by Linda Mooney
Alamet, who had been giving instructions to one of his men, turned back to her. “What was exactly the same way?”
“What happened on the ship. Oh, dear heavens! That’s how they managed to destroy his father! Somehow, he got separated from his father, and when his father dropped his shield to go after him, they killed him!”
Will ran for the transport tube, jostling past the guard who manned the controls. “Send me back to the Objurian ship! Now! That’s an order!”
The guard hesitated and looked to his true Captain. Alamet hurried toward Will.
“Are you insane? I can’t let you go back to that ship!”
“You have to!” Will insisted. “I have to go back before they ruin him! I have to go back!”
With a calm voice, Alamet tried to talk sense into her. “So they take Vall prisoner again. We’ll go in and get him back.”
“No.” Will shook her head. “It’ll be too late then.”
“Captain Alamet.” They were interrupted by an all-call over the communications grid. Alamet responded.
“Alamet here.”
“Informing you we’re within visual range of Regency Base, as you requested.”
“All shields up!” the man ordered brusquely. “Prepare neutralizing weapons!”
“Captain Alamet?” It was a different voice, but one he recognized.
“Yes, Windin?”
“What is our target?”
“The target?” Alamet frowned. “The target are the Ben Objure!”
There was a pause, then Windin, whom Will assumed was the weapons master, spoke again. This time his confusion colored his next question.
“The Ben Objure are coming?”
Will saw the Captain taken aback. The man glanced around at his crew. “The Ben Objure are attacking Regency Base!”
“No, Captain,” Windin replied. “There’s no one at the base.”
“No one? What do you mean, no one?” Alamet looked to Will, who nodded.
“It’s too late,” she told him.
“Too late? Explain!”
“The Ben Objure have ceased their attack on the base and are returning to their home world because they’ve succeeded in getting what they were wanting. Vall’s their prisoner again, and I pray on all that’s holy he doesn’t break.” A tear ran down her cheek, and she swiped at it.
“What happens if he breaks?” Alamet questioned in a soft voice.
“According to legend, a Resplendent can turn toward good or toward evil. If he is raised for good, he will use his powers to enhance life. But if he turns evil, nothing will be able to stop him from crushing entire worlds. The Ben Objure are determined to make him the most powerful, indestructible weapon ever contained. They’ll break him to become a source of pure evil. And if they do, when they do, nothing will be able to stop him.”
“Then what do you suggest we do now?”
“Go after that ship. Get me on board that ship.”
“Captain—”
“I have to go after Vall,” she insisted in flat, firm voice. “I can reach him. I can keep him from turning, if it’s not too late.”
“The Ben Objure will try to kill you,” he reminded her.
“I know, but I have to get to Vall. If I don’t, he’ll turn, and it’ll be too late. If they kill me, he’ll turn, and the worst will be forthcoming. Yes, I know the odds aren’t good, but please, Captain. Put me back on that ship.”
“You truly believe you alone can stop him from turning?” Alamet still seemed skeptical.
Giving the man a wane smile, Will replied. “Do we have any other options?”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Resplendent
Will stood on the bridge of the Legion of Mercy as Captain Alamet sat in his command chair behind her. Together, they watched the river of stars cascading around them as the ship hurtled toward the Ben Fil Dera system.
“Captain Tayte, incoming message,” the communications officer announced.
“Put it on audio.” She waited a second for the connection to be made before continuing. “This is Captain Willis Tayte.”
“Plymon here, Captain. Good to hear your voice again. We were beginning to think we’d never see you again.”
Will could hear the good-natured tease in the man’s voice, and grinned. “You know what they say. A bitch of a captain is hard to kill. What is your location?”
“Magnus here, Captain. We are running a perpendicular course with yours as per Captain Alamet’s orders. We are less than forty-seven minutes away from Ben Fil Dera Objure.”
“Have you heard from any other warships?”
“The Gift of Peace and the Promise of Faith have reported in. They should join us within twenty minutes.”
“Captain, what are your orders?” Plymon requested. Now that she was back in contact with her ship, he automatically handed command back to her. She wondered if it galled him.
“We’re going to surround the planet and demand they return Vall to us.”
“The same tactic the Ben Objure used on us?”
His disbelieving tone turned her grin into a smile. “Similar, but not exact. First, before you arrive, I need you and the rest of the crew to become familiar with a species known as Resplendents.”
“I’ve already be made aware of them,” Plymon told her. “I will extend that knowledge to the rest of the crew. What is the next step?”
Good old Killjorn. Will knew why the physician had let Plymon in on the secret. With her absconded from the ship, the next in command would need to know every detail of what he was up against.
“Then we need for Vall to find me. As for step three, you will hold all fire and answer directly to Captain Alamet. In the event I am not able to communicate directly with you, Trinity will be under the command of Captain Alamet, unless it is determined I am no longer alive. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Thank you, Plymon. Tayte out.”
She heard Alamet get up from his chair and walk over to stand beside her. After a moment or two, the man spoke up.
“The Future of Strength will already be in orbit when we arrive. The Era of Harmony is less than half an hour behind us. That’ll be six warships, Captain. An unprecedented showing of Nion strength. I don’t remember this many warships gathering since the Velphic Wars.”
Will glanced over at the man, the smile reappearing on her lips. “That was a bit before my time, Captain, but I do remember studying about them at the Academy. If we’re lucky, we may end this possibly eternal standoff the same way the Velphic Wars did.”
“How do you plan to approach the Ben Objure without your shields?”
“I’ll use one of the containment suits.”
“The suits don’t have any weapons capabilities.”
“No, but at least it’ll keep me somewhat safe if they happen to fire upon me. Or if I’m thrown out of the ship.”
Alamet didn’t appear to share her belief. “All right, Tayte. Let’s assume this mission is deemed a success. Let’s say you talk the Ben Objure out of taking your Vall man prisoner again. What then? Where do you see yourself when all of this is over?”
Her first impulse was to commit herself to many more years aboard the Trinity. But for the past hour her mind and her heart had been elsewhere. Her thoughts had not been on her duty, or the fact that she was a powerful Nion warrior. She wanted to tell her friend that she wanted to spend the rest of her life in Vall’s arms, protecting him as he protected her. Showing him the beautiful wonders of the universe, as well as its dangers. She wanted to watch him hone his abilities, and encourage him during their development. She wanted to be with him as he removed himself from the little boy persona and became a man, mentally as well as physically.
She had spent the time keeping hope alive within her heart that the Ben Objure hadn’t broken Vall. She had sent out mental vibes, telling him she was on her way, and wondering if he could receive them. She had tried to steel herself for the possibility th
at all her planning might be wasted effort, and that, in the end, he could be forever lost to her.
She had prepared herself for the time when she would have to destroy him herself if he had turned toward evil. Reaching down, she brushed her fingertips over the stasis tube strapped to her thigh. Without her own natural weapons, she would have to rely on the old-fashioned kind until hers returned.
“Where do I see myself? That’s too far into the future for me to imagine, Ambris. Ask me again after all of this is over.”
“If we’re still alive.” The man replied with humor.
“Yeah. If we’re both still alive.”
He returned to his chair as Will continued her watch from where she stood. Every so often she would close her eyes and focus inwardly, seeking any sort of twinge or spark that would signal Vall’s presence, without luck. She knew she had been farther away from him the last time he’d taken her. Being this close and still not receiving anything from him could not be good news. Will worried if he was unconscious…or worse.
Furthermore, standing there and fretting over what might-have-could-have happened wasn’t getting anything accomplished. She was acting more like a love-struck girl instead of a warship captain. Irritated with herself, Will growled softly.
Time to do something constructive instead of pining away—
Initially, it felt like a tugging on her skin. Will turned to look at Captain Alamet when the ship disappeared from around her. A white, misty glow enclosed her, keeping her alive as she tumbled through the empty void of space. An instant later, the dark bowels of an Objurian battle cruiser formed around her. Will dropped to her knees as the artificial gravity took hold. A heartbeat later, pale arms caged her and lifted her to her feet.
My Will!
“Vall!” She started to turn around to hug him when she froze at the sight in front of her.
He had pulled her into the middle of a standoff. Nearly a dozen of the Ben Objure were crowding around him, forcing him backwards. They all held a variety of weapons, many of which she didn’t recognize, but by the way they were held left no doubt in her mind as to their purpose. The creatures jostled each other, as if vying for a position in the front of the pack. As she stared at them, they moved a fraction of an inch closer.
“Translate for me, Vall.”
His response was to pull her more tightly against him.
“I am Captain Willis Tayte. I am a Nion warrior representing the warship Trinity of Hope. At this moment, your planet is being surrounded by six Nion warships.”
The creatures appeared confused. They glanced among themselves, until one large female dislodged herself from the others and stepped into the barren center. Unlike the others, with their deep black exoskeletons, her carapace was gray.
“Why are you here, Nion?”
“I’m here to ask that you abandon your goal to enslave the Resplendent.”
“Why are you not shielded?”
They were cautious as well as confused. Even though her uniform identified her as Nion, the lack of her aura was not protocol. They suspected a trap, and Will couldn’t blame them.
“Because I come to you with the hope of reaching a peaceable ending to this encounter.”
“Take your request elsewhere. Our dealings with it are not your concern. We had it first. It is ours.” This time they referred to Vall as if he was another piece of cargo.
“Trafficking in sentient beings is against all laws of every inhabited race in this galaxy,” Will replied, keeping her voice level. “As a representative of the Nion—”
She never got to finish. She’d caught sight of one of the Ben Objure adjusting the settings on her weapon. It was a slight gesture, barely observable amid the constant shoving and pushing. Normally she wouldn’t have given the movement a second thought. But without her shields, she had to be extra cautious, despite Vall’s protection. Automatically, she tried to reach for her own stasis pistol, but Vall’s arms were in the way. Her own arms weren’t long enough to grab it. Unable to stop the creature herself, she pointed at the thing’s weapon. “Vall!”
She heard a yell that didn’t sound human. Before she could react, the Ben Objure seemed to project its own aura. A rainbow of color outline its body in sparkling hues. An instant later, the creature exploded outward, spewing chunks of body pieces, internal organs, and blood in all directions.
Will screamed. “No, Vall! Don’t kill! Don’t kill!”
The scream echoed again, this time overhead. She barely had time to see the remaining Ben Objure readjust their weapons when Vall threw her to the side. She fell, tumbling and rolling to a stop several meters away. Getting to her knees, she looked up, dazed and afraid. The sound of disruptive rays firing were like shrieks of metal upon metal. But above that ear-splitting noise was a darker, louder wail.
A shudder ran through her as she watched the huge creature rising until it towered over the Ben Objure. A creature that no longer resembled anything human. A creature with eyes that glittered like yellow suns going nova. A mythical being with enormous fangs, and with heavily muscled arms extending outward, ending with slender hands bearing long, curved claws.
The firepower bounced off Vall, unable to penetrate his own personal shield. Lights flashed everywhere as the weapons continued to discharge ineffectively. The room appeared to be filled with breathtaking color, as if the place contained a small nebula.
Vall took a step toward his tormentors, no longer willing to retreat. He waved a hand at one Ben Objure that tried to move around behind him. It paused, dropping its weapon just as it burst into a hundred wet, sizzling lumps.
Vall, no! Don’t kill!
She screamed in her mind, knowing her own voice would be drowned out in the onslaught. Getting to her feet, she judged the distance between him and the creatures. She had to stop Vall. Somehow, she had to get him to cease the killing.
Vall, no! Don’t kill! Listen to me! They want you to become evil. They want you to become like them! Listen to me! Don’t kill! Don’t let them turn you!
The screaming seemed to intensify. Another Ben Objure plastered the floor and ceiling with grue. The smell made her want to gag, and holding a hand over her nose didn’t help. By sheer will alone, she managed not to throw up.
Her body acted on pure instinct the split-second she saw an opening. She sprinted toward Vall, still mentally yelling at him as she held out her arms and hands and waved them to get his attention. The Resplendent looked surprised at her reaction. In the next second, an intense burning struck her in the back. The force of the impact threw her off her feet, propelling her forward, directly into Vall’s arms.
Will! My Will!
She’d been hit. Funny. Although she felt the pain racing like lightning through her body, her mind remained lucid. Maybe he was holding the worst of her condition at bay, to protect her.
Will clutched the thickly muscled chest, unable to do more than close the fingers of one hand in the shredded fabric. The other hand rested on the stasis tube nestled against her leg.
“Vall.”
Her eyes misted slightly. Through the thin veil of tears, she managed to see Vall’s face transform back to the familiar visage she loved. He bent over her, concern replacing the fury that had made his golden eyes flash.
My Will!
“Vall, don’t kill. If you kill…you’ll turn evil.” It was becoming difficult to speak. Difficult to concentrate. Difficult to focus. Will blinked as Vall lifted her off her feet and clutched her closer to him. There was no way to tell if the Ben Objure were still firing at him. There was no way to know anything, other than the fact that he was himself again, and he was giving her his full attention.
“Don’t kill. Don’t kill, Vall. Don’t become like them. Don’t become evil. Please.”
“My Will.” His whisper sounded in her ear. His breath hitched. “You can not leave me, Will. I will not let you.”
Not let you? How could she explain to him that death was the one power he had no control
over? How could she tell him that he could obliterate the Ben Objure, and any other species, as well as whole planets and galaxies. But once the act was done, there was no reversing it? No bringing it back. No putting things the way they’d been? He was strong, and getting stronger every day, but bringing back the dead was not one of his abilities.
It was getting cold. She must have shivered, as he drew the torn and stained edges of his robe around her. Moving her fingers slightly, she managed to rotate the stasis tube until the barrel faced him. It would be a point blank shot.
If miracles were possible, he would listen to her. He would take her plea to heart. Unfortunately, she knew the opposite would most likely happen. She was dying, and once she was gone, Vall would go berserk with grief. The cost of life would be staggering. Worse, it would only be the beginning. That’s why it would take a minimum of six Nion warships to take him out. Take him down. Permanently disable him.
Kill him.
Unless, by some act of fate, she managed to do it first.
Plymon and Captain Alamet had their orders. It was rare and almost unheard of to issue a Directive Zero. In this case, there was no other choice if Vall turned evil. They could not risk the lives of billions.
Until her death, she had to continue begging him, hoping he would listen, praying he would obey. And that she wouldn’t have to press the firing button.
“Don’t…kill.”
“My Will.”
“Promise me. Vall, promise me.”
It was almost impossible to see his face. She tried to reach up and touch it, but her arms weren’t working. She couldn’t even tell if her free hand was still entwined in the robe.
“Will, no. Do not go. Do not leave me.”
At least her ears still functioned. Something warm landed on her cheek and ran down past her jaw.
“Promise me, Vall.”
One fingertip rested lightly on the firing button. Timing was crucial.
Chapter Thirty
Others
The soft golden aura that surrounded him began to brighten, growing steadily whiter and all-encompassing. She heard him gasp. She was lifted horizontally, her head lolling onto one bared shoulder.