The door opened, and War Spy 325 approached his War Master with respect and without fear, “War Spy: Daniel Sjach, reporting for duty,” He wasn't due to report for another three hours.
“You're early, Commander Sjach,” Master Malsvir greeted, “Your plan is working flawlessly. Tell Lieutenant Star that if that Pirate Training Vessel is not what she said it was and is, in fact, a private civilian vessel. She will be executed where she stands for wasting my most prized soldiers on a bad mission. What news from the front lines, Commander?” he asked.
“Lieutenant Star was right, the Valient Knights are fighting the new recruits and Valient Sword is facing Kinwan. Corvet`e would like to speak with you on this matter,” War Spy 325 reported. “He is on his way down here now, Master,”
“Very well, Commander. You will remain here through his ranting and then I will confer with you more about your inhibitor bracelets,” Malsvir ordered.
“Yes, Master,” War Spy 325 replied as the doors opened, Corvet`e entering the Meditation Gallery.
“War Spy 325, leave us!” Corvet`e ordered while War Spy 325 stood at attention in the Meditation Gallery. Seeing that 325 was not moving, he came very close to his face, “I said, leave us!” War Spy 325 would not budge. “Do you have cloth in your ears. I said..,”
“Lord Corvet`e, silence!” Malsvir ordered coldly, “Commander Sjach at ease, and both of you sit down!”
“Yes, Emperor Malsvir,” Corvet`e replied.
“Yes, Master,” War Spy 325 replied. Two chairs lowered from the ceiling, and they followed orders, taking their seats. Malsvir remained standing with his hands folded behind his back.
“Why do you order my personal War Spy, as if he were yours? Do you wish to question your Emperor?” Malsvir asked.
“No, my Emperor,” Corvet`e shyly responded, “I came here to ask a question about my War Spy,”
“What is it?” Malsvir asked.
“Did you wish to kill War Spy 313, if she gave you false intelligence?” Corvet`e asked.
“Yes, if it were false intelligence, the ship would have been a civilian vessel. That would have been wasting my time and resources,” Malsvir replied.
“Shouldn't I be the one to terminate her? After all, I am her Master,” Corvet`e asked.
“And I am your Emperor. Does that make sense to you, Lord Corvet`e?” Malsvir said angrily.
“Yes, Emperor Malsvir,”
“Report, Captain Corvet`e,”
Corvet`e cleared his throat, giving his report, “The Shadow Fleet is taking on heavy fire in the Elemental Sector and the Royal Fleet is winning against the PRA Crimson Stingray and the PRA Crimson Firetrogg in the Shadi Sector. The Manewar Fleet is requesting assistance from us, it is under fire in the Cetearan Sector,”
“What of the WLI Knight Carrier?” Malsvir asked.
“No word back from Valient Sword. Last I heard, he was sending five others to face the cadets. He was ordered to remain on the Knight Carrier, but he hasn't checked in for the past three hours,” Corvet`e reported.
“He had better report back within the next hour, or I will assassinate not only your personal spy, but Valient Sword, as well,” Malsvir hissed.
Suddenly, the entire Meditation Gallery shook. The WLE flagship was under attack. Malsvir shot Corvet`e a look of anger, as did War Spy 325. Corvet`e ran to the Main Bridge of the War Shadow.
“I swear that Lord Corvet`e will pay for this unwanted attack on the War Lord Empire's flagship, Master,” War Spy 325 replied.
“View the Battle Bridge, Commander,” Malsvir ordered. The War Spy ran to the portrait of the Argoni Royal Palace painted by Barton Breeze. War Spy 325 pressed his thumb on the west balcony of the portrait and the palace vanished to reveal the private cameras on the Main Bridge. The War Shadow was facing a new foe that Malsvir had never seen before. Malsvir could not foresee the new enemy attacking them, either. The enemy vessels were like giant silver diamonds in space and there were three of these vessels. The enemy vessels were firing on the War Shadow in a pattern that Malsvir recognized all too well.
The enemy vessels were merely scouting and probing the area of this sector for any intelligent life forms. The War Shadow was deflecting the fire from the enemy vessels. Malsvir realized that the three enemy vessels were scout ships, but from what planet and sector. The new enemy vessels were probing the War Shadow's shields and weapon systems.
“Master, what are they and where do they come from?” War Spy 325 asked.
“I don't know, my disciple, but Corvet`e had better retreat before those probes do more than just scan our weapon systems and shields,” Malsvir replied with caution, as he ran to the Main Bridge with War Spy 325 at his heels.
On the Main Bridge of the War Shadow
“Open fire on its central core,” Corvet`e ordered his personal War Spy at the tactical station.
“Yes, Sir,” War Spy 313 replied. She then fired zotium torpedoes at the nearest enemy vessel. The enemy vessel was destroyed and forty pale skinned humanoids came out of the debris. They resembled the Gemanites that were wiped by the Griffins eons ago.
“Gemanites! I thought they went extinct,” Corvet`e replied as the bodies appeared to be drifting toward the War Shadow.
“The Gemanites were very intelligent, Master,” War Spy 313 reported to her captain.
“Yes, they were also ancient slave traders and were technologically more advanced than the Talyardians of that time,” Malsvir replied as he entered the Main Bridge with War Spy 325 at his side. “If I'm not mistaken those bodies aren't drifting, they are flying toward our ship at the rate of fourteen miles per hour. No body with that momentum can drift toward us like that,” Malsvir noted as one of the bodies attached itself to the hull of the War Shadow.
The alarms on the War Shadow were suddenly triggered indicating intruders were in the ship.
“Invader Alarm! Security detail to Sector G-25!” War Spy 313 ordered.
“I told you those ships were decoys! The real threats were the floating bodies,” Malsvir replied as War Spy 313 left the Main Bridge and headed toward Sector G-25.
“How can they breathe in space?” asked Corvet`e, “They didn't have breathing equipment,”
“Who said they were biological?” Malsvir replied in question.
“What… like the Generals?” Corvet`e asked with disdain in his voice.
“I did say the Gemanites were technologically advanced for their time. These could be the next stage in Android evolution. The Gemanites were probably enslaved and wiped out by their own creation. War Spy 325, you will assist War Spy 313 in Sector G-25 with the capture of one of those new androids. Understand, my disciple?” Malsvir requested.
“Yes, Master,” War Spy 325 replied, leaving the Main Bridge, obeying Malsvir’s order.
“Emperor Malsvir, why would you want to capture those monstrosities of nature and send them to the Main Brig? Wouldn't that place us as risk of them discovering all of our records of the War Lord Empire?” Corvet`e asked boldly.
Malsvir mentioned, “I have a special brig for machines like those mechanical abominations. It will not be able interface with the Main Computer without a terminal,”
“What if they don't need a terminal?” Corvet`e made a point.
“That would be very unlikely, Lord Corvet`e,” Malsvir replied crisply.
War Spies 325 and 313 were at Sector G-25 and they found no signs of the intruders, at all. No hole in the hull or bodies of the Security Officers and Royal Guards they sent here fifteen minutes ago. War Spy 325 looked down the corridor to see the Royal Guards coming at them with swords raised at the War Spies. The Security Guards never seem to show up on time, at least the Royal Guards do their jobs well. The Royal Guards sheathed their Argoni Sabers when they spotted the Emperor's personal Spy.
“Where are the intruders, War Spy 313?” The Head Royal Guard asked furiously.
“The Main Bridge sensors said they were here. So, unless the intruders hacked into the Main
Frame of the War Shadow by remote, they are here in this sector,” War Spy 313 hissed at the Head Royal Guard.
“They are androids and could be more advanced than the Great Brain of the Generals itself,” War Spy 325 replied cautiously.
“They could have interfaced with the Main Frame by remote, then. They must have purged into the Main Frame to create an Invader Alarm here and leave the Main Bridge without them being in the ship at all,” War Spy 313 noted as they walked with the Royal Guards back to the Main Bridge.
“If they can hack via remote; they can also control the weapons and shields and with two enemy vessels still out there..,” War Spy 325 reported to the Head Royal Guard. They all started to run back to the Main Bridge.
War Spy 325 noticed a small hole in the hull in Sector D-15 and the weapons of the five Security Officers that were going report to Sector G-25 on the floor of the next corridor. He stopped to a complete halt in front of that sector.
“What is it, Daniel?” War Spy 313 asked curiously.
“Look at the ceiling of this corridor and this,” War Spy 325 said, as he retrieved one of the rifles that belonged Security Officer Fedukes. “They are now slaves to those androids,”
War Spy 313 asked, “How do you know that?”
“The Gemanites were ancient slave traders. You really should read your history, Vi,” War Spy 325 replied bitterly.
“The Gemanites are extinct, I thought,” The Head Royal Guard replied back. War Spy 325 filled them all in on the conversation that the Emperor had with Lord Corvet`e on the way to the Main Bridge. They entered the Main Bridge and saw three enemy androids in a fight with their Emperor and Lord Corvet`e. War Spy 325 grabbed his Argoni Saber and lunged at the nearest android that was attacking his Master. War Spy 313 threw the two remaining androids into a wall.
The Royal Guards fired at the two stunned androids that were pinned by War Spy 313 against the wall. The androids were blown to rubble, as the third was still attacking Emperor Malsvir with two built-in swords from its wrists. Emperor Malsvir was deflecting each blow with difficulty. War Spy 325 came from behind the android, as the android spoke these words “Atron Slave Trader JKSE-12..,” he was sliced in two.
“Thank you, my disciple. I would be a slave or worse if you hadn't intervened. As for my Royal Guards will each be promoted for your bravery and quick thinking,” Malsvir praised them.
“Yes, my Emperor,” The Royal Guards said together, as War Spy 325 bowed his head to his Master in respect.
“Where are the Security Officers you called?” Corvet`e asked curiously.
“They were kidnapped by these 'Atron' things, my Master,” War Spy 313 reported. “Their weapons and gear were lying on the floor in Corridor D-12 next to a breach in the hull in that sector.”
“That is impossible! There was no report from the computer of a hull breach, at all,” Emperor Malsvir said crisply.
“The intruders have the ability to hack into our systems via remote access, Master. They came on the War Shadow in Sector D-15 and hacked in the mainframe, falsified their true entry point, and made sure the computer would not report hull breach in that sector. I was the one who spotted gear and weapons on the corridor floor to everyone, Master,” War Spy 325 reported.
“Is this true, Guard Drake?” asked Emperor Malsvir.
“Yes, my Emperor,” The Head Royal Guard replied.
“Well then,” Emperor Malsvir sighed. “The slave traders have our Security Officers. I order that we retreat to the Elemental Sector to assist the Shadow Fleet.”
“Yes, Sir,” Corvet`e replied.
The War Shadow blasted into Phantom Space toward the Elemental Sector away from the battle with strange new androids. The last remaining Atron vessel was repairing their sister ship that only was cloaked and partly damaged.
3 - Aboard the Plunder Trainer, Danger Deck 3
Righteous Breastplate was fighting the cadets with his fellow Knights when she spotted a golden quarterstaff with four gemstones embedded in the handle. The gemstones were lined up in a row. The quarterstaff was wedged inside a chest of gold coins with Seal of Valient on its lid.
“Valient Sword, do you read me?” Faithful Shield asked on his wrist comm-unit. “Light Helmet, Valient Sword isn't responding to my calls,”
“These cadets are toast when we're through with them,” True Belt boasted as he shot the two Wind Elves with biokinetic energy. The Wind Elves laughed at him. “Why do you mock me, you freaks?” True Belt replied angrily.
“That is like magic, and you are feeding us. You're stupid, aren't you?” the Wind Elves laughed as they threw the energy back at True Belt.
True Belt howled in pain, as he received a taste of his own medicine. True Belt drew his sword and started to slice at the Wind Elves. The Wind Elves laughed at him again. True Belt's sword drifted right through them.
“You're a slow learner aren't you, True Belt? You can't slice the wind,” the Wind Elves laughed whole heartily at him. The Wind Elves sensed something mystical at work with the Valient Knights. The Valient Knights were under the Spell of Control by the way they fought. The fact that the Valient Knights shouldn't be there at all.
“The Valient Knights are under the Spell of Control,” One of the Wind Elves reported to Xanatos.
“What do you mean by that, Wind Elf?” Xanatos asked wearily.
“Xanatos, you all right?” asked Kingsley.
“I'm not use to this forcatanium room. That's all, why would you care about me anyway?” Xanatos asked as he tried to shake off the null like feeling from his head. Kingsley blushed as she fought Faithful Shield with Xanatos barely at her side back to back.
“Oh, are you feeling a little brain-dead, Cadet Xanatos?” Faithful Shield asked with a bit of tease in his voice. Xanatos sliced at Faithful Shield's arm with a sword that he found in the room. Faithful Shield howled in pain as he started to bleed from the wound; Kingsley struck a fire-like punch at Faithful Shield's chest, making him fall to the floor.
“They are under a type of mind controlling spell through their wrist comm-units,” the Wind Elf explained as he tried to remove the wrist comm-unit from True Belt's wrist. The Wind Elf pinned True Belt to the wall and pulled the wrist comm-unit from his wrist. True Belt screamed in pain before he passed out; the symbiont rested and its host revealed himself.
“Gary, what were you doing inside True Belt?” Xanatos asked the Argoni man. “I understand what you are saying,” Xanatos replied as he sliced off the wrist comm-unit of Faithful Shield. The wrist comm-unit fell to the floor and the symbiont rested to reveal another Argoni that Xanatos recognized. “George, you were Faithful Shield?” He replied to the now conscious Argoni man.
“Who's Faithful Shield?” George Freeman asked clueless. “Where am I? The last thing I remember is being on board the Shadow Jet in the middle of a practice run through the Shuttle Race Finals for the Third Year Cup. Gary Vault is my co-pilot. We were running through Gemani Asteroid Belt, when we saw a strange dragon head shaped vessel approaching us there. There was a flash of light and then I was here. Rudigger, is that you. You look so much older,”
“It's Xanatos, now. Oh, by the way, the Shuttle Race Cup is now at their 43rd winning cup this year. You have been out of the loop for 40 years,” Xanatos replied to the disoriented Argoni as he sliced off Peaceful Protector's wrist comm-unit and his aunt, Vivian was revealed as that Knight.
Light Helmet and Righteous Breastplate were the last two Knights. They appeared to be working together against the Talyardians and Griffins. Xanatos looked at Kingsley and nodded at her. She knew what he was thinking and turned into a Ruby Dragon. Kingsley was in her dragon form and used her tail to slice off Light Helmet's and Righteous Breastplate's wrist comm-units. Righteous Breastplate screamed louder than Light Helmet. The symbionts were free from War Master Malsvir's control.
The people that were the Valient Knights hosts were now all conscious and looking at their new surroundings a little confused. The former Lig
ht Helmet symbiont's host realized where she was and kept silent. George Freeman recognized the room he was in and the type of vessel he was on.
“I am Scarlet Bolt of the United Planetary Alliance. What is this vessel's destination?” The former Righteous Breastplate symbiont's host said, as she scratched at the breastplate symbol on her shirt. The symbol began to glow a reddish color. The other Knights' symbols started to glow, as well. “Thank you, Master Hackman for freeing us from Master Malsvir's clutches. We are forever in your debt,” Righteous Breastplate said through Scarlet Bolt. The five Valient Knights vanished with their hosts.
“Wait! Where is the legendary Valient Sword?” asked Xanatos, but they were long gone.
“Why, right behind you,” Valient Sword said venomously in the shadows. “I have just the right thing for you, Dragonling,” he said, as he began to play a Draconian lullaby on a golden flute. The Ruby Dragon turned back into Kingsley and started to sway to the melody.
“Karen, don't listen to flute!” Xanatos ordered, but he was too late for she was fast asleep.
“Wind Elves, I have a surprise for you,” Valient Sword replied as he shot a laser beam at them. The Wind Elves screamed in pain and started trembling in fear. The Griffins were quivering at the sound the laser made. The Talyardians were cowering from the laser when it was fired. Xanatos thought he was the only hope for the Knight's redemption.
Xanatos grabbed the sword that he first spotted when all the cadets walked in the room, and deflected the laser beam back to its source. Valient Sword howled in pain, as laser beam hit him. Valient Sword was outraged by the change in his plan after the laser beam was done firing.
“You haven't seen the last of me, Cadet Xanatos!” Valient Sword scowled as he vanished in a cloud of smoke.
“Let's hope so,” Xanatos replied to the smoke. He rushed to aide his fellow cadets, “are you all right?” he helped the lead Wind Elf to his feet. The Wind Elves were in so much pain that they couldn't be in their purest form, so Xanatos could actually touch them.
Seeds of the Pirate Rebels Page 2