Warlords Saga

by Brian K. Larson

  “I am sure that those from the House of Gornash would have opposed her ascension. If she had the Dimeatarian dust, she may have used it to her advantage when she returned from the Boreshog fight...and I know she lived, or Malcom would no longer have felt her within his mind.”

  Malcom nodded, “Yes, she is alive. I was not sure what darkness had befallen your people. I am certain that your ancient scrolls have played out and through some twist of fate, Danielle is now the leader of Antares.”

  “Why won’t she just command them to lay down arms? We should have heard something from her by now.”

  “Negative,” Thelix offered, “It is certain that she partook of the spirit blood of the beast; she now has the blood song.”

  Jed stopped pacing the floor, “We need to change our plans. She knows our strengths, our weaknesses.”

  Race stood with Jed, “And, she knows we’ll try to come back for her.”

  “If she has the blood lust,” Thelix nodded, “She will not wait for you to come to her. The enhanced aggression from the blood lust will force Danielle to seek you out. Humans are the first to choose battle in our home sector. For that, she has the support of Gornash. This is a very dangerous time for her. If she makes one wrong move, if she gives them the opening, they will kill her. But not before she reveals Earth’s coordinates. Should they be preparing an attack right now, they may be less than thirty days from arrival.”

  “We should go back to Earth and to prepare...” Jed began.

  “No!” Malcom protested. “We must not turn back. We have to get to Epsilon or your people will have no hope of surviving the Antarian threat.”

  “What is it about Epsilon that’s so important, Malcom?” Jed asked.

  “It would appear that our plans to surprise you are no longer prudent.”

  “Surprise us? I think you’ve already done enough of that already,” Race added.

  “Yes,” Jed agreed, “I think we’ve had enough surprises already.”

  “Okay, very well,” Malcom sighed. “The reason we are going to Epsilon is that we were giving you twenty war ships, ready for battle.”

  “That’s why the extra personnel aboard.”

  “Yes, for crew to run the ships.”

  Alarms rang out all over the ship, and then Commander Jamison shouted over the ship’s loud speakers, “General Quarters. All stations! Red Alert! I repeat, RED ALERT! All hands to battle stations!”

  Jameson tapped his comm link behind his ear, “What the devil’s going on?”

  “We just picked up an Antarian war ship on an intercept course!”

  “Antarian? Out here?”

  Malcom tugged on Jed’s sleeve, “It is possible, Admiral Fitz. Several Antarian ships slipped through before the Agamemnon collapsed the corridor. They may have been stranded out here, not knowing which direction to go.”

  “I’m on my way, Commander. What’s our ETA until they’re on us?”

  “Five minutes, Sir!”

  “Launch all fighters! Deploy all drones!”

  “Aye, Sir!”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ________________________

  Serintin

  Northern Forest

  ________________________

  Two Antarian hunters found broken branches on the hunting trail. They followed several prints and many piles of scat surrounded the trail. It was from the pack of Howlers. Lifting their noses in the air, they sniffed out their target and found several tracks into the deeper part of the forest, away from the main hunting party.

  “The old one’s tracks lead further west, Lord Rotheg.”

  “Yes, Lord Chelek, these tracks have turned,” Rotheg pointed with two fingers from his huge hairy hands. “I believe he is leading us away from the rest of the pack.”

  “He knows why we hunt them.”

  “Yes, I am sure of it. He leads us away to protect his pack.”

  Rotheg kneeled close to the ground and held his hand an inch over the prints on the forest floor, “These are only minutes old; they still hold his warmth.”

  “Then it is certain of what he is doing.”

  The two paused as the sound of a Howler’s high-pitched yowl invaded their ears.

  Chelek pointed toward the sound, “He calls to us, the leader saving his pack. He senses his time is near.”

  Chelek slid silently through dense foliage. In a small clearing the grey Howler stood on his two hind legs, green foam dripped from his jaws. The creature lifted his head to the sky and released another bone chilling howl. The cry echoed from one side of the valley to the other and back again. Then the beast settled onto all fours and glared at the two Antarians at the edge of the clearing.

  Rotheg cautiously stepped over to the Howler. Now laying on its side, he kept his eyes on the two warriors.

  “There, there, old one,” Rotheg said in a calming tone. He reached out to the Howler to stroke its head and neck. The creature snarled at first and then relaxed. “You are an old one, aren’t you my friend? Thank you for your obedience, we do receive you as worthy.”

  Rotheg slid his hand over the creature’s mid-section. Slowly, he stroked his hand through the coarse, rich fur. With each pass, the old Howler relaxed a little more, drifting into a trance-like state. “You have submitted to our will. You are a true leader, and have lived a full life, old friend. Of this, I indeed speak a truth,” the Antarian gently spoke. He closed his eyes as he held the beast still, “Yes...yes, your blood spirit does speak to me. I know you understand, old one.”

  Chelek and Rotheg knelt down near the creature. Chelek placed his hands over the Howler’s eyes, “Thank you, old friend, for coming to us. You have saved the others from death this day. We honor you for your service and your sacrifice. The Empress of the Rising Star of Antares will be most pleased.”

  The Howler nodded slightly, showing his understanding of his sacrifice. Rotheg took his free hand and reached for his dagger. The beast turned its belly in submission. With a swift motion, Rotheg thrust the blade into the Howler’s two hearts. The creature flinched its legs only for a moment. And then with a slight whimper, the old Howler released his last breath.

  Chelek rested the Howler’s head on the ground and stood, “Freely you have given. Now we freely release your blood spirit to the great divide.”

  The two Antarians grunted in their native tongue, “Morgesh...” and then with a mighty upward thrust, they swung their arms high into the air, “Bea’goth!”

  The two lowered their arms after a few seconds of meditation.

  Rotheg looked down on the Howler, “Until we meet again. May you find your eternal rest in Revein’sev.”

  “Mae’sheen, Lord Chelek.”

  “Yes, Mae’sheen, my Lord Rotheg.”

  The two clasped each other's forearms. Then Chelek draped the Howler across his neck, and the pair headed to their base camp.

  ________________________

  Serintin

  Valley of Trenches

  ________________________

  Danielle crouched on the edge of a hill above the first trench of the valley. Darnash lay beside her. Darnash placed his elbows on the berm and held a pair of field glasses to his eyes. He panned the valley with Danielle while the remaining Antarians waited for instructions near the forest edge. They stayed their distance to not scare the beasts they were stalking.

  “There he is,” Darnash whispered.

  “Where?” Danielle asked, scanning the area with her glasses.

  “Over on the north trench. He’s searching the rocks and logs for grubs.”

  “Is that good?”

  “That’s great,” Darnash answered. “That means he’s hungry and will easily take our bait.”

  “Okay, let’s get your men with the nets into position.”

  “Agreed. Continue to watch the adolescent’s movements. I’ll get our trap set and baited.”

  “How soon before the two bring the bait, a Howler, I think you called it?”

  �
�Yes, a Howler. Their caterwauls can be heard for many miles at night.”

  “What do they cry for?”

  “They howl at the gas giant, Lebencha. No matter, the two hunters shall be here shortly.”

  “Very well, Darnash.”

  “Stay alert, my Lady, when the fallen Howler reaches our position, the young Boreshog will smell it.”

  “I got it, Darnash. Do not worry about me. After my last encounter, I am fully alert.”

  “Yes, my Lady,” Darnash nodded, then slid back down the bank. He headed for the trees where the others waited.

  Danielle trained her field glasses on the small beast and then scanned the trenches for others.

  “There’s momma. She’s giving the adolescent some room to build its confidence,” Danielle said to her herself, “She’s moving closer to some others nearby.”

  A few minutes later, Darnash climbed the side of the bank where Danielle was viewing, “Our bait has arrived, my Lady.”

  “Good, just in the nick of time.”

  “My Lady?”

  “Never mind, Darnash. What I mean is, momma and the two other adults have moved off. We should lure the adolescent into the trap now before the adults return to check on him.”

  Darnash cupped his hands over his mouth and gave a high pitched whistle toward the base camp, “They will be here in a minute.” He pulled out a weapon and loaded what appeared to be a large dart into the chamber. “This will put him down for a couple of hours. Just be ready for the mother beast to come quickly once we attack.”

  The elite guard came to the edge of the bank. Two of the Antarians planted the Howler carcass at the bottom of the first trench. Two others made their way to the top bank and positioned themselves on either side of the trench. The remaining Antarians positioned themselves to capture the creature and haul it to the cage.

  Danielle fixed her field glasses on the adolescent as they finished bating the trench. “We’ve got his attention,” Danielle noted, as the beast raised its head toward their direction.

  The creature lifted his head in the air, excited by the scent of the fresh kill. It moved to follow the scent.

  Danielle looked down at the bait, “Your Howler looks very similar to what we call wolves back on Earth. Only these are much larger, and they seem to have forearms instead of front legs.”

  “Excellent! It sounds as if your Earth Wolf is a majestic creature,” Darnash smiled, and then turned his attention to the task at hand. “Where’s the mother Boreshog?”

  “She is with the two other Boreshog, not far to the east.”

  “The scent will travel to them soon, how close is the beast now?”

  “Our target is moving this way. Yes, he’s heading right for the Howler from the north end of the trench.”

  “Tell me, Darnash…”

  “Yes, my Lady?”

  “Is it customary to kill such a respected creature as your Howlers?”

  “No, my Lady. We hold these creatures with the highest regard.”

  “Then why use this creature as bait?”

  “Do not misunderstand, my Lady. The Boreshog do hunt these creatures as they are meat eaters. I do not take this sacrifice lightly. However, our hunters only removed one majestic creature that was very old, and would have been taken soon by one of the Boreshog. When my men put down the Howler, they thanked the Howler’s spirit, and then spared it from further pain by taking its life. They released the blood spirit to spend ever and a day in Revein’sev.”

  “Revein’sev?”

  “It is the place of our blood spirit.”

  “Darnash, I did not know Antarians were spiritual?”

  “You do not know many things of the Warlords, my Lady.”

  “You speak as if you hold all life sacred.”

  “There is much you do not understand about Antarians. In time, I will teach you more. You will come to understand all our mysteries.”

  “How can we be a warring race with the views you just expressed to me?”

  “We hold all life of the Rising Star of Antares sacred. Those that we attack are outsiders. They are insignificant life forms that we use to advance our way of life.”

  “Am I an ‘insignificant life form,’ Darnash?”

  “No, my Lady. You and your people seem to have significance. We have not encountered creatures such as you for thousands of cycles. As long as you continue to hold the Spirit Blood of Antares within your veins, you are one of us and shall be protected.”

  “Shhh,” Danielle whispered, “There he is. He’s eating the Howler’s carcass.”

  “I see him down there now,” Darnash smiled. “Prepare for the others to attack once I fire.”

  “Momma’s back is to us with the others at about a thousand yards east.”

  “Make ready,” Darnash said, aiming his dart gun at the adolescent. He held the crossbow and then slowly squeezed the trigger, sending the tranquilizer into the adolescent’s neck.

  The creature shot upright and shrieked as it grabbed for the dart piercing his thick hide. The mother and two adult Boreshogs took off in flight toward the adolescent’s cry. The three creatures flapped their wings, skimming low along the ground.

  Danielle dropped her field glasses and sped down the bank toward the adolescent.

  “My Lady!” Darnash argued. “It is not safe!”

  The two Antarian guards tossed their nets over to the beast as it flailed backward on the ground.

  Danielle pointed to the Antarian nearest to her, “Subdue the creature!”

  Darnash continued to protest his Empress’ actions, “My Lady! The other Boreshog are nearing, you must take cover!”

  Three of the Antarian’s came to the aid of the Empress and held the creature as still as they could; the drugs not yet in full effect on the beast.

  Danielle came to the side of the creature, withdrew her dagger and sliced the creature on its arm. The beast recoiled and shrieked in pain and terror, but Danielle ignored its throes. She covered the cut with her mouth and drank in the adolescent Boreshog’s blood.

  The beast’s mother was nearly on top of her. Danielle took a defensive stance, springing her wings of swords into full extension. The assisting Antarian guard dove to the ground to avoid the edges of the flinging swords.

  When the creature moved to grab her with its talons, she lunged forward, stabbing the beast with several swords.

  The creature cried out with pain as the swords pierced clean through.

  “Danielle!” Darnash yelled, now wielding his massive sword. He swung back and forth, fighting one of the other adult Boreshogs. It hovered over Darnash on muscular wings, waiting for an opening to strike.

  The mother Boreshog recoiled from the pain. She leapt into the air, Danielle hanging from the swords still stuck into the creature.

  One Antarian guard grabbed Danielle’s leg, trying to pull her loose. The stubborn swords held, and the guard lost his grip, sending him five feet to the ground with a thud.

  Danielle screamed as the beast took flight over the trenches.

  Darnash dispatched one beast, slicing a massive gash in its belly.

  The last Boreshog took off after the mother Boreshog.

  “They’ve taken the Empress,” one of the guards roared.

  “Noooo!” Darnash cried, “After them!”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ________________________

  The Rock

  General Quarters

  ________________________

  Major Kurt Phillips’ fighters completed their launch in record time.

  “Look sharp, people,” he said through his comm system, “Squad 1; Red and Blue Leaders, engage incoming enemy fighters. Wingmen, eyes open and keep the enemy off your leads’ six.”

  “Roger that,” the Red Leader acknowledged.

  “Blue leader, copy that, Major.”

  “Squad 2, Green and Yellow leaders, cover the Rock...and stay out of their firing solution!”

  “Green leader, ay
e-aye. Moving into covering positions, Sir!”

  “Yellow leader, Roger, Wilco, Major.”

  “Yellow leader,” Phillips added, “On my signal, break off and provide cover for the troopship on their attack run.”

  “Affirmative, Major. Our boarding party special ops team is ready and standing by to launch, Sir.”

  “ACE support one, do you copy?”

  “Roger, Major. ACE support ships one and two on line.”

  “Link weapons systems. Begin target acquisition.”

  “One hundred plus incoming targets acquired and locked. Transmitting firing solutions to Squad 1 fighters, now!”

  “Excellent,” Phillips shouted, “Alright Space Hawks, ETA to contacts is thirty seconds. Go Red, go Blue, weapons free!”

  The approaching enemy fighters opened fire first. “Captain Simon,” Major Phillips called, “Stay on my wing, Rene. You got me?”

  “Y-yes, Sir. I’m on your wing,” Rene hesitated. Remembering the last time she sat in a fighter cockpit, she lost a good friend. The images of Captain Eric Jones flashed across her face as she watched his fighter take hits and then spin out of control into the kill zone of the Rock’s point defense guns. She shoved those images into a boxed off corner of her mind and closed the lid. She needed to concentrate on her present assignment, “Confirmed target locked, and firing!”

  She held the control stick and squeezed the trigger. Her fighter’s guns flashed from each of her wings, sending deadly projectiles toward her target. She scanned nearby targets as her helmet’s cooling system battled the sweat dripping down her forehead.

  She grunted as she continued to depress the trigger, “Why won’t you die!?” she complained.

  Several blasts exploded around her. Rene, totally frustrated at the lack of success, yelled, “Come on!”

  When the enemy she’d targeted finally exploded, Rene’s instinct kicked in and turned port before impacting into what was left of her first target, “YEAH, that’s what I’m TALKIN’ about!” she rejoiced.

  “Rene!” Major Phillips shouted, “Stay focused. You’re moving off my wing! Get back into formation. We need to come around for another pass. Too many survived our first pass!”