Warlords Saga
Page 24
Darnash caught up to Danielle, sword at the ready in both his massive hands, “Lean into the beast with the wings, then lung your sword into its belly. You must withdraw its blood if you are to win this fight.”
“It’s blood? Before it’s dead?”
He pressed down on the middle of her back and crouched under her deadly wings as the beast flew overhead, this time not grabbing at the woman, but inspecting what had caused its pain.
Danielle instinctively jabbed her golden sword at the beast as it flew over, lunging forward as Darnash had instructed. One edge of her blade managed to cut a deep wound in its right leg as it passed.
They stood once more, turning to follow the creature again as it circled to the right. Darnash grabbed Danielle’s sword and wiped the blade out to its tip with his finger, picking up as much of the creature’s blood as he could.
Darnash held his finger up to Danielle’s lips, but she reared back at the stench, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Take it, my Lady! It is the only way!”
The beast was almost upon them again when she swallowed Darnash’s finger, licking off all the blood she could stomach.
She spat the rest of it on the ground and crouched a third time with Darnash.
“I feel funny!” she commented, and then stood upright, lifting her head high in the air, she let out a blood curdling scream.
Darnash placed his hands on her shoulders in comfort, “I am sorry you have to go through that, my Lady. You will understand soon enough.”
The beast flew across the field and landed on its hooves, and folded its wings close to its body. The thing scuffed one of its hooves on the ground, kicking dust in the air.
“I’m getting strange feelings, and I think it’s coming from my own blood.”
“Do not be concerned, my Lady. That is a perfectly normal reaction.”
“Reaction?”
The beast began galloping at the two and took off into the air, gracefully flapping its wings.
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The Rock
Lebencha Energy Stream
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The Rock shook violently within the energy stream. Had they not been battered by the ship’s extreme gyrations, the crew would have been deafened by the groans, creaking, and popping from the over stressed hull.
“Full power to inertial dampeners!” Commander Jameson shouted.
“Helm!” Jed added, “pitch bow five degrees plus Z! Yaw starboard two degrees...keep us inside the stream at all costs!”
“Lieutenant Henderson, anything on the scanners?” Jed yelled over the noise, “Are they out there?”
“I don’ know, Sir!” the comm officer shouted in return, “There’s too much static to read them!”
“Sir!” Lieutenant Foster reported, “We’re losing attitude control...our inertial dampeners are at maximum, and we’re still drifting to the outer edges!”
“How long before the Antarians make us if we’re outside the stream?” Commander Jameson inquired.
“Two, maybe three minutes, tops, Sir!” the CSC’s tactical station reported.
“Lieutenant Collins, target missiles on the Serintin collector station!” Jed ordered.
“That might ignite the stream, Sir!”
“The stream will be interrupted before it’s ignited...this is our only chance to bring the rescue team onboard! Do it!”
“Weapons locked...ready to fire, Sir!” Collins nodded.
“Begin jump prep to emergency coordinates, start the clock!”
“Spooling jump drive,” Lieutenant Foster acknowledged, “The clock is running, two minutes!”
“Fire missiles!”
Lieutenant Foster slammed his fist on the red fire button on his console. The ship rocked at the power of the missiles blazing, sending three projectiles from their launch tubes.
“Missiles away!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
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Serintin
Valley of Trenches
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Three missiles traveled down the energy stream, closing on their target. The energy collector tower exploded with such violence that the ground quaked over a one mile radius.
Danielle and Darnash fell to the ground from the shock, the Boreshog missing its next assault on the two as it flew above their heads.
A cloud of fire rose high into the air, followed by a black billowing mushroom cloud of smoke, pouring out from what was left of the complex.
The thundering explosion frightened the beast, causing it to land a few feet from Danielle. The beast collapsed its wings and crouched low to the ground, and looked around its surroundings.
“Now, my Lady! The beast is stunned!”
Danielle wasted no time in getting off the ground. She grabbed her golden sword and ran. The Boreshog shook its head, its ears ringing from the missile strike. With her newly found strength, she leaped into the air, letting out a mighty shout before swinging her sword over her head. She plunged it into the beast’s neck to the swords hilt. The Boreshog opened its wings and flapped them uncontrollably as it tried to fight off its attacker. Danielle straddled the thrashing creature, her sword stuck clean through its flesh. Blood poured from the gaping wound and began pooling under the beast.
The creature managed to pitch Danielle off its back. She flew to the ground with a thud, leaving her sword still stuck in the beast.
Darnash picked up his sword and ran at the creature, which was now snapping its beak-like jaw at the now defenseless Danielle. The beast took a swipe with one of its talons, slicing through her golden armor and into her skin. Darnash arrived, swinging his sword at the talon, cutting it off from the beast’s wrist. Danielle scooted closer to her sword where there was a stream of the creature’s blood that now drained like a faucet. She opened her mouth and gulped in as much of the blood as she could stomach and swallowed hard.
Darnash grabbed Danielle and pulled her from the creature as it continued to snap its jaws at anything it could.
Danielle rose to her feet and let out a mighty war cry, and grabbed Darnash’s sword from his hand. The heft of the huge weapon nearly toppled her over when she tried to raise it. Yet now the blood from the great beast she had just consumed spoke to her, giving her the strength to swing at the Antarian dragon’s head.
The beasts’ screams could be heard clear to the Emperor’s palace as she cut its head off. The creature fell limp to the ground, nearly crushing Darnash on the way down. The creature’s head bounced on the ground, rolled down into one of the trenches and laid to rest, its eyes remaining open. The great jaws opened and closed three times before life left them.
Danielle dropped Darnash’s sword and began helping him get out from the weight of the dead beast.
“My Lady, you have conquered the beast of the field!” Darnash smiled. “The ancient book of prophecy was right. You are the Warrior the ancient writing speaks of. This I know is true.”
Danielle panted as Darnash praised her success. She rested her hands on her knees and looked up at the giant Antarian, “Thank you, big guy. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
“I only provided you instructions. It was you who killed the beast.”
“If it weren’t for those explosions, I may not have been the victor.”
“Yes, those missiles, where did they come from?”
“My best guess,” Danielle said, finally catching her breath and standing upright, “is those were from our guys.”
“Whatever it is they’re trying to do, the energy stream has terminated.”
The two crouched low to the ground from another concussion detonation, sending a large fire ball of energy back up into space.
Darnash exclaimed, “The stream has never ignited before!”
“Was that spoken of in any of your books?”
“No, it was not!”
“If they have a ship hiding in the energy stream
, they only have a few minutes before our backup collector realigns and starts the stream again.”
Danielle jumped down into one of the trenches, took the burlap bag and picked up the giant beast’s head. “You were connected to Malcom. Can you get a message to him?”
Darnash grabbed the sack with the head, “Let me take that for you. Now that power to the moon has been interrupted, the Eridonians will be able to protect them, that is, until power is restored.”
“Come on, we need to get back to the palace.”
Darnash stared at Danielle, his head lowered, “I am afraid I will not be allowed to enter the Emperor’s Palace. However, I will carry the prize until we are close.”
“Well, Darnash, if what is written in the ancient book of prophecy is true, I will make sure you are pardoned for your treason.”
Darnash bowed before Danielle, “thank you, my Lady...let us take our leave of this place.”
The giant Antarian carried the burlap sack and headed in the direction of the Emperor’s Palace.
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The Rock
Lebencha Energy Stream
________________________
“Direct hit, Sir!” Collins shouted.
The energy stream ended, exposing the entire ship to any Antarian warships that may have been in the vicinity.
“The energy stream has been interrupted, Sir,” Erica exclaimed, “I have full helm control restored...inertial dampeners are cooling down.”
Jameson glanced over at Captain Fitz, and then returned to his monitor, “It’s Hopkins, Sir! He’s right in front of us!”
“Henderson, get the Chief to receive them in the hold, emergency docking procedures!”
“Sir,” Foster reported, “Our position has changed...we over compensated when the stream ended...I need to reset the jump coordinates.”
“How much time you need?” Fitz barked.
“Another minute to confirm...resetting clock to one minute and ten seconds.”
“We’ve got bogeys inbound, Sir!” Collins reported. “Three warships...they have fighter cover and are arming missiles!”
“We don’t have time for this!” Jed shouted in frustration, “Chief!” he yelled, picking up the microphone from this station, “Do you have them?”
“They’ve fired missiles!” Collins again reported. “Six missiles...impact in twenty seconds!”
“This is the Chief,” Jed heard over the CSC loud speakers, “We’ve got ‘em! The Deck’s secure!”
“Jump the ship!”
“Working on it, Sir,” the NAV officer nervously replied, “Fifteen seconds more!”
“There’s more, Sir,” Lieutenant Collings again reported, “It’s a fire ball coming from the moon, Sir!”
“I’ll bet that’s a feedback wave!” Jameson exclaimed, “Brace for impact!”
“Five seconds,” Foster counted, “Four... three... two... one... commencing jump!”
The missiles arrived at their pre-set coordinates and detonated at the same time the energy wave reached the Rock. The ship vanished within a second of the explosion.
The Serintin backup collector completed its realignment and engaged the energy stream in the middle of the fire ball burning in space. The stream ignited and traveled like a fuse back to Lebencha and the second energy collector on Serintin.
Danielle and Darnash were close to the palace when they were stunned and rocked by another explosion nearby.
“What the hell was that?” she exclaimed.
Darnash, being taller, was able to see it before Danielle. Then she saw the billowing cloud of black smoke rise from the nearby secondary energy collector.
“The second energy collector has erupted...something bad has just happened.”
“What do you suppose caused that?” Danielle asked.
“Something exploded within the energy stream, perhaps their ship?”
“Darnash, don’t say that!”
“Well, my Lady, I am afraid that it very well may be true.”
“Were you able to reach Malcom?”
“I am not certain if he was listening to my thoughts.”
“We’ll, if our ship is destroyed...”
“I am sorry, it was not my intention to cause you grief by telling you that possibility, my Lady.”
“It’s alright, Darnash. It is appearing more and more like the Antarian ancient book of prophecy will come to pass.”
“I know it will.”
“We’re here. Let’s get our audience with the Emperor.”
Darnash reached up and grabbed the large ring and slid the bolt, and then pulled the towering door open.
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The Rock
Betelgeuse Corridor
________________________
When the Rock emerged from its jump, the ship’s computers were scrambled and most of the crew was unconscious.
Jed shook his head and opened his eyes, the standing restraint system holding him in place. He looked around the CSC and saw several of the ship’s officers recovering from the close call.
“Status check!” Jed ordered.
Jameson stirred with a start, blinked his eyes several times, and went to work. “Position report!”
“Confirmed, Sir,” Foster acknowledged, “We are at the Betelgeuse sector.”
“We have a large attack force twenty minutes from our position. We didn’t jump close enough,” Collins reported. “The Aga’s been hit several times. They’re heading straight to the event horizon of the Betelgeuse conduit...picking up several radiological devices that are armed at the event horizon, Sir!”
“Nukes?” Jameson enquired.
Colonel Jennings, Captain Hopkins, and the two Eridonian’s entered the CDC.
“Jed!” Race exclaimed, and then ran down to the pit at the Captain’s station.
“RACE!” Jed shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders. He beamed a smile of relief, “You good?”
“Yes, I’m fine...but we’ve got more trouble.”
“Race?”
Malcom stepped up to the Captain, “Admiral Gilmore has set several nuclear devices at the threshold of the Betelgeuse event horizon. It is Charlotte’s hope, our representative on the Agamemnon, that the nukes will collapse the corridor and make it unstable for passage.”
“How are you getting through the telepathic inhibitor?” Jameson asked.
“There are two of us here, and we are a significant distance from the Antarian fleet.”
“...They’ve just launched three more missiles at the Aga, Sir!” Collins reported.
Captain Fitz grabbed the leather arm rests and squeezed tightly as they picked up the incoming missiles headed directly for the Agamemnon, “Open a channel!” Fitz ordered, “Admiral Gilmore...repeat, Admiral Gilmore!”
The ship to ship comm link returned static, causing the color to fade from Fitz’s face, “Report!”
“Sir,” Commander Jameson began, “The Antarian fleet is descending upon the Agamemnon. They won’t survive another strike. I’m afraid the Admiral doesn’t have a chance.”
“Raise shields! Plot an intercept course!”
“Aye, Sir,” Lieutenant Payne nodded, “Course plotted. We’re still twenty minutes out.”
“How soon before you can spin up the jump drive?” Jed asked.
“We’ve already jumped twice with no break. We can’t risk another,” an officer yelled from his engineering station.
“What happens if we make the attempt?”
“It would most certainly burn out the negative density generators, Captain,” Artemis offered.
“They’re heading straight to the nukes, Sir. They’re leading the fleet in there with him. He’s going to try and take out the Antarians!” Collins nodded.
“How many fleet ships they got?” Jameson asked.
“I count twenty ships, all closing in on the Aga.”
“Where the hell’s the Bristol and Yamato?” Jed asked, scratching the
back of his head.
“Charlotte tells us that the Admiral sent them to a safe distance. Everything in this sector will be obliterated with the number of nukes being set off.”
“That means us too,” Jed said, “Plot a course to the event horizon! We have no choice but to attempt this.”
“I’m aligning the Rock for jump prep!” Erica reported.
Thelix entered the CSC, crouching to clear the low ceiling, “Captain! I think I have a solution to our problem.”
“Thelix?” Jed spun around, “Whatcha got?”
“I have a formula that will allow us to cross through the corridor in one jump.”
Jed waved his hand at the Antarian, “Malcom, Artemis, can you extract the formula and plug it into the NAV station?”
“Yes, Captain,” they said in unison.
“Start the clock!” Jameson ordered.
“There’s no time for any system checks,” Jed countered.
“We’re going in blind, Sir?”
“We’ll have to, there isn’t any more time!”
Malcom ran over to Thelix, captured the needed knowledge, and then ran to the NAV station. The two began entering the code at record speed when their view screens lit up with a brilliant flash.
“The nukes have gone off!” Collins yelled.
“Spin up the jump drive. Prepare to jump on my mark! The formulas, and coordinates, have been entered!” Malcom said, with emotion for the first time.
“The Aga’s gone, Sir!” Collins said, glancing down to the pit.
“How many Antarian’s left?”
“My scanners scrambled with the radiation, but I can tell three ships fell into the corridor.”
“The Bristol and Yamato are going to have to get back on their own,” Jed surmised, “We have to catch them on the other side. Thelix, do any of your other Captain’s know of this formula?”
“No, I was the only one that saw my pilot enter the formula. Darnash was with our prisoners...sorry, I did not wish to bring sad thoughts up with you...”