The courtyard descended into chaos as Morrigan’s group took cover in the wreckage of the tower as more guards and drones joined the fray.
Group three joined in the battle, hurling sharpened stone blades as they scattered.
“We need to get to the blast doors!” Morrigan called as she saw several of her people fall to the deadly onslaught.
“No, no! This not working!” she panicked internally.
Stop focusing on them! You have enemy to kill, Apollyon snapped at her.
Morrigan ground her teeth and stood up from behind cover to take a bullet to the shoulder. She let out a hiss through her teeth and sent a spectral claw through the chest of the offending guard.
An idea sparked in her head as she used the range of her spectral claws to pull the bodies of the fallen guards towards the shattered tower so her people could arm themselves.
Xol crushed a guard with his hammer who tried climbing over the rubble to assault the covered prisoners. He barked an order in the Marmuro’k language and Yekku and Qiote both squawked in response before leaping over the stone barrier.
“What are you doing?!” Morrigan demanded in shock only for him to point in the S’randins’ direction.
She peered over and watched both of them weave in and out of gunfire as the closes the gap with long stone blades at the ready. She had never known the S’randin could move so fast.
A burst of darkness expanded in front of the prisoners to shield them as one of the Eskarii released their magic. While another vanished from sight as the light bent around them.
Morrigan was astonished by the strange abilities the Eskarii possessed yet was thankful their magic could be useful in the fight.
A ball of molten plasma splashed near Morrigan’s face which forced her to duck. She realized it came from the guard who wielded the strange gun she saw not too long ago as she stole a peek over her cover.
She watched as an icy knife impale the weapon like an arrow, and the weapon explode in the guard’s hands in a volatile burst of shrapnel and plasma, nearly vaporizing the guard.
Nora cheered wildly as she stood atop of the tower sending blasts of cold into the mix as well as blades of hardened ice.
Morrigan used a spectral claw to pull the woman off the top of the fallen tower. Nora crashed into Morrigan’s lap with a wild laugh, “this is so much fun!”
Morrigan shook her head, “you’re mad! We need to end this and get to the dock!” she said over the gunfire.
Nora pointed upwards pulling Morrigan’s attention. She watched as a small personal starship was streaking away from the planet.
Morrigan cursed the Warden, “that fucking coward, leave it to him to run!”
She did notice the gunfire was slowing down though. She looked over the cover to find only a handful of guards were left as they tried to retreat to the closed blast door.
“Forward!” She cried out, seizing the opportunity as she vaulted the cover.
She pushed energy into her legs that carried her across the field in surprising speed. She tore into the back of a guard she caught up to with crimson claws and cut the legs off another with a crimson blade.
By the time the invisible Eskarii finished off the last guard, the entirety of Mine 4 was on the surface crying and cheering in triumph.
She was exhausted despite having more to do as she studied the control panel for the blast door. She swore to herself as she realized it was password locked.
“Should’ve kept one of the guards alive…” she murmured to herself.
No worries, we won’t let a door stop us, think of it as that lock in the hanger kid. Use my power, Apollyon pointed out.
Everyone watched as Morrigan strut in front of blast door as she determinedly listened to Apollyon.
She focused on everything that made her angry; the Federation, the war, the little Eskarii girl who was murdered in front of her, Tyrus, Amaranthe and Colonel Sanders who put her there.
The galaxy was filled with all sorts of wrong, she seethed with a fiery hatred for it all.
She called upon Apollyon’s destructive power and two massive spectral clawed hands appeared on each side of her and sent them forward to dig their crackling claws into the stone at the base of the door.
Metal groaned as she pushed harder to lift the gate, physically straining in the effort as the gate resisted her power’s strength. Xol watched as blood began to leak from her nose and barked a loud order.
Xol and Hî’tet rushed to the door and gripped the base of the door that was barely available in an effort to help their leader. Soon, prisoners followed suit and piled against the door trying to assist in prying it open.
Morrigan cried out as something sheared and snapped with a thunderous crack as the resistance broke free, the large, thick metal gate slamming into the recess it fed into.
Her prisoners cheered again as her energy faded and she stumbled, disoriented. Luckily, Nora was next to her to catch her.
“I got you precious, I… Xol!” Nora said in panic when she saw the blood that had trickled from her nose.
“Fine… I’m fine,” she said weakly as her focus ebbed in and out.
Xol rushed over as the prisoners swarmed into the hallway like locusts.
“I don’t know what’s wrong! I think she used too much of her power,” Nora exclaimed as a tear streamed down her cheek. Morrigan unsteadily reached up to touch the woman’s cheek, haphazardly wiping the tear away.
“I'll…be okay,” Morrigan huffed in exhaustion.
Xol gently scooped Morrigan from Nora’s arms and cradled her like a child. His warmth was soothing to her aching muscles. “Rrrest,” he demanded deeply as her head lulled side to side.
Nora stood and grabbed ahold of Morrigan's hand, “we got the rest sweetie, you’ve done enough. Looks like its my turn to play guardian,” her voice still upset, looking up at Xol.
He gave her a respectful nod as he turned to the hall letting Nora go first.
They did not make it far before Yekku sprinted into the hall squawking animatedly.
Morrigan did her best to refocus her blurring vision and bobbed her head against Xol’s chest. “What did he say…”
Xol rumbled in a groan, “no kêşti,” he gruffed.
Even in her delirious state, she knew that it meant there were no ships. “Right… go right, to the control…” she ordered, lacking the energy to finish the sentence.
Xol did as she asked without question. They watched as the prisoners ransacked every room the passed. A brief sound of gunfire rang out which made Xol curl her against him defensively. She put a hand on his chest though, “turrets, in the Warden’s office.”
He huffed in irritation but held her more loosely so she could be more comfortable as she watched the carnage her prisoners wrought.
They entered the control center to find dead guards on the floor, though the rest of the room was left untouched by the prisoners who assaulted it, knowing the room was part of her plans.
Nora directed Xol to the main console and eyed it suspiciously. After a moment of studying the controls, she turned to Morrigan in Xol’s arms. “This shit is too advanced for me, unless you know how to operate it?” she inquired.
Morrigan looked over Xol’s arm then shook her head, “find… someone has to be ex-communications,” she forced out tiredly.
Nora pieced together what she was trying to say and rushed towards the door. Two inmates were walking by when she shouted at them. “Hey! Find me someone who knows communication systems, ask around,” she ordered.
Morrigan dozed off for a half hour before she woke up to a prisoner announcing his job complete, “I rewired the system and bypassed the safety controls to broadcast across every open channel in the system ma’am.”
She gave him a sleepy nod as she tapped Xol’s arm, “set me down.”
Even though he sneered a fanged protest, he did not argue as he gently set her down and supported her until she could get her feet under her.
As she held herself up against the control panel, she turned to the prisoner and nodded. “Start broadcasting.”
ΩΩΩ
It was late when Helen stepped out of the sound proof office to the sound of sobbing. She frowned and followed the sound cautiously, believing she had been the last person in Yuma’s office to finish up work.
It came from one of the empty offices in the building as she heard it prominently though the door. Inside the room, she found the noise to be a curled up Mo’Emori hidden in the corner behind stacked boxes.
“Sweetie, why are you crying?” Helen asked softly as she moved through the room.
Mo’Emori looked up with red, tear-filled eyes at her pseudo-mother sniffling. “Mem…” she said before shuffling to jump into Helen’s arms.
Mo’Emori cried harder as Helen held her tightly, “what's wrong sweetie?”
The alien girl shook her head and buried her face in her chest, “my brawder…” she cried.
Helen furrowed her brows in confusion, “Torvil left with Jen a few hours ago hun…”
Mo’Emori pulled back and shook her head, “No Mem… my brawder Cheronn… he was… he was killed on a mission!” she forced out in tears before Helen pulled her tightly against her immediately.
Helen felt for the girl though she had never met any of her other siblings. Losing a family member is always hard for a human, she could only imagine how it affected an emotionally charged species like the Eskarii. “I’m so sorry sweetie,” she whispered as she kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back trying to soothe the upset Eskarii girl.
She let the girl cry against her until she heard both of their phones ding repeatedly with high priority alerts.
Without moving her she dug into her pocket and pulled the phone out to see a plain message from the CoU central command.
All that the message said was “Broadcast Received at 2200 hrs.'”, with an attached video.
“What the hell?” Helen asked herself which drew Mo’Emori’s attention. She reached up and pulled the phone down to see for herself as she forcibly stifled her crying.
Mo’Emori touched the video and nearly choked on her gasp at what she saw. “Mori!?” she exclaimed.
Helen looked down at the video in astonished shock, autonomously turning the volume up quickly.
The disheveled visage of Morrigan was frozen in place. Her eyes were hollow and her face was covered in blood, part of her messy hair sticking to her cheek. A savage depiction of survival that broke both women’s’ hearts.
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Helen’s hand trembled as she held the phone for both of them to see as her thumb tentative hovered over the play button.
“My name… is Morrigan Emery Clarke. Sold as a slave by the Federation to the Viridian mining prison on Castile V, I have led a rebellion against our master, the Warden, who has escaped retribution like the coward he is… I am in control now. I will relinquish your precious Viridian once I am brought Lieutenant Colonel Amaranthe and Colonel Sanders of the Federation military… the sick bastards who put me here. We have taken control of the anti-starship batteries, so… let’s not try anything stupid. Once I have their blood on my hands the Viridian shall be yours once again…”
Helen and Mo’Emori watched as the video cut out in stunned silence. “Oh Mori…” Mo’Emori mumbled sullenly as grief began tearing through her at the woman she saw.
“We need to get her,” Helen said angrily with determination as she got up and stormed out of the room.
Mo’Emori blinked and wiped her eyes before getting up and following.
She walked back into their private office to see Helen already typing away on her laptop furiously as she had her phone wedged between her shoulder and ear.
“I’ll have Torvil get ahold of the Sybrydian,” Mo’Emori said pointedly as she opened her own computer, her determination slowly matching Helen’s as she called Torvil.
“What is it my chwaeda?” Torvil asked as he picked up. Always straight to the point.
“We found her. Mori, we found her!” Mo’Emori said sharply.
“Really? Are you sure? Where is the young Swyn’wyr?” Torvil fired off. She could hear Jen in the background questioning their conversation.
She finished sending the video file that was sent to her own phone before going back to fill out a slew of correspondences and requests for action.
“I sent you the video. We need the Sybrydian Torvil. Strike teams, extraction teams, make them send the Serencledd if we have to! Do it now brawder!” she scolded him, her manic energy shifting out of sadness and into furious, hope-filled panic.
She didn’t let Torvil reply as she hung up so she and Helen could focus on coordinating CoU efforts into rescuing Morrigan.
“We’ll get her Mem, we will get our Mori back,” she stated aloud as she took a different route of Intel distribution.
Helen dropped her own phone on the desk, “I know sweetie! Let’s make sure we do…”
ΩΩΩ
The phone rang repeatedly as Theodore Sanders stirred.
He looked at the caller ID and sighed, “You have better have a damn good reason for calling me at this hour,” he groaned angrily.
“I take it you haven’t seen the news,” Amaranthe mused.
Sanders looked around confused, “what in blazes are you talking about?”
Amaranthe sighed, “it seems the girl you dropped into Castile V has a stronger spirit than you expected. She’s taken over the mine.”
“The Clarke girl? Well shit… just send a team there to put her down.”
“I’m afraid it's not that simple. It seems she has implicated the Federation of slavery in a wide spread broadcast. She's demanding we go to the mines and face her,” Amaranthe explained.
“So what? She’s just a girl. No one’s going to believe her,” Sanders scoffed.
“I tried to warn you about the girl. People are up in arms about the implications now. Take a look outside your window.”
Sanders sighed angrily and got up opening his curtains to a quiet D.C. city street. “I don’t see shit Amaranthe!”
There was a sound of glass cracking as a bullet pierced the window. Sanders strained his breath as he looked down at the blood pooling against is sleep shirt before collapsing to the ground.
“Old men and their ignorance have always been unhealthy for our glorious Federation. I warned you the girl was dangerous, now it seems like I must pick up the pieces and fix this mess, shame you won’t see the glory I will lead the Federation into,” Amaranthe said in amused pride as he hung up.
All around the globe he had Black Ops agents stationed for this moment to assassinate every ranking official and diplomat. One by one Amaranthe received a notification every second like a symphony of death that moved him closer and closer to the top of the Federation.
ΩΩΩ
Morrigan was able to rest after sending out the broadcast as she curled up with Nora in the control center.
Nora watched her sleep as she gently ran her fingernails through her hair with a smile.
There was a flash on the overhead screen that zoomed in on a ship that snapped into proximity of the planet. The ship was massive with dark gothic architecture though the control center’s computer did not pull up any information on it.
Morrigan stirred as Nora shook her awake, “it’s show time darling.”
She looked up at the monitor as the proximity alarms went off, studying the massive battleship as a smaller ship soared towards the docks on a different monitor.
“Don’t think that’s a Federation ship,” she growled as she got up, “I swear I will shoot that ship out of the sky.”
She rubbed her eyes as she forced herself to look livelier. She had seen Federation starships before in historical texts however, she tried not to assume. It wouldn’t be surprising if they had off pattern ships roaming the galaxy.
“It’s definitely not a pirate ship. Way too clean and well built,” Nora noted. “Guess we should greet them and see if this is what we’re hoping for.”
Morrigan nodded and made for the door. Xol standing alert as he watched her go to leave. They made their way to the dock and waited within the transfer area. It was just Morrigan, Nora and Xol as a greeting party, not risking trigger happy prisoners within the solid glass transfer area she once walked through.
They watched as an impressively large drop ship docked against the gate with expert mobility. The rotating yellow lights flashing as the air pressurized in the dock lock. Xol twitched in a predatory manner as he held his hammer at the ready, the large stone hammer head at the ready to use as a shield in front of Morrigan.
Nora however, remained casual and calm as she picked at the dirt underneath her nails as the dock door started to lift.
As soon as the door lifted high enough, two waves of soldiers clad in black armor with red and silver trim, half of them carrying large riot shields as they made a phalanx wall on their side of the transfer area.
Morrigan flashed her crimson claws, her skeletal wings flaring as her anger peaked drastically.
“If they came for a fight, I’ll bring them death!” She roared internally.
I’m as proud of you as I could possibly be little reaper, but let’s just give this a minute though, Apollyon observed.
She growled in irritation, her face twisting in anger as Nora and Xol stepped forward at the approach of heavy-footed boots. Nora even had her icy daggers out now.
The soldiers spread far enough apart without taking their weapons off of the deadly trio. Who stepped through the phalanx was an older man in his mid 60s dressed in a long black hard leather trench coat lined with gold filigree and wide brim hat that hid most of his features. Amongst the subtle ornate details of his uniform was a badge depicting a winged skull with a vertical sword behind it, a monocle in one of the eyes of the skull as it sat upon a red banner.
“It’s good to finally meet you face to face Ms. Clarke,” the man said. His voice was pleasant and easy going, enough to stagger her anger with a touch of diffused confusion.
“That all depends on whether you brought me those two bastards or not, who are you?” she growled out.
He smiled in a way that showed his amusement but also told her he was not what she was hoping for.
“My name is Gregor Solomon, I am the Lord Inquisitor of the Inquisition. Though I am disappointed to tell you I don’t have either of those men in my custody,” he said in a cocky tone.
“What?” both Nora and Morrigan asked simultaneously. Though, Nora seemed have more of a clue of who the man was.
“To which part my dear? What is the Inquisition? Or was that a exclamation to my lack of upper echelon of the Federation in my company?” he mused.
“The Inquisition… you're the galactic police designed by the supposed Lord Inquisitor.. backed by both the CoU and the Eskarii government and given the power to do just about anything, a haunting myth to the pirate groups…” Nora rattled off in shock and confusion.
Solomon nodded with an impressed expression as he took off his hat, revealing his bald head that was highlighted by his thin grey beard. “That is the gist, though I am only the founder of the Inquisition, it was only with the CoU and the help of the Eskarii people I was able to establish a system that better serves the galaxy,” he noted proudly.
Morrigan bared her teeth angrily at the idea of police, “I will not go back in there!” she spat as she took a step forward and unleashed her energy in the form of her iconic spectral claw.
A bright blue bubble apparated between Solomon and the spectral claw that crashed into the blue energy shield, Solomon unflinching and stoic.
Oh shit! Yeah… we’re boned…
Morrigan stepped back in surprise, “how the… mage!” she growled angrily.
“That was impressive Ms. Clarke, I must say it’s been a long time since someone almost broke through my shield… we are not enemies though,” he noted in amusement as he took a step forward, causing all three of them to flinch before Xol took a step forward getting closer to blocking Morrigan with a low warning hiss.
Solomon stopped and eyed the Kêzi’kân before him then looked between him and Morrigan connecting invisible dots. “There is no need to worry, I'm not here to arrest any of you, or even harm anyone. I actually come with a proposition that may serve everyone better, including our galaxy,” he stated with a calm smile, unaffected by Xol’s threatening demeanor.
“What offer?” Morrigan asked, angry as she was that the interaction was not playing out how she wanted, her curiosity was as high as ever.
He smiled in grandfatherly respect, “I’ve read your file the CoU has on you. One your mother submitted while she had put the word out to look for you throughout the CoU…”
“My mother!? What have you done with her!?” she hissed as the skeletal wings from her back flared brightly into existence.
He chuckled which brought out more aggravation from her, “Helen Clarke is alive and well I assure you. She defected to the CoU months after your incarceration in this… place,” he stated with a hint of distaste for Castile V. “From what I have heard, she escaped the Federation with the help of friends. A… well per the Federation, a treasonous terrorist by the name of Jennifer Simmons, and an Eskarii named Torvil, it seems they had help from his sister who works for the CoU.”
Reality smacked Morrigan in the face as her energy faded, her face baring her surprise and disbelief as her anger dissolved.
“Torvil’s alive?!” she gasped in surprise as a happy sadness started to take over, her mind reeling from the revelation about her family and friends.
Nora noticed the swift change in Morrigan and released her own energy to move closer and place her hand affectionately on Morrigan’s arm.
“Precious?”
Well, this is interesting, I say we hear the old geezer out. May end up being a better deal than you think, Apollyon chirped curiously.
“What’s your offer?” Morrigan barked with mixed emotions as she took a step forward, placing a hand on Xol’s arm letting him know to stand down.
Xol huffed in an animalistic way as he shifted his hammer upright and planted the handle against the deck of the floor, standing stoically at the ready as he scrutinized Solomon.
Solomon smiled carefully as he stepped closer leaving a five-foot space in order not to earn the ire of either mage woman or the Kêzi’kân who clearly wanted to tear him in half. He waved his hand up, “stand down,” he said calmly, ordering his men to relax which surprised the trio even more.
“As I mentioned before, I read your file, your hatred for the Federation is an admirable quality as is your feelings about the Eskarii and Saurian. Though, we may police everybody, even the CoU who funds us directly, our primary function serves as protecting everyone from the Federation,” he hammered out smoothly.
“Marmuro’k,” Morrigan said with loose ire.
“Excuse me?”
She huffed and folded her arms, “the Saurian race is really called Marmuro’k. They actually do not like the name we gave them…”
Solomon smiled, “see, this is precisely why I came to meet with you. I can see great potential in you dear girl, you’ve even made a connection to the… Marmuro’k, which is unfounded for a Terran. You’ve also proved to be a very unique mage which has only been hearsay until a moment ago. We can train you to control your powers, give you knowledge and the tools to both survive and do some real good for our galaxy… you may even be able to get some revenge against the disgraceful Federation… what I'm saying is, you have the makings of a great Inquisitor, Ms. Clarke, and I’m willing to put my faith behind you to see you rise up to greatness instead of being a single girl with a notion of vengeance.”
Well, I’ll be, aside from the bullshit about training you, that’s a pretty good deal! Apollyon said in surprise.
Morrigan twitched as her emotions fought in her heart, wincing as her head began to hurt. She wanted her vengeance so badly however, the old man before her was giving her an alternate option, one that would require an unknown amount of sacrifice which may never give her what she wanted, yet she may even be able to return to Earth and rejoin her family.
Nora stepped up next to her and placed her hand on her shoulder.
“I don’t know about you precious, but this sounds like an awesome deal, almost too good to be true…” she eyed the man who smiled and gave her a respectful nod.
“But, if he’s willing to house us and feed us while letting us fuck with the Federation? I think that’s a pretty solid deal. Besides, I’m sure if he tried double crossing us you’d make him regret it,” she finished with a sweet giggle.
Nora’s touch helped clear her mind as her words made her smile. She had Nora’s vote so she turned and looked up at Xol, “what about you? What are your thoughts?”
Xol looked down at her with his reptilian gaze before staring down Solomon again, “ez qêketî Mirina Sor,” he rumbled stoically in a challenge.
Morrigan’s eyes went wide at the blind devotion Xol displayed but couldn’t help snorting at the omission of an answer.
She smiled before she turned her attention back to Solomon, the smile fading from her face, “what of the others? We have hundreds of prisoners who followed my rebellion…and 41 other mines filled with prisoners.”
Solomon hummed at that fact, thinking quickly, “we can take those who followed you, but I’m afraid we are running out of time. My ship may be a formidable force however, if the Federation shows up in full force, I’m afraid we would suffer if we tried emptying out this… prison,”
Nora gasped at that, “You’d take a bunch of prisoners?”
He chuckled at that question, “well, we will screen everyone we can take. I’m certain most of those who inhabit this place do not belong here, and those who do not wish to join the Inquisition may be given the opportunity to go home or search for their own life. How many prisoners are available right this moment?”
Nora looked at Morrigan sadly, “319…we were hit harder than we initially thought.”
Morrigan’s filled with heartache at the though of losing nearly 100 inmates who followed her into battle. She knew deep down it was inevitable but that did not take the pain away.
Solomon gave out an order to bring down more ships, enough to take the bulk of her prisoners without even consulting her. He was determined to leave with them whether she accepted his offer or not.
“I just have one question…” she said, feeling the looming question she had been wondering since she came to Castile V.
“What’s that Ms. Clarke?”
She chewed her lip as she looked up into his eyes, “how long… how long have I been here?”
He sighed in resignation as he watched her expression change from pained sadness to a sadness filled with worry of the answer, “I can’t say for certain… but from the reports I received from the CoU, your mother has been searching for you for at least two years…”
“Two…years?” she gasped as her knees gave out, tears streamed down her cheeks as Nora caught her in her arms.
Solomon gave the poor girl a moment for reality to sink in and recollect herself, but with time running short, he requested they get a move on.
Morrigan pushed through her emotional torrent and addressed the prisoners who followed her, explaining the offer the Lord Inquisitor had given.
Only a handful of prisoners turned down the opportunity to leave with them. They opted to try their luck with the next visitors who showed up.
It hurt Morrigan to leave anyone behind, but she understood the dangers that came with sticking around, it was a bittersweet victory for her, so much had happened in the two years she had been imprisoned; heartbreak, psychological torture, friendships gained and lost, as well as losing two whole years of her life to the machinations of the Federation. She was respectively free now though as the initial dropship took them towards the colossal battleship looming above Castile V.