Star Brigade: Maelstrom (Star Brigade Book 2)

by C. C. Ekeke

  Later, away from civilian eyes, the Kudoban protectively held his spindly arm around Tharydane as they made their way to the commerce station’s secure military launch bay. The rest of the station was on lockdown, but its itinerants uninformed as to why. Seven Protectomechs flanked the pair. Behind them a security guard guided the floating container holding Masra’s corpse. Lethe was saying something but Tharydane barely heard him. The Korvenite felt numb all over, like she had just been dunked in freezing sand. Her thick violet curls were a curtain over her face, hiding her quiet tears.

  Then she saw sweet little Jeremy with a human chaperone at an egress of the launch bay. The boy squirmed free and darted forward before his chaperone could act. Lethe said to the lead Protectomech, “The child is with me.”

  The child was allowed through. He looked up at Tharydane and Lethe with those beautiful large eyes. Tharydane instinctively shrank back. He must hate me now.

  He does not, Lethe thought back. Jeremy proved him right, innocently holding out a hand, searing through Tharydane’s shock and sorrow. With a weary smile she took Jeremy’s small hand in hers and the trio continued moving through the launch bay.

  28.

  Liliana Cortés was leading her nine unlikely tourists through countless demolished neighborhoods, searching for safe haven. That was when the attackers arrived—a dozen and a half Retributionaries descending on them from the smoke-stained sky.

  “We’ve no quarrel with your kind, Lord Sovereign,” their leader stated in accented Standard, “as long as you hand over that piece of Earther filth in your possession.” Fear seized Lily’s heart, until Sovereign Orok Kel with his Sulrur Hrakma flanked protectively. The doctor, though near six feet in height, was dwarfed by her entourage of menacing warrior behemoths.

  “I’d sooner crush your skull with my bare hands,” the Sovereign answered with a snarl.

  The golden-armored Korvenites responded with an intense hail of psionic torrents. The Kedri dodged, but didn’t run, some extending their spear-like agaya blasters to return fire, others unsheathing long triple-edged swords known as rayakrs for close-quarters slaughter.

  Lily, side-by-side with the massive Kedri Sovereign, confidently pointed her fingers like a gun and unleashed a high-pitched spurt of sound especially for Korvenites. Suddenly the perfectly coordinated Retributionaries went spastic and twitchy, some falling out of the air.

  Kel and his Loyal Guardians struck skillfully and ferociously, moving faster than Liliana could digest. The Korvenites never stood a chance, the air growing thick with their screams. The Kedri’s rayakrs rose and fell, slicing through the Korvenites’ armor like cake. Severed limbs flew in all directions, greenish blood spraying everywhere.

  Soon a single Korvenite remained, the group’s speaker. Orok Kel advanced on him greedily. The Retributionary, already bleeding from an abdomen wound, unleashed a desperate psionic chest burst. Orok sidestepped and rammed a gloved fist into the Korvenite’s chestplate, shattering it. The Sovereign then clamped his massive fingers around the Retributionary’s helmet and began to squeeze. Liliana looked on, eyes widening. The Korvenite flailed like a caught fish, grasping at the towering Kedri’s face. Orok Kel belted out a chilling war cry, squeezing harder.

  There was a nauseating crunch. “OoowhOA!” Liliana jerked back in horror, almost losing her breakfast. The Sovereign grinned savagely, a gruesome ruin of crushed metal, bone and brain pulp slipping from his hands. The dead Korvenite sank without a sound.

  The Sulrur Hrakma voiced their approval with hiss-grunt noises. “An impressive kill, Mighty Sovereign,” a greenish-grey Kedri complimented.

  “Indeed,” Kel wiped his bloodied hands on his raiment and marched forward like it was nothing.

  Liliana stared dumbly at the trail of bodies in their wake. “How did this become my life?”

  “Through war, we are forged, Cortés,” the Sovereign declared without remorse. “Where to next?”

  She threw her hands up and tromped to the front of the Kedri contingent. The Sovereign and his entourage couldn’t transmat offworld, so Kel split his group up in the name of searching for a way off. But Liliana knew that if anything happened to him on Terra Sollan soil, the Korvenite Independence Front would be the least of the Galactic Union’s worries. It was scary enough seeing Kel’s anger after telling him about Biros Nor’s treachery.

  As they walked, the doctor saw once-proud structures she had known since childhood, reduced to smoldering rubble. Bodies and debris intermixed with cracked, charred ground. Liliana deliberately numbed herself to the visuals and pushed onward.

  The Amalgam still hovered ominously in the sky, raining down more destruction, remaining unscathed and impenetrable. Liliana couldn’t fathom Reign, Irazu and Marguliese getting off alive.

  Far-off explosions and battles rang out in the distance, as did the familiar hum of flight repulsors, filling the doctor with elation. She turned to see Khrome, armored skin glittering, barreling toward them at top speed. “UComm’s wiping the floor with Korvan’s Way.” He did a double take at the hulking giants in Liliana’s company. “Whoa!”

  The Kedri raised their weapons menacingly at the Thulican, their reptilian faces grim.

  “Wait!” Liliana raised her arms in protest. “He serves with me, under Habraum Nwosu!” The Sovereign’s gaze raked over Khrome. He nodded to his warriors, who lowered their weapons.

  Khrome never flinched at the aggressive posturing. Still, he kept a cautious eye on the Kedri. “Huh.”

  Liliana studied the Thulican’s expression. “I would’ve been in contact, but well…you know,” she gestured at Kel and his entourage. “Where are Jakadda, Heatstroke and Arcturus?”

  “Playing cleanup in the Commons, beating down more Retributionaries. Jakadda and I bonded.”

  Liliana frowned. “Really?”

  “No, not really,” Khrome scoffed. The harsh light of the planetary shielding offset the hazy sky. Buildings and ruins shook as Amalgam fired again, scorching the planet’s surface with a thick emerald beam. A series of flashes went off around the station, plainly showing UComm ships desperately attacking the Amalgam and failing.

  “There must be a way to puncture that shielding,” Orok Kel murmured. “Now I regret making the Amalgam so well.” Khrome and Liliana shared an uneasy glance. No one else knew of Star Brigade’s infiltration. If Nwosu, Honaa and Marguliese failed, who knew what would happen to Terra Sollus.

  Khrome’s eyes widened. “The planetary shields!” Liliana then focused on the planetary shielding. Its harsh light flickered several times before completely dying out, revealing a leaden atmosphere underneath. Both the planetary shielding and the forcefield blocking off Conuropolis had dissipated.

  Immediately several UComm and SkyGuard warships lanced through the thick billows with batteries alight, pounding the mammoth Amalgam ruthlessly. Khrome actually clapped in approval.

  Scores of AeroFleet and Imperial Star Navy vessels orbiting Terra Sollus now dove into the fray, peppering the Amalgam, opening large flaming gashes all along the station’s hull.

  The station fired back, but with no shielding to hide behind. And the smoky sky lit up from the blistering volleys of UComm and Kedri warships doing actual damage.

  The two Star Brigadiers stared up at the monstrous station, relieved to see it finally take damage. But thoughts of their teammates onboard left an icy pit in Liliana’s stomach. Would they survive?

  Instantly, the Sovereign raised his wrist, speaking something in the brusque-sounding Kedri dialect before turning to Liliana and Khrome. “This is how your Chouncilor governs, with chaos and disorder!? He has spit on the face of Kedri culture by this humiliation. I, Orok Kel, son of Dradu Kel, Sovereign of the vast and powerful Kedri Imperium, decree this. There is no more Trade Merger! No Union vessel will ever enter Kedri space alive. The next time I see Bogosian, I will carve a crown out of his spine!”

  With that, the Kedri Sovereign and his entourage vanished in a flash, leaving the Bri
gadiers alone. Khrome turned to an equally stunned Liliana and asked, “In case we need to pass that message on, did he mean to carve this crown with the Chouncilor alive or dead?”

  Given what the doctor had just seen, Sovereign Kel was someone who kept his word.

  29.

  “WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Maelstrom screamed. The llyriac was nearly bursting at the seams with anger. The Amalgam had been shuddering violently from what to Habraum felt like heavy weapons fire. From his prone position, Habraum saw on the room’s multi-viewscreen the shielding around Terra Sollus flickering in and out before collapsing altogether. The same went for the shielding surrounding Conuropolis. Countless AeroFleet warships streamed in to pound the battle station ruthlessly.

  Despite his injuries, Habraum angled a look at Honaa and forced a smile. “Marguliese did it,” he whispered. Now AeroFleet and Imperial Star Navy warships were inflicting heavy damage on the Amalgam, meaning Terra Sollus had been saved from Maelstrom’s twisted plan. But who would save Habraum, Honaa and the Chouncilor?

  “WHAT. DID. YOU. DO!?” Maelstrom threw back his head and let out an angered roar, one that rumbled through the room. The whole room quaked to its very core. Not just from the outside attacks, but from Maelstrom himself. In his fit of rage, the Korvenite had unleashed one massive telekinetic shockwave. The walls warped and twisted into unnatural shapes, loosened bits of flooring groaned and ripped away. Anything not fastened down went flying, including Honaa, Habraum and the Chouncilor. Habraum grimaced as he was once again slammed from wall to wall. Honaa was still unconscious, his limp form also crashing helplessly against the walls. The Chouncilor shrieked, he bounced up and then dropped smack on the ground, up again and down again.

  And in the focal point of it all stood Maelstrom, still screaming at the top of his lungs. The Korvenite’s fury was a tangible element, bleeding off his very being. Sparks spurted off machinery, the room rumbled from the outside attacks. Everything vibrated to the point of blurring one’s vision. Finally he stopped and fell to one knee, emotionally spent. “[Have I not served you well, oh blessed Korvan?]” he whispered in Korcei to his Deity. “[Why is this happening, right when we were at the edge of victory?]”

  Habraum propped himself up on his good shoulder and crawled to Honaa, still lying unconscious. Somehow the Cerc found his voice. “Looks like…kaff… Korvan…won’t be…getting his way after all.”

  The Korvenite snapped his head up at Habraum. “Shut UP!” Maelstrom snarled, spittle flying from his mouth. Habraum felt the Korvenite stab into his mind, a quick and sharp strike. The llyriac withdrew quickly, as if something in Habraum’s mind slapped him away and the Captain lay gasping on the floor.

  “A saboteur? Taking out the Amalgam’s shielding?” Maelstrom’s eyes darkened. In his barely conscious state, Habraum could sense the Korvenite marshalling his abilities for an attack.

  “Some beings pay for their sins with their lives.” Maelstrom pointed a glowing fist at the Captain, smiling spitefully. “ But you, Habraum Nwosu, will pay with your death!”

  Habraum met the terrorist’s gaze unflinchingly. He was helpless, beaten, but not afraid.

  There was a wet crack—bones breaking, sounding loudly in the Cerc’s ears, followed by a surprised grunt of pain. None came from him.

  The Cerc blinked at what he saw. Maelstrom stared down stupidly at his mid-torso, a bloodied spike impaled through him. Habraum was still in shock, until he saw her.

  Marguliese stood behind Maelstrom, cybernetic arm rammed into his back. Her golden face was cold, merciless. Maelstrom twisted and fought to free himself, but the Cybernarr wouldn’t let go. He doubled over, coughing up limey green blood, writhing in pain. Gritting his teeth, Maelstrom began to glow and pulsate. Habraum could feel a buildup of energy just before the Korvenite unleashed a psionic shockwave. The Cybernarr, thrown backward, rolled into a backflip and landed near the room’s exit. Habraum was lifted up and smacked into a wall.

  Maelstrom clutched at the copious blood fountaining from his chest. He tried standing and fell to his knees. The Korvenite’s face twisted with fury and surprise as he faced the Cybernarr. “Wha-what…?”

  “A combination of thaelarite and quadronide pumped into your circulatory system,” Marguliese replied succinctly. She was now on her feet and advanced on Maelstrom. “I acquired a sample from the two elements you planned to unleash upon this planet. That hot sensation you feel is the concoction slowly incinerating your internal organs. You will be dead within orvs.”

  Again the room shook. The force of the outside assault seriously escalated. Maelstrom grimaced and willed himself up to his feet. He kept a hand on his punctured chest, vainly trying to stop the blood loss.

  “When we last fought, I stated that I would kill you. And I keep my word.” Marguliese’s cerulean eyes pulsed ominously and two energy blasts exploded out. Maelstrom raised his arms and blocked the attack with a telekinetic shield—barely. He cried out. With his injuries, clearly even simple telekinetic shields were arduous.

  The Cybernarr ceased her eye beams and Maelstrom pitched forward from the sudden lack of resistance. Marguliese erased the distance between her and the llyriac, almost gliding forward. She leapt, spun several times through the air and aimed a right spin kick at Maelstrom’s face, which he easily caught in both hands.

  With no break in movement, Marguliese curled up and mule-kicked Maelstrom under the jaw with her left foot. The Korvenite staggered back, but Marguliese gave him no respite. In a flash of light, her long energy blade was in her hands. She lunged forward.

  “Arrogant automaton,” Maelstrom glared at her with pitch-black eyes. “If I die—.”

  “You talk too much,” Marguliese swept down her blade to cut him in half. But Maelstrom gave her a hard telekinetic shove. Her blade sliced through air, missing the Korvenite’s head by an inch.

  A collective clanging rang about the room. Maelstrom pointed at the Cybernarr and a barrage of shrapnel flew through the air at his behest, setting off a hundred deadly whistles. Marguliese whirled and flipped, dancing around each piece. One jagged piece caught her in the leg, yet she didn’t even grimace. Unfortunately, the shrapnel kept her from Maelstrom, who was barely staying upright at this point.

  On one knee, Habraum surveyed the scene: Marguliese fighting Maelstrom, across the room Honaa still unconscious and Bogosian finally stirring. No sign of the Thulican Honaa had been fighting. The room quivered again under the blistering assaults from outside. Suddenly, several fully armored Retributionaries burst through the room entrance charged straight for the Cybernarr.

  Without hesitation, Marguliese twirled her blade and leapt into their midst. She moved through the Retributionaries with absurd fluidity, somersaulting into a handspring split kick to drop two Korvenites. A quick parry and a backhand swipe of her blade relieved another of his head.

  One rather bulky Retributionary took a swipe at Marguliese. She bridged backward to avoid the blow and sliced through the chests of three Retributionaries attacking from behind with her blade. Bridging back up, a twin eyebeam blast took care of her front facing attacker—burning through his chestplate and out of his shoulder blades. The Korvenite fell dead, and five more jumped on the Cybernarr, dragging her to the ground. The remaining Retributionaries joined in like rabid animals.

  With Marguliese distracted, Habraum spied Maelstrom limping toward the cowering figure of Chouncilor Bogosian. Habraum forced himself to his feet with his good arm, but his ribs screamed in protest. He gritted his teeth, fought past the pain—which drudged up the unkind memories Maelstrom had used against him; Jennica mocking him, his dead combat team, his fears of failing.

  “Ca…can’t think of that….” Habraum shook his head. “I won’t fail.”

  His dislocated left arm hung uselessly at his side. So Habraum closed his eyes, gently propped up his bad arm and rammed it right into the wall. The explosion of agony buckled his knees. Habraum swore loudly, but his shoulder was back in place. Dazed, h
e staggered forward and tapped into his powers. Biokinetic power flowed through him, invigorating the Cerc physically. The pain of his injuries dulled. But it wasn’t enough, he needed more power.

  Marguliese finally fought off most of the Retributionaries that overwhelmed her. But from the many burns and gashes of bleeding organics on her body, the Korvenites had left their mark. And Maelstrom was almost upon the Chouncilor. His intent was obvious. Habraum clenched his fists together and pushed himself, dipping even further into his reserves.

  “Yes,” he whispered, feeling the biokinetic energy saturate every part of his being with power.

  Habraum no longer felt any pain, save for a faint burning in his chest. He looked down to see his hands and body glowing with a faint red aura, heard the air crackling around him. Habraum rose up. The room trembled under the furious outside assault, the aftershocks growing more violent with each strike.

  “MAELSTROM!” Habraum boomed, his voice ragged and barely recognizable. That caught the Korvenite’s attention. Habraum raised his crackling fist and fired off a raw blast of biokinetic energy straight at Maelstrom. The Korvenite crouched and again tried to shield himself as he had with Marguliese’s attack. But the blast smacked him backward with such a force —right through the control room wall.

  The Cerc turned to Marguliese. “The Chouncilor!” The Cybernarr cleaved a Retributionary from helmet to heel before racing to Bogosian, heaving him up by the waist.

  “NO!!!” Maelstrom’s shriek echoed from outside the domed control room. He telekinetically tore through a ruined wall back into the room, hurling psionic lightning bolts at the Cybernarr and the Chouncilor. The forks of brilliant energy ripped apart the flooring they stood on…an instant after Marguliese transmatted them away. Habraum sighed in relief.

  Massive cracks spidered across the ceiling, sparks spurted out, followed by shards of debris. Maelstrom clutched his chest and stumbled over the bodies of his own followers. The Korvenite’s strangled scream could have shattered the heavens. With his own powers so amplified, Habraum saw the energy aura around Maelstrom flickering and dimming. The llyriac was clearly weakened, thanks to whatever Marguliese had done to him earlier. At this point, the only thing keeping Maelstrom from bleeding to death was his own telekinetic power.