The Galactic Sentinel: Ultimate Edition: 4 Books with 2000+ Pages of Highly Entertaining Sci-Fi Space Adventure

by Killian Carter

  "But—"

  "This is how it ends for me, Evans, but you will carry on the fight. Tell Faye...and all the others...I said thank you."

  The channel cut.

  Clio tried to reconnect but there was no answer.

  A yellow light flashed above the door.

  "Pod ejecting," Ascari's voice said.

  Clio cried out as the force pushed her into the pod's door.

  The pod's alarms flashed.

  "This is an emergency warning," Ascari continued. "Pod engines initiated. Please fasten your launch harness. This is an emergency warning."

  She quickly checked the wound on Booster’s neck and was glad to find the formopad was holding. His breathing was still shallow but his pulse felt a little stronger. She delicately strapped him in and hurried into her own harness.

  44

  Superior Species

  Taza stopped for a breather and wiped sweat from his brow. His TEK grew more cumbersome with every step as actuator power was diverted to essential systems. He reconfigured power distribution, reassigning half of what was left to his lower joint motors. It dropped shields to five percent. They'd be lucky to stop anything at that level, but he'd never catch up with Ria and Eldi otherwise.

  He picked his way between piles of decaying machinery.

  Eldi had cut into a side passage off the main channel and Taza followed. Ria probably hoped to lose the Ushtaran in the maze, but that meant possibly losing Taza too.

  He hit a few dead ends and had to double back on himself. He didn't know where he was going. The best he could do was follow the sounds of fighting.

  He reached another dead end.

  "Shit."

  He was about to turn back when gunfire rang out on the other side of the scrap wall. There had to be a way out nearby.

  He investigated along the wall and found a narrow space between crushed parts hiding behind a curtain of rusted chains and twisted chords. The space looked just big enough for an Ushtaran to squeeze through.

  Taza tentatively pushed forward, ducking into darkness.

  He reached the end and stuck his head through for a look.

  The crevice exited near the gate, but the maze had circled closer to the gate platform and the fighting.

  No more than fifty feet away, Chimera exchanged fire with Leeroy's rebels, though the sounds of battle had diminished. Taza suspected one side had lost too many numbers and retreated. He was pretty sure that side wasn't Chimera.

  So far as he could see, the gate remained unguarded, but it was difficult to tell with machine carcasses dotting the clearing between his location and the platform.

  Movement along the platform’s edge caught his attention.

  Ria appeared between two pillars of junk for a second as she ascended the platform steps.

  Eldi followed.

  Taza looked around one more time to make sure the immediate area was clear and sprinted for the nearest decommissioned parts, keeping low, blaster ready.

  Plasma tore up the area around him.

  He dove to the ground, rolling onto his back.

  The gunfire came from his left flank.

  He crawled to the edge of cover and peered out.

  Three Chimera heavies and two Ushtarans advanced in his direction.

  He fired a full blaster charge.

  They scattered for cover, but it wouldn't keep them back for long. They'd work out there was only one of him and he only had a blaster...assuming they hadn't already figured that out.

  He looked to the nearest stack of machinery in the direction of the gate. He didn't like how far away it was. If he sprinted, he could probably make it. He didn't fancy the risk, especially without a helmet. He peered out.

  A line of plasma cut up the wall to his right.

  He covered his head as molten flecks rained. The shooting in the distance had stopped.

  Where the hell is Leeroy?

  The human claimed he had enough fighters to keep the joint Chimera and Ushtaran forces busy long enough to get Ria to the gate. Perhaps he only said that to get Taza to help. Or maybe Taza and Ria had taken too long to reach Priodome Five.

  Taza popped his head out in time to see the three Chimera heavies dashing for his position.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Running was his only option.

  He blindly fired his blaster behind and sped on, plasma flying all around him.

  He was surprised when he'd made it to the field of machinery ahead without being hit. He kept running, ducking and weaving, hoping a stray plasma bolt didn’t strike.

  He emerged onto the open ground around the gate platform.

  Eldi climbed the steps, not far behind Ria.

  The Ushtaran opened fire and the Chan ducked, narrowly avoiding an energy stream.

  Taza peeked over the platform's base and found the gate hadn't been activated. The control column was unguarded, but it would take too long to activate.

  Ria wouldn't make it.

  He spotted movement beyond as Chimera and Ushtaran heavies emerged from the junkyard around the clearing.

  There was nothing he could do to help Ria. The most he could hope for was to take a few enemies down before he died.

  He suddenly remembered Allora’s core.

  His fingers danced across his SIG, bringing up the connection to the burning reactor. Reactivating the core would vaporize him and Ria, but it would take out a bunch of enemies and with a bit of luck the gate and the weapon.

  Sweat trickled into his eyes as his finger slowly descended on the confirmation button.

  The ground shook, and stacks of junk toppled.

  Taza held onto the platform base as the tremors grew.

  He looked around for their source.

  The high scrap around the clearing collapsed, crushing and trapping Chimera troopers and Ushtaran guards. A full on quake rocked the Priodome, throwing Taza to the ground. The junk before him exploded, and entire machines spun through the air, crashing down around the platform.

  The quake subsided, smaller tremors taking its place.

  A crack opened before him, and a dark mass burst from the ground.

  The mass descended on the platform and piled up its sides.

  He realized the mass was a vast host of spider-like creatures; the Aknar. Taza scrambled for the steps. He climbed onto the gate platform to find spiders crowding around Ria and the gate.

  Eldi shot at the swarm as he backed away.

  Three smoking husks rolled from the fray, their legs curling into their bodies. The horde pulsed and surged forward, overwhelming Eldi. His limbs thrashed as he disappeared under the black flood.

  A stream of Aknar branched off from the main column, winding its way to Taza. He held his breath and tightened his grip on his blaster.

  They swarmed around his legs, checking him out before dispersing and returning to the fray.

  Ria was on her hands and knees by the gate control column.

  Seeing her chest heaving as she struggled for breath, Taza sighed with relief. He stumbled after her.

  Ria gave a weak smile as he helped her up. Her face was soaked with sweat and she looked exhausted. She leaned into his shoulder, barely able to stand. Taza was surprised she managed to keep a grip on the case containing Queen Charr’s last eggs.

  The swirling black mass parted, revealing Zora’s naked upper body.

  "Zora?" Taza barely recognized her.

  Her skin was as pale as snow, and her face was more hollow than the last time they’d met.

  "Good to see you,” Queen Charr said.

  By the way she spoke, Taza could tell it wasn't Zora.

  He turned to footsteps behind and found Leeroy and two members of his ballistics crew. The rebels gave Taza a curt nod before turning to the Queen.

  "Your Majesty, the charges are in place. Our people drew their main fighting force to the back of the Priodome. It's just a matter of time before the enemy realizes what's going on and come back this way, especially after
all that noise. Our watchers have also spotted ground reinforcements from Priodome One. They'll arrive any minute." He looked to the domed ceiling. "And that weapon is about to fire. We need to blow it now. Which means we need to get out of here."

  Leeroy handed a detonator to Zora and she stared at it for a moment.

  "Thank you for your help, Commander. I will detonate the charges when my children have informed me that you are at a safe distance. I will see to it that Taza reaches a ship once Ria is safely on the other side."

  Leeroy nodded to Taza. "Good luck."

  He and his Chan rebels ran for the junk yard.

  The Aknar swarming around Queen Charr's legs carried her to the gate's control column. She keyed in a long list of coordinates.

  Electricity sparked inside the stone ring. A swirling vortex erupted from the center, casting a strong gust across the platform. Wispy tendrils of light reached out as the portal rotated.

  Queen Charr's eyes rested on the case in Ria's arms. "Gelzaz, my child. Before it is too late."

  "Thank you for getting me here," Ria said, looking up at Taza.

  Before he could say anything, she squeezed him hard and turned away, limping to the gate.

  She stopped before the spinning lights and looked at Taza one more time before taking a deep breath.

  She stepped into the vortex.

  The lights swallowed her.

  Zora cried out in pain and turned away.

  As Taza reached for her, the Aknar queen attached to the base of her skull pulsed and writhed before dropping into the Aknar swarm. Two lines of holes ran the length of Zora’s cervical spine.

  She turned back to Taza, the light in her eyes fading.

  "My time has come, Taza…" It was Zora speaking. "I was dying anyway."

  "I understand,” Taza said sadly, not knowing what to do or say.

  Zora coughed and winced as blood bubbled between her lips. “Queen Charr used the last of her power to control her offspring. Without her, they will turn wild. The shift will be sudden. Better that you leave before that happens."

  "I can't just leave you here,” Taza all but whimpered. "Not like this."

  "I did what needs to be done. Now you must help Ria. She needs you. Without your help, her chances of failing are too great."

  "You saw this coming, didn’t you?”

  "Partially..." She coughed up more blood. "Telling you as much would have turned you away. All of this would have been for nothing. As it is, we would not have made it this far without you.”

  Zora reached out and pulled him close with surprising strength for someone on the brink of death. “The rebels have almost made it to safety. You must go. Your heart belongs to another…even if you don't know it yet…but understand that I truly loved you...I still do. I'm so sorry for the pain I caused. There was…no other way."

  “I know.” Taza’s thumb wiped a tear from her cheek. "I wish it didn’t have to end this way.”

  She smiled. "I knew this time would come since the first moment I touched the Primordial orb…Master Wu. Becoming an agent. Meeting you on the Sentinel. It all led to this. Please go through the gate."

  He looked to the swirling vortex then back to Zora's eyes. “But the Omnion need to know what the Ushtarans have been up to. About Chimera. And I promised Clio..."

  An even deeper sadness filled her eyes. "I understand."

  Guilt gnawed at him. "I can't just abandon my mission, Zora. I can't run away to who knows where. As much as I want to. I made a promise."

  "Take care of Clio then. She's a good kid."

  Blood burst from Zora's chest.

  She writhed and wheezed, slumping to one side, held upright only by the Aknar crowding around her.

  "No!" Taza shouted.

  He gazed into her dying eyes as her lips twisted into a smile of relief.

  The Aknar propping her up hissed and clicked violently.

  They milled and pulsed and absorbed her back into the throbbing swarm.

  A cluster of Aknar ahead of Taza erupted as a looming figure clawed its way free of the mass. It flung several Aknar away with one hand as it fired a weapon with the other, breaking up the surrounding cluster.

  The figure was hideous, its body gnarled bone and bubbled flesh. The lower half of its face a twisted mess of mandibles and writhing digits.

  Eldi!

  The Ushtaran climbed out of his shattered TEK and cloak.

  His naked body cracked and popped as it uncoiled into a towering hideous form of some elongated bug-like creature.

  "You're an Aphnai?"

  "Heresy." Eldi's throat gurgled as drool spilled from his gaping maw. "We have evolved far beyond our primitive ancestors."

  Eldi snaked back and forth and leveled his heavy blaster.

  Taza brought up his gun.

  They fired.

  Taza fell to the ground, hugging his abdomen. Smoke rising from the hole in his TEK.

  Dammit.

  The Aknar scattered aimlessly in every direction, depositing Zora's naked body at Eldi’s feet.

  The creature stepped on her head, his mandibles rattling.

  Blood boiled in Taza's ears the pool of blood under Zora grew. She still held the detonator.

  Taza crawled to the device.

  Another shot rang out.

  The detonator exploded into countless pieces.

  "You pathetic creature," Eldi said, his bubbling and clicking voice so rough that Taza could barely make out his words.

  "You don’t know what you’re doing," Taza cried.

  "I know exactly what I am doing. Ria may have passed through the gate, but we knew of your plot. We configured the device to open on a parched planet. She will sooner cook in the sands of Zarakeer than deliver those eggs to Gelzaz."

  He chortled.

  Taza tried to get up, but his abdominal muscles were useless. "You asshole."

  "We’ll send a team through, though. Just to be sure." Eldi snarled and snorted. "You have merely delayed the inevitable. Our great weapon will fire. Chimera will enter the Shroud. And we will expand throughout the galaxy together. With a gate of our very own, we will be unstoppable."

  Taza looked at the gate over his shoulder, winced in pain, then looked back to Eldi. "Why?"

  "For so long, any chance of returning to the pinnacle has been withheld from us. The Ancients locked us inside the Shroud because they knew we were dangerous. They knew we were superior. Chimera have offered us an opportunity to finally escape from this prison. You tried to deny us that opportunity, but you failed. With Chimera's help we have learned how to power the gate. We can open it at will. We shall help Chimera wipe your kind from the Galaxy. And all Ushtarans will take their rightful place at the top of the chain. We are the superior species. But first the weapon." His gnarled fingers pointed to the giant cannon on the ceiling.

  Taza looked Eldi dead in the eyes. "No one will use that thing. And no one will use that gate ever again.”

  He swiped a finger across his SIG and closed his eyes.

  45

  The Final Countdown

  Grimshaw coughed as he looked around the bridge for the last time. The Chimera troopers lay still, their heads facing the wrong way, their limbs contorted. The chest pulsed purple, feeding Asheroth. Grimshaw’s control over his own mind and body slipped.

  It wasn't the end he had envisioned, but it was the end.

  When does anyone ever know how it's going to end?

  Not the end, Asheroth cried inside his head. Only the beginning.

  At least Clio could carry on the mission…He had to make it to the weapons hub before Chimera had a chance to attack her pod.

  He forced one foot in front of the other, focussing on a single point behind the command hub, all the while conscious of the Primelord's attacks in the back of his mind.

  He tried long-rage communications. "Eline."

  Crackles answered. Probably had something to do with the Monolith being so close.

  At least she
and the crew had escaped.

  He only wished he could have sent a message to Faye Laya. Sadness tugged at his heart as he thought about her, but he found contentment in knowing that she was okay...that the Omnion would take care of her and Krystine when they healed.

  Grimshaw was surprised how strongly he felt about a woman who had been a constant pain in his ass not that long ago.

  Have I fallen in love without realizing it?

  It had been a long time since he'd allowed himself to love someone. Even if he wasn't going to make it, others would. He found some comfort in that.

  He reached the weapons console and unlocked the display. He brought up the controls and reached for the detonation confirmation button.

  His hand stopped halfway.

  The harder he forced his fingers, the harder the muscles in his arm and shoulder tightened. Knots popped in his neck, sending a wave of pain through the back of his head.

  "Fool," he hissed in a voice that was not entirely his own. "Project Zero cannot put a dent in the Monolith. I created both vessels. I put measures in place."

  What did that mean? How had Asheroth built the North Star?

  His concentration broken, Grimshaw's mind zoomed by as his awareness was tugged back inside his mind.

  He stood on a small mound of white sand surrounded by a black sea. Darkness hemmed him in on all sides. Asheroth stood in the sand several paces ahead, his misty limbs growing solid, his head bent at an impossible angle.

  The Primelord sprang for the tiny tunnel of light high above.

  Grimshaw summoned mist from the sands, constraining the Primelord, trapping him inside a faint sphere of white smoke.

  The small white island shrank.

  "You won't take my body again.”

  Asheroth cackled. "Of course I will. Even now, I feel the last of your power slip. I will admit, Grimshaw, that you surprised me. But your time has come. Accept your fate and let events take their natural course."

  It took everything Grimshaw had to maintain the trap. The Primelord was right. His energy ebbed to nothing as the Primelord's grew.

  Grimshaw gritted his ethereal teeth against the strain. "Why do you want the North Star so badly?"