Spectres (Æthyrium Rising - Spectres Book 1)

by Zachariah Dracoulis

  They were the kind of things a parent would send their child out with when they moved out of home, things that made sure they didn’t spend all of their money on whatever it was they were interested in and instead had to buy groceries with it.

  To this day it is the funniest gift I’ve ever received, and by far one of the best.

  Back on Track

  The following few weeks were spent going from station to station, planet to planet, doing a mission here, and an upgrade there. I’d like to say they were interesting, but aside from the time when we picked up a doctor and his sister and took them somewhere I’m not allowed to say, it was pretty boring.

  At least we got some changes for Alby though, the most interesting ones being the things Garrett had suggested, the unofficial printer and the upgrade to the ship’s cargo bay that made the whole bottom floor descend for when we had to get something into the ship that was bigger than an average person.

  However we’d also come up with a few ideas of our own, one of which were these pods that had weapons, ammunition, or just about anything else that we could order Alby to drop in for us when were on the ground. We’d also upgraded his AI which helped his autopilot capabilities, and, though he couldn’t speak yet, he was able to talk to and learn from Jurol through a text-based computer.

  Why didn’t we just get a state-of-the-art AI? Because a fully loaded one, as in one that has all the information it needs to understand, translate, and fly, was damned expensive, like twenty million credits expensive, Alby himself had cost two, and he could only barely understand English.

  Anyway, as I said, we spent a few weeks minding our own business and waiting for the call from HQ to tell us what to do, and when we’d finally figured they’d given up on or forgotten about us, we got the call.

  “Kurla!” Jurol shouted excitedly over the speakers while I sat peacefully in my room trying to meditate, “Captain! We need you on the bridge!”

  I didn’t waste any time in running to the bridge, bounding up the stairs in two steps and bursting through the doorway, “What is it?”

  “Mission! We’ve got a proper mission!”

  I looked at the less excited Juno and Xario standing by the nav-computer, then to the glass at the front of my ship that apparently doubled as a screen.

  “Heya Kurls, how’s things?”

  I smiled at my former Field Master, “Good, good. For you?”

  “Not bad at all, but this ain’t a social call. I got a mission for you and your crew.”

  “Heh, so, what, you’re like our handler now?” I joked.

  “Somethin’ like that,” Garrett said before switching topics as respectfully as he could, “now, do you know Ruishinda?”

  “Know of it, but could use a refresher.”

  “Good,” he said with a broad smile, “I love hearin’ myself talk. It’s a city on a rich Commonwealth-friendly world called Nasanwahti. Turns out the Emperor there, one mister Abhijeet, thinks there’s gonna be an attack and has asked for protection. A deployment of Commonwealth troops has already landed there, and most communications have been cut, but Abhijeet wants more. Specifically a few members of the brass, that’s where you guys come in.”

  I looked around at my crew and caught Xario scratching his backside, “Forgive me Garrett, but I don’t think we’re exactly what the Emperor’s looking for.”

  “Exactly, we think it might be a trap, some kinda revenge for Urbetes on the Federation’s behalf, and Gods’ know we only got away with that because we were able to convince the UPC that it was a militarised city, so… be grateful you didn’t exist for that part. Point is a rescue op would look good to the UPC, our allies, and the neutral worlds. We want you to go in all gussied up and pull Abhijeet from the fire.”

  He seemed genuinely concerned, but it wasn’t my job to comment on how he was feeling, “Alright then, how’re we going to get in? Again, we don’t exactly look the part.”

  “I’ve sent some IDs through to Alby, he’s runnin’ ‘em through that printer of yours as we speak. And as for the uniforms, they’ll be in the shiny light transport we’ve arranged for you to meet on the planet’s north pole, nice and secluded like. I’ll send you through the coordinates when you’re close.”

  “Why can’t we take Alby?” Jurol asked disappointedly, “This is the second mission he’s missed out on, and he’s a lot smarter this time around.”

  “Sorry Jurol, can’t have you showin’ up in Turtle, people’d know you were a pack o’ liars ‘fore you even stepped off the ship.”

  “Sounds good,” I said, interrupting Jurol’s second attempt at a whine, “how long will it take to get us there?”

  He gave a defeated sigh and shrugged, “Two, three hours tops? Probably be ten minutes if you’d let us get Warp-Tech.”

  “Hey, if you wanna buy it I’ll gladly install it. Cost a small fortune to get you a friend that couldn’t run away.” I said, nodding at the computer beside his workstation.

  “Don’t listen to her. You wouldn’t run away on me, would you buddy?”

  “Probably for the best that you don’t have one,” Garrett interjected, “last thing you need is to tip off whoever’s in that city. Anyway, get on it, best of luck.”

  “Thanks.” I said as the screen shut down and I was able to look out into the vast nothingness again, “Everyone alright with this mission?”

  Juno shrugged, “Better off saving people than killing them I suppose, right Xario?” she asked bitterly.

  “Right.” he responded with a smile.

  Things had settled between them, mainly because Xario had taken on most of Juno’s responsibilities in terms of cleaning and cooking, which was good, for everyone, but there was still an obvious and lingering tension from the night on Urbetes, and she had a habit of bringing it up every chance she could.

  “Alright, it’s settled then. Jurol, set a course for Nasanwahti. Let’s save ourselves an Emperor.”

  The Emperor

  Official’s uniforms feel so weird, especially the white ones we were wearing, but that may have just been because that particular one wasn’t for me. Well, it was, and it fit well enough, but I hadn’t earned the stripes, patches, and medals that sat across my breast, shoulders, and beret. I was someone that had jumped from the rank of private to the rank of shhh.

  Juno and Xario on the other hand seemed quite comfortable as they walked around the fancy cabin, “Have you seen this Captain?” Xario asked with a smile, “They have a bar on this thing.”

  “And a million other things that we mustn’t touch.” I said, eyeing off the glass in his hand.

  It took him a second to catch on, or he was simply hoping I’d change my mind, but he eventually put the glass down, “Yes Captain, and are you sure we should be wearing these?” he said, gesturing at the shiny belt holster and the archaic service pistols that sat in them, “I don’t know how much Abhijeet is gonna like us coming in with weapons.”

  “It’s part of the uniform,” Jurol said from the white couch he was laying on opposite me, “when on a diplomatic mission, or in an otherwise non-combative role, officers will carry service pistols that display a readiness and acceptance of battle. In other words-”

  “We need it to look pretty as well as be mildly practical, got it.” Juno said disinterestedly.

  “Something about an imminent Federation attack boring you Juno?” I joked.

  “How do we even know there’s going to be an attack? You heard the guys, Commonwealth troops have been in the city for ages and haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary. I reckon it’s just some overly anxious twit who thinks that because he helps the Commonwealth with troops and funds he can just order us around. Guy isn’t even labelled as a bloody ally, official register has him and Nasanwahti down as neutral.”

  “We’re thirty seconds out,” the pilot’s voice came clearly through the shuttle’s speakers, “remember don’t open the doors yourselves, just stay in your seats and wait for someone to open the doors for
you.”

  Jurol sat up and Xario and Juno returned to their seats beside Jurol and me respectively, all four of us sitting with our backs bolt upright as we adjusted our uniforms until they were sitting exactly the way they had to be.

  I wasn’t sure why, but I started thinking about the months that had just gone past me like they’d not happened at all, I was back at home, looking at the stars with my father and then I was there, in the transport, a new person.

  At least I was finally able to start having tea again.

  None of us noticed until the doors opened, but we’d landed, and I could definitively say that I preferred the slightly rougher ride, at least I knew where I was and what was happening on Alby.

  We stood together and I made sure that I still had the ear-pieces in my pockets and then fronted the line as we walked down the steps. Once on the ground I took a moment to look around at the gorgeous fountain and the even more beautiful palace in front of us.

  “Good day,” a man of obvious Indian ancestry said, his fine clothes billowing in the light breeze, “the Emperor awaits you inside the palace. I would like to be the one to personally thank you for arriving so quickly.”

  “Efficiency is a key part of the Commonwealth,” I said proudly, “let us go see the Emperor, I’m sure we’ll both have questions for each other.”

  “Of course.” the man said before bowing and pointed with his arms toward the palace.

  I fought the urge to return the bow and walked purposefully toward the palace, its doors wide open, revealing the ornate entryway.

  I felt richer simply from walking through it and into the marble room, a large, cascading stairway leading up to the second floor was built against the back wall.

  We were smart though, we didn’t look around gawking at the scenery, instead we came to a full stop in the middle of the room with our hands behind our backs and waited.

  “Welcome!” a rumbling and thickly accented voice came from beside us, “Thank you for coming so soon!”

  I turned to see the Emperor moving toward us with his arms outstretched, his puffy purple and green clothes accentuating his already corpulent form, “Emperor Abhijeet, it is an honour.” I said with a bow.

  “Please, Abhijeet is fine.” he said with a smile before looking at Xario with distaste, “I see that the Commonwealth has allowed a Benetzian to climb the ranks. I suppose they had to in order to give the rest of… them hope.” he practically spat.

  I half expected Xario to hit him, but no, instead he decided it best to keep his mouth shut and to let me do the talking, something that Juno was clearly having trouble with.

  “Yes,” I said as respectfully as I could through gritted teeth, “quite. Now, you spoke of an attack?”

  “Yes,” he said mournfully, turning his attention back to me, “I’m afraid there have been… threats.”

  “What sort of threats?” I asked as he turned toward the stairs and we followed.

  “Threats from the Federation, apparently they are most displeased with my aiding you.”

  It seemed unlikely, the Federation had plenty of their own allies, but my job was to get the Emperor out, not solve the mystery as to who would be putting the threats out.

  In order to do that though, I needed to know what we were dealing with, clearly the mission had to adapt, “So how do you want us to help?”

  “Well defend the city of course!” he laughed as we passed through what looked to be a trophy room, an arsenal of different types of rifles set up on the walls, “When the Federation comes I will need help to repel them. The city has shields and anti-air of course, but nothing that the Federation couldn’t eventually break through.”

  I had a strong feeling in my gut that he wasn’t telling us something, though it seemed like a bad idea to offend him, especially with all the guards we were passing, “But specifically us? Why send for officers?”

  “To lead the men that were already sent here! I see I didn’t get the best, which was to be expected, young and… filthy,” he said, glaring at Xario, “but I shall work with what I have.”

  Again, I forced myself to ignore his insults to my crew as we finally entered a large war room which had a balcony that looked over the entire city.

  “So, Emperor,” I said spitefully as I walked over to the balcony with the others, “any idea of how close this Federation attack force is?”

  “Minutes.”

  I spun to face him, “What?”

  “Minutes, just a few moments before your arrival we picked up on a signal that indicated a Federation ship had dropped out of warp, they’re above us as we speak.”

  “And you didn’t think to mention that before we landed?” Juno asked bitterly, her tolerance for silence finally failing on her.

  “Oh don’t worry, the shields will undoubtedly hold. We’re all perfectly safe in here.”

  A loud rumbling passed through me and I went to the edge of the balcony, my eyes locked on the sky as something came toward the city, “Gods help us…”

  Change of Plan

  We watched as the red circle in the clouds grew, it was a spectacle to say the least, like lightning made of fire and as the ring reached critical mass I looked on in stunned silence, four bolts cracking the sky and plunging into the middle of the city faster than my eyes could track.

  It was less than a second before the buildings closest to the point of impact began to topple, but it felt like minutes. Smoke and kicked up dirt broke against the palace’s shields shortly after, and engulfed the bubble in seconds.

  All four of us pulled out our pistols and took aim at the laughing Emperor, “What happened to the shields?” I snapped, the shock not quite having taken complete hold of me.

  Abhijeet produced a small rectangular device from his pocket and waved it at me, “Reinforcing the one around the palace of course! Not that it needs it, a few metal bolts aren’t going to break through what lasers couldn’t. But nevertheless, there’s no way to reset it either, so don’t get any ideas about trying to save the city.” he said smugly, “Did you really think I’d risk my life for those pathetic wretches? Besides, I’ve known the exact date that the Federation were coming for weeks.”

  “What?” Juno growled.

  Abhijeet laughed again, “It’s obvious, isn’t it? Pretend I need support-”

  That’s all I needed to hear to realise the plan, “And wait for the Commonwealth to send a bulk of forces to defend you. Meanwhile the Federation fills your pockets and you claim ignorance and remain a ‘neutral’ party in the conflict. But why? Why wouldn’t they just hit a Commonwealth world and dress it up like we did?”

  Abhijeet went to answer but Jurol beat him to it, “Because it gets us here… Feddies launch an all-out but totally untraceable attack. But if it looks like the Commonwealth were here first, Abhijeet can claim that he used his own satellites to fight us off, or that the Federation helped him should proof surface that they were here. The Commonwealth takes the fall, and half a dozen neutral systems turn on us as well as the UPC.”

  The Emperor smiled, “Exactly, who knew that you people-” his words were cut short as his head rocked backward shortly before he slumped to the floor, a smoking hole leaking blood from his forehead.

  I looked over to Xario who’d holstered his weapon and was in the process of taking off his officer’s jacket, revealing the black tank-top that we were all wearing beneath our uniforms, “Did you jus-”

  “Yes.” he said bluntly before moving on, “The city’s already descending, my ears just popped, but I doubt that that was the only barrage. We need to save as many of those people as we can.”

  Everyone was as equally stunned as I was, but I pushed past it and started following Xario’s example while walking out onto the balcony. The city was in chaos, smoke still billowing from the centre as the forest horizon became increasingly visible, “Can we bring in Alby?”

  Xario joined me shortly before Jurol who was shaking his head, “The second she came in range the city
’s anti-air would knock her out.”

  “What about a weapons drop?” I asked, remembering that we only had our pistols.

  “She could drop a few pods without coming into range, but the pods have to be manually loaded with weapons. All they’ve got in them is med-aid, which is all I thought we’d need…” he said ashamedly.

  Juno clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a respectful nod, “It’s alright, you did fine.”

  “That’ll have to do,” I said as I looked at Juno, who’d taken off and wrapped her officer’s jacket around her waist, “someone get Abhijeet’s controller and turn off the shields.”

  Xario spun around and grabbed Juno’s arm as she went to grab the controller, “You may want to hold off on that.” he said without breaking eye-contact.

  “Oh…” Jurol let out knowingly as he looked from the clearly annoyed Juno to the sky, “Yeah, I second that.”

  I followed their gaze as I pulled off my own jacket and discovered that we were far from being out of the woods, a fresh ring appearing in the fast dissipating clouds directly above the palace.

  I flinched as the bolts glanced off the shields fifty feet above us in all directions, sending blue and white ripples through the hundreds of hexagons that made up the protective bubble. Three of the four bolts shot off toward the jungle below us, but the other one buried itself into a building ten kilometres away.

  “Guess the Federation doesn’t like loose ends,” Juno scoffed, “best get a move on before another volley comes in.”

  I nodded, “Agreed. We’ll need weapons though, and Jurol, how many stocked pods does Alby have?”

  He was still a bit shaken after the bombardment, “Th-th-three. But as I said, they’ve only got med-”

  “Good. I’ll need one in that bell tower,” I said while pointing out the almost perfect sniper’s nest, “and ask the other’s where they want theirs. You’re going to go with Xario.”