Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2)

by Jenn Nixon

  “Yes,” Tiva answered handing each of them three. “Ensure your sharpest shooters have one, the rest will have to rely on the normal guns.”

  “You have two?” Hemko asked, eyeing her belt.

  “I do.”

  He smirked. “Weapon hog.”

  Tiva narrowed her gaze, gripped her claw, and stared him down. “Is that a problem?”

  He took a step back. “Uh…”

  She walked past without a word.

  Hemko called out after her, “I was only joking!”

  As she neared the junction, she turned and smiled slightly. “As was I.”

  Ranndom’s laughter roared through the corridor when she turned the corner.

  Hemko, caught off guard, grumbled, “Man, that’s so not funny…”

  Chuckling softly to herself, she made her way down a few levels to find the rest of her team and distribute the last of the modified weapons. The ship swayed unexpectedly, and she braced herself against the wall. The assault had begun. She took off running and found the junior crew members near the engineering level. After a quick tutorial, she handed the last three weapons over and rushed back to the lift.

  As she rode up, her wrist-comm beeped. “Boon here.”

  “Ready your team for a planet side operation, the Syndicate launched a group of landing pods to hit the colonies.” Maar’s voice was tight and sharp through the channel.

  “I am on my way, sir.” Forcing the lift to stop, she redirected it back down and found Ranndom and Hemko walking her way. “Gather teams one and two, get to the flight deck quickly, we’re supporting Omega Force on one of the colonies.”

  “Good, I’m ready for some action,” the Iarashin snarled.

  “Hurry.” She nodded and grabbed Ranndom. “Come with me.”

  Together, they scoured the ship for more weapons and reached the cargo ship with a few minutes to spare. The pilot was already prepping to leave, and Hemko and the others were securely inside.

  Kick some ass, Tiva.

  I will try, Adam.

  Once inside, she handed each person a secondary weapon then searched the back of ship for protective suits. The ship exited the bay and the darkness of space enveloped them. An Omega fighter came alongside as escort and the two ships darted for Mars, the fourth planet of the solar system.

  Only six or seven Syndicate ships had entered the area so far. None of them used the jumper; that in itself was cause for concern. The pilot weaved through the Union ships with precision and followed the Omega fighter as it passed the fifth planet. Through the window, Tiva saw small flashes of light careening toward Mars. They were making good time, with luck they’d arrive before the pods hit the surface.

  Tiva and the Omega commander, Hatch Tuleya began to coordinate their operation. Three settlements of people were scattered about the red planet. Two were mostly families and workers. The third was a weapons factory and shipyard, the obvious target of the Syndicate. It spanned several kilometers and had several entry and exit ports. Tuleya and his fifty soldiers along with Tiva and her twenty would supplement the colonies current security force. At least, she hoped so.

  “One of the pods crashed on Mars,” the pilot announced.

  “Impossible, pods cannot travel that fast,” Tiva remarked.

  “It wasn’t part of the original three, ma’am. This one must have been launched during the first strike. It’s a few kilometers from the settlement…”

  “That should give us some time to get into position…” Ranndom added.

  “Thank goodness for small favors, eh?” Hemko remarked.

  “Indeed,” Tiva replied and glanced to the computer console. “I want Ranndom and team one on the front line with me. Hemko and the rest are secondary. Mr. Tuleya of Omega Force will be leading the operation; we are here to support them. His orders are my orders, understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Everyone must wear a protective suit. The surface has no breathable air outside the domes. Check your weapons to ensure they are fully charged. We will arrive shortly.”

  The Omega fighter dipped down, preparing to orbit the planet and find clear landing. They followed, the pilot keeping close tabs on the sleek craft. Tiva moved to the scanners and checked out the surface. By the looks of the readings, the majority of the people living in the domes had vanished. She swept the third dome and again, no one was near.

  “Something is not right here…”

  “What is it Boon?” Ranndom asked while adjusting his suit.

  “The planet is barren. There are no biological readings on the surface.”

  “Nobody’s home?”

  “Apparently,” she huffed and tap on the computer to call Tuleya. “Commander, verify the sensor sweeps. There are no people on the planet.”

  “Checking…” the voice responded through the comm.

  “Why would they evacuate without telling anyone?” Ranndom asked.

  “This is the question that needs answering,” Tiva said then turned to the pilot. “Do not take us into an orbital flight yet…”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Boon, you there?” Tuleya called.

  “I am.”

  “I checked with the commandant, they didn’t order an evacuation of the surface. Everyone was ordered to stay there and protect the facility…we’re not sure what’s…”

  A bright yellow flash of light enveloped the left side of Mars. The ship jerked hard to the right as the pilot did his best to compensate.

  “Boon, look!”

  Vibrant blue rings of fire lit the planet’s surface. She slid fingers over the panel, attempting to gather any information from the sensors. “I do not believe it…”

  “What?” Hemko limped up to the cockpit.

  “Get us out of here, now!” She opened a channel to the fighter. “Tuleya get your ship—”

  The blue fire pulsed and grew in size. Tunneling upward, the cyclone cut through the Omega fighter with the ease of fangs on flesh. In an instant, the light vanished. Tiny hunks of metal cluttered the area. The pilot banked hard to the left, dodging the aftershock. Tiva brought up the displayer and changed the angle to watch the planet.

  A second pod landed on the surface and the cycle began again. These were not pods to land an assault force.

  “Boon, do you read us?” Maar’s voice called through the comm channel.

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “Get back here now!”

  “Sir, I believe the pods are weapons,” she said with a rushed tone as she nodded to the pilot to retreat. “The escort fighter has been destroyed. And all the people on the surface have disappeared.”

  “The commandant just received word from the colony, they fled during the night. One of the lead colony prefects uncovered a communication. The majority of the workers in the factory were Syndicate spies. They were building the weapons you just saw in action. They’re calling them global destroyers.”

  “Boon, the last two are landing!” Ranndom said.

  “Quickly!” she shouted to the pilot. The surface was devoid of activity. No flashes of light or rings of fire followed the pod’s landing. As the pilot was about to initiate a quick jump to warp; Tiva grabbed his arm. “Wait.” Her fingers slid over the controls, something was not right. None of this was making sense. A sudden burst of readings lit the screen.

  “I don’t get it,” Hemko remarked.

  “It was a diversion; they have landed people on the surface. Turn us around and take us down.”

  “But the captain said to go back,” Ranndom said.

  “Inform him of the situation, I will ready the others.”

  “You want us to go down there twenty strong and face however many of them there are down there?” Hemko blinked, astounded.

  “They will send reinforcements to aid us. There is something down there the Syndicate wants or wishes to eliminate traces of, we need to know what.”

  With a look of reluctance, both the pilot and Ranndom nodded and did a
s she ordered. She moved to the back of the ship and informed the others of their new objective. There was no way she would let a simple tactical diversion sway her decision to do the right thing. The Union needed answers, and this colony was part of the equation. Once the team was dressed in suits and ready, she walked back to the cockpit.

  “He’s sending a few fighters and one of the fleet’s combat ships to our location…they can’t spare many. It’s getting bad; three more battle gliders appeared through the wormholes.”

  “Then we must hurry,” she responded and locked the suit’s helmet into place. The red planet appeared before her eyes as they neared the surface. In the distance, the dome of the factory looked crushed and weak, yet she noticed movement inside. “Land the craft near that ridge, out of view.”

  Before the pilot answered, the entire area exploded in a massive ball of gold and blue flames. The ship skidded back like a speck of dust riding the wind. Tiva bounced off the wall then crashed into Hemko as the ship flipped over on its belly. It rolled along the jagged surface of the planet. Hemko grabbed her, shielding her with his large body.

  When the craft stopped, Tiva took a moment to gather her bearings and cringed in pain. Looking around, most of the crew was injured, but nothing seemed severe. The ridge had saved them from the enormous blast of the explosion.

  “Is everyone okay?” Ranndom asked. Most moaned and groaned in response, but at least they were all alive. “Boon? Hemko?”

  “Yes, fine.” She glanced to Hemko; he nodded as his response.

  “What the hell happened?”

  “I am unsure, Ranndom,” she said, softening her tone. Pulling herself carefully to her feet, she moved along the ceiling floor and glanced out a cracked window. A hole the size of Ovvella Base replaced what once was the Mars factory. The ground beneath her feet began to rumble. A cloud of red dust filled the air around them. “Are communications working?”

  “No, no! The ship is dead, we have no power,” the pilot shouted.

  The land around them began to crack and break with a violent burst of energy. Something emerged from the crater. It swirled with light. The metallic hull shimmered through the dirt in a rebirth of life. The roar of an engine echoed in the air, it was then Tiva saw the craft in full view.

  The ship was horrifically impressive, it had no wings, no weapons, but its outer shell pulsed with blue energy much like the fires on the surface. It rose through the air and hovered over its womb.

  “It’s a ship.” Ranndom’s voice quavered as he grabbed Tiva’s arm. “We have to get out of here!”

  Two fighters landed on opposite sides of their ship. Tiva pushed Ranndom toward the door. “Move out.”

  Everyone rushed for the exit and split up between the fighter ships. Once inside, she collapsed on the ground and pulled off her helmet gasping for air. The fighters took off from the planet’s surface and sped toward the Tolox. Tiva forced herself up and glanced back as the ship moved along the surface, following them, but its direction changed suddenly and it flew out of sight.

  She rushed through to the cockpit and grabbed the fighter pilot. “Get me a channel to the captain now!”

  He did as ordered and Maar’s voice came through. “What is your status?”

  “The factory was hiding a ship, sir. It has changed its course, you must stop it.”

  “We picked it up, the commandant has ordered ships to intercept.”

  “Understood, we are on our way back, sir.”

  “Let me help you to the infirmary, Boon.” Hemko offered her a hand out of the fighter.

  “No, I must head to the command center,” she protested, stripping off the useless suit. “Anyone who is not badly damaged, get back to your stations, this fight is far from over.” She rushed out, saying no more and ignoring the objections of those behind her. The injuries would not stop her, not with all the energy built up over the last few hours. Once in the lift, she tore parts of tunic off and tied them around her thigh and shoulder, medical attention would have to wait.

  She entered the command center and took up her station. The battle thus far had been one sided, the advantage to the Union. Earth fleet destroyed or disabled several of the Syndicates smaller ships and the battle gliders were taking heavy damage. It all seemed too easy.

  “How many ships are after that vessel?” she asked, ignoring the stares from the others.

  “Four or five, why d-does it matter? You really should see the d-doctor, Boon,” Aries said, his face drawn and tired.

  “Everything on that planet was a diversion. The vessel resembles the global destroyers that landed and obliterated the colonies.”

  “The commandant called for all ships to Earth, that thing is heading there!” Emerala screeched.

  “That ship is a global destroyer too,” Aliri gasped. “It has the same composites of those pods, only it’s huge. A few shots…”

  “Nassut, bring us about,” Maar ordered. “Cooper, coordinate your attack with the Elysium.”

  The displayer came to life again as the Tolox repositioned itself and bolted for Earth. More and more Syndicate ships jumped into the area. The Tolox shook and trembled as Adam fired on the enemy as they passed. In the distance, the destroyer ship blew past the Earth’s moon and came to a halt just between the two planetary bodies. The outer hull twisted and illuminated before her eyes.

  Suddenly, it expanded and pulsed. The consoles around the command center started beeping and whirling. The energy output of the craft went beyond anything their sensors could register. The fleet combat ships neared the vessel and opened fired. Commandant Kiam’s ship blasted the outer shell with its cannon and missiles, Maar order Adam to do the same.

  “The closer we get, the more our shields drop. If we don’t fall back we’ll be unprotected!” Aliri slammed down on her console. “Come on, Ewan get us some power up here!”

  With no external weapons, the destroyer could not retaliate. The barrage of the cannons continued, several of the combat ships damaging the underside of the craft. Darkness of space became light of hell-fire. Inside, the blue light of the destroyer began to grow.

  The Elysium and its support cruisers circled around the vessel, unrelenting in its bombardment of weapons fire.

  “Captain, it’s going to strike Earth!” Aries jumped from his seat, saying exactly what Tiva was thinking.

  “Bring us closer, keep firing!”

  “The readings are incredible…that ship has enough power to cause massive damage. If it hits the planet three or four times…” Aliri cut her own comment short. Everyone already knew the harsh truth.

  Another yellow flash illuminated the space around them. The entire ship glowed blue fire. Adam continued his assault, but it did little damage now. The combat ships flew under the vessel then moved directly between it and the planet, when suddenly the tunnel of blue shot out from the destroyer.

  Tiva watched in horror as the ship, and everything near it, disintegrated. Thousands of voices went silent. The destroyer’s beam dispersed slightly, but continued toward its target. Three more fleet ships entered the assault, firing every possible weapon it had.

  “Its entering the upper atmosphere, it’s going to hit Earth!” Emerala cried.

  “No,” Adam yelled.

  The Elysium appeared on the displayer. Maneuvering through the remaining ships, it slammed into the middle of the destroyer and exploded. Tiva felt her knees give, too many deaths…too many voices silenced.

  The hull began to cave in on itself.

  Maar ordered Adam to continue firing, the rest of the nearby ships doing the same. The mass attack ripped into the enemy ship, cracking its walls, heating its core.

  The vessel erupted, the shock wave lashed out, knocking the Tolox back, tossing the crew from their feet and chairs.

  Silence.

  Tiva shook off the trauma and pain, forcing herself back up. The space around the Tolox was still, the colors of space darkening back to normal.

  Just as quickly as
it began, it ended.

  “The Syndicate is retreating; half the ships have jumped already,” Aliri announced.

  “Yeah, well their plan backfired…” Nassut called down from the hub.

  “Is everyone okay?” Aries asked.

  “Get me a channel to the fleet,” Maar barked.

  “I have some guy named Fayt, sir,” Emerala squeaked. “He’s ordering everyone back to the rendezvous point.”

  “How many ships d-did we lose?”

  “I’m not sure, thirty, thirty five?”

  “If this is any indication of what they are capable of during a sneak attack, there’s no telling what they can do in an all out assault,” Adam added.

  “I have some more information, incoming, sir.”

  “Let’s have it Teer,” Maar said, sitting back down in his chair.

  “One of the Fleet ships captured Syndicate operatives trying to sneak out of the area after the first strike. According to them, the Triune Syndicate infiltrated Mars two years ago. Their plan was to build several of these destroyers and unleash them on the Union.”

  “They have o-others?”

  “Two, at the moment. One somewhere in Aillo, the other is near Ovvella Base.”

  “We have to warn the Union,” Aliri exclaimed.

  “They’ve already dispatched one of the fleet vessels.”

  “It’ll take them a week to reach anyone,” Adam huffed.

  “We can’t jump, we’re too damaged.” Ewan replied as he stepped through the lift doors. “The fleet’s offered to patch us up.”

  “Are we just going to stand by and do nothing? Once those Syndicate ships contact their superiors, they’re going to hit us with those other destroyer things,” Adam grunted.

  “They aren’t ready,” Emerala interjected. “At least, that’s what the prisoners are saying. And from what I’ve gathered after their treatment, they’re telling the truth.”

  “So, what now?” Raife dipped his head down through the hub. “We’re stuck here?”

  “I will consult with the fleet, everyone get to work on repairs.” Maar rose from his seat and vanished inside his office.

  “Is everyone okay?” Aries repeated. Bobs of heads followed. “Good, I’ll head down to th-the infirmary for a casualty report. You all did a f-fine job.”