Vedmak
You killed her, you bastard. She did nothing to you.
“Be silent, petulant child. I have no time for your mewing.” A hacked cough turns to agonizing pain. It’s hard to breathe, the shell all but dead now. The radiation poisoning eats away at these last living cells. The rescue attempt, the Opor attack—everything took far too long. “Just hold your tongue.”
Or you’ll do what? Demitri spits back. Huh, Vedmak? What more can you possibly do? You’ve taken everything from ... from everyone. You murdered Husniya. You murdered one of your own, just to get to her.
The gunship shudders, its engines whining as the power reserves dwindle.
“So? I killed the little rodent. As I should have done the first time we encountered her.” Another hard cough and blood spatters the metallic floor.
She was my responsibility. She was my friend. I dragged her into all this. She was only a girl! The Gracile’s voice grows loud in this aching head, the rising decibels sending pain into the depths of my soul.
“And now she’s a dead girl.”
You’re going to regret this. I promise you.
Ignoring the peacock’s empty threats, I force myself from the floor and prop against the bulkhead with the only hand I have left to use. With painful steps, bones aching, skin burning, head ringing, I hobble toward the cockpit. The ship drops suddenly, nearly sending me sprawling. “Damn it all to hell, Merodach!”
My Gracile warrior merely grunts. Beyond the fractured glass of the windshield, a violent storm stirs in the dark. The whipping of sleet and snow obscure the way ahead while strong gusts of frozen wind batter the hull and threaten to force us off course.
“Just get us to the lillipad,” I bark my last order and slide to the floor, back pressed to the doorframe of the cockpit. “Once there, everything will be well again. And I can take revenge on that little whore. Her and her damnable Creed attack dog.” The robotic puppet attacked while I was unprepared.
Demitri laughs like never before. It’s a crazed, maniacal sound.
“Something funny, kozel?”
Between fits of laughter, he answers, You didn’t recognize that Creed?
“What are you blithering on about?”
Nikolaj. He shouts. It was Nikolaj. I mean not him, but a Creed that looks like him. Oksana is with Mila. She must have built him.
Nikolaj? The useless neo brother? And Oksana would be the whore he kept as a mate. She still lives? “This is funny why? You simple idiot.”
There’s a fresh bout of laughing. “Nikolaj kicked my ass. Well, your ass. Nikolaj. There’s poetic justice there, don’t you think?”
“You’ve lost your mind.”
Demitri’s laughing halts abruptly and he answers in a tone deep and as cold as the grave. Oh no, I am saner than I’ve ever been. You know why, you sick sarding son of a bitch? Because for the first time in my life, I have true purpose: to destroy you.
“And how do you propose to do that? In all these years, you’ve not managed to do anything worth talking about. Don’t waste my time.”
That’s your weakness—arrogance. You messed up by killing Husniya. You’re done, you piece of sard. I only need a moment. A split second to take full control. It might be while you sleep, while you eat. Just a single momentary lapse. I’ll take control and kill us both. You’re mine, you bastard.
There’s a resolution in his voice. An undeserved certainty.
You’ll see, Vedmak or Genrikh or whatever your damn name is.
The ship sways from side to side then judders violently as we head into the eye of a storm. The nuclear power cells sit in the corner of the hold, glinting in the low lights. It won’t be long now. I have what I need to draw my brethren from their purgatory and into waiting Gracile shells. I’ll have the power to reap the souls of men. I’ll be death incarnate and nothing will stop me.
I try to shove from the floor, but can’t move. Another attempt and still these legs won’t obey.
Something wrong, Vedmak? Demitri’s voice is hard as stone.
If he had lips, I swear to Yahweh he’d be smirking.
“What are you doing, puppet?”
I think it’s you who has become the puppet.
“You can’t control me.”
I may not be able to control you, but I can pull on your strings. Every damn thing you want to do I’m going to fight, tooth and nail. Taking a piss will be like moving the heavens.
“You, you can’t do this.” I heave again and fight for a few inches. This already flayed body screaming in pain as his consciousness battles mine for control. “You. Won’t. Beat. Me,” I say through gnashed teeth, gradually rising.
Watch me, Vedmak. Watch me.