Admiral Grim strode over the broken remains of the Republic base on Avonia, a large detachment of Ramshackle Collective pirates marching behind him. He was glad he’d come back to the area after reclaiming his fleet. War always meant opportunity for a pirate.
A door screeched open, and Grim turned in time to see a badly wounded Republic soldier leaning against the door frame fire a sidearm at him. The shot went low and wide, carving a divot out of the earth next to his feet. The pistol fell to the ground and the soldier stared at Grim defiantly. Grim strode over to him and ran him through with his saber.
“Gather anything of value,” he said in a rusty, gravel-laden voice. “Then it’s back to the ships. We have some old friends to visit.”
***
Jasken walked down into the brig of the Wingspan, arms held behind his back. A complement of armed sailors walked with him, an extra precaution given the number of dangerous prisoners aboard.
“This is ridiculous, Jasken,” said Wyven as Jasken walked by the Astralbian lord’s cell. The Astralbian soldiers that shared his cell gathered around him as if preparing for a fight.
“It’s Admiral Jasken, prisoner,” he replied coolly, walking by without giving him a glance.
“It’s Lord, Admiral,” retorted Wyven.
Jasken stopped, but did not turn around. “Is it? Surely your glorious emperor knew you were aboard. True, you are his vassal, but one would think he’d take a little more care if he found you useful.”
Enjoying the exchange immensely, Glinya smiled from where she stood in the corner of her own cell. “What brings you to our humble abode, Admiral?”
“You do, I hear you’re not too fond of the newly reformed Empire,” he said, looking her in the eyes.
“I’m not,” she answered. “Do you think that makes me your ally?”
“It means you’re unlikely to keep secrets for them,” said Jasken.
Glinya laughed. “Don’t let the title ‘Commander’ fool you. I’m just another disposable waspherd. My knowledge of imperial secrets may disappoint you.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Jasken. He nodded to the guards manning the bridge.
Glinya’s door sprung open and she stepped forward, holding out her hands.
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” said Jasken, waving her off.
She shrugged.
Jasken turned and walked back out of the brig, Glinya in tow. The waspherd winked at Wyven as she passed by.
“Alright,” said Glinya when the door to the brig closed behind them. “What’s this really about, Jasken?”
“It’s still Admiral,” said Jasken patiently. “Regardless, it’s about making Wyven uncomfortable, which I’m sure you’re on board with, your ultimate loyalty aside.”
“And the lack of cuffs?” she asked.
“It sold our friendly rapport better,” answered Jasken. “Besides, you’re unarmed, there are four armed guards boxing you in and you’re not stupid.”
“Fair enough, Admiral,” said Glinya, leaning heavily into the word ‘Admiral.’ “Where are we going? Is this where I get jettisoned out of an airlock and you go tell Wyven I’m cooperating?”
“Tsk tsk. So cynical,” said Jasken. “I have no intention of killing you. You’ll be a prisoner until the end of the war, then we’ll return you to your own people.”
Glinya laughed. “So the rumors of Republic mercy have some truth to them? Interesting.”
***
“I hope Cevla’s ongoing spiritual journey didn’t upset you, Darvik,” said Hoon-Kra.
Darvik turned to regard the high priest. He had ventured out to the low wall around Koomia City to sit on the edge and think awhile.
“‘Ongoing spiritual journey?’” he asked. “Is that what you call that?”
“Of course,” said Hoon-Kra. “She communed with an aether beast. I would expect… side effects.”
“The core tenant of the Koomites is the worship of power–basking in it, seeking it. Correct?” asked Darvik.
“Correct,” said Hoon-Kra.
“So you plan to commune with Koo L’Koom?”
“Of course.”
Darvik’s face contorted with thought. “And then what?”
“I will truly be his disciple,” said Hoon-Kra fervently.
“Like Cevla is T’Lak’s?” asked Darvik.
Hoon-Kra smiled condescendingly. “Not exactly. Do you know how my ancestors knew of Koo L’Koom?”
Darvik shook his head.
“Long ago, Solarans came to Krauqia. Some deny that these beings were Solarans at all, but they appeared as golden Krauqians, much as the Solorans of today appear in Human-like form. However, they were not like those who mingle with the Republic now, worshiping the so-called Progenitor, but preaching of the aether beasts.
“Did you know every sapient species has some concept of the aether beasts? They do. But not all experienced them. The Solarans who visited Krauqia brought one in tow. Koo L’Koom. At his approach, the oceans rose in a mighty tide. He blotted out our sun and drove our psychics mad. It is said that the blood that flowed in that day raised the tides even higher.
“The Aethereal Shark swam through the sky, circled our sun and glided back to his heavenly abode. Before the Solarans left, they entrusted the first generation of Koomites with the knowledge needed to commune with the aether beasts, though not until recently were we able to find any to commune with. Koo L’Koom is here, in the Cornucopia Cluster, I know it. And I will find him. I will commune with him.”
Hoon-Kra turned to Darvik with a smile. “Now, rest well, my champion. There will soon be more opportunities to display your power.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
***
Vanbrook headed down to the gym and found Raivyn beating the tar out of a punching bag.
"You, uh, picturing any particular faces, killer?" he asked.
Raivyn snorted, "Jylik, if anyone. But I'm just trying to pass the time."
Vanbrook nodded. He didn't take downtime well himself. He grabbed a practice sword and began doing drills.
"Wanna spar?"
"Huh?" asked Vanbrook stupidly.
"Do you want to spar?" asked Raivyn again.
"Oh, uh, sure," he answered. "Hand-to-hand?"
"Yes," she answered. "I don't like my chances going up against you with blades–even dull ones–but I could use some practice against a bigger opponent. Not to mention one that, y'know," she jerked a thumb back at the punching bag, "fights back."
Vanbrook laughed. "Alright. But go easy on me."
"Absolutely not," said Raivyn with a small smile.
The two stepped onto the mat and circled each other. Vanbrook raised his hand in a kind of fisticuffs fashion; Raivyn stood at nearly a right angle to him, her feet wide and her hands held up, ready to strike. Vanbrook waited for Raivyn to strike; Raivyn waited for Vanbrook to strike.
Raivyn threw her hands up. "Come on, fight me already!"
Vanbrook shrugged and charged in shoulder first, relying on his relative bulk to overpower his opponent. Raivyn stepped aside easily, but Vanbrook's quick feet allowed him to change direction and he struck out with a fist. Raivyn fell back further and slapped Vanbrook's arm out of the way, retaking her stance as Vanbrook corrected.
Looking down at Raivyn with an amused smirk on his face, Vanbrook stood to his full height and walked towards her slowly, hands up and ready to strike or block. When he got within his arm’s reach, he punched out towards her, just to gauge her reaction, like he was feeling out a fellow swashbuckler in a duel. He was caught completely off-guard when she grabbed his wrist and pulled herself in, throwing him over her shoulder and onto the floor.
She laughed as Vanbrook picked himself up once more and rounded on her, smiling wide. He’d thrown punches when the situation had called for it, but he was totally out of his element fighting a dedicated martial artist like Raivyn. Nonetheless, he made an effort now to actually land a hit, but Raivyn was too quick. She dodged his comparatively clumsy blows and made sure to land a few punches of her own.
Eventually Vanbrook found an opportunity to slip past her defenses, rushing her and pinning her arms to her side in a bear hug. She struggled and squirmed, but couldn’t break free.
“Vanbrook, you JERK!” she said, emphasizing the last word with a stomp to the swordsman’s instep. He dropped her and she darted back with a smile, landing a blow beneath his ribs as she fled. He collapsed to the mat, the wind knocked out of him.
“Oof,” he said, chuckling as he recovered. “When are we going to stop hurting each other? First Hittania, then Gateway, now this.”
Raivyn’s face hardened. “I’ve never done anything to hurt you, Vanbrook.”
She walked out of the gym, leaving him sitting on the mat, alone. He sighed despondently and fell back onto the mat, burying his face in his hands.
***
“Bring us in quiet,” said Jasken as the Wingspan exited its jump to Glasaxia.
“We should be alright, Admiral,” said Mairen. “I’m not picking up any Astralbian satellites. I think they were happy to destroy our base and head out.”
“All the same, let’s land as far as possible from the old base,” said Jasken. “We need water but I don’t want to take unnecessary risks.”
“We have a pretty comprehensive map of the planet’s surface,” said Mairen. “I have a number of suitable LZs to choose from, including one that’s fairly close to being on the exact opposite side of the world from our old base.”
“Perfect, we’ll land there,” said Jasken.
“Our onboard ice processing equipment is ready to go,” said Dekken. “As soon as we’re clayside we’ll be ready to start.”
Shortly thereafter, the Wingspan was touching down on the icy surface of Glasaxia with the Shepherd and the Mayblin still attached to airlocks on either side of the ship and the Wabuluban ships landing just down the shore of one of Glasaxia’s deep brown lakes. Talon Squad and Kwa-Kwa’s scouts were deployed with a small group of technicians to start setting up the ice processing equipment. The Wabuluban ships also deployed a handful of soldiers and technicians for their own water needs.
“Remember,” said Raivyn to both groups, “there are dangerous ambush predators on this world, so watch yourselves out here. Watch for oddly symmetrical lumps or stones in the ground, they may be the eyes of a muck newt.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” responded the Wabuluban squad leader, waving a tentacle in thanks from his position down the beach.
The work was quiet and efficient, the Republic technicians were well-trained and disciplined. Talon Squad pitched in where needed and the scouts kept their eyes out for trouble.
Freckles, Kwa-Kwa’s pet, stayed alongside his master. He was a furry, spotted beast about five feet long and covered in a slick brown coat with white spots all over, resembling something between an alligator and an otter. He wore a specially-made aethersuit with an atmo-sampling device that allowed him to sniff the air to his heart’s content.
“Really?” asked Vanbrook as he watched the beast nosing around the muddy ground, looking for signs of life.
Rahk shrugged. The sniper had his misgivings about the animal member of his squad, but tried not to second guess his squad leader. “Kwa-Kwa loves the thing, and he’s got quite a sniffer on him.”
“That’s right, he’s a good boy,” said Kwa-Kwa, patting the beast’s helmet.
He sniffed her hand and wandered off a ways, lifting a leg beside a boulder, though the suit he wore had no accommodations for the behavior.
“Man, I’m not cleaning the suit this time,” said Rahk.
Finishing his business, Freckles sniffed at the boulder, which stood nearly three feet tall, and began growling. Vanbrook looked at the boulder and then noticed a very similar boulder a few yards off. His eyes grew wide with realization. Both “boulders” split open horizontally, revealing the giant muck newt’s brilliant orange eyes.
“EVERYBODY RUN!” screamed Vanbrook, drawing his pistol and firing at the giant eye.
The newt ambushed suddenly and Vanbrook’s shot missed. The round buried itself into the newt’s leathery yellow skin, though not deeply enough to do lasting damage. The monstrous creature’s mouth was opened wide and was easily large enough to swallow an ATUC whole.
Flashing to one side, the beast swallowed half the Wabuluban team in one gulp. Everyone reacted suddenly, drawing weapons and training them on the monster. Red, blue, and golden flashes erupted as ballistic and energy weapons fired, but they had no effect on the newt, which went after the remaining Wabulubans with relish. They scattered, but a few unlucky Wabulubans were swallowed whole.
"Wingspan," said Vanbrook into his comm. "Get your guns ready and aim for center mass!"
The swashbuckler leapt, utilizing his aethersuit's boosters, and landed on the side of the muck newt's head, where he held on and stabbed his saber into one of the huge orange eyes, drawing his blade through as much of the orb as possible. The beast writhed violently, forcing Vanbrook to leap off and use his boosters to get clear of the monster.
The newt rounded on Vanbrook, hatred emanating from its remaining eye. Vanbrook ran full tilt away from the others, the newt hot on his heels. Hoping to gain as much distance from the others as possible, Vanbrook used his boosters again to try to escape the cavernous maw opened behind him, but to no avail.
The sky darkened suddenly as the newt overtook him. He looked up at the upper jaws, rows of tiny teeth lining the outer edge. The jaws snapped shut, but at the same time Vanbrook heard the muffled sound of the Wingspan's ballistic guns.
Raivyn watched as Vanbrook disappeared into the beast's maw, then saw the shots from the Wingspan slam into the newt's side, leaving a massive wound. The monster reeled, but didn’t stop. A second shot followed, and the newt shook violently,hissing hatefully and sliding to a stop in the mud where it lay still, the hiss fading to a gurgling sigh.
A cold wind blew over the white and ochre landscape, with the ships, the newt, and the ground crews all still as the stones. A snarl appeared on the newt’s face as its lip curled up on one side. The lips moved and shuddered unnaturally in that one spot, until suddenly an arm thrust out, saber point leading the way, followed by the rest of Vanbrook. He flopped gracelessly to the ground a couple feet below and lay still for a moment, save his heaving chest. He then stood up, shaking globs of gory saliva from his limbs.
A cheer went up, and Raivyn shook her head. Hearing the cheer, the swashbuckler raised his saber in triumph. Raivyn could barely make out his features given the distance, but she knew all too well the charming grin he wore. Vanbrook may have been a fool, but he was certainly a heroic one.