The Gravity Warriors of Venus: Book Two of The Kelvin Voyages

by Kyle Larson

  There was no doubt Juda had done some bad things, but Kelvin wanted to follow the Gravity Warriors teachings and try to bring forth the good in her. More importantly, Kelvin wanted her to do that for herself. He believed she had been misled and that if he could provide a safe place for her, she could find her own way. It wasn’t that Kelvin felt responsible to try and change her, just give her the opportunity to see life outside of what the Colonel had shown her.

  “Were you told about what’s going to happen to your people?” Kelvin said.

  “I’m told they surrendered and submitted to the terms the Gravity Warriors forced on them,” Juda said. She opened her eyes and glared at Kelvin, irritated he’d interrupted what could be her last chance to experience the wonders of Venus.

  “They made their own terms and negotiated with the Gravity Warriors. They’ve agreed to help rebuild what was destroyed on Venus and work towards their freedom. The Venusians are giving them a second chance.”

  Juda scowled at Kelvin. “Oh, how good of the Venusians and their new king. Long live Teve Dubak. God save the king. I suppose that’s where you’re taking me after this.”

  “No, Juda, you’re not staying on Venus. The Wanderers attacked Earth, as well, so we have requested your answer for the twenty-seven pilots that were killed under your command,” Kelvin said. There was a new chill to his voice.

  Juda came to a stop, as did Kelvin. They both locked eyes. The pain of those deaths burned in their minds and there was guilt they shared. Kelvin wished he could have been there. Juda wished she’d been anywhere but there. For the first time, they felt like maybe they had an understanding. War was something Juda was prepared for, but not something she wanted. Kelvin feared it was inevitable, but that the Wanderers would be defeated. They were both concerned about the safety of people, though, on both sides of the conflict.

  “I wasn’t in command,” Juda hissed. “It was the Colonel. All of this was him. I never wanted to hurt anyone.”

  “You are the highest ranking officer that was captured, Juda. Whether you like it or not, the responsibility falls on you. I imagine you and the Colonel would have held me responsible for Earth Navy if you’d won the battle.”

  That was true. The Colonel would have punished Kelvin severely, but ultimately would have propped him up to a high position. Juda knew that was the Colonel’s way, and now that he was gone, she was grateful no one would have to suffer that abuse again. Though, if Aren Sellwood is out there, she’d no doubt continue the cycle. It made Juda very nervous there was a possibility Aren Sellwood survived.

  “You’re right. Someone has to pay. Do I have your word my people won’t be harmed by the Gravity Warriors?” Juda said. “If not, I’ll fight you and anyone else right now. I don’t care if I lose. If you promise me they will be treated fairly, like you said, I will come to Earth and plead guilty.”

  “You have my word. You should know better than anyone, that’s not their way.”

  Juda took flight again and Kelvin followed.

  “I have a proposition for you, Juda,” Kelvin said, as he caught up to her.

  “You mean a punishment?”

  “Do you want to see the Nine Kingdoms? Do you want to have a home?”

  “You mean the mining colonies of their moons you’re going to ship me off too and whatever caged quarters they have me live in? There’s no need to candy coat this, Lord Sellwood.”

  “The Monarch living quarters are modest, but I wouldn’t call them cages. Yes, you would be guarded until you could earn our trust, but it wouldn’t be a cage. If you wanted to attend school with Amelia and me, you could. You should have the chance to figure out who you want to be. You’ve seen what the Wanderers are, now see what we are. As a monarch, I can commute your sentence to time served aboard the ship while I complete the Traditions of Service.”

  The offer shocked Juda. It seemed insulting for a moment, but she thought of the alternative fate. The thought of her family, though, troubled Juda. For all she knew, they probably assumed she’d been killed along with the Colonel. Juda did not want to abandon her family, but with this opportunity, she could bide her time to figure out how to get back to them. It would take her out of the war and perhaps she could learn a thing or two about her enemies.

  “I’ll agree to your terms, but I want to be able to get word to my parents that I’m okay.”

  “You can use my radio lab first thing when we get on board. I’ve transmitted into the Antioch Belt hundreds of times.”

  “How much longer do we have?” Juda said.

  “The Monarch launches in an hour. I’m going to leave you to it. There’s something I need to do before we leave,” Kelvin said. “The guards will let you know when it’s time. Commander Holloway will receive you when you arrive. She’ll show you to your quarters.”

  Juda nodded and flew away. Kelvin watched her go and felt hopeful for a future where they could be friends. There was something about her that stirred Kelvin.

  Teve swung furiously at Amelia with his staff. They were in the Royal Palace in a practice room that overlooked the canyon. He’d increased the speed greatly within the last minutes of their duel. Amelia requested a final lesson from her teacher. She was not looking forward to leaving Venus and the new powers she had behind. Teve had given her a dozen books on Thalosi techniques that she could study in regular gravity. He said if she kept up her practice it would still make her a fierce combatant in the rest of the Nine Kingdoms.

  One day, when she returned to Venus, Teve had no doubt she would be one of the great Gravity Warriors. If he didn’t know Earth Navy needed her so much, Teve would have offered to have her stay and continue her lessons. Teve couldn’t offer her that, out of respect for the path she wanted and for a people that needed her.

  Teve came to a stop and sheathed his staff.

  “Teve, come on,” Amelia said. “I’ve still got a few more minutes before I have to get back to the ship. I don’t know when I’m going to get back here. I want to be able to practice in this gravity.”

  “We don’t need to spend our last lesson clanking staffs together endlessly,” Teve said. “I have something for you.”

  Teve walked over to a large chest in the corner of the room. He removed a small box and walked back to Amelia. She watched with anticipation as he opened the box. Inside were four ornate bracelets that looked like they were made out of lava rock. The stone was gray, but charred, though it looked smooth as glass. Teve picked one up and handed it to her.

  “Amelia, what I’m giving to you is something that has never been given to an Earther. This bracelet is a piece of the Venusian core. Whenever you wear this, no matter where you are, you will have the same powers as you have here on Venus.”

  “Oh no, Teve, I can’t accept this,” Amelia said.

  “No, Amelia, you’ve been given a great gift. The Gravity Warriors must focus on keeping Venus safe and rebuilding our world. The Nine Kingdoms will need the strength Venusian gravity gives you someday. This is not only our gift to you, but it’s also our gift to the Nine Kingdoms. My only request is that you only use it in the direst of situations.”

  “Teve, you saw what happened when this power fell into the wrong hands. We can’t risk that happening again. I understand––”

  “Please do this, Amelia. Please honor these teachings and the Gravity Warriors by using this for good. If the Wanderers return, we will be prepared. I hope someday you return to Venus and join our order. I have no doubt you would be one of my best students.”

  The compliment warmed Amelia’s heart. There had been so much loss and destruction recently, it was nice to hear something that reminded her of the strength she had. Amelia took the bracelet and tucked it into her pocket.

  “Thank you for everything you taught me. I don’t know where Kelvin is, but I know he feels that way. I know you’ll be a great king.”

  “I’m more concerned about being a good son and doing honor to the memory of my parents. I will lead as long as th
e people of Venus will have me. We will hold an election every two years. Perhaps one day, I will simply be a Gravity Warrior.”

  Amelia smiled and realized it was time for her to go. She nodded to Teve and began to walk away. Just as she did, Kelvin flew into the room.

  “Wondered if you’d make it, Kelvin,” Teve said. Amelia stopped and turned to face him again. Teve picked up another bracelet and walked over to Kelvin, handing it to him. “Here’s a piece of Venus, take it with you and keep it safe.”

  Teve explained to Kelvin what it was and he shared Amelia’s hesitations. Nevertheless, Kelvin accepted it and there was part of him that was relieved he wouldn’t have to go back to practicing hours in the zero-gravity simulator.

  “When my mother asked me to train you both, I thought it was foolish. Now, I see that notion was ignorant and disrespectful to you. I can’t remember myself at the age where you are now, but I hope that I was something close to the remarkable people you are. I cannot think of better ambassadors for the Gravity Warriors. You will have advantages that no one else has. All I ask is that you use those bracelets sparingly and remember the responsibility you have. The armor and the staffs –– they will go with you as well. Return them here one day, when you both return to continue your training. You will always have a home on Venus, no matter what happens.”

  “Can I ask you for a favor, Teve? It involves your official title as king –– or leader,” Kelvin said.

  “So a rare piece of Venusian core, sacred armor, and a staff made from ancient stone aren’t favors?” Teve joked. “I think I know what you would ask of me, Kelvin. As the democratically elected leader of Venus, I declared your Tradition of Service to our planet fulfilled.”

  They said their goodbyes, ending with Kelvin and Amelia taking their last flight toward the Monarch, which was already high in the Venusian sky. Teve stood on the balcony of his empty palace and watched them fly to the giant ship. He was content to stay on Venus, but in a way, he envied the travels his students would undertake. The solitude he felt was not something that made him sad. Just as Venus would rebuild, Teve would too. No one knew how long someone could live on Venus, but science suggested it could be thousands of years for a human.

  There was a lot one person could do in a thousand years. One thing Teve was sure of is that he would not be the last of his family. His parents and his brother could live again, through children of his own. He’d always wanted a family and decided as he watched the youth of the Nine Kingdoms head back out toward the stars, that he would carry on.

  Riz smiled to himself as he walked the catwalk, hundreds of feet above the Wanderers’ largest manufacturing facility, hidden amongst the countless asteroids in the Antioch Belt. He’d spent years helping the Colonel build a network of manufacturing facilities throughout the belt, but up until eight months earlier, Riz had no idea they were actually functional. As he admired their latest creation, the monstrous battleship he called the Centurion, it dawned on Riz that everything was his.

  The Colonel was dead. Aren was rumored to have escaped but there was no trace of her shuttle. If she was out there, he had no doubt she was running scared but would eventually show her face in the Antioch Belt. Aren had nowhere to go. The Battle of Venus had done for Riz exactly what he hoped it would do –– leave him the last commander standing. Now, the days of psychotic brutality from the Colonel and power-hungry games from Aren were over. Riz would bring a new purpose and focus to the Wanderers.

  The Centurion would be his first start. Named after the officers of an ancient empire, the Centurion would liberate the people of the Nine Kingdoms. It would be months before it was complete, but the ships of fresh recruits that continued to arrive by the day would help speed its construction along. Most of them were artificial beings from the Lunar Guardians, who were ready to use their extra strength and skills to bring the Centurion to life. Once it was complete, it would be hard for even Earth Navy to stop it. And the Centurion was just one ship.

  Riz took out his mobile and scrolled through the progress reports of the hundreds of ships his crew worked on. He’d dedicated half of the Wanderers to shipbuilding, while the other half trained in combat and tactical skills they would need to serve on each ship. The army he was building was one he never thought possible –– and it was only getting bigger. The Wanderers continued to gain pockets of supporters throughout the Nine Kingdoms and it only seemed to get stronger as their actions became bolder. Once the ship was complete, they’d head straight for Jupiter and bring Empress Orsola to her knees. Once the Jovians were overthrown and exposed, the rest of the Nine Kingdoms would see all of their governments were nothing more than puppets for the Empress.

  For a few moments, he scanned for Aren’s frequency, using their deep space sensors. He couldn’t find her or her shuttle anywhere in the Nine Kingdoms. Riz decided this would be the last time he checked. If she was still out there and she was smart, she would stay away. He almost wanted her to come back just so he could see the defeat in her eyes. He had no intention of harming her, as he was sure Aren was convinced he did, but he just wanted her to put in her place. Riz would offer her a ship but make clear he would lead the Wanderers until they'd freed the Nine Kingdoms.

  Riz still cared about Aren. He considered her family, in a strange way. The biggest problem he faced going forward would be to find a commander willing to attack Earth. Riz could never bring himself to attack Erelm, no matter how angry he was. Aren was the only one angry enough with her own father to do it. Harcrow was too unstable to do it and Riz didn’t trust someone as bloodthirsty as his second in command. Whoever ended up leading the assault on Earth was an officer was someone he would have to look for in his trainees.

  Juda came to mind, as he’d heard she’d survived the attack. Riz wasn’t worried about her at all. The student he trained would already be hard at work on her escape plan and he expected she’d be the one to find her way back to him. Juda Rison didn’t need anyone to rescue her. He looked forward to the day they were reunited, as she would be a powerful ally to have in the coming conflict against whoever stood in their way.

  The thrusters or the Centurion came to life and roared throughout the cavernous room. The heat rushed up and Riz smiled. The Centurion was a blood red chrome, jagged at every edge and looked like a flying bundle of knives, each one pointed in a different direction as they lined the surface of a cylindrical hull. It was nearly complete.

  Riz would be patient and wait. The next time the Wanderers left the Antioch Belt it would be the last time. There would be no more senseless death, but Jupiter would fall. Riz truly believed that. The Wanderers had learned from their mistakes and Riz believed they were stronger than ever. If anything, the Battle of Venus had stripped away those who were weak and selfish. They had new recruits pouring in every day. All the ships they were building would be fully crewed at the current rate. More importantly, people were responding to their message. Thousands of people from around the Nine Kingdoms were leaving their homes to join.

  The Wanderers endured.

  “I have to be honest with you, Kelvin. I don't know what you are thinking. Not only is she a Wanderer, but she was also one of their top commanders. She's a true believer.” Amelia was upset Kelvin hadn't asked her what she thought about Juda. She understood his intentions but thought he was playing a dangerous game. Amelia knew what it was to feel allegiance to officers and a crew –– it wasn't something you just stopped feeling. Juda would feel loyalty for her people and would do whatever she could do to help them.

  The darkness of space was around them in the observatory. Venus still glowed in their peripheral, but it got smaller by the second. The Monarch was headed back into the space between worlds. Earth’s transit around the sun had changed and they were at their worst possible window to head back. They weren’t sure how long it would take them to get back to Earth, but it would be months at least.

  “You should just meet her,” Kelvin said. “She’s the same age as us. We could
have been her, Millie. Don’t you see that? She doesn’t want to hurt anyone. I can see it.”

  “Tell that to the twenty-seven dead pilots and their families. She was on that ship, Kelvin! I don’t care if the Colonel gave the order. No one on that ship spoke up to save those pilots. You better believe no officer on this ship would let Captain Ali do that. They let him do that, Kelvin.”

  “I believe she can change, Millie. If she can’t change, at least she had a chance to choose something else. Maybe she doesn’t want to change. Whatever happens, at least she has a choice.”

  Amelia turned and started to walk away from him. Like Thalosi, trying to have a discussion when you’re angry is useless.

  “Millie, what’s going on? I feel like we haven’t been friends. I feel like we’ve gotten so wrapped up in all of this that we lost something.”

  “I don’t know, Kelvin. I don’t know what to think about any of this. Nine Kingdoms. Wanderers. After seeing what Venus has, it’s hard to go back to this chaos. I wish we didn’t have to. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

  Kelvin could tell that something in the Gravity Warrior training struck something in her that it didn’t with him. Thalosi was something Kelvin was grateful to know, but he only intended to use it to fight the Wanderers. For Amelia, she felt a purpose. It was asking a lot of her to come back with him.

  “We’re headed back to Earth. You don’t have to come back on the Monarch. Maybe your parents would let you finish school on Venus. They could arrange it with Teve.”