by DJ Morand
“Zee can you direct the ship from berthing?” Abel asked.
“I cannot Captain,” Zee said. “The ship has taken too much damage, my nanites are no longer receiving updates from the ship. We will have to manually fire the nacelles.””
“But …” Echo said, “you can only do that from the bridge.
“Get your asses in crew berthing and seal the hatch.” He yelled, then saw the look of determination on both their faces. “Flak it! Get your asses into crew berthing! That’’s an order.”
“I cannot do as you ask Abel Cain.” Zee said solemnly. “I owe you a debt and this is one I can repay.” Zee turned to Echo.
“Take him to crew berthing and seal the hatch.” Zee said solemnly. Echo’s eyes teared up, but she nodded and went to grab Abel.
“Flak you! You dumb glitching blueberry! I am not leaving you to die up here!” Abel cried, tears forming in his own eyes.
“It is I who am leaving you Captain. Take shelter and I will guide us through this last storm.” Zee said. Abel Cain was torn, he loved Zee, but he knew the Quintarran was right.
“Flak Zee! Flak it!” Abel said as he started hobbling back towards the ladder leading to the lower deck. “Zee, if you survive this I am going to kill you.”” Abel tried to sound light hearted.
“Let us hope then, that I do not survive. I would not want to die at your hand.” Zee intoned in a sad voice, but with a slight grim smile on his face.
“Now you make a joke?” Abel said exasperated. “You glitching bastard, you’re like a brother to me!”
“As you to me, Captain. Stop the Prime.” Zee said as Abel and Echo descended into crew berthing and sealed the hatch.
The Kodiak continued its rocky descent into the atmosphere as Zee piloted the vessel. He waited patiently until they cleared the cloud cover and entered atmospheric flight. The Kodiak burned red all along the hull and the cockpit had grown increasingly hot. Electronics sparked and a fire started in one of the distant crew stations. Zee sat in the Captain’s chair, manually controlling the dying gunship. He was sweating and fighting the pain of his skin burning.
They streaked through the sky like a comet, fire trailing behind the ship as the vessel shook and bucked. When they were near terminal velocity Zee fired the nacelles, attempting to slow their descent. The entire ship shook and shuddered against the gravity of the planet. Zee still controlled the ship, but all systems were failing. He disabled all non-essential functions, cutting off all weapons and defensive stations as the Kodiak entered its death throes.
They passed over mountains and plains and crossed through the air above a forest. Zee remarked at the beauty of one of the home worlds of the Quintarrans. He felt as if he were coming home. The gunship crashed violently into the ground amidst a copse of trees. Tearing through the soft soil the ship spun and flipped for several hundred meters before coming to a stop against a large tree, easily twice as wide as the Kodiak itself.
* * *
Quintar IV - EFNF Alpha Base: Wreckage
2972 ESD - Wednesday, November 12th 08:42 hours
The Kodiak had been tracked on its re-entry and a full contingent of military and medical personnel had been dispatched from Alpha Base. They had watched on view screens the battle above in the asteroid field and the subsequent detonation of a whole section of the ring. Fleet Admiral Andromeda Clark watched as the Infinity turned around and warped out of the area.
“When you find the Kodiak I want a full report. There likely will be no survivors, get what you can from the ship’s computer.” Fleet Admiral Clark knew that the Kodiak arriving here as it did spelled danger for the EFNF. Abel Cain was a rebel and an outlaw and if he knew about this base, he had convinced Echo Shade of his worth.
Damn you fool girl, she thought to herself. A moment later a response came over her communications station.
“Sir, there are survivors!” the corpsman came back over the communications channel. Fleet Admiral Clark ground her teeth. She had hoped Abel would have died in this last act, it would have been a shame about Echo, but Abel; she may have rejoiced about that.
* * *
Quintar IV - EFNF Alpha Base: Wreckage
2972 ESD - Wednesday, November 12th 15:42 hours
Men and women, human and Quintarran, moved about the wreckage, most with fire extinguishers or other forms of containment. A particular corpsman was examining the hole in the cargo bay door. He noted that a large meteor laid broken apart inside.
How did they even fly this bird? He thought.
Behind the debris of the meteor he saw the crew berthing security door open, several beams and debris covered the opening, but he was sure he saw movement. He shined his light into the cargo bay and he caught a glimpse of Abel Cain, struggling to stand on his one good leg.
“Sir, there are survivors!” A corpsman yelled into the radio to Fleet Admiral Clark as he noticed the moving forms of Echo and Abel in the crew berthing. The corpsman then turned and yelled to the contingent with him.
“Better bring a medic one of them is missing a leg.” He said with a sour look on his face, the wound looked gruesome. A group of soldiers began clearing debris and pulling Echo and Abel out of the wreckage. As he was pulled from the ship Abel leaned into the guard and whispered in his ear.
“Zee?” it was his only concern as he looked at the horribly mangled gunship that had once held all his pride. All he cared about now was his friend. The look on the soldier’s face was heartbreaking and Abel knew the answer. “He deserves a burial, something-- something--” Abel said as he succumbed to unconsciousness.
EPILOGUE
Quintar IV - EFNF Alpha Base: Funeral
2972 ESD - Tuesday, December 19th 13:00 hours
The crew of the Kodiak were extricated from the wreckage and taken for medical care. For the next several days they were kept under constant watch as they recovered. Abel accepted medical grade nanites and allowed them to heal his broken body. Echo refused. She appeared to be no worse for the wear.
She attributed this to the protective huddle Abel had engulfed her in while the gunship crashed. After some discussion and a brief interview with Fleet Admiral Clark. Abel accepted a Captain’s commission in the True Exodus Fleet Naval Force. He was fitted with a mechanical leg, which was attached with nanite treatment. In another few days he managed to link it with his neural implants.
After his debrief by the EFNF, Abel was introduced to the only faction of the Quintarrans to never be subjugated by the AI. They informed him that the EFNF, after discovering his unique physiology, had looked for him and had sent Echo to locate him. The Remnant spoke mostly of what he had accomplished in his fight against the EXOs.
Afterwards, he was offered a commission and a place within the building of the new government. He told them of the people of New Exodus and that he thought there was a cure for the EXO virus. He learned that Admiral Shade had acted alone and against the EFNF; which was more of a confirmation than any new information for him. The commission he had been given, Fleet Admiral Clark explained, was so that Abel Cain could lead a crew in a new ship, one designed to stop the EXOs once and for all. Abel accepted, but made it clear any ship he piloted, he would have to help to design. The Fleet Admiral did not say anything and Abel took it as acquiescence.
A week later, after they have recuperated, Abel and Echo stood next to the funeral pyre of Zee. Abel wore the uniform of an EFNF Captain; they were dress blues. Abel and Echo watched the pyre be lit; along with other members of the EFNF and the Remnant. As they watched Zee’s body burn with the wood from the forest, Abel shed a final tear for his closest friend.
It was not long before the others began to leave, paying their respects, but clearly uncomfortable. Abel and Echo stayed and for a moment. Abel wanted to leap into the pyre with his friend. Echo gently pulled him back, as she laid her head on his shoulder. He held her as they watched until the last embers died. After it was done, Abel felt like a part of him had died. He looked down to Echo, examin
ing her soft features and the light blue tinge of her skin. He wanted to lose himself in the green of her gaze.
“It won’t be the same.” Abel said.
“Everything changes Abel. Zee is at peace, he died free.” Echo said and he nodded.
“I know. This new ship won’t be the same without him. It won’t even be the same ship.” He said with obvious lament. He had lost his closest friend and his ship in the same fell swoop.
“It’ll need a full crew.” Echo said. “From what I’’ve heard they plan to improve on the URSA GS-I design.”
“After I am through with it, it’ll be about the same. Firepower is nice, but maneuverability is nicer.”
“What are you going to call it?” Echo asked.
“Atlas.” Abel said simply. He had thought about it in the days he spend in recovery.
“Another bear?” Echo laughed.
“It’s fitting, Zee named the GS-I. He loved bears. They fascinated him.” Abel explained, smiling at the thought of the inquisitive Quintarran.
“Atlas. I like it. Zee would too, I’m sure.” Echo comforted.
“I am sure he would, and since I am going to hunt down the EXO Prime with it, Zee will get his vengeance.” Abel declared.
Echo and Abel will return in Book II of the Infinity Verge Trilogy, Atlas
Abbreviations & Terms
ATLAS-V: Aluminium-Titanium Laser Assisted Superluminal Vessel
EFNF: Exodus Fleet Naval Force
ESD: Earth Standard Date, replaces AD.
Ex/Exed: The act of being killed or transformed into an EXO
Flak: A generic curse used for numerous situations.
Glitched: Someone driven mad or acting irrationally due to nanite implants.
Husk: A person without Nanites
SATYR Suit: Survival Assault Tactical Yield Robotics Suit: Mechanical armor designed for close combat, needed to properly pilot a RAVEN vessel.
URSA GS: Ultra-capacitor Radiographic Strategic Assault Gunship
Vulture BAA-C: Board and Assault Courier, commonly referred to as Vulture Backs.
More Books by this Author
Thank you for reading Kodiak: Book 1 of the Infinity Verge Trilogy
Kodiak is the first in a three book series following Captain Abel Cain. They are:
Kodiak: Infinity Verge Book 1
Atlas: Infinity Verge Book 2 (Summer 2016)
Ursidae: Infinity Verge Book 3 (Summer 2017)
Also by this author:
The Legends of Vandor Short Stories
Vessen Marr, Bladesinger
Bastion Frell, Riftlander
Jessa Poe, Witch
The Legends of Vandor
The Last Bladesinger (coming soon)
About the Author
An eclectic Science Fiction Magician, DJ Morand is a Dark Fantasy and Science Fiction author living in Phoenix, AZ. He is an avid lover of all things writing and media.
Find out more at:
www.DJMorand.com`
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