Blood for the Empress: Part One of the Empress Trilogy

by Lon Varnadore

  "Three months," she said with a shiver.

  "I was in it seven. I almost went mad."

  "How did you stop it?" She asked, sitting up, wiping her tears away.

  "I held onto a good memory. A former... friend."

  "A lover?"

  "Something like that," Torvash said, uncomfortable with the word.

  "And the Empress won't hurt me?"

  "Ever may she reign," Torvash said. "No, she will only use a few drops of blood. Her machine is very good at what it does." He was quiet, and the lie cut him inside. He knew what would happen to her, as to all those before her. Sooner or later, his Empress would bleed the girl dry for her Talent. Her small bone-pale body would be thrown into the incinerator and turned to dust. Damn it, stop. Its the only way for the Empress to win the Conflict. The Empress is all.

  "Why do you say 'ever may she reign?'"

  "It is a mantra, all of her subjects say it."

  "I don't."

  "Those of the Blood have some strange rules about it."

  The door opened, and the fear in her face was fresh as the cold mist of the storage area boiled in. Torvash's hand gripped her arm like an iron manacle.

  Lyra tried to pull away. Torvash's grip was clamped tight. "Please, don't."

  Torvash looked down at the girl. He saw a telltale shimmer of color in her eyes, and turned away. "Your powers won't help you," he said. He licked his lips and triggered the helm's visor to come down. It was treated with something that helped to block her powers. That and his training. The Empress is all, he repeated to himself over and over again. It felt hollow to say it. He ignored the girl while the two trudged forward towards the lifts and then down towards the open cold-storage crate. It waited at the end of the short dark hallway.

  "Please!" Lyra screamed, breaking Torvash's thoughts.

  He looked at her, shocked that she had done such a thing. "How did you—"

  "Please don't put me back," she whimpered, tears streaming down her face, snot starting to bubble up from her nose. She started to cry. The crying and blubbering struck Torvash differently. There was something about it that reminded him of Rigel III. He pushed the thought away. The cry of the granddaughter of the storyteller, he realized, is what touched him. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and shoved her into the crate. "The Empress is all!" He shouted it as he slammed the controls to snap the lid down on the crying, squirming child.

  He turned and stormed out of the room into the lift and sent it towards his ship. "The Empress is all...the Empress is all...the Empress is all..."

  Thirty

  "How could you have done that to Lyra?" Kesh shouted at Jonica.

  Jonica was sitting in the pilot's seat, a blanket wrapped around her, her face a mass of bruises and her left hand bound in a tight cast held tightly against her chest. "It was the Flash, not me."

  "Right," Kesh said. "Blame that." He turned away from her. "You are the one who protected her all this time. And turn your back on her for Flash?"

  "Do you have any idea what it is like on that stuff?"

  "No, I don't" Kesh said. "But I would think that—"

  "It is the best and worst thing ever," Jonica said. "It cooks you, deadens your nerves, but at the same time, hypes your nerves and your entire body. It is the best stim around, but it kills you too. Your body is burning so hot, it cooks part of your brain."

  "And while you're on it, you just want more."

  "It becomes the only thing you want," Jonica said, shrinking into herself. "But it's the only thing that can really get me to pilot. I'm in so much pain right now, and I know one little shot of Flash, and I'll be great to fly. I can tear this brace off my left hand and fly better than any pilot out there."

  "Without it?"

  "I'm less than useless."

  Kesh looked at Meph. "Got anything?"

  Meph looked at Jonica. You were able to fire the rifle.

  "Once you made me visualize a target. Speaking of which, how did we get here?"

  Thank Kesh and Blue. Meph said.

  "Still, how?"

  Keshs shrugged. "After Blue killed the three Rahl, the attack stopped. We then heard your shot. We arrived with that Collector slammed against the far all of the warehouse. I draped you over Blue's saddle, Meph rode on top of you, and we hustled to the Runner."

  "Why didn't you kill the Collector?" Jonica shouted.

  "What good would it have done? He probably did die. You hit him right in the chest."

  "Their armor is too good for that," Jonica said, "Even for the high-powered plasma thrower I have."

  "How do they have that?" Kesh asked.

  "Some say that the Empress has a connection to the Quith. And they have a connection—"

  "To the Progenitors," Kesh finished.

  Which are a myth.

  Kesh looked at the psi-cat. "You sure about that?"

  What are you babbling about—

  His head snapped around to Jonica. "Never mind. I think I have an idea. It is stupid, but I have one."

  Monica's eyebrow arched. "What?"

  "Can't tell you."

  "Why?"

  "You won't understand it. You’d think it’s terrible and was too much fantasy."

  "Fine. But it resembles a plan?" Jonica asked, looking at Kesh.

  "Never trust a plan after it comes in contact with he enemy," he said. She noticed that he was scratching his right hand against his side harder and harder.

  "What is wrong with your hand?"

  "Don't worry about it," Kesh said, flashing a fake smile.

  "Uh huh. Look, we have to come up with something to save Lyra."

  "Working on one. Get Blue and me on the ship and we'll be fine."

  "How are you going to get that scytheblade on that ship without being noticed?"

  "Who said we don't want to be noticed?"

  "You're insane," Jonica said. She clenched her hands around the controls. Her right hand jerked away from the controls from the residual Flash. Dammit, stop that. Her left wrist flared in pain again. More than last time. She reached for the injector.

  "Jonica, don't you think you've taken too much already?" Kesh asked.

  She looked at him. "Thanks Dad. I don't know, why don't you tell me how much I should use?"

  Kesh sighed. "I don't think that Flash is going to help us get Lyra back."

  "My ship, my rules. You don't like it, take off on your own ship."

  "What is wrong with you?" Kesh shouted.

  "I don't need you and your pathetic lizard mount to save Lyra. I have friends I can tap."

  Kesh looked as if he’d been struck. "Then, I guess Blue and I will get out here."

  "Don't let the door hit you on the way—"

  She stopped suddenly when she realised she was speaking to thin air.

  That was pathetic.

  "Shut up, cat."

  So, I am just "cat" now?

  "Are you going to help, or are you going to be in the way?"

  Meph growled for a long moment. He then lowered his body and huddled in his box. Ready when you are, Captain.

  Jonica looked at Meph for a moment. She opened her mouth to apologize. She shut it with a click. "Come on, we can talk to the rebels and get them to help."

  I doubt they're going to be of much help.

  "What do you know, you're just a cat."

  There was a hiss of air and she realized that the small skimmer had just launched.

  Are you going to go after him?

  "He can take of himself. He has Blue. We have to find some help of our own."

  Kesh slid down the ladder before Jonica finished her little tirade. Blue was waiting for him at the base. He grabbed Blue by the reins and pulled the scytheclaw's head close. He touched his forehead to Blue's snout. The lizard gave a strange gurgle. "Listen buddy, I need to do this without you. You need to stay here and guard Jonica and the cat."

  Blue perked up when Kesh mentioned Meph. "No eating him," Kesh said, holding his hand up
. "Understand. He is not to be eaten." He touched Blue's snout as he repeated each word.

  Are you really leaving him behind? Meph asked.

  Kesh didn't look around for him. Yes. It'll be safer this way. Keep an eye on him, will you?

  He wants to eat me, how am I supposed to—

  Find a way. And, Meph.

  Yes, Kesh?

  I'm getting Lyra back. But, it might mean doing something really bad.

  Worse than kidnapping a little girl?

  Kesh stopped for a moment, thinking about the half-formed plan in his head. I don't know. Please don't read my mind.

  I already said I would not.

  Kesh nodded. Good. It is a bad idea though.

  Are you looking for absolution from a cat?

  You are more than that.

  There was stunned silence for a moment. That means more than you can know, Kesh.

  Kesh gave a mental smile and wink. You're welcome, Meph.

  The small craft Kesh had taken was not going to be able to shoot anything. It was really an escape pod with thrusters. Still, he could steer it, and the troop transport was a slow thing. He wasn't even sure the transport would pick up the tiny craft. It was slow-going for a few hours, but he doggedly followed the thing as it moved closer and closer to the Sol Gate. Already, it was moving over the rest of the line that waited for the Gate. Perks of being part of the Empire, I guess. He was also sure he wouldn't be able to catch it when he felt a small bit of luck.

  A Fedrat destroyer moved to intercept the Empire's ship, blocking the way. It looked like they were going to make it difficult for the transport to get through. As he got closer, he noticed the transport's engines starting up again. Dammit, I'm never going to—

  He stopped and looked at control panel. There was some kind of mod that Jonica had put it that he didn't notice before. Wonder what this does?

  Hit it.

  Meph?

  The mind-link has a rather long range.

  I guess… What does—

  A grapnel. Use it.

  He punched the button, and a small grappling gun popped out of the front of the pod. What is this doing on—never mind. Don't look a gift shellback in the mouth. He gripped the impromptu control and fired it at the transport, hoping there was enough line to make it to the ship before it started to slide away.

  He felt his hope evaporate as the grapple struck a piece of the hull and bounced off. The magnetic head went spinning off away from the ship. Then, he looked down and realized the grapnel head hadn't been turned on. Kesh pulled the trigger, and the grapple spun in a half circle and latched onto the hull. The pod was then jerked along with the inertia of the transport. He pushed another button on the handle and felt the pod yanked towards the larger spacecraft. Kesh prayed the grapnel got the pod close enough before the ship entered the Gate and his tiny ship was destroyed in the energy wash of the ship entering the event horizon of the Gate.

  The pod slammed into the hull. Kesh was shocked that he heard a series of flares go off and the small escape pod latched onto the ship. The single door's sensor turned green for a complete seal. "What the hell did she use this escape pod for?"

  Do you really—

  Forget it. Be careful with Jonica.

  You as well.

  His hand itched more as he neared the door. He ripped off his gauntlet and smirked. The tattoo was black.

  "Good." The pain grew more and more intense. His legs buckled, and he gritted his teeth not to scream from the stabbing of the pain. He reached for the door when it jerked open. He tumbled out onto the transport, into a ring of five Rahl, their short carbines aimed at him.

  Kesh held his hand up to him and shouted, "I yield. Take me to the Collector."

  Thirty-One

  The youth, Kesh, was brought in with two Rahl soldiers holding their carbines behind him. Torvash sat on the single seat in the command room, hanging above the control area and the walkway. He wasn't paying complete attention to how the boy got onto the ship. He didn't care. He hated being here, he wanted to be back on his own ship. Still, he had a duty to stay at least until the ship was through the Gate.

  "Why are you here?" Torvash asked, looking at the young man. "You had escaped. You killed some of the Rahl, but you were alive."

  "You took my friend," Kesh said.

  "We took back the Empress's property," Torvash stood, his hands clenched. "How dare you think of her as a person." His hands trembled.

  "Maybe you are thinking of her as a person," Kesh said with a smirk. "Where is she?"

  "Cold storage."

  "Thank you."

  The words caught Torvash off guard. "What?"

  "You will release her," Kesh said.

  "And, what makes you think I will?"

  Kesh smiled. He then nodded his head towards the Gate. Torvash turned as reports started to pour in. He didn't hear them. Instead, he watched as the Gate turned off. The moment the blue-white glow of the Gate shut off, Torvash heard the reports as they were pouring through the comms. "Sir, the Gate its fluctuating...Sir, the Ferson Riggs was destroyed halfway through...Sir, Gate Command has no idea what is going on."

  Torvash waited for a moment, stunned by the sight. The Rahl soldiers were stunned as well. Now the youth, Kesh, was laughing.

  "What is going on?" Torvash shouted, turning towards Kesh. "What did you do? How could you have shut off—"

  "I didn't do anything." Kesh said. He then raised his hand and Torvash realized what had happened. "You were one of those?"

  Kesh smiled. "One of those? So there are more?"

  Torvash turned to the Rahl. "Man your battle stations." They turned and left with all speed.

  Torvash looked at the boy. "How could this…boy have been the one to defeat me?"

  "From my count, that is twice." Kesh laughed weakly as proximity alarm went off.

  "What are you laughing at boy?"

  Kesh looked down at his hand, his face a grimace of pain as his flesh turned a pure black. "You lose, Torvash."

  Torvash felt his blood boil. "Battle stations!" He shouted. Below, he saw the scrambling of the Empire's soldiers moving to their stations, unsure of what was going on.

  "Collector?" One of the Rhal asked through the comms, "There is no target to—"

  Torvash turned as the Rahl stopped talking. Through the main viewport, he felt before he saw, gates opening with a body-shaking thrumming. Not the one at the edge of Sol, new ones. Ones that formed from nothing.

  "The Progenitors!" A crewman screamed.

  "The Progenitors? They are a myth," another said.

  Torvash shook his head. "No. The Eridani are very much real." He looked at the youth. Kesh was smiling. "You know they will kill you."

  Kesh nodded. "But they will kill you first because you stole their property. From their point of view at least," he said smirking.

  Torvash took a breath. "To your escape pods. We are not—"

  "The Pit we aren't!" Kern screamed from her position on the command platform. "This is a chance to find out what the Rhal are made of."

  This is how we are different. Even against them she wishes to fight. Torvash bowed to her. "You're welcome to it." He turned to look at Kesh. "I should kill you before they arrive." His orchiculcum blade slide out a half-inch.

  "And then they would kill you first," Kesh said.

  For a moment, Torvash thought about it. He let the orchiculcum blade slide out fully from its sheath. Kesh reacted to it by taking a step back.

  Torvash then retracted the blade. "Where?"

  "Where what?"

  "Where will they come?"

  "On the control deck, more likely than not."

  The Collector paused. I can't fight them. Even Kern is as good as dead. The Empress…he stopped. At that moment, he realized how foolish he was. "Go." Torvash said, pointing towards the door of the small bubble chamber.

  "Are you going to stay here like a coward?"

  "I need a moment before letting the ship b
ecome a possession of them."

  There was a sound of undulating pitch that resonated in Kesh's skull as he raced out of the bubble room. He jogged down the stairs into a knot of Rahl, their weapons out and ready. One of them swung his weapon towards him, and Kesh slid to a stop. Then, where a moment before there had been nothing, 38-Jorrin appeared. He was in a mechanical suit and had two guards with him. His two guards had thicker, articulated armor with glowing staves that they held at the ready.

  Their heads, even through the thick plating of the helms, were elongated and domed. Their eyes were set higher and wider apart than a human, stretched-out black, glinting diamonds that stared at Kesh and the Rahl like they were insects. And, even through the armor, Kesh could smell their strange musk, an odd peppermint reek.

  "Sweep the ship. Leave them alive," 38-Jorrin said in Eridani. Kesh translated it in his head.

  "If they resist, Dreamer?" One of the guards asked.

  At that moment, one of the Rahl soldiers charged, firing towards the Eridani. The slugs were stopped by their shields. The soldier switched his rifle to plasma, and it died in the ion sphere around the three aliens in their advanced armor.

  "Kill those that don't surrender," 38-Jorrin said, in Common.

  "The Rahl don't surrender," the soldier shouted. "We—"

  "Big mistake," Kesh whispered.

  The guard turned his staff towards the soldier. There was a whoosh and the top half of the Rahl soldier disappeared in a single blow.

  Kesh stood up. "Wait, you don't have to all die," he shouted as the Rahl charged. They didn't stop. They swarmed the two guards.

  Each guard took a step past Kesh. Their staves blurred as the Rahl pulled out blades to fight. The Eridani guards matched each stroke. Kesh knew that the Eridani were playing with the Rahl. Kesh felt sorry for the Rahl. The Rahl were the superior fighter compared to anything that was known in the galaxy. Yet the Eridani weren't known. And after a dozen heartbeats, the two Eridani guards brought down the glowing end of their staves on the Rahl soldiers they fought. It was done with such precision, it looked choreographed. The Rahl's heads were crushed to pulp, and the two alien soldiers moved on. Again and again it happened as they cut down the Rahl like wheat.