Chapter 12

The transport glided out of the Starship’s hanger, entering the void of space. Through the viewports, Talha could see the faint shimmering of a shield surrounding their craft, enhancing its defences and protecting it from the stellar radiation.

In the seats ahead of her, Tamara and Kal were already deep in discussion, their voices a whisper. Talha could pick up a few words, a sentence here and there, enough to know they were talking about the logistics of their deployment.

Kal had given Gareth directions to travel to Caledon’s nearest moon, Luna. Tidally locked, its pockmarked white surface shone in the sunlight ahead of them, their ship's thrusters swiftly carrying the group into its orbit.

As the ship banked to the right, slowing their descent and gliding over the greyish-white rock of the moon’s exterior, Talha couldn’t see anything around them to indicate the presence of any Mech parts. No component storage facilities or repair centers. Just desolate nothingness. Could the Baron have been mistaken, or were they too well hidden to see from their current height?

“What are we looking for?” Talha called out, interrupting her grandmother’s conversation. Unbuckling the straps that kept her in the seat, she floated above her chair, using a handhold to propel her body closer to the front monitors, where Gareth was piloting. Without an FTL Engine, the transport lacked the artificial gravity of a Starship.

“It’s hidden on the dark side. Stay on this heading. There’s something I want to see first. Don’t worry. It won't take long.” Kal said, already seeing the impatience on Talha’s face.

“What do you mean they ‘should be’ hidden on the dark side?” Talha asked.

“It was still there when I went to stasis. The components are well hidden, and I have no reason to believe they have gone missing.” Kal said, trying to assure the fiery young woman. She scowled at his response.

“But you haven’t verified that it’s still there? What if we’re wasting our time? What if it’s gone, and we’re stuck with our thumbs up our asses?” Talha cursed, her face turning red in anger and frustration.

“Talha! That’s enough!” Tamara reprimanded her granddaughter, already regretting bringing her.

“If they are missing, I will obtain your components somewhere else. But, as I’ve said, I have no reason to believe they are not there.” Kal repeated, looking away from the fuming redhead.

He watched the rocky ground as it sped by, ignoring the others for the moment. Talha spun away from the Baron, crossing her arms with a huff and looking out the opposite window.

“There!” Kal called, pointing out the window. “Slow down the ship, please. I want a closer look.” Gareth nodded, banking the ship slowly to the right, the hum of the thrusters quieting as the vessel decelerated.

Kal unbuckled his seatbelt, propelling himself to the front, where he pushed gently against the bulkhead, pressing his feet back onto the metal deck.

In the distance was a massive crater, hundreds of miles wide and so deep that the sun’s light couldn’t reach the bottom. Unlike the greyish-white surface of the moon, the cavity was charred black. Something had burned the surrounding area, and the intensity of the heat left glass amongst the rock and regolith that shimmered as it caught the light.

Kal barely breathed as he stared at the crater. Seeing it up close made it more real, somehow, than when he stared at it from Caledon’s surface. What appeared as only a slight blemish on the pure white surface of the moon in the night sky was a monument, a testament to the Rebellion.

He was staring at a grave. The final resting place of millions of people, their lives ended in a moment.

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“Kal.” Tamara said, speaking up from behind her. He ignored her voice, staring at the desolation.

“I watched it happen. I was in the palace, practically a prisoner at that point. My father had told everyone it was for fear of abduction. That the Emperor would use me to ransom his surrender, he said I would be a bargaining chip. But the truth was that he was afraid I would turn the people against him. He kept me isolated and alone in that gilded cage.” Kal whispered, placing his hand against the window.

“He was so afraid at the end. Jumping at shadows, terrified of betrayal.” Kal finished, squeezing his eyes shut against the sight.

“What are we looking at, Milord?” Gareth asked, confused. He couldn’t see any traces of conflict one would expect to see after a battle. The evidence would never wash away in the vacuum of space.

“Luna City. I remember coming here a few times while in the House Guard. Stopovers after an escort mission outside the system. They were amongst the best ship repair facilities in the Duchy.” Tamara offered, looking out the window next to Kal.

“Mech manufacturing as well. I started my career here at Luna City on the fabrication line. Low gravity is perfect for assembly, easier to maneuver and more comfortable for the technicians.” Elric added. The large man refused to look, keeping his gaze on the front monitors.

“What happened?” Talha asked, her face pressed up against the window. In the distance, she thought she could see structures on the rim of the crater, what looked like large buildings, toppled to the side.

“Engine failure in one of the docked starships. The explosion took out the whole city. Afterwards, the Duke claimed that it was the Imperials sabotaging the facility. The war got hotter after that, and support for the Duke increased.” Elric explained.

“That was the official story. Are you saying that isn’t what happened, Kal?” Tamara asked. Kal nodded at the question, turning away from the window and pushing himself back to his seat. As he fumbled with the straps, he spoke.

“I had thought that I could make him see reason. But I quickly learned that he would never stop. He was set on a path and would take us down with him. So I spoke out and communicated with resistance groups all over the Duchy. I had hoped that if we gathered enough support, we could force Father to end the war or remove him from power.” Kal explained, finally buckling on his seatbelt.

“Luna City was a tipping point. It was too important to ignore, so some unions and worker groups organized a protest. My Father found out that I was involved, that I was speaking out against him.” Kal paused, looking out the window, thinking about that night.

“I remember the explosion. It was nighttime, and I was out on the balcony when suddenly it was daytime, as if the sun had risen. Father never mentioned it, didn’t say a word about what I had been doing, but I knew. Luna City was a warning to shut my mouth and never cross him. My Father is many things, but squeamish was never one of them.” Kal finished, gesturing for Gareth to continue flying.

The transport slowly passed over the crater, the hum of its thrusters growing louder as the ship accelerated. In moments, the remains of Luna City were left far behind them.

“That wasn’t your fault, Kal. You were only a boy.” Tamara said. She had been on Caledon when the explosion occurred. It was one of the reasons Kal sent them away, sparing them from his Father’s wrath and the war.

“It’s alright, Tamara. I know whose fault it was. I was young and stupid, but I won’t make that mistake again. I’ve learned to be prepared and not to let others pay for my failings.” Kal stated, turning away from the window.

The group was silent as the transport flew across the sky. In only a few minutes, the light was fading, the sun blocked by the bulk of the Luna, leaving them in the black of night. Gareth flicked a switch on the console next to his controls.

The darkness beneath them lit up, the transport’s searchlights highlighting the surroundings dimly.

“Do you know the coordinates, Milord?” Gareth asked, checking his position on the display. A topographical map appeared on the screen, showing the inclines and rises beneath him. He couldn’t see any structures or energy signatures on the ship’s sensors.

Kal rattled off quick directions. The transport banked sharply to the left, realigning with a new course. Travelling swiftly through the darkness, they arrived at their destination.

“We’re here. But I’m not still not seeing anything on the sensors. Are you sure this is the spot?” Gareth asked, confirming again that there was nothing below them, just rock and regolith. There were no energy or radiation signatures, nothing to indicate that there had ever been anything here.

“This is the spot.” Kal said, unbuckling his seatbelt and floating to the front of the ship. Tapping a few instructions into the control console next to the pilot’s seat, he brought up the topographical map. Magnifying it, he pointed out a fissure. It was hidden under an overhang, making it difficult to see with the naked eye.

“Down here. It should open up, but be cautious. Anything could have changed in five centuries.” Kal said, patting the Pilot on the shoulder reassuringly before returning to his seat and strapping himself back in.

“Here we go.” Gareth said, taking a deep breath before pointing the nose of the ship downwards towards the darkness below.