by Unknown
“Sir, we’ve got a problem!” the co-pilot shouted back to me, and I swore in vampiric. If this was what I thought it was, the Countess was being bold.
I rushed forwards to the cockpit, and the co-pilot pointed at their radar.
“Got two contacts coming up on our four and seven o’clock, IFF is reading negative,” he reported professionally, and I swore viciously in vampiric again.
“Any I.D. on type?”
“No sir, not yet,” he replied, and I refrained from swearing a third time.
“It’s Sharriana’s loyalists,” I said, more to myself than them. “She intends to shoot us down and blame it on terrorists, or well-armed hunter forces.”
“You think so, sir?” I nodded slowly.
“It’s what I’d do in her place.”
“Sir...what do we do?” the co-pilot asked, concern beginning to colour his voice. “We aren’t armed, sir, we have counter-measures but that’s it.”
“You gentlemen fly this crate,” I told them firmly, focussing on my rage once more. “I’ll deal with these idiots.”
I strode back to the passenger compartment, grabbing hold of a restraint harness and pulling it on, hooking myself to a strongpoint on the airframe to avoid being thrown around too much. The aircraft lurched as the pilot threw it into an evasive manoeuvre, causing me to stagger against the side of the cabin, and the intercom buzzed as one of the pilots switched it on.
“Sorry sir, they’re beginning their attack runs,” one of them said, his nerves beginning to show. “Whatever you’re planning, do it fast.”
“Alright Deimos, let’s see what you can do now,” I told myself, and slapped the release for the cargo ramp.
The rushing wind roared through the cabin as the ramp lowered, rendering me deaf to almost all other sound as I looked out into the black sky. I walked out onto the ramp, going as far as my tether would allow in order to try and spot the enemy aircraft easier.
Suddenly I spotted a glint of moonlight on a cockpit canopy, and I caught sight of what pursued us.
A pair of Russian-built Su-37s. I swore repeatedly in vampiric - those fighters were tough, and carried an obscene amount of disposable ordnance. This would be a rough ride.
“They’ve got a lock!” I managed to hear from the intercom, and watched out for the imminent launch.
The orange glow that flared into existence slightly to the right of my vision drew my attention, and the Osprey heaved again, the bright lights of flares bursting into life as they tried to shake off the missile lock.
I focussed on the little orange glow, summoning all my emotion and reaching out with my hand. I could see the missile getting closer, still pursuing us like a tenacious bloodhound, and I locked my gaze to it. I concentrated hard, ignoring the trickle of blood from my nose, and clenched my hand into a fist.
The missile detonated harmlessly in mid-air, not even coming close enough for us to feel its shockwave.
“We’ve got more launches!” the intercom yelled, as if I hadn’t seen it myself. Five fresh stars flared into life in the darkness, rushing towards us.
Five.
This was going to hurt.
I raised both hands outwards, trying to concentrate on all of them at once, even as the Osprey was thrown into a dive and more countermeasures were launched into the air. Flares lit up the darkened sky, hoping to attract the attention of heat-seeking missiles, while clouds of chaff glinted in the half-light, trying to distract and disrupt radar-locks.
Astoundingly, two of the missiles peeled off and detonated among the clouds of countermeasures, which made my task easier but not by much.
I managed to force one missile to immolate itself uselessly, and I witnessed another lose control as its guidance system suddenly forgot how to function, but the third one kept on coming.
With a surge of effort and psychic force, I managed to detonate it at the last moment, although it was still close enough for the shrapnel to rattle off the loading ramp, peppering the tail with hot metal shards. One fragment, a slender, jagged knife of heated steel, stabbed through my thigh and caused me to drop to one knee, snarling in pain.
I looked out into the night, trying to spot the two fighters again-
- and I found them, right behind us and closing fast.
They must have realised what was happening because they were closing to cannon range, intent on gunning me down before taking the Osprey apart with impunity.
“You fucking deshahn salyth feshahd’kovasai!” I swore, summoning every vestige of force I could muster.
I threw my hands outwards just as they two aircraft opened up, a terrifying fusillade of thirty-millimetre cannon rounds tearing into the cargo ramp, the Osprey’s tail and me.
Only my projection of psychic force saved me, but I could only keep up such a ward for a limit amount of time against such a devastating onslaught.
Creating a shield of psychic force was both mentally and physically draining, and each impact drained me further - the bigger the impact, the bigger the drain. Both aircraft were tearing into me, and they carried a hundred and fifty rounds each of that armour-shredding ammunition.
I had to put the fighters down, or else they would kill me in short order. Either they would riddle me with very large holes, or my brain would burn out trying to hold my defences.
Fresh blood flowed down my face from my nose and eyes as I struggled to hold the barrier, and I put all of my strength on one final gambit.
I pulled my arms back against my sides, summoning everything I had - my hate, my rage, my pain - and I projected it outwards as I thrust my hands back out.
My barrier exploded outwards as shockwave of force, carrying with it the scattered remains of missile shrapnel, and the two fighters flew straight into it.
One of them lurched suddenly, and half of its flank vanished in smoke and flame as its engine inhaled some debris that had no business being there. The other engine coughed and began spewing smoke, and the fighter dropped like a stone.
It’s partner didn’t fare much better. The psychic shockwave had ruined the control surfaces, and the aircraft did a spectacular backflip combined with a barrel roll, throwing itself towards the ground in a violent spiral.
After a few moments, I dragged myself back into the passenger cabin, hitting the control to close the ramp at last.
The length of shrapnel lodged in my thigh made sitting almost impossible, so I took hold of it and pulled. The torn edges of the metal sliced open my hand as I pulled on it, screaming in pain as the fragment ripped through more of my muscle and skin on its way back out.
Finally the shard came out, and I stumbled over to a first aid kit mounted on the cabin wall. Blood was streaming from the gaping wound, on both sides of my leg, and I was going to need a lot to replenish my strength after what I had just done.
I managed to get a bandage on the massive hole in my leg, and I forced myself over to the door into the cockpit. I opened it gently, so as not to startle my pilots, and I leaned on the frame for support.
“Firstly, great flying,” I told them, my vision hazing slightly. “Secondly, has either one of you got a spare vein handy?”
CHAPTER 18
Preparing for the end
“You did what?!”
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, silently cursing my own stupidity.
“I told the Countess we’re still active.”
“You’ve damned us all,” Seraph said, shaking his head, and Mikhail looked like he was about to leap over the table and beat me senseless.
I had arranged the meeting with the other base commanders as soon as I landed, and by seven o’clock they were all present. I�
��d also issued an emergency recall order to all the Sentinels I sent off, and put in a call to Lorelei regarding one possible hope.
“She’s a seer, Seraph, she would have found out sooner or later,” I told the taller man.
“Later would have been preferable,” he responded, his voice heavy with regret. “This way, we’re under too much pressure to move ahead, to say nothing of the hundreds of soldiers still in the middle of their training, who will now probably have to be thrown into the fire before they’re ready!”
“This is what happens when you let a grief-stricken child take over something so damned important!” Mikhail snarled, and Kalin started towards him.
“No, Kalin, he’s right,” I stated, and my Vithenai returned to his position by my side. I looked back at the other three commanders, keeping a handle on my emotions for the time being.
“Yes, I still grieve over the death of my wife,” I told them, my voice shaking just slightly. “Yes, I am younger than she was by several lifetimes, and yes I have made a mistake. But I have reviewed all of the information that Corvina had, and we are ready.”
“I must wonder,” Edrin said softly, his Goan accent still strong despite several hundred years of living in England, “how soon is Sharriana likely to know about the failure of her pilots? She has to assume you are dead, at least for now, right?”
I shook my head.
“It’s impossible to tell. It’s known that she can miss things that she isn’t looking for, and it’s confirmed that she can’t see my future anyway...but she can still see the futures of everyone else. Even if she thought I was dead, it wouldn’t take her long to realise I wasn’t.”
“You’ve killed us all!” Mikhail snapped, and lunged for me, only to be stopped by Kalin driving a knee into his stomach.
“Ehvon tevash sa’thahdis, vesh’ta kehanai,” Mikhail hissed to his companions, essentially telling them ‘we should end this worthless life, it would be a mercy.’
“Tual sek’vahnen teshah,” I warned, telling them they were welcome to try. “Just remember the fates of the last people to earn my wrath.”
Kalin chuckled as their expressions soured, and even Mikhail went silent as he realised he had been caught out.
Just then a familiar force of nature swept into the room, and my face lit up as my closest friend returned.
“Well, I just keep missing all the fun, don’t I?” Lev said, with a cheerful grin, pausing to give me a hug. “How you keeping up, D?”
The concern in her eyes was obvious, and I gave her a weak smile.
“I live, at least for now.”
“Glad to hear it. And how was mother dearest?” She walked around the table to glare intently at Mikhail, evidently having heard the last exchange.
“Actually, she’s terrified.”
Lev almost fell over, I’m certain.
“What? Did I hear you right, did you say she’s terrified?”
“You did, I did and she is,” I told her. “She can’t see my future, can’t see what I’m planning. All she has over me is Tis, but I don’t know how to get her out of it.”
“Psh, easily done. Let me handle your sister - I’ve done it often enough.”
“Lev?”
She looked at me, her face a picture of innocence.
“Yes sweetie?”
“Way too much information.”
“Wait a moment,” Edrin said, his rounded features seeming to light up. “Did you say she can’t see what you are planning?”
“Ed, don’t encourage the vehnas’kae,” Mikhail said hotly, earning him a shot in the leg from Lev.
“Watch your language, Mickey,” she told him, without even looking at him. “D, feel free to carry on talking.”
“Thanks, Lev. Yes, Edrin, I did say that. Why, what are you thinking?”
“Well, I would hope that would be obvious,” he chuckled. “You come up with the plan, she cannot see what you are planning. When we attack, you relay the orders to our people, meaning she is on the back foot.”
“If I weren’t spoken for I’d kiss him,” Lev said flatly. “That’s smart thinking, Ed. Seraph, you miserable fuck, why didn’t you think of that?”
Seraph scowled at my white-haired friend, clearly not a fan of her personality.
“Because the fact that he outright told Sharriana we were coming for her suggests he is foolish, hot-headed and impetuous, and his grief makes him reckless,” Seraph shot back. “He is the last person I would want to have commanding this battle!”
“And yet,” Kalin said quietly, “it would appear he is the best person for the job.”
“Right, enough arguing,” I told everyone present, and everyone’s attention turned to me. “Edrin is right, if Sharriana can’t read me I am the best person to lead this. I’ll be spending what time we have planning - I’ve got one or two ideas being worked on already, what I need from you three is readiness. Get back to your bases, make sure everything you have is ready to go at a moment’s notice, and I’ll be in touch.”
“Why should we?” Mikhail argued, and I felt like banging my head on the table. He was just so infuriating.
“Why should we put our faith in you, or anything you say, any more? You go off half-cocked, you think because you were fucking Corvi you have a right to take her place and you will lead us all to the gates of Hell!”
Both Kalin and Lev moved towards him, their faces contorted with anger, but I gestured for them to stop.
“You were warned before, Mikhail,” I said, in a flat, measured tone, “to choose your words carefully. Since we have met, you have insulted me repeatedly, spat upon my wife’s honour and insulted her memory, and now you have spoken disrespectfully about our relationship.”
Hatred and rage burned in my eyes as I walked slowly towards him, and I heard Seraph attempt to make excuses for him.
“Hold your tongue, Sa’thahd, or I will rip it from your throat!” I told him, unaware of the change in my mode of speech. I turned my gaze back to Mikhail, who seemed rooted to the spot.
“You think I will lead you to Hell? You think you know anything of Hell? Do you want to know what Hell is?”
As my rage burned, I focussed on it as I concentrated on Mikhail, and he cried out in pain as his blood began to boil.
“I told you, Mikhail, that anyone who stood in my way would suffer my wrath, and still you doubted me!”
The rage flared, and the skin around his neck began to blister and burn as he sagged to his knees.
“T-...Teyahd,” he rasped, the word barely making it out of his scorched throat. “Teyahd!”
I finally turned away from him, releasing him from the torture. He doubled over, smoke rising from his mouth and throat as he coughed in relief.
“Next time you insult me, my wife or our relationship, I will reduce you to ash,” I told him bluntly. “You will do as I have asked and all three of you will give me readiness reports within the next twenty-four hours. If I am not present, you can leave the report with Lev or Kalin here. Any questions?”
There was a heavy silence, and eventually Seraph spoke up, his tone subdued.
“No, Deimos. No questions. It shall be as you ask.”
He spun on his heel and strode from the room, Edrin stopping only to help Mikhail off the floor and escort him out as well.
“Risky move,” Lev said, and I nodded.
“But necessary. He was going to remain a problem unless I did something to bring him in line. I know I went too far, but...”
“But so did he,” Kalin finished, giving me a gentle pat on the back. “Don’t fret about him, brother. You’ll have the force you need when the time comes.”
&nb
sp; “Thanks. Now, Lev, I need you to see about getting Tis out of Omega Company. I don’t know what Sharriana can do to her, but keep her close - if she’s with you, she’s safe.”
“Can I do anything?” Kalin asked, and I nodded.
“Yes. I need you to make sure this base is ready, I shouldn’t be gone long but it’s better to be safe.”
“Where are you going?” Lev asked, and I pulled the bandage around my leg away as I replied.
“I’m going over to see Lorelei. I gave her a little task, and I’m going to check in with her, see how it’s going.”
“That’s what phones are for, D.”
“Don’t trust it right now. Plus, I don’t know if she’s actually talked to anyone properly since Corvi’s death. She might need the same comfort I did.”
I could see there was a sort of concern in Lev’s eyes, although what for I didn’t know. Maybe the fact that I was going somewhere she couldn’t keep an eye on me again.
“Alright. Take it easy, killer.”
“Will do,” I told her, straightening up from examining the scar on my leg. A donation from the Osprey co-pilot, plus several pints of blood when I got back to the base, had helped accelerate my regeneration.
I walked from the room, suddenly feeling the weight of everything that weighed on me.
I prayed that I lived up to the faith Corvi had placed in me. Everything I did from here on was in her name.
I took one of our Ospreys up to my small base, the one I had intended to be my own home-away-from-home, and entered to find Lorelei in her usual spot at her console, working on a variety of tasks.
I don’t know if she knew it at the time, but she didn’t look well. Her normally neat hair was unkempt and knotted, her eyelids heavy with fatigue and her dark emerald eyes unfocussed and distant.