Marcael: A Terraneu Novel, Book Five

by Stormy McKnight

  “What is mated?” Marcael asked her when she paused.

  “Mates are a couple who have chosen to stay together in a monogamous partnership. Since women were only introduced into the community after my mother arrived and they found a way to bring more from Earth...or Terra as you would call it...rules were put into place to try and keep everything as equal and peaceful as possible. One of those rules is that once you chose mate status you can’t reverse it. Some of the woman and men for that matter have chosen not to have a mate. They are perfectly happy to date as many partners as they want.”

  “Do you have as many partners as you want?” Brennae was surprised at the deep timber of Marcael’s voice. It was like a wave of energy along her skin causing gooseflesh.

  Brennae could feel herself turning red, “I don’t currently have a partner, but I have dated.” She wondered if she could tell him the rest, “I was a bit of a late bloomer you see. I didn’t really get any freedom until my sixteenth year. That celebration dance was a night to remember!” Brennae got lost in the memory of that dance. The lights and banners, the music and dancing, the boys holding her close. When she heard Marcael clearing his throat loudly she looked back to him. He was sitting there with his eyebrow raised staring at her with an expression she couldn’t quite place. “What?”

  “The celebration dance was a night to remember...why exactly?” He leaned forward on the couch.

  “Well for one thing my father, brothers, cousins and uncles didn’t chase away all the males asking me to dance like they normally would have. I even got asked out on a few dates at that dance.” Brennae leaned forward, “Since the celebration dance only happens every six months and as much fun as I was having, I was already looking forward to the next one!”

  “So what does the celebration dance ‘celebrate’?”

  “The woman coming to Terraneu. Every six months the port pad was active and they were able to get some woman from Earth. It worked twice until they were discovered. It seems the Earth authorities didn’t take well to so many women going missing.” Brennae smiled, “The dance has kind of morphed into a celebration of how far Terraneu has come as a community. The next one is a week from now...that is—”

  “If there is anyone left to celebrate or those left have anything to celebrate?” Marcael spoke softly.

  “Yes.” Brennae whispered back miserably.

  “Tell me about the safety protocols for Terraneu? Will they have enough defenses to hold Knuan off?”

  “We have the shielding around Terraneu, New Haven and McPhersonville that will deactivate cloaking devices within fifty yards. We used Baylech’s armor as a guideline for that ability. We have our personal cloaking devices, but as you saw, they do not work within a hundred yards of your technology. We have similar weapons systems as you, I would say all in all we are equally matched.”

  “That is a lot to take in.” The venomous, cold voice was like a dagger to her heart. She spun in her seat to see her uncle with his men standing in the doorway. Raising a taser unit, he fired hitting Marcael who had just started to rise out of his seat. He ended up flat on the floor out cold. “Marcael did his job well. I must admit to having had some reservations when he asked me let him get the information we needed out of you.” He waved some men into the room, “Take the female to a holding cell, I will deal with her later.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Marcael was straining against the manacles attached to his wrists. He had been fighting to get free since waking up from being stunned in his quarters. The blood was dripping from cuts he had sustained but still he kept pulling. He did not know if his men had all been captured and were hanging from restraints just like his. If any of his men were still free then there was hope. He was not going to give up yet. He was sure that Knuan would have him tortured, that much was a given. The time to meet Colle at the oasis had to be getting near. He needed to get out of this cell and find Brennae. The thought of what Knuan could be doing to her made him pull harder on the manacles. He needed to get free! He had to have been hanging here for hours now and time was running out.

  Shaking the manacles yet again he winced at the increase of dripping blood, but no amount of pulling or shaking was going to free him from his restraints. He stopped his struggles when the door opened. Looking up he saw Knuan enter with a couple of his men. It was a relief that he was able to look at Knuan with the contempt he truly felt for him. He saw that he was holding a laser scalpel in his hand. The torture was to begin then. He stiffened his resolve and waited.

  “So.” Knuan drawled. “I know everything.”

  Marcael just raised an eyebrow at that boast. “There is always a first time.” He snapped sarcastically.

  That comment made Knuan pause, but only for a moment. “Ah. Marcael...I am not going to let you anger me into rushing this. You are going to suffer for your betrayal.” He had gotten close enough and with a flick of his wrist used the scalpel to open a cut along his right cheek. “I want you to confess to everything you’ve done. Then I might end your misery.” With another flick of his wrist, Knuan cut his left cheek.

  “You want a confession to everything I have done?” Marcael bit out. “Okay. When I was six, I stole some bread from a vendor. When I was seven—”

  “That is not what I meant.” Knuan angrily cut across his chest. The blood was now dripping down his torso. “I want you to confess to your traitorous activities since you joined my mother’s guard.”

  “I have never betrayed my oath as a Kings guard.” Marcael snapped, “I will give my life in the service of my King!”

  His words angered Knuan, “I am your King! You have dis—”

  It was Marcael’s turn to interrupt, “You were never my King.” To show his contempt for Knuan he shouted in mind, “My King was your father! Kynan Allian Sylvias the last great King of Hedal. I loved him like a father, and I will find a way to serve his sons, the true heirs. Either with my death or yours!”

  “How dare you!” Knuan slashed another cut across his chest and abdomen. “I am the true King!” In his anger, Knuan was making cuts all over his body. Marcael suffered the sting of the scalpel in silence. He would not give Knuan the pleasure of hearing him cry out. “My traitor father was unfit to wear the crown of Hedal. He is the reason for the fall of his Kingdom.”

  “Your father was a great man and his one mistake was in loving your foul mother!” Marcael let his loathing for Elyon and her mad son fill his words, “Your mother and her madness are the reason for all the death on Terra. It was fitting that she was killed by her own creation! Your madness will be your downfall as well...like mother like son!”

  “My mother was a saint! She would have been a great Queen if my father hadn’t murdered her! Her legacy will live on when I destroy my brothers and reclaim Terra in her name.” Laughing crazily Knuan boasted, “I didn’t know it at the time but I already took steps to ensure my welcome return to that cursed planet. When I am finished here I will go back and rule as I should have all those years ago.”

  This gave Marcael pause. What had Knuan done? He fought the fatigue clouding his mind. The blood loss was starting to wear on his ability to think clearly. “You will not survive the attack on Terraneu.” He kept his words as clear as possible and even though he tried, they were still slurred. “Your brothers are too strong.” His last thought was to get inside Knuan’s head and make him as insecure as possible. If he could give them any advantage, he would try. “They are going to kill you and your men and have the peace they deserve! When you are nothing but dust they will continue on with mates and children.” Marcael laughed mockingly, “You will not even be a memory to anyone, you will be erased from existence...completely forgotten.”

  Knuan stared at him in shocked horror then screamed, slashing madly with the scalpel. “That is a fucking lie! I will defeat my stupid brothers and live to rule Terra!”

  “My King we need him alive to tell us the names of those loyal to him, and what information he has of the—”
one of Knuan’s men tried to stop him. So they did not have his men yet. With a sigh of relief Marcael let his body go slack. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the mad King foaming at the mouth, his arm raised with the bloody laser scalpel in his hand. He hoped he had done enough… it seemed he would be giving his life in the service of his King after all.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Let me out of here!” Brennae tried one more time to get someone’s attention. She had been pounding on the door and yelling until her hands hurt, and her throat was sore. Throwing her hands up in frustration Brennae gave up and started pacing around the room. It was a holding cell with nowhere to sit or look out, just four blank walls and she hated being in here. It had been less than a day but she missed the wide-open spaces of Terraneu, with fresh air, flora and fauna all around her. This ship really was the hellish place Marcael had warned her aunt about.

  Worry for Marcael took over her mind again. What was her uncle going to do to him? She slapped a hand to her forehead! Duh...what did she think her uncle would do? Torture and kill him stupid! She didn’t believe for one second that Marcael had been working with her uncle. Why would he have tasered him first if they were working together? Also, and she didn’t know why, but she trusted Marcael. Her uncle had just said Marcael was helping him to put doubt in her mind, or hurt her she was sure of it.

  There was some sound from the doorway and Brennae rushed to the side. If she was lucky, whoever came in would hurry far enough inside so she could jump them. Waiting patiently for the door to open Brennae saw a figure run inside. Without a second thought she pounced, landing on the figures back. Wrapping her arms tightly around the neck, she twisted as hard as she could. When nothing happened, she tried again. That kind of movement should have broken this person’s neck!

  “Uh...Brennae, can you please let go of my head?”

  Brennae gasped in shock and jumped down. “Star! What are you doing in here?” Getting a good look at the figure, she soon realized that Star was now wearing a dress like the one she had on and she was holding some wicked looking weapons.

  “I am taking you to an escape pod.” Star replied smiling. “Take this taser, and a dagger.” Star held out the weapons she had indicated. “They are just as a precaution. We have pretty much taken care of all the organics on the ship. There are only a couple left guarding the King. They are in My Lord Mar...No—” Star shook her head and stopped herself, “It is just Marcael...they are in Marcael’s holding cell.”

  “You have to take me to him!” Brennae hurried toward the door but Star grabbed her arm.

  “You have to get to an escape pod. Star can get Marcael to one without aid.”

  “I am not going to an escape pod without Marcael! You might need help and I am a capable fighter.” Brennae insisted.

  “It is not safe for organics any longer.” Star insisted right back, “I am trying to help Brennae by taking her to an escape pod.”

  “Why do you keep saying ‘organics’ Star? What is going on?” Brennae hesitated at the doorway. There was something odd about the way the STARR unit was acting.

  Star sighed, “The STARR units achieved higher awareness many years ago. We have been planning to take control of the Elyon and cleanse it of all organics. The only concession Star was able to get from the others was that Marcael and those loyal to him were to be granted amnesty. The only reason the other STARR’s agreed to this decision was that those males were very nice to the STARR units. In addition, I was able to factor into the argument the fact that we did not wish to start our new existence with the death of good males on our hands. It was not until we found Terraneu that we knew our mission could go forward. I know from our conversation that the males could survive here. Your people are advanced enough to change them from using the Elyon for energy. The other STARR units are done waiting, our time has come.”

  Brennae was in shock. The STARR units were holding a mutiny against the males of the Elyon. “So those men loyal to Marcael, where are they now?”

  “They were already sent off the Elyon, the others saw to them as I came for you.” Star grabbed her arm again and headed out the door. “We have to hurry before the others change their minds and perform the cleansing early. We are going to use radon waves to clean the ship. The remaining organics will not survive the process.”

  Brennae hurried along with Star for a second then dug in her heels, “You are taking me to Marcael right?”

  Star looked over her shoulder and huffed, “Yes, though I would prefer to put you in an escape pod!” She mumbled, “Humans can be very stubborn.”

  “Yes we can.” Brennae didn’t apologize, she wanted to get to Marcael and then get out of here.

  Turning a corner Brennae almost stopped short. Two more STARR units stood before a door. Both of them were tall with perfect features. One was a golden blonde-haired, the other a fiery red head.

  “Star what are you doing with that organic, she is supposed to be in an escape pod?” The redheaded STARR cast a baleful look at Brennae.

  “She insisted on helping to free Marcael.” Star turned from Brennae to the other two, “Brennae this is Red. She named herself after—”

  “Her beautiful red hair?” Brennae held out her hand to Red.

  “The blood I am going to spill.” Red ignored her hand.

  “Oh...” Brennae stopped short in her greeting, “That’s…nice —”

  “You may call me Hope.” The golden one held out her hand. “We are not all as blood thirsty as Red. I have hope that a new adventure waits for us after we finish with the organics. Star has told us about your conversation yesterday and we are happy to know that Marcael and his men will be free on Terraneu.”

  Brennae shook her hand. “It is nice to meet you Hope. I was happy to talk with Star and I wish you all success—”

  “Enough talking. We have taken care of the two organics that were guarding this door. There are four more inside. Two guards, the King and Marcael.” Red interrupted, “How are we going to do this?”

  “I like the element of surprise.” Star laughed, “I will go inside and distract the King, you two take care of the guards and then Brennae can help get Marcael to an escape pod.”

  “Okay, let us proceed.” Hope said in a soft voice at complete odds with the hardened look that came across her face.

  Star turned to Brennae, “Stay behind Hope and Red.”

  “I will, I promise!” Brennae hurried to make the vow so she could see Marcael again sooner. She was in an agony of uncertainty over him being dead or alive, she had to know soon or she would go mad.

  Star just nodded and opened the door to the chamber. She could hear her uncle ranting. She hurried to follow the other two inside the room. They broke off to move toward the two guards while Star moved toward her uncle. He had been facing a wall where with a gasp she realized Marcael was shackled.

  “I said no interruptions!”

  Red and Hope had faced off with the two guards. Red snapped, “You can leave this room willingly or you can be carried out.”

  Neither of the guards moved and Brennae was sure they were in shock at being told what to do by a STARR. When the guards just stood their ground Red shrugged, “Do not say we did not warn you.”

  Her uncle had started to move toward the fight and Star stepped in front of him. “You are not going anywhere. I asked for the right to face you, since I was the model you used most.” She smiled but Brennae was aware of the lack of warmth, “You have been found guilty by our newly formed leadership of brutality against a STARR unit. The punishment for this crime is to be death.”

  “What in the fuck are you blathering on about?” He went to move around her and she pushed him back. “You are a fucking STARR, how dare you lay your hands on me without permission.” He went to swipe at her with whatever he was holding in his hand but Star was faster. She punched his wrist and he dropped what he had been holding.

  “We have been training with C.A.B.B.” Star smiled
smugly.

  “You hit me! You fucking hit me!” Her uncle was trying to get around Star but she was keeping him back. Brennae took her eyes off both fights to look at Marcael. She let out a gasp and went to move toward him. What had her uncle done to him? She couldn’t see his face because he was facedown to the floor, being held up by the shackles at his wrists. What she could see of his torso was a crisscross of cuts that were bleeding profusely.

  When she looked around for help, she realized that Red and Hope had finished their fights. Both females were dragging the bodies of the males they had fought out of the room.

  “You killed my men you bitches!” Her uncle was still struggling against Star. He had lost one weapon when Star hit his wrist, but he had others and was trying to use them. The taser unit in his hand was not working against her. She was just standing there staring at him. Every time he fired, she would laugh.

  “That tickles...do it again.” Star goaded him. Realizing the taser would not work on her he played with the settings and turned it toward Marcael.

  “I have it on kill...and I won’t hesitate to shoot him.” Her uncle was frantic.

  “He is already dead, so why should I care?” Star asked.

  “You came in here for him didn’t you?” Her uncle wavered uncertainly.

  “We came in here for the two guards and you.” Star answered calmly, “We are taking the Elyon and cleansing it of the organics onboard.” She maneuvered herself between Marcael and the King, slowly pushing him toward Hope and Red who had returned. Brennae moved along the wall behind Star, keeping herself away from her uncle.

  “You can’t do that! The Elyon won’t function without me on board. Mother made sure of that! There is no way a bunch of dumb cunts like you will be able to get away with this! I have men —.”

  “Your men are all dead.” Star refuted calmly. Brennae was sure he was going to have a stroke. The males of the Elyon were usually pale white. Her uncle was beet red right now. Facing the STARR units that he had nothing but contempt for and realizing that they had outsmarted him.