by Lake, Edward
Bill laughed. “Yeah, that’s what it was called before you Mamluks took over.”
Suddenly, I heard a continuous humming sound. The rest of the group heard it too, and we all looked up at the sky. “They’re here.” I grabbed Isabella and led her up the ramp to our ship. “You have to go, My Love.”
She pushed my hands away and grabbed me. “I’m not leaving without you, or our daughter.”
“Isabella...you have to. We’re not safe on this planet anymore.” She cried out and leaned into me. I hugged her strongly and kissed her cheek.
The group that had flown in our ship marched past us and hurried to their seats. “Juozas, we have to go now!” someone called to me.
I stepped back and stared into Isabella’s eyes. “If I fail, it will be up to you.” I gently touched her face and smeared away her tears.
She nodded boldly and placed her hand on my chest. “You won’t fail.”
“Juozas! The fleet!”
Isabella backed away. “Go, My Love.”
I spun around and ran out of the ship. In the sky, I saw tens of thousands of enemy ships descending upon the handful of rebel ships. I dashed into the frozen terrain and hid behind a large heap of snow. Within a few moments, the rebel ships accelerated and blasted into the sky.
I hunkered down and watched Mother’s ships follow them. Far into the distance, I saw a mountain range and figured that would be a good place to hide. I stayed low as I moved ahead. I’m coming for you, Samantha. Father is on his way.
Chapter 46: Emily
I was in the security room with London, watching the rebel ships rise into space. It was a bold move, but a wise one as well. I reached down and pressed a button that zoomed in on the small group of rebel ships. I stared at them for a moment, wondering if Juozas was on one of the ships.
“This will be an easy victory, My Ruler. They’ll be trapped in space.”
“Yeah, I know.” I stood there and watched for a bit longer, narrowing my eyes. Finally, I turned to London. “Something doesn’t feel right. I want you to send a ground unit to the North. Have them set up camp and search the landscape.”
“Right away, Your Greatness.”
I looked back at the screen and anxiously pursed my lips. Juozas, where are you? Getting even more frustrated with the situation, I spun around and marched out of the room. I went upstairs to Samantha’s room and found Giedre watching over her. “How is she?”
Giedre looked at me with a smile. “She is sleeping comfortably, My Ruler.”
I walked up to Samantha’s lavish cradle and stood over her. I couldn’t get over how adorable she was. In fact, she looked just like Juozas when he was a baby. “We’re going to do it right this time, Giedre.”
She gave me a bow. “Certainly, Great Emily. Ignas will teach her well, and she will become a great soldier, and an even greater Champion.”
I glanced at her with a smile. “I appreciate your encouragement.” I moved around to the other side of the cradle. “Leave us, please.”
Giedre promptly left the room.
I bent down and watched her closely. “Samantha? Can you hear me?” I knew she couldn’t hear me, but I imagined she could, and it was therapeutic for me. “I’m not your grandmother.” Carefully, I reached down and rubbed her soft head. “I’m your mother, and Adomas is your father.” My eyes watered a bit as I went on. Tears of joy. “Juozas never happened. He never existed.” I got lower and kissed her tiny forehead. “I love you, Dear.”
Chapter 47: Juozas
I knew Mother all too well, and I knew she would take no chances against the rebellion. To validate my claim, she had sent a ground unit to the snowy terrain to search for rebels. However, this unit wasn’t nearly as large as the fleet chasing the rebel ships into space.
After reaching the mountains, I hid and waited until all the enemy ships had landed. After that, I headed out at nightfall and traveled until I finally reached the base. The camp was sparsely lit with small fires, and there were a few ships scanning the area, shining light on the frozen terrain. There were plenty of soldiers marching around the camp, too, which made it easier for me to blend in.
I used the scanner on my sija to locate an empty ship. I found several that were close by. I took a moment and debated which ship to steal, then I saw one that caught my eye. I carefully stepped through the snow as I came up to the ship. When I got to it, I saw a group of soldiers walking toward me from afar. I hurried to the parked leg of the ship and pretended like I was checking on something.
I listened to one of them ramble as they passed by. “If there is anyone up here, they’re probably hiding in those mountains up ahead. We should be concentrating on those areas.”
Finally, after waiting a moment, I moved to the ramp. Opening it would be the most difficult part of the mission. Every ship had an individual code. The regular operators of the ship, the Champion, and the Ruler were the only ones with access to the codes.
I waited there until I saw two soldiers marching toward the ship. As they drew near, I stepped back a little and carefully sneaked into the shadows. Then the realization of what I would have to do hit me. I closed my eyes and released a quiet, heart-wrenching groan. I opened my eyes as I heard the ramp opening.
The two soldiers marched up the ramp and I quickly followed them in. Before they could turn around, I blasted them each with a rapid shot. The lasers went right through their chests and they dropped to the floor. Sadly, I hurried past their dead bodies and took a seat at the control board. I quickly pressed the button to close the ramp and powered up the ship.
I sat down and leaned back, and the metal straps whooshed out and locked me in place. I pulled back on the handle and took off at a steady, non-suspicious pace.
As I flew higher, a message came over the radio. “Ugne? Valdas?”
I responded in a hurry. “This is Ugne.” I changed my voice for the other dead soldier. “This is Valdas.”
I waited a moment before hearing a reply. “Is everything all right? I heard a blast as you entered your ship.”
I quickly thought of an excuse before pressing the button to speak. “Yes, our ship shuddered as the ramp closed and something sparked on the control board. I took a look and realized it was just a small electrical blast.”
The soldier responded with a laugh. “Perhaps the cold is affecting the circuitry.”
I let out a sigh of relief before sending my reply. “I’ll keep an eye on it.”
“Very well then.”
It was a lucky escape, but I was going to need much more than good fortune when I returned home.
Part Six—To Protect The Ruler
Chapter 48: Emily
I was in the forest practicing some fighting techniques. Ignas was watching me from a distance with his arms crossed. There were a few soldiers quietly patrolling the area, too, and a group of slaves working nearby. I attacked the trees with relentless speed as I went along. After a few minutes, Ignas sounded a horn that stopped me.
He walked over with a pleased smile. “Very good, Emily. Your attacks are much more accurate and fluid.” He carefully got in a fighting stance. “Now, attack me.”
I ran at Ignas and slid through his legs. Before he could spin around, I jumped up and kicked his leg hard. I ran around him and stopped at his other leg. I elbowed the back of his knee and kicked it before taking off again. Ignas kicked his leg out and tried to trip me, but I jumped over it and kept going.
Then, he backed up to give himself some room. “Impressive, Emily. You are using your best advantage against me. Maintain that speed.”
I faced him and waved him on. “Come on. Don’t take it easy on me, Ignas. Hit me, if you can.”
He gave me a charmed smile. “As you wish, My Ruler.” Ignas bent low and as he rushed forward. He tried to punch me but I rolled to the side.
I got up and slid though his legs again, but this time, he leaped over me and quickly spun around with his fist coming down to crush me. I rolled out of th
e way and popped up to my feet. I jumped high and side-kicked him. Ignas tried to catch the kick but I was too fast. I spun away and carefully backtracked.
Ignas ran at me and paused when he got close. The maneuver confused me, and I desperately tried to run. This time, he was able to catch me with a well-timed jab. The shot sent me stumbling to the floor. Ignas relaxed like it was over, but I got up in a hurry and waved him on with a smile. He smiled back and released a quick, loud, ecstatic howl.
Out the corner of my eye, I could see some of the soldiers had stopped to watch. Fearlessly, I ran up to Ignas. He tried to punch me but I side-stepped him. I ran ahead and did a speedy baseball slide to his right ankle. The shot made him wobble and he jumped over me, but he stumbled as he landed. I got up in a flash and ran at him again. This time, when I got close, I leaped through the air and kneed his back.
Ignas dropped to one knee and I heard a few soldiers gasp in amazement. I wasted no time and kicked his side. I ran around him as he rose and quickly elbowed the back of his knee. The strike buckled Ignas, and he desperately tried to grab me, but I wisely backed away. Don’t get greedy.
A soldier howled from afar and shouted praise. I smiled at the warm reception as Ignas marched toward me. We met head on again and he jumped at me, trying to get me to bite. I stood my ground and waited for a real attack. He followed up with a steady series of combinations. I evaded the first flurry, but he eventually caught me with a swift kick.
I fell down and rolled over onto my back. Ignas stood tall as he looked down on me with a smile. I put my hand out, and he kindly helped me up.
“I am astounded, Emily. Your skills have improved tremendously.”
“Thanks, Ignas. I’m grateful for your training.”
He gave me a courteous bow. “I am honored to be of service.”
I gave him a polite nod in return and tapped his leg. “Come on. I’ll race you back.” We got in position and took off in one fell swoop. Ignas used his long legs to get a good start, but I easily passed him after a short while. Honestly, it felt good to finally beat him at something.
Chapter 49: Juozas
I flew low as I headed to Mother’s building, gliding right over the forest. I was extremely determined to complete the mission as quickly as possible, and leave Earth with my child. When I got to within one hundred yards of the building, I stopped the ship and did a quick scan of the area, making sure I was a good distance from any soldiers.
I moved ahead and carefully watched my surroundings, looking for any activity from the enemy. When I got to the building, I landed near the back entry and hurried out of the ship. I sneaked to the rear entrance and went inside. Surprisingly, the area was rather quiet. I gradually moved along the wall and listened for any movement, staying as low as possible. When I reached the edge of the hallway, I heard someone coming and hid behind a pillar.
Moments later, a servant walked by carrying a bucket of water and a pile of cloth. As the sound of her light footsteps faded away, I quickly turned the corner and snuck up the stairway. I made it to the second floor and hurried into an empty room when I heard a group of soldiers approaching. I leaned against the wall and watched their shadows go by.
After waiting until the hall sounded clear, I finally headed out and checked all the rooms on that floor. No sign of Samantha. I went to the next stairway and headed to the third floor. As I cautiously moved toward the security room at the center of the hall, I caught an earful of someone shouting orders from inside.
I hurried into the room next to the security room and put my ear against the wall. I listened for a moment and heard a group of soldiers discussing a plan of attack. It was hard to make out everything they were saying, but the one thing I did hear was, “We must wait for Emily’s orders.”
Because the conversation was coming from the security room, it made me think that Mother had positioned herself as head of security. Then, when the soldiers moved into the hallway, I heard a message come over the radios on their sijas.
“The Champion has arrived. Send additional soldiers to the building at once.”
At first, I thought they realized I had come back and were sending reinforcements to apprehend or kill me. But as the soldiers carried on casually, it made me wonder. Has Mother chosen another soldier to take my place as Champion?
Eager to find out, I quietly followed the soldiers at a distance. They went to the first floor and stood by the main entrance. I paused on the last step of the stairway and peeked from the edge of the wall.
Giedre, the central caregiver on Earth, walked inside cradling Samantha in her arms. My heart pounded as I watched the soldiers kneel and bow their heads. Naturally, they would never greet a caregiver in this manner, so it seemed as if Mother had pronounced my spawn as the new Champion.
I saw Giedre coming toward the stairway and quietly hurried up the steps. I made it to the second floor and hid in an empty room. I stayed there for a moment and listened as she and a group of soldiers went upstairs to the next level.
Seeing my daughter under the enemy’s control sparked an intense rage inside me. My whole life, I had been raised to believe that my destiny was to become Champion and protect my mother, the subsequent Ruler of our kind. But now, the only Ruler of my world was my beautiful spawn, Samantha, and I was prepared to stop at nothing to protect her from Mother’s malice.
I scanned the building with my sija, and on the holographic radar screen, I could see two soldiers guarding a room on the fourth floor. That’s the room. I snuck into the hallway and went up the stairs to the fourth floor. I stopped at the edge of the thick barrier at the top of the steps and peeked around the corner.
The soldiers were carefully pacing around the entryway to the room in close proximity to each other, watching the hall with broad eyes. I followed their movements for a moment, and when they both had their backs turned, I quickly snuck into the first empty room. I pulled one of the stone candles out of the wall and gradually walked to the entrance.
I narrowed my eyes as I looked into the adjacent room and quickly threw the stone candle across the hall. It flew into the room and crashed on the floor, breaking into pieces. I ducked down and waited for the soldiers to come. Knowing they would investigate together, I readied my sija for rapid fire.
I held my arm out as I saw their shadows come forward. I heard one of them mutter something as they got closer.
“It was probably a bird.”
Then, the moment they appeared in the entryway, I blasted them both and they dropped to the floor. I ran out of the room and jumped over their dead bodies. As I sprinted to the room they were guarding, I heard someone moving around inside.
To no surprise, when I got there, I saw Giedre running toward a cradle Samantha had been set in. I couldn’t bring myself to kill Giedre, even though I felt that I probably should. Instead, I fired at her feet, and that was enough to stop her.
I turned on my force field as I ran to the cradle. Giedre turned on her shield and aimed her sija at me. I lifted Samantha into my arms and hugged her close. The force field covered her, and Giedre pulled her aim back.
I hurried to the entry, but Giedre stopped me before I could leave.
“Wait, Juozas.”
I turned around and faced her.
She walked to me and turned off her shield. “Please, come home.”
I shook my head and slowly backed into the hallway. “Never.”
Giedre gave me a loving stare. “You will not find peace with this rebellion. Only the established order of our society can give you that.”
I responded with an aggravated glare. “A society of cruelty, murder, and the enslavement of innocent civilizations. No. In that, I could never find peace.”
Giedre narrowed her eyes. “Murder?”
“Yes. I’ve learned a lot of terms from the humans. Ask my mother what it means.”
I turned and jogged down the hall to the stairway, but before I could flee, I saw London and a group of soldiers standing at the c
enter of the steps.
My old friend stared at me with a cheeky grin. “Where are you going with our Champion, Juozas?”
I backed away and turned, but as I ran the other way, another group of soldiers stormed up the stairway from the other side, and from behind, I heard London’s gang coming forward. I froze and turned around.
Both groups stopped about five feet from me. Then, London stepped forward and circled me. He studied me, and noticed how ragged my clothes had gotten. “I disapprove of your new appearance, Old Friend. You look like a slave.”
The soldiers laughed. Giedre came into the hallway and stood by with a sad look in her eyes.
London stopped in front of me and looked me up and down. “Tell me, Juozas. Do you wish to be like the humans you love so much?”
I glared at him and adjusted my sija. “I am a human.”
London chuckled and nodded. “Then release your shield, and I’ll treat you like a human.”
I tried to blast him but he turned on his force field just in time. The shot bounced off the see-through shell and disappeared. The others turned on their shields.
London flashed a teasing smile. “With our combined firepower, we could knock out your shield in an instant. So please, return the Champion to Giedre and surrender.”
I wanted to kill him for speaking of my child as if she belonged to them. And if I get the chance I will. “She’s not your Champion. She’s my daughter.” Then, I aimed my sija at the ground. “And to knock out my shield, you’ll have to catch me first.”
I fired a constant beam at the floor and led it into the adjacent room. London and the others backed away. I pushed Samantha into my chest hard and held on with all the strength I had. The opening in the floor gave me just enough room to get through. I dropped down and held onto the splintered edge with my free hand. I swung my body forward and dropped down to the lower level.
I ran to the stairway and hurried to the first floor, but just as I was about to sprint outside to my stolen ship, a group of soldiers marched into the building. I turned and ran the other way as they fired at me. When I got to the exit down the hall, I leaped to the outside and turned around.