Oana gave a short laugh. “Of all the spacers I know who’ll be coming back, it’s you, Duncan. You seem to have a knack for surviving a no-win situation. You remind me a lot of the lieutenant in that regard.”
“I guess I’m just luckier than most,” Hauk said softly.
“Stop being so modest,” Oana said. “You’re pretty good, especially when it comes to thinking on the fly. You’ll probably break the record as the youngest non-commissioned officer on this ship once your promotion is official.”
The boy turned and stared at her. “I’m sorry about my attitude. I shouldn’t have fought Diego like that.”
Oana grinned while slapping his shoulder. “I should be the one to say sorry to you. Diego and I made fun of you, and that was just stupid. I guess we’re both kind of jealous of your accomplishments, even though Diego won’t ever admit to it.”
“We’re all in this together,” Hauk said. “I felt terrible when Puteri died. It seemed I had no more friends to talk to, and maybe that’s why I was so angry at everyone.”
“You’ve got me if you want to chat, Duncan,” Oana said. “I know I could never be Puteri, but I’ll try my best to be a friend to you.”
Hauk held out his hand. “I’d like that very much.”
Oana beamed while shaking the boy’s hand. “So would I. Now go out there and take revenge on Vega for us, Spacer Sergeant Hauk.”
19 The Intrigues
Kurgan’s terrain consisted of mountain peaks and valleys, with the main city built on a high plateau. Strange crystalline growths sprouted from the ground and encrusted the hillsides, dotting the entire landscape. These constantly glowing formations illuminated the entire planet during the long periods of twilight that occurred regularly due to Kurgan’s synchronous rotation with its parent star.
The palace towered above, jutting out like a thorn on the side of the tall peak overlooking the spaceport. Crafted centuries before by imported spitter beasts hauling massive chunks of stone and excreting thick saliva that hardened like resin, the smooth, solid walls of the structure made it resemble a series of gigantic termite mounds.
Antiques of the bygone age were displayed along the walls of the private meeting chamber, and Archon Hrothgar Maladore would sometimes sit in the room by himself, pondering the past deeds of his ancestors. His father, the previous archon, had always stressed that the ruling family must abide by the age-old traditions, lest they lose the support of the people. It was the one lesson Hrothgar took to heart.
The meeting with his most trusted subordinates had been a tense one. They reviewed their options, and every single predicted outcome was neither hopeful nor pleasant to hear. In the end, Hrothgar made his decision, and his advisors could only offer slight consolation that it was the best choice in an otherwise lousy set of alternatives.
Once the doors had been opened and most of the ministers began filing out of the cavernous chamber, Hrothgar’s daughter Ava instantly ran into the room, for she knew full well what had just occurred, and her father’s unwillingness to look her in the eye only confirmed her worst fears.
While the other court members walked out of the room with nary a glance at Ava, both the chamberlain and the Scythian cluster’s chief executor remained seated by Hrothgar’s side, since they were his most trusted advisors, and there were no secrets between them.
The chamberlain spoke to his liege in an almost whispering voice. “Xun is on his way to this chamber, my archon.”
Hrothgar raised a hand in greeting to his daughter as she stood a few meters away from him. “My sweet, this is not the time for us to talk. I have another meeting, and it is with the warlord of House Dragos. He shall be here at any moment.”
Ava was not to be denied. The seething frustration had made her desperate. “How could you, Father?”
The archon gave her a look of surprise. “You knew about the nature of this session and of my decision so soon? How is that possible?”
“I know you, Father,” Ava said tersely. “I have always known what you would do when it came to the choices you’d decide on. I heard about your second, more secretive meeting with Vega, and it didn’t take long for me to figure it out. Why have you betrothed me to that … pirate?”
The archon inhaled deeply before answering her. “It was a hard decision, but it had to be done. The fate of our family depends on it.”
Ava’s trembling hands were balled into fists. “No! I do not wish to marry such an old and ugly cutthroat! Vega is a thieving, bloodthirsty marauder, and to designate him as successor is a disgraceful act, an insult to our ancestors.”
“My decision was made only after careful consideration of the alternatives, none of which were better options,” Hrothgar said. “I’m very sorry, my child, but I am doing this to preserve our family.”
Ava’s entire body trembled with frustration. “No, you are destroying our house!”
“It was a matter of cold, hard practicality,” the chamberlain said. He was the archon’s brother-in-law, and he always spoke his mind, even in public. “The people look to the Shards of Eternity as a symbol of unity, and your father cannot let the ownership of these crystals fall to another.”
Ava remained in denial. “The shards are just glowing pieces of carbon—we have many such crystals growing all over this planet. We even export them as trinkets. Who else would want these things?”
“My daughter,” Hrothgar said. “The shards are different. Everyone in this cluster knows about them, for our people have all heard the legends since they were younglings. If Vega had possessed a mere single shard, I would have scoffed at his offer, but the truth is that he holds three of them.”
“The old legends state that whomever possesses the most of these crystals is destined to become archon of Scythia,” the executor said.
Hrothgar nodded. “And my spies told me Vega was seen having a meeting at the Concordance Embassy. I am sure you realize the implications of that.”
Ava could only stare back at her father in shock. House Dragos controlled the embassy, for they were in charge of the Concordance defense for the entire sector.
“My choices were bleak,” Hrothgar said. “Either announce your pending marriage to the pirate or have him hand over his set of shards to House Dragos.”
Ava’s chin started to tremble. The implications filled her with an overwhelming sadness. “But … there must be another way. Please.”
The chamberlain lowered his eyes and shook his head slowly. “If there was, my niece, don’t you think we would have thought of it?”
Ava’s dam finally broke, and she ran over to her father, who stood up and hugged her. She buried her face in his wide chest and began sobbing, her nictitating membranes unable to stop the flood of tears.
“All will be well, my child,” Hrothgar said. “We shall ensure that Vega behaves like a proper noble in our territory. Your children will be raised in our honorable traditions, and he will have no say in that matter. This is my solemn promise.”
One of the guards standing near the entrance of the chamber pounded the butt of his spear onto the stone flooring. “Warlord Xun of House Dragos.”
Ava had just enough time to compose herself as she dutifully stood beside her father, who had sat back down again. Hrothgar had nothing but contempt for the Dragos, and he no longer received them in his throne room since after the news about the death of his son.
Xun strode into the chamber, his large cloak partially covering the hard, chitinous plates that grew over his chest and neck while fully concealing the symbiote embedded in his spine. Like the Scythians, the Dragos and their subjects had also genetically altered their physical bodies to better adapt to the unique environments of their homeworld. After stopping a few meters away from the long table, the eldest son and warlord of House Dragos made a slight bow in greeting.
The chamberlain was supposed to announce Xun’s entrance, but he remained seated and mute, merely flicking his eyes over to the archon.
The spike
d hairs on the top of Xun’s head were more like porcupine quills, as they seemed to alternately stand up and slick back by themselves. “Not even a hail or a greeting, Archon?”
“This isn’t the throne room, Warlord,” the chamberlain said, his voice dripping with antipathy. “We do not need to abide by tradition in here.”
“So it seems you Maladores only pretend to be honorable while out in front of your subjects,” Xun said. “But once the veneer is lifted, you show just how hypocritical and pathetic you truly are.”
“Watch your words, Xun of House Dragos,” Hrothgar said. “You are in my palace, and your insults are punishable by death.”
“Let us not waste any more time,” Xun said. “For you know better than to threaten me. My father, the archon of this entire sector, has far more warriors and warships, and he will come down on you like the wrath of the antecessors should you ever lay a hand on me.”
“If you came here merely to exchange threats, then it is done,” Hrothgar said. “You may now go back to your swamp world.”
Xun’s left hand ended in a giant pincer claw, and he wanted to maul Hrothgar with it, but he soon realized he wasn’t making any headway and so kept his temper in check. “Alright, let’s get down to business. I came here with good intentions and an offer for you.”
Hrothgar wanted to throw him out, but he couldn’t antagonize a more powerful rival. “Very well, let us forgo any further hostility and get this over with. What do you propose?”
“By now, you’ve heard about my meeting with this pirate called Vega,” Xun said. “And I’m quite sure you know what we talked about, yes?”
“Of course, Vega is predictable since his intentions are clear,” Hrothgar said. “On the other hand, I’m not sure about yours.”
“We’re quite aware you offered Vega the chance to become your satrap out here,” the chamberlain said. “But if you think we’re going to give up Scythia without a fight, you’re wrong.”
Hrothgar held up his hand to silence his subordinates. “The warlord didn’t come here for that, I’m sure. He wants to make another kind of bargain.”
Xun chuckled. “We all make bargains with each side. Such is the way of life in our glorious Concordance. I’m well aware you received that pirate a second time the moment he stepped out of the embassy, yes?”
“We did,” Hrothgar said. “By tomorrow the announcement of my daughter’s betrothal to him shall be made public.”
Xun made a slight nod. “And the buccaneer accepted, but you held off the actual wedding until he made good on his promise to recover your son’s lost shard.”
Hrothgar clenched his jaw when Jurt was mentioned. They all knew the Dragos were supporting the rebels, despite public denials. The archon even suspected that actual soldiers from Xun’s own forces might have done the foul deed. “If you have something to say then say it now or this meeting is over.”
Xun smiled and made a slight bow towards Ava, who had remained silent. “As you well know, my father offered me as a potential husband to your lovely daughter many years ago, yet you roundly rejected this offer.”
“A distant memory,” Hrothgar said. Ava inched closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. The old archon drew up his own arm and clasped it. “With our mutually dominant genomes, I am not sure what my grandchildren would have looked like.”
“Be that as it may, I would like to again extend that offer.” Xun continued to smile at Ava. “I am a warlord, and I am in command of one of the largest fleets in Concordance space. Let us seal the breach in this sector and unite as one family.”
Despite Ava’s deep reservations when it came to marrying Vega, she was even more repulsed by Xun’s appearance and with their respective blood feud. She was ready to curse at the warlord, but her father clasped her hand even tighter, and the archon’s stern refusal to Xun’s wishes was enough to keep her quiet for now.
“You mean we get absorbed by your house,” the chamberlain said disdainfully. “I would rather die.”
Xun smirked. “You could very well get that wish, Lord Chamberlain. From my intel, the rebels will only get bolder, especially if you install a pirate as your successor, Archon.”
“The rebels keep fighting because they are given weapons and support,” House Maladore’s executor said. “And I think we know who is behind it all.”
“You have no proof my house gives any kind of support to the rebels in this star cluster,” Xun said. “It is clear that Maladore rule isn’t as popular as you claim it to be, for there is much discontent amongst your subjects.”
The chamberlain snorted. “Lies. It was your very troops that got my nephew killed!”
“I could care less about your damned rebels,” Xun said. “So consider this. An alliance with House Dragos is in your best interests. Forget about the pirate—all he has are those worthless shards. A bonding with my family will ensure your descendants stay in power, and with the full might of House Dragos by your side, you can finally crush the rebellion.”
“The shards mean everything to the people in this entire cluster,” Hrothgar said.
“Power does not rest on a few shiny relics of dubious value,” Xun said. “It is all about how many warships you have, and how many troops you can bring down onto a planet. House Dragos has all this in spades, and we’ve never relied on silly old baubles to maintain our rule, unlike Scythia.”
“Belittling the Shards of Eternity as mere trinkets insults the people of this cluster,” the chamberlain said. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve seen your family display these shards on numerous occasions, Archon,” Xun said. “All they do is glow when in close proximity to each other. One can easily create artificial crystals with the same abilities.”
The chamberlain pounded on the table with his right fist. “It is not the same and you know this! The crystals themselves detect fakes and will not emit a beam of light unless only the real ones are together.”
“This is why you haven’t expanded beyond the tiny little cluster you all currently rule over,” Xun said. “No one outside of Scythia cares for these crystals.”
“Be that as it may, the people here do,” Hrothgar said. “Without the shards, we would be just like any other world in the Concordance.”
The frustration began to show on Xun’s face. “So you all think you’re special? Scythia is nothing but an insignificant backwater. I am offering you the chance to become something greater and you spurn it?”
“The cost would be eventual domination by House Dragos,” Hrothgar said. “If we divest ourselves from the Shards of Eternity then most of our people shall rise up in revolt.”
“With my house as your allies, you can crush any kind of insurrection,” Xun said.
“The people here love my rule,” Hrothgar said. “I will not turn this cluster into a tyranny. You Dragos may be powerful, but your subjects are ruled with an iron fist.”
Xun scoffed. “And once you die and the title passes over to this pirate, do you think your family will still enjoy its popularity?”
“I shall instruct Vega on how to be a good ruler,” Hrothgar said. “He has promised to change.”
Xun tilted his head up and laughed. “What a foolish notion. News has spread that Vega betrayed his own pirate allies during a raid on a Union star system that netted him those shards he now carries. Only an idiot would trust such a man.”
Hrothgar remained defiant. “This meeting is over. Leave us.”
“Oh, very well,” Xun said. “Your refusal to such a magnanimous offer only acknowledges your desperation and utter weakness. It seems I shall have the pleasure of observing the end of your dynasty very soon, Archon. Farewell.”
Everyone in the room stayed silent until Xun had gotten past the door and disappeared from their sight.
Ava disliked the Dragos warlord, but even she recognized the truth in his words. The archon’s daughter placed her head on Hrothgar’s shoulder and began sobbing again. Both the
chamberlain and the executor knew there was nothing else to discuss, and the pair stood up and headed for the exit after excusing themselves.
Instead of getting up once more, Hrothgar used his large hands to gently pull Ava to sit on his lap. “Hush now, my daughter. Everything will be alright.”
“I hate the Dragos with all my heart,” Ava said. “But Xun is right. Vega must not be trusted either.”
“He won’t be,” Hrothgar said. “I have some … contingency plans, in case this pirate ever attempts to betray our family. Do not worry, my sweet.”
20 Apprenticeship
The Clint V’s superstructure consisted of just three major components: the rear fusion engine and tesseract drive module, the long spinal column, and the forward bridge section. The majority of the free trader’s mass consisted of detachable cargo modules situated along her spine. The outer ring of bio-probes swarming at the outlying dark matter fields of Scythia Prime didn’t detect any weapons systems and allowed the ship to continue on her way towards the planet Kurgan.
Sitting at the bridge, Duncan Hauk eased back into the cushion of the pilot’s chair while watching the console readouts in front of him. With the ship on autopilot, there wasn’t much else to do but stay ready in case of an emergency. He considered the relaxed one-gee acceleration to be way too slow for his tastes, but it was important not to appear threatening in any way.
The hatch behind him opened up, and Garrett Strand pulled himself inside the cockpit. “How we doing, kid?”
Hauk drew in a deep breath. “So far so good, LT. I wasn’t sure we were going to be let off so easily when those weird Concordance probes started drifting alongside us, but then they just sort of waved off.”
“Yeah, it always gave me the creeps every time I went through a check in a Concordance-controlled system,” Strand said.
“Those probes of theirs were so close, I thought they were going to collide with us.”
“They would have if they detected something wrong,” Strand said. “Those bio-probes also work as an in-system security measure should a hostile ship enter their territory.”
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