Warlords Saga

by Brian K. Larson

  “Fine with me,” Killmocher said, cutting over Moriah, “Guys. I’m at the edge of the rocks. Looking down the edge of the ravine the territory looks extremely hard to traverse. Lots of hills. Ridge after ridge of ‘em, and it looks like they were put there on purpose. Valleys, kind of like trenches or moats are gouged out across as far as my eyes can see.”

  “Killmocher, how far down does it drop?”

  “I’d say an easy ten meters, maybe more.”

  “Can you see anything with your field glasses?”

  “One minute, Boss.”

  Killmocher fiddled with his backpack and removed his binoculars.

  “Well, wait a minute.”

  “Whattya mean by that? Jason, you see anything out there?” Fletcher asked.

  “Stand by...yes...we have movement down there.”

  “Can you see it? What is it?”

  “I don’t know. It’s crouched down about a kilometer into one of those trenches.

  “Does it see you?”

  “No, it’s back is to me. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s got large bat-like wings. It’s standing upright now.”

  “Whattya mean by wings? What is it, Jason?”

  “I’m saying it’s got wings...they’re fully stretched out now. Like talons, or hooks on the ends of where its hands would be. I’d say the wing span is forty feet...my god! That’s gotta be twenty feet tall!”

  “Twenty feet, Jason? You sure you’re not pulling my leg?”

  “No way, man! This thing is for real! Stand by, I’m going over the edge and down the bank to get a better angle.”

  “No, wait. Hold your position. We’re coming to your side,” Fletcher said.

  “Oh crap!”

  Moriah caught up with Fletcher. They looked at each other and then heard Jason’s cry through the wireless.”

  “What’s wrong? Killmocher! Report!”

  “Slipped on the rocks, just had a boulder tumble down the embankment.”

  “Did it see you?”

  “No, not yet. I’m stuck about halfway down the bank behind some rocks. If I move it’ll see me for sure.”

  “Jason, do not move...you got that? We’re making our way to you now.”

  “I’ve been made! He’s looking right at me. We made eye contact...oh man...it’s charging full gallop on its long hooved legs.”

  “Come on! Get out of there!”

  “It’s taken flight...soaring to my position...nooooo...ahhhhh!”

  Fletcher and Moriah heard his weapon fire and then when they arrived at the rocks they could hear the sound of bones crunching. The two cautiously peered over the rocks. To their horror, the beast was holding what was left of the Sergeant down with a hand as it bit large chunks out of the body.

  They crept down from the rocks and headed into the cover of the forest edge. Moriah threw up and spat the rest of the contents of his stomach on the ground.

  “I-it k-killed him,” Moriah panicked.

  “Shhh, shhh, shhh. I don’t think it saw us,” Fletcher whispered, trying his best to keep it together, “Come on. We’ve got to get back to the ship. It’s not safe out here!”

  “Yeah, I’m with you, man. Let’s go!”

  “Not so loud!”

  They looked over at the rocks and saw a large dragon headed beast peering over the lip.

  “Wait for it to turn away,” Fletcher urged.

  “I-I c-can’t...”

  “Hold it together soldier,” Fletcher again whispered.

  “Wait,” Moriah pointed, “That’s Captain Hopkins coming our way...he must of heard Killmocher’s gun shots.” He stepped out from the cover of the forest and began running toward them and waving his hands, “Go back! Run!” he shouted.

  The creature looked up at the running intruder and reared its ugly head toward the red sky letting out a massive roar. Their ears where deafened by the screeching of the beast.

  Hopkins froze in his tracks and removed his side arm, Moriah ran past him, not looking back, and headed straight toward their ship.

  Fletcher remained hidden by the cover of the trees and Hopkins aimed his weapon and opened fire.

  The demonic creature spread its wings and flew just above the ground, a few feet over Hopkins’ head.

  Hopkins turned to follow the flying beast, emptying his side arm into it as he spun.

  The creature caught up to the fleeing Moriah and snatched him off the ground, then began climbing higher into the sky.

  Moriah let out a cry when the beast’s talons tore through his flight suit and into the flesh of his arms.

  The creature carried him across the field and landed. They watched in horror as the beast held him up to his mouth and chomped him in half.

  Fletcher and Hopkins waited no longer and made a break for the ship. Artemis poked her head out of the ship’s hatch and motioned them to hurry.

  They reached the wing and leaped up onto it. The creature, sensing that its food was about to get away, dropped Moriah’s remains and took off toward the ship.

  They dashed inside the ship and sealed the hatch. A loud thud rang throughout the ship as the beast’s hooved feet landed on the roof.

  “Fire up the ship!” Hopkins ordered, “It’s time to go!”

  “We’re safe now,” Artemis assured.

  “Oh sure,” Fletcher answered with daggers, “Tell that to Killmocher and Moriah!”

  “Come on, Captain. We need to get out of here!”

  The beast paced the ground around the ship, occasionally lifting its head in the air and roaring in frustration. Then it made a fist and struck the hull, shaking the ship and the men inside.

  “We have a damaged thruster module, “Parker reminded them all, “and if we don’t come up with a solution to get this bird in the air, I’m afraid that things going to rip the metal apart to get to us!”

  “Everyone, take a bin and start looking for a thruster pack mod. It’ll be a grey colored box with a connector coming out of its end.”

  The crew frantically opened bin after bin looking for the part as the beast grew more desperate to get his prize inside the crackerjack box.

  “We’re doomed!” Parker said with panic, “We’re all doomed!”

  “Parker, get a grip man. Greave later, work now!”

  “I-I’m a-afraid I c-can’t.”

  Hopkins turned and slapped the Lieutenant across the face making a sharp snap, “Now get a hold of yourself! I’m going to need you to help get us out of here!”

  “Sorry, S-Sir...”

  Hopkins glanced at his co-pilot’s front pocket and noticed a piece of paper sticking out, “What’s this?” he asked, snatching the paper from his pocket.

  The beast grabbed the ship with both hands and began rocking it from side to side.

  Hopkins unfolded the paper and saw that it was the missing repair manifest. Hopkins gave Parker a stare, “You never turned the damn thing in, did you?”

  “I-I...”

  Hopkins tackled his pilot and began pelting his face with his fist. Artemis closed her eyes and touched the two men, you must both stop this. We have to continue working together!

  Hopkins turned his neck toward Artemis, “You just used your telepathy.”

  “Yes, I suppose I just did.”

  Hopkins laughed, “We must be outside any dampening field.”

  The ship rocked forty-five degrees, nearly tipping over on their side, then the beast let go and dropped it hard on the landing skid, burying the nose of the ship into the ground. The skid snapped off and hung as a broken appendage from the hull.

  “Artemis, can you communicate with this thing? Can you tell it to go away?”

  “No, I am not able to communicate with this beast. Either it does not wish to, or it is unable to think consciously enough to do so.”

  “Okay, how about we try to do something a little unorthodox ,” Parker asked.

  “I’m open to any and all ideas, Parker! Whatcha got?”

  “Rem
ember that episode on Star Trek where the shuttle craft was stranded on an planetoid?”

  “Yeah, I think I know where you’re going.”

  “If we can electrify the hull with enough juice, it might scare it off for now,” Parker finished.

  “Parker, you’re a geniuses!”

  “I’ll rig it up. We’ll have to insulate ourselves from any metal.”

  “Do it!”

  Parker raced to the aft of the ship and opened a maintenance hatch, and rigged the ship’s battery cables to spark on the hull.

  “Okay, everyone stay clear!”

  The beast continued to pound on the hull with its fists and grabbed the hull once the more to shake it when it was hit by the voltage searing across its hands and up its arms. The electricity began to burn the flesh on the wings just before the creature let the ship go.

  The creature roared in pain and stomped away from the ship and quickly descended down the embankment of rocks.

  “It worked!” Fletcher exclaimed.

  “Yeah, it did,” Parker began, “But we’ve got new problems. That effectively drained our batteries. We won’t be able to even get a spark to ignite thrusters at this point.”

  “Hook it back up, maybe a little time is all it’ll need to recharge.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Parker added, “He could come back soon.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  ________________________

  Antares Star System

  Third Moon Serintin

  ________________________

  Race, Danielle, and Malcom sat quietly inside the cold, dark cell. Suddenly, sounds of fists connecting with flesh hit their ears. Three hits, then a fourth. Then a few groans followed by the thuds of the two guards hitting the ground outside the cell.

  The door creaked open and Race raised an eyebrow at the giant Antarian staring back at him. “Chewbacca?”

  “Shhh, if you want to live, you will come with me!”

  Danielle jumped up from the floor, “Darnash! What are you doing?”

  “I’m freeing you,” The Antarian glanced over his huge shoulder, “…there is not much time. You must follow me, now!”

  “Who am I to argue with the Emperor’s Guard?” Race scratched his head, “Why are you doing this again?” Race helped Malcom to his feet.

  “I will explain everything soon enough. First, we must get out of here.”

  “You do realize, you face a death sentence for freeing us, right?”

  “That does not matter now. Hurry!”

  The three gushed out of the cell and followed Darnash.

  “Say nothing if we come upon anyone.”

  “Yeah, hey, it’s all you, big guy. This is your show now.” Race glanced at the two prison guards as they moved past, “What happened to them? They get hit by a Mack truck or something?”

  “They were hit by these,” Darnash held up his fists for a second. “What is a ‘Mack Truck’?”

  “Well now, our Wookie has a sense of humor after all.”

  The group turned the corner and nearly ran into an approaching Antarian, “Where are you taking the prisoners?”

  “The Emperor requires them in audience…”

  “No he doesn’t,” the Antarian frowned, “I just left his chambers. He made no mention of them to me. Wait right here while I clarify.”

  The Antarian reached up to the controls on his headset. Before he could tap the button, Darnash slammed his left fist into the Antarian’s gut. As the alien doubled over, Darnash slammed a powerful right uppercut into his face. The Antarian crumpled to the floor.

  “We must hurry!”

  Race looked up at Darnash, “Sure glad you’re on our side! I don’t know why you are, but I’m glad just the same.”

  Darnash pulled the fallen Antarian around the corner and tossed the body into an alcove where it would be out of sight. “Come, we must hurry.”

  “Well, lead the way, we’re right behind ya.”

  ________________________

  Agamemnon

  Betelgeuse Sector

  ________________________

  Admiral Gilmore paced in his CSC. The heads of his first officer, Commander Nickolas Bridges, and his tactical officer, Lieutenant Marco Hudson, moved back and forth with him, like at a tennis match. Their Eridonian representative, Charlotte, stood with them, and was bringing the crew up to speed on the Betelgeuse corridor and the phenomenon’s characteristics.

  “So,” Admiral Gilmore asked, “What you’re saying is that we need to prevent the Antarian’s from accessing the corridor by collapsing it?”

  “Precisely. A thorough analysis has proven that by setting off six to eight nuclear detonations simultaneously, the corridor will be destabilized.”

  “I thought you people said the corridor was stabilized?” Gilmore asked.

  “The conduit’s stability is more fragile than we originally calculated.”

  “So, how do we get back if we close this thing off?” Lieutenant Marco Hudson, the Aga’s tactical officer cut in.

  “We will be able to set up a series of jumps to traverse the great distance.”

  “Well, why didn’t the Antarians just do that straight away,” Gilmore asked. “And what will prevent them from doing the same?”

  “The corridor makes for quick attacks. Hit and run is their primary method. All we are doing is to make the trip longer than the Antarians are prepared to take,” Charlotte explained.

  “How long are we talking?” Lieutenant Darrel Fleming, the navigation officer asked.

  “Understand that your ship’s jump drives can go just a little over forty light years per jump. With an eighteen hour cool down cycle per two jumps, you’re looking at six days to complete the multi-jumps.”

  “That’s only twice as long as the corridor took,” Fleming noted, “I’m surprised they haven’t invaded us sooner.”

  “Also, one must keep in mind,” Charlotte began, waiving her long fingers in the air, “They didn’t know your planet existed until they traversed the conduit. That is what led them to you. It is true that we are six days from reaching Earth. The question remains, do they view that travel time as an efficient use of resources?”

  “You tell me,” Gilmore asked.

  “Consider also that we know the direct route that we will use to plot our jump coordinates to Earth. The Antarians do not have the exact coordinates. Exact coordinates are not necessary when using the corridor. They could have had the location of Earth in their database, except that we destroyed the only Antarian ship that traversed the corridor. Now they must plot the course as if one was wearing a blind fold; they will need to take time for navigating each jump sequence, individually.”

  “How much time are we talking? How much time do we have before an Antarian invasion fleet could arrive at Earth?” Lieutenant Hudson asked.

  “They are still within a month of effectively reaching Earth.”

  “That’s not much time to prepare,” Admiral Gilmore nodded.

  “Seeing that the Antarians have developed a method of jumping within the corridor, they can reach Earth in less than a day with it open,” Charlotte added. “However, with an entire month of travel to Earth, they may decide that the trip is not worth their trouble. Remember, such an expedition would mean that significant resources, ships and troops, would be unavailable to their home world for two months, plus whatever time they are at Earth.”

  “Why not extract Earth’s location from our men, or from Malcom, for that matter?”

  “Since none of the prisoners are navigation experts, the Antarians could not guarantee that the information extracted would be actuate enough for navigation.”

  “All we have to go on here,” Gilmore said, “is your word on their behavior. We’re betting a lot on that.”

  “You must trust us, Admiral Gilmore,” Charlotte answered, “The Eridonians have been keepers of Earth for centuries. We certainly hope that providing you with all this technology would be enough for you to trust
us.”

  “Humanity’s survival depends on the decisions I make out here.”

  “Yes, Admiral. Humanity does depend on your choice. Will you make the right one? One month and the possibility they will not pursue you, over one day’s travel through the corridor. With that, the certainty that they will attack Earth.”

  Admiral Gilmore rubbed the back of his neck, “I just don’t know.”

  “You only have five fleet ships. Three of them in this sector. We may or may not ever see the Rocinante return, or Jannali, when it does take flight. They sent three ships to assist the one, and were taken by surprise. How many ships do you expect them to send when they return to this sector?”

  “That’s a great question. But, we do seem to have superior fire power.”

  “They will send ten times the ships as they did prior.”

  “Sir, we can’t hold off that many ships,” Hudson interjected. “That’s six to one, plus the fighter support. We’d be crushed. Then they’d have free access to the corridor.”

  “I agree, Sir,” Commander Bridges nodded.

  Admiral Gilmore shook his head at this crew, “I have to agree with you, Hudson. Tactically speaking, we don’t have enough fire power.” The Admiral turned to Charlotte, “What about the Jannali? What happens to them if they enter the corridor and we blow these nukes?”

  “That is a good question, Admiral. With the corridor destabilizing, we have to assume that since the Jannali will already have the velocity, they will simply exit normally.”

  “You’re going to assume that’s the case?”

  “We have never done anything like this before. There are too many unknowns to be certain.”

  “We’ll have to send a drone with a message and hope they can intercept. Otherwise, they’ll not understand what we’re doing.”

  “You could have them exit at Epsilon Eridani, our home world, and wait for the fleet to regroup with them.”

  “That plan makes sense, Sir,” Commander Bridges said.

  “Alright then. Let’s get prepped to set the charges at the event horizon,” Gilmore ordered, “How much time left before the Rocinante returns?”