The Human’s gauntlet blade retracted with a snap.
“You have earned a moment of time, Ascendant of…wherever.” Turning her head, the Human watched projectiles strike the surface of the shield and dissipate.
He waited, kneeling in the dirt as his leg throbbed from his wound, until she turned back around.
“Touch that weapon, you die.” The Reaver pointed at the large Gashnee weapon. “Use those,” the Reaver gestured at the zartils, “you die. Lie,” she intoned stonily. “Lie…”
“I die,” finished Issara. “I understand, Human.” Moving slowly as to not be misinterpreted for an attack, he detached each of his zartils, dropping each to the floor at her feet in a show of compliance.
∞∞∞
“My lord,” the Korin Shai greeted Lintorth, stepping around the Vrae bodies on the ground near his master. Jalkheen was the first to arrive, heeding Lintorth’s broadcast over the linked communication network. Bleeding from a myriad of wounds, he stood unconcerned and pointed towards the bulk of the Vrae soldiers now retreating through the large breach in the wall.
The Vrae soldiers shuffled backwards, still protecting themselves with their energy shields while under fire from both Korin Shai and Humans alike. Bodies fell out of the main formation to be left behind by their comrades, intent on escaping the compound. It wasn’t a total rout, but a controlled retreat. The Vrae were maneuvering well, considering the punishment they had taken.
∞∞∞
“Reaver Lead, respond,” Maddox repeated for the third time, still scanning his surroundings for signs of hostile movement. He had been out of communication, other than visual glimpses between fights, with most of the other Reavers since the large explosion outside had rocked the compound. He had been outside the structure when Kason went to meet Lintorth, but had been pushed into the far corner by the Korin Shai and the Vrae. The veteran warrior didn’t need direction or orders to operate in a fight, as dozens of Vrae bodies lie in his wake. Still, one of the last transmissions he’d heard was that Kason was down and that had been a while ago. He hadn’t heard anything from Kason or about him since.
He waited while he walked, no response for several minutes.
“…responding,” crackled in his ears and then cleared up for the rest of the transmission. “Reaver teams, converge on my location.”
∞∞∞
The Human listened to the Issara’s frantic orders over his communications channel to the remainder of Vrae soldiers. It took precious moments to get his message across to a Vrae of suitable rank to implement his unexpected wishes. A large portion of his command cadre had suffered crippling losses, courtesy of the Korin Shai. The Korin Shai were smart, focusing on the enemy’s leaders during the battle.
Two Vrae commanders had responded to Issara. One had survived by a combination of luck, skill, and pure ferocity inside the Vrae formation. He was the commanding Vartis, after all. The other was the ranking officer onboard the Vrae ship outside. Both complied with Issara’s instructions to withdraw and ordered a quick retreat to the ship. Their numbers of wounded and dead had spurred them to back away before, but they had finally received the order to do so.
“They withdraw as you requested, Human,” Issara let his breath out, relieved.
“Kill the jammer,” she demanded. “I want to speak to my Reaver teams.”
“Reavers? Is that what you call yourselves? Are you not Humans?”
“I’m Human enough, Vrae,” she hissed. “Why would you think otherwise?”
“I’ve only met a few Humans…Reaver. They were nothing like you,” Issara professed.
The Reaver stared at him for a long handful of seconds. Issara did his best to remain calm, but he knew the threat of death was close. He had been blessed by the luck of Bilan the Unsound and able to contact two surviving officers and salvage some semblance of military competency.
“Well then, Mister Ascendant,” the Reaver said in a serious tone. “It seems to me that you came to settle a personal score with the Kryth.”
Issara kept his face still, attempting to appear stoic.
“Personal?” he queried. “Why do you think that?” The weapons fire that had dominated the interior of the compound faded to random energy blasts in the distance punctuated by cries of pain and falling debris. An eerie silence descended and everything around him seemed louder than before. He could hear his robes rustle as he clasped his hands together to keep them from shaking. “We are the two preeminent powers engaging each other over disputed territory. These conflicts happen due to our fluctuating borders, our need for resources, and strategic advantage,” he explained.
The Reaver squatted in front of him, her faceplate centimeters from his nose.
“Our intel says otherwise, Vrae,” she said. “This is no military action sanctioned by your government. This is personal. The units were not a cohesive force, but rather an aggregation of smaller units. This was your own private little army.”
She reached down and poked a finger into his wound, eliciting a scream of pain.
“What did I say about lying?”
Issara remained silent, aside from gasping from the pain, trying not to reveal any reaction to confirm the Reaver’s suspicions. He needed her to believe that the weight of the Vrae Javril Empire supported his current situation and thus gave him a more advantageous position of negotiation. “I am an expert in Gashnee technologies with concessions given by the most powerful Houses in the Empire to experiment, implement, and acquire as much of these technologies as possible before they are lost forever. Do you know of them, Human? The Gashnee? Our previous masters ruled us all for millennia,” he probed.
“We know of the Gashnee and your successful revolt against them,” the Reaver interrupted. “We know all too well.”
Issara gulped and nodded when no more was forthcoming from the Reaver as she stared at him. He had suspected the Humans’ return from the grave since the first few skirmishes against the Kryth Mahr. The other galactic forces weren’t so secretive, and many opposed the Kryth. Had any other race struck such blows against the Kryth, they’d have flaunted it, except perhaps the Cuukzen. He had gathered information from many brokers of information, at great cost and risk, but he had become suspicious after he had learned of the Sol system’s downfall at the hands of the Kryth. His suspicion grew near to certainty when he learned the Gashnee had visited the Sol system. He had heard about ships that were faster than any other starships and technology far more advanced than any other…except the Gashnee’s.
However, the massive starship that had been present at the Montis System Conference was not of Gashnee origin or design, despite its speed and firepower. Issara had gleaned every bit of information from that encounter and concentrated his efforts on solving the mystery of this new galactic presence. He had formulated a hypothesis that the Human ships, and most of their technology, was a hybrid that used Gashnee technologies to augment their own. After all, he and the Vrae understood Gashnee technology and hybridizing it more than anyone. He also suspected they were at fault for the new wormholes as well. If they could replicate Gashnee technology so well, one could only imagine what else these Humans had accomplished. Issara had been able to track the Human starships and had created a device that would impart the ability to follow the drive signature of the Human vessels, as Lintorth Sar had requested.
“So, how do you know Lintorth Sar?” she asked. “Is he a friend? No, that can’t be it. A galactic rival of sorts? An archnemesis who tried to kill your entire species?”
Issara’s heart leapt to his throat, not in fear, but in relief. The Human Reaver didn’t know. He felt hope, that he might be able to withdraw from this precarious situation to safety. “He has my son, my heir, imprisoned. His life is contingent on my knowledge and what he requires from me. I possess many pieces of Gashnee technology, such as this shield around us and these weapons.”
The Reaver said nothing but stared, then he heard another click as her gauntlet blade extended once more.
/>
Issara couldn’t help glancing down at the black blade extending from her arm, then continued, his voice shaking with fear. “I-I have knowledge that the b-bastard Kryth desires. My knowledge in exchange for my son,” he licked his dry lips. “Lintorth Sar wants to eliminate the advantage your ships have over the Kryth fleet…and the Vrae, for that matter.”
“Our superior speed,” the Reaver said, her fingers tapping her knee with the blade still extended as she rested her hand on her leg.
“Y-yes,” he rushed on. “He wishes to accomplish what you Humans have with your ships, travelling the galaxy as you please, unencumbered by the limitations the rest of us…as our masters once did,” he added.
The intimidating mask grew closer as the Reaver leaned forward, her face almost against his now.
“Your time might be at an end, Vrae,” the Reaver announced, startling Issara who began talking faster in an attempt to save his own life.
“Wait, wait!” he pleaded, fearing her blade would pierce his heart before he could explain. “I instructed my covenants to cease fighting and withdraw,” he bargained. “I’ve told you the truth, Human. You agreed not to kill me.”
“No,” she said, standing and stepping back. He took his first deep breath as she moved away from him. “But he might.”
Data CELL 66
It was a shimmer and short flutter of the eyelids before the light subsided and went out in the tube.
My door opened.
We were not in the Gashnee Ancient’s temple any longer.
The lights to the console and surrounding platform came on as I stepped out of my transport.
The others did the same.
“Well, Kayasa? Yren said we would be in your neck the stars. Do you know where we’re at?”
Stepping right up with a quip, “In Vraeland?” my little friend announced.
She looked around. “Yes. I believe we are in the ruins of my ancestors.
I look over at Mistuuk. “You’re getting good at this.”
“Thanks, Rels.”
“More ruins? Great.” I couldn’t believe it.
“I like ruins, Rels.”
“Yes. We know; and, you were doing so well a second ago.”
Mistuuk looked up at me and blinked.
I rolled my eyes and we both looked at Kayasa.
She walked off the platform. “I believe I know the way out. My people hold this center part of the old palace sacred. No one has entered since the Great Conversion in fear of upsetting the Forecon Beaers and bring an age of pestilence down upon our race.”
“Too late. We’re here,” I remarked. “Pestilence? How’d we go from an exploding temple to pestilence?”
“In a blink of an eye, Rels,” Mistuuk mused.
“Good one.”
“I never believed in the ancient curse of our founders. It was…irrational,” Kayasa followed.
“She’s not superstitious. That’s goo,.” I said.
Mistuuk just looked at me. “What, Rels? Super…tituoitious?”
At least he tried.
“Illogical. Deluded.”
He just stared at me with his normal blank expression.
“It means the fear of bad luck.”
“OH.”
She continued along the ornate stone floor.
The most advanced era amongst a technologically advanced race and we’re back to standing in another stone temple.
Again.
Maybe fearing bad luck wasn’t so irrational after all.
We both followed Miss Vrae with Blink in tow, not knowing where our assassin-turned-ruin-guide was leading us.
Confidence rising!
But, if we made it this far, maybe fate was on our side?
Some say that every once in a while: fate will reach out a helping hand.
I didn’t believe in fate or superstition. I made my own fate. I take my own chances and live by the outcomes.
Recent outcomes seem to like old stone temples.
Then again, reward doesn’t give itself to those who don’t risk the adventure.
We were about to find out where it went from here.
Kayasa walked toward the outer wall, searching for something.
“What you are looking for, Kay?”
She stopped, then turned to look at me.
More like glare at me.
“What? Not liking the nickname?”
She huffed. “Are you going to help?”
“Sure. What’re you looking for, Kayasa?”
“A symbol for the exit.”
“That sounds great. What does it look like? Wait. Let me guess. It’s a duck symbol.”
She raised an eyebrow, somehow maintaining what felt like a glare.
At least Mistuuk laughed. “Good one, Rels! A duck! Now that’s funny.”
“I thought so too, little guy.”
“It’s a triangle.” She held fingers up to show me. As if I didn’t know what a triangle was. “You two look over there. I’ll start here,” she ordered.
“Yes, ma’am,” I snapped back, turning to Mistuuk to whisper, “I’m not walking all over this dark, forsaken temple looking for a triangle. Who knows what’s in here.”
He nodded in agreement. “Could have giant worms.”
“It could, buddy. Great point. Thanks for that.” I started pacing around with my hands on my hips, “Walking around a dark, unknown, Vrae temple. Not knowing what’s in here with us. Just perfect.”
Mistuuk just shrugged. “Could be worse, I guess.”
“Right. We could all be dead.”
Kayasa disappeared into the darkness.
I wasn’t too happy about looking for another symbol. Always looking for an exit.
The story of my life so far.
“Wait. I have an idea. Why don’t you have the bot do something useful and fly around trying to find this exit.”
“Blink’s good at finding things, Rels.”
“Just tell her to do…something. Just have her scan, search, or whatever.”
He spoke to the bot in his gibberish chatting bot-language.
The little flashing bot went zooming throughout the room.
Her glowing twinkling lights began to light up portions of the ruin she hovered over.
It wasn’t soon that my brilliant idea found another’s voice.
“Lazy,” came the sweet Vrae’s voice in the dark.
“Hey, if you ain’t cheatin’, you aint tryin’!” I yelled out.
Mistuuk looked sappy up at me once more.
I looked back down at the pudge. “What? It’s true.”
The little guy just shrugged his shoulders again.
Maybe I deserved it. Maybe I didn’t.
I just really hate ruins…and temples.
Anything made out of rock at this point.
It wasn’t long before Blink sounded off that she had found something.
We all ventured over to her location.
There, above the doorframe, was the triangle symbol.
“Nice work, bot.”
“I told you she could do it, Rels.”
I turned to the Vrae. “Now what?”
She walked over to a panel on the side of the sealed door. “If it still works, we get out.”
“Out to where?” I stepped up.
“There are several corridors that will take us to the surface.”
“Great. We need to find a comms array as soon as we can.”
“What for, Rels?”
“I want to call the Relentless and get off this planet. We need to warn the Ordinance as soon as we can.”
“I know of one close by,” Kayasa said.
“Good.” I just hoped that panel worked.
Kayasa moved to clear the dust.
Except there wasn’t any.
“Wait,” I said. “Shouldn’t that thing have decades of build-up on it?”
She looked at me, then back at the panel. “Yes, it should, but…”
“It loo
ks like someone has used it lately.” I broke her response.
“Good observation, Rels.”
I winked at him.
“No. You didn’t let me finish.” Kayasa didn’t seem perturbed at all; at least, not by me. “Most of the tech was added later to this place. They’re self-cleaning. For future use.”
“Ohh. They’re ‘self-cleaning’, Rels.”
“I heard her.” I extended my arm out, palm up. “By all means, lead the way.”
She placed her palm against the panel.
A light flashed.
A noise sounded within the frame.
The door began to rise.
Light.
Beautiful light spilled from the bottom as the door moved its way up.
Dust from the surrounding structure shifted and drifted down upon us.
My dirt-covered smile widened.
Blinding, artificial light drenched my face.
I could see…
What looked to be…
What was it…?
Not sure…
Ohh…
My smile faded.
There, on the other side of the doorway, was what looked to be a garrison of Vrae soldiers.
The glow of their plasma barrels was not the glorious moment I was hoping for.
Our hands and arms went up over our heads.
Except Kayasa’s.
“Kayasa Karsis. Second order,” she announced as she strutted toward the soldiers.
Wait…what? I thought. Is she doing what I think she’s doing?
A soldier approached. “Stop there. We will verify.”
“By the Heir of Kominvril. These are my prisoners.”
“Did she just turn us in, Rels?”
“I think so, buddy.”
She grimaced her dissatisfaction towards her human companion.
Yep. She’s turning us in.
Mistuuk growled between clenched teeth.
Huh, never heard him make that noise before.
“Her statement is valid,” the front guard said, looking over his communicator. “Take the two prisoners away.”
They approached and bound our hands; minus hers, of course. But we were out of another temple, so I guess that’s good news.
Our fate, on the other hand, had yet to be seen.
Annals of the Keepers - Rage Page 40