‘All right, but first, send out a distress signal, continuous live feed. I want it clear that we didn’t start this fight.’
Gofal activated the console in front of him, his fingers moving in a blur. ‘Done. We are transmitting across the spectrum.’
‘Good,’ Wynn said, his heart beating faster. ‘Launch our fighters. Target their arkships. You are authorized to fire.’
Watson activated the com. ‘This is Commander Watson on board the Ark Royal Caerleon to the Kenric fleet. We are under attack. Counterstrikes have been authorized. All civilians to the shelters. Evanine?’
‘Clark here,’ a gruff man’s voice responded over the com.
‘Your armament is more advanced. Take point.’
‘Acknowledged, Caerleon. Adjusting position now.’
‘Thank you, Commander Clark. Watson out.’
Wynn watched at the Evanine moved to shield the Caerleon, adjusting its position to intercept the bulk of the new assault. The gas around the arkship lit up with the ignition of explosions, casting a rich orange glow.
‘Four fighter squadrons are away. Missile wave one is launching,’ Watson said.
‘Prince Halstead?’ It was the com officer, calling to Wynn. ‘I’ve a message for you from the hanger bay.’
‘It will have to wait,’ Wynn replied, his eyes fixed on the flashing holograph.
‘Sir, it’s the Duchess.’
Wynn snatched at the com panel. ‘Put her through here.’
‘. . . you tell him if he doesn’t take my call immediately I’ll rip–’
‘Bara?’ Wynn said.
‘Why the hell can’t I launch?’ Bara shouted over the com.
‘Bara, we’re in the middle of a battle.’
‘Exactly! I’m sat on Lexica, trying to get out there, but the harbor master won’t release control to me. He says it’s on your orders.’
Wynn hesitated, feeling his wife’s rage burning his ears. ‘Bara, it’s not appropriate for you to–’
‘Not appropriate? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Bara, you’re my wife now. You’re too important to risk in a firefight. You just can’t do that, not any more.’
‘Sol! You’ve grounded me? Who the hell do you think you are, Wynn? My gods! We’re talking about the defense of the arkship! You have to let me go!’
‘Sorry, we’ll talk later.’ Wynn cut the channel, feeling sick.
Gofal glanced up from the holograph. ‘You know you’ll pay for that later.’
‘Shut up!’ Wynn snapped, then he took a breath, trying to calm himself. ‘Yes, I know. But my order stands: Bara is not to join the fight.’
The arkship rocked with a new series of impacts, closer to the flight deck this time.
‘They’ve launched a third wave,’ Commander Watson said, sounding tense. ‘Over one hundred missiles.’
‘The Gilgore gird is unstable in several regions of the hull,’ Gofal added. ‘We should adjust our profile to protect those vulnerable sections.’ He inputted a series of commands into the console, and the Caerleon began to turn. Out of the windows, the Evanine disappeared from view. Wynn stole a last glimpse of it before it dipped out of sight, marveling at the onslaught it was taking.
‘It’s a tough ship,’ Gofal noted, aware of Wynn’s concern.
‘How are our fighters doing?’ Wynn asked.
Gofal adjusted the holograph, zooming into the region between the Kenric arkships and the Li Zhang fleet. Tiny dots of light appeared, a swam of fighters moving quickly between each other.
‘The Li Zhang squadrons outnumber us, three to one,’ Gofal explained. ‘We are taking heavy losses.’
‘How long till we can get out of here?’
‘Less than a minute to Cube drive power up,’ Watson said.
‘Brace for impact!’ an officer shouted over the noise.
The flight deck tilted, throwing Wynn and the others to the ground. There was a terrible screech of twisting metal, then the lights overhead wavered. As darkness fell, the grav lines failed, and Wynn found himself adrift, bouncing off the floor and floating into the air. He swung his arms around, desperate to find something to hold on to. He felt a hand about his ankle, pulling him towards the holograph: it was Gofal, his other hand gripping the railing around the edge of the console.
‘Thanks,’ Wynn said, catching his breath as he attached a harness link from the console to his belt.
A flash erupted outside as a fighter was destroyed. The burning wreckage tumbled towards the flight deck, prompting automatic defenses to fall into place over the windows. The heavy protective barrier slammed shut, robbing the dark interior of its only light source. The flight deck, just a sea of flickering console lights now, fell silent for an instant. Then, the ruined fighter struck the exterior, and the arkship listed once more. This time Wynn was ready, braced against the shockwave. After a moment, the violent shaking ended, and power returned. The grav lines pulled him to the floor as the holograph filled the air above him. One by one, the crew silenced the alarms, regaining control of the arkship’s systems. Commander Watson returned to the holograph, looking dazed but unharmed.
‘How bad is it?’ she asked Gofal.
‘Major damage reported on twenty-nine decks. Hull breaches are being sealed, but the Cube drive has stalled. We’re not leaving just yet.’
‘Damn!’ Watson replied. ‘What about the Evanine?’
‘Damaged, but operational. Her Cube drive is at full power, but she is station-keeping to protect us.’
‘They should leave,’ Wynn said.
Commander Watson shook her head. ‘We’d be dead without them.’
‘The enemy has launched another wave,’ Gofal said, gesturing to the holograph. ‘We should consider evacuating to the Evanine in order to speed up our retreat.’
‘Abandon the Caerleon?’ Wynn gasped. ‘Never!’
Gofal’s glowing blue eyes turned to face Wynn. ‘We are talking about the survival of thousands of people. Arkships can be rebuilt, people cannot.’
Wynn lowered his head in frustration. He was tired of losing. ‘Is there nothing else we can do?’
‘Not if they continue to fire on us,’ Gofal said.
Commander Watson hammered the console with her fist. ‘We can still fight!’
Wynn stared at her determined face, then at Gofal’s emotionless features. Six months ago, he and Wynn had shared a unique experience. They had been given a glimpse of their future, a brief view of things to come. For Wynn it had been a jumble of images and emotions, the past churned up with events years ahead, making it difficult to interpret. And since then, it had faded, becoming harder and harder to decipher. But for Gofal, it was different. For him it was cold data downloaded into his cerebral matrix, unyielding, unchanging. He knew the future as surely as if it had already happened. For him it was like reading a page from a history book.
‘Do you know how this turns out?’ Wynn asked him.
Gofal glanced cautiously at Commander Watson.
Wynn understood, turning to the Commander. ‘Give us a moment.’
Uncertain, Watson hesitated, then she retreated from the holograph.
‘Do you know?’ Wynn asked the bot in a whisper. ‘Do you know what happens today?’
‘Of course I do!’ Gofal replied quickly. ‘And you know I can’t tell you.’
‘Even with so many lives at stake? Even with our lives at stake?’
‘The numbers are irrelevant, Wynn. I must protect the information I was given, no matter what the cost. The information is too dangerous, it would corrupt your choices. Only I am immune. I can carry on and make decisions as normal, but you cannot.’
Wynn’s hands became fists of frustration. It was like trying to argue with destiny. He turned his back on Gofal and found Commander Watson. ‘Order all fighters to protect the Caerleon and bring the Evanine into docking range. Prepare to evacuate our people from here. We’ll hold the Caerleon as long as we can with a skeleton crew.’
/> Watson nodded her understanding and went to work, passing orders to her officers.
Wynn turned back to face Gofal. ‘There, I’ve made my decision, without your help. But you knew that, didn’t you?’
‘Yes,’ Gofal replied.
‘Tell me, what was the point in you being shown the future if you can’t act upon it?’
Gofal approximated a sigh. ‘That is something I have been puzzling over since the day it happened. I have yet to formulate an answer, but I will let you know if I do. I know it is hard to understand, but you must respect the wishes of the Infinite Gods in this.’
‘Infinite Gods?’ Wynn said with contempt.
‘You felt it. You experienced the visions of the future. They helped you save Bara’s life. You and I are the only ones who have evidence of the existence of the Infinite Gods. Surely, you of all people must believe?’
‘I don’t think I know what I believe in any more.’ Wynn said, focusing on the holograph once again. The arkship Evanine was already responding to Commander Watson’s orders, descending towards the Caerleon. Around the two arkships, the bombardment of the Li Zhang fleet continued.
‘Contact!’ and officer cried. ‘Docking complete.’
‘Begin the evacuation,’ Watson called. She leaned closer to Wynn. ‘You should leave as well. It’d take a miracle for the Caerleon to survive.’
‘Miracles grow in belief,’ Gofal said.
Wynn shot him an angry glance as he shook his head. ‘I’m staying, but make sure my wife is aboard the Evanine.’
‘I will.’ She turned to pass on the order, just as the holograph lit up with a new set of signals.
‘More enemy fire?’ Wynn asked.
‘No . . .’ Watson said. ‘Something else.’
The com system crackled into life, and a new voice filled the flight deck.
‘Kenric arkships, this is the House of Dulac, answering your distress call. Can we be of assistance?’
Gofal checked the holograph. ‘Six arkships, plus support vessels. They are battle-ready, grids charged, weapons loaded.’
‘The Li Zhang fleet is moving away,’ Watson said, almost laughing with relief.
Together they watched as, one by one, the Li Zhang arkships blipped into Cube transit, leaving the Evanine and the Caerleon to greet the newly arrived convoy.
THE VISITOR
‘Do you know him?’ Wynn asked Commander Watson and Gofal as they walked towards the hanger bay.
‘Only by reputation,’ Watson replied. ‘The Dulac family keep out of politics, but they appear to be trustworthy.’
‘If they keep out of politics then they are definitely trustworthy,’ Wynn joked.
‘Faron Dulac is their leader,’ Gofal explained. ‘He is twenty-seven years old and has been in command since he was sixteen. He lost his parents in their war with the House of Pérez. Both sides were almost wiped out, but when he took command he brokered a truce and they have lived in relative peace since then.’
‘He ended a war when he was sixteen?’
‘Yes,’ Gofal replied.
The doors to the hanger bay slid open and Wynn was joined by a troupe of guards. They led him towards a waiting shuttle that had just landed on a vacant pad. As the ramp lowered, Wynn felt a ripple on anticipation at the sight of a group of visitors descending. Dulac soldiers advanced, checking the hanger bay, then they parted to reveal a slim man with dark shoulder-length hair. He saw Wynn and grinned, his smile infectious, striding towards him with his arm outstretched.
‘It’s an honor to finally meet the great Prince Halstead,’ Faron Dulac said, beaming. He took Wynn’s hand, shaking it as his other hand rested on the prince’s shoulder, then he did something that took Wynn by surprise: he dropped to his knee.
‘My arkships are yours,’ Faron declared. ‘The House of Dulac stands with the House of Kenric.’
Wynn was lost for words. He blustered, feeling the eyes of everyone on him. Finally, he said. ‘The House of Kenric accepts.’
Faron stood, delighted. ‘This is a good day.’
‘Yes, yes, it is.’ Wynn replied, suddenly aware that someone was approaching him, her face a thunderstorm.
‘Who the hell do you think you are?’ Bara shouted, marching to square up to Wynn. ‘Sol! I’m your wife, not a possession! You do not tell me what to do. Are we clear?’
‘Bara . . .’
‘If I can’t live my life, then what’s the point in being married?’
‘Bara, can we talk about this later?’
‘No, we’ll talk about it now! I don’t care who’s listening. I’m not your duchess! I’m not something you can keep in a box! I’m Sēbarā Delaterre, engineer, former Chief of the Engine Deck! You either get used to that or . . . or . . .’
Bara hesitated, catching a glimpse of the visitor for the first time.
‘This is Faron Dulac, leader of the House of Dulac.’ Wynn said.
Faron beamed at her, taking her hand. ‘Sēbarā Delaterre,’ he said, his pronunciation perfect. ‘It is an honor to meet you.’
‘Hi . . .’ Bara floundered. Her rage crumbled as she looked between Wynn and the visitor.
‘We owe our lives to Faron and his people,’ Wynn said.
Bara nodded. ‘Good . . . thanks.’ She was still holding Faron’s hand. She looked at it and pulled away, standing beside her husband. ‘We are very grateful.’
‘When I heard your distress call I had to help,’ Faron explained.
Wynn gestured for Faron to follow him out of the hanger bay. ‘We are in your debt.’
‘No, I wish to serve. I have followed your war with the Draig family. I know how you have suffered. It’s similar to my own people’s struggle . . . and we have had some dealings with the House of Draig ourselves. We can’t just stand by and watch any longer.’
They walked to a nearby hall with views out to space. A long table had already been set with food and drink for Wynn’s guests.
‘I thought the Li Zhang family were your allies, Prince Halstead. Why have they turned on you?’ Faron asked as he sat.
Wynn paused, uncertain how much he should tell this newcomer.
‘They have dissolved our alliance,’ Gofal said. ‘Their motives are not yet clear.’
Faron nodded, thinking as he stroked his stubbled chin. ‘Your arkships will need repairs. We will help you.’
Seizing the moment, Commander Watson offered a small pad screen to Faron. ‘Our Cube drive is damaged. I’ve a list of components we need to build. Perhaps we can trade for some of them?’
‘I’ll see what we can do,’ Faron replied, taking the pad.
Wynn stared at the stranger. His clothes were informal, a simple white shirt under a heavy dark jacket, yet there was a confidence in the way he held himself. He was regal without the need for spectacle. His face seemed honest, full of charisma, but something about him worried Wynn. Was it Faron, or was it the way he looked at Bara? He shook the idea away. He was being petty and stupid. And yet, the doubts remained.
‘We are grateful,’ Wynn said, ‘but what do you have to gain by helping us?’
Faron acknowledged Wynn’s question with a heavy sigh. ‘Has charity become so rare that we doubt it when it’s offered? I am not here to deceive you, Prince Halstead. I want to help. I see a kindred spirit in you and your cause, and the House of Dulac needs allies. So far, we have survived on our own, trading when we need to. But I have to think of the long-term prosperity of my people. Survival is not enough, is it? Surely, we must thrive! We suffered a long war with the House of Perez. If we’d had more allies perhaps that war might have been averted, or at least curtailed. Isolation makes us weak and vulnerable. We must have friends and allegiances. That is my hope for our future, and this is the first step on that road. Together, we can build a better life for all of our people.’
‘Fine words,’ Commander Watson said, ‘but your charity might bring new enemies to your door.’
‘I’m not afraid, Commander.’ Faro
n frowned, then turned to Bara. ‘What do you think, Sēbarā? Should we join together, Kenric and Dulac?’
Bara reddened. ‘I’m not a politician.’
‘Neither am I,’ Faron grinned.
‘You’re right, we can be stronger together,’ Bara replied, stifling a smile. ‘But there are dangers ahead. The House of Draig grows stronger by the day. Your people might not thank you for offering us your support.’
‘That is exactly why we must join forces, before the House of Draig becomes unstoppable.’
Wynn nodded in agreement. ‘We took on board over two hundred Draig refugees during our battle with the Fenrir. We tried to conduct peace talks so that their people could go home, but they thought we were using them as a ransom tactic. They refused to take them.’
‘Are they still on board?’ Faron asked.
‘Some remained, but most have left. We gave them an old transport cruiser so that they could return to their own people.’
‘Did they make it?’
‘I have no idea,’ Wynn admitted. ‘But the whole episode made me realize that we can’t negotiate with them. They only listen to brute force.’
‘An alliance would certainly be advantageous,’ Gofal noted.
‘For both of our houses,’ Faron added. ‘So, we are in agreement.’
‘Yes,’ Wynn smiled, his doubts receding. It was a relief to find someone who wanted to be on their side.
Faron slapped his hand on the table top, grinning. ‘Excellent! You’ll come to my arkship, the Benwick, for dinner tonight.’
‘I’d be honored,’ Wynn replied.
‘All of you,’ Faron said, looking to Gofal, Watson and Bara.
‘We’ll be there,’ Bara replied.
TRANSITION
The shipyard stretched out in every direction, a cluster of giant construction sites marked by the perimeters of their support structures. At this distance, it was easy to presume the half-built ships were small, but Valtais Valine knew that each one was an arkship at least as big as the Gargan. Around these new vessels were dozens of factories, each with its own specific task. Some manufactured the raw materials needed to create such behemoths, others specialized in engine development, or environmental systems. She counted at least six arkships under construction, each one just a skeleton of potential. Around them were hundreds of smaller craft; construction platforms working on specific tasks.
Arkship Alliance Page 4