"We're entering Star-World Zero Alpha's airspace, so I'm dropping down towards the artificial atmosphere. If Valmoro is working with Azimandia, they won't risk shooting at us if it means the possibility of hitting the Star-World. Get buckled back in. We're heading into enemy territory."
* * *
Crawling on his elbows and knees, Lucas inched forward through the ventilation shaft. The soft buzzing of his exosuit was the only sound around them aside from Derek and Dallis crawling along behind him. Cobwebs and drops of green sludge stuck to the visor of his helmet and the stench of incinerated garbage made him gag. The farther down the tunnel they went, the hotter the stagnant air became. The humid heat grew until it became pervading and uncomfortable. Unable to move much in the confined space, Lucas could not wipe away the constant streams of sweat that slid down his face.
Leah's cooing from the inside of his helmet brought him out of the trance-like state he had been in. "Lucas, this is Leah. I'm talking privately to you right now. No one else can hear this conversation. I know you're busy and I know that you're probably not in a position where you're able to talk, but I want you to listen. I worked with a lot of orphaned children who were brought through Dualictum on their way to a planet called Virdu in the far distant Allurem Galaxy. It's a desert planet where child slaves are left to work and fend for themselves while their owners are off doing other things. Most of them are abandoned there for good. It was my job to regulate the trade and sale of these children while keeping them cared for with help from the Red Sand Mercenary Company. I know you don't understand why I'm telling you all of this, but it's important."
Lucas continued crawling along, doing his best to drown Leah out. Why was she talking to him and what did this have to do with him? Did she not know that he would be dead in a few days and none of this would matter?
"Anyway, there was a girl who was brought through right before I left to join up with everyone. She had a baby in her arms. She was very young to be a mother. Her ears were cropped, just like yours. I knew she was an offering child."
"Leah, where are you going with this?" Lucas asked, pushing past a layer of thick cobwebs. "I don't know all the offering children, okay?"
"You knew this one. Her name was Ruth."
He stopped crawling. Lucas took a shaky breath. "What?"
"Her name was Ruth. She had a tiny toddler with black hair and brown eyes. A little girl. She had named her Lucia. I thought you would want to know. Your daughter is alive, or at least she was. When I heard what had happened from Dallis, I realized who Ruth was. I didn't tell you before because I knew it would upset you, but you needed to know before you . . . before you died. You're upset. I get it. I'm sorry. I'll go now."
Once the call ended, Lucas slammed his helmet against the floor of the tunnel and stayed there as the news sunk in. He was a father. Ruth, the girl he loved more than anyone, was alive. Their baby had lived. But they were long gone and there he was, halfway down a ventilation shaft on Odyssia, on his way to sacrifice his life to blow up a planet. Even if he did back out, call Leah and beg for the ship to return to take him away from it all, there was no way to track them down. Besides, he had to do this to keep them safe. If Ruth and their daughter were going to live long happy lives, Lucas had to end this war.
"Pet, are you all right? What did Leah say to you?"
Lucas started to tell him, but then bit his lip. If he let Dallis know that Ruth and his daughter were alive, the Biromian would overpower him and make him abandon the suicide mission. Instead, Lucas composed himself and continued crawling towards the end of the tunnel. "Nothing. Just some stupid stuff Ben did. Let's get moving. We don't have much time."
Chapter 5
The wind whistled around the cutting wings of the Galaxy Glider as it sliced through the artificial atmosphere, leaving a trail of lavender-tinted Vitalanum exhaust behind the engines. Rav tightened his grasp on the control yoke, grunting loudly through the pain from his injured right arm as the muscles tensed. He spoke into the mic attached to his flight goggles. "Ben, come in, Ben. This is Quasar Luminous. I'm currently entering Star-World Zero Alpha's atmosphere with three bandits on my tail. My missiles are not connecting. The Valmoron fighters have some sort of force field capabilities that reflect the missiles."
The female voice came over the speaker on his headset. "Hola. Ben's busy. You are free to engage."
"Sandra, that's not the problem. I can't hit them and my gunner's core is overheating prematurely. I'm gonna have to land this thing on the Star-World."
"Don't you dare. You have to take those ships out. Wait. Did you say Valmoron fighters?" Sandra asked.
"Yes! Three of them." Rav swiveled his chair over to the side console and flipped a row of switches above a circular screen. The radar sweep around his vicinity picked up on eight more blips. "I just checked my radar. There are eight more bogeys trailing me. No ID confirmed on those. Vance can't see them from here, but they're closing in fast."
"Copy that. I'm sending the signal to Neon to scramble all available rebel pilots to head in your direction immediately. Keep an eye out for friendlies."
There was no way he was going to keep flying around like nothing more than a moving target. "I'm not gonna be up here by the time they arrive. I have to land. I can't take these guys."
"Por favor, Rav. Un momento. Give me one minute. I'm having Leah and Tamir research Valmoron ships. There has to be a way to take them out. Nothing is indestructible. Have you tried your lasers?"
"Vance's hand is already about to burn just from the transferred heat back there. I can't ask him to reach in and exchange the weapon fuel cores right now."
Vance, always stubborn, called out to him. "I'm on it, mate."
"Be careful, Vance. One wrong move and you'll bring steam in here. Sandra, is Leah around?"
"Why?" Sandra asked. "I thought you were fighting right now."
"I am. I just need to let her know that Nemo is back to screaming again. He's not doing well at all."
"I'll let her know."
Vance shouted from the gunner chair. "Fucking wanker! Damn it. Shit."
Rav snapped at him. "Vance, language! My son's in here."
"Sorry, mate. I just burned my hand. It's pretty bad."
"Why didn't you use your metal hand so you wouldn't get burned as easily?"
"Huh. That's why you're the smart one, mate."
"Perfect." Rav rolled his eyes. "We're doing great today."
Sandra snickered over the speaker. "Sarcasm?"
"Yes, Sandra, it's sarcasm. Nothing is going right today. I would appreciate it if you at least tried to hide the pleasure you find in my misfortune. Vance, are you all right?"
"I've gotta be all right, mate. We can't exactly stop everything because your gunner burned his hand. I'll just have to wrap it again and add extra tape this time. I wasn't expecting it to be so damn hot."
"Can you still shoot?"
"I'll do my best."
Rav shook his head and growled, still using every ounce of his strength to keep the Galaxy Glider at the right angle for entry through the atmosphere. "That's not what I asked. Can you or can you not still shoot?"
"Yes, sir. I can still shoot."
"Thank you. I swear, it's like pulling teeth with you sometimes." Rav took a deep breath as soon as the metal under his feet stopped threatening to melt the rubber soles of his sneakers. The sudden pressurization that made his ears pop let him know they were successful in getting down into the Star-World. He turned back to the radar screen. "These Valmorons aren't leaving. I thought for sure they would turn around once we entered the atmosphere, but they're in here with us now."
"Hit them now." Sandra suggested. "Maybe their force fields go down once they're inside an atmosphere. It's worth a shot. Use your lasers."
Rav leveled out the Galaxy Glider and began a steady descent in elevation over the city far below him. "I'm good now, Vance. Fire when ready. Vance?"
There was no response from the gunner seat.
> Rav turned around to glanced back at the back of the cockpit where his gunner was doubled over, nearly falling out of his chair. "Vance?"
Vance coughed and choked then vomited dark blood across the floor. Pounding his fists against the wall of the ship, he struggled to catch his breath through the gurgling deep in his throat.
"What happened to you? Nemo, stay away from the blood. Vance, what's going on?"
"The virus. I can't . . . ah!"
"Sandra, get Ben on the radio. Vance is falling apart back there. I need to know what to do."
Vance took a few raspy breaths before speaking. "I'm okay. I'm okay, mate. Just . . . it's getting bad. Sorry about the mess. I'll clean it up."
"Not now. I need you to shoot at those Valmoron ships. We're going six hundred miles per hour over the city. I can't go any faster without risking drawing more attention to ourselves. I had to slow down to a crawl once we got through the atmosphere. I'm losing the lead I had on these guys. Can you shoot?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then get on it. Now, Vance!"
The whine of the laser cartridges grew until it was nearly ear-shattering, but the silence took over as soon as the green beam left the back of the Galaxy Glider.
"Hit!" Vance laughed in his excitement. "One's going down smoking."
"When you're ready, fire on the next one."
Before Vance had a chance to ready the next shot, the computerized voice came over the speakers in the cockpit. Missile Incoming.
Rav's heart leapt in his chest. "Vance! Shoot it down. Shoot down the missile before-"
The impact jerked the ship and sent it spiraling to the right in a plume of black smoke that began filling the cockpit. Warning lights flashed red as the rows of switches flickered as the power began shorting out. He held onto the yoke for dear life as the vibrations around him grew more powerful and the scent of burning fuel scraped across his nose and stung in his eyes.
Rav bit his lip as his son began screaming again, despite the medication. The more he lost control of the Galaxy Glider, the more Nemo cried out. It killed him to hear and know that he could not do a thing to comfort him. Was Nemo even aware of what was going on? Could the boy who was so articulate in his words and feelings earlier be the same one now? Was the real Nemo still alert and aware of his state of being imprisoned in a shell of himself? Rav wanted to know, he needed to know, but now was not the time to be contemplating things like that. His priority was getting everyone out of harm's way.
Nemo's screams turned to joyful giggling as Rav slammed the yoke to the right, sending the Galaxy Glider into a barrel roll. Two large white missiles flew past the glass and exploded in midair. The shock waves collided with the ship, throwing it out of control over the tallest buildings of the city. Tossed out of his pilot's chair when the safety harness snapped against his weight, Rav scrambled back towards the controls. He grabbed onto the yoke and pushed it over as far as he could go in the opposite direction, but his heart skipped a beat when the screens flashed red with a stall warning.
All he could see through the glass were the blurry swirls of metal and wood, asphalt and stars.
Rav throttled the engines and clenched his eyes tightly to keep himself from growing too dizzy. His arms shook. His legs trembled. The pain from his injury ached up through his shoulder, but he kept as much pressure as he could on the yoke. Flipping on the switch beside him, the stabilizers kicked into action and slung Rav across the cockpit to the other side. He collided with the metal wall and slid to the floor in agony.
He opened his eyes again as the stall warnings ended. "Vance, the controls. Grab the controls!"
Vance rushed over and took the yoke. "I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do!"
Rav sat up, holding the left side of his back where he had slammed into the wall. "Just keep it steady. I'm coming." He stood and groaned, but made his way to the pilot's chair. "Okay. Give it back to me."
"Are you all right?"
"Go back to your seat." Rav sat down, checked the readings on the screens, then let out a sigh of relief when the radar blips were gone. "We lost 'em. We're good. How's Nemo?"
"He's unconscious."
"Of course he is. Vance, are you good?"
Vance spit out more blood. "I'm good."
"If you're able, please clean up that blood while I keep us in the air. There's not a place to land. Looks like these warbringers are setting up some sort of antiaircraft guns on the edges of the city. We're not getting down there."
"I'll clean it up."
"Thanks. I don't want Nemo to touch it."
Ben's shouting brought clarity back to the chaos. "What's going on? Are you three all right? Come in, Quasar Luminous!"
Rav adjusted his orange flight goggles and fixed the microphone. "I'm here. I'm here. We're in one piece . . . more or less. I have a problem, though. I'm currently inside the atmosphere of Star-World Zero Alpha. I've taken some damage, but my diagnostic screens aren't giving me an accurate reading, so I don't know how bad it really is. We are stable for the moment. I can't land and I can't take a damaged Galaxy Glider back out through the atmosphere. If the damage is as bad as I fear it might be, then the ship will break apart if I put it under too much stress. Right now, I'm trapped. They're setting up antiaircraft guns. I give them five minutes before target practice starts."
"Hmm . . . I got it! Take the fight to them. Kill them before they can kill you. Take them out."
"The antiaircraft guns?" Rav asked.
"Yes. Galaxy Gliders were originally designed to be bombers. That's why you can fly at incredibly slow speeds at low altitudes without compromising stability. Just swap over to the underbelly bomb panels. You're packing twenty warheads."
"Sounds like you've done your homework."
Ben sounded happy over the speaker. "Of course I have. If I'm going to be your leader, then I need to know about every aspect of this war. I'm trying my best. I have authorized Neon and the other pilots to use all four warp charges on their ships to get to your vicinity as quickly as possible. They should be reaching the Star-World Zero Alpha airspace within the hour. Keep an eye out for friendlies. Speaking of friendlies, our Azimandian friends in Squad Two should be on Star-World Zero Alpha. Watch out for them. I will have them get in touch with you."
"Copy that." Rav ended the transmission before picking up a can of lime soda. Without thinking, he cracked it open, sending shaken soda spewing across himself and the consoles. "Oh. Perfect."
Vance grumbled as he sat down in his chair after wiping up the blood. "Why do people say you're such a good pilot when you crash nearly every time you get in the cockpit?"
"Because I've crashed, but haven't died. That's where the real skills come in handy. But I'm doing this just in case." He picked up his parachute and pulled it on over his shoulders. With a snap, the buckles were secured around his chest. "There. If I do mess up, I'll be able to get away."
"What about us, Rav?" Vance asked. "What about your son?"
"I only have one of these. I'll grab Nemo and hold onto him."
"If you say so."
Rav began setting his targeting system to the antiaircraft guns on the outskirts of the city. "Hey, now. Don't be all upset because of that. You knew that gunners couldn't eject from a Galaxy Glider. Besides, I'm never gonna crash again."
"Sure, Rav. Whatever you say, mate."
* * *
"I thought we weren't supposed to use warp like this over and over." Visht's brow furrowed as he watched the speeds on the console of the rebel pilot's ship. "Don't they cause black holes?"
The pilot pushed him away. "Go sit down with your father. Leave the flying to me. I know what I'm doing."
"But it was supposed to take us days to get to Elysia, right? We've only been flying for twelve hours, but we're almost there."
"Welcome to the enhanced warp functions the Flight Force has been developing. It's a prototype, but it seems to be working well enough. If it messed up, you'd be dead."
&nbs
p; Visht crossed his arms on his chest then returned to his metal chair beside Krisharn, his leather armor creaking quietly as his muscles flexed. He spoke in Azimandian to his father, ensuring the pilot could not understand what they were saying. "You're quiet."
Krisharn growled and eyed his son out of the corner of his vision. He reached up to tap his claws against the two-inch-wide silver band around the base of Visht's right red circular horn. "I meant to remove this band before all this started. I don't have the key. You'll have to wear it until we find a way to get it off. I'm sorry, son."
"For what?"
"Everything. The beatings, the starvation, locking you away in a padded cell, the public floggings, all of it. Watching Ben with his children . . . it's . . ." Krisharn sighed, his massive chest heaving. "I know we're not humans and we do not conform to their family structures, but it has come to my attention that I may have been wrong in the way I raised you and your sister, primarily you. Warbringers don't apologize. We don't make excuses. We don't mess up. But I've messed up. We're in this together now, Visht. If things go the way Aveni has planned, I will be warlord of Azimandia and you will be the prince. I want you to try to forget the pain I've caused you. Rule by my side. Our people need a fresh view on things. With your peaceful nature, I believe you will be a valuable asset."
Visht met eyes with his father. "You're serious? Where did this come from? This isn't like you."
"From watching Aveni and Benjamin. They're gentle people, even when Aveni loses his temper. They care about everyone, human or otherwise. Don't you ever tell anyone this, but I secretly admire Aveni for all he's accomplished."
"Vance is a good man. What made you change your mind?" Visht asked, watching his father's face below the sweeping black horns that reflected the colored dots of light from the consoles around them.
"Hmm?"
"You hated him. You hated everyone. Are you only in this now as a way to get the throne?"
"That's part of it. I'm not going to lie. It's an easy way to ensure that I get what I want. I know that Aveni dies in a few days and the throne will go to me."
The Genesis Sequence Books 6-10 Page 56