Race turned back to Eastlyn. In head signals, he informed his companion of what was going on. Grimly, Eastlyn nodded his understanding. He then asked what their plan was. Race gestured for him to go back to a previous turn in the hallway where they could bottleneck the Zar’dakens. The man headed that way while Race stepped around the bulkhead and started shooting.
His target collapsed, having been the target of several opponents. The other Zar’dakens hissed in rage. One tossed an unlucky member of the security team away from him and started to rush toward Race. Race winced at the thud that the thrown crewmember made against the wall. But he didn’t have too much more time to think about it. He stood his grown for a few more seconds, firing at the charging Zar’daken.
And that was when things got weird. The lights behind the Zar’dakens went out. Then the Zar’dakens started to drop, as well as some of the crew around them. Then Race saw a flash of stardust out of the corner of his eye and a shadow swoop down on the charging Zar’daken. The Zar’daken was close enough that Race could see its eyes flash brilliantly before going dark. Like a puppet with its strings cut, the Zar’daken crumpled at his feet. Race danced backwards to avoid getting knocked over. Terror gripped him as a black mist rose from the fallen Zar’daken. It seemed to shiver with glee for a moment. Then it swooped toward him. He only had time to tell his muscles to jump away, his brain yammering I’m so dead —
Chapter 9 – Miracle
RACE LUCAS QUINN, STAND WITH ME. A female voice thundered in his mind. Race felt something white hot snap into existence in the deepest part of his being. Something missing from his being was found. Race opened his eyes to see that instead of jumping, he had just fallen to the floor. He coughed and got to his knees. The hall beyond the reach of the starlight blue was dark. Wait, starlight? Race turned his head to come nose to snout with a wolf. Her fur was the source of the blue-white light. He felt like she was a living nebula. Her intelligent eyes were a fascinating, rippling silver ringed by gold.
Race blinked in surprise. “Who are you? What are you?”
The wolf touched her nose to his. YOU KNOW WHAT I AM, RACE. I AM A SPECTRAL AND YOU ARE MY SHADE, MY PARTNER, MY PACK. She nudged him with her head. Race was shocked that she managed to push him when he had been able to see the deck plaiting through her paws. MY NAME IS LUNA, she continued.
“Luna?” He paused and then he remembered the attacking shadow. Race jerked around to find it. But the hall was empty of shadows. Only dead Zar’dakens and crewmen occupied its dark length. “What was that thing?”
SOUL SHADOW. COME, YOUR PEOPLE NEED YOU ON THE BRIDGE, Luna said, moving to lead him back in that direction.
“That thing killed them,” he said, gesturing at the empty shells down the hall behind them. “Why didn’t it kill me?”
OUR BOND, RACE. IT PROTECTS BOTH OF US FROM THE SOUL SHADOWS. YOU ARE A SPECTRAL SHADE NOW, AS WELL AS A CAPTAIN.
“I am assuming that you’ll explain that at some point.” She grunted and quickened the pace. The rounded a bend and Race remembered Eastlyn. Was he dead now, as well? “Eastlyn,” he called out as they got nearer to the appointed bottleneck point. A see-through, pinkish-orange lion stepped out into the main corridor before Eastlyn himself.
“Captain?” Eastlyn asked, looking rather shell-shocked. “What happened? One moment I was waiting for you to lead our friends over for a visit. Then the hall lights went and something cold was reaching for me. Then …” His voice trailed off as he glanced at the lion sitting next to him. The large cat bowed a greeting to Luna, who wagged her tail.
“I’m not sure, other than a miracle. Come with me.”
“Aye, Sir. What about the others, Sir?” Eastlyn asked, falling into step behind Race. Luna loped ahead. The lion stayed with them.
“They didn’t make it. The Soul Shadows got to them.”
YOU WILL HAVE TO CLIMB, Luna said, stopping next to a hatch that led to the interconnecting ladders. At Race’s puzzled look, she explained, THE SOUL SHADOWS DAMAGED THE ENERGY FLOW TO THE LIFTS.
What are they? Energy vampires? Race thought to himself, as he opened the hatch door and began climbing the ladder.
THAT IS ONE WAY TO DESCRIBE THEM, Luna replied, though he could no longer see her. He supposed that it was the bond between them, but he could sense that she was flowing up above him.
“I didn’t think Spectrals actually existed,” Race heard Eastlyn mutter as they climbed their way up through the decks.
“And it is called the ‘Spectral Empire’ why?” Race asked lightly.
“Pretty name? I didn’t know. Never saw a Spectral before.”
Race grunted in agreement. “Me neither. I just thought only the high and mighty got to interact with them.”
I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT, Luna grumbled in his head. JUST BECAUSE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN MOST CORPREALS AND US WAS LIMITED NEVER MEANT WE CARED ABOUT RANK. THE CREATOR NEVER CARED ABOUT HIARCHY. HIS SON, AFTER ALL, WAS BORN IN A STABLE TO WHAT SOCIETY DEEMED AS MERELY PEASENTS.
Blame the stories that mention nobility as the only ones who could see the magical Spectrals, Race thought to her. She snorted in disgust, which made Race smile. As they continued climbing, they felt a tremor run through the ship. Race glanced down at Eastlyn before climbing faster. Eventually they made it to ‘A’ Deck. One in every ten lights was on in this corridor. Race only gave them a passing glance in his hurry to the bridge.
“Status?” he asked upon entering. His gaze swept over the bridge crew, his heart light at seeing them all alive. Ghostly animals were near each one. Many of them looked shell-shocked, but they were still working.
Evens greeted him “Many of the unnecessary systems are offline due to … whatever drained the power. Critical systems are fully functional.”
“Good,” Race said, taking his seat. “Our boys’ plan work?” he asked, catching sight of one of the Zar’daken vessels in the process of destroying itself.
“Aye, Sir … Sir, there are no life signs on any of the enemy ships and several of our fighters.”
“Call the ones still alive back. What about the other ships?”
“Still alive, mostly. Like us.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here before those things remember us,” Race ordered.
“But, Sir, they couldn’t kill us the first time,” Rael said.
“They can’t get us, but the power system is vulnerable. I don’t fancy suffocating, do you?” Race asked. Rael shivered and quickly relayed Race’s orders to the rest of the battle group and LFGs.
***
“I doubt this trick will ever work again,” Westley began, glancing at Marius and Jason, “but it sure is fun.” His companions had to grin. The war game they played may have devastated the Zar’daken mothership that Westley was guiding the LFA around, but the Zar’dakens had decided long ago that it was either them or the Spectralians who lived. The boys couldn’t think about the doomed crew. Not now — maybe never. All they could feel was the adrenalin rush that flooded through them at their success. Reminiscent of the scene roughly two cycles ago back in the N’avé System, the Zar’daken mothership and her many kamikaze darts were going up like apocalyptic popcorn.
“You never know, it might work again,” Jason said. “Especially if we take care of the last four ships.”
“Oh, yeah. Not a tall order or anything,” Marius teased.
Jason shot him an annoyed look. “You know what I meant. It would be …” a beep from his console interrupted. “uh … Our battle group’s energy signals have just halved. And the bio signs …” Jason turned to look back at them, his face ashen. “Two thirds of the crew are gone.”
“What do you mean, gone?” Westley snapped.
“Just — gone. The computer no longer registers them. And it isn’t just one ship. It’s all of the battle group.”
MARIUS! SOUL SHADOWS!! Zara roared.
“Shit!” Marius swore, catching his companions’ attention.
“Wha– �
��” They didn’t even get to finish. The stars out the forward view screen blacked out. The LFAs systems stuttered. Marius could feel the hunger of the Shadows swooping toward them. It was similar to his body’s need that constantly dragged on Zara and all the other Spectrals he had ever had. Something happened, he wasn’t sure what, but it felt like something resonated, increasing his own hunger. He trembled, but that was the least of his problems. Least of any of their problems.
Death had come for them.
But so, too, had salvation. Two bright flashes of light joined them in the cockpit of the LFA. An unnatural screech filled them with fear. Then it went silent. The LFA’s lights blinked one more time before staying on. The stars reappeared. Marius turned wide eyes to his companions. Both were ashen and trembling slightly.
“Wh – what was that?” Jason asked.
SOUL SHADOWS. One of the newly bonded Spectrals replied. The bright balls of light coalesced into distinct forms. Marius gaped at them in surprise before shaking his head slightly. Perched on the console near Westley was a golden phoenix with red riming his feathers. Standing near Jason was a silver-limned, white unicorn with a mane of starlight. Its horn and hooves shimmered. Stars seemed to gleam from its blue eyes.
WELCOME, CATH AND PRATHANE, Zara purred. The two newly made Shades stared in awe at their two Spectrals. Zara shuddered and Prathane tilted his equine head in her direction.
WHAT IS IT, ZARA? Prathane asked.
Marius’s wide eyes went to her. She met his gaze. Neither had to say a word. They both knew that the hunger that defined his existence as a Spectral Vampire had grown. Marius could only think that it was because of his exposure to the Soul Shadows. But it had been a long time since he and Rylynn had had a trade. “Do you think if I aged a little, that would help?” he asked Zara aloud.
“Aging?” Both Westley and Jason asked blankly.
PERHAPS A LITTLE, BUT WHATEVER REPREIVE WE GET WON’T LAST FOR LONG, she replied. Marius nodded. That was what he had thought, as well. Sadly, it was all they had unless one of them ceased to exist and he knew which he would prefer that to be. If he just let the aging go its normal course right now — she would be out of danger. Zara gave him a stern look, reminding him that she could hear his thoughts. DON’T YOU DARE CONSIDER THAT. NOT NOW. NOT EVER, she demanded.
It’s better than me killing you, he thought back
Zara growled. WE BOTH STILL HAVE PURPOSE. JUST AGE BACK TO YOUR FAVORITE AND WE WILL GO FROM THERE. AND MARIUS, she paused, waiting for him to focus on her, IF YOU THINK TO AGE TOO FAR, I WILL TAKE YOUR PLACE.
Marius swallowed, knowing what she meant and that she was serious.
“What is going on?” Jason asked, looking between the crouched panther and Marius.
A shiver racked through both Marius and Zara before Marius could answer. The other two Shades probably couldn’t tell, but Zara had just faded a little bit. “I’m a bit older than I look,” Marius replied. “This is going to look really strange, probably,” he warned, before letting his fifteen cycle old self grow up to his favorite age of thirty-seven.
Time seemed to rush through him. His body grew taller and broader. His ebony hair grew long as twenty-two cycles slipped through his body in seconds. A few of the suckers turned steel gray on him. The bare starting fuzz of his younger-self’s beard became full-fledged — and then ridiculously long. Damn, I need a shave, he thought absently. And nail clippers, he added with a slight grimace as he noticed what twenty-two cycles did to his nails. But all of those came second to the relief of feeling the sharp edge of the hunger dull. He tried to ignore the fact that this wouldn’t last long. The longer he existed, the greater his hunger became. The only true relief he knew came when he siphoned off the excess energy Rylynn absorbed.
Marius was dragged roughly out of his self-contemplation when the LFA jerked. He glanced at Westley, who was staring at him. “HOLY SHIT!” Westley swore.
“I did warn you,” Marius began, but Westley interrupted him.
“You said ‘strange.’ I don’t know what this is, but ‘strange’ is not an adequate enough word.”
Marius snorted and glanced back at Jason, who was also staring at him. “Hey, you want to get me my kit? I need to clean up because this is just, well …” Marius trailed off. He felt like something that had lived under a rock for a long time. His hair was ridiculously long. Especially since he preferred his hair short. Like a few inches in length, not the cape that was around him at the moment. And the super long bib that his beard had become was not helping. And then, of course, there were the nails …
Jason stared at him a moment. Then he made to jump up when the LFA and their own personal comms. went off with a message from the Hail Mary. They were ordered back to the ship. They were wisely getting out of there before the Soul Shadows returned to feed off their ships. “Understood, Command. Coming,” Jason replied in a rather even voice, considering his shock. Marius was proud of him — and very grateful when he then scurried to the storage compartments and brought back Marius’s little personal kit. Marius thank him and fumbled to open the thing. His nails were too long to be of assistance. “I hate aging,” he muttered, as he snapped off the nails. They were still too long, and ragged, but at least now he could open the damn kit.
Westley must have recovered from his shock because he laughed, even if it was a bit strained. “I think everyone says that. Though I have to say, I’ve never seen someone do it quite like that.”
“Yeah, well. It’s a talent.” Literally.
“How did you do that?” Jason asked, watching as Marius hacked off his bib and curtain.
“Do what?”
“Don’t play stupid. Is that something all Shades can do?” Jason asked, glancing at his Spectral.
Marius took in the kid’s fascination. Oh yeah, it was cool to be able be any age you like — but there is a price. “No,” Marius said, looking away. “It isn’t.” He moved to gather the skeins of hair and noticed his uniform had ripped along several seams. He sighed. “This is going to be fun to explain,” he muttered, plucking the sleeve of what had once been his uniform. “I look like I’ve been through a shredder or something.”
Westley started to chuckle, then laughed harder and harder. A little hysteria colored it. Westley glanced back at Jason ruefully. “We just watched our companion age twenty-some odd cycles and his comment is that his torn uniform is going to be hard to explain!”
“The age thing too…“ Marius admitted. Which, for some reason, made the other two laugh even harder. Marius shared a look with the Spectrals and shrugged.
Chapter 10 – Using Chaos
Cycle 2868
Emperor Vailence
Prime World Forestrium
Imperial System
Spectral Empire
It had almost been three cycles since the Zar’dakens had begun their attack. One and a half cycles since the Soul Shadows had started to spread through the empire, killing anyone who was not bound to a Spectral. And there was little he could do, little any of them could do, to keep their people safe from the Soul Shadows. They had prayed and God had answered by guiding the Spectrals to those they could bond with. Thankfully, someone got the idea to magnify the bonds’ affect from multiple Shades to surround entire systems. Shades and non-shades fled to the systems that had achieved the shielding. Which had the effect of making the Spectral Shields stronger. As the scourge spread, these systems became islands of sanctuary.
While the Soul Shadows were crippling the Empire, the Zar’dakens were still a curse. The Spectral Shields did nothing to keep them out. Emperor Vailence Imperen couldn’t do much against the Soul Shadows, but he had to figure out what to do against the Zar’dakens. Of twenty-five systems, only five were still part of the empire. The rest had been divvied up to the invaders. Though, perhaps, ‘divvied up’ was the wrong phrase, Vailence silently corrected himself. It made one think that perhaps the groups worked together. Nothing could be more wrong.
The Fleet ha
d noticed that those ships known to be part of the Movement had, at first, worked with the Zar’dakens. They would come through and weaken and confuse the defenders. Then the Zar’dakens would appear and would attack not just the loyal defenders, but also the Movement. The Zar’dakens would drive their supposed-allies on before them until they were as cornered as the rest of the Empire.
The loss of life was more than Vailence wanted to think about it. The Soul Shadows weakened both sides, but the Empire only had so many ships and so many trained to run those ships. The Zar’dakens, while also having suffered heavy losses they didn’t seem to be running out of ships. Vailence figured they had been preparing for this for a long time. Probably since the last wars ended.
Yess. They musst pay. We musst protect. his own serpent agreed. It was feeling almost more helpless than he did. Which made him as a whole angry. “This has got to end. Sooner rather than later, before we lose anyone else,” he said to his admirals. Thank the Lord, they had all survived so far. Though the last two-and-a-half cycles had aged them all. The six of them stood around a halographic map of what had once been the Spectral Empire. They didn’t like what they were seeing, either.
“I agree with you, Sire, We just don’t have the strength left to use force,” Admiral Lauzlo D’rz said, glaring at the map.
“But we have cunning. And that, in my opinion, has always been better than just sheer force,” Admiral Francesca L’Seral pointed out.
“And cunning we must be if we wish to survive at all,” Commander Sam Blackmore added. “We can pump out as many ships as we like, but we have a very finite number of people who can run those ships, even if we cut down to skeletal crews. There must be something we can do that will distract the Zar’dakens and give us some breathing room. Maybe enough to discover the Soul Shadows’ weakness.”
Defender of the Empire: Chaos Page 7