Press The Line: Ganog Wars Book 3

by Chris Fox

  Nolan spotted Kokar in the last row, closest to the dais. Kokar nodded his encouragement at Nolan, and Nolan nodded back. Then he turned his attention to the Nyar clan leader.

  Grak stared impassively at Nolan, watching with disinterest as Nolan stopped next to the edge of the dais. Yulo stood a meter or two back, leaving Nolan to weather the full storm of Grak's displeasure.

  "My son claims that you hold the key to our salvation," Grak began. "My son is a fool, who preens too much, and listens too little." His fur darkened to a thick, ruddy brown. "I am not a fool, nor do I suffer them. I have no idea what you said or did to turn my son's ear, but it doesn't take much. So tell me why you've come--and know that if your words or your demeanor displease me I will crack your bones and eat the marrow."

  Nolan considered his answer carefully. He could be diplomatic, but that wouldn't work. Brutal honesty was what Grak would respect most.

  "You're no fool?" Nolan asked, folding his arms. He stared hard at the clan leader. "Have you ever fought the Void Wraith, Clan Leader?"

  Grak's lip curled upward. "I warned you to mind your tone, little human."

  "No. The answer is no, you haven't fought the Void Wraith. You have no idea what they're capable of, who made them, or how to stop them. The Kthul--your sworn enemies, as I understand it--now control Imperalis and an armada of Void Wraith." Nolan kept his tone respectful, but didn't mince words. "When those forces come for you, they will crack this world like a nut. They'll tear through your defenses, and they'll ravage this place."

  Grak threw his head back and laughed. It went on for long moments, echoing through the room, and when it finally faded Grak speared Nolan with his gaze.

  "You have fought these Void Wraith," Grak said, "and bested them. If your pitiful race can do it, then I'm not overly concerned. As for the Kthul, we await them eagerly. Let them come, and let them bring their dark masters with them. We are the shield, and we will not break. They will hurl their forces against us like waves crashing on rock. When that wave recedes, we will stand as we always have."

  Nolan changed tactics. "At the very least, let us offer you the technical schematics for the Void Wraith. We can give you their vulnerabilities, and their tactics. Everything from battle footage to detailed tactical reports. We don't ask anything in return."

  Grak waved dismissively at Nolan. "Cease your prattle, human. The Nyar need not resort to dishonorable tactics to find victory. We are not the Vkash, or the pitiful Yog." He shifted his gaze to Yulo.

  If the insult stung Yulo didn't show it. He remained impassive, arms clasped behind him and fur still snowy white.

  Nolan looked to Kokar, but the youth avoided his gaze. Nolan was on his own, and he already knew that no amount of arguing was going to sway Grak. "All right, have it your way. But remember this day when the Void Wraith darken your skies. Remember that there could have been help, if you'd been wise enough to accept it."

  "I could kill you, and your companions. I could destroy that little battleship you arrived in," Grak mused, walking to stand at the edge of the dais, towering over Nolan. "I will not. Instead, I invite you to stay on our world. In fact, I insist. I will have your warp engines disabled, to ensure that you remain. When the Kthul arrive, you will be here to witness the battle. You will see for yourself the might of the Nyar. Now get out of my sight, before I overcome the revulsion of your smell and devour your weak little body."

  Nolan turned sharply on his heel, walking slowly from the chamber. He kept his head high, and his pace measured. T'kon hadn't understated the arrogance of the Nyar, and Nolan had no idea how he was going to fulfill his mission.

  9

  WORKABLE

  Nolan's shoulders didn't unclench until he was safely back aboard the Demetrius. He made for the command deck, where he knew Burke would be. The rank of Major didn't exactly correspond to its use in the old UFC. Burke was part major, part ship's captain. It was a change Nolan himself had lobbied for, made possible through core technology. Since a core handled almost all basic ship's functions, a bridge crew wasn't really necessary.

  The lift slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open to show the command deck. It was tiny, even when compared to the Johnston or the Peregrine. A holosphere dominated the center of the room, currently displaying the Nyar system.

  Burke's serious face was illuminated by the glow of the hologram, his eyes locked on the Warp Anchor. He looked up as Nolan entered, giving a neutral nod. "It didn't go well, I take it?"

  "About as expected." Nolan shook his head, moving to join Burke at the hologram. "Not only did the Nyar not listen, but they've insisted we remain here to watch the battle."

  "Wait, how is that even going to be possible?" Burke asked skeptically. "I've been wracking my brain about the warp anchor, and I can't think of any way past it."

  "I can," Nolan countered. "I wrestled with it too, for a long time. After meeting Grak, I have a pretty good idea of how the Kthul are going to get inside."

  "Are you going to share, or are you enjoying that smug ten-steps-ahead thing you do?"

  "I'm going to enjoy it for a bit, I think." Nolan smiled at the hologram. "If I'm right, the Kthul should appear any time, in exactly the same spot we did."

  Burke stroked his beard with two fingers, then stopped. His eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying what I think you're saying? Those arrogant shit-talkers are going to let them in, aren't they?"

  "That's my guess." Nolan wasn't surprised Burke had figured it out so quickly. "If you're the Kthul, you show up and taunt Grak. Grak gets mad and lowers the gate so you can come in and fight. Grak is convinced he'll win this fight."

  As if on queue, the holosphere flickered. New vessels began appearing, one after another. The dreadnoughts appeared first, their spidery limbs extending toward the world below. Nolan counted seven. A flurry of cruisers and destroyers appeared next, baby spiders next to their dark mothers.

  "How many ships do the Nyar have?" Burke asked, moving to peer at the newly arrived enemy fleet.

  "Not enough. I counted five dreadnoughts, but two of them looked like they'd been through a meat grinder. I suspect those were the survivors of the attack on Imperalis." He sized up the enemy ships. "I don't see any Void Wraith with them, but that doesn't mean much. They could be cloaked."

  "Did the Nyar accept the intel you offered?" Burke asked. "They'll be able to detect any cloaked Void Wraith."

  "Of course not. That would have made way too much sense. No, Grak and his people are all about the heroic last stand. I don't think he even cares if they all die, as long as they do it spitting in the face of the Nameless Ones." Part of Nolan couldn't blame them for the obsessive hatred. It was a hatred he shared. He would do anything to find and destroy every surviving Gorthian, and if that meant dying...well, he was comfortable with the cost.

  "So they refused the intel that would let them fight a brand new enemy they've never encountered," Burke said, clearly dumbfounded, "and they're going to open the door and just let that enemy walk in? How do we think this is going to turn out?"

  "Badly," Nolan said. "And I know where you're going with this. Even if I thought we should flee--and I don't--we can't. They've locked us down with the warp anchor. We're stuck on this world."

  "So you want to stay here and get slaughtered?" Burke snapped, glaring at Nolan. "Come on, we need a real plan."

  "The best I've got is cloaking and hiding. Our improved drive will keep us undetectable to all parties. We watch events play out, and hope like hell we find the right opportunity to help. I have a feeling that the Nyar are going to need us."

  "It's workable," Burke allowed. "Let's get the ship battened down and ready to fly. We're going to need to find a safe place in that forest--someplace deep enough to avoid scans."

  "I imagine Kokar probably has some ideas about where that might be," Nolan said. "I'll see if I can get hold of him before we leave."

  He turned back to the spire with a sigh. The Nyar were about to get the same treatmen
t humanity and the Tigris had gotten when they'd first encountered the Void Wraith.

  10

  NOWHERE IS SAFE

  Zakanna listened quietly as the others debated possible courses of action. It was a tactic her mother had taught her, and one she'd grown up perfecting: Listen to everyone give their counsel, and only when you understood all possible options did you lend your voice to the discussion.

  "The only way to win this battle is to secure the beacon, we agree on that," Khar said, resting both hands on the edge of the dais. He stared a challenge at the others, as fierce as ever--perhaps more so.

  Zakanna had seen the way Khar looked to Fizgig. It was the same way she looked to Yulo, and part of why she now felt lost without his presence.

  "But we do not agree on how," Takkar countered, shaking his head. "Sending in a small strike team is foolish. It would mean entrusting the fate of the fleet to the work of a single squad. If the squad fails, the fleet is wiped out. It's madness."

  "It is not madness," Fizgig said, her calm enviable. "Send in a small strike team comprised of our most able warriors. Seize the beacon, and turn the Void Wraith on their masters. Only then do we warp in the fleet."

  "If the team fails, you leave them to die," T'kon said, nodding in understanding. "I agree; this is the best plan. Ultimately, we risk nothing but the strike team. We need to move the fleet anyway, so why not jump it closer to Imperalis? We can take up a hidden position within a single jump, then warp in if the team succeeds. If not, we either try another team or warp away and devise a new plan."

  Fizgig cocked her head, eyes distant. She licked her chops, then spoke to the group: "I've just received word from Nolan. The Kthul fleet arrived at Nyar. This fool, Grak, has lowered their defenses and allowed the Kthul inside."

  "I'm not surprised," Zakanna said, sourly. She kept the emotion from her fur, but only just. "Grak is as hidebound as they come and will not accept change. He honors the old ways, and that means battling your enemy on an open plain. It is the worst kind of pride."

  "Clan Leader," came a timid voice from behind Takkar. A Saurian strode forward, bobbing a curtsy next to Takkar. "A thousand apologies, but an enemy fleet has just warped in-system. We are under attack."

  Zakanna looked up through the observatory dome. A sizable enemy fleet had arrived--half a dozen dreadnoughts supported by three times their number in heavy cruisers. They were already launching fighters, their main cannons charging.

  Six fully functional dreadnoughts unleashed a volley, all aimed unerringly at the Vkash's Fist. The vessel shuddered under each impact, the shield rippling to blue, then red. By the third shot it had faded entirely, leaving the ship naked to the other three shots.

  The first punched through the dome almost directly above them, and air rushed out into space. A second hole appeared a few hundred meters away. Debris exploding outward even as the islands under the hole followed. The third hit made something grind deep in the ship, from the engines.

  Long moments later, membranes appeared over the holes, stopping the loss of atmosphere.

  "I don't understand," Zakanna said, staring up in horror. "What are they hoping to accomplish? We can merely warp away."

  "Do it!" Takkar roared at the techsmith. "Order all vessels to warp to point alpha."

  "Of course, Clan Leader." The Saurian bobbed another curtsy, frantic pulses of data flowing from her arcanotome. After several moments her face fell, and she shrank into her robes. "Clan Leader, we are unable to warp away. Our drive has been sabotaged. Reports are coming in from the rest of the fleet. Other warp drives have been disabled.."

  "Clever," Fizgig said. "They knew we'd attempt to scatter, so they've ensured we cannot leave. We fight, or die."

  "Those treacherous bastards," Takkar roared. "They must have spies on my ship. Seeker sympathizers." He glanced up, his fur going ashen. "We cannot fight a battle within and a battle without at the same time."

  "Which they no doubt know." Zakanna sighed wearily. "We have no choice but to retake the ship, and before that can happen Kthul cruisers will have already boarded. That's assuming they don't just end us. Their cannons are nearly recharged."

  "We have been badly outmaneuvered," Fizgig said, shaking her head. Her tail slashed behind her, lazily. "Look at those ships. They are untouched by war, every turret operational. Our own fleet is heavily damaged. Even if we retook the ship immediately, the Kthul would crush us. More, I think you will find that the warp drive is not the only thing they sabotaged."

  Takkar rounded on the techsmith. "Fire the main cannon. Now! Deploy all fighters."

  "Clan Leader, the main cannon is nonfunctional," the Saurian said. A series of pulses flowed to and from the arcanotome. "We are deploying fighters, but there are reports of fighting on the lower islands."

  The dreadnought shuddered under another volley, this one targeting their engines exclusively. Takkar looked up at them, defeated. "I've no doubt they'll dock soon, bringing over enough troops to pacify this vessel. Our alliance is doomed, before it even really began."

  Zakanna's fur shifted to a whirling pink-white as she struggled for control. They'd endured so much, yet every challenge they overcame was followed by a worse one.

  11

  THE MISSION IS YOURS

  Khar clenched and unclenched his hands, preparing himself for combat. There was no immediate threat, but that would come soon enough. He took a protective step toward Zakanna, and she did the same toward him.

  "Zakanna." Fizgig walked slowly toward the empress, removing a silvery belt from her waist. "This is a stealth belt. It will cloak you from almost all known sensors, including anything the Void Wraith have. It will be useful both here and on the strike team you will lead to Imperalis." She handed the belt to Zakanna.

  "I don't understand," Zakanna said, her eyebrows knitting together in consternation. "Won't you need it?"

  "I will not be leaving." Fizgig sat on the edge of the dais and began massaging her thigh. Khar had seen her perform the motion often since her final battle with Admiral Mow during the war with the Void Wraith.

  "Why?" Khar demanded. "There is absolutely no reason to stay. If we flee, we flee together. Those who remain behind will die."

  "Ah, I see her plan now," Takkar said. "One step ahead of me, again." He walked around the dais, kneeling respectfully before Fizgig. "I have misjudged you--assumed that you were a treacherous opponent, honorless and callow. You know honor as truly as any Ganog, and you are the worthiest foe I have ever faced."

  Fizgig blinked at him, but said nothing.

  "Ahh," T'kon said. "I believe I understand as well. The seekers are coming for Takkar, so he cannot leave. If he flees, they will chase him. If he stays, he occupies them long enough for the rest of us to flee."

  "Indeed," Takkar said, "but what I do not understand is why Fizgig must also stay. There's no reason for anyone else to remain." He rose to his feet. "Fizgig, you are the finest commander among us. This admission pains me, but it is the truth. If we are to win this war, we will need you to lead it."

  "No, you won't," Fizgig said. She nodded at Khar. "The real battle will take place on Imperalis. The real battle is taking the Beacon. We have an opportunity here--a way to turn their victory into the secret dagger aimed at their heart. Let them take us both. They will believe they've decapitated the serpent, and it will make them careless." She turned to T'kon. "You should battle your way back to your vessel as quickly as possible. You will very likely be caught in the attempt, but I do not believe they will kill you."

  "Why not?" T'kon asked, clearly puzzled.

  His wife, Jehanna, spoke. "Because they have plans for the Azi," she said, eyes widening. Her fur brightened. "They seek to turn us back to the Nameless Ones, and T'kon's name would lend great strength to their cause. If they capture us, they will use you to get more of our people to capitulate. They will likely use a threat to me to secure your cooperation."

  "You married well, T'kon." Fizgig nodded respectfully at
Jehanna. "This one sees clearly. Keep her close."

  "Let us depart, then. If Jehanna and I gain our freedom, we will take the fleet to a safe place to gather survivors." T'kon hurried toward a transport disk. Jehanna moved with him, and their guards followed behind.

  "Khar," Fizgig said. "The mission is yours. Get to Aluki's cruiser. Go to Imperalis, and find a way to seize control of the beacon. With or without the fleet, turn the Void Wraith back on their masters."

  "Mighty Fizgig," Khar lowered his cheek, brushing it against hers.

  She stepped back with a look of distaste, then began cleaning the fur where he'd left his scent. Yet she didn't chastise him.

  "I will lead this mission, and I will succeed. Come, Zakanna. We have a planet to win back."

  They hurried to a transport disk on the opposite side from T'kon and climbed aboard. It zoomed over the edge, carrying them toward the lower section of the ship. Below, Ganog elites fought on many islands. The chaos was total, and there was no way to distinguish friend from foe. They all wore the same armor, and fought with similar weapons.

  "How does this stealth belt work?" Zakanna asked, buckling it around her waist. It fit her, just barely. She was larger than Fizgig.

  "It generates a field that will bend light," Khar explained, "cloaking you on that spectrum. It will also dampen your thermal signature, but cannot erase it entirely." The disk zoomed a wide path around another island, no more than forty meters from the fighting. "The belts consume enormous energy, and the internal battery will only last for about two hours. We must move swiftly, and conserve power where possible."

  "Reaching the cruiser will be impossible. That's where the Kthul reinforcements will be docking," Zakanna's fur had settled to an eggshell white, not as pristine as Yulo's but impressive nonetheless.