Earthfall

by Rhett C. Bruno

  Sage occasionally thought about dropping the rifle and getting some real sleep. Then she remembered that one of the bodies she smelled belonged to Talon. She remembered that the real person behind his death, not the tool who used the knife, was coming soon to answer for his crimes.

  Presently, she angled her head so that she could look through the ship’s viewport while also monitoring Zaimur. He was half asleep, but she didn’t want to take any chances. Through the glass she could see the flashes of the battle raging outside. A portion of Earth’s gray and brown surface sliced across the lower region, half shrouded in darkness. All around it, ships darted from side to side, missiles exploded, and the Tribune lost its hold on the planet.

  So much death, Sage thought. All of this just to get back here again, Cassius? She’d thought about it a hundred different ways and she couldn’t figure it out. She didn’t believe for a second that he had any real interest in helping the Ceresians, but she couldn’t figure out any other reason why he’d risk so much. Is it all just to get back at the Tribune for casting you out, or do you really blame them for Caleb?

  She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, her stomach growling and her throat parched. Her eyelids started to get heavier and heavier, and just before she could no longer fight back the urge to sleep, Zaimur saved her.

  “He’s going to kill you for this,” he said hoarsely. “Cassius. You’re going to ruin everything we planned.”

  Sage said nothing. She blinked her dry eyes and continued to stare through the viewport.

  “I can see why Talon liked you. He loved to talk so much. You must’ve let him rattle on about all his grand stories from when he served my fath—” Sage stretched out her leg as far as she could and kicked him hard in the ribs before he could finish the thought. He grunted in pain and tipped onto his side. “Bitch,” he spat. “I’m just telling the truth. Do you really think you’re going to get out of this alive after he gets here?”

  “I don’t care if I do,” Sage answered, finally breaking her silence. It was the most genuine response she could come up with. She was willing to do whatever it took to get the truth. It was the least that Talon deserved for missing out on spending the rest of his days with his daughter. She raised her damaged artificial arm as much as she could so that Zaimur would see and put on a wry smirk. “He did build my arm though, so maybe you’re wrong,” she said.

  Zaimur broke out into wheezing laughter. “Of course he did. Fucking Cassius Vale. What hasn’t he built?”

  She wished she could wipe the smile off of his face, but it would be a waste of what precious little energy she had left. “You should have listened to Talon,” she said after a lengthy silence. “You didn’t have to kill him.”

  “I didn’t have to let my father be killed either.” For the first time Sage perceived a hint of sorrow in his voice. “But they were both dying, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my home.”

  “Even ally yourself with Cassius Vale?”

  “I don’t regret any of it.” He lifted his bound hands and glared at the bruises on his skinny wrists. “Although I suppose if I’d let Talon walk we’d be a lot better off. But hell, you understand doing whatever it takes. Look at you now. Look at this.” He pointed with both hands toward the corpse of Yara Lakura. None of their followers knew she was dead. They thought she was safely beside Zaimur on the Hound’s Paw’s command deck giving orders. “I’m torn between wanting to cut your throat or kissing you and begging for you to serve me.”

  “I’m done serving.”

  “Well when Cassius gets here I’ll pretend I don’t want you to get rid of him then.”

  “Sir!” one of the crew members said. “The Tribunal Fleet is in range. Two New Earth Cruisers are at the head.”

  “Right on cue.” Zaimur sneered. He rested his bound hands on the lip of the console above and used it to lift himself to his feet. His legs wobbled from exhaustion.

  Sage sprung up and had her gun pressed against his back in an instant.

  Zaimur was too tired to be frightened. “Relax,” he said. “I have to receive our guests, don’t I?”

  “Where’s Cassius?” Sage asked.

  “Incoming transmission,” the com’s operator said. “It’s coming from the Ascendant.”

  “On his way after this,” Zaimur said to Sage. He looked up to his com’s operator. “Patch him through.” Zaimur held out his hands for Sage to unbind, and she reluctantly did so. He rubbed his wrists and stretched his arms. Then he combed his fingers through his grimy hair and wiped his cheeks.

  Unlike with Cassius, Benjar’s face appeared on the HOLO-Screen in front of them. His glower was hard and unyielding, and Sage immediately stepped to the side out of sight. She kept forgetting that seeing Cassius hinged on her having to see Benjar again. It wasn’t something she wanted to deal with. Merely the sight of him on the screen made her chest constrict.

  For Talon, she told herself.

  “It’s nice to speak with you again, Lord Vakari,” Zaimur said. Seeing the Tribune conversely seemed to renew him with energy and his usual sense of entitlement.

  “Save the pleasantries, Ceresian,” Benjar snapped. “You sound like another man I’ve grown tired of dealing with. Where is he? I know you couldn’t have possibly come up with this scheme alone.”

  Zaimur grinned. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

  “You’ve gone too far, Zaimur! Can’t you see I’m trying to save your people from lawlessness? From faithlessness? Your father never understood that and neither do you!”

  “Forgive us for not being more thankful, but I think we’ll have to settle for a different arrangement.”

  Benjar leaned back, his lips pursed. Usually he wore a complacent grin at all times, but Sage recognized his expression. He only put it on when someone had truly gotten under his skin. “So explain to me again then, why I shouldn’t ravage every member of your fleet the moment we’re in range.”

  “Like I said last time we spoke, if you fire a single shot I’ll start blowing mines.”

  “Using the weapon you still believe we used on Kalliope?”

  “Exactly.”

  “You’re a fool if you don’t believe by now that Cassius was behind that the whole time.”

  “It doesn’t really matter anymore. Unless you want to see your precious Earth wind up like that colony, I suggest we settle this like gentlemen.”

  From what Sage had overheard between him and Cassius, Zaimur was bluffing. They were only prepared to destroy a single mine as a show of force, if it came to that. But if Talon was correct, and Cassius was behind Kalliope, then she had no idea what he was planning to do. Using the weapon against Benjar’s fleet seemed to be the most likely.

  “Let us discuss then,” Benjar said calmly.

  “In person,” Zaimur said. “My men have been instructed not to shoot at your shuttle as it transports you to my ship. Come alone. Those are my terms.”

  Benjar began to laugh, his patented smirk returning. “You think I would step foot onto your heretic-infested ship alone?”

  “I do. You have us vastly outnumbered. If I kill you and it comes to battle, there’s no question who’d win. However, I also have hundreds of Tribunal prisoners on Luna that I won’t hesitate to begin executing for just that reason. Your loyal Hand seemed to be happy to do the same with mine. If you haven’t dispatched for the Hound’s Paw in five minutes they start dying. In ten, I’ll blow apart the Euro-Continent Mine.”

  “You wouldn’t dare!” Benjar roared. “Is this how you animals negotiate on Ceres?”

  “We play the hand we’re dealt.”

  Hearing that caused Sage’s heart to sink. She never would’ve thought she’d understand the reference, but she also couldn’t believe how much she wished she could just sit down with Talon and learn one of the card games he played.

  “Have you forgotten that your people attacked Eureka first?” Benjar asked. “Whatever you think happened on Kalliope, you s
tarted this war. I’m only trying to finish it.”

  “So am I!” Zaimur yelled. He coughed a few times, wiped his mouth, and held Benjar’s gaze. “Whether you really believe the lie that you didn’t want this or not, I don’t care. Your Tribune preaches peace, so let’s end this war together. A victory for us both.”

  “I once sat in a room with your father and attempted to do the same. I won’t do it again with Cassius Vale there. So long as he is on your side, there won’t be peace.”

  “Cassius helped arrange this, yes, but if you want his life I won’t stop you. Consider that my gesture of good faith. You have five minutes.”

  Zaimur ended the transmission. As soon as the feed cut out he released a mouthful of air. Then he turned his head and looked at Sage. She’d never seen a man appear prouder of himself in all of her life. It was as if he’d been waiting for that discussion since the day he was born.

  “Yara would’ve tried to kill him anyway,” he said, smirking.

  “You’re as bad as he is,” Sage growled. “Offering lives away like they’re worthless.”

  Zaimur grimaced as she grabbed his wrists and squeezed them together. He tried to pull away, but even her artificial arm at fifty percent was more than capable of restraining a starving dignitary.

  “Funny thing to hear from the woman who put every corpse in this room on the floor,” Zaimur snapped.

  “Not all of them.”

  Sage shoved Zaimur toward the exit out of the command deck. He nearly tripped over Talon’s leg which was stretched out behind the command console. He stopped after he caught his balance, looked down and swallowed hard, as if remembering his current position.

  “Tell Cassius he’s on his way,” Zaimur ordered his com’s officer. There were no secrets about Cassius’ existence left in the room.

  “Sir,” the officer replied, “the Ascendant hasn’t yet dispatched—”

  Zaimur cut him off. “He’s coming.” He turned back to Sage, the weariness returning to his darkened features in full force. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “You’ll meet them outside,” Sage ordered. She nudged him forward with her gun. “Try anything other than bringing Cassius right to me and I’ll put a bullet through your brain.”

  I’m waiting for you, Cassius. No more lies.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE—CASSIUS

  Earthfall

  Even Cassius had to admit that he was impressed by the size of the Tribunal Fleet. Through the viewport he could see it drifting slowly across space toward the Ceresian force gathered between Luna and Earth. The Ascendant was at the front of a formation of hundreds of fighters and frigates, like the glinting tip of a spear. Of course, that was only for show since ADIM’s attack had left it far inferior to Tribune Cordo Yashan’s identical New Earth Cruiser, the Viridian, a short distance behind. Even during the Earth Reclaimer War Cassius hadn’t seen such an impressive display of force.

  Thanks for bringing a crowd, Benjar.

  A transmission beeped on the HOLO-Screen at Cassius’ side. He opened the link and before he could move the image of Zaimur was in front of him. The Morastus Prince said: “He’s on his way now.”

  “So am I,” Cassius responded. “The weapon is armed, and ADIM is awaiting my signal.”

  “I hope you’re ready, Vale.”

  “For far too long. Open the hangar.”

  Cassius smirked as the transmission ended. He banked the White Hand around a cluster of debris and aimed it straight at the Hound’s Paw. It remained hovering beside the Conduit Station, above the lightless Luna City. He couldn’t imagine what the Ceresians sitting in the rusting fighters were thinking as they were asked to trust their leader and stay put.

  Even though he was thousands of miles out, Cassius could see the Hound’s Paw’s private hangar coming open. There was another vessel ahead of his about to enter. It was as shiny and white as the White Hand, but with green highlights along its wings. It could only belong to one man.

  Cassius reached up to his right ear and switched on the com-link. “ADIM, are you there?” he asked. A minute went by with no response, and by then he was about to enter the Hound’s Paw. “ADIM, if you can hear me. It’s beginning.”

  He left the device on, just in case, as he entered the airlock of the hangar. The outer seal closed, and the inner one opened to reveal a sight he wasn’t expecting. He landed the White Hand beside Benjar’s transport, but all around them was scorched metal and bloody bodies. There were no Morastus or Lakura fighters present, and a Tribunal Combat Mech was positioned in front of the corridor leading up to the command deck.

  Is this why Zaimur seemed rattled earlier? It seemed that the Tribunal defenses of Earth had made one last attempt on the Morastus leader’s life using a Mech. An Executor perhaps? Judging by the amount of corpses and the rubble piled by every branching corridor, that seemed the most likely culprit. He found himself impressed that Zaimur had managed to survive such an attack.

  It didn’t matter anymore. There was nothing that could stop Cassius now. He got up from his seat and checked his outfit in his pale reflection on the viewport. He straightened his belt and bracers, tidied his hair, and made sure every part of his violet tunic was falling in the right place. Satisfied, he hurried back to the cargo bay and set it to open.

  He strolled out leisurely, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He didn’t even bother to leave his hand hovering over the grip of his pistol in case something went awry. As the sole of his boot touched down on the ruddy floor of the Hound’s Paw he looked left and saw Benjar stepping out of his transport, trying to disguise a noticeable limp.

  The Tribune looked as ridiculous as ever. A gaudy, green robe fell down around his ankles, the emblem of the New Earth Tribunal embroidered on the chest. Golden eye makeup was drawn thin across his temples. He noticed Cassius immediately and put on the same arrogant smirk Cassius had wanted to wipe off his face for eight years.

  “I’m glad the both of you could make it!” Zaimur shouted. He was standing on the other end of the room, leaning against the deactivated mech. “You’ll have to forgive the status of my hangar. There was an altercation, but it’s been handled. Please, follow me.” He turned around into the corridor and headed back towards the command deck.

  Both Cassius and Benjar looked from side to side as they walked toward the passage. From the ground the hangar looked even worse. The foul, yet familiar, stench of death was rampant, and Cassius could tell by the twitch of Benjar’s nose that he was focusing on ignoring it. Parts of the walls had crumbled, and all of the blood was too crusted to the floor to ever be scrubbed completely. The room’s air recyclers rattled along, noisier than Cassius remembered them being.

  “I knew you couldn’t be dead, Cassius,” Benjar said. “Somehow I knew that I wouldn’t get to join the Spirit before seeing your face one last time.”

  “I didn’t want to disappoint you,” Cassius said. He stopped in front of a body right outside of the corridor and beckoned Benjar to enter first. The Tribune lowered his head in refusal and Cassius didn’t waste a second stepping forward. “After all, can a Hand ever be separated from the man who named him one?”

  “Why, are you looking to get the job back? I find myself in need of a new one after your girl had one last meeting with Yavortha. Your work, I presume?”

  So she did make it out! He never doubted it, but having vocal confirmation was a great relief. She was going to hear his message. “Getting her there, yes, but I can’t take credit for that,” he said. “She was always talented.”

  “Yes she was. According to some of her trainers even more so than you.”

  “I’m sure by then they forgot the war I won for you.”

  Benjar stopped walking. They were only a few strides away from the entrance to the command deck. He turned to Cassius and glared at him, his eyes flooding with rage. “Whatever happens here, this is where the legend of Cassius Vale ends. Never has an Executor risen to such heights, or fallen to such depths. You
are a disgrace to us all.”

  “Then what does that make you, my great benefactor?” Cassius chuckled under his breath and continued forward. “What does that make you?”

  Cassius stepped inside of the command deck, and what awaited him stopped him in his tracks so abruptly that Benjar bumped into him. There were bodies everywhere. His eyes darted from side to side. He recognized a few. Talon Rayne? Yara Lakura?

  “Zaimur, what is—”

  The command deck’s entrance slammed shut behind them. Cassius scanned the room. To his side was Zaimur, but as soon as he turned toward him, the Morastus leader’s mouth fell open and his eyes went wide. Sage was revealed as he fell to his knees gagging on air, her wrist-blade sliding out of his spine. She dropped Zaimur’s limp body and began to approach Cassius silently, a pulse-rifle aimed at him. In her expression Cassius saw the same fury that was present when she last held him at gunpoint back on Titan.

  “Sage, it pleases me to see you alive,” Benjar stuttered.

  “Yes, I’m sure you’re thrilled,” Cassius remarked. His hand slid a few inches away from his pistol, but he didn’t dare go further. Staring into the barrel of Sage’s gun, this time he wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t pull the trigger. “I remember all too well how much you adore the Executors who fail you.”

  “Fail me?” Benjar took a few steps forward, holding up his arms as if he were begging for mercy. “She’s performed flawlessly. We’ve been trying to kill Yara Lakura for decades. And Zaimur Morastus? The Tribune will hail you as a hero for this! The Executor who ended the war!”

  “Quiet!” Sage growled and shifted her aim toward him. Benjar almost leapt out of his robe. “Everyone else out!” Sage hollered to the few engineers remaining along the balcony level of the command deck. They watched anxiously, but they didn’t move. “Get out!” The second time they stirred, almost tripping over each other as they descended from the second level and scrambled through the only exit.