04 Dark Space

by Jasper T. Scott

  “What is it?”

  “I’m an Imperial,” Ethan said.

  “Why aren’t you in uniform?”

  “I’m not ISSF, but I’m here for the same reason as you—to get help. I’m also here to find my son—the late admiral’s stepson.”

  “The late admiral?”

  Ethan realized the copilot didn’t know about any of what had happened in Dark Space since he’d left. “The Sythians executed Admiral Heston. They’re occupying Dark Space and enslaving our people as we speak.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a long story, but right now I need a favor from you. Commander Ortane—Guardian Leader—is he alive?”

  The copilot began shaking his head and Ethan felt something heavy and cold settle in his chest, but then the officer pointed up and said, “He’s flying right over your head. They’re holding off the Sythians while we get things sorted out down here.”

  As if to corroborate that, Ethan heard the not-so-distant boom of an explosion and caught a flash of light in his periphery. Then came the sound of people screaming. Ethan nodded his thanks before jumping down from the ladder and turning to see what had caused all the commotion.

  Alara stood stock still, staring out over a rushing river of white robed civilians running away from the Zenith Tower. They were finally scared enough to panic. Ethan followed his wife’s gaze to see a pillar of flames rising from the ground not far from where they stood. “What was that?”

  A scream of engines answered before she could and Ethan looked up to see a Sythian Shell Fighter go streaking by low overhead. Hot on its tail was an Imperial Nova, its ternary blue thrusters roaring. Red lasers screeched out from the Nova in a steady stream. They hit home, provoking a plume of black smoke and then a jet of white hot flames from the Shell Fighter’s glowing orange thruster pods. Then the Shell exploded with a wicked ka-boom! and a hot rush of air slapped them in the face. Flaming debris roared out of the sky and landed in the square with explosive force. The crowd screamed again, and the river of white robes flowed in a new direction, arcing away from the debris.

  “We need to get inside the tower, and fast!” Ethan said, spinning in a quick circle to find blue cape and his cadre of identical crewmen. Two men in matching blue capes were conferring with one another near the boarding ramp at the back of a neighboring assault transport. One of them held a plasma rifle, courtesy of Ethan’s armory, while the other was empty-handed. Three full squads of Zephyr assault mechs stood clustered there with them, forearm mounted ripper cannons tracking warily across the sky.

  Ethan and Alara ran up to the two caped Avilonians, pressing as close to them as they could get. They were speaking in their language, so Ethan couldn’t understand what they were saying, but abruptly they seemed to come to a decision and they turned to the sentinels standing beside them. Ethan heard one of them call out in a deep, gravelly voice. “You will accompany us to the gates of the Zenith. The building is in a state of emergency lockdown, and we cannot get in. You will make a hole for us to enter by.”

  “Yes, sir,” the nearest sentinel replied in an amplified voice which echoed out across the square. “Lead the way, sir.”

  The Avilonians set out at a run, and the sentinels followed. Ethan and Alara brought up the rear of the group. The Zenith Tower turned out to be farther away than it looked. They ran for several minutes straight, all the while the sky flashed and boomed with explosions. Ethan winced every time he heard them. Atton was up there, and sooner or later, one of those explosions could be him.

  They reached a sprawling set of stairs which led to the entrance of the Zenith Tower. They ran up the stairs, gasping for air. The Avilonians and sentinels reached the entrance first. By the time Ethan crested the stairs with Alara by his side, the Zephyrs were already setting detlor charges at the base of two massive doors.

  Ethan led Alara over to a nearby column which was almost as thick around as the Trinity. She collapsed on the ground beside it and Ethan knelt down beside her, sweat trickling from his brow as he tried to catch his breath. The night air was cool, but he was still wearing his flight suit, and he was sweltering beneath the dense fabric.

  Turning to look down on the square from the top of the stairs, Ethan caught sight of an incredible view. From their vantage point, now several stories up, they could see out over the grassy square to a vast garden populated with colorful trees, flowering hedges, and brightly lit walkways. A gentle breeze blew in from that direction bringing with it the sweet smell of spring—blossoms and ripening fruit. That smell and the gentle caress of the air struck a fierce contrast with the battle raging overhead and the still-burning ruins of two Shell Fighters which had crashed in the square below. Ethan heard Alara’s breathing quieten, and he turned back to her. She was looking up at him with wide, frightened eyes.

  “It feels like they’re invading all over again,” she said.

  “They are, but this time it’s someone else’s homes they’re taking.”

  “That doesn’t make it any better! We don’t even have a home! You told me this would be our home, and now look—it’s going up in smoke, too!”

  “Hoi, calm down, Kiddie. It’ll be okay,” Ethan said. He took her hand in his and squeezed, sending her a determined smile. But she was looking past him, her violet eyes darting, her chest heaving once more, her palm sweating against his. She looked to be in the throes of a panic attack. “Hoi, shhh . . . it’s going to be okay,” he said, opening his arms to enfold her in a hug. Those reassurances tasted like lies.

  “How the frek can you say that?” Alara demanded, pushing him away. “This is the end, Ethan! They wiped out the Imperium, then they found and took Dark Space, and now they’ve come here—to wipe out another Imperium that’s more developed and more beautiful than ours ever was! It’s not going to end until we’re all dead. It’ll never end, Ethan! Let’s just go while we still can! Let’s get out of here!”

  Alara was spiraling out of control. Ethan’s grim smile vanished and he adopted a more serious look. He took both of her shoulders in a firm grip and shook her until her teeth rattled. “Cut it out, Alara! We’re not running anymore. These people haven’t given up yet, so neither should we! Where are we going to go?”

  Alara’s eyes glazed over, and she shook her head slowly. “I don’t . . .”

  Ethan turned back to the entrance of the Zenith Tower just in time to see sentinels running away from the doors to take cover by the columns and the stairs.

  “Come on,” Ethan said, dragging her to her feet and leading her around the back of the column beside them.

  “Take cover!” one of the sentinels called out in a booming voice. That warning was repeated a second later by one of the blue capes, saying the same thing but in the Avilonians’ language.

  Ethan held his breath. A few seconds later there came a deafening boom! Dust and debris blew past them and superheated air whipped around the column to scorch Ethan’s face. He held Alara close to shield her from it.

  “That got it!” one of the sentinels called out. “Blew her wide open! Let’s go!”

  “Come on,” Ethan whispered, pulling Alara to her feet once more. “We’ll be safer inside the tower.”

  Just then came more screaming from the crowds in the square below. Ethan turned to see a flaming Nova Fighter, spiraling out of control toward the top of the next nearest skyscraper. It hit with a blinding flash of light, followed a split second later by the deafening sound of the blast. Red-hot and flaming debris rained out of the sky, trickling down the side of the building like lava. Then came a secondary explosion as either the reactor fuel or the warheads on board the Nova detonated. The sound of the explosion was muffled, but the sight was terrifying. The top of the tower swelled like a balloon and then burst into flames, peeling down the middle into two separate pieces which slowly tumbled to the ground. The ground shook as though from an earthquake when the debris hit, and the sound of it was like a shatter bomb going off.

  “I don’t think w
e’re going to be safe anywhere . . .” Alara said slowly.

  Ethan wanted to disagree, but he was still frozen in place, unable to tear his eyes away from the fiery ruin at the top of the monolithic tower. Dozens of floors had been knocked off the top of that building, no doubt taking hundreds of lives with them, but all Ethan could think about was whether or not the pilot of that Nova had managed to eject before crashing into the tower. . . .

  And whether or not that pilot was his son, Atton.

  Chapter 28

  “I’ve picked up three more on my six!” Ceyla called out over the comms.

  “I’ll be right there . . .” Razor said.

  “I can’t hold them! Shields are going!”

  “I’m on it,” Atton replied, banking hard to port and gaining altitude to follow Ceyla’s pursuit. He had a pair of Shells chasing him, too, but they couldn’t follow him through such a sharp turn. They went roaring by in front of him, shaken loose for the moment. Atton brought the nearest of the three chasing Ceyla under his sights and began peppering it with laser fire. The Shell immediately broke off and dove away. Not bothering to follow it down, Atton targeted the next one in line and did the same thing. By the time he got to the third, Ceyla was already thanking him for the save. “Stick with me, Corbin,” he said. “No more wandering off on your own.”

  “Roger that,” she said.

  “Hoi! Iceman! Where the frek are you?” Gina called out. “I’ve picked up a whole squadron.”

  “I’ll be right there, Tuner,” Atton said, diving back down the way he’d come. A group of Shell Fighters roared up to meet him. His enemy missile lock alarm began to sound, and then half a dozen Pirakla missiles flashed out toward him and Ceyla. “Heads up, Four!” he warned.

  “I see it!” she commed back.

  Atton waited until the last minute and then threw his Nova into a downward spiral. The missiles went wide, but a stuttering rain of lavender pulse lasers followed him down. Impacts began hissing off his shields.

  “Aft shields critical,” his AI warned.

  “Iceman!” Gina hissed. “I’m flattered you think I’m good enough to handle a twelve on one, but it would be nice to have a little help from my wingman!”

  “I’ll be right there!” Atton rolled out of his dive, pulling up hard to shake off the Shells on his tail. Looking for Gina on the grid, he found her a few dozen klicks away, literally being chased by an entire squadron of Shell Fighters. Frek . . . He’d thought she was exaggerating. He pushed his throttle past the stops into overdrive.

  “I’m in trouble!” someone screamed. It was Ceyla again.

  “Keep them busy, Corbin!” Atton replied.

  “There’re too many of them!”

  “Someone go help, Green V!”

  “Negative, Lead; I’m cornered,” Nine replied.

  “Likewise,” Razor put in.

  “Frek it—help yourself, Green!” Eight yelled. “We’re all engaged! Just jink hard to throw off any missiles, and then get on their tails. You’re more maneuverable than they are!”

  “I’m not!” Ceyla snapped, sounding stressed. “They clipped one of my engines and half my starboard wing is missing!”

  “Lead . . .” Gina came back. “Where are you . . .”

  Atton could hear the angry hiss of lasers hitting shields in the background of Gina’s commcast. She was his wingmate. His responsibility was to help her first.

  “They just sliced off my other wing!” Ceyla cried.

  “I’ll be right there, Corbin,” Atton commed.

  “Lead!” Gina screamed.

  “Just hold on, Tuner! I’m going to help Green on my way to you.” Corbin was in the opposite direction. “I’ll be there in a few seconds!” He wouldn’t.

  “I’m going to kill you, Ortane!”

  Ignoring her protests, he thumbed over to Hailfire missiles and rolled to starboard, banking toward Ceyla. He found her pursuers—all six of them—firing mercilessly on her. Bright purple beams streaked across the night sky, occasionally hitting Ceyla’s Nova with a shower of sparks. She was flying in a relatively straight line—whether because she couldn’t maneuver, or because she was afraid to bleed off any more air speed, Atton wasn’t sure.

  Hovering his targeting reticle over the nearest of the six, Atton listened to the beep-beep-beeping of a missile lock. As soon as the targeting reticle turned a solid red and the beeping became a steady tone, he pulled the trigger and two Hailfire missiles roared out on bright orange contrails. The Shell Fighter realized his peril and broke away just a second too late. The Hailfires split apart and eight shards spiraled off in separate directions, four of them angling for the original target. All four hit and the Shell Fighter flew apart. A chunk of debris clipped one of the others, causing him to wobble into the path of another shard with a sudden boom. The explosion set the enemy fighter on fire and sent it banking toward the ground.

  Two down. Atton thumbed over to lasers and began lighting up the other four Shells chasing Ceyla. He traced his crosshairs back and forth over all four of them, hoping to scare them off, but they ignored his scattered fire and stayed intent upon their target.

  The Sythians’ pulse lasers began scoring consecutive hits on Ceyla’s fighter, and a thick jet of flames erupted from one of her thrusters. Her engines sputtering, she began bleeding airspeed and altitude. She was going down. There was nothing more he or anyone else could do to help her.

  “Punch out, Corbin!”

  A second later, her canopy blew away and Atton saw her flight chair rocket out above her doomed fighter. Atton was already rolling back the other way to help Gina.

  “Hang in there, Tuner! I’m on my way!” Atton said.

  “Too late, you motherfrek—kkksrrrss.” Her comm died in static. Atton came about just in time to see her Nova spiral out of control into the distant spire of an adjacent skyscraper. Her fighter exploded with a blinding flash of light. Seconds later another explosion burst open the top of the building she’d crashed into, and it cracked away, falling in two giant flaming chunks to the city below.

  “Gina . . .” Atton breathed. “Did anyone see her punch out?” he called over the comms.

  “Negative.”

  “Frek you, Iceman,” Razor replied.

  “No,” Eight put in.

  Atton kept the comm open for a moment, as if he had a reply ready, but the words never came. If he hadn’t gone chasing after Ceyla, he might have been able to save Gina. Ceyla had had to punch out anyway. He hadn’t helped her either.

  Instead of guilt, a cold emptiness filled him. There was no painful ache in his throat, or pulse-pounding burst of rage, just clean, cold numbness.

  You really are the Iceman . . . Atton thought.

  * * *

  Ethan wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting to see inside the Zenith Tower. Perhaps a vast entrance hall lined with thick columns and expensive artwork. Lavish displays of wealth and opulent furnishings seemed a given. He’d expected a palace or a fortress—something which befitted the government headquarters for a planet with many trillions of people. What he actually saw behind the 10-story-high doors was a vast, well-tended garden.

  Lush, vibrant green sprawled out as far as the eye could see. Blossoming trees and flowering bushes splashed the scene with color. The distant walls of the building seemed to be made of luminous crystal, rising some twenty or more stories, curving up to a bright blue dome of sky overhead. Faint, but visible within the clear blue of that sky was a glowing spiral pattern with bright points of light like stars. In the center of that pattern was an artificial sun with the same eye-shape as the center of the glowing emblem in blue cape’s chest. Now that Ethan thought about it, the entire sky bore the pattern of that emblem, only without the circumscribed A.

  Climbing plants and flowers grew up the luminous walls, in some cases all the way up to the sky, their fronds and blossoms turned inward and upward toward the eye-shaped sun. The air was fragrant and honeyed with the nectar of a million flow
ers. A warm breeze blew; the air was neither hot nor cold, but perfectly temperate. Waterfalls cascaded from dizzying heights, pouring from broad apertures in the walls. Small avian creatures flitted through the air, chirping as they went. It was as if someone had copied it all straight out of a children’s storybook about the ages-old garden of Etheria.

  Ethan watched the Avilonians lead the way through the garden. The sentinels in their Zephyr assault mechs stomped clumsily along behind them, their backs arching as they stared up at the sky. The pathway leading from the doors glittered brightly underfoot as though it were made of diamond dust.

  “What is this place?” Alara whispered.

  “I guess this Omnius of theirs likes open spaces,” Ethan replied.

  “Do not touch anything! Keep to the middle of the road,” a gravelly voice bellowed from the front of the group. Ethan recognized that voice as belonging to the other blue caped soldier, the one whose presence he had not been forced to endure on his ship. “You are on sacred ground,” he explained.

  Ethan ignored their warnings, straying to the edge of the walkway to stare down into the silvery depths of a shining river running crosswise to the path. Fat blue and scarlet fish followed the current downstream. Ethan turned from looking down to looking up at the distant walls of the tower. They were at least several kilometers away. From that he estimated that the garden had to be a thousand or more acres in size. As they walked further into the leafy green depths, white-robed civilians began to appear along the sides of the path, their eyes narrowed and accusing. A few called out in Avilonian, sounding just as unwelcoming as they looked. Some of the soldiers replied, their tones more polite, but the white-robed civilians remained unimpressed.

  “What’s going on?” Ethan asked, walking up beside the nearest soldier.

  The man ignored him, but Ethan insisted until the man’s glowing faceplate turned to regard him. “They warn us that we are not allowed to be here. Only Omnius’s disciples are allowed into the temple after the doors have shut, and we are not even Celestials, let alone disciples.”