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Present Time
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There are sounds all around me, the sizzling of electricity burning wire, the creak of metal and the blaring of an alarm. I feel disoriented, my head throbs, my body aches. I struggle to open my eyes, the only usable light from the flashing red strobe lights; my memories are foggy as I try to parse how I got here, I am on a different shuttle than before. Some type of solid foam that clings to the walls is liquifying onto the floor. The hull of the ship is full of large holes, only darkness on the other side, sparks fly from every direction, leaving spots in my vision. I try to sit up, something stops me. I can’t even move my head to look down, tilting my eyes, I see I am held in place by the foam like substance. I can move my hands, but they are pinned to the seat. I will have to wait for the foam to release me.
The gravity feels strange, almost like it’s heavier than I’m used to. A piece of liquifying foam slops onto my clear face mask. When did I put this mask on? How did I get here? Where is here? I move my eyes to look around. I see a figure slumped on the ground. My eyes widen as I realize it is Lunara, blood streaks from her forehead.
Suddenly I feel a change in our direction, like we are sliding off something. I hear a groaning of the metal as it begins moving faster. My grip tightens on the seat as I realize we are free falling. On the edges of my mind, I feel the claws of the demon from the black box starting to scratch.
Crash – the ship hits something, jostling back and forth, almost like we landed in a liquid. My eyes blink twice as I see water sloshing in through the holes of the ship, illuminated by the red lights. The water begins filling up the craft rapidly, lurching us into the depths.
Call into the abyss for my power
The demon’s voice says in my head. I struggle against the foam but even my metal parts are not strong enough to break free. The water begins to rise, the panic with it, scattered memories form once more, flooding my mind.
***
6 hours ago
***
From the viewport of the shuttle I see a larger ship approaching, three times the size of our own. The hull is painted white, the insignia of the republic emblazoned across it.
“JL987-GH316 this is Republic Space Command, prepare to open your rear loading bay door for the escort team.”
“Negative Republic Space Command, I repeat negative, cannot comply.” Fennec says.
There is a pause from the voice on the other side for a moment. Fennec shoots a glance to Lunara.
“JL987-GH316 if you do not comply, you will be breached. As per regulation…”
Fennec slams his hand on the comm button interrupting them.
“We are a civilian vessel experiencing mechanical failure, the containment field generator is down. If you breach you will space all occupants, which is a violation of…”
Fennec pauses as he swipes through his holopad, a concentrated look across his face.
“Regulation RSC-5679-642-11 regarding the treatment of Republic citizens in distress.” He says finally.
There is a long silence that follows.
“You’re going to need to take him. No telling what’s on the other side. Hate to admit it, but he’s a pretty good scrapper.” Fennec says, shooting me a look, a nod follows.
“I can handle it alone.” She protests.
“I’m not doing my part unless he goes. You need a second set of hands, just in case.”
“Slagging hells, fine Fennec.” She says, giving me a look now.
The comms chime. A new voice enters the comm channel.
“JL987-GH316 this is Republic Space Command actual for this solar system, an escort ship will tow you to flagship Thorn’s main hanger bay. Await further directives.” The voice says.
My mind spins as I hear the name Thorn, I remember it clearly, its name burned into my memory. It is Governor Adonius’s house flagship. They mean to take us there. The place that spit emperor scorpions onto the sands to slay my people.
“What is the meaning of this?” I ask. The rage stirs from its slumber, it hears the call of the focus that guides me.
Lunara comes forward now, floating across the shuttle in the zero gravity.
“Do you trust me?” she asks, staring deep into the abyss of my eyes.
“We don’t have time for that.” Fennec says pointing outside the ship.
Peering out I see the larger ship is upon us now. A large metal wire begins extending from the back of it. A soldier coming into view, their white metal suit making them blend into the white of their ships. They push off the back of the craft towards us. A dull thud as they land feet first, the thick wire dragging behind them. The soldier pushes the end of it into some kind of metal housing, the light flickers in our shuttle as they do. Returning through an open doorway on their larger ship once they finish, the metal door sliding closed after them. As soon as the door closes, I feel a small tug as the cord becomes taut, turning our ship until our loading bay door faces theirs.
“JL987-GH316 this is Republic Space Command actual, release command of the vessel to the escort ship.”
“Cannot comply Command actual, systems are malfunctioning.” Fennec replies.
“Roger that. Our scanners from the escort ship indicate three lifeforms on board, ready to receive credentials for them.” The voice says.
Fennec’s jaw clenches before he presses the button “Please – repeat Command – actual, comms seem to be mal – functioning.”
He turns it off now, looking to Lunara.
“When we punch it, you’ll have less than ninety seconds to get in and get command.”
“I know.” She says tying her scarf over her face. There is a determined look to her, even with most of her face covered now, I can feel it.
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Fennec rolls his neck, opening and closing his uninjured arms hand.
“Let’s do this.” She says, moving towards the loading bay door.
She beckons I follow with a wave of her hand, and I reluctantly do. She has not shared her plan with me, I do not even know what is about to happen. It is frustrating to be kept in the dark.
“Try not to kill them.” She says to me, sincerity written on her face “They are just regular soldiers trying to do their jobs, they don’t have a choice.”
My teeth grind, we go to battle I surmise now. Yet she wishes to dull my blade with sentimental thoughts. They are soldiers, they have chosen this life, chosen to oppress my people. My blade does not have mercy for them. Her words do not fall on deaf ears though, as my heart still listens for the tune her words bring.
“Kale, some of them…” she begins.
“Remember, ninety seconds after the pulse.” Fennec says loudly, interrupting her.
“Do not let go of me.” She says grasping me tightly with one arm.
My eyes blink quickly, my heart begins to thump in my chest as I feel her arm squeeze me. Her eyes lock onto mine.
“Trust me.” She says softly.
“Game time!” Fennec yells, an emergency door sliding closed behind us, separating the cabin from the loading bay.
The loading bay door opens, my eyes widen as a shimmer appears at the entrance, it is an energy shield. Their shields can even block space’s deathly embrace. I wonder if they all can do that, or only some. I had learned as a boy from Sage Artemius about the vacuum of space, inhospitable to most life he said. Yet I stare out into its expanse. It is still surreal, after a lifetime of watching ships leave my planet that I am finally on one. I only wish my tribe were here to see it.
“Deep breath.” She says, her eyes meeting mine for a moment. I do as she says.
Her eyes turn towards the escort ships bay door, a shield erupts from her waist, flowing over her and onto me. A massive static pulse rips through the air as the lights go out. The shield on the door ruptures and the air in the compartment rushes out. I can see the other ships lights have gone out as well. She pushes with her foot firmly against the wall, sending us flying as the loading bay doors shield fully disintegrates. We move quickly towards the other ship, her shield shimmering against the darkness of space. I cannot breathe even though I feel a thin layer of air pressed against me, but the shield seems to be protecting us from the great void. As we land I try to grasp onto something, anything before we bounce off the hull.
She slams her hand against the door control panel, grasping the edge of the curl her fist made. I find myself clutching her firmly now as inertia tries to pull me from her. She motions for me to grab the panel and I do. Pulling from her hip the hilt of the blade of light now, grasping it in her other hand, it erupts spilling forth a bright light.
She carves through the thick metal of the escort ships bay door like it was cloth against a sharpened blade. Dust plumes behind us as air rushes past, pushing us, my grip almost slipping. She pulls me in through the hole now, her strength is ferocious. A counter appears on her holopad’s display.
23 seconds
The lights on the craft begin flickering on again, a containment field slides over the breach she made. Gravity begins pulling me downwards to the floor of the escort ship. The gravity actuators must have come online. I follow in her shadow; she seems familiar with the vessels make.
36 seconds
We reach another door, she slices it open, then kicks the door into the space beyond. She retracts the blade of light putting it back on her hip. My jaw flexes, she weakens us by having compassion for those who do not deserve it.
47 seconds
My eyes take in the room as the dust from the blades cut begins to be pulled into the air filtration ducts. Twelve soldiers stare back at us, two in suits, two at the helm, one wearing a different uniform, the same symbol the doctors in the Colosseum wore is emblazed on one of their shoulders, on the other is the insignia of the Republic – the rest pause as they take us in. Eyes growing wide as I spin the singing blade in my hand, now frantically trying to get into their metal husks.
50 seconds
My blade glides through the dust as I move in it, letting it cloak my movements. I roll towards a soldier with one foot inside the suit and slice their other foots Achilles tendon as I move, they stumble backwards to the ground. I move to my feet again and I crash into the next, knocking over their armor into another. My jaw flexes as my blade turns at the last moment before it is about to find purchase in their throat. Her words have infected me, challenging my resolve. My blade whispers anger as I aim to maim and disable instead of kill. My blade does not betray me though as it slices tendons, scraping bones, careful to avoid the arteries it desires.
64 seconds
Lunara slams her fist into the side of the second armored soldier, already having dealt with the first. She unleashes a fury of blows that come in quick succession, each strike denting the armor. One of the soldiers from the helm of the ship moves towards a recess in the wall, I realize too late why as they grab plasma rifles and begin throwing them out.
“Authorize all.” The soldier says as he chucks them.
My eyes follow them through the air, the red light turns yellow on the rifles. Others who have given up trying to suit up catch the weapons.
“Ownership accepted.” The first to catch one says, placing their bare finger over the yellow light, it flashes green now. Sections of the rifle becoming illuminated as it hums to life. The others follow suit.
Sekat.
The armored soldier is sent flying by Lunara, smashing into the one who throws weapons. It is pandemonium as the plasma begins to rip through the air, sparks flying everywhere, molten metal falling to the floor. The shots hitting other soldiers who cry out in pain. I move into the remnants of the dust cloud, towards the shots.
71 seconds
Lunara pushes off the wall towards those with weapons, she smashes into them a speed that defies logic. Shattering the bones in their arms as they try to block her. She grabs the rifle from one and smacks another across the head, sending them to the ground in a slump. She steps towards the helm, punching another soldier so hard in the face that his jaw unhinges as it breaks and dislocates at the same time. Her shield shimmers as the two who still have weapons focus their fire on her.
Taking advantage of her distraction I move towards them, kicking the back of one’s knees, his shots firing into the ceiling above, molten metal dripping onto his chest. The other whirls around, I punch them in the throat, then knee them in the groin, to my surprise I hit a guard of some kind. They try to swing the butt of the rifle at me, I spin, slapping them in the side of the head with my half-melted metal hand, sending them to the floor.
83 seconds
There are two more, desperately trying to get into their suits still. Lunara is busy at the helm fiddling with something, there is not much time left, I have been keeping count in my head. I move towards them, one a man and one a woman. There is fear in their eyes, more so than the other soldiers who lie on the ground moaning or unconscious. Their fear irritates me, how can they be the ones to step on my people’s necks. How can they be the ones to dole out the masters will. They try to square up with me now, one pulling a knife, their hand trembles as it holds it weakly.
Something tells me they must be fresh recruits, they look to be the youngest. My blade wants them, but my heart has already heard the serenade of Lunara’s words. When I lunge forward, the man drops the knife covering his head. The young woman steps in front of the young man, with her arms raised. My jaw tenses as I see it, flooded with a memory of my childhood. A memory I thought I had buried deep in the recesses of my soul.
“Surrender.” I say after a small pause. My will to strike them is fading as I try to push the memory back down now. My flesh hand wants to tremble, I feel it.
Lunara glances back at me, a strange look in her eye. The ships lights flicker. She looks back to the panel swiping something on a holo projection.
88 seconds
“Command Key accepted.” A robotic voice says.
“System erase all other command keys, enact quarantine protocol 117.” Lunara says, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Command accepted.”
The communications panel goes dark then turns back on, less buttons lit up this time. Next the other panels do the same. The soldier with the patch on their shoulder, the ones that doctors wear stands now from behind a knocked over metal armor, in her arms she carries supplies of some kind. I move towards her as she kneels down, injecting medigel and something else into one of the wounded.
“Either kill me, or let me work.” She says, not turning to look at me, instead focusing on her patient. There is less fear in her than the others.
Lunara moves between us, stopping me in my path.
“Sedate them, and you may continue.” She says.
“Already doing that. Don’t tell me how to do my job… Noble.” The woman sneers. She is older than I first noticed, wrinkles around her eyes, a few shoots of grey in her hair.
This is the first time I have seen someone who is not Kuwathi treat a master like this. It is strange to see, are there more like her I wonder. Thinking back to what Lunara said about them having no choice, questions begin to fill my mind.
The woman looks up at me now, staring at my eyes. Her jaw slides back and forth as though debating whether to speak.
“Juta Nau Pak.” She says finally in the old tongue of my people. Pointing to the soldier on the ground with burns on his chest, blood seeps from him.
My eyes blink at her for a moment, her pronunciation is not like someone raised by the Kuwathi, but her words meaning make sense. In the old tongue she said roughly – Do not stare when you can help.