by C. G. Mosley
“How?” he asked, dumbfounded.
Jado took a step toward him. A trickle of blood originated from the surgical wound on his head and eventually slid down the front of his face, its path going right over the blind eye.
“Allow me passage to see the potentate,” he said in a voice just above a whisper.
Hugo continued to stare at Jado, but his mouth closed as he seemed to regain his composure. Without speaking, he reached for his axe.
“Don’t do it,” Malcolm cautioned.
Hugo momentarily looked over at him, but he ignored the warning. In a spilt second the axe was streaking through the air in an arc directly toward Jado’s head. It came within a fraction of an inch of Hugo’s skull before stopping abruptly. The large security chief’s eyes widened with disbelief. The muscles in his arms tightened as he tried to force the axe onward into its intended target, but to no avail. The disbelief quickly turned to panic and before long, Hugo had completely released the axe and ran away.
“Should we kill him?” Jado asked, still seemingly willing to take orders from his captain.
“No,” Malcolm replied, lowering his gun. “Let him go.”
They watched as the large Kaloian man retreated from the palace, his black robe billowing in the wind behind him as he fled. Once he was gone, Jado marched toward the throne room and barged through the metal doors. At the opposite end of the room, Potentate Romulus Shade was seated upon his throne. There was a small table next to him with the coiled whip resting upon it.
“Good to see the two of you are back on your feet,” he said, his teeth clacking. He paused and glanced at Malcolm’s new legs. “That is a definite improvement,” he said, with a smirk.
Malcolm raised the plasma rifle and pointed it at the potentate’s chest. “I should kill you right now,” he grumbled through clenched teeth.
“I don’t think I’m going to allow that today,” Romulus countered, and with a dazzling display of speed and agility, he reached for, and uncoiled the whip.
Malcolm fired the plasma rifle but missed as the potentate ducked and then rolled behind the throne. With more quickness, he emerged from the other side but now the whip was illuminated with blue light—electricity. In a fluid motion, the potentate flicked the whip at Malcolm. The end of it wrapped around his throat and jerked him forward, toward Romulus. Suddenly, with no control of his basic motor functions, Malcolm was unable to move, and the gun fell from his grasp. He was having trouble breathing as the electrical current ripped through his throat and then blossomed throughout the rest of his body.
“Stop!” Jado shouted. He attempted to use his ability but found he had trouble using it on the potentate.
“It won’t work,” Romulus said with a sneer. He then waved his free arm, and the throne behind him suddenly hurtled through the air at Jado. After narrowly missing the flying chair, with seemingly no other option, Jado began to plea for the captain’s life. “Let him go, please!” he shouted.
The potentate laughed and flicked his wrist in a motion that released the whip from Malcolm’s neck. The electrical current then ceased and the whip became ordinary again. Malcolm immediately wrapped his hands around his neck and began to rub away the pain as he coughed and gasped for air.
“Only temporarily,” Romulus said as he pulled a small glass vial from the pocket of his robe. Jado could see it was empty, with only a small trace of a white substance remaining inside it. He held the glass container up to the light that shone through the large stained-glass window behind him. “This was one of the last ten vials left in my personal stock of the elixir,” he explained. “I’m now down to eight,” he added as he slid the vial back into his pocket.
“I suppose the other missing one was injected into my brain this morning,” Jado snapped.
The potentate nodded and casually walked down the steps toward Jado. He recoiled the whip he’d used as he did so. “That’s correct,” he admitted. “Somehow the ability exists in you without the aid of the elixir. We were trying to figure out which portion of your brain was responsible for that. Benedict was going to try whatever means necessary to figure that out. He was obviously working under my orders.” The potentate paused a moment and stared at his coiled whip. “Did you kill him?” he asked.
Jado sighed, and then nodded. “Yes, I did.” There was no remorse in his tone.
For a split second, a sadness came over Romulus, and his gray eyes seemed to glisten with moisture. He frowned and clenched his fists. After looking away for a moment, he suddenly returned his gaze upon Jado. “I am not your enemy,” he said, doing his best to sound genuine.
“You are very much his enemy,” Malcolm rasped. He was still clutching at his throat while lying on his back.
“Your ability,” Romulus continued as he ignored Malcolm. “I can help you control it.”
“Do not listen to him,” Malcolm said. Now he was struggling to get onto his hands and knees.
Jado regarded him skeptically. “Why should I believe you?”
“You shouldn’t,” Malcolm said. He was now standing and had grabbed Jado by the arm. “In case you’ve forgotten, he’s responsible for this,” he added, pointing to his cybernetic legs. “And he’s responsible for the condition you’re in now.”
The potentate smiled smugly and placed the coiled whip over his shoulder. He then crossed his arms and glared at Jado. “Young man, you’re now the most powerful Kaloian I’ve ever seen,” Romulus said. “Captain Steiger is correct…I’m responsible for that. If there is a price to be paid, then I’ll gladly pay it, but I challenge you to consider your worth now. All I have ever wanted is for our people to be safe and in control of this galaxy—with you by my side, we can easily make that a reality.”
“Control the galaxy?” Jado asked, taken aback. “Why is that so important to you?”
Romulus sighed and then glumly walked over to where his throne rested on the stone floor in front of him. He turned it upright and took a seat. “Our control of the galaxy is the only way to guarantee our complete safety. There are many other races in the universe that could potentially threaten our existence. Those races must be wiped out. Kaloians must take a proactive approach.” He paused and then pointed toward Captain Steiger. “He is very much aware of what our agenda is.”
Jado listened intently to what the potentate had said, and then he turned to look at his captain. “Is what he says true?” he asked. “Are there races in the universe that want to destroy us?”
Malcolm clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. “Yes, it’s true,” he said finally. “It’s been the goal of the Supreme Regency since its inception…to be the supreme race in all the galaxy.”
“And it’s been my job to lead us there at all costs,” the potentate said, glancing down at Malcolm’s legs.
“How long does the elixir last?” Jado asked, his eyes focused on the empty vial in Romulus’ hand.
“A dose this size will last me a few hours,” he replied. He tossed the vial aside. It shattered when it hit the stone floor. “You’re at a crossroads now,” Romulus continued, staring at Jado. “You can try and defeat me, or you can get on board and join me in my efforts. With my experience and your power, no one will be able to stop us.”
Jado looked away from the potentate and over at his captain. “What about Captain Steiger?”
Romulus looked at Malcolm with indifference. “Captain Steiger’s expertise is still valuable to us,” he said. “In fact, I have an important task for him if he is interested.”
Malcolm’s interest did pique but he did his best not to show it. “What would you like for me to do?” he asked flatly.
“Are you familiar with the Polaris starship?” Romulus asked.
Malcolm considered the question and then nodded. “Yes,” he replied. “Captain Stuart Lord’s ship.”
The potentate nodded in reply and seemed pleased that Malcolm was familiar with him. “Yes, the youngest captain in the entire Supreme Regency’s fleet,” he said. “Are y
ou familiar with the cargo that he is carrying?”
Malcolm and Jado looked at each other, and Malcolm shrugged. “I assume he has the same cargo as almost any other Supreme Regency ship,” he answered. “I think I heard they’re primarily a research ship.”
“President Dala’s husband is in their brig,” Romulus said, very matter-of-factly. “He was captured almost a year ago and has been on board the Polaris ever since.”
Jado looked at the potentate curiously. “You’ve kept one of the most powerful Avaxians on board a research vessel for almost a year? Why?” he asked.
“Because I’ve been using him as bait,” Romulus replied sharply. “I’ve believed for a long time that sooner or later, the Federation would come for him. But it has not happened, and I’ve grown tired of waiting. I think the time has come to go and retrieve him.”
“You want me to go and retrieve him for you?” Malcolm asked.
Potentate Romulus Shade smiled. “No, I’m afraid I don’t trust you to handle a task as important as that on your own,” he replied. “In fact, the only person I trust to perform such an important duty is myself. What I want is for you to pilot the shuttle that will take me to retrieve him.”
“What are you going to do with him?” Jado asked.
Romulus seemed annoyed by the question. “He’ll be brought back to stand trial and ultimately face execution,” he replied. “It’s my hope that if the news of his impending doom reaches President Dala, she’ll do something rash. And when she does, our forces will be ready.”
“If they haven’t come for him on board the Polaris, what makes you think they’ll come for him here?” Malcolm asked. “It stands to reason that an attempt to rescue him off that ship would probably be easier than getting him here.”
“I can’t answer that question,” Romulus admitted. “It’s obvious that they’re cowards, but I just didn’t know how badly. I would guess that if the stakes were higher and the president’s husband was facing death, maybe they’d finally get the courage to come and fight.”
“What about the Bothians?” Malcolm asked.
“What about them?”
“They’re aligned with the Federation as well,” Malcolm answered. “If you don’t fear the Avaxians, surely you respect the fighting spirit of the Bothians.”
“Of course, I do,” Romulus answered. “Why do you think I’ve gone to great lengths to find the resource needed to produce more of the elixir for our armies? It’s the only way to gain us the advantage needed to overtake those barbaric lizards.”
“Our armies outnumber theirs,” Malcolm countered. “That’s an important strategic advantage.”
“Yes,” the potentate agreed. “But it’s not enough. Have you ever seen a Bothian warrior up close?”
Malcolm shook his head.
“If you had, you’d understand my cautious nature regarding them,” Romulus answered. “But now we have him,” he added, pointing at Jado.
Malcolm glanced at the young Kaloian and back to Romulus. “You expect him to take on an entire army?”
“Of course not,” the potentate replied, with a dismissive hand. “But he and I together…we could be a force unlike anything they’ve ever seen.”
Malcolm again looked at Jado. “Remember that any decision you make is your own,” he said. “Do not let him persuade you to do anything you are not comfortable with.”
“I want to help,” Jado answered, but then he paused and reached for his blind eye. He then ran a finger across the bloodied meld of flesh on top of his skull. “But I’ve been made into a monster,” he said, just above a whisper. He then turned toward the potentate and gave him a cold stare. “You’re a cruel leader and I should murder you.”
The potentate moved his hand over the handle of the coiled whip. “I do not regret my decision,” he said. “Your abilities have been completely unlocked thanks to my decision. It’s up to you what to do with them.”
Malcolm took a step forward. “You chopped my legs off,” he growled.
“And I gave you new ones—better ones,” Romulus argued. “I’ve improved the both of you. You’re both still here and you’re both still alive. Now as I said, you are at a crossroads. Do you want to choose the path that will protect all Kaloians?”
Jado and Malcolm looked at each other but said nothing.
“If you decide the answer to that question is ‘yes’, then we do not have a moment to spare,” the potentate said, rising from his throne. “If we leave now, we can reach the Polaris in less than two days’ time.”
“We?” Jado asked. “You want me to come along too?”
Romulus nodded. “I told you that I will teach you how to control your power. I can’t exactly do that if you’re not by my side.”
If it had been up to Malcolm, he’d have killed Potentate Shade right where he stood. He did not trust him and wanted nothing more than to tell him. Jado, however, was younger and easier persuaded. Malcolm could see the light in the young Kaloian’s eyes when Romulus spoke of protecting the entire Kaloian race. He made the cause sound extremely noble. It was all that Jado needed and Malcolm felt his heart sink as he came to the realization that he was on the verge of becoming Potentate Shade’s personal shuttle pilot.
Chapter 28
When Sabre arrived at the door, he raised his hand to knock, but paused. He stood there for almost a solid minute before finally getting the courage to follow through and rasp his knuckles against the metallic surface. After a few seconds, the door slid open to reveal Harlan Wolfe. He looked exhausted, his eyes bloodshot. When he saw Sabre, he grunted and turned back toward the interior of his room.
“What do you want?” he grumbled.
Sabre marched forward. “You and I need to talk,” he said.
Howler spun on his heel and then fell backward onto the faux leather couch behind him. There was a round window above his head and Sabre watched the stars move slowly past as he waited for some sort of response.
“There is nothing to talk about,” Howler said finally, and he reached for a bottle on the small table next to him. He took a long pull from the beer, apparently finishing it off. He tossed it aside, and it clanged loudly on the metal floor. “Stellick put you up to this?”
Sabre sighed and put his hands in his pockets as he stood there. “No—well, yes,” he admitted. “The truth is, he told me to come talk to you, but I wanted to do it myself anyway.”
Howler stared at him for a long moment before finally rubbing at his eyes. “Okay, Smith, so talk,” he said, sounding as if he just wanted it to be over with.
“Well, I was thinking that we could go somewhere else to talk,” Sabre said.
Howler glanced around at his room. It was messy. There were clothes all over the floor and dirty dishes on the kitchen counter. Though he was probably nose-blind to it, he guessed it probably smelled quite bad in there too. “Go where?” he asked, sitting up straighter on the couch.
Sabre shifted on his feet. “I figured we’d go partake in one of your newest hobbies,” he said with a smile. “Let’s go to the bar for drinks.”
Howler chewed on his lip as he considered the offer. Truthfully, he hadn’t drank much in several hours. Before he even realized what he was doing, he felt himself rising from the couch. “Okay, but you’re buying,” he said, pointing at Sabre.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sabre replied, motioning for him to lead the way.
Howler glared at him as he moved past, but quickly made his way out of the room and into the hallway outside. Sabre walked alongside him, and they caught a glimpse of Moon Dog and Banshee retreating into her room. They were laughing and seemed to be drunk.
“How about that,” Sabre said with a chuckle. “Never knew Moon Dog had a thing for bald chicks.”
Howler smiled, though briefly. “She is one hell of a pilot,” he said, referring to Banshee.
“Yeah,” Sabre answered. “I’ve heard. I’m glad she’s part of the team Stellick put together.”
/> “And how do you feel about me being a part of that team?” Howler asked. He kept his eyes forward as they entered the bar.
Ray Compton, the bartender, was polishing off a section of the wooden bar top when he spotted the two men enter. He waved them over. “Got a spot just for you,” he said.
Both men took their respective seats on a stool and Howler wasted no time ordering a shot of whiskey. Sabre looked at him, surprised.
“Is there a problem with that?” Howler asked.
Sabre held up both hands. “No sir,” he said. “You’re a big boy, drink what you want. Just keep in mind we could be called into duty at any moment. I’m not sure how the captain would feel—”
“You haven’t answered my question,” Howler interrupted.
Sabre ordered a beer and once Ray set about fulfilling their orders, he said, “I guess that depends.”
“On what?” Howler said, turning to look at him.
“On whether you’ve still got some sort of grudge toward me,” Sabre answered.
Ray returned quickly and slid a shot glass and a brown bottle in front of the two men. “Drink up fellas,” he said cheerfully before retreating away yet again.
Howler downed the amber liquid in the glass immediately. “Did you ever meet Ben Foster?” he asked.
Sabre considered the question. Ben Foster, call-sign Bones, was one of the pilots lost from Hotel Squad. “Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting him,” he replied softly.
“So, then I assume you’re unaware that he was the youngest pilot on the ship.”
Sabre swallowed hard. “No, I did not know that,” he said.
Howler turned to look over at him. “I’d venture to guess you also were unaware of how terrified he was when we were called into action so quickly,” he said.
Sabre stared back at him, wide-eyed and unblinking. He shook his head.
“It’s true,” Howler said. “He was young, and he was terrified. Mentally, he was not ready for this mission. The only way I was able to get him to calm down at all was to make him a promise before we went up. Do you know what I promised him?”