by Kyle Larson
“Yes, my queen,” Eryel said. She didn’t want to leave, but she knew Tendai wouldn’t have shown up if she didn’t have a good reason. She was the only one who could take down Justeph. He would still be a challenge for her, but there was no doubt Tendai would win, especially if Teve backed her up.
Tendai watched the Gravity Warriors fly off. As soon as they were out of sight, she turned her gaze to Juda. She walked slowly toward Juda, her staff drawn but lowered.
“Listen to me, child. You and your people have been given a wonderful gift from a terrible person. Like the villain he is, he would ask you to use this gift to hurt others, instead of protecting. I will say this only once: it is not too late to walk away. Surrender now and we will be fair to you. You will pay for your crimes, but you will all be given another chance in time. This is my offer. It is not negotiable and you decide now.”
Juda felt the strength of Tendai’s glare go through her. This was the burden of being a leader.
“Don’t try to fight us,” Juda heard herself say. It was as if she were on auto-pilot and couldn’t believe the words were actually going to come out of her mouth. “You can join us. Fight us and you won’t win. You know this. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. Most of your Gravity Warriors are either dead or wounded. As soon as we take care of you, we’ll bring down the Uranian Corsairs and Earth Navy. You won’t be taking any mercy on us, queen. We are the ones that decide who gets mercy.”
Tendai’s staff snapped up and her eyes sharpened. Her entire composure changed and the Wanderers prepared their staffs. Juda raised hers and would be the first one to either deal or defend from a hit.
“This way will be much easier, I think,” Tendai said.
In seconds, Juda was on her back and then flung off the balcony of the Royal Palace. Tendai was so fast and powerful she’d flicked Juda away like a pesky bug. Juda looked up and saw the other Wanderers falling as Tendai picked them off. It was perfect, now Juda could finish the rest of the mission.
As Tendai dealt with the Wanderers, Juda could go for the core of Venus tucked away in the Royal Palace. The Colonel only told Juda about this part of the plan, and now that Tendai was involved, this might be Juda’s only chance to execute it.
Juda smiled when she thought of what their ships would be able to do with the Venusian core.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KELVIN PURPOSEFULLY DIDN’T look back at the fight that he was sure raged in the air around the Royal Palace. That wasn’t hard once he saw the Monarch, as it looked damaged from the rough landing. This was something Kelvin could take care of and he didn’t doubt Teve would deal with the Colonel. Kelvin just wished he could be there to see it, but he wanted to make sure his friends were okay. Everything they had done was to help him. His heart sank as he saw the extensive damage the Monarch suffered from the crash landing. It was going to take a lot to get it airborne again, but Kelvin didn’t want to think about that now.
He could tell where the bridge was on the hull and flew toward it. All of the blast windows were blown out so he could fly right into the bridge. The first thing he saw let him know that quite a bit had occurred on the Monarch since he’d been gone. A very disheveled Captain Ali and Holloway had electro-pistols trained on a group of Wanderers seated at a workstation. Holloway was at a workstation behind Captain Ali, her pistol pointed at the Wanderers while working.
When Ali and Holloway recognized Kelvin, they were taken aback. The fact that he’d flown into the bridge was one thing, but Kelvin looked different. It was as if he’d aged in the time since he’d been on the Monarch.
“Kelvin,” Holloway said. She was relieved that one of her students was okay.
“Your majesty…where’s Amelia?” Captain Ali said. The concern was shared by Holloway, who was glad she chose to the one to ask.
“She’s up in orbit, probably bringing wounded Gravity Warriors down to Judur. That blast took out hundreds of them.”
Kelvin made sure he looked right at the Wanderers seated, who met his glare with shame. Kelvin was tired and angry. He hoped one of the Wanderers would try something, which was what made Kelvin stop himself and focus on things more productive. Whoever they were, they were defeated.
“It’s a long story, Kelvin,” Holloway said. She could see him eyeing the group of hackers. “We managed to get some power systems back online, no thanks to these jerks.”
The hackers didn’t put up any fight when Holloway and Captain Ali came to the bridge. It made Holloway wonder what kind of miserable life the Colonel allowed them to have. Whoever they were, they were brilliant with computers. Holloway already started to hatch up a plan about how she could convince the Earth courts to let her work with them. The skill they’d shown would be very valuable to Earth Navy, not to mention they knew everything about the Wanderers infrastructure.
“What can I do to help?” Kelvin said.
“Well, your majesty, it appears you can fly,” Captain Ali said. She was still processing the amazing sight of Kelvin flying in without a thruster suit, holding a staff, and looking like what she imagined a Gravity Warrior to be. There would be time for questions later, but she was tempted to ask him to explain how he did it. “We need to get to the engine core and with no power to the moths, it’ll take us hours to get down there. Do you remember where it is?”
“I’ll help him find his way,” Mara said from Kelvin’s mobile. “Glad you both are okay. I’m sure his highness is as well. Isn’t he?”
Kelvin nodded his head emphatically. “It’s good to see you both. We’ll bring the engine core back online. I’m assuming Mara knows how, since she seems to know everything else.”
“Kelvin, are you okay?” Holloway said. She stopped what she was doing at the workstation as she realized she hadn’t even bothered to ask him. After all, Kelvin was still a kid and she’d been trusted to look after him.
“Yeah, as long as you guys are. I’ll get the engine back online and then I’ll get back here. Sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do,” Kelvin said.
He flew out of the bridge and over the massive hull of the butterfly-shaped ship. His grandfather built the ship and Kelvin was very proud of the Monarch. The battle above him raged, as what looked like Wanderers were being swatted from the Royal Palace like they were bugs. Kelvin didn’t understand how they were able to fly so well, almost as if they were Gravity Warriors. The Wanderers seemed to have a lot of surprises, so he figured they must be using some sort of advanced thruster suits. It wouldn’t matter, they would still be no match for whomever dealt with them. Kelvin assumed the Colonel was the only one who could challenge him since he was once a Gravity Warrior and was bonded to the Venusian gravity.
From the swarm of Wanderers, Kelvin saw one of them break off and head for a lower part of the palace. The rest of the Wanderers didn’t seem to notice, as the person landed on the balcony. Kelvin recognized where they were headed. It was the same place Tendai had taken him, where the piece of the Venusian core was. Tendai warned him what could happen with something that powerful. Kelvin considered repairing the engine of the Monarch, but that could wait compared the consequences of the Wanderers getting their hands on that. If the Wanderers were able to get their hands on the core, they’d have the power of Venusian gravity to move their fleet.
Kelvin flew up to the balcony and into the room where he’d been not too long ago. The Wanderer who was there turned to him and raised her staff. Kelvin was immediately struck by the intensity and anger in her eyes –– they were a piercing green and shot at him like daggers. He guessed the girl was about the same age as him. Kelvin raised his staff, prepared to defend against her and actually thought she might be a Gravity Warrior for a moment until he caught a glimpse of the Wanderer insignia patched to her shoulder sleeve.
“Kelvin Sellwood himself,” she said. “I’ve never met a prince.”
“You’re not supposed to be here,” Kelvin said. He felt his anxiety come back. Judging from the look on her face, he was goin
g to have to fight her. Kelvin wasn’t afraid of fighting her, he just didn’t want to be put in the position where he would have to hurt her. It was different when he thought of taking on the Wanderers with his new abilities. This was just another kid.
The girl laughed out loud.
“Really? That’s all you’ve got? The great, brave, courageous prince of Earth who rode to gallantly fight for the people of Venus tells me I’m not supposed to be here. No kidding, prince, that’s why it’s called a liberation. Dictators don’t just welcome the ones bringing freedom.”
“They’re not dictators and what you bring is not freedom. Have you looked around since you got here? Who exactly do you think you are freeing?” Kelvin said. The sharp pains in his stomach and chest told him the anxiety was coming on, but he remembered his breathing and didn’t flinch. “What’s your name?”
“My name is not important. What’s important is you’re going to stay out of my way and surrender that staff in your hand. Then, you’re going to surrender to my commander and you’re going to recommend to Queen Tendai that she do the same.”
“I don't think you know what you're dealing with. Whoever you are, I don't want to hurt you. Just drop the staff and walk away. It's over for you and the Wanderers. The Uranian Corsairs are in orbit. Earth Navy will be here any minute. The ones who cooperate are the ones who will get lighter sentences. You're just a kid, like me. You don't have to do this. You don't have to follow them.”
Juda’s blood boiled at the suggestion she was anything like Kelvin. The grip on her staff tightened and she prepared to take her first swing at him. She remembered what the Colonel taught her: Thalosi was several things that needed to happen simultaneously. No one in the rest of the Wanderers could match her, but she realized Kelvin had been trained as well. This would not be much of a test to go up against a privileged boy who’d had no more than a few lessons. Juda trained for this day for years.
“You have no idea, do you?” Juda said. Kelvin just thought she was a common Wanderer thief who had come for Queen Tendai’s prized piece of Venus. “You have no idea that all of us have trained most of our lives to become Gravity Warriors. You have no idea that all we needed to do was touch the Sanctuary Spring. Now, most of the Gravity Warriors are dead. The Colonel can lead us against the others, starting with Queen Tendai and her spawn.”
Kelvin’s armor intrigued her. The stone that made up each intricate plate glistened in the light the same way the piece of Venusian core did. The armor would give Kelvin a slight advantage, but Juda was confident in her training.
“His name is Justeph Leray. He only calls himself the Colonel because he doesn’t want anyone to know who he really is or what he did. The Colonel is a murderer and if you think he’s going to stop anytime soon –– he’s just getting started.” Kelvin’s expression didn’t change as he said the words he hoped she’d believe.
“You lie. Lies from your history books, written by the tyrants of the Nine Kingdoms! The Colonel was expelled because he tried to free the people of Venus.” Juda could not ignore the chord of doubt Kelvin struck by invoking the murders of the Colonel –– but she wanted to.
“He fled Venus because he tried to overthrow Queen Tendai and murdered many of his own people. This is a power grab for him! How can you not see that? Real change is brought by democracy and debate. The Colonel…Justeph…whatever you want to call him –– all he’s bringing is war. It’s not too late. Lay down your weapon. You and your people can have a place in the Nine Kingdoms!”
Juda did everything she could not swing at Kelvin in a blind rage. The anger was too strong for her to make the first move. Even though she was sure she was more capable, Juda knew better than to fight angry. She’d been taught that anger leads to irrationality and sloppiness.
“How dare you! My family and my people searched for years for a home. None of the kingdoms would permit us to live on their planet unless we pledged to be citizens. Your planet included. The great King Erelm turned us away. We were sent into the maze of the Antioch Belt and forced to survive on mining ice to make water and grow hydro-crops on our flotilla. We found the Pirates of Mercury and they took us in. The Pirates of Mercury turned out to be the only people in the solar system who would accept us for who we were. You’ve never known what it is to not have a home. You grew up in your palace in the sky, with anything your little heart desired.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Kelvin said. “I was alone in that museum, most of the time. Not allowed to touch anything, couldn’t see other kids, and one of my earliest memories is losing my sister. You know why? Because a man my family thought they could trust helped your Colonel kidnap and brainwash her.”
“Oh, you can stop right there, prince. No one brainwashed Aren Sellwood. That woman knew what she wanted from day one. I guarantee you that. She’s one of my earliest memories too.”
“You know my sister?”
Juda didn’t respond, but she started to move closer to Kelvin, no longer wishing to waste her time with words. The Colonel would need her soon, so she needed to get the Venusian core and go. Once they had that, they could get the Gravity Warriors to stop fighting and listen to what the Colonel had to say.
The first blow came from Kelvin. The look in Juda’s eyes made it inevitable that they’d fight. Kelvin decided to end the suspense. Both were equally surprised by how skilled the other was. It was going to be quite a fight. The staffs lit up the room with sparks with the fury of blows between them. Kelvin was the first person to take flight and he charged Juda like a missile. She dodged and managed to land the first blow, slamming Kelvin into the nearest wall.
There was no time for Kelvin to recover from the blow. He was back on his feet and deflected her blows. Juda was fast, but she wasn’t as fast as Teve pushed him in their training. It was her precision that was deadly. It was nearly impossible to anticipate each of her strikes. Juda was very skilled in Thalosi, but Kelvin knew he was faster than her. The gift of Tendai’s armor certainly helped Kelvin with his speed due to it’s properties. The miracle was he’d not yet been struck a second time. Juda had Kelvin backed into a wall.
Kelvin decided to try and fight back after he followed her rhythm of attack. His first swing was deflected by her, but his second landed and sent her flying. Kelvin took advantage of the momentary distraction and continued to pummel her. Juda was surprised that Kelvin landed the hit, but it only made her more determined not to get hit again by him.
She’d spotted a rack of staffs when she’d first entered the chamber. Juda moved quickly and took the second staff in her hand. Using two staffs was very rare for a Gravity Warrior, but the Colonel taught her how. The weight of the second staff was apparent and Kelvin could tell it would slow her down. He didn’t wait to attack.
Juda darted to the other side of the chamber and lifted the second staff. She felt it’s gravity bond to her and it became just as light as the other staff. Kelvin followed her, but she stopped and raised both staffs at him. Kelvin was able to use his speed to deflect the blows Juda dealt him. They were on their feet again, moving quickly and trying not to trip over themselves. Juda was moving faster, but she hadn’t practiced fighting with two staffs. It was more of a way to intimidate Kelvin.
Kelvin moved in and knocked one of the staffs from her grasp. Unfortunately, Juda instinctively reached out for it, and Kelvin used that distraction to knock her other staff from her hand. In the same second, she was disarmed, Kelvin struck her and slammed her against the nearest wall. Kelvin knew he got lucky and made sure to fly to her and keep his staff trained at her head.
“It’s over,” Kelvin said.
Juda didn’t intend to stop fighting, but she stopped at that moment. She needed to regroup. Juda knew just as well as Kelvin did that she’d made a mistake and that was the only reason Kelvin was able to disarm her.
“Look, I promise you I’m trying to change things in the Nine Kingdoms, too. I can talk to my dad. I’m going to be king one day. If
your people want to live on Earth, I’ll make the arrangements myself. I’m sure if other kingdoms were given a second chance, they would be able to compromise on citizenship.”
“Compromise? You people really don’t understand. We’re not a compromise. Neither are the people you call your subjects. We are human beings and should be allowed to call all the planets home. That’s what we’re going to show the people. They don’t need kingdoms. They just need each other.”
“What do you think you’re showing them right now? They’re terrified of you. If you think this attack on Venus has done anything to convince people, you’re living in a fantasy. You’ve brought the war to these people, not freedom. You need to wake up!” Kelvin felt anger creep up his spine and into his chest. His hands shook. Amelia could see the anger and she knew that would make Kelvin vulnerable.
“They need to know that freedom has a price. That’s what we will show them and no one will ever forget the great sacrifice made by the Wanderers.”
“Sacrifice?! That’s ridiculous! That explosion up there just killed dozens of people who’ve survived centuries on this planet. All their knowledge is lost forever. You haven’t sacrificed anything! You’re murderers!”
“When this is over, Kelvin, and you thank me –– I’ll remember this moment. One day, you’re going to wake up yourself,” Juda said. The conviction slipped from her tone though. There was no way to get around the deaths in their wake. When Juda said those words, they weren’t hers. They belonged to the Colonel, Aren Sellwood, and Riz. Juda shuddered when she thought Riz wasn’t even in the war yet and what he would do with his fleet once it was finished.
Everyone assumed the Colonel was the villain, but it was Riz for Juda. The man was crueler than any she’d known and she planned to take him down as soon as she could. Juda didn’t let herself get distracted thinking of the words she said echo in Riz’s voice so many times.