They rounded the corner and found a group of guards aiming at a closed blast door while one man used a blow torch on the door. The door glowed orange as it heated up. They were almost through the door.
John whistled. "Hey, boys, over here!" he shouted.
The group of guards turned and fired toward him. His shield of light held and the beams disappeared. John began to glow with a white light. One of the guards threw a flashbang. Derek activated the sound and light dampeners on his helmet and shouted, "Flash bang."
Ashley and John covered their ears and closed their eyes. The grenade went off but instead of flashing at the trio it streamed toward John. "That was a mistake," John said, though Derek doubted the enemy could hear him. He interlaced his fingers and cracked them. He extended his arms to the side and a curtain of visible light formed, covering the corridor from ceiling to floor. He made a pushing motion and the curtain flashed forward.
The enemy forces were incinerated before they could scream. Only dust remained on the floor.
John dusted his hands. "Damn I'm good. That's like what, two incinerations in a week?"
"Let me get a pin to pop that ego of yours," Ashley said. "I wouldn't want you to float away."
The torch used to cut through the door lay on the ground, deactivated when its owner died.
The trio approached the door. "Hello in there," John shouted. "You alive?"
"John, is that you?" Selene's voice came through the thick blast door.
"Yep. Ashley, me, and your boyfriend at your service."
"Thank God."
"You gonna open the door and come out?"
"We can't. The door is stuck."
"Leave it to me," Ashley said, stepping up to it. She lifted the torch and turned it on. The flames started out normal size but moments later expanded and swirled around Ashley’s arm. She touched her hand to the door and the entire center, which the original owner of the torch had been cutting out, melted to slag. She then touched the molten metal and Derek felt a wave of heat wash over him through his armor as she cooled the metal.
Selene stepped out first, followed by two other people Derek did not recognize. These must be the FIA agents, he thought. His eyes went back to Selene and remained locked there. He stepped forward and embraced and kissed her. "Derek," she said. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too," Derek said.
Selene stepped back. "I have so much to tell you."
"Start by telling us where Emma is," Ashley said.
"We don't have time for this," the woman behind Selene said. "We should get out of here."
"Who are you?" John asked.
"I'm Kimberly Hague, FIA operative and team leader.”
"And you, little dwarf man?" John said.
"The name's Corbin," he said.
John nodded to them each in turn. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. Shall we get to my ship?"
"You didn't tell us who you are."
"Selene didn't fill you in?"
"Der wasn't a whole lotta time ta talk, and Selene wasn't expectin' ye," Corbin said.
John put a hand on his chest. "I am John Edgerton. This is my lovely wife Ashley and this upstanding gentleman is Derek Jamison, the boyfriend of Selene."
"Wait, ye got a boyfriend?” Corbin asked Selene.
Selene smiled up at Derek. "Yes, I'm taken, Corbin."
"Awe darn it. Why do all da good ones be taken?"
"I'm not taken," Kimberly said.
"Eh, yer me boss," Corbin said, waving at her.
Kimberly shook her head and smirked. Her expression became serious. "Now that everyone has been introduced, can we please get out of here?"
"Sure. Right this way," John extended a hand back the way they'd come.
Ashley remained where she was, arms crossed and looking at Selene. Derek thought she looked like she was pleading with her eyes.
Selene took a deep breath. "Emma was taken by the Krai'kesh back when we were first captured. I don't know where they took her. I tried to go with her but they didn't want me. I'm sorry."
Ashley nodded, but Derek noticed her eyes were moister than usual before she turned to follow John.
The group arrived back at the intersection to find Ethan and his Marines no longer under attack. Ethan turned. "Right on time. We just beat back that wave, but I expect more will be on their way soon. The elevator just went crashing down, so I expect they cut the cable."
"Damn," John said. "So we have to fight our way out?"
"Looks that way."
"Wait," Selene said. "There's a secret passage that leads out of the palace to the woods outside the perimeter. It's closed up by rock but," she looked at Ashley, "you should have no trouble breaking through."
Ashley nodded. "Let's do it."
"Only one problem," John said. "The ship is on the roof."
"My Marine can fly it," Ethan said.
John shot him a glare. "I'm not trusting my baby to some random Marine."
"He has flight training."
"I don't care if he's the best pilot in the galaxy, he ain't flying the Dauntless and that's final."
Ethan sighed. "Fine. Can he at least activate the auto-pilot?"
John stroked his chin. "I suppose he can't mess that up."
"It's settled," Selene said, heading down the center hallway. "Follow me." She led the group past an elevator and stairwell. "That leads to the kitchens," she explained. Distant shouts came from behind the group, but no lasers flashed toward them. At the end of the hallway stood a blast door. Selene punched in a code at the control panel. The door slid open. "My brother and I used to play down here. This is the entrance to the catacombs."
"Your ancestors built catacombs?" John asked.
"When they first arrived here from Tar Ebon, yes."
"That's...archaic."
"It's the Commerce Sector," Ashley said dryly. “Their society is behind by several hundred years."
"Still. Catacombs." John shook his head in disbelief.
"We could use some light," Selene said. "It's dark down there."
"Of course it is. Probably damp, too, right?"
Selene arched an eyebrow at him. "Are you scared of catacombs?"
John stood up straighter. "Not exactly. I just had a terrible experience with catacombs once, that's all. I thought my days exploring such places were behind me." He obliged by summoning a bright orb of light. He cast it forward through the door. It revealed a stone staircase that spiraled down. "Pretty narrow stairs."
"Hug the wall," Selene said, leading them.
The stairs twisted several times before they reached the bottom. The orb of light followed them. Derek felt dizzy. A massive statue stood in front of them, while rows of stone caskets lined the walls. "Who is that?" Derek asked, pointing at the statue.
"My great, great something grandfather, Vortimor Artois. He was the founder of House Artois in this sector.
"Great name," John said. "Not."
Selene, with the orb of light floating above her head, led them around the statue of Vortimor and straight down the center of the catacomb. Branches led to other rooms and hallways but she knew where she was going. They ended at a large boulder. "This is it. The entrance was sealed after I...well," she glanced at Derek and blushed. "Never mind. Can you open it, Ashley?"
Derek smirked, wondering what her secret was. He would have to ask her in private...if they got out of there alive. They still had to escape orbit.
"Stand back," Ashley commanded. She stepped forward and put her hand on the boulder. Derek could not see her eyes but imagined them glowing white. For several moments nothing happened, but then the boulder melted into the ground like a wax candle submerged in a forge fire. Ashley extended her arm toward the fresh opening and bowed. "My husband is not the only one who can do impressive things today." She flashed a triumphant smile at John.
John rolled his eyes. "I didn't know it was a competition."
"It's not, because I'll always win."
&n
bsp; Shouts echoed through the catacombs. "We've got company," Ethan said. "Let's hurry unless you want us blowing up the catacombs."
"Everyone get inside, then I'll seal the entrance again," Ashley said. As the last Marine entered the tunnel she raised her arms and rock flowed up from the ground solidified, reforming the boulder. She dusted her hands. "Twice in one day."
John sniffed.
Selene and the orb of light led the way down the tunnel. It was not straight but did not have side tunnels to get lost down. It started going uphill. "We're almost out," she said. They arrived at a rust-covered door with a lock on the inside. Three steps led to it. Selene motioned. "Would one of you boys kindly break the lock?"
Derek walked up the steps, raised his rifle and broke the lock with the butt of it. He pulled the door open. Dirt streamed down and caused him to retreat to the side.
Selene led the way up the steps.
"Is this a tree?" Derek asked.
"Yes," Selene said. She pushed at one part of the tree and a panel popped out. "Pretty clever, right?"
"I'm impressed," he said.
"I'm letting Baillidh know where we are," Kimberly said as she emerged from the tree.
"Ethan, let your Marine know where we are too," John said, stretching. "All he has to do is punch in our coordinates and activate the auto-pilot. The old girl will take care of the rest."
Ethan nodded. "On it."
"Tell your guy to hurry," John said to Kimberly. "Once the Dauntless lands we'll be telling the security forces right where we are. They'll be swarming the forest."
"He's two minutes away and running as fast as he can," Kimberly said.
The palace towered in the distance within the perimeter fence. Security vehicles hovered over it like flies above feces. Some landed while others rose. Moments later an object rose from the top of the palace and headed their way. It had to be the Dauntless.
Security forces gave chase, firing at the Dauntless. I guess John's invisibility field doesn't move with the ship.
A rustling in the brush caused Derek to swing his rifle around and aim at a man emerging. The man held up his hands. "Woah, don't shoot," he said.
"Stand down," Kimberly ordered. "That's Baillidh."
Derek lowered his rifle. Who does she think she is ordering me around?
"Just in time, buddy," John said. He formed a fist and pointed it toward him.
Baillidh stared at the proffered fist.
"Come on," John urged. "Pound it."
Baillidh formed a fist and timidly pressed it against John's.
"There we go!"
"Here comes the Dauntless," Ethan announced.
The ship landed in a small field to the south of the group. They ran toward the extended ramp.
"They're closing on us!" Ethan shouted again.
Laser fire burned the ground around the group. One Marine went flying forward and landed on his stomach, smoking rising from his back. He turned over and writhed in pain.
John stopped and turned. The next barrage of lasers met another wall of light. "I can't hold them that long!" he shouted. "It's not like small arms fire." He waited until everyone, even the injured Marine, were aboard before running toward the Dauntless. He ran up the ramp just as the barrier evaporated. "Go, go!" he shouted, running for the cockpit. Derek followed, while Selene followed Kimberly and her team toward the back of the ship.
"You're the captain," Ashley said as the two men entered.
"Oh, right," John said, breathing heavy as he slumped into his chair and took a deep breath. "All right, let's do this." He activated the repulsors and the ship rose. Then he pulled back on a lever and it accelerated so fast Derek was pressed back into his seat despite the inertial dampeners.
"We've probably got half the planet on our tails by now," Ethan said. "Any bright ideas?"
"Fly until we're able to shift," John said.
"We're all going to die," Ethan replied.
"I have a better idea," Kimberly said from the doorway.
Where did she come from? Derek wondered.
"Okay, dear, what's your idea?" John asked as he jerked the ship to avoid a barrage from a pursuing vessel.
"I've contacted Isabelle. She's on her way."
"Isabelle?" Ashley said. "As in our niece Isabelle?"
"Yes."
"How do you know her?" John asked.
"I know her from Galatia IV," Kimberly explained.
"Ahh, nasty business, that."
"Yeah," Kimberly said but didn't elaborate.
"What's her ETA?"
"She didn't say. How fast can she move through shadow space?"
"Depends on where she started from."
"She was at Crossroad Station last I knew."
"Then she should be here any minute now," John said. The ship jerked sharply to the side and Kimberly almost crashed into a console. "You might want to go back and buckle in, darlin'."
"Good idea," Kimberly said. She turned and went back further in the ship.
The Dauntless climbed toward space, several security ships in hot pursuit. The sensor display showed more ships closing from the flanks and from in front of them. They were about to be surrounded. Derek opened his mouth to warn John of that when a gust of wind caused him to turn around.
A cloud of shadow and mist formed and materialized into a woman clad in armor and with short black hair. That must be Isabelle, Derek thought.
She looked around, her gaze taking in her surroundings. "I heard you needed a ride," she said.
John shrugged. "Yeah, we're surrounded and could use an emergency shift right about now."
"Any particular destination?"
"Anywhere but here, for now. Then we have to figure out where the Krai'kesh fleet that took Emma went."
"Wait, the Krai'kesh took Emma?"
"Yeah, out near the outer rim. We're going to get her back, though," John promised. "But we could really use a shift right about now." He pointed to the main display which mirrored the sensor console output.
"Shifting to Crossroad Station for now," Isabelle said. She closed her eyes and the world turned to gray as they entered shadow space.
***
The Dauntless re-entered real-space a brief time later. Crossroad Station lay in the distance, two clusters of ships floating at opposite ends. "What's going on here?" John asked.
"Krai'kesh invasion of Crossroad Station complicated by an Imperial 'rescue' operation that is a thinly veiled takeover attempt. I've been here negotiating."
"'Negotiating' as in cracking skulls?"
"No. Glaring menacingly. Cracking skulls comes later. I'm going to debrief my agents. How are you going to find Emma?"
"I'm going to comm Admiral Rigsby," John said. "He should know where the Krai'kesh fleet is. Then we go crack Krai'kesh skulls. Literally."
"Count me in."
Chapter 16 - Fighting Back
"Admiral, we have a communication incoming from the Dauntless," Zigana reported.
"Put them through," Martin said from his captain's chair.
The vid screen displayed the image of Captain Edgerton. "Heya, Admiral." His hair appeared frazzled.
"Captain Edgerton, we lost contact with you. What's your status? Are you still in the Proxima system?"
"Well, it's been a long journey. Listen, we found your missing pilot, Selene, but we've got bad news." He paused dramatically. "The Krai'kesh took Emma."
"I'm sorry to hear they took Emma, but glad you found Selene. Did you find her in the wreckage?"
"On her home world, Epsilon III, actually. The attack on the system was orchestrated by House Artois. They were doing a 'hostile takeover,' and are working with the Krai'kesh. We've got a boat load of proof thanks to the FIA operatives who were also on the planet."
"I see. So Emma was not taken to Epsilon III?"
"No. Which is why we're contacting you. Do you have any idea where the Krai'kesh fleet may be? Any idea at all?"
Martin shook his head. "Unfortun
ately not. In fact, they have been hunting..." he stopped, a plan forming in his head. He snapped his fingers. "That's it. The Krai'kesh have been looking for us. They're working with several rogue elements within the Federation. What if we let slip where we are?"
"Then the Krai'kesh will come to you. Dude, that's brilliant."
Martin suppressed irritation at being called dude and smiled. "How soon will you be here? Are you still on the other side of the Federation?"
"We're at Crossroad Station but we've got Isabelle Thorpe with us. We'll make good speed."
"I will leak the information right away, but the enemy might appear before you arrive."
"Just do what you can." The link closed.
Martin turned to Zigana. "Open a channel to Fleet Command. I need to speak to Admiral Hensen."
Admiral Hensen's assistant did not stop them this time and moments later Admiral Hensen appeared on the screen. "Admiral Rigsby. This is a surprise." He made no mention of the attempted attack on Deltar II.
Martin nodded to Admiral Hensen, though it sickened him to do so. "Admiral Hensen. I lied to you before. We are actually located at Pompero IV."
"Ah. Do you require reinforcements?"
"Yes, if you could send aid that would be appreciated." More like send traitors. I hope we aren’t biting off more than we can chew.
"Of course, Martin. I will dispatch the closest available fleet to your location."
"Thank you, sir."
"One more thing," Admiral Hensen said. “The Joint Chiefs have met. We have appointed Admiral Bordekov as the interim Supreme Commander. Just until we can confirm whether Dawyn Darklance is alive or dead. You understand."
Martin clenched his fists. Just go along with it. Don't start a fight. "Yes, sir, I am sure she will fulfill the duties of her office with diligence. I must see to the repairs of the fleet, sir. If you'll excuse me."
"Of course. You will have relief soon." The link closed.
Martin sat back in his chair and let out a huge sigh. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do."
"I believe you convinced him, sir."
"We will see. I hope I didn't make a mistake." He decided to change the subject. "What is the status of the repairs? And the re-supply effort."
Ruin: A Seven Stars Novel (Dark Tide Trilogy Book 3) Page 17