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The bounty hunter held Arin upright, allowing him to regain his balance slowly. He steadied himself on her, then with a swiftness not indicated by his expected condition, wrapped his hands around her throat and pushed her back onto the pallet, pinning her down with his body. Having taken inadequate precautions, the woman lay helpless, struggling vainly against Arin, life slowly escaping from her.
“I would reconsider that decision,” said Veran. Arin inclined his head slightly, though not taking his focus from his intended victim.
“Why would that be?” he asked casually, teeth gritting as she began to lose consciousness.
“Because she is your only means to escape this vessel alive,” replied Veran, equally casually.
“I doubt that,” said Arin. The woman was beginning to lose her battle with life, arms flailing helplessly against her physically superior attacker. Veran watched the scene a moment longer.
“Enough!” he finally said. Arin paid him no notice. “Stop now Prince, or my friend Arimel here will turn his pistol on you!”
With this Arin let up slightly, turning to confirm Arimel’s presence. The gray man had his pistol squared firmly at the Prince, a snake smile on his lips.
“I don’t believe you,” said Arin. The woman gasped in a gulp of air.
“Don’t believe Arimel here will use the pistol?”
Arin shook his head. “Don’t believe this whore here is our only means of escaping this vessel. Perhaps for you that is true.”
Veran smiled casually. “Yes, but, what you believe is irrelevant. My man has the pistol.”
Arin glanced at the gun again. “So he has,” he said, then released the woman. She slumped to the floor, rubbing at her throat, gasping and coughing for air.
“And how did we get into this precarious position while I slept so peacefully, dreaming Sri dreams?” said Arin, now sitting on the pallet, arms folded. Arimel lowered the pistol.
“To be precise,” said Veran, keeping his distance from the prince, “We are not yet in a precarious position, but we will be in two hours, when we enter near-Earth space, and must face the Defensive Shield.”
“And you fear this? Why? I thought you said Bennis had a chance to succeed with his plan.”
“A chance, yes. But my instincts, my Sri instincts... tell me otherwise. The closer we get to this world, the more precarious our situation, of that I am sure. So I am here to give you a choice. Join us now, freely, and I will stop the treatments. I will let you choose your destiny, your future. If you agree to join our cause, I will allow you to take part in our little escape plan, just in case something should go wrong. If not, you have Pal Bennis to rely on, and his plans for you.”
Arin eyed the Sri priest warily. “And the woman?” he said. She still held her throat, breathing slower now, rising to her hands and knees.
“She is our means of escape. Her vessel is ready even now, just in case some unexpected catastrophe should befall this vessel.”
“No, you misunderstand. Will she be mine to deal with as I please?”
Veran smiled. “A pity the treatments aren’t complete. You would soon forget baser human pleasures. Once we reach safe haven you can do with her as you please.”
“And the treatments will stop?”
Veran nodded. “I had hoped once you became enlightened you would choose never to return to the flesh of a normal man. But it will be your choice. You still have great potential. And some day I hope to convince you of the wisdom of being One with the Sri. But for now, the treatments will stop.”
The woman grasped the pallet and raised herself shakily to three quarters stance, gasping and breathing heavily.
“Then I accept your offer. Unless, of course, Bennis is successful.”
Veran nodded. “I could expect no less. Arimel, prepare a place on the bounty hunter’s ship for our guest. And leave the treatment equipment behind, it will look less suspicious, and be more reassuring for our guest that we are dealing with him honestly.”
“Yes, Lord,” said Arimel. Then Veran smiled.
“She is yours,” he said to Arin.
Arin smiled back, then slapped her backhanded across the face, sending her once more crashing to the floor.
***
PAL BENNIS WATCHED the sphere of Luna pass behind his view on the starmap. Lodar Veran, Prince Arin, and four well armed guards stood flanking him on either side of his command station. Directly ahead, his three bridge officers sat, one step below their commander, out of respect.
“Passing the orbit of Luna now, sir,” said the one on the left without turning, the Astrogator.
“Good. How long until we commence breaking?”
“Twenty-three minutes, sir,” said the one on the right, the helmsmen.
“Tactical report.”
The one in the middle spoke this time. “All weapons bays loaded. Fusion bombs will be targeted on Earth’s major cities in seven minutes. Photon cannon locked onto major military bases, powering up now. Sites provided by the Quantar traitor appear to be accurate at this time. Energy weapons show green for any ship-to-ship combat. EMP satellite deployment will be possible but not recommended unless absolutely necessary, sir.”
“I asked for a report, not an opinion.”
The tactical officer nodded in respect. “Apologies, sir.” Bennis ignored him. After several moments of silence to make the man uncomfortable, Bennis decided to humor him. “What should be our tactical plan, in your opinion,” he said.
The officer turned from his station to face the Imperial Governor.
“Knock out their main base first, sir, with a burst from the photon cannon. They call the base the Cathedral. It is the size of a small mountain and should be an easy target to detect and lock onto from space. It will be in range just fifteen minutes after we reach optimum.”
“Location?”
“Near the 38th parallel, Pacific ocean, North American continent.”
“And what is your reasoning for this selection?”
“Hit their main base first, destroy morale. Command and control will begin to break down. Any space borne resistance will likely fade quickly. Maximum possible fear factor on the civilian population. People in fear make mistakes. Mistakes are to our advantage.”
Bennis pretended to ponder this a moment. “Seems a sound plan. What do you think, Sri?”
“I am not a tactician. At least not in the military sense. The plan seems sound, as you said, Governor,” said Veran.
“Yet you are uncomfortable here,” said Bennis, his tone of voice as if to challenge the priests’ courage. Veran parried the verbal lunge.
“Were I in command, I would choose a different path. But as you so often point out, I am not in command.”
Bennis eyed the Sri priest with contempt, then turned his attention to Arin.
“And you, young Prince? Did they teach you any useful tactics at Director’s training school? That is before you were expelled for cheating?” he said.
“They did not, Governor. And in any event, I think you would mock my answer no matter what it was.”
Bennis laughed coldly. “Perhaps you’re right, and smarter than I give you credit for- sometimes. Nonetheless, I insist upon your opinion.”
Arin eyed the star display a moment, then turned a challenging look to Bennis. “My brother is an honest man, and no fool. Honest men always seem to find allies. He has made allies here, allies of which we know very little,” Arin paused here for effect, “I think your plan will succeed. But I am also preparing to do battle with him another day, another time, if you fail.”
Bennis smiled smugly, grunted slightly, then sat back in the command chair, interest returning to the star display. “At last, a quality in you I can respect. Nearly too late,” he said. Then he spoke to the waiting tactical officer.
“You may proceed,” he said.
“Yes, sir!” said the tactical officer enthusiastically.
“But don’t take any action without informing me first. I don’t want to miss anything. I wish to enjoy the moment to its fullest. Do not disappoint me,” His voice held a stern warning
“I will do nothing without informing you first, sir. Nor without your orders to proceed,” came the sober reply. Bennis settled deeper into the leather commanders chair.
“Excellent,” he said.
***
DANE STOOD JUST OUTSIDE the Command Module of his flagship. Rijkard, Axel and Tannace had joined him there, on his express orders.
“But Sire,” said Devin, “I wish to be involved in this battle! Not be some passive observer. I’ve waited my whole life for these moments!” The frustration in him, and in Axel, was evident. Dane shook his head.
“No Devin. You are a General, my Chief of Staff, you belong with me, here.”
“Please Sire!”
Dane snapped. “I’ll hear no more of it! Your time will come, Devin, to lead our assault to retake Quantar. I’ll need both of you then.”
“But what will we do?” protested Axel.
“I’ve arranged for all of you to be fitted with goggles like mine,” said Dane, handing one to each of them. “You won’t be able to participate, but you will be able to ‘see’ the battle as I do through a virtual interface. Until you have experienced it, I can say no more. Words do not suffice to describe it.”
Axel took her goggles reluctantly, like a scorned child.
“I agree with Devin,” she said. “This is no way for us to do battle. We have earned the right to fight.”
“Axel...” said Dane, exasperated.
“Damn you!” she said angrily. “All we ask is that you share with us the glory of the fight! Or at least the very basics of your plan!”
Dane held up his hands to quell her anger. “I will hear no more of this.”
“But Sire,” said Devin. “Don’t you understand our desire to be more directly involved?”
“But, Devin you will,” said Dane.
“You do not understand, either of you, I’m afraid,” interjected Rijkard. “You will do battle, just not in the conventional sense. Once linked, Sire Cochrane will be able to see the battle through any of our eyes. To ‘hear’ our thoughts as he controls every aspect of the Lightship fleet. Ours will not be a passive voice, but one with his. We will fight through him.”
“But Rijkard,” said Tannace. “I find this- distasteful. It seems so close to what we revile the Sri for.”
“What do you know of the Sri? Of their ways? They alter human DNA. They link themselves through mechanical implants, group their consciousness-”
“Rijkard, enough,” said Dane. The older man seemed embarrassed at his outburst. “Devin, I can only tell you that this process is sanctioned by the church, by Rijkard himself. He alone is arbiter of acceptable practice. I have bowed to his authority on this matter, and I ask you to as well.”
Tannace nodded. “Of course, Sire,” he said.
“Good. Then I suggest we get on with it.” Without another word Dane donned proceeded into the chapel, the door automatically shutting behind him. Rijkard gestured to acceleration couches, and Devin and Axel sat with him. After a few moments Axel spoke out.
“So what do we do now?” she said nervously.
“We wait,” said Rijkard.
***
THE EXPLOSION OF COLOR poured into Danes’ consciousness again. The images painted more quickly this time, first to wireframe, then to solid. He extended himself when he thought it safe, seeking Axel and Devin and Rijkard in the stream. Finding them, he allowed them to join him bit by bit, until they shared full awareness of his field of vision. Though direct communication in the conventional sense was not possible, Dane could sense their thoughts and emotions as they probed each of the ships systems. When they reached out, he had access to their thinking, and they to his. A two-way street, linked by the Lightship, system to system.
Dane put his friends aside and reached out in a different direction, opening the tactical display. A solid of the Vixis, its exact speed, course and coordinates in space appeared. Dane watched ever more closely as the time for action, his first act of vengeance, came closer, second by second, minute by minute. Dane accessed the weapons systems and not surprisingly found Axel there. Always impatient, he thought. Dane sensed Devin’s presence in the tactical system, while Rijkard was linked to external communications, possibly in last minute conference with the Cathedral on Earth. Once he had activated the weapons, Dane turned to the propulsion system and activated the engines. Finally, he turned to the Lightship fleet link, and opened it for the first time.
The flood of a hundred minds came upon him. He wrestled briefly with confusion and a sort of virtual vertigo, then righted himself and began to sort out the essence of the men and women under his command. In these other Lightships, unlike his flagship, a crew of twenty was necessary to operate and maintain system balance. Dane wasn’t sure if he had some special gift, or if his vessel had been simply designed to be more autonomous. In any case, the pilots of each ship were encoded by their DNA, making them solely responsible for the vessel and crew under their command. But in this battle, Dane knew it was his destiny to command them all, and it was a challenge he cherished.
Dane sorted each of his command through the tactical communications link, each one would now respond to the force of his will. A command given would move any ship to a new position, fire weapons, engage or disengage with another vessel. It was a feeling of awesome power, almost intoxicating, and Dane knew it was an experience he could partake of only rarely. But now was a time for action. His first command went out, through the external link, to Earth, and the Cathedral.
“Vixis entering prime targeting position. Launch the Quantar fleet.”
* **
“CATHEDRAL BASE ENTERING prime targeting position, sir,” said Tactical.
“Excellent. Arm the photon cannon,” replied Bennis.
“Photon cannon armed. One minute to prime targeting.”
“Helm, slow us by one quarter power,” commanded the Governor.
“One quarter power, aye,” said helm.
“Tactical, any signs of resistance?”
“Just a moment, Governor. Aye, sir. Twenty-three targets rising to meet us. Quantar Naval design. Sixteen troop carriers with energy weapons, six corvettes armed with light photon cannon, and one asteroid mining drill. No capital ships.”
“Do they pose any threat to us?”
Tactical shook his head. “No chance of penetrating our shields. The mining drill will be targeted and destroyed by our energy weapons, sir, as soon as it’s in range.”
“Prepare to fire photon cannon on my mark,” said Bennis, anticipation growing in him.
“Recommend we wait, sir. Quantar ships have deployed themselves between us and the target. At this range photon detonation would fuse our targeting computers. It should only take a few minutes to break down their shields and destroy them. Primary target will still be in range, sir. Converting to energy weapons.”
Bennis bristled at the insolence of Tactical, then thought better of it. “Commence,” he said.
“Aye, sir. Firing on first targets with full batteries. A hit sir!” Tactical’s voice rose in excitement. “Enemy shields weakening.”
Bennis sought to recapture his stature. “Captain,” he said, motioning to his guard captain. “Have your men assemble in the troop carriers. Once the Cathedral has been taken out I want your men down there to clean up. Terrorize the local population. Loot. The usual.”
“Aye sir,” said the captain, then motioned to his subordinates. Several of them departed the bridge with him, a fact that was not lost on Veran or Arin.
“Energy weapons continuing barrage. Ineffective at this range sir,” said Tactical. “Quantar ships staying just out of range, station keeping between us and the primary. Recommend we move closer, sir.”
“Not as easy as you thought, Governor?” It was Veran’s’ turn to mock. Arin eyed Veran suspiciously. Why is he baiting Bennis, Arin thought. Bennis replied by ignoring Veran. “Take us in,” he said.
Arin looked from Veran to Bennis. He despised both men, and at this point cared not who won between them. His decision was easy. He would speak his own mind now. “He’s drawing you in,” said Arin aloud to Bennis.
“What? Did I hear the young Prince speak?” said Bennis. Arin remained silent. “Carry out my order,” he said to Tactical. Tactical began to move the giant vessel closer.
“Quantar ships in range in one minute thirty seconds,” replied Tactical. Bennis rose from his chair, brushed past Veran brusquely, then stood facing Arin, face red with rage he could barely control.
“Explain, young prince. And pray it is a good one.”
Arin locked his gaze for a few moments, contempt for Bennis in his eyes, unconcealed. He then turned to the star display.
“It is obvious. If the Quantar ships intended to really engage you, they would be making suicide runs, especially if they thought this was their last stand. Clearly, they do not. They are under orders to defend, to keep us occupied for some period of time. I believe in a very short time they will disengage from us completely.”
Bennis waited for Arin to continue, then inquired again, outraged at being upstaged on his own bridge, but growing desperate to know what Arin had to say. “And then, young prince?”
Arin waited a few more moments.
“Targets optimal in thirty seconds,” said Tactical.
“Then my brothers’ friends I told you of earlier will make their appearance, and we will know the true nature of this planets’ power.”
Bennis looked anxiously to the star display. “Not possible,” he said. “There must be another explanation.”
Arin laughed out loud at this. Veran eyed the young man with a mixture of new found respect and wariness. He sees, he knows, he has the gifts! Perhaps he will prove more than we can handle, but there is always great risk in great gain, Veran thought.
“Really governor,” said Arin. “Did you think it would be so easy? I can see now that my fight with my brother will go on a long time.” He sighed heavily. “We have already lost Quantar,” he said.
Bennis stormed back to his command chair. “This is outrageous! You speak foolishness, young Prince. And I have had enough of it! Guards, remove the Prince to the brig!” Two of the diminished bridge guard approached Arin on either side. Arin only smiled, and departed willingly with them.
“Best of luck to you, governor!” he shouted as he left the bridge.
“Targets in firing range!” said Tactical.
“Fire!” shouted Bennis.
Veran moved close to Bennis. “There is still time to withdraw,” he said.
“Shut up, priest,” replied Bennis.
“Act now. Evacuate your troops from Quantar. You can fight another day.”
“Another day?” shouted Bennis, rising again to challenge the priest. “This is the day! This is our victory! My victory!”
“Targets are moving out of range. Energy weapons having no effect. Primary coming into range of the photon cannon again,” said Tactical.
“Arm the cannon!” said Bennis, then returned unconcerned to his chair.
“Governor, the prince was correct. We are being drawn in.”
“I have under my command one of the twelve most powerful ships in the galaxy, Sri. I fear nothing.”
“Governor-”
“Time to primary!” shouted Bennis over Veran.
“Forty seconds!” said Tactical.
“Governor-” said Veran again.
“Guards!” shouted Bennis. Two men began to move menacingly toward Veran.
“Governor!” said Tactical, alarm in his voice.
“Report!”
“Just a moment. Confusing readings.”
“Report!” shouted Bennis, standing again, enraged.
“Confirmed. Multiple targets rising from beyond the ecliptic of the satellite, sir. Incoming on intercept courses at—I can’t track their speeds!”
“Explain!”
Tactical was clearly panicked now. He gathered himself. “Multiple targets incoming, from the moon, sir, behind us. Perhaps as many as one hundred. Configuration unknown. Propulsion unknown. Weapons unknown.”
“Is the photon cannon ready?” shouted Bennis.
“Aye,” said Tactical, clearly shaken.
“Fire cannon!”
“Cannon firing!”
A blue-electric ball of energy emerged from the nose of the great vessel. The star display showed the Quantar ships scattering downrange, away from the Cathedral. The cannon shot drove forward, towards its target, towards Earth.
Without warning, as if the sun were suddenly extinguished, the Earth fell into shadow before them. The star display showed only blackness, with a faint tinge of sunlight at the horizon. The cannon shot impacted well above the surface, its twisting purple energy distorting as it connected with the Shield, fading quickly into the blackness, dispersed. The Earth below them returned to its normal blue-green state as if nothing had occurred.
Bennis fell back in his chair, stunned. “Helm. Get us out of here!” he said.
“Aye sir!” said Helm.
“Governor, give the order to evacuate Quantar.” It was Veran, flanked by the two guards. Bennis stared at Veran, blankly.
“Kill him,” he said almost absently to the guards. Veran stepped back between the two men, touched his forefinger to palm, then with incredible adroitness drew an energy pistol from his tunic and cut down both guards with it. Ignoring Bennis, who flung himself to the floor beneath his command station, Veran bolted for the bridge entrance. As he ran the walls on either side of him exploded in a shower of sparks and a dozen PKI operatives came pouring through the openings, firing coil pistols at the remaining bridge guards, cutting them down with cold efficiency. Bennis cowered in fear at the fire fight all around him. The PKI quickly gathered around Veran, eyeing the bridge crew for any signs of resistance. Veran stepped forward when he was certain the room was cleared of opposition, and shouted at Bennis.
“I leave you now, governor, to your destiny!” And with that they were gone, the whole exchange lasting perhaps twenty seconds. Bennis regained his feet, albeit shakily, and began shouting orders again.
“Hold your stations!” he said. The shocked crew began to regain their composure. “Tactical, report!
“Unknowns all around us sir! They’re firing!”
“Fire at will!” said Bennis, panic stricken.
The Starliner rocked with the impact of a Lightships’ energy weapon, then a second and a third time. The star display in front of Bennis went black, circuits burnt out. Sparks flew again and again on every impact, the ship shuddering more severely each time. Many of the crew began to abandon their posts, running in panic. Slowly Bennis put his hands to his face, head bowed.
He began to weep.
***
DANE WATCHED IN SATISFACTION as the Lightship fleet swarmed the great Starliner like bees swarming a kill. Bolts of white light shot frequently from the nose of the modest sized vessels, each taking it’s turn to exact revenge for loved ones lost, to seek justice with each strike, to cleanse like lighting in a storm. He shared the vision of the attack with his comrades, his friends. Felt their reactions to the sight as well as his own. Joy, anger, outrage, lust for vengeance. In the link he could share their feelings, and he validated them all.
The great ship lurched now, clearly in its death throes, decelerating, momentum carrying it towards Earth, and the Defensive Shield. True to legend, no ship had ever survived an attack on Earth, and Dane knew this one would not be the first.
Broad bands of the Vixis’ hull had been ripped away by the Lightships, exposed metal glowed white, orange, and red hot. Debris littered space near her. Dane continued to coordinate the battle, a ship moving here, another in position to fire there, all responding to his will. For himself he knew the battle was already won, the time coming when he alone would have to act. But not yet. Not until the Vixis hung by the barest thread of life.
Then my vengeance begins, he thought. And the words reverberated throughout the link, touching every mind in contact with his own. And not one allowed disapproval.
***
“IS THE SHIP READY?” said Veran to Arimel.
“Yes sir. Our pilot is being very cooperative. And we intercepted the Prince on his way to the brig, he’s in stasis in the rear hold. Shall we recommence the treatments once we’re under way?”
“No Arimel. I think, for now, we just keep him in stasis. He showed me some intriguing qualities today. Qualities worth exploring more fully at the Dragon Court.”
“As you wish, Lord.” Veran moved to the pilots cabin.
“Get us off this deathtrap,” he said to the bounty hunter.
“With pleasure,” she replied, engaging the engines and breaking free of the Starliner. The space around them was filled with debris and the blast of white hot energy from the Lightships.
“What course shall we make? And how do you propose we get clear of this fleet?” She said.
“Make directly for the planet. We’ll skip off the upper atmosphere and clear enough room to make a jump to light,” he said.
“And then?”
Veran smiled. “With luck, we will find a safe haven.”
“Somehow,” she said, “I don’t consider escaping with you lot to be much luck.”
***
PAL BENNIS WIPED TEARS from his eyes, struggling to reactivate the star display. He moved the dead body of his tactical officer away from the console, not bothering to wipe the man’s blood from his hands. He crossed the tactical viewer node with the visual display and with a flicker a grainy picture came up on the screen. Bennis smiled, almost child-like, alone now on his bridge. He moved back to his command chair, remnants of his crushed command lying all around him. The stench of burned bodies filled the air, but Bennis was oblivious.
The firing had stopped nearly ten minutes before, giving him the time to reconnect the display circuits. The star display showed the black sphere of Earth, rising ever larger. The unknown ships had withdrawn now to a safe distance. All but one. And Bennis knew who occupied the bridge of that lone vessel. Vengeance was a concept that he understood.
What I wouldn’t give for one shot from the photon cannon, he thought. But this is justice, I suppose.
He stood to face the view screen, the nose of the unknown vessel pointed directly at him.
“So be it,” he said aloud.
***
DANE WATCHED THE STARLINER as it drifted in space, towards the Earth, and certain destruction. A destruction he would hasten.
The Lightship fleet had been withdrawn to a safe distance, one from which they could observe, but not participate in the final blow against this great lady. Dane wondered absently if his brother were still aboard, though his intuition told him otherwise. A small scout vessel had escaped during the attack, and Dane questioned whether he had allowed it to escape on purpose, hoping one day for a face-to-face challenge against his brother. He decided that ultimately, it did not matter. No doubt the imperial governor, Bennis, remained.
He had severed the link, returning control of the Lightships to their individual pilots. Rijkard, Devin, and Axel were no doubt in the back cabin, watching on monitors and waiting for him to act, cut off now as he extracted his private revenge.
He looked upon the Vixis, crippled and broken, and remembered his own experiences there, what seemed an eternity ago. Remembered his naiveté, his hopes, his dreams, all shattered aboard her.
And he summoned all his rage, his anger and vengeance. The power within the Lightship began to build to overflowing. The power readings topped off the scales, and with his mind, he released it all, shouting out loud with a primal rage.
White-hot lightning shot towards the Vixis.
***
BENNIS WATCHED AS THE bolt of energy closed on the screen, growing brighter, so bright, blindingly so, as if to cleanse the universe. And he did not flinch, but stood defiant as his bridge, and his flesh, incinerated around him.
***
DANE WATCHED AS THE Vixis was obliterated, a white-hot, consuming ball of fire, particles of metal and energy scattering through space, streaking into Earth’s upper atmosphere. But he found no satisfaction in it, only a brief release of his pent-up rage. Then all too quickly, an awareness of his continuing burdens. Almost instantly, the Earth herself emerged from behind the shield, a new dawn awakening once again.
He set the flagships’ systems on automatic, then disengaged from her and went out to meet his friends.
The sounds of victory cheers could be heard over the fleet comm system as Dane emerged from the chapel. His three companions all greeted him in a different manner, but all in silence. Devin put a hand to his shoulder, nodding quietly. Rijkard merely met his gaze, the unspoken exchange needing no words. Axel took his hand gently, pushing herself forward until she occupied his full and only attention. Then she hugged him, and surprisingly, he found himself embracing her back.
“I love you,” she whispered, then pulled back. Dane only nodded his acknowledgment of her words. Then the four of them stood together, arms around each other. As always, it was Axel who was brash enough to speak out loud.
“Now what?” she asked. Dane smiled wearily.
“Now we go home.”