by M. J Kreyzer
But Luke’s forward motion was slowing down. He was beginning to fall and there was still another ten yards to the ship. Sable put a moved past Hendrick and yelled for him. Hendrick shouted for the pilot to drop in altitude. Morlo readied to hurl himself from the ship to try and tackle Luke back into the building.
Then the grenade went off.
The force of the explosion changed Luke’s direction and propelled him forward with back-breaking force. With that extra propulsion, Luke rocketed through the Battlecraft’s open door. Hendrick caught Luke and it knocked him to his back. Without hesitation, Hendrick yelled at the pilot. “Hit it hard!”
The Battlecraft accelerated hard with harsh vibrations, causing the passengers to slide backwards across the floor and the thrusters to scream. Morlo had picked up his chain gun again and returned the Legionnaire fire coming at them from the roof.
“Closing the doors, back off!” The Pilot yelled. “Command this is Price! We’ve got Mylo now give me some damn cover!”
“Roger that, Crimson Warrior, sending Helio air support to cover your exit.”
The side of the craft that Luke had flown through closed with a powerful electronic hum. Morlo hung out the door and fired his chain gun at the pursuing Blackshredders, baring his teeth and yelling as he unleashed a steady stream of hot lead on the heavily armed fighters. After squeezing off a few dozen more rounds he pulled his cannon up as the doors closed and turned back to see Luke laying on the ground, barely conscious and breathing heavily. Then, after several breaths, he went unconscious.
With the doors closed it was quiet, the brutal destruction outside nothing more than a muffled afterthought.
“We’re gonna have to get a doctor fast.” Hendrick said, looking Luke over and realizing just how bad of shape he was in. He spoke up to Price. “Call in and have one waiting for us.”
Price acknowledged and transmitted the message. Through the small portholes on the Battlecraft doors, a friendly Helio moved into position and opened fire. The Blackshredders broke off their pursuit and aimed towards the cruiser. Seeing what shape his body was in, his meatless ribs, his gaunt, malnourished appearance, Hendrick shook his head in surprise and admiration. “I got no idea how he made it so long.”
“Is he going to be okay?” Sable asked, kneeling at Luke’s side.
“The adrenaline just wore off.” Hendrick answered, feeling Luke’s pulse just to be sure. “Don’t know why he’d survive six years just to die on the way home.”
“Let’s make it quick anyway, no?” Morlo said, taking a seat at the rear of the craft and setting his cannon on its end between his legs.
Hendrick stood up and moved to the cockpit. “We’re calling it a day. Sit back and take a breath. We’re going home.”
With the skies filled with combating fighters, smoke, and rumbling explosions, the Battlecraft cruised through the sky, soaring over the violent battle that raged below. With the prison complex disappearing and blending into the smoking city skyline, the three companions rested easy, knowing that the hard part was behind them.
Chapter 2
To the Counts of the United Commune
At this point I’m sure that you have all been made aware of the astronomical failure the Commune has suffered at the hands of the guerilla organization known as the ‘Darks’. As they’re defeat had been apparent since their slaughter at Olsgrad Canyon six years ago, their descent into obscurity came as no surprise. We’ve hunted them for some time now, keeping public awareness minimal and controlling public opinion through the leash that we have tethered to all mass media outlets in the world. After Olsgrad, the Darks have been nothing more than a nuisance. However, after the defeat that we’ve suffered at Styne and their bloodless takeover of Praemon, the threat they pose to our society can no longer be ignored.
That is not the worst of the news. It is with the utmost regret that I inform you of the escape and survival of the war criminal known as Luke Semprys, not to mention the escapes of over two thousand Dark prisoners from Styne prisons. It was my impression (from the numerous reports provided by Count Valkner himself) that Semprys was dead. However, surveillance video has been brought to my attention and I can tell you without any sliver of a doubt that Luke Semprys is still alive and is the greatest threat that we face. As Luke Semprys came before many of you were Counts, his role in the greater scheme of things might be lost to you. Let me provide you with a brief summary of the part that he has played.
Before the formation of the United Commune the world was split into a slew of countries, many being united into one of three primary territories. The largest territory, the one that I myself was president of, was then known as the Republican Union of Relias. (Relias is a fundamentally religious term derived from the Durant language of Deche, the significance of which I will explain later.) Luke Semprys was Chief inspector of the International Bureau of Criminal Investigations and a secret Durant. (At that time, he was referred to as ‘Mylo’, a pseudonym used to mask his actual identity). During his time there I was Vice-President of the Union. Until that point I had spent a significant portion of my life in the field of politics and began to realize the pitfalls of democracy and exploited the loopholes and flaws existent in the democratic system while Luke Semprys matched me every step of the way. After the massive civil war at the time broke out as a result of the energy crisis (driven largely by myself) and escalated into a world war, the United Commune was born. We kept the transition from democracy to communism quiet and grabbed hold of the media, keeping the population under the impression that they are still taking part in a democratic republic while reaping the undeniable and unmatched benefits of a socialistic commune though, due to unavoidable truths, we are unable to implement communism wholly. We were, and are, careful to only take the money that the wealthier citizens will never spend and use that for redistribution. But I digress.
Luke Semprys became a prominent leader of the Darks resistance. At the time, before their extermination, the Durants comprised a majority of the Darks. After over a decade of widespread violence we were able to quell the Darks resistance, landing the final blow at Olsgrad Canyon and putting a firm stop to the war. It’s been six years of remarkable peace and prosperity. This latest move on part of the Darks has destroyed that peace and now threatens the very foundations on which we’ve worked so hard to achieve and maintain such a strong and resilient society.
I’ll deviate a bit to explain the idea of Relias in short detail as all forms of communication concerning its existence have been made illegal unless otherwise dictated by myself. I feel that it is important to actually know our enemies with the utmost intimacy. I’ll start with the predominantly religious nature of Durants and Darks and work my way up from there.
The whole of most Durants believe in an idea known as Relias, in Deche translating roughly into ‘freedom as it resides within moral boundaries.’ Now, of course, these moral boundaries have been set and dictated by a select group of Durant, creating a dangerous and misleading field of relativism. Therefore, we cannot let their concepts of ‘moral boundaries’ deter us from realizing our ultimate goal, which is create a society free of class, religion, or racism.
We enter an interesting quandary, however, in targeting this specific group of people. What’s to be said about perpetuating equality among race and religion when your primary enemy is a race that’s principally religious? In order to achieve a society where none are discriminated must we first commit that very same crime? I would like you all to realize that our enemy is very human. They deserve respect and they deserve dignity. We will give them that, though we will undoubtedly keep mercy on reserve.
This next section I will keep short, as I have asked our Chief Physicist Malcolm Rowlings to write up a detailed report on the Darks and the Durant race as a whole. I have received several confused letters concerning the Darks and Durants so let me clear those things up. First off, the Darks are made up of basically anybody who wants to take down the Commune in favor of t
he system present during the days of the Union. The Durants are a race all on their own, like vampires, werewolves, humans or Sirens. The Durants can control a subatomic entity known as Furo, or the layman’s equivalent of anti-matter. Using a sixth sense and skin cells which only they possess, Durants can manipulate and reorganize Furo into a large number of different things, with explosive spheres, lightning, and deflective barriers being a few of them. The Durant race itself is dangerous physically, ideally, and politically. The idea of Relias is a dangerous one. One cannot use one’s own religious convictions to administrate the lifestyles and beliefs of others whose religious beliefs may not be congruent with those of the latter. It is up to us, the leaders within the United Commune, to ensure the happiness and equality of all those who live under our rule. And though the only course is, most regrettably, their death, the result is our continued prosperity.
We cannot let these Darks shake us. We cannot allow them to make us falter. We must look around us and realize that we are the ones who must step forward and protect our world from those who would seek to harm and destroy it. Luke Semprys and the Darks must be stopped at all costs. As of now I have put Luke and his support group known as the Ditrinity on top priority. Luke Semprys, Nathan Hendrick, the werewolf Pontious Granlow, the Arctanican Morlo Greyhorn, the vampire Vyvyr Syvyr, Trey Scarsborough and the half-Durant known only as Sable have been moved to top priority.
Militarily we will hold nothing back. Effective immediately is a state of martial law which many of you will have seen in effect even before you’ve read this letter. Along with the First Legionnaire I have deployed all special units to counter-act this insurgence. The Reapers are on watch with short-channel teleporters, armored werewolf battalions are on the ground and moving and Monoliths have been sent out in full force. Furthermore, we will increase the number of Skirmishers in our ranks as, with Semprys at large, hand to hand combat has become a regrettable inevitability. Also, as desperate times call for desperate measures I have enlisted the help of ex-military commander Vladmir Frenz. Though many of you feel discomfort and resentment towards his behavior and tactics I hope you will provide him with the resources that he requires to get the job done. With your help and cooperation it’s my hope that this war will be won before it’s been started. For the prosperity of the Commune.
Sincerely
President Marcus Lynch
Chapter 3
The world slowly came into focus, at first being nothing more than a shapeless lights and shades. Then, gradually, the world around him sharpened.
The first thing Luke did was move his hands, feet, and major extremities, voluntarily twitching them to reassure himself of their functionality. He was groggy, weak, heavily medicated. An IV ran from his arm to a plastic bag on one side while his pulse was monitored by a machine standing on the other. He looked towards the window, then to the clock at his bedside, trying to figure out how long he’d been out.
An adjective such as nice was a terrible understatement in describing the room he rested in. The walls were papered with crimson, velvety paper with oak paneling that ran along their lower half. The furniture was exquisite, with an extravagant wooden armoire, a large elegant vanity, and an assortment of art work including a statue of hollow, fully function Legionnaire armor. And the bed, not to be incongruent with the room’s profligate aesthetic, was three times wider than he was tall and even larger lengthwise.
Luke tried to sit up. He winced and he coughed hard, falling back to his back while sliding one hand over to remove the IV.
“Wouldn’t do that.” The door to the room opened up and Hendrick strode in, a pleased smile on his face. In place of the armor he wore a pair of shorts, a graphic T and a pair of flip-flops which clapped with every step he took. He nodded towards the bag hanging to Luke’s right. “That’s how we’ve been feeding ya.”
Luke rested a hand across his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling as he replied. “How long’ve I been out?”
Hendrick looked into space as he thought, getting a mental tally. “I… Let’s see, probably somewhere close to two weeks.”
“That’s a coma.” Luke took another moment to rest his head. It was throbbing. Through squinted eyes he looked around him before asking again. “What is this place?”
“You, my friend, are staying in one of the nicest places in Praemon. Used to be Count Dietrik’s. Lucky to have connections, man. That bed right there’s a down payment on most upper scale houses.”
Now that Hendrick had mentioned it, the bed was remarkably comfortable. Luke wasn’t sure if it was more comfortable than others or if it just felt amazing because he’d been sleeping on a cold cement floor for the past six years. Whatever it was, his pillows were soft, his sheets were warm, and he sunk more than half a foot into his mattress. On the list of things he’d missed the most while in captivity, a nice, comfortable bed was one of them.
In the other room the front door opened and shut. Light footsteps crossed the wooded entry into the living room. Plastic bags rustled as they were set down on the kitchen counter and the footsteps turned towards the bedroom.
“Nate?” Came a young, feminine voice. Hendrick turned his ear towards the door.
“And here’s Sable.” Nate said with a grin, turning back towards the kitchen to greet her. Before closing the door, he looked back to Luke and nodded towards the side of the bed. “Got a few things you might like on the nightstand.” He closed the door behind him and both his and Sable’s voices became muffled behind it. “You get what I asked?”
“You knew I wouldn’t.” She said, the sounds in the other room suggesting she was putting the groceries away. “I got sandwich stuff, some drinks. But I’ve told you over and over you need to quit those disgusting cigars.”
With the newly found silence, Luke laid his head back a relaxed against his overstuffed pillows. His head throbbed. He’d never been out this long. Is this what it’s like to wake up from a coma? People in the movies always just wake up smiling and carry on like they had just woken up from a light, pleasant nap. Whatever the norm was, all Luke knew was that he was in pain. Surprisingly enough, he actually wanted to go back to sleep.
But then the items on the nightstand caught his eye. Immediately any feelings of discomfort were forgotten as he reached a heavy, drowsy hand over to scoop the items up. He brought them in front of them and spread them across the sheets covering his lap. There were two rings. The first was gold, having a large, crimson ruby set in the ring’s crest between a set of golden bird wings, each flanked by six total rubies that ran down either side of the ring’s band. The other ring was platinum, the jewel placed in its top being a deep, brilliant sage green and held in place by what appeared to be the thin, mangled branches of a dying tree, the rest of the tree forming the ring’s band. Next to that was a matte black pocket watch, which Luke immediately popped open. Seeing the positioning of the hands, he exhaled loudly, closed it, and set it back on the nightstand.
Finally he came to a necklace, the platinum surface of its pendant dulled from years of abuse. It was clear that, though the other objects were of great value to him, this piece of jewelry eclipsed them. The pendant was the simplified form of a Razorback, its wings curling down into a circular shape while its tail ran three fourths of the way around the pendant itself, the tip of the tail ending just above its head. It was there that the chain connected. Set in the center of the pendent, resting between the head and the inside of the right, was an empty set of prongs where a large diamond once sat.
Luke’s thought came to an abrupt halt as he stared at it. Rage and sorrow burned in his throat as the memories attached to the pendant came roaring thunderously back to him. The memories became vivid, palpable, and the feelings he felt when they were made became just as real then as they had been long ago. And the brief happiness he felt at their recollection soon dissipated upon the brutal reminder that those memories were the closest things he’d ever have to this person he once knew. His fingers wrapped around
the small, steely Razorback and squeezed until his knuckles turned pale. He held it to his forehead as though hoping to draw some sort of warmth from it.
The door cracked open and Sable stepped through, her battle armor noticeably absent making entirely clear what further perfection was hidden beneath, a characteristic which came as a result of her Singularity. The skinny jeans and white V-neck t-shirt she wore complimented her hourglass curves, the shirt cut so that several inches of her flat, toned midriff were exposed. As spectacular as her body was, the real focal point was her face. Her jawline was slender, graceful, disappearing beneath silky white hair cut into an asymmetrical A-line. Seeing Luke conscious, Sable’s glowing eyes lit up, a small smile spreading across her face. And seeing that smile, that obliviousness, Luke took a deep breath and set the pendant back down onto the nightstand.
After sorting through the grocery bags and realizing Sable was serious about his cigars, Hendrick groaned and rubbed his fingers through what little hair he had. “The day I want you to be my mother I’ll ask.” He said, coming back through the door and standing at her side. “And call up the rest of the Ditrinity. They’re gonna want to know that Luke finally woke up.”
It was as if she hadn’t known. With a new expression shock, Sable looked back at Luke as though he’d rescued her from unavoidable death. She managed a half smile, looking at the newly conscious Luke with renewed energy.
“Hey, Sable.” Luke said with a drowsy sigh.
Sable returned the smile, replying almost in a whisper. “Hey.”
Hendrick looked back and forth between the two, seeing that Sable wasn’t really listening to him. Looking briefly to the ground in a moment of silence, Hendrick grunted and held an open hand out to Sable. “I’ll call ‘em then.”