CHAPTER NINETEEN

Jord

 

The surface of Icto II lit up in a fiery blaze, like a match to a spilled drum of gasoline. Plumes of flame and black smoke rose sky-high, adding to the already poisonous fumes of the planet's atmosphere. Lightning slashed through the choking fog, blasting holes into the distant mountaintops. If there ever was a planet that should have been renamed, it would have been this one. I would have voted for “Hell”.

 

“Looks like the fleet's started their bombardment,” I said, peering through the view port. “Good; we're going to need all the distractions we can get.”

 

Commander Martin's velvety-smooth voice crackled in my earpiece. “Now, why doesn't the fleet just blow up the entire place and be done with it?” she asked. “Not like the Icto care about their own planets. Just turn it to glass for them!”

 

Another voice filled my head, this one regal with a hint of ignorance. It swam through like fish in the ocean. “That is not for us to decide, Commander. Nor shall we stoop to such depravity and barbarity. Such is the behavior of Hanzan pirates.”

 

A three-eyed, brown-fleshed Wyn in black robes with blood-red embroidery appeared from the cockpit of our small stealth craft. “Isn't that right, Tresedi?” he said.

 

I wasn’t into the whole bowing thing, so I opted to nod. “Yes, Lord Yan'nu.”

 

“High Command does not typically resort to mercenaries on such occasions,” Yan'nu said. “But, your people have been a valuable bulwark against the Hanzan hordes. And quite simply, there are none left to finish the job. All other resources have been exhausted.”

 

The arrogant Wyn turned away from me and stepped over to the viewport opposite mine. “I love you, too,” I whispered, cocking the bolt slide of my plasma cannon to muffle my voice.

 

A flash of green lightning streaked across our ship, violently shaking us, like a tin can filled with rocks. Ampat, our Celyrian tech wizard, cursed and jumped in his seat. It wasn't like him to be so jumpy. Then again, it was the mission to end the war for good.

 

I chuckled to myself. “And they said this war would never end.”

 

Ampat must've caught me smiling. He flipped up the purple visor of his envirosuit. “How can you be so calm at a time like this?”

 

I couldn't let the little guy fall into paranoia already. We hadn't even touched down yet. Maybe a little soldierly pep-talk would help. “Once you've seen one battle, you've seen 'em all. C'mon Ampat, you're a veteran. Act like one.”

 

He nodded slowly, breathing in and out quickly, as if trying to psych himself up. “You're right. You're right. I'm just nervous, is all.”

 

“The Tresedi is right,” Yan'nu said, waving a hand over Ampat's head in a mystical manner. “Fear not. You will bring great honor to your people and restore Wyn sovereignty. Do not lose hope now.”

 

Ampat nodded again and slid his visor back down.

 

A Golian, mouthless and slim as a twig, tapped my shoulder. With his needlelike fingers, he signed: Check suit. Very hot outside.

 

For the third time, I ran diagnostics on my envirosuit. There were all green lights on my HUD. At least, he wasn't jumpy. A little overcautious, in my opinion, but I'd have taken that over fear any day. I instinctively gave him a thumbs-up in reply, but remembered that was an insult in Golian sign. His oval-shaped, green eyes narrowed. I quickly signed: All okay.

 

I forgive, he signed back. Golian language difficult to learn. Keep practicing.

 

I will. You ready? I signed.

 

He loaded a magazine into his sniper rifle. I was glad he was ready. He'd be watching over our asses.

 

More streaks of lightning shot past our ship, and the roar of thunder rumbled through the hull. If I lived through it, it would be one hell of a story. I'd never have to buy another drink in my life.

 

“We're two minutes from the landing zone,” Commander Martin alerted us. “Ampat? Ready to disable the SAL sites?”

 

Ampat whipped out his techpad and frantically tapped away. “Jamming their sensors now, Commander.” After another thirty seconds, he nodded in approval. “Sensors jammed. We should slip in unnoticed.”

 

I held my breath, anticipating a red beam sawing our ship in half. Another minute or so of eternity passed, and the ship slowed to a crawl. A sudden jerk of the floor told me we had touched down. I exhaled slowly. Objective One completed.

 

The Wyn grasped his temples with the three bony fingers of his hand. One glowing, white eye remained open. “I do not sense that we've been detected. We will resume as planned.”

 

I scoffed. “You forgot your suit, Lord Yan'nu.”

 

“My psionic gifts will shield me from the elements, but your concern is noted.”

 

Arrogant bastard. I slammed a fist on the boarding ramp controls. “Then, let's move out,” I said. Then, I signed for the Golian to take point. I wished they took individual names, but that was considered too prideful in their culture.

 

“I'll stand watch and make sure the ship's safe,” Commander Martin radioed. “Don't want this to be a one-way trip. Good luck out there.”

 

We descended the ramp into the hellish temperatures of Icto II’s surface. Fields of radiant crystals lay scattered amongst the crags. Jagged rocks jutted up from the ground, making it a pain in the ass to traverse the terrain. Plenty of cover, though. I'd take that.

 

I kept an eye on the Golian up ahead, who'd already found a nice little perch overlooking the Icto compound. A bolt of lightning struck the ground a couple hundred yards behind us. I glanced at the churning, black skies above us. They gave a fierce roar in return, as if in warning.

 

An array of laser turrets guarded the entrance to the compound. Two bipedal, Icto mechs stood watch on a flat overpass. I glanced at my cybernetic hand. If there was one species I hated more than the Wyn, it had to be the Icto. They’d started the whole mess, and I was going to end it that day.

 

“We must press on before we are struck down by the storm,” Yan'nu said. “Time is not on our side.”

 

Ampat slumped next to me, techpad at the ready. “I can disable the turret sensors, but those mechs might be a problem.”

 

“Why's that?” I asked.

 

“The turret encryption system is dense with countermeasures. If I throw the mechs into the mix, it'll overload my unit's systems. They'll detect that someone's attempting to hack them. We'll be compromised.”

 

I cursed. Nothing was ever easy. I looked up at the Golian, who was peering through his scope. “Golian, see those two sentries up on the overpass? You'll have to take them out before we can advance.”

 

He turned to me and signed: You give signal. I shoot.

 

I nudged Ampat. “Ready?”

 

The little guy glanced down at his techpad, then up at me. “Just say the word.”

 

A bolt of lightning stuck the jagged ground between us and the turrets, leaving a boulder-sized impact crater behind — as if the Icto's defenses weren't enough of a threat.

 

“Do it,” I said.

 

Ampat tapped away, muttering computer babble to himself. I peered over our cover at the compound. Nothing moved. We hadn't been detected… yet.

 

Ampat was whispering something to me. I slumped back into cover. “What's wrong?”

 

“I think the mechs are investigating the potential security breach. My unit's being overloaded. You have to do something, Jord.”

 

“Golian,” I said over my comms. “Time to shine.”

 

In near-silence, I saw two pink muzzle flashes from his sniper rifle. The mechs collapsed and stumbled over. He must've pinpointed their main processors. And to think Command had wanted to send someone else in with us.

 

Ampat sighed in relief. “Okay, I've got it now. Turrets are down.”

 

“All right, let's get moving!”

 

The four of us leapt from cover and darted toward the compound. I winced in fear that the turrets would come back online and blast us into bubbling puddles of meat. We reached the compound entrance, and Ampat went to work on getting the hulking metal door open. Objective Two complete.

 

Yan'nu held his temples with both hands. “We move as shadows, but I'm sensing a sinister energy about this place.”

 

The Golian cocked his head in confusion and signed: What Wyn mean?

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked. “Lord Yan'nu?”

 

He convulsed and fell back, hitting his shoulder against the cold wall. “There is a great evil here. Come, let us finish the task.”

 

“Will you make it? Can't have you slowing us down if—”

 

He regained his composure and shook his head vigorously. “I am fine. Open the door.”

 

The massive door hissed open. A mix of purple and blue light shone from inside. The whirring and scraping of machines and computers hummed through the air. I craned my neck around the corner, checking for targets. All clear.

 

I waved for the Golian to take point. He stepped through with silent grace, like a stalking predator. Stalker, I thought. That'd be a good name for him.

 

When I took a step to follow him through, a glaring, red eye flashed at me. I tripped and crashed to the hard steel floor; no doubt, bruising my knees in the process. Yan'nu and Ampat helped me back to my feet.

 

“You felt it, too,” Yan'nu said. “Guard yourself, Tresedi.”

 

I shook my head. “It was nothing. Let's keep moving.”

 

“Pray for the Eye,” he whispered.

 

“What'd you just say?”

 

Yan'nu walked away, ignoring my question. It had been strange, hearing him say that. I felt like I’d heard it before, in another time, or another life. A beach somewhere, with sand, and the salty brine of the ocean breeze. There came another vision, too. A vague, cloudy image of an Anuran, wearing a stupid, Human bomber jacket. He was yelling my name, tears welling in his eyes. Who was he?

 

I blinked away the images and urged the others on.

 

The soles of our envirosuits clanked softly against the floor as we pressed further into the compound, slithering through like silent, creeping animals. We passed through narrow, unintended corridors between rows and rows of towering blocks, which I could only guess were the AI's synthetic neural network. Soon enough, we'd find the AI mainframe, or central processor, or whatever the tech experts called it. Ampat would upload the virus and destroy it. The Icto would have to give up the war, surrender the Icto Gate, and cease any further attempts to wrench Interspace control from our Wyn masters.

 

At last, we reached another set of doors. The Golian knelt on his two twiggy legs, peering through his scope behind us.

 

Ampat looked down at his techpad. “If the schematics are correct, the AI core should be just behind these doors. It'll take me a bit, but I can get us in.”

 

“Then get to it,” I said. “Let's hope the intel was correct.”

 

With one hand, Yan'nu clutched his head, and he placed the other on the door. That creepy, third eye glimmered. “Yes. It is as the Elder foresaw, and as I have sensed.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“An enemy we have fought for aeons. The true enemy.”

 

“Enough with the mystic nonsense. Give it to us straight.”

 

Ampat gestured in quiet celebration. “We're in.”

 

The doors slid open with a hiss. Objective Three complete.

 

Below us, down a steep ramp, was a floating orb, no larger than a melon. A sickly green light emanated from it, casting its glow on the walls and floors around us. Beneath it was a simple console. But behind it was something none of us expected to see - a structure, triangular in shape, spinning and spinning, until the center revealed the white and black of Interspace.

 

I stood as still as a statue, mouth hanging loose. “It's a…”

 

“The Elder was correct,” Yan'nu said. “The Icto have constructed not one, but two Gates of their own. They tamper with a power they do not understand.”

 

“They understand it enough to have built it,” Ampat said. “Don't you think?”

 

“Emulating something does not equate to understanding it. It is merely a slipshod copy. We must destroy it, along with the AI. Celyrian, begin your task. Tresedi, do you have sufficient explosives?”

 

I nodded. “I have two disintegrator bombs. Is that sufficient enough for you?”

 

Yan'nu stayed silent, as if considering it. “That will have to do.”

 

I trotted down the ramp, past the glowing orb. To think that millions of lives had been lost due to a little piece of machinery. All because the Wyn didn't like their subjects figuring out how the Gates worked. The end of the war couldn't come soon enough.

 

I knelt next to the swirling Icto Gate, priming the disintegrators to go off remotely. Once we were out of the compound, I'd flip a simple switch, and boom. No more Icto Gate. At least, I hoped there'd be nothing salvageable left.

 

As I stood up again, the red eye screamed at me once more. Thick tendrils wrapped around my arms and legs, dragging me down. My knees struck the sturdy, metal floors. I tried to shout for help, but another tendril squirmed around my neck, squeezing my throat with a vice-like grip. The eye laughed at me, at my desperate attempts to rip myself free.

 

“Jord!” a voice called for me. “Look away!”

 

The Anuran ran toward me, his arms reaching out. Although I didn't know who he was, I reached out to him, hoping he'd help somehow. Our hands touched, and my vision returned in a flash of white.

 

The disintegrators remained at my feet. I looked around. Ampat was at the console with Yan'nu hunched over him. The Golian stood watch at the entrance.

 

I’d had another vision. Was I going insane? “C'mon, Pirt,” I murmured to myself. “Can't lose your head now.”

 

I rejoined the others just as Ampat reported in. “Another three minutes, and the AI will be completely wiped.”

 

“And I assume the explosives are set?” Yan'nu asked. His third eye appeared, as if it were scanning my soul or life essence.

 

“Yes, Lord Yan'nu.”

 

“Excellent. You have done well, my—”

 

With a thwack, something struck Yan'nu's bony torso. Emerald-green blood sprayed onto my envirosuit and visor. Frantically, I tried to wipe it clear enough to see. Yan’nu clutched his chest and sank to the floor. Ampat cursed as the Golian returned fire down the corridor. I urged Ampat to finish the job. We’d hold them off long enough.

 

Down the corridor were five or so Icto mechs, firing their arm-mounted, heavy blasters, taking care not to hit their precious, glowing orb. I dove to the floor and sprayed beautiful, red death back at them, my plasma cannon chugging with each round.

 

I felt a tug at my leg and glanced back. Yan'nu was still alive, but barely. With grasping hands, he slid himself closer. He spoke softly into my ear. I couldn't hear anything over the gunfire. But, he continued to crawl toward me, a pool of green forming around him. He grasped my shoulder, and with his dying breath, he said, “Pray for the Eye.” His grip loosening, he slumped to the floor, lifeless.

 

Ampat yelped as two rounds struck his legs. His envirosuit started to hiss and depressurize. If he didn't get that sealed, he would undoubtedly suffocate.

 

“How's it coming?” I asked, destroying two of the mechs. Another was taken down swiftly by the Golian.

 

“Another minute!” he grunted between cries of pain. “My suit is compromised, Jord! I'm not going to make it!”

 

“You will! Just do your job, and I'll get you out of here!”

 

That minute stretched and dilated to what felt like fifteen. The Golian and I destroyed the last two mechs. Behind us, the floating orb drifted slowly toward the floor, its green aura fading as it fell. It crackled and whirred in defiance, like it couldn't give up its short spark of life. Then, finally, it glowed no more, like a single candle in a dark, empty room, snuffed out by the breeze from an open window.

 

I rose from the floor to check on Ampat. “You did it, little guy! You did it!”

 

But there was no response. Beneath his visor, his mouth hung open. His giant, black eyes were clouded, lifeless. He was the true hero as he gasped for that last breath just before the end. I don't know why, but seeing Ampat's face like that made me sick to my core. Even after watching hundreds — no, thousands — die over the four decades of my career, I'd never been rattled before. Now, I couldn't move. I didn't want to move. I could only look at his dead eyes.

 

The Golian slapped my arm and signed: Still time. Must go now.

 

“You're right,” I said. “Let's get out of here before more show up. Hey, Martin, we did it. The AI's been neutralized.”

 

With all I had in me, I raced through the maze of the dead AI's neural network. Just when we reached the exit, another team of mechs fired on us — although, this time, they didn't have to be careful. Blaster rounds seared holes into the metal between us, one nicking my suit. The intense heat of the Icto homeworld seeped into my suit, slowly cooking me alive. But, I kept running. I had to. Just the thought of turning around to fire back would sign my death certificate.

 

There was one last chance for survival. I detonated the bombs. I couldn't see, but I could hear the compound rapidly disappearing with the sound of gnashing teeth. Our pursuers must've been swallowed up, as well. The blaster fire ceased.

 

We dashed through the turret array, still disabled from earlier, and through the long, craggy terrain leading to the landing zone. The heat intensified, blazing hot, hotter than any summer day on Hanza. We were so close, just over the ridge.

 

Our ship descended from the lightning-filled skies, kicking up thick clouds of dust. “Just in time, boys,” Commander Martin's voice crackled. “Where're the others?”

 

“Dead! Now, get us out of here!”

 

We leapt up the boarding ramp as it closed behind us. I crashed to the floor as Commander Martin sent our ship screaming into the atmosphere, the sheer force of gravity crushing me into the cabin floor. I ripped off my helmet, breathing the cool, crisp air.

 

The Golian followed suit and signed: Close. Very close.

 

I gave him a thumbs-up. His shoulders and torso shook with silent laughter.

 

Another few minutes later, and we had rejoined the last of the fleet, who had ceased bombing the surface of Icto II. No doubt, they were beginning their retreat. The Golian and I joined Commander Martin in the cockpit. Her long bangs bounced as she blew a huge breath of relief.

 

“I can't say I've ever shit my pants on a mission before,” she said. “But, I came pretty close back there.”

 

Normally, a joke like that would've made me laugh. Instead, I remained silent, just watching the fleet through the viewing port.

 

“I'm sorry about Ampat,” she said. “You two seemed kind of close.”

 

“Just get us out of here. About time this damn war is over.”

 

“THE WAR HAS ONLY BEGUN.”

 

I jumped. “What was that?”

 

“I didn't hear anything,” Commander Martin said. “Why don't you lay down and rest? You've been through a lot, Pirt. We all have.”

 

“Yeah, you're right.”

 

I stepped around the Golian and returned to the cabin, resting my head on the hull. Just before I could close my eyes, the ship rumbled. I leapt back to my feet, ready to head for the escape pod, in the event that the ship was sawed in half by Icto lasers. The ship rumbled longer and louder. Red light pierced through the viewing ports, creating a crimson tinge on the cabin walls.

 

“What is happening?” I asked anyone who'd answer.

 

“YOU ARE MINE NOW, MORTAL. SOON, YOU WILL ALL BE MINE.”

 

My eyes searched the room for the source of the sinister voice. “Where the hell are you? Who are you?”

 

“I AM OBLIVION. ALL WHO HAVE FACED ME NOW RESIDE HERE. THEIR MINDS ARE ETERNALLY DAMNED TO TWIST AND ROT. YOU ARE A BABE AMONGST SLATHERING BEASTS.”

 

“What is this? Some kind of dream?”

 

“IN TIME, YOURS SHALL FADE. YOU WILL BE NAUGHT BUT A HOLLOW SHELL. AN EMPTY VESSEL.”

 

“No, this isn't real!” I slammed against the hull. If it was a dream, I could float away into space. That thing, whatever it was, couldn't get me. Then, I'd wake up, back on Harland. Melville. Sai. Sai!

 

“Sai!”

 

The creature just laughed at me. His voice crushed me. The red eye sucked at the seams of whatever dimension, or dream, or plane of existence it was. With all my might, I held onto the cabin seats. The fingers of my fleshy hand slipped. But, my cybernetic hand held strong, resolute. I couldn't let go.

 

“SAI!”