Hatchling

by Chris Fox

  “On three.” I stepped back and drew my pistol, then aimed it at the floor. “Three. Two. One.” I lined up the pistol and fired an explosive round. The floor shattered into rusty fragments, which rained onto two techs standing at a console. They appeared utterly unprepared for our assault.

  All around me hatchlings were tossing grenades through the hole I’d made. A cascading detonation rolled by below, and abruptly silenced several screams.

  “Now, Rava!” I shouted. The adrenaline raced through me, and my whole body shook as I waited for the Inuran response. What kind of forces would they have on the bridge? What if they survived this?

  My sister’s ponytail bobbed as she scooped up the urn, and threw it in a low underhanded toss that carried it through the hole at an angle that took it out of sight…well, everyone else’s sight.

  I could see through the deck, and watched as the urn rolled into the middle of a trio of bodies. Wisps were rising from each, and they were joined by those who’d been following the urn, and those of the other corpses we’d just created.

  About a dozen wights sprang into existence, and rushed the defenders, who were more numerous than I’d expected. Ten squads of crack Inuran mages were waiting, and our little ship-warming gift had only wiped out a single squad.

  The wights glided into their ranks, and the closest Inurans died. The wights swelled, and surged forward…at first.

  Several Inurans in heavier spellarmor charged forward, and as they ignited heavy spellshields, their blue and white runes swirling protectively around them, I realized I was looking at the modern equivalent of Seket.

  Each paladin performed the same miracle, and a golden halo sprang up around them. Their collective brilliance pushed the wights back, and the spectral undead were unable to approach.

  That made them easy targets for the remaining mages. Spellrifles began to fire, and the life bolts they discharged acted as disintegrate might when it hit one of the black ghosts. They simply burst into a cloud of golden motes, and then were gone.

  A few more defenders at the fringes died, but a solid dozen remained, and in their rear I spotted a hawk-faced Inuran woman shouting orders while she cowered behind a console.

  “The target is here,” I spoke into the comm, “but it looks like they’re dealing with the wights. We’re going to have to finish this the old fashioned way. I’m going to tag your HUDs with the defenders’ location. Let’s get in there and make them dead.”

  Rava leapt through the hole without further prodding, and landed in a catlike crouch, then went to one knee and lined up a shot with her automatic rifle. She had fire now, but hadn’t picked up or been trained with a spellrifle. If we lived, I’d have to remedy that. She’d be even more lethal.

  As if contradicting her need for more lethality, her rifle bucked and an explosive round ended the first paladin. She pivoted fifteen degrees to the right, and the rifle bucked again. A second paladin dropped, also from a headshot.

  The golden auras in those parts of the defending lines suddenly winked out, and the last few wights were able to get in close. Two more defenders went down with screams as the wights touched them, then the ragged black souls rose from their bodies in a shimmering wave.

  It took only seconds before the new wights were also seeking the living. The Inurans were trained to deal with just such an attack, but that was hard to do when my sister was shattering skulls like overripe fruit.

  I landed next and launched my brand new zero G spell. It landed at the feet of the third paladin, and he, plus all his buddies on that side, floated into the air. It didn’t harm them, but it did prevent them from finishing the wights, or dealing with the rest of our forces as they came tumbling into the fight.

  Cinaka and Briff led the hatchlings into combat, automatic rifles chattering their deafening cry as Briff’s cannon added a deeper thump every few seconds. They concentrated their fire on the targets in zero G, and five Inurans I’d trapped died in seconds.

  That left only one paladin remaining, which Seket seemed to take personally. He ignited his spellshield, then bellowed a war cry as he sprinted toward his opposite.

  The last paladin spotted him, and raised a longsword in salute. The spellblade dripped with magical gems, indicating its worth and magical potential. Its slender blade flared to brilliant life as he strode out to meet Seket in single combat.

  “Focus on the other targets,” I instructed over the comm. “Let Seket handle this one.”

  I circled wide around the room and focused my attention on Jolene’s position. I couldn’t see her directly, but I spotted her shadow on the console next to her hiding spot. She was still back there, and not actively participating in the combat.

  That made me hesitate. Nara had adamantly maintained that Jolene was powerful. Voria had repeated that warning. Jolene was an archmage, with access to every greater path of magic. That kind of versatility should have let her wreck my forces, pretty much on her own.

  At the very least she’d be able to counter our most powerful spells, or erect a ward, or disintegrate some of us. But she was cowering behind a console, and letting her forces be slaughtered.

  Why? It made no sense.

  Oh, well. I withdrew a grenade from my belt—thanks, Inurans—and teleported it into the corner where Jolene was hiding. I expected a ward. I expected a defense.

  What I did not expect was a detonation that launched Jolene’s body spinning into the air, then slammed her into the ceiling hard enough that her back snapped.

  The matron’s battered form crumpled to the deck, and didn’t rise. She wasn’t even wearing spellarmor.

  I slowed as I approached. The last defenders were going down now under the relentless pressure from the hatchlings. As I watched, six of them cascaded their breath weapons, and roasted one of the last surviving Inuran squads alive in their armor.

  By the time I reached Jolene’s body all the Inurans were down.

  Vee approached me with a hesitant smile, which was welcome. She cleared her throat, then spoke in a low tone. “Have you gotten the justice you were after? I think you’ve made the sector a better place.”

  “It was too easy,” I muttered. I rose a trembling hand. “I’m going to verify a hunch.”

  The rest of the squad gathered, along with Cinaka, but I paid them no mind as I summoned a blue flame over my palm. I envisioning the bridge before we’d arrived, and began rolling back minute by minute.

  I didn’t know precisely what I was looking for, but watched Jolene carefully as the flames rolled back time. I froze the image when I spotted something that made my heart shudder.

  “She’s not dead.” Two Jolenes stood in the flames. “She cast a simulacrum. A dummy. Then abandoned that creature to die in her place.”

  “Where did she go, though?” Kurz asked. I noted the tremor in his hands, and the fact that he was swaying on his feet. I moved to assist him, and wrapped an arm around his waist.

  “Does it matter?” The flames vanished as I supported Kurz. A few months ago someone would have been supporting me. “She got away.”

  I thought I’d feel angry. Mostly I was just relieved. She’d run, and we were still alive. If Nara was right, the Inurans might keep coming, but at least there was no one left giving them orders.

  My magic was almost entirely spent, but I couldn’t rest yet. This had been a raid, which it seemed the trade moon was allowing. If I tried to keep the ship their neutrality would come to a swift and decisive end.

  I needed to get back to the Word of Xal, and see if the fight was still raging.

  32

  The trip back to the Word of Xal was made largely in silence, and I stared back at the Inuran cruiser we’d raided. A cloud of ships rose from the trade moon like a swarm of flesh-wasps, and they were closing fast with the cruiser.

  How would they react to what they found? Would they take revenge? I couldn’t even worry about that right now. I needed to get back to Highspire, and ensure that it still stood.

&
nbsp; I closed my eyes and counted three deep breaths. It fortified me, enough that I could open my eyes at least. I cleared my throat, then whispered into my suit, “Guardian, can you display the tactical situation in the Highspire cargo bay?”

  The mental image of a sea of dead students wouldn’t be banished, not until footage appeared on my HUD.

  “The battle is over, Captain,” Kemet said, his tone more jovial than usual. “We received aid from an organization that identified itself as the Confederacy. They declared the attack unlawful, and routed the Inuran forces. The survivors are currently boarding their carrier, and have abandoned control of the bridge since they lacked a suit of Heka Aten armor.”

  “Any word from the minister or my mother?” I struggled vainly to keep the hope from my voice.

  “Negative, Captain. I believe they are still in the umbral depths.”

  “Where is Visala?”

  The footage shifted to show the top of Highspire, where Visala stood in human form. There were controls to rewind and replay, so I wound back through the battle and watched it in reverse.

  “Maker’s wrath…” I muttered.

  “Are you going to share with the rest of us?” Rava’s voice was punctuated by a light shove.

  I willed my helmet to slither back into the armor, and eyed her soberly. “The students were going to be wiped out. They were losing. Then a couple gods showed up. One of them was a demon lord, and the other some sort of fire god. Nara joined them, and the three of them wiped out a pair of legions before the rest of the Inuran forces could retreat. The fight is over.”

  Vee shook her head sadly. “I understand why you made the deal you did, and how attractive demonic help looks. There is always a price.”

  “Maybe,” I allowed. “In this case I’m glad I paid it. We’re alive. Those kids are alive. The assault has been foiled.”

  “Not everybody lived,” Briff pointed out forlornly. He nodded at Cinaka, who stood huddled with her surviving hatchlings on the far side of the cargo bay. Less than half had survived, and none of the arachnidrakes.

  “The cost was high,” I admitted. “Not paying it would have been higher.”

  “Captain,” Seket’s voice crackled over the cargo bay’s speakers. “We’re docking with the Word of Xal now. The Inurans have made no move to pursue.”

  “They’d do it through diplomatic channels, I bet. They’ll want to speak to the minister, not us.” I rubbed my temples and wished I had time to sleep. At least the fighting was over. “I’m going to meet with Visala and see what she makes of everything. Briff, I’m putting you in charge of the Remora while I’m gone. Guardian, can you teleport me to Highspire near the headmistress?”

  “Jer, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Briff’s expression shifted to comically horrified.

  “You can handle it.” I nodded confidently in his direction, and meant every word. “Work with Cinaka to get her people into quarters, and see that everyone has access to the forge if they need food or munitions. We’ve earned some R&R, and once you have everyone settled if you want to put together a tourney I bet that would lift everyone’s spirits.”

  “An Arena tourney?” Briff’s tail rose cautiously. He fluffed his wings, and rose a little taller. “I can do that. I’ll start setting up the brackets right now. Do you think we should give out some sort of prize?”

  The hatchling was already off and running, and my sister trailed after him as they approached the rest of the dragons. Hopefully that would keep them busy.

  That left me standing with Vee and Kurz. Vee wouldn’t meet my gaze, and I didn’t want to press it. Kurz looked as if he were awaiting orders.

  “Kurz, when Seket has us docked, will you take the time to start interviewing him? I want to know more about his time and the events that led to him being here.” I scratched my chin, and realized that I’d accumulated enough scruff to almost have a beard. “I’ve got the feeling that we haven’t found out why he was sent here yet, and now that we have him I want to see if we can get ahead of this.”

  “Of course, Captain.” Kurz inclined his head deferentially. “I’ll report my findings when I have something to share.”

  Vee turned without a word and headed up the ramp toward the bridge. I let her go. We’d have time to work it out, but for now space was probably best.

  “She will come around, Captain.” Kurz rested a hand on my shoulder, just for an instant, but it still meant the world. “I know my sister. She is rigid in her beliefs, and our scriptures are quite clear about the void. In time she will accept that they are merely old words in a book, as I have. Your actions scream your intent, Captain. You are a good man.”

  “Thank you, Kurz.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “Guardian, will you teleport me now?”

  There was a flash of light and a moment of vertigo, then I was standing on Highspire’s top step, the same place I’d been the day we’d saved the pyramid from planetary destruction.

  “You live.” Visala’s skepticism was so ingrained that even though her words were surprised, her face remained a glower. “I must admit I am impressed. As you can see we drove back the enemy. I called for confederate aid, and—”

  “I called for confederate aid,” I interrupted. “I also broke the jamming preventing us from calling for that help. Nice try though.”

  Visala offered a smirk. “Can’t blame a Wyrm for trying now, can you? Very well, thank you for saving us. I acknowledge the debt, much as I hate to. What comes next?”

  “What do you mean?” I glanced down at the recovering students, who were still cleaning up and hauling bodies away. “We recover, and deal with the Inurans. Their trade moon is still here, and they are still going to want to get paid for the deal the minister inked.”

  “Haven’t you asked yourself where the minister is? She ran, Jerek, with your mother, and their ragged little fleet. They abandoned us.” Visala’s glower deepened, and the tone matched. “You are in charge, like it or not. You are this vessel’s captain, and I will back you in negotiations. The Inurans are likely to want arbitration, rather than to deal with the Confederacy directly. They’ll be willing to deal.”

  I rubbed my temples again. The need for sleep was becoming paramount. “I have proof that Jolene attacked illegally, and the testimony of Bortel to back it up. They’ll deal, but they are still going to want to get paid, and we still have nothing to sell. I am not cut out for this. We need the minister back to represent our people. I don’t know why she ran, but I want to hear it from her before I make decisions.”

  “Jerek, listen to me.” Visala stretched out a hand and took mine in both of hers. “I have opposed you, it’s true. I have tried to take the armor. You resisted me. You retained your power. You have proven you have the strength. If you give up that power, then you will never be able to reclaim it.”

  “I know.” I squeezed her hand gratefully, then released it. How odd that we were no longer enemies, just like that. Dragons were strange. “If I turn over the captaincy to my mother then I’m giving up a lot of power. But surviving encounters with you isn’t the same thing as administrating a ship this size. I’m not qualified. My mother is. I can barely run the Remora. And whatever we think about the minister I trust my mother.”

  “Do you?” Visala snapped, a low inhuman growl rumbling from her chest. “Love blinds, child. Your mother is in love. Take great care in what decisions you make.”

  “I understand the severity, trust me.” I folded my arms and watched the kids below. My classmates not very long ago. “The minister bailed. Sure she was doing the right thing in bringing the Inurans to justice, but doing it posthumously, after writing us off? It doesn’t sit well with me. And I’ll have words with her before I agree to anything.”

  Being out of my depth had become the new normal, and it never stopped being terrifying. Exhaustion kept turning the gravity up, notch by notch. I needed sleep.

  “I’m going to get some rest. If any new emergencies crop up I’ll be on the Remora.”


  33

  An insistent chiming penetrated the nightmares. Dark, smothering things fled from me as the lights came on in my quarters aboard the Remora. I could feel them lurking there, at the edge of my vision, even when the buzzing was silent.

  “On screen,” I slurred as I forced myself into a sitting position atop my bed. Unlike the cot I’d had before, I now had a luxury hovercouch, absolutely the most comfortable thing I’d ever slept in.

  The scry-screen covering one full wall of the captain’s quarters flared to life, and showed a photorealistic view of the minister’s desk, with her seated behind it. It was as if I were suddenly standing in her office.

  “Morning.” I stifled a yawn as I rose to my feet. “Looks like you finally left the Umbral Depths. Where did you run to? Shaya?” I scrubbed fingers through my hair, and moved to stand before the screen, reveling in my silken pajamas.

  My armor hovered in the corner, and I saw Ramachan’s gaze flick over to it. Not covetously so much as cataloguing. Always cataloguing.

  “You are angry.” There was no emotion in the minister’s tone. Even her bun was restrained, and her suit a dark muted blue. “Do you take issue with my decision to flee to the Confederacy for help? Do you believe staying would have made a difference?”

  “Let me think about that.” I peered up at the ceiling as if thinking. “Hmm. I stayed. I made a difference.” I speared her with my eyes, and let her see how upset I was. “You ran. Had you stayed you could have helped me take down Jolene. We might have gotten there in time. As it stands she got away, and we lost lives we didn’t need to lose.”

  “She got away?” Ramachan cocked her head to the side and I read genuine confusion there. “That makes no sense. You have no idea what you have achieved, young man. The Inurans are policing their own. They claim that Matron Jolene is dead, and that her shares reverted to her daughter, Voria. She’s lost all power, and the Inurans are taking responsibility for the attack. They’ve issued a formal apology.”