by M. R. Forbes
Quark shook his head at the sight of her legs. “Shit, Sandy. I didn’t know. I got out, but my ship’s disterium reactor died and left me stranded on the worst planet in the fragging galaxy. The shit I ran into there? It’s the same shit Captain Mann is trying to warn you about. It’s the same shit that took my eyes.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“Captain, show her what you can do,” Quark said.
“What I can do?”
“Don’t play dumb, just do it.”
Olus reached inward to the Gift, bringing it forward. He held his hand out toward the wine glass in the Governess’ hand, pulling it to him. It flew from her hand and came to rest in his.
“Huh?” she said, shocked.
“I didn’t know what it was the first time I saw it either,” Quark said. “I crashed on a planet that isn’t on any star maps. A planet that doesn’t exist as far as anyone in the galaxy is concerned. There were these creatures there, hey had gray skin and they moved around like frogs. They came after me. They were easy to kill, but they were the least of my worries. I managed to hide from them. I worked on fixing the ship. You were on my mind the whole time. Then this other ship lands, and this guy comes off it, acting all badass. The frogs, they went for him, and he blasted them one after another just like Olus did. Bam! Bam! He killed a hundred of the fraggers while I watched.
“Then he went off for a while. Disappeared. He came back a few hours later carrying the head of some species I’ve never seen before or since. It was long and bony, and must’ve had a big brain in it, you know? He carried it to his ship, and I thought he was going to leave, so I called out to him.”
Quark stopped talking, shaking his head and laughing.
“I was out of the Wayhouse. I thought I was safe.”
“Did you say the Wayhouse?” Nibia said, her voice concerned.
Olus felt a chill at the word. The Wayhouse was a legend. An infamous legend. Entertainment for the worst kind of scum the galaxy could produce. Its location was a secret, and he had always suspected it was mobile.
“Yeah,” Quark said.
“You never told me about that,” Nibia said.
“Nope. I don’t want to talk about it now. The point is, this asshole thought I was there to kill him and drink his blood. He attacked me, and I thought I was going to die. But something in me burst, and I got more pissed than I’ve ever been. I resisted his pull and ran. He chased me. For three weeks he chased me.” He stopped again, staring straight ahead like he was reliving the scene. “Anyway, he got my eyes, but I got his head. I got off the planet in his ship, and I did it blind. By the time I got back to where the Wayhouse had been, it was gone. The point is, I know about these assholes like Thraven. I know what kind of threat they are. They have power like the Captain here, only much, much worse. They use it to hurt. To kill. They don’t care about the Outworlds, Sandy. They don’t care about us. They think we’re less than they are. They think we’re half a step above food. Hell, I’ve had sex with a few of them, and they’re all the same. We’re tools. A means to an end, whether that end is to get off or to be slave soldiers in a shitty war.”
“You’re telling me the truth, aren’t you?” Sandy said.
“Why the frag would I lie?”
“Even if I believed you about Thraven, I need proof. You can’t tie one asshole to the General who is winning the war against the Republic and say they’re the same just because they have some kind of magical powers. I mean, whatever you did with my glass was a good trick, but it doesn’t prove anything. I feel sorry for what happened to you, Q, but it doesn’t prove anything.”
“Which is why I’m here,” Don Pallimo said. “Gloritant Thraven attacked one of my crews on the Devastator unprovoked. He also attacked Oberon in an effort to destroy the Crescent Haulers. I have irrefutable proof of both. He is furthermore responsible for the attack on Anvil, not the Republic as he might have claimed.”
“Can you prove that, too?” the Governess asked.
“I can,” Pallimo said. “I have recordings of his goons inside my complex threatening me and using his name. My complex on Oberon, in protected Outworld space. That alone should be enough to discredit him.”
“He did it to advance the goals of the Outworlds,” she said.
“He did it to advance his own goals,” Olus said. “Didn’t you hear what Quark said? They don’t think anything of us. We’re tools. The Outworlds Governance is a tool. A hammer to break through the Republic defenses, to soften us up and make his job easier. When the Republic finishes collapsing, the Outworlds will be next. I guarantee it.”
The Governess’ eyes moved between them as she considered. Finally, she shook her head.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “General Thraven is offering something we’ve been after for years, and your case is flimsy at best. The word of the Republic’s former Intelligence Director? The word of a mercenary?”
“And my word counts for nothing?” Pallimo said.
“Your word is the only reason I even had to think about it. But the answer is still no. Whatever you expected me to do, I won’t do it. The Republic will fall. If Thraven turns his attention to the Outworlds, we’ll stop him.”
“You can’t stop him, Sandy,” Quark said. “You have no idea what he can do. No idea at all.”
“You have an hour,” she said. “Get off my planet, or I’ll have the three of you arrested as enemies of the Outworlds. Don, you’re free to do as you will, but I warn you not to cross me.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Olus said. “A terrible mistake.”
“Have a nice life as a traitor, Captain,” she replied.
“Let’s go, Captain,” Quark said. “Didn’t I tell you she was a bitch?”
“You did,” Olus agreed. “It’s unfortunate.”
“Don’t even think of trying to hurt me, Captain,” the Governess said. “My guards will put you down before you can take a step in my direction.”
“Clearly, you still don’t understand what we’re up against,” Olus replied. “I guess I’ll have to show you.”
33
The Governess’ guards were fast.
Thanks to the Gift, it didn’t matter.
Olus shot toward Governess Ott, hand reaching under his coat and grabbing one of the blades secreted there. Shots were fired down at him, a burst of nearly a half-dozen rounds that caught him from every side. One in the shoulder. One in the leg. Two in the back. One in the arm. It hurt like crazy, but it wasn’t enough to take him down, especially since the armor in the coat helped reduce the impacts of the slugs.
He grunted as he grabbed the Governess, quickly wrapping her in his arms, turning her around and clutching her from behind, putting the blade to her throat.
“Captain,” Quark said, a hint of concern in his voice.
“Lower your weapons,” Olus growled at the guards in the room. “Do it now.”
A few of the guards complied immediately, but not all. Olus had to resist the urge to smile. He had figured as much.
“Tell them to drop their weapons,” Olus said to the Governess. “Unless you prefer to be dead.”
“Drop them,” she said.
“The Governance doesn’t allow hostage negotiations, ma’am,” one of the guards said, keeping his weapon trained on Olus.
“Your loyalty is to me first, the Governance second,” she replied. “All of you, stand down.”
A few more of the guards complied, but still not all.
“They aren’t all loyal to you first, Governess,” Olus said, his lips against her ear. “Or to the Governance and the Outworlds. They only have one true loyalty. I know because I’ve seen it. Across this whole fragging galaxy, I’ve seen it. You don’t understand the way he’s manipulated them. You don’t understand the way he’s manipulating you.”
“I’m not under the General’s control.”
“No?”
His eyes scanned the levels of balconies above them. Too m
any of the soldiers were still on alert, armed and ready to fire. He felt the tingle of the Gift along the base of his neck, and he glanced over at Quark. The mercenary shifted his head ever-so-slightly.
It was coming. They both knew it.
“Tell me what you think of loyalty sixty seconds from now,” Olus said.
The soldiers landed behind him, dropping two floors to the ground without difficulty. He spun, still holding the Governess in front of him.
“Don’t,” he said, pressing the blade tighter against her throat, drawing a thin line of blood.
The lead soldier stared at the blood, eyes wide. A soft growl formed in his throat.
“We don’t need her anymore,” he said. “Gehenna has risen. The Father has returned. We don’t need any of them.”
“The Father?” Don Pallimo said.
The soldier began to change, the alteration tearing at his uniform, shredding it to pieces. The other soldiers revealed themselves as well. Children of the Covenant. Goreshin. They appeared across the ranks of guards, quickly attacking the ones who had followed orders and stood down.
“Daddy issues,” Quark said, pulling a pair of blades of his own. “Great.”
Olus pulled back, dragging the Governess to the ground on top of him as the lead Goreshin pounced, diving at them and slashing with sharp claws. She cried out, the daggers nearly slicing her before Quark stepped in, neatly severing the creature’s hand with one blade, spinning and driving the other neatly through its neck with a strength that surprised Olus.
“I hate these fraggers most of all,” he said, kicking out at the next one that moved at him, slapping it hard in the face and knocking it off balance. His body moved quickly, not missing a step, skipping inside the Goreshin’s guard and dragging one of his blades through its sternum and out its chest. It howled in pain, the howling stopping when it too lost its head.
Olus rolled Governess Ott off him, drawing on the Gift to bounce to his feet, slapping a hand aside, slicing the arm behind it, ducking and rising, bringing his other blade up into the Goreshin’s chin. He could see the blade protrude into its mouth before he tore it out, taking the jaw with it, stepping back and slashing again with the strength of the Gift. The blade sliced neatly through the creature’s neck, its head tumbling away.
Governess Ott finally started to scream.
A Child reached for her, losing the limb as a laser cutter dropped through it. Don Pallimo whipped the cane around, removing a leg and bringing the creature to the ground. He turned away as Nibia dropped onto it and cut off its head.
“There’s a lot of them, Captain,” Nibia said, looking up.
Olus did the same. They had killed six in short order, which was impressive enough. Another twenty were finishing up with the other soldiers and would be on them in seconds.
“Time to go,” he said, reaching out for the Governess again. She was in shock and didn’t move.
“I’ve got her,” Quark said, bending and scooping her up, throwing her body over his shoulder. “You’ve gained weight, Sandy.”
She didn’t respond.
“Let’s get to the grass,” Quark said. “Ghibli can pick us up.”
“Roger,” Olus replied. He bent down to grab a discarded rifle, getting it cradled just in time to blast a Goreshin in the eye, knocking it down for a few seconds.
They ran, charging toward the atrium doors. They were almost there when Ms. Yao rounded the corner. She raised her hand, and Olus felt the Gift pushing against them. He pushed back, fighting fire with fire.
Quark barely slowed. He tucked his shoulder, slamming into the surprised Evolent, knocking her hard into the wall.
“I don’t play that shit,” he said, a quick motion sinking one of his blades into her throat and pinning her to the wall.
It would only slow her for a second, but a second was all Olus needed. He caught up to them, grabbing Yao and cutting into her neck, leaving her a mess against the wall.
They made it through the doors. Olus spun back a few times, firing single shots into the oncoming soldiers. Each round dropped a Goreshin, destroying its brain enough that it needed time to regenerate and recover.
“Don’t give me shit, Ghibli, get your ass to the mansion. Frag regulations. What kind of pansy ass are you? We do have the Governess’ permission. Hell, I’ve got her slung over my shoulder.” He shook his head, glancing at Olus. “Greenies.”
Olus smirked. They made it to the doors leading outside, the Goreshin closing in. The Governess was groaning now, coming out of her stupor. She started writhing in Quark’s grip.
“Can you stay still for a second, darling?” Quark said. “I’m trying to save your life. We can reminisce later.”
Olus released a few more rounds, still slowing the creatures. Don Pallimo reached the doorway, but they didn’t open.
“Locked down,” he said.
“Can you break it?” Olus asked.
“Give me a minute.”
“We don’t have a minute.”
Don Pallimo hesitated. “Can you protect them?” he asked.
Olus looked back. “What?”
“Protect them.”
Olus realized what he meant. “Nibia, Quark, come close.”
“I don’t go that way, Captain,” Quark said. “And I don’t share.”
“Shut up and do it.”
Quark brought the Governess to them.
He reached out with the Gift, holding his hands wide, imaging a protective wall around them. He had seen what the synths were capable of back on Gamlin.
The Goreshin reached them, jumping at the barrier. They were resistant to the Gift, and their claws made it through the barrier, slashing at them. One of them caught Quark on the shoulder, knocking him back as he cursed.
Olus fired into the group without aiming, causing a round of howling and slowing them slightly. He glanced back at the Don, who was pressed against the door.
“I don’t know if I have the strength for this,” Olus said, his body suddenly beginning to give out. It was taking all he had to slow the Children and keep them from getting all the way through.
Nibia put a hand on his. Immediately, he felt a tingling warmth rush through him, the strength of his Gift bolstered. He looked at her. She smiled back at him.
Then Don Pallimo exploded.
The fury of the blast washed over them, wrapping them in a ball of blue energy as the naniates deflected the assault. The Goreshin weren’t so lucky. The detonation hit them full-force, tearing them apart and sending them stumbling in every direction. Olus counted to three and released the shield, still holding Nibia’s hand as the now open doorway became visible.
“Gibli, ETA?” Quark said. “Not good enough. Come in harder.”
They rushed out of the building and onto the lawn. Emergency sirens were sounding all around the estate.
“Quark?” Governess Ott said. “What is this?”
“The beginning of the end,” Nibia said. “The monster said Gehenna has risen.”
“That means something to you?” Quark asked.
“According to Koosian Lore, it means the end of days,” she replied. “Armageddon.”
“Well, frag me,” Quark replied.
The Quasar became visible, dropping toward them like a stone.
“You can’t pull that out, damn it,” Quark said.
Olus heard growling behind them. The Children were recovering.
The ship continued to drop. The cannons on it shifted, beginning to fire behind them as it did, putting new holes what was left of the front of the mansion. The Goreshin cried out at the attack.
“You can’t pull that out,” Quark repeated.
The Quasar started to slow. It didn’t seem like enough. It was tracking a few dozen meters away.
“Damn it, new shithead,” Quark said.
The skids hit the ground, sinking in slightly before catching. They groaned at the weight being added to them, and one of them snapped loudly, causing the Quasar to list ov
er to one side. Then it froze, the pilot managing to stick the landing.
“Huh. He did it,” Quark said.
They ran to the ship, a pair of Riders waiting to pull them in.
“Gibli, get us out of here,” Quark said, the moment they were all inside. The hatch was still sliding closed as they launched. “Take us to orbit and cloak us. Then get us on a course back to Oberon.”
Olus leaned back against the side of the ship, feeling drained. Nibia sat beside him.
“Armageddon?” Quark said, looking at them.
“Worse than that,” Olus replied. “Lucifer is apparently alive and well.”
“Lucifer?” Quark said. “You mean Satan?”
“No. Satan’s a myth. Lucifer is real. We need to find a way to contact Abbey, or we’re all going to die.”
34
“Nerd, what’s our status?” Abbey asked.
“Uh. Give me a second, Queenie,” Erlan replied. “I’m still getting used to these controls.”
“They aren’t that different from the rest of the ships you’ve flown,” Bastion said.
“Besides the fact that they’re in another language?” Erlan replied. “Let’s see you learn to read Nephilim in less than a day.”
“Let’s see you learn to read Nephilim in less than a day,” Bastion mimicked. “Whatever.”
“Imp, can you grow up, please?” Abbey said.
“Roger.”
“Nerd, you’re doing a great job.”
“Honorant Iona is a great teacher,” Erlan replied.
“I bet she’s taught you a few other things over the last couple of days,” Benhil said. “I wouldn’t mind if she taught me a thing or two.”
“That’s enough,” Abbey said. “Let’s try to keep the innuendo to a minimum.”
“No fun,” Pik said.
“I’m not feeling all that fun right now,” Abbey replied.
The Rejects didn’t argue. They knew better than to push her after everything that had happened. She wanted to keep them loose, but she was having a hard time with it. Lucifer was alive. He had control of the Covenant. He had nearly killed her. And he was on his way to Shardspace, on a ship that by all indications could make the journey twice as fast as they could.