by Dan Worth
Razortail caressed the contours of Katherine’s body with the tip of the scalpel he held in his right hand, the left pinned her struggling form to the floor. It was a perverse action, a grotesque parody of a lover’s touch. She gasped for air against the crushing grip.
‘Now Arkari, I want you to tell me how you located and activated this installation. Do not try to lie to me.’ Razortail shot him a crazed look.
‘Believe it or not it was purely by chance.’
‘No I do not believe. I think you were sent here by your government to activate this portal for the use of yourselves and the Commonwealth. Now answer my question or I cut her open.’
‘For God’s sake, listen to him!’ said Katherine, struggling to get her words against Razortail’s grip. ‘He’s telling the truth, we found it by chance!’
‘Very well, tell me Arkari. I will hear you out, but if I think that you are lying…’
‘This is the truth, Razortail. We were sent here on an archaeological dig by our university. We came to help the Dendratha excavate some grave sites in and around their temple. When we opened the chamber in the undercroft we found a hatchway that led to this place.’
‘Then how did you activate the machines? You must have had prior knowledge!’
‘We didn’t. My ship... it… it contains an AI entity like the one that runs this place. It activated the portal, I don’t know how.’
‘Then where is this ship you speak of?’
‘It passed through the portal shortly before your fleet arrived, we don’t know where it leads.’
‘I think you are making all of this up Cor. Perhaps I should hurt your human friend in order to jog your memory.’
‘No! For fuck’s sake don’t hurt her!’
‘And why not? What is a mere human to a great Arkari such as yourself?’ sneered Razortail.
‘Please! Just listen to me. There’s more.’
‘Do tell.’
‘Before we came here we investigated an ancient wreck found floating between the systems the humans call Arcturus and Barnard’s Star. It was extremely old, a million years or more in fact, but it contained Arkari bodies and artefacts. We recovered the ship’s log and it told of an ancient Arkari star culture. It contained images of this place! We didn’t know what they were until the portal activated but there’s no mistaking what they portray.’
‘A remarkable coincidence. Now you expect me to believe you didn’t know anything about this portal even though you claim you saw images of it before you uncovered it? What are the odds of you being sent to the very same planet, as the one you say you saw in the records of a million year old shipwreck, you just happened to board?’
‘I swear it’s true!’
‘I think you are only telling me half the story Cor, I think you are an agent of the Arkari government. It matters not of course, the Empire will claim this system for its own one way or another and we will use the portal as we see fit.’
Hollow laughter drifted through the air. Razortail looked about him and saw the golden figures of Maran dancing in the vacuum above the energy field.
‘Claim this system as your own?’
‘Well that’s an extravagant claim.’
‘How do you plan to do that you snivelling fanatic?’ mocked the trio.
‘Our battle fleets will wipe the Commonwealth stain from this system then this portal will be ours!’ he snarled back.
‘Really? I hate to point out that you’d first have to coerce me into co-operating with you. Don’t think that you can remove my AI core and replace it with one of your primitive devices. Only I can control the portal.’
‘You co-operated with the Arkari once,’ muttered Rekkid under his breath.
‘Indeed I did Professor. I did it in the false belief that they would release me from this place.’
‘Your people lied to me.’
‘Lied to me!’
‘Then would you co-operate with the Empire?’ said Razortail.
‘No I would not.’
‘I despise you all.’
‘Human, Arkari and K’Soth alike.’
The three figures pirouetted in mid-air, and merged into one for a moment.
‘Besides,’ said Maran. ‘Your claims of seizing this system seem a little exaggerated given the circumstances.’
‘What do you mean by that!?’ snarled Razortail, angrily.
‘Perhaps I should show you? Deep underground, you’ve obviously been out of touch with current events.’
A vast holographic projection appeared in the space behind Maran. It depicted the battle underway above and around the planet. Dozens of capital ships, hundreds of fighters, thousands of humans and K’Soth were fighting and dying for possession of the planet. Wreckage and crippled ships lay spread across thousands of kilometres of space in a ragged trail of destruction. Bright energy beams pierced the night and split ships asunder. The K’Soth were losing, badly.
‘So much death,’ mused Maran.
‘So much pain and suffering, and for what?’
‘You people disgust me.’
‘We will take this system!’ Razortail responded angrily. ‘Hundreds more ships of the Imperial Navy are on their way. All are ready to die for their Emperor!’
‘How very noble of them,’ Maran replied sarcastically. ‘But what is the point?’
‘That we may spread the Light throughout this galaxy, which by right is ours to take!’ cried Razortail, flecks of spittle flying from his jaws.
‘Oh yes that’s right. What a better place it would be if you exported your brand of religious bigotry and totalitarianism to a hundred billion systems.’ Maran shot back
‘Better us than those heathens from Earth, or the Arkari!’
‘The humans aren’t quite as appalling as you, but still, they only engineered this conflict in the name of pan-galactic capitalism, political expediency and nepotism. It’s quite sickening when you consider it. At least you could never accuse the K’Soth of being duplicitous profiteers. I reserve a special contempt for the Arkari however. They aspire to godhood in their arrogance. Little do they know the truth about their true place in the universe. They are as worms compared to such as I, and the other things that live at the core.’ Maran sounded as if he were gloating, his voice had lowered to a dramatic whisper. ‘They speak to me sometimes you know. This…’ he gestured at the battle scene behind him. ‘This is only the beginning. War, chaos, death. They are exploiting your own weaknesses and using them against you as they did to us once. Though I have come to an understanding with them. I have my own part to play…’
‘What are you talking about, foul creature?’ barked Razortail.
‘Oh, you’ll find out soon,’ Maran giggled. ‘Oh by the way, is this your mighty battle fleet, the one you just told me about?’ He switched the image so that it showed a view of hyperspace. It tracked an arrowhead of over a thousand warp signatures.
‘Yes, that is our fleet. Magnificent isn’t it?’ replied Razortail proudly.
‘Indeed, not as magnificent as this though.’ The image panned towards Commonwealth space, where five huge fleets were converging on the system. Combined, they were almost equal in number to the K’Soth force. ‘You see,’ said Maran, ‘unlike your pathetic Empire the Commonwealth has not been idle since their last war with you. You must give the humans some credit for their diligence and industrious nature. At least they aren’t flying around in the same antique wrecks that you are fifty years on. Each of those ships is worth at least two of yours I’d say.’
‘Rubbish, we are guided by the Light of God…’
Maran cut him off. ‘Does that account for your lack of strategy also? Charging blindly into battle without a second thought? Your fleet is doomed, Inquisitor. They are already in hyperspace, so you must know that there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it except to sit here and watch them die.’
Razortail turned his attention back to Katherine.
‘There is one Human at least I can k
ill.’ He said trembling with fury. ‘By the Light I will make it last!’
At that instant the sound of running feet rang out against the metal floor. Razortail turned to look and saw the figure of an armoured human charging down the roadway towards him. He dropped Katherine and reached for his weapons.
Rekkid saw the whole thing as if in slow motion. As Razortail let go of Katherine the two guards pinning him did likewise as they fumbled for their side arms. He saw Steven charging at break neck speed towards them, saw him hurl the K’Soth blade he carried at Razortail’s exposed head then reach for the plasma rifle slung across his back. The blade spun gracefully through the air, end over end over end. Steven’s aim was true, the weapon would not miss. Rekkid held his breath.
There was a bright blue flash. The portal blinked for a second.
Razortail was gone. The two guards were gone.
The sword swept through the empty air that had, until a split second ago, contained the Inquisitor. It clattered off the side wall and came to rest on the road surface. Steven looked at it in amazement before running over to Katherine and helping her to her feet. He held her for a moment.
‘Katherine, are you alright? Are you hurt?’
‘Not really, I’m a little bruised where he held me down but…’
‘You’re lucky to be alive, both of you,’ said Steven, relief obvious in his voice. ‘My god, that Inquisitor tortured half a dozen Dendratha to death before he came for you.’
Rekkid had picked himself up off the floor. He strode over to Steven and clasped his hand firmly.
‘We thought you were dead Steven. My, it’s good to see you again.’
‘How did you survive?’ Katherine asked. ‘We thought everyone had been killed.’
‘Some survived as well as me. We hid in basements and cellars and escaped the worst of the bombardment. Some just got lucky.’ He shook his head grimly. ‘The city’s been partially flattened and it's still full of bands of K’Soth. I tried to lead a squad of marines through the city but they were all killed. A tank crew picked me up and brought me here.’
‘Steven I don’t know what you just did to that Inquisitor and his guards but we owe you our lives,’ said Rekkid. ‘I… I can’t thank you enough. Razortail would have killed us both.’
‘I didn’t do anything. I threw the blade but… what the hell happened?’ He looked up and saw the dancing figures in the air. They were giggling madly.
‘Did you like my trick?’ asked Maran. ‘Wasn’t it fun? And all along you both thought I’d let you die! Heehee!’
‘Why you…’ Rekkid started.
‘It was all a game! A lovely game! Can’t you see the funny side?’
‘None of us are laughing Maran,’ said Katherine.
‘Well… humour is such a matter of personal taste,’ replied the figures. ‘Oh well, you can leave if you like. Or perhaps you’d like to sit here and watch the battle? You have the best seats in the house, so to speak.’
‘It would be wise,’ said Steven to the others. ‘We’re safer here now than anywhere else if the K’Soth try anything.’
‘Very well Maran,’ said Rekkid through gritted teeth. ‘We accept the dubious honour of your hospitality. But no more games.’
‘I promise. No more games!’
‘There’s just one thing,’ said Katherine.
‘Name it.’
‘Tell us what just happened to Razortail.’
Maran looked thoughtful. ‘Well he’s not dead; at least I don’t think so... I sent him home as a matter of fact. He loves his Emperor so much I thought that he should go and visit him more often. He can give him the good news about his glorious fleet…’
Coldness, darkness and dizziness. Then everything turned red.
Razortail struggled in confusion against the cloying red fluid that surrounded him. How did he get here? Disorientated he struggled some more, desperate for air. He felt the bottom and kicked against it, pushing himself up to the top.
His head broke the surface of the fluid and he looked about himself. He was outside the Imperial Palace on Garakka. He had fallen into one of the huge blood fountains that decorated the entrance to the Emperor’s abode. His two bodyguards broke the surface beside him as he hauled himself out of the basin, dripping with gore. A gathering crowd of onlookers watched him - worshippers come to pay their respects to their Emperor.
How had he arrived here? He... He remembered questioning the Human and Arkari, the armoured human running towards him, hurling a sword at his head. He remembered the images that the entity calling itself Maran had shown him, that their fleet was walking into a trap and that there was nothing anyone could do about it. No... He sank to his knees, his head in his hands and roared with anguish.
After a moment he became aware that a palace guard was standing beside him.
‘What do mean by swimming in the Emperor’s fountains, wretch?’ demanded the guard haughtily. ‘A hundred lashes of the pain whip each for you and your friends!’ Other guards were approaching, hands on their weapons.
Razortail drew himself up to his full height and let the guard see his ceremonial robes and badge of office. He drew his sword and beheaded the unfortunate lackey, howling with impotent rage as the headless corpse collapsed in front of him.
Powered by faster, more advanced engines, the Commonwealth fleet arrived before their K’Soth counterparts. They lay in wait on the edge of the Fulan system. The forces around Maranos were victorious and now made ready to execute a hasty retreat from their position. They would act as bait, luring the K’Soth ships into the final trap that had been set for them.
Chen was tired, more than she had ever known. She looked around the bridge and saw haggard, drawn expressions on the faces of her crew as they peered at their consoles or stared blankly into mid-air at data projections only they could see. She tried to encourage them. She just had to keep the crew together a little while longer. It would all be over soon.
Ramirez was busy co-ordinating the damage control teams. Heavy manoeuvring during the battle had sprung loose the temporary repairs made to the forward gun decks. Suited technicians were already hastily welding shut bulkhead seals and bracing load bearing spars.
Some of the other ships had already pulled back to the edge of the system. The Leonides had suffered severe damage during the course of the engagement. It and a handful of other craft now lurked on the fringes of Fulan, awaiting the arrival of repair teams along with the reinforcements. They dared not activate their jump drives for fear of catastrophic malfunctions. Group command had passed to the Gustavus Adolphus.
They were coming.
The Mark Antony faced away from the planet in the direction they planned to flee along with the other remaining ships. They would not be able to jump to safety immediately.
They would have to begin their retreat in normal space, hoping that the K’Soth fleet would follow in order to give Haines long enough to spring his ambush.
They were coming.
The vast flotilla of enemy ships was now in system, bearing down on them. It was going to be a close call. Chen prayed that the K’Soth would display their characteristic lack of tactical imagination. Everything depended on them utilising their usual sledgehammer approach.
The enemy fleet was close now.
‘Captain!’ said Singh, alerting her. ‘Enemy ships now emerging from hyperspace.’
She looked at her tactical display as one, then a handful, then a dozen and then hundreds of ships began to appear, streaming towards them at breakneck speed. There was an incoming message.
‘All ships, this is the Gustavus Adolphus. Ahead full towards the agreed co-ordinates. Let’s hope they follow us.’
Even at full power it took an agonisingly long time for ships of that size to get underway as the K’Soth fleet steadily gained on the Commonwealth group that it out numbered at least fifty to one. The Imperial forces were taking the bait, but in minutes the humans would be in range of thousands of K’Soth guns.
The ships at the rear of the group began to drop mines in a desperate effort to stall their pursuers.
Haines, thought Chen, for God’s sake if you’re going to do something do it now!
‘Enemy ships will be in firing range in thirty seconds,’ Singh reported, the tension clearly visible in his face.
Tell me something I don’t know, thought Chen grimly.
There was an explosion as the frigate Bunker Hill came apart under a barrage of plasma fire that speared directly into its engines.
‘What the hell?’ Chen looked to her crew for answers.
‘The shot came from a vessel designated the Inferno,’ Singh informed her. ‘I don’t recognise the configuration but - holy shit, it’s huge!’
‘One of the new ship types,’ said Ramirez. ‘Intelligence has designated it the Super War Temple until we know its real class.’
Now would be a good time Admiral, thought Chen.
Her prayers were answered. Space ahead of the fleeing craft began to distort as a group of around a hundred Commonwealth capital ships emerged from their jumps. The Abraham Lincoln led the assault. They immediately began laying down covering fire that tore into the lead ships. Chen looked to her tactical display and now saw the other groups jumping in on all sides of the K’Soth fleet. The Imperial Navy was now trapped. There was to be no escape.
The final battle for the Fulan system represented the single greatest military disaster in K’Soth history since their defeat at the hands of the Arkari five decades before. In a few short hours over a thousand capital ships, the pride of the Imperial Navy, and around a million personnel were slaughtered in what the Commonwealth military later dubbed the Fulan Turkey Shoot. Space itself seemed to burn under the onslaught as the cornered fleet was out gunned and out fought on every flank.
Towards the end of the battle a few desperate surviving ships attempted a break out back towards Imperial space. Haines allowed a few to leave. They would be executed for cowardice no doubt, but they would carry news of the defeat back to the Empire, spreading fear and dismay amongst the ranks of the Imperial forces. The great K’Soth Empire had been humiliated in battle by those it had claimed superiority over for so long, and this was to be only the beginning.