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I WAS WEAK, AND I HATED myself for it. It was difficult, because I hadn’t eaten in almost a month. Luckily, I had enough body mass to make sure that wasn’t too much an issue.
“Are you ever going to stop dragging your feet and just move, Valentine?” The Phelb forced to drag me on a litter grunted. “If you just move...”
“Aw, are you tired of carrying me already? It feels so magnanimous.” I quipped. I had refused to walk since I heard the explosions of Vandorian weapons only half a mile or so from me. The Phelbs that had been running from my men had been forced to carry me, and I made use of what was left of my bulk in the straight jacket. They hadn’t bothered to secure my legs, though, and I was biding my time for the moment that they decided to get stupid and careless.
“Just surrender.” I said. “They’re going to catch you.” The high priests were being carried by slaves in odd little chairs with long poles attached. I had no idea what they were called. “We welcomed one of your people,” I called, talking to the slaves once more. “Peter Stevins. He was a Sergeant in the Marauders, and he turned to join us. You would all be welcome on Vandor.” A few of the slaves had been listening to this for the best part of three days and were starting to get keen. In fact, I knew at least three of the five groups were ready to break and run to Vandorian forces. They were just too afraid of their masters.
I adjusted. “Do not fear them.” I said softly. I transferred my weight onto my left shoulder, even with the straight jacket, I had some motion. “They will kill you no matter what you do. Come with me and choose life.”
The column stopped. There were two hundred and three of them, one of me, and fifty or so slaves. I was bound. So, a far fight.
There was a massive explosion at the mouth of an alley about two hundred yards behind me. That was all the que I needed. I dropped my shoulder and rolled onto the ground, then popped to my feet. Too fast, and I swayed, stars swimming in my vision.
I dropped to a knee and drove my shoulder up into the stomach of one of the Phelbs that tried to reach me. He dropped down and I drove my heel down on his face and smashed it into the ground. I looked towards the slaves and then back towards where I knew my people were advancing. “Join me!” I cried. I needed to run. I only had enough energy to make it maybe halfway to the Vandorian formation, and I couldn’t stay here and fight.
Several of the slaves looked back and forth and then, to my great pleasure, they broke and ran, trampling the Phelbs in their path. Two of them helped me run, unlashing buckles and pulling the straight jacket from me. I pulled my arms free and took a deep breath and felt my body surge back to life, even weakened. I paused, picked up a Phelb rifle and then stopped. I turned and faced the advancing line of Phelbs, flicked the weapon’s selector switch from safe to fire and held the trigger down. I fired until the magazine was empty and then threw the weapon to the ground.
Fifty Phelbs lie dead and the others that had been advancing stopped and stared at me with wide eyes. I held my arms wide. “Come on!” I shouted.
None of them moved. I heard a clatter behind me and I turned to look back. Corporal Vearse was standing in the alley behind me. He lowered his weapon and removed his helmet. “Sir?” He asked, his voice quiet. I noticed that he had First Sergeant chevrons on his shoulder. I didn’t take much notice.
I turned back to the Phelbs. I don’t know what came over me, but I screamed at them. Loud, and loud. I held my arms out wide and advanced towards them. They took a step back, then two, then broke and ran.
My chest heaved, and I stared after them as they fled.
“Sir?” Vearse asked again.
A hand touched my shoulder and I turned. Peter pulled back a little, then held up a green hypo needle. “I need to give you an injection, sir.” He said softly. “You are malnourished, and you are hurt.”
I exhaled and nodded. He injected me, and I felt my mind clear a little.
“Kelis?” I asked. Vearse laughed slightly, and I looked at him. “What?”
“Half dead, a prisoner for a month and a half and you only care about someone else.” He shook his head. “I just want you to know sir, if you ever need me to follow you into the gates of hell, I’m with you.”
I nodded absently, not processing much. “But...Kelis?”
“They held, Destota.” Peter said. He pushed my shoulder down gently, until I finally gave in and settled onto the ground. I blinked rapidly as the stimulant took over. “Mallory?”
“In orbit.” Vearse said and held out a hand with a communication device.
I glanced up at Peter and squinted slightly before I tapped the icon to open the channel. “Did you find my rifle?” I asked.
Peter laughed. “Yeah, we’ve got it.”
“How many...?”
“Two hundred and thirty. Your carbine was melted and broke in half.” Vearse answered.
“Broke in half?” I asked, frowning.
“You apparently used it to beat them to death.” Vearse said. “We saved it. It’s going in the hall of fame, sir.”
I pushed the button for the comm link and Mallory’s face appeared on the tiny screen. “Destota?” She breathed.
“Yeah. Hi. I love you.” I said, rambling out the first thing that came to mind. “I’m okay. I’m just hungry.”
And just like magic, a ration bar appeared in my hand. I glanced down at it. I was loopy more than I realized, all my anger burned up and all my adrenaline gone. I bit into the energy bar and waited for Mallory to burst into an angry rant at me.
“I love you too.” She replied, holding a hand over her mouth. “Are you okay?”
“Sure.” I said around a mouthful of energy bar. “I killed their pope. It was hilarious.”
“I know.” She said. “We have your helmet cam footage.”
“Oh. That’s really cool.” I said absently. “Hey, how’s the fleet engagement going?”
“We won. Awhile ago.” Mallory said. “We crushed them all.”
“Oh good. Where is Wingell and Venlent?”
“Venlent is in custody, on her way Vandor awaiting trial.” Vearse said quickly, I looked at him.
“Really?”
“She could have saved you.” A new voice said, boots crunching on broken bits of building. “She had five hundred Night stalkers, plus Vearse and Wingell and Peter. She relieved Vearse of duty when he tried to detach himself and go down alone.
“Ivata,” I said shaking my head to clear the cobwebs that kept threatening to overcome me. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you, brother.” He held out a hand and I clasped it and rose to my feet.
“That’s nice of you.” I said. I remembered my wife was still there too. “Hey. Sorry. I’m a little...”
“Out of it. I understand.” I looked at Vearse and my legs turned to jelly and I collapsed. Ivata and Peter caught me and held me up. “Hey,” I said as they lowered me to the ground. “Can I go home now?”
“Absolutely, Colonel.” Vearse said, plugging his earpiece in and lowering his helmet back onto his head. “For the time being, I am going to go murder all those fucking Phelbs.”
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