by Kevin Gordon
more hits from emdec weapons, the greater chance the projectors will be overwhelmed.
Emdec cannons:Concentrated bursts of light, with gravitational energy merged within. The gravitational energy slows down the light, but also provides greater penetrating force, as the gravitational energy repels matter at the subatomic level. Two projectors, one for the light, one for the gravitational energy.
The shuttle had been on maximum thrust for three droas now, as Suld raced to get to Gan-Elldon. They had many TELREC patrols to evade, which slowed their progress considerably. OLMAC’s local cast-net was down, and he had no new intelligence about how the battle progressed. Aeolle was with him in the shuttle, as well as Ciluo who still held an unusually quiet Uld in a vise-like grip.
Suld worked continuously on his legs, pressing into the muscle and extending his calves, as they still felt sore after the beating he took from Uld. While he was given a blood-substitute, and his own CMS system increased blood cell production, he still felt weak and groggy. He often would glace back at Uld and debate with himself whether or not he should have killed him. Every once in a while Uld would return his gaze, as if casting yes, you should’ve.
^Are we close enough Ciluo?^ anxiously asked Suld. Ciluo, as a meta, possessed a heightened ability to access weak colvition signals. Suld had been pressing him relentlessly for the past droa, and Aeolle was thankful Ciluo wasn’t souman, or he would have been extremely annoyed by now.
^Wait . . . incoming data . . . TELREC fighters are attacking Gan-Elldon. Forces have been mobilized on the planet, as well as an equal number of fighters engaging the TELREC. Dromons have not yet launched.^
^What’s the problem?^
^Shuttles are encountering strong opposition as they venture to the launch site.^
Suld could feel the cast-net resolve in his mind as backup systems became operational on Gan-Elldon.
^Genera1 Ank-Tehht!^ cried Suld, relieved to be connected at last.
^It’s good to nest your thoughts, Mechle. Are you well?^
^Yes. Uld is my prisoner. Why haven’t the dromons launched yet?^ he demanded.
^Ruggert informs me Theia was dispatched with her Coss and soldiers, but came under heavy fire.^
Suld switched cast wavelengths. ^Theia!^
^Yes, I nest,^ she cast distractedly.
^Status?^
^We are almost at the launch-site.^ The shuttle she was on rocked under heavy fire, making Theia pause for a moment. ^We should have the dromons launched in five mroas.^
^I’ll hold you to that,^ he cast firmly.
^Suld?^
^Yes, Theia?^
^Your people have never been battle-tested, have they?^ she asked, as the ship she was on finally landed, and they hurriedly disembarked.
^They have been through countless simulations, been training for this moment for most of their lives.^
^But they have never fought to defend a living being, have they?^ she pressed, boarding a dromon.
Suld thought for a moment. ^No.^
^You have many very committed, very passionate people,^ cast Theia, standing for a moment in the ship’s entrance portal, ^but they have no experience. They are going up against a force that has battled against countless terrorist groups like the Iganinagi for millennia; they have even probably had skirmishes against the Rell. I warn you, do not hold back. Use every ship, every clone, every fighter and meta at your disposal. For one moment’s weakness could be the death of us all.^
A part of Suld nested Theia’s words, and even knew what she said was true. But a larger part of him only thought of Theia as the young, untested successor to Aiella, thought of her as the woman who lost most of her Iganinagi to the TELREC.
^Thank you for your advice,^ he replied. ^By the way, your flagship is unnamed. I give you the honor of naming it. I expect you will name it ‘Aiella’?^
Theia smiled for a moment, and thought of figures from her past.
^I choose to honor the Coss that gave their lives on Novan, to honor a good friend I wish was here. My flagship shall be the Nemosini.^
Suld nodded. ^So be it. May the Nemosini bring honor to the memory of all fallen Iganinagi.^
Suld’s shuttle began to decelerate, as the image of the void around Gan-Elldon resolved in their minds. Many explosions could be seen around the protective dome of the city—brief bursts of flame, then darkness. In the dim light of the planet, faint glimmers of metallic hulls flashed through the void. It was an immense fleet of fighters now assaulting Gan-Elldon’s defenses, and only by the slimmest of margins did the defense force keep them away. Every now and again a TELREC fighter could be seen making its way through the ranks of OLMAC fighters, launching missiles at the surface, eventually destroyed by the large defensive emdec cannons. Suld could nest the chatter among the clones flying the ships, and understood the TELREC were gaining the upper hand.
^Instructions?^ cast the shuttle pilot.
^Rendezvous with fleet flagship Onzic,^ replied Suld.
^Understood.^
The ship banked hard to its right, and accelerated. Going around to the opposite side of the moon, Suld was able to get in contact with ten oreships just arriving from the asteroid field between the fourth and fifth planets. The Onzic loomed large in his mental screen, a bulbous, grey ship, laden with new weaponry ready for battle.
They were the workhorses that built this company; it is fitting that they should be the backbone of its defense. As the shuttle docked with the Onzic, Suld cast to General Ank-Tehht on a private wavelength.
^General?^
^Yes Mechle?^
^Prepare for a complete evacuation of Gan-Elldon.^
^Understood,^ replied Ank-Tehht, as another TELREC fighter crashed nearby him. ^I will bring in transport ships and several oreships to escort.^
^Good. I need you to do something else for me. Discreetly.^
His response was quick and assured. ^By your command.^
^The . . . clones, of my wife, I need you to get four of them on a shuttle. I need them taken to a place of safety—to an AG platform, preferably Soulluos.^
Ank-Tehht paused for a few moments. ^Are you sure this isn’t the will of Holis? Perhaps, if Gan-Elldon is meant to be destroyed, they are meant to be destroyed with it.^
^General,^ replied Suld, growing heated, ^you have made clear to me in the past your displeasure with the clones. I have nest all your words, calmly and patiently, but now is not the time! Get them on a ship, and get them to safety!^
^Yes Mechle. It shall be done.^
Suld sat for a moment, haunted by images of his wife, and her words.
Promise me, he remembered her casting, don’t ever try to clone me, or spend your time and resources trying to resurrect my consciousness. In some things, there must be a beginning, and an end. When the time comes, accept the end of me.
In his mind, it was if she was casting those words again, so vibrant they were in his memory.
^Suld?^
He looked up, to find Aeolle bending over him.
^Distracted by thoughts of the past?^ she asked, rubbing his shoulder.
^How did you know?^
^I cast you before, I know you better than anyone. Come on, we’ve docked.^
They rushed out quickly onto the Onzic, as a new pilot boarded and prepared the shuttle to depart again. Suld stopped and turned to Aeolle.
^Aeolle, I don’t think you should be here now.^
^But I want—^
^No,^ he cast firmly, ^I need you to be somewhere safe. Somewhere outside of this battle. I’ve cast instructions to this pilot, and she will take you to an AG platform on the other side of Novan. Alright?^
She nodded, unable to argue with him. ^Yes . . . be careful!^ She managed a slight smile, though she wanted to cry. He held her close, whispering in her ear.
“Now is the time to make the TELREC atone for their arrogance!”
He watched the shuttle disembark, and move off with lightning speed. Ciluo still stood with Uld nearby.
^Why didn’t you kiss her goodbye?^ cast Uld sarcastically. ^Maybe a little touch and feel? It would have been the last one you could get.^
Suld came close to him, and in a lightening motion, back-handed him across his face with his fist, breaking his nose, and sending drops of blood flying. Uld laughed, snorting through the blood and mucus.
^Why Mechle, how positively Novan of you!^ slammed Uld. ^And here I thought there might be some Rell in your genes, if not in your mother’s pants.^
Suld ignored him, and moved off quickly. ^Bring that thing to the nexus.^
Ciluo resorted to carrying a reluctant Uld as he slumped on the floor. They raced through corridors of the Onzic that blared with emergency lights and sirens. A few people in black and grey uniforms raced to and fro, with mostly meta steadily traversing the corridors, preparing the ship for battle. Suld remembered back to when he first was on the Onzic after it was retrofitted for battle.
We put you through it all, and you came out like a magnificent beast. You were built strong. Let’s hope you fight strong as well.
The Onzic was Suld’s home away from home for ten cas of his life. Instead of returning to Gan-Elldon from Novan, he often went to the Onzic. It was the strongest and fastest of the reconfigured oreships, serving as a prototype for many design changes. Though Mechle Tire’, his father and predecessor as owner of OLMAC, had initiated the reconfiguring of oreships, it was Suld that oversaw the refinement of weapons systems and improvement of engine efficiency, making it his responsibility to be present at all design changes to the Onzic. He may not have known every detail of the new systems, but he understood how they functioned, and