Tales of Talon Box Set

by A A Warren

  Leaping up, he slashed his blade through the mass of hoses that hung over them. A cloud of scalding steam and gas erupted around them. The hot mist was blinding, and he couldn’t see more than a few centimeters in the acrid haze. He heard Makor coughing and gagging within the cloud. The alien’s hydro-mask pulled water vapor from the surrounding air. The chemicals in the hoses were no doubt toxic, and Makor had just inhaled a lungful.

  The plasma whip fell away, freeing Talon's arm. A stinging pain still flooded his nerves, and the flesh of his wrist was charred and blackened.

  A second jet of mist erupted for the severed hoses. The blast of steam burned his skin. Talon stumbled backwards, struggling to escape the red hot spray. The platform narrowed… he stepped back, and felt a curved shaft spinning beneath him. His foot slipped. He tripped and fell to one knee… his arms grabbed at the spinning drive shaft, but his fingers slipped across the smooth metal surface. Once again, he was falling.

  His back slammed into a cool, hard surface… The floor beneath him was curved and smooth. A soft, churning noise filled the air. He heard footsteps thud behind him. Forcing his aching muscles into action, he rolled over and lumbered to his feet.

  Suddenly, a blinding circle of neon green light blazed from the far end of the curved chamber. Squinting in the brilliant glare, he could just make out Makor charging towards him… a black silhouette wielding a tendril of fire. The alien’s plasma whip lashed out… Talon rolled to the side, as the burning orange filament swept across the ground. As Talon sprang to his feet, he realized the weapon had left no mark on the curved floor… they were standing in a half pipe, covered with smooth, polished crystal.

  Cryocite, he thought. This entire chamber is lined with cryocite. But why?

  Suddenly, the light grew brighter. A second green circle lit up, surrounding the first. A low hum echoed off the curved walls.

  Talon narrowed his eyes… he could see more clearly now. The far end of the chamber consisted of a series of concentric disks, each one glowing and pulsing with green fire. There were three more left to go…

  A series of metal rings spun around the chamber. Each ring stood five meters apart and angled reflective panels studded their surfaces. Blinking power regulator circuitry lined the curved space between the shimmering reflective blades. A sprawling mass of coolant hoses and tubes hung above him, disappearing into the shadows.

  Talon’s eyes grew wide, as he realized where they were standing.

  The primary slicer beam, he thought. B’Turo finally got it working!

  The ore-slicer’s primary beam emitter loomed over them both. They were fighting in the barrel of a massive energy cannon.

  Another green light flared to life behind them. The projector was powering up. When it fired, it would disintegrate anything in its path.

  Makor circled around Talon, swinging the crackling plasma whip through the air. The fiery orange lash streaked past him, narrowly missing his arm. Talon glanced to his left… the hilt of his axe lay on the shimmering curved floor, several meters away. He darted towards it, but Makor swung his whip again, slashing across Talon’s path.

  Even as Talon dodged, the plasma weapon shifted and morphed again, solidifying into a sword blade. Makor spun in a circle, lashing out with the blazing weapon.

  Talon ducked under the strike. He could feel the blade’s searing heat singe his hair as it swung overhead. He popped up and drove his fist into Makor’s gut. The alien grunted in pain, and doubled over. Talon kept moving, kept attacking. He drove the heel of his other hand into the hydro-mask as hard as he could. Makor coughed and gagged as the inner breathing tube flooded his lungs with residual liquid.

  Green light reflected off the crystal surrounding them. The hum grew louder, becoming a dull roar. Another circle of light flashed at the far end of the chamber.

  One more left to go, Talon thought.

  Makor recovered and lashed out with a powerful kick. The blow knocked Talon backwards. He staggered towards the towering metal rings. Makor's weapon grew longer, forming into a lance-like spear. He charged forward, thrusting the burning blade as he aimed to impale Talon against the wall.

  Talon leapt up and caught one of the spinning rings. It carried him into the air as Makor’s plasma blade sparked against the crystal walls. The weapon reflected back at the alien, and the re-directed beam slashed across his good arm.

  Makor roared in pain, as Talon flew over him. Grabbing the ring with both hands, Talon swung his body forward and let go. He flipped through the air, landing behind the enraged alien. Talon rolled forward, grabbing the hilt of his axe as he tumbled across the floor.

  He spun around and popped up to his feet. The blade of his axe hummed to life. The orange light bathed his face in a warm glow, and reflected off the facets of his crystal eye.

  Makor spun around. “Weapon or not, you will die, human. Orex taught you everything he knew, but it still isn't enough to beat me.”

  “He taught me one lesson you haven’t learned,” Talon said, taking a step towards Makor.

  “And what would that be?” the alien hissed through his mask.

  “Keep an eye on all your opponent’s weapons…”

  Behind them, the third green circle blazed to life. The roar grew deafening as a burst of wind buffeted the chamber. Makor spun around… the green lights were spinning, matching the motion of the metal rings. Talon glanced up. He was standing under one of the rings. He hurled his axe straight up. The fiery plasma blade spun into the air. Sparks showered down on them as it tore through the metal ring.

  The damaged section groaned, then came crashing to the floor. Raising his arm, Talon caught his axe. He powered down the blade and slid it into his harness. Then he leapt on to the fallen metal band and raced along its curved surface towards the top of the chamber.

  Makor turned and followed, as the green circles merged into a single, blinding disk of light. The roar became a scream.

  A massive bolt of green fire erupted from the beam mechanism, filling the crystal chamber. The spinning reflector panels focused the inferno into an unstoppable column of energy. It annihilated the collapsed ring, reducing it to floating black cinders.

  Talon reached the top of the ring as it crumbled beneath them. He leapt up, catching hold of the hanging pipes with both hands. Makor was farther behind him, but the alien’s powerful legs and greater strength were enough to make the jump. As he leapt through the air, his plasma weapon reformed into a grasping fist. He caught a length of tube, and swung over the blazing green inferno below.

  Smoke hissed from the thick black hose. The stench of burning rubber filled the air. Makor looked up, his yellow eyes bulging with surprise. His plasma fist burned through the soft material. A blast of steam filled the air as the hose melted. Makor dropped a few feet, grasping the length of severed tubing in his good hand.

  Talon watched as the alien slipped down the hose. The injury to his arm had weakened his grip. He could not maintain his hold for long.

  Makor glared up at Talon. “At least I will die with honor,” he snarled. He slid another few centimeters down the swaying hose.

  “Orex spared your life,” Talon shouted over the noise below. “You repaid his mercy with treachery! If that’s what you call ‘honor’, then whatever fate awaits you now… you've earned it.”

  Makor’s fingers slid off the hose. He plummeted towards the energy bolt. For a brief moment, Talon could hear his gurgling, high-pitched cry of terror. Then the blazing green inferno engulfed him, and the only sound was the roar of the beam.

  Talon hung for a moment, panting for breath. Then he climbed up through the maze of pipes and hoses to the catwalks above.

  Chapter Thirty

  Vaki braced herself in the clear tube as another tremor ran through the chamber. The sound was muted inside her narrow prison, but she could see the floating weapons display spinning and tilting in the air. The hanging tapestries rippled as shock waves ran through the metal walls.

  The
metal clamps that held the tube groaned as their manipulator arms bent under the strain. Vaki's tube hung at a lopsided angle, tilting to the side. She could see the metal floor plates vibrating as the aftershocks of the quake continued.

  Taking a deep breath, Vaki heaved her weight at the side of the tube. As she slammed into the curved wall, she heard a creak, and the cylinder swayed in the air. Gritting her teeth, she slammed her weight sideways again. She winced, as the bruises running along her legs and arms collided with the hard walls. But again, a loud creak sounded from the clamps. The tube dipped closer to the floor.

  She paused, catching her breath. Her chest heaved up and down in the narrow, coffin-like prison. Finally, she made one more violent roll, slamming her weight into the side as hard as she could.

  The metal creaked and groaned. Then she heard a loud snap. The tube ripped free from the clamp. It slammed into the metal floor, bouncing and jostling Vaki from the impact. A sickening dizziness filled her senses. The tube rolled across the quaking metal floor. It left a trail of torn hoses and sheared metal in its wake as it picked up speed. Bursts of steam and fluid sprayed from the torn hydraulics of the damaged clamps.

  Vaki screamed. She felt her stomach flutter and leap into her chest. She was falling… the tube had rolled off the side of the platform.

  Her head slammed forward, striking the clear lid hard enough to crack the transparent material. The cylinder continued rolling then slammed up against a wall and came to a stop. Vaki blinked several times and gasped for breath. She felt battered, exhausted and dizzy.

  Finally, her senses sharpened. She slammed her knee up, striking the cracks that spread across the broken lid. Pain jangled through her nerves as her battered knee struck the hard curved wall. But she slammed it up again. And again…

  CRASH!

  The front of the tube shattered. Coughing, and dripping with sweat, Vaki scrambled out of the cylinder and crawled across the floor. She gasped. The chilled air whipped across her skin like a barrage of frozen knives. With the circular window above shattered, there was nothing to stop the bitter cold winds from sweeping into the room. The thermal controls could not compensate for the rapid drop in temperature.

  Another quake rocked the room. Vaki braced herself against the wall as the room shook around her.

  The planetary core, she thought. It’s getting more unstable by the minute!

  But the people… Katara had locked them in their quarters!

  Rubbing her shoulders for warmth, Vaki limped over to a glowing flight of stairs. She climbed back up to the main platform. The two other tubes still lay secure in their clamps. An elderly woman and a young girl, no older than fifteen, pounded on the glass.

  Vaki glanced around the chamber. As the tremors subsided, she heard the weapons in the floating display shake and rattle. Her teeth chattered as another blast of cold air gusted into the room. She moved towards them, then paused, glancing left and right. Her eyes settled on the row of curves swords, hanging in the air.

  She hobbled over to them, her eyes wide as she gazed upon the intricate designs etched into their scabbards. She plucked one from the lifter field. It felt heavy and substantial in her hands. She held it at eye level and exhaled. Gently, she traced her fingers over the symbols carved into the stained black Aoshun wood scabbard.

  “The sword of the first Clan Lord,” she whispered to herself.

  The long, curved saber was known as a sutava in the Aoshun tongue… a star blade. Vaki recognized the ancient symbols on the hilt from her history vids. This sword had been wielded by the man who had become the first Jotoru Emperor. The man who had freed the people from their ancient oppressors, and established the Consortium of Free Worlds.

  She slid the blade from the smooth, warm wood. Ancient masters had forged the weapon from an unknown black ore, and she saw her face reflected in the dark metal. Crimson silk and glittering gems decorated the sword's hilt. Its pommel was a carved dragon’s claw. It reminded her of the tattoo that marked Talon’s chest.

  Maybe Katara was right, she thought. Maybe it was destiny that brought us here…

  The room shook again. As she caught her balance, she heard a pounding noise, growing louder behind her. She spun around. The occupants of the other tubes were beating their fists on the transparent covers, their shouts and screams muted by the cylinder walls.

  Vaki stood up straight. She marched over to the cylinders, and drew the ancient weapon from its scabbard. As the blade cleared the wooden sheath, a hum emanated from the orange hilt. With a loud hiss, a glowing crimson line of energy flowed up the edge of the blade, ending at the tip. Generators in the hilt projected a stabilized pulse beam along the cutting edge of the weapon.

  Slinging the scabbard over her shoulder, Vaki gripped the weapon in both hands, and stood before the first tube. The woman inside cringed when she the saw the glowing blade.

  “Stand back,” Vaki shouted. She hoped the speakers in the tube would carry her warning. Then she slashed the blade down, slicing off the locking mechanism on the side of the tube.

  The woman leapt out of the cylindrical prison and fell to the floor sobbing.

  “By the gods, thank you, thank you!” she cried. Vaki helped her to her feet. Then she pivoted and swung the weapon once more. The blade left a trail of glowing, molten metal as it tore through the second lock.

  The other woman opened the tube and grabbed the terrified little girl, cradling the sobbing child in her arms. Vaki smiled as the woman showered the child’s grime-streaked face with a barrage of kisses.

  Suddenly, the room shook again. A droning hum filled the air as the smaller lifter fields lost power. The hanging weapons clattered to the ground, and the suit of Kujita armor toppled over with a loud crash.

  Vaki grabbed the woman’s shoulder. “We have to get out of here! This planet is tearing itself apart, there’s not much time. The workers’ quarters… do you know where they are?”

  The woman nodded. “Yes, but there will be guards. Katara will send her men… they will come looking for you.”

  Vaki held the sacred blade before her, admiring the weapon’s exquisite craftsmanship. It felt like a part of her, like she had been born to wield it. And to repair its legacy…

  She spun the sword through the air, creating a blinding circle of light. Then she slid it into its scabbard.

  “Let them come,” she said. Her lips curled into a grim smile.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Alarm klaxons wailed through the circular command center of the Toho mining colony. Red warning lights blazed, casting a crimson glow over the scattered security guards and technicians. A group of engineers in jumpsuits clustered around a glowing holo-display, as readouts and diagnostic alerts hovered throughout the room.

  The command center perched at the top of a three-legged tower, stretching thousands of meters into the sky. Its transparent view panels afforded a three-hundred and sixty degree view of the snow-swept wasteland surrounding the complex. One of the guards turned his head as a glow outside the window caught his eye. He lowered his rifle and stepped over to the clear portal.

  “By gods!” he whispered. Outside in the distance, a web of orange cracks ruptured the jagged, blue-white ice. Molten rock crawled from the tears in the earth, and a hazy cloud of steam masked the distant horizon. The brilliant trails of lava seemed to creep across the frozen ground in slow motion, but he knew that was an illusion. The distance of the lava trails made it appear slow, but in reality it was streaming from the earth at speeds a human could not hope to outrun.

  A blue light blinked to life over the main doors, signaling that the secure lift platform had arrived. The interlocking trapezoid doors hissed open. Katara strode into the chamber, clad in her flowing cape and battle armor. The crimson lights overhead cast blood red highlights on her golden crown.

  A pair of guards flanked her as she entered the room. They wore scavenged Kujita armor, and they clanked their neural-lances on the ground as the woman stepped fo
rward.

  “Desimo ar emirsu!” they shouted in unison. “Bow before your queen!”

  The frantic personnel dragged themselves away from the holo-displays and dropped to their knees, bowing their heads low.

  Katara waved her hand as she stood in front of the largest screen.

  “Arise. Status report. Why are we—”

  The room shuddered. Metal groaned as the support pylons of the tower creaked and swayed. The shockwave threw several of the engineers to the ground. Katara stumbled, but one of her honor guards stepped forward and grabbed her arm, helping her maintain her balance.

  The thundering tremor subsided, but another quickly followed. Katara gripped the nearest console as one of the view panels shattered. The guard watching the distant lava flows screamed and fell backwards. Glittery, jagged shards impaled his face and arms.

  “What is the meaning of this?” the queen shouted. “The planetary core was not supposed to degrade so quickly! You said we would have more time!”

  An older engineer with bushy eyebrows and a bald head gave her another quick bow. His eyes were wide with panic and fear as he stood and faced her. “My Queen, the core is collapsing faster than we expected. But there's more… Something is impacting on our shield, underground. Something huge!”

  Katara narrowed her eyes and glanced up at the holo-display. A glowing schematic of the mining colony rotated in the air. A domed shield, extending below the frozen surface of the planet, surrounded the complex. A series of concentric ripples indicated physical collisions against the shield, concentrated near the ore-slicer bays.

  Her eyes grew wide. “No…” she hissed.

  Another engineer glanced up from his display. “Seismic patterns are consistent with the dorokuma! I’m reading multiple vibration signatures… there’s at least six of them! Maybe more! I don’t know how long—”