by Brian Dorsey
Moving across the floor, Stone suddenly stopped. “No,” he huffed, dropping to one knee.
He had found Thay.
“Thay,” he said as he pressed his hand over blood oozing from the warrior’s stomach. After another quick scan of the area, he looked over Thay’s body. Aside from the wound to his abdomen, Thay’s shoulder was mangled and his left sleeve was soaked in blood. “Thay.”
Thay slowed opened his eyes and coughed, spitting up blood. “She was…fast...” He coughed again. “…and st—strong.”
That officer?” asked Stone.
“S—she did this…to all…of us.”
“What?”
“Green eyes,” said Thay, almost whispering before fading into unconsciousness.
“It’s okay, brother,” said Stone, turning toward Shara. “He needs meds.”
“Got it, sir,” replied Shara as he knelt next to Stone. “We’ll have you fixed up in no time,” he said as he injected a neuro-med into Thay’s thigh.
Stone again scanned the room. “Where are the others?”
“The Akota captain’s over here,” answered Martin from a few meters away. “Dead,” she added as she held her rifle in the direction of a nearby stairway.
Stone’s jaw tightened. “Where’s—”
A scream echoed across the hall, sending a jolt down Stone’s spine.
Katalya had found Magnus.
“No!” cried out Katalya as she collapsed onto the body of Magnus. “No!” she wailed again, throwing her head toward the ceiling.
“Damn it,” cursed Stone as he jumped to his feet and rushed to her.
His heart sank when he reached her. She was on her knees, holding the bloody body of Magnus in her arms.
“Katalya…”
“He’s dead,” she panted, running her hand over Magnus’ forehead.
Stone had no answer for her pain.
He knelt next to her.
Martin, still scanning the room, backed away from the stairway and next to Stone and Katalya. She looked to Shara as he applied coagulate to Thay’s injuries.
“Even with the meds, we need to get him to a doc fast…he’s pretty messed up,” said Shara.
Stone looked away from Magnus to Thay, and then toward Littledove. “One soldier did this.”
“What?” asked Martin. Her face grew red and her jaw clinched. She looked back toward the stairway. “Where the fuck is she?”
“Ground teams,” came Orion’s voice over the circuit. “Fleet comms just lit up. They’re picking up multiple neutrino spikes…a report of Doran ships just came across the fleet tactical circuit.”
“Doran?” replied Stone.
“What the fuck are they doing here?” asked Martin.
Martin’s concern was warranted. Stone took in the scene around him. Association security guards and what looked like most of the Council members lay dead all around them. Among the dead were some Humani Dog soldiers. He glanced toward Littledove’s body and then toward Shara as he worked to stop Thay’s bleeding. Then he looked down at Magnus, still resting in Katalya’s arms.
“Orion, pick us up at the east end…now.”
‘Roger,’ replied Orion. ‘I’ll be waiting on you.’
“What about that officer?” asked Martin. “We need to go after her.”
“We don’t leave until she’s dead,” added Katalya, looking up from Magnus’ body.
“Katalya,” said Stone. “We have to get Thay to one of our ships and—”
“Then you take him,” interrupted Katalya, her face red and her cheeks wet with tears.
‘On station,’ reported Orion. ‘You need to hurry…we have confirmation of Doran fleet in orbit—battlecruisers and orbital destroyers. Admiral Crow he’s outnumbered and will jump soon.’
“Shit. How long?” asked Stone.
‘Five minutes.’
Stone looked toward Martin. He could see her body was tight, the thought of fighting the woman who had taken out the others consuming her. “We go now,” said Stone. “If we don’t go now, we might not get out.”
“I don’t care,” replied Katalya as she stood over Magnus’ body.
“I’ll stay with her,” added Martin. “That bitch needs to pay.”
Stone locked his gaze on Martin, hoping his stare would be enough.
Martin let out an audible groan. “Yes, sir.”
“Shara, Martin, grab Thay,” ordered Stone.
‘Doran dropships inbound.’ reported Orion. “Where are you?”
“On the way,” replied Stone, turning toward Katalya.
“No!” shouted Katalya. “I’m not…I can’t.”
Stone looked toward Martin again.
Martin nodded and walked to Katalya.
“Don’t try to stop me,” grunted Katalya, her fangs showing.
Martin partially raised her hands in the air. “I know it hurts.”
“Do you?” snapped Katalya. “Do you know what it’s like to lose everything?”
Martin stepped in close to Katalya.
“Emily?” said Stone softly, unsure of her next move.
Martin placed her hands on Katalya’s shoulders. “I do…and I promise you she will die.” Martin moved her right hand to Katalya’s cheek. “But not today.”
Martin caught Katalya as she collapsed into her arms.
“I promise,” said Martin quietly into Katalya’s ear. “But we have to stay alive to take our revenge,” she added as she helped Katalya regain her balance.
Katalya replied with a weak nod of concession.
‘Where the fuck are you guys?’ blared Orion’s voice over the comms circuit.
“On the way,” replied Stone. He let his rifle fall to his side and knelt to pick up Magnus’ body.
“Leave him,” said Katalya. “I don’t need his body because I know I had his heart.”
With a nod, Stone rose. “Ready?”
“Ready,” replied Shara as he hefted the unconscious Thay over his shoulder.
“Ready,” added Katalya weakly.
With Stone in the lead, they made their way to the exit.
“We’re coming out,” reported Stone.
‘Hurry up,’ answered Orion.
Stone opened the door and stepped outside. Hydra II was in a hover a meter off the ground 100 meters away. He scanned the area as Shara moved past him, carrying Thay. Martin followed. As they passed, he turned back toward Katalya and grabbed her arm. “Let’s go.”
‘Incoming dropships,’ warned Orion.
Stone looked upward as two dropships slammed onto the ground.
“Go!” he shouted as he and Katalya began to sprint toward Hydra II. As they ran toward Hydra II, Stone heard the sound of the first dropship’s troop doors slamming open. Stone leveled his weapon toward the open hatch and—
The rattle of Hydra II’s guns roared over the hum of the dropships’ engines as her rounds ripped through the first Doran ship, sending metal and flesh flying through the open hatch.
Stone shifted his aim toward the second ship.
Two tall figures emerged from the dropship. They wore light but visible power armor and their heads were covered with armored helmets and visors illuminated with a blue hue.
Stone centered his sights and fired a burst from his rifle.
The rounds hit the first soldier, causing him to stumble but not fall.
“Damn it,” cursed Stone and he took aim again and sent a run into the center of the soldier’s helmet. He heard the metallic clang as the bullet tore through the helmet, toppling the soldier.
He shifted his fire but rounds from Martin, Shara, and Katalya peppered the second soldier.
More soldiers began to emerge as the four poured rounds into the hatch.
Stone pressed the release for his magazine and was inserting another when he saw Martin flash into his view near the dropship’s hatch. As she reached the ship, another solider emerged and Martin slashed at his chest with her sword.
The Doran soldier rai
sed its arm and Martin’s sword glanced off the armor before he delivered a blow that sent Martin tumbling backwards.
Martin rolled to her right and jumped to her feet just as rounds from Shara’s rifle staggered the Doran.
The Doran turned toward Shara but when it did, Martin stepped in and drove her sword into the soldier’s side just under the body armor. She ripped the sword back out, pivoted her torso, and drove the sword into the soldier’s neck just below his helmet. As the Doran fell, Martin pulled a grenade from her vest and tossed it into the open hatch.
A damped explosion sent smoke and debris flying from the hatch as Martin and Shara rushed back toward Thay. Just as they reached the unconscious warrior, Stone saw motion at the hatch of the first dropship and brought his weapon to bear as a massive robotic war machine stomped out of the dropship. After exiting, the mech extended its four legs as two compartments opened on its armored body, allowing two large caliber guns to present themselves. The mech, close to three meters tall, spun its guns toward Stone and Katalya.
“Move!” shouted Stone as he dove to his right just at the mech’s big guns opened fire.
Stone rose to his knees and opened fire. His shots, and those of the others, ricocheted of the mech’s body. He saw the guns turn toward Martin and Shara with a metallic hum. “Get down—”
The mech exploded in a ball of fire as Hydra II’s plasma cannons found their target.
“Thanks,” said Stone into his comms link.
‘Just quick fuckin’ around get on the fucking ship,’ came Orion’s reply.
Stone and Katalya covered Martin and Stone as they carried Thay onto Hydra II then followed them onboard.
Just as Stone reached the hatch, he looked back to see several more dropships in the distance.
The days of Port Royal’s duplicity were over.
Once onboard, Stone’s attention turned to Thay. He stood over Martin and Shara as they checked the still unconscious warrior.
“We’ve done all we can do,” said Shara.
“How is he?” asked Stone.
“Alive…” replied Martin. “But we need to get him onboard one of the orbital destroyers fast.”
Stone activated the intercom on the bulkhead. “We’re onboard. Let’s get out of here.”
‘We’re gone,’ replied Orion.
Stone grabbed a nearby stanchion to balance himself as Hydra II rose from the ground and banked hard and accelerated toward the upper atmosphere.
“What the fuck was all of that?” asked Martin. “Doran dropships, that mech…and there’s no way one person took out two painted faces and Magnus.”
“All those Humani soldiers…they were like Magnus and Katalya,” replied Stone, “but with Guard-style training.”
“They are not like us,” said Katalya, looking up from her seated position, her face red with anger. “They’re animals, loyal to the Xen and genetically driven to hate.”
“You don’t need biology to hate,” replied Martin. “You just need a reason,” she added as she walked to Katalya and placed her hand on Katalya’s shoulder. “Before this is over, all of them…the Xen, the First Families, Astra Varus…and her pets will pay for all of the evil they have done.”
‘Everyone buckle up,’ ordered Orion over the intercom. “Admiral Crow just passed coordinates. He’s lost one of the destroyers and he’s jumping now.”
“Will he make it?” asked Stone, looking toward Thay.
“I don’t know, sir,” replied Shara.
“Ask Crow to wait two more minutes,” said Stone into the intercom. “We need to get Thay to the docs.”
“They’ve already jumped,” replied Orion.
“Damn it,” cursed Stone. Hopefully the jump isn’t a long one.
Stone rushed toward the cockpit, stepping through just as Hydra II exited Port Royal’s atmosphere. Looking back he saw blotches of the surface darkening. “What’s that?”
“The Dorans probably took out some of the atmospheric control stations or damaged some of the transit ports that help maintain the habitat,” replied Orion. “There’s probably thousands dying from scattered loss of atmospheric control across the city. If—” She stopped mid-sentence.
“What is it?”
“Look,” replied Orion, pointing toward the cockpit window.
Dozens of Doran capital ships floated in orbit with hundreds of fighters and dropships headed toward the moon.
“Strap in,” continued Orion as she ran her finger over the navigation panel, dragging the jump coordinates provided by Admiral Crow to Hydra II’s jump computer input. “It should be a short jump.”
Stone’s attention was drawn to a red flashing light on the ship’s self-defense panel.
“What’s that?”
“Doran fighters just picked us up,” replied Orion. “But don’t worry…we’ll be gone before they get here.”
Stone saw the blue flashes outside of Hydra II as the jump started.
They had completed the mission, but at a heavy cost.
Chapter 10
“Commander,” said Lieutenant Kawal. “Commander!”
“We need to go after them,” grumbled Sierra as she pushed herself off the deck of the transport only to fall again.
“You’re too badly injured, Commander,” replied Kawal. “And the Dorans have started their attack.”
“Where are the traitors?”
“We sent a squad back into the Council Hall after we found you but they were gone.”
“How many of them did we kill?”
“The three you killed plus one more, Commander?”
“But not Stone or Martin?”
“No, Commander.”
“Did we find the last Council member?”
“No, Commander. The team sent to kill him was found dead.”
“Damn it,” cursed Sierra, slamming her head onto the deck. “What are our casualties?”
“Five dead including Lieutenant O’Neil—”
“Shit,” interrupted Sierra. “Go on.”
“Five critical and ten with minor injuries. Twenty-one ready for duty.”
“Do—” Sierra grunted as a wave pain washed over her. The embedded neuro-meds must have been exhausted. “Do we have a trail?”
“No, Commander,” replied Kawal as he injected neuro-meds into her externally.
Sierra felt her head growing heavy almost instantly. “W—we need…need…”
“You should rest, Commander. We will get back to the frigate and start working on possible locations they could go next.”
Sierra grunted, forcing herself to stay conscious. “Inform the ProConsul that all but one member of the Council has been killed.” She paused, closing her eyes as she focused on her words. “And that the traitors have escaped.” She opened her eyes but her vision blurred as she began to fade. “T—tell her I failed…”
Sierra’s head fell back onto the deck as she lost consciousness.
***
Stone let out a sigh of relief as Hydra II locked into its berth onboard the orbital destroyer Stormfall.
“Hangar Control, Hydra II, on deck, requesting medical team,” reported Orion.
‘Roger, Hydra II. Medical team is en route,’ came the reply.
Stone unlatched himself and rushed to the troop compartment. He arrived just as the medical team was removing Thay from ship.
“How does it look?” he asked one of the medics.
“We need to get him to medical fast, sir.”
“Of course,” replied Stone.
As the medical team left the ship, an Akota commander entered.
“Commander?” asked Stone.
“Marshal,” replied the commander. “Admiral Crow has sent me. Just before we jumped, a small transport with Akota signatures requested to come aboard. When they docked, it was, ah…”
“What is it, Commander?”
“They asked for the female red-haired Guardsman.”
“What?”
Martin’s hea
d spun toward the commander. “They asked for me?”
“Yes, Major…if you and the Marshal will come with me…he’s still being held on the transport.”
“Maybe it’s a friend from Port Royal?” offered Orion as she entered the compartment.
“I don’t have any friends,” replied Martin.
“That’s a good point,” added Orion.
“Who would—”
“I have no idea, sir,” said Martin.
Stone turned toward Orion. “Can you stay with Katalya?”
“I’ll get her to her quarters,” said Orion with a glance toward Katalya, who was still sitting in the troop compartment, her head in her hands.
He gave Orion a slight nod and turned back to Martin, holding out his hand toward the exit. “Lead the way, Major.”
Martin and Stone made their way across the hangar to a small transport surrounded by Akota security forces.
Near the hatch stood a tall man with long blonde hair. As they grew closer, Stone noticed the man was in restraints.
“Who is that?” he asked Stone.
“No idea,” replied Martin.
“Marshal Stone,” said a major as he approached him and Martin. “This man came aboard using Akota military codes but clearly isn’t Akota. He asked for the red-haired female Guardsman fighting with the Akota.” He glanced toward Martin. “We can only assume he is referring to your Chief of Staff.”
***
“Hey!” shouted Martin, stepping past the major. “Who the fuck are—”
The man turned to face Martin, stopping her in her tracks. Unlike the last time they met, hair covered his once bald head. But the eyes were unmistakable.
“Good to see you again, Paladin,” said the man.
“No,” replied Martin. “The priest?”
Stone’s hand gripped his sword. “A follower of the Word?”
The man laughed. “No…that was just a role.” He turned toward Martin. “It seems we all have to play roles at one time or another. Isn’t that right?”
“What are you doing here?” demanded Martin.
“Easy, tiger,” replied the man. “You know what I want.”
“You weren’t going to kill any First Family members on Port Royal,” said Martin. “So no…I don’t.”
“Who is this?” asked Stone. “Wh—” Martin saw the flash of Stone’s sword as he jerked it from its sheath. “Phelan!” he shouted as he stepped toward the man.