by Kyle Mata
“Armory.” Karr repeated. The last time he was this close to a Nyrotsi officer, it was to stab him with his combat knife.
“Right. Please gather Ensign Madelle and follow me.” Karr picked up the Ensign and started to follow the Nyrotsi commander. They passed three dead Rakju outside the door.
“And those are?”
“Rakju,” Karr replied.
“The Rakju are primitive creatures enslaved by the Rae to carry out their bidding, or so we think. Slavery seems to be a common theme for them.” Daena seemed to extrapolate on everything the Shadowri said, probably because he was not going to say it himself.
“Disgusting creatures,” Thomas commented.
“I agree,” Daena said, nudging one with her boot.
They continued their way through the internal maze of corridors.
“May I ask what a Shadowri is doing here on Scorpion?” Thomas asked.
“Not killing you,” Karr said sarcastically. Daena chuckled, amazed Karr could even joke, but she quickly regained her composure.
“He was hired by the Mason’s Guild to scout the planet. He saved my life when my colony was attacked by a horde of Rakju.”
“The Guild, Nyrotsi, and Coalition all came to this planet, does anyone know why?” Thomas asked.
“I figured it was standard Nomen land grab stuff,” Daena said with a shrug.
“No, the Nightfang have not gotten involved on any planet that was claimed by any other faction,” Thomas said. “We aren’t looking to start a war.”
Daena shot Karr a look, silencing the snide remark she assumed would soon follow. While Karr didn’t think they needed the Nyrotsi officer, Daena figured he could be useful.
“Well, you may have found yourselves in one,” Daena said as they approached a door labeled ARMORY in yellow letters.
Thomas tried to enter his code into the doorway, but nothing happened. Tertiary power would only open doors that led to airlocks or escape pods. The Nyrotsi turned to his new companions and had Ensign Madelle unceremoniously dropped into his arms; he nearly let her fall.
Karr yanked the doors open wide enough for them to get in. Thomas had never witnessed a Shadowri in person—but he had heard stories and rumors—some of which, he was learning, might not have been rumors after all.
The Commando grabbed a hover-sled and began piling weaponry on it as though he were grocery shopping. At the top of his list was a rocket launcher and a single-man chain railgun. Thomas grabbed himself a V8 Phalanx battle rifle, which he qualified as marksman with just last month. He also put on his combat armor, similar to that of the Nightfang. Thomas only ever wore the armor during exercises when he practiced repelling boarding parties. It was heavy and uncomfortable and he usually dreaded donning it, but he had a feeling he would appreciate the extra protection now.
The group heard a gasp of revival. Ensign Madelle suddenly shot up, dazed and confused.
“Ensign, Ensign, calm down.” Thomas went to her side.
“Sir? What’s going on? Who are they?” The Ensign was breathing heavily in panic. She clutched her head.
“The ship crashed, these people rescued you. We’re going to evacuate the planet. Can you move? Can you put your armor on?” Thomas asked, and pointed toward her armor locker. She nodded slowly and stood. Ensign Madelle seemed relieved to have orders to put her mind toward. She quickly began clacking the plates of armor on over her white uniform. Thomas handed her a rifle.
“You know how to use this?” He asked, knowing she did. She nodded frantically.
“Karr, how do you plan on transporting all of this equipment?” Daena asked, gesturing toward the hover-sled covered in weapons, ammo, tools, and equipment. Karr pointed toward a massive six tracked tank with dual turrets and more guns than Daena could count.
“As much is I’d like to take the Grizzly, it takes a crew of eight just to move. Might I suggest the Puma?” Thomas said, pointing toward a smaller armored vehicle with hover treads and a small railgun turret on the roof. Without a word, Karr went to the back of the Puma and began loading the weapons into the back.
“Where exactly are we going? Do you have evac on the way?” Thomas asked Daena.
“Oh, um…” Daena had forgotten about the revenge scheme she had mistakenly blurted out to Karr. She assumed Karr was still planning on attacking the Rae stronghold. “Well…”
“I’m getting an incoming transmission on an open frequency,” Karr said, walking back to the group. “Guild ship picked up Nyrotsi distress signal, I sent them our coordinates.”
“A Mason’s Guild ship responded to a Nyrotsi distress signal?” Daena asked.
“Yes, the Mason’s will pick up the scrap and survivors from any side, and they charge a handsome fee for their return,” Thomas explained. Still, he was thankful the automated emergency protocol distress signal was picked up by someone.
“Let’s get outside to meet them,” Daena said, happy to have a reason to escape her revenge plot. Karr made one look past the group toward the Puma with all the weapons—even he would rather get off world and tell humanity about the Rae.
They ran out the nearest airlock and onto the gray sand. They watched as a small transport rocket zipped over the dunes from the west. Unfortunately, from the east, a huddle of Rae forces was sprinting toward the team.
“That rocket won’t get here before those monsters do,” Thomas said, bringing his rifle to bear. Karr checked the load on his MAGE rifle and LT sidearm and ran off to meet the incoming enemy.
“Logos! Is he crazy?” Madelle asked.
“Yes,” Daena confirmed, running after him.
CHAPTER 6
THE MASON AND THE PICK-UP
Karr had his HUD zoom in and counted two Sserten and ten Rakju running toward his party. He stopped for a moment and took two shots with his rifle. Two Rakju dropped. Another burst of speed forward, then another two shots. Two more Rakju fell. When he sprinted forward again, he collided into one of the Sserten. He wished he had his combat knife on him as he sprung up and punched one of the heads. He leapt over the second head’s bite and fired his pistol along its back as he pulled his katana. He sliced it along its spine and the creature collapsed.
The other Rakju and Sserten ran past him and toward Daena, Thomas, and Madelle. As he went running back, he noticed a much larger force of enemies had peaked a dune and were heading for them. Daena’s rifle barked with some controlled bursts and killed a Rakju. Between her shots and Karr’s, the rest of the nearby enemies fell.
Thomas and Madelle caught up.
“What are these things?!” Madelle asked in disgust.
“I’ll explain later, just know they’re the enemy.” Three or four scorpion tree spears began to rain down around them. They began to retreat back toward the Red Drake. Karr turned and snatched a spear out of the air and hurdled it back like a missile, catching a Sserten in the chest, toppling it over. But the Rakju were fast, and as they caught up, the spears fell closer and closer.
The Guild rocket—in classic Mason’s guild colors, maroon and gold—landed in front of them, the words Athena’s Owl displayed prominently below the cockpit viewport. A ramp lowered, and a woman in a pilot suit ushered them in. A second volley of spears began to fall. Karr was running backwards, shooting a few of the spears out of the air, as well as any Rakju that got too close. One spear nearly hit him, he quickly blocked it with the shield. He dropped the pierced shield onto the sand as he continued to run.
They were about fifty meters away from the rocket now. The third salvo of spears rose into the air.
“Commander!” Ensign Madelle cried, as she ran behind Thomas. Thomas turned to watch as a spear—meant for him—struck and pierced her torso. He watched as the life left her eyes and she dropped. He stopped for a moment but there was nothing he could do for her now. He fired as he ran, watching as the monstrosities overtook her body.
Thomas, Daena and Karr made it up the ramp and into the cargo bay. The rocket launched into the sky
with incredible speed, pinning Daena and Thomas to the floor with G’s of upward acceleration.
When they made it to orbit the pilot made her way into cargo bay where the Shadowri, the Defender, and the Commander were.
“What in the world was going on back there?” The woman asked, removing her helmet revealing platinum blonde hair and electric blue eyes, similar to Karr’s.
“Those things that were chasing us want to enslave all of humanity,” Thomas answered while catching his breath.
“You’re being serious?” she asked. A proximity alarm began to beep in the cockpit.
“Yes. Get us some place safe and we’ll explain it to you,” Daena said. The Guild woman climbed back into the cockpit.
“That weird fleet is still lingering in orbit. I’ll give them the slip, and we’ll head for the planet Atlantis II,” The Mason pilot said.
“No, head to Shadowri’tira, it is closer,” Karr said.
“I don’t know how outdated the last star map you saw was, but Shadowri’tira is certainly not closer than A-2. Besides, I can’t go to Shadowri’tira; we’ll be shot right out of the sky. Let’s just get to Atlantis and we’ll discuss the plan from there.” She began to climb up the ladder at the bow of the cargo bay into the cockpit. “My name is Roux, by the way, Roux Galt.”
Laser fire began to brighten the forward viewport. The port hatch between the cockpit and the cargo bay slid closed. Daena and Thomas quickly clamped themselves down into a pair of passenger seats, and Karr magnetically latched his boots to the floor, as Roux took the ship into evasive maneuvers.
After about fifteen gut wrenching minutes, the flying smoothed out and the rocket entered a warp-jump pocket.
“She must have really cared for you—to give her life like that,” Daena said, offering sympathy to Thomas about Ensign Madelle. Thomas shook from his thoughts, as though he hadn’t realized she was talking to him.
“I didn’t even know her first name. She was a late addition to the mission,” Thomas said softly. He looked up at Daena. “Nyrotsi military are trained from day one that anyone of a higher rank is of a higher importance, and their life should always be placed at a higher priority than your own. It is a standing general order that you will die for your superiors,” he paused, “That was one general order she could have broken, and I wouldn’t have blamed her.”
“Well, you can help Karr and I get the word out about the Rae and she won’t have died in vain. None of those people will.”
“I guess you’re right. I live to fight another day,” Thomas said strongly. “I’ll be damned if humanity is enslaved on my watch.”
Karr simply nodded in approval.
“Um…everyone?” Roux’s voice was heard through the intercom to the cargo bay. “It looks like Scorpion just imploded.”
Thomas was closest to the intercom and pushed the button to open dialogue. “Imploded? Are you sure?”
“Well… it’s hard to tell; I’ve never seen anything like it. The planet gave off a radio-thermal signature similar to what a ship gives off when it enters a warp-jump. As if a ship made a warp-jump from…well, from inside the planet.”
“A warp-jump pocket would tear a planet to shreds,” Thomas stated.
“Yes, I know. That’s why I said it imploded,” Roux replied, confused as to why Thomas why repeating what she had just said. “I’ll let you know when we reach Atlantis II.” She closed the dialogue.
“Maybe the Rae forces imploded with it?” Daena asked hopefully.
“Unlikely,” Karr said. Then he fell asleep standing up right where he was by locking his armor into place.
“Did he just… fall asleep?”
“Yeah, he does that.” Daena said with a shrug.
Thomas eventually found comfort in the drone of the rocket motors and managed to put the day of death and loss behind him and drifted off to sleep. Daena didn’t think she’d ever get to sleep having seen so many people die so horribly right before her eyes, but eventually the physical exhaustion of her body left her no choice, and she, too, slumbered.
CHAPTER 7
UNLIKELY ALLIANCE
Karr woke up exactly two hours later. He continued to stand where he was and used his HUD to observe his surroundings. He stood in what appeared to be a cargo bay that doubled as a passenger bay, eight seats were aligned in a semi-circle around the ladder up to the cockpit. Behind the seats, stacked and secured up to the bulkhead were several airtight cargo containers and the exit ramp. Daena and Thomas slept in uncomfortable positions in seats near him. The Shadowri found no inherent reason to distrust anyone on board, but complacency kills, so he would remain no less alert than usual. Moments after he woke up, their Mason pilot, Roux, climbed quietly down the ladder. Whether this was to be polite, and not wake Daena and Thomas as they slept, or if she was being stealthy for a more sinister reason, Karr wasn’t sure. She slinked carefully up to Karr and waved her hand in front of his face several times. When Karr did nothing, she started examining his armor.
“Hello.” Karr said without moving. Roux jumped slightly.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I was just—your armor is fascinating.”
“Thank you,” Karr replied.
“You’re the Shadowri we dropped off a few days ago, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I tried to get that run. I’ve never met a real Shadowri before. I’m an anthropologist. I did my final thesis paper on the Shadowri when I attended fourth school. What’s your name? Would it be alright if I asked you some questions?”
“Karr Mun’tyre. Sure,” Karr replied. He was confused as to where they were headed and why Roux wasn’t worried about the Rae. “But what about the Rae? And where are we going?” He asked.
“Rae? You mean those weird things that tried throwing spears at you? I assume they were wiped out when the planet imploded. Besides, there’s no way a primitive species like that is capable of space travel. And we’re headed to Atlantis II to refuel, then we can go wherever you like, so long as you’ve got the raumgeld to pay.”
“I can pay. The Rae are not primitive; they are trying to enslave humanity. We need to tell everyone.” Karr stated.
“Yet they use spears?”
“Those were Rakju. They are already enslaved by the Rae.” Thomas and Daena woke up to the conversation.
“What? Okay, why don’t you tell me the story, then I’ll ask you some questions. First, hello, good morning, who are you?” Roux asked.
“Lieutenant Commander Thomas Winchester.”
“I’m Daena Staal, was Karr about to explain what happened on Scorpion?”
“Yes,” Karr answered.
Karr went on to explain everything he had witnessed, which really meant Daena did most of the talking, though Karr did help by patching a feed from his helmet cam into a monitor on the ship for them all to witness the things he had seen.
“Wow, so these Rae are serious, aren’t they?” Roux asked, still trying to process everything she had seen.
“Yes, which is why we need to let everyone know about them,” Daena said.
“A Nyrotsi Command Mega-Cruiser escaped and has probably already begun to spread word,” Thomas added.
“This is a problem for all of humanity, maybe the big three will unite for the first time in history,” Roux said in awe.
“As humbling as it is to admit, judging by what I witnessed in orbit, a unification will probably be the only way to stop them.” Thomas remarked.
“I should also tell the Shadowri,” Karr added.
“Why bother?” Thomas asked with a touch of scorn in his voice.
“We’re human too,” Karr replied flatly.
“I’m sure they will just spring into action for the sake of humanity.”
“Hey, lay off, Thomas. The Nyrotsi were the ones who caused the Vir and Tique massacres!” Daena scowled.
“Oh! I hadn’t even noticed. We’re all from different factions, aren’t we?” Roux said, excited to be a part of such a curious g
roup. “I could see why a member of the Coalition of Freed Planets would be bitter when discussing the Vir and Tique massacres among the company of a Nyrotsi and a Shadowri.” She went ignored.
“Those attacks were not sanctioned, but it was a war.” Thomas defended.
“Killing millions of innocent, non-combatant men, women, and children with an orbital bombardment does not constitute war. But what good comes out of arguing with a bloodthirsty Nyrot anyway?”
“It’s Nyrotsi, and I will not be ashamed of my proud heritage,” Thomas said with sturdy conviction.
“Well, history does go to show that the Nyrotsi are the most violent faction since the Neo-Siberians who fell in 540 AE,” Roux chimed in.
“Violent? We have been peacekeepers of the entire galaxy since our formation under the first Dominar,” Thomas spat. “If the Coalition wasn’t always trying to wiggle its way into power or the Guild kept its greedy hands to itself, we would have no need for violence!”
“Power? What power do we want? The Coalition has never once infringed upon any Nyrotsi territory! All we want is freedom and to be left to govern ourselves. We only infringe to take back something the Nyrots’ forcefully seized,” Daena rebutted.
“Well there was the one instance of Nyrotsi space infringement by Coalition miners in 1059 AE that could technically—” Roux began to add.
“See! You want to talk about freedom, yet steal out of our pockets under our noses. All the Nyrotsi want to do is unite the galaxy under one banner!” Thomas interrupted.
“Yeah, one dictatorial banner! The galaxy would be a much better place without you trying to impose your lifestyle upon everyone else.” Daena fumed.
“That is enough.” Karr said evenly. He held is helmet under his arm. The rocket fell silent aside from the drone of the engines as everyone looked to him. “There will not be any factions if the Rae remain. We eliminate them, and then you can all go back to your political struggles.”
“The Shadowri is right. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Thomas always considered himself rational and logical, and logic dictated that humanity as a whole ranked of higher importance than just the Nyrotsi, even if the naval officer in him did not agree. Thomas extended a hand toward Daena. “Friends?”