he was down Cleo straddled his chest, powerful thighs to either side of him. It allowed him a view of her spots, and there were more than there used to be. The spirit within her continued to grow stronger.

  “Well, this isn’t going to do much,” Banok said.

  “Oh, I think Nyx can handle the bit she already has such a firm grip on,” Cleo said.

  Indeed. Although Banok could no longer see the fairy with Cleo in the way, he felt the hands moving to either side of his length as the fairy began to jerk him off.

  It was a strange experience, with Cleo occupying his vision and yet all that sensation of pleasure coming from just behind her and knowing she was responsible for none of it.

  “So you aren’t going to give away any babies? Aren’t you almost an avatar of life magic now?” Cleo asked.

  Banok made a frustrated sound from deep in his throat, Nyx was wasting no time and it was already getting difficult for him to think clearly. His mind just wanted to focus on Cleo’s breasts, on the flatness of her stomach and the sleek lines of her body.

  “You may think you’re joking, but I have to work hard to keep that from happening. The magic wants it to happen,” Banok said.

  Cleo trailed her nails along his chest. They were long and so much like claws.

  “And what if I do want it one day? Or any of us? Oh, I don’t now, I’ve too much to do, but I’m going to want a child one of these days. Yours would be healthy, and magically powerful,” Cleo said thoughtfully.