by C. C. Ekeke
“Ssstar Brigade isssn’t ready,” Honaa had hissed, ending the conversation. Because of their victory at the Barsulae Asteroid Belt, the Defense Ministry had tasked the Brigade to deal with the KIF. But Honaa and Habraum both knew that mission would’ve gone very badly if not for some chance occurrences.
“Every active Brigadier goes through retraining,” Habraum had decided. “Even you, me and Sam. Then we pick one combat team from the best. Marguliese will train and help us choose. She has no previous allegiance to any of these recruits, which will make the choices more objective.”
The Cybernarr, Honaa’s mood soured thinking about Hollus’s new visitor—and Star Brigade’s savior. Her unexpected intervention had saved the combat team from defeat and certain death at the Barsulae Asteroid Belt battle. It mattered little to Honaa that this ‘Marguliese’ had defected from the Cybernarr Technoarchy, one of the Galactic Union’s greatest enemies. Sam and even Khrome had taken great pains to establish her cover as just a human cyborg warrior on loan from a shell defense contractor. But everyone who knew what she really was, unanimously disagreed with Habraum’s decision to bring the Cybernarr onboard to help train Star Brigade. The risk of exposure, the constant risk of her turning on them all, poisoned every molecule of Honaa’s being. It had even cast a shadowy specter over the Cerc’s friendship with Sam D’Urso, chilling their usually warm interactions.
Honaa recalled that first day in the HLHG suite. Marguliese wore an indigo, skintight unisuit that hid her silver metallic left arm, her scarlet hair in a side-parted bun. “Your instruction will commence with team combat formations,” she had said, her flawlessly sculpted golden face as cold as her electronic cadence.
After the first day, Honaa’s reservations were whittled away to nothing. The Cybernarr had completely revamped the training routines within Habraum’s specific guidelines. During the first week she covered rudimentary forms of hand-to-hand fighting, team logistic synergy and potential combat situations. The hard light hologram environments picked from the HLHG’s mainframe ranged between arid wastelands, mountains, tropical jungles, etc., increasing the training difficulty. Marguliese had started at a slow pace and then moved faster through the drills until their responses became involuntary. Her attitude was arctic and impersonal, playing no favorites, an attitude Honaa appreciated. Marguliese strode catlike through the practicing Brigadiers, observing every performance down to the smallest detail. Habraum was right to trust her skills, so Honaa allowed himself to also.
Many excelled under the new training regimen, but not everyone. The brawny Nubrideen Bevrolor of Azelten proved either unable or unwilling to learn beyond her limited skillset. That cleared up the reasons why Bevrolor hadn’t been chosen for active service after three years on Star Brigade for Honaa. Another irascible element had been V’Korram Prydyri-Ravlek, who constantly butted heads with Marguliese. Sam had tried impressing on him why this was necessary, but the obstinate Kintarian wouldn’t listen. If he couldn’t follow simple orders during a training session, how could anyone trust him on the field?
Once the fundamental and advanced team training were covered, Tyris Iecen injected weapons training into the drills. Habraum’s rational for this was sound; maximal-powered Brigadiers needed to be prepared if said abilities were disabled. The Tanoeen warrior, his ice crystalline form chiseled and lanky, quickly proved to be an expert instructor on melee weapons. Everyday Honaa left each training session physically drained, yet versed in some new weapon. The Rothorid found it curious how despite Tyris’s friendship with Khrome and hailing from the Imperial dependency world Titanoa, he had raised no protests over Marguliese. Maybe Tyris hates the Kedri more than he does the Technoarchy? Whatever the Tanoeen’s feelings, he kept them hidden, setting the tone amongst the Brigadiers who knew about Marguliese.
Khrome attended when Tyris was teaching, but refused to train with the Cybernarr. His hatred for the Cybernarr and what they had done to his race decades ago burned brighter than a supernova. The short and stocky Thulican did watch practices that Marguliese conducted from the HLHG room’s observation deck. “I may put up with her on Hollus,” he stated when fellow trainee Liliana Cortés asked about his absence. his golden eyes were perfectly round, gleaming like angry twin stars, “but I WON’T be ordered around by that butchering automaton.”
Throughout the rigorous training, it amazed Honaa how Habraum made time for all his other duties as Brigadier Executive Officer to Star Brigade, field commander and, of course, father to his young son, Jeremy. He’s more than welcome to all that responsibility. Compared to commanding a combat team, military politics held little interest for Honaa. Habraum clearly didn’t relish his station. Yet Honaa recognized how well the position began fitting him as he engaged the UComm higher-ups’ increasing demands, the decisions made to get the Brigade combat-ready, and his emotional investment in every Brigadier. The Cerc was always engaged with his subordinates, dispensing encouragement when needed and admonishment when deserved. But the personal proximity ended there.
A year ago, Habraum had enjoyed close friendships with all his teammates. Beridaas taught him the folly in that, Honaa surmised sadly. Even his own relationship with the Cerc had grown mostly formal. Nothing could fully thaw what authority, loss and a year of distance had frozen over.
Habraum also took the lead in daily Intelligence/Tactical meetings to develop KIF combat tactics. Along with Nwosu, the Intelligence/Tactical Committee included Honaa, Sam, Khrome, and Marguliese. Khrome knew he couldn’t avoid this meeting, but behaved as well as he could. Mainly due to the final non-Star Brigade member of the committee; Solomon Greenwald, an Associate Director of the Union Intelligence Bureau’s Terra Sollus division. Tall and lean in build with thinning brown hair, this human liaised the flow of information between Star Brigade and the UIB. So far, Greenwald displayed the humorless disposition Honaa had seen too often in UIB operatives. Small wonder why Sam ran like five hells away from that organization.
“The first recordsss documented about Maelssstrom came about in 2392,” Honaa rasped as the War Room’s seated occupants listened earnestly. In the table’s center on its TriTran was a downsized holo of Maelstrom from nine years ago. The Korvenite looked younger, lankier with much shorter violet hair. But Honaa recognized that same fire boiling in his amber eyes. “Like most Korvenites, no recordsss of hisss real name or relativesss exist, only his internment camp ID and that he was sequestered for ‘Operation: Maelstrom.’”
Sam made a rude noise. “A UComm ghost-ops program to weaponize Korvenites.”
“For the Ferronos Sector War,” Habraum correctly determined, his mouth tightening.
Marguliese, who had been quiet for the majority of the meeting, finally spoke. “I assume Maelstrom repurposed the project name as his pseudonym in blatant defiance of the Union?”
Honaa nodded. “I know only ssscant detailsss on the project. Mr. Greenwald,” he turned to the UIB officer. “If you would?”
Greenwald looked up from his datapad and cleared his throat. “UComm had discovered that Korvenite psionics can adversely affect Cybernarr tech and Cybernarr themselves.” At this Khrome shot a measured glance at Marguliese, who sat with faultless posture as she listened to Greenwald. “Terra Sollus acquired the most powerful telekinetics and telepaths from the Korvenite living facilities and augmented their abilities,” Greenwald continued. “Those that survived were trained to use their abilities in warfare and allowed a limited ability to mentally link. The link bolstered their fighting prowess and synergy. Union Command used these weaponized Korvenites in the Battles of Candra, Ferros Khanosis, and Beridaas; the most vicious ground conflicts during the war.”
Habraum frowned and sucked on his teeth in disgust. “Cannon fodder. Rogguts, why’d the Union do something so dreadful?”
“UComm used the war as an excuse to free up overcrowded internment camps,” Sam replied, clearly appalled. She entwined her fingers to prop up her chin. Her reaction wasn’t a surprise. She had been f
ighting for over a year to expose the Union’s treatment of its Korvenite residents. Honaa knew calling them ‘citizens’ would have been a lie.
Greenwald regarded Sam disapprovingly. “Commander D’Urso, they are specialized living facilities to protect the GUPR’s citizens from Korvenites.”
She side-eyed Greenwald with such barefaced loathing that Khrome, sitting next to her, guffawed. For a heartbeat Honaa braced himself for an profanity-laced rebuttal. But a warning look from Habraum curbed Sam’s tongue. “What kept those Korvenites from attacking UComm officers?” she asked Khrome.
“A modified version of the inhibitors all Korvenites wore, allowing access of their powers for combat purposes only,” Khrome replied easily, in his element when discussing technology. “Except that it disabled their powers if they tried attacking any Union member species programmed into the inhibitor. The weaponized Korvenites were placed in strike teams of seven.”
“Maelssstrom led sssuch a strike team. Mossst teamsss had certain degreesss of sssuccess. But Maelssstrom never lossst a sssingle fighter in any conflict, even if the Union lossst the overall battle.” Honaa said. “Until the end of the war when hisss group allegedly got caught under a UComm orbital bombardment during the Battle of Ferross Arrietiss.”
“How convenient,” Sam muttered under her breath.
“Hmmph, Guess Maelstrom and I have that resurrection thing in common,” Habraum mused aloud, referencing his prisoner of war status nearly a decade ago. Khrome snorted, Honaa sissed quietly and Sam gave the Cerc an amused look.
“How amusing, Captain Nwosu,” said Greenwald, sounding far from amused. “It was then four years ago that Maelstrom reappeared on Seredonia, alive and free of the psionics restraining bolts. Just like yesterday, he used a hijacked communications array to rant against the GUPR, the earthborn humans and the treatment of his fellow Korvenites.”
“I remember.” Habraum scratched his goatee, a thoughtful haze in his hazel-gold eyes. “The reaction to that speech was just skittery. Got worse when Maelstrom’s group began attacking Union trade routes, saying he would stop when his brethren and planet were returned.”
“He’s doing the same things now,” Khrome added, “Only with better weaponry and the ability to somehow bypass several internment camps’ defense systems.”
“Living facilities,” Greenwald corrected him.
“He must have help,” Sam said quietly. “Let’s dig into former allies, see if that mines any gold.”
Honaa’s thoughts took him back four years ago, to his brief time on a joint military squadron tasked with tracking and dismantling the first KIF incarnation. “There were alliesss. Former Sssenator Gilletrone of Ferrosss Khanosisss and other Thulicansss openly sssupported the Korvenite caussse.”
“Gilletrone’s little tirades on how the Union could help the Thulicans yet incarcerate Korvenites earned him countless enemies in the Senate and Chamber of Delegates,” Greenwald replied with a bite of intolerance. “A thorough UIB investigation confirmed that Gilletrone was hiding Korvenites on Ferros Khanosis and building weaponry for Maelstrom, leading to his imprisonment.”
“Every Thulican regretted that humiliating episode,” Khrome’s blue nose-less face scrunched up in distaste. “After Gilletrone was imprisoned, his family was devastated, especially his son Timbore.”
Habraum leaned forward, looking hesitant as he chose his next words. “Could anyone who worked with Gilletrone then still be helping Maelstrom gain access to Union Space?”
“Already checked,” Greenwald replied. “The tech Lt. Threedwok will review isn’t even Thulican in origin. Besides, Gilletrone’s cohorts are either jailed or gone from Union Space—like his son Timbore.”
As the others continued talking, Honaa leaned forward in his seat, focusing on the Maelstrom holo. From what Honaa had seen, Maelstrom’s attacks were random like before, but hitting riskier targets. Attempting to liberate an internment camp had led to Maelstrom’s undoing three years ago. Now he had breached several with ease, leading the Rothorid to another question. The technology the KIF used was nothing like what the Thulicans had made for them before. So who was the new anonymous backer?
Honaa had researched ex-Senator Gilletrone’s aides, including his son Timbore—who had owned a shipyard in the Ferronos Sector long before his father was imprisoned.
The Thulicans can customize any of their technology to match a certain sentient or race requirements, but with a noticeable trace of their handiwork, Honaa thought as he glanced at Khrome. And because there was no trace of Thulican handiwork in the new Korvenite weaponry, this brought the Rothorid’s list of suspected Korvenite allies back to the number it had started at—zero.
Marguliese’s computerized voice startled Honaa out of his thoughts. “I suggest we scan Ferros Khanosis and Arietis to verify if any Korvenites are still hiding on those planets,” she stated decisively.
Khrome’s head snapped in the Cybernarr’s direction, his yellow orbs glittering with ire. “Are you accusing the Thulicans of still assisting the Korvenites? The relationship between any Thulicans and the Korvenite Independence Front is over.”
The anger in his metallic-toned voice rang through the room, leaving a tense hush in its wake.
Marguliese regarded Khrome coolly from across the War Room. “There is insufficient data to support your claims, Khromulus. It is logical that some Thulicans still furtively support the Korvenite Independence Front, given the two races’ past collusion.” It shocked Honaa how gallingly unemotional her response was, as if addressing a petulant five-year-old. That, of course, made the situation worse.
Khrome clenched his massive fists, looking as if he would slam them through the table. Greenwald straightened in his seat, now staring suspiciously at both Marguliese and Khrome.
“Khrome,” Sam seized his sizeable forearm, barely gripping half of it. “Enough.”
The Cybernarr’s eyes narrowed until they resembled slits of blue ice. Despite not being on the receiving end of that stare, Honaa still shivered. “There is no need to be truculent, Khromulus,” Marguliese said in a dangerously even tone. “I was merely suggesting—.”
“We’ll take your suggestion under advisement, Maggie,” Habraum cut in promptly, watching Greenwald. “Lieutenant, your assessments of Korvenite technology, please.”
Khrome gave the Cybernarr a long, nasty glare before inserting a datacard into the table’s card port. Both Habraum and Sam exchanged a quick, disconcerted look. Greenwald cast wary eyes on Khrome and Marguliese, but said nothing. Mercifully, once Khrome got into his discoveries about the new Korvenite technology the rest of the meeting breezed by without further incident.
At first the Rothorid didn’t feel comfortable in these tactical gatherings. He had never really used his know-how in Korvenite warfare after the KIF taskforce had completed its mission. But as the Rothorid began conversing about his expertise, he saw how much his experience complemented Sam and UIB’s intelligence reports, as well as Habraum’s tactical planning.
Honaa, along with three other Brigadiers killed on Beridaas, were handpicked by UComm Joint Spec Ops for an elite group. This task force included Alpha-Tier units like AeroFleet SACOS and PLADECO’s Special Warfare Unit Omega aka “Omega Group.”
Honaa knew how the Korvenite Independence Front hid from pursuers and launched guerrilla attacks on UComm vessels. He also recalled how Korvenites could telekinetically remove the restraining bolts in each other without causing death and use of sollunium as a conductive weapon for their psionics. After months of his own self-worth being eroded by waning strength and Star Brigade’s impending decommission, the revelation of still having plenty to offer refreshed Honaa’s spirit in ways he never imagined. His family would know so much honor if they could see him now. When will that be? the Rothorid pondered sadly. After dealing with Maelstrom, he assured himself.
Leading flight training simulations presented another realm for Honaa to excel. The Rothorid eased his students into the trai
ning with three days of flight simulation before letting them actually pilot vessels used by the Brigade. Every Brigadier benefited from this retraining, even a pilot as renowned as Habraum Nwosu. The younger operatives especially put forth their best effort.
Their best was nothing compared to that of Ensign Liliana Cortés.
When flight training had started, the lean and leggy human doctor had an expected panic attack in even simulated flights. Less than two days later Cortés was lapping around Hollus in an actual Shadowlancer mini-fighter, surpassing every recruit by light-years. By the end of the first week, Honaa simply didn’t know what to do with her. Cortés had successfully piloted the Phaeton around Zeid’s outer orbit with the other Brigadiers onboard. She had suddenly become that good. And her improvement wasn’t just in flight. Whether it was team synergy drills, combat training, survival runs, tactical tutorials or any other retraining course; no longer was Liliana lacking outside the Medcenter. More than a few times Honaa saw Habraum specifically pulling Cortés aside to compliment her improvements.
Cortés took the praise in stride, never growing smug. Besides she had her biggest cheerleader, Sam bragged about her to anyone who would listen.
If Marguliese and Cortés are the thingsss I’m wrong about, Honaa mused to himself, then let me be wrong all the time. Sentients like Ensign Cortés and Khrome and Tyris had made Honaa dangerously hopeful again that rebuilding Star Brigade could be—no, would be a success.
3.
The blinding white began to sift into a feverish, greying delusion. Somewhere in that light, Tharydane drifted upward and broke through its surface. She just had the strangest dream, but trying to remember made her head thunder. Tharydane realized her face was pressed into a cool floor, the smell of corroded ferroment alloy filled her nose. Her hair was drenched with sweat, plastered across her face.