The Ch’kara rooted around inside the box and dropped the tool on his chest, eliciting a small grunt from the Rackham’s captain. Roland snatched the tool and went back to work on the missile. Since the Rackham was sitting safely inside the hangar of a Nebula-Class battlecruiser, the bounty hunter had decided it would be a good time to inspect his most powerful weapon. As suspected, the Planet Killer wasn’t set to maximum, something that was usually done in the moments before its launch. Without the appropriate C-Sec equipment, however, the missile had to be manually tampered with.
“We shouldn’t be here, Roland!” Ch’len continued. “You’ve taken me on some suicidal runs, but this has to be the most moronic. We are literally flying into the most heavily defended planet in the Conclave. Did you see those scout reports? There are more enemy ships surrounding Shandar than anywhere else!”
Roland wiped the sweat from his brow. “Yeah, but they’re mostly Shay in design. They’ve even hijacked a few of our cruisers.”
Ch’len kicked him in the leg this time. “That doesn’t make it a fair fight, asshole!”
Roland slid out from under the missile. “Kick me again and I’ll give you a close up of your own asshole.”
That cooled down Ch’len for moment. “Have you set it to maximum?” he asked.
“Oh yeah!” Roland’s hand patted the floor in search of the screws. “This baby is set to break some shit and then some. I plan on delivering her directly into the heart of that harvesting ship when we’re done on Shandar.”
“You know the Rackham could have done this for you.”
Roland fitted the control panel back in place and found his feet again. “If I let the Rackham do everything, I’d be as fat as you, fat-ass.”
Ch’len shrugged off the insult, resilient as ever. “Couldn’t we have at least brought the Raiders? I enjoyed their company more…”
“With the kid’s crazy plan, they’ll be needed more on Evalan. Besides, this mission will probably be the end of us. Wouldn’t you rather go out with just the two of us?” he teased.
“Roland,” the Rackham’s AI called softly. “High Charge Hox is requesting permission to come aboard.”
The bounty hunter had purposefully stayed inside his own ship to avoid talking to any of the uppity officers. “Are we there yet?’ he asked, wondering how close to Shandar they were.
“No,” came the simple reply.
Roland waited for any more information before looking at Ch’len. “Maybe I gave her too much personality…”
Ch’len shook his head, causing the methane contained within the force field surrounding his face to ripple and momentarily distort his features. “Rackham, lower the Planet Killer back into the hold.” The nanocelium straps that suspended it immediately extended until the missile was nestled under the floor and covered with a panel. “If they find out we still have one of those they’ll take it quicker than you can down a beer.”
Roland had to agree. “Rackham, open the hold doors.”
The large doors at the far end of the hold began to part. The bright lights of the hangar flooded the Rackham and revealed to the High Charge what could only have looked like the two guiltiest faces he had ever seen.
“I find not knowing what you’re doing as equally comforting as I do disturbing, Mr. North.” The Laronian strode up the ramp before hesitantly entering the Rackham’s hold. “You missed the battle briefing.”
Roland looked beyond the new High Charge to see rows upon rows of shiny red Darts, all in the process of being readied for an assault. Mechs floated around the light crafts and pilots checked over their work. The central aisle had transport ships lined up and ready to ferry soldiers down to Shandar’s surface.
“I’m not gonna lie, Hox,” Roland replied casually, “I don’t even know what ship I’m on. That and I didn’t think you’d care.”
“The Brightstar,” Ch’len whispered.
“I care little for either of you and even less for your inability to follow simple orders, but High Councillor Telarrek has reminded me that the Rackham is among our greatest assets. I would wield it appropriately.”
Roland waved the lightdriver at the Laronian. “Nobody wields the Rackham but me.”
“Then I would have you spearhead the assault on the surface. Help our forces to punch through their defences and reach the Crucible. Destroying that facility is priority one.”
Roland smirked. “I didn’t need to sit through some briefing to know that’s what I’m doing, Hox.” The bounty hunter enjoyed the way the Laronian squirmed when his official title was omitted.
“You won’t be leaving your ship, Mr. North,” the High Charge countered. “You are to assist my soldiers in reaching the Crucible by deploying our new portable Starforge. Nothing else.”
Roland couldn’t stop his face from screwing up. “What are you talking about?”
Hox met the bounty hunter’s frown with a smirk of his own. “The C-Sec R&D department has created a Starforge capable of being deployed on any surface and remotely accessed from orbit. It’s large enough to fit a transport vessel through, so the Rackham, as fierce as it is, will carry it to Shandar’s surface to allow my transports to bypass the orbital defences. They will assault the Crucible.”
Roland knew it would be a mistake to punch the High Charge of the Conclave but he was going to do it anyway. At at least he was until Ch’len stepped in front of him, blocking his path to the Laronian. It gave Roland the extra second he needed to find his words instead of using his fist.
“I’m not a delivery boy. I specialise in—”
“You specialise, bounty hunter, in delivering bodies, dead or alive. This is going to be the biggest delivery of your career. Once the Forge has been deployed you will be assigned new orders under the Nova Squadron. Are we clear?”
Roland chewed over his answer, spoilt for choice as he was. “Crystal…” He ignored Ch’len’s questioning look. “Is that all?”
“For now.” High Charge Hox spun on his heel and walked back out into the hangar, where his entourage of officers were waiting for him.
“Crystal?” Ch’len repeated, looking up at Roland. “And what’s up his ass? Has he already forgotten all the help we provided at Arakesh?”
“I agreed because we’re inside the belly of the beast now,” Roland replied, waving the lightdriver at the hangar. “If we disobey, he can keep us grounded behind the force fields. And as far as Arakesh goes, I’m pretty sure he’s just stinging from the losses.”
“And pissed off that we survived!” Ch’len opined.
“All the more reason to survive this and piss him off some more,” Roland replied. “Now see what you can do about getting me the schematics for this portable Starforge. The Rackham doesn’t carry anything I don’t know everything about.”
Ch’len glanced down at the floor, where the missile remained hidden. “You know everything about Planet Killers, do you?”
Roland paused, pursing his lips. “I know how to make them go boom…”
Chapter 20
Li’ara knew she was privileged to be inside the Clave Command Tower. She officially held no rank in C-Sec, yet she was permitted to observe everything from beside Telarrek, who was currently shouldering the weight of the entire Conclave. He had explained her presence to the others by referring to her as a consultant, since she had fought nanocelium-based enemies before, though Li’ara suspected that the Conclave treated all humans like experts on war. The soldiers of the Conclave had known peace for too long, it seemed.
The holographic readouts overlaid the glass wall, relaying the movement of every C-Sec vessel in the galaxy. Two hundred and forty-one planets were currently under siege from nanocelium-based enemies, and six hundred planets were in the midst of fighting off wild Shay. One by one, those planets were being left to their own defences as Conclave battlecruisers peeled away to begin their journeys to Shandar.
Protests and pleas were coming in from every world, begging for more help. Telarrek had
prioritised the manufacture and delivery of Starforges, making promises to the corporations on Ch’ket that some feared the Conclave economy wouldn’t be able to support. The Novaarian didn’t appear to care in Li’ara’s eyes. He just wanted to save as many lives as possible. Every minute, there were more people pouring through the Forges into the capital. The walkways were beginning to fill up with refugees, most of whom were injured in some way.
Li’ara narrowed her eyes and searched the screen for the blue dots with yellow tags above them. They were the C-Sec cruisers designated to defend Evalan when the time came. Every one of them was ready to drop into subspace and divert to the humans’ home world. Then there would be even more worlds left to fend for themselves. She truly hoped that Kalian’s plan would work and the enemy would take the bait.
She looked up at Telarrek. “Do we have an estimated time before the fleet jumps in once enemy ships start arriving around Evalan?”
“Yes,” the Novaarian replied. “The timing will have to be perfect. They cannot know that we are moving half the fleet until they believe Evalan is vulnerable. Ship by ship, we are subtly moving cruisers so their jumps will last only minutes.”
“As long as there’s something between the surface and the enemy, Kalian should have time to get on board before they can bombard New Genesis.”
Telarrek continued to nod his head, his expression absent. The Novaarian was glued to the screen and his knuckles had turned white from gripping the rail so tightly.
“When was the last time you slept, Telarrek?”
The Novaarian councillor stole a quick glance at her before returning his attention to the screen. “This new Highclave is not experienced enough yet. None of them have even commanded aboard a ship as I did on the Valoran. With High Charge Hox leading the assault on Shandar, I am needed here.”
“You’re no good to anyone if you don’t get any rest,” Li’ara countered.
“I cannot rest while my people are suffering. By my order, C-Sec vessels are abandoning their worlds. I have already had to make threats to ensure some of the Charges follow orders and prepare to jump to Evalan. Then there are the Raalaks. Councillor Ordak is under serious pressure to do everything he can for Arakesh’s survivors. Their numbers dropped from trillions to millions in a day. They, it would seem, are beyond saving now. No, I will not rest while entire species are forced to the brink of extinction.”
Li’ara wanted to offer a soothing hand, but she felt it would be inappropriate under the Novaarian’s new title. “Where’s Naydaalan?” she asked, changing the subject.
“He has requested to escort your people back to Evalan. He will pass through the Starforge with you when the Regis sends word.”
That didn’t quite answer Li’ara’s question. “Yeah, but where is he right now? He left quite suddenly after the meeting yesterday.”
“I sent him on a personal errand,” Telarrek explained. “He is…” The Novaarian paused and looked inside his robes, removing a small disc with one of his upper hands. “Ah, that is him now.” The councillor activated the holographic communicator. “Hello, son.”
Naydaalan’s lanky form took shape above the disk, no bigger than a hand. “Father, I found him. It was not easy; things are a mess down here with so many evacuations taking place at once.”
“You have done well, Naydaalan. Are they safe?” the councillor asked almost urgently.
“Yes. Uthor has been reunited with his family. They were on the other side of Arakesh when the harvesting ship made landfall. They were lucky to be among the first evacuated.”
Telarrek took a deep breath as if he had been holding it all this time. “Some good news at last…” The Novaarian quickly composed himself again. “Make certain they find shelter, Naydaalan.”
“As you command.” With that, Naydaalan’s image faded away.
“Will he return as High Charge?” Li’ara asked.
Telarrek checked over those around them before replying, “I think not. He has served the Conclave well, but his last actions as High Charge would not allow for any such return. We need his passion, but we also need it to be directed appropriately. I will leave him with his family. His title has often robbed him of time with them these long years.”
A moment later, the Novaarian councillor was called away to look over the latest reports from the lower city. Li’ara knew there wasn’t a soul who could force Telarrek into a bed, and so she left him to speak with another new councillor on the Highclave and sought out her own species’ representative.
“I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to call you anymore,” she said upon her approach to Li Fey.
“Councillor, High Councillor…” Fey waved the titles away. “I’ve worn my captain’s stripes for too long to know myself as anything else.”
Li’ara managed a smile. “I thought ‘captain’ was your first name?”
Fey appeared to appreciate the humour. “You sound like Roland North.”
“Now I’m offended,” Li’ara fired back.
Fey looked across the control room. “How’s he holding up?”
Li’ara followed the councillor’s gaze to Telarrek. “That’s the problem, I think; he’s holding it all up.”
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Fey promised. “If I have to knock him out to make him rest then I will.”
Li’ara chuckled to herself, but the comment gave her pause to examine Fey’s features. “I think youth suits you, Captain.”
The new councillor looked up from her chair, meeting Li’ara’s eyes before examining the back of her own hand. “Is it becoming obvious?”
“Your looks are subtle, but your attitude is noticeable,” she added with a grin.
“I can feel it,” Fey replied, clenching her fist. “Has Kalian uncovered the truth behind the nanocelium in our blood?”
Li’ara shrugged. “We haven’t really stopped to talk yet,” she admitted. “I know he’s spoken to ALF but…”
“He’s distracted,” Fey offered. “I’m sure if the nanites in our blood were dangerous he would have acted on it by now. I don’t think I can blame him for being distracted, though. He takes it all on his shoulders. Sometimes I forget he was a history teacher.”
Li’ara agreed, but she knew his distraction was better described as detachment. She couldn’t bring herself to explain his recent state of mind, however, as it felt too real to say it out loud. The truth was, she felt like she was losing him and there was nothing she could do. Nobody except the Gomar had the potential to keep up with his mind and the truth of it stung.
“Li’ara? Are you okay?” the captain asked.
Li’ara shrugged it off. “I’m fine. I just hope everything is going well with the Gomar. Maybe they can share the load…”
Telarrek strode across the control room until his voice could reach them without him shouting. “Kalian has returned with the AI adaptor.”
Li’ara practically ran to the warehouse storing the repurposed Starforge. Telarrek had insisted that she be escorted by C-Sec soldiers since Clave tower was yet to be made secure, but they held back upon seeing Kalian. Li’ara wanted to run into his arms and feel his embrace, sure that that alone would dispel any thoughts of detachment. She restrained herself, however, seeing him in the process of explaining to the engineers how the adaptor would work. They seemed to pay his words little attention, however, in favour of scanning every inch of the chunky device.
When the moment was right, Li’ara slipped past the group of engineers and wrapped her arms around Kalian’s neck. He kissed her and for a moment she was able to forget everything and simply enjoy his touch. Pulling away revealed an expression she had seen before on his perfect features.
“What is it?” she asked. “You’ve taken on some new burden, I can tell.”
“Do we have a room in one of the hotels?”
“Yes, a nice one actually!” Her excited tone brought a smile to his face.
“Great. I’ll drive.” Kalian picked her up in both ar
ms and strode past the C-Sec guards. “Gentlemen.”
He left the warehouse and looked up at the dizzying heights of Clave Tower. Li’ara looked to see what had caught his eye and when she looked back they were already a hundred feet into the air. As they rose up through the levels, great crowds began to gather along the railings. The people of the Conclave looked at him as they would a deity, and it only served to remind Li’ara of the chasm growing between them. As his speed increased, she held him a little tighter and dipped her head into his shoulder, enjoying his smell. She had to hold on to the small things, she thought.
The next hour was, perhaps, the best hour Li’ara could remember in some time. They had simply lost themselves to each other, entwined as one. For just one climactic moment, there was no war, no death, and no gulf between them. There was just him and her. It was wonderful and Li’ara didn’t want to give it up for anything, including sleep.
It took some will, but she managed to keep her eyes open, distracting herself by looking upon Kalian’s Terran physique, with those perfectly formed muscles he had never needed to work for.
“Please tell me that wasn’t your way of saying goodbye,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, as farewells go, it was amazing. I’m just going to kill you if that’s what’s happening here…”
Kalian kept his dark eyes on the ceiling and smiled. “I have no intention of dying aboard that ship,” he replied.
“What are your intentions? I feel like you’re holding back.”
Kalian rolled over and stroked her ribs down and over her bare hip. “I’m trying to find a way to save us, all of us. Even the nanocelium controlled by the Three.”
“That’s a lot to take on, Kalian. What if we can’t both be saved? What if the nanocelium kills you in the process of trying to save it?”
Kalian sighed. “What’s the point of having all this power if I don’t try?”
“Only you know what you’re capable of,” she said softly. “I just worry it isn’t enough to save everyone, yourself included.”
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