StarFlight: The Prism Baronies (Beyond the Outer Rim Book 2)

by Reiter

  “Thorough even when he’s crazy,” Jocasta whispered as she came up from her stance. “Hung up on the honor garbage. I’ll be damned,” she said, sheathing her sword and putting her cane away on her belt. “Yeah,” she spoke so he could hear her. “I am tuned into you… and you into me. Just do me a favor when you break your oath to me, and send me on my way quickly. I think we owe each other that much.”

  “You think I will not kill you?”

  “Z, if anyone in this universe has the right to be a killer, it’s you,” she said, shaking her head. “But if you do go that way, it’s a place I’d rather be without.”

  “And where do you want to be?”

  “Free,” she replied. “… in a place where we work out our rages together.”

  “There is no such place.”

  Shaking her head in denial, Jocasta shot back, “Tell that to Togg, Zeafault, Kalbren, Mathari, the Sylgarr Family, that damn Upyri, or Plarzo. Speaking of telling… anything you want me to say to Cutter when I see her again?”

  Dungias took one step forward, as did Jocasta. He lifted his sword up over his head… she held her hands out from her side, taking another forward step as her eyes watered. “And by the way, asshole, I do know of love. You taught me!”

  Blood ran down the side of his face as Dungias lunged forward. Jocasta did not take her eyes off of his. He had reached the perfect distance and he knew she would not move to defend her life. The weapon trembled in his hands, but it would not come forward. His whole body began to tremble, and Jocasta could feel the conflict and more importantly, the pain.

  “I don’t pray to a god,” she thought, watching Dungias suffer, feeling his pain. “I don’t believe in one. If there’s a god, she’s a full-of-Kot blonde with one kick ass blue angel at her side!

  “But I know about you stars up there,” Jocasta whispered, looking at the rage on his face. “Z brought me to you. I don’t know the weight he carries, but I know my ass has been heaped up there with the rest of it. I’ll make you this deal: I’ll handle my baggage if you help him with the rest… PLEASE!”

  “I can’t!” Dungias screamed as he turned the blade on himself.

  “No!” Jocasta bolted forward, clapping her hands down on the sides of the blade. Dungias looked into her eyes as he brought the blade down. Jocasta moved the point to where it slid against his ribs. Dungias lifted the blade while swinging a backhand for her face. Jocasta ducked under the swing and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Dungias. “Me first, remember?” She closed her eyes and braced for the thrust of the blade in her back. She felt nothing… she heard the clang of steel as the blade reached the floor behind him. They held each other as they slowly fell to their knees, both of them crying. Her tears fell to his chest and his fell to her shoulders.

  Moments passed before the doors to the throne room opened up and V’Dalthian came running into the chamber in his man-form. “JoJo?”

  “I’m alright,” she quickly said, waving him off. “We’re alright.”

  “W-w-we… are h-h-h-hardly that… w-woman,” Dungias whispered as he trembled in her arms.

  “Shut up, you. You’re so grounded it’s not even funny!” The sound of a far off explosion made both of them lift their heads. “What the hell was that?!” With a wave of his hand, V’Dalthian took everyone to the top of the nest. He pointed up into the sky.

  It was not customary to be able to see the stars beyond the Pearl Barony due to the planetary shields, and Jocasta had thought they were massive constructs. She could now see they were overlapping fields of energy and they were beginning to fade.

  “The Field Marshal’s fleet!”

  He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.

  Sun Tzu

  (Rims Time: XII-4204.24)

  “Something’s not right,” V’Dalthian whispered as he looked up into the sky.

  “You mean aside from the obvious?” Jocasta questioned.

  “I am looking beyond the planetary shields,” he replied, shaking his head. “Fifty… maybe sixty ships I knew he had, but I see two divisions of that number.”

  “Two divisions?!”

  “And there appears to be a third forming behind them. The Star-Wing Corps is in no condition to mount a defense against such a force,” he explained as they watched the planetary shields continue to take punishment. “The warriors of this nest are spent, and with the crimes of the Brood Princess claimed, a tribunal is being called.”

  “Now?”

  “Right now.”

  “Meaning?” Jocasta pressed.

  “No nest will lift a finger until this matter is resolved,” V’Dalthian said, looking embarrassed. “But I can fly to the Home Realm to summon others. It would be at least an hour before I could return.”

  “That long?!”

  “Nothing teleports into the realm unless they are summoned by the King or his Vizier.”

  “Son-of-a-bitch!” Jocasta snapped. “Getting really tired of these contingency fuckers!”

  “S-s-scan,” Dungias whispered. Jocasta lifted her brace-com and started tapping controls.

  “What am I looking for, Z?”

  “Numbers… t-t-too many to be… anyth-th-thing but r-r-robots!”

  “Verified,” Jocasta reported. “Life signs are sprinkled throughout, but he’s over three-quarter robotic out there.

  “D-d-d-doubtful robots are… sen-sen-”

  “Sentient,” Jocasta finished, entering commands. “Not sentient. That means they have a central control… and there it is!” Jocasta continued to read the information her scans were picking up.

  V’Dalthian clapped his hands together, nodding. “Fine then, we can teleport to it and–”

  “Uh, I’m thinking ‘no’ on that one,” Jocasta stated. “I’m picking up all kinds of energy signatures that Z has listed as Tonnogard in origin.”

  “That would mean there is little chance a Dragon’s MajiK would go unchallenged,” V’Dalthian concluded.

  “Or anyone else,” Jocasta added. “I’m getting all sorts of MannA spurts in front of the wall of ships guarding robot control. “Dammit, those are bio-signs in the middle of those spurts and they’re dying off just as quickly as they appeared. Looks like the Baron tried to make a go of it.”

  “JoJo?” Cloudscar called out. When Jocasta looked back at the fledgling Dragon-Man, it was clear he was looking at Dungias. Jocasta turned to see her First Mate holding out his Osamu toward her. She hesitated, shaking her head, but quickly concluded that she had little choice in the matter and took hold of Alpha.

  “Much easier to communicate this way,” Dungias projected. “The ship, Captain! The Xara-Mansura can get to that robot control vessel!” Jocasta released the end of the Osamu and stepped back.

  “My ship,” she whispered.

  “Your ship,” V’Dalthian said.

  “It’s in orbit and cloaked,” she explained. “Can’t reach on the com, and I’m not sure how well the cloak field will hold up once we start moving out, but it’s still a shot. Can you get my suit?” she asked looking at V’Dalthian.

  “A power-suit?” V’Dalthian asked as he brought the suit to her. “What will you do with that?!”

  “Easy on the tone,” Jocasta said. “A, I’m really just getting into these things and B, you’re not crew anymore so stow the opinion voice.”

  “JoJo, no!” V’Dalthian said, taking hold of her arm. “Even if you can get to the Xara-Mansura, it’s not exactly a battleship! You have some missile ports and a few energy projectors. That’s it!”

  Jocasta turned and looked at Dungias. His eyes were gold again, but his skin was a very pale blue. “Is it me or did you hear someone say rack ‘em?” Dungias’ eyes flared as he recalled the moment.

  “But every single time I look at that thing, I keep wondering where the cue stick is,” she had said. “… and if I’m going to be aboard when it’s all chalked up for the break.”

  “No, Captain!” he whispered,
and V’Dalthian knew the reason for the fear he saw in the Traveler’s eyes.

  “I can’t let you do this!” The grip on her arm tightened. Jocasta looked at it, keeping her smile.

  “Keep watch over Z and more importantly, keep your word!”

  As his hand slid from her sleeve, V’Dalthian lowered his head and bowed. “Yes, Mistress!”

  “You want to help? Get me and Talon up over the Southern Pole of this rock. Then you can organize what’s left of these people and Dragons and do what you can to help. That robot control ship is a ways off, and the Xara-Mansura’s never been one for immediate bursts of speed.”

  “I will rally what I can from this nest and my keep and take them to Sky Stone,” V’Dalthian vowed. “We will hold while you make your run.

  “Jo-” Jocasta reached up and kissed V’Dalthian full on the mouth before she turned and climbed back into Talon. He smiled as she readied herself, but something stirred him and took the happiness from his facial expression. As soon as the power suit started to move on its own, V’Dalthian drew upon his MannA to send the woman on her way. The simple incantation took only a gesture.

  “Cloudscar, summon all the Dragons of this nest who can fight,” V’Dalthian commanded before he turned to face Gexxur-Indaysi. “Blackwynd, take the traitor to the dungeon and see to it that she is secured in this form. I will then look for your war spear on the battlefield.”

  “It will be there soon, Abettor!”

  Looking down on Dungias, the Dragon shook his head once more in amazement. “I must be away from the two of you,” he said softly. “I tire of being made to feel inferior. Gexxur-Hahni was my elder, Traveler. I can suspend what you are suffering from, but it will quickly return and the slow death you are now feeling will resume.

  “D-d-d-do what y-you can… p-p-p-please!”

  As his eyes turned white, V’Dalthian breathed white fire over the Traveler. The image of Gexxur-Hahni lifted from over his body, a twisted perversion of her Terran and Dragon forms. She glared at V’Dalthian, cursing him for interrupting her feed before she faded. Falling to his knees, V’Dalthian was caught by two very fast, sure, and soft hands.

  “Yet another secret to keep, eh, Goldie?” Dungias said, twirling Alpha once. He lifted his legs but did not fall to the ground as he closed his eyes and laid his Osamu across his laps. He had time before the Xara-Mansura would be underway, and he did not know how much longer he would have his strength. To the Traveler, there was no question as to what he had to do next.

  ** b *** t *** o *** r **

  Jocasta quickly took her seat at the controls and smiled as she tightened her gloves. “Thanks for keeping the drives primed, girl.”

  “My pleasure, Captain,” Satithe replied. “But it has been difficult, knowing you were limited to the mobile versions of my system. I hope I did not let you down.”

  “That day hasn’t come yet, Satithe,” Jocasta replied. “Even if you still think it’s come and gone. For me, it hasn’t been by the first time.”

  “Power capacitors are at maximum, Captain,” Satithe reported. “If we run the stealth field at one hundred percent, we can accelerate and hold maximum velocity for fifteen hours. It will take us forty-six minutes to reach the front guarding the control vessel.”

  “And if we slingshot around the Pearl Barony?” Jocasta asked.

  “I hadn’t considered that tactic.”

  “I know, you were mapping out missile deployment strategies to knock a hole in that wall,” Jocasta said as she began to change course. “Don’t worry, pet… we’re going to need that too!”

  “Roger that, Captain,” Satithe said as she calculated the course. “ETA to destination, thirty-one minutes, seventeen seconds. Recalculating emitter-patterns to cover the gravimetric wake we will create when we come around the planet!”

  “Attagirl!” Jocasta looked around the room and shook her head in disgust. “Look at me, Z. Flying to the fucking rescue?! How the hell is this being a pirate?”

  “You could always bill the Pearl Barony, Captain,” Satithe offered. Jocasta cackled into taking the turn her ship had to make to swing around the planet.

  ** b *** t *** o *** r **

  V’Dalthian walked through the aperture. He was definitely feeling the strain of the casting he had engaged in for the past hour. He walked slowly and lost balance for a moment, but he did not stumble as he and fifteen warriors, all carrying large crates on their shoulders, presented themselves in front of Sarshata in the Star-Wing War Room… or what was left of it. They did not receive the greeting they were accustomed to witnessing, and V’Dalthian was quick to speak up.

  “We can get to explanations and reparations when the threat has been removed. Until that time, I have fellow flyers in need of pilots. We brought our armour and weapons. The fledglings are coming too, but they will be used solely for defense of the installation.”

  “Sixteen,” Sarshata said, looking them over. “That would be four four-man squadrons. It is a generous offer, but I don’t have three squad leaders I would put on the back of a Dragon right now.

  “Actually, yes you do,” V’Dalthian said as men and women came through the aperture, clad in very impressive armour that was obviously majikul. They were followed by three people wearing Star-Wing flight suits. Sarshata’s eyes opened wide to see Cavern, Snow and…

  “Flaps?!”

  “Reporting for duty, Commander,” Gonxan said as he saluted.

  “And don’t even,” Xoron Dragonne said softly. “This is definitely a Sky Stone matter, and I await your orders.

  “Fine,” Sarshata said as she stepped forward. She looked hard at V’Dalthian and thought for a moment. “Are you as out on your feet as you look?”

  “There is only one more spell I need to cast,” V’Dalthian hissed. “We shall see then who appears dead and who is really dead!”

  “Cavern, you take V’Dalthian and head up Claw Squadron. Your primary mission will be to take as many ships out of the sky as possible.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” the man whispered.

  “Snow, you’ll head up Fang Squadron and defend the Baron. Flaps, the Field Marshal’s no fool. Not every ship is going to come through that hole they’re making and head directly for one city on this planet. You’ll head up Fire Squadron and track whatever peels off to the Eastern Hemisphere, I’ll take Star Squadron and do the same to the west. We will each have four Dragons, but the moment you are airborne, connect with baronial forces, let them know a Star-Wing Corpsman is on the scene and coordinate your forces. The good news is that they’ve got more pilots than we’ve got Dragons. The bad news is that only one of them is an officer, and I’m assigning Jericho to my squad. Any questions? Good!” Sarshata turned to face V’Dalthian. “Meet us on the Basement Platform. We’ll be there and ready in five minutes.”

  “We will be the same in three,” V’Dalthian said as he motioned to his people. “Castellan, coordinate with the technicians and protect this facility at all costs. Am I understood?”

  “You are, my Lord.”

  “Can any of them work a suit?” Hansel asked, holding up his hand. “They’re not in the best of shape, but we’ve got five suits up and running. It’ll be six if I can get back to my work.”

  “We’re done here… Spooky is it?” Sarshata asked.

  “Yes, Commander.”

  “Given your injuries, weren’t you told to rest?”

  “No one said for how long, sir” Hansel replied.

  “He’s got to be one of JoJo’s,” Xoron commented. “Get to it, kid. Do what you can.” Sarshata smiled and nodded in agreement.

  “That woman is infectious… thank the gods. Let’s go people… we’ve got some flies to swat!”

  Eugenia caught up with Xoron and tugged on his arm. The man winced in pain and she jumped in response. “You’re hurt!”

  “Glad to see that time hasn’t taken your eyes yet, Snow,” the Soul Fighter replied. “I took on three Dragons. You don’t come away from
that untouched! What’s on your mind?”

  “Trying to remember when was the last time we went up to do some damage and I wasn’t on your wing.”

  “You mean aside from–”

  “Yes, aside from that!” the woman said, waving off an attempt at a very bad joke.

  “In months… three score… and five more,” Xoron said. “… probably be longer next time.”

  “Probably,” Eugenia smiled.

  ** b *** t *** o *** r **

  Dungias lowered his hand from his brace-com and closed his eyes as he breathed out slowly and steadily. Once again the cold had returned to him, bringing with it pain and weakness. But he would not tremble, he would not shiver… not again, not this time.

  “I shall call you Entropy,” he thought. “… shadowy cousin of the world I hold dear. You have voice, just as you have silence. I ask of you, speak to me, let me know what it is you want.”

  “How sad,” a high-pitched, emotional tone responded from deep inside the man.

  Dungias pressed his focus deeper, taking his mind into a small chamber of four black walls; the gold-eyed Dungias looked at the black-eyed Dungias and each took the measure of the other. “You actually feel you have the standing to name me.”

  “As much standing as I have to name anything in my world,” Dungias quickly returned. “You are the dark. Nugar warned me about you. The dark that forges the difference of those who look to the Stars; I have been expecting you.”

  “Perhaps instead of a warning he should have informed you of an inevitable truth,” Entropy remarked. “I do not know what you think of me. From this perspective, I can only speak of unfulfilled expectations! Still, as for the name, I like it. I think I’ll keep it.