Backlash Rising

by Brandon Ellis

  He yelped in pain, and saltwater filled his throat. Somewhere on impact, his masked yanked off. Oxygen bubbles rose to the surface, and he suddenly slowed his steep dive. Blood streamed past his now stinging, open eyes. He glanced down at the searing pain in his leg and jerked his head back. Oh, no.

  At about mid-leg, his femur bone had torn through his lateral quadricep muscles. It poked through his skin and pants. He swam toward the surface, moving his arms as fast and best he could while keeping his leg immobile before numbness took over. Reaching the surface, he grunted loudly. He coughed, spitting out water.

  A loud boom filled the sky, and he looked up at the Starhawk turning in his direction. Somehow, Kalista’s voice mumbled from somewhere nearby. “Shae, where exactly are you?”

  “The mask,” muttered Shae, peering over the gentle waves, not needing to look far. He reached out and grasped the mask. He pulled it over his head, doing his best to stay above the surface by kicking his good leg. “Head directly to the explosion site.” He cringed. “I broke my leg, so the faster, the better.”

  “On my way,” said Kalista.

  The water rippled wide and far as the Starhawk lowered into a hover several meters above him, then positioned to the right, and lowered into the water. The exterior cargo bay door opened.

  “Can you swim to us?” asked Kalista.

  “Maybe.” He reached one arm out and pulled it across his body, repeating the stroke with the other arm. “One of you pull me into the cargo bay.”

  “Devon’s on it,” Kalista told him.

  Shae continued to pull himself forward. He reached out for the stern of the ship and grabbed hold. He attempted to lift himself, but his muscles shook, and each attempt sent a sharp pain up his leg and through his lower back.

  “I’m here, Admiral.”

  Devon stretched his arms, reaching for him. Grasping Shae’s hands, he leaned back and pulled Shae into the bay. Yelping when his bad leg hit the edge, Shae rolled to the side, grimacing.

  Kalista’s footsteps pounded toward Shae. “We need to get him in the cabin quickly. We don’t know if we’ll be attacked soon, or what. We’ve got to get out of here.” She shoved Devon to the side and grabbed Shae’s arms by the wrist. She dragged Shae across the ship’s floor. Kalista halted at the bench seat next to the toolkit.

  Shae glanced at his leg and wished he hadn’t when he saw blood oozing. Kalista grabbed a syringe out of a side compartment on the toolbox. He began shaking, his body going into shock. His heart raced, and his breaths were quick and shallow. He couldn’t feel his leg, but damn, his whole body didn’t want to cooperate no matter what.

  Devon rushed to Shae’s side and grasped his hand. “You’ll be fine. I promise.” He gave Kalista a questioning look, wondering if he spoke the truth or not. “Stay calm. I’m here. All right, man?” He stroked Shae’s hair, not knowing what else to do.

  Shae gently pushed Devon’s hand off his head. “Devon, I’m not a dog.”

  Kalista dug into the compartment and came up with a vial with a clear solution inside. She sucked the liquid out of the vial with the syringe, then held the syringe to her eyes, looking at it like a predator barreling down on its prey. “You ready?”

  Without waiting for a response, she stabbed Shae’s leg. With Shae’s leg numb, he didn’t feel a thing. She emptied the syringe’s contents. She pulled it out and reared back, throwing it past the cargo bay and into the water.

  Shae’s breathing slowed, a calming sensation taking hold. “That feels better.”

  “We’ll wrap your leg up and get out of here. You need a healer,” said Kalista, rummaging through the large tool kit. She handed Devon the bandage wrap. “Here, do something useful.”

  Devon began wrapping Shae’s leg. “The bleeding has stopped already.” He tightened the wrap. “Is that from the injection?”

  Kalista smirked. “Yes.”

  Shae’s head spun, though his body felt good and alive. “I know plenty of doctors at the starbase. Get me there.”

  Kalista shook her head. “Your doctors are limited and don't know what they're doing. My race did that on purpose.” She shrugged. “We only taught them the basics that even our young Anunnaki know. If it weren’t for the Space Templars, you wouldn’t have even had the Suficell Pods. So, no, we’re not going to your precious starbase. We’re going to Nibiru.”

  Shae gave her a fixed stare. “You said it wouldn't be a good idea for Devon and me to go to Nibiru or be seen there. We're going to the starbase. I can get patched up, they can set my leg, and I can get into the Suficell Pods.”

  “Orion’s buckle,” spat Kalista, as if remembering something. “After our run in with Y’taul, I guarantee that monster outed me to the Nibiru authorities. My king and the council will know I’ve been selling white powdered gold to that worthless Plearian. They’ll arrest me on the spot if I land on Nibiru.”

  “Then it’s settled,” said Shae. “Take me to Starbase Matrona.”

  “You’re a lucky bastard, Admiral.” She helped Shae up and set him on the bench. “Devon, strap him in. We’re heading back to your ugly starbase.” She walked to the pilot seat. “Closing cargo bay door and taking off.”

  Devon strapped Shae in and headed to the co-pilot chair. Shae squeezed his eyes shut, giving silent gratitude for surviving amid the pain and chaos he’d just gone through.

  The cargo door shut, and the Starhawk lifted into the air. Kalista punched the throttle forward and pulled back on the control stick, speeding the Starhawk to the upper atmosphere. It carved a path into the exosphere and into the black cosmos. A burst of stars, millions and more, sparkled across the infinite.

  “Hold on tight, 'cause here we go,” said Kalista. “Initiating NMJ drive.”

  The universe filled with streaking stars. All went quiet, and the craft halted, its nose pointed at Starbase Matrona. Shae exhaled, staring out the cockpit window from the bench seat, happy to see his home. “We made it.” He tilted his head, and his brows wrinkling sharply. “No.” He reached out as if to snag the starbase before it could go any further.

  The starbase brightened and a yellow halo shot outward from its core, ebbing in and out like a throbbing energy ripple, spreading into the black vastness around them. A moment later the starbase vanished.

  “They activated NMJ drives?” Shae brought his hand to his side, his eyes like saucers. “Why?”

  40

  Shae

  Unknown

  Quiet filled the ship until Kalista put her hands behind her neck. “We can’t go to Nibiru, and your starbase jumped somewhere. Where do we go next?”

  Shae wanted to get up and hail the starbase, but wherever it had gone, it was far out of range of the commlink.

  “Who would order a jump?” Shae shot Devon a look, rubbing his hurt leg. “Payson?”

  Devon shook his head. “Naveya doesn’t lie. She said he died, along with his team.”

  Shae crossed his arms. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” He looked away and touched the pendant behind his jumpsuit, feeling its metal against his chest. Naveya shared a similar Space Templar pendant. It meant she ranked somewhere in the Templar knighthood, and Templars performed magic, according to the fairy tales. Maybe Devon told the truth, maybe the young man could hear her in his mind.

  “Devon, can you talk to that Naveya woman right now? Can she tell us where they jumped?” Shae massaged his temple, not believing those words came out of his mouth. He sounded like a little kid, hoping magic existed.

  “Let me see.” He closed his eyes, then shook his head. “I don’t have a connection. She’s too far away.”

  Kalista gave Devon a look. “What are you two talking about?”

  Shae threw a dismissive hand. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

  Kalista shifted in her seat. “Good, because I have enough to worry about.”

  Devon glanced over his shoulder. “How’s your leg?”

  “I can’t feel a thing. I’m no medical genius, but
I suspect that to save my leg, I need a doctor and a Suficell Pod soon.”

  Kalista sat up straighter. “All right, geniuses. Enough chatter. How do we find out where Matrona went? It could be my only safe haven at the moment.”

  Devon rested his hands on the flight console, looking around. “There has to be a way to track them.”

  Kalista leaned back, thinking. She nodded. “Like I said before, hanging around you guys makes me dumb. It sounds mean, but it’s true.” She held up her index finger. “A starbase is tagged, or in other words, numbered.” She leaned forward, swiping across the holodisplay and typing on the holokeypad.

  “What are you doing?” asked Shae.

  “I’m getting us to Starbase Matrona.” She swiped an application, pulling it up. “This will show her location.” After a brief pause, Kalista nodded. “Yep, there she is. Now, I press on the location. The coordinates should show up on the course module drive.”

  Devon eyed the drive. “New coordinates showing.”

  “Here goes.” She interlaced her fingers, stretching them out and cracking her knuckles. She put her hand on the NMJ drive button. “Hold on to your britches. We’ll be at the starbase in no time.” She dropped her hand to her side and slumped in her chair, closing her eyes. “Never mind.”

  “What are you doing?” asked Devon.

  Shae leaned back. “Get some shuteye, Devon. The NMJ drives need to recharge. It’ll be a while.”

  41

  Ali

  Eos

  Tranquil's elevator touched down. Ali pulled out her sword. “Tranquil, get us back up. We have incoming.”

  That’s a friendly. It’s Starship Swift.

  Swift’s low hum grew louder the closer she approached, it’s glowing, iridescent armor almost too mesmerizing to look at.

  Thun gripped his axe and the rest of the Bawn took defensive positions. “It’s the Anunnaki here to fight.”

  Chan shook his head, gesturing with his hands for the Bawn to calm. “It’s an ally.” He eyed Ali. “I believe your friends have arrived.”

  “I don’t know them, but Tranquil said they’re friendly, so I’m going with that.”

  Chan escorted her off the platform. “It's a ghost town here. There won’t be a fight. It's usually busy on Eos Two, at least during my short visit here.” Chan rubbed his chin. “Very odd.”

  Thun stepped between them. “Let's check for Anunnaki scum, anyway.”

  Swift positioned itself near Tranquil and began descending into a landing.

  Harak rested his axe on his shoulder. “I’m not waiting around. I’m heading to the palace to see my people and congratulate them for scaring the Anunnaki out of the city.” He ran down a cobblestone street followed by his brother and the rest of the Bawn crew. They disappeared around a tall, spired building, it’s reach nearly a hundred stories.

  “It's best we're with the Bawn. We calm them down,” said Chan. “They may rampage the palace before we can search it over to find any clue where the Anunnaki disappeared to.”

  “Good idea.”

  They raced after the Bawn, their footsteps clacking on the cobblestone. They rounded the tall, white spire-like structure. Coming around, Ali noticed the palace and other buildings around a public square with a large statue of an Anunnaki. The statue held a tipped bowl which poured water into a pool at the statue’s feet, where green plant reeds poked through the water. They reached the palace, and Ali leaped from giant step to giant step.

  Entering through the main doorway, Chan and Ali walked into the main lobby. The ceilings were high and arched from one wall to the next. The lobby led to hallways and doors opening to large rooms with marble-like desks, all with HDC’s, all neat and tidy as if the Anunnaki had a cleaning service come through right after leaving the building.

  A loud bang stopped Ali in her tracks. “What’s that?”

  “This way,” said Chan.

  Ali hurried after him as he rounded a hallway and entered a room big enough for a large gathering. Inside, rows of holocomps and holomonitors lined the walls, and furniture sat around in an organized manner. A place for royalty, no doubt. Harak stood in the middle of the room, slamming a giant hammer on the marble floor.

  “This is probably Enlil’s study,” said Chan. “We passed his office back there.”

  Another Bawn swung a pickaxe beside Harak. Chunks of marble flooring crumbled beneath their hefty blows, kicking pieces up as they continued to whack away.

  Ali pursed her lips, a rage grabbing at her. “I think Enlil is still alive.”

  “Why would you think otherwise?” asked Chan, the pounding of tools against marble echoing in the room.

  “I shot him so many times, a human would have been dead by now.”

  “Your bullets are small compared to our bigger bodies. He probably recovered, no doubt his medical staff fixing him up quickly.”

  Ali huffed. “That’s what I feared.”

  Another clang and the sound of falling rock tumbling into a newly created cavernous hole echoed in the room. They had opened up the floor to the tunnel below. Thun rushed to his brother and extended his hands into the floor's new opening.

  “Father, grab hold,” said Thun.

  Hands grabbed both Thun’s wrists. He pulled, and King Bilrak emerged. Thun and Harak helped him up.

  “Let's get blood,” shouted Bilrak, axe in hand, moving past Ali and out of the office. He glanced behind him, observing more Bawn coming out of the opening. “Get your butts up here and fight.”

  “The Anunnaki aren't here,” said Ali.

  Bilrak seethed, murder in his eyes. “You better not be lying to me.”

  “Nope. The Anunnaki left. You want to take up residence?” she asked sarcastically.

  “Oh, they’re gone, you say? Wrong. Because here they come.” Bilrak moved into a defensive stance, axe held over his shoulder as if he were about to slash someone.

  Around a corner came a throng of humans. The one in front, a woman as distinct as any warrior Ali had ever seen, stopped and stood her ground. She held a bow in one hand and a clip of arrows in the other. Ali squeezed her fingers around Sol, its edges lighting up in a plasma flame.

  “Nyx,” said a male voice. “Stand down.”

  Nyx’s face went slack, her eyebrows creasing. “Are you sure? Because this would be fun.”

  Ali took a gander over her shoulder. A couple dozen Brawn were behind her, their weapons drawn, and more still pouring out from the hole.

  A man waved his hand in front of Nyx. “Don’t create an issue where there’s none.” The man wore a robe, had a pleasant face, and exuded a strange calmness. He faced Ali and slipped his hands inside his sleeves. “I’m Skye Vortek, Grand Master of the Space Templars. We’re here to help you.” He shifted his eyes to Sol, his eyebrows lifting. He walked toward Ali. “You’re of the bloodline, and so is Eden.” He pointed to a brunette woman about Ali’s height and build.

  Ali narrowed her eyes. She relaxed her fingers on Sol’s hilt, the plasma dying down. “You’re the Space Templars?”

  “Yes, we’re here to assist. Many of the Sirona crew are with us.”

  Her mouth opened slightly. “They evacuated safely?”

  “Yes.”

  Ali’s body tensed, thinking of the effort she went through to keep the inhabitants of Sirona alive. She let out a big breath and closed her eyes, her lips curling upward. “Thank, Guild.”

  A Bawn gasped, and commotion ensued. Ali glanced around, doing her best to find the sudden problem. She spotted a creature, covered in blue fur, tall as an Anunnaki, making his way to Skye. He nodded to the creature, silently understanding what the big thing had to say. “My fellow Templar has just informed me we need to leave the building as fast as we can.”

  Bilrak squeezed the grip of his axe handle, his knuckles whitening. “Not until I find some Anunnaki to slay.”

  “Jantu's Sight, or intuition, is rarely wrong. I'd suggest we follow his advice,” said Skye.

  �
��Father,” yelled Harak. “Come here. A note with your name on it, but I don't know what the rest of it says.”

  Bilrak pushed his way through Enlil’s study. He grabbed the note. “They wrote the rest in a different language.”

  Chan hurried to him, swiping the note from Bilrak's hand. “It's in my language.” He read and his face went ashen. He raised his head, letting the note fall from his fingertips. “Everyone out of the palace this instant. This place is set to blow.”

  A rumble shook the building, and the ground trembled wildly, buckling upward, huge slabs of marble breaking. Skye, Jantu, and Nyx rushed into the study.

  “No,” yelled Ali, moving away from the room. “Get out of there.”

  Bawns dashed toward the doorway. Eden grabbed Ali and pulled her to the floor. “Hold on.”

  Ali went to get up. “What are you doing?” Another Space Templar crouched by her side, holding up his wrist. Ali paused, seeing Nyx leap over the hole in the study and crouch next to it. She raised her aim toward the ceiling. Skye and more Space Templars did the same, moving around the office, holding up their fists.

  Ali went to stand, but Eden and the man held her down.

  “We need to evacuate. Let me go,” screamed Ali.

  “No time,” said Eden.

  A concussion blast lifted the ground. Rock, marble, and ebb spurted upward. The ceiling cracked open, and the walls folded inward, toppling and crashing down on everyone below.

  42

  Shae

  Unknown

  Shae had his arms around Helen, the sun gleaming off the Lake Michigan waves. He sat in the sand, his legs wrapped around hers. He moved his hand over her hard and firm pregnant belly. Helen reached up behind her, lovingly tapping his cheek with two fingers. “I dreamt her name.”